A Look at the 8 New Movies Coming Out This Week: ‘Argylle,’ ‘The Promised Land,’ and More!

There’s an exciting lineup of new movies coming out this week!

First up is Argylle, an action-packed thriller revolving around a talented writer portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard. Her character unexpectedly finds herself at the center of a global crisis when her spy novels become the key to saving the world. Sam Rockwell, John Cena, and Ariana DeBose also star.

Additionally, The Promised Land takes viewers back to 1700s Denmark, immersing us in a historical narrative anchored by Mads Mikkelsen. There’s also a documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, which tells the story of the night some of the world’s greatest singers came together to record “We Are the World.”

Lastly, the lighthearted film How to Have Sex follows the adventures of three teenagers on a memorable vacation in Britain for what should be the best summer of their lives.

Below is the full list of all the new movies coming out this week in theaters and streaming!

New Movies Coming Out This Week: January 29, 2024, – February 4, 2024

Argylle   (2024)

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: In theatres nationwide on Friday, February 2, 2024

Summary: Argylle follows Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is a best-selling spy novelist who rarely leaves home. On a train, she meets Aiden (Sam Rockwell), who tells her he is a real spy and has been sent to save her from being kidnapped. Elly is now living the life that she has only written about. And it turns out that her books are the key to saving the world. Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one is as they seem.

What to Watch For: The cast includes Henry Cavill, Sofia Boutella, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, Catherine O’Hara, and Bryan Cranston.

Word on the Street: Alfie the Cat is played by Chip, owned by Claudia Schiffer, who is married to the film’s director, Matthew Vaughn.

My Take: Vaughn cites one of my favorite films of the 80s, Romancing the Stone (1984), as his biggest inspiration for the movie.

The Promised Land   (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theatres on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: In The Promised Land, former soldier Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) arrives in 1755 with a plan for the barren land of the heath of Jutland in Denmark, where he will successfully grow a crop and prove that the land can be fertile. First, he must survive not only the elements but also a neighbor, Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a wealthy landowner who has plans of his own for the heath and will do anything to make sure Ludvig fails. 

What to Watch For: The film is Denmark’s official submission for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.

Word on the Street: The film won three awards at the 2023 European Film Awards, including Best Actor for Mads Mikkelsen.

My Take: I am a fan of Amanda Collin, who plays an escaped servant who works for Ludvig. I loved her in the 2017 film A Horrible Woman.

How to Have Sex   (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theatres on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: In How to Have Sex, three British teenage girls go on a holiday that promises to be filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. Until one of them goes missing.

What to Watch For: The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It was there it won the Un Certain Regard prize.

Word on the Street: Mia McKenna-Bruce plays the teen who goes missing and just won Best Lead Performance at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.

My Take: I can’t wait to see this film after winning so many awards at a bunch of European film festivals.

The Tiger’s Apprentice   (2024)

Rating: PG

Release Date: Premiering on Paramount+ on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: The Tiger’s Apprentice is about Tom Lee (voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo), who is an ordinary Chinese-American boy, or so he thought. When his beloved grandmother dies, Tom meets Mr. Hu (voiced by Henry Golding) and learns he is destined to become the new magical protector, part of a long line of Guardians who protect an ancient magical phoenix egg. 

What to Watch For: The impressive voice cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Leah Lewis, Jo Koy, Bowen Yang, Patrick Gallagher, Diana Lee Inosanto, Sherry Cola, and Deborah S. Craig.

Word on the Street: The film is based on the novel of the same name by Laurence Yep.

My Take: I heard about this film a few years ago when Cartoon Network was interested in developing the book into some sort of live-action/CGI series.

The Greatest Night in Pop   (2024)

Rating: N/A

Release Date: Premiering on Netflix on Monday, January 29, 2024.

Summary: The Greatest Night in Pop is a documentary on the night of January 25th, 1985, when dozens of the era’s most popular musicians gathered in a Los Angeles recording studio to record a song in one night that would make history.

What to Watch For: The film is from Bao Nguyen, who directed the award-winning films Be Water (2020) and Live from New York! (2015) and Once in a Lullaby: PS 22 Chorus Documentary.

Word on the Street: The movie features new interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson, Huey Lewis, and Lionel Richie.

My Take: People forget that the song they recorded, We Are the World, was completed in one night that started at 10 pm and wrapped at 7 am the next day. 

Fitting In  (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theatres on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: Fitting In is about Lindy (Maddie Ziegler), a teen who has just moved into her grandmother’s old house with her single mother, Rita (Emily Hampshire). Lindy has a new boyfriend, Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and things are heating up, so Lindy decides to go to a gynecologist to get on birth control. That doctor’s office visit will change everything for Lindy.

What to Watch For: The movie is from filmmaker Molly McGlynn, known for her 2017 award-winning film Mary Goes Around and her work as director on TV series, including Grown-ish, Grace and Frankie, and The Wonder Years.

Word on the Street: The movie won the Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.

My Take: Maddie Ziegler is best known for her roles as Christina in The Book of Henry (2017) and Velma in West Side Story (2021). And, of course, Maddie is known as Sia’s ‘Muse,’ having appeared in her videos and on stage with Sia at Coachella last year. 

Scrambled  (2023)

Rating: R

Release Date: In theatres on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: In Scrambled, ever the bridesmaid, Nellie (Leah McKendrick) seems to go from one wedding to another, along with endless baby showers and one-night stands. Nellie decides things may not be in the cards for a romantic ‘soulmate,’ so she decides to freeze her eggs and starts a journey of self-discovery.

What to Watch For:  The movie’s star, Leah McKendrick, wrote and directed the film.

Word on the Street: McKendrick is best known for her roles as Sharon in Bad Moms (2016) and Skye in M.F.A. (2017).

My Take: The film was a Grand Jury Award nominee at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival.

Orion and the Dark   (2024)

Rating: N/A

Release Date: Premiering on Netflix on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Summary: Orion and the Dark is about Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), who seems on the outside like your average elementary school kid. However, Orion is a ball of anxiety, entirely consumed by every irrational fear you can think of and a few you might not. Of all his fears, the thing he fears the most is the dark. And that’s just who shows up in his bedroom, Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser), to take him on an adventure around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night.

What to Watch For: The film’s director, Sean Charmatz, is best known for his work as storyboard director for the TV series SpongeBob SquarePants.

Word on the Street: The voice cast includes Carla Gugino, Natasia Demetriou, Angela Bassett, Colin Hanks, Ike Barinholtz, and Werner Herzog, who plays The Narrator.

My Take: The film is based on the children’s book of the same name by Emma Yarlett.

Which New Movies Coming Out This Week Are You Excited to Watch?

Below, let us know what new movies you plan to see this week!