The Toronto International Film Festival is premiering big movies and shows you won’t want to wait to know about.Credit: Composite: Mashable / Images: AMC / TIFF / SONY / Amazon MGM Studios / AP / Bleecker Street Media
Fall film festival season has begun! The Toronto International Film Festival kicks off today, boasting promising premieres, big stars, and indie gems ready to be discovered.
Mashable will be on the ground at TIFF, taking in the films that could have audiences cheering all the way to Oscar gold. We’ll also be reporting on the new series that are making their world debuts on the big screens in Toronto’s downtown venues. But you don’t need to be here to get a feel for what’s worth anticipating.
Ahead of opening night, Mashable’s team has gathered together some of the most enticing films and TV shows that will be playing TIFF. And, wherever possible, we’re informing you as to when, and how, you can see them for yourselves.
So whether you’re at TIFF, making the tough decision of what to see in a sea of cinema options, or at home, wondering which of these festivals selects is worth marking your calendar for, we’ve got you covered.
You’re not ready for Hope.
Written and directed by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin (The Wailing), this sci-fi epic clocks in at 156 minutes, and they breeze by like the galloping monsters at its center, fast and ruthlessly violent.
Hwang Jung-min stars as a small-town sheriff who is looking into the bizarre slaughtering of a cow near the forest. Soon enough, he’ll come face to face with the killer creature, but only after a barrage of building-shattering, bone-snapping action that makes up the film’s first act. You won’t believe what comes next, but spoilers: It’s epic. — K.P.*
Starring:Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender
How to watch:Hopeopens in theaters on Sept. 9, the same day it premieres at TIFF.
Julián
Julián wants to be a mermaid in “Julián.”Credit: TIFF
Cartoon Saloon, the studio responsible for such outstanding animated films as The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers,and The Breadwinner,offers an enchanting adventure about a little boy who dreams of joining an annual New York City extravaganza.
Based on Jessica Love’s beloved children’s book Julián Is a Mermaid, Julián centers on a young Afro-Latino boy who’s spending the summer with his Dominican-American abuela in Brooklyn. Once he learns about the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, he dreams of donning a long tail and jewelry and joining the ranks of self-made mermaids who’ll flood the streets and waves. But getting his grandmother to understand this dream — and by extension, who her grandson is — isn’t easy.
A heartwarming story of love and identity is told through joyful and gorgeous animation. Trust us, you won’t want to miss Julián
Starring:Knyght Darius Jack, Milcania Diaz-Rojas, Lisa-Kaindé Diaz, and Naomi Diaz
How to watch:Following its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Julián‘s release is TBD.
Back in Black
Jane Curtin and Christopher Walken co-star in “Back in Black.”Credit: TIFF
One of the funnier movies hitting TIFF this year is Back in Black,a dark comedy co- and helmed by the former
Christopher Walken stars as a charismatic mortician whose family business is on the brink of death because no one in his cozy American town is dying. His cheerful wife, Autumn (Jane Curtin), urges him to hang in, confident a change of fortune will come their way. But their grown granddaughter Sam (Ella Ballentine) isn’t waiting. With her handy screwdriver, she’ll change her family’s fates — and fatally interfere with several neighbors. The results are hilarious, but also joltingly macabre. — K.P.
Starring:Christopher Walken, Jane Curtin, and Ella Ballentine
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Back in Black‘s release is TBD.
Stuffed
Among my most anticipated movies at TIFF this year is Stuffed.
Killing Eve‘s Jodie Comer stars as Araminta, a taxidermist with a big, peculiar dream. She wants to stuff a human body, but consensually of course. Enter Pillion‘s Harry Melling as Bernie, a lonely man who longs to be a part of something special. They seem a perfect match for this project. But as they grow close, could their feelings for each other get in the way of the art?
