2022 has already been an absurdly packed year for film. We've already seen Top Gun: Maverick decimate box office records, the debut of Battinson with The Batman, great new films from Kogonada, Steven Soderbergh, Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, Dan Trachtenberg, and more, and even two different multiverses with Everything Everywhere All at Once and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Yet despite all this excellence so far this year, we simply haven't seen anything yet.
As the fall begins, it's time to get ready for some of the biggest blockbusters of the year, the beginnings of award season, and yes, even "Weird Al" Yankovic's life story. We've got massive new films from Marvel and DC, new films from Andrew Dominik, Luca Guadagnino, Park Chan-wook, James Gray, and this up-and-comer, Steven Spielberg, telling the story of his childhood. There's almost too many films to get excited about this year, but here are 40 of our most anticipated films of the fall.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (September 2)
Regina King and Sterling K. Brown give two of their best performances with Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul., as the leaders of a Southern Baptist megachurch who are dealing with a scandal and must rebuild their ministry. While Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a satire and part mockumentary, writer-director Adamma Ebo doesn’t shy away from darker, more dramatic moments in her directorial debut, allowing for two performances that are both awkwardly hilarious, and surprisingly dark at times.
Pinocchio (September 8)
Pinocchio has had no shortage of movie adaptations, including two different Roberto Benigni films, and an animated version co-directed by Guillermo del Toro later this year. But regardless of how many times that piece of wood turns into a real boy, no film has been able to beat Disney’s 1940 animated classic, so naturally, it’s time for Disney to bring their masterpiece to live-action. Granted, we all know that nothing is going to stop Disney from making these live-action adaptations, but if it was going to happen anyways, the Disney+-exclusive Pinocchio has an impressive team behind it. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and featuring Tom Hanks as Geppetto, it’s kind of hard to not get a little excited to see what this Forrest Gump/Cast Away team (let’s forget about The Polar Express) can do with this material.
Clerks III (September 13)
Sixteen years ago, Kevin Smith returned to the convenience store where his career started with Clerks II. Smith brought Randal (Jeff Anderson) and Dante (Brian O’Halloran) back to where they began as well, behind the counter at the Quick Stop, but now, as owners of the establishment. After suffering a heart attack, Smith has decided to revisit Dante and Randal once more, as Randal has a heart attack and decides he wants to make a movie about his job that would be great if it wasn’t for the fucking customers. Smith returns to his View Askewniverse characters with a heavy dose of nostalgia and heart, as he heads to the Quick Stop to tell his story through these two clerks once more.
See How They Run (September 16)
With Knives Out not coming out until the end of the year, See How They Run is here to fill the fall’s quota of mystery comedy with an excellent ensemble cast. Starring Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, David Oyelowo, Ruth Wilson and more, See How They Run takes place on the West End of London in the 1950s, when an attempt to adapt a play into a film comes to a halt when one of the crew members is murdered.
The Woman King (September 16)
We've always known that Viola Davis was an absolute badass, but The Woman King looks as though it will further confirm this. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, The Old Guard), The Woman King stars Davis as General Nanisca, the leader of a group of female warriors known as the Agojie. When an enemy comes to their kingdom of Dahomey in Africa, Davis' general and her legion of warriors must fight to keep their kingdom in tact.
Pearl (September 16)
After six years away, Ti West has come back in 2022 with a vengeance. Not only has he already directed one of the best horror films so far this year with X, he’s following that up just a few months later with Pearl, a prequel to X centered around that film’s villain. Mia Goth reprises her role as Pearl, exploring the origins of the character during World War I. Pearl’s desire for the life of stardom in 1918 will lead her to become the killer that we know her to become. If Pearl is also successful, West has already stated he’s working on a script for a third film in this series, so we could very well have a West horror trilogy on our hands soon enough.
Moonage Daydream (September 16)
Documentarian Brett Morgen has certainly taken on his fair share of larger-than-life figures, with The Kid Stays in the Picture exploring Robert Evans, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, and his 2017 Jane Goodall doc, Jane. But confining the grandiosity and many sides to David Bowie, well, that might be his biggest challenge yet with Moonage Daydream. As the first movie authorized by Bowie’s estate, and featuring footage from Bowie’s personal archives, Moonage Daydream seems like it might succeed where other films about Bowie’s life have failed. With a life as influential and remarkable as Bowie’s was, Moonage Daydream doesn’t have a lot of time to encompass the entirety of The Thin White Duke.
