September 2022 is almost approaching, and with it, the seasons will change. We anticipate you will spend more time inside when the nights start to grow longer, cooler, and darker (at least in the northern hemisphere).
If you prefer a cosy night in, you won't be short on things to watch. In September, there will be a tonne of new content available to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and other well-known streaming services, including highly anticipated TV programmes and potentially blockbuster movies.
13 of the most anticipated TV shows and movies are compiled below, available on HBO Max, Paramount Plus, Hulu, and other streaming services. We've tried to include something for every kind of viewer, so our selection is sure to have something that will catch your attention.
The best and most anticipated movies and TV shows are listed here; they will premiere in September 2022 on the biggest streaming services available.
The Rings of Power from The Lord of the Rings (Prime Video)
When it will be streamed: September 2, Friday
Amazon's greatest hope for 2022 is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and with good cause. Because Stranger Things and House of the Dragon have tremendous viewership on Netflix and HBO Max, respectively, and because its first season alone cost $465 million, Amazon Studios needs its own high-end, prestige fantasy series to maintain its fan base.
J.R.R. Tolkien's renowned Lord of the Rings books served as the basis for the The Rings of Power trilogy. It will chronicle the multi-narrative story of the events that transpire throughout Middle-Second earth's Age, which takes place 3,500 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. That includes Sauron's attempt to establish himself as the dictatorial ruler of Middle-earth, the creation of the titular Rings of Power, and his ultimate demise during the Last Alliance of elves and men.
It is not, however, a prequel to Peter Jackson's multi-award-winning trilogy of movies. Even though it takes place in the same imaginary world, Jackson's Lord of the Rings films are distinct from this one. The Rings of Power's compression of the Second Age's timeline is also remarkable; the Prime Video series doesn't take place over three millennia but rather over a few decades to allow for the coexistence of mortal and immortal beings, with their stories running concurrently. It is a significant creative departure from Tolkien's original works, and some ardent followers have been offended by it.
But it will be entertaining to see. It will certainly give workers lots to talk about at the Monday morning water cooler, and who knows? It could actually be a really good programme. Watch for our spoiler-free review to find out what we think soon.
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Elvis (HBO Max)
When it will be streamed: September 2, Friday
Elvis swings its way into the HBO Max film library over three months after its theatrical debut to amuse viewers on television.
Austin Butler plays the renowned rock & roll star in the musical biography, and Tom Hanks portrays Colonel Tom Parker, the evil manager of Elvis Presley. The movie explores various aspects of Presley's private life, such as his drug use and marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu, as well as his stratospheric rise to fame via Parker's eyes. It also captures their complex 20-year friendship.
Elvis, the Baz Luhrmann-directed musical epic that stunned audiences and reviewers alike back in June, is deserving of your attention even though it only made less than $300 million worldwide. If you're searching for a substitute for the Lord of the Rings TV series on Amazon, this is one for the weekend.
Pinocchio (Disney Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 8th, Thursday
A live-action remake of the beloved Pinocchio film debuts in early September as part of the second annual Disney Plus Day.
Robert Zemeckis, known for his work on Forrest Gump and Back to the Future, helmed the Disney Plus film, which has a tonne of A-list talent. Its all-star cast includes Tom Hanks, Luke Evans, Cynthia Erivo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Keegan-Michael Key. In the meantime, relative newcomer Benjamin Evan Ainsworth provides the voice for the titular puppet, a toy boy who longs to be a real boy.
Pinocchio isn't going to stray too far from the plot that fans across the world are already familiar with; that distinction belongs to Guillermo del Toro's stop-motion animated Pinocchio, which will be available on Netflix later this year. Even so, you know what to expect from a live-action adaptation of a well-liked Disney movie, and it's a movie that will surely amuse the whole family.
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Thor: Love and Thunder (Disney Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 8th, Thursday
Thor: Love and Thunder debuts on Disney Plus just in time for the festivities on September 8.
The fourth standalone movie about the god of thunder was the 29th MCU picture to be released in theatres around the world. For more information, see our Marvel movies in order guide. Despite receiving mixed reviews, it is currently the sixth-highest-grossing movie of 2022 (see our spoiler-free Thor 4 review for our perspectives). Even still, we think a few folks might have skipped the cinemas, so its eventual release on Disney Plus is a major deal.
