As we rapidly approach the middle of 2026, excitement is building as the year’s upcoming release calendar continues to take shape. Not only are we preparing for blockbuster prequels and long-awaited superhero returns, but there are innovative originals also waiting in the wings.
There have been some standout releases already this year, with Project Hail Mary taking the sci-fi world by storm, Inde Navarette and Curry Barker storming the world with Obsession, a trip to the Backrooms, The Bride! shaping classic literature with a twist, He-Man returning, The Devil Wearing Prada again, as well as the return of our favourite Toys, Spielberg, and Scary Movie.
- simply raising the stakes for what is yet to come. It seems almost every genre is going to be gifted in these latter months, meaning it is a perfect time to expand your taste and try something new. Now, of course, busy lives and all this making a living interfere with vital film-watching time (terrible, correct), so we’ve made it slightly easier to navigate the sea of trailers. Here is a list of what could be the top 10 upcoming films to hit the big screen over the next half a year:
10. One Night Only – in cinemas August 28th
Summer will bring a perfectly unique spin on your favourite typical rom-com. In One Night Only, two strangers are caught in a frenzy of a moderately fictionalised New York on a night that antagonises all that’s sweet about romance. The one night of the year when sex is legal, and the streets are a chaos of lust and ludicrousness. We meet our exceptions to the rule with Allie, dreaming of true love, and Owen, recently recovering from its cruel thorns. Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner lead, and their chemistry is palpable in the trailer alone. Its predicted low-stakes and easygoing nature is further supported by the involvement of director Will Gluck, whose track record, including Anyone But You and Easy A, suggests a light-hearted crowd pleaser. One Night Only promises a sentimental modern love story, with protagonists who are easy on the eyes.
9. The Death of Robin Hood – in cinemas September 24th
A darker reimagining of an enduring legend arrives with The Death of Robin Hood. Starring the ever-brilliant Hugh Jackman as an ageing, worn Robin Hood, the film follows him grappling with a lifetime of crime and endless regret. He is offered his final chance at redemption when he is taken into care by a mystery woman, portrayed by Jodie Comer, and is forced to reckon with both mortality and heroism. Yet another promising cast delivers this exploration of legacy, with Bill Skarsgard helping to pioneer the story. I feel this is going to be a gritty and intimate retelling, bringing together the beloved legend and the bluntness of human nature.
8. Avengers: Doomsday – in cinemas December 18th
Wrapping up the year in true sci-fi fashion, Avengers: Doomsday unites the New Avengers*, Fantastic Four and the X-Men for a battle against all odds. This sets up a crisis that rivals only Avengers: Endgame, where the boundaries between parallel universes weaken, leading multiple realities onto a deadly collision course. This film serves as a crossover bringing together the MCU and alternate earths – with heroes of all pasts and missions coming together to face an existential crisis. Perhaps the most exciting element of this film is the return of Marvel all-star Robert Downey Junior, leaving behind the debonaire character of Tony Stark to play the central villain, Dr Doom. He plans to use mastery and magic of all bounds to unify a singular reality under his rule, harnessing intense powers to mastermind the plan. Bringing a thrilling feature filled with legendary heroes and a fight, this cinematic siege threatens to be Marvel’s most ambitious and most captivating yet.
7. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in cinemas November 20th
The sixth installment of one of the most famous dystopian franchises brings a prequel to the cinema in November. Following Haymitch Abernathy, Joseph Zada was chosen in the deadly lottery as a tribute for the Hunger Games. It explores the backstory of Haymitch, the trials he faced, the love between him and Lenore Dove and the pasts of many of the core characters. This prequel is compelling through its star-studded cast alone – Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Jessie Plemons, Kieran Culkin, Maya Hawke and Ralph Fiennes, amongst setting up for what could be an incredible addition to the series. The story will take a deeper dive into the Capitol’s manipulatory nature in a deadly edition with double the number of tributes and higher stakes. With director Francis Lawrence at the helm of another Hunger Games, it promises a spectacle of the moment the games changed forever.
