2026 Movies We're Hyped For: Tom Holland's Year, Violent Night 2, Supergirl & More!
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Welcome to what's shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in cinema! 2026 is bringing us everything from superhero blockbusters to horror sequels, nostalgic franchises, and some seriously anticipated releases. Let's dive into what moviegoers can expect throughout the year.
What Audiences Want in 2026
Before we get into the releases, let's talk about what we're hoping to see more of:
Better Visual Quality: It's 2026, yet somehow graphics have regressed from 2008 standards. We're talking pixelated animations, cartoon-looking CGI characters, and overall poor visual effects. The industry needs to get back to that frame-by-frame quality instead of just dropping animated characters into scenes with iPads.
Comedy's Comeback: After years of overly safe content (remember the Black Widow backlash?), comedy is finally making a return. And we're here for it.
Character Development: Too many recent films have thrown character arcs out the window. We need more movies like Talladega Nights that balance humor with genuine character growth.
Better Fight Choreography: Think Matrix-style slow-motion sequences, Blade-level knife work, and genuinely impressive action sequences.
What the Data Says
According to current trends, audiences are gravitating toward:
Nostalgia-driven content (Toy Story, Shrek, Scream)
Grand spectacles from acclaimed directors
Genre variety (horror, family animation, comedy)
Fresh perspectives within established universes
Your 2026 Movie Calendar
January
Soulmate (January 9) A sci-fi horror spin-off from the Megan universe. If you loved those killer doll vibes, this one's for you.
Greenland 2 (January) The action-packed sequel promises more apocalyptic thrills.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (January 16) The third installment in this apocalyptic franchise continues the radiation-devastated world saga.
Wuthering Heights (February 13) Based on the 1847 novel, this romance explores passionate and destructive love across two generations. Perfect Valentine's Day date material, guys!
February-March
Scream 7 (February) The franchise continues, and yes, it will be followed by...
Scary Movie 6 (May) The original cast returns with the Wayans Brothers back in control! They've already promised they don't care if anyone gets offended. Comedy is officially back.
The Bride (March 6) An all-star cast, including Christian Bale (as Frankenstein's monster!), Jake Gyllenhaal, Penelope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard, brings this 1930s Chicago-set Frankenstein story to life.
Hoppers (March 6) Details are scarce on this one, but it's got a mysterious vibe worth watching.
Project Hail Mary (March) Ryan Gosling wakes up on a spaceship with no memory, racing to solve why the sun is dying. Expect action with Gosling's signature humor.
Mario Galaxy (March) The sequel to the hit animated film brings back Chris Pratt and Jack Black. Remember "Peaches"? Yeah, we're ready for more.
April-May
Michael (April) The Michael Jackson biopic, reportedly starring his nephew, is already generating major buzz.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (April) Anna Hathaway and Meryl Streep return, with Sydney Sweeney joining the cast. The fashion drama continues.
Mortal Kombat 2 (May) The fighting game franchise gets another big-screen adaptation.
The Mandalorian and Grogu (May) Baby Yoda hits the big screen! Pedro Pascal brings the beloved Disney+ series to theaters. After three seasons of the show, we're finally getting a movie—and possibly more if it succeeds.
Masters of the Universe (May) He-Man returns! If you haven't seen the 1987 original, it's worth watching for the character development alone. This reboot has serious potential.
June
Toy Story 5 (June) Hard to believe they're still making these, but here we are. The franchise we grew up with continues, though Woody's status is unclear after he stayed at the park in the last film.
Supergirl (June) James Gunn is comparing this to Guardians of the Galaxy, and it takes place off-world. Jason Momoa plays Lobo, though he might not be the main villain. Early teasers look insane.
Moana (June) The live-action remake features The Rock and the original voice actress from the animated film.
July
The Odyssey (July) Another Tom Holland vehicle with an all-star cast, including Jon Bernthal. Originally set to feature Robert Downey Jr., scheduling conflicts with the Avengers led to a casting change.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July) Tom Holland swings back into action, and this one's special. They filmed actual scenes with Tom Holland swinging through New York streets—no green screen! Jackie Chan's stunt team is handling choreography, and the director from Shang-Chi is on board. Punisher is confirmed to appear, and we might see Daredevil and other Netflix Marvel characters like Jessica Jones and possibly Luke Cage.
September-December
Clayface (September 11) Finally! One of Batman's most interesting villains gets the spotlight. His story sequences in the Arkham games were incredible, and seeing him on the big screen is long overdue.
Street Fighter (September) Only the second movie adaptation of this classic fighting game franchise (the first was back in 1994-96).
The Hunger Games (Fall) A soft reboot of the franchise, though details are unclear.
Narnia (Fall) More Narnia content is coming, building on the Christian fantasy series.
Father-in-Law (Fall) The Meet the Fockers franchise continues with another installment.
Violent Night 2 (December) The badass Santa returns! The first film was a holiday action hit, and fans are hoping for even more intense Santa revenge. Will we see Mrs. Claus? Elves? A Krampus vs. Santa showdown? Maybe even Mr. Scrooge seeking revenge?
Jumanji 4 (December) The franchise continues, following the series that successfully continued the original rather than rebooting it.
Dune 3 (December) Timothy Chalamet returns for another installment in the sci-fi epic.
Avengers: Doomsday (December) Robert Downey Jr. returns to the MCU as Doctor Doom in what Marvel hopes will match Infinity War's success (while avoiding Endgame's pitfalls). With Marvel focusing on quality over quantity—only two Marvel films this year—expectations are sky-high.
Angry Birds 3 (December) The family-friendly franchise continues, though it's definitely aimed at younger audiences.
The Bottom Line
2026 is shaping up to be Tom Holland's year with two major releases (The Odyssey and Spider-Man). We're seeing comedy make a genuine comeback, beloved franchises continue, and some genuinely exciting new takes on classic characters.
The industry seems to be listening: fewer releases, more focus on quality, and a return to what audiences actually want—good stories, solid character development, and visual effects that don't look worse than 2008.
What are you most excited for? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
