This past year has already been chock-full of great releases across all mediums, perhaps most poignantly characterized by the electropop craze fueled by Charli XCX’s “Brat” album and the similarly electric Luca Guadagnino movie “Challengers.” Yet, there are tons of major releases in entertainment to keep an eye out for throughout the fall semester.
August
The month is almost over, but after six years of absence, rapper A$AP Rocky is expected to release his new album, “Don’t Be Dumb,” Aug. 30. It is likely to feature production from some of hip-hop’s biggest names, such as Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell Williams, Madlib, Metro Boomin and The Alchemist.
September
On Sept. 6, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” a sequel to the cult-classic 1988 Tim Burton comedy, will be released in theaters. This same week will also see a major hip-hop comeback from OG rapper LL Cool J. His album, titled “The FORCE,” will be his first album in 11 years. The indie soft-boy Rex Orange County will also be releasing a new album, eponymously titled “The Alexander Technique.”
September will also see legendary director Francis Ford Coppola — most known for his culturally canonical 1970s movies “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” — returning to the big screen with his personally-funded star-studded passion project “Megalopolis” on Sept. 27.
At some point during the month, Lana Del Rey is also expected to release her latest album “Lasso,” her first foray into the country genre that comes off the heels of last year’s critically acclaimed “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.”
Junior Scarlett Fletcher shared her anticipation for “Lasso.”
“I grew up listening to old country music artists such as George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Hank Williams Jr.,” Fletcher said. “I am interested to see if she is going to take a more old school country approach or lean more towards newer artists’ styles such as Morgan Wallen.”
October
“Joker: Folie à Deux,” the sequel to the gritty 2019 anti-hero movie “Joker” starring Joaquin Phoenix, hits theaters Oct. 4. In addition to Phoenix, the film will star singer-songwriter Lady Gaga in her first musical film role since “A Star Is Born.”
“I’m excited for Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Harley Quinn,” junior Darren Lee said about the character previously portrayed by Margot Robbie in other recent DC Comic films.
With October being Halloween season, several significant horror movies will be released in theaters. “Terrifier 3,” the latest entry in a slasher franchise noteworthy for its brutal and bloody special effects releases Oct. 11. “Smile 2,” hitting theaters on Oct. 18, is the sequel to 2022’s jump-scare-filled “Smile” and will star Naomi Scott, known for her 2019 roles in “Charlie’s Angels” and “Aladdin.”
November
Fans of this year’s sci-fi box-office hit, “Dune: Part Two,” need not wait for the next big addition to the franchise. “Dune: Prophecy,” a prequel television series to the recent movies that starred Timothée Chalamet, will be released on Max in November.
November will see several blockbusters in theaters. “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the 2000 Ridley Scott movie starring Russell Crowe, will be released Nov. 22 and star Paul Mescal, known for his role in the television series “Normal People” and 2022 coming-of-age movie “Aftersun.” That same week, audiences will get to enjoy the long-awaited film adaptation of Broadway’s “Wicked.”
“I’ve been watching and acting in theatre for a good portion of my life,” senior Nicole Fashaw said. “So watching this stage play come to life on the big screen in a modernized way is most likely going to bring about a newfound love for the story.”
Disney will also be releasing its next animated feature, “Moana 2,” Nov. 27.
December
At the very end of the fall semester, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” will be released in theaters. Unlike the Peter Jackson trilogy, this is an anime film that takes the J.R.R. Tolkien franchise in a completely new direction. It takes place before “Fellowship of the Ring.”
Winter break will see a new take on the classic 1922 silent horror film, “Nosferatu,” this time being directed by Robert Eggers, a director who has made himself a crowd favorite with movies “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman.” Originally an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” the gothic tale will almost certainly be brought back to life with a unique and fresh take Dec. 25.
“Squid Game,” the hit Netflix series from 2021, is receiving its long-awaited second season Dec. 26. Not much is known yet, but it will see a return of Lee Jung Jae’s role as player 456.
Next year, there are also heaps of exciting releases to keep an eye out for. Bong Joon-Ho, the Best Picture winning director of “Parasite,” is scheduled to make his long-awaited return to theaters in January with the science-fiction film “Mickey 17,” which will star Robert Pattinson. Furthermore, Apple TV+’s “Severance” will return for its second season after a nearly three-year-long wait.
While a few musical acts have scheduled new albums for 2025, pattern-seeking fans are speculating that Lorde and Tyler, the Creator could also be releasing new music. Already, 2025 is shaping up to have no shortage of new media to look forward to.
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Contact Henry Adams via email: henry.adams@pepperdine.edu
