Counting Down the Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2026
After a quiet and let’s be honest disappointing year at the box office, 2026 looks set to deliver everything from superhero spectacles to bold auteur visions.
Counting down from ten, here are best films heading into 2026.
10.Spider man: Brand New Day
After what was seemingly one of the most exciting and fresh trilogies within the MCU comes the fourth installment.
While little has been said about the plot, with most details kept under wraps, we can speculate it will take place directly after the events of the third film, where everyone has forgotten who Peter Parker is, and he is left wandering the world alone.
No Way Home had such a devastating yet complete ending for the character, so the necessity of this film can only really be judged after viewing—but we certainly don’t want another Thor: Love and Thunder situation, which nearly single-handedly ruined that character’s reputation.
9. The Dog Stars
The next title from legendary director Ridley Scott (director of Alien, Thelma & Louise) is based on the 2012 novel by Peter Heller of the same name.
Starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce, The Dog Stars is a post-apocalyptic loner film.
After 99% of the population is wiped out by a pandemic, a pilot sets off in a plane with his dog in search of survivors.
Although Scott’s 2020s output has been uneven (Napoleon, Gladiator II), the acclaimed source material and strong cast have many seeing The Dog Stars as a potential comeback film.
8.The Mandalorian and Grogu
You heard it right, Star Wars‘ favourite duo are back and coming at us on the big screen.
After three immaculate seasons on Disney+, the Mandalorian and his fan-favourite companion Grogu return for one last adventure as a feature film.
This is the first Star Wars film since 2019 and arguably the most promising since Rogue One.
With Jon Favreau directing, it’s hard to imagine this one flopping, making it the most anticipated Star Wars release since The Force Awakens.
7. Avengers Doomsday
Our second Marvel title on this list, Avengers Doomsday has built up quite a bit of hype around itself across the last year or so, with returning star Robert Downey Jr. this time playing the infamous Dr. Doom.
Perhaps just a cheap attempt to get people back into theatre for that classic Marvel hype that was so huge in the 2010s.
This really just leaves us wondering whether marvel has some big plan or they’re just getting desperate for our attention.
Either way the fandom is excited for this release, although let’s be honest could it ever live up the hype of Infinity War? Most certainly not, will it be fun?
With such a stacked cast it’s hard to say that it could be anything below popcorn cinema fun.
6. Send Help
Sam Raimi returns with a survival thriller set on a deserted island. Known for his horror classics (Evil Dead) and superhero landmarks (Spider-Man trilogy), Raimi’s return to stripped-down tension promises fascination.
The film follows two protagonists struggling to survive after a plane crash, though little else is known. Raimi’s distinctive style will be intriguing to see applied to this premise.
5. Clayface
The last superhero title we’ll be looking at comes from the brand new DCU, following James Gunn’s takeover of what remained of the struggling DC Extended Universe.
He has now (thank god) been made creative director of all DC-related films, and so far he hasn’t disappointed, with his first film, Superman, proving hopeful not just in general, but for the future of DC as a whole.
A Supergirl movie is also on the way, which already seems intriguing, but even more exciting is the new Clayface title. Set to be an American R-rated horror movie based on the infamous Batman villain, it’s a natural fit for Gunn, who – before being picked up by Marvel for Guardians of the Galaxy – was an indie horror director.
Overall, the DCU looks genuinely exciting, and if it continues the quality set by Superman, we’re all in for wherever Gunn takes it over the next few years.
4.Werwulf
For those unfamiliar with the name, let me introduce you to Robert Eggers, who in recent years has become the most prominent director in the horror genre alongside Jordan Peele.
With his debut extremely unsettling film The Witch back in 2015, to him really coming into his own with The Light House, The Northman and his Nosferatu adaptation film of the same name just last year.
He is back at it already with a brand new feature film this time based on the iconic Werewolf plot.
After his interpretation of Dracula it makes it ever more intriguing to see what his nightmarish creative mind will make with such inspiration.
Set to star Anya Taylor Joy, a small town is entranced in a big fog and residents begin transforming into terrifying creatures, realistically there’s nothing better we could ask for from such a soon to be legendary director.
3.The Legend of Aang The Last Airbender
For fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender, this is probably the best news since The Legend of Korra was announced just over 13 years ago – and certainly the most exciting development since the live-action remake of 2010… which we don’t talk about.
This new film is a sequel to the original TV series, set when Aang and the gang are now in their 20s – somewhere between The Last Airbender and Korra.
Very little has been revealed about the plot or the overall direction of the film, but that hasn’t stopped speculation, or fans celebrating in the streets at the thought of anything continuing the legendary animated series.
2.Dune Part 3
No film series in recent years has been as compelling as the Dune series, with the first two films in this trilogy being meditative, action-packed, and absolutely breathtaking all at once.
That these adaptations come from books once deemed “impossible to adapt” is almost forgotten, given how exceptional the first two films were.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve – who may not be the flashiest name in Hollywood but arguably has one of the most consistent filmographies of the last 20 years, including Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Prisoners – it’s remarkable that all these films came from the same director.
That he also brought the Dune adaptations to life is nothing short of mind-blowing. This could easily be the most anticipated trilogy finale since Avengers: Infinity War, and that says it all.
1.The Odyssey
If one director can be said to be more consistent than Denis Villeneuve, it’s Christopher Nolan, who hasn’t completely missed with a film in his entire career.
The man has done it all, from his Dark Knight trilogy and mind-bending Inception to the Best Picture-winning Oppenheimer.
He probably ranks among the top 10 directors of all time, consistently delivering quality films that reach mass audiences. Oppenheimer felt like his magnum opus, yet instead of settling down or toning things down, Nolan has gone even bigger and bolder.
He is now adapting Homer’s The Odyssey, one of the most epic stories of all time, full of iconic moments like the Cyclops, the seductive sirens, and countless trials along Odysseus’s journey.
If anyone were to tackle this story, Nolan is the perfect choice.
With a cast even more stacked than Oppenheimer, this is shaping up to be the most highly anticipated film of 2026 – without a doubt.
