The Biggest Movie Releases of Fall and Winter 2018
The Summer movie season has come and gone, but there are still plenty of reasons to go to your nearest movie theaters before the end of the year.
The Nun (September 7)
In the third spin-off to The Conjuring after the first two Annabelle movies, the focus shifts from a creepy doll to the demonic nun that appeared throughout The Conjuring 2. The story is set in the 1950s, with a Catholic priest investigating the mysterious suicide of a Romanian nun, which eventually leads to an encounter with the demon Valak wearing the nun’s guise.
Peppermint (September 7)
In what sounds like The Punisher reimagined as an R-rated Lifetime movie, Jennifer Garner’s lead character becomes a vigilante after her husband and daughter are killed in front of her in a gang war and conventional law enforcement is too corrupt to enforce justice. It’s been ages since she’s been an action star, so let’s hope that Peppermint represents a return to form for Garner.
The Predator (September 14)
When a group of genetically-altered Yautja come to Earth after a boy accidentally activates a signal, it’s up to a group of veterans and a science teacher to fight off a small-scale alien invasion in a quiet suburban town.
The House With A Clock In Its Walls (September 21)
Director Eli Roth, known for shockingly brutal horror movies like Hostel and The Green Inferno goes in the most shocking creative direction of all: making a horror-fantasy movie that’s suitable for children. The movie follows a young orphan who discovers that his uncle is a warlock, and upon learning this he decides to become one himself. But his skills will be put to the test when an evil witch is resurrected and wreaks havoc upon the town.
Smallfoot (September 28)
A yeti scientist treks down from the peak of a mountain range to prove to his yeti peers that the mythical smallfoot species (read: humans) really does exist. Hilarity ensues when he ends up kidnapping one.
Hellfest (September 28)
Set in a horror-themed park during Halloween, a serial killer starts taking the lives of park-goers while the guests are left confused about what’s part of the show and what’s real.
A Star Is Born (October 5)
The third remake of the classic musical, a country music singer who is at risk of losing his stardom as he struggles with alcoholism discovers an unknown singer who he falls in love with. As she becomes an instant star as he promotes her talent, their relationship is put to the test as she faces stresses of the industry and his own personal demons threaten to tear them apart.
Venom (October 5)
In a Spider-Man-less version of his origin story, Eddie Brock investigates a totally-not-suspicious scientific organization and all he gets is a lousy alien parasite named Venom that makes him hunger for the flesh of criminals… Or something. Details on the story are surprisingly light at this stage of promoting the film. (Worth noting is that this movie is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at all, in spite of what some fans and even Sony themselves might try to tell you.)
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (October 12)
When a group of kids discover a hidden manuscript R. L. Stine, it allows Slappy the Dummy and a host of other Goosebumps monsters to initiate a “Halloween Apocalypse”… So basically, the plot of the last movie, just slightly reconfigured. It’s up to the kids to save the world, this time without the assistance of Jack Black’s version of R. L. Stine.
Bad Times At The El Royale (October 12)
Seven strangers with dark and troubled pasts end up meeting at the El Royale hotel with a checkered past itself. All of them find a chance to redeem themselves before everything falls apart.
Halloween (2018) (October 19)
In a sequel that ignores every other sequel, Halloween takes place 40 years after the Haddonfield murders of 1978 and has Michael Myers escape yet again from a mental hospital to attack the quiet Illinois town once more… But this time, Laurie Strode is prepared to defend herself and her family. Series creator John Carpenter returns to do the score of the movie after keeping his distance from the franchise for a while, indicating that he has confidence in the project.
The Hate U Give (October 19)
A young African-American girl finds herself living in two worlds: the first being a poor neighborhood where she grew up, and the second being a prep school full of privileged students. But when one of her childhood friends is shot dead by a police officer over a misunderstanding, those worlds collide as she finds herself faced with doing the right thing.
Serenity (October 19)
A fishing boat captain lives a quiet life, leading tours of Plymouth Island to guests, but that’s shattered when his ex-wife catches up with him. Upon learning that she and their son are being abused by her new husband, the captain has to find out how to look out for his family when she suggests he feed the abuser to sharks.
Hunter Killer (October 26)
The Russian President has been kidnapped by the Russian Defense Minister in the Arctic. Is Gerard Butler a bad enough dude to rescue the Russian President?
Johnny English Strikes Again (October 26)
Rowan Atkinson reprises his role as the inept British super-spy Johnny English when a sinister hacker unmasks every British spy forces him out of retirement. He’s Great Britain’s only hope to stop the hacker… God help them.
Bohemian Rhapsody (November 2)
A long-overdue biopic about Queen, and namely its lead singer, Freddie Mercury (portrayed by Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek). Covering the band’s meteoric rise, their near-implosion, the trouble they faced behind the scenes, and Mercury learning that he’s contracted HIV before deciding that the show must go on and rocking out with an iconic performance at Live Aid, Bohemian Rhapsody is the movie that focuses on the story you don’t know behind one of the most iconic bands of a generation.
The Nutcracker & The Four Realms (November 2)
While searching for a special key that will unlock a keepsake of her departed mother, a young woman finds herself lost in another realm full of magic and wonders among three different realms. But her key is hidden in the fourth realm, which the other three are at war with, and it’s up to her to bring balance to the land.
