New Releases
The beginning of 2026 has been a strong showing for horror and thrillers, with a surprise indie hit based on a short horror video to a blockbuster gory thriller from a director who hasn’t dipped his toe in the genre for a while.
Iron Lung (2026)
Perhaps the biggest surprise hit of early 2026, Iron Lung is an indie movie directed and starring a video game streamer, based on a short horror video game and set almost entirely in a single, cramped and claustrophobic location. Recent years have seen an uptick in actually-watchable movies based on video games, from fun kids movies based on Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and Super Mario Brothers (2023), to acclaimed TV shows like The Last of Us (2023) and Fallout (2024). Now, it seems like fans of slow-burn, atmospheric horror get one, too.
Who Should See It: Anyone who enjoys off-beat horror movies with a surreal, nightmarish spin and a tense atmosphere.
Movie Trivia: The movie was co-written by gaming YouTuber and video game streamer Mark Fischbach (who also directs and stars) along with the game’s creator and developer, David Szymanski.
Where to See It: College Station, Alamo Drafthouse, AMC.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (2026)
If you ask me, one of the best genres of movie is when a filmmaker primarily known for crowd-pleasing blockbusters decides to make something entirely for themselves. Director Gore Verbinski broke through with the American remake of The Ring in 2002, before blowing the doors off the box office the following year with Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Although Verbinski has made darker, stranger movies before, there’s a palpable, anarchic energy and searing cynicism in his frenetic and mind-bending new satire, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. This one is definitely a “go in not knowing what to expect” kind of experience.
Who Should See It: Anyone wants to see something unlike anything they’ve seen before. And Sam Rockwell fans (which should be everyone.)
Movie Trivia: Before movies, Verbinski directed music videos and commercials. One of those commercials was the original Budweiser Frogs ad that everyone of a certain age will remember.
Where to See It: College Station, Alamo Drafthouse, AMC (showing from February 12.)
Send Help (2026)
The highest-rated movie by critics of 2026 so far, Send Help is a rollercoaster of a frenetic, gruesome comedy about two at-odds coworkers stranded on a desert island. Fans of director Sam Raimi, who helmed superhero movies like the original Spider-Man trilogy and Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, will immediately recognize Send Help for what it is: A gloriously indulgent throwback to the early horror-comedy of the Evil Dead movies that got him on the first rungs of the Hollywood ladder. The movie stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, both fully game to take whatever their director throws at them. And it’s a lot.
Who Should See It: Fans of wild, darkly funny and cartoonishly violent horror comedies, anyone with an off-kilter sense of humor and a strong stomach.
Movie Trivia: Despite his horror movie roots, this is Raimi’s first R-rated movie since The Gift in 2000.
Where to See It: College Station, Alamo Drafthouse, AMC.
Wuthering Heights (2026)
Some stories have a timeless quality that allows them to be told over and over, with new performers, writers, directors and movie-making magic adding something different each time. Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is one of them, and this new release sees Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi take up the roles of Cathy and Heathcliffe in Brontë’s enduring story of passion and obsession.
Who Should See It: Anyone who loves a tragic romance or stories about extremely difficult people.
Movie Trivia: The new movie includes a soundtrack with new tracks (released as an album) by Charlie XCX
Where to See It: Alamo Drafthouse (now showing.)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2026)
Australian director Baz Luhrmann returns to his love of Elvis Presley following his 2022 biopic with a blend of live concert footage, never-before-scene clips and behind-the-scenes recordings to create a live music experience that gets you closer to the King than ever before.
Who Should See It: Fans of Elvis, live music and music history don’t want to miss this one.
Movie Trivia: This concert movie is the result of Luhrmann’s search for unseen footage for the Austin Butler-starring Elvis from 2022.
Where to See It: Alamo Drafthouse (from February 24.)