Another year, another list highlighting the most exciting and potentially great movies to come. Bear in mind, half of these don’t have release dates so I’m just guessing that they’ll be releasing in 2024.

25. The Watchers

When Mina, a 28-year-old artist, finds shelter after getting stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers that are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

This is actually the debut movie from M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan. That alone has my curiosity. The premise has potential, and it features a solid cast which includes Dakota Fanning and Georgina Campbell.

24. Mother Mary

An epic pop melodrama following a fictional musician and her relationship with an iconic fashion designer.

This movie has a good cast, with Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer and Sian Clifford. However, the biggest thing that caught my attention was that David Lowery is directing. I really liked Lowery’s work with The Old Man and the Gun, Pete’s Dragon, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, and especially The Green Knight and A Ghost Story, so his involvement alone has me interested in the movie.

23. Paddington in Peru

Paddington travels to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.

The 2 Paddington movies are really good, so while a third movie isn’t necessary, it’s nonetheless welcome. This’ll have some of the expected actors returning like Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, while also having additions to the cast like Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas. With this third movie, it has an interesting shift in setting, with it being in Peru instead of London, so there’s no chance of repeating the last two movies. The biggest pause for me is the fact that the director of the previous two movies, Paul King, isn’t returning. Instead, Dougal Wilson who is making his directorial debut here. Still, I’m interested in watching another Paddington adventure.

22. Ballerina

A young female assassin seeks revenge against the people who killed her family.

This John Wick spinoff would take place between Chapters 3 and 4, and would focus on a character who briefly appeared in the former. Led by Ana de Armas and with supporting actors Gabriel Byrne and Norman Reedus, it would also have returning actors of the franchise, with Keanu Reeves as John Wick, Ian McShane as Winston Scott, Anjelica Huston as “The Director”, and Lance Reddick as Charon in his final performance. The one thing that might give people pause is that obviously, director Len Wiseman is no Chad Stahelski or David Leitch. But he’ll be working with the same crew who worked on the main John Wick movies, and I’ve liked his other directing work, especially the first two Underworld movies. At the very least, it should be entertaining.

21. Cuckoo

Chased by a mysterious woman, 17-year-old Gretchen, who just moved with her family to an alpine resort after her mother’s death, must uncover a conspiracy to save herself and her sister.

I’ve not watched any of director’s Tilman Singer’s work but I am interested in the cast, which consists of Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, and Marton Csokas.

20. The Beekeeper

One man’s campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as Beekeepers.

David Ayer has had a pretty unfortunate track record ever since Suicide Squad, but I do have some faith in his upcoming movie, which will no doubt start the year off with a bang. It is a Jason Statham action thriller, and from the trailer it looks to deliver exactly what you want from it. Ayer delivers good action, and it does look like it’s going to make for an entertaining time at least. 

19. Drive-Away Dolls

Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Drive-Away Dolls comes from one half of the Coen Brothers, so predictably I was going to be interested in whatever it is. This crime road-trip comedy looks entertaining and funny from the trailer, and also has a really great cast with Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Visawanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon and Bill Camp.

18. The Bikeriders

Kathy, a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny, recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny. As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other. 

While it was delayed to this year, The Bikeriders had positive reception from its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival during 2023.  Jeff Nichols has directed a number of well received movies, I’ve only seen Midnight Special from him, which I thought was really good. The cast is full of great actors too, with Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook and Norman Reedus. 

17. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, apes are now the dominant species and live harmoniously while humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

7 years after War for the Planet of the Apes, we finally get a follow up movie. He’s not Matt Reeves, but director Wes Ball nonetheless has done some good work with the Maze Runner movies, and he’ll no doubt deliver here. From the trailer it already looks solid, with some good effects, and set closer to the time period of the original planet of the apes, with the apes fully in charge.

16. Oh, Canada

Famed Canadian-American leftist documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife was one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam. Now in his late seventies, Fife is dying of cancer in Montreal and has agreed to a final interview in which he is determined to bare all his secrets at last, to demythologize his mythologized life.

I’ve been especially liking Paul Schrader’s recent movies with the likes of The Card Counter and First Reformed, add a good cast with Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, and Uma Thurman and I’m already on board.

15. Blitz

Follow the stories of a group of Londoners during the events of the British capital bombing in World War II.

