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Moviefone’s 25 best movies of 2025.
As we start to close the book on 2025, it’s time to look back at the 25 best movies of the year!
2025 saw new films from acclaimed filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson (‘One Battle After Another’) and Ryan Coogler (‘Sinners’), animated hits like ‘Kpop: Demon Hunters’ and ‘Zootopia 2’, scary movies such as ‘Weapons’, long-awaited sequels like ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ and ‘Wicked: For Good’, reimagined superhero movies such as ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and James Gunn’s ‘Superman’, and awards contenders like ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Hamnet’.
Release Date: Dec 5, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 6 min
Budget: $30,000,000
With the year quickly coming to a close, Moviefone has assembled its list of the 25 best movies of 2025.
Let’s begin and Happy New Year!
Related Article: 24 Best Movies of 2024, Ranked!
Lucy Liu stars in ‘Rosemead’. Photo: Vertical.
From director Eric Lin, in a race against time, an ailing woman (Lucy Liu) discovers her teenage son’s (Lawrence Shou) violent obsessions and must go to great lengths to protect him, and possibly others, in this portrait of a Chinese American family. Inspired by true events.
Release Date: Dec 5, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 37 min
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Christy’. Photo: Black Bear Pictures.
From director David Michôd, Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney) never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia—until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim (Ben Foster). But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it—confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death.
“What does it take to become a legend?”
Release Date: Nov 7, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 15 min
Budget: $15,000,000
(L to R) Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning in ‘Sentimental Value’. Photo: Kasper Tuxen Andersen.
From director Joachim Trier, sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning).
Release Date: Nov 21, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 13 min
Budget: $7,800,000
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
From director Derek Cianfrance, a former Army Ranger and struggling father (Channing Tatum) turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname ‘Roofman’. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for a divorced mom (Kristen Dunst) drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
“Based on actual events. And terrible decisions.”
Release Date: Oct 10, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 6 min
Budget: $18,000,000
Emma Stone stars as Michelle in director Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
From director Yorgos Lanthimos, two conspiracy obsessed young (Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis) men kidnap the high-powered CEO (Emma Stone) of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
“Of all the abductions, this one is different.”
Release Date: Oct 31, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 59 min
Budget: $50,000,000
‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.
From director Osgood Perkins, when twin brothers (both played by Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
“Everybody dies. And that’s fucked up.”
Release Date: Feb 21, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 37 min
Budget: $10,000,000
Denzel Washington in ‘Highest 2 Lowest’. Photo Credit: David Lee.
From director Spike Lee, when a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the “best ears in the business”, is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
Release Date: Aug 15, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 13 min
Budget: $25,000,000
(L to R) Dacre Montgomery as Richard ‘Dick’ Hall and Bill Skarsgård as Tony Kiritsis in ‘Dead Man’s Wire’. Photo: Row K Entertainment
From director Gus Van Sant, set in 1977 and based on a true story, Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), a former real estate developer puts a dead man’s switch on himself and the mortgage banker (Dacre Montgomery) who did him wrong, demanding $5 million and a personal apology.
“His revolution was televised.”
Release Date: Jan 16, 2026
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min
(L to R) Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Predator: Badlands’ film. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, cast out from his clan, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
“First hunt. Last chance.”
Release Date: Nov 7, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 47 min
Budget: $105,000,000
(L to R) Josh O’Connor and Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2025.
From director Rian Johnson, when young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) is sent to assist charismatic firebrand Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), it’s clear that all is not well in the pews. After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, the lack of an obvious suspect prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to join forces with renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
“He works in mysterious ways.”
Release Date: Nov 26, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 25 min
Budget: $210,000,000
Will Arnett stars in ‘Is This Thing On?’ Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Jason McDonald/ Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
From director Bradley Cooper, as their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.
Release Date: Dec 19, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 1 min
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
From director James Cameron, in the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang (Oona Chaplin). Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
“The world of Pandora will change forever.”
Release Date: Dec 19, 2025
Run Time: 3 hr 18 min
Budget: $350,000,000
David Corenswet as Superman in DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Superman’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.
From director James Gunn, Superman (David Corenswet), a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
Release Date: Jul 11, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 10 min
Budget: $225,000,000
Jacob Elordi as The Creature in ‘Frankenstein’. Photo: Ken Woroner/Netflix © 2025.
From director Guillermo del Toro, Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
“Only monsters play God.”
Release Date: Oct 17, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 30 min
Budget: $120,000,000
Colin Farrell in ‘Ballad of a Small Player’. Photo: Netflix. Netflix. © 2024.
From director Edward Berger, amid the glittering casinos of Macau, a gambler (Colin Farrell) running from his past — and his debts — becomes fascinated by an enigmatic woman at the baccarat table.
Release Date: Oct 15, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 41 min
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Eddington’. Photo: A24.
From director Ari Aster, in May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.
Release Date: Jul 18, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 28 min
Budget: $25,000,000
(L to R) Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz) and Hank (Austin Butler) have a moment outside a New York bar in Columbia Pictures ‘Caught Stealing’. Photo: Niko Tavernise.© 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved. **ALL IMAGES ARE PROPERTY OF SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC. FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY. SALE, DUPLICATION OR TRANSFER OF THIS MATERIAL IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
From director Darren Aronofsky, burned-out ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of late 1990s New York City, forced to navigate a treacherous underworld he never imagined.
“2 Russians, 2 Jews, and a Puerto Rican walk into a bar…”
Release Date: Aug 29, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 47 min
Budget: $40,000,000
George Clooney as Jay Kelly in ‘Jay Kelly’. Cr. Peter Mountain/Netflix © 2025.
From director Noah Baumbach, famous movie actor Jay Kelly (George Clooney) embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting both his past and present, accompanied by his devoted manager, Ron (Adam Sandler).
“Everybody knows Jay Kelly, but Jay Kelly doesn’t know himself.”
Release Date: Nov 14, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 12 min
Michael Fassbender stars as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
From director Steven Soderbergh, ‘Black Bag’ is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his beloved wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.
“It takes a spy to hunt a spy.”
Release Date: Mar 14, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 34 min
Budget: $50,000,000
Benicio Del Toro stars as Zsa-Zsa Korda in director Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of TPS Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
From director Wes Anderson, the film tells the story of a family and a family business starring Benicio del Toro.
“If something gets in your way: flatten it.”
Release Date: Jun 6, 2025
Run Time: 1 hr 42 min
Budget: $30,000,000
5. ‘F1’
Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
From director Joseph Kosinski, racing legend Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver (Damson Idris), while chasing one more chance at glory.
Release Date: Jun 27, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 36 min
Budget: $250,000,000
Josh Brolin as Archer in New Line Cinema’s ‘Weapons,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
From director Zach Cregger, when all but one child (Cary Christopher) from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
“Last night at 2:17 AM, every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class went missing.”
Release Date: Aug 8, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 9 min
Budget: $38,000,000
Timothée Chalamet in ‘Marty Supreme’. Photo: A24.
From director Josh Safdie, in 1950s New York, Marty Mauser, (Timothée Chalamet) a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.
Release Date: Dec 25, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 30 min
Budget: $70,000,000
Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Sinners,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
From director Ryan Coogler, trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Release Date: Apr 18, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 18 min
Budget: $90,000,000
Leonardo Di Caprio as Bob Ferguson in ‘One Battle After Another.’ A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
From director Paul Thomas Anderson, washed-up revolutionary Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Sean Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.
“Some search for battle, others are born into it…”
Release Date: Sep 26, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 42 min
Budget: $175,000,000
