‘Crimson Peak,’ ‘Sicario,’ ‘The Visit’ and other movies not to miss this season

The summer movie season ended with more of a tepid whimper than a blockbuster bang.

But before winter unleashes an expected round of mammoth multiplexers and Oscar shoo-ins, there are still “smaller pictures” coming this fall that exhibit potential.

Audiences may need to search a tad harder. Not too hard, though.

Here are 10 intriguing and humble films (by Hollywood standards, anyway) slated to pop up amid all those loud tentpole franchises.

Note: Release dates are subject to change.

▪ “Z for Zachariah” (opened Friday): Studies show that viewers select On Demand movies that begin with the letter “A” most often because that’s the first one seen when scrolling titles. Sure doesn’t bode well for the sci-fi thriller “Z for Zachariah,” so here’s hoping it enjoys a strong theatrical run. This Sundance hit from filmmaker Craig Zobel (“Compliance”) focuses on three remaining survivors (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie and Chris Pine) of a worldwide disaster as they navigate a love triangle.

▪ “The Visit” (Sept. 11): Few trailers have proved as alarmingly creepy as those for M. Night Shyamalan’s latest horror flick, which draws its scares from a truly mundane setting. Two siblings (Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould) are left with their grandparents (Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie) while their mom goes on vacation. And something appears a little off with the seemingly sweet seniors. This could be the project that bails out one-time Oscar nominee Shyamalan, who hasn’t notched a commercial or critical hit in a decade.

▪ “Captive” (Sept. 18): The eighth movie to be named “Captive” is based on a book with an equally generic title: “Unlikely Angel.” However, the performances are rumored to greatly elevate the material. The true story recounts the 2005 experience of Ashley Smith (played by Kate Mara), a recovering drug addict and single mother, who was taken hostage in her apartment by an escaped multiple murderer (David Oyelowo of “Selma”).

▪ “Sicario” (Sept. 25): The word “sicario” means “hitman” in Spanish. But that doesn’t exactly reflect the plot, which finds Emily Blunt (“Edge of Tomorrow”) as a sensible FBI agent drafted to aid a task force fighting the drug war along the U.S./Mexico border. Oscar veterans Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin co-star in this action drama written by “Sons of Anarchy” actor Taylor Sheridan and directed by the gifted Denis Villeneuve (“Prisoners”). If anything, it should be better received than “Hitman: Agent 47.”

▪ “Stonewall” (Sept. 25): Roland Emmerich of “Independence Day” and “White House Down” may not be the first director who comes to mind when tackling the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that became a key event in the gay liberation movement. But it’s doubtful his film will be dull. Jeremy Irvine (“War Horse”) portrays a young Kansan (of course) who moves to New York and becomes part of the social and political powder keg associated with the Stonewall Inn of Greenwich Village.

▪ “He Named Me Malala” (Oct. 9): “There’s a moment when you have to choose whether to be silent or stand up,” says Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old girl who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban in her native Pakistan. Oscar-winning documentarian Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) examines the events preceding the attack, Yousafzai’s emergence as a female education advocate and her eventual Nobel Peace Prize win.

▪ “Steve Jobs” (Oct. 9): The life of the late Apple computer pioneer Steve Jobs has already been scrutinized in feature films and documentaries. None has assembled talent quite like “Steve Jobs” — consider it the 2.0 version. Michael Fassbender (Magneto!) takes on the title role, with Oscar winners Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) directing and Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) adapting Walter Isaacson’s book of the same name.

▪ “Crimson Peak” (Oct. 16): Visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro crafts a somewhat traditional haunted house movie — if the word traditional can ever describe the work of the “Pan’s Labyrinth” creator. “Crimson Peak” has earned advance raves as “a blood-soaked ‘Age of Innocence,’” with its tale of a 19th century bride (Mia Wasikowska) who moves into an enigmatic Cumbrian mansion. Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam round out the impressive cast.

▪ “The Bronze” (Oct. 23): No, it’s not a George Hamilton or Snooki biopic. “The Bronze” stars Melissa Rauch of TV’s “The Big Bang Theory” as gymnast Hope Annabelle Greggory. She wowed the nation at the 2004 Olympic Games by earning third place on a torn Achilles. But a decade later she has become a washed-up, potty-mouthed celeb living back in her tiny Ohio hometown. That is until a new local prodigy ascends in the sport. The filmmakers of this obnoxious comedy boast it features a “game-changing” sex scene between its tumbling, handspringing stars.

▪ “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” (Oct. 30): Three high school scouts (Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller and Patrick Schwarzenegger — yep, Arnold’s son) expect to enjoy the partygoing night of their lives but instead must face flesh-eating fiends. Considering this gory horror comedy is directed and co-written by Christopher Landon (who penned the last four “Paranormal Activity” installments), it could be the sleeper hit of the Halloween season. Scout’s honor!

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 4:29 AM with the headline "‘Crimson Peak,’ ‘Sicario,’ ‘The Visit’ and other movies not to miss this season."