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The Oscar Project · Aug 20, 2026

Weekend Releases-8/21/26

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Jonathan Ytreberg · The Oscar Project

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If anything this weekend could dethrone Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Insidious: Out of the Further is probably it. I’m not saying it’s GOING to happen, but with the previous installment raking in $33 million on opening weekend and the film coming from an established franchise, I don’t really see any other options that will knock Spidey off the top step of the box office podium for another weekend.

Put this one down as a film I’ve heard absolutely nothing about. It’s an action sci-fi film from Polish director Agnieszka Smoczyńska where a detective investigates a murder in a world ruled by sentient A.I. It' sounds like a melting pot of other films we’ve seen from Terminator to Blade Runner with hopefully a new take on the genre. Watch the trailer.

I’m not sure if it’s a sign that the franchise has run out of steam or just the studio trying to capitalize on recent success, but once of the posters I saw for this film had a line at the top that it was from Blumhouse Atomic Monster who brought you Obsession and Backrooms. The film does not appear to have any big stars as many of the previous installments have, and I have seen very little in the way of advertisement for it. Will it be able to contend with Spider-Man? Perhaps, but we will see this weekend. Watch the trailer.

If you’ve seen the new Spider-Man film and are feeling a lack of Andrew Garfield in that one, this film might fill that gap. This new family adventure is based on a children’s book from 1943 by Enid Blyton that features, you guessed it, a magic tree that transports you to distant lands. In addition to Garfield, the film stars Claire Foy, Rebecca Ferguson, and the voice of Judi Dench. Watch the trailer.

We have reached the point of the calendar where it’s been roughly six months since the last Jason Statham action film and are due for another. This time he’s ditched the bees for the high seas where he must prove his innocence after being framed for a crime he did not commit. Clocking in at just 95 minutes, the film promises to be full of action and moves that Statham has perfected throughout his career but I’m not sure it will be much of a contender at the box office this weekend. Watch the trailer.

In the world of friend groups comedies about the friends going away for a weekend together, there are a few classics, including The Hangover from the directors of this film. Unfortunately, as with most of this weekend’s other releases, I haven’t seen a single ad for this film in my daily travels so I doubt it is on anyone’s radar. The cast looks good with Leslie Mann, Isla Fisher, Michelle Buteau, and Anna Faris making up the core group of friends, but without any marketing muscle behind it, I fear this won’t last long in theaters and be streaming on Netflix or HBO Max in a few weeks. Watch the trailer.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a decade since Anthony Bourdain passed away in 2018. Now director Matt Johnson brings us a look at the early years of Bourdain’s life in Massachusetts, the stories being pulled form Bourdain’s own memoir. Dominic Sessa stars as the young Bourdain with Emilia Jones as his love interest, Nancy, and Antonio Banderas as the restaurant owner and chef who hires young “Tony” to work in his kitchen. Watch the trailer.

August 21:

August 22:

  • Castle in the Sky (Special Engagement, re-release) (trailer)

August 23:

  • 40 Years of F**kin Up (Special Engagement) (trailer)

August 25:

  • American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story (trailer)

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