Movies That Will Blow Everyone Away In 2024

The year 2023 was a solid one for cinema. While superhero movies took a major hit (aside from the Spider-Verse), titles like "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie" earned rave reviews and big box office hauls. But with instant classics like "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Godzilla Minus One" now in the rearview mirror, what does 2024 have in store? 

While there's a shocking lack of MCU or DC properties, 2024 promises to feature plenty of big-budget sequels and throwbacks to beloved properties from the 1980s. However, there are also plenty of original features set for release that hail from some of the most iconic filmmakers in history. All of these projects inhabit a variety of genres, including family films, action titles, and horror features, and they all have unique qualities that make them the likeliest must-sees of 2024. 

Updated on April 15, 2024: From scary stories and superhero movies to animated adventures and long-anticipated musicals, 2024 is full of awesome offerings. We update this list regularly, so check back often to see what exciting movies the year has to offer.

2024 is shaping up to be a year of science fiction sequels. In addition to "Dune: Part Two," "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," and a new "Alien" film, director Zack Snyder will stun with "Rebel Moon: Part Two — The Scargiver." A follow-up to 2023's "Rebel Moon," this film is written and directed by Snyder, and it stars Djimon Hounsou, Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, Staz Nair, Ray Fisher, Doona Bae, Cleopatra Coleman, E. Duffy, and the voice of Anthony Hopkins as mercenaries. They've been enlisted by a warrior played by Sofia Boutella to fight an evil galactic imperium. Together, this rag-tag group of cosmic adventurers must work to protect a remote moon under assault from the armies Mother World, led by Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee). 

Snyder has made no secret that the pair of "Rebel Moon" films were directly inspired by Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" and that his story was originally developed as the concept for a "Star Wars" feature film. When Lucasfilm passed on the project, Snyder and his team took the story to Netflix instead. 

Leading into the first film's release, the buzz around the "Rebel Moon" films is strong. Trailers already showcase a compelling, fully-realized world of cosmic conflict. The sequel, "Rebel Moon: Part Two — The Scargiver" is expected to hit the streaming service on April 19, 2024.

Before Bill Skarsgård dons a pair of fangs for "Nosferatu," he'll be battling bad guys in "Boy Kills World." This wild actioner comes from German director Moritz Mohr, with the legendary Sam Raimi co-producing. Here, Skarsgård will portray a deaf-mute named Boy. Armed with a powerful imagination, Boy's life is thrown upside down when the head of a powerful post-apocalyptic empire murders his family. Desperate for revenge, Boy flees into the jungle and begins training under a shaman, who will teach him the martial arts skills Boy needs to unleash his furious vengeance.

A tale featuring an argumentative ghost, a "Hunger Games"-esque annual purge, and plenty of video game energy, "Boy Kills World" is sure to deliver a hefty dose of adrenaline on April 26, 2024. Speaking about the movie's unique style, Sam Raimi explained (via Deadline) that director Moritz Mohr "brings a distinct visual style and an unbridled imagination to the screen, creating an original, outrageous, and visceral thrill ride. 'Boy Kills World's' eclectic, cast, eye-popping stunt sequences, and deranged sense of humor will blow audiences away."

Speaking of that eclectic cast, Bill Skarsgård will star alongside Michelle Dockery ("Downton Abbey") and Jessica Rothe ("Happy Death Day"). Famke Janssen (the "X-Men" series) will play the villainous matriarch who gets on Boy's bad side, Yayan Ruhian ("The Raid: Redemption") will star as Skarsgård's sensei, and H. Jon Benjamin ("Bob's Burgers") will portray Boy's inner voice. You can also expected to see actors like Brett Gelman ("Stranger Things") Isaiah Mustafa ("It: Chapter Two"), Andrew Koji ("Warrior"), and Sharlto Copley ("District 9").

Based on the novel by Robinne Lee, "The Idea of You" will star Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") as 40-year-old mom Solène, a woman who takes her young daughter to the Coachella Music Festival. It's there that Solène meets Hayes Campbell, a 24-year-old pop star and lead of the most beloved boy band on the planet (played here by Nicholas Galitzine of "Red, White & Royal Blue"). The two soon find themselves falling in love, but as you might assume, there are quite a few complications to their new relationship — most notably Hayes' intense super stardom and the new scrutiny Solène finds herself under.

The movie will be directed by Michael Showalter, who's no stranger to complicated romances. He helmed "The Big Sick" — a tale of cross-cultural romance made even more difficult by illness — as well as "Hello, My Name Is Doris," where a much older Sally Field falls head over heels for a younger man. Rounding out the cast for "The Idea of You," we'll see Annie Mumolo ("Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar"), Ella Rubin ("Masters of the Air"), Reid Scott ("Veep"), Viktor White ("He's All That"), and Raymond Cham ("The Big Leap"), among others.

