2024's Must-See Movies: Top Picks & Sleeper Hits with Kyle McMahon and Fandango's Erik Davis

0:01 In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, I talk with Fandango's Eric Davis all about what we can look forward to in twenty twenty four, and we talk fandango audiences list of top ten most anticipated movies. Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from My Heart Radio. Your pop culture news, views, reviews, and celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music, and pop culture u CRABE Weekly. Here's Kyle mcmahonna. Hello, and welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from iHeartRadio. I of course am Kyle McMahon, and I am excited. This is our first episode of twenty twenty four. We've got a lot of great stuff coming this year that I can't wait to share with you. Just to give you a hint, we're gonna be doing a lot more video this year. Video everywhere, socials, the website, the blogs, everywhere. That's what that means, I guess.

0:58 So wherever you are, video is going to be there from me to you. So hopefully you like it and you comment and you subscribe and you share whatever. Most importantly, I just want you to interact with me. That's why I love doing this. I love talking to you about movies and music and TV series and technology and all things pop culture. And that's why I do this show. I do it for you to talk with you, and you know, let's do it. So that's I'm looking forward to that in twenty twenty four, upcoming twenty twenty four, whatever you want to say. So in this episode, Fandango Managing editor Eric Davis comes back. I always love talking with him, and we discuss what we're looking forward to in twenty twenty four in movies, as well as the Fandango survey of the Fandango audience their top ten most anticipated films of twenty twenty four. What made the list, what didn't? What is like missing that? I'm like, wait a second, I can can't wait to see that, but it's not on the list because you know, Fandango audience didn't put it enough, I guess on their list. So let's get right into my interview and let's discuss all of the most anticipated films of twenty twenty four. Here he is Eric Davis.

2:20 So I am here with Eric Davis, Managing editor at Fandango, and we're going to talk about some exciting stuff. Fandango's doing as well as what we're looking forward to in twenty twenty four. How you doing, Eric, I'm doing great, man. I'm ready for a new year in movies. Yeah, Yeah, me too. What's going on with you in your world these days? Well, you know, this is such an interesting time because it's the beginning of a new year. So there's a ton of films that are on the schedule that we're starting to kind of learn more about and see some early stuff. Are approaching Super Bowl where we're hopefully going to see some trailers, maybe some first looks at some of the bigger movies. It's also award season. We're in the thick of it right now. You know, as we speak, the Golden Globes have happened, SAG has announced their nominees.

3:12 Critics' Choice Awards is coming up, which is a show that I voted in that I attend. So we're in the thick of the award season now that the holidays have passed. What speaking of the holidays, what has been your favorite films that you've seen over the holiday season. You know, I was a really big fan of Waka, the Timothy Chalame movie. I grew up on the Gene Wilder Willie Wonka movie, which you know, he's a bit more eccentric, he's a bit crazier in that film. And so there was something really sweet and lovely and sentimental about this new Woka, which kind of wears its heart on its sleeve, reminded me in some ways of Annie, the musical Annie in terms of its music and its sensibilities. And I just thought it was a really lovely film for families over the holidays, and and it did pan out that way. A lot of families are going they're still going to see it. And so for me, in terms of like that stretch of holiday releases, Wonka was my favorite. Yeah, I really love I loved Wonka. I also really loved the color purple, which I had obviously. The the original film is a beloved classic. The book is a beloved classic. And I knew that it was going to be a musical obviously based on the stage play. What I didn't know it was gonna was that was kind of amalgam of the book and the movie and the stage play.

4:45 It like you know, it wasn't a direct adaptation of the musical, but it took elements from the film, and it took elements from the book and then even took some sections out from the musical from the Broadway production, and they added some songs in and every anyway, I was really really enamored with it. I saw it in a packed house on like a random Monday night, which I was really also pleasantly surprised at. And you know, for me, and I'm sure for you, I love the communal aspect of film going. You know, I have Regal Unlimited, and I use the heck out of that thing. And you know, a lot of times, especially in our industry, we get sent screeners or you know, we go to a screening or whatever, and there's something different, in my opinion, about going and seeing it in your local hometown theater with a room full of people excited to see this movie. And I really felt that with the color purple, which I was again kind of surprised that I thought it would be dead on a Monday night and there'd be you know, a couple of people maybe there, and it was a packed house and everybody really seemed to enjoy it. For you, going into you know, especially the first couple of months of twenty twenty four, but there's some really exciting stuff coming out all year. What are you looking forward to? Well, it's funny you mentioned the color purple, and I feel like this is a new kind of trend

