Murder, mystery, and mayhem—what to watch this August and September

Stars, sequels, murders, and mysteries are lingering in the shadows this season. Get ready to dive into the latest and most exciting releases across streaming and theatres. From the gritty spy world of Slow Horses to the nostalgic fun of Freaky Friday and the action-packed adventures of War 2, there’s something for every mood. Whether you’re into mysterious murder clubs or Marvel’s Wakandan warriors, these new shows and films promise to keep you hooked.

Slow Horses

September 24, Apple TV+

The band of dysfunctional agents and their odious boss will return for the fifth season to defend England against festering problems in the country. Part office drama, part gritty spy adventure, the show made people sit up and take notice for its ability to weave the unglamorous reality of being a spy, with its high-stakes action.

Freakier Friday

August 8, In theatres

The sequel to the iconic 2003 film, Freaky Friday, where a mother (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her teenage daughter (Lindsay Lohan) accidentally switch bodies, will see the two actors reprise their roles. Chad Michael Murray will also return, with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan appearing in addition to the main cast.

Eyes of Wakanda

August 6, JioHotstar

The Marvel Cinematic Universe series is about Wakandan warriors who are travelling the world to find dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is the first time we will return to the world within the franchise since Ryan Coogler’s 2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Wednesday

August 6 and September 3, Netflix

Tim Burton’s mega-successful show is back after three years, with a two-part release. It will follow the story of Wednesday Addams—originally created by Charles Addams, and played in the series by actor Jenna Ortega—a girl with morbid tendencies who is caught in the cobweb of dangerous mysteries plaguing her family and school. Lady Gaga has confirmed that she will be making a cameo in the second season. The sped-up version of her song, Bloody Mary, had gone viral on TikTok after Wednesday danced to it in episode four for the first season.

War 2

August 15, In theatres

In the sequel to Siddharth Anand’s 2019 hit film, Hrithik Roshan reprises the role of coveted agent, Kabir. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, it will also feature Kiara Advani and NTR Jr., and is an addition to the slate of spyverse films by Yash Raj Films. One can hope that Roshan and NTR are able to conjure the same chemistry that Tiger Shroff and the former had in the first installment.

The Thursday Murder Club

August 22, In theatres

Based on Richard Osman’s bestselling cosy murder-mystery series, the story follows four retirees as they solve cold-case murders. The books are somewhat of a pioneer in the genre, and carry gentle and sardonic British humour. The film has a stellar star cast, with Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, and Ben Kingsley as part of the ensemble.

Lead image: IMDb

This article first appeared in Cosmopolitan India's July-August 2025 print edition. 

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