The 2024 movie year is officially over, and 2025 has just begun. With a new year comes plenty of new movies to be excited about, from action movie blockbusters to original ideas. As we survey the year ahead, it’s difficult to know exactly which 2025 movies are going to ultimately be the cream of the crop.
We’ve done our best to do just that, though, with a little bit of my personal preference included, as well. These eight titles may or may not be great, but they represent some of the best hopes that we should have for moviegoing as we head into 2025.
Mickey 17 – March 7
It has been more than five years since Bong Joon-ho became the first international director to win Best Picture with Parasite. And to the delight of everyone who loved him long before he was shrouded in Oscar glory, Mickey 17 seems nothing like Parasite. This sci-fi movie tells the story of a man who agrees to clone himself endlessly so that he can go on a variety of dangerous missions. We know that cloning happens at least 17 times, and we know that Robert Pattinson is at the center of what seems like a funny, broad comedy that’s sure to have plenty of trenchant ideas buried within it.
Sinners – April 18
Ryan Coogler has made two pretty excellent Black Panther films, but it’s pretty exciting to see him get to play outside of that universe again. Many of the plot details of Sinners are being kept under wraps, but the film follows twin brothers (both played by Coogler’s muse Michael B. Jordan) who return to their hometown only to discover that a new evil is waiting for them there. Jordan leads an all-star cast, but the main draw here is Coogler himself, who is finally going to get the chance to cook again.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – May 23
It remains to be seen whether this will be the final Mission: Impossible movie, but even if it’s not, The Final Reckoning seems likely to be worth anticipating. This movie, which will serve as a direct sequel to Dead Reckoning, the previous film, and features the return of Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as the only man keeping the world from falling into utter chaos. The real reason to watch a Mission: Impossible movie is to watch Cruise do insane things, though, and the first teaser suggests we’re going to get plenty of that.
How to Train Your Dragon – June 13
The original How to Train Your Dragon will be 15 years old when this live-action remake hits theaters. That original movie, which follows a young Viking who discovers that the dragons his village has been fighting aren’t as evil as they might seem, is one of the best movies ever made about the bond between humans and animals. Live-action remakes of animated classics have often fallen flat, but Dean DeBlois, the director behind the original, is back for this sequel, which should give you some hope that they won’t screw it up.
28 Years Later – June 20
It’s been more than a decade since the last film in the 28 … Later franchise was released. This movie sees the return of director Danny Boyle, who directed the first installment and has a cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jodie Comer. The first teaser for this movie suggests it’ll be one of the great films of the year. Set on an island that has been heavily quarantined from the zombie population on the mainland, it seems likely to offer plenty of opportunity for real tension.
Superman – July 11
James Gunn’s DC universe is making its big debut with Superman, and based on the first teaser, things are looking good. This film is bringing a definitive pop of color that was lacking from Zack Snyder’s vision of this universe, and the prominence of Krypto the Superdog in the trailer suggests that things might be getting a little bit silly as well. Superman is meant to be an inspiration, and in Gunn’s hands, we’re hoping he can be exactly that.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps – July 25
Marvel has, for the better part of the last five years, been coasting on the success of Avengers: Endgame. The Fantastic Four is maybe the first movie since then that feels like it really just has to work. Introducing an entirely new set of heroes, the film is a major expansion of this universe and one that will explicitly set up the even bigger films still to come. With Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Mass-Bacharach leading the way, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic.
Wicked: For Good – November 21
The second half of Wicked is, candidly, not as good as the first. Even so, this sequel to Wicked will be hotly anticipated in large part thanks to the success of the first film. Now that Elphaba has discovered that the Wizard is up to no good, she’ll have to figure out whether there’s any way to actually stop him, even as they also contend with the arrival of Dorothy and her friends in the land of Oz.
Avatar: Fire and Ash – December 19
Every time an Avatar movie comes out, there’s a dumb argument about how these movies have no cultural legacy, and the movies make $1 billion. Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in this franchise, will look to continue that trend. The story of Jake Sully and his family is interesting, sure, but the reason these movies are such a tremendous success is the remarkable ability James Cameron has to create entire worlds with CGI. He understands modern filmmaking in a way no one else does, and the results are frequently mesmerizing.
