39 Movies We Can’t Wait to Watch in 2024 (and 9 We Already Love)

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

IN MANY WAYS, 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most interesting and unpredictable years in recent film history. After the last decade was largely dominated by franchises—the superheroes of Marvel and DC in particular—this year, things will shift; the MCU has only one film planned, and DC's only scheduled release is a movie that ostensibly stands alone (Sony's erratic Spider-Man Universe, however, will have more of a presence than ever). This should be seen as a good thing for fans of the superhero genre; Marvel Studios is slowing down its output with hopes of righting what has become an unprecedented franchise slump, while Warner Bros. is briefly bringing its interconnected DC films to a halt as it prepares for the James Gunn era to begin in earnest with 2025's Superman: Legacy.

That leaves 2024 wide open, filled with movies that could become major box office hits and/or straight-up good movies. Our hopes are quite high with a trio of blockbuster films with visionary directors at the helm: Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two (which has already been released with great success), along with George Miller's Furiosa, and Ridley Scott's long-awaited Gladiator sequel. Those are the headliners, but there are numerous films already to be excited for, and even more will pop up over the course of the year.

As we see every year—including the stellar 2023 slate—the best movies don't always have to be big; sometimes they are, sure, but other times they can be small. Other times they can have the increasingly-rare "mid-sized budget," which seems to be where the star-studded (Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon) The Bikeriders—a movie we were initially excited for in 2023 before it was pushed to a 2024 release—is living.

One thing worth noting: the list as you find it below right now is likely to look very different from the list at the end of the year, as our list of "most anticipated" films becomes our list of "best" films. In these early months, we're eager to highlight just about anything that piques our interest; that can sometimes turn into a really good movie, and it can also become a really bad movie. Right now, our goal is simply to let you know the stuff with the most potential; the stuff we're most interested, excited, or even just curious about.

Without further ado, here are the movies we're most excited to see in 2024.

Self Reliance

Jake Johnson makes his directorial debut in Self Reliance, a sci-fi dystopian comedy that he also plays the lead role in. In this bizarre movie, a guy stuck in a boring life routine gets the opportunity to compete in a complicated game for rich people on the dark web that seems simple enough: stay alive, and win $1,000,000. Imagine David Fincher's The Game crossed with the "White Bear" episode of Black Mirror, with a little bit of Johnson's typical New Girl Nick Miller charm thrown in. It's a strange mix, but it's a fun movie that's worth a watch.

Shop Now

Lisa Frankenstein (February 9)

Lisa Frankenstein tells the story of a girl (Kathryn Newton) who worships a long-dead dude immortalized as a statue (Cole Sprouse)... only for him to be resurrected back to life unexpectedly. The movie—which also marks the directorial debut for Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin—has done a wonderful job with its trailers, selling the horror-comedy aspect of it all and seemingly positioning it as a spiritual sequel of sorts to the underrated 2000s horror comedy Jennifer's Body (the two share a screenwriter in Diablo Cody).

Madame Web (February 14)

Does Madame Web look good? No. No, it does not. Does the trailer feature a line of dialogue where Dakota Johnson says, about the movie's villain, "He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died"? Yes, yes it does. Is that the most convoluted, exposition-filled, unnatural bit of dialogue you've ever heard? The answer is probably yes.

All of this is to say: while Madame Web doesn't look good... as a devout follower of superhero films, I am morbidly curious as to what exactly is going on here. The movie stars Dakota Johnson as a peripheral Spider-Man character in a time-travel story that includes different Spider-Women (including Julia Carpenter, played by Sydney Sweeney) and Adam Scott as a mysterious guy who might be Peter Parker's Uncle Ben. The vibe I'm getting is a distinct hybrid of Venom and Next starring Nicolas Cage... which may just be outrageous and absurd enough to make Madame Web a fun time, whether that's intentional or not.

Drive Away Dolls (February 23)

If you're feeling withdrawal from the excellent Season 5 of Fargo, we've got just the movie for you. Drive Away Dolls is the solo directorial debut for Ethan Coen (who previously collaborated on countless classic films with his brother, Joel, including the original Fargo movie, The Big Lebowski, and No Country For Old Men), who also co-wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Cooke.

