Planning your 2026 around movies? This month-by-month calendar collects the year's biggest confirmed releases in one place. Bookmark it, share it with your movie group, and check back — because while studios announce dates early, they also love moving them. Everything below uses confirmed dates; where a date is not fully locked, we say so.
January to March: A Strong Start
January opens with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple on January 16 — Danny Boyle's return to the rage-virus world. February 27 brings Scream 7, keeping the slasher franchise alive for a new generation. March belongs to sci-fi: Project Hail Mary lands March 20, with Ryan Gosling as a lone astronaut on a desperate mission. Three months, three genres — 2026 wastes no time. A horror opener in January sets a high bar for the rest of the year.
April to June: Spring Blockbusters
April kicks off with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on April 3, Nintendo's animated follow-up to its billion-dollar hit. The Michael Jackson biopic Michael arrives April 24, aiming for awards-season glory. May is stacked: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1), Mortal Kombat II (May 15), and The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22) — fashion, fighting, and Star Wars in a single month. June brings Disclosure Day (June 12), Toy Story 5 (June 19), and Supergirl (June 26).
July to September: Peak Summer
July is the year's Mount Everest. Minions 3 (July 1) opens the month for families, followed by the live-action Moana (July 10). Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey lands July 17 in IMAX, Evil Dead Burn terrifies on July 24, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings in July 31. September keeps the DC momentum with Clayface on September 11 — a horror-tinged corner of the new DC universe. July alone is worth planning ahead for any serious moviegoer.
October to December: The Holiday Run
October 16 brings Street Fighter for fighting-game fans. November 20 delivers The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel set in Panem's brutal Second Quarter Quell era. December is the grand finale: Jumanji 3 (December 11), Avengers: Doomsday (December 18), and Werwulf (December 25), plus Dune: Part Three and Shrek 5 expected in December. No other month packs this much firepower.
Why Dates Change — and How to Keep Up
Release dates move for three reasons: production delays, dodging a rival blockbuster, and chasing a holiday weekend. Treat any date more than six months out as provisional. To stay current: follow the studios on social media, enable notifications from a movie-ticket app, and re-check this calendar before booking travel or parties around a premiere. Ask SawalAI anytime — "what's coming out next month?" — for a free, up-to-date rundown. Checking back regularly means you will never miss an important premiere.