This September there are plenty of new shows and movies to watch across a range of streaming services. Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more are dropping a substantial amount of must-watch content over the next month.
September sees the summer movie season begin to wind down, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still high-profile flicks to be enjoyed in September. For starters, the latest feature set in the Marvel Cinema Universe arrives this month, as does the cinematic adaptation of beloved musical Dear Evan Hansen.
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Meanwhile, the summer TV lineup is also coming to an end, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Fall is often the strongest time for new shows with networks and streaming platforms debuting a host of fresh content. This month will see the arrival of Star Wars: Visions on Disney Plus as well as the return of Netflix comedy series Sex Education.
There’s a huge amount of movies and shows to watch this month so here’s our guide for the best things to watch in September on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more.
Best new shows and movies to watch in September 2021
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Sept. 3, in theaters only)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to the big screen this month with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The film will introduce the MCU’s first Asian lead character, the titular Shang-Chi played by Simu Liu.
The film will see the hero forced to confront his past when the mysterious Ten Rings organization emerges from the shadows. Unlike Black Widow, this one is skipping Disney Plus Premier Acess and will be exclusively in theatres on September 3.
Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. (Sept. 8 on Disney Plus)
Disney is remaking another forgotten series from its archives, this time its 80s television show Doogie Howser, M.D. getting the reboot treatment. The original show followed the adventures of a teenage doctor, and this female-led remake will feature the same basic premise. New episodes will drop each week on Disney Plus starting September 8.
Kate (Sept. 10 on Netflix)
After the success of Gunpowder Milkshake in July, Netflix returns with another glossy action thriller in the form of Kate. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as the eponymous hit-woman who only has 24 hours to live after being fatally poisoned. With what little time she has left she plans to exact revenge on his enemies but also strikes up an unexpected friendship with the daughter of one of her previous targets. Expect thrilling action, and maybe a tad of introspection when Kate hits Netflix on September 10.
Scenes from a Marriage (Sept. 12 on HBO Max)
Ingmar Bergman’s critically acclaimed 1973 miniseries, Scenes from a Marriage, is being remade by HBO and it hits the network’s streaming platform this month. The series features Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain as a married couple and will move events to modern-day America. The series is set over a decade and explores the disintegration of the couple’s marriage. Bergman’s original series is considered a cult classic, so this remake has a high bar to meet.
Y: The Last Man (Sept. 13 on Hulu)
Y: The Last Man sports a very intriguing premise. Set in a world where a mysterious event simultaneously kills every mammal with a Y chromosome, bar one single man and his pet monkey, it follows the fallout. Diane Lane stars as the newly-installed President there to pick up the pieces, and Ben Schnetzer and Olivia Thirlby also feature. The series is based on a comic book series of the same name, and is available on Hulu starting September 13.
Cry Macho (Sept. 17 on HBO Max)
The latest film to launch in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously is Cry Macho. This neo-Western drama is directed by Clint Eastwood and also features the veteran actor in the leading role. It follows a washed-up rodeo star who must cross rural Mexico in order to bring a young boy back home to Texas. Expect a slow burn when Cry Macho starts streaming on HBO Max from September 17.
Sex Education season 3 (Sept. 17 on Netflix)
Netflix’s hit comedy series Sex Education returns for its third season this month. The show follows the misadventures of a group of hormonal teenagers at a stuffy English secondary school. The newest season will see Otis (Asa Butterfield) and his friends return with a whole new batch of awkward encounters to cringe over. Plus, there will be a time skip at the start of the season so who knows what will have changed. Find out on September 17.
Dear White People (Sept. 22 on Netflix)
After an extended wait, the fourth (and confirmed to be final) season of Dear White People comes to Netflix this month. The dramatic comedy series follows a group of Black students at an Ivy League school where they face a range of social issues including racism and cultural appropriation. The show has always offered a powerful examination of the Black experience in modern-day America, and this final installment likely won’t be any different.
Star Wars: Visions (Sept. 22 on Disney Plus)
One of the more interesting Disney Plus original series debuts in September. Star Wars: Visions sees a galaxy far far away reimagined “through the lens of the world’s best anime creators.” Essentially, six Japanese animation studios have been given free rein to tell their own original stories based in the Star Wars universe. That’s one hell of an elevator pitch, and even better the entire nine-episode season hits Disney Plus on September 22.
Dear Evan Hansen (Sept. 24 in theaters)
The big-screen adaptation of coming-of-age musical Dear Evan Hansen hits theatres on September 24. The original stage production was a smash hit with teens across the globe, so there’s plenty of anticipation surrounding this film version. It stars Pitch Perfect’s Ben Platt in the lead role, and the supporting cast includes Kaitlyn Dever, Julianne Moore and Amy Adams. You’ll laugh, sing and probably shed a few tears while watching this one.
Midnight Mass (Sept. 24 on Netflix)
A new Netflix horror series from the mind behind The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass sounds like it’ll be the perfect early-Halloween treat. The seven-part series tells the spooky story of a remote island community that is torn apart when a charismatic priest arrives in the community and miraculous events begin to occur. Midnight Mass comes to Netflix on September 24, we advise not watching this one alone.
