The Most Anticipated Films of 2025 (2025)

The Most Anticipated Films of 2025 (1)

Consequence Staff

January 13, 2025 | 10:15am ET

    The movies we’re most anticipating in 2025 are fascinating on two fronts. The first: Great auteurs tackling passion projects, including two separate takes on Frankenstein (albeit by very different directors), as well as new movies from Paul Thomas Anderson, Yorgos Lanthimos, Celine Song, Ryan Coogler, Ari Aster, and even Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Not to mention two Steven Soderbergh films! What riches are in store for us!

    In addition, it’s going to be a year rich with mega-franchises stomping back into cinemas, as we’re once again returning to James Cameron’s Pandora, running into danger with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, and watching Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey face down dinosaurs. Also, after a somewhat dry (but ultimately very lucrative) 2024, Marvel’s back in action with three different features, which could return the MCU to its previous box office dominance and cultural relevancy.

    As with every list like this, it’s impossible to be 100% sure that the below movies will all be bangers. But no matter the size or scope of the project, we’re excited to find out for ourselves how many of them make our Best Of list at the end of the year. All part of the circle of life… of pop culture journalism. We’ll be making updates to this list throughout 2025, as the movie world is prone to changing when we least expect it.

    Liz Shannon Miller
    Senior Entertainment Editor

    Be sure to check out our list of the Best Movies of 2024 along with therest of ourAnnual Report. And for more of what’s on the horizon for 2025, there’s our most anticipated albums and tours lists.


One of Them Days January 17th
One of Them Days (Sony)

Directed by: Lawrence Lamont

Cast: Keke Palmer, SZA

Studio: TriStar Pictures

We already know that Keke Palmer is a delight on screen, and this comedy teaming her up with SZA (in her feature acting debut) promises to be a laugh riot. The two play roommates who have to scramble to come up with enough cash to avoid eviction, setting the stage for some wild shenanigans. Produced by Issa Rae, One of Them Days could become a cult classic on the level of Friday, if it can live up to the hilarity in the trailer. — L.S. Miller

Presence January 24th
Presence (Neon)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris Sullivan

Studio: NEON

Steven Soderbergh’s newest movie is a ghost story starring Lucy Liu, which is honestly intriguing enough for this writer. The film premiered at last year's Sundance, and marks a notable shift in genres for the eclectic and acclaimed filmmaker — while he's made plenty of thrillers before, this is his first time delving into pure horror. (With the potential exception of Contagion.) Even when Soderbergh's not at the top of his game, his work is always worthy of our attention, and the Sundance reviews indicate that there's a lot to be excited about here. — L.S. Miller

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Love Hurts February 7th
Love Hurts (Universal)

Directed by: Jonathan Eusebio

Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, Sean Astin

Studio: Universal

We already knew that Ke Huy Quan’s ass-kicking skills were top-notch, and now he's getting to showcase them as the star of this action comedy movie. Love Hurts, on first glance, looks like the Oscar winner's own Nobody or John Wick, as he plays a former hitman who gets dragged back into the game. And the supporting cast is pretty bonkers, including fellow Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, Our Flag Means Death’s Rhys Darby, and... Marshawn Lynch? Why not! — L.S. Miller

Captain America: Brave New World February 14th
Captain America: Brave New World (Disney)

Directed by: Julius Onah

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford

Studio: Disney

Captain America: Brave New World reminds us "anticipation" can teeter on the duality of excitement and apprehension. The political action thriller is Anthony Mackie's full Captain America ascension, Harrison Ford and Giancarlo Esposito's MCU debuts, and the return of Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns and Carl Lumbly's Isaiah Bradley. But it's also dealt with worryingly extensive reshoots, delays, and a giant space god that an already muddled MCU hasn't mentioned in four years. Following up ’s "new school" success with an "old school" hit like Cap could be a huge Marvel win, but our shields are up. — Ben Kaye

Paddington in Peru February 14th
Paddington in Peru (Sony)

Directed by: Dougal Wilson

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Ben Whishaw

Studio: Sony

After two whimsical films beloved by children and Letterboxd-using film nerds alike, everyone's favorite marmalade-eating bear is headed back to the big screen. Paddington in Peru finds the lovable title character — get this — traveling to Peru for a brand new adventure. While the acclaimed director of the first two Paddington installments, Paul King, has handed the reigns over to Dougal Wilson, actor Ben Whishaw will continue to bring Paddington Bear to life. Will the South American hijinks live up to the high bar set by this prestigious franchise? — Jonah Krueger

