Skip to main content

[Updated for 2026] Classic movies heading to the big screen in 2026

By

[Updated for 2026] Classic movies heading to the big screen in 2026

By


[Updated January 2026]

Last year didn't see as many pre-1980 movies re-released in movie theaters as in years past, but fingers crossed for 2026. 

Here's a list (and so far, it's slim pickings!) of classic movie re-releases coming soon to a theater hopefully near you. These are roughly pre-1980 movies being released nationally or at least broad regionally. 

As always, check out your local independent movie theaters: they are gems for classic movie screenings and I cannot track all of those! (My tiny town's old one-screen movie theater played a Hitchcock retrospective last year, for example. The audiences were mostly younger adults which spurred hope for the next generation of classic movie fans.)

In the meantime, whether you're an old movie expert or just starting out, check out a few books for classic film fans:

This list will continue to update throughout 2026 as new movies are announced.

January


Superman (1978)




February


March


Follow @ReelOldMovies on: Instagram | Mastodon | YouTube 
All proceeds from books or ads go toward classic movie preservation and research. 

============= ORIGINAL 2025, 2024 and 2023 POSTS BELOW ==========

[Updated October 2025]

As movie studios ramp back up production in 2025, movie theaters aren't relying on classic movie re-releases as much. Or, if they are, it's mostly re-releases of 1990s+ movies, from what I've seen. But a few national re-releases of classic movies pre-1980 are still to be found. 
Here's a list of classic movie re-releases coming soon to a theater hopefully near you. These are roughly pre-1980 movies being released nationally or at least broad regionally. 

As always, check out your local independent movie theater: they are gems for classic movie screenings and I cannot track all of those! (My tiny town's old one-screen movie theater recently played a Hitchcock retrospective, for example. The audiences were mostly younger adults which spurred hope for the next generation of classic movie fans.)

This list will continue to update throughout 2025 as new movies are announced.

January



February





March


April

May



June

July





August



September

October 





December



***

Follow @ReelOldMovies for the latest classic movie news. On:

============= ORIGINAL 2024 and 2023 POSTS BELOW ==========


[Last updated December 1, 2024. Stay tuned for 2025 updates]

Movie theater chains announced the first batches of classic films to be re-released on the big screen in 2024. Fathom Events, which parted ways with TCM, leads the pack along with Flashback Cinema, Alamo Drafthouse and other regional movie houses. 

2024 will see the audience favorites “Gone with the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz” (both 1939) hit movie theaters on their 85th anniversaries as well as “Blazing Saddles” marking its 50th anniversary. The Alamo Drafthouse chain is spotlighting movies (to be announced) from 1979 and 1974 later this year. 

Here’s a list of classic movie re-releases coming soon to a theater hopefully near you. (A variety of independent movie houses include classic movies in their lineup but unfortunately, we can’t track all of those individually. This list is of roughly pre-1980, nationally or at least largely regionally playing in theaters.)

This list will continue to be updated throughout 2024 as new movies are announced.

January 






February




March

April 






May











June


Raiders of the Lost Ark and also here (technically post 1980, but including it here)



July 


August

Grease (Sing-a-long)





September











Note: September 29 is National Silent Movie Day so many of your local theaters that I can't track here may be showing some great classics. Don't miss a chance to see a silent movie (hopefully with organ accompaniment) on the big screen.

October





Nosferatu (1922)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and also here and even here (it's the 50th anniversary so lots of chains are showing throughout October)





November

$5 book sale on Amazon ~ "Beginner's Guide to Classic Movies" ~ how many have you seen?

December









Follow @ReelOldMovies for the latest classic movie news. On:

Now available on Amazon: Books!

============= ORIGINAL 2023 POST BELOW ==========



[Last updated November 2023]

One silver lining of movie theaters shuffling their way back to pre-pandemic levels? A surge of classic movies heading to movie theaters in 2023 so that new and veteran fans can appreciate the vintage films on the big screen. 

Hollywood studios are still trying to get new movie production back on track. Re-issues of classic films help fill that void in theaters. 

“It was definitely a rebound year,” Tearlach Hutcheson, VP of film at Studio Movie Grill, told Variety in December 2022. “There’s still a lack of product from studios, and it’s going to take a while to change that.”

TCM has parted ways with Fathom Events, which had been the biggest player in re-releases of classic favorites. But Fathom announced a new series that will honor classic cinema. That plus a few other national series – such as Flashback Cinema and Alamo Drafthouse special screenings – translates into more movie theater love for old movies. 

Here’s a look at pre-1980 movie re-releases coming soon nationally to a theater hopefully near you. (A variety of independent movie houses include classic movies in their lineup but unfortunately, we can’t track all of those individually.)

This list will continue to be updated as new movies are announced.

JANUARY

Roman Holiday

FEBRUARY

Pillow Talk

Murder on the Orient Express (1974 version)

Harold and Maude

My Fair Lady

Escape from Alcatraz

Written on the Wind

It Happened One Night

The Wild Bunch

Singin’ in the Rain

The Red Shoes

High Sierra

The Bride of Frankenstein

Lady Sings the Blues

MARCH

Casablanca 
(Related: Here's looking at you, 'Casablanca': The most quoted movie turns 80)

My Fair Lady

Harold and Maude

The Ten Commandments (1956)

APRIL




[Technically, these last two are after my usual cut-off date of 1980, but too good not to share!]

MAY

Rio Bravo

Grease

The Wizard of Oz 

Enter the Dragon

Return of the Jedi

Taxi Driver (limited)

JUNE


JULY


Jaws (also here)


AUGUST

Enter the Dragon

American Graffiti

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Note: Many non-chain theaters (not included on this list) are showing Universal Monster movies throughout October in honor of the 100th anniversary. Check/support your local theaters!

Ace in the Hole

The Shining

The Birds

The Mummy (1932) + The Wolfman (1941) double feature 

The Exorcist

The Shining

Frankenstein (1931) + Invisible Man (1933) double feature

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Dracula (1931) + Dracula's Daughter double feature

Dracula (1931's Spanish version)

Psycho

The Black Cat

Halloween and also here

Friday the 13th

NOVEMBER

The Shining

McCabe and Mrs. Miller

Scarface

The Last Waltz

A Christmas Story

White Christmas

DECEMBER

It's a Wonderful Life and also here
Related: New book -- Quotes and inspiration from "It's a Wonderful Life"

White Christmas

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Meet Me In St. Louis

A Christmas Story and also here

The Bride of Frankenstein

The Night of the Hunter

Popular on ReelOldMovies.com

Follow @ReelOldMovies for the latest classic movie news. On: