The Best Outdoor & Rooftop Cinemas in London (Summer 2026)

Helping soften Canary Wharf’s corporate image with something fun and family-friendly, Canada Square Park will again be screening movies and sporting events up on its big screens from June until late August. There’s a packed programme of free movies, taking in everything from F1: The Movie (July 14) to 2025’s Superman (August 18). There’s a Bollywood classic on the bill too, with Shah Rukh Khan’s roadtrip comedy My Name is Khan playing on July 19. It’s a BYO set-up, so bring your own blankets and snacks. Head to the nearby Waitrose for any last-minute picnic needs.

There are few more striking spots to catch a movie than the iconic surrounds of the Barbican Sculpture Court. As usual, the City of London’s temple of the arts has an inventively curated line-up in store for the final week of August. On the year’s line-up is a kaleidoscopic array of films and filmmaking styles, ranging from Spike Lee concert docs to Denis Villeneuve science fiction, via the French New Wave and the best of Iranian cinema. Standard tickets are £20 (£18 concessions and £10 for under-18s) and there’s street food to feast on while you sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

New name, same high concept. This two-venue outdoor cinema experience is a well-grooved and classy enterprise these days, with deck-chaired splendour awaiting anyone on the hunt for classic flicks with killer views and all the trimmings. Rooftop Cinema Club has been up and running for 2026 since the spring bringing dozens upon dozens of screenings of cult classics and new releases. For August the stacked daily programme includes Bend It Like Beckham (Aug 8), Whiplash (Aug 9), Goodfellas (Aug 12), Almost Famous (Aug 13) and 101 Dalmations (Aug 16) complete with a real-life dalmation meet-up. Tickets start at £14 for adults and £8 for kids. 

Location in the walled gardens of Hertfordshire’s The Grove hotel, Everyman’s pop-up is a special occasion option – because you’ll need to splash out for a room for the night or dinner in one of the hotel restaurants to experience it. Still, if you're up for a luxe take on the al fresco cinema thing, then give it a whirl: a crowdpleasing line-up of movies spans F1, The Housemaid, Bridemaids and Gladiator, and quite a few kids faves including A Minecraft Movie and Wonka. The beanbags and headphones are all top of the range, and there’s luxe South Asian and Turkish dining options courtesy of Madhu’s and Skewd.

Waterloo’s Lower Marsh buzzes with fun-loving energy on a rainy winter’s night, so it doesn’t need​ an excuse to put on a street party on a sunny summer evening. Still, Lower Marsh Lates is providing one with a run of outdoor screenings right in the thick of it all – and perfectly positioned for some of the best street food and beverage options in town. On the slate so far is that most summery of winter movies, Cool Runnings, on June 25. There are prizes for the coolest costumes, so find three friends (and a coach) and head down when it kicks off at 6pm.

After a gruelling round of crazy golf, hitting a ball around mini carousels, helter-skelters and loop-the-loops, Swingers West End is offering you a well-earned rest on its rooftop. For the August bank holiday, the venue is hosting open-air screenings of Adam Sandler’s golfing comedy Happy Gilmore (included with the your golf ticket) complete with a complimentary bag of popcorn and a bespoke frozen margs menu by Casamigos.