The 10 Most Anticipated Movies Coming in 2026

From superhero blockbusters to highly anticipated sequels, these are the biggest films hitting theaters in 2026

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2025 wasn’t a stellar year for Hollywood at the box office. Even with talented auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler leading the charge with One Battle After Another and Sinners, 2025 didn’t excite audiences enough to visit their local multiplex.

While box office results aren’t everything, it reflects a troubling trend of audiences skipping theaters in favor of streaming at home. Simply put, if Hollywood wants people to visit the cinema, it needs to get them excited about the theater experience. One surefire way to galvanize audiences is to create movies that feel like cultural events.

To that end, 2026 is filled to the brim with flicks that could become box office titans. Here are the 10 most anticipated movies Coming in 2026.

The Social Reckoning

Release Date: October 9, 2026

The last time Academy Award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin tackled Mark Zuckerberg’s story with 2010’s The Social Network, he struck gold. Earning $224 million at the box office and snagging three Oscars, The Social Network’s success seemed like lightning in a bottle. After 15 years, Sorkin — now taking over the director’s chair from David Fincher— is ready to continue the story. Set to release on October 9, 2026, The Social Reckoning will follow Zuckerberg’s life after the events of The Social Network.

Coyote vs Acme

Release Date: August 28, 2026

Warner Bros. and Looney Tunes haven’t had a great partnership in the 21st century. Despite copious attempts to revive the brand, WB’s success with Bugs Bunny and pals has been inconsistent. So shelving the previously unreleased Coyote vs Acme — wherein Wile E. Coyote sues Acme for selling defective products — for a tax write-off initially looked like a shrewd business decision. However, once audiences heard the premise, the backlash prompted Warner Bros to release the film in theaters. Could this be the hit the Looney Tunes have been looking for?

Clayface

Release Date: September 11, 2026

With his vision of the DC Universe, studio co-head James Gunn guaranteed fans superhero stories told in various tones and genres. Up until now, Gunn's DCU has remained a predominantly action comedy entity, but 2026's Clayface is set to change all of that. Pitched as a straight-laced horror film, with a script by modern horror luminary Mike Flanagan, Clayface will serve as the litmus test for Gunn's vision of DC films occupying different genres beyond traditional superheroics, depending on the character. If the Clayface experiment pans out, the sky is the limit for James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios.

Street Fighter

Release Date: October 16, 2026

Given the Street Fighter franchise’s impact on pop culture, it’s surprising the beloved game series hasn’t broken the video game adaptation curse. While the '90s Street Fighter film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme is considered a cult classic, it isn’t conventionally good. The immensely iconic fighting game hopes to change its big-screen fortunes with 2026’s Street Fighter movie. Will it be another corny cult classic, or will it honor the lore and legacy of one of gaming’s most important series?

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Release Date: July 31, 2026

The last time Spider-Man swung across our screens in live-action with the box-office-breaking Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021, the world was still recovering from COVID. Despite the pandemic, Spidey snagged Marvel Studios a cool billion dollars. Flash forward to today — the Marvel brand needs a big hit. Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks Tom Holland’s return to the character and a new direction for webhead that may give Marvel the boost it needs.

Supergirl

Release Date: June 26, 2026

Superman dazzled audiences in summer 2025 with an effervescent take on the Man of Tomorrow that served as the DCU’s opening film under James Gunn and Peter Safran. Although HBO Max’s Peacemaker season two is the official narrative follow-up to Superman, 2026’s Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock, looks to expand Superman’s universe on the silver screen. Based on Tom King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow run, fans should expect a film tonally different from the bouncy optimism of 2025’s Superman. If Alcock’s cameo in Superman is any indication, this ain’t your mama’s Supergirl.

Werwulf

Release Date: December 25, 2026

Few things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes, and Robert Eggers making great films. Following the tremendous success of 2024’s Nosferatu, Robert Eggers is returning to gothic horror with 2026’s Werwulf. The film reunites Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp, as well as Eggers’ frequent collaborators Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson from Nosferatu. Although his filmography isn’t as extensive as that of other auteurs, Eggers has yet to miss. Will Werwulf allow him to continue his immaculate record?

Avengers: Doomsday

Release Date: December 18, 2026

Speaking of strikeouts, modern Marvel is beginning to resemble the 2025 Yankees. Both are former dominant, New York-based dynasties struggling to reclaim their glory. Meanwhile, DC resembles the 2025 LA Dodgers—their lifelong rivals who now possess killer talent and are on a hot streak. 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday isn’t just Marvel’s follow-up to the wildly popular Avengers: Endgame — it’s their last chance to remind the global audience why they fell in love with the MCU in the first place.

The Odyssey

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Whenever Christopher Nolan returns to theaters, the cinematic world rejoices. Similar to Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock before him, Nolan’s name has become synonymous with film itself. With The Odyssey — whose IMAX pre-sale tickets vanished in less than 24 hours—Nolan appears to be at the height of his mythic powers. Could there be a better time for the esteemed director to tackle one of the greatest stories ever told? Packed with an all-star cast including Tom Holland and Matt Damon, The Odyssey might be the movie of the year.

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