As Fall Festival season is officially underway with the Venice and Telluride Film Festivals in motion and TIFF kicking off soon, we are finally to the best time of the year! Grab an iced pumpkin spice latte from your local coffee place and dive into our team’s list of their most anticipated films of the Autumn/Winter season below!

His Three Daughters – opens in select theaters September 9th  

Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, and Elizabeth Olsen. What more could you want? How about these three exceptional actresses starring as sisters who reunite to care for their ailing father. His Three Daughters aims to explore the messy, funny, and complicated dynamics that come with family, particularly sisters. Reviews from TIFF in 2023 had nothing but praise for the performances from Coon, Lyonne, and Olsen that anchor the film. With His Three Daughters finally being released, I’m excited to see how the chemistry is between these three actresses, while probably making me cry in the process. – Meredith

The Substance – opens in theaters September 20th 

After picking up the Best Screenplay prize at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, The Substance will head into theaters next month! Coralie Fargeat delivers a defining film on what it means to be a woman with its unforgiving commentary on aging and the female experience. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging celebrity, who is down on her luck as she tries to navigate being a woman over 30 in the workplace. She turns to the titular substance to ‘change her life.’ The substance will allow her a new side to herself that’s “younger, more beautiful, more perfect,” but she has to agree to switch between her perfect, younger self (Margaret Qualley) and her older self every seven days without exception… what happens next demands to be seen. The Substance won’t just change Elisabeth’s life, but all of ours. – Kenzie

A Different Man – opens in theaters September 20th 

In Aaron Schimberg’s latest film, Sebastian Stan delivers his best performance to date, for which he won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the Berlin Film Festival. A Different Man follows Edward (Stan) as he navigates a tough daily existence marked by discouragement and resignation internally and what he presumes from those around him, as he suffers from a facial disfigurement. When a beautiful playwright (Renate Reinsve) moves in next door to Edward, with the timing of an experimental medical procedure becoming available to change his face, Edward’s outlook brightens, and he jumps at the chance for a new lease on life. That is all until the arrival of Oswald (Adam Pearson), a charismatic and beautifully confident stranger puts his newfound appearance into perspective. A Different Man is a film about balance between self image and social masking and becomes one of the best films of the year by the end of the exploration of the power of your attitude.  – Kenzie

The Wild Robot – opens in theaters September 27^th

Based On a beloved children’s novel of the same name and brought to life through Miyazaki-inspired drawings by a beloved animated feature director, Chris Sanders, The Wild Robot follows a robot stranded in the wilderness. She is in an unfamiliar environment, but through her skills of adaptation, she slowly learns her way around the island and unexpectedly becomes a foster mother to a young gosling. – Jillian

The Outrun – opens in theaters October 4th

Saoirse Ronan is one of our finest actors to date, and she is well on her way to becoming the Meryl Streep of her generation (and she’s already starred in a movie with Meryl!) It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve seen Ronan in a film that could have legs during awards season. Thankfully, audiences are being blessed with two films that could keep her in the conversation all the way to the 2025 Academy Awards. The first of those being The Outrun. Based on the memoir, Ronan stars as Rona, a recovering alcoholic who returns home to Scotland in hopes of healing. Ever since I heard the first reactions out of Sundance Film Festival, The Outrun shot up as one of my most anticipated films of the season. Ronan is such a transformative actress, so for her to dive into heavy subject matter like this, I’m ready to be blown away by her performance here.  – Meredith

We Live in Time – opens in theaters October 11th 

We Live in Time is a new romance from Brooklyn director John Crowley that connects a recent divorcee and up-and-coming chef in a decades-spanning story. Pairing Oscar-nominated actors together like Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh just feels right. The two have yet to star in a romance before, and based on what we’ve seen from the trailer, it looks like Garfield and Pugh are going to break our hearts and piece them back together again. A24 already broke my heart with last year’s Past Lives, so I’m looking forward to them doing it again. Heartbreak is going to feel good in a place like this. – Meredith

Saturday Night – opens in theaters October 11th 

Live from New York! The lead up to the premiere of SNL was no laughing matter, and that’s exactly what Jason Reitman explores in his latest film, Saturday Night. Gabriel LaBelle plays legendary Lorne Michaels as wrangles and rallies the writers and his Not Ready for Primetime Players for their very first broadcast. The cast list alone is enough to have me excited for the film– Rachel Sennott, Lamorne Morris, Cooper Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons, and Nicholas Braun in a dual role (and that’s barely scratching the surface) Not to mention, Reitman grew up surrounded by SNL legends thanks to his father, Ivan Reitman. This gives him a unique lens at the late night juggernaut, especially as SNL approaches its 50th anniversary in February 2025.  – Meredith 

