Sequels, space adventures, and a little nostalgia

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NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Friday, January 2nd.

Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Nick Eicher.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: a sneak peek at what’s coming to theaters in 2026.

Last year was supposed to be a comeback year for Hollywood. After actors’ and writers’ guild strikes, the industry was hopeful, even though the box-office receipts disappointed.

But it’s 2026 that should be the year for optimism, as the movie lineup really does look promising.

Here’s WORLD arts and culture editor Collin Garbarino.

COLLIN GARBARINO: For the last few years, theaters have been relying on PG family movies to stay afloat, and a number of upcoming kids movies are looking to keep that trend alive.

The animated movie I’m most interested in is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

TRAILER: I’m Bowser Jr. and I’m going to be taking my father now.

It comes out April 3rd, and it has the same creative team as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was the smash hit of 2023. This time Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach set off on an outer-space adventure. I’m not expecting Super Mario Galaxy to be high-brow cinema, but I am expecting it to be lots of fun for anyone who grew up with these characters.

We’re also getting a couple of Pixar movies this year. Hoppers comes out March 6th.

TRAILER: We created a revolutionary technology that gives us unprecedented access to the animal world.

It’s about a teenager who transfers her mind into a beaver to save animal habitats from real estate developers. Honestly this sounds terrible. I’m only slightly more interested in Toy Story 5, which comes out on June 19th.

TRAILER: Hi there! I’m Lillypad! Let’s play.

In this installment, Bonnie has become enamored with a tablet, so I suppose the toys will have to teach her to unplug. Somehow Woody, once again voiced by Tom Hanks, makes his way back to the playroom after abandoning his post at the end of the fourth film. The first three Toy Story movies were great, but I didn’t like the fourth. I hope Toy Story 5 can get the franchise back on track.

MUSIC: [Moana song]

Disney’s also releasing another of its live-action remakes of animated classics. Moana comes out on July 10th. With the exception of 2015’s Cinderella, these live-action remakes have been pretty lackluster despite raking in piles of cash. But I’ll happily see Moana because it has some of the best songs from any Disney movie. Even so, I freely admit I’m a little afraid to see what Dwayne Johnson looks like in a Maui wig.

For adult audiences, we also have a couple of potential blockbusters from storied directors. On June 12, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day hits theaters. Universal Pictures hasn’t disclosed many details about the film. All we know is it stars Emily Blunt and it’s a UFO film based on an original idea. I hope it’s good. We need more original ideas in our entertainment.

The other noteworthy film of the summer is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which comes out on July 17th.

TRAILER: After years of war, nothing could stand between my men and home. Not even me.

The film adapts the ancient Greek epic and stars Matt Damon as Odysseus and Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope. My expectations are relatively high for this film, but I doubt it will surpass the best adaptation of The Odyssey and my favorite movie of all time, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

MUSIC: [Mandalorian theme]

Some notable franchise movies will also hit theaters this year. The six year drought in Star War movies will end in May with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu. It had better be good. Disney has a lot riding on this film as fans have become increasingly vocal in their dissatisfaction with how the studio has handled the franchise.

A few noteworthy superhero movies are hoping to dispel some of the comic book fatigue that audiences have been suffering from.

DC Studios will release Supergirl, its follow up to the 2025 Superman movie that rebooted the franchise under the direction of James Gunn. This new movie is based on a comic book series titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which in turn is based on Charles Portis’ classic novel True Grit. In this retelling Supergirl fills the role of the grizzled Rooster Cogburn. I don’t know if it will be a good movie, but the concept sounds interesting.

We’re also getting a couple of Marvel films. Spider-Man: Brand New Day debuts July 31st.

TRAILER: We ready?

The movie will show us what Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has been getting up to since the bittersweet ending of his massively successful No Way Home in 2021.

Then on December 18th, Avengers: Doomsday comes out. It’s been delayed twice, which I suspect means Marvel has been making changes to try to woo back fans who have felt alienated by the studio’s recent films. Lately watching a Marvel movie or TV show feels more like sitting through a DEI seminar than indulging in some escapist entertainment. Robert Downey Jr. will return to the franchise, this time as the villain Dr. Doom, rather than Iron Man. And Chris Evans will come out of retirement to don the red, white, and blue as Captain America. That’s a sure sign the franchise is desperate to recapture the glory days when it owned the box office.

MUSIC: [Dune song]

Curiously, Warner Bros.’ Dune: Part Three is coming out the same day. It’s unusual for two tent-pole movies to face off like this, but perhaps the studios are hoping to revive 2023’s Barbenheimer phenomenon when it became a trend to see Barbie and Oppenheimer the same day. Anyone excited for a “Dunesday” double feature?

I’m Collin Garbarino.

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