The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025, From ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash” to ‘Wicked: For Good’

As we close the book on 2024 and look back at the films that made this year so excellent, it’s also a good time to look forward to what’s coming soon, and what movies we have to look forward to in the coming year. Even though we can’t know what the big films will be going into 2025, the line-up of projects in the works is already truly exciting, an absurd collection of films from some of the best directors working today. Already in 2025, we know we can expect films from Danny Boyle, James Cameron, Paul Thomas Anderson, Celine Song, Guillermo del Toro, Spike Lee, Bong Joon-ho, Edgar Wright, and Ryan Coogler, just to name a few. Additionally, we’re going to have the opportunity to revisit some of our favorite cinematic worlds, from a spin-off in the John Wick universe, the latest and possibly final film in the Mission: Impossible series, the latest Avatar project, as well as highly-anticipated films from Marvel, and the beginnings of the DCU. There are so many films to get pumped for in the next twelve months that it’s hard to narrow

’28 Years Later’ — June 20

Directed by Danny Boyle

The trailer for the third installment of the 28 Days Later franchise is the second most-watched horror trailer of all time! That’s most certainly partly due to the fact we all got gaslit into thinking that Cillian Murphy is playing an emaciated zombie in the film, but it’s also a reflection of how excited people are for Danny Boyle’s forthcoming zombie flick, 28 Years Later. It’s unknown what part Murphy will have in the movie, as the trailer focuses on the characters played by actors new to the franchise. Aaron Taylor-Johnson will play Jamie, who looks to be our classic action hero trying to survive the decades-spanning zombie outbreak and protect a young child, as well as a very buff Ralph Fiennes. Joining them is Jodie Comer who has the enviable task of giving birth to a child within the hysteria and Jack O’Connell. The film arrives not quit 28 but 23 years after Boyle’s seminal film, and 18 after the sequel, 28 Weeks Later. The trailer promises the same hopeless, gritty zombie action the first did to exceptional success, emphasized by the chilling narration of a poem that has an even bleaker meaning than you can imagine. Boyle brings the Romero brand of zombie back to the bleak realism of desolate Britain, and, hopefully, it’ll be as effective as the original. — Emma Kiely

‘After the Hunt’

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Between Challengers and Queer, Luca Guadagnino has had a busy year, and it seems he’s not interested in slowing down anytime soon, as we’ll be treated to another film by the auteur next year with After the Hunt. The dramatic thriller centers on a college professor who finds herself facing personal and professional dilemmas alike when a star student levels an accusation against a colleague, which threatens to expose her own dark secret. Guadagnino has a gift for bringing his signature style to every script and sharply delving into specific subcultures, tackling everything from professional tennis to cannibalism, so seeing his unique take on academia is sure to be fascinating. In an interview with Marc Maron, he described the movie as being “timely…for where we are now” and has noted it’s a slight departure from his previous projects, as it won’t tackle sexuality or love but rather the idea of consent.

Guadagnino is far from the only exciting part of this project. After the Hunt will see him team up with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross — the talents behind the Challengers score — once again, so get ready for more bangers. The cast is also stacked, featuring legends like Julia Roberts, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny and legends in the making like Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield, the latter of whom has reportedly wanted to work with Guadagnino since 2009’s I Am Love. — Taylor Gates

‘Avatar: Fire & Ash’ — December 19

Directed by James Cameron

There’s a pattern with the Avatar movies that isn’t hard to notice. In the lead-up to Avatar: The Way of Water, you heard people whining on the internet claiming that nobody asked for it. Then a few months later the movie became the third-highest-grossing movie of all time. It’s happening yet again with Avatar: Fire and Ash, and it really shouldn’t be, especially after its predecessor blew us all away.

As the title suggests, Fire and Ash will take Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their family to another region of Pandora, one populated by a tribe of Na’vi who live inside a volcano. They also might be evil. Compared to the previous villains in the series, which were human military personnel, or human-turned-Na’vi military personnel, should be a fascinating change of pace. We’ve seen the Na’vi fight as fierce warriors, but taking that ferocity and injecting it into a more antagonistic role will be interesting, to say the least. James Cameron has gone on record to say that Fire and Ash will be the darkest Avatar film yet. A bold claim considering the previous film ended with Jake and Neytiri’s teenage son getting killed.

The 3-D craze has practically died out by now, but Cameron made the medium feel fresh once again with The Way of Water. It feels say to say the same will be the case with Fire and Ash. After all, everyone should know by now never to doubt Cameron. — Nate Richard

‘Ballerina’ — June 6

Directed by Len Wiseman

John Wick will go down as one of the best action franchises ever put to screen. Director Chad Stahelski gave each film its own style, and Keanu Reeves’ stoic and deadly assassin constantly left us in awe. The action sequences showed that even a book is just as lethal as a gun in the right hands. Looking at the first spinoff film in the series, I can only help but wonder if the franchise, like the aforementioned gun, is in the right hands.

The baton has been passed as Stahelski and Reeves take a step back, with director Len Wiseman (Underworld) and Ana de Armas (No Time to Die) taking the lead. Set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (de Armas) as she begins her journey into becoming an assassin. This film opens up a new side of the John Wick world and fleshes out the mythos by introducing us to new and old faces.

