Whichever genre your taste in films tends to favour, we all love a good summer blockbuster from time to time. The massive success of films such as Black Panther, Pacific Rim and the Avengers series is testament to this. So, what’s coming up this year in 2019? We’ve got some returning favourites from the Marvel universe, as well as a new look at a couple of popular characters like DC’s the Joker and Dark Horse’s Hellboy. Not forgetting some highly anticipated reboots from Disney!
Captain Marvel
After the enormous success of DC’s female-led movie Wonder Woman, starring Gal Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins, Marvel are releasing Captain Marvel this year. Fronted by Oscar winner Brie Larson and with Anna Boden at the helm as both director and co-writer, it’s shaping up to be a very exciting film with women firmly in charge. It looks to be bang on trend with its nostalgic 90s action flick look and promises to be a fun-filled watch for any cinema goer. A must-watch if, like everyone else on the planet, you’re waiting with bated breath for the release of the next Avengers ensemble movie, Avengers: Endgame later this year.
Dumbo
The little elephant who could fly; many of us will have grown up watching Disney’s animated 1941 classic and now there’s a chance to see him in full CGI glory. Dumbo stars some of Hollywood’s favourites, such as Eva Green, Michael Keaton, Colin Farrell and Danny DeVito, and mixes live action with some scarily convincing special effects. Directing visionary, Tim Burton brings his own unique twist to the look and feel of the film, meaning that it’s very different from the Dumbo we know and love, but still maintains the original’s big heart.
Hellboy
It’s been 15 years since Ron Perlman took to our screens in Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece, Hellboy. The film, along with its sequel Hellboy II, became instant classics, amassing plenty of fans who loved the blend of action, humour and pathos delivered so well by a dedicated cast. So, Neil Marshall’s 2019 reboot has a lot to live up to! Starring Milla Jovovich as antagonist Nimue the Blood Queen and David Harbour as the titular character himself, this movie already has a lot of hype around it. With its blend of understated British humour and mind-blowing action sequences, it could well be another classic waiting in the wings.
Joker
Director Todd Phillips isn’t one to shy away from a challenging subject matter. He directed and produced breakaway 2009 comedy hit The Hangover, as well as its sequels. If you haven’t seen the original film, it focuses on a bachelor party in Las Vegas with slapstick comedy, one character winning big at the blackjack table and a tiger in the bathroom. Let’s hope that he brings some of that perfectly timed humour to Joker in 2019, hopefully with a darker edge as we saw in The Dark Knight. The Joker has seen some character-defining depictions over the years, most notably from Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson, and now it’s veteran actor Joaquin Phoenix’s turn to step into those shoes.
The Lion King
With a cast list of who’s who in the world of Hollywood celebrities, Disney’s CGI remake of their classic 1994 film could for some be the most exciting release of 2019. Names like Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Seth Rogen and Beyoncé create an ensemble company of actors that come together to reimagine everybody’s favourite version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. James Earl Jones is back as the unmistakable voice of Mufasa, and Jon Favreau will be lending his directing magic to the project.
Of course, there are plenty more high profile movies out this year, like Disney’s live action remake of Aladdin, DC’s Shazam, and Toy Story 4. There’s a different role for Marvel’s Iron Man, as Robert Downey Jnr. takes on The Voyage of Dr Doolittle, and everybody’s favourite electric mouse reappears in Detective Pikachu. You’ll be spoilt for choice at any cinema screen this summer!