Most upcoming movies in UK 2026 lists were written in January, when the whole year was still ahead. It is now late October, and the picture has changed completely. Nine of the ten biggest films of the year have already been and gone. The year has quietly turned into a record one. And the two biggest releases left both land on the same Friday in December.
So this page has been rewritten around where the year actually stands. What is still to come, with confirmed dates. What landed, with the real box office numbers. And where to catch up on the ones you missed.
Every date and figure below is sourced, with a link next to it.
Upcoming Movies in UK 2026: What Is Still to Come
There are two months of the calendar left. Screen Daily keeps the running UK and Ireland release schedule, and it is the list distributors work from. The tables below pull out the wide releases from it. Smaller indie, event and re-release titles are left out to keep them readable.
November 2026 UK Cinema Releases
| Date | Film | Distributor | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov | Wild Horse Nine | Disney | The month opens with Disney back in cinemas |
| Fri 6 Nov | George Michael: The Faith Tour | Universal | Concert film |
| Fri 6 Nov | Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend | Sony | Epic adaptation |
| Fri 13 Nov | Ebenezer | Paramount | Ti West does A Christmas Carol, with Johnny Depp and Rupert Grint |
| Fri 13 Nov | How To Rob A Bank | Sony | Heist comedy |
| Fri 20 Nov | The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping | Lionsgate | The biggest release of the month |
| Fri 20 Nov | A Talent For Murder | Universal | Thriller |
| Wed 25 Nov | Focker-In-Law | Universal | Meet the Parents sequel, timed for the half-term and Christmas run-up |
| Fri 27 Nov | Disney’s Hexed | Disney | Family release |
December 2026 UK Cinema Releases
| Date | Film | Distributor | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 4 Dec | Violent Night 2 | Universal | Action sequel |
| Fri 4 Dec | The Cat In The Hat | Warner Bros | Animation, aimed at the school holidays |
| Fri 4 Dec | Behemoth! | Disney | Family adventure |
| Fri 11 Dec | Onslaught | Universal | Action |
| Fri 11 Dec | It’s A Wonderful Life | Paramount | 80th anniversary 4K re-release |
| Fri 11 Dec | The Holiday | Park Circus | 20th anniversary re-release |
| Fri 18 Dec | Avengers: Doomsday | Disney | See the section below |
| Fri 18 Dec | Dune: Part Three | Warner Bros | Same day. See the section below |
| Wed 23 Dec | Jumanji: Open World | Sony | The Christmas family slot |
| Thu 24 Dec | King | Yash Raj | Hindi-language release |
| Fri 25 Dec | The Angry Birds Movie 3 | Paramount | Christmas Day opening |
If you track which cinema releases reach streaming and when, our guide to how long UK films take to reach streaming sets out the usual windows.
18 December: Avengers Doomsday and Dune Part Three on the Same Day
This is the fixture of the year, and it is the main reason the December table matters. Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three both open in UK cinemas on Friday 18 December.
Dune had the date first. Doomsday moved onto it after losing its original May slot, which Kevin Feige has put down to production rather than strategy – the film could not be finished in time. He has also said he hopes cinemas worldwide are packed that weekend, which is one way of looking at it (ComicBookMovie, 22 July 2026).
Warner Bros has not moved Dune either, and neither studio has shown any sign of blinking. Robert Downey Jr gave the clash its nickname while joking about it in January, and “Dunesday” has stuck. The comparison everyone reaches for is Barbenheimer in 2023.
For anyone who cares about the format they watch in, here is the detail that matters. Dune secured the IMAX screens, which locks Doomsday out of the biggest rooms. Disney has answered by branding its own premium screenings Infinity Vision. So on 18 December the choice is not just which film, but which format each one is actually available in – and the large-format seats for both will go early. Book ahead.
One honest caveat: Marvel has moved dates before, and both films are still eight weeks out at the time of writing. Nothing is certain until the week of release.
The 2026 Films That Actually Delivered
A list of anticipated films is only half the story. Here is what UK and Ireland audiences actually turned up for, measured in money rather than hype.
| # | Film | Distributor | UK and Ireland gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Sony | £99.2m |
| 2 | The Odyssey | Universal | £86.9m |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | Disney | £58.5m |
| 4 | Michael | Universal | £53.2m |
| 5 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Universal | £38.6m |
| 6 | Project Hail Mary | Sony | £34.7m |
| 7 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Disney | £34.4m |
| 8 | Wuthering Heights | Warner Bros | £25.3m |
| 9 | The Housemaid | Lionsgate | £23.5m |
| 10 | Obsession | Universal | £20.0m |
Two things stand out. The top film of the year is a superhero sequel, so that end of the market has not gone away. But the second biggest is The Odyssey, an original epic rather than a franchise entry, and Screen Daily reports it is now the tenth highest-grossing film of all time in the territory. That is the more interesting result of the two.
Wuthering Heights is the British entry in that top ten, at £25.3m. It opened on 13 February, and our February 2026 UK movie releases guide covers that month in full, including the record-breaking opening weekend it had.
2026 Is a Record Year for UK Cinema
This is the part of the story that was impossible to see in January, and it is the clearest answer to whether people are still going to the cinema.