Don’t Worry Darling (September 23)
Remember when we were all excited that after Booksmart, Olivia Wilde was going to direct Don’t Worry Darling, a seemingly bonkers thriller starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles? Were we ever so young? My, how the conversation around this movie has changed over just a few months. Who knows if Don’t Worry Darling, with its story of an idyllic yet sinister suburban neighborhood in the 1950s, can transcend the controversies and drama around this movie, or if the talk around Don’t Worry Darling will be more interesting than the film itself.
A Jazzman’s Blues (September 23)
The path to A Jazzman’s Blues getting adapted is a long one, as the screenplay was the first one ever written by Tyler Perry back in 1995. There were plans to make this film back in 2006, which ultimately never took off, but now, Perry’s first screenplay is finally coming to Netflix. This story of forbidden love that spans decades in the Deep South is clearly a story that Perry has been passionate about for decades, and it will be intriguing to see if Perry’s first screenplay is also one of his best.
Catherine Called Birdy (September 23)
Based on the Karen Cushman novel of the same name, Catherine Called Birdy stars Bella Ramsey as the eponymous Birdy, a teenage girl in Medieval England attempting to avoid the arranged marriages set up by her father, played by Andrew Scott. Written and directed by Lena Dunham, who already released Sharp Stick earlier this year, it will be interesting to see how Dunham's usual interests adapt to this earlier time period, while it will also be exciting to see Ramsey lead her own project prior to the release of The Last of Us next year.
Sidney (September 23)
Few people have left as exceptional of a legacy as Sidney Poitier, as the iconic filmmaker and activist’s impact can still be felt today. Coming from Marshall and Boomerang director Reginald Hudlin, the documentary Sidney will explore Poitier’s remarkable achievements, and includes interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Spike Lee and more. Poitier’s work and influence is so massive, a cinematic celebration of his brilliance is long overdue.
Blonde (September 28)
For his first narrative film in a decade, Andrew Dominik is taking on the massive task of exploring the life of Marilyn Monroe (played by Ana de Armas). Based on the Joyce Carol Oates book of the same name, Blonde is also the first NC-17 film to be released through Netflix, and the only film released this year to receive the rare rating. While many have tried to bring Monroe’s life to the screen, Dominik’s fictionalized take certainly seems like one of the most intriguing attempts so far, and at the very least, the combination of de Armas and Monroe will likely make this one of the most talked about films of the fall.
Hocus Pocus 2 (September 30)
After almost a decade of rumors and hopeful fans waiting, the Sanderson sisters finally return in Hocus Pocus 2, which sees Bette Midler, Kathy Najmiy, and Sarah Jessica Parker reprising their iconic roles after thirty years. Since the original film’s release in 1993, Hocus Pocus has grown a massive following, to the point that Disney even has special Hocus Pocus themed Halloween shows at their parks. Between Hocus Pocus 2, the previously released Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and the upcoming Disenchanted, Disney is really playing up to fan’s nostalgia with their Disney+ exclusive movies, but few Disney sequels have been more anticipated than Hocus Pocus 2.
Bros (September 30)
It’s truly insane that in 2022, we are finally getting the first gay rom-com released by a major studio with Bros, but what a tremendous cast and crew to be the first. Co-written and starring Billy Eichner (who, frankly, should’ve been a lead in comedies for quite some time) Bros also has an almost entirely LGBTQ cast. And what better person to direct this rom-com than Nicholas Stoller, director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Five-Year Engagment, making his first live-action comedy since 2016. But beyond it’s groundbreaking elements in a major motion picture, it’s also just going to be great to see a big, hilarious rom-com on the screen again—especially one that will hopefully make Eichner a soon-to-be movie star.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever (September 30)
Four years ago, writer-director Peter Farrelly stepped away from comedies like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary, and made Green Book, which ended up winning Best Picture and earning Farrelly an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Last year, Apple TV+ became the first streaming service to win Best Picture with CODA. Now, the two have teamed up for The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the true story of John “Chickie” Donohue (played by Zac Efron) who during the Vietnam War, decided to bring some of his friends on the frontline their favorite American beer. With a cast that also includes Russell Crowe and Bill Murray, will The Greatest Beer Run Ever be another Oscar play for Farrelly and Apple TV+, or will this strange comedy be more in line with Farrelly’s earlier, more absurd work, or possibly a combination of both?
