80. “Captain America: Brave New World”
Was the massive success of “Deadpool & Wolverine” an outlier or a return to the norm for Marvel? Time will soon tell. ‘Brave New World’ is the first Captain America movie to star Anthony Mackie, and it’s a return to the conspiracy thriller genre. Supported by Harrison Ford as the President, plus Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, and Giancarlo Esposito, MCU tie-ins include Danny Ramirez and Carl Lumbly from “The Falcon & The Winter Soldier,” and Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson from “The Incredible Hulk.” ‘F&WS’ showrunner Malcolm Spellman returns to co-write the script and Julius Onah (“Luce“) directs.
Release Date: February 14, 2025, via Marvel and Disney.
79. “The Legend Of Ochi”
The directorial debut of Isaiah Saxon, known for creating ambitious music videos and short films with an organic, handmade quality (Grizzly Bear and Björk) and founding an animation studio, “The Legend of Ochi” is an A24 fantasy adventure film about a young girl (Helena Zengel) who runs away from home and learns how to communicate with a dangerous creatures species known as Ochi. Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Finn Wolfhard co-star.
Release Date: February 28, 2025, via A24.
78. “Ballerina”
A deadly ballerina assassin (Ana de Armas) hunts the murderers of her family in an action thriller spin-off set within the “John Wick”-verse (specifically between the events of ‘Parabellum’ and ‘Chapter 4’). Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, and Ian McShane co-star, along with a small role for Keanu Reeves. Len Wiseman, known for the “Underworld” franchise, directs, and Emerald Fennell did a script punch-up. But the real story is that ‘Wick’ franchise mastermind Chad Stahelski basically took over and reshot most of the action, delaying it for a year.
Release Date: June 6, 2025, via Lionsgate.
77. “Holland, Michigan”
Music video director Mimi Cave broke out with 2022’s dark satirical thriller and directorial debut “Fresh.” Hollywood immediately took notice, and she’s back with a new suburban thriller with a starry cast, including Nicole Kidman (who also serves as a producer), Gael Garcia Bernal, Matthew MacFadyen, and Rachel Sennott. The film centers on a woman who suspects her husband is cheating and enters into an affair of her own before learning about her husband’s true, dark, secret life.
Release Date: TBD via Amazon MGM.
76. “Hedda”
Following her foray into blockbusters with “The Marvels,” filmmaker Nia DaCosta gears down for something more intimate and character-based. Described as an “epic and emotional” reimagination of Henrik Ibsen’s renowned stage drama “Hedda Gabler” from 1891, the story follows the titular character, the daughter of a general trapped in a marriage and a house unwillingly. It stars Tessa Thompson, Callum Turner, Eve Hewson, Nina Hoss, and Nicholas Pinnock.
Release Date: TBD.
Tessa Thompson & ‘The Marvels’ Director Nia DaCosta Reunite For Hedda Gabler Film At Orion/Plan B https://t.co/op2Iw1bkvE pic.twitter.com/AH4oJH3GdJ
— The Playlist (@ThePlaylistNews) April 14, 2023
75. “The Ice Tower”
French writer/director Lucile Hadzihalilovic (“Evolution“) follows up 2021’s “Earwig” with a new drama starring Marion Cotillard. The film centers on a 15-year-old orphan who witnesses the shoot for a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its mysterious and alluring star. Clara Pacini, August Diehl and French director Gaspar Noé co-star.
Release Date: TBD, but surely to have an international festival bow first.
74. “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
Little is known about “Waves” filmmaker Trey Edward Shults’ new film, but it stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye (“The Idol”) and is based on a script Shults co-wrote with Tesfaye and his producing partner Reza Fahim. Rumored to be a horror thriller, Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan co-star and OPN, aka Daniel Lopatin (“ Uncut Gems”), is scoring the film alongside The Weeknd. Shults apparently also shot another secret and entirely different 2023 film, but maybe that’s not until next year?
Release Date: TBD, but maybe a Sundance or SXSW debut?
‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’: Trey Edward Shults Film Starring The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega & Barry Keoghan Lands A Studio https://t.co/ijjpL40z4o pic.twitter.com/UW32FKstDN
— The Playlist (@ThePlaylistNews) November 11, 2024
73. “The Actor”
Once a project for Ryan Gosling (who moves to exec producer), filmmaker Duke Johnson’s (co-director of “Anomalisa” with Charlie Kaufman) latest is based on Donald Westlake’s crime mystery novel “Memory.” André Holland stars as a New York actor struggling with memory loss, and he attempts to rebuild his life in 1950s Ohio after being hospitalized and left for dead. Gemma Chan, May Calamawy, Toby Jones, Joe Cole, Tracey Ullman, and more co-star.
Release Date: TBD via Neon.
72. “Golden”
After years away from Hollywood (2011’s “The Green Hornet” to be precise), French filmmaker Michel Gondry comes coming-of-age musical semi-autobiographically based on the life of musician Pharrell Williams‘ childhood growing up in Virginia Beach’s Atlantis Apartments. Kelvin Harrison Jr. stars alongside Halle Bailey, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, Quinta Brunson, Janelle Monáe, Anderson .Paak, and Missy Elliott.
Release Date: May 9, 2025, by Universal Pictures.
Michel Gondry To Direct Period Musical For Universal & Pharrell Williams; Kelvin Harrison Jr. To Star & Da’Vine Joy Randolph In Final Talks https://t.co/LPYgu1EluD pic.twitter.com/OwyacALIRJ
— The Playlist (@ThePlaylistNews) March 22, 2024
71. “The Black Phone 2”
Horror filmmaker Scott Derrickson is going to have a busy 2025. “The Gorge,” starring Anya Taylor-Joy, is already ready for release, and “The Black Phone 2” will hit around Halloween. Little is about the sequel to the abduction horror thriller, but Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Miguel Cazarez Mora are all expected to return, though production has yet to begin.
Release Date: October 17, 2025, via Universal.
