Hollywood is gearing up for a blockbuster year in 2026, with 16 highly anticipated films set to hit cinemas. From literary adaptations and sci-fi to animation and superhero blockbusters; here are movies to watch out for, per BBC:
Wuthering Heights – 13 February
Emerald Fennell’s bold take on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. Fennell describes it as “primal, sexual,” with stylised visuals including bright-red costumes and fiery skies. Owen Cooper plays the young Heathcliff, and Hong Chau is Cathy’s loyal maid, Nelly.
The Bride! – 6 March
Maggie Gyllenhaal reimagines Frankenstein’s bride in 1930s Chicago. Jessie Buckley stars as the reanimated bride, Christian Bale as the monster, with Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Peter Sarsgaard in supporting roles. The film gives the bride a voice and an outsized personality.
The Drama – 3 April
Dark comedy-romance starring Robert Pattinson as Charlie, a museum director, and Zendaya as his fiancée, Emma. Their wedding week takes a wild turn as secrets are revealed. Alana Haim also stars, with direction from Kristoffer Borgli, known for surreal storytelling.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 – 1 May
Meryl Streep returns as iconic fashion editor Miranda Priestly, with Anne Hathaway as her former assistant, now a successful editor. The film also stars Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu, and Justin Theroux. The sequel revisits the cutthroat world of fashion and media.
The Mandalorian and Grogu – 22 May
Jon Favreau brings the Disney+ hit series to the big screen, following bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (Baby Yoda). The film introduces Rotta the Hutt, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, and explores themes of parenthood alongside swashbuckling Star Wars action.
Disclosure Day – 12 June
Steven Spielberg directs this sci-fi thriller about global disclosure of a mysterious phenomenon. Josh O’Connor stars as a man determined to reveal the truth to humanity. Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Wyatt Russell, and Colman Domingo also star. The film teases alien encounters and unexplained events.
Toy Story 5 – 19 June
Pixar’s next animated adventure continues the story of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). Directed by Andrew Stanton, it addresses how toys feel redundant when owners are distracted by high-tech gadgets like tablets, while staying true to the original emotional core of the series.
The Odyssey – 17 July
Christopher Nolan adapts Homer’s epic poem, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, and Zendaya as Athena. The film promises large-scale battles and personal drama, with Nolan emphasizing Odysseus’s cleverness and inventiveness.
The Dog Stars – 28 August
Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller stars Jacob Elordi as Hig, a pilot surviving a deadly flu pandemic, and Josh Brolin as a former US Marine. Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong also star. Scott co-wrote the film with Mark L. Smith, promising a fast-paced 34-day shoot.
Sense & Sensibility – 9 September
Jane Austen’s classic is brought to life with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood. The film explores the romantic and social challenges faced by marriageable sisters in 19th-century England.
Practical Magic 2 – 18 September
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as witch sisters in this sequel to the 1998 cult classic. Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest also reprise their roles. The film adapts another Alice Hoffman novel, aiming to charm both old fans and younger audiences drawn to its “witchy” aesthetic.
Digger – 2 October
Tom Cruise stars in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s offbeat comedy described as “a comedy of catastrophic proportions.” Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, and Jesse Plemons also feature, offering a different side of Cruise beyond his usual action roles.
The Social Reckoning – 9 October
Aaron Sorkin writes and directs this true-story drama about Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistleblower. Mikey Madison stars as Haugen, with Jeremy Strong playing Mark Zuckerberg. The film explores the hidden dangers of social media and its global impact.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – 20 November
Prequel to the Hunger Games series set 24 years before the original story. Ralph Fiennes reprises President Snow, with Elle Fanning, Jesse Plemons, Kieran Culkin, and Joseph Zada joining the younger cast. The story follows the rise of characters central to the Hunger Games universe.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew – 26 November
Greta Gerwig directs this prequel to the Narnia films, starring Emma Mackey as Jadis, Carey Mulligan, and Daniel Craig. Set thousands of years before The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, it explores the origins of Narnia and its magical world.
Avengers: Doomsday – 18 December
Marvel’s epic reunites nearly every hero from the MCU, including Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, and Robert Downey Jr., who plays Doctor Doom. Joe and Anthony Russo return as directors for a film billed as the ultimate superhero spectacle.
(BBC)
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