This year, the summer movie season begins with a walk down the runway.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” opens Friday, kicking off four months of fun in the sun at the movies.
The May 1 weekend is oftentimes reserved for a superhero tentpole, but this year, Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is the one welcoming audiences into summer.
From there, big-time franchises (“Star Wars,” “Toy Story,” “Spider-Man”) and big-name directors (Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg) take over, giving crowds numerous ways to beat the heat indoors.
We’ve laid out some of the biggest movies headed to theaters from May through the end of August, and we’ve done so from A to Z. Plan accordingly, but remember, release dates are always subject to change.
The Summer 2026 movie season, A-Z:
A: Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway returns to Runway in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” the sequel to the 2006 hit that kicks off the summer movie season when it opens on Friday. But she’s not done, not by a long shot. Ms. Hathaway is currently starring as a pop singer in David Lowry’s “Mother Mary” (now in theaters), she stars with Ewan McGregor in “The End of Oak Street” (Aug. 14), which marks the return of Metro Detroit native David Robert Mitchell (“It Follows”), and she’s also in a little movie by Christopher Nolan that we’ll talk about here in a bit. Clear the way, it’s Hathaway Summer!
B: Buzz Lightyear
It’s Buzz Lightyear vs. an iPad in “Toy Story 5,” the latest adventure featuring the original Pixar crew of Woody, Slinky Dog, Mr. Potato Head and the rest of Andy’s toys. It’s been 31 years since the original “Toy Story” hit theaters and carved out a space inside moviegoers’ hearts, and seven years since the series’ last installment. This time they’re going up against technology. Our money’s on the toys. (June 19)
C: ‘Cliffhanger’
OK, count of three, let’s both at the same time say the first thing we think of when we say Sylvester Stallone. 1, 2, 3… Lily James! Oh, that’s not what you said? Either way, Lily James — she of “Cinderella” and “Pam & Tommy” fame — is gearing up for a reboot of Stallone’s 1993 rock climbing thriller “Cliffhanger,” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Hang on for dear life! (Aug. 28)
D: ‘Death of Robin Hood’
Hugh Jackman stars as an aging, grizzled Robin Hood in “The Death of Robin Hood,” in which he presumably dies (is it a spoiler if it’s in the title?), which also stars Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgård. Michael Sarnoski (“Pig,” “A Quiet Place: Day One”) writes and directs. (June 19)
E: Eilish
Billie Eilish teams up with up-and-coming director James Cameron (the “Avatar” movies, something called “Titanic”) for “Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D),” which certainly has a mouthful of a title. (A dash, a colon, and two parentheses? Impressive!) With Cameron at the helm, it should be a showstopper, beyond the normal realm of a concert film. That’s the hope, at least. (May 8)
F: ‘Fall 2’
You saw “Fall,” right? Sparse thriller, fun movie. Two friends climb up a pole in the middle of the desert and get stranded up top, 2,000 feet in the air. That’s it! This follow-up centers on Jax (Harriet Slater), the sister of one of the original climbers, who winds up stranded 2,000 feet in the air while climbing a mountain in Taipei. Hate when that happens! Peter and Michael Spierig direct. (Aug. 7)
G: Grogu
Don’t call him Baby Yoda! Grogu teams up with his pal the Mandalorian for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first Star Wars movie since 2019’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” and it centers on the adventures of the bounty hunter (played by Pedro Pascal) and his trusty little pal. Jon Favreau directs. (May 22)
H: Horror
Lots of horror movies are due out in the coming months, which is a good thing for all the freaks and weirdos out there. “Hokum” is a haunted vacation home thriller with Adam Scott (May 1); “Obsession” is a be-careful-what-you-wish-for tale about a guy who makes a wish his crush would be obsessed with him (May 15); road trips might never be the same after “Passenger” (May 22); Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve dive into the internet horror world of “Backrooms” (May 29); director Sébastien Vaniček delivers the latest “Evil Dead” chapter, “Evil Dead Burn” (July 10); Eli Roth pays a visit to the “Ice Cream Man” (Aug. 7); and the “Insidious” world returns with “Insidious: Out of the Further” (Aug. 27). Happy haunting!
