8 Movies to Look Forward To October 2021

Erin and Kassie proudly present Movie Time: October Edition! This October brings a medley of animated adventures, tense and musical dramas, and highly-anticipated novel adaptations.

So settle in, grab your concessions, and leave your frights at the door, because it’s... MOVIE TIME!

1. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

"Being a human is the worst."

Coming up on the 9-year anniversary of the original Hotel Transylvania, the Sony Picture Animations spooky comedy franchise is getting its fourth film in Transformania. The latest Hotel Transylvania flick focuses, as the title may suggest, on the hijinks and mania made when nearly the entire cast swaps from monster to human (and vice versa, in monster-lover Jonathan’s case). Dealing with such deep-minded questions as “What would Dracula think of the sun if it didn’t burn him alive?”, “What does the Invisible Man look like?”, and “What if Frankenstein were hot?”, Transformania looks to be exploring the humour found in experiencing the joys and pains of the human condition. But now the gang must travel in search of the only way to turn themselves back, before they’ll have to come to terms with their changes permanently.

In keeping with this theme of change and transformation, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania brings with it a change in directors, that title now being held by Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon, and in some of its lead actors, with Brian Hull and Brad Abrell taking over the roles of Dracula and Frankenstein. The movie also stars returning actors and fresh voices alike with Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kathryn Hahn, Jim Gaffigan, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Keegan-Michael Key, Fran Drescher, and Asher Blinkoff.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will fly into theaters on the 8th of October. - Erin

2. Halloween Kills

"I wanna take his mask off... and see the life leave his eyes."

Classic spooky season villain Michael Myers continues his showdown with Laurie Strode in Halloween Kills. But this time, the town of Haddonfield joins in on the fight.

Halloween Kills is the twelfth installation of the long-standing franchise that began with Halloween in 1978. The upcoming film will be an immediate sequel to 2018’s Halloween, which served as something of a soft reboot to the series and is the first in the planned trilogy of movies. Halloween Ends — the next film in the franchise — will be a continuation of Halloween Kills and is already set to be released next year, after both upcoming films faced delays due to the pandemic.

James Jude Courtney and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their roles as Michael Myers and Laurie Strobe, respectively. Nick Castle, the original actor of Michael Myers, also once again has a brief cameo as the iconic villain. Halloween Kills sees more returning cast from its 2018 prequel in Andi Matichak, Judy Greer, and Will Patton.

Halloween Kills will release in cinemas on 15th October, as well as be available for direct streaming through NBC’s Peacock. - Kassie

3. The Last Duel

"I say before all of you: I spoke the truth."

Based on true events, The Last Duel is a historical drama set in 1300s France and follows the account of the country’s last legally sanctioned duel. When Marguerite de Carrouges accuses the king’s favoured squire, Jacques Le Gris, of a violent and heinous crime against her, justice is left to fate in the form of trial by combat. Marguerite’s husband, the knight Jean de Carrouges, must win against Le Gris in a duel to the death… or Marguerite will burn at the stake.

Adapted from the book of a lengthier title (The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France), this star-studded drama features Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, and Adam Driver in its leading roles. Supporting cast includes Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther, Clare Dunne, and Harriet Walter. The Last Duel is directed by Ridley Scott, known for his work in memorable films such as Gladiator, Alien, and The Martian.

The Last Duel will be released exclusively in theatres on the 15th of October. - Kassie

4. Dune

"Let’s fight like demons."

It’s a story many believe can’t be faithfully adapted into film format. Frank Hubert’s Dune, published in 1965, is the classic sci-fi novel of epic proportions and dense worldbuilding, perhaps known most widely for its iconic “sandworms” and the “spice” they produce. With the novel having seen previous adaptations of varying success across television and big screen over the years, 2021’s Dune plays on the hope that today’s technology can capture the scope and visual wonder of the sci-fi epic, and that the screenplay and directing can capture the essence of the complex tale.

Dune stars Timothée Chalamet in the lead role of Paul Atreides, alongside Zendaya as Chani. Rebecca Ferguson plays the role of Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother. Paul’s father, Duke Leto, is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. The film also includes stars such as Jason Mamoa, Josh Brolin, and Dave Bautista. The screenplay was written by Denis Villeneuve (who doubles as the film’s director), Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth.

Dune is the first part of a planned duology and will see a release in UK cinemas on the 21st of October, and then in the US and on HBO Max a day later on 22nd October. - Kassie

5. The Boss Baby: Family Business

"We always stick together, and that’s what families do."

