2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know about

School is starting up. Summer is drawing to a close. And you know what that means? Fall movie season is upon us!

‘Tis the season for film festivals to channel their very best into theaters nationwide, for studios to unfurl their flashiest movies ahead of the holidays, and for hidden gems to shine independently!

Below, Mashable’s entertainment team has highlighted the must-see movies, the star-studded spectacles, the enticing sequels, the festival favorites, and the most intriguing new films that should be on your radar. Have your calendar ready as we preview the most exciting movies this fall (and winter) have to offer.

Whether in theaters, on demand, or streaming, these movies promise side-splitting laughs, pulse-pounding thrills, heart-breaking drama, and much, much more.

September 2025 releases

Highest 2 Lowest

Together, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee have made Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Inside Man, and now Highest 2 Lowest. And that sentence alone doesn’t have you hyped, check out my review, where I proclaim, “Highest 2 Lowest is Lee and Washington, reunited and good as ever.”

A remake of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, Highest 2 Lowest stars Washington as a record mogul whose world is thrown into spin when his son is kidnapped for a hefty ransom. Transporting this story to the streets of New York, Lee makes it his own, while Washington lays down a performance that’s alive and exhilarating. Plus, A$AP Rocky delivers a star-making turn as street-smart rapper who takes a big swing. Whether you see it in theaters or stream it, don’t miss Highest 2 Lowest.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and A$AP Rocky

How to watch: Highest 2 Lowest is now in theaters; it comes to Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

The Baltimorons

Is it too soon to call this one of my favorite movies of the year? Because nothing in 2025 has made me laugh like The Baltimorons. (Though The Naked Gun came close!)

Written by director Jay Duplass and star Michael Strassner, The Baltimorons centers on the unlikely friendship that blooms between two screw-ups on Christmas Eve in Baltimore. Cliff Cashen (Strassner) is a improv comic who’s trying to settle down with a serious job and serious girlfriend. But on his way to her family’s house, he breaks a tooth and requires emergency dental attention… on Christmas Eve. Lucky for him, Dr. Didi Dahl (Liz Larsen) saw her plans for the night go up in smoke, so she can come to the rescue, even if she grumbles about it. From this odd premise, hilarity ensues.

In my review out of SXSW, I cheered, “The Baltimorons is a celebration of those moments when — despite all the reasons to shield ourselves from a cruel world — we open up to a new friend. It’s about the magic in being vulnerable, not out of naiveté but out of hope.” Seek it out!

Starring: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen, and Olivia Luccardi

How to watch: The Baltimorons opens in limited release on Sept. 5 before expanding nationwide Sept. 12.

Twinless

One of the most buzzed-about movies out of Sundance 2025, Twinless is a tale of love, grief, and obsession.

Writer/director James Sweeney stars as Dennis, a young man who makes a new friend in a support group for those mourning the death of their twin. But Dennis craves more, and what he’ll do to get that is outrageous.

Out of Sundance, Sweeney won praise for the movie’s titillating and twisted turns, while Dylan O’Brien won praise for playing two very different twins. One is a debonair gay man who oozes confidence, while the other is his straight and emotionally shut-down brother who’s struggling to understand a world without his other half. Devilishly deranged, sexy, and funny, Twinless will be sure to have tongues wagging this fall.

Starring: James Sweeney, Dylan O’Brien, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti, and Tasha Smith

How to watch: Twinless opens in theaters on Sept. 5.

Him

Being a pro athlete is the dream. But what if it turns into a nightmare?

Jordan Peele, who brought us the mind-bending nightmares of Get Out, Us, and Nope, produced Him, directed by Justin Tipping. Grounded in the world of professional football, this sports thriller follows rising star Cameron Cade (former college wide receiver Tyriq Withers) who seems to have the world at his fingertips, when a legendary quarterback (Marlon Wayans) invites him to a remote training facility to become his protege. But a bizarre act of violence throws Cade’s future in the NFL into question. What is he willing to sacrifice? We bet the answer will rattle our nerves.

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, and Jim Jefferies

How to watch: Him opens in theaters on Sept. 19.

American Sweatshop

One of our favorites out of SXSW 2025, American Sweatshop is a “cyberthriller for the doomscrolling age,” as I declared in my review.

Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart stars as a young woman who makes rent by working as a content moderator at a video site. There, she and her co-workers are subjected to truly heinous footage of violence and depravity, which director Uta Briesewitz shrewdly keeps offscreen, so your imagination fills in the terrible gaps.

Haunted by a seeming snuff film, Reinhart’s righteous heroine seeks some sort of real-world justice for the mysterious victim. Along the way, American Sweatshop builds dark thrills alongside even darker jokes. As I wrote in our review, “[It] gets under your skin, creeping up your spine to bend your brain. Like the internet videos that are its grim inspiration, it’s not easy to shake off the chills American Sweatshop triggers.”

Starring: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, and Joel Fry

How to watch: American Sweatshop opens in theaters Sept. 19.

One Battle After Another

Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio join forces for an action-thriller that looks to be one wild ride — with some solid punchlines!

Written and directed by Anderson, One Battle After Another stars DiCaprio as a former revolutionary who has to jump back into the fray when an old enemy surfaces and abducts his daughter. While that might seem like a pretty stone-faced action premise, the trailers for Anderson’s latest reveal an earnest heart in their depictions of the father-daughter relationship. Plus, they brandish an all-star cast that includes Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti

How to watch: One Battle After Another opens in theaters Sept. 26.

October 2025 releases

The Smashing Machine

You might recognize his voice. But heavy prosthetics on his face means you may not clock Dwayne Johnson in the lead role of this biopic from writer/director Benny Safdie.

Johnson brings his acting chops and WWE expertise together to star as UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Inside the arena, he is a terrifying titan. Outside, he’s a gentle man, but one with demons to battle. Emily Blunt co-stars as Mark’s wife, Dawn Staples. Together, they reveal the battles beyond the ring. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of its theatrical debut, The Smashing Machine could pave the path to Oscar gold as the Academy loves a drama about a pro fighter. (See The Fighter, The Wrestler, Raging Bull…) Could it be a contender?

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk

How to watch: The Smashing Machine opens in theaters on Oct. 3.

Good Boy

Another favorite out of SXSW, Good Boy has a wickedly perfect premise: A dog is trapped in haunted house, while his owner is oblivious to the ghostly evils there.

Co-writer/director Ben Leonberg cast his own family dog Indy, described in the press notes as “a middle-aged, 35-pound retriever who has no idea that he’s a movie star.” The riveting retriever carries this lean and tense movie on his furry shoulders, chasing shadows, barking in warning, and generally being the goodest of boys.

As I cheered in my rave review, “Good Boy is a deceptively simple horror movie that hits hard. You’ll gasp. You’ll scream. You’ll pull your hands over your eyes and hope desperately for the best. It’s a ruthless blast.”

Starring: Indy the dog, Larry Fessenden, and Arielle Friedman

How to watch: Good Boy opens in theaters on Oct. 3.

Good Fortune

Imagine if Keanu Reeves were your guardian angel? Sounds like a dream right? Well, in the new comedy written, directed, and starring Aziz Ansari, it’s more a wacky misadventure.

Reeves stars as Gabriel, a well-meaning but inept guardian angel who’s trying to make a big difference in the life of a struggling gig worker named Arj (Ansari). So, he pulls a Trading Places, swapping Arj’s circumstances with a wealthy tech bro, played by Seth Rogen.

Mashable Top Stories

Keanu Reeves as a (hot) angel. Comedy titans team up with stunning funny ladies Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, and an eat-the-rich edge? Dear God, we’re ready.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and Keanu Reeves

How to watch: Good Fortune opens in theaters on Oct. 17.

A House of Dynamite

Academy Award–winning director of The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow returns with a fresh political thriller, A House of Dynamite.

For now, Netflix is keeping their secrets close to their chest in regards to this movie. But we do know it centers on the fallout when a single, unattributed missile is fired at the United States. Who did it? How will the U.S. respond? From Zero Day writer Noah Oppenheim, A House of Dynamite promises political intrigue and a star-stuffed cast. But hey, you had us at Bigelow.

Starring: Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke

How to watch: A House of Dynamite debuts on Netflix on Oct. 24.

