The U.S. weekend of August 28–30 has a little of everything: a long-delayed Looney Tunes movie finally reaching theaters, a well-reviewed romantic comedy, a bleak survival drama, and four new streaming seasons or films. This is not a strict ranking. It mixes early critical standouts with releases that have a clear audience because of their cast, director, or returning fan base. Availability can vary outside the U.S.
Movies in theaters
Coyote vs. Acme
Coyote vs. Acme opens in U.S. theaters on August 28 after Warner Bros. shelved the finished film and Ketchup Entertainment later picked it up for release. Will Forte plays lawyer Kevin Avery, who takes Wile E. Coyote’s case against the company whose products keep exploding in his face. John Cena, Lana Condor, and a live-action cast share the movie with the animated coyote. At the time of writing, it sat at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the safest pick here if you want a broad crowd-pleaser with a strange release history.
Pixel Twelve has the longer story behind the release in [our Coyote vs. Acme coverage](https://pixeltwelve.com/articles/coyote-vs-acme-final-trailer-long-awaited-release).
Finding Emily
This Focus Features romantic comedy also arrives in U.S. theaters on August 28. A lovesick musician sends a message to the wrong number and ends up working with a psychology student while trying to find the woman he meant to contact. Angourie Rice, Spike Fearn, and Minnie Driver lead Alicia MacDonald’s film. Finding Emily was also at 95% on the Tomatometer when checked, so it gives the weekend a smaller, more upbeat option for people who do not want another franchise movie.
The Dog Stars
Ridley Scott’s R-rated adaptation of Peter Heller’s novel opens August 28, with Jacob Elordi playing pilot Hig and Josh Brolin as the survivalist Bangley. Hig lives in a post-pandemic Colorado with Bangley and his dog, Jasper, until a radio signal suggests there may be another community nearby. The film is one of August’s bigger genre releases because of its director, cast, and IMAX rollout, but its early reviews were mixed—around 40% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. Go in for the setup and scale, not a guaranteed consensus hit.
New on streaming
The Whisper Man
Netflix’s The Whisper Man arrives August 28 and adapts Alex North’s bestselling crime thriller. After a widowed crime writer’s eight-year-old son is abducted, he turns to his estranged retired detective father, who has a personal connection to an old serial-killer case. Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Hamish Linklater, and Owen Teague make this the weekend’s clearest choice for a dark, cast-driven mystery.
For the cast, premise, and release details, see [our full guide to The Whisper Man](https://pixeltwelve.com/articles/the-whisper-man-netflix-release-cast-story).
Dark Matter Season 2
Apple TV starts Dark Matter Season 2 on August 28, with ten episodes arriving weekly through October 30. Joel Edgerton returns as physicist Jason Dessen, whose family was split across alternate realities after the first season’s central experiment. Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, and Dayo Okeniyi are also back. This is the pick for viewers who want an ongoing science-fiction story rather than a one-night watch; the season premiere is only the start of the new run.
The episode-by-episode dates are collected in [our Dark Matter Season 2 schedule](https://pixeltwelve.com/articles/dark-matter-season-2-release-schedule).
Adults Season 2
FX’s Adults returned August 27, with the new season rolling out on FXX and Hulu in the U.S. The comedy follows five friends in their twenties sharing a house in New York while they try to manage jobs, money, dating, and the fact that nobody feels particularly grown up. Season 1 finished with a 76% critics score and an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, giving Season 2 a useful track record without pretending it is a universal recommendation.
Leanne Season 2
Leanne Season 2 also arrived on Netflix August 27. Leanne Morgan plays a woman rebuilding her life after her husband leaves, with Kristen Johnston returning as her sister. Lainey Wilson, Jaime Pressly, Billy Gardell, and Tyne Daly join the new season. It is the lightest option on this list and a straightforward choice if you want a family comedy rather than a mystery, survival story, or serialized sci-fi drama.
What should you watch first?
Coyote vs. Acme and Finding Emily have the strongest early reviews. The Whisper Man is the darker mystery, The Dog Stars is the wild card, and Dark Matter is the choice if you want a story that continues every week. Adults and Leanne are the lighter comedies.
