The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025

Leigh Whannell’s new horror movie is set in a remote farmhouse where a small family: Charlotte (Julia Garner), her husband Blake (Christopher Abbott) and their young daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) are attacked by a strange monster. As they they discover Blake has been infected, he begins to transform into something unrecognizable. The story is a new take on the classic Universal Pictures monster that first appeared in 1941 feature “The Wolf Man.”  

This new take on Marvel’s first superhero, directed by Julius Onah, marks the first Captain America film since Chris Evan’s departure. This is Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) turn to live up to the name as he finds himself in the midst of an international debacle, having to protect the president (Harrison Ford), who also happens to be the Red Hulk. Among the cast is Rosa Salazar as Diamondback and Liv Tyler as Betty Ross. 

The third Paddington movie follows the endearing English bear to a Home for Retired Bears in the Amazonian Peruvian jungle as he journeys to find his lost Aunt Lucy. Much of the cast remains the same with Ben Whishaw as Paddington and Emily Mortimer and Hugh Bonneville as Mr. and Mrs. Brown, as well as new additions like Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas.

Robert Pattinson stars as space traveler Mickey 17 in Bong Joon-ho’s sci fi thriller. Mickey, a “disposable” employee, is sent on a deadly mission to colonize the ice world Niflheim. When one employee dies, he’s cloned with the memories of the traveler who comes before him. Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette co-star.

The live-action version of the 1937 Disney classic is finally coming to theaters after its original release was postponed due to the strike. Directed by Marc Webb, the movie stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White, Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, and Patrick Page as the Mirror on The Wall. Andrew Burnap will play Jonathan, a version of the original prince. The musical fantasy is written by Greta Gerwig and Erin Cressida Wilson, with credit to Dorothy Ann Blank from the original animated version.

Jared Hess’ semi-animated feature is based on the extremely popular cubic video game. The movie follows four “misfits:” Jason Momoa, Emma Myers (“Wednesday”), Danielle Brooks (“Orange is the New Black”), and newcomer Sebastian Eugene Hansen, who get transported into a strangely symmetrical wonderland. Upon their arrival, they encounter Steve (Jack Black), embarking together on a series of adventures in order to return home.

Michael B. Jordan plays twin brothers in the Ryan Coogler horror thriller. The duo come across a great evil as they attempt to start over their lives by returning to their hometown. The trailer ends on the eerie note: “You keep dancing with the devil… one day he’s gonna follow you home.” The feature, which is written and directed by Coogler (“Creed” and “Black Panther”), also stars Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Li Jun Li and Omar Benson Miller.

Marvel’s new antihero story follows a group of villains recruited to work for the U.S. government. The new action and star-packed film comes from director Jake Schreier (“Beef”), featuring Florence Pugh as Black Widow Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov, Lewis Pullman as Robert Reynolds, Wyatt Russell as John Walker, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a U.S. agent.

It could be his last mission: Ethan Hunt and the IMF bring the current chapter of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise to a close with “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.” Shot at the same time as its predecessor, the film stars Tom Cruise as a renegade secret agent in a race against time to save the world from evil AI. Cruise leads an all-star cast of franchise returnees including Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, and Vanessa Kirby, alongside newcomers Holt McCallany and Hannah Waddingham. 

Experiment 626 will once again be unleashed when “Lilo & Stitch,” the live-action remake of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, surfs into theaters. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the film stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, a lonely Hawaiian girl who befriends an alien who has crash-landed on Earth after mistaking him for an “ugly dog.” Sydney Agudong will play Lilo’s older sister Nani, while Billy Magnussen and Zach Galifinakis will play Pleakley and Jumba, a pair of aliens hunting Stitch.

Wax on, wax off: “Karate Kid: Legends” is reuniting franchise stars Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan as Mr. Han, with a new student played by Ben Wang. Daniel and Mr. Han will have to team up but find themselves reconciling their different teaching styles. The film is directed by Jonathan Entwistle (Netflix’s “I Am Not Okay With This”) with a screenplay from Rob Lieber (“Peter Rabbit”).

The latest film from Wes Anderson, “The Phoenician Scheme” stars Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton as business magnate Zsa-zsa Korda and his daughter Liesel, a nun. Michael Cera will play Sister Liesel’s tutor Bjorn Lund, with the film’s ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Jeffrey Wright, Riz Ahmed, Scarlett Johansson, Richard Ayoade, Mathieu Amalric, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The “John Wick” spinoff will follow Ana de Armas as an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma. The franchise’s latest feature “John Wick: Chapter 4” became the highest-grossing entry in the action series, also earning critical acclaim with a score of 95% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Keanu Reeves will reprise his role as John Wick in the spinoff action film, joined by Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus and Ian McShane.

