Moviegoing in 2026 looks to be a banner year for movie fans with many offerings that will make a trip to your local movie theater a big priority. Part One of Movies To Look Forward To In 2026 got you all the way through May, and now it’s time to look at what June and the rest of the summer movie season has to offer.
Masters of the Universe (June 5)
While 1987’s Masters of the Universe remains a guilty pleasure for most of us who grew up with it, a new live-action adaptation of the Mattel franchise is certainly welcomed, especially since it’s being helmed by Travis Knight. Written by Christopher John Butler, Aaton and Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham, the new Masters of the Universe begins when a ten-year-old Adam Glenn (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt as Young Adam, Nicholas Galitzine as an adult) crash-lands on Earth, thus separating him from his ancestor’s Power Sword of Grayskull. After two decades, Adam takes on the mantle of He-Man and begins to battle for his home planet of Eternia against the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto). All jokes aside about the 1987 film, it will be nice to get a definitive live-action version of this brand, possibly, and given the fact that Knight delivered the best Transformers film with Bumblebee, among his other efforts, that’s reason alone to get excited for what this film has to offer. Throw in an ensemble cast that also includes Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, James Purefoy, and more, and Masters of the Universe could turn into one of he biggest surprises of the summer.
Disclosure Day (June 12)
When Steven Spielberg’s next film was announced, all we needed to hear was that it was the next event film from the acclaimed director. With the first trailer for what we now know as Disclosure Day released to the masses, the project remains shrouded in some mystery, but there are signs as to what the film will explore. What we know is that it’s a UFO film based on Spielberg’s original idea with a screenplay assist from one of his more frequent collaborators, David Koepp. A more detailed look indicates that the movie will see humanity having to confront the proof that extraterrestrial life exists and how that impacts us all on a global level. Do they mean us harm, Independence Day style, or is this more of a we come in peace Close Encounters of the Third Kind endeavor? We don’t know yet, but no one does this better than Spielberg, and here’s to hoping that they maintain the mystery all the way up to the film’s release date. The film’s first trailer was intriguing enough, and on top of Spielberg behind the camera, we get an ensemble cast that includes Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Eve Hewson, among others. Spielberg, aliens, and mystery? Count me all the way in.
Scary Movie 6 (June 12)
Competing with Steven Spielberg on June 12 is the return of the Wayans Bros. to the Scary Movie franchise with Scary Movie 6. It might turn out to be a double-feature weekend because their involvement with this sixth installment is a huge selling point for fans of the IP. As most know, Keenen Ivory Wayans directed the first two installments while his brothers Marlon and Shawn cranked out the scripts. When it came time to do a third film, Marlon had indicated that the brothers had asked the infamous Weinstein Brothers for a substantial raise but were denied, only for them to take their pitch and hand it over to David Zucker and his writing team. The Wayans were essentially pushed out for the third, fourth, and fifth installments, but with Miramax under new control, the decision was made to make things right and bring the Wayans back into the franchise where they rightfully belong. Keenen, Shawn, and Marlon will be taking on screenwriting duties alongside Rick Alvarez, while Michael Tiddes will be helming the project. No official word on what horror films the sixth film will be spoofing, but a reason to get excited is having Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Jon Abrahams, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, Dave Sheridan, and Chris Elliott all returning to the franchise. They’ll be joined by new faces such as Damon Wayans Jr., Kim Wayans, Heidi Gardner, Olivia Rose Keegan, and more to hopefully make Scary Movie 6 a return to form for the franchise.
Toy Story 5 (June 19)
In all honesty, the Toy Story franchise ended perfectly with the third film, but it can’t be denied that Toy Story 4 was far better than it had any right to be, considering it wasn’t entirely necessary. When Toy Story 5 was announced, it did lead to some eye rolls from some, but once the teaser dropped, and it was clear what the film would be exploring, it made the fifth movie seem like a project worth getting excited about. Written and directed by Andrew Stanton, Toy Story 5 sees Jessie (Joan Cusack) in charge of Bonnie’s room, with an assist from Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) after Woody (Tom Hanks) departed to help abandoned toy owners. However, it looks like Woody’s help is needed because Bonnie, now eight years old, has become fascinated by a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee) that may turn into a menacing plaything. The Toy Story franchise has always explored themes about growing up, and the idea of the film tackling young kids becoming enamored with technology rather than standard toys could lead to some hilarious and poignant commentary. While a fifth installment may not be all that necessary, it’s welcomed if it offers up something important to say with some of our favorite characters and a few brand new additions.
