If you're reading this, congrats and Happy New Year. We've made it to the start of a new chapter, brimming with hope and endless possibilities. This is usually when we set new goals and resolutions for ourselves, but I gave up on that practice ages ago. I've found that I work best when I simply take each new day as it comes and strive to push myself to do better whenever possible, but to each their own, I guess.
One practice I don't see myself giving up anytime soon, though, is filling out my moviegoing calendar for the year. A key component of this is coming up with my list of most anticipated movies. This does not mean these are the only movies I plan on seeing this year, just the ones I am most excited to see, given my proclivities. So with all that out of the way, what follows are my Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies for 2026.
10. Street Fighter
The importance of a solid first trailer cannot be overstated, and the one for Street Fighter knocked it out of the park, instantly selling me on its vision. The 1994 live-action adaptation of the hit fighting game was one of my childhood faves, and this new one appears poised to channel a lot of its campy thrills. So my feelings for it have settled somewhere between morbid curiosity and cautious optimism.
9. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
I almost considered leaving Spider-Man: Brand New Day off this list. This is primarily because we've already gotten three great Spider-Man movies in the MCU, the last of which had been tied to previous film iterations so beautifully that I simply can't see how it could be topped or where they could take the series next. But who am I kidding? I'm obviously going to check this out the moment it drops, which is why it is on the list.
8. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Another day-one, must-see film for me this year is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. And while it is strange they've chosen to skip World (my favorite game in the series) and go straight to Galaxy, I had so much fun with The Super Mario Bros. Movie that I am hoping this one not only matches that film, but possibly exceeds it. The first teaser trailers certainly seem to point to that being the case, but only time will tell.
7. Mortal Kombat 2
After enduring a soul-crushing delay, fans will finally get to watch Mortal Kombat 2 in all its gory splendor when it releases on the 8th of May. And the biggest draw for the film is the inclusion of Johnny Cage (played by Karl Urban), who was teased at the very end of the first movie. Much like Street Fighter, I am cautiously optimistic and expecting the film to fully lean into the camp, even as it further expands its overall mythology.
6. Disclosure Day
Steven Spielberg is set to make his return to science fiction with the forthcoming release of Disclosure Day. There'd been some rumblings about the project for some time now, but none of that was still enough to prepare me for the chilling effectiveness of its first trailer. I'm a sucker for films that deal with humanity's first contact with aliens, and when it comes from one of the great directors of our time, you can bet I'll be there.
5. Michael
Michael is arguably going to be one of the biggest movies of 2026. I make that declaration based solely on its subject matter, as the musical biopic centers upon the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. The movie's overall success hinges on whether or not the film itself is good, of course, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited by the prospect of hearing some of his vast catalogue of music brought to life in a theater.
4. Avengers: Doomsday
The first half of what has already been dubbed Dunesday by many fans, Avengers: Doomsday, is the beginning of the end for the Multiverse Saga. And judging by the early marketing for the film, it is clear that the powers that be at Disney and Marvel Studios want us all hyped for the movie. So while I remain dubious, I feel like I've stuck with these MCU movies long enough that, eff it, I have to see it out of mere obligation.
3. Dune: Part Three
The second half of Dunesday is also the third film from the Frank Herbert book series to be directed by Denis Villeneuve. Dune: Part Three will see him tackle the events of the second book in the series, Dune Messiah, which deals with the ramifications of the holy war waged by the Fremen at the end of the last film. I have my doubts that the film would actually stick to its December 18th release date, but let's wait and see.
2. Project Hail Mary
As a self-confessed sci-fi nerd, the very idea of Project Hail Mary excites me beyond measure. Based on the 2021 book by Andy Weir, who also wrote The Martian, it tells the story of a man on a deep-space mission he can't quite remember. Just think Bourne Identity meets Interstellar and you'll have an idea. I haven't read the book, actually, but I am eager to watch the movie, given the good things I've heard about it.
1. The Odyssey
Whenever Christopher Nolan shows up with a new movie, you can bet that I'll pay attention, regardless of subject matter. I mean, just look at Oppenheimer, a three-hour, black-and-white biopic that seemed engineered to put people to sleep but still managed to keep me engaged throughout. Such is the magic of the acclaimed director. So pair that magic with the epic fantasy of Homer's Odyssey, and it sounds like we have another certified banger on our hands.
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