Pixar’s latest original film is “Elio.” Directed by Domee Shi and Madaline Sharafian (the latter of whom is making her feature directorial debut), the film follows a space-obsessed 11-year-old (Yonas Kibreab) who’s beamed up to an interplanetary organization and mistaken for Earth’s leader. “Elio”’s voice cast includes Jameela Jamil, Zoe Saldaña, and Brad Garrett.

15 years after the first “How to Train Your Dragon” soared into theaters, Dreamworks’ beloved animated franchise is making the jump to live action in this fantasy/adventure remake. Written and produced by Dean DeBlois (scribe of the first three animated “HTTYD” films), this live action reimagining stars Mason Thomas as Hiccup, a misfit Norse teenager who befriends a dragon, Toothless, and struggles to fit in despite the fact that his father (Gerard Butler) is chief of the clan. The film also stars Nico Parker as Astrid. 

Nearly a decade after he first starred in Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s now-iconic zombie flick, Cillian Murphy is returning to the “28 Days Later” franchise with threequel “28 Years Later.” The third film in the series and the first in a new trilogy, “28 Years Later” sees Murphy reprise his role as Jim, a bike courier who struggles to survive a zombie apocalypse. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Erin Kellyman also star. 

Following a bidding war, a lengthy casting process, and principal photography that included filming during the 2023 British Grand Prix, Brad Pitt’s high-octane racing drama “F1” is finally pulling into theaters. The film stars Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a Formula One driver called out of retirement to mentor a rookie prodigy (Damson Idris). In addition to Pit and Idris, all 10 real-life Formula One teams and their drivers will appear in “F1” as themselves. 

She sings, she tells bedtime stories, and soon she’s back for blood: M3GAN dances her way back into theaters in “M3GAN 2.0” this summer. Picking up in the aftermath of the first film, “M3GAN 2.0” sees Allison Williams and Violet McGraw reprise their roles as Gemma and Cady, an aunt and niece who join forces to battle an artificially intelligent doll (Amie Donald, Jenna Davis) with a mind of her own. Akela Cooper and Gerard Johnstone also return as writer and director. 

The newest addition in the “Jurassic World” franchise stars Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali. With Gareth Edwards (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) directing a script from David Koepp, who wrote the original “Jurassic Park,” this latest film is set to take place five years after “Jurassic World Dominion.” After the planet’s ecology has become unlivable for dinosaurs, an intrepid team races to find DNA samples from three massive creatures. 

Audiences can soon look to the sky as James Gunn is bringing Superman (David Corenswet) back to the big screen as part of Gunn and Peter Safran’s newly rebooted DC Universe. The plot follows Superman as he undergoes a journey to reconcile his heritage with how he was brought up in the human world. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane, while Nicholas Hoult will take on the mantle of Lex Luthor. 

Ari Aster is back following the controversial “Beau is Afraid” with another surreal tale from A24 — this time, centered on the COVID pandemic. Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone star in Aster’s darkly comedic western take on conspiracy theories and protests that is set to premiere in competition at Cannes.

With original music from Rihanna, who is also voicing Smurfette, the iconic blue Smurfs are returning to the big screen in “The Smurfs Movie,” which is said to be an animated musical from directors Chris Miller (“Puss in Boots”) and Matt Landon. The voice cast includes Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Daniel Levy, James Corden, Octavia Spencer, Sandra Oh and Billie Lourd.

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprise their roles as Julie James and Jay Bronson in the fourth installment of the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” slasher franchise. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the film is a direct sequel to “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” and features franchise newcomers Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Sara Pidgeon and Lola Tung.

The Fantastic Four is being rebooted once again, this time assembled by Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. The film will reportedly take place in 1960s New York City with Matt Shakman (“WandaVision”) directing. 

Adam Sandler returns to the golf course in “Happy Gilmore 2,” streaming July 25 on Netflix.

The storyline is a mystery but the trailer shows Sandler’s character having some doubts about facing off against a few PGA heavyweights. But he returns to the golf course with confidence and all hell breaks loose.Returning for the sequel are Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and Ben Stiller, plus newcomers such as Bad Bunny, Travis Kelce and Sandler’s daughters Sadie and Sunny. Real professional golfers John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and more also make appearances.

Liam Neeson plays a bumbling police officer in “The Naked Gun,” a direct sequel to the 1988 action-comedy franchise originally starring Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin. Nielsen will play Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen’s Lt. Drebin, in the upcoming sequel which also stars Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser. “The Naked Gun” is directed by The Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer with a script co-written by Schaffer, Dan Gregor and Doug Mand.

