From superhero crossovers to sci-fi epics and long-awaited sequels, 2026 is stacked with big theatrical swings. Studios are using the year to relaunch franchises, wrap trilogies, and test just how far audience nostalgia can carry a brand.
Here are some of the most anticipated movies of 2026, listed in release order.
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Project Hail Mary
Release date: March 20, 2026
Ryan Gosling stars in this adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel about an astronaut who wakes up alone on a deep space mission with no memory of how he got there. As he pieces together what went wrong, he realizes he may be the last hope to save Earth. With Phil Lord and Christopher Miller behind the camera, expect hard science, problem-solving, and a surprisingly emotional core.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release date: May 1, 2026
Nearly twenty years after the original, Miranda Priestly returns to find the fashion world and publishing landscape completely reshaped. The sequel brings back Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, and picks up with Runway in the age of influencers and collapsing print budgets. The question is not whether Miranda is still terrifying. It is how she plans to survive a world that no longer revolves around her magazine.
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The Mandalorian and Grogu
Release date: May 22, 2026
The first Mandalorian feature film moves Din Djarin and Grogu from streaming favorite to theatrical event. Set after the fall of the Empire, the New Republic enlists the pair for a mission that pushes them beyond bounty work. For many younger fans, this will be their first Star Wars on the big screen built around the characters they grew up with, rather than legacy heroes from the original trilogy.
Toy Story 5
Release date: June 19, 2026
Pixar returns to its flagship series with a story that pits the old world of toys against the modern obsession with screens and tech. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the gang face a new kind of competition for kids’ attention. After Toy Story 3 felt like a farewell and Toy Story 4 played like an epilogue, this fifth film has a lot to prove about why the franchise should continue.
Supergirl
Release date: June 26, 2026
Supergirl, inspired by the comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, is one of the cornerstone projects in the new DC universe. This version of Kara grew up off-world in far harsher conditions than Clark Kent, so she does not share his optimism about humanity. Visually and tonally, the film is expected to set a very different mood from the classic Superman template while still delivering large-scale cosmic action.
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Moana
Release date: July 10, 2026
Disney’s live-action take on Moana revisits one of the studio’s most successful modern animated adventures. The original’s music, Polynesian setting, and ocean magic helped it turn into a generational favorite. The remake has to honor that while justifying its existence visually, especially in how it realizes the ocean, Te Fiti, and Maui’s transformations in a more grounded environment.
The Odyssey
Release date: July 17, 2026
Christopher Nolan turns to Greek mythology with a large-scale adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Matt Damon plays Odysseus on his long, brutal journey home from the Trojan War, facing cyclopes, sirens, and a series of gods and monsters. It is Nolan’s most expensive film to date, shot entirely on IMAX cameras, and positioned as the kind of big, serious event epic that rarely gets made anymore.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release date: July 31, 2026
Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker in a film that appears to pull him back from multiverse chaos into a more grounded, street level story. Brand New Day is set up as a soft reset for the character, with Peter rebuilding his life and relationships while still dealing with fallout from earlier MCU events. It also has the unenviable job of competing in a crowded summer full of massive franchise releases.
Photo Credit: Murray Close
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Release date: November 20, 2026
The next Hunger Games prequel jumps back to the 50th Games, the infamous Second Quarter Quell, and follows a young Haymitch Abernathy. With twice as many tributes and a younger version of a fan-favorite character, Sunrise on the Reaping aims to deepen the political and emotional context of Panem. If it connects, Lionsgate gets confirmation that there is still plenty of life in the franchise beyond Katniss.
Dune: Part Three
Release date: December 18, 2026
Denis Villeneuve completes his Dune trilogy and adapts the Messiah era of Frank Herbert’s saga. After Paul Atreides rose to power, the third film explores the cost of that power, the weight of prophecy, and the brutal consequences of holy war. The first two entries proved audiences are willing to show up for dense, slow burn sci-fi. The finale has to stick the landing and leave Dune feeling like a cohesive, modern epic.
Avengers: Doomsday
Release date: December 18, 2026
Marvel’s next Avengers event film brings together heroes from across the MCU along with newly integrated X-Men characters. Doomsday serves as the payoff to years of multiverse and multiteam buildup, with Doctor Doom looming as the central threat. For Marvel, this is a major stress test of how much audience goodwill the brand still has after a rocky post Endgame stretch.
Why 2026 Matters For Movies
Looking at the calendar, 2026 is less about starting new franchises and more about choosing which ones survive the decade. Studios are betting on familiar brands and trusted directors, but the real story will be which of these projects actually connects. A year from now, some of these titles will feel like obvious classics. Others will be case studies in how quickly audience tastes can shift.
