On November 9, after about four months, SAG-AFTRA–the union representing actors in film, television, and radio–finally ended its strike on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
With this new deal, performers will earn a 7% wage increase effective immediately. Actors will also be able to earn streaming bonuses, along with access to thedisclosure of viewership statistics, and more.
Now that the 118-day-long strike has come to an end, fans can finally look forward to blockbuster movies from their favorite actors that we all feared may never may it to theaters.
Here are some of the most highly-anticipated films now that the SAG-AFTRA strike is over:
Challengers staring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist
Zendaya’s next highly-anticipated role was initially slated for a 2023 release, but amid the strike, its theatrical rollout was pushed to April 2024.
The R-rated tennis romance has already been getting a ton of buzz, receiving over 150 million global views on the trailer since its release. According to Deadline, Challengers has the most-viewed trailer for an original film in its first 24 hours.
Wonka starring Timothée Chalamet
Timothee Chalemet’s turn as Willy Wonka has been one of the most talked about roles for a while now, and it looks like the strike ended just in time for the release to happen on schedule.
Set to hit theaters on December 15, this Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adaptation also stars Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, and Olivia Colman, putting an unexpected twist on the long-beloved film.
Mean Girls starring Reneé Rapp, Angourie Rice, and Tina Fey
Renée Rapp reprises her role as Regina George for the Mean Girls movie musical adaptation.
Just like the original Mean Girls film, and the musical based on the movie, this adaptation was also written by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey. The trailer for the film was met with mixed reactions, but remaking such a cult classic is bound to be the talk of the town, regardless.
Dune: Part Two starring Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh
Zendaya and Timothée Chalemet are two of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now, so it should come as no surprise that their films appear on this list more than once. Add in another star like Florence Pugh, and the fact that the first Dune film was so critically acclaimed, and the story writes itself.
Part Two also sees more big names including Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken join the cast in the second half of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel.
The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt
David Leitch, a former stuntman who previously worked on John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw, is the director for The Fall Guy–a film adaptation of an ‘80s TV show about a stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter.
Starring Ryan Gosling fresh off of his Barbie buzz, this is another film where he gets to showcase his comedic acting chops alongside another actor who can do both dramas and comedies, Emily Blunt.
Joker: Folie à Deux starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga
Director Todd Phillips is following up the success of his take on the infamous Batman villain, which earned Joaquin Phoenix the Oscar for Best Actor.
This time around, Phoenix is joined by Lady Gaga, who plays his love interest Harley Quinn in what will reportedly be a musical.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire starring Paul Rudd and Kumail Nanjiani
Stars Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, and Finn Wolfhard, are returning to the Ghostbusters universe following the success of their reboot in 2021. They will also be joined by more big names, including Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt.
While not much is known about the plot of this sequel, the film’s setting will be New York and the firehouse from the original films, which was teased at the end of Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney
Any Spider-Man spinoff is going to earn a lot of hype, but when you add in the fact that big names like Sydney Sweeney and Dakota Johnson are starring in the project, the anticipation only grows.
Ballerina starring Ana De Armas and Keanu Reeves
Ballerina is the first spin-off film of the John Wick universe, starring Ana de Armas as one of the female assassins trained by the Ruska Roma fans got a glimpse at in John Wick: Chatper 3 – Parabellum.
Also starring Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, and Gabriel Byrne, this film takes place between the events of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire starring Brian Tyree Henry and Dan Stevens
Godzilla vs. Kong was a huge hit in theaters in 2021, and now, the infamous creatures are back for a sequel. This time around, though, instead of fighting against one another, it looks like Godzilla and King Kong are teaming up to face “a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world.”
Dan Stevens leads the film alongside returning Godzilla vs. Kong stars Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes starring Owen Teague and Freya Allan
War for the Planet of the Apes was a huge success back in 2017, so it’s no secret that fans have been waiting for a follow-up in the years since. Even though Caesar, the chimpanzee who led the rest of the apes, died at the end of the film, it looks like there’s more in store for their universe.
The director of the Maze Runner films, Wes Ball, is at the helm for the fourth film in the Planet of the Apes series.
Bad Boys 4 starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence
In Bad Boys 4, detectives Mike Lowery (played by Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (played by Martin Lawrence) reunite for another action-adventure. You already know what you’re gonna get with this one.
A Quiet Place: Day One starring Lupita Nyong’o
A Quiet Place and it’s sequel have quite the following, so it’s no surprise a third installment of the films are in the works.
Though most of the cast that has been announced so far are new additions, we will see the return of Djimon Hounsou’s character from Part II.