Here Are All the Movies Releasing in Theaters This Week, Including ‘The Legend of Hei 2’

There is a little bit of everything arriving as the calendar turns to the first weekend of September. Big studio horror closes a long-running saga, a landmark stage musical returns to the big screen, and festival favorites make their way from the circuit to neighborhood theaters. You will also find international animation, a handful of thoughtful documentaries, and multiple indies that put character first.

Below you will find the key details for each new or returning title. For every film we include who made it, who stars in it, what it is about, and when it hits theaters. Dates in this roundup reflect openings tied to the week of Friday, September 5, 2025, plus any titles expanding or re-releasing around the same window.

‘Riefenstahl’ (2024)

Opening in New York on September 5, 2025 before rolling out to additional cities, this documentary from writer director Andres Veiel examines the life and legacy of Leni Riefenstahl using newly accessed personal archives and extensive historical material. The film runs 115 minutes and features Ulrich Noethen as a voice performer alongside archival appearances by Riefenstahl, with Kino Lorber handling U.S. distribution. Screenings at Film at Lincoln Center include in-person Q&As with Veiel on opening weekend.

Veiel wrote and directed the film, with cinematography by Toby Cornish and editing by Stephan Krumbiegel and Alfredo Castro. The documentary addresses Riefenstahl’s propagandistic works such as ‘Triumph of the Will’ and ‘Olympia’ while interrogating the self-mythologizing she pursued for decades after the war.

‘The Threesome’ (2025)

Arriving September 5, 2025 in theaters, this romantic comedy is directed by Chad Hartigan and written by Ethan Ogilby. It stars Zoey Deutch as Olivia, Jonah Hauer-King as Connor, and Ruby Cruz as Jenny, three strangers whose one night together leads to two unexpected pregnancies and a very complicated path forward. Vertical Entertainment is releasing the 112-minute feature.

The ensemble also features Jaboukie Young-White along with Julia Sweeney, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, and others. The film premiered earlier in the year on the festival circuit and centers on the trio as they navigate changing relationships, new responsibilities, and family pressures.

‘Gyanvapi Files: A Tailor’s Murder Story’ (2025)

Opening September 5, 2025 in limited release, this Indian crime drama revisits the June 2022 murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal Sahu in Udaipur and the charged atmosphere that followed. The film is directed by Bharat S. Shrinate and Jayant Sinha and runs 125 minutes.

The story explores conspiracy allegations, radicalization online, and investigative failures around the case. Cast members include Nikunj Aggarwal, Uday Atrolia, Praveen Atulkar, and Sandeep Bose.

‘Light of the World’ (2025)

This 91-minute animated feature about the life of Jesus opens wide the week of September 5, 2025. The film is directed by Tom Bancroft and John J. Schafer, with a screenplay by David M. Armstrong, Drew Barton Armstrong, and Jason Heaton. Voice roles include Ian Hanlin as Jesus and Benjamin Jacobson as John.

Produced by the Salvation Poem Project with animation support from Lighthouse Studios and development help from Epipheo, the film tells the Gospel narrative through the eyes of John the Apostle. Additional voice performers include Vincent Tong, Michael Benyaer, and David Kaye.

‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ (2025)

Warner Bros. opens this 135-minute finale to the main ‘Conjuring’ saga on September 5, 2025. Directed by Michael Chaves from a screenplay by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, the film again stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as Lorraine and Ed Warren, with Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy joining the cast. Benjamin Wallfisch composed the score.

Set around the Warrens’ final case and drawing inspiration from the Smurl haunting, the story aims to close the couple’s long arc with an emotionally driven investigation. Producer James Wan has described the film as a farewell to this chapter of the franchise.

‘The American Southwest’ (2025)

Opening September 5, 2025 in select cities, this 107-minute documentary follows an expedition down the Colorado River and looks at wildlife, water use, and the environmental pressures facing the region. Ben Masters directs, and the film is narrated by Indigenous model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse. Fin & Fur Films is the production banner.

The film features sequences on condor recovery, beaver wetlands, and other ecosystem stories while advocating for improved river management. Festival and venue listings confirm Masters as director and place the film within an ongoing conservation effort that includes screenings and Q&As.

‘Tinā’ (2024)

Following a February 2025 New Zealand release, ‘Tinā’ expanded to U.S. theaters with Rialto Distribution on August 29, 2025 and continues into the week of September 5. Written and directed by Miki Magasiva, the 124-minute drama stars Anapela Polataivao as Mareta, a substitute teacher grieving the loss of her daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes, with Antonia Robinson, Beulah Koale, and Dalip Sondhi co-starring.

Set at an elite private school, the story follows Mareta as she takes charge of a group of students and channels her grief into mentorship, including forming a choir. The film is a New Zealand production from The Brown Factory and has been playing on the festival and arthouse circuit ahead of broader playdates.