By the end of September, UK and Ireland takings for 2026 stood at £976.6m, against £806.4m for the same point in 2025. That is 21% ahead, on Rentrak figures reported by Screen Daily. September alone brought in £73.3m, up 3% on the same month last year.
The £1bn mark was then passed in October. The Film Distributors’ Association reported it happened ahead of the previous three post-pandemic years, each of which only reached £1bn in December. With November and December still to count, including both 18 December releases, 2026 will finish well clear of them.
One Distributor Had an Extraordinary Year
Universal has taken £284.9m in UK and Ireland cinemas in 2026 with ten weeks of the year still to run. That beats its previous annual record of £280.2m, set in 2015, and it works out at 28% of every pound taken at the UK and Ireland box office this year.
Three films did most of that work: The Odyssey at £87.8m, Michael at £53.2m and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at £38.5m. A fourth, Minions & Monsters, added £20.1m. One studio with a strong slate can move a whole market, which is worth remembering the next time a year looks thin in January.
British Films in the 2026 Line-Up
British titles have had a mixed but real year. Wuthering Heights is the clearest success, eighth for the year at £25.3m.
One correction to the earlier version of this page. Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom was listed here as a 31 October release. It is not. Aardman’s third Shaun feature, a Sky Original, premiered in UK cinemas on 18 September 2026 and heads to Sky Cinema after its run. Dani Dyer voices a new character in it, her first animation role, alongside Justin Fletcher and Andy Nyman.
Several other British titles listed on this page in February have since come and gone, including Crime 101, GOAT and the Shane Meadows drama. The February round-up linked above covers the ones that opened that month.
What About Upcoming Movies in the UK for 2027?
A short, honest answer: the 2027 UK calendar is not firm yet.
Plenty of 2027 dates are circulating, but most of them are US dates taken from studio schedules, and UK dates often differ by days or weeks. The Film Distributors’ Association release schedule is the list UK cinemas actually work from, and it is updated weekly. That is the one to check rather than a US calendar.
One firm 2027 move is worth noting, because it affects the December 2026 slate: Shrek 5 was pulled out of 23 December 2026 and pushed to 30 June 2027 by Universal and DreamWorks, with no reason given. That left the Christmas 2026 family slot to Jumanji: Open World and The Angry Birds Movie 3 instead.
This page is updated as UK dates are confirmed, so the tables above stay current rather than frozen in January.
Where to Watch the 2026 Films You Missed
Most of that top ten has already left cinemas, and the majority are now on a streaming service or available to rent. Our where to watch in the UK hub is the quickest way to find a specific title, and UK streaming services compared sets out what each one carries.
A few practical pointers. Recent cinema releases usually land on Sky Cinema and NOW first in the UK, which is where Wuthering Heights ended up. Studio titles often go to a rental store before any subscription service picks them up, and our guide to how UK streaming rights work explains why a film can vanish from one app and appear on another. If you would rather not pay at all, free streaming in the UK covers the legal free options.
For a worked example of two 2026 releases compared on both their cinema run and where they ended up, see Jurassic World Rebirth vs Scream 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest upcoming movies in UK cinemas in 2026?
Three stand out in what is left of the year. The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping on 20 November, then Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three, which both open on 18 December. Jumanji: Open World follows on 23 December.
Are Avengers Doomsday and Dune Part Three really out on the same day in the UK?
Yes. Both are dated Friday 18 December 2026 on Screen Daily’s UK and Ireland schedule, and neither studio has moved. Dune secured the IMAX screens, and Disney has branded its own premium screenings Infinity Vision in response, so check which format each film is showing in near you and book ahead.
What was the biggest film in UK cinemas in 2026?
Spider-Man: Brand New Day, on £99.2m in the UK and Ireland by the end of September. The Odyssey is second on £86.9m, and is now the tenth highest-grossing film of all time in the territory.
Is the UK box office growing in 2026?
Yes, strongly. Takings reached £976.6m by the end of September, 21% ahead of the £806.4m at the same point in 2025. The £1bn mark was passed in October, earlier than in any of the three previous post-pandemic years.
When is Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom out in the UK?
It has already been. The Aardman and Sky film premiered in UK cinemas on 18 September 2026 and moves to Sky Cinema after its cinema run.
Which British film did best in UK cinemas in 2026?
Wuthering Heights, eighth for the year on £25.3m. It opened on 13 February with the second-best post-pandemic opening weekend for a romance in the UK.
Where can I find confirmed UK release dates for 2027?
The Film Distributors’ Association publishes the UK release schedule and updates it weekly. Dates found on US studio calendars often differ from the UK ones, so that is the list to trust. Shrek 5 is one confirmed change, moving out of December 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Where can I watch the 2026 films I missed in cinemas?
Most have moved to streaming or rental. Recent UK cinema releases usually reach Sky Cinema and NOW first. Our where to watch hub finds a specific title, and our streaming rights guide explains why films move between services.
Read more: Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2: episodes, ending and Season 5
Sources: Screen Daily UK-Ireland release schedule, Screen Daily September box office, Screen Daily on Universal, Film Distributors’ Association, Rentrak, ComicBookMovie, NME, The A.V. Club, Variety and Advanced Television. Box office figures are year to date at the end of September 2026 unless stated. Release dates can move.
Last updated: 27 October 2026.
