October 2024 is a huge movie month, bringing us a slew of horror movies, thrillers and classic Halloween re-releases. There's plenty of star power to keep the month moving, with Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga and Tom Hardy leading they way. Here's our guide to what's on tap for Spooky Season.
Too Long, Didn't Read Summary:
· It's time to look ahead to the month of October 2024 with a hand-picked list of what's to come.
· Many of these movies are thrillers just in time for Halloween, with Joaquin Phoenix's Joker: Folie à Deux kicking things off.
· Along with new releases, we're highlighting the re-releases of Halloween favorites.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Re-Release on October 1
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What would become a multimedia horror franchise began as this independent film co-written, directed, produced and co-composed by Tobe Hooper. Despite being marketed as based on true events, this is a largely fictional story revolving around a group of five road tripping friends who encounter a family of cannibals, led by the now-iconic character known as Leatherface. In the 50 years since its release, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has become one of the most influential horror films ever, credited for creating various aspects of the slasher genre – especially the use of power tools for killing! The story and character have lived on in sequels, prequels, a remake, video games and more.
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
Re-Release on October 1
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Two decades after its original release, this Japanese animated fantasy film is in theaters once again as part of Studio Ghibli Fest. Howl's Moving Castle was written and directed by Oscar-winner Hayao Miyazaki, and is loosely based on the 1986 novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. It follows a quiet girl working in a hat shop who is cursed by a spiteful witch, and is turned into a 90-year-old woman. To help break the spell, she teams up with a young wizard named Howl and his magnificent moving castle. The voice cast for the English dub includes Lauren Bacall, Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Emily Mortimer, Josh Hutcherson and Jean Simmons.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Opens October 4
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Joker, the 2019 twisted take on the DC villain, was supposed to be a one-off, so it's somewhat surprising that writer-director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix have returned with a follow-up – especially since this is the first time in his career that Phoenix has ever come back for a sequel.
Joker featured an Oscar-winning performance from Phoenix – not to mention his Best Actor wins at BAFTA, Critics Choice, SAG, Golden Globe and others – and became the first R-rated movie to cross the $1 billion dollar mark at the global box office. Naturally, Warner Bros. was eager to put together a sequel. Unlike the original Joker, this one is a musical. Helping drive that point home is the casting of pop star/actress Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, who develops an unhealthy obsession with Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. Joker
Coming four years after the original movie, the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux includes new faces like Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener. But really, it’s all about the addition of Lady Gaga, whose contributions include helping recreate the iconic stairway dancing scene from the first movie, and literally burning down a stage.
Monster Summer (2024)
Opens October 4
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David Henrie, best known as one of the stars of the Disney series Wizards of Waverly Place, directs this adventure horror film, a loving homage to kid-forward '80s adventures like Monster Squad and Goonies. Monster Summer stars Mel Gibson, Mason Thames, Lorraine Bracco and Kevin James, and follows a young man and his friends as they team up with a retired police detective to fight a mysterious force that's disrupting their summer fun and proves to be a threat to their island.
Frankie Freako (2024)
Opens October 4
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This action comedy stars Conor Sweeney as an uptight yuppie who calls a late night party hotline and unleashes some pint-sized forces of evil, led by Frankie Freako, who is a maniacal rock 'n' roll goblin. The movie was directed by Steven Kostanski, who has already helmed critically successful horror flicks like The Void (2017), V/H/S/94 (2021) and PG: Psycho Goreman (2021).
Terrifier 3 (2024)
Opens October 11
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Written and directed by Damien Leone, the third installment in the Terrifier horror film series is once again centered around the character Art the Clown – who was once named “one of the scariest clowns on screen” by Bloody-Disgusting.com. This time he can be found in a Christmas Eve setting. The movie picks up after Terrifier 2 from a couple years ago. Samantha Scaffidi returns as Victoria, the possessed survivor from the first two movies, this time in a bigger role. And, of course, David Howard Thornton is back as Art the Clown.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Re-Release on October 11
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Henry Selick made his directorial feature debut with this stop motion animation film. The Nightmare Before Christmas was conceived and produced by Tim Burton and originated as a poem Burton wrote in 1982 while working as an animator at Walt Disney Productions. It tells the tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who gets bored with his life until he discovers Christmas Town, and brings the joy of that holiday back to his town.
