The Absolute Best Movies of 2025
It’s been a packed year at the movies, with long-gestating franchise entries finally landing, directors unveiling passion projects, and a wave of family titles drawing huge crowds. Across genres—superhero adventures, horror continuations, live-action reimaginings, anime event films, and original dramas—studios and streamers have kept theaters busy from winter through early fall.
Below, you’ll find twenty-five standout releases from this year’s slate so far. Each entry focuses on concrete details—who made it, who’s in it, where it premiered, and how it reached audiences—so you can quickly decide what to watch next or what to catch up on.
‘Superman’ (2025)
Written and directed by James Gunn, ‘Superman’ stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, with supporting roles for Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, and Skyler Gisondo. The film was produced by DC Studios and The Safran Company and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures with premium formats including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, ScreenX, and 4DX.
Principal photography took place across Georgia and Ohio, with large-scale Metropolis street sets built for practical action. The theatrical rollout included coordinated global openings and an IMAX footprint, while the marketing campaign highlighted the updated suit design, Daily Planet ensemble, and a classic Metropolis skyline reintroduced for this new continuity.
‘A Minecraft Movie’ (2025)
Directed by Jared Hess, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ features Jason Momoa and Jack Black, with Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Jennifer Coolidge among the ensemble. Warner Bros. Pictures handled distribution, while production involved collaboration with Mojang Studios; visual effects were delivered by teams including Wētā FX, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and Digital Domain.
The adaptation premiered in London before launching in wide release, supported by cross-promotions, soundtrack singles, and special “block party” fan screenings. The campaign emphasized practical creature and prop builds blended with CG environments to capture the game’s iconic look while staging large-scale, family-friendly set pieces.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2025)
The live-action reimagining of DreamWorks’ hit animated franchise was written and directed by Dean DeBlois and stars Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid, with Gerard Butler returning as Stoick. Universal Pictures distributed the film; John Powell returned to compose the score, tying the new production to the musical identity of the original trilogy.
Filmed primarily in and around Belfast with extensive creature effects supervised to translate dragons into a grounded live-action world, the movie premiered at industry showcases before opening in wide release. The production combined large practical village builds with volumetric stages and location photography along the Northern Irish coast.
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ (2025)
‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ is a Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment release, produced on a large-scale footprint with Industrial Light & Magic leading visual effects. The cast brings back franchise talent alongside new leads for a story that extends the modern ‘Jurassic’ timeline.
Location work spanned multiple continents to stage on-site chase sequences and practical animatronic dinosaur builds, which were then integrated with CG. The global rollout used premium large formats, and the film anchored Universal’s early-summer tentpole calendar with extensive theme-park and consumer-products tie-ins.
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ (2025)
Paramount Pictures’ latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ entry brings back Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt with returning ensemble players and new antagonists. The production leaned into in-camera stunt design, with set pieces engineered across European and Middle Eastern locations and captured in IMAX-certified cameras.
The release strategy focused on event-style engagements, including extended-run PLF (premium large format) bookings. The long-running franchise’s creative team continued its emphasis on practical stunts complemented by minimal CG augmentation, with making-of featurettes rolled out as part of the film’s marketing cadence.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (2025)
Marvel Studios introduced its new ‘Fantastic Four’ lineup in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The ensemble cast headlines as the Richards-Storm family alongside key supporting characters from the broader Marvel setting.
Shot on a mix of practical stages and LED volume environments, the film used a blend of character-driven sequences and large-scale effects work. Theatrical rollout included PLF formats and a coordinated international schedule, followed by a staggered move to digital ownership and later streaming availability within the studio’s ecosystem.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ (2025)
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ stars Anthony Mackie in his first solo feature as Sam Wilson, with supporting roles for Harrison Ford and additional MCU characters. Marvel Studios produced the film, with Disney handling distribution and a marketing push centered on Wilson’s updated suit and action design.
Filming covered metropolitan locations and backlot builds to accommodate chase sequences and practical aerial rigs. The release plan slotted the film into late-winter/early-spring corridors, with premium format bookings and a global tour featuring fan events and red-carpet premieres.
