10 Upcoming Malayalam Thriller Releases That Fans Are Eagerly Awaiting

Dridam, starring Shane Nigam, is an investigative crime thriller directed by debutant Martin Joseph. The film is jointly written by Jomon John and Linto Devasia. Alongside Shane Nigam, the film features Shobi Thilakan, Krishna Praba, Dinesh Prabhakar, Kottayam Ramesh, and Bitto Davis in key roles. On the technical front, the film has cinematography by P. M. Unnikrishnan, editing by Vinayakh, music composed by Sreerag Saji, and action choreography by Mahesh Mathew. Produced by Mukesh R Mehta and C. V. Sarathi under the banner of E4 Entertainment, Dridam is set to hit theatres on May 8, 2026.

Antony Varghese Pepe’s Kattalan is one of the most anticipated Malayalam films of the year. Directed by debutant Paul George, the film is produced by Shareef Muhammed under the banner of Cubes Entertainments. The screenplay is jointly written by Paul George, Joby Varghese, and Jero Jacob, with dialogues penned by Unni R. The film also stars Dushara Vijayan alongside Sunil, Kabir Duhan Singh, Jagadish, Siddique, Anson Paul, Baby Jean, Hipster, and Hanan Shaah in key roles. On the technical front, the film features music by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, cinematography by Renadive, and editing by Shameer Muhammed.

Drishyam 3, starring Mohanlal and directed by Jeethu Joseph, is set for a grand worldwide theatrical release on May 21, coinciding with the superstar’s 66th birthday. The film brings back familiar faces, with Meena, Ansiba Hassan, and Esther Anil reprising their iconic roles as Rani George, Anju George, and Anumol George from the earlier installments. Continuing the legacy of the franchise, the third part is once again helmed by Jeethu Joseph and produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas.

I, Nobody is an upcoming thriller drama led by Prithviraj Sukumaran and directed by Nisam Basheer. The film reunites Basheer with writer Sameer Abdul following their acclaimed 2022 collaboration, the Mammootty-starrer Rorschach. The cast also includes Parvathy Thiruvothu, Hakkim Shahjahan, and Shankar Ramakrishnan in key supporting roles. Backed by Prithviraj Productions and E4 Entertainment, the film’s technical crew features cinematography by Dinesh Purushothaman, music by Harshavardhan Rameshwar, and editing by Ramees M B.

Helmed by Rohith V S, Tikitaka reunites the director with Asif Ali for the third time after their earlier films Adventures of Omanakkuttan and Iblis. The film also stars Lukman Avaran, Wamiqa Gabbi, Naslen Gafoor, Sanchana Natarajan, Harisree Ashokan, and Santhosh Prathap in prominent roles. The project is bankrolled by Siju Mathew and Navis Xaviour under the banner of Juvis Production, in association with Adventures Company. On the technical side, Sony Seban handles cinematography, Chaman Chakko takes care of editing, and Dawn Vincent composes the music.

Kathanar: The Wild Sorcerer is a fantasy thriller directed by Rojin Thomas. The film is written by R. Ramanand and produced by Gokulam Gopalan under the banner of Sree Gokulam Movies. Headlined by Jayasurya, the film also stars Anushka Shetty, marking her Malayalam debut, along with Prabhu Deva, Sanoop Santhosh, Sandy, Devika Sanjay, Nitish Bharadwaj, Vineeth, Harish Uthaman, Srikant Murali, and Kulpreet Yadav in key roles. On the technical side, the film features cinematography by Neil D'Cunha and music composed by Rahul Subrahmanian. While the release date remains undisclosed, the film has already generated massive anticipation.

The upcoming action thriller Varavu, starring Joju George and directed by Shaji Kailas, is all set to hit theatres on June 12, 2026. The film is penned by A. K. Sajan and produced by Naisy Reji under the banner of Olga Productions. Alongside Joju George, the film boasts a strong ensemble cast including Vani Viswanath, Murali Gopy, Arjun Ashokan, Saniya Iyappan, Sukanya, Baburaj, and Vincy Aloshious in key roles. On the technical side, the film features cinematography by S. Saravanan, editing by Shameer Muhammed, and music composed by Sam C. S.

Khalifa, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, is an upcoming big-budget action film directed by Vysakh. The screenplay is penned by Jinu Abraham, who also serves as co-producer alongside Suraj Kumar. Scheduled for a theatrical release on August 20, 2026, Khalifa features a strong technical lineup with Jomon T. John handling cinematography, Jakes Bejoy composing the music, Yannick Ben choreographing the action, and Chaman Chakko in charge of editing.

Dulquer Salmaan returns to Malayalam cinema after a three-year gap with I’m Game, set to hit theatres on August 20, 2026. Directed by Nahas Hidhayath, the film promises a stylish blend of slick action and engaging storytelling. The screenplay is crafted by Sajeer Baba, Bilal Moidu, and Ismail Aboobacker, while the music is composed by Jakes Bejoy. The visual appeal is enhanced by cinematographer Jimshi Khalid, with editing handled by Chaman Chakko. High-octane action sequences are choreographed by Anbariv, adding to the film’s stylish and dynamic appeal.

Starring Jayasurya in the lead role, Operation Tral marks the directorial debut of composer Ratheesh Vega, who has also written the film’s script. The project is produced by Joby George Thadathil under the banner of Goodwill Entertainments. On the technical front, the film features cinematography by Najose, while Ratheesh Vega himself handles the background score and music. Editing is done by Shafeeque V B. Operation Tral is slated for a multilingual release in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi in December 2026.