Table of ContentsTable of Contents10. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (TBD)9. The Running Man (November 7)8. Avatar: Fire and Ash (December 19)7. Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning (May 21)6. Thunderbolts* (May 2)5. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25)4. 28 Years Later (June 20)3. Wicked: For Good (November 21)2. Superman (July 11)1. Frankenstein (TBD)Well, 2025 is finally here, and with it comes a new wave of exciting and highly anticipated movies. Last year was a solid one for movies, with a string of expected hits ( the lame Deadpool & Wolverine did boffo business, as everyone knew it would) and a few unexpected winners (looking at you, Wicked). However, 2025 has a slate of truly inspired films, promising 12 months of exhilarating and gripping entertainment for cinema lovers.From auteur-driven remakes like Guillermo del TorosFrankensteinThe Running Man to the final chapters of revered franchises likeMission: Impossible The Final Reckoning to the continuations of a few recent hits likeWicked: For Good, theres a wealth of anticipated 2025 movies. Narrowly missing the cut are Maggie Gyllenhaals The Bride!, Gareth EdwardsJurassic World Rebirth, and Dougal WilsonsPaddington in Peru, which says a lot about the quality of the films that actually made the list.Recommended VideosNetflixTheKnives Out series will return for the third entry,Wake Up Dead Man. We know Daniel Craig will be back as Benoit Blanc, the infallible detective who has so far solved the mystery of Harlan Thrombys (Christopher Plummer) death and Miles Brons (Edward Norton) guilt. Joining Craig is an all-star cast, including Oscar nominees Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, and Thomas Haden Church, plus Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Challengersstar Josh OConnor, Kerry Washington, and Cailee Spaeny.As was the case with Glass Onion, details are still under wraps. However, we at least know OConnor and Brolin will play priests and Kunis will play a police detective. Netflix has not revealed when Benoit Blanc will return, but chances are the streamer will want to give it a flashy awards season-friendly date. Glass Onion premiered on November 24, so look for a November date forWake Up Dead Man.Paramount PicturesFew actors exploded in such a notable way as Glen Powell. Following a scene-stealing supporting turn in 2022sTop Gun: Maverick, Powell became a legitimate box office draw withAnyone but You and Twisters. His critically acclaimed turn in Richard Linklaters Hit Man made him a Golden Globe nominee, and his slate of upcoming projects is full.In 2025, Powell will headline Edgar Wrights flashy remake ofThe Running Man. The second adaptation of the eponymous Stephen King novel, following the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Running Man follows a group of people competing in a reality show where they are chased by murderous hunters for the chance to win money. Dystopian movies are very hit-or-miss, but with such a lethal combination as Powell and Wright, The Running Man is a potential hit that should inject some much-needed adrenaline into 2025s holiday period.20th Century StudiosAs the saying goes, Never bet against James Cameron. The director will return in 2025 with the third installment in his Avatar series, subtitledFire and Ash. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaa, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet will reprise their roles from previous movies, joined by other returning figures, plus a few new faces.Although the plot is unknown, numerous hints point to the introduction of a new clan possibly related to fire. More details will surely come out throughout next year in preparation for the films ultimate debut on December 19.Avatar: Fire and AshParamount PicturesAfter almost 30 years and seven movies, Tom Cruise is apparently ready to say goodbye to Ethan Hunt. The 62-year-old actor will reprise his role as the IMFs greatest agent in Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning, the eighth entry in the saga and a direct sequel to 2023sMission: Impossible Dead Reckoning. Series staples Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg will also be back, as will Hayley Atwell, who joined the franchise in Dead Reckoning.Although the actual plot of the movie remains a secret, the seventh film left several lingering threads that will surely be addressed here. The Entity and its main liaison, the assassin Gabriel (Esai Morales), will also be back, hinting that Ethans ultimate confrontation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Its unclear if this will indeed be the last chapter of this saga, but one thing is for certain: as long as Tom Cruise is around, moreMission: Impossible films will always be a possibility.Marvel StudiosAfter only releasing one movie in 2024, Marvel Studios is back in full swing in 2025 with three major releases. The second will be Thunderbolts*, which will bring together many of the MCUs greatest antiheroes, including Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Red Guardian (David Harbour), under the dubious guidance