Were movie fans happy in 2025? Absolutely – films like F1, Mission: Impossible, One Battle After Another, Sinners, Weapons, and Zootopia 2 all scored big at the box office and sparked plenty of discussion.
Looking ahead, 2026 has a lineup of more highly anticipated releases. Childhood favourite Toy Story will return with its fifth instalment, the classic The Devil Wears Prada will get a sequel two decades after the original, and contemporary master filmmaker Christopher Nolan will unveil his latest blockbuster. Of course, there will also be a range of alternative films to look forward to.
[See more: These are some of the major events coming up in 2026]
Macao News has selected ten of the most exciting movies to watch out for in 2026.
The Bride!
Country: US
Release date: 6 March 2026
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening
Director and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal’s sophomore effort will see her take on the unconventional love story between Frankenstein’s monster and his bride – a woman that was brought back from the dead after being killed rolling down a flight of stairs.
Unlike Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Bride! will eschew the 18th century Victorian setting in favour of 1930s Chicago. It is in this context that the monster and his bride find their love being pushed to the brink, as they find themselves on the run from the police and drunks.
In the role of the bride is Jessie Buckley, who previously starred in Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter (2022). Christian Bale will star as Frankenstein’s monster, a role that was made iconic by Boris Karloff. Meanwhile, Gyllenhaal’s spouse, Peter Sarsgaard, will take on the role of a detective investigating the couple, with Annette Benning, Penelope Cruz, as well as Gyllenhaal brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, also due to make appearances.
Interestingly, the film will also incorporate musical elements, further distinguishing it from the many other film adaptations of Mary Shelley’s seminal novel.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Country: United Kingdom
Release date: 6 March 2026 (Limited theatrical release), 20 March (Netflix)
Director: Tom Harper
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Rebecca Ferugson, Tim Roth
Peaky Blinders, the acclaimed TV series about the eponymous early 20th century English crime gang, is set to return four years after its sixth and final season ended in 2022. Unlike the series, which spanned the period between World War I and the end of prohibition in the US, The Immortal Man will cover the gang’s story during World War II.
Irish actor Cillian Murphy is set to return as main character Tommy Shelby, who finds himself back in his hometown of Birmingham, following a self-imposed exile.
“The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders,” creator Steven Knight said in a Netflix interview. “It will be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full on Peak Blinders at war.”
Michael
Country: United States of America
Release Date: 24 April 2026
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Colman Jason Domingo, Nia Talita Long
This is believed to be one of the most highly anticipated biographical films in movie history, telling the story of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
With a budget of over US$150 million, the film is directed by Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer trilogy), written by John Logan (Gladiator), and produced by Graham King, the Oscar-winning producer of Bohemian Rhapsody.
The most intriguing detail is that Michael Jackson will be portrayed by his own nephew, Jaafar Jackson. From the trailer, his resemblance to Michael is striking. However, in real life, Michael’s daughter Paris Jackson has distanced herself from the project, saying that after reading the script she found many parts to be untrue – though she admitted fans would likely enjoy it.
Beyond questions of accuracy, the film has also removed references to Michael Jackson’s child abuse allegations. The project is planned as a two-part series, with the first instalment ending at the peak of Michael’s career in the late 1980s.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Country: United States of America
Release Date: 1 May 2026
Director: David Frankel
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt
If you had to pick a classic film about the fashion world, The Devil Wears Prada would definitely make the list. And now, 20 years later, it’s getting a sequel.
In fact, a script for a sequel was written back in 2013, but since Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway weren’t keen on returning, the project seemed impossible. This time, however, the original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna is back, and producer Wendy Finerman will also return.
The story will be set in today’s era, where traditional print magazines are in decline. Miranda (Streep) faces a career crisis as she struggles with the challenges of digital media. Meanwhile, the character of Emily (played by Emily Blunt) has transformed into a senior executive at a luxury conglomerate, controlling the advertising budget Miranda desperately needs. Their relationship shifts from the old boss–assistant dynamic into a clash of equals.
Disclosure Day
Country: US
Release date: 12 June 2026
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eva Hewson, Colman Domingo
Hollywood maestro Steven Spielberg is no stranger to UFO films, having directed some of the genre’s most representative works, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), ET (1982) and War of the Worlds (2005). For his fourth major alien flick, the Oscar-winning filmmaker will explore the idea of humanity grappling with the discovery of aliens.
Judging by the teaser trailer, Disclosure Day will feature classic Spielberg tropes such as people faced with extraordinary circumstances and an untrustworthy authority. To top it all off, legendary film composer and regular Spielberg collaborator, John Williams, will be scoring the film.
