Top Ten Most Anticipated Movies of the Rest of 2026

Summer is just around the corner!

There are so many movies coming out the rest of the year. From huge blockbusters to director-led vehicles, I had a lot of trouble narrowing this list down to just ten. There are a lot more than ten movies I'm excited for the rest of this year. Masters of the Universe, Toy Story 5, The Invite, Werwulf...there are so many exciting new releases. And these are the ten that I am truly most excited for.

10. Digger

Iñárritu's comedy-drama starring Tom Cruise is set to be an major Oscar contender

I don't really know anything about Digger, and I don't need to. Alejandro G. Iñárritu is one of the most exciting directors of the modern era. After Birdman and The Revenant, all of his future films automatically make my radar, and this is his first American film since The Revenant. Tom Cruise is also taking a break from blockbuster filmmaking and going to a smaller, satirical drama, which, after he did with Maverick and Mission: Impossible, is a good sign. Iñárritu and Cruise is a recipe for success, so I cannot wait to see what this movie is.

9. Dune: Part Three

The epic conclusion to the Dune saga looks like the awe-inspiring spectacle you'd expect

I actually plan on reading Dune and Dune Messiah before this film comes out, but either way, I am very much looking forward to the final film in this trilogy. I don't think I love the first two Dune movies as much as everyone else, but they are undeniably exciting cinematic experiences. Dune: Part Two was especially awesome, and it left the story off as this subversive hero's journey that promised a darker turn for Paul Atreides. The trailer for this movie did it's job and just got me even more excited to return to the galaxy of Dune. Hearing Timothée Chalamet's chants backed by Hans Zimmer's pounding score just reminded me of everything I do love about Dune, so it got me just really pumped to see that again.

8. The Adventures of Cliff Booth

David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino's collaboration is a team-up that I can't wait to see

I have not seen Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood yet (I will before this film comes out), but either way, this is a dream collaboration for me. Quentin Tarantino is writing a spin-off to his own film...and it's being directed by David Fincher. These are two of my five favorite filmmakers of all time. And the way they make movies is so different. A Tarantino script turned into a Fincher movie just sounds like an absolutely incredible piece of cinema. This could be the least interesting concept in the world and it would make it on this list, because I am just in awe that this is even happening.

7. Resident Evil

Zach Cregger's follow-up to Weapons should be thrilling, horrifying, and unexpected

This is three entries in a row where I have no connection to the source material but I am excited because of what the film actually is. I have never played the Resident Evil games. I have no interest in them. And I've never seen a Resident Evil movie. And, yet, this is my number seven most anticipated movie for the rest of the year. The only reason is because of the director: Zach Cregger. Zach Cregger made ripples in the horror community after Barbarian was one of the most unique and deeply unsettling films of the 21st century. And then he exploded onto the scene with Weapons, which, in a year where Sinners didn't come out, would've been the best horror movie of the year. Either way, both Barbarian and Weapons were such exciting, thrilling, and unexpected movies that I just cannot wait to see what Cregger does with a big-budget survival horror film. I cannot wait to see what unique spin he gives to Resident Evil.

6. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

Haymitch's tragic story hits the big screen with an all-star cast

I haven't read Dune. I haven't seen Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. I've never played any Resident Evil. But I HAVE read Sunrise on the Reaping. I love The Hunger Games. I think the movies are criminally underrated because they were released in the same window of time as Divergent and Twilight, but they are actually really complex, deep, and thematically rich dystopian stories. Sunrise on the Reaping is the most tragic, dark, and emotional Hunger Games story, and I think it will be adapted beautifully into this film. Francis Lawrence has an iron grip on how to direct these movies, and the trailer already showed this colorful, beautiful landscape that has been created for this one specifically. On top of the great source material and returning creative team, this movie has an absolutely star-studded cast. Mckenna Grace. Ralph Fiennes. Elle Fanning. Maya Hawke. Glenn Close. Jesse Plemons. Kieran Culkin. And more. Are you kidding me? That makes this even more exciting for me. I cannot wait for this film. Hopefully The Hunger Games renaissance starts up again after this.

