2025 movie preview: All the films you’ll want to know about

2025 is looking to be an utterly bonkers year at the movies. New films are expected from such obsessed-over stars as Pedro Pascal, Florence Pugh, Will Ferrell, Robert Pattinson, Ke Huy Quan, and Michael B. Jordan. Celebrated directors like Antoine Fuqua, Barry Levinson, Akiva Schaffer, and Jon M. Chu have highly anticipated projects on the way. Beloved characters like Paddington, Captain America, Bridget Jones, Ethan Hunt, and SpongeBob SquarePants will pop up for fresh fun. And a barrage of sequels, reboots, adaptations, and bold new visions are already on the release calendar.

Whether you’re seeking spine-tingling chills, side-splitting comedy, heart-wrenching drama, mind-bending thrills, or bone-crunching action, 2025 has cinema made with you in mind. We’ve scoured the trailers, casting announcements, and every scrap of entertainment news worth reading to map out what the year in movies will look like. And there are plenty of exciting options ahead of us.

Here’s Mashable’s 2025 movie preview, organized by release date.

January

Better Man

Sick and tired of bog-standard biopics? Well, let Robbie Williams and company entertain you with a rags-to-riches musical biography that plays like Billy Elliot meets Rocketman meets Planet of the Apes.

The English pop icon not only provides a cheeky narration to Better Man, but he also embraces The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey’s wild idea to transform its central subject from bad boy to rowdy chimpanzee. Actor Jonno Davies (Hunters) and the Wētā FX team collaborate to create a portrait of Williams that is as outrageous as it is riveting.

But that’s not all. Better Man also boasts extraordinary musical numbers that combine Williams’ hits with spirited choreography and awe-inspiring staging that turns everything from double-decker buses, glamorous yachts, and dodgy drug dens into a stage fit for a king of showmanship. As I cheered in Mashable’s rave review out of TIFF 2024, “Rich in vibrant emotion, body-rocking musical numbers, daring performances, and a scorching tenderness, Better Man more than rocks. It rules.”

Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Anthony Hayes, and Kate Mulvany

How to watch: Better Man opens in theaters everywhere on Jan. 10, with a Paramount+ debut to follow.

Back in Action

Craving some kick-butt comedy? Well, get ready for Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz to leap back into stunt-packed comedy with Back in Action.

Centering on a couple who were once spies and are now dedicated parents to their two children, this romp from Horrible Bosses helmer Seth Gordon pitches its heroes — well — “back in action.” The film’s first teaser gave a sense of the kind of fight scenes, family funniness, and enthralling chemistry its headliners share. It’s a fine-looking movie, but it’s especially exhilarating to see Diaz and Foxx back on screen.

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, and Glenn Close

How to watch: Back in Action debuts on Netflix Jan. 17.

Grand Theft Hamlet

What did you do during during lockdown? In January 2021, during the UK’s third COVID-19 lockdown, struggling actors Mark and Sam played Grand Theft Auto Online, but in a pretty nontraditional way. They decided to stage a production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet within the game, a setting not exactly welcoming to rehearsals of soliloquies but certainly guaranteed to give their production a never-before-seen spin.

This documentary uses footage from their shared gaming sessions to explore the production’s evolution, from concept to auditions to the big night. It also charts how Sam and Mark’s friendship fared in an extraordinary time of being physically apart. In his SXSW review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha cheered this unusual doc, writing, “It’s Theater Camp meets Punisher: War Zone, a bizarre, farcical blend of good-natured creativity and cartoonish hyper-violence that places a number of unique logistical roadblocks in the actors’ paths.”

Starring: Sam Crane, Mark Oosterveen, Pinny Grylls, Jen Cohn, and Tilly Steele

How to watch: Grand Theft Hamlet opens in theaters nationwide on Jan. 17.

One of Them Days

From Insecure producer Issa Rae, Insecure writer Syreeta Singleton, and Rap Sh!t director Lawrence Lamont, One of Them Days is a tale of female friendship in a time of financial hardship. Keke Palmer and SZA star as broke besties Dreux and Alyssa, who need to make rent by 6 p.m. or face eviction from their Los Angeles apartment. So, how can they come up with some quick cash?

A first trailer studded with stars gives some ideas. Perhaps a predatory loan? (Katt Williams warns no!) Selling your blood? Well, that’s a dicier proposition when a newbie nurse played by Abbott Elementary‘s Janelle James comes on the scene. Even trying to get into the sneaker-selling business can be brutal. What else do these queens of comedy have in store for us in 2015? We can’t wait to find out.

Starring: Keke Palmer, SZA, Janelle James, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams, and Maude Apatow

How to watch: One of Them Days opens in theaters Jan. 17.

Wolf Man

After the rousing success of his rebooted Invisible Man, writer/director Leigh Whannell returns with a new vision of Wolf Man. For this fresh spin on a classic Universal Monster, Whannell begins with a familiar horror scenario: A metropolitan couple goes to the country for what should be a dreamy getaway — but turns into a dark nightmare.

Poor Things‘ Christopher Abbott stars as Blake, a San Francisco family man who takes his wife (Apartment 7A‘s Julia Garner) and child (Matilda Firth) to the house he’s recently inherited, which lies in a remote, wooded part of Oregon. An accident with their moving van gets them off to an awful start. But things get worse when a roaring beast chases them through the forest, far from cell phone reception. And now dear daddy has a festering bite on his arm. What could this possibly mean for this family of three? (Nothing good.)

Starring: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Ben Prendergast, and Benedict Hardie

How to watch: Wolf Man opens in theaters Jan. 17.

Grafted

How far would you go to be beautiful or fit in? Director Sasha Rainbow chases this question down in the grisly horror-thriller Grafted.

