DC's Most Anticipated Films of 2024

From the return of apes riding on horses to Timothée Chalamet riding the sandworm, here's what 2024 has in store for us.

Prepare for 2024 to be another year of great entertainment for moviegoers. There are so many things everyone is enthusiastic about, whether it's big-budget blockbusters, long-awaited adaptations, or smaller indies. With this list, I'll discuss the ten films I'm most excited to see this year as they hit theaters.

Unlike last year, this year may be the most difficult to anticipate where things will go because you never know what to expect from genuine surprises or disappointments we believed would be excellent. Do we know when everything is going to be released? Not yet, because there are bound to be a few that alter following the strikes, but it's always exciting to discover the breakthroughs from first-time filmmakers or movies this fall that could be Oscar contenders. Some of these are the biggest hits I hope hit it out of the park instead of not caring for sequels nobody asked for ("Mufasa: The Lion King") or anything from Sony's Spider-Man Universe ("Madame Web," "Kraven the Hunter," "Venom 3").

With that said, here are the ten movies I can’t wait to see in 2024:

Honorable Mentions: “Challengers” (4/26), “The Fall Guy” (5/3), “Ballerina” (6/7), “A Quiet Place: Day One” (6/28), “Twisters” (7/19), “Trap” (8/2), “Wolf Man” (10/25), “Gladiator 2” (11/22), “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” (12/13), “Upcoming Karate Kid Sequel” (12/13), “Kinds of Kindness” (TBD)

10) “Joker: Folie à Deux” (Release Date: October 4)

It was unimaginable that 2019's "Joker" would go on to become the first R-rated film to gross over a billion dollars globally and earn Joaquin Phoenix the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as the DC Comics villain. Because of that massive success, Phoenix and director Todd Phillips are back for "Joker: Folie à Deux," despite a sequel never being considered because the movie functioned well enough as a standalone. Though many have called the first a Scorsese ripoff, I'm among those pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Not only is the immensely incredible Lady Gaga the latest actress to portray Harley Quinn, but it's also a musical that draws my attention the most. Though it may differ from what everyone had in mind, let's hope the execution of this plan goes well.

9) “Wicked: Part One” (Release Date: November 27)

Speaking of musicals, the previous two that Universal released ("Cats" and "Dear Evan Hansen") were unsuccessful, to say the least. Yet, "Wicked: Part One" has the potential to be a big hit for them this upcoming Thanksgiving. This long-awaited film adaptation of the celebrated Broadway musical for the past 20 years has been in the works forever, with Jon M. Chu finally bringing the world of Oz into a new light. Cynthia Erivo will play the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, while Ariana Grande will play Galinda. Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, and Jeff Goldblum also round out the cast. And, with this split into two parts (the second set a year later), it's likely to end with "Defying Gravity."

8) “Beetlejuice 2” (Release Date: September 6)

Say his name three times, and it's showtime. One of Tim Burton's most popular movies of his filmography is getting the sequel treatment 36 years later with "Beetlejuice 2." The always-incredible Michael Keaton is reprising his iconic role as the supernatural ghost with the most in another film that’s been in talks for decades. This could easily accomplish or fail for a legacy sequel that most probably didn't ask for. Plot details aren’t revealed, but this long-awaited follow-up is undoubtedly aiming to be another fun and spooky time. Besides Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara return as Lydia and Delia Deetz, respectively. Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe also join the cast, with the former playing Ryder’s daughter.

7) “Nosferatu” (Release Date: December 25)

After Robert Eggers won me over with his third feature, "The Northman," that was enough to get me excited to see what he could do with the remake of the classic 1922 silent film "Nosferatu." He wanted to make this around when “The Witch” was released, but his passion project comes to life as we'll see Bill Skarsgård as the titular vampire obsessed with a young woman played by Lily-Rose Depp. Have I seen the original? Nope. However, Eggers has the makings to create a gothic incarnation tale aiming to be scary and won’t be too artsy for the general audience.

6) “Inside Out 2” (Release Date: June 14)

"Inside Out," released in 2015, is considered one of Pixar's best films of the previous ten years, and it's one of my favorite animated flicks that made the personification of fundamental emotions three-dimensional characters. The thought of a sequel made me hesitate since the first was so special. However, "Inside Out 2" could be a promising return for the studio from a box office perspective. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Fear (Tony Hale) are now dealing with Riley as a teenager and new emotions in her head, including Anxiety (Maya Hawke). Will it help children understand more with what they’re feeling? Will it make us cry?

5) “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (Release Date: May 24)

Whenever someone describes an action masterpiece, the definitive answer is "Mad Max: Fury Road," one of the greatest films of the last decade. Nearly a decade later, George Miller will explore the character of Furiosa in this action-packed prequel entitled "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the role of the younger version of who Charlize Theron played in the last film, and this will delve into her mind even more within the post-apocalyptic wasteland. It's hard to tell if this will rival what came before from an action standpoint, but though some of the CGI is a bit doggy from the trailer, all we know is it will be a glorious ride.

4) “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (Release Date: May 24)

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" takes place over 300 years after the apes emerged from civilization. A young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague) embarks on a journey along with a young, fertile woman (Freya Allan) to stop leader Prominus Caesar (Kevin Durand) from destroying what’s left of Caesar’s teachings. The rebooted "Planet of the Apes" trilogy is hands down a surprise nobody saw coming, with 2014's "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" standing out as the best. We don’t have Andy Serkis and director Wes Ball's involvement with the "Maze Runner" series, which doesn't boast much confidence, but this fourth installment will have fans excited once again from a story and visual standpoint.

3) “Deadpool 3” (Release Date: July 26)

"Deadpool 3" is the only MCU film on the schedule this year, which is fine by me. After two successful films (the first being one of the best comic book movies is recent memory), Ryan Reynolds returns as the violent, fourth-wall-breaking Merc with a Mouth for a third adventure, and what this sequel has fans overjoyed is Hugh Jackman returning as everyone’s favorite mutant Wolverine. Details and rumors about the plot worry me when I only want a buddy action-comedy that keeps that edgy R-rating intact and doesn't feel too bloated. As a fan of the characters and curious to see how Shawn Levy takes this adventure to a new level, "Deadpool 3" will be prominent regardless of how it turns out.

2) “Mickey 17” (Release Date: March 29)

Everyone is anticipating "Mickey 17" for one reason: Bong Joon-ho. This will be his first film after the 2019 thriller "Parasite" won four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. Starring Robert Pattinson, it follows an expedition to colonize an ice world called Niflheim, and it might involve some clones. Based on Edward Ashton's science fiction novel, it's the combination of Bong and sci-fi that's intriguing, where there's no chance this will be a disappointment based on who's involved.

1) “Dune: Part Two” (Release Date: March 1)

And to think we could've gotten “Dune: Part Two” months ago, which made the impatience strong, considering this was my most anticipated movie of last year. Despite the delay from November to early March, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve plans to continue Paul Atriedes's journey on Arrakis. Everything we've seen thus far points to a broader breadth of action and more sandworms in the mix. Not to mention the ensemble, with Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya & Rebecca Ferguson reprising their roles and new additions, including Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, and Christopher Walken. The first installment of the Frank Herbert adaptation was my favorite film a few years ago, and something tells me this will be another epic that can't be missed in theaters, especially in IMAX.