New movies: the most exciting films coming to theaters in 2024

Obvious as it is to say, new movies barrel their way into theaters on a weekly basis. So, if you’re looking for a complete round-up of every new film that’s due out in cinemas worldwide in 2024, we’ve got you covered.

This week’s big release is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, aka the first entry in George Miller’s Mad Max franchise in almost a decade. In big-budget, action-heavy spectacles aren’t your idea of a good time, though, you can always check out the family-friendly animated film Garfield, which counts Chris Pratt and Samuel L. Jackson among its starry voice cast.

There are many, many other highly anticipated flicks to look out for in the weeks and months ahead, too. From new superhero far from comic book giants Marvel and DC, to terrifying horrors and intriguing indies, your big-screen entertainment needs will be met by more than a few new movies before this year is over. So, what are you waiting for? Read on to see which ones you’ll be booking advanced tickets for.

New movies: May 2024

Garfield

Release date: out now (worldwide)

Chris Pratt will hope to front another $1 billion-making animated flick – he voiced Mario in the aforementioned money-spinner The Super Mario Bros. Movie, if you somehow weren’t aware – with this Garfield movie reboot. And no, it isn’t a sequel to those poorly received Bill Murray-starring live-action-animated hybrid films.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star will play the titular lasagna-loving, Monday-hating tabby cat, whose world is turned upside down when his good-for-nothing feline father (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) suddenly rocks up. One of 2024’s new movies that should keep the kids quiet for a couple of hours – well, if you can look past its abject 38% critical score (per Rotten Tomatoes) and stump up the cash for a few tickets.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Release date: out now (worldwide)

If seeing Pratt voice another iconic character is your idea of a bad time, this Mad Max: Fury Road prequel is the perfect alternative.

Anya Taylor-Joy plays a younger version of the eponymous character, who was portrayed with gripping intensity by Charlize Theron in Fury Road. Unsurprisingly, it’ll focus on her harrowing life until a few years before the barnstorming 2015 epic, revealing how she earned her Imperator title in the process.

Furiosa‘s first trailer teased Taylor-Joy’s hero, Chris Hemsworth’s wild villain, and explosions galore when it debuted in December 2023. Judging by its near-universal acclaim on Rotten Tomatoes – it currently holds 89% critical and 97% audience scores on the review aggregation website – it sounds as insanely thrilling, high-octane, and entertaining as Fury Road was, too. Witness it on the biggest screen possible.

Robot Dreams

Release date: out now (UK and Australia); May 31 (US)

Robot Dreams isn’t likely to be on many people’s must-see new movies list, but it should be. This animated tragicomedy flick was nominated for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars – that alone makes it worth checking out.

The silent Spanish-French film stars Dog, a lonely anthropomorphic canine living in 1984 New York. Fed up of being on his own, Dog builds Robot, a mail-to-order companion to enjoy life with. Unfortunately, the pair are forced to part ways – will they ever find their way back to one another? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Pablo Berger, best known for his work on Spanish language films Abracadabra and Blancanieves, has directed and co-written this one. Sara Varon, whose comic Robot Dreams is based on, co-penned the script.

Young Woman and the Sea

Release date: May 31 (US and UK); TBC (Australia)

Before she reprises her role as Rey in one of the many new Star Wars movies that’ll Force their way into theaters in the years ahead, Daisy Ridley fleshes out her acting CV with another captivating drama – following indie hit Sometime I Think About Dying – in this period-set flick.

Based on a true story Young Woman and the Sea sees Ridley portray Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. With Ederle attempting to complete such a goal in the early 20th century, however, she’ll have to simultaneously navigate the choppy, cold waters of the channel itself and those of a misogynistic society. Joachim Rønning and Jeff Nathanson have directed and written this one respectively, while Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean) is on board as a producer.