Jerry Seinfeld has had a wild career. He made one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, and he's incredibly successful in the world of stand-up comedy. But when it comes to feature films, he gave us "Bee Movie" — one of the most baffling animated films ever made. Perhaps Seinfeld will get his feature-length redemption with his upcoming comedy "Unfrosted," the not-so-true story about the creation of the Pop-Tart.

With "Bee Movie," Seinfeld co-wrote the script, served as a producer, and provided his iconic vocal talents. With "Unfrosted," he's not only writing, producing, and starring — he's also directing. Per the official logline, "Michigan, 1963. Kellogg's and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast." The movie has also been described as "a tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen."

As previously mentioned, the movie isn't exactly a detailed retelling of fact. As Seinfeld explained to The Hollywood Reporter, "There are a couple of elements that are true that we use to begin the story, which is that Post came up with this idea and Kellogg's heard about it and said, 'We have to do the same thing.' And then I kind of told the story as 'The Right Stuff' with NASA versus the Soviet Union."

Joining Seinfeld, we'll see Melissa McCarthy ("Bridesmaids"), Amy Schumer ("Trainwreck"), Hugh Grant ("Wonka"), Christian Slater ("Heathers"), Bill Burr ("The Mandalorian"), Daniel Levy ("Schitt's Creek"), James Marsden ("Jury Duty"), Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock"), Fred Armisen ("Portlandia"), and comedian Jim Gaffigan, among others. "Unfrosted" will pop onto Netflix on May 3, 2024.

Hollywood just can't quit "Planet of the Apes." Following a series of four films and a TV sequel in the '60s and '70s, Tim Burton tried to reboot the franchise in 2001. A modern-day trilogy starring Andy Serkis as revolutionary chimp Caesar landed a decade later, with the third film, "War for the Planet of the Apes," closing out the story with his death. Now, six years later, the franchise returns with another sequel, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."

Helmed by Wes Ball and penned by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison, the film is set decades, if not centuries, later. Ape society is fully in control, while mankind has been reduced to animal status, and the titular planet appears much like the world visited by Charlton Heston in the original film. Here we meet a young, curious ape named Noa (Owen Teague) who befriends Mae (Freya Allan), a young feral human on the run. Together, they set out to stop the tyrannical ape ruler Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who twists the peaceful teachings of his predecessors and seeks out ancient and deadly human technology to further cement his rule. 

William H. Macy, Dichen Lachman, Eka Darville, and Ras-Samuel Welda'abzgi fill out the rest of the cast. We're sure to go bananas when "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" hits theaters on May 10, 2024.

Actor-director John Krasinski recently capped off the fourth and final season of "Jack Ryan," and in 2023, he'll be turning his attention back to directing. His newest project is "IF," a child-friendly adventure about a young girl and some imaginary friends, and it'll be a far cry from his breakout directorial effort "A Quiet Place" (and also quite different from the similarly themed 2024 horror picture "Imaginary"). A family fantasy comedy, its cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, and Awkwafina alongside Krasinski himself.

Written by Krasinski, the film tells the story of a group of imaginary friends — monsters and cartoon-like characters with a playful, vibrant view of the world. But because the children who dreamt up these "IFs" have all grown up, they're now lost and looking for new human friends. Enter Bea (Cailey Fleming), who the IFs believe is the perfect young person to take up their cause. And on her new mission, she gets help from her neighbor (Ryan Reynolds), who she discovers can also see the imaginary friends. 

The first project to re-team Krasinski with his "Office" co-star Steve Carell, "IF" is something akin to a live-action Pixar movie. Its all-star cast of voice talent stands to attract plenty of attention while its family-friendly story will make it the perfect counter-programming to the bigger adult-skewing spring blockbusters like "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." "IF" opens on May 17, 2024.

One of America's most beloved comic strips, "Garfield" has been running since the late 1970s, and the Monday-hating orange tabby may be just as famous on the screen as he is on the page. Adapted into a string of prime-time animated specials that spawned a hit cartoon series in the late 1980s, "Garfield" finally got his own movie in 2004, where he was voiced by Bill Murray. Since then, he's returned in his own CGI-animated series "The Garfield Show," and in 2024, he's coming back to theaters for another shot at the big screen.

A fully CG-animated adventure, "The Garfield Movie" gets a superstar voice cast, with the famous feline himself voiced by Chris Pratt, who seems to have found a niche as an animated voice actor after "The Lego Movie" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." But Pratt isn't the only big name to join the fun. His fellow MCU star Samuel L. Jackson has come on board to provide the pipes for Garfield's father, Vic. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" actor Nicholas Hoult, "Mission: Impossible" stalwart Ving Rhames, "Saturday Night Live" veterans Bowen Yang and Cecily Strong, and "Ted Lasso" stars Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein are also lending their vocal talents to the film.

Behind the scenes, it'll be DNEG handling the animation, a studio that normally supplies first-rate CGI effects for some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters like "Fast X" and "Jurassic World: Dominion." Disney screenwriter David Reynolds ("Finding Nemo"), meanwhile, is crafting the script, with "Chicken Little" helmer Mark Dindal directing. After securing a February release initially, the film was bumped to May 24, 2024.

