Hollywood loves a sure thing, but casting still trips it up every year. 2026 is here, but some of the biggest franchises on the planet are moving ahead without their most important piece: a face. Studios have announced directors, dates and even plot points in some cases. What they don’t have is the person you’ll be arguing about online for months. Kratos is missing. Bond is missing. Aragorn is missing. This list feels very risky. Or very confident. Or both.
God of War doesn’t have a Kratos
Amazon and Sony TV aren’t playing small with God of War. The show is already locked for two seasons, which tells you everything about confidence levels. Pre-production is rolling, monsters are being sized up, and the story is said to hop between Greek and Norse myths. It’s been a minute since the series’ announcement, but we still don’t know who will play the god-killing Kratos.
HBO’s Harry Potter series doesn’t have a Voldemort
Cillian Murphy laughed off the idea of playing Voldemort on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. So who else could take on the iconic role? Tilda Swinton’s name keeps popping up in forums as HBO’s Lord Voldemort, and you can see why. She already proved herself in the first Narnia film. Still, nothing’s locked. Production kicked off in summer 2025, with major roles already cast. Ralph Fiennes set the bar in the films. Whoever follows has a brutal job ahead.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum hasn’t found its Aragorn
Andy Serkis is back, but this time he is both behind and in front of the camera for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. It’s the same world, with all the familiar faces. Sir Ian McKellen teased Gandalf. Elijah Wood cheered from the sidelines. But who is Aragorn? Viggo Mortensen, now 66, didn’t fit a story set just before The Fellowship of the Ring. Knight Edge Media reports the studio wants younger boots on the ranger trail. They haven’t annnounced a replacement yet.
Who is returning for Heat 2?
Michael Mann, now 82, is back poking the vault on his 1995 classic, Heat. His follow-up pulls from the 2022 novel Heat 2, tracking the crew before and after the bullets flew. You’re getting Christian Bale, Adam Driver, Bradley Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio circling meaty parts, but the key roles are apparently still open. There are plenty of rumours, but not many official announcements yet.
Denis Villeneuve hasn’t announced his James Bond
It’s been a lengthy break since Daniel Craig clocked out of James Bond in 2021 after a 15-year run. With Denis Villeneuve busy finishing Dune: Part Three for 2026, there still hasn’t been any big casting announcements. You’ve seen the wish list: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, Tom Holland, Idris Elba, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, and James Norton. But insider Baz Bamigboye says the needle points to a lesser-known Brit. A 2027 reveal feels near, especially since we haven’t heard much about the film yet.
Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 doesn’t have a captain
Rumors keep circling a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie from Disney, and you can thank Jerry Bruckheimer for feeding them. In June 2025, the producer teased a mix of old crew and fresh blood, adding that Johnny Depp would return “if he likes the way the part’s written.”
Disney iced Depp after the Amber Heard court saga. With Depp easing back into projects, the treasure chest creaks open again… just enough for Jack Sparrow to return.
The Ocean’s Film doesn’t have a full cast yet
The Ocean’s crew is eyeing a comeback with more midlife mischief. Negotiations have Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper circling new roles, while Lee Isaac Chung calls the shots. Speaking to Variety, George Clooney promised he, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle return as an “older but wiser gang.” Scouting’s on for the other roles. But they’ll have to hurry. Cameras roll fall 2026.
All those Spider-Man spin-off films
Spider-Man has plenty more toys to sell in 2026. While other Marvel heroes nap between sequels, Peter Parker’s orbit keeps multiplying. Sony’s kicking around Spider-Punk, with Daniel Kaluuya starring and co-writing, which already sounds good. There’s also an animated Venom movie and a long-gestating Spider-Woman project, and Silk keeps popping up in studio chatter, too. We haven’t had any casting announcements about any of these projects yet. But that’s a lot of Spider-Man.
Who’s who in Scooby-Doo?
Fans are excited about Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo reboot. Set to roll cameras in 2026 with Greg Berlanti steering the Mystery Inc. van. We haven’t heard anything about the casting of Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred yet. The good news, however, is that the legendary Frank Welker is back to give the Great Dane his unmistakable voice. Scooby-Doo’s voice sorted.
Who are the MCU’s X-Men?
When asked about the X-Men in the MCU, Jake Schreier did the classic Marvel shuffle. “I can’t say anything about it, but we’ve started work on X-Men, and that’s obviously very, very exciting.” With a live-action X-Men movie rumored for 2028, you can expect casting news after Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Whether or not we’ll get a younger Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Wolverine remains to be seen – especially with Hugh Jackman still around.
Who is the new Doctor Who?
Doctor Who won’t leave you hanging for long. The Doctor returns on December 25, 2026, after Ncuti Gatwa, 32, bows out and regenerates into Billie Piper, 43, a move that broke the internet and a few group chats. Now fans are playing casting bingo. Erin Doherty, Aimee Lou Wood, even Matt Smith, 43, keep popping up online. Who will it be?
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