Superheroes are all the rage these days. Whether on TV or in the movies, superhero stories are inescapable, with new ones popping up constantly — and 2019 will be no exception. In fact, there are numerous new superhero projects hitting the big and small screens next year that should satisfy viewers of all kinds.
The MCU appears to have the most obvious slam-dunk blockbusters with Avengers 4, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Captain Marvel. However, Disney could also end up being responsible for the release of the X-Men movies Dark Phoenix and New Mutants after its merger with Fox, leaving it to decide how to handle properties that could become part of Marvel’s ever-expanding universe. Meanwhile, DC will be experimenting with a new tone with Shazam and a new stand-alone, director-friendly format with Joker.
Those titles don’t even begin to cover some of the unique superhero offerings coming in 2019, including Glass, which promises to be unlike any comic-book movie fans have seen before. Creative takes on superheroes will be especially prominent on the small screen with Netflix’s Umbrella Academy, Amazon Prime’s The Boys, and HBO’s Watchmen. There will also be more familiar, but quirky, titles over at the new streaming service DC Universe, including Doom Patrol and Swamp Thing. Then there are the projects we hope we’ll see next year, but whose release dates have yet to be confirmed. Yet, how cool would it be binge a Loki stand-alone series when the Disney+ streaming service debuts or catch a James Gunn-penned Suicide Squad 2 in 2019? Regardless of whether these possibilities become a reality next year, there’s no denying that when it comes to superheroes, our cup continues to runneth over.
Here are 14 Superhero Projects Happening In 2019 (And 6 Possibilities).
HAPPENING: AVENGERS 4
As soon as MCU fans finished watching Avengers: Infinity War this past May, speculation began about what would happen in a year when the wrap-up to the story hit theaters. After the snap that brought Infinity War to a tragic close, fans are hoping at least some of what they saw will be set right when Avengers 4 unspools.
Yet, there’s very little we know for sure about the movie. We know it’s likely to be the last we see of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans‘ Captain America. We know it’s the end of the MCU’s Phase 3, and the start of Phase 4. And we know at least some of those dusty superheroes will be resurrected. Many other things remain a question mark, including the movie’s official title, which is still being kept under wraps. Release date: May 3, 2019, but Marvel could move it up as it did for Infinity War.
HAPPENING: SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME
At the end of Infinity War, Tom Holland's Peter Parker turned to dust in one of the movie’s most heartbreaking scenes. Given the character will headline his own move in 2019, a sequel to 2017’s Homecoming, it’s safe to say he won’t stay that way for too long.
Far From Home will be the first MCU film to be released after the Phase 3-ending Avengers 4 and will set the tone for future MCU outings. The movie is reportedly set just moments after the end of the superhero team-up and will show Spidey working with Nick Fury and Maria Hill but not with his mentor Tony Stark. We’ll learn more about what this means for the future of both Spider-Man and the MCU when the movie hits screens in the summer. Release date: July 5, 2019.
POSSIBILITY: SUICIDE SQUAD 2
Suicide Squad 2 was originally supposed to be written and directed by Gavin O’Connor but sometime around October news surfaced that O’Connor was no longer part of the project. Instead, James Gunn has signed on to write and possibly direct the sequel.
The original movie did well at the box office but it was savaged by critics and audience interest dropped swiftly after an impressive debut. Suicide Squad could have been DC’s very own Guardians of the Galaxy with its rogue band of misfits teaming up. However the movie didn't hit that mark, so it makes sense Warner Bros. would want to bring on Gunn, who is famous for writing and directing the MCU’s first two Guardians movies (and for then being fired by Disney for 10-year-old tweets). So, while his involvement has pushed back filming, Gunn seems like the perfect choice to bring the sequel to the screen.
HAPPENING: JOKER
Joker is one of only two DC movies confirmed for 2019, and it ushers in a unique aspect of the DCEU: Elseworlds. While Jared Leto’s Joker from Suicide Squad is still a part of the DCEU and may be seen again, this stand-alone Joker movie will star Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime in a story that exists outside the DCEU.
