The Most Anticipated Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Movies of Fall 2023

Uncouth demons, killer animatronics, singing trolls, ambitious candy makers, migrating duck families, and soporific visions of Nicolas Cage are just a few of the things moviegoers can expect to see on the big screen as we move away from the historical summer of "Barbenheimer" and into a fall season packed with a little something for everyone.

"When you look at the number of titles that are gonna be released, it's just crazy," Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst at Comscore, tells SYFY WIRE, adding that the "summer momentum" of Oppenheimer and Barbie will most likely carry over into the next few months. "This, to me, feels like a sort of modified summer season. In other words, you’ve got plenty of blockbusters in there, but you’ve also got the potential awards contenders."

RELATED: Meet the Monsters in Terrifying New Trailer For Blumhouse's Five Nights at Freddy's

It's an especially good time to be a horror fan, with a different bloodcurdling film dropping almost every week. "I think there's a lot of potential out there and a great time to be a moviegoer," Dergarabedian says. "If you can't find something in here, you're not looking hard enough. That's a pretty incredible lineup."

"Following one of the most successful summer movie seasons in years, this fall will bring a little bit of everything to movie theaters with the return of some of our favorite franchises like The Hunger Games, The Exorcist, The Marvels, The Expendables, and The Nun — to name a few," Erik Davis, Managing Editor at Fandango, tells SYFY WIRE. "Movie fans can also expect some big original storytelling in films like Gareth Edwards’ The Creator and Disney’s animated film, Wish. Fandango fans are also buzzing about awards season, with top contenders like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon due in theaters soon. No matter what you’re in the mood to watch, there is something new in theaters this fall to check out."

Check out our definitive list of Fall 2023's most anticipated sci-fi, fantasy and horror movies

All Fun and Games (September 1)

Produced under the Russo Brothers' AGBO banner, All Fun and Games takes place against the backdrop of that Massachusetts town known for its witchy history — Salem. When a group of teens unwittingly release a malevolent demon from a cursed knife they find in the woods, they're forced to play a series of deadly children's games "where there can be no winners, only survivors," reads the official synopsis. Marking the feature directorial debut of Eren Celeboglu and Ari Costa, the film co-stars Natalia Dyer (Stranger Things), Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game), Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Pinocchio), Laurel Marsden (Ms. Marvel), and Annabeth Gish (Mayfair Witches).

The Nun II (September 8)

After a priest is murdered in France — circa 1956 — an ancient evil starts to spread. Taissa Farmiga returns to the role of Sister Irene for the ninth entry in the Conjuring franchise, which has raked in over $2 billion at the worldwide box office since it began a decade ago. The sequel was helmed by Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), who now holds the record for most Conjuring movies helmed by a single filmmaker. Jonas Bloquet (The Nun), Storm Reid (The Last of Us), Anna Popplewell (The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy) and Bonnie Aarons (reprising her role as the titular entity) round out the cast.

Satanic Hispanics (September 14)

This anthology inspired by legends and folklore of Latin America kicks off with police officers raiding a home in El Paso, Texas. Everyone inside the building is dead... save for one survivor known simply as "The Traveler." Brought into the station for questioning, the mysterious individual begins to recount tales involving "portals to other worlds, mythical creatures, demons, and the undead." The various segments were directed by Mike Mendez, Demián Rugna, Eduardo Sánchez, Gigi Saul Guerrero, and Alejandro Brugués. Efren Ramirez, Greg Grunberg, Hemky Madera, Jonah Ray Rodrigues, Patricia Velásquez, Jacob Vargas, Ari Gallegos, Demian Salomon, Christian Rodrigo, and Michael C. Williams co-star.

A Haunting in Venice (September 15)

What good are the powers of logic and deduction in the face of ghosts? Based on 1969's Hallowe'en Party, the third chapter in director/actor Kenneth Branagh's Agatha Christie-inspired trilogy sees the world's greatest detective, Hercule Poirot (now retired and living a life of self-imposed exile), confronting a potentially supernatural mystery when someone is murdered during a Venetian séance. As per usual, Branagh is joined by an impressive supporting cast including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh.

