{"id":400411,"date":"2026-01-08T20:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/400411\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T20:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T20:03:13","slug":"all-the-biggest-genre-movies-celebrating-milestones-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/400411\/","title":{"rendered":"All the Biggest Genre Movies Celebrating Milestones This Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re over a quarter<\/a> of a century into this century. Isn\u2019t that wild? And if that doesn\u2019t make you feel old, this list is definitely going to do the trick. Each year, io9 goes back in time<\/a> and sees what movies are celebrating milestones this year. Basically, for 2026, anything released with a \u201c6\u201d or a \u201c1\u201d at the end of it qualifies, and there are some all-timers<\/a> here up and down the list.<\/p>\n

A few notes before we get started, though. One, we\u2019re io9, so we just cover the genre stuff\u2014fantasy, sci-fi, horror, etc. And two, we\u2019re not doing five-year anniversaries. Ten years and up only. Sorry, 2021. You\u2019ll get there soon.<\/p>\n

Beyond that, here are all the big genre movies celebrating anniversaries in 2026.<\/p>\n

\"FrankensteinFrankenstein, 1931 \u2013 Universal 1926\u00a0 \u2013 100th Anniversary <\/p>\n

The General \u2013 We\u2019re breaking the rules right off the bat here because Buster Keaton\u2019s unforgettable comedy isn\u2019t actually \u201cgenre.\u201d However, the things that happen in it are so magical, and we wanted something in this 100-year slot, so we\u2019re making an exception. But it\u2019s the only exception.<\/p>\n

1931 \u2013 95th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Frankenstein \u2013 Mere months after the release of the new version by Guillermo del Toro, the most famous adaptation of the story, directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff, celebrates a big one.<\/p>\n

Also: Dracula, M<\/p>\n

1941\u00a0 \u2013 85th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Dumbo \u2013 When seminal Disney movies start turning this old, it\u2019s kind of wild. Almost as wild as an elephant with ears so big he can fly.<\/p>\n

Also: Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Hold that Ghost, The Wolf Man\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ItsIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life \u2013 RKO 1946 \u2013 80th Anniversary <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a Wonderful Life \u2013 Our pick for the greatest holiday genre film<\/a> of all time (it centers on an alternate reality, don\u2019t forget) celebrates 80 years of perfection this year.<\/p>\n

Also: Beauty and the Beast, Notorious, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Song of the South<\/p>\n

1951 \u2013 75th Anniversary <\/p>\n

The Thing from Another World \u2013 The film that inspired your (probably) favorite John Carpenter movie, The Thing, celebrates its diamond anniversary this year.<\/p>\n

Also: Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Alice in Wonderland, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Superman and the Mole Men<\/p>\n

1956 \u2013 70th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Invasion of the Body Snatchers \u2013 The film that students study when they want to learn about horror with social commentary, which also happens to be creepy and awesome, turns 70 this year.<\/p>\n

Also: Around the World in 80 Days, Forbidden Planet<\/p>\n

1961\u00a0 \u2013 65th Anniversary <\/p>\n

101 Dalmatians \u2013 Can you believe it\u2019s been 65 years since audiences were first exposed to Cruella de Vil and those lovely spotted pups?<\/p>\n

Also: The Absent-Minded Professor<\/p>\n

\"BatmanImage: 20th Century Studios 1966 \u2013 60th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Batman: The Movie \u2013 In our mind, this now 60-year-old feature-length adaptation of the classic Adam West show might be the best Batman movie. Why? Because it has all the biggest villains in it at once, something none of the other films have ever done.<\/p>\n

Also: Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Fahrenheit 451, Fantastic Voyage, One Million Years B.C., Thunderbirds Are Go<\/p>\n

1971 \u2013 55th Anniversary <\/p>\n

A Clockwork Orange \u2013 Around here, 1971 is when we start to see the number of notable genre films start to rise exponentially. In 1971 specifically, there were some great ones (as you can see below), but we still can\u2019t get this Stanley Kubrick masterpiece out of our minds and probably never will.<\/p>\n

Also: Diamonds Are Forever, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, The Omega Man, THX 1138, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory\u00a0<\/p>\n

1976 \u2013\u00a0 50th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Carrie \u2013 As Sissy Spacek\u2019s landmark performance in this Stephen King adaptation turns 50, Hollywood is currently working on a new take from King superfan Mike Flanagan. A perfect way to celebrate a great film, an incredible milestone, and clearly, an amazing year overall.<\/p>\n

Also: Assault on Precinct 13, Freaky Friday, King Kong, Logan\u2019s Run, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Marathon Man, The Omen, Robin and Marian<\/p>\n

\"\"Raiders of the Lost Ark \u2013 Paramount 1981 \u2013 45th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Raiders of the Lost Ark \u2013 Nothing sucks about Raiders of the Lost Ark or the year it was released, but a 45th anniversary kind of sucks, right? It\u2019s so close to that all-important 50th anniversary that it\u2019s almost not worth mentioning. But when you look at films like this and the others released in 1981, it\u2019s easy to get excited for this year and 2031.<\/p>\n

Also: An American Werewolf in London, Clash of the Titans, Dragonslayer, Escape from New York, The Evil Dead, Excalibur, Friday the 13th Part 2, The Great Muppet Caper, Halloween II, Heavy Metal, History of the World Part I, Scanners, Superman II, Time Bandits<\/p>\n

1986 \u2013 40th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Aliens \u2013 As you read this, James Cameron has his fourth billion-dollar grosser in a row in theaters. So it\u2019s fun to remember that long before he became the \u201cKing of the World,\u201d he made Aliens, one of the best sequels of all time. He\u2019s been kicking ass for 40 years plus.<\/p>\n