New movies: June 2024

Bad Boys: Ride Or Die

Release date: June 5 (UK); June 7 (US); June 14 (Australia)

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s fan-favorite action-comedy duo return for their fourth big screen outing in early June. In a twist on the franchise’s usual formula, Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) find themselves on the run from the law after they’re accused of a crime they didn’t commit.

Vanessa Hudgens, Ioan Gruffudd, Alexander Ludwig, Pablo Nunez, Melanie Liburd, Tiffany Haddish, and Rhea Seahorn are among Bad Boys 4‘s stacked supporting cast. The outrageous buddy cop flick has been penned by Chris Bremner, who wrote the script for its predecessor, while Ms Marvel directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah shot the big-budget film.

The Watchers

Release date: June 6 (Australia); June 7 (UK); June 14 (US)

M. Night Shymalan’s daughter Ishana follows in her father’s horror-tinged footsteps by making her feature film directing debut with The Watchers, an adaptation of A.M. Shine’s novel of the same name.

Dakota Fanning (Coraline, The Equalizer 3) plays Mina, an artist who gets trapped in a disorienting, untouched forest in western Ireland. Finding shelter alongside three strangers, Mina soon realizes that the group are being watched and stalked by mysterious creatures who roam the treeline at night.

Georgina Campbell (Barbarian), Oliver Finnegan (Outlander), and Olwen Fouere (The Northman) feature as the film’s supporting trio. M. Night Shymalan is among its executive producing team.

Inside Out 2

Release date: June 13 (Australia); June 14 (US and UK)

Nine years after Inside Out tore up our hearts before mending them in an emotional roller coaster of a Pixar flick, its highly-anticipated sequel will land in theaters in mid-2024.

Inside Out 2 will reunite viewers with the first movie’s protagonist Riley, albeit now a teenager, whose emotions (including Joy and Sadness) are given another big jolt by the onset of puberty and the arrival of new brain-based cohorts. Indeed, Inside Out 2‘s first trailer made us feel like a teenager again with its new emotion teases, including the unveiling that Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) will voice one of said emotions in the form of anxiety. Its latest trailer, which you can watch above, confirms Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Adèle Exarchopoulos (Passages), and Paul Walter Hauser (Orion and the Dark) will voice fellow new emotions Envy, Boredom/Ennui, and Embarrassment.

While we wait for Inside Out 2, read our Pixar movies ranked piece to see where its predecessor placed.

The Bikeriders

Release date: June 21 (US and UK); July 4 (Australia)

Originally set to be released in late 2023, The Bikeriders‘ will speed into theaters in mid-2024 after it was delayed due to last year’s Hollywood strikes.

Inspired by real events, it follows The Vandals, a midwestern motorcycle club that starts out as a small group of individuals seeking to bond over their two-wheel rides. Over a decade, though, they slowly grow into one of the most vicious and terrifying biker gangs in America. Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, Free Guy) plays Kathy, through whose eyes we see the gang evolve. Austin Butler (Dune Part 2 2, Elvis) and Tom Hardy (Venom, Dunkirk) are among it starry supporting, largely male cast. Jeff Nichols is one dual writing and directing duties.

Kinds of Kindness

Release date: June 21 (US); June 28 (UK); July 11 (Australia)

Fresh from Poor Things‘ multi-award-winning performance on the 2024 awards circuit, director Yorgos Lanthimos’ next feature film – Kinds of Kindness – will be with us in June. It’ll see Lanthimos reteam with Poor Things stars Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe, who’ll feature among a strong ensemble cast that includes Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwin, Hunter Schafer, and Mamoudou Athie.

Dubbed a “triptych fable”, Kinds of Kindness will “follow a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life, a policeman who is alarmed that his wife – who was missing-at-sea – has returned and seems a different person, and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader”. Count us in for this one.

Fancy Dance

Release date: June 21 (US); June 28 (UK and Australia via Apple TV Plus)

The next Apple Original film is set to land in theaters in late June in the US, but the rest of us will have to wait for it to be released on one of the world’s best streaming services one week later.

