Exciting Films to Look Out for in 2024: Mean Girls, Wicked, Dune Part Two, and More!

The movie lineup for 2024 may not be as impressive as initially expected due to the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic and strikes in Hollywood. Many films, including Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible and Disney's Snow White, have been postponed to 2025. However, there are still a variety of highly-anticipated movies set to hit the big screen throughout the year. Here is a list of 24 films to watch out for in 2024. One of the films to look forward to is a biopic about Nicholas Winton, who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish children during World War Two. The movie follows his heroic actions in the late 1930s and later reflections on his untold story. Johnny Flynn and Sir Anthony Hopkins portray the younger and older versions of Winton. Another notable film is an adaptation of Alasdair Gray's book, starring Emma Stone. The surreal journey of emotional and sexual development is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and has already won awards at the Venice Film Festival. The Broadway production of Mean Girls has now been turned into a movie, featuring Tina Fey reprising her role from the original film. The comedy explores the challenges of fitting in at high school and dealing with cliques. Alexander Payne reunites with Paul Giamatti after almost 20 years in The Holdovers, which tells the story of a curmudgeonly teacher looking after students who cannot go home for the holidays. It is expected to be a strong contender for Best Picture at the Oscars, with Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph potential nominees for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal star in a touching story of love and loss set in an almost empty apartment block. The film portrays the characters' relationship and their individual journeys of grief. The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker's novel, returns to the big screen as a hit Broadway musical adaptation. Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, and Danielle Brooks star in this story of a young African-American woman's upbringing in rural Georgia. Jonathan Glazer's film, loosely based on Martin Amis' novel, explores the Holocaust through the lens of an everyday family life in an Auschwitz concentration camp. The movie poses difficult questions about ordinary people's involvement in evil acts. Jeffrey Wright plays a struggling writer in a film about racial stereotypes. In an ironic twist, he writes a book filled with clichéd black stereotypes and is shocked when it becomes a huge success. This debut film from writer-director Cord Jefferson won the top award at the Toronto International Film Festival. A biopic about legendary singer Bob Marley follows his rise to fame and his life before his untimely death. The film features prominent producers such as Ziggy, Cedella, and Rita Marley, as well as James Norton as Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records. The highly anticipated second part of Frank Herbert's epic novel Dune is set to be released with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya returning to the cast. Florence Pugh joins the film as Princess Irulan. A biopic about Amy Winehouse, one of the UK's biggest musical talents, is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. Marisa Abela portrays Winehouse, and the film aims to highlight her genius, creativity, and honesty. Ryan Gosling stars in a film inspired by the 1980s TV show The Fall Guy, playing a stuntman and bounty hunter. The plot revolves around a complex conspiracy and an almost career-ending accident. Director George Miller returns to the Mad Max franchise with a prequel centered on Charlize Theron's character Furiosa, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. The film explores the origins of the iconic character. The beloved Pixar film Inside Out gets a sequel, portraying Riley as a teenager dealing with new emotions, including anxiety, in addition to the existing core emotions. The Vandals follows the development of a motorcycle club from outsiders to something more sinister. The film has received positive reviews and stars Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy. Despicable Me 4 sees the return of Gru and his family, with the adopted children becoming more involved in Gru's anti-villain league. Plot details are still scarce regarding this highly anticipated sequel. Deadpool, the foul-mouthed anti-hero, joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a yet-to-be-named sequel. Ryan Reynolds returns as Deadpool, and Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine. The Alien film series continues with a standalone movie set between the original Alien and Aliens. Little is known about the plot, but xenomorphs are expected to make an appearance. Ridley Scott produces, and Fede Álvarez directs. Beetlejuice 2, the sequel to the iconic 1988 film, reunites much of the original cast, including Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara. It introduces new cast member Jenna Ortega and follows the same premise of scaring away house inhabitants. The Joker sequel features Joaquin Phoenix's return as the titular character. Confined to Arkham Asylum, he develops a relationship with his psychiatrist, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, played by Lady Gaga, leading to his escape and their intensified relationship. The third installment of the Paddington series explores the bear's journey to visit his Aunt Lucy in Peru, who now lives in a retirement home for bears. The film stars Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, and Jim Broadbent. Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock in the third Venom film, which introduces a symbiotic alien life form. Directed by Kelly Marcel, the movie continues the story of Brock's superpowers and alter ego. The second movie in the Gladiator series focuses on Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, who returns after a decade. Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal join the cast, with Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprising their roles from the first movie. The beloved stage musical Wicked, based on the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, gets a cinematic adaptation in two parts. Part one features Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh. Overall, despite some film delays and challenges faced by the film industry, 2024 still offers an exciting selection of movies to look forward to.