Bailey’s Top 15 Most Anticipated Films of 2024 After All The “Big Game” Trailers

With every Super-Mega Ultimate Football game of the year, there also comes epic trailers for movies that have epic budgets.  So, since the Ultimate Football Mega Bowl Deluxe Premium is almost done, and I’m too impatient to watch the rest of a sport I don’t understand, here are Bailey’s top fifteen anticipated films of the year of our Lord, 2024. (Some of these don’t have trailers, though. My condolences.)

UPDATE: The game is finished now, it just took a long time to write this. My bad, my eager readers.

Honorable Mentions:

Venom 3, dir. Kelly Marcel

Look, I’m not the biggest Venom fan, but I am the biggest Venom: Let There Be Carnage fan. I watch that at least once every couple of months. It’s one of my comfort films. It’s so unserious. So self-aware. Absolutely beautiful in every sense of the word. So the final entry in what will most likely be the goofiest film of this already goofy trilogy is certainly something I’m looking forward to.

The Iron Lung, dir. Markiplier

Markiplier is a YouTuber. Let’s not forget this. Let’s also not forget he made one of the most badass trailers of all time for this movie. ‘Nuff said.

The Fall Guy, dir. David Lietch

David Leitch has some style. Is it always good? Well, maybe not always, but it certainly is a style. He’s also a relatively silly little guy. He did one of the Deadpool movies, plus Bullet Train, and I like those, so, y’know… This’ll probably be good. Plus, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone? Oh yeah, baby.

Civil War, dir. Alex Garland

A24’s first IMAX endeavor with the director of Ex Machina? Yeah, I think so— Just didn’t fit on the list. Sorry, A24, I still love you. <3

…drumroll, please...

15. IF, dir. John Krasinski

John Krasinski has proven himself a good director with the great A Quiet Place films, but what about a family film? Like, no, really? I love him, Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carrell and the gang, and the plot of a girl seeing everyone’s imaginary friends seems cool as hell, but this is way different in tone, style, and literally everything than what he’s done before. But. I’m intrigued.

14. Trap, dir. M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night, my man, you are a man of mystery. You make Unbreakable… Then you make The Happening. You make Split… Then you make The Last Airbender. Who are you? What do you want? Are you a man of talent, a hack, or a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Who is to say…. However, the idea of a psychological thriller set during a concert is cool as a Nintendo Entertainment System on Christmas, or something like that, I don’t know, I couldn’t think of a good comparison. My point is, if the reviews are good, then I’m seated day one.

13. Joker: Folie à Deux, dir. Todd Phillips

Joker was really an excellent movie. Well, it was when I saw it in 2019. Then I saw other films, and it doesn’t hold up quite as well, but it is still very good and the effort put into it is quite commendable. When I heard the sequel was going to be a musical, though? Oh, man. I was hyped. Not much other to say than hopefully this one is brimming with original concepts and ideas, and I have a feeling it will be.

12. Shelby Oaks, dir. Chris Stuckmann

Chris Stuckmann is a name any film buff that watches YouTube should know. He’s a movie reviewer, and just a cool dude as well. He’s made a few interesting short films that were a bit funny, but a feature-length horror film? Yeah. He’s committed to the craft, knows what it takes to create a good story, and hopefully knows how to direct. Whether or not the reviews are bad or good, I’m seeing this if I have the time, just to support the guy and judge it for myself. Let’s all get Stuckmannized.

11. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, dir. Wes Ball

So, the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy was perfect, right? Why need to continue it? Why with the guy who did the decent-at-best Maze Runner flicks? I don’t know, man, but I’ve gone this far with these characters in this universe, and the trailers have looked great thus far, so I guess I’m just hooked now. Call me an Apes Addict cause I be on that Monkey Milk.

10. Monkey Man, dir. Dev Patel

Speaking of monkeys, and not necessarily milk as much, is Dev Patel’s foray into directing. Will it be good? Who knows. Does the trailer look baller as hell? Oh yeah. Also badass. Also it very much is drenched in style. Not much else to say, folks.

