30. “The Order”
Aussie filmmaker Justin Kurzel (“Macbeth,” “Nitram”) returns with a crime thriller about an FBI agent (Jude Law) who believes a series of bank robberies, heists, and counterfeiting operations is not the work of a crime organization but a White Supremacist group run by a charismatic leader (Nicholas Hoult). Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Odessa Young, Alison Oliver, and Marc Maron are also part of the cast.
Release Date: TBD, but it has major film festival premiere written all over it.
29. “A Quiet Place: Day One”
Director Michael Sarnoski (“Pig”) steps in for John Krasinski to create a spin-off set in the “A Quiet Place” universe, but presumably, given the title, set on the first days of the alien attacks, perhaps providing more lore and context for the bigger story. Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, Denis O’Hare, and more stars.
Release Date: June 14, via Paramount.
28. “Joker: Folie à Deux”
Modeling his disturbing psychological portrait behind Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” and “The King Of Comedy,” Todd Phillips cracked the supervillain movie code by essentially not even bothering with the convention, opting for dark tragedy instead. In a similar ambitious fashion, “Joker: Folie à Deux” is a musical, Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the Joker, and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Zazie Beetz returns, and the cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, and Harry Lawtey.
Release Date: October 4, 2024, and it is DC’s only movie of the year.
27. “The Brutalist”
Provocative filmmaker Brady Corbet’s (“Vox Lux”) ambitious film about an architect who emigrates to the U.S. in 1947 and spends the next three decades developing his masterpiece, was all set to have a massive cast (Joel Edgerton, Vanessa Kirby, Marion Cotillard and more), then COVID-19 waylaid the entire thing. The new version stars Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Isaach de Bankolé, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Alessandro Nivola, and Emma Laird, and yes, it actually shot this year, so it should be ready.
Release Date: TBD, but it feels like a late fall festival film.
26. “Anora”
Known for his outsider tales of those on the margins, “Tangerine,” “The Florida Project,” and “Red Rocket,” filmmaker Sean Baker returns for “Anora,” a romantic comedy starring Mikey Madison (“Better Things”), Mark Eydelshteyn, Yuriy Borisov, Karren Karagulian, and Vache Tovmasyan. Neon has already scooped up North American rights.
Release Date: TBD, but a major festival bow seems like a no-brainer. Cannes?
25. Untitled Trey Edward Shults film(s)
Earlier this year (before the strikes), it was announced that “Waves” indie filmmaker Trey Edward Shults was in production on a new untitled film feature Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye (“The Idol”), based on a script Shults co-wrote with Tesfaye and his producing partner Reza Fahim. Plot details have been kept under wraps, but the film also stars Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan. OPN, aka Daniel Lopatin (“ Uncut Gems”), is scoring the film alongside The Weeknd. Shults apparently also shot another secret and entirely different 2023 film as well, but presumably, one featuring a big pop star comes first, but hell, who knows?
Release Date: TBD
24. “MaXXXine”
The third film in director Ti West’s “X” horror trilogy, which includes “Pearl,” Mia Goth reprises her original “X” role as she heads to Los Angeles in the ’80s looking for stardom. The cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon.
Release Date: TBD, but A24 will want this at a festival. Sundance?
23. “The Actor”
Once a project for Ryan Gosling (who moves to exec producers), filmmaker Duke Johnson (co-director of “Anomalisa” with Charlie Kaufman) was greatly remodeled last year, but the premise remains the same. Based on Donald Westlake’s novel “Memory,” André Holland now stars a man struggling with memory loss, and he attempts to rebuild his life in 1950s Ohio after being hospitalized and left for dead. Gemma Chan, May Calamawy, Toby Jones, Joe Cole, Tracey Ullman, and more co-star.
Release Date: TBD via Neon.
22. Joseph Kosinski’s Untitled Formula 1 Film
Apple fits the expensive bill, hoping Joseph Kosinski will bring a similar “Top Gun Maverick” visceral intensity to a sports action drama. A Formula One team owner (Javier Bardem) contacts a retired pro (Brad Pitt) to mentor a rookie prodigy (Damson Idris) on the Apex Grand Prix team. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the film co-stars Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Lewis Hamilton, with much of the ‘Maverick’ team, including DP Claudio Miranda returning.
Release Date: TBD, via Apple Films.
21. “La Cocina”
You may not know Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios yet, but Hollywood does. He’s already directed some severely acclaimed Mexican films (“Güeros,” “Museum,” “A Cop Movie”), but Tinseltown has come knocking. He directed killer eps of Josh Brolin’s “The Outer Range,” Tony Gilroy tapped him for “Andor” season two, and much in demand Rooney Mara stars in “La Cocina,” following life in an NYC restaurant where cultures from all over the world blend during the lunchtime rush.
Release Date: TBD, but it definitely feels like Sundance or Cannes.