As a seasoned film critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the year 2024 has been quite the rollercoaster ride for Hollywood. From Jennifer Lopez’s romantic ups and downs to Chris Weitz’s box office flop, it seems like every corner of Tinseltown had its fair share of drama.
Similar to many parts of the country, Hollywood has been deeply preoccupied with a significant and divisive choice during this past year. This decision not only split the nation but also caused rifts within families, leaving us wondering if unity among our diverse population could be reestablished.
Should The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran choose Marcus Shoberg or should she pick Devin Strader?
Indeed, there were other significant events in the year 2024 that weren’t related to love-struck reality TV contestants on a tropical island. For instance, an unusual character, known for hosting game shows, was reelected for another term as the President of the United States – a fact we might want to consider as we approach the new year, 2025.
2021 brought a mix of familiar gloom and fresh optimism to the world of entertainment. The ongoing struggles (continued financial difficulties and layoffs) were tempered by unexpected signs of improvement (better-than-expected box office returns and streaming platforms finally turning a profit). Unexpected hits such as Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and HBO Max’s “The Penguin” shared the stage with disappointing flops like Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” and Kevin Costner’s “Horizon”. Behind the scenes, there was more drama than an entire season of Ryan Murphy’s FX series (incidents involving Diddy, Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Erivo, and Ariana Grande during the peculiar “Wicked” press tour). Nicole Kidman maintained her productive streak, Katy Perry staged a comeback, Will Smith managed to avoid any slapping incidents (in fact, he enjoyed a box office success!), Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck ended their relationship once more, and George Clooney penned an op-ed for The New York Times that left many puzzled (it’s hard to understand why so many took it seriously).
Below, THR offers a reminder of what we’ve all been through in 2024 — the good, the bad and the utterly mystifying (who thought turning the Joker sequel into a musical was a good idea?).
Also, just for the record, we knew Tran should have picked Shoberg.
This report was compiled through the collaborative efforts of Alison Edmond, Mia Galuppo, James Hibberd, Katie Kilkenny, Pamela McClintock, and Alex Weprin.
“Holding Space” for the ‘Wicked’ Press Tour
The promotional journey for the musical Wicked kicked off in an unusual manner, with events becoming increasingly peculiar as it progressed. In October, leading actress Cynthia Erivo was enraged over a fan-created poster, as her character’s hat covered her eyes, which she found to be the “most extraordinary and offensive thing I have encountered.” This was followed by an embarrassing blunder from Mattel, where Wicked-themed Barbie dolls were shipped out in boxes labeled with the URL of an adult entertainment site. This error sparked a class action lawsuit against the toy manufacturer by a resident of South Carolina who found this to be “extraordinarily offensive.” For several weeks, Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande appeared tearful as they fielded questions about friendship and insecurities. The most viral moment occurred when Erivo was informed by a reporter that “people are interpreting the lyrics of ‘Defying Gravity’ in a significant way.” Erivo reacted with heartfelt sincerity or method acting brilliance, stating, “I didn’t realize that was occurring.” Grande showed her support for her co-star by reaching out and grabbing her hand…or possibly her index finger. Director Christopher Guest could not have staged a more absurd parody.
George Clooney Wrote the Dumbest Op-Ed Ever
During that period, it appeared as though an acceptable proposition might be to suggest for the president to step down and let a younger candidate take over, given Joe Biden’s brief stumble during the June debate with Donald Trump. George Clooney, a significant Democratic fundraiser, even wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times advocating just that. However, one must wonder what could potentially go awry? Ah, but let us not forget, Clooney was not alone among left-leaning celebrities who struggled to make an impact in this election cycle. Beyoncé, Will Ferrell, Richard Gere, Katy Perry, Dick Van Dyke – none of them managed to sway public opinion enough to put Kamala Harris in the White House, not even Taylor Swift. In the end, America seemed to heed the advice of Hulk Hogan instead.
