An encouraging Q1 was highlighted by breakout openings from titles like Scream 7 ($63.6M domestic opening/$121.9M domestic as of 4/26), a return to form for Pixar with Hoppers ($164.1M domestic as of 4/26), and blockbusters Project Hail Mary ($305.4M domestic/$613.4M global as of 4/26) and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($386.4M domestic/$831.4M global as of 4/26). The diverse slate ahead aims to sustain momentum until the summer blockbuster season begins. Leading the charge are two Disney tentpoles, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Mandalorian & Grogu. Counterprogramming arrives in the form of family-oriented fare like The Sheep Detectives, and on the specialty side, A24’s Backrooms offers a more experimental horror option that could find traction through viral buzz.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 | 20th Century Studios/Disney
May 1
The Devil Wears Prada 2 reunites the original cast twenty years after the first film, returning to the world of Runway magazine in a rapidly changing fashion and media landscape. Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is still a powerful editor but must adapt to industry shifts, while Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), now successful on her own, is drawn back into Miranda’s orbit. The team behind the original, director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna, return for a sequel that builds on the original film’s legacy, which became a box office hit in 2006. With strong audience goodwill and a high-profile May release, the film is expected to compete with The Mandalorian & Grogu as the biggest movie of the month.
The Sheep Detectives | Amazon MGM
May 8
The Sheep Detectives is a live-action/CGI family mystery based on Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full. Hugh Jackman stars as George, a shepherd who reads detective novels aloud to his sheep. When George is mysteriously killed, the flock becomes unlikely but capable detectives, using their observations of the farm and surrounding human community to piece together what happened. Positioned as a mid-range box office contender, it faces limited competition in the PG family space ahead of larger summer releases. The cast includes Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson, alongside sheep voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart.
Mortal Kombat II | Warner Bros.
May 8
In the wake of strong early trailer reception, Mortal Kombat II was moved from an October 2025 release date to May of 2026. The follow-up to the 2021 reboot is expected to outperform its predecessor, which opened to $23.3M. This installment raises the stakes as Earthrealm’s champions are forced into a brutal new conflict against the forces of Shao Kahn. A major addition is Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban, a fan-favorite character absent from the first film, whose inclusion has driven early buzz. The returning ensemble includes key fighters from the original film as they unite—and clash—in the tournament’s escalating battles. Directed again by Simon McQuoid and produced by New Line Cinema, the sequel continues the franchise’s focus on stylized, high-intensity combat drawn from the long-running video game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.
The Mandalorian & Grogu | Lucasfilm/Disney
May 22
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a Star Wars feature set after the fall of the Empire (i.e., after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and before Star Wars: The Force Awakens), where Imperial warlords still threaten the galaxy. In the aftermath, the New Republic works to stabilize peace and enlists bounty hunter Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu to help contain remaining Imperial forces. The story continues their established partnership from the Disney+ streaming series, which has had three seasons and featured heavily in several episodes of the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett. The film builds directly on the events of The Mandalorian series, a big-screen adaptation of what would have been the fourth season of the show. The film serves as a major test for the Star Wars franchise, which hasn’t been seen theatrically since Disney’s less-than-stellar trilogy wrapped with The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
Backrooms | A24
May 29
Backrooms is an A24 horror film inspired by the viral internet ‘Backrooms’ creepypasta and subsequent YouTube web series. The urban legend describes an endless, surreal maze of empty, yellow-walled rooms with buzzing, fluorescent lighting and damp carpet. It centers on the ‘noclipping’ concept, a term borrowed from video game terminology, which refers to passing through solid walls. The story follows a therapist (Renate Reinsve) who enters a strange, otherworldly dimension while searching for a missing patient (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Directed by Kane Parsons, the film leans into ‘liminal horror,’ focusing on eerie, in-between spaces and psychological unease. Its unconventional, slow-burn style may divide audiences expecting more graphic horror, but its unique premise and viral origins could generate strong word-of-mouth and online interest.
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