Are you ready to get freaky? “Freakier Friday,” the sequel to the 2003 comedy “Freaky Friday,” is reuniting Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as the mother-daughter duo of Tess and Anna. The sequel reportedly features a “multigenerational twist” as both Tess and Anna have to navigate the challenges of two families coming together.

Zach Cregger, the director behind the hit “Barbarian,” returns with another unsettling horror film. Julia Garner leads “Weapons” as a small-town elementary school teacher who discovers that all the students in her first period class have gone missing. She deals with a parent, played by Josh Brolin, desperate to know what happened to his daughter. Garner also begins to see the children — in ghost-like forms. Additional cast members are Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong and June Diane Raphael.

A sequel to the 2021 action-thriller starring Bob Odenkirk, “Nobody 2” will see Odenkirk return as Hutch Mansell, a mild-mannered family man who goes on a violent quest for revenge after his house is broken into. Connie Nielsen will return as Hutch’s wife Becca, while Christopher Lloyd will reprise his role as Hutch’s trigger-happy father David. “Nobody 2” is directed by Timo Tjahjanto (taking over from Ilya Naishuller) with a script co-written by Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin and Umair Aleem.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as a couple in Jay Roach’s comedy, which draws from “The War of the Roses” (1989). Theo (Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Colman) have it all, as they say. They have prosperous work lives and a family, but when Theo’s career suddenly falls apart, a different aspect of the couple’s dynamic is revealed. The cast also includes Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Sunita Mani, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë Chao and Belinda Bromilow.

Based on the novel by Richard Osman, “The Thursday Murder Club” will be available to stream on Netflix in 2025. The film centers around a retirement home friend group who come together to solve murder mysteries in their free time but find themselves embroiled in a real case. “The Thursday Murder Club” will be led by Helen Mirren playing an ex-spy, Ben Kingsley in the role of a former psychiatrist, Pierce Brosnan portraying an ex-union activist and Celia Imrie as a former nurse. The supporting cast includes David Tennant, Daniel Mays, Naomi Ackie, Jonathan Pryce, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles and Ingrid Oliver. “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” director Chris Columbus will write and direct the project for Netflix.

The amp is turning back up to 11 in the long-awaited sequel to “This is Spinal Tap,” which sees director Rob Reiner returning alongside actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. In the sequel, “one of England’s loudest bands” reunites for one final concert, with expected cameos including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Garth Brooks.

“A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” comes from director Kogonada and features Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell playing strangers who share a magical realist romance. The pair star alongside Jodie Turner-Smith, Lily Rabe, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Hamish Linklater. Sony Pictures’s motion picture group CEO and chairman Tom Rothman named the film “a project from heaven.”

Paul Thomas Anderson is once again directing his own script with Warner Bros producing. Alongside stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, other names in the cast include Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor (“A Thousand and One”), Wood Harris (“Creed”), rapper Shayna McHayle and newcomer Chase Infiniti. DiCaprio plays a hard-living revolutionary who is trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter.

Lifelong friends and frequent collaborators Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will once again join forces in “RIP,” a crime thriller co-written and directed by Joe Carnahan. Damon and Affleck star as members of Miami’s Tactical Narcotics Team, who follow a rogue tip about a potential cartel stash after the murder of their captain remains unsolved for months due to bureaucratic delays. Michael McGrale wrote the screenplay for “RIP,” which is one of two Affleck/Damon projects upcoming at Netflix.

Michael Jackson is the latest celebrity to be given the biopic treatment, raising questions of just how much attention the film will pay to the sexual misconduct allegations against the megastar. Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) directs Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, as the King of Pop while Colman Domingo will play Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father. The cast also includes Miles Teller, Kat Graham, Laura Harrier and Nia Long. The film, which underwent reshoots, will now be split into two parts, and will likely change its October release date.

Dwayne Johnson is taking his place in the ring with “The Smashing Machine” as wrestler and MMA legend Mark Kerr, who struggled with addiction and his marriage. The film marks Benny Safdie’s first solo directing effort in film (following “The Curse”) after his creative split with Josh Safdie. The cast is rounded out by Emily Blunt, who plays Dawn Staples.

Fifteen years after “Tron: Legacy” blasted into theaters, the video game characters will notably be returning to Planet Earth in the latest “Tron Ares.” Jared Leto is set to play Ares, a digital programmer challenged to join the real world. Evan Peters will be playing Julian Dillinger, who is named after the villain in the 1982 “Tron,” alongside Greta Lee and Jeff Bridges.

The R-rated road trip movie sees Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Vince Vaughn, Aubrey Plaza and Lil Rel Howery joining forces. Combining animated characters with live-action, “Keanu” director Peter Atencio is helming a script from Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (“Gentlemen Lobsters”), although plot details remain under wraps at the moment.

