Another year and another cycle of movies to look forward to. One thing that I always enjoy is looking back at this list later and realizing that usually there’s two or three movies that weren’t on the yearly list that were really great. It’s like getting a surprise gift.
January
Better Man (PG-13)
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Release Date: January 10, 2025 (after limited release on 12/25/24)
Director: Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum & Me)
Writers: Oliver Cole (Beautiful Things), Michael Gracey
Starring: Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman
Summary: Micheal Gracey, director of The Greatest Showman, takes the reins in a biopic about UK musician Robbie Williams. The film is an original musical based on the life and career experiences of Williams, exploring his ascent to stardom from his boy-band beginnings to unprecedented success as a solo artist. The twist? He’s portrayed as a chimpanzee, voiced and played in performance capture by Jonno Davies.
Thoughts: Another music-bioptic. Well, this one looks, different. I honestly have never heard of Robbie Williams before seeing this trailer. I guess I’ll learn something from watching this movie.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (R)
Release Date: January 10, 2025
Director: Christian Gudegast (Den of Thieves, London Has Fallen)
Writers: Christian Gudegast (Den of Thieves), Chris Collins (Den of Thieves)
Starring: Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, Meadow Williams, Michael Bisping
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Summary: The end of the 2018 heist flick Den of Thieves all but begged for a sequel, so writer-director Christian Gudegast has given us one. Gerard Butler returns to play LA detective Nick O’Brien, who goes international to track down the mastermind of the first film’s plot (O’Shea Jackson Jr.)… and join him on his next job.
Thoughts: I’m always down for a good Gerard Butler action flick.
In The Grey (R)
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Director: Guy Ritchie (The Gentlemen, Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels)
Writers: Guy Ritchie (The Gentlemen), Ivan Atkinson (Operation Fortune)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Cavill, Eiza Gonzalez, Rosamund Pike, Fisher Stevens
Summary: Jake Gyllenhaal, hot off Prime Video’s Road House, repurposes the tough-guy attitude in a new action thriller directed by Guy Ritchie. Gyllenhall previously starred in Ritchie’s war thriller, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, and will team up with Henry Cavill and Eiza Gonzalez, who reunite after Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Together, the three form a gang of badasses determined to rescue billions stolen from them.
Thoughts: Gyllenhaal, Cavill, Pike are powerful actors and in a Guy Ritchie film, wow. I’m all in for this.
September 5 (R)
Release Date: January 17, 2025 (after limited release on 12/13/24)
Director: Tim Fehlbaum (Hell, The Colony)
Writers: Malte Grunert, Tim Fehlbaum
Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch
Summary: Peter Sarsgaard and John Magaro star in this historical drama that recounts the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis specifically from the perspective of the ABC Sports news team as they covered the unfolding situation live. The film, which blends the drama with archival footage, earned strong reviews following its Venice Film Festival premiere.
Thoughts: This won’t be a fun movie to watch, but dramatic. It had a limited release in 2024 so I expect to see some Oscar nods out of this.
Wolf Man (R)
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Director: Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man, Upgrade)
Writers: Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man), Lauren Schuker Blum (Dumb Money)
Starring: Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott
Summary: It’s still a bit early to speculate too much about this film, but Universal’s next classic monster reboot comes courtesy of the director who brought us the surprise 2020 hit The Invisible Man, namely Leigh Whannell. We do know that Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott have signed on to star, but that’s about it. If Whannell can bring the same kind of flair that made The Invisible Man a runaway success, we can expect good things.
Thoughts: This is a movie for my sister to do Peetimes.
Flight Risk (R)
Release Date: January 24, 2025
Director: Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge, Braveheart)
Writers: Jared Butler, Lars Norberg
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Topher Grace, Michelle Dockery
Summary: Mel Gibson directs this action thriller about a US Air Marshall (Michelle Dockery) transporting a high-value witness (Topher Grace) to trial across the Alaskan wilderness aboard a small plane, only to discover that their pilot (Mark Wahlberg) is a hitman sent to eliminate him.
