From family-friendly delights to major marquee fare, there are so many cinematic reasons to be thankful this year

Allow us to sum up the theatrical onslaught gracing the screens of theaters this fall and winter into one, tiny, three-letter word: wow. Not only do we have the Hunger Games prequel, The Color Purple in musical form, and a Willy Wonka origin story to look forward to, but Ridley Scott, Nia DaCosta, Martin Scorsese, and Sofia Coppola all have new releases just waiting for their standing ovations.

Heads up: There are a ton of rumored releases out there, like Legally Blonde 3 and the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel, but if those films make the fall 2023 movie release cut is anyone’s guess. So for our purposes here, we’re sticking with the fall/winter 2023 movie releases that are not only generating the most buzz but also already have calendar dates pinned. Ahead, 29 movies you don’t want to miss.

New Fall/Winter Movie Releases in 2023 for Families

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

Paw Patrol: The Might Movie is a fall movie release 2023
Paramount Pictures

 

Your little ones’ favorite puppers are heading to the big screen next month. But beyond just keeping their home base of Adventure Bay safe and sound, these little guys are getting supa-fied. That’s right: Chase, Skye, Rocky, and the rest of the pack rub paws with a magical meteor, giving them almighty superpowers and another reason to churn out more adorable catchphrases.

Look for it in theaters on September 29

Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow

Inspector Sun and the Curse of the Black Widow is a fall movie release 2023
Think Lab Media

 

The arthropods aboard a seaplane headed from Shanghai to San Francisco are totally buggin’. There’s been a murder, and it’s up to Inspector Sun, a crafty spider detective, to solve the case. Equipped with a screenplay that won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award, Spanish director Julio Soto Gúrpide spins a web of animated noir, mystery, and intrigue suitable for spies of all ages.

Look for it in theaters on October 13

Journey to Bethlehem

Journey to Bethlehem is a fall movie release 2023
Sony Pictures

 

If a biblical retelling delivered by Josephs and Marys that can seriously carry a tune sounds like your bag, then keep Journey to Bethlehem on your radar. A live-action musical extravaganza, the film is directed by music producer Adam Anders and stars Disney’s Milo Manheim as Joseph and Antonio Banderas as Herod the Great. Word is it’s funny, heartfelt, and full of original pop melodies.

Look for it in theaters on November 10

The Marvels

The Marvels is a fall movie release 2023
Walt Disney Studios / Marvel

 

The Marvel universe is expansive. But when it comes to directorial representation by females, well, there may as well be a black hole. Nia DaCosta, just one of four women to helm a Marvel movie, is working to change that with her contribution, which catches up with Captain Marvel as her superpowers become ensnared with those of Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan.

Look for it in theaters on November 10

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a fall movie release 2023
Lionsgate

 

Despite the mouthful of a title, the gist here is simple: Coriolanus Snow wasn’t always an awful tyrant. Set 64 years before the events of the cult-favorite trilogy’s initial chapter, Ballad upholds the action and adventure HG fans love, but also offers a star-crossed lovers’ tale, as an 18-year-old Coriolanus cozies up to the District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray.

Look for it in theaters on November 17

Next Goal Wins

Next Goal Wins
Searchlight Pictures

 

Taika Waititi is all about heart and humor. After Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Jojo Rabbit, the filmmaker is injecting his trademark style into an underdog sports story, one you can bet will make you cheer and chuckle. Based on a true story, Next Goal Wins tracks the infamously horrible Samoa soccer team’s trek to the 2014 World Cup. And, moms, this one stars a blond Michael Fassbender.

Look for it in theaters on November 17

Trolls Band Together

Trolls Band Together
Universal Studios

 

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake are lending their tonsils to another installment of the shiny, happy Trolls franchise. This time around, the musically inclined creatures with rainbow coifs that defy gravity are getting the band back together. To be more specific, we learn that Branch has a long-lost brother and that the two were in a boy band. Branch-street’s back, all right!

Look for it in theaters on November 17

Wish

Wish is a fall movie release 2023 from Disney
Walt Disney Studios

 

The team behind Frozen are unveiling another dazzling fairy tale come fall. This one, a vibrant Thanksgiving-break release about a girl named Asha who wishes upon a star and then gets a visit from that very cosmic blaze, is sure to exude similar magic. Especially since 2022 Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) will be hitting all the right notes as the voice of Asha.

Look for it in theaters on November 22

Wonka

Wonka is coming out winter 2023
Warner Bros.

