A late entry to the slate of 2024 new movies is September 5 (read it as "September Five", not fifth), a contained historical thriller that depicts the ABC Sports team during the 1972 Munich Olympics forced to adapt as they must cover the hostage crisis that occurred during the games. We've got everything you need to know about September 5 right here.
September 5 is the latest movie that puts the spotlight on journalists, which has produced many all-time classics — All the President's Men, Good Night, and Good Luck, the Best Picture-winning Spotlight and She Said, to name a few. Can September 5 stack up with those classic movies?
We'll find out. But in the meantime, here's when is September 5 is premiering, who stars in the movie and more.
September 5 release date
September 5 is now playing in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. It debuts in US movie theaters nationwide on January 17, 2025.
The UK release date for September 5 is still to be officially confirmed.
September 5 cast
There are four main members of the September 5 cast: Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge, John Magaro as Geoffrey Mason, Ben Chaplin as Marvin Bader and Leonie Benesch as Marianne Gebhardt.
Sarsgaard is an Emmy-nominated actor (Dopesick) who recently was a key part of the hit TV series Presumed Innocent, but he has had a number of notable big screen roles throughout his career, including Garden State, An Education, Jackie, The Batman and Memory.
Magaro is best known for his role in the Best Picture nominee Past Lives, but has also starred in The Many Saints of Newark, Sylvie's Love, First Cow, Orange Is the New Black and The Umbrella Academy.
Chaplin's most notable credits include The Thin Red Line, The New World, World Without End, The Nevers and Mrs. Davis.
Rounding things out is Benesch, who notably starred in Babylon Berlin, the recent Around the World in 80 Days TV limited series and The Teacher's Lounge.
Other members of the cast include Zinedine Soualem (Off the Hook), Georgina Rich (Heartstopper), Corey Johnson (Captain Phillips), Marcus Rutherford (The Wheel of Time), Daniel Adeosun (The Book of Clarence), Benjamin Walker (The Rings of Power) and Ferdinand Dörfler (Marie fangt Feuer).
September 5 plot
Here is the synopsis for September 5:
"September 5 unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. Set during the 1972 Munich Olympics, the film follows an American Sports broadcasting team that quickly adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage. Through this lens, September 5 provides a powerful new perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one billion people at the time.
"At the heart of the story is Geoff, a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss, the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge. Together with Marianne, a German interpreter, Geoff unexpectedly takes the helm of the live coverage. As narratives shift, time ticks away and conflicting rumors spread, with the hostages’ lives hanging in the balance, Geoff grapples with tough decisions while confronting his own moral compass. How do you cover a situation like this if what the perpetrators want is the spotlight you give?"
September 5 trailer
Watch the intense trailer for September 5 right here:
Also check out this clip from the movie:
September 5 reviews
Having screened at the Telluride and Venice Film Festivals in early fall 2024, reviews for September 5 have already started to trickle in. Per Rotten Tomatoes and as of November 21, September 5 is rated "Fresh" by critics with a 86% positive score.
Find out what What to Watch thought of the movie with our official September 5 review.
September 5 awards
Here's a roundup of the major awards and nominations September 5 has earned to date:
Golden Globes
- Best Motion Picture Drama (nominee)
Critics Choice Awards
- Best Original Screenplay — Tim Fehlbaum & Moritz Binder (nominee)
- Best Editing (nominee)
Independent Spirit Awards
- Best Editing (nominee)
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
- Best Editing (co-winner)
Tim Fehlbaum movies
September 5 is the biggest movie that director Tim Fehlbaum has had in his career to date. It's also a notable change of pace, as his previous feature film credits were sci-fi movies The Colony and Hell.
