TIFF is nearly upon upon us and the buzz is back. While the red carpets may be a bit more empty due to the SAG-AFTRA strike (Union Strong!), there’s still tons of films to look forward to. In this article, we’re gonna talk about our top ten most anticipate films to see at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival! This list is subjective but for us, this is what we are most excited to see this year!

Honourable Mentions: Poolman, Fair Play, Anatomy of a Fall, Zone of Interest, Monster, Boy Kills World, Flora and Son

10. Knox Goes Away

Why we’re excited: Michael Keaton returns to the directors chair for the second time and the film’s premise is extremely exciting. Keaton plays a hitman who comes out of retirement when his estranged son, played by Marsden, knocks on his door with blood in his hands. Knox is racing against the clock to cover up his son’s mess while also fighting dementia and the police.

Who’s starring? Michael Keaton, James Marsden and Al Pacino.

9. Hit Man

Why we’re excited: Richard Linklater is one of the most underrated directors of out time. With hits such as Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, Boyhood and the After trilogy, his work is consistently fantastic. His next film, Hit Man, is said to be a comedic drama, which follows Glen Powell as an undercover cop posing as a hitman who has to save a woman, played by Arjona.

Who’s starring? Glen Powell and Adria Arjona.

8. Fitting In (aka Bloody Hell)

Why we’re excited: The film, which premiered at SXSW as Bloody Hell, is said to be a comedic coming of age story. With the film’s rave reviews from the festival earlier this year, Molly McGlynn’s latest film is a hotly anticpated one for us.

Who’s starring? Emily Hampshire, Maddie Ziegler.

7. Dicks: The Musical

Why we’re excited: Dicks is the latest A24 film and based on the play Fucking Identical Twins. It’s essentially a crude R-rated version of The Parent Trap with songs. Also, it’s directed by Larry Charles, who helmed the classic comedy Borat.

Who’s starring? Megan Mullally, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang, and Nathan Lane star in this comedy-musical.

6. Pain Hustlers

Why we’re excited: This movie has flown under the radar for most people but not for us. The duo of Emily Blunt and Chris Evans, along with long-time Harry Potter director David Yates directing is enough for us to get excited.

Who’s starring? Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy García, Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James, and Chloe Coleman.

5. Dumb Money

Why we’re excited: The turnaround of this film was quick, considering it’s story is based on events that happened just over a year ago. With a stacked cast and a relevant story, this is sure to be a hotly anticipated film at TIFF.

Who’s starring? The film’s stacked cast includes Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, and Seth Rogen.

4. Dream Scenario

Why we’re excited: A new Nic Cage movie that also stars Michael Cera WITH Ari Aster producing? Do we need to say more?

Who’s starring? Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula and Dylan Baker.

3. The Holdovers

Why we’re excited: Following Alexander Payne’s last film, Downsizing, flopping hard, he needs a comeback film and teaming back up with Paul Giamatti might be just what he needs. We at OTN heard the film had a private screening for buyers at TIFF ‘22 and got extraordinary reactions. Test screenings for the film were also received well.

Who’s starring? Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa.

2. Next Goal Wins

Why we’re excited: The highly anticipated film was shot before the pandemic and has been delayed for countless reasons. It’s very exciting to see Taika Waititi’s latest project finally see the light of day.

Who’s starring? The film stars Elisabeth Moss, Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale and Will Arnett. Director Taika Waititi has a small role as well!

1. The Boy and the Heron

Why we’re excited: It’s Hayao Miyazaki’s final film with Studio Ghibli and it’s the first to open an international film festival. What more do you want us to say?

Who’s starring? It’s currently unknown who will be in the English dub of the film but the original cast consists of Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, Karou Kobayashi, and Shinobu Otake.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7-17 this year. What’s your most anticipated film? Let us know!