 

Before the eccentric and enigmatic chocolatier of Roald Dahl’s classic novel took to the big screen in 1971 sharing his world of pure imagination with theatergoers, he was just a young lad making inventive chocolates and dreaming of selling them in a shop. This origin story, from the guys behind the adorably winsome Paddington movies, gets to the heart of the candy man.

Look for it in theaters on December 15

Migration

Migration is a winter 2023 movie from Universal Studios
Universal Studios

 

Everyone knows birds fly south for the winter. Well, everyone except the flock in this Illumination offering. Round up the little chickadees for a high-flying adventure that follows a family of ducks on their first migration ever. Only problem? They’ve taken a wrong turn. Voices for this one include Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, and Kumail Nanjiani.

Look for it in theaters on December 22

New Fall/Winter Movie Releases in 2023 for Adults

Bottoms

Bottoms is a movie that comes out August 2023
Orion Pictures

 

Though Bottoms is technically a summer release, it would be a crime to not alert you to its genius. Hitting theaters at the turn of the season, the campus comedy comes from the biting wit of writer/director Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby) and writer/star Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) and follows a pair of queer high schoolers who start a fight club.

Look for it in theaters on August 25

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is a fall movie release in 2023
Focus Features

 

More than 20 years ago, Toula and Ian said “I do” in a wedding for the ages. Now, they’re heading to the picture-perfect archipelago of Greece for a family reunion that promises to be as over-the-top as the previous two run-ins with the Portokalos brood. Fun fact: The film’s star, Nia Vardalos, who’s written all three films, finally gets a turn at directing with this installment.

Look for it in theaters on September 8

Dumb Money

Dumb Money is a new movie release in 2023
Sony Pictures

 

Remember the stunning headlines about a group of online rebels turning the tables on Wall Street bigwigs with GameStop stocks? Like all great underdog stories, their fortune just got the Hollywood treatment. Starring Paul Dano as the ringleader, Keith Gill, a.k.a. Roaring Kitty, Dumb Money is a comedy from I, Tonya‘s Craig Gillespie that chronicles the bonkers true story.

Look for it in theaters on September 22

The Creator

The Creator is a fall movie release in 2023
20th Century

 

AI isn’t just coming for our jobs; it’s coming for our existence. Yikes. What a thought. To see it play out, head to Gareth Edwards’s latest, a postapocalyptic thriller that stars John David Washington and Gemma Chan. The gist: Washington’s Joshua is tasked with destroying AI’s superweapon. The conundrum: Said superweapon has taken the form of a sweet little girl.

Look for it in theaters on September 29

Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon is a fall movie release in 2023
Apple TV

 

Marty and Leo go together like popcorn and butter. This season, the collaborating duo is teaming up again, this time for a biographical drama that offers insight into the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With Scorsese behind the lens and DiCaprio in front of it, we’re betting this Apple Original gets Oscar attention. Attention streamers: KOTFM hits Apple TV+ on October 20.

Look for it in theaters on October 6

The Exorcist: Believer

Exorcist The Believer is a movie coming out fall 2023
Universal Studios

After rebooting John Carpenter’s Halloween, David Gordon Green is done messing around. Going straight to the top of the horror crop, Green is taking on William Friedkin’s 1973 gem with a sequel that picks up 50 years after Chris and Regan were visited by Pazuzu. This go-round, two little girls become demon hosts, while their parents seek help from Chris, played again by Ellen Burstyn.

Look for it in theaters on October 13

Priscilla

A24

Based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 biography, Elvis and Me, Sofia Coppola’s biopic stars Cailee Spaeny as the glamorous icon and Jacob Elordi as her younger days Elvis. Chronicling the courtship by and her marriage to the King of Rock and Roll, the slick and stylish film is all Sofia Coppola, and in her words, is very “Marie Antoinette at Graceland.” That makes us want to shake, rattle, and roll for sure.

Look for it in theaters on October 27

Rustin

Rustin is a Netflix movie
Netflix

Netflix’s Rustin will get a limited theatrical release before it hits the streamer on November 17. And those lucky enough to be at the Toronto International Film Festival will get to see George C. Scott’s biopic even sooner, in September. Starring Colman Domingo (Zola) as the titular Bayard Rustin, the film offers a peek into the life of the gay civil rights activist and adviser to Martin Luther King Jr.

