EDDINGTON

July 18, 2025

Directed and Written by Ari Aster
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone
A24

Official Synopsis: In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.

It’s A24. It’s Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau Is Afraid). And even though it didn’t get the greatest reviews coming out of the Cannes Film Festival, I am still looking forward to seeing this one.

the FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

July 25, 2025

Directed by Matt Shakman
Written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer
Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, and Ralph Ineson
Marvel Studios + Walt Disney Pictures

Official Synopsis: Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, the Fantastic Four must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.

Oddly enough, The Fantastic Four might be the movie I’m most excited for this year. Honestly, they could’ve pushed the release to the end of the year and the hype would’ve been unreal. Instead, it’s dropping in the middle of a pretty stacked summer lineup. Still, the cast alone has me sold—Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby are inspired choices, and I’m especially intrigued by Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer. After Thunderbolts*, which really surprised me, I’m curious to see where Marvel goes next. The trailer hints at something more emotional, maybe even a little off the beaten path. I’ve just got a feeling this one’s going to catch us off guard—in the best way.

TOGETHER

July 30, 2025

Directed and Written by Michael Shanks
Starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie
NEON

Official Synopsis: Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country. With tensions already flaring, an encounter with an unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love and their flesh.

Every year, there’s at least one horror film that raises the bar. Last year, it was probably Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs—though In a Violent Nature and Cuckoo made strong cases, too. This year, Together has that same potential. Every time I watch the trailer, it feels like something unexpected and genuinely special is about to unfold. Alison Brie and Dave Franco aren’t exactly names you associate with horror, and that’s part of the intrigue. It’s always exciting when actors known for other genres dive into horror—it can unlock something raw and surprising in their performances.

THE NAKED GUN

August 1, 2025

Directed and Written by Akiva Schaffer
Co-Written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand
Starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston
Paramount Pictures

Official Synopsis: Only one man has the particular set of skills – to lead Police Squad and save the world.

They just don’t make comedies like The Naked Gun anymore, and I’m really hoping—like much of Hollywood—that this new take finds its footing. Of course, there’s no replacing Leslie Nielsen. That kind of deadpan genius is one of a kind. But the fact that Liam Neeson—whose name is almost suspiciously close to Nielsen’s, which feels like its own inside joke—is throwing himself fully into the role with that same straight-faced commitment gives me hope. If they can capture even a fraction of that original magic, we might be in for something special.

WEAPONS

August 8, 2025

Directed and Written by Zach Cregger
Starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan
Warner Bros. Pictures + New Line Cinema

Official Synopsis: When all but one child 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.

I have absolutely no idea what’s going on in the trailer for Weapons—and honestly, I love that. There’s something thrilling about being dropped into a mystery you can’t quite piece together. Julia Garner plays a teacher whose entire class vanishes overnight, leaving the town in a state of panic. With each new trailer, the intrigue only deepens—I’m equal parts fascinated and completely confused. After the unexpected brilliance of Zach Cregger’s Barbarian, I’ve been eager to see what he’d do next. This feels like something pulled from the pages of a Stephen King novel—eerie, surreal, and deeply unsettling. And I’m all in.

HONEY DON’T

August 22, 2025

Directed and Written by Ethan Coen
Co-Written by Tricia Cooke
Starring Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, and Chris Evans
Focus Features

Official Synopsis: A dark comedy about Honey O’Donahue, a small-town private investigator, who delves into a series of strange deaths tied to a mysterious church.

A Coen Brothers film is already an easy sell for me—but throw in Margaret Qualley, who’s quickly become one of my favorite rising actresses, and Aubrey Plaza, and I’m all in. On top of that, you’ve got Chris Evans playing way against type as a philandering priest, which is just the kind of unexpected casting choice I love. The film looks like a dark, seductive mystery wrapped in sharp comedy, and everything about it has my curiosity dialed way up.

EDEN

August 22, 2025

Directed by Ron Howard
Written by Noah Pink
Starring Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Daniel Brühl, Felix Kammerer, Toby Wallace and Richard Roxburgh
Vertical

Official Synopsis: Follows a group of people fueled by a profound desire for change; in order to turn their back to society they leave everything behind and set their futures on the harsh landscape of the Galapagos.

There’s a lot to unpack with Eden. For starters, it feels like a real departure from the kind of films Ron Howard typically directs—think A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, Rush. This is something darker, more psychological. I remember watching the documentary The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden, which this seems to be loosely based on, and it’s haunted me ever since. Then you look at the cast—Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney—it might be one of the most stacked ensembles of the year. What I can’t quite wrap my head around is how a smaller distributor like Vertical ended up releasing it. It feels like the kind of project you’d expect from NEON, A24, or even a major studio. That part’s a bit of a head-scratcher.

