(This article first appeared in the September print edition of the Hendersonian.)
September tends to be a time when studios trot out the releases that weren’t going to be summer hits and won’t draw much awards attention as the year ends. With August finishing on a relatively strong note because of box office longevity of Weapons (and the surprise success of KPop Demon Hunters), 2025 can afford to take a small break before the fall season mix of big-budget holiday fare and awards contenders fills the screens. That being said, this month is pretty light on titles that will take audiences away from NFL/College Football and Pumpkin Spice parties. If you do head to your favorite AMC Theaters and Showplace Cinemas locations, be sure to check the listings so you’re not left out in the cold.
Hamilton (September 5) – Disney is hoping that nostalgia for this COVID-era phenomenon is enough to get audiences singing along in the theaters once again. Even though Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical about one of our founding fathers isn’t specifically being marketed as a sing-along, you know all the theater kids in the tri-state area can’t wait to belt out these tunes in public one more time.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (Sept. 12) – Get ready to turn it up to 11 one more time! Everyone’s favorite fake heavy metal band is back, with original members Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner (who also directs) reuniting for the tour to end all tours (unless this makes a lot of money, of course) after a 15-year hiatus. A roster of star-studded cameos includes two Sirs (Paul McCartney and Elton John), Questlove, and country music royalty, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Sept. 12) – Lord Grantham and the rest of the family return for this third installment of this once-mighty franchise. After a scandal rocks the family, the future of Downton Abbey becomes uncertain. With the notable exception of Dame Maggie Smith (RIP), the entire cast returns for the completion of this period trilogy. Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era) directs.
The Long Walk (Sept. 12) – Director Francis Lawrence is trading in Suzanne Collins for Stephen King in the hopes of bringing a major hit the size of The Hunger Games (which he also directed three installments) for Lionsgate. In this horror film, a group of teenage boys compete in a competition where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot. Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus), Ben Wang (Karate Kid: Legends), and Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit) star, with Judy Greer (too many films to mention) and Mark Hamill (also too many films to mention) co-starring.
Him (Sept. 19) – A horror film about football produced by Jordan Peele? The answer is, yes, this will most likely be the only movie to get football fans off the couch and into the theaters this month. When a young phenom (Tyriq Withers) is invited to train with a legendary player (Marlon Wayans), he discovers the dark side of the game and descends into a world of terror. Justin Tipping co-writes and directs. Early buzz is saying this could be the movie that kicks off spooky season in a big way.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (Sept. 19) – In this dramatic fantasy romance, two strangers go on an incredible adventure through an imaginary world. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell star, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Hamish Linklater (The Big Short), and Academy Award-winning legend Kevin Kline co-starring. Kogonada (Columbus, After Yang) directs, from a screenplay by Seth Reiss (The Menu).
The Strangers: Chapter 2 (Sept. 26) – Veteran director Renny Harlin takes the reins of this budding prequel series yet again after the success of the first chapter, this time placing a couple in a remote Airbnb that just so happens to be where three masked strangers terrorize them until dawn. Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland also return to pen this sequel, with Madelaine Petsch (The Strangers: Chapter 1) and Gabriel Basso (Super 8) co-starring. Spoiler alert: They’ve already finished production on The Strangers: Chapter 3!
One Battle After Another (Sept. 26) – For the first time, two of cinema’s biggest names unite for what is already one of the most headline-generating films of the year. Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Boogie Nights) and Leonardo DiCaprio team up with fellow Oscar winners Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro about a group of ex-revolutionaries who reunite when one of their daughters is imprisoned. Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), Regina Hall (Girls Trip), and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) co-star in this big-budget (reportedly $130 million) crime drama.
Henderson resident McManus Woodend is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Southern Indiana and has worked in film, television and commercials for more than 20 years. To see some of his work, visit www.mcmanuswoodend.com.
