New movies: the most exciting films coming to theaters in 2024
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September has arrived – and we're expecting lots of new movies of the spooky season variety in the coming weeks. Indeed, with Halloween less than two months away, the world's entertainment giants are ramping up the release of horror-fuelled movies aplenty, starting with the highly-anticipated Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which has been summoned into theaters this weekend.
There are tons more scary and not-so-scary films that'll land in cinemas worldwide before 2024 ends, too. In this guide, you'll find more information on all of the new movies that'll do just that. Each entry comes equipped with their latest trailer, confirmed release date, main cast, and tentative plot details, too, so you can determine if they're the kind of flicks you'll want to pay money for. Without further ado, then, these are the new films to keep tabs on before December 31.
New movies: September 2024
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Release date: out now
The long in-development sequel to 1988's surreal comedy-horror Beetlejuice is now, and its title – Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – is a clever call back to the original film's way of summoning the mischievous ghost.
Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder return as the titular trickster and Lydia Deetz respectively, while Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream) will play Astrid, Lydia's daughter. Catherine O'Hara, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe are also involved, while iconic gothic filmmaker Tim Burton is back on directing duties after helming the fist flick. Its first trailer teased more ghostly mayhem to come in the sequel, while its second (see above) gives us a much clearer idea of its plot and, much like its forebear, its penchant for practical effects. With critics and audiences enjoying what's on offer (according to Rotten Tomatoes, anyway), you'll want to book your seat ASAP.
Speak No Evil
Release date: September 12 (UK and Australia); September 13 (US)
James McAvoy will aim to spookily charm audiences ahead of Halloween in this psychological horror-thriller. The beloved Scottish actor plays Paddy who, alongside his wife Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and mute son Ant (Dan Hough), befriends and then invites the Dalton family (Scott McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, and Alix West Lefler) to their home in the idyllic British countryside. Unsurprisingly, things take a turn for the macabre not long after.
The Woman in Black's James Watkins is on dual writing and directing duties here, while horror extraordinaires Blumhouse and Universal will distribute the flick. Speak No Evil only has a US release date at the moment, so keep an eye out for its UK and Australian launch confirmations soon.
The Wild Robot
Release date: September 12 (Australia); September 20 (US); October 18 (UK)
Black Panther's Lupita Nyong'o will give life to this absolutely gorgeous-looking animated film's protagonist Roz in what appears to be another delightful and incredibly moving flick from DreamWorks Animation. Shipwrecked on an uninhabited island, Roz is initially viewed as an outcast by the islet's flora and fauna. When its animals soon realize Roz is an empathetic, innocent, and helpful robot, though, they accept her place in their ecosystem.
The Wild Robot's voice cast is absolutely stacked with A-listers, with the likes of Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Catherine O'Hara (Schitt's Creek), Bill Nighy (Living), Kit Connor (Heartstopper), and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) lending their vocal talents to various critters. We can't wait for this one.
My Old Ass
Release date: September 13 (US); September 27 (UK); TBC (Australia)
Another original spin on time-travel and coming-of-age-based narratives, My Old Ass stars Maisy Stella as Elliott, an 18-year-old who, thanks to a mushroom-fuelled trip, winds up meeting her 39-year-old future self (played by Aubrey Plaza), who starts doling out life advice to her young counterpart. Initially pleased to learn where she'll go wrong in life, teenage Elliott soon realizes she has to make decisions for herself, not ones based on her future self.
Will one of September's new movies be worth watching? Based on its trailer, it'll appeal plenty of indie fans, as well as anyone wanting to see Plaza in another comedy-laced role.
Transformers One
Release date: September 19 (Australia), September 20 (US), October 11 (UK)
After multiple live-action entries, the Transformers franchise will hope to get a much-needed shot in the arm with Transformers One, a brand-new animated film helmed by Pixar alumnus Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4, Inside Out).
An origin story of sorts for the Autobots and Decepticons, it'll explore the friendship between, and then breakdown of said relationship between Optimums Prime and Megatron. Marvel stars including Chris Hemsworth (the Thor movies), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), and Brian Tyree Henry (Eternals), plus other big names like Jon Hamm, Keegan-Michael Key, and Laurence Fishburne will lend their voices to those famous robots in disguise. Read our Transformers movies in order guide while we wait for its arrival.
Wolfs
Release date: September 19 (Australia); September 20 (US and UK)
A-listers George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunite in this hitman buddy cop-comedy flick that, following its theatrical release in September, will be available to stream at home via Apple TV Plus.
