Gearing up to welcome new year, big Hollywood studios have prepared a bunch of films with wide range of genres that may offer solution to the rising trend of superhero fatigue on the big screen.
- Dec 30, 2023
AceShowbiz - There's no more reason to not go to theaters again. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic ended in May, America's cinemas are still struggling to recover with lower box office results compared to pre-pandemic era. But if the success of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" is any indication, moviegoers have seemingly found new interests in non-generic movies.
With that in mind, some big studios have prepared a bunch of movies with wide range of genres that are no longer dominated by superhero films like in these past several years. From musical films to long-awaited sequels to popular movies, they surely will quench the thirst of moviegoers who are bored with films of the all-too-popular genre.
As everyone is getting ready to welcome new year, let's also prepare it by planning ahead which movies to watch in 2024.
1. Mean Girls (2024) - Jan. 12
2004's "Mean Girls" became an iconic movie not without a reason. From Tina Fey's script to the lauded performances of the main cast, they are closely embedded to cinematic history in the 21st century. After being kept alive with a stage musical of the same name from 2017 until 2020, it will return on the big screen in early 2024 with a brand new cast and music.
Rising actress Angourie Rice takes the lead protagonist role of Cady Heron, with a more-seasoned star, Renee Rapp, playing the main antagonist, Regina George. Fey, who returns as the scribe, reprises her role as math teacher Ms. Norbury, with other well-known actors, such as Tim Meadows, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps and Jon Hamm, joining the cast. The fresh faces and catchy songs in place of the dialogue give enough reason why this "Mean Girls (2024)" musical should not be missed.
2. Dune: Part Two - Mar. 01
The drought will finally be over when "Dune: Part Two" is released this early spring. Warner Bros.' 2021 tentpole, the first film did not disappoint and went on to win six awards at the 94th Academy Awards. The first of a two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel of the same title, it's always meant to build up the story for the sequel, which was originally scheduled to arrive in late 2023.
After several delays, "Dune 2" will arrive with more actions that will be delivered in spectacular views from the visionary mind of Denis Villeneuve. Boasting a star-studded cast that includes Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson (II), Josh Brolin, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh among others, the movie promises to treats fans to more screen time of Zendaya Coleman, whose character Chani will rise to become a fully-fledged Fremen fighter in her own right.
3. The First Omen - Apr. 05
If scary movie is your thing, then you must be familiar with 1976's "The Omen". More than four decades since Richard Donner's horror classic kicked off the franchise and spawned two sequels, a 2006 remake and a TV series, it will return to bring nightmare to theaters with a stand-alone story.
If the original movie series revolved around a boy named Damien, who is believed to be the prophesied Antichrist, "The First Omen" serves as a prequel which follows an American woman sent to work at a church in Rome but uncovers a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of an Antichrist. The plot indicates that it combines supernatural thriller with a psychological twist from director Arkasha Stevenson, who is known for her works on TV series "Legion" and "Channel Zero".
4. If - May 17
Before he returns as a foul-mouthed vigilante, Ryan Reynolds will show his boundless charms by starring in a family-friendly movie. The "Deadpool" actor teams up with John Krasinski for "IF", an abbreviation for "Imaginary Friends", which is described as a "heart-warming" film about a young girl (Cailey Fleming) who can see people's imaginary friends. She then discovers her neighbor, The Man Upstairs (Reynolds), has the same ability.
The movie also reunites Krasinski with his former "The Office" co-star Steve Carell. Not only boasting the the A-list cast that also includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Matt Damon, but also the film has a beautiful message that will leave people "believing in something bigger and believing in something beautiful," according to Krasinski.
5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - May 24
There's so much to explore from the Wasteland. Following the success of "Mad Max: Fury Road", several follow-up projects were planned, with "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" being one of them. George Miller returns as director and writer, with several crew members also returning, giving it a guarantee that it will keep the same quality as the 2015 film.
At the center of the story is the title character, portrayed by Golden Globe winner Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays the younger version of Charlize Theron's character in the 2015 film. As fierce as the previous iteration, young Imperator Furiosa must survive many trials as she plots a way back home after being snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and into the hands of a Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Giving an element of surprise, the movie will feature Chris Hemsworth unlike he's ever been seen before in the main villain role.
6. Garfield - May 24
The lazy, lasagna-loving indoor cat is getting bigger in "The Garfield Movie", doubling the cuteness. But the orange tabby cat's life is going to change following an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father, scruffy street cat Vic. Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced to leave their perfectly pampered life to join Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.
Having proven his talent as a voice actor in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie", Chris Pratt lends his voice for the titular role, joined by Samuel L. Jackson who voices Vic. Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong and Bowen Yang also join the voice cast, with Mark Dindal, whose portfolio includes a vast array of Disney projects, such as "The Little Mermaid" (1989) and "The Rescuers Down Under" (1990), serving as director.
7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - May 24
The world is never the same since Caesar's reign. Set 300 years after the events of "War for the Planet of the Apes" (2017), in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" the world is about to see another shift of power as a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire. Meanwhile, Noa, a young chimpanzee, embarks on a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Coming from Wes Ball, the man behind "The Maze Runner" trilogy, the upcoming sci-fi action film is thoroughly thought and developed to likely start a new multi-movie saga, if it's successful enough to get a sequel. To present the world as he imagined on the big screen, he got "a lot of great concept artists" working on the visuals. Taking the lead protagonist role is Owen Teague, whose credits include the "It" movies and 2020's "The Stand" TV series.
