The holiday movie season starts early this year. If you are searching for November 2026 movie release dates, this guide lays out every major wide release heading to U.S. theaters, from Warner Bros.' animated The Cat in the Hat on November 6 to Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping on November 20, plus the Thanksgiving-week options. Bookmark it to plan family outings, date nights and that big Thanksgiving weekend trip to the multiplex.
Key Takeaways
- Nov 6 is the busiest weekend: The Cat in the Hat, Godzilla Minus Zero, Wild Horse Nine, Drummer Boy and Ramayana: Rise of a Legend all open.
- Nov 20 brings the month's biggest tentpole, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
- Nov 25 (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) is the traditional holiday-weekend launch slot.
- Release dates can move. Always confirm with your local theater or ticketing app before buying.
November 2026 Movie Release Dates at a Glance
The table below is compiled from the Box Office Mojo domestic release schedule, the Cinema United release calendar and Fandango's coming-soon list.
| Date | Movie | Distributor | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 6 | The Cat in the Hat | Warner Bros. | Animated family comedy |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Godzilla Minus Zero | GKIDS | Sci-fi monster drama |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Wild Horse Nine | Searchlight Pictures | Crime comedy-thriller |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Drummer Boy | Angel | Family musical |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Ramayana: Rise of a Legend | Sony Pictures Releasing | Mythological epic |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Being Heumann (limited) | Apple Original Films | Biographical drama |
| Wed, Nov 11 | Ghost Soldier | Sony | Drama |
| Fri, Nov 13 | How to Rob a Bank | See local listings | Heist thriller |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol | See local listings | Holiday drama |
| Fri, Nov 20 | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping | Lionsgate | Dystopian action |
| Fri, Nov 20 | I Play Rocky | See local listings | Biographical drama |
| Wed, Nov 25 | Hexed | See local listings | Animated family |
| Wed, Nov 25 | Focker-In-Law | See local listings | Comedy |
November 6: The Biggest Opening Weekend of the Month
The Cat in the Hat
Dr. Seuss's mischievous feline gets his first animated theatrical feature, and it is Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's first full-length feature film. Bill Hader voices the Cat, who takes on his toughest assignment yet for the I.I.I.I. (the Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC): cheering up siblings Gabby and Sebastian, who are struggling after a move to a new town. The voice cast also includes Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Xochitl Gomez, Giancarlo Esposito and America Ferrera. Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni direct. It opens in theaters and IMAX across North America on November 6, which makes it the clear family pick of early November.
Godzilla Minus Zero
Monster-movie fans have been counting down to this one. Box Office Mojo lists Godzilla Minus Zero as a wide release from GKIDS on November 6, with a cast that includes Minami Hamabe and Ryûnosuke Kamiki. It follows the Japanese Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One, which became a breakout hit with American audiences in 2023.
Wild Horse Nine
For grown-ups, Searchlight Pictures' Wild Horse Nine brings an ensemble cast including John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Tom Waits. Box Office Mojo classifies it as an action-comedy crime thriller, opening wide on November 6.
Drummer Boy and Ramayana: Rise of a Legend
Angel's PG-13 family musical Drummer Boy also opens wide, as does Sony's Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, a large-scale mythological epic starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi. Note that the Ramayana film runs about 3 hours and 15 minutes, so plan your showtime accordingly.
Being Heumann (Limited)
Apple Original Films opens Being Heumann in limited release. Box Office Mojo lists Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O'Brien in the cast. It is one to watch as awards season heats up.
November 11–13: Veterans Day and a Mid-Month Mix
Sony's Ghost Soldier (rated PG-13, per Cinema United) arrives on Wednesday, November 11, which is Veterans Day. Two days later, the heist thriller How to Rob a Bank and the holiday-themed Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol join the lineup, giving audiences an early taste of Christmas-season storytelling.
November 20: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
The month's biggest event film is Lionsgate's adaptation of Suzanne Collins's 2025 novel. According to the official film website, it follows a young Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, beginning on the morning of the reaping for the Fiftieth Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell. Francis Lawrence, who directed four previous films in the franchise, returns to direct.
The ensemble includes Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Wikipedia lists the running time at 158 minutes, so this is a long sit. Expect heavy demand for opening-weekend premium-format seats; buying tickets early is a smart move.
Hunger Games Watch Order: Catch Up Before November 20
Sunrise on the Reaping is the sixth film in the series and, per Wikipedia, serves as both a sequel to The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and a prequel to the original The Hunger Games. You can watch in release order or story order:
| Story Order | Film | Original Release |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes | 2023 |
| 2 | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping | Nov 20, 2026 |
| 3 | The Hunger Games | 2012 |
| 4 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | 2013 |
| 5 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 | 2014 |
| 6 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 | 2015 |
If you only have time for one refresher, rewatch Catching Fire. It features the Third Quarter Quell and an adult Haymitch, which gives useful context for the Second Quarter Quell that Sunrise on the Reaping depicts. Fans who read Suzanne Collins's 2025 novel will already know the broad strokes of Haymitch's story.
Also opening November 20 is I Play Rocky, giving audiences a non-franchise alternative on the same weekend.
Thanksgiving Week: November 25
Hollywood traditionally opens family-friendly films on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to capture the five-day holiday weekend. This year, the animated Hexed and the comedy Focker-In-Law are both slated for November 25. Thanksgiving falls on November 26, 2026.