6:18 that we're starting to see when it comes to films that have been adapted to the stage and there's musical involvement. You know. I look at Mean Girls as it kind of reminds me very different from the color Purple, but also similar in that way where it takes elements of the original movie, it takes elements of the musical production, and it kind of throws in a blender. It updates the story, it modernizes it, and it kind of is there and available for a new generation to accept it and appreciate it. And like I said, very different from the color purple, but I think the color purple also kind of mixed and matched a little bit to be there for a new generation to make that story accessible for them. And so both of those films remind me of each other of this new kind of era that we're going in. And you know, in music and movies, I think there's so much power there. So, you know, right off the bat, and I saw Mean Girls with my teenage daughter who just adored the film, and so that for me, like if we're talking about the beginning of the year, Mean Girls is definitely up there. Would highly recommend that one. Also, Jason Statham has a new action movie coming out, The Beekeeper, in January. Speaking of award season, if you are somebody who missed, say Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer in Imax or an Imax seventy millimeter, that's returning to theaters in January, as is Spider Man Across the Spider Verse. Those were two

7:53 of my favorite movies to watch with a crowd, speaking of in twenty twenty three, the experience of watching that with a packed house was just awesome, both of those films, and so they're both back in theaters in January, and so January is a little bit of a mix. It's like throwing stuff into a blender. But those are a few things there, and then into February, there's an action movie from Universal called Argyle. There's a Sony Marvel et cetera. I can't our Gyle looks so good and I'm there was a screening on Monday that I'm so mad I wasn't able to make. But I am really excited to see that that looks really good. Speaking of kind of this new generation sort of thing that you know, you kind of we're talking about with with Wanka, with Mean Girls with the Color Purple. What's interesting to me. You know, people are always some people complain about, oh, Hollywood you know, needs new ip and blah blah blah. One for me, a good film or whatever the project is, is a good film or a project, you know, and if you are finding your own take or whatever, and especially in the case of The Color Purple, and as you're saying Mean Girls, where it is not you know, it's not like Psycho the shot for shot remake that they did. You know, this is its own spin on things. And it's interesting because I heard a girl as we were watching The Color Purple say to her father or something something about,

9:26 oh, I think she was in the original. She was talking about Whoopy Goldberg, who has a cameo in it, and it made me think, this girl has no idea, she's never seen the Color Purple and you know the original, and so that power that a classic is something I consider a classic film like The Color Purple has for me and the generations you know before me or whatever that had that film, This is their version of that. You know, she had never seen it, so this is her chance to to experience that story. Similarly, with Wonka, my godson was saying, oh, Wonka looks great, blah blah blah. He had seen the Tim Burton, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but he didn't have that connection like you know, I think millennials and Gen xers and on and on had with the original, And this is kind of their chance to get that in a new way for us that are familiar and perhaps beloved the original, you know what I mean. Yeah, So I for me, it doesn't matter if you're telling it in a fresh way or you have a new perspective on it from new filmmakers and like have had it, you know. And obviously the box office if we look at the box office, you know, the top films often every single year are IP whether it's sequels or remakes or whatever.

10:56 So people are obviously responding to it, you know, yeah without it. And I think of Mean Girls in that way too, because I had a lot of people say, like, why do you why they don't need another Mean Girls? Like the first one's a classic. You don't need to do this again. But then I look at my daughter, who is now a teenager going to high school in the year twenty twenty four, and that film, the new version, you know, takes place now they're using slang of the day, TikTok stars are in it. She's leaning over and say, oh that I follow that person on TikTok and that person And so these themes of you know, of bullying and of sort of standing up for yourself and you know, everybody's talking behind everybody's back, So why don't we just all kind of forget it and drop it and get along. So like these themes that are still ridiculously relevant, even more so these days with social media.