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Black Bag March 14th
Black Bag (Universal)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

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

Studio: Focus Features

The second Soderbergh movie on this list, and equally as intriguing as the first, as Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett star as married intelligence agents whose relationship is put to the test by accusations of treason. Who honestly needs to know more than that? That's an attractive cast, and sparks are sure to fly along with the spy action. — L.S. Miller

Opus March 14th
Opus (A24)

Directed by: Mark Anthony Green

Cast: Ayo Edebiri, Amber Midthunder, Juliette Lewis, John Malkovich

Studio: A24

As Ayo Edebiri's star continues to rise, it feels like it the perfect time time for her to appear at the center of a twisty project from A24. Opus is the debut directorial feature from Mark Anthony Green, and it centers on a young writer (Edebiri) who is invited to the remote compound of a pop star who vanished from the public eye decades prior. The film is set to debut at Sundance 2025 in just a few weeks, and with a star-studded cast including John Malkovich, there's potential for a big moment at the annual festival. — Mary Siroky

The Electric State March 14th
The Electric State (Netflix)

Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, Stanley Tucci

Studio: Netflix

Before returning to the MCU to direct Avengers: Doomsday, Anthony and Joe Russo are attempting to launch a whole new franchise, this one based on a 2018 graphic novel about an alternate 1990s that's gotten pretty dystopian, thanks to a war with robots. Netflix poster girl Millie Bobby Brown stars alongside Chris Pratt and a large ensemble cast, many of whom are voicing robots. Watching the trailer, there's a lot that feels familiar, but enough feels different to inspire interest. And we'll see what kind of Pratt performance we get — goofy Guardians Pratt, or ultra-serious The Terminal List Pratt. (Here's hoping for the former.) — L.S. Miller

Mickey 17 April 18th
Mickey 17 (Warner Bros.)

Directed by: Bong Joon-ho

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

Studio: Warner Bros.

It's been nearly six years since the release of Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-sweeping Parasite, and now, his follow-up is finally arriving in 2025. Mickey 17 is an adaptation of Edward Ashton's 2022 novel, and stars Robert Pattinson as a space colonist who has signed up to be an “expendable” — if he dies (which he definitely does, at least 17 times), a new body is generated with most of his memories intact. Eventually, something goes wrong in the "printing" process, and all hell breaks loose. Expect lots of death scenarios, a wacky tone typical of Bong Joon-ho, and Rob Pattinson doing a 'weird little guy' voice. — Paolo Ragusa

Sinners April 18th
Sinners (Warner Bros.)

Directed by: Ryan Coogler

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

Studio: Warner Bros.

Based on an original idea by Ryan Coogler, not much is known about Sinners, except that it's a horror film and longtime Coogler collaborator Michael B. Jordan (going all the way back to Fruitvale Station) is set to play twin brothers. That's right, two Michael B. Jordans for the price of one! That alone should be enough to inspire your interest, but it's also exciting to see Coogler step out for his first film untied to real-life events or a pre-established franchise. — L.S. Miller

Thunderbolts* May 2nd
Thunderbolts (Disney)

Directed by: Jake Schreier

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

Studio: Disney

After Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, it's easy to forget many of Marvel's early successes were smaller, more focused films. Thunderbolts*’s cast pairs heavyweights (Florence Pugh's Yelena, Sebastian Stan's Bucky, David Harbour's Red Guardian) with a bunch of also-rans (Wyatt Russell's John Walker, Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost, Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster), all operating under Julia Louis-Dreyfus' long-seeded Valentina. Even as a team-up movie and Lewis Pullman's overpowered Bob/Sentry as the MacGuffin, the stakes seem refreshingly lower than recent MCU spectacles. We'll find out if the classic MCU formula still has juice — and what the heck that asterisks means — this summer. — B. Kaye

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Golden May 9th
Pharrell, photo by Cathy Poulton

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Cast: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Quinta Brunson, Janelle Monáe, Jaboukie Young-White, Tim Meadows