It looks like Wolfs, which has been written and directed by Jon Watts – he of the MCU's Spider-Man film trilogy fame – will benefit hugely from the duo's natural charisma and undisputed talents, too. In it, Clooney and Pitt play professional fixers, both of whom are hired to cover up the same crime. Much to their chagrin, they're forced to work together to not only clean up the murder scene they've been called to, but to also unravel the mystery behind some felony. Based on that synopsis, what's not to love about one of September's new movies?
Never Let Go
Release date: September 20 (US), September 26 (Australia), and September 27 (UK)
Halle Berry stars in this Lionsgate psychological thriller/horror that continues the genres' fascination with telling the tale of a barely surviving family in the middle of the woods.
In a post-apocalyptic world where evil lurks around every corner, a mother (Berry) and her young twin sons' only hope of survival is to physically tether themselves – via the longest ropes you've ever seen – to their woods-based abode. However, when one of the boys begins to question if the threats lurking in the shadows are even real, the family's tight bond is shattered, triggering a terrifying fight to stay alive. One of 2024's new movies that'll be surprisingly good or extremely generic.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Release date: September 21 (US); November 1 (UK); TBC (Australia)
In what's expected to be one of the most tear-jerking and inspiring new movies of the year, Super/Man will tell the story of famed actor Christopher Reeve, who's best known for playing legendary DC Comics character Clark Kent/Superman on the big screen in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Tragically, Reeve's career was cut short by a horrific accident that paralyzed him from the neck down in 1995. Rather than wallow in self pity for the rest of his days, though, he became a charismatic activist who championing finding a cure for spinal injuries and advocating for better disability rights – ambassadorial roles he became as famous for as his silver screen roles.
With never-before-seen moments from Reeve's life, plus numerous interviews with his three children and whole cavalcade of fellow film stars discussing Reeve's lionhearted approach to everything he did, Super/Man is sure to be a moving and hope-filled tribute to the late star.
Megalopolis
Release date: September 26 (Australia); September 27 (US and UK)
A film over 40 years in the making, Megalopolis will finally arrive in theaters before the end of September. Famed (and, lately, controversial) director Francis Ford Coppola's latest feature boasts an all-star cast – Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, and Jon Voight are just a few of the big names attached to it – and an intriguing, albeit bizarre story that led to it receiving mixed reviews upon its Cannes 2024 world premiere.
Billed as a "Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America", it follows the brewing conflict between Driver's idealistic artist Cesar Catilina and Esposito's Mayor Franklin Cicero, the latter of whom wants to maintain the City of New Rome's status quo of class and wealth divisions, and partisan warfare.
New movies: October 2024
Joker: Folie à Deux
Release date: October 4 (worldwide)
Five years after Joker, one of the best superhero movies – a topic worth debating on another day – was released, a sequel will finally make its way into theaters. Considering Joker: Folie à Deux was only going to get made if director Todd Phillips and lead star Joaquin Phoenix could find a story worth telling, it seems the pair – alongside Lady Gaga, who'll play Harley Quinn in the movie – have done just that.
Read our Joker: Folie à Deux trailer #1 breakdown for more details about what that teaser, well, teased and then watch the latest trailer above for an even better idea about what it's about. Alternatively, read its official plot synopsis here: "Joker: Folie à Deux finds Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love (Lady Gaga), but also finds the music that's always been inside him."
Saturday Night
Release date: October 11 (US); TBC (UK and Australia)
Saturday Night Live has become a cultural juggernaut since its October 11, 1975 debut, but it was almost a complete failure ahead of its inaugural show. Almost 50 years on from that night, Jason Reitman (2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife) delivers a wild, "inspired by true events" flick that tells the story of the 90 minutes leading up to the sketch/improv comedy series' first-ever showing.
It's got a whole host of big names attached to it, too. Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard, iconic actors J.K. Simmons and Willem Dafoe, Perry Mason's Matthew Rhys, The Fablemans' Gabriel LaBelle, Bottoms' Rachel Ann Sennott, Dickinson's Ella Hunt, and The Responder's Emily Fairn are just some of its all-star ensemble cast.
Terrifier 3
Release date: October 10 (Australia); October 11 (US and UK)
A Christmas-set slasher that'll make its way into theaters in time for Halloween, Terrifier 3 will be the latest inexpensive horror movie in Dan Leone's slowly expanding cinematic franchise.
