2026 Fall Movie Preview: Sandra Bullock Returns, Ben Affleck Directs a Thriller and “Ebenezer” Ushers in the Holiday Season

Jessica Chastain as a terrifying mom, Nicolas Cage as John Madden and more ‘Hunger Games’ are just some of this season’s highlights

Autumn brings chilly air, falling leaves — and A-listers to the cinema. 

Making triumphant returns to the screen this fall are Sandra Bullock, Jessica Biel and Johnny Depp, while Ben Affleck, Chris Rock and Tyler Perry do double duty on camera and in the director’s chair.

Making the season an especially starry one are Nicole Kidman, Andrew Garfield, Jenna Ortega, Channing Tatum, Jessica Chastain, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise — as well as the inspired combination of Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro and Ariana Grande. 

From family-friendly adventures to devastating dramas and crack-up comedies, read on for PEOPLE’s must-see movies of fall 2026.

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Onslaught

Adria Arjona is in her badass era. After proving she can do gritty drama in Andor and twisted rom-com in Hit Man, the actress switches gears leading Onslaught, a shoot-’em-up thriller about super soldiers that comes, perhaps unexpectedly, from indie distributor A24. It costars Alex Pereira, Dan Stevens and Eric Wareheim. In theaters Sept. 4 

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Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?

When among friends, comparing notes on marriage is a time-honored tradition. In Tyler Perry’s sequel to 2007’s Why Did I Get Married? and 2010’s Why Did I Get Married Too?, the returning Sharon Leal, Jill Scott and Richard T. Jones reckon with the next generation of newlyweds — and the formidable Taraji P. Henson — in beautiful Lake Como, Italy. On Netflix Sept. 9 

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Hope

Audiences going into Hope, the latest horror-thriller-epic from South Korea’s Na Hong-jin, should know as little as possible. As its frightening trailers have shown, Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Hoyeon play villagers facing off with a mysterious and violent creature. Who husband-and-wife duo Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender are playing is anyone’s wild guess. In theaters Sept. 9 

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Practical Magic 2

They’re back, witches. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as the Owens, everyone’s favorite pair of magical sisters, in the long-awaited sequel to 1998’s Practical Magic. Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are back, too, as their kooky aunts, while Kidman’s character is now the kooky aunt to Bullock’s on-screen daughters, Joey King and Maisie Williams. Magic, mayhem and margaritas ensue. In theaters Sept. 10 

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The Uprising

Everyone loves an underdog and it’s safe to say everyone loves Andrew Garfield. Combine the two and plop him in the Peasants’ Revolt against the tyrannical Richard II of 14th century England and you’ve got writer-director Paul Greengrass’ immersive, propulsive The Uprising. In theaters Sept. 11 

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Resident Evil

If audiences aren’t familiar with Austin Abrams before this fall, they will be by New Year’s. In one of his two big movies, he reunites with Weapons writer-director Zach Cregger for the latter’s twisted take on the popular video game series Resident Evil. Joining them are Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Johnno Wilson, Paul Walter Hauser and presumably many victims of a mysterious, horrific outbreak. In theaters Sept. 18 

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The Weight

A Sundance Film Festival entry led by the always-fascinating Ethan Hawke, The Weight is a survival drama and cat-and-mouse game set in 1933 Oregon. Playing that cat, a work camp warden coercing Hawke’s character into smuggling gold through the wilderness, is none other than Russell Crowe. In theaters Sept. 18 

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Forgotten Island

No season at the movie theaters is complete without a DreamWorks Animation adventure. In Forgotten Island, inspired by Philippine mythology, two childhood friends become trapped on a colorful island that feeds on memories. H.E.R., Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto and Lea Salonga’s voices bring the fantasy-comedy to life. In theaters Sept. 25 

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Heart of the Beast

Before he returns to his Oscar-winning role of Cliff Booth (in a sequel on Netflix in December), Brad Pitt has an altogether harder stunt to pull off. In Heart of the Beast, he and only one costar — a German Shepherd — carry a survival thriller set in the remote Alaskan wilderness. It’s a grueling tale showcasing the lengths to which man and man’s best friend can rely on each other. In theaters Sept. 25 

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Primetime

Hauntingly described as “inspired by true events,” Primetime centers on Chris Hansen at the peak of his hosting Dateline’s popular “To Catch a Predator” segment. Robert Pattinson continues his busy year on-screen as an intensely focused Hansen, with Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine and Phoebe Bridgers also featured. In theaters Sept. 25 

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Unabomber

Before Ted Kaczynski became known as the Unabomber, carrying out a series of mail bombings and leading the longest manhunt in American history, he was a Harvard student who professors considered bright. Jacob Tremblay plays the titular domestic terrorist in this riveting biopic-meets-origin-story, with Russell Crowe as one such professor. On Netflix Sept. 25 

