'Spinal Tap II,' 'Springsteen,' 'Wicked for Good' and 31 more movies to see this fall

Superheroes didn’t quite save Hollywood this summer. Now, as fall approaches, it’ll be up to big-screen musicals, Oscar-bait dramas and action-driven blockbusters to boost the box office.

Several superhero titles made strong showings recently — "Superman" is the year’s third highest domestic earner at $332 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo — yet none are likely to reach the worldwide $800 million mark that such movies used to cross with relative ease. Instead, a grab bag of other titles have pushed ticket sales up 7% over last year at this point, including the video game adaptation "A Minecraft Movie" (the year’s third-highest grosser with $955 million globally), Disney’s live-action "Lilo & Stitch" (currently at No. 2) and the Chinese animated adventure "Ne Zha II," the No. 1 movie by a mile with a whopping $1.8 billion worldwide. (Its U.S. release date for a one-week only screening is Aug. 29.) The lesson for Hollywood is an old one: You never can tell.

At least a few fall titles look ready to break away from the pack. Two are musicals: a new version of "Kiss of the Spider Woman," starring Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez, and "Wicked: For Good," the much-anticipated sequel to last year’s smash hit "Wicked." Dwayne Johnson seems to be angling for an Oscar in "The Smashing Machine," a sports drama from director Benny Safdie (whose "Uncut Gems" briefly turned Adam Sandler into a critics’ darling). Disney’s animated "Zootopia 2” could also be a hit; the first film, from 2016, charmed critics and earned $1 billion.

In the Jury’s Still Out Department, you’ll find "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere," starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen. Trailers suggest a spot-on portrayal, but recent musical biopics (on Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Amy Winehouse and Robbie Williams) have not been runaway hits. "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" may face an uphill battle as well: The first film earned $194 million worldwide, the second less than half that. And we’ll see whether "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," arriving 41 years after the beloved original, will join the trend of high-performing nostalgic comedies such as Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2" and Paramount's "The Naked Gun."

Here are 34 big movies coming this fall.

SEPT. 5

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (of "Amityville Horror" fame) in the franchise’s ninth overall installment. Directed by Michael Chaves.

SEPT. 12 

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE

The world’s classiest soap opera returns to the big screen for the last time (or so we’re told). Long-serving cast members such as Michelle Dockery and Hugh Bonneville, are joined by newcomers Paul Giamatti and Alessandro Nivola. Directed by Simon Curtis; written by series creator Julian Fellowes.

THE LONG WALK In a dystopian future, young men enter an annual walking contest that ends when only one is left alive. With Judy Greer and Mark Hamill. Directed by Francis Lawrence ("The Hunger Games"). Based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel.

SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES

As "This is Spinal Tap" (1984) marks its fittingly awkward 41st anniversary, here comes the sequel: Filmmaker Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner, who also directs again) follows the aged band members (Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean) as they reunite for one last concert. In IMAX, yet.

SEPT. 19

HIM

In this rare sports-themed horror film, a young football player begins training at an isolated compound. With Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox and former Florida State player Tyriq Withers. Directed by Justin Tipping. Produced by Jordan Peele.

A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY After a chance meeting, two single strangers (Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie) magically revisit moments from their past. Written by Seth Reiss ("The Menu") and directed by Kogonada ("Columbus").

SEPT. 26

ELEANOR THE GREAT

Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut casts June Squibb ("Nebraska") as a 94-year-old who spins a tall tale that grows out of control. Also with Chiwetel Ejiofor.

GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE Netflix’s popular cat-themed children’s show, featuring a mix of live action and animation, hits the big screen with original star Laila Lockhart Kraner, plus Gloria Estefan, Kristen Wiig and Jason Mantzoukas.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER In his first film with writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson ("Magnolia"), Leonardo DiCaprio plays a modern-day revolutionary whose daughter (Chase Infiniti) is in danger. With Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall.

THE STRANGERS — CHAPTER 2 In this horror-film sequel to a remake (got that?), three masked psychopaths hunt down a young woman (Madelaine Petsch) they previously failed to kill. Directed by Renny Harlin ("Die Hard 2”).

OCT. 3

ANEMONE Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis returns to the screen (following 2017’s "Phantom Thread") in a story about "brothers, fathers and sons," according to Focus Features. The actor co-wrote with his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, who makes his directorial debut.

GOOD BOY When Indy leaves the city for a remote country home, he encounters strange goings-on — and a ghost that threatens to pull him into the afterlife. By the way, Indy is a dog, played by himself. Also with Shane Jensen and Larry Fessenden. Directed and cowritten by Ben Leonberg.

THE SMASHING MACHINE

If prosthetics predict Oscars (see: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Brendan Fraser), then an unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson could be next for his portrayal of UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Also starring Emily Blunt.

OCT. 10

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN

A political prisoner (Diego Luna) shares a cell with a young man (Tonatiuh) who escapes into fantasies of his favorite movie star (Jennifer Lopez). It’s the third adaptation of Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, following the 1985 Oscar-winning film and the Tony-winning musical. Bill Condon ("Chicago") directs.

