The new year is here, and I’ve assembled my list of Most Anticipated Films for 2026. It’s always exciting to look ahead at the upcoming releases for the year. With that in mind, as always, I’m aware that plenty of movies are not even on my radar yet. However, it’s always spellbinding to get a sense of all the currently planned releases and narrow them down to a collection of intriguing or fun-looking titles. The following is a month-by-month look at what movies I look forward to seeing this year (trailer links added where available). Feel free to post the films you look forward to in the comments!
First, let’s start with a recap of my 2025 picks:
January – Wolf Man – A disappointing turn from director Leigh Whannell, whose efforts to come in after the departure of others felt like a film made without much passion.
February – The Monkey – Perhaps not as strong as Longlegs, but a wild dark comedy full of violent deaths, outlandish characters, and an edge perfectly suitable for Osgood Perkins.
March – Black Bag – The coolest film of 2025. It easily made my top ten for the year, as it’s a slick spy flick that emphasizes witty dialogue and character interplay over action.
April – Sinners – What more can be said? It delivered on all fronts as a period drama / musical / horror flick, becoming one of the best films of the year.
May – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – A step up from Dead Reckoning. As a supposed finale to the series, it reached great heights and once again delivered some unbelievable spectacle that I quite enjoyed.
June – 28 Years Later – An exciting return to this series from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. It delivered on the filmmaking standpoint with some exciting choices and left me excited for the upcoming sequel.
July – Superman – The first great Superman movie since 1981, and an exciting way to set the stage for what’s next in this iteration of the DC Universe.
August – One Battle After Another – Later moved to September. Regardless, it’s the best film of 2025.
September – The Bride – Moved to this coming March.
October – Roofman – A delightful comedy-drama that was done wrong by marketing. Channing Tatum and Kristen Dunst are both fantastic here, and the film will hopefully find an audience at some point.
November – Bugonia – I had counted on this being the most bizarre film of the month, and I was correct. The film delivered the goods, with Stone and Plemons working at the top of their game.
December – Avatar: Fire and Ash – James Cameron not only directed his fourth Billion-dollar-grossing film in a row, but continued to effectively explore the world of Pandora by way of another exciting sci-fi/action-adventure.
***
January
Send Help (1/30)
Sam Raimi is back with a movie about the woman who turns the tables on her sexist boss once they find themselves stranded on an island after a plane crash. I can’t wait to see how Raimi twists the knife with this one, as it looks like a lot of fun. Outside of that, not counting all of the award contenders expanding wider and the Sundance Film Festival, there are a few notables I’m interested in. I already had one 28 Years movie on my list recently, but that certainly has me excited. Maybe The Rip can defy what I expect from most Netflix movies with huge talent behind them and live up to what’s being promised. And finally, Jason Statham brings us some of his yearly entertainment at the end of the month.
Other Notable Releases: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Dead Man’s Wire, In Cold Light, Greenland 2: Migration, Magellan, Mercy, Killer Whale, The Moment, Moses the Black, Primate, The Rip, Shelter, Sundance Film Festival 2026
February
Wuthering Heights (2/13)
I probably would have noted the return of Gore Verbinski, but I already saw his film at Beyond Fest in October. So, instead, I’ll look towards Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights. I can’t say another version of that story is the most interesting to me, but I’ll be curious to see what Fennell does to make the internet seethe with rage over it. Plus, Charlie XCX is putting out a whole album of songs inspired by the film, so I’d like to think some other interesting choices will be made to contemporize the production somewhat. The rest of the month has some interesting things at play. We’ll see if all the behind-the-scenes drama was worth it for Scream 7. Luc Besson brings his Dracula to America. And Glenn Powell stars in a new version of Kind Hearts and Coronets.
Other Notable Releases: Cold Storage, Crime 101, Dracula, GOAT, Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die, How to Make a Killing, Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie, Pillion, Psycho Killer, Redux Redux, Scarlet, Scream 7, Undercard, Whistle
March
Project Hail Mary (3/20)
The Bride was my pick for the month last September, so we can push that one aside for now, though I am hyped for it. That said, I’ve heard the book Project Hail Mary is adapted from is even better than Weir’s The Martian, so here’s hoping the movie follows the same trajectory. At the very least, Ryan Gosling working with Lord and Miller on a sci-fi adventure should be some level of fun, and I have little doubt it won’t work as a crowd-pleaser. Speaking of which, both They Will Kill You and Ready or Not 2 look like a ton of fun. Perhaps Pixar will deliver something special with Hundreds of Avatars, aka Hoppers. Plus, can Nate Bargatze work on the big screen? Hopefully, he will more than the trailer for The Breadwinner suggests.
