Whew, what a year for movies 2023 was. After a few years where it felt like we were working out what would fill the post-Marvel void, that Barbenheimer summer made the movies feel like a proper event again. Doing the Barbie–Oppenheimer double-bill on that opening weekend in July was a) very funny and b) rewarded with two wildly different high-grade cinema experiences. This year might not have a Barbenheimer, but take a look at what we reckon will be the best movies of 2024 and that bubbling feeling of hype is hard to keep down.
The standouts are all universe-extenders: Gladiator 2, Dune Part Two and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga in particular. But there’s a certain dustiness and scorched grandeur to them that feels more serious and heavyweight than most tentpoles of the last few years. Obviously these things are worked out years in advance, but it feels like we’re taking the Oppenheimer fork in the path rather than the Barbie one. Then again James Acaster’s been cast in the new Ghostbusters, so maybe I know nothing.
So what do you reckon: Dune-Busters? Mad Max: The Bikeriders? Gladiator: Folie a Deux? We shall see. These are the biggest movies arriving in 2024. And while you’re here, why not sign up to our weekly culture newsletter, Junk Mail, to find our latest reviews and recommendations?
Priscilla (out now)
The announcement of Sophia Coppola’s Priscilla, with relative unknown Cailee Spaeny in the lead role, ushered in a fresh (and frankly exhausting) wave of chatter around the King. Did we really need another peek into Graceland so soon after Baz Luhrmann’s glitter-bombing biopic Elvis? Could Jacob Elordi’s portrayal of the singer match Austin Butler and his best supporting actor, the accent? But Coppola’s version was always going to be different enough to be interesting. And sure enough, the Lost in Translation director’s lush, considered approach to the life of Priscilla Presley (née Wagner) is a muted counterpoint to Elvis. We follow Priscilla’s life from a student in West Germany where her step father is a US Air Force officer to her romance with Elvis (she was 14 when they first; he was 24). What follows is a tumultuous relationship: sometimes harmonious, sometimes hurtful, but always a little manipulative. If the second half does not deliver on all its emotional cues, the film never looks less than gorgeous.
The Zone of Interest (out now)
A domestic drama that plays out in front of hidden horrors, cult British director-writer Jonathan Glazer’s critically acclaimed film focuses on Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss and his family home, the garden of which shares a high concrete wall with Auschwitz concentration camp. Loosely based on the 2014 novel of the same name by the late Martin Amis (‘Zone of Interest’ was a term used during WWII by the Nazi party to describe the immediate area around camps), Esquire recently described it as a “brilliantly conceived, disturbingly disjointed film” that forces you to confront our own complicity with the unspeakable evils that exist out of sight. Read our full review here.
American Fiction (out now)
Jeffrey Wright gives what might be a career-best performance as Professor Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a frustrated academic negotiating the complexities and occasional absurdities of the conversations about race in which our culture is currently involved. Monk’s literary aspirations – he’s written a retelling of Aeschylus – are not requited by the publishing industry, who, his agent tells him, would prefer him to write a “black book”. This, in a fit of pique, Monk does, with very funny results, though Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut has an emotional depth, thanks to a strong supporting cast including Sterling K Brown and Issa Rae, that helps it resonate beyond its immediate and very legitimate satirical purpose. Read our full review here.
Iron Claw (out now)
You certainly wouldn’t blame anyone for tapping out early, given the sheer, crushing weight of The Iron Claw, A24’s elegiac, based-on-a-true-story tribute to the doomed Von Erich wrestling family. It’s all based on a tragic tale told many times over in morbid sports docs, and writer-director Sean Durkin’s take is the cinematic equivalent of pulling tiny spandex pants over the kind of relentlessly grim Wikipedia page you only find yourself scrolling at 2am.
It goes something like this: spurred on by an authoritarian father determined to build a dynasty from the ashes of his own distinguished wrestling career, four gifted brothers are driven to the edge to became global stars on the fast-growing, increasingly lucrative 1980s circuit, before succumbing to depression, self-destruction and pure bad luck in the wake of their success. If that sounds like too much time spent against the ropes, then it should be noted that the equally sad story of Eric Von Erich, the family’s fifth sibling, was omitted from the film altogether. The reason? According to Durkin, “the movie just couldn’t withstand another brother’s death.”
The performances themselves are a much-needed piece of good news, particularly Zac Efron as the crumbling brick shithouse who can’t quite measure up to his father’s expectations, and Harris Dickinson stands out in his role as younger brother David, which calls for the sort of easy, understated charisma that the British actor has become known for.
