If you felt like 2025 was a bit of a grind—a year of just "surviving" the schedule rather than actually thriving on it—you are definitely not alone. Between the ripple effects of the strikes and the endless delays, our watchlists have felt a little... thin. We’ve been living in a content desert, guys. We were rationing our hype, watching trailers for movies that felt like they were decades away.
But I’ve been looking at the slate for the next 12 months, and I’m here to tell you: The drought is officially over. 2026 isn’t just a busy year; it’s shaping up to be the most saturated, massive explosion of movies and shows we’ve seen since 2019. It’s actually kind of terrifying. We’re talking about a year so stacked that a brand-new Star Wars movie—the first one in theaters in seven years—might not even crack the top five most anticipated summer releases. Let that sink in for a second. We are entering a period where "too much of a good thing" might actually become a problem for our sleep schedules.
From the return of the Avengers (and finally, some X-Men!) to Christopher Nolan’s next mind-bending spectacle, we aren’t just watching TV this year—we’re feasting. This isn't some corporate report. This is your roadmap. Grab your calendars, clear your DVRs, and let’s dive into the "content cave."
January: No More "Dump Months"
Usually, January is where Hollywood sends movies to die—the "dump month" where studios hide the projects they don't believe in. Not this time. 2026 is starting with an intensity I haven't seen in years, mostly because the streamers are desperate to lock us in for the new year.
The Big Streaming Hits
Spider-Noir (MGM+/Prime Video): This is my wild card. We’ve got Nicolas Cage playing a gritty, 1930s hard-boiled Spider-Man in live-action. It’s either going to be the coolest stylistic experiment of the decade or a total mess, but with Terry Matalas (Picard Season 3) at the helm, I’m betting on "cool." This feels like it could be our WandaVision for 2026—the weird, niche show everyone ends up obsessed with. The black-and-white aesthetic alone is going to make it the most "screenshot-able" show on the internet.
The Pitt Season 2 (HBO/Max - Jan 8): If you missed Season 1, catch up now. It brought back that high-stakes, "golden age of ER" intensity that’s been missing from TV. Noah Wyle is doing career-best work here, and the way they handle the "chaos of the week" feels so much more urgent than your standard procedural.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO/Max - Jan 18): Listen, I love House of the Dragon, but I’m ready for something different. This is the "Dunk and Egg" story. It’s smaller, more intimate, and feels like a "hangout show" set in Westeros. No massive dragons burning cities—just a knight and his squire navigating a world that still feels magical but a lot more human. It’s the cozy fantasy fix we didn't know we needed.
Wonder Man (Disney+ - Jan 27): Marvel is doing a full binge-drop! All eight episodes at once. It’s a Hollywood satire starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a stuntman who gets powers. Releasing it all at once suggests Disney knows we’ll want to devour this in one sitting. I’m expecting plenty of meta-commentary on the MCU itself.
In Theaters
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Jan 16): Finally! Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are back in this universe. It’s been three decades since the outbreak, and the world has moved on in a way that looks terrifyingly isolated. This isn't just a zombie movie; it's a look at a "broken Britain" that has been cut off from the rest of the planet.
Greenland: Migration (Jan 9): I’m a sucker for the first one. It felt so much more "real" than your average disaster flick because it focused on the family, not the spectacle. Seeing them leave the bunker to navigate a decimated Europe sounds like the kind of gritty, grounded survival story that hits differently in 2026.
February: The Calm Before the Storm
February is all about Super Bowl 60 (Feb 8). Mark my words: that’s when the "real" trailers drop. We’re going to get our first proper looks at James Gunn's Superman and the animation style of Toy Story 5. But the industry secret? Everyone is waiting for the Marvel slot. If they drop the Avengers: Doomsday trailer here, the internet might actually snap in half.
Scream 7 (Feb 27): Sidney Prescott is back where she belongs. Neve Campbell returning for a legacy sequel that hopefully ties the whole 20-year saga together? I’m there opening night. Rumors of a "Final Girl" reunion have been swirling, and if they pull off a legacy ensemble, it’ll be a horror event for the ages.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 (Apple TV+ - Feb 27): While the movies handle the "big lizard punching big monkey" stuff, this show does the heavy lifting with the human drama and the lore of the Hollow Earth. We're expecting more Titan sightings, but the real draw is the secret history of Monarch.
March: Absolute Chaos
March is where my social life goes to die. There is literally a flagship show on almost every single night of the week, and the "water cooler" talk is going to be impossible to keep up with.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (Disney+): Matt Murdock vs. Mayor Fisk. The stakes are getting political, and the rumors about the fight choreography have me hyped. We're talking long-take corridor fights that'll make the Netflix era look like a rehearsal.
The Boys Season 5 (Prime Video): This is it. The Final Season. Homelander vs. Butcher. The show has been pushing the limits of what you can show on TV for years, and for the endgame, I’m bracing myself for a bloodbath where literally nobody is safe. It's the end of an era for "anti-superhero" content.
