Happy 2026! Some Movies To Watch Out For

Happy New Year! Lots of great films are coming our way, sequels, superheroes, video games, favorite books (two from Colleen Hoover!), big-budget blockbusters, micro-budget Indies, two new Pixar films, and MIND-BLOWING MUSIC. As always, what I most look forward to are the surprises, the films and performers we don’t know yet but will become indispensable by the end of the year. (And as always, we know more about what is coming in the next few months than the end of the year and release dates may change.)

JANUARY

People We Meet on Vacation Emily Henry’s best-seller about a will-they/won’t they couple comes to the screen with Emily Baderand Tom Blyth, co-starring Jameela Jamil, Alan Ruck, and Molly Shannon.

Mercy What if we had AI judges who give people accused of crimes just 90 minutes to prove their innocence? Chris Pratt plays the man accused of murdering his wife and Rebecca Ferguson plays the AI.

Send Help Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien play a pair of co-workers who do not get along well but have to find a way to get along when they are stranded on a desert island.

The Moment Charli XCX stars in a not-documentary about a touring pop star named Charli XCX. The cast includes Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, and Alexander Skarsgård.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die A time-bending sci-fi action story with Chris Pratt, Haley Lu Richardson, Juno Temple, Zazie Beetz, and Michael Peña fighting against the most popular villain of the moment, a rogue AI.

The Internship A top-level trained assassin wants to dismantle the system that trained her. Sounds a bit like “Ballerina,” doesn’t it?

Night Patrol An LAPD policeman has to team up with street gangs to fight a common enemy — crooked cops.

Untitled Home Invasion Romance Jason Biggs directs and stars in the story of a couple trying to repair their relationship with a trip away from home, until a dead body makes things get complicated.

Killer Whale The title says it all — two young woman on a trip to a private lagoon are hunted by an escaped orca out for revenge.

FEBRUARY

Elvis Presley in Concert Director Baz Luhrman discovered legendary missing footage of Elvis when he was working on the film starring Austin Butler. He’s now assembled never-before-seen footage into a concert film.

How to Make a Killing The classic British comedy “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” about a man who kills off every relative standing between him and an inheritance, is relocated and updated with Glen Powell as the would-be heir, co-starring with Margaret Qualley, Ed Harris, Topher Grace, and Bill Camp.

Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte’s gothic classic gets another reboot, this time, directed by a woman, Emerald Fennell, known for a provocative, strongly feminist viewpoint. Margot Robbie stars as Cathy, with Jacob Elordi as the brooding Heathcliff.

MARCH

The Magic Faraway Tree Enid Blyton’s classic children’s book gets a sumptuous treatment and a starry cast in this story of a tree that is a portal to magic lands. Stars include Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Rebecca Ferguson, Nonso Anozie, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning, and Jennifer Saunders.

The Breadwinner Is beloved comedian Nate Bargatze an actor? Or a screenwriter? We’ll find out in this story of a stay at home dad, starring along with Mandy Moore, fellow comedian Kumail Nanjiani, and SNL’s Will Forte and Colin Jost.

Masters of the Universe He-Man and Skeletor make it to the big screen in a live-action epic starring Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man/Prince Adam) with Jared Leto as his nemesis Skeletor. The cast also features Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Sasheer Zamata, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.

Reminders of Him Another bittersweet romantic story of love and grief from Colleen Hoover book brought to the screen, starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, and singer Lainey Wilson.

Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft – The Tour (Live in 3D) Billie Eilish singing. James Cameron directing. 3D. Enough said.

Poetic License Maude Apatow, who has shown her acting talent in “One of Them Days” and “Euphoria,” makes her directing debut with a screenplay she co-wrote. She also stars along with her mother, Leslie Mann, Andrew Barth Feldman, Method Man, and Cooper Hoffman.

Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead Three centuries after the Great Flood, the world has fractured into scattered islands, forever threatened by a colossal, unending Storm. The Islanders’ only hope for safety lies in the fortified city-state of Argos – a sanctuary reachable only through perilous trials known as Storm Riding. Yet, among them, a defiant faction believes true salvation lies not within Argos, but beyond the Storm itself, so they undertake the journey through the Storm.

The Bride Maggie Gyllenhaal is the writer/director of this Frankenstein story, with the setting changed to 1930s Chicago. Jessie Buckley is the title character, re-animated to give some company to the first monster, played by Christian Bale.

Hoppers A new animated story from Pixar is about a scientific experiment that has a teenager inhabiting the body of a robotic beaver. The cast includes Meryl Streep, John Hamm, and “SNL” alums Bobby Moynihan, Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor, and Vanessa Bayer.

Project Hail Mary A book by The Martian author Andy Weir takes us back into space with Ryan Gosling as a schoolteacher who is selected by leading world scientists as the only person who can save the stars.

APRIL

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Following the smash success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” this one has returning voices Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Charlie Day, joined by Oscar-winner Brie Larson and Benny Safdie.

Michael The Michael Jackson story, with the King of Pop played by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson (son of Michael’s brother, Jermaine).

Mother Mary Director David Lowrey likes strange, spooky stories. This one stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”), FKA Twigs, Kaia Gerber, and Hunter Schafer in the story of a singer and a designer.

MAY

The Mandalorian and Grogu “Iron Man’s” Jon Favreau directs this “Star Wars” spin-off from he Disney+ series, with Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and “The Bear’s” Jeremy Allen White.

Over Your Dead Body Samara Weaving and Jason Segel play a married couple who go away for what is supposed to be a weekend to reconnect and repair their relationship, but secretly each is planning to murder the other. Yes, it’s a comedy, from Lonely Island director Jorma Taccone.

