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If family movie night in your house currently involves scrolling endlessly before someone gives up and puts on the same animated film for the seventeenth time, good news is on the horizon. The best kids movies coming in 2026 look genuinely brilliant.

Studios are finally delivering a line up that feels exciting again. We are getting huge sequels children are already counting down towards, imaginative new animated adventures, magical fantasy worlds, and enough talking animals to guarantee at least one child in every household starts pretending to be a raccoon for a week.

Even better, many of these films look entertaining for adults too. Because while children are perfectly happy watching singing penguins for ninety minutes, parents usually need a little more emotional depth and fewer toilet jokes.

Here are the biggest family films coming in 2026 that deserve a place on your family cinema calendar.

Toy Story 5

Pixar is returning to one of the most beloved franchises ever made with Toy Story 5, and honestly, parents everywhere are emotionally nervous already.

Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the gang are back for another adventure, this time exploring how modern children interact more with screens and technology than traditional toys. Which feels slightly too relatable if your child has ever ignored an entire toy cupboard while watching videos about other people playing with toys online.

The original Toy Story audience are now adults bringing their own children to the cinema, which somehow makes this sequel feel even more emotional. Expect laughs, nostalgia, and at least one scene that leaves grown adults pretending they have “something in their eye”.

Moana

Disney’s live action Moana is arriving in 2026, and children who have spent years singing every song from the original are about to become completely obsessed all over again.

Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, bringing the same larger than life energy that made the animated version such a hit. Early footage suggests Disney is keeping the adventurous spirit and emotional heart that families loved the first time around.

Parents should probably prepare now for nonstop soundtrack requests during school runs and dramatic performances in the living room involving towels used as capes.

Wildwood

Some family films feel manufactured purely to sell merchandise. Wildwood does not look like one of them.

Created by the brilliant animation studio Laika, known for Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, this fantasy adventure follows a girl entering a mysterious forest to rescue her younger brother.

The stop motion animation already looks absolutely stunning. Every frame feels handcrafted in a way that gives the film a warmth many animated movies struggle to capture.

Children will love the adventure and strange magical creatures. Parents will probably spend half the film quietly admiring how beautiful it all looks.

The Cat in the Hat

After years of questionable live action adaptations, The Cat in the Hat is returning as a fully animated film in 2026.

Voiced by Bill Hader, this version appears much closer to the playful chaos of the original Dr Seuss books. Which is exactly what families wanted all along.

The story still centres around the famously mischievous cat turning an ordinary day upside down, and honestly, children never tire of watching adults lose control while cartoon characters make increasingly terrible decisions.

Sometimes simple silliness works best.

Hoppers

Pixar’s new original film Hoppers could become one of the surprise emotional hits of 2026.

The story follows a girl who uses advanced technology to communicate with animals while trying to protect nature and wildlife. Which sounds exactly like the kind of concept Pixar turns into a deeply moving story about connection, empathy, and understanding.

Children will arrive for the funny talking animals. Parents will leave unexpectedly reflecting on humanity and crying in the car park afterwards.

Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Following the enormous success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Nintendo is reportedly expanding the franchise with the Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

If your child already treats Mario Kart like a professional sporting event, this film will probably become their entire personality for several months.

Expect colourful animation, familiar Nintendo characters, fast paced comedy, and enough references to delight millennial parents who spent childhood trying unsuccessfully to complete difficult Mario levels.

Charlie the Wonderdog

Talking dog films remain one of cinema’s greatest guarantees for keeping children entertained, and Charlie the Wonderdog looks ready to continue that tradition.

The film follows a superhero dog voiced by Owen Wilson, combining comedy, adventure, and family friendly chaos in exactly the way younger audiences adore.

Parents may predict the plot within ten minutes, but children will absolutely not care once the heroic dog starts saving the day.

Swapped

Netflix animated film Swapped explores body swapping chaos with humour and heart.

Stories like this always work well with children because they tap into universal frustrations about siblings, parents, school life, and wanting somebody else to understand your perspective for once.

Expect funny misunderstandings, emotional lessons, and children briefly becoming convinced swapping bodies with their siblings sounds like an excellent idea. Until they realise that would involve sharing homework responsibilities.

Why 2026 Could Be One of the Best Years for Family Films in Ages

What makes the best kids movies coming in 2026 feel so exciting is the variety.

Families are getting nostalgic sequels like Toy Story 5, visually ambitious originals like Wildwood, playful adaptations like The Cat in the Hat, and emotional adventures like Hoppers.

Most importantly, studios seem to finally understand that successful family films should entertain everyone in the room. Parents want stories with warmth, humour, and emotional intelligence. Children want adventure, funny characters, and moments they can obsessively quote for the next six months.

And judging by the upcoming releases, 2026 cinema trips could become some of the best family memories of the year.