Fall Movie Preview: 10 Movies We're Looking Forward To

1. Breathe

Release Date: October 13

Stars: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Dean-Charles Chapman, Miranda Raison, Diana Rigg, Hugh Bonneville

Andrew Garfield stars in this upcoming biographical drama about Robin Cavendish, a brilliant young man who becomes paralyzed from the neck down by polio. Despite being given only a few months to live, Cavendish becomes a tireless advocate for the disabled, helping to develop numerous devices which provide independence to the paralyzed. The film looks to raise awareness for the handicapped while also sporting a powerful pro-life message. That alone should ensure the interest of faith-based viewers.

Aside from ensuring a possible Oscar nod for Garfield, the film will also feature Claire Foy, whom many viewers will recognize from the hit Netflix series, The Crown. There’s definitely potential in the upcoming drama, and audiences should certainly take note.

Watch the trailer for Breathe here!

*(Image Credit:Participant Media)

2. Same Kind of Different as Me

Release Date: October 20

Stars: Renée Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Jon Voight, Greg Kinnear, Olivia Holt

Faith-based audiences have been observing this one for a while now. Based on a book of the same name, Same Kind of Different as Me has gained traction in Christian circles for its noticeable themes of repentance and family. The story revolves around a troubled husband and wife on the brink of divorce, when a sudden dream challenges them to befriend a local homeless man. Ultimately, the wife becomes certain God is calling her family to take him in.

Same Kind of Different as Me is a testament to how God uses the strangest situations to change everything for the better, and how a single act of kindness can mean more than you think. With a talented cast including Renée Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, and Djimon Hounsou, this is one faith-based film Christians are sure to enjoy.

Watch the trailer for Same Kind of Different as Me here!

*(Image Credit:Thomas Nelson)

3. Thor: Ragnarok

Release Date: November 3

Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins, Mark Ruffalo

With so many superhero movies saturating the market, the Marvel formula is starting to feel a little bit tired. Thor: Ragnarok hopes to change all that by pitting the God of Thunder against his greatest enemy yet. After being defeated by the villainous Hela, Thor must escape imprisonment from a gladiatorial arena if he hopes to save Asgard from certain destruction. Luckily, he’ll have help from old allies like the Hulk, Valkyrie, and even Dr. Strange. Thor: Ragnarok looks to bring the Marvel universe one step closer to full unity and right now it’s succeeding.

On the other hand, the bar for Ragnarok is pretty high considering it’s going up against a game-changing Wonder Woman and a successful Spider-Man reboot. Not to mention Thor has never been Marvel’s biggest star. Can the God of Thunder claim victory? We’ll find out this November.

Watch the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok here!

*(Image Credit: Marvel Studios)

4. The Star

Release Date: November 10

Stars: Steven Yeun, Kelly Clarkson, Keegan-Michael Key, Kristin Chenoweth, Anthony Anderson, Gabriel Iglesias 

Coming in early for Christmas, Sony Pictures’ The Star is an animated retelling of the birth of Jesus through the eyes of animals. The main character is a small but courageous donkey named Bo who yearns for a life away from his village mill. After finally breaking free, he teams up with a lovable sheep named Ruth and a dreamy dove named Dave. Together, they become the accidental heroes of the greatest story ever told!

Though no trailer or official poster have been released yet for The Star, Christian outlets are already buzzing with anticipation. Faith-based viewers have always wanted an animated retelling of Christ’s birth, and with an impressive voice cast behind it, The Star could be just what they're looking for. We can only hope that Sony manages to pull off a miracle.

*(Image Credit:Thinkstock)

5. Murder on the Orient Express

Release Date: November 10

Stars: Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Josh Gad, Kenneth Branagh, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Lucy Boynton, Olivia Colman

Boasting one of the largest, star-studded casts in recent memory, this Agatha Christie thriller promises to be a spectacle unlike any other. When a brutal murder is committed aboard the lavish Orient Express, one detective must race against time before a cunning killer slips away. But which of the thirteen suspects is not who they appear? The humble governess? The swarthy salesman? Or maybe the regal princess?

By the look of things, Murder on the Orient Express is aiming for the perfect mix of modern filmmaking with a classic mystery flare. Just be sure to keep all the spoilers in check! This will be an old-fashioned “whodunit” with plenty of drama, and enough style to go around.