Thoughts: I’m honestly not looking forward to this. It might be good, but it looks a little to clostriphobic for me. If there’s anything I’m looking forward to it’s seeing Wahlberg in a totally different type of role than he usually plays.
Love Me (R)
Release Date: January 24, 2025 (limited)
Movie length: 1h 32m
Directors: Andrew Zuchero, Sam Zuchero
Writers: Andrew Zuchero, Sam Zuchero
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Steven Yeun
Summary: A postapocalyptic romance in which a buoy and a satellite meet online and fall in love after the end of human civilization.
Thoughts: I watched the trailer and I can’t believe this is a 92 minute movie. It feels much longer than that. I can’t wait to see it. I only hope it shows in a theater near me.
Companion (R)
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Director: Drew Hancock
Writers: Drew Hancock
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend
Summary: We don’t have a lot of specific information about the plot of director Drew Hancock’s feature debut except that it’s “a new kind of love story,” and the teaser only offers snippets of the horrors to come. But we do know that it stars Heretic’s Sophie Thatcher and The Boys’ Jack Quaid, and it’s produced by Zach Cregger, the writer-director who gave us 2022’s Barbarian, which are all good reasons to expect some fun, dark thrills.
Thoughts: Nope, not going to see it. This is what I love about my sister. She loves the movies I can’t stand to watch. And even if she doesn’t, she gets paid so there! 🙂
February
Love Hurts (R)
Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Writers: Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, Luke Passmore
Stars: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu
Summary: A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
Thoughts: It may not be a serious movie, but it will be fun. It looks like Ke Huy Quan plays a similar character from Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. That’s a good thing. 🙂
Captain America: Brave New World (PG-13)
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Director: Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox, Luce)
Writers: Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Dalan Musson (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford, Carl Lumbly, Danny Ramirez, and Shira Haas
Summary: Sam Wilson, the superhero formerly known as The Falcon, took on Cap’s mantle in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and now he’s ready for the big screen. Tim Blake Nelson, who played the character who becomes the Marvel villain known as The Leader, will reprise the role first teased in The Incredible Hulk and seemingly forgotten about until now. Harrison Ford will also star, stepping into the role of Thaddeus Ross following the death of William Hurt.
Thoughts: This has disappointment written all over it. If this movie is just slightly better than sucking I’ll be happy.
Paddington in Peru (PG)
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Director: Dougal Wilson (Previous commercials director, feature film debut)
Writers: Paul King (Paddington 1 & 2), Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2)
Starring: Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Julie Walters
Summary: The widely popular and lovable Paddington bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) returns to the big screen in his latest adventure. The third installment in the franchise, directed by Dougal Wilson, follows Paddington into the depths of the Amazonian rainforest after a mysterious force propels him there. Slated to release in the U.K. on November 8, 2024, Paddington in Peru will see a wide release in the U.S. in early February 2025.
Thoughts: Who can say “no” to a Paddington movie? They’re all good quality stories.
Last Breath (PG-13)
Release Date: February 28, 2025
Director: Alex Parkinson (Last Breath documentary)
Writers: Mitchell LaFortune (Kandahar)
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Fine Cole
Summary: Peaky Blinders’ Finn Cole stars as Chris Lemons, a deep-sea diver famous for surviving underwater for 30 minutes without oxygen. Cole is joined by Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu in this miraculous true story of survival about Lemons and his crewmates who, against all odds, successfully completed a harrowing rescue mission in a race against time.
Thoughts: I’ll see this, but only because I have to.
March
Mickey 17 (R)
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Director: Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, Okja)
Writers: Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun
Summary: South Korean director Bong Joon-ho follows up his Academy Award-winning film Parasite with this adaptation of the sci-fi novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. Robert Pattinson stars as a disposable employee — one whose body is regenerated with previous memories intact every time he dies — on a mission to colonize a distant world.
Thoughts: I can’t wait. I think this will be a great movie.
Black Bag (R)
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Director: Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, Magic Mike)
Writers: David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible)
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, Pierce Brosnan
Summary: Suspense and mystery meet in an upcoming spy drama from Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh. Black Bag stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as a pair of intelligence officers whose marriage is tested when one of them is suspected of betraying her country.
