The year 2023 brought us many great examples of cinematography and produced some of the most anticipated movies of the decade. Barbenheimer, a rivalry between the popular summer releases Barbie and Oppenheimer, both coincidentally came out on the same day. These two blockbuster films competed for box office success, awards, and media before and after the two released. This created a great rivalry between the two completely different films. With the arrival of a new year and the conclusion of awards season, many are wondering what this year’s best films are going to be. These are the four films fans are going to love most from the new releases of 2024.
Dune: Part Two has been anticipated by the book’s fans since the first part was released in 2021. The film continues the story of Paul Atreides, Duke of Arrakis, who seeks revenge against the people who destroyed his family.
Just from the cast of this film, I believe the performances from Hollywood’s best, such as Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler, will be impressive. This predicted success is due to the previous films these actors and actresses have been a part of. The movie will also feature Florence Pugh, known for her role in Don’t Worry Darling and Little Women and Anya Taylor-Joy who has starred in Emma and The Menu.
Austin Butler, who is playing the role as a villain will be a fan favorite based on the few scenes fans were able to see in the trailers and from watching Austin Butler in previous films and shows such as Elvis and Masters of the Air. Furthermore, I believe the plot of the film will be a lot more intriguing due to more characters being added and the stakes being incredibly higher, which makes the plot a lot more captivating to audiences than the first part. The first part of Dune was also only half of the plot of Frank Herbert’s original novel.
Despicable Me 4, one of the few animated films coming out this year, will hit theaters in July of this year. I expect Despicable Me 4 will have the same response as Minions: The Rise of Gru. When the movie released fans started a trend on social media where they would go to theaters dressed in suits and minion costumes. The film will have positive feedback from fans because of the past success of the Despicable Me films.
Steve Carell, who gave excellent performances in past Despicable Me films as the main character Gru, will once again return to play the beloved character. Will Ferrell, one of the few new cast members, will be playing Maxime Le Mal, the antagonist of the film. I think the Ferrell and Carrell collaboration in this film is the perfect casting for a humorous family movie like Despicable Me. Moreover, Despicable Me 4 will speak to a larger audience than any other film this year due to all the age groups that can enjoy this film unlike some other movies.
Challengers, a new film coming out in April this year, will be one of the most talked-about films of 2024. It is headlined by an all-star cast featuring Zendaya and Josh O’Conner, and Mike Faist. Some might have previously seen O’Conner play Prince Charles in The Crown, while seeing Faist in West Side Story.
The plot follows Zendaya’s character, Tashi, a pro tennis player who helps her husband, Mike Faist, become a tennis champion. The story also follows a love triangle between her, her husband and her ex-boyfriend, Josh O’Conner, who is also a tennis player. The messy plot, directed by Luca Guadagnino is surely going to have outstanding acting from all the actors and actresses, noting Guadagninos former works such as Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All which both had several awards and award nominations for both their overall performances.
In addition, this film will be the sports movie of the year and I can also see it winning several awards such as Golden Globes and possibly BAFTAS. Overall, from the captivating trailer of the film to the great casting by Luca Guadagninos, this film will be one of the films to be remembered in 2024.
Joker, a lot of people’s favorite villain, will have a second movie come out this year. Joker: Folie a Deux, coming to theaters in October of this year. The second movie follows the plot of Joker, a failed comedian who falls in love with Harley Quinn while incarcerated at Arkham state hospital.
There are a few new surprising actors who will be starring in the movie such as Lady Gaga who is playing the infamous Harley Quinn, and has been in The House of Gucci, Top Gun Maverick and Bullet train. Fan favorite, Joaquin Phoenix will be coming back to play Joker, which he nailed in the first movie.
Todd Philips, the director of the movie has also directed several other popular movies such as Maestro, The Hangover and Project X. He seems very qualified to direct this film from the wide range of genres he has directed in the past, making him perfect to bring Joker and Harley Quinns story to life.
A lot of people are anticipating the new films of this year and what films will be remembered when we look back on 2024. This year is bringing us a great variety of films to love and enjoy, some original films such as Challengers and new additions to the films we love such as Dune: Part Two, Despicable Me 4, and Joker: Folie a Deux. Furthermore, these are the films I anticipate having the best reactions from fans.
