The fall movie season is well underway.

For the most part, big action movies are giving way to character-driven affairs, lots of scares starting several weeks before Halloween and a highly anticipated adaptation of a beloved work of musical theater.

Here’s a rundown of much of what’s coming to a theater near you, as well as to your living room via streaming service. (As always, dates are subject to change.)

• “Hold Your Breath” | Oct. 3 | Hulu >> Scare-tober begins with this straight-to-streaming offering from Searchlight Pictures about a sinister presence threatening a family amid the dust storms of 1930s Oklahoma. (Geez, aren’t the dust storms stressful enough?) The cast features Sarah Paulson, Annaleigh Ashford and, last but not least, “The Bear” standout Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

a “House of Spoils” | Oct. 3 | Prime Video >> As if opening a restaurant isn’t difficult enough under normal circumstances, a chef (Ariana DeBose) working to get a new eatery going must contend with the nefarious spirit of the property’s old owner. This one comes from budget-minded horror masters BlumHouse.

• “Joker: Folie a Deux” | Oct. 3 | Theaters >> Expect musical mayhem in this sequel to 2019’s acclaimed “Joker,” which earned Joaquin Phoenix the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the gritty psychological thriller. To help with the whole musical aspect of the film, pop star Lady Gaga has been cast as Harley Quinn, another character from the Batman comics; she traditionally transitions from psychologist Harleen Quinzel into the Joker’s love interest and sidekick. “Joker” director Todd Phillips (“The Hangover”) returns to guide this sure-to-be-dark-and-wild ride, which also boasts returning cast member Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond.

• “The Outrun” | Oct. 4 | Theaters >> Saoirse Ronan stars as a woman returning home after undergoing treatment for her alcoholism in this drama, based on the 2016 memoir of Amy Liptrot, who co-wrote the screenplay with director Nora Fingscheidt.

• “White Bird” | Oct. 4 | Theaters >> After multiple delays, we should finally get this half-prequel-half-sequel to 2017’s “Wonder.” Based on the 2019 graphic novel, “White Bird” sees “Wonder” bully Julian Albans (now portrayed by Bryce Gheisar) learning about the experiences of his grandmother (Helen Mirren) as a young girl (Ariella Glaser) in Nazi-occupied France. Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “Christopher Robin” directs from a screenplay by Mark Bomback (“War for the Planet of the Apes”).

• “Piece by Piece” | Oct. 11 | Theaters >> The latest animation feature built with Lego pieces and parts, “Piece by Piece” is a … telling of the story of music star Pharrell Williams??? Williams voices himself, with fellow music figures such as Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg doing the same. This effort would seem to be in good hands with Morgan Neville, director of the acclaimed documentaries “20 Feet From Stardom” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

• “Saturday Night” | Oct. 11 | Theaters >> Director Jason Reitman (“Ghostbusters: Afterlife”) helms and is the co-writer (with Gil Kenan) of this dramatization of the coming together of the late-night sketch-comedy staple that would come to be known as “Saturday Night Live.” Gabriel LaBelle portrays showrunner Lorne Michaels, while Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, and Dylan O’Brien portray Not Ready for Prime Time Players Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd and Laraine Newman, respectively.

• “Brothers” | Oct. 17 | Prime Video >> In select theaters a week before hitting Amazon’s streaming service, this action comedy comes from Max Barbakow, the director of the enjoyable 2020 offering “Palm Springs.” And Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage as the titular siblings? A very sincere “yes, please.”

• “Flight Risk” | Oct. 18 | Theaters >> Mel Gibson directs and Mark Wahlberg stars in this up-in-the-air action thriller. The actor plays a pilot who’s more than he seems, while Michelle Dockery portrays an FBI agent and Topher Grace an informant.

• “A Real Pain” | Oct. 18 | Theaters >> Jesse Eisenberg is the writer, director and co-star of this dramady, in which he and “Succession” star Kieran Culkin portray mismatched cousins taking a tour of Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. Against the backdrop of their family history, old tensions resurface.

• “Smile 2” | Oct. 18 | Theaters >> In this sequel to 2022 creepy-fun flick “Smile,” the supernaturally induced grinning is surrounding Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), a famous pop singer. Parker Finn, the writer-director of “Smile,” returns.

• “Canary Black” | Oct. 24 | Prime Video >> Kate Beckinsale stars as a CIA agent whose husband is kidnapped by terrorists in this action thriller from “Taken” director Pierre Morel.

• “Venom: The Last Dance” | Oct. 25 | Theaters >> OK, the campy “Venom” movies aren’t our particular cup of Spider-Man-adjacent tea, but 2018’s “Venom” and its 2021 sequel, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” have been successful enough to justify this apparent series conclusion. Tom Hardy is back as Eddie Brock — the antihero joined with a loud-mouthed alien symbiote attached to him — and is supported by appealing newcomers Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”) and Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”). A co-writer on “Venom” and the writer of “Carnage,” Kelly Marcel returns as this film’s writer, and she is making her directorial debut.Movies