The year 2019 is shaping up to be an incredible year for films, with dozens of highly anticipated movies coming to theaters throughout the year. Disney is bringing three live-action classics our way, Marvel is releasing a new superhero film focused squarely on a female hero, and lifelong Pokemon fans will get to see Pikachu as a Ryan Reynolds-voiced live-action detective.
For our readers who are looking to plan some movie outings with the kids, or for those of us adults who just love watching kids movies, 2019 has a lot of great films to look forward to, including the a third “How to Train Your Dragon,” movie, the live-action version of “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and “Dumbo,” and the long-awaited sequel to “Frozen.”
Check out our top picks for the most highly anticipated kids movies, live-action, upcoming films of 2019 below:
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part – February 8
“The LEGO Movie 2” is bringing back everything that was awesome in the first film back to Bricksburg in February, and boy are they in for a surprise when a slew of alien invaders from the planet DUPLO come to town (which is where the first film left off). Although we’ve had the Batman and Ninjago spin-offs, fans are looking forward to a proper sequel to the hilarious 2014 movie. The second part will once again feature Emmet (Chris Pratt) and Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), and even Batman (Will Arnett) will make an appearance.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – February 22
Probably one of my personal favorites of the year, “How to Train Your Dragon” is coming out with a third film, based around Toothless finding a mate (another Night Fury! Or, in this case, a “Light Fury!”) while Hiccup and the gang journey to a magical hidden world to help put a stop to a new terror threatening Berk, Hiccup’s home village and the now-turned dragon utopia. It looks as though Hiccup isn’t the only leader in this film, as Toothless takes on the role to lead the dragons.
Dumbo – March 29
One of the three Disney movies getting a live-action reboot in 2019, this remake of the 1941 animated classic about a gifted circus elephant is being directed by the stylings of Tim Burton. Burton, known for the unique and very different style of his films, cast Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell, and Michael Keaton, among many other talented actors and actresses. Circus owner Max Medici (Devito) enlists Holt Farrier (Farrell) to help care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock, but also give him a special, magical gift.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu – May 10
For those of us who have been obsessed with the Pokémon universe our entire lives, the live-action/animation hybrid is one of the most exciting films of the year. Featuring Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, the movie follows a young man who joins forces with Detective Pikachu to unravel the mystery behind his father’s disappearance, while they chase clues through the streets of Ryme City. While searching, the pair quickly uncovers a plot that could destroy the Pokémon universe forever. “Detective Pikachu” is rumored to be rated PG-13, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Aladdin – May 24
Although we’ve only been given a tiny taste of what the live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin will be like, it definitely does the original 1992 movie justice so far! Mena Massoud has been cast as the “street rat” Aladdin, with Naomi Scott starring as Princess Jasmine. Will Smith is the Genie this time (RIP Robin Williams!), with director Guy Ritchie making his debut. Check out the teaser trailer above!
The Secret Life of Pets 2 – June 7
Illumination Entertainment, the same company that brought us our favorite goofy Minions, also created the hugely popular and successful “The Secret Life of Pets” back in 2016. We now have a sequel to look forward to next June, with Patton Oswalt replacing Louis C.K. as the voice of Max, the Jack Russell Terrier. Check out the short-but-hilarious teaser trailer above.
Toy Story 4 – June 21
The long-awaited and highly anticipated fourth installment in the Toy Story series follows “The Secret Life of Pets” in June, and although fans agreed that the trilogy ended perfectly with the third movie, Pixar is bringing our beloved Woody and Buzz back for a fourth film. “Toy Story 4” details are scarce, though we know the main cast will return, and it’s being directed by Josh Cooley in his feature-length debut, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
The Lion King – July 19
Every “Lion King” fan on the planet is thanking James Earl Jones for staying healthy long enough to once again voice Mufasa in director Jon Favreau’s live-action version of the beloved Disney classic. We will also be welcoming Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala, and Rotten Tomatoes claims that those who have gotten to take a few sneak peeks at the opening scenes say to “set your jaws to ‘dropped.'” We are apparently in for an enormous treat come July!
The Angry Birds Movie 2 – October, 2019
Although there is no official trailer released for the second Angry Birds movie, fans of the original movie can rejoice for there will be a sequel released in October of 2019! The mobile-game-turned-movie did well for itself in 2016 when the first movie was released, and although there aren’t many details out yet about the plot of the movie, with a voice cast including Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage, as well as Rachel Bloom and Bill Hader, we are expecting good things from the sequel!
Frozen 2 – November 27
One of the biggest phenomenons in Disney’s long history, “Frozen” is making a comeback, with a sequel due out in November. The story, a take on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, is loved by young audiences and adults alike, and although we’ve been aware that a sequel was in the makes for a while, details of the film are still sparse. We’re just excited to see Elsa and Anna back together again!
The 10 films mentioned above are just a few of the many amazing animated, live-action and kids films set for release in 2019. I wanted to also give a shoutout to a few other favorites that we can’t wait to see as well, including “Ugly Dolls,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” and if the Minecraft movie is ever finished, we will absolutely be looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.
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Kids, Animated & Live-Action Movies of 2019: Top 10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Films