2026 isn’t playing around with its movie calendar. From make-or-break blockbusters to franchise revivals, this year promises to usher in a slew of top-tier movies. Already, the industry is raving given the successful launches of titles like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary. However, as April comes to a close, Hollywood is looking ahead towards the release of this year’s biggest movies yet.
While 2026 has lavished praise on some major movie releases, we are still a way out from the year’s biggest releases. From horror hits to overseas giants, theaters are now gearing up for the summer movie season. With so many goodies left on this year’s release calendar, you can hardly blame movie lovers for admitting the best is yet to come.
Whether you’re gearing up for the next big superhero movie or eagerly awaiting the release of Denis Villeneuve’s next Dune movie, you are not alone. Below, ScreenRant has put together the ultimate list of the most-anticipated 2026 movies that have yet to release. So take a seat, clear your social calendar, and brace your wallet because your movie bill for the year is about to explode.
10
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
After a decade of pleading, The Hunger Games franchise will gift audiences the prequel of their dreams on November 20, 2026. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters with an explosive story focused on Haymitch Abernathy’s trials during the bloodiest games in Panem’s history. Starring Joseph Zelda and Elle Fanning, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revive the apocalyptic franchise in style thanks to director Francis Lawrence and series creator Suzanne Collins. This ambitious new movie promises to be the biggest yet of the franchise, so the Second Quarter Quell has a lot to live up to.
9
Supergirl
A new superhero universe is ready to take over Hollywood, so Marvel Studios better take notice. On June 26, James Gunn’s DC Universe will expand beyond Superman with the release of Supergirl. Starring Milly Alcock, the upcoming superhero solo will reveal whether Gunn’s Superman success was a fluke. Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl’s trailers have left fans impressed with its faithful take on Tom King’s iconic comics. All eyes are on Supergirl as the new movie will set the tone for the DC Universe moving forward. And with Hollywood facing superhero fatigue accusations already, the movie’s release feels more important than ever.
8
Backrooms
On May 29, one of the Internet’s creepiest tales will come to life in a terrifying way thanks to the Backrooms. The movie, which director Kane Parsons is directing for A24, marks a major shift in strategy for Hollywood. After all, Backrooms marks the first major studio project that tackles creepypasta stories, expanding the footprints left by movies such as Slenderman. The found-footage movie was made on a modest budget, but given the built-in fandom surrounding creepypastas, Backrooms is expected to over perform in a major way once its debuts. And given the film’s source material, audiences are hoping Backrooms drops even more unsettling lore about the viral Internet meme that Parsons created years ago.
7
The Mandalorian & Grogu
On May 22, Star Wars will revisit one of its most promising franchises with the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu. It has been seven years since the hit Disney+ series thrilled fans with a new adventure, and now Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin is bringing their comeback to theaters. Built as a buddy cop blockbuster, The Mandalorian & Grogu marks a make-or-break release for Star Wars given its recent slew of box office disappointments. As Din and Grogu are enlisted to rescue Rotta the Hut by the New Republic, the pair will be forced to face their pasts in the midst of danger. And with box office estimates already looking solid for the movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu may mark the start of Star Wars‘ comeback era.
6
Toy Story 5
Movies are meant to make you feel something, and Disney is going to have fans fighting their feelings when Toy Story 5 goes live June 19, 2026. The movie will tap into the power of the Toy Story franchise, a series that just about every netizen is nostalgic about. The Disney series will expand with this fifth entry, gathering Woody and his friends as they face their biggest threat: technology. In a world where tech reigns supreme, kids aren’t immune from mobile games and tablet apps, putting Woody in greater danger than ever. As the toys find themselves becoming more and more obsolete, Toy Story 5 will follow our heroes as they stare an existential foe in the face once again.
5
Godzilla Minus Zero
On November 6, the King of the Monsters will make its return to theaters. Godzilla Minus Zero will mark the kaiju’s next big release courtesy of director Takashi Yamazaki, the man who oversaw Godzilla’s first Academy Award-winning feature film. This fall, Godzilla Minus Zero will expand the universe first introduced in Godzilla Minus One, bringing back the Shikishima family in the face of a new calamity. Set two years after the first film, a new kaiju threat lurks off the coast of Japan, forcing Koichi and Noriko to reconcile their pasts with Godzilla. Godzilla Minus Zero has big shoes to fill ahead of its release, but given Yamazaki’s careful involvement, fans are hopeful the Japanese drama will capture audiences with a gripping story.
4
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
On July 31, Hollywood is going to give Peter Parker a fresh start, for better or worse. Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks the next big Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, teasing the hero’s new era in the wake of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Starring Tom Holland, the epic superhero movie promises to show us Peter in a way we don’t often see. Isolated and jaded, Spider-Man will spend the movie resetting his reputation while characters like the Punisher and the Hulk cross his path. With a fresh storyline and new faces on hand, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will cement Peter’s place as New York City’s greatest hero, all while exploring his innermost demons.
3
Dune: Part Three
On December 25, the world will bear witness to the final act of Dune. Villeneuve’s hit franchise will reach its peak as Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) explores his power as the Padishah Emperor along with its highs and lows. Adapting Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah, this upcoming blockbuster will show audiences the dangers of absolute power with help from its star-studded cast. Starring returning A-listers like Zendaya and Florence Pugh, Dune: Part Three will be a visual masterpiece unlike anything fans have seen before, and it will keep IMAX theaters packed through the holidays.
2
The Odyssey
On July 17, director Christopher Nolan will bring his most ambitious movie to date to theaters, making The Odyssey one of this year’s most anticipated movies. The project’s name speaks for itself as Nolan is bringing Homer’s Greek epic to life like never before. Shot entirely with IMAX cameras, The Odyssey promises to be a visual feast, and its production scale will boggle audiences given its reported $250 million budget. The demand for The Odyssey is already unprecedented given its IMAX pre-sale, and in the wake of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s reputation is grander than ever. The Odyssey will mark a major 2026 release and perhaps even surpass The Dark Knight to become the director’s highest-grossing movie yet.
1
Avengers: Doomsday
It doesn’t matter how badly the Marvel Cinematic Universe is struggling, the most-anticipated movie release of 2026 was already going to be Avengers: Doomsday. On December 18, the action epic will hit theaters and challenge Dune: Part Three for the throne as Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom. Saddled with a historic production budget and the return of the Russo Brothers as directors, Avengers: Doomsday promises to recapture the magic audiences experienced with the release of Avengers: Infinity War years ago. Diehard fans of the MCU are desperate for the ensemble movie to erase all doubts about the franchise being cooked. So whether it succeeds or sinks, the release of Avengers: Doomsday in December will have everyone talking.
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