We're entering the final four months of 2024, and movie fans know what that means: it's awards season. From the fall film festivals to the start of critics and independent organizations handing out end-of-year awards, we're setting out on the road to the Oscars. We're here to help you know which movies you need to be keeping an eye on as potential Oscar nominees.
While September through December is the prime time to release movies studios hope will garner awards attention, that doesn't mean we've been bereft of award-worthy movies this year. Dune: Part Two is almost certainly going to be a major factor at the Oscars, while other early Oscar hopefuls include Sing Sing, Hit Man and Inside Out 2; so definitely try and check those out if you haven't already.
But as far as upcoming 2024 new movies that you should be aware of if you're trying to prognosticate who may be the latest addition to the slate of Best Picture winners, then find out more about these 33 movies that could hear their name called.
All We Imagine as Light
- Release date: November 15 (US); November 29 (UK)
- Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon
- Director: Payal Kapadia
As the Academy has added to its overall membership with filmmakers from outside the US, the Oscars have been more willing to recognize international productions (i.e. Parasite, All Quiet on the Western Front, Anatomy of a Fall). All We Imagine as Light is one of the headlining international entries this year, as the movie was a Palme d'Or nominee at the Cannes Film Festival back in May and currently boasts a 100% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows two roommates in Mumbai as they deal with the struggles of their relationships.
Anora
- Release date: October 18 (US); November 1 (UK)
- Cast: Mikey Madison, Yuriy Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn
- Director: Sean Baker
The movie that beat All We Imagine as Light for the Palme d'Or this year was Anora, the latest from indie darling Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project). Anora follows the Cinderella-like story of a sex worker (Mikey Madison) who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch. But the fairytale is threatened when his parents hear about the news. Four of the last five Palme d'Or winners wound up being nominated for Best Picture, can Anora make it five of six?
Babygirl
- Release date: December 20 (UK); December 25 (US)
- Cast: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Sophia Wilde, Antonio Banderas
- Director: Halina Reijn
One of multiple A24 movies we have on this list, Babygirl takes a different lens to look at the troublesome culture of workplace romance and power dynamics. Nicole Kidman stars as a powerful CEO who threatens her career and personal life when she begins an affair with a much younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson. Kidman, having just been given the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, could be in line for another Oscar if this one lives up the billing.
Blitz
- Release date: November 1
- Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Alex Jennings, Joshua McGuire, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman, Sally Messham
- Director: Steve McQueen
It's been six years since Steve McQueen, director of Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave, has helmed a narrative feature (though he's been busy with the acclaimed TV series Small Axe and a couple of documentaries), but he's back with Blitz, a World War 2 story of a young boy determined to return to his mother in London during the Nazi bombing of the city known as the Blitz. This has all the makings of a big-time contender — WW2 setting, a sure-to-be enthralling story, great cast and a well known director — now it just has to deliver.
The Brutliast
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Emma Laird, Alessandro Nivola
- Director: Brady Corbet
When talking about massive, bold epics coming out in fall 2024, much of the talk has been around Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, but Brady Corbet's The Brutalist is could be the breakout hit between the two. The story centers on a Holocaust survivor and his wife, who come to America and have their life forever changed by a wealthy benefactor. The movie was shot on 70mm and is said to be more than three hours. If it works, it could be then can't miss movie of the year.
A Complete Unknown
- Release date: December 25 (US); January 17, 2025 (UK)
- Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, Monica Barbaro, Scoot McNairy, Dan Folger
- Director: James Mangold
James Mangold knows a thing or two about making successful music biopics, having directed Walk the Line about Johnny Cash. He tackles another iconic musician in A Complete Unknown, Bob Dylan, portrayed in the movie by Timothée Chalamet. Chalamet is quickly becoming one of the most revered actors of his generation, so is he going to be recognized for that with an Oscar soon or will he have to wait? A Complete Unknown will be key to answering that question.
Conclave
- Release date: November 1 (US); November 29 (UK)
- Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini
- Director: Edward Berger
Edward Berger's much anticipated follow up to his Oscar-winning adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front trades the battlefields of World War 1 for the Sistine Chapel, as Conclave is set in the world of the Catholic Church as a new pope must be selected and dark secrets threaten to be exposed. The material, based on an international best-seller, should be juicy for the four main members of the cast and have them in discussion for awards, while Berger could continue his ascent up the ranks of emerging directors with another critically acclaimed hit.
