Christmas in the Philippines has plenty of traditions: family reunions, Noche Buena, endless Christmas songs, traffic, shopping—and of course, the Metro Manila Film Festival.
And for MMFF 2026, the lineup is already shaping up to be interesting.
We have Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto finally appearing together in one movie. Aga Muhlach is returning to the world of Miracle in Cell No. 7. Dennis Trillo and director Zig Dulay are teaming up again for another ambitious drama. And Regal Entertainment is bringing a star-studded horror movie featuring Maricel Soriano, John Arcilla, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith and more.
But here’s something important to know before looking at the list.
As of September 15, 2026, the complete MMFF 2026 lineup has not yet been announced.
Only the first four of the eight official entries have been confirmed. These movies were selected from script submissions, while another four entries will be chosen from completed films and are expected to be announced in October.
So for now, here are the confirmed MMFF 2026 official entries—and everything we know about them so far.
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MMFF 2026 Official Entries
The first four official entries are:
- 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 – Aga Muhlach, Jodi Sta. Maria and Xia Vigor; directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval
- Amir – Dennis Trillo, Argus Aspiras, Will Ashley and Glaiza de Castro; directed by Zig Dulay
- Haunted Carnival – Maricel Soriano, John Arcilla, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith and others; directed by Joey De Guzman
- The Greatest Showdown – Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto; directed by Jun Robles Lana
The films were officially announced during the MMFF 2026 kickoff at GH Mall in San Juan City on July 7.
Let’s take a closer look at each movie.
1. The Greatest Showdown
If we’re talking about sheer star power, The Greatest Showdown immediately stands out.
The movie brings together Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto for their first big-screen collaboration.
Think about that for a moment.
For years, Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto have been two of the most recognizable personalities associated with Philippine comedy, noontime television and the MMFF itself.
Vic Sotto has been a familiar face at the festival for decades through movies such as the Enteng Kabisote franchise and other family comedies.
Vice Ganda, meanwhile, has become one of the biggest box-office draws of the modern MMFF era.
Now they’re finally appearing in the same movie.
The Greatest Showdown is directed by Jun Robles Lana, who has also worked with Vice Ganda on previous MMFF projects.
It is being produced through a major collaboration involving ABS-CBN Studios, Star Cinema, The IdeaFirst Company, M-Zet Productions and APT Entertainment.
The project was officially introduced as a full-on comedy, with both stars emphasizing that the goal is to give audiences a fun Christmas movie.
That’s particularly interesting because fans spent years seeing Vice and Vic associated with competing noontime programs.
Now instead of being positioned as rivals, they’re joining forces.
And honestly, that alone gives The Greatest Showdown one of the easiest marketing hooks of MMFF 2026.
Who stars in The Greatest Showdown?
The confirmed headliners are Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto.
Additional cast members and complete character details are expected to become clearer as the movie moves closer to its December release.
The complete storyline also remains largely under wraps.
What has been made clear is that the project is being positioned as a major comedy event built around the historic pairing of Vice and Vic.
2. 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7
Another major MMFF 2026 entry is 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7.
And yes, Aga Muhlach is returning.
The original Philippine adaptation of Miracle in Cell No. 7 was released during MMFF 2019 and became the festival’s highest-grossing movie that year.
Aga played Joselito “Lito” Gopez, while Xia Vigor portrayed his young daughter Yesha.
If you’ve seen the first movie, you’re probably asking the obvious question:
How exactly can there be another Miracle in Cell No. 7 movie considering what happened to Lito?
That’s where things become interesting.
Writer Mel Mendoza-del Rosario has explained that 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 primarily explores events before the first movie while also containing elements that connect to what happens afterward. In other words, it isn’t simply a conventional sequel.
That allows Aga Muhlach to return as Lito while the filmmakers explore parts of his family story that audiences didn’t get to see in the original film.
Jodi Sta. Maria joins Aga Muhlach
One of the biggest updates about the movie came in September.
Jodi Sta. Maria has officially joined the cast as Angela, Lito’s wife and Yesha’s mother.
That role is especially important because Angela is central to the family’s history but wasn’t present for most of the story audiences saw in the original movie.
The project will also mark the first major movie pairing of Aga Muhlach and Jodi Sta. Maria.
Aga said Jodi was his personal choice for the role.
Xia Vigor is also returning as Yesha, while Joel Torre and Mon Confiado are among the returning actors announced for the project.
A younger actress is also expected to portray Yesha during the earlier part of the story.
Nuel Crisostomo Naval returns to direct, with Mel Mendoza-del Rosario writing the screenplay.
For viewers who loved the emotional father-daughter relationship at the heart of the 2019 movie, 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 could provide much more background on the Gopez family.
Just prepare yourself emotionally.
If the first movie made audiences cry, you can probably guess what kind of Christmas cinema experience Viva Films is preparing this time.
