Movies - Universal Pictures and Focus Features Films Set for 2026 : A Year of Ambition, Emotion, Spectacle and Bold Storytelling Across Genres

By Mulder, 24 december 2025

2026 is shaping up to be an absolutely fascinating cinematic year for Universal Pictures and Focus Features, the kind of carefully curated slate that mixes prestige cinema, emotional storytelling, animation milestones, daring horror, major blockbuster events, returning franchises, literary adaptations and deeply human stories that audiences have been waiting to experience on the biggest possible screen. What immediately stands out is the studio’s clear ambition to balance commercial titles with artistic identity, something Universal has been strongly reinforcing in recent years, and something Focus Features continues to proudly defend through unique voices and character-driven narratives. The lineup reflects a studio confident in its partnerships, whether with powerhouse creative collaborators like Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Pierre Coffin, Will Gluck, Rob Savage, Georgia Oakley, Robert Eggers, or storytelling giants like Colleen Hoover, Nintendo, Jane Austen’s legacy, and the always innovative worlds coming from Amblin, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation, Blumhouse Productions, Working Title Films and Syncopy. Each film brings not only promise, but also an anecdotal sense of continuity with cinema history, reminding us that Universal has always loved mixing mythology, emotion, fun, fantasy, fear, romance, and bold new filmmaking voices.

The year begins with deeply emotional resonance thanks to Reminders of Him, directed by Vanessa Caswill, written and produced alongside bestselling author Colleen Hoover with Lauren Levine, Grant Scharbo and Gina Matthews, and starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford, with music by Tom Howe under the banners Heartbones Entertainment and Little Engine Productions. Universal’s March 2026 release brings to the screen a powerful story of redemption and motherhood as Kenna Rowan returns home after five years in prison hoping to reconnect with her daughter, a narrative rooted in the raw emotional honesty that made Hoover’s work beloved worldwide. Not only is this one of Universal’s most emotionally driven releases, it also reinforces the studio’s tradition of adapting strong literary voices into poignant cinematic experiences, with France set to discover it on March 18, 2026, shortly after its United States release on March 13, 2026.

Then, audiences jump into cosmic adventure with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, written by Matthew Fogel, produced by Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto, and featuring the star voices of Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Kevin Michael Richardson and Brie Larson, with music by Brian Tyler. After the massive global success of the first The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the creative partnership between Illumination and Nintendo returns stronger than ever, this time pushing way beyond the Mushroom Kingdom as Mario, Luigi and Yoshi travel across galaxies alongside Rosalina to stop Bowser Jr., whose desperate attempt to save his father threatens universal balance. Releasing April 3, 2026, the film clearly intends to expand the Mario cinematic universe while honoring the spirit of the beloved Super Mario Galaxy games, blending humor, adventure, and emotional stakes in true Illumination fashion.

Romance then takes viewers to Italy with You, Me & Tuscany (Toi, moi et la Toscane), directed by Kat Coiro, written by Ryan Engle from a story by Ryan Engle and Kristin N. Engle, produced by Will Packer and Johanna Byer, starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page, with cinematography by Danny Ruhlmann, editing by Troy Takaki and music by John Debney. Distributed by Universal Pictures and releasing April 10, 2026 in the United States and April 15, 2026 in France, this charming romantic film promises elegance, humor, mistaken identity, emotional awakening and the intoxicating beauty of Tuscany itself. The premise of a woman crashing in a luxurious empty villa and pretending to be the owner’s fiancée feels deliciously cinematic, modern yet timeless, like the kind of romantic storytelling Universal has historically supported with sincerity rather than cliché.

Focus Features and Le Pacte bring a darker fairy tale twist to love and desire with Obsession, written and directed by Curry Barker, produced by James Harris, Haley Nicole Johnson and Christian Mercuri, and starring Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless and Andy Richter, with cinematography by Taylor Clemons, editing by Curry Barker and music by Rock Burwell, through Capstone Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Tea Shop Productions and Under the Shell. After its world premiere at TIFF on September 5, 2025, the film will hit France on May 13, 2026 and the United States on May 15, 2026, running 108 minutes. The story of a hopeless romantic who breaks a mystical “One Wish Willow” to win someone’s heart, only to discover the terrifying price of getting exactly what you want, feels like classic Blumhouse twisted morality storytelling, blending supernatural dread with emotional obsession, reminding us that love stories can sometimes descend into haunting nightmare territory.

Then arrives one of the biggest cinematic events of 2026, Disclosure Day, directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by David Koepp and a story by Steven Spielberg, produced by Kristie Macosko Krieger and Steven Spielberg, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo, with cinematography by Janusz Kamiński, editing by Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn, music by John Williams, under Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. Releasing June 10, 2026 in France and June 12, 2026 in the United States, the film dares to ask humanity’s greatest question: what if we finally proved we are not alone? The promise of truth for seven billion people and the tension of approaching inevitable revelation feels incredibly timely, emotionally charged and spiritually cinematic. With Steven Spielberg, David Koepp and John Williams reunited, this project carries both creative prestige and nostalgic power, while bringing something bold and urgent to modern audiences.

