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Autumn is the season of sweater weather, pumpkin spice everything and, best of all, movies for every mood. Splashy musicals featuring your favorite pop stars? Spooky thrillers to kick off October? Future classics to woo awards voters? Check, check and check. So stock up on Halloween candy a little early and settle in for these films.
My Old Ass
MARNI GROSSMAN/Prime
It’s a popular hypothetical question: If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would you say? That scenario becomes very real for college-bound teen Elliott (Maisy Stella), who — while high on a mushroom trip — meets her future, 39 year-old-self (Aubrey Plaza). The elder Elliott advises the younger one not to fall in love with a guy named Chad — so you can probably guess what’s likely to happen. Writer-director Megan Park calls the emotional and comedic story “really joyful and a bit of an escape from the real world.” In theaters Sept. 13
The Substance
Courtesy of MUBI
Demi Moore gives a tour de force as Elisabeth Sparkle, a onetime Hollywood star now hosting an exercise show. Determined to recapture her youth and beauty, she turns to a black market drug that creates a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley). The (big) catch in this feminist thriller? Elisabeth and Elisabeth 2.0, who’s named Sue, have to alternate time in public while the other remains in seclusion. In theaters Sept. 18
A Different Man
Courtesy of A24
The dark comedy stars Sebastian Stan as an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes benign tumors to grow on his body. An experimental trial rids him of the condition, but he’s still self-conscious — and soon finds himself upstaged by another actor (Adam Pearson) with neurofibromatosis. In theaters Sept. 20
Never Let Go
Liane Hentscher
This year’s answer to Bird Box has a similar set-up to the 2020 horror sensation: In a post-apocalyptic landscape, a mother (Halle Berry) tries to protect herself and her children from an evil force. The need to never let go, as the title says, is real: They stay tethered together with ropes! In theaters Sept. 20
Apartment 5A
Gareth Gatrell/Paramount+
This creepy Rosemary’s Baby prequel, set a few years before the events of the 1968 horror film, imagines what happened at New York City’s grand Bramford apartment building before the Woodhouses moved in. Struggling Broadway chorus girl Terry (Ozark Emmy winner Julia Garner) encounters the seemingly kind (but supremely odd) Castevets (Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally), who invite her to stay at a unit they own. Even though the rent is free, the price Terry pays is pretty steep. Streaming on Paramount+ Sept. 27
Joker: Folie à Deux
Niko Tavernise
In this highly anticipated musical sequel to the 2019 hit Joker, Arthur Fleck/The Joker (Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix) is now a patient at Arkham State Hospital and awaiting his trial. While institutionalized, he falls for the enigmatic Lee (Lady Gaga). Folie à deux is French for a shared delusion, so expect some unhinged action (and singing) as the two pair up. In theaters Oct. 2
The Apprentice
APPRENTICE PRODUCTIONS ONTARIO INC. / PROFILE PRODUCTIONS 2 APS / TAILORED FILMS LTD. 2023
The controversial Donald Trump biopic, set in the 1970s and 80s, depicts how infamous attorney Roy Cohn (Succession’s Jeremy Strong) allegedly molded young real estate developer Trump (an unrecognizable Sebastian Stan) in his image. In theaters Oct. 11
Piece by Piece
Courtesy of Focus Features
Songwriter and musician Pharrell Williams depicts his life story through Lego animation. Yep, you read that correctly. The imaginative movie is a documentary of sorts, tracking the “Happy” singer’s childhood in Virginia to his success as an artist who’s worked with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott. In theaters Oct. 11
Saturday Night
Hopper Stone
Live from New York it’s….October 11, 1975. The clock is ticking down as visionary Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) and a group of comedians prepare for the first-ever episode of the (now-iconic) show Saturday Night Live. The pressure is on: Network execs doubt the show’s appeal, star John Belushi (Matt Wood) disappears and the guest host may have over-indulged in some illegal drugs. In theaters Oct. 11
Woman of the Hour
Leah Gallo/Netflix
Anna Kendrick is pitch perfect in this 1970s-set true crime drama she also directed. Struggling actress Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick), unable to land a big break, takes a gig as a contestant on The Dating Game, a cheesetastic precursor to The Bachelorette. One of her suitors turns out to be Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), a serial killer and rapist who’d yet to be caught for his crimes. Streaming on Netflix Oct. 18
Conclave
Courtesy of Focus Features
Heaven help them: When the Pope dies, Cardinals from around the world assemble in Rome to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church from among their ranks. But some of these godly men harbor secrets and ambitions that lead to backstabbing and scandal. Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci star in the taut drama based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. In theaters Nov. 1
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SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC
“Time sure does fly, doesn’t it?” Richard (Tom Hanks) says in a heart-tugging drama that reunites him with Forrest Gump costar Robin Wright and director Robert Zemeckis. Based on the comic strip by Richard McGuire, the movie (which features incredible de-aging technology) depicts the lives of people who live in the same home over many years. In theaters Nov. 1
Red One
Karen Neal/Prime
St. Nick’s disappearance leads to a Yuletide adventure as security officer Cal (Dwayne Johnson) and bounty hunter Jack (Chris Evans) race to rescue Kris Kringle (J.K. Simmons). “What kind of monster would want to kidnap Santa Claus — and why? Those are the big questions that Cal and Jack are trying to answer here,” explains director Jake Kasdan. “And the clock is ticking! They’ve only got 24 hours to solve this mystery and save Christmas.” In theaters Nov. 15
Gladiator II
Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures
Nearly a quarter of a century after Gladiator — the epic drama about Maximus (Russell Crowe), a Roman general who is forced into slavery — set a new bar for historical epics, filmmaker Ridley Scott returns with this ambitious follow-up. Maximus’s nephew Lucius (Paul Mescal), now an adult, returns to the Roman Empire after years away, and finds authoritarian forces have taken over. Swords up! Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal also star. In theaters Nov. 22
The Piano Lesson
David Lee/Netflix
Based on the 1987 August Wilson play of the same name, this drama set in 1930s Pittsburgh shows how a family heirloom threatens to tear the Charles family apart. Boy Willie (John David Washington) wants to sell their valuable piano, while his sister Berniece is dead set on preserving it. Their clash lays bare ghosts from the past. Streaming on Netflix Nov. 22
Wicked
Universal Pictures
Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo and pop powerhouse Ariana Grande headline the film adaptation of the long-running Broadway musical that serves as the origin story for The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Before they had those respective monikers, Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) were friends! Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey and Bowen Yang costar. In theaters Nov. 22
Moana 2
Disney
The beloved Disney hit that put a spotlight on Polynesian culture and highlighted the heroism of a young adventurer named Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) gets a well-deserved sequel. This time, the titular teen embarks on a new ocean-spanning quest when she receives a message from her ancestors. Dwayne Johnson, who voices demigod Maui, says the follow-up continues to showcase the “female empowerment of a young girl who wants more out of life.” In theaters Nov. 27
