As Oscar voting takes place for 2024, we want to take a moment to look ahead at what 2025 has in store for us. Here are some of the films the Next Best Picture team is looking forward to watching the most in 2025…
28 Years Later
After “28 Weeks Later,” it felt like we’d never see a film in this series again, let alone have Danny Boyle and Alex Garland return to usher in a new trilogy. “28 Years Later” looks stunning, debuting a teaser that not only instills the fear of God into viewers but feels like the perfect way to reintroduce us into this dreadfully dire universe we love (and hate) to be in. It looks like it has everything a legacy sequel needs: Aaron Taylor-Johnson rocking a bow and arrow, a bald Ralph Fiennes looking like he’s part of a bone-worshiping cult, and Anthony Dod Mantle returning as the cinematographer – and making filming on an iPhone look effortlessly better than most studio films we have received in recent memory. All the ingredients are there to make something special; now we need to find out what has happened to our dear Jim (Cillian Murphy) all these years since the original film.
After The Hunt
Luca Guadagnino seems to be one of many filmmakers who doesn’t want to take a break even after a career year with two polar opposite yet terrific features like “Challengers” and “Queer.” “After the Hunt” sounds like anything but intriguing as a collegiate professor (played by Julia Roberts) is forced to reevaluate her actions as her colleague (played by Andrew Garfield) is facing a serious accusation. Gudagnino has been open, saying this is the best performance of Roberts’s career, and Garfield has been vocal about how his collaboration with Guadagnino allowed him to go to places he’s never been before. These two powerhouses are only backed by the likes of terrific actors such as Ayo Edibiri, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny. Those who have read the screenplay have said it’s nothing but fantastic. Guadagnino hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, so why wouldn’t we be hyped about a new film featuring another possible banger of a score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross?
Alpha
Personally, I think “Titane” is one of the best films to come out this decade, and that’s a testament to the brilliance of French filmmaker Julia Ducournau. Packing reoil-inducing body horror with plenty of substance, Ducournau’s newest film, “Alpha,” is looking to follow in some big shoes, especially after “Titane” led Ducournau to become only the second female director ever to win the Palme d’Or. We don’t know anything about the plot besides rumors floating around of a teenager in the ’80s suffering from rejection as her classmates believe she is carrying a new disease. Whatever Ducournau is making, we know it will be bloody, and that’s all we need to know going in. There’s no better feeling than going into one of Ducournau’s films completely blind and walking out of that screening a scarred individual.
Avatar: Fire And Ash
At this point, do we even need to explain why an “Avatar” sequel is even on this list? Those who questioned James Cameron’s world of Pandora with leaving little to no cultural footprint were surely dispelled by the success (both critically and financially) of “The Way of Water.” Now, we find Jake Sully and the company continuing their fight against the RDA and a violent tribe of Na’vi called the Ash people. In terms of spectacle, this is the biggest theatrical event of the year, and we are sure Big Jim Cameron won’t hold anything back.
Bugonia
We’re going on our third year in a row with a new Yorgos Lanthimos film starring Emma Stone. “Bugonia” also sees the return of Jesse Plemons fresh off of “Kinds of Kindness” as two conspiracy-obsessed men partake in the kidnapping of a CEO because they’re convinced she is an alien who is planning to destroy the earth. It’s an English remake of the South Korean film “Save the Green Planet!” Besides that, everything else about “Bugonia” has been shrouded in secrecy, even though many speculate that Stone has been wearing wigs for the past few months due to shaving her head for the film. Audiences know what they are signing up for when watching a Lanthimos film, and we’re happy to keep seeing them.
Die, My Love
It’s been almost a decade since “You Were Never Really Here” was released, but thankfully, this year, we are blessed with the new Lynne Ramsay feature, “Die, My Love.” Ramsay’s latest psychological thriller stars Jennifer Lawrence as a mother residing in a forgotten rural area who struggles to maintain her sanity after she begins to develop psychosis. Ramsay could be teeing up Lawrence for another all-timer performance. The pairing of these two feels like a match made in heaven. Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte also star alongside Lawrence in the film. With a possible appearance at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, we may know more about Ramsay’s latest film sooner than later.
