{"id":237862,"date":"2026-01-10T13:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T13:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/237862\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T13:18:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T13:18:08","slug":"dune-and-toy-story-5-among-big-releases-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/237862\/","title":{"rendered":"Dune and Toy Story 5 among big releases \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

James Cameron<\/a> has kindly decided to give us a mental-health break from the increasingly dreary Avatar sequence until 2029, leaving Christmas 2026 to the first of Greta Gerwig<\/a>\u2019s Chronicles of Narnia films and the last of Denis Villeneuve<\/a>\u2019s Dune sequence. <\/p>\n

They have competition from Robert Downey jnr<\/a>\u2019s return to the Marvelverse<\/a> as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday (also in December). The plot is \u201cunder wraps,\u201d but expect end-credits hints and nudges from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in late July.<\/p>\n

Other franchise heavy-hitters include The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (November), the live-action remake of Moana (July), The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April), Toy Story 5 (June) and Scary Movie 6 (June).<\/p>\n

And when, you may ask, are we to expect Untitled Fast and Furious sequel? The project that was first stalled during the Hollywood strikes of 2023, and promised for summer 2026, has moved (and moved again). You will have to wait until April 2027 at the earliest to hear Vin Diesel stress the importance of family between car rides. Until then, buckle up for our 50 films to see in the year ahead.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0The 50 best films of 2025 \u2013 a full list in reverse orderOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Ancestors<\/p>\n

The screenwriter David Turpin makes his directorial debut with an odyssey into what it means to be young, beautiful, different and in mortal danger. \u00c9anna Hardwicke<\/a>, Rupert Everett and Christina Hendricks star in this Irish release. Date to be announced<\/p>\n

At the Sea<\/p>\n

Korn\u00e9l Mundrucz\u00f3, the film-maker behind White God and Pieces of a Woman, directs Amy Adams<\/a> as a woman who returns to her family\u2019s coastal home after completing rehab and struggles to rebuild her life. Jenny Slate and Rainn Wilson also star. To be announced <\/p>\n

Bitter Christmas <\/p>\n

Pedro Almod\u00f3var returns with a less-starry, sun-drenched holiday drama blending grief, desire and cinematic reflection. Advertising executive Elsa struggles to cope with her mother\u2019s death during a long December in Lanzarote with a friend. To be announced <\/p>\n

The Bride!<\/p>\n

Maggie Gyllenhaal<\/a> reimagines the Frankenstein myth as a musical set in Al Capone\u2019s Chicago. Christian Bale<\/a>\u2019s Creature gains a resurrected companion played by Jessie Buckley. Due in cinemas on March 6th<\/p>\n

Celtic Utopia<\/p>\n

Dennis Harvey and Lars Loven take a deep dive into Ireland\u2019s vibrant folk scene with humour, heart and political consciousness. Their documentary probes the music as a reflection of Ireland\u2019s colonial past and as a force for shaping the future. Punctuated by performances from top Irish artists, including The Mary Wallopers, Poor Creature and Eimear Nic Ionnrachtaigh. To be announced<\/p>\n

Chasing Summer<\/p>\n

The inventive Josephine Decker, director of the cult faves Shirley and Madeline\u2019s Madeline, returns with a snapshot of a young woman in crisis. After losing both her job and boyfriend, Jamie (Iliza Shlesinger) returns to her Texas hometown, where friends and reminders of past flings add to growing discombobulation. To be announced <\/p>\n

The Chronology of Water<\/p>\n

Kristen Stewart makes an uncompromising directorial debut with this hard-hitting adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch\u2019s memoir. Imogen Poots plays Lidia, whose path from childhood trauma and alcoholism towards healing is shaped by swimming and writing. February 6th<\/p>\n

Dead Man\u2019s Wire <\/p>\n

Gus Van Sant returns with a tense retelling of a notorious hostage standoff in 1977. Bill Skarsgard plays Tony Kiritsis, a volatile Indiana man who held his dodgy mortgage broker captive for days, sparking a media frenzy. Dacre Montgomery co-stars alongside Al Pacino in a story echoing the chaotic energy of Dog Day Afternoon. March 20th<\/p>\n

The Death of Robin Hood <\/p>\n

Writer-director Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One) casts Hugh Jackman as cinema\u2019s most swashbuckling hero. His merry band includes Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgard and Murray Bartlett. Production in Northern Ireland concluded in early 2025. To be announced<\/p>\n

The Devil Wears Prada 2<\/p>\n

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the much-loved fashion-world franchise to teach us the true meaning of cerulean. May 1st<\/p>\n

