Fall 2025: A Comprehensive Look at the Season’s Top Entertainment Stories in Film and Television

As the leaves begin to turn and the summer blockbusters fade, Fall 2025 promises a refreshingly crisp slate of top entertainment across movies and television. This season distinguishes itself with a unique blend of highly anticipated original narratives, star-studded productions, and long-awaited returns, offering something for every discerning viewer. From action-packed thrillers to poignant dramas and groundbreaking musical stories, the upcoming months are set to redefine the entertainment landscape.

Cinematic Spectacles to Watch

One of the most buzzed-about film releases this fall is Paul Thomas Anderson’s action-thriller, One Battle After Another. Scheduled for a September 26 release by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. With a reported budget between $130 and $175 million, this marks Anderson’s first venture into IMAX distribution and is loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s postmodern novel Vineland. The tightly guarded plot details only heighten anticipation for this cinematic event.

Scarlett Johansson steps behind the camera for her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, a drama that captivated audiences at the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section in May. Starring June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, arrives on September 26. It explores the journey of a 94-year-old Floridian who forms an unlikely friendship with a 19-year-old New York City student after a significant loss. While lauded for its emotional depth and Squibb’s performance, the film has also sparked discussion due to its protagonist’s appropriation of a Holocaust survival story.

The iconic mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap receives a long-awaited sequel with Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film sees Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer reprise their roles as the fictional heavy metal band, reuniting after 15 years for a final concert. Set to release on September 12, the film promises more chaotic humor and features exciting cameos from music legends Paul McCartney and Elton John. An accompanying album, also titled The End Continues, will drop on the same day.

Rounding out the fall’s notable film releases is Bill Condon’s musical drama Kiss of the Spider Woman, hitting theaters on October 10. Based on the acclaimed stage musical, the film stars Jennifer Lopez as the titular Ingrid Luna/Aurora/The Spider Woman, alongside Diego Luna as Valentín and Tonatiuh as Molina. The film premiered to positive reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in January, with Tonatiuh being highlighted as a breakout star of the season for his performance in the emotionally charged narrative.

Television’s Expanding Universe

On the small screen, Sterlin Harjo, co-creator of Reservation Dogs, brings a new drama titled The Lowdown to FX, premiering September 23, with streaming available on Hulu the following day. This Tulsa noir series stars Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon, a “truthstorian” citizen journalist whose investigations into local corruption constantly land him in trouble and away from his daughter. The series also features Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kaniehtiio Horn, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Kyle MacLachlan.

Beyond these initial highlights, the fall television schedule is packed with new stories and returning favorites. Sci-fi fans can anticipate Alien: Earth, a prequel series arriving on FX and Hulu on August 12. Netflix subscribers have much to look forward to, including the thriller Black Rabbit starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman on September 18, and the much-anticipated final season of Stranger Things, which will unfold in three parts starting November 26, continuing through Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. HBO Max dives deeper into horror with It: Welcome to Derry, a prequel series expected in October.

Popular returning series also include the fifth season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building on September 9. New shows like Ryan Murphy’s legal drama All’s Fair on Hulu, starring Kim Kardashian and Naomi Watts, and the Apple TV+ crime drama The Last Frontier on October 10, starring Jason Clarke, promise compelling new narratives. Sports entertainment will also see the debut of Chad Powers on ESPN+/Hulu on September 30, with Glen Powell as a disguised college football quarterback.

Music and Cultural Resurgences

Beyond film and television, the fall season showcases significant stories in the music world. Ty Myers, the Gen Z blues guitarist, has successfully transitioned into a TikTok country heartthrob. His 2025 debut album, The Select, features the track “Ends of the Earth,” which has already garnered over 70 million streams on Spotify, cementing his status as a burgeoning crossover star with vintage tastes and a modern reach.

Adding to the musical excitement, the iconic hip-hop duo Clipse, composed of brothers Pusha T and Malice, released their first album in 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out, on July 11. Entirely produced by Pharrell Williams, the album’s release coincides with their Let God Sort Em Out Tour, which began in August and runs through November, marking a monumental return to the stage for the influential duo.

This Fall 2025, the entertainment industry delivers a diverse and robust collection of movies, TV shows, and musical stories. From the big screen to streaming platforms and concert stages, audiences are presented with an unparalleled array of choices, promising a season rich in compelling narratives and must-see moments.