If 2025 was the warm-up, 2026 is the year the studios empty the clip. We are getting a new Star Wars theatrical release, multiple DCU swings (including a full-on Clayface movie), a Nolan epic, Spielberg back in sci-fi mode, and enough horror sequels to keep your group chat arguing all year.
Release dates move all the time, but these are the current dates on the calendar as of January 2026.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Jan. 16, 2026)
The Rage Virus timeline keeps expanding, and this one is positioned as a major chapter, not a side quest. If you want grim, tense, and big-screen panic, this is an easy early contender.
Project Hail Mary (Mar. 20, 2026)
Big, heartfelt sci-fi with serious “opening weekend conversation starter” energy. This is one of those adaptations that could hit the sweet spot between blockbuster scale and nerdy detail.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (Mar. 27, 2026)
The original worked because it was sharp, mean, and fun without losing the tension. A sequel has a lot to prove, but the title alone understands the assignment.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Apr. 3, 2026)
Nintendo’s next big-screen swing goes cosmic. If the first movie was comfort food, this is the “okay, now let’s get wild” sequel.
Mortal Kombat II (May 8, 2026)
More tournament chaos, more characters, and a very simple promise: fights that look cool. Sometimes that is all you need.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22, 2026)
This is the big one for the franchise’s theatrical return. If you have been missing the communal “opening night Star Wars” vibe, this is the date to circle.
Masters of the Universe (Jun. 5, 2026)
He-Man finally gets another big live-action shot, and the timing screams summer crowd pleaser. This one just needs to nail the tone: sincere, big, and not embarrassed by the source.
Disclosure Day (Jun. 12, 2026)
Spielberg plus a mysterious sci-fi premise is enough. Even with details kept close to the vest, it feels like a “everyone is talking about it Monday morning” kind of release.
Toy Story 5 (Jun. 19, 2026)
Pixar is going back to the well again, and the bar is sky-high because the franchise already has multiple perfect endings. If they found a real story worth telling, this could be the surprise emotional wrecking ball of the year.
Supergirl (Jun. 26, 2026)
One of the key DCU releases, and the character is a great tonal counter to the usual brooding cape formula. If this sticks the landing, it can do a lot of heavy lifting for the next phase of DC’s movie plans.
The Odyssey (Jul. 17, 2026)
Nolan doing Homer is the kind of “you see it in IMAX because that’s the point” movie. Even people who never read a page of The Odyssey are going to show up for the spectacle.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Jul. 31, 2026)
A late-July Spidey release is basically a tradition at this point. Whether it’s street-level or multiverse chaos, it’s Spider-Man in summer. People will be there.
Clayface (Sep. 11, 2026)
This might be the most fascinating “wait, they’re really doing that?” entry on the entire calendar. A villain-led, horror-leaning DC movie is a genuine risk, which is exactly why it could rule.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender (October 2026, Paramount+)
Not a theatrical release anymore, but still a big deal for animation and for anyone who grew up with the franchise. If this lands, it becomes a major streaming event for the year.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (Nov. 20, 2026)
A return to Panem with a story fans have been curious about for years. If you want blockbuster scale with actual political bite, this series still does it better than most.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (Nov. 26, 2026, in IMAX, then Netflix Dec. 25)
A huge fantasy swing with a release strategy that’s almost as interesting as the movie itself. If it hits, it could be the start of Netflix’s next real franchise moment.
Jumanji 3 (December 11, 2026)
The modern Jumanji movies became reliable crowd-pleasers, and that pre-holiday December slot is perfect for a big, fun, four-quadrant blockbuster.
Avengers: Doomsday (Dec. 18, 2026)
This is the “clear the schedule” Marvel event movie, and the title alone is basically a promise that the MCU is going big again. Expect spoilers to be impossible to avoid.
Dune: Part Three (Dec. 18, 2026)
Yes, it’s currently dated the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, which is hilarious and probably not the final state of the world. But whenever it lands, this is one of the most anticipated sci-fi sequels in years.
However, the calendar shakes out, 2026 already looks like one of those years where you keep saying, “Wait, that’s coming out this year too?” Start saving your theater money now.
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