Nicole Kidman (and Other Actresses of a Certain Age) Crushed it
These days, it’s hard to avoid Nicole Kidman at the cinema, especially if you frequent AMC theaters where her “We Make Movies Better” advertisement has been running for what feels like forever. At 57, an age once thought challenging for actresses, Kidman is more sought-after than ever. Her sultry portrayal in the new erotic thriller, “Babygirl“, earned her the best actress award at the Venice Film Festival in September. On streaming platforms, she was the lead in Netflix’s most successful series of 2024, “Perfect Strangers“, and her Peacock show, “Lioness“, has been renewed for a second season.
Will Smith Was Forgiven
As it transpired, the controversial act of slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars in front of 17 million viewers didn’t seem to have a detrimental impact on Will Smith’s career in the long run. In fact, only two years after the incident and his subsequent 10-year ban from the Academy Awards, Smith regained his position as a box office king. The summer blockbuster “Bad Boys for Life” raked in an impressive $404 million worldwide.
E.T. Went to Washington
2024 saw a multitude of extraterrestrial productions on screens, with “A Quiet Place: Day One” debuting in June and amassing $261 million globally, trailed by “Alien: Romulus” in August, earning $350 million. Streaming services were invaded by alien documentaries such as “The Manhattan Alien Abduction”, “Investigation Alien” on Netflix, and “Beyond: UFOs and the Unknown” on MGM+. However, the most captivating alien-themed event of the year was not in the entertainment industry but in Congress. They resumed hearings started in the previous year, aiming to unravel the enigma of real-life UAPs, or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, which are currently being referred to as UFOs. Luis Elizondo, a former military intelligence officer who managed an X-Files-like program at the Pentagon investigating unexplained events for over a decade, testified, “I want to make it clear: UAP exist. Technologies not originating from our or any other government are reportedly surveilling sensitive military installations worldwide.
LFG L.A.! (They Not Like us)
In October, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the World Series title, following Californians’ seven gold medal victories at the Paris Olympics in July. To cap off an impressive year, the LA Galaxy lifted the MLS Cup in December. Notably, WalletHub ranked Los Angeles as America’s top sports city. We reign supreme!
Men Began Wearing Shirts Again — but Chest Hair Stuck Around
Male movie stars started losing their shirts a couple of years ago (see Timothée Chalamet at the 2022 Oscars), but in 2024, the masculine blouse made a triumphant return to the red carpet. The only thing was, a lot of guys apparently forgot how to button them up (see Pedro Pascal at the SAG Awards or, for that matter, Glen Powell on the cover of May 22’s Hollywood Reporter). Not to be outdone by the men, some female stars — like Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lopez — also turned up on the red carpet this year with exposed (although much less hairy) upper torsos.
Joaquin Phoenix Had a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad 2024
The sequel titled “Folie à Deux” by Joker was such a massive box office bomb that it could have marred any actor’s entire year. The earnings for this unexpected musical (the trailers gave no indication of singing) were extremely lackluster, barely reaching a billionth of the original’s earnings in 2019. And the reviews! Harley Quinn wouldn’t have been gentler with her bat, as one critic accused director Todd Phillips of intentionally making the movie “awful,” and another labeled it “the antithesis of fan service.” However, despite all this, the 50-year-old Oscar-winning actor could still have emerged unscathed from the debacle. But just before the film’s release, Joaquin Phoenix stumbled upon another trap, backing out of Todd Haynes’ gay romance movie five days before production was due to start in Mexico. He never provided a public explanation for his sudden exit from the now-abandoned project, which only added fuel to the damage to his reputation.
Podcasters Became Kingmakers
Joe Rogan hasn’t received a Cabinet position yet, possibly because his role as “podcaster in chief” already gives him significant power. His three-hour discussion with Donald Trump, which took place just before the election and was endorsed by Rogan hours before voting began, might have made Trump seem more acceptable to undecided voters. In fact, some Arizona voters told reporters that this interview, watched by approximately 40 million Americans, influenced their decision. If the outcome had been different, Alex Cooper would be praised as a kingmaker, with many praising Kamala Harris’ October appearance on her “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
Former Kid Stars Finally Got Some Respect
It’s not uncommon for child actors to transition into pop stardom, with examples like Britney Spears, Olivia Rodrigo, and Justin Timberlake. However, it’s rare to see a couple of them competing for Oscars in the same year. Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez are generating significant awards attention for their roles in ‘Wicked’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’, respectively. In 2024, Zendaya was particularly busy, starring as a tennis coach in ‘Challengers’ and a Fremen warrior in ‘Dune: Part Two’, directed by Denis Villeneuve, and also landing a role in Christopher Nolan’s next secret project. Miley Cyrus was also recognized with a Golden Globe nomination recently, and Lindsay Lohan seems to be making a comeback, starring in Netflix’s ‘Our Little Secret’ and an upcoming ‘Freaky Friday’ sequel.
