In the past year of 2024, due to the impact of the strike of the Writers Guild and the Actors Guild of America the previous year, Hollywood, as the center of the global film industry, released fewer new films than originally planned. However, in the coming year of 2025, a large number of new films will be released one after another.
From the nature point of view, although various IP works including sequels, reboots, and remakes still account for the majority, the number of original works is also steadily increasing. Among the IP works, four superhero movies, including three Marvel and one DC, will be released. Due to their popularity among young audiences, horror thrillers will continue to innovate in 2025. In addition, there are no shortage of blockbuster new works in action, science fiction, biography, comedy and other genres. And "Avatar 3: Fire and Embers" which will be released at the end of the year is expected to set off a wave of movie watching around the world.
As for which of the following films will be able to hit theaters in mainland China, judging from the wide variety of film types and the advanced processing techniques used in the past two years, all we can say is - everything is possible.
(The following release dates are all in North America)
Back in Action
Director: Seth Gordon
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz
Release date: January 17
In this action comedy produced by Netflix, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx play a retired couple of agents who originally worked for the CIA. After their past identities were exposed, they had to return to the underworld and pick up the spy game again.
Wolf Man
Director: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner
Release date: January 17
Leigh Whannell specializes in horror thrillers and is also the director of the 2020 reboot of The Invisible Man. This new version of The Wolf Man also comes from the long-standing Universal Pictures monster movie series, and the original version is based on the movie of the same name released in 1941. The new version is set in modern times and tells the story of the protagonist played by Christopher Abbott and his family who are on vacation in a forest cabin when they are suddenly attacked by a monster and turned into a werewolf.
It is reported that the film has been submitted for review and is likely to be released in theaters in mainland China around the Spring Festival.
Presence
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Lucy Liu, Julia Fox
Release date: January 24
The latest work of the famous director Soderbergh is a psychological thriller. The story will be presented from the first-person perspective of a ghost, which is quite experimental.
Love Hurts
Director: Jonathan Esbio
Starring: Guan Jiwei, Ariane DeBose, Daniel Wu
Release date: February 7
Guan Jiwei plays a retired gangster killer in the film. He is content with the mediocre life of a real estate agent under anonymity. However, the gang leader played by Daniel Wu is unwilling to let him go because of some unspeakable past, and the story of the brothers fighting against each other is unfolding wildly.
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Director: Michael Morris
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson
Release date: February 13
The fourth installment of the Bridget Jones series, based on the novel of the same name by Helen Fielding, has been released. The new series will be released directly on the Peacock streaming platform on Valentine's Day. In addition to Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, who has passed away, will also return in a special way.
Captain America: Brave New World
Director: Julius Jonah
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford
Release date: February 14
This is the first superhero movie to debut in 2025, and the first major movie with Sam Wilson as the core character since Captain America: Civil War in 2016. The story of the film follows the plot of the TV series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and is also the official debut of the new version of Captain America Sam Wilson played by Anthony Mackie. Harrison Ford will replace the late William Hurt to play the role of the President of the United States. Of course, he actually has another side of the "Red Giant" in private.
The Monkey
Director: Osgood Perkins
Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood
Release date: February 21
The father of the film's director Osgood Perkins, Anthony Perkins, was the leading actor in the famous Hitchcock masterpiece "Psycho". Osgood followed in his father's footsteps and entered the film industry. He had filmed many horror films before, but it was not until 2024 that he became famous with "Long Legs". This time, "Monkey" is adapted from the short story of the same name published by the horror novel king Stephen King in 1980, telling a dark story between a cursed antique toy monkey and a pair of brothers.
Sinners
Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld
Release date: March 7
The film is the latest masterpiece of the famous black director Ryan Coogler and also his first horror film. Michael B. Jordan plays a pair of twin brothers in the film. The two brothers returned to their hometown and wanted to start a new life from scratch, but they found that there was a bigger threat waiting for them.
Mickey 17
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun
Release date: March 7
It has been five years since "Parasite" directed by Bong Joon-ho won the Oscar for Best Picture. We can finally see his new sci-fi work, which has been delayed many times.
The film is adapted from Edward Ashton's science fiction novel Mickey 7. Robert Pattinson plays an artificial man who is responsible for various dangerous tasks. To the parent company, he is just a consumable. Once the challenge mission fails and his limbs are scrapped, his memory will be uploaded to a new body. However, the situation this time is a bit special. Mickey No. 17 unexpectedly survived, but Mickey No. 18 has been created...
