Below is a list of movies opening in the U.S. from September to December, organized chronologically by release date. I include many movie trailers.
Among the movies of interest to theater lovers: Finn Wittrock (Death of A Salesman, Glass Menagerie) portrays Judy Garland’s fifth husband in “Judy,” a movie about her that is based on a Broadway play. Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr. (Tony winners for The Color Purple and Hamilton, respectively) star in “Harriet,” about Harriet Tubman. Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tracy Letts has adapted a novel for the screen. And, Heaven help us, both Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen (as Gus The Theater Cat) appear in Cats, the movie version of the Broadway musical. McKellen also stars in a movie with Dame Helen Mirren.
(Below, an asterisk is placed next to names of movie cast members that theatergoers can claim as legitimate stage artists now or at least originally. For example, Willem Dafoe, a familiar face on screen who is appearing in two high-profile movies this Fall, is a founding member of the experimental theater company The Wooster Group.)
SEPTEMBER
September 2
Untouchable
Hulu
Directed by: Ursula McFarlane
Cast: Rosanna Arquette, Ronan Farrow, Paz de la Huerta
A documentary about Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo movement.
September 6
It: Chapter 2
Directed by: Andrés Muschietti
Cast: Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Bill Skarsgard
Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club’s terrifying encounter with Derry’s most notorious clown, they receive a phone call that brings them all back together again.
Also:
Blink of an Eye
Ms. Purple
September 13
The Goldfinch
Directed by: John Crowley
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Finn Wolfhard, Nicole Kidman, Ashleigh Cummings, *Jeffrey Wright, Aneurin Bernard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson
Based on Donna Tart’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2014 novel from 2014 about one of the only survivors of a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as he struggles to let go of his one connection to that day: a painting of a tiny bird, otherwise known as The Goldfinch.
Haunt
Directed by: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Cast: Katie Stevens, Will Brittain, Lauryn Alisa McClain
On Halloween, a group of friends discover a haunted house that claims to create thrills based on real fears.
Hustlers
Directed by: Lorene Scafaria
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Constance Wu, Lizzo, Keke Palmer, Julia Stiles, Lili Reinhart
Inspired by a 2015 New York Magazine article about a group of strippers stealing from their rich Wall Street clients during the financial crisis.
September 20
Ad Astra
Directed by: James Gray
Cast: Brad Pitt, Liv Tyler, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga
Astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) travels to the outer edge of our solar system on a dangerous mission to find his father (Tommy Lee Jones) who disappeared decades earlier, and may hold the key to a secret that threatens our very existence.
Downton Abbey
Directed by: Michael Engler
Cast: *Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Joanna Froggat, Matthew Goode, *Elizabeth McGovern
The TV series made into a movie: It’s 1927, and Downton Abbey is about to receive some very special guests: King George V and Queen Mary.
Rambo: Last Blood
Directed by: Adrian Grunberg
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal
The fifth Rambo installment; this time the daughter of a friend is kidnapped by a Mexican cartel
Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Netflix
Directed by: Scott Aukerman
Cast: Zach Galifanakis, Lauren Lapkus, Ginger Gonzaga
A movie based on Zach Galifanakis’ cult parody talk show. Galifanakis must hit the road to defend his reputation as the premier celebrity interviewer of our time.
Also:
Corporate Animals
Diego Maradona
Where’s My Roy Cohn?
September 27
Judy
Directed by: Rupert Goold
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Rufus Sewell, Finn Wittrock, Jessie Buckley
The last year of Judy Garland’s life, largely based on Peter Quilter’s play End of the Rainbow, which ran on Broadway in 2012. During a five-week run in London she reflects on her rise to stardom, and fall in love with Mickey Deans (Wittrock) the man who became her fifth husband.
The Report
Directed by: Scott Z. Burns
Cast Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Matthew Rhys, Corey Stoll
Based on a true story, this political thriller follows Senate staffer Daniel Jones (Driver) as he leads an investigation in the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program, which engaged in “enhanced interrogation techniques” after 9/11.
Also:
The Day Shall Come
The Death of Dick Long
Extra Ordinary
The Sound of Silence
OCTOBER
October 4
Joker
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro. Zazie Beetz
The origin story of the Batman villain, who started as a lonely, failed stand-up comedian.
The Woman in the Window
Directed by: Joe Wright
Cast: Amy Adams, *Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, Anthony Mackie, Brian Tyree Henry
Adapted by *Tracy Letts from the best-selling novel by A.J. Finn, the movie stars Adams as an agoraphobic child psychologist who spends her days spying on the perfect family next door. But then she witnesses a crime…
Pain and Glory
Directed by: Pedro Almodovar
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz
Banderas won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his role as a film director in the middle of a creative crisis
The Current War
Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, *Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, *Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston
Inventors Thomas Edison (Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Shannon) race to complete rival electrical systems that will change modern life.
Lucy in the Sky
Directed by: Noah Hawley
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, Dan Stevens, Zazie Bettz, *Ellen Burstyn
Based on a true story, Portman stars as an astronaut who kidnaps her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend and drives from Houston to Orlando wearing an adult diaper. After a long mission, Lucy returns to Earth only to find her connection with her family — and reality — slipping away.
