This weekend, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt will stylishly stride into theaters with The Devil Wears Prada 2, kicking off Hollywood’s vaunted summer movie season — irrespective of what the calendar is telling us.
Familiar faces abound, with Tom Holland suiting up once again in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Pedro Pascal returning as Din Djarin in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Tom Hanks revisiting his beloved animated role as Woody in Toy Story 5, which is, sight unseen, already a favorite for Best Animated Feature.
But it’s not all franchise fare — several prestige projects are also vying for attention. Front and center is Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey, starring Matt Damon and an ensemble of A-listers, which is hoping to stake its claim as the Best Picture front-runner. But don’t discount the master: Steven Spielberg is back in sci-fi territory with the UFO thriller Disclosure Day, a film that has echoes of his early-career Oscar players E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Meanwhile, Academy Award alum Brendan Fraser is fronting the prestige WWII pic Pressure, while Jacob Elordi headlines fellow nominee Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars.
From highly anticipated sequels to wannabe awards contenders, here are the 20 movies to see this summer.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1)
Director: David Frankel
Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Lady Gaga, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B. J. Novak, Rachel Bloom, Patrick Brammall, Helen J. Chen, Pauline Chalamet, and Kenneth Branagh.
Studio: 20th Century Studios
Twenty years later, Streep returns as the ice-cold fashion powerhouse Miranda Priestly — the role that earned her the 2007 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy and could put her back in the awards conversation once again. Streep already holds the record for the most Golden Globe nominations with 33, and she could be poised to land a 34th nod for her starring role in 20th Century Studios’ highly anticipated sequel. In the new installment, Hathaway, Blunt, and Tucci reprise their original roles as the story revisits the high-stakes world of fashion publishing. Miranda remains the formidable editor-in-chief of Runway, now facing an industry in upheaval as print media struggles to compete with influencers, digital platforms, and the speed of social media.
Swapped (May 1)
Director: Nathan Greno
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Cedric the Entertainer, and Tracy Morgan
Studio: Netflix
Following his Best Actor Oscar win for Sinners, Jordan is shifting gears toward more family-friendly fare with Netflix’s upcoming animated body-swap adventure. Trading vampires for cute woodland creatures, Jordan voices a tiny forest animal caught in an unexpected identity mix-up. Opposite him, Temple voices a regal bird, and together the two find themselves accidentally inhabiting each other’s bodies. Once sworn enemies, they’re forced to navigate life in unfamiliar form, reluctantly teaming up as they try to reverse the mishap and survive the chaos of their new shared journey.
Remarkably Bright Creatures (May 8)
Director: Olivia Newman
Cast: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Laura Harris, and Alfred Molina (who voices Marcellus).
Studio: Netflix
The heartwarming film, based on Shelby Van Pelt’s 2022 novel of the same name, follows Tova (Field), a widow working the night shift at a local aquarium. There, she forms an unlikely bond with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus, as well as with her temporary replacement, Cameron (Pullman). Gold Derby reported exclusively that Netflix is submitting Remarkably Bright Creatures for the 2026 Emmys for Best Movie and it currently sits in third place on Gold Derby’s prediction charts.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War (May 20)
Director: Andrew Bernstein
Cast: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Sienna Miller
Studio: Amazon MGM Studios
A follow-up to Krasinski’s series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, the film picks up after Ryan has left the CIA for civilian life before being drawn back into espionage when a covert international mission uncovers a deadly conspiracy. As the threat escalates in real time, he reunites with allies Mike November (Michael Kelly) and James Greer (Wendell Pierce), while teaming up with new MI6 officer Emma Marlowe (Sienna Miller).
Director: Kane Parsons
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass
Studio: A24
After making an Oscar run for Sentimental Value, Renate Reinsve shifts gears to this buzzy horror film alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor — an adaptation of the popular YouTube series created by 20-year-old British-American filmmaker Kane Parsons. Reinsve has said she was “fascinated” by the YouTube series’ subject and Parsons, who has already developed a large following. “He was just so smart and had so many great ideas.”
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22)
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Michael Biehn, Nick Nolte, Christopher Lloyd and Clancy Brown
Studio: Lucasfilm
Pascal reprises his role as Din Djarin, the title character of The Mandalorian and Grogu’s adoptive father. Weaver also plays a major role as Colonel Ward, while White voices Rotta the Hutt, the son of the infamous Jabba the Hutt. The Disney+ series that the film builds upon has earned multiple Emmy wins and dozens of nominations across such categories as visual effects, sound, stunt coordination, cinematography, and music. Given that track record, the film could also be a strong below-the-line contender.