Mr. Harrigan's Phone (October 5)
2022 is the year of the haunted phone, apparently! After The Black Phone, we now have the adaptation of Stephen King's short story, Mr. Harrigan's Phone, which finds a young kid (Jaeden Martell) discovering that he can talk to the reclusive, rich, and recently-dead Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland) through the iPhone that he was buried with. Can The Black Phone call Mr. Harrigan's Phone? Hopefully we'll find out when this latest King adaptation comes to Netflix!
TÁR (October 7)
The films of Todd Field have been too few and far between. Field’s debut as director, In the Bedroom, was nominated for Best Picture, and his last film, 2006’s Little Children, was one of the most well-received films of the year. Sixteen years after Little Children, Field finally returns with Tár, starring Cate Blanchett as the titular Lydia Tár—considered one of the greatest composers and conductors of her time. But a psychological drama from Field and starring Blanchett seems like a winning combination, and will that pedigree, will likely be talked about throughout award season this year.
Triangle of Sadness (October 7)
Already, writer-director Ruben Östlund has won the Palme d’Or at Cannes twice: first with his 2017 film, The Square, and now, a second time with Triangle of Sadness. Centered around a luxury cruise for the absurdly rich—with Woody Harrelson playing the captain—this luxurious experience goes horribly wrong when the group finds themselves stuck on a deserted island. With The Square, Öslund found success in exploring the bourgeoisie with satire, and it seems like he’s successfully parodied this group once more with Triangle of Sadness.
Amsterdam (October 7)
Of all the films coming out this fall, Amsterdam might have the most astonishing cast. This story of a group of friends who become suspects in a murder during the 1930s includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro, and Taylor Swift—just to name a few. This also marks the return of writer/director David O. Russell, whose last film, 2015’s Joy, wasn’t quite as well-received as films like Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter—not to mention that Russell’s behavior on and off set has remained contentious at best. Russell has usually thrived with massive casts like this, but it will be interesting to see if the audience is still there for a Russell film.
Halloween Ends (October 14)
Yeah, well, we’ve heard that before. While David Gordon Green’s sequel series started out strong with 2018’s Halloween, the response was much more tepid towards last year’s Halloween Kills. As that movie proved, evil, in fact, did not die tonight, and Michael Myers is still terrorizing the town of Haddonfield. Set four years after Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends will supposedly conclude Green’s take on the franchise, and will hopefully give poor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) some closure after decades of worrying about The Shape. While the title should probably instead be Halloween Ends For Now, maybe we’ll finally get the ultimate fight between Laurie and Michael after all these years.
Decision to Leave (October 14)
A new Park Chan-wook film is always a reason to celebrate, as we haven't seen a new film from the director since 2016's gorgeous The Handmaiden. Starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-il, Decision to Leave follows a detective trying to solve the murder of a man, while also falling in love with his main suspect: the dead man's wife. Chan-wook already won Best Director at this year's Cannes Film Festival for Decision to Leave, and the film has already been chosen as South Korea's entry in the Best International Feature Film category of next year's Academy Awards, so it's likely we'll be hearing quite a bit about this film come award season.
Till (October 14)
Based on the horrific true story of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was lynched while visiting family in Mississippi, and his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, who fought for justice for her son, Till comes to theaters thanks to Clemency director Chinonye Chukwu. Danielle Deadwyler stars as Mamie Till Mobley, who is determined to show the world what has happened to her son (played by Jalyn Hall). Also starring Whoopi Goldberg, Haley Bennett, and Frankie Faison, Till is a story that is still unfortunately prescient, all these decades later.
The Good Nurse (October 19)
Based on the true story of "The Angel of Death" Charles Cullen—a nurse who is suspected of having killed 400 patients over the course of 16 years—The Good Nurse sounds like a fascinating tale to turn into a crime drama. Eddie Redmayne stars as Cullen, while Jessica Chastain plays Amy Loughren, a fellow nurse who befriends Charles, but begins to question his actions. The Good Nurse is directed by Tobias Lindholm (A War, A Highjacking) and written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night in Soho), and that combination should make for a fascinating, based-on-a-true-story mystery.
Black Adam (October 21)
Dwayne Johnson has been trying to make his debut as the antihero Black Adam for years, originally singing on as the character all the way back in 2014. The DC Universe was a much different place back then, and Johnson has stated that with Black Adam, the hierarchy of power within the DC Universe is going to change. Black Adam will also introduce the Justice Society of America into this universe, with characters like Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo). But with Shazam! Fury of the Gods now pushed until 2023, and several films in DC’s lineup in a questionable state, could Johnson’s arrival as Black Adam be the beginning of a new start for DC’s superhero cadre?
