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Esquire published a weekend entertainment guide for October 23, 2026, listing films in theaters and new or returning titles on streaming and TV. The selection includes Wildwood, Clayface and Wicker in theaters, plus releases on Shudder, YouTube, Netflix and Hulu.
Esquire published its weekend watchlist for October 23, 2026, highlighting new theatrical releases and streaming and television picks as Halloween approaches. The guide names Wildwood, Clayface and Wicker among the films in theaters, alongside releases and returning titles on Shudder, YouTube, Netflix and Hulu.
The magazine’s theatrical recommendations include Wildwood, a stop-motion fantasy from LAIKA adapted from Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel. The story follows Prue, a Portland preteen whose baby brother is taken by crows into the Impassable Wilderness. Esquire’s writer praised the film’s animation and described it as a story about family, bravery and war. Those assessments are the writer’s views, not independent measures of the film’s reception.
Also listed in theaters are Clayface, described by Esquire as a psychological horror film set in Gotham City, and Wicker, a romantasy drama starring Olivia Colman, Peter Dinklage and Alexander Skarsgård. The article says Clayface follows actor Matt Hagen as an attempt to repair his face changes his body, while Wicker centers on a woman who commissions a basketmaker to create a husband.
Streaming and television selections include The Cycle on Shudder, Adam Conover’s stand-up special on YouTube, season three of Nobody Wants This and the docuseries Swipe Right on the Devil on Hulu. Netflix picks include Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 and the return of Tony Scott’s 1993 film True Romance. Esquire says Conover’s special was scheduled to release October 23 at 5 p.m. Eastern.
A Halloween Weekend Watchlist
The guide offers readers a single set of options across theaters and platforms during the final weekend before Halloween. Its mix spans animation, superhero horror, romance, true crime, comedy and returning series, giving readers alternatives depending on what they want to watch and where they subscribe.
For the entertainment industry, the list reflects how weekend viewing is divided between cinema releases and streaming services. It does not establish which titles will draw the biggest audiences or perform best. It is an editorial selection, not a ranking based on box office figures, viewership data or audience polling.
Wildwood stop-motion film Blu-ray or DVD
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Releases Before Halloween
Esquire frames the lineup as a late-October guide, noting that the weekend falls one week before Halloween. The article also refers to You Can See Everything, a film its writer says is already playing, and points readers who have seen it toward other new releases. It characterizes October’s horror offerings as relatively light; that is the writer’s assessment rather than a quantified count of releases.
The selections include both new titles and previously released work. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 follows the 2022 Netflix series with a new crew in Night City, according to the article, while True Romance is returning to Netflix this week. The guide also pairs Conover’s special with a candid interview with his former spouse, illustrator Lisa Hanawalt, about their divorce.
““I cannot endorse Wildwood enough.””
— Esquire’s writer, on Wildwood
Availability and Audience Response
The source is an editorial guide and does not provide box office projections, viewership figures or audience-response data for the listed titles. Availability can also depend on location and platform access; the article does not spell out regional differences or subscription requirements. Its descriptions and recommendations should be read as Esquire’s judgments rather than independently verified evaluations.
The supplied article text ends partway through its description of True Romance. It identifies the film and says it is returning to Netflix, but the available material does not include the rest of that entry. The guide also does not give release dates for every listed title beyond the specific timing it states for Conover’s special.
Where to Find Each Pick
Readers can use the guide to check theater listings and the named streaming services over the weekend. Esquire lists October 23 at 5 p.m. ET for Adam Conover’s YouTube special; other listings are described as available or returning that week, without exact times in the supplied text. The article gives no later editorial update or confirmed schedule for future coverage.
Availability and programming details may change, so readers should check the relevant theater or platform for current listings. Any claims about which titles become hits, or whether they meet the writer’s expectations, remain unconfirmed by this guide.
Key Questions
What is Esquire’s main theatrical pick?
The guide gives prominent attention to Wildwood, LAIKA’s stop-motion fantasy adapted from Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel. The writer’s enthusiastic praise is an editorial opinion.
Which new horror films are listed?
The theatrical options include Clayface, while The Cycle is listed for Shudder. Esquire also describes Clayface as a psychological horror film and The Cycle as a creature feature.
What can viewers watch on Netflix?
The guide lists Nobody Wants This season three, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 and True Romance. It says True Romance returns to Netflix that week.
When does Adam Conover’s special come out?
Esquire says Adam Conover: Big Divorce Energy was scheduled to release on YouTube on October 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eastern.
Does the guide say which title is most popular?
No. It provides recommendations and descriptions but gives no audience, box office or streaming figures to establish which title is most popular.
Source: rss
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