New movies will continue to fly into theaters between now and the end of 2026. And, after last week's bumper crop of new releases, you've only got two to choose from this weekend (October 2-4).
So, will you opt for Tom Cruise's new satirical comedy flick Digger or Verity, the latter being an erotic thriller that's also the final film of a very busy year for Anne Hathaway? Of course, you could keep hold of your money and spend it on another new film that'll come out later this month, in November, or in December (NB: entries for the latter two months will be added soon). So don't feel obliged to run to your local cinema to check out either of this week's new movies if neither appeals to you.
New movies: October
Digger
Release date: October 2 (worldwide)
The first of October's new movies sees Tom Cruise tackle his most unusual role since he played Les Grossman in 2008's Tropic Thunder.
In Digger, the A-lister plays a wealthy oil tycoon called Digger Rockwell, who's tasked with saving humanity from a major environmental disaster that he unleashed upon the world. Riz Ahmed, Sandra Huller, Jon Goodman, Emma D'Arcy, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons are among its starry cast.
Co-written and directed by Alejandro G Inarritu, Digger is yet another 2026 Warner Bros. film that, based on its Rotten Tomatoes (RT) scores, has polarize fans and critics alike.
Verity
Release date: October 2 (worldwide)
The latest Colleen Hoover novel to be turned into a movie, Verity stars Dakota Johnson as Lowen, an author with writer's block who's contacted by Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett) to finish his wife Verity's (Anne Hathaway) bestselling book series. The reason? Verity suffered a mysterious accident that's seemingly left her paralyzed, and she wants Lowen to complete her final novel.
It isn't long, though, before secrets and sexual desires involving the trio come to light. Cue a psychological erotic thriller of a tale that's been slammed by critics (it currently holds a 39% rotten rating on RT) ahead of its public release.
The Social Reckoning
Release date: October 9 (worldwide)
16 years on after The Social Network wowed the world with its adaptation of Facebook's origins and creation, the writer of that movie Aaron Sorkin is on double duties as the scribe and director of this legal thriller sequel.
Starring Jeremy Strong as Mack Zuckerberg (NB: Jesse Eisenberg wouldn't return to play the CEO of Facebook/Meta), The Social Reckoning dramatizes the massive Facebook leak that occurred in 2021. Mikey Madison portrays whistleblower-in-chief France Haugan, while Jeremy Allen White will tackle the role of Wall Street journalist Jeff Horwitz. Expect fireworks on and off the screen once this one lands in cinemas.
Other Mommy
Release date: October 9 (worldwide)
Jessica Chastain is out to give us all nightmares via the dual role she has in Universal's next pre-Halloween movie.
In Other Mommy, Chastain plays Ursula, mom to Bela (Arabella Olivia) and wife of Russ (Jay Duplass). However, when the titular malicious supernatural entity appears and not only starts impersonating Ursula, but also terrifies and tries to kidnap Bela, the young girl and her parents are put at the center of a familial nightmare that they seemingly can't wake from. Haunting doesn't even cover it...
The Uprising
![THE UPRISING - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters September 10 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZVkrhHebz1Q/maxresdefault.jpg)
Release date: out now (US); October 9 (internationally)
A historical drama that sparked confusion when its marketing campaign indicated it was actually a Robin Hood origins story, The Uprising stars Andrew Garfield as Wat Tyler.
One of two men (the other being John Ball (played by Jamie Bell)) who led the infamous 1381 Peasants' Revolt in Britain, the action period piece has drawn mixed reactions from RT fans and critics alike in the US. So, it'll be interesting to see if fares better elsewhere, especially on UK soil.
Street Fighter
Release date: October 16 (worldwide)
With Mortal Kombat II failing to capture audiences' imagination upon its release in May, Paramount Pictures' live-action adaptation of the iconic Street Fighter game series will soon have the chance to show their beat-em-up archrivals how it's done.
Set in 1993, it'll see Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruit Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken (Noah Centineo) to fight in a martial arts tournament and confront the tyrannical M. Bison (David Dastmalchian). Fans new and old can expect plenty of videogame references, campness, and full-throttle action sequences from this one. Altogether now: Hadouken!
Whalefall
Release date: October 16 (worldwide)
Fresh off starring in Zach Cregger's hit Resident Evil movie, Austin Abrams trades survival horror for an aquatic survival thriller.