Hot off her multi-award-winning performance in Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone plays Jax, who cares for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) ever since Jax’s sister went missing. When Roki’s grandfather Frank (Shea Wigham) attempts to gain full custody of Roki from Jax, though, the pair set off on a countrywide adventure to search for Roki’s mom as the local police continue to drag their heels over their own investigation. Expect another acting masterclass from Gladstone with this one.

A Quiet Place: Day One

Release date: June 27 (Australia); June 28 (US and UK)

A prequel spin-off set in John Krasinski-developed post-apocalyptic horror franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One will tell a brand-new tale about the events surrounding the sound-sensitive alien monsters’ invasion of Earth. Its first trailer gives a good indication of how chaotically terrifying it’ll be, too.

Little is known about the plot of the series’ third film, but its cast is a pretty stacked one. Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, Us), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things season 4, Marvel’s The Fantastic 4), and Djimon Hounsou (Shazam!, Rebel Moon) are among its talented roster, while Krazinski and Michael Sarnoski have co-penned the story. Sarnoski is chief filmmaker on this one, too.

Horizon: An American Saga

Release date: June 28 (worldwide)

His time on Paramount Plus’ hit Western TV show Yellowstone is drawing to a close, but Kevin Costner isn’t going to walk away from the US frontier-set genre just yet. His next film, Horizon: An American Saga, is a duology that’ll release within two months of each other – Part 1 arrives in late June, with Part 2 landing on August 16.

Like A Quiet Place: Day One, nobody knows what story it’ll tell. However, Horizon has an absolutely stacked cast of familiar faces, with Costner joined by the likes of – deep breath – Sienna Miller (American Woman), Sam Worthington (Avatar), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy), Abbey Lee (Old), Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things), and Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan: First Kill) among many others.

Costner is also co-writer and director on this Warner Bros. developed flick, with Jon Baird helping him to pen the script.

New movies: July 2024

Despicable Me 4

Release date: July 5 (US and UK); June 20 (Australia)

The Minions are back. Again. Oh, and so is Gru and his adorable family (no, not the Minions, his human one) in Despicable Me 4, the supervillain-turned-good-guy’s latest theatrical adventure.

In his first outing in seven years, Gru is called upon to stop a new nemesis called Maxine Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara). However, when they prove more than a match for Steve Carell’s eponymous hero, Gru and his family are forced to go on the run. Expect plenty of the usual animated slapstick shenanigans and fart jokes from this one.

MaXXXine

Release date: July 5 (US); August 8 (Australia) August 9 (UK)

The final installment in Ti West’s horror-crime X trilogy, MaXXXine sees Mia Goth reprise her role as the titular, slasher-evading wannabe movie star who continues to attract unwarranted attention from all kinds of murderers. This time around, she’s forced to dodge L.A’s infamous 1985 Night Stalker while trying to make it in Hollywood.

With a stacked supporting cast including Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, and Halsey, MaXXXine might confirm West’s three-movie story as one of the greatest slasher trilogies ever made. You know, as long as it can match predecessors X and Pearl‘s 93% Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Fly Me To The Moon

Release date: July 11 (Australia); July 12 (US and UK)

Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson bring their signature charm to this romantic dramady that covers the high-stakes story of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission – you know, the one that pockets of society claim was faked in 1969. Johansson plays Kelly Jones, one of the US’ leading marketers who helps to promote NASA’s ambitious attempts to land on Earth’s most notable natural satellite, much to the chagrin of launch director Cole Davis (Tatum). 

Funnily enough, Fly Me To The Moon‘s plot will also poke fun at anyone who doesn’t think America landed on the moon over 50 years ago, with The White House asking Jones to direct a staged fake moon landing in the event that the Apollo 11 mission doesn’t go well. Greg Berlanti, who directed multiple DC projects including Titans, helms this one. Tatum and Johansson are also in esteemed company with Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Anna Garcia, Colin Woodell, and Nick Dillenburg among its starry supporting cast.