Also: An American Tail, Big Trouble in Little China, Blue Velvet, Critters, Flight of the Navigator, The Fly, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, The Golden Child, The Great Mouse Detective, Highlander, Howard the Duck, The Karate Kid Part II, King Kong Lives, Labyrinth, Little Shop of Horrors, Maximum Overdrive, Night of the Creeps, Robotech: The Movie, Short Circuit, Solarbabies, SpaceCamp, Stand By Me, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Transformers: The Movie, The Wraith<\/p>\n

1991 \u2013 35th Anniversary <\/p>\n

The Silence of the Lambs \u2013 If you look back at a list of Best Picture Oscar winners, The Silence of the Lambs sticks out like a bottle of Chianti. Never before had a film with such distinct horror elements been bestowed such an honor. And, this year, we honor that milestone landmark in genre history.<\/p>\n

Also: The Addams Family, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, Beauty and the Beast, Hook, Bill & Ted\u2019s Bogus Journey, Freddy\u2019s Dead: The Final Nightmare, The People Under The Stairs, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Rocketeer, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, Terminator 2: Judgment Day<\/p>\n

\"Image:Image: Fox 1996 \u2013 30th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Independence Day \u2013 It\u2019s hard to describe what 1996 was like at the movies. For me, at age 16, I was at the theater basically every week, seeing movies that changed the way I felt about life, love, and cinema itself. Among my favorites, though, was this sci-fi disaster epic, which at the time felt so much bigger and grander than anything I\u2019d ever seen before. Can\u2019t believe it\u2019s been 30 years.<\/p>\n

Also: 101 Dalmatians, The Cable Guy, The Craft, Dragonheart, Fargo, The Frighteners, From Dusk Till Dawn, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Island of Dr. Moreau, James and the Giant Peach, Jingle All the Way, Mars Attacks!, Matilda, Mission: Impossible, Multiplicity, Muppet Treasure Island, The Nutty Professor, The Rock, Scream, Star Trek: First Contact, Space Jam, Twister<\/p>\n

2001 \u2013 25th Anniversary <\/p>\n

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring \u2013 As formative as 1996 was, though, 2001 kind of blows it out of the water. Just look at this list of films that came out below. And, of course, the year culminated in The Fellowship of the Ring, a game-changer of an experience that we still watch and discuss to this day. On it, and their silver anniversary, let\u2019s celebrate all of these movies.<\/p>\n

Also: A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Am\u00e9lie, Donnie Darko, The Fast and the Furious, Hannibal, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer\u2019s Stone, Josie and the Pussycats, Jurassic Park III, A Knight\u2019s Tale, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Memento, Monsters Inc., Moulin Rouge!, Mulholland Drive, The Mummy Returns, Planet of the Apes, Shrek, Spirited Away, Spy Kids, Vanilla Sky, Waking Life, Zoolander<\/p>\n

2006 \u2013 20th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Children of Men \u2013 Alfonso Cuar\u00f3n\u2019s brilliant, dystopian vision of the future feels even more relevant now than it did 20 years ago. And yet, somehow, Children of Men seems like one of those incredible movies that doesn\u2019t get talked about nearly enough. It certainly should.<\/p>\n

Also: 300, Cars, Casino Royale, The Descent, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The Fountain, Happy Feet, High School Musical, Mission: Impossible III, Night at the Museum, Pan\u2019s Labyrinth, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man\u2019s Chest, The Prestige, A Scanner Darkly, Slither, Snakes on a Plane, Superman Returns, V for Vendetta, X-Men: The Last Stand<\/p>\n

\"Image:Fast Five \u2013 Universal 2011 \u2013 15th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Fast Five \u2013 It took 10 years for the Fast and Furious franchise to morph from 2001\u2019s fun, street-level racing film to a full-blown mega franchise. But, in 2011, it happened with Justin Lin\u2019s Fast Five. Since then, the results have been decidedly mixed, and we still don\u2019t know where things are going, but there\u2019s no denying that 15 years ago, Fast Five took action movies to a whole other level.<\/p>\n

Also: The Adventures of Tintin, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Cabin in the Woods, Cowboys & Aliens, The Green Hornet, Green Lantern, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Hobo with a Shotgun, Hugo, Insidious, Mission: Impossible \u2013 Ghost Protocol, The Muppets, Paul, Puss In Boots, Rango, Real Steel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Scream 4, Sucker Punch, Super, Super 8, Thor, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn \u2013 Part 1, X-Men: First Class<\/p>\n

2016 \u2013 10th Anniversary <\/p>\n

Deadpool \u2013 The movies of 2016 are all so fresh in our minds, it\u2019s hard to pick just one to highlight. But I\u2019m going with Deadpool, just because the character remains so popular and relevant. It honestly feels like the big-screen version of the character has been around longer than 10 years, but, alas, he has not. We also think he\u2019ll be around for many more years, though, as well as all of these excellent movies celebrating a decade.<\/p>\n

Also: 10 Cloverfield Lane, Arrival, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Blair Witch, Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, La La Land, Moana, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Sausage Party, Suicide Squad, Swiss Army Man, Terrifier, Train to Busan, The Witch, Your Name, Zootopia<\/p>\n

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel<\/a>, Star Wars<\/a>, and Star Trek<\/a> releases, what\u2019s next for the DC Universe on film and TV<\/a>, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We\u2019re over a quarter of a century into this century. Isn\u2019t that wild? And if that doesn\u2019t make…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":400412,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[64,63,8861,58628,134,213002,3659,45654,194821,344,43240],"class_list":["post-400411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-batman","tag-deadpool","tag-entertainment","tag-fast-five","tag-frankenstein","tag-independence-day","tag-its-a-wonderful-life","tag-movies","tag-scream"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=400411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400411\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/400412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=400411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=400411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=400411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}