Eve is not set to become a “female John Wick”; instead, the story will focus on her character, which is independent of John. While only time will tell if Ballerina will match the heights of its processor, the trailer showcased that it’s, at the very least, set to be one of the most entertaining action films of the summer thanks to its incredible stunt work set pieces. — Mike Thomas

‘The Battle of Baktan Cross’ — August 8

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

We don’t really know what the latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson will be about, but just the fact that 2025 will have a new film next year is a cause for celebration. Pretty much whenever Anderson releases a film, it ends up becoming one of the year’s best, and The Battle of Baktan Cross sounds like his biggest film yet. Part of that is the cast, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor, and his Licorice Pizza star Alana Haim. It’s also been revealed that Baktan has the highest budget PTA has ever worked with, while Anderson is also shooting the film in VistaVision, a long-dormant format that was revitalized by Brady Corbet‘s The Brutalist. One of the wildest theories so far is that this could be Anderson once again adapting Thomas Pynchon‘s Vineland, after having previously adapted the writer with Inherent Vice. There’s so much we don’t know about The Battle of Baktan Cross, but we can already tell this is one of the most intriguing releases of 2025. — Ross Bonaime

‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ — May 9

Directed by Kogonada

Director Kogonada‘s entire filmography has been nothing but excellent work so far. His video essays on various directors are incredible, his two feature films so far, Columbus and After Yang, are modern classics, and his work on Pachinko and The Acolyte shows how adaptable he is to work in a larger format. it sounds so far like his newest film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, should continue this career of excellence. We know so far that this is a romantic fantasy starring Margot Robbie, in her first film since Barbie, and Kogonada’s After Yang star Colin Farrell. Also returning from After Yang is Jodie Turner-Smith, while the film also features Lily Rabe, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Billy Magnussen, Brandon Perea, Hamish Linklater, Chloe East, and many more. While plot details are slim, if this is anything like Kogonada’s last two films, this should be a gorgeous, contemplative film that is among the year’s best. — Ross Bonaime

‘The Bride!’ — September 26

Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal

Since the directorial debut of Maggie Gyllenhaal with the release of The Lost Daughter, audiences have awaited what she would direct next. Like Robert Eggers and his horror masterpiece, Nosferatu, Gyllenhaal is putting her hand on another iconic figure of horror cinema with The Bride!. The film is described as drawing inspiration from both James Whale’s 1935 classic, The Bride of Frankenstein, as well as Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

One aspect of the film that’s interesting is the cast that she has assembled to take this on. Gyllenhaal reteams with The Lost Daughter actress Jessie Buckley to star as the titular bride of Frankenstein. Joining her is Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s monster. Arguably two of the best working actors as this pairing is sure to provide excellent performances of the year. They’re also joined by Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Saarsgard.

The primary reason why this film is so fascinating is Maggie Gyllenhaal as the writer and the director. It’s rare to have the female perspective in the horror space, especially with a figure that’s a staple of the Universal Monsters movies. Frankenstein’s bride is more of a piece to Frankenstein’s sequel than she is as a character. Much like how Coralie Fargeat was able to translate society’s obsession with youth as it pertains to women with The Substance, it will be intriguing to see what Gyllenhaal has to say through the story of Frankenstein’s bride. – Meredith Loftus

‘Bugonia’ — November 7

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

In 2024, Yorgos Lanthimos made his weirdest film in quite some time with Kinds of Kindness, and for his next film, Bugonia, he’s reuniting with the stars of that film, Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. Lanthimos’ latest is an English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!, which is about two people who kidnap a CEO of a company that they believe to be an alien trying to destroy Earth. It’s definitely exciting to see what Lanthimos will do in what is essentially a sci-fi film, and his Poor Things, based on the novel by Alasdair Gray, proved that Lanthimos can beautifully handle adaptation. Despite finding critical and commercial success in recent years, Lanthimos has always thrived in keeping things super strange, and Bugonia absolutely seems like he’ll be keeping up that reputation with his newest film. — Ross Bonaime

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ — February 14

Directed by Julius Onah

It’s been over half a decade since the world said goodbye to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as Captain America, with the hero handing off his iconic shield to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) at the end of Avengers: Endgame. And while we’ve seen glimpses of what Wilson’s Captain America will look like in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Captain America: Brave New World truly feels like Wilson finally claiming the title as his own. In addition to bringing back the title of Captain America, Brave New World also seems to be a pseudo-sequel of sorts to The Incredible Hulk, with both Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson returning, as well as Harrison Hord taking over the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt. And of yeah, Thunderbolt Ross is now the president and turns into the Red Hulk. In addition to all of this, we’re also getting Danny Ramirez, who is taking the mantle of Falcon from Wilson, and the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Captain America, but his return looks like it’s going to be one of the first major releases of 2025. — Ross Bonaime

‘Companion’ — January 31

Directed by Drew Hancock

Barbarian was one of the most bonkers films of 2022, and considering the team behind that movie — including Zach Cregger, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J. D. Lifshitz — is serving as producers for Companion, it’s all but guaranteed to be one of the wildest films of 2025. Jack Quaid proves he has what it takes to play a deliciously devious villain in projects like Scream, and with turns in The Boogeyman and Heretic, Sophie Thatcher is quickly emerging as one of Hollywood’s most exciting new scream queens.

