Christopher Nolan Classics And More Storm Back Into Theaters This January

Regal is kicking off January 2026 with a month-long throwback series that actually has a fun angle: origin stories and big firsts. Think early hits, franchise starters, and debut features that launched some very famous careers. And yes, they priced it like a New Year special — tickets are $7.99, with advance sales already live.

What Regal is doing and why it kind of rules

The program is called 'Back to the Beginning,' and it runs one film a day through all 31 days of January. The theme is exactly what it sounds like: famous firsts, early franchise chapters, and directors planting their first flag. If you want to see where people like Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, Rian Johnson, Tim Burton, and Quentin Tarantino started, this covers that in one neat package. Also in the mix: day-one superhero plays, fantasy epics, sci-fi game-changers, and a final stretch of mob stories.

'Repertory films in the Back to the Beginning program introduce iconic characters from widely popular movie franchises and represent the early creative vision of some internationally acclaimed filmmakers. From action flicks to heroic tales to fantasy epics to gritty crime dramas, the Beginning series brings what were once unknown adventures and unfamiliar creators back to the big screen.'

- Brooks LeBoeuf, Senior Vice President of US Content at Regal

The full January 2026 lineup (by week/theme)

• Week 1: Heroes Assemble
  Jan 1: John Wick (2014)
  Jan 2: Spider-Man (2002)
  Jan 3: Batman Begins (2005)
  Jan 4: Superman (1978)
  Jan 5: Ghostbusters (1984)
  Jan 6: Mission: Impossible (1996)
  Jan 7: Conan the Barbarian (1982)
• Week 2: There and Back Again
  Jan 8: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
  Jan 9: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
  Jan 10: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
  Jan 11: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
  Jan 12: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  Jan 13: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
  Jan 14: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
• Week 3: From the Director's Chair - Day One
  Jan 15: Brick (2005)
  Jan 16: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
  Jan 17: Following (1998)
  Jan 18: The Sugarland Express (1974)
  Jan 19: Get Out (2017)
  Jan 20: Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
  Jan 21: Lady Bird (2017)
• Week 4: Words in Chaos
  Jan 22: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
  Jan 23: Gladiator (2000)
  Jan 24: Dune (2021)
  Jan 25: The Matrix (1999)
  Jan 26: A Quiet Place (2018)
  Jan 27: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
  Jan 28: Blade Runner: The Final Cut (listed as 1982)
• Week 5: Rise of the Mob
  Jan 20: The Many Saints of Newark (2021) — listed here, but this date conflicts with Week 3; this almost certainly means Jan 29
  Jan 30: Mean Streets (1973)
  Jan 31: The Godfather Part II (1974)

Notes, quirks, and the fun stuff

- The series really leans into 'beginnings': Nolan's micro-budget debut 'Following' is in there, along with first features from Tarantino ('Reservoir Dogs'), Spielberg ('The Sugarland Express'), Rian Johnson ('Brick'), Jordan Peele ('Get Out'), Tim Burton ('Pee Wee's Big Adventure'), and Greta Gerwig ('Lady Bird').

- That Week 4 title 'Words in Chaos' looks like it should be 'Worlds in Chaos' given the lineup (Dune, The Matrix, Blade Runner, etc.). But, yes, 'Words' is how it was presented.

- One scheduling hiccup: 'The Many Saints of Newark' is listed for Jan 20, which is already used by 'Pee Wee's Big Adventure.' Based on the final-week pattern, it likely belongs on Jan 29.

Tickets are $7.99 for each screening, and advance tickets are on sale now at Regal. If you want to start the year by revisiting some all-timers (or catching a few you missed on the big screen), this is a pretty easy yes.