There are a lot of movies coming out at the end of 2023, but which ones stand tall among the rest? Here is a list of my personal picks for the end of 2023!

A Haunting in Venice (September 15)

The third entry in Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot films, A Haunting in Venice aims to bring horror to the mystery series. An adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, this film will see Hercule Poirot face death and the afterlife in post-World War 2 Venice. With a cast featuring the likes of Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, and Jaime Dornan, this is likely to be one of the greatest films to close out the year. Luckily, you won’t have to wait long as this film is almost out! There will be many questions about the afterlife asked in this film. Will you be able to find the answers?

Saw X (September 29)

An unlikely horror icon returns in a film that continues the tradition of most of the Saw franchise by adding new portions to the timeline and potentially complicating things even more. This film sees the main antagonist return in a prequel where he is scammed by “doctors” who claim that they can cure him. Now, it is time for revenge.

While fans of the original films will likely be excited to see Jigsaw’s return, it will no doubt be divisive considering that Spiral was aiming in a new direction for the series. Then again, it seems like every movie in this franchise has been divisive, so it will just be par for the course. Who will survive Jigsaw’s newest traps? We will find out soon enough!

Five Nights at Freddy’s (October 27)

A film shocking many due to its very existence, Scott Cawthon’s video game series is making its live-action debut. The film is still a bit of a mystery considering that the plot appears to be reminiscent of the first game, but has quite a few changes. With the cast being led by Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard, the FNAF film seems to have a great chance at pulling the campiness needed for regular audiences’ enjoyment while also giving the fans a film that will appeal to them. Your first night begins on October 27.

The Burial (October 6)

One of the more recent films that has been announced, this story follows a true story about Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe III. O’Keefe III is a man who gets into a contractual dispute with a rival funeral home company and enlists the service of Lawyer William Gary. These two unlikely allies attempt to win over $100 million so that Jeremiah can save his family business. Featuring Jaime Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones this is sure to be one of the best court drama films of the year. The only sad thing is that it is having a limited run in theaters before it goes to Amazon Prime Video.

The Marsh King’s Daughter (October 6)

Now we have a film that wasn’t on my radar until recently. This story features Daisy Ridley playing a woman with a dark past who is forced to confront the possibility that her murderous father, (played by Ben Mendelsohn) is stalking her family. Determined to keep her family safe, she uses her knowledge of what her father taught her and how he operates in order to try to stay one step ahead of him. Based on a book of the same name released in 2017 by Karen Dionne, this is sure to be a great thriller to start off the spookiest month!

The Marvels (November 10)

Quite possibly the greatest risk that Marvel is taking this year, The Marvels will combine Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambo together for the first time. While Captain Marvel made over a billion dollars at the box office, this was during the absolute peak of the MCU’s popularity and smack dab between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Considering that Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambo have only been seen on Disney+ shows, this will be a way for Marvel to see if these characters will fit in or seem confusing to those who can’t afford Disney+. How far will The Marvels fly? 

Napoleon (November 22)

Ridley Scott is making a bold attempt at telling the story of Napoleon Bonaparte in a single movie. From the trailer, it appears as though it will show Napoleon from his early military career to his fall as Emperor of France. While that is quite a tall task, considering that Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are playing the two main characters, I have confidence that this film can succeed. The only interesting thing will be if the studio decides to use any sort of de-aging techniques on Joaquin Phoenix considering that he is currently almost the same age as Napoleon was when he died. Will you watch an Emperor rise on November 22nd?

Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom (December 20)

DC has had a string of defeats that have only been exacerbated by the takeover of DC Films by James Gunn and Peter Safran. One film that will soon be trying to break this streak is Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom starring Jason Momoa. Production for this film has been hammered by problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Amber Heard being exposed in court as harming her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. It will be interesting if this swan song of Zack Snyder’s DCEU will be a bang or a bust. Will you be there for the final chapter of the DCEU?

Maestro (November 22)

Another film with high expectations that is only getting a limited run in theaters is Maestro. This film focuses on conductor Leonard Bernstein and his love for actress Felicia Montealegre throughout their lives. Despite receiving some unusual and seemingly miseducated backlash shortly after the teaser dropped, this is a film that screams of future Academy Awards. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan are in the lead roles. With that in mind, along with Bradley Cooper also taking up writing and directing duties (partially shared by Josh Singer) this film is sure to be everything that people could want from a romantic film.

Rebel Moon Part 1 (December 22)

Zack Snyder’s passion project for the last few years is finally on its way. The trailer was initially released at Gamescom 2023 of all places and was shown off as being a two-part movie. The first part is being released this December while the second part will come out in early 2024. Set on a distant moon, a mysterious stranger emerges among a peaceful settlement as their last line of defense against an encroaching star empire. With a cast that includes Sofia Boutella, Anthony Hopkins, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Jenna Malone, and Djimon Hounsou, this will be the perfect movie to end the year with!

That is all for my list of movies to keep an eye on. What movies are you looking forward to this fall and winter? Let us know in the comments below! If you are interested in reading about other movies, consider checking out Edward Harding’s review of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 right here.

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