Mapping out your movie calendar for 2024? Allow us to step in and do the job for you. Here's your essential round-up of this year's family movie releases – scroll down beneath the bullet-pointed list for more details of the specific movies.
Be sure to return to this post for regular updates to the film slate.
(Release dates are correct at the time of writing and are susceptible to late changes.)
- June 14th: Inside Out 2
- July 12th: Despicable Me 4
- November 8th: Paddington in Peru
- November 29th: Moana 2
- November 29th: Wicked
- December 29th: Mufasa: The Lion King
- December 29th: Sonic 3
1. Inside Out 2 (released June 14th, 2024)
Disney-Pixar's Inside Out sent our emotions into overdrive and secured itself as an Oscar-winning animated masterpiece. The movie personified a young girl's emotions in the form of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, making a profound comment about growing pains without ever sacrificing the need for a grand adventure in the classic Pixar mold. Our favourite characters now return, led as before by Amy Poehler's effervescent Joy – only this time, emotional HQ is set to be disrupted by the arrival of Maya Hawke's character Anxiety...
2. Despicable Me 4 (released July 12th, 2024)
Cinema's most loveable super-villain Gru, his new son Gru Jr., not to mention the ever-present Minions, are back to create more hilarious chaos. The Despicable Me films, and their associated Minions spin-offs, have cemented their place as some of the biggest family movies of all time. And now the fourth Despicable Me is tasked with picking up the mantle. Voice actor Steve Carell is promising Gru's wildest adventure yet and several other franchise favourites, including Kristen Wiig and Steve Coogan, are set to return.
3. Paddington in Peru (released November 8th, 2024)
The Paddington movies carry the delicious tang of a marmalade sandwich, sweet and somehow spicy in equal measure. The previous two movies, helmed by director Paul King, adapted Michael Bond's original stories with a startlingly assured touch, beautifully melding whimsy, humour and an array of memorably scene-stealing performances, notably Hugh Grant's villainous Phoenix Buchanan. King has stepped aside for the third Paddington movie, which takes Ben Whishaw's well-meaning ursine back to his home country for another adventure that's sure to be laden with laughs and pathos.
4. Moana 2 (released November 29th, 2024)
Disney's eagerly awaited sequel to their 2016 hit reunites us with the plucky Polynesian hero Moana and her loveable goofy demi-god sidekick Maui (Dwayne Johnson). Expect more breathtaking sights and sounds as the waves crash over us and the story takes us to the very edges of the much-mythologized Oceania.
5. Wicked (released November 29th, 2024)
We've been waiting a long time for stage phenomenon Wicked to make it to the big screen. Now it's finally happened, and it's going to be a two-part extravaganza (part two is due to arrive in 2025). Discover how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be as her origin story plays out to the memorable show tunes devised by noted composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba Thropp, the woman destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande plays Galinda Upland, Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero Tigelaar, Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Can you imagine a more perfect piece of casting?
6. Mufasa: The Lion King (released December 20th, 2024)
Discover the origins of Simba's father Mufasa in this live-action/CG prequel to the studio's 2019 reboot of The Lion King. Acclaimed filmmaker Barry Jenkins (Moonlight; If Beale Street Could Talk) dramatises the initial conflict between noble Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) and his scheming brother Scar (Kelvin Harrison Jr) and how it set the stage for the ultimate Pride Rock battle many years later between Simba and his nefarious uncle.
7. Sonic 3 (released December 20th, 2024)
The two Sonic movies have been a blur of fan-pleasing references and quick-fire humour from actor Jim Carrey. The Sega icon is now back for third helpings, once again voiced by Ben Schwartz and once again battling Carrey's maniacal Doctor Robotnik.
Remember, Cineworld's new Family Ticket allows adults and kids to be more childish together. Click the following link to find out more.
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