Filmmaker Theo Rhys makes his directorial feature debut with Stuffed,adapting it from his award-winning short film of the same name. And thatis why I’m so chuffed over Stuffed.I saw the short when it played SXSW back in 2021, and was part of the jury who awarded it a special jury prize. Because not only is this a story of death and romance with a dark comic sensibility, it’s also a musical. I’m absolutely giddy to see how Rhys has expanded the concept, and with such a enticing cast
Starring:Jodie Comer and Harry Melling
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Stuffed‘s release is TBD.
Vintage Violence
Cole Sprouse and Kiko Mizuhara co-star in “Vintage Violence.”Credit: TIFF
Vintage Violencesounds like a plot line straight out of Mad Libs.
Cole Sprouse stars as a content creator known for urban exploring. But once he happens upon a hidden cache of vintage denim, a follower seeking fortune and adventure (Kiko Mizuhara) urges him to travel to Japan to sell the jeans. This sparks a charming romance, but then the Yakuza gets involved. Much blood and violence will follow.
Writer/director Eugene Kotlyarenko’s kinetic movie not only blends genres but also includes slide screens, video game sound effects, and a barrage of stimuli that reflect social media overload. All this makes Vintage Violencewell-suited to TIFF’s Midnight slate
Starring:Cole Sprouse, Kiko Mizuhara, Nijiro Murakami, Pierre Taki, and Hio Miyazawa
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Vintage Violence‘s release is TBD.
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
This comedy/drama from filmmaker Josef Kubota Wladyka began gathering hype out of its Sundance premiere last January. Ahead of Sony Pictures’ Classic release this month, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!will show its stuff at TIFF 2026.
Pacific Rim’s Rinko Kikuchi stars as Haru, a Japanese woman who loves Latin dancing almost as much as she loves her Mexican husband, Luis. But when he dies on the dance floor during an amateur competition, how will she move through her grief? The title’s a clue! Her family pushes her to join a new dance class, and before long her crush on its hot instructor gives her a new lease on life.
Imaginative, bittersweet, and wonderfully humane, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!is a feel-good movie you won’t want to miss
Starring:Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, Damián Alcázar, You, and Yoh Yoshida
How to watch:Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!will make its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, then opens in the U.S. on Sept. 25.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
When Mahershala Ali and writer/director Bassam Tariq realized the MCU’s Blade movie wasn’t happening, they found a new way to work together with the promising action drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.
Ali stars as Latif, a Muslim family man who is also a hit man dedicated to protecting his community from outside threats. However, the death of his wife pitches Latif into the role of sole parent. But his path of violence is not one so easily left behind. So, as he battles to get what his three children need, he must also face down hired guns and a charismatic cult leader, played by John Cho.
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There are a lot of exciting titles hitting this fall. But we’re predicting this one is in the must-see category. — K.P.*
Starring:Mahershala Ali, John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, and Laith Nakli
Atonement
Writer/director Reed Van Dyk explores forgiveness, grief, and what it means to move on in Atonement.Inspired by the article of the same name by American journalist Dexter Filkins, Atonement begins in 2003 Iraq, where American soldiers mistakenly killed three civilians, all belonging to the same family. What did this deadly error do to these men’s surviving mother and sister? What happened to the soldiers?
Filkins explored this in his article. Now Van Dyk reimagines him as Michael Reid, an American journalist who, years after this horrid event, wants to reunite soldier Lou D’Alessandro (Boyd Holbrook) and widow Mariam Khachaturian (Hiam Abbass). Together, might they find some form of peace?
Reviews out of the Cannes International Film Festival were largely raves. So, TIFF attendees are eager to see what Van Dyk delivers
Starring:Boyd Holbrook, Kenneth Branagh, and Hiam Abbass
How to watch:Following its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Atonementwill open in theaters in limited release on Oct. 2.
Tenzing
Tom Hiddleston and Genden Phuntsok in “Tenzing.”Credit: Apple TV
Plenty know the story of Sir Edmund Hillary, who summited Mount Everest. But fewer know of Tenzing Norgay, the Nepalese Indian sherpa who got him there.