The film follows a pair of women (played by the wonderful Margaret Qualley, putting on a Daniel Craig-in-Knives Out-esque accent, and the always-charming Geraldine Viswanathan) who head out on a soul-searching road trip only to find themselves crossing paths with a series of criminals (played by Colman Domingo, Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal, and others) that only a Coen could think up. We were excited when this was originally scheduled for 2023 release, and we're excited again to finally see it in early 2024.

Dune: Part Two (March 1)

If it feels like we've been waiting soooo long for Dune: Part Two, director Denis Villeneuve's long-awaited sequel to and conclusion of his 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel of the same name, well, it's because we kind of have. The movie was originally scheduled for a Fall 2023 release before being pushed to March 2024, shuffled a bit more, and ultimately landing on March 1.

If the first installment of Dune is any indication, it will have been worth the wait. Villeneuve puts an incredible level of care and skill into each of his films, and Dune: Part Two looks like a truly action-filled epic spectacle on a massive scale. One of our most awaited films of the entire year.

Love Lies Bleeding (March 8)

Love Lies Bleeding is looking like ne of A24's most exciting 2024 films. Kirsten Stewart plays a gym manager who falls in love with a bodybuilder played by The Mandalorian Season 3 standout Katy M. O'Brien. Things seem OK enough there, but this erotic crime story veers into thriller territory when the manager's creepy, criminal dad (Ed Harris) gets involved. Rose Glass, who directed the creepy horror movie Saint Maud, is directing, and our hopes are pretty high for a surprising and enthralling ride. The movie blew the walls of the doors for Sundance 2024 crowds, so the hype is flying.

Abigail (April 19)

While Spyglass sent the Scream franchise into disarray by firing lead actress Melissa Barrera from its forthcoming seventh entry (and fellow lead Jenna Ortega departed the franchise not long after), the directors of Scream and Scream VI are re-teaming with Barrera for Abigail a home-invasion thriller that gets a horror twang when the daughter of the VIP being robbed turns out to be a bloodthirsty vampire. Barrera is joined by Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, and the late Angus Cloud in a movie that looks funny at times, scary at times, and campy at times.

Challengers (April 26)

Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) is behind Challengers, a long-awaited tennis/love triangle/throuple film that stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor. It just seems fun and good! The movie has been delayed a number of times (due to the studio reacting to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes), but now it's finally got an April 26 release date set in stone. We're excited.

Civil War (April 26)

Writer/director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) is hoping to bounce back from 2022's not-horrible-but-pretty-weird-and-not-beloved Men with the closest thing that A24 has ever made to a major blockbuster film in Civil War. Imagining a near future where the United States is at war with itself (including a faction where Texas and California have allied), Civil War stars Kirsten Dunst as a war photographer, Nick Offerman as the U.S. POTUS, and also features Priscilla breakout Cailee Spaeny, Narcos star Wagner Moura, and a potentially scene-stealing performance by Jesse Plemons.

The Fall Guy (May 3)

Ryan Gosling leads The Fall Guy, where he plays a stuntman who gets roped into a big-budget adventure, alongside Emily Blunt (unintentionally bringing Barbie and Oppenheimer together a year after Barbenheimer shook the cinema world). The movie also features Aaron Taylor-Johnson and is directed by Bullet Train's David Leitch, a former stuntman himself—so you know the action is going to be all practical, and really cool.

Furiosa (May 24)

Every time I get to the end of a Mad Max: Fury Road rewatch, it's a world I almost instantly want to return to for more. And now, 9 years after one of the most miraculous action/post-apocalyptic films of all time hit theaters, we get to return. Furiosa finds director George Miller going back on the timeline and sharing the tale of a younger Furiosa (who was played by Charlize Theron in Fury Road) in what will certainly be yet another explosive spectacle. Chris Hemsworth will play the film's villain, and this just might be our #1 most awaited film of the year. It is going to be spectacular.

