2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for movies, with highly-anticipated sequels, franchise continuations, and original films that have fans buzzing. Based on early predictions and insider reports, these are the movies expected to dominate the box office and conversations in the coming year.
Sequels Lead the Charge
Some of the biggest movies slated for 2024 are follow-ups to major hits and fan favorites. These tentpole sequels will likely see huge turnouts thanks to built-in audiences from previous films.
Return to Gotham City
Easily one of next year’s most feverishly awaited titles is The Joker: Folie à Deux, arriving October 4th. Director Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker was both a critical and commercial smash, earning over $1 billion globally and winning Joaquin Phoenix the Best Actor Oscar for his transformation into the Clown Prince of Crime.
Plot details are being kept secret, but Phoenix returns alongside co-star Zazie Beetz. Lady Gaga has signed on in a reportedly pivotal role, rumored to be the Joker’s co-conspirator and possible love interest, Harley Quinn. The subtitle Folie à Deux refers to a shared delusional disorder, hinting at an intense psychological journey. With the first film’s singular success, the sequel is primed to set records.
More Mutant Mania
Another comic book icon getting a new chapter is Deadpool 3, hitting theaters September 6th. Ryan Reynolds’ “Merc with a Mouth” has won over audiences in two hit movies chock full of raunchy humor and over-the-top action. This threequel will be his long-awaited induction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Reynolds is confirmed to return with franchise director Shawn Levy. In a major casting coup, Hugh Jackman will reprise his signature role as Wolverine. Fans have clamored for years for Jackman and Reynolds’ characters to team up onscreen. Plot details are unknown, but the pairing of Deadpool’s snark and Wolverine’s claws promises next-level hilarity and carnage.
Franchises Expand Their Universes
Some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises are using 2024 to broaden their universes with sequels, prequels and spinoffs. These extensions of popular series allow filmmakers to explore fresh characters and storylines while tapping into devoted fanbases.
The Post-Apocalypse Lives On
2024 brings Mad Max: Furiosa, a prequel centered on Imperator Furiosa, the fierce protagonist played by Charlize Theron in 2015’s dystopian thrill ride Mad Max: Fury Road. Her origin story arrives May 24th with Any Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) taking over the role. Director George Miller returns to oversee this glimpse into Furiosa’s past within the desert wasteland.
The Mad Max franchise has been dormant since Fury Road wowed critics and audiences. But its vision of a savage, gas-deprived future is perfectly suited for revisiting in today’s climate conscious era. This next chapter will showcase exhilarating road battles while expanding a rich cinematic world.
| Mad Max Movie Timeline |
|---|
| Mad Max (1979) |
| Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) |
| Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) |
| Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) |
| Mad Max: Furiosa (2024) |
Return to Dune
Another acclaimed sci-fi property picking back up is Dune, with Part Two warping into theaters November 17th. Co-writer/director Denis Villeneuve dazzled fans in 2021 by finally cracking Frank Herbert’s sprawling 1965 novel with a splendidly crafted opening chapter.
Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Javier Bardem lead the returning cast. New additions like Léa Seydoux and Florence Pugh hint at major roles from the book. Having laid extensive groundwork in Part One, Villeneuve now gets to deliver the space fantasy epic’s spectacular climax. All signs point to a science fiction spectacle for the ages.
Non-Franchise Films Take Risks
Amidst the barrage of sequels, some intriguing original movies aim to leave their own mark in 2024. Filmmakers are banking on innovative stories, eclectic ensembles and inspired twists on familiar genres to resonate with moviegoers.
Blonde Ambition
One highly discussed title is Blonde, director Andrew Dominik’s fictionalized take on Marilyn Monroe starring Ana de Armas. Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, the drama looks at the icon’s tragic life behind the glamorous façade.
After her breakout role in 2019’s Knives Out, De Armas’ fast-rising stardom coupled with this prize part as Monroe has set expectations high. Reviews out of film festivals call her transformation spellbinding. With its NC-17 rating, Blonde promises to be an eye-opening look at the price of fame. It hits select theaters September 23rd before streaming on Netflix.
Musical Reimaginings
A couple of bold musical efforts hope to sing a new tune in 2024. First up on December 25th is White Noise, writer/director Noah Baumbach’s adaptation of Don DeLillo’s classic 1985 novel, starring Adam Driver. Footage reveals a stylish collision of odd humor and family drama set to original songs by Driver and co-stars Greta Gerwig and Don Cheadle.
Then Maestro brings director Wes Anderson’s aesthetically precise touch to a tale of famed composer Leonard Bernstein. Bradley Cooper takes the lead role across decades with Carey Mulligan as his wife, Felicia Montealegre. Anderson’s forays into music and theater have expanded his filmography, with this portrait of Bernstein marking his most ambitious leap yet when it releases in the fall.
What Lies Ahead
As 2024 plays out, more details on projects earlier in development will likely emerge to further stock the release calendar. There are rumors of another Mission: Impossible, a new Transformers perhaps helmed by Steven Caple Jr., and buzz around Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequels. Plus James Cameron has touted further Avatar sequels this decade.
2022 ended with impressive box office hauls for major sequels like Top Gun: Maverick and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 2023 boasts its own highly-awaited titles like The Flash, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. But based on what’s known, 2024 stands poised to scale new heights.
The year’s slate suggests a box office ruled by the return of beloved icons like the Joker, Deadpool and Furiosa. Bankable stars such as Joaquin Phoenix, Ryan Reynolds and Ana de Armas will draw crowds. And visionaries like Todd Phillips, Denis Villeneuve and Wes Anderson will deliver stunning spectacles.
All signs point to 2024 rewarding movie lovers with new franchise goldmines, eccentric original gems and future classics across genres. If early indications hold true, it should be one thrilling ride at the cinema.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
