Another month is almost over, and September brings some of the year’s most anticipated and buzz-worthy releases. After 36 years, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) rises again withBeetlejuice Beetlejuice. Plenty of horror films debut to help the Juice usher in the Halloween season:The Front Room,Speak No Evil,Never Let Go,The Substance,Bagman,Apartment 7A, andAzrael.Sebastian Stangets a little more than he bargained for withA Different Man, a wild psychological ride. There’s alsoMegalopolis, theambitious sci-fi social parablethat writer-directorFrancis Ford Coppolaspent decades developing, finally hits theaters.
But creepy thrillers aren’t all September offers.Peter Dinklagebecomes a Western bounty hunter;Dave Bautistagets his John Wick on; andKevin Smith’s high school comedy takes us to his semi-autobiographical past.Transformers Oneshares the origin story of the Autobots and the Decepticons, andLupita Nyong’oleads an all-star voice cast— includingPedro Pascal,Catherine O’Hara,Bill Nighy,Stephanie Hsu, andMark Hamill— in DreamWorks’Studio Ghibli-inspired animated adventure,The Wild Robot.
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’
Release Date:
September 6 in theaters
Tim Burton
Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe
Comedy, Horror
105 minutes
It’s showtime. The ghost with the mostreturns to stir up more troublein the sequel toTim Burton’s originalBeetlejuice, which includes returning cast members Michael Keaton,Winona Ryder, andCatherine O’Hara, as well asWednesdaystarJenna Ortegaas Lydia Deetz’s (Ryder) daughter Astrid.
‘The Front Room’
Max and Sam Eggers
Brandy, Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap, Neal Huff
Horror, Thriller
94 minutes
The lives of Belinda (Brandy) and her husband Norman (Andrew Burnap) take an unexpected turn when Norman’s mother Solange (Kathryn Hunter) moves in. Her presence starts shoving the couple apart, especially whenBelinda suspects her stepmother has ties to the devil.
‘His Three Daughters’
September 6 in select theaters, September 20 on Netflix
Azazel Jacobs
Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Rudy Galvan, Jose Febus, Jasmine Bracey, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo
101 minutes
Three very different sisters — Katie (Carrie Coon), Rachel (Natasha Lyonne), and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) — reunite to take care of their ailing father (Jay O. Sanders), navigate their grief, andheal their complex but loving relationship.
‘Rebel Ridge’
September 6 on Netflix
Jeremy Saulnier
Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen, Steve Zissis, Zsane Jhe, Dana Lee, James Cromwell
Action, Thriller
131 minutes
When a corrupt police force in the small town of Shelby Springs illegally seizes the bail money that Terry (Aaron Pierre) has set aside for his cousin, it won’t end well for them. Terry will protect his family without flinching.
‘The Thicket’
September 6 in select theaters
Elliott Lester
Chris Kelley
Peter Dinklage, Juliette Lewis, Esmé Creed-Miles, Levon Hawke, Andrew Schulz, James Hetfield, Leslie Grace, Gbenga Akinnagbe
108 minutes
The Thicketfollows Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage), aruthless bounty hunterwho accepts a $10,000 offer from Jack (Levon Hawke) to find and rescue Jack’s kidnapped sister, Lulu (Esmé Creed-Miles). But there are strange things at work in the Thicket, the same place Lulu’s abductors plan to take her.
‘Speak No Evil’
September 13 in theaters
James Watkins
James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Scoot McNairy
110 minutes
Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) seem like a lovely couple — enough for fellow couple Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben (Scoot McNairy) to visit them at their isolated home. But Paddy and CIara are not as they seem, and what should be afamily vacation descends into horrifying chaos.
