The Complete Guide to Hollywood Movies Opening in May 2019

We’re in the thick of things now, and I count no less than four movies I absolutely *must* watch this month: POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (opening 9 May), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (16 May), Aladdin (23 May) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (30 May). And I guarantee at least 90% of you reading right now are excited for at least one of these movies too, if not more.

Movies coming out in May 2019

(Click on the movie titles in the bullets to jump to that section if you don’t want to scroll through the entire list. You can also click on each movie’s heading to go to their IMDb pages. Release dates below are for Singapore, but if you’re outside Singapore, IMDb can tell you fairly accurately what’s the release date in your country.)

Opening on the week of 2 May

Minuscule: Mandibles from Far Away (1 May)

Directors: Hélène Giraud (The “Minuscule” series), Thomas Szabo (The “Minuscule” series)

Voice Cast: Bruno Salomone, Thierry Frémont, Stéphane Coulon

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis: When the first snow falls in the valley, it is urgent to prepare its reserves for the winter. Alas, during the operation, a small ladybug is trapped in a box — to the Caribbean. One solution: reform the shock team.

Long Shot (2 May)

Director: Jonathan Levine (“Snatched”, “The Night Before”, “Warm Bodies”, “50/50”, “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane”)

Cast: Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, Bob Odenkirk, Alexander Skarsgård

Genre: Comedy

Synopsis: He’s a hard-hitting political writer with a talent for trouble. She’s the country’s top diplomat with a talent for…well, everything. When Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) reunites with his first crush who also happens to be the current US Secretary of State, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), he charms her with his self-deprecating humor and his memories of her youthful idealism. As she prepares to make a surprise run for the Oval Office, Charlotte hires Fred to punch up her campaign speeches and their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world affair. But Fred’s carefree indiscretions, past and present, could bring down her campaign before it even begins. The film redefines “international relations” with a profane, funny and unexpected love.

Hotel Mumbai (2 May)

Director: Anthony Maras (debut feature)

Cast: Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Anupam Kher, Jason Isaacs

Genre: Drama, History, Thriller

Synopsis: A gripping true story of humanity and heroism, HOTEL MUMBAI vividly recounts the 2008 siege of the famed Taj Hotel by a group of terrorists in Mumbai, India. Refusing to leave their guests, the renowned chef Hemant Oberoi (Anupam Kher) and a waiter (Academy Award-Nominee Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire) choose to risk their lives to keep everyone safe. As the world watches on, a desperate couple (Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name and Nazanin Boniadi, “Homeland”) is forced to make unthinkable sacrifices to protect their newborn child.

Opening on the week of 9 May

POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (9 May)

Director: Rob Letterman (“Goosebumps”, “Monsters vs. Aliens”)

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Ken Watanabe, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton

Genre: Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis: Ryan Reynolds stars in the first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world’s most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time. The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim (Justice Smith) to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds): a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.

Brightburn (9 May)

Director: David Yarovesky (“The Hive”)

Cast: Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn, Matt Jones, Meredith Hagner

Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

Synopsis: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister? With BRIGHTBURN, the visionary filmmaker of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Slither” presents a startling, subversive take on a radical new genre: superhero horror.

The Hustle (9 May)

Director: Chris Addison (TV’s “Veep”)

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson, Tim Blake Nelson, Alex Sharp, Ingrid Oliver, Emma Davies

Genre: Comedy

Synopsis: A remake of the 1988 comedy, ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’, in which two down-and-out con artists engage in a “loser leaves town” contest. In the hilarious new comedy THE HUSTLE, Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson star as female scam artists, one low rent and the other high class, who team up to take down the dirty rotten men who have wronged them.

King of Thieves (9 May)

Director: James Marsh (“The Theory of Everything”, “Shadow Dancer”, “The Mercy”, “Man on Wire”)

Cast: Michael Caine, Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay, Charlie Cox, Michael Gambon, Ray Winstone

Genre: Crime, Drama

Synopsis: Based on infamous true events, a famous thief, Brian Reader (Michael Caine), pulls together a band of misfit criminals to plot the biggest bank heist in British history. The thieves manage to escape with allegedly over £200 million worth of stolen jewels and money. When police are called to the scene and the investigation starts, the cracks between the eccentric gang members begin to show as they row over how to share the goods and become increasingly distrustful of each other.

Teen Spirit (9 May)

Director: Max Minghella (Actor in “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The Social Network”)

Cast: Elle Fanning, Rebecca Hall

Genre: Drama, Music

Synopsis: Violet (Elle Fanning) is a shy teenager who dreams of escaping her small town and pursuing her passion to sing. With the help of an unlikely mentor, she enters a local singing competition that will test her integrity, talent and ambition. Driven by a pop-fueled soundtrack, TEEN SPIRIT is a visceral and stylish spin on the Cinderella story.

Opening on the week of 16 May

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (16 May)

Director: Chad Stahelski (“John Wick”, “John Wick: Chapter 2”)

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Saïd Taghmaoui, Jerome Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Tobias Segal, Boban Marjanovic, Anjelica Huston, Ian McShane

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Synopsis: In this third installment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.

The Sun is Also a Star (16 May)

Director: Ry Russo-Young (“Before I Fall”)

Cast: Yara Shahidi, Charles Melton, John Leguizamo

Genre: Drama, Romance

Synopsis: College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet—and fall for each other—over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. Sparks immediately fly between these two strangers, who might never have met had fate not given them a little push. But will fate be enough to take these teens from star-crossed to lucky in love? With just hours left on the clock in what looks to be her last day in the U.S., Natasha is fighting against her family’s deportation as fiercely as she’s fighting her budding feelings for Daniel, who is working just as hard to convince her they are destined to be together. A modern-day story about finding love against all odds, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR explores whether our lives are determined by fate or the random events of the universe.