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The Deputy

A bumbling local deputy plus a missing corpse equals plenty of trouble. Duke Nicholson (grandson of Jack Nicholson) leads this offbeat crime thriller with an eclectic and starry supporting cast that includes William H. Macy, Tiffany Haddish, Stephen Dorff, Billie Lourd and Julia Fox. In theaters Sept. 25

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Verity

Novelist Colleen Hoover continues her Hollywood takeover with perhaps her most disturbing tale yet. As always, expect dark secrets to come to light in dramatic fashion. Verity stars Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett and — in her fifth of a whopping five movies released in 2026 — MVP Anne Hathaway. In theaters Oct. 2 

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Digger

Tom Cruise’s infectious enthusiasm for moviemaking gets another showcase — his first in years, notably that’s not a Top Gun or Mission: Impossible installment. As Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon racing to reverse a natural disaster he caused, Cruise is clearly having a blast. Equally playful is John Goodman as the U.S. president, with Riz Ahmed, Jesse Plemons and Sandra Hüller rounding out director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s capable cast. In theaters Oct. 2 

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Love of Your Life

When Margaret Qualley turns on the waterworks, it feels like a dare: can you possibly keep your own eyes dry? Love of Your Life, from director Rachel Morrison, is a refreshingly modern romantic drama following a woman’s journey to accept the possibility of both love and loss. Each playing manifestations of those possibilities are Gabriel Basso, Aaron Pierre and Patrick Schwarzenegger. In theaters Oct. 7 

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The Social Reckoning

A long-awaited follow-up to 2010’s The Social Network, with writer Aaron Sorkin also now in the director’s chair, this biopic takes audiences inside 2021’s dramatic leak of Facebook’s controversial business practices. Jeremy Strong takes over from Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, with Jeremy Allen White as reporter Jeff Horwitz and Mikey Madison as Frances Haugen, one of the most significant whistleblowers of the digital age. In theaters Oct. 9 

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Other Mommy

Fall can bring more than just a chill in the air; it can bring chills up your spine. That’s where Blumhouse comes in with another freak-out horror entry featuring an instantly iconic monster: in this case, Jessica Chastain as the titular paranormal entity. Few other performers could pull off her double act, as both a caring mom and her horrific doppelgänger. In theaters Oct. 9 

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Fjord

Each Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or winner sets the stage for an exciting film awards season to come. The always-brilliant Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve lead this year’s champ, the tale of a conservative couple whose parenting practices come under intense scrutiny by their progressive community. Romanian writer-director Cristian Mungiu’s film is inspired by a true story. In theaters Oct. 9 

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Matchbox: The Movie

Also inspired by Mattel toys but an altogether different tone than Barbie, Matchbox: The Movie combines impressive action with laughs — making John Cena its ideal leading man. Jessica Biel returns to the big screen as one of his friends-turned-action-heroes, a group that includes Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson and Teyonah Parris. On Apple TV Oct. 9 

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Animals

Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, in which he also stars with Kerry Washington, made a splash when viewers saw its teaser trailer. Dialogue free and riddled with tension, it laid bare the premise of Animals: a politician and his wife endure their greatest nightmare when their son is abducted by forces unknown. They wait, as the trailer indicates, on the other end of an ominously ringing phone. In theaters and on Netflix Oct. 9 

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Misty Green

Chris Rock hasn’t pulled triple duty as a writer, director and actor since 2014’s Top Five. The Rosalind Eleazar-starring Misty Green trades that rom-com’s laughs for an intense character study about an actress struggling to mount a comeback, showcasing Rock’s prowess in multiple genres. Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya and Anna Kendrick also star. In theaters Oct. 9 

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Tenzing

Tenzing Norgay was a Nepalese-Indian mountaineer whose story is ripe for Hollywood’s picking. Genden Phuntsok portrays the late Sherpa in this inspiring biopic from Jennifer Peedom, with Tom Hiddleston as New Zealand explorer Sir Edmund Hillary. Together, the pair became the first climbers confirmed to reach Mount Everest’s summit. In theaters Oct. 9, on Apple TV Oct. 16

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Sense and Sensibility

The Dashwood sisters are back and ready to make you believe in young love again. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles bring Jane Austen’s beloved heroines to life in a ravishing new interpretation of Sense and Sensibility also featuring the great Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw. In theaters Oct. 16 

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Street Fighter

Do the new street fighters stand a chance? Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang and Jason Momoa are just some of the new stars bringing the iconic video game series to vivid life. With action that’s alternately jaw-dropping and campy, the newest Street Fighter will punch and kick its way into theaters nearly 40 years after the franchise first launched. In theaters Oct. 16 

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Whalefall

The wildest premise of any movie this fall works because it feels just plausible enough: a SCUBA diver is swallowed alive by a sperm whale. As the trailer of this Austin Abrams-led thriller indicates, director Brian Duffield doesn’t shy away from showing that unlikely-but-not-impossible event in horrifying detail. In key flashbacks, Josh Brolin plays the father of Abrams’ character — who, by the way, is trapped in the whale with a squid. In theaters Oct. 16 

