There’s good news and bad news for the strike-riddled film industry.
The good news is that the fall release schedule should not be adversely affected, since the work by screenwriters and actors on films slated to open by the end of this calendar year was all completed before their guilds called them to strike. (They will open, mostly on schedule, but with a lot less accompanying noise, since the Screen Actors Guild is forbidding its members to participate in promoting their films while the strike continues.)
No, that’s not the bad news. The bad news is that 2024 is likely to be a very sparse year for new films, as production on those movies has been at a standstill for months now.
Still, let’s concentrate for the moment on the most promising films coming out for the rest of this calendar year. As usual, the release dates below are all subject to change and yadda, yadda, yadda.
* The Idiots — Danish director Lars von Trier’s (Breaking the Waves) much-acclaimed new film about a group of people who gather at a house in Copenhagen’s suburbs to break all the limitations and to bring out the “inner idiot” in themselves. Connecting with von Trier’s films isn’t easy, but the effort is ultimately worth it. (Oct. 1 in theaters)
* The Exorcist: Believer — A sequel to the memorable 1973 horror classic which was released 50 years ago and whose director, William Friedkin, died in early August. This time, Leslie Odom Jr. plays a father whose young daughter is possessed by a demon, so he goes to Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn, returning to the franchise) for help. Hot off the final — we hope — Halloween installment, director/co-writer David Gordon Green takes the reins of this Exorcist follow-up with an expressed goal of scaring the stuffing out of us. (Oct. 6 in theaters)
* The Royal Hotel — Multiple Emmy winner for Ozark, Julia Garner, moves up from support to play a backpacker who takes a job in a remote Australian pub and is confronted by a bunch of unruly locals and a situation that grows rapidly out of control. (Oct. 6 in theaters)
* Foe — Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) and Paul Mescal (Aftersun) are teamed as a couple working a secluded farm, whose tranquility is interrupted by the arrival of a stranger with a startling proposal that sorely tests their marriage and very existence. Based on a psychological novel by Iain Reid, brought to the big screen by director Garth Davis (Lion). (Oct. 6 in theaters)
* Joan Baez: I Am a Noise — Legendary singer and activist Joan Baez gets introspective as she sums up her 60-year career and the personal struggles she’s kept private. This biographical documentary follows her on her farewell tour with a deep dive into her archival material. (Oct. 6 in theaters)
* The Burial — Based on a true story, renowned Stuart attorney Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) helps the owner of a bankrupt funeral home chain, Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones), and his fellow plaintiffs win over $500 million in damages and hang on to his business. (Oct. 6 in theaters, Oct. 13 on Prime Video)
* Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour — You say you couldn’t get tickets to Swift’s recent concert tour or were unwilling to pay the prices they had spiraled to? Well, opportunity has knocked again in the form of this documentary recording of the performance. (Oct. 13 in theaters)
* Anatomy of a Fall — France’s Justine Triet walked off with the Palme d’Or Award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for this suspenseful courtroom drama about an author (Sandra Hüller) in a strained marriage whose husband is found dead after a skiing accident. Or maybe it was murder, as she becomes accused of. The title is said to be an homage to Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder. (Oct. 13 in theaters)
* Killers of the Flower Moon — There is major Oscar buzz around veteran director Martin Scorsese’s latest collaboration with his two favorite actors — Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on David Grann’s nonfiction book of the same name, the film explores a series of murders within the Osage Nation in the 1920s, after oil was discovered on their land. Angers rise when the FBI swoops in to investigate. (Oct. 20 in theaters)
* Five Nights at Freddy’s — Much anticipated, even if it is based on a video game. Starred is Josh Hutcherson (of The Hunger Games) as a security guard at the Chuck E. Cheese clone, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. During his first night on the job, he realizes that the night shift won’t be so easy to get through. While watching the monitors, he discovers that the place’s animatronic figures are possessed by the ghosts of children who went missing there. Sounds creepy to us. (Oct. 27 in theaters)
* Freelance — While a journalist (Alison Brie) interviews a political dictator, a military coup breaks out. So the reporter and her security guard are forced to flee into the jungle, where their survival skills are sorely tested. With Alice Eve, John Cena and Christian Slater in support. (Oct. 27 in theaters)
* Fingernails — A sci-fi romance starring Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) and Olivier Award winner Jessie Buckley (Cabaret) in a story about a newly discovered test that “measures whether couples are truly in love.” Buckley submits to the test and is told she has met the love of her life. What do you want to bet the test has a few kinks in it? (Oct. 27 in theaters, Nov. 3 on Apple TV+)
* Pain Hustlers — Emily Blunt stars as a woman working at a pharmaceutical startup who uncovers the firm’s covert scheme to market a fentanyl-based spray. With Chris Evans, Andy Garcia and Jay Duplass. Under David Yates’ direction. (Oct. 20 in theaters, Oct. 27 on Netflix)
