Planning a cinema calendar around upcoming movie remakes? Wuthering Heights, The Bride!, Masters of the Universe and Moana all carry 2026 release dates in Collider’s schedule, and each is sorted here by type and status.
Quick answer: Moana is the plainest remake, Masters of the Universe is the franchise reboot, The Bride! is a writer-director’s reimagining, and Wuthering Heights is a fresh adaptation of a classic novel. Early-stage titles with no date or cast belong in a separate, more cautious category.
For wider coverage of releases and trailers, see our movie news hub. Continuations that are not retellings are covered in upcoming movie sequels.
Remake, reboot or sequel: how the titles are sorted
A remake retells a specific earlier story with a new cast and crew. A reboot restarts a franchise, so a new film can ignore the continuity of the old ones. A sequel continues the story and is neither of those, which is why sequels are kept out of this list.
The line between the first two is blurry in practice, and studios do not always use the labels consistently. This article sorts each title by what the new film draws from. A film retelling one earlier film or animated feature is a remake. A film restarting a wider property is a reboot. A film inspired by an older work, but reworked by a single creative voice, is a reimagining.
The appetite for this kind of project is not new. A 2013 ScreenCrush piece observed that remakes had become subtly accepted as a chance for a new take on dormant properties. That framing is still useful, because it shifts the question from whether a remake is needed to what new angle it offers.
Each title below also carries a status label. “Dated” means a release date has been published. “In production” means cameras are rolling. “In development” means writers, directors or cast are being attached with no firm schedule. The status section later in the article explains how to tell these apart. First, the dated titles in release order.
Wuthering Heights: a new adaptation of a classic novel
Wuthering Heights is dated for February 13, 2026. It is based on the 1847 novel, and earlier screen versions include the 1939 film by William Wyler, the most famous, and a 2011 film by Andrea Arnold. Margot Robbie stars as Catherine and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff.
The new film takes a more visceral, unconventional approach to the 19th-century classic, with original songs by Charli XCX. That makes it the least conventional remake on this list. It suits viewers who know the book or the 1939 film and want a deliberate departure rather than a polished costume drama.
The limitation is the same as the appeal. An unconventional approach means the film will not necessarily match any earlier version’s tone, so it is a poor pick for anyone wanting a traditional retelling.
The Bride!: a reimagining of a 1935 monster film
The Bride! is dated for March 6, 2026. It is inspired by the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein and is written, directed and co-produced by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Jessie Buckley plays the Bride and Christian Bale plays Frankenstein’s monster.
Because the screenplay and direction sit with one person, this is the title where a single creative vision matters most. It suits viewers who like classic monster stories but want a distinct authorial take. “Inspired by” is also a signal to expect departures from the 1935 film, so it is closer to a reimagining than a faithful remake.
Masters of the Universe: a franchise reboot
Masters of the Universe is dated for June 5, 2026. It is an Amazon MGM production directed by Travis Knight, with Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Jared Leto as Skeletor. The property began with Mattel action figures in 1982, and an earlier film of the same name, starring Dolph Lundgren, arrived in 1987.
This is a reboot rather than a remake because it restarts a wider franchise instead of retelling one film. It suits viewers who know the toys or cartoons and want a modern version of the characters. The trade-off is that a long-running franchise carries many versions of its heroes, so no single new film can match everyone’s memory of them.
Moana: a live-action remake of a recent animated hit
Moana is dated for July 10, 2026. It is a live-action remake of Disney’s 2016 animated film, which Collider describes as Disney’s latest animated hit to be remade into live action. Thomas Kail directs, and Catherine Laga’aia plays Moana.
It is the cleanest example of a remake on this list, because the earlier film is a single, well-known story. It suits viewers who want to see a familiar animated story in live action. Because the original dates only from 2016, comparisons with it will be immediate, so the remake will be judged closely against the animated version.
Dated titles side by side
| Title | Type | Draws from | Release date | Attached |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wuthering Heights | New adaptation | 1847 novel; films from 1939 and 2011 | February 13, 2026 | Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi |
| The Bride! | Reimagining | 1935 Bride of Frankenstein | March 6, 2026 | Maggie Gyllenhaal (writer-director); Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale |
| Masters of the Universe | Reboot | 1982 toys; 1987 film | June 5, 2026 | Travis Knight (director); Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto |
| Moana | Live-action remake | 2016 animated film | July 10, 2026 | Thomas Kail (director); Catherine Laga’aia |
Release dates, credits and source material in the table come from Collider’s 2026 remakes, reboots and adaptations schedule.
Each title in the table has a release date and named lead cast, so none of them is speculative. Once these titles open, how does box office work is the next question for judging whether they succeeded, and our explainer on how does box office work covers how those numbers are reported.
Status labels: development, production and dated
In development
A title is in development when the idea is public but the pieces are not in place. The screenplay may still be in progress, with no director, no casting and no release date. Early reporting tends to be thin at this stage. A 2020 Cosmopolitan roundup said of Legally Blonde 3, for example, that not too much was known about the film. That title is a sequel, but it shows how an announced project can say little for a long time.
The same roundup said that a Matrix reboot would land in April 2022. That was an expectation reported well ahead of time. Treat a date published long before release as a forecast and check it against the studio’s latest schedule before planning around it.
In production
In production means filming has started. A release date alone does not prove it, because a date can be set while a project is still being cast or rewritten. For a remake still in development and not confirmed to film, the safe test is to look for a director, lead cast and a studio announcement or trade report saying shooting has begun. Without those, plan on the basis that the film may still change shape or slip.
Dated
Dated titles are the safest to plan around. The four above have release dates, lead cast and, where reported, directors attached. Even so, a date is a studio’s target rather than a guarantee, so check it again closer to release.
Which remakes count as the best?
None of the dated titles above has an audience verdict yet, so the question of which remakes are best has no firm answer for them. Verdicts about remakes come after release, from reviews and audience reaction. What can be said in advance is what each film promises: Wuthering Heights offers an unconventional take with original songs by Charli XCX, and the others lean on recognisable source material.
The older record is more useful. In 2013, ScreenCrush pointed to the TV reimaginings Hannibal and Friday Night Lights as more universally accepted renditions of earlier properties. Both are television rather than film, but the point carries over. Reimaginings tend to win people over when they bring a clear new angle instead of repeating the original.
Choosing which to watch: a decision checklist
- Start with the original. If you love the earlier film or book, pick the remake that stays closest to it. Moana is the plainest retelling, while Wuthering Heights and The Bride! deliberately depart.
- Check who is behind it. A writer-director such as Maggie Gyllenhaal on The Bride! points to a personal vision, while a studio production such as Masters of the Universe from Amazon MGM points to a franchise restart.
- Look at the cast. Named leads show a project is past the early stage. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, or Nicholas Galitzine and Jared Leto, are examples.
- Confirm the status. Treat a title with a date and cast as dated, and a title with neither as in development.
- Wait for reaction when unsure. If the angle is unclear, hold off until reviews arrive rather than committing on announcement alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Devil Wears Prada 2 a remake or reboot?
Neither. According to Collider, it is a sequel to 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada, arriving twenty years after the original with director David Frankel returning. It is dated for May 1, 2026.
How big is the Masters of the Universe franchise?
It has spawned a long line of toys, six animated series, comic books, games and three feature films, according to Collider. That depth is why a new film counts as a reboot of a franchise rather than a retelling of one story.
Is the Moana lead a newcomer?
Yes, on the screen side. Collider says Catherine Laga’aia plays Moana in her film debut in the live-action version.