EVERY NEW YEAR brings with it the excitement of all the new releases we can anticipate in the cinema.
There’s quite a lot of information out there about the big-budget international and Hollywood movies due to hit the big screen, so let’s take a look (we’ll do a separate post for Irish productions, don’t worry).
Glass
The sequel to M Night Shyamalan’s films Unbreakable and Split, this sees many of the original cast reprising their roles, but joined by Sarah Paulson. Hollywood Reporter calls it “Shyamalan’s most complex film yet”. Paulson stars as a psychologist who treats patients with delusions of being superheroes and villains – but are they really deluded? Due in January.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Our own Saoirse Ronan stars as Queen Mary and Margot Robbie as her cousin Queen Elizabeth, in this exploration of the women’s changing relationship. Directed by Josie Rourke, who says she fought to include scenes of menstruation and oral sex. Due in January.
If Beale Street Could Talk
Based on the novel by writer James Baldwin (who had a gift for dissecting race and racism in American society), directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and starring Kiki Layne, Stephan James and Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk is about a young couple who have to deal with an incarceration. Due in February.
Beautiful Boy
Young man of the moment Timothée Chalamet is the titular beautiful boy and Steve Carrell is his father, in this film based on both of their memoirs. It’s an exploration of drug addiction and its affect on a family. Due on 18 January.
On the Basis of Sex
The frankly legendary Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s story is told here, with Felicity Jones playing Ginsberg and Armie Hammer playing her husband. It’s also a look at how sexism affected women in the workplace of the 1960s. In the trailer, you’ll also spot one Jack Reynor (What Richard Did).
Boy Erased
The topic of gay conversion therapy (which also featured in The Miseducation of Cameron Post last year) is explored here as Lucas Hedges plays a teen boy – and preacher’s son – whose parents can’t accept his sexuality. Due in February.
Escape Room
Adam Robitel directs this film about an escape room (naturally) where the price you pay for not escaping is… death. Due in February.
The Lego Movie 2
The Lego Movie was a surprisingly resounding success, so here’s a second movie to get you laughing. Can they do it again? Due in February.
What Men Want
Taraji P Henson and Tracy Morgan star in the female version of What Women Want (remember that? The Nancy Meyers film starring Mel Gibson). Lots of gender-specific comedy, if you’re into that sort of thing. From the producers of Girls Trip, AND it stars Erykah Badu. It’s about a woman who gains the ability to hear men’s inner thoughts. Due out in March.
Us
After Jordan Peele’s fantastic film Get Out, he’s working on this new one called Us. What we know so far is it stars Elisabeth Moss and Lupito N’ong’o, and is a “social-horror thriller”, as was its predecessor. In it, a family meet their other halves… could this be even creepier than Get Out? Due in March.
Everybody Knows
This looks like a really fascinating thriller. Real-life couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem star – she plays a woman who travels from Argentina to Spain for her sister’s wedding. But while she’s there, her eldest daughter is abducted. Directed by Asghar Farhadi (A Separation). Due out in March.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
Based on the great book of the same name – by Maria Semple – this should be a treat. It’s about a teenage girl whose mother goes missing, and she sets out to find her. You know you’re in safe hands when Cate Blanchett plays Bernadette, while Billy Crudup and Kirstin Wiig are also along for the ride.
Wonder Woman 2
Patty Jenkins directs again for the follow-up to Gal Gadot’s breakthrough, which made more than $389m at the US box office. Kristen Wiig is among the new additions to the cast.
Dumbo (live action)
Will we cry our way through this live-action version of the Disney children’s classic? You betcha. Voice talent will come from Colin Farrell, Eva Green and Danny DeVito among others. Due out in March.
Pet Sematary
Another Stephen King classic being remade into a film, this is about a family who move to their dream home, only to discover… you guessed it. Due out in March.
The Sisters Brothers
Another adaptation from a novel (written by Patrick DeWitt). John C Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix star as the Sisters Brothers, two assassins on a journey through the Northwest. Along the way they find themselves – and their relationship – tested. This is director Jacques Audiard’s first English language film.
Mid90s
Jonah Hill makes his directorial debut with this film set in 1990s Los Angeles. It’s about a young boy who has a tough home life and makes friends with a group of skaters. Due out on 12 April, but got good reviews in the States where it was released last year.
Eighth Grade
Feels like we’ve been waiting a long while for this – Bo Burnham’s directorial debut, again about a young teenager. This time it’s a young girl who’s in the last week of her disastrous eighth grade year (the last year of primary school). A lot of us will empathise. Due out in April.
Avengers 4
A direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, this will see the return of the Avengers after the shattering incidents in the previous film. As with all the MCU films, plot details will be kept tightly under wraps. Due in April.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
The trailer for this film has been watched by millions of people – and with good reason. It’s gloriously bonkers and cute. Due out in May.
Ad Astra
Brad Pitt and Ruth Negga are among the stars in this sci-fi about an Army Corps engineer who travels through the solar system to try and understand why his father disappeared on a one-way mission to Neptune. Shot by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (Interstellar) so it will look pretty amazing anyway. Due out in May.
The Translation of Wounds
A psychological horror film that will star Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson. What we know so far: it’s about a New Orleans bartender who picks up a phone in work, sparking some disturbing events. Based on a novella.
Captain Marvel
Brie Larson (Room) stars as Captain Marvel herself, in a highly-anticipated Marvel movie. Will be particularly interesting to see Larson in an unexpected role like this. Due in March.
Lion King (live action)
This is one of a number of live-action versions of Disney classics set to be released in 2019 – from the clips we have seen, it looks gorgeous. But we’ll have to wait a little while for a full trailer. Due out in July.
Artemis Fowl
This big screen version of the children’s book comes from Disney, and was filmed in a few countries, including Ireland and Vietnam. Eoin Colfer wrote the Artemis Fowl series, and the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh. Due out in August.
IT Chapter 2
Pennywise is back! Lock up your kids for this sequel to the Stephen King horror IT. Due out in September.
Toy Story 4
Bring your tissues – there’s no doubt the latest Toy Story film will be a weepy. Due out in June.
Under the Silver Lake
Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough and Topher Grace star in this film from the great A24 stable, which also brought us Hereditary and Good Time. This film is about a young man who discovers a mysterious woman in his apartment’s swimming pool – but when she disappears he finds himself on the trail of murders and crimes in his LA neighbourhood.
The Goldfinch
Nicole Kidman and Sarah Paulson are among the cast in this film version of the award-winning novel by Donna Tartt. Due out in October.
Death on the Nile
After remaking Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh turns his hand to another Agatha Christie classic. We don’t know much other than it will star Armie Hammer, Gal Godot and of course Branagh himself.
Frozen 2
Another sequel – but will it bring us all the joy the original brought us? Time will tell. Due out in November.
Star Wars: Episode IX
We’ve had a lot of Star Wars releases in recent years – but anticipation will still be high for this one. The trailer won’t be out until next year, but we do know that JJ Abrams is directing (replacing Colin Trevorrow) and filming began in August 2018 at Pinewood Studios in London. Due out on 19 December.
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