2026 has been a pretty mixed bag at the movie theater. There have been a couple good ones like Project Hail Mary and Hokum but there’s also been a whole ton of disappointments. But if there’s any genre that can save it: it’s action. There’s nothing quite like watching massive explosions, fight scenes, and ridiculous one-liners on the big screen. With some superhero films, a few originals, and even a new Star Wars films, there’s all the making for a great summer of mayhem!
We’ve also got an exclusive photo from the upcoming film, The Furious, which you can check out above! Now let’s get onto the list!
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22nd)
While I agree with the majority that this is a terrible title, it’s hard for me not to get excited at the theatrical release of a Star Wars movie. And as someone who has enjoyed everything featuring The Mandalorian so far, I’m curious to see where they’ll take this. It’s exciting to get something in this world that’s not Jedi-related. Plus, we’re finally getting Hutts again, which have sadly been underutilized in the big screen incarnations for decades. I’m all for big spectacle in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.
Masters of the Universe (June 5th)
When this was first announced, I had zero interest in it. I didn’t grow up on the cartoon, was too young for the action figures, and always felt the 80’s film was corny. Yet with every new trailer (which I think I’ve seen in theaters about a dozen times by this point) I’m more and more interested. This looks like a blast in ways that I never expected. Director Travis Knight has a great track record so far, and I’m really hoping that this one is more Guardians of the Galaxy and less John Carter in terms of success. And as much as most are (understandably) down on Jared Leto these days, I get a kick out of his Bane-like voice for Skeletor.
The Furious (June 12th)
Ever since The Raid: Redemption, Joe Taslim’s involvement in any action film is enough to get my ticket purchase. He brings such a hard-hitting, fast, and believable style to his fight scenes that it feels amazing. The story is simple enough, with a father fighting kidnappers to save his abducted daughter. The reviews for this one have already been great (including Bumbray’s) so this is near the top of my list of anticipated titles.
Supergirl (June 26th)
While I still think it was a strange decision to go from Superman to Supergirl when relaunching the DCU, the trailers for this film have really impressed. It’s incredibly smart to follow the plot of the Woman of Tomorrow comic, which is widely considered the best of the character’s entire run. We’ll see Supergirl try to save her dog Krypto and get an antidote to his ailment, and even get Jason Momoa’s Lobo somewhere along the way. While it seems like the main villain may be a bit generic. It looks like there’s more than enough personality from the leads to make up for it.
The Odyssey (July 17th)
No one does spectacle quite like Christopher Nolan and everything is in place for this film to be amongst his best. The Odyssey is such an epic tale and the fact that Nolan filmed the entire thing on IMAX cameras surely means it’ll be larger than life. I’m sure most of us read it in high school, so I’m curious to see what elements are adapted and which are glossed over, because there’s no way Nolan can tell the entire epic. It’s just too damn long. I’m sure what we get will end up being one of the biggest technical achievements of the year.
Motor City (July 24th)
I will always love a revenge story, especially one set in the 70s and the gimmick of a film that’s almost entirely dialogue-free is very intriguing. Add to it that Jack White served as a music supervisor on the film, and this one is near the top of my most anticipated films of the year, action or otherwise. Alan Ritchson has quickly become an incredible action star and with Ben Foster as the gangster he’s going after, this is sure to be a fun one. Our very own Chris Bumbray saw the film at TIFF last year, and it sounds unique and awesome.
Spider-man: Brand New Day (July 31st)
After years of a more MCU heavy Spider-man, we look to finally be getting our more street level version. That doesn’t mean we won’t be getting cameos, as The Punisher and The Hulk both appear, but the fact that Peter Parker is finally on his own should make this one stand out from the very Stark-centric trilogy that came before. Tom Holland is having quite the Summer between his latest Spidey adventure and Nolan’s epic that releases two weeks prior.
The End Of Oak Street (August 14th)
It Follows is one of the greatest horror films of this century, so it’s shocking that David Robert Mitchell has only done one film in the interim. Thankfully, he’s teaming up with JJ Abrams to release a film that mixes dinosaurs with the modern world. Or rather, brings the modern world back to dinosaur times. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star in this film about a neighborhood being transported to what appears to be dinosaur times. I’m sure there will be many twists and turns along the way and with Mitchell’s horror acumen, I’m expecting some truly thrilling moments.
Mutiny (August 21st)
Call me a simple man but I will always get excited for a new Jason Statham action film. They may not always hit in the same way, but there’s a mindless entertainment value to them that I’ll always appreciate this. This film follows Statham as he tries to save a bunch of trafficked women aboard a ship. It’s simple and sure to give Statham plenty of reason to kick some serious ass. Here’s hoping it feels similar to The Beekeeper in how over the top it is, while still having grounded action.
Cliffhanger (TBA)
Let’s get it out of the way that there is nothing that will compare to the original Cliffhanger with Sylvester Stallone and John Lithgow. Outside of the fact that this stars Lily James and Pierce Brosnan and is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, this is the only movie on the list that we haven’t gotten a trailer for. I’m sure it’ll be more CGI than we want and not have the fun grit of the original but I’m not willing to write it off quite yet. That said, the company distributing it, Row K, has more-or-less gone belly up, so it’s unlikely they will be able to put it out this summer – but it might surface otherwise.
What action films are you most excited about this summer? Are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
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