11:48 You know, I think they stick with her more so. And she's a fan of the original, but this film I think really sticks with her because she can relate to it. And so when people say we don't need another version of this for the modern era, I say, we actually do need, you know, not everything, but some films I think that have powerful themes that even if it's a comedy or if it's a drama, I think the new generation kind of needs that in their lives as well. And I mean, yeah, you know, familiar IP and we you know, we have our survey of our ten most anticipated twenty twenty four movies, where when I talk to you about it, you're gonna be like, all of these are sequels and remakes, and we hear that a lot. Yeah, but that's what audiences are drawn to, first and foremost. They're drawn to sort of what's familiar, what's comfortable. That's not to say that original stuff doesn't exist in between the familiar, but audiences first and foremost are drawn to what makes them feel comfortable. Yeah. For obviously, I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and I you know, missed the boat by like twenty years for the original Star Wars to be in theaters or whatever. And so my kind of time for Star Wars was the prequel trilogy. You know, that was where I was in grade school or whatever, and that was my hype around Star Wars. And obviously I wouldn't have had that had the prequel trilogy not come out. It would have just been this kind of Oh, everybody talks

13:20 about this huge thing called Star Wars from you know, nineteen seventy seven or whatever, and how people were flocking to the movies and all that sort of thing, but it wouldn't register with me for Star Wars because I wasn't alive, and without that prequel trilogy, I would never have become the kind of big Star Wars fan that I am today. Guardians of the Galaxy I always say this. When I saw that in the theater, the original Guardians of the Galaxy, I said to myself, this must be what it felt like to see the original Star Wars in theaters for me, and I had that kind of magical mode moment where I'm just captivated by what's going on and I'm like, wow, this is like so cool and blah blah blah, and and those moments matter no matter in my opinion, no matter you know what films or ip they come from, Because that was a big moment, if you will, in my movie going history for me to go and see Guardians and just be in all of the power of film, you know. So I think those things are always important, well, without a doubt. You know. I think of Dune as well, you know. I mean when I saw the first the New Dune, I kind of got these like Star Wars esque chills. I was like, Wow, I don't you know, they don't do a lot of they do big sci fi these days, but I think there's a certain level of sci fi and craftsmanship that you know,

14:54 Denie the New introduced with his Dune movie that I'm hopeful will continue with part two. But like in this era in terms of like there being this new Star Wars, what they've been able to do with that, at least that first film kind of gave me goosebumps in terms of bringing this new world in. You know, June of course was an inspiration for Star Wars and so very excited about that sequel. I think that's gonna be the first big movie of the year. But you know, Star Wars is a really really great example because you know, I grew up with the original trilogy, but my friend, you know, I know people that grew up with the prequels that you know, Anakin, you know, is very important, That's more important than Luke to a lot of people. And then like my kids grew up with Ray and Finn. My dogs are named Ray and Finn because that's that's their Star Wars, And I think that's when I look at Star Wars.

15:46 The success of Star Wars is because there there's been a version of it for each of these generations to not just you know, embrace within their generation, but then all sort of passed down as well. And so it's really really wonderful to see. I love that. Sorry, I'm sorry I got sidetracked a bit. But so speaking of you know, top top that Fandango has a list of, yes, of the public's top ten most anticipated films. What are you able to give us the list? Yeah, without a doubt. And this was a survey that went out to over eight thousand ticket buyers. So these are people that are buying tickets. There are people that are going to the movies, and we ask them not just about their most anticipated films and performances, but also like moviegoing habits and you know which I think is important and it's been a very hot topic, especially post COVID people going to the movies. Going back to the movies, eighty eight percent of people that we surveyed planned to see multiple movies and theaters in twenty twenty four, over eighty percent more excited to go to the movies in twenty twenty four than twenty twenty three. And I also think another really big thing over seventy percent want to see them in a premium format like Imax, Dolby And just if I could interject real quick, do you know how that compares to last year?

17:15 Yeah, I would say that I think it's probably I know that more people were excited to see movies in twenty twenty three than in twenty two. So it keeps going up the excitement level of people that want to see more in theaters, and I think that a lot of that is propelled by sort of these event these event moments in the year Barbenheimer, I think is the biggest one of twenty twenty three, even something like Taylor Swift's Concert movie, which I think made a big dent as well, even as Five Nights at Freddy's, which is a huge, you know, fan friendly property that did really well too so and like I think, you know, my last point was in the Imax and the doul I think a lot more people are drawn to sort if I'm gonna go out of the house, if I'm gonna go watch something on the big screen, not on my TV, I want to go like big, I want to I want to have an event in my life. So that's why I think IMAX and Dolby are so prevalent on here.