The Drama
Kristoffer Borgli’s “Dream Scenario” was a cringe-filled delight featuring one of the most memorable Nicolas Cage performances of recent times. With “The Drama,” audiences will see a couple played by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson pushed to the breaking point as their wedding rapidly approaches. Pattinson feels like a perfect actor to match Borgli’s sensibilities, but I never imagined Zendaya would go for a project like this. Both Pattinson and Zendaya are two of the best working actors of this generation, and seeing them riff off one another in what could be one of the freakiest films of the year sounds like a delight.
Eddington
Ari Aster’s already punishing aesthetic of horror filmmaking certainly reached a breaking point for many viewers with his last feature, “Beau is Afraid.” While many couldn’t ride the wavelength Aster’s dark comedy operated on, others were delighted enough to see a wacko Joaquin Phoenix experience mommy issues in an absurdist nightmare for three hours. With Aster’s newest feature, “Eddington,” he’s pulling out all the big guns with his largest ensemble yet with Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal, Michael Ward, Clifton Collins Jr., and Luke Grimes. The plot remains a mystery, but the running theory is that it’s a contemporary western set in a small town in New Mexico during the pandemic. Either way, some scares and laughs from Aster sound like a perfect way to celebrate a new year.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro making “Frankenstein” almost sounds like a dream that is too good to be true. Del Toro has been open about this passion project dating back to the 2000s. Now, he’s finally creating it alongside many of his frequent collaborators, such as cinematographer Dan Lausten, composer Alexandre Desplat, and production designer Tamara Deverell. With an ensemble featuring the likes of Oscar Issac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Ineson, Felix Krammerer, and many others, we can’t help but be excited to see iconic Dr. Frankenstein and his monster as perceived by the mind of del Toro.
Highest 2 Lowest
The last time we saw Spike Lee remake a beloved international film, we were left with an “Oldboy” remake, one of the blemishes of Lee’s otherwise heralded career. A filmmaker as daring and intellectually creative as Lee would know that adapting a film as fundamental as Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low” is a challenging task to follow. What can ease concerns is that Lee is reuniting with Denzel Washington, and whenever they’re together, nothing else matters. Then, with the rumored additions of this adaptation taking place in the high stakes world of a record label, along with the casting of famous rappers such as A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, it’s clear Lee has a set vision for “Highest 2 Lowest.” Also, with “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods,” Lee has been killing it as of late. The fact that it’s a co-production with Apple Films and A24 also provides hope that one of the year’s most anticipated films won’t turn into one of the year’s biggest disappointments.
The History Of Sound
It wouldn’t be a most anticipated list without a Paul Mescal film, one that will inevitably shatter our hearts into a million pieces. Fresh off a solid “Ikiru” adaptation with “Living,” filmmaker Oliver Hermanus’s next film, “The History of Sound” (an adaptation of a short story of the same name), sees Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor bonded through their romantic desires for one another and their aspiration to record the folk songs of countrymen in rural New England in the early 1900s. There’ll be plenty of singing, swooning, and crying in what Mescal says is the script that “broke [his] heart the most” out of all the ones he has read throughout his career.
Marty Supreme
A year ago, the Safdie Brothers announced that after years of working together, they would be exploring their own careers. Now, in 2025, both have polar opposite films coming out, which will prove interesting to see how much of their individualistic traits were baked into their partnership. With “Marty Supreme,” Josh Safdie leads into what sounds like the more eccentric project, starring Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Fran Drescher, mixed with celebrities like Tyler the Creator, Abel Ferrara, Penn Jillette, and “Shark Tanks” Kevin O’ Leary. It’s rumored to be the biggest production for an A24 feature and has been described as a biopic in the vein of films like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Catch Me If You Can.” Then add in frequent collaborator Ronald Bronstein as a co-writer and editor and it’s looking like “Marty Supreme” could be something truly special (and wild).
