6 superhero (and superhero-ish) movies coming to theaters this fall

Welcome to our 2017 fall movie preview. Today, we'll kick things off with our most highly anticipated superhero (and superhero-adjacent) movies.

Summer is coming to an end, and with it the summer movie season. But fear not – that just means we've got a jam-packed slate of fall movies to look forward to now. 

While autumn tends to be associated with Oscar bait-y prestige dramas, the truth is that there's going to be all sorts of stuff out there, from glorious CG action-fests to quirky Sundance leftovers. 

This week, we'll clue you in on the films to watch out for in each category, starting Monday with a category that's more stereotypically tied to summer. Here's what to watch if you're still craving more superhero movies ...

... and you're with the kids: The Lego Ninjago Movie(Sept. 22)

Who'd have guessed that Lego would become one of the most reliably excellent brand names in family-friendly cinema? The Lego Ninjago Movie looks to continue the winning streak begun by The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, delivering a similar mix of open-hearted sincerity and tongue-in-cheek humor. (I don't know why, but the "Luh-loyd" joke gets me every time.)

... and you're definitely not with the kids: Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Sept. 22)

The first Kingsman took the basic premise of a James Bond movie and dialed it up to 11: It was louder, crasser, more violent, and somehow even more British than 007 would ever allow himself to be. The Golden Circle looks poised to replicate its appeal, with an added American kick: Turns out Kingsman has a stateside sister that's so exaggeratedly all-American, it can only be represented by Channing Tatum in a cowboy hat.

... especially Wonder Woman: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (Oct. 13)

This summer's Wonder Woman showed us the origins of Diana. Now Professor Marston and the Wonder Women promises to reveal the origins of Wonder Woman herself. Luke Evans plays Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston, who's credited with creating the comic book character, while Rebecca Hall and Bella Heathcote play the women who inspired her – Moulton's wife and their lover, respectively. 

... or comedies, for that matter: Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3)

Yeah, yeah, we've seen Thor save the world before. But has he ever had this much fun doing it? With What We Do in the Shadows director Taika Waititi behind the camera, Thor: Ragnaroklooks like the first Marvel movie to take full advantage of Chris Hemsworth's comic chops – with welcome assists from Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, and Cate Motherf*cking Blanchett.

... and Frances McDormand is your kind of badass: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Nov. 10)

Female heroes are hard to come by in mainstream cinema, and older female heroes even harder. Which is why it's such a treat to see Three Billboards on the upcoming release calendar. Technically, no, this isn't a superhero movie – but it is a movie about  Frances McDormand's character Mildred Hayes (yes, the former Marge Gunderson!) taking justice into her own hands when the institutions fail, and kicking plenty of ass and taking plenty of names in the process.

... and the more, the merrier: Justice League (Nov. 17)

Yup, Wonder Woman will be back in theaters again this November – not that we're complaining. This time, she's bringing along a few of her famous friends, including Batman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg, to help battle ... some kind of otherworldly monster ... over some boxes? Whatever. The point is, these fan-favorite characters are coming together, and we can't wait to see them in action.

All week, we'll be running our 2017 fall movie preview. Come back every day to find out what to watch if ... 

Monday: ... you can't get enough of superheroes
Tuesday: ... the Oscars are your Super Bowl
Wednesday: ... you want to feel good
Thursday: ... you want to feel bad
Friday: ... you just want to see the best of the best