A Different Man
- Release date: September 20 (US); October 4 (UK)
- Cast: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson
- Director: Aaron Schimberg
Earning some of the best notices of his career, A Different Man could be the best chance yet that Sebastian Stan has at earning an Oscar nomination. He plays an aspiring actor who has a radical treatment done for his neurofibromatosis (a genetic disorder that causes benign tumors and growths), only to be beaten out for a role by another actor with a similar condition. Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson (who has neurofibromatosis in real life) also star.
Eden
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Jude Law, Daniel Bruehl
- Director: Ron Howard
A Beautiful Mind Oscar-winner Ron Howard's latest is a star-studded retelling of historical events that saw Europeans who tried to settle on the Galapagos islands in the early 20th century. While we're awaiting an official release date, Eden will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival where it hopes to build up some early buzz.
Emilia Perez
- Release date: November 13 (on Netflix)
- Cast: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramirez
- Director: Jacques Audiard
One of Netflix’s high profile original movies this year, Emilia Perez is a story of a cartel leader (the titular Emilia Perez) that fakes her death in an attempt to live the life she wants, told through vibrant song and dance. The movie already has an 88% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes after screening at the Cannes Film Festival and is fully expected to get a brief run in movie theaters (though details are still TBD) to qualify for Oscars.
The End
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Michael Shannon, Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Moses Ingram
- Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Another unconventional musical (despite reportedly being influenced by the Golden Age Hollywood style) is The End, which follows the last human family. This movie marks the narrative feature debut of Joshua Oppenheimer, who is a two-time Oscar nominee already for directing the documentaries The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence. First word on The End will come out of Toronto where it is going to premiere.
The Fire Inside
- Release date: December 25
- Cast: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry
- Director: Rachel Morrison
Another director making their feature debut this year is Rachel Morrison (an Oscar-nominated cinematographer for Black Panther), as she helms The Fire Inside, the story of Claressa Shields, who became the first US woman to win boxing gold at the Olympics. The sure to be inspiring movie hopes to win over audiences and should be a showcase for Ryan Destiny as Shields and previous Oscar-nominee Brian Tyree Henry as her coach.
Gladiator II
- Release date: November 22
- Cast: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Connie Nielsen
- Director: Ridley Scott
Only two sequels have ever won Best Picture (The Godfather Part II and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), but only The Godfather Part II did so after its previous iteration had. So it's not going to be an easy feat for Gladiator II to duplicate after Gladiator won the top trophy more than 20 years ago. But movie fans were enthralled by the Gladiator II trailer (and all the new Coliseum battles) and if the movie can live up to the hype it'll have a chance to make history at the Oscars.
Hard Truths
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptise, Michele Austin, David Webber, Tuwaine Barrett, Ani Nelson, Sophia Brown, Jonathan Livingstone
- Director: Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh returns for this 23rd movie in his impressive career with Hard Truths, reuniting with his Secret & Lies co-star Marianne Jean-Baptise to tell the story of an extended Black family in London, particularly its prickly matriarch played by Jean-Baptise. Leigh has crafted many brilliant ensemble pieces over the years that really get to the heart of the human experience, which has been rewarded with Oscar recognition in the past with seven total nominations. Can Hard Truths finally snag him his first Oscar win?
Here
- Release date: November 1 (US); November 15 (UK)
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Dockery
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
Another exciting reunion this fall comes in Here, where Forrest Gump stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright once again work with Robert Zemeckis in this uniquely told story. Based on a graphic novel, Here focuses on the different people that live in a single place over generations, capturing important moments and how the times change. It looks like the movie is going to feature only one camera setup, with the scene and characters changing within it. That makes it a curious entry at least, but powerful performances from Hanks, Wright and company could make it an Oscar contender.
His Three Daughters
- Release date: September 6 (movie theaters); September 20 (Netflix)
- Cast: Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizaeth Olsen, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Randy Ramos Jr.
- Director: Azazel Jacobs
His Three Daughters depicts three estranged sisters that come together in their father's small apartment to watch over him as he is dying. The movie should be a showcase for its three leading ladies — Coon, Lyonne and Olsen — which could easily have them in the conversation for end-of-year laurels. This type of movie also always seems ripe for a screenplay nom. And if all that comes to pass, don't be surprised if momentum carries it to a possible Best Picture nomination.
