The most anticipated movies of 2026 span every genre, every industry, and every scale of filmmaking — from a $250 million Christopher Nolan IMAX epic shot entirely on 70mm film cameras, to a Neve Campbell-led horror revival that survived two directors and a controversial casting storm, to Yash’s pan-India gangster spectacle, to an Avengers film bringing back Robert Downey Jr. in a role nobody predicted. The year’s lineup is not just stacked — it is narratively rich in a way that recent years have occasionally struggled to deliver.
This guide covers every major upcoming film of 2026 with real, verified details: confirmed release dates, full cast, directors, production background, and exactly why each title has audiences genuinely invested — not just algorithmically hyped. Hollywood, Bollywood, and South Indian cinema all make the list, because in 2026, the most anticipated movies are a genuinely global conversation.
Master Calendar: Most Anticipated Movies of 2026 at a Glance
| Release Date | Title | Director | Key Cast | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13 | Wuthering Heights | Emerald Fennell | Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi | Hollywood |
| Feb 27 | Scream 7 | Kevin Williamson | Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May | Hollywood |
| Mar 19 | Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups | Geetu Mohandas | Yash, Kiara Advani, Tovino Thomas | South India |
| Mar 20 | Project Hail Mary | Phil Lord & Chris Miller | Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller | Hollywood |
| Mar 26 | Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man | Tom Harper | Cillian Murphy | Hollywood/UK |
| Apr | Michael | Antoine Fuqua | Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo | Hollywood |
| May 1 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | TBA | Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt | Hollywood |
| May 22 | The Mandalorian & Grogu | Jon Favreau | Pedro Pascal, Grogu | Hollywood |
| Jun 12 | Disclosure Day | David Koepp | Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor | Hollywood |
| Jun 27 | Toy Story 5 | Andrew Stanton | Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Keanu Reeves | Hollywood |
| Jul 17 | The Odyssey | Christopher Nolan | Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya | Hollywood |
| Jul 31 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Destin Daniel Cretton | Tom Holland, Zendaya | Hollywood |
| Aug (Eid) | Love & War | Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal | Bollywood |
| Aug 15 | Lahore 1947 | Rajkumar Santoshi | Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta | Bollywood |
| Sep 18 | Practical Magic 2 | TBA | Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman | Hollywood |
| Oct 2 | Digger | Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Tom Cruise | Hollywood |
| Oct | Resident Evil (Reboot) | Zach Cregger | Paul Walter Hauser | Hollywood |
| Oct | Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 | David Fincher | Brad Pitt | Hollywood |
| Nov | Narnia | Greta Gerwig | TBA | Hollywood |
| Nov | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping | Francis Lawrence | TBA | Hollywood |
| Diwali | Ramayana: Part 1 | Nitesh Tiwari | Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash | Bollywood |
| Dec 18 | Avengers: Doomsday | Russo Brothers | RDJ as Doom, Chris Evans, Hemsworth | Hollywood |
| Dec 18 | Dune: Messiah | Denis Villeneuve | Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson | Hollywood |
| Dec 25 | Alpha | Shiv Rawail | Alia Bhatt, Sharvari | Bollywood |
| Late 2026 | King | Siddharth Anand | Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan | Bollywood |
— Hollywood —
Film-by-Film Breakdown: Hollywood’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2026
1. The Odyssey — Christopher Nolan’s $250 Million IMAX Epic
IMDb’s officially ranked most anticipated film of 2026 is also the most technically ambitious: Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey, shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras — the first film in cinema history to claim that distinction. With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is the most expensive film of Nolan’s career, and the most expensive original (non-franchise) film Universal has attempted since Waterworld in 1995.
Matt Damon plays Odysseus; Tom Holland is his son Telemachus; Anne Hathaway is Penelope; Zendaya is believed to be playing Athena; Robert Pattinson plays Antinous; Charlize Theron plays Circe; Lupita Nyong’o, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Travis Scott, and Himesh Patel fill out a cast that Nolan himself described as rivalling Oppenheimer in scale. The production shot for 91 days across Morocco, Greece, Sicily, Iceland, Scotland, and Western Sahara. IMAX 70mm tickets sold out within 12 hours of going on sale — a full year before release. Variety has predicted it could become Nolan’s highest-grossing film ever, potentially surpassing The Dark Knight Rises.
