Hollywood’s Event Film Era Peaks in 2026 – 15 Of The Most Anticipated Movies Of 2026

2026 is set to be a landmark year for Hollywood, with studios betting big on established franchises, cinematic universes, and large-scale event films made exclusively for theatrical audiences. From superhero epics to sci-fi spectacles and legacy sequels, the lineup promises box office fireworks across the globe.

Here’s a look at the top Hollywood films to look forward to in 2026.

                                Scream 7 (Feb. 27)

Ghostface returns for his next kill in the seventh installment of the “Scream” franchise. “Scream 7” will feature the return of many original cast members, including David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, who will all reprise their deceased characters from past films. Neve Campbell is back leading as Sidney Scott. Kevin Williamson, the creator of the series, will also direct the horror film. 

                    The Super Mario Galaxy (April 3)

One of the most satisfying box-office successes of 2023 and is now about to return. Super Mario Galaxy - The Movie is scheduled for release in April with the sequel to the animated film, once again directed by Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath, and centered on Nintendo’s iconic video game character.

                               Michael (April 24)

Antoine Fuqua directs the most anticipated biopic of the year: Michael traces the life of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, from his beginnings with the Jackson 5 to his rise as a global star. He is portrayed by Jaafar Jackson, the musical icon’s nephew.

                         The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1)  

With all the set photos and outfits that have been released, it feels as though we have already seen The Devil Wears Prada 2. The sequel, however, arrives in Italy on May 1 and is one of the most anticipated mainstream titles for the general audience. A return that is certainly not easy, as Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) will have to remain true to the iconic characters of the first film.

                    Mortal Kombat II (May 8)  

Simon McQuoid’s follow-up to his 2021 adaptation of the titular video game, “Mortal Kombat II” will see Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage team up with other fighters to take on the evil Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). The movie will also see the returns of Jessica McNamee’s Sonya Blade and Hiroyuki Sanada’s Hanzo Hasashi and the arrival of Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana from the game.               

              The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22)  

Jon Favreau has devoted body and soul to his Mandalorian and little Grogu. Now, after two seasons on Disney+, the story of the Star Wars universe becomes a film with The Mandalorian and Grogu, set in the new republican order in which, once again, the protagonists will have to flee and protect one another.

                    Disclosure Day (June 12)  

Steven Spielberg returns to aliens with Disclosure Day, a sci-fi film starring Josh O’Connor and Emily Blunt. A mysterious force seems to be influencing the human species, and it is up to O’Connor’s character to uncover what is happening across the world.

                               Toy Story 5 (June 19)  

Woody, Buzz and the gang come together for another adventure in “Toy Story 5.” Written and directed by Andrew Stanton, the film sees the toys take on a tablet, vying for playtime attention against modern tech. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, Blake Clark and John Ratzenberger will reprise their roles in the franchise, while Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, Conan O’Brien and Greta Lee are set to voice original characters. 

                              Supergirl (June 26)  

After a brief appearance in James Gunn’s Superman, Kara/Supergirl is ready for a film of her own, directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira. The superheroine will be involved in a revenge-driven mission that forces her to question concepts of brutality and justice.

                           Minions 3 (July 1)  

The eponymous hench-beings from the “Despicable Me” franchise return for their third standalone movie this July. Plot details are still unknown, but it will likely center around main Minions Kevin, Stuart and Bob in another zany, gadget-filled adventure. Pierre Coffin will reprise his voice-acting role as the Minions. 

                                Moana (July 10)  

“Moana” is the next Walt Disney Animation movie to get the live-action remake treatment. Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role as Maui while the movie introduces Catherine Laga’aia as the titular heroine. The seafaring family musical will be directed by Thomas Kail. 

                               The Odyssey (July 17)  

There is not much to say about Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of the Odyssey other than that, as often happens with the director’s films, it promises to be one of the most immersive experiences of 2026. A star-studded cast, opulent reconstruction, and an overwhelming sense of epic grandeur. All that remains is to wait until July 16.