Perfect Days (out now)
A sad-happy story about a Tokyo toilet cleaner whose spotless routine is interrupted by a surprise visitor, directed by German auteur Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas) and co-written by Japanese filmmaker Takuma Takasaki. Be prepared for some weapons-grade melancholy, with a brilliant, Cannes Best Actor-winning performance from Japanese screen veteran Koji Yakusho – but even if being quite sad for two hours isn’t your idea of a good time, the many, many, many scenes of white porcelain being wiped down will satisfy anyone with a TikTok feed clogged with housework ASMR. Something for everyone.
Dune Part Two (out now)
Hard on the heels of his turn as the cuddliest and most whimsical colonialist in all of wherever it is Wonka’s meant to take place, Timmy Chalamet returns to Denis Villeneuve’s sandy epic. We left his Paul Atreides having just joined the Fremen at the end of the first part, and now finally coming face to face with Zendaya’s Chani. This time he’ll continue schlepping around searching for vengeance on behalf of his family, but with the cast bulked out to include Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Lea Seydoux. Read our full review here and watch out interview with Villeneuve here.
Monster (out now)
It’s a good thing that the Academy left us off this year’s invite list, because we’re this close to summoning the power of Will Smith’s palm if Hirokazu Kore-eda doesn’t land an Oscar sometime soon. The Japanese film-maker lost out in the foreign language category five years ago with Shoplifters, his Palme d’Or-winning masterpiece about an unconventional family hidden beneath Tokyo’s poverty line, and his latest movie, the not-quite-as-good-but-nonetheless-brilliant Monster, didn’t even receive a nomination. Out now in UK cinemas, it’s a typically contemplative, satisfyingly sinister mystery-thriller about the most fearsome and destructive force of all: small-town gossip.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (out now)
The last Ghostbusters movie was a big critical flop but a big cash hit, and tickled the bellies of whatever sadsacks were still upset about the Kristen Wiig Ghostbusters. Having spent Afterlife in a distinctly Stranger Things-ish Oklahoma, this time the Spengler family are heading back to the Ghostbusters heartland: New York City, and a certain firehouse where they’ll help the origi-Busters with their busting. Soon the threat of a new Ice Age unleashed by some haunted amulet or other is on the agenda. And: James Acaster’s in it.
Monkey Man (out now)
Dev Patel! Lovely Dev Patel. He’s back with a thriller written by Master and Commander screenwriter John Collee, and this time Dev’s directing for the first time as well as acting. It’s been in the works for absolutely yonks – like, 2018 yonks – and it was originally pitched as a kind of John Wick actioner set in Mumbai. But it’s a lot more interesting and weird than that. Each night, Patel’s character Kid sticks on a monkey mask and gets beaten up. He’s part of an underground fight club scene, and he’s the guy the more popular fighters get to whale on. But after years being the guy everyone kicks, Kid finds a way to exact revenge on the elites who put him at the bottom of the pile. It’s inspired in part by the story of the Hindu deity Hanuman. It’s not your average shoot-’em-up.
Civil War (out now)
Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, Devs) does plausible futureshock extremely well, and Kirsten Dunst fronts up this one. The title’s pretty Ronseal: the States is in a state, and could break out into full-scale civil war at any moment. The Western Forces of Texas and California – an unlikely alliance, but there we are – are on the march and Dunst is a war photographer watching as things fall to pieces. It’s set, Garland says, “at an indeterminate point in the future–just far enough ahead for me to add a conceit – and serves as a sci-fi allegory for our currently polarised predicament”. Cheery stuff. You can read our review here.
Challengers (out now)
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis comedy drama (just go with it) seems to have been brewing longer than a particularly gruelling tie-breaker. But one major delay and excellent film poster later, we finally have a release date and a full-length trailer. Zendaya stars as Tashi, a tennis coach who has turned her husband, Art (Mike Faist) into a world champion. After a losing streak, she signs him up to a “challenger” event where he faces off against Tashi’s ex, Patrick (Josh O’Connor). While tennis has had a patchy history in Hollywood (with apologies to the Kirsten Dunst-fronted Wimbledon), we were fans of this one. Three hot young things in gorgeous clothes (Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson was the costume designer)? It should be enough to satisfy any court-side cravings before SW19 swings into action this summer.
Late Night with the Devil (out now)
When you’re fighting chat show legend Johnny Carson for ratings, you need to wheel out the big guns. That’s what Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), host of Carson’s fictitious competitor Night Owls, does when he loses his mojo following his wife’s untimely death – but it turns out he’s wheeled out guns which are altogether too heavy to be controlled by a mere chat show host. Late Night with the Devil is framed as a doc presenting surviving clips from Delroy’s special Halloween show on the occult, climaxing in a live séance. If you’re into the BBC’s legendary horror drama Ghostwatch, this will be up your street.
