Top 10 Best Movies of 2026 So Far — Cast Your Vote!

This is without doubt the best film of the year so far. Based on the bestseller by Andy Weir, the duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller bring a clever and emotional science fiction film to the screen. Ryan Gosling delivers one of his best performances as the teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship. The friendship between him and the creature Rocky is the beating heart of the film and makes the complex science feel human. 2026 has gotten off to a strong start with quality across every genre, and the year's biggest titles (Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey) prove that scale and quality don't have to be at odds this year. Project Hail Mary remains the critics' favorite for now, though the competition this year is fierce.

Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's classic epic follows Matt Damon as Odysseus on his perilous journey home to Ithaca, with Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Zendaya rounding out the cast. Critics praised the film as an impressive, large-scale adventure, and audiences agreed: the film grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide.

Tom Holland once again plays Peter Parker, who must carry on without his closest allies after his identity becomes public knowledge. With a North American opening weekend of $355 million and now over $2.4 billion worldwide, this is the highest-grossing film of the year, and the number one film at the box office for six consecutive weekends.

Curry Barker's feature debut follows a store clerk who uses a mysterious object to wish that a friend falls in love with him. The wish comes true, but her love spirals into a terrifying obsession, loosely inspired by the classic story The Monkey's Paw. With over $400 million grossed worldwide, it's one of the biggest horror surprises of the year.

Director Nathan Greno (Tangled) has a small forest creature and a stately bird of prey, natural enemies, accidentally swap bodies. Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple voice the unlikely duo. The film shattered viewership records on Netflix immediately upon release and is now considered the best-reviewed animated film of the year.

Sam Raimi is back with a survival thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien are stranded on a deserted island and must set aside their power struggle to survive. Raimi's signature style of rapid zooms and inventive camerawork is fully back in force. The result is a film that's both entertaining and psychologically unsettling.

Director Kane Parsons adapts the notorious internet phenomenon with Chiwetel Ejiofor as a struggling furniture store owner who discovers a door leading to an endless, unsettling liminal space. Renate Reinsve plays his therapist, trying to believe him as the line between reality and madness blurs. With $394 million grossed worldwide, this is now A24's highest-grossing film ever.

After his success in the series Reacher, Alan Ritchson proves he can carry an action film on his own. In this hybrid, soldiers face off against an alien killing machine in the wilderness. Tonally it echoes Predator, but at a much faster pace. The practical effects are impressive, and Ritchson is a physically imposing presence that makes every stunt believable.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck share the screen again for the first time in years in this crime drama. The plot around corrupt cops and drug money in Miami leans heavily on the natural chemistry between the two childhood friends. Director Joe Carnahan uses his signature gritty style to ratchet up the tension.

Jason Statham does what he does best, and in this case that's more than enough. As Michael Mason, he tries to hide out on a remote Scottish island, but of course his past catches up with him. The fights are brutal and the Scottish landscapes lend a cold, bleak atmosphere.

Kristoffer Borgli's tragicomedy follows a newly engaged couple, played by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, whose relationship reaches a breaking point a week before the wedding due to a revelation from the past. Critics have named it one of the best-received releases of the first half of the year, especially for the uncomfortable precision with which Borgli builds social awkwardness.

After the billion-dollar success of the first film, Illumination and Nintendo send the plumber into space. The theme lends itself perfectly to colorful worlds, and Jack Black is once again fantastic as Bowser. It's nostalgia for longtime gamers, but also simply a solid sequel in its own right.

Danny Boyle finally returns to the franchise that changed the zombie genre. Alongside writer Alex Garland, he crafts a grim atmosphere that perfectly captures the raw energy of the 2002 original. The infected are still terrifying (especially because they sprint). This is no watered-down reboot, but a worthy sequel that examines trauma across generations.

Pixar's original film centers on a technology that lets people 'hop' their consciousness into lifelike robotic animals. Animal lover Mabel uses it to communicate directly with the animal kingdom, until she discovers a threat to the entire animal world. Director Daniel Chong (We Bare Bears) combines Pixar quality with a surprisingly original concept.

A sharp black comedy about a couple whose relationship is falling apart. During a dinner, they confront their loud upstairs neighbors about the noise from their wild sex life. The evening completely escalates when the neighbors make a revealing and bizarre proposal that lays every secret on the table.