We’re finally saying farewell to 2023 and kicking off a whole new year of movies. Though the box office remains all over the place, with presumably guaranteed blockbusters failing to take off and “Barbie” becoming a cultural juggernaut, 2023 gave us a lot of theatrical surprises.
But what does 2024 have in store? Right off the bat, sequels. A lot of sequels! Intellectual property remains the lay of the land and there will be plenty of continuations. Tim Burton will take us back to 1988 with his “Beetlejuice” sequel while Ridley Scott will return us to ancient Rome with “Gladiator 2.” We’ll also be getting a slew of potential franchise films. Jon M. Chu takes us back to Oz with “Wicked: Part 1” and Denis Villeneuve returns to the spice-riddled world of Arrakis with the highly anticipated follow-up to “Dune.” And don’t forget the “Mean Girls” musical (if you didn’t know it was a musical, sorry the trailer didn’t help).
That’s not to say we won’t have any original films. Blumhouse and Lionsgate will make us fear invisible friends with their horror film “Imaginary.” Actually, invisible friends are getting a big boost next year, with John Krasinski’s “IF” also being hitting theaters. And don’t forget the return of auteur Luca Guadagnino and his sexy tennis drama “Challengers.”
TheWrap has you covered with all of what next year has to offer. Here are some of our most anticipated movies of 2024.
Lisa Frankenstein (Focus Features) – Feb. 9
Zelda Williams makes her directorial debut with “Lisa Frankenstein,” a horror-tinged coming of age rom-com from “Jennifer’s Body” and “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody. Kathryn Newton stars as a high school outcast who resurrects the man of her dreams (Cole Sprouse) with a little help from an extra-zappy tanning bed. The teaser promises a heartfelt, hyper-stylized ’80s throwback that melds the macabre with the signature snap and personality you’d expect from a Cody script. –Haleigh Foutch
It Ends With Us (Sony) – Feb. 9
Colleen Hoover is a sensation. A phenomenally popular author who once held six of the Top 10 spots on the NYT bestsellers list, Hoover has become a fixture of “BookTok,” “BookTube” and any other online spaces where reading takes center stage. She’s also become a figure of controversy, accused of romanticizing abuse in several of her steamy novels, most notably “It Ends With Us.”
For her part, Hoover openly talks about how the book was inspired by her personal experience with domestic violence in her family. At the same time, director and star Justin Baldoni (“Jane the Virgin”) has spent much of his career dedicated to the mission of reframing masculinity in a more vulnerable, less toxic way than we’re used to seeing in pop culture through his “Man Enough” book, podcast and TED Talk. That’s a really compelling combination of creative instincts that will hopefully lead to 1) a good movie and 2) opening up more space for difficult conversations about domestic violence. –Haleigh Foutch
Madame Web (Sony) – Feb. 14
Dakota Johnson plays the titular character. A paramedic with the power of clairvoyance, Cassie Webb (Johnson) finds herself intertwined with three other women: Julia Carpenter (Sydney Sweeney), Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) and Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced). Their foe? A man named Ezekiel Sims, a man who was with Cassie’s mom in the Amazon “when she was researching spiders right before she died.” Yes, that is a line from the film and has become instantly iconic. –Lawrence Yee
Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) – Mar. 1
Arguably the most high-profile film to be delayed by the strikes, “Dune: Part Two” will continue the story of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi novel. If you’re a Zendaya fan who wanted to see more of her in the first “Dune,” you’re in luck, as the sequel will see her share the screen with Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, who begins his training with the desert warrior Chani and her tribe, the Fremen. Expect more enormous sand worms, grisly space war, and the arrival of Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler as new foes for House Atreides. –Jeremy Fuster
Imaginary (Lionsgate) – Mar. 8
From the same production company that brought the killer doll “M3gan” comes “Imaginary,” the story of a terror-inducing teddy bear. Pyper Braun plays Alice, a young girl who develops a disturbing attachment to a stuffed teddy bear named Chauncey. The Blumhouse film appears to borrow classic elements from other horror films: multi-generational hauntings, possessed objects and even paranormal experts. –Lawrence Yee
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) – Mar. 29
If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? This direct follow-up to 2021’s better-than-it-had-any-right-to-be “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” follows the characters introduced in that film (Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim and Celeste O’Connor) as they move to New York City, team up with the surviving original Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson), and face off against an icy new foe. Also Slimer and Walter Peck (William Atherton), the “dick-less” EPA guy from the original 1984 “Ghostbusters,” are back.
