FALL MOVIE PREVIEW
LOTS OF VARIETY COMING TO A MULTIPLEX NEAR YOU
The superheroes will keep coming this fall — Thor and the Justice League, among them — but unlike summer, Hollywood will serve up more variety and more drama. We’ll see Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs on the tennis court, Queen Victoria in her royal court and Thurgood Marshall in the courtroom. We’ll also see a Boston Marathoner coping after the attack, firefighters going to battle and soldiers coming home with PTSD.
On the lighter side, we’ve got more Bad Moms, crazy dads and a “War With Grandpa.” Kids can look forward to “The Lego Ninjago Movie,” the new Pixar adventure “Coco” and a lovable bull named “Ferdinand.”
Sure to grab lots of buzz will be “Blade Runner 2049” and the latest chapter in the Star Wars universe, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” And with Halloween just two months away, there will be plenty of good scares. As always, dates are subject to change:
Sept. 1
“Valley of Bones”: Crime thriller about a disgraced paleontologist and her 10-yearold son who venture to western North Dakota to search for a monumental T. Rex fossil, prompted by a recovering meth addict with unpaid debts to a drug cartel. Autumn Reeser, Rhys Coiro and Steven Molony star.
Sept. 8
“It”: Based on the Stephen King novel, a group of young kids in Derry, Maine, square off against evil clown Pennywise, who has a centuries-long history of murder and mayhem. Jaeden Lieberher, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis star.
“Viceroy’s House”: Historical drama stars Hugh Bonneville as Lord Louis Mountbatten, the final Viceroy of India, overseeing the transition of British India to independence. With Gillian Anderson as Lady Edwina Mountbatten.
Sept. 15
“mother!”: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer star in this psychological thriller from Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”) about a couple whose tranquil existence is tested by uninvited guests.
“American Assassin”: Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien), a CIA black ops recruit under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton) is enlisted to investigate a wave of attacks on military and civilian targets. They discover a mysterious operative (Taylor Kitsch) intent on starting a World War.
Sept. 22
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”: Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Jackie Chan and others provide the voices for this animated feature about ninjas led by Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, battling evil warlord Garmadon, the Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad.
“Brad’s Status”: On a trip back east with his college-bound son, Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) finds himself comparing his life to his four best college friends: a Hollywood bigshot (Mike White), a hedge-fund founder (Luke Wilson), a tech entrepreneur (Jemaine Clement), and a political pundit and bestselling author (Michael Sheen).
“Battle of the Sexes”: Emma Stone, somehow, is Billie Jean King and Steve Carell is Bobby Riggs in this true story about the 1973 tennis match that took place during the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement.
“Stronger”: Based on the memoir of the same name, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, a Boston Marathon runner who loses his legs in the bombing and must adjust to his new life. With Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson and Clancy Brown.
“Kingsman: The Golden Circle”: Colin Firth and Julianne Moore star in this action spy film based on the comic book “The Secret Service.” With Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Elton John, Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges.
Sept. 29
“American Made”: Tom Cruise plays Barry Seal in this true story of a former TWA pilot who became a drug smuggler in the 1980s and was recruited later by the DEA to provide intelligence.
“Flatliners”: Sequel to the 1990 film of the same name finds five medical students embarking on a dangerous experiment of stopping their hearts for short periods of time to explore the afterlife. With Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons and Kiefer Sutherland (who starred in the original).
Oct. 6
“Blade Runner 2049”: Sequel to the classic sci-fi film picks up the story 30 years later when a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a longburied secret that threatens what’s left of society. His quest is to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
“The Mountain Between Us”: A surgeon (Idris Elba) and a journalist (Kate Winslet) struggle with injuries and harsh weather conditions in the High Uintas Wilderness of Utah after surviving a plane crash.
“My Little Pony”: Animated adventure about the Mane 6. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity meeting new friends and face exciting challenges on a journey to save their home. Voices of Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Pena, Sia, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana.
