2025 is (hopefully) shaping up to be a cinematic feast, with a slate of films that promises everything from thrilling blockbusters to bold artistic visions. Whether it’s Tom Cruise possibly embarking on Ethan Hunt’s final Mission: Impossible, Bong Joon-ho exploring existential crises in Mickey 17, or Guillermo del Toro putting his signature touch on Frankenstein, there’s something for everyone. With superheroes, zombies, dinosaurs, haunted houses, and more, the theatrical line-up for the year ahead looks exciting.

In no particular order, here’s a look at 20 of the films set for release in 2025 that you may want to put on your watch list. We’ve also included the trailers (if it’s been released):

• Wolf Man

Christopher Abbott stars in this Pacific Northwest-set reimagining of the werewolf tale, joined by Julia Garner in what could be quite the atmospheric, character-driven approach to the horror classic. This one comes from Aussie director Leigh Whannell, who previously delivered the goods with another Universal monster: 2020’s fantastic The Invisible Man.

• Presence

This haunted-house tale from filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, Erin Brockovich) comes with an angle twist: it’s told from the ghost’s perspective. Lucy Liu leads the cast, and with Soderbergh’s knack for subverting genres, this may turn out to be one of the year’s most inventive and unnerving supernatural thrillers.

• Captain America: Brave New World

Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is back, now fully stepping into the Captain America mantle, and it seems he’ll have his hands full. Between political intrigue, a sleeper agent, and Harrison Ford’s President Ross hulking out in Red form, this MCU entry has the potential for a strong political thriller-leaning action – à la Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Fingers crossed.

• The Monkey

A sinister toy monkey with cymbals brings chaos in this adaptation of Stephen King’s short story. Directed by Longlegs helmer Osgood Perkins and featuring a cast that includes Theo James, Tatiana Maslany and Elijah Wood, this in-your-face, darkly humorous film (at least from the look provided above) may just deliver the perfect blend of shock, laughs and tragedy.

• Mickey 17

The latest from Parasite, Mother, The Host, and Memories of Murder filmmaker Bong Joon-ho stars Robert Pattinson as a cloned astronaut who keeps dying and being recreated during a colonisation mission. That enticing sci-fi plot and the talent of Joon-ho and Pattinson should be enough to warrant its place on the list, but let’s add a cast that includes Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, and Naomi Ackie, as well as cinematography from Darius Khondji (Seven, Amour, Uncut Gems), for good measure.

• Warfare

Fresh from depicting an all-out USA breakdown with Civil War, Alex Garland takes us to the frontlines again with a real-time Iraq War drama. Garland teams up with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza (his military advisor on Civil War) to depict the experiences of a group of soldiers who find themselves under fire. The film looks to be aiming for an immersive, visceral approach, and it’s based on Mendoza’s own recollections.

• The Battle of Baktan Cross (rumoured title)

Paul Thomas Anderson assembles a stellar cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn, and Licorice Pizza’s Alana Haim, among others, for what might be his most ambitious project yet. Rumoured to be inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland (he also adapted Pynchon’s Inherent Vice), this film also comes with a price tag reportedly north of $US140 million – making it Anderson’s biggest film thus far, budget-wise.

• Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for the eighth instalment in the franchise – and if that title is anything to go by, could it be his final mission? With lingering questions from the previous chapter and (as you can see above) the promise of more jaw-dropping stunts, the stakes here are monumental. Bring it.

• 28 Years Later

Danny Boyle returns to the world of fast-moving, rage-filled zombies with this long-awaited third entry in the 28 Days Later saga. Alex Garland, who penned the first film, returns to write this third chapter. Decades after the original outbreak, the survivors’ fight for humanity takes centre stage. If it captures even a fraction of the tension of the first film, this will be a must-watch. A strong cast too, including Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. And Cillian Murphy, star of the film that kicked off the franchise, is also said to be in the threequel!

• F1

Brad Pitt trades dogfights for race tracks in Joseph Kosinski’s Formula 1 drama. The film, shot at real Grand Prix events, might be the perfect cinematic thrill ride if it captures the same energy and heart Kosinski brought to Top Gun: Maverick.

• Jurassic World: Rebirth

Scarlett Johansson joins the dinosaur franchise, which sees humanity tracking down the last remaining dinos. Directed by Rogue One, The Creator and Monsters helmer Gareth Edwards and penned by Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp, this instalment has a chance to inject new life into a franchise that, quality-wise, has been on a decline.

• Superman

James Gunn’s Superman reboot will introduce audiences to a new Man of Steel, played by David Corenswet (Twisters), with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. While the stakes for DC are high, the film’s focus on hope and humanity could give the beloved hero a fresh start. No pressure, Mr. Gunn.

• Fantastic Four: First Steps

The iconic Marvel family gets another chance to shine, this time with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing, and a period setting in the 1960s. If the retro backdrop blends well with the MCU’s tone, this might finally deliver a Fantastic Four that does justice to its legacy. This one is helmed by Matt Shakman, who directed all nine episodes of WandaVision, arguably one of the better shows from Marvel’s Disney+ output.

• The Running Man

Edgar Wright (Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) takes on Stephen King’s dystopian story about a deadly game show, a tale that was adapted for the big screen with Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 1987. This time, Glen Powell is the contestant trying to survive. With Wright’s wit and knack for genre-bending, this may very well be an exciting, fresh take on the story.

• Michael

The Michael Jackson biopic stars Jaafar Jackson, the singer’s nephew, in his feature debut. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer, Shooter), the film aims to explore the life and legacy of one of music’s most influential figures. Whether it can balance celebration with complexity remains to be seen.

• Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro brings his signature style to Mary Shelley’s iconic tale, with Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein and Euphoria‘s Jacob Elordi as the monster. If del Toro blends his signature visual imagination and penchant for emotional storytelling with Shelley’s themes of humanity and horror, this could be unforgettable. Another film with a strong cast, including Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, and Charles Dance, among others.

• Wicked: For Good

The second half of Wicked flies into cinemas this year, continuing the story of Glinda and Elphaba. While the stage show’s second act is notoriously tricky, director Jon M. Chu showed with Part One that he’s the right person on the job, and Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande showed they’re the right stars to deliver the big finale on the big screen.

• Avatar: Fire and Ash

Box office champ James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora for the third Avatar film. While details remain sparse, the franchise’s track record suggests another visually stunning, technically groundbreaking, money earning spectacle. Hopefully, this chapter deepens the story as much as it dazzles the eyes.

• The Smashing Machine

Dwayne Johnson transforms into MMA fighter Mark Kerr in a gritty sports drama from Benny Safdie (one half of Uncut Gems and Good Time directors the Safdie brothers). With Emily Blunt by his side (reuniting following Disney film The Jungle Cruise), this could be one of Johnson’s most daring performances yet. Take a look at him looking quite different for the role in the image above. Here’s hoping the story leans into its raw, emotional potential.