2026 is finally upon us. And in this new year means we have a new batch of films to look forward to. From small independent films to mega blockbusters, 2026 is going to be a cinematic year like no other. With so many films, I have narrowed down a list of 30 of my most anticipated films that I am looking forward to this year.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Directed by Nia Costa
Though I was not the highest on 28 Years Later due to its massive tonal shifts, I am greatly looking forward to this franchise’s continuation with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. While Danny Boyle is not returning to direct, the film is still written by Alex Garland and all previous cast members are reprising their roles. I greatly look forward to where this franchise will go next with its exploration of humanity in the apocalypse.
Coming to theaters January 16th.
Artificial. Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Luca Guadagnino doesn’t seem to sleep as he prepares to release his fifth feature film in less than five years, with Artificial. Promising to be a modernized version of The Social Network, but focusing on AI tech bro Sam Altman. Starring Andrew Garfield, Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov, Ike Barinholtz and more, Artificial may be the bounce back film that Guadagnino needs after the disastrous After the Hunt.
Coming soon to Theaters.
The Backrooms. Directed by Kane Parsons
I remember the craze of The Backrooms began back in 2019. The creepiness of these liminal spaces were deeply unsettling. I remember when Kane Parsons published his first videos onto YouTube of these so called Backrooms. Now, Kane has the full might of A24 as he delivers the first feature film about the backrooms. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, the 20-year-old embarks on being one of the youngest directors in Hollywood that plans on creeping under your skin.
Coming Soon to Theaters.
Behemoth!. Directed by Tony Gilroy
Tony Gilroy returns to the world of film after redefining Star Wars with Andor, with his latest feature Behemoth!. While plot details have been kept behind a curtain of secrecy, the film stars Pedro Pascal, Will Arnet, Eva Victor, Matthew Lillard and more. While I may not know what is about, after Andor, I am excited for whatever Tony Gilroy makes next.
Coming Soon to Theaters.
The Bride!. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
A film that is either going to be a hot mess or a cinematic masterpiece is Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride!. Combining Mary Shelly’s masterpiece and giving it a twist of Bonnie and Clyde with a dash of musical, The Bride! Is something that I am sure that we have not seen before. Starring Jessie Buckly as the Bride and Christian Bale as the Creature, The Bride! Is a film you don’t want to miss out on.
Coming to theaters March 6th.
Clayface. Directed by James Watkins
While I have been low on the comic book movie hype train for a while now, I am intrigued by Clayface. Adapted from DC Comics, Clayface is promising to be a body horror film about the origins of one of Batman’s most infamous foes. Directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan (yay) and Hossein Amini, Clayface is promising to step outside of the comic stereotype and deliver a unique cinematic experience.
Coming to theaters September 11th.
The Death of Robin Hood. Directed by Michael Sarnoski
We all know the tale of Robin Hood. His story has been adapted more times than we can count and now Michael Sarnoski is planning on putting his own spin on the material by exploring Robin Hood’s life in retirement. Starring Hugh Jackman as Robin Hood, and starring Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgard, The Death of Robin Hood is looking like it will give us a more layered look at the infamous folk hero.
Coming Soon to theaters.
Digger. Directed by Alajandro G. Iñárritu
Tom Cruise is finally stepping out of his action star persona and is heading into his comedy era with Alajandro G. Iñárritu, Digger. While little is known about the project, Digger is promising to be a “a comedy of catastrophic proportions” about the powerful man in the world trying to be the world’s savior before it’s too late. Also featuring Sandra Huller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons and more, Digger is one of the most anticipated films of the year.
Coming to Theaters October 2nd
Disclosure Day. Directed by Steven Spielberg
A film that has been kept under a shroud of secrecy is Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day. For months this film has been shrouded in secrecy. So secret that allegedly not even the studio head of Universal Studios have been shown the dailies. All we know is who is starring in the film, which includes names such as Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and more, who is behind the camera, and a teaser trailer hinting towards extraterrestrial life making their presence known to Earth. Outside of that, we don’t know anything about this film. Its secrecy has me excited and I can’t wait to see it come to theaters this coming summer.
Coming to Theaters June 12th.
