Diksha Sundriyal
Humans dwell on imagination. Ever since we were kids, we loved to hear the stories of dragons and dragon slayers, of witches and monsters, of kings and queens. It was the tales of the imaginary world that attracted us. No one wanted to hear about what’s going on with the politics on the other side of the world. The world was a smaller place back then. It had only two places in it — the place where we lived and the place where the stories, we were told thrived. Realists can argue all they want, but without the grand imaginations and far-fetched tales, the world would have never moved forward. Everyone loves the world where the Dragon Queen lives, or the one in the far future where humans co-exist with the other species (that mostly resemble the mythical creatures we have heard about so much!)
There is a reason that stories like ‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ are so popular amongst the audience. Everyone wants to escape this world that entraps them in their mundane life. In fact, pretty sure, everyone has concocted a place in their mind, a world where, if given the chance, they would like to travel to. The future of cinema holds a lot of promise when it comes to fantasy movies. At this point, the question that might be circling your mind is what are the new Fantasy movies releasing in 2019 and 2020? Well, the good news is that we have a clear answer to that question. Here’s the list of the upcoming Fantasy films scheduled to release in 2019 and beyond. We hope that these latest fantasy movies are as good as some of the recent ones.
20. The Kid Who Would Be King (January 25, 2019)
Joe Cornish is coming up with his second directorial venture, which is described as a family-fantasy adventure, starring Patrick Stewart, Louis Serkis, Tom Taylor and Rebecca Ferguson. Cornish has himself written the screenplay, which centres on an ordinary schoolboy discovering King Arthur’s sword the “Excalibur” and battling the medieval villain named Morgana, who is hell-bent on destroying the world. The movie is being produced by Working Title Films and Big Talk Productions with 20th Century Fox distributing the movie worldwide, which is set to the release in March, 2019.
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19. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (February 22, 2019)
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is a book series written by Cressida Cowell. The series formed the basis for the film that told the story of a young Viking who befriends a dragon when the rest of his clans are enemies to them! The film was widely loved, in both critical and commercial circles, and at first, it appeared to be the end of the story. But that was never the plan of the filmmakers. There are twelve books in total (in case you wanted to read them!), which points towards the fact that there is a ton of material that can be used to create a whole franchise. The story of Hiccup and Toothless was meant to come out as a trilogy and with ‘The Hidden World’, it will come to its proper conclusion. It will start sometime after the events of the second film. Old secrets were revealed and new characters were introduced in the second film which set the stage for the things that will happen in the final part. Just when Hiccup thinks that he has set everything straight for his clan which has learned to happily live with their dragons, a new danger lurks on the horizon. Hiccup and Toothless must travel to a place that had only existed in myths and face a new, worse enemy and save the ones they love from it.
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18. Wish Dragon (July 26, 2019)
Jackie Chan is featuring his voice in the upcoming animated fantasy film being made in China for Sony’s Columbia Pictures Film Production titled “Wish Dragon.” Jackie’s Sparkle Roll Media will be producing the film along with Chris Brembale. Chris Appelhans is directing and writing the screenplay of the film which will be modern day fairy tale where a boy encounters a magical dragon who is capable of granting wishes. This is what Chris Brembale had to say in an interview with Variety: “Our goal in developing the project and building the Xiamen studio was to make world-class animation in China for China… and the world and Base principal Chris Bremble. From the start, Chris Appelhans wanted the film made in China, with a strong Mainland Chinese creative team, an international cast of talent, and a focus on the hopes and dreams of contemporary China.”
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17. Aladdin (May 24, 2019)
Guy Ritchie is directing the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s upcoming project titled “Alladin.” Mena Massoud is starring as the titular character along with Naomi Scott as Jasmine and Will Smith as the Genie. The film is an adaptation of the famous folklore stories from the “The Arabian Nights,” which centres on the battle of Alladin against the sorcerer named Zafar with the help of his trusted aid “Genie.” The screenplay of the film is written by John August, Guy Ritchie and Vanessa Taylor. Walt Disney Pictures, Rideback and Marc Platt Productions are producing this upcoming fantasy with Disney distributing the movie worldwide.
