2023 was an incredible year showcasing adult dramas and female-driven films supplanting the old trodden-out studio I.P. films crumbling under the weight of their lackluster quality. The highest-grossing movie wasn’t the latest MCU film or another Disney live-action remake, but a cornucopia of pink colors and galvanizing female power of the Barbie property. Furthermore, Christopher Nolan delivered not only the crowning achievement of his career but also the highest-grossing adult drama of all time.
So much of 2023 was reconfiguring what audiences would come to the theater for, and it’s clear they want something original. In a landscape where entertainment is abundant, studios (hopefully) realize they must do more than play their old hits. Let’s not forget a dual writers and actors strike that shut production down for a combined eight months, which caused production schedules to shift to where 2024 could find itself with a decrease in released projects.
Still, there are finished films scheduled to come out, and we here at The Rolling Tape asked our team to pick one film they’re most excited to see. It should be noted that while everyone at TRT is excited to see Dune: Part 2 (2024), it would be too obvious of an answer that we veered away from it, mainly due to it coming out so soon. Here are the most anticipated films by each member of The Rolling Tape.
Megalopolis (2024) – Danny Jarabek
“With the name and wallet of Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis is one of the most peculiar and exciting projects set to hit the screens in 2024. Starting as a passion project in the 1980s, the film has been a forty-plus-year endeavor to produce in what is being described as an ‘American epic science fiction drama.’ Little is known about the story itself—the basic plot synopsis entails an architect circling ideas of utopia in a post-disaster New York City, but the mere suggestion that one of the most talented filmmakers in American History has another epic in store is reason enough for this to be my most anticipated film. It also helps that as a person currently going through grad school for architecture design, this film already has me in its grasp.”
The film revolves around Ceasar (Adam Driver), an architect with visions of rebuilding New York into a utopia after a catastrophic disaster. Ceasar’s lover, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), is confused between her love for the new New York vision of her lover and her father, Frank (Forrest Whitaker), who has a classical, non-modern view of the city. Coppola has described this as a passion project, one that he has personally financed himself, thanks to him selling a portion of his wine empire with a final production budget of $120 million. The film has no set release date, but many speculate it could come for a Cannes debut in the summer.
Challengers (2024) – Eugene Rocco Utley
“One of my most anticipated films of 2024 is Challengers. I always love to see the versatility of Guadagnino’s approach to a concept, being able to pierce in any genre or direction yet still finding such an incredible sensitivity from its core. I feel as though this film has limitless directions that he can take it—all of which I would be excited to see.”
The film stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor and is described as a romantic sports comedy with some hint of drama. Of course, with Guadagnino, genre titles are a playground for him to unleash his unearthly sense of human intimacy and chaos, as the film centers on a love triangle between the three leads. Tashi (Zendaya) is a former tennis prodigy who, after suffering a terrible injury, has turned to coaching. She is married to Art (Mike Faist), a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when she concocts a match to face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend, Patrick (Josh O’Connor). The film is dated to come out April 26, 2024.
Mickey 17 (2024) – Bryan Sudfield
“How can one not be excited that Bong Joon-ho’s follow-up to the monumentally game-changing Best Picture winner, Parasite (2019), is a science fiction film starring Robert Pattinson? Anytime either of them has a project come out, I will be there from day one, no matter what. It is difficult to properly articulate my excitement for this, but I can safely say I smell a winner on our hands.”
Based on the novel “Mickey7” by Edward Ashton, Mickey 17 is a science fiction film whose plot is being kept under wraps. The initial premise entails Pattinson playing Mickey Barnes, an expendable, disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. The film also stars Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, and Toni Collette. The release date has been delayed, with the possibility of it being a Fall seasonal awards contender.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) – Sara Ciplickas
“Joker (2019) was already one of my top favorite films of 2019. Now we have a sequel that’s also a musical with Lady Gaga. Consider this Batman lore fan curious, but I for sure anticipate something different and iconic.”
Following the massive billion-dollar, two-time Oscar winner success, it will be a challenging feat for Todd Philips and Joaquin Phoenix to try and match the monumental success that was their twisted, grounded take of the famous comic-book villain. The sequel has been described as a musical involving the twisted elements of the previous film. Gaga stars as Harleen Quinzell, who meets Arthur Fleck in Arkham Hospital, and the film tracks their sordid love affair. Folie à deux (also known as “shared psychotic disorder”) is defined as a rare disorder characterized by sharing a specific delusion among two or more people in a close relationship. The inducer (primary) who has a psychotic disorder with delusions influences another individual or more (induced, secondary) based on a delusional belief. Most of the plot is kept under wraps, with the studio aiming for October 4th, 2024.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) – Evan Miller
“I’m a major fan of the Apes franchise, especially the last three films that encompass Ceasar’s trilogy: Rise, Dawn, and War. I’ve been consistently blown away by the story that has been constructed, which explores everything that led up to the original Planet of the Apes (1968). I’m interested in seeing where Wes Ball takes this next chapter centuries after the last film ended. I’m particularly invested in how Ball flexes his directing muscles after helming the Maze Runner trilogy, especially considering he was recently tapped to helm the massively-anticipated Legend of Zelda live-action film by Sony.”
This latest sequel will be seen as a soft reboot that takes place nearly 300 years after the events of Cesar’s trilogy. Humans have regressed to being feral animals, whereas apes have become the dominant species ruling planet Earth. Owen Teague stars as Noa, a young chimpanzee that teams with a young feral woman, Mae (Freya Allan), as they embark on a journey to uncover the hidden past between humans and apes while combating a fierce ruler, Proximus Ceasar (Kevin Durand), a chimpanzee ruler that perverts the teachings of Caesar to enslave other clans in search for last traces of human technologies. The film is set to come out May 10th, 2024.
Nosferatu (2024) – Gabe Lillanthal
“There’s no director working today that employs full-throtted gothic aesthetics like Robert Eggers. To hear he was putting together his version of the original horror masterpiece, Nosferatu (1922), it felt like the stars were aligned. His attention to detail and visual language is peerless and constantly interesting to me. Judging by the initial images, Eggers and his team look to be in prime form for this timeless story.”
This new iteration stars Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Hoult, and Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlock. Focus Features’ statement of the film reads: “Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.” While the film may be seen as a remake of the original film, one can expect Eggers to infuse the story with his sensibilities that might align itself with Bram Stoker’s novel, on which the original is based. The film is slated to come out December 25th, 2024.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) – Carson Burton
“This prequel of the Mad Max franchise follows Anya-Taylor Joy as a young Furiosa, which on its own has a lot on its shoulders. After all, how can you ever follow up Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), one of the greatest action movies ever made? I have three words for you: George Miller, baby. If anyone can recapture the crazed, frenetic lightning of Fury Road, it’s Miller. All Furiosa has to be is two hours of chaos, and it would be a lovely, lovely day.”
After eight years of winning six Oscars and being heralded as one of the greatest action movies of all time, Miller returns to the world of Mad Max by tracking the early days of Imperator Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron in Fury Road) as Taylor-Joy takes the mantle. The film tracks her being snatched from the Green Place of the Many Mothers by Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), a biker horde leader who wages a war with Imotegn Joe over control of the Citadel. Furiosa must survive the wasteland and many trials to find her way back home. The film is dated to come out May 24th, 2024.
Queer (2024) – Matt Minton
“Queer, Luca Guadagnino’s exploration of queer identity and desire has been something to look out for ever since Call Me By Your Name (2017). With his upcoming adaptation of the 1985 novel by William S. Burroughs, Guadagnino is bringing together yet another fantastic cast with the likes of Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesly Manville, and Jason Schwartzman. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Craig take on a more romantic, tender part in contrast to his usual action roles. With a 1940s setting in Mexico City and a love story at its heart, there’s no doubt I’ll be eagerly counting down the days for this one.”
The film follows Lee (Craig), who lives in the “Interzone” between Mexico City and Panama. In the post-war historical context of the 1950s, Lee falls in love with Allerton (Starkey), a discharged Navy serviceman who wanders around promiscuous clubs populated by characters on the edge of society. Queer has no distributor or release date announced, but more information should come out, as the film could be a possible awards contender later in the year.
The Fall Guy (2024) – Tate Fowler
“The Fall Guy comes off a wave of Ryan Gosling’s goodwill that I’m totally fine riding. As a fan of Bullet Train (2021), I’m fully expecting David Lietch to add some entertaining flair to this action/comedy hybrid of Hollywood blockbusters. Gosling’s talents and Lietch’s style should make for a good time in the movie theater.”
A loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, the film follows Colt Seavers (Gosling), seasoned-but-past-his-prime stuntman. He finds himself back in front of the cameras when the star of a major film has disappeared. The director, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), his ex-girlfriend, asks him to become the stand-in to help save the production but becomes a reluctant investigator to uncover the mystery of the actor’s disappearance while he rekindles his love with Jody. Leitch, a former stuntman-turned-action director, will certainly infuse the film with his background working in Hollywood productions while utilizing the underrated comedic chops of Goslin’s persona. The film is slated to be a big tentpole film by Universal and will be released on May 3rd, 2024.
Weapons (2024) – Amritpal Rai
Barbarian (2022) was one the best and most surprising of 2022. A low-budget horror film that surprised everyone with its positive critical and audience reception and a film that one had to see, lest they be spoiled by the twists and turns the film took. While Zach Creggor did co-direct the critically derided Miss March (2009), Barbarian found himself in the niche of comedian-turned-horror director that Jordan Peele found in Get Out (2017). A horrifying yet smartly written genre film that contains an undercurrent of societal decay and unconscious red flags. Soon after, it was unclear where Creggor would go, and then a bidding war ensued for his follow-up script, Weapons.
Described as an interrelated, multistory horror epic about the disappearance of high school students in a small town involving witches, told through a Magnolia-esque lens, I am sold. No trailer. No more plot. Give it to me. What piqued my interest was the bidding war that ensued. Deadline reported that the package—script, production budget, and writer/director fee for Creggor—sold north of $38 million. Universal, Netflix, and Sony/Tri-Star were the bidders, but New Line Cinema won out with a guaranteed theatrical release. Jordan Peele and Universal were heavily invested in bringing on the project, but their bid was seven million less than New Line. All that’s to say is that a relatively unknown filmmaker managed to get the likes of big studios to plop down a huge chunk of change for what I imagine is an ambitious, sprawling horror project is music to my ears. We rarely get to see big packages for writers/directors, and this could be the sign that Creggor has positioned himself into the veins of Peele, Aster, and Eggers at the forefront of new horror. There is no set release date, but filming is set to commence in February 2024. Here’s hoping it’s ready before the year is over.
Article courtesy of Amritpal Rai
Feature Image from “Dune: Part Two” (2024); Credit to Warner Bros. via The Manuel
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