Cory Michael Smith has landed the lead role in October, a Halloween-set fugitive thriller from filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier, marking his first major film headliner. The project, backed by A24, will be directed by Saulnier from his own script, with plot details being tightly kept under wraps.

The casting reunites Smith with A24 following his recent role in the upcoming Zac Efron thriller Famous. Saulnier also returns to the indie studio after his critically acclaimed Green Room (2016), starring Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin.

Described as a high-stakes thriller unfolding during Halloween, October is produced by Rich Peete (Neighborhood Watch), Eli Bush (Central), and Jeremy and Skei Saulnier under their Niteowl Films banner. Executive producers include Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie (Central), Traci Carlson and Elliott Coley (Neighborhood Watch), and Macon Blair (Bonneville Pictures). Casting for additional roles is currently underway.

Smith has recently been on a career upswing, earning widespread acclaim for portraying Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, which depicts the final moments leading up to Saturday Night Live's debut episode. He also featured as tech mogul Ven Parish in the upcoming HBO satire Mountainhead, alongside Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, and Ramy Youssef.

In addition to wrapping on Famous, Smith recently completed the pilot for Amazon’s The Nightbeast, opposite Tatiana Maslany. He’ll next be seen in Joachim Trier’s Cannes Grand Prix-winning dramedy Sentimental Value, where he stars alongside Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Stellan Skarsgård. The film is set for release via Neon and Mubi this fall.

As for Saulnier, October comes on the heels of his Netflix success Rebel Ridge, which starred Aaron Pierre and became the streamer’s third-biggest film debut of 2024. Known for his stylish, tense genre work, Saulnier has previously directed Blue Ruin, Hold the Dark, and episodes of HBO’s True Detective.