DC is already playing with Elseworlds — a designation that in DC lore means anything that exists outside the main canon — with its Arrowverse crossover event in December on the CW. Elseworlds in the movies would enable Warner Bros. to have multiple actors take on DC’s famous characters while granting creative freedom to directors who want to tell stories outside the DCEU's main storyline. Things could get confusing, but also fascinating. Release date: October 4, 2019.
HAPPENING: HELLBOY
Hellboy jumped out of comic books and onto the big screen in 2004’s Hellboy, which starred Ron Perelman in the title role and was helmed by visionary director Guillermo del Toro. The movie did well enough to earn a 2008 sequel, but a third movie never came. So, the studio decided to reboot the franchise, now with Stranger Things’ David Harbour in the lead and horror director Neil Marshall ushering the project to the screen.
What will make this Hellboy different from the much-loved original? It’s expected to be a much darker take on the material that should earn the movie an R-rating. Plus, with actors like Daniel Dae Kim, Milla Jovovich, and Ian McShane, the movie boasts a stellar supporting cast. We’ll see if fans are on-board with the reboot when it’s released in the spring. Release date: April 12, 2019.
POSSIBILITY: BATGIRL
DC’s Batgirl was announced in 2017 with Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) slated to write and direct. When he stepped down from the project early this year, however, plans for the title were paused as the studio searched for a new writer and director. Now, Warner Bros. has hired Christina Hodson, who also wrote the upcoming Birds of Prey movie, to pen the script, but no director is in place yet.
Given its tumultuous development, it’s no surprise that not much is known about Batgirl. It will center on Barbara Gordon’s version of the character. It is also supposed to be much lighter than Birds of Prey, which will feature Cassandra Cain, who also becomes a version of Batgirl. Rumors have swirled that Batgirl may also be the focus of a live-action TV show but the producer of Titans dismissed the idea. Hopefully, that means Batgirl will head to the big screen sometime soon.
HAPPENING: THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY
An adaptation of Gerard Way’s comic series The Umbrella Academy is scheduled to hit Netflix in February. Originally it was announced that Universal Pictures was developing the property as a movie in 2010, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Universal Cable Productions is teaming up with Dark Horse Entertainment to bring the story to the streamer as a TV show.
The Umbrella Academy focuses on an estranged group of seven superheroes who reunite to solve the mystery surrounding the demise of their adoptive father. Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, and Mary J. Blige will star, and based on production photos, the series looks to maintain the moody aesthetic of the comics. While the story does center on superheroes, it will diverge from the traditional superhero stories audiences have grown accustomed to. We’ll see how viewers react when The Umbrella Academy premieres on Netflix. Release date: February 15, 2019.
HAPPENING: THE BOYS
Amazon Prime is getting into the superhero business with The Boys, an adaptation of the comics by Garth Ennis. It has Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as producers, who also brought Ennis’ Preacher to the small screen. It appears The Boys will have the same dark, profane, and humorous sensibility as the pair's first Ennis adaptation.
The story centers on a group of CIA agents who are tasked with bringing down corrupt superheroes in any way they can. While they are pursuing several groups of heroes, their biggest target is The Seven, a superhero parody of DC’s Justice League. Starring big names like Jack Quaid, Elisabeth Shue, Jennifer Esposito, Karl Urban, and Simon Pegg, an official release date for the series hasn’t been announced. However, The Boys is expected to hit the streaming service early next year. Release date: early 2019
POSSIBILITY: NEW GODS
Earlier this year, Warner Bros. hired director Ava DuVernay to helm DC’s New Gods. While New Gods, created by Jack Kirby, isn’t exactly a household name, it features noteworthy comic book characters like Darkseid and Big Barda. DuVernay is a fan and asked the studio if she could make a movie based on the material. Since then Kairo Salem has been hired to write the screenplay with DuVernay.
The DCEU has touched on New Gods before — Justice League villain Steppenwolf was a product of the New Gods comics. Reports have conflicted over whether the movie will be part of the DCEU or will be independent of the larger DC universe. While not much else is known about the project, things seem to be moving right along.
