It's 2026 and it's shaping up to be a massive year for the silver screens. We’ve got industry titans like Steven Spielberg, the Russo brothers, and Denis Villeneuve all coming back to the director's chair. From big budget superhero events to biopics, there’s a lot to keep track of.
Now, I’ve broken down my most anticipated films into three categories: Day ones, excited but skeptical, and let's wait and see.
These are the heavy hitters. Whether it’s a director I trust or a story I’m already invested in, I’m showing up on day one.
Avengers: Doomsday
The Russo brothers are back, and that alone is enough to get me in the seat. They’re the ones who gave us Winter Soldier, Infinity War and Endgame, so they know how to handle the scale of an ensemble movie. Even with "superhero fatigue" floating around, bringing back icons like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers makes this feel like the biggest comic book movie event of the year.
The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan taking on Greek mythology is a cinephile's dream. We know him for high-concept sci-fi that challenges you psychologically, and seeing him tackle the Trojan story, shot completely in IMAX, is definitely exciting. Plus it's star-studded, and as a Kenyan, Lupita Nyong’o is in the movie, so it's a day one.
Dune: Part Three
Denis Villeneuve has already proven he can handle the scale of Frank Herbert's world. Dune: Messiah will conclude this arc, and given how exceptional the cinematography and storytelling have been in the first two parts, I wouldn't miss the conclusion of this trilogy for anything.
Michael
Antoine Fuqua is directing this Michael Jackson biopic, and it’s going to be a must-watch for any music fan, Gen X and millenials. It follows the King of Pop’s massive rise and his personal struggles, and with Jaafar Jackson in the lead, I’m interested to see how they handle such a complex legacy.
Disclosure Day
Steven Spielberg returning to his sci-fi roots is a huge deal. This looks like it’s going to be "Prime Spielberg" a director who knows exactly how to capture our attention with high-tech storytelling that still has heart. If the trailer is any indication, he’s still the master of the genre.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
The end of the last movie felt like a total recalibration. We saw Spiderman’s high-tech Stark suits stripped away, leaving us with a much more grounded, "friendly neighbourhood" hero. I’m very excited to see this version of the character return to basics.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Apart from revolutionising filmmaking with the use of The Volume, Jon Favreau basically saved modern Star Wars with the streaming show, so seeing him bring these characters to a theatrical format is exciting. The show has always maintained high production quality, so I expect the jump to the big screen to be a great time.
Toy Story 5
I’ve never quite understood the obsession with Toy Story, but I have to respect the consistency. Pixar has kept the quality level so high for so many years that even if I’m not a superfan, I want to see what they do with Woody and Buzz next.
GOAT
This is an animated sports comedy produced by Stephen Curry. I absolutely loved the trailer, the animation style is fresh and the idea of a "sports animal" world is really fun. It looks like a great underdog story.
Posters of movies to be released in 2026.
Photo credit: Pool
Excited but skeptical
I’m giving these a chance, but I’ve got some reservations about the direction or the "why" behind them.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
I like the look of the trailer, it has a textured, darker feel that reminds me of Guardians of the Galaxy. I’m just a bit skeptical because James Gunn isn't directing it himself, though it's clearly part of his new universe.
The Bride!
I’ve always been fascinated by the Frankenstein story, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s take on a horror-infused Bride of Frankenstein in 1930s Chicago sounds bold. Christian Bale is in the movie, but I’m just not sure exactly what the final vibe will be.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
The first movie was okay, but this sequel feels like a bit of a cash grab after the first one hit a billion dollars. I love the idea of expanding the Nintendo world, but I’m walking into this one with some scepticism.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
This is pure nostalgia. The first movie was perfect as a standalone, so I don't know who was actually asking for a sequel. I’ll watch it for the cast, but it feels unnecessary.
Hoppers
A Pixar movie about a girl putting her consciousness into a robot animal is a cool concept (just like Avatar). However, Disney has been taking Pixar in some odd directions lately, so I’m holding my breath on this one until I see more.
Mortal Kombat II
The 2021 movie was decent, but the editing was all over the place. I’m hoping they’ve refined the storytelling this time around and give us a more cohesive action focus on characters that the audience is familiar with.
Minions 3
Look, I love the Minions, but we need to know where to stop. These movies make a ton of money, but I’m not sure where the story could possibly go that we haven't seen before.
Let's wait and see
These are the ones I’m most skeptical about. I won’t be making a deliberate effort to see them unless they get great word-of-mouth.
Thread: An Insidious Tale
We’ve had so many Insidious movies in the last decade that I feel like the story is exhausted. It’s another Blumhouse project, so it’ll have the scares, but do we really need it?
Clayface
A Batman villain horror-thriller sounds cool in theory, but we’ve seen zero trailers or concept art. I have no idea what the story is or how it fits in, so it’s a total mystery right now.
Digger
Even with Tom Cruise involved, I’m just not confident about the direction based on what’s been teased so far. I need more context before I get excited.
Street Fighter
The character designs look okay, but video game adaptations are a coin toss. It’s all going to come down to the script.
Jumanji 3
The last two were successful because of the chemistry between The Rock and Kevin Hart, but it feels like we’re just going to get more of the same. Do we really need a third round?
Scream 7
Hollywood is definitely milking this franchise. I’m not particularly excited about another Ghostface saga, but I’m sure people will still show up for it.
Moana (Live-Action)
Disney’s live-action remakes make money, but they rarely improve on the original stories. This just feels like the same movie with a "new coat of paint".
Scary Movie 6
The Wayans brothers are reviving this parody franchise, but I don't know if that brand of humour still works the same way today. We’ll have to see if they try something different or stick to the old formula.
Masters of the Universe
As a Millennial, I have a very specific memory of He-Man. Modern Hollywood hasn't been kind to 90s properties, and I’m worried they’ll water down the heart of the character.