of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).The details of the plot remain unclear other than a shadowy female figure reuniting a group of antiheroes with questionable track records and morals to carry out dangerous missions for the American government. If Thunderbolts*Marvel StudiosFollowingThunderbolts*, the MCU will enter Phase Six with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. After years of speculation and endless fan-casting, Pedro Pascal, Oscar nominee Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach will step into the boots of Marvels First Family. Like pretty much every movie on this list, plot details are still a secret, but a few details have emerged since the casting was announced.We know the film wont be an origin story and will be set in the 1960s in a retrofuturistic version of Earth. Ralph Ineson will play Galactus, with Julia Garner as his herald, Silver Surfer. Having the team fight one of their most powerful enemies on their first outing is certainly a bold choice, but considering that nemesis Doctor Doom is busy elsewhere, its the most logical choice. The Fantastic Four: First Steps might just be the most anticipated film in Marvels 2025 slate, thanks to its spot-on casting and the promise of finally seeing a worthwhile version of Marvels First Family.SonyPerhaps no movie genre is as consistent as horror. Any given year has a remarkably strong slate of horror movies, and 2025 is no exception. However, perhaps the most anticipated horror offering of 2025 is28 Years Later, the long-awaited sequel to 2007s 28 Weeks Later, which is itself a sequel of the 2002 sleeper hit 28 Days Later. Oscar-winner Danny Boyle is back in the directors chair, with Oscar nominee Alex Garland back as the screenwriter.Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes will lead the cast, which is confirmed to include the series original protagonist, Jim, played by Oscar winner Cillian Murphy. The plot will follow a survivor from a small, secluded island community who ventures outside on a mission in the Rage Virus-ravaged Earth and discovers dark secrets. Thanks to its eerie and impactful teaser trailer,28 Years Later quickly became the hottest horror ticket of 2025. The return of Boyle, Garland, and Murphy also hints at positive things for this unexpectedly successful horror trilogy.Universal PicturesNo movies success was more surprising in 2024 thanWicked. The musical, based on the hit Broadway play, has grossed over $400 million domestically, although its international numbers are somewhat disappointing. Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star as Elphaba and Glinda in this prequel to The Wizard of Oz, which focuses on the rise of the Wicked Witch of the West.Wickeds overwhelming critical and commercial success domestically instantly makes its sequel one of the hottest projects of 2025. Furthermore, if Wicked does well during the upcoming awards season, thenWicked: For Good might have a chance at reaching a $1 billion next November. It wont be an easy battle, especially considering the musicals second act is far weaker. However, Wicked already defied expectations (and gravity), meaning its sequel can soar even higher. For now, its already one of the most anticipated movies of next year.Warner Bros. Pictures/DCJames Gunn will officially launch his DC Universe on the big screen withSuperman. David Corenswet will play the Man of Steel, opposite Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Multiple other DC characters will appear, but Gunn has promised the story will remain firmly focused on Supes and Lois and will start in the middle of the action.The official trailer forSuperman broke records, and its currently the most-watched ever for both DC and Warner Bros., hinting that the excitement for the film is real. After over a decade of turmoil, this film promises to be a new dawn for DC and a more faithful take on the Last Son of Krypton. Superman will face heavy competition, though, as bothJurassic World Rebirth andThe Fantastic Four: First Steps premiere in the same month, but if the anticipation is real, the Man of Steel will fly high.NetflixThe most anticipated movie of 2025 is, without a doubt, Guillermo del Toros remake of the Gothic classic Frankenstein. Oscar Isaac will star as Victor Frankenstein, with Jacob Elordi as the monster. Modern horror icon Mia Goth (MaXXXine) will also star, joined by two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, and Lars Mikkelsen.Del Toro has already cemented himself as a modern auteur whose name is enough to drive the conversation and generate interest. Adding a property like Frankenstein and a stellar cast to the mix only makes this project even more exciting. Netflix will release the film, and while no release date has been confirmed, its highly likely that the studio will have Frankenstein as an awards season play. Then again, the streamer might also want to capitalize on the spooky season and send the film to October. Only time will tell, but the fact remains that Guillermo del TorosFrankenstein is the most promising project of 2025.Editors Recommendations7 most anticipated horror movies of 2025, ranked