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Esquire published a weekend entertainment guide dated October 23, 2026, listing new theatrical releases and streaming or TV picks ahead of Halloween. Its selections include the stop-motion fantasy Wildwood, DC horror film Clayface, Shudder’s The Cycle and returning Netflix series Nobody Wants This.
Esquire has published its weekend watchlist for October 23, 2026, highlighting new theatrical films and streaming releases as audiences head into the final weekend before Halloween. The guide points readers to titles including Wildwood, Clayface and the returning series Nobody Wants This, alongside a mix of horror, comedy, animation and crime programming.
The magazine’s theatrical picks include Wildwood, a stop-motion fantasy adapted from Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel. Esquire describes the film as following Portland preteen Prue, played by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as she enters the Impassable Wilderness to rescue her kidnapped baby brother. The publication praises the production’s animation and story, but those judgments are editorial opinion rather than independently established measures of quality.
Also listed for theaters are Clayface, a DC Studios psychological horror film centered on actor Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, and Wicker, a romantasy drama starring Olivia Colman, Peter Dinklage and Alexander Skarsgård. Esquire characterizes Clayface as a body-horror take on a superhero story and describes Wicker’s premise as a woman commissioning a basketmaker to create a husband.
Streaming and television selections include The Cycle on Shudder, Adam Conover’s stand-up special Big Divorce Energy on YouTube, the third season of Nobody Wants This on Netflix, Hulu’s three-part true-crime series Swipe Right on the Devil, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 on Netflix. The guide also notes that True Romance, directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, is available on Netflix beginning that week.
A Weekend Before Halloween
The list gives readers a practical snapshot of what Esquire’s editors are recommending across theaters and major streaming services during a crowded October release period. Its range—from a family-oriented stop-motion fantasy to horror, romance and true crime—offers options for different tastes rather than focusing on a single genre.
The timing is part of the guide’s appeal: it arrives one week before Halloween, when horror titles such as The Cycle and Clayface fit the seasonal calendar, while the other picks provide alternatives for viewers who want animation, comedy or a returning relationship series. The article is a set of editorial recommendations, not a ranking or an industry-wide assessment of audience demand.
Wildwood by Colin Meloy illustrated novel
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The October Release Lineup
Esquire frames its recommendations against a busy October and mentions that some readers may already have seen You Can See Everything, described in the source article as Nathan Fielder’s latest work. The guide then turns to releases available around October 23, with selections divided between theatrical viewing and streaming or television.
Several entries connect to earlier work: Wildwood adapts Meloy’s 2011 novel, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 follows the 2022 Netflix anime, and Nobody Wants This returns for a third season. The guide says the new season follows Noah and Joanne as they move in together and Joanne begins converting to Judaism. Its release information and plot descriptions are presented by Esquire; the source material does not provide separate platform statements.
““I cannot endorse Wildwood enough.””
— Esquire, on Wildwood
Release Details and Reception
The source is an editorial guide and does not independently verify availability by region, theater schedule or platform catalog. Release dates and access can vary, so readers may need to check local listings and services. The article also does not provide box-office figures, viewership data or review aggregates for the titles.
Esquire’s descriptions of films as “excellent,” “breathtaking” or likely to become a classic are opinions and predictions, not confirmed outcomes. The source identifies the cases and story premises for its crime-related selections but does not establish further details beyond those descriptions.
Check Local Listings and Platforms
Readers can use the guide to choose titles, then confirm local theater showtimes and streaming availability directly with venues or services. Esquire’s listing gives October 23 at 5 p.m. ET as the release time for Adam Conover’s YouTube special; the other entries are presented as available that week or as new releases, without a detailed schedule in the supplied report.
The article does not announce a follow-up or report on audience response. The next developments will be the releases’ availability over the weekend and any subsequent reception or viewing figures reported by distributors or platforms.
Key Questions
What does Esquire recommend watching in theaters?
The guide lists Wildwood, Clayface and Wicker as theatrical options for the weekend.
Which streaming releases are highlighted?
Esquire names The Cycle on Shudder, Big Divorce Energy on YouTube, Nobody Wants This season three and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 on Netflix, plus Hulu’s Swipe Right on the Devil. It also notes that True Romance is back on Netflix that week.
When does Adam Conover’s special come out?
The report says Big Divorce Energy is scheduled for October 23, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET on Conover’s YouTube channel.
Is Esquire’s list a ranking of the weekend’s releases?
No. It is an editorial watchlist with recommendations and descriptions; the source does not present it as a ranked list or a survey of audience reception.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
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