25 Fall Movies to Watch Out For: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ ‘Saltburn,’ ‘Napoleon’ and More

The weather is getting chillier and the lattes are getting pumpkin spicier, and that means it’s nearly time for fall movie season. And, thanks in part to studios delaying release dates of summer films in the hopes of waiting out the various Hollywood strikes, it’s going to be a busy one.

From now until the new year, there are a slew of exciting new fall movies coming to watch both in theaters, and on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and more. Fall means spooky season, and horror movie franchises like The Conjuring, The Exorcist, and Saw all have brand new creepy films coming to a theater near you. But fall also means Oscar movie season, which means new films from auteur directors like David Fincher, Sofia Coppola, Emerald Fennell, and Yorgos Lanthimos.

There’s a lot to keep track of, and we know you don’t want to miss a thing. For your convenience, Decider has compiled a list of the 25 most exciting fall movies to watch, coming both to theaters and streaming services before the end of the year, listed by order of release date.

1. ‘The Nun II’

   Release Date: September 8
   Where to watch: In theaters
   Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Bonnie Aarons, Storm Reid and Anna Popplewell
   Why We’re Hyped: The Conjuring franchise consistently delivers solid supernatural horror movies. This sequel to the 2018 spin-off film, The Nun, is doubly promising for horror fans because it’s co-written by Akela Cooper, the screenwriter behind recent hits like M3gan and Malignant. Set four years after the events of the first film, Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) must once again face off with that pesky demonic force known as Valek.

3. ‘Cassandro’

   Release Date: September 15 in select theaters, September 22 on Amazon Prime
   Where to watch: In theaters and Amazon Prime
   Cast: Gael García Bernal, Roberta Colindrez, Bad Bunny
   Why We’re Hyped: This film reporter got a chance to watch this uplifting biopic about the “exotico” character created by Saúl Armendáriz—one of Mexico’s first famous gay luchador wrestlers—at Sundance, and loved it. Gael García Bernal throws himself into the character completely, and his tender performance will have you in tears. Don’t miss it!

4. ‘Saw X’

   Release Date: September 29
   Where to watch: In theaters
   Cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Michael Beach and Renata Vaca
   Why We’re Hyped: If you’re wondering why every horror-head you know is suddenly marathoning the Saw movies, it’s because the tenth Saw film is coming to theaters very soon. If you’re behind on your binge, there’s no need to panic, because Saw X is intended as a direct sequel to the first 2004 Saw film and prequel to the 2005 sequel. We can’t wait to see what sort of sick, twisted games Jigsaw has cooked up this time around.

5. ‘FOE’

   Release Date: October 6 in U.S. theaters, TBA on Amazon Prime
   Where to watch: In theaters and on Amazon Prime
   Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal and Aaron Pierre
   Why We’re Hyped: It’s officially the fall of Paul Mescal, starting with this sci-fi thriller adapted from award-winning novelist Iain Reid (I’m Thinking of Ending Things). Co-written by Reid and director Garth Davis (Lion), the film follows a married couple whose lives are torn apart when a stranger arrives and informs the husband (Mescal) he must go to space and leave his wife (Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan) in the company of a robot. Two Irish national treasures on screen together? You just know this is going to be good.

6. ‘Totally Killer’

   Release Date: October 6
   Where to watch: Amazon Prime
   Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, and Randall Park
   Why We’re Hyped: ‘Tis nearly the season for arguably the best movie genre: horror comedies! Director Nahnatchka Khan (Fresh Off the Boat, Always Be My Maybe) is bringing what sounds like a good one: Kiernan Shipka as a time-traveling final girl, who goes back in time to the ’80s to save her mother from the “Sweet Sixteen Killer.” That sounds like a recipe for maximum spooky fun.

7. ‘The Exorcist: Believer’

   Release Date: October 6
   Where to watch: In theaters
   Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, and Norbert Leo Butz
   Why We’re Hyped: Many have tried to make a decent sequel to William Friedrick’s 1973 horror masterpiece, The Exorcist. But perhaps director David Gordon Green—who helmed the recent Halloween sequel/reboot trilogy—will be the one to succeed. Intended as a direct sequel to the original, this movie sees the return of Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, who must help out a new pair of parents dealing with a possessed child. After all, Chris has been there and done that! If nothing else, it will be a thrill for horror fans to see Burstyn back in the role.

8. ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

   Release Date: October 20 in theaters, TBA on Apple TV+
   Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV+
   Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro
   Why We’re Hyped: After years of anticipation, Martin Scorsese’s next film is finally almost here! Killers of the Flower Moon already got rave reviews at Cannes, and we’re dying to get our eyeballs on it. Based on a 2017 nonfiction book by David Grann, it tells the true story of an FBI investigation into the mysterious killings of members of the American Indian Osage tribe in the 1920s. It’s the sixth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, and the tenth between Scorsese and De Niro—but we’re most excited to see actor Lily Gladstone (First Cow, Walking Out) in a major role.

