Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
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Blockbusters are coming to screens in 2026. Returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Dune are highlights of an already-stacked year of films.
Some of the biggest and/or most-acclaimed films of 2025 were original, or at least non-franchise, material. Think “Sinners,” “One Battle After Another” and “Hamnet.” But what’s next?
Now, 2026 looks to be a shift stylistically as some familiar franchises and directors return with long-anticipated projects. The following films should be worth marking your calendar for.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
The big return to Marvel and the MCU is finally here. The current year will welcome two movies: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” in late July and “Avengers: Doomsday” at Christmas.
Spider-Man returns with Tom Holland and Zendaya in a start to a new trilogy following the success of their first three movies. “Severance” star Tramell Tillman, Sadie Sink and Jon Bernthal have all been announced as cast members.
“Avengers: Doomsday” is a bit more of a mystery, but the return of Robert Downey Jr., this time as antagonist Doctor Doom, seems to be a big swing from the franchise in its attempt to regain the peak of its relevance. In a new teaser, Chris Evans is shown returning as Steve Rogers. A countdown clock in the teaser puts the release date as Dec. 18.
Whether the films will recapture the societal dominance of the 2010s MCU remains to be seen, but signs so far point to an entertaining watch, at least. Both blockbusters are certainly worth keeping an eye out for.
‘Dune: Part Three’
After critical and box office success for both “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two,” Denis Villeneuve will return to Arrakis and beyond in this follow-up based on Frank Herbert’s novel “Dune: Messiah.”
“Dune: Part Three” will likely look very different aesthetically and thematically from the first two movies, which were both based on the original Dune novel. Timothée Chalamet will reprise his role as Paul Atreides. Zendaya and Florence Pugh will return as well, and Robert Pattinson has also been added to the cast.
Tackling a very different story may be jarring to some fans, but Villeneuve is certainly to be trusted with the complex subject matter. “Dune: Part Three” has a current release date of Dec. 18, same as “Avengers: Doomsday,” which could make for a long, strange double feature.
‘The Odyssey’
Christopher Nolan will finally return after the booming success that was “Oppenheimer,” this time with a big swing at adapting the classic epic of Homer. “The Odyssey” will retell this classic story starring Tom Holland, who will continue his big year with a lead role as Telemachus, opposite Matt Damon as Odysseus.
Robert Pattinson, who is slated to appear multiple big releases in 2026, has also been cast, along with Anne Hathaway. The slated release date is July 17, which was announced with the first teaser over the summer, so the film seems unlikely to be pushed back.
Filming, which took place all across Europe and North Africa, has finished as of August, and though some fans are griping about the costumes as seen in teasers and early images, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Christopher Nolan doesn’t deliver a quality movie.
‘Wuthering Heights’ and more
Margot Robbie will pine with rising star Jacob Elordi in this upcoming adaptation of the classic Emily Brontë novel. The period piece romance is experiencing a fresh breath of popularity, and this Emerald Fennell-directed film with original music from Charli xcx should be a fresh, epic take on the genre. “Wuthering Heights” is set to release on Valentine’s Day 2026.
Other films to look out for are “The Mandalorian and Grogu” in May, the first theatrical Star Wars release since 2019; “Supergirl” in June to follow up 2025’s “Superman”; and “Project Hail Mary” starring Ryan Gosling, set to release in March.
