Movies We’re Excited to See in 2019
In our experience, the movie is practically never better than the book (there are a few rare exceptions, like The Princess Bride). But despite countless disappointments, we’re still eternal optimists here at Frostbeard – adaptations of our favorite novels will always have us racing to the theater. Though the cinematic version probably isn’t what we’ve been picturing in our heads, there’s still something perfectly magical about seeing a page-turner come to life on the big screen. Here are some of our most anticipated movies to see in 2019.
“Artemis Fowl”
We can’t believe we’re going to see this popular children’s fantasy come to life at last – Disney has had the first movie in development for three years! Artemis Fowl II is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind on a quest to find his missing father. To fund a search expedition, he’ll need money. So of course he decides to kidnap a fairy and hold her for ransom. The subsequent chaos, witty dialogue, and memorable characters made the first book in the Artemis Fowl series a must-read for us back in 2003 and launched the titular genius towards the top of our list of favorite anti-heroes. Come on, how could you not respect a character who sets out to 1. confirm the existence of fairies and then 2. rob them blind? Keep an eye out for this winning combination of crime and magic in August.
“The Art of Racing in the Rain”
We won’t deny it – we’ve had some good cries while reading. But sometimes we set the waterlogged pages aside in favor of quietly tearing up in the movie theater, too! “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” adapted from Garth Stein’s 2008 novel, promises the kind of catharsis that mandates tissues. Lots of them. The story is told from the point of view of a dying dog looking back on all he and his family have been through – need we say more? You can catch this tearjerker in theaters in September.
“The Goldfinch”
When we’re in the mood for something positively Dickensian – both in tone and in length – we turn to Donna Tartt. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014 with The Goldfinch, and the novel was slated for adaptation that same year. Thirteen-year-old Theo narrowly escapes a terror attack when a bomb explodes at the Met. His mother is not so lucky. Left with nothing but a mysterious painting that reminds him of her, Theo moves in with a wealthy family friend. As an adult, he finds himself mired in the art underworld and battling a penchant for self-destruction. We’ll get to see the film version, starring Ansel Elgort as Theo, in October.
“The Woman in the Window”
Influenced by Hitchcock and the recent wave of psychological thrillers like Gone Girl, A.J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window seems written with the big screen in mind. An agoraphobic New York City resident spies on her picture-perfect neighbors and sees – or thinks she sees – something very, very bad happen. The combination of suspense and solid writing had us tearing through the book to find out what happens next, and we expect the film to be just as exciting come October. On top of that, the things we’ve read about the author are nearly as intriguing as the book itself!
“Captain Marvel”
Books are our bread and butter, but we also love comics and graphic novels. With the help of special effects and CGI, these visual adventures translate to film in wonderful ways. “Captain Marvel” promises galactic war between alien races, but more importantly, it promises the origin story of the most powerful hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Come extraterrestrial terror or earthly villains, we expect to be glued to our seats for this one. Honestly, the end of the world couldn’t keep us from the debut of Marvel’s first female-fronted superhero movie!
“It: Chapter 2”
We’re so glad New Line Cinema didn’t try to squeeze Stephen King’s thousand-page horror novel into one movie. We think the creepy tale of Pennywise the Clown deserves to be seen in all of its lengthy, bloody glory. The Losers’ Club is all grown up now, with its members spread across the country. But evil is awakening once again in the town of Derry, so the old friends reunite to take on It for the final time. Like the first film, the second installment (releasing in September) isn’t for the faint of heart – in fact, lead actress Jessica Chastain said that one scene involves what is possibly the largest volume of blood in any horror film. To make things even better – or worse, if you’re not a Stephen King fan – we’re also getting another remake of King’s previously adapted Pet Sematary in April!
“Little Women”
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is getting its eighth film version! Some have been better than others, but we could watch a thousand different envisionings of this classic bildungsroman. Given this version’s star-studded cast – we’re talking Meryl Streep, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, and Saoirse Ronan – we have high hopes that December will bring us another moving encounter with the March sisters.
“The Call of the Wild"
The winter months herald the arrival of yet another adaptation of a classic novel: Jack London’s The Call of the Wild. It follows Buck, a Saint Bernard, who is stolen from his original owner in California and sold off to become a sled dog. If you’ve never read this tale of survival and identity, pick it up! Its relatively short length means you’ll have plenty of time to visit the wilds of Alaska before the movie comes out. And when you make it to the theater, a complex combination of live action and CGI animation, coupled with Harrison Ford’s rugged visage, promises a show to remember.
Set the Scene with Frostbeard
Literature will always be No. 1 in our hearts here at Frostbeard, but we’ve got plenty of love to spare for Netflix binges and trips to the theater alike. Whether you’re gearing up to visit the wizarding world or planning to blast off into space, our book-inspired soy candles can create the perfect cozy environment for your next flick-watching night in. What movies based on books are you looking forward to this year?