18:15 But I mean in terms of the most anticipated films, like I said, they're all sort of either belonged to a franchise or there is a sequel. Not surprisingly, Marvel Studios has led this list many times leads it again Deadpool three being the number one most anticipated film and a big film for Marvel Studios, their only film this year. Some of that, some of the stuff they had on the docket moved over to twenty twenty five, and so it's just Deadpool three, and so a lot riding on this one. This is their first R rated film as well, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman returning as Wolfver Reene. So just a lot of excitement, kind of billing it as a buddy comedy through the multiverse, which I'm all about. Yeah, I'm so excited because I think it's a perfect film that if they are looking to soft reset in any way, which some fans are demanding they do, I think there's a lot of opportunity of what they can do with this film, Deadpool being a kind of you know, breaking the third wall, sort of third wall fourth wall, the fourth wall. We thank you, Deadpool sort of breaking this fourth wall sort of character where he's in on it with the viewer, and I think there's a lot of opportunity there to, like I said, do a soft reset if needed, if they, you know, feel that that's where they can go. But this is the perfect opportunity to do that, even if they don't. I'm really looking forward to this

19:47 film. Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool for me, and I think that's probably my most anticipated film of the year as well. Yes, also marketing genius mister Ryan Reynolds as well, which helps that film. Next three, two, three and four Beatle Juice two. There's a sequel to Beetlejuice coming out. Michael Keaton is returning When a Rider is returning, Jenna Ortego. One of the hottest up and coming stars right now, of course, was Wednesday Adams in Tim Burton series is going to star as a writer's daughter in the film, Tim Burton returning to direct. So I think a lot of nostalgia and love of Beatle Juice, the original kind of bleeding into the reason why that is number two, and then I mean, speaking of eighties franchises, Number three is Ghostbusters Bros. At Empire. I think a lot of people excited for that one, a because it's returning to New York City, but B because that Ghostbusters Afterlife cast Paul Rudd, Finnwolfhard, et cetera. Is joining forces with the old school Ghostbusters Dan Ackway, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, et cetera. So I think that's why there's a lot of again, multi generational excitement around that one. Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm you know, those top three for on the Fandango list are probably my top three as well.

21:11 I mean, definitely Deadpool. I'm not sure how I would put Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters are kind of equal for me, but I am really looking forward to both. You know, Beetlejuice, I mean I was a kid when I came out, and that just has such a big you know, I have such a big soft spot for that film, and Tim Burton is one of my favorites. I mean, I cannot wait for that and then Ghostbusters. Similarly, it wasn't really until I got a little bit older that I started because I had an older cousin and an older my cousin's aunt as well that was much younger than our parents, and so I kind of got into a lot of stuff from her, you know, where she'd be into these kind of probably two edgy for me things at the time. And but I've picked up some cool stuff along the way. One of them was Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice and that sort of thing. It's just like you said, the nostalgia factor, where it just has that special place in my heart and my life, and to have it done well, you know, I think Ghostbusters After Life was so well done with such a loving touch and respect for the original property that it really did bring it into today in a perfect way, really, And so I think there's a lot of good will going into that with people like myself and yourself who loved the original two films, and then people

22:41 that loved the you know, Ghostbusters Afterlife that are bringing this hope and excitement to Frozen Empire. So that's awesome. I can't wait for those. Yeah, And it's hard to do, right, It's hard to sort of bring these franchises from the eighties that had very eighties these sensibilities into the twenty twenties. You know, when times have changed, people have evolved, society has evolved, and you still need to make this relevant for a modern audience, like that's one of the hardest things to do. We see some films stumble, some films really get it. I agree with you. I think it comes down to the filmmaker and the appreciation, understanding the tone and how to adjust it when needed. And it's funny because we talk about Ghostbusters nineteen eighty four, the year the first one came out. Four, Yeah, very much a theme this year Beverly Hills Cop. Also Eddie Murphy came out then, and there's a new Beverly Hills Cop. It's actually a Netflix movie this year, but Eddie Murphy returning to the role. And so the eighties Beetlejuice eighty eight, So the eighties very much alive and well in twenty twenty four.