Look for it in theaters on November 3

The Holdovers

The Holdovers
Focus Features

Sideways director Alexander Payne reteams with Paul Giamatti for another comedy about the human condition. Giamatti plays a professor who gets stuck “babysitting” students who have nowhere to go for the holidays. Called holdovers, the group eventually shrinks to include just him; Angus, a 15-year-old troublemaker; and Mary, the school’s head cook.

Look for it in theaters on November 10

May December

May December movie
Gloria Sanchez Productions

 

Another Netflix Original that will see the big screen before it streams, this Natalie Portman-Julianne Moore drama from Carol director Todd Haynes can’t come quick enough. About a television actress (Portman) doing research for a role as a woman (Moore) whose romance with a much younger man landed her behind bars, this one has Oscar bait written all over it.

Look for it in theaters on November 17

Napoleon

Napoleon is a new Apple Original movie for fall 2023
Apple TV

 

In more big-director news, Ridley Scott is following up his Gaga Gucci thriller with a wartime epic starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. Charting the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte from nothing to a brutal emperor, the action film lifts the veil on the relationship of the ruler and his wife, Josephine (Kirby), also shedding light on the effects their turmoil had on their country.

Look for it in theaters on November 22

Saltburn

Saltburn
Amazon Studios

 

Three years ago, Emerald Fennell (Camilla Shand from The Crown) made her directorial debut with the neon-drenched stunner Promising Young Woman. This fall, she’s back, and so is her star, Carrie Mulligan, for a period thriller about a guy who spends the summer of a lifetime at a fancy estate called Saltburn. Costars include Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, and Barry Keoghan.

Look for it in theaters on November 24

Maestro

Maestro is a winter movie release 2023
Netflix

 

Following his directorial debut, A Star Is Born, with another musically inclined film, Bradley Cooper directs and stars in this “love letter” to life and art. Shedding light not only on the work of composer Leonard Bernstein, Cooper’s film will honor the love story between Bernstein and his wife of 25 years, Felicia, played by Carey Mulligan. Also worth noting: Maestro will hit Netflix on December 20.

Look for it in theaters on November 22

The Bikeriders 

Just as its apt title suggests, this two-wheeling crime drama is a movie about the rise of a motorcycle club. Now, who better than bearded boys Boyd Holbrook and Tom Hardy to saddle up for such a flick, yeah? Director Jeff Nichols, who has a deft way with the bildungsroman genre, takes the lead here, with Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Norman Reedus adding serious cinematic horsepower.

Look for it in theaters on December 1

Poor Things

Poor Things is a new movie in 2023
Searchlight Pictures

 

Dogtooth. The Lobster. The Favourite. If you’ve seen one Yorgos Lanthimos production, you want to see them all. So get ready for his boldest venture into the bizarre yet with Poor Things. A reworked Frankenstein, the film is a collaboration with Lanthimos vets, including actress Emma Stone and writer Tony McNamara, and promises to blend horror, comedy, and romance to magnificent effect.

Look for it in theaters on December 8

The Iron Claw

Iron Claw is a winter movie release for 2023
A24

Indie film buffs, listen up: Sean Durkin is back in the ring with The Iron Claw. The director behind Martha Marcy May Marlene and The Nest is answering your call with another emotionally charged drama, this one a simmering take on the Von Erich brothers, whose Texas wrestling dynasty is covered in sweat, spandex, and tragedy. The Bear fans, this bit’s for you: Jeremy Allen White stars.

Look for it in theaters on December 22

The Color Purple

The Color Purple is a winter movie release in 2023
Warner Bros.

 

Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg are combining their efforts for another go at adapting Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Their original film, a brutal but necessary watch that’s since become essential Black cinema, isn’t necessarily getting a loyal remake here though. Instead, the two recruited Blitz Bazawule to direct a musical starring Fantasia Barrino and Halle Bailey.

Look for it in theaters on December 25

Ferrari

Ferrari
STX Entertainment

 

You don’t have to be a fan of Formula 1 racing or even fancy Italian sports cars to enjoy Michael Mann’s latest. Although, it might help. Starring Adam Driver (fitting for more reasons than his name), the film rides shotgun with Enzo Ferrari, the man who spent his life satisfying a need for speed and building the muscle cars that would dominate racing comps around the globe.

Look for it in theaters on December 25

The Boys in the Boat

Director George Clooney is set to release The Boys in the Boat later this year. It’s a sports drama about the University of Washington’s rowing team who overcame the effects of the Great Depression to win gold at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Adapted from Daniel James Brown’s nonfiction book of the same name, it stars Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, and Jack Mulhern.