Thor: Love and Thunder, which is set after Avengers: Endgame, follows the Norse deity (Chris Hemsworth) as he searches within for a new meaning in life. But when the evil Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) starts killing gods all over the universe in a quest for vengeance, Thor assembles a team, including Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taiki Waititi), and ex-girlfriend-turned-superhero Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), aka the Mighty Thor, to stop Gorr's campaign.
After watching the superhero film, be sure to read our explanation of the Thor 4 post-credits scene for further information on the character's MCU future.
Cobra Kai season 5 (Netflix)
When it will be streamed: September 9th, Friday
The cult Netflix series Cobra Kai is back for its fifth season, and based on the trailers and what transpired in the season 4 finale, the stakes are higher than ever. Well, at least as it relates to the martial art of karate.
Expect the comedy-drama series to perform similarly to other episodes as it is one of Netflix's top performers for September. Cobra Kai's four seasons to date have received at least a 90% certified fresh rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, meaning it has a high standard to meet (opens in new tab). So there's no pressure for Cobra Kai season 5.
American Gigolo (Paramount Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 10th, Saturday
This could suddenly become a big success. The next major Paramount Plus programme to hit our screens is American Gigolo, a remake of the 1980 drama film of the same name.
What makes us say that? Specifically because of the skill associated with it. Rosie O'Donnell (A League of Their Own, Russian Doll), Gretchen Mol (Yellowstone, Perry Mason), and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher, The Many Saints of Newark), among others, make up the series' illustrious supporting ensemble. Showrunner duties are shared by David Hollander, who created popular television programmes like Ray Donovan.
The film American Gigolo follows the tale of Julian Kaye (Bernthal), a former sex worker from Los Angeles who battles to overcome his arrest and 15-year jail sentence for murder. Julian sets out on a quest to discover the truth behind his framing because he is struggling with the complicated connections in his present and is unwilling to let go of his past. Detective Sunday (O'Donnell) is also looking into the crime at the same time. As the two look for solutions, a larger conspiracy starts to take shape.
The two trailers for American Gigolo have received approximately 12 million combined views on YouTube, which is a respectable number of viewers. This means that there will be another unexpected Paramount victory, like to Yellowjackets and 1883.
The Handmaid's Tale season 5 (Hulu)
When it will be streamed: September 14th, Wednesday
The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season was released 15 months after the fourth one. The acclaimed Hulu TV programme will continue where the tragic season 4 finale left off, which saw Elisabeth Moss' June Osborne murder one of the other main characters along with four of her former handmaids. Be prepared for the dystopian drama series to examine how this catastrophe will affect June and everyone else involved.
Do Revenge (Netflix)
When it will be streamed: September 16th, Friday
The preferred streaming service for Gen Z-oriented entertainment is now Netflix. From popular TV shows like Sex Education to less well-liked productions like Boo Bitch, it appears that the streaming juggernaut takes great delight in producing movies and shows for young people.
Do Revenge, a future Netflix film, unquestionably fits that description. Do Revenge is marketed as a dark comedy that was unexpectedly inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. It stars Maya Hawke from Stranger Things and Camila Mendes from Fairfax. Oh, right.
What is it about, then? In the movie Do Revenge, Mendes' Drea and Hawke's Eleanor join forces to, well, exact revenge on their fellow high school students after being humiliated by them. While Eleanor is shunned after accusations that she tried to force herself on her crush Carissa spread, Drea is affected by the leak of a topless film that was intended exclusively for ex-boyfriend Max's eyes.
Although the story's concept isn't particularly original, it will undoubtedly appeal to older audiences looking for similar streaming content. Expect this one to perform admirably before rapidly disappearing from Netflix's Top 10 lists(opens in new tab).
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Andor (Disney Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 21st, Wednesday
Only three months have passed since the conclusion of Obi-Wan Kenobi's stand-alone series, but it's already time for the next Star Wars initiative to debut on Disney Plus.
The story of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a drifter-turned-rebel spy who plays a crucial role in the Rebel Alliance's struggle against the oppressive Galactic Empire, is told in Andor, which takes place five years before Star Wars: Rogue One.
The first season of the show, which will be followed by a second that will start production in November, spans a period of a year and follows Andor as the Rebellion marks the beginning of his revolutionary journey. The 12-episode season will also go into his past and the roles that significant figures like Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) and the enigmatic Luthen Rael played in the establishment of the Rebellion (Stellan Skarsgaard). Along with the tragic villains Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) and Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), Andor will also focus on the middle management of the Empire.