Studio: Universal

After Pharrell Williams traced his life story via Lego bricks in the animated biopic Piece by Piece, he's continuing his film-centric streak by once again looking back at his childhood. Golden, a new musical film directed by Michel Gondry, takes inspiration from Virginia Beach's Atlantis Apartments in the '70s, where Williams spent much of his upbringing. He's writing songs for the film alongside Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and the cast is stacked, with Anderson. Paak, Missy Elliott, and André 3000 amongst the artists and actors confirmed to appear. — P. Ragusa

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning May 23rd
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning (Paramount)

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Angela Bassett, Henry Czerny

Studio: Paramount

After decades of some of the most mind-boggling stunts ever committed to film, it's all led up to this — what could be the last stand for Ethan Hunt. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning will crash into theaters in May, picking up where 2023's Dead Reckoning Part One left off, as Hunt and his team try to stop the rogue AI Entity. Wherever the mission takes them, we can count on Tom Cruise doing what he does best — being a through and through movie star. So cue up the score and get ready to watch some thrilling heroics, because even if this isn't Ethan Hunt's final adventure, it'll surely deliver on spectacle. — M. Siroky

Karate Kid: Legends May 30th
Karate Kid: Legends (Sony)

Directed by: Jonathan Entwistle

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

Studio: Sony

It's easy to forget how many different Karate Kid iterations have been made over the years, but this new film aims to unite at least a few of them, as The Karate Kid (1984)/Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio teams up with The Karate Kid (2010) star Jackie Chan, likely to co-train a young man played by American Born Chinese star Ben Wang. How this film connects to the upcoming series finale of Cobra Kai remains to be seen, as well as if a cameo from The Next Karate Kid star Hilary Swank might be in the mix. — L.S. Miller

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From the World of John Wick: Ballerina June 6th
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (Lionsgate)

Directed by: Len Wiseman

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

Studio: Lionsgate

What if John Wick... but a woman? That's not quite the premise of Ballerina, but this long-delayed spinoff of the John Wick franchise does promise to deliver a lot of Ana de Armas kicking ass alongside a returning Keanu Reeves. The title comes from the fact that de Armas' character is a ballerina trained in the dance academy briefly spotted in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, as run by Angelica Huston as The Director. Ballerina will also feature the final posthumously-released performance of Lance Reddick, forever a legend. — L.S. Miller

28 Years Later June 20th
28 Years Later (Sony)

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes

Studio: Sony

While it might feel like fans have been waiting 28 years for it, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are finally ready to revisit the gritty, zombie-infested world they brought to life in 28 Days Later. Seemingly falling somewhere in between a legacy squeal and a soft reboot, 28 Years Later marks the first installment of a new trilogy led by Jodie Comer, ​Aaron Taylor-Johnson, ​Jack O’Connell, ​Alfie Williams, ​and Ralph Fiennes. Diehards fear not, though, as Cillian Murphy is also set to return — though, perhaps in an unexpected way. (Or maybe not now! Who knows!). — J. Krueger

F1 June 27th
F1 (Warner Bros.)

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem, Sarah Niles

Studio: Warner Bros.

Despite its budget reportedly ballooning to over $300 million, the names involved with F1 are hard to bet against. The racing flick is set to feature Brad Pitt, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and Tobias Menzies, while Top Gun Maverick director Joseph Kosinski led the charge behind the camera. Throw in a Hanz Zimmer-composed score and a script from Ehren Kruger (who wrote Top Gun Maverick), and you've got the makings of a potential summer-defining blockbuster. — J. Krueger

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Jurassic World Rebirth July 2nd
Jurassic World: Rebirth (Universal)

Directed by: Gareth Edwards

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Ed Skrein

Studio: Universal

While no one could have predicted that we'd receive this many Jurassic Park movies throughout the past decade, there is something particularly compelling about the forthcoming installment: Jonathan Bailey in glasses. The star of Bridgerton and Wicked is set to appear alongside Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali in the latest continuation of the long-running franchise, this time with Gareth Edwards at the helm. The story will jump forward to five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, meaning Chris Pratt's dino telepathy will most likely be left in the past. — M. Siroky

Untitled Trey Parker Film July 4th
Kendrick Lamar (Frazer Harrison) / Matt Stone and Trey Parker (Park County)

Directed by: Trey Parker

Cast: Kendrick Lamar

Studio: Paramount

Kendrick Lamar is adding film producer to his goated resume this year, joining forces with his pgLANG right-hand man Dave Free and South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker for a new live-action comedy. Originally announced in 2022, the Veron Chatman-written film follows a young Black man who interns as a slave reenactor and finds out that the ancestors of his white girlfriend once owned his own distant relatives. — Nicolle Periola

Superman July 11th
Superman (Warner Bros.)

