Everything we're excited about for Fall 2022

Release date: in theaters November 11Forget and —obviously the year’s most anticipated sequel is our return to Wakanda. The final installment of the MCU’s Phase Four would be notable enough even without the untimely passing of the beloved T’Challa, Chadwick Boseman, throwing the story into uncertainty. Audiences will be mourning his loss even as they look forward to reuniting with writer-director Ryan Coogler and stars Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, and Angela Bassett, all again kicking ass with cutting-edge technology amid gorgeous African vistas. Sidenote: can we award an early Oscar to whoever so brilliantly blended Tems’ “No Woman, No Cry” cover with Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” in the above teaser trailer? [Jack Smart]

Release date: October 21Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album is almost here. After two surprise drops in 2020 with and , and two re-releases in and last year, a new era begins. Swift is a pop superstar and smart businesswoman, so she in her songs for Midnights. The album consists of 13 tracks that, as she puts it, “is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.” It basically promises yet another crushing yet thrilling experience courtesy of Swift’s lyrical expertise. [Saloni Gajjar]

Premiere date: September 21, ABCI’m almost as excited about season 2 premiering September 21 as Janine Teagues surely is about the first day back at school. I say almost because no one under any circumstances could be more excited than dear Ms. Teagues, portrayed by series creator-star Quinta Brunson. Her infectious enthusiasm and optimism, sorely missing from our TV screens since April, was part of what made this laugh-out-loud sitcom such a game changer—for traditional network TV, but also in terms of the national conversation around public schools and appreciation for hardworking teachers. —so I can start watching the whopping 22 episodes starting this fall! [Jack Smart]

Release date: in theaters September 16, streaming on Netflix September 28Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name, promises to show us a side of Marilyn Monroe that we (even us Smash fans) have never seen. The film, Netflix’s first NC-17 release, has generated buzz for what feels like years about the supposedly graphic nature of the sex scenes, leaving some to wonder whether this may actually be a fair depiction of a person whose name has become synonymous with exploitation. As star Ana de Armas told , “[T]o tell this story it is important to show all these moments in Marilyn’s life that made her end up the way that she did.” A herculean task, but de Armas seems more than up to it. [Drew Gillis]

Release date: November 9, PlayStation exclusiveThe “Boy!”s will soon be back in town, as Kratos & Son finally make their way back to gaming after a protracted four-year absence. Building on the success of 2018’s God Of War—rightly heralded by fans and critics alike for the improbable magic trick of inserting a genuine heart back into one of gaming’s loudest and bloodiest franchises—Ragnarök will continue the journey of The God Of War and his teenaged son as they fight their way through the Norse pantheon, attempting to stop the coming of the prophesied ending of the world. [William Hughes]

Release date: in theaters October 21Will actually change the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe? Maybe, but only if new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav allows it. With Zaslav’s recent bloodbath at HBO Max and the cancellation of Batgirl, the DCEU is in a precarious spot. Still, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in star Dwayne Johnson’s relentless enthusiasm for his passion project. And who doesn’t want to see Johnson run around in that skin-tight, padding-free costume? [Jen Lennon]

Release date: October 21Carly Rae Jepsen’s next album might share a release date with Taylor Swift’s forthcoming Midnights, but she needs no pity. Those looking for unadulterated bubblegum pop scribed by a master will know exactly where to go: . In May, “” blew in like a breath of fresh air, heavily deviating from the disco-influenced Dedicated. Paired with the newly released “Beach House,” Jepsen shows off her ability to balance softer tales of inner reflection with the saccharine, lovesick songs she built her reputation on. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Release date: September 30, Disney+Sistahs! Peak ’90s nostalgia is upon us with the return of the Sanderson sister-witches in , arriving on Disney+ on September 30. It remains to be seen how much director Anne Fletcher, taking over from the original’s Kenny Ortega, will balance callbacks with modern updates in this wildly anticipated sequel; my favorite part of its rollout has been the suggesting Kathy Najimy has traded her iconic cord-vacuum-broomstick for what looks like a pair of flying Roombas. All we know is if Bette Midler leads a musical number with even a fraction of the charm of “I Put A Spell On You,” we’re in for all treat, no trick. ’Tis time to get that black flame candle ready again. [Jack Smart]

