These are the must-see films for 2025 you can't miss

Mike Leigh reunites with his Secrets & Lies lead Marianne Jean-Baptiste for a vinegary character study that could land the Londoner her second Best Actress nod at the Oscars. She’s formidable as the inaptly-named Pansy, a woman who’s far more thorn than flower. Leigh, in his first feature film since 2018’s Peterloo, returns to a contemporary North London cityscape of two-up two-downs, car parks and shops where Pansy leaves a vapour trail of bitter words and rancour. Her long-suffering family, including her bubbly, well-adjusted sister (Michele Austin), complete the kind of bittersweet domestic drama only Leigh could craft. 

In US theaters Jan 10, and UK and Ireland cinemas Jan 31

In 2020, director Leigh Whannell remade The Invisible Man into a shockingly effective modern thriller. Now, he’s updating another musty horror property. By the looks of the trailer, he isn’t reinventing the violent hairball too drastically: you’ve got a mysterious nocturnal animal attack in the woods, a family in an isolated farmhouse, a wounded father, and a classic jumpscare involving a beat-up old truck that refuses to start. But it looks intense, and Whannell seems to approach the transformation of man to beast from a more physiological angle than his predecessors. 

In cinemas worldwide Jan 17

Steven Soderbergh’s genre hop-scotching finally lands on supernatural horror. In true Soderberghian fashion, though, this isn’t a straightforward ghost story. A troubled family moves into a new house and discovers strange phenomena afoot. But the tale is in the telling. Shot entirely from the spectre’s point of view, it’s like Paranormal Activity turned inside out. Does it work, or is it another of the director’s alienating formal experiments? Critics seem split, and audiences likely will be, too.

In cinemas worldwide Jan 24

Run for so long with quiet proficiency by multiverse-wrangler Kevin Feige, are the wheels starting to come off for the MCU? There’s no hiding the negative rumours emerging from its Captain America reboot, a key kick-off movie for another round of superhero blockbusters. There’s a lot riding on Anthony Mackie’s standalone debut as Cap, whose on-screen task will be complicated by Harrison Ford’s raging Red Hulk. Pray that we won’t need to have watched Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for it to make sense… because no one needs that kind of homework.

In cinemas worldwide Feb 14

London’s wobbliest Bridge is back for a fourth film outing. Despite all the usual romantic shenanigans, pratfalls and white wines, Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones is a singleton in name only these days, with two kids and much unprocessed grief for Colin Firth’s now-deceased QC, Mark Darcy (look out for a spectral Firth this time). Leo Woodall, last seen raising pulses in Netflix’s One Day, plays her young love interest, with Chiwetel Ejiofor perhaps the better long-term bet as her kids’ teacher. It’ll make you feel good, if it doesn’t make you feel old first.

In cinemas worldwide Feb 14. Streaming on Peacock in the US Feb 13.

In the aftermath of an AI uprising, a teen girl (Millie Bobby Brown) and grizzled drifter (Chris Pratt) set off across a dystopian version of 1990s America in search of the former’s missing brother in this sci-fi saga from the Russo brothers. Adapted from the graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag, albeit with significant alterations, it’s giving YA The Last of Us vibes, except with robots instead of fungus zombies. Assisting the human leads is a gang of sympathetic animatronics, voiced by the likes of Woody Harrelson, Jason Alexander, Brian Cox and Colman Domingo. Talk about stacked.

Streaming on Netflix Mar 14, 2025

Steven Soderbergh is one of the most prolific filmmakers at work – doubly impressive when you consider he retired in 2013. His golf club and health spa’s loss is our gain, though, with the now-veteran director’s films always provocative, even when they don’t quite land (see: The Laundromat). Following quickly from supernatural chiller Presence, he’s back with another David ‘Jurassic Park’ Koepp-scripted film. Plot info is suitably under wraps for a spy thriller that boasts a killer cast (Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Back to Black’s Marisa Abela, Pierce Brosnan) and an intriguing London setting. 

