Updated November 4, 2026: This guide reflects the latest announced titles, cast news and U.S. release dates. Movie dates can change, so check the linked studio pages closer to release.

2027 is lining up a mix of familiar favorites and fresh starts. Ryan Gosling is heading into a new corner of the Star Wars galaxy, Nintendo is finally bringing The Legend of Zelda to live action, and Miles Morales still has to find his way home. Later in the year, two major franchises are currently scheduled to open on the same December day.

These are our 20 most anticipated movies on the calendar, counted down by our editorial picks. The release dates are listed in order throughout.

20. Children of Blood and Bone

Release Date: January 15, 2027

Paramount is opening the year with a large-scale fantasy adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling novel. Gina Prince-Bythewood directs a story set in Orïsha, where Zélie sets out to restore magic that was taken from her people.

The cast includes Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Tosin Cole, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba and Viola Davis. A new fantasy world and a cast this strong give the film a chance to become more than a one-off adventure.

Paramount’s film page has the current synopsis, cast and release date.

19. The Beekeeper 2

Release Date: January 15, 2027

Jason Statham is back as Adam Clay, the former government operative who responds to problems with a very direct approach. Timo Tjahjanto takes over as director, with Jeremy Irons, Emmy Raver-Lampman and Bobby Naderi returning. Pom Klementieff, Yara Shahidi and Adam Copeland join the cast.

The first Beekeeper built its appeal around Statham’s blunt, old-school action style. The sequel has a solid head start with that same lead character and a director known for kinetic action. GVN revisited the original in its review of The Beekeeper.

Amazon MGM has set the film for January 15, the same day as Children of Blood and Bone. The current release listing has the date.

18. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

Theaters: February 12, 2027 | Netflix: April 2, 2027

Greta Gerwig is taking on C.S. Lewis with the story that shows how Narnia began. The Magician’s Nephew takes place before the Pevensie children find the wardrobe, giving the film room to build the world from its earliest days.

Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell lead a cast that also includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep. Netflix is giving the movie a theatrical run before it arrives on the service, a notable choice for a project tied so closely to a streaming platform.

Netflix Tudum has the release plan, cast and first production details.

17. The Thomas Crown Affair

Release Date: March 5, 2027

Michael B. Jordan is starring in and directing a new take on the stylish heist story. Adria Arjona joins him, along with Kenneth Branagh, Aubrey Plaza, Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira and Ruth Negga.

The familiar setup gives Jordan room to play with the cat-and-mouse tension between a wealthy thief and the investigator trying to catch him. The appeal is seeing what he does with a story already shaped by the 1968 Steve McQueen film and the 1999 Pierce Brosnan version. GVN reviewed the original in its feature on the 1968 Thomas Crown Affair.

Amazon’s release guide confirms the date and shares more about the new film.

16. The Exorcist: Martyrs

Release Date: March 12, 2027

Mike Flanagan’s new Exorcist film now has an official title, The Exorcist: Martyrs. Scarlett Johansson plays NYPD detective Julie Miller, who is drawn into another case tied to her past while a demonic force closes in on her son.

It is a striking premise for Flanagan, whose best work often lets supernatural terror grow out of grief, family and belief. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Carla Gugino, Sasha Calle, Jacobi Jupe and John Leguizamo round out the cast.

Morgan Creek’s official film page has the synopsis, cast and release date.

15. Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Release Date: March 19, 2027

Sonic’s movie run has become one of the more dependable video game adaptations, and the fourth film is already on the calendar. Paramount has not shared a full story synopsis yet, leaving fans to speculate about which corners of the games the next chapter will explore.

The question is how the filmmakers will keep the series moving after three films and a growing cast of game characters. GVN’s review of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 looks back at the last big-screen adventure.

Paramount currently lists Sonic the Hedgehog 4 for March 19, 2027.

14. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova

Release Date: March 26, 2027

The Monsterverse is bringing its two biggest Titans back for another theatrical collision. Grant Sputore directs, with Dan Stevens, Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O’Connell, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Sam Neill, Matthew Modine and Delroy Lindo in the human cast. The story remains under wraps.

After Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire leaned into the spectacle of watching the monsters share the screen, the next film has a simple challenge: find a new threat big enough to bring them together again. GVN covered the sequel when it was announced in its early Supernova report.

Legendary lists the release date and current film information.

13. The Legend of Zelda

Release Date: April 30, 2027

Nintendo’s live-action Zelda film now has its official title and cast. Wes Ball directs, Bo Bragason plays Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth plays Link. Nintendo and Arad Productions are producing, with Sony Pictures handling worldwide theatrical distribution.