Release date: in theaters October 14Earning the honor of Best Director for his work on the noir romance , The Handmaiden’s Park Chan-wook is primed for another stellar U.S. premiere this fall. Starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-il, the mystery follows one detective as he investigates a mountainside death. Over the course of interviews and stakeouts, he finds himself falling in love with the widow—whose unemotional state makes her a prime suspect in her husband’s apparent murder. Decision To Leave will also this year in the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature category, making it a must-watch for awards season. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Premiere date: TBAJodie Whittaker’s tenure as the 13th Doctor has been a mixed bag, but it’s still been a monumental chapter in Whovian history. Her run as the first female Doctor will come to an end this fall, with a episode that also marks the Centenary Special for 100 years of the BBC. It’s a grand occasion that will see the return of the Doctor and her companions Yaz (Mandip Gil) and Dan (John Bishop), allies Vinder (Jacob Anderson) and Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), her nemesis the Master (Sacha Dawan), and classic Who companions Ace (Sophie Aldred) and Tegan (Janet Fielding). Not many other details are known, but once-and-future Who showrunner Russell T. Davies called it “an enormous finale, epic finale, 90-minute finale in October”—in which we’ll also likely get a glimpse of Ncuti Gatwa as the 14th Doctor. [Mary Kate Carr]

Release date: in theaters September 16Gina Prince-Bythewood gave us 2020’s best comic-book superhero movie with The Old Guard. For her latest, she turns to the real-life inspirations behind Black Panther’s all-female Dora Milaje warriors: the Agojie, dubbed “Dahomey Amazons” by westerners. Dahomey stopped existing in 1904, so the plot may not go well for these women warriors in the end, though at least one of them apparently lived to be over 100 years old before passing away in the 1970s. For , Viola Davis pairs her physical power with her thespian skills as General Nansica, with John Boyega as King Ghezo, and Lashana Lynch as an unnamed veteran warrior. Trailers promoting the project seem to promise a female-empowerment action film, and the principal cast trained for nine months for their fight scenes. But the actual history goes to some grimmer realities, and it’ll be fascinating to see how far the movie goes with them. [Luke Y. Thompson]

Release date: in theaters September 30With , Billy Eichner set out to make the first big-budget, mainstream, gay rom-com (apparently Good Will Hunting doesn’t count). The cast boasts the likes of Bowen Yang, Dot-Marie Jones, Jim Rash, and Kristin Chenoweth, and Judd Apatow features as a producer, so talent is clearly on its side. Whether or not Bros is truly “revolutionary” (as a recent preview proclaimed) remains to be seen, but even if it’s just a good romcom about two guys, I would be plenty happy. [Drew Gillis]

Release date: October 7It’s been five long years since Canadian five-piece Alvvays released their transcendent sophomore album, . After what felt like eons of radio silence spent pondering if the band would ever release music again, the group made a joyous return with the single “” from their forthcoming record Blue Rev. Laced with lush, shoegaze textures and pop songwriting sensibilities, Alvvays has come back to us better than ever. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Release date: in theaters November 11Despite having made approximately 900 movies about fatherless sons, Steven Spielberg has never made a purely biographical film. Sure, there was Jurassic Park, based on his real-life adventure at a dinosaur clone theme park, but aside from that, he’s known more for grand spectacle than memoir. That changes this year with The Fabelmans, the story of a boy, Sam Fabelman, from a broken home and, get this, a love of film. Of course, we want to know how Spielberg’s post-West Side Story film unfolds, and considering this is reportedly long-time collaborator John Williams’ final score, we’re already primed for an emotional experience. But let’s be honest, we just want to know if David Lynch is playing John Ford or not. [Matt Schimkowitz]