Shaky Shivers (September 21)

Fast Saga vet Sung Kang makes his directorial debut with this American Werewolf in London-y tale of campy lycanthropy. Brooke Markham stars as Lucy, a young woman convinced that she's fated to transform into a gruesome werewolf after receiving a bite from a mysterious animal. With some much-needed backup from her best friend Karen (VyVy Nguyen), Lucy prepares for battle with "a throat-slashing creature ripped right out of an '80s horror movie," according to the official synopsis. Jimmy Bellinger, Herschel Sparber, Skyler Day, and Erin Daniels co-star.

It Lives Inside (September 22)

The feature debut from writer/director Bishal Dutta follows Sam (Megan Suri), a teenager looking to cast off her association with Indian culture in an effort to fit in at high school. But when a sinister entity known as a Pishach attaches itself to someone she once called a friend, Sam must embrace her heritage to defeat the evil being. As Jason Adams wrote in a review of the film for Mashable, "It Lives Inside is here to finally give a Hindu monster its due in American movies, and that it does."

Expend4bles (September 22)

Much like The A-Team, The Expendables "are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table," per the official synopsis. The fourth installment in the throwback franchise meant to channel the classic action films of the 1980s (starring the very same actors who made those films such massive successes) welcomes some new blood into the fold as Sylvester Stallone (Barney Ross), Jason Statham (Lee Christmas), Dolph Lundgren (Gunner), and Randy Couture (Toll Road) are joined by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia.

Saw X (September 29)

Tobin Bell's John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, is back and ready to spring another collection of deadly traps on some unsuspecting victims. How is the character still alive? Don't ask us! The timeline of this enduring horror franchise is more convoluted than the traps themselves, but let's be honest: the continuity has always taken a backseat to the gruesome lengths Jigsaw's captives will go to in order to stay alive. Taking place between the events of the first and second movies, Saw X finds Kramer exacting revenge on the members of a sham medical operation who promised to miraculously cure his terminal cancer.

RELATED: The 'Saw' horror franchise's twisty, spiraling timeline explained

The Creator (Septemeber 29)

It's been almost a decade since Gareth Edwards delivered a modern Star Wars classic with Rogue One. So where the heck has he been all this time? You'd think every studio in Hollywood would have been vying for his directorial services after the Death Star-centric project raked in over $1 billion worldwide. In any case, it looks as though his talent for ambitious genre filmmaking has not evaporated across the intervening years. The Creator looks to be just as sweeping and emotionally resonant as Edwards' previous sci-fi efforts. Set in a Terminator-esque future where humanity finds itself at war with rogue machines, an ex-special forces agent named Joshua (played by Tenet's John David Washington) embarks on a dangerous mission to eliminate the titular Creator, mysterious architect of the AI revolution who has developed a mysterious new weapon capable of ending the conflict for good. Seems simple enough... until Joshua learns that the weapon is none other than an innocent child.

57 Seconds (September 29)

Before he accepts a job at Freddy Fazzbear's Pizzeria in Five Nights at Freddy's (more on that below), Josh Hutcherson has some time traveling to do. The Hunger Games alum stars in 57 Seconds as a tech blogger who uses a "time-altering device" to get revenge on the corporation that destroyed his family. "But his actions soon trigger a terrifying chain of events, propelling him into a pulse-pounding battle for survival where every second counts," according to the official synopsis. Morgan Freeman, Greg Germann, Lovie Simone, Bevin Bru, and Sammi Rotibi co-star.

The Exorcist: Believer (October 6)

The franchise that redefined horror returns to the big screen half a century after it first began. Under the stewardship of director David Gordon Green, Believer applies the same soft reboot approach used for the recent Halloween trilogy. In other words, Green (who co-wrote the screenplay and serves as an executive producer) ignores everything but the original William Friedkin film. When two young girls — Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia O'Neill) — go missing in the woods, a frantic search is mounted by their parents and the authorities. The children turn up three days later with no memory of what happened to them. What's more, they begin to exhibit strange and frightening behavior that can only mean one thing in an Exorcist movie: demonic possession. This prompts Angela's father, Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), to seek out an expert on the matter — Ellen Burstyn's Chris MacNeil.

RELATED: Will The Exorcist: Believer Feature Easter Eggs From Previous Exorcist Films?