The games have always made Hyrule feel like a place to explore, not just a backdrop for a quest. That is the challenge waiting for the movie: making the world, its mysteries and its quiet stretches feel as important as the battles. GVN previously looked at an earlier attempt to bring Zelda to the screen.

Nintendo’s announcement confirms the title, cast and April release date.

12. Star Wars: Starfighter

Release Date: May 28, 2027

Ryan Gosling leads Shawn Levy’s standalone Star Wars adventure as Kade Auberon, a cynical rogue pulled into a dangerous journey by his past. The film also stars Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Flynn Gray.

Lucasfilm describes the story as an original adventure set in a period the movies have not explored before. That gives the film room to introduce its own characters and conflicts without leaning on another chapter in the Skywalker family story. GVN has more in its earlier coverage of Star Wars: Starfighter.

StarWars.com has the current synopsis, cast and date.

11. How to Train Your Dragon 2

Release Date: June 11, 2027

The live-action remake is already moving into its next chapter. Dean DeBlois returns to write and direct, with Mason Thames and Nico Parker back as Hiccup and Astrid. The story picks up five years later, as Hiccup and his friends face a new threat built around a dragon army.

The sequel has a lot to draw from. The animated second film widened the world and gave Hiccup a family history he had never known. Now the live-action series can try the same turn with the filmmaker who made the original trilogy. GVN reviewed the first live-action film in How to Train Your Dragon.

Universal currently lists the sequel for June 11, 2027.

10. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse

Release Date: June 18, 2027

Across the Spider-Verse left Miles Morales trapped in the wrong universe, facing an alternate version of himself who became the Prowler. The next film returns to that cliffhanger as Miles tries to get back to his family and bring his fractured world together.

Shameik Moore returns as Miles, with Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson directing. The first two films set a high bar for both the animation and the emotion behind it. The finale has to give Miles a real ending, not just another multiverse-sized chase. GVN reviewed Across the Spider-Verse.

Sony Pictures Animation has the official synopsis and release date.

9. Shrek 5

Release Date: June 30, 2027

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz return as Shrek, Donkey and Fiona. Zendaya, Marcello Hernández and Skyler Gisondo are also joining the voice cast for the trip back to Far Far Away.

The new film arrives 17 years after the last mainline Shrek movie. That is a long gap, but the franchise has kept its place in pop culture through the Puss in Boots films and the first movie’s lasting popularity. GVN recently looked back at the original with its 25th-anniversary release.

DreamWorks lists Shrek 5 for June 30, 2027.

8. Man of Tomorrow

Release Date: July 9, 2027

James Gunn is following Superman with a story that puts Clark Kent and Lex Luthor on the same side, at least for a while. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult return, and Lars Eidinger plays Brainiac, the larger threat forcing their uneasy alliance.

Rachel Brosnahan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi and other members of the new DC Universe cast are also set to return. GVN has tracked Fillion’s place in the franchise in its piece on Guy Gardner’s growing role in the DCU.

DC announced the July 9 release date, and Variety has more on the Brainiac story and returning cast.

7. A Quiet Place Part III

Release Date: July 30, 2027

John Krasinski returns to write and direct the next chapter of the Abbott family’s story. Paramount has kept the plot under wraps, but the film brings the main series back after A Quiet Place: Day One explored the invasion from another point of view.

The first two films turned silence into a source of tension and made the family’s choices matter as much as the creatures outside. There is still room to learn what surviving the invasion looks like once people understand more about the threat. GVN’s review of A Quiet Place: Day One looks at the wider franchise.

Paramount’s franchise guide lists Part III for July 30, 2027.

6. The Bluey Movie

Release Date: August 6, 2027

Bluey and Bingo are headed to theaters with creator Joe Brumm writing and directing. The story follows an action-packed day that takes an unexpected turn for Bluey and her family. Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack return as Chilli and Bandit.

The series can make a small family moment feel huge, so the big question is how Brumm will stretch that kind of storytelling across a feature. The first teaser and poster arrived at D23, giving families an early look at what the Heeler family’s movie might feel like.

Disney’s film page has the synopsis, cast and release date.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2

Release Date: August 13, 2027

Jeff Rowe returns to direct the sequel to Mutant Mayhem, the animated reboot that gave the Turtles a scrappy, teenage energy. Paramount has not revealed the full story yet, but the first film left a door open for Shredder to become a much bigger problem.

The original stood out because it let Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael act like awkward kids who happened to be trained ninjas. The follow-up has a chance to raise the stakes without losing that personality. GVN’s review of the first movie called it a bold, heartfelt take on the Turtles.