Directed by: James Gunn

Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Alan Tudyk

Studio: Warner Bros.

James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU soft-launched with Creature Commandos, but its true grand opening will be Gunn's Superman. While the movie is free of the baggage currently burdening the MCU — or even the DCEU before it — it carries the weight of expectations in establishing a new universe already brimming with heroes. Strong casting choices (David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Wendell Pierce), a fun lineup of B- and C-tier characters (Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner, Metamorpho, Hawkgirl, Krypto the Superdog), and Gunn's track record inspire optimism, so hopefully the DCU gets off to a soaring start. — B. Kaye

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps July 25th
The Fantastic Four (Marvel)

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, Sarah Niles

Studio: Disney

Marvel will finally launch Phase Six and begin the denouement of the troubled Multiverse Saga with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Easily the most anticipated MCU film on this year's slate, the big swing here is the setting: an alternative Earth with a 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic. With some crazy power sets and a truly stellar cast (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ralph Ineson, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne), this big story could really freshen up a stale MCU. — B. Kaye

Freakier Friday August 8th
Freakier Friday (Disney+)

Directed by: Nisha Ganatra

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Rosalind Chao

Studio: Disney

How could that Friday get any Freakier, you ask? Well, it's been 22 years since the Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis comedy arrived, so the freakiest thing is probably just the passage of time. Still, it's a curious reboot from Disney, who have restored the film's original cast and added Manny Jacinto and Julia Butters to the mix. Not much is known about whose bodies are being swapped this time around, but the plot concerns a grown-up Anna (Lohan) parenting her daughter while also taking on a stepdaughter in her new marriage. Either way, TGIF! — P. Ragusa

The Battle of Baktan Cross August 8th
Paul Thomas Anderson, photo by Aude Guerrucci/AFP/Getty Images

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Benicio del Toro, Shayna McHayle

Studio: Warner Bros.

Still quite under wraps, The Battle of Baktan Cross is the next film from the one and only Paul Thomas Anderson. Very few plot details are known at this point, but that shouldn't be a problem when the cast includes the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Benicio del Toro, and a return from Alana Haim, who absolutely shone in her role in Anderson's 2021 feature Licorice Pizza. Interestingly, we do know that this will be the first of Anderson's films to be released in IMAX. — M. Siroky

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The Bride! September 26th
Maggie Gyllenhaal behind the scenes of The Lost Daughter (Netflix)

Directed by: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal

Studio: Warner Bros.

Maggie Gyllenhaal made waves with her Oscar-nominated directorial debut The Lost Daughter in 2021, and her follow-up looks even more promising. The Bride! is not exactly a remake of 1935's Bride of Frankenstein, but it was certainly inspired by the film and Mary Shelley's 1818 original tale. There haven't been a ton of clues about Gyllenhaal's new addition to the Frankenstein canon, but apparently the budget was pretty darn high, and Gyllenhaal's husband Peter Sarsgaard confirmed there'd be "big dance numbers." Joining Sarsgaard in the cast are Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as the iconic pair of monsters, plus Penélope Cruz, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and more. — P. Ragusa

Tron: Ares October 10th
Tron: Ares (Disney)

Directed by: Joachim Rønning

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

Studio: Disney

Sure, most fans might not have loved Tron: Legacy, but the third time's the charm, right? The latest installment of the Tron franchise, Tron: Ares, certainly has the names behind it to turn some heads. Directed by Joachim Rønning, the sci-fi flick boasts an all-star cast that most importantly includes a returning Jeff Bridges. Even more exciting is the fact that Nine Inch Nails are handling the soundtrack. So, at the very least, Tron: Ares is set up to continue the trilogy's killer musical streak. — J. Krueger

