Editor’s note: Schedules are always subject to change, including new projects, updated releases, and more. For the latest, read this live post on the Queer.Media Substack page.
The last few years have been terrible for queer visibility in film. Recent GLAAD studies show that only 20.4% of films released in 2025 had LGBTQ+ characters — down from 23.6% in 2024, and even 28.5% in 2023.
The good news: Audiences are actively seeking out queer movies, and plenty of stories are ready to meet that demand. Check out the new and upcoming titles below, coming to screens (big and small) near you.
Scorch Marks
Release date: October 1, 2026
Main cast: Brandon Shypkowski, Chris Salvatore, Vander Von Odd, Tiffany Shepis, Peter Stickles, Fayna Sanchez, Michael Varrati
Story: As the apparent sole survivor of an apocalyptic event, a disgraced man is faced with another kind of terrorizing force: the ghost of his abusive ex.
Release details: Streaming on Dekkoo.
Follow: @mydekkoo
The Cuckoo Clock
Release date: October 2, 2026
Main cast: Hana Hahn, MaKenna DeCaro, Laura Drake, Rodman Bolek
Story: Penny falls for Megan, a home-health nurse caring for her grandmother. As Megan suddenly disappears, a sinister cuckoo clock suggests that Penny’s grandma might know more than she seems.
Release details: U.S. theatrical events and screenings.
Follow: @thecuckooclockofficial
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Release date: October 2, 2026 (streaming)
Main cast: Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Jasmin Savoy Brown
Story: A young queer filmmaker takes over an iconic slasher franchise and seeks out its infamously reclusive star. Upon meeting, the revival of a film series becomes a delirious exploration of fandom, desire, and bloody horror.
Release details: Streaming on MUBI.
Follow: @welcometocampmiasma
Next Year
Release date: October 4, 2026 (Out On Film)
Main cast: Jelani Alladin, Zach Martens, Sherz Alethaha
Story: From filmmakers Guto Barra and Peter DiMario, Next Year is a haunting drama set in a not-so-distant dystopian future where homosexuality is illegal. The story centers on a father grieving the loss of his husband and navigating this new surveillance state.
Release details: Special screenings and VOD availability. More T.B.A.
Follow: @nextyearfilm
Big Girls Don’t Cry
Release date: October 9, 2026
Main cast: Ani Palmer, Rain Spencer, Noah Taylor, Tara Canton
Story: In rural New Zealand in 2006, Sid grapples with sexual curiosity and the desire to be accepted among older girls. But a season of experimentation and rebellion can bring painful consequences.
Release details: Limited U.S. theatrical release.
Follow: @biggirlsdontcry.xx
La Bola Negra
Release date: October 16 (U.S. theatrical); December 2, 2026 (streaming)
Main cast: Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close
Story: Three generations of men navigate desire, love, and inherited silence across Spain in 1932, 1937, and 2017. The film draws on the writings and legacy of Federico García Lorca.
Release details: Limited U.S. theatrical release and set for streaming on Netflix.
Follow: @labolanegrafilm
A Talent for Murder
Release date: October 23, 2026
Main cast: Helen Mirren, Alden Ehrenreich, Olivia Cooke, Juliet Stevenson
Story: Novelist Patricia Highsmith, creator of Tom Ripley, confronts a young literary agent in a tense psychological thriller. The film fictionalizes an encounter involving the openly lesbian author.
Release details: U.S. theatrical release.
Follow: @bleeckerstfilms
Dorothy
Release date: October 23, 2026
Main cast: Keerthy Suresh, Rishikanth, and Sananth
Story: Two best male friends living in rural Tamil Nadu, India in the 1990s have their lives forever changed after meeting a compassionate transgender woman named Dorothy.
Release details: Streaming on Netflix.
Follow: @dorothythefilm
Fatherland
Release date: October 23, 2026
Main cast: Sandra Hüller, Hanns Zischler, August Diehl, Anna Madeley, Devid Striesow
Story: In 1949, novelist Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika travel across a divided Germany after years in exile. Their journey exposes strains within the family alongside the country’s struggle with its recent history.
Release details: Limited U.S. theatrical release and streaming on MUBI.
Follow: @mubi
Before I Do
Release date: October 25, 2026 (OUTshine screening)
Main cast: Michael Hsu Rosen, Cole Doman, Robin de Jesús, Nico Greetham, Jared Reinfeldt
Story: Days before his wedding, John Michael reunites with close friends that includes his best man and former flame, Alex, for a lakeside bachelor party weekend. As the party gets started, old romances resurface and new attractions emerge within the group.
Release details: Film festivals and special screenings. More T.B.A.
Follow: @beforeidofilm
On the Road (En El Camino)
Release date: October 28, 2026
Main cast: Víctor Prieto Simental, Osvaldo Sánchez, Víctor Manuel Aguirre
Story: A young drifter named Veneno secures a ride with a trucker, Muñeco, through Northern Mexico. As desire develops between them, Veneno’s past threatens their growing intimacy.
Release details: Film festivals and special screenings. More T.B.A.
Follow: @animaldeluzfilms
Manhood
Release date: October 28, 2026 (Los Angeles screenings)
Main cast: William Moore, Ruben Ramirez, David Smith
Story: Bill Moore, an entrepreneur based in Dallas, Texas, makes the case for penis enlargement procedures to become as commonplace as applying Botox.
Release details: U.S. theatrical tour in select cities, film festival screenings, and expected for streaming on WOW Presents Plus.
Follow: @manhood.film