Two Kings, One Christmas: Nagarjuna and Shah Rukh Khan Set for Box Office Clash
Nagarjuna’s milestone 100th film will arrive in cinemas on December 24, 2026, putting it on the same release date as Shah Rukh Khan’s much-awaited action film King. The announcement was made on Saturday, August 29, when the makers unveiled the title King100 and released its first official glimpse on Nagarjuna’s 67th birthday.
The date creates an unusual Christmas-weekend clash between two films carrying almost identical titles and led by two of Indian cinema’s most established stars.
Nagarjuna’s 100th film gets an official title
The project had been referred to as Nagarjuna’s 100th film or King100 during its production. Annapurna Studios formally confirmed the title and December 24 release date, with the first glimpse released on August 29. The film is written and directed by R.A. Karthik and is being produced under the Annapurna Studios banner.
The glimpse presents Nagarjuna in a stylish, larger-than-life role while touching on money, success, and identity. The character’s journey appears to move from financial hardship to wealth and influence, with the idea of being called a “King” tied to his rise in status.
The preview also gives the film a more emotional dimension, with imagery suggesting that the story is not limited to wealth and power. However, the makers have kept much of the plot under wraps, and details about the full cast and storyline remain limited.
The release announcement is particularly significant for Nagarjuna because the film marks his 100th appearance as a leading actor. Rather than simply revealing another title, the makers used his birthday to formally position the project as a career milestone.
Shah Rukh Khan’s King already has the same date
The other King has had its December 24 release date locked since January.
Red Chillies Entertainment and Marflix Pictures announced that Shah Rukh Khan’s King, directed by Siddharth Anand, will release in cinemas on December 24, 2026. The production house continues to list the date on the film’s official page.
The film is being positioned as a large-scale action project and features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. The cast also includes Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, according to current listings and reporting.
For Shah Rukh, the film is his next major theatrical release following Dunki. It also reunites him with Siddharth Anand after they collaborated on Pathaan. The director has previously described the project through its action-driven promotional material, while the production has maintained considerable secrecy around the story.
The film’s December 24 date was officially announced in January, meaning Nagarjuna’s release does not appear to have created the original Christmas date for Shah Rukh Khan’s film. Instead, King100 has now joined an already occupied holiday slot.
Two films called King, one release date
The coincidence goes beyond the two films sharing a release day.
Shah Rukh Khan has long been popularly associated with the nickname “King,” while Nagarjuna’s new film has been titled King100 to mark his 100th film. The first glimpse itself leans into the title, with Nagarjuna’s character discussing how his identity changes after achieving wealth and status.
That gives the December clash an obvious promotional hook, although the two films come from different industries and appear to be taking different approaches.
Nagarjuna’s film is a Telugu production led by R.A. Karthik, while Shah Rukh Khan’s King is a Hindi-language action film directed by Siddharth Anand. Both, however, are expected to compete for audiences during one of the most commercially important periods on the Indian theatrical calendar.
The clash could also make the holiday period particularly competitive for exhibitors, depending on how the films are ultimately distributed across languages and territories. At present, neither production has announced detailed screen-allocation plans or other commercial terms for the simultaneous release.
What happens next
For King100, the August 29 glimpse is the first substantial official look at a project that has largely remained away from the spotlight during production. More information about its supporting cast, plot and promotional campaign is expected to emerge closer to release.
Shah Rukh Khan’s King, meanwhile, has already begun its promotional rollout, with the production having released official title and date announcements and subsequently shared more footage from the film. Red Chillies Entertainment currently lists December 24, 2026 as the theatrical release date.
As things stand, both films are scheduled for the same day: December 24, 2026. Any change to either release date would alter the Christmas box-office picture, but there is currently no verified announcement indicating that either film has moved.
For now, the unusual prospect remains: two films built around the name King, starring Nagarjuna and Shah Rukh Khan, are set to reach cinemas on the same day.
