The 20 films that will mark summer 2026 in your theaters
From Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to the new Spielberg via the Backrooms phenomenon, the return of Toy Story, the madness of Minions or the great historical fresco dedicated to General de Gaulle…
Like every year, summer will be the kingdom of blockbusters. Highly anticipated sequels, remakes, reboots, ambitious arthouse films, family animation, horror, superheroes or spectacular romances: there will be something for everyone. Here are the 20 films we are most looking forward to in French theaters over the next three months.
Released June 3
The Battle of Gaulle – The Iron Age
The French fresco that will kick off the summer. Simon Abkarian becomes the General in this ambitious historical epic. June 1940. France collapses and signs the armistice. Amidst the chaos, one man refuses to give in. Alone against everyone, this still little-known general joins London to save what remains of a dream: freedom. First part of a diptych event, which will continue a month later with The Battle of Gaulle – I write your name (released July 3).
Scary Movie 6
The explosive prank that will make you laugh all summer long. Sooner or later, all horror franchises end up being rebooted. So why not the most famous parody? Thirteen years after the previous opus, the Wayans brothers return to the helm with a sixth adventure which promises to tackle major recent horrific phenomena, from M3GAN has Without a soundpassing through Get Out or even Sinners.
Released June 10
Disclosure Day
The great SF film that will mark the summer. From AND And Encounters of the Third KindSteven Spielberg has never hidden his fascination with extraterrestrials. The filmmaker returns with a science fiction thriller centered on a cybersecurity expert played by Josh O’Connor, ready to reveal to the world the existence of a gigantic government conspiracy around visitors from elsewhere.
Vertigo
The UFO that will confuse the summer. Alain Chabat, Jonathan Cohen and Anaïs Demoustier reunite with Quentin Dupieux for this new absurd comedy presented at the Cannes Film Festival. Jacques visits his friend Bruno to announce a new capital: all of humanity would live in a computer simulation…
Released June 17
Toy Story 5
The most anticipated cartoon of the summer. This time, the most famous toys of cinema face their greatest enemy: the screens. While Bonnie continues to play with Jessie, Buzz and their friends, a connected tablet called Lilypad gradually takes control of her daily life. It remains to be seen whether Woody will find a solution to save children’s imaginations.
Backrooms
The horror film event of the summer. Revealed by his viral videos, Kane Parsons becomes at only 20 years old one of the youngest directors to direct a production of such magnitude. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, this nightmare inspired by an Internet legend begins when a strange door appears in the basement of a furniture store. Already a phenomenon even before its release.
Released June 24
Minions and monsters
The essential summer card. Seventh Universe Movie Despicable Mewhich has already grossed $5.6 billion, this adventure takes the form of a prequel set in the 1920s. A tribe of Minions based in Hollywood decides to make their own monster film and tries to summon a real creature to do so. Obviously, nothing is going to go as planned.
The Whims of the Child King
The surprise success of the summer? After the cardboardA little something extraArtus slips into Cyrano’s clothes to babysit the young Louis XIV, in this offbeat rereading of French History by Michel Leclerc. Around him, Franck Dubosc plays d’Artagnan, Doria Tillier becomes Anne of Austria and Nemo Schiffman lends his features to Molière.
Released July 1st
They called him Robin Hood
The revisited myth of summer. Forget the jovial hero who steals from the rich to give to the poor. In this dark and twilight version, Hugh Jackman plays a wounded Robin Hood, haunted by the violence committed during his life as an outlaw. Alongside him, Jodie Comer and Noah Jupe accompany this particularly dark rereading of the legend.
Supergirl
The DC superheroine of the summer. Briefly previewed at the end of SupermanKara Zor-El takes center stage this time. Played by Milly Alcock, the Man of Steel’s cousin will have to come out of her isolation when her faithful dog Krypto is poisoned by a threat from space. A new crucial test for the DC Universe relaunched by James Gunn.
Released July 8
Moana (live action)
The summer remake. After the colossal success of the animated film, Disney is attempting a live-action remake. Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as the demigod Maui while young Catherine Laga’aia plays Moana in this adventure which will once again lead her to save her island and restore an ancient power.
Evil Dead Burn
The terror that will keep you from sleeping this summer. Frenchman Sébastien Vaniček takes up the legacy of Sam Raimi with this new opus of the cult saga. After her husband’s funeral, Alice finds her in-laws in an isolated house for a final tribute. But the meeting quickly turns into a nightmare when the guests begin to transform one after the other into demonic creatures.
Released July 15
The Odyssey
The most exciting epic of the summer. Christopher Nolan’s most ambitious project in a long time. The filmmaker adapts Homer’s poem with a spectacular cast led by Matt Damon, who plays Ulysses. Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and Zendaya complete the cast of this fresco announced as one of the cinematic events of the year.
Released July 22
From the Comédie-Française
The French summer comedy. Martin Darondeau and Bertrand Usclat have fun with the codes of the most prestigious French theatrical institution. Led by Pauline Clément, this comedy brings together Laurent Stocker, Marina Hands, Guillaume Gallienne and Benjamin Lavernhe, all visibly ready to play the self-mockery card to the fullest.
Released July 29
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
The Marvel superhero of the summer. Four years after the events of No Way Homethe world has forgotten the existence of Peter Parker. A new life therefore begins for the young hero, who tries to rebuild his daily life while facing an unprecedented threat. A page is turning for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
Released August 12
Suddenly
The emotion of summer. Rewarded at Cannes with a double prize for best actress for Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto, the new film by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) will try to find a place among the summer blockbusters. In an establishment for the elderly, Marie-Lou seeks to implement a revolutionary approach based on listening and the dignity of residents.
The End of Oak Street
The great mystery of summer. The enigmatic new film from cult director David Robert Mitchell It Follows. Carried by Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway, the story follows an American family in the 1980s who suddenly find themselves in the age of dinosaurs with their entire neighborhood. Strange, no?
Released August 19
Fjord
The Palme d’Or of the summer. Crowned at the Cannes Film Festival this year, Cristian Mungiu’s new film arrives preceded by an exceptional reputation. Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve play a deeply religious Romanian-Norwegian couple who settle in an isolated village on the edge of a fjord. When teachers discover bruises on their eldest daughter, the entire community falls into suspicion.
Released August 26
The Dog Stars
The Summer Apocalypse. Ridley Scott abandons gladiators for post-apo. Adapted from the novel by Peter Heller, the film follows a pilot played by Jacob Elordi who survives on an abandoned air base in Colorado with his dog and a former marine, in an America ravaged by a devastating pandemic.
Cliffhanger
Operate it in the summer. Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) revisits the mountainous action classic once worn by Sylvester Stallone. This time, it’s Lily James who finds herself hunted at high altitude by a group of criminals. A spectacular thriller that should end the summer blockbuster season with a breath of fresh air.
