By Original-Cin Staff

As your humble scribes here at Original-Cin tentatively peer into the burgeoning new year, we anticipate the truckload of arriving films and series that promise to illuminate what could be dark days ahead in 2024, what with world wars raging and multiple elections ominously looming across the globe. Things look infinitely more promising at the cinema.

Comprehensive and eclectic to say the least, our sprawling list offers a smorgasbord of goodies for the sci-fi geeks, history buffs, diehard romantics, indie nerds and action fans among us. Here’s to 12 months of satisfying viewing.

Jim Slotek

Coen and Eggers and Coppola, oh my! In 2023, the WGA and SAG strikes caused studios to elect to punt on many major and awards-fodders releases. Add to that a quick follow-up to Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos, plus Bong Joon-ho, Alex Garland and you-know-who’s daughter Ishana Shyamalan (“I see dad people!”), and this may be the year I see films mainly because of the filmmaker.

Nosferatu. The Vampyre Count Orlock is back, 102 years after Murnau’s original and 45 years after Werner Herzog’s memorable remake. I say Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman) has the sensibility to make this work.

Kind of Kindness. Yorgos Lanthimos, who made the deranged Poor Things, got right back to work filming what’s been revealed to be an anthology, with a familiar cast of Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley and Jesse Plemons. Details to come.

Mickey 17. You can’t blame a guy for switching lanes. Bong Joon-ho’s first movie since Parasite is a sci-fi film about clones being sent as astronauts to colonize other worlds. He’s done genre before (The Host, Snowpiercer), and there’s nothing he’s done I wouldn’t watch again. Coming in March.

Civil War. Ex Machina director (and 28 Days Later writer) Alex Garland imagines a doomsday scenario for the current fractured state of the U.S. political mood. Not exactly a leap, but this is a man who can bring an apocalypse to life. Look for it in April.

Drive-Away Dolls. When the Coen brothers went their own ways, Joel directed The Tragedy of Macbeth. Ethan’s path is an “action-sex-comedy,” starring Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswana, and apparently inspired by the work of Russ Meyer. Which sounds more like a Coen brothers movie to you? In theatres February.

Megalopolis. For more than 30 years, seemingly everyone in Hollywood has read for Francis Ford Coppola’s film about a woman torn between the views of her politician father and charismatic architect lover. In 2008, he said it would never be made. Never say never. With Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, and Nathalie Emmanuel.

And…

The Watchers. Her father’s work is no longer considered a guarantee of quality, but Ishana Shyamalan is starting from square one with a fairytale-ish film about a young woman (Dakota Fanning) lost in an Irish forest, on a date with the supernatural. Let’s say I’m curious. Expected in June.

Liz Braun

There seems to be a lot of retreads coming up in 2024 — Ghostbusters, anyone? — but all is not lost. There are still great things promised at the movies in this shiny new year. Looking forward to these:

The Promised Land. Nicolaj Arcel’s sweeping historical epic, starring Mads Mikkelsen, is Denmark’s entry in the International category at the upcoming Oscars. The 18th century drama about ambition, class struggle, and survival against the elements is a great story with spectacular visuals and a terrific cast. In theatres February 2.

The Fall Guy. Happy to see Ryan Gosling in a comedy/action/romance movie from director David Leitch (Bullet Train/Deadpool 2/Atomic Blonde), in theatres May 3. Who doesn’t like the chance to see spectacular action sequences in a tale about a stuntman, the director he loves (Emily Blunt) and a missing leading man (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)? Get the large popcorn.

Horizon: An American Saga. A powerful Western is hard to find (see The Promised Land, above) and that’s why Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga is a much-anticipated 2024 movie. Or rather, movies: part one of this epic about the settlement of the American West opens in theatres June 28 and part two on August 16. The story is set over 15 years around the time of the Civil War — so it cannot fail to depict the genocide and slavery upon which the U.S. is built.

