Summer 2024 movie preview: everything else worth paying attention to

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine

Director: Michael Showalter

Real-person fanfic gets a little closer to reality with The Idea Of You, a rom-com based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee. Hathaway plays Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who unexpectedly falls for Hayes Campbell (Galitzine), a 24-year-old pop star. No, it’s definitely not a wish-fulfillment narrative heavily inspired by Harry Styles, why would you even think that? Still, The Idea Of You got strong reviews out of South By Southwest, where it premiered earlier this year, and director Michael Showalter rarely disappoints. Impressive casting, crackling chemistry, and a genuine love for the format elevate what could have been a formulaic and quickly forgotten film to one of the best examples of the genre in recent years. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu

Director: David Leitch

Forget “Barbenheimer,” it’s now time for Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt to shine in a brand new project together. The Fall Guy is the perfect entertainment package: action, comedy, and romance combined with two hot leading stars to boot. The film follows Colt Seavers, a past-his-prime stuntman whose latest gig brings him back into the orbit of his ex-girlfriend, Jody. To impress her and save their job, he volunteers to find the missing actor Tom Ryder before the project they’re all working on is shut down. Based on Gosling and Blunt’s off-screen banter (Oscars, press interviews), their chemistry in The Fall Guy is going to rule. As a bonus, There’s a scene in which Gosling cries to Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well.” [Saloni Gajjar]

Cast: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Fresh off the one-two punch of Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and the Oscar-winning Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi returns with another contemplative yet driving drama in Evil Does Not Exist. A gorgeous assessment of the simple life and the ever-encroaching world outside it, this story of a small town and the looming construction of a vacation spot almost sounds like one of those “save the rec center with a car wash fundraiser” plots. But in Hamaguchi’s eyes, it’s a cold war between corporate suits and resigned villagers whose differences are far greater than either side makes them out to be. Lovely nature shots of the village’s crisp surrounding forest and stream makes the cold boxy world of cities that much more vulgar, while straightforward dialogue makes for an unflinching look at everyday conflict. [Jacob Oller]

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Bobby Moynahan, plus the voice of Steve Carell and too many others to list

Director: John Krasinksi

In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, the title of this film is an acronym that stands for “imaginary friends,” which is pretty self-explanatory. Star Ryan Reynolds has compared the family comedy to a “live-action Pixar film.” He plays Cal, a human with the rare ability to see and hear these normally invisible figments of other people’s imaginations. Many of them have lost their purpose after their kids have grown up and forgotten them, but hope arrives in the form of Bea (Cailey Fleming), Cal’s young neighbor. When she suddenly gains the ability to see IFs too, they look to her to help find them new kids to befriend. The film was written and directed by John Krasinski (he also plays Bea’s dad), who recruited many of his A-list celebrity friends to provide voices for the CG characters, so expect a lot of cameos that the kids in the audience probably won’t get. [Cindy White]

Cast: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Guttierez, Rachel Shenton, Ema Horvath, Gabriel Basso

Director: Renny Harlin

The trailer for The Strangers: Chapter 1 invites you to “Witness how the Strangers became the Strangers,” though the clip seems to be mirroring the notoriously backstory-less plot of Bryan Bertino’s original 2008 film pretty closely. Chapter 1 serves as a prequel that’ll kick off a new Strangers trilogy, and Harlin claims his films will explore “Where...[the Strangers are] coming from and why.” Whether those motivations will improve or detract from the experience of watching a bunch of masked weirdos terrorize a vacationing couple remains to be seen. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Retta

Director: Richard Linklater

When Hit Man premiered at the Venice Film Festival last fall, reviews were through the roof, with co-writer and star Glen Powell arriving on screen as a fully-formed movie star. When it was purchased by Netflix, depriving most of seeing the movie in theaters to laugh with fellow people, the feeling was that Hit Man could have been a real hit, man. Nevertheless, Powell and co-writer-director Richard Linklater are bringing their charming master of disguise to audiences this summer. We can only hope that those who can see it with a crowd. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edibiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Kyle Maclachlan, and Diane Lane

Director: Kelsey Mann

Remember at the end of Inside Out, when 12-year-old Riley got a new, expanded control panel installed in her head? We’re about to see it in action in Pixar’s sequel, Inside Out 2. Riley is now a teenager, going through all the things that teenagers go through. That means big renovations and the arrival of new Emotions in Headquarters, including Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edibiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). It’s a big adjustment for everyone, especially the Emotions we got to know in the original film. Some of the voice cast are back (Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger) and some have been replaced (Tony Hale takes over for Bill Hader as Fear, while Liza Lapira steps in for Mindy Kaling as Disgust), but they all have new lessons to learn. [Cindy White]

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan

Director: Ishana Night Shyamalan

Ishana Night Shyamalan (yes, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan) steps into her first directing role with the appropriately creepy-looking The Watchers. Mina (Fanning) gets lost in the Irish wilderness and finds herself trapped in a building with several other strangers as they’re observed by mysterious beings on the other side of a two-way mirror. Obviously, Mina’s not just content to accept her fate, as the other prisoners seem willing to do, and she sets out to figure out who—or what—is holding them hostage. Ishana adapted the screenplay from the novel of the same name by A.M. Shine, so The Watchers will be an exciting debut for her talents on two different fronts. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Toby Wallace, Emory Cohen, Beau Knapp, Karl Glusman, Happy Anderson, Mike Faist