Hit Man (June 7)

Confession: I saw Richard Linklater's Hit-Man, which the Dazed and Confused director co-wrote with star Glen Powell, at NYFF 2023. And it ruled! The movie is about a quiet professor who's a relatively normal guy (Powell) except for the fact that he helps law enforcement entrap people looking to have others killed by pretending to be a hitman. The movie is a Fargo-esque zany time (unbelievably based on a true story!) and will probably wind up being one of your favorites of the year.

Inside Out 2 (June 14)

One of Pixar's most beloved (and emotional) films, Inside Out, gets the sequel treatment. Not much more to say! Get ready to (probably) cry.

The Bikeriders (June 21)

We were eagerly awaiting The Bikeriders—which is loosely based on Danny Lyon's book of the same name—last year, before strike-induced delays led it to be removed from Searchlight's schedule and eventually sold to Focus Features. Now, instead, the star-studded crime drama—which stars Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, and more—will find a 2024 release. It looks like if Goodfellas crossed with Easy Rider, and, honestly, with that cast, that premise, and Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) directing, we are sold.

Horizon: An American Saga (June 28)

If you want to see the film that directly led Kevin Costner to his Yellowstone departure (and, presumably, the forthcoming end of the franchise's flagship series), look no further than Horizon: An American Saga. Costner put his heart, soul, and most of his effort into co-writing, producing, directing, and starring in this new western epic in two parts, the second of which will be released in August 2024

Deadpool 3 (July 26)

The only MCU film on the 2024 slate is one that's almost guaranteed to be a hit: Deadpool 3. Ryan Reynolds' foul-mouthed, fourth-wall-breaking mercenary anti-hero makes the move from Fox's X-Men universe over to Disney's MCU, and you can be sure that the jokes about that within the film will be plentiful. Reynolds is joined by Hugh Jackman, reprising his role once again as Logan/Wolverine, in a movie that will almost certainly break down the wall between the MCU and X-Men that has been cracking for quite a while.

Trap (August 2)

Trap is an M. Night Shyamalan original and will feature Josh Hartnett in the lead role, and, honestly, that's enough. Can't wait to see what this is all about.

Wolfs (September 20)

Speaking of exciting, Wolfs reunites the A-list Ocean's trilogy team of George Clooney and Brad Pitt as a pair of professional fixers who find themselves assigned to the same tricky job. We don't know a ton about it beyond that, but the movie will be written and directed by MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts.

Joker: Folie à Deux (October 4)

Say what you want about 2019's Joker, but the sequel, which will once again star Joaquin Phoenix as Joker/Arthur Fleck and feature Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, sounds like it's going to ratchet things up to a new level, mainly due to the fact that it's a musical. Whatever happens with this one, we're eager to see.

Alto Knights (November 15)

Legendary director Barry Levinson is back with a new feature film called Alto Knights, which will feature Robert De Niro in a dual role as rival mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello (not related to the character of the same name in Martin Scorsese's The Departed). Sounds fun, why not? De Niro is coming off one of his best roles in decades with Killers of the Flower Moon, so let's hope the streak continues here.

Gladiator II (November 22)

As Ridley Scott has gotten deeper and deeper into his octogenarian years—he's now 86—he's just gotten busier and busier, putting out Napoleon, The Last Duel, and House of Gucci in the last couple years alone. In 2024, he returns to the world of one of his greatest films ever, 2000's Gladiator. The 24-years-in-the-making sequel follows Paul Mescal (Aftersun, All of Us Strangers) as the grown-up version of Lucius, while the case also features Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Connie Nielsen. All there is to say after that is "hell yeah."

Karate Kid 2024 Movie (December 13)

It's not clear what, exactly, is going on with this new Karate Kid movie, but Sony has a spot for it on the calendar, and it seems like it may somehow bring both the Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan Karate Kid universes together. Not sure how that's going to happen, but willing to wait and find out.

Nosferatu (December 25)

Along with Jordan Peele and Ari Aster, director Robert Eggers has become one of the premiere names in modern horror and genre films. After making The VVitch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, Eggers is now hard at work on his version of the famed vampire story Nosferatu. The cast will include Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

They Listen (2024 TBA)

Another one that's been on our radar for a while (including last year's version of this very list!) is They Listen, a movie that we don't know much about outside of the fact that it's a Blumhouse-produced horror movie starring John Cho. And that's enough!

