With the year coming to an end, there are many opportunities to head to the movie theater and watch newly released movies. These new movies span a variety of different genres, explore various themes, and are created for a range of audiences. Medha Bhupatiraju (11), an enthusiastic Disney fan, is “so excited for Moana 2. I related the first Moana movie with my childhood, so when I heard the second one is coming out this November, I became eager to see how it will be.”

On Friday, October 4, a blockbuster that arrived at theaters was Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by original Joker director Todd Phillips. If you’re a DC fan, then get ready to watch this close exploration of the Joker’s time in Arkham State Hospital, where he meets fan favorite Harley Quinn. The iconic duo will be played by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. 

Shortly after, Smile 2 was released on Friday, October 18, 2024. Smile 2 is a psychological horror movie centered around Skye Riley, who undergoes the pressures of fame. The movie is directed by Parket Finn, who also directed the first Smile movie. Skye is played by Naomi Scott, which might be a familiar name if you’ve seen the live action movie Aladdin. As October is the month of all things spooky, make sure to watch this movie to get in the mood for Halloween!

One of the last movies coming out this October, Venom: The Last Dance, directed by Kelly Marcel with Tom Hardy as the main actor, is expected to hit the box office on Friday, October 25. The first Venom was about the creature Venom, an extraterrestrial life form that was brought to Earth and lives as a parasite. The sequel will be about Eddie continuing to struggle with the parasite while battling a serial killer, who is also a host to a symbiote. 

As November springs into action, one of the movies forthcoming will be Wicked, which will be released on Friday, November 22. The director of this movie is John M. Chu, who is also known for his direction in Now You See Me 2 and his role in Crazy Rich Asians. Elphaba is played by Cynthia Erivo, while Glinda, the most powerful sorceress in the land of Oz, is played by Ariana Grande. The basis of this movie is on the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West, also known as Elphaba Thropp, in the Wizard of Oz, and is presented as the backstory to her villainous arc. “I have loved the Wizard of Oz as a child,” announced Prianka Vakil (11). “I hope that this movie meets my expectations because I’ve always loved this fairy tale.”

One of the last movies coming out this November is Moana 2, debuting on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. This sequel is directed by Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, who also directed the popular Disney film Zootopia. David Derrick Jr. Dwayne Johnson plays Maui, the demigod who teaches Moana wayfinding, while Auli’i Cravalho plays Moana. Moana 2 is about this princess of Motunui who finds adventure in her journeys at sea. For her latest movie, Moana sets out on an adventure to connect her people from all over the ocean. Disney’s previous success at creating the sequel of Inside Out, which was released earlier this year, can hint at the success of Moana 2 as it will be released this November. 

As one of the later sequels of a Disney movie, Mufasa: The Lion King will be released on Friday, December 20. If you’re a Lion King fan, then get ready for this movie as it centers Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala. The story takes place in flashbacks by Rafiki, a monkey, who will be replaying Mufasa’s (Simba’s father) legends to Kiara. This live action movie is directed by Barry Jenkins and is voice acted by many famous stars, such as Beyoncé, who plays Nala, Donald Glover, who plays Simba, and Aaron Pierre, who plays Mufasa. 

As the year comes to an end, blockbusters are hitting the box office with a bang, so don’t miss out! The movies listed in this article are just a few of many more that are coming out this year, so make sure to go out and watch some of them!