Art the Clown, the horrifying antagonist from the last two films, will return to slice 'n' dice a new group of individuals at the so-called most wonderful time of the year. David Howard Thornton will reprise his role as the blood-thirsty circus-themed murderer, and he'll be joined by Lauren LaVera, Samantha Saffidi, Elliot Fulham, and Chris Jericho as part of the cast. Terrifier 2 was received far better than its predecessor, so let's hope the threequel continues this series' upward trajectory.
Flight Risk
Release date: October 17 (Australia); October 18 (US and UK)
Mark Wahlberg is famous for playing heroic characters on the big screen, but Flight Risk sees him tackle a rare antagonistic role – albeit in a film that, based on everything its trailer shows, might have given its biggest plot reveals away already.
Wahlberg plays Daryl Booth, a pilot charged with flying FBI agent Madelyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) and her gangland informant Winston (Topher Grace) to court so the latter can testify against some hardline criminals. However, when Booth is revealed to be a hitman, sent by said criminals, to kill Winston, things get decidedly hairy mid-flight. One to arguably wait for, whenever it *ahem* lands on a streaming service near you.
A Real Pain
Release date: October 18 (US); December 26 (Australia); January 10, 2025 (UK)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Batman v Superman) and Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Succession) team up in this Eisenberg-directed comedy-drama that drew plenty of praise the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. In it, the pair play mismatched cousins who reunite to embark on an awkward tour of Poland in honor of their recently deceased grandmother.
Unfortunately for UK and Australian viewers, A Real Pain will arrive after it debuts in the US, so those of us who don't live stateside have got a lengthy wait on our hands.
Smile 2
Release date: October 18 (worldwide)
Two years after Smile (one of the best Paramount Plus movies) made horror fans sit up and take notice, and less just 18 months after Smile 2 was first announced, the bloody and somewhat terrifying sequel will make you think twice about, well, smiling any time soon .
Naomi Scott will play fictional pop sensation Skye Riley, who becomes the next potential victim of the smile-based curse when Kyle Gallner's Joel, who appeared Joel in the original, passes on said monstrous malison. Lukas Gage and Rosemarie DeWitt also star in a film written and directed by Parker Finn, who performed similar duties on the first movie.
Venom: The Last Dance
Release date: October 24 (Australia); October 25 (US and UK)
Tom Hardy will bid farewell to Eddie Brock and his symbiote buddy Venom in Venom: The Last Dance, the final entry in the Marvel anti-hero's movie trilogy. Given what was shown off in Venom 3's lengthy first trailer, it might up being as chaotically messy as the previous two films, too. Still, at least it'll give the internet a new, not-so-adorable animal character to fall in love with in the form of Venom Horse.
Following on from their brief soiree in MCU flick Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Last Dance will see Brock and Venom going on the run as humans and aliens alike hunt the pair for differing reasons. Doctor Strange's Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ted Lasso's Juno Temple, House of the Dragon's Rhys Ifans, and Boiling Point's Stephen Graham are among its starry supporting cast.
The Room Next Door
Release date: October 25 (UK); December 20 (US); TBC (Australia)
Starring two titans of the industry in Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, The Room Next Door promises to deliver acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's deft filmmaking in an English language movie for the first time in his illustrious career.
Based on Sigrif Nunez's novel 'What Are you Going Through', it'll follow Ingrid (Moore), an author and resentful daughter of Ingrid (Swinton), a former war correspondent who didn't go out of her way to win any Mom of the Year awards. One of October's new movies that could be a sleeper hit amid its horror-fuelled brethen.
New movies: November 2024
Paddington in Peru
Release date: November 8 (UK), January 1, 2025 (Australia) January 17, 2025 (US)
The first two Paddington movies are some of the best family movies we've seen in a long, long time. The debuting of the third movie's trailer and confirmation of its release dates (sorry, US and Australia, you've got a longer than expected wait on your hands), then, has been met with celebratory marmalade sandwiches among the movie series' global fanbase.
Unsurprisingly, Paddington In Peru sees the titular bear return to his homeland – with the Brown family in tow – to visit in Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton). However, upon arriving in the South American nation, the group learn that Lucy has gone missing in the Peruvian jungle. Cue a riotously fun quest to find out where she's disappeared to.
