The Complete Guide to Hollywood Movies Opening in August 2019

August is the tail-end of the summer period and you can tell because the blockbusters start to peter out. Hobbs & Shaw (opening 1 Aug) is the last big popcorn movie of the summer, and it looks fun! The Rock and Jason Statham have great chemistry as frenemies. Remember when Jason Statham’s character was the villain in Furious 7? I barely do, even though he killed Han. (Who’s Han?)

The other movie I can’t wait for in August is Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino teaming up for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (15 Aug). It’s about a faded TV star (Leo) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) trying to make it in Hollywood at the end of the ’60s, around the time when Charles Manson instigated his cult followers to commit the mass murder of actress Sharon Tate and the people in her house. Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate. The amount of star power in the cast is blinding, and I’m curious how Quentin Tarantino is going to tie the story together (and also why the movie is billed as a comedy/drama).

Movies coming out in August 2019

(Click on the movie titles in the bullets to jump to that section if you don’t want to scroll through the entire list. You can also click on each movie’s heading to go to their IMDb pages. Release dates below are for Singapore, but if you’re outside Singapore, IMDb can tell you fairly accurately what’s the release date in your country.)

Opening on the week of 1 August

Hobbs & Shaw (1 Aug)

Director: David Leitch (“Deadpool 2”, “Atomic Blonde”, “John Wick”)

Cast: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González

Genre: Action, Adventure

Synopsis: Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs (Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton (Idris Elba) gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent (The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves. HOBBS & SHAW blasts open a new door in the Fast universe as it hurtles action across the globe, from Los Angeles to London and from the toxic wasteland of Chernobyl to the lush beauty of Samoa.

Fisherman’s Friends (1 Aug)

Director: Chris Foggin (“Kids in Love”)

Cast: Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, Tuppence Middleton, David Hayman, Dave Johns, Noel Clarke

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical

Synopsis: A fast-living, cynical London music executive (Danny Mays) heads to a remote Cornish village on a stag weekend where he’s pranked by his boss (Noel Clarke) into trying to sign a group of shanty singing fishermen (led by James Purefoy). He becomes the ultimate ‘fish out of water’ as he struggles to gain the respect or enthusiasm of the unlikely boy band and their families (including Tuppence Middleton) who value friendship and community over fame and fortune. As he’s drawn deeper into the traditional way of life he’s forced to re-evaluate his own integrity and ultimately question what success really means.

Opening on the week of 8 August

Yesterday (8 Aug)

Director: Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”, “Trainspotting”, “127 Hours”, “The Beach”, “28 Days Later”, “Steve Jobs”)

Cast: Lily James, Himesh Patel, Kate McKinnon, Ana de Armas, Ed Sheeran

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Music, Romance

Synopsis: Yesterday, everyone knew The Beatles. Today, only Jack remembers their songs. He’s about to become a very big deal. From Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”, “Trainspotting”, “28 Days Later”) and Richard Curtis, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, “Love Actually” and “Notting Hill”, comes a rock-n-roll comedy about music, dreams, friendship, and the long and winding road that leads to the love of your life.

Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed… and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed. Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra (Emmy winner Kate McKinnon), Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie — the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love.

The Art of Racing in the Rain (8 Aug)

Director: Simon Curtis (“Goodbye Christopher Robin”, “Woman in Gold”, “My Week with Marilyn”)

Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Gary Cole, Kathy Baker, Ryan Keira Armstrong, Martin Donovan, and the voice of Kevin Costner

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Synopsis: Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his bond with his owner, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring Formula One race car driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. The film follows Denny and the loves of his life — his wife, Eve (Amanda Seyfried), their young daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo.

The Kitchen (8 Aug)

Director: Andrea Berloff (debut feature)

Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss, Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d’Arcy James, Margo Martindale, Common, Bill Camp

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama

Synopsis: THE KITCHEN stars Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” “Bridesmaids”), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”), and Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) as three 1978 Hell’s Kitchen housewives whose mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp ax to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition…literally.

The Biggest Little Farm (8 Aug)

Director: John Chester (“Rock Prophecies”)

Cast: John Chester, Molly Chester

Genre: Documentary

Synopsis: THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM follows two dreamers and their beloved dog when they make a choice that takes them out of their tiny L.A. apartment and into the countryside to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature. The film chronicles their near decade-long attempt to create the utopia they seek, planting 10,000 orchard trees, hundreds of crops, and bringing in animals of every kind – including an unforgettable pig named Emma and her best friend, Greasy the rooster. When the farm’s ecosystem finally begins to reawaken, their plan to create perfect harmony takes a series of wild turns, and to survive they realize they’ll have to reach a far greater understanding of the intricacies and wisdom of nature, and of life itself.

Opening on the week of 15 August

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (15 Aug)

Director: Quentin Tarantino (“Kill Bill” series, “Pulp Fiction”, “Inglourious Bastards”, “Django Unchained”, “The Hateful Eight”, “Reservoir Dogs”)

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, Scoot McNairy, Timothy Olyphaunt, James Marsden, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Rumer Willis, Emile Hirsch, Damian Lewis, Margaret Qualley, Lena Dunham, Bruce Dern

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Synopsis: Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.

