An eclectic list of previous theatrically released movies are making a return to the big screen in October, which appears to be somewhat of a creative solution for a wounded entertainment industry that continues to reel from the dual Hollywood strikes.
The ongoing strikes have shut down most television and film production for months, resulting in thousands of people out of work and the delay of many films and TV shows that were both in the middle of and/or slated to begin filming. The actors' strike in particular has also affected finished titles that have been delayed, since stars are precluded from promoting any projects during the strike effort.
As the lull in new content presses on, some of the films headed back to the big screen include the 2002 road trip movie "Crossroads" -- starring pop music icon Britney Spears ahead of the October 24 release of her memoir "The Woman in Me" -- plus the first "Hunger Games" movie as well as a full docket of horror films just in time for Halloween (like we said, it's an eclectic mix).
"Crossroads" (2002)
As Spears gears up to release her hotly anticipated memoir, her long-ago feature film debut will play in over 800 theaters worldwide on October 23 and 25. According to a Sony Pictures Entertainment news release, the "Crossroads Global Fan Event" will feature a "bonus sing-along" of two of Spears' songs from the movie, "which have never been seen on the big screen."
Starring Spears, Zoë Saldaña, Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall and Dan Aykroyd, the Shonda Rhimes-written movie follows three best friends who reunite to embark on a cross-country trip. It's since become a cult classic, and has generated over $60 million globally. Tickets go on sale on September 28 at 9:00am ET here. Buckle up!
"The Hunger Games" (2012)
Starring Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence as "girl on fire" Katniss Everdeen, the 2012 dystopian action movie "The Hunger Games" is returning to theaters on October 15 and 18, according to a Lionsgate studio news release. Lawrence, along with Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson and others will emerge from District 12 once again for the fight of their life -- and for humanity.
The re-release of the blockbuster, which is the cinematic adaptation of author Suzanne Collins' book series of the same name, is in anticipation of the November premiere of the upcoming franchise prequel "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" starring Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth. Tickets for the "Hunger Games" re-release can be purchased at Fathom Events or participating theater box offices.
"Midsommar" (2019)
Grab your flower crown because an extended director's cut of the creepy cult movie "Midsommar" is heading back to the theater on October 25. Part of AMC and A24's "Thrills and Chills" series, this special screening of "Midsommar" features 23 minutes of footage that wasn't included in the original 2019 release, according to Collider, bringing the runtime to nearly three hours. The exceedingly unsettling film stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor as a troubled couple who travel to Sweden with a group of friends to attend a midsommar festival, which spirals into a series of twisted Pagan cult rituals.
In addition to "Midsommar," a number of other horror films will be released throughout October as part of the "Thrills and Chills" series, including "The Witch" on October 4, "X" on October 11 and "Under The Skin" on October 18. Tickets for all four films can be purchased here.
"The Exorcist" (1973)
To celebrate a head-turning 50 years since the premiere of famed occult horror movie "The Exorcist," Warner Bros. Studios is re-releasing an extended director's cut of the film in theaters on October 1 and 4. Directed by the late William Friedkin, the classic film stars Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, who enlists help to exorcize her possessed daughter Regan (Linda Blair). Burstyn will reprise the role in the upcoming "Exorcist: Believer," coming out on October 6. "Believer" will be the first of three new "Exorcist" films to come. (Warner Bros. Studios and CNN are both part of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.)
The original 1973 movie was a groundbreaking cinematic achievement in the horror genre. It earned 10 Oscar nominations, marking the first time a horror film had ever been nominated for best picture, and became the origin for four sequels and prequels. Tickets for "The Exorcist" are on sale now at Fathom Events. Our advice? Hold off on consuming any split pea soup ahead of showtime.