Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will stomp into theaters two weeks earlier than expected, Legendary and Warner Bros. announced Tuesday.
The fifth installment in their MonsterVerse series will now open March 29 instead of April 12.
Godzilla x Kong is taking the date previously occupied by Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-Ho‘s Mickey 17, whose release is being delayed due to post-strike production shifts. A new date is expected to be announced soon for the feature. (The shift was not exactly a surprise, as there has not been a trailer for the film yet.)
The latest feature film entry in Warner Bros./Legendary Entertainment‘s MonsterVerse follows the events of Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), where fans got to see the two apex kaijus finally fight for supremacy. A trailer for the film showsGodzilla x Kong delving deeper into the mysteries of the Hollow Earth and the reveal of a Titan menace that will necessitate the alliance of Godzilla and Kong.
Godzilla vs. Kong filmmaker Adam Wingard is back in the director’s chair, and reunites with returning castmembers Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle. Dan Stevens joins the franchise as a lead in The New Empire.
The franchise also includes Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). There have also been two television entries in the franchise, the anime series Skull Island (2023) released on Netflix, and the live-action series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023) released on Apple TV+.
Based on Edward Ashton’s novel of the same name, Mickey 17 stars Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette and Mark Ruffalo. Bong penned the adapted script based on the book Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton.
The book, published in early 2022, centers on a man known as an expendable on a mission to colonize a distant planet. Each colony features one crew member who takes on the most dangerous jobs on the mission — jobs that will assuredly lead to their deaths. However, their memories are backed up and they are restored to cloned bodies when they die.
I remember exactly where I was when I first watched it: the trailer for Challengers starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. That was my Super Bowl. It had everything: besties, bisexuality, and Zendaya in that Blonde bob.
I had waited months to finally get a glimpse of Zendaya’s collaboration with Luca Guadagnino. Ever since the film had been announced, we’d savored clips of Zendaya practicing her tennis game, Tomdaya strolling around Boston on location, and even her judgemental looks (and flawless courtside fashion) at Wimbledon and the US Open.
And just when we were on the precipice of a legendary press tour — that was supposed to include a stop at the Venice International Film Festival — it was taken away from us by the SAG strike.
Challengers was originally slated to premiere on September 15, 2023. Due to the strike, it was pushed back to April 26th, 2024. You can understand my devastation. Especially since Challengers was not the only casualty of the strike. Many films were pushed from late 2023 release dates and into 2024. Luckily, we had some bangers to close out the year. But we have been so brave and, in the new year, we are about to be rewarded.
2024 promises a slew of highly anticipated films. And not just delayed projects, but other cinematic delights that we’ve been waiting years for. And with the press circuit back and better than ever, we also have promotional interviews, red carpets, and more to look forward to. After Barbie put on a marketing masterclass, next year promises to take it up a notch. And I, quite frankly, cannot wait.
Here are some of our most anticipated titles in 2024:
Challengers, April 26
It goes without saying that I’ll be first in line when tickets are finally released. Join me to watch Zendaya play a retired tennis star in the middle of a years-long love triangle. All directed by the man who made Call Me By Your Name.
Dune: Part II, March 15
Speaking of delayed Zendaya projects, Dune’s long-awaited sequel is finally coming. Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya will be joined by Austin Butler and Florence Pugh — which is enough for me.
If you can’t wait until the Spring, don’t worry, Argylle will be out in February. It promises to be a hilarious take on the spy genre that subverts all the old tropes and cliches. It stars Dua Lipa and Henry Cavill. We’re in for a delightfully ridiculous treat.
The Fall Guy, May 3
Another comedic action film, The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling as a stunt man who becomes the hero of the screen when he has to save his ex, Emily Blunt. If you liked Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in The Lost City, you’ll love this.
Spaceman, March 1
Based on the book Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfař, Adam Sandler is returning to dramatic roles with a movie that promises to be his next Uncut Gems or Punch Drunk Love. He stars alongside Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, and Kunal Nayyar stars as an astronaut whose life unravels while he is on a mission.
Mean Girls: The Musical, January 12
While this might not be as giant as Barbie, this musical remake of the 2000s classic is already a hit. Starring Renee Rapp as Regina George, a role she has been playing on Broadway for years, I can’t wait to relive all the iconic Mean Girls moments on the big screen.
The American Society of Magical Negroes, March 22
Black satire is back in a big way. After the success of 2023’s American Fiction, I am excited to see another film that examines Black representation in pop culture. This satire stars Justice Smith as a man who enters a secret society of Black people who embody the “magical negro” trope.
Bob Marley: One Love, February 14
Biopics can be hit or miss, so fingers crossed that Kingsley Ben-Adir’s turn as Jamaican singer and songwriter Bob Marley hits the right notes. Produced in partnership with the Marley family, the film spotlights his life and career, including his political activism and fight for peace.
Mickey 17, March 29
One thing about me? I love an unsettling film — hence my devotion to Saltburn. Bong Joon-ho’s first movie after Parasite, Mickey 17, promises to fit the bill. It stars A-List weirdo Robert Pattinson in an adapted tale about a man who dies and is reborn with memories of his past life.