3. Amir
Then we have Amir, one of the more intriguing entries on the list.
The movie is produced by GMA Pictures, GMA Public Affairs and Brightburn Entertainment and is directed by Zig Dulay.
Dennis Trillo leads the film alongside young actor Argus Aspiras, with Will Ashley and Glaiza de Castro also part of the cast.
The screenplay comes from National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee and Anj Atienza, based on a story by Ian Simbulan.
That creative team alone should sound familiar to MMFF followers.
Zig Dulay previously directed Firefly, which became Best Picture at MMFF 2023, followed by Green Bones, which won Best Picture at MMFF 2024.
Dennis Trillo also starred in Green Bones.
Now they’re returning with Amir.
What is Amir about?
Unlike some of the other early MMFF entries, Amir already has a basic story description.
The movie centers on a young boy named Amir, played by Argus Aspiras, and his father Ali, played by Dennis Trillo.
When darkness threatens their village, father and son are forced into a struggle for survival that tests their relationship, faith and love for their family.
The promotional material has also hinted that Amir may possess an unusual or supernatural ability.
That places the movie somewhere between fantasy, family drama and survival story.
And judging from Zig Dulay’s recent movies, audiences can probably expect the fantasy elements to support a much more human story underneath.
We’ll have to wait for the full trailer to understand exactly where Amir is going.
But among the first four MMFF movies, this is probably the entry with the most mysterious premise so far.
4. Haunted Carnival
Of course, what’s an MMFF Christmas without at least one horror movie?
For 2026, one of the confirmed horror entries is Haunted Carnival from Regal Entertainment.
The film is directed by Joey De Guzman and already has a massive ensemble cast.
Among the announced stars are Maricel Soriano, John Arcilla, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith, RK Bagatsing and Ronnie Alonte.
Charlie Fleming and Prince Carlos were later confirmed as additional cast members.
The complete plot has not yet been publicly revealed in detail, so there isn’t much point trying to guess exactly what happens inside this particular carnival.
But the title already gives us a pretty good idea of the environment.
Carnivals naturally lend themselves to horror: dark rides, abandoned attractions, strange performers, mirrors, flashing lights and crowded spaces where something sinister can easily hide.
Regal also has a long history with Filipino horror through projects such as Shake, Rattle & Roll, so the studio is certainly familiar with Christmas-season scares.
What’s especially noticeable here is the cast.
You have veteran performers like Maricel Soriano and John Arcilla alongside younger stars including Julia Barretto, James Reid and Fyang Smith.
That combination could give Haunted Carnival broad appeal across several generations of moviegoers.
Four more MMFF 2026 entries are still coming
This is probably the most important part of the article if you’re looking for the complete MMFF 2026 lineup.
There are supposed to be eight official feature films.
Only four have been announced.
The remaining four will be selected from completed-film submissions rather than scripts and are scheduled to be revealed in October.
That means there could still be major stars, directors and surprise projects joining the festival.
This two-stage selection process has become familiar in recent MMFF editions.
The first batch allows producers whose scripts are selected to finish their movies in time for Christmas.
Later in the year, another group of filmmakers can submit movies that have already been completed.
Once the second announcement arrives, we’ll finally have all eight movies competing during MMFF 2026.
How were the first MMFF entries selected?
Being a big celebrity movie doesn’t automatically guarantee an MMFF slot.
According to organizers, the selection process considers several factors.
For the first batch, the criteria include technical and creative merit, commercial viability, international or global appeal, and the incorporation of Filipino values.
That helps explain why the initial lineup contains very different kinds of movies.
The Greatest Showdown represents mainstream comedy.
2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 brings emotional family drama.
Amir offers fantasy and dramatic storytelling.
Haunted Carnival covers horror.
Even with only half the lineup announced, the festival already has quite a variety of genres.
How many MMFF 2026 movies will there be?
There will be eight official feature-film entries in the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival.
Four were announced on July 7.
Another four are expected to be announced in October.
We’ll update the lineup once those films become official.
When does MMFF 2026 start?
MMFF 2026 begins on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026.
The announced festival period runs until January 7, 2027, giving audiences two weeks to watch the competing Filipino films in cinemas.
Traditionally, Christmas Day is one of the biggest cinema-going dates in the Philippines, with families heading to theaters after reunions, lunches and holiday celebrations.
That makes MMFF one of the rare film festivals where commercial competition becomes almost as closely watched as the actual awards.
You’ll hear discussions about which movie has the longest lines, which entry is adding cinemas and which films are attracting audiences as soon as December 25 arrives.
MMFF 2026 movie tickets will be capped at ₱299
Here’s another major change for the 2026 festival.
Regular cinema tickets for MMFF movies will have a maximum price of ₱299 during the festival period.
MMDA Chairperson and MMFF overall chair Romando Artes announced the agreement with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines during the July kickoff.
And ₱299 is only the ceiling.
