Now that we’re almost ready to say goodbye to 2023, it’s time to look further out and see what awaits moviegoers in 2024.
This was a great year for cinema. From the iconic and culture-defining “Barbenheimer”, to the return of other filmmaking legends like Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon), Wes Anderson (Asteroid City), and David Fincher (The Killer), the industry was shaken out of its stupor by the sheer brilliance and creativity at display in theaters.
And sure, there were certain misfires along the way, perhaps even disastrous ones, but I think it’s safe to say that the medium as a whole is making a powerful comeback.
In this article, we’re listing 2024’s most anticipated theater releases, whether it be an unassuming spinoff to the John Wick franchise or the sequel to the best sci-fi movie of the past few years.
10. Ballerina
Director: Len Wiseman
Starring: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Byrne
Release date: June 7, 2024
Ballerina marks the second spinoff project from the John Wick universe following the release of The Continental. In this new film, we follow the story of a ballerina-turned-assassin called Rooney, who is out to hunt the people who murdered her family. Ana de Armas is spearheading Ballerina, which will be set between John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 and feature Keanu Reeves as a supporting character.
9. A Quiet Place: Day One
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff
Release date: June 28, 2024
As its title suggests, this new installment in the horror franchise will be a prequel series featuring a completely new ensemble. John Krasinski, who wrote and directed the first two films, is outlining the story treatment, but Michael Sarnoski (known for 2021’s Pig) is helming the movie and writing the script. A Quiet Place is one of the most exciting horror franchises of the past decade, and we can’t wait to see where its story is going to go next.
8. Inside Out 2
Director: Kelsey Mann
Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale
Release date: June 14, 2024
Inside Out told the story of how the five main emotions of Fear, Anger, Sadness, Joy, and Disgust came together to make a young girl function, but now Riley is growing into a proper teenager, and the voices inside her head don’t know how to deal with the new arrival: Anxiety. Will Inside Out 2 finally mark Pixar’s return to form after its recent rough patch?
7. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Starring: Brian Cox, Miranda Otto, Gaia Wise
Release date: December 13, 2024
The War of the Rohirrim is a new anime film set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The movie deals with the legendary tale of Helm Hammerhand, a king of Rohan almost two centuries before the events of The Lord of the Rings. And the best part, besides the fact that one of the best anime directors of all time is helming this new project? Miranda Otto’s Eowyn is making a comeback as the story’s narrator.
6. Kung Fu Panda 4
Director: Mike Mitchell and Stephanie Ma Stine
Starring: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Angelina Jolie
Release date: March 29, 2024
The Dragon Warrior is returning for another epic outing. Po is going up against the Chameleon this time, who is an antagonist capable of bringing back deceased villains like Tai Lung. The adorable fluffy but equally badass panda is also haunted by the prospects of training his successor, a character going by the name of Zhen and portrayed by the talented Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina.
5. Furiosa
Director: George Miller
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
Release date: May 24, 2024
Almost ten years after its initial release, the highly acclaimed Max Max: Fury Road is finally getting a spinoff prequel centering around Imperator Furiosa. George Miller’s new thrill ride will be headlined by Anya Taylor-Joy, who is replacing Charlize Theron in the role as the younger Furiosa. Since Fury Road was an adrenaline-fueled action romp through and through, we can expect the upcoming Furiosa to roughly follow the same pattern.
4. Gladiator 2
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen
Release date: November 22, 2024
Ridley Scott has been cooking up this sequel to Gladiator for more than 20 years. The story is supposed to take place many years after the quarrel between Maximus and Commodus, Rome is once again teetering on the brink of collapse, and it is up to Lucius (now portrayed by Paul Mescal) to step up and save it from itself. Regardless of what you think about Scott’s recent Napoleon movie, which has been received with mixed opinions, we’re all excited to see what he plans to do with Gladiator 2.
3. Dune: Part Two
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh
Release date: March 1, 2024
This was a bit difficult to place, but we can safely say that Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two should definitely make it to the top three movies on this list. The sequel will continue to chronicle Paul Atreides’ story while introducing several new characters like Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan. The fight for the desert world of Arrakis will reach a definitive conclusion in this upcoming chapter, and if all goes well, we can expect to eventually see a threequel adapting the rest of Frank Herbert’s ambitious and surreal tale.
2. Joker: Folie à Deux
Director: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz
Release date: October 4, 2024
Following the events of 2019’s Joker, Joaquin Phoenix’s take on Arthur Fleck will see him crossing paths with Dr. Harleen Quinzel (aka Harley Quinn), a psychiatrist assigned to treat the Clown Prince of Crime. The first Joker film by Phillips turned into an absolute sensation and became the first R-rated movie to pass $1 billion at the box office, so it’s safe to say that anticipation and expectations are high for this forthcoming sequel.
1. Deadpool 3
Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin
Release date: July 26, 2024
A third Deadpool film starring Ryan Reynolds and finally reuniting him with his real-life frenemy Hugh Jackman, who is once again strapping on the claws as Wolverine. Need I say more? Deadpool 3 is undoubtedly the most highly awaited flick of 2024, while also marking the Regenerating Degenerate’s first appearance in the MCU timeline.
Forget about the next two Avengers movies, folks, because this is the crossover event that we’ve all been waiting for. Assuming that the movie won’t be delayed any further, Deadpool 3 drops into theaters on July 26.