Chloe's new power in Clash of the Thundermans has major repercussions across the Thundermans franchise due to its danger and the consequences it introduces within the family. The latest Thundermans movie, which premiered on September 3 on Paramount+, revolves around Chloe (Maya Le Clark) after she developed another set of unpredictable abilities in addition to her teleportation powers. 

As a result of developing newfound powers following the Replicator's attack during the Hall of Heroes ceremony, the Hero League mandated that she be sent away to a superhero boarding school to learn to control them. However, the family is split over the decision. 

What Chloe's New Power Is In 'Clash of the Thundermans', Explained

Disney+'s new release slate for September 2026 is packed, including a few new drops from the worlds of Star Wars and the MCU. Disney's in-house streaming service has the benefit of being home to content from all of the House of Mouse's expansive IP, including Pixar, Disney Animation, Hulu, and more. After a year that's already included big new releases like Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 and Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord on Disney+, September is home to even more new titles from the pop culture universes audiences love.

The official social accounts for Disney+ have released a highlights trailer for September 2026 releases on the streaming service, and several major projects will soon be available for audiences to watch from the comforts of their homes.

Major September 2026 Releases on Disney+

Everyone loves a good serial killer-focused horror-thriller movie, so it's great that Netflix has a new one for audiences to sink their teeth into: The Whisper Man. The movie, based on Alex Noth's 2019 book of the same name, follows Adam Scott's Tom Kennedy and his son Jake (Acston Luca Porto), who move to a different town in order to attempt a fresh start after the passing of Tom's wife.

Unfortunately for them, tragedy finds them once again when Jake is kidnapped by the notorious Whisper Man serial killer (played by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Owen Teague), someone authorities thought they had locked behind bars in the form of Michael Keaton's Frank Carter. As it turns out, Carter's son is looking to make a name for himself and impress his father by reigniting his legacy.

By the end of the movie, in a final confrontation between Owen Teague's Francis Jr., Tom's father, played by Robert DeNiro, is killed by the serial killer. Thankfully, Tom and Jake make it out alive thanks to Francis falling through the floorboards of their beat-up attic—leading to his subsequent arrest.

Practical Magic 2's September 10 release date is rapidly approaching, and with it comes an expansive line of movie theater collectibles up for grabs. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name, 1998's Practical Magic fantasy film co-starred Oscar-winning actresses Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sister witches dealing with a family curse and some tricky (and magical) implications of love. Given the popular resurgence of cult classic sequels, it should come as no surprise that this franchise is re-entering the mainstream.

This resurgence has also brought back something many of these films missed out on in their heyday: movie-theater collectibles. Popcorn buckets, specialty cups, and more are sought out more than ever for nearly every major release (see the latest line for fellow magic-filled series Harry Potter and its current re-release), and Practical Magic 2 is no exception to this.

Cinemark Raises a Glass To Practical Magic 2 With New Popcorn Bucket

Thanks to films such as The Guest and You're Next, director Adam Wingard has won over fans with his uniquely intense horror thrillers. The quality of the movies isn't the only thing that has caught audiences' attention; there's also fun connective tissue among them.

The key connecting plot point in Adam Wingard's films is the evil corporation of KPG. In 2011's You're Next, the father of the main family had retired from working at KPG. In Wingard's segment in 2013's V/H/S/2, KPG is linked to cybernetic eye experiments. Then, in 2014's The Guest, a movie many are still waiting for a sequel to, Dan Stevens' David Collins is an uncontrollable super-soldier who is the product of illegal medical experiments conducted by KPG.

That KPG connection continues in A24's Onslaught, a film that follows Adria Arjona's Celeste, a vet trying to settle down alone in the desert. However, it's not long before she finds herself fighting for both her and her daughter's survival against three super soldiers who break loose after a botched experiment at a KPG facility.

Disney confirmed that its second-ever Pixar franchise will get its own trilogy, which will launch in the next few years. Despite Disney and Pixar seeing some success with original films over the last few decades, the studios have pivoted to expanding many of their hit stories with theatrical sequels.