Premiere date: September 16, HBOFor the first time since 2019, the oddball dream team that is Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco), Andrés (Julio Torres), Úrsula (Cassandra Ciangherotti), Tati (Ana Fabrega), and, though he’s often offsite, Uncle Tico (Fred Armisen), returns for a new season of . If you’re unfamiliar with this very funny, mostly Spanish-speaking show, basically, it follows a group of pals who have a business cooking up elaborate, DIY scares. And we’re thrilled HBO has ordered a second batch of episodes, as shows with a comedic sensibility this singular are pretty damn rare. [Tim Lowery]

Release date: September 16Armed with a , their inaugural , and one of the most dedicated fandoms on the planet, BLACKPINK is simultaneously one of the biggest and most ascendant bands on the scene right now. The trappings of being both a girl group and K-Pop group aside, BLACKPINK’s astronomical reach has even made it to Sam Levinson’s corner of HBO. But the music hasn’t been forgotten, as evidenced by their upcoming second album, Born Pink. The juggernaut of a first single, “Pink Venom,” counts Taylor Swift as a fan, and Born Pink has reportedly already sold well over in presale. [Hattie Lindert]

Release date: in theaters October 21What would you do if a lifelong friend abruptly ended your relationship for no apparent reason? If anyone can take such an unfortunate, yet banal, yet plausible scenario to its most entertaining extreme, it’s writer-director Martin McDonagh. reunites the master of distinctly Irish, distinctly dark comedy with his In Bruges stars, Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, in what looks to be a bleakly funny tale poking at the true nature of friendship. Something tells me the “alarming consequences” this film’s logline promises means nihilistic violence rather than reconciliation. [Jack Smart]

Release date: October 14The 1975 are, to put it lightly, divisive. But whether you love them or hate them, the fact remains that there are precious few mainstream rock bands willing to take big swings like these guys. They go big or go home, and everything they do, from frontman Matty Healy’s controversial interviews and hyper-online lyrics to the music’s restlessly sprawling eclecticism, reflects that ethos. You could call them pretentious or self-indulgent, but then again, isn’t that kind of the point? Leaping breathlessly from lovely Bon Iver-inspired folk ballads to immaculately sparkling new wave bangers, the 1975’s new album Being Funny In A Foreign Language, co-produced by renowned pop star whisperer Jack Antonoff, is almost certainly going to be A Lot. We wouldn’t have it any other way. [Peter Helman]

Release date: in theaters September 13Kevin Smith revisits the film that launched his career in , his most personal project to date. Inspired by , the story finds Randal (Jeff Anderson) surviving a heart attack and having an epiphany that he wants to be a filmmaker. And what better subject than his and Dante’s real-life experiences working at the Quick Stop? Basically, he sets out to make Clerks. What starts as a goofy, self-indulgent riff with fun callbacks for fans becomes something more poignant and thoughtful as the film goes on, and you get a sense of Smith wrestling with big, midlife issues like legacy and his own mortality. Bring tissues and be prepared to get a little misty-eyed before it’s over. [Cindy White]

Release date: September 9The xx always seemed to epitomize a very particular brand of aloof, mysterious cool. But on his debut solo album Hideous Bastard, produced by Jamie xx himself, the band’s bassist and vocalist Oliver Sim isn’t afraid to get vulnerable—often painfully so. Upon announcing the album, Sim revealed for the first time that he’s been living with HIV since he was 17. Over the course of Hideous Bastard, he grapples with intense feelings of shame and fear, confronting and liberating himself through poignant, danceable, unabashedly queer songs that embrace the campy theatricality of horror cinema to capture real emotional truth. “Radical honesty/Might set me free,” he sings on “Hideous,” a song that’s anything but. [Peter Helman]

