The Spanish box office receives one of the most varied weeks of the year this October 30, 2026, just as Halloween night approaches. Fourteen films arrive in theaters, combining science fiction, horror, comedy, Spanish drama, and family animation, with offerings designed both for those seeking scares and those who prefer more emotional stories.
The release attracting the most attention is Klara and the Sun, where Jenna Ortega leaves behind her usual horror roles to play an artificial intelligence. But the week also brings the return of Adam Wingard with a survival thriller and the return of Na Hong-jin to mystery cinema ten years after his acclaimed The Wailing, in addition to a notable selection of Spanish cinema and family animation productions.
Klara and the Sun: Jenna Ortega explores what it means to be human
Directed by Taika Waititi, Klara and the Sun adapts the novel of the same name by Nobel Prize in Literature winner Kazuo Ishiguro. Jenna Ortega plays Klara, an Artificial Friend designed to provide emotional companionship, who ends up transforming the life of a family marked by loss.
The cast includes Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Steve Buscemi, Natasha Lyonne, and Aran Murphy. The story follows the relationship between Klara and Josie, a teenager going through a complicated family situation, in a science fiction proposal that moves away from large technological battles to focus on human emotions.
Annihilation: Adam Wingard’s return to the survival thriller
After directing Godzilla vs. Kong, Adam Wingard returns with Annihilation, written together with his regular screenwriter Simon Barrett. The film stars Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, Eric Wareheim, Reginald VelJohnson, and Michael Biehn.
Arjona plays a former sniper forced to protect her daughter when several men turned into killing machines escape from a secret facility. With a runtime of just over an hour and a half, the film focuses on direct tension rather than grand visual effects.
Hope: Na Hong-jin returns to horror with science fiction
Ten years after The Wailing, Na Hong-jin presents Hope, starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton. The plot is set in Hope Harbor, a South Korean town where the appearance of an unknown creature triggers a police investigation that leads to a larger threat.
With a runtime of 160 minutes, the film combines the unsettling style that characterized Na Hong-jin with a more marked science fiction ambition, reinforced by the presence of Hoyeon, known for Squid Game.
Victorian Psycho and Leviticus: period horror and forbidden love
Directed by Zachary Wigon from a script by Virginia Feito, Victorian Psycho stars Maika Monroe, Thomasin McKenzie, and Jason Isaacs. Set in 1858, it follows a governess whose behavior arouses suspicion in a mansion where several members of the staff disappear.
Meanwhile, Leviticus, written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, presents an Australian story starring Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Mia Wasikowska, Ewen Leslie, and Tyallah Bullock, where the love between two teenagers awakens a supernatural entity capable of taking on the appearance of the desired person.
Wicker: Olivia Colman stars in a fantasy comedy
Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, Wicker brings together Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, and Richard E. Grant. Colman plays a marginalized fisherwoman in her town who decides to order a husband made of wicker, which triggers a relationship that disrupts the peace of the community.
Spanish cinema: Karateka and Esta soledad
The sports drama Karateka, directed by Aritz Moreno, reconstructs the career of Sandra Sánchez, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo at age 39. Starring Andrea Ros, Patrick Criado, and Ernesto Alterio, the film reviews the distrust the athlete faced due to her age before achieving triumph.
On the other hand, Esta soledad, directed by Javier Giner and starring Oriol Pla and Marina Salas, addresses the breakup of a couple after five years of relationship, marked by a family member's illness and job insecurity.
Family and auteur proposals
For family audiences, Shaun the Sheep: The Pumpkin Mission, from Aardman, takes the farm characters on a Halloween adventure. Willow and the Guardians of the Four Elements, directed by Mike Marzuk, narrates the discovery of magical powers in a young protagonist, while Gungo and the Cave Games offers an animated comedy set in Prehistory.
The week is completed with Tiempos de ilusión, from the directors of The Intouchables, set in 1985 France, and El mundo es ansí, a proposal that combines documentary and fiction to approach the figure of the writer Pío Baroja through the eyes of a journalism student.
Frequently asked questions
What movie does Jenna Ortega star in for this release?
Jenna Ortega stars in Klara and the Sun, directed by Taika Waititi and based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, where she plays an artificial intelligence designed to provide emotional companionship.
How many movies are being released on October 30, 2026?
14 movies are being released in Spain, including horror and science fiction, comedy, Spanish drama, and family animation productions.
What is Adam Wingard’s connection to this release?
Adam Wingard, director of Godzilla vs. Kong, returns with Annihilation, a survival thriller starring Adria Arjona.
How old was Sandra Sánchez when she won Olympic gold?
Sandra Sánchez was 39 years old when she won Olympic gold in Tokyo, a career path that is now being brought to the screen in the film Karateka.
Which film recovers the South Korean horror of The Wailing?
Hope, directed by Na Hong-jin ten years after The Wailing, combines mystery and science fiction in a story about the appearance of an unknown creature.
Are there movie options for the whole family this week?
Yes, among the family proposals are Shaun the Sheep: The Pumpkin Mission, Willow and the Guardians of the Four Elements, and Gungo and the Cave Games.
