The most anticipated 2026 movies, from superheroes to prestige.
The hype race for this year’s movies is already crowded, and the top contenders say a lot about what audiences want right now. Superheroes remain the biggest magnet, sequels still pull the loudest nostalgia, and familiar brands keep winning the attention game.
The stats behind these rankings were presented by VegasInsider using Google Keyword Planner search data, and we’re breaking down the Top 10 in reverse order, starting at 10 and counting down to 1.
10: Wuthering Heights
Emerald Fennell’s new take on Wuthering Heights leans into gothic desire, obsession, and emotional wreckage. It is loosely inspired by Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel, with Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff at its center, a love story that curdles into revenge. The film stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, with Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles. Warner Bros. Pictures releases it on February 13, 2026.
9: The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan turns Homer’s epic into an action fantasy built for scale and danger. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, on a long and brutal journey home after the Trojan War. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, with Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron also in the ensemble. Universal releases it on July 17, 2026.
8: Street Fighter
Capcom’s legendary fighting series gets another live-action reboot with Kitao Sakurai directing and Dalan Musson writing. The cast includes Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Andrew Schulz, Eric André, Vidyut Jammwal, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Jason Momoa. This one is chasing big character energy and arena-ready set pieces. Paramount release it on October 16, 2026.
7: Masters of the Universe
Travis Knight directs the sword-and-sorcery swing based on Mattel’s franchise. Nicholas Galitzine plays Prince Adam, who becomes He-Man and returns to Eternia to battle Skeletor, played by Jared Leto. Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Sasheer Zamata, and Kristen Wiig also star. MGM and Amazon Studios release it on June 5, 2026.
6: The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss’s chaos agent returns in an animated fantasy comedy from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and A Stern Talking To. Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja write and direct, with Bill Hader voicing the Cat. The voice cast also includes Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Paula Pell, Tiago Martinez, Giancarlo Esposito, America Ferrera, Bowen Yang, and Tituss Burgess. Expect mischief that snowballs fast. Warner Bros releases it on November 6, 2026.
5: Supergirl
Craig Gillespie directs the DCU entry written by Ana Nogueira, starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El. The film sends Supergirl across the galaxy on a murderous quest for revenge, pushing the character into darker territory. Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, and Jason Momoa also star. DC Studios and Warner Bros. release it on June 26, 2026.
4: Scream 7
Kevin Williamson directs the seventh installment and co-writes the script with Guy Busick, from a story by James Vanderbilt and Busick. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox return, joined by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding. The cast also includes Isabel May, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, McKenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Ethan Embry, Tim Simons, and Mark Consuelos. The story follows a new Ghostface targeting Sidney Prescott’s daughter. Pramount releases it on February 27, 2026.
3: Toy Story 5
Andrew Stanton writes and directs Pixar’s fifth main Toy Story film for Walt Disney Pictures. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, Blake Clark, and John Ratzenberger return, with Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, Conan O’Brien, and Greta Lee joining the cast. After Woody left to help lost toys, Jessie now leads the room, with Buzz as her second-in-command. However, Bonnie falls for a frog-like tablet named Lilypad, which threatens to change the playroom hierarchy. Disney and Pixar release it on June 19, 2026.
2: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Destin Daniel Cretton directs the fourth MCU Spider-Man film, written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Tom Holland returns as Peter Parker, with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon also back. The cast includes Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Mando, Tramell Tillman, and Marvin Jones III. It is positioned as the next chapter after No Way Home, with new trouble closing in fast. Sony and Marvel Studios release it on July 31, 2026.
1: Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel’s next Avengers event unites multiple teams against Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., and Anthony and Joe Russo direct, with Michael Waldron and Stephen McFeely writing. The cast list is stacked, including Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Pedro Pascal, and many more. The story brings together the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers, and the X-Men for a collision built to feel seismic. Marvel Studios releases it on December 18, 2026.
The surprise rankings that jumped out
A few titles outside the Top 10 landed higher or lower than expected in the VegasInsider rankings. Scary Movie 6 sits at 13, which is a strong showing for a comedy spoof comeback. The live-action Moana ranks 15. Notably, Street Fighter at 8 outranks Mortal Kombat II, despite living in a similar fight-first lane. Elsewhere, The Mandalorian and Grogu rank 18, Dune 3 sits at 22, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie lands at 27. Even deeper, Clayface showing up at 31 still reads as a real curiosity signal.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
