The year 2025 is coming to an end. It turned out to be rich in science fiction films – some of them lived up to expectations, some did not. In any case, life does not stand still. The new year 2026 will bring us many fantastic premieres, many of which movie lovers are eagerly awaiting. The editors of Universe Space Tech have selected the top films of 2026, whose release dates are worth marking on the calendar for all science fiction fans.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
Director Gore Verbinski once gave us such hits as The Ring and Pirates of the Caribbean. However, after several films that failed at the box office, he stopped directing for almost a decade.
And now, Verbinski returns to the big screen with the sci-fi action comedy Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, starring Sam Rockwell. It tells the story of a strange man who arrives from the future at a diner in Los Angeles and recruits its patrons to fight against artificial intelligence that has spiraled out of control.
In September 2025, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die was screened at the Austin Fantastic Film Festival. Critics who saw it praised the film, comparing it to the recent Everything Everywhere All at Once. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die will be released nationwide on February 13, 2026.
Project Hail Mary
The Project Hail Mary can probably be called the main space film of 2026. It is an adaptation of Andy Weir’s book, which became famous for his debut novel, The Martian. It was adapted for the screen in 2015 by Ridley Scott, with Matt Damon playing the lead role. The film grossed over $600 million at the global box office, received excellent reviews from audiences and critics, and earned seven Oscar nominations.
In Project Hail Mary, Weir returned to the formula that brought him success. The novel’s protagonist is Ryland Grace, a researcher with a sense of humor who has lost his memory and finds himself the sole survivor of a spaceship in the Tau Ceti star system. Now he has to use science to figure out the situation and, no less, save the whole world. An alien helps him in this endeavor.
The screenplay for the film adaptation of Weir’s novel was written by Drew Goddard, who previously adapted The Martian. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, directors of 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie, took on the role of directors. Ryan Gosling plays the role of Grace. Judging by the trailers, the film is quite faithful to Weir’s novel, which is a good sign. The world premiere of The Ave Maria Project will take place on March 18, 2026.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
After coming under the wing of Disney, the Star Wars franchise went through some turbulent times. Some of the studio’s projects were successful, while others failed to find their audience. The first category includes the series The Mandalorian, which has become one of the most notable events from the world of a galaxy far, far away in recent years.
Thanks to the series’s success, Disney gave the green light to a feature film. It was directed by Jon Favreau, the showrunner of The Mandalorian (and director of the first Iron Man movie). In addition to the familiar main characters, the film will also feature new characters played by Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White. The film will be released on May 20, 2026.
Steven Spielberg’s new film
Throughout his long film career, Steven Spielberg has repeatedly addressed the theme of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, examining it from different angles. In his films, aliens have been portrayed as both kind and even naive creatures, such as in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and as cruel conquerors, as in the film adaptation of The War of the Worlds.
In 2026, Spielberg will return to the theme of extraterrestrials. His new film, which does not yet have an official title, will be about UFOs. At the moment, this is practically all the official information available, as the plot details are still being kept secret.
But we know that the screenplay was written by the director’s longtime collaborator David Koepp, and that the leading roles are played by Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colin Firth. Spielberg’s new film will be released worldwide on June 12, 2026.
The Odyssey
Compared to all the other films in our selection, The Odyssey may seem like a rather strange choice. After all, it is not science fiction, but a film adaptation of an ancient Greek poem. However, it is difficult to argue with the fact that Homer’s work has had a huge impact on world culture. Traces and references to it can be found, among other places, in works of fiction.
Another reason why The Odyssey is generating so much interest is that it is Christopher Nolan’s new film. The British director has assembled a truly stellar cast (Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron – and that’s just some of the famous names), and the scale of the filming is described as epic. Filming took place on location in various countries, and the entire film was shot on IMAX cameras. Nolan is also known for avoiding computer graphics whenever possible and using practical effects instead. In particular, it is claimed that Cyclops was created for the film using a 6 x 6 meter animatronic puppet.
We will find out how true these rumors are on July 17, 2026. That is the day The Odyssey will hit movie theaters.
Dune: Part Three
A couple of years ago, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve did what many thought impossible and filmed an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s cult novel, which was warmly received by both ordinary viewers and critics. This success allowed him to begin filming the sequel. It will cover the events of the next book, Dune Messiah.
According to Villeneuve, the third film will be the final installment in his saga about the planet Arrakis. Like the author of the novel, he wants to show that Paul Atreides should not be considered an unconditionally positive hero: his fate is more of a “warning of danger.”
Filming for the third installment has already been completed. All of the key actors from the previous films have returned to their roles. Robert Pattinson has also joined the cast. The premiere of the new Dune is scheduled for December 18, 2026.
Avengers: Doomsday
In recent years, comic book adaptations have been going through tough times. Public interest in superhero adventures has waned, meaning that movies about them can no longer boast the same huge box office returns as in the past.
Marvel is trying to reverse this trend. The studio is betting on Avengers: Doomsday, a film that will bring together the heroes of the new Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, and the original X-Men. Another bonus should be the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the franchise. Only this time, he plays not Tony Stark, but the supervillain Victor von Doom.
Interestingly, the world premiere of the new Avengers movie is currently scheduled for the same day as the premiere of the third Dune movie – December 18, 2026. If neither studio changes its mind, we will have the opportunity to see two major franchises clash in an epic battle for viewers’ attention.
