50. “Deadpool 3”
Despite the strikes and delays, Marvel pushed two movies and salvaged 2024 with at least one release. That’s director Shawn Levy’s Untitled third ‘Deadpool’ film, which features Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) opposite Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). All signs point to a movie that’s a kind of goodbye to the 20th Century Fox’s Marvel years (Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, and more are rumored to reprise their “X-Men” roles, for example), laden with cameos (some of the old “Fantastic Four” casts?) as Deadpool finally enters the MCU proper.
Release Date: July 26, 2024,
49. “Road House”
A “Road House” remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Doug Liman (“Edge of Tomorrow,” “American Made”) was not on our 2024 bingo card or our card from any year, frankly; still, it’s happening with the lead character now upgraded to ex-UFC fighter. Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen co-star, and Joel Silver produces the film, as he did with the original.
Release Date: TBD via MGM and Amazon Studios.
48. “The Gorge”
While his Marvel days are over, and “The Black Phone 2” horror has already been announced for summer 2025, director Scott Derrickson has to finish what might be his most ambitious film so far first. Made by Apple and reportedly big budget, the mystery film is described as a high-action, genre-bending love story. “Queen’s Gambit” breakout star Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller of “Top Gun: Maverick” fame, and Sigourney Weaver star.
Release Date: TBD via Apple Films.
47. “Havoc”
“The Raid” director Gareth Evans pivoted to Netflix for 2018’s “The Apostle,” and he continues with the streamer for the Tom Hardy-led vehicle, “Havoc.” Forest Whitaker Timothy Olyphant, Justin Cornwell, and Jessie Mei Li co-star in a story about a detective who must fight his way through a criminal underworld while untangling his city’s dark web of conspiracy and corruption.
Release Date: TBD, via Netflix
46. “The Fall Guy”
“John Wick” filmmaker David Leitch has had a string of action hits (“Deadpool 2,” “Bullet Train”), but “The Fall Guy,” a loose adaptation of the 1970s TV series about a passed-his-prime movie stunt-man who has to find his missing star, could be his biggest yet thanks to an A-list cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke, Hannah Waddingham and more.
Release Date: May 3, 2024, via Universal.
45. “IF”
John Krasinski sets aside the ‘Quiet Place’ franchise for a seemingly much sweeter fantasy comedy about a young girl who discovers her ability to see people’s imaginary friends. Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, and Fiona Shaw in the live-action realm with a star-studded voice cast that includes Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Maya Rudolph, and many more. This one is seemingly begging for franchise potential.
Release Date: May 17, 2024, via Paramount
44. “Pussy Island”
A pet project thriller of actor Zoë Kravitz which she co-wrote in 2017, “Pussy Island” is her directorial debut and centers on a cocktail waitress who becomes infatuated with a tech mogul and travels with him to his private island… and this is where things begin to go very wrong. Naomie Ackie and Channing Tatum star in the lead roles, and the supporting cast includes Simon Rex, Alia Shawkat, Adria Arjona, and Kyle MacLachlan.
Release Date: TBD via Amazon MGM Studios.
43. “La Tour De Glace”
French writer/director Lucile Hadzihalilovic (“Evolution“) follows up 2021’s “Earwig” with a new drama starring Marion Cotillard. The film centers on a 15-year-old orphan who witnesses the shoot for a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its mysterious and alluring star.
Release Date: TBD, but surely to have a festival bow.
42. “The Bikeriders”
American filmmaker Jeff Nichols almost returned differently—he was supposed to direct the “A Quiet Place” spin-off. Instead, we get an original project in “The Bikeriders,” featuring the ensemble cast of Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus, and Mike Faist. The film is a fictional story inspired by the 1968 photo book of the same name by Danny Lyon following the rise of a fictional Midwestern motorcycle club (read our review).
Release Date: TBD via 20th Focus Features, who bought it from Disney (who were supposed to put it out in 2023).
41. “Mufasa: The Lion King”
Indie filmmaker Barry Jenkins goes mainstream and four-quadrant with “Mufasa: The Lion King,” a big-budget, four-quadrant live-action styled photorealistic computer-animated prequel and musical drama to the original “Lion King.” Aaron Pierre stars as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Scar, and the cast also includes Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani. Either way, it’s a big game-changer for Jenkins in a way that feels like he’s following Jon Favreau’s career.
Release Date: July 5, 2024