Fall movies focus on remakes, real-life stories
Stories and histories are becoming common ground for filmmakers. Much of the new movie lineup this fall consists of movies based on books or historical events.
“A Walk in the Woods” is a humorous book published in 1998, so the movie is gaining it more attention almost 20 years after its making.
After “The Martian” was republished by Crown Publishing last year, it has also become very popular, and the movie is expected to be one of the best this year.
Every month has its own smattering of movies inspired by real life, such as “Everest,” “Steve Jobs,” “Stonewall” and “The 33.”
It’s also becoming more common to see movies inspired by television shows. For instance, “Jem and the Holograms” was a popular cartoon in the ‘80s, and many fans aren’t thrilled to see what the film looks like from the trailer.
There are also a few reboots (one of which is a reboot of a documentary of an actual event) and sequels. The “Transporter Refueled” is a reboot to the Jason Statham franchise, and “Creed” can be considered a type of offshoot of the beloved Rocky Balboa movies.
Even if Hollywood has become quite unimaginative, movies that bring favorite books to life and call attention to little known historic events aren’t a bad thing.
Not all movies on this list are guaranteed to come to Myrtle Beach theaters, so please be sure to check all local movie listings before making plans. Some movies have not been announced and won’t have a release date until a few weeks in advance rather than a few months, therefore this list cannot be considered all-inclusive. Release dates are also subject to change.
A Walk in the Woods
Release date | Sept. 2
Director | Ken Kwapis
Starring | Nick Noulte, Robert Redford, Emma Thompson
Rating | R
Back in the United States after two decades of living in the United Kingdom, Bill Bryson wants to reconnect with the country by hiking the Appalachian Trail. When an old friend decides to join him, they start on a journey and come to learn that no matter how old you are, there is always room to grow.
The Transporter Refueled
Release date | Sept. 4
Director | Camille Delamarre
Starring | Ed Skrein, Loan Chabanol, Ray Stevenson
Rating | PG-13
The fast-paced world of the transporters is back in this franchise reboot. A younger Frank Martin, a former special ops mercenary, is doing mysterious transporter jobs when a new offer thrusts him into the line of sight of a very dangerous gang. He’ll have to use all his brains and brawn to survive – plus a very fast car.
The Visit
Release date | Sept. 11
Director | M. Night Shyamalan
Starring | Ed Oxenbould, Olivia DeJonge, Peter McRobbie, Deanna Dunagan
Rating | PG-13
A sister and brother are off on a small vacation to their grandparent’s house, which shouldn’t be any cause for concern. However, the two children quickly realize something is wrong with Nana and Pop-pop and they have to convince their mother to come save them … before it’s too late.
The Perfect Guy
Release date | Sept. 11
Director | David M. Rosenthal
Starring | Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut, Michael Ealy
Rating | PG-13
When she feels she is ready for a serious commitment, Leah Vaughn’s boyfriend disagrees. After they break up, Leah meets a handsome new stranger with whom she sees a potential future. However, he is not so nearly as nice as he seems and Leah no longer knows who she can trust.
Sicario
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Denis Villeneuve
Starring | Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal
Rating | R
Emily Blunt plays an FBI agent in this political action thriller who joins a mission with other government agents to help the tense drug war with Mexico. Following a trail across the border, she is caught completely unaware of just how deep the corruption runs.
Maze Runner: Scorch Trials
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Wes Ball
Starring | Dyland O’Brien, Kaya Scodelaria, Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Rating | PG-13
The second installment of this series, the Scorch Trials sees the characters of the first movie out of the maze but far from safe and even further from answers. These teenagers have to stick together and overcome greater obstacles than ever if they want to find out what exactly is going on but more importantly, survive.
Pawn Sacrifice
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Edward Zwick
Starring | Tobey Maguire, Lily Rabe, Liev Schreiber
Rating | PG-13
Originally shown last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, this political thriller set during the Cold War is finally hitting the big screens. Based on a true story, an American chess genius begins to spiral into madness when a challenge with a Russian counterpart puts too much stress on his psyche.
Everest
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Baltasar Kormákur
Starring | Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Sam Worthington
Rating | PG-13
Inspired by the true story of the 1996 disaster, this movie tells the story of two groups forced to work together to face the behemoth. The dangers are very real, and triumph doesn’t mean simply getting to the top. Even if Everest is surmountable, their odds of survival might not be.
Black Mass
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Scott Cooper
Starring | Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch
Rating | R
In the 1970s, South Boston was the scene of violent gang wars, headed by the infamous Whitey Bulger. This movie tells the real story of this Irish mobster and his underground dealings with the FBI in order to destroy his enemies.
