Here are the biggest and most anticipated film releases of 2025 (all 72 of them!), what they’re about, and when to see them. They’re categorised below by genre and Australian cinema release date. We’ve also highlighted a handful of the flicks we are most looking forward to at ScreenHub.
If you’re wondering where the Australian films are, we’ve highlighted them in a separate piece over here.
Most anticipated film releases of 2025, by genre:
Drama:
The most anticipated drama films this year mainly comprise the films the US got to see last year. Ahead of Oscars season, we’ve been keenly waiting on the distribution of Babygirl, We Live in Time, Emilia Perez, and The Brutalist, to name a few. Looking forward, F1 is sure to delight dads everywhere, Regretting You will blow up BookTok, and Michael (the biopic of the King of Pop) won’t come without waves of controversy.
Sing Sing
Director: Greg Kwedar
Release date: 16 January
A24 drama led by Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo. Based on a true story, Sing Sing follows a prison theatre group that escapes the reality of incarceration through the creativity of a stage play. The cast includes actors who have previously been incarcerated.
Emilia Pérez
Director: Jacques Audiard
Release date: 16 January
Golden Globe-winning musical drama. Overqualified and overexploited, Rita (Zoe Saldaña) employs her skills as a lawyer in the service of a large firm more prone to clear criminals than to serve justice. But an unexpected way out opens up to her: helping cartel leader Manitas (Karla SofÃa Gascón) retire from business and execute the plan he has been secretly refining for years: finally becoming the woman he has always dreamed of being.
We Live in Time
Director: John Crowley
Release date: 16 January
The BAFTA-winning director of 2015’s Brooklyn directs Oscar-nominees Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in this decade-spanning romance about a wannabe professional chef, a recent divorcée, and a chance encounter that changes their lives forever.
A Complete Unknown
Director: James Mangold.
Release date: 23 January
Academy Award-nominee Timothée Chalamet is Bob Dylan in this rags-to-riches biopic from Oscar-nominated filmmaker James Mangold (Walk the Line, Logan). The film also stars Emmy-nominee Elle Fanning, three-time Oscar-nominee Edward Norton, and Boyd Holbrook (The Bikeriders) as Johnny Cash.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Release date: 23 January
Oscar-winner Adrien Brody is visionary architect László Toth in this biographical epic from filmmaker Brady Corbet (Vox Lux), who won the Silver Lion for his direction. Oscar-nominee Felicity Jones (Rogue One) co-stars as his wife Erzsébet, who flees post-war Europe with László in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern America.
Babygirl
Director: Halina Reijn
Release date: 30 January
A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern (Harris Dickinson).
Queer
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Release date: 6 February
In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee (Daniel Craig), an American expat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.
Grand Tour
Director: Miguel Gomes
Release date: 13 February
In 1917 Burma (now Myanmar), a British diplomat is set to marry his fiancée, but after a sudden panic, escapes to Singapore, sending her on what evolves into a chase across Asia.
The Last Showgirl
Director: Gia Coppola
Release date: 20 February
When the glittering Las Vegas revue she has headlined for decades announces it will soon close, a glamorous showgirl (Pamela Anderson) must reconcile with the decisions she’s made and the community she has built as she plans her next act.
Seed of the Sacred Fig
Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
Release date: 27 February
Cannes award-winning drama. An investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran grapples with mistrust and paranoia as nationwide political protests intensify and his gun mysteriously disappears. Suspecting the involvement of his wife and their two daughters, he imposes drastic measures at home, causing tensions to rise. Step by step, social norms and the rules of family life are being suspended.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
Director: Kogonada
Release date: 8 May
An imaginative tale of two strangers (Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie) and the extraordinary emotional journey that connects them.
F1
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Release date: 26 June
Brad Pitt leads this Formula One thriller directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), telling the story about Sonny Hayes, a driver who comes out of retirement to mentor and team with a younger driver (Damson Idris).
Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Release date: 2 October
An in-depth portrayal of Michael Jackson (played by Jaafar Jackson), a complicated man, who became the King of Pop. The biopic will bring to life Jackson’s most iconic performances as it gives an informed insight into the entertainer’s artistic process and personal life.
Regretting You
Director: Josh Boone
Release date: 23 October
The latest Colleen Hoover novel-to-film adaptation, Regretting You is an exploration of the complex relationship between Morgan Grant and her daughter, Clara. Morgan became a mother at a young age, putting her own dreams on hold to raise Clara. As Clara grows into a teenager, their relationship becomes strained, especially after a tragic accident claims the life of Chris, Morgan’s husband and Clara’s father.
Roofman
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Release date: October, TBC
Jeffrey Manchester, an inmate on the run, hides in a place no one would look for him – a toy store. When this paradise of fun becomes a prison of loneliness, he falls for the one thing that can stop him from getting away … love. Stars Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst.
ScreenHub: Most anticipated Australian films 2025
Comedy:
A new Reese Witherspoon comedy, featuring Will Ferrell, is likely to be a straightforward crowd pleaser this year (see You’re Cordially Invited), while more off-kilter offerings Death of a Unicorn (A24) and Bugonia (the new Yorgos Lanthimos flick) will appeal to those who prefer the darker side of comedy. Elsewhere, the highly anticipated Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd two-hander Friendship has been acquired by A24, but there are no details on an Australian release date yet.
You’re Cordially Invited
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Release date: 30 January (streaming only)
When two weddings are accidentally booked on the same day at the same venue, each bridal party (led by Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell) is challenged with preserving their family’s special moment.
Love Hurts
Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Release date: 6 February
A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried. Stars Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose and Sean Astin.
Death of a Unicorn
Director: Alex Scharfman
Release date: April (TBC)
Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Riley (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en-route to a weekend work retreat, where Elliot’s billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.
The Wedding Banquet
Director: Andrew Ahn
Release date: April (TBC)
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend and out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green card marriage with his friend Angela in exchange for expensive in vitro fertilization treatments for her partner, Lee. Plans change when Min’s grandmother surprises them with an elaborate Korean wedding banquet. Stars Bowen Yang (Wicked), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) and Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi).
Good Fortune
Director: Aziz Ansari
Release date: October (TBC)
Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Oh star in this Trading Places-esque comedy from writer-director Aziz Ansari (Master of None). A well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy capitalist.
Bugonia
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Release date: 6 November
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. Stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons and Alicia Silverstone.
Marty Supreme
Director: Josh Safdie
Release date: 25 December (TBC)
A fictional story set in the world of 1950s ping pong culture, loosely inspired by the life of professional ping pong player Marty Reisman (played here by Timothée Chalamet).
Anaconda
Director: Tom Gormican
Release date: 25 December
A re-imagining of the 1997 Jennifer Lopez action film. Stars Paul Rudd and Jack Black, with tropical forests in Queensland standing in for the Amazon.
One of Them Days
Director: Lawrence Lamont
Release date: TBC
Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have ‘One of Them Days’. When they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a comical race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.
Untitled Matt Stone/Trey Parker/Kendrick Lamar Comedy
Director: Trey Parker
Release date: TBC
A Black man interning as a slave re-enactor at a living history museum finds out that his white girlfriend’s ancestors once owned his.
Friendship
Director: Andrew DeYoung
Release date: TBC
When an errant delivery pulls suburban dad Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson) into the orbit of his mysterious and charismatic new neighbour Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd), a sweet bromance seems to blossom over an innocent evening of urban exploration, punk rock, and a mutual appreciation for paleolithic antiquities. But what should have been the start of a beautiful friendship is soon waylaid as Craig’s obsessive personality begins to alienate his new pal.
Superheroes and Supervillains:
Superheroes continue to be an important part of pop culture (and predicitable box-office domination) in 2025. James Gunn’s take on the man of steel himself could be promising (see Superman below), but my money’s on Fantastic Four: First Steps becoming the caped darling of the year.
Captain America: Brave New World
Director: Julius Onah
Release date: 13 February
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Thunderbolts*
Director: Jake Schreier
Release date: 1 May
A group of supervillains are recruited to go on missions for the government in this Marvel Cinematic Universe action flick with Black Widow actors Florence Pugh and David Harbour returning to their MCU roles alongside Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Superman
Director: James Gunn
Release date: 10 July
Superman (David Corenswet), a cub reporter in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent. Nicholas Hoult stars as Lex Luthor.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Director: Matt Shakman
Release date: 24 July
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. Stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Horrors and Thrillers:
It looks as though 2025 is blessing us with two Steven Soderbergh horror/thrillers. For those that love the jump-scares and/or chilling existential dread, look out for Australian director Leigh Whannell’s brutal Wolf Man, and Ryan Coogler’s take on vampires in the South with Sinners.
