15 Most Anticipated Movies Of 2026

With 2025 just about in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead to what 2026 has in store when it comes to movies. Much ink has been spilled of late about this past year’s disappointing slate of blockbusters and what it says about the dire current state of the film industry. But, as Benicio del Toro’s wise sensei/revolutionary Sergio St. Carlos from “One Battle After Another” once put it, “Don’t go dark on me, Bob.” Just as Paul Thomas Anderson’s film and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” proved there’s still room for genuine art in the modern tentpole landscape in 2025, there are several big-budget, director-driven endeavors coming in 2026 that have us excited and feeling hopeful about the future of cinema.

As is usually the case with /Film’s annual most anticipated rundowns, this particular list is dominated by the biggest and most buzzed-about movies on the horizon. Still, it’s not all nine-figure projects, as we’ve also carved out room for a handful of low-to-mid-budget originals from some of the most unique filmmakers working today. Will all of these movies be winners? Perhaps not, but again, we’re staying optimistic and keeping our fingers crossed for the best. And if the film you’re personally looking forward to the most didn’t make the cut, then we’ll gladly dig into our humble pie if/when it comes out and blows us away, just like you always knew it would.

With that said, here are our 15 most anticipated movies of 2026 listed in alphabetical order.

With Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Alfie Williams returning and director Nia DaCosta taking the reins from Danny Boyle, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” picks up where 2025’s “28 Years Later” left off, with Spike (Williams) running into Sir Jimmy Crystal (O’Connell) and his apocalyptic cult. After Boyle’s long-awaited sequel, which was penned by Alex Garland, received wide acclaim from critics, we have every reason to get excited about “The Bone Temple,” which began shooting right after “28 Years Later” wrapped production.

The universe Boyle first built in “28 Days Later” all the way back in 2002 is still alive and well (which is ironic, considering that it focuses on a world filled with what are basically zombies), and if “The Bone Temple” is even half as good as its predecessor, we’ll have yet another hit on our hands. At the very least, we know that Fiennes, O’Connell, and Williams will deliver just like they already did. (Nina Starner)

Release Date: January 16, 2026

The Multiverse Saga has been an uneven one for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s going to conclude with a bang. That bang begins in December when “Avengers: Doomsday” arrives. The film sees the Russo Brothers returning as directors, with Robert Downey Jr., who formerly played Iron Man, taking on the role of famed villain Doctor Doom. This is the definition of a major cinematic event.

“Doomsday” features a dizzyingly large cast of MCU actors from the past and present. It’s also teeing the ball up for “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which will bring the Multiverse Saga to a close. For as much as certain fans have been turned off by MCU fare as of late, this represents the opportunity to once again have a Marvel movie be the epicenter of a massive shared cultural experience. When Marvel Studios is firing on all cylinders, such events can be truly special, and this one has all of the pieces in place to deliver the goods on the most epic of scales.

Release Date: December 18, 2026

No movie coming in 2026 carries a more unique, wild, and yet somehow perfect genre mash-up than Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride!” Set in 1930s Chicago, it looks to be “Bride of Frankenstein” plus “Bonnie and Clyde” — there’ll be bizarre science and Tommy Gun shoot-outs. The original “Bride of Frankenstein” has long been considered the crown jewel of Universal Horror, so a total reinvention like this is the only way to make a revisit worth it. The Bride herself is Jessie Buckley; fresh off her heartbreaking performance as a grieving mother in “Hamnet,” the Irish actor will now play another woman learning the value of all-too-fleeting life. Acting chameleon Christian Bale is playing the Creature, and seeing what he can bring to a character as famous as Frankenstein’s Creature is intriguing.

This past year, Guillermo del Toro delivered a “Frankenstein” movie crafted in the image of Mary Shelley’s original novel. Another “Frankenstein” remake so soon and so completely different as “The Bride!” shows the power of this modern myth. (Devin Meenan)

Release Date: March 6, 2026

When James Gunn took over as DC Studios’ co-head, he did so with a vision that could very well be the antidote to superhero fatigue. “We don’t serve just one kind of audience,” he said at the time, “so why make just one kind of film?” Well, so far we’ve seen a very Gunn-esque tone emerge, but “Clayface” will be the first real test of whether his ambitious vision to embrace a wide range of styles actually works.

An R-rated body horror movie set in the DC Universe and penned by horror maestro Mike Flanagan? Yes, please. This would be an exciting prospect sans the DC association, but the fact it will also act as a litmus test for the future of Gunn’s DC Studios and, by extension, comic book films in general makes it all the more intriguing. The darker tone we’ve been promised similarly suggests Gunn and co. could finally take the Batman universe where no filmmaker has yet dared, making this an unmissable chapter in this still burgeoning cinematic project. (Joe Roberts)

Release Date: September 11, 2026

After delaying the film from its original July 2023 theatrical premiere date, Warner Bros. announced it wouldn’t be releasing “Coyote vs. Acme” at all. This sent both the filmmakers behind the production and Looney Tunes fans into a frenzy, though Ketchup Entertainment has since picked up the movie for a Summer 2026 release.