“Victoria and Abdul”: Academy Award winner Judi Dench stars as Queen Victoria in this tale of her unexpected friendship with Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk who travels from India to participate in her Golden Jubilee. Stephen Frears (“The Queen,” “Philomena”) directs.
Oct. 13
“Marshall”: True story of future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) as a young rabblerousing NAACP attorney defending a black chauffeur accused by his employer of sexual assault and attempted murder. With Josh Gad and Kate Hudson.
“The Foreigner”: Based on the 1992 novel “The Chinaman.” Jackie Chan plays a London businessman out for revenge when his teenage daughter dies in a politically motivated terrorist attack. It leads to a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official played by Pierce Brosnan.
“Goodbye Christopher Robin”: A glimpse into the relationship between beloved children’s author A. A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) and his son Christopher Robin (Will Tilston), whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Pooh and brought comfort to post-WWI England.
“Happy Death Day”: Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) must relive the same day over and over again on her birthday until she discovers her killer’s identity.
Oct. 20
“Geostorm”: After an unprecedented series of natural disasters threaten the planet, scientists create an intricate network of satellites to control the global climate. But something goes wrong, leading to a race against the clock. Stars Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish.
“Only the Brave”: True story based on the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of firefighters battling the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire in Prescott, Ariz., in June 2013. Stars Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges.
“The War with Grandpa”: Comedydrama based on the novel by Robert Kimmel Smith about a boy (Oakes Fegley) who devises a series of outrageous pranks in an attempt to get his grandfather (Robert De Niro) to move out of his room.
“The Snowman”: A detective (Michael Fassbender) opens decades-old cold cases when the disappearance of a victim on the first snow of winter leads to suspicions of an elusive serial killer. With Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Val Kilmer and J. K. Simmons.
“Boo 2! A Madea Halloween”: Madea, Bam and Hattie venture to a haunted campground.
“Wonderstruck”: A young Midwestern boy (Oakes Fegley) and a young New York girl, from 50 years ago, seek a mysterious connection. Directed by Todd Haynes, with Julianne Moore.
Oct. 27
“Suburbicon”: Matt Damon and Julianne Moore star in this George Clooney film (written with Joel and Ethan Coen) about an idyllic suburban community in 1959 that masks a disturbing reality.
“Thank You for Your Service”: Story of three American soldiers who return from Iraq to reintegrate with their families and try to adjust to civilian life. With Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Beulah Koale, Amy Schumer and Scott Haze.
“Professor Marston & the Wonder
Women”: True story of what inspired Harvard psychologist William Moulton Marston to create the 1940s’ superhero Wonder
Woman that was criticized by censors for her “sexual perversity.” Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall star.
“Forever My Girl”: Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe star in this romance about a country singer returning home after a decade to the love he left behind. “Jigsaw”: Eighth installment in the “Saw” franchise picks up over a decade after the death of the eponymous Jigsaw killer.
Nov. 3
“Thor: Ragnarok”: In this third standalone Thor film, Ragnarok — or doomsday — is coming to Asgard, unless Thor (Chris Hemsworth) can defeat the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in a gladiatorial duel in time to stop Hela (Cate Blanchett), the revengeseeking Goddess of Death. Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins return, joined by “Jurassic Park” stars Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill and Benedict Cumberbatch (“Doctor Strange”).
“A Bad Mom’s Christmas”: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn reprise their roles in this “Bad Moms” sequel, joined by Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon.
“The Killing of a Sacred Deer:” Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman star in this psychological horror thriller about a surgeon who forms a bond with a sinister teenage boy.
Nov. 10
“Daddy’s Home 2”: Brad and Dusty (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) are back, this time dealing with a holiday visit from their intrusive fathers (Mel Gibson and John Lithgow).
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”: After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) paints three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at the town’s revered chief of police, William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson). Oscar winner Martin McDonagh (“In Bruges”) directs the darkly comic tale.
