Summer 2024's biggest and best movies from Furiosa to Deadpool 3

Warmer, longer days are almost upon us, which means one very important thing — the summer blockbuster season of 2024 is about to begin.

Movie enthusiasts will delight in the scent of popcorn, the chance to forget about their troubles, and the new worlds that unfold before their eyes on the big screen. There's so much to love about going to the cinema, and whether you're a die-hard cinephile or a casual movie-goer there will be something to love at the movies this season.

Helping makes heads and tails of the exciting new releases, Yahoo UK has put together a definitive summer movie guide that is your golden ticket to navigating this star-studded season.

So get comfy, get your popcorn bucket (Dune-themed or otherwise), and let the magic of the movies whisk you away.

The Fall Guy | 2 May

After dominating the box office in 2023, Barbie's Ryan Gosling and Oppenheimer's Emily Blunt are joining forces for The Fall Guy, a new action comedy based on the 1980s TV series of the same name. Directed by David Leitch, the acclaimed director of Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train, the film sees Gosling as stunt man Colt Seavers, who finds himself drawn into a real-life action scenario when the A-list star he's doubling for goes missing. Expect screwball comedy and high-stakes thrills in the film which has already earned rave reviews out of SXSW festival where it was called "a joyful testament to the people who make movies."

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes | 9 May

It's been six years since Matt Reeves brought his own epic Planet of the Apes saga to a close with the excellent War For The Planet Of The Apes. The Maze Runner director Wes Ball has picked up the baton for another VFX-fuelled sci-fi epic (ape-ic?) which focusses not on Andy Serkis' Caesar, but another ape named Noa (Owen Teague). The surviving apes have built their own kingdom, however a new tyrannical ape leader arises threatening the peace between apes and humans once again.

IF | 17 May

Just when you were waiting for a big budget movie about imaginary friends to come along, 2024 has delivered two. IF, the less-horror focussed of the two (compared to Blumhouse's 2024 Imaginary), comes from the mind of A Quiet Place director John Krasinski who leaves the world of dystopian futures behind for something more family-friendly. Inspired by the fantasy play worlds of his own daughters, IF presents imaginary friends as "time capsules for everyone's hopes, dreams, ambitions", and stars Ryan Reynolds and Steve Carrell as the voice of the one of the many fantastical creatures in the film.

The Garfield Movie | 24 May

Looking for something to keep the kids entertained over the long summer break? Look no further than The Garfield Movie. After 20th Century Fox's brace of live action movies in the early noughties, with Bill Murray voicing the laconic kitty, Sony Pictures is taking over the reins of Garfield for this all-new animated adventure which sees Jim Davis' iconic creation reuniting with his long lost father. The ubiquitous Chris Pratt is voicing the title role, while Samuel L Jackson is the voice of his father Vic. Expect lashings of lasagna.

Furiosa | 24 May

After a tortured journey to screen, George Miller's fourth Mad Max movie was a smash hit with critics and fans alike when it careened into cinemas in 2015, earning near-universal praise, and winning six Oscars from ten nominations. Now, nine years later, the follow up will take things back in time to cover the story of Furiosa, the hard-bitten Imperator (played by Charlize Theron then, but Anya Taylor-Joy now) and her journey across the Wasteland.

"This is an odyssey without question of someone who's taken from her home and spends the rest of her life trying to get home," says Miller.

Hit Man | 24 May (Netflix)

Better known for suburban comedies like Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, Richard Linklater's latest film sees him taking a different tack, and Hit Man has already been heaped with praise by critics — many of whom have called for viewers to enjoy it in cinemas while they can. The film — which premiered at the prestigious Venice Film Festival before being picked up by Netflix — stars Glen Powell as a professor moonlighting as a hit man, who finds himself drawn into a dangerous game when he starts falling for a woman (Adria Arjona) who enlists his services as a killer.

Karate Kid | 30 May

A new chapter in the Karate Kid story will arrive in cinemas at the end of May, tying together the events of the original movies, the hugely popular spin-off series Cobra Kai (the sixth season will land before the movie), and the 2010 reboot which starred Jackie Chan. Chan returns in the latest East Coast-set chapter of the Miyagi-verse, as does Ralph Maccio as Danny LaRusso, while newcomer Ben Wang will play the title role. Wang was found after a global casting call which saw 10,000 applications from actors and martial artists in the first 24 hours alone.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die | 7 June

Bad Boys are for life, so it should come as no surprise that there's a fourth film in the franchise coming to cinemas this summer. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are reuniting again to play Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively. Miami's finest continue to be a source of great humour and action, but things are turned on their head in this film as they're now on the run. Directed by Adil & Bilall, the Belgian double-act directors who made 2020's Bad Boys For Life, Ride or Die promises to be lighter than the last film with the filmmakers promising "it’s really our purpose to get people laughing and having a good time in the theatre."

Inside Out 2 | 14 June

It's been almost ten years since audiences were moved to tears by Pixar's Inside Out, and now the animation is back with a new set of emotions in tow. Riley is now a young woman, and as she continues to grow she starts to be ruled by her emotions (more so than usual).

