Here Are All the Movies Releasing in Theaters This Week, Including ‘Ne Zha II’

It is a packed week at the movies with one-night events, fresh festival favorites, concert cinema, and a giant animated blockbuster all landing between Monday and Saturday. Below you will find what opens each day along with helpful details on plots, creative teams, and cast so you can plan exactly what to see and when.

Dates below cover August 18 through August 23, 2025. Each entry includes who made it, who stars in it, what it is about, and other useful facts like source material or franchise connections so you have everything in one place.

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)

Texas Chain Saw Day brings Tobe Hooper’s classic back to the big screen on August 18, 2025 for a one day event running 1 hour 23 minutes. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper and co written by Hooper and Kim Henkel, with cinematography by Daniel Pearl. It stars Marilyn Burns as Sally Hardesty, Paul A. Partain as Franklin, Edwin Neal as the Hitchhiker, Jim Siedow as the Cook, and Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface.

Set in rural Texas, the story follows five friends who cross paths with the Sawyer family and a chainsaw wielding killer during a summer road trip. This special presentation includes an exclusive preview of the first 12 minutes from ‘Chain Reactions’, a new documentary about the film’s lasting cultural impact.

‘YUNGBLUD. Are You Ready, Boy?’ (2025)

The feature length concert documentary opens in cinemas on August 20, 2025 and runs 1 hour 59 minutes. Directed by Paul Dugdale, it follows musician and songwriter Yungblud as he records and performs new songs at Hansa Studios in Berlin, with cameras rolling nonstop while he prepares his fourth album.

The film captures 12 new performances and behind the scenes moments with Yungblud and his touring family. It is presented in theaters worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing for limited engagements.

‘The Map That Leads to You’ (2025)

Opening August 20, 2025, this romantic drama runs 1 hour 36 minutes and adapts J. P. Monninger’s popular novel. Lasse Hallström directs from a screenplay by Les Bohem and Vera Herbert. The cast features Madelyn Cline as Heather, KJ Apa as Jack, Madison Thompson, Sofia Wylie, Orlando Norman, and Josh Lucas.

The story follows Heather on a carefully planned European trip that changes course after she meets Jack. Their connection grows while secrets and life choices test their bond across a journey that reshapes her future.

‘Hell House LLC: Lineage’ (2025)

Arriving in theaters August 20, 2025, this new chapter in the found footage born franchise is written and directed by Stephen Cognetti. The film stars Elizabeth Vermilyea as Vanessa Shepherd with Searra Sawka, Mike Sutton, and Joe Bandelli. Iconic Events Releasing is handling the limited theatrical rollout.

Set in and around the town of Abaddon, Vanessa faces visions and nightmares that connect her to the Abaddon Hotel and earlier tragedies tied to the ‘Hell House LLC’ timeline. The story pulls in threads from ‘Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor’ and earlier entries to close out the long running saga.

‘Primitive War’ (2025)

Luke Sparke directs this action horror set during the Vietnam War, opening August 21, 2025 with a 2 hour 15 minute runtime. Sparke co wrote the script with author Ethan Pettus from Pettus’s novel. The cast includes Tricia Helfer, Jeremy Piven, Ryan Kwanten, and Nick Wechsler.

The plot follows a recon unit known as Vulture Squad on a rescue mission in 1968 that leads into a hidden valley where de extinct dinosaurs roam. The film was produced by Sparke Films and was shot in Queensland with a focus on practical creature effects and combat action.

‘Ne Zha 2’ (2025)

The record breaking Chinese animated sequel reaches North American theaters on August 22, 2025 with a 2 hour 23 minute runtime. Written and directed by Jiaozi, the voice cast features Lü Yanting and Han Mo in the Mandarin version, while the new English language dub adds Michelle Yeoh as Lady Yin. CMC Pictures is releasing the film wide in the United States.

Set after the events of ‘Ne Zha’, the story continues the mythic journey of Ne Zha and his bond with Ao Bing as they confront a rising threat from Master Shen. The film was produced by the team behind the 2019 hit and blends large scale fantasy action with folklore and family themes.

‘Diva’ (1981)

The acclaimed thriller returns to theaters in a new re release engagement on August 22, 2025 and runs 1 hour 57 minutes. Directed by Jean Jacques Beineix and adapted from Daniel Odier’s novel, the film’s screenplay is by Beineix and Jean Van Hamme. Frédéric Andréi stars as Jules and Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez appears as opera star Cynthia Hawkins, with Richard Bohringer and Thuy An Luu supporting.

The plot follows a Parisian mail courier who secretly records a performance by an American soprano who has never allowed recordings. His bootleg tape becomes entangled with a separate cassette that exposes a criminal conspiracy, pulling him into a chase through Paris landmarks.

