With spooky season on the horizon, let’s take a look at what movies will be released this October. Whether you’re looking for classic horror movies, slashers, dramas or comic book adaptations, there’s something for you.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” (Oct. 4)
The long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning “Joker” will be released on Oct. 4. It follows the criminal trials of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and his time at Arkham Asylum, a hospital for the clinically insane.
Perhaps the biggest change in the sequel will be the addition of Oscar-winning pop star Lady Gaga, who will be playing Harley Quinn, the classic right-hand woman to the Joker. Along with Lady Gaga, the film will also be a musical. “Folie à Deux” will be competing to match the success of its predecessor, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
The movie will likely continue exploring the themes of social justice, mental health and love from the first movie.
“Terrifier 3” (Oct. 11)
Bringing the Christmas spirit on Oct. 11, “Terrifier 3” will center around Art the Clown’s continued terrorizing of the residents of Miles County, this time on Christmas Eve.
The film will see David Howard Thornton return as Art for a third time. Lauren LaVera and Elliott Fullam will also be returning as siblings Sienna and Jonathan Shaw, who will be pitted against Art once again.
Victoria Heyes, the heroine turned villainess of the original “Terrifier” played by Samantha Scaffidi, is also rumored to have a much more important role in this movie. With the surprise success of the previous film, “Terrifier 2,” “Terrifier 3” will be hard-pressed to follow up on that success.
“Saturday Night” (Oct. 11)
The biographical comedy-drama film “Saturday Night” will showcase the 1975 premiere of what will become “Saturday Night Live.” The film was directed by “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” director Jason Reitman, who also wrote and co-produced the film along with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” director Gil Kenan.
The film’s ensemble cast includes stars such as Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien and Cory Michael Smith who will be taking on the roles of Lorne Michaels, Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase respectively.
“Saturday Night” had its world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on Aug. 31, and the film will have its theatrical release on Oct. 11.
“It’s a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed,” Entertainment Weekly said in a review.
“The Apprentice” (Oct. 11)
“The Apprentice” will follow Donald Trump’s rise to power in the 1970s and 80s. Sebastian Stan takes on the role of Trump, with the film also starring Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova as Roy Cohn and Ivana Trump.
The biographical drama will center on Trump’s relationship with Cohn, a New York City prosecutor who worked with Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Second Red Scare.
The film is directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, known for directing “Border,” “Holy Spider” and two episodes of “The Last of Us.” The film is written by American journalist Gabriel Sherman.
Its release on Oct. 11 comes at a critical moment in the United States presidential race. The Trump campaign has tried to take legal action against the movie, including a cease-and-desist letter.
“Smile 2” (Oct. 18)
The sequel to Parker Finn’s psychological supernatural horror film “Smile,” “Smile 2” will see Naomi Scott play pop singer Skye Riley who begins to experience horrifying events while on tour.
Kyle Gallner will be reprising his role as Joel from the first film. “Smile 2” will be released with high expectations, with the commercial success of “Smile” grossing over $200 million worldwide.
“Venom: The Last Dance” (Oct 25)
Tom Hardy will return as Eddie Brock and Venom in the fifth film of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, directed by Kelly Marcel. The film will also feature a star-studded cast alongside Tom Hardy, with British Academy Film Award winners Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple
Both Ejiofor and Temple will likely be at home in a film like this, having starred in several superhero movies including “Doctor Strange” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” respectively.
Additionally, Clark Backo has also been cast in an unknown role. Netflix and Disney + subscribers will also be able to enjoy the movie after its theatrical release.
“Venom: The Last Dance” will be competing with its predecessors’ success at the box office — over $800 million for “Venom” and over $500 million for “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” — with a similar budget of over $110 million.
All movies can be watched at most movie theaters near you on its release date. Make sure you don’t miss out on any of these amazing movies coming out this October. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “Saturday Night” and “The Apprentice” will all likely be strong competitions for academy awards.