Conclave
Release date: November 8 (US); November 29 (UK); January 9, 2025 (Australia)
From Edward Berger, director of Netflix's harrowing war flick All Quiet on the Western Front, this religious conspiracy thriller – based on Robert Harris' book of the same name – sees Ralph Fiennes play Cardinal Lawrence, who leads the Catholic Church's search for a new Pope when the current incumbent dies. The covert process is made all the more difficult, however, by a power struggle within the Vatican, as well as an unsettling discovery Cardinal Lawrence makes.
With a strong supporting cast including Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, and Stanley Tucci among its ranks, Conclave may be one of November's new movies to watch around Thanksgiving weekend (in the US, anyway).
Red One
Release date: November 14 (Australia); November 15 (US and UK)
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson knows a thing or two about starring in bang-average movies that perform extremely well at the box office and/or on streaming platforms. His latest venture, Red One, seems as if it'll fall right into that category, too.
The forthcoming festive feature stars Johnson as the North Pole's Head of Security Callum Drift. But, when Santa Clause (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped on the eve of, well, Christmas Eve, Drift reluctantly teams up with the world's best bounty hunter Jack O'Malley (Captain America alum Chris Evans) to rescue Santa and save Christmas. A festive action movie whose trailer suggests it won't be a wonderful Christmas time.
Gladiator II
Release date: November 14 (Australia); November 15 (UK); November 22 (US)
Prepare to be entertained all over again, film fans, as Gladiator II will finally fight its way into theaters in mid- to late November. Set years after Emperor Commodus was slain by Maximus in the 2000 multi-award-winning original, it'll follow Paul Mescal's Lucius, Commodus' nephew, as he's forced to end his Rome-based exile when he's forced to follow in Maximus' footsteps and enter the Colosseum to earn his freedom. Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joe Quinn, and Connie Nielsen are among its extraordinarily talented cast.
Gladiator II's epic first trailer epic showed Paul Mescal fighting a rhino in the Colosseum, among other tantalizing glimpses at Ridley Scott's latest feature. It's certainly whet our appetite for another trip back in time later this year – and, between you and us, we hope it has a happier ending that its forebear.
Wicked Part One
Release date: November 22 (US and UK); November 28 (Australia)
Wicked, the world-famous musical that's based on the legendary tale, characters, and world of The Wizard of Oz, is getting a magical silver screen glow-up. In fact, the John M. Chu-directed project will get two installments – Wicked Part One is out in time for Thanksgiving (in the US) this year, with its follow-up releasing one year later.
For the uninitiated: Wicked tells the untold story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande), who aids The Wizard of Oz's Dorothy on her quest through The Land of Oz years later. Part One will explore the duo's unlikely friendship as students of Shiz University and the eventual breakdown in that relationship. Jeff Goldblum will play the Wizard of Oz, while Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, Jonathan Bailey, and Marissa Bode are among its other notable supporting cast members.
Wicked Part One's first whirlwind trailer arrived in February, with its official trailer (see above) launching in May. Our advice? Don't watch the latter if you don't want most of its plot ruined for you pre-release...
Moana 2
Release date: November 27 (US); November 28 (Australia); November 29 (UK)
The sequel to 2016's hit animated movie Moana sets sail in time for Thanksgiving 2024 (in the US, anyway). In it, the titular hero and her demigod buddy Maui reunite after three years to embark on a new voyage – one centered on an unexpected call from Moana's ancestors – across the ocean for, according to Disney, "an adventure unlike anything she's experienced before".
Auli‘i Cravalho and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson reprise their roles from Moana 2's predecessor, while Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa?i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina have penned the soundtrack – the trio replacing Lin Manuel Miranda as songwriter-in-chief.
New movies: December 2024
Nightbitch
Release date: December 6 (US and UK); TBC (Australia)
Billed as a comedy-horror, this Amy Adams-fronted flick – which is based on Rachel Yoder's 2021 novel of the same name – sees Adams play Mother, an unnamed woman who puts her career on hold to become a stay-at-home mom. Things take a turn for the supernatural not long after, however, as Mother starts to become convinced that, at night, she turns into a dog. No, really. Scoot McNairy, Jen Chao, and Mary Holland are among the supporting cast.
Marielle Heller, who helmed 2019's wonderful and optimistic A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, is certainly steering into unchartered territory with this horror-fuelled feature. But, considering her three previous movie offerings all hold 95% or above critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, Nightbitch won't have viewers or critics *ahem* barking up the wrong tree with their review scores before the year is over.