Silly subtitle aside, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” looks like a ton of fun, with Gil Kenan, who co-wrote “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” with director Jason Reitman, taking over as director. Kenan directed the genuinely great “Monster House” and it seems like this could be the rare sequel that is more fun than the original. Ready to face down some ghosts, new and old? We are. –Drew Taylor
Mickey 17 (Warner Bros.) – Mar. 29
A new Bong Joon-ho movie is always cause for celebration. But a new Bong Joon-ho movie that serves as his follow-up to the Best Picture-winning “Parasite” (and his first film in five years) is the kind of thing that should cause banks to shut down and ticker-tape parades to be held.
Based on the novel by Edward Ashton, Robert Pattinson plays “Mickey 17,” the seventeenth “expendable” clone used to colonize an icy planet. The novel uses the premise to investigate the idea of shared consciousness – does one clone inherit the memories of the previous clone? – with some fun sci-fi trappings. Bong has certainly tackled high-concept sci-fi thoughtfully, as “Snowpiercer” proved. Steven Yuen (who starred in Bong’s “Okja”), Toni Collette, Naomi Ackie and Mark Ruffalo co-star, with Bong working with previous collaborators like cinematographer Darius Khondji, composer Jung Jae-il and producers Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (of Plan B). “Mickey 17” is going to be out of this world. –Drew Taylor
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros.) – April 12
“Godzilla vs. Kong” was one of the biggest and best surprises of the pandemic era – not only was it explosively entertaining but it was proof the so-called Monstervese had a lot of gas in the tank. (Since then, the Apple TV+ show “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” has added even more to that shared universe.) “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” once again directed by Adam Wingard, pits the titular kaiju against an even more dangerous adversary – the Skar King, a giant ape like Kong who has made Hollow Earth his kingdom.
Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle return from the earlier film, joined by new-to-the-franchise actors Dan Stevens and Rachel House. The trailer for the film, which also teased Kong having a mechanical arm, Godzilla getting some new glowing pink accessories and a tiny (giant) ape like Kong, promised a whole lot of giant monster action. The film will probably get some extra oomph from the popularity of “Monarch” and the enthusiasm around “Godzilla Minus One.” Truly everything is coming up Godzilla. How great is that? –Drew Taylor
Untitled Universal Monster Movie (Universal) – April 19
All we know about this project is that directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo known as Radio Silence and who made the “Scream” revival, are making a new horror film inspired by the 1936 movie “Dracula’s Daughter.” After the infamous failure of “Dark Universe,” Universal decided that instead of using its classic horror monsters to create a cinematic universe, it would allow filmmakers to make stand-alone films with fresh new takes on those icons. That led to Leigh Whannell’s excellent reimagining of “The Invisible Man,” and we can’t wait to see Radio Silence’s approach with this new vampire flick. –Jeremy Fuster
Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver (Netflix) – April 19
Zack Snyder’s big budget sci-fi spectacular “Rebel Moon,” released at Christmas on Netflix, was a lot of set-up without much follow-through. The second part, due this spring, might actually deliver on its fun, “Star Wars”-adjacent, “Seven Samurai”-derived premise.
In the follow-up Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her band of warriors (including Doona Bae and Michiel Huisman) will defend her sleepy backwater planet against the evil Mother World. Will they succeed and lead to rebellion across the galaxy? Only time will tell. Also worth noting, in 2024 we will also get R-rated cuts of both the original film and “Rebel Moon: The Scargiver.” That’s a whole lot of slow-mo! –Drew Taylor
Challengers (Amazon/MGM Studios) – April 26
It hurt when it was announced that, in the wake of the SAG-AFTRA strike last summer, Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, “Challengers” was being pushed to the spring of 2024. But absence makes the heart grow fonder and we only have a few more months before we enter the heady world of Guadagnino again.
Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist play three competitive tennis players trapped in a love triangle that spans years. We don’t know much more beyond that, short of an intensely sexy trailer that debuted back in June of 2023. It certainly whet our appetites for what looks to be a highly sensual, twisted erotic thriller (?). Guadagnino’s films never go quite where you expect them to and it should be fun to see him enter a new genre a la his 2018 “Suspiria” remake. –Kristen Lopez
The Fall Guy (Universal) – May 3
Ryan Gosling stars as a washed-up stuntman given a shot at redemption in “The Fall Guy.” When the A-list actor he once doubled for goes missing, jeopardizing a film being directed by his ex-girlfriend, Gosling’s Colt leaps into action. Investigating the disappearance becomes Colt’s chance to prove he’s still got the chops to perform death-defying feats and save the stalled production.
Teaming up with uncompromising director David Leitch, Gosling is sure to push his physical abilities to the limit in this reimagining of the 1980s TV series. Can Gosling still deliver action thrills to match his “Drive” days when “The Fall Guy” hits theaters in 2024? –Umberto Gonzalez
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Studios) – May 24
The rebooted “Planet of the Apes” saga moves on from its original protagonist Caesar – and actor Andy Serkis – with a fourth installment that looks much closer to the primate-ruled world the franchise has been known for over the decades. Apekind is entering its Bronze Age, with religion and settlements scattered among the ruins of humanity. But with those advancements comes a new warlord who seeks to enslave ape and human alike. –Jeremy Fuster
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros.) – May 24
What is there to say about “Furiosa?” Every time George Miller returns to the wild wastelands of his “Mad Max” saga, it’s a cinematic experience to remember, and with “Furiosa” Miller’s coming off the franchise high that was “Mad Max: Fury Road” and focusing on the most fascinating character the franchise has seen yet. This time, Anya Taylor Joy steps into the role of Furiosa, revealing the origins of the character Charlize Theron originated in the 2015 film. “Fury Road” raised the bar for on-screen action. Can Miller possibly do it again less than a decade later? If he even comes close “Furiosa” will be an action movie for the ages. –Haleigh Foutch
Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios) – June 14
Pixar has put out a slew of original films recently, but now its back to sequel-land with “Inside Out 2,” a film that shows the original film’s emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust who live in teenage Riley’s head. In this go-round they’re dealing with the arrival of new emotions quite common to adolescence: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Ennui and Envy. The first trailer showed off the baggage-littered Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, to great effect. –Jeremy Fuster
A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount Pictures) – June 28
One of the most successful original sci-fi/horror films in recent years gets another prequel in “A Quiet Place: Day One.” Djimon Hounsou reprises his role as the unnamed “Man on the Island” from “A Quiet Place Part II.” “Stranger Things” breakout star Joe Quinn and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o also join the cast as humans surviving an invasion from aliens that track their prey via sound. –Lawrence Yee
Horizon: An American Saga (Warner Bros.) – Part 1 on June 28 and Part 2 on Aug. 16
According to the official synopsis, Kevin Costner’s two-part “Horizon,” debuting in June and August, “explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many.” Spanning the four years of the Civil War (from 1861 to 1865), “Horizon” “will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.”
Costner stars alongside Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Jeff Fahey and many, many more. There are more installments in the “Horizon: An American Saga” universe planned as well. That could either be a promise or a threat depending on how good these two movies are. –Drew Taylor
Twisters (Universal) – July 19
“Twisters” is, yes, a sequel to the Jan de Bont-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced, Michael Crichton-written film from 1996. It’s a new band of storm hunters, led by Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, with a supporting cast that includes Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea and Maura Tierney. There will probably be tornadoes. Perhaps most excitingly, “Twisters” is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, whose previous movie was the quiet, understated drama “Minari.” (He did direct an episode of the most recent season of “The Mandalorian” and has helmed episodes of upcoming “Star Wars” series “Skeleton Crew.”) Ready to be blown away (again)? There’s a tornado on the horizon! –Drew Taylor
Deadpool 3 (Walt Disney Studios) – July 26
Get ready for the hilarious superhero showdown over a decade in the making when Ryan Reynolds suits up once more as the Merc with a Mouth alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in 2024’s “Deadpool 3.” This long-awaited team-up promises to bring R-rated irreverence and blockbuster action to the MCU like never before.
