If your plans for 2019 don't include watching all of the new original Netflix film offerings, you better make some room in your schedule. According to the recent profile on Netflix, published in The New York Times, the streaming megaservice is looking to deliver at least three times as many [1] new original film offerings [2] this upcoming year, with bigger budgets and more A-list stars than ever before.
With new movies starring Meryl Streep [3], Jennifer Aniston [4], Ben Affleck [5], Ryan Reynolds [6], Timothée Chalamet [7], Elle Fanning, and dozens of other big name actors on the horizon, the new year has never looked more promising. Check out the gallery for all the movies you need to have on your radar in 2019.
And Breathe Normally
This Icelandic drama tells the story of a bond between a tough single mother and a political asylum seeker from Guinea Bissau who meet unexpectedly at Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula and decide to fight together for survival.
When it's available: Jan. 4 [8]
El Potro: Unstoppable
This biopic follows the life of wildly popular Cuarteto performer Rodrigo Bueno, whose charisma and good looks led to a meteoric rise to fame in the Tropical music scene — but not without personal consequences.
When it's available: Jan. 4
Lionheart
In Netflix's first original film from Nigeria, Lionheart revolves around a competent but overlooked young woman who must find a way to work alongside her difficult uncle in order to save her father's failing bus company.
When it's available: Jan. 4 [9]
Solo
This thriller tells the real-life story of surfer Álvaro Vizcaíno from Madrid who, while walking along the coast of Fuerteventura, slipped down a cliff and found himself in a 48-hour fight for survival, waiting for uncertain rescue.
When it's available: Jan. 11
The Last Laugh
Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Andie MacDowell, and Chevy Chase, this comedy tells the story of a former stand-up comedian who, after retiring from the spotlight 50 years ago, decides to reunite with his former manager to perform one last comedy tour.
When it's available: Jan. 11
Revenger
This Korean action flick stars stunt master Bruce Khan as a former detective who infiltrates Sura Island (a remote island serving as a prison for death row criminals) to locate those responsible for murdering his family.
When it's available: Jan. 15
Close
In this Spanish thriller, a bodyguard and a counterterrorism expert reluctantly take on the job of protecting a rich young heiress, which becomes far more challenging when a violent kidnapping forces them to go on the run.
When it's available: Jan. 18
Girl
This revolutionary Belgian drama tells the true story of a 15-year-old transgender student at a prestigious dance academy, whose dreams of becoming a professional ballerina are challenged by her upcoming sex reassignment surgery.
When it's available: Jan. 18 [10]
IO
Starring Andie MacDowell's daughter Margaret Qualley (otherwise known as Jill Garvey from HBO's The Leftovers) and Anthony Mackie (who you may know as Falcon from the Marvel Universe), this sci-fi action film follows one of the last survivors on Earth as she attempts to make it on the final shuttle leaving for a distant colony.
When it's available: Jan. 18 [11]
Soni
This film revolves around the titular Soni, a hotheaded young policewoman, and her superintendent, Kalpana, who decide to take on the growing crisis of violent crimes against women in Delhi — a task that becomes difficult when Soni is transferred out for alleged misconduct.
When it's available: Jan. 18
Animas
In this totally trippy film, a young woman named Alex finds her world changed after her best friend Abraham's father, Daniel, is killed in a mysterious accident, which sends her on a hallucinatory descent into hell.
When it's available: Jan. 25
Polar
Based on Victor Santos's graphic novel series of the same name, this action thriller stars Mads Mikkelsen (who played Bond villain Le Chiffre in Casino Royale) as the world's top assassin who is lured back from retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability, as well as Vanessa Hudgens [12] as femme fatale assassin Camille.
When it's available: Jan. 25 [13]
Velvet Buzzsaw
With a cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal [14], Natalia Dyer, Toni Colette, Rene Russo, and John Malkovich, this horror-thriller tells the story of a series of paintings by an unknown artist, which — after they are discovered — release a supernatural force that exacts revenge on those who value profit over art for art's sake.
When it's available: Feb. 1
High Flying Bird
This sports drama, which stars Moonlight's André Holland and Atlanta's Zazie Beetz, follows a sports agent who pitches a rookie basketball player on a potentially problematic business proposition, and — like director Steven Soderbergh's Unsane — the movie was shot entirely on an iPhone.
When it's available: Feb. 8
Triple Frontier
With an all-star cast [15] that includes Ben Affleck [16], Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam [17], Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal, this cartel thriller [18] will tell the story of five ex-US Special Forces soldiers and friends who reunite with the intention of robbing millions of dollars from a South American drug lord (and if you haven't seen the trailer [19] yet, you seriously need to watch it).
When it's available: Mar. 15 [20]
The Dirt
Based on Mötley Crüe's 2001 autobiography The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band, this long-awaited biopic will star Machine Gun Kelly as Tommy Lee, Douglas Booth (from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) as Nikki Sixx, Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones' evil Ramsay Bolton) as Mick Mars, and Daniel Webber (who plays Lewis Wilson on The Punisher) as Vince Neil.
When it's available: Mar. 22
The Highwaymen
Directed by John Lee Hancock, who also directed The Blind Side, this crime film will tell the true story of two former Texas Rangers and ex-partners (played by Kevin Costner [21] and Woody Harrelson) who join forces to try and capture notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Kathy Bates, Kim Dickens, and John Carroll Lynch will also appear.
When it's available: Mar. 29 [22]
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Based on the true story of William Kamkwamba and his book written with Bryan Mealer, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, this film follows a 13-year-old boy who discovered a way to save his Malawi village from famine. It is the directorial debut for 12 Years a Slave actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, as well as the first starring role for newcomer Maxwell Simba, who plays William.
