October’s New Movies – ‘Joker: Folie à Deux,’ ‘Terrifier 3,’ ‘Anora,’ and More

If you’ve felt a recent chill in the air, you’re not alone. It’s officially the season of falling leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything, and oversized sweaters. Likewise, October wouldn’t truly be October without a wealth of new horror offerings — starting with Max’s new adaptation of Salem’s Lot and quickly followed by Netflix’s twisty sci-fi/horror/comedy thriller, It’s What’s Inside. Modern horror icon Art the Clown grins his way through more eye-popping gore in Terrifier 3, while Smile 2 — the sequel to one of 2022’s surprise hits — continues to spread the Smile Curse to unsuspecting victims. Actress Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a 1970s-set psychological thriller based on the true story of the “Dating Game Killer.”

Two other period movies dramatize real events, including Saturday Night, the origin story of Saturday Night Live, and The Apprentice, starring Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump. For something completely different, Piece by Piece tells the story of Pharrell Williams‘ life through Lego animation. And speaking of things that couldn’t be more different: October brings the debut of two comic book movies led by antiheroes. In one corner, there’s the crime thriller/musical Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix (reprising his Oscar-winning role) and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. In the other corner, Tom Hardy wraps up his action-comedy Venom trilogy with Venom: The Last Dance. Last but not least, indie dramas with varied styles are generating buzz, including the romantic dramedy Anora, and the nail-biting Conclave.

‘Salem’s Lot’

If you read Stephen King‘s classic book or watched the nightmare-inducing 1979 miniseries, it’s time to get scared again. Struggling author Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) visits his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot, hoping the return to his roots will help his writer’s block — only to find the small town overrun by a vampiric threat.

‘House of Spoils’

Opening a new restaurant is stressful enough without a haunting. House of Spoils‘ head chef (Ariana DeBose) has all the usual fine dining and business owner aggravations to deal with, plus the vengeful ghost of the building’s previous owner.

‘Hold Your Breath’

During the middle of a dangerous Oklahoma dust storm, a 1930 single mother (Sarah Paulson) defends her children from the menacing entity that’s stalking their home.

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

When Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) meets his equally deadly match in Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), a fellow patient at Arkham Asylum, Gotham City might not survive their tumultuous romance.

‘White Bird’

A sequel and prequel to 2017’s Wonder, White Bird explores former Beecher Prep bully Julian’s (Bryce Gheisar) uncertain future. Simultaneously, Julian learns about his Jewish grandmother Sara’s (Ariella Glaser) past growing up in Nazi-occupied France.

‘It’s What’s Inside’

Eight friends discover more chaos and betrayal than they bargained for after participating in an experimental new game that psychically “uploads” and shares their minds.

‘Monster Summer’

After a strange creature harms one of their friends, a group of young students on summer break have no choice except to fight the monster and protect their home.

‘Caddo Lake’

Secrets never stay buried. Set in the Texas-Louisiana lake area of the same name and following the residents as they search for a vanished young girl, M. Night Shyamalan produces the twisty Caddo Lake.

‘Saturday Night’

When it premiered in 1975, Saturday Night Live was a risk. Now a late-night staple and celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, Saturday Night fictionalizes the real-life lead-up to the variety series’ first broadcast.

‘Piece by Piece’

Piece by Piece documents Pharrell Williams’ career from his early days in hip-hop groups, his time as a producer, to his success as a solo artist — but with a Lego-animated twist.

‘The Apprentice’

The Apprentice dramatizes Donald Trump’s (Sebastian Stan) early years in New York City’s real estate industry as well as his relationship with former lawyer and “fixer,” Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong).

‘Brothers’

Twin brothers and lifelong criminals (Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage) fix their estrangement long enough to team up for one last heist — an already awkward road trip that their mother (Glenn Close) has no trouble accidentally crashing.

‘Lonely Planet’

Love is in the air for Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern), an introverted author struggling with her next book, and Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth), a mild-mannered everyman. Their age difference makes them an unlikely couple, but a chance meeting at an exclusive writer’s retreat changes their lives forever.

‘The Silent Hour’

An injury sustained during the line of duty permanently affects Detective Frank Shaw’s (Joel Kinnaman) hearing. As he adjusts to his new reality, he intervenes to protect Ava’s (Sandra Mae Frank) life, a woman who witnessed a crime and who is deaf.

‘Terrifier 3’

For his third reign of terror, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) has his sights set on Sienna (Lauren LaVera), the woman who triumphed over him in Terrifier 2. And this time, Art isn’t alone; he has a partner in Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi), the Final Girl from the original Terrifier.

‘Smile 2’

In this sequel to the original Smile, pop singer Skye (Naomi Scott) finds herself pursued by the Smile entity and racing against time to break the seemingly inescapable curse.

‘Anora’

The budding romance between American exotic dancer Anora (Mikey Madison) and Russian-born Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) becomes an impulsive elopement to help the latter escape his father’s clutches.

‘Goodrich’

After his wife unexpectedly starts a 90-day rehabilitation program, art gallery owner Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) must become a truly committed father to his nine-year-old twins as well as to Grace (Mila Kunis), his estranged daughter from his first marriage.

‘Woman of the Hour’

Woman of the Year fictionalizes the 1970s true crime case of Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), an active serial killer who competed as a contestant on The Dating Game series. In addition to directing, Anna Kendrick co-stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, the woman with whom Alcala won a date.

‘The Line’

Tom (Alex Wolff) successfully joins his college’s elite, high-society fraternity. But enduring the group’s increasingly cruel hazing tactics, prompted by Tom’s growing romance with fellow student Annabelle (Halle Bailey), forces the young man to decide what matters more: social clout or human decency.

‘Canary Black’

In order to save her innocent civilian husband from an unknown threat, Avery (Kate Beckinsale), the CIA’s top agent, disobeys the organization to which she’s devoted her life.

‘Venom: The Last Dance’

After being simultaneously targeted by humanity and Venom’s alien species, the Klyntar, antiheroes Eddie Brock and Venom (Tom Hardy) find themselves on the run and without allies — except each other, of course.

‘Conclave’

The Pope’s shocking death leaves Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) racing to find a replacement. However, choosing one of the most powerful men in the world is beset with secrets and disturbing sins.

‘Your Monster’

An awful break-up propels Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) into the arms of her true soulmate: the grumpy but surprisingly romantic Monster (Tommy Dewey) living in her childhood closet.

‘Time Cut’

When a time travel device transports Lucy (Madison Bailey) back to 2003, she faces a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Can she prevent her sister’s murder at the hands of a slasher killer, even if doing so risks changing the future in ways Lucy can’t imagine?