Best films released in the UK this month: February 2026

You might think that February would be a relatively slow time for film releases – but this year it's anything but in the UK. A huge variety of big new movies are making their way to cinemas throughout the month, with some real treats in store for film fans of all stripes.

The headline grabber is, without doubt, Wuthering Heights. Emily Brontë's iconic gothic novel has been adapted for the big screen on many previous occasions, of course, but with Saltburn director Emerald Fennell at the helm – and Charli xcx providing the soundtrack – this iteration looks like being something completely different.

There are also several films that have featured heavily in the ongoing awards season, including Brazilian drama The Secret Agent, which is the final film from the Oscars best picture line-up to arrive in the UK. Meanwhile, one of its competitors in the best international feature race, Sirât, also arrives at the end of the month.

One film that hasn't received too much love from awards bodies – but which deserves huge acclaim – is Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, a unique, fascinating and remarkably moving period musical about the titular founder of the Shakers.

Plus there's acclaimed British independent drama My Father's Shadow, Sam Raimi's first non-franchise feature in more than years years Send Help and Kristen Stewart's directorial debut The Chronology of Water. And that's barely scratching the surface – it really is a bumper month.

To help you pick out the highlights, we've put together a selection of some of the best films to watch this month – check out the video above or read on for our choices.

Best films released in the UK this month: February 2026

Send Help

Release date: Thursday 5th February in cinemas

Sam Raimi's first non-franchise film since the release of Drag Me to Hell back in 2009 is a tremendously entertaining desert island-set comedy-horror starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

McAdams plays Linda Liddle, a woman who is obsessed with reality TV show Survivor and is frequently belittled by her corporate boss (O'Brien) – until they both find themselves stranded after a dramatic plane crash and their dynamic resultantly flips on its head. Expect plenty of Raimi's trademark kinetic camerawork and bursts of gore.

100 Nights of Hero

Release date: Friday 6th February in cinemas

Maika Monroe, Emma Corrin and Nicholas Galitzine star in this charming and visually striking modern day fairytale from writer/director Julia Jackman, which reimagines the Eastern folktale One Thousand and One Nights through a queer, feminist lens.

It follows Cherry (Monroe) a newly-married woman whose neglectful husband – after making a bet – leaves her alone for 100 nights with his friend (Galitzine) to test her fidelity, only to find her forming a close bond with her loyal maid (Corrin).

The Chronology of Water

Release date: Friday 6th February in cinemas

Imogen Poots stars in Kristen Stewart's directorial debut, which is based on the memoir of competitive swimmer turned writer Lidia Yuknavitch.

The film deals with some very dark subject matter connected to Lidia's abusive childhood, with the synopsis revealing how it follows her as she "finds her voice through the written word and her salvation as a swimmer – ultimately becoming a triumphant teacher, mother and a singular modern writer".

Hamlet

Release date: Friday 6th February in cinemas

Riz Ahmed takes on the iconic role of Hamlet in this modern day reinterpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy, with Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha, Art Malik and Timothy Spall also starring.

The abridged version of the play keeps the Shakespearean verse in tact but filters the drama through a contemporary, British-Asian lens, with director Aneil Karia adding some interesting stylistic flourishes throughout.

My Father's Shadow

Release date: Friday 6th February in cinemas

This acclaimed, award-winning drama starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is the first feature by Akinola Davies Jr, and takes place during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.

The official synopsis teases: "Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city's magnitude and their father's daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home."

Wuthering Heights

Release date: Friday 13th February in cinemas

Emerald Fennell's much-discussed adaptation of the classic Emily Brontë novel stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, while the music will be provided by Charli xcx.

Of course, the plot itself will be familiar to most, following the doomed love that develops between that central pair. Just don't expect an adaptation that follows tradition – Fennell seems certain to shake things with this version.

Crime 101

Release date: Friday 13th February in cinemas

Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Barry Keoghan and Halle Berry star in this crime thriller from writer/director Bart Layton – his first film since American Animals in 2018.

Adapted from a short story by Don Winslow, the plot follows various interlocking characters, most notably a Los Angeles detective (Ruffalo) the elusive thief he is chasing (Hemsworth) and an insurance broker who gets caught in the middle of things (Berry).

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Release date: Friday 20th February in cinemas

Rose Byrne has won huge acclaim – and an Oscar nomination – for her leading turn in this heavy-hitting psychological drama from Mary Bronstein about the anxieties of motherhood.

The synopsis teases: "With her life crashing down around her, Linda tries to navigate her daughter's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist."

The Secret Agent

Release date: Friday 20th February in cinemas

This Oscar-nominated drama stars Wagner Moura (Civil War, Narcos) as a teacher who goes on the run after being caught up in the political turmoil of 1970 Brazil – seeking refuge in a community in his hometown of Recife while being targeted by assassins.

The film takes many fascinating narrative detours and perfectly captures the spirit of a very specific time and place, with stunning cinematography, a huge selection of standout scenes and plenty for the audience to chew on after the credits roll.

Wasteman

Release date: Friday 20th February in cinemas

David Jonsson and Tom Blyth star in the prison-set drama following a parolee (Jonsson) whose hopes of early release are put at risk by the unpredictable behaviour of his volatile new cellmate (Blyth).

Directed by Cal McMau – in his feature debut – and written by Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran, the film was inspired by footage that was shot on cell phones inside real UK prisons.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die

Release date: Friday 20th February in cinemas

Gore Verbinski's first film in nine years stars Sam Rockwell as a man who claims to be from the future and takes hostages at a Los Angeles diner in a bid to recruit unlikely heroes to help him save the world.

The supporting cast includes Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry and Juno Temple, among others.

The Moment

Release date: Friday 20th February in cinemas

This mockumentary follows pop icon Charli xcx as she gears up to lead her first headlining tour – with Alexander Skarsgård among the supporting stars.

Playing on the massive cultural phenomenon xcx created with the release of her album brat in 2024 – which famously kickstarted "brat summer" – the film also includes appearances from Rosanna Arquette and Jamie Demetriou, while Kylie Jenner, Rachel Sennott and Julia Fox all star as fictionalised versions of themselves.

The Testament of Ann Lee

Release date: Friday 27th February in cinemas

Amanda Seyfried delivers a career defining performance in this spectacular period musical about the life of Shaker founder Ann Lee – directed by Mona Fastvold from a script she co-wrote with Brady Corbet.

Incorporating several superb reworkings of Shaker hymns courtesy of Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg, it's a striking, truly original piece of work with plenty to say about spirituality, persecution and the power of communal experiences.

Sirât

Release date: Friday 27th February in cinemas

Spanish director Óliver Laxe has won rave reviews for this intense drama, which premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival and follows Luis, a father searching for his daughter in the Moroccan desert, five months after she went missing at a dance festival.

The synopsis teases: "As [Luis and his son Esteban] travel from party to party, they hear of a semi-mythical rave near the border of Mauritania. Descending into the scorched terrain as a not-so-distant global conflict encroaches, Luis and Esteban are soon drawn into a primal landscape in which they must walk a tightrope between heaven and hell."

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