These Movies Will Be Trending in 2026
These Movies Will Be Trending in 2026
Erica Gonzales, with contributions by Brea Cubit, Moriel Mizrahi Finder, Adrienne Gaffney, and Lauren Puckett-PopeJanuary 14, 2026 at 11:04 PM
0
40 Movies We’re Eager to Watch in 2026 Disney/Warner Bros./A24/Neon
As 2025’s best films continue to collect trophies this awards season, we’re already looking ahead to this year’s new releases—and there’s a lot to be excited about. If “Marty Supreme Christmas Day” taught us anything, it’s that turning the release of a film into a can’t-miss cultural event works. With that in mind, allow me to present what I’ll call the “cinematic seasons” drawing us to theaters this year.
First, I’ll keep it simple with “Gothic Winter.” On the heels of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, the appetite is strong for moody, modernized literary classics. It’s therefore the perfect time for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights to land in February and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! (another Frankenstein tale) in March.
Second, “HathaMay.” Anne Hathaway will have a major May with The Devil Wears Prada 2 (we ate those paparazzi photos up like candy) and Verity, another book-to-screen adaptation from It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover. Plus, Hathaway is starring in A24’s Mother Mary this spring. And a few months later, she’ll appear in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Zendaya.
Which brings me to the next season: “TomDaya Summer.” The engaged couple will star in both the Greek epic and a new Spider-Man together, releasing just weeks apart in July.
When things calm down after summer, we’ll have a holiday event to look forward to: “Dunesday.” The third Dune film and Avengers: Doomsday are set to release on the same date, Dec. 18, 2026—and their titles mesh together so perfectly it must be kismet. While Warner Bros. and Disney will probably fiercely compete for viewers, I say, why not pull a Barbenheimer? Watch both big-screen epics back-to-back and pair your Bene Gesserit robes with your Doctor Doom masks! I can’t wait to see that look all over TikTok.
Whether they arrive during a trendy cinematic season or not…below are the films ELLE editors are anticipating most this year.
Verity
Photo credit: MEGA - Getty Images
“The Idea of You director Michael Showalter reunites with Anne Hathaway in this Colleen Hoover adaptation—the second Hoover adaptation of 2026—alongside Josh Hartnett and Dakota Johnson. Showalter, who created Wet Hot American Summer, has a comedy bend, so perhaps he’ll bring an unexpected twist to Hoover’s thriller, which is about a writer brought in to complete the work of a famous author.”—AGIn theaters May 15.
I Love Boosters
Photo credit: NEON
“Director Boots Riley’s next project after Sorry to Bother You and the series I’m a Virgo is I Love Boosters, about a crew of shoplifters who target a ‘cutthroat fashion maven,’ according to the logline. The fact that Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige are starring is enough to get me in the theater. Demi Moore and LaKeith Stanfield, too!”—EGIn theaters May 22.
Masters of the Universe
Photo credit: Lexie Moreland - Getty Images
“Red White & Royal Blue star Nicholas Galitzine will star as He-Man in this massive live-action venture from Amazon MGM and Mattel, based on the popular Masters of the Universe action figures. Camila Mendes, Morena Baccarin, Alison Brie, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, and more round out the cast.”—EGIn theaters June 5.
Sense and Sensibility
Photo credit: Mike Marsland - Getty Images
“Jane Austen’s classic 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility became the beloved Ang Lee–directed 1995 film starring Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson (who also wrote the screenplay). Now a new generation will get its own vision, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles and directed by Georgia Oakley.”—AGIn theaters September 11.
The Social Reckoning
Photo credit: Monica Schipper - Getty Images
“A sequel to The Social Network? Aaron Sorkin is on it. After all, Facebook has come a long way since its inception in a Harvard dorm room. The follow-up will reportedly follow Facebook’s ‘effect on teens, preteens, violence, and countries outside the U.S.’ Jesse Eisenberg is not returning as Mark Zuckerberg; Jeremy Strong will take on the role. Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Wunmi Mosaku are in the cast, too.”—EGIn theaters October 9.
Focker-in-Law
Photo credit: Savion Washington/2026GG - Getty Images
“Ariana Grande is a new addition to this classic comedy franchise. Where Ben Stiller’s Greg Focker was the nervous boyfriend meeting his girlfriend’s intimidating father (Robert De Niro), now the plot has reportedly turned to his son, played by Skyler Gisondo, who is brokering a tense introduction between his family and his very intense fiancée, played by Grande.”—AGIn theaters November 25.
Dune Part 3
Photo credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
“We’re in for another Timothée Chalamet Christmas with the final installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Paul Atreides saga. Zendaya is also set to return.”—EGIn theaters December 18.
Werwulf
Photo credit: Mike Marsland - Getty Images
“Fellow Nosferatu fans, we’re about to get another spooky treat this Christmas. Robert Eggers is directing a werewolf horror film starring some of his past collaborators, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp.”—EGIn theaters December 25.
Narnia
Photo credit: Samir Hussein - Getty Images
“Greta Gerwig will take us through the wardrobe this fall with her take on C.S. Lewis’s iconic fantasy series. Although details on the project are slim for now, we can expect a visual feast, as the film will be released not only on Netflix, but also on IMAX screens.”—EGComing in 2026.
You Might Also Like
The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types
100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
