TAGGED AS: movies
As we enter November, we see that big splashy blockbusters and potential awards contenders are back in theaters in hopes of gobbling up those holiday earnings. And, appropriately enough, the top five most anticipated movies of the month include both, as well as a couple of genre crowd-pleasers.
No. 1
Gladiator II
(2024)
Release Date: November 22, 2024
With its star-studded cast, it’s no surprise that Gladiator II is one of the most anticipated movies of November. Ridley’s Scott sequel to his Oscar winning 2000s film will see Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal in historic Rome as Lucius (Mescal) enters the coliseum to seek his own revenge. Brutal fights, contentious relationships, and the Roman Empire will electrify the big screen on 22nd November, and as a potential awards contender, Gladiator II is sure to leave its mark long after the credits roll.
No. 2
Wicked
(2024)
Release Date: November 22, 2024
In this highly anticipated film, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo take on the iconic roles of Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West respectively. Wicked is based on the Broadway hit of the same name and depicts the story of the witches’ friendship, with the first film being released this November and Part Two in 2025. The film will feature hits such as “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” which are sure to delight the Broadway show’s widespread fanbase, and according to early reactions on social media, this stage-to-screen adaptation is a winner.
No. 3
Moana 2
(2024)
Release Date: November 27, 2024
When Disney first released Moana, they knew they had a hit film in their hands. In this sequel, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) traverses the waters of Oceania with her companion Maui (Dwayne Johnson) once again as she heeds the call of her ancestors to embark on a new adventure. Fans of the first film who have been eagerly awaiting this sequel won’t have to wait much longer, as Moana 2 is set to close out the month with a bang.
No. 4
Heretic
(2024)
Release Date: November 8, 2024
People are loving Hugh Grant in his villain phase, which he fully embraces in his next role as a seemingly devout man who takes it upon himself to test the faith of two young missionaries who show up at his door. Unfortunately, his methods involve a puzzle house full of deadly games. Admittedly, Gladiator II, Wicked, and Moana 2 claimed the vast majority of the votes in this months’ poll, but Heretic managed to outdo the rest to rise to No. 4.
No. 5
Red One
(2024)
Release Date: November 15, 2024
Lastly, barely edging out titles like Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2, and the re-release of Godzilla Minus One, we have Jake Kasdan’s cheeky holiday action flick that finds the North Pole’s head of security (Dwayne Johnson) enlisting the help of a bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to rescue Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) from a kidnapper and save Christmas. If you haven’t seen any of the massive promo for this movie yet, we’ll tell you right now: Yes, this is a real movie. And it happens to have made it to No. 5 on this month’s list.
Thumbnail images by Aidan Monaghan/©Paramount Pictures
