2024 summer movies preview: superheroes, sequels, and more sequels are coming

TFD – “Ronald Reagan, the iconic actor-turned-president, is set to be brought to life by Dennis Quaid in a new 2024 biopic. Alongside him, Penelope Ann Miller will portray Nancy Reagan. Get ready for in-depth discussions about this significant portrayal.”

Even though it seems like it was only last summer, “Barbenheimer” ended a year ago, and Hollywood is hoping for another season of eager viewers and maybe a strange but viral film combination. “#Garfiosa,” who knows?

The summer film schedule for this year has many similarities, such as the abundance of sequels available, but some differences as well, such as the lingering effects of the twin strikes that halted film production for months last year.

But, a number of characters are certain to divert our attention with their flashy activities. Some are masked and mouthy (Deadpool, for example), while others want to relive the events of “Inside Out” for us.

Here is a list of the most anticipated films that will be released in theaters in 2024 during Memorial and Labor Day weekends. Any prequel, sequel, or reboot is indicated with an asterisk for convenience of reference:

*”Furiosa” (May 24)

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” George Miller’s fifth venture into the gritty post-apocalyptic universe of Mad Max, delves into the beginnings of the eponymous character, first portrayed by Charlize Theron in the 2015 Oscar-winning epic “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Anya Taylor-Joy gives a strong performance as Furiosa in this instance, while Chris Hemsworth provides the villainous antics (including a prosthetic nose).

“The Garfield Movie” (May 24)

After the successful release of “Mario Bros. Movie” the previous year, Chris Pratt now has another voice credit in an animated film, “Garfield,” which is based on the infamously sluggish ginger cat from vintage comic strips. In addition to Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Waddingham from “Ted Lasso,” Brett Goldstein, and Cecily Strong and Bowen Yang from “Saturday Night Live,” Pratt plays the title cat in this entertaining family film.

“Ezra” (May 31)

In this movie about a comedian who is the father of an autistic child and the unexpected road trip they take, Robert De Niro stars alongside Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne. Vera Farmiga, Tony Goldwyn (who also serves as director), and Whoopi Goldberg costar. Presenting William A. Fitzgerald as Ezra, the title character.

“Robot Dreams” (May 31)

“Robot Dreams,” which was nominated for best animated film at the Academy Awards earlier this year, tells the endearing story of canine, a canine, and Robot, a robot companion. This one receives bonus marks for being a type of period tale that takes place in 1980s New York City.

“Summer Camp” (May 31)

Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard, and Eugene Levy star in this “Book Club”-style film about three summer camp buddies getting back together for one more time. Eugene Levy, for some reason, appears to be playing the role of the handsome guy they swooned over in elementary school. With this in addition to “Poms,” the sequel to “Book Club,” which came out last year, Keaton appears to be creating her own genre.

June 7th’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die”*

This buddy comedy/action mix starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is returning for a fourth installment, but this time, the surprise is that, based on the IMDb logline, they’re on the run. Costarring Vanessa Hudgens, the film is a sequel to 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life,” whose promise seems to have fallen flat.

June 7th’s “The Watchers”

The topic of nepotism doesn’t just affect performers; this June release sees M. Night’s daughter Ishana Shyamalan make her feature directorial debut (gaining popularity with his Apple TV+ series “Servant”). The picture, which features the gifted Dakota Fanning (“Ripley”) as an artist who finds herself in an unusual Irish forest, has a suitably eerie appearance. That quickly becomes the least of her concerns.

“June 7th, Run Lola Run”

Yes, you read correctly: to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film’s first US premiere, this 1999 international classic is getting a 4K restoration and is being rereleased. “Lola,” starring Franka Potente and helmed by the visionary Tom Tykwer, tells the story of a young Berlin lady who has 20 minutes to find her boyfriend across town and find 100,000 Deutche Marks before he dies. As time ticks by and Lola makes split-second decisions, her life and that of those around her become remarkably altered.

“Inside Out 2” (June 14, 2015)

After Pixar’s Oscar-winning examination of a young Riley’s mind and emotions over ten years ago (!! ), Amy Poehler and company return as Riley enters her adolescent years. There will be a number of new emotions present, such as shame, boredom, envy, and anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke from “Stranger Things”), as well as embarrassment and “The Bear” actor Ayo Edebiri. How I long to be a teenager again.

June 14 “Treasure”

Actor Stephen Fry from “Wilde” and actress Lena Dunham, creator and star of “Girls,” portray a father and daughter who visit Poland in the early 1990s to learn more about the latter’s ancestry. The two still confront the past and become closer as a result, but the ghost of his anguish from surviving the Holocaust drives him to attempt to ruin their journey.

