Fall movie preview: 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' 'Joker: Folie a Deux,' 'Wicked' and 29 more great films to catch

This fall, Hollywood has one job: Keep summer’s box office momentum going.

Summer came in like a lamb but went out like a lion. Early misses such as the family-friendly fantasy "IF" and the action-epic "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" gave way to Pixar’s "Inside Out 2” and Marvel’s "Deadpool & Wolverine," both billion-dollar hits. Though ticket sales at one point had been down roughly 27% over last year, 2024 is now running only about 15% behind 2023 — not the best news, maybe, but an encouraging sign in this post-pandemic era.

So what will it take to keep audiences coming back to theaters? Hollywood’s plan is a familiar one: Offer a little something for everyone.

The most likely hits on the schedule are built on existing brands. That goes for family-friendly movies, such as the Broadway-to-film adaptation "Wicked" and Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," but also for grown-up films like the Bob Dylan biopic "The Complete Unknown" and the R-rated sequel "Joker: Folie à Deux." If you want something truly original, here's one: Francis Ford Coppola’s "Megalopolis," a wild-looking production whose story seems to conflate ancient Roman themes with modern-day drama.

One thing missing: A massive, end-of-year blockbuster like a "Star Wars" or an "Avatar." Instead, the final months of 2024 will lean on kid-targeted titles ("Moana 2," "Sonic the Hedgehog 3”) and muscular action movies ("Gladiator II," "Kraven the Hunter").

Here are the big movies coming this fall (click on the links to see trailers).

SEPT. 6

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River — and so does the trickster-demon Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton). Tim Burton redirects his original cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, and adds newcomer Jenna Ortega.

SEPT. 13

THE KILLER'S GAME A hit man (Dave Bautista) with a terminal illness puts out a hit on himself — but then must stay alive to protect his imperiled ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella). It’s an action-comedy, from stuntman-turned-director J.J. Perry.

SEPT. 20

TRANSFORMERS ONE

The animated origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), sworn enemies who once were friends. With Scarlett Johansson and Jon Hamm. Josh Cooley, of the Oscar-winning "Toy Story 4," directs.

WOLFS An action-comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt as professional fixers hired to cover up a high-profile crime. The writer-director is Jon Watts, of the new "Spider-Man" films.

SEPT. 27

MEGALOPOLIS

Coppola’s new fantasia sets a Roman epic in an alternate America. Characters include the idealistic Caesar Catilina (Adam Driver), the corrupt Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) and television journalist Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza).

THE WILD ROBOT An animated adventure with Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of Roz, a robot shipwrecked on an island full of lively animals. With Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill and Stephanie Hsu.

LEE Kate Winslet plays Lee Miller, an American fashion model who became a World War II correspondent for Vogue. She photographed the siege of Saint-Malo, the liberation of Paris and the horrors of Dachau.

OCT. 4

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX

Joaquin Phoenix returns as Arthur Fleck, aka The Joker, who meets music therapist Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). The film’s French title translates as "madness of two." Directed and cowritten by Dix Hills’ Todd Phillips.

OCT. 11

SATURDAY NIGHT

Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air") re-creates the making of the first episode of "Saturday Night Live" with a cast of mostly newcomers, plus Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons and Dylan O’Brien. Fun fact: The movie’s release date is also the show’s 1975 debut date.

PIECE BY PIECE Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams tells his life story using LEGO animation. This is the toy company’s fifth feature film, and its first under a new deal with Universal. The voice cast includes Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani and Uniondale’s Busta Rhymes.

OCT. 18

ANORA Brighton Beach stripper (Mikey Madison) and a young Russian playboy (Mark Eidelstein) fall in love, to the dismay of his parents. It’s the latest sex-work comedy-drama from writer-director Sean Baker ("Tangerine," "Red Rocket").

SMILE 2 In Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 hit horror film, a global pop star (Naomi Scott) begins to experience strange events.

OCT. 25

NICKEL BOYS An adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel about Black teenagers who enter a Jim Crow-era reformatory system. It’s directed by RaMell Ross, whose previous film, the documentary, "Hale County This Morning, This Evening," earned an Oscar nod for 2018. Starring Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson.