This stomach-churning story of self-discovery (and self-destruction) begins with Wei (Joyena Sun), a Chinese student who travels to New Zealand on a scholarship to pursue medical research. There, she is beguiled by her popular cousin Angela (Jess Hong) and her friends, but is swiftly shunned because of her social awkwardness and a facial difference that she views as a curse. Could science give her a fresh face and a new lease on life? But at what cost?

Starring: Joyena Sun, Jess Hong, Jared Turner

How to watch: Grafted debuts on Shudder Jan. 24.

Inheritance

Neil Burger (Limitless, Divergent) helms an espionage thriller about the ties that bind (and maybe suffocate).

After the death of her mother, a young woman named Maya (Phoebe Dynevor) sees her estranged dad (Rhys Ifans) re-enter her life. But it’s more a business proposition than a loving father-daughter moment. As seen in the trailer above, he offers her a gig as a spy, and when he goes missing, she finds herself on the run, trapped in a web of subterfuge, globe-trekking, and conspiracy. Will she prove to be her father’s daughter? Or something greater?

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor and Rhys Ifans

How to watch: Inheritance opens in theaters Jan. 24.

Presence

Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp previously teamed up for the tech-paranoia thriller Kimi. Now, they’ve reunited for a ghost story that’s told from the perspective of the ghost.

Soderbergh himself shoulders the camera, providing a first-person (or first-spirit) point of view for the whole of Presence. As I wrote in my review out of TIFF, “Presence is extraordinary for all it tells through its moving camerawork alone.”

The film follows a family whose interpersonal dramas fascinate the unseen and unheard (but not unfelt!) presence that floats among them. Who is the ghost? What does it have to do with the often-bickering family of four? Presence will reveal its secrets in theaters.

Starring: Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, and Chris Sullivan

How to watch: Presence opens in theaters Jan. 24.

Star Trek: Section 31

Paramount+ has been unfurling all kinds of Star Trek fun with series like the sometimes musical and often horny Strange New Worlds, the twisty thrills of Discovery, and the madcap animated comedy of Lower Decks. Next, Academy Award–winner Michelle Yeoh will reprise her Star Trek: Discovery role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in the new movie Star Trek: Section 31.

The chic badass is asked to join a secret division of Starfleet that’s assigned to protect the United Federation of Planets. But along the way, she’ll have to face the darkest corners of the past. I mean, you had us at Michelle Yeoh.

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, Robert Kazinsky, Humberly Gonzalez, and James Hiroyuki Liao

How to watch: Star Trek: Section 31 debuts on Paramount+ Jan. 24.

You’re Cordially Invited

Forget Bridezillas and Bride Wars. This kooky R-rated comedy is about the hilarious mayhem that happens when you pit a devoted father of the bride (Will Ferrell) against a loyal sister of another bride (Reese Witherspoon).

When a gorgeous lakeside wedding venue accidentally double-books two nuptials, the brides-to-be (Geraldine Viswanathan and Meredith Hagner) are kept blissfully unaware as their relatives duke it out for the picture-perfect celebration of love. Coming from writer/director Nicholas Stoller, the filmmaker behind such heart-warming and hilarious comedies as Neighbors and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, You’re Cordially Invited is destined to delight.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Meredith Hagner

How to watch: You’re Cordially Invited comes to Prime Video Jan. 30.

Companion

Give yourself over to some truly wild love with Companion. As proudly proclaimed by the twisted teaser above, this film comes from New Line Cinema, the studio behind Nicolas Sparks’ romance The Notebook and the deeply deranged horror-thriller Barbarian. And Companion appears to be the love child between these two very different movies.

Jack Quaid (Star Trek: Lower Decks, Scream 5) and Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets, The Boogeyman) co-star as a couple engaged in a violent romance. Is this going the way of Natural Born Killers, Badlands, or True Romance? We can’t wait to find out.

Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend

How to watch: Companion opens in theaters Jan. 31.

Love Me

Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun star as will-they-won’t-they lovers on a post-apocalyptic Earth in Love Me. But not in any way you might imagine based on the official still above.

Written and directed by Sam Zuchero and Andy Zuchero, Love Me is a romance not between two impossibly beautiful humans, but between two AI robots who cross paths long after humanity’s left the chat. One is a buoy programmed to learn. The other is a satellite equipped with a deep vault of information about mankind — including the cached videos of a couple of influencers who relish silly onesies, date night, Friends, and Blue Apron. Naturally, these long-dead lovers become the model upon which robots try to understand relationships. It may sound bonkers or even cynical. But, incredibly, Love Me is warm, funny, and occasionally shocking, finding not only the humanity in its AI bots, but also what’s real in the virtual.*

Starring: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun

How to watch: Love Me opens in theaters Jan. 31.

February

Heart Eyes

Josh Ruben has steadily been carving out a name for himself in horror-comedies. In 2020, he wrote, directed, and starred in the clever and creepy anthology offering Scare Me alongside the enchantingly smirking Aya Cash. The following year he unleashed Werewolves Within, a lupine whodunnit filled with comedy notables. Now, he’s taking aim at Valentine’s Day with the slasher Heart Eyes.

The film’s first teaser gives a glimpse of the titular killer, along with some of the tropes it’ll hit — like a lovers’ lane slaying. But chiefly, this preview gives a great sense of the gore in store and a glimpse at Ruben’s sick sense of humor. So, date night viewing is all set.

Starring: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, and Jordana Brewster

How to watch: Heart Eyes opens in theaters Feb. 7.

Love Hurts

Everything Everywhere All at Once Oscar–winner Ke Huy Quan steps out of supporting roles and into the leading man position for Love Hurts. This action-comedy promises to make the most out of his moxie, as well as his skill for fight choreography and pratfalls.

