Entertainment
This summer, we didn't see many sci-fi movies hit theaters. It felt like in the intense aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, the genre kind of took a break. Sure, we got Spider-Man: Far From Home, but movies like Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Dark Phoenix, and Men In Black: International weren't exactly blockbuster hits the summer is known for. Fortunately, there are plenty of science fiction and fantasy movies coming out in the fall.
The slate is looking good for genre fans from September through November. The season starts out with some sci-fi-twinged horror, which bleeds into the Halloween season. There are some brainy, artistic films coming (Lucy in the Sky, Ad Astra), as well as bombastic blockbusters (Terminator: Dark Fate, Gemini Man). Add some fantasies born and inspired by fairy tales, and audiences' imaginations will be on full blast by winter.
Of course, December will bring what can probably be called the biggest sci-fi movie of 2019, when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters. The end of the new trilogy saga will probably break box office records and divide fans and critics alike. But until then, here are some science-fiction and fantasy films heading our way this fall to hold you over.
1'It Chapter Two' (Sept. 6)
Pennywise the clown, played by a truly terrifying Bill Skarsgård, reemerges in Derry, Maine to terrorize the Losers Club, now all grown up and played by Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and others.
This Stephen King adaptation is a bit more horror than sci-fi, but Pennywise's supernatural essence and abilities earn the story of It a rightful spot on this list.
2'Ad Astra' (Sept. 20)
Brad Pitt stars as an astronaut who sets out on a mission to find his father, who disappeared on a mission to space many years before. Whether or not he's still alive and out there seems to be the movie's biggest mystery.
The second trailer offers a glimpse into Ad Astra's more futuristic elements, including moon bases with their own Las Vegas strips, cool looking communications tech, and holographic people.
3'Abominable' (Sept. 27)
The Abominable Snowman, Big Foot, and yetis have been staple monsters in sci-fi for as long as the genre has existed. Here, DreamWorks turns the Abominable Snowman into an adorable furry beast named Everest who needs the help of a teenage girl in order to find his way home.
4'Lucy In The Sky' (Oct. 4)
Natalie Portman stars as an astronaut whose mind begins to unravel when she returns from a mission to outer space. It's unclear from the trailer just how much of the trippy aftermath is in her mind. But not knowing is half of the fun of a movie like this.
5'Gemini Man' (Oct. 11)
Will Smith faces off against Will Smith in this sci-fi action flick from director Ang Lee. Smith plays both an aging hit man and a younger clone of himself, using the same de-aging tech that has made many a younger character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
6'Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil' (Oct. 18)
Angelina Jolie returns as Maleficent, the big baddy from Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty turned live action.
Disney's live action remakes of their animated films may seem like a train that can't be stopped, but Jolie's turn as the evil queen was one of the earlier treatments, and a good take as well. Now, with Michelle Pfeiffer added to the mix, this sequel will be impossible for fans of the studio or formidable actors to resist.
7'Zombieland 2: Double Tap' (Oct. 18)
The original gang of Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, and Emma Stone return for this sequel from director Ruben Fleischer and original writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick.
Ten years after the zombie apocalypse first hit, the foursome are dealing with zombies that have evolved, in their own little family unit. This horror comedy with a sci-fi kick will hit just in time for Halloween.
8'Terminator: Dark Fate' (Nov. 1)
All rise for Linda Hamilton, the queen of the Terminator franchise. Hamilton returns to play Sarah Connor in this sequel that also brings back James Cameron as a producer. Of course, the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is also returning, and the rest of the cast includes a new kind of cyborg-human hybrid played by Mackenzie Davis and an appearance from Edward Furlong as John Connor.
9'Doctor Sleep' (Nov. 8)
Doctor Sleep marks the second Stephen King entry on this list, and his eerie, supernatural books make for some thrilling movies.
In this sequel to The Shining, Ewan McGregor stars as an adult Danny Torrance, who's still trying to figure out how to handle his psychic powers.
10'Frozen 2' (Nov. 22)
Elsa and Anna head back into the frozen tundra in this sequel to the 2013 mega hit. Loosely inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen, the first Frozen combined elements of fantasy and fairy tale into a hugely profitable movie about sisterhood.
This sequel sends the sisters, voiced by a returning Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell, into new realms in search of the truth about what happened to their parents.
Whether you want to head into outer space or perform some Disney magic, you'll have plenty of sci-fi/fantasy options in theaters this fall.