Captive
Release date | Sept. 18
Director | Jerry Jameson
Starring | Kate Mara, David Oyelowo
Rating | PG-13
Redemption and hope often come from unusual situations and from the last person you’d expect. A single mother struggling to overcome her drug addiction is taken hostage by an escaped criminal, and she has to find the strength to not only survive, but forgive.
Hotel Transylvania 2
Release date | Sept. 25
Director | Genndy Tartakovsky
Starring | Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James
Rating | PG
These goofball monsters return to the silver screen with antics and laughs as usual. This sequel is set quite a few years after the first, with Dracula now taking care of his half-human, half-vampire grandson. Except no one really knows what a half-vamp kid is capable of.
The Intern
Release date | Sept. 25
Director | Nancy Meyers
Starring | Anne Hathaway, Robert DeNiro, Nat Wolff, Rene Russo
Rating | PG-13
Faced with the prospect of enjoying the retired life, Ben Whittaker takes a good look and turns the other way. Despite his advanced age, he becomes a senior intern at a growing fashion company, and surprisingly, most of all to himself, he fits right in.
Before I Wake
Release date | Sept. 25
Director | Mike Flanagan
Starring | Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay
Rating | PG-13
When a young married couple decides to adopt an 8-year-old boy, they’re excited and hopeful to become a family. Very quickly they come to realize becoming a family means fighting off the dreams – and nightmares – of their new child that come to life when he sleeps.
Stonewall
Release date | Sept. 25
Director | Roland Emmerich
Starring | Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Rating | R
This movie is a telling of the dramatic but greatly unknown event that kickstarted the gay rights movement in New York City. The story follows a young man who becomes part of the Stonewall riots to defend and fight back against the violent persecution the gay community suffers.
Legend
Release date | Oct. 2
Director | Brian Helgeland
Starring | Tom Hardy, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston
Rating | R
In the 1950s and ‘60s, the Kray twins became increasingly infamous as they terrorized London with their gang, The Firm. Tom Hardy will play these two criminals in a movie that will follow their rise and fall, and all the grisly confrontations the men had, even with each other.
The Martian
Release date | Oct. 2
Director | Ridley Scott
Starring | Matt Damon, Jeff Daniels, Kate Mara, Kristen Wigg
Rating | N/A
Based on the popular book of the same name, this science fiction thriller follows the first manned mission to Mars. An astronaut is stranded when his team is forced to retreat from a deadly storm they think killed him. What follows is one human trying to survive the force of an alien planet.
He Named Me Malala
Release date | Oct. 2
Director | Davis Guggenheim
Starring | Malala Yousafzai, Mobin Khan
Rating | PG-13
Malala Yousafzai is becoming a household name, and with good reason. This documentary follows the cataclysmic event that nearly took Malala’s life and the inspiring strength she found within herself to survive and fight for the rights of women the world over.
Freeheld
Release date | Oct. 2
Director | Peter Sollett
Starring | Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell
Rating | PG-13
The emotional story of Freeheld is inspired by the true events of Laurel Hester pursuing pension rights for her domestic partner, Stacie Andree, after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. While her body is being wracked with the disease, she will keep on fighting for equality.
Pan
Release date | Oct. 9
Director | Joe Wright
Starring | Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara, Garret Hedlund, Levi Miller
Rating | N/A
This movie is a new take on the origin of Peter Pan and presumably Captain Hook, since the two familiar characters are working together to take down Captain Blackbeard. Many familiar characters will show up along the way in this fantastic and thrilling journey in Neverland.
Steve Jobs
Release date | Oct. 9
Director | Danny Boyle
Starring | Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogan
Rating | R
Beloved and hated by millions, Steve Jobs undoubtedly changed the face of technology as we know it. Even though he is gone, his legacy lives on, stronger than ever. Michael Fassbender plays him in a biography that highlights the ordeals and ultimate successes of this famous entrepreneur.
Big Stone Gap
Release date | Oct. 9
Director | Adriana Trigiani
Starring | Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg
Rating | PG-13
Almost a year after premiering at the Virginia Film Festival, this romantic comedy is being released nationwide. A 40-year-old woman remains the heart and soul of a small town despite hardships and a mystery that shakes the very foundation of her life.
The Walk
Release date | Oct. 9
Director | Robert Zemeckis
Starring | Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley
Rating | PG
Just over 40 years ago, a French man performed an unauthorized high-wire walk between the Twin towers of the World Trade Center. Now his story comes to life in 3D glory, including all the (illegal) preparation that had to be made and the dangerous walk itself.