The Fall Guy (out now)
Think of this as Drive but with Ken in the driving seat. Ryan Gosling is Colt, a slightly stunt driver who’s beginning to struggle to pass his MOT. He’s working on his girlfriend Jody’s (Emily Blunt) new film, her first as a director – but then the star Tom (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing and it looks like the movie’s going to be pulled. So, reluctantly, Colt turns private investigator to sort out where Tom’s got to, and hopefully get Jody the shot at the big time which eluded him. David Leitch is directing, and if you saw his Bullet Train you’ll know that he can tell one end of a comedy action thriller from the other.
La Chimera (out now)
One third of Challengers love triangle Josh O’Connor takes the lead in Alice Rohrwacher’s latest beguiling film about gravedigger in rural Tuscany. In La Chimera, Arthur (O’Connor) is looking for many things: his lost love, Etruscan treasure, a sense of purpose (though that last one is up for debate). Along with his merry band of men, he spends his days searching out undiscovered tombs before selling them to a mysterious figure who auctions them off to international dealers. But what happens when he finds something worth keeping? And what’s going on with his former lover’s mother, Flora (Isabella Rossellini)? This is a rich, assured entry from Rohrwacher who is unafraid to go weird. Read our full review here.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (out now)
George Miller returned to the scorched desert for a prequel to his still eye-popping Mad Max: Fury Road, and this time with Anya Taylor-Joy playing Imperator Furiosa instead of Charlize Theron. We’re just in the early stages of Earth’s ecosystems collapsing, about a half century after things started to fall apart, when Furiosa is snatched from her parents and ends up rolling with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). They head across the wasteland towards The Citadel, where Fury Road’s kingpin Immortan Joe is in charge. From there Furiosa has to fight to find her way back home. Although this instalment did not live up to our (admittedly very high) hopes, there was still a lot to like. And die-hard purists will probably be happy. Read our full review here.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (out now)
Very little left in the “boy” department for Will Smith and Martin Lawrence given the 29 years since they began turning baddies into Swiss cheese with bullets and bon mots. “Bad Senior Citizens” might be more apt. But nevertheless, they’re back for a fourth round of violence under the Miami sun. OK, the last instalment, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, was a cliché-riddled shoot-a-rama whose plot had as many holes as a gangster at the wrong end of Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett’s significant arsenal of weaponry. But for what it lacked in originality, it made up for in warmth and nostalgia and the same sizzling chemistry between its stars that we’ve known and loved since Michael Bay first brought Bad Boys to life in 1995. This instalment, directed by Belgian duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, promises more of the same, and a little bit more than that, according to Smith. He told Empire: “We wanted to push the envelope of how much life experience and age specificity you can put into these movies. With this movie we’re being really aggressive in stretching what you can do in a summer action movie. There’s a spiritual aspect to it that I think people will be like, ‘Okay, that’s an interesting evolution for Marcus’ character.’”
Hit Man (out now)
Richard Linklater returns with his first live action movie since 2019’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette, with the screwball energy of a Bernie rather than the slackers Linklater energy of Everybody Wants Some!! or Dazed and Confused. Gary Johnson is a hit man. He whacks people for money. Or, at least, he says he does. In actual fact he’s a police officer working undercover to snaffle people who are trying to get other people whacked. Until, that is, he falls for one of the people he’s tailing, and ends up turning into a real hit man in a bid to get her out of trouble. Read our review here.
The Bikeriders (21 June)
This was one of the roar-away hits of festival season. Austin Butler dusts off his thang-you-ver-murch accent for a story set in the tumultuous, mythic America of Easy Rider and The Wild Ones. It’s the mid-Sixties, and Johnny (Tom Hardy) has pulled together a biker gang in Chicago called the Vandals, the sauciest of whose number is Butler’s Benny. They strike out against authority, but Benny is the one who takes it a little too far – and soon the Vandals are a kind of rolling militia, picking up strays from the ripped backside of Sixties America and making the job of leading the Vandals pretty much impossible. Benny’s got a thing for Jodie Comer’s Kathy, who narrates from the present.
Kinds of Kindness (28 June)
In Emma Stone, Yorgos Lanthimos has found the perfect muse/collaborator for his freaky, offbeat worlds: Stone gets the rhythms of his comedy as well as leaning into the abrasive and discomfiting logic of his stories. After winning an Oscar for her work on Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Stone is joined by Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn and another Lanthimos alumnus in Willem Dafoe for what’s being billed in the blurb as a “triptych fable with segments”. Obtuse and strange? You betcha!! Apparently segments of said triptych fable will follow “a man without choice who tries to take control of his life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing at sea has returned and seems to be a different person; and a woman who is determined to find a specific someone destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader”. So. There you go.
