Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
I doubt 2026 will produce anything on the level of a masterpiece, but I’m hopeful that one of the decade’s most unexpected career moves turns out as intriguing as it aims to be. Short of Christopher Nolan signing on to a Mr. Men movie, I never thought anything would surprise the industry as much as Greta Gerwig choosing to follow the bubblegum blockbuster Barbie with… a Narnia film. Specifically, Gerwig—previously known for achingly hip indie comedies like Lady Bird, Frances Ha, and Damsels in Distress—is rebooting the Narnia series, which had completed three of C.S. Lewis’s books before Netflix acquired the rights. To me, The Magician’s Nephew, Lewis’s origin story and prequel to the Wardrobe/Caspian/Dawn Treader narrative, is the most fascinating in the entire Narnia canon, with its Eden-like fall, the “deplorable word,” and the mystical apple. We already know some of the cast: Emma Mackey will play the future White Witch, Carey Mulligan is the terminally ill mother of one of the main children, and Daniel Craig might portray Aslan, the mad inventor Uncle Andrew—or both, or neither. All eyes will naturally be on Gerwig, but I’m confident she’ll pull it off with style. —Andrew Pulver
Dune: Messiah
After previously suggesting he might focus on other projects or even leave Dune behind following two laborious half-book adaptations, Denis Villeneuve—inspired by how Part Two was “received by cinephiles around the world”—fast-tracked Dune: Messiah. The final chapter in the epic sci-fi trilogy is now due this December (though, given it’s set to compete against the newest Avengers film, that date may change). And thank goodness—as the Guardian’s resident Dune enthusiast, I’ve been counting down the days to Messiah ever since Zendaya’s heartbroken Chani fled the scene of her boyfriend’s genocidal transformation via sandworm. It doesn’t matter that Frank Herbert’s far weirder sequel might actually be, as some said of the first book, unadaptable; that the plot involves resurrected zombie warriors and worm gods and requires Timothée Chalamet to shave his head. Villeneuve’s vision for the first two films—gloriously strange and wonderfully vast, from the infrared Black Sun to the desert mouse—is so commanding and thrilling to behold on the big screen that I simply trust he’ll stick the landing and deliver one more round of heady, hype-worthy interplanetary escapism in 2026. —Adrian Horton
The Moment
It feels like an eternity ago, but just 18 months back, Charli XCX turned the summer lime green and dared us all to embrace our inner brat. Now, pop’s smudged-eyeliner princess is set to dominate 2026—she has an original soundtrack for a reimagined Wuthering Heights arriving in February, and this charming mockumentary dropping at the end of January. The Moment details a wonderfully deranged alternate history of the artist’s chaotic 2024 summer tour and was reportedly born from a confessional “word vomit” text the singer sent to her music video collaborator Aidan Zamiri, who is directing his first feature. The film will hopefully channel the madcap energy of the delightfully cracked visuals the pair created for tracks like “360” and “Guess” (with Billie Eilish), giving us something that doesn’t lose its spark after an hour. With a starring role from Alexander Skarsgård and a score from longtime Charli collaborator AG Cook, the promise is there—here’s hoping it lives up to The Moment. —Veronica Esposito
A Place in Hell
Back at Sundance 2023, I was lucky enough to secure a seat for the world premiereThe battle-of-the-sexes thriller Fair Play was a surprise hit, so popular that crowds were turned away at screenings. It created the kind of electric, communal festival experience I love—a wave of shared anger and excitement—but, as is sadly common now, few got to see it that way in the real world. Netflix bought it, and that juicy, glossy crowd-pleaser was relegated to smartphones. Thankfully, writer-director Chloe Domont’s follow-up, another corporate thriller titled A Place in Hell, looks set to avoid that fate. Starring Michelle Williams, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Andrew Scott, it has been picked up by Neon. While plot details are scarce (though the title hints this time the conflict is between two women), we at least know it will get a proper big-screen release.
In the past 16 years, David Robert Mitchell has made only three feature films. The third, 2019’s hallucinatory Under the Silver Lake, likely ensured that pace wouldn’t quicken. A dark, conspiratorial rabbit-hole comedy, it was a barely released bomb for A24, arriving just as the studio was establishing itself as the hippest indie of the new century. Yet it’s a terrific movie, and only heightened my anticipation for Mitchell’s next project. The most exciting thing about his fourth film, Flowervale Street, is that I still don’t know exactly what it is. Reportedly, it’s an uncharacteristically family-friendly, bigger-budget affair (it has held several high-profile release dates and is currently slated for August 2025). It definitely stars Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. It may involve dinosaurs. But if it carries even a hint of the eerie tone of It Follows, the lovely nostalgia of The Myth of the American Sleepover, or the hilarious, unsparing edge of Under the Silver Lake, it could be one of the year’s most distinctive big-studio fantasies.
