New movies in 2024: Prequels, sequels pave way for another blockbuster year
After a wildly successful year at the box office in 2023, Hollywood is gearing up for another blockbuster lineup of movies hitting the big screen in 2024.
Ralphie Aversa, entertainment reporter and host of USA Today’s "Entertain This!", sat down with LiveNow from FOX to discuss the hottest movies coming to the big screen this year.
Here’s his list.
New movies in 2024
Lift: F. Gary Gray directs this action film starring Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Vincent D'Onofrio, a crew of thieves attempting to steal $500 million in gold from a vault on a plane, 40,000 feet in the air. (theaters and Netflix, Jan. 12, 2024)
Mufasa: The Lion King: A prequel to the hit Disney animated movie in which Simba, "having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored," IMDB says. (theaters, December 2024)
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F: Eddie Murphy reprises his role as the titular Detective Axel Foley in the fourth installment of the popular action-comedy Beverly Hills Cop franchise. (Netflix, summer 2024)
Wicked: Ariana Grande starts in the first of a two-part feature film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. (theaters, November 2024)
Dune, Part Two: The followup to Denis Villeneuve's 2021 science-fiction hit. The starry cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh and Léa Seydoux. (theaters, March 2024)
Mad Max: Furiosa: This highly anticipated prequel comes nine years after the last movie of the franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road. It explores the origins of Charlize Theron's character and her alliance with Max. (theaters, May 2024)
Beetlejuice 2: Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice in another highly anticipated sequel, with Winona Ryder returning as Lydia Daetz. Catherine O’Hara, who played Delia Deetz in the original, will also return. "Wednesday" star Jenna Ortega joins the cast as the daughter of Lydia Daetz. Other new cast members include Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux. (theaters, September 2024)