2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year in film. The cinematic battlefield will see the biggest franchises, the most ambitious auteurs and the most talented A-listers clash for your time, attention and box office dollars. From long-awaited superhero showdowns to prestige epics and the return of cult favorites, next year’s slate is absolutely stacked. We’ve cut through the noise, ignored the speculative whispers, and curated the 10 films that are a must-watch in 2026.
The Mummy
Universal
Release date: April 17, 2026
The mere prospect of Blumhouse and New Line breathing new life into The Mummy franchise has created a stir powerful enough to send tremors through ancient Egyptian tombs — and perhaps even rouse Imhotep himself. Although details are scarce, The Mummy 4 is rumored to bring back original franchise stars Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, also known as Radio Silence, are set to direct, and the new installment will supposedly ignore the events of the third film released in 2008.
Michael
Release date: April 24, 2026
Biopics can be tricky, but director Antoine Fuqua’s retelling of Michael Jackson‘s career is looking pretty promising. Michael sees the King of Pop’s real nephew Jaafar Jackson step into his uncle’s Florsheim penny loafers, and will follow the story of Jackson’s beginnings with the Jackson 5 and his journey to global superstardom. The teaser trailer offers a quick look at what fans can expect, and even shares a glimpse at Kendrick Sampson as the late Quincy Jones. Viewers were quick to praise Jaafar Jackson’s resemblance and embodiment of Michael, with many hoping the biopic will stray from the genre’s formulaic nature.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release date: May 1, 2026
Alright everyone, gird your loins! Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are all coming back for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Helmed by original director David Frankel, the upcoming sequel will see Miranda Priestly (Streep) go head-to-head with former assistant Emily (Blunt), who now works as a top executive. In the midst of Miranda’s impending retirement and the decline of print, she battles with Emily for those important advertising dollars. The first teaser for The Devil Wears Prada 2 promises the same levels of high fashion, glamor and drama that made the first film a cult favorite.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Release date: May 22, 2026
Pedro Pascal is putting Din Djarin’s helmet back on for The Mandalorian and Grogu, a Lucasfilm that serves as a continuation of The Mandalorian series on Disney+. The film takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire (around five years after Episode VI – Return of the Jedi), with Mando and Grogu joining the New Republic. Joining Pascal in the cast are Sigourney Weaver as Ward, a colonel and leader of the New Republic and Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba. Turns out a fourth season wasn’t the way for Jon Favreau.
Untitled Steven Spielberg UFO Project
Universal
Release date: June 12, 2026
Steven Spielberg and UFOs? Count us in. Details for this still-untitled sci-fi project are minimal, but a cast made up of Emily Blunt, Josh O’Conner, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo and Wyatt Russell is enough to get us seated. David Koepp wrote the screenplay based off a story from Spielberg himself, and footage that was previously previewed hinted at action-packed sequences.
Supergirl
Release date: June 26, 2026
James Gunn is building on the success of 2025’s Superman (starring David Corenswet in the titular role) with 2026’s Supergirl. The film will source its material from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic book miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and will see Milly Alcock reprise her role as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl from Superman. The self-titled DCU film will follow Supergirl as she travels across the galaxy on her 21st birthday, where she meets a young girl and experiences a situation that puts her on a path of revenge.
The Odyssey
“universal
“universal
“universal
“universal
Release date: July 17, 2026
We would be amiss if we didn’t include Christopher Nolan‘s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey. Adding to the filmmaker’s hype is a stellar cast: think Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, Mia Goth and more gracing the same screen. The director, fresh off his Oppenheimer triumph, is shooting this film entirely on IMAX’s 70mm film cameras to capture the mythic scale of Odysseus’s perilous ten-year journey home after the Trojan War. With promises of sweeping real-world locations and a budget to match the legendary scope, the film is already being hailed as the next major cinematic event, blending classical literature with the uncompromising realism that defines a Nolan epic.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release date: July 31, 2026
Just a few weeks after The Odyssey, Tom Holland and Zendaya will return to our screens as young Peter Parker and MJ in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The fourth film in the MCU Spider-Man series picks up where No Way Home left off — leaving a lonely Peter who loses his girlfriend and friends in order to keep his superhero identity a secret. Also reprising their roles the MCU are Jacob Batalon as Ned, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher, Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk and Michael Mando as Mac Gargan/Scorpio. Meanwhile, Sadie Sink and Liza Colón-Zayas are set to join the cast.
Dune: Part Three
Release date: December 18, 2026
Denis Villeneuve is closing out his Dune adaptation with the release of Part Three. The trilogy closer will adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, which takes place 12 years after Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) began ruling as Emperor. Still guided by his visions, Paul faces political conspiracies, as well as fertility issues with his wife Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and Fremen concubine Chani (Zendaya). Seeing as how captivating Part One and Part Two both were, many are optimistic about the space opera epic finale.
Avengers: Doomsday
Release date: December 18, 2026
December 18 will mark a double Florence Pugh feature with Avengers: Doomsday premiering on the same as Dune: Part Three. The audience’s return to the Avengers series will mark their first since 2019’s beloved Endgame, and will feature a slew of old and new MCU faces: Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal and, of course, Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. In Doomsday, the Avengers, Wakandans, X-Men and Fantastic Four must team up to take down the powerful Doctor Doom and once again save humanity.
