10 films we can’t wait to see

2026 has already been a phenomenal time for cinemagoers, with science-fiction masterpieces likeProject Hail Mary and fun, family adventures likeThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Better yet, there are even more excellent releases on the way, particularly this summer.

When it comes to summer films, thrilling action-adventures and superhero flicks usually dominate due to their intense, high-energy, and (largely) positive vibes. Who doesn’t want to watch a movie where hope and adventure are the main themes?

2026’s summer films aren’t exactly defying expectations in that regard, with plenty of big franchises (particularly of the superhero variety) either returning or making their debut on the silver screen to entice fans back into the theater. However, for movie fans who enjoy quieter and more thought-provoking films, there’s still plenty for you to peruse this summer.

From creepypasta horror to superhero extravaganzas, here are the 10 movies we’re most looking forward to seeing this summer.

10

Backrooms (May 29)

From a YouTube series to a highly anticipated A24 horror movie, Backrooms might just be the biggest film of the summer (at least for a certain type of theatergoer). A24 bought the rights to adapt Kane Parsons’ viral videos in 2023 and brought the 20-year-old director along for the ride.

The A24 film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Martian, Doctor Strange) as Clarke, a failed architect who believes he’s found a “dimension beyond reality” at the back of a furniture store and begins to explore it. When Clarke goes missing, his therapist Mary (Sentimental Value star Renate Reinsve) has little choice but to go after him.

Parsons uses many of the same filmmaking tools that fueled his original YouTube series, including the free 3D modeling software Blender, but combines them with Hollywood know-how (and some help from horror movie magnate James Wan) to create something truly unique.

9

Masters of the Universe (June 5)

Mattel’s Masters of the Universe action figures, introduced to the world in 1982, are getting their own movie this June. The last time we saw a live-action take on this colossal franchise was back in Dolph Lundgren’s 1987, so He-Man getting a modern spin has been a long time coming.

Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee, Kubo and the Two Strings) and based on a screenplay by Chris Butler (Kubo and the Two Strings, ParaNorman), Masters of the Universe follows Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White and Royal Blue) as Prince Adam.

After crash-landing on Earth as a young child, Adam became separated from his magical Sword of Power. Two decades later, the young Prince finds his blade again and is whisked back home to defend Eternia from the diabolical, evil forces of Skeletor (Jared Leto).

Masters of the Universe leans into the character designs of the action figures and pairs them with bombastic setpieces. With big names like Idris Elba and a compelling story to boot, will He-Man meet the high standards set by Barbie? Let’s hope so.

8

Scary Movie 6 (June 5)

Image: Paramount

If you’re in the mood for less action and more laughs, you’re in luck: You can drop He-Man and head over to the next screen in your movie theater to see the long-awaited return of the horror spoof franchise: Scary Movie 6.

Over a decade has passed since Scary Movie’s last venture, which means co-stars/co-creators Marlon and Shawn Wayans (White Chicks) have plenty of horror material to choose from. The trailer gave us a glimpse of several horror movie references, including M3GAN, Get Out, Sinners, and, of course, the ever-reliable Scream. It also looks as though the newest addition is wading into controversy with jokes about gender pronouns and modern politics. Scary Movie 6’s tagline wasn’t kidding when it said every line will be crossed.

Regardless of any controversy, the biggest win for Scary Movie 6 has to be the return of the franchise’s cast. Alongside the Wayans, Anna Faris and Regina Hall are set to reprise their roles as Cindy and Brenda — a duo so iconic it wouldn’t be the same without them.

7

Disclosure Day (June 12)

Image: Universal Pictures

With movies like E.T. and War of the Worlds under his belt, we should have known that Steven Spielberg’s next movie was going to be 1) a little strange and 2) somehow involve UFOs.

When a trailer is released, you typically have an idea of what’s going on. However, Disclosure Day flipped the script, leaving us more confused than ever. It’s hard not to feel puzzled watching Emily Blunt gurgle, gargle, and make strange noises as an alien host potentially takes control of her body.

Spielberg loves to tackle extraterrestrial life and how both it and Earth would react if the two could communicate. It doesn’t look like Disclosure Day will be as wholesome as E.T., but the mystery and thrill of not knowing what’s coming next when alien life meets humanity will have our butts firmly parked in our seats come June 12.

6

Toy Story 5 (June 19)

To the chagrin of everyone who couldn’t stand Toy Story 4, the Toy Story franchise refuses to stop making movies. Yet, while we can certainly see why some viewers are over the adventures of Woody (Tom Hanks) and co, we would be lying if we said Pixar’s Toy Story 5 trailer reveal didn’t leave us curious.

Woody (Tom Hanks) and friends have always faced extinction events throughout the series, either because their owners grow up (Andy in Toy Story 3) or because shinier, newer toys are introduced (the whole premise of the original Toy Story). This time, however, the toys are facing something even more terrifying: a tablet computer. With this new device on the scene, the toys’ current owner, Bonnie, is at risk of becoming an iPad Kid. Heartbreaking.

5

Supergirl (June 26)

Image: Warner Bros.

Last year, James Gunn’s Superman made superheroes feel relevant and punk-rock again. Whether I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie will achieve the same with Supergirl remains to be seen, but from what we’ve glimpsed of Gillespie’s vision so far, it’s looking good.

Adapting the critically acclaimed 2022 comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow from writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely, Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl (Milly Alcock), who teams up with alien girl Ruthye (Eve Ridley) to get revenge on the villainous Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) after he kills Ruthye’s father and then shoots Supergirl’s dog, Krypto. Hey, if he shot a dog and killed a guy, we’d say he had it coming.

4

The Odyssey (July 17)

Image: Universal Pictures

The Odyssey is one of the most monumental stories in Western literary history, so it’s no surprise we’re eager to see how director Christopher Nolan brings the ancient Greek epic to the silver screen.

Starring major names such as Matt Damon as the legendary king of Ithaca, Odysseus, and Tom Holland as his son, Telemachus, Nolan’s Odyssey follows the king’s journey home after the ten-year-long Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters a truly eye-watering array of perils and obstacles, many of which cost him many friends and fellow soldiers.

Nolan is renowned for his stylish films, and despite silly debates over “historical accuracy,” we’re excited to see how his interpretation of the Odyssey will distinguish itself from the countless adaptations that have preceded it.

3

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)

Image: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

It’s Spidey Summer, and Marvel is determined to make Tom Holland’s latest venture as Spider-Man the most memorable one yet.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day kicks off after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which featured three very different versions of Peter Parker teaming up to fight a swath of different villains from Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery across the multiverse. However, the film’s resolution meant that everyone’s memories of Peter as Spider-Man were wiped. The result is a Peter who has to start again without the support system that has so defined him throughout the previous films.

Along with an eye-watering number of villains, Brand New Day looks as though it’ll be adapting several different comic plotlines too. Let’s hope director Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) gives both comic and casual fans of Spider-Man a cinematic adventure they’ll be talking about for years to come.

2

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (August 7)

Image: Mubi

If you’re going to put Gillian Anderson (X-Files) and Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) in the same film, you bet we’ll be excited to go watch. However, if you also let slip that Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is being directed by I Saw The TV Glow’s Jane Schoenbrun, then it’s guaranteed we’ll be seated.

Schoenbrun has proven herself a master at exploring the relationship among growing up, queerness, and technology through the lens of horror. This time around, the director is diving into the roots of ’80s horror with an older cast, with Einbinder starring as a queer director who is put in charge of handling an in-universe slasher series, Camp Miasma. Anderson will star as the “final girl,” reappearing one more time.

The trailer hints that the film will be as violent as it is sexy, and perhaps also examine our relationship with nostalgia and horror. If anyone can make that compelling, it’s Schoenbrun.

1

The End of Oak Street (August 14)

The End of Oak Street dares to ask: What if your entire street were picked up and moved somewhere else? It’s a concept that sounds a little silly on paper, but when you throw in producer J.J. Abrams and director David Robert Mitchell (It Follows), it’s not hard for your expectations to quickly change.

The film follows the Platts, with Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) starring as the mom and dad of the family at the center of the story. A tense trailer reveals they’re the perfect family, but their happiness is threatened when they realize their entire neighborhood — and life as they know it — has changed.

How much it’s changed remains to be seen, but given that we see two of the Platt children seemingly running from a Tyrannosaurus rex, we don’t think this will blow over by the weekend.