Almost as traditional as a Thanksgiving turkey itself is the family pastime of bundling up and heading to the movies post-meal. And luckily, this year’s Thanksgiving weekend is packed with some of the hottest new movie releases of 2024.
Whether you’re in the mood for mesmerizing musicals or edge-of-your-seat action blockbusters, there are plenty of options. Check some of the most exciting below, and click here to see the full list of Thanksgiving movie options in New York theaters!
Wicked (PG)
Join us in scream-singing the last note of “Defying Gravity”...ok, maybe not out loud in the theater! One of our anticipated musical adaptations, this depiction of the Broadway hit musical brings the world of Oz and the real story of Glinda and the Wicked Witch to life with stunning set and costume designs. It has already been met with rave reviews by critics, saying it “satisfyingly combines the grandiosity of a musical and the intimacy of filmmaking” and is “a brilliant first installment.”
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Moana 2 (PG)
This musical may give Wicked a run for its money — and though it’s aimed at kids, all ages will be singing along by the end! The sequel to the beloved Disney animated feature reunites Moana and Maui three years later, and has her traveling to the seas of Oceania thanks to her wayfinding ancestors for the adventure of a lifetime.
Starring: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Scherzinger, Hualalai Chung
Gladiator II (R)
The long-awaited sequel to this classic film has acclaimed director Ridley Scott taking us back to the world of ancient of Rome.
Ok, and it doesn’t hurt seeing Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal in those outfits…
Starring: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn
Red One (PG-13)
Dwayne Johnson was bussyyy this season! His other movie is a action-packed holiday treat — Santa has been kidnapped and the North Pole security head (Johnson) must join forces with a ruthless bounty hunter (Evans) to save Christmas.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K. Simmons, Bonnie Hunt
Venom: The Last Dance (PG-13)
Say goodbye to Venom — the final film in the Marvel Comics trilogy is now out! Eddie and Venom are both being hunted, forcing them to make an intense final decision…
Starring: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rhys Ifans, Andy Serkis
A Real Pain (R)
With family dynamics at the forefront of this holiday, A Real Pain may be the heartfelt story you need. Written, directed, produced and starring Jesse Eisenberg, it tells the story of two cousins who have grown apart but come back together to honor their recently deceased grandmother through a joint tour through Poland. Critics have called it “endearing and entertaining” and “one of the year’s finest.”
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey
Conclave (PG)
This Edward Berger-directed religious thriller sheds light on one of the most mysterious processes of the Catholic Church: choosing a new Pope. Following Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, as he is asked to partake in the process and ends up finding a whole trail of secrets that may have been better left untouched.
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati
Anora (R)
A modern “Cinderella story,” Anora follows a Brooklyn sex worker who ends up marrying the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch, much to his parents’ dismay. Directed by Sean Baker of The Florida Project, Anora won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
Starring: Mikey Madison, Paul Weissman, Mark Eydelshteyn