The Dog Stars <\/p>\n

Ridley Scott adapts Peter Heller\u2019s postapocalyptic novel that follows a pilot and a former marine navigating a ravaged world after a deadly virus. Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin are among the survivors. March 27th<\/p>\n

The Drama<\/p>\n

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson headline this mysterious Ari Aster-produced romantic comedy for A24 from Kristoffer Borgli. The story follows a couple whose relationship unravels in shocking developments just before their wedding. April 3rd<\/p>\n

Dune: Part 3<\/p>\n

Denis Villeneuve concludes his bombastic adaptation of Frank Herbert\u2019s saga with an adaptation of the author\u2019s Dune Messiah. Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, now an embattled ruler facing new threats, including Robert Pattinson\u2019s shape-shifting antagonist, Scytale. December 18th<\/p>\n

The Entertainment System Is Down<\/p>\n

Arriving after Force Majeure and Triangle of Sadness, Ruben \u00d6stlund\u2019s new aeroplane-set film triangulates a trilogy of holidays-from-hell pictures. Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst star. Expect a Cannes debut. To be announced<\/p>\n

The Exit 8<\/p>\n

In this Cannes-selected adaptation of the iconic video game, a lone man navigates a looping underpass growing ever more nightmarish. Tense, kinetic and meticulously designed, the film transforms interactive horror into cinematic spectacle. April 3rd<\/p>\n

Father Mother Sister Brother <\/p>\n

Jim Jarmusch\u2019s portmanteau drama, an unexpected winner of the Golden Lion at Venice, explores familial bonds. Tom Waits\u2019s section is tremendous. An underpowered Irish episode features Cate Blanchett and Charlotte Rampling. A lovely thing nonetheless. To be announced <\/p>\n

I Love Boosters <\/p>\n

Following on from the wild and brilliant Sorry to Bother You, the rapper turned film-maker Boots Riley skewers the fashion industry and hypercapitalism with a sci-fi satire about a crew of stylish shoplifters, led by Keke Palmer getting revenge on Demi Moore\u2019s chief executive. May 22nd<\/p>\n

I Want Your Sex <\/p>\n

The great Gregg Araki, the off-centre mind behind films such as Mysterious Skin, returns with a surely provocative erotic thriller. Cooper Hoffman lands his dream job as a sexual muse for Olivia Wilde\u2019s erotic artist. To be announced <\/p>\n

I Will Forget Your Name <\/p>\n

The team behind the 2018 erotic murder mystery Knife + Heart \u2013 director Yann Gonzalez, star Vanessa Paradise, musicians M83 \u2013 reunite for a modern take on the Italian giallo horror genre. To be announced<\/p>\n

If I Had Legs I\u2019d Kick You <\/p>\n

Rose Byrne won best actor at Berlin International Film Festival for playing a fraught mother in this heart-pounding drama. An ill daughter, home repairs and blurred perception of reality lead to obsessive spirals, dark humour and the most nerve-shredding film since Uncut Gems. February 20th <\/p>\n

Is God Is<\/p>\n

Aleshea Harris adapts her acclaimed play into a ferocious revenge sequence as twin sisters, played by Kara Young and Mallori Johnson, pursue the father who scarred them. Janelle Mon\u00e1e and Vivica A Fox also star. May 15th <\/p>\n

Little Am\u00e9lie or the Character of Rain <\/p>\n

A whimsical, magical-realist coming-of-age animated adaptation of Am\u00e9lie Nothomb\u2019s novel. Born in a vegetative state to a Belgian family in Japan, Am\u00e9lie awakens after an earthquake and struggles to understand her surroundings. Guided by her beloved nanny Nishio and grandmother Claude, she learns language, forms bonds and suspects she might be a god. February 13th<\/p>\n

The Love That Remains <\/p>\n

Hlynur P\u00e1lmason follows the sombre, religious misadventures of Godland with this surreal Icelandic dramedy exploring a year in the life of a family navigating parental separation. Watch out for the giant rooster and an errant knight. March 13th<\/p>\n

Michael<\/p>\n

Antoine Fuqua chronicles Michael Jackson\u2019s rise from child prodigy to global icon with nephew Jaafar Jackson as the king of pop. Colman Domingo and Nia Long play the singer\u2019s parents in a production with estate support. April 24th<\/p>\n

The Moment<\/p>\n

Charli XCX joins the director Aidan Zamiri for a tongue-in-cheek hybrid mockumentary, tour film and celebrity self-portrait. Blurring performance and persona, the project follows the singer\u2019s welcome rise after Brat, poking fun at the absurdities of pop culture. Expect a certain artist to release a rival mockumentary on the same day. January 30th<\/p>\n

