The Most Anticipated Movies for October 2025

October is stacked with prestige dramas, franchise sci-fi, pulse-pounding horror, and a few very buzzy author adaptations. From Kathryn Bigelow’s first feature in years to a new chapter in a beloved anime saga, the month brings a mix of theatrical tentpoles and streaming premieres, with release dates clustered around award-season corridors and Halloween-ready weekends.

Below, you’ll find the essential details for each title—who’s behind it, who’s in it, what it’s about, and when and how you can watch it. Dates are set by distributors and studios, while release types note whether to expect a theatrical bow or a streaming debut.

‘The Smashing Machine’ (2025)

Benny Safdie directs a biographical drama about MMA legend Mark Kerr, charting his rise and the personal battles that shadow his success. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Kerr, with Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader in key roles, and explores the brutal demands of elite fighting alongside the toll that ambition can take away from the spotlight. It’s set for release on October 3 with a theatrical rollout.

Expect a focus on training, competition, and addiction amid the late-’90s and early-’00s MMA scene, with the story tracking Kerr’s relationships and the pressures that accompany fame. Safdie’s film aims to capture the costs of greatness through an unvarnished portrait of a champion struggling to hold his life together while the world watches.

‘After the Hunt’ (2025)

Luca Guadagnino returns with a character-driven drama centered on Alma Olsson, a Yale professor on the cusp of tenure whose career and relationships come under intense scrutiny. Julia Roberts leads the cast with Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri, bringing academic politics and personal history into sharp relief. The film opens October 10 in theaters.

True to Guadagnino’s fascination with tangled human bonds, the narrative examines power dynamics within institutions, the complexities of mentorship, and the ripple effects of past choices. As Alma navigates professional land mines and private reckonings, the story probes how ambition, loyalty, and love intersect inside and outside the lecture hall.

‘TRON: Ares’ (2025)

Joachim Rønning helms the next chapter in the sci-fi saga, introducing Ares, a highly sophisticated A.I. program that crosses from the digital realm into the human world on a dangerous mission. Jared Leto leads the ensemble alongside Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, Jodie-Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Hasan Minhaj, and Jeff Bridges. The film is slated for an October 10 theatrical release.

While plot details are tightly held, this installment shifts much of the action to the real world, raising questions about sentience, control, and the boundary between code and consciousness. Longtime fans can look for connective tissue to earlier entries, with Bridges returning in an undisclosed capacity amid new characters and high-concept world-building.

‘Black Phone 2’ (2025)

Scott Derrickson reunites with the original team for a new chapter following the breakout success of the earlier horror thriller. Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Miguel Mora return, with the story once again orbiting a mysterious phone and the lingering specter of the “Raggedy Man.” The sequel arrives October 17 in theaters.

Details remain under wraps, but the setup suggests another blend of supernatural communication and real-world menace, with the phone’s eerie link to the past pulling characters toward unfinished business. As the mythology expands, expect the investigation of prior victims, the psychology of survival, and the consequences of evil to drive the narrative forward.

‘Good Fortune’ (2025)

Aziz Ansari writes and directs a high-concept comedy featuring Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, and Seth Rogen, with Sandra Oh also appearing. The premise follows an angel who inhabits a man’s boss to teach him a lesson, setting off a chain of workplace and life shake-ups that test relationships and priorities. The film opens October 17 in theaters.

The story plays with body-swap and guardian-angel tropes to explore how people change when forced to see themselves from the outside. With Ansari also serving as a producer, the film blends situational chaos with heart, using the supernatural twist to push its central character toward accountability, empathy, and a reframed idea of success.

‘A House of Dynamite’ (2025)

Kathryn Bigelow’s latest is a thriller about a race to identify and stop those behind an anonymous missile launch targeting the United States. Starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, and Anthony Ramos, the film marks Bigelow’s return after several years away from features. It debuts October 24 as a streaming release on Netflix.

Positioned for the fall corridor, the plot follows investigators and operatives navigating incomplete intel, shifting alliances, and a ticking clock as they close in on the source of the launch. Expect procedural rigor, geopolitical stakes, and on-the-ground suspense as the story moves between command centers and field operations in pursuit of a hidden perpetrator.

‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ (2025)

Scott Cooper directs Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen during the creation of the stark, influential album ‘Nebraska,’ with Jeremy Strong and Stephen Graham co-starring. The film focuses on a pivotal creative period that shaped Springsteen’s songwriting and career trajectory. It’s set for an October 24 theatrical release.

The narrative traces the minimalist recording approach, the personal and professional context around the sessions, and the impact the album had on the artist’s path. By zeroing in on process—demos, decisions, and the stories behind the songs—the film charts how stripped-down storytelling reframed a rock icon’s voice.

‘Regretting You’ (2025)

Based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, Josh Boone’s adaptation follows Morgan and her teenage daughter Clara as they struggle to reconnect after the sudden death of Morgan’s husband and Clara’s father, Chris. Allison Williams and Mckenna Grace lead, with Dave Franco and Mason Thames in supporting roles. The film arrives October 24 in theaters.

The story interweaves grief, secrets, and first love as mother and daughter navigate a shared loss from very different vantage points. As revelations surface, the adaptation leans into the emotional beats readers know—family fractures, difficult forgiveness, and the search for a path forward—while translating the book’s central relationships to the screen.

‘Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc’ (2025)

Directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature adapts the ‘Bomb Girl’ arc, bringing Denji’s encounter with Reze to the big screen with Kikunosuke Toya, Tomori Kusunoki, and Shôgo Sakata among the voice cast. The film releases October 24 in theaters, expanding the anime’s universe between major TV storylines.

Set after a rain-soaked meeting between Denji and café worker Reze, the plot layers romance atop escalating danger as identities are revealed and loyalties collide. The arc’s set pieces, emotional stakes, and connections to the broader ‘Chainsaw Man’ narrative set up future conflicts, while Special Division 4’s battles push Denji further toward the cost of being a devil-hearted hero.

Share your watchlist in the comments—what are you most excited to see this October?