                Spider-Man Brand New Day (July 31)  

Spider-Man’s return to the MCU inevitably raises many questions, especially given the ending of the latest superhero film starring Tom Holland. What seems certain is that after No Way Home, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day the character will once again focus more on protecting his neighbourhood and city than on the fate of the entire world.

                               Verity (Oct. 2)  

Following successful turns with “It Ends With Us” in 2024 and “Regretting You” in 2025, the best-selling psychological thriller “Verity” is the latest Colleen Hoover novel to get a film adaptation. The star-studded cast includes Anne Hathaway as the titular Verity Crawford, Josh Harnett as her husband Jeremy Crawford and Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh, a writer hired to complete a successful series written by Verity before a mysterious accident left her unable to complete them. Michael Showalter is set to direct.  

                               Digger (Oct. 2)   

“Digger,” the action film from “The Revenant” director Alejandro González Iñárritu, will see Tom Cruise step into a non-legacy film for the first time in recent years: the actor’s been busy with roles in “Mission: Impossible” films and “Top Gun” since 2018, making the film all the more buzzworthy. Per the film’s IMDb, the plot will follow “the most powerful man in the world” as he “causes a disaster and embarks on a mission to prove that he is the savior of humanity.” Cast members also include Riz Ahmed, Robert John Burke and Emma D’Arcy. 

                               The Social Reckoning (Oct. 9)  

In 2026, The Social Reckoning awaits us, the sequel to the 2010 masterpiece The Social Network about the birth of Facebook, focusing on the issues that the social media platform brought into users’ lives after its launch. The cast includes Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, and Mark Strong. This time, Aaron Sorkin not only writes but also directs the film.

                       The Hunger Games (Nov. 20)  

The Hunger Games continues to expand its cinematic universe, this time with Sunrise on the Reaping by Francis Lawrence, where the story focuses on the character of Haymitch, the only victor from District 12 before Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

                            Narnia (Nov. 26)

After the stratospheric success of Barbie, Greta Gerwig embarks on another massive undertaking with the adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. Her Narnia is set for release on November 26, 2026, more than twenty years after the first adaptation directed by Andrew Adamson. The cast includes Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Mackey.

                                Jumanji 4 ( Dec. 11) 

Six years after “Jumanji: The Next Level” sent audiences back into the game’s jungle, the wait for the fourth installment of the franchise will finally end next year. Director Jake Kasdan returns for the film, as does Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart. Though, for those familiar with the franchise, it’s unclear just who will be playing Jumanji as them: thus far, the first and second installment have both followed a group of real-life teenagers who enter the game as one of the adult avatars, adding a comedic body-swap twist to the adventure films.  

                        Avengers: Doomsday (Dec. 18) 

“Avengers: Endgame” directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo are teaming up once again for “Doomsday,” the latest in the franchise set to unite various Marvel superheroes including Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Ant Man (Paul Rudd) amongst many, many others. Robert Downey Jr. is also returning, though this time as the villain Doctor Doom, not Iron Man, which ignited fan theories around potential multiverse plot lines despite the actual events of the film being a tightly kept secret.  

                    Dune: Part Three (Dec. 18) 

Denis Villeneuve’s uber-successful “Dune” franchise will expand once again with “Dune: Part Three” confirmed to be an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel “Dune Messiah.” In comparison to the first two films (“Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” are both adapted from Herbert’s first novel), the third film is expected to be tonally darker, picking up 12 years after “Part Two’s” conclusions with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) now the universes’ emperor. Florence Pugh will return as Princess Irulan, as will Zendaya as Chani

                             Werwulf (Dec. 25)  

Robert Eggers’ forthcoming folklore feature will trade vampires for werewolves as “The Northman” director brings audiences another period horror film featuring “Nosferatu” cast members Lily Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe. While details are few and far between, the movie will be set in medieval Britain, following local villagers as the creature stalks their countryside. Eggers has said “Werewulf” is his darkest horror movie yet - heightening anticipation for the film.