The Dog Stars. Directed by Ridley Scott
If you are unaware, Ridley Scott has a new film coming out, and it is coming sooner than you think. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Peter Heller, Scott returns to his roots as a science fiction director in this post-apocalyptic survival film. Starring Jacob Elordi, Margarett Qualley and Josh Brolin, The Dog Stars will be a science fiction survival epic you won’t want to miss.
Coming to Theaters August 28th
The Drama. Directed by Kristoffer Borgli
Kristoffer Borgli, Director of films such as Sick of Myself (2022), and Dream Scenario (2023), has returned for his latest feature, The Drama, starring Zendeya and Robert Pattinson. Exploring the complexities of relationships, The Drama is promising to be as cringey (complimentary), and it is thoughtful.
Coming to Theaters April 3rd
Dune: Part 3. Directed by Denis Villeneuve
No explanation is needed. I am just excited.
Coming to Theaters December 18th.
The Entertainment System is Down. Directed by Ruben Ostlund
Ruben Ostlund returns with another dark comedy satire. This time tackling our shortening attention spans and what happens when we are faced with pure boredom. Starring Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Bruhl and more, The Entertainment System is Down needs no explanation as to why it is one of my most anticipated films of the year.
Coming Soon to Theaters
Evil Dead Burn. Directed by Sebastien Vanicek
Not much is known about Evil Dead Burn other than its a standalone entry of the Evil Dead Franchise. If 2023’s Evil Dead Rise is any indication we are in for a treat. With approval from creator Sam Raimi, Evil Dead Burn is hoping to be a continuation of one of the most innovative horror franchises.
Coming to theaters July 24th.
Fjord. Directed by Cristain Mungiu
Not much is known about Cristain Mungui latest film Fjord. It stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. The film’s synopsis is a Romanian father (Stan) and a Norwegian mother (Reinsve) move to a remote village where disturbing events start to take place. Promising to be just as disturbing and nerve-wrecking as Mungui’s previous work, Fjord is planning on taking over Cannes as Mungui aims for his second Palme d’Or.
Coming Soon to Theaters
Her Private Hell. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
It has been ten years since Nicolas Winding Refn has released a film, and in 2026 he is releasing his latest feature Her Private Hell. Not much is known about the project other than it stars Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton and Havana Rose Liu, and it was filmed in Tokyo, Japan. However, according to the small teasers we have gotten from NEON, it is sure to be “something groovy”.
Coming Soon to Theaters
Hokum. Directed by Damien McCarthy
Damien McCarthy’s Oddity was a recent film that sent chills down my spine. Its atmosphere was as claustrophobic as it was terrifying. Now he returns to the silver screen with his latest feature Hokum. I don’t know much about the film outside of Adam Scott starring in it, but the little teaser that was released prior to Keeper, immediately captured and horrified me. I am ready to be horrified yet again by McCarthy with Hokum.
Coming to Theaters May 1st.
The Land of Nod. Directed by Kyle Edward Ball
One of the last horror films that truly terrified me was Kyle Edward Ball’s Skinamarink. In a course of 110 minutes, all of my repressed childhood nightmares came flooding back into my mind to terrifying effect where I slept with my lights on that night. Now he returns with his latest feature, The Land of Nod. With a much larger budget, thanks to producers Josh Safdie and Elijah Wood, and with distribution from A24, I can’t wait to see how Ball terrifies his audience this time with him fully unleashed.
Coming soon to Theaters.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. Directed by Lauren Montgomery and William Meta
I remember over 20 years ago when Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered on Nickelodeon. Little would I know that it would become one of the most influential animated series of the 21st century. Now over 20 years after the original series premiered, the series is coming to the big screen with The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. Taking place decades after the original series, we see our group of characters now as fully grown adults. While the plot is kept hidden from the public, I can’t wait to see this world come to the big screen.
Coming to Theaters October 9th.
The Masque of the Red Death. Directed by Charlie Polinger
After 2025 The Plague, I am down for anything that Charlie Polinger is making next, and his next project he is planning on adapting one of Edgar Allen Poe’s greatest works, The Masque of the Red Death. Starring Academy Award winner Mikey Madision, I am down for some more gothic horror.
