39 Movies We Can’t Wait to Watch in 2024 (and 9 We Already Love)

Jake Johnson makes his directorial debut in Self Reliance, a sci-fi dystopian comedy where he also plays the lead role in. In this bizarre movie, a guy stuck in a boring life routine gets the opportunity to compete in a complicated game for rich people on the dark web that seems simple enough: stay alive, and win $1,000,000. Imagine David Fincher‘s The Game crossed with the “White Bear” episode of Black Mirror, with a little bit of Johnson’s typical New Girl Nick Miller charm thrown in. It’s a strange mix, but also a fun movie that’s worth a watch.

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Lisa Frankenstein tells the story of a girl (Kathryn Newton) who worships a long-dead dude immortalized as a statue (Cole Sprouse)… only for him to be resurrected back to life unexpectedly. The movie—which also marks the directorial debut for Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin—didn’t exactly set the box office on fire, but it was a fun, campy ride that horror comedy fans will probably love as a cult favorite. Think of it as a spiritual sequel to underrated 2000s horror comedy, Jennifer’s Body (the two share a screenwriter in Diablo Cody).

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This movie is truly beyond terrible. Not only does the plot make no sense and the dialogue sound like it was written by someone who’s never heard human beings talk before, but there are so many moments where the speaking doesn’t even match up with whoever’s talking’s mouth. That being said, the actors (for the most part) aren’t doing anything wrong. This is all to say: the phrase “so bad it’s good” gets thrown around quite a bit, and it’s rare that it actually proves to be true. But… with Madame Web… it happens. This movie is such a disastrous, fun, blast. Is it good? No. Will I watch it many more times in my life? Oh yes.

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If you’re feeling withdrawal from the excellent Season 5 of Fargo, we’ve got just the movie for you. Drive Away Dolls is the solo directorial debut for Ethan Coen (who previously collaborated on countless classic films with his brother, Joel, including the original Fargo movie, The Big Lebowski, and No Country For Old Men), who also co-wrote the script with his wife, Tricia Cooke. And we’ve got some great news: Drive Away Dolls has a fantastic old school Coen Brothers vibe—think Raising Arizona meets Burn After Reading.

The film follows a pair of women (played by the wonderful Margaret Qualley, putting on a Daniel Craig-in-Knives Out-esque accent, and the always-charming Geraldine Viswanathan) who head out on a soul-searching road trip only to find themselves crossing paths with a series of criminals (played by Colman Domingo, Matt Damon, and others) that only a Coen could think up.

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Let’s put it simply: Dune: Part Two is a masterpiece. Fans of the first Dune film from director Denis Villeneuve may have thought it couldn’t get any better; they were wrong. Part Two raises the stakes in every way as the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) reaches its conclusion in dramatic, visually-arresting fashion. Newcomers to the cast include a fantastic Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken, while Zendaya and Javier Bardem also see expanded roles from the first film. Chalamet, Josh Brolin, and Rebecca Ferguson are predictably fantastic as well in their ongoing roles in the series. There’s talk of a Dune: Messiah to come, but Dune: Part Two is so good that if this is all we end up getting for this story… that would be OK too.

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An old fashioned neo-noir crime thriller, Love Lies Bleeding is one of 2024’s best movies without question. When a drifting bodybuilder (Katy O’Brian) rolls into town, a local gym owner’s (Kristen Stewart) life changes when she’s swept into an unexpected romance. But issues with her crime lord father (Ed Harris) and horrible brother-in-law (Dave Franco) make things… well, a little bit difficult to maintain. Love Lies Bleeding is a fun story you won’t regret watching, but also shows off the major filmmaking talent of director Rose Glass(who previously helmed the underrated A24 horror movie Saint Maud).

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The general media “vibe” of Sydney Sweeney is pretty in line with her role in last year’s romantic comedy Anyone But You; bubbly, fun, funny. But people may not realize that she has a bit of a rough, daring, gritty streak, and is putting it on display with Immaculate, an uber-violent horror movie that she leads and also produced. This is far from the best or most original horror movie you’ve ever seen, but it’s a slow burn with a third act that really pays off. If you’re a horror fan looking to feel something, this will do the trick.

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You may still remember Dev Patel best for his leading role in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire (or Skins, if you’re a real Dev O.G.). But with Monkey Man—which marks Patel’s feature directorial debut and counts Jordan Peele as an executive producer—shows the full range of 2024 Dev Patel’s talent. And let’s make one thing clear: this is his first go at it, but the man was made to be an action star. Monkey Man has some minor issues with pacing, but Patel’s performance and visual eye behind the camera—along with some of the most badass action sequences you’ll see all year—make this an extremely fun film. We can’t wait to see what Patel does next.

