2018 was a long year and while it felt like we were living in the Upside Down, thankfully there were some great movies. These movies made us cry, made us laugh, connected with us, inspired us and reminded us of how great films can be.

As awards season starts to dwindle down, it’s time to start welcoming 2019 and look forward to what the year has to offer us. (Let’s agree that January usually isn’t that great and February is where things start to get going.)

In this list, we are compiling GoC’s most anticipated movies of 2019, divided into different genres. Some genres will get their own articles, as the year is jam-packed with amazing movies. There are hundreds of movies releasing this year, so to make life easy we picked two titles for every genre that we are most looking forward to, with honourable mentions listed as well.

So, if you think we’re missing a movie, please be sure to let us know in the comment section down below!

Having said that, let’s begin!

Comedies

What Men Want?

What Men Want is a remake/reimagining of the movie What Women Want. It is one of the first comedies to hit this year, and early buzz suggests we have another Girls Trip in our future. The movie is directed by Adam Shankman (Hairspray, Cheaper by the Dozen 2), and stars Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, and Tracy Morgan.

What Men Want is scheduled to be released on February 8, by Paramount Players.

Little

From the mind of Marsai Martin, Universal Pictures brings us Little, a twist on the classic 13 Going On 30. Written and directed by Tina Gordon Chism (What Men Want), Little tells the story of Jordan (Regina Hall) a take-no-prisoners mogul who torments her assistant and employees on a daily basis. However, when the pressures of adulthood become too much, she magically transforms into her 13-year-old self (Marsai Martin).

Little is scheduled to release on April 12.

Thrillers

Honourable mentions: The Woman in the Window – October 4.

Knives Out

So far, the plot for the film has yet to be released, but the log line goes as follows, “modern murder mystery in a classic whodunit style”. This doesn’t mean much, but when you consider who is directing and the stars of the film, well this just leapt to the top of our anticipated list.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is helming the project, and it stars pretty much all of Hollywood: Chris Evans (Snowpiercer), Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049), Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water), Christopher Plummer (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), Daniel Craig (Skyfall), Toni Collette (Hereditary), Lakeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother you), Katherine Langford (Love, Simon), and more (see full cast list here). So it’s safe to say it’s going to be an experience to watch on the big screen.

Knives Out is scheduled to release on November 27, by Lionsgate.

Horror

Check out our ‘Most Anticipated Horror Movies of 2019‘ article for more of our most anticipated horror movies. But, here are two titles that we are expecting to be the best of the genre this year.

Us

Directed by Jordan Peele (Get Out), the film follows the story of a mother (Lupita Nyong’o) and a father (Winston Duke) who decide to take their children to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends (Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker). But as the night descends, their serenity turns to tension and chaos when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited. This film doesn’t even need a trailer to get us tensed up.

Us will premiere at SXSW and be released worldwide on March 15, by Universal Pictures.

IT: Chapter 2

It: Chapter 2 will pick up 27 years after the last time we saw the Losers’ Club in the first film. The adults reunite to defeat the evil entity Pennywise the Dancing Clown, fulfilling the promise they made in the summer of 1989.

Andy Muschietti returns to direct the sequel and is joined by a stellar adult cast for the adult Losers’ Club: James McAvoy as Bill, Jessica Chastain as Beverly, Jay Ryan as Ben, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike, Bill Hader as Richie, James Ransone as Eddie and Andy Bean as Stanley.

It: Chapter 2 is scheduled to be released on September 6, by Warner Bros.

Animation

Honourable mentions: MGM’s The Addams Family – October 18, Laika’s Missing Link – April 12, Pixar’s Toy Story 4 – June 21, and Disney’s Frozen 2 – November 22.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The final entry to this epic trilogy will bring us an older Hiccup, Chief of Berk, who has fulfilled his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia. However, when the sudden discovery of a wild and elusive mate lures Toothless away, and a new danger threatens their village, Hiccup’s reign as chief is tested. With limited options, Hiccup and Toothless are forced to leave the only home they know for parts unknown.

As they travel to a hidden world thought to only exist in myth, both dragon and rider will fight together to the very end to protect everything they love.

How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World will be released stateside on February 20, by Dreamworks and Universal.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

It’s been five years since the events of The LEGO Movie and everything is not awesome. When Lucy, Batman, MetalBeard, Princess Unikitty, and Benny have been kidnapped by General Sweet Mayhem, it’s up to Emmet to save the universe and restore the harmony they once had.