Paramount moved the sequel to August 13, 2027.

4. The New Simpsons Movie

Release Date: September 3, 2027

The Simpsons are returning to theaters for the first time since the 2007 movie. Disney revealed the new film’s title and offered a first look at D23, but the story is still being kept quiet.

Twenty years is a long wait between trips to Springfield. The show has had thousands of episodes to explore the family, so a second movie needs a story that feels big enough for a theater without losing the small, strange details that make The Simpsons work. GVN rounded up the latest Disney announcements in its D23 2026 coverage.

Disney’s D23 recap confirms the September 3, 2027 theatrical date.

3. Frozen 3

Release Date: November 24, 2027

Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf are back for another adventure. Disney gave fans a brief new look at D23, including a villainess whose powers appear to rival Elsa’s. Jennifer Lee and Trent Correy are directing.

The first two films expanded the sisters’ world while keeping their relationship at the center. The new threat hints at a different kind of challenge for Elsa, and the return of the familiar voice cast gives the film a strong connection to the earlier chapters. GVN’s D23 roundup has more from the presentation.

Disney currently lists Frozen 3 for November 24, 2027.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

Release Date: December 17, 2027

Andy Serkis is directing and returning as Gollum. The story follows the search for the creature in the years leading up to The Fellowship of the Ring, bringing audiences back to a stretch of Middle-earth that the films have only touched on.

The cast is now taking shape. Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo and Lee Pace as Thranduil. Jamie Dornan plays Strider, with Kate Winslet, Leo Woodall and Anya Taylor-Joy joining the story. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are also back as producers, with Walsh and Boyens among the writers. GVN has revisited the original films in its Middle-earth trilogy review.

Warner Bros. has confirmed the film is in production and set for December 17, 2027. Variety reported the cast announcement.

1. Avengers: Secret Wars

Release Date: December 17, 2027

Marvel has scheduled its next Avengers film for one year after Avengers: Doomsday. That timing is a major part of the anticipation. The events of Doomsday will shape what remains for the heroes to face, but Marvel has not shared a full story outline or announced the movie’s complete cast.

Anthony and Joe Russo are set to direct. Until Marvel reveals more, the most interesting question is how the film will follow the multiverse story it has been building across the recent movies. Secret Wars shares its release date with The Hunt for Gollum, creating one of the biggest potential box-office clashes of the year.

Disney’s Marvel release guide lists the film for December 2027, while Variety reported the current December 17 date.

2027 has a few crowded release weekends already

January 15 currently pairs Children of Blood and Bone with The Beekeeper 2. June brings How to Train Your Dragon 2, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and Shrek 5 within three weeks of one another. The most striking date is December 17, when Avengers: Secret Wars and The Hunt for Gollum are both scheduled to open.

Those dates may shift, but fans already have a few weekends worth circling. The summer lineup offers family animation, superhero stories and a return to Far Far Away, while December puts Marvel and Middle-earth in direct competition.

Video game adaptations are taking a bigger place on the calendar

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and The Legend of Zelda show how much the video game movie conversation has changed. Studios are putting major theatrical dates behind game worlds, not just treating them as quick tie-ins. Sonic arrives with an established screen audience, while Zelda has the harder job of turning an open-ended adventure into a story that works for longtime players and newcomers alike.

Their releases will be a good measure of whether audiences want more game adaptations with very different styles and scales.

Horror also has a strong year ahead

The Exorcist: Martyrs gives Mike Flanagan one of horror’s most recognizable properties, while A Quiet Place Part III returns to the Abbott family. Both films have room to take their franchises in a new direction, and their filmmakers have established identities that give fans a reason to watch closely.

More horror projects are dated for 2027, but these two have enough confirmed details and established audiences to earn a place on this list.

The Batman: Part II has moved to 2028

Older 2027 movie lists may still include Robert Pattinson’s next Batman film. Warner Bros. has moved Matt Reeves’ sequel to February 18, 2028, so it is no longer part of this year’s lineup. Dates can change as productions move forward, which is why this guide will need another check as 2027 gets closer.

The latest release update has the new 2028 date.

2027 already has plenty to keep on the watchlist

There are big returns on this calendar, but the most interesting releases may be the ones that give familiar properties room to change. Zelda is starting from a new screen version of Hyrule. Star Wars: Starfighter has new characters and a separate story. Man of Tomorrow puts Superman and Lex Luthor in an uneasy partnership, and Flanagan is bringing his sensibility to The Exorcist.

As more trailers and production updates arrive, this list will keep changing. For now, these 20 movies give fans a lot to look forward to across the year.