Thoughts: It looks dramatic. It could be great or boring.
Novocaine (R)
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Director: Dan Berk & Robert Olsen (Barbarian)
Writers: Michael Karr
Starring: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson
Summary: The Boys star Jack Quaid is Nathan Caine, a hero who is immune to pain due to a rare genetic disorder. When his girlfriend (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped during a robbery, Caine springs into action, battling new obstacles in this action-packed film. Quaid is joined by the MCU Spider-Man’s Jacob Batalon.
Thoughts: I love the actor choice for this. I think this will be a wild romp!
Disney’s Snow White (PG)
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Director: Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer, The Amazing Spider-Man)
Writers: Greta Gerwig (Barbie, Little Women), Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train)
Starring: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and Andrew Burnap
Summary: Although critics haven’t been kind to most of Disney’s live-action remakes of their classic animated films, they’ve been a hit with moviegoers at the box office, which might explain why Snow White is getting the same treatment some 87 years after the original 1937 cartoon came out. West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler stars as Snow White, with Wonder Woman’s Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen, while The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb at the helm and a script co-written by Gerta Gerwig.
Thoughts: Kill me now. I expect a snooze fest.
Sinners (R)
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Director: Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed, Fruitvale Station)
Writers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Evans
Starring: Micheal B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfield, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo
Summary: Ryan Coogler and Micheal B. Jordan have proven to be a winning duo in critically acclaimed films such as Fruitvale Station (2013) and big franchises like Creed and Black Panther – the latter of which has generated a record-shattering $2.1 billion at the box office with only two films. Despite the plot details being kept tightly under wraps, the pair will return for a feature that is being produced by two-time Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson with Rebecca Cho and Will Greenfield.
Thoughts: I love the cast. I just watched the trailer and I have no idea what the movie is really about. It may be a zombie movie in disguise. I would love the idea of making this a zombie movie, where all of the zombies are white supreamists. That would be classic. We’ll see.
May
Thunderbolts (PG-13)
Release Date: May 5, 2025
Director: Jake Schreier (Paper Towns, Robot & Frank)
Writers: Lee Sung Jin (Beef), Eric Pearson (Black Widow)
Starring: David Harbour, Hannah John-Karmen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Florence Pugh, Harrison Ford
Summary: Marvel’s second offering of 2025 pulls from several previous MCU titles, as supervillains-turned-heroes story features Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylendko), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, played by Harrison Ford, who will make his debut as the character in Captain America: Brave New World.
Thoughts: I’m optimistic. Maybe too optimistic.
Lilo & Stitch (PG)
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On)
Writers: Chris Kekaniokalani Bright (Moana), Christopher Sanders (original Lilo & Stitch)
Starring: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis
Summary: After languishing in various stages of development, it was announced in 2022 that Marcel the Shell with Shoes On director Dean Fleischer-Camp would helm this live-action take on the animated musical about a Hawaiian orphan and her newfound best friend: an alien who crash-landed on the island. The film will be released with a cast that includes Kealoha as Lilo Pelekai and Lilo & Stitch creator Sanders as the voice of Stitch.
Thoughts: No idea.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (PG-13)
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Director: Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Jack Reacher)
Writers: Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Erik Jendresen
Starring: Tom Cruise, Haley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Ving Rhames, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales
Summary: Tom Cruise is back in action as Ethan Hunt in what was originally supposed to be Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two. After Hunt retrieved both keys at the end of Dead Reckoning, the new film will focus on his mission to find the lost Sevastopol submarine while stopping the Entity, an AI program.
Thoughts: This is the movie I’m most looking forward to this year. I can’t wait. I just hope the last movie brings the franchise to a suitable closing and ends Tom Cruise’s career as Ethan Hunt. The Mission Impossible franchise has been overlooked as one of the best franchises, movie to movie, of any out there.
