My Most Anticipated Films of 2024

2024 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for film. For one thing, this is the first year in a long time with only one MCU release in theaters, and it’s one that I’m not even interested in seeing. It also seems to be a year of prequels, spin-offs, and some concepts, which is a welcome change of pace for Hollywood. Here are my most anticipated films of 2024, including the films I really want to see, the ones I’m curious about, and the ones I don’t plan on watching but really want to know how they are received. Also, I’m publishing this before my favorite films of last year’s list since I’m still working on that and some of these films are being released soon. As usual, some of these release dates can change and may have already changed during the time I was working on this.

40) Deadpool 3 - I have never seen and never will see the first two Deadpool films, but I’m still curious to see how Deadpool is going to integrate into the MCU and how they’re going to deal with having R-rated movies. I’m also curious how Wolverine is going to come back after Hugh Jackman had stated previously that he was done with the character.

39) Lisa Frankenstein - This looks like an interesting concept that could be a very quirky film. I’m not sure how the different tones presented in the trailer will mesh together, but only time will tell. I had a classmate who made a short film with a similar subject that also shares a title with my last name, so for that reason alone, this film seems intriguing to me.

38) Madame Web - I’m having a hard time understanding what this movie is since the trailer feels like many storylines mashed together. The idea of it has potential, but it’s the question of whether or not the execution can stick the landing. The Venom films were fine, but after Morbius (which I didn’t see but saw enough of online), I’m really curious to see how this film performs at the box office, especially after the internet reactions to the first trailer.

37) Beetlejuice 2 - I’ve never seen Beetlejuice, but maybe I finally will this year because of this sequel, similar to how I finally saw Top Gun in 2022. Legacy sequels can be hit and miss and Tim Burton hasn’t made a sequel since Batman Returns, so I’m curious how this long-awaited follow-up will be received.

36) Gladiator 2 - I have yet to see Gladiator and I’m really curious how this follow-up to the Best Picture winner will turn out. I also love the fact that instead of Hans Zimmer doing the music, his protégé, Harry Gregson-Williams, whom I met last October, will compose the score instead.

35) Kraven the Hunter - As previously mentioned, with Madame Web, Sony’s Spiderverse is mostly a franchise of curiosity for me. But with the franchise’s current track record, I’m really curious to see how this film will be received. This trailer, which I didn’t realize had been released until doing research for this blog, looks intriguing and very rated R, which I’m assuming this will be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson does seem to be a good casting choice based on the trailer.

34) Red One - The plot for this one is still unknown, but based on the title, the fact that it’s a Christmas film, and the fact that it’s directed by the same person who directed the last two Jumanji movies that I absolutely loved, I’m curious about this one. Also, this is the reason we haven’t gotten another Jumanji film yet, so I want to know what has delayed that sequel.

33) Untitled Jordan Peele Film - I’ve enjoyed Get Out and Us and have yet to see Nope. I’ve been impressed by his skills as a writer-director and I’m naturally curious to see what his next film will be. Also, the fact that it’s supposed to be released at Christmas time makes me even more curious.

32) Nosferatu - I haven’t seen any of Robert Eggers’s previous work, but have heard about them and seen footage online. I’ve seen the original Nosferatu and I’m very curious how this remake will handle the source material. Bill Skarsgard does seem to be a good casting choice for the vampire.

31) Bob Marley: One Love - I don’t know a lot about Bob Marley, other than the Muppets essentially named one of the Marley brothers after him in The Muppet Christmas Carol (a reference I didn’t realize until adulthood), and while this has the potential to be a standard musician biopic, I’m still curious about it and hope it does well. I’m looking forward to checking it out and learning more about this famous singer.

30) Horizon: An American Saga - I’m really curious to see how this film does at the box office simply because it’s an original two-part movie that’s also a Western. And while the Western is making a comeback on television, I’m really curious to see how this does in theaters.

