2024's top films: from 'Deadpool & Wolverine to ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’
From 2023’s “The Barbie” movie to Christopher Nolan’s multi-award winning thriller “Oppenheimer”, 2024 had big cinematic shoes to fill and it didn't disappoint with its array of offerings.
Below are some of the biggest films of the year:
“Challengers”
Director Luca Guadagnino took viewers into the cut-throat world of professional tennis with this steamy movie, released in April, that served drama, passion and a love triangle.
At the heart of the story is Tashi Duncan, portrayed by Hollywood star Zendaya.
She plays a former teenage tennis prodigy whose career was cut short by a brutal injury.
Tashi transitions from player to manager by focusing all of her competitive fire on her husband, Art Donaldson, played by Mike Faist.
She decides to reignite his passion for the game by entering him into a lower-tier tournament.
The twist comes in when Patrick Zweig, played by the irresistibly scruffy Josh O’Connor, enters the picture.
The trio embark on a salacious relationship while the movie’s non-linear storytelling and frequent flashbacks, added depth and kept the audience guessing.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
This instalment in the popular Disney Studios movie franchise released in May, following a seven-year hiatus.
With the previous film released in 2017, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is the 10th movie, with the very first one being released back in 1968.
The sci-fi, adventure and action flick stars Owen Teague, Freya Allen and Peter Macon and is directed by Wes Ball.
This sequel follows on from Caesar’s reign and focuses on the journey of a young ape who questions everything he's been taught. In doing so, he makes the brave choice that defines the future for apes and humans alike.
“Inside Out 2”
This film from Disney and Pixar became South Africa’s highest-grossing film of 2024 when it was released in June.
The sequel to the 2015 family comedy brings audiences back into the mind of the lead character, Riley Andersen (Tallman), who deals with a host of new emotions as a teenager in “Inside Out 2”.
In the first movie, she was an 11-year-old who was uprooted from her happy and simple life in Minnesota and taken to San Francisco, California, where she experiences various changes in her life.
“Inside Out 2'’returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as Headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new emotions.
They include Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment show up.”
“Deadpool & Wolverine”
This Marvel Studios movie set the globe into a superhero frenzy when it was released in July.
It was also a hit at the South African box office as it became the number one opening weekend movie of 2024 at the time, surpassing “Inside Out 2”.
Much of the movie’s appeal was its iconic team-up between Ryan Reynolds, who played Deadpool, and Hugh Jackman, who starred as Wolverine.
This resulted in the superhero flick amassing over R14.8 million during its first weekend in theatres.
The film sees Deadpool's peaceful existence coming to an end when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.
Directed by Shawn Levy, who also co-wrote the movie with Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Zeb Wells, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” also stars Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni and Matthew Macfadyen.
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
While this live animated film is only due to be released in cinemas worldwide on December 20, it is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year.
The production serves as a prequel and sequel to the 2019 remake of the 1994 film “The Lion King”.
It is voiced by a star-studded cast which includes South Africa’s John Kani as well as Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who all reprise their roles from the remake.
New cast members include Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Tiffany Boone, Lennie James and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut.
Directed by Barry Jenkins, the movie will pick up in the Pride Lands of Tanzania after the events of the previous film.
It will see Rafiki the mandrill narrating the origin story of two lions, Mufasa and Taka, to Kiara, the granddaughter of Mufasa and daughter of Simba and Nala.
Meanwhile, iconic South African composer Lebo M and actor and comedian Kagiso Lediga feature on the film’s soundtrack “Music of Mufasa”.
The original songs were written by Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also a Kennedy Center Honor recipient.
It is also produced by Miranda, together with fellow Grammy Award winner Mark Mancina and Walt Disney Music President, Tom MacDougall.