September is supposed to be the month when summer movie excitement cools down. Not this year.
The 2026 box office is still bringing serious heat. As of September 10, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still sitting on top, while The Odyssey continues to pull big crowds. And then there’s the surprise of the month: a movie that was nearly buried for good is turning into a legitimate crowd-pleaser.
Here are five movies worth talking about right now—and what moviegoers and critics are saying.
🕷️ 1. Spider-Man: Brand New Day — Still The King
If you’re wondering what movie is dominating September, look no further.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained No. 1 for the sixth consecutive weekend, taking in about $18.2 million over the September 4–6 weekend and pushing its domestic total to roughly $917.9 million. (The Numbers)
And the reviews? Pretty darn good.
Rotten Tomatoes currently has the movie at 90% from critics and 97% from verified audiences. Fans are especially praising Tom Holland’s performance, the action, and the more emotional side of Peter Parker. (Rotten Tomatoes)
🎥 Fan temperature:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
If you haven’t seen it yet, September may be your last chance to catch Spidey on the big screen before the theater crowds start moving on.
⚔️ 2. The Odyssey — The Big-Screen Experience
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey isn’t just hanging around. It’s still pulling serious money.
It brought in another $13.1 million over Labor Day weekend, bringing its domestic total to approximately $584.9 million. (The Numbers)
And audiences aren’t treating this like just another movie.
Rotten Tomatoes has the epic at 94% with critics and 96% with verified audiences. Viewers are repeatedly praising the huge visuals, performances, atmosphere, music, and especially the IMAX experience. (Rotten Tomatoes)
🎥 Fan temperature:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This is the one where you want the biggest screen you can find.
Watching The Odyssey on your phone later?
Nah.
That’s like watching the Super Bowl on a smartwatch.
🐺 3. Coyote vs. Acme — The Movie Nobody Expected To Be This Good
Here’s the September surprise.
Coyote vs. Acme opened in late August, but it’s still one of the biggest performers in theaters this September. It finished the September 4–6 weekend at No. 3 with nearly $12 million, bringing its domestic total to about $34.5 million. (The Numbers)
And here’s the crazy part:
The movie was famously shelved before eventually finding its way into theaters.
Now audiences are loving it.
Rotten Tomatoes currently has it at 96% from critics and 95% from verified audiences. (Rotten Tomatoes)
Critics are praising the combination of Looney Tunes nostalgia, clever comedy and surprisingly heartfelt moments. One recent review even called it one of the most fun movies in theaters right now. (The Daily Beast)
🎥 Fan temperature:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
This is the “don’t judge a movie by its marketing—or its history” pick of the month.
🔫 4. By Any Means — Action With Something To Say
Looking for something darker?
By Any Means opened September 4 and immediately landed in the No. 4 spot, earning about $7.5 million over its opening weekend. (The Numbers)
The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg in a story inspired by the Civil Rights era.
The response is…interesting.
Critics have been much tougher on it than audiences. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows 49% from critics but 89% from verified audiences. (Rotten Tomatoes)
The common thread?
Audiences seem to be enjoying the action, performances and suspense, while critics have questioned the movie’s handling of its serious historical themes.
🎥 Fan temperature:
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Translation:
You might not agree with the critics.
If you’re looking for an intense action movie with a historical backdrop, this one could be your September pick.
🦄 5. Buddy — The Weird Little Horror Movie Winning Fans
And now for something completely different.
Buddy is the movie you probably didn’t expect to be making noise.
The low-budget horror-comedy earned about $5.8 million over Labor Day weekend, actually increasing its weekend performance and reaching roughly $14.3 million domestically. (The Numbers)
That’s impressive considering this isn’t some giant superhero franchise.
It’s a creepy children’s-TV-show nightmare featuring a bright orange unicorn.
Yep.
An evil unicorn.
And apparently people are into it.
Rotten Tomatoes has Buddy at 87% with critics and 76% with verified audiences. Critics are praising its weirdness, dark humor and willingness to go completely off the rails. (Rotten Tomatoes)
🎥 Fan temperature:
🔥🔥🔥🔥
If you like horror that’s strange, funny and just a little disturbing…
Buddy might be your movie.
🍿 So…What’s Worth Seeing?
Here’s the quick version for people who don’t want to read a 10-minute movie review:
| Movie | Best For | Fan Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 🕷️ Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Superhero fans | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| ⚔️ The Odyssey | Epic movie lovers | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| 🐺 Coyote vs. Acme | Families & comedy fans | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| 🔫 By Any Means | Action fans | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
| 🦄 Buddy | Horror fans | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
🎬 The September Movie Takeaway
Here’s what’s interesting about September 2026:
The box office isn’t being carried by just one type of movie.
You’ve got superheroes.
You’ve got mythology.
You’ve got family comedy.
You’ve got historical action.
And you’ve got an evil unicorn.
That’s a pretty good movie menu.
And with Spider-Man: Brand New Day still dominating the box office, The Odyssey holding strong, and surprise hits like Coyote vs. Acme and Buddy finding enthusiastic audiences, September is proving that movie fans aren’t ready to leave the theater just yet. (The Numbers)
So grab some popcorn, pick your movie, and get in the theater.
Because right now…
