August will be a big month for Disney+, especially if you're a science fiction fan. While the House of Mouse's reboot of Haunted Mansion is haunting movie theaters, Disney's premiere streaming platform also has quite a few aces up its sleeve as the Summer season draws to a close. Here are the seven best movies and shows coming to Disney+ in August 2023 to find out what you can expect to see this month.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Available: August 2nd | Run Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Director: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Chukwudi Iwuji, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn, and Maria Bakalova
Easily the best thing to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 5 thus far, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a marvelous send-off for some of the franchise's most influential characters. Reportedly the final Marvel film from writer/director James Gunn, who is now working on rebooting the DC Universe with Superman: Legacy, the true high quality of the third and supposedly climactic Guardians of the Galaxy film may make this trilogy the best one of any comic book franchise. In a story that manages to be side-splittingly hysterical and gut-wrenchingly sad at the same time, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees the universe's favorite bunch of misfits as they work to save their teammate Rocket (Bradley Cooper) from the vengeful clutches of The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be available to watch on Disney+ starting Wednesday, August 2nd.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (Six New Episodes)
Available: August 2nd | Creators: Shellie Kvilvang, Lamont Magee, and Michael Olson
Starring: Jamaal Avery Jr., Juliet Donenfeld, Dee Bradley Baker, Emma Berman, Jonathan Lipow, and Piotr Michael
The first of two Star Wars shows that will be coming to Disney+ in August, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures will be getting six more brand new episodes on the service. Premiering on Disney Jr. and Disney+ on May the 4th, 2023, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures takes place in the High Republic era, which is about several hundred years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Here, younglings Kai Brightstar (Jamaal Avery Jr.), Lys Solay (Juliet Donenfeld), and Nubs (Dee Bradley Baker) travel the galaxy to find out what it means to be a Jedi. Along their educational journey, they also meet more than a few familiar faces, such as a Master Yoda (Piotr Michael) himself. While certainly geared towards much younger audiences, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is a great way to get younglings interested in a galaxy far, far away.
The six new Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures episodes will be available on Disney+ starting Wednesday, August 2nd.
Rio 2
Available: August 4th | Run Time: 1 hour 41 minutes | Director: Carlos Saldanha
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jemaine Clement, Andy Garcia, Jamie Foxx, and Will I. Am
Blue Sky Animation may be no more, but its expansive content library is still on Disney+, and it's getting even bigger with Rio 2. The sequel to the hit 2011 film Rio 2 once again follows the exploits of the two rare blue macaws Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway), who now are the parents to three children of their own. This time, Blu, Jewel, and their friends travel even deeper into the jungles of South America and find that they aren't the only blue macaws left after all, with Jewel reuniting with her family and her father, Eduardo (Andy Garcia).
Rio 2 will be available to watch on Disney+ starting Friday, August 4th.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Complete Fourth and Final Season)
Available: August 9th | Creator: Tim Federle
Starring: Joshua Bassett, Julia Lester, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Sofia Wylie, Dara Reneé, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman, and KayCee Stroh
One of Disney+'s strangest concepts will finally be concluding with the fourth and final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The show started out as a high school mockumentary about a school putting on a musical that is an adaptation of the popular Disney Channel movies, which here are based on the same school (the lore is surprisingly complicated), the fourth upcoming season will be playing deep into the nostalgia. The concept this time will see the film's characters witness the production of a fourth High School Musical movie, bringing back several stars from the original films, including Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, and KayCee Stroh.
All eight episodes of the fourth and final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series will be available on Disney+ starting Wednesday, August 9th.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Available: August 11th | Run TIme: 2 hours 22 minutes | Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, Dane DeHaan, and Sally Field
After the Sam Raimi trilogy's surprising but welcome arrival, the first The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Venom earlier this year, Disney+'s live-action Spider-Man collection will be getting even bigger with The Amazing Spider-Man 2. While it's often regarded as one of the weaker films to star our friendly neighborhood webhead, the second Andrew Garfield-starring Spidey film is still packed with its lead star's impeccable charisma. This time, Spider-Man goes toe-to-toe with a deadly trio of villains, including the shockingly powerful Electro (Jamie Foxx), the abrasively aggressive Rhino (Paul Giamatti), and the mentally unstable Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan).
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be available on Disney+ starting Friday, August 11th.
The Wonder Years (Complete Season 2)
Available: August 17th | Creator: Saladin K. Patterson
Starring: Saycon Sengbloh, Elisha Williams, Dulé Hill, Laura Kariuki, Amari O'Neil, Julian Lerner, Milan, and Don Cheadle
ABC's hit revival of The Wonder Years is set to wrap up its sophomore season in mid-August on the 16th. Those waiting for the second season to be on Disney+ will only have to wait a day later, as The Wonder Years Season 2 will be available to watch that day. The young life of Dean Williams (Elisha Williams) continues to be told through family, heart, and impeccable narration from Don Cheadle.
All ten episodes of The Wonder Years Season 2 will be available to watch on Disney+ starting Monday, August 17th.
Ahsoka (Two Episode Premiere)
Available: August 23rd | Creator: Dave Filoni
Starring: Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lars Mikkelsen, Baylan Skoll, Ivanna Skhno, David Tenant, Eman Esfandi, and Hayden Christensen
Last but certainly not least, we have one of the year's most anticipated Star Wars projects. Culminating an incredible 15-year journey, fan favorite Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) finally gets her show. Not only will the series be a continuation of the Mandoverse saga, but it will also function as a sequel to Star Wars: Rebels. Characters from that beloved animated series will be seen in live-action for the first time, with Ahsoka reuniting with her allies to track down the elusive Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
The first two episodes of Ahsoka premiere on Disney+ starting Wednesday, August 23rd.
