10 Upcoming A24 Films Indie Fans Should Be on the Lookout For

As theaters began to reopen last year, indie powerhouse A24 made the best of the bad situation that was (and still is) the pandemic, by releasing a lot of films both in theaters and through streaming partnerships. After releasing a measly three films in 2020 due to the pandemic, A24 found its footing and went all out in 2021, releasing 12 films that introduced new visionary stories and saw notable directors in strange new worlds. The highly anticipated release of Saint Maud unleashed Rose Glass’ visionary storytelling and atmosphere, Joanna Hogg provided A24 with their first sequel in the form of The Souvenir: Part II and Joel Coen went on his own for the first time to deliver an astounding Shakespeare adaptation with The Tragedy of Macbeth. Not to mention, David Lowery’s The Green Knight and Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon are still being rightfully lauded as the best films of 2021.

A24 is far from pumping the brakes in 2022 and looks to deliver their most distinctive slate of movies to date. There are new visionary horror films that seek to widen A24’s already vast horror portfolio, new projects from notable names in the industry, and a first or two for the studio. Based on what’s set to release so far, it’s looking like a strong year for A24 and an even better year for indie film fans as there’s a lot to look forward to.

'The Sky is Everywhere'

After gaining a lot of acclaim for her work on Shirley, director Josephine Decker returns with an adaptation of Jandy Nelson’s 2010 novel The Sky is Everywhere for Apple TV+.

The recent trailer showcased the emotional story of a young girl trying to cope with the sudden death of her sister as well as some imaginative visual storytelling that fits with Decker’s experimental vision. The film’s cast consists of Grace Kaufman, Jason Segel, and Cherry Jones and will be A24’s first big release of 2022 when it debuts on Apple TV+ on February 11th.

'After Yang'

The latest film from Columbus director Kogonada, After Yang, looks to deliver an incredibly emotional sci-fi story that delves into the meaning of humanity and is already lighting the world on fire.

After Yang recently appeared at Sundance Film Festival where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Award and received widespread acclaim for Kogonada’s careful direction and a can’t miss performance from Colin Farrell. Based on what’s been said about After Yang, indie fans need to mark down its March 4th release date when it simultaneously hits theaters and Showtime.

'X'

A24 has been at the forefront of delivering visionary modern horror flicks, but none of them have looked as enticing and “mainstream” as the newest film from director Ti West, X.

X gives off major Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibes in its story of an adult film crew finding themselves in a horrific nightmare when the strange couple whose farmhouse they’re staying in starts to terrorize them. Its tone, premise, and style feel incredibly unique compared to A24’s past horror offerings and shows the potential to be a widespread hit when it comes to theaters on March 18th.

'Everything Everywhere All at Once'

Just as comic book movies begin to explore their respective multiverses, Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan (better known as the Daniels) deliver their own wildly imaginative multiverse story with Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The film, starring Michelle Yeoh, follows a woman who connects with other versions of herself through multi-universal travel and is forced to save the world. The film looks like the kind of ambitious and weird story many would expect from the Daniels and could be one hell of a trek through the multiverse. Look for first reactions when the film opens the upcoming SXSW film festival before it hits theaters on March 25th.

'Disappointment Blvd.'

Hereditary and Midsommar director Ari Aster’s next film, Disappointment Blvd., is set to possibly release this year and is easily one of the most highly anticipated releases for A24.

Although not much is known about the film, its label as a horror-comedy is interesting given Aster’s past films and its premise of a decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all-time sounds like his biggest story to date. Not to mention, a collaboration between Aster and Joaquin Phoenix is enough to elevate the anticipation for its eventual release to an all-time high.

'The Eternal Daughter'

Just a year ago it was announced that Joanna Hogg had filmed a new film in secret titled The Eternal Daughter that sees her once again collaborating with Tilda Swinton.

The plot remains a secret but knowing that Hogg has a new original film on the horizon and that it’s labeled as a mystery-drama instantly makes it super enticing, and given her success with both Souvenir films, The Eternal Daughter could easily draw a big crowd.

'Marcel the Shell with Shoes On'

marcel-the-shell-movie-social-featured — Image via A24

A24’s first animated film is possibly releasing soon as Dean Fleischer-Camp’s Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is likely going to hit theaters sometime this year.

The film, which sees comedian Jenny Slate voicing the titular Marcel and co-writing the screenplay, had a rave debut at Telluride Film Festival last year before being scooped up by A24, so it’s likely to premiere sometime this year. It’s going to be awesome to see that A24 logo in front of an animated flick and the strongly positive reactions from its premiere make the wait for a first look trailer nearly unbearable.

'Red, White and Water'

The upcoming feature directorial debut of Lila Neugebauer, Red, White and Water, has been one of A24’s most highly discussed movies and could be a big festival hit this year.

Currently, there’s no release date or detailed plot details aside from the simple premise of a US soldier struggling to adjust to life back home but knowing that the film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry makes it worth watching out for.

'Bodies, Bodies, Bodies'

Along with X, A24 is set to release an original slasher film from Halina Reijn titled Bodies, Bodies, Bodies.

Just the idea of an A24 slasher sounds awesome and the fact it’s starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, and Lee Pace makes it even more amazing sounding. The film is currently set to have its world premiere at the upcoming SXSW film festival and could be a sleeper hit in the making if reactions are positive.

'The Whale'

A new film from Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky is likely in our near future as his latest, The Whale, is already deep into post-production and could easily debut later this year.

Based on the novel of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, The Whale’s premise of a 600-pound middle-aged man named Charlie (Brendan Fraser) trying to reconnect with his daughter (Sadie Sink) sounds like the kind of dark realism that Aronofsky excels at. Once that first trailer arrives for The Whale, it’s surely going to get a lot of people talking.

KEEP READING: Every A24 Horror Movie Ranked from Worst to Best