With 2018 in the books, it’s time to look ahead to 2019. There are already loads of movies we can’t wait to see, and it was a challenge to whittle the list down to just 30 titles. But we’re pretty happy with our movie preview even though we know there are also plenty of indie movies that are still flying under the radar, but right now these are the films that are must-sees for the year from giant blockbusters likeAvengers: EndgameandStar Wars: Episode IXas well as new titles from auteurs likeJordan PeelewithUsandGreta GerwigwithLittle Women. It’s an exciting year, and we have high hopes for the films on this list.
Glass (January 18)
Director/Writer:M. Night Shyamalan
Cast:Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy, Sarah Paulson, and Anya Taylor-Joy
Why We’re Excited For It:After some years in the wilderness, it looks like M. Night Shyamalan is firmly back on track. While I don’t know if there will be a mass evaluation of movies likeThe Last AirbenderandThe Happening, I do know thatSplitfelt like Shyamlan back in his wheelhouse, and that was even before the ending where he revealed it was a sequel toUnbreakable. Now we’re getting a true follow-up to his 2000 movie, which was truly ahead of its time as it tried to breakdown superhero tropes for an audience that wasn’t quite there yet. Now we’re all on the same page, and I can’t wait to see how Shaymalan continues this story. –Matt Goldberg
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (February 8)
Directors:Mike Mitchell, Trisha Gum (co-director)
Writers:Michelle Morgan, Dominic Russo, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Matthew Fogel, Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Cast:Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill, Stephanie Beatriz, Channing Tatum, Tiffany Haddish, Nick Offerman, Will Arnett, Charlie Day
Why We’re Excited For It:It’s been five years since the Oscar-nominated animated adventures of mild-mannered construction worker Emmet and his bric-a-brac friends, and even though we’ve had opportunities to see LEGO ninjas and Batman on the big screen since then, we want to see what our heroes have been up to while we were away.
Granted, Lord and Miller aren’t at the helm this time, so it’ll be interesting to see just how the sequel shapes up; will it be more like the original film and the duo’s recent hit withSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, or closer to Mitchell’s previous features likeTrollsandShrek Forever After? Time will tell, but seeing the invading DUPLO aliens destroying everything Emmet and his pals have built promises to be a blast no matter what.– Dave Trumbore
Captain Marvel (March 8)
Director:Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Writers:Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck and Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Jac Shaeffer
Cast:Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Gemma Chan, Ben Mendelsohn, Lee Pace, Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law
Why We’re Excited For It:Marvel first female-led superhero movie has been a long time coming (sorry,Ant-Man and the Wasp, but co-leads don’t count), and they’ve certainly got a capable lead in Larson. But as they’ve shown with theGuardians of the Galaxymovies andThor: Ragnarok, Marvel is incredibly comfortable going cosmic, so it should be neat to see that side of the story as well as going back in time to see this character in the 90s. Also, bringing back Clark Gregg to play Agent Coulson is a huge plus. –Matt Goldberg
Us (March 15)
Writer/Director:Jordan Peele
Cast:Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Jordan Peele’s directorial debutGet Outwas a veritable sensation in 2017, bringing horror to the Oscars and sparking all kinds of timely and necessary discussions about “post-racial America”. It was also a damn entertaining modern day spin onTwilight Zonestyle horrors that’s just as sharp and witty as you’d expect from the formerKey and Peeleco-creator. So obviously I was already excited for his second filmUs, which he’s described another social-minded horror movie in the vein ofGet Out, but then the trailer dropped. Holy shit, that trailer is amazing and so unnerving, a surreal spin on the home invasion genre that’s all about the way we become own worst enemies — literally, we’re talking creepy-ass dopplegangers here. If the trailer’s any indication, Peele is shaping up to be an essential voice in a golden age of horror. —Haleigh Foutch
Shazam! (April 5)
Director:David F. Sandberg
Writer:Henry Gayden
Cast:Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Mark Strong, Djimon Hounsou
Why We’re ExcitedForIt:Warner Bros.' DCEU is on a bit of a creative upswing, at least tonally, with the sludgy mumblin' and grumblin' ofBatman vs. Supermanbeing left behind for more colorful affairs.Shazam!seems to be the peak of this new era, with trailers teasing a superhero romp bursting with heart and (literal) electricity.Zachary Leviis one charming SOB andJack Dylan Grazerwas a definite endearing standout fromIT’s ensemble. -Vinnie Mancuso