Joker: Folie a Deux
- Release date: October 4
- Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland
- Director: Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker was a bit of a surprise Oscar darling, as the unique spin on the iconic Batman villain earned 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and two wins for Best Score and Best Actor for Phoenix. The sequel, Joker: Folie a Deux, is pushing the envelope, as it intends to add a musical element to the deranged story of Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) in addition to Lady Gaga playing the role of Harley Quinn. We won't be surprised this time if Joker: Folie a Deux is another awards favorite.
Maria
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Stephen Ashfield, Valeria Golino
- Director: Pablo Larraín
Pablo Larraín has already told the story of two defining women of the 20th century in Jackie and Spencer, and he'll do so again with Maria, focusing on legendary opera singer Maria Callas. Angelina Jolie stars, marking her first time in a movie since 2021. Following Natalie Portman's nomination for Jackie and Kristen Stewart's for Spencer, expect there to be a lot of hype around Jolie in the Best Actress category.
Nickel Boys
- Release date: October 25 (US)
- Cast: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
- Director: RaMell Ross
Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Nickel Boys, could add an Oscar to its resume in the near future. The best-selling book about two Black teens at a horrific juvenile detention facility in the 1960s in the south looks to parlay its success from page to screen. After Whitehead's The Underground Railroad was so critically acclaimed, it would be no surprise for more of the author's work to speak to audiences and Oscar voters.
Nightbitch
- Release date: December 6 (US)
- Cast: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, Archana Rajan, Jessica Harper, Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden
- Director: Marielle Heller
An early contender for the strangest movie to vie for Oscars this year is Marielle Heller and Amy Adams' Nightbitch. Based off of the Rachel Yoder book of the same name, the movie sees Adams play a new mom who begins to suspect that she is transforming into a dog. It might not seem like traditional Oscar bait, but Adams' involvement will definitely make it one to look out for, at the very least as she continues to pursue her first Oscar win.
Nosfertau
- Release date: December 25 (US); January 3, 2025 (UK)
- Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, Willem Dafoe
- Director: Robert Eggers
F.W. Murnau's original silent movie masterpiece Nosferatu wasn't eligible for Oscars because the award didn't yet exist, but a remake of the movie by the talented Robert Eggers could be, as this project is right up The Witch director's alley. This gothic vampire story inspired by Dracula (but for complicated reasons is not), Nosferatu could see the stars align for Eggers to finally get some awards recognition his previous movies have missed out on; at the very least expect things like production and costume design to be strong contenders.
The Outrun
- Release date: September 27 (UK); October 4 (US)
- Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essideu, Stephen Dillane, Saskia Reeves, Lauren Lyle, Nabil Elouahabi, Izuka Hoyle
- Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Already a four-time Oscar nominee, it feels more like a matter of when, not if, Saoirse Ronan is going to win an Oscar. Can The Outrun be that vehicle for her? She's earned rave reviews for her performance as an alcoholic fresh out of rehab who returns to her small hometown in Scotland to come to terms with her addiction and troubled past.
The Piano Lesson
- Release date: November 22 (Netflix)
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, Skyler Aleece Smith
- Director: Malcolm Washington
August Wilson's work has proven to be catnip for Oscar nominations in recent years with Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Now another one of the famed playwright's pieces is set for adaptation, as Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington headline the ensemble of The Piano Lesson, which follows a family that keeps track of its history through a piano that has been passed down through generations. Denzel Washington is on board as a producer.
Queer
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta, Michael Borremans, David Lowery
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
Luca Guadagnino's Challengers already came out this year to strong reviews and could be a potential Oscar contender, but the director is doubling his chances with the movie Queer. Daniel Craig stars as an expat living his life in 1950s Mexico City surviving on part-time jobs and GI Bill benefits when he embarks on a relationship with a young man named Allerton. Guadagnino is always one to watch, and this could be a strong chance for Craig to land his first-ever Oscar nomination.
A Real Pain
- Release date: November 1 (US); January 10, 2025 (UK)
- Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan
- Director: Jesse Eisenberg
Despite screening movies before the previous year's Oscars are even handed out, Sundance has had a good track record recently of having at least one of its movies perform well at the Oscars. One contender for that this year is A Real Pain, a dramedy written, directed and starring Jesse Eisenberg, who alongside Kieran Culkin play cousins that travel to Poland together for a trip to honor their grandmother, rediscovering their family history and touching on their own issues along the way.
