A scifi franchise… is there anything more boring and recycled? Not to be a hater, but other than Terminator 1&2, Alien 1&2 and maybe Riddick, few scifi concepts can become a series that is still fresh and entertaining.*
Fortunately, this year there are quite a few scifi franchises that promise plenty of excitement.
Here’s my list, tell me if you would add something to it!
A Quiet Place: Day 1
Oh, “A Quiet Place”! Now that’s a movie that really cranked up the tension! And this year, we see how everything started.
Directed by John Krasinski, who also stars in the movie alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt, “A Quiet Place” was a masterclass in suspense and horror – and I couldn’t be happier this one turned into a franchise.
The way A Quiet Place uses silence as a storytelling tool really pulls you in, even when you disagree with the choices characters make. The best part though? A Quiet Place Day 1 is a prequel that will show exactly how everything went sideways.
As you know, one thing most post-apocalyptic movies avoid is showing just how everything went to hell in a handbasket, leaving fans to endlessly speculate and crave more context.
With A Quiet Place Day 1 some of those questions might get answered, and I’m already reaching for the popcorn to see the discussion on Reddit afterwards..
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Who exactly was the hero in Mad Max? Ask anyone, and they’ll probably point to Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, a heroine that not only stole the show but secured the movie a place in the list of the best AND most feminist scifi movies.
Furiosa was the driver, not a fighter, but she was a formidable force when she needed to be. Buckle up, cause this year we’ll see how she got there. Can Anya-Taylor Joy replace Charlize Theron as Furiosa? Fans of The Queen’s Gambit will no doubt say yes and I’m optimistic as well after seeing this trailer.
Alien: Romulus
And speaking of strong female characters, nothing will quite reach Ripley in Alien and Sigourney Weaver’s performance had so much heart, this franchise can still draw a crowd even decades later.
That’s why I’m cautiously optimistic about Alien: Romulus, which is set between the first and the second Alien movies.
The film is produced by Ridley Scott and stars Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu. Yes, there are few household names here, but there were plenty of scifi movies that made it big with lesser-known actors (yes, I’m talking about Riddick).
Mortal Kombat 2
And the same goes for Mortal Kombat, wouldn’t you say? When the first Mortal Kombat landed in theaters the only familiar face was Christopher Lambert, known to kids back then as the dude from The Immortal.
Now, decades later, each actor from Mortal Kombat is a cult favorite – and hopefully this sequel will reach the same status. Since Ed Boon, the game’s creator, is set to write for this one, and Karl Urban is playing Johnny Cage, I do think there’s potential here.
Borderlands
And the same goes for Borderlands, another video game movie slated for 2024. It’s so promising, it even showed up in our guide to the best scifi movies of 2024 with original stories. After all, it is the first time this universe gets to the big screen!
What really sets the “Borderlands” games apart are their humor. Yes, you have an ensemble of characters going about their ultraviolent ways but the game doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Claptrap, the game’s robot mascot, is a cult hero for gamers thanks to his hilarious lines, and he’s just one character who can steal the show.
Considering the Borderlands movie cast has both Jack Black and Kevin Hart ready to lend their best funny voices to Claptrap and Roland, respectively, I think there is reason to be excited here.
Plus, who doesn’t want to see Cate Blanchett in the badass Lilith role?
*And The Three-Body Problem, because that’s one book series with endless potential and I can’t wait to see how Netflix approaches it.
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