Steve McQueen has directed some amazing movies, with Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave, Widows, and his Small Axe films. I’m not certain when this movie will be released but it is a project of interest, especially with a cast including Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson, Erin Kellyman, and Stephen Graham.

14. Challengers

Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, has transformed her husband from a mediocre player into a world-famous grand slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a challenger event — close to the lowest level of tournament on the pro tour. Tensions soon run high when he finds himself standing across the net from the once-promising, now burnt-out Patrick, his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.

Luca Guadagnino’s next movie, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist looks to be a really good, dark and complex comedy drama, focussing on a love triangle between the three. I especially liked some of Guadagnino’s work, with his Suspiria, Bones and All and A Bigger Splash, and I’m sure that Challengers will deliver too.

13. Love Lies Bleeding

Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

I was really interested in this ever since I learned that it was the next movie from Rose Glass, who made the excellent Saint Maud from 2020. It looks really great from the trailer, and with a great cast including Kristen Stewart, Jena Malone and Ed Harris, I’m really excited for it.

12. MaXXXine

Follows Maxine, who was the only survivor of the bloody incidents of X, as she continues her journey towards fame to be an actress in 1980s Los Angeles.

This is the third film of the X trilogy (X, Pearl), and is a sequel to X. Ti West returns to direct and Mia Goth reprises her surviving X character Maxine, alongside a stacked cast including Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon, Lily Collins, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Monaghan, and Sophie Thatcher. Details on the plot aren’t entirely clear yet, but it’ll no doubt be stylistally and narratively different from the previous movies, while having a clear thematic link (if X and Pearl are anything to go by).

11. Saw XI

The Saw franchise really struggled to find a new direction after Saw 3D: The Final Chapter, with an attempted reboot with Jigsaw, and an attempted spin off with Spiral: From the Book of Saw. So when they brought back Tobin Bell as the iconic horror villain Jigsaw in prequel Saw X and it was highly successful on a financial and critical level, it’s no surprise that the next film would be a continuation of that. Plot details aren’t presented yet, but whether it’s a direct follow on from the last film’s events, or a story further down the timeline, I’m on board. Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith will make welcome returns as their characters, they are amongst the best parts of the whole franchise and I’m glad that they are being utilized here. The only thing I’m wondering is who else will be working on the movie, since it seems that it’ll have different writers and directors compared to Saw X, but I’m interested nonetheless.

10. Joker: Folie à Deux

At this point, people are very divided about the first Joker released back in 2019. Even as someone who likes the first movie though, I didn’t really think that it needed a sequel. That being said, when it was announced that it was going to be a musical, that raised my interest and curiosity greatly. The plot hasn’t been announced as of yet, but what we do know is that it’ll have Joaquin Phoenix returning as Arthur Fleck/Joker, and would also have Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz (the latter of whom is returning) in supporting roles. Most notable of all is that Lady Gaga will be playing Harley Quinn in one of the lead roles. Considering the current uninspiring state of comic book movies, it’ll be nice to actually see a comic book movie actually trying different things.

9. Megalopolis

An architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster.

It’s been a very long time since Francis Ford Coppola has directed a movie, and this looks like a very interesting project. It has a massive cast which includes Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman and Giancarlo Esposito. I’m not sure what to expect but it seems to be very ambitious and clearly a passion project for Coppola. It could be one of the greatest films of the 21st century or one of its greatest disappointments. Either way, I want to see how it turns out.

8. Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver and Rebel Moon: Director’s Cut

A colony on the edge of the galaxy fights for survival against a tyrannical ruling force.

While the reception of Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire was somewhat negative, I found myself being really into it. I just found myself on board with the vibe and the universe that Zack Snyder had created, and wanted to see more of that.  I get the feeling that part two’s theatrical cut will fare a little better than the first part’s theatrical cut, with it being the payoff of the main battle, instead of the setup. 

I am also going to cheat a little bit, as it seems that the upcoming directors cut for Part 1 (and hopefully part 2) will be coming in 2024 as well. I maintain that I really liked what I saw in the Netflix cut of Part 1. However, that cut of the movie hinted at a far more interesting and unique movie, but didn’t fully get due to constraints. Without the length and age rating restrictions, we’ll get to see what Zack Snyder was fully going for with these movies.

7. Gladiator 2

Follows Lucius, the son of Maximus’ love Lucilla, after Maximus’ death.