Twisters

 Release date: July 18 (Australia); July 19 (US and UK)

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a disaster movie – and we’re getting a follow-up to one of the best (1996’s Twister) later this year, whose first whirlwind trailer debuted during the 2024 Super Bowl. Its official trailer arrived in May and teased even more eye-popping carnage.

Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick), Anthony Ramos (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), and the DCU’s recently-crowned Superman in David Corenswet are set to star. Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) is directing it from a script by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant).

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper who, per a press release, is “a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend Javi (Ramos) to test a ground-breaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better.”

Deadpool & Wolverine

Release date: July 25 (UK and Australia); July 26 (US)

The only Marvel movie releasing in theaters in 2024, Deadpool‘s MCU debut has a lot riding on it. It’ll need to turn the studio’s below-part performance at last year’s box office around, do justice to the Merc With a Mouth’s two previous brilliant movie outings, celebrate all things X-Men (Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is one of many mutants set to feature), and prove R-rated Marvel films can succeed. No pressure, then.

Understandably, Deadpool & Wolverine‘s plot remains a closely guarded secret. However, we know the Marvel Phase 5 flick will star Ryan Reynolds as the titular character alongside Jackman’s adamantium clawed superhero.

After Marvel president Kevin Feige unveiled Deadpool 3‘s logo, the film’s first trailer arrived during 2024’s Super Bowl. Read our Deadpool and Wolverine trailer breakdown to learn more about the secrets hidden within before seeing why Marvel fans are convinced they’ve spotted two big character Easter eggs in the teaser. Then, watch its official trailer above before getting the lowdown on the six best Marvel Easter eggs we spotted during its two-minute runtime.

New movies: August 2024

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Release date: August 2 (worldwide)

Zachary Levi (Shazam!) brings his inner child to life on the big screen once more in this family-friendly Sony flick that’ll stir up the imagination of your wide-eyed kids.

Levi plays Harold, a fictional character who can make anything come to life – albeit in the pages of his self-titled book – using the titular purple crayon. When Harold grows up, he learns how to draw himself out of his paper-bound realm and, in true Pinocchio fashion, become a real boy in the real world. With his trusty crayon in mind, he sets about creating all kinds of things to go on as many hijinks-filled adventures as possible. Household names in Lil Rey Howery, Zooey Deschanel, and Jermaine Clement are also on board.

Trap

Release date: August 8 (Australia); August 9 (US and UK)

Two months after one of his daughter’s directorial debuts, M. Night Shyamalan returns to the hot seat himself with his latest psychological thriller that’s sure to have one of the auteur’s classic (though not always great) twists within its makeup.

Josh Hartnett (Oppenheimer) stars as Cooper, a father who takes his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite pop star Lady Raven. However, it isn’t long before Cooper and Ariel get caught up in a police operation to catch a serial killer known as ‘The Butcher’, with the Lady Raven concert set up as a front (read: trap) to ensnare said murderer. The trailer makes out that Cooper is ‘The Butcher’ – but this is a Shyamalan movie, so expect the unexpected with Trap.

Borderlands

Release date: August 9 (worldwide)

It’s been in development for almost a decade but, finally, Lionsgate’s movie adaptation of Borderlands, which is based on Gearbox Software’s humorous action RPG video game franchise, has an official release date of August 9, 2024. After its grand unveiling, the first trailer for the Borderlands movie had everyone comparing it to the same Marvel movie.

Cate Blanchett stars as Lilith, an infamous bounty hunter who joins forces with a number of other misfits – Roland (Kevin Hart), Kreig (Florian Munteanu), Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), and Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis) – to find the missing daughter of a well connected gang leader named Atlas (Edgar Ramirez). Expectedly, things go awry when the outsiders unearth an explosive secret on the planet Pandora, leading to all sorts of carnage and adult-themed quips. One of 2024’s new movies that could be a surprise hit or a complete waste of everyone’s time.

