Ok, you’ve hopefully read our 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2024 list, and perhaps you may have been disappointed at the lack of potentially so many blockbusters, horrors, and mainstream spectacles. Don’t worry; we like some of that stuff, can enjoy it, and can be thrilled by it, too. Look, the two most mainstream movies of the year (and highest-grossing) are “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” and they rule.
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024
So, we don’t want to ghettoize (to use an unflattering but accurate term), but in amassing a massive 100 Most Anticipated list that we wanted to be very honest about, we realized many of the major titles of 2024 weren’t going to fit inside our true anticipated list, but hey, blockbusters and mainstream films, when done well can be great, we all know this.
And so, being the completist nerds we are, here’s one last gasp to cover all the most anticipated films of the year fully, and yes, even the big dumb fun ones. And yes, to be clear, if you’re looking for things like “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool 3,” and “Mufasa: The Liong King,” those are on our proper Most Anticipated List, got it? 😀
Follow along with all our Best Of 2023 coverage here.
27. “Madame Web”
Outside of the first “Venom” (which is still bad but made a mint thanks to China), the spin-off Spider-Verse live-action films (see “Morbius”) have been piss-poor. But Sony goes all in 2024 with two spin-offs, “Kraven The Hunter” and “Madame Web.” The latter is directed by S. J. Clarkson (“Jessica Jones,” “Succession”) and is essentially a mostly ladies spin-off starring Dakota Johnson as the title character and Sydney Sweeney as Spider-Woman. The rest of the cast includes Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Emma Roberts, Mike Epps, Adam Scott, and Zosia Mamet.
Release Date: February 14, 2024, via Sony Pictures.
26. “The Book of Clarence”
British singer-songwriter, music producer turned filmmaker. Jeymes Samuel made a big splash with his star-studded Netflix film, “The Harder They Fall.” He returns with an ambitious epic biblical comedy-drama produced by Jay-Z. The big ensemble cast features LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Anna Diop, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, James McAvoy, Benedict Cumberbatch and many more.
Release Date: January 12, 2024, via TriStar Picture.
25. “Terrifier 3”
After the massive, shocking box office and critical success of Damien Leone’s “Terrifier 2,” a sequel to a micro-micro-budget, unrated indie slasher that was sent straight to streaming, it’s no surprise the filmmaker is quickly turning around and delivering “Terrifier 3.” What makes this incredibly intriguing is Leone is taking the disgusting Art the Clown and transporting him from Halloween to Christmas, where he is set to murder folks right around the holidays. David Howard Thornton returns as Art the Clown, as does “Terrifier 2” cast members Lauren LaVera and Elliott Fullam.
Release Date: October 25, 2024, via Cineverse.
24. “Red One”
It sounds like a recent expensive Netflix flex by the Russo Brothers, but it’s actually Amazon Studios. Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson star in a Christmas-set action-adventure movie from “Jumanji” director Jake Kasdan and “Fast & Furious” writer Chris Morgan. Already said to be seen as franchise material, the big cast includes Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Liu, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, J. K. Simmons, Nick Kroll, and Kristofer Hivju in supporting roles.
Release Date: TBD via Amazon, but maybe they’ll save it for the holiday season.
23. “The Watchers”
Warner Bros. is in the Night Shyamalan business. M. Night releases “Trap” in August and just one month earlier is “The Watchers,” written and directed by his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan. A spine-chilling horror adventure set in the remote and sinister forests of Ireland where creatures stalk a group of strangers lost in the woods, the film is based on the Irish Gothic horror by author A.M. Shine. The film stars Dakota Fanning and Georgina Campbell.
Release Date: June 7, 2024, via Warner Bros.
22. “Bob Marley: One Love”
Ever since “Straight Out of Compton” took over the box office and “Bohemian Rhapsody” earned serious Oscar nominations, rock biopics have reached a renaissance period. While nothing has reached those heights (including the Elton John film, “Rocketman”), Hollywood keeps trying. Next up on the list is “Bob Marley: One Love” directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, whose “King Richard” earned an Oscar for Best Picture and won Will Smith the Best Actor prize. The film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley, alongside Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley, James Norton as record mogul Chris Blackwell, plus and Jesse Cilio, Michael Gandolfini, Nadine Marshall, and Anthony Welsh.
Release Date: February 14, 2024, via Paramount.
21. Untitled “The Karate Kid” Film
Here’s an interesting one. A sixth “Karate Kid” film is on the way, Jackie Chan is reprising his role from the 2010 film and just announced Ralph Macchio is returning to the series as Daniel LaRusso, which now connects it to “Cobra Kai” (despite that series creator claiming they would have nothing to do with each other). One small problem. While it has a director, Jonathan Entwistle (“The End of the F***ing World”), and screenplay Rob Lieber, they haven’t shot a frame of film and just announced a new worldwide search for the new boy. Can they make their release date in time?
Release Date: December 13, 2024, via Colombia.
