With last month’s Academy Awards bringing an end to 2025’s cinematic year, it is time to look forward to the upcoming movies of 2026. Recent releases, including “Project Hail Mary” and “The Drama,” have already seized public attention, setting up what is likely to be an impressive year for the film industry. Here are some of the most anticipated movies of the summer.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
The cultural phenomenon “The Devil Wears Prada” was a defining moment of the 2000s fashion scene. Twenty years later, the sequel is here to carry on the legacy. On May 1, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” will bring style and sass back to the big screen. The film will follow the iconic Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and her former assistant-turned-rival executive Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) as they compete in a high-stakes advertising world where print media is going extinct. Andy Sachs’ (Anne Hathaway) return will add fuel to the fire of these shifting powers as Miranda’s Runway magazine struggles to survive. The comedy/drama will bring back director David Frenkel and is sure to inspire both nostalgia and new excitement.
Backrooms
A24’s “Backrooms” is based on the YouTube series by the same name, originally created by filmmaker Kane Parsons. Parsons also directed the movie, which follows a therapist (Renate Reinsve) searching for her patient who has disappeared into a liminal dimension formed by never-ending yellow rooms. Fans of Parson’s YouTube series, posted under the account “Kane Pixels,” are sure to love the film’s loyalty to the found-footage genre and the iconic setting of the backrooms. This sci-fi/horror movie will be released on May 29.
Scary Movie 6
Another callback to the 2000s, “Scary Movie 6” is the newest installment of the horror-parody franchise. The original “Scary Movie” was released in 2000 to mock the popular horror films of the 1990s, and its vulgar comedy made it an instant hit. The sixth addition – directed by Michael Tiddes and written largely by returners Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Ivory Wayans – will bring back Anna Faris and Regina Hall as the first four films’ protagonists, Cindy and Brenda. It will carry on spoofing modern horror films, such as “Scream” (2022), “Halloween” (2018), “The Substance,” “The Conjuring” and “Smile.” For a camp, slapstick take on slasher tropes, catch it in theaters on June 12.
Supergirl
“Supergirl,” releasing June 26, is a DCU film based on the Tom King comic. This sci-fi/action movie tells the story of Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock), also known as Supergirl, and her search for vengeance following a ruthless attack that hits too close to home. With an unlikely companion (Eve Ridley) at her side, she travels the universe in search of revenge, as well as where she truly belongs. Directed by Craig Gillespie and featuring Jason Momoa as alien bounty hunter Lobo, the film is set after the events of “Superman” (2025). For any fans of DC or feel-good superhero stories, this is sure to be a stirring and engaging watch.
The Odyssey
From acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, “The Odyssey” follows the ten-year voyage of Odysseus (Matt Damon) as recounted in Homer’s epic poem by the same name. The king of Ithaca must return home following the Trojan War, and his tempestuous journey back to his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), is one of great renown. With other notable actors like Zendaya (Athena), Robert Pattinson (Antinous), Ben Safdie (Agamemnon), Jon Bernthal (Menelaus), and Elliot Page, as well as three-time Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, this movie is loaded with talent. Its release on July 17 will no doubt bring a powerful energy to theaters with its impressive cast and crew and iconic storyline.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Nearly five years after the hugely successful release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Tom Holland finally returns as Peter Parker – only no one remembers him. The continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) takes place four years after the shattering events of “No Way Home,” following Peter as he navigates being Spiderman all on his own. He no longer has the support of his friends, MJ Watson (Zendaya) and Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) and is struggling with a strange evolution of his spider-like abilities. With villains like Scorpion and Tombstone, as well as a new secret character played by Sadie Sink, this will be an exciting and highly anticipated return to the screen for Spiderman. Catch it in theaters July 31.