Focus Features then delivers Girls Like Girls, directed and written by Hayley Kiyoko alongside Stefanie Scott, based on Hayley Kiyoko’s own Girls Like Girls, produced by Marc Platt, Katie McNicol, Adam Siegel, Dee Best, Michael Phillip, Jason Moring and Richard Alan Reid, starring Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy, edited by Christine Armstrong and Sabine Hoffman, with music by Jessica Rose Weiss, releasing June 19, 2026 in the United States. This heartfelt Focus Features drama follows seventeen-year-old Coley navigating grief, identity, intimacy and emotional uncertainty after losing her mother, while her connection with Sonya introduces her to feelings both beautiful and frightening. Focus has long championed deeply human stories centered on emotional truth, and this one promises sincerity, authenticity and representation handled with sensitivity rather than stereotype.

Illumination then returns with Minions 3, directed by Pierre Coffin, written by Brian Lynch, produced by Chris Meledandri and Bill Ryan, starring Amy Sedaris, Romesh Ranganathan and Pierre Coffin himself, distributed by Universal Pictures and releasing July 1, 2026 in both the United States and France. Although plot details remain under wraps, the Minions franchise has always mastered the art of combining global humor, visual comedy and heartwarming chaos, and every new entry feels like a family cinematic event worldwide.

Summer 2026 also brings one of the most anticipated cinematic undertakings of the decade: The Odyssey, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, based on Homer’s legendary text, produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron, with cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema, editing by Jennifer Lame, music by Ludwig Göransson, produced by Universal Pictures and Syncopy and distributed by Universal Pictures. Releasing July 15, 2026 in France and July 17, 2026 in the United States, this adaptation promises an epic cinematic odyssey worthy of its myth, as Odysseus journeys home after the Trojan War, facing the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, Circe and countless dangers. The reunion of Christopher Nolan with Hoyte van Hoytema, Jennifer Lame and Ludwig Göransson, alongside a monumental cast, feels like a landmark film event, blending poetic mythology with large-scale cinematic vision.

Universal then shifts tone with One Night Only, directed by Will Gluck, written by Travis Braun and Will Gluck from a story by Travis Braun, produced by Will Gluck and Jacqueline Monetta, starring Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox and Este Haim, with cinematography by Yaron Orbach, under Olive Bridge Entertainment, releasing August 7, 2026 in the United States and August 26, 2026 in France. Set in a society where premarital sex is only legal for one night a year, the film explores desire, social rules, intimacy and human connection through humor, chaos and emotional vulnerability, a surprising high-concept romantic comedy that feels uniquely modern.

Focus Features continues its elegant classic literary tradition with Sense and Sensibility, directed by Georgia Oakley, written by Diana Reid, based on Jane Austen, produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, India Flint and Jo Wallett, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw, produced by Focus Features, Working Title Films, November Pictures and Kiddo Films. Releasing September 11, 2026 in the United States and September 23, 2026 in France through Universal Pictures International France, this new adaptation explores the emotional, romantic and financial struggles of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood as they leave their Sussex estate and face love and hardship with resilience, sensitivity and unmistakable Austen charm, continuing Focus Features’ tradition of refined literary cinema.

Adventure, emotion and fantasy return through DreamWorks Animation with Forgotten Island (L’île oubliée), written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, produced by Mark Swift, starring Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Lea Salonga, Liza Soberano and H.E.R., with music by Nathan Matthew David, distributed by Universal Pictures and releasing in France on October 21, 2026. The story of Jo and Raissa stranded on Nakali Island, forced to consider whether escaping may cost them their memories and emotions, suggests a surprisingly emotional adventure, blending spectacle with psychological depth, something DreamWorks has increasingly embraced in recent years.

Horror takes center stage again with Other Mommy, directed by Rob Savage, written by Nathan Elston, based on Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House, produced by James Wan, starring Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman and Karen Allen, with cinematography by Lowell A. Meyer, produced by Atomic Monster, Blumhouse Productions and Spin a Black Yarn, distributed by Universal Pictures and releasing October 9, 2026 in the United States and October 14, 2026 in France. Centered on Bela, an eight-year-old confronted by a terrifying entity emerging from her closet known as “Other Mommy,” the film promises psychological terror grounded in family trauma, something both Rob Savage and James Wan have excelled at delivering in recent years.