HAPPENING: NEW MUTANTS
The X-Men film New Mutants was originally slated to premiere in 2018 until it was pulled off the schedule in order to make time for significant reshoots as well as the addition of two new characters. Now scheduled for late summer 2019, the film will probably be released after the merger of Disney and Fox is finalized.
Of the two X-Men titles that are scheduled for 2019, New Mutants is more of a stand-alone story, so it could make it to theaters with minimal tinkering from Disney. However, as of October, reshoots had yet to begin and producer Simon Kinberg said the movie could be eyeing an R or hard PG-13 rating. Could the hesitation to complete the film result from uncertainty over what Disney will want to do with it? We’ll see what happens as the scheduled release gets closer. Release date: August 2, 2019.
HAPPENING: DOOM PATROL
Doom Patrol, the spinoff of DC Universe’s Titans is set to premiere in 2019, but a backdoor pilot during the fourth episode of its parent series has already driven excitement for the upcoming show. The episode did a good job of establishing the backgrounds and character traits of the Doom Patrol, creating a solid foundation for the upcoming series.
The spinoff focuses on a group of superheroes whose lives were saved by Dr. Niles Caulder — who the team calls Chief (Timothy Dalton) — after awful accidents. Disfigured and traumatized but gifted with superpowers, the team comes together to fight against the evils of the world. Doom Patrol’s group of outcast heroes will include Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Elasti-Girl (April Bowlby), and Negative Man (Matt Bomer). The series is scheduled to premiere on DC's new streaming platform in early 2019. Release date: February 2019.
POSSIBILITY: GREEN LANTERN CORPS
Those that remember Ryan Reynolds’ pre-Deadpool turn as Hal Jordan in 2011’s Green Lantern may shudder at the prospect of another Green Lantern movie (judging by the end credits of Deadpool 2, Reynolds himself would fall into that category). However, Green Lantern Corps will have nothing to do with that original outing.
This franchise reboot will reportedly pair an older Jordan with a young John Stewart in a script written by Geoff Johns. The DCEU has already hinted at the presence of the team of ring-wielding space cops, so the movie should extend the shared universe further. While the project is still in development with no director or cast yet attached, if the upcoming Aquaman is successful, Warner Bros. could decide to move forward more quickly.
HAPPENING: SWAMP THING
Streaming service DC Universe will expand its roster of live-action original series with the release of Swamp Thing in mid-2019. The series was developed by Aquaman director James Wan and has started filming with a noteworthy cast.
Crystal Reed (Gotham, Teen Wolf) stars in the series as Abby Arcane, a doctor investigating a virus in the swamp of her Louisiana town. Soon she meets Alec Holland (Andy Bean) who becomes the title character, Swamp Thing (Derek Mears). Jennifer Beals, Kevin Durand, Virginia Madsen, and Will Patton will also play key roles in the series. Writer Gary Dauberman claims Swamp Thing will follow the mature tone of the other DC Universe shows and will be graphic and scary. A firm release date has yet to be announced but the series should drop in summer 2019. Release date: June 2019.
HAPPENING: SHAZAM
Shazam is the first DC movie to hit theaters in 2019 and it could represent a whole new start for the franchise. While the movie certainly takes place in the DCEU, tonally it’s completely different and could represent a breath of fresh air for the shared universe, which has often taken itself far too seriously.
The first trailer for Shazam keeps things much lighter and a lot more fun than previous films like Justice League and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Zachary Levi became an expert at striking a balance between silly and serious playing the title role on the TV show Chuck, and it looks like he’ll bring a similar zip and charm to Shazam. If it’s done well, fans could find themselves much more open to future DCEU outings. Release date: April 5, 2019.
POSSIBILITY: JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
Justice League Dark was announced in 2012 and since then big-name directors Guillermo del Toro and Doug Liman have been attached to the movie. Centered on an alternative Justice League team of magically-powered superheroes, a live-action Justice League Dark is highly anticipated after fans embraced the animated version of the property.
