The full lineup for this year’s Manchester Film Festival (MFF) is now out, with some well-known names and hotly anticipated projects set to be screened this year.
MMF 2026 looks to be one of the most extensive and exciting projects yet; spread across multiple venues once again, we can’t wait for the city go full-on cinephile.
With 52 feature films on the roster, including nine UK debuts and eight fully-fledged world premieres, this is going to be well and truly blockbuster – pun intended.
Yeah, Cannes, Venice and Toronto are cool, but having one right on your doorstep is way better.
The MFF26 programme is LIVE!
Featuring some of the best and boldest new cinema from the UK and around the world, book your tickets now to Manchester's biggest celebration of cinema https://t.co/6eRXJpkwmvpic.twitter.com/arIVqxl51k
Returning this coming March and spread over the course of 11 days, the latest edition of Manchester Film Festival is the biggest the city centre has seen to date.
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Featuring everything from locally made short films from Greater Manchester and the wider North West, to bigger but still ‘small’ budget independent movies, there’s something for everyone.
Obviously, indie flicks are the lifeblood of this event, but there’s still plenty of A-listers connected to MFF26. For instance…
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Actors featured this year:
Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling, Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett (Father Mother Sister Brother)
Angelina Jolie (Couture)
Callum Turner and George Mackay (Rose of Nevada)
Charli XCX (Erupcja)
Jason Isaacs (Honey Bunch)
Josh O’Connor (Rebuilding)
Kit Connor (One of Us)
Mads Mikkelsen (The Last Viking)
Tom Hardy (Rhino)
It remains to be seen how many of these famous faces will be in attendance, but the annual film fest always manages to secure a few.
For instance, with Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) bringing his directorial debut, Psychopomp, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see Jon Snow in the flesh.
As you can see, the 2026 edition is being hosted across five different central and varied locations, including big screen cinemas like Odeon, as well as HOME on First Street and even the home of Factory International, Aviva Studios.
Speaking ahead of the start date, festival director Neil Jeram-Croft said: “We are incredibly proud to present the programme for the 12th edition of Manchester Film Festival, which marks our biggest and most ambitious year to date.
“This year’s line-up brings together an exceptional range of films and filmmakers, with screenings taking place across more venues than ever before, reflecting both the growth of the festival and the appetite for independent cinema in the city.
“We are especially looking forward to welcoming filmmakers from across the UK and internationally, as well as welcoming back our brilliant volunteers, whose support is vital to bringing the festival to life.
“We can’t wait to welcome audiences this March for ten days of powerful storytelling, standout premieres and inspiring conversations.”
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Once again, the BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festival and its accompanying awards ceremony will take place between 19 and 29 March 2026; early bird passes have already sold out, but you can grab your general admission tickets right HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Manchester Film Festival)
Art & Culture
A special UK exclusive screening of the new Star Wars movie is taking place here in Manchester
Danny Jones
Calling all die-hard Star Wars fans across the galaxy (or at least here in Britain, anyway), a special screening of the franchise’s newest film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is coming exclusively to a Manchester cinema.
Even better still, it’s the only place in the UK that will be showing it. So damn cool.
The new spin-off set to land in theatres this month is the latest addition to the Star Wars cinematic universe and expands the hit Mandalorian TV series.
Most exciting regarding its domestic release here in the likes of Manchester, the VUE cinema in the Printworks is the only place putting on the IMAX version of the new movie.
Made specifically for IMAX, this is the first Star Wars film shot for and using fully IMAX-certified digital cameras and designed specifically for the experience.
The Mandalorian and Grogu – which is set to drop later this week – features 53 minutes presented in Printworks Manchester’s towering IMAX 1.43:1 aspect ratio.
Aimed to maximise screen size, deliver the most high-end visuals as possible, and further help with overall immersion, there really is nothing quite like it.
If you’ve ever seen a film in IMAX, you’ll know just how much extra enjoyment it brings.
With the Printworks branch selected as the UK’s exclusive destination for the film’s expanded 1.43:1 IMAX presentation, Greater Manchester are in for an absolute treat.
You can see the most recent trailer down below.
Let’s just say it’s received ‘mixed’ reviews, so far…
To celebrate launch day even further, VUE Printworks will also be hosting a limited one-off early morning screening at 6am, giving the most dedicated fans a chance to be among the first audiences in the country to see Din Djarin and Grogu make their big screen debut.
If anything, the seemingly divisive early reactions to the full feature film expansion of the ‘Mando’ lore have kind of made us want to watch it even more.
As always with these things, we’d encourage you to go along and make your own mind up, but we’ll be honest: our heavy Star Wars obsession will most likely make us biased to love this almost unconditionally. Tickets are live now right HERE.
Will you be going to see it?
Just over 2 hours, The Mandalorian and Grogu film hits streaming later this year. (Credit: The Manc)
Erling Haaland is set to make his acting debut later this year
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Erling Haaland is set to make his debut film appearance later this year in his first proper voice acting job as part of an animated movie.
Let’s just say our obsessive countdown until the release date starts NOW.
The Premier League player and sporting superstar has obviously featured on camera plenty since bursting onto the scene – not least of all for his own YouTube channel – but this will be new territory for the Norwegian.
Rather fittingly for the Scandinavian striker, he’s not only playing a Viking character in the upcoming animation, ViQueens, but he’s also basically set to play a version of himself.
Soccer Superstar Erling Haaland to Play Animated Viking in Film Debut (Exclusive) https://t.co/r6uxxOClJI
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the new film by fellow compatriot and director, Harald Zwart, who is best known for the likes of Agent Cody Banks, the 2010 Karate Kid reboot, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
He also directed comedian Steve Martin’s second outing as The Pink Panther, so it’s safe to say he’s got a funny bone or two.
That being said, it feels like the 25-year-old will be able to have some fun with this script, in which he is set to play a Viking of the same name – because of course he is.
While it’s still yet to be revealed as to just how big a role he will have in the feature film set to arrive this winter, what we know so far is that the film is an action-comedy adventure revolving around a “world of fearless warrior girls, icy fjords, and Silk Road mythology.”
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t even the first time we’ve seen a cartoon version of Erling Haaland brought to life, as he also popped up in the world of gaming a little while back.
The career of a top footballer really can be a crazy one, can’t it?
Speaking on the film, director and co-writer Zwart told the outlet: “As a Norwegian storyteller making a Viking adventure for a global audience, having Erling Haaland join ViQueens feels incredibly exciting.
“Erling has already become a kind of real-life Viking icon around the world – powerful, fearless, and uniquely Norwegian. Bringing him into this universe as himself gives the film an unexpected energy and authenticity that felt completely right for this story.”
Other famous faces set to star in the animation, which is set to release this December, include singer-turned-actor Rita Ora and Ella Purnell (Fallout, Arcane, Sweetpea), who are starring as the two lead characters and voice actors.
Danny Jones -
29th January 2026 
