New to Disney+ in August

Disney+ will let Cruella off its Premier Access leash next month and make the 101 Dalmations prequel available to all subscribers from August 27 while premiering a supernatural horror and a slew of Star Originals.

Today it dropped the trailer for the Star movie Vacation Friends (August 27), a raw and raunchy comedy in which a straight-laced couple let loose on holiday with two party animals — only for the debauched duo to turn up on their doorstep in time for their wedding.

The Empty Man (August 25) stars James Badge Dale (Only the Brave) and Owen Teague (The Stand), and received better reviews than its synopsis suggests: After teenagers from a small Midwestern town begin to mysteriously vanish, the locals begin to suspect that their disappearances may somehow be tied to a terrifying local legend.

New series Only Murders in the Building (August 31) follows three strangers in a New York City apartment complex whose obsession with true crime leads to their investigating the mysterious death of a neighbour; Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short star.

What If …? (August 11) is Marvel Studios’ first animated series. It focuses on different heroes from the MCU, with a voice cast of the stars who played the roles in the live-action movies.

Hip Hop Uncovered (August 6) is an FX-Hulu series that explores the originals of rap (“intriguing characters, a provocative throughline and a rich approach to culture” — The Hollywood Reporter) and Hysterical (August 6) offers a frank and funny backstage insight some of stand-up comedy’s most boundary-breaking women.

A Wilderness of Error (August 6) resurrects the controversial Jeffrey MacDonald murder case under the scrutiny of veteran true-crime filmmaker Errol Morris (“a nuanced documentary series” — Wall Street Journal) while Impact With Gal Gadot (August 6) is a National Geographic series about six women who have made an extraordinary impact on their communities.

Other August highlights will include:

August 4

• Short Circuit S2
• Disney Junior Muppet Babies S3

August 6

• Criminal Minds S15
• Black Widow 
• Sharks vs. Dolphins: Blood Battle

August 11

• Spidey and His Amazing Friends S1

August 13

• The Predator

August 18

• Diary of a Future President S2
• Gigantosaurus S2
• Growing Up Animal S1

August 20

• Maze Runner: The Death Cure
• Red Sparrow
• Flooded Tombs of the Nile

August 27

• Disney Princess Remixed: An Ultimate Princess Celebration