The cinematic landscape for 2026 is shaping up to be remarkably diverse, offering everything from major franchise revivals and epic sci-fi conclusions to quirky mockumentaries and auteur-driven passion projects. Guardian writers have highlighted their most anticipated releases, showcasing a year that promises to cater to every taste.
Blockbuster Revivals and Epic Conclusions
One of the most talked-about projects is Greta Gerwig's bold move to restart the Narnia franchise with The Magician's Nephew. Following her phenomenal success with Barbie, Gerwig is taking on C.S. Lewis's origin story for the beloved series. The film boasts a stellar cast including Emma Mackey as the future White Witch and Carey Mulligan, with Daniel Craig also attached in an undisclosed role. Fans are eager to see Gerwig's distinctive touch applied to the mystical and morally complex prequel.
Meanwhile, Denis Villeneuve has fast-tracked Dune: Messiah for a December 2026 release, completing his ambitious sci-fi trilogy. Inspired by the reception to Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve will adapt Frank Herbert's far-weirder sequel, which involves resurrected warriors and worm gods. The return of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and the epic scale of the previous films have cemented this as a must-see event, despite potential competition from other major blockbusters.
Music, Mockumentaries and Auteur Comebacks
Pop icon Charli XCX is set to dominate the early part of the year with The Moment, a mockumentary detailing a deranged alternate history of her explosive 2024 summer tour. Born from a "word vomit" text to collaborator Aidan Zamiri, the film promises to channel the madcap energy of her music videos. It features Alexander Skarsgård and a score from AG Cook, landing in cinemas at the end of January, shortly before her original soundtrack for a reimagined Wuthering Heights arrives in February.
In a fascinating crossover, David Fincher is shepherding a Quentin Tarantino script to the screen with The Adventures of Cliff Booth. This sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt reprising his role as the zen-like stuntman, came to Fincher after Tarantino decided against directing his tenth and final film himself. The clash of Fincher's cerebral control with Tarantino's pulpy verbosity is one of the year's most intriguing prospects.
Another major auteur return comes from Alejandro González Iñárritu with Digger, a mysterious dark comedy featuring Tom Cruise in his first non-franchise role in nine years. The $125 million project, also starring Jesse Plemons and Sandra Hüller, represents a rare studio-backed auteur project and is highly anticipated despite its secretive plot.
Thrillers, Fantasies and Social Commentaries
Following the Netflix success of Fair Play, director Chloe Domont is back with the corporate thriller A Place in Hell. Starring Michelle Williams, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Andrew Scott, the Neon-distributed film is assured a proper cinematic release, promising another tense battle-of-the-sexes narrative, this time potentially between two women.
David Robert Mitchell, director of It Follows, returns with the enigmatic Flowervale Street. Described as an uncharacteristically family-friendly project, it stars Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor and may involve dinosaurs. Mitchell's track record for eerie, evocative storytelling has generated significant buzz for this bigger-budget venture.
Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You) is also back with the sci-fi heist comedy I Love Boosters. Starring Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield, the film follows a crew of shoplifters targeting a ruthless fashion designer, offering a trippy commentary on consumerism and the fashion industry.
Rounding out the list is an untitled Jesse Eisenberg musical comedy for A24, starring Julianne Moore as a housewife who goes method for a community theatre role, with Paul Giamatti as her mentor. Leaked reports suggest a darkly comedic tone, positioning it as a potential highlight of the indie slate.
With this eclectic mix of high-profile sequels, auteur-driven dramas, and unique genre blends, 2026 is poised to be a standout year for cinema, offering both spectacle and substance to audiences.
