FILM REVIEWS AND NEWS

As we approach March 2026, that electricity is reaching a fever pitch. The announcement of the feature-length continuation, titled Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, feels less like a traditional sequel and more like a long-awaited coronation for Tommy Shelby.

While the heavy hitters and the billion-dollar sequels are certainly present, there is a refreshing sense of creative risk-taking appearing across the Disney, 20th Century, and Searchlight banners. From high-concept survival thrillers to long-awaited returns to iconic worlds, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where the multiplex offers a genuine variety of spectacle and substance.

It is a period where the prestige of the awards season begins to collide with the bold, experimental, and sometimes wonderfully strange offerings of the new year. As we look toward the week commencing 26 January 2026, the schedule is looking remarkably robust, offering a slate that promises to challenge, entertain, and perhaps even provoke a few heated debates in the foyer.

It is a weekend that feels uniquely British in its distribution, offering a balanced diet of intellectual stimulation and visceral thrills. Here is what you can expect to find at your local multiplex and independent arthouse next week, or some home releases too.

Next week, we see a return to a beloved horror franchise that has been reinvented for a new generation, a heartwarming exploration of human connection in modern Japan, and a devastating docudrama that demands our absolute attention.

The primary event kicks off on Friday, 16 January 2026. This date marks the nationwide return of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and notably, many venues are opting to screen the gargantuan Extended Editions.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to seismic shifts, but the lead-up to the next ensemble epic feels different. As we stand on the precipice of a new era for the franchise, the anticipation surrounding "Avengers: Doomsday" has reached a fever pitch. Fans have spent years dissecting the mechanics of blockbuster storytelling, and it is rare to see a production carry this much weight.

This weekend, the visionary director returns to the world of the Na'vi with Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third instalment in a saga that continues to push the boundaries of what is technically possible in a darkened room. While the previous chapter took us into the depths of the Metkayina reefs, this new journey promises a shift in temperature, introducing us to a darker, more volatile side of Pandora.

The news landed like a tremor in the geekosphere: Peter Jackson’s seminal fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, is set for a massive return to UK cinemas in January 2026. For a generation of filmgoers, this is nothing less than a pilgrimage—an opportunity to witness the vast plains of Middle-earth, the epic battles, and the quiet weight of a hobbit’s burden, all in the place they truly belong: the gigantic, light-eating darkness of the big screen.