Whether mocking his new Mickey Mouse overlords or skewering the entire “X-Men” franchise, expect Reynolds’ Wade Wilson to break the fourth wall and wreak maximum meta mayhem when these two Marvel fan favorites finally share the screen. With Reynolds’ signature smart-aleck style matched only by Jackman’s razor-sharp claws, “Deadpool 3” already shapes up as next year’s must-see comic book extravaganza. –Umberto Gonzalez
Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios) – Aug. 16
In space, no one can hear you scream. But if you’re in a movie theater, you can definitely hear it all. “Alien: Romulus,” the working title for the film, was originally intended for Hulu but will have a theatrical release instead. While details of the movie’s storyline are still stuck in the airlock of the Nostromo, we do know the cast of young actors is led by Cailee Spaeny and Isabela Merced, and also includes David Jonsson and Archie Renaux. The movie was directed by Fede Álvarez, who had previously revamped the “Evil Dead’ franchise with the blood-soaked 2013 entry. Hopefully, this will be as satisfying as “Prey,” the recent spin-off/extension of the “Predator” franchise. –Drew Taylor
Kraven the Hunter (Sony) – Aug. 30
Aaron Taylor Johnson returns as another Marvel character, this time portraying the classic Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter. Kraven possesses the bestial cunning and agility of the animals he protects. Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose plays Calypso, a voodoo priestess and Kraven’s love interest. Expect lots of graphic kills involving guns, knives and even bear traps, with the film earning the Sony Spiderverse’s first R-rating. -Lawrence Yee
Beetlejuice 2 (Warner Bros.) – Sep. 6
It’s been 36 years since audiences met Tim Burton’s “ghost with the most,” Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). The original “Beetlejuice” was a wild time that lampooned both the living and the dead while making us all appreciate the musical stylings of Harry Belafonte. Not much is known about this new sequel, short of Keaton and Winona Ryder, as the “strange and unusual” Lydia Deetz, are returning. They’ll be joined by Burton’s “Wednesday” leading lady, Jenna Ortega, playing Lydia’s daughter. Honestly, all that’s needed is Beetlejuice and Lydia and this movie should be gold. Adding in Ortega as the next generation of the Deetz clan is the cherry on the fun cake of weirdness. –Kristen Lopez
Transformers One (Paramount) – Sep. 13
The first feature-length animated “Transformers” movie since 1986’s “Transformers: The Movie,” “Transformers One” is a prequel of sorts, featuring younger versions of characters we all know and love, with Chris Hemsworth starring as Orion Pax / Optimus Prime alongside Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron, Scarlett Johansson as Elita-One, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion.
Industrial Light & Magic, the studio that brought the characters to life in the live-action Michael Bay movies, is providing the animation for this new movie (they’ll also be fully animating Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising,” also coming this year). The movie hails from Josh Cooley, a former Pixar wizard who directed the Oscar-winning “Toy Story 4.” If you aren’t already excited about “Transformers One,” which is understandable because no artwork or trailers have been released yet, you will be. – Drew Taylor
The Wild Robot (Universal/Dreamworks) – Sep. 20
The last time Chris Sanders directed an animated feature was back in 2013 with “The Croods.” Now, the filmmaker, who also directed “Lilo & Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon” and who most recently dipped his toes into live-action with “The Call of the Wild,” is back at DreamWorks Animation with “The Wild Robot.”