I Love Boosters Writer/director Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”) is back with another comic fantasy with social commentary, this time about a group of young shoplifters going after a fashion designer. The cast includes Keke Palmer, Demi Moore, Naomi Ackie, Eiza González, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, and “Sorry to Bother You” star LaKeith Stanfield.

The Sheep Detectives A shepherd who loves his flock (Hugh Jackman) is murdered, and the sheep who loved him decide to take what they learned from the mysteries he read to them and find out who did it. The cast playing suspects, law enforcement, and sheep includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Braun, and Chris O’Dowd.

JUNE

Toy Story 5 This fifth entry in the series that got Pixar started brings another new toy to disrupt Bonnie’s happy group of playthings: a tablet. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack are joined by  Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, Conan O’Brien, and Greta Lee., and Andrew Stanton (“Wall-E” and “Finding Nemo”) directs.

Disclosure Day What if we all found out that aliens were here? Steven Spielberg directs, and he knows how to get us goosebump-y and emotional about aliens. Stars include Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, and Wyatt Russell.

Power Ballad I’m a big fan of John Carney, who gave us “Sing Street” and “Once.” No one is better at characters who love and are transformed by music. This one has Paul Rudd as a wedding singer and Nick Jonas as a pop star. Jack Reynor, who played the brother in “Sing Street,” also stars.

Supergirl We got a glimpse of Milly Alcock as Superman’s messy Krypton cousin last year. Now we get to see her story.  Matthias Schoenaerts is a great choice for villain and Krypto is back, so this looks promising.

JULY

Moana The march of the Disney animation-to-live-action continues with Dwayne Johnson repeating his role as Maui.

Cut Off Don’t we love to see spoiled rich kids have to deal with reality? Jonah Hill directs a terrific cast in a story of siblings whose wealthy parents cut off their funds, starring Kristen Wiig, Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Camila Cabello, Langston, and Chelsea Peretti.

The Odyssey Homer’s classic epic is directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Matt Damon as Odysseys, on his long journey home, Tom Holland as his son, Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as his patient wife Penelope, Zendaya as the goddess Athena, and Charlize Theron as the sorceress Circe.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Tom Holland and Zendaya return for another adventure in the MCU.

AUGUST

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Meryl Streep is back, along with Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, and so are original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and costume designer Molly Rogers. Reportedly joining the cast: Lady Gaga, Sydney Sweeney, Rachel Bloom, and Lucy Liu. Expect great performances and wildly original costumes.

Coyote vs. Acme Inspired by a witty 1990 Ian Frazier essay in the New Yorker, this is a hybrid animation/live action film, based on the idea that Looney Tunes’ Wile E. Coyote, after decades of backfiring Road Runner-capturing equipment from Acme, decides to sue them for damages. The animation/live action hybrid includes Will Forte as Wile E.’s lawyer, John Cena representing Acme, and Luis Guzman as the judge.

SEPTEMBER

How to Rob a Bank It’s not just about the money in this one. It’s about revenge on a financial system. Stars include Nicholas Hoult, David Leitch directs “How to Rob a Bank,” an action thriller starring Nicholas Hoult, Pete Davidson, Zoë Kravitz, John C. Reilly, and Christian Slater.

Practical Magic 2 Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock return to update us on the witchy Owens sisters, a sequel to the beloved film. Dianne Weist and Stockard Channing will be back, too.

Sense and Sensibility Another version of the Jane Austen story of two sisters, one who leads with her heart, one who leads with her head. Thee cast includes Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, Esmé Creed-Miles as her sister Marianne, Caitríona Balfe as their mother, and Frank Dillane as the heartbreaker John Willoughby,

OCTOBER

Remain You might not think of writer/director M. Knight Shyamalan, known for spooky twists, and Nicholas Sparks, known for bittersweet romances, as likely to team up. But that is who is behind this spooky romance, starring  Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor.

The Social Reckoning This sequel to “The Social Network” has screenwriter Aaron Sorkin taking over directing duties as well, with Jeremy Strong taking over the role of Mark Zuckerberg and Oscar-winner Mikey Madison as Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

Digger Tom Cruise, Roz Ahmed, and John Goodman star in a film from Oscar-winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu about a man responsible for impending catastrophe thinks he’s the only one who can stop it.

Verity Another Colleen Hoover book, this one a thriller about a woman hired to ghostwrite books for a successful author who has been injured. The ghostwriter discovers some disturbing information in the author’s files. The cast includes Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett.

NOVEMBER

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping We hear Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will appear briefly in this prequel that is a sequel to Songbirds and Snakes. It’s got a great cast: Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Ben Wang, Lili Taylor, and Billy Porter.

Jimmy One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood left the movies when the US entered WWII to become a real-life hero. KJ Apa plays Jimmy Stewart, who specialized in affable guy next door roles on screen but became a decorated B-24 bomber pilot for the U.S. Air Forces, ultimately rising to the rank of Brigadier General.

Madden David O. Russell (“Silver Linings Playbook”) directed and co-wrote the story of football triple legend John Madden, as coach, as TV sportscaster, and as namesake of the $4 billion video game. Nicolas Cage plays Madden, with Christian Bale as Al Davis and John Mulaney as Trip Hawkins.

Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol One of my favorite stories is re-imagined with Johnny Depp “Bah, humbug-ing” in the title role and a cast that includes Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman, Rupert Grint, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, and Ian McKellen.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Greta Gerwig follows “Barbie” with a reboot of the Narnia chronicles, with Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Mackey.

DECEMBER

Dune Part III More sandworms ahead!

Jumanj III More video games come to life ahead!

Shrek V More ogres!

Ice Age 6 More ice age creatures!

Avengers: Doomsday EVERYBODY in the MCU is reportedly in what they’re calling the “penultimate chapter.” Even Robert Downey, Jr., as previewed in the post-credits sequence of the last film.