THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE RELEASES of 2026
- Vanessa Norris
- 6 hours ago
- 10 min read
The “year of the nerd” brings massive fandoms back to theaters
By: Vanessa Norris
Summer is approaching, and with it comes the start of one of the most anticipated movie release seasons in years.
2026 has already been a great year for movie theaters. Between “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Project Hail Mary” and “Wuthering Heights,” people are finally itching to experience movies on the big screen again.
These films aren’t just getting people back in theaters — they’re getting people talking.
The crew of Artemis 2, who completed a loop around the moon on April 6, revealed that they received a private screening of “Project Hail Mary” before its release. Jeremy Hansen, one of the crew members, said the movie set an extraordinary example for people to follow.
“We all thought that movie was really uplifting and inspiring,” Hansen said.
“The Drama,” starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, was released in theaters April 3 and has since caused a stir among viewers. The movie had friends, family members and couples turning to each other to ask, “What’s the worst thing you have ever done?”
These releases set the year up for massive success, and from the looks of it, the lineup is only getting better from here.
From Marvel to Star Wars to The Hunger Games, massive fandoms are being fed this year. Iconic directors are returning, A-listers are taking on new roles and beloved stories are being reimagined.
Saddle up — the fun is about to begin.
Michael (April 24)
The King of Pop is finally getting a biopic this year with Antoine Fuqua’s “Michael.”
Jaafar Jackson takes on the role of his late uncle and beloved singer, Michael Jackson. Jackson was approached in 2020 about the role, and he spent years researching and rehearsing his uncle’s voice, dance and legacy to bring him to life.
Judging from the trailer, it looks like his hard work paid off.
Jackson is joined by stars Miles Teller, Colman Domingo, Nia Long and Kat Graham.
“Michael” hits theaters April 24, and I’ll be honest, it’s going to be difficult for me to keep myself from dancing around in my seat.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1)
20 years later, one of the most iconic movies of all time is getting a long-awaited sequel.
Director David Frankel, producer Wendy Finerman and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna of “The Devil Wears Prada” rejoined forces to bring back the bustling world of Runway Magazine.
Usually, I’m not crazy about sequels to already-perfect movies, but everyone is on board for “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” and I love these characters too much to complain.
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the big screen together on May 1. Miranda Priestly (Streep) rehires Andy Sachs (Hathaway) to help her compete for advertisement revenue against her former assistant, Emily (Blunt).
Growing up, the original movie went platinum in my house: my mother quotes “By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me,” on a daily basis — so we’ll definitely be at the theaters in May, and not in cerulean sweaters.
The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22)
Star Wars is turning its attention from streaming services back to the big screen with a movie installment of the hit show, “The Mandalorian.”
Instead of releasing a fourth season of the series, Disney made a bold decision to put Din Djarin and Grogu (famously known as “Baby Yoda”) in theaters.
The exact plot of the movie isn’t entirely clear from the trailer, but it appears to follow Djarin and Grogu as they take on a new mission.
Pedro Pascal will return as Djarin, joined by castmates Martin Scorsese, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White.
Considering how beloved these characters are, continuing their story on the big screen could be a smart move by Disney — and one with a nice cash grab too.
Backrooms (May 29)
Everyone gird your loins — A24 is putting out a horror-sci-fi movie this year, and it looks weird as hell.
The trailer for “Backrooms” gives us nearly nothing, but it sent shivers down my spine and left me anxious to watch it.
Between the eerie music and nauseating yellow walls of the backrooms, this movie is sure to be as unsettling as A24’s “Midsommer” or “Hereditary.”
“Backrooms” follows a man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who finds a supernatural entryway in a basement below a furniture showroom, unaware of the danger he’ll find there.
The movie stars Ejiofor alongside Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett and Lukita Maxwell.
I’m probably not brave enough to see this in theaters, but I’m more than happy to watch it in a brightly lit living room beside my sister, who will be warning me before every scary scene.
Disclosure Day (June 12)
Steven Spielberg also has a sci-fi movie set to release this summer.
“Disclosure Day” tackles an age-old human obsession — aliens. Obviously, this isn’t Spielberg’s first rodeo dealing with the extraterrestrial, but “Disclosure Day” seems to be a more complex story with endless possibilities.
With Spielberg writing and directing, and John Williams composing the score, it’s nearly guaranteed to be quite the cinematic experience. The cast includes Emily Blunt, Eve Hewson, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo.