‘The Killer’s Game’
J. J. Perry
Rand Ravich, James Coyne
Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff, Ben Kingsley
Action, Comedy
104 minutes
Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is in a bit of a pickle. Diagnosed with a terminal illness and not wanting his girlfriend Maize (Sofia Boutella) to watch him deteriorate, the unstoppable assassin places a hit on himself. But the hospital made a mistake; Joe’s healthy as can be, and Marianna (Pom Klementieff), a vengeful enemy, refuses to cancel the hit.
‘My Old Ass’
September 13 in select theaters
Megan Park
Maisy Stella, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Aubrey Plaza
Comedy, Coming-of-Age Drama, Fantasy
89 minutes
What if you couldadvise your younger self? 40-something Elliott Labrant (Aubrey Plaza) has that chance thanks to some unexpected magic. As the older Elliott chats with her 16-year-old self (Maisy Stella), they stumble their way through life — and the wiser Elliott warns the younger away from a boy named Chad (Percy Hynes White).
September 13 on Netflix
Jacob Forman, Vanessa Taylor, Whit Anderson
Joey King, Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju, Laverne Cox
Science Fiction, Action
100 minutes
Based on theYA book series byScott Westerfeld, Tally Youngblood (Joey King) lives in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world where cosmetic surgery defines true “beauty.” Any 16-year-old who doesn’t turn themselves “Pretty” is an “Ugly” derided by society. After excitedly waiting for the operation, Tally has a change of heart and finds a different way to live.
‘The 4:30 Movie’
Kevin Smith
Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, Reed Northrup, Siena Agudong, Ken Jeong
Comedy, Coming-of-Age
88 minutes
Kevin SmithdescribesThe 4:30 Movieas his “most personal film to date.” Inspired by the many times a teenage Smith snuck into R-rated movies, a young boy (Austin Zajur) tries to balance his love for movies with his crush on his classmate Melody (Siena Agudong), and somehow get back into his local theater after the manager (Ken Jeong) bans him for life.
‘Transformers One’
September 20 in theaters
Josh Cooley
Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari
Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Vanessa Liguori, Jason Konopisos-Alvarez, Jon Bailey, Evan Michael Lee
Action, Science Fiction, Animation
Before they became enemies,constantly fighting over the fate of Earth, Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) were once friends. Known as Orion Pax and D-16, respectively, and raised on their home planet of Cybertron, the young Transformers itch to prove themselves as fighters.
September 20 in select theaters, September 27 on Apple TV+
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Zlatko Burić, Richard Kind
Jack (George Clooney) and Nick (Brad Pitt) aren’t partners. They’re the best professional fixers in the world, and they’re the best because they work alone. But when their higher-ups charge them with cleaning up the same situation, they discover that this simple task — hiding a dead body — is more complicated than anyone realizes.
‘Never Let Go’
Alexandre Aja
Kevin Coughlin Ryan Grassby
Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Christin Park, Stephanie Lavigne
A creature has haunted a mother (Halle Berry) and her two sons (Percy Daggs IV,Anthony B. Jenkins) for years. They live in an isolated forest and stay bound together by a rope at all times; it’s all that keeps them safe. But this supernatural being will find a way to break them apart.
‘A Different Man’
Aaron Schimberg
Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, C. Mason Wells, Owen Kline, Charlie Korsmo, Patrick Wang, Michael Shannon
Dark Comedy, Thriller
112 minutes
Edward (Sebastian Stan) successfully undergoes an operation to remove his neurofibromatosis, a condition characterized by three benign tumors. He feels rejuvenated and hopeful — until Oswald (Adam Pearson), an actor,prepares to play Edward in a playinspired by his neurofibromatosis journey.
‘Omni Loop’
Bernardo Britto
Mary-Louise Parker, Ayo Edebiri, Carlos Jacott, Harris Yulin, Hannah Pearl Utt, Chris Witaske, Steven Maier
Science Fiction, Drama
107 minutes
A single pill lets Zoya (Mary-Louise Parker) travel five days into the past. The quantum physicist has a black hole growing in her chest — which isn’t just scientifically unheard of, but incurable. No matter how often she goes back in time, five days isn’t enough;she can’t find a way to save herself. But Paula (Ayo Edebiri), a brilliant student, might be able to help her master time travel.
‘The Substance’
September 20 in select theaters
Coralie Fargeat
Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Phillip Schurer, Joseph Balderrama, Tom Morton, Robin Greer
140 minutes
Demoralized by the ageism surrounding her, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) agrees to ablack market experimental injectionthat promises to unlock a “younger, better, and perfect” version of herself. What follows is a living nightmare — a body horrorinformed by the #MeToo movement.
‘Killer Heat’
September 26 on Prime Video
Philippe Lacôte
Roberto Bentivegna, Matt Charman
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Richard Madden
Crime Drama, Mystery
A love triangle between identical twin brothers (Richard Madden) and the object of their affections,played byShailene Woodley, gets “violent” inKiller Heat. More details are forthcoming, but the drama that unfolds prompts the presence of a detective called “The Jealousy Man” (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).
‘The Wild Robot’
September 27 in theaters
Chris Sanders
Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames
Science Fiction, Drama, Animation
A typhoon sweeps Roz (Lupita Nyong’o), afriendly service robot, away from her creators and onto an island populated by an array of wild animals.Roz integrates with the worldaround her, making friends and discovering the beauty of nature — and accidentally adopting Brightbill (Kit Connor), a baby goose who needs a mother.
‘Megalopolis’
Francis Ford Coppola
Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D. B. Sweeney, Dustin Hoffman
138 minutes
All empires eventually fall. Set in analternate America modeled after Ancient Romeand called New Rome, architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) is determined to reform New Rome into a true utopia. If that means tearing it down first, that’s a necessary evil to accomplish his vision and prevent humanity’s inevitable socioeconomic collapse.
September 27 in select theaters
Colm McCarthy
John Hulme
Sam Claflin, Antonia Thomas, William Hope, Steven Cree, Frankie Corio, Adelle Leonce, Henry Pettigrew, Sharon D. Clarke, Peter McDonald
92 minutes
Across every culture, a mythological bagman eats children. Patrick (Sam Claflin) is having routine nightmares about a similar figure kidnapping his young son Jake. He dismisses them as just that — nightmares. Soon, Patrick realizes the horrible truth and must save his son from a seemingly unstoppable evil.
‘Apartment 7A’
September 27 on Paramount+
Natalie Erika James
Julia Garner, Jim Sturgess, Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Marli Siu, Rosy McEwen, Amy Leeson, Scott Hume, Andrew Buchan, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Apartment 7Aserves as a prequel toRosemary’s Babyand follows Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner), a dancer who dies by suicide not long afterMia Farrow’s Rosemary moves into the apartment complex. What led to such a tragedy? What didSatan’s loyal servantsMinnie (Dianne Wiest) and Roman Castevet (Kevin McNally) have to do with Terry’s death?
‘Rez Ball’
September 27 on Netflix
Sydney Freeland
Sydney Freeland, Sterlin Harjo
Jessica Matten, Julia Jones, Amber Midthunder, Kiowa Gordon, Dallas Goldtooth, Cody Lightning
Sports Drama
111 minutes
Rez Ball, described by directorSydney Freelandas “Friday Night Lights, but it is from an Indigenous perspective,” follows New Mexico’s Chuska Warriors, a high school basketball team shattered by the death of their “star player” and dear friend. For his memory, they refuse to lose the championship.
Simon Barrett
Samara Weaving, Vic Carmen Sonne, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Katariina Unt
85 minutes
The Rapture prophesized by the Christian Bible has happened, taking millions of souls to heaven and leaving behind a broken society beset by evil entities.Azrael (Samara Weaving) flees from her captorsafter they offer her to these creatures as a human sacrifice. But it doesn’t matter if Azrael’s enemies are demons or her fellow humans: she plans to survive.
