by FilmInk Staff
Summer is back, and the Games are about to begin, under the stars. Moonlight Cinema will launch its Summer 2026/27 season with the hotly anticipated The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Fans can experience the next chapter while it’s still fresh in cinemas, as Australia’s favourite outdoor cinema returns from 25 November, with all five cities open by 4 December.
Tickets for the November and December program are on sale now at moonlight.com.au.
Moonlight Cinema has been a staple of the Australian summer for more than 30 years. Audiences arrive early to settle in on a picnic rug or bean bed at golden hour, catch up with loved ones as the sun goes down, then watch a film under the stars in some of Australia’s most picturesque parklands: Sydney’s Centennial Park, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Perth’s Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Adelaide’s Botanic Park and Brisbane’s Roma Street Parkland.
The opening weeks also bring new releases for every kind of night. Anyone who was kept guessing by The Housemaid can try Verity, a psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Austen fans get a fresh take on an old favourite in Sense and Sensibility, with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood and a screenplay by Australian author Diana Reid. The program also includes The Social Reckoning, Wicker and Wild Horse 9, with preview screenings of A Talent for Murder, starring Helen Mirren, on 6 December and Cat in the Hat on 30 December.
Christmas Favourites runs from 11 to 23 December, with festive traditions like Love Actually, The Polar Express and Home Alone made extra special under the stars, joined by new release Ebenezer, a ghost story set in Dickens’ London with Johnny Depp as Scrooge. As school holidays begin, families can also catch Disney’s Hexed on Boxing Day.
“A night at Moonlight Cinema begins well before the movie. It starts with the journey to one of Australia’s most remarkable parklands, finding the perfect spot on the grass, relaxing with friends and family, sharing your favourite treats and watching the sun go down. Then, as night falls, it’s time to settle in for a great movie under the stars,” says John Boero, General Manager of Entertainment Operations at EVT. “Moonlight Cinema is all about memorable summer nights, and we’re excited to bring them back for another season.”
For those looking for a premium upgrade, Platinum Experience returns to Sydney and Melbourne. Two guests share a deluxe double bean bed in a prime viewing spot, with express entry and a drink each on arrival. New this season, each booking includes a premium cinema snackbox, along with two blankets to cosy up after sunset. General Admission, Connoisseur Lounge and GWM Gold Grass tickets are also available, with details below.
Moonlight Cinema runs from 25 November 2026 to 11 April 2027 across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.
Summer is back with Moonlight Cinema. Watch films in parklands and Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth from 25 November.
•What: Moonlight Cinema 2026/27 summer season of outdoor films
•When: 25 November 2026 to 11 April 2027, with dates and film times varying by city across the season (below). Gates open 90 minutes before each film.
•Where:
o Sydney: Belvedere Amphitheatre, Centennial Parklands – Wed 25 Nov 2026 to Sun 28 Mar 2027
o Melbourne: Central Lawn, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Wed 2 Dec 2026 to Sun 11 Apr 2027
o Adelaide: Botanic Park Adelaide – Thu 26 Nov 2026 to Sun 14 Feb 2027
o Brisbane: The Amphitheatre, Roma Street Parkland – Fri 4 Dec 2026 to Sun 14 Feb 2027
o Perth: May Drive Parkland, Kings Park – Thu 3 Dec 2026 to Sun 28 Mar 2027
• Tickets: moonlight.com.au – choose from General Admission, Connoisseur Lounge, GWM Gold Grass or Platinum Experience (Sydney and Melbourne only).
• Cinebuzz members can access special discount pricing. The Cinebuzz membership program is free to join. Details on website.
• Food and drinks: Every location has a kitchen and bar, with food and drinks ordered by QR code. The kitchen closes 15 minutes before the pre-show starts. Guests are welcome to bring their own picnic and refreshments; BYO alcohol is not available in Brisbane.
• Dogs: Welcome at all locations except Perth.
TICKETS AND PROGRAMMING:
Tickets are on sale now for sessions until 30 December at moonlight.com.au.
Season Opener
• The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – 25 November (Sydney), 26 November (Adelaide), 28 November (Sydney, Adelaide), 2 December (Melbourne), 3 December (Sydney, Perth, Adelaide), 4 December (Brisbane), 5 December (Melbourne), 9 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
Christmas Favourites
• Home Alone – 27 November (Sydney, Adelaide), 12 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide), 22 December (Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth)
• The Holiday – 11 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Love Actually – 13 December, 17 December, 23 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• The Polar Express – 15 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Ebenezer – 16 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Elf – 19 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Home Alone 2 – 20 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Arthur Christmas – 21 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
Hollywood Blockbusters and New Releases
• Practical Magic 2 – 26 November (Sydney), 8 December (Adelaide)
• The Social Reckoning – 29 November (Sydney, Adelaide)
• Klara and the Sun – 1 December (Sydney, Adelaide)
• Wicker – 2 December (Sydney, Adelaide), 8 December (Perth)
• Verity – 3 December (Melbourne), 5 December (Sydney, Perth, Adelaide), 8 December (Brisbane)
• Sense and Sensibility – 4 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide)
• Primetime – 8 December (Sydney, Melbourne)
• Wild Horse 9 – 10 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Focker in Law – 18 December, 27 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
Preview Screenings
• A Talent for Murder – 6 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Cat in the Hat – 30 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
Family Flicks
• Disney’s Hexed – 26 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
Open Caption Screenings
• Practical Magic 2 – 26 November (Sydney)
• The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – 9 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
• Love Actually – 17 December (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
WHAT’S ON AT MOONLIGHT CINEMA:
Enjoy summer evenings under the stars at Moonlight Cinema, in Australia’s most beautiful and atmospheric parklands and gardens, with your favourite people and a movie to match. Watch the latest blockbusters, your favourite cult classics and family films. Arrive for golden hour, pack a picnic or upgrade to a premium bean bed experience, and enjoy the night your way.
Every Moonlight Cinema location has a kitchen and bar. Guests order food and drinks by QR code before the pre-show, for collection or, with GWM Gold Grass and Platinum Experience, delivered to their bean bed. The kitchen closes 15 minutes before the pre-show starts.
Platinum Experience (Sydney and Melbourne)
For the occasions worth marking, Platinum Experience at Moonlight Cinema Sydney and Melbourne gives two of you a deluxe double bean bed in a prime spot, with express entry, drinks on arrival, a premium cinema snackbox and blankets to keep you cosy after sunset. Order anything else by QR code before the pre-show and it is brought to your bean bed.
GWM Gold Grass
Sit back and soak up the pre-movie atmosphere with GWM Gold Grass. Enjoy uninterrupted ease with prime viewing, express entry and food and drinks ordered via QR code delivered straight to your premium bean bed before the film starts.
Connoisseur Lounge
Settle into the evening with a bean bed waiting for you. Connoisseur Lounge at Moonlight Cinema gives you a guaranteed bean bed in a dedicated lounge area with a great view, plus a Connoisseur Gourmet Ice Cream to enjoy during the film.
General Admission
General Admission includes entry to the screening. Bring a picnic rug and your favourite snacks, choose your spot on the grass and settle in before sunset.
As always, guests can pack their own picnic, bring their own refreshments and enjoy a quintessential summer tradition*. Four-legged friends are welcome too. ^
*BYO alcohol is not available at Moonlight Cinema Brisbane.
^Moonlight Cinema is dog-friendly at all locations except Perth.
