Instep Desk

We’re in information overdrive these days and content providers come in the form of streaming services like Netflix and websites like YouTube and other online competitors like video games, apps, social media, etc. It’s getting tougher and tougher to get people out of the comfort of their homes and to go to cinemas to watch the good old cinema release. Consequently, theatrical release of movies have had to ramp up the spectacle to get people to go to the theater and they’re spending a lot more money to make movies these days, which means they want to eliminate as much risk as possible. Making a big budget spectacle out of an already successful property with a built-in audience reduces that risk, be it a remake, sequel, or adaptation. It is actually a no-brainer.

That’s one reason why we may be seeing so many reboots, remakes and sequels. Another reason is that studios can possibly make more money off smaller budget projects by releasing them on popular streaming services like Netflix than they would by going through the rather expensive process of a theatrical release (marketing and distribution can sometimes cost as much as producing the actual movie).

Nostalgia is a powerful tool. It’s the gnawing need for familiarity that urges you to get back together with an old flame; it’s the warmth that being in the company of childhood friends instills in you; and it’s what makes you sit through four cheesy seasons of Fuller House. And come 2019, it seems like it’s this nostalgia for all things familiar and known that has influenced a number of movie makers.

The year has already been filled with sequels, reboots and remakes of everything, from family favourites like The Lego Movie 2 and The Lion King to horror classics like the upcoming IT Chapter 2 and the new The Addams Family.

Here’s a selection of remakes and sequels you need to watch out for in 2019…

IT Chapter 2, September 2019

IT Chapter 2 is poised to be one of the biggest films of the year, which is pretty good considering that the horror movie doesn’t come as part of a superhero franchise and isn’t a re-do of an animated classic. It is, however, a star-studded sequel that caps off the adaptation of Stephen King‘s story about a group of small-town kids who battle an ancient evil in the form of a shape-shifting clown. Leading the charge for the adult Losers who return to Derry is James McAvoy‘s Bill Denbrough. He’ll be dealing with more than the revitalized Pennywise in this sequel.

"Twenty-seven years after the horrific events of the summer of 1989, It (Bill Skarsgard) returns," is the official description from the makers of the movie. And if Chapter 1 is anything to go by, this one is sure to be a scare fest.

The Addams Family, October 2019

This 3D computer animated comedy brings back our favourite family facing off with the scariest demon of the 21st century--reality TV! The plot follows the Addams family going head-to-head with ‘greedy-crafty’ reality TV host.

The Addams Family, originally a New Yorker cartoon by Charles Addams appearing in the publication from 1938-1988, has been adapted into a number of mediums. From the beloved TV series to the ‘90s live-action films to a Broadway musical, American audiences have fallen in love with this eccentric clan. Now, MGM’s forthcoming animated Addams Family movie is the stuff of every aspiring Goth kids’ dreams. The film already boasts a wickedly good cast and experienced directors of animated features at the helm.

Frozen 2, November 2019

The long awaited sequel to Anna and Elsa’s tale is all set to hit theatres this year. While the Frozen franchise has spawned a world of its own (with two animated sequels, a Broadway stage musical and more), this is the sequel to the original film, and we can’t wait to return to Arendelle!

More on the date? Well, the sequel was originally meant to arrive in US and UK cinemas on November 27, before Disney moved the release forward to November 22. Filming began in September 2017 with Jonathan Groff back as Kristoff and Kristen Bell teasing that it won’t be a typical sequel, rather it will be "a story that needs to be told" within the Oscar-winning animated movie’s chilly universe.

Charlie’s Angels, November 2019

By women, for women and starring a bunch of badass women, Charlie’s Angels (2019)--a remake of the original--is directed by Elizabeth Banks, and features Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska in lead roles, along with a bunch of Bosleys (including one played by Elizabeth Banks herself).

Star Wars: Episode IX, December 2019

JJ Abrams began a new chapter in the Star Wars story with 2015’s The Force Awakens. This new sequel trilogy will end in 2019 where it began, with JJ Abrams and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Episode 8: The Last Jedi has been and gone, but there are still plenty of mysteries surrounding the 2019 follow-up to Rian Johnson’s revolutionary movie left to untangle. There are only four months left until Episode 9 is out in cinemas.

This will be the third and final instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and the ninth and final instalment of the Star Wars Skywalker saga. This means, this film ends the grand saga that began over 40 years ago with George Lucas. Enough said.