The movie sequels have dominated the first quarter of 2026 at the box office. The first sequel to be released this year was Border 2. It was released in the last week of January and went on to collect ₹ 482 crore worldwide.
Thereafter, Mardaani 3 was released. It collected ₹ 75 crore worldwide and became the highest grosser of the Mardaani franchise. Next, The Kerala Story was released towards the end of February ’26. The film was made on a budget of ₹ 28 crore and was a hit. It collected ₹ 61 crore at the Indian box office.
The above-mentioned film sequels were successful but none came close to what Dhurandhar 2 has achieved. It was released on 19th March 2026 and went on to collect 1500 crore(so far) at the box office. And, is still running in theatres. It surpassed the success of the first film. Thereby, setting a new record for all the sequels that have been recently released.
Also, in comparison to the fresh films, sequels in the first quarter of 2026 have maintained a significant advantage at the box office.
These film trends strongly suggest that the sequel season is here. In fact, with many more sequels lined up for release, 2026 feels like Bollywood’s year for sequel cinema.
And, the trend only gets bigger, with several major sequels lined up for release in 2026:
Drishyam 3
Thus far, Vijay Salgaonkar has successfully saved his family from the police. It would be interesting to note whether he is able to escape this time. Or will his lies finally expose him and his family?
Release Date- October 2, 2026
Awarapan 2
Emraan Hashmi is seen reprising his previous role as Shivam Pandit. Disha Patani and Shabana Azam also star in the film. It is a romantic action- thriller, with themes of love, loss and redemption.
Release Date- August 2026
Cocktail 2
The entire star cast of the film has been changed. This one stars Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandana, and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. Like the theme of the previous film, this one too explores the challenges of modern, urban relationships. Will Cocktail 2 sustain the momentum of success in this Bollywood’s sequel era?
Release Date- June 19, 2026
Dhamaal 4
Indra Kumar’s comedy-riot is back with the fourth edition. The film includes Ajay Devgan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Jaaved Jaaferi, and Sanjay Mishra in prime roles.
Release Date-July 3, 2026
Welcome To The Jungle(Welcome3)
This is the third film of the OG Welcome franchise. While the second version did not have Akshay Kumar, this one does. Other stars in the film include Suneil Shetty and Disha Patani. It is an action comedy.
Release Date -June 26, 2026
And, although we are excited about the upcoming sequels, not all of them are guaranteed to succeed. When treated as cash cows based on the performance of the first film, they are bound to underperform. Weak storytelling, despite the same actors, concept or franchise, always backfires. As was the case with Raaz 3, Welcome Back, and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Doobara.