24 Movies We're Already Excited to See in 2019
If you're not too busy catching up on 2018's most buzzworthy movies in time for awards season, start making your list for 2019. From Disney reboots to superhero franchises to follow-ups from recent breakout filmmakers, there are already dozens of highly anticipated movies slated to be released between January and December — and more to be announced, too. Here are 24 movies (so far!) we're excited to see in 2019. (Photos via Walt Disney Studios + Jaap Buitendijk/Focus Features + Disney-Pixar + Marvel Studios)
Serenity (January 25): This suspenseful thriller starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway was originally supposed to be released in October 2018, but now you get to start your movie-going year with it instead. McConaughey plays Baker, a fishing boat captain whose ex-wife Karen (Hathaway) comes looking for help in getting rid of her abusive new husband. But Karen's reappearance causes Baker to revisit his past in ways he wasn't prepared for. (Photo via Graham Bartholomew/Aviron Pictures)
What Men Want (February 8): Taraji P. Henson stars in this new comedy inspired by the hit 2000 rom-com What Women Want. As a female sports agent, her character has faced inequality her entire career — so when she gains the ability to hear mens' thoughts, she changes things in her favor and fights to sign the NBA's next big star. (Photo via Jess Miglio/Paramount Players)
Isn't It Romantic (February 13): The rom-com revival continues with this very meta rom-com about a woman (Rebel Wilson) who finds herself trapped in a rom-com with a handsome stranger (Liam Hemsworth), her best friend (Adam Devine), and the woman her best friend loves (Priyanka Chopra). (Photo via Michael Parmelee/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Alita: Battle Angel (February 14): Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, and Keean Johnson appear in this graphic novel-inspired film about a cyborg who has to navigate a post-apocalyptic world with no memory of her past. (Photo via Twentieth Century Fox)
Captain Marvel (March 8): Brie Larson stars as the title character in the first female-led Marvel movie — and she looks made for the role. The film will uncover Carol Danvers' superhero roots as she wades into an intergalactic war that she says she plans to end. (Photo via Marvel Studios)
Us (March 15): Not much is known about director Jordan Peele's follow-up to his 2017 hit horror flick Get Out, but with a cast that includes Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke (Black Panther), Elisabeth Moss, and more, it's already on our must-see list. (Photo via Universal Pictures)
Where'd You Go, Bernadette (March 22): Based on the 2012 Maria Semple novel of the same name, this Richard Linklater-directed adaptation stars Cate Blanchett as the title character, an agoraphobic woman who suddenly goes missing, prompting her daughter, Bee (Emma Nelson), to set out in search of her. The comedy also stars Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer, Laurence Fishburne, Troian Bellisario, and James Urbaniak. (Photo via Annapurna Pictures)
Dumbo (March 29): Many of the story lines from the original 1941 animated film seem to be in tact in Disney's latest live-action reboot, directed by Tim Burton. That includes, of course, all of the sad scenes — just watch this trailer and try not to cry. (Photo via Walt Disney Studios)
Pet Sematary (April 5): After the massive success of 2017's It, another classic (and terrifying) Stephen King novel is getting the updated movie treatment. Pet Sematary follows a family who moves to a small town, where they discover an animal burial ground in the woods near their house. The problem is, anything buried there doesn't stay dead. Prepare to be too scared to sleep for a week. (Photo via Kerry Hayes/Paramount Pictures)
Penguins (April 17): The most romantic film of the year might be Disneynature's Penguins, a "coming-of-age" story about an Adélie penguin named Steve who is on a quest to find his life partner — all while dealing with the threat of predators like killer whales and leopard seals. (Photo via Walt Disney Studios)
Avengers: Endgame (May 3): The reported final installment in the Avengers franchise picks up in the aftermath of 2018's Infinity War, after Thanos has obliterated half of the world's creatures — including many of Marvel's beloved superheroes. Just Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) remain, and together — with some help from Ant-Man, it seems — they must try to defeat Thanos once and for all. (Photo via Marvel Studios)
Rocketman (May 17): Taron Egerton portrays Elton John in this epic musical fantasy film covering the "uncensored human story" of the living legend himself. (Photo via Paramount Pictures)
