While we’re still basking in the greatness of movies from 2025, it’s also time to look ahead, as the turning of the calendar means we are officially in a new year of possibilities for film.
Below you’ll find 26 films I am excited about this year, in no particular order. So, without further ado, here are my Most Anticipated Movies of 2026.
Ray Gunn
Legendary director Brad Bird has brought us no less than three animated classics: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille. Now he’s back with a project decades in the making with Ray Gunn, based on a script he wrote with Matthew Robbins that was shelved when Bird took on The Iron Giant. Apparently, Bird pitched the film to Pixar, who turned it down to do The Incredibles instead. Bird has continued to work on bringing the project to fruition, finally getting it greenlit through some combination of SkyDance, CInesite and Netflix. It will hit Netflix this year.
Bird described Ray Gunn as a more adult project in the noir genre, “sort of a detective film in an alternate future” that follows protagonist Raymond Gunn. He stated, “If you mashed up The Maltese Falcon (1930) with Buck Rogers (1929–1967), it might be something like that. But hopefully with a bit more action and funnier.” The film is reported to follow the last human private detective in a futuristic world inhabited by humans and aliens.
Bird dreamed of bringing the project to life in hand-drawn animation, but settled for at least some computer-generated animation, as the film is already grappling with a $150 million budget. Hopefully, that compromise still allows Bird to achieve the visual style he envisioned. If this doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will.
Wild Horse Nine
As far as I’m concerned, writer-director Martin McDonagh can do no wrong as he is 3/3 in his record of big feature films thus far, including one of my all-time favorites, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. There are scant plot details about this new feature, except that it takes place on Easter Island rather than McDonagh’s favorite island setting of Ireland. It will star Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Parker Posey, and Steve Buscemi. Test screenings should be taken with a grain of salt, but I’ve seen at least some chatter that Malkovich is the standout here and that this could be McDonagh’s best film. Is it finally time for him to bring home the big Oscar? Give it to me now.
Wildwood
The masters of stop motion animation at Laika Studios are back in 2026 with Wildwood. Based on the 2011 novel of the same name, the film follows two Portland children, Prue and Curtis, who are drawn into a nearby magical forest where they must save Prue’s infant brother from the crows, led by a mysterious woman.
I’m less into Laika productions like Coraline that lean more into straightforward horror, but loved Kubo and the Two Strings, and it looks and sounds like this film will lean more into the flavor of the latter as a dark epic fantasy adventure.
Director Travis Knight told Empire that Wildwood is the most difficult project the studio has ever undertaken, explaining its five-year production period. “A huge part of the reason it’s taken us so long to bring this to life cinematically is that it’s incredibly ambitious,” Knight said. “There’s all these elements that are really challenging to do in stop-motion.”
Those elements include epic battles, aerial sequences, and characters such as Prue’s “mentor figure,” the General – a majestic eagle.
The Legend of Aang
Every time I check out somewhere, I get a compliment on my debit card, which has an Avatar: The Last Airbender skin overlaid on it. Which is funny, because when I got the sticker, it was still a niche franchise. Now everyone is on the Avatar train, and we are getting new stories in the universe for the first time since The Legend of Korra.
The Legend of Aang follows the Gaang from the original series, aged up a few years as Aang learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction and their efforts to find it before it falls into the wrong hands.
You know what was particularly exciting about this feature film continuation of my all-time favorite series? It was coming to the big screen. WAS. Paramount announced last month that it will now debut directly on the streaming platform. It would be inappropriate and inefficient for me to fill this space with the proper expletives that I’d like to launch at Paramount for this decision, so please imagine them to yourselves.
The Odyssey
Just two years after Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan has found a way to bring an even bigger, more star-studded film forward for our viewing pleasure. The discourse on this movie is already insane, from online complaints about costume accuracy to people awarding it Best Picture based solely on a. six-minute prologue that aired before Avatar: Fire and Ash on IMAX screens. Matt Damon will portray Odysseus, and will be surrounded by a completely insane supporting cast that includes Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, and Lupita N’yongo—and that’s still leaving notable people out.
Will Nolan stick the landing in the direction of this? Who knows, but if he does, he will have achieved the translation of one of the most lasting epic legends of all time and you would be hard-pressed to deny its place as an instant classic.
