The most exciting films of 2026 – and when they’ll be released
From historical dramas such as Hamnet and Wuthering Heights to Chistopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated The Odyssey, here are the biggest films to have on your radar this year
2026 is set to be a big year for cinema, with the world’s biggest actors, actresses, directors and producers preparing an array of blockbusters for us all to enjoy over the next 12 months. Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley kick things off with the highly-anticipated screen adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet next week (just in time for the start of awards season), and is followed by a slew of hotly-tipped films such as Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, Peaky Blinders’ debut movie and the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada.
Elsewhere, it’s evidently been a busy time for Zendaya, as she stars in two movies this year: The Drama and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey alongside Robert Pattinson. Plus, Amanda Seyfried isn’t staying away from the spotlight following The Housemaid as she stars in The Testament of Ann Lee, and Bradley Cooper was so inspired by the life of Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop, he decided to make a film about it. Not sure what to watch first? Discover the most exciting films of 2026 and all the details below. Pass us the popcorn…
Hamnet
UK release date: 9 January 2026
One of the most highly anticipated films of the year, Hamnet, will arrive in UK cinemas during the second week of January. Based on the eponymous best-selling book by Maggie O’Farrell, and starring Irish actor Paul Mescal and actress Jessie Buckley (who has already been tipped for some big gongs during 2026 awards season), it follows the story of William Shakespeare’s wife Agnes as she copes with the loss of her young son Hamnet in the 16th century. This story supposedly propels The Bard to write his longest ever play, Hamlet.
Is This Thing On?
UK release date: 30 January 2026
Inspired by the story of Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop, who fell into a career in stand-up comedy during his divorce proceedings, Is This Thing On? stars and was directed by Bradley Cooper. For this film, however, the American actor plays the supporting role as Balls, who is the best friend of protagonist Alex (Will Arnett). As Alex muddles his way through a marriage breakdown and co-parenting, he turns to stand-up comedy to help him cope and ultimately learns more about himself and others along the way.
Wuthering Heights
UK release date: 14 February 2026
The Emerald Fennell remake of Emily Brontë’s gothic tragedy Wuthering Heights made headlines earlier this year when the trailer depicted Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in leading roles as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. It is dubbed as a more adventurous take on the classic – we’d expect nothing less from the director of Saltburn – which could offer a refreshing alternative to the roster of film adaptations that have come before.
The Testament of Ann Lee
UK release date: 20 February 2026
Fresh from her round of premieres for The Housemaid, Amanda Seyfried will be a firm fixture on this awards season’s red carpet as she also stars as the leading lady in The Testament of Ann Lee. A fervent film written by Norwegian actress Mona Fastvold and her Oscar-winning partner Brady Corbet, the story follows the life of visionary spiritual leader Ann Lee who forms a radical, religious movement known as the Shakers, who are famous for their advanced notions of gender and racial equality in the 18th century. As Lee faces persecution in England and America, expect a mix of horror, musical and drama.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
UK release date: 6 March 2026
By order of the Peaky Blinders… there is a new spin-off honing in on the next and final chapter for Birmingham’s most dangerous brood. Amid the chaos of the Second World War, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the future of the family and the country at stake, he must face his own demons, and choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. Cillian Murphy returns as the protagonist and patriarch, and is joined by the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Sophie Rundle, Barry Keoghan and Stephen Graham.
Project Hail Mary
UK release date: 20 March 2026
Ryan Gosling leads the sci-fi/adventure film adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel Project Hail Mary. Directed by formidable duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller (of 21 Jump Street fame), and considering Weir’s previous work The Martian was also transformed into a Hollywood blockbuster, there’s a lot riding on this project. Gosling stars as science teacher Ryland Grace, who wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve a riddle to stop the sun dying – but he may not have to do it alone. Dun, dun, dun.
The Drama
UK release date: 3 April 2026
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson broke the internet last month when engagement images of them together were released – but it was, in fact, top-tier promo for their upcoming film The Drama (don’t worry, Zendaya is still engaged to Spiderman co-star Tom Holland and Pattinson remains betrothed to longtime partner Suki Waterhouse). The fake engagement announcement in The Boston Globe for their characters, Emma and Charlie, sets the scene for a young and very much in love couple on the lead-up to their wedding day. But when a jaw-dropping revelation is discovered just before their nuptials, it’s safe to say things get a bit dicey.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
UK release date: 1 May 2026
The world has waited two decades for the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada and, if the trailer is anything to go by, Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep won’t disappoint. Based on the 2013 novel, Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, by original author Lauren Weisberger, Andy (Hathaway) has just turned 30, is a successful magazine editor in her own right and works closely with her former Runway colleague, Emily (played by Emily Blunt), now in advertising for a luxury brand, when Miranda Priestly (Streep) re-enters their lives – and, of course, where Priestly struts, drama will inevitably follow…
The Odyssey
UK release date: 17 July 2026
British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan has taken on the rather small task of executing Homer's ancient Greek epic The Odyssey – but he is, of course, no stranger to taking on big projects, with Oppenheimer, Dunkirk and Interstellar already under his belt. Armed with an exceptional cast – think Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong'o – Matt Damon takes on the leading role of king of Ithaca as he yearns to be reunited with his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) following The Trojan War.
The Social Reckoning
UK release date: 9 October 2026
Oscar-winning actress Mikey Madison plays Frances Haugen, whistleblower and Facebook engineer, in this new film documenting some of social media’s darkest days yet. It follows the true story of how Haugen teamed up with Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White) to disclose how Facebook knew about its harmful practices but kept prioritising profit. Transporting us back to the days after the scandal was published in 2021, Jeremy Strong plays an older and calmer Mark Zuckerberg compared to The Social Network’s younger depiction in 2010.
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