2018 turned out to be one heck of a year. Black Panther broke the bank, Infinity War broke our hearts and Solo, well, Solo is just broke. But just like a shark carrying Arthur Curry into battle, we must keep moving forward. As we look ahead into the coming year, the 2019 slate looks jam-packed with movies and TV series from every corner of popular culture. So much so, that you might be in a need of a full preview of what lies on the horizon, for us geeks. Well, since you asked so nicely…
The Punisher – Season 2 - January 18th
One of the most underrated series’ in the Marvel/Netflix lineup is getting a well-deserved second season, very soon. First introduced in Daredevil season 2, Joe Bernthal’s portrayal has perfectly captured the brutal violence and occasional nuance of Frank Castle’s character. Season 2 looks to be picking up where the first left off, with Frank going toe-to-toe with his former brother in arms Billy Russo, now adopting the mantle of Jigsaw. You might remember that Frankie left Billy in a quite mess by the time the story was resolved, so much of these new episodes will likely focus on him dealing with Jigsaw’s retaliation. Little else is known about the finer plot points, but we hope it doubles down on the powerful character drama makes Castle so compelling, with some blood thrown in for good measure.
Captain Marvel - March 8th
Carol Danvers has been one of the most requested characters since the MCU money-making-machine fired-up back in 2008. This year the fans will get their wish, with a double-dose of Captain Marvel on the cards. The first of which sees her front her own solo origin story, before making herself known to the rest of the cast in Avengers: Endgame. Focusing on her solo outing, the movie centres on her involvement in the Kree/Skrull war, as well as her discovering her own humble beginnings on earth as a U.S. Air Force pilot. Events take place in 1995 and will presumably explain her absence from the Avengers for the last ten years. We’ll even catch a glimpse of Nick Fury with 20/20 vision, I don’t know about you – but I’m sold.
Shazam! - April 5th
To put it kindly, the DC Universe has got off to a somewhat rocky start, critically to be clear. One of the biggest criticisms of the franchise has been how everything is critically dark and grim tonally. More recently, they seem to be hard at work to distance themselves from that and alleviate some of the fans’ concerns. The big-screen debut of Shazam follows in Aquaman’s footsteps in trying to bring some smiles back to proceedings. The movie itself looks fairly familiar, at least to devotees of his character. 14-year-old orphan Billy Batson gets bestowed with a powerful adult-alter-ego, who is summoned by uttering the word “Shazam!” Billy has little time to come to terms with his newfound abilities, as he’ll have Dr Thaddeus Sivana to contest with. The movie looks to be occupying the same light hearted and comedic space that Ant-Man claims within the MCU, and it could be the shot in the arm that DC needs.
Avengers: Endgame - April 26th
2019 marks the year that the MCU will fundamentally change, forever. After over a decade of character arcs, quips and general avenging, the fourth and potentially final instalment will serve as the ultimate culmination of an unprecedented 20+ film universe. After shockingly (spoilers for Infinity War, but seriously, where have you been?) losing their battle with Thanos in their first encounter, the team is broken with the loss of their allies. The movie will surely focus on the remaining heroes trying desperately to reverse the snap and rescue their fallen comrades. This is a plot which will ultimately reunite former friends Cap and Tony as they rally against the mad titan. Combine this with the reality that it could be the last hurrah for these beloved characters, and you have a film perfectly poised for a huge emotional punch.
Game of Thrones – Season 8 - April
Speaking of culminations, how on earth you do wrap-up eight seasons of (arguably) the best show on TV. Well, this is the year we finally find out where every death, every betrayal and every C-bomb was leading to. The long-teased battle with the imposing Night’s King is coming to fruition in what promises to be the grandest battle television has ever seen. This, paired with the final showdown in King’s Landing with Cersei, which will ultimately determine who claims the iron throne, has the makings to be a finale for the ages. By now, we have such a connection to so many of these characters; Jon Snow, Tyrion, and Daenerys to name a few, that it seems like saying a fitting farewell is nearly impossible. But that is the outrageous task facing the showrunners. As long as Bronn is okay, we’re okay.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix - June 7th
In what could prove to be one of the last X-Men movies before they hand over their properties to the glad hands of Kevin Feige, Fox are bidding to rectify one of their biggest missteps. X-Men: The Last Stand squandered one the most iconic storylines the team have ever embarked on, the Dark Phoenix saga. This second attempt will aim to be much more faithful to the source material by placing Jean Grey's story at the centre of the narrative and doubling down on the emotive and sombre elements of the story. Whether or not we’ve seen enough of Sophie Turner’s rendition of Jean to warrant this story being told is, shall we say, a matter for debate. But fans are always welcoming of a classic arc being done total justice.
Toy Story 4 - June 21st
If you were a 90’s baby, then chances are you grew up with Disney’s now-classic series of animated comedies. After the third movie left fans of all ages crying like babies, it seemed as though the series was over and done with. However, nine years later, we’re joining Woody and the gang once again as they embark on life without Andy. The narrative sees our favourite toys heading on a road trip with some new faces, and a reluctant new addition named ‘Forky’. If you were hoping that the fourth movie would ease up after the ordeal at the end of Toy Story 3, we’ve got some troubling news for you. In an interview last year, the voice of Buzz Lightyear, Tim Allen claimed that the ending was so emotional he “couldn’t even get through the last scene. A sentiment shared with Tom Hanks who called it a “moment in history”. Yikes.
Spider-Man: Far from Home - July 5th
Rounding out a stacked line-up for Marvel Studios is the follow-up to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Very little is known is about the sequel as we are still eagerly waiting for the first trailer to drop, but we do have a few snippets of information. Despite being set after the surely distressing events of Endgame, Peter travels overseas with his friends; potentially to distance himself from any losses he may have faced. His vacation doesn’t go to plan though, as he comes into conflict with The Elementals; a threat so major he seeks help from Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio. We also know that he’ll be rocking a new version of the stealth suit from the popular comic – and it looks, yes I’ll say it, spectacular.
The New Mutants - August 2nd
In an interesting change of pace, Fox has turned its attention to a comic-book movie, but with a horror twist. Anya Taylor-Joy and Maisie Williams portray Magik and Wolfsbane respectively; as they, along with a group of young mutants, use their powers to escape the facility in which they are trapped. The trailers alone hint at an exciting use of experimentation with the tone and aesthetic. Psychological horror isn’t something usually associated with the superhero genre, especially in properties with Marvel seal of approval. While it may be too-little-too-late in terms of rescuing Fox’s floundering X-Men series, it gives them the chance to bow out on a high with a refreshing take on a familiar idea.
Star Wars Episode IX - December 19th
Following the incredibly divisive response to The Last Jedi, Episode 9 has a lot of work to do in order to deliver a satisfying end to the Skywalker Saga. Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams is returning to the helm after his solid job on the first in the sequel trilogy. He has a lot on his plate in tying up the arcs for so many lovable characters. The focal point, of course, will be Rey’s final transition into a powerful Jedi master; as well as the resolution of her complicated relationship with Kylo Ren. Juggling this while finding fitting conclusions to the stories of Leia, Finn, Poe and the Rebel/First Order conflict will be a herculean task – but one we’re all very much looking forward to seeing them tackle.
And…breathe. Like we said, there is no shortage of great content hitting our screens in 2019. Whether it be dramatic conclusions, fresh starts or toys holding hands, we’ll have plenty to dissect and discuss over the coming months. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s going to be glorious.
Let us know what your most anticipated film/TV show for 2019 is in the comments.