To his friends and neighbors in the Milwaukee suburbs, Marvin Gable (Quan) is a mild-mannered real estate agent, quick with a smile and a heart-shaped cookie. But on one fateful Valentine’s Day, his dark past comes back to haunt him. More specifically, his former partner-in-crime Rose (West Side Story Oscar–winner Ariana DeBose) resurfaces, along with plenty of trouble. Get ready for fight scenes, bonkers action, and — of course — the rousing music of THE Celine Dion!

Starring: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, and Sean Astin

How to watch: Love Hurts opens in theaters Feb. 7.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep

The follow-up to The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, this animated adventure delves deeper into the fantastical world portrayed in Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher novels, which spawned both the popular video game series and the Henry Cavill-fronted Netflix series. Specifically, Sirens of the Deep is inspired by a short story called “A Little Sacrifice,” which can be found in Sapkowski’s short story collection Sword of Destiny.

As you can tell from the trailer, this film will follow the Witcher through a new war, which involves sexy sirens, a fleet of sharks, and some high-seas action to boot. Are you ready?

Starring: Doug Cockle, Joey Batey, Anya Chalotra, and Christina Wren

How to watch: The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep debuts on Netflix Feb. 11.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

First, there was Bridget Jones’s Diary. Next came Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and then there was Bridget Jones’s Baby. It’s been 24 years since Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant first set hearts aflame as a hot but mismatched pair of lovers, and now they’ve reunited for a fresh misadventure about fiftysomethings who’ve grown older, but not up.

Based on Helen Fielding’s novel of the same name, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy catches up with its eponymous heroine as she navigates the terrain of dating as a widowed mother. (RIP, MARK DARCY!) While her old roguish flame Daniel Cleaver (Grant) is still about, she’s got hot prospects in a much-younger beau (Leo Woodall) and a dashing gentleman (Chiwetel Ejiofor). But who delivered her a night of mind-blowing sex? We’ll find out this Valentine’s Day.

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Isla Fisher, Josette Simon, Nico Parker, and Leila Farzad

How to watch: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy debuts on Peacock Feb. 13.

Paddington in Peru

2025 is starting off kind and polite with the marmalade-loving bear, Paddington.

The first two installments, Paddington and Paddington 2, shared his stories of coming to England, befriending the Brown family, and dodging the clutches of a tenacious taxidermist and the schemes of a self-obsessed actor. For Paddington in Peru, the eponymous hero is returning to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), who has gone missing in the Amazon jungle!

What part in this adventure will a chipper nun played by Olivia Colman and a swaggering treasure hunter portrayed by Antonio Banderas have to play? We can’t wait to discover whatever silly shenanigans this much-anticipated family film has to offer.

Starring: Ben Whishaw, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, and Carla Tous

How to watch: Paddington in Peru opens in theaters Feb. 14.

Captain America: Brave New World

The fourth installment of the Captain America film series dovetails as a sequel to the TV drama The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. So, you might want to begin revisiting all of the above (and four Avengers movies) ahead of Captain America: Brave New World.

In this much anticipated action-thriller, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) takes on the mantle of Captain America, confronting an international incident with a superhero style all his own. Directed by Julius Onah (Luce), Captain America: Brave New World also brings Harrison Ford into the MCU as U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Even if you’re not up on the comics, the teaser poster alone — featuring hulking red fingers palming Captain America’s signature shield — promises a mighty foe sure to bring the fight-scene spectacle audiences crave.

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford

How to watch: Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters Feb. 14.

The Monkey

Remember those terrifying toy monkeys that would clang terrible cymbals while staring at you with red, beady eyes? Back in 1980, this creepy critter inspired a Stephen King short story. And in 2025, Osgood Perkins, the freaky filmmaker behind Longlegs, is bringing his film adaptation of The Monkey to theaters. For added oomph, this cheeky thriller is produced by James Wan.

Theo James stars as twin brothers Bill and Hal, who find the horrid toy in their father’s attic. But no sooner does this artifact get dusted off than people begin to die. Coincidence? Or curse?

Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy

How to watch: The Monkey opens in theaters Feb. 21.

Last Breath

In 2019, director Alex Parkinson delivered an intense documentary about the rescue effort to save a deep sea diver trapped on a seabed with only minutes of oxygen left in his tank. Now, Parkinson is re-imagining this incredible story with a star-studded cast in a thriller sure to take your breath away. Both are named Last Breath.

While a storm rages above, a diver leagues below seems doomed. But not if his team has anything to say about it. Woody Harrelson brings his grizzled determination to a story of courage, brotherhood, and the risk of going where most men fear to tread (or swim).

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis

How to watch: Last Breath opens in theaters Feb. 28.

The Legend of Ochi

Seeking something creepy and cuddly? Meet the Ochi, a curious critter vilified by the residents of a remote village, where children are trained to hate and destroy them. But when a baby Ochi meets a brave young girl named Yuri (Helena Zengel), the fate of both communities — man and mythical beast — could be changed forever.

From the looks of its trailer, Isaiah Saxon’s feature-length directorial debut boasts an immersive fantasy world, compelling characters, an adorable fanged monster to love, and Willem Dafoe. What more do you need?

Starring: Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe

How to watch: The Legend of Ochi opens in theaters Feb. 28.

March

Night of the Zoopocalypse

Got kiddos who love scary stuff? Well, then mark your family’s calendar for Night of the Zoopocalypse, a zombie movie sure to excite the budding horror fan in your household.

Directed by Ricardo Curtis and Rodrigo Perez-Castro, this animated offering begins in the Colepepper Zoo, where the human visitors are protected from the animal inhabitants by glass and barred enclosures. But when a strange comet drops an extraterrestrial virus into the zoo, who will protect the animals from its zombie-fying effects? Leave it to an unlikely ensemble — a wolf, mountain lion, lemur, capybara, and pygmy hippo — to not only survive but also save the day!

