Fans are finding plenty to celebrate in Anne Hathaway's 2026 film slate, from major sequels and literary thrillers to lavish historical epics. Here's how her new films compare for LGBTQ+ audiences, camp value and unmistakable sapphic energy.

Essential Takeaways

  • A packed year: Hathaway has five new films in the spotlight during 2026.
  • Big-name reunions: The Devil Wears Prada 2 brings her back alongside Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci.
  • Sapphic intrigue: Verity pairs Hathaway with Dakota Johnson in a glossy psychological thriller.
  • Epic scale: The Odyssey offers myth, spectacle and a formidable ensemble cast.
  • Queer-friendly appeal: Even the more conventional stories carry camp, romance or LGBTQ+ touches.

Hathaway's 2026 has something for every kind of fan

Anne Hathaway's appeal has always stretched well beyond a single genre. She can do polished princess comedy, awards-season melodrama, high-fashion satire and full-throttle musical theatre without losing the sense that she's having fun with the assignment.

That range is especially visible in 2026, when her new films move from mythological adventure to intimate psychological drama. Tom's Guide's overview of Hathaway's strongest work also underlines how comfortably she moves between mainstream favourites and more demanding performances. [3]

For queer viewers, that flexibility adds another layer. Hathaway's history as an LGBTQ+ ally, combined with films that have become part of queer pop culture, makes even a seemingly straight project feel worth a closer look.

5. The Odyssey brings mythological grandeur

At the more conventional end of the list sits The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's enormous take on Homer's ancient epic. Hathaway plays the mother of Zendaya's character's husband, placing her in a powerful family role within a famously tangled story of loyalty, desire and homecoming.

The film's appeal is largely visual and theatrical. Expect sea voyages, gods, monsters and the sort of grand-scale filmmaking that demands a cinema screen, even if reports have raised questions about the finished film's dialogue and additional recording. CinemaBlend described the project as a technical achievement while noting that its ADR was less convincing. [6]

Still, myth has always offered plenty of room for queer interpretation. Add a stacked cast, heightened emotion and some gloriously intense exchanges, and Hathaway's latest epic has more camp potential than its straight-faced marketing might suggest.

4. The End of Oak Street hides its queer warmth

The End of Oak Street appears, at first glance, to be a more traditional time-travelling drama. Yet its mix of family feeling, lost writing and dinosaur-era spectacle gives it a pleasantly oddball energy.

Hathaway's role as a protective mother creates a warm emotional centre, while the younger generation brings a queer romantic thread that gives the film extra tenderness. The Week's coverage of the project places it alongside other significant 2026 releases, helping position it as one of the year's more intriguing genre films. [7]

It sounds like the sort of film that could surprise viewers who arrive expecting a straightforward period or science-fiction story. Sometimes the most memorable queer detail isn't a dramatic declaration, but a first crush handled with genuine sweetness.

3. Verity offers stylish psychological tension

Verity is where the sapphic charge becomes much harder to ignore. Hathaway stars opposite Dakota Johnson in a psychological thriller about writers, secrets and a relationship that appears increasingly dangerous.

The pairing alone is irresistible: two performers with cool, watchable screen personas, placed in a story built around suspicion and buried desire. Its trailer has already drawn attention to an unsettlingly intimate kiss, suggesting that the film will use attraction as both emotional fuel and narrative misdirection.

The film is scheduled for cinema release on 2 October, making it one to watch for anyone seeking a stylish psychological thriller with a queer-friendly edge. In this case, the long-tail appeal is clear: Verity could become one of the best Anne Hathaway films of 2026 for viewers who like their romance tense, glossy and slightly alarming.

2. The Devil Wears Prada 2 serves fashion, nostalgia and Nigel

The return of Andy Sachs is reason enough for many viewers to book a ticket, but The Devil Wears Prada 2 has another major draw. Stanley Tucci's Nigel remains one of the original film's most beloved characters, bringing sharp tailoring, dry wit and an unmistakably glamorous presence back to Runway.

Hathaway's performance as Andy helped turn the first film into a lasting fashion and workplace classic. Two decades later, the sequel has the difficult task of satisfying nostalgia while giving its characters somewhere new to go. Who What Wear's coverage highlights the continuing fashion interest around the follow-up, which is hardly surprising given the original's influence on high-street wardrobes and office style. [5]

For queer audiences, Nigel is still central to the film's cultural sparkle. His return gives the sequel a familiar burst of camp sophistication, while Hathaway's Andy remains the audience's ideal entry point into that beautifully ruthless world.

1. Mother Mary is the year's boldest queer-adjacent turn

Mother Mary takes the top spot because it appears to offer Hathaway the most overtly stylised and musically charged role of the year. She plays a pop star in a story shaped by fame, image, performance and intense personal relationships.

The Lady Gaga comparison sets the tone: this isn't a quiet singer-songwriter drama, but a heightened world of costumes, ambition and emotional excess. The Guardian's review of the film focuses on Hathaway's central performance and the movie's larger artistic ambitions. [4]

That combination makes Mother Mary especially appealing to queer viewers. Pop stardom, spectacle and self-invention have long been part of queer cinema's emotional vocabulary, and Hathaway seems perfectly suited to a role that asks her to be glamorous, vulnerable and just a little bit dangerous.

Her 2026 line-up may cover several genres, but Mother Mary feels like the clearest expression of her camp, theatrical side. It has the biggest sense of occasion, the strongest pop-cultural potential and, perhaps, the most room for audiences to make the film their own.

Why Hathaway remains such a durable gay icon

The appeal isn't only about individual scenes or casting choices. Hathaway has built a career around transformation, moving from wide-eyed comedy to demanding dramas while maintaining a generous, openly supportive public persona.

That matters because queer audiences often connect with performers through a combination of work and solidarity. Hathaway's filmography includes projects that have become staples of queer viewing, while her public advocacy has strengthened that bond over time. Her older performances continue to circulate alongside new roles, giving each fresh project a ready-made audience.

The result is a 2026 filmography that feels unusually varied but still recognisably Hathaway. Whether you're there for couture, mythology, a dangerous kiss or a giant pop-star performance, there's plenty to enjoy.

It's a small miracle of scheduling: five films, several memorable pairings and enough drama to keep the group chat busy.

Explore the Hathaway release that best matches your taste for glamour, romance or glorious cinematic chaos.

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