I: ‘I Love Boosters’
Boots Riley returns, eight years after “Sorry to Bother You,” with this tripped-out take on fashion, government conspiracies, class inequity and all sorts of other fun stuff, funneled through the bizarre fantasia that is his mind. With Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, Eiza González and Demi Moore. (May 22)
J: ‘Jackass: Best and Last’
The “Jackass” gang is still putting their bodies through hell to make you laugh. So go laugh with them as they do it for the fifth (and hopefully final, for the sake of themselves) time. Then again, we also thought the last one was going to be the last one, so who knows? (June 26)
K: Krypto
Milly Alcock is “Supergirl” and Krypto is her trusted pooch in this follow-up to last year’s “Superman,” in which Alcock’s character was briefly introduced. “I, Tonya’s” Craig Gillespie directs this super-story, which also stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley and Jason Momoa. (June 26)
L: Looney Tunes
You asked for it, you got it! “Coyote vs. Acme” was originally shelved by Warner Bros. as a tax write-off, but the internet rallied for its release and three years later, here it is. Will Forte and John Cena are opposing lawyers in this courtroom comedy with a Looney Tunes twist. Dave Green (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”) directs. (Aug. 28)
M: ‘Minions & Monsters’
This “Minions” prequel takes place in Old Hollywood, where the little yellow dudes are making a monster movie. Sure, why not? Let’s hope the gentleminions show up in force. (July 1)
N: Nate Bergatze
The stand-up comedian, who performs to sold-out arenas but is perhaps best known for his George Washington skits on “SNL,” stars as a father tasked with staying home with his kids while his wife is away on business. Gee, what could go wrong? (May 29)
O: ‘Odyssey’
Half of Hollywood (including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, John Leguizamo, Charlize Theron and, yes, Anne Hathaway) stars in “The Odyssey,” Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to “Oppenheimer,” which is, by just about any measure, the movie event of the summer, if not the year. Riches await, and maybe Oscars too? (July 17)
P: Parody
After an extended hiatus, the “Scary Movie” spoof-a-thons are back with “Scary Movie,” the first “Scary Movie” since 2013’s “Scary Movie 5.” This time the Wayans Brothers are back at the helm and they brought back a cast that includes Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Cheri Oteri and more. Expect gags galore. (June 5)
Q: Qualley
Margaret Qualley is great because she stars in a lot of movies and her last name helps make A-Z lists easier. This summer, Ms. Q is starring in “The Dog Stars,” a sci-fi action film about a post-pandemic apocalypse, which also stars Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin and is directed by Ridley Scott. (Aug. 28)
R: Rock, The
The Rock returns as Maui to “Moana,” the live-action remake of Disney’s 2016 animated smash, and his locks look absolutely amazing. (July 10)
S: Statham
Jason Statham is a man for all seasons, and in his latest, his character is framed for a murder he didn’t commit, and it’s time for him to clear his name. With his fists! “Plane’s” Jean-François Richet directs. (Aug. 21)
T: ‘Tuner’
“The White Lotus'” Leo Woodall stars as a piano tuner who uses his fine ear to help crack safes in this crime thriller that also stars Dustin Hoffman. Daniel Roher (“Navalny,” “The AI Doc”) directs. (May 22)
U: UFOs
Aliens, Spielberg. Spielberg, aliens. We’re in good hands with “Disclosure Day,” the latest from Steven Spielberg, which has to do with alien life and some major conspiracies that may or may not be true. Josh O’Connor, Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo star. (June 12)
V: Violence
GET OVER HERE! There will be no shortage of blood in this R-rated video game adaptation, the sequel to 2021’s “Mortal Kombat.” (May 8)
W: Weather
You know D-Day, but do you know the story about the weather on D-Day? In “Pressure,” Andrew Scott stars as the guy in charge of forecasting the skies to make sure D-Day could go on as planned; Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina and Damian Lewis co-star. (May 29)
X: XCX
Charli xcx has invaded the movies. The pop singer’s tour film spoof “The Moment” was in theaters earlier this year, she provided the soundtrack for February’s “Wuthering Heights,” and she can currently be seen in “Faces of Death.” Coming up, she stars in “Erupcja” (May 1) as a woman who stops by to see an old friend while visiting Warsaw, and she’s part of the ensemble starring in “I Want Your Sex,” the latest from “The Doom Generation’s” Gregg Araki (July 31). Brat Summer is dead, long live Brat Summer.
Y: ‘Young Washington’
Just in time for America’s 250th, William Franklyn-Miller stars as George Washington in “Young Washington,” which tells the story of the man before he became our first president. Ben Kingsley and Andy Serkis also star. (July 3)
Z: Zendaya
Zendaya, who also stars in “The Odyssey,” will be back in the latest “Spider-Man” adventure, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” the first Spidey entry since 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” By all means it should be one of the summer’s top earners, if not the top of the heap. (July 31)
Also!
A few more for your calendar:
Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson consult “The Sheep Detectives” (May 8); Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal are “In the Grey” in director Guy Ritchie’s latest (May 15); Nicholas Galitzine is He-Man in “Masters of the Universe” (June 5); director John Carney wants audiences to sing a “Power Ballad” (June 5); RuPaul’s mission is to “Stop! That! Train!” (June 12); Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton star in the Sundance hit “The Invite” (June 26); marriage theories are tested in “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” (July 10); don’t get pulled over by “Super Troopers 3” (Aug. 7); “I Saw the TV Glow’s” Jane Schoenbrun retuns with “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” (Aug. 7); the dog stars are back in “Paw Patrol 3: The Dino Movie” (Aug. 14); Jeff Daniels is Ronald Reagan in “The Brink of War” (Aug. 14); Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann and Anna Faris go on a “Spa Weekend” (Aug. 21); Matthew McConaughey and Kurt Russell star in “The Rivals of Amziah King” (Aug. 21).
agraham@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Summer movies A-Z: All the biggest blockbusters headed to theaters
Reporting by Adam Graham, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