The School for Good and Evil (October 21)
Bringing the incredibly popular fantasy novel, The School for Good and Evil, to life, director Paul Feig has maybe gathered his most insane cast since Bridesmaids. Centered around two best friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), who are kidnapped and taken to the title school, these pals have to figure out how to get back home. In this journey, The School for Good and Evil features Laurence Fishburne as the School Master, as well as Michelle Yeoh, Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Ben Kingsley, Rachel Bloom, Rob Delaney, and Patti LuPone. With a cast like that and Feig behind the project, Netflix is likely hoping The School for Good and Evil could become their next big film series.
Ticket to Paradise (October 21)
Believe it or not, Ticket to Paraside will mark the fifth time George Clooney and Julia Roberts have appeared in a film together, and if their first collaboration in Ocean's Eleven taught us anything, it's that this pair is electric to watch on screen. From Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again director Ol Parker, Ticket to Paradise stars Clooney and Roberts as a divorced couple who reunite in order to stop their daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) from getting married and making the same mistake they did all those years ago. It's been quite a while since we've seen either of these two in a romantic comedy (or a romantic comedy with two stars as big as they are), so Ticket to Paradise is sure to be a welcome fun romp right in the middle of award season.
The Banshees of Inisherin (October 21)
The last time writer-director Martin McDonagh teamed up with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson was with his directorial debut In Bruges, which was one of the best comedies of the late 2000s. The Banshees of Inisherin reunites these three for a story about two longtime friends who are torn apart when one friend (Gleeson) decides he no longer wants to be a part of this relationship. McDonagh's last film, 2017's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, became McDonagh's biggest film yet, and won two Academy Awards. Could this In Bruges reunion continue McDonagh's award streak, and earn Farrell and Gleeson their first Oscar nominations?
Raymond & Ray (October 21)
Who was the absolute genius who cast Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke as half brothers in Raymond & Ray? It almost doesn't matter if Raymond & Ray is good or bad with a fantastic team-up like this. From writer-director Rodrigo García (Four Good Days, Albert Nobbs), Raymond & Ray follows these two brothers who reunite after the death of their father—with which neither had a particularly great relationship—and the two find out that their father's last wish was for the brothers to dig his grave.
Armageddon Time (October 28)
James Gray has long been one of the most interesting directors working today, with movies like Two Lovers, The Immigrant, and The Lost City of Z. His last film, 2019's Ad Astra, was certainly Gray's largest film so far, a space tale of a son looking for his father. Gray's new film, Armageddon Time, also seems to be Gray's most personal film, inspired by his 1980s childhood growing up in Queens. Starring Banks Repeta, and with a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway, and Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time might also be Gray's finest work so far.
Wendell & Wild (October 28)
Thirteen years after the exceptional stop-motion animation of Coraline, Henry Selick returns with Wendell & Wild, which reunited Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as the title characters. Written by Selick and Peele, the story follows Wendell & Wild, two demons who get the help of a 13-year-old to bring them to the Land of the Living. It’s been simply too long since we’ve had a Selick film, and Key & Peele together is always a joy, so Wendell & Wild might be the most anticipated animated film of the fall.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (November 4)
It is only fitting that the biopic of “Weird Al” Yankovic is as weird as the singer itself. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as the master parody musician, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story looks to be the most absurd musical film since Walk Hard. Weird, naturally, satires the ridiculousness of these types of films, showing Yankovic’s supposedly troubled childhood, his monstrous behavior, and his depraved antics. Weird might just be the musical biopic we need in this era of movies like Elvis and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11)
Marvel is used to major successes, but 2018's Black Panther felt like a shock to the superhero system, as Chadwick Boseman embodied this tremendous character in one of the biggest Marvel films to date, and became the only superhero film to get nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But with the tragic passing of Boseman in 2020, many wondered how Black Panther could continue—if it would at all. Our first look at Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shows a Wakanda stricken by the loss of King T'Challa, as the kingdom moves forward without its leader. As the fitting conclusion to Phase 4, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could be the most anticipated MCU film this year.