While the film has gone through several writers, the latest one, Jon Spaihts, has reportedly created a story that focuses on the team of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, John Constantine, and others going to the pocket dimension bar, Oblivion. The search for a new director for the film is ongoing and fans are concerned it will eventually be dropped from DC’s slate. However, Justice League Dark has so-far managed to survive numerous development slings and arrows and will hopefully move forward soon.
HAPPENING: GLASS
Samuel L. Jackson is pulling double-duty when it comes to superhero characters in 2019. He’ll appear as Nick Fury in the MCU and then there’s his supervillain role in this far less traditional superhero film, a sequel to both 2000’s Unbreakable and 2017’s Split. As the title indicates, Glass will turn its attention to Jackson’s character Elijah AKA Mr. Glass, a comic-book enthusiast whose brittle bones didn’t stop him from searching for the superhero counterpart to his supervillain in Unbreakable.
Now that he’s found his better half and a new supervillain is added to the mix in James McAvoy’s Beast, audiences will discover what happens when these super-powered humans clash. Director M. Night Shyamalan says the film will be much more of a thriller than a traditional comic book flick. It’s likely to be the most unique superhero outing of 2019. Release date: January 18. 2019
HAPPENING: X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX
Like New Mutants, X-Men: Dark Phoenix was supposed to be released in 2018 but was pushed to 2019. After being re-scheduled for February, the movie was moved again to June to leave additional time for reshoots and effects work. With the new date, Dark Phoenix is likely to be the first movie released through Disney after the Disney-Fox merger is finalized.
That could put the film in an interesting position. It was previously reported that Disney is planning to release all of Fox’s completed films but that doesn’t mean they have to release them without adjusting them. Presumably, Disney will want to make the X-Men part of the MCU, and if that includes Dark Phoenix, the Disney team will likely want to make significant changes to the film so it can better fit into their plans. One way or another, Dark Phoenix is likely to be either the end of the latest run of X-Men films that started with X-Men: First Class or the beginning of the new MCU X-Men. Release date: June 7, 2019.
POSSIBILITY: LOKI LIMITED SERIES
In September it was revealed that a set of limited series focusing on individual MCU characters was being developed for the upcoming Disney streaming service, Disney+. Not only will this new content give fans more of the characters they love, but they’ll also star the actors who made the roles famous in the MCU movies. Two of the characters the series would focus on were reportedly Scarlet Witch and Loki.
Since then, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed a Loki series, although not if the series would be limited or when it would be released. However, we do know that Disney+ is supposed to be available in the fall of 2019. While it will likely make a big splash with Disney fans, how many more subscribers would it draw in if it debuted with a Loki streaming series?
HAPPENING: CAPTAIN MARVEL
As Nick Fury turned to dust at the end of Infinity War he used a pager to send a message to Captain Marvel, making it clear the character would be coming to save the day soon. However, first, we’ll meet Captain Marvel in her self-titled film debut, the very first MCU movie to center on a female superhero.
The movie is said to be set in 1995 and will focus on Carol Danvers, played by Oscar-winner Brie Larson, coming to Earth on a mission to find alien shapeshifters. There she encounters a young Nick Fury and Phil Coulson. The movie will be an opportunity to get to know Captain Marvel and her formidable powers before Avengers 4, when she will hopefully be teaming up with the other MCU heroes we know and love. Release date: March 8, 2019.
HAPPENING: WATCHMEN
Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers) has created a series based on the graphic novel Watchmen for HBO, which should hit the cable channel sometime in 2019. However, this won’t be a direct adaptation of the source material. In fact, it looks to be a kind of sequel to the comic, which will be considered canon. Lindelof claims the series will “disrupt” and “remix” the original. The series will take place in the present day and will feature a new set of characters. That means that although the disaster that ended the original story will be referenced, viewers won’t see its immediate effects.
Instead, this new Watchmen appears to focus mostly on a police force attempting to keep the world safe decades after those events, although superheroes may play an as-yet-unknown role in this new reality. So far, the cast includes Regina King, Frances Fisher, Louis Gossett, Jr., Tom Mison, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jeremy Irons, who is reportedly playing an older Ozymandias.
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Which superhero movie are you excited for? Let us know in the comments!