New Hollywood Movies Released in September 2026 – Box Office Winners & Losers
September 2026 delivered one of the most fascinating box office months in recent memory: a horror reboot critics adored, a Brad Pitt drama that pleased reviewers but not crowds, an animated critical darling that flopped spectacularly, and a Marvel re-release that outgrossed almost everything. Here is Showbiz Daily's complete, in-depth report on every major Hollywood movie released in September 2026 — full story details, cast, budgets, box office numbers and the final verdict.
1. Practical Magic 2 — September 10 — The disappointing No. 1
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Maisie Williams, Joey King
Studio: Warner Bros. | Budget: ~$75 million
Box office: ~$30M domestic opening ($46M worldwide) | ~$47.7M worldwide total so far
Story: The Owens sisters are back. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their beloved witch roles from the 1998 cult classic, joined by a new generation — Maisie Williams and Joey King — as the family faces a fresh supernatural threat that forces the aunts, sisters and daughters to combine their powers.
The full picture: Opening at No. 1 with ~$30 million sounds good until you see the $75 million budget. The film needed roughly $150M+ worldwide to break even theatrically, and it has crawled to just ~$47.7M. The problem wasn't quality — audiences who showed up were satisfied — it was scope: nostalgia for a 1998 cult film couldn't mobilise a $75M-budget audience in 2026. A third film now looks doubtful without a dramatic rebound. The lesson: legacy sequels need either modest budgets or genuine four-quadrant appeal — this had neither.
2. Resident Evil — September 18 — The critics' champion
Cast: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser
Director: Zach Cregger
Box office: ~96% on Rotten Tomatoes | Held No. 2 on Sep 25–27 (~$23M, down ~62%)
Story: A ground-up reboot of the zombie franchise. Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) takes the series back to its survival-horror roots — Raccoon City, the mansion, the outbreak — with a tone closer to genuine horror than the action-heavy Milla Jovovich era.
Why it worked: Around 96% on Rotten Tomatoes makes this one of 2026's best-reviewed horror films, with critics calling it one of the year's best horror surprises. Commercially it held well — a ~62% second-weekend drop is healthy for horror, and the No. 2 hold proved real audience enthusiasm. The franchise finally has a fresh start, and a sequel looks inevitable. The formula: respect the source material, hire a real horror director, keep the budget sane.
3. Heart of the Beast — September 25 — Loved by critics,
ignored by crowds
Cast: Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Anna Lambe
Director: David Ayer | Budget: ~$82 million
Box office: $20M domestic opening | $50.1M worldwide total
Story: Brad Pitt leads this intense drama — a raw, character-driven story that earned the film an A− CinemaScore (audiences who saw it, loved it) and 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The paradox: 87% RT plus an A− CinemaScore is the profile of a beloved hit — but $20M on an $82M budget is the profile of a bomb. The film simply couldn't find its audience in a crowded corridor. It's the classic 2026 dilemma: adult dramas need either awards-season oxygen or streaming-style discovery, and a late-September theatrical launch gave it neither. Expect this one to find its real audience on streaming.
4. Primetime — September 25 — The quiet winner
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers
Director: Lance Oppenheim (narrative feature debut) | Budget: ~$15 million
Box office: $19.2M opening
Story: Premiered at Venice. Robert Pattinson plays a Chris Hansen-style television figure in a drama that blurs the line between justice and entertainment — a sharp, uncomfortable look at true-crime TV culture, directed by documentarian Lance Oppenheim in his first narrative feature.
Why it's winning: $19.2M on a ~$15M budget means profitability is already in sight — the film will make money while $80M productions bled. Positive reviews and a B CinemaScore complete the picture. Primetime is the month's proof that disciplined budgets plus a genuine star plus festival credibility is the most reliable formula in modern Hollywood.
5. Forgotten Island — September 25 — The month's great paradox
Voices: H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Lea Salonga, Manny Jacinto
Studio: DreamWorks Animation | Budget: ~$80 million
Box office: $12.8M domestic opening | $20.6M worldwide total | 95–96% on Rotten Tomatoes
Story: DreamWorks' original animated adventure — a vibrant island tale with a star voice cast led by H.E.R. and Lea Salonga, made with the studio's signature visual splendour.
Why it failed: This is the most painful result of the month: a 95–96% Rotten Tomatoes critical darling that opened to just $12.8M domestic — one of DreamWorks' worst openings ever — against an $80M budget. Original animation is in crisis: without a known IP, even spectacular reviews can't open a film theatrically. Families chose the familiar over the excellent. The film will likely become a streaming favourite — but theatrically, it's a disaster that will make studios even more IP-dependent.
6. Avengers: Endgame Encore (re-release) — September 25 — The No. 1 "new" release
Studio: Marvel | Box office: $26.1M domestic / $86M worldwide (Sep 25–27 weekend) | Lifetime now ~$2.88 billion
Story: Marvel's theatrical re-release of Avengers: Endgame — timed as the on-ramp to Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026).
Why it matters: A seven-year-old film topped the weekend with $26.1M domestic — outgrossing every genuinely new release. Its lifetime total now stands near $2.88 billion, just $39 million shy of Avatar's all-time record. The re-release was both a marketing masterstroke for Doomsday and a statement: the appetite for the Infinity Saga's climax hasn't dimmed, and Avatar's record is now genuinely under threat.
September 2026: the final scorecard
| Movie | Release | Budget | Result | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Magic 2 | Sep 10 | ~$75M | ~$47.7M WW | Underperformer |
| Resident Evil | Sep 18 | — | ~96% RT, No. 2 hold | Critical + commercial win |
| Heart of the Beast | Sep 25 | ~$82M | $50.1M WW | Soft opening, loved by critics |
| Primetime | Sep 25 | ~$15M | $19.2M opening | On track to profit |
| Forgotten Island | Sep 25 | ~$80M | $20.6M WW | Flop despite 96% RT |
| Endgame Encore (re-release) | Sep 25 | — | $86M WW weekend | No. 1 re-release |
The month's lesson: September 2026 was a masterclass in modern box-office economics. The winners: disciplined budgets (Primetime), genuine horror craft (Resident Evil), and unbeatable IP (Endgame). The losers: oversized budgets on nostalgia (Practical Magic 2), adult dramas launched without awards oxygen (Heart of the Beast), and — cruellest of all — a magnificent original animated film (Forgotten Island) that proved reviews alone can't open a movie anymore.
Related coverage on Showbiz Daily
- Upcoming Hollywood movies October to December 2026
- Hollywood news: Verity's $35M opening, Digger stumbles
- New Bollywood movies released in September 2026 — box office
October's box office has already produced a surprise: read our Clayface opening weekend box office report.
FAQs
What was the No. 1 movie on September 25–27, 2026?
The Avengers: Endgame re-release topped the weekend with $26.1 million domestic — beating every new release.
Was the Resident Evil reboot successful?
Critically, yes — around 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, called one of 2026's best horror surprises — and it held strongly at No. 2 in its second frame. A sequel looks likely.
Why did Forgotten Island flop despite great reviews?
Even at 95–96% on Rotten Tomatoes, it opened to just $12.8 million domestic against an $80 million budget — one of DreamWorks' weakest openings on record. Original animation without known IP is struggling theatrically.
Is Practical Magic 2 getting a sequel?
Doubtful without a rebound — ~$47.7M worldwide against a ~$75M budget makes a third film hard to justify.
How close is Endgame to Avatar's record?
About $39 million away — the re-release took its lifetime total near $2.88 billion.