Expanding on Variety and Deadline's December 29 lists of most anticipated films—which spotlighted hits like Avengers: Doomsday, Toy Story 5, and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey—Hollywood's full 2026 slate features sequels to major franchises including Avengers, Toy Story, Dune, and Star Wars, alongside bold originals from directors like Nolan and Greta Gerwig. The year blends superhero spectacles, nostalgic sequels, and star-driven stories, with Zendaya starring in multiple high-profile projects amid strong box office prospects.
Building on early industry previews, the 2026 film calendar offers a packed lineup. January opens with Gus Van Sant's thriller Dead Man’s Wire (Jan 9, starring Bill Skarsgård and Al Pacino) and the rom-com adaptation People We Meet on Vacation (Jan 9, with Emily Bader and Tom Blyth). Note Variety/Deadline-highlighted 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Jan 16).
February includes Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights (Feb 13, Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, music by Charli XCX) and Scream 7 (Feb 27, Neve Campbell returns).
March brings Maggie Gyllenhaal’s punk Bride of Frankenstein tale The Bride! (Mar 6, Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale) and Project Hail Mary (Mar 20, Ryan Gosling, dir. Phil Lord & Chris Miller).
April features Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in The Drama (Apr 3, dir. Kristoffer Borgli). May has The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway) and Star Wars: Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, Pedro Pascal, dir. Jon Favreau).
June delivers Masters of the Universe (Jun 5, Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man), Toy Story 5 (Jun 19, Woody and Buzz vs. a new tablet foe), plus Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day (Jun 12), DC's Supergirl (Jun 26, Milly Alcock), and Illumination's Minions 3 (Jul 1).
July highlights Nolan’s IMAX epic The Odyssey (Jul 14, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya; dates varied as Jul 17/26 in early lists) and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Jul 31, Tom Holland).
Later in the year: Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars (Aug 28), Practical Magic 2 (Sep 18), Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger (Oct 2, Tom Cruise), and climactic December releases Avengers: Doomsday (Dec 18, Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom) and Dune: Part Three (Dec 18, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya).
This robust mix of franchises and auteur works, powered by stars like Tom Cruise, Ryan Gosling, and Zendaya, promises a banner year.