2. Scream 7 — The Original Final Girl Returns
Scream 7 arrived in cinemas on February 27, 2026, making it the earliest major entry on this list — and one of the most emotionally complicated to anticipate. The film’s path to release was genuinely turbulent: two directors exited, Melissa Barrera was fired over social media posts about the Gaza conflict, Jenna Ortega departed voluntarily in solidarity, and the franchise appeared to be in genuine crisis. What rescued it was the return of two cornerstones: Neve Campbell agreed to reprise Sidney Prescott after being paid a reported $7 million (having skipped Scream VI over a pay dispute), and Kevin Williamson — the original screenplay writer, and the creative mind most responsible for the first film’s genius — agreed to step behind the camera for the first time in the franchise.
The plot centres on a new Ghostface targeting Sidney’s daughter, played by Isabel May. Matthew Lillard’s return as Stu Macher — widely considered a major fan service moment — adds a legacy layer to the proceedings. The film opened to mixed-to-negative critical reviews but is tracking to achieve the highest opening week in franchise history. Whether it delivers on the promise of Williamson’s return is a question audiences are answering in real time.
3. Project Hail Mary — The Smartest Sci-Fi Film in Years
Andy Weir’s The Martian was one of the most satisfying sci-fi adaptations in recent memory. His follow-up novel Project Hail Mary is widely considered even better — and the film adaptation has assembled an equally strong creative team to match it. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The LEGO Movie) direct from a screenplay by Drew Goddard, who previously adapted The Martian. Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace — a middle-school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spacecraft 12 light-years from Earth with no memory of who he is or how he got there. His mission, which returns to him in fragments: reverse a phenomenon causing the sun to dim and prevent a global ice age.
The trailer — released June 30, 2025 — became the most-viewed trailer in the first week of release for any non-sequel, non-remake in history, accumulating 400 million views globally. The alien companion Rocky, designed by creature legend Neal Scanlan and performed physically on set by puppeteer James Ortiz, has been described by early viewers as “one of the great movie aliens.” The film received positive early press reviews, shot specifically for IMAX, and opens on March 20, 2026 — one day after the Toxic-Dhurandhar 2 clash in India.
4. Avengers: Doomsday — Doctor Doom Arrives in December
The biggest MCU story of 2026 is not actually the film itself — it is the journey to the film. After the Kang Dynasty concept was scrapped following Jonathan Majors’ conviction and firing, Marvel announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that Robert Downey Jr. would return to the MCU — not as Tony Stark, but as the primary villain Victor Von Doom. The announcement triggered one of the largest audience reactions in Comic-Con history. The Russo Brothers, directors of Infinity War and Endgame, returned to the franchise alongside writer Stephen McFeely.
The cast is staggering: every living major MCU hero appears, along with X-Men franchise veterans including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden — confirming the full mutant integration into the MCU. Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers. The film was originally scheduled for May 2026, but was delayed to December 18 to allow more production time — placing it in direct clash with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Messiah on the same date, creating one of the most commercially consequential December weekends cinema has ever seen. A note for Indian audiences: IMAX screens for Doomsday are currently confirmed only for select international markets, not the US, due to Nolan’s IMAX exclusivity window.
5. Dune: Messiah — Villeneuve’s Warning Story
Villeneuve has described Dune: Messiah as the film he has always truly wanted to make — a “warning story” rather than a power fantasy. Set 12 years after Paul Atreides’ rise to power, it explores the consequences of the very messianic arc audiences celebrated at the end of Dune: Part Two, questioning whether Paul’s victory was actually a catastrophe for humanity. That tonal shift — from triumph to reckoning — is exactly the kind of ambitious narrative move that distinguishes Villeneuve’s vision from conventional franchise filmmaking.
The cast retains all key performers from the previous films, adding Robert Pattinson in a new role. The December 18 collision with Avengers: Doomsday sets up what some analysts have called the most consequential box office clash since Oppenheimer vs Barbie — two franchises with dramatically different but deeply committed audiences targeting the same weekend. Dune’s IMAX exclusivity for that date is likely why the film has not backed down from Doomsday’s arrival.
