As 2025 draws to a close, it’s time to turn the page and consider the movies we’ll be talking about 12 months from now. 2026 is shaping up very well, at least on paper, with a healthy mix of returning masters, follow-ups to recent hits, and even a few interesting blockbusters.
For that last category, we left a few off this list that we’re looking forward to including “Toy Story 5,” “Supergirl,” and even “Project Hail Mary,” movies that could genuinely go either way. We wanted to limit the number of “big” movies to create a blend of films that are more likely to be arthouse darlings alongside the MCU, “Dune,” and even a video game adaptation. Taken as a snapshot of what could be over the next 12 months, this is a pretty picture. (All dates subject to change.)
“The Adventures of Cliff Booth” (David Fincher)
The director of “Zodiac” and “The Social Network” returns to Netflix for his third film in a row with the streaming giant, and it’s arguably the most unexpected of his career. Early reports about this project made it sound like fan fiction, but set photos have proven that, yes, this one does exist, and it’s a sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” with that film’s Oscar-winning star, Brad Pitt, returning. Pitt reportedly took Tarantino’s script to Netflix, which ponied up $200 million for the production. There’s no date set for this one, but it feels likely to be one of the major players of the fall fest season, or shortly thereafter.
“All of a Sudden” (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
In May, Variety announced that the writer/director of “Drive My Car” and “Evil Does Not Exist” was working with Virginia Efira (“Benedetta) and Tao Okamoto (“The Wolverine”) on his follow-up set in Paris. Inspired by the book You and I – The Illness Suddenly Gets Worse, this feels likely to be a Cannes premiere, presuming it’s done in time.
“Artificial” (Luca Guadagnino)
The director of “Call Me By Your Name” is currently working on his fourth film in three years, following 2024’s “Challengers” & “Queer” and 2025’s “After the Hunt.” Once again, Guadagnino is playing with current, hot-button issues as Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, alongside Monica Barbaro and Yura Borisov, Oscar nominees for “A Complete Unknown” and “Anora,” respectively. Working from a script by Simon Rich, this feels like a certainty on the fall festival circuit.
“Avengers: Doomsday” (Anthony & Joe Russo)
Phase Five was kind of a snooze for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with duds like “The Marvels” and “Captain America: Brave New World” hinting that the reign of this mega-franchise may be done. In fact, the #1 superhero movie of 2025 wasn’t even an MCU movie (“Superman” took that title). That will change in 2026 with the return of the most successful franchise under the Marvel brand in “Avengers: Doomsday,” which even sees Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans return to the franchise, as they appeared to have left seven years ago. The world will find out if they’re the heroes that the MCU needs to save itself when this opens on December 18th.
“Behemoth!” (Tony Gilroy)
The writer of “Andor” (our pick for the best TV show of 2025) returns to the director’s chair in 2026 for the first time since 2012’s “The Bourne Legacy” (and it’s his first script since 2018’s “Beirut”). The Oscar nominee for “Michael Clayton” has assembled an impressive cast, even if almost nothing is known about the plot of this Searchlight film. What do we know? This one stars Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, David Harbour, and Matthew Lillard. With the brilliance that Gilroy is capable of as a writer and that fascinating cast, it cuts. No date for this one, but it feels likely to be Searchlight’s fall festival fave if it’s done in time.
“Bitter Christmas” (Pedro Almodovar)
One of the best living filmmakers will return in 2026, and sooner than you might think! In fact, “Amarga Navidad,” which sees Almodovar return to his native tongue after the mixed response to 2024’s “The Room Next Door,” opens in Spain on March 20th, and Sony Pictures Classics is planning to release it stateside later in the year. Almodovar told Indiewire in October 2024 that his next project was “a tragic comedy about gender.” This one stars Barbara Lennie, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Carmen Machi, and, of course, Rossy de Palma.
“The Bride!” (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Guillermo del Toro isn’t the only one fascinated by Mary Shelley, as the brilliant Maggie Gyllenhaal follows her Oscar-nominated debut “The Lost Daughter” with a reunion with that film’s Jessie Buckley as none other than the Bride of Frankenstein. Inspired by both Shelley and James Whale’s 1935 film, this one also features Christian Bale as the monster, and Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penelope Cruz, and John Magaro in supporting roles. Warner Bros. is releasing this across the country on IMAX screens on the first weekend of March, clearly confident that they have another special project on their hands. Given the success they had with horror blockbusters “Sinners” and “Weapons” in 2025, there’s reason to be very pumped about this one.