Anora – opens in theaters October 18^th

Sean Baker’s specialty of highlighting the experiences of marginalized communities brings him to New York City following a sex worker, Anora, in his Palme d’Or-winning film. Anora falls into a whirlwind romance with the son of a Russian oligarch threatening to annul their happy arrangement.  – Jillian

Rumors – opens in theaters October 18^th

Cate Blanchett is in her weirdo era taking on the role of German Chancellor in Guy Maddin’s Rumors. The pulpy horror follows leaders of the seven nations comprising the G7, who meet for their annual summit but get lost in the woods and must still draft a statement addressing a worldwide crisis. Drawing from the cartoon nature of these institutions, these leaders find themselves stranded in the misty woods where a gigantic brain inhabits.  – Jillian

Venom: The Last Dance – opens in theaters October 25th  

I said it a few years back and I’ll say it again: Venom: Let There Be Carnage is the best Marvel film since 2004. So it comes as no surprise that Venom: The Last Dance is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Directed by series scribe Kelly Marcel, the film will see Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and alien symbiote Venom (also Tom Hardy) leave the streets of San Francisco as they both run from their pasts. Their journey will take them from desolate deserts to the streets of Las Vegas unleashing mayhem wherever they go. The Venom series looks to be embracing the “bigger is better” school of filmmaking while retaining the emotional core and humor that made the series highly entertaining in the first place.  – Reyna

Conclave – opens in theaters November 1^st

Fresh off the late-stage buzz and semi-sweep of All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave is a highly anticipated dramatic thriller from Edward Berger. Placing Ralph Fiennes at the helm for a twisty ride into one of the most lore practices in the world: selecting the new pope.  – Jillian

Blitz – opens in theaters November 1st

Fun fact: I love a good WWII drama. Films like The King’s Speech, Saving Private Ryan, Dunkirk, and Darkest Hour… I’m there in two seconds. When I learned that Steve McQueen’s next film was going to be about London bombings during WWII, it was an immediate add to the watchlist. However, what’s taken my anticipation for Blitz over the edge for this film is the cast. As mentioned earlier, this is the second film this season starring Saoirse Ronan, where she plays Rita, a mother desperately trying to find her son. Meanwhile, her son, George, is on his own journey to reunite with her and his grandfather in East London after he was evacuated. The film also stars Harris Dickinson, Paul Weller, and Erin Kellyman. Between the director, the concept, and this cast, Blitz has the potential to join the ranks as one of the great WWII films.  – Meredith

A Real Pain – opens in select theaters November 1^st

His second directorial feature sees Jesse Eisenberg get a bit vulnerable with an odd couple story of two cousins going to Poland to honor their late grandmother. Kieran Culkin brings Eisenberg out of his shell with a dynamic pairing exploring the idea of collective pain versus individual set amongst the background of one of the world’s most horrific atrocities.  – Jillian

Bird – opens in theaters November 8^th

Perfect counterparts, Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski team up in Andrea Arnold’s Bird. Arnold taps back into her realistic world of a father living by the sea struggling to spend time with his two children, one of which seeks adventures when the titular Bird comes into her life.  – Jillian

Gladiator II – opens in theaters November 22nd 

Gladiator II is the long-awaited sequel to the Best Picture-winning original film Gladiator. It’s been long rumored Ridley Scott has wanted to do this sequel, and it’s insane that it is actually here. Scott can be hit or miss; The Last Duel vs. House of Gucci in 2021 is a great example. The quality of his films is mostly dependent on whether or not he has a good screenplay. Gladiator II is written by the same screenwriter as Napoleon, so as of right now, it is a toss-up. Thankfully, the general audience definitely has a thirst for Gladiator II. The trailer was viewed 128 million times across several different platforms. It will likely catapult stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn into movie star status if it hits. Denzel Washington being a cast member instantly adds gravitas and security to this risky venture. Ridley Scott has become one of my favorite directors as I have watched his movies. One thing I know for sure is that whether the film is great or not, we will certainly be entertained, especially if the reports that the film includes rhinos and man-eating monkeys are true. This action epic will be a feast on all fronts, with a potentially high number of Oscar nominations coming its way. – Eva 

Wicked – opens in theaters November 22^nd

Over 20 years later, the story of Wicked is finally being brought to the big screen in a truly cinematic adaptation by Jon M. Chu. Not short of magic with 9 million real-life tulips being planted for one scene, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo take on the mantles of Elphaba and Glinda centering a tragic love story for the ages in the land of Oz.  – Jillian

