2026 is the year theatrical cinema bets the entire house. Three big singles 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. This is the singles chart, sorted.
SINGLE 01 Tier one: The lock-ins
The Odyssey (July 17)
Christopher Nolan adapting Homer, shot entirely on IMAX cameras — a first for any feature film. The credits read like a festival lineup: 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 (December 18)
Marvel's first true ensemble event since Endgame. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Doctor Doom. Russos return to direct. Hemsworth, Mackie, Hiddleston, Pugh, Rudd — plus the X-Men and Fantastic Four. The MCU's biggest swing.
Dune: Part Three (December 18)
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.
SINGLE 02 Tier two: The wild cards
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)
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 (March 20)
Ryan Gosling as Andy Weir's reluctant astronaut, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Built like The Martian but stranger.
Wuthering Heights (February 13)
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in Emerald Fennell's adaptation. Either an instant classic or a divisive misfire — Fennell does not do middle ground.
SINGLE 03 Tier three: Worth a ticket
The Mandalorian and Grogu (May), the first Star Wars feature in years. Supergirl (June 26), 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.
SINGLE 04 The standings
Of the documentary slate keeping pace with the big-budget releases, our documentary deep cuts has the picks worth your evening. For more in Singles, or flip to On Rotation for the streaming side, or Albums for series.