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16. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (May 31, 2019)
‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’, an adventure fantasy film, is directed and co-written by Michael Dougherty. It is a sequel to ‘Godzilla’ and will be the 35th film in the Godzilla franchise, the third film in Legendary’s MonsterVerse, and the third Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. The movie will feature Vera Farmiga as Dr. Emma Russel, Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham, Kyle Chandler as Mark Russell and Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell. According to Legendary and Warner Bros, the production company for ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’, the new story will be following the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with the giant insect Mothra, the flying monster Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species – thought to be mere myths – rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.
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15. The Mystery of Dragon Seal: The Journey to China: Journey to China (2019)
Jackie Chan is teaming up with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the upcoming period action film titled The Mystery of Dragon Seal: The Journey to China: Journey to China. The first film followed the adventures of an English cartographer who sets out on a journey to map the uncharted lands of Transylvania and discovers about the dark secrets and ferocious creatures residing in the Romanian jungle. The sequel will centre on the cartographer travelling to China where he will come face to face with deadly martial artists and the king of all dragons the Dragon King. Oleg Stepchenko will be directing the sequel from a script by Alexey Petrukhin and Stepchenko.
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14. Artemis Fowl (August 9, 2019)
This film is based on the book of the same name by Eoin Colfer and tells the story of a boy who discovers the existence of fairies. Artemis Fowl II is the protagonist of this story, but he is not your normal hero. He comes from a family of criminals and intends to keep up the name of the family by becoming a great criminal himself. He is only twelve years old, however, he has already shown a lot of taste for the notorious things. When his father is captured, the future of his family’s empire faces decline. Artemis Fowl II decides to make things right and discovers that there is a very magical way to solve the problems of his family. He employs the help of Domovoi Butler, his bodyguard whom he trusts more than anyone else to reach the world of fairies. Believing that they are rich beings, he plans to capture one of them and demand ransom for its release. But there are some things that are way beyond the control of the boy. Ferdia Shaw will star in the leading role, while Judi Dench and Josh Gad will appear in supporting roles. The film will be directed by Kenneth Branagh.
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13. Are You Afraid of the Dark? (October 11, 2019)
Nickelodeon is a great channel for kids because of the awesome content it has come up with. ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ was one of its most popular series of that time and was given timely reruns on the channel. But stories tend to fade away with time and this is what adaptations are for. The premise of the show is being developed into a film that will bring together the elements of fantasy, horror and supernatural. To give you a gist, it featured a group of teenagers who would travel into the woods to tell scary stories to each other. Known as ‘The Midnight Society’, this group didn’t hesitate in telling the scariest and goriest stories. The stories had all the ingredients of a good fantasy, and it’ll be interesting to see how they can cram it all in a film. To make things more exciting, the writer of ‘It’ has been hired to write the script of this film.
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12. Dumbo (March 29, 2019)
In 1941, ‘Dumbo’ was the fourth animated feature film by Disney. It received both critical and commercial success. Now, 80 years later, the film is being remade. Since so much time has passed, the story has been changed accordingly. If you wish to watch the original, which you should, worry not, nothing will be spoiled for you. However, you can expect the key things to remain the same. At the centre of this story is a young elephant named Dumbo. He has been named so because he has abnormally large ears, which often become problematic for him while performing the acts in the circus. Dumbo finds relief in his mother who loves him much more than the others ridicule him. But she can’t be there forever to protect him. This is soon proved when the circus faces a dangerous situation. Dumbo must face his fears and find his way back to his mother. This live-action movie is directed by Tim Burton, hence the dark and gothic look of the film. It will star Colin Farrell in the role of a man who takes care of Dumbo. Michael Keaton will play the role of the man who upturns everyone’s life in the circus.
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11. Star Wars: Episode IX (December 20, 2019)
Every generation has a story that defines their childhood. Just like there is a ‘Harry Potter’ generation, there is also a ‘Star Wars’ generation, which actually came long before the former did. ‘Star Wars’ is the part of pop culture now, and since the release of the first film in 1977 has evolved in something much more than just a series of films. The whole story was told in three stages, the current being the third and the final one. A couple of spin-offs, i.e., ‘Rogue One’ and ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’, were developed which also met with commercial success. ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ will mark the end of both the current trilogy, as well as, that of the sequel trilogy. Marking the conclusion of something so impactful turns it into a sort of event. And that is why it is such an important film!
