Movies and series not to be missed this January The new year kicks off with a bang on small and big screens
2026 has arrived and it brings with it a sea of films and TV series. It all starts, of course, with the most anticipated finale of this beginning of the new year: the last episode that closes the most important Netflix phenomenon in the platform’s history, Stranger Things, which arrives on streaming on January 1 to inaugurate a 2026 dedicated to entertainment. Then come some long-awaited returns such as Bridgerton and The Night Manager, but there are also new releases to look forward to, from the sequel to 28 Years Later directed by Nia DaCosta to the film we will hear a lot about during award season, namely Hamnet by Chloé Zhao.
Here, then, are the best theatrical and streaming releases of January 2026.
No Other Choice – in theaters from January 1
Park Chan-wook takes inspiration from Donald E. Westlake’s short story The Ax and adapts it after Costa-Gavras had already done so in 2005 with The Ax. In No Other Choice, however, the tone is less dark and more surreal, telling the story of a man who loses his job and, in order to be hired by a new paper company, does everything he can to eliminate the other possible candidates, in every sense of the word.
A Family Affair – in theaters from January 1
The trash is served. But A Family Affair does not pretend to be more than what the adaptation of Freida McFadden’s novel offers, and that is certainly its strength. Especially because it is directed by Paul Feig, who had already dealt with similar intrigues with another cult gem such as A Simple Favor. This time, the protagonists of the drama/thriller are Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney: the former plays a woman on the verge of a breakdown, the latter the new housekeeper who could make the homeowner - Brandon Sklenar’s Andrew Winchester - lose his head. A large villa with an even larger mystery inside.
Her Truth – on Netflix from January 8
All of Netflix’s 2026 miniseries will have to measure up to the success that Adolescence achieved the previous year. The first to try to capture the audience’s attention is Her Truth, created by William Oldroyd, which tells the story of a murder case seen from various perspectives. The cast includes Tessa Thompson as a journalist and Jon Bernthal as a detective.
Sirat – in theaters from January 8
Music, rave, and hell. These are the three words that best describe Sirat by Óliver Laxe, a film that won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and arrives in Italian theaters from January 8. A father searches for his daughter through the biggest underground parties in the country. When he finds a group of people willing to help him, the protagonist begins a sudden and devastating descent into hell.
People We Meet on Vacation – on Netflix from January 9
Based on the novel by Emily Henry, People We Meet on Vacation is shaping up to be the new romantic pastime for Netflix subscribers. The book - and therefore the film - follows the story of Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, two friends whose travels will put their relationship at risk.
The Night Manager 2 – on Prime Video from January 11
The Night Manager returns with a second season, with Tom Hiddleston reprising the role of Jonathan Pine. The story is set eight years after the events of the previous season, with the protagonist now working as a low-profile MI6 agent in London and living a more or less quiet life. Everything changes when he learns about an arms-trafficking organization run by Colombian Teddy Dos Santos, played by Diego Calva from Babylon.
HBO Max Italy – from January 13
We know it well: it’s not the title of a film or a TV series. But since it is the important launch of a platform that already includes films and TV series, we prefer to highlight the overall arrival of HBO Max Italy on January 13. In addition to a well-curated catalog ranging from the platform’s original sagas to some famous franchises, among the new titles available to Italian subscribers is The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a prequel spin-off of Game of Thrones.
La Grazia – in theaters from January 15
After a series of preview screenings from the morning of December 25 through January 1, La Grazia by Paolo Sorrentino arrives with its traditional theatrical release on January 15, ready to introduce audiences to its President of the Republic played by the ever-present cinematic companion Toni Servillo. The actor won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for his performance, a well-deserved award given the way he embodied a man who, in the final days of his mandate, must put some things in order, both in his work and in his family, and above all in his memories.
Sorry, Baby – in theaters from January 15
Eva Victor makes her directorial debut with Sorry, Baby, doing so with a film that gently addresses a delicate subject such as abuse, almost stripping away the drama while still keeping it at the core of the story. A bittersweet comedy that does not want to lose its sparkle, entirely contained within the pen of its screenwriter.
The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie – on Netflix from January 15
Mia McKenna-Bruce, Helena Bonham Carter, and Martin Freeman are the leading trio of the miniseries The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie, based on the crime novel by the British writer published in 1929. The mystery unfolds in the 1920s, during one night in a country house where laughter is abruptly silenced by a sudden murder that brings long-hidden truths back to the surface.
28 Years Later: The Temple of Bones – in theaters from January 15
After the explosive return of the 28 Days Later saga in 2025, marked by the release of 28 Years Later directed by Danny Boyle, the film series set in a world overrun by zombies continues under the direction of Nia DaCosta with the sequel 28 Years Later – The Temple of Bones. Returning is Dr. Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, along with young Spike portrayed by Alfie Williams, who finds himself plunged into a nightmare after encountering Jack O’Connell’s Jimmy Crystal.
The Rip: Dirty Money – on Netflix from January 16
The inseparable duo Ben Affleck and Matt Damon reunite in the cast of The Rip – Dirty Money, arriving on Netflix on January 16. The thriller focuses on a group of police officers and the discovery of an enormous sum of money that could shatter the trust between colleagues.
Inland Empire – in theaters from January 19
A year without David Lynch. And yet, in Italy the director and screenwriter has been more present than ever. As happened in 2025, 2026 also continues to bring the works of the most visionary filmmaker cinema has ever known back to the big screen. Starting January 19, Lucky Red releases Inland Empire – The Empire of the Mind, Lynch’s final film, an exploration on the border between entertainment and the unconscious within the world of show business.
Steal – on Prime Video from January 21
Six episodes for Steal – The Heist, a miniseries starring Sophia Turner of Game of Thrones. An employee finds herself caught at the center of the action when, on an ordinary day at pension fund investment firm Lochmill Capital, a gang of thieves storms the offices and forces employees to carry out their orders.
Marty Supreme – in theaters from January 22
With all the publicity surrounding it, it almost feels like we’ve already seen Marty Supreme. The film by Josh Safdie, which was released in the U.S. on Christmas Day, arrives in Italy on January 22, featuring a leading role that could earn Timothée Chalamet an Oscar at the age of thirty. The story follows the greatest table tennis player in the United States, a character who must face the adversities around him and, above all, those he continues to create himself. A bigger-than-life work, just like its protagonist.
The Beauty – on Disney+ from January 22
Ryan Murphy tries again. Among the most prolific authors and producers in Hollywood, the creator of Glee and the recent All’s Fair arrives on Disney+ with the series The Beauty, based on the graphic novel by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley. The story comes to life in the world of high fashion, where several top models begin to die under horrifying circumstances. Two FBI agents are sent to Paris to uncover what is happening, until they cross paths with a shadowy tech billionaire who has secretly created a miracle drug called The Beauty.
Sentimental Value – in theaters from January 22
Joachim Trier reunites with Renate Reinsve after The Worst Person in the World, this time alongside Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning. Sentimental Value tells the story of a filmmaker father and an actress daughter who struggle to communicate, but who might find common ground if the woman agrees to play the lead role in her father’s next film, in which he wants to retrace the history of his family.
The Forger – on Netflix from January 23
Toni Chichiarelli was one of the most famous forgers in Italian history. His story is revisited and adapted for Netflix, directed by Stefano Lodovichi in The Forger, starring Pietro Castellitto. The film is inspired by the book The State Forger by Nicola Biondo and Massimo Veneziani and seeks to build its own narrative that blends truth and deception in 1970s Rome.
The Wrecking Crew – on Prime Video from January 28
Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista form the new comedy-action duo of The Wrecking Crew, available on Prime Video from January 28. The half-brothers reunite after the mysterious death of their father, which leads them to search for the truth and uncover a conspiracy that could destroy their family.
Wonder Man – on Disney+ from January 28
Thus, quietly, a new Marvel series arrives on Disney+ from January 28 with all its episodes. It is Wonder Man, the story of Simon Williams, an aspiring Hollywood actor, and his encounter with director Von Kovak, who is working on a remake of a film about a superhero.
Shrinking 3 – on AppleTV+ from January 28
After closing out the year with the explosive Pluribus, AppleTV+’s January 2026 continues with several returns. From the second season of Hijack to the third of Tehran. But the standout is above all the third season of the dramedy Shrinking, created by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, and Jason Segel, which affectionately and ironically explores the world of therapists.
The Secret Agent – in theaters from January 29
Among the most beautiful films of 2025 arriving in Italy in 2026 is without a doubt The Secret Agent by Kleber Mendonça Filho, a film that continues to elevate the quality of Brazilian cinema following last year’s success of I’m Still Here by Walter Salles. The protagonist is Wagner Moura, a man who must operate undercover for his own safety in 1970s Brazil.
Bridgerton 4 – on Netflix from January 29
Bridgerton returns to Netflix with its fourth season, and this time it is Benedict, played by Luke Thompson, who finds love. The young man is struck by a mysterious lady in silver during a high-society event, unaware that behind the mask is the maid Sophie Baek, portrayed by new cast member Yerin Ha. This season, the series will tackle the issue of social differences, without losing the romanticism that defines it. Unfortunately, Bridgerton will once again be split into two parts: the first arrives on Netflix on January 29, while the second will be released on the platform starting February 26.
Send Help – in theaters from January 29
Sam Raimi takes on the survival movie genre, choosing Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien as his leads. Send Help is a dark comedy in which two colleagues, once rivals, are forced to work together when they find themselves alone on a deserted island following a plane crash.
