The Summer 2026 Movie Preview

The summer movie season is upon us, and the studios are readying their blockbusters in order to capitalize on a year where the box office is already soaring.

2026 has been the first year since 2019 where it feels like the box office is on fire. And everyone across the film business is looking to try to sustain that in the summer.

So, what are the big titles and stories coming to the big screen from now until August?

Let's dive in.

May

The summer starts with a lot of sequels and the reemergence of a few franchises, plus one crossing over from TV.

• May 1 – The Devil Wears Prada 2 : David Frankel returns to the director’s chair. It’s a lesson in "legacy sequels" and is already crossing $400 million at the global box office.
• May 8 – Mortal Kombat II : Simon McQuoid is back, and this time we're going to see some improvements in the practical-meets-digital effects. We're seeing a sequel from a COVID release, too.
• May 22 – Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu : Jon Favreau brings the Volume to the big screen again. Star Wars hasn't been in theaters in a while, is the appetite still there?
• May 29 – Backrooms : Based on the viral short film, this is a huge moment for YouTube-to-Hollywood creators.

'The Backrooms' Credit: A24

June

June is when the prestige blockbuster and massive sequel summer really begins.

• June 5 – Scary Movie 6 : The Wayans family returns to the franchise. And we see what comedy can do on the big screen.
• June 5 – Masters of the Universe : Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee , Kubo and the Two Strings), we'll see if it can live up to its Marvel counterparts.
• June 12 – Disclosure Day : Steven Spielberg and David Koepp reunite for a UFO thriller, with Janusz Kamiński on cinematography duties. Can this trio still keep up?
• June 19 – Toy Story 5 : Pixar’s latest. We'll see the advancements in light rendering and textures, and continue a journey that began in the 90s.
• June 19 – Balan The Boy : Fresh off a buzzy Cannes premiere, we'll see if hot buzz can carry into the box office.
• June 26 – Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow : Directed by Craig Gillespie, it may mark the end of the DC world at Paramount, as a buyer does not guarantee sequels.

'Disclosure Day' Credit: Universal

July

July 2026 is arguably the most important month for the industry and for 2026.

• July 1 – Minions & Monsters: Illumination continues its box office dominance with a movie many think could cross the billion-dollar mark.
• July 10 – Moana (Live-Action) : Are audiences excited by a movie that had an animated sequel just a few years ago? A huge test for Disney.
• July 17 – The Odyssey : Christopher Nolan’s epic starring Matt Damon and Charlize Theron is the first narrative feature shot entirely on IMAX and the easiest Oscar frontrunner to predict.
• July 31 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day : The Tech: Destin Daniel Cretton is reportedly using a new "fluid-cam" rig for the swinging sequences to differentiate this from the Watts trilogy. This could be the highest-grossing movie of the year if Marvel has its way.

'The Odyssey' Credit: Universal Pictures

August

As the summer winds down, we get the weirder, more experimental genre pieces.

• August 7 – One Night Only : A high-concept comedy whose trailer has already gone viral. Will that social presence mean audiences show up?
• August 7 – Super Troopers 3 : For the DIY comedy crowd, the Broken Lizard crew is a masterclass in building a cult following and maintaining creative control.
• August 28 – The Dog Stars : Based on the post-apocalyptic novel and directed by Ridley Scott. This could be the late-summer "sleeper hit" that gains awards momentum for its acting and desolate production design.

'Super Troopers 3'Credit: Searchlight Pictures

Summing It All Up

This is just a smattering of the movies we're gearing up to see this summer. But they show how important these films actually will be for the box office and for studios as they try to balance their books and predict what audiences are buying.

Let me know what you think in the comments.