140. “The Breadwinner”
Having barely appeared in any films, much less led one, stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze makes an unexpected leap to big-screen leading man in “The Breadwinner.” Known for his clean, laconic Southern delivery and a run of hugely popular Netflix specials, Bargatze plays a husband forced into stay-at-home-dad life after his wife lands a lucrative “Shark Tank” deal. He’s joined by Mandy Moore, Will Forte, Colin Jost, and Kumail Nanjiani. Directed by Eric Appel (whose credits include “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” and “The Watch”), and written by Bargatze and Dan Lagana, the film marks TriStar and Wonder Project’s bid to translate Bargatze’s understated stage persona into a full-blown studio comedy.
Release Date: March 13, via Sony Pictures Releasing.
139. “People We Meet on Vacation”
Brett Haley adapts Emily Henry’s bestseller “People We Meet on Vacation,” starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth as best friends who’ve blurred the line between platonic and romantic. Lukas Gage, Jameela Jamil, Alan Ruck, Molly Shannon, and Sarah Catherine Hook round out the ensemble. A breezy, character-first romantic dramedy, it turns wanderlust into emotional reckoning.
Release Date: January 9, on Netflix.
138. “The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde”
Kenneth Branagh directs “The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde,” a gothic psychological drama co-written with Michael Green and starring Rebecca Hall, Ralph Fiennes, Jessie Buckley, and Fionn Whitehead. Set in postwar England, it follows a reclusive novelist who returns to her ancestral estate to finish her final manuscript, only to be plagued by violent apparitions that echo the tragedies she writes. Shot by Haris Zambarloukos, it extends Branagh’s fascination with grief, performance, and the supernatural beyond his Agatha Christie cycle.
Release Date: TBD.
137. “Masters Of The Universe”
Amazon MGM Studios brings Eternia to the screen with “Masters of the Universe,” directed by Travis Knight. Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man/Prince Adam with Jared Leto as his nemesis Skeletor. The cast also features Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Sasheer Zamata, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. The screenplay is by Chris Butler and David Callaham. Knight, known for “Kubo and the Two Strings,” merges live-action spectacle with emotional sincerity, reviving the classic 1980s property for a new generation. Produced by Amazon MGM, the project combines fantasy world-building with a focus on character-driven storytelling.
Release Date: March 13, via Amazon MGM Studios.
136. “Reminders Of Him”
Vanessa Caswill directs “Reminders of Him,” a romantic drama written by Colleen Hoover and Lauren Levine, adapted from Hoover’s bestselling novel. The film stars Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, and Lainey Wilson (in her film debut). Set in a small American town, the story charts a young woman’s attempt to rebuild her life and repair a broken bond after years of separation, framing grief, forgiveness, and second chances through an aching love story. With Caswill’s intimate, character-driven approach, the adaptation centers on emotion and performance, allowing the ensemble to carry the novel’s confessional pull to the screen.
Release Date: March 13, via Universal Pictures.
135. “Shiver”
Columbia Pictures’ survival thriller “Shiver” pairs writer-director Tommy Wirkola with rising stars Phoebe Dynevor and Whitney Peak, alongside Djimon Hounsou. Set in the Alaskan wilderness, the story follows two sisters who are forced to confront nature and a mysterious pursuer after their plane crashes in a snowstorm. Wirkola, best known for “Violent Night” and “Dead Snow,” brings his pulp energy to a grounded, character-driven narrative that emphasizes endurance over spectacle.
Release Date: July 3, via Columbia Pictures / Hyperobject Industries.
134. “Send Help”
Sam Raimi blends survival tension and slapstick dread in “Send Help,” starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien as bickering coworkers stranded on a remote island after a plane crash: Dennis Haysbert, Xavier Samuel, and Chris Pang co-star. Part black comedy, part pulp nightmare, it marks Raimi’s return to practical mayhem, with the setup essentially forcing two people who can’t stand each other to improvise teamwork while the island keeps escalating the punishment.
Release Date: January 30, via 20th Century Studios.
133. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”
Away from filmmaking since 2016’s” A Cure for Wellness,” tentpole director Gore Verbinski returns with something more modest again with “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.” The genre-defying sci-fi comedy action adventure finds Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, and Michael Peña thrown into a time-twisting diner showdown against a rogue A.I. Also co-starring Zazie Beetz, Juno Temple, and Asim Chaudhry, Verbinski weaves dark humor, existential loops, and pop chaos into a maximalist genre puzzle, the kind of high-concept chamber piece where every reset adds another layer of dread and comedy.
Release Date: February 13, via Briarcliff Entertainment.
132. “The Whisper Man”
Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, “The Whisper Man” is a psychological thriller directed by James Ashcroft and written by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer. The film stars Robert De Niro and Adam Scott as a retired serial killer and a widowed crime writer whose young son is abducted, forcing the two men into an uneasy alliance as a decades-old case resurfaces. Set against a backdrop of buried trauma and generational violence, the story unfolds as a father confronts the possibility that the past is not only alive, but listening. Produced by Netflix, the adaptation leans into dread, moral ambiguity, and the corrosive pull of obsession, rather than relying on procedural mechanics.
Release Date: TBD via Netflix.
131. “Moana”
Directed by Thomas Kai (“Hamilton”), “Moana” is a live-action remake of Disney’s 2016 animated hit. Catherine Laga’aia stars as Moana, and Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as Maui. The production team includes Lin-Manuel Miranda as producer and songwriter, alongside Mark Mancina, who handles the music. Shot in Hawaii and New Zealand, Kail’s adaptation showcases Polynesian representation through realistic settings and authentic casting. The film revisits the story of a young voyager who sets out to restore the heart of Te Fiti, bringing a new level of realism to one of Disney’s most modern classics.
Release Date: July 10, via Walt Disney Studios.