Premiere date: October TBA, HBOWhile the exact premiere date of season two of Mike White’s has not yet been revealed, HBO promises it will arrive sometime in October. Jennifer Coolidge makes her grand return as Tanya McQuoid, and with an all-new cast featuring Michael Imperioli, Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, and Haley Lu Richardson, the show’s set with an ensemble as dynamite as the first season’s. The globe-trotting series will soon check us into The White Lotus Resort in Sicily to dive into “.” Hot. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Release date: in theaters September 23Based on the trailer alone, Florence Pugh has a lot to worry about in director Olivia Wilde’s . She plays Alice, who lives with her husband, Jack (Harry Styles), in the experimental, ’50s-era company town of Victory, where the men working on the top-secret Victory Project live with their families. While the guys toil away in secret, their wives avail themselves of the town’s idyllic amenities. Until Alice starts asking questions. What’s really going on in the town of Victory isn’t the only question we’re eager to see answered. Previously, the Grammy-winning Styles had only been dipping his toe into acting. Now let’s see how he fares as a leading man. As for Wilde, a victory here after 2019’s whip-smart Booksmart will put her on the directing A-list. Don’t Worry Darling looks gorgeous, feels mysterious and relevant and has a killer cast (including Wilde, in a supporting role). [Mark Keizer]

Release date: TBAThe first season of HBO’s gritty, noir-inspired reboot was everything. It went back to Erle Stanley Gardner’s original source material to give us a compelling kidnapping mystery set in a sumptuous and expansive 1930s Los Angeles, but still managed to keep both feet on the ground. Matthew Rhys gave us a scrappier, more hard-boiled version of the straitlaced defense attorney played by Raymond Burr in the 1960s TV series. In season two we can look forward to meeting new characters played by Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Sean Astin, Paul Raci, and Wallace Langham, among others. We’ll catch up with Perry, Della Street, and Paul Drake a few months after the end of the first season, as they build their legal practice, taking mostly civil cases and steering clear of the criminal world. But we know Perry can’t stay away from the action for too long. [Cindy White]

Premiere date: October TBAThe Mobile Suit Gundam anime television franchise has been running for over 40 years, telling stories about child soldiers, teenage terrorists, and—in one memorable example—a global karate tournament, with the only common thread being their use of big robots. And now, for the first new Gundam series since 2015, the franchise is introducing its first-ever female protagonist for . If its tragic prologue teaser is anything to go by, the series will be yet another heartbreaking story about the horrors of war … that just happens to feature some extremely cool robots. [Sam Barsanti]

Release date: October 14If Sweden’s soft power emanates from a single source, it could well be Tove Lo. The pop artist, known for addictive anthems like “Talking Body,” returns with her new album Dirt Femme, a phrase that could be a spiritual sister of “indie sleaze” (the era where Tove Lo first established herself.) The album’s first single, “No One Dies From Love,” is a heavenly earworm of synths and harmonics; the is Lana Del Rey’s “Ride” meets Ex Machina. If Tove Lo is the first to die from love, we’ll be in full indie-sleaze couture (read: American Apparel circle skirt and flower crown) at the funeral, dancing away our glitter tears. [Hattie Lindert]

Premiere date: TBAFor fans who didn’t get enough Neil Gaiman content in 2022 with the release of The Sandman on Netflix, Prime Video is bringing back our favorite angel and demon pair, Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant), for another season of divine mischief. Since the first season adapted the book Good Omens in its entirety, this one will have an entirely original story, though Gaiman has said it will be based on conversations he had with the late Terry Pratchett, who co-wrote the original with him. How do you top preventing Armageddon with the help of a young Antichrist, a witch hunter, a medium, and the descendant of a scarily accurate prophet? We have no idea, but if anyone can do it Gaiman can. [Cindy White]