“Bucking Fastard” (Werner Herzog)
If pretty much anyone was directing Kate Mara and Rooney Mara as twin sisters, that would make us curious enough that the result would probably make a list like this. That it’s written and directed by Werner Herzog makes a lock. The incredible writer/director was reportedly inspired by the true story of British identical twin sisters Freda and Greta Chaplin, who both had restraining orders issued against them by the same man. Believe it or not, it gets better. Herzog has said that this project completes a trilogy with “Fitzcarraldo” and “Grizzly Man,” which is just amazing. There’s no date yet, but footage was apparently screened at Cannes 2025 to buyers, so it’s almost certainly premiering in 2026. Not soon enough.
“Cliffhanger” (Jaume Collet-Serra)
Jaume Collet-Serra can be hit (“The Shallows”) or miss (“Jungle Cruise”). Still, he has proven to know how to do action escapism well, which makes him a good fit for a remake of a 1993 Sylvester Stallone movie that became a basic cable staple for an entire generation. The cast in this one is pretty promising, too, with a gender swap for the protagonist from Sly to Lily James, who has to save her father (Pierce Brosnan) and sister (Nell Tiger Free) after they’re kidnapped by the big bad played by the always-interesting Franz Rogowski. This one drops (sorry) on August 28, 2026.
“Coyote vs. Acme” (Dave Green)
Dave Green shot this movie way back in 2022, finishing it later that year, but Warner Bros. Discovery notoriously dumped the movie in 2023 for the tax write-off. A furor erupted, and the film that’s half-animated, half-live-action ended up with Ketchup Entertainment, who did reasonably well with “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.” We’ll finally get to see what all the fuss is about on August 28, 2026.
“Digger” (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
What’s the last time Tom Cruise worked with a “serious” filmmaker? No one loves the “Mission: Impossible” movies more than me and, sure, “Top Gun: Maverick” saved cinema, but remember when Cruise used to alternate blockbusters with work with people like Paul Thomas Anderson? It’s been a generation. So there’s reason for excitement to see Cruise headlining the newest project from the director of “The Revenant” and “Birdman,” and to see Warner Bros. has dated it for October 2nd, right as the fall movie season and awards conversation is heating up. Is this black comedy their “One Battle After Another” for 2026? Could it finally get Cruise that overdue Academy Award? Given that a preview has already dropped, WB clearly thinks this is a major 2026 project. Let’s hope they’re right.
“Disclosure Day” (Steven Spielberg)
The man who basically invented the blockbuster hasn’t really made one since 2018’s “Ready Player One,” so there’s nothing but excitement to see the master return to crowd-pleasing storytelling for his first film of any kind since 2022. Working from a script by David Koepp (who penned little movies like “Jurassic Park” and “War of the Worlds” for the King), Spielberg is returning to the world of little green men in a new story of alien invasion starring actor-of-the-moment Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Emily Blunt, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo. June 12th can’t come soon enough.
“The Dog Stars” (Ridley Scott)
There are few octogenarians who work as hard as Ridley Scott, who returns in 2026 with a post-apocalyptic blockbuster with a great cast. Working from the 2012 novel of the same name, Scott tells the story of a world in a time after a deadly flu virus wiped out most of humanity, but saved characters played by rising stars Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley. Joining them? Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce in a sci-fi blockbuster for Fox that sounds like it could be one of the most interesting wide releases of 2026 when it drops on August 28th. (Yes, again. We think it’s strange too that three major films are currently slated for that date.)
“The Drama” (Kristoffer Borgli)
The writer/director of the clever “Dream Scenario” returns with his highly anticipated follow-up, a movie whose preview makes it look kind of like a quarter-life “Marriage Story.” But given Borgli’s resume and A24’s involvement (along with provocateur Ari Aster as a producer), it probably hides more secrets than its protagonists. Those are played by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, a couple whose relationship falls apart in the days leading up to their wedding. Join the nuptials on April 3, 2026.
“Dune: Part Three” (Denis Villeneuve)
You have to love it when a franchise doesn’t waste time between installments. Denis Villeneuve and Warner Bros. know that the time is now for their adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, the third film in their series about Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and the Spice. One benefit of moving the gears of the blockbuster machine quickly is that familiar faces can return, including Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, and Anya Taylor-Joy, joined this time by Robert Pattinson. This one is currently slated for December 18th, 2026, but take the bet that this sequel and Avengers: Doomsday aren’t opening on the same day. We’ll see which one flinches first in this game of Release Date Chicken.
