Though January and February have delivered some fun times at the movies, the 2024 new movie slate really kicks off this spring. To help you prioritize what movies you are going to want to make time for over the next few months, we've put together this preview of our most anticipated and intriguing spring movies.
We're looking at movies that are releasing between March and just before the end of May, which then leads into the annual summer blockbuster season. But if it's larger-than-life adventures and characters that get you heading to movie theaters, don't worry, even without a superhero movie set for release, there are plenty of big movies that we're highly anticipating, as well as under-the-radar titles that have piqued our interest.
No need to dress it up anymore, let's take a look at the 16 spring movies you're not going to want to miss (listed in order of release date):
Dune: Part Two (March 1)
The spring movie season starts off with as big a movie as it possibly could, Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two. The sequel to 2021's epic Dune is expected to be even bigger. After already having Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista and more, they’ve added even more star power for the sequel with Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Lea Seydoux, Anya Taylor-Joy and Christopher Walken joining the cast in key roles. Villeneuve's Dune are some of the most ambitious sci-fi movies that we've seen in a long time, and they absolutely deserve to be seen on as big of a screen as possible (like IMAX).
If you feel like you need a quick refresher before you see Dune: Part Two, check out this very quick Dune recap from Warner Bros.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (March 8)
Though it's been eight years since the last Kung Fu Panda movie, we're looking forward to catching up with Po as he sets out on another totally epic martial arts adventure with Kung Fu Panda 4. While the Kung Fu Panda movies are definitely meant for kids, they're gorgeous animation and humor makes them a fun watch for all ages. While its a bit of disappointment that franchise staples Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross appear to not be in the movie, Jack Black is back once again to steer things, with a supporting voice cast that includes Dustin Hoffman, Awkwafina and Viola Davis.
Releases March 28 in the UK.
Damsel (March 8)
Not all of the big spring movies are going to require you to head to the movie theaters. Netflix's big entry to the movie schedule in the coming months is Damsel, a twist on the classic fantasy story. Millie Bobby Brown stars as a princess set to marry her prince charming, only to learn that she is going to be a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt of her betrothed's family. So to get her happily ever after (in this case survival and perhaps some revenge) she has to take things into her own hands. Brown is one of the queens of Netflix, as the star of Stranger Things and the Enola Holmes movies, and Damsel could be another great collab between the star and streamer.
Love Lies Bleeding (March 8)
Having already screened at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Love Lies Bleeding is one of the spring movies we already have a good bit of feedback on: and it is pretty good. The movie is "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with 91%,(as of publication) but even if it didn't have good buzz around it, this Kristen Stewart-led, 80s-set movie that sees her begin a relationship with a female bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian) and get her involved with her criminal family (represented by the legendary Ed Harris), we would definitely be intrigued by what rising filmmaker Rose Glass had cooked up.
Releases April 19 in the UK.
Arthur the King (March 15)
Get ready for the next big dog movie star, as Arthur the King tells an incredible true story of a stray dog that became an inspirational team member for a group of high adventurers. The human stars of the movie are Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu and Nathalie Emmanuel, while the four-legged star playing the titular Arthur is named Ukai. People love movies about dogs almost as much as they love dogs; OK, that may be a bit of a stretch, but Arthur the King looks to be a great combination of the two.
Releases March 22 in the UK.