Disclosure Day
One of the best directors of all time, Steven Spielberg has spent time recently trying new things; from a musical to a semi-biopic. But he is returning this year to one of his great genres: the action-thriller blockbuster. The trailer looks pretty wild, and that weird guttural Morse code of the throat thing is really unsettling and gripping. It’s obviously a bit early to understand exactly what’s going on here, but I am going to be seated on day one to give Spielberg a chance to blow my mind with his patented movie magic one more time.
Plus, it stars Josh O’Connor (not the last time we will see him on this list) and Emily Blunt, among others. The only concern I have is the AI-looking animals and the final shot in the trailer, but I am hoping those are placeholders until the final film arrives, or that the context of the film somehow alleviates those concerns.
The Entertainment System Is Down
I’m not sure if director Ruben Ostlünd will always work for me, but I did quite enjoy his most recent outing, Triangle of Sadness, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His new film will follow a group of passengers on a long-haul flight who devolve into chaos when the in-flight entertainment system fails. This is dangerously similar to the story of his last film, but if Ostlund can pull it off, he could tap a deep well for dark satire.
Digger
I’ve only seen one of director Alejandro Innaritu’s previous films, the Best Picture winner Birdman, but I did quite enjoy it—particularly its ambitious mimicry of a one-take shot throughout the runtime.
His latest feature will feature Tom Cruise in his first dramatic role in quite some time, and it already looks wacky and wild from the first teaser released last month. The film is described as a black comedy about a man named Digger Rockwell, “the most powerful man in the world,” trying to fix a catastrophe he caused and prove himself as humanity’s savior.
It’s hard right now to nail down this thing’s exact tone or how it will unfold, but consider my interest piqued.
Jack of Spades
The newest offering from Joel Coen after his creative split with his brother Ethan Coen, this film is described as a gothic mystery starring Josh O’Connor, who is quite the hot actor recently.
While Joel Coen has only done one movie since the brothers split, that movie was The Tragedy of Macbeth. Meanwhile, Ethan Coen has offered up three films, and all have been decidedly goofy according to reviews (I haven’t seen any of them). But it seems Joel is the brother with more serious intent, while Ethan injected the trademark absurd humor.
So even without a lot of details to go on, this is an exciting film to anticipate.
Avengers: Doomsday
Look, I’m as played out with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the next guy, but there’s no doubt that this is at least an intriguing swing for the studio hoping to make a comeback. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth)are back, plus Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom and maybe Iron Man? Oh, and the Fantastic Four. And the Wakandans. And the Fox X-Men. And literally everybody apparently. This could be a mess, but it will be a spectacular mess.
What gives me the most hope is that numerous people in the movie review space have been told the entire plot of the film, including people who have also soured on the MCU—and they seem to think it could be great. At its peak, the MCU was a great experience and I am happy for the possibility of having that feeling once again as the studio tries to right the ship.
“Wuthering Heights”
Listen, I have no connection to the classic book by Emily Brontë, so I can’t comment on how the casting fits the original story. What I can say is that Emerald Fennell is giving us a visual feast in these trailers so far, and Charli XCX has two original bangers in the trailers.
Is Margot Robbie right for Catherine? Hell if I know. Is Jacob Elordi appropriate for Heathcliffe? Not a clue. But I have a feeling Fennell isn’t really interested in a straightforward adaptation of the book, especially given the inclusion of the quotation marks in the title.
So far, Fennell is 50/50 for me. Both her films have been visually sumptuous, but only Promising Young Woman pairs with a poignant story. Saltburn is a mess of a shock value film. There are worrying signs that we might get more of that over-eroticism here that could be a turn-off, but to be honest, I’m always going to be interested to see what Fennell does next. In part because she seems to have zero cares about outside input and will make the movies she wants to make.
Project Hail Mary
People love this book by author Andy Weir, and I have liked another of Weir’s books, so I should be really excited for this. There are reports that it is getting rave reviews within the industry from people who have seen a rough cut of the film, and it’s even in talks for Oscars. Phil Lord and Chris Miller have really done no wrong either so far.
With that said, I haven’t fully bought in from the trailers so far. Something just hasn’t sparked that excitement. Sandra Hüller is looking as good as ever and I am picking up the vibes from her. But Ryan Gosling is not selling me yet on the depth of this movie; I can only get a bit of humor. It just comes off too shallow.
I have high hopes though that once I get in the theater and have the whole film in front of me, I’ll be as swept up as the expectations have set.