Comedy franchise energy then returns with Focker In-Law, written and directed by John Hamburg, based on characters created by Greg Glienna and Mary Ruth Clarke, produced by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Jay Roach, Ben Stiller, John Lesher and John Hamburg, starring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Ariana Grande, Skyler Gisondo, Beanie Feldstein and Eduardo Franco, with cinematography by Barry Peterson, produced by Tribeca Enterprises, Red Hour Productions, Delirious Media and Particular Pictures, distributed by Universal Pictures and set for release November 25, 2026 in both the United States and France. The chaos returns as Greg and Pam’s son Henry attempts to marry a strong-willed partner, reigniting generational personality clashes in the beloved comedic universe audiences have cherished for decades.

December continues the excitement with Violent Night 2, directed by Tommy Wirkola, written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, produced by Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, starring David Harbour, Daniela Melchior, Kristen Bell, Jared Harris, Joe Pantoliano, Maxwell Friedman and Andrew Bachelor, with cinematography by Matthew Weston, editing by Martin Stoltz and music by Dominic Lewis, produced by 87North Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures, releasing December 2, 2026 in France and December 4, 2026 in the United States. After the surprise success and cult following of the first film, Santa returns with even more brutal holiday mayhem, blending action, dark humor and unapologetic fun.

Finally, Focus Features closes the year with atmospheric terror in Werwulf, directed by Robert Eggers, written by Robert Eggers and Sjón, produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robert Eggers and Sjón, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson, with cinematography by Jarin Blaschke, editing by Louise Ford, produced by Focus Features, Working Title Films and Maiden Voyage Pictures, distributed by Focus Features in the United States and Universal Pictures in France, releasing December 25, 2026 in the United States. Set in 13th-century England, following a terrifying creature haunting fog-covered countryside communities, the film promises haunting folklore, immersive atmosphere and the singular visual precision that Robert Eggers is renowned for.

Altogether, 2026 reflects Universal Pictures and Focus Features at their best: confident, artistically ambitious, emotionally rich, adventurous, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes forward-thinking, and always cinematic. From enormous event films like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Disclosure Day and The Odyssey, to deeply intimate works like Reminders of Him, Girls Like Girls and Sense and Sensibility, through to horror, comedy sequels, animation wonders and bold original concepts, this lineup feels like a year designed not just to entertain audiences worldwide, but to remind them why the theatrical experience remains irreplaceable.

Reminders of Him

Directed by Vanessa Caswill
Written by Colleen Hoover, Lauren Levine
Based on Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Produced by Colleen Hoover, Lauren Levine, Grant Scharbo, Gina Matthews
Starring  Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford
Music by Tom Howe
Production companies : Heartbones Entertainment
Little Engine Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures, 
Release date : March 13, 2026 (United States), March 18, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : After five years in prison, Kenna Rowan returns to her hometown hoping to find her daughter.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Written by Matthew Fogel
Based on Mario and Super Mario Galaxy by Nintendo
Produced by Chris Meledandri, Shigeru Miyamoto
Starring  Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Kevin Michael Richardson, Brie Larson
Music by Brian Tyler
Production companies : Illumination, Nintendo
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : April 3, 2026 (United States)
Synopsis : Beyond the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi travel across galaxies alongside Rosalina to stop Bowser Jr., whose attempt to save his father threatens the balance of the universe. The universe needs heroes.

You, Me & Tuscany

Directed by Kat Coiro
Written by Ryan Engle
Story by Ryan Engle, Kristin N. Engle
Produced by Will Packer, Johanna Byer
Starring  Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page
Cinematography : Danny Ruhlmann
Edited by Troy Takaki
Music by John Debney
Production company : Will Packer Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : April 10, 2026 (United States), April 15, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : When a woman crashes at an empty Italian villa, posing as the owner's fiancée, she discovers an unexpected romance that may transform her life.

Obsession

Written and directed by Curry Barker
Produced by James Harris, Haley Nicole Johnson, Christian Mercuri
Starring  Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
Cinematography : Taylor Clemons
Edited by Curry Barker
Music by Rock Burwell
Production companies : Capstone Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Tea Shop Productions, Under the Shell
Distributed by Focus Features (United States), Le Pacte (France)
Release dates : September 5, 2025 (TIFF), May 13, 2026 (France), May 15, 2026 (United States)
Running time : 108 minutes
Synopsis : After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Disclosure Day

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by David Koepp
Story by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg
Starring  Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo
Cinematography : Janusz Kamiński
Edited by Sarah Broshar, Michael Kahn
Music by John Williams
Production company : Amblin Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : June 10, 2026 (France), June 12, 2026 (United States)
Synopsis : What if you found out we weren't alone? If we showed you, proved it to you, would it scare you? People have a right to the truth. It belongs to seven billion people. Every second brings us closer to the inevitable... Disclosure Day.