Kraven the Hunter
Release date: December 12 (Australia); December 13 (US and UK)
Sony continues to dive into Spider-Man's rogues’ gallery with their second 2024-based effort to expand the SSU (Sony’s Spider-Man Universe), which is simultaneously separate from, and tenuously connected to, the MCU.
In the '60s, Kraven the Hunter was an original member of Marvel’s Sinister Six and discussed as a potential big-screen foe for Peter Parker. Now, he’s following in the footsteps of fellow anti-heroes Venom and Morbius by headlining his own movie. And, just like his villainous contemporaries, Kraven's first solo live-action adventure doesn't look all that appealing, even though its official trailer suggests it might be worth seeing to some people.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Kick-Ass) plays the titular hunter and Ariana DeBose (Wish, Argylle) will play long-term Kraven associate Calypso. The Many Saints of Newark’s Alessandro Nivola takes on lead villain duties as Rhino, while Russell Crowe is also on hand to play Kraven's emotionally cold father.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Release date: December 12 (Australia); December 13 (US and UK)
The Rings of Power may be pulling in viewers worldwide on Prime Video, but it's been many years since The Lord of the Rings franchise was last depicted on the big screen. That'll change in mid-December, with an animated movie called The War of the Rohirrim charging into theaters very soon.
Helmed by iconic Japanese filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama, it's set almost 200 years before The Lord of the Rings and tells the story of legendary King of Rohan Helm Hammerhand. After his daughter Hera refuses to marry Wulf, the son of Dunlending lord Freca who Helm kills after an attempted coup, the Hammerhand clan are forced to defend their lands from Wulf and his humungous army at the Hornburg, aka the ancient stronghold that goes on to become known as Helm's Deep. Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, Luke Pasqualino, Miranda Otto, Laurence Ubong Williams, and Shaun Dooley are among its ensemble voice cast.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Release date: December 20 (worldwide)
A prequel to 2019's The Lion King "live-action" remake, Mufasa will see Rafiki recount the story of Simba's father (the titular character, for the uninitiated) to Simba's daughter Kiara, with a little embellishment-based humor from Timon and Pumba.
Aaron Pierre takes over from James Earl Jones on voice acting duties as a younger version of Mufasa, with the big game feline's own film revealing how he came to be King of Pride Rock. It'll also explore his initially strong bond with his brother Scar (he'll be known as Taka in this movie) before the pair's relationship becomes irreparable for reasons yet to be revealed.
Mufasa's first trailer brought thrills and chills upon release in late April, although plenty of people suggest it looks like nothing more than a high tech demo for lifelike visuals. Its second trailer, which debuted at D23 Expo 2024 in mid-August, did little to change our opinion, too. Still, we'll see if it has substance to go with its style before 2024 ends.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Release date: December 20 (US), December 21 (UK), December 26 (Australia)
It's CGI lion versus animated hedgehog this festive season as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to go toe-to-toe with Mufasa for families' attentions at the box office this Christmas (Nosferatu, see below, is also out in the US, but it's not kid-friendly).
This time around, Team Sonic – the titular blue blur (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessy), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) – are forced to team up with Sonic's arch-nemesis Doctor Eggman (Jim Carrey) to tackle Shadow, a bioengineered anthropomorphic hedgehog who's way more powerful than any of the quartet have faced before and who has an ax to grind with the world.
Sonic 3's first trailer confirmed that beloved actor Keanu Reeves will voice Shadow; a move we called "an adventurously great fit". Let's hope Sonic's third big-screen adventure will live up to the hype this holiday season.
Nosferatu
Release date: December 25 (US); January 1, 2025 (Australia); January 3, 2025 (UK)
An unusual time of year for a gothic horror film, but Christmas Day will be the first time that viewers (in the US, anyway) will likely be terrified by director Robert Egger's reimagining of Bram Stoker's Dracula novel.
Nosferatu stars Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter, a young woman who the vampiric Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard) becomes infatuated with. As Orlok's obsession grows ever stronger, he begins to leave untold horrors in his wake, leading Hutter and her husband Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) to seek the aid of any and all scientists, bounty hunters, and other individuals who'll stop the terrifying supernatural blood-sucker from tracking her down. Expect this one to be a big hit before 2024 ends.
Looking for more recommendations on the new movies front? Our new Netflix movies, new Max movies, new Prime Video movies, and new Disney Plus movies lists will fulfil your streaming/home comfort needs.
