FALL'S BIGGEST FLICKS
A rundown of 26 movies headed to screens in the coming weeks, including Oscar hopefuls and franchise fare
Tom Cruise stars as an aging oil tycoon who has to save the world in Alejandro Iñárritu's dark comedy "Digger."
Jay (Austin Abrams, left) has to use the seafaring knowledge imparted to him by his estranged dad, Mitt (Josh Brolin), when swallowed by a sperm whale in "Whalefall."
John Malkovich, left, and Sam Rockwell in the movie "Wild Horse Nine."
"The Cat in the Hat"
"Godzilla Minus Zero"
Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg in the movie "The Social Reckoning."
Jessica Chastain (with Jay Duplass) stars as a mother seeking out the supernatural doppelganger that threatens her family in "Other Mommy."
The fall movie season might not break the bank like the summer box office just did — "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey" alone combined for $3.9 billion in worldwide grosses — but there's plenty to look forward to in theaters as the leaves change on the trees outdoors.
There are big stars (Tom Cruise! Brad Pitt! Sandy Bullock! Er, 50 Cent!) and big franchises ("Practical Magic," "The Hunger Games," the "Rocky" universe) battling for attention and dollars, and plenty of awards fodder ready to hit screens between now and Thanksgiving.
Note: Release dates are subject to change, and releases are theatrical except where otherwise noted.
1 'Digger'
Tom Cruise plays wealthy oil tycoon Digger Rockwell — not Ethan Hunt, not Lt. Pete Mitchell — in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's dark comedy, Cruise's first non-franchise outing since 2017's "American Made." Will it land him his first Academy Award nomination since 1999's "Magnolia?" The world waits to find out. Oct. 2
2 'Primetime'
Robert Pattinson — already seen this year in "The Drama" and "The Odyssey," and with "Dune: Part Three" on the way — stars as Chris Hansen in director Lance Oppenheim's portrait of the host of NBC's controversial news magazine show "To Catch a Predator." Sept. 25
3 'Whalefall'
Ever wonder what it would be like to get swallowed by a whale? Well, wonder no more. Oct. 16
4 'Resident Evil'
Co-writer and director Zach Cregger ("Weapons," "Barbarian") reboots the zombie video game franchise with Austin Abrams (who also stars in "Whalefall") as a medical courier who finds himself in the middle of an undead invasion. Sept. 18
5 'Practical Magic 2'
Almost 30 years after the 1998 original, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reunite as the Owens sisters, a pair of margarita-loving East Coast witches dragged into a web of family drama. Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest and Joey King co-star. In theaters
6 'The Social Reckoning'
It's weird that after 2010's "The Social Network" we never heard about Facebook or Mark Zuckerberg ever again. Writer-director Aaron Sorkin tries to figure out what happened to the guy in this dramatic thriller, starring Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Allen White and "Anora" Oscar-winner Mikey Madison. Oct. 9
7 'Wild Horse Nine'
Martin McDonagh ("The Banshees of Inisherin") returns with this tale of a team of CIA agents sent to Easter Island. Stars John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Mariana Di Girolamo are already generating Oscar buzz for their roles in the 1970s-set tale. Nov. 6
8 'Fjord'
The latest from Romanian director Cristian Mungiu ("4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days") stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a couple living in a remote Norwegian village who face disturbing allegations regarding endangerment of their children. Oct. 9
9 'La Bola Negra'
This time-bending drama follows the intertwined lives of three gay men across three distinct periods in Spanish history. Starring Guitarricadelafuente, Carlos González, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. Oct. 16 in theaters, Dec. 2 on Netflix
10 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'
Joseph Zada and McKenna Grace lead a cast that also includes Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Ralph Fiennes and Glenn Close in the latest "Hunger Games" prequel, the follow-up to 2023's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes." Nov. 20
11 'I Play Rocky'
Anthony Ippolito is Sylvester Stallone in Peter Farrelly's story of how "Rocky" made it to the big screen and became a sensation. Nov. 20
12 'Paper Tiger'
The latest from James Gray ("Ad Astra," "Armageddon Time") follows a family in 1980s New York who gets mixed up with the Russian mob. With Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller. Nov. 20
13 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York'
The great John Turturro has never been nominated for an Oscar, and here's hoping his fortune changes with this crime thriller where he stars as an aging pickpocket in the Big Apple. Oct. 23
14 'Josephine'
Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan star in this Sundance hit about an 8-year-old (Mason Reeves) who witnesses a brutal assault and is forced to deal with the traumatic after-effects. Nov. 20
15 'Verity'
In her fifth movie of the year, Anne Hathaway stars as an author with a crippling case of writer's block whose husband (Josh Hartnett) hires an underemployed writer (Dakota Johnson) to finish her latest work. Based on the novel by Colleen Hoover. Oct. 2
16 'Animals'
Director, co-writer and star Ben Affleck is a mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped in this crime thriller co-starring Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson and Metro Detroiter Steven Yeun. Oct. 9 on Netflix
17 'Street Fighter'
50 Cent stars along-side WWE heavyweights Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns in this adaptation of the popular video game. Oct. 16
18 'Other Mommy'
Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain stars in this paranormal thriller about a mother overtaken by a supernatural entity in a tale based on Ferndale author Josh Malerman's "Incidents Around the House." Jay Duplass and Karen Allen co-star. Oct. 9
19 'Clayface'
Tom Rhys Harries plays an actor who is disfigured in an accident and undergoes an experimental surgical procedure in the latest entry in the DC Comics universe. Oct. 23
20 'Wicker'
Alexander Skarsgård is a man made of wicker in this romantic fantasy based on a short story by Ursula Wills. Olivia Colman, Elizabeth Debicki and Peter Dinklage co-star. Oct. 23
21 'Fatherland'
Sandra Huller, already earning Oscar buzz for "Project Hail Mary" and "Digger," is also generating awards talk for her role in this drama about Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas Mann (Hanns Zischler) and his daughter Erika (Huller) traveling across postwar Germany in 1949. Paweł Pawlikowski directs. Oct. 23
22 'How to Rob a Bank'
Nicholas Hoult stars in this heist movie about a group of bank robbers using social media to brag about their hauls. Nov. 13
23 'Madden'
Nicolas Cage as John Madden? Sure, why not. With Christian Bale, Kathryn Hahn and John Mulaney. David O. Russell directs. Nov. 18
24 'The Cat in the Hat'
Bill Hader voices Dr. Seuss' favorite feline in this animated adventure. Nov. 6
25 'Godzilla Minus Zero'
The sequel to 2023's surprise hit "Godzilla Minus One" will hopefully explain whatever math these films are now employing. Nov. 6
26 'Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol'
Johnny Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge. With Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley and Ian McKellen. Ti West directs. Nov. 13