The Fabelmans (November 11)
While Steven Spielberg is one of our greatest filmmakers, a director who can earn both critical and commercial appreciation through his masterworks, some of his best films are the ones that have a more personal touch. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial explored the loss of a father after divorce, much like Spielberg dealt with as a kid, while Spielberg’s masterpiece might be Schindler’s List, in which he presented the Holocaust in stark reality, after having struggled with his own Judaism as a child. With The Fabelmans, Spielberg looks to finally tell his own story, as the film (written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner) follows an aspiring young filmmaker (Gabriel LaBelle) in his childhood. Spielberg has often showed audience how movies can impact our lives, and with The Fabelmans, it certainly seems like Spielberg is going to try and show how the movies were integral to his youth, as he seemingly tells his most personal story yet.
The Son (November 11)
With his directorial debut, The Father, Florian Zeller expertly showcased the absolute horrors of dementia in one of the best films of 2020, and with one of Anthony Hopkins' finest performances in a career packed with them. Like The Father, Zeller's second film, The Son, is based on one of Zeller's plays and follows Hugh Jackman as a divorced father trying to balance his new family, his job, and his son from his previous marriage, Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who is coming to live with him—all while trying to avoid the flaws his father made in raising him. Zeller has proven he can handle weighty familiar issues with care and grace, and The Son certainly looks like another excellent adaptation of Zeller's work.
The Menu (November 18)
Between Triangle of Sadness and The Menu, the fall movie season seems ripe with shocking stories that take the bourgeoisie down a step or two. From Mark Mylod, The Menu shows a couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) who travel to an island in order to eat at an extremely exclusive restaurant. The chef, played by Ralph Fiennes, however, has some huge surprises in store for his foodies, in what looks to be one of the most interesting dinners in recent movie history.
She Said (November 18)
It's somewhat surprising we haven't seen a major film yet about the #MeToo movement, considering the massive ripples that this movement still has in Hollywood. Starring Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan as New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, respectively, Maria Schrader's film explores these two women who helped open up the conversation about sexual assault in Hollywood. Also starring Patricia Clarkson, Samantha Morton, and Andre Braugher, it will be interesting to see how Hollywood explores this movement that made certain aspects of Hollywood implode on itself.
Strange World (November 23)
Strange World, the 61st animated film by Walt Disney Animation Studios, isn’t strange because it’s Disney’s throwback to pulp magazines, or that it has a great cast that includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Lucy Liu, Gabrielle Union, and Jaboukie Young-White—who plays the first openly gay main character in a Disney Animated canon film. Its not even that Don Hall is the first solo director of a Disney animated film in a decade. What might be most strange about Strange World is how it almost feels like a throwback to the animated Disney sci-fi action films of the early 2000s, like Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet. It’s been quite some time since Disney has made a film like this, and while those early 2000s films weren’t particularly well-received, they have gained quite the following over the decades. After learning from what worked and didn’t in the past, could Strange World show that Disney animation now knows how to do animated sci-fi action in a way that can draw in a major audience?
Devotion (November 23)
If there’s one thing that the 2022 box office has proven, it’s that this year, audiences have felt the need…the need for speed. For those looking for another story about elite fighter pilots comes Devotion, starring Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell and Jonathan Majors as the most celebrated wingmen of the Korean War. Based on the book of the same name by Adam Makos, this true story feels like it’s coming out at just the right time for fans of Maverick, and with Powell and Majors at the forefront of this tale, this could end up being one of the big surprises of the fall.
Bones & All (November 23)
Luca Guadagnino has proven that he can do romance with Call Me By Your Name, and horror with 2018’s Suspiria, so why not put these two together with his latest film, Bones & All. Guadagnino reunites with his A Bigger Splash and Suspiria writer David Kajganich, as well as CMBYN’s Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg for this tale of two cannibalistic lovers (Chalamet and Taylor Russell) who go on a road trip across the United States in the 1980s. If anyone can make us swoon through a cannibalistic romance, it’s certainly Guadagnino.
Disenchanted (November 24)
2007’s Enchanted was a massive hit, heralding the return of Disney princesses, and mixing animation, live-action, and self-parody in an extremely charming package, led by a delightful Amy Adams. So it’s shocking that it’s taken Disney fifteen years to release a sequel with Disenchanted, and even odder is the fact that it will by released solely on Disney+. While the entire cast of Enchanted is returning for this long overdo sequel, including Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Idina Menzel, the real gem here might be Maya Rudolph, who will be playing the villainous Malvina Monroe. Coming out on Thanksgiving, Disenchanted seems like it will be the perfect film for the whole family after a massive dinner and years of anticipation.