Werwulf
As one of the last films set for release in 2026, little is known about the next feature film from director Robert Eggers except that it’s an original take on werewolves in the latest period horror film from the absolute master of period horror films. It will star frequent Eggers co-collaborators Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, and Ralph Ineson.
The film is set in the foggy 13th-century English countryside, presumably with plenty of snow as well. With a dearth of great werewolf movies to date, this is almost guaranteed to be one of the greatest renditions put to screen.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
While my general interest in the MCU has waned in recent years, it’s hard not to be excited about a new Spider-Man flick, especially considering how good Tom Holland is in the role. And there are hopes upon hopes that the reset provided from the last installment allows us to finally get him in a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” storyline rather than a larger threat.
The inclusion of Mark Ruffalo as Hulk doesn’t make me feel so good about that possibility, but the inclusion of Jon Bernthal as The Punisher does. There could be a surprise appearance from Daredevil, too, perhaps—or Kingpin.
Adding to the intrigue is the mysterious role of Sadie Sink, who reportedly will be a major part of the MCU moving forward. Sink has been one of the more impressive members of the Stranger Things cast, so I am on board to see what they’re cooking up.
Send Help
As if I wasn’t already excited enough for this movie when I sat down and began making this list, it is now the week of release and early reviews are saying it is director Sam Raimi’s best work since Drag Me to Hell. I saw a review that praised Rachel McAdams’ performance as on par with Kathy Bates in Misery, except that McAdams plays a more complex and layered character. The trailer looks like the best third of Triangle of Sadness extended to feature length and injected with a heavy dose of Raimi insanity. And you get Dylan O’Brien showing his chops as a cartoonishly jackass CEO. It looks like a great time at the theater and I can’t wait to punch my ticket.
Coyote vs. Acme
Back from the brink of extinction, Coyote vs. Acme is coming to theaters in 2026. The internet erupted in fury when it learned Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav tossed this film off the cliff for a tax write-off despite glowing test reviews. The company eventually worked out a deal with Ketchup Entertainment, which is now set to debut the film.
The plot follows Wile E. Coyote as he sues the Acme Corporation for repeatedly selling him allegedly faulty products. Will Forte stars as down-and-out human billboard attorney Kevin Avery, who takes on the lawsuit on Coyote’s behalf.
A meta-legal comedy that addresses the faulty Acme products is quite a funny premise to me, and I love the courtroom, so I’m already fully in. The fact that it’s the new crossover between live-action and Looney Tunes is just the cherry on top.
Paper Tiger
The premise of Paper Tiger is listed as “two brothers pursue the American Dream but get entangled in a dangerous Russian mafia scheme that terrorizes their family, testing their bond as betrayal becomes possible.” The two brothers? Adam Driver and Miles Teller. Sold. Also, Scarlett Johansson. Even more sold. Directed by James Gray, director of Ad Astra and Armageddon Time. OK, maybe a little bit of pause. But still, sold.
Mother Mary
The latest film from director David Lowery has languished in development hell for years, probably signaling that it is a mess. Bolstering that assumption are quotes from Lowery himself, who called it a “weird, weird movie.”
“I’m in the edit right now and I have been wondering, ‘what is this movie?'” Lowery said. “I know what I set out to make and that is indeed what I’ve made, but it is so wild. It is a movie I am sure will provoke a lot of strong feelings, in every possible direction.”
The film stars Anne Hathaway as a pop star and Michaela Coel as her longtime costume designer, reconnecting in an old barn following an extended rift between the duo. This film could be an all-timer or an all-time dud, but what it certainly won’t be is mid. That alone is enough to put it on this list.
October
Before he won over audiences with the likes of Green Room, Blue Ruin, and Rebel Ridge, director Jeremy Saulnier made a tiny film with his friends called Murder Party. It may still be my favorite Saulnier film, although Rebel Ridge makes that harder now to say.
Murder Party follows a very average guy who walks into a murder party hosted by a group of eccentric art students. They have decided to murder someone on Halloween as a piece of art in hopes of impressing an enigmatic colleague with grant money to dole out. The film is bonkers and hilarious.
Now, Saulnier is returning to the holiday with October, which is described as a horror-action-thriller set against the backdrop of Halloween. He is teaming up again with A24, which distributed Green Room. Not much else is known, except that Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night) has been cast in the lead role. Joining him will be Chase Sui Wonders (Bodies Bodies Bodies) and Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me).