Alec Baldwin Was Acquitted … And Landed On a Reality Show
It took three years for Alec Baldwin’s trial, following the fatal shooting incident on the set of his low-budget Western film “Rust” in October 2021, to finally commence in July. However, the trial lasted only three days, as the judge dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against the 66-year-old actor before any testimony was presented. A visibly emotional Baldwin embraced his wife, Hilaria, and resumed his life, which includes a forthcoming TLC reality series offering a glimpse into the daily lives of the Baldwin family, set to air in 2025. In the interim, “Rust” premiered in Poland in November, without Baldwin’s presence.
YouTube Influencers Became the New Walter Cronkite
I stopped watching network news around Labor Day, mainly due to election exhaustion, but I’ve since found an engaging alternative. YouTube personalities who spend hours on air discussing the day’s top stories and exploring various perspectives have become my go-to. They include DJ Akademiks and Kempire, who focus on hip-hop and pop culture; Emily D. Baker and the Florida Law Man, who analyze legal news and filings; and channels like Popcorned Planet, The Art of Dialogue, and my favorite, Tisa Tells.
It’s interesting to note that I’m not alone in shifting from traditional broadcast and cable news to YouTube. In fact, as per a recent Pew Research Center study, approximately half of American adults now obtain some information from YouTube news broadcasters, with 25% doing so on a regular basis. Interestingly, women constitute the majority of this audience, representing about 57%.
If you’re among those who haven’t seen these “shows” yet, they don’t have the high-end studio sets with anchors and roundtables like CNN, MSNBC, or Fox. Instead, most of them use basic equipment such as built-in cameras and ring lights. There are usually no producers involved, and there’s certainly no teleprompter. Many of these hosts analyze events in real time, gathering information from social media and the internet, and often rely on their audience to help fill in missing details.
Each day’s report from Tisa begins consistently, featuring the lively host whose 5-year-old channel has close to half a million subscribers exclaiming “Heyyyy, what’s up, folks? If your name happens to be [today’s trending topic]…”, before summarizing the latest scandal and delving into the details of the case, including any relevant documents. She often offers her own perspective and swiftly glances over a rapid stream of comments. For certain subjects, she can talk non-stop for up to three hours. To date, Tisa has produced over 1,000 videos on the Diddy sex trafficking trial and its various aspects.
Of course, there’s no department of standards and practices for these broadcasters — or, for that matter, a long-standing tradition of journalistic ethics. YouTube does have strict community guidelines, although seasoned hosts know how to evade algorithmic censors (which is why they sometimes speak in what seems like code, referring to, say, “PDF files” instead of using a red-flag word like “pedophiles”). As for vetting — you know, whether or not the news they’re putting out in the world is true — Tisa, for one, says her sources are as good as they come, and she attempts to independently verify each claim with five different methods, including public filings. If that’s good enough for her half a million followers, I guess that’s good enough for me, at least for now.
The Future of Driving Finally Arrived … and Got Stuck in L.A. Traffic
Navigating through Hollywood remained as frustrating as usual this year, yet it wasn’t entirely devoid of intrigue. A variety of striking new commuting devices caught the eye while stuck at traffic lights. In March, a group of fully autonomous Waymo taxis, resembling a blend between a Jaguar I-Pace and the robot from the original ‘Lost in Space,’ began functioning in L.A. So far, only one major accident has occurred, but it was not attributable to the Waymo (in May, a human driver going 86 miles per hour on the 10 east collided with the rear of one; fortunately, no one was seriously injured). Equally attention-grabbing and puzzling was the convoy of pricey Tesla Cybertrucks — Elon Musk’s electric Hummer — that started arriving towards the end of last year. Surprisingly, the future official vehicle of the Department of Government Efficiency has been well-received in one of America’s most liberal cities.