It Ends With Us

Release date: August 9 (US and UK); August 8 (Australia)

Colleen Hoover’s soppy and hard-hitting romance novel gets the big-screen treatment later this year, with Blake Lively (who some people may recognize as Ryan Reynolds’ wife) starring as protagonist Lily Bloom.

In it, the fledgling business owner – who had a traumatic childhood – meets charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni), with the pair entering a romantic relationship that becomes abusive and reminds Bloom of her parents’ own embattled dynamic. Seemingly trapped in a similarly cruel relationship, Lily must learn to rely on her inner strength to escape and make peace with her past. You’ll want to bring a giant box of tissues to your screening for this one.

Alien: Romulus

Release date: August 16 (worldwide)

The seventh film in the iconic sci-fi horror series, Alien: Romulus will tell a standalone tale that fans are hoping will get the stuttering franchise back on track. Fede Álvarez (2013’s Evil Dead) is on directing duties from a script he co-penned with Rodo Sayagues, while Ridley Scott is among its many producers. Based on Alien: Romulus‘ menacing first trailer, it should be the first genuinely great sequel we’ve seen since 1986’s Aliens, too.

Set between 1979’s Alien and the aforementioned flick, Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) will be the movie’s protagonist, while Isabela Merced (Madame Web), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), and David Jonsson (Rye Lane) are among the film’s supporting cast.

Blink Twice

Release date: August 22 (Australia); August 23 (US and UK)

Get Out meets Don’t Worry, Darling meets Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in this psychological thriller film from first-time director Zoë Kravitz (Selina Kyle in The Batman). Naomi Ackie plays cocktail waitress Frida, who – alongside her best friend – is whisked away to an idyllic island by Channing Tatum’s tech billionaire Slater King (that’s where the Knives Out 2 comparisons come from) to party with a bunch of wild individuals. 

However, Frida soon realizes that not all is as it seems in this predominantly rich white folk-dwelling location (there’s the Get Out vibes) as she begins to questions what’s real and what isn’t (and that’s the Don’t Worry, Darling tonality). Christian Slater, Kyle MacLachlan, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Geena Davis, and Alia Shawkat are also part of proceedings in this joint Warner Bros-MGM production.

The Crow

Release date: August 23 (worldwide)

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you – we haven’t included two entries for Bill Skarsgard’s Boy Kills World. Although it looks similar in tone and vibe, The Crow‘s latest film reboot (which Skarsgard stars in) is a separate entity to his other 2024 movie offering.

For those unfamiliar with the 1994 cult classic that Brandon Lee originally starred in: The Crow tells the story of soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgard) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs), who are brutally murdered when Shelly’s past catches up with her. However, when he’s given the chance to save her by sacrificing himself, a superpower-imbued Draven is revived and embarks on a blood-soaked quest for vengeance against those who mercifully killed the loved-up pair. Rupert Sanders (Foundation on Apple TV Plus, Ghost in the Shell‘s remake) is in the hot seat for this one.

New movies: September 2024

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Release date: September 5 (Australia); September 6 (US and UK)

The long in-development sequel to 1988 surreal comedy-horror Beetlejuice is out this year, and its title – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – is a very clever call back to the original film’s way of summoning the mischievous ghost.

Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are returning as the titular trickster and Lydia Deetz respectively, while Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) will play Astrid, Lydia’s daughter. Catherine O’Hara, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe are also involved, while iconic gothic filmmaker Tim Burton is back on directing duties after helming the fist flick. Its first trailer teased more ghostly mayhem to come in the sequel, while its second (watch it above) gives us a much clearer idea of its plot and how closely it’ll follow in its predecessor’s footsteps from a practical effects standpoint.

Speak No Evil

Release date: September 12 (Australia); September 13 (US and UK)

James McAvoy will aim to spookily charm audiences ahead of Halloween in this psychological horror-thriller. The beloved Scottish actor plays Paddy who, alongside his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and mute son Ant (Dan Hough), befriends and then invites the Dalton family (Scott McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, and Alix West Lefler) to their home in the idyllic British countryside. Unsurprisingly, things take a turn for the macabre not long after.