Wolf Man
Director: Leigh Whannell
Release date: 16 January
With his marriage fraying, Blake persuades his wife Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit his remote childhood home in rural Oregon. As they arrive at the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. But as the night stretches on, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable. Directed by Australian director Leigh Whannell.
Companion
Director: Drew Hancock
Release date: 30 January
Hey you. Tired of swiping? Sick of getting ghosted? Are you feeling like a part of you is missing? FindYourCompanion.com is guaranteed to find you a Companion who’s made for you. Starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid.
Presence
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Release date: 6 February
A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they’re not alone in this Steven Soderbergh thriller starring Emmy-nominee Lucy Liu and Julia Fox (Uncut Gems).
The Gorge
Director: Scott Derrickson
Release date: 14 February
Two highly trained operatives are appointed to posts across a vast and very secret gorge. Stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller.
The Monkey
Director: Osgood Perkins
Release date: 26 February
Emmy-nominee Theo James (The Gentlemen), Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), and Elijah Wood star in this Stephen King adaptation from writer-director Oz Perkins (Longlegs). When twin brothers Hal and Bill discover their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start occurring all around them.
Black Bag
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Release date: 13 March
Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender lead this mystery-thriller from director Steven Soderbergh. When his beloved wife Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country. Co-stars Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan.
Novocaine
Director: Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Release date: 13 March
When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nate (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.
Sinners
Director: Ryan Coogler
Release date: 17 April
Following Creed and Black Panther, director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan unite once again for this IMAX-shot horror film. In the 1930s, identical twin vampires return to their Southern hometown to leave their troubled lives behind and start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Drop
Director: Christopher Landon
Release date: April, TBC
A widowed mother on her first date in years, who arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone. Stars Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar.
Last Breath
Director: Alex Parkinson
Release date: 8 May
A true story about seasoned deep-sea divers who battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface.
The Ritual
Director: David Midell
Release date: TBC
Follows two priests who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. Stars Al Pacino and Dan Stevens.
The Housemaid
Director: Paul Feig
Release date: Possible December, TBC
Millie is a struggling woman who is relieved to get a fresh start as a housemaid to Nina and Andrew, an upscale, wealthy couple. She soon learns that the family’s secrets are far more dangerous than her own. Stars Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
Opus
Director: Mark Anthony Green
Release date: TBC
A young writer is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star who mysteriously disappeared thirty years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan. Stars Ayo Edeberi (The Bear) and John Malkovich.
Cleaner
Director: Martin Campbell
Release date: TBC
When a group of radical activists take over an energy company’s annual gala, seizing 300 hostages, an ex-soldier turned window cleaner suspended 50 storeys up on the outside of the building must save those trapped inside, including her younger brother.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy:
We can breath a sigh of relief as Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 finally has a firm release date, but alas, we are simultaneously teased with only the potential of a release for Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! One can only dream of that kind of double feature for now …
The Electric State
Director: Joe Russo & Anthony Russo
Release date: 14 March, Netflix only
In a retro-futuristic past, orphaned teenager Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown) traverses the American West with an eccentric drifter (Chris Pratt) and a sweet but mysterious robot in search of her younger brother. Also stars Woody Harrelson, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate and Giancarlo Esposito.
Ash
Director: Flying Lotus
Release date: March, TBC
On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive. Stars Aaron Paul.
Mickey 17
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Release date: 17 April
Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job … to die, for a living. Also stars Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun and Toni Collete.
The Bride!
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Release date: Possibly October, TBC
In the 1930s, a lonely Frankenstein travels to Chicago to seek the aid of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police and a wild and radical social movement. Stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale and Penelope Cruz.
Frankenstein
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Release date: TBC
Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. Stars Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac and Christoph Waltz.
Animation:
A Minecraft Movie, adapted from one of the world’s biggest games, and new Pixar Elio are sure to keep the kids happy during school holiday periods. For adults and kids alike, don’t miss Flow, the Annecy Award and Golden Globe-winning animation from Latvia that has captured hearts and minds all over the world.