The sequel will see Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment are ready to take control, so it's up to Joy et al to try and save the day. Director Kelsey Mann is taking over the reins from Pete Docter, recently telling Animation Scoop: "I want to do everybody who loves the original proud."

The Bikeriders | 21 June

Written and directed by acclaimed indie filmmaker Jeff Nichols, The Bikeriders has had a long journey to the big screen, being pulled from the 2023 release schedule and dropped by 20th Century Studios at the last minute before being picked up by Focus Features for release in 2024. The film stars Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy, it follows the exploits of a fictional Chicago outlaw motorcycles club called the Vandals MC. Expect leather, lots of it, and three incredible actors at the top of their games.

A Quiet Place: Day One | 28 June

Another big prequel of the summer season is A Quiet Place: Day One, which explores how the world became silent when aliens invaded. Lupita Nyong'o stars opposite Joseph Quinn in this standalone spin-off, which follows their characters Sam and Eric over the course of the day that changed everything. The film does still have one close connection to the previous films in the franchise: Djimon Hounsou who appeared in 2020's A Quiet Place Part II.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F | July TBC (Netflix)

Another classic coming back for another round at the rodeo this summer is the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, with Eddie Murphy returning as Axel Foley. The straight-to-Netflix sequel comes 20 years after the last film in the series, and sees Axel return to Beverly Hills when his daughter's life is threatened — it'll take more than just him to protect her though so he enlists the help of old friends John Taggart (John Ashton) and Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold).

Despicable Me 4 | 12 July

Those pesky minions are at it again! The highest-grossing animated franchise of all time returns with a new Despicable Me film. This one sees Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member of the family: Gru Jr. Having a baby is hard enough, but it'll be even harder for Gru when he and his family are forced to go on the run after being targeted by villain Maxime Le Mal and his girlfriend Valentina. This should keep the kids happy throughout the summer holidays.

Fly Me To The Moon | 12 July

Sony and Apple are teaming up for a new comedy about the moon landing, one that will have conspiracy theorists delighted because it's about faking it — yes, really. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum as marketing executive Kelly Jones and launch director Cole Davis who must deal with the havoc that takes place when they're tasked with filming a fake moon landing in case the real one fails to take flight.

Twisters | 19 July

It truly is a summer of sequels, as 1996 film Twister is getting the reboot treatment with a new film in the franchise, Twisters (get it?). The sequel stars a who's who of Hollywood's rising stars from Daisy Edgar-Jones to Anthony Ramos and Glen Powell, the film follows a similar story to the original in that it follows a group of storm chasers who risk everything to test an experimental weather system. Sadly, none of the original cast will return. Except for the tornados.

Deadpool and Wolverine | 25 July

Deadpool's long-awaited entree into the MCU is arriving just as the superhero genre needs a kick in its spandex-clad pants. Ryan Reynolds' merc with a mouth won't be doing it alone, he's bringing Hugh Jackman's Wolverine along for the ride in what promises to be a violent, hilarious new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From what we can tell from the trailer, Deadpool is tasked by the TVA to help fix the branching timelines of the MCU before things collapse for good.

Borderlands | 9 August

The success of Fallout and The Last of Us has proven one thing, the video game to screen adaptation is no longer impossible. Now, Lionsgate is taking a chance to bring Borderlands to life, and with big hitters like Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart and Jamie-Lee Curtis on the scene, it might well work. The film adapts the games of the same name, and follows a loveable group of rogues as they embark on a mission to protect a girl who may well be the key to salvaging their future. Expect OTT action and raucous comedy.

MaXXXine | 9 August

Ti West and Mia Goth's horror trilogy — X and Pearl — is being brought to a close in a big way. MaXXXine sees Goth reprise her role as X's adult film starlet Maxine Minx, and in the horror sequel she continues to pursue her dream of becoming a star in Hollywood in 1985, while evading the Night Stalker serial killer. Given how beloved the last two films in the franchise are, this is a horror film that fans will have to see in cinemas.

Alien: Romulus | 16 August

No franchise is safe from the reboot treatment, including Ridley Scott's Alien. The franchise is being reborn just like the Xenomorph with Alien: Romulus, a sequel spin-off set between the first two films that stars Cailee Spaeney as Ripley-like heroine Rain Carradine. Originally slated for release on Disney+, but later upgraded to a theatrical release, the film follows a space crew who come face to face some familiar, snarling creatures while scavenging a derelict space station.

The Crow | 23 August

The long-anticpated The Crow reboot stars Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs as Eric Draven and Shelly Webster. As in the original, when they're both brutally murdered, the former is given the chance to be brought back to life to get his revenge. Traversing the world of the dead and the living, Eric is ready to do just that.

Directed by Rupert Sanders (Ghost In The Shell), and based on the 1989 comic book of the same name, it's actually the fifth The Crow film, but it hopes to bring a whole new generation to the gothic tale of revenge.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | 6 September

Say his name three times and he is bound to appear, that's right Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice is back and he's better than ever according to the actor. Tim Burton returns for this sequel, which sees Wednesday star Jenna Ortega play Lydia Deetz's (Winona Ryder) daughter Astrid as they encounter the tricksy poltergeist once again. Little is known about the plot, but with Burton, Keaton and Ryder back in the fold it may well be a sequel that is worth the wait.

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