Sheep in the Box
I have not yet seen any films by Hirokazu Koreeda, but I plan for that to change in the near future. Hopefully I’ll catch some of his previous acclaimed work before seeing his latest offering Sheep in the Box, which has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Neon.
Sheep in the Box is set in the near future, where a couple takes in a state-of-the-art humanoid into their home as their son. That’s the only information available on this film so far, but the reputation of the director and the sci-fi conceit have me invested.
Untitled Jesse Eisenberg Musical
I haven’t seen Jesse Eisenberg’s somewhat panned directorial debut, After You Finish Saving the World, but I really liked his sophomore follow-up, A Real Pain. It sounds like he is taking on his most ambitious project yet with this untitled musical comedy, which he will direct for A24.
The film will star Julianne Moore as a shy woman who is unexpectedly cast in a local production of an original musical. Under the spell of the strong-willed and enigmatic director (presumably Paul Giamatti), she loses herself in the role and the high-stakes world of this community theater production.
It also has the production backing of Emma Stone, whom I am willing to put my faith in, although she seems to be generally a committed producing partner with Eisenberg.
The Death of Robin Hood
I loved the beginning of Michael Sarnoski’s Pig before losing interest at the reveal that it is set in modern times. I’m hoping for a return to form of that opening here, as Sarnoski imagines an aging Robin Hood, played by Hugh Jackman, reflecting on his life path and finding it dishonorable.
I don’t think at all that this movie will come to the ultimate conclusion that Robin Hood was bad actually, and I think that character wrestling with his legacy actually makes him that much more honorable.
I don’t know, I just think this one looks neat. Plus, I’m always interested to see what A24 offers up, even when they strike out.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
I grew up reading the Narnia books, and C.S. Lewis wrote one of my favorite books of all time, The Screwtape Letters. That said, I’ve seen the Disney versions of these films, and they don’t necessarily make me excited for a new adaptation.
What does though is that Greta Gerwig, fresh off of turning Barbie into a massive success, chose this as her next project—when she could probably have anything she wanted. And the decision to adapt The Magician’s Nephew is wild. For those who don’t know, The Magician’s Nephew is a prequel written by Lewis after the original five books were released and details the creation of Narnia long before the Pevensie children ever enter the wardrobe.
Gerwig already has her White Witch in Emma Mackey. I thought up until this post that Daniel Craig would be voicing the lion (Aslan), but it seems he is instead playing Uncle Andrew. There are rumors of Meryl Streep voicing Aslan instead (the discourse on that will be INSANE).
Honestly, if it weren’t for Gerwig, this sounds like it could be a disaster, but she forced Netflix to give this a real theatrical run, so kudos to her. And it seems like she believes in her project, and I have no reason to doubt her.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
So far, Jane Schoenbrun is 0/2 with me, striking out on her directorial debut, We All Go to the World’s Fair, and I Saw the TV Glow. And yet I see something there, something that others have appreciated to a much greater degree. I think Schoenbrun will make a movie that connects with me one day, and this may just be it.
The film follows a queer filmmaker who is hired to direct a new installment of a long-running slasher franchise known as Camp Miasma. The director becomes fixated on the prospect of casting the reclusive actress who played the final girl in the original movie. As the two women begin to work together, they descend into a frenzy of psychosexual mania. Schoenbrun has described the film as their “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.”
Sounds groovy, and it’s sure to be a trip in Schoenbrun’s hands. Here’s hoping it’s a good one.
The Drama
I really need to check out Dream Scenario from director Kristofer Borgli, who is giving us The Drama later this year. That was a trippy film where Nicolas Cage showed up in people’s dreams all across the Earth, and there seems to be some secret element to The Drama that will take this out of a standard marriage drama.
The obvious reason to be excited about this otherwise is that it comes from A24 and stars Robert Pattinson across from Zendaya as engaged lovers whose marriage plans begin to unravel in the week leading up to the wedding. I don’t know exactly what’s in store, but I’m here for it.
The Adventures of Cliff Booth
We wrap up the list with a cinematic oddity, a film written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher. The film will follow the titular character, Cliff Booth, after the events of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. While the first film isn’t my favorite of Tarantino’s work, it was an enjoyable time, and Brad Pitt’s Cliff is maybe the best character in it.
It’s at least interesting to see what this will be, even if I’m not sure how it will pan out.
Those are the 2026 movies that are currently on my radar. How many do you plan on seeing, screenagers?
