This year has a number of highly anticipated movies that are scheduled to come out, from thrillers coming from established brands to nostalgic throwbacks to adaptations we’ve never before seen. 2026 certainly will have something for everyone with such a wide range of releases!
Sophomore Asher Ellsworth certainly was someone who was excited for the year. The first movie that came to mind for him was “The Odyssey.” It was a book he had recently read in class, which appealed to him, and it was directed by the famous Christopher Nolan, who Ellsworth dubbed as, “pretty cool.” This isn’t the only movie adaptation that might sound familiar to students this year—”Wuthering Heights” is a novel some twelfth graders read for class, and it is also coming out on the big screen in February. Ellsworth also commented on “Dune: Part Three”, noting that, “the cinematography is really good.” As an Avengers fan, “Avengers: Doomsday” also was an appealing prospect. Excitingly, both of these blockbuster sequels will be released on the same December date!
Senior Katie Carpenter shared some similarities with Ellsworth—for example, the Avengers movie—but she also clearly had her own interests. Carpenter quickly zeroed in on “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” with high praise, naming it a part of, “the best show ever,” and highlighting that it was full of, “so much action.” Other animated features to expect include “Toy Story 5”, “Super Mario Galaxy”, and “Minions 3”. Each has their own fanbases that are excited: “My mom would be interested in Minions,” Carpenter commented. Personally, she was more interested in “Supergirl”, having seen the popular “Superman” movie that was released this year. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” also stuck out to Carpenter, as it is sure to for many people. She said that with the popular characters in the film, it was bound to be, “just so good.”
Junior Grace Drysdale had yet another take on this year. Her first thoughts were on “Toy Story 5”: “I feel like they kind of need to end it,” she said, noting that not many movies stretch as long as this series has. Yet at the same time, she was excited for the prospect of another movie, especially with a compelling storyline as the familiar characters battle against a technological takeover that threatened to make them obsolete. Drysdale admitted that she doesn’t follow many of the other series, but even so she could tell that this was a big year. “I think they’ll like a lot of them,” she said. Like Carpenter, “Supergirl” stuck out to her as one that would have to be popular. Even when all her interests weren’t represented (Drysdale was more interested in telling your correspondent about another “Wicked” movie that was rumored to be in the works), it was clear to her that this would be an exciting year in cinema.
And an exciting year it will be. Big films are already coming out in the weeks ahead, while some larger blockbusters are scheduled for later in the year. Yet whenever your hit comes out, almost everyone is guaranteed to find a favorite in the theaters this year.
Grab your popcorn!