Since the release ofTearing Down the Spanish Flagin 1898, the controversial Spanish-American War film that featured a single shot of a hand ripping down the Spanish banner,war movieshave been a cinematic staple. A number of filmmakers will be furthering this tradition in 2024, with January and early February already marking the releases of a couple of high-profile war films, includingOne LifeandThe Zone of Interest, with the latter earning five Academy Award nominations.
Throughout the rest of the year, several more films set during times of conflict are set to hit theaters or streaming services. Whether based on true stories of heroism or set during completely fictional time periods, these movies should be on the radar of anyone who’s a true fan of the genre. Here are eight war movies that we’re looking forward to seeing in 2024.
Land of Bad
Co-written and directed by William Eubank,Land of Badfollows Liam Hemsworth’s Kenney, a rookie officer attached to a U.S. Army Delta Force who is sent to the Philippines to rescue a CIA asset captured by terrorists. When the mission goes awry and Kinney is caught behind enemy lines, drone operator Reaper (Russell Crowe) helps to guide Kinney home as he fights his way through hostile territory. The movie also co-stars Milo Ventimiglia, Ricky Whittle, and Luke Hemsworth, Liam’s older brother.
A Return to Military Rescue Movies
Land of Badlooks to be an action-packedreturn to military rescue movieslikeSaving Private RyanandBlack Hawk Down. Up until this point, Eubank had only directed science fiction (Love,The Signal) and horror films (Underwater,Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin), so it will be interesting to see what the young filmmaker will be able to accomplish in the war genre.
WATCH THE TRAILER FORLAND OF BADHERE
7Escape from Germany (April 11)
Escape from Germany
Escape from Germanytells the story of 85 Mormon missionaries from America who attempt to flee from their mission church in Germany as Adolf Hitler’s Nazi forces begin to close the country’s borders on the brink of World War II. Based on the true diaries of those missionaries, the film is directed by T.C. Christensen and stars Paul Wuthrich, Whitney Palmer, Sebastian Michael Barr, and David McConnell.
A More Wholesome War Movie
Despite its intense subject matter,Escape from Germanyis perfect for those looking for a more wholesome war movie, considering that it’s afaith-based filmwith a PG rating. A former missionary for the LDS Church, T.C. Christensen has made several movies centered on Mormonism, includingJoseph Smith: The Prophet of the RestorationandEphraim’s Rescue, though this is the first of his films to take place during World War II.
WATCH THE TRAILER FORESCAPE FROM GERMANYHERE
Related:Best German War Movies of All Time
6Civil War (April 12)
Considered to be one of the most anticipated movies of the first half of 2024,Civil Wartakes place in adystopian Americawhere the U.S. government faces off against a separatist faction led by Texas and California. Written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina,Annihilation, Men), the A24 film stars Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura as journalists who are documenting this second Civil War while also struggling to survive against the military forces led by a tyrannical president (Nick Offerman).
A Scary Glimpse
Civil Waris a full-circle return to Alex Garland’s dystopian roots, as his first major Hollywood credit was as the screenwriter for Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic horror film28 Days Later. In a 2022 interview withThe Telegraph, Garland said that his latest film is meant to be a companion piece to his 2022 folk horror filmMenand that it “serves as a sci-fi allegory for our currently polarized predicament.”
Given Garland’s ability as a creative and thought-provoking sci-fi writer/director,Civil Waris sure to be a much-talked-about and divisive war movie. On top of that, its $50 million budget makes it A24’s most expensive film to date, meaning it could pave the way for more big-budget, action-oriented fare from the indie entertainment company.
WATCH THE TRAILER FORCIVIL WARHERE
5The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (April 19)
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.
Fresh off the critical success of his 2023 Afghanistan War filmThe Covenant, Guy Ritchie is back with another war movie calledThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Based on Damien Lewis' 2014 bookChurchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII, the film is a fictionalized account of the formation of the Special Operations Executive, the Winston Churchill-founded organization that used unconventional and violent means to fight the Nazis during World War II. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast that includes Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Eiza González, and Henry Golding,The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfareis set for an April 19 theatrical release.
“Based on a True Story”
WhileThe Covenantwas much more heavy and dramatic in tone than most of Ritchie’s previous films,The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfareappears to highlight the filmmaker in all his quick-cut, quippy-dialogue-heavy, action-packed glory. The movie may be based on a true story, but expect it to be lessDunkirkand moreInglourious Basterds.