29) Civil War - This is a film that hits way too close to home, especially during an election year. I hope this is a thoughtful commentary on modern America and handles this too-likely situation deftly. Jesse Plemons looks like a very intimidating villain and the visuals look spectacular. I’ve only seen Ex Machina out of the director’s previous work, so based on that alone, this looks like a good film that’s likely to have a very bleak ending.

28) Mufasa: The Lion King - I haven’t seen The Lion King live-action remake, but have seen a lot of videos about it. However, because this is a prequel-sequel, it at least will be an original story. Also, the fact that Barry Jenkins is involved makes me naturally curious. There’s no way this will be as good as The Little Mermaid, which is my favorite Disney live-action film by far, but it’ll probably be better than the first film just because it isn’t a complete rehash. It basically looks like the Godfather Part II of the Disney live-action remakes.

27) Mean Girls - I wish the first trailers had done a better job of explaining that this is an adaptation of the Broadway musical because I was very confused at the existence of this remake at first. It seems to be arriving out of nowhere and was originally supposed to be released on streaming apparently. I liked the original okay, but am not a huge fan like many others. What’s most interesting about this is the fact that it’s based on the musical version and it takes place in modern-day using social media. I also find it intriguing that Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles from the original.

26) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - I have still yet to see Mad Max: Fury Road or any film in the Mad Max franchise for that matter, but maybe this is the film that finally makes me watch that acclaimed predecessor so I can see this one. This looks like another action-packed film and I’m really curious to see how this one is received in comparison. Also, Chris Hemsworth looks like an interesting choice to play the villain.

25) Damsel - I’m intrigued by the concept of this film since it seems to be a play on fairy tale tropes and I love fairy tale movies. This definitely looks like a gritty original fairy tale with a dark twist. I’m a fan of Millie Bobby Brown and I’m really curious to see how this movie turns out.

24) The Garfield Movie - I’m not a fan of Garfield nor have I seen the infamous live-action films, but I am curious to see how this movie will be received. I do wonder how Chris Pratt has gotten a monopoly on voicing animated icons. The animation looks nice and seems like a fine family film.

23) The Fall Guy - This looks like a fun original concept for an action film. I do like the idea of a stuntman having to do stunts in real life to save his life and the idea that stunt performers are considered disposable compared to stars. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt seem to have good chemistry. I do find it weird that this is the film that’s opening the summer movie season after the MCU has had a monopoly on that release date.

22) Argylle - This looks like a very intriguing concept and the film looks like it’s a lot of fun. As a writer myself, I’m also very drawn to the idea of an author being drawn into one of her own literary adventures. The addition of the cat also looks like it’ll add a bit of humor. With some good action, this one looks like it’ll be a lot of fun.

21) The American Society of Magical Negros - As soon as I heard about this film, I was on board. The idea of satirizing the idea of the “Magical Negro” feels perfect. The only downside is that based on the trailer, it seems more like a rom-com than a strict satirical fantasy. It almost reminds me of how Yesterday was more of a rom-com than the premise initially invited. Regardless, I also love those types of stories and I loved Yesterday so I’m definitely going to be checking this one out.

20) White Bird - I was somewhat disappointed that this was delayed because of the strikes since I was really curious how this will be received. It looks like a very moving Holocaust story and while there are many out there, the fact that it’s about a survivor telling their story to a child of today makes it all the more important, connecting the horrors of the past to cruelties of today. I’m also curious as to how it connects to the film, Wonder.

19) Mickey 17 - I really enjoyed Parasite, so I’m naturally curious to see what Bong Joon Ho does next. However, upon hearing the premise, it seems like a very intriguing sci-fi film. I’ve received invitations to numerous test screenings for this, but unlike another film on this list, I’ve been able to go to any of them, so I’m looking forward to finally being able to see it and discover what its reception will be.

18) Harold and the Purple Crayon - It seems that this film has moved its release date several times and has been in production forever. I remember enjoying the books when I was a kid, but I’m mostly just curious how this will be stretched out into a feature film. I’m really looking forward to finally seeing some footage.

17) Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - I love the original Beverly Hills Cop. Ironically, I grew up listening to the soundtrack and hated the main theme until I saw the film and realized it fit perfectly. I haven’t seen any of the sequels and while this probably won’t be close to living up to the original, I’m still interested to see how this is received. I think Kevin Bacon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be good additions to the cast and I’m glad that Judge Reinhold and John Ashton are returning as well.

16) Untitled Wallace and Gromit Film - I have mixed feelings about Wallace & Gromit and always have. As a kid, I loved The Wrong Trousers, tolerated A Grand Day Out and A Close Shave scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. I’ve also loved the Cracking Contraptions shorts but did not like A Matter of Life and Death and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. As a result, I’m very cautiously optimistic about another Wallace & Gromit film, so all I can hope is that it isn’t too scary or creepy. At least Nick Park is still directing. That’s a good sign.

15) Venom 3 - I liked the first two Venom films okay. The last film ended in an interesting place, with a mid-credits scene that went nowhere in No Way Home, so I’m curious to see where the story can go from here. After Morbius, we’ll have to see how successful this film will be. It is strange that there’s only one MCU film being released this year but there are three Sony Spiderverse films.

14) The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie - I love the Looney Tunes and while I haven’t seen any of their films other than Space Jam, I’m curious about this one since it’s the first Looney Tunes film that doesn’t have any live-action footage and doesn’t recycle old shorts. Hopefully, this film is old-school fun.

13) Unfrosted: The Pop Tart Story - I’ve known about this film since working at Warner Bros. two years ago. Not only is it another corporate film after a year filled with them, but it’s also Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut. The fact that this is his choice for his first film is so intriguing that I’m very curious how it turns out.

12) IF - As someone who directed a short film about an imaginary friend (but ironically, I don’t think I really had one myself growing up), I was instantly drawn to this concept. This looks to be a really fun and sweet family film and the idea of “IF” being an acronym for “imaginary friend” is a clever idea. This looks like the type of family fantasy adventure film that isn’t usually made anymore. I definitely want to check this out. Also, I find it interesting that we're getting two imaginary friend movies this year, along with the horror film, Imaginary.

11) Joker: Folie a Deux - The first Joker was an interesting film that deserved the Oscars it won, but I wasn’t sure how it could have a sequel. Every time I hear more information about it, especially once I heard it was going to be a musical, I’ve gotten even more curious since it sounds completely bonkers. I definitely want to see how this one will be received compared to the original.

10) The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim - I love The Lord of the Rings and have yet to see Rings of Power but want to, so I’m naturally curious to see how this film turns out. I might be slightly more excited if it were live-action instead of animated, but at least this seems like a better idea than the other Lord of the Rings films in development. I do find it interesting that Miranda Otto is reprising her role as Eowyn, especially since this is supposedly a prequel.

9) My Spy: The Eternal City - I really enjoyed the first My Spy, being the last movie I saw in theaters before covid it, and I’m really looking forward to this sequel finally being released. With an international plot, this film has the potential to be funnier and better than the first one.

8) Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - I hadn’t followed the MonsterVerse films at all until I got access to a free online screening of Godzilla vs. Kong and was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed the film. I’m glad they’re not repeating the versus movie format, so this looks like it’ll be a good team-up film, especially since their team-up portion at the end of the last film was one of the best parts of that movie. I’m glad that some of the cast from the last film is returning, especially the deaf girl who plays Jia, who I thought was a nice addition to the last one. I’m also really curious to know why Godzilla’s atomic breath is pink in the trailer.

7) Despicable Me 4 - I love the Despicable Me films and Minions: Rise of Gru and liked Minions okay, though the third Despicable Me was the weakest of the three. However, it did end with an interesting cliffhanger, so I’m curious to see where it’ll go from there. I do hope that Dr. Nefario returns in this sequel.

