We may be springing forward soon, but the movie theaters are going to be pretty dark for the month! With a few exceptions, the genres most common this month are horror, dark comedy, dark drama, dark romance and psychological drama. See a theme? It feels like October! Hoppers really stands out and could prove to be a good palate cleanser. There are a few other releases that are a step between adorably-cute Pixar and blood-curdling scream horror. One this is for sure, there are some amazing casts across these features. See for yourself what your options to see at the theater are this month:
Hoppers
Release Date: March 6, 2026 Genre: Animation, Comedy, Adventure Cast: Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Law, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villaseñor, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim, Nichole Sakura, Meryl Streep, Karen Huie, Vanessa Bayer
In Disney and Pixar’s all-new animated comedy adventure “Hoppers,” animal lover Mabel (voice of Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she uncovers mysteries in the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined, Mabel befriends charismatic beaver, King George (voice of Bobby Moynihan), and must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major, imminent human-threat: smooth-talking local mayor Jerry Generazzo (voice of Jon Hamm).
The Bride!
Release Date: March 6, 2026 Genre: Psychological Drama, Dark Comedy, Dark Romance Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz
From Maggie Gyllenhaal (Academy Award-nominated writer/director of The Lost Daughter) and starring Academy Award nominee Jessie Buckley and Academy Award winner Christian Bale comes THE BRIDE! A bold, iconoclastic take on one of the world’s most compelling stories.
A lonely Frankenstein (Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (five-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Buckley) is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them imagined: Murder! Possession! A wild and radical cultural movement! And outlaw lovers in a wild and combustible romance!
Reminders of Him
Release Date: March 13, 2026 Genre: Romance, Drama Cast: Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lainey Wilson, with Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford
After a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Kenna (Maika Monroe; The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Longlegs) makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison. Seven years later, Kenna returns to her hometown in Wyoming, hoping to rebuild her life and earn the chance to reunite with her young daughter, Diem, whom she has never known.
When Diem’s custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers; HIM, I Know What You Did Last Summer). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
Slanted
Release Date: March 13, 2026 Genre: Drama Cast: Shirley Chen, Mckenna Grace, Amelie Zilber, Vivian Wu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Fang Du
Joan Huang idolizes the popular girls and dreams of being prom queen, but fears the only way to win is to look like all the past queens whose portraits line her high school halls. Enter Ethnos: a shady cosmetic surgery clinic that makes people of color appear white. Joan undergoes the procedure and wakes up a beautiful blonde destined for the crown, but at what cost? Blending sharp satire, sci-fi, and body horror, starring Shirley Chen (Dìdi), Mckenna Grace (Regretting You), and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) proves that identity is never only skin-deep.
The Gates
Release Date: March 13, 2026 Genre: Thriller Cast: Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, Keith Powers and James Van Der Beek
The Gates is Burr’s second feature, following his debut, the supernatural thriller Muse. The Gates follows three college students — Derek, Kevin, and Tyon (Gooding, Smith, and Powers) on a road trip gone wrong, as the three young men take an ill-advised shortcut through a remote gated community, where they find themselves trapped behind the walls after witnessing a murder. Over the course of the night, they find themselves blamed, hunted, and fractured by their own differing belief systems, while the perpetrator—James Van Der Beek, at his most charming and terrifying—emerges as the cunning patriarch that holds the entire community under his influence.
Undertone
Release Date: March 13, 2026 Genre: Horror Cast: Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, Jeff Yung
The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
Project Hail Mary
Release Date: March 20, 2026 Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction Cast: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya Kansara
Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Release Date: March 20, 2026 Genre: Thriller, Dark Comedy, Sequel Cast: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, Varun Saranga, Daniel Beirne
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Maya, a rising journalist at a hip indie website, covers sex and music with free-flowing thought and liberal practice. Samar, a queer Afghan who landed in Greece following a harrowing escape from the Taliban, lives without papers in Athens, dancing in a club for cash. After a fateful meeting on the outskirts of Athens, their worlds collide in a brief yet torrid affair that exposes their conflicting cultures. With Samar, Maya crafts her latest headline; with Maya, Samar crafts an unexpected twist, exposing the raw truth behind privilege.
Do Not Enter
Release Date: March 20, 2026 Genre: Horror Cast: Jake Manley, Adeline Rudolph, Francesca Reale, Shane Paul McGhie, Kai Caster, Javier Botet, with Nicholas Hamilton, Brennan Keel Cook, and Laurence O’Fuarain
The Creepers are thrill-seeking urban explorers who love pushing things to the edge, and their latest stunt – livestreaming from New Jersey’s abandoned Paragon Hotel – is their biggest yet. With its mobster past, supposed ghosts, and rumored stash of $300 million, the Paragon is catnip to the Creepers, a surefire way to increase their fanbase. But fear has other plans. Daring to enter the Paragon, not heeding the warnings, the Creepers fend off deadly rivals while supernatural creatures stalk them from the shadows, testing their endurance, sanity, and willingness to pay fame’s heavy price.
Tow
Release Date: March 20, 2026 Genre: Drama Cast: Rose Byrne, Dominic Sessa, Demi Lovato, Simon Rex, Elsie Fisher, Corbin Bernsen with Ariana DeBose and Octavia Spencer
Based on a true story, TOW follows Amanda Ogle (Byrne), a woman living in her aging Toyota Camry on the streets of Seattle. When her car — her only lifeline — is stolen and impounded, Amanda is thrust into a relentless legal battle against an indifferent system. What begins as a fight to reclaim her car evolves into a deeply human story of resilience, dignity, and the power of one woman’s voice in the face of systemic failure.
They Will Kill You
Sorry, no trailer video here. It’s age-restricted so you need to go to YouTube to watch it.
Release Date: March 27, 2026 Genre: Horror, Dark Comedy, Action Cast: Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette
A desperate woman answers a cryptic ad for a live-in housekeeper at a luxurious yet foreboding New York City high-rise. Upon arrival, she uncovers the building’s sinister history: residents have vanished without trace for decades, fueling whispers of a Satanic cult lurking in the shadows. As she navigates the eccentric, secretive community, paranoia mounts—doors creak at night, symbols appear in the walls, and her new “family” hides deadly secrets. What starts as a gig from hell spirals into a fight for survival against ritualistic horrors and twisted loyalties.
1974 New Zealand: young Brian’s heart is broken, but he finds a quirky crew of nuns in a rundown convent facing shutdown. Together, they hit the road in a wild, hilarious race to save their home. Holy Days is a feel-good joyride about faith, fierce family vibes, and finding hope where you least expect it. Buckle up!
Alpha
Release Date: March 27, 2026 Genre: Psychological Drama, Horror Cast: Tahar Rahim, Golshifteh Farahani, Mélissa Boros, Emma Mackey, Finnegan Oldfield, Louai El Amrousy
Alpha, a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist
Release Date: March , 2026 Genre: Documentary Cast: Sam Altman, Daniela Amodei, Dario Amodei
From the Academy Award®-winning filmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
A documentary, some comedies and dramas offer a little variety to the heavy assortment of darker features this month. You can try to hit an assortment of genres or focus on favorite actors.
Can the cast cause you to check out a movie genre you might otherwise skip?