* Priscilla — After a biopic about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll proved popular, could a film about his much-maligned mate, Priscilla Presley, be far behind? Sofia Coppola directs this adaptation of Presley’s memoir, with an assist from Presley as co-screenwriter. So while we are eager to see it, we assume it will show her in the most positive light. It introduces Cailee Spaeny in the title role. (Nov. 3 in theaters)
* What Happens Later — In the ‘90s, Meg Ryan was all over the big screen, but she has been missing in action now for almost a decade. She is not only back, starring with David Duchovny in this tale of two former lovers who meet unexpectedly when they are both snowed in at an airport overnight, but Ryan also directs the film. If the plot sounds familiar to theater fans, that’s because it is based on Steven Dietz’s play, Shooting Star. (Nov. 3 in theaters)
* Helen’s Dead — Amateur sleuths should get out their deerstalker hats and magnifying glasses for this one. It concerns a young woman who finds that her boyfriend is sleeping with her cousin Helen. But when she goes to confront them at a dinner party, she finds Helen dead there and everyone in the room is a suspect. (Nov. 3 in theaters)
* Quiz Lady — I’ll take improbable but intriguing plots for $200, Alex. Awkwafina stars as a woman with a dilemma or two. Her mother has gambling debts and her dog has been kidnapped. So together with her sister (Sandra Oh), she attempts to solve her woes by winning big on a game show. The cast includes Holland Taylor, Will Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, and Tony Hale. (Nov. 3 on Hulu)
* Rustin — Civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, has received renewed attention lately when California Gov. Gavin Newsom granted him a posthumous pardon for a 1953 conviction on a charge that had been used to criminalize homosexual activity. And now director George C. Wolfe has granted him a biopic. Colman Domingo takes on the title role, with support from Chris Rock, Glynn Turman and Audra McDonald. (Nov. 3 in theaters, Nov. 17 on Netflix)
* The Killer — This latest film from director David Fincher is shrouded in secrecy, which only piques our interest. We do know that it stars Michael Fassbender as an international assassin and the cast includes the always interesting Tilda Swinton. It is based on a graphic novel series, adapted by screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, who last teamed with Fincher on the grisly Seven. So whatever it is, do not expect a G-rating. (Oct. 27 in theaters, Nov. 10 on Netflix)
* The Holdovers — No one plays pompous curmudgeons quite like Paul Giamatti, a talent he now applies to the most hated history teacher at an overprivileged Massachusetts prep school. He remains on campus during the Christmas break to look after the holdover students unable to journey home, like a 15-year-old troublemaker named Angus. Along with an African-American cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph ), they form a small family of misfits who bond over misadventures for two very snowy weeks in New England. Writing and directing is Alexander Payne, who reteams with Giamatti for the first time since the brilliance of 2004’s Sideways. (Oct. 27 in theaters)
* Dream Scenario — Nicolas Cage is virtually synonymous with offbeat movies and it looks like he has done it again. He plays a hapless family man whose life is sorely disrupted when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. We guess that is one way to become famous, but before long those dreams take a nightmarish turn, From the twisted mind of Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli. (Nov. 10 in theaters)
* The Marvels — Aren’t spandex-clad superheroes supposed to be confined to the summer months? Or maybe that rule only applies to the male of the species. For here come a trio of girl power lovelies — Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) — getting their own movie and the chance to save the universe, instead of being shuttled to the background. (Nov. 10 in theaters)
* The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — If you are a fan of this series based on Suzanne Collins’ action-adventure trilogy, you are probably craving the backstory of these characters. Director Francis Lawrence returns to oblige with the history of Coriolanus Snow, before he became president, rising in the ranks of the Capitol’s political system. The focus is on how he mentors young Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) from District 12 in the first ever Hunger Games. The hope, of course, is how this West Side Story veteran will prove to be a worthy predecessor to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. (Nov. 17 in theaters)
* Next Goal Wins — Writer-director Taiki Waititi has become a filmmaker whose work has attained a “don’t miss” status. So while his take on the infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team and their brutal 31-0 loss in a 2014 FIFA World Cup match sounds a lot like a Ted Lasso episode, we remain intrigued. Michael Fassbender plays Thomas Rongen, the American Samoa team coach. Don’t expect suspense, but there should be a few laughs. (Nov. 17 in theaters)
* May-December — TV star Natalie Portman comes to town to shadow Julianne Moore, a former teacher who scandalously married her student years ago, in order to play her in an upcoming movie. It sounds like a scenario tailor-made for writer-director Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven), who should capture the tale in all its retro glory and bring out the best in his two female stars. (Nov. 17 in theaters, Dec. 1 on Netflix)
