25 amazing LGBTQ+ films to look forward to in 2024

Encompassing musicals, superhero blockbusters and romantic period dramas, here's what you can expect to see in cinemas and on streaming platforms over the next year.

Entertainment . Written by Alice Linehan.

Split screen of three LGBTQ+ films coming out in 2024. Left is from All of Us Strangers, middle is from Love Lies Bleeding and right is from Ponyboi.
Image: Left to right: Chris Harris for Searchlight Pictures / @sundancefest via X / @sundancefest via X

After being treated to an array of new LGBTQ+ films over the last year, we can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store. From camp AF musicals to superhero blockbusters and romantic period dramas, here is a list of what cinephiles can look forward to in the coming months.

Good Grief
Good Grief, a new gay drama starring Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy and Beauty and the Beast’s Luke Evans, lands on Netflix on January 5. The film follows the character of Marc Dreyfus, a children’s book illustrator who is struggling in the wake of the deaths of his mother and husband. Good Grief marks Levy’s directorial debut and features a cast of amazing actors, such as Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel.

Mean Girls
Nearly 20 years after the original film debuted, the musical reboot of Mean Girls is hitting Irish cinemas on January 19! This new adaptation is based on the Broadway hit and features a cast of characters we already know and love played by a brand new set of actors, many of whom are queer. One star draw of particular interest is Renée Rapp, who plays Regina George, with many fans already having a big, lesbian crush on her.

All of Us Strangers
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard of All of Us Strangers. The gay romantic fantasy film sees Irish actors Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal play lovers, with the pair described as having “fearless” chemistry. The Andrew Haigh-directed feature has already screened at festivals across the country, but will officially release in Irish cinemas on January 26.

The Color Purple
The Color Purple is a musical coming-of-age period drama following the struggles of an African American woman living in the Southern states in the early 1900’s. The new film is based on the 1982 novel of the same name, which in turn inspired a stage musical and a 1985 movie directed by Steven Spielberg. There is a lesbian romance at the core of the original story from Alice Walker, with fans hoping it’ll also play a big role in this production. The Color Purple releases in Irish cinemas on January 26, meaning you can catch it as a double bill alongside All of Us Strangers!

Love Lies Bleeding
The first of several LGBTQ+ titles on this list to be premiering at Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, Love Lies Bleeding follows a reclusive gym manager, Lou, who falls hard for an ambitious bodybuilder, Jackie. As they head through town to Las Vegas, their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family. The lesbian love story doubles as a thrilling, dark family drama, and better yet, it stars Kristen Stewart! This one is set to release in Irish cinemas on April 19.

Will & Harper
This intimate portrait of friendship, transition and America follows award-winning actor Will Ferrell as he embarks on a road trip with his close friend of 30 years, Harper Steele, who is coming out as a trans woman. Directed by Josh Greenbaum, the documentary will have its premiere in January at Sundance 2024.

 

FRIDA
Renowned for her masterful film editing skills, this documentary from Carla Gutierrez is an intensely raw and magical journey through the life, mind and heart of Frida Khalo. The film is told through the iconic queer artist’s own words, drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays and print interviews. FRIDA will screen as part of the Sundance Film Festival in 2024.

 

Layla
Another Sundance pick, Layla follows a struggling Arab drag queen falling in love for the first time and navigating the transformative relationship that tests who they really are. The film is dubbed a “proud queer love story – with all the complications involved.”

 

Desire Lines
When an Iranian American trans man time travels through an LGBTQ+ archive, he finds himself on a dizzying and erotic quest to unravel his own sexual desires. This is another one of the LGBTQ+ films set to show at Sundance 2024.

 

Ponyboi
Writer, producer and actor River Gallo stars alongside Dylan O’Brien and Victoria Pedretti in this edgy film about a young intersex sex worker who is running from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways. Unfolding over the course of Valentine’s Day in New Jersey, Ponyboi flips the classic LGBTQ+ homecoming tale on its head. It will also screen at Sundance Film Festival in January.

 

Stress Positions
Capturing unique qualities of the pandemic, Stress Positions follows Terry Goon who is quarantining in his ex-husband’s home while caring for his bedridden 19 year-old nephew, Bahlul, who everyone wants to meet. This is another pick from the Sundance programme.

