Top 10 Films Expected to Rule the Global Box Office in 2026

Thus, the year 2026 is already being labeled as the biggest comeback of Hollywood after 2019 thanks to a rather erratic year with Marvel’s shaky releases and a few unexpected international hits which were, however, still not enough to bring global admissions back to the pre-pandemic levels as they were around 25% lower than that.

The 2026 movie lineup is going to be the genre of mega-franchises, long-awaited sequels, fan-favorite heroes, and billion-dollar hopefuls which are the reason for the studios going crazy with their marketing tricks and among the 10 movies that are supposed to be the box office kings around the world in 2026 — one big franchise not being on the list might astonish fans.

1. Avengers: Doomsday

• Release Date: December 18, 2026
• Distributor: Disney
• Domestic Prediction: $700M
• International Prediction: $900M
• Global Prediction: $1.6B

Marvel has lost its grip on the movie market but still, Avengers: Doomsday is the most high-stakes blockbuster among all the films that will be released in the year. The event of the century is that Kevin Feige has not only reassembled the Russo Brothers but also invited Downey Jr. back to the fold along with others to collaborate on the anemic Multiverse Saga.

Doomsday rings the bell of nostalgia and power players of the franchise from early 2000s X-Men to Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and perhaps even Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. There would be no surprise if Doomsday exceeded the expectations by a huge margin as the franchise has already enjoyed a whopping $1.9B average gross.

2. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

• Release Date: April 3, 2026
• Distributor: Universal
• Domestic Prediction: $550M
• International Prediction: $750M
• Global Prediction: $1.3B

Simply put, the first movie about Mario, which grossed $1.36B, made the whole industry check its scales, and now the joint efforts of Illumination and Nintendo have no other option than to upgrade. The Galaxy sequel is loaded with immense fan love and nostalgic bits from all across the Mario franchise which the sequel is going to be part of. If the miracle happens again—and it might—then you can bet on this film to be the biggest animated film of 2026.

3. Spider-Man: Brand New Day

• Release Date: July 31, 2026
• Distributor: Sony
• Domestic Prediction: $500M
• International Prediction: $750M
• Global Prediction: $1.25B

After declaring Spider-Man a billion-dollar franchise, the superhero is relaxing for a while but, he will be back sooner than expected as this chapter is going to be a bit grounded and less-pageant than Home, however, MCU threads such as the Hulk and Punisher make this a need-to-see. Suspect a total that is going to be further than the $1.13B that Far From Home has earned.

4. Moana (Live-Action)

• Release Date: July 10, 2026
• Distributor: Disney
• Domestic Prediction: $450M
• International Prediction: $650M
• Global Prediction: $1.1B

Disney's live action Moana remake is going to delight summer moviegoers despite the first teaser getting mixed reviews. The Rock is back in the role of Maui and new face Catherine Laga'aia is leading the cast as Moana. This tale's mighty following might push it to the coveted mark of over a billion dollars.

5. Toy Story 5

• Release Date: June 19, 2026
• Distributor: Disney
• Domestic Prediction: $350M
• International Prediction: $550M
• Global Prediction: $900M

The toys are back again—this time with an entirely new character as the focus of the story. Said interest might not exceed Toy Story 4’s peak of $1.07B, but the franchise is still one of Disney’s most trustworthy cash cows, especially among the families.

6. Minions 3

• Release Date: July 1, 2026
• Distributor: Universal
• Domestic Prediction: $350M
• International Prediction: $530M
• Global Prediction: $880M

The Despicable Me universe has become a major player at the box office, with a box office average of nearly $1B per film. Minions 3 is also very likely to evoke more than what is expected from it but the timing of its release got very tough as it is surrounded with Toy Story 5 and Moana. Even, however, massive global turnout is especially expected.

7. The Odyssey

• Release Date: July 17, 2026
• Distributor: Universal
• Domestic Prediction: $350M
• International Prediction: $550M
• Global Prediction: $850M

Christopher Nolan is back with perhaps one of his most audacious flicks—an all-star cast for Homer’s Odyssey. The expectation is huge after Oppenheimer’s $975M performance. What with a fantasy cast along the likes of Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, and others this could be the film of 2026.

8. Michael

• Release Date: April 24, 2026
• Distributor: Lionsgate / Universal
• Domestic Prediction: $250M
• International Prediction: $500M
• Global Prediction: $750M

The Michael Jackson biopic is 2026’s wildest bet. With nephew Jaafar Jackson in the role the resemblance is said to be uncannily close, whilst a record-breaking first trailer has the foundations of a potential blockbuster up to the level of Bohemian Rhapsody ($903M). Its worldwide appeal will be the determining factor whether it gets the billion-dollar hearing.

9. Dune: Part Three

• Release Date: December 18, 2026
• Distributor: Warner Bros.
• Domestic Prediction: $250M
• International Prediction: $425M
• Global Prediction: $675M

Such a scenario as missing release date clashes with Avengers: Doomsday, Denis Villeneuve’s third journey to Arrakis is marked to be a new critical and commercial success. While there is a controversial novel source (Messiah) and uncertain timing of release, forecasts remain modest — but the line-up of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Robert Pattinson, and Jason Momoa assures big audience.

10. Jumanji 4

• Release Date: December 11, 2026
• Distributor: Sony
• Domestic Prediction: $275M
• International Prediction: $350M
• Global Prediction: $625M

Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan return for yet another episode of jungle mayhem. While it most probably won’t come close to the franchise’s $962M record, holiday timing and strong fan affection should contribute to a solid global performance.

Major Omissions & Surprises

The Mandalorian & Grogu

• Despite being Star Wars’ theatrical comeback after seven years, early trailer reactions were mixed. Predictions place it closer to Solo ($393M) than Rogue One ($1B).

Supergirl

• After Superman underperformed with $616M, expectations for Supergirl are more conservative.

Other Notable 2026 Contenders

• Insidious 6
• Scream 7
• The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender (animated continuation of the beloved series)

Final Verdict

With vast superhero events, animated giants, nostalgic revivals, and director-driven epics, 2026 will have all it takes to be the biggest box office year of the decade. Moreover, if even half of these billion-dollar aspirants reach their target, theaters might really be in for a revival.