Mother Mary<\/p>\n

David Lowery, director of A Ghost Story, swerves into psychosexual musical horror. Mary (Anne Hathaway), a pop singer, and Sam (Michaela Coel), a fashion designer, have a torrid affair as Mary seeks a dress for her tour. Hunter Schafer, FKA Twigs and Kaia Gerber round off the voguish cast. April<\/p>\n

The Mummy<\/p>\n

The Irish director Lee Cronin made a splash at home with The Hole in the Ground and abroad with Evil Dead Rise. Now he takes on the classic Universal monster of the title under the Blumhouse banner. Jack Reynor and LAIA Costa star. April 17th<\/p>\n

My Father\u2019s Shadow <\/p>\n

Akinola Davies jnr\u2019s drama, the first Nigerian film to premiere in the Cannes official selection, explores family, memory and cultural inheritance. A young man returns to Lagos after his father\u2019s death with his sometimes too observant sons. February 6th<\/p>\n

Narnia: The Magician\u2019s Nephew <\/p>\n

Greta Gerwig brings her witty house style to Narnia\u2019s origin story. Emma Mackey, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep lead this prequel to CS Lewis\u2019s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. November 26th<\/p>\n

Nouvelle Vague <\/p>\n

Richard Linklater\u2019s homage to the French new wave. Archival re-creations, metatextual commentary, playful dramatisations and a sprawling ensemble cast make for charming cinephile comedy. January 30th<\/p>\n

The Odyssey <\/p>\n

Christopher Nolan tackles Homer\u2019s epic with Matt Damon as Odysseus and an enormous ensemble cast. Shot entirely on Imax, the film reportedly blends animatronics and large-scale practical effects to conjure mythical beasts and ancient worlds. July 17th<\/p>\n

Onslaught<\/p>\n

Adam Wingard\u2019s dystopian epic follows a rebellion against a mechanised totalitarian state. Expect the unexpected with the director of The Guest and recent Godzilla movies. Rebecca Hall and Dan Stevens star. To be announced<\/p>\n

Orphan<\/p>\n

Historical drama from the Oscar-winning Laszlo Nemes. Set in 1957 Budapest, the film follows Andor (Bojtorjan Barabas), a young boy still waiting for his Jewish father\u2019s return and reckoning with his mother\u2019s compromised survival during the second World War. Hungary\u2019s Academy Award submission features images that leave you wondering, How did they do that? To be announced<\/p>\n

Paper Tiger <\/p>\n

James Gray\u2019s crime drama follows two brothers, played by Adam Driver and Miles Teller, happily chasing the American dream until they get mixed up with the Russian mafia. Scarlett Johansson also stars. To be announced<\/p>\n

Practical Magic 2<\/p>\n

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return, after 28 years, as the Owens sisters for another witchy adventure, based on Alice Hoffman\u2019s The Book of Magic. Susanne Bier directs, with Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also reprising their roles. September 18th<\/p>\n

The President\u2019s Cake<\/p>\n

In 1990s Iraq, during the reign of Saddam Hussein, nine-year-old Lamia must gather scarce ingredients to bake a mandatory cake for the president\u2019s birthday or face punishment at school. She runs away with her friend Saeed. Granny sets out to find her. To be announced<\/p>\n

Project Hail Mary<\/p>\n

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, creators of The Lego Movie, direct their first feature since 22 Jump Street. The science-fiction epic, adapted from Andy Weir\u2019s novel, stars Ryan Gosling as an astronaut who wakes up alone on a deep-space vessel with no memory, only to realise he is the last surviving member of a mission to save Earth. Sandra H\u00fcller and Ken Leung are also among the cast. March 20th<\/p>\n

Romer\u00eda<\/p>\n

Carla Sim\u00f3n\u2019s gorgeous autobiographical fantasy, set in 2004, follows an orphaned young woman as she travels to Vigo, in northern Spain, to seek information about her biological father, who died from Aids. His family have many secrets. To be announced<\/p>\n

Rose of Nevada <\/p>\n

The Cornish auteur Mark Jenkin\u2019s latest follows a fishing vessel that drifts back into a harbour 30 years after disappearing. George MacKay and Callum Turner board in search of work but are pulled into a temporal rift, returned to the past and mistaken for the lost crew. The film\u2019s haunting loops and uncanny reappearances echo Mark Fisher\u2019s notions of the eerie and the weird. April 24th <\/p>\n

Silent Friend <\/p>\n

This enchanting film from the Hungarian auteur Ildiko Enyedi observes Tony Leung Chiu-wai\u2019s lonely academic, Luna Wedler\u2019s trailblazing 19th-century feminist and a lovelorn 1970s student, all from the perspective of an ageing tree. Luna Wedler won best actress at Venice for her turn. To be announced<\/p>\n

