Top 15 Movies Releasing in IMAX Theaters in 2026

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1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 1, 2026)

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is shaping up like a full-scale follow-up rather than a small extension of the first film, and the space-setting angle gives it an obvious IMAX advantage. Moving Mario into the cosmic, gravity-heavy world associated with the Galaxy games opens the door for bigger visuals and a more dynamic sense of scale than a standard Mushroom Kingdom adventure. With the main creative team returning, the project also has continuity working in its favor instead of feeling like a brand reset. For a family blockbuster built around movement, color, and spectacle, this is exactly the kind of release that fits premium screens. | © Universal Pictures

2. Michael (April 24, 2026)

A music biopic does not always scream IMAX on paper, but Michael is being positioned more like a major theatrical event than a quiet awards-season drama. The film’s scale starts with the names attached to it, with Antoine Fuqua directing and Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, which is a big part of why industry interest has stayed high. Even with key story details still being carefully managed ahead of release, the rollout suggests a production aiming for a wide, high-profile audience. That larger presentation strategy makes the IMAX placement feel deliberate rather than just promotional noise. | © Lionsgate

3. Toy Story 5 (June 19, 2026)

Pixar’s return to this franchise with Toy Story 5 looks designed to do more than just trade on nostalgia, especially with the early setup leaning into a toys-versus-tech conflict. That premise gives the movie a built-in modern hook and creates room for visual comedy that can scale up nicely in a premium theatrical format. It also helps that the franchise already has multi-generational appeal, which makes this the kind of summer title that can pull families and longtime fans at the same time. If Pixar lands the emotional side and the comedic chaos, IMAX screens should only amplify the experience. | © Pixar Animation Studios

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4. Supergirl (June 26, 2026)

The June superhero slot gets a major boost with Supergirl, which appears to be aiming for a more cosmic and action-driven tone than a smaller, grounded character introduction. With Milly Alcock starring as Kara Zor-El and Craig Gillespie directing, the project already has enough identity to stand apart from a generic franchise placeholder. Early story details point toward a tougher, more momentum-based journey, which is the right kind of framework for a movie expected to sell scale as much as character. For IMAX audiences, that interstellar scope is a strong selling point from day one. | © DC Studios

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5. Minions & Monsters (July 1, 2026)

Illumination’s Minions & Monsters arrives in the early July corridor with exactly the kind of chaotic energy that tends to play well in packed theaters. The concept keeps the franchise’s absurd tone intact, pushing the Minions into a movie-business disaster that spirals into monster-sized trouble and broad visual mayhem. That fast, noisy style is already the brand’s strength, and a premium format only makes the slapstick bigger and more immediate for family crowds. At this point, the biggest question is not whether it will be loud in IMAX, but how wild it gets. | © Illumination

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6. Moana (Live-Action) (July 10, 2026)

Disney’s live-action Moana has the kind of built-in audience that can turn a summer release into a major theatrical event, but the real selling point is scale. With Catherine Lagaʻaia stepping into the lead role and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui, this version has a clear mix of fresh casting and franchise familiarity. The ocean setting, island landscapes, and effects-heavy mythology give the movie a natural big-screen advantage if Disney captures the same sense of movement that made the original work. If the adaptation keeps the emotional core intact while expanding the world in live action, it could be one of July’s biggest family draws. | © Walt Disney Pictures

7. The Odyssey (July 17, 2026)

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey already feels like one of those releases that arrives with event status built in, even before the full marketing push peaks. Adapting Homer’s epic gives the film a massive narrative canvas, but what makes this one especially notable is the format ambition behind it. The project has been positioned as a large-scale theatrical experience, and the early conversation around its presentation has only amplified expectations for audiences who want spectacle over small-screen viewing. With Nolan handling mythic material, this has all the ingredients of a prestige blockbuster rather than a standard literary adaptation. | © Universal Pictures

8. Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)

Closing out the month, Spider-Man: Brand New Day looks like a smart tonal pivot after the multiverse-heavy emotional fallout of No Way Home. The title itself suggests a reset chapter, and that fresh-start energy could help the movie feel more focused even while keeping the scale audiences expect from a Spider-Man release. Tom Holland’s return gives the film continuity where it matters, but the new chapter framing creates room for a different rhythm and identity. It has the setup of a crowd-pleasing late-summer blockbuster that can balance character momentum with big-screen action. | © Columbia Pictures / Marvel Studios