The live-action animated hybrid movie follows Wile E. Coyote as he pursues a lawsuit against the ACME Corporation, the company behind all the faulty gadgets that he’s used in his attempts to catch the speedy Road Runner. Comedy treasure Will Forte plays attorney Kevin Avery, a down and out lawyer who feels a sort of kinship with Coyote and suddenly has his own stakes in the game when he discovers ACME is being represented by his intimidating former boss.

Industry insiders who’ve seen the movie sung its praises when WB attempted to can it as a tax write-off, and considering how great “The Day the Earth Blew Up” was in 2025, we can’t wait for another Looney Tunes movie.

Release Date: August 28, 2026

When Steven Spielberg directs a science fiction movie, it means something. It’s important. Judging by the teaser for “Disclosure Day,” the director of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” and “War of the Worlds” is going to freak us out, scare us silly, and, just maybe, touch our hearts.

Few details are known about the film at present. We do know that it’s a UFO movie of some kind and that Emily Blunt stars as a Kansas City weatherwoman who begins speaking in bizarre, unnatural clicking noises while on the air, which evidently unnerves the entire world. Josh O’Connor co-stars as a man who claims to know what’s going on. He wants to get the truth out to everyone on Earth, but shadowy government forces aren’t keen on this idea. Co-star Colman Domingo has said he wept when he read David Koepp’s script. (“I thought it was one of the most beautiful scripts about our humanity,” he told Deadline.) O’Connor has claimed it’s “old-school Spielberg.” Now that means something. (Jeremy Smith)

Release Date: June 12, 2026

Denis Villeneuve masterfully adapted Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel “Dune” into possibly the most successfully mapped-out cinematic two-parter ever, so there’s no doubt he’ll continue his winning streak with “Dune: Part Three.” Timothée Chalamet has fully embraced the transformation of Paul Atreides from timid royal successor to Emperor of the Known Universe, and the time gap between films may give way to a darker evolution of the character. Adapting “Dune: Messiah” with elements of “Children of Dune” is bound to get really weird, and I’m very much here for that.

Villeneuve has shown that he’s more than willing to twist the text in order to tell the story he’s envisioning. The ending to “Dune: Part Two” also presents a significant transformation for the women of “Dune,” many of whom are now key players inside and outside the Atreides regime. Exploring even more strange planets, cultures, and plots outside of Arrakis will only make this story feel even bigger. Robert Pattinson playing another slimy little creep is the cherry on top. (Quinn Bilodeau)

Release Date: December 18, 2026

“Infested” director Sébastien Vaniček is resurrecting Deadite chaos with “Evil Dead Burn,” which promises a standalone experience of the “Evil Dead Rise” variety. Vaniček has shared behind-the-scenes snippets featuring loads of blood and gore (among other unidentifiable viscera), nodding to the visceral nature of the franchise and its splatstick sensibilities. Although plot details are scarce at the moment, all we need is a fun, compelling reason for a bunch of folks to dig up the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis and make all sorts of vapid decisions soon after. Vaniček’s tendency to embrace gross-out horror is all the more reason to root for “Evil Dead Burn,” especially if it manages to do something interesting in the creature design department. Bonus points if the narrative is packed with thematic punch, just like “Evil Dead Rise” and its exploration of the (often gnarly) anxieties of motherhood. I just hope that there will be at least one blood-drenched survivor who makes it out alive in the end. (Debopriyaa Dutta)

Release Date: July 24, 2026

Gore Verbinski might be best known as the director of the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, but it’s his work outside of that franchise that makes him a truly exciting talent. He delivered the underrated crime flick “The Mexican,” arguably topped Koju Suzuki’s “The Ring” with his 2002 remake, and concocted the inspired animated original “Rango.” Oh, and the climax of “The Lone Ranger” features one of the best action sequences of the 21st century.

10 years after “A Cure for Wellness,” Verbinski is back with the gonzo sci-fi/action brain-buster “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” which /Film’s Rafael Motamayor raved about at last October’s Fantastic Fest. Written by the immensely talented Matthew Robinson (“The Invention of Lying”), the film stars Sam Rockwell in full livewire mode as a time traveler who recruits diners at a Los Angeles Norm’s to help him defeat an out-of-control AI that threatens to destroy humankind. It looks hilarious, thrilling, and seriously twisted — i.e., right down Verbinski’s alley. (Jeremy Smith)

Release Date: February 13, 2026

From “Batman” to interstellar space to World War II, Christopher Nolan has been steadily testing the limits of his ambitions until finally arriving at the granddaddy of them all: Greek mythology. “The Odyssey” promises to be a departure from what we’ve come to expect from the cerebral but inherently crowd-pleasing auteur … while, at the same time, acting as a culmination of sorts. After all, which other storyteller could possibly be better suited for a modern retelling of our most classic, foundational narrative?

