Films to watch in 2026

2026 gets off to a very strong start with Chloe Zhao’s awards-tipped Hamnet, the sweet and sentimental Rental Family, and Park Chan-wook’s pitch black satirical comedy No Other Choice all gracing our screens in the first few weeks of the year. 

Looking past those, there is a slew of arthouse-leaning films which were amongst the best films I saw at Cannes that I want to put on your radar if they’re not already. These are Kristen Stewart’s rough and raw directorial debut The Chronology of Water, experimental German drama Sound of Falling, Icelandic family drama The Love That Remains, and powerful historical adaptation Two Prosecutors. 

In terms of big blockbuster films coming our way next year, it’s hard to look past Steven Spielberg’s UFO sci-fi Disclosure Day, and of course Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey this summer. The anticipation for both is already huge, so I’m excited to see if they will live up to expectations. 

And lastly, there are two films with links to Dundee which I saw at Toronto International Film Festival that I can’t wait to bring back home to this wonderful city: California Schemin’ – James McAvoy’s directorial debut which tells the true story of two young Dundonians who achieved a record deal and fame in the early 2000s by pretending to be American rappers. It’s a wild ride from start to finish! And Glenrothan – Brian Cox’s love letter to Scotland starring himself and Alan Cumming. 

There are so, so many cinematic treats coming your way in 2026 – see you at the cinema!

It’s always interesting to look at the year ahead; there will undoubtedly be great films that we don’t even know exist yet, and I can’t wait to discover exciting new films and filmmakers in 2026. 

Top of my list is Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, currently in post-production. Hopefully we see it released in 2026. There’s still a good bit of mystery around the film, but it sounds like another exploration and excavation of the pop culture which has informed and influenced Schoenbrun’s unique, fearless and proudly queer artistic voice. In this case, Schoenbrun is turning their eye on the humble slasher film. For my money, Schoenbrun is one of horror’s leading lights. I can’t wait. 

The Moment is an upcoming A24 mockumentary where Charli XCX stars as a version of herself as she tours her world-conquering brat album, with comedic support from Alexander Skarsgård, Rachel Sennott and Jamie Demetriou. If that hasn’t sold it to you, I don’t know what to say.

Perpetually controversial American auteur Gregg Araki returns with his first film in over a decade, an erotic thriller bearing the extremely Araki title I Want Your Sex. Co-written with host and creator of Slutever Karley Sciortino, and starring Cooper Hoffman, Olivia Wilde, Johnny Knoxville and Charli XCX, it is sure to be anything but dull. It has just been announced for the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January, so hopefully it sees a UK cinema release in 2026. 

Just to illustrate how often plans and release dates can change, both David Lowery’s Mother Mary and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! were on my list of films to watch for 2025, but have since moved to 2026 releases. I’m happy to say that I am still looking forward to seeing them both! 

One of the most exciting films of 2026 is showing now – Sentimental Value scores on its impressive festival track record and a trailer that locks you in at first sight. Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård are actors at the heights of their powers, this is unmissable.

Having assembled an impressive ensemble including Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, and Emma D'Arcy Digger ticks a lot of boxes, and is touted as Tom Cruise's bid for Oscar glory. Billed as a comedy, Cruise's cowboy-booted spade-swinger could be the actor's most challenging role since Magnolia. Intrigue is high!

Then there's a high-stakes industry story to watch, as we await the release of two huge films both set to be released on Fri 18 December.

Hoping to reclaim the heyday of the MCU, Marvel has staked out the date for the return of its most beloved characters in Avengers: Doomsday. No holds are barred, Robert Downey Jr is back, and anticipation is sky high. 

So, what bluster to see the epic Dune: Part Three also scheduled for this date! Could it be that two box office juggernauts collide on the same day, just like Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023? Or will one film flinch? And when can we start calling it Avengers: DUNEsday?

I’m looking forward to watching Sirât, by Oliver Laxe. Ever since it premiered in Cannes last year, where it received the Jury Prize with Sound of Falling, there’s been a lot of buzz around this film. 

Set in the Moroccan desert, the film follows a father, played by Sergi López (a brilliant actor, who you might remember as Ophelia’s cruel stepfather in Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth), who goes on a quest to find his missing daughter together with his youngest son and a group of ravers. 

Laxe has built a name with his daring and unfettered approach to narrative filmmaking, and I was very intrigued by his cinema ever since I watched his debut film Todos vós sodes capitáns, which doesn’t shy away from revealing the challenges of participatory documentary filmmaking. Loved and hated in equal measure, Sirât promises to be a cinematic experience best experienced on a large screen to fully immerse yourself in the impressive desert landscapes and hypnotic sound system of the rave parties.

I also can’t wait to watch Arco, a French animated sci-fi directed by Ugo Bienvenu which also premiered at Cannes last year; and later went on to receive the prestigious Crystal Award for Best Feature at Annecy International Animated Film Festival. 

With lots of cinematic references to indulge in and plenty of adventure, Arco is truly a film to be enjoyed by adults and children alike. It’s the story of an unlikely friendship between Arco, a 10-year-old boy who lives in the year 2932 and time-travels to the year 2075, where he meets Iris, a girl of the same age, who will help Arco return to his time. Tackling topics such as climate change, technology and loneliness, the film is nevertheless an ode to life, celebrating imagination and the enduring bonds of friendship.