Y2K – opens in theaters December 6th  

“Maximum Overdrive for millennials” is not something I knew I needed in my life. Y2K is comedian Kyle Mooney’s directorial debut and it looks to be a total blast making fun of the mass paranoia that went down back in 1999. The film follows two high school losers as they crash a New Year’s Eve as all hell breaks loose from the titular event. From haywire electronics to late 90’s nostalgia, there looks to be no shortage of mayhem amongst the laughs in this horror comedy from A24. I do have to give a mention to the exciting cast that includes Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, Rachel Zegler, and Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst. The more I talk or think about his movie, the more it feels tailor made for me. – Reyna

Nightbitch – opens in theaters December 6th

What better way to follow up a film about Mister Rogers than a film called Nightbitch? Marielle Heller is back with a film based on a novel of the same name starring Amy Adams. Adams plays a recently turned stay-at-home mom who grows tired, bored, and full of resentment for the life she’s fallen into. These feelings lead to something changing in her, but not what you’d think…at night she transforms into a dog. – Kenzie

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – opens in theaters December 13th

There is a new Lord of the Rings film coming out this year, but this time, it’s animated! The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a story in the LOTR universe set about 200 years before the original trilogy. It takes place in the kingdom of Rohan, and it follows a battle between King Helm Hammerhand and a Dunlending lord named Wulf in the area that will become the infamous Helm’s Deep. The King’s daughter Hera struggles to find her place in the Kingdom since she desires to be a warrior. Unfortunately, her father fails to acknowledge her abilities. While I am no expert in the LOTR universe, my love for high fantasy and the Amazon show Rings of Power has reinvigorated my interest. Also, The War of the Rohirrim is in the anime style which is so beautiful and will hopefully attract fans of this animation style to theaters. Everything previously mentioned combined with a voice cast led by Brian Cox has me itching to watch.  – Eva

Nosferatu – opens in theaters December 25th 

Roberts Eggers is finally bringing his long in works vision for a reimagining of the classic tale of Count Orlok to the big screen. In this demented, erotic fairytale, Nosferatu follows the legendary blueprint based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, as Thomas, a solicitor, (Nicholas Hoult) travels to the remotest area in the Carpathian Mountains to sell some property in his hometown to a wealthy, strange nobleman, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). Little does Thomas know but Count Orlok has his own long in the making plans with him and his young wife, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp). Bringing new life to F.W. Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece has been one of Eggers’ dreams for quite some time and in development since 2015 and will finally open this December.  – Kenzie

A Complete Unknown – opens in theaters December 25th

A Complete Unknown is the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Boyd Holbrook, Monica Barbaro, and Scoot McNairy. A trailer dropped out of nowhere in July, much to everyone’s surprise since it was assumed the film would be released next year. James Mangold is a steady hand behind the camera and is no stranger to this genre as he directed the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. The question is, will A Complete Unknown rise above the recent trend of middling biopics and elevate the genre? Still, this has shaken up the awards race, especially with Timothée in the Lead Actor category.   – Eva

Babygirl – opens in theaters December 25th 

Halina Reijn, who directed Bodies Bodies Bodies, wrote and directed this new erotic thriller starring Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in a torrid affair between a high-powered CEO and her younger intern. The cast also includes Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde, creating the sexiest ensemble of the year in a film pushing the boundaries of society’s perception of female pleasure and power dynamics. A24 will release the film just in time for Christmas!  – Kenzie

Maria – Release Date TBA

Concluding his trilogy of films centering on historically highly publicized women, Pablo Larraín presents Maria starring Angelina Jolie. Set in her final days in 1970s Paris, Larraín paints a creative reimagining of the original diva following a soundscape of her voice until the end when it’s slowly disappearing, and she must refind it for herself.  – Jillian

The Brutalist – Release Date TBA

Little angels, stand up! Brady Corbet is back with a film set to be another American classic but this time it may just be an epic masterpiece to the masses. Co-written with Mona Fastvold, Corbet’s third feature as director has been buzzed about for years, but is finally set to release. The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce and Joe Alwyn in a drama following Hungarian Jewish architect and World War II survivor named László Toth (Brody) as he reconstructs his life in America, reconnecting with family in Pennsylvania. As of now, there’s no US distributor or release date.  – Kenzie

Queer – Release Date TBA

Recently A24 became the lucky buyer of Luca Guadagino’s adaptation of Queer, poised to be his most personal film to date. Daniel Craig in a post-Bond life stars as Lee, a World War II veteran living in late-1940s Mexico City, surviving on part-time jobs and his GI Bill benefits. He becomes part of the bar scene filled with gay American expats and college students and falls for younger man Allerton.  – Jillian

Dahomey – Release Date TBA

Atlantics director Mati Diop crafted a dreamlike fantasy with her new documentary, Dahomey, confronting a recurring debate in modern society about the ownership of stolen artifacts. In November of 2021, twenty-six treasures from the kingdom of Dahomey are about to be returned to their no longer existing home, putting the students of the University of Abomey-Calavi into a conversation about the meaning of these missing artifacts.  – Jillian