The Notebook and 9 other movies turning 20 in 2024
By Sandy C.
We don't know how much time has passed until we look back at some of our favorite shows, movies, and songs. It is in that moment that we go, "has it really been that long?" Yes, my friend, it has! In this post, we list 10 movies that are turning two decades old this year. From the iconic rom-drama The Notebook to the action-packed animated feature, The Incredibles.
The year 2004 was a fantastic one for movies. There was something for everyone playing in theaters. In fact, I had to narrow my list down to 10, which was not easy to do! That said, here are some honorable mentions: Ray, The Passion of the Christ, Shaun of the Dead, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Crash, The Aviator, and Garden State.
In order of release date, here are 10 movies turning 20 in 2024...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Release date: March 19, 2004
Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood
Box office: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind accumulated $73.3 million worldwide at the box office.
If you have already seen the movie, you already know this, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a romantic drama that is guaranteed to make you cry. At the time of this writing, Valentine's Day is coming up so this is a great movie to add to your list. We won't spoil any details, but the movie follows Joel (Carrey) and Clementine (Winslet) after a messy and painful breakup. Wanting to forget each other, they both undergo a procedure to erase each other from their mind.
Mean Girls
Release date: April 30, 2004
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey
Box office: Mean Girls picked up $130.1 million at the box office worldwide.
The accumulated amount of $130.1 million isn't too shabby for the year 2004. But it gets even better after you learn the movie was put together with a $17 million budget. Based on a musical, Mean Girls is a cult classic! Those who missed it on the big screen caught it on DVD (those were the days before streaming, huh?), making it even more popular. In fact, a second adaptation of the original premiered in theaters on Jan. 12, 2024.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Release date: June 4, 2004
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman
Box office: The third movie in the Harry Potter franchise brought in $807 million at the worldwide box office
Not a single Harry Potter movie failed to bring Warner Bros. Pictures some serious cash. Still today, the Harry Potter franchise is one of the most popular and highest-grossing movie series of all time. Even if you were too young to watch or even know about these movies when they were released, chances are, you know who Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione are.
HBO is currently working on a TV series based on the books by J.K. Rowling. The fantasy-drama will stream on Max. Don't expect it to release soon, though! According to Deadline, the series won't be available to stream until late 2025 or possibly even early 2026.
The Notebook
Release date: June 25, 2004
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, Gena Rowlands
Box office: $118.2 million reported at the box office worldwide
Searching for a romantic drama to watch on Valentine's Day? Look no further than The Notebook, a movie that is still one of the best romantic dramas of all time. Based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams share incredible chemistry playing a young couple.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Release date: July 9, 2004
Cast: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Fred Willard
Box office: Ron Burgundy collected a cool $90.7 million at the box office
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is 20 years old? I don't know how that's possible. Feel old yet? Because we sure do! Anchorman is a hilarious comedy that sees Burgundy (Ferrell) clashing with his new counterpart (Applegate) at the San Diego TV station. Warning: Watching Anchorman may cause belly aches from the laughter that will ensue.
The Village
Release date: July 30, 2004
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver
Box office: At the worldwide box office, The Village scared up a total of $256.6 million
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Village is a period-thriller that follows the residents of a small village who live in fear on the creatures that lurk in the woods. The horror may have received mixed reviews from critics, but The Village quickly became a favorite among fans, and a cult classic.
What critics are the most divided about, is the twist ending. Because, you can't have an M. Night Shyamalan movie without a crazy finale, right? The director's movies may be hit-and-miss, but The Village is a winner in my book.
Saw
Release date: Oct. 29, 2004
Cast: Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Ken Leung, Michael Emerson
Box office: The horror movie Saw sliced $103.9 million at the box office worldwide
It looks like a lot of cult classics were born in 2004. Next up, we have the bloody horror movie Saw, directed by James Wan. Saw is Wan's directorial debut, and I'd say he did amazing! As a huge fan of the movies, I'll admit that not every chapter in the franchise is a hit, but they are all a lot of fun to watch. Currently, there are 10 movies in the franchise -- and the next one (yes, number 11) is set to premiere in theaters in late 2024.
The Incredibles
Release date: Nov. 5, 2004
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson
Box office: The animated superhero feature gathered $631.6 at the worldwide box office
The Incredibles is another...you guessed it, cult classic. From the perfect voice cast, clever story, and colorful, fun characters, there's so much to love about this movie. I also can't believe it premiered in theaters two decades ago! I'm definitely feeling old now.
Written and directed by Brad Bird, The Incredibles is a great family movie. The Incredibles went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Still, despite its popularity, Bird didn't create a sequel until 14 years later. Bird brought back the same main voice cast (with the exception of Spencer Fox, who voices Dash, due to age) and even the same musical score composer Michael Giacchino. It didn't matter to loyal fans that it had been 14 years since the first movie was released, we all rushed to watch the sequel, which set the record for the best opening weekend for an animated movie.
The Polar Express
Release date: Nov. 10, 2004
Cast: The voices of Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen
Box office: The holiday movie brought in $318.2 million at the box office
Unpopular opinion warning! The Polar Express is one of the most boring holiday movies I've ever seen. I'm aware that this opinion is very unpopular because the movie continues to be at the top of the list when it comes to holiday movies. Year after year, many families watch The Polar Express as part of their holiday tradition.
Million Dollar Baby
Release date: Dec. 15, 2004
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Jay Baruchel, Mike Colter
Box office: At the worldwide box office, Million Dollar Baby brought in $215.7 million
Million Dollar Baby follows Maggie (Swank), an aspiring boxer who is reluctantly trained by Frankie (Eastwood), a bitter and angry boxing coach. Though Frankie did not want to train Maggie, the two quickly bond before tragedy strikes. The movie is based on the book "Rope Burns: Stories from the Corer" by F.X. Toole.
Have you watched all of the movies listed here? If not, their 20-year anniversary is the perfect time to catch up on a classic.
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