Release date: October 14If reality feels all backward these days, Bill Callahan’s new album YTI⅃AƎЯ might just be the antidote. “I wanted to make a record that addressed or reflected the current climate,” the singer-songwriter explains in a statement. “It felt like it was necessary to rouse people—rouse their love, their kindness, their anger, rouse anything in them. Get their senses working again.” Since his early days of recording sad, funny, and beautiful songs under the name Smog, Callahan has solidified his position as one of indie rock’s greatest storytellers. He’s practically an elder statesman at this point, and YTI⅃AƎЯ, which features players like guitarist Matt Kinsey, bassist Emmett Kelly, pianist Sarah Ann Phillips, and drummer Jim White, is sure to have plenty of wisdom—dispensed, as always, in Callahan’s inimitably gravelly baritone. [Peter Helman]

Premiere date: October 5, Crunchyroll is back after a three-year-long hiatus. Season three will cover the final arc of the manga, in which Mob graduates high school, tries to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and faces off against a cult. Sounds easy, right? The creative team behind the show knows something about pressure, too: anime openings are usually pretty entertaining, but few are as transcendently weird and masterfully animated as “” and “” the openings from seasons one and two. Previously, if you’d asked me whether they could have possibly topped those for season three, I would’ve said absolutely not; now, after watching “,” I think they might have actually pulled it off. [Jen Lennon]

Premiere date: November 30, Disney+Yes, is another fantasy series based on a preexisting title that’s taking advantage of nostalgia for the original to attract a built-in audience, but hear me out. If the is any indication, Warwick Davis still has the same charisma and self-deprecating sense of humor that made the original Willow movie so much fun. And we could all use a little more fun in fantasy nowadays, couldn’t we? Ron Howard, who directed the original film, is on board as executive producer, along with his partner Brian Grazer and Kathleen Kennedy, so you know the show is in good hands. So far there’s been no confirmation of Val Kilmer’s involvement in the series, but showrunner Jonathan Kasdan has said that his character, Madmartigan, will be referenced [Cindy White]

Release date: November 24, Disney+Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden are all back for , the long-awaited sequel to the 2007 live-action homage to Disney’s animated musical heritage. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz are also back to lend their collective genius to the soundtrack. New to the project this time around are Maya Rudolph (reportedly playing the film’s Big Bad), Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, and Oscar Nunez. The story finds animated-princess-turned-real-girl Giselle (Adams) settled down in the suburbs with her family, but when trouble arises she’s thrust back into her former world of magical fantasy. There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding the project, but the biggest question is will they actually let Idina Menzel sing this time? (Spoiler alert: yes they will.) [Cindy White]

Premiere date: TBAThe Addams Family’s Wednesday Addams has maintained her goth teen queen status for over 80 years since her cartoon debut. She’ll be portrayed in live-action for the Netflix series by Jenna Ortega, who’s transformed into a teen scream queen after proving her mettle in , , and Studio 666 this year. The indomitable Catherina Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman play her parents, Morticia and Gomez Addams, and the cast also includes Gwendoline Christie and Riki Lindhome. If the ensemble wasn’t enough, Tim Burton directs multiple episodes as an exciting bonus. We are pumped to see how this team brings to life Wednesday’s coming-of-age adventures at the Nevermore Academy, including stopping a supernatural killing spree. [Saloni Gajjar]

Premiere date: November 3, NetflixThe irony of Netflix releasing a television show about the last Blockbuster video store isn’t lost on anyone. In fact, it’s probably why Blockbuster is such an anticipated comedy (insert gif here of Marie Condo saying “I love mess”). Created by Vanessa Ramos, the 10-episode series boasts a talented leading duo in ’s Randall Park and ’s Melissa Fumero. Park’s Timmy Yoon is the store manager harboring a long-time crush on his employee, Eliza. The overall concept seems a little on-the-nose (Netflix’s history of sitcoms isn’t reliable either), but we hope Blockbuster’s charming cast—including J.B. Smoove, Madeleine Arthur, and Tyler Alvarez—helps turn it into the next . [Saloni Gajjar]