The summer movie season is under way and everyone will be focusing on the years’ biggest films. With all the remakes, sequels and reboots on the way over the next few months, we will see many of the movies that will be dominating the box office in 2019. However, there are also a number of smaller films that are coming out this year that, while not big hits initially, are on their way to cult status.

A cult film is the kind of film that builds its loyal fanbase overtime. You may not hear much about it this year, but the love for these small, unique films will only grow. Here are some 2019 films destined for cult status.

Climax

Climax is the latest film from provocative French filmmaker Gaspar Noé. It centers on a dance group of dancers who gather in an abandoned school for a party. When they discover they have been drugged, the party escalates into all kinds of shocking debauchery.

Like other films by Noé, the intense and disturbing subject matter pretty much ensured it would not reach the mainstream audience. But also like his other films, there are a lot of people interested to see a movie that pushes the envelope.

Midsommar

Just last year, film-maker Ari Aster made a splash with his feature film debut, Hereditary. He wasted no time following its success with his second film, Midsommar. The film centers on a couple who attend a summer festival in Sweden which turns into an violent cult event.

Hereditary did not land with all audiences, but those who loved it couldn’t stop raving. Expect the same kind of response for Midsommar, as its intensity will likely turn off some viewers and it will be too “high-brow” for casual horror fans. But it’s likely to re-emerge on many end of the year lists.

The Man Who Killed Hitler And Then The Big Foot

Veteran actor Sam Elliott stars in this quirky adventure film as a secret American hero who served in WWII and assassinated Adolf Hitler. Now a retired hermit, this former assassin is recruited to take out his most deadly target yet — the legendary Bigfoot.

The title alone is enough to get this movie a cult following. While not quite the cheesy B-movie it appears to be, the outlandish premise will surely get it noticed by a small crowd and its popularity will no doubt grow from there.

Under The Silver Lake

Under the Silver Lake is David Robert Mitchell’s follow-up to his acclaimed horror movie debut, It Follows. This film is a comedic mystery-thriller starring Andrew Garfield as an aimless young man whose search for a girl he had a brief encounter with uncovers a conspiracy.

The film experienced several delays before getting a small release in 2019. It quickly disappeared after getting mixed reviews. However, those who liked it really liked it. The passion for this movie will spread to a wider audience, especially those crowds who love to dissect the complex mystery films.

Ready Or Not

Ready Or Not is a horror comedy that just recently popped onto people’s radar thanks to a wild trailer. It is the twisted story of a young bride who is initiated into her new family with a deadly game of hide and seek.

The movie doesn’t come out until the end of the summer, but it’s unlikely to be a huge hit upon its release. However, mixing grisly kills with big laughs is usually the recipe for a great cult favorite. This could become an ideal midnight movie in a few short years.

The Kid Who Would Be King

The Kid Who Would Be King is another retelling of the King Arthur story, but for a younger audience. It tells the story of a lonely young boy who discovers the ancient sword, Excalibur. With a band of fellow kids and led by the wizard Merlin, they must fight the forces of evil.

It seems audiences are not too interested in King Arthur movies right now, as the movie bombed. But with the fantasy adventure aspect mixed with the light-hearted and touching kids tale, this could be The Goonies for a new generation.

Beach Bum

The Beach Bum is a silly comedy from film-maker Harmony Korine. It stars Matthew McConaughey as Moondog, a carefree man who lives life by his own rules. The movie has an all-star supporting cast which includes Martin Lawrence, Jonah Hill and Snoop Dogg.

Despite the impressive cast of big names, the film found virtually no audience in theaters. The aimless nature of the story proved too weird for most audiences, but the film seems tailor made for a particular kind of movie crowd. This is sure to become a comedy classic.

Velvet Buzzsaw

After teaming for the acclaimed thriller Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal and filmmaker Dan Gilroy reunited for this very different horror film. Set in the art world, the movie follows a group of elite members of the art society who look to profit off discovered works by an unknown artist. It co-stars great actors like Rene Russo and John Malkovich.

The movie was released on Netflix, but failed to garner much discussion and only received mixed reviews from critics. The movie’s unique setting could entice some curious viewers as word of mouth for this kooky thriller continues to grow.

Wild Rose

There are a number of big music-focused movies getting attention this year such as Rocketman and Yesterday. Wild Rose is a much smaller film that will likely take some time to find its fans. The movie follows a single mother recently released from prison who decides to pursue her music dream in Nashville.

The movie has already been released in select theaters already but will probably not make much noise in the busy summer season even when it goes wide. But with critics raving about the film and the performances, expect more people to find it as word of mouth continues to build.

Booksmart

Booksmart is the impressive directorial debut of actor Olivia Wilde. The film stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as perfect students who decide to finally go crazy on their last night as high school students.

Teen comedies about the last day of school are certainly not in short supply, but Booksmart has struck a chord. It is one of the best-reviewed movies of the year, but while it was a modest success for an indie, not too many people caught it in theatres. Expect the younger crowd to fall in love with it in years to come, especially the female crowd looking for their own Superbadcomedy.