A new year for new movies.
Now that we’ve entered the new year of 2024, we have a long list of new movies to look forward to, whether we like them or not. I’m not gonna name all of them, but I will talk about them as soon as they get released. I can, at least, give you a heads up on what to expect. Some of them are sequels, one of them is a a comeback for an animation filmmaker, one uses only one Coen brother, and one tends to get emotional.
“The Book of Clarence” (Opens January 12)
Director Jeymes Samuel (“The Harder They Fall”) guides Lakeith Stanfield as Clarence, a man who claims to be a new Messiah sent by God. It’s sounds almost like an African-American version of “The Life of Brian” with some reverse aspects, and I’ve been hearing some positive feedback from the BFI London Film Festival. It could be a fresh start for 2024.
“Argylle” (Opens February 2)
Matthew Vaughn’s latest film features Bryce Dallas Howard as a spy novelist, who finds herself in a real spy story with Sam Rockwell as a spy and her beloved cat in the mix. I have high hopes that this will be miles ahead of Vaughn’s “Kingman” sequel and prequel, especially when names like Bryan Cranston, Henry Cavill, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson are in the mix.
“Bob Marley: One Love” (Opens February 14)
This will come out the same day my nephew was born, and he’ll turning a while year old.
Kingsley Ben-Adir was phenomenal as Malcolm X in “One Night in Miami,” and very lively as one of the Kens in “Barbie.” And now, he’ll be portraying the reggae singer and songwriter Bob Marley. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, the film should have appease fans of all ages, and hopefully, he won’t make the same mistakes that Bryan Singer made with “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Yes, it was a box office smash and won awards, but it was too self-congratulatory for some of us. This movie has to be entertaining, man.
“Drive Away Dolls” (Opens February 23)
Ethan Coen’s solo directorial debut (co-written by him and his wife Tricia Cooke) was supposed to come out last year, and now, it’s coming this year. The movie stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as two friends who take a road trip to Tallahassee, and come cross a briefcase belonging to a group of criminals. A Coen Brothers fans (solo or together), I sure hope this movie will be a lot of fun, especially with names like Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, and Matt Damon in the mix.
“Dune: Part 2” (Opens March 1)
The second half of Denis Villeneuve’s brilliant Sci-fi epic from 2021 was supposed to come out last year, but because of the SAG AFTRA strikes, it got pushed to March. It’s probably for the best, considering a lot of great movies we saw in 2023. You still have Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson, among others, along with newcomers like Florence Pugh and Austin Butler. Please be as fresh and daring as the first half.
“Spaceman” (Streaming on Netflix March 1)
Adam Sandler’s work has gotten better, and he’s been able to transition himself in various genres. Now, he has a new Sci-Fi drama in which he plays an astronaut on a mission to collect intergalactic dust, and now, he begins to hear an alien voiced by Paul Dano. I can’t wait to see a full length trailer and to find out how it does at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.
“Kung Fu Panda 4” (Opens March 8)
Jack Black is back in black and white as the Dragon Warrior panda Po, who is about to enter the next stage in his life, while dealing with a new villain: the Chameleon (voiced by Viola Davis), who can resurrect deceased villains, like Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane), and then copy their likenesses. I really enjoy this franchise, and I have high hopes for this sequel, especially for its throwbacks to the original 2008 hit. Skadoosh!
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (Opens March 29)
In 2021, we got a direct sequel to the 80s “Ghostbusters” with some of the original stars (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson) and new recruits like McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, and Paul Rudd. And now, we have a sequel with a deadlier winter than what Elsa accidentally caused in “Frozen.” Looks like we’ll be freezing our ghostly balls off.
“Rebel Moon-Part Two: The Scargiver” (Streaming on Netflix April 19)
I voted Zach Snyder’s first part of this franchise the worst movie of 2023, and now, I have to find out how this second part will play. The trailer has just been released after it became a hit on Netflix. Will be as disastrous as the first or will it improve like how “The Suicide Squad” flipped off the original? I’ll be asking myself that for months now.
“The Fall Guy” (Opens May 3)
Based on the Lee Majors TV show from the 80s, Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman, whose ex-girlfriend (Emily Blunt) is directing the new action movie with Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the hero. He goes missing, and so the stuntman must play the action hero by finding him. We’ve always been skeptical about TV adaptations (with bombs like “The Dukes of Hazzard” and winners like “21 Jump Street”), but David Leitch has made some entertaining movies in the past, so let’s see how he handles a TV-to-movie transition.