* American Fiction — Hell hath no fury like an underappreciated author, like Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright). While his latest tome keeps being rejected by publishers, a clearly inferior book called We’s Lives in Da Ghetto by Sinatra Golden zooms to the top of the bestseller lists. In his rage, he writes a book that plays into stereotypes — and suddenly finds the success that has eluded him. This satirical look at the publishing industry and America’s unease over matters of race is adapted from Percival Everett’s novel by director Cord Jefferson. Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown fill out the cast. (Nov. 17 in theaters, Dec. 1 on Netflix)
* Napoleon — Ridley Scott weighs in with another historical epic, with a favorite actor of his, Joaquin Phoenix as French emperor and military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. The focus is on his ruthless political climb and his obsessive, combustible relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). But just because it tells an intimate story, there is apparently plenty of room for grand battle sequences, historical reenactments and palace intrigue. (Nov. 22 in theaters)
* Maestro — Could we agree to not talk about Bradley Cooper’s prosthetic nose? Early on, that’s what was getting all the attention in this biographical account of the great Leonard Bernstein, composer of countless scores for stage and screen, and flashy conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Less well known, understandably, is his private life and his longtime marriage to television and stage star Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Cooper both plays Bernstein and directs the film, which just might bring classical music back in vogue. (Nov. 22 in theaters, Dec. 20 on Netflix)
* Wish — Jiminy Cricket made wishing on a star popular, and that is exactly what a young girl named Asha does when she discovers that her kingdom’s leader, the charismatic King Magnifico (Chris Pine), is actually a villain. She wishes for help in saving her kingdom and receives the assistance of a talking goat named Valentino and a cosmic force. Voicing Asha is recent Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, who will surely have a few musical solos to belt. (Nov. 22 in theaters)
* Saltburn — Director-scribe Emerald Fennell moved to the A-list of screenwriters with her Oscar-winning work on the scathing Promising Young Woman. Her follow-up is the tale of an Oxford student who becomes fixated on the rich lifestyle of a classmate and decides to do something about it. Barry Keoghan plays the envious student, who ingratiates himself into a wealthy English family. Not sure what she plays, but Fennell finds a way to get her Promising Young Woman star, Carey Mulligan, in the picture. (Nov. 24 in theaters)
* Poor Things — The movie adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel that riffs on the creation of Frankenstein’s monster. In this case, it follows the evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant if unorthodox Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). It is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite), so fasten your seatbelt for a wild ride. (Dec. 8 in theaters)
* The Boy and the Heron — Master animator Hayao Miyazaki gives us this story of a boy who moves from Tokyo after his mother’s death to a smaller village which has a tall, enigmatic tower. That tower becomes a dream-like gateway to a fantastical dream world as only the maker of Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke could devise. Alas, the 82-year-old Japanese living legend has stated this will be his final feature film. (Nov. 22 in theaters)
* Leave the World Behind — Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke play characters on Long Island facing the prospect of a cyberattack-spurred apocalypse. Sam Esmail (TV’s Mr. Robot) wrote and directed this adaptation of Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel. (Dec. 8 on Netflix)
* Wonka — Roald Dahl’s chocolate factory owner character again goes before the cameras, this time in an origin story that focuses on how a young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) met the Oompa-Loompas on one of his earliest adventures. Along to fill out the details will be Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant and Sally Hawkins. (Dec. 15 in theaters)
* Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget — Aardman Productions’ long-awaited follow-up to 2000’s stop-motion Chicken Run. Since that one was an homage to The Great Escape but with feathers, expect references to other classic films. Thandie Newton, Zachary Levi and Bella Ramsey provide some of the voices. (Dec. 15 on Netflix)
* Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — Arthur, a/k/a Aquaman (Jason Momoa, who else?) enlists the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his quest to avenge his father’s death. Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman return to the underwater franchise and James Wan directs. (Dec. 20 in theaters)
* Ferrari — Set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari’s (Adam Driver) auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy. Penélope Cruz and Shailene Woodley also star, under Michael Mann’s direction. (Dec. 25 in theaters)
* The Color Purple — The Broadway musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel, about the lifelong struggles of African-American Celie (Fantasia Barrino), in the South during the early 1900s. Perhaps you recall that Steven Spielberg took a crack at this epic tale almost 30 years ago. The new cast includes Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo and Halle Bailey. (Dec. 25 in theaters)