6 Forgotten Movie Franchises Returning in 2026

Popular franchises such as Street Fighter, Scary Movie, and Resident Evil are making a comeback! Longtime fans are thrilled, and a new generation of moviegoers will get to experience them. With something for everyone – from comedies to action films – 2026 promises to be an exciting year for cinema as these beloved series return after a long break.

The Critic Closer Than Ever to Revival After King of the Hill Success

Created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both writers for The Simpsons, The Critic ran for two seasons on ABC and Fox between 1994 and 1995. The show starred Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman, a film critic, and quickly developed a dedicated fan base despite being cancelled after only two seasons. Al Jean recently mentioned on the Four Finger Discount podcast—a show about The Simpsons—that there are current discussions about bringing The Critic back to television.

I’m Now 100% Positive Star Wars Is Setting Up A Major Darth Maul Rematch

Maul – Shadow Lord is definitely building towards a big showdown with the dark side, and fans will love it! Taking place a year after the Clone Wars and the Empire’s rise, the story follows Maul as he tries to regain power by controlling the galaxy’s criminal organizations. But ultimately, he’s driven by a desire for revenge against those who wronged him.

The MCU Can Fix Its Biggest Shang-Chi Sequel Mistake

Shang-Chi’s first movie saw him join forces with his close friend Katy and his sister, Xialing, to fight their father, Wenwu, who had been influenced by a powerful evil force. Although Wenwu made a sacrifice and left something behind, Marvel hasn’t focused much on Shang-Chi since. However, a recent rumor suggests a great way to bring the character back with a compelling story.

Netflix’s 8-Part Crime Thriller Series With Solid RT Score Officially Returns With New Episodes In 2 Weeks

Perhaps the best example is Stranger Things, which was Netflix’s biggest show for ten years before concluding on December 31, 2025. This April, Netflix released an animated spin-off, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, filling in the gaps between seasons 2 and 3 with new adventures for the kids. Stranger Things is just one of several Netflix shows that have expanded into larger franchises with related releases. Others include The Witcher, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Bridgerton, The Sandman, and many more.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s New Costumes Revealed

Photos of new Funko Pop figures based on the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie have been posted online. The figures give us another glimpse at the movie and showcase two different Spider-Man costumes. One is the suit from Spider-Man: No Way Home, which now appears to be coming back in the new film, and the other is a completely new design.

Taking Back Sunday announces fall 2026 Tour – How to get tickets

This band was a key part of the emo scene in the early 2000s and has been consistently active in recent years, mainly through touring and playing festivals like When We Were Young. They released their album, 152, in 2023, and followed it up with the acoustic single S’old in 2024 – a reimagined version of a track from the album.