Get ready for popcorn season: the most anticipated summer 2024 movies (with release dates!)

TL;DR: 2024's most anticipated summer films are coming. Check out these release dates and plan ahead!

Escaping summer’s brutal heat in a movie theater is a time-honored tradition, and the studio execs 100% know it. While you're getting bombarded by trailers, don't forget to plan your watch strategy — both at home and at the nearest big screen — lest you spend your days scrolling past spoilers.

And if that big screen is a Regal Cinemas location near you, why not save 33% on a 2D movie ticket, including IMAX, RPX, and more, while you can?

From buzzworthy major studio releases to the intimate charm of indie films, there's something for everyone. Here’s a handful of movies that we’re particularly excited about this season.

A Mad Max Prequel to Heat Up Summer 2024

On May 24, you can hit the theaters to catch Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit) in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. This is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Charlize Theron (Atomic Blonde).

Taylor-Joy plays a vengeance-filled young Furiosa who was taken from home by a group of bikers. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) also stars as warlord Dementus.

Anyone wanting to brush up on the previous Mad Max films could stream them at home before hitting the theater Memorial Day weekend to see the latest. You can even set up an outdoor movie night to watch them!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do?

Whether your excitement about the return of the 1995 Bad Boys franchise is actual nostalgia or retro trendy nostalgia doesn't matter. What does matter is catching Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in theaters on June 6 in Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

This is the fourth BB film in the franchise that sees the Miami detectives investigate possible corruption in the force in an effort to clear their late captain's name. It's a good one to see on the big screen because it features the requisite action film ingredients: cars, guns, chases, and a lot of laughs!

The Precious LOTR Trilogy Extended Cuts

Peter Jackson’s extended versions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy have been remastered and will hit theaters in early June. They can be seen at chains participating in Fathom events, such as Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Fellowship of the Ring releases on June 8, The Two Towers on June 9, and The Return of the King re-premieres on June 10.

Tickets are already available, so we kind of don't know why you're still reading this.

Disney Animation for the Kids (and Adults!)

Disney and Pixar's beloved Inside Out franchise is dropping a sequel on June 14 exclusively in theaters.

Inside Out 2 focuses on the main character, Riley, her journey to teenagehood, and the new emotions she experiences with it. 

Returning stars include Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger. Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke of Stranger Things, and Envy, voiced by The Bear's Ayo Edebiri are sure to be welcome additions.

An Indie-Style Cab Ride with Sean Penn

Sean Penn (I Am Sam) and Dakota Johnson (50 Shades of Grey) star in the indie drama Daddio, set on a nighttime taxi ride from New York's John F. Kennedy airport.

With Penn as the driver and Johnson as the passenger, it deals with the complex nature of secrets, survival, and even technology. Catch it in theaters on June 28 if introspective films are your jam.

The New Beverly Hills Cop Movie (for More Summer Nostalgia)

Eddie Murphy fans have been waiting for the newest installment of the hilarious Beverly Hills Cop franchise, which was a huge hit decades ago. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, follows Murphy as officer Axel Foley and his daughter Jane, played by Taylour Paige, back to Beverly Hills after her life is threatened.

Heading to a family reunion on the West Coast, Foley and Jane meet up with old friends and new ones to solve the latest mystery. Look for it (along with the original smash hit theme song of the same name!) on Netflix come July 3.

You might even want to gather your fellow Eddie Murphy fans to watch at your place to kick off the holiday weekend!

Dynamic Duo: Marvel's Deadpool and Wolverine

Disney is set to release Deadpool & Wolverine to theaters on July 26. Ryan Reynolds stars as Deadpool with X-Men franchise star Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and this team-up is causing quite a stir among MCU fans.

Directed by Shawn Levy, it’s rated R and is one of summer's most talked about films. Will there be cameos? What exactly is it about? You'll have to check it out to get the deets, but regardless, it promises plenty of action.

Twists and Turns from M. Night Shyamalan's Upcoming Summer Flick

Trap is the latest thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, the master of storytelling who both a writer and director on this film.

Josh Hartnett stars as a father who takes his teenage daughter to a pop concert, only to find out that it's not at all what it seems (right on brand for Shyamalan!). This Warner Bros. film hits theaters on August 9.

Spice Up Your Summer With This Video Game Turned Movie

Borderlands is a super anticipated action-adventure film based on a popular artsy-looking video game. Directed by Eli Roth, it's set to release on August 9.

It follows a group of misfits, led by outlaw Lilith, who heads to the post-apocalyptic planet of Pandora to battle a variety of dangerous beings to find a missing girl.

The star-studded cast includes crowd favorites like Cate Blanchett (Ocean's 8), Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda), Jamie Lee Curtis (Freaky Friday), Kevin Hart (Ride Along), and Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie)!

A Biopic Based on Ronald Reagan 

Fans of U.S. history and drama might like Dennis Quaid (The Parent Trap) as our 40th president in the biopic, Reagan. 

The movie follows Ronald Reagan's life and times from childhood and his acting career through his time at the Oval Office. It's set to release on August 30.

That's quite a ways away, so feel free to check out more biopics and documentaries from an Emmy Award–winning streaming service while you wait.

Spend Summer 2024 Watching the Silver Screen 

No matter what you end up seeing on the big screen, always try to buy tickets online before the show so the only waiting you have to do at the theater is for someone to fill your Dune popcorn bucket.

StackSocial works with a variety of merchants and brands to bring you deals worth talking about. We may earn a commission on purchases made through our links. Prices subject to change.