Based on the books by Peter Brown, it follows a robot who washes ashore on a quiet, human-less island and becomes involved in the lives of the animals that live there. Of course, the company behind the robot wants its property back. (The movie has a very starry cast that we cannot reveal, sadly.) Early reports have described the movie as a cross between “WALL•E” and “Bambi,” and Sanders is one of the greatest, most singular voices in modern animation. His return to the art form is very much appreciated. We’re all going to go wild for “The Wild Robot.” –Drew Taylor
Joker: Folie a Deux (Warner Bros.) – Oct. 4
What is this movie even going to be? Everything about it seems weird on paper. “Joker” itself hardly screams franchise despite the character’s superhero origins. Casting the Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn was an instant attention-grabber, and sure enough, then we find out “Joker: Folie à Deux“ is a musical. It’s a completely confounding set of circumstances for the sequel to a superhero spinoff, and I’m fascinated to see what the result is. Let’s be honest, where Lady Gaga goes, so goes the nation. –Haleigh Foutch
Gladiator 2 (Universal) – Nov. 22
Over two decades after the Oscar-winning original, Ridley Scott reenters the arena with the long-awaited follow-up “Gladiator 2.” Set to deliver more epic clashes in ancient Rome, Scott calls action on the next chapter starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, the grown son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla.
With Scott back wielding his signature combat visuals and masterful world building, “Gladiator 2” stands primed to capture the grandeur and excitement that made its predecessor an enduring favorite. From its legendary filmmaker to the promise of new gladiatorial spectacle, this sequel emerges as a blockbuster for the ages that will have audiences chanting “Are you not entertained?” once more. –Umberto Gonzalez
Wicked: Part One (Universal) – Nov. 27
It took almost fifteen years for us to see a movie based on the popular Broadway musical, “Wicked” and it’s almost here. Directed by “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu, the film tells the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Orivo), the iconic Wicked Witch of the West and how she came to earn that name. Erivo singing a ballad like “Defying Gravity” is going to be worth the price of admission alone, but alongside her is Ariana Grande making her big-screen debut as Glinda the Good Witch.
These two powerhouse singers in a musical? Sign me up! “The Wizard of Oz” remains one of the most enduring films so even if you don’t know the musical the connection to the original L. Frank Baum books and the 1939 feature should entice movie lovers in general. The film does have its challenges, especially considering it’s being cut into two films, with the latter half coming out the following year. But either way this is the musical to end all musicals and should bring in both Broadway babies and those looking for a Thanksgiving film to take their loved ones too. –Kristen Lopez
Mufasa: The Lion King (Walt Disney Studios) – Dec. 20
While there is no “Avatar” sequel on the calendar this year, Disney still has a computer animation-heavy powerhouse waiting in the wings. “Mufasa: The Lion King” is both a prequel and sequel to 2019’s billion-dollar-grossing reimagining. Ostensibly, it’s the story of how Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Scar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) grew up, but there’s also a wraparound segment featuring Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) telling the story to Simba and Nala’s daughter.
That’s all well and good, but what makes the movie really exciting is that it was directed by Barry Jenkins, director of “Moonlight” and “The Underground Railroad.” The footage that was shared at D23 a couple of years ago showcased a filmmaker who used the technology behind the movie in new and interesting ways. It looks like he will finally add some emotion and visual panache to the otherwise leaden 2019 film. Unfortunately, he’s still stuck with those eerily lifelike lions, but if anyone can pull off this impossible feat, it’s him. –Drew Taylor
Nosferatu (Focus Features) – Dec. 25
Robert Eggers directing a remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent masterpiece “Nosferatu” scares me somewhat. Not because of the subject matter – the film is a retread of Bram Stoker’s novel, substituting Count Dracula for Count Orlok – but because it’s a remake of such an iconic piece of cinema history. Sure, it was remade in 1979 but this is probably going to be most people’s new way into the story.
But for all my hesitations as a classic film lover, I’m stoked (pun intended) as hell for it considering its cast, which includes Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgard as the titled vamp, Lily-Rose Depp, Emma Corrin and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The first images of the film look like they’ll also have Eggers’ distinct look and feel. Eggers has given us witches, mermaids and Vikings, I’m ready for his take on the vampire. –Kristen Lopez
