Few could have predicted that Barbie would rule the summer, but we know exactly what’s going to rule the fall. Welcome to the 2023 fall movie preview, io9’s look at all of the sci-fi, fantasy, superhero, animation, and genre films coming to your eyeballs to close out the year. And while the season already lost a heavy hitter in Dune: Part Two, a quick look at this list will reveal that there’s plenty more to come—and that more than any other genre, horror is about to dominate the season.
There are almost two dozen horror movies coming to theaters and streaming this fall. The list includes new spin on the iconic Exorcist franchise, a long-awaited video adaptation of Five Nights at Freddy’s, a return to the world of Saw, and much, much more. Plus, in addition to sci-fi, horror, fantasy, superhero, and animated films coming this fall, we had to add a category called “Weird” because, well, there are also some really weird movies heading to theaters. Check them all out in the following slides.
Note: All release dates are subject to change, especially with the ongoing writers and actors strikes impacting promotion and releases.
The Creator (September 29)
Director Gareth Edwards is back with his first post-Rogue One film, an original, incredible-looking sci-fi adventure about a soldier (John David Washington) who finds himself protecting an all-important, artificially intelligent child.
No One Will Save You (September 22 on Hulu)
Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, Short Term 12) plays a young girl hoping to get away from the world at her childhood home, only to encounter and battle aliens there.
57 Seconds (September 29)
Josh Hutcherson and Morgan Freeman star in a movie about a tech blogger who discovers time travel and uses it to get revenge on the company that ruined his family. Kind of a fun premise but that’s a terrible title.
Foe (October 6)
Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal star in this very dramatic, very intriguing sci-fi adaptation about a woman who struggles with the possibility of having a robot version of her husband keep her company.
Divinity (October 13)
Steven Soderbergh executive produced this sci-fi tale about a world that has discovered the secret to immortality and the two men who plan to abduct its leader. Scott Bakula and Stephen Dorff star.
The Mill (October TBD on Hulu)
In this tale set in a recognizable near future, an employee of the world’s largest company is sent to a terrifying prison to prove to his corporate overlords he can advance up the company’s ladder.
Fingernails (November 3 on Apple)
Technology has made love perfect. It knows exactly who is right for you and puts you together. Only, this time, one woman thinks it may have made a mistake. The film is anchored by an amazing cast including Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, and Luke Wilson.
Rebel Moon (December 22 on Netflix)
Arguably one of the biggest films of the fall isn’t coming to theaters. Well, at least not yet. It’s coming to Netflix and it’s Zack Snyder’s latest mega sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon. The film is apparently a loose blend of Star Wars and Seven Samurai and looks completely bonkers. We’re crossing our fingers it’s half as cool as it looks.
All Fun and Games (September 1)
Stranger Things’ Natalia Dyer and Ender’s Game’s Asa Butterfield star in a Russo Brothers-produced film about a group of friends who find a cursed knife that forces them to play deadly versions of childhood games.
The Nun II (September 8)
The Conjuring franchise continues its horror dominance with this latest installment of its multiple prequel stories. In 2018, The Nun introduced us to the origins of the evil, title character—and now we’ll see how she made her way out into the world.
El Conde (September 8)
What happens when one of the world’s most prominent fascists, who is actually a vampire, decides they don’t want to be immortal and undead anymore? Find out in El Conde, which debuts first in theaters, then a week later on Netflix.
Satanic Hispanics (September 15)
Satanic Hispanics is an all-Latino horror anthology film featuring segments by Gigi Saul Guerrero (Bingo Hell), Mike Mendez (Big Ass Spider!), Demián Rugna (Terrified), Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead), and Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project).
A Haunting in Venice (September 15)
To be honest, we aren’t quite sure this is a “horror movie ” per se. It certainly is selling something scary and supernatural, but the previous two Agatha Christie adaptations in the series—Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile—were straightforward murder mysteries. So, we’ll see, but it’s intriguing.
It Lives Inside (September 22)
An Indian girl trying to reject her heritage is forced to embrace it when an ancient demon possesses her best friend.
Saw X (September 22)
They did it. They made it to Saw 10! Sure, a few of the entries didn’t abide by the numbers (Saw 3D, Jigsaw, and Spiral) but the story has now circled back to the iconic, long-dead villain Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) in a prequel story set between previous Saw movies. We can’t wait.
The Exorcist: Believer (October 6)
Yes, there’s so much horror we had to put this category on two pages.
Maybe the biggest horror film of the season is The Exorcist: Believer, a legacy sequel that reboots the iconic franchise along with the return of original star Ellen Burstyn. It’s from the team that made the similar legacy sequel Halloween films.
When Evil Lurks (October 6)
The discovery of a dead body near their home sets two brothers off on a frightening adventure in which they must race against the clock to stop a demon from escaping its human host.
Totally Killer (October 6 on Prime)
Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) stars as a teen who is being stalked by a killer, only to travel back through time and have to save the young version of her mom (Julie Bowen) from the killer in the past.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (October 6 on Paramount+)
Set in 1969, it’s a prequel to the legendary Stephen King book/movie.
In the Fire (October 13)
It’s basically Amber Heard in The Exorcist, but set in the 1800s.
The Devil on Trial (October 17 on Netflix)
Nothing is scarier than a true story and this is a documentary about the first and only time demonic possession was used as a defense in a murder trial.