Materialists
Celine Song made a name for herself with her brilliant Academy Award-nominated feature “Past Lives.” Now, she’s bringing us another romantic triangle to play with our emotions with her sophomore feature, “Materialists.” In what has been described by some to be in the vein of an Albert Brooks comedy, “Materialists” finds a high-end matchmaker (played by Dakota Johnson) torn between her ex-boyfriend (Chris Evans) and a wealthy businessman (Pedro Pascal). A romantic comedy certainly was not what everyone expected from Song’s newest film, but hopefully, “Materialists” has some laughs that can help us fill in the hole in our hearts left by Nora and Hae Sung.
Mickey 17
With Warner Bros. playing back and forth with the release date of this film for the past year, we’re just happy that we can finally have a new Bong Joon-ho in the immediate future. All that matters is that the world has been waiting to see whatever Bong makes next in the almost six years since “Parasite” was released. “Mickey 17” might be one of the more out-there studio releases in recent years, with Bong letting Robert Pattinson turn in multiple performances with zany voices in a gorgeous-looking sci-fi-comedy. All those expecting this to be precisely in the vein of Bong’s last feature will be pretty shocked as the filmmaker returns to his more oddball sensibilities. The ensemble cast featuring Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo, and Toni Collette will all have plenty to work with. Seeing that teaser with Dean Martin’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” playing in the background indicates that we’re in good hands, especially with a filmmaker as talented as Bong.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
One. Last.Time. It’s those three words that every fan of a beloved franchise never wishes to hear, but here we are, almost thirty years since the original De Palma “Mission: Impossible” film. Tom Cruise, who is as fearless as ever, is supposedly ushering in the finale to a seminal series that keeps him a mainstay in the hearts and souls of moviegoers everywhere. “Dead Reckoning” was more than an awesome setup, with everyone wondering what would happen to Ethan Hunt and his crew of dear friends. “The Final Reckoning” will easily be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, filled with submarines, car chases, and Cruise dangling off dueling airplanes. In the wise words of the man himself: “See you at the movies!”
No Other Choice
“Decision to Leave” may have come out in 2022, but many of us are still recovering from another masterful outing from Park Chan-wook. Park stated that his adaptation of Donald Westlake’s “The Ax” is a lifetime project he wishes would be his masterpiece. That’s a pretty bold statement coming from a filmmaker who has made a slew of influential and celebrated films already. Lee Byung-hun, who has starred in multiple Park films and most recently has an audience with many worldwide viewers with his most recent work in “Squid Game,” will lead “No Other Choice.” The story is described as following a man who, struggling to find work, slowly becomes a serial killer. This also marks another film heavily rumored to be premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Here’s hoping Park’s passion project lives up to his expectations because, on paper, this sounds nothing short of amazing.
Sinners
While there’s plenty to appreciate about Ryan Coogler’s work in the world of “Black Panther,” it’s been more than enough time that a studio has finally given the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker a blank check to make whatever he wants. Coogler, as cool as he is, takes that check and lets Michael B. Jordan cook as twins return to their horrid hometown as something sinister emerges. Not much is known about “Sinners” besides what that glorious teaser has shown us, yet it does fuel everyone’s theories that Coogler is making a vampire film. Whatever it is, watching an incredibly yolked Jordan shoot a Thompson on glorious IMAX 70mm is well worth the price of admission.
