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.
13. Toy Story 5 (June 19)
Pixar brings back the iconic toy gang for another adventure, focusing on the emotional relationships between Woody and Buzz. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return to voice the two lead characters. | Disney
14. Supergirl - Woman of Tomorrow (June 26)
Part of the new DC Universe, this film is based on the highly acclaimed comic series by Tom King, promising a darker, more philosophical take on the character. Directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya), the film stars Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) as Kara Zor-El. | X
15. Moana (July 10)
Disney's live-action version of the 2016 musical adventure is directed by Thomas Kail (Hamilton). Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to reprise his role as the demigod Maui, providing consistency with the animated classic. | Disney
16. Coyote v Acme (August 28)
It is finally seeing the light of day, despite that at one point it was shelved! This long-awaited live-action/animation hybrid feature is based on the classic Wile E. Coyote character's ongoing legal battles with the Acme Corporation. Directed by Dave Green, the film stars John Cena as the main human antagonist and Will Forte. | Ketchup Entertainment