In cinemas worldwide Mar 14, 2025

Fairy-tale movies used to be so simple: a resilient princess falls under a spell, a handsome prince breaks it and everyone lives happily ever after – except for the wicked witch who dies horribly. Nowadays? Not so much. Snow White is the latest piece of Disney content forced to run the gauntlet of culture war hostility. Still, overlook the toxic discourse and some weird-looking CG dwarves, and West Side Story’s talented Rachel Zegler could just sprinkle magic on this modern take on the imperilled princess and her non-unionised diamond-mining pals.

In cinemas worldwide Mar 21, 2025

Too bad they couldn’t call it Revenge of the Nerd. In this action-thriller, Rami Malek is a CIA surveillance expert whose wife is the victim of a terrorist attack. With the agency refusing to go scorched earth on the perpetrators, he goes rogue, utilising his own particular set of skills – that is, few throat chops, but lots of technological know-how. It’s the second feature from TV director James Hawes and appears to feature a banger supporting role from Laurence Fishburne as the guy literally trying to slap some sense into Malek’s vengeful computer geek. 

In cinemas worldwide Apr 11

Bong Joon-ho’s long-awaited sci-fi followup to Parasite got pushed back by nearly a year, but it appears all systems are finally go. Robert Pattinson, sporting an unplaceable accent and general doofy demeanor, is a directionless slacker who volunteers to go to space as an ‘expendable’, a human canary in a coalmine meant to die repeatedly and get 3D-printed back to life. The trouble starts when he comes face to face with one of his own clones. It’s a little bit Moon, a little bit Terry Gilliam – but knowing Bong, the finished product will be quite unlike anything else. 

In cinemas worldwide Apr 18

The MCU is doing its version of the Suicide Squad this spring. And if you’re sitting there thinking: ‘Wasn’t that kinda Guardians of the Galaxy?’, we have no answer for you. Well, except there are less weird aliens in this one – it’s set entirely on Earth – and no talking trees. The internet has been busy coming up with theories for the asterisk in the title. What we do know is that it sees man-of-the-hour Sebastian Stan teaming up with Black Widow duo David Harbour and Florence Pugh as MCU veteran Bucky Barnes. He’ll be trying to forge a group of misfits into a coherent unit, Starlord-like. 

In cinemas worldwide May 2

Well, that’s a presumptuous title. Mononymous filmmaker Kogonada follows up 2021’s acclaimed After Yang and his work on the Apple TV+ series Pachinko with a romantic fantasy involving Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie and a rental car equipped with a magical GPS that transports them through time, space and several painted landscapes. So it’s What Dreams May Come meets Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, maybe? Consider us cautiously optimistic.

In cinemas worldwide May 9, 2025

Ethan Hunt has been accepting impossible missions since we were in short shorts but thanks to the still-bionic Tom Cruise, there’s barely a hint of stiffness in the franchise’s joints. His star/writer-director partnership with Christopher McQuarrie continues to raise the bar on batshit crazy stunts, too. Expect the concluding part of the latest phase of the M:I-iverse to introduce audience jaws to cinema floors as Hunt tries to shut down malevolent A.I. The Entity before it goes full Skynet on the planet. 

In cinemas worldwide May 21, 2025

If Ana de Armas’s scene-stealing cameo in No Time to Die made you wish she had a whole kickass action film to herself, the movie gods were listening. A spin-off from the reliably high-octane John Wick franchise, it comes courtesy of John Wick 3 and 4 writer Shay Hatten and has the Oscar-nominated Cuban actress unleashing a grace line of extreme violence as a ballerina who swaps the stage for the underworld. Expect plenty of Wick lore and an appearance from Keanu Reeves as the puppy avenger himself. 

In cinemas worldwide Jun 6, 2025

The extraordinary teaser trailer for Danny Boyle’s zombi.. sorry, infected sci-fi ramped up anticipation levels instantly. Accompanied by the insistent rhythms of Rudyard Kipling’s Boer War marching poem Boots, it was full of mood and menace. There was a glimpse of stars Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and one emaciated member of the undead everyone thought was Cillian Murphy’s Jim (it’s going to be bleak, but not that bleak). Boyle and his 28 Days Later writer Alex Garland seem to be leaning into Britain’s folk horror traditions with this action-horror reboot.