9. A Quiet Place: Day One, dir. Michael Sarnoski

As previously mentioned, I’m a huge fan of the A Quiet Place films, and while my boy Johnny K. isn’t helming this one, the director of Pig is. So that right there is a huge green flag. Plus, the trailer looks thrilling, horrifying, and, well, you know— good… and stuff. It also stars some people who I like, who I can’t remember the names of at this time. A woman from Black Panther, a guy from Stranger Things… These people… Are very cool. So will I like it? Signs point to yes.

8. Megalopolis, dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Very little is known about the FFC’s newest, biggest, and boldest film yet, besides a single poster, a stacked cast, and a hellish production, but I’ll be damned if I’m not intrigued by the whole thing. Also it has a very simple premise that’s been released, involving an artist that wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia after a a disaster strikes. I’m not Francis Ford Coppola’s biggest fan, but man does he have the juice. If I’m being honest, unless this underwent some horrible studio interference, it will probably end up being amazing.

7. Mickey 17, dir. Bong Joon-ho

We have all seen Parasite. That is no debate. We all know this director can crank out a Snowpiercer or an Okja whenever he wants. So will this be good? Yeah. Like, it’s not a question at this point. With Robat-Battinbat (Robert Pattinson) hot off the heels of The Batman and it’s amazing run, he will certainly be looking to be doing something a bit more artsy-artsy (I know, I’m sorry) and this is the perfect outlet (even though the previously mentioned comic book movie was actually quite artsy). Match made in heaven? Maybe. Match made for me specifically? Mhm. Certainly.

6. Furiosa, dir. George Miller

I have to admit, I haven’t seen Mad Max: Fury Road. I know. I’m sorry to everyone in the film, television, and arts community. It’s a slap in the face, really. I’m biggest disgrace to the culture of cinema. However, I do plan on watching it. Just give me some time before this prequel comes out, because this one… It looks like it’s gonna be epic.

5. Hitman, dir. Richard Linklater

One of my favorite people in the film industry, writer and director of one of my favorite coming-of-age films (Boyhood), as well as an entire trilogy of absolutely perfect romance movies (the Before trilogy), plus a perfect-stoner-high-school-coming-of-age-mid-70s flick (Dazed and Confused) is releasing an action comedy on Netflix that got near-perfect praise at film festivals last year? I’m locked in.

4. Terrifier 3, dir. Damien Leone

The third movie in what could possibly be the goriest horror films ever put to film, directed by a guy that is obviously very talented at this point. While I do enjoy the original Terrifier, the sequel is, in my opinion, a horror epic in every sense. The fact that the third entry will be Christmas-themed instead of Halloween-oriented is also a welcome change, as holiday horror flicks are always a good time, thanks to last years disturbing Thanksgiving, which was a smash hit for director Eli Roth. Anyway, I also heard that the director turned down offers from studios with big budgets in order to keep his vision true, and more importantly, keep the series in its unrated goodness. Let’s hope Mr. Leone keeps up the great work.

3. Drive-Away Dolls, dir. Ethan Coen

I need you to watch the trailer for this and tell me it doesn't look stylish, hype, and goated with the sauce. You can’t? Yeah. That’s right. It’s bananas, quirky, goofy, silly, risky, sexy, sleek, and just about everything you can imagine that a Coen, or at least Ethan Coen film should be. The trailer just sold me. I don’t know. Yeah. I’m seeing it day one.

2. Deadpool & Wolverine, dir. Shawn Levy

Look, normally my hype level for Marvel Cinematic Universe films aren’t exactly super high, especially recently (with the exception of James Gunn’s superb Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), but an R-rated Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led team-up with elements from Loki, presented to me in a year with no other MCU movies? Yeah, I think I’ll bite.

1. Dune Part Two, dir. Denis Villenueve

Adapting one of the strangest, longest, most in-depth, drug-fueled, and stright-up sandy sci-fi bestselling novels of all of humankind is probably a daunting task, but with the first film, Denis knocked it out of the park and then some. Nailing not only the tone, atmosphere, character motivations, aesthetic, directing, cinematography, vernacular and style, but also Frank Herbert’s intentions of this being a long-running saga that should have people invested for a while. Not only are we getting this film, but we are due to get Dune: Messiah at some point from Villenueve as well, and at that point he plans to hand the baton off to someone else. This could be the next Star Wars, my friends. The next Marvel Cinematic Universe. This could be the next big thing, and this is absolutely just the beginning.