Bugonia November 7th
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos behind the scenes of Kinds of Kindness (Searchlight Pictures)

Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Alicia Silverstone

Studio: Focus Features

Yorgos Lanthimos has re-enlisted his treasured collaborator Emma Stone to star in his upcoming 2025 film, Bugonia. The film’s IMDB synopsis teases the plot: “Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.” Based on his track record with Poor Things (2023) and Kinds of Kindness (2024), Lanthimos is poised to once again bring his trademark mix of surrealist storytelling infused with psychological complexities and dark humor. — N. Periola

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Predator: Badlands November 7th
Prey (20th Century Studios)

Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg

Cast: Elle Fanning

Studio: Disney

If I ran 20th Century Studios, my reaction to seeing Dan Trachtenberg's Prey would have been to send a dump truck of money to Trachtenberg's house and tell him to do whatever else he wants with the Predator franchise. And it actually kind of sounds like that's what happened! Details on Badlands are limited as of writing, except that this time, the Predator is the good guy, and the story is set on an alien planet in the future. In addition, there are rumors of a second Predator movie for 2025, potentially an animated anthology film in which Predators fight humans across different time periods. Hell yes. — L.S. Miller

The Running Man November 7th
Glen Powell, Rick Kern/Getty Images for Netflix

Directed by: Edgar Wright

Cast: Glen Powell, Katy O'Brian, Daniel Ezra, Karl Glusman, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, David Zayas, Colman Domingo

Studio: Paramount

The 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger adaptation is a quintessential "so-bad-it's-great" cult classic, but filmmaker Edgar Wright is going back to Stephen King's original 1982 novel for this new Running Man. This take expands the scale to a global chase while ditching the flamboyant, powered-up stalkers that hunted Arnold. With Wright teaming with talents like Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin, and William H. Macy, this dystopian action thriller is an exciting proposition from the jump. (Fun/disquieting note: The book's tagline was, "Welcome to America in 2025, when the best men don't run for president, they run for their lives.") — B. Kaye

Wicked: For Good November 21th
Wicked (Universal)

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Studio: Universal

If you left the theater hungry for more action in Oz, there's plenty more Wicked to go around. Part two of Jon M. Chu's Wicked adaptation will arrive in November, and as the original musical does, it'll pick up right where the first part left off. Sure, there's no "Defying Gravity" or "Popular" in this one, but luckily, Act 2 still has its fair share of bangers, like "As Long as You're Mine" and the now-titular best friend anthem "For Good." Plus, the musical's overall story and themes are much more luminous, as Elphaba and Glinda begin to transform into the witches we know from The Wizard of Oz. It's still January, so you have ten months to "hold space" and prepare for the final act. — P. Ragusa

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Avatar: Fire and Ash December 19th
Avatar: The Way of Water (Disney)

Directed by: James Cameron

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Winslet, David Thewlis, Oona Chaplin

Studio: 20th Century Studios

Even if the story of the family of blue space creatures hasn't captured your attention, no one can deny the craft James Cameron is exhibiting in the Avatar franchise. His cutting-edge film techniques experienced leaps and bounds of growth between the first two installments, with The Way of Water offering some truly arresting visuals. Next, Fire and Ash is set to continue the story of Jake Sully and his family, with a much shorter wait than audiences had to endure between the 2009 original and its follow-up. — M. Siroky

Anaconda December 25th
Jack Black and Paul Rudd (via YouTube)

Directed by: Tom Gormican

Cast: Paul Rudd, Jack Black

Studio: Columbia

Jack Black and Paul Rudd are teaming up for this wild-sounding comedy remake of the 1997 film. But if you need more information than Jack Black + Paul Rudd + comedy + giant snake, you can also look forward to a script by The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent writers Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, who may bring a similar level of meta humor to the film, set to debut on Christmas Day. (What's more Christmas-y than a giant snake, after all?) — L.S. Miller

Marty Supreme December 25th
Timothée Chalamet with lookalike, photo via @fizzysodatoes / Twitter

Directed by: Josh Safdie

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, the Creator, Odessa A'zion, Penn Jillette, Kevin O'Leary, Abel Ferrara, Fran Drescher

