New Movies 2026: The Most Anticipated Films Coming Out This Year
As a movie buff, this is THE YEAR for cinema and I cannot wait to hit the theaters to catch all the new movies of 2026.
It seems like the movie world has managed to continue hitting the ball out of the park with new releases of franchise blockbusters, auteur driven films, animated sequels as well as surprise hits all in the same year.
If you’re not really driven by genres, favourite casts or directors, you’re definitely in for a treat with the list of upcoming movies in 2026. However,even if you do have some preferences, we believe there’s so many movies coming out in 2026 that you’ll definitely find something that will suit your preferences.
In this guide, we’ve put together 2026 movies that we think you will definitely love. The list will cover both released films and upcoming movies in 2026 so that you can start watching those that are released and plan to hit the theaters for those which have not. Ready?
Read Also: New TV Shows 2026: Top Series to Watch All Year
Top Movies 2026: What Has Already Been Released
1. Scream 7
Overview: The history tends to repeat itself as they famously say. Unfortunately for Sidney, her quiet life is turned upside down yet again with Ghostface back in her life, this time however, targeting her beloved daughter Tatum. Will Sidney be able to save her daughter just like how she managed to save herself?
Release Date: 27 February 2026
Director: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May
Why it was anticipated: As a legacy sequel returning after a publicised absence from Scream VI, this upcoming movie in 2026 returns with many familiar faces returning into their original roles, making fans of the franchise excited to watch this installation as well.
2. The Devil Wears Prada 2
Overview: Who knew that The Devil Wears Prada will make a comeback and this time, it will follow all the original characters, 20 years later. Andy is now a successful feature editor who works with Miranda, trying to save the print media landscape while also making sure that the company does not get eaten up by large corporations. But little does Andy know that in doing so, she’ll have to face her frenemy, Emily and in fact work together.
Release Date: May 1 2026
Director: David Frankel
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci
Why audiences were waiting: The beloved 2006 comedy returns with an original cast which makes all of its fans truly excited about seeing them on the big screen, one more time – Millennial nostalgia at its peak! Cameos from Lady Gaga, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux also add to the fun, making it one of the most anticipated movies of 2026.
3. The Moment
Overview: One of the most unique movies coming out in 2026 is The Moment. It is a mockumentary featuring Charli XCX, who is a new artist about to go on her debut music tour. It shows the tense relationship Charlie has between her creative director and a documentarian who wants to have it his way. Underneath all these, the film actually explores the pressures of being famous and how artists have to navigate this world alongside other issues like hustle culture and corporate takeovers of the music world.
Release Date: January 30, 2026
Director: Aidan Zamiri
Starring: Charli XCX, Alexander Skarsgård, Rosanna Arquette
Why audiences were waiting: Charli XCX plays a fictionalised version of herself in a mockumentary riding the BRAT cultural wave into cinema. Fans of her generally were anticipating the behind-the-scenes of her most successful album too, aside from getting to watch the pressures of gaining popularity overnight and how difficult it can be to navigate it as a young and new artist.
4. People We Meet on Vacation
Overview: Based on the popular novel, this new movie of 2026 was a true and true romantic chick flick. It follows Poppy and Alex, best friends who spend one week in summer together until they share a moment – and then everything changes. Will they actually be with each other or is this friendship boundary something they should never have crossed?
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Director: Brett Haley
Starring: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook
Why audiences were waiting: Most book fans have been patiently waiting for this adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling rom-com novel making it one of the most anticipated book-to-screen adaptations of the year.
Upcoming Movies 2026 — The Biggest Films Still to Come
5. The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender
Overview: It’s so awesome to have the Avatar series launch an animated version. This upcoming movie of 2026 will see a more grown up version of the whole gang where they discover Tagah, an airbender who survived and one that could help restore the Air Nomads. A new voice cast is indeed in place for this movies and after a tumultuous time with release in theaters, this top movie of 2026 is going to be getting a streaming premiere instead.
Expected Release: October 9, 2026
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Starring: Eric Nam, Dave Bautista, Steven Yeun, Jessica Matten
Why audiences are waiting: The animation version has always had its own following and fans especially for those who followed it from Nickelodeon days. There’s also enough anticipation built around it since its announcement in 2021.
6. The Odyssey
Overview: As a die hard fan of Nolan’s work plus a geek who loves mythology, I cannot wait for The Odyssey to finally hit the big screens. Not only does Nolan promise to bring his creative flair to this movie, the popular list of cast definitely promises a huge range of emotion to the movie, though it is definitely a movie that mixes adventure and drama. There’s no denying that this might set out to be one of the best films in 2026, but with so many other contenders, can it survive the competition? I guess we’ll have to wait and watch!
Expected Release: 17 July 2026
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya
Why audiences are waiting: This is Nolan’s first film since Oppenheimer plus only a talented director like him can truly deliver an epic adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey with an IMAX production into the big screens. No doubt this alone has made it one of the most anticipated movies 2026 has on the calendar.
7. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Overview: Here are a few exciting changes happening to this beloved saga. This time, we are not getting a different Spider-Man but we are getting a new director and a new cast with rumours looming about the character that they will eventually play. Long time fans are certain that Cretton will add depth to Parker’s character while coming up with their own theories about Sadie Sink’s character in the movie. Marvel fans are also looped in with Mark Ruffalo, their beloved Dr. Banner’s appearance in the movie. So this is now not just a top movie for the general Spider-Man fan but also Marvel fans worldwide.
