Honestly, walking into a movie theater in the middle of January usually feels like a gamble. You’re either getting the prestige leftovers from Oscar season or some studio’s "dump month" tax write-off. But 2026 is hitting a bit differently. Right now, as we sit in the heart of the month, the marquee is a weird, glorious mess of high-concept horror, massive sci-fi holdovers, and some truly niche indies that actually deserve your ten dollars.
If you’re standing in the lobby staring at the digital posters wondering what movies r out right now, you basically have to choose between a zombie apocalypse, a frozen wasteland, or James Cameron’s blue aliens. It’s a lot.
The Heavy Hitters: What’s Dominating the Box Office
Look, we have to talk about the elephant in the room—or rather, the 10-foot-tall blue person. Avatar: Fire and Ash is still lingering. It’s been out since December, but it is absolutely still eating up the IMAX screens. People just aren’t tired of Pandora yet, apparently. But if you’ve already seen that three times, the big "new" thing this weekend is 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
This isn't your standard jump-scare flick. Danny Boyle handed the reins to Nia DaCosta for this chapter, and it’s gritty. It’s nasty. Cillian Murphy is back, which is basically the only reason half the audience is there. It’s weirdly beautiful for a movie about a virus that turns people into rage-monsters, but that’s the "Bone Temple" vibe for you.
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Why Everyone is Talking About Greenland 2: Migration
Then there’s Gerard Butler. The man is a king of the mid-budget thriller, and Greenland 2: Migration is actually doing surprisingly well. It’s not just "another disaster movie." It picks up with the family leaving the bunker, and it’s basically a road trip through a frozen hellscape. It’s tense. It’s cold. It makes you want to go home and turn your heater up to 80 degrees.
The Weird, The Indie, and The A24 Factor
If you aren't in the mood for the end of the world, there are some smaller gems hiding in the limited release screens. The Moment is the one your "cool" friends are posting about on Letterboxd. It’s an A24 mockumentary starring Charli XCX as a fictionalized version of herself.
Is it a concert movie? Sorta. Is it a satire of pop stardom? Definitely. It’s directed by Aidan Zamiri, and it feels very "online," but in a way that actually works on a big screen.
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- A Private Life: Jodie Foster is playing a psychiatrist investigating a murder. It’s French, it’s a black comedy, and it’s probably the smartest thing in theaters right now.
- Primate: This one is for the people who liked Cocaine Bear. It’s Johannes Roberts doing a natural horror movie about a pet chimpanzee that goes absolutely nuclear in Hawaii. It’s ridiculous. It’s R-rated. It’s exactly what you expect.
- H Is For Hawk: Claire Foy is incredible here. If you want to cry in public, go see this. It’s based on the memoir about a woman training a hawk to deal with her father’s death.
What Movies r Out Right Now for Families?
The kids' section is a little thin, to be honest. Zootopia 2 is still hanging around from the holiday rush if you haven't caught it yet. Otherwise, there’s a re-release of Madagascar for its 20th anniversary. It’s wild to think that movie is two decades old, but seeing it on a big screen again is actually a decent nostalgia trip if you have a Saturday afternoon to kill.
The "Iron Lung" Phenomenon
We have to mention Iron Lung. This started as a video game, then Markiplier turned it into a movie, and now it’s finally out. It’s basically 90 minutes of claustrophobia in a submarine under a sea of blood. It’s a very specific vibe. If you hate small spaces, stay far, far away.
Making the Call: What Should You Actually See?
The reality of the current slate is that it’s lopsided. You have the massive spectacles like Avatar and 28 Years Later taking up 70% of the screens. Then you have the tiny, quiet dramas like The Chronology of Water (Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut!) that you might have to drive to a specific indie theater to find.
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If you want a safe bet: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. It’s the event movie of the month.
If you want something "high-brow": A Private Life.
If you just want to see things explode: Greenland 2.
Honestly, the best thing you can do is check your local theater’s app around 11:00 AM on a Tuesday. That’s when the "Discount Tuesday" crowds haven't hit yet, and you can usually snag a middle seat for the big blockbusters without having to sit next to someone loudly eating popcorn in your ear.
Check the showtimes for 28 Years Later specifically for Dolby Cinema if you can—the sound design on the "rage" sequences is legitimately terrifying and worth the extra five bucks.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night:
- Check Fandango or AMC for specific "PLF" (Premium Large Format) screenings of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple to get the full Nia DaCosta visual experience.
- If you're heading to an indie theater, call ahead to see if they're running the The Moment Q&A screenings; some locations are doing live-streamed intros with the cast.
- Grab your tickets for Return to Silent Hill early if you're planning for next weekend—horror fans are already selling out the Thursday night previews.