6. Pressure – in cinemas September 9th
With a tonal shift, the historical drama Pressure brings to life the punishing 3-day countdown to the D-Day invasion. Released in the US a few weeks ago, the UK anticipates its release in November. It follows allied powers under General Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) and Meteorologist Stagg (Andrew Scott) as they weigh up the cost of launching an impossibly dangerous invasion or risk German intelligence discovering their plan. It leaves fate hanging in the balance with disastrous trials and tension between the leadership. I have high confidence in these two commanding leads, excited to see how they bring to life powerful figures in the depths of wartime. This film will bring a fresh style and narrative to this year’s releases, promising to replace typical wartime action scenes with psychological thrills.
5. The End of Oak Street – in cinemas August 14th
Starring the beloved Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, The End of Oak Street follows the Platt family through a mysterious cosmic event. The typical suburban family finds their life uprooted, with a tear in the universe that transports them to a prehistoric, unknown landscape. The film plans to blend family drama, survival thriller and science fiction to give a well-rounded feature that cannot help but intrigue. The residents of small town Oak Street work to combat the prehistoric reptile antagonists as well as understand the cause of their unprecedented travels. With strong leads and an ambitious original idea from David Robert Mitchell, director of It Follows, this film sets up to be a curious blend of suburban landscapes with prehistoric threats.
4. Clayface – in cinemas October 23rd
Sticking with the comic book to big screen pipeline, the horror body-thriller Clayface is set to enter the spotlight in October. This follows Hollywood pretty boy Matt Haegan (Tom Rhys Harris), who is brutally attacked and left with his face disfigured. With his career and pride on his mind, he signs up for this experimental treatment from Dr Caitlin Bates (Naomi Ackie), which transforms him into a shapeshifting monster formed of clay. Haegan descends into a horrifying creature, his body rendered malleable, and his intense grief becomes overwhelming. This film serves as a visceral origin story for the Batman Villain, and explores how the loss of identity can lead to unrecognised anger and the dangerous desire for vengeance. Critically acclaimed writer Mike Flanagan lends his name to this piece, giving confidence to DC fans that a sinister yet gripping horror awaits them.
3. Primetime – in cinemas September
Robert Pattinson, after his recent success in The Drama, continues to hold his own in the lead, and it seems the upcoming Prime Time will be no different. This follows journalist Chris Hansen as he launches what will be groundbreaking TV with To Catch a Predator. This is an orchestrated series of televised operations that diverts a large level of attention across America and elsewhere. The controversy only grows with its popularity, forcing Hansen to reckon with the balance between justice and binding media ethics. This film aims to analyse the gap between strong investigative journalism and entertainment, drawing from the real-life cultural impact this show had. Exposing a moral grey area in reality television, A24 promises and, so often, a tense and psychologically stimulating drama.
2. Spider-Man: A Brand New Day – in cinemas July 31st.
After leaving us distraught back in December 2021, Peter Parker is back with an even greater mission – starting over. Spider-Man: Brand New Day picks up in the aftermath of Peter’s erased existence, leaving him outcast from the memories of those he loves and having to survive isolated in New York City. He devotes his life to less Peter and more Spider, but the mounting pressure of city-wide dependence increases, and he is faced with a rise of crime that is unprecedented. This incredible stress triggers a physical evolution, and Peter Parker must learn to fight his own gritty battles in a struggle to survive. Marvel hopes to bring a fresh start to the screen with Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon all reprising their roles, with Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal and Mark Ruffalo along for the ride.
1. The Odyssey – in cinemas July 17th.
Christophan Nolan brings to life the epic fantasy of The Odyssey. The film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), a celebrated King who embarks on the gruelling journey home after the Trojan War. This triumphant homecoming quickly becomes a 10-year battle against all that could destroy him. Facing monsters, temptation and trials, Odysseus remains determined to return to his wife Penelope and restore his life. Meanwhile, his kingdom struggles to endure without their leader, and it becomes a perilous race against death and destruction. Nolan is famed for innovative filmmaking and the power to carve out a spectacle, meaning it would be wrong not to expect a visually stunning interpretation of a retold adventure. Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron are among the huge ensemble.
Do you agree with our lists? Is there anything else you’d have on yours that we have missed? Of course, this is not exhaustive, and will change, but for starters, the second half of 2026 looks amazing for cinema!
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