It’s October! Listen – I don’t have time for an intro, there are a lot of good films to list and only 500 words to get it done, so let’s go!
After what seems like 6,000 delays, the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, is ready to see the light of day. The alleged final outing for Daniel Craig, the plot concerns Bond’s attempt to thwart the evil plans of Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) with the help of Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) and newcomer Nomi (Lashana Lynch), another 00 agent. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective), it should be a fitting send off for Craig and his gritty version of the famous character. It releases Oct. 8.
Out on the same day is a new, bizarre looking Icelandic film from A24, titled Lamb. Starring Noomi Rapace, the trailer is drenched in a creepy atmosphere as a married couple find that the birth of a baby lamb starts to affect their relationship. The animal appears to be walking upright in the trailer, wearing children’s clothes, so I’m pretty sure this is going to be a wildly uncomfortable ride. A24 always brings the strange, and I’m here for it.
Just in time for the best holiday of the year, Halloween Kills arrives Oct. 15. The sequel to Halloween, the well received 2018 reboot/continuation of the original 1978 film of the same name, Kills takes place minutes after the previous installment ends, with Michael Myers escaping his presumed death and continuing his blood-soaked murder spree. Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Laurie Strode, prepared to get the entire town on her side to help take down the menace.
Next, a historical drama called The Last Duel. Directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator) and starring the talented Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck and Jodie Comer, this has the promise of an absolutely stunning picture. Based on true events involving the last sanctioned trial by combat in France’s history, the film has fights, betrayal, love and honor all mixed into a glorious framework. It releases Oct. 15.
This month also brings us a giant sci-fi epic with Dune. Based on the 1965 novel, this is the first in a planned two-part outing, both directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario). The cast is stacked, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya and Josh Brolin. Although it was originally scheduled for 2020, the film will release on Oct. 22 in theaters and on HBO Max.
The final two: The French Dispatch and Last Night in Soho. The first is directed by Wes Anderson with a stellar cast including Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and Adrian Brody, following three story lines about a fictional Kansas newspaper in its final days. The latter is directed by Edgar Wright, featuring Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy in a psychological thriller that looks to have some absolutely electrifying imagery and evocative lighting. Dispatch is out on Oct. 22 and Soho releases Oct. 29.
