2026 Movie Preview: Will Any Original Films Surprise Us?

2025 ended up being a pretty decent year for movies, with some true standouts like Marty Supreme, Weapons, and Hamnet. But with the sun setting on 2025, it’s time to look forward to the films being released in 2026. And boy are there a lot of sequels and adaptations. I suppose that’s just the nature of modern day cinema and that’s not to say that there won’t be some original films that really blow us away this year. But those tend to be a bit more under the radar until closer to release. Even still, I’m pretty excited for many releases this year and think that we should be in store for some great additions to already established franchises. So let’s take a look at some of the upcoming movies in 2026.

And don’t forget to check out our 2026 Horror Preview as well!

Wuthering Heights (February 13th)

Emerald Fennell has really made quite the impact with films like Promising Young Woman and Saltburn. Now it’s time for her to adapt one of the most famous novels out there with Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. It is “A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.” Pairing Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi seems like the work of some mad genius. The Valentine’s Day release is sure to make this one another win for Fennell.

Project Hail Mary (March 20th)

Andy Weir writes some of the most interesting science fiction of the modern era and it’s been far too long since we got an adaptation of one of his other big works, The Martian. The story involves: “Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.” While the trailer gave away a little much for my liking, it’s hard to count against Ryan Gosling in the entertainment department.

Disclosure Day (June 12th)

I’m still not sold on the title, but it’s hard not to be excited at the concept of Steven Spielberg returning to the world of Aliens with this UFO thriller. With a cast that includes Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Wyatt Russell and Colman Domingo, this look very intriguing. Plot details are still pretty scant but it looks more in line with Close Encounters than War of the Worlds.

Toy Story 5 (June 12th)

It’s always interesting to see what new obstacles the filmmakers manage to put in the way of our favorite toys, and the plot for Toy Story 5 seems like a long time coming: “Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they’re introduced to electronics, a new threat to playtime.” With all the main cast returning, plus fun additions like Conan O’Brien, it’ll be nice to see another story within this world. While the third entry provided the perfect ending, the fourth proved that there’s still some juice left in the tank, and I’m excited to see what they do with this one.

Supergirl (June 26th, 2026)

The second film in James Gunn’s DCU has some pretty high expectations going in. But if Superman was any indication, we’re in for a much less gloomy version of a Superhero movie. And while we just got a taste of her last year, this origin story should give us a better overall picture of what Supes’ cousin has been up to. Plus, it’s going to be awesome to see Jason Momoa’s Lobo chomp on a cigar in a role that he was born to play.

The Odyssey (July 17th)

I’m not sure if there’s any other film releasing that has the level of hype of this film. With opening day showings already being sold out for the last 6 months, there’s nothing quite like a Christopher Nolan movie. For those that never had to read the book in school, The Odyssey “After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way.“

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31st)

There’s a certain excitement to any new Spider-man moving coming out and, thankfully, we’ve never been too many years without one. With Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton taking over behind the camera, it’ll be interesting to see what he brings to the table. Even more exciting is that this should be putting Spidey more street level and allow us to see him less MCU-afied. Though, it’s hard to say since this will also be featuring a tons of other characters like Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Sadie Sink’s mystery character. Here’s hoping they allow the character to be a bit more independent and less reliant on what’s going on with the rest of the MCU.

The Social Reckoning (October 9th)

I would have never expected there to be a sequel to David Fincher’s The Social Network yet here we are. And honestly? I’m actually pretty intrigued. A lot has happened in the world of Mark Zuckerberg since the creation of Facebook and it will be interesting to see how writer Aaron Sorkin (who is now taking over directing duties) presents the story which follows “Frances Haugen, a young Facebook engineer, who enlisted the help of Jeff Horwitz, a Wall Street Journal reporter, to blow the whistle on the social network’s most guarded secrets.“

The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping (November 20th)

I’ve been pretty let down by many of the films in the Hunger Game series so when I tell you this one has me excited, just know that I’m a hard sell for these. But having read the book that this one is based, this is easily the best story yet and I can’t wait to see some of these scenes come to life. The casting has been perfect and it’ll be great to see Haymitch’s time in the games. Plus, it’s cool that they were able to get Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson back, even if it’s likely just a bookends role, where Harrelson’s Haymitch is likely telling them his story. Either way Sunrise of the Reaping “Explores Panem 24 years before Katniss’ saga, starting on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, where a young Haymitch Abernathy participates.“

Avengers Doomsday (December 18th)

It seems like just about everyone who’s ever put on a supersuit is returning for Doomsday, not to mention Robert Downey Jr, whose Tony Stark famously died in the last Avengers teamup. Whether it’s Marvel calling a hail mary and trying to save the MCU is irrelevant if they’re able to pull off a massive spectacle that brings in the money. And they’re doing a great job of building that hype already as there have already been multiple teaser trailers (four revealing different characters returning). The story appears to feature Doctor Doom going after the children of famous superheroes, causing them to all band together to try and take him out. We’ve got the OG X-Men returning.

Dune Part Three (December 18th)

Part of me thinks that Dune is going to move at some point to avoid Doomsday. I just can’t imagine it competing with a behemoth like an Avengers film, but I guess crazier things have been done. We’re still following Timothy Chalamet’s Paul Atreides but given how crazy the source material gets, I’ll be curious to see how it translates to a movie, as it’s always felt pretty unadaptable. Though, if anyone can do it, I’m sure Denis Villeneuve is up to the task.

What film are you looking forward to the most in 2026? Are there any Original films that you think will be sleeper hits? Let us know in the comments!

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