10 Most Anticipated Movies of the Fall

by Philip Price
10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
This sequel, said to be the second film in a planned five-film franchise, picks up where the first film concluded by following-up the reveal that Colin Farrell's Percival Graves was actually the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald as played by Johnny Depp. The titular Grindelwald was captured by the Magical Congress of the United States of America with the help of our hero, Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander, but Grindelwald has since escaped custody and set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda to raise pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings. With ‘The Crimes of Grindelwald,’ returning director David Yates (who also helmed the fifth, sixth, and both parts of the seventh ‘Harry Potter’ films) and sole screenwriter and creator of this wizarding world, J.K. Rowling, we pick-up with a young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) as he enlists former student Scamander to help thwart Grindelwald’s plans unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Premieres: 11/16


 
9. Holmes and Watson 
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly re-team for the first time in over a decade for a humorous take on Arthur Conan Doyle's classic mysteries featuring Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. With Ferrell as Holmes and Reilly as Watson, the two will surely provide plenty of laughs given the simple fact they are hilarious together, but while we are just over three months away from the release date there has been no trailer and hardly a peep of a poster. While the combo of Ferrell ad Reilly is enough to have me excited the other drawback to the film outside of the fact Sony seems to be hiding it for some reason is the fact this is the first time the duo won't be joined by writer/director Adam McKay (‘Talladega Nights,’ “Step Brothers”). Instead, writer/director Etan Cohen is behind this collaboration and while Cohen has solid writing credits such as “Tropic Thunder” and “Men in Black 3” his directorial debut was the underwhelming Ferrell/Kevin Hart-starrer “Get Hard.” That said, Cohen didn't write that flick, but has taken double duty on “Holmes and Watson” as he is the sole screenwriter as well as being at the helm. Though I can't help but be excited by the pairing let's hope Cohen rewards my optimism. Premieres: 12/21


8. Halloween 
This titled exactly-the-same, 40-year-later sequel is said to pick up in real time after the events of the first film, disregarding all subsequent films, and follows the residents of Haddonfield on another horrifying Halloween night as Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode faces her greatest fears when Michael Myers escapes the asylum where he’s been locked up since his first killing spree. Naturally, Strode has attempted to move on with her life and seemingly has as this movie will feature Judy Greer as Laurie's daughter, Karen, as well as Andi Matichak as her granddaughter. Where the narrative will go outside the "one final confrontation" remains to be seen, but given the screenplay was penned by new franchise director David Gordon Green (“Stronger”) along with Danny McBride (yes, that Danny McBride) there is a fair amount of curiosity here as well. There will undoubtedly be a lot of influence from the original film at play here and I'm anxious to see how Green decided to balance that with his and McBride's interpretation. Premieres: 10/19


7. Wildlife 
Though this is Paul Dano's directorial debut this thing wreaks of awards season fodder as it is set in the ‘60s, is a family drama, and stars the likes Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal. While all of this may contribute to some audiences being immensely drawn to the material with the grounded, cold reality of the story (the film is based on Richard Ford's 1990 novel of the same name) no doubt being a detractor for others I have to say I'm all in for this one. Gyllenhaal is one of the most exciting and intriguing actors working today; even when his projects seem typical or predictable a la last year's “Stronger” they still turn out more effective and his performances more compelling than anticipated. Wildlife premiered at Sundance earlier this year and has slowly been gaining steam ever since with much of the praise being heaped upon Carey Mulligan's performance as a woman whose marriage is falling apart and who, in the midst of dealing with this and raising her teenage son (Ed Oxenbould) finds another, older man. Premieres: 10/19


6. Bohemian Rhapsody 
The feature film version of Queen's story has had a hell of a development history as well as multiple production troubles most of which derive from original director Bryan Singer (“The Usual Suspects”) being fired from the gig due to tensions with his star, Rami Malek, and his apparent lack of regard for punctuality. “Eddie the Eagle” director Dexter Fletcher was brought into complete the film, but it has since been finalized that Singer will in fact be the credited director on the picture. It's been a weird road, no doubt, and as much as I would have loved to have seen the Freddie Mercury-centric film that Sacha Baron Cohen wanted to make “Bohemian Rhapsody” will have to do. I'm all in on any kind of music biopic, that's a given, but I have to wonder how much of this will indeed be focused on Mercury and how much of it will put equal stock in the remaining band members given they were seemingly given their way when Cohen stepped away from the project. Regardless, what comes to pass-whether it be a masterpiece, or a dumpster fire-is certain to hold a fair amount of intrigue through its release. Premieres: 11/2