Bugonia

Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are cinema collaborators who refuse to play it safe. First, they teamed up in The Favourite, where Stone played a character who went from being covered in feces to the right hand of the queen. Then, Poor Things delved into kinky sex and reincarnated corpses, winning critics’ praise and several Academy Awards. Now, on the heels of the more polarizing and more provocative Kinds of Kindness, comes Bugonia.

Based on the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia stars Stone as a pharmaceutical CEO who is kidnapped by a conspiracy theorist (Kinds of Kindness‘ Jesse Plemons), who believes she’s an alien. Look, in many a movie premise, the kooky kidnapper would be wrong. But we know better than to assume we can guess what Lanthimos has in store.

Starring: Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone

How to watch: Bugonia opens in theaters on Oct. 24.

Mortal Kombat II

Director Simon McQuoid and company are back with a sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat. And like the video game that inspired both movies, this martial arts fantasy film is so violent that Warner Bros. already released a red-band trailer. So, buckle up.

Going for some fish-out-of-water comedy, Mortal Kombat II focuses on washed-up American action hero Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), who goes from swatting away intrusive fan boys to training for the titular to-the-death showdown. Surrounded by fearsome warriors like Kitana, Lord Raiden, and Scorpion, how could a guy whose biggest flex is his handsomeness possibly stand a chance? We are game to find out.

Starring: Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, and Tati Gabrielle

How to watch: Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on Oct. 24.

November 2025 releases

Predator: Badlands

Between Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, and the upcoming Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg has become the captain of this alien hunter franchise, taking big swings with each new movie. In Predator: Badlands, the screenplay co-written by Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison turns the tables by making the predator the story’s protagonist instead of antagonist.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi stars as Dek, a runt of a Predator litter. Outcast from his clan on a remote planet, he makes an unusual alliance with Thia (Elle Fanning), an android made by the Weyland-Yutani company. (Hey there, continued Aliens/Predator crossover!) Between this and Alien: Earth, fans of sci-fi action are thriving this fall.

Starring: Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi

How to watch: Predator: Badlands opens in theaters on Nov. 7.

Keeper

Osgood Perkins has been chiseling out his name in horror, directing films like I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, Longlegs, and The Monkey. So what does he have in store for Keeper? Something sinister for sure.

The Monkey‘s Tatiana Maslany reunites with Perkins to play a woman whose romantic anniversary getaway to a secluded cabin goes horrifically sideways. How so? Well, Perkins is laying breadcrumbs in the film’s trailers. What’s your best guess?

Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Rossif Sutherland, Birkett Turton, Erin Boyes, and Tess Degenstein

How to watch: Keeper opens in theaters on Nov. 14.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t

In 2013, Now You See Me introduced audiences to a gang of roguish Vegas magicians known as The Four Horsemen. Over two films, they went on wild heists with mind-bending reveals. Now, they’re back — and with some fresh blood in the crew.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland), Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) and his crew going after “the most valuable jewel in history.” To get it, they’ll need to outsmart a massively wealthy, glamorous, and powerful arms dealer (Rosamund Pike). So, now it’s not just a heist, it’s a bit of vigilante hero work to bring the crime family down. Go big or don’t sequel, right?

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike

How to watch: Now You See Me: Now You Don’t opens in theaters on Nov. 14.

Wicked: For Good

Last year, Wicked was a smashing success, thrilling audiences and snagging Academy Award nominations for its stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande — as well as a Best Picture nod. Its sequel (or Part 2) is easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, delivering the smashing finale of the epic Broadway musical.

While theater kids can recite the songs it’ll offer from memory, it’s harder to say what director Jon M. Chu will have in mind for his big climax. However, the first trailer gives a look at what’s become of Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, Madame Morrible, and The Wizard of Oz. Plus, we get a peek at Dorothy and her Yellow Brick Road buddies. Are you ready to fly (back to theaters)?

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum

How to watch: Wicked: For Good opens in theaters Nov. 21.

Zootopia 2

Officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and her newly minted partner Office Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) are having a hard time coming together. But when Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) orders them to locate a venomous snake in the eponymous metropolis, they better pull it together or they’ll be split up.