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (October 6)

On the set of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo: Philippe Bosse/Paramount+

"Sometimes dead is better." Words to live by, straight from the official synopsis. Serving as a prequel to the Stephen King classic, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (a Paramount+ exclusive) focuses on a young Jud Crandall (Jackson White) decades before he introduces Doctor Louis Creed to the supernatural burial ground with the power to resurrect corpses. Seemingly drawing inspiration from other King novels like IT, the script penned by director Lindsey Anderson Beer (The Magic Order) and Jeff Buhler (writer of the 2019 Pet Sematary remake) sees Jud and his friends banding together in an effort to combat an ancient evil that has gripped the town of Ludlow, Maine since its founding.

Totally Killer (October 6)

Kiernan Shipka as Jamie Hughes in the horror-comedy Totally Killer (2023). Photo: Prime Video

Young Rock showrunner Nahnatchka Khan joins the Blumhouse family with this Back to the Future meets Happy Death Day romp. Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) leads the project as Jamie, a 17-year-old high schooler somehow thrust back in time to the year 1987. While there, she might as well team up with her teenage mother (Olivia Holt) to unmask an elusive homicidal maniac known as the "Sweet Sixteen Killer." Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy L. Johnson, Liana Liberato, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin-Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi, Jeremy Monn-Djasngar, Nathaniel Appiah, Jonathan Potts, Randall Park, and Julie Bowen co-star.

Dear David (October 13)

Based on the viral Twitter thread of the same name, Dear David follows comic artist Adam (Augustus Prew), who begins to experience sleep paralysis and seemingly supernatural occurrences after responding to internet trolls. Convinced that he's being haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David, Adam decides to chronicle these strange developments online, but slowly start to lose his grip on reality. Andrea Bang, Rene Escobar Jr., Cameron Nicoll, and Justin Long round out the cast.

Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (October 19)

Andrew Bowser as Onyx the Fortuitous in Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (2023) Photo: Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls | Official Trailer - In Theaters October 19/Cineverse YouTube

Writer/director/producer Andrew Bowser brings his occultist alter ego Onyx the Fortuitous to the screen in what Brad Miska (managing director of Bloody Disgusting/Cinedigm) hailed as "hilarious throwback to ’80s horror" once Cinedigm acquired the North American distribution rights earlier this year. “It’s Elvira: Mistress of the Dark meets Fright Night, Beetlejuice, and even Ernest Scared Stupid with practical effects that will leave you speechless." In terms of plot, Talisman of Souls finds Onyx struggling for purpose when he's invited to the mansion of his idol, Bartok the Great, who intends to raise the spirit of an ancient demon.

Five Nights at Freddy’s (October 27)

After close to a decade of tumultuous development hurdles, the iconic survival horror video game franchise conceived by Scott Cawthon — who helped pen the script — is finally ready for release (it will open in theaters and on Peacock at the same time). Directed by Emma Tammi (Blood Moon), the long-awaited adaptation stars Hunger Games alum Josh Hutcherson as Mike Schmidt, a struggling older brother, who accepts a job as a security guard at the defunct Freddy Fazzbear's Pizzeria. Unbeknownst to him, the rundown establishment — which closed down in the '80s when several children went missing under mysterious circumstances — is inhabited by killer animatronics (possessed by the spirits of the aforementioned children) that come to life at night.

RELATED: Jinkies! Scooby-Doo Meets Five Nights at Freddy's in This Viral & Delightfully Retro Fan Film

Suitable Flesh (October 27)

Heather Graham as Elizabeth Derby in Suitable Flesh (2023) Photo: RLJE Films and Shudder

Based upon H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Thing on the Doorstep," the Joe Lynch-directed Suitable Flesh follows Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham), a psychiatrist obsessed with helping a patient suffering from an extreme personality disorder. This professional relationship ultimately takes a turn for the supernatural as Derby finds herself in "dark occult danger." The project marks a reunion between co-star Barbara Crampton, screenwriter Dennis Paoli, and producer Brian Yuzna — all of whom collaborated on two of the most well-known Lovecraftian adaptations of all time: Re-Animator (1985) and From Beyond (1986). In addition to Graham and Crampton, the film also stars Judah Lewis, Bruce Davison, and Johnathon Schaech.

The Killer (November 10)

David Fincher's thriving relationship with Netflix (which has so far given us acclaimed projects like Mindhunter, Mank, and Love Death + Robots) continues in this feature-length adaptation of the Eisner-nominated comic of the same name by writer Matz and illustrator Luc Jacamon. X-Men vet Michael Fassbender headlines the film as the titular assassin, a man at war with his employers — and himself — against the backdrop of "an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal." Fun fact: This project marks a reunion between Fincher and Se7en writer Andrew Kevin Walker.

