Summer 2026 Movies Preview: Devil Wears Prada 2, Moana and a $4.2 Billion Box Office Season

The summer 2026 box office is shaping up to be one of the most interesting in years — and analysts are projecting it could hit $4.2 billion in North American receipts. The lineup features a combination of legacy franchise sequels, live-action remakes of beloved animated films, and some genuine wild cards that could break out beyond their expected audiences. Here is the complete preview of every major release worth watching this summer.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 — THE YEAR'S MOST ANTICIPATED SEQUEL

Twenty years after the original became a cultural phenomenon, The Devil Wears Prada 2 arrives with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway returning in the roles that made the first film so iconic. The sequel is the most anticipated film of the summer for audiences over 30, tapping into the nostalgia of a generation that grew up quoting the original while also offering something genuinely new. Early tracking suggests a massive opening weekend that could rival the franchise's legacy.

MOANA LIVE-ACTION — DISNEY'S BIG JULY BET

Disney brings the live-action Moana to theatres in July with Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui. Despite mixed social media reactions to the trailers — a pattern that has preceded virtually every Disney live-action remake — analysts point out that Twitter negativity rarely translates to box office underperformance for Disney properties. Moana 2 was a $1 billion global hit in 2024. The live-action remake of a film that spawned one of the decade's biggest animated sequels has a built-in audience that stretches across multiple generations.

MORTAL KOMBAT II AND THE COMPLETE SUMMER LINEUP

Mortal Kombat II targets the predominantly male gamer audience with the promise of more fighters, bigger action, and the deeper lore that fans of the franchise have always wanted to see on screen. The first film performed above expectations in 2021 and built a genuine fanbase that has been waiting for a sequel. Other notable summer releases include Young Washington from Angel Studios — a Fourth of July weekend release targeting family audiences — and several international releases that could find crossover appeal in American markets. The overall picture is a summer with enough diversity of content to sustain strong box office across multiple audience segments.