2025 was a fantastic year for cinema; the best since 2019. We got new works from auteurs such as Lynne Ramsay, Paul Thomas Anderson, Luca Guadagnino and Kelly Reichardt. Ryan Coogler broke several box office records with Sinners. James Cameron took us back to the world of Pandora. We may or may not have bid farewell to Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible franchise as we know it.

2026 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year as well with so much to look forward to. Steven Spielberg is returning to his roots with a mysterious UFO movie. Charli XCX is bringing back brat once again. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are getting married in an A24 romantic dramedy. Christopher Nolan is making history with the first film to be shot completely with IMAX 70mm film cameras. We’ll cover all of these films and more below in FilmSlop’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2026, where we highlight 25 of the most buzzworthy films coming to a theater near you next year.

20. The Bride

Maggie Gyllenhaal returns to the director’s chair in this adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” and also drawing inspiration from the 1935 Universal monster movie, Bride of Frankenstein. Gyllenhaal’s monsters are Jesse Buckley (Hamnet) as the Bride, and Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s Monster. This version of the film puts the monsters in a very different situation than one might expect: they appear to be gangsters, almost Bonnie and Clyde types. We’ll find out more when the film opens on March 6th, 2026.

19. Obsession

Premiering to rave reviews out of the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness program, Curry Barker’s follow up to viral hit, Milk and Serial, will come to theaters on May 15th, 2026. The plot follows a hopeless romantic who buys a toy that promises to grant one wish. He uses it to make his longtime crush fall in love with him, leading to disastrous consequences for both parties. You may think Curry Barker is related to Hellraiser creator Clive Barker, but they only share a last name.

18. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die

Gore Verbinski hasn’t made a movie since 2016’s A Cure for Wellness, so it’s nice to see him back behind the camera. This film follows Sam Rockwell as a traveler from the future who gathers a band of everyday people to help stop the rise of an artificial intelligence that goes haywire. It premiered at FantasticFest to rave reviews calling it wildly inventive and irreverent. It sounds like the perfect vehicle for Sam Rockwell to deliver a zany and hilarious performance. In theaters February 13th, 2026.

17. The Dog Stars

We promise this is not a movie about COVID-19, though many probably will believe it is. Jacob Elordi stars as a civilian pilot living in the aftermath of a flu pandemic that wiped out half of humanity. He takes off on the search for the origins of a mysterious radio broadcast with his dog and an ex-marine (Josh Brolin). Ridley Scott directs this adaptation of a 2012 novel of the same name by Peter Heller. August 28th, 2026.

16. Hoppers

Who hasn’t ever wanted to know what animals are saying when they bark, screech or roar? PIXAR’s latest sets out to find answers. This movie is basically Avatar, but for beavers. When scientists invent a way for the human mind to “hop” into the mind of an animal, an animal-loving teen uploads her mind into a robotic beaver and radicalizes the local wildlife to stop a huge construction project set to destroy their habitat. See if they save the forest on March 6th, 2026.

15. I Want Your Sex

New Queer Cinema trailblazer Gregg Araki has a new film premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Cooper Hoffman stars as Elliot who has just landed a job working for Olivia Wilde’s provocative artist Erika Tracy. When Tracy taps Elliot to be her new sexual muse, the job becomes something beyond his wildest fantasies. Charli XCX, Daveed Diggs, Johnny Knoxville and Chase Sui Wonders also star. The film premieres January 23rd, 2026.

14. I Love Boosters

Following his directorial debut, Sorry to Bother You, Boots Riley returns to the big screen with a new sci-fi comedy. Details are sparse, but the film follows a group of professional shoplifters who decide to target a “cutthroat fashion maven.” I Love Boosters will premiere at the 2026 South by Southwest festival with a later theatrical release by NEON on May 22nd. Keke Palmer (One of Them Days), Naomi Ackie (Sorry, Baby), and Taylour Paige (It: Welcome to Derry) star as the Boosters along with Demi Moore as the Maven.

13. The Gallerist

It’s been 6 years since Cathy Yan last made a film. In 2020 she directed Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) for Warner Bros as part of the previous iteration of the DC Comics cinematic universe. After that she directed one episode of HBO’s Succession. Her latest film is a dark comedy set in Miami’s Art Basel, the one of the annual international art fairs. Natalie Portman plays a desperate gallerist who tries to sell a dead person as a piece of art. This satire of the contemporary art world will premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

12. Remain

The author of novels that have been adapted into some of the most beloved romance films of all time, teamed up with one of the most prolific directors of all time to write a new novel that combines their specific areas of expertise. Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shaymalan’s Remain is a supernatural romance story about an architect grieving the loss of his sister, who on her deathbed revealed that she could see dead people – a gift that runs in their family. When he moves to a new town for a job, he meets a mysterious young woman with whom he has an instant connection, but discovers something about her that threatens not only their relationship, but his beliefs about the world. Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor star in the film written and directed by Shaymalan. It was shot with VistaVision cameras. In theaters October 23rd, 2026.

11. Is God Is

Ashlea Harris is an award-winning playwright making her directorial debut with this thriller starring Janelle Monae, Sterling K. Brown, and Vivica A. Fox. Based on her play of the same name, the film follows twin sisters who are disfigured by burn scars and are ordered by their bedridden mother to kill their abusive father. It’s up to the twins to decide whether they want to seek revenge on the man who caused their scars or to have mercy on him. Amazon MGM is releasing the film on May 15th, 2026 under their Orion Pictures banner.

10. Coyote vs. Acme

You’ll remember the internet fury over Warner Bros. decision in 2023 to shelve this one for a tax write-off along with DC’s Batgirl and a Scooby-Doo holiday movie. The movie was complete and ready for release when the news broke. After unsuccessful attempts to shop the movie to other distributors, Warner Bros. sold the rights to Ketchup Entertainment, who previously distributed The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. Coyote vs. Acme is a live-action animation hybrid movie that sees Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation because every product the canine purchased from them has been a failure in his attempt to capture the Road Runner. Will Forte stars as the lawyer for Wile E. Coyote, with John Cena defending Acme. Expect cameos from the cavalcade of Looney Tunes characters. Find out who the jury will find in favor of in theaters August 28th, 2026.

9. The Moment

Summer 2024 was dubbed “brat summer” following the release of Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, “Brat.” The album had a huge influence on everything from pop culture to politics. A24 clearly took note and teamed up with Charli to distribute a film based on her own original idea. The mockumentary will follow a fictionalized version of Charli as she gears up to headline her first arena tour. The film is directed by Adam Zamiri, making his feature film debut after directing two music videos for the Brat album. Charli XCX is producing through her new production company, Studio365, as well as starring. She’s joined by Alexander Skarsgård, Kate Berlant, Isaac Cole Powell, Rachel Sennott, and Kylie Jenner. The world premiere will happen at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival followed by a wide release on January 30th, 2026.

8. Werwulf

If there’s one thing Rober Eggers is going to do, it’s make a gothic horror picture. 2024’s Nosferatu saw Eggers tackling the classic vampire story with an intensely erotic retelling set in the 19th century. For his next film, Eggers is taking us further back in time, to the 13th century and he’s cast Nosferatu alum Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a man afflicted with the curse of the werewolf. The film also brings back Lily Rose-Depp, and frequent Eggers collaborators, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson. Plot details are extremely scarce at this point as the movie is not expected in theaters until Christmas Day 2026.

7. Flowervale Street

I’ve followed David Robert Mitchell’s career with great interest from his feature length debut, The Myth of the American Sleepover, which I saw on a premium cable channel back in 2010. It Follows is of course one of the best horror films of the 2010s. However he hit a snag with Under the Silver Lake. Not much is known about his latest picture, only that it is produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, might have something to do with dinosaurs, and is set to bow on IMAX screens. This has bounced around release calendars a couple times, most recently vacating its March 2025 date for August 14th, 2026.

6. Wuthering Heights

Emerald Fennell rustled a lot of feathers with her 2023 thriller, Saltburn. She’s next tackling an adaptation of a beloved and controversial novel gothic tragedy, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. The casting of the latter as the racially ambiguous Heathcliff, has already generated discourse online. The erotic psychological drama which is written, directed and produced by Fennell will release in theaters on February 13th, 2026.

5. The Drama

Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli directs Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in a romantic comedy set just days before a couple is to be married. The titular drama crops up when one half of the couple discovers some “unsettling truths” about the other, which threatens their big day. Borgli’s past work includes the absurdist black comedy Sick of Myself and the A24 fantasy horror Dream Scenario. Mamdou Athie and Alana Haim joined the cast in October 2024. Find out if the bride walks down the aisle on April 3rd, 2026.

4. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

"This is not your mother's or your grandmother's Narnia,” IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond said of Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of the sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Gerwig’s film is distributed by Netflix, a company famous for not releasing their movies in theaters, so it’s huge news that this film will get an exclusive run on IMAX screens. Gelfond hinted at it being a rock musical. The book itself is really the first chronologically in the Narnia story, despite being the sixth published, and tells the tale of Digory Kirke, who created the wardrobe portal in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which brings the Pevensie children to Narnia. In the 2005 Disney movie, this character is played by Jim Broadbent. Gerwig’s film stars Emma Mackey as the White Witch, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig, and David McKenna as Digory Kirke. Check it out in IMAX on November 26th, 2026 before it debuts on Netflix Christmas Day 2026.

3. Digger

Alejandro G. Iñárritu shot his new black comedy with VistaVision cameras. Starring Tom Cruise in his first role with Warner Bros. in over a decade, the film follows the most powerful man in the world who declares himself humanity’s savior after a disaster that he set in motion threatens to destroy the world. Warner Bros. greenlit the movie with a $125 million budget as part of their auteur-driven production strategy, following the success of Sinners and One Battle After Another. The all-star cast includes John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde, and Riz Ahmed. Digger Rockwell gets to work on October 2nd, 2026.

2. Disclosure Day

1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a highly-influential film that sparked a resurgence of the sci-fi genre in filmmaking. Steven Spielberg has made several films dealing with extra-terrestrial contact over the years and with his latest he’s returning to those roots. Following the real life disclosure by the United States Government that maybe we aren’t alone in the universe after all, the new film deals with similar concepts. Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor star as two people who appear to have more than a close encounter with the fictional aliens. Spielberg directs from a screenplay by frequent collaborator David Koepp. Universal Pictures will release the film on June 12th, 2026.

1. The Odyssey

When Christopher Nolan’s new movie was announced, many thought it would be an adaption of an obscure TV show from the 80’s called Airwolf. It was a wild time of speculation, but scoopers and arm chair sleuths were way off the mark. Instead, Nolan made an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, the Greek myth of Odysseus and his arduous journey home after the Trojan War. Nolan is making cinematic history with this movie as it’s the first one to be shot entirely with 70mm IMAX film and the new Keighley IMAX camera, a brand-new camera developed by IMAX to be smaller and much quieter than their legacy film cameras. Tickets for opening day IMAX shows sold out months ago, but you can try your luck when more showtimes are announced for July 17th, 2026.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Primate

In what feels like a creature feature from the 80s or 90s, a lovable Chimpanzee named Buddy contracts rabies, unbeknownst to his human family, who live in Hawaii on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. When their father goes off on a book promo tour, it’s up to a group of teens to fend off the attacks of the sickly ape. While the movie isn’t particularly scary, it does boast some really cool special effects and the performance of Miguel Torres Umba as Ben is super creepy. It’s the recipe for the one of the silliest and goriest movies this writer saw in 2025, and you can check it out on January 9th, 2026. Academy Award-winner Troy Kotsur (CODA), Johnny Sequoyah Friedenberg (Dexter: New Blood), and Tik-Tokker Benjamin Cheng star.

Mile End Kicks

– Chandler Levack returns to feature length films with this romcom starring Euphoria’s Barbie Ferrera as a writer who wants to publish a book about Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morrisette’s seminal album. However those plans are changed when she becomes the publicist for an up and coming indie rock band and falls for its frontmen. Think Challengers meets Almost Famous. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival and was picked up for US distribution by Sumerian Pictures.

Poetic License

Maude Apatow will make her feature film directorial debut with this comedy about two boys vying for their former therapist’s affections. Andrew Barth Feldman and Cooper Hoffman star. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and was bought for US distribution by Row K Pictures, who will release it on May 15th, 2026.

How to Rob a Bank

In this heist film directed by David Leitch, Nicolas Hoult leads a group of savvy thieves who document their robberies on social media while evading the cops. Anna Sawai (Shōgun), Pete Davidson, and Zoë Kravitz also star. In theaters September 4th, 2026.

Brides

Lots of monster movies are on their way in 2026, with werewolves, Frankensteins and now vampires. Chloe Okuno, who directed Maika Monroe in the 2022 stalking feature, Watcher, and was set to reunite with her on this. However due to scheduling conflicts, Monroe had to drop out. Olivia Cooke replaces her in this gothic horror film set in the 60s. While on vacation in Northern Italy, a couple become stranded in a villa owned by the enigmatic Vova – a mysterious count with one too many wives. The film is said to be inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel and will take a feminist tilt. NEON will handle distribution.

FilmSlop’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2026