Walt Disney Animation Studios' upcoming slate is littered with new entries in the Zootopia, Frozen, and Moana franchises, with a few originals sprinkled in. Pixar's releases are a bit more balanced with the stunning Gatto being among them, but even it is not immune to sequelitis.

Disney has seen to it that other animation studios under its umbrella are working on sequels, with 20th Century Animation recently unveiling its first look at the next Ice Age.

Buddy has turned this kids' TV into a killing spree, and now it's time to figure out who's actually left standing once the credits roll. Directed by Casper Kelly, the horror-comedy reimagines a Barney & Friends-style children's show with a much darker host: Buddy the Unicorn (Keegan-Michael Key). It's full-steam ahead for Buddy, which just opened in theaters, and hit $5.36 million across 1,258 screens, showing (again) the insatiable appetite for horror in 2026. This will be a breakdown of which characters died or did not die during the events of this movie, and how it happened.

Saying "no" to Buddy is a bad idea, and once this new 1990s-inspired flick gets going, there's no way to stop the bleeding. That said, this certainly isn't the scariest movie of the year by any means, but it finds a unique line between laughs and cringes.

Kelly has been clear about blending genres on purpose, telling The Direct that Buddy is "a mix of comedy, horror, a little bit of just straight up drama, and an emotional through line." 

Netflix's The Whisper Man introduced a last-minute twist involving Michael Keaton's Frank Carter and his son, Owen Teague's Frank Carter. The latest serial killer thriller, produced by Avengers: Doomsday directors the Russo Brothers, was released on Netflix on August 28 and follows the story of a young boy named Jake Kennedy who was abducted by the titular serial killer, prompting his father, Tom (Adam Scott), to enlist his estranged father and former detective, Pete (Robert De Niro), to find the missing kid.

They worked together with Detective Amanda Beck (Michelle Monaghan) to connect the dots, leading them to confront the original killer, Frank Carter, who is serving a life sentence for his past crimes.

Why The Whisper Man Wanted To Kill His Son In Netflix Movie

Frozen 3 is officially on the way, and Disney finally announced when fans can expect it to be released, but it will end a 90-year trend regarding Disney's animated movies. Disney recently confirmed that Frozen 3 is slated to be released on Thanksgiving week (November 24) in 2027, while also revealing some details about what the third installment of the franchise will entail. Notably, Frozen 3's release date will make history as it will cause Disney to do something it has never done before.

With Frozen 3's November 24, 2027 release date, the upcoming movie is set to follow Ice Age: Boiling Point (February 5, 2027) and The New Simpsons Movie (September 3, 2027) on Disney's animated feature slate. With all three of these films being released back-to-back-to-back under the Disney umbrella, it will be the first time in Disney's 90-year history that three animated films will be released theatrically in the same year, where they are all sequels to previous movies.

Disney just locked in its full 2027 movie lineup, and it's set up to be another huge year in theaters. The studio has spent the 2020s leaning hard on both original stories and the franchises it's acquired over the years. Across all studios, 2026 has been strong at the theaters, hitting checkpoints not met since 2019. 2027 looks like more of the same for theaters, led by Disney's new slate. Before looking ahead, there's still a lot left in 2026 for Disney, which still has holiday-season heavyweights like Hexed and Avengers: Doomsday on the way.

D23 2026 recently took over the Anaheim Convention Center, with the Disney Entertainment Showcase serving as the event's centerpiece panel on Friday night, running for close to three hours. The showcase is designed to give fans a look at what's coming across theatrical and streaming, all in one sitting. 

Though if you're not in physical attendance, this event wasn't live-streamed, unlike the Experiences Showcase, so live online reactions were at a premium from those lucky enough to be inside.

Look out, Barney... Buddy is here, and he doesn't want to play or make friends. The new horror-comedy from writer and director Casper Kelly gallops into theaters this weekend after already spooking some audiences at AMC's Screen Unseen showtimes. It's packed with twists, turns, and plenty of unicorn-violence, including a Wizard of Oz-inspired adventure. Buddy is being distributed this weekend by Roadside Attractions and could open to as much as $7 million domestically. In a major year for comedy, find out exactly why Buddy stands out as a dark twist on 90s kids TV.

