The October billboard invites audiences to linger in the movie theaters. It marks a rare moment when three celebrated filmmakers—Hayao Miyazaki, Martin Scorsese, and David Fincher—release new work in the same month. Beyond these high-profile premieres, the lineup includes a reboot of The Exorcist from 1973, a documentary tracing a musician’s most ambitious tour, and fresh titles from Arantxa Echevarría and Jaione Camborda, expanding the month’s diverse offerings.
1. The Devil: The Believer by David Gordon Green (October 6)
David Gordon Green is known for reimagining foundational horror milestones. In this release, he steps into a space as expansive as his past update of a landmark classic. The film continues a landmark story amid the fifty-year gap since the original, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist from 1973. Ellen Burstyn, who starred in the 1970s original, returns to the screen, drawing longtime fans into a modern echo of the original fear and atmosphere.
2. The Chinese, Arantxa Echevarría (October 6)
Filmmaker Arantxa Echevarría, known for Carmen y Lola, tackles immigration and discrimination with a deliberate, compassionate lens. Her new feature follows two nine-year-old girls from different backgrounds—the daughter of immigrants and an adopted child—whose paths cross in a social landscape shaped by divided perspectives. The film uses their intertwined stories to reflect on belonging, identity, and resilience.
3. Castle, Martín Benchimol (October 6)
Martín Benchimol presents a compelling Argentine documentary anchored by a former domestic worker and her teenage daughter who come into ownership of a mansion in the pampas. The narrative explores class distinctions and the evolving bond between mothers and daughters with clarity and empathy, inviting viewers to consider how privilege and lineage influence everyday life.
4. Orlando, my political biography, Paul B. Preciado (October 11)
Philosopher and writer Paul B. Preciado makes his directorial debut with a film that blends documentary and fiction to trace a personal political arc rooted in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. The work has earned applause on the festival circuit for its inventive method of reading and reinterpreting a classic through a contemporary lens, shedding light on gender, power, and storytelling.
5. O Corno by Jaione Camborda (October 11)
Jaione Camborda, celebrated for her first feature, returns with a rural drama set in 1971 along the Galician coast. The film centers on a shellfish fisherman’s wife who must confront a sudden upheaval that demands a journey of risk and discovery. The narrative probes motherhood and endurance against a backdrop of coastal life and changing times.
6. Moon Killers, Martin Scorsese (October 20)
One of the year’s most anticipated releases, Scorsese’s new work drew attention at Cannes and across awards season. The drama, inspired by real events, follows a complex investigation tied to an Indigenous community in Oklahoma. Leonardo DiCaprio anchors the cast once again, delivering a performance that resonates with Scorsese’s signature intensity and moral focus.
7. This is excessive ambition, Santos Bacana, Cris Trenas, and Rogelio González (October 26)
This documentary tracks the extensive world tour behind a major modern album, presenting a candid portrait of the demands, triumphs, and vulnerabilities of one of music’s most visible artists. The film moves from public spectacle to intimate backstage moments to reveal the realities behind a global creative milestone.
8. The Killer, David Fincher (October 27)
Fincher returns to his beloved thriller territory with The Killer, a tense study of a hitman whose life unravels after a critical turning point. The film nods to classic crime cinema while delivering contemporary pacing and grit, with Michael Fassbender delivering a restrained, intense lead performance.
9. The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki (October 27)
The revered animator Miyazaki brings a dreamlike adventure to the screen, a final flourish that blends human emotion with otherworldly landscapes. The story follows a child who discovers a doorway to another realm, inviting spectators into a visually stunning fantasy that resonates with Miyazaki’s lifelong fascination with wonder, nature, and coexistence.
10. Trolls 3: All Together (October 27)
With theaters hungry for family fare, the third Trolls installment arrives as a welcome addition. The familiar formula returns: bright, expressive characters, a vivid, color-soaked world, and catchy songs designed to delight younger audiences while offering playful, upbeat energy for the whole family.