It is reported that this work has been submitted for review and has great hope of being introduced and released.
Snow White
Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Rachel Ziegler, Gal Gadot
Release date: March 21
The animated film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" released in 1937 has long become a classic, and it is bound to be difficult to adapt it into a live-action version. The film has been involved in various disputes since its inception, and the release date has been changed again and again. Now the audience will finally get to see its true face. This live-action version is co-written by Greta Gerwig, the director of "Barbie", and Rachel Ziegler, who is of Latin American descent, plays the protagonist Snow White, and Gal Gadot plays the evil stepmother Queen.
Alto Knights
Director: Barry Levinson
Starring: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing
Release date: March 21
Shortly after the release of this film, director Barry Levinson will celebrate his 83rd birthday. Once upon a time, he was the most popular all-rounder in Hollywood, and "Rain Man", "Good Morning, Vietnam", "Wag the Dog" and "The Last Airbender" were all popular works. This film is his fifth collaboration with Robert De Niro, who will play two roles in the film, two American Italian mafia gang leaders who are enemies of each other. It is also worth mentioning that the screenwriter of this film is Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the famous gangster film "Goodfellas".
The Amateur
Director: James Harveys
Starring: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne
Release date: April 11
This thriller is adapted from Robert Little's 1981 novel of the same name. Rami Malek plays a CIA agent who originally only did desk work in code-breaking, without having to use a gun. However, after his wife was brutally murdered by a group of terrorists, he was determined to take revenge and even blackmailed the CIA leadership to let him undergo the devilish training of a field agent.
Thunderbolts*
Director: Jack Schreier
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan
Release date: May 2
As the finale of the fifth phase of the Marvel Universe, the film tells the story of the second-generation "Black Widow" Yelena and "Winter Soldier" Bucky leading a group of Marvel villains to fight for their own destiny. For some reason, this film has a sense of Waterloo inside and out, especially at a time when audiences are becoming more and more aesthetically fatigued with superhero movies, which makes people worry about its box office prospects.
A Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey
Director: Guo Gongda
Starring: Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Release date: May 9
Every year, Hollywood selects a so-called "blacklist" of scripts, which are the most popular scripts that have not been selected by production companies and have not been approved for filming. This romantic fantasy story written by Seth Reiss was a leader on the previous "blacklist" and has finally been filmed, directed by Korean-American Guo Gongda. Compared with Guo Gongda's previous works such as "In Columbus" and "After Yang", the cast of "A Daring and Splendid Journey" is full of big names and more commercial, which is just right for him to break into the mainstream Hollywood circle.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames
Release date: May 23
The seventh Mission: Impossible film did not perform as well as expected at the box office, but that did not prevent the eighth installment from being released as scheduled. In the film, the scene of Tom Cruise performing extreme maneuvers on the wing of an upside-down vintage biplane has already gone viral on social media, but it now seems that there are some doubts as to whether these stunts he performed himself can continue to attract audiences.
Ballerina
Director: Len Wiseman
Starring: Ana de Armas, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
Release date: June 6
The fluid choreography of the John Wick films has often been compared to ballet, and this spinoff capitalizes on that concept, focusing on a ballerina assassin on a quest to avenge her father. Set between the third and fourth John Wick films, it also features a cameo from Keanu Reeves.
Elio
Director: Adrian Molina, Madeline Seraphine, Stone
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana
Release date: June 13
The latest original work of Pixar Animation tells the story of Elio, an 11-year-old boy who was mistakenly taken as an ambassador representing the Earth and was sent to the outer space world that he was already obsessed with, and experienced an unforgettable adventure.
28 Years Later
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes
Release date: June 20
The trailer for 28 Later was suddenly released in December 2024, sparking a lot of discussion on social media and making fans who had watched Danny Boyle's 2002 film 28 Days Later feel that 20 years have passed in the blink of an eye. Compared to the second film in the series, 28 Weeks Later, which was released in 2007, this time, in addition to Danny Boyle returning to direct, Alex Garland, the original screenwriter, also returned to write, and even the original starring actor Cillian Murphy made a cameo appearance.
F1
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon
Release date: June 27
In this sports film produced with the official participation of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Brad Pitt plays a former Formula One driver who is called upon to mentor a talented rookie played by Damson Idris and accompany him on the track. The film was shot on real F1 tracks, and many famous Formula One drivers will also appear in the film.