A Quiet Place: Day One (28 June)
This spin-off prequel heads back to the prologue of A Quiet Place II to show what was kicking off away from John Krasinski’s picket-fences-and-peewee-baseball town when those aliens turned up and started marmalising everyone. Krasinski’s not behind the camera or on script duties – he’s co-credited with the story – and instead Michael Sarnoski who did the Nicolas Cage truffle-hunting movie Pig is on both. Lupita Nyong’o takes the lead as Sam, a woman who’s minding her own business with her cat when the invasion strikes New York City. Djimon Hounsou, who played the guy on the island in A Quiet Place II, returns and has been blessed with a proper name this time too: Henri.
Twisters (19 July)
What’s scarier than a tornado? Many, many tornadoes. This is billed as an ‘update’ of the 1996 Twister with Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman, but quite what shape it’ll take as it touches down is one long-range forecasters are still uncertain about. Screenwriter Mark L Smith has said it’ll nod to climate change this time though. “[Tornado Alley] now extends further east, and it’s moving across, and the dates are wider, and the numbers are higher, and the storms themselves are more violent,” he told Collider. “So we did use elements of that just to shine a light on it, as well, the causes and effects of climate change.” Minari and occasional Mandalorian director Lee Isaac Young is behind the camera, while Normal People’s Daisy-Edgar Jones heads the cast.
Deadpool 3 (26 July)
Part-time actor and full-time Welshman Ryan Reynolds dips back to the day job to tie off the trilogy. Now, the mutant hitman teams up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine for a kind of buddy comedy, but with a third wheel in the form of one Matthew Macfadyen in an as yet undisclosed role. Up to now Deadpool’s been pretty much able to do as he pleases, but roped into helping sort out something more serious in the more straight-laced MCU, he’s got to sort himself out a bit.
The Crow (23 August)
Remember The Crow? Cult 90s kinda-superhero movie? Starred Brandon Lee, son of martial arts legend Bruce? Without wanting to be ghoulish, there’s always been a morbid fascination with The Crow beyond its very goth stylishness and pre-Marvel splashiness for the fact that Lee was accidentally killed on the set by a firearm malfunction. But there’s a chance here to set things straight with a remake. Bill Skarsgard is Eric Draven – alias The Crow – who was a musician before he was unceremoniously killed along with his fiancée Shelly (played here by FKA Twigs). Now he’s been resurrected to exact revenge on their killers. Rupert Sanders is directing his third movie in a career which has zigged from Snow White and the Huntsman to Ghost in the Shell before zagging over here – and, fact fans, he also co-directed boyband 5ive’s seminal video for ‘Slam Dunk Da Funk’.
Joker: Folie a Deux (4 October)
What to make of Joker nearly five years on: a billion-dollar character piece built around an Oscar-winning performance from Joaquin Phoenix, or a po-faced bit of pompous, derivative indulgence? The follow-up will see Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck meeting Lady Gaga’s psychiatrist Harleen Quinzell – three guesses who she transforms into – as he steps even further into the nihilism of his Joker alter ego. Plot details are sketchy at the mo but you can at least rely on Gaga to put on a truly stonking accent and do a barnstormer of a promo round.
Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (November, maybe?)
You’ll recall that the final frames of the very excellent second animated Spider-Man movie promised the follow-up would be coming in early 2024. That, it turned out, might have been a touch optimistic. Thanks to the strikes, everything’s been shoved back a bit. Producer Christopher Miller says things are underway though. “I think it’s a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and it’s as emotional as the other ones,” he said in December. “We’re knee-deep in it.”
Gladiator 2 (22 November)
Ridley Scott continues to rage against the dying of the light – and pretty much anything else you can throw at him – with a return to the Roman empire. Maximus Decimus Meridius is still dead, but the kid Lucius Verus, who Maxi saved in the first film, is back to carry on his legacy. Recent Esquire cover star Paul Mescal stars as Lucius opposite another of the very hottest stars of the last couple of years, Pedro Pascal. This will, alas, have nothing to do with Nick Cave’s draft of a Gladiator sequel script, which featured Maximus being sent back to Earth from purgatory as a hitman for the Roman gods, with one target: Jesus H Christ. Shame.
Nosferatu (25 December)
A seasonal treat. Robert Eggers does goth dread like nobody else, and Willem Dafoe does freaky dudes like nobody else. So, Eggers’ passion project reworking of the FW Murnau classic demands that Dafoe play a particularly unconventional vampire hunter, on the trail of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard) who’s brought the young Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) under his spell, to the chagrin of her husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult). “I do think that there hasn’t been an old-school Gothic movie that’s actually scary in a while,” Eggers told Empire recently. “And I think that the majority of audiences will find this one to be the case.” Expect psychological unravellings and a decent wedge of old school creepiness. A Christmas classic.