“The Entertainment System is Down” (Ruben Östlund)
Ruben Östlund’s last two films won the Palme d’Or, a remarkable achievement once, much less twice in a row. Can he make it a chapeau trick? His newest hasn’t been confirmed yet for Cannes, of course, but it feels a safe bet given how much the festival loved “Force Majeure,” “The Square,” and “Triangle of Sadness.” He is once again poking fun at the privileged in a story of a long-distance flight on which the entertainment system stops working, leading the passengers to actually exist outside of their screen addictions. Terrifying. He’s assembled a banger of a cast on this itinerary: Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Bruhl, Samantha Morton, Nicholas Braun, Julie Delpy, Tobias Menzies, and Vincent Lindon.
“Ghostwriter” (J.J. Abrams)
J.J. Abrams hasn’t released a non-Star (Wars or Trek) film since 2011’s “Super 8,” but that looks like it will finally change in 2026 with this long-gestating project starring Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega, Emma Mackey, and Samuel L. Jackson. Of course, given that it’s an Abrams project, almost nothing is known about the plot, even though it finished shooting in the U.K. and Providence, Rhode Island. In fact, some reports from the latter region suggest that the title is just a placeholder and that it could be switched to “Providence” by the time it’s released. Nobody knows except the people who made it.
“I Love Boosters” (Boots Riley)
The multi-talented creator Boots Riley hasn’t released a film since his confident 2018 debut “Sorry to Bother You,” but that will finally change in 2026, starting with his sophomore effort’s premiere at SXSW in March. The title refers to a group of shoplifters who attempt to take down a fashion icon in a film that’s sure to satirize our image and wealth-obsessed culture. Who’s working with Boots this time? None other than Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, LaKeith Stanfield, and Demi Moore. We love that cast.
“Ink” (Danny Boyle)
The award-winning director of “Trainspotting” and “Slumdog Millionaire” burst back onto the scene with 2025’s “28 Years Later,” and he’s back with a quick follow-up, once again displaying his remarkable range as a filmmaker. He goes from that banger of a horror film to the story of none other than Rupert Murdoch as James Graham adapts his own play of the same name. Guy Pearce plays the legendary media mogul, joined by Jack O’Connell and Claire Foy. It didn’t start shooting until a couple of months ago, so it’s possible this doesn’t go through post-production in time for a 2026 drop, but it feels like a fall festival release is very much still in play, given how quickly Boyle works.
“Jack of Spades” (Joel Coen)
While Ethan Coen has been dividing critics with broad comedies like “Honey Don’t,” his brother Joel has taken a different path. His first solo credit was the widely acclaimed “The Tragedy of Macbeth” in 2021, and he has finally shot a follow-up in Scotland this past Fall with a production about which almost nothing is known other than four cast members: Josh O’Connor, Frances McDormand, Lesley Manville, and Damian Lewis. It appears to be a period piece. Coen brothers regular collaborator Carter Burwell did the score, and “Inside Llewyn Davis” D.P. Bruno Delbonnel shot it. That’s all we need to know. No release date here, but it has the feel of a Venice premiere to me for some reason.
“Mother Mary” (David Lowery)
The director of “The Green Knight” and “A Ghost Story” is back with another promising head trip with a great cast and the backing of A24. An original concept from one of our most interesting filmmakers, the preview for this one gives “Black Swan” vibes as Anne Hathaway plays the titular pop star who tasks a designer named Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel of “I May Destroy You”) to create a new dress for her tour, sparking those two words that automatically catch the eye in a plot description: “psychosexual affair.” It’s scheduled for April 2026.
“Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” (Greta Gerwig)
Choosing a follow-up for a worldwide smash like “Barbie” must have been a difficult task for Greta Gerwig and her team. However, it’s still a bit surprising that the “Lady Bird” writer/director went back to such a beloved property as C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series, adapting the sixth book in the series, which is technically the first chronologically. Expect a bit more “Little Women” here than the CGI-heavy blockbusters from the 2000s. Gerwig’s adaptation, which she also wrote, stars Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, and Daniel Craig, and should drop in a limited theatrical release from Netflix on November 26th, 2026, before a streaming drop, probably 2-3 weeks later.
“October” (Jeremy Saulnier)
The incredible writer/director of “Green Room” and “Rebel Ridge” shot his latest work in Vancouver this past Fall, which means it should be ready to premiere before the end of 2026. Very little is known about the plot other than it’s a Halloween-set horror action film. Given Saulnier’s ability with genre, the excellent cast for this one, and A24’s involvement, this is easily one of the most promising horror flicks of 2026. Who’s in it? Cory Michael Smith, Chase Sui Wonders, Sophie Wilde, James Badge Dale, Imogen Poots, Young Mazino, and Stephen Root. There’s no date yet for this one, but I’ll give you one guess when I think it’s going to land.