Buddy the Unicorn (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) is the star of the show, and Strappy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) is the sure-to-be-fan-favorite talking backpack. 

Freddy (Delaney Quinn) is the main child at the center of the story, and Grace (Cristin Milioti) is a crucial piece to the story, mysteriously drawn to It's Buddy! (more on her in the full-spoilers section), with Topher Grace playing Grace's husband.

Many people have a deep connection to Barney, the purple friendly dinosaur, whose kids' show accompanied a whole generation of kids as they grew up. Now, imagine Barney & Friends as a casual horror movie. Instead of a purple dinosaur, the star of the show was a homicidal orange unicorn named Buddy, who isn't afraid to murder insubordinate, kidnapped kids; that's Buddy.

Hitting theaters on August 28, Buddy features The Penguin's Cristin Milioti as Grace, a mother who begins to realize that something is off about her reality and that she might have forgotten about her third child. Milioti has starred in one other horror movie in her career, 2014's The Occupants, a terrifying film in which her character tries to survive vengeful ghosts.

Buddy also stars Topher Grace (Grace's husband), Patton Oswald (a talking, friendly backpack), Keegan-Michael Key (Buddy), and more. The Direct sat down with Cristin Milioti, who opened up about her big return to the horror genre and how unique the experience was to be thrown into a horror version of Barney & Friends.

Zendaya may be eyeing up a role in another major franchise, this time in Disney's Princess Diaries 3. It's been over 20 years since Disney released a Princess Diaries film, but the studio is actively working on a third movie. Anne Hathaway is confirmed to return in her role as Mia Thermopolis, a teenager who unexpectedly becomes the heir to the fictional European country of Genovia.

Princess Diaries 3 is still in the development stage, with Hathaway producing and starring, and Adele Lim directing. The movie received a brief update at Disney's D23 presentation in August, and now a new casting rumor suggests things are moving quickly on the legacy sequel. Entertainment scooper Daniel Richtman shared with his X subscribers that Disney is eyeing Zendaya for a role in Princess Diaries 3.

This would be just one of several franchises Zendaya has been part of, including, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the upcoming Dune Part Three. She is also set for a voice role in the upcoming Shrek 5 and is reportedly being eyed for a role in the Bourne franchise as well. She and Hathaway also recently shared the screen in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.

Twenty years after its original release, Pan's Labyrinth remains one of Guillermo del Toro's most celebrated films. The filmmaker has continued exploring monsters, outsiders, and gothic storytelling throughout his career, most recently with his acclaimed adaptation of Frankenstein on Netflix.

Released in 2006, the dark fantasy is set in post-Civil War Spain in 1944 and follows Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), a young girl who escapes the brutality of her world through a mysterious fantasy realm. There, she encounters a Faun (Doug Jones) who tells her she is a long-lost princess and tasks her with completing three dangerous trials. The film went on to earn six Academy Award nominations and win three, including Best Cinematography for Guillermo Navarro, whose work helped create some of Pan's Labyrinth's most recognizable imagery.

Pan's Labyrinth is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a theatrical re-release on October 9, 2026. The film will return in 4K and premium 3D, giving longtime fans and a new generation the opportunity to experience del Toro's fantasy on the big screen.

Buddy, the nightmarish horror-comedy from writer/director Casper Kelly, was shown to a limited audience at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026 ahead of its theatrical release. Co-written by Kelly and Jamie King, the film is set in 1999 and follows a group of kids trapped inside a sinister children's show called It's Buddy!, hosted by an insane, orange unicorn voiced by Keegan-Michael Key. In many ways, it's a creative twist on what if Barney & Friends had trapped its kid stars and the famous purple dinosaur was incredibly bad at taking no for an answer. 