‘Thunderbolts*’ (2025)
‘Thunderbolts*’ assembles an anti-hero team from across recent Marvel projects, with an ensemble cast led by returning franchise players. Marvel Studios produced the feature, and Disney distributed it widely in PLF formats alongside standard theatrical engagements.
Production blended location photography with volume stages for stylized interiors and complex action beats. The publicity campaign highlighted team dynamics, new suits, and score collaborations, while the release followed a coordinated international schedule and later home-viewing windows consistent with Marvel’s recent rollouts.
‘Weapons’ (2025)
From writer-director Zach Cregger and producers at New Line, ‘Weapons’ features an ensemble including Josh Brolin and other headline talent. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and positioned as a mid-to-large-budget genre release with nationwide reach.
Shot across the American Southwest and on soundstages for key interiors, the production emphasized practical tension pieces augmented by selective CG. The studio backed the film with teaser campaigns built around mystery imagery and a final trailer that introduced the central disappearance case driving the narrative.
’28 Years Later’ (2025)
’28 Years Later’ reunites key creatives from the franchise, with Alex Garland scripting and Danny Boyle directing. The cast includes returning performers and new leads, and distribution was handled through a wide theatrical release with premium format availability.
Production encompassed large crowd sequences and on-location city shutdowns, supported by extensive practical effects for infected action beats. The marketing cadence revived the series’ iconic graphic branding, and the release landed in prime early-summer dates with a strong UK-led international push.
‘Mickey 17’ (2025)
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17’ stars Robert Pattinson with an ensemble that includes Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. The film was produced by Plan B and Kate Street Picture Company and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Filming utilized large sci-fi sets and specialty lenses to achieve a tactile future-tech look, complemented by detailed prop and costume design. The rollout included festival screenings and a global theatrical launch, with premium format bookings emphasizing the film’s production design and score.
‘The Naked Gun’ (2025)
Paramount Pictures’ reboot ‘The Naked Gun’ stars Liam Neeson with a supporting cast assembled for classic spoof set pieces. The film was directed by Akiva Schaffer, melding slapstick set-piece choreography with modern location work.
Production split between backlot builds for elaborate gags and practical city exteriors to stage chase and crowd sequences. The domestic release took advantage of early-summer comedy corridors, followed by an international schedule that emphasized the franchise’s broad, physical-comedy appeal.
‘The Bad Guys 2’ (2025)
DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Bad Guys 2’ returns to the heist-comedy world introduced in the first film. Universal Pictures handled distribution, with the original voice cast joined by new characters to expand the crew dynamics.
The animation pipeline implemented updated lighting and fur-simulation tools to evolve the stylized look, and the score continued the franchise’s funk-infused palette. The film opened in a family slot with weekday matinees, supported by classroom and library activity kits and a merchandising line.
‘Snow White’ (2025)
Disney’s live-action ‘Snow White’ stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot in the central roles, with a supporting ensemble and new original songs. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed the film as a wide release across standard and premium formats.
Production utilized elaborate forest sets, practical cottages, and extensive costume craftsmanship to reinterpret the classic designs. The marketing emphasized musical numbers and character-driven trailers, culminating in a broad rollout to family audiences and a subsequent debut on the studio’s streaming platform.
‘Elio’ (2025)
Pixar’s ‘Elio’ follows the studio’s tradition of original, character-driven animation and was distributed by Disney. The voice cast features Yonas Kibreab in the title role alongside America Ferrera in a key supporting performance.
Pixar’s production employed proprietary tools for stylized extraterrestrial environments and expressive character animation. The release plan included festival previews and a theatrical window ahead of later streaming availability, accompanied by a tie-in short film and an art-of book documenting concept development.
‘Freakier Friday’ (2025)
‘Freakier Friday’ continues Disney’s body-swap comedy legacy with returning stars alongside new cast members. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures gave the film a broad domestic release designed for multigenerational audiences.
The production shot on practical school and neighborhood locations, with stunt and dance units covering set-piece scenes. Marketing leaned on nostalgia, cast reunions, and music-video-style spots that teased the updated swap scenario before the movie’s nationwide opening.
