The superhero movie genre is not quite the juggernaut it once was in Hollywood. Both Marvel Studios and DC Studios have reassessed their priorities and the pacing of their releases in recent years. Despite this, there are still several superhero films to look forward to in 2026.
What are the most anticipated upcoming superhero movies in 2026?
In years past, Marvel would release three movies at regular intervals throughout the year. DC was more erratic in their scheduling, but did manage two movies a year for the better part of a decade. Both studios are now devoting more resources to television series set in the DCU and MCU respectively. Films are still their bread and butter, however, and there is much to see in the coming year.
Masters of the Universe (June 5, 2026)
Masters of the Universe was a revolutionary franchise when it first appeared in 1982. Like Star Wars, it presented a child-friendly mythology merging fantasy with science-fiction. The 1983 animated series based on the original toy line also added superhero elements to the story, with Prince Adam playing the fool to hide his alter-ego of He-Man. However, the franchise’s origins were decidedly shaped more by sword-and-sorcery and dystopia than chivalry and space opera. This sparked legends that the line was born of an ill-advised effort at Mattel to license toys based on the Conan the Barbarian movie.
Masters of the Universe has been readapted and revamped several times over the past five decades. The most infamous of these was the 1987 live-action feature film, which was a critical failure and box office bomb. Hopes are high, however, for the new Masters of the Universe film.
The new movie will star Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam of Eternia. However, the movie’s story will offer a twist on the classic origin. Adam is sent to his mother’s homeworld of Earth at the age of 10, along with the Sword of Power. He grows to manhood, separated from the sword, which he must reacquire to return to Eternia and fulfill his destiny as the superhero He-Man.
Masters of the Universe will also feature many other beloved characters from the franchise. Camila Mendes will play the warrior woman Teela. Idris Elba appears as the Duncan, aka Man-At-Arms. Morena Baccarin is the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. Alison Brie plays the witch Evil-Lyn, with Jared Leto as the sinister Skeletor.
Supergirl (June 26, 2026)
Milly Alcock first appeared as Kara Zor-El in the final scene of 2025’s Superman. Her presentation of the Maid of Might as a drunken party girl flew in the face of most interpretations of the beloved superhero. It also immediately grabbed audience attention and built up buzz for 2026’s Supergirl movie.
The film is loosely based on the comic book miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. The story finds Kara Zor-El traveling across the galaxy with her dog, Krypto. This journey is a pub crawl of planets with red suns, for it is only there that Kara Zor-El can experience the effects of alcohol.
In the midst of this, Supergirl encounters a girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) who is in need of a champion. Her father was killed by a warlord and she wants revenge. Reluctantly, Kara takes up the quest, hoping to give Ruthye the closure Kara never found regarding the death of her own father.
The Supergirl movie will also introduce Jason Momoa into the DCU as the bounty hunter Lobo. It is unknown precisely what role he will play, as Lobo was not in the original comic miniseries. However, with Momoa a fan favorite to play the violent anti-hero, there are many who will see Supergirl for that reason alone.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
Little has been said about Spider-Man in the MCU over the past five years. Indeed, he was only referenced once by Wilson Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again, as one of the vigilantes he planned to bring to justice as Mayor of New York City. This has raised many questions regarding the story of 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
When Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was last seen on-screen in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, his life had changed dramatically. His secret identity was safe, but all memory of him had been magically erased from the minds of his friends and superhero allies. He was forced to start a new life alone, trying to finish school without the resources he enjoyed as Tony Stark’s protege.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been confirmed to feature several actors recreating their roles from earlier MCU productions. This includes Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/ Hulk and Jon Bernthal as The Punisher. However, it also includes Zendaya as Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson and Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds.
The movie’s new characters are a mystery beyond Marvin Jones III as the super-strong crime boss Tombstone. Liza Colón-Zayas, Tramell Tillman, and Sadie Sink have all been confirmed to be in the movie. Nothing has been said of what roles they are playing. However, it is rumored that Sink’s role will be reprised in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
Clayface (September 11, 2026)
When James Gunn and Peter Safran formed DC Studios in 2022, they promised to defy convention. Rather than focusing on big blockbusters built around well-known superheroes, they would also produce streaming series as well as productions based on obscure characters. Possibly nothing reflects this new attitude more than the upcoming Clayface movie.
Clayface is a passion project of acclaimed filmmaker Mike Flanagan. Taking inspiration from the Batman: The Animated Series two-parter “Feet of Clay,” Flanagan proposed a take on the Batman villain that was equal parts body-horror, thriller, and tragedy. Flangan’s screenplay (co-written with Hossein Amini) impressed DC enough to fast-track the film, though Flangan was unavailable to direct it himself. The movie is instead being directed by James Watkins, best known for his work on Black Mirror and the award winning 2008 horror movie Eden Lake.
The movie stars Tom Rhys Harries as actor Matt Hagen, who is hideously disfigured after a run-in with a gangster. In desperation, he turns to fringe scientist Dr. Caitlin Bates, who tries to cure Matt with an experimental treatment. However, this turns him into the shape-shifting monster dubbed Clayface. The movie will also star Max Minghella, as a Gotham City police detective who is dating Dr. Bates.
Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)
It would be fair to say that Avengers: Doomsday is easily the most anticipated superhero movie of 2026. It would also be fair to say that, even with three teaser trailers released, it is the most mysterious of the upcoming superhero films. The story is completely unknown, beyond the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU as the chief villain, Doctor Doom.
A lengthy list of actors have been confirmed as being part of the Avengers” Doomsday cast. This includes several MCU mainstays, as well as actors from the Fox X-Men movies. Rumors continue to persist about other actors who may be returning. The only thing known for sure is that the story is unlikely to be resolved and will lead into 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
How we chose 2026’s Most Anticipated Superhero Movies
The number of upcoming superhero movies is much smaller than in recent years. However, online trends confirm that the fan demand for quality genre material is as strong as ever. As such, this list reflects the five most popular films planned for release in 2026 based on release date at the time of publication.
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