Look for it in theaters on December 25

New York City is full of entertaining characters, and not just in the subways or on the streets. Lucky for you, many of these talented individuals and aspiring musicians use their gift to perform at kiddie birthday parties. We found 10 local sing-along party people that will come to you and provide an awesome time for little ones and parents alike.

1. Live jukebox partyRockin’ with Andy sing-alongs are an awesome time for all. While your little ones will never tire of hearing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Itsy Bitsy Spider, you might so Andy’s gotcha covered with a variety of songs. When he’s finished rocking out with the little kids, he stays and jams with the big kids turning the party into a live jukebox. Ages 0-3; pricing starts at $350; Contact: info@rockinwithandy.com, 917-647-3611.

2. Celebrate with a MooseMarcia the Musical Moose is sure to bring a smile to your little one’s face and provide an awesome time for all your guests. In addition to a sing-along with favorite kid tunes such as Old MacDonald and Apples and Bananas, Marcia performs silly magic and animal puppet shows. If you like her Facebook page you’ll receive a discount. Ages 0-7; pricing starts at $295; Contact: marciathemoose@gmail.com, 212-567-0682 or 845-641-3068.

3. A musical extravaganza – If you have a pretty princess, rock ‘n roll star or jolly pirate and are looking for a high-energy, interactive, spectacular musical birthday party, Moey’s Music Party is the perfect choice. With a huge repertoire of classic kid tunes and original songs to sing-along, Moey and team will charm your birthday star and all your guests. Ages 0-5; pricing starts at $375; Contact: moey@moeymusicparty.com, 917-680-6789.

4. Have a Jam SessionRock out with a group of talented musicians and entertainers. Jam with Jamie and her team of talent provide an interactive jam session with all the classic kid favorites and oldies, rock, and top 40 tunes. Want to keep the party going? Add on face painting or clown services and an adult jam session to give the parents a real treat. Ages 0-6; pricing starts at $275; Contact: jamie@jamwithjamie.com, 917-822-0186.

5. Monkey around with musicEver watched one of the contagious videos that appear in between showings of Sesame Street and Curious George on PBS and thought how awesome it would be to have that girl perform at your little one’s birthday party? You’re in luck. Meredith LeVande of Monkey Monkey Music and her band are available to play at your next gig and engage you and your kids the same way she does on TV. Options are available for solo, duo and entire band performances. Ages 0-12; pricing starts at $350; Contact: meredith@monkeymonkeymusic.com, 212-673-6472.

6. A wild and crazy sing-along dance partyFavorite entertainer to the stars (and their kids), Bobby Doowah performs at more than 350 parties and events a year. You may recognize some of his original songs and dance moves because he creates programs for Kidville NY, Jodi’s Gym and other popular kid places. Come ready to groove to Bobby’s vast repertoire of well-known favorites as well as his original, upbeat tunes guaranteed to keep everyone singing and dancing. Ages 0-6; pricing starts at $295; Contact: 917-838-4527.

7. A Sing-along with RyanOne of the most sought-after performers on the kiddie party circuit, Ryan performs everything from the classics – Wheels on the Bus and B-I-N-G-O – to current chart toppers, and even favorite kid’s television theme songs. For an additional fee, Ryan will write a custom song for the birthday star based on information you provide him ahead of time. Ages 0-4; pricing starts at $250; Contact: asingalongwithryan@gmail.com, 646-373-5550.

8. Rock and Roll fantasy party – Give your little ones their first taste of rock and roll with a Little Rockers birthday party. You provide the kids and they provide the band to sing along to classic rock, indie, acoustic and electric guitar sessions giving everyone the ultimate rock star experience. No concert would be complete without t-shirts, mini guitars and stickers and all are available for an additional fee. Ages 0-7; pricing starts at $200; Contact: rockout@littlerockersmusic.com, 732-872-4354.

9. High-energy toddler concert  – If you love the musical performances at New York City’s top play spaces such as Apple Seeds, NY Kids Club and the J.C.C. you will love BrettBand, and chances are you’ve already seen him perform. Now on his own, Brett brings everything you love about him and more to sing-along parties for little ones with a mix of classic kids songs, some famous rock and roll tunes, and original songs. And if you behave he’ll bring bubbles too. Ages 0-4; pricing starts at $350; Contact: brett@brettband.com   

Images courtesy of Sarah Miles, Moey’s Music Party, Bobby Doowah and BrettBand’s Facebook

Have you ever hired entertainment for a kid’s birthday party? Share your story in a comment.

–Judy Cohen