The Australian film industry is poised for a spectacular year in 2026, with a diverse and exciting slate of cinematic offerings ready to hit screens. From major directorial debuts to long-awaited biopics and genre-bending horror, the lineup promises something for every cinephile.
Star-Studded Directorial Debuts and Musical Adaptations
Rebel Wilson steps behind the camera for the first time with The Deb, an adaptation of the acclaimed stage musical. The film, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, stars rising theatre talent Natalie Abbott as a hopeful farm girl and Charlotte MacInnes as her cynical cousin, centred on the high-stakes world of a school formal. After legal delays, it is finally scheduled for release in cinemas on 15 January 2026.
Another notable debut comes from actor Christian Byers with Death of an Undertaker. This darkly comic hybrid documentary, shot over eight years in a Sydney funeral home, features Byers as a fictionalised, unraveling employee. The project is noted for its gritty, surreal visual style.
Thrillers, Horror, and High-Octane Action
Horror fans have much to anticipate. Zak Hilditch, director of These Final Hours, presents We Bury the Dead. Starring Daisy Ridley as an American corpse collector searching for her husband in zombie-infested Tasmania, the film garnered strong reviews after its 2025 South by Southwest premiere. Its release is set for 5 February 2026.
In the action realm, Russell Crowe headlines Bear Country, playing a vengeful strip club owner who takes justice into his own hands after repeated robberies. This US/Australia co-production reunites Crowe with director Derrick Borte of Unhinged fame.
The horror genre also welcomes an important new voice with The Debt, a scary movie led by South Australian First Nations film-makers, adding to the still-limited canon of Indigenous Australian horror cinema.
Prestige Drama and Acclaimed Documentaries
The 2026 schedule features several heavyweight dramatic projects. Acclaimed director Sophie Hyde delivers Jimpa, her largest production to date. The film stars John Lithgow as a gay rights activist and Olivia Colman as his film-maker daughter, with Hyde's own teenager, Aud Mason-Hyde, playing a key role. It arrives in cinemas on 19 February 2026.
Documentarian Jennifer Peedom makes her narrative feature debut with Tenzing, a biopic of the mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. The film casts Genden Phuntsok as Norgay and Tom Hiddleston as Sir Edmund Hillary, with Willem Dafoe as expedition leader Colonel John Hunt.
Music documentaries are also well represented. Veteran film-maker Richard Lowenstein turns his lens on the iconic band Crowded House for his next documentary project. Meanwhile, Mockbuster offers a funny and self-aware look inside the world of low-budget knockoff studio The Asylum.
Rounding out the list is the curious comedy The Fox from Danger 5 creator Dario Russo, starring Jai Courtney as a hunter receiving relationship advice from a talking fox.
With this rich and varied selection, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Australian film, showcasing both homegrown talent and international stars in stories that span the emotional and genre spectrum.
