In addition to last night’s posting of HE’s 20 most anticipated films of 2026, here’s a rundown of 24 more…four that seem extra-interesting (Ben Affleck‘s Animals, Danny Boyle‘s Ink, David O. Russell‘s Madden, Laszlo Nemes‘ Moulin) plus 20 randomly chosen films that feel like vague problems or slight disappointments but what do I actually know? Not much or nothing.
Between last night’s 2026 post and today’s, we’re talking 44 films. I’m sure I’m overlooking quite a few that deserve attention and respect.
Possible Standout Exceptions: (a) Ink (d: Danny Boyle) — Guy Pearce as Rupert Murdoch back in the old days, based on a James Graham stage play….yes!; (b) David O. Russell‘s Madden, biopic of football coach and commentator John Madden w/ Nic Cage, John Mulane, Kathryn Hahn, Sienna Miller; (c) Ben Affleck‘s Animals, political crime thriller costarring Affleck, Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun; (d) Laszlo Nemes‘ Moulin, French resistance WWII drama w/ Gilles Lellouche, Lars Eidinger, Félix Lefebvre.
Wuthering Heights (d: Emerald Fennell)…Bronte, dampness, erections.
The Bride (d: Maggie Gyllenhaal) — Seemingly extreme (grotesque?) feminist vengeance flick.
Out Of this World (d: Albert Serra) — “An American delegation travels to Russia in the midst of the Ukrainian war to try to find a solution to an economic dispute linked to sanctions”…nope.
The Long Winter (d: Andrew Haigh). Follow-up to Haigh’s All Of Us Strangers.
Bucking Fastard (d: Werner Herzog) — “Twin sisters Jean and Joan Holbrooke, in search of an imaginary land where true love is possible, start digging a tunnel through a mountain range”…nope.
The Dog Stars (d: Ridley Scott) — Another dystopian wasteland flick? No thanks.
Flowervale Street (d: David Robert Mitchell)
Ghostwriter (d: JJ Abrams) — Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega, Emma Mackey, Samuel L. Jackson.
October (d: Jeremy Saulnier)…horror-thriller…nope.
Project Hail Mary (d: Phil Lord & Chris Miller)….not a chance.
Narnia: Tne Magician’s Nephew (d: Greta Gerwig)…sorry, nope.
The Uprising (d: Paul Greengrass) — Braveheart 2?…14th Century action-battle flick w/ Andrew Garfield, Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston…thanks but no thanks.
Butterfly Jam (D: Kantemir Balagov)…Barry “beestung nose” Keoghan, Riley Keough…maybe. Balagov is a first-rate director.
The Beloved (d: Rodrigo Sorogoyen) — Javier Bardem, Victoria Luengo..estranged father-daughter drama.
Alpha Gang (d: Zellner Brothers)
Alone at Dawn (d: Ron Howard)…bravery & self-sacrifice in Afghanistan. Adam Driver, Anne Hathaway, Betty Gilpin.
The Invite (d: Olivia Wilde).
How to Rob A Bank (d: David Leitch)
A Colt is My Passport (d: Gareth Evans)
I Want Your Sex (d: Gregg Araki)