Your film guide to Season 2026
As we start preparing for next year’s captivating program, we’ve put together a list of Season 2026-inspired films to settle into these holidays. From a Muppet musical to a psychological, gothic horror, the following films are perfect companions to our varied productions.
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
We’d argue that all films in the Muppet cannon can be watched over and over again. But our favourite is The Muppet’s adaptation of Treasure Island, starring Tim Curry as the villainous (and devilishly handsome) Long John Silver, alongside a revolving door of celebrity cameos.
Dust off your VHS tape and enjoy a rewatch of this all-ages classic — and add The Muppet Christmas Carol for a Season 2026, holiday-inspired movie marathon.
Experience Gilbert & Sullivan’s tale of adventure in our production of The Pirates of Penzance at the Palais Theatre, 31 January – 6 February 2026. Book now.
Ned Kelly (2003)
Ned Kelly’s tumultuous final years have been the subject of numerous adaptations, but this Heath Ledger-led film is perhaps the most epic.
Based on Robert Drewe’s 1991 novel Our Sunshine, the film is appropriately grim, loyal to the notorious bushranger and features beautiful cinematography of rural Victoria.
Reg Livermore’s Ned Kelly: The Musical will seize the stage in Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat, 28 March 2026. Book now.
The Magic Pudding (2000)
John Cleese is famous for playing eccentric, uptight characters, which makes him the perfect choice for voicing Albert in The Magic Pudding: our grumpy hero. This joyous musical adventure is also packed with major Australian actors, including Sam Neil as Sam Sawnoff, Hugo Weaving as Bill Barnacle and Toni Collette as Meg Bluegum.
The Magic Pudding: The Opera is perfect for pudding lovers of all ages. Join us in The Round, Darebin Arts Centre, and Bunjil Place, 15–30 May 2026. Book now.
Gladiator (2000)
Ridley Scott’s epic about ancient Roman warriors is considered one of the greatest films of all time. It remains endlessly quotable, from the arena-filling roar of “are you not entertained?” to our hero’s climatic revelation of (?) his name: Maximus Decimus Meridius.
Gladiator is an excellent way to complement our production of The Coronation of Poppea —history buffs will relish these escapes into the drama and sexual politics of the Roman Empire.
The Palais Theatre will transform into Emperor Nero’s Rome for The Coronation of Poppea, 30 June – 4 July 2026. Book now.
The Innocents (1961)
The Innocents — an eerie adaptation of Henry James’ 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw — is about a governess who’s newly responsible for two disturbed children in a rickety manor.
The film frequently appeared in critics’ lists of the best horror films of all time. Its power lies in its ambiguity: like the novella and the opera, it leaves you questioning whether supernatural forces are indeed at play, or whether the governess is simply descending into madness.
Nothing is what it seems in Benjamin Britten’s opera The Turn of the Screw. Find out for yourself at the Palais Theatre, 29 September – 1 October 2026. Book now.
Monkey Grip (1982)
Thirty-one years before The Spare Room, Helen Garner’s Monkey Grip established the author as one of Australia’s most exciting literary voices. This gritty, reflective and genre-bending novel about a woman’s affair with a heroin-addict in Melbourne’s inner north lends itself perfectly to the screen.
The 1982 adaptation of Monkey Grip, starring Noni Hazelhurst as Nora, has become an Australian classic, with heart-wrenching honesty and captivating performances.
See Helen Garner’s novel The Spare Room brought to the stage at the Arts Centre Melbourne Playhouse, 7 – 10 October 2026. Book now.
Buy tickets to two or more shows as part of a Season 2026 subscription for 20% off, and other exclusive benefits.