In UK and Ireland cinemas Jun 20

A Formula One racing legend (Brad Pitt) forced into early retirement is dragged back onto the track to mentor a talented young driver (Damson Idris) and reclaim his former glory. If that sounds a lot like director Joseph Kosinski’s previous film, Top Gun: Maverick, well, yeah, what’s it to you? Anyone who enjoyed that movie’s dudes-rock energy (read: everyone) isn’t going to complain about swapping white-knuckle dogfights for hairpin turns, which is good news for both Pitt and Apple Studios, who need a win after the Wolfs debacle. 

In cinemas worldwide June 25, 2025

After the slog of Jurassic World Dominion, it’s hard to imagine anyone is particularly enthused about yet another entry to the franchise, but if it’s going to happen, at least it’s coming with a much needed cast reset. Out with Chris Pratt and the original old-timers, in with Scarlett Johansson as a government agent escorting scientists Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey on a secret mission to recover dino DNA that inevitably goes awry.

In cinemas worldwide July 2, 2025

It’s been a while since South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone have truly riled up the public. That should change with their next project, a musical comedy about – tugs collar – a museum ‘slave re-enactor’ who discovers his white girlfriend’s family once enslaved his own ancestors. This peppery premise is a collaboration with rap megastar Kendrick Lamar, who’s producing and starring in his acting debut. Still, it’ll be a tight-rope walk, even for guys who once put Saddam Hussein in a homosexual relationship with Satan.

In US cinemas Jul 4, 2025

We’re still trying to make Superman a thing again, eh? In an era of flawed, humanist heroes, it’s proven difficult to make an invincible Space Jesus all that appealing. But if anyone can make him interesting – or at least fun – it’s writer-director James Gunn, whose script appears to depict a crisis of identity for the Man of Steel. Twisters’ David Corenswet is the latest square-jawed white guy to tug Christopher Reeve’s cape, but the most intriguing bit of casting is Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

In cinemas worldwide Jul 11, 2025

Are you ready for a Paul Thomas Anderson action movie? Not much is known about the director’s followup to 2021’s Licorice Pizza, but unsourced quotes suggest it’s his ‘most mainstream’ movie yet and contains bigger stunts than he’s ever attempted before. (Another rumour says it’s an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland.) All that’s confirmed is the cast, which includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall and Benicio del Toro. There’s also a set photo of DiCaprio in sunglasses rocking a handlebar ‘stache. Honestly, we’re there regardless.

In cinemas worldwide Aug 8

The Dowager Countess may have sipped from her last china cup (RIP Maggie Smith) but the Crawleys continue serenely on. In the aristocrats’ latest – and likely final –  big-screen outing, a gang of heavily-armed terrorists storm Downton, forcing the Crawleys to tool up and hit back. Nah, not really. It’s more gently-plotted business involving staff romances and probably some dastardly ‘Americans’. Indeed, Paul Giamatti is back to jazz things up as a playboy from the States, while Dominic West’s rakish filmmaker returns too. It’ll all be far too much for Mr Carson.

In cinemas worldwide Sep 12, 2025

The screenplay for this chiller bounced around Hollywood a few years, before getting scooped up by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. Marlon Wayans is a Hall of Fame-level quarterback on the verge of retirement who invites a young phenom (Tyriq Withers) to train with him. Where the horror elements come in is unknown, but Peele – who’s producing, with Dear White People alum Justin Tipping directing – wouldn’t put his name on something that isn’t smart, funny and scary as hell.