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10. Frozen 2 (November 22, 2019)
Hans Christian Anderson’s stories have inspired many big screen adaptations. ‘The Red Shoes’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Thumbelina’ are some of the stories that have been adapted time and again. But, none of them met with as much as success as the adaptation of his story about ‘The Snow Queen’. ‘Frozen’ is based on Anderson’s this story, although there are some significant changes between the one on the paper and the one on the screen. The story of princesses of Arendelle captivated the audience and critics alike. It became the highest grossing animated film of all time and won two Academy Awards. The children, particularly, were captivated by it, and their obsession became a headache for their parents. Just when the parents thought that their children were beginning to forget it now, a new film was lined for the release. The much-awaited sequel will be released next year, and will further explore the stories of Anna and Elsa. The first movie had amazing songs and a captivating storyline. It is exciting to think about all that the sequel will bring to us.
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9. Maleficent 2 (2020)
Considering the fact that the first Maleficent movie Amassed $758.5 million overall worldwide back in 2014 on a budget of $180 million, it’s no surprise that Disney has decided to greenlight Maleficent 2, the sequel to its Angelina Jolie-starring live-action retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie will return as Princess Aurora and Maleficent respectively with Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) playing the film’s villain. However, Brenton Thwaites will not be returning to play Prince Phillip, instead Clique’s Harris Dickinson will be embodying prince Phillip this time around. Brits Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein and Robert Lindsay are all set to return for the sequel. The premise of the film follows the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.
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8. The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun (2020)
The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun is an upcoming fantasy movie which is directed by the man behind the successful “The Lord of The Rings trilogy,” Peter Jackson’. The movie is an adaptation of the comic book Prisoners of the Sun. The Screenplay is written by Anthony Horowitz. The film follows Tintin and Haddock as they head to South America to find a cure for their friend professor Calculus.. The movie is rumored to have voices of Andy Serkis, a regular in Jackson films, and Jamie Bell. No release date is finalized yet, but the film is expected to come out in 2020.
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7. Avatar 2 (December 18, 2020)
It has been almost a decade since James Cameron’s masterpiece, ‘Avatar’ graced the screens, and the wait is over for its sequel, almost! You’ll have to wait a tad bit more, but the future looks pretty good for the fans of this film. Another sequel has already been announced (so, this is certainly not the end of the story), and the stakes are higher and better for this one. If you are wondering “what took so long to make this sequel?”, then you should know that the director had been waiting around for a tech that hadn’t been used, or maybe even conceived, before! Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Stephen Lang, among others, are set to reprise their roles. Sigourney Weaver will return, but clearly in a different manner, because things sort of ended for her role, the last time we saw her! The film is scheduled to release on 18th December, 2020.
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6. The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle (January 17, 2020)
‘The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle’ is a fantasy adventure film directed by Stephen Gaghan, and written by Gaghan and Thomas Shepherd. It is based on the character Doctor Dolittle created by Hugh Lofting, and is primarily based on The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. The film follows Dr John Dolittle, a physician who discovers that he can hear and talk to animals in their own languages. Dr Dolittle prefers to treat animals over humans. The movie follows Dr. Dolittle who sets off with his assistant, Tommy Stubbins, his dog, Jip, and Polynesia the parrot on an adventurous voyage over tropical seas to floating Spidermonkey Island. Robert Downey Jr. is set to star in the titular role.
