Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last big blockbuster. Fall has always been a great time to go to the movies: The season is dominated by awards contenders, and studios are also keen to drop big-budget films here and there. This fall in particular, audiences will be spoiled for choice.
Though Marvel and DC’s biggest films have come and gone, there’s still plenty to look forward to. A handful of classic sci-fi franchises are set to make major comebacks, while original horror stories will pave the way for spooky season. There’s something for everyone this year, so here are the 10 most anticipated fall films to watch out for.
The Long Walk
If the return of The Hunger Games franchise has proven anything, it’s that brutal dystopian thrillers can still work at the box office. There’s something perversely entertaining about the collapse of a world that mirrors our own, and The Long Walk might be the cautionary tale that hits the closest. Based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel and directed by Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence, the film takes the idea of a battle royale to a gruesome extreme. In a near-future America destroyed by poverty and famine, one young man from each state is subjected to the Long Walk, a televised cross-country race with one rule: walk or perish. It’s a much slower, subdued tale than the kind we may be used to from King, but with performances from David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, and Mark Hamill, it’s sure to pack a punch.
Release date: Sept. 12, 2025
Him
From producer Jordan Peele and director Justin Tipping comes a sporty horror story. Tyriq Withers, fresh from his turn in I Know What You Did Last Summer, stars as Cam, a college football player who’ll stop at nothing to chase greatness. When he’s selected to train with his sports idol (Marlon Wayans) at his remote compound, Cam’s confronted with the question that’s haunted many an ascending athlete: “What are you willing to sacrifice?” There are shades of Get Out in Cam’s plight, with blood sacrifices, a secret society, and plenty of head trauma on the horizon. Him isn’t the first film to splice cultlike horrors with the world of professional sports, but it is poised to remix the trope with aplomb.
Release date: Sept. 19, 2025
One Battle After Another
Director Paul Thomas Anderson is beloved in the arthouse space, but it’s rare to see a project of his touted as a big-budget spectacle. That makes One Battle After Another an interesting offering, and Anderson’s rounded up an all-star cast — including Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, and Regina Hall — for his explosive political thriller. DiCaprio is a former revolutionary in a race against time to rescue his young daughter (Chase Infiniti), who’s been abducted by his old adversary (Sean Penn). At its core, it’s a story as interpersonal as Phantom Thread, following complex characters as they navigate their messy relationships. That it just so happens to unfold in a powder keg of an action-thriller, filmed for Imax screens, might make it a must-see.
Release date: Sept. 26, 2025
Tron: Ares
It’s been 15 years since the Tron franchise tried (and failed) to reboot The Grid, but the property is nothing if not resilient. Tron: Legacy might not have been the hit Disney had hoped for, but it still paved the way for a follow-up in Tron: Ares. While the former followed the son of a famous computer programmer, Jeff Bridges’ Kevin Flynn, as he got sucked into Flynn’s virtual reality, Ares reverses that premise. Now, it’s Flynn’s Programs entering the real world, starting with Jared Leto’s Ares. An AI soldier in search of purpose, Ares finds himself at the center of a struggle between Programs and the humans who created them, although that plot is just the door through which director Joachim Rønning will bring audiences some truly breathtaking visuals. Ares will also boast a glitchy, head-banging score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, making this a sensory feast you won’t want to miss.
Release date: Oct. 10, 2025
Frankenstein
Monster movies have always been a big-screen fixture, but after years of less-than-compelling horror offerings, it finally feels like Dracula, Frankenstein, and their contemporaries are back on top. After The Invisible Man and Nosferatu comes a new take on the original science-fiction fantasy, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Director Guillermo del Toro is reteaming with Netflix for this Victorian nightmare, and early looks tease a worthy version of the story. It won’t be the last Frankenstein film on the horizon, but this could be the definitive version of the mad scientist (Oscar Isaac) and his monster (Jacob Elordi) for a new generation.
Release date: Oct. 17, 2025
Mortal Kombat II
While 2021’s Mortal Kombat was praised for its loyalty to the iconic fighting game franchise, it did catch flak for omitting a fan favorite: Johnny Cage. The B-list actor, modeled off action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, has been a fixture in the games from the very beginning; excluding him in favor of an audience surrogate, Cole Young (Lewis Tan), ruffled feathers. Fortunately, Cage is set to join the fray in Mortal Kombat II, and he seems to be the focus of the story. The Boys’ Karl Urban portrays the character as a star who’s seen better days, and when he’s conscripted to fight against the evil Shao Khan, he’s joined by a few other fan favorites, like Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) and Jade (Tati Gabrielle). Hopefully, the Netherrealm won’t get too crowded.
Release date: Oct. 24, 2025
Predator: Badlands
Three years ago, Prey brought the Predator franchise back to life, but unfortunately, it didn’t get the chance to do so on the big screen. Prey was a Hulu Original, but its success was enough to make Disney and 20th Century Studios reevaluate their plans for the saga. Now comes Predator: Badlands, the latest and perhaps most unique installment. Not only will it be released in theaters, it will also be the first film to treat its alien hunters like protagonists, not bogeymen. The film follows a Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) as he embarks on his first hunt in unforgiving terrain. By teaming up with Thia (Elle Fanning), a plucky android created by Weyland-Yutani, Badlands will also offer a cheeky Alien crossover. Audiences are hungry for more of both franchises, and with Prey’s Dan Trachtenberg behind the camera, they likely won’t be disappointed.
Release date: Nov. 7, 2025
The Running Man
Stephen King’s books have become an IP juggernaut unto themselves, which is why we’re getting two big-budget adaptations of two similar King novels within two months. After The Long Walk comes The Running Man, a much cheekier dystopian vision directed by Edgar Wright. The story is set in a parallel version of America, circa 2025, where poverty is so prevalent that the desperate are encouraged to participate in a game show called The Running Man. Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is the latest contestant, and if he can survive while the rest of the nation tries to murder him, the prize money will allow him to save his ailing daughter. It’s as straightforward an adaptation as a King fan could hope for, especially compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 movie. Powell’s already proved his chops in less desolate circumstances, so now it’s time to see how he fares in a story with such a cruel streak.
Release date: Nov. 7, 2025
Keeper
Osgood Perkins isn’t known to take breaks. Last year, the director broke into the horror space with Longlegs, and in 2025, he’s returned with two original horror films. Keeper, a relationship drama spliced with a spooky cabin-in-the-woods premise, will see Perkins reunited with Tatiana Maslany, who had a brief but memorable role in The Monkey earlier this year. There’s no telling what Keeper will offer audiences, even after Neon unveiled its first trailer, but Perkins is probably counting on our curiosity to get the better of us this November.
Release date: Nov. 14, 2025
Wicked: For Good
Let us be glad: After a soaring cliffhanger ending in Wicked, Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) and the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) are finally returning for their second act. Wicked: For Good will tell their story’s final chapter, which serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and an adaptation of the acclaimed stage musical. Wicked was an inescapable phenomenon in 2024, and for good reason. Sure, not everyone loves a musical, but it was impossible to deny the magic of the film. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to Glinda and Elphaba, especially for those who know how this story ends, but at least we’re going out with a bang.
Release date: Nov. 21, 2025
