At first glance, the titles scheduled for release this first month of 2026 appear to be better than those at the same time in years past. January and February are traditionally treated as “clearing house” months for their B-grade material, or stuff that was determined not worthy of peak summer or late fall release.
Here’s the reason I’m optimistic about this January: Only two titles listed here are from a major studio. Everything else is from an upstart or independent looking to make a mark or, in Netflix’s case, isn’t concerned with box office returns.