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5. Fantasy Island (February 28, 2020)
If there was one place where you could go to live the rest of your life, what place would that be? If you were given a chance to turn your fantasy world into reality, wouldn’t you leap at that chance? The place where all your wildest fantasies come true is the ‘Fantasy Island’. Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is a mysterious island whose owner, called Mr Roarke, lives there with his sidekick named Tattoo. People come from all walks of life and from all corners of the world, hoping to live the life that they can never have in the normal world. But these visits demand a price. Will the visitors be able to pay it? ‘Fantasy Island’ was a television series that ran for seven solid seasons. Every episode featured a new group of visitors with a new set of fantasies. By the end of the episode, they would either learn a lesson from their misadventures or fall prey to their own desires. The show tackled with dark themes and often used the imagination of its visitors to show them the truth behind their fantasies. Now, a movie is being made by Sony and Blumhouse, and Michael Pena has been cast in the role of the intriguing Mr Roarke, whose backstory is as mysterious as the island that he owns.
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4. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (November 20, 2020)
Yeah, I know, the second film JUST came out and that we do need some time to process all that happened in the film, but I can’t help but be excited about the next part! The way it began, ‘The Fantastic Beast’ series didn’t come anywhere near ‘The Harry Potter franchise’. The thing is, the former took time and shaped up with years of intricate planning. Rowling worked closely on every detail and it took seven books for her to create a complete story. ‘Fantastic Beasts’ was, sort of, made because the fans missed the magic, and there is no way they are remaking ‘Harry Potter series’; not in my lifetime, please! ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ had a loose beginning, and honestly, the second instalment seemed a bit slack as well, but it is all beginning to take shape now. I will not spoil things for the ones who haven’t seen the film yet (seriously people, what’s wrong with you?), but there were some shocking revelations and some massive shifts in loyalties. Everything seems so jumbled up now, and things have begun to take a darker tone. There are so many questions that ‘Crimes of Grindelwald’ posed, and I, for one, would like to have my queries answered, ASAP!
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3. Godzilla vs. Kong (May 22, 2020)
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ will be fourth entry in the MonsterVerse, following 2019’s ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. The movie will be directed by Adam Wingard. Julian Dennison joined ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ along with Ziyi Zhang and Van Marten. It is further expected that Kyle Chandler and Millie Bobby Brown may reappear as their characters from the upcoming Michael Dougherty Godzilla sequel, ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. Adam Wingard, the director of the film, has said that he wants there to be an emotional drive to the film, while expressing how he wants “people to really be teary-eyed at the end of the movie”. Adam also revealed that Godzilla and Kong won’t be the only monsters in the film, calling it “a massive monster brawl movie”. Adam Wingard has also revealed that ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ will take place in the present-day and feature some characters from ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’. He also teased a “more rugged, a bit more aged” Kong in the film.
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2. Wicked (2020)
‘Wicked’ is a musical fantasy film directed by Stephen Daldry, written by Winnie Holzman and Gregory Maguire, and produced by Marc Platt, Brian Pop and David Stone. It is the film adaptation of a Broadway theatrical of the same name. Wicked spotlights the stories of Oz’s most famous characters, namely the Wicked Witch of the West and her friend, Glinda the Good Witch. The movie is expected to follow the green-skinned star Elphaba from birth to college and through the life-changing events which eventually label her “wicked,” introducing spoilt rich girl Glinda, local prince Fiyero and the Wizard of Oz himself. As Elphaba fights injustice and seeks to undo the mistakes of the past, dark secrets and personal tragedies shape the history of Oz. A cautionary tale about love, friendship and trust.
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1. Mulan (March 27, 2020)
If you want the story of princesses and their adventures, then Disney is where you look. The production house (sort of) holds the copyright in making such movies, and being a Disney princess is like a dream come true. The best thing about Disney is that they haven’t limited themselves to the story of one culture or one continent. They collect tales and folklore from all over the world and present them to the audience in the most mesmerising ways. The legend of Hua Mulan comes from China and tells the story of a girl who took her father’s place to serve in the army. Mulan disguised herself as a man paying no heed to the rules and traditions that dictated her society. In 1998, an animated film was made which became a great commercial success and garnered critical acclaim. But times have changed now and it is the time for live-action movies. The success of movies like ‘The Jungle Book’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ has nudged Disney to make more movies like this. ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Lion King’ are already slated to be released next year, and Disney intends to continue this streak with the making of ‘Mulan’. Liu Yifei has been cast as in the lead role.
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