Karate Kid: Legends (PG-13)
Release Date: May 30, 2025
Director: Jonathan Entwhistle (The End of the F***ing World)
Writers: Rob Lieber (Peter Rabbit), Robert Mark Kamen (original Karate Kid)
Starring: Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, Ming-Na Wen, Joshua Jackson, Ralph Macchio
Summary: The popular Netflix series Cobra Kai has helped keep the iconic ’80s martial arts franchise alive and kicking in the popular consciousness, and in 2024 Sony will head back to the IP dojo with a new installment. Originally thought to be unconnected to the original films or the Netflix show, a casting call announcement revealed that Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan would star alongside each other in the new film as their characters Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han.
Thoughts: It has Jackie Chan. I like it.
June
Ballerina (R)
Release Date: June 6, 2025
Director: Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard)
Writers: Shay Hatten (John Wick 4), Michael Finch (Predator)
Starring: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno
Summary: The first spin-off film of the John Wick universe stars Ana de Armas as one of the female assassins trained by the Ruska Roma, the criminal organization headed by Anjelica Huston’s “Director” and glimpsed in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Details are thin so far, but we know it will be another revenge tale, and we know that it will be set specifically between the events of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, so Keanu Reeves and his Continental cohort will also appear.
Thoughts: I’ll hold judgement. The John Wick movies were really good, especially the first one. It started out fresh, but had a hard time maintaining the freshness from movie to movie. I hope that Armas can do what Keanu did. Fingers crossed.
Elio (PG)
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Director: Adrian Molina (Story Artist on Coco, Toy Story 4)
Writers: Adrian Molina (Coco)
Starring: America Ferrera, Yonas Kibreab, Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett
Summary: Announced in 2022, Pixar’s 28th feature film (following 2023’s Elemental) will focus on an 11-year-old boy (named Elio, of course) who is inadvertently beamed up into space and is mistaken to be an ambassador for Earth on another planet. It will be the directorial debut for Adrian Molina, who previously worked on Pixar films like Coco, Toy Story 4, and Luca.
Thoughts: This could be fun. It would be great if this is as good as some of the Pixar classics.
How to Train Your Dragon (PG)
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Director: Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy)
Writers: Dean DeBlois, Cressida Cowell (original books)
Starring: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerad Butler, Ruth Codd
Summary: Dean DeBlois, creator of the animated How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, is bringing Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, and friends to life in a live-action reimagining. The original film was a coming-of-age story that follows young Hiccup from childhood to adulthood, but the plot of the live-action adaptation will focus in on Hiccup’s first meeting with Toothless, a friendly dragon he can’t bear to kill, even if it means breaking tradition in his village of Berk, home of Vikings and dragon slayers.
Thoughts: I’m not super thrilled with the live action remakes of so many movies. Honestly, I think it’s better the other way around: to make animations out of previously live action. But hey, the studio needs a payday.
28 Years Later (R)
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Director: Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire)
Writers: Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Ex Machina), Danny Boyle
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell
Summary: After releasing one of the zombie genre’s most iconic films in 28 Days Later and then handing the reins to Juan Carlos Fresnadillo for its sequel, 28 Weeks Later, Danny Boyle returns to the director’s chair to direct the third film in the series. Boyle also co-wrote 28 Years Later with original scribe Alex Garland — even more reason to get excited for this one.
Thoughts: This is one of the best trailers I’ve ever seen. It is soaked in tension. I’m looking forward to this.
M3GAN 2.0 (R)
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Director: Gerard Johnstone (M3GAN, Housebound)
Writers: Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant)
Starring: Allison Williams, Jenna Davis, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald
Summary: Director Gerard Johnstone of M3GAN is slated to return behind the camera for the sci-fi horror film’s sequel. Although plot details are still being kept under wraps, producer James Wan hinted that M3GAN 2.0 will pick up from the end of the first film and explore the consequences of what happens when AI robots connect to devices in people’s homes. Allison Williams and Violet McGraw are confirmed to star as Gemma and Cady again.
Thoughts: Meh.
F1 (PG-13)
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Director: Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Tron: Legacy)
Writers: Ehren Kruger (Top Gun: Maverick)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Shea Whigham
Summary: Warner Bros., Apple Original Films, and Dawn Apollo Entertainment, led by seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, are revving up their engines to transport audiences into the world of F1 racing. The upcoming film features Brad Pitt as a former racer who is persuaded to come out of retirement to mentor a new driving prodigy (Idris). The film was shot during actual Grand Prix weekends and is being developed with input from the Formula 1 community and its race promoters.
