2019 will be the year of superhero movies, seeing the release of a record-setting amount: a whopping eleven films. As the superhero movie craze continues, next year looks poised to be the prime example of how invested Hollywood as a whole really is. There's the usual amount of Marvel movies, but increased output from Warner Bros. and DC, as well as some final Fox X-Men titles. All of these make up an astonishing ten confirmed 2019 superhero movies.
Just how big of a jump is this? Well, in 2018 six live-action superhero movies hit theaters (Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man & the Wasp, Venom and Aquaman). Even if this is expanded to include animated movies like Teen Titans Go! To The Movies and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, that's only eight. 2017 and 2016 each had seven movies; 2015 had just three; 2014 had four, and 2013 had five. Each of those years felt loaded with superhero movies in their own right, but 2019 will blow past them - and it isn't entirely by design.
Related: Every Superhero Movie Coming In 2020
Before we lay out the insane 2019 lineup, it's worth clarifying that two of the films weren't intended to be released that late. Both of Fox's X-Men titles in 2019 - Dark Phoenix and New Mutants - were originally scheduled to hit theaters in 2018, before reshoots delayed each release. As such 2019 was supposed to have only eight movies. Things were further changed when Wonder Woman 1984 moved back from November 2019 to Summer 2020. Regardless, Diana Prince's exit wasn't enough to stop 2019 having an all-time lineup.
Last updated: January 2, 2019
Glass - January 18
While no one knew M. Night Shyamalan's Split was part of a superhero universe back in 2017, everyone is now aware of this fact with Glass. The film is a sequel to both Split and Unbreakable that brings together the casts from both films. Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn, as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, James McAvoy as the Beast, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke. With a release date of January 18, it means 2019 barely gets two weeks in before the superhero action begins. However, in classic Shyamalan fashion, Glass doesn't want to be a standard superhero film.
Related: Glass: Every Update You Need To Know
Captain Marvel - March 8
Marvel Studios kicks off their 2019 slate on March 8 with one of their most important films to date: Captain Marvel will be the MCU's first movie ever to be led by a female. Oscar-winner Brie Larson takes the mantle of Carol Danvers, an airforce pilot gifted with alien powers (and cosmic suit to match). Directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden - the latter being the first female to receive directing credit on an MCU film - Captain Marvel goes back to the 1990s to tell her origin and explore the Kree-Skrull war. Joining Larson are familiar MCU faces like Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson), Lee Pace (Ronan), and Djimon Hounsou (Korath), as well as newcomers like Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Annette Bening, Gemma Chan, and more.
Related: Captain Marvel: Every Update You Need To Know
Shazam! - April 5
The first of three DC movies to hit theaters in 2019 will be Shazam! on April 5. Warner Bros. attempt to start a cinematic universe currently has more misses than hits, and it's no surprise that Shazam! is looking to emulate the lighter tone of the DCEU's biggest hit, Wonder Woman. Zachary Levi will play the superhero portion of the leading role, while Asher Angel stars as Billy Batson - a kid who gains superpowers from a mysterious wizard. They'll fight Mark Strong's Doctor Sivana, while Jack Dylan Grazer's Freddy Freeman tags along as the comedic friend. Horror director David F. Sandberg makes the jump to studio superhero film, and the first trailer gives a strong indication that what he's created will deliver.
Related: Shazam Movie: Every Update You Need To Know
Hellboy - April 12
Hellboy arrives in theaters on April 12, looking to reboot the character with a new take. The movie obviously comes on the heels of Guillermo Del Toro and Ron Perlman's two films that are quite loved, giving new star David Harbour a tough bar to hit. Neil Marshall steps in as the director, while Harbour is surrounded by Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich, Daniel Dae Kim, Sasha Lane, and more. The big difference comes with the R-rated approach they're taking now. A Hellboy trailer was light on that R, but certainly promised a unique adventure.
Avengers: Endgame - April 26
The biggest movie, not just of the superhero genre, in 2019 is arguably Avengers: Endgame. After Avengers: Infinity War set the box office ablaze in 2018, Avengers 4 looks to wrap up eleven years of storytelling, while also setting up a future for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thanos (Josh Brolin) will return to foil the Avengers, whose numbers are significantly smaller now (by approximately 50%). Larson's Captain Marvel joins the fray, along with Paul Rudd's Ant-Man. The high levels of secrecy currently surrounding Avengers: Endgame meant even its title was a secret until the trailer released in early December 2018, a marketing trick that has only kept everyone talking about the unknown aspects.
Related: Avengers 4: Every Update You Need To Know
Page 2: Five More Superhero Movies Coming In 2019
- Hellboy (2019)Release date: Apr 12, 2019
- Glass (2019)Release date: Jan 18, 2019
- X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)Release date: Jun 07, 2019
- Captain Marvel (2019)Release date: Mar 08, 2019
- Shazam! (2019)Release date: Apr 05, 2019
- The Avengers 4 / Avengers: Endgame (2019)Release date: Apr 26, 2019
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)Release date: Jul 02, 2019
- New Mutants (2020)Release date: Aug 28, 2020
- Joker (2019)Release date: Oct 04, 2019