Breakout blockbusters like Sinners showed us that original films can still be box office hits. Superman, meanwhile, made kindness punk rock, and 28 Years Later reunited director Danny Boyle with writer Alex Garland for an emotional and formally daring return to the zombie franchise they kicked off more than two decades ago.
On the other hand, M3GAN 2.0 tried to be T2: Judgment Day but failed to recreate the original film’s campy appeal. Jurassic World Rebirth was a disappointment, and the live-action Lilo & Stitch made the unforgivable decision to make Jumba the film’s villain.
Still, there are plenty of diamonds left to mine — cinematically speaking — in 2025. Some of the most exciting filmmakers working today have projects on the way, and we have compiled a list of the five films we’re most excited to see.
5. The Smashing Machine
Benny Safdie, who previously worked as a directing duo with his brother, Josh, will be flying solo on his next feature: the biopic titled The Smashing Machine. This will be Safdie’s first directorial work since 2019’s Uncut Gems, which spawned countless memes, introduced us to the chaotic appeal of Julia Fox and shined a light on Adam Sandler’s underrated acting chops.The Smashing Machine also features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, abandoning the not-quite-straight-to-DVD action flicks that have been his bread and butter for the last 15 years for what appears to be a thoughtful, intentional performance as troubled UFC fighter Mark Kerr. We would not be surprised if this leads to us seeing Johnson at the Oscars — The Academy loves to see a guy transform into another guy, and Best Actor nominees often reflect that.
In theaters October 3.
4. Predator: Badlands
When Prey hit Hulu in 2022, it breathed new life into the beleaguered Predator franchise. The series had arguably failed to deliver a successful film since the original Predator in 1987 (we know Alien vs. Predator has its cult supporters, but we’re trying to have a serious discussion here).Since then, Dan Trachtenberg has taken creative control of Predator, co-writing the incredibly cool animated feature Predator: Killer of Killers, which premiered on Hulu earlier this year. He is also the director of the forthcoming Predator: Badlands, which features a Predator as its protagonist this time, with Elle Fanning supporting as an android he finds on an inhospitable planet.
This one promises to be a sci-fi action extravaganza, providing new insight into the Predator species and letting us reflect on what a talented, charming screen presence Fanning is as she’s carted around by her otherworldly companion.
In theaters November 7.
3. Highest 2 Lowest
One of the most delightful actor/director pairings in film history comes in the form of Denzel Washington’s work with Spike Lee. The duo has once again teamed up for a new feature, Highest 2 Lowest, which is a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s masterful High to Low. Lee is known for his expressive cinematic style, and this story about a music mogul facing a ransom plot is sure to provide him plenty of opportunities to continue that magic.This is another Netflix release receiving a theatrical run before it hits the streaming service in September. Lee’s last collaboration with the streamer, 2020’s Da 5 Bloods, is one of the best among his entire filmography, and certainly his best since 2006’s Inside Man (coincidentally the last time he and Washington worked together). Highest 2 Lowest’s poster proclaims “ALL $$ AIN’T GOOD $$” and, good or bad, we cannot wait to spend our “$$” on a ticket to see this movie.
In theaters August 15.
2. One Battle After Another
Martin Scorsese may be the patron saint of film bros, but Paul Thomas Anderson is still blessed and highly favored. The director has built his career on dense, literary features with complex characters and themes.One Battle After Another marks Anderson’s second adaptation of a Thomas Pynchon novel. The last time he tackled the notoriously convoluted author’s work, he delivered one of his most polarizing films to date in 2014’s Inherent Vice. While there was an almost anti-commercial quality to that film, One Battle After Another seems like a more conventional action thriller, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing an ex-revolutionary who finds himself in over his head when his daughter is kidnapped.
Whatever the film ultimately becomes, DiCaprio's collaboration with Anderson is the cinephilic equivalent of a superhero team-up.
In theaters September 26.
1. Train Dreams
Dallas-based filmmaker Clint Bentley’s new film, an adaptation of a Denis Johnson novella, was picked up out of Sundance by Netflix after earning glowing reviews (it currently holds a grade of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes) following its screening at the festival. This hype comes on the heels of Bentley and his collaborator Greg Kwedar earning a 2025 Oscar nomination for co-writing the script for prison drama Sing Sing last year.Train Dreams is reportedly a period piece about a logger and railroad worker in the early 20th century, with Joel Edgerton leading the cast. From what we know of Bentley and Kwedar’s abilities to craft emotionally engaging adaptations, a dash of Americana (for aesthetics) and the Netflix awards campaign machine behind it, Train Dreams seems destined to make an impact this fall.
In theaters November 7.
