The BIG London Cinema List 2026: Film festivals, seasons, Q&As and rep screenings

Shortlist hand-picks the major movie events, cult venues, outdoor screenings and hidden gems coming up this year for our London film fan calendar.

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The Prince Charles Cinema alongside promotional imagery for The Odyssey and Kokuho
(Image credit: Universal | SOPA Images via Getty Images | GKIDS)

London is one of the greatest cities in the world to be a film fan. We may have seen one or two Odeons in the capital close down over the past few years (RIP Surrey Quays) and institutions like the Prince Charles Cinema and Curzon Mayfair continue to do battle with evil landlords but there’s new cinemas to get excited about too: from the art-deco interiors of The Garden by Holborn to The Nickel grindhouse, which started out as a pop-up before finding a permanent spot in Farringdon. Plus there’s always the time-warp of South London’s Peckhamplex to provide some continuity or the heritage of Hackney’s Rio cinema - celebrating its 50th Anniversary of being community-run while, fun fact, it’s the UK’s longest running cinema, having screened films there since 1909.

Any cinephile worth their popcorn salt should have not only a favourite London cinema or two but a favourite screen — even better a specific row and seat number. If you’re looking to add some depth to your weekly outings to see the latest auteur efforts, franchise flicks and independent films, you’ll want to start digging into film seasons at the BFI Southbank, double features and marathons at the PCC and add director Q&As at a Curzon, Everyman or Picturehouse into the mix. Support your indie and arthouse cinemas while they still exist with Shortlist’s BIG London Cinema List for 2026…

Key:

  • (*) : Season
  • /^\ : Festival
  • {?} : Q&A
  • >< : Live Score
  • [] : Quiz

April

There’s an embarrassment of riches in London’s film programming this April, from Q&As with directors Mark Jenkin, Shane Meadows, Sally Potter and Christian Petzold to Rob Reiner Day at the Prince Charles. Catch the LRB screening of a Frederick Wiseman doc, a silent film with live accompaniment at the Barbican, the launch of a book about Charlie Chaplin’s London at The Cinema Museum or dress up and do some karaoke for The Garden’s Jia Zhangke retrospective. Grindhouse cinema The Nickel is running Man Vs Beast and A Season in Hell seasons, the Barbican is focusing on Cold War Eastern Bloc cinema and the BFI programmers offer up weeks and weeks of boxing on film and the filmography of Peter Weir. Don’t miss Open City’s Documentary Festival at venues including Rich Mix and Close-Up cinema.

Notable releases:
An excellent month for indies with Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama from A24 (April 3rd), Lee Sang-il’s sumptuous Kabuki epic Kokuho (April 3rd), documentary D Is For Distance (April 3rd), Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother (April 10th), James McAvoy’s California Schemin’ (April 10th), Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No.3 (April 17th) and Max Walker-Silverman’s Rebuilding with Josh O’Connor (April 17th). Plus, Mark Jenkin’s eerie fisherman time-travel tale Rose of Nevada (April 24th), Thea Gajic’s moving realist drama Surviving Earth (April 24th) and yes, don’t forget there’s also The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 1st).

KOKUHŌ - Official HD Trailer (2025) - Only In Cinemas - YouTube KOKUHŌ - Official HD Trailer (2025) - Only In Cinemas - YouTube
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Rose of Nevada | UK Trailer | In cinemas 24 April | - YouTube Rose of Nevada | UK Trailer | In cinemas 24 April | - YouTube
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SURVIVING EARTH | OFFICIAL TRAILER | IN CINEMAS APRIL 24th - YouTube SURVIVING EARTH | OFFICIAL TRAILER | IN CINEMAS APRIL 24th - YouTube
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May

So many intriguing London film fests to choose from in May including a Super 8 selection at BFI IMAX, queer cinema at the Barbican and a trio of a short film festival, a folk music film festival and an Asian cinema festival at The Garden. The BFI’s major season is Brazil On Film, featuring works from filmmakers Walter Salles, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Karim Aïnouz and honouring Héctor Babenco, the director of Pixote and Kiss of the Spider-Woman. Hidden gems include a textile repair cafe to complement the Barbican’s season exploring craft and community as well as a mystery film from Little White Lies at the Rio cinema in Hackney. Round off the month with an action and adventure-themed Film Music Gala courtesy of the Royal Philharmonic.