New Deadpool movie. Go Canada! Ryan Reynolds has a uniquely Canadian sense of humour (and a global philanthropic presence) and his wiseass anti-hero superhero seems to appeal to almost everybody. How great that Reynolds insisted Deadpool maintain his R-rated status — making the character the only one to rise above the ennui gripping the MCU. In theatres in July.

Mothers’ Instinct. This ‘60s-set psychological thriller is a remake of a Belgian box-office hit and involves two women who are neighbours and best friends, until tragedy sends one of them off the rails. Film stars Jessica Chastain — always the best reason to see any movie — and Anne Hathaway; Benoit Delhomme directs. No release date yet, but possibly Q2 of 2024.

Thom Ernst

2024 might go down as the year when all the movies we’ve been promised and waiting for finally get released: Dune 2, Beetlejuice 2, Joker: Folie à Deux… But the movie I’m most looking forward to seeing is not likely to be on any respectable critic’s list other than mine. (“Respectable” is assumed based on being a regular contributor to OC.) I will leave that title until last.

Megalopolis. There is the return of Francis Ford Coppola, who wrote and directed the long-awaited project that has reportedly been in the works since The Outsiders (1983) and has gone through a litany of A-list actors before landing with Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Dustin Hoffman, and Jon Voight. It’s a risky call, having not been able to connect with Coppola since Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). Still, something about this science-fiction story about rebuilding a demolished New York City is weirdly appealing.

Drive-Away Dolls. A solo work from Ethan Coen is not something we necessarily anticipated. Still, damn! The poster for this movie, with its retro-drive-in appeal, is like a personal invitation to step back in time. I hope this solo effort isn’t an indication that Joel and Ethan aren’t getting along. I’m not ready yet for a world without Coen Brother movies.

Beetlejuice 2. Another iffy feature to place my hopes in, given Tim Burton’s track record (although I did enjoy Big Eyes). But with Michael Keaton returning as Beetlejuice, it’s hard not to want to jump on the bandwagon. It’s not the musical stage version—which has some decent songs—but I wonder what calypso song will replace Harry Belafonte singing “Day-O? (The Banana Boat Song”). The promise of this movie is in the return of Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder with newcomers Willem Dafoe and Jenna Ortega.

Joker: Folie à Deux. I like director Todd Phillips’ Joker despite the backlash it got for a thinly disguised celebration of violent retribution and civil uprising. But Joaquin Phoenix makes it work. And while I think Margot Robbie is fun as Harley Quinn, I’m up for seeing what spin Lady Gaga puts on the character.

And finally: Final Destination 6. I don’t expect it to be a film too many people will care about other than me (and maybe John Kirk, although I shouldn’t malign my colleagues by suggesting they share my taste in movies without confirmation). I’ve been checking IMDb to the point of obsession, to see if there is an update on a film I’ve been waiting to be made since 2011. Happy to say 2024 is the year. The directors and the writers are in place, and the cast is secured beyond the promise of sometime in 2024. There is no official release date. However, I am managing my expectations since reading that this film is taking a slight detour from the regular format. OK. But don’t ruin a good thing, folks.

Karen Gordon

2024’s offerings are like a bakery shop where everything is gluten-free, sugar-free, delicious, and I have an unlimited gift certificate. Here’s just some of what I’m looking forward to:

I’ll have to wait until December to see director Robert Eggars’ Nosferatu. Eggars specializes in inventively plotted gonzo entertaining movies with a supernatural bent. And it’s invigorating.

The Taste of Things. In time for Valentine’s Day, Anh Hung Train directs a sensual feast of a movie. Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel co-star in an adult love story where the care involved in preparing wonderful food leads to a deeply felt love. The film is France's submission to the Oscar's best International feature category, currently on the short list.

Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, who has switched genres with every film, goes sci-fi in Mickey 17, in which Robert Pattinson plays a clone on a space mission. It also stars Toni Colette and Steven Yeun.

