New Year watchlist: 10 films releasing in 2026 that you should not miss

The New Year is kicking off with serious main character energy with some of the biggest films releasing in 2026 that fans have waited for years. From long awaited sequels and prestige sci-fi to genre heavy hitters and global releases, the next year is shaping up to be surprisingly loaded.

If your resolution is to watch better movies and load them up on your Letterboxd, this is your moment. Here are ten films releasing in 2026 that deserve a spot on your watch list for the new year

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Ten most anticipated films releasing in 2026

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Wuthering Heights – February 13, 2026

Emerald Fennel's modern take on Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is one of the most anticipated films releasing in 2026. Starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, the film has already created a lot of buzz for it's contemporary take on the classic tale, and it's branding as an "erotic psychological thriller."

The film will explore the love story of Catherine and Heathcliff, and their tumultuous relationship as they pass through phases, lovers and different versions of themselves.

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Scream 7 – February 27, 2026

Scream 7 is the seventh installment in the long running horror franchise and is set to release on February 27, 2026, through Paramount Pictures. Directed by Kevin Williamson, the film follows a new Ghostface killer who targets Sidney Prescott’s daughter, bringing the story back to its original core.

Neve Campbell returns as Sidney alongside Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding. It's one of the most awaited horror films releasing in 2026, and fans will get to cherish the iconic Ghostface again, in a new story.

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The Drama – April 3, 2026

The Drama takes the familiar shape of a wedding movie and quietly twists it into something far more uneasy. The film centers on a couple Emma and Charlie, an engaged couple who's relationship faces strain weeks before their wedding.

Led by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, who will also reunite in The Odyssey, the romantic comedy is one of the most awaited A24 films releasing in 2026.

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The Devil Wears Prada 2 – May 1, 2026

Make sure you bring your best fashion game to the theaters because Miranda Priestley is once again returning as the iconic fashion diva in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Alongside Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, and Stanley Tucci, who are reprising their iconic characters from the original film, The Devil Wears Prada 2 will be one of the biggest sequel films releasing in 2026.

Although plot details are unknown for now, the film will most likely follow the original novel's sequel that explored the decline of traditional magazines in the current era.

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Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5 nudges Pixar’s longest running franchise into the present by turning its attention to how kids play now. Directed and written by Andrew Stanton, the sequel finds Jessie leading Bonnie’s room while Buzz backs her up, only to face unexpected competition from Lilypad, a sleek tablet that instantly captures Bonnie’s attention.

Woody returns to a world that no longer revolves around toys, forcing the group to confront what relevance looks like in a screen-first childhood. With Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack back in familiar roles, the film trades tearful goodbyes for something sharper, becoming one of the most awaited animated films releasing in 2026.

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Supergirl – June 26, 2026

James Gunn's DC is bringing in our favorite Krypton girl, thanks to Milly Alcock. As the second film in Gunn's reign after Superman, Supergirl is one of the biggest DC films releasing in 2026, and from everything we have seen in the trailer so far, things are looking pretty super.

Alcock's Supergirl was previously teased in Superman, where she made her first appearance alongside her dog Krypto. The film is set to explore her murderous quest for revenge after a tragedy, and also stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa.

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The Odyssey – July 17, 2026

Christopher Nolan is back with another epic, and this time it's Homer's the classic poem that became one of the most influential pieces of Greek literature. The film comes with a stellar cast, led by Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron among others, making it one of the most star-studded films releasing in 2026.

The Odyssey will follow Damon's titular character, who is returning to Ithaca after a Trojan War, faced with countless challenges on his way home.

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The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – November 20, 2026

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping travels back to Panem twenty four years before Katniss Everdeen, centering on a young Haymitch Abernathy during the brutal 50th Hunger Games. Directed by Francis Lawrence and based on Suzanne Collins’ novel, the film explores the Second Quarter Quell, where districts are forced to send double the tributes.

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Dune Part 3 – December 18, 2026

Dune: Part Three is all set to close Denis Villeneuve's iconic franchise with Timothee Chalamet returning to his iconic role as Paul Atreides. Set years after Paul seizes power, the film adapts Dune: Messiah and shifts the focus from prophecy to consequences. As he takes the seat as emperor and Chani is estranged, with Irulani trapped in a political marriage, the holy war is no longer theoretical. Joining Chalamet are Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Robert Pattinson,

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Avengers: Doomsday - December 18, 2026

The best is saved for the last. Anthony and Joe Russo's Avengers: Doomsday is all set to release in December after months and months of anticipation, as the first Avengers film after Avengers: Endgame and the altering events that have taken place in the MCU ever since.

The film is being led by an ensemble cast from every single corner of the MCU, including Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and Robert Downey Jr.

Avengers: Doomsday will see the return of Downey Jr. as the antagonist Doctor Doom as he battles with the Avengers, the New Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and the Wakandans, making it one of the most thrilling and highly anticipated films releasing in 2026.