Other Notable Releases: Amarga Navidad, The Breadwinner, The Bride, For Worse, Hoppers, The Pout-Pout Fish, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, They Will Kill You, Youngblood
April
Mother Mary (4/24)
Between Michael and Mario, this is an April with the potential to have two different billion-dollar movies emerge before the Summer even gets started. That said, I don’t have much interest in either beyond whether Michael finishes in time and is still released as one film. I am intrigued by what Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin is going to do with a new take on The Mummy, and The Drama has a director I like for his cringe-horror take, putting Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in an awkward situation as an engaged couple. However, all of that can wait, I guess, as I want to see what’s going on with David Lowery’s Mother Mary. This looks to be something wild from the director of The Green Knight, and he has the visuals, music, and stars like Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel to show us something about the world of pop and its deeper themes. I’m in.
Other Notable Releases: 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, Apex, The Drama, Michael, The Mummy, Normal, The Resurrected, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, You Me & Tuscany
May
I Love Boosters (5/22)
With Sorry to Bother You, it felt like writer/director/musician Boots Riley was throwing everything in, just in case he never got to make another movie. And yet, here we are, having already made the series I’m a Virgo, Riley is now back with a new film, starring Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige as a group of shoplifters who I’m sure go on some surreal journey that happens to tackle social issues. Sign me up. Also in May – The Devil Wears Prada sequel that is going to make a ton of money, the first Star Wars movie in 7 years, a very fun-looking Mortal Kombat sequel, a buddy comedy starring Ru Paul, and something about animals trying to solve Hugh Jackman’s murder.
Other Notable Releases: Animal Farm, Cannes Film Festival, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Hokum, Is God Is, The Mandalorian & Grogu, Mortal Kombat II, Obsession, Passenger, Poetic License, The Sheep Detectives, Stop! That! Train!
June
Disclosure Day (6/12)
Steven Spielberg returns to the world of summer blockbusters by way of a sci-fi movie involving aliens. He’s had some experience with that in the past, so I hope it works out for him. But really, this is easily the film I’m most looking forward to this month, let alone one of the top few for the year in general. Disclose it soon, please! Meanwhile, Toy Story 5 is here to prove just how consistent this series will remain, both in terms of quality and box office. Supergirl will hopefully keep Gunn’s DC universe on a good streak. I’m happy the Wayans Brothers have Scary Movie back, and hope it turns into some clever satire. Plus, we finally get to see studios realize how little today’s audiences care about Masters of the Universe.
Other Notable Releases: Animal Friends, Girls Like Girls, Masters of the Universe, Power Ballad, Scary Movie 6, Supergirl, Toy Story 5
July
The Odyssey (7/17)
Having seen the 6-minute prologue in IMAX, I know I’m getting a full-on, 3-hour-ish fantasy film from Christopher Nolan, and that’s exciting. Yes, The Iliad can be a good story to read. Still, it’s The Odyssey that really dishes out some amazing visual ideas fit for a director who will accept the challenge to realize them on the grandest scale for audiences everywhere. It’s a no-brainer that this film will be epic. That said, Spider-Man finally returns for a …Brand New Day. Disney apparently took The Rock seriously and made a live-action Moana. And I’m getting a new Evil Dead movie in a series that’s yet to let me down in any way.
Other Notable Releases: Cut Off, Evil Dead Burn, Minions 3, Moana, Shiver, Spider-Man: Brand New Day
August
Coyote vs. Acme (8/28)
Last year, as far as I’m concerned, San Diego’s Comic Con had its Hall H presentations won by Coyote vs. Acme. From a canceled film to a feature given new life, the actual footage presents the idea of the Wile E. Coyote suing Acme for its products’ inability to work, let alone help him catch the roadrunner. This is a film I want to see a lot more of. It looks pretty special, and will hopefully get the right kind of boost to encourage audiences to see it. This month also includes Flowervale Street, a large-scale sci-fi mystery from producer J.J. Abrams and the director of It Follows. Cliffhanger is getting a Stallone-free reboot. Insidious and Jason Statham are both back this month as well. Finally, Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is supposed to release its dystopian self on us all, but I would bet it changes its date.
