My Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2025

Halfway through the 2020s already?

Happy New Year to everybody!!! This week I’ll be doing something a little different. I’ll be counting down my ten most anticipated films of 2025. I dislike releasing year-round lists for favorites of 2024 when many limited-release films aren’t going wide till the early months of 2025. So, in the meantime, we’ll be looking at exciting titles in the coming calendar year in no particular order.

As is the case, some of these titles may get delayed and won’t be released in 2025. For example, I’ve excluded Terrence Malick’s long-ruminating The Way of the Wind because, at this point, the film is a myth in itself.

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME (Dir. WES ANDERSON)

(Asteroid City, 2023)

Any time a Wes Anderson film is released, it’s a cause for celebration. Details are sparse but we do know the plot revolves around espionage. Wes Anderson and Spy movie? Sign me up. I’m an avowed fan of Anderson as every Anderson film is a distinct expression of his crazed, dollhouse imagination. His style has evolved considerably since his 1996 debut Bottle Rocket transitioning from intimate, eclectic family dramas to bigger-budget, meticulously crafted ensemble films which showcase his craftsmanship at the highest level. Unforunately, Asteroid City, his last film, leaned too heavily into style over substance for my taste. His host of stock character actors rarely displayed any genuine human emotion, rather manufactured fourth-wall breaking. The Phoenician Scheme starring Benicio Del Toro, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johanson, and a bunch of others, will hopefully change this trend toward the meta. I hope Wes can return to his roots, finding a way to rediscover the humanity present in The Royal Tennenbaums to elevate his worlds from caricature to character.

THE BATTLE OF BAKTAN CROSS (Dir. PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON)

(Shooting of The Battle of Baktan Cross, 2024)

This is arguably the most anticipated film of 2025. Rumors have been circulating about Paul Thomas Anderson’s next project for over a year. Once Leonardo DiCaprio signed on to work with PTA, we knew something wild was in store. The speculation, on-set photos, and secrecy surrounding this project have me clamoring. I don’t think there’s a filmmaker out there with a better filmography than Paul Thomas Anderson. Every one of his films either majorly provokes or wows. You can’t miss him. The Battle of Baktan Cross boasts the largest budget of his career upward of 140 million dollars, produced by Warner Brothers. Banking on DiCaprio’s name value, the film has set itself up with a prime summer release in early August. A lot is riding on this and the plot couldn’t be whackier. From what we know, rumors point to the film being a loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, a notoriously unadaptable author. Yet, PTA did with Inherent Vice and it drove critics right down the line. Add to this, rumors that the film will satirize Trump-era politics within the framework of Pynchon’s Reagan critique, and PTA has a chance to further cement his legacy with a scathing commentary for our times.

EDDINGTON (Dir. ARI ASTER)

(Shooting of Eddington, 2024)

Ari Aster fresh off the most divisive and confounding film of his young career is back yet again. Despite Beau Is Afraid’s failure to ring with critics and audiences alike (though poised for cult status), Aster isn’t shying away from transgressive content, nor should he. Reteaming with Joaquin Phoenix, Aster has set up a new film with A24: a western set during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Too soon? Nah. Phoenix also reteams with Irrational Man co-star Emma Stone, as well as Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler. This one will surely take aim at Covid-era politics with set photos from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (yes, it’s a real place) with signs denouncing Anthony Fauci (remember him). From what I’ve heard about the plot, Pedro Pascal will play the mayor of the fictional town and Phoenix a sheriff, in a classic Western battle. Framing a Western-style story amid a global pandemic is bold. While I wasn’t a major fan of Beau Is Afraid, I find Ari Aster to be among the finest young filmmakers working today.

AFTER THE HUNT (Dir. LUCA GUADAGNINO)

(Challengers, 2024)

After recently reviewing Guadagnino’s Queer, I declared him as one of the finest cinematic voices working today and he’s not stopping. Fresh off two major films in 2024, he’s returning with a new thriller starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri. After the Hunt, set in academia, follows a college professor forced to confront her secretive past after her colleague is faced with a Me-Too-style accusation, unraveling their lives in the process. Guadagnino is an excellent stylist who can certainly elevate anything he touches. He’s one of the few filmmakers with a fine visual sense while depicting and understanding the intricacies of human behavior. Teaming up with a big star like Julia Roberts is just what the doctor ordered. No doubt Julia Roberts will be looking for her 2nd Best Actress trophy.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FINAL RECKONING (Dir. CHRISTOPHER MCQUARRIE)

(Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning, 2025)

Most of these lists by major publications have been littered with popular blockbusters like Superman, Thunderbolts, Snow White, etc. If you’ve been following my substack (AWH Film Reviews), I tend to cover adult-oriented films with a dash of popular filmmaking from time to time. While I don’t scour the depths of arthouse theaters to find the most obscure titles, I still cover films audiences tend to be unaware of. But, I must admit I love Mission: Impossible. Any franchise kicked off by Brian De Palma has to be great. The first few films each had their own style being helmed by various filmmakers like JJ Abrams and John Woo. But the last few have been helmed by Cruise favorite Christopher McQuarrie who’s done a fantastic job growing these stories in scale and thrills. I absolutely adored the most recent installment Dead Reckoning Part 1 which unfortunately predated Barbenheimer by a week, burying it into oblivion. It was host to some of the finest sequences of the series culminating in a tour-de-force train sequence and a nail-biting cliffhanger. Alas, after multiple delays, we finally have what is promised to be the final installment of the series as Cruise enters another auteur phase in his career working on Alejandro Inarritu’s Judy. Safe to say, I cannot wait to accept my mission this coming May (I tried).