“IF” (Opens May 17)
IF is an acronym for Imaginary Friend. John Krasinski directs this fantasy comedy with humans like Ryan Reynolds and Krasinski himself and a variety of childhood friends voiced by the likes of Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt. This actually looks really delightful, especially since the creature effects in “Detective Pokemon Pikachu” looked incredible and since Reynolds has the ability to keep his wisecracks on the fantasies he engages in.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (Opens May 24)
Anya Taylor Joy plays the title hero, as previously portrayed by Charlize Theron in “Mad Max: Fury Road” in this prequel, once again directed by franchise genius George Miller. And Chris Hemsworth is also here as the leader of a Biker Horde, and I have no idea who will play the young Immortan Joe since Hugh Keays-Bryne passed away a few years ago.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (Opens May 24)
Taking place 300 years after Caesar’s death in “War of the Planet of the Apes,” we have a new ape named Noa (Owen Teague). Wes Ball of “Maze Runner” fame is the new director, and we still have a human cast wearing suits to disguise themselves as apes. Anything’s better than what Tom Hooper did with “Cats.”
“The Garfield Movie” (Opens May 24)
Less than 30 years after criticizing Warner Bros. for badly promoting his first feature “Cats Don’t Dance,” Mark Dindal is back with another feline animated feature. It’s also his first movie in less than 20 years since “Chicken Little,” and his take on the popular comic strip cat Garfield with the voice of Chris Pratt. Will it be charming or will it make you say: “Big Fat Hairy Deal?” One way to find out.
“Inside Out 2” (Opens June 14)
The sequel to the best movie I saw in 2015, distributed by Disney and Pixar, reunites the emotions Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Anger (voiced by Lewis Black), Fear (now voiced by Tony Hale), and Disgust (now voiced by Liza Lapira), as they’re all introduced to new emotions, including Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke). It’s too much to hope for, but all I can say is to the new filmmakers: do not screw this sequel up.
“Horizon: An American Saga” (Part 1 opens June 28 and Part 2 opens August 16)
Kevin Costner directs and stars in this two part western set in the pre and post American Civil War and depicting the expansion of the west. He has a big cast including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Michael Rooker, and Luke Wilson, and hopefully, it will be more powerful than what Zach Snyder has started with in “Rebel Moon.” Although, unless the showtime listings get specific, it might throw some people off. If they were ready to see the second part, but didn’t read the specifics, they might end up watching the first part again. SO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION!!
“Twisters” (Opens July 19)
I wasn’t a fan of the 1996 blockbuster hit, although the special effects of the tornados is the perfect reason why it would gross $495 million at the box office. Now, we have “Twisters,” which claims to not be a reboot, but a follow-up with an original story. All I can say is it better not be as poisonous as “Into the Storm,” which was released literally a decade ago. But that’s too much to hope for.
“Deadpool 3” (Opens July 26)
It was said that “Logan” would be the final time Hugh Jackman would play Wolverine, but he’s getting his claws back on in this sequel to the viciously deadpan and violently entertaining “Deadpool” franchise with Ryan Reynolds. Now, that it’s part of the MCU, and directed by Shawn Levy, I wonder how this movie will play out. Will it replace or keep the R-rating? Will it fail like “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quatuamania” and “The Marvels?” And will Jennifer Garner make up for how she presented her Marvel character in the 2005 “Elektra?” So many questions. Holy F***nuckles.
“Beetlejuice 2” (Opens September 6)
(Image from the original)
In 1988, Tim Burton presented Michael Keaton as the title wacky ghost Beetlejuice. I’m gonna say his name three times: BEETLEJUCIE, BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE. I used to have the VHS in my teens, and it was one of the movies to make my youth iconic and memorable. In 2024, we’re finally getting a sequel with him back in the role. Obviously, his shrunken head will grow back to normal again, but I’m actually interested to see how this will play out.
“Joker: Folie a Deux” (Opens October 6)
Todd Phillips’ sequel to the 2019 film that gave Joaquin Phoenix his Oscar will now feature Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Last year, WDCEU closed its doors because of how “Shazam: Fury of the Gods,” “The Flash,” “Blue Beetle,” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”) have performed at the box office, and I have gotten a little tired of this recent genre myself. I’m gonna need some convincing about why I should like this sequel as much as the first.
“Red One” (Opens November 15)
Dwayne Johnson plays Christmas’ latest action hero, I suppose to bring on the success of how David Harbour played a Wick Santa Clause in “Violent Night.” He’s also joined by the likes of Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, and even J.K. Simmons playing Old St. Nick for the second time after voicing him in “Klaus.” Not much is known about this project yet.
“Gladiator 2” (Opens 22)
Ridley Scott’s 24 year old sequel to his Oscar-winning film now star Paul Mescal as Commundus’s nephew Lucius and Denzel Washington as a former slave-turned arms dealer, and will have Connie Nelson and Derek Jacobi reprising their respective roles. I guess we’re in an age of long-awaited sequels.
“Wicked: Part 1” (Opens November 27)
The Broadway show that helped bring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth’s careers in full throttle mode will finally have a theatrical release with names like Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch of the West, Ariana Grande as Gilda the good witch, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. I trust Jon M. Chu’s judgment, because of how well he handled “In The Heights,” and I hope the original actresses will, at least, make cameos.
I’m sorry if I haven’t talked about every movie, but times change, movie schedules change, and they can even add on. Let’s find out if 2024 can be a good year for movies. That’s just me being optimistic.