While most people know Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn from the "Lord of the Rings" movies, the acclaimed actor is also a fledgling director. Mortensen helmed his first feature in 2020 — a family drama titled "Falling" — and now he's back in the director's chair for a Western titled "The Dead Don't Hurt."

The genre seems near and dear to Mortensen, as he's starred in several Westerns before ("Appaloosa," "Young Guns II," "Hidalgo"), and here, he plays Danish immigrant Holger Olsen who falls in love with the French-Canadian Vivienne Le Coudy (played by Vicky Krieps of "Phantom Thread"). While the two find romance together in the American West, their lives are torn apart when Holger volunteers for the Union during the Civil War. During his absence, Vivienne finds herself the target of a violent man with powerful connections, and when Holger returns from the war, their lives will be drastically different.

In addition to Krieps, the movie will star Danny Huston ("Yellowstone"), Garret Dillahunt ("Army of the Dead"), and Solly McLeod ("House of the Dragon") as the villains who run the town that Holger and Vivienne call home. Viggo Mortensen also penned the screenplay, and the tragic Western will have a limited theatrical release on May 31, 2024.

"The Watchers" is a supernatural thriller based on the novel by A.M. Shine that's already raising eyebrows, thanks to its director, Ishana Shyamalan. The daughter of director M. Night Shyamalan, Ishana Shyamalan cut her teeth on her father's Apple TV+ series "Servant," serving as a producer while writing and directing a number of episodes herself. "The Watchers" will be her big screen debut when it premieres in 2024.

In the novel, we meet Mina, a woman who becomes lost in an Irish forest. She joins three others who struggle to survive while hiding in a glass bunker and being imprisoned by strange, otherworldly monsters. In the film, actress Dakota Fanning of "The Alienist" will star as Mina, while Georgina Campbell — BAFTA Award winner and star of "Barbarian" — has been cast in a leading role alongside her.

The script was a hot commodity in Hollywood, and the subject of a minor bidding war among rival studios for the right to produce, with New Line Cinema winning the competition. "The Watchers" has a planned release date of June 7, 2024, and it was announced in Variety that due to its independent financial backing, the film had received a waiver to allow it to go before cameras in mid-2023, despite the then-ongoing actors' strike.

Directed by Michael Bay and released in 1995, "Bad Boys" was the film that cemented "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actor Will Smith as a bona fide action star. A buddy cop action-comedy, it starred Smith and Martin Lawrence as wise-cracking L.A. detectives, and it got a sequel in 2003, also directed by Bay. Though it would take almost two decades, Smith and Lawrence reunited for the long-awaited third film, "Bad Boys for Life," in 2020, and it was one of the last major blockbusters before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters.

Rather than wait another decade and a half, "Bad Boys" is back for a fourth film in 2024 with "Ride or Die." "Bad Boys for Life" directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are set to return, as will stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, with Paola Núnez, Vanessa Hudgens, and Alexander Ludwig also back from the previous film. Eric Dane ("Grey's Anatomy") and Ioan Gruffudd ("The Professor and the Madman") were announced to be joining the cast in April, while "Better Call Saul" standout Rhea Seehorn was added a month later.

The plot of "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" follows the two titular cops as they try to clear the late Captain Conrad Howard of massive criminal charges. But as they dig deeper into the case, they soon find themselves on the run, as enemies and law enforcement close in on every side. With Will Smith in dire need of a boost to his career after his very public and controversial appearance at the 2022 Oscars, the actor is certainly hoping that a return to the "Bad Boys" franchise will deliver some goodwill and big box office bucks. The film is readying for a June 7, 2024 release.

Pixar is known for franchises like "Toy Story" and "Cars," and in 2024, they'll add another to its ranks with "Inside Out 2." The first film in the series was released back in 2015, and while the kids who saw it in theaters may have grown up a bit, the sequel stands to bring them back, along with a whole new generation.

Written and directed by Pixar veteran Pete Docter, the first "Inside Out" centers around a young girl named Riley, whose emotions manifest as characters inside her head. For "Inside Out 2," much of the cast returns, led by Amy Poehler who is back as Joy. Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling are being replaced by Tony Hale ("Arrested Development") and Liza Lapira ("The Equalizer") as Fear and Disgust, but Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith are back as Anger and Sadness. And this time around, there will be several new emotions in the mix. Prepare to meet Anxiety (Maya Hawke of "Stranger Things"), Envy (Ayo Edebiri of "The Bear"), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser of "Black Bird"), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos of "Blue Is the Warmest Color").

Now that Riley is a teenager, these new emotions are ready to run the show. When Joy protests, she and her old crew are bottled up and kicked out, forcing our heroes to begin the long trek back to Headquarters to help Riley navigate her teen years. Directed by animation veteran but feature-length newbie Kelsey Mann, the animated adventure will hit theater screens and tug at our heart strings on June 14, 2024.

