While 2026 is expected to be packed with big Marvel and Disney blockbusters, January is already pulling its weight with a strong line-up.
From zombie cults, survival horror and a farewell film that fans have been emotionally preparing for, here’s what’s coming to cinemas this January.
1. ‘Unexpected Family’ (Jan 8)
You’ve seen Jackie Chan leap off buildings and outrun explosions, but in this Mandarin-language drama, he swaps action for something tender.
The story follows young drifter Zhong Bufan (Peng Yuchang), who leaves his hometown to start a new life in Wuhan.
Chan stars as Ren Jiqing, an elderly landlord living with Alzheimer’s, who mistakenly believes Zhong is his long-lost son.
What begins as a misunderstanding slowly turns into an improvised family, joined by an eccentric mix of neighbours, including a property agent and a health supplement salesperson.
Through a series of humorous moments, they form genuine connections, and Zhong eventually uncovers a long-hidden secret the old man has kept for years.
2. ‘Jana Nayagan’ (Jan 9)
For fans, this isn’t just another release, it’s a farewell.
Translating to “People’s Hero”, “Jana Nayagan” marks popular actor Vijay’s 69th and final film before his full-time transition into politics.
Directed by H Vinoth, with music by Anirudh Ravichander, the political action thriller stars Vijay alongside Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol, with support from Mamitha Baiju and Gautham Vasudev Menon.
While plot details remain under wraps, a first-look glimpse confirmed Vijay plays a police officer, with Deol reportedly portraying the main antagonist.
3. ‘Parasakthi’ (Jan 10)
Borrowing its name from the iconic 1952 classic that launched Sivaji Ganesan’s legendary career, “Parasakthi” reclaims the title for a new generation.
Directed by Sudha Kongara, the Tamil period drama stars Sivakarthikeyan as a student activist during the 1965 Anti-Hindi Imposition Movement, a defining chapter in Tamil Nadu’s history.
The film explores political turmoil and the fight for Tamil identity through the eyes of a revolutionary student, with a strong supporting cast including Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa and Sreeleela, who makes her Tamil debut.
4. ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ (Jan 15)
No movie line-up feels complete without a sequel.
The fourth instalment in the “28 Days Later” franchise delves deeper into the aftermath of the Rage virus that devastated London in the 2002 original.
Directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Alex Garland, the film was shot back-to-back with its predecessor, “28 Years Later” (2025).
Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr Ian Kelson, a former GP obsessed with memorialising epidemic victims, who uncovers a discovery with potentially world-altering consequences.
Meanwhile, a teenager named Spike becomes ensnared by a cannibalistic cult led by the disturbingly charismatic Jimmy Crystal, a man who worships the virus as divine.
Dark, intense and unsettling, this one is not for the faint-hearted.
5. ‘Primate’ (Jan 22)
Yes, it’s a chimpanzee movie, but no, it’s not THAT franchise.
Directed by Johannes Roberts and distributed by Paramount Pictures, “Primate” stars Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander and Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur.
The story centres on Lucy, a college student who returns to her family home in Hawaii and reconnects with their beloved pet chimpanzee, Ben.
Things take a sharp turn when Ben is bitten by a rabid animal and transforms into a violent predator during an unsupervised pool party.
Trapped and barricaded, Lucy and her friends must outthink the increasingly feral chimp to survive the night.
Fun fact: Kotsur, who is deaf in real life, also plays Lucy’s deaf father in the film.
6. ‘Mercy’ (Jan 29)
Artificial intelligence is no longer just science fiction. “Mercy” turns that reality into a tense, high-stakes thriller.
Starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, the film is set in the near future where capital crime has surged.
Detective Chris Raven (Pratt) finds himself accused of murdering his wife, and his judge? It’s an advanced AI system called Mercy Capital Court, the very one he helped design.
With only 90 minutes to prove his innocence before immediate execution, “Mercy” is a timely, gripping and unsettling thriller that taps straight into society’s modern fears about AI.
7. ‘Send Help’ (Jan 29)
Starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, “Send Help” follows two colleagues – Linda Liddle and Bradley Preston – who survive a plane crash and find themselves stranded on a deserted island.
Forced to rely on each other, they must navigate old workplace tensions while figuring out how to stay alive.
Described as a horror-comedy adventure, the film flips power dynamics on its head, with the female employee emerging as the true survival expert while her overbearing boss struggles to adapt.