While 2025 was a good year for movies, 2026’s lineup looks to be an epic one for cinema. From the return of The Devil Wears Prada to tentpole blockbuster franchises like Star Wars, Marvel’s The Avengers, and Dune: Part Three. If you’re looking out for the best films to watch in the cinema next year, you’re in luck. Read as we give you our picks for our most anticipated movies coming in 2026.
With many big franchise movies coming in 2026’s, the years lineup is looking to be a marathon of familiar IP’s. The most anticipated for general moviegoers is the upcoming Marvel Studios films: Spiderman: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday. The MCU has not been in critical or box-office favour recently, so will these two projects save the franchise? Meanwhile, many familiar IP’s are making a comeback that including the beloved duo of The Mandalorian and Grogu and Woody and the toys with Toy Story 5.
It’s not just fun blockbusters making a splash in 2026, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy will be back. For example, Ghostface will return in Scream 7 to face-off against Neve Campbell once again. The daring story of Haymitch Abernathy is told in the Hunger Games prequel film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. On top of that, Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway will return to the cut-throat world of high fashion in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
For original movies coming in 2026, we will be getting another Christopher Nolan film. Matt Damon will star as Odysseus in Nolan’s sword-and-sandal epic The Odyssey. The film will feature a ensemble cast including Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron among many others. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Steven Yeun will also star in Netflix’s tense police thriller The Rip. Finally the rise of the King of Pop will be put to the big screen in the upcoming biopic Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson as his uncle.
In short, there will be many reasons to head to the cinema next year. And if you’re looking for more films to book in advance, fret not. We have narrowed down a list of 18 of 2026’s upcoming films you can’t miss. Here is our list of the best movies coming in 2026.
18 of our most anticipated movies coming in 2026
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Director: Nia DaCosta
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry
Release Date: 16 January 2026
A sequel to 2025’s 28 Years Later, The Bone Temple continues the story of Spike (Williams) as he is accepted into Jimmy Crystal’s deadly cult. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes) makes a discovery that could change the virus rampaged Britain forever.
The Rip
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor
Release Date: 13 February 2026
When a team of Miami cops find a stash of millions in cash in a house, tensions rise as they find out who they can trust. This stripped down thriller starring Affleck and Damon is also joined by Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylour.
Add it to your watchlist here.
Wuthering Heights
Director: Emerald Fennell
Cast: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Charlotte Mellington, Owen Cooper, others
Release Date: 13 February 2026
This modern adaptation reimagines the tumultuous, doomed romance of Heathcliff and Catherine against moody moors and social strictures. Their passion ignites a chain of betrayal, vengeance, and heartbreak that scars generations — proving love can be both beautiful and destructive.
Scream 7
Director: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding
Release Date: 27 February 2026
A fresh wave of terror sweeps a quiet town when a new Ghostface emerges, targeting Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers. The survivors of the Ghostface murders team-up to defeat him once and for all.
Project Hail Mary
Director: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub
Release Date: 20 March 2026
After awakening alone aboard a spaceship with no memory, scientist-astronaut Ryland Grace discovers he is humanity’s last hope to prevent a cosmic catastrophe that threatens Earth’s sun. As he pieces together his mission across light-years and time, he must rely on ingenuity and resilience with an unexpected alien ally.
Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller
Release Date: 24 April 2026
The highly anticipated biopic will follow Michael Jackson from his time in the Jackson 5 to becoming the ‘King of Pop’ in the 1980s.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci
Release Date: 1 May 2026
Meryl Streep is back as Miranda Priestly as she struggles against her former assistant Emily Charlton (Blunt), who has become a rival executive. Somehow, Anne Hathaway’s Andy will team-up with Priestly in the ever-changing world of fashion.
Mortal Kombat II
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller
Release Date: 8 May 2026
A sequel to Mortal Kombat (2021), Johnny Cage joins other fighters in the ultimate, no-holds-barred battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Jonny Coyne
Release Date: 22 May 2026
The Mandalorian is hired by The New Republic alongside his apprentice Grogu to hunt down the remnants of the Galactic Empire.
Masters of the Universe
Director: Travis Knight
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Idris Elba
Release Date: 5 June 2026
Based of the 1980’s franchise from Mattel, this new remake tells the story of Adam Glenn (Galitzine) who must reclaim the Power of Grayskull to defeat the sinister forces of Skeletor (Leto).
Scary Movie 6
Director: Michael Tiddes
Cast: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Jon Abrahams
Release Date: 12 June 2026
Yes, the Scary Movie parody franchise will be returning next year for another installment of laughs and satire. The story itself remains unknown, but we all know there will be a ton of stupid jokes.
Toy Story 5
Director: Andrew Stanton
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Blake Clark
Release Date: 5 June 2026
Jessie and Buzz Lightyear’s world with eight-year-old Bonnie turns upside down when she becomes engrossed with a frog-like tablet named Lilypad.
Supergirl
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, David Krumholtz, Eve Ridley
Release Date: 26 June 2026
The DCU expands with Supergirl, the story of Superman’s cousin and her darker origins before coming to planet earth. Milly Alcock of House of the Dragon fame will be reprising her role as Kara Zor-El who we first saw at the end of Superman (2025).
The Odyssey
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson
Release Date: 17 July 2026
Director Christopher Nolan returns to the big screen with an epic retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey. Featuring a star-studded cast led by Matt Damon, the film was fully shot on IMAX 70mm cameras in Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and Iceland.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal
Release Date: 31 July 2026
Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker, in the MCU’s beloved superhero series. In this film, Parker is struggling to get through college as new foes emerge.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Joseph Zada, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning
Release Date: 20 November 2026
24 years before the events of the The Hunger Games, a young Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the original trilogy) competes in the 50th Hunger Games.
Avengers: Doomsday
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, and Robert Downey Jr.
Release Date: 18 December 2026
In this highly anticipated next chapter of the MCU, the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Wakandans band together to face-off against Doctor Doom played by Robert Downey Jr.
Dune: Part Three
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Robert Pattinson
Release Date: 18 December 2026
In the next instalment of the Dune franchise, Paul Atreides (Chalamet) continues his reign as Emperor of the universe alongside the Fremen when he uncovers a plot to dethrone him.
(Hero image credit: Marvel Studios / Feature image credit: Lucasfilm)
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