Companion will see the two of them team up in a film that blends psychological thriller, horror, and sci-fi elements and promises to explore “a new kind of love story.” Though more specific details about the film are being kept under wraps, the trailer alone is enough to get me excited, evoking similar vibes to the excellent Fresh and Strange Darling with its play on romantic music and tropes mixed with its twisted, sinister visuals and overall vibe. — Taylor Gates

‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ — September 5

Directed by Michael Chaves

The central stream of movies from the highest-earning horror franchise of all time finally comes to a close. In the early 2010s, a new stage of horror had been kickstarted, spearheaded by filmmaker James Wan. 2013’s The Conjuring was a box-office hit, introducing us to Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson’s Lorraine and Ed Warren, the real-life paranormal investigators and couple. Last Rites is the fourth film in the franchise’s central Conjuring movies(and ninth overall. Following The Devil Made Me Do It in 2020, frequent franchise director Michael Chaves, who directed The Nun spin-off films, brings us on one more horrific case with our favorite demon-hunting couple. Details of the plot have remained under wraps; Ben Hardy will join the cast as Tony Spera and Mia Tomlinson will take over as Judy, the Warrens’ daughter. If Last Rites can learn anything from the previous movies, it’s that we come for the frights, but stay for the compelling relationship between Ed and Lorraine. Hopefully this farewell to one of horror’s most iconic couples is worthy of fans’ investment. — Emma Kiely

‘Eddington’

Directed by Ari Aster

In 2023, writer-director Ari Aster collaborated with Joaquin Phoenix in what might’ve been the strangest film either of them had ever made, Beau Is Afraid. The two will reunite in 2025 with Eddington, a film that Aster has been trying to make for years—even considering making it his directorial debut. While not much is known about Eddington it “follows a small-town New Mexico sheriff with higher aspirations.” In addition to Phoenix, this also features an incredible cast that includes Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Micheal Ward, and Clifton Collins Jr. A Western directed by Aster and produced by A24 is an exciting prospect, and knowing Aster, this is going to be unlike any Western we’ve seen before. — Ross Bonaime

‘F1’ — June 27

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

In 2022, director Joseph Kosinski made Top Gun: Maverick, a film in which the title character is tasked with helping a group of young recruits become as good as he is. The result was one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year, and a reminder that people really like watching A-list stars in exciting action films. With his latest film, F1, Kosinski seems ready to stick with this formula, as the film stars Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) a former racing legend, who is brought out of retirement to help a Formula 1 racing team. In particular, Sonny is asked to mentor a young rookie, Joshua Pearce (Snowfall’s Damson Idris) for the Apex Grand Prix Team. F1 also includes a cast that features Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem, and Shea Whigham, as well as all ten Formula One teams and drivers. Top Gun: Maverick was a massive success for Kosinski, and with F1, we’ll see if lightning can strike twice for his action films. — Ross Bonaime

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ — July 25

Directed by Matt Shakman

A new Fantastic Four movie! Are you also feeling a sense of déjà vu? For some unexplainable, baffling reasons, one of Marvel’s most popular superhero groups, The Fantastic Four, has been nearly impossible to get right on the big screen. In one case, it was impossible, as Roger Corman‘s bizarre, low-budget version in 1994 was never released. 2005 and 2007 saw the releases of 20th Century Fox’s Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, both led by Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, and Michael Chiklis in the titular roles. These movies might not have been Oscar-worthy masterpieces by any stretch (no pun intended), but, at least for a certain age group (myself included), their obvious flaws are overlooked thanks to their cheesy charm and shameless attempts to bring such cartoonish comic book characters to life. However, it’s 2015’s darker, grittier take on the beloved characters that remains one of Marvel’s messiest misfires.

And — deep breath — Marvel is trying once again to do this hot IP justice. If you winced upon hearing the announcement that we’d be getting yet another movie starring Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and Human Torch, well, you’re not alone. But if we’re nervous about how the next adaptation is going to turn out, just imagine how Marvel must feel. From the expansive cast and small plot points that have been revealed, though, Fantastic Four: The First Steps has us purely excited to reunite with Marvel’s First Family. The core four will be played by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and, if that’s not exciting enough, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, Ralph Ineson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Julia Garner round out the cast. Plus, the Fantasticar!? Phase 6 of the MCU is (hopefully) going to be off to a fantastic start. — Emily Bernard

‘Frankenstein’

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Genre maestro Guillermo Del Toro hit new heights in his collaborations with streaming titan Netflix for his Academy Award-winning animated feature Pinocchio. It was a beautiful stop-motion animation reimagining of the classic folk tales, reinterpreting the time-honored material into a dark anti-fascist parable echoing themes that has been long present in his beloved slate of films. Consequentially, there’s a lot to look forward to around their latest collaboration, a live-action adaptation of Mary Shelly‘s Frankenstein. No one is better than Del Toro at exploring the connections between the human and the monstrous, or in Frankenstein‘s case, a monster constructed out of humanity who struggles to make sense of his own nature. It’s a perfect project, and if the first look is any indication it will be one of the year’s most beautiful films.

Del Toro excels at these explorations of deep thematic elements, and his films always boast technical prowess and beautiful care and attention. From design to execution and performance, the creatures in his films always shine. While there is are always something to be excited with a new Del Toro project, Frankenstein in particular may possibly be his best and most personal project yet. He’s been preparing for the project since he was a child, heavily influenced by James Whale’s 1931 original, and it heavily influenced his lifelong fascination with monsters. When one of our most talented living filmmakers has a blank check to adapt the story that fueled his entire career, it’s already on the “Best of 2025” list. — Jeff Ewing

‘Freakier Friday’ — August 8

Directed by Nisha Ganatra

When a remake becomes the definitive version of a movie, it almost seems like capturing lightning in a bottle. Mark Waters’ beloved Freaky Friday remake tapped into something special in 2003 with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan delivering some of the best comedic performances of their careers. So now, 22 years later, we are cautiously optimistic as their rendition of the heartwarming body-swapping tale is finally getting a long-awaited sequel in 2025’s Freakier Friday. Already off to a good start with a clever title, the sequel sees the return of original writers Leslie Dixon, Heather Hach, and Mary Rogers. Stepping in to direct is Nisha Ganatra, who’s helmed several nuanced comedies for both film and television including Late Night, Chutney Popcorn, Brooklyn 99, and Better Things. With Curtis and Lohan returning in the lead roles, it seems entirely possible that lightning may actually strike twice.

