After a jam-packed 2025, what will be talked about in 2026?There seems to be a lot.
What big events will be talked about in 2026?
2026 will be a busy year with blockbuster movie sequels, midterm elections and the FIFA World Cup.
As the new year dawns, many Americans are looking back at 2025. It was a year of historic events, including the inauguration of a president, the appointment of the first American pope, and major pop culture moments such as the release of “Wicked: For Good” and Taylor Swift’s engagement. But more is coming in 2026.
The calendar kicks off with the kickoff of the yearlong U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations, followed by the Winter Olympics in Italy and the much-anticipated Super Bowl halftime show in the San Francisco Bay Area in February.
In pop culture, Hollywood will host the Oscars in March, this time on YouTube instead of ABC, culminating with the Emmy Awards in September. Major film releases include the star-studded Dune Part 3, the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, and the new installment of the Hunger Games series.
This year also brings major criminal trials, including those of Luigi Mangione and Tyler Robinson, and the potential for political turmoil as midterm elections begin.
Here are some of the things to expect in 2026.
250th anniversary of America’s founding
July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formal establishment of the United States as a nation.
It will be marked by a year-long celebration coordinated by the bipartisan America 250 Commission established by Congress in 2016 and the White House Biscentennial Task Force established in 2025.
Events include a statewide “America’s Field Trip” student contest, oral history efforts, volunteer service campaigns, a travel technology exhibition under “America Innovates,” and a community celebration known as America Waves.
Washington, DC’s iconic National Mall hosts major events on July 4th, including military parades, exhibits from all 50 states, fireworks, and a national parade. Separately, the Freedom 250 Initiative will organize high-profile events such as the Great American State Fair across the country, the Patriot Games for youth, the UFC exhibition at the White House, a national prayer service, and the construction of the National Garden of American Heroes.
1st Super Bowl and Bad Bunny Halftime Show
Chatter has surrounded Super Bowl LX since September, when it was announced that Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny would headline the halftime show. The three-time Grammy Award winner is one of the most streamed artists in the world and has largely fended off backlash over his scheduled performance.
The artist has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and ICE, angering some conservatives. Some people dispute Bad Bunny’s American identity, even though Puerto Rico is a US territory.
Still, the NFL defended the decision and promised a good show.
“I don’t think we’ve ever picked an artist that didn’t have some sort of backlash or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do that with literally hundreds of millions of people watching,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told The Associated Press. “He’s one of the most popular and leading entertainers in the world,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Super Bowl LX will be held on February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The participating teams have not yet been decided. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles won 40-22 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Grand Theft Auto VI
After 13 years of waiting…and again…and again…Rockstar Games has announced the release date for the final, true Grand Theft Auto VI that fans have come to expect. Originally scheduled for release in 2025, it was pushed back to May 2026 and then to November 2026. The latest installment of this cult classic game is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026.
An all-new character is promised to be coming to Leonida’s Vice City, which is based in Miami, Florida. The game’s development has sparked speculation, complaints, and memes for years, but in 2022, a massive leak added fuel to the fire.
We hope that November 19th will finally be that day.
“Dune: Part 3”, also known as “Dune: Messiah”
The next installment of the sci-fi blockbuster Dune is scheduled to be released in 2026, but fans will still have to wait for a while as it is scheduled for release on December 18th.
Based on Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction series, the Dune series follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), his family, and the House of Atreides as they migrate from the planet Caladan to the desert planet of Arrakis to oversee the mining of the precious space resource Spice.
The first Dune movie, released in 2021, starred Chalamet alongside a star-studded cast that included Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Jason Momoa. The film grossed $402.1 million worldwide and won six Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography.
“Dune: Part 2” has added Oscar-winning actors Austin Butler and Florence Pugh to the mix for a March 2024 release. The film exploded at the box office, grossing $714.8 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessor.
This third installment adds another famous name, with Robert Pattinson playing the antagonist Scytail. If the film follows the storyline of the 1969 novel Dune: Messiah, it will focus on Emperor Paul Atreides as he picks up the pieces of a crusade known as the Fremen Crusade, which left billions dead. As Paul grapples with the weight of leadership, Mua Dib continues his mission to carry out an ancient plan.
Other movie releases: The Hunger Games, The Avengers, Star Wars
From renewals of classic shows to highly anticipated new seasons and big-screen premieres, there’s no shortage of media releases to look forward to in 2026.
- January 16th: 28 Years Later: Temple of Bones
- February 13th: Wuthering Heights
- February 20th: EPiC: Elvis Presley Concert
- February 27th: scream 7
- April 3rd: super mario galaxy movie
- April 24th: michael
- May 1st: The Devil Wears Prada 2
- May 15th: Mortal Kombat II
- May 22nd: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
- June 12th: scary movie 6
- June 19th: toy story 5
- June 26th: super girl
- July 1st: Minions 3: Mega Minions
- July 10th: Moana
- July 17th: odyssey
- July 31st: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- October 9th: The Legend of Anne: The Last Airbender
- October 16th: street fighter
- November 20th: The Hunger Games: Sunrise to Reap
- December 11th: Jumanji 3
- December 18th: Avengers: Doomsday
TV releases: Game of Thrones, Euphoria, Bridgerton
Multiple “Game of Thrones” spinoffs, a two-episode set of blockbuster “The Pit,” and a new season of “Bridgerton” are among this year’s highly anticipated television releases.
- January 8th: “The Pit” Season 2
- January 18th: “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
- January 29th and February 26th: “Bridgerton” season 4
- March 6th: “Outlander” Season 8
- March 22nd: ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 22
- April 8th: “The Boys” Season 5
- to be decided: ‘Euphoria’ Season 3, ‘Malcolm in the Middle: Life Isn’t Fair’, ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, ‘The Lantern’, ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2, ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 4, ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Season 2.
2026 Winter Olympics
This time, the Winter Olympics, titled “Milan-Cortina 2026”, will be held from February 6th to 22nd, 2026.
This year’s Winter Games will be held in Italy, co-hosted by the cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The venue was chosen in 2019, with the bid resulting in two Italian cities qualifying for the Olympics over Stockholm and Sweden’s Åre.
This will be the fourth time that the Olympics will be held in Italy, following the 1956 Winter Olympics (Cortina d’Ampezzo), the 1960 Summer Olympics (Rome), and the 2006 Winter Olympics (Turin). Cortina d’Ampezzo was also chosen to host the 1944 Winter Olympics, which were canceled due to World War II.
The main sports at the Winter Olympics include hockey, skiing, figure skating, speed skating, snowboarding, bobsledding, and curling. The Paralympics will be held from March 6th to 15th.
The last Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, making it the only city to host both the Winter and Summer Olympics (the 2008 Summer Olympics were also held in Beijing).
fifa world cup
This year, the United States will welcome athletes from around the world to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11, 2026 and runs through July 19, 2026.
For the first time ever, the tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with matches held in 16 host cities across the three countries, culminating in the final match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The event marks the debut of an expanded 48-team format featuring 12 groups of four teams, followed by a knockout stage that includes the top two teams from each group and the top eight third-place teams for a total of 104 matches. This edition also introduces new traditions such as the halftime show at the final and themed mascots representing each host country.
The US has come under fire for announcing plans to send ICE officers “in suits and boots” to the games, with JD Vance saying the agency could detain visitors.
midterm elections
In the world of politics, the midterm elections will be one of the most-watched events of 2026.
Primary elections were held earlier this year, and midterm elections to determine control of Congress are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
All 435 seats are up for grabs in the House of Representatives, and 35 seats are up for grabs in the Senate, including two special elections in Florida and Ohio. With Republicans currently holding a slim majority, key races to watch in the Senate include tight races in Georgia, Ohio, Florida and Maine, as well as open seats in North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire.
Voters will consider important ballot measures, including a proposal to impose citizenship requirements for voting in Alaska and measures to address marijuana laws, health care spending caps and environmental protections in Arizona and Arkansas.
Criminal Trial: Mangione, Kirk, Reiner
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, faces an ongoing criminal trial in 2026. Mangione is being prosecuted in federal court, Pennsylvania state court, and New York state court.
Mangione has appeared in court for a hearing in 2025, but formal charges have not yet begun as his lawyers work to prepare the case. Mr. Mangione recently appeared in New York state court on Monday, December 1, where his lawyers sought to recover evidence police recovered from Mangione’s backpack during his arrest.
The trial of Tyler Robinson, accused of Charlie Kirk’s murder, is also scheduled to take place in 2026, but is likely to last until the end of the year. Mr. Robinson appeared for his first hearing on December 11th, and his next hearing is scheduled for January 1st.
Court proceedings are also expected to take place in the case of film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle Singer Reiner, who died on suspicion of murder in December. Their son, Nick Reiner, remains in jail without bail after being arrested on charges of first-degree murder against the couple. Reiner’s arraignment is scheduled for January 7.
award show
There’s one consistent thing we all look forward to every year: awards season. This year’s performances will be held according to the schedule below.
- Sunday, January 11th: 83rd Golden Globe Awards
- Sunday, February 1st: 68th Grammy Awards
- Saturday, February 7th: 78th Directors Guild of America Awards
- Saturday, February 28th: 37th Producers Guild of America Awards
- Sunday February 22nd: 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards
- Sunday March 1st: 32nd Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards
- Sunday March 15th:98th Academy Awards (Oscar)
- Sunday June 7th: 79th Tony Awards
- Monday, September 14th: 78th Primetime Emmy Awards
Contributors: Edward Segarra, Austin Curtright, Savannah Kuchar, Pamela Avila, Christopher Cann. USA TODAY, USA TODAY Network
