Summary

2024 brings a wave of sequels, spin-offs, and reboots, with 35% of wide releases falling into these categories. Sequels are favored by studios due to their existing fanbase and higher likelihood of long-term profitability. Highly anticipated sequels like Dune: Part Two, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and Beetlejuice 2 are expected to make a big impact at the box office.

2023 is now behind us and now the movie industry looks ahead to 2024 with anticipation of some pretty high-profile releases. While there will be some original ideas that should captivate moviegoers, the new year seems to be bringing a lot of familiarity as well. For better or worse, sequels look to be the biggest box office story of the year.

According to the Exhibitor Relations Co. X page, out of the 95 wide releases scheduled to open domestically in 2024, 34 (35%) are sequels, spin-offs, or reboots. Granted, that leaves room for a lot of original concepts to hit the big screen or streaming, but it still shows that the studios put a lot of their financial weight into established IP. During a time when they are spending big money on bloated budgets, it makes sense to want to bank on a sure thing.

The reason the industry is still so inundated with sequels is because, as an investment, they’re less risky. They’re based on characters that audiences have met, know, and love, along with throwing them into existing formulas that automatically attract a built-in fanbase. Compared to an original idea, they’re more likely to be profitable in the long run, at least according to the people in charge of providing the money to produce these projects.

The Sequel Craze Kicks off in March

Whether or not you’re behind the idea of so many sequels coming out in 2024, there’s no denying that some of them are highly anticipated and could prove to be big winners at the box office. The follow-up craze begins in March with a film that was supposed to be released in 2023. Dune: Part Two was originally slated to open on Nov. 3, 2023, but it was delayed by Warner Bros. due to the SAG-AFTRA strike which prevented the film’s stars from promoting the film. It was a big blow to fans who were eagerly anticipating the movie’s release, but now they can look forward to what happens with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Arrakis when Dune: Part Two opens on March 1.

Related Box Office Roundup: Wonka Wins Final Weekend, But 2023 Belongs to Barbie Wonka reclaims the top spot at the weekend box office to close out 2023, but this year was all about Barbie.

This one is anticipated because fans who loved Dune: Part One, and the source material by Frank Herbert on which it is based, are looking forward to seeing if director Denis Villeneuve will properly stick the landing. In addition to this, Dune: Part Two will get a full theatrical release, unlike its predecessor which saw a day-and-date release in theaters and on the then HBO Max streaming service due to the pandemic. Part Two will likely be one of the biggest box office stories of March, if not the year.

The end of March will also see the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, another film that was slightly delayed from 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie serves as a direct sequel to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a movie that mixed the nostalgia of the 1984 film with a new generation wanting to dabble with ghostly hijinks. The new film looks to be more of the same as the new cast of Afterlife heads to New York to visit with the original Ghostbusters team. There are sure to be new evil forces that will lead to the old and new team trying to stop them and that is sure to generate box office dollars from fans who can’t get enough of busting ghosts. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hits screens on March 29.

Even though this film opens in September, also banking on nostalgia is Beetlejuice 2. The original opened in 1988, so there is a healthy gap between the first film and the sequel, but fans have been curious about a follow-up ever since the movie began its life through various forms of development. Tim Burton is back as director and Michael Keaton returns as the titular character, which should generate box office dollars on its own. Another major box office assist is Jenna Ortega, one of the industry’s fastest-rising stars who will be playing Astrid Deetz in the film, the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia. Beetlejuice 2 will torment and entertain the living when it hits screens Sep.6.

Godzilla continues to be all the rage with the critical and financial success of Godzilla Minus One and Warner Bros. is hoping that will carry over to their release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The studio is smartly keeping most of its plot under wraps, which will likely entice fans to be firmly seated on opening night, but it should follow the ending of Godzilla vs. Kong, which saw these two legendary monsters going head-to-head. The New Empire is the seventh installment and fifth film in Warner Bros.’ MonsterVerse, which has proven to be successful on a global scale. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Godzilla is having a moment right now that could spell dollar signs for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire when it opens on April 12.

Memorial Day Sequels and Prequels

One sequel and one prequel open over Memorial Day weekend and both should prove to be financially successful should they not be fighting for the same audience. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth film of the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise, follows the events of War of the Planet of the Apes as they have established themselves as the rulers on Earth. This is a franchise that proved to get better with each film, and they were all box office successes, something the studio hopes will carry on with this latest installment. Since this takes place years after the last film, Caesar (Andy Serkis) has now passed away, but audiences will get to meet a new generation of Apes when the film opens on May 24.

Also opening May 24 is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. Director George Miller took his fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise to box office glory and awards season gold when it was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning six. The hope is that fans will want to see how Imperator Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron in Fury Road and now by Anya Taylor-Joy) came to be. Whether or not the film matches the awards accolades is another story, but given the gap between films, audiences might just be ready to eat this up.

Comic Book Sequels Set to Still Make an Impression

Comic book films will not be missing from the sequel craze and both of these films could be some of the most anticipated sequels of the year. In July, moviegoers get Deadpool 3, the long-awaited third film of the Deadpool franchise and his first film as a member of the official Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ryan Reynolds is back as the titular character, but perhaps the biggest sell of the film is the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. In addition to this, there are rumors other Fox X-Men characters could pop up in cameo roles, while Marvel is also rolling the dice on the film as the first R-rated entry of the MCU.

They’re trying to keep plot details under lock and key and that mystery could make the film one of the biggest box office hits of the year. This is also the only Marvel release of 2024 as they try to earn back fans who were left underwhelmed by some of their offerings in 2023. We’ll see how this all goes down when Deadpool 3 opens on July 26.

Related 16 Upcoming 2024 Movies with Star-Studded Ensemble Casts 2024 is a promising year for the film industry, with star-studded movies such as Dune: Part Two and Kung Fu Panda 4 just around the corner.

A different kind of comic book sequel hits screens in October when Joker: Folie à Deux reintroduces us to Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck following his $1 billion debut in the film’s 2019 predecessor. Joining him in all this insanity is Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, and she has proven to be a box office draw thanks to her worldwide appeal as a highly successful pop star. When director Todd Phillips was promoting Joker in 2019, a sequel didn’t seem to be in the cards, but a billion-dollar grosser worldwide, plus several Academy Award nominations, tends to change things. A lot of this sequel seems unique, including the fact that it will feature musical numbers, something that might intrigue audiences enough to see how they make all of this work. Joker: Folie à Deux is hoping to replicate the October success of Joker when it hits screens on Oct. 6.

The Other Sequels, Spin-Offs, and Reboots of 2024

2024 is sure to bring about sequels, spin-offs, and reboots that hope to entertain across all demographics. From families to horror fans, nostalgia buffs, and everything in between, moviegoers will be well-fed this year with familiar comfort food. These are the rest of the follow-ups you can expect from 2024:

Kung Fu Panda 4 (Mar. 8, 2024) Bad Boys 4 (Jun. 14, 2024) Inside Out 2 (Jun. 14, 2024) A Quiet Place: Day One (Jun. 28, 2024) Despicable Me 4 (Jul. 3, 2024) Twisters (Jul. 19, 2024) Alien: Romulus (Aug. 16, 2024) Beverley Hills Cop: Axel F (Summer 2024) Smile 2 (Oct. 18, 2024) Terrifier 3 (Oct. 25, 2024) Gladiator 2 (Nov. 22, 2024) The Karate Kid (Dec. 13, 2024) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Dec. 20, 2024)