Goosebumps
Release date | Oct. 16
Director | Rob Letterman
Starring | Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush
Rating | PG
Everybody’s favorite monsters are coming to life in this movie inspired by the young adult hit series by R.L. Stine, Goosebumps. A teenager accidentally releases the creatures found in the horror books when he was trying to help a girl and her mysterious and paranoid uncle.
Crimson Peak
Release date | Oct. 16
Director | Guillermo del Toro
Starring | Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddelston
Rating | R
This romantic gothic story stalks the young author, Edith Cushing, as she marries an enigmatic heir and moves to life with him. Her fairytale marriage quickly crumbles when she realizes the mansion is crumbling as well, possessed by grisly specters that have no intention of leaving.
Bridge of Spies
Release date | Oct. 16
Director | Steven Spielberg
Starring | Tom Hanks, Amy Ryan, Alan Alda, Sebastian Koch
Rating | PG-13
The Cold War was a stressful time for a world still recovering, and peace was a very delicate lie. Inspired by the U-2 incident of 1960, this movie shows the desperate lengths the CIA went through to keep information out of Soviet Union hands, and the lawyer in the middle of it all.
Burnt
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | John Wells
Starring | Bradley Cooper, Omar Sy, Same Keeley, Lily James
Rating | N/A
Some men only know how to give everything they are to achieve everything they want. After fighting his way to become a world-renowned chef only to give into drugs and misbehavior, Adam Jones has to earn redemption and his position at the top to get back in the kitchen.
The Last Witch Hunter
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | Breck Eisner
Starring | Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood
Rating | N/A
Cursed with immortality and the last of his kind, the Witch Hunter is the only line of defense on humanity’s side. Otherworldly and evil creatures wish to unleash a plague upon mankind. It’s going to take everything he has, including a few compromises, if he wants to save anyone.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | Gregory Plotkin
Starring | Brit Shaw, Chris J. Murray, Ivy George
Rating | N/A
The final installment in the Paranormal Activity series is about a new family in a familiar house with hauntingly familiar events happening. After finding a box of abandoned tapes and an old camera, the young family is thrown into the terrifying world that has haunted many before this.
Jem and the Holograms
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | Jon M. Chu
Starring | Juliette Lewis, Hayley Kiyoko, Nicholas Braun, Ryan Guzman
Rating | PG
Loosely inspired by a cartoon from the 1980s, this movie with the same name tells the story of a teenager and her friends becoming a famous band. Unfortunately, they learn quickly how cruel being a popstar can be, and their band – and friendship – might not withstand the challenges.
Rock the Kasbah
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | Barry Levinson
Starring | Billy Murray, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel
Rating | N/A
While on a tour in Afghanistan, a struggling music manager is abandoned by his singer and left to figure out a way to return home. Along the way, he discovers a teenager with extraordinary talent and decides to instead be her manager and take her to Kabul to become a star.
Suffragette
Release date | Oct. 23
Director | Sarah Gavron
Starring | Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter
Rating | PG-13
Everybody knows that rights and equality have to be fought for, even to this day. Suffragette puts the courage and gritty determination of the women and events from the early feminist movement in Britain on the big screen. It should never be forgotten what the past has done for the present.
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Release date | Oct. 30
Director | Christopher Landon
Starring | Halston Sage, Tye Sheridon, Patrick Schwarzenegger
Rating | R
Being a scout means being prepared for a variety of possibilities and incidents, not just earning some badges. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as if anything in the guide could have prepared these three boy scouts for the zombie apocalypse.
Our Brand is Crisis
Release date | Oct. 30
Director | David Gordon Green
Starring | Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie
Rating | N/A
This movie is considered a remake of a 2005 documentary by the same name that covered the political tactics used in the 2002 presidential election in Bolivia. Most of the focus will be on one candidate in particular, who had an American education and ran a startlingly familiar campaign.
Spectre
Release date | Nov. 6
Director | Sam Mendes
Starring | Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes
Rating | N/A
The mystery surrounding James Bond is greater than ever when he begins a pursuit for a vicious secret organization that nobody seems to know anything about. This is a mission not only of great importance and danger for Bond, but one that might destroy the entire agency he works for.
The Peanuts Movie
Release date | Nov. 6
Director | Steve Martino
Starring | Noah Schnapp, Venus Schultheis, Mariel Sheets
Rating | G
The classic comic, long-running and dearly loved, filled with familiar faces is coming to theaters for a new generation to fall in love with. Charlie Brown and his best friend Snoopy are starting a new adventure with new challenges to overcome and new friends to make.