The Marvels (November 10)

Directed and co-written by Nia DaCosta (known for helming Jordan Peele and Universal's Candyman reboot), the sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel teams up Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) with two characters from the Disney+ television side of the MCU — WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Ms. Marvel's Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) — for some intergalactic, planetary (planetary, intergalactic) hijinks. A Kree revolutionary named Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) is threatening the safety of the universe, and it's up to this trio of heroes to save the day. The only problem? Their powers have somehow become entangled.

Dream Scenario (November 10)

Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario (2023) Photo: A24

You've got Nicolas Cage (Renfield) starring, Ari Aster (Beau is Afraid) producing, and A24 distributing. What more could you possibly ask for?! Kristoffer Borgli (Sick of Myself) wrote and directed this "wickedly entertaining" fantasy-comedy about hapless family man Paul Matthews (Cage), whose life is suddenly turned upside down when millions of strangers start to see him in their dreams. Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula, and Dylan Baker co-star.

Trolls Band Together (November 17)

DreamWorks Animation can't stop the feeling (sorry) as the Trolls franchise reaches its third feature film. While Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) are finally a bona fide couple, the former soon learns that her partner has been holding out with regards to his past. Branch, it turns out, was once a member of the popular boy band BroZone alongside his four older brothers: Floyd (Troye Sivan), John Dory (Eric André), Spruce (Daveed Diggs), and Clay (Kid Cudi). When Floyd is kidnapped by a pair of pop-star antagonists, Velvet (Amy Schumer) and Veneer (Andrew Rannells), Branch and Poppy spring into action, joined by several Trolls mainstays: Bridget (Zooey Deschanel), Gristle (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Satine and Chenille (Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt), Prince D (Anderson .Paak), Cooper (Ron Funches), Guy Diamond (Kunal Nayyar), and Tiny Diamond (Kenan Thompson). Brand-new characters include Viva (Camilla Cabello), Crimp (Zosia Mamet), and Miss Maxine (RuPaul Charles).

RELATED: The Trolls are back in first trailer for big screen musical threequel 'Trolls Band Together'

Thanksgiving (November 17)

Picture, if you will, a gravy boat filled with blood. What began as a faux trailer (see above) in 2007's Grindhouse has blossomed into an actual movie (à la Machete) from that master of shock-and-gore horror, Eli Roth. Plot details are pretty much non-existent at the moment, although it has been reported that the film will take the form of a festive slasher. Roth directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jeff Rendell. Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks, and Milo Manheim make up the cast.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (November 17)

Martin Herlihy, Ben Marshall, and John Higgins in Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023) Photo: Peacock

Like The Lonely Island before them, the funny fellas of Please Don't Destroy (Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, and Ben Marshall) have achieved serious notoriety from their pre-recorded sketches on Saturday Night Live. And when you reach a certain level of fame via SNL, that means a movie deal can't be too far off in the distance. And so, The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (exclusively premiering on Peacock) was born! Produced by Judd Apatow and narrated by John Goodman, the film tells the story of "three childhood friends turned deadbeat co-workers, who fend off hairless bears, desperate park rangers (Meg Stalter and X Mayo) and a hypocritical cult leader (Bowen Yang) in the hopes of finding a priceless treasure, only to discover that finding the treasure is the easiest part of their journey," according to the synopsis. Conan O'Brien plays Ben's father.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (November 17)

Before Katniss Everdeen, there was Lucy Gray Baird. Adapted from Suzanne Collins' bestselling prequel to her Hunger Games trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes unfolds more than six decades prior to the revolution against the heinous tyranny of President Snow. Long before he seized control of Panem, Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) was merely an 18-year-old student in the Capitol hoping to restore his family's once-great reputation. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, young Snow is assigned as mentor to Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a curious tribute from the impoverished District 12, who is more than meets the eye. Francis Lawrence (director of Catching Fire and the two-part Mockingjay) helmed the project, which sees Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis stepping into supporting roles.

Wish (November 22)

You'd think Disney would have made a movie called "Wish" by now. After all, "When You Wish Upon a Star" has been the studio's official anthem for close to a century. Well, no matter. They got there in the end. Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen II) and veteran story artist Fawn Veerasunthorn (Zootopia, Ralph Breaks the Internet) share directing duties on the latest musical-comedy offering from Disney Animation, which will transport viewers to the magical kingdom of Rosas. Aria DeBose (West Side Story) lends her voice to Asha, "a sharp-witted idealist [who] makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star," per the synopsis. Together, they'll go up against the formidable ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico (Chris Pine). Resident Alien star and Disney Animation good luck charm Alan Tudyk voices Asha's prized goat, Valentino.

