Monday, 9 March 2026
Hello and welcome back to 2026's final post from the Hot List. This week we will be looking at the most exciting new movies set to hit the big screen in 2026, after the cutoff point for this year's awards season.
We have been saving possibly the best preview for last. 2025 was not a bad year for cinema by any means, but I think it is fair to say that it was a year of many decent films punctuated by a fairly small number of genuinely brilliant films. By contrast, 2026 is looking to be something truly special.
This year has it all: fun genre pictures, classic novel adaptations, exciting up-and-coming actors, and some of the best filmmakers in the world today returning to the big screen. There’s a real sense of variety in what’s coming out, from big, ambitious studio productions alongside smaller, more idiosyncratic projects that look like they could surprise people. This year also sees the release of a few highly anticipated projects that I've been following for years. Films that have had long development journeys, shifting directors, delayed productions, or passionate fanbases waiting to see how they finally turn out. It's a good list and I'm excited to get into it.
So without further delay, the key films to keep an eye on in the coming year (trailers linked in the title where available), starting with number 15:
15. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
We start with a fun one, and a rare case of a film appearing on this list that has already been released (and so we already know it's good!). 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is the sequel to last year's 28 Years Later. It is the second entry in the 28 Years Later trilogy that is itself a sequel to 2002's classic 28 Days Later, a film widely considered to be among the best and most influential in the genre.
This sequel brings back Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes, along with a larger role for Jack O'Connell, an actor currently riding a high from his highly praised villainous turn in last year's Sinners.
Franchise co-creator Danny Boyle steps off of directing duties this time around, replaced by relative newcomer Nia DaCosta, while the legendary Alex Garland remains on as screenwriter. This film is already out, and has received some glowing reviews. Definitely one to watch.
Release Date: Out Now
14. The Odyssey
The great Christopher Nolan returns to the big screen in his first project since Oppenheimer with The Odyssey, an ambitious mythic epic that brings Homer’s ancient Greek poem to life on an enormous cinematic scale.
Starring Matt Damon as the legendary king Odysseus, the film follows the hero’s perilous decade-long journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, where his loyal wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) await amid mounting danger. Along the way, Odysseus confronts storms, monsters, and the whims of gods in a world where cunning and endurance are his only hope of survival.
Shot entirely on IMAX film cameras and filmed across multiple countries, the project boasts a star-studded ensemble which also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron, and aims to transform one of the oldest adventure stories ever told into a sweeping modern spectacle when it arrives in theaters on July 17, 2026..
Release Date: July 2026
13. Cry to Heaven
Next up, a casting announcement that will surprise and intrigue you. Director Tom Ford returns to filmmaking with Cry to Heaven, a lush historical drama adapted from the 1982 novel by Anne Rice and set in the opulent yet brutal world of 18th-century Italian opera.
Starring Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and a large ensemble that includes Colin Firth, Paul Bettany, Thandiwe Newton, and Adele in her acting debut, the film promises an emotionally charged exploration of ambition, betrayal, music, and identity against the decadent backdrop of baroque Venice.
The film follows Tonio Treschi, a Venetian noble whose life is violently altered when family betrayal leads to his castration, forcing him into the rarefied and controversial ranks of the castrati - male singers famed for their extraordinary soprano voices. As Tonio struggles to reclaim his identity and place in society, he forms an unlikely bond with Guido Maffeo, a once-celebrated castrato whose own tragic past shapes the path ahead. With Ford writing, directing, and producing, Cry to Heaven is expected to arrive in theaters in 2026, although the precise releate date is still to be announced.
Release Date: TBA 2026
12. The Great Beyond
This next entry remains shrouded in mystery at the time of writing. The Great Beyond is the newest project from sci-fi maestro J.J. Abrams, which may or may not be another entry in the Cloverfield franchise.
This original science-fantasy adventure that marks his first film as director since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The story (according to rumours anyway) centers on a bestselling fantasy author who discovers that the mythical world he created in his novels is not fiction at all, pulling him into a dangerous quest inside the very realm he imagined.
Glen Powell leads the cast, joined by Jenna Ortega, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Merritt Wever, and Samuel L. Jackson, as the film blends mystery, adventure, and supernatural elements in a story inspired by classic ’80s genre spectacles. Produced by Abrams’s Bad Robot and distributed by Warner Bros., The Great Beyond promises a large-scale cinematic return for the filmmaker when it arrives in theaters on November 13, 2026.