While little is known about who’s swapping with who, the sequel sees Anna (Lohan) now building a family of her own as she has her own teen daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter to contend with as they navigate the challenges of merging families. The Acolyte star Manny Jacinto joins as Anna’s fiancé, while Chad Michael Murray is also set to reprise his role as Jake. Freakier Friday is due out on August 8, 2025, and I for one can’t wait to see if the team behind one of the most iconic comedies of the early aughts can strike another magical chord when the sequel arrives. — Samantha Coley

‘Golden’ — May 9

Directed by Michel Gondry

One of the more curious biopics released this year was Piece by Piece, an animated documentary about the life of Pharrell Williams told through LEGOs. But if you thought that was strange, Williams also has another film based on his life coming out in 2025, a musical drama directed by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’s Michel Gondry. The film is inspired by Virginia Beach’s Atlantis Apartments and is set in 1977, and with Williams as on board as co-producer. Williams also wrote songs for the film with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul of La La Land and The Greatest Showman fame. This also might be one of the most impressive casts Gondry has ever worked with, as Golden will feature Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Quinta Brunson, Janelle Monáe, Jaboukie Young-White, Tim Meadows, Anderson .Paak, André 3000, and another native to Virginia Beach, Missy Elliott. It will be very interesting to see how Golden deviates from Piece by Piece, and to see what Gondry’s take on this sort of musical will look like, especially since the director has mostly stayed away from mainstream films since 2011’s The Green Hornet. But after musicals made a big splash in 2024, Golden sounds like a promising way to continue that trend. — Ross Bonaime

‘Highest 2 Lowest’

Directed by Spike Lee

Many have tried and failed to remake Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, including Martin Scorsese, Mike Nichols, and Steven Spielberg. But Spike Lee has finally done the seemingly impossible with his take, Highest 2 Lowest, coming out this year from A24 and Apple Original Films. However, Lee’s take is a reinterpretation, set in the music world, even featuring Ice Spice and starring A$AP Rocky, in addition to Jeffrey Wright and Lee’s long-time collaborator Denzel Washington. After Lee’s adaptation of another classic, Oldboy, it will be curious to see how Lee takes Kurosawa’s film and puts it in his own voice, rather than just directly recreating it directly. And with Rocky as the lead, it’s very curious to see what role Washington plays in all this, and it’s genuinely exciting to see Washington and Lee reuniting for the first time in almost two decades. High & Low has been a hot commodity for a while now, and it’ll be great to see Lee’s spin on this masterpiece. — Ross Bonaime

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ — June 13

Directed by Dean DeBlois

Fifteen years after DreamWorks’ impressive animated feature How to Train Your Dragon soared into theaters, the epic adventure is set to return on June 13, 2025—in live-action. In a move that surprised fans of the original trilogy and the three-series spin-off, the announcement that Dean DeBlois would be returning to helm the project came as a complete surprise. With most animation-to-live-action films, the creative teams are entirely different, which has lent itself to varying degrees of success. DeBlois co-wrote and co-directed the first installment in the franchise, before returning to helm the rest of the trilogy, and his return to the franchise has left fans with a lot of hope that the live-action remake may just be one of the better ones.

How to Train Your Dragon will see Gerard Butler reprise his role as Stoick the Vast, opposite franchise newcomer Mason Thames who stars as his overlooked son, Hiccup. Like the original film, the remake is set on the fantastical and rugged Isle of Berk, where dragons and Vikings have been rivals for generations. Hiccup defies tradition by befriending his dragon Toothless, rather than engaging in age-old dragon-fighting training, and in doing so, he challenges—and changes—the very foundations of Viking society. Along the way he befriends (and falls in love with) Astrid Hofferson (Nico Parker), a fellow dragon-fighting student, who is along for the ride in discovering that everything they know about dragons has been wrong. If the animated feature is any indication, How to Train Your Dragon is sure to be one of the best family-friendly films of 2025, and has secured place as one of Collider’s most-anticipated films of the year. — Maggie Lovitt

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ — July 2

Directed by Gareth Edwards

It’s been three decades since the Jurassic Park franchise had any sense of integrity or true cinematic quality, and plenty of fans hate what it has become over the years. As a dinosaur connoisseur and film-lover, I totally get it. But as a purveyor of brainless popcorn entertainment, I kinda love what the Jurassic series now offers. Sure, it’s no longer the intelligent and thought-provoking work of an actual doctor who knows what he’s talking about, or of a director who understands what truly wonderful cinema looks like, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. Who could not enjoy the spectacle of a room full of billionaires being thrown around by rampaging dinosaurs, or seeing an actual operational dino theme park?