Stuber (15 Aug)

Director: Michael Dowse (“Take Me Home Tonight”, “The F Word”)

Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Dave Bautista, Iko Uwais, Betty Gilpin, Natalie Morales, Mira Sorvino, Jimmy Tatro, Karen Gillan

Genre: Action, Comedy

Synopsis: When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he’s thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (15 Aug)

Director: André Øvredal (“Trollhunter”, “The Autopsy of Jane Doe”)

Cast: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Austin Zajur, Dean Norris, Austin Abrams

Genre: Horror

Synopsis: It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time—stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah’s terrifying home.

Blinded by the Light (15 Aug)

Director: Gurinder Chadha (“Bend It Like Beckham”, “Bride & Prejudice”, “Viceroy’s House”)

Cast: Nell Williams, Aaron Phagura, Viveik Kalra, Dean-Charles Chapman, Hayley Atwell

Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama

Synopsis: From writer/director/producer Gurinder Chadha (“Bend It Like Beckham”) comes the inspirational drama BLINDED BY THE LIGHT, set to the music and lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s timeless songs. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra) a British teen of Pakistani descent, growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of “the Boss,” Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen’s powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.

Trouble (15 Aug)

Director: Kevin Johnson (“The Jungle Book (2014)”)

Voice Cast: Big Sean, Snoop Dogg, Jason Mraz

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family

Synopsis: A pampered dog named Trouble must learn to live in the real world, while trying to escape from his former owner’s greedy children.

Opening on the week of 22 August

Angel Has Fallen (22 Aug)

Director: Ric Roman Waugh (“Shot Caller”, “Snitch”)

Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Piper Perabo, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nick Nolte, Tim Blake Nelson, Lance Reddick, Danny Huston

Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

Synopsis: When there is an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), his trusted confidant, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), is wrongfully accused and taken into custody. After escaping from capture, he becomes a man on the run and must evade his own agency and outsmart the FBI in order to find the real threat to the President. Desperate to uncover the truth, Banning turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name, keep his family from harm and save the country from imminent danger.

Ready or Not (22 Aug)

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (“Devil’s Due”), Tyler Gillett (“Devil’s Due)

Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery

Synopsis: READY OR NOT follows a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

After the Wedding (22 Aug)

Director: Bart Freundlich (“Wolves”, “Trust the Man”)

Cast: Michelle Williams, Julianne Moore, Billy Crudup

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: Isabel (Michelle Williams) has dedicated her life to working with the children in an orphanage in Calcutta. Theresa (Julianne Moore) is the multimillionaire head of a media company who lives with her artist husband (Billy Crudup) and their twin boys in New York. When word comes to Isabel of a mysterious and generous grant for the financially struggling orphanage, she must travel to New York to meet the benefactor—Theresa—in person.

Pavarotti (22 Aug)

Director: Ron Howard (“A Beautiful Mind”, “Apollo 13”, “Frost/Nixon”)

Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music

Synopsis: From the filmmaking team behind the highly-acclaimed documentary The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years, PAVAROTTI is a riveting film that lifts the curtain on the icon who brought opera to the people. Academy Award winner Ron Howard puts audiences front row center for an exploration of The Voice…The Man…The Legend. Luciano Pavarotti gave his life to the music and a voice to the world. This cinematic event features history-making performances and intimate interviews, including never-before-seen footage and cutting-edge Dolby Atmos technology.

Opening on the week of 29 August

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (29 Aug)

Director: James Bobin (“Alice Through the Looking Glass”, “Muppets Most Wanted”, “The Muppets”, TV’s “Flight of the Conchords”)

Cast: Isabela Moner, Benicio del Toro, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Temuera Morrison, Eugenio Derbez

Genre: Adventure, Family

Synopsis: Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, nothing could prepare Dora (Isabela Moner) for her most dangerous adventure ever — High School. Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), a mysterious jungle inhabitant (Eugenio Derbez), and a rag tag group of teens on a live-action adventure to save her parents (Eva Longoria, Michael Peña) and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost city of gold.

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (29 Aug)

Director: Johannes Roberts (“47 Metres Down”, “The Strangers: Prey at Night”, “The Other Side of the Door”)

Cast: Sophie Nélisse, Nia Long, John Corbett, Corinne Foxx

Genre: Adventure, Horror, Thriller

Synopsis: Four teen girls diving in a ruined underwater city quickly learn they’ve entered the territory of the deadliest shark species in the claustrophobic labyrinth of submerged caves.

Playmobil: The Movie (29 Aug)

Director: Lino DiSalvo (head of animation for “Frozen”)

Voice Cast: Anya-Taylor Joy, Jim Gaffigan, Gabriel Bateman, Adam Lambert, Kenan Thompson, Meghan Trainor, Daniel Radcliffe

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Synopsis: When her younger brother Charlie (Gabriel Bateman) unexpectedly disappears into the magical, animated universe of PLAYMOBIL®, unprepared Marla (Anya Taylor-Joy) must go on a quest of a lifetime to bring him home. As she sets off on a fantastic journey across stunning new worlds, Marla teams up with some unlikely and heroic new friends – the smooth-talking food truck driver Del (Jim Gaffigan), the dashing and charismatic secret agent Rex Dasher (Daniel Radcliffe), a wholehearted misfit robot, an extravagant fairy-godmother (Meghan Trainor) and many more. Through their vibrant adventure, Marla and Charlie realize that no matter how life plays out, you can achieve anything when you believe in yourself!