(Updated 05/14/2024)
Movie sequels are baked so deeply into filmmaking history that you cannot separate the idea of movies from the concept of sequels. While we didn't start seeing movies with a numeral designating sequel status until the '50s or '60s, the first movie sequel dates back to the early days of the silent film era.
After THE GODFATHER PART II won Best Picture, and the Star Wars movie series became the new paradigm for Hollywood, sequels became more popular than ever. But you're not here for history! You want to know what movie sequels are coming out in 2024, and what sequels are on the calendar even further out than that. Here you go: These are the sequels coming to movie theaters.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. [Now Playing]
The Strangers: Chapter 1
From director Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2, The Exorcist: The Beginning) comes The Strangers: Chapter 1. Madelaine Petsch (TV’s “Riverdale”) stars as a young woman on a road trip with her fiancé. But when they stop at a remote vacation rental in the woods, they become the prey of a vicious gang of masked strangers who attack without warning or reason, and must use courage and cunning to survive one long, terrifying night. [May 17]
Furiosa
As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home. [May 24]
Bad Boys Ride or Die
When their late police captain is falsely linked to drug cartels, wisecracking Miami cops Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett embark on a dangerous mission to clear his name. [June 7]
Inside Out 2
The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out—but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” introduces a new Emotion: Anxiety. According to director Kelsey Mann, the new character promises to stir things up within headquarters. “Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat,” said Mann. “That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds.” A trailer, poster and film stills are now available for what promises to be the feel-good (or feel-everything) film of Summer 2024. Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear, and Liza Lapira as Disgust. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen, “Inside Out 2” releases only in theaters Summer 2024. [June 14]
A Quiet Place: Day One
Experience the day the world went quiet. Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou star in the movie that explores what happened in New York City when the QUIET PLACE aliens first arrived — and offers a startling POV on how the world changed forever. [June 28]
Despicable Me 4
In the first DESPICABLE ME movie in seven years, Gru, the world’s favorite supervillain- turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for a bold new era of Minions mayhem. Gru and Lucy and their girls — Margo, Edith and Agnes — welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina, and the family is forced to go on the run. [July 3]
MaXXXine
After surviving the violent events in the movie X, Maxine (Mia Goth) relocates to Los Angeles to follow her dreams of acting fame. [July 5]
Twisters
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell star as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes. Kate Cooper (Edgar-Jones) is a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew. The more dangerous the better. As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives. [July 19]
Deadpool & Wolverine
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman return to play their most famous characters in a story that will likely begin to rewrite the MCU. The movie takes place before LOGAN, which was set in 2029. Trailers reveal the fact that the Time Variance Authority plays a role in the story as Deadpool is sent to deal with an alternate Wolverine who isn't doing so well. Expect pure chaos to ensue. Shawn Levy (FREE GUY) is directing. [July 26]
Alien: Romulus
The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), Aileen Wu. [August 16]
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2
The first chapter of Kevin Costner's Western saga opens in June, and this second chapter follows hot on the heels of the first. The story explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America. [August 16]
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 
Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton’s award-winning Beetlejuice. After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem. [September 6]
Transformers One
An origin story set on Cybertron, the original home of the Autobots and Decepticons. The film is said to focus on the relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and its transformation from friendship to hatred. [September 20]
Joker: Folie à Deux
Writer/director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix reunite for a second JOKER movie. Lada Gaga plays Harley Quinn, likely with a few character tweaks that fit this particular vision of the Joker. And the production will be a musical of some kind, which sounds wild at first — until you realize that it might be the perfect way to visualize the next stage of Arthur Fleck's life. Read more about JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX here. [October 4]
White Bird: A Wonder Story
Julian has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian's grandmother finally reveals her own story of courage. During her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger. Together, they find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy's mother risks everything to keep her safe. [October 4]
Smile 2
SMILE writer/director Parker Finn follows up his horror hit. We don't know much about SMILE 2 at this point, but Kyle Gallner, Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage and Rosemarie DeWitt are all in the cast. [October 18]
Terrifier 3
Things are just coming together for the sequel to the surprise horror hit fall 2022. TERRIFIER 3 will pit franchise villain Art The Clown (David Howard Thornton) against returning heroine Sienna (Lauren LaVera) in a rematch that somehow moves forward from the bizarre ending of TERRIFIER 2. Director Damien Leone returns with a much larger budget — oh, and this one is set at Christmas. [October 25]
Venom: The Last Dance
Tom Hardy is back for a third turn as human Eddie Brock and his slimy alien symbiote, Venom. We don't know too much about the story in this threequel, but chances are good that we'll learn more soon. [October 25]
Gladiator 2
Director Ridley Scott is making GLADIATOR 2 at last. The project went into development more than 20 years ago but working out the story took a long time! Paul Mescal (AFTERSUN) looks set to star as Lucius, seen as a boy in the original movie, who now investigates his true parentage as he strives for power. [November 22]
Moana 2
After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. [November 27]
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
More than two hundred years before the events of THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, must defend his lands from vicious attacks by men called the Dunlendings. This anime explores an unseen chapter in Middle-Earth's history, and features the voices of Brian Cox and Miranda Otto. [December 13]
Mufasa: The Lion King
This prequel to the CG-animated LION KING remake explores Mufasa's history. [December 20]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
The third SONIC movie comes from the returning creative team of director Jeff Fowler and writers Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington. The main cast also returns, with James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, and Idris Elba all reprising their roles from the previous two movies. Look for Shadow the Hedgehog, whose voice actor has not yet been announced, to appear, too. Read more about SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 here. [December 20]
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All images courtesy of Universal Pictures.