Suspiria (November 2)
A remake of the classic Italian horror film, an American student enrolls in a dance academy in Berlin, attracting the attention of the academy’s artistic director. But all is not right with the academy, as it becomes clear that something’s up with the disappearing (or rather, dying) students and that there’s a dark secret behind it all.
The Front Runner (November 7)
Based on a true story as covered in the nonfiction book All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid, The Front Runner covers what happens when an extramarital affair derails an entire political campaign and how that scandal has impacted politics ever since.
The Girl In The Spider’s Web (November 9)
Based on one of the sequels to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl in the Spider’s Web follows Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist as they find themselves caught in a web of spies, cyber criminals, corrupt government officials, and a person tied to Lisbeth’s past.
The Grinch (November 9)
Okay, don’t pretend that you know this one. A grouchy, fuzzy green guy, frustrated with the commercialism of Christmas thanks to an unpleasant childhood, tries his hand at “stealing” it by making off with an entire town’s worth of Christmas gifts and decorations.
Overlord (November 9)
Set the evening before the D-day invasion, a group of paratroopers find themselves behind enemy lines to discover that they not only have to fight against the Axis powers, but several horrific humanoid monsters that Nazi scientists have created before they can be unleashed upon the invading Allies. Originally slated to be a Cloverfield spin-off, J. J. Abrams and Paramount decided to opt out on having references to the apparent multiverse of horror movies.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald (November 16)
Gellert Grindelwald has escaped custody, and Newt Scamander is back in the fray after being instrumental in his defeat last time. Seeking the help of his instructor Albus Dumbledore, the duo work together to stop Grindelwald’s dastardly plot to enslave non-magic people.
Creed II (November 21)
Adonis Creed struggles between his boxing career and his personal life, which are put on a collision course when Creed’s next opponent ends up being the son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed Creed’s father. Now, Creed and Rocky Balboa have to face their own legacies as the bout of the century gets closer and closer.
Ralph Breaks The Internet (November 21)
Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz decide to take a break from the arcade and travel into the internet in an effort to fix Vanellope’s home game. Along the way, they meet with all sorts of internet denizens and encounter tons of characters from Disney-owned franchises.
Robin Hood (November 21)
Okay, do I seriously have to explain this one? A guy who wears a hood uses his archery skills to steal from rich and give to needy. For whatever reason (presumably for visual purposes), there’s a sort of modern-ish design to these characters even though it’s set in medieval times.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (December 14)
Starting in a world where the original Spider-Man has died and is known to the world as Peter Parker, a new Spider-Man by the name of Miles Morales struggles to find his own way and take up his sword in the fight against crime. Thankfully, a trip to an alternate dimension of other people with Spider-Man’s powers – including an alternate, older version of Peter Parker himself – help him discover that there’s more than one way to be a hero. Like Venom, this is also not set in the MCU; unlike Venom, there’s no intent to start a shared universe off of this movie (although they really should, because this looks so much better than Venom).
Mortal Engines (December 14)
Set in a dystopian future where cities survive by being placed upon gigantic treads and consume smaller settlements to gain precious resources, two young individuals are tossed out of London and into the wild to fend for themselves before they track down the city once more.
Mary Poppins Returns (December 19)
Set in London in the 1930s at the height of the Great Depression, Jane and Michael Banks have now grown up and still live at Cherry Tree Lane with their families. When Michael’s wife dies, Mary Poppins returns to help the grieving family get back into shape and restore joy in their lives.
Aquaman (December 21)
Following his adventures in Justice League, Arthur Curry continues to travel on a more superheroic path when Mera warns him that civil war is threatening to destroy his home of Atlantis. While he’s uncertain about whether or not he has what it takes to become a king, his worthiness is tested in an adventure that crosses land and sea.
Alita: Battle Angel (December 21)
A robot from centuries ago with no memory of her past is repaired by a cybernetic doctor, who soon discovers that she could be the key to changing everything. When other robots start targeting her, she quickly realizes that she’s a mechanical weapon and fights to protect the people she’s grown to care about.
Bumblebee (December 21)
A prequel to the Transformers series (or possibly a reboot, depending on how Paramount looks at setting up a shared movie universe for its Hasbro franchises), Bumblebee follows the exploits of a young girl who discovers that there’s an Autobot living in her junkyard. While Bumblebee and the girl end up starting an unusual friendship, the Transformer has to go on the run when a government agency targets them alongside a group of Decepticons.
Welcome to Marwen (December 21)
A victim of violent assault channels his frustration into creating a miniature World War II village, which he finds himself enthralled by as fantastical elements enter the mix.
Holmes and Watson (December 21)
Okay, you should really not need me to explain this one to you. A detective and his assistant solve crimes in Victorian England. Hijinks ensue in a more comedic take on the Sherlock Holmes stories.
What movies are you most looking forward to in the remainder of the year? Is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments below.
Grant Davis is a freelance writer who has covered entertainment news for more than seven years. His articles have frequently appeared in Star Wars News Net as well as as other entertainment-related websites. As someone who grew up on Star Wars and comic book movies, he’s completely thrilled with the current era of genre entertainment.
