So long, Summer — Fall is nearly here.
And with the changing of seasons comes a new batch of must-see movies and TV shows we can’t wait to watch.
So.Gay has pulled together a handy list of all the can’t-miss media tailored for the LGBTQ+ community. The projects below either star out and proud cast members, feature inclusive storytelling, or star icons who may not be gay themselves, but have a massive gay following.
Whether you’re interested in reality TV, award season bait, or simply like to see hot, shirtless guys bashing each other’s faces in, there’s something for everybody!
“Practical Magic 2” — In Theaters September 11
The original “Practical Magic”—starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, and Stockard Channing—may not star any queer talent, but the movie and its “midnight margaritas” have a huge LGBTQ+ following.
This fall, the women—and the curse dooming any man who loves them to death—are back, as Sally’s daughter (Joey King) flirts with the dark side after learning the family’s big secret. This time, there’s also a gay element in the casting of the incredibly talented (and extremely handsome) out actor Lee Pace.
In the books, Sally’s other daughter Antonia also falls in love with a female attorney named Ariel—though it’s unclear whether that storyline, with Maisie Williams in the role of Antonia, will be adapted on screen.
“Survivor 51” — Premieres September 23 on CBS
When “Survivor” returns for Season 51 this fall, it does so with at least two queer castaways hoping to win a $1 million.
Among the cast this season, as seen in the trailer, is Devin Way—an out gay actor who previously appeared on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Sistas,” and was one of the leads of Peacock’s “Queer as Folk” reboot. Also on the cast list is former San Diego Pride Director and ex Los Angeles LGBT Director of Programs Kristin Flickinger, who is currently a LGBTQ+ consultant.
Dubbed “The Open Era,” host Jeff Probst has teased that “anything that has ever happened at any time on the show can happen in any season, at any time, in any order — without any warning.”
“A Different World” — Premieres September 24 on Netflix
33 years after the original “A Different World” sitcom aired its series finale in 1993, a new crop of students are headed to Hillman College, via Netflix.
Featuring a mix of new and legacy cast members—including Jasmine Guy as the iconic Whitley Gilbert-Wayne—the revival series centers on Whitley’s daughter and “a new generation that reflects the breadth of Black life on campus.”
Among them is “Pose” alum Jordan Aaron Hall, who stars as Amir Rodale. Per Netflix, Amir is a “psychology major and a resourceful, street-smart, emotionally mature observer”; he’s also gay, and forms an unlikely friendship with Kennedi Reece’s religious school girl, Hazel Henry.
“Tip Toe” — Premiering October 2 on Starz
After premiering to raves in the UK earlier this year, “Tip Toe” heads to Starz this fall.
Hailing from “Queer as Folk” and “It’s a Sin” creator Russell T Davies, the series stars Alan Cumming as a gay bar owner who lends his neighbor (David Morrissey) a key—a move which turns their “ordinary suburban world” into a “a minefield of lies and violence, with terrifying results.”
The show has an impressive 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Empire’s review saying the series taps into “the fear, rage and despair that characterise modern-day life as a queer person in the UK.”
“Carrie” — Premiering October 7 on Prime Video
They’re all gonna laugh at you! Horror maestro Mike Flanagan is back with a new Stephen King adaptation, this time bringing “Carrie” to the small screen with an Amazon Prime Video miniseries.
“Carrie,” about a telekinetic high schooler who exacts revenge on those who bullied her, may not be an explicitly queer tale, but it’s certainly one many in the often-marginalized LGBTQ+ community can identify with.
In Flanagan’s take, trans actress Josie Totah plays one of the school’s mean girls, while nonbinary actor Thalia Dudek also stars in a new role created for the series. Flanagan’s wife, bisexual actress Katie Siegel, will also appear on the show—while Matthew Lillard says he was drawn to the project because he is father to a queer child.
Flanagan has proved before, with both The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting Bly Manor, that he can weave queer storytelling into horror—something we hope he does again here.
“La Bola Negra” — In Theaters October 16 and Netflix on December 2
“Veneno” creators Los Javis—Javier Calvo and former partner Javier Ambrossi—are hoping for Oscar gold with their Spanish-language film, “La Bola Negra” (“The Black Ball”).
The movie already debuted to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where Los Javis won Best Director and Netflix landed the U.S. rights to the movie. The streamer is giving the movie the widest theatrical run of any of its titles yet, hitting theaters in October before landing on Netflix 47 days later.
Per Netflix, the movie is “a bold tapestry spanning nearly a century of Spanish history,” telling “the story of three generations of men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and love.”
“Street Fighter” – In Theaters October 16
Gay singer-songwriter Orville Peck makes his film debut in the upcoming “Street Fighter” movie, inspired by the video game of the same name. While it’s unknown whether he’ll play gay in the film, Peck has been cast as the masked—and often shirtless—Vega.
Aside from Peck, the movie should be packed with eye candy, as it also stars lookers including Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, and Roman Reigns—as well as gay ally David Dastmalchian.
“Club Kid” — In Limited Theaters November 6
Written and directed by gay comedian Jordan Firstman (who also starred in “Rotting In the Sun” and Rachel Sennott’s HBO series “I Love LA”), “Club Kid” shows what happens when a party promoter in the NYC queer club scene has his life turned upside down by the arrival of a 10-year-old son he didn’t know he had.
The movie received a 7-minutes standing ovation when it debuted at Cannes earlier this year, where it was nominated for the Caméra d’Or and the Queer Palm. A24 won a bidding war for the global rights.
The movie also stars lesbian model/actress Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Colleen Camp.
“Elsinore” — In Limited Theaters November 20
Out gay actor Andrew Scott (“Fleabag,” “All of Us Strangers”) is here to rip out our hearts again with his latest film, “Elsinore.”
The film is inspired by what Focus Features calls the “deeply emotional and inspirational” true story of actor Ian Charleson, best known for starring in “Chariots of Fire” and “Ghandi.” In 1986, Charleson was diagnosed with HIV, and requested that, when he died in 1990 of AIDS at age 40, his cause of death be publicized to raise awareness of the disease.
The film is set in the final months of his life, as he performed “Hamlet” at the National Theatre in London. It also stars Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, and Joe Locke.
“The Love Hypothesis” — Premiering September 23 on Prime Video
Based on the bestselling book of the same name, “The Love Hypothesis” may be a straight romcom, but one with a queer lead in bisexual actress Lili Reinhart, as well as a supporting performance from out gay comedian/actor Jaboukie Young-White.
The movie stars Reinhart as a Ph.D. candidate who starts “fake dating” her department’s hunky professor (Tom Bateman) to prove to her friends that she actually has a love life. Of course, along the way, those fake feelings become real.
The book was originally a piece of “Star Wars” fan fiction, with Jaboukie’s Malcolm—based on John Boyega’s Finn—getting a romance subplot with a doctor based on Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron. Fingers crossed it makes the adaptation.
“The Golden Life” — This Fall on E!
If there’s one thing a majority of gay men love to watch on their TVs each and every week, it’s a bunch of Real Housewives fighting with each other over something totally asinine.
While Bravo has “The Real Housewives of New York City” returning in September, it’s E!’s “The Golden Life” that really piqued our interest. The series will feature a number of the OG RHONY women, including the legendary Countess Luann de Lesseps, Dorinda Medley, Kelly Bensimon, Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer.
The series will reunite them in Palm Beach—with E! reportedly so happy with the initial footage, they ordered additional episodes shot in the Hamptons, with Margaret Josephs and “Sex and the City” scribe Candace Bushnell joining. A premiere date hasn’t yet been set, but it’s expected this fall.
