Introducing FilmBook’s Release Calendar: Every U.S. Theatrical Release Date in One Place

Introducing the FilmBook Release Calendar for U.S. Movies

When does a movie actually open near you? Release dates move, studio announcements get buried, and listings often mix festival premieres, streaming debuts and overseas openings into one confusing date. The FilmBook Release Calendar starts with the U.S. Movie Release Calendar, which gives one date per film: the day it opens in U.S. theaters.

The calendar is organized by year and by date. Every listing shows the film’s release type, and every title links to its own page with the distributor, credits and other details. We check dates against distributor announcements and update them when they change.

What the calendar covers

The calendar tracks theatrical releases in the United States, from big studio tentpoles to independent and international films that open on a handful of screens. The 2026 U.S. Movie Release Calendar lists well over 500 films, from wide releases such as Project Hail Mary to limited releases such as The Mother and the Bear.

• Each film appears once, on the date of its first U.S. theatrical release, so a movie isn’t listed again each time it adds theaters.
• On the U.S. calendar, only U.S. dates count. A world premiere or an opening in another country doesn’t set a film’s place on the calendar.
• Festival screenings and streaming-only premieres are left out. Streaming has its own calendar, covered below.

How to use the calendar

Start at the hub and pick a year

The release calendar hub links to each year’s calendar. Future years get their own pages too, starting with the 2027 U.S. Movie Release Calendar, and they fill in as distributors announce dates.

Jump straight to a month

Each year page is divided into months. A row of month buttons at the top jumps to the one you want, and on a phone a month menu does the same. Each month opens with a short summary of how many films open that month and a few notable titles.

Scan each release date

Films are grouped under the date they open. Each listing shows the poster where one is available, the title, the release type and a short synopsis written by FilmBook. Filters narrow the list, and the Clear button brings everything back.

Open a film page for the details

Select a title or its View Details link to open the film’s page. It lists the U.S. release date, release type, runtime, director, cast, plot synopsis and distributor. When FilmBook has covered the film, a FilmBook Coverage section links to our reviews, trailers, box office reports and news, and a Related Films section suggests what to look at next. The Project Hail Mary film page is a good example.

What the release types mean

The release type tells you how easy it will be to find a screening near you.

• Wide release: the film opens in 2,000 or more theaters at once, so it will most likely be at your local multiplex on opening weekend.
• Limited release: the film opens in fewer theaters, often in select cities first. It may expand later, or it may play only at art-house and independent cinemas.
• IMAX: the film opens exclusively in IMAX theaters.

For background on how the theatrical business works, Cinema United represents U.S. movie theater owners, and the Motion Picture Association represents the major film and television studios.

How FilmBook checks release dates

Every date is confirmed by the film’s distributor, its official site or a U.S. theater listing, or by two independent published reports that agree.

Dates for films that haven’t opened yet are the distributor’s announced dates, and studios move them often. When a date changes, we update it and the film moves to its new spot on the calendar. Synopses are written by FilmBook, and credits come from distributor materials and published credits.

Who the calendar is for

• Moviegoers planning a weekend who want to know what opens on Friday and whether it’s a wide or limited release.
• Fans tracking a sequel or franchise film who want one dependable date instead of a dozen conflicting reports.
• Film lovers looking beyond the multiplex for independent, documentary and international releases that rarely get much attention.
• Families planning an outing around the next animated or family film.

Theatrical and streaming calendars

The release calendar covers theaters. For new movies and TV shows arriving on services such as Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+ and Peacock, use FilmBook’s Streaming Release Calendar. Between the two, you can follow a film from opening weekend to the day it arrives at home.

What’s coming

As distributors announce new dates, we add films to the current year and to future years. More ways to follow upcoming releases are in the works, and we’ll announce them when they’re live.

Help keep the calendar accurate

Spotted a missing film or a date that has changed? Contact FilmBook and let us know. Reader tips help keep the calendar complete.

Frequently asked questions

Does the calendar include streaming releases?

No. The U.S. Movie Release Calendar covers theatrical releases only. For streaming, see the Streaming Release Calendar.

Why does the calendar show a different date than a film’s premiere?

The U.S. calendar lists the date a film first opens in U.S. theaters. Festival premieres and openings in other countries often come earlier, but they don’t determine where a film appears.

How often are release dates updated?

We check dates against distributor announcements and update them as they change, so the calendar reflects the latest announced date for each film.

Is the calendar free to use?

Yes. You can browse it for free, and you don’t need an account.