Director: Boots Riley
Cast: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Demi Moore
Studio: Neon
Riley’s first feature film since 2018’s Sorry to Bother You is I Love Boosters, a Robin Hood–meets-The Devil Wears Prada mash-up centered on a fashion icon (Moore) who becomes the target of Palmer’s elite shoplifting crew, a group that frames its thefts as a way to give back to their community. The film premiered at SXSW, where it received a strong critical response, and it currently holds a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pressure (May 29)
Director: Anthony Maras
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina and Damian Lewis.
Studio: Focus Features
Based on the acclaimed stage play by David Haig, the film is set in the 72 hours before D-Day, as Allied forces prepare to launch the largest seaborne invasion in history. With the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, Pressure follows Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Fraser) and world-renowned British meteorologist Capt. James Stagg (Scott) as they confront an agonizing choice: proceed with the invasion despite volatile weather conditions, or delay and risk catastrophic failure. Based on its cast and creatives alone, Focus Features will position Pressure for a run at Best Picture, with Fraser, Scott, Condon, and Lewis all likely to be in the acting conversation.
Disclosure Day (June 12)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Wyatt Russell.
Studio: Universal Studios
Footage recently screened at CinemaCon reveals an outbreak of strange behavior across the globe, starting with Blunt’s weather reporter, who starts talking in an alien language mid-broadcast. The trailer also shows O’Connor’s character stealing government secrets about alien life and going on the run. Spielberg has positioned the film as a spiritual sequel to E.T. and Close Encounters, which contended above and below the line, and between his track record and a cast that includes Oscar winner Firth and nominees Blunt and Domingo, Disclosure Day could emerge as a serious Academy Award threat.
Toy Story 5 (June 19)
Director: Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Greta Lee, Craig Robinson, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Hale and Keanu Reeves.
Studio: Pixar
Toy Story 5 explores what it means to be a toy in an era dominated by screens. Bonnie, last seen as a young child in Toy Story 3, is now 8 years old and increasingly absorbed in a sleek, AI-powered tablet named Lillypad (Lee). Woody (Hanks) steps in when Bonnie’s shifting priorities threaten the gang reuniting with Buzz Lightyear (Allen), Jessie (Cusack), and the rest. Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 both won Best Animated Feature, with the former being the rare toon to earn a Best Picture nomination.
Director: Travis Knight
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie
Studio: Amazon MGM Studios
Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man in this new adaptation of the iconic 1980s franchise and the latest from Mattel Films since Barbie. It follows the sword-and-sorcery adventures of He-Man — also known as Prince Adam of Eternia — as he and his allies battle archnemesis Skeletor (Leto). This reimagining begins with Adam stranded on Earth, living a seemingly ordinary human life, while feeling a growing pull toward his true home and destiny on the magical planet of Eternia. Knight has seen his Laika stop-motion animated features nominated for Oscars, and the right tone for He-Man could power a big box-office run, but based on intel out of CinemaCon, there’s a fear this film could verge into Razzie Land.
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, Noah Jupe
Studio: A24
Sarnoski is putting a dark twist on a classic legend. Jackman stars as Robin Hood, who, after a lifetime steeped in violence and regret, is left broken and near death following a battle that should have ended his story. Haunted by the weight of the lives he has taken, Robin is rescued by a mysterious woman who offers him something he has never believed he deserved: a path to redemption. As he struggles between the man he was and the man he might become, Robin is forced to confront whether salvation can truly be earned — or if some debts are too great to repay.
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa
Studio: Warner Bros.
With its mix of action and humor, plus a cute dog, this superhero movie has all the ingredients of a breezy, crowd-pleasing summer flick. When Supergirl — Kara Zor-El (Alcock) — discovers her loyal companion Krypto has been poisoned by a band of interstellar marauders, she drops everything to save her pup. With just three days to find the antidote, Kara launches into a high-speed chase across the galaxy, facing dangerous new enemies and forging unexpected alliances.
