7 September 2025 Streaming Surprises That Change Your Watchlist Now

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By: Jessica Morrison

Fans are thrilled by 7 films arriving this September. The month pairs a tentpole like Lilo & Stitch (streaming Sept. 3) with indie hits from A24 and buzzy festival fare, so the choices matter now for your weekend queue. Variety and The New York Times roundups show studios shifting big theatrical names to streaming windows faster – that reshapes what counts as a “must watch.” If you only have time for two, which one will you pick first?

Why these 7 September streams will shake your watchlist

  • Disney drops Lilo & Stitch on Sept. 3; impact: mainstream family viewers return to Disney+.
  • A24 titles (Friendship, Warfare) hit HBO Max in early September; impact: indie buzz reaches mass audiences.
  • Netflix premieres aka Charlie Sheen on Sept. 10; impact: huge doc draws cultural conversation.

Top 7 streaming movies in September 2025 that fans will debate

1 – Lilo & Stitch (Sept. 3 Disney+): The Billion-Dollar Remake Everyone Will Rewatch

Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch – Hollywood’s only $1 billion grosser this year – lands on Disney+ for families to replay at home. If you loved the original, expect blockbuster-scale visuals and familiarly big emotions; if you skipped the remake in theaters, here’s your low-effort catch-up.

2 – Highest 2 Lowest (Sept. 5 Apple TV+): Spike Lee + Denzel, A Grown-Up Crime Reboot

Spike Lee’s city-set take on Kurosawa arrives on Apple TV+ after limited theaters, with Denzel Washington in a morally thorny lead – prestige cinema flipping to streaming quickly now. If you follow awards bait, this is the one to save for a focused night.

3 – Friendship (Sept. 5 HBO Max): A24’s Cult Comedy Goes Home Fast

A24’s black comedy Friendship (Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd) opens on HBO Max this month after a surprise indie run that earned $16 million domestically. It’s the kind of oddball hit that sparks water-cooler lines – if you liked offbeat dark humor, don’t skip it.

4 – Warfare (Sept. 12 HBO Max): Alex Garland’s Tense War Thriller Finds Streaming Eyes

Alex Garland’s real-time combat thriller joins HBO Max mid-September after festival and limited releases, giving streaming audiences a high-tension, director-driven action pick. Expect lean pacing and debate fodder if you watch for craft, not just explosions.

5 – aka Charlie Sheen (Sept. 10 Netflix): Two-Part Doc That Reframes A Tabloid Life

Netflix’s two-part documentary aka Charlie Sheen arrives Sept. 10, promising frank interviews and archival access that reshape the public story. If you follow celebrity reckonings, this one will push reaction threads for days.

6 – The Man in My Basement (Sept. 26 Hulu): Literary Thriller With a Festival Glow

Adapted from Walter Mosley and arriving after Toronto screenings, The Man in My Basement hits Hulu Sept. 26 with Willem Dafoe and Corey Hawkins. It’s the pulpy, adult thriller for viewers who want something talky and twisty this month.

7 – The Surfer (Sept. 25 Hulu): Cannes-Premiered Nicolas Cage Ride For Cult Fans

Nicolas Cage’s Cannes pick The Surfer streams late September and gives viewers a smaller-scale, performance-driven thriller that’s likely to chart on niche lists. If you finish the blockbuster first, save this for a late-night counterprogramming discovery.

The streaming numbers behind these September releases

Metric Value + Unit Change/Impact
List count 7 titles Curated September streaming roundup
Lilo & Stitch box office $1 billion Largest 2025 theatrical-to-stream handoff
Friendship domestic $16 million Strong indie-to-streaming performance

These figures show how theatrical success and indie buzz drive streaming choices this September.

What These Picks Mean For Your Watchlist In September 2025

Move quick: tentpoles like Lilo & Stitch will top family queues, while A24 and festival titles will fuel water-cooler debates. Which two will you prioritize this weekend – a billion-dollar remake or an A24 oddity?

Sources

  • https://variety.com/lists/best-movies-streaming-september-2025/
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/arts/television/movies-tv-shows-september-2025-streaming.html
  • https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-september-2025-new-releases-movies-tv-1236356581/

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