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The summer movie season has come and gone, and it was one that Hollywood executives will fondly remember for some time. As our own Paul Asay pointed out on Tuesday, summer 2026 was a record-breaking season, pulling in $4.76 billion from May 1 through Labor Day.
But just because summer is over doesn’t mean Hollywood’s turned off the spigot of its movie stream. In fact, there are several films coming out over the next few months that might intrigue family audiences, so we decided to highlight a few of those fall flicks here.
Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom – September 18
If you’re a fan of stop-motion and clay animation, you’re probably familiar with Aardman Animations, makers of Chicken Run and the Wallace & Gromit series. The acclaimed studio is releasing a new feature film this month, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.
The flick follows the sheep of Mossy Bottom Farm as they try to save Halloween after a mysterious beast appears. This is the third entry in Aardman’s Shaun the Sheep film franchise and, if it’s anything like previous entries, The Beast of Mossy Bottom should be a safe pick for families looking for a flock of funny moments and heartwarmingly wooly messages, too.
Forgotten Island – September 25
Forgotten Island is the newest pic from DreamWorks Animation, with an eye-catching animation style akin to the studio’s 2022 film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
This animated movie seems like it will draw a fair bit from Filipino folklore, as two best friends—Jo and Raissa, who have just graduated high school—are pulled through a portal into another world. Unfortunately, their memories fade the longer they stay in this magical realm. We’ll have to wait and see if Forgotten Island is a movie to remember … or forget.
Sense and Sensibility – October 16
Ah, Jane Austen. Hollywood just can’t quit you. By my count, 2026’s Sense and Sensibility will be the sixth adaptation of this particular novel made for film or television. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles in the lead roles, the film follows the Dashwood women (three sisters and their widowed mother) in Georgian England who have lost their wealth and social status in the wake of tragedy.
Let’s hope this version of Sense and Sensibility takes after its 1995 predecessor, which Plugged In found to be “rich in personality and depth of relationship.”
Street Fighter – October 16
If you grew up loving the popular arcade fighting games of the early 1990s, this is the movie year for you. Mortal Kombat II kicked off the cage match in May, and now Street Fighter will join the fray in October.
In Street Fighter, old frenemies Ken and Ryu are brought back together to compete in a global fighting tournament—and it’s a good bet that the stakes will get higher than simply determining who takes home the “Best at Fisticuffs” award. While Street Fighter dodges the R-rating (and hopefully, much of the gore) of Mortal Kombat, its PG-13 designation still includes warnings for content about as welcome as crouching kick spam.
Drummer Boy – November 6
Following the success of Young Washington, Angel Studios is dipping back into American history for the film Drummer Boy. The movie is billed as an action-musical and stars Joel David Smallbone (of FOR KING + COUNTRY fame) and follows the story of two brothers who end up on opposite sides of the Revolutionary War.
Drummer Boy is not yet rated, but for families who enjoyed Angel’s Young Washington, this film seems to take a similar tack—albeit with a musical twist.
The Cat in the Hat – November 6
By the looks of it, 2026’s animated adaptation of The Cat in the Hat aims to expand the story’s lore far beyond the 61 pages of the classic Dr. Suess book. In the film, it seems the titular Cat in the Hat has been sent to cheer up a pair of siblings who are feeling down after their family moves to a new town. When the Cat in the Hat introduces a time travel device into the mix, mischief and mayhem are quick to follow.
Given the film’s Seussical inspiration, one would think that parents wouldn’t have to worry about too many content issues, but the same could have been said for the 2003 Mike Myers adaptation that included barely veiled profanities and risqué humor. Let’s hope this new The Cat in the Hat’s hews closer to the source material.
Ebenezer – November 13
I said that Hollywood loves Jane Austen. But it really loves Charles Dickens, especially A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer is the latest in a long line of adaptations of the famous tale, with this version starring Johnny Depp in the title role. If the trailer is anything to go by, Ebenezer looks a little spookier than other takes on A Christmas Carol (and I’m talking about more than the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come). But, hey, if Ebenezer proves to be off-limits for your family, you’ll have plenty of other adaptations of the classic work to turn to. For my money, the best one stars Michael Caine and Kermit the Frog.
Way of the Warrior Kid – November 20
Based on a story by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, Way of the Warrior Kid follows a young boy who, tired of being bullied, learns to find his “inner warrior” with the help of his uncle, an elite Navy SEAL. The film, featuring Chris Pratt and Linda Cardellini, seems to have a message that would resonate with a family audience: Becoming a “warrior kid” goes beyond being physically tough—it’s also about hard work, discipline and respecting others.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – November 20
The Hunger Games franchise has reeled in more than $3 billion at the box office since 2012. And just as Panem’s Capitol is happy to provide more lethal, Battle Royale-style contests, so, too, is this franchise happy to provide more movies.
Sunrise on the Reaping, based on Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel, is a Hunger Games prequel that follows Haymitch Abernathy as he prepares to compete in the 50th edition of the brutal games. While the film is not yet rated, I’d guess it would fall in the familiar PG-13 territory of its predecessors. Unfortunately, the same content issues are likely to follow, too, including brutality against children and bloodshed.
Hexed – November 25
Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones lend their voices to Hexed, a new Disney animated movie about a rebellious teen who learns she has magical abilities and is transported to the “World of Witches.” The film seems like typical Disney fare with a message about accepting and believing in yourself, but what might trip up families is that the magic here seems to be tied more strongly to witchcraft. Though some of the main character’s fantastical abilities look to be inborn (à la Frozen), we’ll have to wait and see how deeply Hexed dives into its witchy elements. (And Plugged In will be here to let you know if it does!)
