What to Watch in September 2024

Your guide to all the best new films and TV shows coming to screens in September...

FILM

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (September 6)

When Top Gun: Maverick arrived in cinemas in 2022 it marked the second-longest gap between a film and its sequel in history – 36 years and 12 days, to be precise. Only fans of Disney classic Bambi have had to wait longer for a second instalment, with a staggering 63 years between the 1942 original and its 2006 follow-up. This month, though, a new and almost entirely unexpected sequel lands itself straight in the No. 2 spot, supplanting Tom Cruise and his aerial acrobatics.

36 years, 5 months and 8 days after the arrival of Tim Burton’s cult classic Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton reprises his iconic role as the titular chaos bringer as he returns from the afterlife once more to haunt the bejesus out of the living. As the Deetz family return to their haunted home in Winter River following the death of patriarch Charles, Lydia sees history repeating itself when her rebellious teenage daughter Astrid discovers the model in the attic and recites the fateful words to summon Betelgeuse from his otherworldly realm.

Tim Burton himself returns to direct the action, with original cast members Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara all reprising their roles, while new additions for the sequel include Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Defoe. If the trailer below is anything to go by, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice looks every bit as joyfully chaotic as its 1988 predecessor.

The Critic (September 13)

Based on the 2015 novel Curtain Call by Anthony Quinn, this period thriller from director Anand Tucker stars Ian McKellan as a feared theatre critic with a penchant for hatchet jobs who finds his position under threat following the arrival of a new editor at the newspaper he works for. Desperate to retain his job, he lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme that threatens to result in deadly consequences for them both.

Gemma Arterton stars alongside McKellan as the actress in question, while there are also appearances from Mark Strong, Romola Garai, Ben Barnes and Lesley Manville. The 1930s setting provides a bleakly atmospheric backdrop to this taut, twisting drama, filled as it is with fascist blackshirts and seedy drinking establishments, and McKellan delivers a masterclass of a performance in this gripping tale.

Lee (September 20)

Even if you haven’t heard of photographer Lee Miller, it’s likely that you will be familiar with some of her work. Beginning her career as a fashion model in her native New York before relocating to Paris to become a fashion and fine art photographer there in the 1930s, Miller became Vogue’s war correspondent after the outbreak of WWII, creating a series of iconic and haunting images of events such as the London Blitz, the liberation of Paris, as well as the grim scenes at concentration camps such as Buchenwald and Dachau – many of which, incidentally, can be viewed in the gallery at Farley Farm House near Chiddingly in East Sussex, where Miller spent her later years.

This biopic from director Ellen Kuras stars Kate Winslet as the acclaimed photographer and charts the exploits of Miller’s extraordinary career. Starring alongside her is a cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Angela Riseborough, Marion Cotillard and Andy Samberg, among others. Due in cinemas on September 20, this will be a fascinating watch for history buffs and photography fans alike.

Wolfs (September 20)

The last three films from director Jon Watts have all featured the words ‘Spider-Man’ in the title and so his latest outing represents a bit of a change of pace – although we’re still very much in the action-comedy arena with his new film Wolfs, which is set for a hilariously brief run on cinema screens this month from September 20 before landing on Apple TV+ a week later.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in this crime caper as two ‘fixers’ who specialise in making problems disappear – for those who can afford their services, that is. Both of them usually work alone, but when they find they’ve both been hired on the same job to cover up a high-profile crime, the pair are forced to abandon their usual modus operandi and work together, creating tension from the get-go. Things only get worse from there, as the job soon proves to be much more complicated than either of them had imagined. Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan and Richard Kind round out the cast in this fun-packed thriller that looks set to provide plenty of entertainment.

Megalopolis (September 27)

Much has been written about this new and long-awaited magnum opus from Francis Ford Coppola – his first film since 2011 – and the reaction from critics has been somewhat mixed, with early reviews peppered with phrases such as ‘expensive vanity project’ and ‘a huge mess’. The film’s promotional team haven’t exactly endeared themselves to the critics, either; just last week Lionsgate were forced to retract a trailer which featured quotes from prominent critics on Coppola’s previous films when it emerged that many of those quotes had, in fact, been fabricated.

