The 13 Most Anticipated Fall Movies Of 2018

With school back in session and the cooler winds of September approaching, the summer movie season has drawn to a close. While the fall has normally been marked by a notable lull in films, that certainly isn’t the case this year. Studios have increasingly become aware of how to make every month of the year work for them and that’s apparent in the release schedule for the months leading up to Halloween.

In honor of everyone’s favorite spooky holiday and some of the great scary movies arriving throughout September and October, we have assembled a list of the 13 most anticipated films of the 2018 fall season. They run the gamut from blockbusters to indie releases, from family friendly flicks to shiver-inducing horror movies. Together they make it clear that this is one fall movie season everyone should be looking forward to.

Mandy

Release Date: September 14

Directed by Panos Cosmatos

Mandy is prepared to return Nicolas Cage in top form with a performance as a demented hunter of demons and cultists who destroyed his seemingly perfect life. The movie promises more than a story that plays to Cage’s strengths; it also delivers loads of great action and some truly terrifying set and creature designs. While the aesthetic already has “cult film” written all over it (both literally and figuratively), this is a movie every horror and action buff should consider seeing in theaters.

The Predator

Release Date: September 14

Directed by Shane Black

Relaunches and continuations of the Predator franchise have struggled in recent years, but the attachment of director Shane Black should have fans feeling optimistic. His penchant for hilarious dialogue, great character work, and action setpieces will likely deliver an exciting reimagination of the Predator and one that subverts audience expectations. If anyone is going to make The Predator work in 2018, it’s Shane Black.

A Simple Favor

Release Date: September 14

Directed by Paul Feig

This suspense film looks to have actress Anna Kendrick play against type, moving her from the role of easy-to-love innocent to a potentially far more nefarious character. It promises as many twists as a Gillian Flynn novel, enough to leave audiences guessing and gasping about what has really occurred until the very last scene.

The House With A Clock In Its Walls

Release Date: September 14

Directed by Eli Roth

Eli Roth is taking his talents in an unexpectedly PG direction with an immensely talented pair of leading stars guiding what could be the start of a new supernatural franchise geared towards families. The source material provides a lot of inspiration for future movies and Jack Black looks to be a lot of fun in his role as a quirky wizarding uncle. This may provide both parents and kids plenty to enjoy.

Venom

Release Date: October 5

Directed by Ruben Fleischer

Venom has become one of the most debated superhero releases of 2018, with fans unsure of whether Sony can hit a homerun on their own or if Venom can function without Spider-Man. Tom Hardy’s performance looks to be fascinating though and new trailers have guaranteed some solid laughs and action. While this one remains a big question mark, it’s one that has definitely earned a look in theaters.

Bad Times at the El Royale

Release Date: October 12

Directed by Drew Goddard

If there’s one thing this movie isn’t lacking, it’s ambition. Bad Times at the El Royale features a star-studded cast playing a very eccentric set of characters. All of them are trapped in a motel with far too many secrets set between the decadence of both Nevada and California. While it’s unclear how cleanly all of the pieces will fit into two hours, there’s too much happening here to resist checking it out.

First Man

Release Date: October 12

Directed by Damien Chazelle

Director Damien Chazelle reteams with his leading man from La La Land, Ryan Gosling, to tell a story that’s much more down to Earth even as it literally moves toward the stars. This biopic of landing the first man on the moon is bound to be an incredibly tense feature with a cast that can absolutely backup the high stakes and emotional insanity of strapping a man to a rocket in 1969.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

Release Date: October 12

Directed by Ari Sandel

The first Goosebumps adaptation was a sleeper hit, exceeding all expectations and delivering some of the best laughs and scares (below an R-rating) back in 2015. That’s why we’re thrilled to see it returning to theaters for a sequel that can deliver even more of R.L. Stine’s many chilling ideas to the big screen. If you slept on the original, be sure to check it out before the sequel arrives on October 12th.

Also, be sure to check out some exclusive photos from the movie below.

The Oath

Release Date: October 12

Directed by Ike Barinholtz

This farcical comedy is tackling the oft repeated Thanksgiving rule that you should never discuss politics in the most exaggerated fashions imaginable. It’s a solid premise that is backed up by one of the best comedic ensembles of 2018. If there’s any movie that can manage to take the political landscape of this year and help audience laugh through the tears, it’s likely to be The Oath.

Halloween

Release Date: October 19

Directed by David Gordon Green

The Halloween franchise has never come close to achieving the true greatness of the original film, but the public statements made by both John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis have set expectations for this sequel incredibly high. Ignoring the messiness of the past several decades, it is connected directly to the original and promises to refocus on the pure elemental horror that so many horror fans associate with Michael Myers.

The Hate U Give

Release Date: October 19

Directed by George Tillman Jr.

Based a the novel of the same name by Angie Thomas, this film promises to tackle prominent issues of race, policing, and class in America with real nuance and no easy answers. There’s a reason the source material has received so many plaudits and is already being taught in high schools across the United States. If the film is even half as good, it’s bound for great things as well.

mid90s

Release Date: October 19

Directed by Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill’s directorial debut is taking a low budget look at what it was like to grow up in the 1990s, with a strong focus on skateboarding culture. The film features an incredibly strong, young cast and its association with A24 suggests a surefire critical hit. Hill has already made the leap from teen comedies to serious dramatic roles, and it looks like he’s ready to make another big step in his career this fall.

Suspiria

Release Date: October 26

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Remaking Dario Argento’s classic thriller sounds like a fool’s errand, but the talent attached to this production along with early trailers suggest that Amazon might have actually pulled it off. If nothing else, this looks to be an incredibly ambitious approach to material that horror fans already know to be potent. We’re ready to give the new Suspiria a fair shake to see how it measures up more than 40 years after the original debuted.