Hot off her Oscar-winning turn in "Poor Things," Emma Stone is joining forces yet again with visionary director Yorgos Lanthimos. Their upcoming project is titled "Kinds of Kindness" and marks the third feature film collaboration between the two creatives (there's also the short film "Bleat"). Scheduled for a release date of June 21, 2024, the movie is an anthology tale focusing on three stories that all promise to be darkly hilarious and more than a little twisted, as all things Lanthimos are.

Per the official plot synopsis, "Kinds of Kindness" is a "triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader." In addition to Stone, the movie will also feature two of her "Poor Things" co-stars — Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley — as well as Jesse Plemons ("Killers of the Flower Moon"), Hong Chau ("The Menu"), Joe Alwyn ("The Favourite"), Hunter Schafer ("Euphoria"), and Mamoudou Athie ("Elemental").

The world of "A Quiet Place" is preparing to expand significantly with "A Quiet Place: Day One." Mostly new characters will be taking center stage, with Lupita Nyong'o of the "Black Panther" series and Joseph Quinn of "Stranger Things" playing the new leads. There's also been a big change behind the scenes, with director Michael Sarnoski ("Pig") taking the reins from Jeff Nichols ("Midnight Special").

Sarnoski will be working on a script he co-wrote with Nichols, which is based on a story from producer John Krasinski. And with Sarnoski involved, it makes sense that we'll also be seeing Alex Wolff in the film, who starred alongside Nicolas Cage in Sarnoski's aforementioned porcine thriller. We'll also see the return of Djimon Hounsou from "A Quiet Place Part II." If you're wondering how Hounsou will be coming back to the franchise after his tragic demise in the sequel film, it's because "Day One" will be a prequel. 

Speaking at 2023's CinemaCon, Krasinski explained, "We follow Lupita Nyong'o's character as she navigates the horrific first moments of the alien invasion in the loudest city of the world, New York City." According to footage shown a year later at 2024's CinemaCon, after the sound-sensitive monsters first arrive on Earth, Nyong'o and Quinn's characters join forces to escape the bloody Big Apple, only to find the U.S. government has destroyed all the city's bridges to contain the extraterrestrial threat. Now, they'll have to survive the madness of Manhattan as the otherworldly threat listens and lurks, ready to pounce.

Expect to see something truly new and eerie on June 28, 2024.

Good news, Illumination fans — Steve Carell is coming back as Gru, the beloved anti-hero who's now helmed a grand total of four "Despicable Me" movies. In his fourth outing, he'll be joined again by Kristen Wiig as Lucy, his wife and also an agent of the Anti-Villain League, and Miranda Cosgrove and Dana Gaier as their daughters, Margo and Edith, respectively. There's also a new member of Gru's family — he has a son! Only Gru Jr. isn't exactly a fan of his dad, which causes some serious stress in the ever-growing family.

However, that's not the only problem facing Gru in this time around. An old enemy, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), has busted out of prison and wants revenge against Gru. So our hero has to pack up his family and go on the run, and along the way, he'll have to bond with his son, go on a heist, and avoid a very angry honey badger. The movie will also feature returning stars Steve Coogan and Pierre Coffin — who voices the Minions — as well as newcomers Sofia Vergara ("Modern Family"), Joey King ("Bullet Train"), Stephen Colbert ("The Colbert Report"), Chloe Fineman ("Saturday Night Live"), and Madison Poland as Gru's daughter Agnes.

Directing duties fall to Chris Renaud, who helmed the first two "Despicable" movies, and the script is being co-written by Mike White, the genius behind "The White Lotus." Expect to see all the animated mayhem on July 3, 2024.

One of the best horror series in recent memory, Ti West's "X" trilogy revolves around sex, stardom, and serial killers, with Mia Goth giving two bloody good performances. In the '70s-set "X," Goth portrays wannabe adult film star Maxine, who crosses paths with the murderous Pearl (also Goth under loads of old-age makeup). In the prequel "Pearl," Goth reprises her aged killer character as a much younger woman in the 1910s, desperate for fame and love.

Now, Goth is back in "MaXXXine," playing the titular woman who survived her encounter with Pearl back in Texas. The third film in the franchise is set in 1980s Los Angeles, where Maxine is doing her best to make it big in show business. Per the official plot synopsis, "In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past."

Joining Goth, we'll see Kevin Bacon ("Tremors") as a private detective after Maxine, alongside Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad"), Lily Collins ("Emily in Paris"), Bobby Cannavale ("Boardwalk Empire"), Michelle Monaghan (the "Mission: Impossible" franchise), Elizabeth Debicki ("The Crown"), and musical artists Moses Sumney and Halsey. The carnage will hit theaters on July 5, 2024.

Hollywood has resurrected plenty of '90s classics, with the likes of "Jurassic World," "Men in Black," and "Scream" all receiving belated legacy sequels. Well, in 2024, another '90s favorite is getting the same treatment. "Twisters" prepares to continue the legacy of the 1996 thriller starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. This time, though, the film is taking a unique route with an all-new cast and no returning fan favorites.