WATCH THE TRAILER FORTHE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFAREHERE
4Bonhoeffer (November)
Bonhoeffer
When a pacifist is called to a political act that could change the course of history, a man of honour responds. This is the true story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man who preached love while plotting the assassination of an evil tyrant.
Bonhoeffertells theremarkable true storyof Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor and theologian who stood up to Nazism in Berlin during the height of World War II and was sadly executed in a German concentration camp in 1945. Written, directed, and produced by Todd Komarnicki, who wrote the screenplays forSullyandThe Professor and the Madman, the film stars Jonas Dassler in the titular role, and also features August Diehl, David Jonsson, and Flula Borg.
Already Getting Oscar Buzz
While several films have been made telling Bonhoeffer’s story, Komarnicki’s take on the hero will likely be the most ambitious and groundbreaking iteration to date, as Angel Studios, the company behind the wildly successfulSound of Freedom, is signed on as the main distributor. Aside from its compelling story and sure-to-be powerful performances,Bonhoefferwill likely also benefit from stellar camerawork, thanks to the contributions of two-time Academy Award-nominated cinematographer John Mathieson, who shot such films asGladiator,Phantom of the Opera, andLogan.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR BONHOEFFER HERE
3Gladiator 2 (November 22)
Gladiator II
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
Nearly 25 years following the release of Ridley Scott’s five-time Oscar-winning filmGladiator, which tells the story of a former Roman general turned enslaved Colosseum warrior who defies a corrupt emperor, the renowned director will finally be treating audiences to a sequel at the end of the year.
Plot details forGladiator 2have largely been kept under wraps, though we do know that it will star Paul Mescal in the main role as Lucius, the son of Maximus' love interest Lucilla. Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi are set to reprise their roles from the original film, while the sequel will also feature the powerhouse acting talents of Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal.
Will Ridley Scott’s Follow-Up be as Successful?
Despite several speed bumps in the filming process, including the SAG-AFTRA strike and an on-set fire that injured six crew members,Gladiator 2is set for a November 22 release. Considering Ridley Scott’s reputation for making films that are epic in scope, the four-time Oscar nominee likely upped the ante for theGladiatorsequel in terms of impressive set pieces and massive battle sequences. If early indications are true, the movie is sure to be an action-packed spectacle that will catapult Paul Mescal into mainstream superstardom.
Related:Gladiator 2 Star Paul Mescal Celebrates Film Completion but Worries About Becoming Famous
2The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (December 13)
Japanese anime director Kenji Kamiyama will look to breathe fresh life into a legendary fantasy franchise withThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. The animated film takes place around 200 years before the events depicted in Peter Jackson’sLOTRtrilogy and will tell the story of Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), the legendary King of Rohan who became the namesake for the Helm’s Deep stronghold featured in the second movie’s pivotal battle. Miranda Otto will reprise her role as Rohirrim shieldmaiden Éowyn, and Luke Pasqualino and Shaun Dooley will also lend their voice-acting talents.
Lord of the Rings Always Has Spectacular Battles
Lord of the Ringsfans have a lot to be excited about in 2024, as the second season of Amazon’sThe Rings of Poweris also set to premiere this year. But, the real question lies in whetherThe War of the Rohirrimcan truly recapture the magic of Peter Jackson’s original three films; a magic that faded somewhat with the subsequent release of Jackson’sHobbittrilogy.
Judging from early concept art from the film, it will no doubt feature grand-scale battle scenes and fresh, new characters. By introducing animation into theLOTRIP for the first time since the early ’80s,The War of the Rohirrimhas the potential to truly expand J.R.R. Tolkien’s cinematic universe into exciting territory.
1Six Triple Eight (TBD)
Six Triple Eight
Tyler Perry’sSix Triple Eightwill focus on the accomplishments of 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the all-female, all-Black U.S. Army unit that successfully sorted through a three-year backlog of undelivered mail. Set for a yet-to-be-announced Netflix release, the movie stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 855-woman postal battalion who became the highest-ranking African-American woman in the army by the end of the war. Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, and Oprah Winfrey also co-star.
An Important Entry into Black History Movies
Now is the perfect time for a movie about the 6888th Battalion, as Perry’s script is based off a 2019 WWII History magazine article about the unit and President Joe Biden presented its members with the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2022. The star-studded cast and inspiring story makes this a must-watch for 2024.
And if you’re a fan of war movies, check out our video list of the best World War II movies ever made:
