September 2026: A landmark month for Australian streaming with Toy Story 5 and Crowe double

Australian audiences face a significant shift in their viewing habits this month, as The Guardian Culture has outlined a comprehensive slate of new titles across Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Prime Video, and ABC. The September 2026 lineup is defined by high-profile premieres that blend nostalgic franchises with serious domestic storytelling, marking a particularly robust period for local and international content.

The centrepiece of the month is the release of Toy Story 5, which introduces a contemporary social commentary to the beloved franchise. The plot sees Woody, Buzz, and the gang grappling with the dominance of screen-based devices, specifically a tablet called the “Lilypad” voiced by Greta Lee. As their eight-year-old owner, Bonnie, becomes increasingly obsessed with the device, the toys must navigate a nuanced perspective on technology, recognising that responsible use is ultimately a human responsibility rather than a flaw in the gadget itself.

Russell Crowe headlines two distinct productions this month, showcasing his range across genres. In The Get Out, Crowe portrays Manco Kapac, a nightclub owner laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel who attempts to reinvent his life after a heart attack. The role is complicated by a robbery at the hands of a dodgy college professor played by Aaron Paul. Simultaneously, Crowe appears in a Netflix production about the Unabomber, where he plays Harvard professor Henry Murray, a figure who conducted disturbingly unethical experiments on the terrorist. The film, which stars Jacob Tremblay and Shailene Woodley, is told across two timelines charting the origins of the Unabomber and the FBI’s pursuit.

Domestic viewers will also find a compelling three-part documentary series on the 2001 Tampa affair airing on ABC. Directed by Kriv Stenders, the series is described as a cut above the average talking-heads format, unpacking the myriad of issues surrounding the asylum seekers rescued by a Norwegian freighter. The lineup of interviewees is extensive, featuring former Prime Minister John Howard, Alexander Downer, Tony Abbott, Bob Brown, and Helen Clark, alongside several Tampa survivors. The series explores how Australia’s response to the incident fostered new forms of intolerance, potentially influencing later hard-line stances on refugees globally.

Other notable releases include American Hostage, a true-crime adaptation starring Jon Hamm and Giovanni Ribisi, which depicts a 63-hour standoff at a radio station. Action fans can look forward to Mayday, a 1987-set action-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, as well as The Runner, an abduction thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring Gal Gadot. Additionally, Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded sci-fi epic Megalopolis, starring Adam Driver and Giancarlo Esposito, arrives on streaming platforms, offering a bloated but audacious alternate-world narrative.

Rounding out the month is Apple TV’s first Australian series, currently under embargo but noted for its sensational pace. Set and shot in Victoria, the thriller stars Patrick Brammall as Ian, a former cop and emergency phone line operator grieving the loss of his young daughter. The series promises a twisty narrative as Ian answers a call from a distressed teenager, raising the possibility that his missing child may not be dead.