Thoughts: I’m not a racing fan, but man. This movie feels exciting. I can’t wait.
July
Jurassic World Rebirth (PG-13)
Release Date: July 2, 2025
Director: Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One, The Creator)
Writers: David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man)
Starring: Scarlett Johanson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
Summary: The larger-than-life dinosaur phenomenon that is the Jurassic franchise is returning to screens with new life. Though uncovering any plot details has been about as difficult as unearthing dino fossils, the latest installment is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, and it features an all-star ensemble that includes Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey.
Thoughts: I’m intrigued and really looking forward to the first official trailer. Note: one thing that sucks about AI-generated video is the plethora of crappy fake videos that “look” like trailers for this movie but aren’t.
Superman (PG-13)
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Director: James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad)
Writers: James Gunn
Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nicholas Hoult
Summary: DC Studios CEO James Gunn is directing, writing, and producing the latest reboot of Superman, bringing it into the new generation of a connected DC Cinematic Universe. The film will not be an origin story, but will focus on Lois Lane and Clark Kent. To the dismay of many Superman fans, Henry Cavill will not be returning to play the superhero — instead, David Corenswet will take on the role, playing a younger, more optimistic Superman to counter Cavill’s grittier rendition.
Thoughts: I hope this is good. We have James Gunn rebooting the DCU. He’s done great work in the past, but he’s not perfect.
The Smurfs Movie (PG)
Release Date: July 18, 2025
Director: Chris Miller (Puss in Boots, Shrek the Third)
Writers: Matt Manfredi (Infinite), Phil Hay (Clash of the Titans)
Starring: Rihanna, Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Dan Levy, Nick Kroll, Jam
Thoughts: My sister loves these movies, so she’s happy.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (PG-13)
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Director: Matt Shakman (WandaVision, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters)
Writers: Josh Friedman (Avatar: The Way of Water), Jeff Kaplan (Bert and Arnie’s Guide to Friendship)
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn
Summary: The Fantastic Four are coming back for a third time, 20 years after the initial theatrical debut of Marvel’s First Family and 10 years after the ill-fated reboot. This iteration joins the MCU as part of the Multiverse Saga, skipping the team’s origin story and setting up future crossover events, potentially into the next Avengers movie. Pedro Pascal plays Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby plays Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm.
Thoughts: I’ll bet it’s the best Fantastic Four movie ever! So as long as it isn’t garbage it will be successful.
August
The Bad Guys 2 (PG)
Release Date: August 1, 2025
Director: Pierre Perifel (The Bad Guys)
Writers: Aaron Blabey (original books), Etan Cohen (Men in Black 3)
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Zazie Beetz
Summary: Considering The Bad Guys (2022) saw huge commercial success at the box office and on streaming, it’s no surprise that Dreamworks and Universal are doing a sequel. This time around, the Bad Guys grapple with crime-free life as Good Guys when they are confronted by an all-female squad of criminals who prompt them out of retirement for a final hurrah.
Thoughts: Meh.
The Naked Gun (PG-13)
Release Date: August 1, 2025
Director: Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers)
Writers: Dan Gregor (Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers), Doug Mand (Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers)
Starring: Liam Neeson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston, Cody Rhodes
Summary: The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer brings back the bumbling detective Frank Drebin, originally played by Leslie Nielsen in the classic TV comedy Police Squad! and a trio of Naked Gun films from the late 1980s to mid-1990s. The man attempting to fill Nielsen’s shoes in the role? None other than Liam Neeson.
Thoughts: I hope this is as fun as it sounds.
Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Movie (R)
Release Date: August 8, 2025
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, Licorice Pizza)
Writers: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Alana Haim, Chase Infiniti
Summary: Directed, written, and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, this untitled film will be his 10th narrative feature and the first to be released in IMAX. Not much else is known besides its all-star cast. Since Anderson’s breakout feature Boogie Nights, he has collected 11 total Oscar nominations as a producer, writer, and director, but he’s never won, and who knows, perhaps this will be the title that brings home the hardware.
