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11 Must-See Summer 2024 Movies to Put On Your Radar Now

We come to this place...to escape the summer heat.

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Courtesy of Focus Features

Some might say that hot summer days are for throwing on a cute swimsuit and lazing by the pool or beachside. But not me. My ideal summer day is one where I get to escape the heat and go to the movie theater—and not just 'cause it's always freezing in there. I just love big summer movies. Summer is the season of blockbusters, comedies, and light indies—it's arguably the best movie season. And looking at all the new summer movies of 2024, I'm more excited than ever about what's to come.

Not to be confused with movies about the summer, I'm talking about all the buzzy movie releases coming in summer 2024—which officially begins on June 20 (we're gonna cheat that a little) and ends on September 22. Typically, summer movies are fun and escapist adventures, like a superhero movie or family-friendly comedies, but this season's lineup goes beyond that with natural disasters, ghosts, alien invasions, tween emotions, and a double dose of Glen Powell. And if Barbie and Oppenheimer taught us anything in summer 2023, it's that these are the movies you'll be talking about for the rest of the year. So keep scrolling to take note of all the new movie releases worth seeing this summer.

1

Hit Man — June 7

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Summer 2024 belongs to Glen Powell, and Glen Powell only. First, he'll star in Hit Man, a Netflix original action comedy about a professor (Powell) living a double life as a hitman. But what might start out as a fun side gig quickly turns dangerous when he falls for a woman (Adria Arjone) in need of his services.

2

The Watchers — June 14

Ishana Night Shyamalan (M. Night Shyamalan's daughter) makes her directorial debut with The Watchers, a horror movie about a group of strangers who become trapped in the middle of an untouched forest where unseen creatures watch them at night. The trailer doesn't give too much away other than the fact that the film looks creepy AF and stars Dakota Fanning.

3

Inside Out 2 — June 14

The highly-anticipated sequel to Pixar's Inside Out is finally here! Riley, the girl whose emotions drive the story, is now officially a teenager, which means there are a few new emotions joining Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust inside her head. And when Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment take over Riley's emotional controls, it'll be up to the core five to help her get back on track.

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4

The Bikeriders — June 21

Calling all Austin Butler fans! You're not gonna want to miss The Bikeriders, a gritty period drama staring a slightly still Elvis-toned Butler as Benny, a young member of the bikers club The Vandals. As the motorcycle club gets more and more violent and dangerous, Benny will have to choose whether to be loyal to the unpredictable leader, Johnny (Tom Hardy), or to try to go his own way.

5

A Quiet Place: Day One — June 28

While A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II focused on the survival of the Abbott family, A Quiet Place: Day One goes back to the beginning of the invasion, tracking one woman's desperate search for safety on the day killer aliens arrive on earth. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o and Stranger Things breakout Joseph Quinn alongside Djimon Hounsou, who will reprise his role form Part II.

6

MaXXXine — July 5

The third film in Ti West's A24 horror series finds Maxine (Mia Goth), the sole survivor of X (the first film in this trilogy), back in 1980s Hollywood and desperate to make it in Los Angeles. Pro tip: definitely watch X and Pearl before heading to the theaters for this one. Oh, and be ready for blood. Lots and lots of blood.

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7

Twisters — July 19

This revival/reboot of Twister, the 1996 natural disaster action/romance movie, combines everything you want from a summer movie. And by that I mean that it stars Glen Powell as a cocky cowboy storm chaser and Daisy Edgar-Jones as a scientist on a mission to end tornadoes with inexplicable technology. Seriously, what more could you possibly want?

8

Dìdi — July 26

You might know director Sean Wang for his Oscar-nominated documentary short, Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó. He's making his feature debut with Dìdi, a coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old boy about to go to high school. Dìdi won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast at Sundance, making it a must-see for lovers of indie films. It also takes place in 2008, so expect a lot of millennial/Gen-Z nostalgia.

9

Deadpool & Wolverine — July 26

I can't even remember the last summer that went by without a major Marvel release. This year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe summer blockbuster is Deadpool & Wolverine, a movie that will finally bring Deadpool's R-rated world into the MCU. But the real draw is getting to see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman face off onscreen.

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10

It Ends With Us — Aug. 9

The highly-anticipated adaptation of Colleen Hoover's controversial novel about a woman in an abusive relationship. The film starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni was originally supposed to be released earlier this year, but was pushed back due to the SAG and WGA strikes. It's currently scheduled to hit theaters in June.

11

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — Sept. 6

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes out in September, which isn't usually considered summer by most, but listen: fall doesn't technically start until September 22, so the Beetlejuice sequel still counts here!! Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara will reprise their roles from the 1988 Tim Burton classic, with Jenna Ortega joining the quirky fold.

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