Fall 2018 is packed with exciting films that vary from Disney sequels to Marvel or DC superhero tentpoles and, of course, more potential Oscar contenders than you can shake a stick at. In keeping with Screen Rant tradition, this year's Fall movie preview will cover the months of September through to December.

On the whole, Summer 2018 was a noticeable improvement over last year's frame, with respect to both the quality of films released between May and August (read: summertime in Hollywood) and box office. Studios are now looking ahead to the fall, which promises to be a pretty fruitful season in its own right. Yes, there's no new Star Wars movie opening in December for the first time in three years, but there will be plenty of (too many?) tentpoles to take that franchise's place over the winter holiday frame. Netflix will also be stepping up its game big-time over the next four months and will have its faire share to offer those who would rather stay in and watch something at-home, instead.

30. THE NUN (SEPTEMBER 7)



Plot Summary: When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in “The Conjuring 2,” as the abbey becomes a horrific battleground between the living and the damned.


The Breakdown: Now that Annabelle: Creation has shown that Conjuring spinoffs can be good (and not just cash grabs), a movie about Conjuring 2's terrible house guest, Valak, actually sounds quite promising. Franchise architect James Wan even cowrote the story for this one, further indicating The Nun should be a fun Hammer Horror inspired exercise in spooky atmosphere, Conjuring-style. Who knows, if the film's a hit, then maybe director Corin Hardy will get to resurrect his planned reboot of The Crow starring Jason Momoa afterwards. (Okay, we're not really holding our breath waiting for that to happen, but you never know...)

29. THE PREDATOR (SEPTEMBER 14)



Plot Summary: From the outer reaches of space to the backwoods of southern Georgia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before. And only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biology professor can prevent the end of the human race.


The Breakdown: Even after major third act reshoots (and even more reshoots for a possible post-credits scene), a Predator movie written and directed by Shane Black is still something to be excited for. The outlook towards The Predator continues to improve with each new trailer and clip that makes the sequel/reboot look more and more like the sort of mix of sly wit and brutal violence that fans would expect from the Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys director, in this case. On the other hand, aspects like the film's "upgrade" Predator are preventing some people from being more than cautiously optimistic about this one.

28. A SIMPLE FAVOR (SEPTEMBER 14)



Plot Summary: A Simple Favor, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily's (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town. Stephanie is joined by Emily's husband Sean (Henry Golding) in this stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge.


The Breakdown: Comparisons to Gone Girl aside, the prospect of Bridesmaids, Spy, and Ghostbusters director Paul Feig getting his Hitchcockian thriller game on is certainly intriguing. At the same time, even Darcey Bell's source material for A Simple Favor has struggled to escape the shadow of Gillian Flynn's twisted noir-mystery, ever since it was published. Truth be told, though, Feig's big screen iteration doesn't really look like David Fincher's Gone Girl movie in a literal sense, so it may yet stand apart thematically, too. Plus, it's nice to see Crazy Rich Asians' Henry Golding costarring in another major studio release already.

27. THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (SEPTEMBER 21)



Plot Summary: The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.


The Breakdown: Jack Black has become an increasingly reliable source for quality family entertainment over the years (see also: Goosebumps, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and looks to keep his winning streak alive with this fantasy-horror adaptation. The House with a Clock in Its Walls was directed by Hostel and Green Inferno filmmaker Eli Roth of all people, but its PG rating ensures that Roth's latest "scary" offering will be appropriate for young and older moviegoers alike. Toss in Cate Blanchett as the witch-next-door and this Amblin adventure sounds like a fun way for Halloween fanatics to tide themselves over until October.