23:56 Number four on that list was a film I was just talking to you about. Probably this would be my I would say number two or even number one, Personal Doom Part two. I think that we spoke about the original Dune or the first Dune, that of the New Dune, the original Dune. But I just think that the cast is just tremendous. Timothy Challomey and Zendeia are backs, and Dey is going to have a much larger role. They've added Christopher Walking as the emperor. I mean to have Christopher Walking as an emperor of a galaxy I think is just an amazing choice. Florence Florence Pugh, Austin Butler who played Elvis, nominated for an Oscar. He's the big villain in this film. And then also more from the other film, Javio pardm Josh Brolin, stealin Scarsguard all returning. But yeah, I mean just the cast, the quality of filmmaking. I think Dannis Villaneu I would put him up there with your Christopher Nolans and your Scorcese's in terms of like modern era filmmakers that just time they have something come out, it's you half that you're compelled to see it, especially on a big screen. So watching Dune Part two in Imax, honestly I haven't done it yet, gonna be one of my most anticipated movie garning experiences, at least early on in this year. And what's that? So those are that's the top five? Five?

25:19 Number five is Venom three Venom Sony, Yeah, Sony Marvel. We said Marvel Studios only as one movie out this year. Sony's Marvel. They have three out. Only one of those is mentioned here, the other two being Madam Webb which comes out in February, Craven the Hunter which comes out in August. But Venom three, I would say, maybe aside from spider Man, Tom holland Spider Man who shared with Marvel Studios, I would say Venom probably the most popular of those Sony Marvel spinoffs. Of course Tom Hardy stars, and there is a third Venom do out in October. Yeah.

26:00 That that Yes, that is definitely a movie that's coming out. But yeah, I mean, of course a lot of people want to see Tom Hardy's Venom kind of party at some point, I do. Yeah, and he's great in the role. He yes it, yeah, and he's good. Yeah, we'll see. I think the second one went off the rails a little bit little yeah. Yeah, So I'm hoping, you know, better things for the third one. Yes. So that's number that rounds out the five, six and seven. I would say two of the bigger family films of this year. Despicable Me four is at number six. Of course, the Return of the Minions and Grew. I mean, this is a franchise that's grossed over four billion globally. Arguably Illumination's most popular franchise. It's seen a spin off with the Minions. They have their own franchise in addition to Despicable Me. So that's gonna be play like Gangbusters. Comes out in July, which is when those films like to slide in. Probably gonna be one of the biggest earners of the summer and probably of the year as well.

27:03 But right next to it, Inside Out Too, a sequel to I would say, one of the more beloved Pixar movies. And you know, before I was talking about my daughter, this is a really and you were talking about Guardians, you know, kind of growing up with a movie and being able to follow a character who's growing up along with you. And so Inside Out Too picks up with Riley as a teenager, and you know, of course dealing with new emotions of being a teenager, anxiety being one of them. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that one. I know that one, well, yes, so, but it's lovely I think that, you know, to have a franchise where you know you're a young kid and it speaks to you in that way, but then the sequel picks up with you at the age that you're at, you know, and then if inside out three, maybe they pick up with Riley as she's graduating high school or going to college or something. And it's nice for a generation to have those those beats there because it's somebody that they're relating to and growing up with. Absolutely, in many ways, it's similar for me to Toy Story. You know, it was kind of andy growing up as I was growing up, which I find have found interesting and cool because it's not too often that that happens, you know, and so it is kind of a unique thing that And then on the viewer side, you know, you're remembering where you were in your life while seeing that particular chapter in the franchise, you know exactly, and it just speaks and I think there's it speaks about saying good bye to your

28:36 childhood. And you know, that's why the coming of age genre is one of my favorite genres, because I think those movies, more than any help a generation when they need the most help sort of understanding the changes between elementary school and middle school and high school and and sort of that uncomfortableness and the way kids treat each other. And you know, I think that those moments when you're thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, especially for girls. I think to have films and I go to my every film that means a lot to young women. I bring to my daughter, even if I feel like it might be a little bit too much for her, because I do think, like when you can't talk to your parents or you can't talk to your friends, sometimes there's a film there that is giving you the answers that you desperately need.