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9. Resident Evil (September 18, 2026)

September takes a harder turn into horror with Resident Evil, and that shift alone makes it one of the more interesting titles in this lineup. This new reboot is directed by Zach Cregger, which immediately raises expectations for a nastier, more atmospheric approach instead of another generic action-first adaptation. That matters for this franchise, because game fans usually care as much about dread and mood as they do monsters and mayhem. If the film delivers on tension and tone, it could end up being the kind of horror release that benefits from a packed theater and a louder premium presentation. | © Constantin Film

10. Digger (October 2, 2026)

One of the most intriguing wildcards on the schedule is Digger, the new Alejandro G. Iñárritu film starring Tom Cruise, and it already stands out from the franchise-heavy crowd around it. The project is billed as a black comedy with a large ensemble cast, which gives it a very different energy from Cruise’s recent action run and makes the tone a big part of the curiosity factor. With Iñárritu directing and writers from his longtime creative circle involved, this looks like a prestige-driven studio swing rather than a conventional fall release. If the film’s dark-comic premise lands with audiences, it could become one of the season’s most talked-about theatrical surprises. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

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11. Street Fighter (October 16, 2026)

After years of stop-start adaptation talk, Street Fighter finally looks like a real event movie again, and the current version has a much bigger studio swing behind it than past live-action attempts. Kitao Sakurai is directing this reboot, and the cast lineup is stacked with names from film, comedy, wrestling, and action, which gives the project a chaotic, crowd-pleasing energy before a full trailer even does the heavy lifting. The tournament setup is a natural fit for large-format presentation because it promises varied arenas, signature fighters, and spectacle-driven matchups instead of one-note action. If the movie nails the tone between serious combat and franchise weirdness, this could be one of fall’s most fun IMAX plays. | © Legendary Pictures

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12. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20, 2026)

Panem returns with The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, and this prequel has a built-in hook that is stronger than simple franchise nostalgia. The story centers on young Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games, which means the film comes with a darker historical angle and a brutal arena setup fans already know carries major weight in the lore. Francis Lawrence returning to direct helps the project feel connected to the strongest parts of the series, especially on the visual and tonal side. With the Quarter Quell scale and a fresh cast, this has the profile of a late-year IMAX release that can hit both longtime fans and newer audiences. | © Lionsgate

13. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (November 26, 2026)

Greta Gerwig’s first trip into Narnia is arriving with unusually high curiosity, not just because of the property, but because the release strategy itself feels like an event. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is set for a Thanksgiving IMAX launch before its Netflix debut, which immediately puts this in a different category than a normal streaming-first fantasy adaptation. That theatrical-first window matters for a story built on world-creation, since the earliest Narnia material lives or dies on atmosphere, scale, and visual wonder. If Gerwig brings the same sharp tonal control she showed in past work, this could become one of the most talked-about fantasy releases of the year. | © Netflix

14. Dune: Part Three (December 18, 2026)

December’s biggest big-screen showdown gets one half of its power from Dune: Part Three, which already carries the momentum of a modern sci-fi series that audiences genuinely show up for in premium formats. Denis Villeneuve returning to continue Paul Atreides’ story gives this film instant weight, and the move deeper into the Messiah-era material suggests a colder, more political chapter rather than a simple repeat of desert-war spectacle. That shift could make the scale feel even more imposing, especially if the film leans harder into imperial tension and visual contrast. By the time it opens, this should be one of the year’s defining “see it on the biggest screen possible” releases. | © Legendary Pictures

15. Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)

Marvel closes the year with Avengers: Doomsday, and the date alone tells you how much confidence the studio still has in the Avengers brand as a theatrical draw. The Russo brothers’ return gives the movie immediate event status, while the Doctor Doom angle adds a different kind of threat than the franchise’s recent multiverse setup has been building around. Even with so many story details still under wraps, this is the kind of release that will be sold on scale, ensemble momentum, and sheer blockbuster urgency from the first major trailer onward. As a December tentpole, it has all the ingredients to dominate conversation long before opening weekend. | © Disney