Will 2026 in film be a little kinder than 2025? That is the $33 billion question the film industry is asking itself right now.
While 2025 saw a healthy stream of franchise hits and global revenues showed resilience, the year has been plagued by a worrying problem: inconsistency.
We saw several high-profile blockbusters, particularly from established superhero universes, significantly underperform, leading to substantial losses for major studios.
Beyond the sequels, great critically-acclaimed films struggled to get general audiences into seats, proving that, more than ever, unless a film is tied to major, recognised IP, its success is far from guaranteed.
This has led to a very messy end to the year, with a barrage of releases postponed and some months, like October, hitting three-decade lows.
But as the calendar flips, 2026 is lining up to be the year where studios truly double down on proven success, throwing an absolute mountain of sequels, reboots, and certified A-list talent at the problem.
From The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to Scream 7, it looks like the industry is betting on familiarity to bring back consistent audience turnout.
We’ve checked the UK schedule on IMDB to see what’s coming in the new year - here are our picks of the films hitting the screens next year, complete with all the major stars and directors set to define the year.
19. The Cat In The Hat (November 6)
This animated version of the beloved Dr. Seuss classic is being positioned as the "doorway" into a new animated Seuss universe by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. Co-directed and co-written by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Erica Rivinoja (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), the film promises a return to the original book's whimsical spirit and surreal humour. The stellar voice cast is led by Bill Hader as the mischievous Cat. | Warner Bros. Pictures