5 Biggest New Movies of October 2022: A (Mostly) Spooky Month

What are you looking forward to most this October?

Hellraiser reboot
Hellraiser reboot

Much like how February is the month of romance, October is the month of all things spooky. However, this doesn’t mean that only horror fans get to enjoy the big releases this month. October also has some romance going on, and some superhero action, though it must be said that we get a new superhero flick nearly every month anyway. It was difficult narrowing the options down to just 5 movies this month, and I had to leave movies like Luckiest Girl Alive and The Good Nurse off the list, despite really looking forward to both these movies.

So yeah, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll find much to enjoy on this list of the biggest new movies of October 2022.

 

New Movies of October 2022

1. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone | October 5th, 2022

October can’t pass us by without a Stephen King offering; it also seems like phones and horror have come back in a big way in 2022 (The Black Phone and Scream if the reference escapes you). Mr. Harrigan’s Phone was one of the four novellas part of King’s If It Bleeds collection. Directed by John Lee Hancock, the movie stars Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell – the latter starred in the IT franchise.

The film follows Craig, a young boy living in a small town (Martell), who befriends Mr. Harrigan (Sutherland), an older, reclusive billionaire. The two bond over their love of books and reading. But when Mr. Harrigan passes away, Craig finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through his iPhone. There’s definitely horror elements, but it also sounds kind of sweet?

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone will be released on Netflix.

 

2. Hellraiser | October 7th, 2022

Horror fans have been waiting eagerly for this reboot of the Hellraiser franchise. Will it deliver? Well, it currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, albeit this is only with 8 reviews, so I guess we’ll truly see where this movie lands come opening day. Though with David Bruckner at the helm – he directed the recent very scary The Night House – it does feel pretty promising.

This Hellraiser features the first female Pinhead, played by Jamie Clayton. Hellraiser follows a woman named Riley (Odessa A’zion), a recovering drug addict trying to get her life back together. When she comes into possession of an antique puzzle box, she is introduced to a new world of pain and pleasure. When her brother Matt accidentally triggers the box and is taken away, Riley will do everything she can to save the most important person in her life.

 

3. Halloween Ends | October 14th, 2022

The title proclaims the end to a long-standing franchise, but who are they kidding? They’ll probably wait another 10 years before rebooting it again. It is Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) last stand. She faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers, in a final confrontation that will only leave one of them alive. Curtis has mentioned that this will be her last time playing the character, so take from that what you will.

The whole team is back for this one, with David Gordon Green in the director’s chair once more, and John Carpenter onboard as executive producer and for the score.

Taking place four years after the events of Halloween Kills, Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and is finishing her memoir. Michael Myers hasn’t been seen since. But when a young man, Corey Cunningham, is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, Laurie is forced to confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.

Halloween Kills will be released in theatres and on Peacock simultaneously for US audiences.

 

4. Black Adam | October 21st, 2022

Having seen the trailer for Black Adam while I was at the movies last week, I have to say that I’m cautiously optimistic? After numerous blockbusters as the solid good guy, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is going in the inverse direction for this one, playing a anti-hero for the first time in his career.

Initially, Black Adam was supposed to appear in the 2019 movie Shazam, with two origin stories converging into one movie. Johnson, upon reading the script, felt like it would be a disservice to Black Adam, and lobbied for Black Adam to get his own film. Obviously, he succeeded.

In the movie, Black Adam’s origin story will be fleshed out, and he’ll also go up against the Justice Society of America, comprised of Dr Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo).

 

5. Ticket to Paradise | October 21st, 2022

Considering October’s association with horror, it feels strange to be concluding the list with a rom-com. However, it does mean that this movie will stand out and be the pick of a moviegoer who might be tired of all the horror movies coming out this month. The film stars heavyweights Julia Roberts and George Clooney as exes, who are forced to reunite for their daughter’s impromptu wedding, but then find themselves teaming up to prevent her from making the same mistake they once did.

Its current score on Rotten Tomatoes is 67% with 48 reviews, which isn’t exactly the best of scores. The rom-com can sometimes be generic – obviously we know that Roberts and Clooney’s characters are going to fall in love again – but with these two movie stars onboard, I’d say give it a shot. It may not be a ticket to paradise, but it should offer a perfectly enjoyable couple of hours.

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