Some cinemas, particularly outside Metro Manila, may charge less depending on arrangements between theater operators and producers.
This is a significant move considering concerns in recent years about rising cinema ticket prices.
For families watching several MMFF entries together, ticket costs can quickly become expensive.
A lower ceiling could make it easier for audiences to watch more than one movie throughout the festival.
MMFF 2026 is expanding outside Metro Manila
Despite the name “Metro Manila Film Festival,” the event continues to become more national.
San Juan City and Mandaluyong City are among the main hosts for MMFF 2026 festivities.
But this year also brings something new.
Bacolod City is joining as an official host location for festival activities, the first time MMFF is staging this kind of simultaneous expansion into a provincial city.
Bacolod is scheduled to host an MMFF parade and roadshow on December 11.
Another Parade of Stars involving Mandaluyong and San Juan is planned for December 19, with the route expected to begin in Mandaluyong and end around the Pinaglabanan Shrine area in San Juan.
These dates may still be subject to final organizational announcements, so we’ll keep an eye on any changes closer to December.
Which MMFF 2026 movie could be the biggest at the box office?
It’s much too early to know.
For one thing, we’ve only seen half the lineup.
The four finished-film entries coming in October could completely change the competition.
But the first batch already contains several movies with obvious audience appeal.
The Greatest Showdown has perhaps the easiest headline: Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto together for the first time.
That’s two established Christmas box-office names sharing one movie.
2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 benefits from recognition of its 2019 predecessor and the return of Aga Muhlach, plus the addition of Jodi Sta. Maria.
Amir has the creative team behind some of the most acclaimed recent MMFF films.
And Haunted Carnival offers the reliable Christmas horror formula with a large cast representing different generations of Philippine entertainment.
But box-office performance isn’t decided by star power alone.
Reviews, word of mouth, cinema allocation, audience reactions and the strength of the remaining four entries will all matter once the festival actually starts.
What about the MMFF 2026 awards?
The Gabi ng Parangal will once again recognize performances, filmmaking and technical achievements from the official entries.
Major categories traditionally include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, supporting performances, screenplay, cinematography, editing, production design and other technical awards.
The exact 2026 awards-night venue and complete schedule were still being finalized when the first batch of movies was announced.
So we’ll have to wait for another official announcement for those details.
There’s also a student short film competition
MMFF 2026 isn’t limited entirely to the eight mainstream feature films.
Organizers are also bringing back the student short film competition, which is open to high school and college students from around the Philippines.
Selected student films are expected to be screened alongside official MMFF entries, providing young filmmakers with exposure to a much larger audience.
The initiative is being supported by organizations including the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Film Academy of the Philippines.
It’s a smaller part of the festival compared with the celebrity-heavy feature-film competition, but it’s an important opportunity for aspiring Filipino filmmakers.
MMFF 2026 so far: something for almost everyone
What’s noticeable about the MMFF 2026 lineup so far is how different the first four movies are.
Want comedy?
You have Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto.
Want a family drama that could leave the cinema audience crying?
There’s 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7.
Want something more fantasy-driven and mysterious?
There’s Amir.
Prefer horror during Christmas?
Haunted Carnival has that covered.
And we haven’t even reached the second batch yet.
That’s what makes the next announcement interesting.
Four more movies are still coming in October, and those entries will determine whether MMFF 2026 becomes one of the more competitive lineups we’ve seen in recent years.
MMFF 2026 Quick Guide
| MMFF 2026 Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Edition | 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival |
| Number of official entries | 8 |
| Confirmed entries as of Sept. 15 | 4 |
| Remaining entries | 4 |
| Final four announcement | Expected October 2026 |
| Festival opening | December 25, 2026 |
| Festival end | January 7, 2027 |
| Maximum regular ticket price | ₱299 |
| Host cities/areas | San Juan, Mandaluyong and Bacolod |
| Bacolod MMFF activities | December 11, 2026 |
| Metro Manila Parade of Stars | Planned for December 19, 2026 |
Final thoughts
We’re still several months away from Christmas, but MMFF 2026 already looks very different from a typical lineup.
The biggest headline is obviously The Greatest Showdown, simply because seeing Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto together has been talked about for years.
But the other entries shouldn’t be overlooked.
Aga Muhlach returning as Lito in 2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7 gives audiences another chapter connected to one of the biggest Filipino movies of MMFF 2019.
Zig Dulay and Dennis Trillo returning with Amir gives the festival an entry coming from filmmakers who have enjoyed an impressive recent MMFF run.
And Haunted Carnival gives Filipino horror fans a big ensemble movie from Regal Entertainment.
But remember: this is only half the story.
Four more official entries are still coming.
Once those movies are announced in October, we’ll finally see the complete MMFF 2026 lineup—and that’s when the real Christmas movie battle begins.
For now, mark December 25 on your calendar.
MMFF season is coming again.
