12 Films We’re Excited For This Fall

The New Girlfriend

From Sitcom to Swimming Pool, French provocateur Francois Ozon never fails to deliver a curious mix of sexuality and mischief. His latest film expands Ruth Rendell's 30-year-old short story into an unnerving melodrama, with Romain Duris playing the cross-dressing widower of a woman whose bereaved bestie learns his secret. (September 18)

About Ray

Directed by Gaby Dellal, from a screenplay by both Dellal and Nikole Beckwith, About Ray stars Elle Fanning as trans teen Ray, and is sure to be a touchstone this fall, continuing the conversation about transgender issues -- as well as cisgender actors playing trans characters. Read our feature story with Fanning here. (September 18)

Stonewall

From blockbuster director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, 2012), the fictional retelling of the Stonewall riots centers on Danny Winters (played by Jeremy Irvine), a fictional character caught up during the Village scuffle who is forced to leave behind friends and loved ones when he is kicked out of his parent's home and flees to New York City. The film also includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ron Perlman, Joey King, Jonny Beauchamp (Penny Dreadful) Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee in X-Men: First Class), and is already riling people up. Read our profile of Jonny Beauchamp here. (September 25)

Freeheld

With same-sex marriage now legal nationwide, it's reassuring that Freeheld feels archaic, even quaint. The true story of a terminally ill lesbian (Julianne Moore) who, in 2005, fought to pass her pension on to her partner (Ellen Page), the film mainly serves as a time capsule, reminding us of the past decade's surge of LGBT progress. Read our cover story with Ellen Page & Julianne Moore. (October 2)

Legend

Written and directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland, Legend is the story of London's infamous 1960s mobster brothers (famously immortalized in Morrissey's "Last of the International Playboys"). Hardy plays both of the Kray twins (Ronnie was gay, Reggie may have been as well) thanks to CGI magic. The film also stars an array of British acting talent, including David Thewlis, Paul Bettany, Christopher Eccleston, Emily Browning, and Taron Egerton. Hardy said recently that it "was the hardest thing that I've tried to do in my career, trying to pull off a couple of characters in the same film." (October 2)

Jem and the Holograms

This live-action take on the bedazzled cartoon series may be more true kitsch-fest than truly outrageous, but children of the '80s who swooned over Jem and company's keytars and pre-Kesha neon makeup will be stoked to find out for themselves. Plus: Molly Ringwald plays Jem's aunt! (October 23)

Suffragette

Another year, another Meryl Streep prestige pic. But Suffragette doesn't seem to be resting on its marquee name. Instead, it hands a plum role to Carey Mulligan as a rising member of England's early feminist movement, and gives a pivotal story the spotlight it deserves. (October 23)

Spectre

The enduring homoeroticism and gay appeal of James Bond have been acknowledged since Daniel Craig slipped into the role (and a pair of snug blue swim trunks). But the franchise's latest installment may be 007's queerest outing yet, with gay actor Ben Whishaw and rising talent Andrew Scott rounding out the cast. (November 6)

James White

A hit at Sundance, this gritty indie takes a stand against the rudderless 20-something, who sometimes has to step up when push comes to shove. Christopher Abbott (Girls) is the troubled, self-destructive title character, forced to care for his ill mom (Cynthia Nixon), with the support of his gay best friend (Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi). (November 13)

Carol

Rooney Mara plays a young department-store clerk that falls in love with a married Cate Blanchett in Carol. The '50s-set romance, based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Price of Salt, debuted at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year winning the coveted 2015 Queer Palm award. And now Todd Haynes's film is generating serious Oscar buzz. (November 20)

Victor Frankenstein

Mary Shelly's horror classic is once again getting the big screen treatment, this time with James McAvoy as the titular mad doctor and Daniel Radcliffe as a less than eager Igor, who also seems to have gotten that whole hunchback thing worked out. (November 25)

The Danish Girl

The big-screen adaptation of David Ebershoff's novel The Danish Girl stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe, a trans pioneer. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film is a fictionalized account of the first person to undergo gender reassignment surgery and is set in early 1900s Denmark and Paris and will focus on Elbe's relationship with fellow illustrator Gerda Gottlieb, played in the movie by Alicia Vikander (A Royal Affair, Anna Karenina). Read our cover story with Eddie Redmayne. (November 27)