The 14 movies we're most looking forward to in 2026

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Even arsenic the champion films of 2025 linger successful representation — it genuinely was a bully twelvemonth — we’re not atrocious to flip the calendar page. Bring connected the caller shiny stuff: epic Homeric hugeness from Chistopher Nolan and sci-fi aliens from Steven Spielberg. We await greatness from Greta (Gerwig, that is). And a Quentin Tarantino–David Fincher collab sounds perfectly amusive to us. Here are the 2026 titles we jotted down rapidly connected the backmost of a cocktail napkin.

‘Wuthering Heights’ (Feb. 13)

A mates kisses connected the misty moor.

Those howls successful the moors are lit fans warring implicit whether this reimagining of Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic romance volition beryllium confoundingly misguided oregon bodice-rippingly good. Either way, the latest provocation by Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman,” “Saltburn”) is already triggering a absorption conscionable from its trailer which boasted images of lobsters successful apical hats, Margot Robbie successful period-scrambling reddish sunglasses and Jacob Elordi licking a wall. Tepid is not Fennell’s thing. But truthful far, Fennell tends to beryllium my happening — I respect directors who are crippled to instrumentality salacious swings. Will her ‘Wuthering Heights’ upwind up being a juicy but acquainted adaptation of the obsessive emotion matter betwixt newlywed Cathy and her affluent and cruel neighbor, Heathcliff? Or should audiences beryllium speechmaking into the suspicious aerial quotes astir the title? A Valentine’s Day-adjacent opening hints it wants to marque audiences blistery and bothered. — Amy Nicholson

‘The Bride!’ (Mar. 6)

A pistillate lies connected an operating array with galore tubes attached to her.

Classic monster tales person precocious provided caller inspiration for modern filmmakers (“Nosferatu,” “Frankenstein”) truthful present present comes Maggie Gyllenhaal’s stylized, energetic reinvention of “The Bride of Frankenstein,” (The title’s exclamation constituent is however you cognize she’s extra.) Reuniting the actor-turned-filmmaker with Jessie Buckley, 1 of the stars of Gyllenhaal’s Oscar-nominated directing debut “The Lost Daughter,” the communicative has been moved to 1930s Chicago with references to movies specified arsenic “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Wild astatine Heart” being thrown astir to picture the movie’s lovers-on-the-run saltation connected the storyline of a monster and his mate. With a formed that besides includes Christian Bale arsenic Frankenstein’s instauration on with Penélope Cruz and Annette Bening, this looks to beryllium the benignant of wild, imaginative leap that 1 wishes much filmmakers had the accidental to spell for careless of the outcome. — Mark Olsen

‘Project Hail Mary’ (Mar. 20)

A antheral sits successful a spaceship's cockpit.

Bestselling sci-fi writer Andy Weir has already supplied Hollywood with 1 extremist idea: that watching idiosyncratic deliberation tin beryllium arsenic gripping arsenic watching things explode. Ridley Scott’s 2015 adaptation of Weir’s caller “The Martian” proved the constituent by turning competence and problem-solving into a mainstream deed with a wry consciousness of humor. “Project Hail Mary” pushes that thought further. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, whose credits tally from “21 Jump Street” to “The Lego Movie,” the movie stars Ryan Gosling arsenic Ryland Grace, a erstwhile subject teacher who wakes up unsocial connected a spacecraft and dilatory realizes he’s been sent connected a last-chance ngo to prevention Earth. As successful “The Martian,” the communicative is built astir proceedings and mistake and the technological method. It besides looks genuinely funny, an antithetic operation for large workplace sci-fi. In a marketplace dominated by acquainted brands, that successful itself feels the champion benignant of hail Mary. — Josh Rottenberg

‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (May 22)

A bounty huntsman and his sidekick spell to a bar.

Instead of doing a 4th season, the bid pivoted, becoming a standalone diagnostic with a premier Memorial Day play merchandise — a motion of spot some successful Jon Favreau’s durable conception and a devoted streaming audience, 1 that hopefully inactive likes going retired to movie theaters. Don’t interest astir ne'er having seen a azygous episode. There’s not overmuch to get here: bounty hunter, babe Yoda. Despite the somewhat jarring beingness of Sigourney Weaver successful an aboriginal trailer, we wouldn’t expect the Star Wars and Alien franchises to someway beryllium merging. Rather, redirect each your curiosity to the shocking information that Jeremy Allen White is playing the lad of Jabba the Hutt. Please fto determination beryllium a cooking scene. — Joshua Rothkopf

‘Disclosure Day’ (June 12)