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Klara and the Sun

In the age of artificial intelligence, a dystopia in which Jenna Ortega plays an android designed to be a companion doesn’t feel far off. Mia Tharia plays Josiem, a sick girl in need of a friend, while Amy Adams plays her mother, agreeing to give Ortega’s Klara a chance. Taika Waititi mixes the bitter and the sweet in his adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel. In theaters Oct. 23 

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Wildwood

Animation studio Laika only releases movies every few years largely because their stop-motion techniques require meticulous care. Every frame of Wildwood, their new adaptation of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis’ beloved fantasy novels, is a feast for the eyes. Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina and Angela Bassett are just some of the all-star voice cast playing this story’s magical animal kingdom. In theaters Oct. 23 

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Wicker

The sight of Alexander Skarsgård as a man made entirely of wicker can’t be unseen. Thanks to Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s funny, poignant — and sexy — folk tale, starring Olivia Colman as a village fisherwoman who commissions a fantastical husband, audiences won’t want to forget it. In theaters Oct. 23 

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The Cat in the Hat

Warner Bros.’ latest reimagining of the Dr. Seuss classic The Cat in the Hat ups the stakes but retains the whimsy. With Bill Hader voicing the lead character — who it feels like the comedian was born to play — this computer-animated comedy goes beyond introducing merely Thing One and Thing Two into the chaos. In theaters Nov. 6 

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Wild Horse Nine

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell are writer-director Martin McDonagh’s latest odd couple in what could be as much of an awards season darling as 2022’s The Banshees of Inisherin. This dark comedy’s distinct setting alone merits attention: Rapa Nui a.k.a. Easter Island in 1973, just before the Chilean coup d’état. In theaters Nov. 6 

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Club Kid

Comedian Jordan Firstman has been a legitimate filmmaker since his impressions first went viral on social media, but a feature directorial debut signals a significant leveling up. In Club Kid, which premiered to rave reviews at Cannes, Firstman also plays lead role Peter, a party promoter who discovers he has a precocious 10-year-old son. In theaters Nov. 6 

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Ebenezer

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, one of the holiday season’s most enduring tales, gets a darkly glamorous update in horror director Ti West’s hands. Ebenezer Scrooge isn’t just star Johnny Depp’s first major role in years, it’s a perfect fit for a wacky character actor of his caliber. Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman and Ian McKellen costar. In theaters Nov. 13 

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Paper Tiger

In writer-director James Gray’s latest slice of humanity, Adam Driver and Miles Teller play brothers caught between suburban life in 1980s Queens, N.Y., and an increasingly fraught scheme involving the Russian mob. Paper Tiger, also featuring a never-better Scarlett Johansson, was the talk of the French town at last May’s Cannes Film Festival. In theaters Nov. 13 

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Madden

Football commentator John Madden might seem an unusual biopic subject — until you tap the, let’s face it, unusual Nicolas Cage to play him. David O. Russell’s return to the director’s chair also stars Christian Bale as NFL coach Al Davis and John Mulaney as Trip Hawkins, the entrepreneur who ushered in the Madden NFL video games series. On Prime Video Nov. 18 

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The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

What makes the new expansion of the Hunger Games cinematic universe so exciting is its depiction of recognizable characters’ origin stories. Set after after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and before the original trilogy, this adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ latest novel stars Joseph Zada as District 12’s poor Haymitch Abernathy (originally played by Woody Harrelson), plus Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Maya Hawke and many more. In theaters Nov. 20

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Josephine

The tragic and terrifying act that Josephine centers on occurs minutes into its story, as Channing Tatum and young Mason Reeves play a father-daughter duo heading to practice soccer in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. This Sundance Film Festival hit, a stunning depiction of childhood trauma told from a child’s perspective, also stars Philip Ettinger as the perpetrator of that act and Gemma Chan as the titular heroine’s mother. In theaters Nov. 20 

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Focker-in-Law

The definitive comedies about meeting one’s in-laws get a fourth installment over a decade later with Focker-in-Law, proving that such family dynamics remain evergreen. Joining Ben Stiller’s hapless Greg Focker and Robert De Niro’s gruff Jack Byrnes as the next-generation taker of the lie-detector test is the singular Ariana Grande, whose comedy bona fides are of course on full display. In theaters Nov. 25 

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Hexed

Autumn lends itself nicely to witchcraft. Walt Disney Animation Studios understands that all too well given Hexed, the latest fantasy featuring an all-star cast, dazzling computer animation and a story that’s sure to tug at heartstrings. Hailee Steinfeld voices a teen discovering her inner magic, with Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster and Walton Goggins filling out the ensemble. In theaters Nov. 25 

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