29:22 And so so that's why I'm really a big, big fan of that. Going into eight nine, Lord of the Rings is back. But it's interesting because Lord of the Rings is back with a new speaking of trends, a new trend, it's an animated version of Lord of the Rings, and this speaks to you know, across the Spider Verse, into the Spider Verse. We saw did really well with animation Teenage Ninja Turtles one of my favorite animated movies of last year, and so you know, ken these big franchises pivot to animation and find a lot of success there. Everybody can do it, but they may be able to do Lord of the Rings. Also Transformers attempting to do it this year as well. There's a film called Transformers one that's animated, and then number nine Gladiator two. Speaking of a classic, that one returns Best Picture winner the First Gladiator, Ridley Scott returning, not Russell Crowe. This one will have Paul muscal who is an a big up and coming actor, then to a Washington Pedro Pascal. So a lot of people looking forward to that. How long has it been since the First Gladiator?

30:33 Do you remember? What? Are we looking at? Two thousand? I want to say one best picture? So yeah, I mean this one picks up twenty years later. Oh yeah, like the early two thousands. This is kind of yeah, picks up twenty years later with Paul Msco's character who plays the sun. I believe of Russell Crowe's character, and he's kind of been off and hiding for a long time and he's kind of re urging. I think I believe that is the premise here. So great cast. Ridley Scott is back and I think he does a great job. So could it be another Oscar contender? It's coming out right in that November time frame.

31:14 We'll see. And what about number ten? Number ten is another interesting one, another sort of franchise movie. It's a quiet place day one. So you remember the John Krasinski the two Quiet Place movies. This one a spinoff of those. This not Quiet Place Part three, so Emily Blunt not This isn't an Emily Blunt in that crew. This is a whole new cast led by Lapito Jungo, and it's about sort of that day one. So if you remember Quiet Place Part two, it opens up the day the monsters arrive and there's the chaos that's happening. So I would say, imagine an entire film taking place on that day in some other location, and that would be Quiet Place Day one. I love that. I think the the Quiet Place films are extremely well done and I love them. So I am looking forward to this myself. There's a few that I'm looking forward to that we're not on the list. Godzilla, Kang oh my God, not Frozen Empire, Godzilla, it's like a new new empire. There's a lot of Yeah, I believe it's Godzilla x Kong, a new empire, okay, and then this Frozen Empire is Ghosts. Yeah, I'm looking forward to this.

32:37 I love what Legendary has done with this series. Kong Skull Island is one of my probably top twenty favorite films. I love it so much. And then the Monarch series that Apple TV Plus has is such a cool entry I guess into that world that I just think they've done this whole thing masterfully and I'm really looking forward to that. Also. I believe it's called If by John Krasinski. Yes, an imaginary Friend. Yes. So those are two that are not on the list that I'm really looking forward to as well. What are some of yours that aren't on the list, But you're like, I can't wait? Yeah, I mean I would say right up there in my top three not on the list would be Furiosa, the mad Max Fury Road prequel. I mean, look, George Miller, I think is a genius with the Mad Max series. Mad Max Fury Road, I think is among the best films of the past twenty five years. So to get another film in that world, even though, look, am I crazy that it's a prequel? You know, I'm never so crazy about prequels because we kind of know where the story ends up. But just to watch another story be told in this world directed by George Miller is what I am jonesing for.

33:57 So really excited for that. Chris Hemsworth. Anya tail Joy plays the younger Furiosa who is played by Cholly Stern in Fury Road, so that is up there for me. I would also look at that Joker sequel. You know, Joaquin Phoenix is coming back, Todd Phillips Direx, Lady Gaga is starring, I believe as Harley Quinn. It's like a musical apparently. So I don't know what this film is gonna be, but it's probably gonna be very different from that first Joker, which was, you know, a huge box office success for Warner Brothers. So that's there. And then also another film I'm really curious about because I'm a big karate Kid fan speaking of the eighties, and I think it came out in nineteen eighty four, so this might be another nineteen eighty four movie. But yeah, there's a karate Kid movie.