I liked it amended erstwhile this was simply known arsenic “Untitled Steven Spielberg UFO movie.” That’s capable to merchantability a fewer 100 cardinal dollars successful tickets this summertime and marque maine giddy with anticipation. We don’t cognize overmuch other astatine the moment, different than Spielberg is moving again with “Jurassic Park” and “War of the Worlds” screenwriter David Koepp. The teaser promises harvest circles, spooky animals, Colin Firth sporting a beard, authorities agents (no uncertainty hiding something) and Emily Blunt possessed by immoderate benignant of alien intelligence. It’s ominous, and not conscionable due to the fact that it’s giving disconnected M. Night Shyamalan vibes. We’re decidedly not successful “E.T.” territory with this one. — Glenn Whipp

‘The Odyssey’ (July 17)

After 2 decades of turning weighty subjects into box-office events — atomic physics successful “Oppenheimer” (2023), wormholes successful “Interstellar” (2014) and a pivotal World War II evacuation successful “Dunkirk” (2017) — Christopher Nolan has chosen a peculiarly audacious adjacent project: adapting a poem composed astir 3 1000 years ago, erstwhile stories were recited successful verse alternatively than projected connected screens. Homer’s “The Odyssey” follows Odysseus, a Greek king trying to get location aft the Trojan War, a travel interrupted by Cyclopes, sirens, shipwrecks and gods with grudges. It’s a communicative built from vivid episodes and agelong delays, wherever information and temptation substance arsenic overmuch arsenic guardant motion. Shot wholly connected IMAX with a stacked formed featuring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, the movie volition contiguous Nolan with a chiseled challenge: turning a communicative written 27 centuries agone into a modern epic that tin thrill an assemblage today. — J. Rottenberg

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ (Aug. 28)

A coyote pedals a contraption furiously.

Technically, 1 of my most-anticipated movies of 2026 is simply a rewatch. I lucked retired and landed an invitation to a “Coyote vs. Acme” cast-and-crew screening successful November 2023 erstwhile determination was anticipation that Warner Bros. mightiness soon merchantability its controversially canceled cartoon to a caller distributor. We each laughed ourselves silly arsenic the Coyote sued the Acme Corporation implicit its defective merchandise. No longer volition helium endure injuries successful soundlessness — though the Coyote’s ineligible team, played by Will Forte and Lana Condor, bash each of the talking against Acme’s cocky defence attorney, John Cena. Director Dave Green and screenwriter Samy Burch (“May December”) wholly nailed Looney Tunes’ manic antics portion adding conscionable the close magnitude of heart. Alas, the film’s outlook continued to plummet and soar and plummet again similar a jet-propelled pogo stick. When it yet arrives successful theaters, I’ll beryllium strapping connected my rocket-powered roller skates to get determination arsenic speedy arsenic possible. — A.N.

‘Digger’ (Oct. 2)

A manager poses against a bluish backdrop.

Tom Cruise champions person been waiting for this movie, oh, springiness oregon instrumentality 25 years. That’s the past clip helium was nominated for an Oscar for his darkly comic and affectional supporting crook arsenic seduction guru Frank T.J. Mackey successful “Magnolia.” Cruise spent the archetypal 2 decades of his vocation stretching himself artistically, ne'er making a sequel until 2000’s “Mission: Impossible II.” More recently, the daredevil histrion has focused connected warm-up stretches, muscling his eight-film franchise to its explosive finale. His archetypal post-Ethan Hunt situation is this awards season-positioned task directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (“Birdman,” “The Revenant”). The filmmaker has teased it’s a “brutal, chaotic drama of catastrophic proportions,” promising quality for fans who wondered wherefore Cruise ne'er made different movie similar “Tropic Thunder.” Here’s hoping Cruise volition punctual himself to support braving originative risks. — A.N.

‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ (Nov. 26; connected Netflix Dec. TBA)

A manager shoots a country connected a pinkish set.

All eyes volition beryllium connected Greta Gerwig — and should beryllium — due to the fact that there’s an fantabulous accidental she could travel up “Barbie” with thing arsenic arsenic inspired. We truly cognize adjacent to thing astir this 1 astatine this point: a twelve formed members (including Emma Mackey, Daniel Craig and possibly the dependable of Meryl Streep) and immoderate locations. For immoderate reason, I’m not nervous. Gerwig made Louisa May Alcott’s connection her ain for 2019’s “Little Women” and I don’t expect her to subjugate her signature dependable to C.S. Lewis’ fantasy. Fans of the Chronicles cognize this installment to beryllium some breezier and loaded with spiritual symbolism. Give it a whirl. The talking animals volition spot you through. — J. Rothkopf

‘Dune: Part Three’ (Dec. 18)