Thoughts: There’s not a lot to go on, but Anderson is a genre in and of himself.
Animal Friends (PG)
Release Date: August 15, 2025
Director: Peter Atencio (Keanu, The Machine)
Writers: Kevin Burrows (The Package), Dan Hernandez (Pokemon: Detective Pikachu)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Momoa, Vince Vaughn, Dan Levy, Addison Rae
Summary: We don’t know much about the plot of this film, but we do know that it’s directed by Peter Atencio and it’s a live-action/animated hybrid starring the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Aubrey Plaza, and Jason Momoa, among others. There are also presumably going to be animated animals involved, but we don’t yet know who will appear as themselves in the film, and who will be voicing animated characters.
Thread: An Insidious Tale (R)
Release Date: August 29, 2025
Director: Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist Season 1)
Writers: Leigh Whannell (Insidious), Scott Teems (Halloween Kills)
Starring: Mandy Moore, Kumail Nanjiani
Summary: Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani are slated to star in the sixth installment of Blumhouse’s horror franchise Insidious. Garnering a collective $750 million in box office revenue worldwide, the Insidious movies center on otherworldly beings that seek to terrorize the world of the living, often resulting in gut-wrenching ramifications.
Thoughts: Sounds like a movie for my sister.
September
Downton Abbey 3 (PG)
Release Date: September 12, 2025
Director: Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era, My Week with Marilyn)
Writers: Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey series)
Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery
Summary: Downtown Abbey’s third trip to the big screen follows the Crawley family after the death of the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith, who sadly passed away in September 2024). We don’t know what the plot of the film is yet, but it’s directed by Simon Curtis, who helmed the previous installment, and most of the series regulars are back, along with some recent additions and new faces.
Thoughts: I watched the TV show, but I’ve missed all the movies.
The Bride! (R)
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter)
Writers: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Donoghue (Room)
Starring: Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Penelope Cruz, John Magaro
Summary: A new Frankenstein film is being brought to life, this time through a female lens. In this remake by Maggie Gyllenhaal of 1935’s Bride of Frankenstein, a murdered young woman in 1930s Chicago is reborn again at the hands of Frankenstein (Christian Bale) and Dr. Euphronius. The Bride becomes not only Frankenstein’s romantic companion, but the subject of police scrutiny and the leader of a radical social movement.
Thoughts: It would help to know the genres for this movie. It sounds like a comedy? With this cast, it should be good no matter what.
Saw XI (R)
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Director: Kevin Greutert (Saw X, Saw VI)
Writers: Josh Stolberg (Saw X, Spiral), Pete Goldfinger (Jigsaw)
Starring: TBA
Summary: Not only did 2023’s Saw X bring Tobin Bell’s John Kramer back, the prequel also managed to earn the best reviews of the franchise by a wide margin. Originally scheduled for a September, 2024 release, Saw XI was rumored to pick up where Saw X left off, at least according to producer Oren Koules.
Thoughts: No. Just no way I’m seeing this.
October
Michael (PG-13)
Release Date: October 3, 2025
Director: Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer)
Writers: John Logan (Gladiator, Skyfall), Graham Moore (The Imitation Game)
Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Colman Domingo, Laura Harrier, Larenz Tate
Summary: Take out your red leather jackets and sequin-covered gloves and prepare to moonwalk into theaters and witness Antoine Fuqua’s Michael. Detailing the life of the man, myth, and music legend Michael Jackson (Jaafar Jackson), this biopic invites viewers to witness the personal woes that came along with the global success of the late hitmaker.
Thoughts: Meh.
TRON: Ares (PG-13)
Release Date: October 10, 2025
Director: Joachim Rønning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales)
Writers: Jesse Wigutow, Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes)
Starring: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, Jodie-Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Hasan Minhaj, Jeff Bridges
Summary: What happens when the lines are blurred between the grid and the real world? In this new installment of the iconic sci-fi series, Ares (Jared Leto) plays a highly sophisticated A.I. computer program that crosses over into the human world on a dangerous mission. Though many plot details are still unknown, the setting seems to focus mostly on the real world rather than the grid that fans remember from Tron and Tron: Legacy.