6. Wuthering Heights — Emerald Fennell’s Dark Reinvention
Emerald Fennell won the Oscar for Promising Young Woman‘s screenplay and followed it with the divisive but genuinely distinctive Saltburn — a film about obsession, class, and desire that built a passionate cult following. Her adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights with Margot Robbie as Catherine and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff is not positioned as a faithful period drama. It is a Fennell reimagination — expected to push the psychological intensity of the source material into explicitly contemporary, provocative territory. Early impressions from screenings have described it as sensually charged, visually striking, and deliberately uncomfortable. Divisive in the best way.
7. Spider-Man: Brand New Day — Peter Parker Goes to College
Nearly five years after No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker returns — in college now, with everyone on Earth still unaware that he is Spider-Man, following Doctor Strange’s memory-wiping spell. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi), the film opens two weeks after The Odyssey, placing it in direct competition for summer audiences. Its IMAX release is confirmed for international markets but not the US, due to Nolan’s exclusivity window. The long gap since the last Spider-Man film works in the movie’s favour — there is genuine pent-up demand for Holland’s version of the character, and the themes of isolation and psychological struggle that define the “Brand New Day” arc are being described as among the boldest storytelling choices the MCU has made in years.
8. The Devil Wears Prada 2 — The Sequel Nobody Expected but Everyone Wants
When Avengers: Doomsday was pushed from May 1 to December 2026, Disney gave that prime summer slot to this sequel instead. That scheduling confidence tells its own story: the studio believes a fashion-world comedy starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt carries genuine opening-weekend blockbuster potential. The original 2006 film earned $326 million globally on a $35 million budget. The sequel reunites all three leads, adds Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Simone Ashley, B.J. Novak, and others, and arrives at a moment when millennial nostalgia is at peak commercial value. New cast member Kenneth Branagh plays Miranda’s husband. Grenier will not return; the narrative focus appears to be firmly on the women.
9. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 — Fincher Directs Tarantino’s Script
The most unexpected collaboration of the decade: Quentin Tarantino has written a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, set in the 1970s and centred on Brad Pitt’s stuntman Cliff Booth — and rather than directing it himself (Tarantino has said his final film as director will be something original), he has handed the camera to David Fincher. The combination of Tarantino’s writing and Fincher’s direction is, by any measure, one of the most exciting creative pairings in modern cinema. Rolling Stone has called this the most anticipated film of 2026. A specific release date has not yet been confirmed.
10. Narnia — Greta Gerwig’s Next IMAX Event
Coming off Barbie‘s $1.4 billion global gross, Greta Gerwig brings C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to the big screen in what is being positioned as a theatrical IMAX event rather than a streaming release. Details on cast are tightly under wraps. What is confirmed is the release format and the studio’s significant commercial ambition. Gerwig’s ability to combine commercial instinct with genuinely literary sensibility makes her the ideal director to approach a source text as beloved and spiritually layered as Narnia — and audiences who grew up with the books and the 2005 Disney adaptation will show up in large numbers for a version made by one of the most culturally credible filmmakers working today.
— Bollywood & South India —
India’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2026
The Indian cinema slate for 2026 is unlike anything the industry has assembled in a single year. A pan-India mythological epic. An SLB period drama with three of Bollywood’s biggest stars. A Yash gangster spectacle with Hollywood-calibre action. A female-led YRF Spy Universe entry. A Shah Rukh Khan father-daughter film that is simultaneously a blockbuster and a cultural event. The scale, ambition, and diversity of the 2026 Indian slate rival any Hollywood year — and in some cases exceed it.
11. Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups — Yash’s Most Ambitious Bet
Three years after KGF: Chapter 2 made Yash a pan-India phenomenon, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups arrives as something entirely different — a period Goa gangster drama set across the 1940s to 1970s, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Geetu Mohandas (Liar’s Dice, Moothon). The teaser dropped on Yash’s 40th birthday (January 8, 2026) and accumulated over 220 million views across platforms in 24 hours — a reported Indian film record. J.J. Perry of the John Wick franchise handles action choreography. Distribution deals are historic: ₹120 crore for AP/Telangana (a record for a non-Telugu film) and ₹105 crore for overseas rights. It clashes directly with Dhurandhar: The Revenge (Ranveer Singh) on March 19.
