Best new movies coming to theaters in 2024 (2025)

Best new movies coming to theaters in 2024 (1)

As it turns out,Wickedand Gladiator II were not the second coming of Barbenheimer. But when combined with Moana 2, they created a new perfect storm that’s bringing people back to theaters in numbers rarely seen since the pandemic. Gladiator IIhas a lock on third place, but the real question is whether Wicked can unseat Moana 2 in its second weekend. Stay tuned for that battle.

Because of that war of the juggernauts at the top of the box office, none of this week’s new releases are expected to make much headway. That includes the film we’re calling Untitled Amy Adams Werewolf-Adjacent Movie, which is opening in limited release. That movie does have a title; we’re just not allowed to use it because it includes an expletive. There’s also a film called Werewolves coming out this weekend, and there’s nothing adjacent about them. It’s an unabashed monster flick, and it’s going to be hard-pressed to drum up business when the top three films are taking up all of the oxygen in theaters.

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Looking ahead, the next movie logjam is coming around Christmas as we close out 2024. But next week, we’ll see if the Lord of the Rings franchise can make a successful leap to anime with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.

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December 2024

Best new movies coming to theaters in 2024 (2)

Werewolves

Werewolves (2024) Exclusive Trailer - Frank Grillo vs. Werewolves in Theaters on December 6, 2024!

Release date: December 6

Ironically, Werewolves is hitting theaters on the same day as a similar movie, which has an expletive in the title that we can’t say on this site. Whereas that other film is a horror comedy, Werewolves is an unapologetic horror action flick pitting the title creatures against genre veteran Frank Grillo.

The premise of the film is that a supermoon turned millions of people into werewolves one year before the events of the story. It’s about to happen again, unless two scientists figure out how to stop the mutation from occurring. In the meantime, Wesley Marshall (Grillo) has to keep the scientists alive long enough to complete their work, even if it means going up against an army of werewolves.

Kraven the Hunter

KRAVEN - New Trailer (HD)

Release date: December 13

Listen, we know that Kraven the Hunter is going to be a flop, and you probably know it too. When Joker: Folie à Deuxis a massive bust and even Venom: The Last Dance can barely interest comic book movie fans, there’s really no hope that a second-string Spider-Man villain can hold down his own movie and bring in a big crowd. But we’ll say this: If Kraven is half as hilariously awful as Madame Web, then we have to see it for the unintentional comedy alone.

Two-time superhero actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson comes back to the genre for a third time as Kraven, whom the film inexplicably reenvisions as a hero with a vendetta against his brutal father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe). The trailer makes it look like Kraven was bitten by a radioactive lion that gave him superhuman senses and strength. Let’s just say that’s quite a departure from the source material. We’re still morbidly curious to see just how far this film is willing to run with that.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim | Official Trailer

Release date: December 13

Here’s the biggest reason why Kraven the Hunter will flop: It’s going up against The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. This is a full-length anime set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, approximately 183 years before the events of the novels. You may recall the epic battle of Helm’s Deep that closed out The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The War of the Rohirrim tells the history of that fort, as well as the man who built it, Helm Hammerhand (Succession‘s Brian Cox).

Helm’s kingdom is under assault from an army of Dunlendings, wild men who threaten to overthrow his family and spread terror throughout the land. We’re not going to spoil any specific details about the story, but let’s just say that there are reasons why statues of Helm Hammerhand are prominently featured in the live-action movies.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King | Final Trailer

Release date: December 20

It’s kind of hard to make a sequel to The Lion King;just ask Disney! The Lion King 2 went direct-to-video in 1998! However, one of the major characters introduced in that film, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), has a small role in this prequel film as she learns about her late grandfather, Mufasa (Aaron Pierre).

Before becoming the Pride Lands’ king, Mufasa was a young orphan taken in by the royal lions and embraced by his adoptive brother, Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). We know from The Lion King that Mufasa was ultimately named king, and Taka became the vengeful Scar. This film will reveal how they had their falling out and why Mufasa surpassed his adoptive brother in the eyes of their parents.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Official Trailer (2024 Movie) Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves

Release date: December 20

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is introducing Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog. Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) may have successfully welcomed Knuckles (Idris Elba) into their makeshift family, but Shadow is looking for revenge, and that trio is in his way.

Things are so desperate for Sonic and company that they actually turn to their old enemy, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), for help. Yet, Robotnik is connected to Shadow’s creation in a way that even he never suspected.

Babygirl

Babygirl | Official Trailer 2 HD | A24

Release date: December 25

“This Christmas, get exactly what you want.” A24 is working overtime this year on alternative programming for Christmas movie lovers. And trust us, Babygirl is anything but a Christmas movie. Instead, this is an erotic thriller, which is a genre that Nicole Kidman has some experience in. This time, Kidman is taking the lead as Romy, a powerful CEO who has a husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), two children, financial security, and more.

What Romy doesn’t have is sexual fulfillment, and that’s where her new intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson), comes in. Samuel is a man three decades younger, but he is apparently more than willing to have a torrid affair with his boss. Will Romy allow her young employee to have the power in this relationship, or does she want the control all for herself? And what’s going to happen to her family and her company if the truth gets out?

A Complete Unknown

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures

Release date: December 25

The early line on A Complete Unknown is that this film may be a player in the 2024 Oscar race. Director and co-writer James Mangold is taking a temporary break from making comic book adaptations and sci-fi films to dive into this Bob Dylan biopic, which features Dune‘s Timothée Chalamet as the iconic singer.

A very impressive cast surrounds Chalamet, including Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, and Scoot McNairy. The film explores an early period in Dylan’s life. If this movie lives up to its prerelease hype, Chalamet could even get an Oscar nomination for his performance.

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