As the -ber months approach, so do the award contenders, especially as festivals take over cities like Venice, Toronto, and Telluride. (Luca Guadagnino’s Queer and the Selena Gomez-starring Emilia Pérez seem to be making a lot of noise.) But don’t let the ending of summer fool you; there are still more blockbusters on the way, especially with the holidays on the horizon (like Wicked Part 1 and Gladiator II—the same weekend in fact).
From Demi Moore’s gory comeback to—maybe—another Oscar-worthy Amy Adams movie, here are the films we’re most anticipating before the end of the year, listed chronologically in order of their release dates.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Scream queen Jenna Ortega will star in Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel to his 1987 classic. But fans of the original need not fret: Michael Keaton is coming back and so are Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara.
In theaters September 6.
The Front Room
Brandy is back in horror, this time dealing with a diabolical mother-in-law moving in. Sam and Max Eggers, brothers and frequent collaborators of Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse) wrote and directed the film.
In theaters September 6.
His Three Daughters
Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon are three very different sisters who come together in their father’s final days. From French Exit writer-director Azazel Jacobs.
In select theaters September 6. On Netflix September 20.
Uglies
Yes, that Uglies. Joey King stars in and executive produced this adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s 2006 novel, co-starring Chase Stokes and Laverne Cox.
On Netflix September 13.
My Old Ass
On her 18th birthday, Elliott (Maisy Stella) trips on mushrooms with her friends and ends up hallucinating… her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Megan Park directs this sweet coming-of-age comedy.
In theaters September 13.
The Substance
Demi Moore plays a TV fitness star getting pushed out of the limelight who undergoes a procedure to become her younger self (Margaret Qualley). This bloody thriller and satire is not for those with weak stomachs.
In theaters September 20.
Lee
Kate Winslet portrays the former model-turned-war correspondent Lee Miller, renowned for her iconic photographs from WWII. Award-winning cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) directs and Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgård, and Marion Cotillard co-star.
In theaters September 27.
Megalopolis
Touted as a “Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America,” Francis Ford Coppola’s newest film apparently took 40 years to make. It has divided critics at film festivals so far and is already awash in scandal. Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, and many more star.
In theaters September 27.
Rez Ball
Co-written by Reservation Dogs’ Sterlin Harjo, Rez Ball follows an underdog high-school basketball team and its Native American players in New Mexico as they chase their dreams of a championship.
On Netflix September 27.
House of Spoils
Amazon MGM StudiosAriana DeBose is a chef setting off to start her dream restaurant, who’s haunted by a strange presence before opening. See the official first look on ELLE.com.
On Prime Video October 3.
It’s What’s Inside
NetflixWedding festivities can be the stuff of nightmares. In this Sundance thriller, a pre-wedding party goes wild when an estranged friend shows up. The buzzy young cast includes Brittany O’Grady of The White Lotus.
On Netflix October 4.
L. Kasimu HarrisNickel Boys
This adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s book follows two Black teenage boys (played by Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson) sent to a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Daveed Diggs and the Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor also star.
In select theaters on October 25.
The Outrun
Saoirse Ronan plays Rona, a young woman overcoming an alcohol addiction who returns home to Scotland’s Orkney Islands to recover. Based on Amy Liptrot’s memoir of the same name.
In theaters October 4.
We Live in Time
Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in a decades-spanning romance—from their chance encounter, to starting a family together, to receiving Earth-shattering news—from Brooklyn director John Crowley.
In theaters October 11.
Saturday Night
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, and what better way to celebrate than by reliving the chaotic 90 minutes before the show’s first-ever broadcast? The Fabelmans’ Gabriel LaBelle plays a young Lorne Michaels; Rachel Sennott, Dylan O’Brien, Nicholas Braun, Kaia Gerber, Willem Dafoe, and J.K. Simmons are also in the cast.
In theaters October 11.
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg (who also wrote and directed this dry comedy) and Kieran Culkin star as cousins touring their late grandmother’s home country of Poland and exploring their family history.
In theaters October 18.
Anora
A brassy Brooklyn sex worker and a young Russian oligarch fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after—until his parents find out. From The Florida Project, Tangerine director, Sean Baker.
In theaters October 18.
Exhibiting Forgiveness
André Holland is a successful artist living with his wife (Andra Day) and son when his estranged father (John Earl Jelks) re-enters the picture, hoping to repair their relationship. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor also stars in this film by Titus Kaphar.
In theaters October 18.
Emilia Pérez
Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Adriana Paz star in this genre-blending (and at times musical) saga about a cartel leader who fakes her death to live her authentic life.
In theaters November 1. On Netflix November 13.
Blitz
AppleThe latest from Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) follows a 9-year-old boy living in London during WWII whose mother (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to the countryside for safety. What follows is his perilous journey back home.
In theaters November 1. On Apple TV+ November 22.
Gladiator II
Paul Mescal stars as Lucius (nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from the original film) in Ridley Scott’s long-awaited Gladiator sequel. Denzel Washington plays Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer, and Pedro Pascal is a Roman general named Marcus Acacius.
In theaters November 22.
Wicked Part 1
The Broadway sensation finally heads to the screen for good, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda—both college roommates before the events of The Wizard of Oz. Crazy Rich Asians’ Jon M. Chu directs a star-studded cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and more.In theaters November 22.
Moana 2
Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) reunites with Maui (Dwayne Johnson) for another seafaring adventure across Oceania after she receives a call from her ancestors.
In theaters November 27.
Nightbitch
Courtesy of Searchlight PicturesBased on Rachel Yoder’s book of the same name, Amy Adams stars as a mother and artist who finds herself turning into a dog. Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) directs.
In theaters December 6.
The Room Next Door
We are getting a new Pedro Almodóvar film this year, and this one stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton as a writer and journalist who rekindle their friendship after losing touch for years.
In theaters December 20.
Babygirl
A24Nicole Kidman is a CEO who has an affair with her much younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson. Written and directed by Bodies Bodies Bodies filmmaker Halina Reijn, Babygirl is sure to be provocative. “This is something you do and hide in your home videos. It is not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world,” Kidman said.
In theaters December 25.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Barry Jenkins directs this origin story of Simba’s father, with Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) voicing Mufasa and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) as his brother, Scar.
In theaters December 20.
Nosferatu
![NOSFERATU - Official Teaser Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25 thumnail](https://img.youtube.com/vi/b59rxDB_JRg/hqdefault.jpg "NOSFERATU - Official Teaser Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25 thumnail")
Robert Eggers’ (The Witch, The Lighthouse) take on the classic vampire tale features Bill Skarsgård in the leading role. This version is said to focus more on the character of Ellen (Lily Rose-Depp).
In theaters on December 25.
A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan is not too shabby, at least according to the trailer of A Complete Unknown. The film follows the musician’s career from his descent into the West Village folk scene to his 1965 performance at the Newport Folk Festival. Elle Fanning and Edward Norton also star.
In theaters December 25.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.