Good news, the snake in question is voiced by Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. And from the looks of this trailer, the sequel to Zootopia will be bringing big buddy-cop energy, new kooky corners to this wild world, and fresh — and fuzzy — fun.

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, and Shakira

How to watch: Zootopia 2 opens in theaters Nov. 26.

Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro has made his name in monster movies featuring all kinds of monsters: From the superhero beasts of Blade II and Hellboy to the folklore creatures in Pan’s Labyrinth, the kaiju of Pacific Rim, the ghastly ghosts of Crimson Peak, and the Oscar–winning wonder of The Shape of Water. Now, he brings us the father (or mother?) of monster movies: Frankenstein.

Adapted from Mary Shelley’s landmark 1818 novel, Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as an arrogant genius of a scientist named Victor Frankenstein, who dreams of reignited life in a cobbled-together corpse. Who will play this iconic monster? Jacob Elordi. Look, the way del Toro boldly blends the beautiful and the beastly, I have no questions, no notes. My body is ready.

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz

How to watch: Frankenstein will come to Netflix this November.

December 2025 releases

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2

After the booming box office success of Five Nights at Freddy‘s, director Emma Tammi is back at the helm for the sequel. Based on Scott Cawthon’s popular video game series, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 picks up with Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), who managed to survive his night gig at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a haunted arcade, where the souls of murdered children power rotting animatronic animals!

A year after the events of the first movie, Mike and his girlfriend Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) are trying to piece together a normal life. But when Mike’s little sister Abby (Piper Rubio) reconnects through a creepy radio with her ghostly buddies, the game is on. Big spooky vibes — just in time for the holidays?

Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, and Teo Briones

How to watch: Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 opens in theaters Dec. 5.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Knives Out. The Glass Onion. Now, mystery-weaver Rian Johnson brings Wake Up Dead Man, the third installment of Benoit Blanc whodunnits.

Ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the details on Wake Up Dead Man are scarce. What we do know is the setting is a small town’s local church, where the legendary sleuth encounters a deadly crime as well as a pair of priests played by Josh O’Connor and Josh Brolin. Like its predecessors, this sequel boasts a jaw-dropping array of stars. But what murder and mischief they’ll get up to is a mystery for now!

Starring: Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church

How to watch: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery debuts on Netflix on Dec. 12.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron returns near Christmas for the latest chapter of his eye-popping Avatar saga.

Human marine turned Na’vi advocate Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), his warrior wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their children are seeking safety from the vicious Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). In their search, they discover new corners of Pandora, and with them, new tribes like the Ash People, led by the dynamic Varang (Oona Chaplin).

Cameron and his army of animators, actors, and visual effects artists will bring new wonders to the big screen. Do you dare dive in?

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, and Duane Evans Jr.

How to watch: Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters Dec. 19.

Marty Supreme

Last winter, Timothée Chalamet was playing rock icon Bob Dylan. This winter, he’s bringing his drive to the story of a much less evidently cool historical figure. But take a look at this trailer — Marty’s got swagger.

Inspired by professional table tennis player Marty Reisman, Josh Safdie and his writing partner Ronald Bronstein created a sports dramedy called Marty Supreme. Chalamet stars as Marty Mauser, who may play with small balls but takes big swings. This is not a biopic, but from the trailer, it carries the bravado Chalamet’s brought to such endeavors. We can’t wait to see how this plays out.

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher

How to watch: Marty Supreme opens in theaters Dec. 25.

Song Sung Blue

If you’re hankering for great music, big stars, and a story sure to give your heart a workout, consider Song Sung Blue.

Focus Features has revealed the first look at Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in the lead roles, giving their all to an unheard song. Directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Dolemite Is My Name), Song Sung Blue isn’t about Neil Diamond, the prolific American singer-songwriter who wrote and performed the titular song. Instead, it’s the incredible true story of Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder.

Jackman plays Mike “Lightning” Sardina, while Hudson plays his onscreen wife, Claire “Thunder” Sardina. Together, they raised the roofs of Milwaukee by covering an array of Diamond songs. But their story is one that’s beautiful, bittersweet, and incredible. Don’t google it. Let Song Sung Blue play it for you.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi, Ella Anderson, and King Princess

How to watch: Song Sung Blue opens in theaters Dec. 25.