The Jurassic World trilogy dragged its feet as much as possible, and offered many more questions than it did answers, so Dominion felt like it couldn’t really be the end of the series. Thankfully, Rebirth is on its way to give us a glimpse into what a world of cohabiting humans and dinosaurs really looks like. Moreover, it will deliver a whole new ensemble cast, which is something of a relief, with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard having run their course with the franchise. Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali will take the lead as Jurassic World meets Deep Blue Sea, with dinosaurs supposedly holding the key to a new life-saving drug. Sounds like a silly, sci-fi B-movie trapped in an A-movie’s body, and I can’t wait! — Luna Guthrie

‘M3GAN 2.0’ — June 27

Directed by Gerard Johnstone

In late 2021, a trailer showing a murderous dancing lifesize doll was unleashed on the world, and we were never the same. The marketing campaign and lead-up to Blumhouse’s M3GAN was, admittedly, a bit more fun than the movie itself. The story of Alison WIlliams’ robot creator who must take in her niece after a great tragedy, only to be then tormented by a life-size robot doll who goes on a killing spree, wasn’t as fun as it should’ve been. But, as we know, studios will make that sequel if it keeps the money flowing, and of course, we’re getting M3GAN 2.0. The cast from the first film all return, as well as director Geraldine Johnstone. Originally slated for a January release like its predecessor, it’s been moved back to May. We know nothing of plot details, but let’s hope the sequel ratchets up the campiness of the first movie, as well as the killer dance moves of this creepy little doll. — Emma Kiely

‘Marty Supreme’

Directed by Josh Safdie

Josh and Benny Safdie have solo films coming out in 2025 set in the world of sports, but these films couldn’t seem further apart. While Benny is making a wrestling film, Josh Safdie has directed Marty Supreme, a film set in the fiction world of 1950s ping pong, which is inspired by the life of professional ping pong player Marty Reisman. Also written by Josh Safdie and co-writer of Uncut Gems and Good Time, Ronald Bronstein, Marty Supreme has a wild cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, the Creator, Penn Jillette, Fran Drescher, Sandra Bernhard, Abel Ferrara, and Mr. Wonderful himself, Kevin O’Leary. Marty Supreme seems like it’s going to be one of A24’s major releases in 2025, considering they’ve already scheduled it for a Christmas release, and somehow, this film about ping pong is the most expensive movie made by A24 so far. — Ross Bonaime

‘Materialists’

Directed by Celine Song

Past Lives from writer-director Celine Song, was our best film of 2023, a tremendous debut centered on an incredible trifecta of performances. So, naturally, Song’s follow-up had to make out list of most anticipated films for 2025. In Materialists, a matchmaker gets involved with a wealthy man, but struggles to shake her feelings for a broke actor and waiter from her past, a trio played by Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. While we don’t know much else about Song’s latest, we can’t wait to see what Song does next, and with a cast like this, Materialists could easily be one of the best films of 2025. — Ross Bonaime

‘Mickey 17’ — April 18

Directed by Bong Joon-ho

Bong Joon-ho is now a household name thanks to the runaway, history-making success story that is Parasite, and now his next movie looking to be even more ambitious with an out-of-this-world concept and even more accessible with a star-studded ensemble cast. Plus, the general tone of the trailer pretty much confirms that Mickey 17 will be a comedy at its core, which is intriguing all on its own. What’s even more intriguing is its concept and lead character, played by Robert Pattinson in a role that furthers him as a master performer, as his voice in the film is entirely unrecognizable.

Set in the far-off future as humanity attempts to conquer the stars, young Mickey signs up to become “expendable”. This means that Mickey will be sent on the most dangerous missions, and when he inevitably dies on said missions, his consciousness will be transferred into a new cloned body. It’s a real pain (literally), but things get much more complicated when a new Mickey clone wakes up alongside another clone, which is strictly forbidden for expendables.

At first glance, I high-concept space comedy seems like a huge change of pace for Bong Joon-ho, but Mickey 17 actually seems to be pulling from the Academy Award-winning filmmaker’s greatest strengths. With the action and spectacle of Snowpiercer and the humor and social commentary of Parasite, Mickey 17 has the potential to be a new masterful work from a master filmmaker. Though many were confused when the film got delayed to a January release date (the month where movies go to die), the new April release date inspires a bit more hope for the very exciting upcoming feature. — Aidan Kelley

‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ — May 23

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Previously titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the highly anticipated follow-up to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and the eighth film in the Tom Cruise-led Mission: Impossible franchise. With Cruise’s star-power and the guaranteed high-octane action sequences on the horizon, it’s easy to see why Final Reckoning is one of Collider’s most-anticipated films of 2025. The film—which could be the last in the franchise if the title is any indication—is set to arrive in theaters on May 23, 2025, ensuring Paramount Pictures another summer blockbuster.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it next Summer, will be to watch Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt deal with the fallout of Dead Reckoning, which included attempting to destroy the omnipotent and dangerous A.I. system known as the Entity, facing off against his former (and current) foe, Gabriel (Esai Morales), and reckoning with the devastating loss of Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). While the plot of Final Reckoning is being kept under tight wraps, it has been revealed that Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Hayley Atwell will reprise their roles as Benji, Luther, and Grace, respectively. Additionally, Mark Gatiss, Charles Parnell, and Rolf Saxon will return alongside newcomers Nick Offerman, Holt McCallany, Hannah Waddingham, and Katy O’Brian.