9. ‘Priscilla’

   Release Date: October 27
   Where to watch: In theaters
   Cast: Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi
   Why We’re Hyped: After the chaotic mess that was last year’s Elvis biopic, we’re hoping that director Sofia Coppola comes through with a more grounded take for A24, based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me. Jacob Elordi of The Kissing Booth fame plays Elvis, while Cailee Spaeny stars as his eponymous wife. Coppola knows how to handle messy women—Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring—so we have faith she’ll get it right.

10. ‘The Killer’

    Release Date: October 27 in theaters, November 10 on Netflix
    Where to watch: Netflix and in theaters
    Cast: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton
    Why We’re Hyped: If you’re of the opinion that Mank stank, you might not be thrilled to hear that David Fincher is back again with another Netflix drama. The Killer is based on the French graphic novel series of the same name by Alexis Nolent, and stars Michael Fassbender as an expert assassin who is losing his touch. But perhaps most exciting is the fact that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will be doing the soundtrack, continuing one of the greatest composer/director partnerships of modern cinema history.

11. ‘Quiz Lady’

    Release Date: November 3
    Where to watch: Hulu
    Cast: Sandra Oh, Awkwafina, Jason Schwartzman, Tony Hale, Holland Taylor, and Will Ferrell;
    Why We’re Hyped: If you’re looking for a no-frills, broad comedy this fall, then you should know that Sandra Oh and Awkwafina are going to play sisters who embark on a zany road trip to rescue a kidnapped dog, in this upcoming Hulu original. We’re obsessed with Sandra Oh’s adult punk girl look. Plus, with a cast like that, laughs are guaranteed.

12. ‘Rustin’

    Release Date: November 3 in theaters, November 17 on Netflix
    Where to watch: Netflix and in theaters
    Cast: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Audra McDonald, Jeffrey Wright
    Why We’re Hyped: Tony-winning theater director George C. Wolfe is giving Hollywood a try with this upcoming biopic about gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. With the great Colman Domingo leading the cast as Rustin, and with the backing of Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground, we definitely have high hopes for this one.

13. ‘The Marvels’

    Release Date: November 10
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, and Samuel L. Jackson
    Why We’re Hyped: We’ve all got superhero fatigue, but if any new Marvel movie can break through the fog, it’s Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels. This all-women team-up features Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and the long-awaited film appearance of Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani). It’s probably not going to change lives, but it probably is going to be a fun, empowering, girl-power romp.

14. ‘Dream Scenario’

    Release Date: November 10
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula and Dylan Baker
    Why We’re Hyped: Nicolas Cage continues to have the most interesting career in Hollywood with his upcoming offbeat, sci-fi comedy, Dream Scenario. Written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, the film is produced by Midsommar director Ari Aster, and stars Cage as an embittered professor who becomes an overnight celebrity who starts appearing in everyone’s dreams. It’s one of those indies with a bizarre concept and a promising cast that feels like it could be either a big hit or a big miss—and we’re hoping for a bit hit.

15. ‘Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure Of Foggy Mountain’

    Release Date: November 17
    Where to watch: Peacock
    Cast: Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy
    Why We’re Hyped: The spiritual successors to The Lonely Island boys have been killing it with their bizarre, fast-paced, and meticulously edited sketches on Saturday Night Live, so we’re excited to see what the Please Don’t Destroy lads do with a feature-length format. Produced by Judd Apatow and Jimmy Miller, and written by Marshall, Higgins, and Herlihy, the film follows three best friends who set off on an adventure to search for buried treasure. We’re certain that weird, off-beat hilarity will ensue.

16. ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes‘

    Release Date: November 17
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis
    Why We’re Hyped: Where are my Hunger Games girlies at? Obviously, we’ll never recapture the magic of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, but we’re still reasonably excited about this prequel film, which is based on the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins. Set during the 10th Hunger Games—64 years prior to the events of the first book—the plot follows a young President Snow (Tom Blyth) and his relationship with a girl named Lucy Graybird (Rachel Zegler), the District 12 tribute. We love a villain origin story!

17. ‘Napoleon’

    Release Date: November 22 in theaters, TBA on Apple TV+
    Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV+
    Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim
    Why We’re Hyped: Director Ridley Scott has promised audiences an epic historical drama about the infamously power-hungry French leader, and we feel certain he’s going to deliver. Joaquin Phoenix will no doubt deliver another Oscar-worthy performance, but we also have our eye on Vanessa Kirby, who absolutely killed it in the heartbreaking 2020 drama, Pieces of a Woman.