Pet Sematary (April 21)
Directors:Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer
Writers:David Kajganich and Jeff Buhler
Cast:John Lithgow, Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz
Stephen King’s darkest book is getting new life on screen fromStarry Eyesfilmmakers Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer.Pet Semataryweilds grief and the fear of mortality with the force of a truck, crashing through the illusions of safety or rationality we wrap around ourselves for comfort and stripping life down to its barest fragility. It’s a scary and deeply upsetting novel, one of King’s best, and it’s in the hands of two filmmakers who have proved they’re not afraid to get bleak and dark with their material. Then they went and cast the thing, and it’s honest to god perfection; Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and freakin’ John Lithgow as Jud Crandall. You really couldn’t ask for more. There’s a lot left in the mythology of King’s book that wasn’t touched in. Mary Lambert’s 1989 remake and I’m excited to see how deep and how dark Kolsch and Wydmyer decide to go with the material. If we’re living in a resurgence of King adaptations,Pet Semataryis one of the most exciting titles you can have on the lineup. —Haleigh Foutch
Avengers: Endgame (April 26)
Director:Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Writers:Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely
Cast:Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Karen Gillan, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, and Josh Brolin
Why We’re Excited For It:How could we not be? Last summer we got a massive cliffhanger inAvengers: Infinity Warand now it’s time to finish the story. Aside from just finishing what we started,Endgamelooks like it could have more focus thanInfinity Warsince there are now fewer characters to service. Additionally, there’s the promise of some serious emotional moments as some of the actors say goodbye to these characters. But overall, this is the climax of three phases of the MCU. If you’ve been in for these movies, you’re all-in onEndgame. –Matt Goldberg
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (May 10)
Director:Rob Letterman
Writers:Nicole Perlman, Rob Letterman, Tomokazu Ohara, Haruka Utsui
Cast:Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Ken Watanabe, Suki Waterhouse, Rita Ora, Karan Soni, Bill Nighy, Karan Soni
Why We’re Excited For It:This premise is just so bonkers that it’s hard not to be excited to see how it all plays out. There have been a ton ofPokémonmovies over the years, 21 and counting, but they’ve all been anime films … until now! The live-action aspect of the new film is curious enough, but the fact that Ryan Reynolds is voicing the title character is just too bizarre to pass up. I love that only Smith’s character can actually understand what the world-famous Pokémon is saying beyond his usual “Pika, pika!” and I’m sure audiences will, too. However, it’s the balance between cute and uncanny appearances of the other “live-action” pocket monsters that are scattered throughout this story that will be the true litmus test for moviegoers’ reactions.– Dave Trumbore
John Wick: Chapter 3 (May 17)
Director:Chad Stahelski
Writer:Derek Kolstad
Cast:Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Halle Berry, Anjelica Huston, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Mantzoukas
Why We’re ExcitedForIt:Open upthis photoofKeanu Reevesin bloodied clothing riding a horse majestically down the Brooklyn streets and tell me you’re not hyped forJohn Wick: Chapter 3. No? How about the promise of “ninjas and shotguns”, along with the return of noted badassesIan McShaneandLaurence Fishburne, and the addition ofHalle Berry,Anjelica Huston, andJason Mantzoukasplaying a character named the Tick Tock Man. TheJohn Wickmovies emerged out of seemingly nowhere to become modern-day action masterpieces andChapter 3
looks to be another perfect headshot. -Vinnie Mancuso
Aladdin (May 24)
Director:Guy Ritchie
Writers:John August & Guy Ritchie
Cast:Mena Massou, Naomi Scott, Marwen Kenzari, Billy Magnussen, and Will Smith
Why We’re Excited For It: Disney’s track record with adapting their animated movies into live-action has been pretty good so far. At the very least, there hasn’t been anything that’s diminished those originals, and I’m interested to see if they can keep it going withAladdin. While we’ll haveDumbobeforeAladdinarrives, I’m more attached to the 1992 animated movie, so I’m eager to see what Guy Ritchie does with the material. While I’m sure he’ll probably be able to nail moments like “A Whole New World”, I’m curious to see how they’ll handle “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali” with Will Smith as the genie. –Matt Goldberg