Background on the Big Family Releases
The Cat in the Hat: From 1957 Book to 2026 Animation
The new film is loosely based on Dr. Seuss's 1957 children's book and, according to Wikipedia, is the second feature-length adaptation after the 2003 live-action movie. Warner Bros. picked up the rights to the book in January 2018. The siblings in the new version are reimagined: Gabby (voiced by Xochitl Gomez) is based on Sally from the book, and her younger brother Sebastian (Tiago Martinez) is based on the book's unnamed narrator. Matt Berry voices Waffles, the family's talking pet fish. The listed running time is 107 minutes, and music is by Lorne Balfe.
Godzilla Minus Zero: Why Fans Are Excited
The film follows 2023's Godzilla Minus One, which became a surprise hit in U.S. theaters and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Box Office Mojo lists returning cast members Minami Hamabe and Ryûnosuke Kamiki for Minus Zero, with a running time of 2 hours 15 minutes. If you missed the first film, it is worth watching beforehand.
Family-Friendly vs. Grown-Up Picks This November
| Best For | Movies |
|---|---|
| Young kids | The Cat in the Hat (Nov 6), Hexed (Nov 25) |
| Families with tweens/teens | Drummer Boy (Nov 6, PG-13), Ghost Soldier (Nov 11, PG-13) |
| Franchise fans | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (Nov 20), Godzilla Minus Zero (Nov 6) |
| Adults and date night | Wild Horse Nine (Nov 6), How to Rob a Bank (Nov 13), Focker-In-Law (Nov 25) |
| Awards watchers | Being Heumann (Nov 6, limited) |
Ratings for several titles had not been widely published at the time of writing, so check the MPA rating on your ticketing app before booking for kids.
Key November 2026 Calendar Dates for Moviegoers
Holidays shape when crowds show up. Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, November 11, a day off for many federal workers and some schools, which is why Ghost Soldier opens midweek. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, and Black Friday follows on November 27, so the five days from Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29 are typically among the busiest of the year at U.S. theaters. If you want a quieter screening of a Thanksgiving release, the first Monday or Tuesday after the holiday weekend is usually your best bet. Families planning to see Sunrise on the Reaping over Thanksgiving should book seats well in advance, since it will be in its second weekend by then and is likely to remain popular.
How to Choose What to See
- Pick by format. The Cat in the Hat is opening in IMAX, and spectacle-driven films like Godzilla Minus Zero and The Hunger Games benefit most from premium screens.
- Pick by time commitment. Ramayana runs about 3 hours 15 minutes and Sunrise on the Reaping about 158 minutes, while The Cat in the Hat is under two hours.
- Pick by crowd tolerance. Opening weekends for tentpoles are busiest; a Tuesday or Wednesday show a week later is usually calmer.
Why November Matters for Hollywood
November sits at the crossroads of two of Hollywood's most important stretches. It kicks off the holiday corridor that runs through New Year's, when schools let out and families have more time for the movies. It is also when studios start positioning prestige titles for awards season, which is why limited releases such as Being Heumann open quietly in select cities before expanding. For moviegoers, that means a rare mix: big franchise spectacles, kid-friendly animation and smaller adult dramas all playing at the same time. If you prefer quieter screenings, aim for weekday matinees during the first two weeks of the month, before the Thanksgiving crowds arrive.
Tips for Planning Your November Movie Trips
- Book tentpoles early. Reserved-seat IMAX and premium large-format screenings for The Hunger Games are likely to fill fast on opening weekend.
- Use weekday discounts. Many U.S. chains offer cheaper tickets on Tuesdays.
- Check runtimes. Several November films run well over two hours, which matters for kids and late shows.
- Watch for date changes. Studios sometimes shift holiday releases; confirm before you go.
Still in Halloween mode? See our roundup of new horror to stream this month, then keep up with Hollywood in our Entertainment section and the latest Trending News.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping come out?
It opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, November 20, 2026, from Lionsgate.
What is the release date for the animated Cat in the Hat movie?
Warner Bros.' The Cat in the Hat opens in theaters and IMAX across North America on November 6, 2026.
Which November 2026 movies are good for kids?
The Cat in the Hat (Nov 6), Drummer Boy (Nov 6) and Hexed (Nov 25) are aimed at family audiences. Check each film's MPA rating before you go.
What movies open on Thanksgiving weekend 2026?
Hexed and Focker-In-Law are scheduled for Wednesday, November 25, the day before Thanksgiving.
When does Godzilla Minus Zero come out in the U.S.?
Godzilla Minus Zero is scheduled for wide U.S. release from GKIDS on November 6, 2026.
Do I need to see the other Hunger Games movies first?
Not strictly, but it helps. Sunrise on the Reaping is set 24 years before the original film, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) and Catching Fire (2013) provide the most useful background.
How long is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping?
Wikipedia lists the running time as 158 minutes, about 2 hours 38 minutes.
Is Godzilla Minus Zero a sequel to Godzilla Minus One?
It is widely billed as the follow-up to the 2023 Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, with Minami Hamabe and Ryûnosuke Kamiki listed among the cast.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, Cinema United, Fandango, Warner Bros., AP Fall Movie Guide. Release dates are subject to change.
Editor at Trend Ranker covering US trends, tech, travel and deals. We research from primary sources (official sites, press releases, data) and update posts when facts change. Editorial policy