After 5 grueling months, the WGA strike has officially come to a close! Writers of film and television finally got the deal they deserved (at least for the next 3 years). So the very talented screen writers of the world will get back to work as we await a new deal from the studios to end the SAG-AFTRA strike that is still happening. That is needed to, you know, have actors in these projects that will now be written….

A big blow to the studios with the actors strike is the fact that the actors cannot promote their projects in anyway at all. So with the roll out of big Hollywood films, you typically send the actors out on a massive promotional tour 2 months before the release across the globe. Since they can’t do that, many major films have now been pushed to 2024. (I’m still crying at the loss of Dune Pt 2). So I’m writing this article here today to let you know there’s still an abundance of intriguing films on the horizon to get excited about.

The last quarter of the year is about to begin, so here are my most anticipated movie releases for the rest of 2023, in order of release:

Fair Play (Oct 6th/ Netflix)

Fair Play was the talk of the town back in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get into a screening but the buzz in the air was palpable. Netflix put in a bid at the fest and purchased the distribution rights to Fair Play for a crisp $20 million.

Described as a thriller with a touch of the old school 90s eroticism, the film is about a couple who both work at the same competitive hedge fund. When Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) gets the promotion her fiancé Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) was expecting to receive, jealousy and deception takes over. Will the cut throat world of finance break this couple?

Anatomy of a Fall (Oct 13th)

Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this year, Anatomy of a Fall sounds like just the twisted crime mystery we need right now. Detectives investigate the mysterious death of a man and suspect his wife may have something to do with it. The key witness? The son of the victim and accused, whom happens to be blind.

Killers of the Flower Moon (Oct 20th)

One of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Martin Scorsese, returns to the big screen bringing along his all time muses (Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro) together to adapt David Grann’s ground breaking true crime novel. This 3 and a half hour epic produced by Apple tells the story of the infamous Osage Murders of the 1920’s. The rest of the cast is stacked too, and Scorsese subverts expectations flipping the script from the novel, focusing the perspective on the Osage people, and the atrocities they lived through from white greed. There’s a lot of amazing looking movies on this list, but this is by far my most anticipated release of the year.

Priscilla (Nov 3rd)

Sofia Coppola’s new movie takes a very different approach from last years extravagant Elvis biopic. Priscilla tells the story of the 14 year old girl whom would be courted/groomed by the most famous musician on the planet, 10 years her senior. What was it like for someone so young marrying the king of rock n’ roll and being pushed into the public spotlight? One thing is for sure, my girl Sofia will not pull any punches.

The Killer (Nov 10th/Netflix)

Another one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, David Fincher, is back partnering with Netflix once again. This time he has pulled Michael Fassbender away from his race car long enough to play a hit man down on his luck and on the run in an international manhunt. I have not read the source graphic novel, nor do I know very much about the plot. But it’s Fincher so you know it’s going to be worth your time. This is my 2nd most anticipated film of 2023.

May December (Nov 17th/Netflix)

My queen Natalie Portman is back in what looks to be a dynamite psychological thriller! Portman plays an actor/filmmaker trying to adapt the story of a notorious couple from the tabloids. Why are they famous? They got together when the woman was 36 and the boy was in 7th grade…also she had his baby while in prison. The couple are happily married since she was released from prison, and Portman’s character inserts her way into their life vastly more than they bargained for. This film will have a limited theatrical window before coming to Netflix on December 1st.

Saltburn (Nov 17th)

Not all Ivy League students come from money, some have to earn their way. Saltburn tells the story of a poor boy spending the summer at a ritzy palace with his classmates, surviving ragers and other nuances of the elite class. Coming from Emerald Fennell of Promising Young Woman fame, I expect this one to take many dark and twisted turns. Even if the story ends up being weak, just look at the imagery in this thing!

Napoleon (Nov 22)

Another extremely expensive movie from Apple, directed by one of the most famous filmmakers in history. Napoleon tells the story of….well….yeah… you know. Ridley Scott is very hit and miss these days, but the man that brought you Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner and so many more classics is back with another visual epic! Also I didn’t mention, Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are starring. It could end up being a dud but you know damn well those battle sequences are going to pop!

The Bikeriders (Dec 1)

What if Sons of Anarchy took place in the 60s, and starred some of the most talented actors of today? That’s pretty much what you’re getting here. Austin Butler ditching the Elvis act and looking cool as hell on a motorcycle. Tom Hardy doing another bat shit crazy accent that also really works. Michael Shannon, Jodie Comer, Mike Faist, it just keeps going. Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter) directs, I’ve always been a fan of his work and I hope The Bikeriders is the bounce back his career really needs.

Poor Things (Dec 8)

Buzz is all over the place that Emma Stone may win her second Oscar for Poor Things, her next collaboration with the brilliant and demented Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favourite). In basic terms, Poor Things is essentially a psychedelic sexually deranged adaptation of Frankenstein, with Stone playing Frankenstein’s Monster. Those who have seen it are raving about the stacked cast and luscious visuals. One of the most exciting aspects? Mark Ruffalo is finally out of the motion capture Hulk suit and actually doing some acting again for a change! Ridiculously excited for this release.

The Boy and The Heron (Dec 8)

It’s well known in my circles that I’m not a big fan of anime for the most part. One of the exceptions is Studio Ghibli releases, and in particular, ones directed by Hayao Miyazaki. He came out of retirement to tell one final story, and that is reason enough to be a definitive watch. I couldn’t even tell you what the film is about but I’ll be seeing it. Teaser below.

The Iron Claw (Dec 22)

It’s about to be October and we still don’t have a trailer for this A24 release. Regardless, I’m intrigued by the cast and the subject matter. Let the log line tell you: The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.

The film stars Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White. Looking forward to seeing this around the holiday season assuming it still comes out. (give us the trailer A24!)

All of Us Strangers (Dec 22)

A writer struggles to tell the story of his childhood life, failing still 30 years later to cope with the loss of his parents at 12 years old. When he visits his childhood home, he finds he can speak directly with parents exactly as they were when they died.

Ferrari

Michael Fucking Mann teams up with Adam Driver to give us a high octane biopic about what Enzo Ferrari was up to in 1957, racing and dealing with a complicated love life. Regardless of what the final product ends up being, I have no doubt the racing sequences alone will be worth the watch with Mann behind the camera. Happy Christmas to us!

What films are you looking forward to in the rest of 2023?