Longlegs (2024 TBA)

Longlegs has skyrocketed up our list of movies we simply cannot wait for. NEON has done an incredible job promoting the movie in the early going, releasing bizarre teaser after bizarre teaser after bizarre teaser in the early parts of 2024. We don't know a ton about the movie except that it follows an FBI agent (It Follows star Maika Monroe) as she tracks a dangerous serial killer (Nicolas Cage). It's a high bar, but it smells Silence of the Lambs-adjacent to me.

Borderline (2024 TBA)

From the writer of Cocaine Bear and The Babysitter: Killer Queen comes Borderline, a horror movie that—based on those previous film credits—seems destined to have a great sense of humor. Samara Weaving (who you may recognize from The Babysitter films, Ready or Not, or getting brutally murdered in the opening minutes of Scream VI) plays a pop star who, along with her athlete boyfriend, are in the crosshairs of a psychotic stalker. The movie is set in the '90s, which is always a good place for a horror movie to be set.

Havoc (2024 TBA)

Will this movie ever come out? Havoc, an action movie starring Tom Hardy and Timothy Olyphant and directed by Gareth Evans of The Raid fame, has made this list for three years running. And that's not changing in 2024! As soon as a movie with those stars and that director drops, we'll be watching.

The Toxic Avenger (2024 TBA)

The campy and ultra-violent Toxic Avenger franchise is rebooted by directed Macon Blair (who appeared last year in Oppenheimer) with Peter Dinklage in the title role, joined by a cast that includes Jcaob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon, Taylour Paige, Jane Levy, and Elijah Wood. Expect a revenge thriller filled with lots of action, lots of blood, and lots of dark laughs.

Megalopolis (2024 TBA)

After gestating for two decades, Francis Ford Coppola's sci-fi passion piece Megalopolis—which he entirely self-funded—is finally set for release in 2024. The film will likely release at a festival at some point mid-year (Cannes?), before landing with a distributor, and, hopefully, if it's as good as a passion project from the director of The Godfather, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now can be, next year's Oscars. The cast will include Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Giancarlo Esposito, and more.

We Live In Time (2024 TBA)

We don't know much about A24's We Live In Time outside of the fact that it comes from director John Crowley (Brooklyn) and is a sci-fi-facing romance starring the great duo of Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. As if we need any more than that?

Blitz (2024 TBA)

Steve McQueen's last big screen film, 2018's epic heist Widows, was wildly under appreciated—it deserved several Oscar nominations and was ignored. His next film, Blitz, is set following a group of people in London during a WWII bombing; the cast includes Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, and Stephen Graham. His films (Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) are routinely excellent, and the hope is that this won't be any different.

Holland, Michigan (2024 TBA)

Writer Andrew Sodorski's Holland, Michigan script has been bouncing around as one of the industry's most exciting unproduced scripts for a decade before director Mimi Cave (Fresh) and Amazon finally picked it up. The movie follows a woman (Nicole Kidman) who believes her husband (Matthew Macfadyen) is living a sinister life. That starring duo is also joined by Rachel Sennott and Gael García Bernal, among others.

Queer (2024 TBA)

Queer is potentially director Luca Guadagnino's second film of 2024 (after Challengers), and pairs him up with lead Daniel Craig. The movie, based on the novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, is a crime romance drama about a man who flees a New Orleans drug bust to Mexico City, where he becomes infatuated with a younger man. It's exciting to see Craig consistently working with great directors (Rian Johnson and now Guadagnino) in his post-James Bond era.

The Nickel Boys (2024 TBA)

Based on Pulitzer-winning author Colson Whitehead's book of the same name, The Nickel Boys follows a young African-American boy who's sent to a school that was abusive toward students; while there, he strikes up a friendship with another boy and the two together try to navigate the horrors of the school. The movie is the first narrative feature film for RaMell Ross, whose 2018 documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening was a striking—if abstract—piece of filmmaking (and was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar).

You Might Also Like

• The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now

• 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein