2024 had us cheering for the Green Witch in a hum-along, sympathising with a human blob, rekindling hope for the MCU (for now), and being petrified by an eerie human-xenomorph hybrid offspring.
Now, with hopes of topping the cinematic highs of the previous year, Hollywood has lined up an enticing slate for 2025. While not every upcoming release deserves attention, a few have caught the eye of this modest movie critic and like-minded cinephiles.
A quick heads-up: this article focuses on standalone films debuting in 2025. If sequels are more your thing, we’ve got a separate listicle for that. All release dates are confirmed for U.S. theatres with honourable mentions at the end.
SINNERS (April 18)
Horror fans are feasting in 2025! Among highly anticipated releases like The Monkey, 28 Years Later, and M3GAN 2.0, Sinners is a must-see vampire thriller this spring. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, the film reunites him with Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan, who takes on a dual role as twin brothers Smoke and Stack. Returning to their hometown for a fresh start, they soon uncover a terrifying secret—vampires straight out of the Jim Crow-era 1930s, ready to welcome them back in the worst way possible.
The cast is stacked, featuring Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and, in an exciting twist, Hailee Steinfeld as a vampire.
THUNDERBOLTS (May 2)
Phase 5 of the MCU has had its fair share of triumphs and misfires, but the final entry in this phase, Thunderbolts, hopes to end on a high note. Despite that, as the 36th film in the franchise, Thunderbolts is essentially Avengers Lite. Still, it boasts a prodigious ensemble cast. Florence Pugh (Midsommar) returns as Yelena Belova, aka the new Black Widow. Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) is back as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier, while David Harbour (Stranger Things) reprises his role as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian. Wyatt Russell returns as John Walker/U.S. Agent , Hannah John-Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp) is Ava Starr/Ghost, and newcomer, Lewis Pullman (Salem’s Lot) plays Robert Reynolds/Sentry.
The film centres on a ragtag team of anti-heroes and villains recruited by Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (a.k.a. Discount Nick Fury). Thunderbolts has seen four different release dates, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, but it’ll still be fun to watch how these characters — all with conveniently similar abilities and power sets — try to stand out in a superhero flick.
BALLERINA (June 6)
John Wick, a.k.a Baba Yaga, a.k.a the Boogeyman, a.k.a Lo Spettro, is one of the most dreaded assassins not just in his universe but in all of fiction—an impressive feat considering the character first appeared in 2014. Now, we return to his world, filled with heart-thumping action sequences, luscious cinematography and elegant assassin lore. This time, however, the focus shifts to the “adventures” of a Ballerina, Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas (Blonde).
Anjelica Huston plays The Director while Gabriel Byrne takes on the role of The Chancellor. Norman Reedus also joins the cast as Daniel Pine, and Ian McShane returns as Winston Scott, the manager of the Continental. From the synopsis, Eve Macarro’s father is mysteriously killed (a big mistake), and now it’s time for this baddie to seek revenge—in John Wick’s style. The film is set between John Wick 3 and John Wick 4, with Keanu Reeves confirmed for a cameo in Ballerina. Seriously, who can say no to more John Wick?
Materialists (June 13)
Set in the high-stakes world of modern romance in New York City, Materialists follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a high-end matchmaker whose carefully curated professional life unravels when her personal desires collide with her polished image. Written and directed by Celine Song (Past Lives), the film explores the intersection of love, wealth, and emotional truth in a society obsessed with appearances.
Lucy is caught between two vastly different men: Randy (Pedro Pascal), a wealthy client seeking love with a hefty price tag, and John (Chris Evans), her ex-boyfriend and a struggling actor who represents everything she left behind. As these relationships blur the lines between personal and professional, Lucy is forced to confront what she truly values in life and love.
Materialists is already drawing strong reactions from audiences, with fans calling it a refreshing spin on the romantic comedy genre. The film has also been lauded for its take on the commodification of relationships.
Slated for a U.S. release on June 13, 2025, with A24 handling distribution, Materialists offers a smart, stylish, and emotionally resonant story about what happens when the things we think we want don’t align with what we need.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (June 13)
When DreamWorks released How to Train Your Dragon in 2010, they probably didn’t expect the film to become such a massive success, eventually spawning a franchise that earned over $1 billion for the studio, according to Wikipedia. Now, DreamWorks aims to replicate the success of the original animated movie series and/or has caught the live-action remake bug from Disney.