11. The Adventures of Cliff Booth
This is an interesting one, a rare sequel (or possibly spin-off?) of a Quentin Tarantino film. The Adventures of Cliff Booth sees Brad Pitt reprise his role as the titular stuntman, last seen as a supporting character in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Tarantino himself is only attached as producer - he's still dead set on this whole "ten films" limit. But fear not, the great David Fincher is on as director. Pitt is joined by a supporting cast of Scott Caan, Elizabeth Debicki, Carla Gugino and Timothy Olyphant.
The film expands on Tarantino’s alternate-history Hollywood, following Cliff as he navigates the studios, sets, and underbelly of the entertainment world with his trademark cool and mysterious past always close behind him. Produced for Netflix, the release date is still to be announced.
Release Date: TBA 2026
10. Dune: Part Three
Denis Villeneuve returns to conclude his sweeping adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi saga with Dune: Part Three, the mega-sized continuation of Dune: Part Two.
The film is expected to draw heavily from Herbert’s novel Dune Messiah, exploring the consequences of Paul Atreides’ rise to power after the events of Dune. Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul, now Emperor of the known universe, as he struggles with the political, religious, and personal costs of the galactic jihad carried out in his name. Returning cast members are expected to include Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor‑Joy, as the story delves deeper into intrigue among the Great Houses, the Bene Gesserit, and forces determined to challenge Paul’s rule.
With Villeneuve aiming to complete his trilogy in grand style, Dune: Part Three promises a darker, more introspective chapter that examines the burden of prophecy and the price of absolute power.
Release Date: December 2026
9. Flowervale Street
Flowervale Street is the upcoming science-fiction adventure from director David Robert Mitchell that blends suburban nostalgia with cosmic mystery.
Set in the 1980s, the story follows a seemingly ordinary family living on a quiet suburban street whose lives are upended when strange phenomena and otherworldly forces begin to intrude on their neighborhood. As reality starts to unravel around them, the family must confront the possibility that something far larger lies just beyond their understanding. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery, and is produced by J. J. Abrams through his Bad Robot banner.
Mitchell rose to stardom with his critically acclaimed debut It Follows, in my opinion one of the best horror films of the 21st Century, but has so far not been able to live up to that initial promise with his more recent work. Flowervale Street will be his opportunity to show that he has legs as an elite director.
Release Date: August 2026
8. I Play Rocky
The career trajectory of filmmaker Peter Farrelly has been fascinating. Originally making his name for gross-out comedies such as Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary, he has more recently moved into more substantial fare. His 2018 film, Green Book, went on to garner huge critical acclaim and some three Academy Awards, including two for him personally. His next project I Play Rocky marks a return to this style of filmmaking.
An upcoming biographical drama, I Play Rocky tells the remarkable true story behind the creation of one of cinema’s most iconic underdog heroes. The film follows a young, struggling actor and screenwriter, Sylvester Stallone, as he battles rejection, financial hardship, and industry skepticism while trying to bring his script about an unknown boxer to the screen. Refusing to sell the screenplay unless he could star in it himself, Stallone takes a huge gamble that ultimately leads to the production of Rocky, a modestly budgeted boxing drama that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon and win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Starring Anthony Ippolito as Stallone, I Play Rocky promises an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at perseverance, ambition, and the unlikely path that led to one of Hollywood’s most beloved sports films.
Release Date: November 2026
7. Jack of Spades
Jack of Spades is the latest project of writer/director Joel Coen, one half of the legendary Coen Brothers duo.
Coen is writing, directing, and producing the project, which is being described as a gothic mystery and stars Josh O’Connor (major, major year for him), Frances McDormand, Lesley Manville, and Damian Lewis. Plot details are still mostly under wraps, but reporting around the production indicates the film was shot in Scotland and is set in 19th-century Scotland, suggesting a moody, period-piece mystery in the vein of Coen’s darker, more atmospheric work.
With Bruno Delbonnel as cinematographer and Carter Burwell scoring the film, Jack of Spades already looks like one of the more intriguing auteur projects on the 2026 horizon.
Release Date: TBA 2026
6. Digger
Digger marks the latest ambitious project from Oscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for Birdman and The Revenant.
The dark comedy stars Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell, described as “the most powerful man in the world,” who embarks on a frantic mission to convince humanity that he is its savior before the catastrophic disaster he himself unleashed destroys everything.
