My Expectations for 2019 in Nerd Culture
Well here were are, it's 2019. What does that mean? Well it means a whole hell of a lot of different things to different people. I hope that we have as great a 2019 as we did a 2018. That means great games, great movies, and great news. So in the post ahead I will plan out what I hope from our three main topics for the show: video games, TV and Movies.
This year presents a quandary in terms of the future of the big three: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. We have had a plethora of rumors in regards to what lies on the horizon. Just about everyone is expecting an announcement in regards to the next consoles from Sony and Microsoft, and a Switch refresh is expected. But what is true and what is not? We can pretty much say for certain that there will be some sort of announcement in regards to the ninth console generation. I foresee something akin to what Sony and Redmond Giant did in 2013, have a separate event to announce, and then show off the big guns at E3. What I don't expect is a 2019 release date. That would be in line with previous generations, ignoring the outlier of the seventh generation which was longer than most. 2020 makes more sense, as the PS4 plus is only 2 years old, and the Xbox One X is just over a year, so it wouldn't make sense to make the leap just yet, as the jump in technology would only be nominal.
In terms of actual software, my expectations are a little more up in the clouds. The biggest game on everyone's minds right now is for certain Anthem, the next game from Bioware and EA. And that's not to undercut the other most anticipated game of the first half of the year, Kingdom Hearts 3, coming 14 years after the previous installment. But Anthem presents more questions than answers. Bioware is calling it their shared world shooter, akin to Destiny and Tom Clancy's The Division. The previews for the game have been nothing short of phenomenal, the graphics, gameplay and capabilities, are what everyone wanted and expected from Destiny when it first launched in 2014. However this is still all alpha and pre release gameplay. We wont know for sure until the game is in the hands of players. I have high expectations for this game. Bioware has churned out some of the best games in history, Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate. What begs to be seen is if this turns into another Mass Effect Andromeda, despite the fact that I personally liked the game, but I unlike the rest of the gaming community did not buy into the negative hype. However we don't have to wait long as Anthem launches on February 22nd.
What I hope for, and what I know is a pipe dream is the release of HALO Infinite this year. As you probably already know, I am a huge HALO fan. Last year we only got a tease, and that was to show off the new development engine. It would be a cold day in hell before Microsoft released a Gears and HALO game in the same year, but stranger things have happened.
A bigger question will be though, is there a game that will get me to put 140+ hours into like I did with Assassin's Creed Odyssey
And now here is a list (in no particular order) of my most anticipated games of the year
Anthem, Crackdown 3, Kingdom Hearts III, Skerio Shadows Die Twice, MK11, The Division 2 Unannounced Infinity Ward CoD, Skull and Bones, and I'm sure any announced games,
While video games present some major questions, TV is a big more cut and dry, in a vein similar to movies. We usually know months ahead of time what shows to expect, and what shows might not be coming back. That is mostly due to what is called the upfronts, which happen late spring, early summer, where all the networks and studios pitch and show off all the shows the have in production ready to air for the next tv season. So in reality we wont exactly know what's new until May.
With what being said we can accurately gauge certain things. Some things were know for certain like what this years Arrowverse Crossover will be, and its gonna be a doozy. We Know what's coming to the DC streaming service, we can expect the Picard show on CBS all access, and the Mandalorian is expected on Disney +. However what we don't know is if the these shows will be any good, and of course that's all subjective.
I am hoping that The Mandalorian is good, because as of late the TV offerings from Lucasfilm have been hit or miss. But with a stellar cast there is a lot to be expected. In terms of the Picard show, there is definitely nothing to worry about, Patrick Stewart is someone who could shit on leaf and it would be a masterpiece.
I am eagerly awaiting however the return of Stranger Things. It was an unexpected hit, that has been nothing short of perfection. With season 3 dropping on July 4th we can expect an awesome summer.
and of course everyone is expecting Rick and Morty Season 4 to drop at some point this year. While the time between seasons has always been long, the gap between the most recent season has been much longer, and that was due to behind the scenes negotiating. Lets all hope that the genius of Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland continues.
