Summary
It’s no secret that many of2024’s movies are struggling at the box office. From streaming and video-on-demand (VOD) dominance to residual COVID-19 and strike impacts,there are plenty of reasons why 2024’s releases are underperforming in theaters. In the wake of Memorial Day weekend, the three days that typically mark the beginning of the summer movie season,Dune: Part Tworemains the year’s biggest success. Ryan Gosling’s action-comedyThe Fall Guyfaced a sharp decline, due in large part to its imminent streaming debut, whileFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga’s box officelanded below projections.
With the summer box office off to a shockingly slow start, audiences and industry insiders alike are wondering if any upcoming 2024 movie will strike box-office gold. EvenDenis Villeneuve, the director ofDune 2, is disappointedthat none of the year’s more recent releases have dethroned his sci-fi epic. Currently,Dune 2’s global box office draw stands at an impressive $711 million, making it 2024’s top-earning film by a long shot. Realistically, only a few movies have enough hype and pop-cultural stature to dethroneDune 2and become the new highest-grossing film of 2024.
Despicable Me 4
Cast
The infamous (and kind-hearted) not-super villain Gru returns in Despicable Me 4, the fourth entry in the long-running movie series from Illumination Entertainment. The fourth film also sees the return of Gru’s wife, Lucy, portrayed again by Kristin Wiig, and introduces their son.
The latest installment in the Minions cinematic universe,Despicable Me 4sees Gru (Steve Carell), a former supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League agent, and his wife, fellow agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), navigating Minionsandparenthood. Given the massive successes of previous installments in the beloved animated franchise,Despicable Me 4has a real shot of dethroningDune 2from the top spot. The firstDespicable Mekicked off the Minion craze in 2010, garnering an impressive $544 million. The series' first spin-off, 2015’sMinions, crossed the billion-dollar mark, whileDespicable Me 3drew $1.035 billion.
$544 million
$975 million
$1.168 billion
$1.035 billion
$940.7 million
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
A sequel to Pixar’s Oscar-winning 2015 film,Inside Out 2catches up with a now-teenage Riley and the inner-workings of her mind. Memorably, Riley’s five personified emotions — Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Anger (Lewis Black) — administer her thoughts and actions, though they have some growing up to do as well. InInside Out 2, the five core emotions meet Riley’s newest team members. While Pixar’s 2023 flick,Elemental, had a gradual rise at the box office,Inside Outgarnered an impressive $858.8 million.
Deadpool & Wolverine
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
The 34th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU),Deadpool & Wolverinecenters on two of Marvel Comics' biggest characters. After 2017’sLogan, Hugh Jackman (mostly) put down his claws, but the actor reprises his role alongside Ryan Reynolds' irreverent Deadpool. The film has a lot working in its favor:The flick properly introduces the X-Men to the MCU canon, and it continues the highly successfulDeadpoolseries. SinceDeadpoolandDeadpool 2made $782.8 million and $785.8 million respectively,Deadpool & Wolverine’s box officecould be the first MCU film to cross $1 billion in years.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips' critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.
A sequel to 2019’s sleeper hitJoker, Todd Phillips' psychological thriller once again centers on Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a failed clown who grapples with mental illness and nihilism. In the first film, Fleck’s personal story inspired a violent revolution against Gotham’s elite, but, inJoker: Folie à Deux, he shares the spotlight with Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), the Arkham State Hospital therapist who eventually becomes Harley Quinn. Billed as a musical,Joker: Folie à Deuxsees Joker and Harley falling in love amid shared delusions. SinceJokermade a whopping $1.079 billion, the sequel is primed for success.
June 06, 2025
Moana 2
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
Disney surprised fans in 2023 by announcingMoana 2, a direct sequel to the studio’s Oscar-nominated musical adventure that became something of a phenomenon in 2016. Stars Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprise their roles from the first film, with Cravalho playing the titular hero and Johnson playing the shapeshifting demigod Maui. The firstMoanafilm made an impressive $687.2 million at the box office. Although that comes in underDune 2’s draw,there’s no underestimatingMoana’s enduring appeal — and Disney’s ability to churn out top-earning hits.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
Directed by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight),Mufasa: The Lion Kingis a photorealistic-animated film that continues the story of 2019’sThe Lion King— which itself adapted 1994’sThe Lion King. Both a sequel and prequel,Mufasacenters on its titular character’s origin story, but that tale is being told to the late Mufasa’s (Aaron Pierre) granddaughter, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala’s (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) daughter. Sincethe ‘90sLion Kingmade $968.4 million and the 2019 version drew $1.663 billion,Mufasahas a box-office legacy to continue.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
AfterKevin Costner’sYellowstoneexitmade headlines, fans of the neo-Western shifted some of their attention to Costner’s passion project,Horizon: An American Saga. Previously, Costner directed and starred in the Oscar-winningDances with Wolves, so he’s no stranger to being behind the camera. Set to be released in two parts,Horizonhas the potential to be a summer movie event. Unfortunately, early reviews ofHorizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1are pretty negative, but between Costner’s appeal and the film’s epic promise,Horizon: An American Sagacould be the Western genre’s answer toDune.
Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
Set between the events of Ridley Scott’sAlienand James Cameron’sAliens,Alien: Romulusis the next entry in the long-running sci-fi horror series. Director Fede Álvarez (2013’sEvil Dead,Don’t Breathe) takes the franchise in a new direction by focusing on a younger cast of characters, which includes rising stars like Cailee Spaeny (Civil War) and Isabela Merced (Turtles All the Way Down). Across seven films, theAlienfranchise has grossed a total of $1.26 billion at the global box office (viaForbes), andAlien: Romuluscould be the much-needed new direction the series needs.
Gladiator II
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
Twenty-four years after the release of director Ridley Scott’s historical drama,Gladiator IIstars a brand-new cast, including stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger. In the film, Mescal’s Lucius Verus, the former heir to the Empire, has been missing for 15 years. Thought to be dead, he’s drawn back into the world ofGladiator. Although Scott’s latest historical epic, Napoleon, didn’t fare too well,the five-time Oscar-winningGladiatormade $465.4 million in 2000, which means the highly anticipatedGladiator IIhas a built-in audience and a notable legacy to rest on.
Megalopolis
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
AlthoughMegalopoliscompeted for the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, Francis Ford Coppola’s epic sci-fi drama polarized critics. Set in an alternate version of modern America, Megalopolis features a complex plot and a sweeping ensemble of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, and Aubrey Plaza, to name just a few. The big appeal?Coppola conceived the idea ofMegalopolisin 1977 and started working on it in 1983.After numerous delays, cancelations, and other hurdles, Coppola returned to his magnum opus, and completely self-funded the film’s $120 million budget.