Norway’s Joachim Trier reunites with his Worst Person In The World star Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value. Release date TBD.

Francis Ford Coppola is back! Megalopolis, which stars Adam Driver, Jason Scwartzman, and Audrey Plaza, has been described as Julius Caesar meets Blade Runner.

Barry Levinson (Diner) directs, Nicholas Pileggi (Godfellas) pens, and Robert De Niro stars in a mob drama, which, depending on where you look, is either called Alto Knights or Wise Guys.

On the small screen, big-screen filmmakers have adaptations. I may never get off the couch:

One of the best screenwriters Steve Zaillian (The Irishman) writes and directs one of the best actors, Andrew Scott in the mini-series Ripley. And Alfonso Cuarón’s (Gravity) adaptation of Disclaimer stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Lesley Manville. Wong Kar-Wai (In The Mood For Love) helms Blossoms Shanghai. And Canadian writer Don McKellar and Park Chan-wook (Old Boy) tackle The Sympathizer, starring Robert Downey, Jr.

Kim Hughes

Civil War. Given the terrifying possible outcome of this year’s U.S. presidential election — which could see a convicted rapist and avowed racist leading the world’s most armed nation — the backdrop for Alex Garland’s actioner about a savagely divided, apocalyptic America seems surreally prescient. I’m almost afraid to watch this, but like a car crash, I feel like I won’t be able to look away. Coming in April.

Challengers. I haven’t loved every film from director Luca Guadignino but those I did love (I Am Love, A Bigger Splash), I loved a lot. This sports drama focused on a romantic triangle between three tennis players (Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist) seems ripe for Guadignino’s left-field sensibilities about what makes romance and sex so incredibly powerful… and so incredibly treacherous. Also slated for April.

Love Me. This feature debut from co-writers/directors Sam and Andy Zuchero is described thusly on the Sundance Film Festival site, where it premieres later this month: “Long after humanity’s extinction, a buoy and a satellite meet online and fall in love.” What’s intriguing, beyond its bananas plot, is its high-wattage stars: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun. When the film was announced in 2021, Stewart told Entertainment Weekly, “It’s hard to explain. I hope I don’t botch it because it’s a really revolutionarily written script.” In a year with yet another Ghostbusters on the schedule, I’m game for revolutionary. Release date TBD.

Back to Black. It’s hard to imagine any film topping Asif Kapadia’s 2015 documentary about Amy Winehouse for empathy and sheer emotional heft. But I’m nevertheless curious about what director by Sam Taylor-Johnson will tease out of this tragic — and tragically familiar — story with her biopic about the late British singer, here played by Marisa Abela opposite Jack O’Connell as her supremely shitty husband Blake Fielder-Civil and the great Eddie Marsan as her equally shitty father Mitch Winehouse. Watch for it in May.

Beetlejuice 2. I suppose Tim Burton’s unasked-for follow-up to the 1987 classic could go either way but I’m betting the combined talents of returning stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara will elevate any potential lameness. Certainly, the ghostly effects will be much better than the original’s although hopefully still rooted in the comedic rather than the gory. Arriving in September.

The Taste of Things. For all the reasons Karen mentioned above.

John Kirk

There’s a lot of promise for viewers in 2024 and here’s my list of look-fors in the new year for both the small and big screen. It’s a mix of history and nerd-culture titles, but I’m looking for heroes and glory this year and those areas are probably where I’ll find them!

Masters of the Air. In the same tradition as Band of Brothers, this exciting series promises the same sort of visceral examination of American troops in World War II in a day-to-day recollection of veterans on the front lines. Unlike Band of Brothers or its sister series The Pacific, this series tracks the exploits of pilots and crews of B-17 Flying Fortresses as they achieve air superiority over Nazi-dominated Europe.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The best Star Wars stories happen in the time between Episode III and Episode VI – that’s pretty much the sweet spot for the recent successes that Disney/LucasFilm has been enjoying with its recent additions to the mythology of a galaxy far, far away. Every geek knows this and its good to see Disney feeding into it.