On the day of its release, Disney Plus's Andor will debut with an unprecedented three-episode premiere. Watch for our spoiler-free review as the release date approaches.
Blonde (Netflix)
When it will be streamed: September 28th
Netflix is still looking for its first Best Picture Academy Award, but Apple will win with CODA at the 2022 presentation. Blonde, the biggest streamer in the world, may finally end its quest for the most coveted Oscar on the 2023 awards circuit, based on what we've seen of it thus far.
Blonde, starring Ana de Armas (The Gray Man, Knives Out, No Time to Die), is an adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, which imagines a different existence for the legendary performer Marilyn Monroe. Her confident, bubbly on-screen persona is a far cry from the woman who struggles to deal with her dysfunctional love life, drug addiction, as well as the exploitation she endured. The psychologically charged biographical film will examine the stark contrast between her professional and personal lives.
The movie is directed by Andrew Dominik (Mindhunter, This Much I Know Is True), and its supporting actors include Bobby Cannavale (Mr Robot, Ant-Man), Adrian Brody (The Pianist, Predators), Tobias Huss (King of the Hill), and Julianna Nicholson (Mare of Easttown).
Even though the movie's age classification and Armas' hiring have caused controversy before it even opens, we still anticipate it to be a huge hit when it does (especially with critics).
Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
Hocus Pocus 2 is preparing to give Disney's streaming audience some early fright nearly 30 years after the theatrical debut of the first film.
Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy return to their roles as the evil Sanderson Sisters, witches who wreaked havoc on the sleepy village of Salem in the 1990s and seek to do it once more in the present, in the fantasy comedy horror movie. Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) will have to work together to stop the evil trio after Becca and Izzy unintentionally summon them back to life. The supporting cast of the movie includes Tony Hale from Arrested Development and Hannah Waddingham from Ted Lasso.
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
Given that the first movie has developed a cult following throughout the world in the three decades since its release, it seems surprising that Disney would choose not to distribute Hocus Pocus 2 in theatres. Still, when the eerie comedy premieres at the end of September, Disney Plus customers will be able to get their Halloween dose early.
Jungle (Prime Video)
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
Like American Gigolo, we believe that this Prime Video offering from Amazon Studios might be a big hit.
Jungle, a cyberpunk-inspired music-based drama from Junior Okoli and Chas Appeti, appears poised to blur the boundaries between what is feasible in terms of cinematography, production design, and soundtrack.
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
The six-part series will explore the interwoven lives of a number of strangers in inner city London as they deal with a range of personal and societal challenges as seen through the prism of the UK rap, drill, and grime music scenes. The show's central theme of "every action has a consequence" will be acted out through a unique blending of music and dialogue as each character's world starts to fall apart around them. This is a uniquely creative choice that will push the narrative limits of what's feasible from likeminded productions.
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
The cast of the series will include some of the biggest drill and rap performers in the UK, including Tinie Tempah, Big Narstie, Kaykae, and Jordan McCann. Appeti and Okoli have recently been named by Variety as two of the Top 10 European creators to watch in 2022. This is great praise indeed, and the nomination will no doubt boost Jungle's popularity when it debuts on Prime Video.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Apple TV Plus)
When it will be streamed: September 30th, Friday
The Greatest Beer Run Ever is a biographical action-comedy movie based on the same-named book by Joanna Molloy and John "Chickie" Donohue that draws inspiration from bizarre real-life incidents.
The Apple TV Plus movie is set in 1967 and centres on Donohue, a 26-year-old Marine Corps veteran. One night after drinking too much, Donohue unknowingly agrees to a challenge to sneak into Vietnam, find his pals, who are serving in the US army during the Vietnam War, and bring them each a can of beer to cheer them up. But as Donohue rapidly discovers, accepting this unconventional assignment won't be simple, particularly when it comes to crossing into and then departing Vietnam while a terrible war is being waged.
This Apple TV Plus production contains a lot of known faces, which may come as no surprise. Famous actors Bill Murray and Russell Crowe are featured in the supporting cast, along with Jake Picking from Top Gun: Maverick and Archie Renaux from Shadow and Bone. The film is directed by Peter Farrelly, who also worked on both Dumb and Dumber movies and the Oscar-winning Green Book. Put this one on your September watch list, then.