Studio: A24

If you’ve scrolled across those viral photos of 2024 Film Performer of the Year Timotheé Chalamet sporting a ‘stache sitting in a New York City cab with Tyler, The Creator, then you’ve already had a sneak peek at the making of Marty Supreme. The Josh Safdie-directed A24 film is a loosely-based biopic about the ping-pong maverick Marty Reisman, written by him and Ronald Bronstein. Scheduled for a Christmas Day release, it marks Safdie’s first directorial project without his brother, Benny Safdie, and will also feature an ensemble cast including eclectic talents like Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, and Penn Jillette. — N. Periola

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Death of a Unicorn TBD
Death of a Unicorn (A24)

Directed by: Alex Scharfman

Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Will Poulter, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani, Jessica Hynes, Steve Park

Studio: A24

When Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega accidentally kill a unicorn, shit gets weird. No, we're serious — that's the plot of the upcoming A24 film Death of a Unicorn, and the trailer proves it's about to be as absurd as it sounds. Marking the directorial debut of Alex Scharfman, the horror/comedy seeks to take aim at Big Pharma with a satire that's as pointed as that dead unicorn's horn. Unfortunately, A24 has yet to announce when the flick will hit theaters, though the studio did suggest a spring '25 target. — J. Krueger

Eddington TBD
Joaquin Phoenix and Ari Aster behind the scenes of Beau Is Afraid (A24)

Directed by: Ari Aster

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O'Connell, Micheal Ward, Clifton Collins Jr.

Studio: A24

Written and directed by Ari Aster, the only concrete details A24 has officially announced regarding Eddington is that it’s a contemporary western centered around “a small-town New Mexico sheriff with higher aspirations.” It will stand as Aster’s first non-horror film, starring Beau is Afraid lead Joaquin Phoenix, alongside an all-star cast featuring Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone. While we know the film officially wrapped filming in 2024, A24 has yet to unveil a release date. — N. Periola

Frankenstein TBD
Guillermo del Toro behind the scenes of Pinocchio (Netflix)

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Christian Convery, Charles Dance, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer

Studio: Netflix

Guillermo del Toro will finally see his lifelong dream realized this year with the release of his own adaptation of Mary Shelley’s cherished gothic novel Frankenstein, Or, The Modern Prometheus. In November, Vanity Fair unveiled an exclusive first look at the film’s laboratory scene, which depicts the timeless tale’s doctor (Oscar Isaac) experimenting with the body of Frankenstein (Jacob Elordi) within the remains of a lavishly decaying gothic structure. Del Toro's dreams are our dreams, too, and we can't wait. — N. Periola

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Happy Gilmore 2 TBD
Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore (Universal Pictures)

Directed by: Kyle Newacheck

Cast: Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Allen Covert, Dennis Dugan, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Scott Mescudi, Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie, Nick Swardson

Studio: Netflix

After nearly three full decades since the premiere of Happy Gilmore, Adam Sandler is finally picking up a new set of golf clubs and coming through with the sequel. Original cast members Christopher McDonald (as Shooter McGavin) and Julie Bowen (as Virginia Venit) are expected to join in on the fun, as are a number of professional golfers and [checks notes] rappers Bad Bunny and Eminem. While there's no release date for the movie yet, the Netflix project officially began production in September, and Sandler recently said that they're looking towards a July release. — J. Krueger

Materialists TBD
Greta Lee and Celine Song behind the scenes of Past Lives (A24)

Directed by: Celine Song

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal

Studio: A24

Past Lives writer/director Celine Song is teaming up with A24 once again for Materialists, a romantic comedy set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City. The story follows a high-end matchmaker who becomes romantically entangled with a wealthy man. Following the success of Song's critically acclaimed breakout directorial debut, the film brings together a remarkable cast headed by Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans. — N. Periola

Wake Up Dead Man TBD
Glass Onion (Netflix)

Directed by: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Thomas Haden Church

Studio: Netflix

In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to wait years between new Benoit Blanc movies. However, if that's the amount of time Rian Johnson needs to assemble yet another all-star cast and also concoct a new twisty murder mystery, we'll allow it. Details beyond casting are scarce, but as opposed to Knives Out (set in autumnal New England) or Glass Onion (which took place on a private Grecian island), we can look forward to a whole new vibe: Wake Up Dead Man was primarily shot in London. — L.S. Miller

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