‘Lurker’ (2025)

This psychological thriller opens August 22, 2025 with a 1 hour 40 minute runtime. Written and directed by Alex Russell, it stars Théodore Pellerin as Matthew, Archie Madekwe as Oliver, Sunny Suljic as Jamie, and Cam Hicks. MUBI is releasing the film in theaters.

The story centers on a Los Angeles retail worker who insinuates himself into the orbit of a rising pop star. As he tries to hold his place in a hard edged entourage, the relationship twists into a dangerous game that examines parasocial obsession and the pressures of fame.

‘Splitsville’ (2025)

Opening August 22, 2025 with a 1 hour 40 minute runtime, this comedy is directed by Michael Angelo Covino and co written by Covino and Kyle Marvin. The ensemble features Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Nicholas Braun, David Castañeda, and O T Fagbenle. Neon is handling distribution.

The plot follows two couples whose long friendship unravels after a divorce announcement leads to a boundary crossing fling. What begins as advice about open relationships turns into a weekend of mounting chaos that tests every bond in the group.

‘Hollywood Grit’ (2025)

The crime action drama opens August 22, 2025 and runs 1 hour 42 minutes. Ryan Curtis directs and co writes with Kristina Denton. The cast includes Max Martini, Tyrese Gibson, Linda Purl, Patrick Duffy, Caylee Cowan, and Benito Martinez.

Set in Los Angeles, a down on his luck private investigator searches for his missing daughter after she disappears from a Hollywood jazz club. The case drags him through mob ties and industry undercurrents as he uncovers a conspiracy tied to the nightlife scene.

‘Honey Don’t!’ (2025)

Focus Features releases this dark comedy in theaters on August 22, 2025 with a 1 hour 28 minute runtime. Ethan Coen directs from a screenplay he co wrote with Tricia Cooke. The cast features Margaret Qualley as private investigator Honey O’Donahue with Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans in key roles.

Set in Bakersfield, the story follows Honey as she probes a string of suspicious deaths with links to a secretive church. The investigation pits her against a charismatic leader and a knot of small town power while a supporting cast of allies and adversaries complicates the case.

‘Eden’ (2025)

Ron Howard’s survival thriller reaches U.S. theaters on August 22, 2025 with a 2 hour 9 minute runtime. The film is written by Noah Pink from a story by Pink and Howard and is released domestically by Vertical. The ensemble includes Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney, Felix Kammerer, Toby Wallace, and Richard Roxburgh.

Based on true events in the Galápagos, the plot chronicles European settlers who attempted to build a new life on Floreana Island in the early twentieth century. As isolation deepens, rivalries, shifting alliances, and mysterious disappearances lead to a fight for survival.

‘The Balconettes’ (2024)

Noémie Merlant’s genre bending feature arrives in U.S. theaters in a limited run on August 22, 2025 and runs 1 hour 44 minutes. Merlant directs and co writes with Céline Sciamma and also stars alongside Souheila Yacoub, Sanda Codreanu, and Lucas Bravo.

Set during an intense heat wave in Marseille, three roommates watch their neighborhood from a high rise balcony until a late night visit to a neighbor spirals into violence. The aftermath forces the women to confront predators in their orbit as they navigate friendship and freedom.

‘Dongji Rescue’ (2025)

Opening August 22, 2025 with a 2 hour 13 minute runtime, this historical war drama is co directed by Guan Hu and Fei Zhenxiang. The film stars Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei, Ni Ni, and Yang Haoyu and is released in North America by Well Go USA Entertainment.

Inspired by the 1942 Lisbon Maru incident, the film dramatizes how Chinese fishermen risked their lives to rescue British prisoners of war after a Japanese transport ship went down near the Zhoushan archipelago. The narrative follows islanders who hide survivors and defy an occupying force to carry out a mass rescue.

‘Lilly Lives Alone’ (2025)

The new horror feature opens August 22, 2025 with a 1 hour 40 minute runtime. Written and directed by Martin Melnick, it stars Shannon Beeby as Lilly with Jeffrey Combs and Erin Way. Dark Sky Films is handling the release.

A decade after the death of her daughter, Lilly isolates herself in a small town home as guilt and addiction erode her grip on reality. Guided by visions that may be supernatural or psychological, she faces the ghosts of her past over a single night that pushes her toward a reckoning.

‘Ponyo’ (2008)

Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 brings ‘Ponyo’ back to theaters beginning August 23, 2025 with select showtimes through the week. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Toshio Suzuki, the film features music by Joe Hisaishi. The English language voice cast includes Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Tina Fey, and Matt Damon, while the original Japanese version stars Tomoko Yamaguchi and Kazushige Nagashima among others.

The story follows a curious goldfish who befriends a five year old boy named Sosuke and longs to live as a human. As her wish upsets the balance of nature, the pair embark on an adventure that weaves family, friendship, and the sea into a hand drawn fantasy.

What are you planning to see this week? Share your picks in the comments.