Anticipated Movies of 2024
By Sioph LealIn 2023, moviegoers delighted in the fun rivalry of Barbie and Oppenheimer, the highly anticipated Disney live-action The Little Mermaid, and the return of the Hunger Games franchise with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. While 2023 proved to be an enjoyable year for movies, 2024 is shaping up to be just as entertaining.
1) Wicked: Part One
Wicked is based on the stage musical of the same name and centers around Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West in their formative college years (university years for the Brits). While Glinda is focused on her popularity and influence, Elphaba’s resolve to stay true to herself and those around her have shocking and unexpected consequences as they fulfill their destiny as Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West.
Since December 2012, the idea of a movie version of the much-loved stage show has been promoted by Marc Platt, but given the endless delays, 2024 is finally the year that moviegoers will see the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West. With a powerhouse singer like Cynthia Erivo and rising charismatic star Jonathan Bailey, it’s almost impossible to avoid the excitement. Splitting a theatrical release into two parts can be a risky move, but given the talent that the Wicked movie has, we have no doubt it will be a hit.
Wicked Part 1 releases on 27 November 2024.
2) Dune: Part Two
Joined by Chani and the Fremen, Paul Atreides resumes his quest to avert a dreadful future that only he can foresee while exacting revenge on those responsible for his family's destruction.
The first installment of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the Dune series was an awe-inspiring epic, a grand spectacle that showcased his immense talent for telling the complex and lengthy story of Paul Atreides with a cast that was almost perfect for the story. Dune: Part 2 follows the other half of Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name and promises epic battles and performances from new cast members Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan. We can only hope this is not the end of Villeneuve’s Dune journey.
Dune: Part 2 releases March 1st 2024
3) A Real Pain
Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Said to be a semi-autobiographical project, it is Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore directorial debut and will premiere at Sundance. A Real Pain stars Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg who are set to give complicated, devastating and funny performances as their characters grapple with their family history and their own lives. After a stellar performance in the final season of Succession, Culkin will undoubtedly give another memorable performance.
A Real Pain is premiering January 20th at Sundance.
4) Your Monster
Laura Franco is a young actress enduring a cancer diagnosis and a relationship breakup but finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
Written by Caroline Lindy and based on her 2019 short movie of the same name, Your Monster promises to give an enlightening story about standing up for yourself, gaining confidence in a way that is engaging and funny.
Your Monster releases 18th January 2024
5) Mean Girls: The Musical
Cady Heron is new to high school and is welcomed to the top of the social food chain by Regina George and two loyal followers. The trio are the infamous “Plastics” at North Shore High and rule the school, but when Cady falls for Regina’s ex-boyfriend, she and Regina are at odds. Working with Janis and Damian to take the queen-bee down, Cady must learn how to navigate the cutthroat world of high school while staying true to herself/
Mean Girls first graced our screens twenty years ago, back in 2004, and it became a classic that practically required viewing for teenagers. Now the movie takes on a new take. With another stage show adapted to the movie screen, fans of the musical are excited to have Reneé Rapp back as Regina George, but early thoughts suggest that Bebe Wood as Gretchen Wieners and Angourie Rice as Cady Heron are among the best of the cast. With new songs coming into the movie version, fans of the stage show should have plenty to satisfy their musical needs.
Mean Girls: The Musical releases January 12th 2024.