Four years after Ethan Hawke frightened audiences with his portrayal of The Grabber, “The Black Phone 2” brings him back for some more scares. While major plot details aren’t currently known, Universal and Blumhouse have said that this aims to be the “launch of a sinister new franchise.” 

Following the Hulu streaming success of “Prey” in 2022, director Dan Trachtenberg is returning to the world of “Predator” with “Predator: Badlands.” While plot details remain vague, it was reported last summer that Elle Fanning is in talks to star in the 20th Century Studios blockbuster.

Conspiracy theories abound in “Bugonia,” a science fiction comedy film following two young men who, motivated by a strange belief that she is secretly an extraterrestrial being intent on destroying the planet, kidnap a prominent CEO. Yorgos Lanthimos directs Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Cedric Dumornay and more.  

Following Glen Powell’s starring turn in “Hit Man,” the actor will be joining Josh Brolin on-screen for the dystopian thriller “The Running Man.” Set in a futuristic United States, it’s based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel that was also adapted as the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. King wrote the script for the feature alongside Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright, with Wright directing. In addition to Powell and Brolin, the cast of “The Running Man” includes Michael Cera, Lee Pace, Lee Charles and Katy O’Brian. 

Fans will be able to return to Oz next fall with “Wicked: Part Two.” The sequel to John M. Chu’s musical adaptation will boast a returning cast of Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum and more. Chu is also returning as director, with a script from “Wicked: Part One” writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox as well as L. Frank Baum.  

After a nine-year wait, everyone’s favorite rabbit cop Judy Hopps will return to the big screen for “Zootopia 2.” This sequel stars Jason Bateman, Fortune Feimster, Ginnifer Goodwin, Ke Huy Quan and Shakira. Although specific plot details are still under wraps, the movie is set to follow Judy as she teams up with Nick Wilde (Bateman) to crack a new and dangerous case.  

Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard and Elizabeth Lail star in the horror feature “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” The previous film “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was based on the 2014 video game of the same name and was directed by Emma Tammi. Tammi returns to helm this sequel, which teases even more terrifying stakes than its predecessor.  

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” continues James Cameron’s hit franchise that got started with blockbuster “Avatar” in 2009. Rounding out the cast is Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, Jemaine Clement, Matt Gerald, David Thewlis, Sam Worthington, Edie Falco, Cliff Curtis and Oona Chaplin. This film marks the sequel to 2022’s “The Way of Water” although key plot details have yet to be announced.

Venture down into the Bikini Bottom to watch SpongeBob face off against the ghost of the Flying Dutchman in “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.” The film, written and directed by Derek Drymon, stars Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, Brian Doyle-Murray and Mark Hamill as The Flying Dutchman, Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants and Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star.  

Josh Safdie’s solo directorial effort stars Timothée Chalamet in a story based on the life of ping pong champion Marty Reisman. The A24 film also includes Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays the spouse of another ping pong competitor. Paltrow and Chalamet’s characters become romantically involved. Additional cast members are Tyler the Creator, Fran Drescher, Odessa A’zion, Penn Jillette, Kevin O’Leary and Abel Ferrara.

Sydney Sweeney plays Millie, a housemaid for rich couple Nina (Amanda Seyfried) and Andrew (Brandon Sklenar). The couple are sketchier than they appear to be, but Millie also has a few secrets up her sleeve. The thriller, directed by Paul Feig (“A Simple Favor,” “Bridesmaids”), is an adaptation of Freida McFadden’s novel of the same name.

The third installment in Rian Johnson’s Academy Award-nominated murder mystery franchise will premiere on Netflix in 2025. While plots details are still under wraps, the film is titled “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” and is a sequel to 2022’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” Daniel Craig is set to return as detective Benoit Blanc and will be joined by a new cast including Cailee Spaeny, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, Josh O’Connor, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Glenn Close, Thomas Haden Church and Annie Hamilton. Johnson will also produce alongside Ram Bergman and Leopold Hughes.

After “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and the Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro’s fantastical mind is taking on “Frankenstein” for Netflix. It’s another take on Mary Shelley’s classic novel about an obsessive scientist who brings a monstrous experiment to life — a decision that leads to the scientist’s own downfall. This adaptation stars Oscar Isaac as Viktor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein’s Monster, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz, among others.

Based on Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel of the same name, Keira Knightley leads the cast of “The Woman in Cabin 10,” a British psychological thriller directed by Simon Stone. Knightly plays Lo, a travel journalist covering the maiden voyage of a luxury cruise ship who becomes convinced she witnessed a passenger being thrown overboard.  Guy Pearce, Hannah Waddingham, Kaya Scodelario and Gugu Mbatha-Raw also star.