Thank you for an unforgettable summer, Barbenheimer. You deserved a better and more consistent film, Captain Marvel and Ant-Man. This title alone was a win, Cocaine Bear.
But changing the calendar means it’s time to look forward to a new slate of films. And despite all those stalled productions and postponed releases due to the successive writers’ and actors’ strikes – Quentin Tarantino’s final film project has been pushed to 2025 – Hollywood is still ready to produce numerous potential blockbusters in 2024.
Is there a surefire winner among this group? Not really, unless Ryan Gosling’s popularity from Barbie translates into a film adaptation of the action TV series from 1981-1986.
But there’s beauty in diversity.
Returning Films for Sure
As always, meet once again the characters you know and love. Deadpool, Furiosa, Beetlejuice, Mufasa, Joker, the Ghostbusters, and young Timothée Chalamet’s hero battling in the sands return for new adventures. (Although we’ve been promised the revival of Elle Woods since 2018, but that might be asking too much.)
We will close our year on the big screen with new adaptations of two popular Broadway plays, thanks to the films Mean Girls and Wicked. Just remember that Regina George is also a villain and Elphaba can be quite the wicked girl.
New and Original Films
Ryan Reynolds, Zendaya, Emily Blunt, Kirsten Dunst, Pedro Pascal, and Millie Bobby Brown star in original films. These films might all fail, but the actors deserve credit for trying something new – along with the screenwriters who are no longer hitting it out of the park.
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival in January is set to present its 40th round of indie favorites featuring stars like Kristen Stewart, Sebastian Stan, Aubrey Plaza, and Jesse Eisenberg. Meanwhile, the fall festivals will unveil all the exciting and controversial contenders for the Oscars aiming to test your bladder strength.
Film List
Let’s start the celebrations. Here are 24 films to look forward to in 2024. Please visit the cinema to watch them.
“Mean Girls”
Story: You already know it! Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) has just arrived at a new high school. After conspiring with the school’s outcasts, she does her best to fit in with Regina George (Renee Rapp) and her crew known as the “Plastics.” Disaster ensues.
Get excited because… in this version, most of the dialogue and story is told through fantastic songs from the 2018 Tony-nominated Broadway musical, like “It Roars” and “Meet the Plastics.” The cast features a group of Millennial-favored actors from stage and screen, while Jon Hamm, Jenna Fischer, and Busy Phillips play the adult roles. Tina Fey, who wrote the script again, reprises her role as Ms. Norbury. She still doesn’t do drugs. (In theaters, January 12)
“Argylle”
Story: Ellie (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a famous writer living a stable and secluded life centered around a secret agent named Argylle (Henry Cavill). But after Ellie and her beloved cat Alfie – who she carries in a backpack decorated in Argylle patterns – meet a real spy named Aiden (Sam Rockwell) on a train, they get caught up in a dangerous mission.
Get excited because… it’s part spy comedy and part thriller, and all the fun and thrill. The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn of the quirky Kingsman series and features known stars like Catherine O’Hara, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena, and Ariana DeBose. Plus, the cat is cute! (In theaters, February 2)
“It Ends with Us”
Story: After graduating from college, Lily (Blake Lively) moves to a new city and falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle (Justin Baldoni). This is the first chapter. Then an ex-boyfriend (Brandon Sklenar) returns and turns her life upside down.
Get excited because…
excited because … Colleen Hoover’s novel was one of the best-selling print books of 2022 and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over 90 weeks. She aged up her main character to make the love triangle more palatable. Let’s see and cry. (In theaters, February 9)
“Lisa Frankenstein”
Story: Like most of her high school peers, Lisa (Kathryn Newton) feels deeply misunderstood. If only she could find someone who could empathize with her! Enter a handsome young man (Cole Sprouse) who seems to be a long-dead corpse. She brings him back to life, and the two embark on a journey of killing and joy.
Be excited because … this very thrilling romantic story – and this pun is taken from the studio’s press release – is the work of Oscar-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult, Jennifer’s Body). This clever title alone, which plays off Lisa Frank’s colorful neon art and mythical animals, is impressive. (In theaters, February 9)
“Bob Marley: One Love”
Story: This biographical film explores the life and times of reggae king Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir). Key moments include his assassination attempt in 1976 and his historic performance at the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica in 1978. (Marley passed away in 1981 from cancer at the age of 36.)
