New Disney Plus movies: every new film to stream in August 2024
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New Disney Plus movies: August 30, 2024 update
Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
We're back! Almost one month on from the last new movie to arrive on Disney Plus, one of the world's leading streamers has finally got another one: Kinds of Kindness, the latest offering from film auteur Yorgos Lanthimos, who also directed the critically-acclaimed Poor Things.
The latest new Disney Plus movies drought is over. At the time of writing, four weeks have passed since we last updated this guide, which isn't surprising when you realize no new movies have launched on the platform since August 2. Thankfully, the wait for a brand-new Disney Plus film is over, with Yorgos Lanthimos' dark comedy anthology flick Kinds of Kindness giving you and I something new to enjoy.
Not fussed on Lanthimos' absurdist movies? There are a whole heap of other recommendations on our best Disney Plus movies list, including multiple top-tier offerings from Disney subsidiaries in Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and other notable studios. After all, there's a reason why Disney's primary platform is one of the best streaming services around – and a lot of it is to do with its unrivalled back catalog of fantastic films. Anyway, here are all of the new Disney Plus movies that have been released since mid-July.
New Disney Plus movies: August
Kinds of Kindness
Release date: August 30 (available on Hulu in the US)
Runtime: 164 minutes
Age rating: R (US) / 18 (UK)
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer
Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score: 72% (critics); 49% (audiences)
Fresh of his hugely successful 2023 feature Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos returned to the big screen earlier this year with this absurdist anthology movie that was largely enjoyed by critics, but not so much by general audiences.
Labeled a "triptych fable" – essentially, a dark comedy-fantasy flick divided into three individual stories – Kinds of Kindness stars frequent Lanthimos collaborators Stone and Dafoe, plus other talented stars like Plemons, who take on various roles in said tales that are as weird and wacky as anything you'd expect from the Greek filmmaker. Saying too much else would spoil the awkward, unsettling, and bizzarely funny events that play out. Our advice? Check out the trailer above for a taste of what you might be settling in for. We enjoyed it, for what it's worth, but don't be surprised if you find yourself agreeing with your fellow film fan over its ridiculously long runtime and tryhard schtick.
Watch Kinds of Kindness on Disney Plus.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Release date: August 2 (available on Hulu in the US)
Runtime: 145 minutes
Age rating: PG-13 (US) / 12 (UK)
Director: Wes Ball
Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allen, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy
RT score: 80% (critics); 78% (audiences)
Set 300 years after – spoiler – Caesar's last hurrah in War of the Planet of the Apes, this pseudo-sequel follows Noa (Teague), a young chimp who joins forces with a human named Mae (Allen) to bring the tyrannical rein of Proximus Caesar (Durand) to an end.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes isn't as strong (from narrative and character development perspectives) as Caesar-led, Andy Serkis-starring movie trilogy, but it's nonetheless a thrilling watch with some fantastic mocap performances and stunning action set-piece. Read our Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review to see more on what we thought before you stream it.
Watch Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on Disney Plus.
New Disney Plus movies: July
Young Woman and the Sea
Release date: July 19
Runtime: 129 minutes
Age rating: PG (US) / 9-plus (UK)
Director: Joachim Ronning
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain, and Christopher Eccleston
RT score: 88% (critics); 98% (audiences)
One of the best new Disney Plus movies for a long time, this Ridley-starring period drama tells the remarkable story of Getrude 'Trudy' Ederle, who became the first woman to attempt to swim all 21 miles of the English Channel and, if successful, cement her name in the history books.
From from Young Woman and the Sea to be a dramatic flick about never giving up on your dreams, it's also a masterfully-created and beautifully shot movie that shines a light on female empowerment and the shameful marginalization of immigrants – themes that are as relevant today as they were in 1905, i.e. when this film is set.
Watch Young Woman and the Sea on Disney Plus.
Descendants: The Rise of Red
Release date: July 12 (US only)
Runtime: 95 minutes
Age rating: G (US)
Director: Jennifer Phang
Cast: Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Brandy Norwood, Rita Ora, and China Anne McClain
RT score: 50% (critics); 45% (audiences)
Helmed by Foundation directing alumnus Jennifer Phang, the fourth entry in Disney's Descendants film franchise looks to continue the series' long tradition of telling magical musical fantasy-fuelled tales, regardless of how well they're received (or, in this instance, how well they aren't).
The Rise of Red sees Cantrall star as, well, Red, the rebellious daughter of the tyrannical Queen of Hearts from Wonderland, who receives an invitation to study at the prestigious school known as Auradon Prep. Unsurprisingly, many music-themed hijinks ensue.
One of July's new Disney Plus movies that wasn't acclaimed by fans or critics, Descendants: The Rise of Red nonetheless became the most-streamed Disney Branded Television film of all-time, with 6.7 million people tuning in to watch it in its first three days on the platform. Unless you were one of those individuals, though I'd steer clear of this one as, frankly, it doesn't sound too entertaining.
Watch Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney Plus.
New Disney Plus movies: coming soon
Want the lowdown on when more new Disney Plus movies will arrive? Truth be told, there aren't many forthcoming films to keep an eye out for. There are, though, a couple set to debut on the service throughout September – here's what's coming up:
Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation (Sing-Along Version) - September 8 (US only)
She Taught Love – September 27 (UK only)
Hopefully, there'll be more shadow drop releases to look out for in the months ahead, too. In the meantime, read up on when we think Deadpool and Wolverine will come to Disney Plus.
Not up for a movie? Try our pick of the best Disney Plus shows, see if there's a free Disney Plus trial available, read our Disney Plus review, or get the lowdown on the new Disney Plus price points.