Road House (March 21)
An 80s action classic is getting a modern day revamp as Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the reimagining of the Patrick Swayze movie Road House. In this version of the story, Gyllenhaal is an ex-UFC fighter that takes a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse known for its violent fights. But his arrival causes some problems with a group of local criminals, which includes the character played by real-life UFC fighter Conor McGregor (making his movie debut). So it's Gyllenhaal vs McGregor exclusively on Prime Video? Sign us up.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (March 22)
Who ya gonna call? The Ghostbusters are back, both the new generation that has introduced in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor, Carrie Coon and Paul Rudd) and the originals (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts); plus, new cast members like Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani and James Acaster join the franchise. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire sees the team return to New York as a powerful spirit threatens to bring about a second Ice Age, so we expect a cool time at the movies (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Shirley (March 22)
Damsel isn't Netflix’s only big movie of the spring, as Regina King leads Shirley, a biopic about Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman ever elected to Congress who ran a historic campaign for president in 1972. We don’t get to see King on the big screen as much any more as she has focused more on directing (her last movie was 2021's The Harder They Fall), so it's a treat to see her and exciting to have her playing such a landmark figure.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (March 29)
Movie monster icons are teaming up once again with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. After squaring off in some epic fights in the previous Godzilla vs Kong, the titans are now reluctant allies as a new threat emerges. Not much is needed to sell this one: it's Godzilla; it's Kong. Expect some big, fun CGI battles with some human characters along for the ride. Though it will be interesting to see if/how they connect this latest movie to the recent Apple TV Plus series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Monkey Man (April 5)
Action may not be the first thing that you think of when it comes to Dev Patel, but the Slumdog Millionaire actor has shown he can flourish in the genre with movies like Hotel Mumbai and The Green Knight, but Monkey Man is going to ratchet things up quite a bit. Not only is Patel set to be a full-fledged action star that at first glance feels akin to John Wick, but the actor is making his directorial debut with the movie, which he also co-wrote. With Jordan Peele onboard as a producer, this story of revenge against corrupt leaders who murdered his mother could become a sleeper hit this spring.
Civil War (April 12)
Alex Garland may not be a director that general movie goers know off hand, but he has made some of the more exciting, original movies of the last 10 years, including Ex Machina and Annihilation. While he's forgoing some of the straight sci-fi elements in his latest movie, Civil War, he is looking at an alternate reality in which the US enters into a second Civil War. Kirsten Dunst leads a group of individuals caught in the crossfire as they try to make their way to Washington, D.C. I'd expect nothing less than an expertly-crafted, challenging but entertaining movie from Garland and company.
Abigail (April 19)
Here's one of the more outlandish movies being offered this spring, a horror movie (with probably a dash of comedy) that focuses on a young vampire that also enjoys ballet. Abigail features a fun cast that includes Melissa Barrera, Kathryn Newton, Dan Stevens, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, William Catlett and Alisha Weir as the titular ballerina vampire. The movie comes from the Radio Silence directing duo (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet) who have delivered some of the most critically acclaimed horror movies of the last few years, including Ready or Not, Scream (2022) and Scream VI.
Challengers (April 26)
Rejoice Zendaya fans, the actress has two movies coming out this spring for you to enjoy, with Challengers quite a different offering than Dune: Part Two. Challengers is directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) and sees Zendaya play a tennis star on the rise who gets into a love triangle with characters played by Mike Faist (West Side Story) and Josh O'Connor (The Crown). The trailers for the movie tease a sexy, dramatic story of jealousy on and off the tennis court. The fact that we were supposed to get this movie in the fall of 2023 (it was delayed because of the Hollywood strikes) only makes us more excited to finally watch it.
The Fall Guy (May 3)
After being perhaps the perfect Ken in 2023's Barbie, Ryan Gosling takes on the role of stuntman in the new action comedy The Fall Guy. As Gosling's character attempts to win back the woman of his dreams, a director in charge of a massive action movie played by Emily Blunt, it falls upon him to find the movie's star when he goes missing. Can he be a hero when the stunts are real? The movie looks to be a perfect combination of Gosling's comedic chops and fun action sequences, and Blunt is great in practically everything she does, so they should be a fun combo. Throw in Hannah Waddingham, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu and Winston Duke, with direction from the man behind Bullet Train, Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2, sounds like a blast.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 10)
Even though Andy Serkis has left the franchise, the modern Planet of the Apes movies continue with the all new Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The story picks up a few hundred years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, focusing on a new central character as he uncovers hidden secrets of his world while also dealing with a powerful ape contingency. There's definitely some nervousness about what these movies will be sans Serkis, but it continues to use the incredible motion-capture technology, so at least it is going to look great. Plus, as a lifelong fan of the Planet of the Apes movie, they rarely disappoint (we don't talk about Tim Burton's).
IF (May 17)
John Krasinski's first two directorial outings were The Quiet Place franchise, which while centered around family, weren't exactly family-friendly. That won't be the issue with IF, which tells the story of a young girl (Cailey Flemming) who begins to see imaginary friends that have been left behind by kids they used to help after they have grown up. An all-star cast is on board for IF, including Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Christopher Meloni and more. All the trailers have looked incredibly charming, so we're excited to check out the full movie for a hopefully wholesome time.
Releases May 24 in the UK.