“Kinds of Kindness” (June 21)

Following the highly lauded and unexpectedly strange “Poor Things” from the previous year, Emma Stone, a two-time Oscar winner, and Yorgos Lanthimos will collaborate again on “Kinds of Kindness.” Billed as a somber “triptych fable,” the new movie also stars Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons from “Civil War,” Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau from “The Whale,” Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and emerging sensation Hunter Schafer from “Euphoria.”

“The Bikeriders” (June 21)

Austin Butler, star of “Elvis,” has a new project called “The Bikeriders,” which is a combination of “The Outsiders” and “Midnight Cowboy.” Butler plays the leader of a tough biker gang in 1960s Chicago. Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer, star of “Killing Eve,” costarring.

“Thelma” (June 21)

June Squibb, 94, plays the title senior in “Thelma,” her first main role. She is targeted in a phone scam and resolves to take matters into her own hands in order to reclaim what is rightfully hers. The Oscar-nominated actress from “Nebraska” is joined in the new film by Fred Hechinger, who plays her grandson in “The White Lotus.”

“A Quiet Place: Day One”* (June 28)

It appears like there will be a lot of noise from this prequel. Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o is the star of “Day One,” the newest installment in John Krasinski’s incredibly sound-sensitive alien invasion series, which centers on the moment the ferocious animals arrive and start wreaking havoc. Joseph Quinn, the breakout star of “Stranger Things 4,” and Djimon Hounsou, the series returnee, costar.

“Horizon: An American Saga” – Chapter 1 (June 28)

Kevin Costner wandered the wild American frontier even before “Yellowstone” in “Dances With Wolves.” It’s evident that he’s not done with the Western genre, as this June’s “Horizon” is merely the first in a series of films focused on settlement and expansion both before and after the Civil War. A third chapter, titled “Chapter 2,” is presently in production and will be released on August 16.

‘Detestable Me 4’ (July 3)

The Minions are back for another wild adventure, with Steve Carell’s Gru and crew welcome Gru Jr. into the world and battling a brand-new antagonist played by Well Ferrell. This one is sure to be well-known, especially to stressed-out parents hoping to take a vacation over the long weekend of July 4.

* “MaXXXine” (July 5)

This 1980s Hollywood-set horror picture, directed by Ti West, features Mia Goth as an adult film star who is stalked by a slasher and has some murderous secrets. It brings the horror trilogy to a brutal conclusion. “MaXXXine” follows West’s brilliant 2022 film “X” and the marginally less compelling “Pearl” that same year. The third entry boasts a phenomenal supporting cast including “The Crown’s” Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon and singer Halsey.

July 12th, “Fly Me to the Moon”

In this historical drama, Scarlett Johansson plays a public relations guru entrusted with organizing a simulated moon landing in the event that the real one fails, while Channing Tatum plays the launch director whose responsibility it is to ensure that it does. Costarring is Woody Harrelson.

“Longlegs” (12 July)

The legendary Nicolas Cage plays a profoundly demented serial killer in this terrifying-looking thriller, leaving esoteric clues for an FBI agent played by Maika Monroe, the superb actress who played the last girl in “It Follows.” Think “Se7en.” In the most terrifying way possible, the trailer reminds me of “Silence of the Lambs.”

“Twisters” (July 19, 2014)

It’s evident from watching weather-related news these days that powerful tornadoes are no longer a strange phenomenon deserving of a high-budget Hollywood production. However, in this nearly thirty-year sequel, “Anyone But You” star Glen Powell replaces the late Bill Paxton as storm chaser. Watch out for cows, garbage, and perhaps even Helen Hunt’s appearance.

“Wolverine & Deadpool” (July 26)

Almost certainly the biggest movie of the summer, the eagerly awaited sequel (are you noticing a pattern yet?) stars Hugh Jackman in his third appearance as Wolverine, following the (temporary) removal of his claws in 2017’s “Logan,” alongside Ryan Reynolds as the renowned Merc with a Mouth. As Marvel’s first R-rated superhero film, “Deadpool & Wolverine” bridges the gap between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the heroes of the 20th century Fox, particularly the X-Men, who are now owned by Marvel’s parent company, Disney. Expect extensive, fourth wall-breaking commentary from Deadpool himself on all of this in the movie.

“Dïdi” (July 26)

Though coming-of-age tales are a well-explored genre, this lively look at a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy in 2008 as he enjoys the final month of summer before starting high school seems like the perfect counter-programming to all the louder and more mainstream films this season. Maybe combine it with the previously proposed superheroes to create a double feature and start the #DidiPool movement? This is where you heard it first.