M3GAN 2.0
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis
Release date: June 27
The 2022 thriller "Megan" has become a rising star thanks to viral marketing. The killer doll, which looks quite cute at first glance, still has various memes circulating in cyberspace. The sequel has continued the original cast from the director to the protagonist, and the signature killer doll is naturally indispensable.
Superman
Director: James Gunn
Starring: David Corrence, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Release date: July 11
Whether the DC Universe can turn things around seems to all depend on whether this first shot can be fired. After the trailer of "Superman" was released in December 2024, it is reported that the number of views has set a new historical record, which has also greatly increased the confidence of director James Gunn.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Starring: Madeline Klein, Jennifer Love Hewitt
Release date: July 18
It has been 28 years since the release of the first film in the series, I Know What You Did Last Summer. As the fourth film in the series, it is really curious whether this film can still attract the attention of a new generation of audiences.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Director: Matt Shakman
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Abon Moss-Bachrach
Release date: July 25
Although the "Fantastic Four" is one of the most well-known superheroes in Marvel Comics, the results of several adaptations to the screen have been unsatisfactory. However, this new attempt may be different. The film will be shot in the retro style of the 1960s, with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach playing the four protagonists Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing respectively.
The Naked Gun
Director: Akiva Shaffer
Starring: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson
Release date: August 1
This classic spoof comedy series that became popular around the world at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s will be rebooted in the summer of 2025. The role of the white-haired detective, which was brought to life by Leslie Nielsen, will be inherited by Liam Neeson. Thinking about the various tough guy roles he has played before, one can't help but wonder how good his comedy skills are besides fists and feet.
Freakier Friday
Director: Nisa Ganat
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan
Release date: August 8
Apparently, 2025 is a year full of nostalgia. The 2003 comedy about the mother-daughter soul swap, Freaky Friday, has a sequel 22 years later. The two leading actors, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, have both returned, and I wonder how many audiences from that year will be attracted to the theaters again.
The Bride
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Christian Bale
Release date in North America: September 26
Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is an excellent actor and director, has gathered her brother Jake Gyllenhaal and husband Peter Sarsgaard to remake Mary Shelley's classic Gothic work "Frankenstein". The story of the film is set in Chicago in the 1930s. Whether it is a rehash or a new wine in an old bottle is worth looking forward to.
Roofman
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst
Release date: October 3
This film is a true crime biography. The protagonist Jeffrey Manchester (played by Channing Tatum) has a legendary life experience, which is quite heroic. He was a U.S. Army reserve officer, and later became a biker gang. He broke into more than 60 McDonald's across the United States by sneaking into the roof. After being arrested, he managed to escape from prison and hid for several months before being caught.
Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Jafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Miles Teller
Release date: October 3
This film is undoubtedly the most watched of the many biographical films released in 2025. The protagonist Michael Jackson will be played by the superstar's nephew.
Bugonia
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons
Release date: November 7
The latest sci-fi masterpiece by the famous art film director Yorgos Lanthimos, the two leading actors from his previous work "The Kind Kind" return again, and a stable iron triangle has been formed. The story of the film is a remake of the Korean film "Green Planet" released in 2003. In Lanthimos' version, the conspiracy theorist played by Jesse Plemons designed to kidnap the powerful CEO of a large company (played by Emma Stone) because he firmly believed that she was an alien visitor who was ordered to destroy the earth.
The Running Man
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin
Release date: November 21
Released in 1987, "The Man Who Knew Too Much" was starred by action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. It tells the story of a righteous police officer who was framed and had to fight through a real-life killing game, survive, and finally uncover the dark secrets. The new version was created by the genius director Edgar Wright, and Glen Powell, the star of "Twister", played the leading role. It is worth looking forward to whether the latter can take over Schwarzenegger's mantle and become the new generation of action movie male god.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Zhu Haowei
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
Release date: November 21
The story of "Wicked", which was a big hit at the box office at the end of 2024, is only half told, but fortunately the audience doesn't have to wait too long. The second part, also directed by Chu Haowei, continues to tell the love-hate relationship between the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
Release date: December 19
The most important part is indeed saved for last. According to James Cameron's plan, there are at least three more films in the "Avatar" series. The third film was actually shot at the same time as the second film "The Way of Water" which was released in 2022. The theme of the story shifted from "water" to "fire", and it will explore the culture of the mysterious tribe living in the volcanic area and put forward new thinking on the nature of the Na'vi.
