2026 is a good year for Sci-Fi movie fans, but the genre’s biggest release is set to face major competition at the box office, and I’m convinced it will not end well for the film. There are many Sci-Fi movies set to be released in 2026, with those spanning book adaptations, returning franchises, and original films.
Simply put, there is something for everyone when it comes to Sci-Fi movies in 2026, which I can’t help but find very exciting. After watching many hit Sci-Fi series last year, such as Severance, Silo, and Foundation, I believe a jump to impactful Sci-Fi films is important for this new year. The only problem is the position the biggest Sci-Fi movie is in.
2026 Sees A Sci-Fi Movie Emerge Amid A Genre Storm
Timothée Chalamet looking serious as Paul Atreides in Dune Part Two
In February, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die marks one of the most exciting Sci-Fi movie releases of the year, starting the work early. However, the film, which stars Sam Rockwell, is far from the only major Sci-Fi theatrical movie of 2026. Fans of the genre need to keep their eyes peeled for a list of exciting projects.
A few Sci-Fi movies to watch in 2026 are: Project Hail Mary, which stars Ryan Gosling as a school teacher-turned-astronaut who must save Earth; Mercy, Chris Pratt’s Sci-Fi vehicle where a man has to prove his innocence to an AI judge; and Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s new Sci-Fi epic that is dubbed a “UFO film.”
While those three movies are promising and the year will feature even more genre goodness, it is hard to argue against the fact that Dune: Part Three is the true Sci-Fi cinematic event of the year. The Oscar-winning franchise continues to grow, with its trilogy finale adding major stars to the cast, such as Robert Pattinson and Anya Taylor-Joy, the latter after a cameo.
Will Dune: Part Three Survive Its Current Release Date?
A giant army in Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Three marks director Denis Villeneuve’s final movie in the Sci-Fi franchise, with the story of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides reaching a transformative point. It is undoubtedly the Sci-Fi cinematic event of the year, and it very well could be 2026’s best movie when all is said and done. However, I’m convinced its box office is at risk all the same.
The reason for that is that both Dune: Part Three and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026. While the MCU is not in the same near-perfect shape it once was at the box office, all Avengers movies have cleared $1 billion. Additionally, the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which announced Chris Evans’ return, earned 53 million views and 534k likes on Twitter alone.
The second Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which focused on Thor, currently has 25 million views and 380k likes. Adding the returning MCU heroes, Fox’s original X-Men, multiverse surprises, and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, it feels like Dune: Part Three will be unable to top Doomsday’s box office. As such, the biggest Sci-Fi event of 2026 needs to move to remain as big as expected.
Release Date
December 18, 2026
Producers
Mary Parent