Sirat<\/p>\n

\u00d3liver Laxe\u2019s incredible desert misadventure follows a father and son searching for a missing daughter among nomadic ravers in southern Morocco. Reflective, mystical and punctuated by surprises, the film examines trauma, spirituality and endurance to the huge sounds of Kangding Ray\u2019s pounding score. March 6th<\/p>\n

The Social Reckoning <\/p>\n

Aaron Sorkin, 16 years after his screenplay for David Fincher\u2019s The Social Network, revisits Facebook, this time focusing on the whistleblower Frances Haugen and her battle to expose the platform\u2019s hidden research. Jeremy Strong plays Mark Zuckerberg; Jeremy Allen White portrays the reporter Jeff Horwitz. Sorkin now directs. October 9th<\/p>\n

The Sound of Falling<\/p>\n

Deserving winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2025, Mascha Schilinski\u2019s epic second feature follows four girls from different historical periods \u2013 shortly before the first World War, at the end of the second World War, in East Germany in the 1980s, and in the early 21st century \u2013 living in the same huge house. March 6th <\/p>\n

Stop! That! Train! <\/p>\n

RuPaul leads a drag-powered disaster comedy directed by Adam Shankman. Queens including Ginger Minj, Jujubee and Symone play train stewardesses caught in a chaotic \u201cStormaganza\u201d. May 29th <\/p>\n

The Stranger<\/p>\n

With his adaptation of Albert Camus\u2019s existential classic, Fran\u00e7ois Ozon interrogates absurdity, alienation and mortality in ravishing monochrome re-creations of 1940s Algeria. Benjamin Voisin is a revelation in the central role. April 10th<\/p>\n

The Testament of Ann Lee<\/p>\n

Mona Fastvold, co-writer of Brady Corbet\u2019s The Brutalist, directs a knockout historical musical on the grandest of scales. Expect award nominations for Amanda Seyfried\u2019s career-best performance as Ann Lee, the 18th-century founder of the Shaker sect. The tunes and choreography are good, too. February 20th<\/p>\n

Tony <\/p>\n

Biopic, from A24, chronicling Anthony Bourdain\u2019s life, travels and culinary philosophy. Featuring Dominic Sessa, the breakout star of The Holdovers, and Antonio Banderas. Matt Johnson, director of The Dirties and Blackberry, is at the helm. To be announced<\/p>\n

Werwulf<\/p>\n

The band is back together. Robert Eggers ventures into medieval horror with Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a fearsome werewolf. Set in a stark 13th-century landscape, the film reunites Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe. January 1st, 2027<\/p>\n

Wizards! <\/p>\n

David Mich\u00f4d\u2019s stoner-comedy chaos follows two dope-smoking beach-bar operators \u2013 played by Pete Davidson and Franz Rogowski \u2013 who stumble into a stolen bag of money. Orlando Bloom also stars. To be announced<\/p>\n

Wuthering Heights<\/p>\n

Emerald Fennell\u2019s (apparently) profane, impressionistic take on Emily Bront\u00eb\u2019s novel, with Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie as the doomed lovers Heathcliff and Catherine, is already the most talked-about movie of 2026. Detractors have bemoaned the (racially and chronologically) inaccurate casting. Others have required smelling salts to cope with the anachronistic wedding dress. February 13th<\/p>\n

All dates are subject to change<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"James Cameron has kindly decided to give us a mental-health break from the increasingly dreary Avatar sequence until…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":237863,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[92467,7245,55911,800,29808,30935,273,7246,93,82609,10427,61,60,9404,32161,6881,5122,10921,30313,2563,7247,102708,26953,16180,7248,38188,15117],"class_list":{"0":"post-237862","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-amy-adams","9":"tag-anne-hathaway","10":"tag-bill-skarsgard","11":"tag-cate-blanchett","12":"tag-christian-bale","13":"tag-denis-villeneuve","14":"tag-eanna-hardwicke","15":"tag-emily-blunt","16":"tag-entertainment","17":"tag-greta-gerwig","18":"tag-hugh-jackman","19":"tag-ie","20":"tag-ireland","21":"tag-jacob-elordi","22":"tag-james-cameron","23":"tag-jodie-comer","24":"tag-josh-brolin","25":"tag-kristen-stewart","26":"tag-maggie-gyllenhaal","27":"tag-marvel","28":"tag-meryl-streep","29":"tag-ridley-scott","30":"tag-robert-downey-jr","31":"tag-robert-pattinson","32":"tag-stanley-tucci","33":"tag-timothee-chalamet","34":"tag-zendaya"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}