Pop Music Popped (But Not for Katy Perry)
In February, Taylor Swift won the Best Album award for “Midnights” at the Grammys. Billie Eilish was honored as Artist of the Year for her hit single “What Was I Made For?” from her album “Barbie”. Sabrina Carpenter, a former Disney star, opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and had one of the biggest songs of the year with “Espresso”. Chappell Roan, who once performed “Pink Pony Club” in a Chicago park to an audience of just 50 people, played an iconic set at Lollapalooza in front of around 80,000 fans, one of the largest crowds in the festival’s history. However, the pop world wasn’t so kind to Katy Perry in 2024. She stepped down from American Idol to launch a comeback album titled “143”, but it didn’t create much buzz, more of a whisper than a shout on the charts.
Business Was … Meh. And That Was a Win.
2024 was indeed a challenging year, marked by continuous layoffs and a significant decline in film and TV production. For instance, CAA let go of 20 employees in November, while Paramount faced a massive downsizing several months prior. However, contrary to expectations, the post-strike box office disaster that many had predicted for 2024 didn’t fully transpire. Blockbusters such as “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” were among the billion-dollar hits, followed by a historic Thanksgiving release slate including “Moana 2”, “Wicked”, and “Gladiator II”. This should cause theatrical revenue to decrease by only about 5% or less from 2023. Furthermore, several streaming platforms such as Disney+, Paramount+, and Max finally achieved profitability, a feat that only Netflix could previously boast. Even Comcast’s Peacock managed relatively well in 2024, reducing its losses to $1.4 billion compared to the $2.75 billion it lost in 2023. Although this doesn’t mean everyone in Hollywood is breaking into a cheerful “Happy Days Are Here Again”, it does provide a glimmer of optimism for the approaching year.
What Was Old Is New Again (Again)
2024 saw a sense of deja vu in the box office, as many of the year’s highest-grossing films—such as “Inside Out 2“, “Deadpool & Wolverine“, “Despicable Me 4“, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice“, “Wicked“, “Dune: Part Two“, “Twisters“, and “Moana 2“—revisited familiar intellectual properties. It’s worth noting that this trend isn’t entirely new; in recent times, sequels, prequels, or reboots have dominated the top-grossing films, with only rare exceptions like the original concept of “Oppenheimer” from 2023 making it to the top ranks. However, it appears that audiences are content with this repetition. In fact, in a year predicted to be a box office catastrophe, not one, but two films managed to join the billion-dollar club—with “Inside Out 2” earning $1.7 billion globally and “Deadpool & Wolverine” making $1.3 billion. Yet, being a sequel doesn’t always guarantee box office success; for example, “Paddington in Peru” barely made any money, grossing just $40 million.
Diddy Was Arrested … And His Streams Soared
Following his arrest in New York City in September and subsequent charges that included racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, obstruction of justice, and various other crimes related to the alleged use of 1,000 bottles of baby oil, the 55-year-old music executive experienced a 20% increase in streams. This isn’t too unexpected; R. Kelly saw a near-doubling of his numbers after a 2019 documentary suggested he engaged in sexual misconduct with underage girls. However, Diddy is unable to savor this streaming surge as he remains imprisoned at the well-known Brooklyn detention center, awaiting his trial in May. Should he be found guilty, he faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life.
Francis Ford Coppola and Kevin Costner Took Big Swings And Whiffed
Francis Ford Coppola sold his wine company and sunk more than $100 million of his own money into Megalopolis, his futuristic utopian epic that ended up grossing a very dystopian $12 million globally when it was released in September. Kevin Costner ditched his day job (on Yellowstone, the biggest drama on television), mortgaged his 10-acre Santa Barbara home and sunk nearly $40 million of his own coin into the first two installments of Horizon — his planned four-part Western movie series — that he filmed back-to-back in Utah. The first movie performed so poorly, grossing a paltry $31 million when it opened in June, that the second one still doesn’t have a release date. Parts three and four likely will never be shot.
