As 2025 wrapped up with a strong hold on the Hollywood landscape, delivering a mix of spectacle and storytelling through films like F1, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, 28 Years Later, and Sinners, expectations for the year ahead only grew stronger as audiences looked forward to what 2026 had in store. Adding to that momentum, 2026 has already begun opening its slate with a fresh wave of releases spanning global cinema, indie standouts, and big-screen spectacles, each bringing something distinct to the table.

With many more titles still on the horizon, here are seven must-watch movies of 2026 so far that you should not miss.

Taking audiences into the world of spacecraft, Project Hail Mary follows Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher and former molecular biologist, played by Ryan Gosling, who wakes up from a coma with amnesia on a starship, only to realise he is humanity’s last hope. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, the film was released in the United States on March 20, 2026, and is currently playing exclusively in theatres in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX formats.

Holding a 95% Tomatometer score, the film places Ryland Grace at the centre as a reluctant astronaut caught in a mission far beyond his control, alongside Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the commanding force behind the global task, and James Ortiz as Rocky, the unexpected presence that changes everything. The cast also includes Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, and Priya Kansara.

And if 2026 has already delivered high-stakes sci-fi, it does not stop there, shifting gears into a mockumentary adventure with Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.

Earning approximately $4.3 million worldwide, a strong return for a $2 million independent Canadian production, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie first premiered at SXSW on March 9, 2025, before reaching a wider U.S. audience with its theatrical release on February 13, 2026. Created by Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll, the film continues the cult-favourite series with a mockumentary adventure twist, and was later digitally released on March 24, 2026.

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The story follows two struggling musicians whose chaotic attempt to land a gig spirals into unexpected time travel. Holding a 98% Tomatometer and 95% audience score, the film also won the People’s Choice Award at TIFF, with Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol, and Jared Raab leading the cast. However, as the tone shifts from quirky chaos to survival at its most intense, 2026 also brings a gripping thriller into focus with Send Help.

A survival horror-thriller with strong psychological tension, Send Help marks Sam Raimi’s return to the genre, blending isolation, power struggle, and human conflict into a tightly packed narrative. The film follows two colleagues, Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) and Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien), who survive a plane crash only to find themselves stranded on a deserted island, where survival quickly turns into a darker battle of control and past tensions. It is available to watch by buying or renting on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Released theatrically in the United States on January 30, 2026, the film has been well received, holding a 93–94% Tomatometer score and earning around $94 million worldwide. Joining Rachel McAdams are Dennis Haysbert, Chris Pang, and Edyll Ismail. Meanwhile, if you have already dived into the intensity of thrillers, the next one gently pulls you back into a more colourful, childhood-tinted world.

Taking us into a quiet, nature-tinted world seen through a child’s eyes, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is an animated coming-of-age story directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han. The film first debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025 before its theatrical Blu-ray release on March 10, 2026. Set in late 1960s Japan, it follows young Amélie, a Belgian child who slowly awakens from a detached, almost “god-like” state into curiosity and emotion, guided by her caretaker Nishio-san.

Holding a strong 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film is available to rent or buy on platforms like Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube. The voice cast includes Loïse Charpentier and Emmylou Homs (FR), Lily Gilliam and Lucille Ainsworth (EN) as Amélie, alongside Victoria Grosbois / Francesca Calo as Nishio-san, with Marc Arnaud, Laetitia Coryn, Brent Mukai, and Jessica DiSalvo as her parents.

Taking audiences into a haunting, time-bending world, Sound of Falling is a German drama directed by Mascha Schilinski. Premiering at Cannes on May 14, 2025, where it won the Jury Prize, the film later reached U.S. audiences with a limited theatrical release on January 16, 2026. Set across a century on a remote German farm, the story follows four girls, Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka, whose lives and hidden traumas begin to intertwine as time dissolves around them.

Holding a strong 94–95% Tomatometer score and a 91 Metacritic rating, the film has earned critical acclaim alongside a $4.8 million worldwide box office. The ensemble cast includes Hanna Heckt, Lea Drinda, Lena Urzendowsky, Luise Heyer, and Susanne Wuest, with the film set to stream on MUBI from April 24, 2026.

And as stories begin to blur the lines between memory and time, the journey now moves into something more raw and immersive with Sirât.

Set against the vast, hypnotic backdrop of the Moroccan desert, Sirât follows a father and his young son as they search for a missing daughter who has disappeared into the underground rave scene. Directed by Óliver Laxe, the journey soon shifts from a desperate search into something far more intense and psychological. The film premiered at Cannes on May 15, 2025, winning the Jury Prize, before reaching U.S. theatres on February 6, 2026.

Holding a 91% Tomatometer score and earning around $13 million worldwide, the film has been widely praised for its immersive storytelling and raw performances. Led by Sergi López and Bruno Núñez Arjona, the cast also includes Richard Bellamy, Jade Oukid, Tonin Janvier, Stefania Gadda, and Joshua Liam Henderson.

While Sirât drifts through surreal landscapes and inner journeys, 2026 also turns to a real-world narrative with gripping stakes in Man on the Run.

Directed by Morgan Neville, Man on the Run explores a defining chapter in Paul McCartney’s life, focusing on his post-Beatles journey and the formation of Wings during the 1970s. Built around rare archival footage of Paul and Linda McCartney, the documentary offers an intimate look at a transitional era in music history. The film had select theatrical screenings beginning February 19, 2026, before its global release on Prime Video on February 27, 2026.

Holding a strong 96% critics score and 89% audience rating, the film has been well received for its storytelling and depth. It is currently available to stream on Prime Video and rent on platforms like Apple TV, with appearances from Wagner Moura, Maria Fernanda Cândido, and Udo Kier.

Meanwhile, as 2026 shows no signs of slowing down with many more upcoming films and documentaries on the way, these seven titles already offer a glimpse into a year packed with stories across every genre and scale.

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Among all these 7 movies, which one will you watch first? Let us know in the comments.