- The locks. Nolan's The Odyssey (17 July); Avengers: Doomsday + Dune: Part Three share 18 December — "Dunesday".
- The mid-summer event. Spider-Man: Brand New Day on 31 July — Tom Holland's first since 2021.
- The verdict. Biggest theatrical year of the decade. Book IMAX seats early, especially for The Odyssey.
2026 is the year theatrical cinema bets the entire house. Three blockbusters from three of the biggest filmmakers alive — Nolan, Villeneuve, the Russos — a Tom Holland Spider-Man for the summer, a Pixar tentpole, and a DC superhero film building on actual goodwill. December 18 has been informally christened "Dunesday": Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday drop the same weekend. Here is the picture preview, sorted.
FIRST DECK The locks
The Odyssey (17 July)
Christopher Nolan adapting Homer, shot entirely on IMAX cameras — a first for any feature film. The cast is absurd: Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, plus Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron. If Oppenheimer was Nolan in restraint mode, this is Nolan unleashed.
Avengers: Doomsday (18 December)
Marvel's first true ensemble event since Endgame. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom. The Russos return to direct. Hemsworth, Mackie, Hiddleston, Pugh, Rudd — plus the X-Men and Fantastic Four. The MCU's biggest swing.
Dune: Part Three (18 December)
Villeneuve adapting Dune Messiah, closing the most visually ambitious blockbuster project of the past five years. Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Robert Pattinson joining as Feyd-Rautha's successor.
SECOND DECK The wild cards
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (31 July)
Tom Holland's first Spidey since 2021's No Way Home. Destin Daniel Cretton directs. Charlie Cox's Daredevil and Jon Bernthal's Punisher join the lineup.
Project Hail Mary (20 March)
Ryan Gosling as Andy Weir's reluctant astronaut, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Built like The Martian but stranger.
Wuthering Heights (13 February)
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in Emerald Fennell's adaptation. Either an instant classic or a divisive misfire — Fennell does not do middle ground.
THIRD DECK Worth a ticket
The Mandalorian and Grogu (May), the first Star Wars feature in years. Supergirl (26 June), DC's follow-up to 2025's Superman. Toy Story 5 (June), Pixar's return to its flagship. Michael (April), Antoine Fuqua's King of Pop biopic with Jaafar Jackson.
If theatrical cinema has a comeback year in this decade, 2026 is the candidate. Book the IMAX seats early — especially for The Odyssey.
FINAL READING
Of the documentary slate keeping pace with the big-budget releases, our documentary roundup has the picks worth your evening. For more in the Cinema Page, or turn to the Front Page for the streaming side, or the Series Pull-Out for long-form series.