Director Jennifer Peedom has previously helmed documentaries Sherpaand Mountain,and now brings that awareness of mountaineering and Norgay’s legacy to Tenzing.Genden Phuntsok stars as the eponymous historical figure, while Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary. And we can’t wait to see the emotional heights they’ll reach together. — K.P.*
Starring:Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, and Thinley Lhamo
How to watch:Following its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Tenzingopensin select theaters Oct. 9, before debuting globally on Apple TV Oct. 16.
Academy Award–winning documentarian Alex Gibney has tackled corruption, unchecked greed, and high-profile fraudsters with films like The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,and Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer.Now he’s locked onto technocrat and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, Elon Musk.
There’s no trailer for this one yet. But based on Gibney’s heralded filmography, we’re betting Muskwill be more The Jinx,less Melania.— K.P.*
How to watch:Following its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Muskopens in theaters on Oct. 16.
Being Heumann
Ruth Madeley plays Judith Heumann in “Being Heumann.”Credit: TIFF
From Siân Heder, the director behind the Best Picture Oscar winner CODA, comes Being Heumann,a biographical drama about Judith Heumann, an advocate known as the mother of the disability rights movement.
An adaptation of her memoir Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,this movie focuses on the 1977 sit-in that began as an impulsive political action and became the longest occupation of a federal building in American history. Sounds like a stirring drama that could well return Heder to the Oscar campaign trail. — K.P.*
Starring:Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O’Brien, Rob Delaney, and Ray Fisher
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Being Heumannopens in select theaters on Nov. 6, then debuts on Apple TV on Nov. 13.
Wild Horse Nine
Playwright/filmmaker Martin McDonagh has thrilled critics and audiences with his deeply dark comedies, like In Bruges; Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri;and The Banshees of Inisherin.Now he returns with Wild Horse Nine,which reunites him with Sam Rockwell, who won an Oscar for his supporting turn in Three Billboards.
Set before the 1973 Chilean coup, Wild Horse Ninecenters on two CIA agents, Lee (Rockwell) and Chris (John Malkovich), who are sent to Easter Island. There they grapple with their dark pasts and present doubts. And things get more complicated when Chris connects with a duo of rebellious students. What could happen? Based on McDonagh’s filmography, we’re going to guess violent blows, biting jokes, and stinging bitterness. — K.P.*
Starring:John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana Di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey
How to watch:Following its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Wild Horse Nineopens in theaters on Nov. 6.
Bitter Christmas
It’s Pedro Almodóvar with a semi-autobiographical drama about a filmmaker whose search for
Rich with color and melodrama, Bitter Christmasweaves not one story of an artist who irks their loved ones by pulling from their lives for his work, but two! In 2004, Elsa is looking to overcome grief over her mother with a new project. In 2025, Raúl faces a similar struggle, looking to a suffering friend for inspiration. But these two have more in common than you might expect.
After scoring praise out of the Cannes International Film Festival, Bitter Christmascomes to TIFF to stir emotions and discourse
Starring:Bárbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Victoria Luengo, Patrick Criado, Milena Smit, and Quim Gutiérrez
How to watch:Following its North American Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Bitter Christmasopens in limited release on Nov. 13, expanding Nov. 25.
Elsinore
Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson in “Elsinore.”Credit: Focus Features
Last year, Focus Features brought us Hamnet;now they bring us Elsinore,another Shakespeare-related drama sure to have audiences weeping.
Named for the kingdom in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Elsinoreis a biographical drama about acclaimed Scottish actor Ian Charleson. To film fans, he might be remembered best for his work in Chariots of Fireor Gandhi.However, to the British stage he was renowned for performances of numerous Shakespeare productions. This film focuses on specifically on his last Hamlet.In 1989, Charleson played the melancholy Dane while suffering from the AIDS virus that would take his life the following year.
All of Us Strangers‘Andrew Scott will take the lead as Charleson. Have your tissues ready. — K.P.*
Starring:Andrew Scott, Olilan, and Juliet Stevenson
How to watch:Following its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Elsinoreopens in select theaters on Nov. 20.
