With 2025 coming to a close we’re looking ahead to some of the events that we think will not only draw eyeballs but will also be big for licensing and brand partnerships too.
Take a look at our list and let us know any you think we’ve forgotten in here.
Star Trek 60
Although Star Trek Day on September 8th marks the official date, all of 2026 will see notable partnerships, new launches and memorable moments. The 60th anniversary celebrates "Space for Everybody," extending an open invitation to celebrate the future that Star Trek aspires to – a future of HOPE, a future of EXPLORATION and a future where we rise to the challenge to BE BOLD. And the just released LEGO set of The Next Generation Enterprise marks the first time Star Trek and LEGO have partnered up - a great way to kick off the year long celebrations.
Super Mario World
The first movie took over $1.3BN at the global box office and saw a raft of licensed products and partnerships. Expectations will be high for the sequel and with Nintendo riding high after the biggest console launch ever for the Switch 2 Mario is sure to be dominating the box office and retail in the spring.
Michael Jackson Biopic
Always a controversial figure Michael Jackson still has legions of loyal fans. It will be interesting to see what effect this biopic, being made in partnership with his estate, could potentially have on the IP. Could we see new interest and resurgence? Or have audiences decided that its best to move on?
Masters of the Universe
This big swing by Mattel and Amazon Studios looks to resurrect this iconic 1980s toy IP, tapping into the original fans, those recruited by the recent Netflix animation as well as newcomers, potentially brought in by the star-studded cast. Can He-Man ‘do a Barbie’?
FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever with 48 participating teams and matches played across 3 countries - Canada, Mexico and the US. The world’s biggest sport has never quite reached the same heights in the US, but could this be the year American finally falls in love with soccer?
Toy Story 5
Pixar’s original hit is back with its fifth installment, and already a licensing juggernaut, and with it having been 7 years since the last film there’s a whole new generation of kids to add to the ever-growing fandom.
Grand Theft Auto VI
The huge game series has sold over 460 million units, with the last game Grand Theft Auto V, selling over 200 million copies and becoming the fastest entertainment product to earn $1 billion in sales. The sixth installment has been delayed more than once and expectations are at fever pitch. The game has the potential to be the biggest entertainment launch of the year and to have all the accompanying partnerships and products to go along with that status.
Spider-Man Brand New Day/Avengers Doomsday
The MCU and TV projects have taken a bit of a beating since Avengers: Endgame in 2019 with fan reactions and box office performances not quite living up to expectations. One exception to this is Spider-Man, and so 2026 will be a big year for the MCU with both a brand new Spider-Man film, Brand New Day, in the summer and then a brand new Avenger movie, Doomsday, in December. The latter sees the return of Robert Downey Jr. in the new role of Dr Doom and the coming together of many of the new characters introduced since Endgame, such as The Fantastic Four as well as some returning favourites from pre-MCU movies like the X-Men series. So expect 2026 to be the year Marvel comes roaring back to rule the box office, and retailer shelves.