  
5. Aquaman 
I've been more of a fan of the DCEU (or whatever it's being referred to as now) than I haven't as I thoroughly relished in the behemoths that were “Man of Steel” and “Batman V. Superman,” as well as appreciating the ambition with which “Wonder Woman” tried to rise above its required standards, but once the studio started over-meddling such as was the case with both “Suicide Squad” and last fall's “Justice League” it became apparent there was no real direction the studio had in mind or were dedicated to other than turning a profit and catering to whatever it seemed fans wanted in order to accomplish that. If one thing is for sure though, it's that nothing is for sure-not even Batman, apparently. What has worked for Marvel Studios was never and is never going to work for the DCEU. Marvel has its brand and has defined that brand-what Warner Bros. and DC need to figure out is what their brand is and how they want to define it. With “Aquaman,” it seems they might be attempting to course-correct in the best way they know how as things certainly seem to be lighter and brighter in James Wan's (“Furious 7”) take on the character, but per the first trailer for the film this solo outing is more in line with “Wonder Woman” than anything else they've produced which makes sense, but here's to hoping Jason Momoa has the charisma if not the zeitgeist his super friend had leading into the release of his movie. Premieres: 12/21


4. If Beale Street Could Talk 
James Baldwin’s 1974 novel is a love story set in Harlem in the early 1970's and follows Fonny (Stephan James) and Tish (KiKi Layne). Fonny and Tish are in love with this beauty providing some layer of protection from the harsh reality of their family lives as well as the outside world. That is, until Fonny is falsely accused of rape. This follow-up to Best Picture-winner “Moonlight” and sophomore effort from Barry Jenkins is sure to make waves this fall given it is the first time any Baldwin work has been adapted into an English-language film; something that Jenkins has acknowledged was difficult. The film's first trailer features stunning imagery via cinematographer James Laxton that is largely effective as it is clear Jenkins is going for the emotional gut-punch to reel you in as his characters look directly into the camera, the expressions on their faces conveying a multitude of thoughts and feelings while their lips quiver as if on the edge of letting it all come out, with the camera cutting to black just before they have a chance to do so. Needless to say, my anticipation for this new work from Jenkins is obviously through the roof. Premieres: 11/30

  
3. First Man 
Damien Chazelle follows up his Best Directing win for “La La Land” with a film based on James R. Hansen's book that chronicles the story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong between the years of 1961 and 1969. Re-teaming with Ryan Gosling who fills the role of Armstrong along with Emmy-winning “The Crown” actress Claire Foy playing Armstrong’s wife, Janet the remainder of the cast is filled out with the likes of Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Patrick Fugit, Ciaran Hinds, Ethan Embry, Shea Whigham, Corey Stoll, and Pablo Schreiber with Chazelle is working from an adapted screenplay by Oscar-winning “Spotlight” and “The Post” co-writer Josh Singer. So, it's not hard to see why “First Man” is one of the more anticipated features of the fall and a likely front-runner for many of this year's biggest awards if the film turns out to be as good as any one of its credentials would suggest. Like Hansen's book the film is said to be a visceral, first-person account that explores the sacrifices and cost of one of the most dangerous missions in history which, given we all know what happens, feels like the way to go. I can't wait. Premieres: 10/12


2. Widows 
The latest from director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) and follow-up to his Best Picture-winner is major. Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Jon Bernthal, Michelle Rodriguez, Carrie Coon, André Holland, Jacki Weaver, Viola Davis and Liam Neeson make-up what might be the best and biggest cast of the year in a story based on the 1983 ITV series of the same name. The screenplay was written by McQueen and “Gone Girl” and “Sharp Objects” scribe Gillian Flynn which only adds more reason to be excited about the movie to a movie that already has plenty of reasons to be excited about it. What might be most interesting about the film though, is that while this certainly looks like an epic crime drama it isn't necessarily another heavy drama by way of McQueen's previous features. The film chronicles four widows, including Davis, Rodriguez, Debicki and Cynthia Erivo, of four deceased armed robbers who were killed in a failed heist attempt and whose wives must step up to finish the job and settle their husband's debts. Premieres: 11/16


1. A Star is Born 
If you looked at my Top 10 of 2017 article, then you'll know I'm a big Lady Gaga fan and so it goes without saying that I'm fairly excited to see her big screen debut in a feature especially when that feature is the third remake of the 1937 film of the same name. “A Star is Born” was first re-made in 1954 starring Judy Garland and James Mason and then again in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. This latest incarnation of the story deals in a country star helping a young singer find fame, even as age and alcoholism send his own career into a downward spiral. This will not only mark Gaga's AKA Stefani Germanotta's feature debut in a starring role though, but it will also serve as her co-star, Bradley Cooper's, directorial debut. The screenplay has been reformatted for what I'm presuming is a modern day if not just a slightly different take on the material. If Cooper's particular brand of passion and commitment bleed into his filmmaking as much as it typically does his performance work I can only imagine the heights this one might reach. Premieres: 10/5

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