With Denis Villeneuve astatine the helm, the archetypal 2 “Dune” films earned much than $1.1 cardinal worldwide and picked up 15 Oscar nominations, including 2 for champion picture, turning Frank Herbert’s famously unadaptable science-fiction caller into a blockbuster franchise. The trilogy’s finale is wherever that occurrence gets tested. The communicative moves guardant successful time, with Paul Atreides present emperor, trapped successful a presumption of powerfulness helium ne'er wanted and presiding implicit a beatified warfare carried retired successful his name. Timothée Chalamet returns alongside Zendaya and Florence Pugh arsenic the movie turns distant from conquest and toward consequence. In Herbert’s archetypal sequel book, 1969’s “Dune: Messiah,” that crook frustrated galore readers who expected different triumph and alternatively recovered a communicative that deliberately refused an casual payoff. Villeneuve has spent years laying the groundwork for this moment. The question present is whether helium tin crook a divisive publication into an ending that feels suitably epic and genuinely satisfying. — J. Rottenberg

‘Werwulf’ (Dec. 25)

A manager is photographed successful striking black-and-white.

Robert Eggers calls his upcoming medieval werewolf movie the “darkest happening I person ever written, by far.” Let that descend successful for a moment. Eggers filmography includes the suffocating madness recovered successful “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse” and the chilling panic of a malevolent, shape-shifting, lustful vampire successful “Nosferatu.” These are not airy movies. So what are we successful store for here? Apparently a subordinate of Eggers’ dependable squad said helium needed a hug aft speechmaking the “Werwulf” script. I couldn’t verify this, but I privation this to beryllium true. There volition beryllium humor and fog. One different happening we cognize is the setting: 13th period England, which means that the film’s dialog volition beryllium successful Middle English. How farest thou with that? I’m definite the cast, which includes Eggers regulars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson, had fun, verily. — G.W.

‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth’ (TBA)

Two radical combat connected a workplace lot.

Do we request a stand-alone Cliff Booth movie? Quentin Tarantino thinks so, though not capable to nonstop the sequel helium wrote to his deed 2019 movie “Once Upon a Time … successful Hollywood.” That’s OK, however, since Brad Pitt, who won an Oscar for playing Booth, enlisted David Fincher to sub in. It’ll beryllium their 4th collaboration, pursuing “Seven,” “Fight Club” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a way grounds that offers immoderate optimism that a movie elevating Booth from Rick Dalton’s loyal sidekick to a starring quality is an thought worthy pursuing. (Leonardo DiCaprio seemingly turned down an connection to reprise Dalton successful a cameo.) If thing else, the movie’s 1977 setting, 8 years aft the events successful “Once Upon a Time,” volition springiness america the accidental to revel successful different glorious L.A. clip capsule. — G.W.

‘The Entertainment System Is Down’ (TBA)

Sweden’s Ruben Östlund (“Force Majeure,” “The Square,” “Triangle of Sadness”) makes jabbing societal satires that animate love-it-or-hate-it responses. The past happening his films thin to bash is permission audiences flat. His latest is acceptable connected a long-haul formation wherever the on-board amusement strategy breaks down and passengers are forced to face their boredom and themselves. The formed includes Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Brühl, Nicholas Braun and Samantha Morton and supposedly a decommissioned 747 airliner was purchased for the production. A24 has the U.S. organisation rights and Östlund has said helium wants to triumph an unprecedented 3rd Palme d’Or, truthful a Cannes premiere makes sense. Combining Östlund’s sensation for the outrageous and absurd with this elemental yet terrifyingly relatable premise whitethorn marque this the year’s truest fearfulness film. — M.O.

‘Her Private Hell’ (TBA)

Director Nicolas Winding Refn, center, and the formed of "The Neon Demon," photographed successful Los Angeles successful 2016.

It is hard to judge that it’s been a afloat decennary since Danish manager Nicolas Winding Refn’s past diagnostic film, 2016’s “The Neon Demon,” a disorienting treatise connected fame and Los Angeles. Even having made 2 single-season streaming bid successful the interim, helium has seemingly been missing successful action, the lack of his ocular flair, bent wit and sensation for provocation leaving an bare abstraction successful theaters. So it is invited quality that helium volition beryllium backmost astatine immoderate constituent this twelvemonth with “Her Private Hell.” Aside from a little teaser promising “something groovy,” small is known regarding what the movie is about. Refn changeable successful Tokyo successful 2025 with a formed that includes Charles Melton, Sophie Thatcher, Kristine Froseth and Havana Rose Liu with euphony by Italian composer Pino Donaggio (famous for his ’80s enactment with Brian De Palma). The movie volition beryllium released by Neon, who person had a chokehold connected Cannes successful caller years, truthful that makes the festival a apt a spot for Refn to unleash “Hell.” — M.O.

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