September New Movie Preview

Let's get ready for 12 of the biggest upcoming attractions in September

Fall movies are coming! Before we deliver your weekly recommendations on Friday, I thought I would bring you something a little different to kick off a new month. It’s a September movie preview!

We’re in the post-summer box office lull right now. Due to a number of competing factors, Hollywood simply hasn’t produced many big movies in August, and there aren't that many coming in September either. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t interesting new films coming soon to a theater or streamer near you. Whether you seek out horror, music documentaries, Hollywood biopics, or mysterious psychosexual thrillers, there’s probably something for you. Read on for my thoughts on September’s movie slate and let us know which one you’re most excited for by replying to this email or hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram. 

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (September 2, in theaters and on Peacock)

Billy and I saw this one at the virtual Sundance Film Festival early this year. Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. is a satirical depiction of megachurch and prosperity gospel culture through the scandal-laden pastor (Sterling K. Brown) and first lady (Regina Hall) of a Southern Baptist church. First-time director Adamma Ebo has made a funny and effective skewering that also gives its characters complex inner lives, although the mockumentary framing gets in the way at times. It may be the only movie about religion that features Three 6 Mafia and “Knuck If You Buck” on the soundtrack. Read my full review here. 

Pinocchio (September 8, Disney+)

Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) brings us a live-action Pinocchio with Tom Hanks as Geppetto. Zemeckis and Hanks have had success together before but neither are exactly on a hot streak currently. And Disney isn’t even bothering to release this in theaters so I wouldn’t say that’s a great sign. Is the age of Disney live-action remakes coming to an end?

Barbarian (September 9, in theaters)

I’ve seen some (positive?) reaction to this horror mystery online from critics telling people to see it as cold as possible, meaning they recommend not watching the trailer or reading much about it. I’ll follow their advice and avoid anything that might spoil Barbarian. If I actually have the guts to see it in theaters remains an open question. 

Moonage Daydream (September 16, in theaters)

This David Bowie documentary features unreleased footage of the icon’s legendary career. It’s getting released in IMAX and the trailer makes it look much more cinematic than your average music doc. What could be better than sitting in a theater with Bowie tunes playing at full blast as he struts around stage? 

The Woman King (September 16, in theaters)

Based on the true story of the Agojie, an all-female military regiment in 19th century West Africa, The Woman King stars the incomparable Viola Davis as a warrior general training the next generation. Historical action epic is a different lane for Davis, but she can do anything as an actress so I’m sure this will have a baseline of quality. And director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball) has already proven her action filmmaking bonafides with Netflix’s The Old Guard. 

Confess, Fletch (September 16, in theaters and on demand)

I don’t know how many people were begging for a Fletch reboot, but now that we have one coming soon with Jon Hamm in the Chevy Chase role, I’m kind of into it. Confess, Fletch doesn’t have a great trailer but as long as we get a few laughs and a decent mystery, it’s all good. Plus, this is giving us the Mad Men reunion we deserve with Don Draper and Roger Sterling on screen together again. 

See How They Run (September 16, in theaters)

This whodunit comedy looks delightful, even if the trailer makes it seem like Wes Anderson’s Knives Out. Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan are well-paired as detectives solving a murder during a production of a stage play in 1950s London. 

Don’t Worry Darling (September 23, in theaters)

This is one of September’s only highly anticipated releases, but the press coverage and celebrity rumor mill have threatened to overshadow the actual movie. Don’t Worry Darling is Oliva Wilde’s directorial follow-up to 2019’s Booksmart, and it looks like a fascinating psychological thriller. Wilde has cited The Truman Show, Inception, and The Matrix as her big influences, so her ambitions are set sky-high. She also started dating Harry Styles during the production (following her split with Jason Sudeikis), and has come under criticism from Shia LaBeouf about the reason for his exit from the film. At this point, I’m ready to just see this thing and forget all the outside nonsense. 

Blonde (September 28, Netflix)

Expect more than a little controversy from Blonde, the adaptation of author Joyce Carol Oates’ fictionalized account of the life of Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas plays the Hollywood icon with Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) writing and directing. This is the only major movie of the year to be rated NC-17, which has generated free publicity for Netflix in the run-up to its release. 

Bros (September 30, in theaters)

Bros is the first romantic comedy from a major studio to feature a mostly LGBTQ main cast. Billy Eichner co-writes and stars in this Judd Apatow movie in the mold of Forgetting Sarah Marshall or Trainwreck. You can tell they are reaching for mainstream hit territory here because Eichner describes his love interest as looking like “gay Tom Brady.” 

Hocus Pocus 2 (September 30, Disney+)

I’ve never seen Hocus Pocus, but I have friends that I’m sure will be wildly excited about this sequel. That’s all I have to say. Please don’t @ me. 

Smile (September 30, in theaters)

Smile is directed by a first-timer and doesn’t have a very well-known cast (Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s daughter Sosie Bacon is one of the leads). I have no idea if it will be any good, but there’s a few shots in the trailer that really freaked me out.