The 20 Most Anticipated Movies at TIFF 2026
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) returns for its 51st edition, running from 10–20 September 2026, with organisers describing this year's line-up as among the strongest in recent memory. Across the 11-day event, 427 films will screen citywide, including 98 premieres on opening day alone, spanning the festival's prestigious Galas and Special Presentations sections as well as regular programming.
Collider highlights 20 films it considers most anticipated, opening with Siân Heder's Being Heumann, a disability-rights biopic starring Ruth Madeley and Mark Ruffalo that serves as the festival's opener. Other notable entries include Mahershala Ali's hitman drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Anton Corbijn's Patricia Highsmith-inspired thriller A Talent for Murder with Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich, and Takashi Miike's Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo starring Shun Oguri and Lily James, continuing the franchise begun by Abel Ferrara and Werner Herzog.
In short
- TIFF's 51st edition runs 10–20 September 2026 with 427 films screening.
- Being Heumann, a Judy Heumann biopic, opens the festival.
- Notable premieres include films from Anton Corbijn and Takashi Miike.
Explained simply
The Toronto International Film Festival is an annual event where films are shown to audiences, often before their general release. Its programme includes premieres, films from established directors and work from emerging filmmakers; some screenings are grouped into high-profile sections called Galas and Special Presentations.
TIFF’s selections can bring films to the attention of audiences, critics and distributors, and may shape discussion during the awards season. The films highlighted here range from a biopic about disability rights activist Judy Heumann to thrillers and crime dramas, reflecting the variety of stories shown at the festival.