Back-to-school season brings in a slew of new movies — because since it’s September, it’s basically Halloween, which means Christmas is right around the corner. From original horror IPs to adaptations of classics, here are our picks for films to look forward to this fall quarter.
“Clayface” — Warner Bros. Pictures
We are all works in progress.
The DC Universe’s first horror-thriller, “Clayface,” hits theaters Oct. 23. Directed by James Watkins and written by horror legend Mike Flanagan and screenwriter Hossein Amini, “Clayface” stars Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen: a rising actor in Hollywood who is disfigured. Desperate to be a star, Hagen undergoes an experimental surgery to restore his looks and is left with unintended consequences. Harries is joined by supporting cast Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan.
For DC, “Clayface” seems out of left field, but that’s what makes it so exciting. Rather than treating “Clayface” as a spectacle, the studio embraces body horror with trailers showing Hagen’s grotesque transformation. With Watkins and Flanagan shaping the screenplay, “Clayface” has the model to go into uncharted territory.
The DCU has something to prove: that it is more than capes and action. If “Clayface” succeeds, it could prove that the new DCU isn’t afraid to get down in the mud.
–Uziel Puente
“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” — Lionsgate Studios
The Hunger Games are back on the big screen, but this time, we already know the victor.
Set for a Nov. 20 release, “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” returns to Panem for the 50th Hunger Games, telling the story of Haymitch Abernathy played by rising actor Joseph Zada. This Quarter Quell Game introduces a twist, doubling the number of tributes and raising the stakes for the District 12 members. The rest of the star-studded cast features new and familiar faces, from Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, to Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner.
For longtime “Hunger Games” fans, “Sunrise on the Reaping” is a much-anticipated look into the backstory of one of the most memorable characters in the franchise. It follows the prequel novel of the same name, which is the newest release in Suzanne Collins’ bestselling series. Although audiences already know that Haymitch survives his games, “Sunrise on the Reaping” will showcase the trials he endures that make him into the hardened mentor we see in the original “Hunger Games” series.
May the odds be in your favor to see Haymitch’s story unfold on the big screen.
–Abby Michaelides
“Sense and Sensibility” — Focus Features
Period dramas are always in style in October.
Set for a U.S. release on Oct. 16, the newest Jane Austen adaptation stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, respectively. “Sense and Sensibility” (2026) follows the classic story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor’s “sense” and Marianne’s “sensibility,” as they navigate through romance and sisterhood after their father’s death. This is a nuanced tale of girlhood and class struggle that no doubt stands the test of time.
“Sense and Sensibility” arrives in the fall of 2026 as a classic retelling of a familiar story. As audiences immerse themselves in an idealistic version of late 18th-century England, it is easy to swoon over soaring landscapes, charming suitors and the everlasting bond of sisterhood — proof that the period drama genre is as alive as ever.
Do the sensible thing and go watch “Sense and Sensibility” in theaters.
–Birka Chen
“Resident Evil” — Columbia Pictures
This place will eat you alive if you aren’t careful.
Zach Cregger’s next project after “Weapons” crawled into theaters Sept. 18, bringing his vision to video game studio Capcom’s legendary “Resident Evil” franchise. The film follows medical courier Bryan played by Austin Abrams as he’s caught in the middle of the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City. Starring alongside Abrams is Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser. Cregger directs and co-writes the film alongside Shay Hatten.
Instead of adapting one of the games’ stories, Cregger pulls inspiration from his favorite installments of the franchise. Cregger, a lifelong fan of the series, has been adamant about bringing the tension of the games into theaters. He makes sure audiences can feel Bryan’s limited resources as he makes his way through the city, alongside first and third-person shots to make audiences feel like they are actually there with Bryan.
After years of questionable adaptations of the franchise, Cregger’s “Resident Evil” has something to prove. If Cregger can make filmgoers feel as though there was nothing left out of the games, Raccoon City might finally be done justice.
–Uziel Puente
“Ebenezer” — Paramount Pictures
Kick off the holiday season with something spooky.
“Ebenezer,” directed by seasoned horror filmmaker Ti West, is marketed to be a dark new spinoff on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” focusing on the titular character’s backstory. On Nov. 13, prepare to meet Johnny Depp in all of his gothic glory as Ebenezer Scrooge, joined by Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit and Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past. All eyes will be on Depp as he returns to the Hollywood spotlight — this movie may or may not mark both his, and his character’s, redemptions.
Audiences are excited yet skeptical of what “Ebenezer” will bring to this year’s holiday table. While Dickens’s classic tale has been retold countless times, “Ebenezer” seeks to unravel what came before Scrooge was, well, Scrooge. Filled with ghastly effects and movie-magic, the film seems to walk a fine line between being family-friendly and one of morbid horror.
This November, find out the ghost of Scrooge’s past with “Ebenezer.”
–Birka Chen