"Twisters" is slated to star Daisy Edgar-Jones of "Where the Crawdads Sing," Glen Powell of "Anyone but You," Brandon Perea of "Nope," Anthony Ramos of "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," Kiernan Shipka of "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," and Maura Tierney of "ER." New Superman actor David Corenswet, along with Sasha Lane ("American Honey"), Tunde Adebimpe ("Marriage Story"), Katy O'Brian ("Love Lies Bleeding"), and Harry Hadden-Paton ("The Crown") have also joined the cast. As for who's behind the camera, Lee Isaac Chung will direct, following his Oscar nominations for both screenplay and direction on 2020's "Minari." 

As for the plot, Edgar-Jones will play a former tornado chaser who decided to quit after one fateful day in the field. But then — per the official plot summary — "she is lured back to the open plains ... to test a groundbreaking new tracking system." It's there she meets Powell's social media star and storm-chasing daredevil Tyler Owens, and while they might not agree on the best way to track down twisters, neither can resist getting sucked up into this deadly adventure. The storm is brewing for a July 19, 2024 release.

M. Night Shyamalan films are definitely divisive, but the director's willingness to take big swings on unique projects always make his movies must-watch experiences. That's especially true now that he's focused himself on making smaller, stranger titles, a la "The Visit," "Split," and "Old." Whether you loved these movies or hated them, they got people talking, and you definitely haven't forgotten about them. That's what makes Shyamalan special — he's always bringing something fresh to a cinematic landscape dominated by familiar brand names.

And now, we're excited to see what Shyamalan has in store next. In 2023, he faced the apocalypse with "Knock at the Cabin," and in 2024, he'll be leading us straight into a trap. Well, that's the name of the movie anyway. "Trap" is set for release on August 9, 2024, and as for the plot, the synopsis reveals, "A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event." Continuing the Hartnettaissance started with "Oppenheimer" and "Black Mirror," Josh Harnett will play the father who attends said concert with his kid, with the two showing up to watch a singer played by M. Night's daughter, Saleka Shyamalan.

"Alien" launched a sci-fi franchise in 1979, and despite some ups and downs, it's helped elevate several directors into superstar status, beginning with creator Ridley Scott. James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet all contributed to the series before Scott returned in the 2010s for a pair of prequels, "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant." Now in 2024, Scott will hand the reins to Fede Álvarez, director of 2013's "Evil Dead," "Don't Breathe," and "The Girl in the Spider's Web."

Taking a cue from the "Predator" prequel, "Prey," that lit up Hulu in 2022,"Alien: Romulus" is taking a back-to-basics approach, with a largely unknown cast accompanying its talented filmmaker. Cailee Spaeny headlines the film, fresh off performances in Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla" and Alex Garland's "Civil War." Newcomer Aileen Wu, Isabela Merced ("Dora and the Lost City of Gold"), Archie Renaux ("Shadow and Bone"), Spike Fearn ("Aftersun"), and David Jonsson ("Industry") will also star. As for the plot, the film's description goes, "Young people from a distant world must face the most terrifying life form in the universe.

One of the big selling points about "Romulus" is that the film is filled with practical effects. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Alvarez excitedly explained, "I have this obsession with no green screens, so we built every creature and set." When footage of the horror movie played at 2024's CinemaCon, guests praised the movie's puppetry and noted the upcoming film is mean, violent, and incredibly scary. Get ready to scream (but in space, no one will hear you) on August 16, 2024.

Comic book movie remakes have a mixed track record, from the stellar "Dredd" in 2010 to the abysmal "Hellboy" in 2019. Hollywood will try again with "The Crow," a reboot of the grimdark supernatural crime thriller that starred Brandon Lee, scheduled to arrive just about 30 years after the 1994 original. Of course, the original is most famous for the tragic on-set death of Lee, who was killed during a misfire of a prop gun, but it was also well-received, garnering high praise from critics on its way to becoming a bona fide cult classic. 

Though the original was followed by four lackluster sequels — three of which were direct-to-video — a full reboot has been in the works for more than a decade. A 2008 attempt from Stephen Norrington never went anywhere, and directors Corin Hardy and F. Javier Gutierrez were both signed at different times. Actors Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, and even Jason Momoa have been involved at various points as potential stars. 

Finally, after years in development hell, "Snow White and the Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders officially signed on, and "It" star Bill Skarsgard joined the project as Eric Draven, who is brutally murdered alongside his girlfriend (musician FKA Twigs). However, Eric is given a chance to sacrifice himself and save his girlfriend by returning to life, unleashing hell, and getting revenge. Skarsgard will be joined here by Danny Huston ("Yellowstone"), Isabella Wei ("1899), Jordan Bolger ("The Woman King"), Laura Birn ("Foundation"), and Sami Bouajila ("Days of Glory"). Expect to see "The Crow" fly into theaters on August 23, 2024.