When the first true sinister act in Buddy occurs, the rest of the kids rebel against Buddy and are sent on a dangerous quest, while in the real world, a traumatized suburban mother named Grace (Cristin Milioti) finds her way into the movie's (and the in-universe TV show's) plot. The film also features performances from Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt, and is scheduled to hit theaters on August 28. 

After catching a screening, The Direct spoke with three of the film's key voices: lead puppeteer Devon Hawkes Ludlow, Kelly himself, and Delaney Quinn, the young actress who plays Freddy, one of the kids trapped inside Buddy's twisted television world.

Christopher Nolan's latest blockbuster, The Odyssey, has just stolen the record from one of the MCU's biggest releases. Nolan's new mythological epic has been on a tear at the box office with its modern adaptation of Homer's classic Greek poem. That huge theatrical performance has now led it to steal the box-office crown from one of the MCU's strongest performers.

The Odyssey has now reportedly surpassed $1.33 billion in worldwide box office revenue, officially making it the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. This record was previously held by Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine, which ended its theatrical run with $1.33 billion. Given that demand for The Odyssey isn't dwindling any time soon, with IMAX 70mm showings selling out in many major cinemas through September, it's clear Nolan's film will far surpass this record by the time its theatrical run is over. 

Disney is still adamant about creating live-action remakes of its most successful animated films (with the latest being Snow White and Moana). Fans were given a fresh look at the next Disney princess in live action at D23 for a film set for release on March 31, 2028. Disney made a ton of new announcements at D23 (an event that Disney calls "The Ultimate Fan Event") 2026 regarding its upcoming feature films, both in the animated realm and in live-action. 

At D23 2026, Disney unveiled an official look at Teagan Croft's Rapunzel, who will be one of the main characters of the company's 2028 film titled Tangled. Tangled will be a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film, a Disney entry many fans regard as one of the best princess films, especially in the modern era.

Superhero themes have long been associated with soaring brass, triumphant melodies, and music designed to make larger-than-life heroes feel even bigger. But several composers behind the next wave of DC and Marvel projects are taking a different approach.

During a composer roundtable at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, in which The Direct was present, Supergirl composer Claudia Sarne, VisionQuest composer Mick Giacchino, and Spider-Noir composers Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons discussed finding the musical identities of their respective heroes. Rather than beginning with the superhero, each composer found themselves looking toward the complicated and often broken person underneath the costume.

VisionQuest's Score Reflects Vision's 'Identity Crisis'

The Wizarding World is about to be full of new faces, but the original Harry Potter cast isn't letting the kids have all the fun. As a brand, HBO is known for mature drama series like The Wire and Game of Thrones. The network doesn't attract many stories aimed at young adults and children. That's why the streaming service HBO Max exists, as a platform that caters to all kinds of audience members.

HBO Max's next big undertaking is the Harry Potter TV series that will lock down its cast for the better part of a decade. The biggest challenge the production is facing is distancing itself from the original movies, which took the world by storm in the 2000s and early 2010s. However, instead of pretending they don't exist, the powers that be seem to be heading right into the storm, as evidenced by a hilarious moment in the latest episode of Lanterns.

The new animation style for the upcoming Bluey movie has caused controversy among fans. Bluey began as a children's television series from the ABC (Australia) and BBC Studios, and its popularity quickly made it the top-ranking kids' TV show on Disney+. The story follows the Blue Heeler puppy, Bluey, and her family on their everyday adventures and has captured audiences of adults and children alike. 

In 2024, BBC Studios, in collaboration with Disney, confirmed a Bluey movie was in the works, and in 2027, the fruits of that labor will finally be seen on screen. The Bluey Movie had its first teaser trailer screened at Disney's D23 Expo in August, featuring a short sequence of Bluey and Bingo playing a game of "keepy uppy" as the pair batted the balloon into the air to keep it from touching the ground. 

This teaser also revealed The Bluey Movie's animation style, which makes a dramatic shift from the original series. Rather than the 2D animation style used across the three seasons of the TV show, The Bluey Movie opts for 3D animation instead.