io9's Top 5 Films of Summer 2026

The 2026 summer movie season was historic. Not only did we see two films, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, break major box office records, but several smaller films from young directors, mainly Obsession and Backrooms, broke through in a way few could’ve foreseen. So it’s been a fantastic summer. But how many of those films made this list? You’ll have to read to find out. What you have below is io9’s five favorite films of the summer of 2026. Each member of the staff picked their favorites, we gave them weighted values, added them up, and voila. Let’s count it down. First, honorable mentions. Here are films that got votes but did not make the top five: Disclosure Day, The End of Oak Street, Coyote vs. Acme, and Toy Story 5. Now, on to the list. Sometimes you sit down at the movies and just want to see a bunch of guys beat the crap out of each other for a few hours. Kenji Tanigaki’s new film, The Furious, was that and so much more. The premise is simple: a man’s daughter is kidnapped, and he has to fight his way to find her. But that story weaves into other things, and allows for some of the most over-the-top, unbelievable, and beautifully shot martial arts choreography we