As the new year approaches, kids, teenagers, and even parents are hauled into the theaters to finally watch the films they’ve been waiting for. Whether they’re animated, action, or horror films, there is something for everybody in the family. The theatrical and cinematic business has been on the rise since the early 1900s, and in 2016, $38.6 billion in box office sales were made from movies such as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Finding Dory,” and “Zootopia,”  according to the “Theatrical Market Statistics.” More than two thirds of the U.S. population, or 246 million people, went to a cinema to watch a film last year. 2019 is expected to be one of the biggest years for films yet, with five movies so far expected to make anywhere between $1 to $2 billion at the box office; among them are “Avengers: Endgame,”  “Frozen 2,” “Star Wars: Episode IX,”  “Toy Story 4,”  and “Lion King.”

When it comes to the box office, Disney dominates as they own Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, giving them ownership over the vast majority of the anticipated films in 2019. Although Disney is now associated with these studios, it is still known for its classics. In recent years, Disney has created live action adaptations of classic films to recapture the magic that they originally provided, as well as the assurance of an audience watching for nostalgic purposes. 2019 is no exception as they are making “live action” versions of “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” two iconic films from Disney’s renaissance. With adaptations come the inevitable comparison audiences make with the original. No matter how one feels about live action adaptations of classic films, it is sure to succeed at the box office. Disney is also recreating the film “Dumbo,” which is also set to release in 2019. Beyond adaptations, Disney is releasing the sequel to “Frozen 2,” which is bound to do well as the original became one of Disney’s highest grossing films ever. Pixar is also releasing “Toy Story 4” in 2019, which has been receiving  a lot of hype from Pixar fans since the “Toy Story” franchise is what began Pixar’s legacy. With the release of these Marvel films and the release of “Star Wars: Episode IX,” 2019 is going to be a successful year for Disney once again. Sophomore Fabiola Gomez said, “I for sure want to watch “Toy Story” and “Frozen 2;”  it seems childish, but I want to watch it too.”

Marvel Studios will be releasing a multitude of anticipated films in 2019 such as “Spiderman: Far From Home” and “Captain Marvel.” However, the film that is receiving the most attention is “Avengers: Endgame” because of the cliffhanger seen in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Senior Ramiro Rico says, “Most of the characters were erased from existence so I don’t know how the storyline is going to be.”  “Avengers: Endgame” is getting a lot of hype around it because it is the conclusion to the story that Marvel has been building up for the last 10 years. Sophomore Fabiola Gomez says, “Just the fact that it’s the end for the Avengers makes me want to cry.”

Disney-owned films aren’t the only hits at the box office, but also indie films such as “It: Chapter Two,”  “Joker,”  “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” and “Pokemon Detective Pikachu.” Last year, “It” made over $700 million at the box office as fans patiently awaited for the recreation of one of their favorite Stephen King novels. The new and modern creepy clown known as Pennywise drew fans to the theaters in anticipation as to what to expect from the film. In 2019, the second chapter to the series is set to reach over $660 million as Pennywise returns to terrorize the lives of the children, who are now adults. Another highly anticipated movie and yet unexpected is “Pokemon Detective Pikachu,” which is predicted to make $325 million at the box office. Many know Pikachu as the cute little creature from the popular video game series, “Pokemon.” When the trailer of the film dropped out of nowhere, fans were shocked as there was no indication that a film was being made in honor of Pikachu. Many indie films like the ones mentioned will continue to attract large audiences and bring in lots of revenue.

2019 will provide a variety of sequels, adaptations, and continuations to previous films making it a year to be excited about. Once again Disney properties will dominate the box office with films like “Avengers 4: Endgame,” “Toy Story 4,”  and “Star Wars: Episode IX.”  Students at Middle College are very eager to view them.