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Writer/director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) makes an unbelievable comeback with Civil War, coming after 2022’s not-horrible-but-pretty-weird-and-not-beloved Men. Civil War is the closest thing A24 has ever made to a blockbuster movie, and it really feels that way—if you’re anything like me, you’ll be gripping your hands in fists the entire movie. It’s that tense.

Imagining a near future where the United States is at war with itself (including a faction where Texas and California have allied), Civil War isn’t quite what you’d expect. Rather than focusing on the war itself, the film follows a pair of war photographers (Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny) and a journalist (Wagner Moura) who just want to document the craziness occurring around the country—and get the biggest stories they can. The story is pretty basic, but the filmmaking, visuals, and tension are a real return to form for Garland. And it’s hard to say enough about how fantastic Dunst and Spaeny in particular are in the film. Perhaps a bold statement, but Civil War was perhaps the most gripping thrill ride of a film I’ve watched since Top Gun: Maverick.

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While Spyglass sent the Scream franchise into disarray by firing lead actress Melissa Barrera from its forthcoming seventh entry (and fellow lead Jenna Ortega departed the franchise not long after), the directors of Scream and Scream VI are re-teaming with Barrera for Abigail a home-invasion thriller that gets a horror twang when the daughter of the VIP being robbed turns out to be a bloodthirsty vampire. Barrera is joined by Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, and the late Angus Cloud in a movie that looks funny at times, scary at times, and campy at times.

Director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) is behind Challengers, a long-awaited tennis/love triangle/throuple film that stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. It just seems fun and good! The movie has been delayed a number of times (due to the studio reacting to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes), but now it’s finally got an April 26 release date set in stone. We’re excited.

Bill Skarsgård and Happy Death Day‘s Jessica Rothe lead Boy Kills World, a dystopian and ultraviolent revenge thriller that also features H. Jon Benjamin as the narrator and inner-monologue of Skarsgård’s characer. And, yes, that title is based on the title of the Boy Meets World sitcom from the ’90s. With Sam Raimi on board as a producer, expect this one to be wild, darkly funny, and, yes, extremely violent.

Ryan Gosling leads The Fall Guy, where he plays a stuntman who gets roped into a big-budget adventure, alongside Emily Blunt (unintentionally bringing Barbie and Oppenheimer together a year after Barbenheimer shook the cinema world). The movie also features Aaron Taylor-Johnson and is directed by Bullet Train‘s David Leitch, a former stuntman himself—so you know the action is going to be all practical, and really cool.

Director Jane Schoenbrun’s follow-up to We’re All Going To The World’s Fair was the talk of the town when it premiered at Sundance 2024, The film, which stars Justice Smith, is said to be an anal0g-facing horror film that dials deep into TV lore and features an unbelievable soundtrack (including a score by indie darling Alex G). We’re always open to new, unique horror—and this one sounds really good.

Every time I get to the end of a Mad Max: Fury Road rewatch, it’s a world I almost instantly want to return to for more. And now, 9 years after one of the most miraculous action/post-apocalyptic films of all time hit theaters, we get to return. Furiosa finds director George Miller going back on the timeline and sharing the tale of a younger Furiosa (who was played by Charlize Theron in Fury Road) in what will certainly be yet another explosive spectacle. Chris Hemsworth will play the film’s villain, and this just might be our #1 most awaited film of the year. It is going to be spectacular.

Ishana Night Shyamalan (daughter of M. Night) makes her feature directorial debut with The Watchers, a movie (based on the novel of the same name) where an artist (Dakota Fanning) finds herself stuck in a forest in Ireland where eventually she finds shelter to share with strangers, only to be attacked by monsters in the night. Like father, like daughter!

One of Pixar’s most beloved (and emotional) films, Inside Out, gets the sequel treatment. Not much more to say! Get ready to (probably) cry.

We were eagerly awaiting The Bikeriders—which is loosely based on Danny Lyon’s book of the same name—last year, before strike-induced delays led it to be removed from Searchlight’s schedule and eventually sold to Focus Features. Now, instead, the star-studded crime drama—which stars Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, and more—will find a 2024 release. It looks like if Goodfellas crossed with Easy Rider, and, honestly, with that cast, that premise, and Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) directing, we are sold.