The trailer gives us so much, but so little. I have no thoughts other than “What the hell is happening to Emily Blunt?” and “Who is this little girl, and why is she Snow White?”
Is it about aliens taking over? A government cover-up? Are we aliens? Who knows, but I’m excited to see where Spielberg’s mind takes us.
Toy Story 5 (June 19)
Woody, Buzz and Jessie are returning to the big screen yet again in “Toy Story 5.” In the newest installment, the gang faces off against a modern enemy: a tablet.
Again, I’m usually a stickler for unnecessary sequels, but these movies always find a way to my heart, and I honestly love the concept of this. The iPad-kid phenomenon has gotten way out of hand, and I think parents and children could take away a valuable lesson from this movie.
I realize I sound out-of-date, but my sister and I would fight our Barbies and have our Littlest Pet Shops battling in war, and I think that sort of creativity is vital for child development.
Supergirl (June 26)
D.C. is piggybacking off of the success of last year’s “Superman” with “Supergirl.”
Milly Alcock plays Kara Zor-El, commonly known as Supergirl, alongside Eve Ridley and Jason Momoa. Zor-El embarks on a mission to find an antidote for her beloved dog, Krypto, after he is injured.
Honestly, I’m not well-versed in the D.C. universe, and I have yet to watch “Superman,” but I’m always down to watch a hopeless woman on a quest for revenge, especially when it’s Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (if you know, you know).
The Invite (June 26)
A comedy-drama directed by Olivia Wilde is hitting theaters this summer, and it seems to feature some swingers.
“The Invite” follows a struggling couple, played by Wilde and Seth Rogen, who invite a neighboring couple (Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton) over for dinner. The night takes some unexpected twists and turns, and swinging definitely seems to be involved.
The movie is an English interpretation of the Spanish film “The People Upstairs.”
“The Invite” looks awkward, tense and funny — I’m excited to see how the story unfolds. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Wilde’s previous projects, “Don’t Worry Darling” and “Booksmart,” so I have high hopes for this one.
The Odyssey (July 17)
Here it is: my most anticipated movie of the year.
Three years since the massive success of “Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan is returning with an adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey.”
As a Greek mythology nerd and big fan of Nolan’s work, this movie lives rent-free in my head. Judging from the trailer, “The Odyssey” looks nothing short of phenomenal, with a star-studded ensemble cast, beautiful cinematography and music composed by Ludwig Göransson.
The story follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he journeys back home to Ithaca following the Trojan War. Damon is joined by Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and Mia Goth.
Nolan is probably one of the only people who could handle adapting a piece of literature as ancient and epic as “The Odyssey” — this movie has the potential to receive icon status, right along with “Interstellar” and “Inception.”
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)
You know it’s going to be a good summer when a new Spider-Man movie is playing in theaters.
Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” five years after “Spider-Man: No Way Home” left our minds blown and hearts broken.
“Brand New Day” takes place four years after the events in “No Way Home.” Parker is still forgotten and alone in New York City when a powerful new enemy emerges.
Castmates Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are set to return, joined by Sadie Sink.
This movie looks like the perfect mixture of depressing, exciting and inspirational — I’m anxious to see where the plot will take us. Will someone remember Parker? Who is Sink playing? Will events from this movie hint at the upcoming Avengers film?
“No Way Home” left this movie with big shoes to fill, but I have high hopes that it won’t disappoint fans.
Digger (Oct. 2)
Tom Cruise is eyeing a Lead Actor nomination with his upcoming role in “Digger.”
The movie, directed by Oscar-winning Alejandro Iñárritu, has been heavily kept under wraps, with an ambiguous title announcement calling it “a comedy of catastrophic proportions.”
More details haven’t been released, but Cruise is reportedly joined by Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed and Emma D’Arcy.
Iñárritu praised Cruise’s performance in the movie, telling IndieWire, “He will surprise the world. People will see a new kind of thing.”
The Social Reckoning (Oct. 9)
Aaron Sorkin, the writer of “The Social Network,” is returning with a new installment of Facebook’s story, “The Social Reckoning.”
The movie will cover events two decades after “The Social Network” with a brand-new cast.
The plot will follow Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), the Facebook engineer who worked with a Wall Street Journal reporter (Jeremy Allen White) to blow the whistle on the company’s secrets. The published reports are famously known as “The Facebook Files.”
