Keep an eye out for these movies
Big-screen remakes, do-overs of oldies and new instalments of favourites will hit the cinemas this year. James Croot reports.
If you thought 2018 was a blockbuster movie year, then brace yourself for 2019. Pundits are already predicting record financial hauls as a slew of hotly anticipated sequels, remakes and adaptations are set to be unfurled over the next 12 months.
There’s the big-screen versions of Downton Abbey (September 12), Artemis Fowl (September 19), The Woman in the Window (September 26) and Cats (December 19), do-overs of Pet Sematary (April 4), Hellboy (April 11) and Charlie’s Angels (October 24), new instalments of Godzilla (May 30), The Terminator (October 31) and The Secret
Life of Pets (June 20) and Batman
(October 3’s The Joker) and Fast and Furious spin-offs (August 1’s Hobbs and Shaw).
Meanwhile, for fans of Kiwi content, there are potentially crowd-pleasing documentaries on iconic New Zealand bands Herbs and The Chills (currently both May 2).
After a trawl through the proposed lineup, Stuff has come up with our picks for the 20 big 2019 movies we’re most excited about:
Glass (Jan 17)
Buoyed by the success of 2016’s
M Night Shyamalan brings together James McAvoy’s Kevin Wendell Crumb with the characters from his 2000 superhero-thriller Unbreakable.
That means the return of Samuel L Jackson’s Elijah Price and Bruce Willis’ David Dunn, glimpsed briefly to crowd-pleasing effect in Split.
Captain Marvel (March 7)
Before returning to the traumatic events of Infinity War, Marvel takes a detour to introduce the key character of Carol Danvers.
Brie Larson plays the US Air Force pilot whose DNA was combined with a superhuman alien during an accident. Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Annette Bening and Samuel L Jackson co-star.
Daffodils (March 21)
New Zealand gets its own jukebox musical with this adaptation of the hit 2014 play. Classic hits by Dave Dobbyn, Crowded House, Bic Runga and Blam Blam Blam play a vital role in bringing to life the love story of Rose and Eric. Rose McIver, Kimbra and George Mason star.
Dumbo (March 28)
Tim Burton ‘‘reimagines’’ Disney’s much-loved 1941 animated tale with a live-action adaptation of Helen Aberson’s 1939 novel about a young elephant whose unique abilities help lift a struggling circus.
Eva Green, Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito are among the human actors on display.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (April 11)
In this sequel to the blockbusting 2014 animated adventure, it’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens of Bricksburg are facing a huge, new threat. Lego Duplo invaders from outerspace have arrived and are wrecking everything faster than the locals can rebuild. Joining the vocal cast this time are Tiffany Haddish and Margot Robbie.
Avengers: Endgame (April 25)
How will our heroes get out of this jam? 2018’s Infinity War ended with half the universe’s inhabitants obliterated and the likes of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers left with the awful job of picking up the pieces and trying to find a way to reverse all that Thanos had wrought.
Expect to see the return of Hawkeye and Ant-Man to the fold to help out.
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (May 9)
Although based on the 2016 video game of the same name, Rob Letterman’s movie promises a very different, more comedic spin.
Ryan Reynolds provides the voice of the normally one-note Pokemon mascot who has to team up with the son of his former partner Harry Goodman to try to solve the mystery of how Harry disappeared.
John Wick 3: Parabellum (May 16)
Picking up events straight after the end of the last, 2017 instalment, Keanu Reeves is on the run following his assassination of a member of the powerful High Table. With a multi-million dollar global contract out on him, his first objective is just to stay alive. Anjelica Huston and Halle Berry join the party this time around.
Aladdin (May 23)
Twenty-seven years after Disney wowed the world with its animated comedy musical, Guy Ritchie attempts to reinvent the tale lock, stock and barrel with this live-action version.
Little-known Canadian actor Mena Massoud takes on the title role, while Will Smith is the scene-stealing Genie.
Brightburn (May 23)
Elizabeth Banks stars in this sci-fi horror spin on Superman.
She plays a woman who discovers a child from another world who crash lands on Earth. However, instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he appears to be something far more sinister.
Rocketman (May 30)
Aiming to do Bohemian Rhapsody style box-office, Dexter Fletcher (who helped complete the Freddie Mercury biopic after original director Bryan Singer was fired) this time chronicles the life and music of Elton John. Taron Egerton plays the man formerly known as Reg Dwight, while Jamie Bell and Bryce Dallas Howard co-star.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (June 6)
Three years after Apocalypse seemingly killed off the Marvel superhero’s franchise prospects for a second time, Dr Charles Xavier and company are back.
This time, the threat comes from one of their own. Jean Grey (Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner) develops incredible powers that begin to corrupt her.
Men In Black: International (June 13)
For its fourth instalment, the popular sci-fi comedy franchise gets a complete makeover.
Chris Hemsworth is joined by his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson for this adventure which focuses on a mole within the organisation.
Toy Story 4 (June 27)
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the toy room, Woody, Buzz and company are back for another round of animated hijinks.
This time, they are off on a road trip after the arrival of a new character called Forky. Jordan Peele, Tony Hale and Keegan-Michael Key are among the newcomers to the vocal cast.
The Lion King (July 18)
Disney’s much-loved 1994 animated musical gets a CGI makeover under the watchful eye of The Jungle Book’s Jon Favreau.
No doubt likely to traumatise a whole new generation, this time the vocal lineup includes James Earl Jones, plus Beyonce, Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Seth Rogen.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (July 25)
Rumoured to be Quentin Tarantino’s penultimate film (he’s on record saying he only wants to make 10 movies), this star-studded dramedy follows a faded TV actor and his stunt double as they embark on an adventure to make a name for themselves during Charles Manson’s reign of terror in 1969 Los Angeles.
The cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Al Pacino.
It: Chapter 2 (September 5)
Kiwi actor Jay Ryan joins Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy for the second-half of Stephen King’s terror-filed tale.
Set 27 years after the original’s events, it sees the Losers’ Club reunited by a devastating phone call. The movie also promises to include a couple of scenes that were considered ‘‘too dark and disturbing’’ for 2016’s first chapter.
Last Christmas (November 14)
Could this finally replace Love Actually as the world’s most popular and divisive Christmas romcom?
Emma Thompson co-wrote and stars in this holiday tale inspired by Wham!’s 1984 festive lament. While little is known about the plot, the cast includes Emilia Clarke, Michelle Yeoh and Crazy Rich Asians’ Henry Golding.
Frozen 2 (November 21)
If you thought you could finally ‘‘let it go’’ – think again. Elsa and Anna are back in this hotly anticipated animated sequel.
This is Us’ Sterling K Brown and Westworld’s Evan Rachel Wood join the cast for a plot that Disney has remained tight-lipped about, although many have speculated could be much darker than the original.
Star Wars: Episode IX (December 19)
Original director George Lucas’ nine-film saga finally comes to fruition more than 40 years after his space soap opera stunned the world.
So far, there are far more questions than answers. Will Carrie Fisher make a final appearance? Will Luke Skywalker return? Will Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian play a key role?
What is known is that joining the cast this time around are Keri Russell, Richard E Grant and Matt Smith.