Set in the same period as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew stars Jude Law and Jaleel White and is the story of four children who make a startling discovery and have to make their way home. There’s a lot to anticipate in this eight-episode series, and given the time-period, it’s a fair bet we might even see Paul Sun-Hyung Lee reprising his role as the heroic Captain Carson Teva!

Star Trek: Lower Decks – Season Five. The series that started with a joke and has now become a fan-favourite for Trekkies everywhere. Star Trek: Lower Decks has worked its way into becoming a hilariously yet canonical addition to the Star Trek franchise. Creator Mike McMahan has given Trekkies permission to laugh and have some fun with their fandom, essentially taking a break from the high ideals and philosophy that is the mainstay of every Star Trek fan’s rationale for loving this franchise. However, as the Lower Deckers continue to complete their mundane and routine list of Starfleet duties and tasks, it’s no surprise that those ideals still manage to find their way back into the series. Funny how humour can sometimes be the best delivery system for learning even for the heroes of Starfleet!

Deadpool 3. Of course, it wouldn’t be a film list if I didn’t include a superhero title. I’m drooling, looking forward to Ryan Reynolds’ return to the role of the “mutant merc with the mouth.” His off-colour, wise-cracking anti-hero style makes this film series stand out from its fellow Marvel films and is supposed to be a part of the Phase Five stage of the MCU film saga. What’s also exciting about this installment is the addition of Hugh Jackman, who returns to the role of the grim and deadly Wolverine! The clash of these two well-known superheroes on screen will clearly promise a lot of laughs but will they meet up to fans’ expectations? Coming in July.

Chris Knight

The movie I’m most looking forward to in 2024 is the same one I was most looking forward to for 2023 — Dune: Part Two.

Spare a thought for Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, whose 2021 masterpiece Dune was hamstrung when it was released that fall simultaneously in theatres and on the U.S. streaming service HBO Max.

The reason given was the ongoing pandemic, but Villeneuve was not happy, and took to Variety to complain — after learning of the decision in the news — calling it “a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention,” and saying the studio had gone “from being a legacy home for filmmakers to a new era of complete disregard.”

Even so, Dune did decent theatrical business and was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best adapted screenplay and best picture, a rarity for a science fiction film. It ultimately won six Academy Awards in mostly technical categories.

The sequel was supposed to be released this past November but, amid publicity-dampening strikes by Hollywood actors and writers, was pushed into the new year.

No longer did Dune 2 have an awards-friendly November release either; now it’s coming out March 1, which means less of a wait for fans, but less chance of Oscar love as well. Notably, Warner Bros. did not decide to similarly delay its Color Purple or Aquaman movies, and while I’m not suggesting the previous bad blood between studio and director was the cause of Dune 2 being singled out, it can’t have helped matters any.

Regardless, Dune: Part Two is in theatres soon. Here’s hoping it’s as good as the first part and, if it is, here’s further hoping Academy voters have long memories.

Liam Lacey

No hype: 2024 looks like a monster movie year, with a backlog of big-screen non-franchise titles ready for release following the COVID lockdowns and the SAG-AFTRA strike. To start with, four titles from legendary directors: Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed, 40-years-in-the-making Megalopolis, starring everybody from Adam Driver to Aubrey Plaza to Jon Voigt, about an architect who wants to rebuild New York City after a disaster.

Philosopher and filmmaker Terrence Malick brings The Way of the Wind, about seven episodes in the life of Christ, with Son of Saul’s Géza Röhrig as Christ, and a cast that includes Ben Kingsley, Joseph Fiennes, and Mark Rylance as Satan. David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds — with Guy Pearce, Diane Kruger, and Vincent Cassels — is about a grieving widower who creates a device to communicate with the dead inside a shroud. Finally, there’s Secrets &Lies director Mike Leigh’s latest, Hard Truths, a post-pandemic drama rumoured to have an all-Black cast.