Poor Things (December 8)

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein meets Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands meets the esoteric filmmaking style of Yorgos Lanthimos in the director's second collaboration with The Favourite alumnus Emma Stone. The Oscar-winning actress steps into the rigor-mortised role of Bella Baxter, a recently-deceased young woman brought back to life by the mad science of Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Hungering to learn more about the world, Bella runs off with the "slick and debauched" lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo).

Wonka (December 15)

Dune: Part Two may be delayed until next year, but fans of Timothée Chalamet won't have to wait very long to see the actor do his thing in this musical-fantasy origin story that explains how Willy Wonka became the famous chocolate tycoon and tormentor of children we all know him to be. All kidding aside, the footage released so far does feel like it genuinely could have come from the mind of Roald Dahl as the carefree Willy rages against the uptight confectionary establishment known as the "Chocolate Cartel" with a little help from an irate Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant). Paddington director Paul King helmed the feature of pure imagination, working off a screenplay penned by his Paddington 2 co-writer Simon Farnaby.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (December 15)

It's been over two decades since Ginger and the other grain-pecking members of the Tweedys' farm escaped the terrible fate of becoming pot pies in Aardman's sendup to WWII prisoner films like The Great Escape. Now, the flock lives in peace and existence on an island sanctuary far away from the machinations of poultry-loving humans. Ginger (Thandiwe Newton taking over from Julia Sawalha) and Rocky (Zachary Levi replacing Mel Gibson) have begun life anew with a chick named Molly (Bella Ramsey). However, back on the mainland, according to the official synopsis, "the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk — this time, they’re breaking in!"

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 20)

Jason Momoa as Aquaman in Aquaman (2018) Photo: Aquaman - Official Trailer 1 - Now Playing In Theaters/Warner Bros. Pictures YouTube

Not much is known about Arthur Curry's second standalone adventure, other than the fact that it will officially close out the slate of DC projects green-lit under the pre-James Gunn/Peter Safran regime at Warner Bros. But a sequel centered around Jason Momoa's ruler of the Seven Seas was inevitable after the first Aquaman netted over $1 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing DC-inspired movie of all time. "I am very proud of the sequel because it's tackling a lot of issues environmentally," Momoa said during the 2021 edition of FanDome, going on to promise that "the stakes are higher." Director James Wan continued: "People are gonna be in for a treat. When Aquaman 2 comes out, they're gonna get a movie that's more mature, yet still retains its fun."

Migration (December 22)

Illumination's follow-up to The Super Mario Bros. Movie will change how you look at Peking duck for the rest of your life. Kumail Nanjiani voices Mack, the uber-cautious patriarch of the Mallard family, who is convinced by his wife, Pam (Elizabeth Banks) to leave the comfort of their New England pond for the sandy beaches of Jamaica with a detour through New York City. According to the synopsis, "the experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other — and themselves — than they ever imagined." Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, Danny DeVito, Awkwafina, Carol Kane, Keegan-Michael Key, and David Mitchell comprise the rest of the feathered cast.

RELATED: What's after 'Mario'? Illumination reveals first look at high-flying animated adventure 'Migration

Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire (December 22)

Judging by the nearly 4-minute trailer above, it looks as though Zack Snyder is hoping that Rebel Moon becomes his Dune and Star Wars all rolled into one. You wanna know what? He might actually pull it off. The galactic epic — which is so big it had to be split into two movies (Part 2: The Scargiver bows April 19, 2024) — concerns a peaceful colony at the edge of a distant galaxy that finds itself under attack from the armies of a tyrannical ruling force. And so, it falls to Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living in the colony, to recruit hardened warriors, Seven Samurai-style, to repel the unwanted invaders. The cast includes Michiel Huisman, Anthony Hopkins, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Staz Nair, Bae Doona, E. Duffy, Ray Fisher, and Cleopatra Coleman.

Want more theatrical action? Head on over to Peacock for exclusive access to recent releases like Renfield, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Asteroid City. Fast X drives onto the platform Friday, September 15.