There are few films more iconic to the goth crowd than "Beetlejuice," the 1988 absurdist black comedy from director Tim Burton. The film starred Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, a morose teen who moves into a new home and meets the ghosts of married couple Barbara and Adam (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin), as well as a sass-talking trickster from the underworld named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). While there have been multiple attempts to make a sequel to this strange, surreal movie, it looks like we're finally getting one in 2024.

Announced in May 2023, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" will see Winona Ryder come back as Lydia, with Jenna Ortega of "Wednesday" fame playing her daughter, Astrid. They'll be joined by a returning Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz and Monica Bellucci of "The Matrix" series as Beetlejuice's wife. Justin Theroux of "The Leftovers" fame is playing a character named Rory, and the Green Goblin himself, Willem Dafoe, will be playing a B-movie star turned afterlife law enforcement officer. And, of course, you can't have a "Beetlejuice" movie without Michael Keaton, and the Oscar-nominated star is indeed returning as the ghost with the most.

The script hails from "Wednesday" scribes Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, and Burton himself is returning to direct the project, with long-time collaborator Danny Elfman scoring the pic. Perhaps the most exciting bit of news about the upcoming movie involves the visual effects. Reports coming out of 2024's CinemaCon praised the movie's heavy reliance on practical effects, including stop-motion animation. Prepare for some spooky laughs and hopefully a lot of Harry Belafonte songs on September 6, 2024.

"Transformers" is returning to its cartoon roots with "Transformers One." A fully animated feature film — the first for the franchise since "Transformers: The Movie" in 1986 — this new adventure will be a prequel that explores the origins of the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron long before the events of the 2007 blockbuster series starter directed by Michael Bay.

Revolving around the surprising friendship between Optimus Prime and Megatron, this movie will chronicle their journey to becoming bitter rivals and deadly enemies. The voice cast is impressive, with a group of A-list superstars lending their talents to the cartoon prequel. Chris Hemsworth of Thor fame will voice the young Optimus Prime, known here as Orion Pax. Brian Tyree Henry of "Atlanta" will play Megatron, whose younger version is called D-16. "Black Widow" star Scarlett Johansson will voice Elita-1, Keegan-Michael Key ("Wonka") will portray an early version of Bumblebee, Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") will play Sentinel Prime, and Laurence Fishburne ("The Matrix") will voice Alpha Trion. 

According to footage shown at 2024's CinemaCon, the movie will take place on the planet Cybertron, where Orion Pax, D-16, and Bumblebee join up with Elita-1 to reach the surface world, find the Matrix of Leadership, and gain the power to transform. Per Slashfilm, the movie is both epic and comedic, similar to 2023's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." Josh Cooley of "Toy Story 4" will direct while Steven Spielberg once serves as producer. "Transformers" fans can expect to see the movie roll out in cinemas on September 13, 2024.

One of the biggest surprises of 2022 was Parker Finn's "Smile," a psychological horror movie that manages to make a pleasant grin into a terrifying ordeal. Adapted from Finn's 2020 short film "Laura Hasn't Slept," the film was initially going to be a direct-to-steaming original amid the pandemic before it pivoted to a theatrical release in the fall. There, it shocked the world and became a surprising box office smash at a time when movies were struggling in theaters, amassing more than $200 million on a minuscule budget. It was also met with rave reviews from both critics and audiences who praised its fresh take on the genre.

Given its success both critically and commercially, it should come as no surprise that a sequel was quickly greenlit and will arrive in 2024. Finn is back to direct and pen the script once more, though very little is known about the follow-up at the moment. No story has been revealed, but we do know that Naomi Scott of Disney's live-action "Aladdin" will play a popstar who's become the target of the evil, smiling spirt. We'll also see Lukas Gage of "Road House," Rosemarie DeWitt of "The Staircase," Dylan Gelula of "Dream Scenario," Raúl Castillo of "Cassandro," Miles Gutierrez-Riley of "The Wilds," and a returning Kyle Gallner as Joel. Considering the overwhelmingly positive response to the first film, there's very little doubt that the "Smile" sequel will deliver more bone-rattling chills and have audiences bailing for the blankets. It's readying for an appropriate Halloween release, dropping in cinemas on October 18, 2024.

There's a common belief, particularly regarding superhero films, that the third movie in a series is the worst. This may be true of the first "X-Men" trilogy, Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" movies, and "Blade: Trinity," but recent threequels like "Logan," "Captain America: Civil War," and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" have broken with that history. In 2024, Sony is hoping to continue that positive trend with a third "Venom" film, currently scheduled for October 25, 2024.

Tom Hardy will be back in the title role, and while Andy Serkis impressed behind the director's chair in the second film, screenwriter Kelly Marcel will take the helm for the new installment. Marcel, who wrote the first two movies, is also penning the script, based on a story she developed with Hardy. Little is known about the plot of the third movie, but after the conclusion of the previous film, there are plenty of dangling plot threads to follow. That said, given Tom Holland's recent announcement that he'll be taking a break from acting, it's unlikely we'll see Peter Parker taking on Eddie Brock just yet, despite the tease in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage."