12. Ramayana: Part 1 — The Most Ambitious Indian Film Ever Attempted
Nitesh Tiwari — the director of Dangal and Chhichhore — takes on Indian cinema’s most culturally sacred story at a scale that is genuinely unprecedented. The casting alone makes headlines: Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash (coming directly off Toxic) as Ravana. That combination expands the film’s potential audience dramatically across North and South India. Reports of international VFX collaborations rival global fantasy productions. A Diwali 2026 release positions it as the single biggest theatrical event in Indian cinema history by cultural weight. Part 2 is already in development, signalling the beginning of a multi-year mythological cinematic universe.
13. King — Shah Rukh Khan’s Most Personal Project
King is not just a film — it is a moment. SRK sharing the screen with his daughter Suhana Khan for the first time, in an underworld action drama directed by Siddharth Anand (the man behind War and Pathaan), makes this the single most emotionally resonant Bollywood project of 2026 before a frame has been officially shown. The character reportedly represents a significant tonal departure from the heroism of Pathaan and Jawan — morally complex, underworld-rooted, and cinematically darker. Coming off back-to-back films that each crossed ₹500 crore, SRK and Anand together are the most commercially proven combination in contemporary Bollywood. The industry is quietly expecting this to be the biggest Hindi film of 2026 by some distance.
14. Love & War — Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Grandest Canvas
A Bhansali film is not merely a movie — it is an immersive world constructed frame by frame, where the music, costume, set design, and performance all operate at their absolute peak simultaneously. Love & War brings together three of Bollywood’s most commercially and critically powerful stars in what is reported to be a visually lavish period drama exploring love, war, loyalty, and betrayal. Bhansali has a proven track record of extracting career-defining performances from his actors — Deepika in Padmaavat, Alia in Gangubai Kathiawadi — and with this cast, the performance anticipation alone is sky-high. An Eid 2026 release gives the film the commercial platform Bhansali’s brand richly deserves.
15. Alpha — YRF Spy Universe Goes Female-Led
The first film in the YRF Spy Universe — the franchise that includes Pathaan, Tiger, and War — built entirely around female leads. Alia Bhatt plays RAW Agent Alpha alongside Sharvari, in a film that is not positioned as a niche female audience film but as a mainstream commercial blockbuster. Director Shiv Rawail makes his feature debut here having impressed with The Railway Men. A Christmas 2026 release gives it the highest theatrical footfall window of the year. If the execution matches the concept, this film could permanently change the commercial logic around female-led action cinema in Bollywood.
The Three Biggest Box Office Clashes of 2026
India’s biggest South vs North showdown of the year. Yash’s Goa period gangster epic meets Ranveer Singh’s Aditya Dhar spy sequel. Toxic booked March 19 first; Dhurandhar 2 entered the slot later. Both are releasing on IMAX. IPL 2026 reportedly begins 9 days later — making the first week crucial for both.
⚔️ July 17–31 — The Odyssey vs Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Nolan’s $250M IMAX epic opens July 17 and holds IMAX exclusivity that blocks Spider-Man (July 31) from those screens in the US. Two generational audience events two weeks apart with significant screen competition between them.
⚔️ December 18 — Avengers: Doomsday vs Dune: Messiah
The most consequential December weekend in cinema history: the biggest MCU event since Endgame vs Villeneuve’s capstone to his Dune trilogy. Both targeting IMAX, with Dune likely holding exclusivity for its premium screens. Analysts are calling this bigger than Barbenheimer.
Final Thoughts: Why 2026 Feels Different
The most anticipated movies of 2026 collectively represent something that the industry has been working toward for several years: a genuine convergence of ambition and audience investment. Not just franchises executing their next step, but filmmakers taking real risks — Nolan shooting Homer on 70mm, Fennell reimagining Brontë, Gerwig bringing Narnia to IMAX, Geetu Mohandas directing a Yash period gangster film with National Award-winning artistic ambition, Nitesh Tiwari taking on the Ramayana.