Director: Jeff Nichols

Last seen in 2016 with the dual release of Midnight Special and Loving, Jeff Nichols returns with a movie Disney decided to shelve. Their loss is Focus Features’ gain. The Bikeriders centers around a Chicago motorcycle club made up of a remarkable cast of rising and established actors. Set over a decade, the film watches as the titular bike riders evolve from petty crooks to an organized criminal enterprise. How will that affect the smoldering relationship between Butler and Hardy? We’re just going to have to watch and find out. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo

Director: Annie Baker

Annie Baker’s coming-of-age story about a mother and daughter upholding the family tradition of being depressed. Nicholson plays Janet, the hippie mother of Lacy (Ziegler), an obsessively clingy 11-year-old. The movie received raves during last year’s festival season, and watching the trailer, it’s easy to see why. Who could hate a film where an 11-year-old perfectly sums up existence: “You know what’s funny? Every moment of my life is hell.” [Matt Schimkowitz]

Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Honsou

Director: Michael Sarnoski

John Krasinksi made a strong directorial debut with A Quiet Place in 2018—a genuinely inventive, creepy, and well-made film. Even the sequel didn’t disappoint. Let’s hope the trend continues with its new spin-off, even if Krasinski isn’t behind the camera for it (he developed the story with Michael Sarnoski, though). Day One takes place in New York City and follows Sam (Nyong’o) as she struggles to survive when a casual alien invasion occurs. Based on the trailer, Day One looks promising enough—the moment all the noise quiets down in the video is pretty great—so let’s hope the movie delivers. [Saloni Gajjar]

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn

Director: Christy Hall

In what seems like the world’s longest drive from Newark to Midtown, Daddio follows Sean Penn as a cab driver and Dakota Johnson as his passenger. En route, they have a conversation about love, life, and, presumably, the pursuit of happiness. With both Penn and Johnson having very recently turned their eyes to very different kinds of projects—a documentary about Ukraine and Madame Web, respectively—maybe Daddio will be something of a reset. [Drew Gillis]

Cast: Steve Carrell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Sofia Vargera, Stephen Colbert, Chole Fineman, Joey King, Will Ferrell

Director: Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage

Is it ba-na-na season already? Kevin, Stuart, and Bob return for Despicable Me 4, the sixth film in the Despicable Me franchise. But now that we’ve seen Gru (Carrell) rise, what remains to explore? Baby Gru, of course. Now married to Lucy (Wiig), Gru has a new baby and a new nemesis, voiced by Ferrell. Everyone knows what they’re getting with this one. The only remaining question is, do Stuart, Kevin, and Bob still have the juice? [Matt Schimkowitz]

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson, Anna Garcia, Nick Dillenburg, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins

Director: Greg Berlanti

Okay, we all know the moon landing actually happened, but what if there was a backup plan to fake it just in case the real thing didn’t work out? Doesn’t that sound like the perfect setting for a quirky rom-com from former Arrowverse creator Greg Berlanti? In Fly Me To The Moon, Scarlett Johansson plays a marketing executive tasked with “selling” the public on the space program, which includes surreptitiously filming a fake version of the moon landing. Channing Tatum plays a NASA director who’s had enough of her shenanigans undermining his very legitimate space program, thank you very much. It’s all presented in a very ironic, wink-wink-nudge-nudge manner, but it’s somewhat hard to imagine who the audience for this film is: the conspiracy-theory nutjobs are probably going to be upset that they’re being made fun of again, and the “controversy” has grown tiresome for everyone else, even if it’s presented in a tongue-in-cheek way. It is hard to argue with Johansson and Tatum’s chemistry, though. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Colam Domingo, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Paul Raci, Sean San José

Director: Greg Kwedar

Sing Sing is a meditation on the redemptive power of art told through the lens of a bizarro play staged in a maximum security prison. Though based-on-a-true-story narratives can often lean into trite and sanctimonious filmmaking, Sing Sing drew a lot of praise when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. The cast is led by Domingo, but it also includes several formerly incarcerated actors who helped stage the original production of the play. The trailer seems fine enough, but the really intriguing thing is the play itself: it’s called “Breakin’ The Mummy’s Code,” and it seems to be exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood

Director: Osgood Perkins

Even if I wasn’t an Osgood Perkins believer (I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives In The House isn’t just one of the best titles to say to yourself as you walk around your apartment, but a good movie), the cast of Longlegs would have me showing up to the theater. Scream queen Maika Monroe plus Nicolas Cage in killer mode? That’s a recipe for a good time, especially since this film seems to be blurring its ’70s serial murderer’s lines with the occult, a la True Detective. I’ve been tantalized by the cryptic ad campaign, but nothing’s more of a draw than pitting those two performers against one another in a cat-and-mouse chase. [Jacob Oller]

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Matthew Macfadyen, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Karan Soni,

