Polygon’s 10 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2026

Fall signals the arrival of Halloween and the chilly days of winter just around the corner. While staying home with a cup of hot cider sounds appealing, curating the Fall 2026 Preview revealed plenty of reasons to grab a drink and popcorn at the local movie theater in the coming months.

Moviegoers seeking entertainment on the silver screen can look forward to the return of a foul-mouthed Santa and his wife in Violent Night 2, along with Wicker. Disney’s animated adventure, Hexed, appeals to the KPop Demon Hunters audience. Video game fans also have adaptations like Resident Evil and Street Fighter to anticipate.

The most exciting movies arriving between now and the end of 2026 are ranked below to highlight which films are worth leaving a warm home for.

10. Hexed (Nov. 27)

Animation serves as a playground for showing off the wonders of magic through song or the gleam of a sword. Disney’s Hexed follows rebellious teen girl Billie (Hailee Steinfeld), whose magical abilities transport her to Hexe, a realm of witches. Directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn of Raya and the Last Dragon, Hexed provides an alternative for fans of KPop Demon Hunters seeking a story about female relationships and family secrets in stylish animation.

9. Wicker (Oct. 30)

Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, Wicker takes medieval town eccentricities further. Based on a short story by Ursula Wills, the film follows a reclusive fisherwoman played by Olivia Colman. After years of ostracism from her village for remaining unmarried, she gets back at the townspeople by commissioning a husband constructed from wicker. Her wicker husband, played by Alexander Skarsgård, is honest and romantic, driving the village into chaos. Richard E. Grant and Peter Dinklage round out the cast.

8. Violent Night 2 (Dec. 4)

Horror and satire director Tommy Wirkola returns with a sequel to his mercenary Santa film. Saint Nick, played by David Harbour, has settled into his role as Santa Claus when he faces a new problem. He is on the naughty list. With his job at risk, Santa must rediscover the meaning of Christmas while fighting a gang of thugs terrorizing a community. He is joined by Mrs. Claus, played by Kristen Bell. Violent Night 2 debuts this December.

7. Street Fighter (Oct. 16)

Video game adaptations remain a major commodity, and Street Fighter is no exception. The 1994 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia was campy, even if it strayed from Capcom’s games. Kitao Sakurai’s 2026 action-comedy adaptation captures a similar tone while examining characters like Chun-Li, played by Callina Liang, Ken Masters, played by Noah Centineo, and Ryu, played by Andrew Koji. The cast also features Jason Momoa as Blanka, professional wrestler Cody Rhodes as Guile, and rapper Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson as Balrog.

6. The Hunger Games – Sunrise on the Reaping (Nov. 26)

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping brings young adults back into the arena for public entertainment. Based on the book of the same name, the prequel is set 24 years before the main trilogy and follows Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada, as a tribute. Because Haymitch is selected during the 50th Hunger Games, the twist features double the number of tributes and double the deaths.

5. Avengers: Doomsday (Dec. 18)

Returning directors Anthony and Joe Russo helm Avengers: Doomsday, a superhero team-up spanning the multiverse to pit heroes against Doctor Doom. The colliding universes feature actors from previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films, such as Thor actor Chris Hemsworth and Captain America actor Anthony Mackie, alongside stars of Fox’s X-Men movies, including Magneto actor Ian McKellen and Charles Xavier actor Patrick Stewart.

4. Clayface (Oct. 23)

Directed by James Watkins, known for Eden Lake and The Woman in Black, and backed by horror creator Mike Flanagan, DC Studios’ body horror film Clayface centers on Matt Hagen, a movie star played by Tom Rhys Harries. After undergoing experimental surgery to restore his face, he suffers side effects that turn him into clay. Set in Gotham City, the film draws inspiration from Batman: The Animated Series while focusing on the toll of losing physical recognition.

3. Resident Evil (Sept. 18)

Director Zach Cregger takes on Capcom’s Resident Evil with a fresh reboot running parallel to the events of Resident Evil 2. Instead of focusing on Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield during the T-virus outbreak in Raccoon City, the narrative follows medical courier Bryan, played by Austin Abrams. Using original characters gives Cregger room to shape the franchise.

2. Godzilla Minus Zero (Nov. 6)

Director and writer Takashi Yamazaki follows the international success of Godzilla Minus One with the sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero. Set in 1949, two years after the events that devastated Japan, the film centers on the Shikishima family. As Japan struggles to recover, a new threat emerges, and Godzilla sets his sights on New York City.

1. Dune: Part 3 (Dec. 18)

Denis Villeneuve concludes his sci-fi trilogy with Part 3, set 17 years after the events of Dune: Part 2. The film challenges the perception of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, as a selfless liberator, portraying him instead as an imperialist dictator. As Paul’s universe-conquering jihad spreads, it brings consequences that he and those close to him may not survive.

Source: Polygon