There is a lot to expect from the film industry in 2026. Popular big budget movies like Avengers: End of the World, The Odyssey, Dune: Part ThreeAnd Spider-Man: Brand New Day are guaranteed blockbuster hits. However, there are many other films coming out in 2026 that could be successful in theaters.
Currently, many filmmakers are planning new projects with exciting, original stories or stories that simply aren’t talked about enough. Although the future is uncertain, these films show promise and could become the box office hits of 2026.
Primate (January 9, 2026)
January hasn’t always been the best month for film releases, with school, work or bad weather keeping audiences from going to the cinema. However, primate could be one of the first profitable films released in 2026.
primate It’s about a young woman (Johnny Sequoyah) who goes on a tropical vacation with her friends, but they must fight for their lives after her family’s adopted chimpanzee is bitten by a rabid animal and goes feral. The film is essentially Whose albeit with a monkey, which should give viewers a unique and frightening experience.
primate has already shown great promise with its spooky first trailer. The film also has an impressive 92% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning it could have a future as a Certified Fresh hit.
Return to Silent Hill (January 23, 2026)
Director: Christopher Gans, Return to Silent Hill is about a man (Jeremy Irvine) who, after losing his true love (Hannah Emily Anderson), receives a letter from her that leads him back to the titular town. When he arrives, he sees that the city has been corrupted by a terrible force that is filling it with monsters and sending him into a waking nightmare that makes him question what is real and what is not.
Video game adaptations have taken off thanks to films like: Sonic the Hedgehog, Mortal KombatAnd The Super Mario Bros. movie. With Silent Hill being one of the most acclaimed horror gaming franchises of all time, a film adaptation of the second game should attract long-time fans.
Although the original Silent Hill film, which Gans also directed, received negative reviews, it was still a commercial success and has a cult following. A sequel to this film is likely to attract fans to theaters even after 20 years of waiting.
Cineverse was also highlighted as a distributor, having gained prominence in the horror community with Cineverse’s shocking success horror 3. Whatever the reviews stand for Return to Silent Hillperhaps we’re looking at another terrifying box office hit.
Hokum (May 1, 2026)
This spooky film follows an author who travels to Ireland to scatter his dead parents’ ashes, only to discover that the inn where he is staying may be haunted by a witch. At the moment, Hokum seems to suggest a folk horror version of The shining onewhich should appeal to members of the niche horror community.
Despite being an original indie horror film, Hokum has caused quite a stir thanks to its eerie trailer. The film’s distributor, NEON, is known for attracting large audiences, especially with its horror films, through clever marketing Long legs.
Hokum Damian McCarthy, who has gained a foothold in the horror scene with acclaimed films, also directs Caveat And curiosity. It even has features Severance pay Star Adam Scott in the lead role so he can help attract a decent audience.
Flowervale Street (August 14, 2026)
Very little is currently known about this science fiction film. Flowervale StreetApparently not follows a family in the 1980s who notice strange happenings in their neighborhood. While this may sound general, an image from the film production shows a giant brontosaurus appearing in the night. This suggests that this film will be a time-warping adventure that pays homage to the works of Steven Spielberg.
As if that wasn’t intriguing enough, this original story also heralds the long-awaited return of writer/director David Robert Mitchell, who helmed the modern horror hit. It follows. Additionally, JJ Abrams serves as a producer, while prominent actors Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor have joined the cast. While Flowervale Street is full of secrets and so far seems to have what it takes to be a classic summer blockbuster.
Practical Magic 2 (September 18, 2026)
1998s Practical magic follows sisters Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman), sisters born into a family of witches who use their ancestors’ abilities to destroy the mind of Gillian’s serial killer boyfriend. In the upcoming reboot film, Bullock, Kidman, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return to their roles from the original film.
Although the original film was a huge success at the box office, it developed a cult following large enough to warrant a sequel. It’s unclear whether a second film, released decades after the first, will be released in theaters. However, Practical Magic 2 is based on the acclaimed sequel to author Alice Hoffman’s original novel, so the story already has a solid foundation that has sustained public interest in the franchise.
Truth (October 2, 2026)
Director: Michael Showalter (The eyes of Tammy Faye), Truth is about Lowen (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer who is assigned to finish a book for author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway), who is in a coma after a car accident. However, the former discovers a manuscript that reveals some disturbing secrets about Verity.
Based on the acclaimed book of the same name, Truth should bring fans of the source material to theaters. The original book was also written by author Colleen Hoover, who wrote the book that became a hit film. It ends with us. After the extraordinary success of the latter in cinemas, another Hoover adaptation like Truth could achieve comparable box office returns, especially with stars like Johnson, Hathaway and Josh Hartnett in the mix.
Whalefall (October 16, 2026)
Based on the novel by Daniel Kraus, Whalefall sees diver Jay Gardiner (Austin Abrams) swallowed by a whale while searching underwater for the remains of his father (Josh Brolin). Then he only has an hour left to escape the Leviathan’s stomach before he runs out of air.
In total, Whalefall promises a bizarre and entirely original thriller that has to be seen to be believed. It also helps that the film has two lovers Weapons Stars, along with director Brian Duffield, who recently wowed audiences with his Hulu horror hit, Nobody will save you.
The Back Rooms (2026)
Inspired by the hit Backroom In this web series from director Kane Parsons, this sci-fi horror film follows a therapist who ventures into a strange dimension to save one of his patients. Since the indie film giant A24 has become involved as a distributor, The back rooms When it hits theaters in 2026, it’s one to keep an eye on.
The back rooms has many other big names bringing it to life, such as producers Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) and James Wan (The Conjuring franchise), along with actors Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Life of Chuck) and Renate Reinsve (Sentimental value). While The back rooms As Parsons’ first feature film as a director, the popular young filmmaker could write one of cinema’s most surprising success stories in 2026.