The Woman in Black‘s James Watkins is on dual writing and directing duties here, while horror extraordinaires Blumhouse and Universal will distribute the flick. Speak No Evil only has a US release date at the moment, so keep an eye out for its UK and Australian launch confirmations soon.

Transformers One

Release date: September 13 (worldwide)

After multiple live-action entries, the Transformers franchise will hope to get a much-needed shot in the arm with Transformers One, a brand-new animated film helmed by Pixar alumnus Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4, Inside Out).

An origin story of sorts for the Autobots and Decepticons, it’ll explore the friendship between, and then breakdown of said relationship between Optimums Prime and Megatron. Marvel stars including Chris Hemsworth (the Thor movies), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), and Brian Tyree Henry (Eternals), plus other big names like Jon Hamm, Keegan-Michael Key, and Laurence Fishburne will lend their voices to those famous robots in disguise. Read our Transformers movies in order guide while we wait for its arrival.

The Wild Robot

Release date: September 12 (Australia); September 20 (US); October 18 (UK)

Black Panther‘s Lupita Nyong’o will give life to this absolutely gorgeous-looking animated film’s protagonist Roz in what appears to be another delightful and incredibly moving flick from DreamWorks Animation. Shipwrecked on an uninhabited island, Roz is initially viewed as an outcast by the islet’s flora and fauna. When its animals soon realize Roz is an empathetic, innocent, and helpful robot, though, they accept her place in their ecosystem.

The Wild Robot‘s voice cast is absolutely stacked with A-listers, with the likes of Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Bill Nighy (Living), Kit Connor (Heartstopper), and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) lending their vocal talents to various critters. We can’t wait for this one.

Never Let Go

Release date: September 26 (Australia), September 27 (US and UK)

Halle Berry stars in this Lionsgate psychological thriller/horror that continues the genres’ fascination with telling the tale of a barely surviving family in the middle of the woods.

In a post-apocalyptic world where evil lurks around every corner, a mother (Berry) and her young twin sons’ only hope of survival is to physically tether themselves – via the longest ropes you’ve ever seen – to their woods-based abode. However, when one of the boys begins to question if the threats lurking in the shadows are even real, the family’s tight bond is shattered, triggering a terrifying fight to stay alive. One of 2024’s new movies that’ll be surprisingly good or extremely generic.

New movies: October 2024

Joker: Folie à Deux

Release date: October 4 (worldwide)

Five years after Joker, one of the best superhero movies – a topic worth debating on another day – was released, a sequel will finally make its way into theaters.

Considering Joker: Folie à Deux was only going to get made if director Todd Phillips and lead star Joaquin Phoenix could find a story worth telling, it seems the pair – alongside Lady Gaga, who’ll play Harley Quinn in the movie – have done just that. Plot details are still thin on the ground but, with its first teaser out in the wild – read our Joker: Folie à Deux trailer breakdown for more details – we have a better idea about its narrative. Well, we think we do, anyway…

Smile 2

Release date: October 18 (worldwide)

Two years after Smile (one of the best Paramount Plus movies) made horror fans sit up and take notice, and less just 18 months after Smile 2 was first announced, the bloody and somewhat terrifying sequel will make you think twice about, well, smiling any time soon when it launches in mid-October.

Like Joker 2, we don’t really know anything about its story. However, Kyle Gallner, who played Joel in the original, is back as the sequel’s protagonist, and he’ll be joined on the cast roster by Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, and Rosemarie DeWitt. Writer-director Parker Finn has previously revealed that aspects of the first film were intentionally vague, too, so he could pick up unresolved story threads in the since-confirmed follow-up.

