2024 Most Anticipated

A new year is here! And I must admit, I really had to scrape the barrel here to come up with ten movies I was excited about. What are we doing here Hollywood? Still, some of my favorite filmmakers have offerings this year, so hopefully they deliver the goods. Here are the ten films debuting in 2024 that I'm looking forward to the most.

10. A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

While it's a little disappointing not to be getting a direct sequel to the last Quiet Place film, I'm okay with spending more time with these films, seeing in more detail how their apocalypse began. Plus with Lupita Nyong'o set to star, it's just got to be good right?

9. ALIEN: ROMULUS

I'm realizing there's a pattern here with my first few entries (including the one after this): they're all reboot or offshoot films, rather than a true continuation of where the last film left off, and have completely new filmmakers at the helm. To me, that's not a positive aspect of these movies, and I'm excited for them in spite of that. I really enjoyed Alien: Covenant and thought Michael Fassbender was incredible in the role of David. Having that storyline get abandoned to reboot the franchise yet again is such a bummer. However, I do like Fede Alvarez as a director and I'm excited to see his take on the story, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

8. KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

So, unlike the last two entries I mentioned... this one did have a proper finale to its current iteration and the need to continue definitely feels unnecessary. A new entry doesn't feel like an organic continuation of the story, but rather a way for studios to squeeze a bit more money out of the franchise while they still deem it profitable. I'm also not keen or confident about Wes Ball helming this film since I never loved the Maze Runner films. All in all, I'm a bit wary of this film, but the reason it's getting a spot on the list is merely from the goodwill I have towards the last trilogy.

7. MAXXXINE

Ti West's horror trilogy starring Mia Goth concludes in 2024 with Maxxxine. Though I've been a bit mixed on the trilogy so far--I dug X, and felt a bit disappointed in Pearl-- I'm excited for the finale because Mia Goth has been downright fantastic in both films playing different roles in each. I can't wait to see what she does with the character next and luckily this time (as with X,) she's got a great supporting cast around her to make this one stand out.

6. THE BIKERIDERS

I'm so glad that this film is back on the release slate after being pulled last winter because I firmly believe the world needs more Austin Butler in it. Elvis proved the man is a star and festival reviews buzzed that that only continues here and I'm excited to see him play off of Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer as well. Plus I'm a fan of the work of the talented Jeff Nichols and am always game to see his work.

5. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

Joker is such a polarizing film for the terminally online, dividing people to be passionately for or against it. While I enjoyed it, I felt that both sides made too much of a fuss over it. But casting Lady Gaga in the role of Harley Quinn and casually stating the film was going to be a musical seemed to get everyone excited. Suddenly the project felt much more daring and perhaps purposeful, and less of a way to see if they can catch lighting in a bottle twice. This one could still go either way as far as I'm concerned, but I'm certainly intrigued.

4. HIT MAN

I love Richard Linklater and will always be excited when he has a film coming out. Hearing rave reviews out of film festivals last fall certainly added to my own personal hype. Good rom-coms are few and far between in this world, and while having not seen the film and not being completely positive about the precise category the film belongs in, I'm taking the word from those who have seen and loved it that this is a future great for the genre.

3. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

It's been almost ten years since Mad Max: Fury Road exploded onto movie screens and I'm more than ready to return to its world. Though like everyone else I'm sad to not just see another film with Charlize Theron in the role, I'm sure Anya Taylor-Joy will kill it as a younger version of the character. Plus it's always nice to see Chris Hemsworth outside of a Marvel movie.

2. NOSFERATU

Yes, Robert Eggers, you have my complete and undivided attention with every morsel that's revealed about Nosferatu. While I'm sad some of the first-choice cast members were unable to make it work, I'm confident that Eggers is delivering another all-timer and I absolutely cannot wait. Man, I wish this were coming out at Halloween instead of Christmas.

1. DUNE: PART TWO

Well, every year for the last couple it seems that one movie from the previous year's list gets delayed to make a re-appearance on the new anticipated list. With all the production strikes last year, this time Dune: Part Two was the ultimate victim of that. So instead of taking a place on 2023's Best list, it gets to show up here--but at least this time it gets to be at the top of the list. The film's predecessor is one of my favorite movie experiences in the last couple of years and I absolutely cannot wait to jump back into the story right where we left off and see what happens next.