“It’s like old-school Spielberg,” actor Josh O’Connor told Deadline. “I think people will be excited.”
Meanwhile, his co-star, Colman Domingo said to the media outlet that Disclosure Day had “one of the most beautiful scripts about our humanity,” adding that he “literally cried because Steven Spielberg believes in the possibility of the human beings we could be.”
Toy Story 5
Country: United States of America
Release Date: 19 June 2026
Director: Andrew Stanton
Voice cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack
After six years, Toy Story is back with a new chapter. As one of the most successful animated films ever – and a shared childhood memory for many worldwide – Toy Story hardly needs an introduction.
The latest instalment continues after Woody leaves Bonnie to help abandoned toys find new homes. Jessie steps up as the new leader of Bonnie’s toys, with Buzz Lightyear as her deputy. But now 8-year-old Bonnie has become obsessed with her newest toy – a frog-shaped tablet called “Lily Pad.”
Toy Story 5 will be directed by Andrew Stanton, the acclaimed filmmaker behind WALL-E and Finding Nemo. Stanton also co-wrote the first two Toy Story films and has won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature twice.
The three iconic characters will return with their original voices: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack.
The Odyssey
Country: United Kingdom/United States of America
Release Date: 17 July 2026
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway
Christopher Nolan, one of the most famous directors of our time, is back with his latest project after Oppenheimer. This will be his 13th film as a director.
The movie is adapted from Homer’s epic The Odyssey, telling the story of the hero Odysseus who, after the war, embarks on a long and perilous journey home, encountering giants and mysterious mythological creatures along the way.
This is Nolan’s first time working with such a subject, and it’s expected to differ from his usual style. With a budget of around US$250 million, it will be the most expensive film of his career. In addition to the main characters, the cast includes Robert Pattinson, Elliot Page, Charlize Theron, and Zendaya.
What’s especially intriguing is how Nolan – known for his dedication to effects – will bring Homer’s mythical monsters to life. In addition, The Odyssey will be the first feature film in history shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Look Back
Country: Japan
Release date: Summer, 2026
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring: TBA
Palme d’or winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda is set to follow up his critically lauded work Monsters (2023) with a live-action adaptation of the one-shot manga, Look Back.
Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto – best known for the serialised manga Chainsaw Man – Look Back focuses on Ayumu Fujino, a young girl who undergoes a profound journey to becoming a manga artist after developing a special bond with a reclusive teenage girl named Kyomoto.
On his reasons for wanting to do the first-ever live adaptation of Fujimoto’s work, Koeda said in a video that he was instantly drawn to the manga’s cover art after first encountering the book in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station. The manga, he said, was “very invigorating,” so much so that he “read it in one go that night.”
After meeting Fujimoto, Kore-eda felt compelled to turn the work into a film in much the same way as the artist, whom he was convinced had to complete the graphic novel in order to “keep moving forward.” Shooting ultimately began in February 2025 in Nikano City, with the crew shooting across the four seasons.
A trailer was released on 22 December, although no specific release date has been set yet. If you can’t wait, check out the anime adaptation released in 2024.
Dune: Part Three
Country: United States of America
Release Date: 18 December 2026
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa
The film: Dune: Part Three will be Denis Villeneuve’s final film in the Dune saga. It is adapted from the second novel in the series, Dune Messiah, though the movie is expected to skip directly to events set 12 years after the first novel, rather than continuing from the ending of part two.
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya will reprise their roles, while Robert Pattinson joins the cast as the villain Scytale. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer will once again provide the score.
Since the film is still some time away from release, few details have been announced. But one major point of interest is that its release date coincides with Marvel’s blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday. This has sparked lively debate over whether history might repeat itself – similar to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon of 2023 when Barbie and Oppenheimer premiered on the same day.
Hope
Country: South Korea
Release date: TBA, 2026
Director: Na Hong-jin
Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender
South Korean director Na Hong-jin will return in 2026 with the science-fiction thriller, Hope, his first film since 2016’s The Wailing. As per Variety, Hope will centre around Hope Harbour, a village located near North and South Korea’s heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). The villagers’ lives are upended by the arrival of a tiger, although the emergency quickly escalates into a more profound and sinister situation that sees them reckon with extraterrestrial forces.
Currently in post-production, Hope features a strong cast of actors that include Hwang Jung-min in the role of a local police chief, Zo In-Sung as a local, and Jung Ho-yeon, who plays an up-and-coming police officer. A number of non-South Korean actors will also make appearances, including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton, who will each play the aliens.
Speaking to Variety, Na said that he was “deeply grateful to the actors,” as “they conveyed everything this film set out to capture with remarkable talent and focus.”
– With reporting by Don Lei and Kenny Fong
