Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
The Little Mermaid‘s live-action remake has finally swum onto Disney Plus in all territories, so it’s the latest addition to this guide. We’ve also removed every entry from June as we don’t consider them to be new anymore.
Welcome to TechRadar’s new Disney Plus movies guide. Below, we’ve rounded up every new film that’s landed on Disney’s main streaming platform since July.
Admittedly, there aren’t many new movies to speak of. In fact, with the removal of every June 2023 entry, there are only five taking pride of place in this Disney Plus-centric article. Still, with big hitters including Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and The Little Mermaid among that contingent, there are still some top-tier flicks to stream on one of the world’s best streaming services, you’ve got some catching up to do.
US readers should bear in mind that a couple of this list’s entries are only available on Hulu. Viewers living stateside, then, will need to watch them on Disney Plus’ sister streamer.
If you want an even bigger selection of films available on the streaming platform, our best Disney Plus movies guide should be your next port of call. For now, though, here are all of the new Disney Plus films to stream as of September.
New Disney Plus movies: September 2023
The Little Mermaid
Release date: September 6
Over three months after it debuted in theaters, The Little Mermaid‘s live-action retelling has surfaced from under the waves to join Disney Plus’ movie library. We knew it was ready to be *ahem* part of the streamer’s world back in August, so its release has felt like a long time coming.
Thankfully, Disney’s latest adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s iconic tale is now available to watch. The musical comedy-drama film, which – eventually – follows the human-obsessed Ariel’s quest to stop sea witch Ursula from becoming the oceans’ new overlord, did okay at the global box office with a near $570 million haul to its name. We expect it to be more popular on Disney’s primary streamer, though, especially with little in the way of new Disney Plus movies to watch right now.
Before you load it up, be sure to read our review of The Little Mermaid. Next, find out why the film took inspiration from David Attenborough, not Avatar 2, then which of its songs was its composer’s favorite track and, lastly, where it ranks in our best Disney live-action movies list.
New Disney Plus movies: August 2023
Vacation Friends 2
Release date: August 25 (available on Hulu in the US)
A sequel to 2021’s buddy-comedy film of the same name – if you drop the number two from its title – Vacation Friends 2 picks up just a few months after its predecessor. When Marcus (Lil Rey Howery) earns an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean to convince a hotel chain’s owners to let his construction firm build its next, well, hotel, he’s joined by wife Emily (Yvone Orji), plus friends and married couple Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner) with their baby in tow. Unfortunately, Kyla’s incarcerated father Reese (Steve Buscemi) unexpectedly shows up at the same resort. Cue hilarity-induced carnage.
That would be the case, anyway, if Vacation Friends 2 was remotely funny. Per Rotten Tomatoes, it’s been labeled a disaster by critics, with its 20% and 42% critical and audience ratings on the review aggregator website proving as much. Of all the new Disney Plus movies here, this is one to avoid altogether.
Miguel Wants to Fight
Release date: August 16 (available on Hulu in the US)
This coming-of-age comedy may not have been on anyone’s radar prior to its release, but it’s doing a pretty good job of entertaining viewers, if its 83% fresh audience score on Rotten Tomatoes score is anything to go by.
For the uninitiated, Miguel Wants to Fight follows the titular high schooler who’s never found himself throwing down with, well, anyone. However, “when a combination of events turn his life upside down, Miguel and his three best friends –the stoic David, rowdy Cass, and quick-tonged Srini – enter into a series of hilarious misadventures as he tries to get into his first ever fight.”
A funny, smart, heartfelt, and action-packed underdog story, Miguel Wants to Fight might be worth catching if you’re looking for something unique to stream.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release date: August 2
Get ready for one last ride. The Guardians of the Galaxy‘s potentially final outing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) originally hit theaters on May 3, and it quickly cemented itself as not only one of the best Marvel movies ever, but one of the best films of the year.
The final James Gunn-directed Marvel movie is an unsurprisingly funny, action-packed, creatively bizarre, earnest, and incredibly emotional watch. Believe us, you’ll want to have a box of tissues handy for the amount of tear-jerking scenes that make up Guardians 3‘s fantastic but weepy plot.
We’ve known that Guardians 3 was coming to Disney Plus for a while now. And, with the Marvel Phase 5 film finally hitting the service, we’d be amazed if it doesn’t storm up the streaming movie charts in the next week or two. A worthy addition to our new Disney Plus movies list.
While you’re here, find out where it sits in on the increasingly confusing MCU timeline in our Marvel movies in order guide.
New Disney Plus movies: July 2023
Chevalier
Release date: July 26
Based on real-life events, Chevalier tells the tale of the French-Caribbean musician Joseph Bologne de Saint-Georges. A biracial Creole man of color, Bologne de Saint-Georges was widely recognized as the first world-renowned classical composer of African descent.
The period drama biopic, which stars Kelvin Harrison Jr (The Trial of the Chicago 7) as the titular character, is less of a Hamilton-style clone than you might expect. It’s not a rip-roaring, three-hour stage play that’s been filmed for Disney Plus. Instead, it’s a movie in every sense of the word, charting the rise of Bologne de Saint-Georges from working class plantation background to one of the most gifted and famous musicians of all-time.
Despite its lack of marketing in late 2022 (and subsequent small box office takings), Chevalier was rated highly by critics upon release. Disney Plus users looking for something a little different to stream this weekend, then, should look no further.
New Disney Plus movies: coming soon
Want to know which new Disney Plus movies are confirmed to be coming soon, including the addition of some classic Disney short films and a sci-fi thriller complete with alien spider-like creatures? Read on:
- Bone Trouble – September 8
- Merbabies – September 8
- Mickey’s Kangaroo – September 8
- Playful Pluto – September 8
- Pluto, Junior – September 8
- The Barn Dance – September 8
- Elemental – September 13
- No One Will Save You – September 22
Not up for a movie? Try our pick of the best Disney Plus shows, find out if there’s a free Disney Plus trial available, or make full use of this $1.99 Disney Plus three-month subscription, which is only available for two weeks.