Several major filmmakers finally return to the big screen, including 12 Years A Slave director Sir Steve McQueen with the WWII drama Blitz, starring Saoirse Ronan; and Kathryn Bigelow, silent since 2017’s Detroit, with the Netflix collaboration Aurora, with a screenplay by David Koepp (Mission: Impossible, Jurassic Park).

China’s preeminent auteur Jia Zhangke is back with We Shall Be All, his first narrative feature since 2018 and starring his wife, the great actress Zhao Tao. Bong Joon-ho’s English-language sci-fi feature, Mickey 17, his first feature since 2019’s Oscar-winning Parasite, stars Robert Pattison, Toni Colette, Mark Ruffalo and Steven Yuen. Bird, Andrea Arnold’s first narrative feature since 2016’s American Honey, stars Barry Keoghan wearing lots of tattoos and German actor Franz Rogowski.

A lot of action films bore me, but I’m excited about George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga with Anya Taylor-Joy, because Miller fills the screen in every bizarre corner like Hieronymous Bosch paintings sprung to life. If you liked Yorgos Lanthimos’s stylish Candide-meets-Frankenstein drama Poor Things, his new film Kind of Kindness once again features Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley, along with Jesse Plemons and Keke Palmer.

I’d also flag a couple of unsettling black comedies I caught at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival: Romanian director Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World and Joanna Arnow's raw and funny study in sexual submissiveness, The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed.

Bonnie Laufer

Film:

Mickey 17. It’s been four years since Parasite won the Oscar for best picture, so I’d say it’s about time for something new from director Bong Joon-ho. March will bring us Mickey 17, a sci-fi thriller based on an Edward Ashton novel about a futuristic type of human known as an expendable named Mickey. He’s essentially a disposable colonizer sent to an icy planet who’s cloned with his memories intact whenever he dies. The eclectic cast includes Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Steven Yeun. The director has a lot riding on his first foray into the world of sci-fi. I can’t wait to see what he does with this material.

IF. I am always intrigued by what John Krasinski brings to the table. After his giant hits A Quiet Place and the sequel, A Quiet Place Part 2, Krasinski digs deep for his next offering. His powerhouse cast includes Ryan Reynolds (also a producer on the film) Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fiona Shaw, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt. Krasinski wrote and directed this part-animated, part live-action feature about a girl who develops the ability to see the imaginary friends other children have abandoned. What a cool premise. I can’t wait!

Joker: Folie à Deux. We have to wait until October, but a musical version of the Joker? Sounds insane and I can’t wait! Director Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix reunite for this musical sequel, which from a few leaked set pictures looks like it’s the Joker’s version of New York, New York. It gets better: Lady Gaga plays Harley Quinn. How delicious!

TV:

The New Look follows the rise of fashion designers Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) and Christian Dior (Ben Mendelson) in France during World War 2. Interesting revelations about how these two iconic designers rose above the odds (and the Nazis) to become two of the most successful fashion designers in history.

Masters of the Air is the next chapter of wartime heroes from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks who brought us Band of Brothers and The Pacific. This series focuses on the drama that follows the true story of the 100th American bomb group who helped destroy Hitler’s Nazi Germany during World War II starring Austin Butler, Callum Turner, and Barry Keoghan.

As for comedy, I can’t wait for Palm Royale starring Kristen Wiig, Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney. This much-anticipated series set in 1969 has Wiig at the helm as a desperate and ambitious woman who aspires to be accepted among the exclusive, fashionable, and ruthless ladies of Palm Beach high society. You had me at Carol Burnett.

Also Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. I am always front row center when it comes to creator Ryan Murphy. This time the series is based on Laurence Leamer’s book, Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song. It tells the story of Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) and the elite New York women whom he nicknamed “the swans,” who surround him. How juicy!

Stuff We Are Most Looking Forward to Seeing in 2024 (and There's a Lot)

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