2025 proved to be a year of mixed results for the Hollywood industry. While movies like Zootopia 2, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Wicked: For Good proved to be blockbuster hits, many films with potential, like The Running Man and Tron: Ares, failed to crack the code of theatrical success.
However, a new year comes with new opportunities. Here are five handpicked films that moviegoers can look forward to in the opening months of 2026.
1. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
- Release date: January 16, 2026
- Director: Nia DaCosta
- Starring: Cillian Murphy, Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Emma Laird, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry, and Jack O’Connell
Plot: The sequel to 2025’s acclaimed 28 Years Later, 2026’s The Bone Temple continues the long-running zombie apocalypse storyline that first materialized in 2002’s 28 Days Later. Picking up where the previous film left off, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple follows the story of Spike (played by Alfie Williams), who was recruited into a cult called “the Jimmys” at the end of the last movie, led by the psychopathic Jimmy Crystal (played by Jack O’Connell).
The film also follows the continuing efforts of former General Practitioner Dr. Ian Kelson (played by Ralph Fiennes) to find a cure for the Rage virus pandemic. The return of Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) was used to close out the second film and prepare for the upcoming finale of the trilogy.
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2. Send Help
- Release date: January 30, 2026
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Starring: Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien
Plot: From the creator of the Evil Dead franchise and the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy comes a story about Linda Liddle (played by Rachel McAdams), a corporate employee who’s on poor terms with her boss, Bradley Preston (played by Dylan O’Brien). After the two have a tense exchange in which Bradley brings up the possibility of firing her, their lives take a drastic turn when they end up stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash.
With their preexisting way of life and power dynamics completely upended, Bradley and Linda will need to find a way to survive their ordeal while knowing full well that they have some heavy emotional baggage carrying over from their prior hostile relationship with each other.
3. The Moment
- Release date: January 30, 2026
- Director: Aidan Zamiri
- Starring: Charli xcx, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Isaac Powell, Alexander Skarsgård, Rish Shah, Kylie Jenner, Rachel Sennott
Plot: Charli xcx continues to make inroads into her acting career with this satirical mockumentary that chronicles her efforts to kick off a “brat summer” tour. The mockumentary promises to show a fictionalized take on Charli’s own music and touring career, with Alexander Skarsgård playing her fictional tour manager.
Serving as a satire of Charli xcx’s own eccentricities and the broader realities of celebrity culture, The Moment looks set to be a gripping ride for those looking for a satirical peek behind the curtain of the “brat summer”.
4. Wuthering Heights
- Release date: February 13, 2026
- Director: Emerald Fennell
- Starring: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver
Plot: Set to release around Valentine’s Day, this all-new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel of the same name features music from Charli xcx. This classic from Victorian-era England follows the complicated relationship between two West Yorkshire families, the Earnshaws and the Lintons.
The story is told from the perspective of Mr. Lockwood, who moves into Thrushcross Grange and becomes neighbours with the deeply unpleasant owner of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi). The latter seems to be haunted by the specter of a girl named Cathy. When Lockwood presses the housekeeper, Nelly (Hong Chau), for more details, he learns the entire sordid saga.
The bulk of the story centers on the torrid affair between Heathcliff, who was actually an adopted member of the Earnshaw family, and his stepsister, Catherine “Cathy” Earnshaw (played by Margot Robbie). The relationship is eventually sabotaged by the machinations of Cathy’s brother, Hindley Earnshaw, who considers Heathcliff a threat to his own ambitions.
In the end, Cathy herself breaks things off and opts to marry Edgar Linton to preserve her social standing, leading Heathcliff to pursue a bitter vendetta that tears both families apart and ultimately leads to the sorry state of Wuthering Heights in the present day.
5. Scream 7
- Release date: February 27, 2026
- Director: Kevin Williamson
- Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, McKenna Grace, Joel McHale, Isabel May, Mason Gooding
Plot: This much-awaited sequel to the iconic Scream franchise sees Neve Campbell return as Sydney Prescott for the first time since 2022’s Scream. The story sees her settled down with a new husband named Mark (played by Joel McHale), with the two having a daughter named Tatum (played by Isabel May).
However, this peace is short-lived, as the specter of Ghostface comes back to haunt her once more. To save herself, Sydney must solve the mystery of who’s so determined to use her past against her, even after all this time.
For more such picks, check out our recommendations on What To Watch!
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The post 5 Highly Anticipated 2026 Movies To Watch In Theatres In January & February appeared first on Koimoi.
