I’m not sure why I even do this list anymore, since I hate watching trailers, and I hate raising my expectations too much for movies that I may or may not have even seen a trailer or anything for, but anyway, here’s my list.
If you happened to remember my anticipated list from earlier this year, and then, compared it to my Top 25 from 2025, which I posted last week, you’d see that there wasn’t a ton of crossover, so hopefully, I’ll do a better job picking movies that I actually end up liking.
(Since most of the movies won’t be out for a while, I didn’t have a ton of pictures to include in this list.)
1. Avengers: Doomsday (Marvel/Disney) – December 18
No surprises or apologies here, as I’m a lifelong comic book reader (though not as much anymore) and I loved the four movies directed by the Russo Brothers. Sure, there may be some misgivings by having too many characters in this, but I love the idea of Downey as Doom and Fantastic Four: First Steps (which DID make my Top 25) was a great precursor for Marvel to make its comeback.
2. Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Sony) – July 31
Although I haven’t seen nearly as much from Destin Daniel Cretton’s upcoming fourth Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland, most of what I’ve heard sounds like they might be doing more of a street-level crime movie, which is more Spider-Man’s wheelhouse than all the cosmic stuff. I’ll definitely be curious to see what they do and how it leads into Doomsday five months later.
3. Dune Messiah (Warner Bros.) – December 18
(Or maybe it’s called Dune: Part 3?) I loved Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part 2 so much, that I am so excited to see what he does next with his cast in a movie that’s supposed to cut forward 12 years in the lives of Paul Atreides and Chani. I’m a little nervous about its release date, currently opposite Doomsday, but maybe Villeneuve can surprise us and get the movie released sometime in October or November. Just please don’t delay it to 2027, since this is Denis’ best bet to win his much-deserved Oscar as a director.
4. The Odyssey (Universal) – July 17
I had Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic higher on my list of anticipated movies before, but then I thought about it more, and figured I probably just wait to see more before getting that excited. I loved all the Ray Harryhausen-animated Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts movies in all their cheesiness, but I’m not quite sure how Nolan might handle similar material, but this will be very serious.
5. Supergirl (Warner Bros.) – June 26
Although I wasn’t a huge fan of James Gunn’s Superman, I did love the bits with Milly Alcock’s Kara Zor-el’s Supergirl and Krypto, so hopefully, this movie directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya) and supposedly based on Tom King’s “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” graphic novel will deliver and keep DC Entertainment’s ball rolling.
6. Werwulf (Focus Features) – December 25
Robert Egger’s Nosferatu was one of my favorite movies of 2024, so I’m excited to see him remain in the horror realm for this original werewolf movie, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily Rose-Depp from Nosferatu, as well as his regulars, Willem Dafoe and Ralph Ineson.
7. Disclosure Day (Universal) – June 12
I finally watched the first teaser for Steven Spielberg’s new alien invasion movie, and it looks pretty cool, like a cross between his earlier films Close Encounters of a Third Kind and War of the Worlds with M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. Plus it stars Emily Blunt, and this will have to tide us all over until the next A Quiet Place movie.
8. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Sony) – Jan 16
I liked Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later just fine enough to have seen it twice, and intrigued enough to see what happens in its direct sequel, directed by Nia DaCosta. Seen the trailer a few times but otherwise, I’ll be excited to see if they can complete the trilogy.
9. Super Troopers 3 (Searchlight)
What can I say? I’ve loved the Broken Lizard guys long before I had a chance to meet and interview them. While I can’t remember the 2018 sequel being as good as the original, but I’m convinced that if they have chosen to make a third movie, they must have some good ideas.
10. Ready or Not: Here I Come (Searchlight) – March 27
Radio Silence’s 2019 horror movie, starring Samara Weaving, was one of the nicest surprises of that year, and I’ve really enjoyed the movies they’ve made since then, so I’m just as excited to see what’s next for her character.
11. Scary Movie 6 (Paramount) – June 12
If it isn’t obvious by now, I love horror, but I also love comedies, and there’s so much potential for this return of Marlon Wayans (and Anna Faris and Regina Hall) to the satire films that helped make them all names in the early ‘00s. In the 12 years since Malcolm D. Lee’s underperforming Scary Movie V, there have been so many other horror movies worth spoofing, so I can’t wait to see what they do.
12. Thanksgiving 2 (Sony) – November
I was kinda shocked by how much I loved Eli Roth’s 2024 horror spoof that came out of a fake trailer he made for Grindhouse, and I was delighted when I heard that it did well enough for Roth to make another movie, so hopefully this is as horrifying and hilarious as that first movie.
13. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (Briarcliff) – February 13
Gore Verbinski is back, and I’m so excited to see what he does with this fantastic cast, including Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Juno Temple, and Michael Peña, with a crazy premise involving action and maybe a little sci-fi? Verbinski’s A Cure For Wellness was such a cool and strange horror movie, and I’ve been waiting ten years for him to make another movie. (I even wrote about Verbinski’s absence for Collider.)
14. 4 Kid Walk into a Bank (Amazon MGM) – April 17
The Matthew Rosenberg/Tyler Boss comic book was one of the nicest surprises when I first read it, though it ended up getting waylaid by some delays. Still, it’s great source material for a movie that could be a cross between Reservoir Dogs and “Stranger Things.” The feature debut from Frankie Shaw (“SMILF”) has such a great cast, too, including Liam Neeson, Teresa Palmer, Jack Dylan Glazer, and Jim Sturgess, so I have high hopes.
15. Digger (Warner Bros.) – Oct. 2
Sure, I’ll include some prestige stuff in this year’s list, but that’s because Alejandro Iñarritu has made so many great films, and I’m really curious to see what he does with Tom Cruise. Will it be next year’s One Battle After Another maybe? I have no idea, since I have no idea what the movie is about, even after watching the trailer of Cruise dancing.
16. Resident Evil (Sony) – September 18
Zach Cregger’s previous two original horror movies were so great that I can’t wait to see what he does in the world of franchises, especially one that’s already delivered many movies I’ve enjoyed. There’s a lot from the video games that have been explored, but maybe Cregger can get some cool characters into the mix and maybe some humor.
17. Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol (Paramount) – November 13
Ti West directing a big studio movie and an adaptation of one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time, based on Charles Dickens? I was already in before seeing that Johnny Depp would be making a comeback as Scrooge with a supporting cast that includes Daisy Ridley, Ian McKellen, Sam Claflin, Rupert Grint, and Andrea Riseborough.
18. Jumanji 3 (Sony) – December 11
I loved the first of these movies, starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan, and the sequel also had a lot of funny moments, so I’ll be curious to see what filmmaker Jake Kasdan does on his third movie, especially after making the terrible Red One.
19. Clayface (Warner Bros.) – September 11
Although I don’t know a lot about this, I love the comic book character, and I’m really curious to see what DC Entertainment does with the character in more of a horror setting. Gonna be interesting to see how they created his main look, whether it be practical FX or CG.
20. Coyote vs. ACME (Ketchup) – August 28
I honestly can’t believe how long it’s taken for this to get a release, since I remember talking about it to screenwriter Samy Burch back in 2023, who was nominated for an Oscar for Todd Haynes’ May December. I don’t know a ton about it other than it stars Will Forte and is based on a magazine article (and being a mix of live action and animation). Even so, Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner are some of my favorite Looney Tunes characters, so I’m excited for this to finally see the light of day.
21. Normal (Magnolia) – April 17
I first heard about this when talking to writer Derek Kolstad, best known for the John Wick movies, at an event, and he was telling me that he had another movie starring Bob Odenkirk, and this one was directed by Ben Wheatley, who I love. The movie debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, which I didn’t attend, but glad it’ll be released by Magnolia, as it might be one of their bigger movies.
22. Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
I’m so excited to see David Wain and Ken Marino reuniting for a new feature that will premiere at Sundance in January, and one of the movies that made me wish I could attend in person, since I first interview David and Ken for The Ten at my first year at Sundance.
23. Insidious: The Bleeding World (Sony)
I don’t know much about what’s planned for this new installment in the series other than Lin Shaye returning, but that’s enough for me. Can’t wait.
24. See You When I See You
I’m so excited to see Jay Duplas back making movies after this past year’s The Baltimorons, which made my Top 25, and he has a great cast for this one, including Kumail Nanjiani, Kaitlyn Dever, Hope Davis, and David Duchovny. It’s a family dramedy about mental health issues, so perfect for Sundance and for Duplas!
25. Focker-in-Law (Universal) – November 25
I’m a big fan of John Hamburg’s sense of humor, and not just from writing all the installments in this Robert De Niro-Ben Stiller comedy, but also directing the classic I Love You, Man. I can’t wait to see what he does when he’s also directing but also bringing on some new characters, played by Skyler Gisondo and Ariana Grande.
Apologies to Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! Which I had to bump to make way for some Sundance movies.
So right now, that’s what I’m looking forward to. Some of these movies might get delayed, other movies will be added, but I think this should be another fun year at the movies.
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