Thoughts: In this day and age any movie that has an AI themed plot is both intriguing and problematic. The last TRON movie, like 15 years ago, was moderately terrible.
The Black Phone 2 (R)
Release Date: October 17, 2025
Director: Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, Sinister)
Writers: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill (The Black Phone)
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Miguel Mora
Summary: The original cast of the hit 2022 horror thriller film The Black Phone will star again in the sequel. The plot is still under wraps, but the first movie tells the story of Finney Shaw (Mason Thames), a young boy abducted by the “Raggedy Man” (Ethan Hawke), a sinister serial killer. The Black Phone 2 is the ninth feature collaboration between Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum, who is producing the film, and Hawke.
Thoughts: Not for me. No thanks.
Mortal Kombat 2 (R)
Release Date: October 24, 2025
Director: Simon McQuoid (Mortal Kombat 2021)
Writers: Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), Greg Russo
Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Karl Urban, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks
Summary: The 2021 reboot of the video game adaptation Mortal Kombat wasn’t a huge hit with critics, but it earned enough of a following that it has now spawned a sequel. Lewis Tan (Cole Young), Jessica McNamee (Sonya), Mehcad Brooks (Jax), and Shogun co-stars Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion) and Tadanobu Asano (Raiden) all return to reprise their roles from the first film, while Karl Urban joins the cast as Johnny Cage.
Thoughts: This is going to be terrible. I hope there are at least a few decent action scenes.
November
Bugonia (R)
Release Date: November 7, 2025
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favourite)
Writers: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou (The Lobster)
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons
Summary: Emma Stone reunites with Academy Award-winning director Yorgos Lanthimos and her Kinds of Kindness co-star Jesse Plemons in this fast-paced film that follows a high-profile CEO (Stone) who is abducted by conspiracy theorists who believe she is an alien destined to destroy the planet.
Thoughts: This looks like it could be hilarious, but unfortunately too plausible given the whackjobs walking around out there today.
Predator: Badlands (R)
Release Date: November 7, 2025
Director: Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane)
Writers: Patrick Aison (Prey)
Starring: Elle Fanning
Summary: We don’t know a whole lot about the next installment of the Predator franchise except that it’ll be directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who also helmed the last installment, 2022’s well-received Prey, and stars Elle Fanning. Disney added it to the 2025 release calendar to take the place of Marvel’s Blade reboot.
Thoughts: I can’t wait. I thought Trachtenberg’s previous Predator movie was brilliant.
Now You See Me 3 (PG-13)
Release Date: November 14, 2025
Director: Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland)
Writers: Eric Warren Singer (Top Gun: Maverick)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Rosamund Pike
Summary: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco are set to reprise their roles as thieving illusionists in a third addition to the Now You See Me franchise, alongside Morgan Freeman. Not much is known about the plot of the newest film, but if past entries are any indication, audiences can expect a whole lot of magic, robbery, and making a run for it.
Thoughts: I loved the first one. The second was okay.
The Running Man (R)
Release Date: November 21, 2025
Director: Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Writers: Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), based on Stephen King’s novel
Starring: Glen Powell, Katy O’Brian, Karl Glusman
Summary: Edgar Wright brings us a new adaptation of the Stephen King sci-fi novel, which first made it onto the big screen in the form of an Arnold Schwarzenegger action extravaganza in 1987. Wright has pledged to make his film more faithful to the original story, as the Schwarzenegger film only took loose inspiration from it.
Thoughts: This should be pretty good. I like Edgar Wright’s work.
Wicked: For Good (PG)
Release Date: November 21, 2025
Director: Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights)
Writers: Winnie Holzman (original musical), Stephen Schwartz (original musical)
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Keala Settle
Summary: Fans of the classic The Wizard of Oz and the hit Broadway musical spinoff Wicked won’t have to wait long for the conclusion of its film adaptation. Closely following the 2024 theatrical release of Wicked: Part One, Part Two wraps up the story that follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as she navigates her identity as the “Wicked Witch of the West” while facing Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North.
