Nine movies and shows to add to your watchlist right now

Your social calendar might be looking suspiciously empty, but your watchlist definitely isn’t. October and November are packed with big-screen returns, spooky season essentials and a few seriously anticipated new releases. From The Hunger Games to Carrie, here’s what deserves your weekend viewing time.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
November 19, in theatres

Before Katniss, there was Haymitch. The sixth instalment in the franchise takes us 24 years back into Panem, following a young Haymitch Abernathy (played by Joseph Zada) as he is forced into the brutal 50th Hunger Games, aka the Second Quarter Quell. If you know the original films, you will know Haymitch as Katniss and Peeta’s mentor and the only District 12 victor before them. This is one trip back to Panem we’re very much ready for.

Clayface
October 23, in theatres

Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a rising actor who is disfigured and eventually transformed into a shapeshifting monster, with Naomi Ackie co-starring as scientist Caitlin Bates. She sees his condition as a chance to revolutionise her biotech company before falling for him. Add a crime boss to the mix, and this Gotham story is serving serious chaos as things get complicated. Very complicated.

Other Mommy
October 29, in theatres

October is Halloween month, so obviously we need our annual horror fix. Based on Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House, Other Mommy follows eight-year-old Bela, who bonds with an entity that looks exactly like her mother, played by Jessica Chastain. Chastain is no stranger to horror, having starred in Mama and It Chapter Two, but this one looks seriously creepy.

Hexed
November 27, in theatres

If Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown had a very Gen Z baby, it might look something like this. The movie follows an unconventional teen and her Type-A mum as they discover that her quirks might actually be magical powers, sending them into a secret witch realm where things get seriously spellbinding. It’s already being compared to The Owl House, but Disney says it’s doing witches its own way. So, yeah, we’re adding this to the watchlist.

Focker-In-Law
November 25, in theatres

The Fockers are back, and apparently, we’re still not done with the circle of trust. The fourth instalment brings Greg Focker back into the family chaos, this time as his grown-up son Henry brings home Olivia (Ariana Grande) and announces he wants to propose. Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are returning too, so expect awkward dinners, suspicious dads, and plenty of Focker-level family drama.

Street Fighter
October 16, in theatres

It’s 1993, and Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are back in the ring. Recruited by the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) for the World Warrior Tournament, the estranged martial artists soon find themselves caught in a deadly conspiracy. There’s a lot more chaos waiting under the surface, but we’re not about to spoil the fun. You will have to watch the punches fly for yourself.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3
November 11, Prime Video

Middle-earth is going to war, and season three is taking things up multiple notches. Set several years after season two, the story picks up during the War of the Elves and Sauron, with the Dark Lord busy forging the One Ring and plotting to take over Middle-earth. Jamie Campbell Bower joins as Celeborn, Galadriel’s long-lost husband, while Simon Pegg voices the Balrog. A darker season, a talking Balrog, and one very dangerous ring? We’re in.

Ramayana
November 6, in theatres

A full-scale battle of good versus evil, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravan. The cast alone has us paying attention. The story needs no introduction, but this larger-than-life adaptation is bringing some serious star power to the screen. Plus, Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman are on music duty. Yes, the soundtrack is going to be a moment. Clear your Diwali plans.

Carrie
October 7, Prime Video

High school was already brutal. Add telekinesis and a viral bullying scandal, and Carrie White has officially got a lot on her plate. Mike Flanagan brings author Stephen King’s iconic horror story to the small screen for the first time, with Summer H Howell stepping into Carrie’s blood-soaked shoes. All eight episodes drop together, just in time for Halloween.

Images: IMDb and Instagram

This article originally appeared in Cosmopolitan India's September-October 2026 print issue.

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