Supergirl (June 26)
While it might still divide fans, James Gunn’s Superman from last summer turned into a pleasant surprise for me and was a nice introduction into what his DC Universe would have to offer. One element introduced in that film at the movie’s end was Milly Alcock’s Kara Zor-El/Supergirl, who seemed less concerned with saving the world and more about having a good time during her brief appearance. With Supergirl, we’ll get to see more of Alcock in the titular role and continue to see how the new DC Universe is shaping up. Directed by Craig Gillespie from a screenplay by Ana Nogueira, Supergirl will see Kara Zor-El celebrating her 23rd birthday by traveling across the galaxy with her adorable dog Krypto only to find herself encountering a tragedy that will, as it’s described, lead her on a “murderous quest for revenge.” The first trailer for Supergirl did its job of establishing Kara Zor-El as someone who is a bit more punk rock and a bit more self-involved but it also showcases what will lead her to fight for more than herself (I suspect I know what it is but my mind can’t go there just yet). It just looks like a truly fun film and hopefully fans will enjoy this on its own merits rather than comparing it to what came before since the past is in the past and this version of the DCU is all about the future.
The Odyssey (July 17)
July does have other offerings before the 17th (Minions 3, the live-action Moana, the comedy Cut Off), but none are as nearly as exciting as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic Odyssey. Nolan’s name alone is enough to get audiences excited for his next endeavor, but the director is raising the bar even higher for himself this time around. Coming from a screenplay that Nolan also wrote, The Odyssey will focus on the Greek king of Ithaca, Odysseus (Matt Damon), during his perilous journey home after the Trojan War. Along his journey, he’ll encounter mythical beings and other obstacles as she attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway). The cast for this movie is the definition of stacked, with Damon and Hathaway being joined by Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and many, many more. In addition to this, The Odyssey will be Nolan’s most expensive film at $250 million, but for good reason. One reason for the buffed-up budget is that it’s the first to be shot entirely on IMAX’s 70 mm film cameras, with showings for the IMAX 70 mm screenings being made available a full year before the film’s release. Several of these screenings sold out within 12 hours, and that’s just a testament to Nolan’s power behind the camera. This is bound to be one of the most epic movies not only of the summer, but of the year.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)
It’s going to be a busy July for Tom Holland between The Odyssey and his latest Spider-Man adventure, but it gives audiences something to be excited about. Things could’ve ended perfectly with Spider-Man: No Way Home, but Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures are giving many fans potential to be excited with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Director Jon Watts is out after admirably directing the last three Spider-Man installments, but Destin Daniel Cretton, who offered up one of the best MCU stand-alone films with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is now behind the camera to reportedly give us a Spider-Man film that will be more street-level, something fans have been clamoring for. The exact plot, crafted by screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, is still unknown, but a more stripped-down Spider-Man endeavor is something to be excited about, as well as set footage that indicates Cretton was the right man to bring in to make some of the action sequences even more exciting than what we’ve seen before. The cast features returning favorites such as Zendaya (in an already stacked 2026 slate) and Jacob Batalon, but new additions such as Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk should make Spider-Man: Brand New Day a must-see for Marvel fans after a very long break between MCU films. Seems like the perfect precursor before the even bigger Avengers: Doomsday in December.
Flowervale Street (August 14)
August is a bit of a mixed bag as usual, but there are some offerings to get moviegoers excited. One of them is Flowervale Street, a science fiction film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, who gifted us with the truly amazing STD chain letter horror film, It Follows. The film focuses on a family who begin to notice strange happenings in their 1980s suburban neighborhood. J.J. Abrams is on board as a producer, and something about the plot sounds very reminiscent of what Steven Spielberg used to offer up in the ’80s. In addition to its director and intriguing plot, Flowervale Street has a cast that includes Anne Hathaway (also very busy in 2026), Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery. Not much more to offer up at the moment, but it’s intriguing enough to make the list.
The Dog Stars (August 28)
No matter what, I’ll always be excited for any film directed by Ridley Scott, and he’s back this year with an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 sci-fi novel, The Dog Stars. Written by Mark L. Smith and Christopher Wilkinson, The Dogs Stars plot synopsis reads, “The movie is set in the aftermath of a catastrophic flu virus that nearly wiped out humanity.” It then follows Hig (Jacob Elordi), a civilian pilot, and Bangley (Josh Brolin), an ex-marine, who face invaders as they fight for a better life outside their current circumstances. Paul Mescal, who Scott worked with on Gladiator II, was originally Scott’s first choice for Hig, but he had to step away due to scheduling conflicts with Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopic. Elordi seems to be that guy lately who steps in second but manages to amaze (he replaced Andrew Garfield in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and could be headed for an Oscar nomination), so his inclusion here is most definitely welcomed. It’s Scott doing science fiction with an intriguing plot, and that’s just a hard option to turn down.
Look out for Part Three later this week, which will close out what 2026 has to offer for the year in movies.
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