A second look: The most anticipated sequels of 2018

BY ABBIE TUSCHMAN

People aren’t going to the movies anymore. In an age of endless streaming options like Netflix and HBO Go, movie theater chains are suffering. Blame it on the expensive concessions or lackluster releases, but consumers are not as inclined to spend their time and money at traditional theaters. Yet, 2018 might be the exception to the norm. Boasting a list of familiar franchises, this year of nostalgia is sure to be one that film fanatics and casual moviegoers alike are unlikely to forget.

The Incredibles 2

After nearly a decade and a half of patient waiting, Pixar is gifting fans a sequel to the wildly popular “The Incredibles.” The original film, featuring America’s favorite superhero family, was released in 2004. Many of the children that viewed “The Incredibles” in theaters 14 years ago are now adults. However, that will not stop them from buying tickets to the Disney flick for opening night. Millennials have flooded social media with promises to see the movie, even if it means sitting in a cinema otherwise filled with screaming children and their parents. Director Brad Bird has revealed that “The Incredibles 2” will pick up minutes after where the first film left off. The burden of growing up cannot be avoided, but it can be momentarily forgotten by stepping into a screening room and back into the plot of a cherished childhood film.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

In 2015, “Jurassic World” made waves at the box office. The fourth installment of Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” series racked up around 1.5 billion dollars; it currently stands as the fourth-highest grossing film of all time. This summer, fans of the legendary franchise can once again experience the thrill of seeing prehistoric creatures come to life in a modern setting. In the upcoming film, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) will return to the wreckage of the theme park and attempt to save the remaining dinosaurs from an impending volcanic eruption. But, bringing dinosaurs back from the dead does not guarantee a lively blockbuster. After critics’ complaints over uninspired character development and glaring plot holes in “Jurassic World,” fans are hoping that its sequel will be more successful at maintaining the reputation of its predecessors.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The “Harry Potter” universe is one that many children and adults have escaped to since author J.K. Rowling published her first novel, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” in 1997. Rowling’s wizarding world has revolutionized fantasy storytelling and filmmaking. In 2016, spells and magical creatures were brought back to the big screen with the spin-off “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The film introduced Newt Scamander, a magizoologist that encounters trouble in New York City and risks exposing its wizarding community. Though Newt Scamander’s adventures were enchanting for most, the plot often fell secondary to the necessary but cumbersome task of worldbuilding. The sequel will focus on the attempts by Newt Scamander and a young Albus Dumbledore to recapture the infamous Gellert Grindelwald. Though Grindelwald had brief appearances in past “Harry Potter” books and films, much of his past remains unknown. Since the sequel already appears to have a more structured premise, Potterheads can cross their fingers that this time around, the plot and characters will take center stage.

Sequels do a notably poor job of living up to the standard of their original movies. In the upcoming year, Hollywood will attempt to erase that stereotype with several new releases. Ultimately, it is up to the public to decide whether that attempt is a success.

Photo courtesy of Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios