- - The 38 Most Anticipated Movies of 2026

Ben RosenstockDecember 30, 2025 at 2:48 AM

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Credit - Claire Folger—Netflix, Courtesy A24 (2), Macall Polay—20th Century, Melinda Sue Gordon—Universal Pictures, Courtesy Pixar, Niko Tavernise—Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment, Courtesy Warner Bros., Miya Mizuno—Sony

It’s a stranger and more unpredictable time than ever in Hollywood, especially with the impending multi-billion-dollar deal that could change the business forever: Netflix’s move to acquire Warner Bros. For now, though, we still have movies to celebrate, and there’s no shortage of original stories, adaptations, and remakes to look forward to in the next year. Here are the most anticipated movies coming in 2026.

People We Meet on Vacation (Jan. 9)

Emily Bader and Tom Blyth star in this adaptation of Emily Henry’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. The book follows two former best friends and travel buddies—an adventurous blogger and a mild-mannered English teacher—who reunite to renew their summer tradition of going on vacation together and realize their relationship may be something more.

The Rip (Jan. 16)

Boston boys Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, back together again: the duo will co-star in writer-director Joe Carnahan’s action thriller about a group of Miami cops who discover millions of dollars in hidden cash. Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, and Kyle Chandler also star.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Jan. 16)

The follow-up to this year’s zombie flick 28 Years Later—itself a revival of the franchise that began in 2002 with Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later—picks up directly where that one left off, with Spike (Alfie Williams) initiated into a cult led by the psychopathic Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) in Rage Virus-ravaged Britain. The two films were shot back to back, with Nia DaCosta taking over director duties this time from Boyle.

Send Help (Jan. 30)

Sam Raimi’s first original work since 2009’s Drag Me to Hell is a darkly comedic thriller set in a nightmare of a situation. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star as worker and boss forced to navigate their tensions in a brand new dynamic after surviving a plane crash on a deserted island.

The Moment (Jan. 30)

Next year will see pop star Charli XCX take on the mantle of actor as she is set to appear in several movies. In this one, the feature debut of Aidan Zamiri (who has directed music videos for songs like Charli’s “360”), she plays a fictionalized version of herself on her first headlining tour. It’s a mockumentary loosely based on her Sweat tour, billed as a “2024 period piece” about what would happen if she had made “entirely different choices” around the Brat rollout.

Pillion (Feb. 6)

Harry Melling stars in this complex debut from director Harry Lighton, a tender romantic comedy drama about the unconventional BDSM relationship between an introverted gay man and a mysterious biker (Alexander Skarsgård). So far, reviews have been universally positive.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (Feb. 13)

Gore Verbinski’s first film since 2016’s A Cure for Wellness has gotten some promising early reviews, including a comparison to Everything Everywhere All At Once. A time-loop movie about a man from the future (Sam Rockwell) sent back to stop an AI uprising, the absurd sci-fi comedy also stars Juno Temple, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, and Zazie Beetz among the diner-goers he enlists for his mission.

Wuthering Heights (Feb. 13)

The trailer for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s famous novel calls it “the greatest love story of all time,” perhaps an unusual way of describing the escalating abuse and trauma of the source material. This version of Wuthering Heights stars Margot Robbie as 18-year-old Catherine Earnshaw and sees Jacob Elordi further establishing his Gothic bona fides as the Byronic hero Heathcliff.

How to Make a Killing (Feb. 20)

Loosely inspired by the 1949 British film Kind Hearts and Coronets, this black comedy thriller stars Glen Powell as a man determined to reclaim his inheritance by wiping out the seven family members before him in line.

Scream 7 (Feb. 27)

OG Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson is back as writer and director for the seventh installment, which also features the return of original Scream queen Neve Campbell after her omission from Scream VI. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega won’t be present, but Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding reprise their roles, accompanied by new cast members including Isabel May, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, and McKenna Grace.

The Bride! (Mar. 6)

Maggie Gyllenhaal made an impressive directorial debut with her Elena Ferrante adaptation The Lost Daughter. Now she’s back with this monster film drawing inspiration from the 1935 Bride of Frankenstein. Jessie Buckley stars as the titular bride, with Christian Bale offering the latest take on Frankenstein’s monster.

Project Hail Mary (Mar. 20)

The dynamic duo of Phil Lord and Chris Miller teamed up with screenwriter Drew Goddard for the adaptation of Andy Weir’s third hard sci-fi novel. The movie follows an astronaut (Ryan Gosling) who wakes up on a spacecraft with no idea how he got there—and realizes it may be up to him to save humanity.

Mother Mary (April)

Director David Lowery has tackled several different genres throughout his career—from indie dramas like A Ghost Story to big-budget fantasy adventure movies like Pete’s Dragon and The Green Knight—and now he’s tackling the psychological thriller. The film follows the complex psychosexual bond between a pop singer (Anne Hathaway) and a fashion designer (Michaela Coel), which reignites when the former needs a dress for her comeback tour.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Apr. 3)

The 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie got mixed reviews but was a massive box office success that delivered endless references for Mario fanatics. This sequel, based on the 2007 game Super Mario Galaxy, should be no different. Benny Safdie and Brie Larson join the cast this time as the villainous Bowser Jr. and princess Rosalina.

The Drama (Apr. 3)

A happily engaged couple’s wedding week goes off the rails when some disturbing truths about one of them come to light. That’s basically all we know about the plot of this A24 drama from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario), starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. It’s a juicy premise, hinted at in that intriguing teaser trailer.

Michael (Apr. 24)

Antoine Fuqua is tackling this wide-ranging biopic of Michael Jackson, with Jackson’s nephew Jaafar stepping into the role of the King of Pop himself. Regarding the depiction of sexual abuse allegations against Jackson, producer Graham King has explained his intent to “humanize but not sanitize and present the most compelling, unbiased story.” Colman Domingo and Nia Long will play Joe and Katherine Jackson, respectively.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1)

Twenty years after the first Devil Wears Prada comes a sequel with the same writer-director-producer trio and many of the same actors reprising their roles: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Tracie Thoms, and Tibor Feldman. The plot itself isn’t fully known, but it will presumably follow 2013’s Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, the sequel to the original novel.

I Love Boosters (May 22)

If writer-director Boots Riley’s previous projects are anything to go by—he made Sorry to Bother You and the underrated TV show I’m a Virgo—his sophomore feature will keep audiences guessing. Another wacky and satirical sci-fi comedy, this one centers on a group of shoplifters going after a fashion maven. The ensemble will include Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, Naomi Ackie, Demi Moore, and LaKeith Stanfield.

The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22)

Co-writers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni originally wrote a fourth season of The Mandalorian, but pivoted after the 2023 strikes delayed production and ultimately focused on a movie. In addition to Pedro Pascal’s masked bounty hunter and everyone’s favorite “baby Yoda,” characters will include New Republic colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and the live-action version of Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Jabba’s son (first seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars).

Disclosure Day (Jun. 12)

Little is known about Spielberg’s mysterious new UFO picture, but the cast includes Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Wyatt Russell.

Toy Story 5 (Jun. 19)

Pixar’s Pete Docter described the fifth Toy Story movie’s logline as “Toy meets Tech,” and it makes sense: The film introduces a new threat in the form of Lilypad (Greta Lee), a frog-like tablet that becomes the new favorite toy for eight-year-old Bonnie. Anna Faris and Conan O’Brien join the cast as new characters, with most of the usual franchise alums (Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Blake Clark, John Ratzenberger, Tony Hale) also on board.

Supergirl (Jun. 26)

This year’s Superman movie already soft-launched Kara Danvers (House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock) as Kal-El’s jaded party-girl cousin. But she gets a story to herself in the second DC Universe film, during which she gets recruited by a young alien girl named Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley) to avenge her father’s death at the hands of Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).

Moana (Jul. 10)

The latest addition to Disney live-action remake collection will introduce Catherine Laga'aia as the titular Moana, the daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village who sets out to leave her home island and save her people. Dwayne Johnson reprises his role of the demigod Maui from the animated movies.

Cut Off (Jul. 17)

Jonah Hill directed this comedy film from a script he co-wrote with Ezra Woods about two wealthy siblings whose parents cut them off, forcing them to find a way of supporting themselves. The announced cast so far includes Hill, Kristen Wiig, Bette Midler, and Nathan Lane.

The Odyssey (Jul. 17)

Theaters started selling tickets for Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic a year in advance, so this one is a guaranteed blockbuster. It’s also the most expensive film of Nolan’s career, and the first to be shot only on IMAX 70 mm film. Matt Damon portrays Odysseus on the journey home, with Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya playing his son Telemachus, wife Penelope, and protector Athena.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Jul. 31)

The first in a new trilogy of Spider-Man movies led by Tom Holland, Destin Daniel Cretton’s second MCU entry (following Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) reintroduces Michael Mando’s villainous Scorpion, last seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming. It also brings back characters like Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, though the film will reportedly spend more time on Peter Parker taking down street-level criminals instead of genocidal supervillains.