“The Odyssey” (Christopher Nolan)
The writer/director of a little movie called “Oppenheimer” follows up that Best Picture and Best Director win with an incredibly ambitious adaptation of the Greek epic that has influenced and inspired hundreds of imitators. Matt Damon steps into the sandals of Odysseus, who is forced on a legendary journey to return home to Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Still, the real draw here is Nolan, and the power he has to bring his visions to life after three decades of blockbusters. This one reportedly cost over $250 million, and my bet is you’ll be able to see every penny of it when it’s released on July 17, 2025.
“Paper Tiger” (James Gray)
The director of “Two Lovers,” “The Immigrant,” and “Ad Astra” is one of our best working filmmakers, and this drama sees him returning to familiar dramatic territory in a thriller about two brothers who cross paths with the Russian mob. The siblings were going to be played by Adam Driver and Jeremy Strong, but the latter had to drop out, replaced by Miles Teller. Scarlett Johansson also stars in a film that feels destined for Cannes if it’s done in time. Gray has had five films premiere there to date.
“Possible Love” (Lee Chang-dong)
The South Korean genius filmmaker behind “Secret Sunshine” and “Poetry” hasn’t released a film since the one that was arguably his best to date, 2018’s phenomenal “Burning.” He’s finally coming back in 2026 with another collaboration with the co-writer of that film, Oh Jung-mi, for this Netflix production starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong. Given “Burning” premiered at Cannes, this is another film that feels likely to launch on the Croisette.
“Remain” (M. Night Shyamalan)
The legendary writer/director follows up his hit “Trap” with a film co-conceived by an unexpected collaborator: Nicholas Sparks. Yes, the Sparks who wrote “The Notebook.” Hmmm. Apparently, the novelist is writing the book version while Night tackles the film one, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, Ashley Walters, and Julie Hagerty. Both the book and film drop in the Fall, and People describes them thusly, “…follows New York architect Tate Donovan as he arrives in Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home. Donovan is looking for a fresh start after his recent discharge from a psychiatric facility where he was treated for acute depression. Still grappling with the loss of his beloved sister, Donovan meets Wren, a young woman who makes him challenge everything he knows about his logical and controlled world.” This one lands from Warner Bros. on October 23rd.
“Resident Evil” (Zach Cregger)
The director of the smash hit “Weapons” jumped right into another project, and it’s an incredibly promising one. After a few years of struggling to find the right spin-off of the hit Capcom franchise—there was a bad Netflix show and the awful “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City”—Sony is headed in a new direction with a rising auteur at the helm. A complete reboot, Cregger’s film will star “Weapons” breakout Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, and Kali Reis. In August, Cregger revealed that this was a new story set in the “Resident Evil” universe, likely inspired by the 2nd to 4th games, and that he’s never seen another “RE” flick. It hits theaters on September 18th, 2026.
“Saturn Return” (Greg Kwedar)
The director of “Sing Sing” and the co-writer of “Train Dreams” is reuniting with Netflix for this time-spanning character study that’s been shooting in Chicago for much of 2025. “Saturn Return” sees Kwedar directing Charles Melton, Rachel Brosnahan, David Morse, Kim Dickens, and Will Poulter in a film that Netflix says spans “a decade in the lives of its characters, tracing their journeys into adulthood. Kwedar continues to display his artistry and craft with each new project, and local readers have reason to hope we have a future “Great Chicago Movie” on the horizon. No idea when yet, but it feels like a Fall premiere to this writer.
“See You When I See You” (Jay Duplass)
Writer/director/actor Jay Duplass made one of the most delightful returns to filmmaking in 2025 with the joyous “The Baltimorons,” and it’s great to know that we’ll have another Duplass dramedy less than a year after his comeback comedy. In fact, this one premieres in just a few weeks at Sundance, likely picked up there for a release later in 2026. It stars Cooper Raiff (a Sundance star from “Cha Cha Real Smooth”) as a young man dealing with the loss of his sister, played by Kaitlyn Dever. Sundance writes, “Duplass taps into the millennial milieu of masking sorrow with humor and the devastating mental toll that avoidance can take on the bereaved, ushering us through a parade of ill-advised coping mechanisms and the collateral damage that follows with his trademark sense of compassion and empathy at every turn.” We’ll let you know what we think out of Sundance at the end of January.
“Send Help” (Sam Raimi)
Sam Raimi has been stuck in a familiar IP jail, with only “Oz the Great and Powerful” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” on his filmography over the last 17 years. So we’re pumped for his first horror/thriller project since 2009’s underrated “Drag Me to Hell.” This one stars Rachel McAdams as a woman who ends up stranded with her asshole boss (Dylan O’Brien) on a deserted island after a plane crash. The preview is a banger, filled with promising Raimi-esque action delivered by a pair of committed performers. It opens on January 30th.