When it's available: TBA
The Irishman
Based on Charles Brandt's true-crime novel I Heard You Paint Houses, this Martin Scorsese [23] film revolves around the scandalous life of Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, a mob hitman who was known for his supposed involvement in union leader Jimmy Hoffa's death. Robert De Niro [24] will star as Frank Sheeran alongside Al Pacino [25], who will play Jimmy Hoffa.
When it's available: TBA
Klaus
This animated film — which marks the directorial debut for Sergio Pablos, cocreator of Despicable Me — tells the story of a desperate young postman whose unlikely friendship with a reclusive toymaker leads to the invention of Santa Claus. Actors lending their voices include Jason Schwartzman, Rashida Jones, J.K. Simmons, and Joan Cusack.
When it's available: TBA
6 Underground
Said to be Netflix's most expensive movie to date, this Michael Bay-directed film (written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, the creators of the Deadpool franchise) will tell the story of six billionaires who fake their own deaths to form an elite team of underground crime fighters. Star Ryan Reynolds [26] even offered a sneak peak [27] on Instagram while filming in Italy.
When it's available: TBA
Beats
Based on the Chicago South Side hip-hop scene, this coming-of-age drama will star Anthony Anderson as a disgraced former artist manager and 17-year-old newcomer Khalil Everage as the agoraphobic hip-hop prodigy he takes under his wing. Orange is the New Black [28]'s Uzo Aduba and artists Dave East and Dreezy are also set to appear.
When it's available: TBA
Dolemite Is My Name
This biographical comedy film stars Eddie Murphy [29] as Rudy Ray Moore, a raunchy comedian who rose to prominence in the late 1960s and is best known for his character of Dolemite, a character he often played in his stand-up routines, as well as the feature character and urban hero in a 1975 American blaxploitation crime film. Wesley Snipes, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, and Keegan-Michael Key will also appear.
When it's available: TBA
All the Bright Places
Based on Jennifer Niven's YA novel of the same name, this drama romance stars Elle Fanning and Justice Smith as two small-town teenagers brought together by fate when they both climbed their school's bell tower at school at the same time, both with the intention of jumping off the ledge. Alexandra Shipp, Keegan-Michael Key, and Luke Wilson [30] round out the A-list cast.
When it's available: TBA
Always Be My Maybe
This rom-com, starring stand-up queen Ali Wong and Fresh Off the Boat's Randall Park (as well as a bunch of other amazing actors [31]), follows childhood sweethearts who reconnect as adults in incredibly different socioeconomic situations, 15 years after a dramatic falling out.
When it's available: TBA
Christmas in the Wild
Starring Rob Lowe [32] and Kristin Davis, this holiday rom-com tells the story of a woman who — abandoned by her husband the night before they're set to leave on an African safari — decides to travel to Cape Town alone, where she meets a superhot elephant conservationist.
When it's available: TBA
First Ladies
Following the success of Dumplin' [33], Jennifer Aniston [34] will return to Netflix in a political comedy as the first female (and first gay) president, with comedian Tig Notaro playing her wife. Aniston serves as a producer for the movie, alongside comedy dream team Will Ferrell [35] and Adam McKay.
When it's available: TBA
Murder Mystery
First Ladies isn't the only upcoming Netflix film for Jennifer Aniston [36]. She will also star alongside Adam Sandler [37] in this mystery-comedy film about a New York cop and his wife who become prime suspects after the billionaire who chartered their European cruise is murdered.
When it's available: TBA
Sergio
Narcos actor Wagner Moura will star in this biopic about Sergio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian-born UN diplomat, and the efforts made to save his life following the 2003 attack at Baghdad's Canal Hotel in Iraq, when Vieira de Mello was caught buried under the rubble.
When it's available: TBA
The King
Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name breakout actor Timothée Chalamet [38] will star in this film adaptation of several of Shakespeare's history plays, playing a young version of King Henry V [39], who ascended to the throne just as England was about to go to war with France. The cast also includes Joel Edgerton as the fictional Sir John Falstaff, Lily-Rose Depp as Catherine of Valois, and Robert Pattinson [40] as Louis, Duke of Guyenne.
When it's available: TBA
The Last Summer
This upcoming rom-com stars KJ Apa, Jacob Latimore, Maia Mitchell, and Tyler Posey as Griffin, Alec, Phoebe, and Ricky, four members in a close-knit group of recent high school grads trying to make the most of their last Summer together before heading off to college.
When it's available: TBA
The Laundromat
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, who also directed High Flying Bird, this film will follow a group of journalists who discovered a series of files that link the world's most powerful political figures to secret banking accounts to avoid taxes. Meryl Streep [41] will star alongside Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas [42], and David Schwimmer.
When it's available: TBA
Walk. Ride. Rodeo.
This biopic will tell the incredible true story of Amberley Snyder (played by Cougar Town's Spencer Locke), a nationally ranked rodeo barrel racer who defies the odds after barely surviving a car accident that leaves her paralyzed from the waist down.
When it's available: TBA
The Last Thing He Wanted
Based on the book of the same name by Joan Didion, this political thriller stars Anne Hathaway [43] as a journalist who decides to step aside from covering the 1984 US Presidential election in order to inherit her dying father's job as an arms dealer for a covert government agency. Willem Dafoe will costar as Hathaway's husband, while Ben Affleck [44] will play the government official who becomes romantically involved with Hathaway's character while investigating her.
When it's available: TBA