The Penguin Saved Gotham
Not only Gotham City, but also the captivating portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot by Colin Farrell significantly revitalized HBO Max. This transformative performance in heavy latex garb rescued the platform from the malaise caused by shows like “House of the Dragon” and “Tokyo Vice”. Moreover, it freed DC from a creative rut they had been trapped in for the past couple of years. The eight-episode series shared the same gritty atmosphere as 2022’s “The Batman” and its upcoming sequel (scheduled for 2026), yet it only subtly hinted at the presence of a certain crime fighter. Instead, Farrell and executive producer Matt Reeves crafted a Tony Soprano-esque antihero out of Batman’s unstable supervillain, reintroducing mob drama to HBO Max and drawing in a much larger audience than predicted. It became the third most popular first-season show in the streamer’s history.
Shockingly, Hollywood Celebrities Didn’t Fix the Middle East …
Despite their efforts to express their opinions regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict on social media platforms, many individuals faced severe consequences for their statements, often leading to significant damage in their careers. One such instance occurred at the end of 2023 when actress Melissa Barrera was dropped from Scream VII following a post accusing Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Blake Lively Apparently Missed That Day at Media-Training School
When promoting a drama centered around the delicate topic of domestic violence, it’s advisable to avoid marketing unrelated products, such as hair care lines. Additionally, presenting the film as a lighthearted girls’ night out — like Blake Lively suggested with her “Grab your friends, wear your florals!” comment in a TikTok post — might not be suitable for a movie addressing spousal abuse. Making light of serious questions about the film’s themes is also unwise, as demonstrated by Lively’s joking response to an interviewer who asked about fans wanting to discuss the movie’s themes with her (“You mean, like, ask me for my address, phone number?”). In fact, studying how not to promote a film similar to “It Ends With Us” — a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s best-seller about familial cruelty, directed by Lively’s co-star Justin Baldoni until control was taken from the contentious filmmaker and husband Ryan Reynolds joined for script revisions — can be done simply by observing Lively’s eyebrow-raising press interactions and social media spots during the film’s summer press tour.
Congrats, Chris Weitz! You made the Biggest Flop of 2024
He directed American Pie, About a Boy and The Twilight Saga: New Moon, but here’s one he’d probably rather forget. Weitz’s Afraid, a sci-fi thriller about a home digital assistant that goes haywire and terrorizes a young family, was the smallest-grossing major release of the year, making all of $6.7 million domestically and $6.2 million overseas, for a grand total of $12.9 million, or roughly the codpiece budget for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II.
Jennifer Lopez Learned Love Does Cost a Thing
It appears that love doesn’t always seem as enchanting when it’s a second chance. In February, Jennifer Lopez was about to debut her new album, This Is Me … Now, which celebrated her renewed romance with ex-fiancé Ben Affleck. However, whispers of their relationship troubles (once again) started circulating at the same time. To add to the awkwardness, the album was accompanied by an Amazon Prime musical and a documentary detailing their current love story – both written by Lopez and Affleck themselves – while their bond was already showing signs of strain. Sales for Lopez’s upcoming tour promoting the album in the spring were slow, leading to its cancellation so she could focus on herself. By April, after only two years of marriage, Lopez filed for divorce.
Hollywood Left the Messaging to Western Union
Reflecting on the past, the closure of Participant Media in April could have signified a significant shift – a temporary retreat from socially relevant themes in movies and television productions. For two decades, this company courageously produced impactful films such as Spotlight, An Inconvenient Truth, and RBG. However, as 2024 progressed, it became evident that Hollywood had developed an aversion to politically charged content. Documentaries like Union (on labor movements), No Other Land, and The Bibi Files (both about the Middle East conflict) struggled to find U.S. distributors, while A24 delayed the release of The Sixth, its Jan. 6 documentary, even as it released an Alex Garland drama based on a fictional civil war. Even MSNBC postponed the airing of Separated – a documentary by Errol Morris and NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff about the child-separation scandal during the first Trump administration – until after the 2024 election. “Draw your own conclusions,” Morris cryptically posted on social media.
In the latest edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, which came out on December 13th, I stumbled upon an intriguing story. If you’re interested, consider subscribing to stay up-to-date with such captivating reads!
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2024-12-18 17:26