2019 looks to be the year of streaming service, and it will be a wonder too see if the gamble pays off. Most anticipated shows of 2019: Lucifer(Netflix Revival), Stranger Things season 3, The Mandalorian(expected), Picard show(expected), Swamp Thing, Harley Quinn Show, Clone Wars Season 7.
While video games and tv leave plenty to be desired, it is in the cinema that we have a long and glorious outlook for the year. We have three, yes three Disney live action remakes on the calendar this year. One of which is the highly anticipated Lion King remake staring Donald glover. We are also getting the Aladdin remake, with Will Smith playing the genie. While Dumbo is looming, it is probably the least desired, and probably the one that will deviate from the "source material" the most. However I am most excited for The Lion king, as it is one of my favorite Disney movies. I am excited to see Donald Glovers turn as Simba, and oddly every excited for John Oliver as Zazu. The MCU is going to be turning a new leaf as well. It will be getting its first Female Lead feature in Captain Marvel, and we will reach the culmination of all that has come in the first three phases. Avengers: Endgame releases in April. While a post about speculation will come later, I cant wait to see how the final fight with Thanos plays out. Then a few months beyond that phase 4 will begin with Spider-Man far from home.
Yet its not just Marvel hitting big with comic adaptations. The Hellboy reboot with launch with David Harbour taking over from Ron Pearlman. We are getting a soft reboot in the form of Men In Black International, and at least one of the last Fox Marvel movies with X-men: Dark Phoenix, no word on if New Mutants will see a full release. Of these I am most excited for is Hellboy. While the Del Toro films were masterpieces in their own right, I want to see how a more comics accurate depiction will fare. While not exactly a comic, we will be getting an adaptation of the Manga Alita: Battle Angel.
While not to be outdone DC will also try to make a splash with SHAZAM!. Will it prosper like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, or will it squander is potential like BVS and Suicide Squad.
2019 will also see the return of many franchises. Terminator will be back, with not just Arnold, but Linda Hamilton as well, who hasn't been apart of the franchise in an official capacity since Terminator 2 in 1991. The rock hopes to continue his box office domination with the release of the Fast and Furious spinoff Hobbs and Shaw, in which he costars with Jason Statham. That will also not be the Rock's only movie. He will return once again to the world of Jumanji, pairing with Danny DeVito and Danny Glover.
Several major sequels will make their way to the big screen as well. Toy Story 4 is by far the one with the most to loose. The story had a great sendoff in Toy Story 3, leaving little to be desired. This could make or break the series forever. The LEGO movie 2 will hit theaters early in the year, and will look to capitalize on the unexpected success of the first film, albeit without the direction of Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Then of all sequels that are at the top of my list is Godzilla: King of the Monsters. A direct sequel to Gareth Edwards 2014 reboot, it looks to expand the monsterverse and introduce the franchises mainstays, like Rodan, Ghidorah, and Mothra. I love Godzilla like no other and can not wait to see the American interpretation of the other Toho Kaiju. Then the end of the Jon Wick trilogy with Jon Wick 3: Parabellum. This franchise, which was unexpectedly much better than anticipated and allowed for a bit of career resurgence for Keanu.
This summer also brings the arrival of the first live action Pokémon movie. It is unfortunately is not a story of Ash or any of the various games. Some of the trailers have produced nightmare fuel interpretations of some of your favorite pocket monsters. Dectective Pikachu looks to start a franchise in itself, that will be different from the 20 plus animated Pokemon films.
There is still one movie that I am anticipating more than anything. and of course it comes out in December. Star Wars Episode IX, the final film in the sequel trilogy. What is expected to be the last film in the Skywalker saga. What I am not excited about Is the return of JJ Abrams to the directors chair. While the force awakens can not be entirely blamed on him, he still executed the film in a way that was too much like A New Hope. Rian Johnson was able to push the franchise into new exciting heights. Unfortunately not everyone agreed with that. I personally loved the Last Jedi, and I hope to see and expansion on that in whatever IX ends up being.