The diversity of the list matters too. Hollywood, Bollywood, and South Indian cinema are all represented by films that could genuinely be cultural events rather than merely commercial products. In 2026, the most anticipated movies are not coming from one factory — they are coming from every direction at once.
Which film from this list are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments — and let us know if there’s a title we should add.
Frequently Asked Questions — Most Anticipated Movies of 2026
What is the most anticipated movie of 2026?
IMDb officially ranked Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey as the most anticipated film of 2026, based on user data. With a $250 million budget, a cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Robert Pattinson, and the distinction of being the first film ever shot entirely on IMAX 70mm cameras, it releases on July 17, 2026. Rolling Stone has separately named Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 — written by Tarantino and directed by David Fincher — as the title they’re most excited about.
When is Avengers: Doomsday releasing?
Avengers: Doomsday releases on December 18, 2026 — it was originally scheduled for May 1, 2026, but was pushed to December to allow more production time. Directed by the Russo Brothers, the film stars Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU as the villain Doctor Doom, alongside Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, Florence Pugh, Anthony Mackie, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and dozens of other MCU and X-Men franchise veterans.
When is Project Hail Mary releasing and who is in it?
Project Hail Mary releases in theatres worldwide on March 20, 2026 — one day after the Toxic vs Dhurandhar 2 clash in India. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film stars Ryan Gosling as science teacher-turned-astronaut Ryland Grace, alongside Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub. It was shot specifically for IMAX. The trailer accumulated 400 million views in its first week — a record for any non-sequel, non-remake in cinema history.
Who is in The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan?
The cast of Nolan’s The Odyssey includes Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya (likely as Athena), Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Charlize Theron as Circe, and Lupita Nyong’o, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Travis Scott, and Bill Irwin in supporting roles. The film releases July 17, 2026, and is the most expensive film of Nolan’s career at an estimated $250 million.
Is Scream 7 out yet? What happened with Jenna Ortega and Neve Campbell?
Yes. Scream 7 released in US theatres on February 27, 2026. Neve Campbell returned as Sidney Prescott after sitting out Scream VI due to a pay dispute — she was reportedly paid $7 million for her return. Jenna Ortega did not return: her co-star Melissa Barrera was fired in November 2023 over social media posts about the Gaza conflict, and Ortega subsequently chose to leave the project as well. Kevin Williamson, the original Scream screenwriter, took over as director and wrote the new film around Sidney’s story rather than the Carpenter sisters.
When is Ramayana Part 1 releasing?
Ramayana: Part 1 is targeting a Diwali 2026 theatrical release. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, it stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. It is considered one of the most ambitious Indian films ever attempted, with international VFX collaborations and a two-part narrative structure. Part 2 is already in development.
What is Dune: Messiah about and when does it release?
Dune: Messiah is Denis Villeneuve’s third and final Dune film, releasing December 18, 2026 — on the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. Based on Frank Herbert’s novel, it is set 12 years after Dune: Part Two and explores the consequences of Paul Atreides’ rise to power. Villeneuve has described it as a “warning story.” Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jason Momoa return, with Robert Pattinson joining the cast.
What is The Devil Wears Prada 2 about and who is returning?
The Devil Wears Prada 2 releases May 1, 2026. Meryl Streep returns as Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway returns as Andy Sachs, and Emily Blunt returns as Emily. New cast members include Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Simone Ashley, B.J. Novak, Pauline Chalamet, Rachel Bloom, and Kenneth Branagh as Miranda’s husband. Adrian Grenier will not return. The film inherited Avengers: Doomsday’s original May 1 release slot after that film was pushed to December.
Which Indian films are most anticipated in 2026?
The five most anticipated Indian films of 2026 are: Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups (Yash, March 19), Love & War (Bhansali, Eid), Ramayana: Part 1 (Nitesh Tiwari, Diwali), King (Shah Rukh Khan, late 2026), and Alpha (Alia Bhatt, Christmas). India also has a direct box office clash on March 19 between Toxic and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (Ranveer Singh), and a Republic Day clash with Border 2 (Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan).
Popcorn in hand and a opinion ready — Emily covers movie reviews, box office buzz, and all things cinema at Popcorn Review.