In the 2000s there was a Gladiator sequel in the works but it didn’t end up happening. However, now, a Gladiator sequel is happening after all, and with director Ridley Scott returning to helm it. There’s a great cast involved, with Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Conniel Nielsen, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and May Calamawy. With him returning 24 years later for the sequel, I’m curious to see what Ridley Scott has in mind for this sequel. Plus, the Scott of the 2020s is very different to the Scott of the 2000s, so it’ll be interested to see how he approaches this sort of story differently.

6. Trap

I am a fan of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies, and I’ve been especially liking his recent movies, so it’s no surprise that I’m interested in whatever he is making next. Like with many of his projects, at this point, much isn’t known about his next movie. What I can gather at the moment is that its a psychological thriller set at a concert, and that Josh Hartnett is in it. Still, Shyamalan’s involvement alone has my interest.

5. Mickey 17

A disposable employee is sent on a human expedition to colonize the ice world Niflheim. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact.

Bong Joon-ho has made some amazing movies, and made history with his Oscar winning Parasite. Since then it’s been a little while since he’s made another movie, and Mickey 17 will be that next movie. It’s a sci-fi movie, with an interesting concept, led by Robert Pattinson and co-starring Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Steven Yeun and Holliday Grainger. Beyond the premise and the brief teaser there’s not much known about it; but judging from Bong’s other movies, it’ll be sure to be great.

4. Alien: Romulus

Young people from a distant world must face the most terrifying life form in the universe.

It’s been a little while since we’ve had an Alien movie. While I liked Alien Covenant, it seemed that it didn’t do well enough to get the sequels that Ridley Scott planned to make.Now we are getting another Alien movie, this time it seems to be more of an original story instead of trying to be a direct sequel or prequel to any of the previous movies, and I like that approach. Fede Álvarez is directing, and while I wasn’t the biggest fan of his last movie The Girl in the Spider’s Web, I loved his work on Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe. So I have confidence in his direction here. Additionally it has a good cast with the likes of Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux, who will no doubt deliver good work. The premise is somewhat familiar but it does deliberately focus on teenagers and young adults, which is a first. Plus, if we are just getting another slasher movie with the Xenomorph, at least it’s being helmed by a horror director of Alvarez’s caliber.

3. Dune: Part Two

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

I was already impressed with what Denis Villeneuve did with Dune Part 1, and now we’ll get to see the culmination of that first film. The first part was the setup to the story, and the second half will be more what people will expect, with larger scale battle sequences and set pieces. The scale and visuals from the first movie were outstanding and I’m looking forward to seeing that continue here. Along with the returning cast with Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Fergsuon, Zendaya and more, there are also some great new additions with Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Austin Butler and Lea Seydoux. I have no doubt that Villeneuve and co. will deliver once again.

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.

A follow up to the successful and acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road has been in the works for a while. Some would say that an Imperator Furiosa prequel was unnecessary but with what director George Miller did with Fury Road, I knew it would be excellent no matter what. Anya Taylor-Joy is amazing and will no doubt deliver as the younger Furiosa. It’ll also have Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke in supporting roles, with the former looking like he’ll really shine as the main villain. And of course, Miller returning to the world of Mad Max with his amazing direction is exciting, and seems to be bringing plenty more exhilarating and intense action. While some of the CGI looks a little dodgy, the trailers really look like a blast, and if the movie gets anywhere close to reaching the heights of Fury Road, I’ll be more than satisfied.

1. Nosferatu

An ancient Transylvanian vampire stalks a haunted young woman in 19th-century Germany.

I am a big fan of Robert Eggers, I loved The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman, he’s easily going up there as one of my favourite filmmakers. I’m well aware that a remake/re-imagining of Nosferatu has been a project of interest for him for some time, and there were instances where it seemed that it wasn’t going to happen. But after much delay, he finally gets to make it. There’s the original silent horror movie in the 1920s, there’s the Werner Herzog remake in the 1970s, and now Eggers gets to have his own take on it. Knowing his attention to detail with regard to the period, and his work with horror, he’s kind of a perfect fit for this sort of film. There’s also a great cast assembled here, including Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. All the images and early news about it has me excited for what’s to come. We’ve seen Eggers’s takes on witches, mermaids and vikings, I’m ready to see his take on the vampire.

What are your most anticipated movies of 2024?