A Dog’s Journey (16 May)

Director: Gail Mancuso (TV’s “Modern Family”)

Cast: Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott, Abby Ryder Fortson, Henry Lau

Genre: Family

Synopsis: Some friendships transcend lifetimes. In A DOG’S JOURNEY, the sequel to the heartwarming global hit “A Dog’s Purpose”, beloved dog Bailey finds his new destiny and forms an unbreakable bond that will lead him, and the people he loves, to places they never imagined. Bailey (voiced again by Josh Gad) is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his “boy,” Ethan (Dennis Quaid) and Ethan’s wife Hannah (Marg Helgenberger). He even has a new playmate: Ethan and Hannah’s baby granddaughter, CJ. The problem is that CJ’s mom, Gloria (Betty Gilpin), decides to take CJ away. As Bailey’s soul prepares to leave this life for a new one, he makes a promise to Ethan to find CJ and protect her at any cost. Thus begins Bailey’s adventure through multiple lives filled with love, friendship and devotion as he, CJ (Kathryn Prescott), and CJ’s best friend Trent (Henry Lau) experience joy and heartbreak, music and laughter, and few really good belly rubs.

Greta (16 May)

Director: Neil Jordan (“Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles”, “The Crying Game”, “Breakfast on Pluton”, “Byzantium”, “The Brave One”, “Ondine”)

Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery

Synopsis: A sweet, naïve young woman trying to make it on her own in New York City, Frances (Chloë Grace Moretz) doesn’t think twice about returning the handbag she finds on the subway to its rightful owner. That owner is Greta (Isabelle Huppert), an eccentric French piano teacher with a love for classical music and an aching loneliness. Having recently lost her mother, Frances quickly grows closer to widowed Greta. The two become fast friends — but Greta’s maternal charms begin to dissolve and grow increasingly disturbing as Frances discovers that nothing in Greta’s life is what it seems in this suspense thriller from Academy Award®-winning director Neil Jordan.

Opening on the week of 23 May

Aladdin (23 May)

Director: Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes” series, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”, “Snatch”, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”)

Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen, Numan Acar

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family

Synopsis: ALADDIN is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future. Directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his singular flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah, the film is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s “Aladdin.” ALADDIN stars Will Smith as the larger-than-life Genie; Mena Massoud as the charming scoundrel Aladdin; Naomi Scott as Jasmine, the beautiful, self-determined princess; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, the powerful sorcerer; Navid Negahban as the Sultan concerned with his daughter’s future; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s free-spirited best friend and confidante; Billy Magnussen as the handsome and arrogant suitor Prince Anders; and Numan Acar as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and captain of the palace guards.

The Intruder (23 May)

Director: Deon Taylor (“Traffik”, “Meet the Blacks”)

Cast: Michael Ealy, Meagan Good, Dennis Quaid

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Synopsis: When a young married couple (Michael Ealy and Meagan Good) buys their dream house in the Napa Valley, they think they have found the perfect home to take their next steps as a family. But when the strangely attached seller (Dennis Quaid) continues to infiltrate their lives, they begin to suspect that he has hidden motivations beyond a quick sale.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Vile, and Evil (23 May)

Director: Joe Berlinger (Netflix’s “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes”)

Cast: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, John Malkovich, Haley Joel Osment, Jim Parsons, Angela Sarafyan, Jeffrey Donovan

Genre: Biography, Crime, Thriller

Synopsis: Ted (Zac Efron) is crazy-handsome, smart, charismatic, affectionate. And cautious single mother Liz Kloepfer (Lily Collins) ultimately cannot resist his charms. For her, Ted is a match made in heaven, and she soon falls head over heels in love with the dashing young man. A picture of domestic bliss, the happy couple seems to have it all figured out … until, out of nowhere, their perfect life is shattered. Ted is arrested and charged with a series of increasingly grisly murders. Concern soon turns to paranoia—and, as evidence piles up, Liz is forced to consider that the man with whom she shares her life could actually be a psychopath. This is the story of Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. Collins shines as Liz, while Zac Efron gives a performance that could redefine his career. Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger, best known for his true-crime documentaries, proves to be the perfect match to bring this Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile true story to the screen.

The Silence (23 May)

Director: John R. Leonetti (“Annabelle”, “Wish Upon”)

Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Stanley Tucci, Miranda Otto, John Corbett

Genre: Horror

Synopsis: When the world is under attack from terrifying creatures who hunt their human prey by sound, 16-year old Ally Andrews (Kiernan Shipka), who lost her hearing at 13, and her family seek refuge in a remote haven. But they discover a sinister cult who are eager to exploit Ally’s heightened senses.

Opening on the week of 30 May

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (30 May)

Director: Michael Dougherty (“Krampus”)

Cast: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, Zhang Ziyi

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Synopsis: Following the global success of “Godzilla” and “Kong: Skull Island” comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse, an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 (30 May)

Director: Chris Renaud (“Despicable Me” series, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax”), co-director Jonathan del Val (animation director on “The Secret Life of Pets”)

Voice Cast: Patton Oswald, Jenny Slate, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Dana Carvey, Harrison Ford, Tiffany Haddish, Pete Holmes, Garth Jennings, Ellie Kemper, Nick Kroll, Bobby Moynihan

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis: THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 will follow summer 2016’s blockbuster about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.