10 HOLLYWOOD MOVIES THAT COULD BECOME THE NEXT BIG FRANCHISE

Hollywood is always looking for the next big movie franchise, but not every opportunity starts with a completely new property. Some films can expand an established universe, revive a familiar series, or introduce characters and worlds that could grow into something bigger.

With 2026 bringing a mix of sequels, reboots, adaptations, and original properties, it is a good time to look at which movies could offer the biggest franchise opportunities in the years ahead.

Here are 10 films that could expand, revive, or launch major franchise stories.

RESIDENT EVIL

The new Resident Evil movie comes out in theaters on September 18, 2026. It is directed by Zach Cregger and stars Austin Abrams as a new character called Bryan.

The film already has a major advantage in the form of the Resident Evil video game franchise and its large fan base. At the same time, the movie is taking a separate approach from the previous film series, giving it room to tell a new story.

If the new direction collaborates with audiences, the film could become the starting point for another series of Resident Evil movies exploring different parts of the game’s world.

CLAYFACE

Clayface will bring one of DC Comics’ most bizarre characters to life with a film, which is set to be released on October 23, 2026. Directed by James Watkins, the film is a horror thriller centered on the character’s transformation from rising Hollywood actor Matt Hagen into the terrifying Clayface. The story focuses on his loss of identity and humanity, with a significant use of body horror in the transformation process.

The upcoming movie will also be a part of DC Studios’ developing DC Universe, giving it a connection to a much larger world. While there is no guarantee that the character will receive more films, a successful Clayface could create opportunities for the character to appear in future DC stories or lead a future continuation of his story.

THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING 

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on November 20, 2026. It picks up the story in Panem 24 years before Katniss Everdeen becomes a tribute. The movie focuses on a young Haymitch Abernathy participating in the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell.

It is based on a 2025 book of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The story is part of the franchise’s exploration of events and characters that existed before the original trilogy’s conclusion.

Because the world of The Hunger Games extends well beyond Katniss’s story, the success of Sunrise on the Reaping could encourage more films to be set in different periods of Panem’s history. Rather than creating a new franchise, it could show that there is still plenty of room to expand the existing one.

DUNE: PART THREE

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three is set to release on December 18, 2026. The third installment will continue the story of Paul Atreides while returning to the vast world of Arrakis.

Unlike some of the other films on this list, Dune is already an established film series. The bigger opportunity lies in how much more of Frank Herbert’s universe could eventually make its way to the screen.

If the third film performs strongly, it could keep interest in the wider Dune universe high and encourage further adaptations beyond Villeneuve’s main trilogy.

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY 

Avengers: Doomsday is one of the biggest franchise films of 2026, arriving in theatres on December 18. Marvel has confirmed that the film brings together heroes from three different universes and features an exceptionally large ensemble cast.

The movie is already part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it is not a new franchise opportunity in the traditional sense.

Instead, its importance lies in what it could set up for the MCU. Its multiverse storyline could introduce new characters, teams and conflicts that Marvel can explore in future films, potentially shaping the next phase of the franchise.

JUMANJI: OPEN WORLD

Jumanji: Open World is scheduled for December 25, 2026, and continues the modern Jumanji series starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.

The film explores a new twist on the familiar concept, with the game escaping into the real world.

The movie is intended as the final installment of the rebooted series, so another sequel is not currently something that should be treated as confirmed.

Even so, the Jumanji concept has already shown how easily it can be adapted into new stories and settings. That flexibility could allow the property to return in another form in the future.

STREET FIGHTER

The new Street Fighter movie is set to be released on October 16, 2026, bringing the popular video game franchise back to the big screen.

The film does not need to build its world from scratch. Street Fighter already has a large roster of characters, rivalries, and storylines that could provide material for future films.

If the new film is well received, it could give the franchise another chance to establish itself on the big screen and potentially lead to additional films focused on other characters and rivalries from the games.

HEXED

Disney’s Hexed is scheduled for release in November 2026. The animated movie follows an awkward teen and her extremely organized mother, who discovers that her daughter’s unusual behavior may be a sign of magical powers.

Unlike many other films on the list, Hexed is an original story with no existing franchise behind it. That could give Disney more freedom to build a new world around its characters. 

If audiences connect with the film, Hexed could become one of the few movies on this list with the potential to grow into an entirely new franchise.

SHREK 5

Shrek 5 is scheduled to arrive on June 30, 2027, continuing one of DreamWorks’ best-known animated franchises.

The question here is not whether the film can create a franchise since Shrek is already a major one. Instead, its success could determine how much further DreamWorks wants to take the property.

The Shrek universe has already produced several sequels and includes the Puss in Boots spin-offs films. If Shrek 5 performs well, it could create momentum for more stories featuring familiar characters or introduce new corners of the universe.

THE CAT IN THE HAT

A new animated film, The Cat in the Hat is set to release on November 6, 2026. The film will follow the famous Dr. Seuss character on a new adventure.

The Cat in the Hat is already a well-known character, with a long history in children’s books and previous screen adaptations. That gives the film a familiar name that audiences already know and recognize.

If the new film performs well, it could lead to a sequel or further stories centered on The Cat in the Hat and his world. Its success could also show that the character has enough appeal to support a longer-running series rather than another standalone adaptation.

WHY THESE MOVIES COULD MATTER

Not every successful movie is destined to become a franchise. A strong opening weekend can help a film succeed, but some projects are designed as standalone stories rather than the beginning of a larger series.

Several titles, including Avengers, Dune, Jumanji, Shrek, and The Hunger Games already have major franchises behind them. Their potential lies in expanding those worlds, introducing new characters, or finding new stories that can keep audiences invested.

Resident Evil and Street Fighter also have established video game audiences, but their new film adaptations could give those properties another opportunity to grow on the big screen. Meanwhile, The Cat in the Hat brings an established character into a new animated adventure, while Clayface could benefit from its place within DC’s developing universe.

For 2026, the interesting question is not simply which movies will become hits. It is which films can give studios a reason to keep these worlds going.

Some could breathe new life into established franchises, while others may lay the groundwork for the next major Hollywood property.