Two years beforehand, 2026’s superhero movies offer a selection of releases that have already convinced me it’s a dream year for the genre. After a period of colossal growth and popularization, what will happen next for superhero releases is a hotly debated topic. Arguments have arisen that the genre will experience a downturn after reaching a potential zenith point with releases like the MCU’s Avengers: Endgame, or that it will continue to climb to never-before-seen heights now that the MCU timeline and DCU have so many examples of how financially lucrative superhero shows and movies can be to justify continuing onward.

Whatever your outlook is, it’s safe to say that the spotlight is on the genre in a major way, which makes it all the more of a relief as someone who loves it to know that the announced Marvel and DC release slate promises some upcoming projects with serious potential. Indeed, despite being over a year away, 2026 is already keyed up to debut some major Marvel and DC movies with some colossal implications for both respective brands, and I’m excited for every single one.

2026 Brings A Sequel To My Favorite Batman Movie

The Batman – Part II Continues DC’s Newest Dark Knight Movie Series

The Batman – Part II releases on October 2, 2026, marking a four year window between the original movie and its much-anticipated sequel. Currently, The Batman is my favorite movie about the Dark Knight, and a portion of this favoritism is the way it primes things for potential expansion while feeling like its own complete thing, as The Batman‘s iteration of Gotham is now perfectly set up for more villains and heroes to emerge as the city attempts to rebuild from the damage the Riddler’s plans did to it.

While very little is known about The Batman – Part II‘s plot, the movie has an entire show to help set it up, as The Penguin spinoff is confirmed to bridge The Batman‘s ending to the start of the sequel, meaning anyone who wants to get the full story can enjoy hours of connective tissue. With creator Matt Reeves having also helped make Batman: Caped Crusader – which also released its first season during this interim to positive reviews – it seems Reeves is incapable of being involved in a Batman release that isn’t received well, which is a promising idea given how high hopes are for the live-action movie follow-up.

2026 Debuts The Second DC Universe Movie In The New Timeline

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow Is Set To Cover So Much New Movie Ground

2025 will debut the first DC Universe movie with Superman‘s July release, but 2026 is delving into some more unknown territory. Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow is the second live-action movie starring the hero – and the first was in 1984, so there’s a huge amount of comic lore and stories regarding the character that are untapped in terms of cinematic adaptations.

As such, the Supergirl movie is seemingly set to reveal how DC’s new franchise handles characters who have less of a film history behind them than the likes of Superman or Batman. This should be especially fascinating given so much of the hype for the DC Universe is tied to how it is already bringing in a lot of figures who are rightfully adored but have largely stayed in the comics, since the likes of Booster Gold and Swamp Thing are already confirmed.

That said, the premise of Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow is exciting even without this context in mind. James Gunn’s tease for the Supergirl movie saw him state that, “We will see the difference between Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by loving parents from the time he was an infant, versus Supergirl, raised on a rock, a chip off of Krypton, and who watched everyone around her die and be killed in terrible ways for the first 14 years of her life and then come to Earth. She is much more hard-core and not the Supergirl we’re used to.”

A darker look at Supergirl is itself promising, especially if the character’s origin story is being directly contrasted by Superman’s own as Gunn seems to suggest. Supergirl’s story of adjusting to Earth life is one that isn’t new to the superhero genre, but this arguably only sets the stage for a more engrossing character arc, as the film is no doubt set to play with both audience’s general perceptions of the character, and their perceptions of what to expect from the movie in general.

2026 Brings Robert Downey Jr. Back To The MCU As Doctor Doom For An Avengers Movie

Avengers: Doomsday Is Set To Be A Truly Crucial MCU Release

2024’s Marvel panel at the San Diego Comic-Con brought some truly surprising MCU news to us shortly after Deadpool & Wolverine‘s release, with it unveiled that not only was Robert Downey Jr. returning to the franchise, but that he would be playing none other than Doctor Doom. While this is certainly a concept that carries with it some major risks, the combination of the Russo brothers and RDJ coming back together seems one that can pull off what might otherwise seem impossible, as Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame can attest.

As such, Avengers: Doomsday is perhaps the most exciting upcoming superhero project for the year so far, as it offers the opportunity to change the face of the MCU forever and address the complications the franchise has faced in the years since Endgame. Bringing the Iron Man actor back in a new role is a drastic move, but drastic action may be just what the MCU needs – and a superhero movie that successfully pulls off returning Robert Downey Jr. to the fray in order to use his acting talents for a major villain like Doom is sure to reap untold rewards if everything goes just right.