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Director: Kang Hei Chul
Animated film based on the Netflix series The Witcher. Hired to probe seaside village attacks, mutant monster hunter Geralt unravels an age-old conflict between humans and sea people that threatens war between kingdoms. Aided by allies, he must solve the mystery before hostilities escalate. Stars Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey. Streaming only.
The Colours Within
Director: Naoko Yamada
Release date: 6 March
Totsuko is a high school student with the ability to see the ‘colors’ of others. Colors of bliss, excitement, and serenity, plus a color she treasures as her favorite. Kimi, a classmate at her school, gives off the most beautiful color of all. Although she doesn’t play an instrument, Totsuko forms a band with Kimi and Rui, a quiet music enthusiast they meet at a used bookstore in a far corner of town. As they practise at an old church on a remote island, music brings them together, forming friendships and stirring affections.
Flow
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Release date: 20 March
Golden Globe-winning animation. A solitary cat, displaced by a great flood, finds refuge on a boat with various species and must navigate the challenges of adapting to a transformed world together.
A Minecraft Movie
Director: Jared Hess
Release date: 3 April
Based on the popular videogame. Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Also stars Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks.
Dog Man
Director: Peter Hastings
Release date: 3 April
When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve—and fetch, sit and roll over. As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief, he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat.
Elio
Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Release date: 19 June
The latest feature from Pixar. Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
The Smurfs Movie
Director: Chris Miller
Release date: May, TBC
An animated musical film focused on Peyo’s iconic creations. Plot under wraps. Stars Rihanna, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer and Kurt Russell.
The Legend of Ochi
Director: Isaiah Saxon
Release date: TBC
In a remote northern village, a young girl, Yuri, is raised to never go outside after dark and to fear the reclusive forest creatures known as the ochi. When a baby ochi is left behind by its pack, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to reunite it with its family. Stars Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, and Willem Dafoe.
Sequels, Prequels and Spin-Offs:
As has become the style in previous years, this category once again has the most entries. Everything old is new again, da da da da … though we have strong box office contenders with Jurassic World: Rebirth, 28 Years Later, and Avatar: Fire and Ash, I reckon Wicked: For Good will stand out among them (if Wicked: Part One‘s phenomenal success is anything to go by).
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Director: Michael Morris
Release date: 13 February
Now a widowed mother of two in her fifties, Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) feels lost in the world of app-based dating. However, romance unexpectedly sparks with her son’s science teacher … and a much younger man.
The Accountant 2
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Release date: 24 April
When Medina’s former boss is killed by unknown assassins, she’s forced to contact Christian to solve the murder. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax, Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. Stars Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal and JK Simmons.
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Director: Adam B. Stein, Zach Lipovsky
Release date: 15 May
The sixth installment in the Final Destination franchise. Premise TBA.
Karate Kid: Legends
Director: Jonathan Entwistle
Release date: 29 May
After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown. Stars Ben Wang, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Release date: 22 May
After escaping a calamitous train crash, Ethan (Tom Cruise) realizes The Entity is stashed aboard an old Russian submarine, but a foe from his past named Gabriel is also on the trail.
Ballerina (John Wick spin-off)
Director: Len Wiseman
Release date: 5 June
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. Ana De Armas stars, alongside Anjelica Huston and Gabriel Byrne.
28 Years Later
Director: Danny Boyle
Release date: 19 June
It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors (Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes) lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
M3GAN 2.0
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Release date: 26 June
The It-girl of AI returns in this sequel to the 2023 horror hit M3GAN. Plot details under wraps. Allison Williams returns to star, with Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and Brian Jordan Alvarez (English Teacher) entering the franchise.
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Director: Gareth Edwards
Release date: 3 July
Five years after the events of Jurassic World: Dominion, covert operations expert Zora Bennett is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades. Stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey.
Freakier Friday
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Release date: 7 August
Years after Tess and Anna endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover lightning might indeed strike twice. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their roles from 2003’s Freaky Friday.
Nobody 2
Director: Timo Tjahjanto
Release date: 14 August
Bob Odenkirk returns as suburban dad and former lethal assassin Hutch Mansell in this sequel directed by Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us). Hutch is pulled back into his violent past after thwarting a home invasion, setting off a chain of events that unravels secrets about his wife Becca’s past and his own.
The Conjuring: Last Rites
Director: Michael Chaves
Release date: 4 September
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in this fourth, and possibly final, Conjuring film.
