We are approaching the end of another enjoyable year in film. To look forward to the new year, I have listed the ten films that I am most excited for, coming in 2026. I compiled a similar list last year, and while I think 2025 was a sensational year for film, only one my ten most anticipated titles managed to sneak into my ten favourite films of the year, and that was Yorgos Lanthimos‘ “Bugonia”. There were some disappointments throughout the year including “The Running Man” and “Wicked: For Good”, but on the whole most of the films I looked to at the start of last year delivered.
Which 2026 release are you most excited for?
Honourable Mentions:
- The Bride
- Disclosure Day
- The Dog Stars
- The Drama
- Fjord
- Flowervale Street
- Here Comes the Flood
- Project Hail Mary
- Ready or Not: Here I Come
- Toy Story 5
10. I Love Boosters
Dir: Boots Riley
Cast: Demi Moore, Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, LaKeith Stanfield, Eiza Gonzalez, Poppy Liu, Will Poulter
Synopsis: A group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.
9. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Dir: Nia DaCosta
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry
Synopsis: Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship with consequences that could change the world as he knows it, while Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can’t escape.
8. Wuthering Heights
Dir: Emerald Fennell
Cast: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, Ewan Mitchell
Synopsis: Tragedy strikes when Heathcliff falls in love with Catherine Earnshaw, a woman from a wealthy family in 18th-century England.
7. Digger
Dir: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Huller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, Emma D’Arcy, Robert John Burke, Burn Gorman, Michael Stuhlbarg, John Goodman
Synopsis: The most powerful man in the world causes a disaster and embarks on a mission to prove that he is the saviour of humanity
6. Werwulf
Dir: Robert Eggers
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson
Synopsis: In 13th-century England, a mysterious creature stalks a foggy countryside as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality for the villagers.
5. Wild Horse Nine
Dir: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Parker Posey, Steve Buscemi, Mariana di Girolamo, Tom Waits
Synopsis: Set in Santiago, Chile, 1973, focusing on CIA operatives Chris and Lee on a secretive mission to Easter Island (Rapa Nui) where their trust is tested amidst a backdrop of political tension.
4. The Entertainment System is Down
Dir: Ruben Ostlund
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Bruhl, Samantha Morton, Nicholas Braun, Julie Delpy, Tobias Menzies, Vincent Lindon
Synopsis: Passengers on a long-haul flight whose in-flight entertainment system fails, forcing them into awkward and chaotic social interactions, exploring boredom, human nature, and dependency on technology as chaos ensues, leading to potential conflict and self-discovery.
3. Resident Evil
Dir: Zach Cregger
Cast: Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis
Synopsis: An original story set in Raccoon City, focusing on a hapless organ courier named Bryan who gets trapped in a terrifying outbreak after hitting a mysterious woman with his car. He must then fight mutated creatures and navigate the horrors of Raccoon City.
2. Dune: Part Three
Dir: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson
Synopsis: Paul Atreides’ reign as Emperor 12 years after Dune, where his holy war (jihad) has killed billions, and he grapples with godhood, a looming conspiracy from the Bene Gesserit, Guild, and Tleilaxu, and a desperate attempt to steer humanity away from destruction, all while dealing with political intrigue and his complex relationship with Chani and Princess Irulan, culminating in personal tragedy and a new path for humanity.
1. The Odyssey
Dir: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron
Synopsis: The Odyssey follows Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, on his long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War, chronicling his encounters with mythical beings such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, while attempting to reunite with his wife, Penelope.
Dan Loves Film 
A fantastic, thoughtfully curated list—this really captures the excitement and ambition shaping cinema’s near future. I love the mix of bold auteurs, daring concepts, and genre-spanning stories, from mythic epics to unsettling social experiments. Your breakdown shows real passion and insight, and it’s hard not to feel energized about what 2026 has in store after reading this. A great read for any film lover 🎬✨
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Wow, some BIG BIG films coming our way. I Willa dd “Disclosure Day” from Steven Spielberg…and of course the many surprises we won’t see coming yet….and agree that 2025 gave me hope for cinema!
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