Terrifier 3

Release date: October 25 (worldwide)

A Christmas-set slasher that’ll make its way into theaters in time for Halloween, Terrifier 3 will be the latest inexpensive horror movie in Dan Leone’s slowly expanding cinematic franchise.

Art the Clown, the horrifying antagonist from the last two films, will return to slice ‘n’ dice a new group of individuals at the so-called most wonderful time of the year. David Howard Thornton will reprise his role as the blood-thirsty circus-themed murderer, and he’ll be joined by Lauren LaVera, Samantha Saffidi, Elliot Fulham, and Chris Jericho as part of the cast. Terrifier 2 was received far better than its predecessor, so let’s hope the threequel continues this series’ upward trajectory.

New movies: more exciting movies to look out for in 2024

Wicked Part One

Release date: November 27 (US); November 28 (UK and Australia)

Wicked, the world-famous musical that’s based on the legendary tale, characters, and world of The Wizard of Oz, is getting a magical silver screen glow-up. In fact, the John M. Chu-directed project will get two installments – Wicked Part One is out in time for Thanksgiving (in the US) this year, with its follow-up releasing one year later.

For the uninitiated: Wicked tells the untold story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande), who aids The Wizard of Oz‘s Dorothy on her quest through The Land of Oz years later. Part One will explore the duo’s unlikely friendship as students of Shiz University and the eventual breakdown in that relationship. Jeff Goldblum will play the Wizard of Oz, while Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, Jonathan Bailey, and Marissa Bode are among its other notable supporting cast members. 

Wicked Part One‘s first whirlwind trailer arrived in February, with its official trailer (see above) launching in May. Our advice? Don’t watch the latter if you don’t want most of its plot ruined for you pre-release…

Kraven the Hunter

Release date: December 12 (Australia); December 13 (US and UK)

Sony dives back into Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery with their second 2024-based effort to expand the SSU (Sony’s Spider-Man Universe), which is simultaneously separate from, and tenuously connected to, the MCU. Having been delayed four times, it’s now due out in mid-December.

In the ’60s, Kraven the Hunter was an original member of Marvel’s Sinister Six and discussed as a potential big-screen foe for Peter Parker. Now, he’s following in the footsteps of fellow anti-heroes Venom and Morbius by headlining his own movie. And, just like his villainous contemporaries, Kraven‘s first solo live-action adventure doesn’t look all that appealing.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Kick-Ass) plays the titular hunter and Ariana DeBose (Wish, Argylle) will play long-term Kraven associate Calypso. The Many Saints of Newark’s Alessandro Nivola takes on lead villain duties as Rhino, while Russell Crowe is also on hand to play Kraven’s emotionally cold father.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Release date: December 20 (worldwide)

A prequel to 2019’s The Lion King “live-action” remake, Mufasa will see Rafiki recount the story of Simba’s father (the titular character, for the uninitiated) to Simba’s daughter Kiara, with a little embellishment-based humor from Timon and Pumba.

Aaron Pierre takes over from James Earl Jones on voice acting duties as a younger version of Mufasa, with the big game feline’s own film revealing how he came to be King of Pride Rock. It’ll also explore his initially strong bond with his brother Scar before the pair’s relationship becomes irreparable for reasons yet to be revealed.

Mufasa‘s first trailer brought thrills and chills upon release in late April, although plenty of people suggest it looks like nothing more than a high tech demo for lifelike visuals. We’ll see if it has substance to go with its style before 2024 ends.

There are many other new movies launching in November and December, too. Take a look at the list below (NB: we’ll be adding entries for these films in the weeks ahead) to see what else you can look forward to seeing in cinemas:

• Venom: The Last Dance (November 8)
• Red One (November 15)
• Gladiator 2 (November 22)
• The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim (December 13)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (December 20)
• Nosferatu (December 25)
• Megalopolis (TBC)

Looking for more new movies to stream from the comfort of your couch? Read our new Netflix movies, new Max movies, new Prime Video movies, and new Disney Plus movies lists.