The Smashing Machine
Actor and director Benny Safdie (the other half of the previously mentioned directing pair, The Safdie Brothers) is also making his own sports biopic. Still, instead of ping-pong, he’s delving deep into the world of UFC. What makes “The Smashing Machine” so alluring is that it’s a possible all-or-nothing performance from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It’s fair to say that after the “Shazam” fallout, The Rock hasn’t quite been able to shake off the disappointments, failing even to do what he does best in making consistent quality box office hits. Now, we are witnessing The Rock in reset mode and portraying the true story of troubled MMA fighter Mark Kerr. He stars alongside Emily Blunt, who he shares so much chemistry on and off screen, which could help immensely. Safdie immersing The Rock’s physicality into a transformational performance surrounded by an ensemble filled with real-life MMA fighters sounds like the kind of comeback material that could earn Johnson the respect he’s more than capable of earning. If Safdie can elicit a performance out of The Rock akin to Zac Efron’s recent work in “The Iron Claw,” it will be a feat of its own that everyone will be signing up to see.
Superman
James Gunn is no stranger to delivering quality superhero films, but his iteration of “Superman” might be his biggest challenge yet. After a decade of seeing DC’s golden boy cosplay as a brooding messianic figure within the Snyderverse, it’s about time we got to see Supes in all his glorious Boy Scout nature (and, of course, the return of those classic red tights). If that first teaser trailer showed us anything, it would be that Gunn gets Superman on a fundamental level. The springboard for the new DC universe could, hopefully, start on a high note.
Untitled Kathryn Bigelow Film
After becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for “The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow then gave us the challenging drama-thrillers “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Detroit.” While the latter was not as well received as her previous two films, we’ve missed her gripping dramatization of real-life events infused with political commentary and meticulous attention to detail that makes her one of the world’s most exciting filmmakers. Her next film centers on White House staffers grappling with an impending missile strike on America, unfolding in real-time as tensions escalate with a cast that includes Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, and Gabriel Basso. We expect this thriller to be riveting and thought-provoking as it reflects on our contemporary global tensions.
Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Film
We must acknowledge that there is a world where Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature might be pushed back to next year, but until that is confirmed, we are going into 2025 with the belief that we are getting a new film from one of our greatest living filmmakers. As of this writing, we still have no idea what this film is about. The rumors of a loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland” have been attached to this project ever since it began filming, but whether or not that’s true and whether or not this so-called “The Battle of Batkan Cross” comes out this year, we don’t know. We know it’s set in contemporary California and would be the director’s biggest budgeted film yet. The budget is so big that Warner Bros. has even slated the movie for an IMAX release, which is baffling even to imagine. Then you add in the likes of Leonardo Dicaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Benicio del Toro, and Wood Harris. Until we see the first teaser for this new feature, we will be scratching our heads at whatever PTA is crafting. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter because we will be seated.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
When we said there could be a million Benoit Blanc films with different ensembles, and we would watch them, we weren’t kidding. Thankfully, Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig took that to heart as the pair returned for their third “Knives Out” adventure, “Wake Up Dead Man.” Following the success of “Glass Onion,” this third outing may have the most well-rounded ensemble of the franchise, starring Josh O’Connor, Caliee Spaney, Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, Thomas Hayden Church, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, Daryl McCormick, and Jeremy Renner. While much remains a mystery (apologies for the pun usage), we know Blanc is rocking the long locks and ready to stop another killer from getting away with the perfect crime. What more could you want?
Wicked: For Good
“Wicked” fever is far from dying down, especially as it’s marching its way throughout awards season, but don’t worry because, once the Academy Awards come to an end, we still have another “Wicked” film to look forward to this year. “Wicked: For Good” is the second half of this story, and many are curious to see how Jon M. Chu will pull it off. New original songs and the feeling of returning to the wonderful world of Oz are enough to hook the many who came out in droves for the first half. If you thought that “Defying Gravity” couldn’t be topped, wait until you hear Cynthia Erivo belting her heart out in what will be a show-stopping performance of “No Good Deed.”
What films are you most excited to see in 2025? Are there any films we should be anticipating that we didn’t mention? Do you think 2025 is going to be a strong year for cinema? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
