2024 is expected to be a quieter year for superhero movie releases, following a disappointing 2023 for both MCU and DCEU. The genre is facing unsteadiness due to superhero fatigue, and the SAG-AFTRA strikes in the summer of 2023 have impacted the release schedules of various projects. The MCU has pushed back many of their 2024 release dates, while DCEU’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has signaled a break for DC studios, which plans to reboot the franchise with the DCU in 2025.
While the roster of Marvel and DC movies releasing in 2024 has seen some notable alterations, here are 3 comic book movies that will certainly be box office smashers.
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Image Credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel
The upcoming Venom sequel, following Venom’s brief appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, will likely explore the multiverse. The tom Hardy-starrer sequel will also address the multiversal plot threads, as Venom’s convenient store owner, Mrs. Chen, has recently stumbled upon an animated Spot from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, adding to the complexity of the story.
It has been confirmed that the release date for Venom: The Last Dance has shuffled forward slightly to October 25, 2024, after previously being re-scheduled to arrive on November 8, 2024. The film was initially set to arrive this June before production was paused last year during the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike.
Joker: Folie à Deux
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
One of the most anticipated movie of the DC Elseworlds sequel to Todd Phillips’ Joker spin-off, Joker: Folie à Deux, is set to release later this year. The sequel will mark it the only DC live-action cinematic release in 2024. The sequel will revisit Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck’s world after his violent genesis as the Joker. The movie will also star Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. The movie is expected to be a musical and would depict the epitome of toxic relationships .
Joker made history by grossing over $1 billion worldwide and became the first R-rated movie to do so. The sequel is expected to replicate the success of its predecessor, showcasing Phillips’ commitment to pushing boundaries. The release is set for Fall, October 4.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Image Credit: Marvel Studios
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is rescheduling its usual three cinematic releases for just one which will make Deadpool’s MCU debut, following the SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. This may be a relief for audiences overwhelmed by the numerous releases in the Multiverse Saga. Deadpool & Wolverine promises an R-rated romp through memory lane.
Hype for the third Deadpool installment has reached a fever pitch as the promise of Fox’s X-Men characters are set to capitalize on the nostalgia that seems to be a surefire hit for Marvel, as the filmmakers dance around confirming whether rumors of Taylor Swift’s involvement are merited. Meanwhile, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds recently confirmed that the Deadpool variant, Dogpool, will also play a starring role, teasing the multiversal shenanigans that he will be engaging in throughout the movie with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine return. The MCU’s one and only movie for 2024 will release on July 26, promising to be this summer’s biggest blockbuster.