If Dead Reckoning was any indication for the action, thrills, and compelling storytelling that Christopher McQuarrie has in store for the film, then Final Reckoning is sure to be a must-watch film next year. Hopefully, Grace and Ethan will avoid traveling via train, though who knows what high-flung horrors might be waiting for them this time around. — Maggie Lovitt

‘The Monkey’ — February 21

Directed by Osgood Perkins

Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs was one of 2024’s biggest horror hits, bringing back the serial killer horror film spectacle that we’ve rarely seen since 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs. Perkins is one of today’s most idiosyncratic horror filmmakers, crafting stories of demons and the occult but still focusing on the mental terror and human horror of it all. He returns with The Monkey, a supernatural horror film based on the 1980 story by Stephen King. Starring Theo James as twin brothers, after they find an old toy monkey that belonged to their father, a string of bloody and horrifying deaths, they try to forget the tragedies and move on with their lives. Years later, the deaths start up again, and the brothers are forced to reunite to try to finally put an end to the toy’s curse.

With a horror visionary like Perkins adapting a story from the horror legend himself, The Monkey promises to be a psychological and visual nightmare, as the trailer shows people running around on fire, James finding a severed finger, and a cop comparing the scene of a crime to a restaurant called Spaghetti City. James Wan serves as a producer, with Elijah Wood, Tatiana Maslavy, and Rohan Campbell finishing off the cast. This is looking to be one of the year’s goriest titles, and given how unrelenting the psychological and supernatural horror of Longlegs is, this one isn’t for casual (or squeamish) horror fans. — Emma Kiely

‘Paddington in Peru’ — February 14

Directed by Douglas Wilson

The first two Paddington movies are already icons of modern cinema. Thanks to their undeniable charm, heartwarming approach, endless optimism, and quirky humor, the films quickly earned themselves a place in people’s hearts, representing everything that one could possibly want from their family entertainment. More than any other current IP, the Paddington movies have heart to spare; they’re as fun as they’re endearing to the point of being outright irresistible. In 2025, after a seven-year wait, the third film in the series, Paddington in Peru, will finally arrive, and not a moment too soon.

Paddington in Peru will follow the titular jam-loving bear and his adoptive family, the Browns, traveling to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton). However, misadventures will soon ensue, as Paddington and the Browns try to navigate the treacherous rainforest with the help of new allies. Sadly, two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins won’t be around this time, replaced by the ever-underrated Emily Mortimer. The rest of the cast, however, is back, including Ben Whishaw as Paddington’s voice, Hugh Bonneville as the stiff but well-meaning Mr. Brown, and two-time Oscar nominee Julie Walters as the Browns’ chaotic nanny, Mrs. Bird. Joining them is Oscar winner Olivia Colman as a guitar-playing nun and Oscar nominee Antonio Banderas as a treasure hunter. Promising more delightful and slightly unhinged fun, Paddington in Peru will be the perfect way to start 2025 with a healthy dose of charm, fun, and English politeness. – David Caballero

‘The Phoenician Scheme’

Directed by Wes Anderson

A new Wes Anderson film is always cause for celebration, and after a 2023 that gave us Asteroid City and four Roald Dahl shorts, it seems that Anderson will likely be back in 2025 with The Phoenician Scheme. Anderson’s latest is a story of espionage centered around a father-daughter relationship within the family business. As with pretty much every Anderson film, The Phoenician Scheme is simply jam-packed with actors, including Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rupert Friend, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, and of course, Bill Murray. Asteroid City was certainly proof that Anderson could take a gargantuan cast and make them all fit into a hilarious, often moving story, and we can’t wait to see if he does the same with his latest. — Ross Bonaime

‘Predator: Badlands’ — November 7

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

If any movie of the last decade deserved a theatrical release, it was Dan Trachtenberg‘s critically-revered Predator prequel, Prey. Between the striking visuals, rich character development, and unique story, the Hulu-released sci-fi thriller about a young Comanche warrior, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who is coming into her own as a leader as she is faced with a prehistoric version of the iconic and terrifying Predator character, was a brilliant storytelling feat, and a hopeful reminder that an established property with several installments has the potential to be more than a repetitive regurgitation of what came before it.

Naturally, following the film’s success, Trachtenberg — who is also directing an episode of the final season of Stranger Things — has been given the chance to make another movie in the franchise. Co-written by him and Patrick Aison, Predator: Badlands is set in the future, and will reportedly have the Predator serve as the hero of the story. This alien horror film’s plot is largely under wraps, though Elle Fanning has been confirmed as the lead, er, leads? According to the previously cited Empire Magazine article, Fanning will be playing more than one character. November can’t come soon enough. — Emily Bernard

‘The Running Man’ — November 21

Directed by Edgar Wright

Based on a brilliant Stephen King novel. A remake of an awesome Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Directed by Edgar Wright. Written by Michael Bacall. Starring Glen Powell. Do we even really need to explain why we’re excited for The Running Man? Well, apart from it being a story about a man fighting for his life in a twisted game show popularized by a dystopian society?

1987’s The Running Man is one of the many classic sci-fi action films from the era, featuring the entertaining action we expect from Arnold Schwarzenegger and a delicious villain performance from actual Family Feud host Richard Dawson as an evil game show producer. However, as fun as the movie is, it’s not exactly a faithful adaptation of the book it’s based on, which, in true Stephen King fashion, takes itself a bit more seriously. With the upcoming film promised to be more closely following the book, this primes The Running Man 2025 as not only a worthy remake, but a stellar science fiction adaptation all around.