Project Hail Mary (March 20): MY DARK HORSE PICK. Based on the book by Andy Weir (The Martian), starring Ryan Gosling, directed by Lord & Miller. If you haven't read the book, don't look anything up. Just go see it. It has "smartest sci-fi of the year" written all over it. Gosling’s charm mixed with Lord & Miller’s visual wit is a match made in heaven.
One Piece Season 2 (Netflix - March 13): The first season shouldn't have worked, but it was magic. Now we get Chopper and the Alabasta Saga? My heart isn't ready for the live-action version of some of these emotional beats. If they nail the scale of the desert war, this will be Netflix's biggest hit of the year.
April & May: The Heavy Hitters
Euphoria Season 3 (HBO - April 12): It’s been years. There’s a time jump taking them out of high school, which I think is exactly what the show needs to stay fresh. Seeing these characters navigate the messy reality of their early 20s is going to dominate the cultural conversation (and the fashion trends) all spring.
Michael (April 24): The Michael Jackson biopic. This is going to be the most discussed and controversial movie of the spring. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring MJ’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, the focus is on a total immersion into his life. Regardless of how you feel, this will be a massive box office draw.
The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22): Star Wars is finally back on the big screen! It’s basically a massive series finale for the Disney+ era. Is the hype as high as it was during the peak of Season 2? Maybe not, but seeing Mando and his kid in IMAX is going to be a massive emotional "event" for the fandom.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1): Honestly? I didn't think we needed a sequel, but Meryl Streep vs. Emily Blunt in a modern fashion landscape—dealing with the death of print magazines and the rise of influencers? That is a day-one ticket for me. The "cerulean" speech 2.0 is coming.
The "Goon Cave" Summer (June - August)
I’m calling it now: you won’t see the sun this summer. The schedule is so relentless that "staying in" is the only way to keep up.
The Disclosure Day (June 12): Spielberg. Sci-fi. Aliens. It’s been too long since he’s played in this sandbox. The concept—a global event where 7 billion people find out the truth about extraterrestrial life at the exact same moment—is classic Spielbergian awe mixed with modern dread.
Toy Story 5 (June 19): Pixar’s ultimate safety net. While we all wondered if Toy Story 4 was the end, Pixar is doubling down on Woody and Buzz. Expect a technical marvel and a story that probably involves the toys dealing with the digital age. It's a guaranteed billion-dollar movie.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (June 26): Milly Alcock in a space epic that looks more like Dune than a typical cape movie. This is the James Gunn DCU really showing its teeth. It’s a cosmic journey that’s supposed to be cold, hard, and visually stunning.
The Odyssey (July 17): THE BIG ONE. Christopher Nolan. 100% IMAX cameras. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway. It’s a futuristic take on the Greek epic. Nolan doing a "space odyssey" again, but with his modern practical-effects mastery? This isn't just a movie; it’s a religious experience for cinephiles.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31): Tom Holland is back, and rumors say it’s finally the "street-level" story we’ve wanted. No Avengers, no Stark tech—just Spidey, Daredevil, and Kingpin in a war for NYC. This is the grounded Peter Parker we've been waiting for since Civil War.
Lanterns (HBO - August): Think True Detective but with Power Rings. Kyle Chandler as a veteran Hal Jordan mentoring Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart? This is the gritty, "boots on the ground" DC reboot I’ve been waiting for. It’s more of a murder mystery than a superhero show.
The Road to Doomsday (Fall/Winter)
The Social Reckoning (Oct 9): Aaron Sorkin writing a sequel to The Social Network about the Facebook Files and the era of misinformation? It’s going to be the most intense, dialogue-heavy movie of the year. Jeremy Strong as Zuckerberg is inspired casting—get the Oscar ready.
Chronicles of Narnia (Netflix - November): Greta Gerwig's take on Narnia. Netflix is reportedly giving this a massive theatrical window. After Barbie, Gerwig is the biggest director on the planet, and seeing her bring C.S. Lewis to life is going to be a holiday miracle.
Avengers: Doomsday (Dec 18): The main event. The Russo Brothers are back. RDJ is back... as Doctor Doom?! It’s the beginning of the end for the Multiverse Saga. We're expecting cameos that will make Endgame look small. This is the movie of the decade, and it will likely own the box office until 2027.
The Verdict: My Top 5 "Must-Watches"
If you only have time for a few (and honestly, how could you?), these are the ones I’m betting my soul on:
The Odyssey: Never bet against Nolan. He’s the last director making "events" out of original ideas.
Project Hail Mary: This could be the next Arrival or Interstellar. The "Gosling factor" is real.
Spider-Noir: Because Nic Cage as a 1930s detective is the specific type of weirdness we need in a crowded market.
Lanterns: HBO usually doesn't miss with prestige dramas, and the talent attached here is insane.
Avengers: Doomsday: I mean... obviously. It’s the return of the kings.
2026 is going to be exhausting, expensive, and absolutely glorious. I’ll see you guys in the theater.
What are you screaming about the most? Let me know in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only one losing my mind over this lineup!
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