10 Hottest Movies You Need to Watch this October

As expected, the month of Halloween always brings some horror, frights, and tension, and this October is no different. However, amongst all the scares, there are some laughs and coming-of-age stories to enjoy in the cinemas too. Here are our picks for the movies releasing in October:

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

Release date: 3 October 2025

Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell team up in this introspective look at two people’s lives. It follows single strangers Sarah and David, who, through a surprising twist of fate, get to relive important moments from their respective pasts, illuminating how they got to where they are in the present.

Him

Release date: 3 October 2025

Jordan Peele’s latest horror pairs Marlon Waynes with Tyriq Withers, following a promising young up-and-coming football player who is invited to train at the isolated compound of a dynasty team’s ageing quarterback. The legendary almost-retired quarterback takes his protégé on a blood-chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, desire, power, and pursuit of excellence at all costs.

The Smashing Machine

Release date: 3 October 2025

Dwayne Johnson leans into a more serious role with The Smashing Machine, chronicling the life of one of UFC’s first stars, Mark Kerr. The film is more of a character biography than a sports movie, showcasing the hardships behind the career of Kerr and the toll it took on his loved ones, with his wife being played by Emily Blunt.

Tron: Ares

Release date: 10 October 2025

The third movie in the Tron franchise arrives this October, as Tron: Ares sees the virtual world of Tron and the real world finally collide. It follows a highly sophisticated program, Ares (played by Jared Leto), who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Arturo Castro also star.

Good Fortune

Release date: 17 October 2025

Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogan, and Aziz Ansari star in this comedy about a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel who meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist.

Shell

Release date: 17 October 2025

Elizabeth Moss and Kate Hudson star in this thriller that follows a down-on-her-luck actress who is invited into the ultra-glamorous world of Zoe Shannon, CEO of the wellness company SHELL. When SHELL patients begin to go missing, Samantha realises Zoe may be protecting a monstrous secret.

Black Phone 2

Release date: 17 October 2025

2022’s Black Phone was a surprise hit in the horror genre, and the sequel sees the return of Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, albeit in a different form. As Finn, who survived the first film, struggles with life after his captivity, his sister begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.

Roofman

Release date: 24 October 2025

Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in this offbeat true-story comedy about a charismatic criminal, who, while on the run from the police, hides on the roof of a toy store. There, he adopts a new identity and becomes involved with an employee, beginning a relationship as unlikely as it is risky.

Shelby Oaks

Release date: 24 October 2025

Shelby Oaks is being touted as one of the scariest films of the year, which has piqued our interest. It stars Camille Sullivan as a paranormal investigator who follows a woman determined to find her missing sister in the mysterious abandoned town of Shelby Oaks.

Bugonia

Release date: 30 October 2025

Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Aidan Delbis, Bugonia is a strange dark comedy that sees two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company. The reason: convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.

Which movies are you most looking forward to? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.