34:45 I also watched the Cobra Kai Netflix series and Ralph Macchio is in it. But then Jackie Chan is also in it, right, jack Chand starred as Worlds. Yeah, so it's like this, it's like this multiverse karake Kid movie. So I don't know what it's about. All we've seen was like, uh, you know, Ralph Maccio and Jackie Chan like a casting video looking for the next Karate Kids, So I consider my interest super peaked because I'm a Karate kid nerd. But that one I think is due out in December. And what are your predictions for like the top three biggest hits of the year box office wise? I would say Despicable Me for I think we'll be up there. We could even see Inside Out too, because this could be a big year where Pixar comes roaring back. I would say, to remind us of the power of Pixar, so we could see those two up there. I think Deadpool three will be up there. The other Deadpool movies have have done very well. I would look maybe at that Joker Joker movie, the first one. I think it cleared a billion globally, but it's it's yeah, it's a huge, it's a huge film, So I would put I would put that in there. And then you have some wild cards, you know, because you know we'll beatle resonate with with with a new generation. And will that help help go you know Wednesday, the series Wednesday was a phenomenon for Netflix. Will that spill over into Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, Frozen, Empire, Will That Find It's Footing, Godzilla x kN So

36:16 there are some of these wild cards out there that on paper, yeah, they are big movies. There's a lot of anticipation about them. Once they land, will will audiences find them and embrace them? So so we'll have to see yeah, and then part of I think the fun part of what we do is then you get the what you would think would be outliers, Like I mean, everybody knew Barbie was going to be big, but I don't think anybody knew Barbie was going to be that big. And then Oppenheimer. You know, of course it's Christopher Nolan and and that has a built an audience. But I don't think any of us probably could have predicted that these two movies would be these giant juggernauts if we were having this conversation as you know, last January, you know what I'm saying. And so these kind of some of those things kind of go from oh, yeah, that's going to be a big movie to wow, this is like a cultural jug or not that we probably weren't expecting exactly. Yeah, And so well we'll have to see like, I'm looking at my schedule now, and you know, after the Barbenheimer weekend, everybody was like, what's our next Barbenheimer weekend?

37:27 What's the next weekend? Where like, you have these two, these two films that could potentially combine for this magical skyrocketing you know, events extravaganza. There doesn't seem to be a you know a lot of those on the dot. I mean, yeah, we have weekends that have multiple films in it. You know, May twenty fourth has Garfield. They have Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Furiosa. That was another one. I really we're too Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Yes, so that and Furiosa and Garfield, which Chris Pratt playing Garfield. All three of those are coming out on the same weekend, so we could see a lot of action at the movie theaters. But in terms of like like the next Barbenheimer weekend, I'm personally going into twenty twenty five. We have the Megan to the sequel to Megan and Paddington three, both both on the same weekend. I'm calling it Meggington, So let's get that going now. But that that could be the next Barbenheimer we'll see. I love that. Where can we find you, Eric, Yeah, I mean find me at fandango talking all things movies at all times. You can find me on on Twitter or x at Eric with a K. Davis and you know, on all the other socials in that in that space for sure. Awesome And as always we can go to fandango dot com and get all of the latest and uh and get your tickets as well, so Eric, and I would also I would also note

38:57 I would also note that you know all of these that we talked about are part of a franchise. They are sequels all of those previous installments we have available to watch rent buy at home on Voodoo as well, so you can catch up before these theaters. Awesome, Thank you, Eric Davis. Please come back again and let's talk movies without a doubt. Man, Take care you too, Eric Davis, Fandango Managing Editor, fellow pop culture, movie, film, streaming, limited series, TV technology lover. Always love talking with Eric Davis. You can go and see the list and everything else you want regarding movies on fandango dot com. We have the links in the show notes as well as a link right to that list that most anticipated Movies of twenty twenty four and you can follow Eric right in the links in the show notes as well. So that's our show for I'm looking forward to continuing to bring you more pop culture goodness and incredible interviews with the people that you love and I love in pop culture and more. And like I said, we're gonna be really heavy on video this year. So there's gonna be a lot of good stuff coming your way and I can't wait to talk with you about all of it, all the pop culture goodness. All right, that's our

40:30 show for this week. Hit me up. Go to the website popcultureweekly dot com, or if you want the podcast information, show notes and related stuff and all that, go to podcast dot popcultureweekly dot com. And I will see you soon. I love you well, Thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here all the latest at popcultureweekly dot com. It's the I will stand Aticipated Movies of twenty twenty four. Last year, we did this for twenty three and now we're back for more.