A new year always means that new highly-anticipated blockbusters are set to release, and excitement increases as people reflect on the last year’s biggest hits.

In late 2025, “Zootopia 2,” “Wicked: For Good,” “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” and more were released across movie theaters. A multitude of other films are set to be released this year, such as “Avengers: Doomsday,” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “The Odyssey,” a Michael Jackson biopic, and many more.

Disney’s “Zootopia” recently received the sequel treatment with “Zootopia 2.” Disney’s strategy of making sequels to previous movies instead of making original stories has paid off with hits like “Moana 2” and “Inside Out 2.” When “Zootopia 2” came out, it broke box office records, and it is currently tracking to end its theatrical run at $1.8-$2 billion worldwide. It was released over Thanksgiving weekend and is still talked about several months later.

Pixar, the animation studio behind the “Toy Story” movies, has had significant flops in recent years, such as “Turning Red” and “Elio.” The studio aims to revive its audience’s love for the films with “Toy Story 5,” the first installment in the “Toy Story” series in seven years. “Toy Story 5” releases on Jun. 19 and follows Woody and the toys reuniting as they are replaced by a tablet and screens.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which was released in 2023, was a massive hit both critically and financially; so Universal is releasing the sequel, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” on Apr. 3. It looks to continue the trend of introducing fan-favorite characters, such as Bowser Jr. and Princess Rosalina.

James Cameron, the acclaimed director of “Titanic,” “Terminator,” and “Aliens,” released the third film in the “Avatar” series on Dec. 19: “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” It is common knowledge that James Cameron films make significant revenue, so the box office for this movie was projected to reach past the $2 billion mark. Fire and Ash is set to shake up the franchise’s trends, namely by including an evil Na’vi tribe and giving humans the ability to breathe on Pandora.

After six years, 13 shows, and countless bad reviews, “Star Wars,” one of the most iconic franchises of all time, is returning to movie theaters on May 22 with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The film picks up after the ending of “The Mandalorian” season three and follows Din Djarin,  The Mandalorian, becoming a father figure to Grogu or “Baby Yoda.”

After it was published in 2021, the novel “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir was adapted into a movie starring Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a science school teacher who goes to space to save the Earth and its sun. “Project Hail Mary” releases on Mar. 20.

When James Gunn, the director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, left Marvel to become the new head of DC Studios, he released the well-received “Superman” film last year. On Jun. 26, the studio hopes to continue making money at the box office with “Supergirl,” which is said to be a space adventure with rock music, very similar to “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

At the end of July, the Spider-Man franchise will continue. With Tom Holland returning as the titular character alongside Marvel veterans Hulk and Punisher, the anticipation is high. “Stranger Things” star Sadie Sink co-stars as a new, unannounced character. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” releases on Jul. 31.

The biggest film of 2026, which has been teased by Marvel as far back as Jul. 2024, is “Avengers: Doomsday.” Robert Downey Jr., the man behind Iron Man, has been confirmed to return, but this time as the famous comics villain, Doctor Doom. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo, directors of “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame,” and “Captain America: Civil War” are returning, as well as characters from “Black Panther,” “Thunderbolts*,” “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and “X-Men.” The film also stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. It releases on Dec. 18, 2026, and is set to be a smash hit and bring Marvel back to its former glory.

Wicked, the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz, wrapped up its story with “Wicked: For Good.” It follows Elphaba and Glinda as they deal with the harsh decisions they each made at the end of part one. However, it has not been as well reviewed as Part One, and is projected to make less than its predecessor at the box office. Wicked: For Good released on Nov. 21 and is now available to stream on digital platforms.

Another anticipated film is “Hamnet,” the emotional historical film about William Shakesphere, his wife Agnes, and their son, Hamnet. It details how Shakespeare wrote “Hamlet,” one of his most famous works. The early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and reviewers have speculated about it being a major contender at the 2026 Oscars. “Hamnet” was released on Nov. 26 and is predicted to hit streaming platforms in late January or early February.

Christopher Nolan, director of the Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer,” is going big once again with “The Odyssey,” an epic with a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson. Nolan has hyped up anticipation for the film when he was interviewed by Empire magazine. He teased “The Odyssey” as “The epic to end all epics.” “The Odyssey” releases on July 17.

Disney live-action remakes have had their highs and lows, but the “Moana” movies have had huge success at the box office. Disney is remaking the 2016 film “Moana” almost ten years after it released, although some argue that there is nothing wrong with the original. The film releases on July 10.

Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stars as the King of Pop himself in a biopic releasing on Apr. 24. The teaser trailer shattered records with 116 million views in 24 hours, making it an anticipated film for fans of the late rockstar.

Other films that were released this December include a remake of “Anaconda,” starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd (Dec. 25), and “The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants” (Dec. 19). The movie that has the highest projected box office gross is “Avatar: Fire and Ash”.

Other notable films releasing in 2026 include “Scream 7,” which focuses on a ghostface attacking a family, a new “Minions” film which has been confirmed for a Jul. 3 release date with the lovable meme stars, “Dune: Part Three” which is set to conclude the trilogy of “Dune” movies on Dec. 18, 2026, and Jumanji 4, which is also set to conclude the Dwayne Johnson-led trilogy on Dec. 11, 2026.

The film industry is continuing its strong comeback with many upcoming films, and they all be released in theaters within the next year.