5. Avengers: Doomsday

The massive culmination of the Multiverse Saga is the year's biggest release

I think I said this in my initial most anticipated list, but this is both my most anticipated movie of the year...and not. If I could pick one movie that is going to be released in 2026 to see tomorrow, I'd probably pick Doomsday. The MCU is my favorite movie franchise of all time, and the last time an Avengers movie came out, it was the biggest cinematic event ever. Now, there is simply no way that Doomsday and Secret Wars will top Infinity War and Endgame. That one-two punch was nearly perfect, and Doomsday simply has not had the intricate setup that Infinity War had. If it can even match that, though, we are in for something special. Doctor Doom has the potential to be one of the most exciting new villains, and I am curious how Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal will compare to Thanos. The massive, multiversal scale will also be something to behold. Doomsday will undeniably be another event. The question remains, though, will it be as good as Infinity War? The answer is almost definitely not, but again, if it comes close, that would be absolutely incredible. I am on edge waiting for this frickin' trailer. And I cannot wait for December.

4. Clayface

The trailer for this movie honestly gave me nightmares

On the complete flip side of Doomsday comes Clayface, a small, body-horror comic book film that will show us how the new DCU will differentiate itself from the MCU. Clayface was on my radar when Mike Flanagan was announced to be writing it, but I didn't really understand this film...until I saw the trailer. And it immediately clicked. This movie looks terrifying. This looks like a gross, disturbing body horror film set in Gotham...and that's really, really cool. Superman and Supergirl are the first two films in the DCU, and Clayface is going to be the third, which just shows how much confidence the producers have in their shared universe. This movie is going to be rated R. It's going to be freaky. It is not going to be this mega-blockbuster in the way that superhero and comic book movies so often are, and for that, I am just so appreciative. This is what I want to see more out of comic book media. These smaller, more creator-focused projects that don't try to appeal to the biggest possible audience. Clayface looks to be a true launching point for that idea, so I really, really hope it's great.

3. Spider-Man: Brand New Day

The MCU may finally lean into a classic Spider-Man story

Any movie starring Spider-Man, Batman, or Superman is automatically making my most anticipated films list. Hell, any movie starring any one of them will probably be in my top five most anticipated films. Brand New Day feels exciting in a way that is vastly different from No Way Home or any other Spidey film to date. We know basically nothing about this movie. The trailer teases a bit of the plot, but it's unclear exactly what is happening. We know Scorpion and Tombstone are in it, but we don't know who the main villain is. We don't really know what the Hulk and the Punisher are doing here. We don't know who Sadie Sink, Liza Colón-Zayas, or Tramell Tillman are playing. There's a possibility that we could see the black suit symbiote here. There's just so much potential for where this movie could take Tom Holland's Spider-Man, and I cannot wait to see where it goes.

2. Disclosure Day

Spielberg's sci-fi thriller hits theaters in just two weeks

Again, a new Spielberg movie will almost always make it's way onto my most anticipated list, and Disclosure Day is exactly the type of movie that I love. This looks like Spielberg getting back into his peak form, with an awe-inspiring sci-fi concept that seems to tap into the humanity that he's so good at displaying in his films. From watching the trailer, you just get all of the feels of classic Spielberg. There's mysterious creatures and seemingly wondrous worlds with a thrilling story tying all of this together. John Williams gives us hints of his score in the trailer, and I expect it to be fantastic. This movie comes out two weeks from today, and I simply cannot wait for it. It has been a long time since Spielberg has released a classic, original sci-fi blockbuster, so I will be there are soon as this hits theaters.

1. The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan's historical epic is the release everyone is waiting for

Alright. The hate on The Odyssey needs to stop. Stop pretending like you care about historical accuracy. Stop pretending like this is some true story that needs to be treated with the utmost, intricate facts of the era executed to perfection. This is a grand, mythological adventure with monsters and battles, and if the armor isn't exactly how it looked in Ancient Greece...who cares? Christopher Nolan is tackling the skeleton of Western storytelling, and there's no one better to take on this monumental task. The nearly three-hour epic promises to be everything you want from a cinematic experience. It looks grand, exciting, emotional, and seems to be heading towards "huge cultural event" territory. I think people online just want something to complain about, because this movie is going to be an absolute stunner. I cannot wait to see how Nolan brings us the epic of all epics. July 17 cannot come soon enough.