Our 10 most anticipated films of early 2026

The new year is almost here, and before you start thinking about Star Wars, The AvengersOr Christopher Nolanlet’s slow things down a bit. While the rest of 2026 is obviously loaded with some very big, very exciting films, the next three months also contain some pretty interesting, intriguing, and highly anticipated films. Enough to hold our interest before the months more traditionally filled with blockbusters.

Like what, exactly? Below are our 10 most anticipated genre films, released from January to the end of March.

10. Night patrol (January 16)

Justin Long, Jermaine Fowler, CM Punk and more star as Los Angeles police officers who come face to face with some very unnatural things in the middle of a gang war. We hear things are getting really crazy and it’s a really good time.

9. Mercy (January 23)

When he is accused of murdering his wife, Chris Pratt must use an advanced law enforcement AI he invented to prove his innocence in a very short period of time. The caravans have been cool, so we’re hoping to take a ride.

8. Hoppers (March 6)

Every time Pixar releases a film, it’s something to consider, and its first release in 2026 (the other being Toy Story 5) is the hilarious story of a woman who puts her consciousness into an animal and mistakenly convinces it to try to surpass humanity.

7. Send help (January 30)

The legendary Sam Raimi returns to the genre that made him famous with this intense thriller about two colleagues who end up deserted on an island together. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star, and we’re praying for some of that Raimi magic.

6. Good luck, have fun, don’t die (February 13)

Sam Rockwell stars in this wacky time travel tale about a man sent into the past to try to save the future. Or something like that. This seems crazy and we can’t wait.

5. Ready or Not 2: Here I am (March 27)

We loved Radio Silence’s 2019 film about a woman stuck in the middle of a family’s sick game, and now we’re counting down the days until its sequel, which returns to the story shortly after the events of the first one. Add a bunch of new actors to the mix, and it could be as special as the original.

4. 28 years later: the Temple of Bones (January 16)

Nia DaCosta’s follow-up to last year’s excellent Danny Boyle follow-up seems to be taking over. 28 years old franchise to bold new places. Plus, the buzz is so good about this one that Sony has already greenlit its sequel.

3. The Bride! (March 6)

The year 2025 brought us a great Frankenstein film, and we think 2026 will do the same. Maggie Gyllenhaal returns to the director’s chair with this punk rock take on the classic monster story from the woman’s perspective. Hamnet Jessie Buckley and Batman himself, Christian Bale, play the creatures.

2. Scream 7 (February 27)

It’s a shame that Scream 7 will not directly follow the story set up by the previous two Shout films, but we still have hope. Neve Campbell returns in an expanded role and franchise co-creator Kevin Williamson directs for the first time on the series. Both suggest good things. Also, each Shout The film brings its own unique surprises, so we expect nothing less from this one.

1. Hail Mary Project (March 20)

For the first time in over a decade, Phil Lord and Chris Miller are directing a new film, and it promises to be special. It’s based on a book by The Martian author Andy Weir; Ryan Gosling plays a man trying to save the world in deep space. To do this, he will have to team up with an alien. If the movie is half as wonderful as the book, this one will be a must-see.

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