New Movies and TV Shows to Look Forward to in 2024

Last week, I joined my buddy DJ to talk about the upcoming movies and TV shows that we are excited to see in 2024. (If you’re interested, you can listen to that conversation here.) With that in mind, I thought I’d expand on my personal list and turn it into this week’s blog.

Like any year, 2024 will see a flood of content in movie theaters and streaming services, but here are five that I’m most looking forward to watching…

Dune: Part Two

Any list of entertainment I’m looking forward to in 2024 begins with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. I’m incredibly excited to return to the desert world of Arrakis (known informally as Dune) to continue the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his quest to avenge the death of his father. The first film (Dune) was a masterful film full of great characters, heart-pounding action, and engrossing worldbuilding—and that was with it being only one half of a complete story.

Having read the book, I think it’s safe to say that the best is yet to come. There are still so many iconic elements of the story we’ve yet to see, such as sandworm riding, the Navigators, and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), antagonist and heir of evil House Harkonnen. It will also be interesting to see how Villeneuve delivers a satisfying conclusion to the story—remember, one of the genius sources of conflict in Frank Herbert’s novel is that, even as Paul seeks revenge on his foes, he is also trying to avoid a bloody, uncontrollable war in his name should he emerge victorious.

With great direction, story, visuals, and a host of talented actors (including Christopher Walken as the Emperor of Space!) Dune: Part Two should be a highlight of 2024.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

My quibbles with the movie’s subtitle aside, this is certainly a film I can’t wait to watch. George Miller’s Mad Max series has been around since 1979, but the director breathed new life into his own franchise with 2015’s phenomenal Mad Max: Fury Road. Furiosa is a prequel to that story, set an as-yet indeterminate amount of time prior to Fury Road (though long enough before to swap out Charlize Theron for Anya Taylor-Joy in the titular role).

At first, I wasn’t sure about the idea of a recast Imperator Furiosa. Even though Theron assumed the role for a single film, her mark on the character felt pretty indelible. Switching actors felt like it could have a subtractive effect on the production from the start, a la Solo. But Taylor-Joy is a talented actress and knowing that George Miller is behind the camera out my fears to rest. Add in a villainous Chris Hemsworth and practical action to compete with or exceed Fury Road, and Furiosa should be a pulse-pounding prequel worthy of its predecessor.

Shōgun

I’ll admit, I’m always a reluctant adopter when it comes to TV shows. But when one gets me, it gets me hard (hello Stranger Things and The Bear!). Shōgun, the upcoming show from FX and streaming on Hulu, has potential to hook me, and I’m excited to see it.

The show is set in 1600s Japan during a time of great conflict and change, with Hiroyuki Sanada playing a powerful daimyo fighting for his life when his enemies unite against him. Throw in an ambitious, shipwrecked Englishman and a mysterious female samurai, and you’ve got enough intrigue to kick off a compelling show. We’ll see if it delivers.

Nosferatu

I haven’t seen much of Robert Eggers filmography—in fact, I’ve only seen one: The Northman. But that stellar movie is enough to get me excited about his upcoming film, Nosferatu. Eggers has a very moody, distinctive style that should lend itself well to a movie about the titular bloodsucker.

Noted bad guy actor Bill Skarsgård is set to play the vampire, Count Orlok, alongside a strong cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, and Nicholas Hoult. At this point, not much is known about the film beyond its premise, but it’s strong enough with a skilled director that it easily makes my list of movies to look forward to in 2024.

Gladiator 2

I’ll wrap up this list by including another movie where not much is known about it beyond its sparse premise and the talent involved: Gladiator 2. This sequel follows a grown-up Lucius, i.e., the young son of Lucilla and nephew of Commodus seen in 2000’s Gladiator. Though the titular gladiator famously portrayed by Russell Crowe will likely not be making an appearance (since he died at the end of Gladiator, spoilers), this movie has so much talent—including Denzel Washington—that it makes it a must-see in my mind.

Director Ridley Scott returns to helm the film, based on a turbulent time in Roman history, which should make for plenty of conflict. How will the older (and recast) Lucius factor into the story? Perhaps he’ll follow in the warrior footsteps of Maximus Decimus Meridius?

“Are [we] not entertained?” Only time will tell, but this is one I’m keeping on my radar.

Conclusion: New Movies and TV Shows to Look Forward to in 2024

So, that’s my list. I’m sure there will be a few more things that pop up that I’ll get excited about, and I’ll share those with you as they come up. In the meantime, what do you think? What are some new movies and/or TV shows that you can’t wait to watch in 2024? Let me know in the comments below!