The "big one" on Disney+ this summer, "Hamilton," arrived on the service in early July, but there's plenty of significant new stuff coming to the service in the month of August, including some titles that bring the service's classic Disney and MCU libraries closer to completion, as well as the additions of some movies that Disney acquired as part of its 20th Century Fox purchase. But the first big arrival is a documentary tribute to a departed Disney legend.

"Howard" (8/7.) This film, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival back in 2018, is a documentary about Howard Ashman, the famous lyricist and songwriter who was a major part of Disney's revival in the early 1990s, along with his partner Alan Menken. Ashman died at age 40, from AIDS complications, in 1991, and his story was previously told in "Waking Sleeping Beauty," a documentary about that Disney era that was directed by veteran Disney hand Don Hahn, and is also available on Disney+. Hahn also directed "Howard."

“Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge: Adventure Awaits” (8/7.) Sure, this special may have been nothing but a commercial for the new "Star Wars" attraction at the Disney theme parks, which aired last fall on Freeform. But with Walt Disney World open again, albeit in very limited form, the special arrives on Disney+.

"The Peanuts Movie" (8/7.) Along with its purchase of Twentieth Century Fox and its film library, Disney also took control of Blue Sky Studios, giving Disney yet another animated studio to go with Walt Disney Animation and Pixar. One of Blue Sky's biggest movies, the 2016 film featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends, lands on Disney+ this month.

"X-Men" (8/7.) Speaking of the Fox acquisition, the original "X-Men" movie, from 2000, hits Disney+ in August, after "Days of Future Past" joined the service in July. There may not have been an announcement yet of any kind of MCU/X-Men crossover, but Wolverine and friends will at least be on the same streaming service as Iron Man and company, just after the film’s 20th anniversary.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp” (8/14.) The second "Ant-Man" film with Paul Rudd, which came out in 2018, has been on Netflix for as long as it's been available to stream. But on Tuesday, in a milestone for the streaming era, it became the last MCU film to leave Netflix. All future movies in the series, presumably, will have Disney+ as their original streaming home.

“Magic Camp” (8/14.) This original movie, originally slated for a theatrical release more than two years ago, will land on Disney+ in mid-August. The film stars Adam Devine as a magician who returns to the magic camp of his youth. It's been on the shelf for so long that one cast member (Jeffrey Tambor) has been exiled from Hollywood over sexual harassment scandals, while another (Josie Totah) has since undergone a gender transition.

“The Greatest Showman” (8/14.) This 2017 musical about the life of P.T. Barnum may have taken some significant liberties with the historical record, but it emerged as an unlikely hit, and a rare completely original movie musical to break out. Starring Hugh Jackman, the film featured music from the team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

“Beauty and the Beast” (8/21.) Disney+ launched without the 2017 live-action remake of its animated classic from 1991, which has been on the service since the start. Formerly on Netflix the film, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as The Beast, finally goes up on Disney+ as well.

“Fantastic Four” (8/28.) Another Fox superhero film, this is the "Fantastic Four" movie from 2005, with Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and  Ioan Gruffudd. The much less highly-regarded reboot, from 2015, is already on Disney+.  

“Phineas and Ferb: the Movie: Candace Against the Universe” (8/28.) The second movie based on the Disney Channel animated series, its production was finished during the pandemic, and will reach Disney+ at the end of the month.

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.