 

Sebastian
In this film, an aspiring writer in London begins a double life as a sex worker to research for his new novel. From Finnish-British filmmaker Mikko Mäkelä, Sebastian explores the transgressive power of queer sexuality and the transformative impact of embracing a new identity. You guessed it, this is another one from the Sundance 2024 programme.

 

Sue Bird: In The Clutch
This documentary screening at Sundance highlights WNBA basketball legend and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird. Alongside her fiancée, US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Sue confronts retiring from the only life she’s ever known.

 

Cora Bora
In this upcoming comedy, breakout star Megan Stalter stars as Cora, a struggling musician on the verge of losing her girlfriend. Desperate to get her life back together, she takes a trip home from LA to Portland, Oregon. While no Irish release has been confirmed, the film is expected to hit US cinemas in February 2024.

Drive-Away Dolls
If you’re in the market for a lesbian road movie, Drive-Away Dolls may be the one for you. From filmmakers Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, it promises queer actors, lesbian bar scenes, bad guys and of course, an epic car ride. Starring the likes of Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal, it releases in Irish cinemas on March 15.

Silver Haze
A family drama that delivers an emotional depiction of working-class life in Britain, Silver Haze follows Franky, a caregiver whose life takes a turn when she starts a relationship with one of her patients, Florence. The two embark on a journey to the latter’s coastal hometown, where Franky finds the emotional sanctuary she desperately needs to heal the wounds of her past. Silver Haze releases in Irish cinemas on March 29.

Challengers
From Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, this film follows the complex and tense relationship between three tennis players. With a star-studded cast of Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, although it’s unclear just how queer this film will be, it does appear to have some homoerotic undertones, and Guadagnino, who himself is gay, hinted, “It’s me, so…”. Challengers was originally meant to be released in 2023 but has been delayed to April 26, 2024.

Tortu
A successful IT consultant who loves his job, Tortu seems to lose everything when he’s unexpectedly fired. In search of a new life, he moves to France, where he ultimately finds new love. While not much is known about when the film will be available in Ireland, it is expected to release in the UK on May 20.

Joker: Folie à Deux
The sequel to the 2019 Joker film, this musical thriller stars Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic villain. Lady Gaga is playing his bisexual love interest, Harley Quinn, and queer fans went wild earlier this year when a clip emerged of her character kissing another woman. Joker: Folie à Deux is set to release in Irish cinemas on October 4.

 

Deadpool 3
The upcoming Deadpool film is set to continue to set the standard for LGBTQ+ representation in superhero movies. Not only is it expected to feature the return of same-sex couple Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio, but non-binary actor Emma Corrin has also been cast as the film’s main villain. Deadpool 3 releases in Ireland on November 8.

 

Wicked Part 1
2024 appears to be the year of the musical, with Wicked Part 1 among the list of upcoming releases. The fantasy film stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Granda, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh and revolves around Elphaba, a green-skinned woman who becomes the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’. Although an Irish release date is unconfirmed, it will be available in US cinemas from November 27.

Queer
Luca Guadagnino is a busy man, with this being the second film on this list from the Italian director. Queer is a historical romantic drama, based on the 1985 novel of the same name. Set in 1940s Mexico City, it follows an outcast American expat who becomes infatuated with a younger man. There’s no official release date yet, but the film is expected for late 2024.

 

On Swift Horses
Starring Daisy-Edgar Jones and Saltburn heartthrob Jacob Elordi, On Swift Horses sees the latter’s character engage in a complex gay love affair with a character played by Diego Calva. Again, there’s no official release date for this one yet, but it is expected to hit screens next year.

 

The History of Sound
The second appearance on this list for both Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, The History of Sound follows two young men during World War I who set out to record the lives, voices and music of American countrymen. Dubbed an LGBTQ+ romance film, talk about this feature began in 2021, and MUBI now lists it on its platform as a 2024 release.

 

LOAFERS
From Cork LGBT Archive director Orla Egan, this new documentary uses a combination of interviews, archival footage, photographs, illustrations and animation to give a glimpse into the legend and legacy of Loafers. The Cork venue was one of Ireland’s longest-running queer bars, opening in 1983 and closing suddenly in 2015. Although this film premiered at IndieCork Film Festival on December 15, hopefully it will have further screenings across the country in 2024.

 

These are just some of the LGBTQ+ films to look forward to in 2024, and no doubt there’ll be more to add to this list as the months go on. Queer representation continues to improve year on year, and we can’t wait to see what these upcoming releases have to offer.

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