Girls Like Girls
Directed by Hayley Kiyoko
Written by Hayley Kiyoko, Stefanie Scott
Based on Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko
Produced by Marc Platt, Katie McNicol, Adam Siegel, Dee Best, Michael Phillip, Jason Moring, Richard Alan Reid
Starring  Maya da Costa, Myra Molloy
Edited by Christine Armstrong, Sabine Hoffman
Music by Jessica Rose Weiss
Production companies : Marc Platt Productions, BuzzFeed Studios
Distributed by Focus Features (United States)
Release date : June 19, 2026 (United States)
Synopsis : Coley, 17, from rural Oregon, navigates intimacy after her mother's passing. Meeting Sonya sparks new feelings, but self-doubt hinders their connection. Sonya, unfamiliar with dating girls, is uncertain. They learn to embrace emotions

Minions 3
Directed by Pierre Coffin
Written by Brian Lynch
Produced by Chris Meledandri, Bill Ryan
Starring  Amy Sedaris, Romesh Ranganathan, Pierre Coffin
Production company : Illumination
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : July 1, 2026 (United States), July 1, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : NC

The Odyssey

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan
Based on The Odyssey by Homer
Produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan
Starring  Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron
Cinematography : Hoyte van Hoytema
Edited by Jennifer Lame
Music by Ludwig Göransson
Production companies : Universal Pictures, Syncopy
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : July 15, 2026 (France), July 17, 2026 (United States)
Synopsis : After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way.

One Night Only
Directed by Will Gluck
Written by Travis Braun, Will Gluck
Story by Travis Braun
Produced by Will Gluck, Jacqueline Monetta
Starring  Monica Barbaro, Callum Turner, Molly Ringwald, LeVar Burton, Maya Hawke, Julia Fox, Este Haim
Cinematography : Yaron Orbach
Production company : Olive Bridge Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : August 7, 2026 (United States), August 26, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : A man and a woman scramble to find someone to sleep with on the one night of the year when premarital sex is legal in their society.

Sense and Sensibility
Directed by Georgia Oakley
Written by Diana Reid
Based on Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, India Flint, Jo Wallett
Starring  Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw
Production companies : Focus Features, Working Title Films, November Pictures, Kiddo Films
Distributed by Focus Features (United States), Universal Pictures International France (France)
Release dates September 11, 2026 (United States), September 23, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : Sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood must leave their Sussex estate and move in with a distant relative, facing romance and money troubles.

Forgotten Island
Written and directed by Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado 
Produced by Mark Swift
Starring  Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Lea Salonga, Liza Soberano, H.E.R.
Music by Nathan Matthew David
Production companies : DreamWorks Animation
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates :  October 21, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : Jo and Raissa find themselves stranded on Nakali Island. They discover that their only way home could cost them a lifetime of memories and emotions.

Other Mommy
Directed by Rob Savage
Written by Nathan Elston
Based on Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
Produced by James Wan
Starring  Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Sean Kaufman, Karen Allen
Cinematography : Lowell A. Meyer
Production companies : Atomic Monster, Blumhouse Productions, Spin a Black Yarn
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : October 9, 2026 (United States), October 14, 2026 (France)
Synopsis : Bela, an 8-year-old girl living in a home with marital problems, confronts a sinister entity that comes out of her closet. The presence, whom she calls "Other Mommy," becomes increasingly threatening to her and her family.

Focker In-Law
Written and directed by John Hamburg
Based on Characters by Greg Glienna, Mary Ruth Clarke
Produced by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Jay Roach, Ben Stiller, John Lesher, John Hamburg
Starring  Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Ariana Grande, Skyler Gisondo, Beanie Feldstein, Eduardo Franco
Cinematography : Barry Peterson
Production companies : Tribeca Enterprises, Red Hour Productions, Delirious Media, Particular Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures (United States)
Release date : November 25, 2026 (United States, France)
Synopsis : A young man named Henry, son of Greg and Pam Focker, faces family chaos when he decides to marry a strong-willed woman who appears to be his complete mismatch.

Violent Night 2
Directed by Tommy Wirkola
Written by Pat Casey, Josh Miller
Produced by Kelly McCormick, David Leitch
Starring  David Harbour, Daniela Melchior, Kristen Bell, Jared Harris, Joe Pantoliano, Maxwell Friedman, Andrew Bachelor
Cinematography : Matthew Weston
Edited by Martin Stoltz
Music by Dominic Lewis
Production company : 87North Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : December 2, 2026 (France), December 4, 2026 (United States)

Werwulf
Directed by Robert Eggers
Written by Robert Eggers, Sjón
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Robert Eggers, Sjón
Starring  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson
Cinematography : Jarin Blaschke
Edited by Louise Ford
Production companies : Focus Features, Working Title Films, Maiden Voyage Pictures
Distributed by Focus Features (United States), Universal Pictures (France)
Release date : December 25, 2026 (United States)
Synopsis : In 13th-century England, a mysterious creature stalks a foggy countryside as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality for the villagers.