As summer winds down, the big screen is still heating up with some of the most anticipated releases of the year. From gripping thrillers and high-stakes dramas to romantic tales with a twist, these upcoming films offer something for every mood. Whether it’s powerhouse collaborations, bold directorial debuts, or unique spins on classic stories, each one promises to leave a mark before fall officially arrives.
Highest 2 Lowest | August 15
A music mogul faces an impossible moral decision when he believes his son has been kidnapped, in this reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low.
Director: Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman, Do the Right Thing)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera
The Knife | August 15
A Black family’s perfect night is shattered when an intruder forces them into a tense, high-stakes confrontation that will change everything.
Director: Nnamdi Asomugha (directorial debut)
Cast: Nnamdi Asomugha, Aja Naomi King, Melissa Leo, Amari Price, Aiden Price
Love, Brooklyn | August 29
Set against a dreamy and slightly surreal backdrop of Brooklyn, a writer finds himself torn between his former lover and his current partner, with the city itself shaping the rhythm of their connections.
Director: Rachael Abigail Holder (feature debut)
Cast: André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, Roy Wood Jr
Caught Stealing | August 29
A down-on-his-luck ex-baseball player agrees to watch his neighbor’s cat and finds himself unexpectedly pulled into a dangerous web of gangsters and criminals.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoe Kravitz
The Man in My Basement | September 12
The film follows Charles Blakey (Hawkins), a man on the verge of losing his family home, who accepts a strange — and lucrative — offer from a mysterious businessman (Dafoe) to rent his basement for the summer.
Director: Nadia Latif
Cast: Corey Hawkins, Willem Dafoe, Anna Diop, Jonathan Ajayi, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr., Pamela Nomvete, and Tamara Lawrance
The Long Walk | September 12
In a brutal survival competition, teenage boys must keep walking without stopping — or face deadly consequences.
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson
HIM
A promising young football player is taken under the wing of a legendary quarterback, only to discover that this mentorship comes with dangerous, unsettling costs.
Director: Justin Tipping
Cast: Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans