There are hundreds of movies coming out in 2026. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the options to choose from. Luckily, I have selected several movies that I am looking forward to in 2026, which will hopefully appeal to others as well. As a high schooler who loves most movie genres (except horror, with some exceptions), it was not difficult to find my top movies coming out next year. While I cannot share the plot of the movies, I will provide summaries of past releases and explain why I am excited for the new releases. Grab some popcorn, snuggle up in a blanket, and explore the movies provided in this list.
1. Spiderman: Brand New Day
Release Date: July 31
1. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017): Peter, a high school student, is trying to show Tony Stark (Iron Man) that he is capable of stopping Vulture’s alien tech crimes, and shows his true heroism.
2. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019): After Endgame, Peter deals with the grief of losing Mr. Stark on his school trip to Europe. He joins Mysterio, who is discovered to be a villain later on in the movie, and uses his EDITH glasses that he inherited from Stark to stop this rising villain.
3. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021): Everyone knows Peter’s identity, which leads him to Doctor Strange for help. Doctor Strange creates a spell that can erase people’s memories, but the multiverse shatters and brings other villains from different realities, forcing Peter to make bold choices for his future.
Ever since my brother introduced me to the Marvel Universe during my 7th-grade summer, I have loved the Spider-Man movies (Tom Holland’s version, of course). I believe that since it is the more modern version of the live-action Spider-Man movies, I have enjoyed it more than the other versions. The movies have been full of present-day humor, and there are so many insanely good plot twists that I never know what to expect. I am excited to see what kind of plot twists the next movie will bring in 2026.
2. Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date: December 18
1. The Avengers (2012): Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. creates an amazing team to stop Loki (Thor’s brother) from opening a portal that would leave New York City vulnerable to an alien invasion. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye use teamwork to save the world.
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): Tony Stark and Bruce Banner devise an AI program named Ultron; however, this AI program comes alive and tries to eliminate humanity. The Avengers come together to defeat Ultron and his army from worldwide devastation.
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Thanos, the universe’s biggest threat, is collecting all 6 Infinity Stones. His goal is to eliminate half of the population in the universe, but the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and allies come up with a plan. This plan fails, however, and half of the universe’s population is wiped out.
4. Avengers: Endgame (2019): The last of the Avengers finds a way to reverse Thanos’s finger snap five years prior. Using time travel to regain the Infinity Stones brings both sides together for an epic final battle, resulting in devastating sacrifices for the good of the universe.
Avengers: Endgame came out almost 7 years ago. I watched it 5 years ago. In my opinion, that was the grand finale of the Avengers. I was upset when they killed most of the original characters in the movie, and in each of their individual shows afterwards. It seemed like that was the end. Marvel started making new, unimpressive characters to take their place, though. To some relief, they kept some of the original cast alive and active. Phew. There are also some returning characters in this upcoming movie, such as Robert Downey Jr. as the main villain, Doctor Doom, and Captain America. Though I miss Iron Man, I am excited to witness Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America in theaters! I believe this movie will be a major disappointment, despite the awesome cast. An amazing movie needs an amazing storyline, and this movie simply does not have the plot to do that. Maybe I will be proven wrong, who knows? On a happier note, I missed all of the Avengers movie releases because I was so young, and now I get to witness an Avengers movie! I am super excited!
3. Jumanji 3
Release Date: December 11
1. Jumanji (1995): Alan Parrish, a youngster, finds a magical board game. He is sucked into the game for 26 years when two kids, Judy and Peter, start playing years later. They find Sarah Whittle, Alan’s friend, and are forced to finish the game despite giant bugs, monkeys, and stampedes that create havoc in their town.
2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017): Spencer, Martha, Fridge, and Bethany get detention from their high school teachers and find an old video game while doing chores in the basement. Once they pick their avatars (Bravestone, Ruby Roundhose, etc), they reveal their strengths and weaknesses. These four must team up to survive the jungle, find the “Jaguar’s Eye”, and beat Van Pelt, the villain, thus winning the game.
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019): Spencer gets stuck in the game again, so the gang decides to go after him, but the glitching system brings unexpected family members as avatars (Eddie-Spencer’s grandpa, and Milo-Eddie’s ex-business partner) as well as new levels (deserts, snowy mountains, etc).
I turn on the Jumanji movies when my family needs a good laugh. These movies are filled with timeless humor and action-packed scenes, all done by a popular cast that works so well together. I am grateful that the original Jumanji sparked the creation of the other modern Jumanji movies, because those were the movies that I grew up watching. In the newer movies, I especially loved Jack Black’s gender switches, Dwayne Johnson’s nerdy personality despite his size, Kevin Hart’s fiestiness, and Karen Gillan’s awkwardness. With newer actors contributing to the last movie, they all made these movies memorable. I am super stoked to see where the next movie leads the Jumanji series.
4. The Angry Birds 3 Movie
Release Date: December 23
1. The Angry Birds Movie (2016): The angry bird, Red, is forced to go to anger management class, where he meets speedy Chuck and explosive Bomb. The friendly green pigs arrive, but Red’s caught on to their plan of stealing the baby bird eggs. Red’s plan includes his new friends finding ways to sneak up on the pigs’ islands and get the eggs back. His plan works, and he becomes a hero.
2. The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019): Red, Chuck, and Bomb became heroes after the first war with the pigs, but a new problem arises from the icy Eagle Island, where the villainess Zeta lives. Red devises a new plan with his friends, the pigs, Silver (Chuck’s sister), and the Mighty Eagle to stop Zeta’s plot to take over the world.
Similar to the Jumanji movies, the Angry Birds movies bring out a lot of laughs at my house. The one big difference is that it is an animated movie. The funny animations and voice actors really bring these movies to life. My dad and I especially love the Lake of Wisdom scene in the first movie! Some newer voice actors will make an appearance in the next movie, my favorite being Walker Scobell (I am a huge Percy Jackson fan). I believe this next movie will have lots of humor, but the plot might strain a little.
5. Minions 3
Release Date: July 1
1. Minions (2015): The beloved Minions started their lives serving several villains until Scarlet Overkill came into their path in 1968. Bob accidentally became King, which led the entire crew to be discovered by young Gru.
2. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022): Gru, a young dreamer in the 1970s, wanted to become a supervillain. The Vicious Six appears to be Gru’s first battle with his Minions, which is chaotic to say the least.
The Minions movie series has been going back in time to before the Despicable Me movies. I love all of the background information on how the minions came to be and how their relationship with Gru began. When I was younger, my favorite minion was Bob, and still is to this day. The Despicable Me movies do not really capture Bob’s adorableness, but the Minion movies give me a couple of hours’ worth. I believe these movies never disappoint, so I expect greatness from this next movie. I cannot wait to see Bob again!
6. Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19
1. Toy Story (1995): Andy, a cowboy through and through, loves his Sheriff Woody toy, but on his birthday, a new Buzz Lightyear toy seems to replace Woody. The adventures Buzz and Woody endure outside Andy’s house end up next door at the neighbor’s, Sid’s house, the psycho kid who disables toys. They find their way back home, safe with Andy in the end.
2. Toy Story 2 (1999): A toy collector comes and steals Woody; however, Woody finds out he is part of a collection called Woody’s Roundup. He meets Jessie and Bullseye and is forced to choose between going to a museum and returning to Andy while Buzz leads a rescue mission.
3. Toy Story 3 (2010): All grown up, Andy is off to college, and his toys accidentally get donated to Sunnyside, a daycare center. This daycare is led by Lotso, a large, pink teddy bear who acts friendly but is secretly a villain. Lotso runs the daycare center like a prison; when new toys arrive, like Woody’s gang, he sends them to the toddler section of the daycare center (the kids who play roughly with their toys), while the older toys, like Lotso, are in the softer, respected older kid section. Woody devises a plan to save Andy’s toys when a new little girl, Bonnie, enters the story.
4. Toy Story 4 (2019): As Bonnie creates storylines with Woody and her new toys, she also creates a new toy named Forky. Woody bumps into Bo Peep, who was lost long ago, and Woody wonders what life is like with Bo Peep. He makes a bold choice to leave Bonnie’s toys and explore the world with Bo Peep and no owner.
If you have not noticed already, I love animated movies. I love Toy Story, as I am sure most people do. I watch these movies often, and they never get old. In the last movie, though, I was upset when Woody left with Bo Peep. This is another movie that I think will disappoint viewers because of the straying storyline. What could happen next? I have my fingers crossed that this movie will be as successful as the other movies!
7. Michael
Release Date: April 24
I usually am not into documentaries, but I have recently gotten into Michael Jackson’s music and life story. Last year, my favorite music artists referenced him by doing his famous vocal tics and signature dance moves, leading me to learning bits and pieces about him. I did not realize how much of a grip he had on the world until recently, and I am excited to discover more about his life and his career by watching this documentary next year!
These movies bond people together. These movies distract people from their troubles, if only for a couple of hours. These movies are something to look forward to. The entertainment industry creates amazing cinematic films of all genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Horror, Animation, Romance, etc. These genres shape us into who we are or who we want to be. These movies I presented in this list make me who I am and represent who I want to be. I want to be a courageous underdog like Spider-Man. I want to find my people and fight beside them as the Avengers and the Jumanji squad did. I want to have humor similar to Red, Chuck, and Bomb. I am silly, and I love bananas, so I am basically a minion. I am struggling to find my purpose like the toys in Toy Story. Lastly, I aspire to have the lasting influence of Michael Jackson someday, if only a small one. Looking into places you never would have considered before, such as your favorite movies or those you’re eager to explore, can reveal a lot about yourself if you’re willing to delve a bit deeper.
If you would like to delve into more movies coming out in 2026 (and maybe find out more about yourself in the process), here is the link I used to discover the extraordinary finds above: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature&release_date=2026-01-01,2026-12-31