Also:
Wrinkles the Clown
October 11
Gemini Man
Directed by: Ang Lee
Cast: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong
A former government assassin is targeted by his younger, more agile clone, able to predict his every thought and movement.
Parasite
Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Cast Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam
The first Korean movie to win the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, it is a pitch-black modern fairytale the follows the wealthy Park family, and the much-poorer Kim clan.
Also:
Jexi
The Dead Center
High Strung Free Dance
October 18
The Lighthouse
Directed by: Robert Eggers
Cast Robert Pattinson, *Willem Dafoe
Two New England lighthouse keepers slowly lose their sanity.
Zombieland 2: Double Tap
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray, Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, Luke Wilson
Ten years after the original movie, the characters reconnoitre at the White House, and head back on the road, meeting new survivors and enemies on the way.
When he’s not acting in movies, Jesse Eisenberg has been busy writing plays Off-Broadway.
Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil
Directed by: Joachim Ranning
Cast:Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sam Reilly
Set several years after the first movie, Maleficent (Jolie) is living in peace when Aurora (Fanning) and Prince Phillip’s (Harris Dickinson) engagement throws everything into turmoil.
The Addams Family
Directed by: Conrad Vernon, Greg Tiernan
Cast: Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Oscar Isaac, Finn Wolfhard, Snoop Dog, Allison Janney, Bette Midler
In this animated film, the family does battle with a reality show host.
Jojo Rabbit
Directed by: Taika Waititi
Cast Taiki Waititi, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson
Based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunen, set during World War II in Germany, Griffin Davis is Jojo “Rabbit” Betzler, who discovers that his mother (Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Jojo must confront his Nazi beliefs, with the help of his imaginary friend, a goofy version of the Fuhrer.
Also: Greener Grass
October 25
Black and Blue
Directed by: Deon Taylor
Cast Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo
When rookie police officer Alicia West (Harris) accidentally records corrupt cops committing a crime on her body camera, she turns to her only possible ally, Milo “Mouse” Jackson (Gibson), to help her make sure they face justice.
The Last Full Measure
Directed by: Todd Robinson
Cast Sebastian Stan, *Christopher Plummer, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Irvine, Alison Sudol
Based on a true story, Sebastian Stan plays investigator Scott Huffman, who signs on to help Vietnam veterans lobby for their comrade-in-arms to get a Congressional Medal of Honor after he gave his life saving them.
Also:
Countdown
Frankie
The Kill Team
Synonyms
NOVEMBER
November 1
Motherless Brooklyn
Directed by: Edward Norton
Cast Edward Norton, *Willem Dafoe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Leslie Mann, Bobby Cannavale, Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Fisher Stevens, *Cherry Jones
Based on Jonathan Lethem’s novel, this detective thriller stars Norton as a private eye with Tourette syndrome, who finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy involving Alec Baldwin.
Harriet
Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
Cast: *Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monae, Joe Alwyn,*Leslie Odom Jr.
Erivo as Harriet Tubman
Also:
Arctic Dogs
Terminator: Dark Fate
Burden
Waves
November 8
Honeyboy
Directed by Alma Har’el
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe
From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, filmmaker Alma Har’el brings to life a young actor’s stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health.
Lucas Hedges shooting star of a movie career has been accompanied by several impressive New York stage performances — Yen Off Broadway and The Waverly Gallery on Broadway.
Also:
Doctor Sleep
Last Christmas
Midway
Playing with Fire
November 15
Ford v. Ferrari
Directed by: James Mangold
Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale
A British driver named Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and an engineer named Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) to design something to compete against the Europeans
The Good Liar
Directed by Bill Condon
Cast: *Helen Mirren, *Ian McKellen, Nell Williams
Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her
Also:
November 22
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Directed by Marielle Heller
Cast: Tom Hanks, Enrico Colantoni, Matthew Rhys
Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod.
Frozen II
Directed by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Cast: *Jonathan Groff, Kristen Bell, Evan Rachel Wood
Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom
Dark Waters
Directed by Todd Haynes
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo, Bill Pullman
A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.
Also:
21 Bridges
November 27 (Thanksgiving)
DECEMBER
December 6
The Aeronauts
Brahms: The Boy II
Playmobil: The Movie
Little Joe
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
December 13
Black Christmas
Jumanji: The Next Level
Cunningham
A Hidden Life
Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Uncut Gems
December 20
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Cast: Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Billie Lourd, Lupita Nyong’o, Carrie Fisher (!)
Theatergoers note: Adam Driver and Keri Russell were the co-stars of Burn This on Broadway last season.
Bombshell
Cast: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, *John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, *Alison Janney
The story of Fox News head Roger Ailes’ sexual harassment of his female employees.
Cats
Cast: *James Corden as Bustopher Jones, *Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy, Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger, Idris Elba as Macavity, Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella[, *Ian McKellen as Gus the Theatre Cat, Taylor Swift as Bombalurina, Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots et al
The movie version of the long-running Broadway musical.
Also:
Superintelligence
December 25 (Christmas)
Little Women
Directed by Greta Gerwig
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern and *Meryl Streep
The eighth feature film adaptation of the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott.
Also:
1917
Spies in Disguise
Just Mercy
