October has arrived, and Canadian cinema screens are lighting up with a spectacular array of new releases, from highly anticipated blockbusters to must-see festival favourites. This month delivers something for every movie lover.
Get ready for the return to the Grid with Tron: Ares and the big-screen celebration of a music icon in Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl. Meanwhile, Oscar-calibre talent takes centre stage in the unsettling thriller After the Hunt, and the comedic sci-fi movie Bugonia promises a wild ride.
Fans of The Boss can look forward to the dramatic biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White. For those who caught the buzz from last month’s Toronto International Film Festival, two acclaimed premieres are now set for their wider Canadian debut: Dwayne Johnson‘s dramatic turn in the gritty biopic The Smashing Machine, and the star-studded comedy Good Fortune from director Aziz Ansari.
Grab your popcorn and settle in—October is a cinematic goldmine!
OCTOBER 3
Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl
Taylor Swift presents a behind the scenes look at the making of her record “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The Smashing Machine
The story of mixed-martial arts and UFC champion, Mark Kerr. Written and directed by Benny Safdie. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Ryan Bader. Screened last month at TIFF.
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue
Grandfather and retired Israeli general Noam Tibon rescues his family from Hamas terrorists invading their home during the October 7, 2023 massacre – a coordinated assault on Israel sparking an ongoing conflict. Directed by Barry Avrich. Screened last month at TIFF.
OCTOBER 10
Tron: Ares
A highly sophisticated Program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission. Starring Evan Peters, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Jared Leto, and Gillian Anderson.
Anemone
In Northern England, a man heads out on a journey into the woods to reconnect with the estranged hermit brother with whom he shared a complicated past that was altered by life-changing events decades ago. Directed by Ronan Day-Lewis. Starring Sid Akbar, Sean Bean, Samuel Bottomley, and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Roofman
A charismatic criminal, 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. Starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, and LaKeith Stanfield. Screened last month at TIFF.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. Starring Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, and A$AP Rocky. Screened last month at TIFF.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Valentín, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, convicted for public indecency. An unlikely bond forms as Molina recounts a Hollywood musical plot starring Ingrid Luna. Written and directed by Bill Condon. Starring Diego Luna, Tonatiuh, and Jennifer Lopez.
OCTOBER 15
The Family McMullen
A close-knit family navigates life’s ups and downs, confronting personal struggles and evolving bonds. As they face unexpected hurdles, their connections are tested, revealing the complexities of love, loyalty, and growth within a family. Follow up to 1995’s The Brothers McMullen. Directed by Edward Burns. Starring Edward Burns, Connie Britton, and Halston Sage.
OCTOBER 17
After the Hunt
A college professor finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil levels an accusation against one of her colleagues and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Nora Garrett. Starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, Chloë Sevigny, and Ayo Edebiri.
Black Phone 2
As Finn, now 17, 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. Starring Ethan Hawke.
Good Fortune
A well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist. Written and directed by Aziz Ansari. Starring Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Oh, and Keke Palmer. Check out more on Good Fortune, from our TIFF 2025 coverage!
The Mastermind
In 1970, Mooney and two cohorts wander into a museum in broad daylight and steal four paintings. When holding onto the art proves more difficult than stealing them, Mooney is relegated to a life on the run. Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt. Starring Josh O’Connor, Sterling Thompson, and Alana Haim.
OCTOBER 24
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Bruce Springsteen‘s journey crafting his 1982 album Nebraska, which emerged as he recorded Born in the USA with the E Street Band. Based on Warren Zanes‘ book. Directed by Scott Cooper. Starring Jeremy Allen White, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, and Jeremy Strong.
Blue Moon
Tells the story of Lorenz Hart’s struggles with alcoholism and mental health as he tries to save face during the opening of “Oklahoma!”. Directed by Richard Linklater. Starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, and Bobby Cannavale. Screened last month at TIFF.
Regretting You
Centers on the strained relationship between young mother Morgan Grant and her teenage daughter Clara, exacerbated by Morgan’s husband Chris’s tragic death, forcing them to navigate life’s challenges together. Directed by Josh Boone. Written by Colleen Hoover and Susan McMartin. Starring Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, and Dave Franco.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Denji encounters a new romantic interest, Reze, who works at a coffee café.
Bugonia
Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, and Stavros Halkias.
OCTOBER 29
Anniversary
A provocative thriller about a very close-knit family that is torn apart as a new movement “The Change” envelops the country. Starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Zoey Deutch, and Phoebe Dynevor.
