In 2024, Hollywood defied skeptics by delivering a remarkable year of cinema—proving that the theatrical experience is anything but obsolete.
Sequels like “Inside Out 2”, currently the highest-grossing animated film ever, and “Deadpool & Wolverine”, now the top R-rated film in box office history, dominated theaters alongside family-friendly hits like “Despicable Me 4” and “Moana 2”.
Blockbusters such as “Dune: Part Two” and “Wicked” achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, while indie films like “The Substance”, “Challengers”, “Civil War”, and “Nosferatu” showcased the industry’s enduring creative depth with their stunning visuals, powerful performances, and thought-provoking narratives.
On the heels of the SAG-AFTRA strike and the cultural phenomenon of “Barbenheimer,” 2024 proved that the film industry as resilient and adaptable as ever
As 2025 approaches, an exciting slate of films—featuring bold original concepts (“Mickey 17”, “Sinners”, F1), highly anticipated sequels (“Mission Impossible 8”, “Karate Kid: Legends”, “Jurassic World: Rebirth”, “Avatar: Fire & Ash”), reimagined classics (“Wolf Man”, “Snow White”, “Lilo & Stitch”, “The Bride!”), unique adaptations (“A Minecraft Movie”, “How to Train Your Dragon”) and revitalized Marvel and DC projects (“Captain America 4”, “Thunderbolts*”, “Superman”, “Fantastic Four: First Steps”)—promises to captivate audiences and keep the magic of the big screen burning brighter than ever.
JANUARY-MARCH
“BETTER MAN” – January 10, 2025
Directed by Michael Gracey
Starring Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, and Alison Steadman
From director Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”) comes a bold and unconventional take on the life of British pop sensation Robbie Williams. The film reimagines Williams’ rise to fame with a twist—Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee, promising to offer a unique exploration of celebrity and self-identity.
“WOLF MAN” – January 17, 2025
Directed by Leigh Whannell
Starring Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, and Milo Cawthorne
From the director of 2020’s “The Invisible Man” comes a chilling reboot of the 1941 classic “The Wolf Man”. Blake (Abbott), a family man, relocates to a farmhouse in Oregon with his workaholic wife Charlotte (Garner) and their daughter Ginger (Firth) after inheriting it from his estranged—and recently disappeared—father. But, their fresh start quickly turns nightmarish when Blake is bitten by a werewolf during a full moon. As he struggles to control his growing rage, the family must consider the horrifying reality that the true terror might be much closer to home than ever imagined.
MARVEL’S “CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD” – February 14, 2025
Directed by Julius Onah
Starring Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford
***Recommended Viewing: 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, 2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, 2021’s Eternals***
Julius Onah (“The Cloverfield Incident”) helms the next installment of Marvel Cinematic Universe, which sees Anthony Mackie taking up Captain America’s shield as Sam Wilson. After a tense encounter with President Thaddeus Ross (Ford), aka Red Hulk, Wilson must race to uncover the truth behind a global conspiracy—with high stakes that are both personal and political—before it’s too late.
“PADDINGTON IN PERU” – February 14, 2025
Directed by Dougal Wilson
Starring Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, and Antonio Banderas
In this highly anticipated third installment, the ever-charming Paddington Bear (Winshaw) and his adopted family, the Browns, decide to visit his Aunt Lucy in Peru but an unexpected turn of events sends them into the Amazon rainforest and the mountains of Peru, where misadventure and mischief awaits.
“MICKEY 17” – March 7, 2025
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Starring Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo
From Bong Joon-ho, the visionary director of 2019 Best Picture “Parasite”, comes a sci-fi black comedy based on “Mickey7”, a novel by Edward Ashton. In “Mickey 17”, Mickey Barnes (Pattinson) signs up to be an “expendable” on a dangerous mission to colonize the ice world Niflheim, where his life is repeatedly sacrificed to ensure the survival of his team. But when Mickey-17 unexpectedly survives one of his iterations, he faces off against a new clone, Mickey-18.
“SINNERS” – March 7, 2025
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo
From “Black Panther” and “Creed” director Ryan Coogler comes an all new-horror film, starring Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Elijah & Elias, who, after trying to escape their troubled pasts, return to their hometown for a fresh start. However, their hopes for a new beginning quickly unravel as they uncover an even darker force waiting to greet them—threatening everything they’ve worked to leave behind.
“DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE” – March 21, 2025
Directed by Marc Webb
Starring Rachel Zegler, Andrew Burnap, and Gal Gadot
With a screenplay co-written by “Barbie” mastermind Greta Gerwig comes a live-action reimagining of 1937’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. This musical adventure brings the timeless fairy tale to life once again with new twists, as Snow White (Zegler) embarks on a new journey alongside the beloved dwarfs and faces the wrath of the Evil Queen (Gadot) in her quest for beauty, power, and vengeance.
STUDENT OPINIONS
State High students and teachers are feeling enthusiastic about 2025’s film slate.
“I’d say my top two movies for 2025 are [‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’] and the ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ live action movie,” said Austin Van Allen, IB Film and Cinema Arts teacher at State High.
Junior Alison Foor gave insight on her most anticipated movie of the new year. “I’m really looking forward to ‘Zootopia 2’…I loved the first one so much. I’m so excited to see what comes next for Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps.” Foor said.
“I’m excited for ‘Ballerina’, ‘28 Years Later,’ and ‘Mickey 17,’”said junior Nolan Brautigam. “I’m excited for ‘How To Train Your Dragon’…to see how different it’s going to be from the original.”
Brautigam also hopes that these new films keep innovating and trying new things. “I think the industry’s pretty solid, but it’s a good time to try something new…to come up with fresh original ideas, because I feel like we’re focusing more on spectacle over communicating actual feelings in film,” Brautigam said. “But I’m still really excited…because recently there’s been an effort to make fresh, original movies.”
As we look toward 2025, the excitement among State High students and teachers alike reflects a broader trend throughout moviegoers—with anticipated titles like “Avatar: Fire and Ash”, “Zootopia 2”, and the live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon”, audiences are eager to experience both beloved franchises and innovative new stories.
With fresh, original films alongside blockbuster spectacles and sequels, 2025 promises to be an exciting year for fans and filmmakers alike.