Based on Daniel Kraus' book namesake, Whalefall sees Abrams portray Jay Gardiner, a scuba diver who gets swallowed alive by a sperm whale when he's inadvertently caught up in said whale's pursuit of its next meal in the form of a giant squid. With only an hour's worth of oxygen left in his air tank, Jay must use every survival skill his dad (Josh Brolin) ever taught him to try and escape his living prison.
A claustrophobia-inducing flick that's had me saying "nope nope nope" since its first teaser dropped, will you attempt to *ahem* stomach one of October's most unlikely new movies?
Forgotten Island
Release date: out now (US); October 16 (internationally)
From the creative visionaries behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, DreamWorks' latest animated feature will be a visual and thematic treat for viewers young and old.
In it, best friends Jo and Raissa (voiced by H.E.R and Liza Soberano) are mysteriously transported to the mystical world of Nakali. There, they must join forces Raww and myriad other creatures to escape back to the real world, otherwise Jo and Raissa lose their memories and forget about each other forever. Expect laughs, frenetic set-pieces, and tons of emotional beats in one of the best-rated family movies of the year (based on its 95% critical and 95% audience RT scores, anyway).
Clayface
Release date: October 23 (worldwide)
The second and final DC Universe (DCU) movie of 2026, Clayface will bring a hefty dollop of body horror to James Gunn and Peter Safran's comic book-inspired franchise when it arrives later this month.
Tom Rhys Harries stars in this DCU Chapter One film as Matt Hagen, a handsome and talented actor whose life is turned upside down when he's disfigured by one of Gotham's crime gangs. After undergoing an experimental procedure to restore his good looks, Hagen's life takes another sharp turn when he soon learns he can, well, mould his body to take on any size, shape, and form. Cue the Batman villain seeking revenge on those who wronged him.
Want to learn more about DC Studios' next big-screen offering? Find out everything we know so far about Clayface.
Wildwood
Release date: October 23 (worldwide)
With his latest feature — a live-action take on Masters of the Universe — bombing at the global box office, Travis Knight returns to the big screen with his next gorgeous-looking stop-motion animated flick Wildwood.
Developed by Knight's Laika Studios (NB: they're the same studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman), Wildwood follows headstrong teen Prue, who travels to the Impassable Wilderness to rescue her baby brother after he's kidnapped by a mysterious individual.
If the seemingly incomprehensible 91 million (!) views that Wildwood's official trailer has amassed on YouTube are anything to go by, this one could be incredibly popular. I wouldn't be shocked if it's up for an animated gong or two on the 2027 awards circuit, either.
Ali G: Who I Iz?
Release date: October 23 (worldwide)
Almost 20 years on after Sacha Baron Cohen appeared to retire Ali G, aka his most recognizable character for good, he's brought him back from the dead. Indeed, Cohen reprises his role as Ali G in Who I Iz?, an Amazon-funded vehicle that's set to arrive in late October.
After finding out his girlfriend is eight months pregnant, the eponymous poseur heads to the US to, according to the film's story synopsis, "reclaim his former glory". Respectfully, I feel like the world has moved on from stereotypical characters like Ali G, so I'll be stunned if he manages to reclaim said glory, ticket sales or otherwise...
Klara and the Sun
Release date: October 23 (worldwide)
Directed by Taika Waititi and based on Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro's book namesake, Klara and the Sun stars Jenna Ortega as the titular artificial being.
A synthetic humanoid unable to find her permanent home, Klara eventually meets and befriends Josie (Mia Tharia). However, when outside forces, including Josie's mom, among other things threaten to tear Klara and Josie's burgeoning companionship apart, the pair's bond will be put through the proverbial wringer. Hopefully, it'll be as uplifting and haunting as its source material.
Primetime
Release date: out now (US); October 30 (internationally)
Robert Pattinson's incredibly busy 2026 has continued apace with the hotly-anticipated Primetime.
Based on Chris Hansen's controversial Dateline-NBC TV show To Catch a Predator and a 2007 Esquire article about the death of one of its targets Bill Conradt, the A24 crime-thriller dramatizes the events leading up to, around, and after Conradt's suicide.
Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Anna Faris, Alex Winter and Bokeem Woodbine are also part of this Lance Oppenheim-directed flick that's earned positive reviews (it holds 87% critical and 79% audience scores on RT) and drew fierce criticism from the real Hansen ahead of release.
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