The Movies Still Worth the Wait in 2026

The most anticipated movies still ahead in late 2026 are led by Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (IMAX, July 17) and Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three, alongside a wave of sharp mid-budget thrillers like Obsession. Save the IMAX and film-shot spectacles for the biggest screen you can find, and let the thrillers come to you at home.

2026 has been front-loaded with surprises, but the calendar is far from spent. From mythic epics to long-awaited sequels, here is the short list of films we think are genuinely worth clearing an evening for.

1. The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan turns Homer loose on the biggest screens ever built. If you only see one film in a theatre this year, our money is firmly here.

2. Dune: Part Three

The trilogy's darkest, strangest turn — a triumph that curdles into a warning. Villeneuve rarely misses.

3. The mid-budget thriller renaissance

Titles like Obsession prove there is still a huge appetite for sharp, adult, star-driven suspense. Expect studios to keep chasing that lightning through the back half of the year.

The blockbusters get the billboards, but the sleepers get the conversation.

How we're watching

• Save the true spectacles — anything shot on film or in IMAX — for the biggest screen you can find.
• Let the thrillers come to you at home, lights off, phone in another room.
• Add anything that intrigues you to My List so it's waiting the moment it lands.