Room
Release date | Nov. 6
Director | Lenny Abrahamson
Starring | Brie Larson, William H. Macy, Megan Park
Rating | R
Horror and hope take turns with Jack, a young boy living in a small room with his mother. The room is all he has ever known, and despite her attempts to teach him and keep him healthy, his mother fears it is all he ever will know. But even escaping the room might not make them free.
Brooklyn
Release date | Nov. 6
Director | John Crowley
Starring | Saoirse Ronan, Domhall Gleeson, Michael Zegen
Rating | PG-13
A young woman struggles to find her way in Brooklyn during the 1950s after leaving her family behind in Ireland. When she finally seems to be making a new life for herself, she is compelled to return to Ireland, only to have her heart torn in two between her two homes.
Spotlight
Release date | Nov. 6
Director | Tom McCarthy
Starring | Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Live Schreiber, Michael Keaton
Rating | R
Dramatic and controversial, Spotlight follows the story inspired by actual events from the early 2000s. When several reporters from the Boston Globe worked tirelessly together to uncover a dark truth hidden by the Catholic Church, many stood in their way but they would not be stopped from doing the right thing.
The 33
Release date | Nov. 13
Director | Patricia Riggen
Starring | Antonia Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Cote de Pablo
Rating | N/A
Inspired by the heart wrenching event that captivated the world, “The 33” follows the 2010 mining disaster in Chile and over two months of the men surviving the underground trap. The movie borrows actual facts and reports to show this stunning tale of survival and hope.
By the Sea
Release date | Nov. 13
Director | Angelina Jolie Pitt
Starring | Angelina Jolie Pitt, Brad Pitt
Rating | R
Vanessa is a former dancer and her husband, Roland, is an American writer. Their marriage is shaky to say the least, and the two seem to be drifting further apart. In this dramatic story, they vacation at a French seaside resort that may end up being a catalyst for a different relationship.
Secret in Their Eyes
Release date | Nov. 20
Director | Billy Ray
Starring | Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Rating | PG-13
A regular murder case turns instantly personal when a team of FBI investigators realize the daughter of one of the agents is the victim. Torn by grief and devastated by a lack of evidence, the members spend years trying to gather the proof needed to bring justice down on the murderer.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
Release date | Nov. 20
Director | Francis Lawrence
Starring | Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Rating | PG-13
The fate of The Capitol and all of Panem will be decided in the conclusion of this famous dystopian story. Katniss and District 13 will face the most dangerous challenges yet, and no one is safe from President Snow’s tricks. But could the greatest threat come from inside the rebellion?
The Night Before
Release date | Nov. 25
Director | Jonathan Levine
Starring | Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie
Rating | R
For longer than a decade, three friends have been celebrating Christmas together, usually through drunken debauchery. Their tradition is finally coming to an end, with one friend starting a family and another too busy. This is their one last chance to find the Christmas party to end all parties.
Victor Frankenstein
Release date | Nov. 25
Director | Paul McGuigan
Starring | Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy
Rating | PG-13
From the viewpoint of Igor comes a reimagined version of the famous story that started the science fiction genre. Victor Frankenstein is a young medical student with lofty aspirations and the genius to follow through with them. Will Igor be able to survive Frankenstein playing God?
The Good Dinosaur
Release date | Nov. 25
Director | Peter Sohn
Starring | Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn
Rating | N/A
The greatly anticipated new Pixar movie explores an unlikely friendship that would forever change mankind. A young dinosaur encounters a strange but intelligent biped, and through trials and triumphs, the two not only develop a bond but learn to face their fears.
Creed
Release date | Nov. 25
Director | Ryan Coogler
Starring | Michael B. Jordon, Sylvester Stallone, Graham McTavish
Rating | N/A
Considered to be a spin-off of the beloved Rocky Balboa franchise, Creed is about a young boxer finding his own way. Untrained but passionate about boxing, the son of the late Apollo Creed travels to Philadelphia where he meets an ever so familiar face who agrees to train him.
I Saw the Light
Release date | Nov. 27
Director | Marc Abraham
Starring | Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, David Krumholtz
Rating | N/A
Hank Williams lived a short but impactful life as a country singer and remains loved to this day. I Saw the Light is a biography celebrating his rise to fame and the music he made that captured the hearts of millions, even after his sudden death at the young age of 29.
This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 1:36 AM with the headline "Fall movies focus on remakes, real-life stories."