Fall Preview

Fall 2021 Film Preview: 20 sci-fi, fantasy, and horror movies releasing this year

by Robin Bea
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Despite lots of delayed productions, we’ve already seen some great films this year. From here on out, 2021 is heating up, with tons of exciting sci-fi, fantasy, and horror movies on the way.

Here are 20 genre movies of fall 2021 you don’t want to miss.

1. Candyman

August 27

Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele’s Candyman looks like a smart, slick reinvention of the classic ‘90s slasher series, following a visual artist in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green, the now-gentrified neighborhood where the original took place.

2. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

September 3

Shang-Chi takes Marvel fans to a whole new part of the MCU, so it could be a hit for comic fans with Avengers fatigue. Early reviews, including Inverse’s, say it’s worth seeing when it arrives in theaters.

3. Malignant

September 10

Most details from Saw director James Wan’s Malignant are being kept under wraps, but it centers on a woman tormented by nightmarish visions of violence.

4. Nightbooks

September 15

A young horror fan uses his love of scary stories to escape from a witch with another of her captives. Nightbooks seems to be emulating the old-school fantasy tradition of kids movies that are actually terrifying for kids.

5. Lamb

October 8

In this supernatural drama, a couple finds a strange sheep-human hybrid in their barn and decides to raise the child as their own.

6. There’s Someone Inside Your House

October 6

If you’re looking for Scream for the next generation, look no further than There’s Someone Inside Your House. Based on Stephanie Perkins’ bestselling novel, the Netflix horror movie follows a high school senior who is being targeted by a masked serial killer.

7. No Time to Die

October 8

The next James Bond film continues Daniel Craig’s run as a more grounded 007. Even without the invisible cars, sci-fi fans should still have plenty of fantastical gadgets and action to enjoy.

8. Halloween Kills

October 15

After yet another fake-out death in 2018’s Halloween, Michael Myers returns in Halloween Kills. This time, Laurie Strode rounds up a mob to take him down, but a planned 2022 sequel makes success seem unlikely.

9. Night Teeth

October 20

A chauffeur picks up two women for a night of partying but discovers the pair are out for blood — literally. Think Collateral meets Dracula.

10. Dune

October 22

It takes a brave director to attempt Dune after previous adaptations became legendary cinematic disasters. This version of the sci-fi epic will at least offer a stacked cast and stunning visuals.

11. Last Night in Soho

October 29

A fashion designer makes a time-bending connection with a ‘60s singer in this psychological thriller but finds the past isn’t so easy to leave behind.

12. Antlers

October 29

A touching story of a young boy and his pet — wait, no, turns out that pet is a supernatural monster that escapes and goes on a killing spree in a small Oregon town.

13. The Spine of Night

October 29

This psychedelic, hyper-violent fantasy story centers on a group of disparate adventurers fighting to take down a cruel supernatural overlord, told through rotoscoped animation.

14. Eternals

November 5

Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao directs what could be Marvel’s most surprising movie yet. It follows a group of immortal superhumans who have finally decided it’s time to step up and fight for Earth.

15. Finch

November 5

Originally titled BIOS, Finch stars Tom Hanks as an inventor who builds a robot companion for himself and his dog as they go on a road trip across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

16. Ghostbusters: Afterlife

November 11

Directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a nostalgia bomb waiting to go off, with familiar ghosts, ghouls, and gadgets from the original film.

17. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

November 24

Welcome to Raccoon City has nothing to do with the existing Resident Evil movies. Director Johannes Roberts says he’s going for a darker tone, similar to the first two games.

18. Spider-Man: No Way Home

December 17

Spider-Man deals with the fallout from his fight with Mysterio in No Way Home, and as the film’s first trailer shows, Doctor Strange and his reality-warping magic are front and center this time.

19. The Matrix 4

December 22

The Matrix was a one-of-a-kind success — too bad about those sequels. Details are still being kept quiet, but The Matrix 4 could bring the series back to its original heights this year.

20. Don’t Look Up

December 24

Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio star as two scientists trying to warn an unreceptive public about an incoming meteor in the feel-bad comedy of the season.