This year is set to be big for the film industry. Nearly every month has one or more highly anticipated movie being released into theaters. Here is the list of top picks for must-see movies to watch in order of release date.
Captain Marvel — March 8
Brie Larson stars in Marvel’s first movie featuring a female lead character, Captain Marvel. For years, Marvel has been getting criticism for taking too long to focus on their female characters, so this is BIG. Even though the movie is being released on March 8, the main plot is still for the most part unknown. All that we do know, is that Larson’s character, Carol Danvers, is an air force pilot turned Kree (a race of noble warrior heroes) who is trying to figure out her past amidst being caught in a galactic war. Even if Marvel movies typically aren’t your cup of tea, the theme of empowering women through a badass, strong, female superhero is why it is one movie you cannot miss.
Dumbo — March 29
Disney is continuing to make live action remakes for their beloved animated movies and Dumbo is the first of three to be released this year. The original animated movie follows a young elephant with ears so large they enable him to fly, which turns him into a circus star. Dumbo and his larger than life ears will still be present in the new film, but the plot follows a former circus star that has just returned from war and is hired to take care of the elephant. The trailer suggests Dumbo may play more of a supporting role in his own story. There will be a lot of material, including new human characters that are brand new to the remake and give more background on Dumbo’s story. Make sure to bring tissues with you to the theater because if the remake is anything like the original, there will be tears.
Avengers: Endgame — April 26
Avengers: Endgame is set to have the same success as, if not more than, Avengers: Infinity War. This means it is on track to be the highest grossing movie of 2019. The last time we saw our heroes, a majority of them were *SPOILER* turning to dust before our very eyes. Favorites, like Peter Parker, Groot, T’Challa and many more were killed by the snap after Thanos succeeded in collecting all six of the infinity stones. Little is known about the plot, as always with superhero movies, but what we do know is that the remaining heroes have not given up. There will be another showdown with Thanos, and this time they’ll have a little more help from Captain Marvel. Many characters we’ve grown to love over the years will have their last screen time, marking this movie the end of a fantastic era.
Aladdin — May 24
Another Disney live-action remake, Aladdin is set to be another big hit. Although the first trailer was met with some criticism, mainly due to Will Smith’s genie look, there is still a lot of anticipation to see how Disney has reinvented a popular classic. The movie follows Aladdin, a poor street rat who, with the help of a genie from a magic lamp, impersonates a prince to win the heart of Princess Jasmine. The sultan’s evil advisor, Jafar, has other plans for Princess Jasmine, as well as the lamp. If I had three wishes, I’d use one of them to make this movie come out sooner.
Rocketman — May 31
Biopics have always been popular, but in recent times they have become increasingly so. The musical fantasy follows the breakthrough years of Elton John, and stars Taron Edgerton in the lead role. Many of Elton John’s songs will be featured in the movie, making this not only a great story, but a tribute to his beloved music as well.
Dark Phoenix — June 7
Although the emergence of the Dark Phoenix in Jean Grey has already been explored in previous installments of X-Men movies, the trailer for the film indicates a new take on the character and her story. Jean appears to lose control of her powers after an explosion in outer space, which results in her becoming more powerful as well as more unstable. The X-Men must battle one of their own as they cope with the grief of having already lost a member of their team. With another time jump involved, you may want to brush up on the previous X-Men movies before seeing Dark Phoenix.
Toy Story 4 — June 21
One movie that everyone has been excitedly talking about is Toy Story 4. Many people believed the franchise had ended with Toy Story 3, after all we did get an ending that gave us all closure. All of our beloved characters are back though, in what is actually the last installment of the iconic series. Not much of the plot has been revealed yet, but no Toy Story movie has ever let us down. It has been 23 years since the first Toy Story came out, which means the theaters will without a doubt be packed with just as many adults as children.
Spider-Man: Far From Home — July 5
The third Marvel movie coming to theaters in 2019 is Spider-Man: Far From Home. It seems unbelievable that Marvel would really give us three movies within a span of five months, but it is true. Maybe this is their way of apologizing for the emotional damage we received courteous of Avengers: Infinity War. Fan favorite Peter Parker was *SPOILER* dusted by the snap, but fans didn’t have to worry too long about whether or not he’d be back with the announcement of Spider-Man’s second titular film. What is supposed to be a fun school trip with his friends takes a surprising turn when Nick Fury crashes his vacation. The new villain, Mysterio, also shows up amidst Peter’s trip, giving Spider-Man a new enemy to face. Two names: Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal. Sign me up
The Lion King — July 19
Yet another Disney live action remake, The Lion King, will be brought to the screen this year, making a grand total of three. The movie follows lion cub Simba and his journey to becoming king of the African savanna. His road to the throne isn’t easy though, as death, betrayal, and exile cause a battle for Pride Rock. The animated original broke many hearts and the live action will definitely result in just as many tears, if not more. This is another movie that you might want to pack your tissues for.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — July 26
One movie coming to theaters this year with an incredible cast is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Some of the actors include Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Dakota Fanning and Al Pacino. The movie takes place during Hollywood’s Golden Age back in 1960 and follows a TV actor whose career has faded. He and his stunt double try to gain success and fame in the changing movie industry. With the star studded cast, this movie would be hard to miss.
It: Chapter Two — September 6
It: Chapter One was wildly popular, so it is not surprising that the story is continuing with It: Chapter Two. The movie takes place 27 years after the first when Pennywise returns to torment the Losers’ Club, though the children are now adults who have moved away. They are all called back to Derry, Maine by a devastating phone call and it’s safe to say the losers will face off with Pennywise once more. The sequel is set to be just as terrifying as the first, which means I’ll be watching through the cracks between my fingers.
Frozen II — November 27
The first movie was a major hit, so it’s no surprise that Disney is releasing a sequel. The first teaser just dropped and although it didn’t give much – if anything – away about the plot, it definitely fueled excitement. Anna and Elsa are back (as are Kristoff, Olaf and Sven) to take on another adventure, though this one will be far from their home of Arendelle. If the new movie has even half as many catchy songs, it will definitely be just as popular as the first.
Star Wars: Episode IX — December 20
As always, a list of the most anticipated movies for the upcoming year is never complete without a Star Wars movie. The previous installment, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, was met with mixed reviews as many believed it didn’t live up to the Star Wars name, but with J. J. Abrams returning to direct Star Wars: Episode IX, fans are hopeful that the movie will be redeeming for this trilogy.
With this list of movies that are predicted to be 2019’s biggest films, it’s clear that Disney is practically running the industry this year between their live action remakes, Marvel and Star Wars. You can find me sitting in the theater on the release dates for all of these movies with a large popcorn in hand.