12 Movies To Watch For In 2025

Well we're in 2025 now so let's look at the movies that are worth keeping an eye on every month for the year. These aren't the movies that will necessarily be the best or make the most money, but the ones that have external narratives around them that could be of note through the year and beyond.

January: One Of Them Days

I wouldn't say I'm necessarily the biggest fan of straight comedy movies but the trailer for One of Them Days really caught my attention. SZA and Keke Palmer star as roommates who have to come up with rent money by the end of the day. The ticking clock and increasing desperation seems like a strong recipe for success in a movie like this, especially with a strong supporting cast. This is also Lawrence Lamont's feature debut after working extensively on music videos and directing four episodes of Rap Sh!t on Max.

Release Date: January 17th, 2025

February: The Legend of Ochi

I'm picking this one because this is A24's first real foray into the world of family-friendly movies as they try to build out their portfolio beyond just the typical art-house fare and dramas that made them a household name. The only real question I have is if they can maintain the quality we've come to expect from films in their portfolio while still making it accessible to all ages. Plus, you can't go wrong with Willem Dafoe.

Release Date: February 28th, 2025

March: Novocaine

Jack Quaid will be playing the lead in this year's first (well second really) big John Wick-like. I have confidence in Quaid as a leading man and the concept (a man who can't feel pain goes on a mission to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend) is interesting enough. How good the film is will depend on how well-directed the action is and the production design around where they are fighting.

Release Date: March 14th, 2025

April: The Amateur

I like the cast of The Amateur and it seems like it's going to be a solid revenge film. The other thing that's interesting about this movie is that it appears to be about a guy who really isn't a fighter using his wits to get the revenge he craves rather than a movie about  guy who is going to fight his way through waves of people.

Release Date: April 11th, 2025

May: Final Destination: Bloodlines

This was a rough month to pick just one movie to highlight and, truth be told, I almost picked Thunderbolts*. That said, it has been 14 years since Final Destination 5 came out and it will be interesting to see if the new movie can do more than just deliver the same conceit with a new cast. Can it deliver the over-the-top methods of death that made this franchise iconic and, similarly, manage to build suspense even though the viewer knows what's coming?

Release Date: May 16th, 2025

June: Elio and Ballerina

There are two early June releases that have a ton riding on them: Elio and From The World of John Wick: Ballerina. If Elio does poorly, it will likely signal the end of new franchises on the animated side of Disney (both Pixar and Disney Animation) while Lionsgate desperately needs a hit following the repeated failures of 2024. Sure they have a new Hunger Games movie next year and Now You See Me 3, but the studio lost a ton on big budget and public flops. If they can't turn John Wick into a franchise outside of the main movies, they have a serious problem on their hands.

Release Dates: June 6th, 2025 (From The World of John Wick: Ballerina) and June 13th, 2025 (Elio)

July: Superman

I don't think there is a movie as important for a studio's bottom line and longevity coming out in 2025 as Superman. They functionally have 2 weeks to make their money and they are competing at launch with the third week of Jurassic World Rebirth. They have the headwinds of a vocal minority of cultists trying to sink the movie before it even comes out, and it has to be the strong foundation to the DC Universe that Iron Man was for the MCU but Man of Steel was not for the DCEU. The trailer looks good (and it hits in IMAX) but let's wait until mid-March or April when we see a full story trailer.

Release Date: July 11th, 2025

August: Freakier Friday

This feels like it would have been a good ratings driver for Disney+ but as long as the budget is under $75 million, I expect this to break even. I saw the original as a kid, haven't watched it since, and I will probably see this for review purposes but my hopes aren't exceptionally high. I do wonder if we can expect higher quality than say the reboot of Cheaper by the Dozen or Home Sweet Home Alone because, and I'm not sure why, this movie feels like it occupies the same space.

Release Date: August 8th, 2025

September: The Conjuring: Last Rites

Now, I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty sure this is being marketed as the last Conjuring movie. Either way, putting "Last" in the title is a marketing risk in the event that you do intend to make more, and these movies are always solid earners for WB because they are low-budget, high-return.

Release Date: September 5th, 2025

October: Tron: ARIES

Jared Leto aside, I think there's a chance this movie could be good. Even Tron: Legacy wasn't awful and the world of Tron is really interesting and inventive. Really what I'm hoping for is if this movie is successful, Disney checks the tires on The Black Hole and tries to bring that back.

Release Date: October 10th, 2025

November: Wicked: For Good

I have only seen the movie for Wicked, not the play. From what I've been told, the second act does not have any of the big songs and is generally just weaker so it will be interesting to see if the cultural moment can be replicated in consecutive years with that in mind.

Release Date: November 21st, 2025

December: Avatar: Fire and Ash

I didn't want to talk about Avatar: Fire and Ash until a trailer was out since I think how well it does will be dependent on how unique the Fire Nation volcanos of Pandora look and how beautifully it is rendered but I really don't want to talk about the second Five Nights at Freddy's movie or the whatever number Spongebob movie is coming. I'm not making any judgments because when I did in 2022 before Avatar: The Way of Water, I just ended up looking stupid.

Release Date: December 19th, 2025