Coming soon to theaters
Mother Mary. Directed by David Lowery
David Lowery stepping back into his creative shoes is Mother Mary, a psychosexual thriller about a pop star (Anne Hathaway) returning to her former costumer (Michaela Coel), for a dress for her new tour. Promising to be as thrilling as it is sexual, Mother Mary has skyrocketed to one of my most emancipated films of the year.
Coming to theaters April 24th.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Directed by Greta Gerwig
A film that I am more cautious on than looking forward to is Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. While Greta is undoubtedly a good director, the more I hear about this film the more concerned I am that Greta is going to disrespect the source material. Whether it’s changing the time period from Late Victorian England to post-war Britain or the alleged casting of Meryle Streep as Aslan, or stating the films are like “rock n ‘roll” I am growing more concerned than excited. While I am curious about what to expect of this adaptation, I am not entirely looking forward to it.
Coming to theaters November 26th.
Obsession. Directed by Curry Barker
Curry Barker’s Obsession was a film that I really wanted to see at TIFF, but sadly I couldn’t fit into my already packed schedule. A terrifying take on the monkey’s paw, where a man wishes for a beautiful woman to fall in love with him, only to realize that love is not what he hoped for. The film caused a ruckus at TIFF and it’s promising to terrify you when it comes to theaters this May.
Coming to Theaters May 15th
The Odyssey. Directed by Christopher Nolan
No explanation needed. I just hope they fix some of those costumes.
Coming to Theaters July 17th.
Project Hail Mary. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Andy Weir is one of my favorite science fiction authors. He balances all of the epicenes you would expect from a space opera, but ground it in reality with real science and engineering. His previous novel to be adapted, The Martian, was one of my favorite films of that year, and now Project Hail Mary is next on the list of adaptations. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and starring Ryan Gosling and Sandra Huller, is a perfect combination for science fiction. And for someone who has a Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering, I like seeing a film taking the effort to be scientifically accurate. .
Coming to Theaters March 20th
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come!. Directed by Radio Silence
When I first heard that Ready or Not was getting a sequel, I thought it was entirely unnecessary as the first film was perfect as it was. However, once I saw that everyone who worked on the first film was returning, it piqued my interest a bit, but I was still concerned. However, the moment I saw the casting announcement my opinion entirely changed. With a cast featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Nestor Carbonell, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, and horror royalty David Cronenberg, I realized that I needed this film immediately. Promising to be more over-the-top and bloody to its predecessor,Ready or Not 2: Here I Come has become one of my most anticipated films of the year.
Coming to Theaters March 27th
The Social Reckoning. Directed by Aaron Sorkin
The Social Reckoning is a sequel to 2010’s The Social Network. While David Fincher is not returning as well as much of the original cast, I am still intrigued by The Social Reckoning. Directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Mikey Madison, Jeremy Strong and Jeremy Allen White, The Social Reckoning will be quite an experiment.
Coming to Theaters October 9th
Werwulf. Directed by Robert Eggers
Robert Eggers is one of my favorite filmmakers working today as he combines horror with historical epics. Now he takes on the mystical creature, werewolves, in his latest feature, Werwulf. Taking place in 13th century England, and starring Lily Rose-Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Willem Dafoe, Werwulf is one of my most anticipated films of the year.
Coming to Theaters December 25th
Wild Horse Nine. Directed by Martin McDonagh
Not much is known about Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine. The synopsis has been kept under wraps for months. The only thing that is known is that it stars Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Parker Posey, Steve Buscemi and more. However, if it is any indication based off of McDonagh previous work, Wild Horse Nine is promising to be a compelling British Drama.
Coming Soon to Theaters
The Young People. Directed by Osgood Perkins
Osgood Perkins doesn’t seem to sleep as his fourth feature film in three years is scheduled to release in 2026. Not much is known about The Young People other than its cast which features Lola Tung, Nico Parker, Nicole Kidman, Tatiana Maslany, and more. But given Perkins’ history, he refuses to put himself into a box and push himself in new directions with horror. What we will see is unknown, but I am greatly looking forward to it.
Coming Soon to Theaters
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