My 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2025

1. Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning

After seven movies, I thought I would be ready for the IMF to close up shop. But this is being billed as a super-sized swan song to Ethan Hunt, although I suspect they will continue this lucrative franchise. At the time of this writing, we don’t know much, but get ready for more of those rubber masks, last-second countdowns, beautiful women, and another impossible mission. Writer/director Christopher McQuarrie has helmed this franchise since the fifth film. He has also collaborated with Cruise on many movies, including Edge of Tomorrow, Valkyrie, and even 2012’s Jack Reacher. Of course, I’m always excited to see Tom Cruise defy death with even more stunts for our entertainment!

2. Nobody 2

After the first film was so successful, a sequel was all but inevitable. They even teased it in a mid-credits scene. Next to nothing is known about the next go-round at the time of this writing. The only thing released was an image of Bob Odenkirk wielding a gun and wearing a scowl. And that’s enough to get me excited to see the Better Call Saul star flex his action chops once more! Odenkirk joins Derek Kolstad, who penned the predecessor, along with John Wick.

3. Love Hurts

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose team up as a couple who need to fight off his brother. Quan is yet another one of those guys like John Wick and so many others who has a special set of skills that he must use again. Seeing that the Temple of Doom and Everything Everywhere All At Once star is still working is very impressive. Goonies co-star Sean Astin showing up is a welcome surprise. Even better, John Wick fight coordinator Jonathan Eusebio is in the director’s chair.

4. Wicked: For Good

One of the biggest surprises of last year was Wicked (or Wicked: Part One, considering that it was only the first half of a two-part adaptation of the wildly popular Broadway musical). As a story, a musical, and a supervillain backstory, it mostly worked. Yes, it was too long at two hours and forty minutes, especially because the entire Broadway show (including the intermission) was about the same length. I’m curious to see whether or not the second half will fly.

5. Superman

Although I recently admitted that I am tired of superhero movies, I will also admit that James Gunn’s Superman actually looks somewhat promising. There is an optimistic feel that we haven’t seen since Donner’s original film. And Lex Luthor and Krypto the Super-dog have further made me curious and hopeful.

6. Black Bag

Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett play a married couple who each happen to be professional agents. But when someone steals a black bag, she becomes the number one suspect. So his loyalties are tested when he must choose between his nation or commitment to her. Director Steven Soderbergh is carving out an impressive résumé for himself this year, with January’s Presence under his belt. Writer David Koepp (famous for Jurassic Park, among others) is behind the script.

7. F1

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the formula of this film is time-tested. Mentor comes out of retirement to train a young race car driver. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. With the Top Gun: Maverick director helming this Brad Pitt, um, vehicle, this looks like a fun time at the cinema.

8. Karate Kid: Legends

(This was one of my Most Anticipated of 2024, so why bother writing anything new?)

This year, it looks like Sony is creating a new Karate Kid film. Very little is known about it, including the title. However, the few details we do know are that it is a crossover that will bring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan together. There is no doubt that the massive success and huge appeal of Cobra Kai has something to do with this. Sign me up, sensei!

9. M3GAN 2.0

Hey, remember that dancing killer doll? She’s back, as you might have guessed in the title. Hollywood will never stop reminding us of the dangers of A.I. So here’s another cautionary tale/slasher/thriller (or just a continuation of the last one). Gerard Johnstone, who also helmed the predecessor, returns to the director’s chair. Fingers crossed that this one not only mixes it up enough so as not to feel like a carbon copy of the first one, but delivers what worked so much in that one!

10. Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron is definitely a world-class filmmaker. Yet I am among the fans who just want to see him leave Pandora behind. Sure, I am curious about what he has in store for us, but as immersive as these movies are, will the third time really be such a charm? As of the time of this writing, we have only seen a few images of this next adventure, but the plot has been kept under wraps.

…and a few more:

The Alto Knights

This crime drama gives Robert DeNiro the opportunity playing not one, but two lead characters here as Genovese and Frank Costello, a pair of Italian Americans who run two separate crime families in the mid-20th century. Genovese attempted to assassinate Costello in 1957, although Costello retired from the mob. Directed by Barry Levinson, of Rain Man fame, this film also boasts the star power of Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun) and Debra Messing (Will & Grace). Here’s hoping that this gives us our money’s worth!

The Amateur

Following his directorial debut with last year’s One Life and based on the novel by Robert Littell, James Hawes brings us a promising action film. It’s led by a star-studded cast including Rami Malek, Lawrence Fishburne, Rachel Brosnahan, and Jon Bernthal. The titular character is a CIA cryptographer who blackmails his agency into training him so that he can locate the terrorists who are holding his wife hostage. Sounds exciting, to say the least!

The Electric State

Milly Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt head a bevy of famous actors including Ke Huy Quan (who is having quite the year after Love Hurts in February!), Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, and Stanley Tucci (pant, gasp!). Judging by the marketing, it appears to be another story involving a girl (Brown) bonding with a lone A.I. companion, E.T.-style, as she sets out to find her brother. It’s set in the wake of a war between humans and A.I., and the latter have been banished to a zone called “The Electric State”. Oh, and did I mention that the Russo brothers–whose directorial credits include Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the two-part zinger Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame–are directing? Now, I’m skeptical of Netflix films (naturally), but this one might be worth checking out!