Aladdin (May 24):Dumbo isn't the only live-action Disney remake set to hit theaters in 2019. This Guy Ritchie reimagining of the 1992 classic stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, and Will Smith as the genie (voiced in the animated original by the late Robin Williams). (Photo via Walt Disney Studios)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (May 31):Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown gets her first turn on the big screen in the sequel to 2014's Godzilla. Brown plays Madison, the daughter of a zoological agency employee who studies monster-sized creatures like Godzilla. She and her mother, Emma (Vera Farmiga), are kidnapped for their knowledge, while Godzilla is at war with Mothra, Rodan, and the three-headed King Ghidorah. And Emma might be the only one who can stop them. (Photo via Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros. Entertainment/Legendary Pictures Productions)
Dark Phoenix (June 7): The 12th installment in Marvel's X-Men franchise sees Sophie Turner reprising her role as Jean Grey — only this time, an accident has left her with new powers she can't control as she dabbles in the dark side. (Photo via Doane Gregory/Marvel/Twentieth Century Fox)
The Secret Life of Pets 2 (June 7): The sequel to the summer 2016 blockbuster about what our pets do when we leave the house will continue to follow Max (Patton Oswalt) and his animal friends getting up to no good. Not much is known about the plot yet, but an early sneak peek showed Max making a trip to the vet, and also introduced a new Shih Tzu character voiced by Tiffany Haddish. (Photo via Universal Pictures)
Men In Black International (June 14): The Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson-starring spinoff finds the MIB secret agents wrapped up in a murder mystery that sends them around the world. Liam Neeson, Kumail Nanjiani, and Emma Thompson also star. (Photo via Giles Keyte/Sony Pictures)
Toy Story 4 (June 21): It's been more than two years since Toy Story 4 was officially confirmed, and this summer, we'll finally get to see Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and the rest of the toys back in action. According to Pixar's official synopsis of the long-awaited follow-up, the film sends the gang on "a road-trip adventure alongside old and new friends [that] will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy." Among those new friends are Forky (Tony Hale), a "reluctant new toy" that Bonnie keeps in her room, and Ducky and Bunny, voiced by the hilarious comedy duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. (Photo via Disney-Pixar)
The Lion King (July 19): Disney's big year will continue with one of its most anticipated reboots, the live-action/CGI reimagining of The Lion King, which features the voices of Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, and more. We've only seen one teaser, but it already looks breathtaking. (Photo via Walt Disney Studios)
Artemis Fowl (August 9): Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Eoin Colfer's sci-fi novels boasts a cast including Judi Dench and Josh Gad. Newcomer Ferdia Shaw plays the title character, a young criminal mastermind who hatches a plan to kidnap a fairy for ransom. (Photo via Walt Disney Studios)
Downton Abbey (September 20): The plot of the Downton Abbey film, which will be a continuation of the TV series about the wealthy Crawley family, is being kept under wraps for now, but the original cast of the beloved British period drama is set to return, and Julian Fellowes, who created the TV show, is producing the film and wrote the screenplay. (Photo via Jaap Buitendijk/Focus Features)
The Kitchen (September 20): Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss star as the wives of Irish mobsters who must step in to take over the business when their husbands are arrested. In other words, welcome to your favorite movie of 2019. (Photo via Alison Cohen Rosa/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Untitled Mr. Rogers Project (October 18): If you have any tears left after watching the 2018 Mr. Rogers documentary, Won't You Be My Neighbor, just wait until America's dad Tom Hanks takes on the role of the iconic children's TV host for this upcoming drama. We're already crying. (Photo via Lacey Terrell/Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Cats (December 20): Tom Hooper's star-studded film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical will feature Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, James Corden, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, and Rebel Wilson, among others. (Photo via Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures)