Blending satire, spectacle, and existential comedy, the film represents a surprising tonal shift for both Cruise and Iñárritu, who has called it a “comedy of catastrophic proportions.” The ensemble cast includes Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Emma D'Arcy. The film is slated for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.
Release Date: October 2026
5. Wild Horse Nine
A new project from writer/director Martin McDonagh is always a cause for celebration. His theatre work is legendary, but it's his more recent Hollywood work, the likes of In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, and The Banshees of Inisherin, that has made him a global name, and one of the top creatives working in film today.
Wild Horse Nine is a dark drama-thriller with McDonagh’s signature mix of bleak humor and moral intrigue, the film features an eclectic ensemble including Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, and Tom Waits.
Set partly against the turbulent political backdrop of 1970s Chile, the story reportedly follows two CIA operatives whose mission from Santiago to the remote landscape of Easter Island begins to test their loyalties and survival instincts. Shot on location in Chile and on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), the film reunites McDonagh with longtime collaborators and promises another sharply written, morally complex tale when Wild Horse Nine arrives in theaters on November 6, 2026.
Release Date: November 2026
4. Klara and the Sun
This is one for all the readers out there. Klara and the Sun is an upcoming adaptation of the acclaimed Kazuo Ishiguro novel of the same name.
This adaptation is directed by Taika Waititi, whose satirical sensibilities make for a perfect match with the speculative dystopian themes of the source material, while the screenplay is penned by Dahvi Waller, with Ishiguro serving as an executive producer. The story centers on Klara, an Artificial Friend designed to alleviate loneliness in teenagers, who becomes determined to save the human family she resides with from heartbreak.
The cast includes Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne, and Steve Buscemi. As of now, a specific release date has not been announced, but the film is expected to premiere in late 2026.
Release Date: TBA 2026
3. The Social Reckoning
Well this definitely not a project we ever thought we'd see. It's rare that an acclaimed, multi-Oscar winning prestige film gets a sequel - this is hardly franchise fare after all. Yet here we are. The Social Reckoning is the unlikely sequel to The Social Network, a film considered by many to be the best of the 2010s.
Where that first film told the now famous story of how Facebook came to be, this sequel focuses on the latter-day scandals: the data abuses, the Congressional hearings. Aaron Sorkin pens the script once again, but is now also taking directoral duties in lieu of David Fincher. Jesse Eisenberg will not reprise his role as Mark Zuckerberg, with that now being played by Jeremy Allen White. He is joined by a formbidable cast that includes Mikey Madison, Jeremy Strong, and Bill Burr.
It is, frankly, interesting that this film exists. But it's one of those rare situations where the real life events do merit a follow up film. It will undoubtedly be one of the biggest tickets of 2026.
Release Date: October 2026
Disclosure Day is the latest project from legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, returning him to large-scale science fiction for the first time in years.
Written by David Koepp, the film centers on a world-changing event in which governments finally reveal definitive evidence of extraterrestrial life, triggering a cascade of political upheaval, social panic, and wonder as humanity grapples with the implications of not being alone.
The ensemble cast includes Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, and Eve Hewson. Blending mystery, spectacle, and the human drama that has long defined Spielberg’s work, Disclosure Day promises a thought-provoking and emotional exploration of how the revelation of alien intelligence could reshape civilization when it arrives in theaters in 2026.
Release Date: June 2026
1. Project Hail Mary
And lastly, the long awaited adaptation of the brilliant Andy Weir novel Project Hail Mary. Weir is best known for The Martian, which was itself adapted into a highly acclaimed Hollywood film, but this most recent work of his has been quietly building acclaim as one of the best novels of the 2020s to date.
This adaptation comes from filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, two directors best known for highly acclaimed work in animation, such as Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, for which the duo rightly won an Academy Award. With such a high quality body of work, it has long been anticipated that they would move into more substantial live-action projects. This could be a big moment for the duo.
The film stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a mild-mannered science teacher who awakens alone aboard a spacecraft light-years from Earth with no memory of who he is or why he’s there. As his memories gradually return, Grace realizes he is the sole survivor of a desperate interstellar mission to solve the mystery of a cosmic phenomenon that is causing the Sun to die, threatening all life on Earth.
In a year which is bursting with exciting new projects, this rises easily to the top of our list. It will initially release on March 20 in the United States.
Release Date: March 2026
So there you have it folks: The 2026 Hot List. I will be back with many more articles in due course, but for now let's make 2026 a great year together.
So there you have it folks: The 2026 Hot List. I will be back with many more articles in due course, but for now let's make 2026 a great year together.
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