Film
• “The Roses”(Aug. 29): A celebrity-filled remake of the 1989 film based on Warren Adler’s novel “The War of the Roses” features Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, and Allison Janney in this dark comedy about a wealthy couple whose relationship deteriorates into a harsh divorce. Jay Roach (“Meet the Parents”) directs the film, which is written by Tony McNamara (“Poor Things”).
• “Caught Stealing”(Aug. 29): A former baseball player becomes entangled in the criminal underworld of 1990s New York in the latest crime thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky, featuring a cast that includes Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Bad Bunny.
• “American Sweatshop”(Aug. 29): Uta Briesewitz, a cinematographer and TV director, presents her first feature film, which centers on a social media moderator who observes a potential crime during work.
• “Griffin in Summer”(Aug. 29): A driven young playwright believes he possesses the talent to achieve success, yet faces obstacles from his unexciting suburban existence—and the reality that he is only 14 years old. A meeting with a handyman could potentially transform both his creative work and his life. Nicholas Colina directs this independent comedy for the first time.
• “Stranger Eyes”(Aug. 29): This Singaporean mystery thriller centers on a father whose daughter has been kidnapped, as he gets threatening messages about his own life and embarks on a quest to uncover the person responsible.
TV
• The Terminal List: Dark Wolf(Prime Video, August 27): The streaming service’s hit spy series “The Terminal List,” featuring Chris Pratt, is getting a spinoff prequel. This actor returns, but the new series centers on Taylor Kitsch as he starts his path to joining the CIA.
• Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story(AMC+, Aug. 28): A six-episode series, created by BBC Studios, based on the true story of a Page Three model’s kidnapping in Milan makes its way to the United States with Nadia Parkes starring in the lead role.
• “The Thursday Murder Club”(Netflix, August 28): A popular novel by Richard Osman featuring elderly detectives attempting to unravel a murder mystery is adapted by director Chris Columbus, with Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, and Pierce Brosnan in leading roles.
• “Kpopped”(Apple TV+, August 29): The ongoing American fascination with K-Pop is highlighted by this eight-episode music contest that brings Korean performers together with Western artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, Boyz II Men, and Kylie Minogue.
Theater
• “The Brothers Size”(The Shed, New York, Aug. 30-Sept. 28): A 2007 play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who also wrote “In Moonlight Black Boys,” which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight,” is making a return to New York. This Olivier-nominated production now features elements of Yoruba storytelling, focusing on themes of family connections and the challenges of being incarcerated.
Music
• The Beaches, “No Hard Feelings”(Aug. 29): The Canadian rock group, which gained widespread recognition through its 2023 viral hit “Blame Brett,” is back with its third album, released alongside the start of its North American tour.
• Blood Orange, “Essex Honey”(Aug. 29): The British musician Dev Hynes, known as Blood Orange, releases his first album in seven years, exploring themes of loss and his childhood in Essex, with input from Lorde, Zadie Smith, and more.
• Brad Mehldau, “Ride Into the Sun”(Aug. 29): A pianist and composer, famous for collaborating with artists such as Chris Potter and Joshua Redman, as well as Renée Fleming and Willie Nelson, is now focusing on Elliott Smith for his newest endeavor—a record featuring songs by the introspective musician from Nebraska.
• Sabrina Carpenter, “Man’s Best Friend”(Aug. 29): The much-anticipated album from the pop sensation, which came after the top-charting single “Manchild,” was crafted by Jack Antonoff, the producer known for working with artists like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey.
Art
• The 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale—Séance: Technology of the Spirit(Seoul Museum of Art, Aug. 26-Nov. 23): This display brings together pieces from artists, both present and past, across the globe who delve into the arcane, the mystical, and the spiritual in their creations, while also looking at modern technology that reflects otherworldly potential. Featured artists are Hilma af Klint, Mike Kelley, Nam June Paik, Joseph Beuys, and more.
• Portia Zvavahera: Hidden Battles / Hondo dzakavanzika(ICA Boston, Aug. 28-Jan. 19, 2026): The Zimbabwean artist’s initial solo exhibition at an American museum showcases how she turns her dreams into subtly abstracted images—some including animals—that relate to the customs of the native Shona community and African Pentecostal spirituality.
• Elliot and Erick Jiménez: El Monte(Pérez Art Museum Miami, Aug. 28-March 22, 2026): The twin brothers, who are photographers and an artistic team, are presenting their first solo museum exhibition, featuring a collection of work influenced by the Afro-Caribbean religion Lucumí, a movement from the late 19th century that combined Yoruba, Catholic, and Spiritism elements.
Last Call
• “Purpose”(The Hayes Theater, New York, through August 31): Directed by Phylicia Rashad, the Tony Award-winning Broadway production by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins presents a range of grievances and disclosures on stage as it portrays a tense family reunion. Our criticsaidthe author “uses a well-known formula from american theater—as common now as meatloaf—and enhances it with new flavors, including plenty of sharp humor.”
• “Vermeer’s Love Letters”(The Frick Collection, New York, through August 31): The initial exhibition showcased in the museum’s newly renovated and expanded display spaces includes three pieces by the 17th-century artist, which portray women involved in written communication, filled with hidden tension and feeling. Our criticpraisedit as “an intimate display” that “provides more than just a respite from our current era, but also material for deeper reflection.”
Write to brian.kelly@wsj.com.
