Upcoming movies: The most exciting new movies coming in 2025

July is here, and it's bringing with it a slew of exciting upcoming movies! Not only is James Gunn's Superman finally on the big screen (read our Superman review for more information on that gem), but we also have Marvel outings to look forward to, animated fun, and some horror sprinkled into the mix for good measure. This month is also just the halfway point in an exceptionally busy year for cinema.

In fact, 2025 is so busy that it's easy to get overwhelmed. So, to make your lives easier, we've rounded up the biggest releases still set to come. Keep in mind that our round-up below doesn't have every upcoming movie on the way. For a full list of new films, you can head over to our 2025 movie releases page. Here we are only talking about the big dogs (such as The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avatar: Fire and Ash) and are offering extra information on their plots and development as well.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your popcorn and get ready to purchase some movie tickets as you scroll on down for everything you need to know about the most exciting upcoming movies in 2025 and beyond. When you're done, check out our roundup of the best new TV shows for the small screen.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Release date: July 18, 2025

You just can't beat a summer slasher, especially a sequel to an iconic one. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, I Know What You Did Last Summer is the fourth entry in the teen horror franchise and follows five friends who end up being stalked a year after they accidentally killed someone in a car accident. It turns out that their stalker is actually a serial killer that fans of the franchise know all too well. Legacy actors from the first film (Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.) are set to make an appearance, continuing the trend set up by Halloween (2018).

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Release date: July 25, 2025

Marvel's first family finally arrives on our screens in July with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, the hype around this one is pretty huge as it marks a new era for the MCU. Per the official synopsis of the upcoming Marvel movie, the film will be set in an '60s-inspired retro-futuristic world as the group "face their most daunting challenge yet".

The team will be "forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond" to defend Earth from planet-eating god Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Apparently, too, things soon get personal for the group. Color us intrigued.

The Toxic Avenger

Release date: August 29, 2025

Macon Blair's long-awaited Toxic Avenger remake is finally hitting theaters after first premiering at Fantastic Fest back in 2023. The pic starts Peter Dinklage as Toxie, a janitor who turns into a goopy superhero after a freak accident. The cast includes Elijah Wood, Kevin Bacon, Jacob Tremblay, and Taylour Paige.

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Release date: September 5, 2025

The Conjuring franchise is coming to an end, but of course, it's going out with a bang. The final installment sees Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) Warren take on the case of a lifetime - which more or less forces them into retirement. Directed by Michael Chaves, the cast includes Mia Tomlinson, Taissa Farmiga, Shannon Kook, and Ben Hardy.

TRON: Ares

Release date: October 10, 2025

It's been years, however, we're finally getting a new Tron movie. TRON: Ares. TRON: Ares is the sequel the 2010 movie Legacy and will see an AI come into the real world for the first time in the series history. Jared Leto is set to star as the titular AI and Jeff Bridges will be returning to reprise his iconic role as Kevin Flynn. This has been a long time coming, so we're very excited for this one. Stay tuned as we learn more plot details.

Mortal Kombat 2

Release date: October 24, 2025

Mortal Kombat is one of the best video game franchises ever made, and one of the most exciting upcoming video games movies of the year. Mortal Kombat 2 is directed by Simon McQuoid, and filming officially wrapped last year in January. While we don’t much about the upcoming story, we do know that the cast is stacked with A-listers. Karl Urban is on board as Johnny Cage, Tati Gabrielle is cast as Jade, and Hiroyuki Sanada will be Scorpion.

Predator: Badlands

Release date: November 7, 2025

Prey director Dan Trachtenberg returns for another installment in the Predator franchise – but, unlike the critically acclaimed 2022 prequel, Predator: Badlands is set in the future. Elle Fanning stars as Thia, a Weyland-Yutani android, while Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi plays a young Predator. Per the film's official synopsis, he is "outcast from his clan" but "finds an unlikely ally in Thia and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary."

As suggested by that logline, the movie's first trailer confirms that unlike previous installments in the Predator franchise, Badlands will make the titular aliens the focus of the story rather than the adversary coming up against a human hero. Bring it on.

Wicked: For Good

Release date: November 21, 2025

The second and final part in Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the iconic musical Wicked arrives at the end of this year. Titled Wicked: For Good, after one of the movie's most anticipated songs, it will pick up in the aftermath of the first film. If you'll recall, this saw Elphaba on the run after refusing to bend to the will of the Wizard. Expect more songs, seriously emotional moments, and some neat twists in the second half.

Frankenstein

Release date: November 2025

A new adaptation of Mary Shelley's beloved classic Frankenstein arrives in 2025, and it's helmed by the master of gothic storytelling Guillermo del Toro. It's set to follow the classic story of Victor Frankenstein bringing the dead back to life in the form of a horrific creature, but we can't wait to see this new twist. Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi is Frankenstein's monster in the upcoming movie, which also stars Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Ineson.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

Release Date: December 5, 2025

The sequel to the hit PG-13 horror adaptation of the massively popular video game series sees the return of Josh Hutcherson's Mike and Elizabeth Lail's Vanessa - but also features a pretty cool Scream reunion what with Matthew Lillard returning as supervillain William Afton and Skeet Ulrich joining the cast as a brand new character. Per the official tagline, "Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there are no second chances."

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Release date: December 12, 2025

The third installment in Netflix's hit Knives Out franchise arrives in 2025 with Wake Up Dead Man. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the movie follows the same convention as the first two with a rotating cast revolving around Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc. The new outing is just as star-studded too with Josh O'Connor and Josh Brolin playing priests and Mila Kunis playing a police officer. The rest of the cast features Glenn Close, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Cailee Spaeny. There's no release date yet, but we know it arrives at some point in 2025.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Release date: December 19, 2025

It feels like it's been too long since we had a new Avatar movie, but thankfully James Cameron's epic fantasy world returns in 2025. The third installment, titled Avatar: Fire and Ash, focuses on a new clan, the volcano-dwelling "Ash People". Most of the major stars return, including Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, and Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch. A lot is still up in the air about what the movie will focus on, but it's certain it will be visually stunning.

For more on what's to come, check out our guide to all the new anime and all the upcoming Star Wars movies heading your way soon.