8. Bad Boys 4 - Jun. 14
Michael Eugene "Mike" Lowrey and Marcus Miles Burnett are not done fighting crimes just yet. After reuniting in "Bad Boys for Life" (2020) which came almost two decades since "Bad Boys II" (2003), Will Smith and Martin Lawrence team up once again as the cop buddies whose dynamics often bring hilarity.
The franchise is famous for combining actions and humor to entertain the audience, but "Bad Boys 4" will likely rely more on the actors' comedic side to meet people's satisfaction. "It's going to be extremely funny," said Bilall Fallah, who returns as director alongside Adil El Arbi. "The previous one was more of a drama in some parts," Arbi added. "This one will be more of a comedy." Vanessa Hudgens returns as part of the new, younger team, with Eric Dane and Ioan Gruffudd joining in new roles.
9. A Quiet Place: Day One - Jun. 28
The "A Quiet Place" franchise is expanding with a prequel. Following the success of the first two films, a prequel was developed to fill the gap between "A Quiet Place Part II" and a planned threequel. "A Quiet Place Day One" is set as a prequel that explores the beginning of the alien invasion through new characters' perspectives.
Follow Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Denis O'Hare as they depict a survival story of a group of people with different traits that will likely add challenge to their already desperate attempt to fend off their common enemies. To serve as a tie to the previous films, Djimon Hounsou reprises his role as the Man on the Island who appeared in the second film. Meanwhile, Michael Sarnoski is taking over the helming duty from John Krasinski, who worked behind the lens for the first two films.
10. Deadpool 3 - Jul. 26
Disney is keeping its promise by continuing the "Deadpool" franchise following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox. After a long wait in uncertainty, "Deadpool 3" was confirmed in development by Ryan Reynolds in 2018. It took years for the Canadian hunk to finally convince the studio to keep the R-rated element on the franchise, but it's all worth the effort and the wait as fans won't lose the Merc with a Mouth's dirty jokes.
Giving what people have wished for, Hugh Jackman has agreed to reprise his role as Wolverine, who teams up with the titular character. The plot is still kept under wraps, but the movie will likely feature more familiar faces with reported appearance by Jennifer Garner's Elektra and Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth. There are also persistent rumors that Taylor Swift has a secret cameo, giving fans another reason to tune into the movie.
11. Beetlejuice 2 - Sep. 06
Another sequel that has taken decades to happen, "Beetlejuice 2" will likely preserve all the good things about the original 1988 film with Tim Burton returning as director. "We're doing it exactly like we did the first movie," Michael Keaton, who reprises his role as Betelgeuse, spilled to Empire magazine, revealing that Burton was prioritizing practical effects on the set.
Keaton isn't the only original star returning for the sequel as Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara also reprise their roles as Lydia Deetz and her mother Delia Deetz respectively. Added to the cast is today's sought-after actress Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz, with Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux also starring as new characters.
12. Joker: Folie a Deux - Oct. 04
Todd Phillips' gritty take and Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Batman's supervillain Joker successfully won the hearts of moviegoers in 2019 which gave enough reason for Warner Bros. to greenlight a sequel. Little is known about the plot of "Joker: Folie a Deux", but the movie has been reported to be a musical.
Not taking the musical idea half-heartedly, Phillips cast Grammy winner and awards-winning actress Lady GaGa in an undisclosed role, who is believed to be Harley Quinn. With the female psychiatrist coming into the picture, the sequel will likely chart the love story of the titular character and Harley Quinn, with Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener also starring in.
13. Gladiator 2 - Nov. 22
Welcome back to the arena! Just when everyone thinks there's no more room for historical films about warriors in Ancient Rome, Ridley Scott presents a modern action spectacle that sets a new bar for production design in filmmaking and features revolutionary special effects.
If that's not enough to lure people to theaters, "Gladiator 2" comes with a powerful and engaging plot as it follows Lucius Verus, the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who has been living in the wilderness. Neither Phoenix nor Russell Crowe will return for the sequel, but the upcoming movie doesn't lack star power with a star-studded cast that includes Paul Mescal as Lucius, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn. Additionally, Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, Lucius' mother.
14. Wicked - Nov. 27
Get ready to bewitched by Jon M. Chu's "Wicked". From a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz, the first of a two-part adaptation of the beloved stage musical of the same name is finally coming to theaters to tell the origin story of the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch.
Leaving the musical performances in the right hand, it has Cynthia Erivo playing Elphaba Thropp, who later becomes the Wicked Witch, and Ariana Grande taking another lead role of Galinda Upland, who later becomes Glinda the Good. Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum and Ethan Slater, who all have musical background, and Michelle Yeoh are also starring in supporting roles.
15. Mufasa: The Lion King - Dec. 20
Disney isn't done capitalizing on its popular animated classics. Having given "The Lion King" (1994) a photorealistic computer-animated remake by Jon Favreau, the studio presents a live-action prequel, "Mufasa: The Lion King", that is set to be in the same style of 2019's "The Lion King".
With Barry Jenkins, who directed awards-winning "Moonlight", serving as director, the upcoming musical drama film is likely to offer another inspiring and endearing story about honor and bravery. Joining the voice cast are Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Scar and Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner who return as the hilarious duo Pumbaa and Timon respectively.
