2026 is shaping up to be a year filled with blockbusters and other big cinematic events. With sequels, animated family films and superhero movies looking to make an impact, here’s a look at some of the most-anticipated films of the upcoming year.
The summer starts off with the debut of Toy Story 5 on June 19. Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang of toys return for the fifth film in the Pixar animated film franchise. This time around, the toys are facing what could be their biggest obstacle yet — a modern technology takeover. Greta Lee voices the new character, Lilypad, a smart tablet that is taking over playtime. Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton helms the film from a script he wrote.
Also making a splash this summer is Christopher Nolan‘s epic The Odyssey. Releasing on July 17, the film is Nolan’s first since his Oscar-winning blockbuster Oppenheimer. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus in this movie adaptation of Homer‘s epic poem. Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson also star.
Swinging in to theaters on July 31 is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This movie brings Tom Holland back in his fourth stand-alone film as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, also known as Peter Parker. It is the continuation of his story after the wildly successful 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which found all of Peter’s friends and family forgetting who he is. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon return as MJ and Ned, while Sadie Sink joins the franchise in a mystery role.
Audiences will return to Panem with the release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping on Nov. 20. The backstory of Haymitch Abernathy, who mentored Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, will be told in this adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ bestselling prequel novel. Francis Lawrence returns to the franchise to direct the film that stars Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons and Elle Fanning, and is set to have Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson return as Katniss and Peeta.
Will the next Barbenheimer be Avengers: Dunesday? Two major films are set to release on Dec. 18 — Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three. The former finds brothers Anthony Russo and Joe Russo back at the helm of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they direct the next Avengers film, which stars Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Dr. Doom. The latter stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in the third part of Denis Villeneuve‘s space opera based on Frank Herbert‘s Dune Messiah.
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