2026 is almost here, so you know what that means—time to look ahead at the cinematic offerings. Could there be a masterpiece hiding among the bunch, perhaps even a sequel or two that surpasses the original? Check out my choices after the jump!
Here are my 25 most anticipated movies for 2025, in alphabetical order.
AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY
Release date: December 18th
At this point, there’s not much known about the next big team-up movie, apart from the impressive cast that was unveiled rather dramatically, and of course that dear old Robert Downey Jr. is back to the MCU fold as Doctor Doom. While that idea alone intrigues, there will be an uphill battle here to win over some folks that have long ago jumped ship. Personally, I am all here for it, even if I would have loved to see where the Kang saga was headed. Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men coming together sounds like the recipe for an ultimate nerdgasm.
DUNE: PART THREE
Release date: December 18th
Praise Lisan al Gaib! So far, so amazing—both Dune movies are some of the best sci-fi films of modern times. Thus, the pressure is on for Part Three, formerly titled Messiah. With Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya back, as well as the addition of Robert Pattinson, and Denis Villeneuve still in the director’s chair, there’s endless potential for what may be the weirdest chapter of the story on paper. As a side note, either Avengers or Dune need to shift release dates, lest they risk cannibalizing a near-identical target audience.
EVIL DEAD BURN
Release date: July 24th
Evil Dead may not be as consistent narrative-wise as Scream or Child’s Play, yet every entry has been of excellent quality. 2023’s Evil Dead Rise also happened to be a surprise box office smash hit, paving the way for Infested director Sebastien Vanicek to take over. Wednesday breakout Hunter Doohan stars as one of the leads. Could we finally get another stellar franchise final boy? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure: oh yes, there will be blood.
HEARTSTOPPER FOREVER
Release date: TBA 2026
In a most shocking turn of events, instead of renewing their hugely popular LGBT graphic novel adaptation, Heartstopper, for a fourth season, Netflix opted for a movie to close things up, in the vein of their Sense8 treatment. Hundreds of TV shows do not get proper endings, so what a relief that Heartstopper: Forever will give fanatics proper closure for Nick and Charlie’s timeless love story. If adorable set photos are any indication, we are in for a serious treat.
THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING
Release date: November 20th
Suzanne Collins recently wowed audiences with her prequel novel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Somehow, it managed to be even more epic and memorable than her Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Less than a year later, we are already getting the theatrical adaptation! The casting has perhaps never been better for any entry, collecting exciting, top-tier talent and fan favorites. Returning to the world of Panem has never been more exciting to behold. Joseph Zada is going to absolutely slay as Haymitch Abernathy, and the world may not be ready for Glenn Close’s Drusilla. A recent announcement even notes that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson as Katniss and Peeta, respectively, are back! Cue the fanfare—this Hunger Games will be one for the history books.
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU
Release date: May 22nd
Baby Yoda aka Grogu gets his big screen debut in an exciting continuation of the Disney+ mega-hit. This one probably won’t hit as hard for casuals, but Star Wars die hards are going to be obsessed. Myself included.
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
Release date: June 5th
Nicholas Galitzine—one of the hottest up-and-comers who actually has two titles on this list—as He-Man? Yes please! While I was already interested in the potential for this franchise with Kyle Allen in the lead role, the recalibration of the project ended up as a full reboot. They could do a variety of different spins on the formula, but perhaps a standard He-Man vs. Skeletor would be best? Whatever the case, we will soon be graced with (at the very least) some serious eye candy.
MICHAEL
Release date: April 24th
Michael Jackson gets the big budget biopic treatment. Arguably one of the greatest music artists of all time, Michael has some seriously huge moonwalking shoes to fill. Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, should be up for the task.
POWER BALLAD
Release date: June 5th
Nick Jonas + Paul Rudd + Ireland setting + music theme = nothing more needs to be said. I’m already seated honestly.
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2
Release date: September 18th
We come to this place for magic… Practical Magic, that is. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman both return for this belated sequel to the classic 90s spiritual romance about a family curse. Hoping to bewitch audiences nearly three decades later, should Bird Box director Susanne Bier harness the female energy of the first, we could be in for a worthy gem of a sequel.
PROJECT HAIL MARY
Release date: March 20th
Based on the acclaimed novel, sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary promises to be a truly epic experience, helmed by The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Ryan Gosling can handle pretty much any genre, but the fact that this property is so major leads me to believe Lord and Miller could be packing some serious heat.
READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME
Release date: April 10th
Radio Silence have left a stamp on 2020s horror at large, between the one-two punch of excellent Scream sequels and vampiric delight Abigail. Just before them though, their instant-classic 2019 breakout Ready or Not cemented Samara Weaving as a veritable scream queen. The Radio Silence style goes for exploding bursts of viscera and character-first action—a flourish that director Wes Craven would have been proud to influence. Here I Come gives the dream team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett their chance to add further layers to an already epic horror/thriller. The casting additions of Kathryn Newton, Elijah Wood, and Sarah Michelle Gellar only add to the excitement.
RED, WHITE & ROYAL WEDDING
Release date: TBA 2026
Casey McQuiston’s legendary romance novel was transformed into one of the sweetest gay rom-coms ever created back in 2023. Much of the Prime Video film’s success could be attributed to the searing chemistry between Taykor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, who could not have been more perfectly cast. Even though only one book exists, McQuiston returns to the fray to help co-write the screenplay for this hotly anticipated sequel. Perhaps Prince Henry and president’s son Alex will have the royal wedding of a lifetime? Though we have yet to see a drop of footage, Red, White & Royal Wedding promises to be the queer event movie of the season.