Not only is this film a direct sequel to The LEGO Movie (2014), but it’s also the fourth film in the franchise, following The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie, which means this world will keep on expanding. It is exciting that LEGO presents a chance to explore animation in different ways and we need more animated movies that dare to go where no animation has gone before.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (writers and directors of the first film) return to produce and write, with Mike Mitchell directing. Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Charlie Day, Alison Brie and Nick Offerman return alongside new additions Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz and Maya Rudolph.

The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is set to premiere in the stateside on February 8, by Warner Bros.

Live-Action/CGI Hybrids

Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu is a movie no one expected nor asked for, but it’s here. The trailer surprised many of us with live-action Pokemón that looked unbelievable, and a really adorable Pikachu with Deadpool’s voice. It looks like a genuinely fun ride, and we are excited to go on it.

The film is directed by Rob Letterman (Monsters vs Aliens) and it’ll follow the story of Tim Goodman (Justice Smith), a former Pokemón Trainer who, after his father’s disappearance in a car crash, works with his father’s former Pokemón partner, Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) in order to solve the mystery.

Detective Pikachu is set to be released on May 10, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Lion King

This list wouldn’t be complete without including the live-action adaptation The Lion King, and how could it not after seeing that teaser trailer that gave us goosebumps from the very beginning?!

Jon Favreau (The Jungle Book) brings us this latest adaptation and it stars Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce as Nala, James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumba, Billy Eichner as Timon, and John Oliver as Zazu, just to name a few.

The film is a childhood classic for many, and this live-action adaptation is sure to bring back all the memories we had while watching this movie for the first time, like seeing Mufasa die, again, on the big screen.

The Lion King is set to be released on July 19, by Disney.

Dumbo

Another adaptation of one of our beloved childhood films, Dumbo is set to break more than one heart in the audience, as we’ll witness the troubles little Dumbo has to face. Those sad big ears and being separated from his mother is already having us weep.

Tim Burton directs a cast that includes Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Alan Arkin. This adaptation will tell us the story we know and love from the animated classic with a few twists and turns.

Dumbo is slated to be released on March 15, by Disney Studios.

Action

Honourable Mentions: Terminator – November 1, and Hobbs and Shaw – July 26.

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum takes place right after the events of John Wick 2, John is still on the run following his killing of a member of the High Table inside The Continental, with a $14 million global contract out on his life. Banned from any Continental services, John must fight and kill his way out of New York.

The name of the film is in reference to the saying, “Si vis parcem, parabellum,” which means, “If you want peace, prepare for war.” So, this is obviously going to be an epic conclusion.

Halle Berry joins Keanu Reeves as Sofia, an assassin with a love for dogs. Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family) plays the Director of the High Table, Asia Kate Dillon (Orange is the New Black) is The Adjudicator, Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth) is Tick Tock Man, and Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 The Grave) is Zero.

John Wick 3: Parabellum will be released on May 17, by Lionsgate.

Science Fiction/Fantasy

Honourable mentions: Men in Black: International – June 14, and Captive State – March 15.

Godzilla: King of Monsters

Godzilla: King of Monsters is the sequel to 2014’s Godzilla and the third entry to the new Monsterverse. This latest film follows the crypto-zoological agency Monarch and its members as they face-off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla. Godzilla collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

Godzilla: King of Monsters is directed by Michael Dougherty and stars Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Thomas Middleditch, Bradley Whitford, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Zhang Ziyi in a mysterious role.

Godzilla: King of Monsters will be released on March 31, by Legendary Pictures.

Star Wars: Episode IX

The final episode of the new trilogy is something we have been anticipating since The Force Awakens and J.J Abrams returns to the director’s chair. Our main protagonists are set to return: Daisy Johnson as Rey, Oscar Isaac as Poe, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo, and Kelly Marie Tran as Rose. Mark Hamill will return in some capacity as Luke Skywalker, and we say our final goodbyes to Carrie Fisher’s General Leia. There is very little known about the film, but nothing needs to be revealed for our most anticipated movie of the year.

Star Wars: Episode IX is set to be released on December 20, 2019, by Disney.

There you have it, GoC’s list of Most Anticipated Movies of 2019! Chime in with your most anticipated in the comment section below.