What we do know is that "Doctor Strange" actor Chiwetel Ejiofor has been cast in an undisclosed role. (Rumor has it he's playing Orwell Taylor, the leader of a vigilante organization that wants to kill Venom.) Emmy-nominated "Ted Lasso" star Juno Temple has recently joined the cast as well. Considering the billion-dollar gross of the first two films and overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans, there's high expectations for the next movie to deliver even more spine-tingling thrills, over-the-top spills, and plenty of gut-bursting kills.

Ho, ho, ho — Christmas 2024 is right around the corner, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is bringing a bag full of action and holiday cheer. The wrestler turned A-list actor is teaming up with Captain America himself, Chris Evans, for a new Christmas-themed adventure flick called "Red One." While we don't exactly know the plot details yet, we do know Johnson will be playing Callum Drift, a muscle-bound North Pole protector and leader of a specialized group known as "E.L.F." We also know that at some point, Johnson's character will square off with Krampus in an epic battle of yuletide fisticuffs. Plus, the actor has compared the movie to beloved titles such as "Miracle on 34th Street," "Hobbs & Shaw," "Harry Potter," "Jumanji," and "It's a Wonderful Life."

In addition to starring alongside Evans, the movie will also feature Lucy Liu ("Kill Bill"), Kiernan Shipka ("Chilling Adventures of Sabrina"), Bonnie Hunt ("Beethoven"), Kristofer Hivju ("Game of Thrones"), Nick Kroll ("Big Mouth"), Mary Elizabeth Ellis ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), and J.K. Simmons ("Whiplash") as a jacked Santa Claus. The movie was penned by Chris Morgan — who previously wrote "Fast & Furious" titles like "Furious 7" — and will be directed by Jake Kasdan, who worked with Johnson in both recent "Jumanji" movies. Coming from Amazon MGM Studios, the action flick is expected to kick off a major franchise, and it'll hit theaters on November 15, 2024, before making its way to Prime Video.

Back at the 67th Academy Awards, Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks struck gold with "Forrest Gump." Both men won Oscars for their work in the landmark film, as did screenwriter Eric Roth. Now, the three award winners are teaming up with Jenny actress Robin Wright for a new prestige pic titled "Here." Based on a 2014 graphic novel by Richard McGuire, the film takes place over multiple decades and focuses on a single room and all the events that happen there — moments of both joy and tragedy.

In addition to the Hanks/Wright reunion, we'll also see Paul Bettany ("WandaVision"), Kelly Reilly ("Yellowstone"), and Michelle Dockery ("Downton Abbey"). And because this is a Zemeckis movie, there will definitely be effects trickery at play — this time around, the director will be using digitally de-aging for some of the actors. The movie will hit Los Angeles and New York on November 15, will receive a limited release on November 22, and then go wide on November 27, meaning "Here" could likely be a player in the 2025 awards season.

In February 2024, Disney CEO Bob Iger shocked animation fans when he revealed the studio was working on a sequel to 'Moana" — and that it would be released in just a few months. The sequel has been earmarked for November 27, and if you're wondering how they've thrown a "Moana" movie together so quickly, it's because they're repurposing a "Moana" TV show they'd already been working on. With the studio desperately needing a hit after the failure of films like "Wish," Disney is clearly hoping "Moana 2" will lure audiences back into theaters.

As for the plot, Disney has revealed the film will take us on an "expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced." Both Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho will reprise their respective roles of Maui and Moana, and the film will be directed by Dave Derrick Jr. While he's making his directorial debut here, he's been involved in various capacities with animated movies such as "Encanto," "Raya and the Last Dragon," and the original "Moana."

Unfortunately, there's one key player who won't be returning this time around. Lin-Manuel Miranda — who wrote the beloved songs for the first movie — will be sitting this one out. Instead, musical duties will go to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear ("The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical"), as well as Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina, who worked with Miranda on the original movie.

The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy remains one of the most influential and astonishing epics in modern cinema, adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's acclaimed fantasy novels into a groundbreaking series of films. While a follow-up trilogy that brought "The Hobbit" to the big screen was met with a divisive fan reaction, it still brought down the box office, proving that the franchise has plenty of life left. Following a successful prequel series on Amazon Prime in 2022, "The Lord of the Rings" returns to the movies in 2024 with "The War of the Rohirrim."

This time, however, the franchise is going animated, and it will be directed by Kenji Kamiyama. A skilled filmmaker from Japan who's been involved in some of the best anime of all time, Kamiyama worked on classics like "Ghost in the Shell" and "Akira," and more recently, he directed the anime spin-offs "Blade Runner: Black Lotus" and an episode of "Star Wars: Visions." 

Set nearly 200 years before the events of "The Lord of the Rings," the film explores the people of Rohan, led by Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox of "Succession"), who come under attack from their rivals, the Dunlendings. Miranda Otto will reprise her role as Eowyn, narrating the film, while Gaia Wise ("Silent Witness"), Luke Pasqualino ("Snowpiercer"), Laurence Ubong Williams ("Gateway"), and Shaun Dooley ("The Witcher") fill out the rest of the principal cast of voice actors. It is currently readying for an December 13, 2024 theatrical release.