Since the first Boss Baby, Tim and Ted Jr. Templeton have grown up and grown apart, each living their own lives, with Tim now raising his own family and Ted Jr., the former Boss Baby, now a CEO. The two spend essentially no time together, their only connection now being the lavish gifts Ted sends to Tim and his family. Add on top of that Tim’s worries that his eldest daughter, Tabitha, might be growing up too quickly and the pressures of raising another infant in youngest daughter Tina, and it starts to seem like Tim is struggling. But when Tina reveals herself to be another Boss Baby and brings him and Ted back together for a mission to turn back into children and save childhood as we know it, things get even more out of hand. But turning the world upside down might just be the way to quell Tim’s worries, reconnect the brothers, and put everything together again.

Once again directed by Tom McGrath, The Boss Baby: Family Business features vocal performances by James Marsden, Alec Baldwin, Amy Sedaris, Ariana Greenblatt, Jeff Goldblum, Eva Longoria, Jimmy Kimmel, and Lisa Kudrow.

The Boss Baby: Family Business will make its first steps into theaters on the 22nd of October. - Erin

6. The French Dispatch

"A factual, weekly report on the subjects of politics, the arts, high and low, and diverse stories of human interest."

Described as both “difficult to describe” and “a love letter to journalists,” The French Dispute is certainly the perfect film for us to try to quickly surmise for this article. The movie follows the eponymous The French Dispute, an American newspaper based in a fictional French city that aims to cover the important stories of the 20th century. More specifically, The French Dispute follows the newspaper and its team covering three specific stories as a sort of anthology film. With stories like the tale of an incarcerated artist and an art dealer wishing to buy his work, a student revolution, and a police lieutenant/expert chef attempting to solve the Commissionaire's son’s kidnapping, there should be hardly any time for The Dispute to write any fluff pieces.

From seasoned director Wes Anderson, The French Dispute covers a wide cast of recognizable faces, including Bill Murray, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Tilda Swinton, Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, Lois Smith, Henry Winkler, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khourdri, Alex Lawther, Cécile de France, Guillaume Gallienne, Christoph Waltz, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Stephen Park, Liev Schreiber, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Rupert Friend, Hippolyte Girardot, and the “wow, ka-chow” man himself, Owen Wilson.

Get your fill of The French Dispute when it rolls off the presses on the 22nd of October. - Erin

7. Dear Evan Hansen

"Have you ever felt like you could disappear? Like you could fall, and no one would hear?"

Starting a new school year with intense social anxiety and a broken arm, Evan Hansen feels isolated and misunderstood. Things only continue to spiral when a signed cast, a letter, and a misunderstanding leads to more than Evan ever thought it would. Adapted from the hit Broadway show, Dear Evan Hansen promises to be an emotional and musical rollercoaster.

Reprising the eponymous role of Evan Hansen is Ben Platt, who introduced and popularized the character on Broadway in the original run of the stage show. Although 27-year-old Platt looks nowhere near high school-aged, many fans of the show will be glad for the opportunity to see him playing the character on the big screen. The musical also stars Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Danny Pino, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, and Colton Ryan. It is directed by Stephen Chbosky.

Dear Evan Hansen will make the official transition from stage to movies on 22nd October in the UK (with an earlier US release date of 24th September). - Kassie

8. Last Night in Soho

"They’re not just dreams. They really happened."

Have you ever wanted to experience a famous locale as it was in the past? For Eloise, a young woman with a penchant for fashion design moving into London, the answer to that would be a resounding yes. Specifically, she would love to see London as it was in the 1960s and, soon after she goes to bed for her first night in the city, she does experience her dream. In her dreams and visions, she finds herself in 1966 in the body of a nightclub singer by the name of Sandra as she engages in what promises to be a glamorous romance with a man named Jack. But as Eloise dives deeper and deeper into the past, she uncovers darker secrets about that relationship and Sandra’s life. And after a while, even her present life begins to fall apart and mesh with this sordid past she sees.

From director Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Michael Ajao, Margaret Nolan, Rita Tushingham, Jessie Mei Li, James Phelps, and Oliver Phelps.

Get ready for your Last Night in Soho when this psychological horror blasts in from the past on the 29th of October. - Erin

That’s All, Folks!

What are you most looking forward to this spooky season? Let us know in the comments!