18. ‘Maestro’

    Release Date: November 22 in theaters, December 20 on Netflix
    Where to watch: Netflix and in theaters
    Cast: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Jeremy Strong, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman
    Why We’re Hyped: It’s unfortunate that Bradley Cooper made the controversial choice to wear a large prosthetic nose to play Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein in this upcoming biopic. That’s a big yikes. Still, Cooper proved he could direct with A Star Is Born, and now he’s taking on the directing (and acting) challenge of portraying the life of the famed West Side Story composer. Bernstein definitely deserves to have his story told. At the very least, we’ll hear some good music!

19. ‘Wish’

    Release Date: November 22
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, and Alan Tudyk
    Why We’re Hyped: You didn’t think Disney was going to let the holiday season go by without releasing a new animated musical, did you? This one features the voice of Ariana DeBose who makes a wish upon a star when she senses darkness on the rise in her kingdom. We’re sure there will be catchy tunes, a marketable animal sidekick, and Disney-approved, family-friendly message.

20. ‘Saltburn’

    Release Date: November 24 in select theaters, December 1 in all theaters, TBA on Amazon
    Where to watch: In theaters and on Amazon Prime
    Cast: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe and Carey Mulligan
    Why We’re Hyped: Emerald Fennell burst onto the filmmaking scene with Promising Young Woman in 2020, and we’ve been eagerly awaiting her next project ever since. This thriller about a young, poor college student who spends the summer with his rich classmate’s family looks all kinds of messed up and horny, in all the right ways. And after Barry Keoghan’s Oscar-nominated, stand-out performance in The Banshees of Inisherin, we can’t wait to see him in a leading role.

21. ‘Poor Things’

    Release Date: December 8
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef and Jerrod Carmichael
    Why We’re Hyped: If you loved The Favourite, get ready for Poor Things. Director Yorgos Lanthimos is reuniting with The Favourite co-writer Tony McNamara and star Emma Stone for what promises to be a uniquely bizarre and surreal Victorian love story. Stone stars as a formerly dead women resurrected by a mad scientist, who absconds with a sleazy lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) to see the world. How can you not want to watch that?

22. ‘Wonka’

    Release Date: December 15
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman, and Hugh Grant
    Why We’re Hyped: There’s a morbid curiosity surrounding the upcoming Wonka film, which is apparently a prequel to the beloved 1971 movie starring Gene Wilder. From the egregious miscasting of Chalamet, to the terrifying and controversial image of Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, Wonka feels like one of the year’s most highly anticipated films in the same way that Cats was in 2019.

23. ‘All of Us Strangers’

    Release Date: December 22
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, and Jamie Bell
    Why We’re Hyped: The fall of Paul Mescal continues with this upcoming sci-fi fantasy romance, loosely based on the 1987 novel of the same name. Andrew Scott stars as a screenwriter who falls into a romantic relationship with his hot neighbor (Mescal), and then returns to his childhood home. There, he discovers his long-dead parents are equally hot, young, thriving, and alive. We can safely say that this one will be a win for the gays.

24. ‘The Iron Claw’

    Release Date: December 22
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany and Lily James
    Why We’re Hyped: It was only a matter of time before The Bear star Jeremy Allen White landed an A24 film about brothers, and this upcoming sports drama about the Von Erich family feels like the perfect fit. Zac Efron stars as professional wrestler Kevin Von Erich, who came from a dynasty family of wrestlers that popularized the iron claw professional wrestling hold in the ’60s. But tragedy plagued the family, leading to rumors of a family curse. Get ready for the dark side of masculinity and All-American charm.

25. ‘The Color Purple’

    Release Date: December 25
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey and Aunjanue Ellis
    Why We’re Hyped: If you had a chance to see The Color Purple musical on Broadway, you know this upcoming film adaptation is an absolute must-watch. Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks are both reprising their roles from the stage musical, which guarantees that this film will feature earth-shattering performances of this powerful story about two sisters, based on the acclaimed novel by Alice Walker.

26. ‘Ferrari’

    Release Date: December 25
    Where to watch: In theaters
    Cast: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley
    Why We’re Hyped: Director Michael Mann has reportedly been trying to make a biopic about Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the Italian car manufacturer, for over 20 years. Originally, Christian Bale was attached, it’s been in development hell for at least a decade. So the pressure is on for this drama to be worth the trouble. If nothing else, though, Adam Driver needs a chance to redeem himself for his portrayal of another famous Italian in House of Gucci.