At Fantastic Fest 2026, the amazing people at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar have curated a lineup full of titles with great potential.We’re anticipating so many films that it was difficult to fit everything that deserves to be on my list. Last year at the film festival was incredible to experience with films like Bugonia, Primate, and so much more, and this year could be even better.
Movies like Death of a Yellow Birdhave intriguing premises and come from the producers behind Undertone. Stephen King also threw his endorsement behind a movie called The Cycle, which stars Daredevil’sDeborah Ann Woll.There has also been positive buzz from the Toronto International Film Festivalabout The Face of Horror.With so much to choose from, let’s not waste any more time. Here are our most highly anticipated films at Fantastic Fest 2026.
Resident Evil
We are starting with an obvious one, and it justifies itself.Zach Creggeris one of the best contemporary horror filmmakers working today. BothBarbarianandWeaponsdelivered inventive narratives with bonkers choices and disorienting screenplay structures that kept audiences continually off-kilter.
Cregger’s new take onResident Evilis brimming with potential, combining ingredients from the horror game into aMad Max: Fury Road-stylechase.Austin Abramsreturns to collaborate withCregger,taking on the lead role as a medical courier trying to survive a violent pandemic. The film will have its red carpet gala at Fantastic Fest 2026.
Carrie
InStephen Kingadaptations, filmmakerMike Flanaganoften draws inspiration from the author’s work. Last year,Flanagandabbled on the tender side ofKingwithLife of Chuck.This year, he brings a new vision to the classic taleCarriein an 8-episode adaptation for Prime Video.
The new vision, which pivots to the modern world of cyberbullying, will debut at the festival, with the first two episodes shown to attendees. The new series castsSummer H. Howellas Carrie, a role originally made iconic bySissy Spacek.Other performers, includingMatthew Lillard(Scream) andAmber Midthunder(Prey), play key rolesin the series.
Primetime
To Catch a Predatorhas experienced a strange second life in the past few years. The first cultural reentry was the documentaryPredators,which interrogated whether theChris Hansenprogram was doing the appropriate thing by demonizing its subjects while offering no compassionate solutions.
One moment in the documentary shows a subject genuinely begging for help and showing self-awareness about his behavior, whileHansenand other crew members seemingly ignore the pleas.
Lance Oppenheim’sfilmPrimetimeseems to continue mocking the program by presenting these realities on an exaggerated, stylized canvas. The film starringRobert Pattinsonignites the Fantastic Fest audience on September 20.
Kung Fu Deadly
One of the best aspects of a festival like Fantastic Fest is its ability to bring films that are completely outside the box of conventions.Kung Fu Deadlycertainly might fit into that box of bonkers programming.
The film centers on two pest control workers who accidentally disrupt a vampire hunter’s mission. The incident leads to a team-up in which the exterminators join the hunt. Oh, and in case the concept was not baffling, apparently this is a martial arts action comedy.
Fergal Costello directs the film, with stunt choreographerLee HuangofThe Matrix Resurrectionshandling the action.
Beware Boiúna
Regardless of the quality or reception, the 1997 filmAnacondahas been a lifelong guilty pleasure.Beware Boiúna unapologetically seems to be tackling the spirit of that film, except with far less cheese. If anything, it feels likeAlexandre Ajadirected his own snake movie.
The film seesMike P. Nelsonreturn to Fantastic Fest after last year’sSilent Night, Deadly Night.The film centers on a group of doctors attacked by a vicious snake in the rainforest and starsLogan Marshall-Green, Kiana Madeira,andJessica Rothe.
Pathetic Fallacy
LikeKung Fu Deadly, the filmPathetic Fallacyis one of those titles that could only fit at an event like Fantastic Fest. The film seesScott Mescudi, akaKid Cudi, play Asher, a man who accidentally enters a cosmic universe of deadly inhabitants.Grief-stricken by the death of his soulmate, Iris (Jessica Rothe), he is offered a bargain to bring her back.
Directed byAdam Egypt MortimerofDaniel Isn’t Real, the film also features a fascinating screenwriting duo,Andrew BarrerandGabriel Ferrari, who previously scripted the criminally underratedTransformers One.
Fantastic Fest also hints thatPathetic Fallacymight be a musical, stating that bothRotheandMescudigave vocal performances for the soundtrack.
Wild Horse Nine
Martin McDonaghis one of the best playwrights and screenwriters working today. His directorial work on films likeIn BrugesandThe Banshees of Inisherinare among the best at dissecting male relationships and the humorous insecurities within them.
His new filmWild Horse Nineseems to be following a similar pattern, focusing on two disgruntled CIA agents investigating a coup in Chile. The film has a tremendous cast, includingSam RockwellandJohn Malkovichin the lead roles. And let’s be real here: anything withJohn Malkovichis guaranteed to be enjoyable. The man single-handedly madeOpuswatchable.
Fantastic Fest 2026 Secret Screenings #1 and #2
The Secret Screenings at Fantastic Fest are always exciting to attend, mainly because of the mystery and how it could potentially end up being anything. In years past, the Secret Screenings have showcased early Oscar contenders likeBugoniaand completely out-of-left-field offerings like the Marvel Presentation,Werewolf by Night.
It’s hard to speculate because the secret could literally be anything. However, if we consider who is in attendance,Whalefallcould be one of the titles sinceAustin Abramswill already be in town.
WithMike FlanaganpremieringCarrie, it’s a 50/50 shot thatClayfacemight make an appearance. However, my money is on theNathan FielderbuzzyElizabeth Holmesdocumentary,You Can See Everything.
For more information about Fantastic Fest
This year’s Fantastic Fest takes place in Austin, Texas, from September 17th to 24th. For more information on the festival, what films are screening, and how to get tickets, visit the official website.
For our previous film festival coverage, visit the archive!