Madison and White are joined by Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, Patrick Fischler, Bill Magnussen and Jeremy Strong, who will play Mark Zuckerberg.
As a massive fan of “The Social Network” and a journalism lover, I am ecstatic for the first glimpses of this movie. Maybe we’ll get new one-liners as awesome as, “Sorry, my Prada’s at the cleaners!! Along with my hoodie and my fuck-you flip-flops, you pretentious douche bag!”
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (Nov. 20)
My favorite movie series is returning with “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”
Francis Lawrence, the director of the original Hunger Games trilogy, will be returning for the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ newest installment.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” will cover Haymitch Abernathy’s experience as a player in the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss’ games.
Nearly every cast member was a fancast before the official announcement, which is fine by me, because this cast is perfect. Joseph Zada is Haymitch, Elle Fanning is Effie Trinket, Jesse Plemons is Plutarch Heavensbee, Kieran Culkin is Caesar Flickerman and Ralph Fiennes is President Snow. They will be joined by Mckenna Grace, Glenn Close, Maya Hawke and Iris Apatow.
There also seems to be rumors of two characters making a surprise appearance (wink, wink).
“The Hunger Games” never disappoints, and I’m thrilled Collins is continuing to feed the fans.
Focker-in-Law (Nov. 25)
The fourth “Meet the Parents” movie is set to release in theaters on Nov. 25.
Returning cast members Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner, Owen Wilson and Teri Polo will be joined by Ariana Grande and Skyler Gisondo in “Focker-in-Law.”
The Focker family falls into chaos when Henry (Gisondo), the son of Greg and Pam Focker (Stiller, Polo), decides to marry a woman who is seemingly his complete mismatch.
This movie series is hilarious, and with Grande playing the new in-law, I’ll definitely be visiting the theaters for this one.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (Nov. 26)
Greta Gerwig has written and directed a new “The Chronicles of Narnia” movie based on the sixth book in C.S. Lewis’ famed series.
“Narnia: The Magician's Nephew” is set to release in theaters on Nov. 26 before being added to Netflix on Dec. 25. Gerwig is also set to write and direct a second Narnia film.
Emma Mackey, Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig and Denise Gough are the reported cast so far.
If the installment remains accurate to the book, it will explore Narnia’s origin story.
Dune: Part Three (Dec. 18)
The “Dune” trilogy comes to an end with “Dune: Part Three,” set to release on Dec. 18.
The trilogy will conclude with a standout ensemble including Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor Joy, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa and Rebecca Ferguson.
I’ll be honest — I have never seen a “Dune” film, but I’m going to have to catch up, because the trailer for “Dune: Part Three” looks awesome.
Hans Zimmer, arguably one of the best composers to exist, made the score, which sounds incredible so far. The visuals and costumes are stunning, and it’s guaranteed to be a hit at the box office, especially alongside the release of the next film.
Avengers: Doomsday (Dec. 18)
If anything can bring our country together, it’s the promise of a new Avengers movie.
It’s been seven years since “Avengers: Endgame” seemingly captivated the entire world, and beloved characters are returning once again to face off against a new evil.
“Avengers: Doomsday” reportedly follows the collaboration of the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts and X-Men to fight the powerful Doctor Doom.
Robert Downey Jr. is set to return, but not to reprise his role as Tony Stark. Downey is apparently playing the villain himself, Doctor Doom — how that works, I have no clue.
The rest of the reported cast include Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Florence Pugh and Pedro Pascal, among many more.
Like every other Avengers movie during their respective release years, “Doomsday” is likely to be the biggest box-office hit of 2026, and it’s definitely something I would run to get tickets for — getting spoiled is not an option.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a rainy summer day or cold winter night, there will always be something worth visiting the movie theater for this year.
This lineup is solid. It caters to nearly every huge franchise and has something in store for every genre.
You’re into aliens? “Disclosure Day.”
Interested in swingers? “The Invite.”
Love some horror? “Backrooms.”
The options are endless, and there’s always a movie to be excited for. So sit tight, and grab your friends and popcorn — movie season is about to get started.
Vanessa Norris is a second-year journalism student at University of Florida. She is an online writer for Rowdy Magazine and loves all things books, movies and pop culture. Her most anticipated movies for this year are “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “The Odyssey,” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”
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