The voice cast includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey and Ken Page. Composer Danny Elfman wrote the songs and score, and also provided the singing voice of Jack Skellington. The Nightmare Before Christmas became the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2023, 30 years after its release.
Coco (2017)
Re-Release on October 11
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This film was inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, and the story is based on an original idea by co-director Lee Unkrich. It follows a 12-year-old boy who sets off a chain of events relating to a century-old mystery. Coco's voice cast features Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía and Edward James Olmos. With a cost somewhere around $200 million, this is the first film with a nine-figure budget to feature an all-Latino principal cast. Coco would go on to become the ninth Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and third Pixar film to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
My Hero Academia: You're Next (2024)
Opens October 11
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This Japanese animated superhero film features the characters of the manga series My Hero Academia, by Kohei Horikoshi. The film revolves around the main character Izuku Midoriya, a high school student and wannabe hero who confronts the villain imitating the hero he once admired. You're Next is the fourth film in the franchise, and many of the same people have returned both in front of and behind the microphone, including the ensemble cast featuring Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Yuki Kaji, Ayane Sakura and Kaito Ishikawa.
Smile 2 (2024)
Opens October 18
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This horror/thriller offering is the follow-up to Parker Finn’s 2022 film Smile, which was a hit with critics and fans. This time around, it’s Naomi Scott leading the way as a global pop star who experiences a string of terrifying events right before she’s about to go on tour, forcing her to face her dark past. Smile 2's cast also includes talents like Rosemarie DeWitt, Raúl Castillo and Dylan Gelula, with Kyle Gallner reprising his role from the first film.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Re-release on October 18
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This classic family comedy follows a teenager, played by Omri Katz, who moves to a small Massachusetts town. While exploring an abandoned house with his sister and their friend, he inadvertently frees coven of evil witches – the Sanderson sisters. The witches, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, are trying to become immortal. The kids, with the help of a magical cat, have to try and stop them by stealing their book of spells.
The film hit theaters the same day as Free Willy in 1993, and was not considered a critical or commercial success upon its release, reportedly losing Disney around $16 million during its initial theatrical run. But Hocus Pocus has become a cult classic over the years, not because of the work of an evil witch but rather thanks to annual airings on cable TV every October. It was followed by a Disney+ original sequel film in 2022.
Saw (2004)
Re-Release October 20
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Saw was written by Leigh Shannell and directed by James Wan in his directorial debut. The story revolves around the mystery of the Jigsaw killer, who likes to test his victims’ will to live by putting them through potentially deadly and very painful games. Saw introduced audiences to the mechanical ventriloquist puppet known as Billy, created by John Kramer (Tobin Bell), and would become one of the more profitable horror films since 1996’s Scream. It has since reached full-blown franchise status with multiple films, video games, theme park rides and more.
Venom: The Last Dance (2024)
Opens October 25
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We last saw Eddie Brock in a post-credit scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Now, Tom Hardy returns for his his third and final Venom flick, which finds both of his characters on the run from their respective worlds.This sequel to Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) is the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU), and was written and directed by Kelly Marcel, who wrote or co-wrote the first two movies. Along with Hardy starring as Eddie Brock and Venom, the cast for this one includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach and Stephen Graham.
Your Monster (2024)
Opens October 25
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This romantic comedy horror flick about falling in love with your inner rage stars Melissa Barrera as a soft-spoken actor named Laura, whose life has fallen apart after a cancer diagnosis. But she finds her voice and confidence once again after discovering a terrifying yet oddly charming Monster that lives in her closet.
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Re-Release October 26
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Celebrating its 35th anniversary is this animated fantasy film from award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, playing as part of Studio Ghibli Fest. Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Eiko Kadono, this coming-of-age story follows a young witch who moves to the port city of Koriko with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, and starts a flying delivery service. The voice cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman and Debbie Reynolds.
