Every year, we have to say goodbye to the last year and welcome the new one. By the time you read this, 2018 will be as good as over. It is a bittersweet time, just like when we say goodbye to an old friend. While we cannot forget the many memorable moments that 2018 brought to us through adrenaline-filled sporting events and entertaining movies and music, 2019 is even more loaded than its predecessor.

There is the Cricket World Cup where Australia will battle others for supremacy, followed by other sporting events such as the tennis grand slams and football matches. But the most exciting stuff happens in the movies, so movies will be the year’s highlights.

will be the year’s highlights. Let’s check out what is lined up in 2019 and plan accordingly so that we don’t miss much in the coming these months.

Cricket World Cup 2019

Just like the Cricket World Cup held way back in 1992 in Australia, each team will play the other side in the competition so that the four best teams finally qualify for the semi-final stage.

Since the mega-event will be held in England, where Pakistan have won the ICC World T20 in 2009 as well as the Champions Trophy in 2017, the Greenshirts will be fully prepared to make it three out of three, and gain back the title they nearly had in their grasp in 1999. This is also the first time since 1983 that the Zimbabwe Cricket team will not be participating in the event as the total number of teams was reduced from last edition’s 14 to just 10.

Sports all around the year

Each year the top tennis players from the world gather to battle for the iconic grand slam titles, it is Australian Open in January, French Open in May-June, Wimbledon in June-July and US Open in August and this year will be no different.

The year, however, may prove to be Roger Federer’s last as an active player considering he will turn 38 in August; the defending Australian Open champion may be in good form, but if he fails to defend the title and doesn’t do well at Wimbledon, it would be the best time to quit and go for the next stage, which is coaching.

As for football, Premier League and Champions League remain the most prestigious tournaments and fans of the game would be following them in the absence of Football World Cup, that would be held next in 2022.

The year of animated movies

This year, Hollywood will release a whole lot of animated films, including some new ones and many sequels — from the second instalment of Frozen, Farmageddon: A Shaun the Sheep Movie, The Lego Movie and The Angry Birds to the third edition of How to Train Your Dragon and the fourth edition of Toy Story.

Most of these movies will be hitting our local screens too, so keep a look out to plan an outing to the movies with friends and family.

Superheroes (and a villain) galore

Marvel fans are bracing themselves for who might turn out to be the most powerful superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Captain Marvel. The superhero will appear this year in March, more than a month ahead of the next Avengers movie and those who know the significance of her appearance are mighty excited.

The former Captain Marvel, now known as Shazam!, will be DC Comics first entry of the year that will be followed by the origin movie of Joker … yes, you read that right.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, will take you into the world of the animated detective who will be voiced by Ryan Reynolds, the Deadpool guy!

Sequels in the air

Millions of Avengers fans will have much to look forward to when the Avengers: Endgame would be released in theatres in April and that would be followed by Spidey’s comeback movie Spider-Man: Far From Home, which proves that Spider-Man isn’t dead.

The new-age Star Wars trilogy would also be completed this year whereas the sequel of 2017’s Jumanji would hit the screens, bringing back Dr Smolder Bravestone and his team.

And then there is the Men in Black spin-off, Men in Black: International, where aliens take over England for a change. And with new destination comes new heroes, what if they were together in the last Thor movie?

The year of remakes

Some people like to live in the past whereas some want to learn from it and make something new. That’s what will happen this year as Mary Poppins will return after five decades to look after the next generation of the Banks children.

Then there is the return of Dumbo, who was last seen in animated form in 1941 and will be seen in live action this year. The fans of Disney classics The Lion King and Aladdin feel that there was no need to make the two films in live-action but one thing is certain, no one is willing to watch Mufasa’s death as it was traumatic for the kids of that era and will have the same effect this year too.

As for the blue genie, well that was always expected.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 29th, 2018