It also helps that The Running Man has one of the most stacked casts and crews of the year. The film is set to reunite director Edgar Wright, a filmmaker who has a perfect “Certified Fresh” record out of seven movies on Rotten Tomatoes, and screenwriter Michael Bacall, who wrote the razor-sharp 21 Jump Street movies, for their first feature since Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. That’s reason enough to be excited, but throw in a cast led by Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian, William H. Macy, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Karl Glusman, and Jayme Lawson, and The Running Man is already racing toward the finish line. — Aidan Kelley

‘Sinners’ — March 7

Directed by Ryan Coogler

People just can’t get enough of vampires! 2024 ends with a remake of one of the most famous vampire movies of all time, Nosferatu, but you blood-sucking fiends will remain satiated next year, as Black Panther creator Ryan Coogler brings us an original vampiric horror movie, Sinners. Starring frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers (twins are the hot new trope of horror it seems), the trailer shows Jordan’s Elias and Elijah trying to discover what dark presence is taking over their town in the early 20th century South. The trailer shows the locals of the town band together with whatever weapon is at their disposal to face up against the beast of the night that has brought bloody chaos to their town. Promising a hybrid of an atmospheric Southern gothic horror and another action star vehicle for Jordan, seeing a visionary director like Coogler step into the horror genre for the first time should ramp up a lot of excitement for this picture. Joining Jordan are Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Li Jun Li, and Jayme Lawson. With Cooger such a respected name both in and out of the superhero circles, let’s hope his following carries over into the horror genre. — Emma Kiely

‘The Smashing Machine’

Directed by Benny Safdie

While Josh Safdie is making a ping pong movie with Chalamet, Benny Safdie’s solo project, The Smashing Machine, sounds a bit more conventional—whatever that means for a Safdie film. The Smashing Machine tells the story of former wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, played by Dwayne Johnson, with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt playing Kerr’s then-wife Dawn Staples. While it’s certainly going to be interesting to see what both projects from the Safdie brothers are like without the other, this is also a curious acting choice for Johnson, who has primarily stuck to big-budget projects and franchises over the last few years. Could this be a major shift in Johnson’s acting career? We’ll have to wait until The Smashing Machine comes out to find out. — Ross Bonaime

‘Superman’ — July 11

Directed by James Gunn

We live in a world where superheroes have taken over pop culture. From the MCU to The Boys, there’s always been a comic book adaptation that had its grip on the entertainment industry. With claims of superhero fatigue, a world overtaken by cynicism, and rocky cinematic universes, the genre needed to go back to basics. We needed the return of Superman.

In a lot of ways, James Gunn’s Superman film is still a part of the superhero machine. It’s the first film in the new DC Universe and must help the studio rebound after several box office disasters. How can the film launch a new universe, avoid superhero fatigue, and become a box-office success? The answer is simple: unbridled optimism. DC Studios hopes to remind us of the joy we felt when we discovered these characters for the first time. David Corenswet’s Clark Kent saves those in trouble not because he’s a Hero for Hire or a government agent but because it’s the right thing to do.

Superman is all about having hope in humanity and being a shining light in a world shrouded by darkness. Out of the countless comic book adaptations, this is one of the few that actually focuses on what it means to be a hero. From Rachel Brosnahan’s fiery Lois Lane to Nicholas Hoult’s refreshing take on Lex Luthor, Superman is shaping up to be one of the biggest films of the year and will remind us how it feels to believe a man can fly. — Mike Thomas

‘Thunderbolts*’ — May 2

Directed by Jake Schreier

While Marvel seemed to have had a streak of box office bummers and bland TV series over the last few years, things are finally looking up for the MCU in 2025 with several new releases. Not least of which is Thunderbolts*, the newest team-up movie featuring the likes of Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, and Sebastian Stan, as well as Lewis Pullman in a not-so-mystery role as the aptly named Bob. (His second character with that name, actually.) A follow-up to a number of the MCU’s earlier projects, including Black Widow, Hawkeye, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, just to name a few, it’s not your usual team-up, bringing together the scrappy misfits of the cinematic universe to take on an as-yet-undiscovered foe.

With stars that have already proven themselves in the MCU — plus one who rose to fame in one of the biggest blockbusters of the last five years — Thunderbolts* seems like a near-perfect hit for Marvel. It’s filled to the brim with fan-favorites, and if The Avengers proved anything ten years ago, it’s that everyone loves watching mismatched characters come together to defeat a greater evil…even if that evil is just Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Maybe then we’ll find out what that asterisk is for. — Maggie Boccella

Trey Parker/Matt Stone/Kendrick Lamar Comedy — July 4

Directed by Trey Parker

Despite being on air for well over two decades, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s South Park still hasn’t lost any of its luster. The duo has been quite busy over the decade, from creating a Tony-winning Broadway musical, creating streaming exclusive specials, buying and reopening a Mexican restaurant, developing video games, and starting a deep-fake studio, and that’s just to name a few. That said, they haven’t actually made a movie since Team America: World Police in 2004. That’s about to change with the release of their sure-to-be controversial new comedy produced by none other than Grammy-winning rapper and artist, Kendrick Lamar.

