Will 2026 in film be a little kinder than 2025? That is the $33 billion question the film industry is asking itself right now.
While 2025 saw a healthy stream of franchise hits and global revenues showed resilience, the year has been plagued by a worrying problem: inconsistency.
We saw several high-profile blockbusters, particularly from established superhero universes, significantly underperform, leading to substantial losses for major studios.
Beyond the sequels, great critically-acclaimed films struggled to get general audiences into seats, proving that, more than ever, unless a film is tied to major, recognised IP, its success is far from guaranteed.
This has led to a very messy end to the year, with a barrage of releases postponed and some months, like October, hitting three-decade lows.
But as the calendar flips, 2026 is lining up to be the year where studios truly double down on proven success, throwing an absolute mountain of sequels, reboots, and certified A-list talent at the problem.
From The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to Scream 7, it looks like the industry is betting on familiarity to bring back consistent audience turnout.
We’ve checked the UK schedule on IMDB to see what’s coming in the new year - here are our picks of the films hitting the screens next year, complete with all the major stars and directors set to define the year.
9. Mortal Kombat II (May 15)
The brutal video game adaptation returns with a bigger budget and expanded lore. Directed by Simon McQuoid, the sequel will focus on expanding the roster of fighters and delivering even more intense, signature fatality sequences. The cast is led by Lewis Tan, and the high-profile addition of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage. | New Line Cinema
10. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22)
Jon Favreau directs the highly anticipated cinematic event continuing the Star Wars story set after the events of Return of the Jedi. The film is expected to resolve key storylines from the Disney+ series, with Pedro Pascal returning to protect the beloved Grogu. | Disney
11. Masters of the Universe (June 5)
He-Man and the fight for Eternia return in this live-action reboot, directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee, Kubo and the Two Strings). The film will focus on the conflict between Prince Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, and the villainous Skeletor on the planet of Eternia. | Instagram
12. Scary Movie 6 (June 12)
The classic horror parody franchise is back. The reboot installment is set to return to the early 2000s style of parody, with original stars Anna Faris (Cindy Campbell) and Marlon Wayans confirmed to reprise their roles. | Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Universal Pictures