Deadpool 3, July 26
Deadpool 3 might be the last good Marvel movie we get because it’s looking pretty bleak for the next generation. Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds team up for this tale of Deadpool and Wolverine. The summer blockbuster we deserve.
Kraven: The Hunter, August 30
Hear me out: Aaron Taylor Johnson. Marvel is trying their best to replicate the success of Joker with their own villain origin story. Kraven is a Spiderman villain but, more than that, I would like to reiterate: Aaron Taylor Johnson.
Joker: Folie à Deux, October 4
Following the Oscar-winning success of the first Joker , DC is hoping this sequel will save them from the despair of 2023’s The Flash. More than anything else, I’m curious to see Lady Gaga join Joaquin Phoenix as Harley Quinn.
Wicked, November 27
While movie-musicals have a spotty history (think: Cats and Les Mis), Wicked is so iconic I want to believe in it. It stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The cast has already made headlines for Slater’s relationship with Grande — it’s giving Don’t Worry Darling presstour-levels of chaos already.
Gladiator 2, November 22
Will 2024 make me an action movie stan? If Paul Mescal has anything to do with it, it’s more likely than you think. Gladiator, the 2000 film starring Russell Crowe, spawned a generation of men thinking about the Roman Empire. Ridley Scott returns with this long-awaited sequel to hope he can strike lightning twice.
Lee Sun-kyun, the actor who shot to international fame as the patriarch of the wealthy Park family in Bong Joon-ho‘s lauded 2019 black comedy Parasite, was found dead on Wednesday. According to police in the South Korean capital of Seoul, the cause of death is believed to be suicide. He was 48.
According to officials who spoke with Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency, over the course of 2023, Lee had been questioned by police three times “on suspicions of using marijuana and other illegal drugs.” Drug laws in South Korea are some of the strictest in the world: as noted by the Seoul Law Group, drugs of any kind—including cannabis—are illegal, and Korean citizens are even prohibited from using drugs when in nations with more permissive laws. Sentences for those convicted of drug use can range from six months to over a decade.
Lee had repeatedly denied the allegations, and claimed that he had been tricked by a hostess at a high-end Gangnam district bar into consuming the illegal substances as part of a blackmail plot against him. He filed suit against his alleged blackmailer, CNN reports, but continued to be questioned. On December 23, he was held by police for 19 hours. In a press conference earlier this week, Lee said, “I ask that the police make a good judgment about whose side’s statements are credible between me and the blackmailers;” on December 26, he asked police (through his lawyers) to allow him to take a polygraph test to confirm his innocence.
According to Yonhap, Lee’s results were negative during every drug test administered by officials during the probe.
Lee studied drama at the Korea National University of Arts, and began his Korean TV career in 2007. A film career—which included features on the international festival circuit—followed, and drew global attention with the success of award wining social commentary Parasite. In 2021, Lee was named the lead in Apple TV+’s first Korean-language original series, Dr. Brain.
According to South Korea’s National Police Agency, over 17,000 people have been arrested this year following South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s vow to “mobilize all capabilities of the entire government to achieve victory” in the country’s war on drugs. In this ramp-up of enforcement, celebrities including Hellbound actor Yoo Ah-in and K-pop singer G-Dragon have faced allegations.
In a statement, Lee’s representatives, Hodu & U Entertainment, wrote that “Actor Lee Sun-kyun passed away today. There is no way to contain the sorrow and devastated feelings.”
“Please refrain from spreading false information based on speculation or assumption,” his representatives wrote, but declined further comment.
Lee is survived by wife Jeon Hye-jin, who is also an actor, and their two sons.
If you need emotional support or are in crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Is there anything more enthralling than a movie that keeps you on your toes? While it makes sense for some films to stick to one primary genre — such as comedy, historical drama, or romance — others are able to blend more than one genre seamlessly. In some very specific cases, however, the shift in genre is very noticeable. Essentially at some point during the movie, the plot becomes something else entirely, and as the audience, we must be ready to adapt. When done correctly, this subversive move can give an otherwise formulaic film an exciting edge.
Now, to preface, we’re not talking about movies that balance two different genres the entire time. There are plenty of dramas that also manage to be wildly funny — and there are comedies that cut straight through to the heart. Some genres, such as “romantic comedy” or “science fiction” have two elements built right into their names. There’s the central romance, and there’s the comedic relief. There’s the science element, and there’s the fictional aspect. But there’s something special about a movie that’s able to pull a fast one on you, transforming into something unexpected right before your eyes.
From charming comedies that devolve into gruesome slasher films to romance movies that morph into thrillers, we’ve rounded up 10 films that completely switched genres during their runtimes. While all these movies are pretty different from one another, they all have one thing in common — watching them from start to finish is one wild ride.
Movies That Changed Genres Halfway Through
These movies looked like one thing — only to shift into a totally different genre in the middle.
Popular Movies That Were Supposed To Be Way Darker
Things might have turned out differently for these hit films if they’d stuck with their original (darker) scripts.