Thoughts: I’m not a fan of musicals, but this movie will be very good for RunPee. So I can’t wait!
Zootopia 2 (PG)
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore (Zootopia, Tangled)
Writers: Jared Bush (Zootopia, Encanto), Phil Johnston (Zootopia)
Starring: Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Rolando Davila-Beltran
Summary: The sequel to Zootopia follows young rabbit and cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and con-artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) as they navigate a big city and take down Dawn Bellwether. The Disney animation is long-awaited, coming nearly a decade after the original film grossed more than $1 billion at the box office and won the 2016 Oscar for Best Animated Film.
December
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (PG-13)
Release Date: December 5, 2025
Director: Emma Tammi (Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Wind)
Writers: Scott Cawthon (game creator), Seth Cuddeback
Starring: Elizabeth Lail, Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Piper Rubio
Summary: Come one, come all: Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza is reopening its doors for a Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel. Based on the titular superhit video game, and following the trend of video game movies, the hauntingly familiar animatronics are reawakening for their second round of frights. The first installment raked in upwards of $80 million in its box office run and saw record numbers on Peacock during its streaming release for Blumhouse — all despite poor reviews.
Avatar: Fire and Ash (PG-13)
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Director: James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic, The Terminator)
Writers: James Cameron, Josh Friedman (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, David Thewlis, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Yeoh, Oona Chaplin
Summary: The third film of the Avatar franchise brings audiences back to Pandora and the Na’vi, this time with new biomes and new clans. The “Ash People” will represent fire and depict Na’vi who are not as kind as those we’ve seen before. New additions to the cast include Michelle Yeoh, playing human scientist Dr. Karina Mogue, and Oona Chaplin, playing the villain Na’vi Varang. Avatar 3 follows on the heels of the box office juggernaut Avatar: The Way of Water, and the first act of the fourth film has also already been shot.
Thoughts: The previous Avatar movie was a bit of a letdown for me. I hope this one is better.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (PG)
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Director: Derek Drymon (SpongeBob SquarePants series director)
Writers: Jonathan Aibel (Kung Fu Panda), Glenn Berger (Trolls)
Starring: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Brian Doyle-Murray, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Mr. Lawrence, Carolyn Lawrence
Summary: SpongeBob SquarePants and friends are coming back to the big screen. The fourth movie centers on SpongeBob’s adventures in the deep sea, facing the ghost of the Flying Dutchman. The original SpongeBob SquarePants TV series has been running since 1999 and is currently in its 14th season.
The Housemaid (R)
Release Date: December 25, 2025
Director: Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, A Simple Favor)
Writers: Freida McFadden (novel), Sarah Rothschild (The Heat)
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone
Summary: Paul Feig’s latest film is a psychological thriller based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Freida McFadden. Sydney Sweeney stars as a struggling woman who finds work as a housemaid for an affluent couple (Amanda Seyfried and It Ends with Us’ Brandon Sklenar), only to discover her new employers may harbor some dark secrets.
TBD 2025
Dirty Dancing 2 (Rating TBA)
Release Date: Summer 2025
Director: Jonathan Levine (Long Shot, 50/50)
Writers: Elizabeth Chomko (What They Had), Mikki Daughtry (Five Feet Apart)
Starring: Jennifer Grey
Summary: After almost 40 years, Dirty Dancing is finally getting a sequel. Although details about the plot and title are still up in the air, we know Jennifer Grey is returning as Baby Houseman, and Lionsgate is working to include as many original cast members as possible. This film will honor the late Patrick Swayze, not by recasting his character Johnny Castle, but rather by incorporating Johnny into the story.
The Surfer (R)
Release Date: TBA 2025
Director: Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium, Without Name)
Writers: Lorcan Finnegan, Garret Shanley
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand
Summary: Premiering at Cannes in May of 2024, The Surfer chronicles the story of a father (Nicolas Cage) who returns to his hometown beach with his son, where they clash with a group of locals who now claim the beach as their territory. The film earned solid reviews after its premiere and was purchased by Lionsgate for a 2025 release.
What about you?
Are there any movies you’re especially excited about in 2025?
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