September is here, which means Halloween is just two months away, and we are all getting anxious to watch the wave of horror content we are bound to get. So it’s no wonder that Netflix is already releasing two new original blood-soaked thrillers this month as an appetizer for the horror yet to come. Even so, September still has something for everybody, including Tom Hopper in a new rom-com, a trilogy of films made for the family's youngest members, and the highly-anticipated Marilyn Monroe biopic. To help you organize your calendar and navigate the ever-crowded streaming landscape, let’s take a look at the seven best new original movies coming to Netflix this September.
Love in the Villa
When it’s Available: September 1
Director: Mark Steven Johnson | Run Time: 114 minutes | Genre: Rom-Com
Cast: Tom Hopper, Kat Graham, Raymond Ablack, Sean Amsing, Emilio Solfrizzi
While some of us can’t wait for Halloween and the wave of horror movies that comes with it, Netflix is starting September with a gift for fans of romance. Starring The Umbrella Academy’s Tom Hopper and The Vampire Diaries’ Kat Graham, Love in the Villa follows a woman (Graham) who gets dumped by her boyfriend after planning a Shakespeare-themed holiday in Italy she now has to enjoy alone. The first thing that she thinks is that she can at least have some quiet time to process the breakup. That is, she would, if she didn’t have to share her villa with a total stranger (Hopper) who double-booked the same luxurious location for his vacation. While Love in the Villa doesn’t put any new spin on the old room-com formula, there’s a lot to enjoy here. The setting is gorgeous, the leads are charming, and with Shakespearean vibes everywhere, it’s hard not to fall in love with this September original Netflix release.
Ivy + Bean Trilogy
When it’s Available: September 2
Director: Elissa Down | Run Time: 56 minutes, 61 minutes, and 53 minutes | Genre: Family Comedy
Cast: Keslee Blalock, Madison Skye Validum, Jane Lynch, Sasha Pieterse, Nia Vardalos
Inspired by a series of best-selling children’s books by author Annie Barrows, Netflix is releasing three Ivy + Bean features in September. Like the original books, the movies follow the titular Ivy (Keslee Blalock) and Bean (Madison Skye Validum) as they get over their prejudices and forge an unbreakable bond, supporting each other in all their adventures. The first movie, simply named Ivy + Bean, will show how the two friends get to know each other, learning that first impression might be wrong sometimes. The second film, Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go, gets in the spooky season spirit by leading the girls to fight against a haunted toilet. Finally, the duo will need to shake their bodies in Ivy & Bean: Doomed To Dance, in which the girls are forced by their parents to commit to their choice of attending a dance class. That’s a lot of content for the youngest family members.
End of the Road
When it’s Available: September 9
Director: Millicent Shelton | Run Time: 89 minutes | Genre: Thriller
Cast: Queen Latifah, Ludacris, Beau Bridges, Mychala Faith Lee, Shaun Dixon
End of the Road stars Queen Latifah in a movie about two of the biggest American traditions: road tripping and serial killers. In End of the Road, Latifah is a widow who decides to put her children and brother in a car and drive her family through the United States towards a better future. Unfortunately, they’ll be stalked by a killer threatening to take down the entire family once they become the unfortunate witness to a murder. So, with no one else to look after them, the family must band together to fight off their pursuer, hoping to get safely to their destination. The first trailer promises a thriller packed with car chases and nerve-wracking moments, which means End of the Road is a great warm-up while we wait for the big Halloween race.
Do Revenge
When it’s Available: September 16
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson | Run Time: 118 minutes | Genre: Thriller
Cast: Maya Hawke, Camila Mendes, Sophie Turner, Austin Abrams, Ava Capri
Another exciting thriller hitting Netflix this September is Do Revenge, starring Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke as two unlikely friends who band together to crush their enemies. In the movie, Mendes plays the role of Drea, who gets publicly humiliated after her ex-boyfriend (Austin Abrams) shares their sex tape online. As for Hawke’s Eleanor, she’s seeking revenge on Carissa (Ava Capri), who spread a fake rumor about her being a predator who tries to kiss other girls by force. United by their hatred, Drea and Eleanor will work together to destroy the people who harmed them. Their plan, however, might escalate and turn them into murderers. That’s another pre-Halloween treat just for you!
A Jazzman’s Blues
When it’s Available: September 23
Director: Tyler Perry | Run Time: 127 minutes | Genre: Drama
Cast: Joshua Boone, Solea Pfeiffer, Brent Antonello, Brad Benedict, Ryan Eggold
What’s more exciting than forbidden love? A Jazzman’s Blues follows a young couple (Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer) who falls in love with each other while brutal social forces try to keep them apart. With a story spawning through 40 years, the movie will show how the two lovers are split up by family but never stop caring for each other, no matter how far away life takes them. Besides being an obvious tearjerker story, A Jazzman’s Blues also promises to explore the obstacle Black men have to overcome to be recognized as citizens, especially in the middle 20th century in America. The movie will also show how art can be a powerful tool to express emotions, as A Jazzman’s Blues is infused with amazing music.
Lou
When it’s Available: September 23
Director: Anna Foerster | Run Time: 107 minutes | Genre: Thriller
Cast: Jurnee Smollett, Allison Janney, Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman, Matt Craven
The third thriller of the month, Lou is another tale of women banding together while facing danger. The movie stars Jurnee Smollett as a mother who sees her child getting kidnapped and decides to go after the man who took her daughter. To ensure the kidnapper gets what he deserves, the mother will ask for help from her neighbor (Allison Janney), a reclusive woman. However, the woman is too well-equipped to chase the kidnapper, which raises some questions about her past, adding a nice layer of mystery on top to the action-thriller. With a talented cast and well-choreographed action set pieces, Lou is one of the biggest promises from Netflix on September 2022.
Blonde
When it’s Available: September 28
Director: Andrew Dominik | Run Time: 166 minutes | Genre: Biopic
Cast: Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Caspar Phillipson
To wrap up the month, Netflix is bringing Ana de Armas as pop culture legend Marilyn Monroe. Inspired by the bestselling historical novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde explores Monroe's rise to stardom and how the pressure to remain a sex symbol has deeply affected her mental health. During the 40s and the 50s, Monroe developed a prolific career as an actress, singer, and model. However, behind her big smile and seductive gaze hid a person feeling pressure to act just like everyone expected her to, which ultimately led to her death by overdosing, ruled as a possible suicide. By exploring Monroe’s life, the biopic also intends to show how the movie industry constantly objectifies women and associates their value with their appearance. Blonde might be the biggest Netflix original film to be released on September 2022, and it should be on everybody’s list.