The stories continue...

Big changes are on the horizon for blockbuster movies, as Hollywood’s forever changing landscape looks to hit new heights this year, as 2019 promises to bring some major changes that will set the scene for years to come. There are a few key areas we’re keeping our eye on, as they’re sure to have a weighty impact on future cinema

The beginning of Marvel Phase 4

As the end looms for the third phase of Marvel’s cinematic universe, the only way is up – and there are plenty of exciting plans for the fourth era. 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War ended on the mother of all cliff-hangers, erasing half of the universe and hurling the MCU into chaos. It’s down to 2019’s Avengers: Endgame to reveal what the remaining Avengers will do to reverse Thanos’s snap and undo the damage he caused with the Infinity Gauntlet. We also have Captain Marvel to look forward to, releasing in March – 2 months prior to Avengers, with heavy speculation that the hero will take on Thanos and appear in Endgame, which is also expected to see the departure of some of the MCU’s long-time stars including Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans and give us a sense of the direction Phase 4 will take. Phase 4 itself will commence shortly after Endgame, with Spider-Man: Far From Home in July. Img source

Disney’s nostalgia machine goes into overdrive

Disney are proving they aren’t afraid to challenge your childhood memories as in 2019, they’re going full steam ahead with live-action remakes and sequels to all our childhood favorites, and some of their most beloved properties. The House of Mouse will release 4 movies this year, including remakes of The Lion King, Aladdin and Dumbo, with high-profile stars signed on - Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Seth Rogan to name a few. Anticipation for the movies are sky-high, with audiences hoping they’ll live up to their reputation. Meanwhile, Toy Story 4 is also coming in June, a whole 8 years after the previous entry (which is also dubbed as the perfect ending to the Toy Story movies), so it’s going to have to be flawless to live up to its legacy and impress fans. Disney has had massive success releasing live-action remakes in the last few years, with the likes of Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book being critically acclaimed, so 2019 could be the year they bite off more than they can chew, or pave the way for more remake projects in the coming years. Img source

The end of the new Star Wars trilogy

Back in 2015, The Force Awakens exploded into cinemas and marked a triumphant return for the Star Wars franchise. With a slick mix of new (Ray, Finn, Poe) and old (Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca) characters and a solid plot line, the movie went on to become the third-highest-grossing movie of all time. Since then, a spin-off movie – 2016’s Rogue One and a sequel – 2017’s The Last Jedi have been released, both being financial and critical successes (even though the latter caused a stir amongst fans for being too divisive). Then came 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, the first new Star Wars movie to disappoint, gathering poor reviews and an unexpectedly low box-office taking, which even led to Disney CEO Bob Iger saying they released “too much too fast”. The concluding movie in new trilogy – currently dubbed Episode IX, marks the return of director JJ Abrams and promises to mark an end to the Skywalker saga, and set the stage for the future of the Jedi. Img source