WELL, 2023 turned out to be quite an eventful year at the multiplex, didn't it?
It's the year we witnessed physicist J.R. Oppenheimer go toe-to-toe with America's favourite plastic, fantastic doll and, if nuclear holocaust and pre-screening pink martinis were not enough for you, we were also treated to another thrilling multi-dimensional web-slinging adventure, Into the Spider-Verse.
As 2024 kicks-off, we look ahead to see what's hot, and possibly not!
While Baz Luhrmann's Elvis got audiences all shook up last year, it'll be interesting to see if Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Priscilla Presley's biography, Elvis and Me, will shed any new light on the life, times and romances of the hip-swinging, lip-quivering, fried banana and peanut sandwich-munching King of rock'n'roll. Expect a more sensitive, and maybe more critical version of events from Priscilla's perspective.
It's also hard to believe it has been 20 years since Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams showed us the true definition of what it is to be a Mean Girl. The upcoming musical reboot is based on the hit Broadway show co-written by creator Tina Fey herself, and is sure to get fans of this classic high school romp in a bit of a tizzy!
Keep an eye out for Priscilla and Mean Girls in January.
If you've become bored senseless by Marvel and DC's recent extended/cinematic offerings, then you've most probably found yourself looking to other genres for the thrills you require.
But don't write off your favourite franchises just yet as there is another Spider-Man spinoff on the horizon that aims to capitalise on the oddball popularity of Spidey antiheroes Venom and Morbius with Dakota Johnson taking on the role of Madame Web, a clairvoyant who can see into the minds of the multiverse's army of Spider-heroes.
And if that wasn't enough, Ryan Reynolds returns for Deadpool 3 this year and this time he's teaming up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine for more bone-crunching, limb-severing, fourth-wall breaking mayhem.
Look out for Madame Web in February and Deadpool 3 in July.
If you enjoyed Denis Villeneuve's rendition of David Lynch's sandy space opera Dune, then part two is sure to be at the top of your 'to see' list, with Wonka's Timmy Chalamet reprising his role as the off-world hero, Paul Atreides.
Continuing with the dust, sand and mindless violence theme, a sequel to Mad Max is also on the cards this year, with the excellent Anya Taylor-Joy taking on the role of Imperator Furiosa.
And, if busting ghosts is more your thing, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire follows up the action in Afterlife and sees the Spengler kids return to the spiritual home of the franchise, New York City.
Dune: Part Two and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire are out in March, while Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is scheduled for a May release.
It was way, way back in 1996 that Twister blew us all away with incredible special effects for the time, and a simple yet thrilling story about US storm hunters sucked into a battle between mother nature and meddling meteorologists. This time around, climate change and global warming are at the core of the story, but don’t go expecting any cameos from Greta Thunberg.
And finally, Ridley Scott's long awaited follow-up to Gladiator is expected to see the light of day this year, so here’s hoping this particular sequel is more Top Gun Maverick and less Blues Brothers 2000 – know what I mean?
Twisters is due for release in July, while Gladiator 2 will slash its way to the big screen in November.