Look past all of that, though, and you’ll find an enormously ambitious film from one of the last century’s greatest filmmakers, which aims to recreate a Catilinarian conspiracy in a futuristic New York City through the tale of a clash between a visionary architect and the city’s corrupt Mayor.

The cast is as impressive as you might imagine, with the likes of Adam Driver, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito and Jon Voight amongst its ranks. If nothing else, Megalopolis is certainly a visual spectacle. Whether it achieves its lofty aims or collapses under the weight of its own ambition remains to be decided by audiences when it arrives in cinemas on September 27, but you won’t want to miss the chance to judge for yourself.

TV

Sherwood – Series 2 (BBC One / iPlayer from August 25)

Technically we’re bending our own rules a little bit here since the first two episodes in this gripping drama’s second series are already available on BBC iPlayer, but anyone who watched the first series of Sherwood will be glued to their screens as the rest of the episodes arrive this month.

Those who haven’t seen the show’s brilliant first series should head to iPlayer at their earliest convenience to hoover up all six episodes of a tale that begins with a brutal murder (by crossbow, no less) and dredges up years of unrest in a former mining town, where the bitter memories of strikers and ‘scabs’ have resulted in many deep and unhealed wounds for its tight-knit community.

David Morrissey, Lesley Manville and the rest of the cast all return for a second run of this excellent drama from screenwriter James Graham. The first two episodes of series are available now, with the next to arrive this weekend. In the meantime, get yourself caught up on the first series if you haven’t already - you won’t regret it.

Colin from Accounts – Series 2 (BBC Two / iPlayer, September 3)

Another wonderful show returning to the BBC for a second run this month is this Aussie comedy from real-life married couple Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer, who also star the show’s odd couple Ash and Gordon. For those who need bringing up to speed, the pair’s unlikely relationship began with the former flashing her boobs at the latter, causing him to crash his car into a stray dog, which they then adopted and named Colin.

The last series ended with them making the difficult decision to give Colin away – a decision they are already regretting and, as such, the second series picks up with their decision to get him back. Series 2 is due to land on iPlayer on September 3, which gives you just enough time to enjoy the first eight episodes before the new ones arrive.

Slow Horses – Season 4 (Apple TV+, September 4)

If you’ve enjoyed the first three season of the outstandingly good Slow Horses – a show that practically justifies the Apple TV+ subscription fee on its own – then it’s likely you’re already filled with eager anticipation for its return in September. The B-team of British Intelligence, headed by the utterly revolting Jackson Lamb, once again find themselves in the thick of things in their latest outing, with the first two episodes set to drop on September 4.

Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas and the rest of the cast all return alongside a resplendent Gary Oldman for more spycraft and subterfuge, with Hugo Weaving joining the ranks this time around too. If you’ve somehow allowed the first three seasons to slip past unnoticed, that’s something you should look to rectify immediately – this really is essential viewing.

The Perfect Couple (Netflix, September 5)

Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber lead the cast of this unsettling mystery drama from showrunner Jenna Lamia. Based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, the story revolves around the upcoming wedding of the scion of a wealthy Nantucket family, the matriarch of whom is a famous author. However, the bride does not receive her new mother-in-law’s approval, and when a body is found on a nearby beach, the accusations begin flying.

Also starring Dakota Fanning, Eve Hewson, Billy Howle and Jack Reynor, this gripping drama arrives on Netflix on September 5 and is full of twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing until the very end.

The Penguin (Sky Atlantic / NOW, September 20)

An unrecognisable Colin Farrell stars as one of Batman’s most notorious enemies in this spin-off miniseries from Craig Zobel, whose impressive list of TV directing credits includes episodes of series such as Westworld, Mare of Easttown and American Gods, among others.

The series picks up after the events of Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman, as the Penguin (alternatively known as Oswald Cobblepot) makes a play to seize power over Gotham City’s underworld following the death of its previous overlord, the crime boss Carmine Falcone.

Also starring Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Mark Strong and Clancy Brown, The Penguin has been created for HBO’s streaming service Max, but is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW from September 20. Batman fans won’t want to miss it.