Starring: David Harbour, Scott Thompson, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Gabbi Kosmidis 

How to watch: Night of the Zoopocalypse opens in theaters March 7.

The Rule of Jenny Pen

In the fall of 2024, The Rule of Jenny Pen got tongues wagging when it played the genre-loving Fantastic Fest. This freaky horror offering from director James Ashcroft (helmer of the exceptionally harrowing Coming Home in the Dark) also won the praise of the one and only Stephen King. Per Dread Central, the king of horror tweeted, “I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. It’s called The Rule of Jenny Pen, and I urge you to watch it when it appears on Shudder.”

Geoffrey Rush stars as an arrogant judge named Stefan Mortensen, who is laid low by a near-fatal stroke. Partially paralyzed and moved to a retirement home, his situation gets much, much worse when he collides with a fellow resident, Dave Crealy (Lithgow) who expertly switches from genial to malicious. With Mortensen essentially cornered, Crealy inflicts on him a twisted game he calls “the Rule of Jenny Pen,” employing an odd doll as an instrument of torment. When the staff fails to step in, it’s up the judge to make his own ruling, and bring down a sentence on Crealy and his Jenny.

Starring: John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush 

How to watch: The Rule of Jenny Pen opens in theaters March 7.

Sinners

Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed filmmaker behind Black Panther and Creed, reteams with Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, an original thriller that has the bloody whiff of a vampire myth.

Jordan stars as twins who try to leave the troubles of their lives behind by returning to their hometown. Unfortunately for them, a rancid evil has creeped in and rules the night. This first teaser is enticing, offering a period piece that promises genre thrills and a political subtext. Plus, since it’s slated to be released in IMAX, Sinners seems assured to be a visual stunner.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo

How to watch: Sinners opens in theaters March 7.

Black Bag

Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp have previously bestowed on audiences the hi-tech thriller Kimi and the uniquely chilling haunted house offering Presence. Now, they’re delivering the one-two punch of Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender playing married spies.

Sleek and sophisticated, George and Kathryn Woodhouse look the poster children of espionage. But when Kathryn is accused of betraying their nation, George will have to choose between love or country. Consider us seated.

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Burke

Mashable Top Stories

How to watch: Black Bag opens in theaters March 14.

Alto Knights

Previously, director Barry Levinson has collaborated with leading man Robert De Niro on a barrage of very different movies, ranging from the dark crime drama Sleepers to the political satire Wag the Dog to the madcap mobster comedy Analyze That (which Levinson produced) and the Bernie Madoff biopic The Wizard of Lies. Their latest team-up, Alto Knights, could be anything from hard-nosed pathos to a wacky comedy. However, since it’s scripted by Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino), this is most certainly a gangster movie that places De Niro in his sweet spot. But the 81-year-old, two-time Oscar winner won’t be on cruise control here.

Named for the notorious New York social club, Alto Kings will focus on the feud between warring crime bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello — with De Niro in both roles. Sold. Who needs a trailer?

Starring: Robert De Niro, Cosmo Jarvis, Debra Messing, and Matt Servitto

How to watch: Alto Knights opens in theaters March 21.

Snow White

Disney continues to turn their animated classics into live-action re-imaginings with Snow White. Starring as the eponymous princess is West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler, who can be seen singing and dancing with the lovable seven dwarves in the teaser above. And that’s lovely. But we’re here for Gal Gadot serving face (the fairest in the land?) as the wicked queen. She shined as Wonder Woman. Now, as one of Disney’s baddest baddies, Gadot is downright glorious.

With a screenplay from Barbie‘s Greta Gerwig and Secretary‘s Erin Cressida Wilson, Snow White could be a fresh take on this age-old tale. Helmed by Marc Webb (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 500 Days of Summer), this princess tale will likely have a dash of cutting wit to help the apple bite go down.

Starring: Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot

How to watch: Snow White opens in theaters March 21.

April

A Minecraft Movie

From Jared Hess, the mind that brought us the offbeat genius of Napoleon Dynamite, comes A Minecraft Movie. And yeah, it’s going get about as weird as chucking quesadillas at a llama named Tina.

Inspired by the massively popular sandbox video game, A Minecraft Movie is a live-action movie in which a band of misfits — played by Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen — end up in a bizarre land that’s made of cubes. There, imagination is key to the game — and survival! But fear not. Though they’re stalked by hedges and square-headed hogs, our unlikely heroes have an almighty mentor/”toolbag” named Steve (Jack Black).

Starring: Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Matt Berry, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen

How to watch: A Minecraft Movie opens April 4.

The Amateur

Rami Malek headlines this espionage thriller as Charlie Heller, a sharp and shy CIA decoder who is happy working a desk job at Langley. That is, until his beloved wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. Furious that his supervisors aren’t leaping into action to track down those responsible, Charlie goes into the field on his own. To get the revenge he seeks, he’ll not only have to survive a hunt for this homicidal squad, but also his colleagues trying to stop him.

From the looks of this first trailer, The Amateur offers a tense tale, studded with dramatic twists, cat-and-mouse thrills, and some ruthless — and inventive — kills. You had us at a shattering rooftop pool.

Starring: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, and Laurence Fishburne

How to watch: The Amateur opens in theaters April 11.

Drop

Filmmaker Christopher Landon has made such darkly funny horror-comedies as the time-loop slasher Happy Death Day and its sequel, as well as the body-swap killer-thriller Freaky. He also wrote the screenplay for the teen twist on Rear Window that is Disturbia. He’s leaving colleges and teen hysterics behind for Drop.

