If there's a time to consume content, it's spooky season. Is there anything more comforting than lighting a few candles, setting the scene, grabbing your favourite snacks, and curling up with a good movie or television show to occupy your evening? I think not.
October is finally here and there are so many exciting new film and TV releases coming this month. Whether you're yearning for a revenge thriller to really get you into the festive Halloween spirit, or something a light throwback to ease you into the evenings, there's something for you.
Here are the most exciting movies and TV shows coming to you in October — and you're not going to want to miss a single one!
The Office.
The Office… but make it Aussie. That's right, one of the most popular sitcoms of all time is coming down under. The Australian take on The Office will introduce a whole new cast and story complete with very Aussie humour.
The new Prime Video series will follow the employees who work at a packaging company, Flinley Craddick, in Sydney.
When Managing Director Hannah Howard (played by Felicity Ward) finds out her branch is getting shut down and everyone is moving to work from home, she goes into survival mode and makes promises she can't keep in order to keep her "work family" together.
The staff of Flinley Craddick must endure Hannah's outlandish plots as they work toward the impossible targets that have been set for them. Get ready for the delicious office drama we've all been missing.
The Office premieres on Prime Video on October 18.
Sweetpea.
Now this is an appropriate choice for spooky season.
Sweetpea is the twisted revenge drama we have all been waiting for. Starring Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets, Fallout), the series is a six-episode thriller that follows the life of unlucky Rhiannon.
With everything in her life falling apart, including her very sick father, trouble at work, and a less than desirable love life, everything turns upside down when Rhiannon is pushed over the edge. She snaps, and just like that things take a violent turn as she quickly finds she is capable of anything. And I mean anything.
The story is twisted, dark, and it's everything we want, but maybe wouldn't expect, from a coming of age story.
Sweetpea premieres on October 10 on Binge.
Your Monster.
Horror and romance are two polar opposite genres that just mesh so well together. Your Monster combines the two in a perfect Halloween movie.
Starring Melissa Barrera (who is no stranger to great horror movie) and Tommy Dewey, the plot follows Laura Franco — an actress recently diagnosed with cancer and broken up with. Things take a weird turn when she discovers a charming monster living in her closet.
Spooky and romantic, Your Monster has got to be on your Halloween watch list.
Your Monster is out in cinemas on October 25.
Last Days of the Space Age.
This Disney+ original series has got all the ingredients for an amazing retro dramedy. With some incredible local and international talent, as well as a uniquely interesting premise, you are in for a ride.
Set in 1979, the show is set in a small coastal community in Western Australia, where under the surface, all friendships, marriages, and relationships are put to the test over a tumultuous few days.
A power strike threatens to plunge the region into darkness, while the city hosts the iconic Miss Universe pageant, and the US space station, Skylab, crashes just beyond the city's suburbs.
Radha Michell (Olympus Has Fallen), Jesse Spencer (Chicago Fire) and Deborah Mailman (Total Control) are joined by a sensational cast in this local drama.
Last Days of the Space Age premieres on Disney+ on October 2.
Lonely Planet.
Age-gap romances have certainly been all the rage in recent years. And Lonely Planet fits perfectly into the popular trope.
Starring Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth, the film follows a novelist named Katherine, who goes on a writer's retreat in Morocco in order to gain inspiration for her new book. There, she meets a handsome stranger and thus begins a life-altering love affair.
When discussing the movie, Dern told Tudum, "The dynamic between the younger man and the older, established writer intrigued me because it's not just about romance — it's about finding someone who truly sees and understands you, which is something deeply human and relatable."
Lonely Planet premieres on Netflix on October 11.
Joan.
We love Sophie Turner. And we love a good British crime drama. Stan's new series, Joan, is the perfect combination of those two things.
Based on the true story of Joan Hannington, the show documents the highs and lows of her life as a notorious diamond thief in London in the 1980s. From her abusive husband, to losing her daughter to social services, and her wild antics once becoming a criminal, the story is tragic and lavish.
And if the trailer is any indication, it looks like it's going to be one hell of a ride.
Joan premieres on Stan on October 1.
Heartstopper Season 3.
If there's a coming-of-age series we yearn for, it's Heartstopper.
Whether it's the cast, the writing, or the essence of the story, Heartstopper is truthful, hopeful and wholesome in every single way.
Now it's back for Season 3 and, from what we hear, it's going to be even more exciting. This season, we'll see Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie's (Joe Locke) story continue to progress and witness a host of new experiences as they mature.
Creator and writer, Alice Osemen said to Netflix, "Season 2 ended with Nick beginning to understand the extent of Charlie's mental health issues, and it's this that will drive the story through Season 3.
"While Heartstopper will always celebrate the joyful and point towards hope, I'm really excited that we are allowing the tone of the show to mature alongside our beloved characters growing up. Mental health, sex, university ambitions, and more: Nick, Charlie, and the Heartstopper teens are getting older, learning more about themselves and each other, and experiencing new desires, new fears, and new joys as they approach adulthood."
Heartstopper Season 3 premieres on Netflix on October 3.
Saturday Night.
If you're a film and television buff, I feel like Saturday Night Live has become a staple in your cultural zeitgeist. With so many famous rotating guests, it's hard to miss any of the amazing performances and skits that come from SNL.
The upcoming Saturday Night film is simple in its premise, but will no doubt draw crowds. The movie is based on the true story of what happened in the 90 minutes prior to the show's debut in 1975.
Hilarious, chaotic, and fun, this movie will no doubt capture the essence of the beloved show.
Saturday Night is in cinemas on October 11.
Smile 2.
Another creepy little movie for Halloween enthusiasts. This is perfect for a spooky night at the cinema.
The upcoming psychological thriller is a follow-up to the 2022 film Smile, which follows pop singer, Skye Riley, as strange and disturbing things start to happen in her life.
According to Paramount Pictures, "Pop sensation Skye Riley begins to experience a series of increasingly disturbing and daunting events as she is about to go on a new world tour and is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control."
If it's anything like the first film, we are expecting suspense, jump scares, and of course, creepy smiles.
Smile 2 is in cinemas on October 18.
Teacup.
Finishing off the list with another gripping Halloween watch. Teacup is a new horror-thriller series that follows a group of people in rural Georgia as they fight for their survival amidst a mysterious threat.
Inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon, and starring Aussie actress Yvonne Strahovski, we have a feeling this is going to be a real nail-biter.
While this series seems more scary than spooky, it's no doubt perfect for the month of October.
Teacup premieres on Binge on October 10.
Feature image: Prime Video/Netflix.
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