6) Dune: Part Two - It’s finally time for this long-awaited sequel to be released and I’m very excited like everyone else. I enjoyed the first Dune, appreciating its action and atmosphere, though I did find a lot of the worldbuilding somewhat dense and confusing. I have an idea of how the story will progress, though I just hope I’m not as confused as I was in the last film. Either way, this looks to be another great sci-fi film that hopefully ends in a more satisfying place and doesn’t create another cliffhanger for the planned third film. I also hope it doesn’t take every single technical award at the Oscars. Some of the ones from the last film should have gone to West Side Story, at least to spread them out a little more.

5) The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - I love the book, listening to the audiobook my mom recorded almost every Christmas. For the longest time, I wasn’t sure how it could be adapted into film, but I figured out a couple of years ago that there could be a way. I started to watch the 19 adaptation once but couldn’t get through the first ten minutes because it was so bland. I then heard that there was an adaptation in development, which was originally going to be produced by Walden Media, but they parted ways before the time of my internship. As a result, I’m very curious how this film will pan out, especially after hearing the creative team involved. This is directed by the person who directed The Chosen (which I haven’t seen but heard great things about) and produced by Kingdom Story Company, who produced films I’ve heard about, and The Jesus Music, which I really didn’t care for. On one hand, this film will definitely include the religious aspects of the story. However, I’m not sure how they’ll keep the humor of the book, which is why it’s so memorable, and the film will probably have to be very stylized and non-linear to truly capture the feel of the book. I will say that Judy Greer is a good casting choice to play the mom.

4) Inside Out 2 - I’m cautiously optimistic about this sequel. On one hand, Pixar hasn’t made a good sequel since 2017's Cars 3, with every other sequel and spin-off since then being a disappointment. On the other hand, Inside Out is the one Pixar film that almost everyone can agree can easily have a sequel, with plenty more story to explore. The teaser seems to introduce an interesting premise, though I just hope Anxiety and the other emotions make for a good addition and aren’t too annoying. I wish Pete Doctor was directing, though he at least seems to give his blessing for this sequel. I also wish Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader were returning, though this wouldn’t be the first time a major character had to be recast for a Pixar sequel, so this shouldn’t be too much of a cause for worry. I just hope this breaks the current Pixar sequel curse.

3) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - I absolutely loved the first two Sonic the Hedgehog films, so I’m naturally hyped about this sequel. I do wish Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik would return, but it might be nice to have a different villain for a change. As someone unfamiliar with the video games, I’m looking forward to the payoff to the last film’s mid-credits scene. It is interesting that this one will be released during the holidays instead of the spring like the last two.

2) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - I did not like the original Ghostbusters but I loved Afterlife, preferring its more serious tone and focus on teenage protagonists (I haven’t seen the other two films). So naturally, I’m very excited for this sequel. I was wondering why it was originally slated to release in December, though with the frozen theme, that would have been fitting, but I think the March release date probably works better. The threat looks very menacing, especially with the idea of using fear to freeze people. I’m very interested to see how the old and new cast will interact, and I really like the fact that Gary Grooberson is now a Ghostbuster as well. I also hope this keeps the darker tone that Afterlife set up instead of trying to be goofy on purpose.

1) Wicked: Part One - Wicked is the only show I’ve seen on Broadway, saw it again on tour in Tampa, and is my favorite musical of all time. As a result, I’m very excited to see this finally reach the big screen. I was concerned about fitting everything into one movie, especially since they’re reportedly adding new songs, so the idea of splitting this into two movies does make some sense. I’m sure this film will basically be Act One, though I do wonder how they’ll handle Act Two then since it’s shorter and has fewer songs. I hope they use this extra time to expand on the friendship between Elphaba and Galinda, which can sometimes feel rushed in the musical. I’m a little hesitant about the casting of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, which feels a tad too Hollywood, though I’ve been impressed by Jon M. Chu’s recent work, especially how he directed the musical sequences of In the Heights, so hopefully, this is a satisfying musical adaptation.