Written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, this horror-thriller centers on a widowed mother who’s back on the dating scene. But when a series of spooky anonymous texts flood her phone while she’s on a first date, she has to wonder if she’s being harassed by the wanna-be beau before her.

Starring: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, and Ed Weeks

How to watch: Drop opens in theaters April 11.

Mickey 17

Bong Joon-ho is a modern master of genre-bending cinema, having bestowed upon viewers the gnarly yet funny serial killer thriller Memories of Murder, the humorous yet scary monster movie The Host, the wickedly entertaining eat-the-rich comedy Parasite, and the tense yet quirky end-of-the-world action epic Snowpiercer. Now, he’s got his sights set on space.

Robert Pattinson stars in Mickey 17, named for the 17th printing of an earthling who has signed up to be an “expendable.” For the layperson, that means Mickey has agreed to take on dangerous space jobs that could kill him. But no bother, because the company can print out a new body for his conscientiousness to inhabit if anything happens to him physically. However, when Mickey literally comes face-to-face with himself, this multiples mistake has everyone in a violent uproar. It’s mayhem the way only Bong Joon-ho can imagine it.

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo

How to watch: Mickey 17 opens in theaters April 18.

Until Dawn

Adapted from the spooky Supermassive video game, Until Dawn follows a group of teens to a remote ski lodge for a getaway they’ll never forget. It was there, one year ago, that a cruel prank led to twin sisters rushing out into the cold, dark forest, never to be seen again. With their friends reunited, the truth of what happened that night could come out — along with a vengeance streak that could end them all.

Directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation), this Until Dawn has recast most of the characters, though the deliciously devilish Peter Stormare will reprise his role from the game as Dr. Alan J. Hill.

Starring: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, Odessa A’zion, Maia Mitchell, Belmont Cameli, and Peter Stormare

How to watch: Until Dawn opens April 25.

May

Thunderbolts*

What superhero fatigue? The MCU is back again with its 36th installment, Thunderbolts*, which is sort of the Marvel version of Suicide Squad.

United by CIA director Valentine de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), misfit antiheroes like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and John Walker (Wyatt Russell) take on an even bigger Big Bad. But don’t expect them to be all noble about it. They’re more about the snarking and the smoldering. Lucky us.

Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Olga Kurylenko, Hannah John-Kamen, Rachel Weisz, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

How to watch: Thunderbolts* opens in theaters May 2.

Golden

Following his musical biopic filled with LEGO flare, Piece by Piece, Pharrell Williams is looking to dive deeper into his past with Golden. Set in the housing complex in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he grew up, this musical promises to be a real dazzler. Not only does it boast a long list of stars from music, TV, and film, but also it’s being helmed by Michel Gondry, the visionary behind such surreal movies as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep, and Mood Indigo.

So, prepare for your mind to be blown and your ears to be happy.

Starring: Janelle Monáe, Brian Tyree Henry, Quinta Brunson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Halle Bailey, Tim Meadows, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jaboukie Young-White, and Missy Elliott

How to watch: Golden opens in theaters May 9.

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, the sequel to 2023’s explosively entertaining Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.

Picking up where the seventh entry left off, this movie will chase Hunt as he seeks the key-like MacGuffin to topple a worrisome A.I. known as “The Entity.” That means facing off against power-hungry foes, putting his loyal team at risk, plunging into a flood submarine, and lots, and lots, and lots of running. What can we say? Mission: Impossible knows what we want.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Ving Rhames, Pom Klementieff, and Esai Morales

How to watch: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning opens in theaters May 23.

Karate Kid: Legends

Ralph Macchio returns as Daniel LaRusso in Karate Kid: Legends. This, the sixth film in the martial arts franchise, brings together the stories of Karate Kid 1 to 3, and the 2010 reboot, which starred Jackie Chan as a Mr. Miyagi-like mentor named Mr. Han.

In Karate Kid: Legends, Daniel and Mr. Han team up in Beijing to train a new prodigy named Li Fong (American Born Chinese‘s Ben Wang). But something tells me their teaching styles may not exactly align!

Starring: Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, Ming-Na Wen, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Ralph Macchio

How to watch: Karate Kid: Legends opens in theaters May 30.

June

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

Knives Out‘s Ana de Armas headlines this John Wick spinoff, which is set during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The film’s first trailer (seen above) teases how the story of ballerina/assassin-in-training Eve collides with Keanu Reeve’s puppy-avenging badass. They have friends in common, like NYC’s Continental Hotel manager Winston Scott (Ian McShane). Reeves himself is also slated to pop up in Ballerina. However, as Eve looks equally adept at shooting, martial arts, and looking killer cool whether dancing or brawling, this spin-off seems certain to entertain Wick’s biggest fans.

Starring: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves

How to watch: From the World of John Wick: Ballerina opens June 6.

Elio

Disney and Pixar are offering audiences a fresh vision of alien-human interaction this summer with Elio.

Named for its eponymous underdog, Elio centers on a young boy who is mistakenly identified as the head of Earth, and so is swept away to meet an extraterrestrial delegation eager to understand our planet and its inhabitants. (Good luck!) Representing not just all humans but all life on Earth puts a lot of pressure on this charismatic kiddo. But on this journey, he’s sure to make strange (and silly) new friends, and find his inner strength. And hijinks. We comfortably predict spacey hijinks.

Starring: America Ferrera, Yonas Kibreab, Jameela Jamil, Zoe Saldana, and Brad Garrett

How to watch: Elio opens in theaters June 13.

How to Train Your Dragon

Cressida Cowell’s enchanting book series How to Train Your Dragon first launched a fleet of high-flying animated movies and spinoff cartoon series. Now, writer/director Dean DeBlois, who’s been at the helm of these movies since the first outing in 2010, is back with a live-action re-imagining.