Five Nights at Freddy’s (October 27)
Blumhouse has been trying to get a movie based on the popular game franchise off the ground for years and now, it finally has. It follows a father (Josh Hutcherson) and daughter who end up in a long-closed restaurant inhabited by killer robot animals.
Suitable Flesh (October 27)
Heather Graham starts as a psychologist who just wants to help a patient with mental health issues, but then finds herself going down a deep, dark rabbit hole of horror.
Appendage (October TBD on Hulu)
When a fashion designer starts to get very sick, she realizes it might because because she’s about to grow a new appendage out of her body. And she’s not the only one.
Thanksgiving (November 17)
What you see above isn’t the film currently scheduled for release in November. It is, however, the inspiration. Director Eli Roth made a fake trailer for the 2007 film Grindhouse and now, 15-plus years later, he’s making it a reality.
The Marvels (November 10)
This simultaneous sequel to Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and WandaVision is one of the most fascinating Marvel films in years. Can this story of three heroines forced together by an evil entity possibly live up to all of those films and shows? We certainly hope so, especially after a few stumbles by the once-untouchable brand name.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 20)
A long-awaited, highly anticipated sequel to the surprise 2018 mega-hit, Jason Momoa re-teams with director James Wan to continue this epic underwater saga. But with the DC Universe in such turbulent waters themselves, will Aquaman 2 make the splash it needs to?
The Boy and The Heron (Fall TBD)
Every film legendary director Hayao Miyazaki has made has been incredible. So why should his new film, which purposefully doesn’t even have a trailer, be any different? No official release date has been set, but November or December seems most likely.
Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia (September 1)
A sequel to the 2012 Oscar-nominated animated film Ernest and Celestine, this time the unlikely friends travel to Ernest’s home country where music has been banned altogether.
The Inventor (September 15)
Daisy Ridley and Matt Barry are among the actors providing voices to this stop-motion animated film about the life of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Spy Kids: Armageddon (September 22 on Netflix)
Robert Rodriguez loves making family films and the Spy Kids franchise is his bread and butter. The latest installment features Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez as the parents, who once again will need to be saved by their kids. You can only see it on Netflix.
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (September 29)
Popular animated series Paw Patrol gets its first big-budget trip to the big screen, and it’s raising the stakes as the whole patrol becomes superheroes.
Trolls Band Together (November 17)
I haven’t seen the other two (very successful) Trolls movies, but this trailer seems to tease that this third installment might act as a sort of N’Sync reunion. And well, that would be a miracle.
Leo (November 21)
Every elementary school has a class pet. So what is their life like, especially at the end of the school year? Adam Sandler and Bill Burr provide the voices of the animals in this Netflix animated comedy.
Wish (November 22)
Disney Animation returns with this film that tells its own unique story, but is seen through the prism of 100 years of the Disney brand itself, filled with Easter eggs and reverence for the idea of Disney animation.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (December 15 on Netflix)
It’s been almost 25 years since Aardman released its award-winning stop-motion animated film Chicken Run,and now its sequel is finally coming… to Netflix.
Migration (December 22)
Illumination, the team behind the Minions movies and the Super Mario Bros. Movie, is back with what it hopes will be a second mega smash hit. This one follows a team of birds migrating.
Perpetrator (September 1)
On her 18th birthday, a girl discovers a terrifying family secret: she’s not exactly fully human. Alicia Silverstone co-stars.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose (September 1)
Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver, and Christopher Lloyd star in this story about a paranormal psychologist investigating the rare case of a talking animal—a mongoose, as you discerned from the title.
My Animal (September 8)
Upcoming Star Wars star Amandla Stenberg stars in this queer werewolf love story that debuted this year at Sundance. What else do you need to know?
Expen4bles (September 22)
We put Expend4bles under fantasy because it certainly doesn’t seem real that this franchise is still going. And yet, it is, along with its mega star cast, and even bigger cameos.
Once Within a Time (October 13)
Legendary experimental film director Godfrey Reggio (Koyaanisqatsi) returns with an apocalyptic fairy tale about the end of the world. Steven Soderbergh produces.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (November 17)
How did The Hunger Games become “The Hunger Games?” This prequel film aims to explain just that. And while that doesn’t really sound particularly appealing, the excellent trailer shows a lot of promise.
Poor Things (December 8)
Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Favorite and The Lobster, returns with this Frankenstein-inspired dramedy starring Emma Stone as the reanimated being and William Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo as the men along for the ride.
Wonka (December 15)
Timothée Chalamet stars in this prequel to the Willy Wonka film we all know and love. And it’s a musical. And Paul King, who made the Paddington movies, directs. If this film has half the heart those names promise, its name recognition and star power should make it a big hit.
Good Boy (September 8)
Imagine you meet a potential love interest and things are going well. Then you find out they have a roommate. A roommate who pretends to be a dog. Well, that’s what happens in the disturbing-sounding Good Boy.
Dicks the Musical (September 29)
What would The Parent Trap look like if it was a hard R-rated musical with an incredible cast and some odd-looking monsters? It would be Dicks the Musical.
Dear David (October 13)
Based on the viral Twitter thread, Dear David is about a comic artist who experiences sleep paralysis and believes he’s communicating with a dead boy named David.
Dream Scenario (November 10)
Nicolas Cage stars as a lonely man who, one day, becomes famous because millions of people all have dreams about him. That should totally go normally, right?