Flowervale Street (Aug. 14)

David Robert Mitchell’s first movie since 2018’s Under the Silver Lake is a sci-fi flick starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, centered on a series of strange events happening to a family living in 1980s suburbia.

Sense and Sensibility (Sep. 11)

Jane Austen’s first published novel already has one highly acclaimed adaptation: the 1995 Ang Lee film with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as the flawed, lovable Dashwood sisters (plus love interests Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman). The new adaptation from director Georgia Oakley features Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as Elinor and Marianne.

Resident Evil (Sep. 18)

The eighth installment in the Resident Evil film series is yet another reboot (following 2021’s reboot Welcome to Raccoon City), this time presenting an original story set in that world without actually featuring any of the game characters. With writer-director Zach Cregger (of Barbarian and Weapons) involved, it’s sure to be worth watching—in fact, there’s a good chance it’ll be the best and spookiest Resident Evil movie yet.

Practical Magic 2 (Sep. 18)

Co-screenwriter Akiva Goldsman returned to co-write this sequel to the 1998 romantic fantasy comedy-drama about two sister witches (played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) raised by their aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) after their parents died from a family curse. All four are back for the sequel—based on Alice Hoffman’s sequel to the original novel—and joined by Joey King, Xolo Maridueña, Maisie Williams, and Lee Pace.

Forgotten Island (Sep. 25)

Most of the plot details for the next original DreamWorks Animation film from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish director Joel Crawford are still under wraps, but it reportedly follows two best friends (played by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano) who get trapped on the fantastical island of Nakali and can only escape by forgetting all their memories together. The voice cast will also include Lea Salonga, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and Manny Jacinto.

The Social Reckoning (Sep. 25)

Aaron Sorkin won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Social Network, the 2010 film about Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). Now Jeremy Strong is stepping into the role of Zuck for the companion piece, this one focused on the 2021 Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen. Not only is Sorkin on board as writer, he is replacing David Fincher in the director’s chair.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (Nov. 20)

Suzanne Collins published the second of her two Hunger Games prequels just this year—and as with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Francis Lawrence (who also directed three of the four original movies) is back on board for the adaptation. This one depicts Haymitch Abernathy’s participation in the Second Quarter Quell, set 24 years before the events of the first film. Other de-aged characters include Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Plutarch Heavensbee, Donald Sutherland’s President Coriolanus Snow, Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman, and Elizabeth Banks’s Effie Trinket, here played by Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culki, and Elle Fanning, in that order. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will also be reprising their roles.

Focker In-Law (Nov. 25)

Ben Stiller filmed the fourth movie in the Meet the Parents franchise at the same age as Robert De Niro in the first movie. Fittingly, the plot also brings the series full circle: Now it’s Greg (Stiller) and Pam’s (Teri Polo) son (Skyler Gisondo) bringing a partner home to his parents. Ariana Grande, Beanie Feldstein, and Eduardo Franco also join the cast, with De Niro, Stiller, Polo, Owen Wilson, and Blythe Danner all returning.

Dune: Part Three (Dec. 18)

The third and final installment in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy will follow the plot of Dune Messiah, jumping 12 years forward from Part Two and wrapping up the arc for Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his Holy War. Joining the cast is Robert Pattinson (speculated to be playing villain Scytale), along with a re-animated version of swordmaster Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) from the first movie.

Avengers: Doomsday (Dec. 18)

The fourth Avengers film is the first since 2019’s Endgame, and its scope is even bigger: Not only will the main Avengers face off against Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), but they’ll be joined by the Wakandans, the Fantastic Four, the original X-Men from the 20th Century Fox movies, and the newly christened New Avengers from Thunderbolts. That’s a whole lot of characters to keep track of—and this is just a prelude for 2027’s Secret Wars.

Werwulf (Dec. 25)

From The Witch to Nosferatu, Robert Eggers excels at period horror, using language to immerse viewers in an inherently unfamiliar and disorienting setting. His newest will reportedly take place in 13th-century England and feature dialogue in Middle English. Eggers regulars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson are signed on.

The Christophers (TBD)

Early buzz has been very positive for the fourth team-up between Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Ed Solomon (following Mosaic, No Sudden Move, and Full Circle). It’s a darkly comic two-hander about an iconic painter (Ian McKellen) and the forger (Michaela Coel) hired by his heirs (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) to finish his incomplete paintings for profit.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”