2026 is shaping up to be a big year for movies, and my watchlist is already packed. Between returns to familiar worlds and beloved stories hitting the screen in new ways, many upcoming releases will give cinephiles plenty to talk about.
Across genres, these are five movies coming out in 2026 that I am personally super hyped for and recommend you put on your radar.
People We Meet on Vacation (on Netflix Jan. 9)
Movies serve as a portal to a different time or place, an escape from reality. When the holidays are finally over, we are still stuck with several more months of long nights and cold weather. That is when it is time to put on some movies and pretend it is summertime for a few hours.
Netflix is set to offer exactly that with its upcoming film People We Meet on Vacation. Brett Haley directs the first of bestselling author Emily Henry’s novels to get a film adaptation. The story centers on Poppy and Alex, two opposites who become unlikely best friends over the course of ten weeklong vacations. They meet up in a different city each summer and slowly build a shared history shaped by travel. Until one summer when everything goes wrong.
Fast forward two years, and Poppy is living her dream life as a successful travel journalist. But when she realizes the last time she was truly happy was with Alex, she reaches out and convinces Alex to take one last vacation with her. What unfurls is a chance at closure and something more.
Scream 7 (in theaters Feb. 27)
I have a bone to pick with Hollywood’s cash-grabbing tendencies. It’s abandoned taking risks on original stories and has instead leaned on overdone reboots and sequels.
However, whenever a new Scream movie comes out, I am the first in line at the movies, popcorn and icee in hand.
The Scream franchise follows a series of masked killings carried out by copycat murderers using the Ghostface persona. Each film blends slasher horror with self-aware commentary on horror movie tropes, as characters try to survive while actively discussing the “rules” of the genre. Across multiple generations, the series explores serious themes of trauma and the cyclical nature of violence, all while staying humorous and reinventing itself for new audiences.
Original Scream veterans Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers return for the seventh installment of Scream, directed by Kevin Williamson. This time, a new Ghostface tracks Prescott to a new town, where her daughter becomes the latest target of Ghostface.
These movies are effortlessly incredible. They are gripping whodunit mysteries with entertaining storylines, easy humor, and likable main characters. They can keep coming out with movies, and I will keep watching them for as long as they do.
Michael (in theaters Apr. 24)
From Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman to A Complete Unknown and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, people love music biopics. These movies are the closest many of us will ever get to witnessing artists from before our time, letting their music and larger-than-life personas play out on the big screen.
In addition, these films often reveal the personal struggles behind the fame, offering insight beyond the music. They also spark renewed interest in the artists’ discographies, sometimes introducing their work to younger generations.
Now, the genre is turning its focus to Michael, a biopic centered on the life of Michael Jackson. His nephew, Jaafar Jackson, steps into his shoes for this role.
Known as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson reshaped music and pop culture with his iconic moonwalk and hits like “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” and “Beat It.” The film traces his rise from child star to global icon, leaning into the spectacle, performances, and songs that made him one of the most influential artists of all time.
The Odyssey (in theaters July 17)
Any time Christopher Nolan announces a new film, it is bound to make waves. He is known for his mind-bending, ambitious storytelling and extravagant practical effects.
His next film, The Odyssey, takes on Homer’s classic epic about Odysseus, a warrior just trying to make it home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he deals with monsters, gods, temptation, and a decade of detours that turn a simple return into a full-blown survival saga.
The cast is stacked. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, with Tom Holland playing his son, Telmachus. Additionally, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Mia Goth, and Robert Pattinson, among others, are also on board. Excitement is already building among fans, who are eager to see Nolan’s vision realized. And if it is anything like his previous films, we won’t be disappointed.
His movies were meant to be experienced in the theaters, not from behind a laptop screen. At a time when AI and other forces are threatening cinema, The Odyssey feels like the kind of movie worth showing up for. A reminder that audiences still crave innovative, unique, and creative stories.
Sunrise on the Reaping (in theaters Nov. 20)
Francis Lawrence is returning to direct the newest installment in The Hunger Games universe, Sunrise On The Reaping. The newest movie tells Haymitch Abernathy’s story and how he won the Second Quarter Quell against twice the number of tributes.
Since the original books, The Hunger Games has become a full-blown cultural phenomenon, shaping Gen-Z’s love for dystopian, high-stakes battle royale stories. Gen-Z grew up on the franchise, and years later, fans still crave more stories in the universe. It continues to shape pop culture and fuel conversations about our society and the world we live in.
Sunrise on the Reaping rewinds the clock 24 years to show how Haymitch became the hardened, cynical mentor audiences later meet. His games further reveal the cost of winning and the trauma that follows long after they leave the arena.
And true to Quarter Quell tradition, Lionsgate is sparing no expense, especially on its incredible casting choices. We Were Liars breakout star Joseph Zada is playing Haymitch. Also joining the cast are Mckenna Grace as fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner, Ralph Finneas as President Snow, and Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee.
