As we approach the end of 2025, it’s that time of the year to look back at some of the biggest and most popular shows that have been released on Disney+ throughout the year. We’ve seen plenty of new original films released on Disney+ and Hulu throughout the year, including many movies from studios such as Marvel, 20th Century Studios and Pixar.
This list includes many films that are available via Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States, but have also been released on Disney+ internationally.
Here are my top ten films released on Disney+ in 2025 (In no particular order):
Thunderbolts*
In “Thunderbolts*” Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?
This ragtag group of heroes and villains delivered one of my favourite films of 2025, with some fantastic humour, but also something a little fresh for the MCU. These are the characters, who usually sit on the sidelines, but it’s fun to see them get their own adventure, especially at a time without the major iconic Avenger characters around.
Lilo & Stitch
A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, “Lilo & Stitch” is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.
The biggest movie of the summer was this loveable retelling of the classic story, with lots of funny moments and a strong family message. This is easily one of the best films released by Disney in 2025.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Easily my favourite Marvel film released in 2025, this charming film brings something fresh to the MCU but also gives us a different take on the iconic family. We’ve already seen these characters on our screens before, but shifting the characters over to an alternative universe and already establishing them as known characters meant it looked very different from anything we’ve seen from them in the past, but also got straight to the point.
The Amateur
Charlie Heller is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley, whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge.
20th Century Studios delivers another solid global adventure thriller that has a fantastic cast and an interesting story, which would probably be turned into an eight-episode mini-series, rather than a movie.
Eenie Meanie
The original film follows a former teenage getaway driver who is dragged back into her unsavoury past when a previous employer offers her the chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend.
20th Century Studios delivers a movie that could have been released in the 90s, with lots of fantastic car chases and a simplistic action film that I really enjoyed. They don’t make them like this anymore.
Elio
For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers—in Disney and Pixar’s all-new feature film “Elio,” the universe calls back! The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession. So, when he’s beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organisation with representatives from galaxies far and wide, Elio’s all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.
Pixar once again delivers a lovely tale for the whole family, with “Elio” having plenty of fun moments for everyone, along with some good old-fashioned family-friendly storytelling. With so many sequels, prequels and reboots released by Disney each year, having something new and original is important. While this movie won’t go down as one of Pixar’s best films, I still think it’s worth watching.
Captain America: Brave New World
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
This follow-up to the Disney+ Original series, “The Falcon And The Winter Soldier”, brings Sam Wilson’s version of Captain America to the big screen for a big epic adventure, which often feels more like a sequel to “The Incredible Hulk”, without actually using the big green guy. There’s plenty of big action scenes to entertain, and hopefully, more people check out this solid addition to the MCU.
Moana 2
Moana and Maui return three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
One of the biggest box office hits of 2024 was “Moana 2”, which hit Disney+ earlier this year and was originally made to be a Disney+ original series, before it was adapted into a new film. If you love “Moana, you’ll love this one too, with plenty of catchy songs and fun moments. It’s clear we are going to see plenty more “Moana” in the future, arriving on Disney+.
The Roses
Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Ivy and Theo: successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. But beneath the façade of their supposed ideal life, a storm is brewing – as Theo’s career nosedives while Ivy’s own ambitions take off, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentment ignites.
One of the biggest surprises of 2025 for me was “The Roses”, a delightful comedy about a couple who drift apart and we get to see them really take it to one another. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and an all-star cast that is certainly worth watching.
Predator: Killer Of Killers
The anthology story follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge, a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession, and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent – the ultimate killer of killers.
This was one of the surprise hits of the year, as we didn’t know it was coming! Taking the iconic franchise into the world of animation was a bold step and allowed multiple stories to be told on our screen, that would never have happened in live-action, since it just would have been way too expensive to do so. If you love the “Predator” franchise, this is a must-watch.
What movies did you enjoy watching on Disney+ in 2025? Let me know on social media!
Source link