The live-action cast features Mason Thames as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (bet you didn’t know “Horrendous” was his middle name!), the awkward and lovable protagonist of Berk. Gerard Butler returns to his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s father. Nico Parker has been cast as Hiccup’s Viking girlfriend, Astrid, though her casting sparked some backlash over… er, perceived cultural inaccuracies. Nick Frost is Gobber the Belch, and Julian Dennison brings comic relief as Fishlegs Ingerman. Gabriel Howell plays Snotlout, and Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn take on the mischievous Ruffnut and Tuffnut.
F1 (June 25)
Brad Pitt shows no signs of slowing down, and neither does F1, the high-octane sports action drama set to race into theatres in 2025. Starring Pitt alongside rising star Damson Idris, the film dives deep into the adrenaline-fueled world of Formula 1, promising to be one of the year’s most thrilling cinematic experiences. Directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, F1 boasts an all-star cast, including Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, and Javier Bardem. The film not only captures the intense rivalries and breathtaking speed of the racetrack but also explores the personal struggles and triumphs of its drivers.
As if stunning visuals and heart-stopping race sequences weren’t enough, fans were treated to an immersive online experience, allowing them to simulate driving through iconic F1 tracks and unlock exclusive clips from the film. Buckle up—this one’s going to be a wild ride!
SUPERMAN (July 11)
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Superman soaring onto the big screen in 2025! James Gunn’s Superman will officially launch the DCU, starring David Corenswet (Twisters) as the big blue boy scout, the marvelous Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult (The Order) as the glabrous Lex Luthor.
The teaser trailer for Superman, released on December 19, 2024, impressively garnered over 250 million views on YouTube (the most for any WB movie ever), but reactions have been mixed. Much of the criticism comes from Snyderfans, with comments like, “Corenswet’s House of El emblem looks off,” “The suits look baggy, and the colours are all wrong,” and “Cavill will always be my Superman.” Can we move on already? Anyway, here’s hoping the actual movie is more exciting than the online debate it’s stirred up.
THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (July 25)
The last Fantastic Four (FF) movie was so atrocious that critics called it “dull and downbeat” and “bereft of all the things we expect from a superhero movie.” In fact, previous FF films didn’t fare much better. So, when the MCU announced a new Fantastic Four movie, it came as a surprise to many, as the working theory had been that FF movies were cursed. Regardless of the fanbase’s superstitions, Marvel Studios is determined to bring the superfamily to the big screen in 2025.
They unveiled Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Mr. Fantastic alongside Vanessa Kirby (Hobbs & Shaw) as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman. Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) add whimsy and banter as Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing, respectively. Ralph Ineson’s booming voice is a perfect fit for Galactus, and in an unexpected move, Julia Garner (Ozark) is cast as Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer. FF: First Steps is set in a futuristic 1960s alternate reality and may even sneak in Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom. Honestly, they had me at Pedro Pascal.
Predator: Badlands (November 7)
Predator: Badlands is the next big chapter in the Predator movie series. This time, the story is shaking things up by focusing on a young Predator—not as a mindless killer, but as a real character with feelings and struggles.
The film is set on the Predator’s home planet, a brutal and unforgiving place called Yautja Prime. The main character, Dek, is a young Predator who’s been kicked out of his clan. He’s trying to prove himself worthy again, but instead of going it alone, he ends up teaming up with a synthetic human named Thia, played by Elle Fanning. Thia isn’t just any human—she was made by the powerful (and shady) Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which fans of the Alien movies will definitely recognise.
Together, Dek and Thia have to survive a dangerous journey across the planet’s wastelands while facing some serious threats. Along the way, they build a strange but powerful bond. It’s not just about fighting anymore—it’s about trust, identity, and survival.
What’s especially exciting? There are hints that Badlands might be the start of a bigger connection between the Predator and Alien universes. So if you’re into either of those, you’ll definitely want to keep this one on your radar.
FRANKENSTEIN (TBD)
Visionary writer and director extraordinaire Guillermo del Toro (GDT) is set to breathe new life into Frankenstein, the classic tale originally penned by Mary Shelley. Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina) stars as the iconic Victor Frankenstein, a casting choice that makes perfect sense. The real surprise, however, is Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), stepping out of his usual “Hollywood Chad” roles and into the grotesque Frankenstein’s monster. Mia Goth (MaXXXine) also joins the cast in an unconfirmed role
The ensemble also stars Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), Lars Mikkelsen (Sherlock), David Bradley (Game of Thrones), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), and Ralph Ineson (The Witch). While no official release date has been announced, production has wrapped, and the film will be available for streaming, which means we can Netflix and chill to the latest monster gothic thriller from the twisted mind of GDT.
Honourable mentions
- The Bride (September 26)
- Michael (October 3)
- The Housemaid (December 25)
- Marty Supreme (December 25)
- The Phoenician Scheme
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