Other Notable Releases: Cliffhanger, The Dog Stars, Flowervale Street, Insidious: The Bleeding World, Mutiny, Once Upon a Time in Cinema, One Night Only, Super Troopers 3
September
Clayface (9/11)
We’ve seen Sony attempt to build a whole universe around Spider-Man’s villains, and it amounted to a no-go. This attempt to take a Batman villain, Clayface, and allow us to see a film all about him, or more specifically, actor Matt Hagen, on his own, could be a weird non-starter. However, being part of this DC universe and having current horror guru Mike Flanagan contribute a screenplay makes me wonder what kind of crazy body-horror elements will be at play here. Speaking of, Zach Cregger is following up his horror hit Weapons with a new take on Resident Evil…good luck.
Other Notable Releases: Charlie Harper, Forgotten Island, How to Rob a Bank, Practical Magic 2, Resident Evil, Venice Film Festival
October
Digger (10/2)
For October, Tom Cruise steps away from blockbuster action theatrics and into something more prestigious with director Alexandro Inarritu with Digger. We know nothing about it as of yet, except that it’s some sort of comedy. Suppose this is the return of Cruise to the realm of choosing to work with the great directors of his time again, cool. The month also brings us a Social Network sequel written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Street Fighter returns. There’s also a film from Brian Duffield about a scuba diver who is swallowed by a giant sperm whale and has only an hour to get out. Rad!
Other Notable Releases: The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, Other Mommy, Remain, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, The Social Reckoning, Street Fighter, Verity, Whalefall
November
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (11/26)
Since The Hunger Games has proven to be a franchise that I can rely on each time, I guess I’ll focus on the other big YA adaptation of the month. Director Greta Gerwig follows up her massively successful work on Barbie with a new take on C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series, starting with the prequel book, The Magician’s Nephew. Given that she’s also pushing for an IMAX release for this Netflix film, I hope to see some remarkable sights. Speaking of streaming, David O. Russell has both Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale for his Madden movie. Disney is getting Hexed this fall. Meet the Parents is going to learn if there’s any more gas in that Focker’s tank. Oh, and Ti West is making a film about Ebenezer Scrooge, starring Johnny Depp? Okay, you have my attention.
Update – Godzilla: Minus Zero (11/6)
Normally, I wouldn’t do this after the fact, but since it’s only a couple of days since publishing this post and given that Godzilla Minus Zero is my most anticipated film of the year, period, it only makes sense to add this rather than let it be. The Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One is not only one of the best Godzilla films ever made, but a film that doesn’t even need qualifiers for casual viewers to see just how great it is. Now, director Takashi Yamazaki is hard at work on a sequel, and I could not be more delighted to see whatever he has in store. Will there be more monsters? Fan favorite characters or new ones? No one knows as of now, but it is all very exciting, nonetheless.
Other Notable Releases: Archangel, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, Hexed, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Madden, Meet the Parents: Focker-In-Law
December
Dune: Part Three (12/18)
Dunesday is the phrase we’re going with for now, as both Warner Brothers and Marvel Studios seem to have no intention of backing down from each other over their respective films and their release date. Well, no offense to Marvel, but as much as I’m sure I’ll enjoy them ringing nostalgia bells with past characters showing up to fight Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr., Dune has become the rare sci-fi series to deliver features that feel like something I can actually compare to Star Wars in its prime. I haven’t read the books, but I’m fascinated to see what comes next. Speaking of, I can’t wait to see what Robert Eggers is up to with whatever his werewolf movie is going to be about. And it’s about time the cast of these new Jumanji movies got back together.
Other Notable Releases: The Angry Birds Movie 3, Avengers: Doomsday, Jumanji 4, Violent Night 2, Werwulf
Dates Not Yet Set:
Of course, while plenty of films are listed, there is still only so much to be aware of in January, as many other releases have not yet been scheduled. So, I’m happy to shout out some titles I am keeping in mind, such as 1949, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, Artificial, Bucking Fastard, Burning Rainbow Farm, The Entertainment System is Down, In the Blink of an Eye, Ink, Jack of Spades, Once Upon a Time in Harlem, Paper Tiger, Parallel Tales, Soul Patrol, The Way of the Wind, When a Witness Recants, Wildwood, Wild Horse Nine, and more. Plus, these films and others are coming from directors Gregg Araki, Asghar Farhadi, Danny Boyle, Gareth Evans, David Fincher, James Gray, Joel Coen, Justin Kerzel, Luca Guadagnino, Martin McDonagh, Pawel Pawlikowski, Ruben Ostlund, Jeremy Saulnier, Andrew Stanton, Werner Herzog, Adam Wingard, Taika Waititi, Robert Zemeckis, and Terrence Malick
***