RESIDENT EVIL
Release date: September 18th
The most consistent survival horror video game series of all time finally gets the A-list treatment it deserves, courtesy of writer/director Zach Cregger. Fresh off two of the best horror films of the last decade, Cregger has described his take on the material as being a “love letter to the franchise,” despite omitting any characters from the games. It would have been nice to see a continuation of Welcome to Raccoon City, but there’s no denying that a Creggers-helmed Resident Evil sounds too tantalizing to pass up.
RETURN TO SILENT HILL
Release date: January 23rd
A straight-up adaptation of Silent Hill 2, the most beloved game in the franchise, was always going to be a risk. Christophe Gans returning to helm Return to Silent Hill gives confidence in the end product—his 2006 Silent Hill movie somehow managed to capture the tone of the games whilst doing its own thing on a narrative level. Let’s hope this return is worth its weight in icky creature design and ominous, atmospheric terror.
SCARY MOVIE 6
Release date: June 12th
Wassup! Another entry in my favorite spoof series is always at least worth watching—even Scary Movie 5 was stupidly entertaining—but the fact that we have the Wayans Brothers returning along with Anna Faris and Regina Hall and Ghostface? This has potential to be an all-time great sequel, so long as they are not afraid to offend.
SCREAM 7
Release date: February 27th
The baggage that comes with Scream 7 cannot be overstated, especially as it involved the entire original script being scrapped in its entirety before the cameras even started rolling. Everything happens for a reason, and lucky for franchise fans, the behind the scenes horrors paved the way for franchise creator Kevin Williamson to step into the director’s chair. Neve Campbell returns as the ultimate final girl, Sidney Prescott, as does Courteney Cox, who maintains her record for playing the same character in now seven consecutive films. There’s a veritable treasure trove of other recurring faces—Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown as half of the “Core Four,” just to name a couple—and new blood including McKenna Grace, Isabel May, Anna Camp, and Joel McHale. It’s gonna be a scream, baby!
SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY
Release date: July 31st
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man enters a Brand New Day. In the wake of No Way Home—one of the most satisfying MCU films to date—Spider-Man as a franchise now has more consistency than most of its superhero brethren. Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton takes the reins of the series for what will hopefully be yet another compelling installment for Holland’s iteration of the webslinger.
SUPER MARIO GALAXY
Release date: April 3rd
It usually takes awhile for a series to head to space, but with the massive popularity of the Super Mario Galaxy games, it was a no-brainer to take Mario and his friends there. 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie gave me exactly what I always wanted from an animated version of Mario, so there’s good reason to assume the additions of Bowser Jr. and Rosalina will play gangbusters on the big screen.
TERRIFIER 4
Release date: TBA
Art the Clown, undoubtedly the biggest horror icon of the past decade, returns in what franchise creator Damien Leone hails as his final installment that will “finally reveal Art’s origin.” Terrifier 2 and 3 were actually phenomenal, especially for slasher apologists, so 4 has some big shoes to fill. With Sienna back for perhaps her last clash against Art and the demons of hell, Leone needs to deliver the gory goods.
THANKSGIVING 2
Release date: TBA
It might be risky to throw on a movie that hasn’t even begun filming yet, from a director notoriously known for talking up projects that never materialize. Thanksgiving was a big enough hit that the sequel should start filming any day now… right? Outlandish, creative kills, potent social commentary, and a surprising reveal colored the first entry in proper shades of gory red. Will Thanksgiving 2 focus on a different holiday, or will John Carver continue to carve up both white and dark meat? In Eli Roth we trust.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2
Release date: May 1st
Perhaps no one was clamoring for a follow-up to the phenomenal The Devil Wears Prada. Still, releasing a sequel to ring in the twenty-year anniversary of the original seems like a solid plan. Hathaway, Streep, Tucci, and Blunt returning already promises a bitch-fest of the highest quality. That’s all!
THE ODYSSEY
Release date: July 17th
Christopher Nolan shifts to a fantasy epic, adapting Homer’s timeless poem for the big screen. Featuring a cast that boasts Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Matt Damon, Mia Goth, Anne Hathaway, and so many more, The Odyssey could be Nolan’s biggest achievement yet should he actually manage to pull this one off. All signs points to Nolan continuing his penchant for bold storytelling.
TOY STORY 5
Release date: June 19th
With how great both Toy Story 3 and 4 seemed to end the stories of Andy and Woody, respectively, it came as quite a shock that 5 brings the band back together again. Any signs of Andy remain hopeful at best; Toy Story 5 instead takes aim at the move away from physical toys to tablets and screens. The concept feels relevant enough, especially if the geniuses over at Pixar have the confidence to forge forward with another sequel.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
Release date: February 13th
Could there be a more perfect date for a sensually-charged adaptation of a famous romance novel to release than Valentine’s Day weekend? Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie lead the newest film from Saltburn‘s Emerald Fennell. Period and/or novel accuracy seems unlikely, but who cares about that angle as long as the movie itself continues Fennell’s irresistible streak of hits.
BONUS: A 26th FILM FOR 2026…
PEAKY BLINDERS: THE IMMORTAL MAN
Release date: March 6th
After an emotional, powerfully riveting conclusion back in 2022, Thomas Shelby gallops back onto Netflix for a continuation of the six-season Irish crime series. A time jump to 1940—and the addition of Academy Award nominee Barry Keoghan—will mark Cillian Murphy’s final outing as Shelby. A sequel series has already been given a two-season order, but how could we not get emotional at giving Murphy his final farewell? By order of the Peaky Fuckin’ Blinders… Tommy Shelby is back.
Are there any other 2026 releases that seem promising? Hundreds of films are headed to cinemas next year. Let me know in the comments below!