Even middle schoolers (well, most of them, at least) know the arduous journeys of the most exhausted character Homer ever put to paper parchment; soon, moviegoers around the globe will get the chance to relive their literature lessons through the eyes of the most detail-oriented filmmaker around. Almost as if in answer to those who wondered whether he might actually detonate a nuclear weapon for “Oppenheimer,” we now anxiously await Nolan’s interpretation of a giant Cyclops, irresistible sirens, and a deadly monster or three — all in glorious IMAX. (Jeremy Mathai)

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Everyone loved “The Martian.” Author Andy Weir has a way of making a single dude out in space not just interesting but compelling, and he’s since done it again with “Project Hail Mary.” In this case, though, the story doesn’t focus on a Robinson Crusoe-esque tale of one man against the elements (although there’s plenty of that, too). Instead, it’s a narrative about the imminent demise of humanity, and the middle school teacher sent to save it.

Here’s why this one hits home so well. As Weir sets the desperate stakes, he simultaneously spins a story that mixes apocalyptic terror with some other genres that shall remain unspoiled. Like “The Martian,” “Project Hail Mary” tells a big story while connecting to readers (and soon viewers) on a deep, primal level. If directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, along with “The Martian” screenwriter Drew Goddard, can pull off their film adaptation, it’ll have us both weeping and leaping out of our chairs to cheer at the top of our lungs. (Jaron Pak)

Release Date: March 20, 2026

Even though it takes its name from an infamous Marvel Comics storyline, the hype is real for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” And why shouldn’t it be? Every one of Tom Holland’s prior solo outings as Spidey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered the goods, culminating in the multiversal epic “No Way Home.” Though Jon Watts is no longer behind the camera, Sony and Marvel have brought in Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), who can help shake things up for Peter Parker as he enters a new chapter.

The world no longer remembers Peter or knows he’s Spider-Man. Though plot details largely remain under wraps, that alone makes it interesting. The movie is also bringing back Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, and an ever-mysterious character played by “Stranger Things” breakout Sadie Sink. It’s got a lot of great pieces to play with, and Holland’s era of the “Spider-Man” franchise has been rock solid. This figures to be another must-see cinematic experience for superhero fans. (Ryan Scott)

Release Date: July 31, 2026

As Jeremy Smith’s ode to the 1994 “Street Fighter” movie being good, actually shows, it’s no secret that /Film has an affinity for “Street Fighter.” The original king of fighting video games was long overdue to get another shot at high-kicking absurdity on the big screen.

And what a shot this seems to be. “Street Fighter” was always meant to be character-driven and absolutely ridiculous, and the 2026 film adaptation’s trailer and character posters have been a royally ridiculous stream of mind-blowers, custom-designed to hoist the viewer up from the couch and hurricane kick them into the nearest theater.

The movie’s visual flair and Mad Libs approach to casting — country singer Orville Peck as boss character Vega has been my favorite ludicrous cast announcement so far — suggest that there are precisely two ways this can go. If “Street Fighter” turns out to be legitimately good, great. If it’s a train wreck, it’ll be a beautiful, amazing, ambitious train wreck that knows exactly what it’s doing as it crashes cackling into the canyon. Either way, I’m already seated. (Pauli Poisuo)

Release Date: October 16, 2025.

James Gunn’s “Superman” got his DC Universe off on the right foot back in July. Now, the second DCU film — “Supergirl,” as directed by Craig Gillespie — will test the brand’s true mettle. Is this franchise here to stay? “Supergirl,” if it works, will help answer that. Thankfully, the movie has a lot of strength behind it. Milly Alcock proved herself a star in the making with her stunning performance as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in “House of the Dragon,” and now she’s getting her true moment in the sun as Kara Zor-El. Supergirl is a hero much rougher around the edges than her cousin, one nursing a lot of trauma and a cynical attitude.

“Supergirl” adapts the excellent 2021 comic series “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” by Tom King and Bilquis Evely, and so will take Kara across the galaxy as she helps a young girl track down her father’s killer. No matter how “Supergirl” measures up to “Superman,” it will definitely be a whole different kind of movie. (Devin Meenan)

Release Date: June 26, 2026

Robert Eggers is a modern horror master, but his soul belongs in the past. The acclaimed writer-director behind gems like “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse,” “The Northman,” and the fever dream “Nosferatu” remake makes spooky period pieces that feel drenched in real-world history and folklore. They are also weird, sexy, otherworldly, and have a tendency to descend into absolute chaos (in the best way), making them must-sees for fans of movies that are a little bit out there.

“Werwulf” will see Eggers apply his style to a lycanthrope story set in 13th-century England, and we fully expect it to be another nightmarish and transportive experience set in a world that feels both real and alien. With Eggers regulars Lily Rose Deep, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson on board, we can expect more greatness, as they all have a proven track record bringing Eggers’ wild visions to the screen with aplomb. Horror fans will undoubtedly howl at the moon with glee after seeing “Werwulf,” as this filmmaker is a demented freaking genius. (Kieran Fisher)

Release Date: December 25, 2026