Coming Attractions- The Beast Within (2024)

 

Director- Alexander J. Farrell

Cast- Kit Harington, Ashleigh Cummings, James Cosmo, Caoilinn Springall, Ian Giles, Martina McClements

Release Date- July 26, 2024

The story of two parents trying to protect their only child from a horrible secret is simple and effective, enhanced by the dangers of a bloodthirsty werewolf. Keeping things under wraps for showing Kit Harington’s full werewolf form was a good choice. The secrecy adds to the mystique, and if we’re using his daughter’s horrified reactions as a measuring stick, you get the idea that a fully transformed Harington is a terrifying monster.

The Beast Within’s trailer has signs of a good werewolf movie. I’m guessing the curse is hereditary? The daughter peels off her fingernails, and you can clearly see her fangs in one shot. But there’s also a chance we’re just looking at a pair of fake out nightmare sequences.

I’m always a big fan of placing horror movies in an isolated or desolate area. Only one car, and outside of her mother, the daughter might have to rely on an elderly man for protection. Not too reassuring, when you’re assessing your chances for survival. That’s truly scary. 

Coming Attractions- Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

 

Director- Kelly Marcel

Cast- Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Clark Backo, Cristo Fernandez

Release Date- October 25, 2024

Tom Hardy’s dedication to Eddie Brock is admirable. Hardy is clearly passionate about the Venom series, but the previous two films were too hit and miss for me. Venom (2018) was decent at best. Venom: Let There Be Carnage peaked and fell off of a cliff after Carnage escaped from prison. The Spider-Man tease in the mid-credits for the long awaited confrontation between Venom and Spider-Man was the only truly memorable moment in Let There Be Carnage. 

A good trailer for The Last Dance, featuring a lot the over the top wackiness (a symbiote horse!) you’d expect from the Venom films. Mrs. Chen is back for a few good laughs, and I’m wondering if Rhys Ifans appearance is somehow connected to Lizard from 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man? Possibly a special cameo or a little nod to Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man films, because I highly doubt Ifans having a part in a Venom film is just a mere coincidence.

One thing I’ll say about The Last Dance is, they did a great job of hyping up the high stakes and selling the storyline for Eddie and Venom’s possible last hurrah. I don’t have big expectations for this one, but hopefully they’ll finally hit a home run for Venom’s final standalone film. 

Coming Attractions- Heretic (2024)

 

Directors- Scott Beck, Bryan Woods

Cast- Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East

Release Date- November 15, 2024

No sightings of demons, monsters, or any other supernatural events? No teases for exorcisms? Surprising for a horror movie that’s centered around religion. If I had to guess, they’re going with the idea that Hugh Grant IS the monster, someone who deviously wants to test the limits of Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton’s faiths and their beliefs in a higher power. Is it possible he’s a satanist? That, or he’s just some creepy and lonely guy, possibly a serial killer, who lives out in the middle of nowhere. 

Heretic’s trailer is intriguing and eerie, showcasing a tense and life threatening game of cat and mouse, and the reveal for the blueberry pie candle was excellent. 

Coming Attractions- Red One (2024)

 

Director- Jake Kasdan

Cast- Dwayne Johnson, J.K. Simmons, Lucy Liu, Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, Nick Kroll, Jenna Kanell, Bonnie Hunt, Wesley Kimmel, Kristofer Hivju, Mary Elizabeth Ellis

Release Date- November 15, 2024

I’m interested to see how they use Krampus overall, because they’re obviously going with a lighthearted approach to Santa’s shadow. 

Red One should be a harmless fun Christmas movie. J.K. Simmons is a good fit to play a jacked up and manly version of Santa Claus. Dwyane Johnson and Chris Evans as a duo has some potential, and Red One perfectly lands in Johnson’s comfort zone: lots of action, and a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Coming Attractions- Smile 2 (2024)

 

Director- Parker Finn

Cast- Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ray Nicholson, Peter Jacobson, Dylan Gelula, Raul Castillo, Miles Gutierrez-Riley

Release Date- October 18, 2024

Smile (2022) was a surprise hit horror film. They were able to take a premise that should’ve been silly, and turn it into something serious and dark. The smiley facial expressions were creepy, a crucial foundation for the movie to avoid any unintentionally funny moments and scenes. 

So far, it looks like Kyle Gallner’s Joel is the only character with a connection to the original film. A standalone sequel is the best option, because Smile’s story and the lore behind it is strong enough to the point, where you don’t necessarily need returning characters. 

With all that said, I have mixed feelings about a sequel. Naomi Scott looks good in the trailer. I like the idea of her character being a popular pop star. Skye (Scott) is someone, who will always be surrounded by hordes of people, so it’ll be hard or almost impossible for her to avoid everything that comes with the curse. But Smile (2022) had a nearly perfect ending. A real jaw-dropper for a finale, including the shocking and grotesque reveal of the entity. I’m expecting another cliffhanger, because there’s a good chance we’re looking at a new horror franchise, if Smile 2 has a successful run at the box office. 

Coming Attractions- Fly Me To The Moon (2024)

 

Director- Greg Berlanti

Cast- Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johansson, Woddy Harrelson, Joe Chrest, Ray Romano, Will Jacobs, Jim Rash, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Anna Garcia, Nick Dillenburg, Eva Pilar, Ashley Kings, Chad Crowe, Donald Elise Watkins, Art Newkirk, Jonathan Orea Lopez, Melissa Litow, Christian Zuber, Lauren Revard

Release Date- July 12, 2024

I’m usually not a big fan of romantic comedies. The vast majority of mainstream romantic comedies follow a predictable pattern, and no matter what happens, it’s not hard to predict there’s a good chance Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson will end up together. Woody Harrelson is always capable of delivering a show stealing performance, but there’s also no denying that Scarlett Johansson looks great here, a perfect fit for her character. 

Fly Me To The Moon has high stakes. Pulling off a successful moon landing is a big deal, and the1960’s setting feels genuinely nostalgic. 

Coming Attractions- The Killer’s Game (2024)

 

Director- J.J. Perry 

Cast- Dave Bautista, Terry Crews, Sofia Boutella, Ben Kingsley, Drew McIntyre, Pom Klementieff, Lee Hoon, Marko Zaror, Daniel Bernhardt, Lucy Cork, Raffaello Degruttola, Shaina West, Scott Adkins

Release Date- September 13, 2024

The wrestling fan in me is pumped to see Drew McIntyre and Dave Bautista squaring off against each other!

Dave Bautista is a consistent actor. Whether it’s a leading or supporting role, I honestly can’t remember one truly awful film from him over the years after he got his big break in Guardians Of The Galaxy.

The assassin having a moral awakening, and deciding that it’s time to get out of the life is a cliched and overused storyline. The Killer’s Game makes an attempt to put a comedic spin on things, with Joe realizing he has to fight back.

A solid cast, and the trailer shows a promising mix of brutal hard hitting action and playful humor. One day I’ll have to read the novel the movie is based on, because it’s always interesting to see what changes are made, or how far the powers that be will go with tie-ins and staying true to the source material.