Notable releases:
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1st), Ido Fluk’s Keith Jarrett-concert retelling Köln 75 (May 1st), László Nemes’ Orphan (May 15th), the master Steven Soderbergh is back with The Christophers (May 15th) and don’t miss Jon Favreau’s new Star War The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22nd).

Köln 75 International trailer - YouTube Köln 75 International trailer - YouTube
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STOLEN LIVES Trailer - YouTube STOLEN LIVES Trailer - YouTube
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JUNE

The BFI’s major summer film season is dedicated to the immortal Marilyn Monroe, whose comedic chops should not be slept on. Through June and July, you can catch classics in a programme that includes her final film, John Huston’s The Misfits (1961). Don’t miss Rich Mix’s Resistance and Revolution season either, which ends on June 24th - preparation inspiration - not to mention anniversary screenings of All The President’s Men and Labyrinth. Kew Gardens has a mid-month pop-up weekend of scenic outdoor screenings via the touring Adventure Cinema.

Notable releases:
It’s summer blockbuster season with Masters of the Universe (June 5th), Steven Spielberg’s next alien-inclined crowd-pleaser Disclosure Day (June 12th), the tablet-hating Toy Story 5 (June 19th) and Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl (June 26th).

Disclosure Day | Official Trailer - YouTube Disclosure Day | Official Trailer - YouTube
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FLEE - Official Trailer - YouTube FLEE - Official Trailer - YouTube
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JULY TO SEPTEMBER

Time to catch some rays at the drive-in or more accurately, the prosecco and blanket-in. Vauxhall Summer Screens has announced the line-up and dates for its free outdoor screenings at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in July already; as we near school’s out season, expect listings to pop up for Everyman on the Canal in King’s Cross, Rooftop Film Club in Peckham and Stratford, Summer by the River on the South Bank, Summer Screens at Canary Wharf and the rest.

Notable releases:
Air-con friendly franchises in the form of Minions and Monsters (July 1st), the live-action Moana remake (July 10th) and the Phase Six Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31st) but July is all about Christopher Nolan’s classical epic The Odyssey (July 17th). Elsewhere, there’s Olivia Wilde’s The Invite (July 3rd), Imran Perretta’s Ish (July 31st), David Robert Mitchell’s Flowervale Street (August 14th), Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars (August 28th), Jonatan Etzler’s Bad Apples (September 11th), Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil remake (September 18th) and Aardman Animation’s Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (September 18th).

The Odyssey | Official Trailer - YouTube The Odyssey | Official Trailer - YouTube
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OCTOBER TO DECEMBER

October is all about the BFI’s London Film Festival: we know the dates but little else at this point in the year. In terms of what else you can look forward to - and book - for this winter, there’s a few festive cinema concerts, including Home Alone, already nailed in at the Royal Albert Hall. Plus some indie cinemas have locked in their Halloween programming already — the PCC’s mini 1920s season looks suitably spoo00ooky.

Notable releases:
Alejandro González Iñárritu's Digger (October 2nd), Aaron Sorkin’s Facebook sequel The Social Reckoning (October 9th), DC’s Clayface (October 23rd), Disney’s original animation Hexed (October 29th) then it’s Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three and Avenger’s: Doomsday duking it out on December 18th. Expect a whole slate of prestige and arthouse cinema to be announced later in the year for October through December.

Dune: Part Three | Official Teaser Trailer - YouTube Dune: Part Three | Official Teaser Trailer - YouTube
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Sophie Charara
Sophie Charara
Contributor

Sophie Charara is a freelance tech and culture journalist. Sophie is a former associate editor of WIRED, and former associate editor at Wareable and The Ambient.

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