1. Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date: December 18, 2026
At number one, it has to be Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel is back and going all out with this movie. With the cast set, it’s being set up as a huge turning point for the MCU. After some downtime in the past years, Marvel is attempting to bring back that “event movie” feeling that made Infinity War and Endgame so special. There are so many crossovers, character returns, and Doomsday already feels like the movie everyone will be talking about at the end of 2026.
2. The Odyssey
Release Date: July 17, 2026
Coming in at number two is The Odyssey. After winning 7 Oscars for Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan is back to create a film based on the best-selling book, The Odyssey. Big-budget adaptations of legendary stories don’t happen very often, and when they do, they can be incredible if done right. The cast is stacked and the vision is crazy, but no one can do it except for Christopher Nolan. The Odyssey looks like the kind of movie that’s meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible. I’m calling it now, The Odyssey will win, if not more, close to 7 Oscars next year.
3. Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release Date: July 31, 2026
Spider-Man is back again, and the new movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is at number three on my list. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is expected to take Peter Parker in a new direction after everything that happened in the last trilogy. Details are still pretty limited, but the title alone suggests a reset of sorts. Spider-Man movies have always been fan favorites especially with Tom Holland still in the lead role. This movie has a lot of potential to redefine the character for a new era.
4. Dune: Part Three
Release Date: December 18, 2026
On the same release date as Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three is at number four on my list. After how visually stunning and intense the first two films were, it’s hard not to trust Denis Villeneuve to stick the landing. The Dune movies have proven that sci-fi can be smart, emotional, and epic all at once. If this film is just as good as the last two, the trilogy might go down as one of the greatest of all time. Even though it might not be for everyone, this is one of the most important releases of the year.
5. Super Mario Galaxy (The Movie)
Release Date: April 3, 2026
Lastly, at number five, it is Super Mario Galaxy (The Movie). After the massive success of The Super Mario Bros Movie, Nintendo is back to continue expanding its cinematic universe. Galaxy is one of the most beloved Mario games ever, and bringing that creative, space-themed world to the big screen has a ton of potential. Releasing the earliest out of these five movies, I will definitely be going to see this in theaters. With Chris Pratt and Jack Black both back in their lead roles, I bet this movie will kick off the year strong.