Director: Olivia Wilde
Cast: Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton
Studio: A24
The upcoming comedy centers on struggling married couple Joe (Rogen) and Angela (Wilde), who attempt to break out of their routine by inviting neighbors over for dinner. Needless to say, things go awry. The Invite received generally positive reviews out of Sunday (91% on Rotten Tomatoes; 77 on Metacritic) and boasts a notable pedigree: Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz are both four-time Oscar nominees, with Cruz winning in 2009 for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Seth Rogen is a four-time Emmy winner for The Studio, while Olivia Wilde won an Independent Spirit Award for directing Booksmart and received the Graffetta d’Oro for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival for Don’t Worry Darling.
Minions and Mon sters (July 1)
Director: Pierre Coffin
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Allison Janney, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Christoph Waltz and Trey Parker.
Studio: Universal Studios
Our little yellow friends are back. Minions and Monsters follows the meteoric rise — and chaotic fall — of the Minions, who accidentally conquer Hollywood and reinvent themselves as global movie stars. Their newfound fame spirals out of control when they inadvertently unleash real monsters into the world, triggering widespread destruction. The franchise has seen some awards’ recognition in the past, with Despicable Me 2 earning Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. However, the spin-off Minions series has not received any nominations and while Minions and Monsters might not break through on the awards circuit, it’s a pretty safe bet for some family fun.
Director: Thomas Kail
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Lagaʻaia
Studio: Disney
A feel-good adventure starring Johnson may just be the escape we need this summer. Or at least that’s what Disney is hoping with this live-action version of Moana that follows a brave teenager (Lagaʻaia) who answers the Ocean’s call and sails beyond the reef for the first time, teaming with Maui (Johnson) on a mission to restore prosperity to her people. The remake aims to honor the heart of the original cartoon, which scored Oscar noms for Best Animated Feature and Best Song, while expanding its world through dramatic natural landscapes, new cinematography, and richly textured Polynesian culture.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron
Studio: Universal
At CinemaCon, Nolan presented footage of the film and said; “The Odyssey is a story that’s thrilled generations … and it’s not a story, it’s the story. I was excited to bring it to a whole new audience.” Soon, audiences can see the Oppenheimer director’s lifelong ambition of directing an entire film on Imax cameras. This will be a big Oscar contender as the film is hoping to follow the playbook that delivered the Oppenheimer, to a dominant 13 nominations and seven wins at the 2024 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31)
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Liza Colón-Zayas, Tramell Tillman, and Sadie Sink
Studio: Marvel
The fourth Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland swings into theaters in July, following Peter Parker as he navigates a world that’s the opposite of Cheers — where nobody knows his name. Stripped of his identity, Peter grapples with deep isolation, quietly watching from a distance as his friends Ned (Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya) move on with their lives, unaware of their shared past. When he’s not checking in on them from afar, Peter throws himself into his role as Spider-Man, patrolling the city and confronting the likes of Punisher (Bernthal), Scorpion (Michael Mando), and Tombstone (Marvin Jones III). Along the way, Peter seeks guidance from familiar allies, including Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), as he begins to experience unsettling personal changes that could reshape both his life and his future as a hero. The previous installment, 2021’s No Way Home, received a Best Visual Effects nomination, so there’s a chance this outing could be competitive again.
The End of Oak Street (Aug. 14)
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor
Studio: Warner Bros.
Hathaway will be omnipresent with Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, and, closing out the season, The End of Oak Street. Seven years after It Follows broke out as an indie horror sensation and announced the arrival of a distinctive new voice in genre filmmaking, director David Robert Mitchell returns with another horror project, this time produced by J.J. Abrams. The film follows a family whose home — and the entire neighborhood around it — mysteriously becomes transported to another world.
The Dog Stars (Aug. 28)
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Allison Janney
Studio: 20th Century Studios
Following his Oscar-nominated turn as the creature in Frankenstein, Elordi stars in this adaptation of Peter Heller’s bestselling novel. The Dog Stars follows Hig, a young pilot surviving in a harsh post-apocalyptic world alongside the hardened survivalist Bangley (Brolin). When a mysterious radio transmission breaks through his isolated routine, Hig is compelled to leave his fortified home in search of hope and the last remaining traces of humanity. Directed by multiple Oscar nominee Scott, the film features a strong awards pedigree, with a cast including Oscar nominees Elordi, Brolin, and Pearce, along with Oscar winner Janney. Its emotionally driven, character-focused story—set against a vast post-apocalyptic landscape — positions it as a potential awards contender, with early buzz suggesting it could gain momentum throughout the season.