“Sense and Sensibility” (Georgia Oakley)
Jane Austen’s 1811 has proven to be one of the most resilient texts ever written, regularly reappearing in new forms. The latest is from “Blue Jean” director Georgia Oakley and features “Normal People” star Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood and “Urchin” star Frank Dillane as John Willoughby. How will Oakley make “Sense and Sensibility” fresh again? We’ll find out on September 11th, likely shortly after a TIFF premiere. (Just a guess. Probably right.)
“The Social Reckoning” (Aaron Sorkin)
For years, Aaron Sorkin has been talking about writing a sequel to his Oscar-winning script for “The Social Network,” but insisted that he would only do so if David Fincher was involved. When Fincher moved to the Tarantino project, Sorkin decided to direct himself, using the 2021 Facebook leak profiled in Jeff Horwitz’s Broken Code as an inspiration for what’s being called more of a companion than a sequel. Jeremy Strong steps into the shoes of Mark Zuckerberg, and he’s joined by an insanely stacked cast that includes Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Bill Burr, Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen. It shot at the end of 2025 and has wrapped in time for an October 9th national release from Sony. It’s another one where TIFF and maybe Telluride feel very likely.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” (Destin Daniel Cretton)
If there’s any film that’s going to tackle “Doomsday” for the highest-grossing of 2026, it’s the 38th film in the MCU, the return of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker for the first time in five years. The end of “No Way Home” saw the world forgetting about the existence of Spider-Man, but “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” director Destin Daniel Cretton will probably find a way to reverse that with the major players back, including Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal as the Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. Sony drops this worldwide on July 31st.
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” (Jane Schoenbrun)
The writer/director of “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” and “I Saw the TV Glow” has shot their third project, an original production for Mubi, starring Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) and Gillian Anderson. The talented creator told The Hollywood Reporter, “I make movies I wish existed when I was a kid. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is my best attempt at the ‘sleepover classic’: an insane yet cozy midnight odyssey that beckons to unsuspecting viewers from the horror section at the local video store.” Yeah, we can’t wait either. No date here, but it ended shooting in Summer 2025, so a 2026 release feels almost certain.
“The Way of the Wind” (Terrence Malick)
One should always consider a Terrence Malick release date to be in pencil rather than in pen. The notorious perfectionist really finds his movies in the edits, then repeats that process over and over. How long has he been finetuning his long-delayed follow-up to “A Hidden Life”? He reportedly shot it in Italy in 2019, ending the year with over 3,000 hours of footage. He’s been editing it ever since. Malick’s passion project stars “Son of Saul” vet Géza Röhrig as Jesus Christ himself, joined by Matthias Schoenaerts as Saint Peter, Aidan Turner as Saint Andrew, and Mark Rylance as Satan. Of course, who knows who will actually be in the final cut of a film that was once rumored for Cannes 2025, so let’s go ahead and rumor it for Cannes 2026. Or maybe 2027?
“Werwolf” (Robert Eggers)
Focus/Universal hopes to repeat the success of the wildly popular “Nosferatu” from late 2024 by giving Robert Eggers the keys to another classic monster tale and even bringing back much of the cast of that hit horror flick. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe star in a 13th-century telling of the story of a creature that’s half-man, half-wolf that will hit theaters just in time for Christmas Day, 2026.
“Wildwood” (Travis Knight)
By the time this comes out, it will have been seven years since the last LAIKA movie (“Missing Link”) and a full decade since Travis Knight’s previous animated effort, 2016’s amazing “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Sorry, Woody and Buzz fans, this is easily the most exciting animated project of 2026, an adaptation of the 2011 novel of the same name. One hopes it’s a reminder of LAIKA’s creative passion. And that they don’t take so long to make another one.
“Wuthering Heights” (Emerald Fennell)
The Oscar-winning writer/director of “Promising Young Woman” and “Saltburn” returns in early 2026 with an adaptation that’s already infuriating purists based on its preview alone. Methinks that’s likely exactly what Fennell wants. The latest telling of the Emily Bronte masterpiece features Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as her Heathcliff. It hits theaters on February 13th, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
“zi” (kogonada)
After the big-budget disappointment of “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” kogonada returned to his indie roots with this low-budget experimental drama that’s about to premiere in the NEXT section of Sundance. The description of the project from the festival is delightfully unrevealing: “In Hong Kong, a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night — and possibly her life.” Sure, we’ll trust the director of “Columbus” and “After Yang” to make that interesting, especially given the involvement of the former’s Haley Lu Richardson.