Expected Release: July 31, 2026
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Tom Holland, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo
Why audiences are waiting: This is the next MCU Spider-Man chapter following No Way Home. This also shows the college-era Peter Parker who lives by himself in NYC, works part time and goes to school like a common man. Major fan anticipation for the direction of the story.
8. Resident Evil (Reboot)
Overview: Zach cregger is no stranger to producing horror hits so his take on Resident Evil this time is one that is definitely celebrated for fans of the genre. Although you will see familiar faces in this reboot, the story will be going back to its gameplay roots, showing off the popular Raccoon City. Cregger is also shooting the movie as close as possible to the game including the dread and isolation vibe that you get from the game.
Expected Release: September 18, 2026
Director: Zach Cregger
Why audiences are waiting: Franchise reboot taking the series back to survival-horror roots of the games. Cregger’s reputation for subverting genre expectations makes this a unique pick.
9. Digger
Overview: Who knew you were going to watch Tom Cruise in a satirical comedy that too with director Iñárritu? Well Digger is exactly that and that’s what makes it the most anticipated movie of 2026. The story follows Digger Rockwell who needs to manage the disaster that his oil company has unleashed on the environment. The other interesting part is that you may not be able to tell the totally transformed Tom Cruise, now in a completely different body and different accent altogether.
Expected Release: October 2, 2026
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Starring: Tom Cruise, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons
Why audiences are waiting: Iñárritu and Cruise are already an unexpected pairing plus the movie being billed as a satirical comedy, which is unusual for both that made everyone raise an eyebrow. Early buzz from the trailer has been strong so far due to these reasons alone.
10. Avengers: Doomsday
Overview: Did we think that Avengers will be back? Well, it is and it is definitely slated to be one of the best movies of 2026. Why? The Russo brothers are back. Yes, the same guys who made Endgame are given the mandate to stage the Marvel Universe front and center, again. Will that guarantee success? Most fans think yes but if that’s not evident enough, they’ve thrown in Robert Downey Jr.’s return to sweeten the deal further. Dead and gone as Iron Man, but resurrected back as Dr. Doom, Downey’s entrance was unveiled strategically at Comic Con in 2024, releasing a flurry of critics and well wishers alike, putting the spotlight back up on this biggest release in 2026. Are you excited? We are!
Expected Release: 18 December 2026
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Brie Larson, Mark Ruffalo
Why audiences are waiting: The biggest MCU event since the Endgame movie, plus Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom this time. The Russo Brothers are also back for the first time since Endgame, so plenty of reasons for audiences to anticipate this movie.
11. Dune: Part Three
Overview: The final part of Dune’s trilogy, this third installation is the continuation from the second movie where it is fast-forwarded by about 10 years. Paul is now the emperor and the story focuses on the political power he has, his personal life and everything else coming together all at once.
Expected Release: December 18, 2026
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa
Why audiences are waiting: It is the most anticipated movie of 2026 with the conclusion of Villeneuve’s acclaimed Dune trilogy adapting Dune Messiah. Audiences are also super invested in Chalamet who is at peak global stardom. Expect an IMAX rollout for this movie coming out in 2026.
Movies Coming Out in 2026 — Full Quick Reference
| Film | Director | Release Date | Status |
| The Moment | Aidan Zamiri | January 30, 2026 | Released |
| People We Meet on Vacation | Brett Haley | January 9, 2026 | Released |
| Scream 7 | Kevin Williamson | February 27, 2026 | Released |
| The Devil Wears Prada 2 | David Frankel | May 1, 2026 | Released |
| The Odyssey | Christopher Nolan | July 17, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Destin Daniel Cretton | July 31, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Resident Evil (Reboot) | Zach Cregger | September 18, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Digger | Alejandro G. Iñárritu | October 2, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Masters of the Universe | Travis Knight | June 5, 2026` | Released |
| Avengers: Doomsday | Anthony & Joe Russo | December 18, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Dune: Part Three | Denis Villeneuve | December 18, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Toy Story 5 | Andrew Stanton | June 19, 2026 | Released |
| Minions & Monsters | Pierre Coffin | July 1, 2026 | Released |
| The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender | Lauren Montgomery | October 9, 2026 | Coming soon |
| Supergirl | Craig Gillespie | June 26, 2026 | Released |
How We Put This List Together
This list of 2026 movies was put together based on one core requirement: will it be released this year (2026)? If the movie was indeed released to be released later in the year, it made the cut.
We also intentionally mixed both released and upcoming movies of 2026, so that you can get a complete overview of all the amazing movies which can be watched this year. We also took into account cultural anticipation, critical buzz, and franchise significance. Most top movies of 2026 already have a huge following and fan base like Avengers: Doomsday which means a lot of the audience are already waiting to watch them. This list will be updated as new release dates and films are confirmed.
Final Verdict
It’s wonderful that this year, film directors, producers and actors have chosen to put their best foot forward, taking risks and making art instead of just another film, which has indeed resulted in some of the most anticipated movies in 2026 to grace our screens.
Whether it’s dramas or your favourite superheroes returning to the screen, top movies in 2026 really do have something for everyone. What’s even more exciting is that some of the biggest movies in 2026 by directors like Nolan and blockbuster franchises like Avengers and Dune are still yet to be released.
While this list is definitely not exhaustive, we will continue to add more exciting 2026 movies into the list as their trailers get released. Make sure you bookmark this page to check back as new movies in 2026 drop!
Frequently Asked Questions on New Movies 2026