VENOM: THE LAST DANCE Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock, a journalist who shares his body with a violent alien symbiote. It’s the third (and final?) entry in one of Marvel’s weirder franchises.

NOV.1 

A REAL PAIN

Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network") writes, directs and stars in a comedy-drama about two mismatched cousins on a trip to Poland. It premiered at Sundance, where co-star Kieran Culkin earned rave reviews and Eisenberg won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.

HERE Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reteam with their "Forrest Gump" director Robert Zemeckis (and screenwriter Eric Roth) for a multifamily, multigenerational drama. Based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel. With Kelly Reilly and Paul Bettany.

NOV. 8

THE PIANO LESSON

Two sons of Denzel Washington — actor John David Washington and first-time feature director Malcolm Washington — adapt August Wilson’s play about a family fighting over a prized piano. With Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler ("Till") and Erykah Badu.

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT A seasonal comedy-drama from Smithtown filmmakers Tyler Taormina and his co-writer Eric Berg. Inspired by their own friends and family, and shot in their hometown. Starring Michael Cera, Francesca Scorsese and Sawyer Spielberg.

NOV. 15

RED ONE

A security agent (Dwayne Johnson) and a bounty hunter (Chris Evans) team up to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons). Directed by Jake Kasdan, of the new "Jumanji" films.

HERETIC In a rare horror-movie turn, Hugh Grant plays Mr. Reed, the oh-so-friendly fellow who answers the door when two young missionaries come knocking. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods ("A Quiet Place:).

NOV. 22

GLADIATOR II

Paul Mescal ("All of Us Strangers") takes the starring role in Ridley Scott’s sequel to "Gladiator," his swords-and-sandals Oscar-winner from 2000. With Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen.

WICKED

The Oz-inspired Broadway musical comes to the big screen with Cynthia Erivo as the future Wicked Witch (aka Elphaba) and pop star Ariana Grande as Glinda. Jon M. Chu, of "Crazy Rich Asians," directs.

NOV. 27

MOANA 2

Disney’s animated sequel, with Auli’i Cravalho in the title role and Dwayne Johnson as the Polynesian demigod Maui, looks like a hit already; it has Thanksgiving weekend virtually to itself.

DEC. 6

NIGHTBITCH After putting her career on pause, a stay-at-home mom (Amy Adams) begins turning into a dog. Written and directed by Marielle Heller ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") from Rachel Yoder’s novel. 

THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT Writer-director Tyler Perry tells the story of the first — and only — Women’s Army Corps of color to serve overseas in World War II. With Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey.

DEC. 13

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM
An animé entry in the cinematic Tolkien universe. Brian Cox voices Helm Hammerhand, king of Rohan. Peter Jackson is an executive producer; Kenji Kamiyama directs.

KRAVEN THE HUNTER The origin story of Kraven (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a vengeful Marvel villain. Russell Crowe plays his problematic dad. Directed by J.C. Chandor ("Margin Call").

DEC. 20

MUFASA: THE LION KING

The story of Mufasa and Taka — one a future king, the other a future villain. Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight") directs Disney’s photoreal-animated prequel. With the voices of Aaron Pierre, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner.

BABYGIRL In a gender-flipped thriller, a high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) begins an affair with a much younger intern (Harris Dickinson). Written and directed by Halina Reijn.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3

The live-action/animated sequel features Keanu Reeves as the voice of the antihero Shadow — at least according to reports. Here’s what we do know: Regular cast members Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey and James Marsden return.

DEC. 25

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

Timothée Chalamet plays a young Bob Dylan. Skeptical about that casting? The online trailers might change your mind. Directed and cowritten by James Mangold ("Logan," "Cop Land"). With Elle Fanning and Edward Norton.

NOSFERATU A vampire becomes infatuated with a young woman in the latest from art-horror maestro Robert Eggers ("The Witch," "The Lighthouse"). Starring Emma Corrin, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com@raferguzman