Release dates are some of Hollywood’s most valuable natural resources. Often the window when a movie is set for release, or if it’s delayed or advanced, can tell you a lot about what to expect when you sit down in the theater. Warner Bros. just gave its schedule a huge shake-up—and while you don’t have to worry about Superman, it’s safe in July, a few other films are not so lucky. Let’s break it down.
In terms of io9 readers, the biggest and most disappointing move has to do with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley. This is the Bride of Frankenstein movie that may also be a musical and despite that sounding like a huge, huge, swing, we were excited, especially given its original September 26 release date. Alas, that is no longer and now The Bride! has been delayed almost six months, coming out March 6, 2026. It’s a window Warner Bros. has had success with—Dune, Godzilla x Kong, etc.—so we’ve still got our fingers crossed. It’ll open against a new Pixar movie called Hoppers.
With that September date open, it shifted a few things. One, the studio moved Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, now officially titled One Battle After Another and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, from its original August 8 release date to September 26. And that August 8 date is now occupied by Weapons, the latest from Barbarian director Zach Cregger, which was moved up from January 2026. Releasing Weapons five months earlier is a very strong and encouraging move for a film that’s described as a sprawling, multi-character epic a la Nashville or Magnolia, but just with a more thriller/horror vibe. It stars Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich. Weapons will now show down with Freakier Friday.
But not all the moves are encouraging. Flowervale Street, the new film from It Follows director David Robert Mitchell, was originally set for release this summer. It was then moved to March 2026 and now, with The Bride! in that window, it’s been pushed again to August 14, 2026. Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway star and it may or may not have dinosaurs, so we’re hoping the extra time is just to make sure it’s right, and not to bury it in any way.
The final move is the least exciting but still significant. Have you been wondering what Bill Hader’s been up to since he finished Barry? Well, he’s been lending his voice to a new animated version of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat along with Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, and Paula Pell. Originally set for release March 6, 2026, now it’s out a week later: February 27, 2026.
Everything else is, for now, the same: Minecraft on April 4, Sinners on April 18, Final Destination: Bloodlines on May 16, F1 on July 27, Superman on July 11, and Mortal Kombat 2 on October 24. Which are you most excited about?
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