“Murder on the Orient Express”: Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in this adaptation of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novel — which first hit the big screen in 1974 — with a cast that includes Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr., Michelle Pfeiffer and Daisy Ridley.
“Last Flag Flying”: Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston play Vietnam Vets who reunited when one’s son is killed in Iraq.
Nov. 17
“Justice League — Part 1”: Batman and Wonder Woman enlist the help of Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash to save the planet from a cataclysm. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Raymond Fisher and Jason Momoa star.
“Roman Israel, Esq.”: Denzel Washington as a liberal lawyer who learns that the firm he’s working for has run afoul of his values of helping the poor and dispossessed. With Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo.
“Wonder”: Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson play the parents of a young boy born with a “facial difference” (Jacob Tremblay) who must overcome the challenges of going to a regular elementary school for the first time.
“The Star”: Animated feature about a brave donkey and his animal friends who follow the Star and become heroes in the greatest story ever told.
Nov. 22
“Coco”: Pixar presents this animated tale about an aspiring young musician who teams up with a charming trickster Hector on an journey through the Land of the Dead to unlock the story of his family history. Voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal and Benjamin Bratt.
“Darkest Hour”: Gary Oldman stars as Winston Churchill facing the decision of whether to explore peace with Nazi Germany or fight for the nation’s ideals. “Molly’s Game”: Jessica Chastain
plays an Olympic-class skier targeted by the FBI for the running of an underground poker empire for Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business tycoons and the Russian mob. With Idris Elba, Kevin Costner.
“Death Wish”: Remake of the 1974 Charles Bronson film stars Bruce Willis as a Chicago doctor who turns vigilante after the murder of his wife and daughter.
Dec. 1
“He’s Out There”: Horror thriller about a mom and two young daughters encountering an evil intruder while visiting a house on a lake. Yvonne Strahovski stars.
“Polaroid”: A high school loner (Kathryn Prescott) stumbles upon a Polaroid camera that seems to hold mysterious and deadly powers.
Dec. 8
“The Shape of Water”: Set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America, circa 1962, co-workers Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment in a high-security government laboratory.
“Villa Capri”: Action comedy about an ex-FBI agent (Tommy Lee Jones) and an ex-mob lawyer in the witness protection program (Morgan Freeman) fending off a mob hit.
“The Disaster Artist”: James Franco directs this comedy-drama chronicling the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film “The Room.” With Seth Rogen, Josh Hutcherson, Zac Efron, Hannibal Buress, Melanie Griffith, Sharon Stone and Jacki Weaver.
Dec. 15
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”: Follow-up to “The Force Awakens” picks up the story of what happens after new hero Rey (Daisy Ridley) encounters Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
“Ferdinand”: David Tennant and Kate McKinnon provide the voices for this animated film about a bull with a big heart trying to get back to his family.
“The Ballad of Lefty Brown”: A coming-of-age Western that stars Bill Pullman, Jim Caviezel, Peter Fonda, Kathy Baker and Tommy Flanagan.
Dec. 20
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart star in this action-adventure about four teenagers who discover an old video game console and become avatars in a jungle game.
Dec. 22
“Downsizing”: Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig are an Omaha couple that chooses to downsize — as in shrink down to 5 inches tall to help with the problem of global overpopulation.
“Bastards”: Ed Helms and Owen Wilson are brothers seeking out the father that their eccentric mother (Glenn Close) raised them to believe was dead.
“The Six Billion Dollar Man”: Accounting for inflation, Mark Wahlberg is the Six Billion Dollar Man in this bigscreen adaptation of the ’70s TV series that starred Lee Majors.
“The Papers”: Meryl Streep is Washington Post publisher Kay Graham and Tom Hanks is editor Ben Bradlee in this true story about the battle over the Pentagon Papers. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
“Pitch Perfect 3”: The Bellas reunite for one last singing competition at an overseas USO tour against a group that uses instruments. With Anna Kendrick, Elizabeth Banks, Ruby Rose.