The movie will follow a young black man interning as a slave reenactor at a living history museum who makes the uncomfortable discovery that his white girlfriend’s ancestors once owned his. We don’t actually know whether or not Lamar will star in the movie or he’s only a producer, but after turning his diss track toward Drake into the song of the summer, it’s clear that his edge will perfectly complement Parker and Stone’s. We don’t really get many new original studio comedies on the big screen anymore. So it feels like a dream come true to have the guys behind South Park teaming with one of the best musicians in the game to deliver what is sure to be one of the funniest and boldest movies of 2025. — Nate Richard

‘Tron: Ares’ — October 10

Directed by Joachim Rønning

Let’s be honest: the Tron franchise is a series that Disney keeps trying to make happen, and it’s absolutely been an uphill battle. Both Tron and Tron: Legacy are probably remembered primarily because of their vibe, and did you know there was even a Disney XD series, Tron: Uprising? But Disney is trying once more to make Tron a thing with TRON: Ares, in which the eponymous Program named Ares (played by Jared Leto), is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission. TRON: Ares comes from director Joachim Rønning, who Disney has used before to revitalize franchises with films like Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. In addition to Leto, Ares also stars Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and naturally, Jeff Bridges. Fingers crossed Disney has finally figured out how to make Tron as interesting as its visuals and style. — Ross Bonaime

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

Directed by Rian Johnson

Rian Johnson’s love of a proper detective story was evident all the way back to his stunning neo-noir debut, Brick, translating hardboiled detective tropes into a high school’s seedy underbelly. Pivoting into whodunit territory with Knives Out was a natural choice, providing an engaging riff on the murder mystery with a top-shelf ensemble cast and a memorable cinematic detective in Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. The film brought so much new life to the whodunit genre that Netflix came calling with a stunning $400M development deal for the a pair of follow up Benoit Blanc mysteries. Glass Onion brought Blanc back, this time to a murder mystery in a gorgeous glass house that becomes far too real.

Each mystery in this franchise is a new love letter to whodunit tropes and misdirects, and the newest iteration, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, is sure to be another standout affair. Expect a clever, breezy script and an engaging mystery at its heart. Daniel Craig became a household name with his charismatic, intense interpretation of James Bond, but Blanc may well be the standout character of his career so far. Each new Knives Out mystery sees his characterization of the quippy, puzzle-loving Southern detective deepen, sharpening his powers of deduction against a new coterie of memorable suspects. Every evening spent with Benoit Blanc is a great time, and we can all be grateful another one’s on the way. — Jeff Ewing

‘Wicked: For Good’ — November 21

Directed by Jon M. Chu

One of the major critical and box office successes of 2024 was the first part of Wicked. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that the anticipation for its second part, now titled Wicked: For Good, would be as high (if not higher). Through the direction of Jon M. Chu, Wicked brought to life the magic and wonder of the beloved stage musical to the silver screen. The added runtime of Act 1 expanded the world of Oz in insightful ways that will earn its payoff in 2025 with the sequel. While the first half of Wicked included more of the “popular” songs from the musical (and that beautiful cameo), the second half of the story is just as interesting and dare I say… wonderful.

Now that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has been deemed “wicked” by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and the people of Oz, Wicked: For Good will explore the fallout this has on Glinda (Ariana Grande) and the rest of her peers from Shiz University. This is the part of the stage musical in which the story begins to crossover with the events of The Wizard of Oz, which fans can expect even more nods to the 1939 film. There are underrated musical numbers, like “No Good Deed” and “As Long As Your Mine,” that will have the space to stand on its own in its full grandeur. Characters that weren’t as prevalent in Wicked, like Boq (Ethan Slater) and Nessarose (Marissa Bode), have more impact on Elphaba’s story and the land of Oz in the sequel.

More than that, at the center of the story continues to be the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Now that they’ve chosen their respective sides, audiences will see the consequences of that. They are the beating heart of this story, and let’s just say that retitling the sequel to “For Good” is a foreshadowing of the most emotional song from Wicked. If Chu delivered an impressive first act, we can give him the benefit of the doubt that he, the cast, and the crew will stick the landing with its conclusion. Keep your broomsticks (and tissues) ready for when we return to Oz in November. – Meredith Loftus

‘Wolf Man’ — January 17

Directed by Leigh Whannell

The new wave of horror continues into the new year, with a snappy handful of spooky movies arriving in early 2025, and none have had quite the build-up that Wolf Man has. Arriving into theaters just in time to counter the January blues, Wolf Man’s trailers promise an eerie tale of a family man taken over by an animalistic force. With a family in peril, a vast forest and a secluded house at the center of it, it seems like the perfect minimalist setup for a horror that meets in the middle between domestic and gothic. Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner star as the married couple whose happy home life is torn apart by supernatural forces.

It’s the latest in a sputtering series of new twists on the classic Universal monsters that dominated the horror landscape from the 1920s through to the ‘50s, and thankfully it is safely in the capable hands of Leigh Whannell, whose film career has been grounded in the genre from the off. His clever reimagining of The Invisible Man in 2020 inspired much confidence in the resurgence of the Universal Monsters brand, particularly after the mess that was The Mummy, and the well-intentioned but dismal efforts of Van Helsing and 2010’s The Wolfman. Here’s hoping that this franchise will finally gather some momentum and start living up to its potential. — Luna Guthrie

‘Zootopia 2’ — November 26

Directed by Jared Bush and Bryon Howard

After decades of Disney actively avoiding theatrical sequels to their animated films, the company has seemingly gone all-in with sequels in recent years, for better or for worse. For every Ralph Breaks the Internet and Moana 2, there’s a Frozen 2 that doesn’t quite live up to the hype. But the world of Zootopia felt like a universe we were only scratching the surface of with the first film, and now Zootopia 2 brings us back Zootropolis to explore the possibilities even further. This time around Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), now officially a team, must go undercover in Mash Market as they follow a questionable snake. Zootopia 2 also features Ke Huy Quan as Gary, the snake in question, and Fortune Feimster as a beaver named Nibbles. With Judy and Nick finally teamed up, and directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard getting to flesh out this world even more, Zootopia 2 could be one of the rare Disney animated sequels that lives up to the original. — Ross Bonaime