‘Dog Man’ (2025)
Based on Dav Pilkey’s bestselling books, ‘Dog Man’ is a family feature released by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. The voice cast brings the central cop-canine hero and villains to life with comedic timing aimed at early-grade audiences.
The animation team adapted Pilkey’s bold, high-contrast style with CG pipelines tuned for expressive 2D-inspired movement. The release included classroom reading initiatives, bookstore partnerships, and weekend matinee programs, boosting word-of-mouth among families and educators.
‘Ballerina’ (2025)
Set within the ‘John Wick’ universe, ‘Ballerina’ stars Ana de Armas and features appearances from franchise regulars. Lionsgate released the film, which was produced with 87eleven Action Design leading stunt coordination and action previs.
Principal photography took place in Eastern Europe and on New York-style sets to maintain series continuity. The rollout targeted action fans with behind-the-scenes stunt reels and choreography spotlights, following a global theatrical launch across PLF screens.
‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)
‘One Battle After Another’ marks a large-scale release for writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, featuring an ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and screened at select festivals ahead of its wide opening.
Production combined period-accurate sets with location work and custom film-stock testing to achieve a distinctive visual grain. The release strategy emphasized filmmaker-led Q&As, 70mm bookings where available, and an outreach campaign through repertory cinemas.
‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ (2025)
New Line Cinema’s ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ continues the Warrens’ case files with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson returning. Warner Bros. Pictures handled distribution, positioning the film for prime horror corridors with premium format options.
The production utilized practical effects and sound-stage builds for haunt set pieces, complemented by location shoots in historic properties. Marketing included immersive pop-up installations and late-night fan screenings designed to amplify jump-scare sequences and franchise lore.
‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ (2025)
‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ revives the high-concept horror series under New Line Cinema. The cast features new leads in a story structure that returns to elaborate, chain-reaction set pieces staged with practical rigs and digital augmentation.
The theatrical rollout targeted horror audiences with teaser clips of signature “pre-monition” sequences. The production’s effects teams engineered multi-department gags—mechanical, pyrotechnic, and VFX—to execute complex cause-and-effect stunts safely and repeatably.
‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ (2025)
StudioCanal and Working Title’s ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’ reunites Renée Zellweger with the beloved character, joined by returning and new cast. Universal handled domestic distribution in select territories, with a coordinated UK-first release.
Filming centered on London locations and cozy interior builds, with the soundtrack leaning on contemporary pop selections. The film’s release included bookshop partnerships and special preview events, aligning the brand’s literary roots with the moviegoing experience.
‘The Accountant²‘ (2025)
‘The Accountant 2’ brings back Ben Affleck in the title role for a new action-thriller case under Amazon MGM Studios and a wide theatrical partner. The ensemble includes returning characters and new adversaries, with second-unit stunt teams staging hand-to-hand sequences.
Production employed a mix of handheld coverage and stabilized rigs to maintain the franchise’s tactical look. The release strategy coupled traditional trailers with short-form action clips tailored for social platforms, followed by a PVOD window and later streaming access.
‘The Amateur’ (2025)
‘The Amateur’ is a 20th Century Studios espionage thriller starring Rami Malek with Rachel Brosnahan and Laurence Fishburne in key roles. Distributed by Disney, the film adapts Robert Littell’s novel, updating its Cold War premise to contemporary geopolitics.
The production utilized European locations for authenticity and relied on practical surveillance tech props to ground the tradecraft. The release included an emphasis on Dolby Atmos mixes to highlight the sound design, accompanied by filmmaker featurettes on modernizing the source material.
‘Smurfs’ (2025)
The new musical-comedy adventure ‘Smurfs’ brings the classic characters back in an animated feature produced by Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Movies, with worldwide distribution by Paramount Pictures. The voice cast features pop and comedy performers, with original songs integrated into the story.
Animation teams developed lush forest environments and expressive cloth and hair systems to modernize the characters while retaining their iconic silhouettes. Launch plans prioritized family matinees, music-video releases for key songs, and partnerships with children’s brands for a broad consumer-products program.
What did we miss? Tell us your favorites from this year’s releases in the comments.
