The movie industry was brought to a halt in July 2023. The double strike of actors and writers alike had Hollywood studios and streamers at a production standstill.
However, independent productions, including those by A24, were granted waivers, allowing them to proceed with movie production. During this period, A24 worked on projects such as Death of a Unicorn, featuring Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd and Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.
With the strikes concluding last November, production companies have now resumed releasing films, benefiting from the regained ability to promote and screen their content. A24’s production advantage has given them a particularly good comeback, releasing and announcing new and popular films while the other companies play catch up.
The Zone of Interest (Dec. 8, 2023)
This film is the long-awaited sequel to one of A24’s first productions, Under the Skin, directed by Jonathan Glazer. The movie premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, starring Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel as the real-life Hedgwig and Rudolf Hoss – the latter of whom was the head of the Auschwitz prison camp – as they try to build their dream home next to the camp.
While the anticipation for the Zone of Interest was there, another A24 film – The Iron Claw – shined at the box office, grossing $31.5 million domestically since its launch. For an independent film in the post-pandemic era, this stands out as one of the most noteworthy achievements of the esteemed distributor A24.
The Iron Claw (Dec. 22, 2023)
The Iron Claw is the third feature of director Sean Durkin. Focusing on the non-fictional tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family from the 1960s, the movie stars Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, along with Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany and Lily James in supporting roles. It is a must-watch with tissues if you haven’t seen it already.
A24s return to the theaters this winter season has already been extremely notable, but here are three future films causing the most buzz to look out for, brought to your favorite theater by A24.
The Backrooms Film (TBA 2024)
For the first time, a 17-year-old filmmaker gets to direct an A24 movie. Kane Parsons, the person behind the Kane Pixels YouTube channel has announced he will make his directing debut in a new feature film for A24 this winter, based on his creepypasta YouTube series “The Backrooms.”
MaXXXine (TBA 2024)
MaXXXine is the third film in director Ti West’s “X” trilogy, including the original film and Pearl. Mia Goth reprises her role as Maxine from “X,” as she heads to Los Angeles in the ’80s looking for fame. The cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon.
Janet Planet (TBA 2024)
Janet Planet premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September of 2023, and will have a theatrical release from A24 sometime this year. The film includes the directorial debut of Annie Baker, Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist. The film stars Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler as a mother/daughter pair for three months in 1991.
If any of these film descriptions pique your interest, make your way to the theater for the first two, and stay tuned for updates on the remaining. The ones mentioned are just a glimpse into the exciting lineup, as there are seven more films yet to be announced for this year.
