We’ve all had those conversations where you end up repeatedly telling your friend that of course you’ll watch [insert movie] on [insert streaming service that you aren’t even signed up for]. But when it’s time to really choose what to watch, you have to go with what you like. So, if you’re a fan of thriller movies, you’ve come to the right place. We shall save you from scrolling forever and from any friends who you secretly think have bad taste!
This year, a bunch of thrillers are being released, so there’s a little bit of everything. Romance thrillers! Psychological thrillers! Sci-fi thrillers! Even musical thrillers inspired by comic books that star one Miss Stefani Germanotta! (That’s Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux, if you’re unclear.)
So, take a look through the movies below, check out the trailers, and find out which thrillers make your must-watch list for 2024.
The Beekeeper
Available on VOD now
“Beekeeper” has two meanings in this action thriller starring Jason Statham. The actor plays a former operative who was part of a mysterious group known as The Beekeepers, but he becomes an actual beekeeper in his retirement, as one does. A search for vengeance after his landlady falls victim to a scam means that he takes on one more mission.
Parallel
Available on VOD now
Based on the 2019 Chinese movie Parallel Forest, Danielle Deadwyler stars in this sci-fi thriller about a woman who is grieving the loss of her child when she finds out that there are parallel universes that she can travel between. And she finds this out by encountering alternative versions of herself and her husband! Deadwyler co-stars with brothers Aldis and Edwin Hodge, who also co-wrote the film.
Love Lies Bleeding
Available on VOD now
Kristen Stewart stars in Love Lies Bleeding as Lou, a gym owner who falls for a bodybuilder, Jackie (Katy O’Brian). Their love story ends up intertwined with the crimes of Lou’s family, including her father (Ed Harris), who is being pursued by the FBI. Jena Malone and Dave Franco also star.
Monkey Man
Available on Peacock now
Dev Patel makes his directorial debut with action thriller Monkey Man, which he also co-wrote and stars in. Patel plays a man working in a fight club—where he fights wearing a monkey mask—who goes on a mission of revenge against the upper class people who were responsible for his mother’s death.
Twisters
In theaters July 19
What would you call a sequel to Twister besides Twisters? The 1996 disaster film was about storm chasers tracking down dangerous tornados. Not much has been revealed about the plot of this standalone sequel yet, but one can assume it’s also about… twisters. The cast includes Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos.
Trap
In theaters Aug. 2
M. Night Shyamalan’s latest movie premieres this summer. Trap stars Josh Hartnett and the director’s daughter Saleka Shyamalan. Plot details haven’t been shared yet, but as reported by Deadline, M. Night said that it is a “psychological thriller set at a concert.” It also probably has some sort of a twist. Just a wild guess.
The Instigators
In limited theaters Aug. 2. Streaming on Apple TV+ Aug. 9
In the comedy thriller The Instigators, Matt Damon plays Rory, a dad in need of cash, who teams up with a career criminal (Casey Affleck) to commit a heist. But, when their plan goes wrong, they end up on the run along with Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau). You know, because you need some good advice when you’re in a tense situation like this.
The Union
Streaming on Netflix Aug. 16
Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry co-star in The Union, a comedy thriller action movie about a regular guy (Wahlberg), who gets recruited into a spy mission by his high school girlfriend (Berry), who has become a secret agent. What will they get into? Will they rekindle their love? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Blink Twice
In theaters Aug. 23
Zoë Kravitz makes her directorial debut with Blink Twice, which she also co-wrote. Plus, it stars her fiancé Channing Tatum. The film is about a tech billionaire, Slater (Tatum), and a cocktail server, Frida (Naomi Ackie), who fall for each other. But, when Frida visits Slater’s private island, it’s fun at first, but she soon begins questioning her reality and realizing something is seriously wrong. (Fun fact: the working title for this movie was Pussy Island, but they, unfortunately for all of us, had to change it.)
Wolfs
In theaters Sept. 20
Brad Pitt and George Clooney join forces for Wolfs (that’s right, Wolfs, not Wolves). It’s about two fixers who usually work alone (like, lone wolfs), but who are assigned to the same job. The cast also includes Amy Ryan, Poorna Jagannathan, and Austin Abrams.
Joker: Folie à Deux
In theaters Oct. 4
If you haven’t heard, the sequel to 2019’s Joker is also a musical, so… a dark psychological musical thriller. You don’t see that everyday. Joaquin Phoenix returns as DC Comics villain Joker while Lady Gaga joins as Harley Quinn.
Conclave
In limited theaters Nov. 1. In theaters nationwide Nov. 8
The selection of a new pope might not sound like the most thrilling thing, but the selection process, called a conclave, gets the thriller treatment with this new film. The movie is based on the novel Conclave by Robert Harris, and it is centered around a cardinal (Ralph Fiennes) who learns that the previous pope had a secret that has to be revealed before the new pope is announced. The cast also includes Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow.
Babygirl
In theaters Dec. 20
Nicole Kidman plays a CEO who begins an affair with a younger intern (Harris Dickinson) in the erotic thriller Babygirl. Antonio Banderas co-stars as the husband of Kidman’s character in this film about office power dynamics.
