Halfway there!
We are about to enter July, which means we are halfway through 2024! Crazy, isn't it? The year always flies by. Anyway, this means we are in the midst of the summer movie season and a bunch of great movies are coming out. The best is yet to come, though, and we've got six more months of movies. So, that said, here are my most anticipated films for the rest of the year.
10. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
I really enjoy the first Beverly Hills Cop. I haven't seen any of the sequels, but I didn't think this one looked that bad. Sure, it might be terrible, but if it can recapture any of the magic of the original, then we will have a very fun action comedy on our hands. There's always a chance that Eddie Murphy movies are good, so I have a bit of hope for this film.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F releases straight to Netflix on July 3.
9. Gladiator II
This is another one that might be good and might be terrible. The original Gladiator is an awesome film. It's this sweeping, ground-breaking epic that immerses you in the Roman Empire and this story of revenge. It does not lend itself to a sequel at all, which is why I'm confused as to this movie's existence, but I think it could be good. It has a great cast, too, which makes me just very interested about it.
Gladiator II hits theaters on November 22.
8. Smile 2
I feel like I keep repeating myself, but this is another film that might be good or might be terrible. The writer/director of Smile is returning for the sequel, which is always a good sign. The first film was really well done. I didn't think it was anything super unique, but for being one of these "death stalks the hero" films, it had some rich themes and some awesome moments. The sequel looks different enough with our character being a celebrity who is stalked by the Smile Entity, so I will be interested to see what we get.
Smile 2 drops in theaters on October 18.
7. Terrifier 3
This movie...wow, this movie is going to be crazy. I didn't think Terrifier 2 was great, but I had tons of fun with it. The Terrifier movies are another level of low-budget horror, and with the cultural phenomenon that Terrifier 2 was, I cannot wait to see what Terrifier 3 brings. A Christmas slasher starring Art the Clown? Sign me up. This franchise is absolute insanity. I have no clue what we are in for with this third film, but I am excited.
Terrifier 3 slashes into theaters on October 11.
6. Moana 2
I don't know about this one. Moana is one of my favorite Disney movies, and I don't think that a sequel is necessarily a bad idea, but my hesitation comes from the way that this movie has been marketed and treated. This was original a Disney+ TV series that they decided to turn into a sequel to Moana. They didn't even announce that this film was happening until February. This movie was announced to be happening ten months before its release. That is weird. So I am nervous. But also excited, because I love Moana and, despite their recent slump, I usually trust Disney.
Moana 2 hits theaters on November 27.
5. Longlegs
Longlegs is the exact opposite of Moana. I have no idea how good this movie is going to be. It's placement here is based entirely off of marketing. The trailers for this film have creeped me out so much. They marketed this film by releasing, like, ten 50 seconds teasers that are completely out of context but incredibly scary, and that just makes me so interested to see what this movie is. It also debuted with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, so I just cannot wait to be scared out of my mind by this film.
Longlegs crawls into theaters on July 12.
4. Alien: Romulus
I'm not the biggest fan of the Alien franchise, but I think this is the right direction to go with it. The recent Alien movies have been concerned with giving the Xenomorphs this rich lore and giving everything a backstory, but we don't need any of that. I'd love to see a true, self-contained horror film that combines the terror and atmosphere of Alien with the awesome action and thrills of Aliens, and that's what Romulus is doing. This movie looks cool. I'm excited.
Alien: Romulus bursts into theaters on August 16.
3. Deadpool & Wolverine
I'm excited for all the movies above this film, but these top three are movies that, in almost any other year, would be number one. Am I nervous for this film? Yes. Do I think it could definitely disappoint? Yes. Am I incredibly excited to see Ryan Reynolds's real Deadpool interact with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine? I am over the moon excited. On top of just that premise, this seems to be the film that is going to change the MCU. We know the multiverse is involved. We know there are rumors of cameos and other X-Men showing up. I don't know what we're going to get, but I cannot wait for this movie.
Deadpool & Wolverine claws into theaters on July 26.
2. Joker: Folie à Deux
This is another film that I don't think lends itself that well to a sequel, but if you're going to do a sequel to Joker, weird is definitely the direction to go. And this movie seems weird. Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn is perfect casting. They've said that this film is a musical, and I have no idea what to make of it, but I thought that the trailer was absolutely incredible. Again, I have zero clue what this film is going to be, but Joker is great and this sequel looks to be doing something different. I cannot wait.
Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on October 4.
1. Wicked
This is a movie that I have been waiting for basically my entire life. Wicked is one of my absolute favorite musicals, and it is ripe for a film adaptation. Although I haven't necessarily been crazy about the trailers themselves, I do think that the cast and crew seem to have a love and a care for this film that just makes me believe it will be great. I have been waiting to see Wicked on the big screen for nearly eighteen years. I am so excited to see what this will be.
Wicked flies into theaters on November 27.
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