With the beginning of the new year comes a variety of new releases for our viewing pleasure, and 2024 is chock-full of exciting new movies for audiences. From sequels to completely original releases, 2024 is sure to be an interesting year for entertainment. The following is a list of highly-anticipated movies that you should be on the lookout for going into this year, so let’s dive right in!

Joker: Folie à Deux

With actor Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role in the Joker: Folie à Deux, this isn’t going to be a movie you want to miss. After a successful box office performance in 2019, and critically acclaimed performance from Phoenix, director Todd Philips returns with the sequel, which will follow the story between the Joker and Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. Although not much is known yet about the movie, judging from its title, with “Folie à Deux” translating to “shared madness,” we can infer it will be about Joker and Quinn’s intertwining insanity springing off of each other. This movie is also slated to be a musical, so be prepared to expect some songs throughout its runtime. It is set to be released on October 4, 2024, and has a budget of $150 million. If you were a fan of the first film, give this one a shot!

Deadpool 3

After a long six years, the beloved anti-hero icon Deadpool returns with his third movie. The movie’s plot remains shrouded in mystery as we await the trailer, but it is due for a summer release on July 24 this year. From what is already known, actor Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is joined by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and they must ally with one another to take on an unknown villain. Despite its largely unknown plot, this movie is unsurprisingly on the top of many movie-goers lists to go see this year. Given Reynolds’ constantly acclaimed portrayal as the title character, and Jackman’s performance as Wolverine in his own trilogy, fans of both movies are riled up for this summer release. Directed by Shawn Levy and with two incredible actors headlining it, this movie could very well be the most successful movie this year.

Mean Girls

Based on the 2004 movie of the same name, Mean Girls returns to the big screen as a movie musical as imagined by Tina Fey, who also wrote the original and Broadway adaptation. This new movie draws more inspiration from the Broadway show, but ultimately the story stays much the same across the board. Cady Heron, the new girl, manages to join the top clique of the school, dubbed the “Plastics,” led by Regina George. Chaos ensues as Heron finds herself in a relationship with Regina’s ex-boyfriend. Twenty years after the original, this modern re-imagining is sure to draw many to the theater, and they won’t be waiting long because as you are reading this, Mean Girls is in theaters! One of the first major releases of the year, Mean Girls is a great addition to your watchlist. 

Inside Out 2

What if emotions had feelings? This was essentially the premise of the original Inside Out, and its sequel aims to further explore this theme with the introduction of even more emotions. Nearly nine years after the original, Inside Out 2 continues the story of Riley and her emotions: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear. Things have been going well for the quintet since the events of the first movie, but as demolition is hastily introduced in the middle of the night to their control center, a new emotion appears: Anxiety. As it turns out, many more will follow as alluded to by the cover art. This sequel to the beloved Disney original arrives in theaters on June 14, 2024. 

Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes

This 2024, we are re-introduced to the franchise of the Planet of The Apes. The fourth film in a modern reboot of the franchise, this new film serves as a prequel story as to how the Apes took over. The Kingdom of the Planet of The Apes expands the story further, taking place over 300 years before the events of the film War for The Planet of The Apes. It follows the story of a young ape who ventures out on his own and learns about the history of humans and apes for himself. After six years, this latest entry into the universe comes out on May 24 this year.

These are just some of the many upcoming releases coming to theaters in 2024. Whether you’re an avid movie-goer, or just someone who enjoys the cinema occasionally, all of us can get pumped for these highly anticipated releases!