Video game adaptations used to be a genre known for duds. But thanks in no small part to "Sonic the Hedgehog," they're now hotter than ever. One of the last blockbusters to release before the COVID-19 pandemic descended in 2020, the first "Sonic" film took in "just" $319 million. Its sequel did even better two years later. That installment introduces the villain Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, who is due for his own spin-off TV series on Paramount+. But that's hardly where the franchise will stop. A proper threequel, "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," will drop in 2024.

Scheduled for release just before Christmas, this flick shifts its release date from that of the previous two movies, which both debuted much earlier in the year. It's still early in the making, so not much is known about this next entry in the series, but we do know its impressive cast. Ben Schwartz is coming back as Sonic, and Jim Carrey will return as Dr. Robotnik. Krysten Ritter of "Jessica Jones" will also star, and in addition to new faces like Jorma Taccone of The Lonely Island and Cristo Fernández of "Ted Lasso," we'll also see the return of old friends James Marsden (Tom Wachowski), Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski), Idris Elba (Knuckles), Colleen O'Shaughnessey (Tails), Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone), and Tom Butler (Commander Walter). Best of all, John Wick himself has been cast as Shadow. Yep, that's right — Keanu Reeves will play Sonic's dark-furred rival.

With direction by Jeff Fowler (who helmed both previous films), "Sonic" is speeding towards release on December 20, 2024.

The tale of Count Dracula might be the most retold story on the silver screen. One of the first was an unofficial adaptation: 1922's "Nosferatu." This version introduces Count Orlok, a vampire living in Transylvania who is visited by a real estate agent named Thomas Hutter. It has only been remade once, in 1979, by director Werner Herzog.

In 2024, writer-director Robert Eggers will try his hand at a second remake of the 1922 classic. "It" star Bill Skarsgård will play Count Orlok and Nicholas Hoult (who ironically played the title role in 2023's "Dracula"-inspired "Renfield") will play Thomas Hutter. Lily-Rose Depp joins the film as Ellen, Thomas' wife and the woman Nosferatu becomes enamored with, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson will reportedly play ship owner Friedrich Harding. One of the first looks at the film has also revealed that Willem Dafoe is playing a twisted vampire hunter named Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz. It was reported by Entertainment Weekly that the actor shot with 2,000 live rats for a pivotal scene.

Stuck in development hell since 2015, Eggers' "Nosferatu" is a passion project for the director that he's refused to let go of. He'll finally see it come to fruition when it lands in theaters on December 25, 2024, making it the perfect Christmas treat for horror fans. 

When speaking about "Mother's Instinct" to Vogue Hong Kong, Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries") explained she was initially reluctant to star in the film. "That was the hardest role I have played," she said. "It touched my worst fear, and I almost backed out of the film because I didn't know if I could go there as an actress."

When you read the plot synopsis for the film, you can see why Hathaway was scared of "Mother's Instinct," where she stars alongside Jessica Chastain ("The Eyes of Tammy Faye"). Per the official summary, "Set in the 1960s, 'Mother's Instinct' centers on best friends and neighbors Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway), who live in a suburban paradise. Both are mothers to two sons of the same age, and their idyllic domestic happiness is shattered after a tragic accident."

In the trailer, that accident involves Celine's son falling to his death from a balcony — a death that Alice tries to prevent but can't. However, after the incident, a major rift grows between the two friends, with Alice starting to suspect that Celine might blame her for what happened ... and that she might want some revenge. "Guilt, suspicion, and paranoia bleed into their friendship," the plot synopsis continues, "as a psychological battle of wills gives way to a darker side of the maternal instinct." Helmed by cinematographer turned director Benoît Delhomme, "Mother's Instinct" has yet to receive a release date, but the thriller will release in the near future.

While Jason Bateman specializes in playing characters both hilarious and sarcastic (e.g. "Arrested Development," "Zootopia," "Game Night"), the man isn't afraid to unleash his dark side. Bateman has portrayed some complicated characters in projects like "Ozark" and "The Gift," and in Netflix's upcoming thriller "Carry-On," he looks to be playing quite the menacing figure.

Per the official plot synopsis, Bateman will star as a "mysterious traveler" who blackmails a young TSA agent "into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight." Said TSA agent will be portrayed by Taron Egerton, who's played in projects such as "Kingsman: The Secret Service," "Rocketman," and Apple TV+'s "Blackbird."

While we don't know much else about the film, we know that it's coming from accomplished action/thriller director Jaume Collet-Serra ("Jungle Cruise," "The Commuter," "The Shallows") and will feature impressive names such as Sofia Carson ("Descendants"), Danielle Deadwyler ("Till"), Logan Marshall-Green ("The Invitation"), Dean Norris ("Breaking Bad"), and Theo Rossi ("Sons of Anarchy"), among others.