The Black Phone‘s Mason Thames will step into the shivering shoes of Hiccup, while The Last of Us‘ Nico Parker will play his crush, Viking girl Astrid. Gerard Butler is reprising his role as Hiccup’s hard-nosed dad Stoick the Vast, while Nick Frost, Y2K”s Julian Dennison, and The Fall of the House of Usher‘s Ruth Codd join the cast as Vikings.

Starring: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gerard Butler, and Ruth Codd

How to watch: How to Train Your Dragon opens in theaters June 13.

28 Years Later

First, there was 28 Days Later, then 28 Weeks Later. Now, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland are back with 28 Years Later, delivering a devastating new dose of dystopia on a zombie-laden (well, infected-persons-laden) planet.

The film’s first trailer reveals human civilization has been chucked back to humbler times, from Teletubbies for leisure to archery for survival. The infected still run and terrorize. But other horrors abound in the ravaged new world, including strange masked figures, gunfire fights, and mountains of human skulls.

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Cillian Murphy

How to watch: 28 Years Later opens June 20.

M3GAN 2.0

Among Mashable’s most anticipated movies of 2025 is Blumhouse’s sequel to M3GAN. Sure, the killer AI doll bit it at the conclusion of the first movie. But that ending definitely left room for her to return. Will it be in the M3GAN vs M3GAN face-off we dream of? Will she step up her dance moves to make M3GAN 2.0 a full-blown horror musical? It’s too soon to say.

But good news already abounds: M3GAN’s director Gerard Johnstone and writer Akela Cooper are back for this enticing sequel, as are Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, and Jenna Davis, who provides the killer doll’s perfectly prim yet menacing voice. And thrilling news for Kiwi comedy fans — Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords, 2014’s What We Do In the Shadows) is joining the fun in an undisclosed role. Will he be friend or foe to M3GAN 2.0?

Starring: Allison Williams, Jenna Davis, Violet McGraw, Timm Sharp, Aristotle Athari, and Jemaine Clement

How to watch: M3GAN 2.0 opens June 27.

F1

Brad Pitt drives into the high-octane world of Formula One racing with F1. Starring opposite The Banshees of Inisherin‘s Kerry Condon and Being the Ricardos‘ Javier Bardem, Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former pro driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a new prodigy on the scene (Damson Idris).

Reuniting Top Gun: Maverick’s director Joseph Kosinski and writer Ehren Kruger, F1 is sure to offer action, macho drama, and a hero who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit.”

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Shea Whigham

How to watch: F1 opens June 27.

July

Jurassic World Rebirth

The Jurassic Park franchise roars on, this time leaving behind Chris Pratt, Bryce-Dallas Howard, and the first film’s iconic trio of Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. As this sequel’s title suggests, Jurassic World Rebirth brings in a new group of kids and grown-ups who should know better to mess with dinosaurs at their own peril.

Set five years after Jurassic World: Dominion, the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park film series will follow an expedition to a tropical region, where three mighty prehistoric beasts could hold the cure to some of humanity’s woes. Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali lead a star-studded cast, but we’re most excited about the return of Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp (Presence, Kimi, Death Becomes Her) to the series. Teaming with The Creator helmer Gareth Edwards, this dynamic duo could make these movies watchable again!

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

How to watch: Jurassic World Rebirth opens July 2.

Superman

On Instagram, writer/director James Gunn shared this first look at David Corenswet as Superman, signaling a reset for Warner Bros. superhero movies. Say goodbye to the DCEU and hello to the DCU, a relaunched franchise that will build from Superman.

The official logline for this reboot is as follows (courtesy of Variety): “[Superman] tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, and Nicholas Hoult

How to watch: Superman opens in theaters July 11.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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The Fantastic Four are getting rebooted and ushered into the MCU in 2025. While the plot details of this superpowered quartet’s new adventure are under wraps, fans have plenty of reason to shriek in anticipation from the cast alone. Director Matt Shakman managed to cast three of the internet’s boyfriends in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Stranger Things‘ Joseph Quinn will play the fiery Johnny “The Human Torch” Storm. The Bear‘s Ebon Moss-Bachrach will give gruff but lovable a new go as Ben “Thing” Grimm. And Pedro Pascal of The Last of Us will swagger into the role of Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic. Rounding out the foursome as Sue “The Invisible Woman” Storm is The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby. And with Robert Downey Jr. coming back to the MCU — not as Tony Stark but as Fantastic Four foe Doctor Doom — might we anticipate he’ll pop up here?

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn

How to watch: The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters July 25.

August

The Naked Gun

Yep. They’re rebooting Naked Gun. And if you — like me — grew up with the dynamically dopey Leslie Nielsen as Detective Sergeant Frank Drebin, you might be dubious of any attempt at recasting. To that I say: They got Liam Neeson. And by “they,” I mean The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer, co-writer/co-director of Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. If anyone could recapture the magic of this trilogy, it’s the bonkers brains behind one of the best mockumentaries of all time

Plus, Neeson is no stranger to turning his tough guy persona into cop-centered comedy. In The Lego Movie, he expertly pivoted between voicing the two-faced Good Cop/Bad Cop. In Derry Girls, he played Chief Constable Byers, who was befuddled by the rants of the annoying Uncle Colm. And if you want to go way back, he played a horny, homicidal, and hilarious ghost in 1988’s haunted house comedy High Spirits. Simply put, we’re optimistic about this curious comedic reboot.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston, and Cody Rhodes

How to watch: The Naked Gun opens Aug. 1.