ELLA MCCAY (Dir. JAMES L. BROOKS)

(Broadcast News, 1987)

Iconic filmmaker James L. Brooks, the creative force behind beloved classics like Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good As It Gets, returns after a 15-year hiatus. Known for his adept blend of humor and heartbreak for a broader audience, Brooks’ style has inspired countless imitators but remains uniquely his own. His latest project, Ella McCay, stars Emma Mackey as the titular budding politician, supported by a stellar ensemble including Woody Harrelson, Ayo Edebiri, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Albert Brooks. The film explores a newly elected governor's struggles to balance her political ambitions with family life. With echoes of a modern Preston Sturges screwball comedy, this could either become a timeless gem or a dated dumpster fire. Yet with Brooks at the helm, it’s bound to be fun.

THE DRAMA (Dir. KRISTOFER BORGLI)

(Dream Scenario, 2023)

I’m glad to see Kristoger Borgli back at work. Dream Scenario was one of my favorite films of 2023. It was the perfect exploration of the dicey times we find ourselves in and the general paranoia we experience from being chronically online. In these confusing times, satire is much needed and Borgli found a way to blend this with a splash of horror. A common theme here at AWH Film Reviews is elevating new cinematic voices and I hope Borgli follows suit in the same vein as Eggers and Aster in pushing cinema toward a provocative direction. Plot details are sparse to non-existent. From the THR Article in April announcing the film, the plot was said to revolve around two actors who see their relationship change over a day (or so they say) before their big performance, likely drawing from Cassavetes’ Opening Night (a filmmakers’ favorite). Although, I find it hard to believe that the story will remain contained in any one genre. Hopefully, it’ll find ways to poke holes at the foibles of our times possibly with the same bite Borgli possessed in Dream Scenario targeting modern corporatism (ifykyk). Starring two heavy-weights in Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, Borgli sure has more pressure to perform and I believe he’s up to the task. It’s imperative for young filmmakers to work rapidly after a breakout film and Borgli is doing just that.

IN THE HANDS OF DANTE (Dir. JULIAN SCHNABEL)

(whoever made this should burn in dante’s inferno)

Julian Schnabel the acclaimed filmmaker behind The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Basquiat, and Eternity’s Gate has a new film coming this year. Part painter part filmmaker, Schnabel’s films are always must-see events. Only working on a handful of films over thirty years, it’s always exciting to witness the ultra-dimensional filmmaker at work. The cast itself raises the best kind of eyebrows: Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac, Gerard Butler, Gal Gadot, Martin Scorsese, and others. Whoever came up with this hodge-podge of actors deserves a raise. To see members of Den of Thieves and Raging Bull unite will be something to behold. In all seriousness to see mainstream actors who specialize in corporate slop branch out to collaborate with Schnabel is welcome. The film, an adaptation of the novel by Nick Tosches, balances the stories of an author based on Tosches in 2001 attesting to the authenticity of The Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri juxtaposed with Alghieri going on a journey for mystical knowledge. The premise sounds right up Schnabel’s wheelhouse and with such an eclectic cast will be something worth seeking.

JAY KELLY (Dir. NOAH BAUMBACH)

(Frances Ha, 2012)

Who doesn’t love a neurotic, New York comedy? Having helmed indie darlings like Frances Ha, The Meyerowitz Stories, and Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach is returning to Netflix with a seemingly less ambitious project following the ambitious failure of White Noise. Heavyweights Brad Pitt and Adam Sandler star in Jay Kelly. The plot has been kept under wraps but my most educated guess points to some sort of family drama given Baumbach’s previous efforts. Anytime Sandler dusts the old cobwebs and expands his acting chops, the result is always rewarding. In films like the aforementioned Meyerowitz Stories, Uncut Gems, or Punch Drunk Love, Sandler has carved himself out to be a fantastic dramatic actor. Hopefully, Netflix will give this a decent limited theatrical release, but who are we kidding? I’m at least glad Baumbach has found a home to showcase his wonderfully intimate worlds.

THE MASTERMIND (Dir. KELLY REICHARDT)

(Showing Up, 2023)

Reichardt is easily my favorite female filmmaker working in America today. Screw it. One of my favorite filmmakers working in America today. Just like the many filmmakers on this list, she’s carved her cinematic voice over two decades. Her minimalist style and attention to detail are bar none. Her films aren’t dramatically ambitious but they suck you into the characters and world like no other. One of my favorite movie-going experiences in the past few years was watching Showing Up in an empty theater. Who would have guessed a film about a depressed, sculpturist would be so transportive? According to reports, Reichardt is set to release a new film starring Josh O’Connor set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War about an art heist. Don’t expect a typical heist film with this one. I wouldn’t be surprised if the meat of the film has anything to do with the heist. Filmmakers like Reichardt keep audiences on their toes and I can’t wait to see what she has in store.

That’s It.

That’s my list! Keep in mind these aren’t the ten films I believe will be the best in 2025 (that’s impossible to predict, right?), but rather ten I’m looking forward to. I’m sure there are plenty more that will excite me in the coming year, but for now, here’s my list. Please let me know what you think in the comments and if you have any suggestions!