Quentin Tarantino’s films are playfully pulpy, indulgent, and dripping with his verbose personality. David Fincher, by contrast, is cool, stealthy, and cerebral, with an invisible hand guiding every frame. Both are revered American auteurs with such distinct styles they seem to inhabit different universes. That’s why the idea of Fincher shepherding a Tarantino project to the screen is as tantalizing as it is confounding. Brad Pitt brought Tarantino’s script for The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, to Fincher after Tarantino decided he didn’t want his tenth (and supposedly final) film to tread familiar ground. (Or perhaps he’d rather spend his downtime on podcasts, critiquing Paul Dano while pondering his swan song.) Whatever the reason, I can’t wait to see Fincher’s take on Pitt’s Cliff Booth—the Hollywood stuntman who fits neither with the old guard nor the counterculture, his violent alpha swagger clashing deliciously with his zen calm and curious taste for free love and LSD. Cliff Booth is a beautiful contradiction, and I’m counting on Fincher’s Tarantino project to be just that.
Boots Riley has a knack for writing stories that linger in my mind long after the credits roll. I still wonder what became of Sorry…I’ve been thinking about “Sorry to Bother You’s” Equisapiens and how “I Am a Virgo” uses a 13-foot protagonist to explore America’s fascination with Black genetic marvels from tough backgrounds. At the same time, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Riley’s next puzzle, “I Love Boosters.” Described as a “sci-fi heist comedy,” it follows a crew of professional shoplifters who shift from stealing luxury goods to targeting a ruthless fashion designer. Starring Keke Palmer, Demi Moore, and LaKeith Stanfield from “Sorry to Bother You,” this film promises a sharp, surreal take on the fashion industry and consumerism—perfectly timed for our current precarious economic moment.
Almost nothing is known about the plot of this film, but it’s high on my most-anticipated list because of the team behind it. Alejandro González Iñárritu directed and co-wrote it. While I don’t always love his work—whether it’s the aggressive brutality of “The Revenant,” the scratchy solipsism of “Birdman,” or whatever “Bardo” is—his films are always ornate, meticulously crafted creations worth engaging with. The real draw, though, is Tom Cruise. It’s been nine years since Cruise starred in a non-franchise film, and even longer since he collaborated with an acclaimed auteur like Iñárritu. The idea of Cruise leading a $125 million, studio-backed dark comedy from an Oscar-winning director, alongside actors like Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, and Riz Ahmed, feels like something from 20 years ago, not 2026. That’s genuinely exciting.
“A Real Pain” was the true best film of the last Oscars season, and the best of the upcoming season might well be Jesse Eisenberg’s untitled musical comedy. Backed by A24 and set in the high-stakes world of community theater, this marks Eisenberg’s third film as writer-director. It stars Julianne Moore as a shy housewife who takes acting classes, becomes deeply involved, and fully commits to the method by taking a job as an apartment superintendent to better understand her role. Paul Giamatti plays her unlikely mentor, with cameos from Eisenberg, Halle Bailey, and Bernadette Peters. A leaked report from a test screening this summer described it as starting as an eccentric character study before shifting into a dark comedy—like Woody Allen’s version of “Black Swan”—with the audience roaring with laughter. It’s not at Sundance, which is surprising given how well that platform worked for “A Real Pain.” Regardless of where it lands, I’m definitely watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs covering your requested topics designed to be helpful for both newcomers and enthusiasts
About Narnia
Q What is Narnia
A Narnia is a magical fantasy world created by author CS Lewis featured in the book series The Chronicles of Narnia Its a land of talking animals mythical creatures and epic battles between good and evil
Q Whats the best order to read the Narnia books
A There are two main ways Publication Order or Chronological Order Most fans and scholars recommend Publication Order for your first readthrough
Q Who is Aslan
A Aslan is the great lion the son of the EmperorOvertheSea He is the creator and true king of Narnia often seen as a Christlike figure who guides the main characters and sacrifices himself to save others
Q Are the Narnia books religious
A Yes CS Lewis a Christian theologian wove Christian allegory and themes throughout the stories Aslans sacrifice and resurrection in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a direct parallel to the story of Jesus However the books can also be enjoyed simply as great fantasy adventures
About Dune
Q What is Dune about
A Dune is a landmark science fiction novel by Frank Herbert It follows Paul Atreides whose noble family takes control of the desert planet Arrakis the only source of the universes most valuable substance the spice melange Its a story of politics religion ecology and destiny
Q Why is the spice so important
A Spice melange extends life enhances mental awareness and is vital for space travel It also gives the user limited prescience Controlling the spice means controlling the universe
Q What are the main factions or groups in Dune
A Key groups include the noble
