Top Entertainment Stories of Jan 1, 2026: Prabhas’s ‘Spirit’ First Look Goes Viral, ‘Stranger Things’ Finale & Dhurandhar’s Box Office Reign

The year 2026 began with a massive entertainment explosion. Several major releases and announcements captured global attention. These top entertainment stories set a thrilling tone. They offered something for every fan. From intense first looks to series finales, the day was eventful.

Prabhas’s ‘Spirit’ First Look Ignites Excitement

Prabhas’s upcoming film ‘Spirit’ unveiled its first look. This happened exactly at midnight on January 1, 2026. The poster immediately went viral. It shows Prabhas in a raw, wounded avatar. He sports long hair and a heavy beard. His body bears visible bruises and bandages. Triptii Dimri stands beside him. She is seen calmly lighting his cigarette. This visual hints at an intense narrative. Sandeep Reddy Vanga directs ‘Spirit’. It is Vanga’s next project after ‘Animal’. This collaboration is highly anticipated. Prabhas also makes his debut as a cop. The film is produced by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures. Social media users shared their excitement widely. Fans called it another wild ride. The poster sparked significant online engagement. The film is slated for a 2026 release. It promises a character-driven drama.

‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Finale Arrives

The highly awaited series finale of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 arrived. For Indian audiences, it became available on Netflix. The release time was 6:30 AM IST on January 1, 2026. This marked the end of an era for the beloved Netflix show. The final episode is reportedly the longest ever. It promised a power-packed conclusion. Fans have followed the Hawkins gang for nearly a decade. The finale brings Eleven and Will together. They face off against Vecna. Other characters also rally to support them. The Duffer Brothers created this iconic series. Its conclusion generated significant buzz worldwide. Viewers shared emotional reactions online. It provided a dramatic start to the new year.

‘Dhurandhar’ Shatters Box Office Records

Ranveer Singh’s film ‘Dhurandhar’ continued its phenomenal box office run. By January 1, 2026, it had achieved incredible milestones. The movie surpassed ₹1160.94 crore worldwide after 27 days. This makes it the third highest-grossing Bollywood film globally. ‘Dhurandhar’ is also closing in on the record set by ‘Jawan’. It needed only ₹2.68 crore more to surpass it. In North America, the film set a new record. It became the highest-grossing Hindi film. It surpassed Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’. ‘Dhurandhar’ collected USD 17.52 million there. It is also the highest-grossing Indian film in North America. Only two Prabhas films rank higher in that region. Domestically, the film earned approximately ₹766.90 crore net. The Aditya Dhar directorial is a major success story. It is the only non-multilingual Indian film to cross ₹1000 crore globally (excluding China).

‘Ikkis’ Arrives, Marking Dharmendra’s Final Appearance

January 1, 2026, also saw the theatrical release of ‘Ikkis’. This biographical war drama tells the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. Agastya Nanda makes his acting debut in the lead role. He plays Arun Khetarpal. The film is directed by Sriram Raghavan. Legendary actor Dharmendra appears as Brigadier ML Khetarpal. This marks Dharmendra’s final on-screen performance. He passed away on November 24, 2025. Audiences are calling his role deeply moving. The movie focuses on the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. Critics praised the film’s emotional depth. They highlighted Dharmendra’s performance as the film’s heart. ‘Ikkis’ honors a national hero and a cinema icon. It provides a poignant farewell to a beloved actor.

A New Year of Top Entertainment Stories

The first day of 2026 delivered an unprecedented wave of entertainment news. Fans were buzzing about Prabhas’s intense ‘Spirit’ look. The conclusion of ‘Stranger Things’ offered emotional closure. Meanwhile, ‘Dhurandhar’ continued its record-breaking box office journey. The release of ‘Ikkis’ provided a touching tribute. These major stories showcased the diverse landscape of Indian and global entertainment. The year ahead promises more exciting films and series. These initial releases set a high bar for the rest of 2026. The entertainment world is certainly off to a spectacular start.