‘Hamilton’ (2025)

Disney is re-releasing the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway phenomenon in theaters starting September 5, 2025. Directed by Thomas Kail and captured at the Richard Rodgers Theatre with the original cast, the 160-minute feature stars Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, and more.

The movie presents the stage production in full and was originally released on Disney+ in July 2020. This theatrical run celebrates the musical’s 10th anniversary and brings the filmed performance back to the big screen for one-week engagements and additional playdates.

‘Preparation for the Next Life’ (2025)

Opening September 5, 2025, this 115-minute drama marks the narrative feature debut of director Bing Liu and adapts Atticus Lish’s acclaimed novel. Martyna Majok wrote the screenplay. Sebiye Behtiyar plays Aishe, a Uyghur immigrant working in New York’s underground kitchens, and Fred Hechinger plays Skinner, an American soldier back from multiple tours who forms a fragile relationship with her.

The film is produced by Orion Pictures with Plan B Entertainment and Pastel and is distributed under the Amazon MGM banner. Key creatives include composer Emile Mosseri and cinematographer Ante Cheng.

‘The Baltimorons’ (2025)

This 99-minute romantic dramedy opens in limited release on September 5, 2025 with wider dates to follow. Jay Duplass directs from a script he co-wrote with star Michael Strassner. The story follows newly sober Cliff, who cracks a tooth on Christmas Eve and spends the night crisscrossing Baltimore with his emergency dentist Didi, played by Liz Larsen, with Olivia Luccardi also starring. IFC Films and Sapan Studio are distributing.

Shot with Duplass Brothers Productions, the film premiered at SXSW 2025 and leans into Baltimore locations and music to chart the unlikely connection that forms over the course of one long night.

‘The Legend of Hei 2’ (2025)

GKIDS brings the sequel to the acclaimed 2019 feature to North American theaters starting September 5, 2025. Directed by MTJJ and Gu Jie, the 120-minute film continues the adventures of Hei as an attack on the spirit world shatters the fragile peace between spirits and humans, sending Hei and fellow disciple Luye on a quest to uncover a conspiracy tied to their master Wuxian.

The Chinese voice cast includes Shan Xin as Hei, Liu Mingyue as Wuxian, and Zhu Jing as Luye. The film was released in China in July 2025 before being acquired for North America, and the U.S. release arrives through GKIDS following the acquisition announcement this summer.

‘Everything to Me’ (2025)

Opening September 5, 2025, this coming-of-age comedy from writer director Kayci Lacob is set in early-2000s Silicon Valley. Abigail Donaghy plays teen Claudia, while Victoria Pedretti portrays Claudia as an adult. The cast also includes Judy Greer, Rich Sommer, Utkarsh Ambudkar, and Lola Flanery.

The film follows Claudia as she chases big-tech dreams while learning that adulthood rarely matches teenage expectations. Concourse Media and other materials list the September 5 theatrical date for the feature’s domestic release.

‘Twinless’ (2025)

Roadside Attractions releases this 100-minute black comedy drama in limited theaters on September 5, 2025. Written and directed by James Sweeney, the film stars Dylan O’Brien and Sweeney as two men who meet in a grief support group and form a complicated bond in the wake of devastating loss. Lauren Graham also appears in a supporting role.

The production lists Greg Cotten as cinematographer and Jung Jae-il as composer, with Republic Pictures and partners among the producing entities. The film premiered at Sundance 2025, where it won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award.

‘Linda Linda Linda’ (2005)

GKIDS is presenting a new 4K restoration in theaters beginning this month, with engagements continuing through and after the week of September 5, 2025. Directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita, the 114-minute favorite stars Bae Doona as Son, a Korean exchange student who becomes the last-minute lead singer of a high school rock band covering songs by The Blue Hearts, alongside Aki Maeda as drummer Kyoko, Yu Kashii as guitarist Kei, and Shiori Sekine as bassist Nozomi.

The screenplay is by Kōsuke Mukai, Wakako Miyashita, and Yamashita, with music contributions from James Iha and tracks by The Blue Hearts and Base Ball Bear. The re-release follows its restoration premiere and adds new opportunities to see the film in cinemas.

‘Looking Through Water’ (2025)

Set to open September 12, 2025, this multigenerational drama is directed by Roberto Sneider and written by Zach Dean and Rowdy Herrington, adapted from Bob Rich’s novel ‘Looking Through Water’ and his memoir ‘Catching Big Fish’. The cast includes Michael Douglas, David Morse, Cameron Douglas, Walker Scobell, Tamara Tunie, and Michael Stahl-David.

The story follows a father and son trying to mend their relationship during a fishing tournament in Belize, with Douglas appearing as an older version of the protagonist reflecting on the past. Good Deed Entertainment is handling distribution, and theaters are listing the film ahead of its September 12 date.

Share which of these you’re planning to see first this weekend or next in the comments.