Director: Shawn Levy

Listen, everyone’s reached a superhero saturation point, but there’s no denying that Deadpool & Wolverine looks like a very fun time. It brings Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine back into the fold. That’s a big deal! He’s the perfect grumpy counterpart to Ryan Reynolds’ chirpy, wisecracking Deadpool. The trailer reveals they team up to beat telepathic mutant Cassandra Nova (Corrin), who is Charles Xavier’s twin sister. Deadpool & Wolverine is unabashedly bridging the Avengers and X-Men gap in the MCU. I’m cautiously optimistic to see them deliver on this huge promise. [Saloni Gajjar]

Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen

Director: Sean Wang

This coming-of-age story from first-time feature director Sean Wang created a lot of buzz when it premiered at Sundance in 2024. It probably didn’t hurt that Wang had just been nominated for an Academy Award for his short documentary film Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó, quickly establishing him as a major upcoming filmmaker. Dìdi follows a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy as he navigates his last summer before high school in 2008. Instant messages, skateboarding lessons, and family drama ensue. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Haley Mills, Allison Pill, Marnie McPhail

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Trap stars Josh Hartnett as a dad who brings his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite pop star in concert, only to discover that the show is a trap set by the police to catch a serial killer known as The Butcher. The twist (and I’m not spoiling anything that isn’t revealed in the trailer) is that Hartnett’s character may be The Butcher himself. Ever since the trailer dropped there’s been speculation that the film could have another big twist in store; this is an M. Night Shyamalan movie, after all. But what if we waited until the movie is actually released to find out? Can we ever move past the urge to try to guess the twist in every new Shyamalan movie, and simply enjoy them for what they are? Just kidding, let the theorizing begin. [Cindy White]

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Maddie Ziegler, Seth Isaac Johnson, Maisy Stella, Maria Dizza

Director: Megan Park

After its very well-received Sundance debut in early 2024, My Old Ass was snapped by Amazon MGM for a theatrical and streaming release. The early glowing reviews have immediately put the film on my radar, especially because Aubrey Plaza is one of its leading stars. In this coming-of-age comedy, she plays Elliott, who goes back in time to advise her 18-year-old self not to fall in love with a particular boy or it’ll ruin her life. Who can’t relate to that idea, right? [Saloni Gajjar]

Cast: Hunter Schafer, Jessica Henwick, Dan Stevens

Director: Tilman Singer

Cuckoo’s premiere at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival drew a mixed response: the main question it raised was whether or not it takes itself too seriously. And that’s a legitimate concern for what should be a kinda-schlocky horror movie about an American teenager (Schafer) who moves to a German resort town with her family only to discover that something isn’t quite right there. But horror fans are generally a lot more forgiving than critics, and the reviews were pretty split down the middle on Cuckoo’s level of camp vs. seriousness. The one thing everyone agreed on, though, and the thing that’s got me interested despite the mixed response so far, is that the performances are top-notch, especially from Stevens as the resort’s mysterious owner. [Jen Lennon]

Cast: Lily Collias, James Le Gros, Danny McCarthy

Director: India Donaldson

The debut feature of director India Donaldson, Good One announces her as an exciting addition to the independent film world. Dads and childhood friends Chris and Matt plan a camping trip with their own children; however, when Matt’s son decides to stay home, 17-year-old Sam has to spend the weekend with the two middle-aged men. Beautifully shot and featuring a literary script, Good One earned positive attention at Sundance and Lincoln Center’s New Directors, New Films festival. [Drew Gillis]

Cast: Cailee Spaney, David Johnson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

Director: Fede Álvarez

For the first time since 1997, the xenomorph returns to space in Alien Romulus. A sideways reboot of the franchise, which stalled out during Ridley Scott’s divisive pair of (underappreciated) prequels, Romulus returns Alien to the familiar. Alien Romulus finally looks like an Alien movie again, with director Fede Álvarez focusing on corridors, facehuggers, and plasma rifles in the first teaser. The first of two Alien-related projects on the way, Álvarez’s back-to-basics approach has much to live up to. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Cast: Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt, Jamie Campbell Bower

Director: Kevin Costner

Whether people care for the first or not, the second chapter of Costner’s epic is coming. In an unprecedented bit of hubris, the second half of Costner’s western epic hits theaters less than two months after the first. There is no doubt this is streaming’s influence on studio release engineering. It’s a novel approach that we’re interested in seeing play out. All told, Horizon might be one of the more experimental movies in some time—at least in how it’s released. [Matt Schimkowitz

Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Alia Shawkat, Geena Davis, Levon Hawke

Director: Zoë Kravitz

First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room: holy shit, that cast. Kravitz has assembled an absurdly talented group of actors for her directorial debut. She also co-wrote the screenplay, which concerns a rich, handsome tech mogul (Tatum) and the increasingly bizarre party he throws on his private island. The vibes get weird and no one can really put their finger on why until Frida (Ackie) realizes that her friend, Jess (Shawkat), is missing and nobody even remembers her. The film’s title makes it sound a lot more generic than it will hopefully end up being—I’m still crossing my fingers that it lives up to its more evocative original moniker: Pussy Island. [Jen Lennon]