2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for movies in history. The year is set to see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, DC’s Supergirl, and the latest entries in franchises like The Hunger Games, The Avengers, Spider-Man, Toy Story, and Scream. There’s even a movie about Michael Jackson coming out.
As exciting as all those films are, the year is set to be incredible for sci-fi. 2026 will see new releases in the genre from acclaimed filmmakers, we’ll get highly anticipated sequels, and adaptations of some of the best modern sci-fi books. It all comes together to give us so much to look forward to next year.
Greenland 2: Migration
In 2020, one of the better-received disaster movies in recent memory came out. Greenland is centered on a family that fights for survival when a comet that could destroy the planet is on its way. Instead of focusing on the destruction itself, the story about the family gave this an emotional core.
The box office wasn’t all that impressive, yet the film did better once it became available on demand. That led to Greenland 2: Migration arriving on January 9, 2026. The main members of the original cast are returning in Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, and Roman Griffin.
Greenland 2: Migration sees the survivors of the comet living in a bunker but are pulled away by the hope of finding a new home, so they journey across Europe and face the dangers of the environment. Any fans of the original, or of disaster movies, are likely to appreciate this one.
In The Blink Of An Eye
The name Andrew Stanton is one that you’ve likely heard often because of his acclaimed work. His filmography includes some of Pixar’s best movies, like WALL-E and Finding Nemo, which both won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
Before he helms Toy Story 5, he will return to directing a live-action feature film with In the Blink of an Eye. He previously directed the underrated commercial flop John Carter and episodes of sci-fi shows like Stranger Things and 3 Body Problem. However, In the Blink of an Eye is totally different.
The premise of In the Blink of an Eye is about three interconnected stories that explore the history of the world. With influences like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar, and a cast consisting of Rashida Jones, Daveed Diggs, and Kate McKinnon, there’s excitement around this Hulu film slated for a February 27 release.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
Sometimes, an original sci-fi movie can grab your interest before you even know the premise. In those cases, it usually has a great director attached and some intriguing cast members, which is the case with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.
For starters, it’s directed by Gore Verbinski, who most famously helmed most of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The cast then has the always great Sam Rockwell, the impressive Haley Lu Richardson, and talents like Zazie Beetz, Michael Peña, and Juno Temple, just to name a few.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die will arrive on February 13 and follows a man from the future who travels into the past to recruit the patrons of a diner to come back with him and help him stop a rogue A.I. It’s the perfect time for something this trippy to hit theaters.
The Dog Stars
There are not many names bigger in sci-fi filmmaking than Ridley Scott. The iconic director has been behind classics in the genre like Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian. He’s back in the world of sci-fi with his next movie, The Dog Stars.
Like The Martian, The Dog Stars sees Ridley adapting a sci-fi novel, this one by Peter Heller. The story is set in the aftermath of a flu virus that nearly wipes out all of humanity and follows a pilot and an ex-marine who face a group of invaders looking for a better life.
The novel was well-received and the seems likely for this movie, set to release on August 28. Scott doesn’t usually miss in the sci-fi genre, while the cast includes Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, and Guy Pearce. That’s a combination of talent that sounds enticing.
Cold Storage
Unlike some other movies listed here, Cold Storage is one that we know a lot about. Part of that is due to the February 13 release date, which isn’t all that far out. This is also different from other exciting sci-fi movies as it’s one of the only ones to really lean into comedy as its subgenre.
Cold Storage is based on a 2019 novel of the same name by David Koepp, one of the world’s most successful screenwriters (who also wrote this film). It centers on two employees at a storage facility who work with the military to contain a parasitic fungus that leaks out of a military base.
What makes Cold Storage stand out is the cast as Stranger Things fan favorite Joe Keery teams with rising star Georgina Campbell and film veteran Liam Neeson. Together, they should be able to deliver one of the best blends of sci-fi and comedy in recent memory.
Flowervale Street
Flowervale Street is another sci-fi movie where we’re extremely excited about the setup and the people involved, despite not knowing a ton about the entire endeavor. It’s the latest film from It Follows director David Robert Mitchell and is produced by J.J. Abrams.
The attachment to Abrams is intriguing because Flowervale Street is rumored to involve giant creatures like dinosaurs (or actual dinosaurs) and Abrams previously found success in that avenue with Cloverfield and Super 8. Word is that the story is about a family that experiences off things in their neighborhood, which might be tied to dinosaurs.
Time travel is apparently involved and it could make for a very engaging sci-fi film when it arrives on August 14. The movie is also boosted by a tremendous cast led by Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor.
The Mandalorian And Grogu
It’s no secret that the shine on the Star Wars franchise has worn off in recent years. There are widespread successes like Rogue One, Andor, and The Force Awakens, and massive misses like The Book of Boba Fett and The Rise of Skywalker.
Most people would agree that The Mandalorian is one of those hits, even if the last season wasn’t all that well-received. The titular character is now wildly popular, while almost no character in the series’ history can top the adoration for Grogu. They’re hitting the big screen for the first time in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
This film adaptation, arriving on May 22, is a sequel to the series and takes place after the fall of the Empire, as the New Republic hires Din Djarin and Grogu for a mission. Jon Favreau is back in the director’s chair, while Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White join Pedro Pascal in the cast.
Disclosure Day
When the first ads went up for Disclosure Day, it didn’t even say the name of the film. Billboards went up with nothing more than a tagline and the name Steven Spielberg. Of course, Spielberg is such a legendary director that his name alone can sell a film.
Now that a bit more is known about Disclosure Day, the potential of the film is even more enticing. The movie seems to take place in a world where aliens live among us, unbeknownst to the general public, but someone is out to reveal that information to everyone, changing their lives.
Spielberg will be directing some very talented actors as Disclosure Day features Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, Eve Hewson, and more. June 12 could mark the arrival of another sci-fi gem from Mr. Spielberg.
Project Hail Mary
One of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s was Ridley Scott’s The Martian. That story was adapted from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name and Weir’s other most famous book, Project Hail Mary, is receiving its adaptation this year on March 20.
Project Hail Mary tells the story of a man who wakes up on a spacecraft with no recollection of how he got there or why he’s there. Over time, he comes to realize that he’s on a mission that could save planet Earth. Of course, so much more happens along the way to make this a potential sci-fi classic.
Acclaimed filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directing this film, while Oscar-winning Ryan Gosling is the star. In fact, the trailers suggest we could possibly be getting another Oscar-nominated performance from the actor.
Dune: Part Three
What Denis Villeneuve has managed to pull off with the Dune franchise is nothing short of remarkable. The dense novel was deemed unadaptable by so many, yet he managed to not only tell the story in two films but also make it into a box office hit and an epic theater experience.
While he’s completed the story from the original novel, Dune: Part Three is set to cover the Dune Messiah book sequel. Based on that novel, Paul Atriedes has ruled as Emperor for over a decade and is trapped by the legend of his own name.
Dune: Part Three, set to arrive on December 18, is sure to be another masterfully crafted film from Villeneuve, so there’s so much to be excited about. Popular cast members return, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