The Room Next Door
- Release date: October 25 (UK); December 20 (US)
- Cast: Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, Juan Diego Botto, Raúl Arévalo, Melina Mathews, Victoria Luengo
- Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Oscar-winner and international sensation Pedro Almodóvar is doing something he's never done before with The Room Next Door — make a feature movie in English. But we should still expect the writer/director to deliver another intimate and powerful story, highlighted by performances from two of the best actresses working: Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. The Room Next Door has the potential to be a major player with the Oscars.
Saturday Night
- Release date: October 11 (US)
- Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O'Brien, Cory Michael Smith, Rachel Sennott, Lamorne Morris, Nicholas Braun, Finn Wolfhard, Jon Batiste, Ella Hunt, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Naomi McPherson, Willem Dafoe, JK Simmons, Kaia Gerber
- Director: Jason Reitman
As the historic Saturday Night Live season 50 debuts in 2024, so does Saturday Night, a new movie from Jason Reitman about the very first episode of the sketch comedy show. Told in real-time, it depicts the chaos involved with getting that initial episode ready to air live on TV from a little known producer named Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) and featuring mostly unheard of comedians. The ensemble for Saturday Night is stacked with young talent, though LaBelle could break through as Michaels.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
- Release date: November 27 (US)
- Cast: Misagh Zareh, Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi, Reza Akhlaghi, Shiva Ordooei, Amineh Arani
- Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
Another international entry that could play beyond the Best International Feature category is Mohammad Rasoulof's The Seed of the Sacred Fig. While the story of of judge who suspects one of his family members has stolen his service weapon amidst protests in Iran is intriguing in its own right, the backstory of the movie could also be a big story this year. Germany is actually submitting the movie for the Oscars, as that is where Rasoulof has lived since he fled Iran and its government in May.
The Substance
- Release date: September 20
- Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Joseph Balderrama, Oscar Lesage, Gore Abrams, Matthew Géczy
- Director: Coralie Fargeat
Movies described as "body horror" aren't often considered Oscar bait, but The Substance's raves (and the Academy's shift in tastes in recent years) may change that. Demi Moore is getting some of the best notices of her career for this performance, while the screenplay by Coarlie Fargeat received the Best Screenplay prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. It probably won't be a movie for everyone, but it could still draw Oscar's attention.
We Live in Time
- Release date: October 11 (US); January 1, 2025 (UK)
- Cast: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh
- Director: John Crowley
We Live in Time could be the next great cinematic love story, as Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh go through the ups and downs of a relationship in the latest movie from Brooklyn director John Crowley. But will the Oscars fall in love with the movie? Garfield and Pugh are both popular with the Academy but are still searching for their first Oscar wins.
Wicked
- Release date: November 22
- Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage
- Director: Jon M. Chu
The Broadway smash hit Wicked is coming to movie theaters, set to bring audiences back to the world of Oz, this time to learn about the backstories of witches Glinda and Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West). This is one of the most popular musicals of all time, so if the movie succeeds in its adaptation, then it could be primed for Oscar glory. The story is being split into two parts (with Wicked Part 2 coming in 2025), but that didn't stop Dune from raking up awards.
The Wild Robot
- Release date: September 27 (US); October 18 (UK)
- Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Kit Conner, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames
- Director: Chris Sanders
Only three animated movies have ever been nominated for Best Picture (Beauty and the Beast, Up and Toy Story 3), but The Wild Robot has the potential to change that. An adaptation of the acclaimed children's book from Peter Brown, Lupita Nyong'o leads an all-star voice cast in what looks to be a gorgeously animated movie. Can it make history as the next animated movie to become a major player at the Oscars?
Without Blood
- Release date: TBD
- Cast: Salma Hayek, Demián Bichir, Juan Minujín
- Director: Angelia Jolie
In addition to starring in a potential Oscar contender this year, Angelina Jolie is directing one with her latest movie Without Blood. Based on Alessandro Baricco's novel of the same name, the story is described as a fable about the brutality of war and healing in its aftermath. It could be a big year for Jolie, and we'll know soon if either of her movies have a chance to make some noise on the awards circuit as they screen at some of then major fall film festivals.
