10) Captain Marvel

Marvel Studios’ first female-led superhero film boasts an enticing 90s period piece, an Invasion of the Body Snatchers esque premise and a heavy influence of RoboCop. I’m curious to see whether these various elements will result in an engaging and interesting film.

9) Avengers: Endgame

Despite its massive scale and a cast of characters as large as the catering staff at a Royal Wedding, Infinity War impressed in making death feel meaningful and weighty for its heroes and central antagonist. With this in mind, can Endgame carry on the promise of Infinity War’s sobering exploration of death? April can’t come soon enough.

8) Toy Story 4

Frankly, a part of me wishes Toy Story 4 did not exist. But alas this is not the best of all possible worlds. What we are left with is Pixar potentially doing a near two-hour victory lap to see off a charming and poignant trilogy. Or perhaps it might be a meaningful continuation. Time will tell.

7) It: Chapter Two

In many ways, It: Chapter One was a loving embrace of Amblin’s eighties output as much as it was a homage to A Nightmare on Elm Street with its gripping hallucination sequences. This ascetic melange will be fascinating to see through the lens of It: Chapter Two’s adult characters returning to Derry to face their childhood fears.

6) Us

Us promises a seemingly bloody and vicious version of The Stepford Wives from the director who made the socially potent Get Out. In the words of Kevin Smith, “Take all my money.”

5) The Irishman

If 2018 proved anything for movies, then it was that Netflix is a haven for filmmakers to make unique and personal films. Their most significant investment is Martin Scorecese’s long-held passion project about “a {labour} union official with mob connections, {recalling} his involvement in the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa, an American {labour} union leader.” Touted as Scorcese’s largest budgeted and most effects-heavy film, the Irishman promise a tantalising dance between an old master and the modern advent of De-aging technology within the confines of a genre he left an indelible mark upon.

4) Knives Out

Rian Johnson makes films that affectionately picks at foundational genre conventions and builds them back up with the eye and precision of a sculptor. It will be interesting to see how his approach fares with the murder mystery genre.

3) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino’s last few period films have been revenge films that have taken the plight of oppressed people and used their empowering as fuel for violent genre thrills. By comparison, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood film looks to be an epic in the vein of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, and this seems like intriguing territory for the acclaimed indie auteur.

2) The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson’s last two films have pushed the boundaries of his ascetic, whether it was the aspect ratio juggling in The Grand Budapest Hotel or his kinetic camerawork in the Isle of Dogs. This trend seems to be continuing in The French Dispatch, which has been described as “a love letter to journalists set at an outpost of an American newspaper in 20th-century Paris.” It could be Anderson’s response to the Trump era or a mere charming curiosity. Either way, I’m there opening day.

1) Star Wars: Episode IX

Honestly, The Last Jedi reinforced my love of the epic space franchise. It was a potent parable about failure and a sombre rumination on the series’ spiritual soul. The film spoke to me as much as the series did when I was a child and teenager.  It’s as visionary as Star Wars is ever likely to get in a generation. Torturous gushing aside, Episode IX has a lot to live up to, and its hard not get cynical about its chances of wrapping up the Skywalker saga, successfully. But I would be lying if I said my excitement did not burn with the intensity of a crimson coloured lightsaber.