Be excited because … we have long awaited a real look at the man who gave us so much great music and comforted us. (Along with the title, it also features the classic songs “Jamming” and “No Woman No Cry” and “Redemption Song”.) British actor Ben-Adir, one of the actors playing Ken in Barbie, has also smoothly portrayed Malcolm X and Barack Obama. (In theaters, February 14)
“Drive-Away Dolls”
Story: To recover from a breakup with her girlfriend, free-spirited Jamie (Margaret Qualley) convinces her anxious best friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) to leave town and head to Tallahassee, Florida. Their self-discovery trip goes wrong when they inadvertently cross paths with a group of bumbling criminals. (Pedro Pascal plays one of them.)
Be excited because … this is not your average road trip comedy. Directed and written by Oscar-winning Joel Coen (Fargo, No Country for Old Men), it’s actually a quirky little bold story filled with a lot of irreverent and raunchy humor. Coen has said he sees it as a trilogy. (In theaters, February 23)
“Dune: Part Two”
Story: Are you ready for war? The Chosen One, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) return as refugees in the desert of Arrakis after the massacre of their family. Now he joins forces with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen, determined to take revenge on the conspirators responsible for the murders.
Be excited because … back in 2021, Dune was a massive success with strong reviews, grossing $402 million and earning 10 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture). With plenty of dense setup giving way to action, the second half – which features Florence Pugh and Austin Butler as a new villainous Princess and Prince Harkonnen – has the potential to earn even more. (In theaters, March 1)
“Damsel”
Story: The obedient girl (Millie Bobby Brown) agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to discover she has fallen into a trap. Her future parents-in-law have only recruited her to be a sacrifice to pay off an old debt. She soon finds herself in a cave with a fire-breathing dragon.
Be
I’m excited because … with the end of Stranger Things approaching, here Brown is expanding her horizons in a fantasy adventure. Angela Bassett and Robin Wright add some seriousness to the supporting roles. (On Netflix, March 8)
“Arthur the King”
Story: Before the World Adventure Racing Championship begins in Central America, an enthusiastic athlete (Mark Wahlberg) gives a carbohydrate-packed meatball to a stray dog. The brave little dog follows the team for six days and hundreds of miles to earn the name “Arthur the King.”
Be excited because … this is an inspiring true story featuring an adorable dog! Yes, please. Just forget the fact that the athlete was actually Swedish. (In theaters, March 22)
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”
Story: Following the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021, Egon Spengler’s grandchildren, Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), are dropped into a familiar place: New York City. This is where a new generation of Ghostbusters joins the fight against the things you know to save the world from an ice age.
Be excited because … after forty years (!!!) since the original Ghostbusters, there is still life in this fun and quirky series. Don’t pretend you’re not excited to see Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts mixing it up at the famous New York firehouse in the city center with the new kids. (In theaters, March 29)
“Mickey 17”
Story: A “disposable” employee named Mickey is sent on a human exploratory mission to colonize an icy world. When one of the disposable copies dies, a new body is regenerated with most of the previous employee’s memories. Robert Pattinson plays Mickey, the doomed disposable character in the film, which is based on Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel of the same name.
Be excited because … Pattinson is challenging himself in the most demanding acting challenge in an exciting sci-fi film from the brilliant writer and director of Parasite and Snowpiercer, Bong Joon Ho. (He has to play at least one role of Mickey.) One note: this may be delayed until later in the year due to release schedule impacts from the writers’ and actors’ strikes. (In theaters, March 29)
“Civil War”
Story: A journalist (Kirsten Dunst) tries to survive in a future where 19 states have seceded from the union. At the same time, the president who has served three terms (Nick Offerman) orders internal airstrikes.
Be excited because … have you seen Ex Machina before? Annihilation? Both are thought-provoking thrillers written and directed by Alex Garland. He is going for the amazing hat trick. Let’s just hope he doesn’t hit too hard at home. (In theaters, April 26)
Source: https://www.aol.com/24-movies-cant-wait-see-235741498.html
“`
Leave a Reply