Out worldwide Sept 19, 2025

Who you got in the battle of competing Frankenstein movies: Guillermo del Toro or, um, Maggie Gyllenhaal? Yes, the former’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel is supposedly his ‘dream project’, but don’t discount ol’ Margalit, who made an assured directorial debut with 2021 psychological drama The Lost Daughter. Granted, a musical based on The Bride of Frankenstein is a pretty sharp left turn. But with the setting shifted to 1930s Chicago, and a tatted-up, greaser-haired Christian Bale as the revivified monster of legend and Jessie Buckley as his bride, it might actually out-weird the Mexican auteur’s take.

In cinemas worldwide Sep 26, 2025

All we know about this one is that it’s a ‘live action Predator film with Elle Fanning’ and that it was filmed in New Zealand, which is all the excuse we need to call it The Hunt for the Wilderpredator. Beyond that, it’s just a lot of optimism that Prey director Dan Trachtenberg can recapture that magnificent film’s magic and continue this unexpected Predator renaissance. Sure, we’re still a bit sore that Prey went straight to Disney+, but the studio has learnt its lesson and recommitted to the big-screen experience. Badlands should really pop in IMAX.

In cinemas worldwide Nov 7

Yorgos Lanthimos released arguably his best and worst movies in less than a year, so it’s hard to gauge the fervor for his next project, a remake of a 2003 South Korean film about two men who kidnap a pharmaceutical CEO they believe is an alien in disguise. (Also difficult to say if recent real-world crimes against corporate executives will help or hurt its prospects.) Adventurous cinephiles should treat everything the Greek does as an event – especially when Jesse Plemons and his muse Emma Stone are involved.

In cinemas worldwide Nov 7

Stephen King’s sci-fi novel about a game show where the contestants are hunted down for public entertainment seemed a lot more dystopian and satirical when he published it in 1982. Its hero, Ben Richards, played by Arnie then and man-of-the-moment Glen Powell now, runs this deadly televised gauntlet because he needs the money to pay for his family’s healthcare. In other words, Edgar Wright has a pointedly contemporary piece of social commentary on his hands, should his script with Scott Pilgrim’s Michael Bacall choose to lean into it. Fingers crossed.

In cinemas worldwide Nov 21, 2025

As of this writing, the first half of director Jon M Chu’s Wizard of Oz prequel is raking in the box office and edging into the Oscar race, but its success can’t be properly measured until the story concludes, especially since Part Two features brand-new songs and characters. What we’ve seen so far is already longer than the entirety of the stage musical. Will the ending justify the excess? Either way, it’s sure to be a major event.

In cinemas worldwide Nov 21

James Cameron will be welcoming back onto Pandora at Christmas and reminding everyone that while his epic sci-fi franchise leaves a light touch on the culture, it carries an almighty box-office appeal in the moment. Five billion dollars’ worth, so far. So what to expect from number 3? The introduction of the planet’s Ash People, a return for Quaritch (is the hardass Colonel joining the goodies this time?) and a couple of new faces in Oona Chaplin and David Thewlis. One thing’s certain: Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and their young Na’vi family will be in a tonne of peril once again.

In cinemas worldwide Dec 19, 2025

After a run of bad press and forgettable franchise non-starters, Dwayne Johnson looks to get back in the public’s good graces with his most actorly role yet as former UFC fighter Mark Kerr in director Benny Safdie’s debut solo outing sans brother Josh. Under prosthetics rendering him borderline unrecognisable, it might be Johnson’s Raging Bull, or at least his The Fighter, as he traces Kerr’s battles in and out of the octagon and his relationship with his wife, played by Emily Blunt. And knowing Safdie, you’ll be hyperventilating into a paper bag by the end.

In cinemas in 2025

With the help of Iraq War vet Ray Mendoza as co-director, Alex Garland tightens his focus after the sweepingly epic Civil War to capture a small US unit in deep shit as insurgents close in on their position in an Iraqi town. Having an actual Navy SEAL on co-writing duties should guarantee authenticity for a film whose trailer evokes strong memories of Black Hawk Down. The cast of young-gun actors, including Joseph Quinn, May December’s Charles Melton, Will Poulter and Heartstopper’s Kit Connor, amps them up even more.

In cinemas in 2025