Movies to look forward to in 2024

A new year brings cause for contemplation, resolutions, optimism … and a whole new slate of movies. In the spirit of that optimism, here are a handful of upcoming releases that sound intriguing; here’s hoping all of them bring happy diversion. (Note that all dates are tentative and entirely changeable, depending on the whims of movie studios and the universe at large.)

“Argylle”: A spy thriller that involves an introverted novelist, a tabby cat and Catherine O’Hara? Sign me up. Matthew Vaughn (“Kingsman: The Secret Service”) directs; Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston and Samuel L. Jackson star. (Feb. 2)

“Dune: Part Two”: One of several major movies pushed out to 2024 due to the writers and actors strikes last summer and fall, this sequel – following the well-received 2021 first installment – reunites Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in the second half of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic. (March 1)

“Civil War”: In a contentious election year, this one might hit a little close to home: Alex Garland’s latest follows a team of journalists as they attempt to cover a rapidly escalating civil war. Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”) and Nick Offerman (as the president of the United States) star. (April 26)

“Challengers”: If you had “tennis romantic triangle” on your 2024 Movie Bingo card, congratulations! Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”) directs this tale of three young tennis players – played by Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist – and their rivalries on and off the courts. (April 26)

“My Ex-Friend’s Wedding”: I would have highlighted this one for its title alone, but its premise – four childhood friends plot to stop their former friend’s wedding after receiving a drunken wedding-eve call from her – does sound pretty fun. Kay Cannon (“Pitch Perfect”) directs a screenplay co-written by novelist Taylor Jenkins Reid; Amanda Seyfried and Ariana DeBose headline the cast. (May 10)

“IF”: In a mini-“The Office” reunion, John Krasinski and Steve Carell co-star in this sweet-looking family comedy about imaginary friends, written and directed by Krasinski and also starring Ryan Reynolds, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Louis Gossett Jr. (May 17)

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”: Apocalyptic movie franchises never die; they just keep spawning origin stories. This one looks at the early life of warrior Furiosa, played here by Anya Taylor-Joy; George Miller, who directed the very first “Mad Max” movie way back in 1979, is at the helm. (May 24)

“Inside Out 2”: “Inside Out,” the enchanting 2015 Pixar movie that took place inside an 11-year-old girl’s brain, ended with an intriguing hint of its next stop: adolescence. It took a few years, but that sequel’s finally here, with Amy Poehler reprising her role as the voice of Joy. (June 14)

“Twisters”: Lee Isaac Chung, who directed the lovely 2020 film “Minari,” makes his big-budget feature debut with this adventure drama, supposedly a “new chapter” of the 1996 disaster film “Twister.” The cast includes Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Kiernan Shipka of “Mad Men.” (July 19)

“Beetlejuice 2”: In the increasingly crowded category of Sequels to Movies That Came Out A Really Long Time Ago, here we have what sounds like a cheery reunion of the 1988 horror comedy “Beetlejuice,” directed once again by Tim Burton and featuring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. (Sept. 6)

“Joker: Folie à Deux”: I wasn’t a huge fan of the first “Joker” movie, but this one sounds potentially interesting, as a) that’s a bold move to give it a French subtitle (it means, roughly translated, “a shared madness”), b) Lady Gaga co-stars opposite Joaquin Phoenix, as Harley Quinn, and c) apparently it’s a musical. Really? OK, I’m in. (Oct. 4)

“Gladiator 2”: More than 20 years in the making, this Romans-not-on-holiday sequel is (like the 2000 original) directed by Ridley Scott – and if your 2024 Movie Bingo card featured “Denzel Washington in a toga,” you are in luck! Alongside him will be Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi and Djimon Hounsou, reprising their roles from the original. (Nov. 22)

“Wicked: Part I”: The smash Broadway musical comes to the big screen – well, the first half of the musical, anyway – directed by Jon M. Chu, whose credits include “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.” Cynthia Erivo plays the green-skinned witch Elphaba, Ariana Grande plays Glinda the Good, and also on hand are Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh and Bowen Yang. (Nov. 27)

“Nosferatu”: Hello, horror fans – this take on F.W. Murnau’s 1922 “Nosferatu” (itself inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”) might be delicious. Robert Eggers (“The Northman,” “The Witch”) directs Willem Dafoe as a vampire hunter; Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin co-star. (Dec. 25)

“Hedda”: This one sounds intriguing: The ever-wonderful Tessa Thompson, who proved between the drama “Passing” and her comedic turn in the “Thor” Marvel movies that there’s nothing she can’t do, will star in Nia DaCosta’s re-imagining of Ibsen’s play “Hedda Gabler,” as a housewife bringing ruination to all those close to her on the night of a party. (TBD 2024)