Pop the popcorn and throw in some Milk Duds, because 2026 is bringing movie theaters back in full swing.
The movie industry is on track to hit $9 billion at the domestic box office in 2026, marking the first time in a decade it has reached this milestone. After years of disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, labor strikes and the rise of streaming platforms, ticket sales plummeted as audiences changed how they consumed film.
Despite these setbacks, 2026 is shaping up to be the best year in film since before the pandemic, with smash-hit releases like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary.”
With a healthy mix of the blockbuster franchise titles, alluring genre films and new projects from critically acclaimed filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan and Jordan Peele, 2026 is the year of movie revivals.
Starting the summer strong, Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep return to the silver screen in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” stirring fans of the original 2006 comedy.
Following this trend of revivals, Andrew Stanton’s “Toy Story 5” brings Buzz and Woody back to the theaters after 15 years, and Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian & Grogu” is putting “Star Wars” on the silver screen for the first time since J.J. Abrams’ “The Rise of Skywalker.”
The Marvel franchise is also set to release two long-awaited films, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “Avengers: Doomsday,” the first Avengers movie in 7 years, bringing back beloved characters with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston and others reprising their roles.
2026 will also mark the closing of Denis Villeneuve’s popular sci-fi trilogy with “Dune: Part Three,” and the release of Francis Lawrence’s “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” starring Joseph Zada as an adolescent version of the fan-favorite Haymitch.
Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson and Karen Gillan are also set to continue their video game story in “Jumanji: Open World,” serving as the “Jumanji” franchise’s final film.
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded films of 2026, featuring Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway.
After years of uncertainty in the film industry, it’s clear that 2026 has revived the revered pastime of moviegoing.