Watch the trailer for Murder on the Orient Express here!

*(Image Credit:20th Century Fox)

6. Wonder

Release Date: November 17

Stars: Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Mandy Patinkin, Daveed Diggs

Oh boy, here come the feels! Based on the New York Times bestselling novel, Wonder tells the story of August (Auggie) Pullman, a boy with facial differences who begins attending a mainstream elementary school. Though initially bullied by the other students, Auggie eventually discovers true friendship and teaches his classmates to see past outward appearances. If that weren’t enough, the film features an impressive amount of talent, including Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts as Auggie’s parents. Meanwhile, the lead role will be played by Jacob Tremblay, who made waves for his breakthrough performance in Room.

One glance at the trailer and you know this movie won’t so much pluck at your heartstrings as yank them out and crochet them into the world’s saddest blanket. Make sure you have a box of tissues before seeing this one!

Watch the trailer for Wonder here!

*(Image Credit:Knopf Books for Young Readers)

7. Justice League

Release Date: November 17

Stars: Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher

The pressure is on now. After the explosive success of Wonder Woman, DC fans are desperately hoping this upcoming movie will do (ahem) justice to arguably the greatest superhero team in existence. Following the events of Batman v. Superman, Justice League sees Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a team of heroes to stop a looming invasion of Earth. Featuring all the heavy-hitters like Aquaman and Flash, this could be the boost DC needs to finally catch up with Marvel.

Still, Justice League will have to compete with a number of high-profile films if it hopes to take top billing, and there serious concerns over how rushed production was. The stakes are high in this one, and not just for the heroes.

Watch the trailer of Justice League here!

*(Image Credit:Warner Bros.)

8. Coco

Release Date: November 22

Stars: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renée Victor

Cars 3 showed viewers that Pixar hasn’t lost its edge, but the studio’s real test will be seen with their upcoming film, Coco. Already garnering unfavorable comparisons to 2014’s The Book of Life, the animation juggernaut needs to demonstrate it can still create new and original content. Fortunately, if anyone can deliver on this request its Pixar. Set amidst the Mexican Day of the Dead, Coco follows a young boy named Miguel who accidentally stumbles into the spirit world and uncovers an extraordinary secret about his family. Not only does this new film promise Pixar’s trademark animation, but apparently it marks their first foray into music as well.

There’s a lot of competition looking to overtake Pixar (both at the box office and within the academy), so Coco’s success or failure could change the world of animation as we know it. All in all, this is one movie to keep an eye on!

Watch the trailer of Coco here!

*(Image Credit: Disney/Pixar)

9. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Release Date: December 15

Stars: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, John Boyega

Let’s be honest, there’s just no getting around this one. Ever since The Force Awakens catapulted Star Wars back into the mainstream, viewers have been champing at the bit to return to a galaxy far, far away. Not only will this next entry continue the journey of young jedi-in-training, Rey, but it will hopefully resolve a number of questions which have been dogging fans since the film’s inception. What happened to the Jedi? Who are Rey’s parents? Why did Ben Solo turn to the dark side?

Adding to the suspense is the foreboding shift in the movie’s trailer. Harsh music? Check. Red highlighting? Check. Ominous pronouncements? Double check. Things are not looking good for our heroes. We may have another Empire Strikes Back on our hands people!

Watch the trailer for The Last Jedi here!

*(Image Credit:Disney/Lucasfilm)

10. The Greatest Showman

Release Date: December 25

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Fergusin, Zendaya

Hugh Jackman is hanging up the Wolverine claws and returning to his musical roots in this story of American showman, P.T. Barnum. As the founder of the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Circus, the movie looks to chart Barnum’s rise from small-time businessman to legendary entertainer with help from catchy musical numbers in-between. Though the movie has already drawn early criticism (the first circuses were hardly empowering after all) there’s no denying The Greatest Showman has a charisma audiences will flock to.

Still, the movie is taking some awful risks. For starters, it’s coming out on Christmas day, which has been notoriously cruel to movies in the past. Secondly, an interview about the film suggested most of its songs would be modern, which may clash with the movie’s older setting. Taking everything into consideration, will “the greatest show on earth” live again?

Watch the trailer for The Greatest Showman here!

*(Image Credit:20th Century Fox)

*Ryan Duncan is an Editor for Crosswalk.com

**Published 7/7/2017