Late 2026 brings a packed cinema schedule, from animated fantasy and unusual horror to major superhero, science-fiction and video-game adaptations. For Australian film fans, these are the ten releases that stand out most between September and December.
Video-game properties feature prominently, with new takes on Resident Evil and Street Fighter. Other highlights include the return of Godzilla, a new chapter in The Hunger Games and Denis Villeneuve’s next Dune film. If you enjoy theatrical spectacle, this season offers plenty of reasons to leave the couch and head to the big screen.
Here is the ranking, with the currently listed Australian release dates provided in the source material.
10. Hexed — 27 November
Disney’s animated fantasy follows Billie, a rebellious teenager voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, whose magical abilities carry her into Hexe, a realm inhabited by witches. Directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn, whose credits include Raya and the Last Dragon, the film centres on female relationships, family secrets and spectacular magic. Its stylish approach may appeal to audiences who enjoyed KPop Demon Hunters.
9. Wicker — 30 October
Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson direct this darkly comic story based on a short story by Ursula Wills. Olivia Colman plays a reclusive fisherwoman shunned by her medieval village for remaining unmarried. She commissions a husband made from wicker, but the romantic honesty of her new companion, played by Alexander Skarsgård, throws the community into disorder. Richard E. Grant and Peter Dinklage also appear.
8. Violent Night 2 — 4 December
Tommy Wirkola returns to his violent Christmas formula with a sequel starring David Harbour as Santa Claus. This time, Saint Nick finds himself on the naughty list and must reconnect with the meaning of Christmas while battling criminals terrorising a small community. Kristen Bell joins him as Mrs. Claus, whose vengeful, chaotic energy may rival her husband’s.
7. Street Fighter — 16 October
Kitao Sakurai’s action-comedy adaptation revisits Capcom’s fighting-game world with a cast including Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters and Andrew Koji as Ryu. Jason Momoa plays Blanka, Cody Rhodes plays Guile and Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson plays Balrog. The film appears to be aiming for the colourful, knowingly camp tone associated with the 1994 adaptation while giving more attention to individual characters.
For readers who enjoy the arcade roots of fighting games, our arcade news and gaming coverage is a useful place to continue exploring the culture behind titles such as Street Fighter.
6. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping — 26 November
This prequel is set 24 years before the original trilogy and follows Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada, when he is chosen as a tribute in the 50th Hunger Games. The anniversary event doubles the number of tributes, creating an even larger and more deadly contest. The film is based on the novel of the same name.
5. Avengers: Doomsday — 18 December
Anthony and Joe Russo return for a multiverse-spanning Marvel team-up involving the Avengers, Doctor Doom and characters from earlier Marvel screen eras. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America are joined by Fox-era X-Men figures including Ian McKellen’s Magneto and Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier. The collision between superhero universes makes this one of the season’s largest theatrical events.
4. Clayface — 23 October
James Watkins directs this DC body-horror story with involvement from Mike Flanagan. Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a film star who undergoes experimental surgery to restore his face, only to suffer disturbing physical consequences that transform him into clay. Set in Gotham, the film may attract Batman fans, but its focus on identity, bodily change and the emotional cost of no longer recognising yourself also gives it appeal beyond superhero audiences.
3. Resident Evil — 18 September
Zach Cregger, director of Weapons, takes on a fresh reboot of Capcom’s long-running horror franchise. The story runs alongside the events of Resident Evil 2, but follows an original protagonist: medical courier Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, rather than Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield during the Raccoon City outbreak. New characters give Cregger room to develop a distinct interpretation of the series after the mixed reception of earlier film adaptations.
Fans considering a home arcade setup can also browse RETROCADE’s arcade light guns for a fitting way to bring classic shooting-game action into a games room.
2. Godzilla Minus Zero — 6 November
Takashi Yamazaki writes and directs this follow-up to Godzilla Minus One. The story returns to the Shikishima family in 1949, two years after the destruction that left them and Japan struggling to recover. A new threat emerges while hope remains fragile, and Godzilla’s next destination is reportedly New York City rather than Japan.
1. Dune: Part 3 — 18 December
Denis Villeneuve’s science-fiction trilogy continues with an adaptation set 17 years after Dune: Part 2, a longer gap than the 12 years used in Frank Herbert’s novels. Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, is no longer presented simply as a liberator: his jihad has conquered much of the universe, and the resulting power, violence and imperial rule threaten both Paul and those closest to him.
Large-scale films such as Dune: Part 3 also demonstrate why presentation matters. If you are planning a dedicated entertainment space, the arcade machine buying guide can help you think through room size, screen placement and the right cabinet style.
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