AFTER THE HUNT At an Ivy League college, an accusation of misconduct upends the lives of a professor and her students. With Julia Roberts, Ayo Edibiri, Andrew Garfield and Michael Stuhlbarg. Directed by Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name").

TRON: ARES Jared Leto plays a super-soldier in this sci-fi sequel, which centers on the threat of AI. Also starring Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges. Joachim Rønning directs. Original music by Nine Inch Nails.

ROOFMAN A former Army Ranger turned fast-food restaurant burglar (Channing Tatum) finds romance with a single mom (Kirsten Dunst). Directed and co-written by Derek Cianfrance ("Sound of Metal"). It’s based, improbably, on a true story.

OCT. 17

BLACK PHONE 2 Ethan Hawke reprises his sinister role as The Grabber in this sequel to the 2022 horror film. With Mason Thames and Demián Bichir. Scott Derrickson returns to direct.

BLUE MOON Hawke again, in a very different role as the brilliant lyricist Lorenz Hart, who is drowning his sorrows on the opening night of "Oklahoma!" — written by his former collaborator Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott). Also starring Margaret Qualley. Directed by Richard Linklater.

FRANKENSTEIN Oscar Isaac plays the title role of Dr. Victor Frankenstein in Guillermo del Toro’s much buzzed-about version of the classic Mary Shelley novel. With Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz and Jacob Elordi as the monster.

GOOD FORTUNE Aziz Ansari, writing and making his directorial debut, plays a struggling gig worker who trades lives with a wealthy venture capitalist (Seth Rogen) thanks to help from the angel Gabriel (Keanu Reeves). With Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh.

OCT. 22

HEDDA Tessa Thompson ("Dear White People," "Thor: Ragnarok") stars in a reimagining of "Hedda Gabler," Henrik Ibsen’s landmark play (from 1891) about a woman suffocating in a marriage. With Imogen Poots and Tom Bateman. Written and directed by Nia DaCosta.

OCT. 24

REGRETTING YOU

Allison Williams ("M3GAN") and Mckenna Grace ("Ghostbusters: Afterlife") are a mother and daughter confronting secrets within their family. It’s the second adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel — hopefully with less behind-the-scenes drama than the last one, "It Ends With Us." Josh Boone ("The Fault in Our Stars") directs.

BUGONIA Two conspiracy theorists kidnap a CEO whom they believe to be an alien. Emma Stone stars in her fourth feature with director Yorgos Lanthimos ("Poor Things"), alongside Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis and Alicia Silverstone.

MORTAL KOMBAT II Washed-up movie star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is transported to another realm to fight a no-holds-barred battle. The first film, from 2021, was a post-pandemic hit that opened at No. 1 and made $84 million worldwide.

SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE A young Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) works to deliver his landmark 1982 album, "Nebraska." Written and directed by Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart") from Warren Zanes’ book. With Jeremy Strong, Gaby Hoffmann and Marc Maron.

NOV. 7

PREDATOR: BADLANDS Who’d have thought the monsters from the 1987 action-horror classic (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) would become the good guys? Here, one of them (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) teams up with a humanoid robot (Elle Fanning) to kill an even nastier monster. Franchise veteran Dan Trachtenberg ("Prey") directs.

NOV. 14

THE RUNNING MAN

Another Schwarzenegger film gets an update, this one from director Edgar Wright ("Baby Driver"). Glenn Powell plays a working-class dystopian citizen who enters a deadly game show. Also starring Colman Domingo and Michael Cera.

JAY KELLY A Hollywood star (George Clooney) and his faithful manager (Adam Sandler) take a soul-searching trip through Europe in this Netflix-produced dramedy. The all-star cast includes Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig, Stacy Keach and Emily Mortimer, who co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach.

NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T The bank-robbing magicians known as the Four Horsemen team up with four younger ones to bring down a vast criminal network. The third film in the series brings back Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and the gang. Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland") directs.

NOV. 21

WICKED: FOR GOOD

Jon M. Chu’s sequel picks up where last year’s "Wicked" left off, as enemies-turned-besties Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) once again become rivals in the Land of Oz. With Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh.

RENTAL FAMILY A down-and-out actor (Brendan Fraser) living in Tokyo is hired to play roles in other people’s lives. Directed and cowritten by Hikari, whose credits include the Netflix comedy "Beef."

NOV. 26

ZOOTOPIA 2 The animated sequel to Disney’s allegorical "Zootopia" (2016) reunites Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman as two detectives — a rabbit and a fox, respectively — now tracking an elusive reptile.

ETERNITY Newly deceased Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) has one week in limbo to make a choice: Stay with her lifelong partner (Miles Teller) or reunite with her lost first love (Callum Turner), who’s been waiting decades for her arrival. Directed and cowritten by David Freyne.

NOV. 27

HAMNET An adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about Shakespeare’s son, who died at age 11 in 1596. Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson and Joe Alwyn. Directed by Chloé Zhao ("Nomadland"), who co-wrote with O’Farrell.