Nobody 2

In 2021, Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk turned action hero in Nobody, a dark comedy about a former assassin turned office worker who falls back into that violent life — whether he likes it or not. Well, one good turn (at the box office) deserves another, so Odenkirk is reprising his role as Hutch Mansell, former contract killer. Much of the old gang is back, in fact, including Connie Nielsen as Hutch’s wife, Becca, and RZA as his brother, Harry. New to the team is The Shadow Strays director Timo Tjahjanto, who’s taken up the helm. So anticipate action that is jaw-dropping, if not downright jaw-breaking.

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone, Colin Hanks, and John Ortiz

How to watch: Nobody 2 opens Aug. 15.

Thread: An Insidious Tale

The Lambert family isn’t the focus of this spin-off film, though it’s still set within the world of Insidious. Following the horrors in Insidious: The Red Door, Thread: An Insidious Tale will star Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani as a pair of grieving parents who attempt to travel back in time to prevent the death of their daughter. How does The Further factor in? We’ll see this summer.

Starring: Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani

How to watch: Thread: An Insidious Tale opens Aug. 29.

September

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Critics may have eye-rolled over The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, but the third movie in the Ed and Lorraine Warren franchise made bank at the box office. So, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will return as the Christian couple who combat supernatural evils through faith.

The Devil Made Me Do It director Michael Chaves is back at the helm, with The Conjuring 1 and 2 helmer James Wan producing. What case from the Warren Files might they plumb next?

Starring: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson

How to watch: The Conjuring: Last Rites opens in theaters Sept. 5.

Downton Abbey 3

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes reteams with Downton Abbey: A New Era director Simon Curtis for the third spin-off movie from the deeply adored English drama series. Also back will be much of the cast we’ve come to love for their upstairs posturing and downstairs drama.

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Dominic West, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton, Lesley Nicol, Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, Douglas Reith, and Dominic West

How to watch: Downtown Abbey 3 opens in theaters Sept 12.

Saw XI

This frightening slasher franchise is going strong. Following the critical acclaim and box office success of Saw X, director Kevin Greutert returns with an 11th installment that promises to be grisly. Beyond graphic violence and gnarly kills, we’re not sure what else to expect at this point. But Saw fans don’t need anything else to be marking their calendars.

Starring: TBD

How to watch: Saw XI opens in theaters Sept. 26.

The Bride!

The Wolf Man isn’t the only Universal Monster getting a makeover in 2025. Maggie Gyllenhaal pulls double duty as writer/director of The Bride! — an intriguing re-imagining of the iconic 1935 classic The Bride of Frankenstein. Pulling inspiration from James Whale’s sequel to Frankenstein and the original sci-fi novel of Mary Shelley, Gyllenhaal carves a new chapter for her bride.

Set in 1930s Chicago, The Bride! follows a murdered young woman (Men‘s Jessie Buckley), who is resurrected by Dr. Euphronius to be the romantic partner to his monster (Christian Bale). But this revived heroine has more than love on her mind, and she evades police while engaging in a fight for radical social change. Let’s go, ghouls!

Starring: Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, and Penelope Cruz

How to watch: The Bride! opens Sept. 26.

October

Michael

Director Antoine Fuqua has collaborated with stars like Denzel Washington and Will Smith on such intense dramas as The Equalizer trilogy, Training Day, and Emancipation. Now, he’s turned his focus to the life story of the celebrated and controversial King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Stepping into the pop icon’s moon-walking shoes is Jaafar Jackson, his 28-year-old nephew, son of Jermaine Jackson. Backing him up are Colman Domingo and Nia Long as Michael’s parents, Joe and Katherine Jackson. And setting the stage is John Logan, three-time Academy Award–nominated screenwriter of Hugo, The Aviator, and Gladiator. Which is all to say, on paper, this is a compelling prestige pic, and Lionsgate moving its release from April to October could suggest they see it as an award season contender.

Starring: Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Colman Domingo, Laura Harrier, Larenz Tate, and Miles Teller

How to watch: Michael opens in theaters Oct. 3.

Tron: Ares

A stand-alone sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy, Tron: Ares stars Jared Leto as the titular character. Per Disney’s official logline: “Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with AI beings.”

AI has been at the center of a slew of recent movies, including AfrAId, Atlas, The Creator, and M3GAN. What will Disney’s sci-fi drama from Joachim Rønning, helmer of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, have to say about it? That’s a mystery we can’t solve just yet.

Starring: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Hasan Minhaj, and Jeff Bridges

How to watch: Tron: Ares opens in theaters Oct. 10.

The Black Phone 2

A decade after the sick thrills of Sinister, director Scott Derrickson, screenwriter C. Robert Cargill, and leading man Ethan Hawke reunited for 2021’s The Black Phone, a grisly adaptation of a Joe Hill short story. It’s a twisted tale of stranger danger involving ghost boys, a captive kid, and Hawke as The Grabber, a villain who channels his mercurial moods into chilling masks.

At this time, it’s hard to say where this haunting tale can go next. But we’re ready to find out.

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Miguel Mora

How to watch: The Black Phone 2 opens in theaters Oct. 17.

Mortal Kombat 2

Cue the battle music! Director Simon McQuoid is reuniting with the cast of his 2021 live-action reboot Mortal Kombat for a sure-to-thrill sequel. Based on the wildly popular video games from Midway Games, this film series follows Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a down-on-his-luck mixed-martial artist whose secret lineage pulls him into a world of super-powered battles for the future of the Earthrealm.

Reprising their roles in Mortal Kombat 2 are Hiroyuki Sanada, Jessica McNamee, Tadanobu Asano, and Mehcad Brooks. New to the cast isn The Boys‘ Karl Urban, who’s set to play the cocky and charismatic Johnny Cage. Game on!

Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Karl Urban, Tadanobu Asano, and Mehcad Brooks

How to watch: Mortal Kombat 2 opens in theaters Oct. 24.

November

Predator: Badlands

In 2022, writer/director Dan Trachtenberg delivered a fresh spin on the Predator franchise with Prey, a human-versus-alien movie set in 1719 Great Plains. In 2025, he returns with Badlands, the ninth installment of this ferocious sci-fi series.

This stand-alone adventure will star Elle Fanning, who memorably confronted a mysterious monster in 2011’s Super 8. Little is known about the plot, beyond a casting call: “the two main storylines delve into the intricate bond of two very different sisters, [and] their familial ties are put to the ultimate test as they pursue divergent paths and missions.”

Starring: Elle Fanning

How to watch: Predator: Badlands opens Nov. 7.

Bugonia

As a team, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone have previously unleashed such challenging and enthralling cinema as The Favourite, Poor Things, and Kinds of Kindness. On their 2025 plate is this remake of the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet, retitled Bugonia.

Adapted by The Menu‘s screenwriter Will Tracy, this curious comedy centers on a couple of conspiracy-obsessed guys who kidnap a powerful CEO. Why? They believe she is an alien hellbent on annihilating planet Earth.

Starring: Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons

How to watch: Bugonia opens Nov. 7.

Now You See Me 3

Nine years after Now You See Me 2 thrilled audiences with its blend of heist hijinks, devious deceits, and practical magic, the Horsemen are back. What are these charismatic and trouble-chasing magicians up to? Well, we have no idea just yet. But look at how the deck is stacked with an all-star cast! Add to that Zombieland helmer Ruben Fleischer, and crackling action-comedy seems assured.

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike

How to watch: Now You See Me 3 opens in theaters Nov. 14.

The Running Man

This 2025 offering isn’t just a remake of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie The Running Man. It’s also a reunion of Twisters stars Glen Powell and Katy O’Brian, and of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’s leading man Michael Cera and director Edgar Wright. So, there’s a lot of charm coming in this dark tale, based on a 1982 Stephen King novel.

If the original movie adaptation is anything to go on, The Running Man will be set in a future dystopian America, where a totalitarian police state rules — even over art, media, and reality TV. Thus, a falsely convicted cop is forced to participate in a deadly, prime-time game show called The Running Man to snatch his chance at freedom. That is, if he can survive. What will Wright and company bring to this concept in an age where reality TV has given us not only hours of entertainment but also the rise of Joe Rogan and Donald Trump? We’re eager to find out.

Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian, William H. Macy, Emilia Jones, and Michael Cera

How to watch: The Running Man opens in theaters Nov. 21.

Wicked: Part Two

For better or for wicked, we’re in the middle of one long intermission. With Wicked: Part One, director Jon M. Chu brings the Broadway hit to the silver screen, full of star power courtesy of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as unlikely besties Elphaba and Glinda. But Wicked: Part One climaxes with “Defying Gravity,” leaving fans to wait an entire year before seeing Act II!

Along with the return of its dazzling leading ladies, Wicked: Part Two will also welcome back the dashing Jonathan Bailey, the sinisterly suave Jeff Goldblum, and hordes of flying monkeys. But as this story veers into the more familiar terrain of The Wizard of Oz, what fresh magic might Chu — who’s previously wowed us with musicals like Step Up 3D and In The Heights — have in store?

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, and Ethan Slater

How to watch: Wicked: Part Two opens Nov. 21.

Zootopia 2

Zooptopia‘s Jared Bush returns for this much-anticipated sequel that will usher audiences back into the wild, eponymous metropolis.

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman reprise their voice roles as determined bunny cop Judy and wily but kind fox Nick. In their new adventure, the odd couple will be on the tail of a mysterious reptile, drawing them into new neighborhoods within their wooly city. Will their friendship survive another rocky ride through Zootopia’s shady underbelly?

Starring: Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, and Shakira

How to watch: Zootopia 2 opens in theaters Nov. 26.

December

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2

In 2023, director Emma Tammi’s live-action adaptation of the popular video game franchise Five Nights at Freddy’s kicked butt at the box office. Now, the sequel is coming to level up the creepy fun.

We can safely assume that with Josh Hutcherson returning as plagued security guard Mike Schmidt, the sequel will take us back to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. There, rotting animatronics with a grisly origin stalk the rooms. But with their father/foe slain in the first movie, what fresh mayhem might they raise now?

Starring: Elizabeth Lail, Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, and Piper Rubio

How to watch: Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 opens in theaters Dec. 5.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Following the box office success of Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: Fire and Ash is poised to take Christmas 2025 by storm!

James Cameron’s third installment of his ambitious sci-fi film series will return audiences to the world of Pandora, where the Na’vi battle against human military forces to preserve their environment and culture. Little is known about the plot at this point, though we can expect this sequel to continue exploring new new corners of the planet and other Na’vi communities. Plus, Everything Everywhere All at Once star Michelle Yeoh is joining the ensemble as human scientist Dr. Karina Mogue. All promising details. But will Cameron answer our burning questions from his last stunner?

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, David Thewlis, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Yeoh, and Oona Chaplin

How to watch: Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters Dec. 19.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea — and is coming up on his fifth feature film? SpongeBob SquarePants!

First, there was The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, then Sponge Out of Water, Sponge on the Run, and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie. Now, with The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, the lovable chuckler will set forth on a new adventure, traveling the expanse of the oceans to confront the ghost of the Flying Dutchman! Expect things to get silly — and spooky!

Starring: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Brian Doyle-Murray, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Mr. Lawrence, and Carolyn Lawrence

How to watch: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants opens in theaters December 19.

UPDATE: Dec. 19, 2024, 1:05 p.m. EST This article has been updated to reflect the latest release information.