August 2nd, “Harold and the Purple Crayon”

Starring Zachary Levi (“Shazam!”), “Harold” is based on the well-known children’s book by Crockett Johnson and centers on the titular purple crayon owner, who can create anything he can dream up. He pulls himself out of the book and into reality in a somewhat meta moment, where his abilities attract the interest of both good and bad players.

“Cuckoo” (August 2)

This horror thriller, which stars Hunter Schafer from “Euphoria” in her first leading role, looks incredibly spooky and a little, well, out of this world. Schafer portrays a young lady traveling with her family to an enigmatic German Alpine retreat. Before long, she starts having horrifyingly bloody images and thinks a strange woman is pursuing her. The mention of birds’ natural habits in the trailer ups the ick factor considerably. Dan Stevens in a costarring role.

“August 2,” “Sing Sing”

Colman Domingo (who also has “Euphoria” in his CV) stars in another real tale picture, this one set at the notorious jail in New York State, following his Oscar-nominated performance in last year’s “Rustin.” Domingo plays a falsely imprisoned prisoner in the movie who discovers purpose in performing with other men who are also detained in a theater troupe. starring a group of performers who have served time in prison.

“Kneecap” (August 2)

With the actual three playing themselves in the film, this biography about an Irish rap trio that performs in their native tongue created waves at Sundance earlier this year. Try this if it doesn’t arouse your interest: Michael Fassbender plays a supporting part in the movie.

“Trap” (September 9).

M. Night Shyamalan hasn’t slowed down, even though his daughter has been working hard on her own movie (see “The Watchers” above). Josh Hartnett plays a brilliant protagonist who is a father who is taking his child to see a very popular star who is like Taylor Swift and has a devoted fan base. Oh, and the title comes from the fact that Hartnett’s character is a serial killer who the police have blockaded the concert venue in an attempt to capture. The main query is: given what we were able to learn from the trailer, what might be the big Shyamalan surprise at the conclusion?

“It End With Us” (August 9)

This film, which is based on the best-selling Colleen Hoover novel, portrays Blake Lively as a damaged woman divided between her first love and a new connection that resembles previous relationships. Hasan Minhaj, Jenny Slate, and Justin Baldoni costarring.

“Borderlands” (August 9).

If you missed the Guardians of the Galaxy, who made their farewell appearance last summer, “Borderlands” might catch your attention. It follows a similarly reckless group of misfits from other planets as they embark on a heroic mission. Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis and Cate Blanchett lead them here, joined by Kevin Hart and Ariana Greenblatt from “Barbie.” inspired by the #1 video game.

“Alien: Romulus” (August 16)

As you were beginning to feel comfortable screaming in space once more, the “Alien” franchise reappears, hopefully with a superior installment than (at least) the previous two. Fede Alvarez, the director of “Don’t Breathe,” leads Cailee Spaeny, the star of “Priscilla” and “Civil War,” who appears to be playing Sigourney Weaver in the film. She goes with a crew of space colonizers as they examine a space station that is abandoned. They’re sure to run into problems, and then some.

“Close to You” (August 16)

“The Umbrella Academy” Sam, a transgender guy returning home for the first time since transitioning, is portrayed by Elliot Page. Once there, he picks up an old flame and deals with long-simmering problems. Wendy Crewson and Hillary Baack in supporting roles.

“Blink Twice” (August 23)

“Blink Twice” appears to be the ideal late-summer film, complete with a glamorous cast, intricate action scenes, and thoughtless mayhem. After “Fly Me to the Moon,” Channing Tatum is back this summer with “This Is My Second.” In it, he plays an eccentric tech millionaire who takes a cocktail waitress named Naomi Ackie and her companion Alia Shawkat to his private island for what ends up being an outrageous interlude. The remaining cast members are Geena Davis, Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater, and Kyle MacLachlan. In charge is Zoë Kravitz.

August 23: “The Crow”*

The James O’Barr comic was the inspiration for the ultra-gory-looking 1994 noir thriller starring the late Brandon Lee. In the latest movie, Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise from “It”) plays a viciously murdered man who rises from the grave to get revenge on those who killed him and his cherished soulmate Shelly (FKA Twigs).

“Slingshot” (23 August)

In this science fiction thriller starring Laurence Fishburne and Casey Affleck, an astronaut traveling to Saturn’s Titan moon begins to lose his sense of reality as his mission is jeopardized.

“Reagan” (September 30)

Ronald Reagan, an actor from the 1950s who went on to become the 40th President of the United States, is portrayed by Dennis Quaid. Be ready for lengthy discussions about this portrayal of the figure. with Nancy Reagan played by Penelope Ann Miller.