The Debut
Oh, we dolove a film about making theatre. Director, writer, and producer Jesse Eisenberg’s A24 comedy looks to capture the sheer grit and dedication of community theatre productions and the lifeline they can be for the people who make them.
In The Debut, Julianne Moore plays Mona Friedman, a wife and mother who decides to audition for a community musical in her local New Jersey theatre. What begins as a flight of fancy becomes a serious means for Mona to channel her inner rage and joy, as local legend and demanding director Jerry (Paul Giamatti) pushes her to unlock a part of herself she’s long suppressed. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor*
Starring:Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Jesse Eisenberg, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko, Eldar Isgandarov, and Bernadette Peters
How to watch:The Debutwill make its International Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 13, before it opens in theaters Dec. 11.
Jack O’Connell and Guy Pearce star in “Ink.”Credit: Netflix
English filmmaker Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Years Later) reunites with Jack O’Connell for Ink.
Based on the 2017 stage play by James Graham, this biographical drama explores the work relationship between media magnate Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) and news editor Larry Lamb (O’Connell), who’d move from The Daily Mailto The Sun.
We’ve not seen Graham’s play. But details on the premise, plus Boyle and his cast, have us ready to see Ink. — K.P.*
Starring:Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce, and Claire Foy
How to watch:Following its Canadian Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Inkopens in select theaters on Dec. 11, then debuts on Netflix on Jan. 8, 2027.
TIFF has got much-anticipated TV premieres too.
What happens when you combine the stars of Heated Rivalry, The Matrix, and Schitt’s Creek? You get the cast of Yaga, a supernatural mystery rooted in the legend of Baba Yaga and based on the 2019 play by showrunner Kat Sandler.
Heated Rivalrybreakout Hudson Williams plays Henry Park, heir to a powerful fishery in a small coastal town. When he goes missing, private investigator Rapp (Noah Reid) is on the case, which will lead him to cross paths with enigmatic university professor Katherine (Carrie-Anne Moss). What starts as a thriller soon veers into twisted fairy tale territory, hopefully complete with Baba Yaga’s chicken leg house. (If not, we’ll settle for some solid scares.) — B.E.*
Starring:Noah Reid, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hudson Williams, Clark Backo, Sheila McCarthy, Megan Follows, Ezra Franky, Patrick Gilmore, Katharine Isabelle, Hiro Kanagawa, Emilija Baranac, Georgia Acken, Anisa Harris, and Sam Krochmal
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Yagapremieres this October on AMC+.
Carrie
I know what you’re thinking. Another Carrieadaptation? Really? But with Mike Flanagan at the helm, we’ve got high hopes.
Flanagan is the modern master of Stephen King adaptations, having directed excellent films like The Life of Chuck, Doctor Sleep, and Gerald’s Game. He’s also proven his considerable horror TV chops thanks to chilling projects like The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Midnight Mass. His upcoming Carrieminiseries synthesizes these two specialties, which already bodes well. It also updates King’s story of a bullied telepathic teen (Summer H. Howell) to today, promising a fresh look at an iconic tale, even if the end destination of the world’s bloodiest prom remains the same. — B.E.*
Starring:Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Thalia Dudek, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard
How to watch:Following its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Carriepremieres Oct. 7 on Prime Video.
TopicsFilmTIFF: Toronto International Film Festival
Shannon Connellan is Mashable’s Senior Editor, General Assignments, based in London. She has been Mashable’s UK Editor (and still manages the illustrious UK team) and Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives searching for Exit 8. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror, and loves to nerd outwith movie stars, filmmakers, and TV creators.
Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.
Kristy Puchko is the Entertainment Editor at Mashable. Based in New York City, she’s an established film critic and entertainment reporter who has traveled the world on assignment, covered a variety of film festivals, co-hosted movie-focused podcasts, and interviewed a wide array of performers and filmmakers.
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