Downton Abbey 3
Director: Simon Curtis
Release date: 11 September
Emmy-nominated filmmaker Simon Curtis (Downton Abbey: A New Era) returns to direct this third feature based on the British regal drama series. Plot details under wraps.
The Bad Guys 2
Director: Pierre Perifel
Release date: 18 September
In this sequel to the 2022 DreamWorks animated heist comedy, the now-reformed Bad Guys are trying (very, very hard) to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: The Bad Girls.
Saw XI
Director: Kevin Greutert
Release date: September, TBC
Eleventh installment in the ‘Saw’ franchise. Plot TBA.
TRON: Ares
Director: Joachim Rønning
Release date: 9 October
Sequel to TRON: Legacy (2010). A highly sophisticated Program called Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. Jared Leto stars.
Mortal Kombat 2
Director: Simon McQuoid
Release date: 23 October
A sequel to the 2021 film Mortal Kombat. Simon McQuoid returns to direct the next action flick based on the videogame series. Karl Urban (The Boys) enters the series as Johnny Cage.
Predator: Badlands
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Release date: 6 November
The director of 2022 Predator film Prey returns for this follow-up starring Elle Fanning. Premise TBA. Said to be set sometime in the future.
Now You See Me 3
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Release date: November, TBC
A third installment of the ‘Now You See Me’ franchise. Plot TBA.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M. Chu
Release date: 20 November
With the Wizard and the entirety of Oz framing her as wicked, Elphaba’s righteous crusade comes into conflict with Glinda’s struggle for power. As a mysterious cyclone brings in an unwitting young outsider, the former friends will soon discover how much their actions have changed each other, and all of Oz, for good. The second part of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical phenomenon.
Zootopia 2
Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Release date: 26 November
Detectives Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Director: Emma Tammi
Release date: 4 December
Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there will be no second chances. Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard return for this sequel to Blumhouse’s box office hit based on the cult horror game series.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Release date: 18 December
In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang. Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants
Director: Derek Drymon
Release date: 26 December
SpongeBob Squarepants travels to the depths of the ocean and faces off against the ghost of the Flying Dutchman. Stars Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke and Mark Hamill.
Remakes:
We’ve known about the live action remakes of Snow White and How to Train Your Dragon for a while now – whether they were worth all the effort remains to be seen. Perhaps most surprisingly, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is also getting the remake treatment, as is 1987’s action thriller The Running Man (this time helmed by Edgar Wright). Will Liam Neeson’s stint in a new Naked Gun flick position him as a severely underestimated comedian? Either way, we’ll find out this July.
Snow White (live action)
Director: Marc Webb
Release date: 20 March
Live-action remake of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). A beautiful girl, Snow White (Rachel Zegler), takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen (Gal Gadot). The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as ‘the fairest in the land,’ and Snow White’s beauty surpasses her own. The script was co-written by Greta Gerwig.
Lilo & Stitch (live action)
Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp
Release date: 22 May
Live-action remake of 2002 Disney animation about he wildly funny and touching story of Lilo, a lonely Hawaiian girl, and Stitch the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.
How to Train Your Dragon (live action)
Director: Dean DeBlois
Release date: 13 June
Live action remake of the 2010 DreamWorks animation. On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Release date: 17 July
Reboot of the 1997 slasher film. A group of privileged teenagers, along with one less-fortunate peer, accidentally cause a death and attempt to cover it up. A year later, they find themselves being targeted and eliminated one by one, forcing them to seek help.
The Naked Gun
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Release date: 31 July
Reboot of the 80s/90s Naked Gun franchise, directed by The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod). Follow the misadventures of Detective Frank Drebin’s son, Frank Drebin Jr., in this supposed sequel to Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. Stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson.
The Running Man
Director: Edgar Wright
Release date: 6 November
Remake of the 1987 action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Set in an oppressive future where the government controls the media, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) volunteers to participate in a deadly game show, which will see him hunted by professional killers over 30 days. Should he survive, he’ll win a cash prize that will help save his sick child and lift his family out of a horrid living situation.
That concludes the monster list of the biggest movie releases of 2025. Keep an eye out for our detailed cinema guides, published weekly on ScreenHub.com.au.
What’s your most anticipated film of the year? Let us know!