THE LONG WALK

September 12, 2025

Directed by Francis Lawrence
Written by JT Mollner
Starring Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Joshua Odjick, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Jordan Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill
Lionsgate

Official Synopsis: A group of teenage boys compete in an annual contest known as “The Long Walk,” where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot.

It’s officially the year of Stephen King. By now, The Monkey and The Life of Chuck have already hit screens, and with The Running Man still to come, that makes four King adaptations in a single year—which, honestly, is a dream come true for me. I had completely forgotten about The Long Walk as a novel, but the moment I saw the trailer—easily one of my favorites of the year—it all came rushing back. The story, the tone, the dread. And this adaptation looks phenomenal. Mark Hamill as the lead antagonist is pitch-perfect casting, and the supporting lineup—Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, and Charlie Plummer—reads like a shortlist of the best young talent working today. With Francis Lawrence at the helm (The Hunger Games), this one’s skyrocketed to the top of my most-anticipated list.

HIM

September 19, 2025

Directed and Written by Justin Tipping
Co-Written by Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers
Starring Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, and Tim Heidecker
Universal Pictures

Official Synopsis: A promising young football player joins an isolated compound to train under a dynasty team’s aging quarterback.

Him may not be directed by Jordan Peele, but the fact that he’s backing it as a producer definitely has my attention. The trailer has that signature mix of style and unease you’d expect from something with his name attached—eerie, polished, and unsettling in all the right ways. What really intrigues me is the premise: it seems to explore the darker, more psychological corners of professional football, which isn’t a world horror usually touches. That angle alone makes it feel fresh—and definitely worth keeping an eye on.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

September 26, 2025

Directed and Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti
Warner Bros. Pictures

Official Synopsis: When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue one of their own’s daughter.

Every few years, we’re lucky enough to get a new Paul Thomas Anderson film, and One Battle After Another looks like it could be another standout. With Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro front and center, it already feels like something special. Billed as a dark comedy—PTA’s humor is usually sharp, strange, and unforgettable. With a cast like this and Anderson behind the camera, you can’t help but wonder if awards season might come calling.

TRON: ARES

October 10, 2025

Directed by Joachim Rønning
Written by Jesse Wigutow and David Digilio
Starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges
Walt Disney Pictures

Official Synopsis: A highly sophisticated Program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission.

Tron is a Disney property, so it’s no real surprise they keep returning to it—but I’m not complaining. Tron: Legacy was seriously underrated when it came out; visually stunning, with a killer score, and way more thoughtful than it got credit for. I’m glad they’re stepping back into that world, especially with Jeff Bridges still in the mix to reprise his role. This time, it looks like the digital world of Tron is bleeding into the real one, which is a cool twist on the concept. I love the additions of Greta Lee and Evan Peters—they feel like inspired choices. Jared Leto, on the other hand… I’m not completely sold. But I’m hoping the film wins me over anyway.

BLACK PHONE 2

October 17, 2025

Directed and Written by Scott Derrickson
Co-Written by C. Robert Cargill
Starring Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Miguel Mora, Jeremy Davies, Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas
Universal Pictures

Official Synopsis: As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, his sister begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.

The Black Phone was such a surprise when it came out—tense, emotional, and far more effective than anyone expected. So it’s exciting to see director Scott Derrickson returning for another chapter. With much of the original cast back and Ethan Hawke once again donning that terrifying mask, I’m trying to keep my expectations in check, since part of what made the first film so powerful was how little I knew going in. But this new installment appears to have that same eerie, psychological edge—like something straight out of a Stephen King novel.

BUGONIA

October 24, 2025

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Co-Written by Will Tracy
Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Alicia Silverstone
Focus Features

Official Synopsis: Two conspiracy-obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.

There hasn’t been a Yorgos Lanthimos film I haven’t liked, so it’s no surprise that Bugonia is high on my most-anticipated list. With Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons reuniting with Yorgos fresh off Kinds of Kindness, I’m really curious to see what kind of beautifully bizarre story they dive into next. As with most of his work, the early awards buzz is already swirling around this one—and honestly, it wouldn’t be a Lanthimos film without that mix of critical intrigue and weird, wonderful unpredictability.

PREDATOR: BADLANDS

November 7, 2025

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg
Written by Patrick Aison
Starring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi
20th Century Studios

Official Synopsis: A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Prey was easily one of the biggest surprises of the streaming era for me. Dan Trachtenberg’s fresh take on the Predator franchise was bold, inventive, and genuinely thrilling—and to this day, I’m still baffled that we didn’t get to see it on the big screen. So the fact that Disney seems to have learned from that misstep and is giving his follow-up, Predator: Badlands, a proper theatrical release has me genuinely excited. I’ll absolutely be there opening weekend. I also love the casting of Elle Fanning—she’s a smart, compelling choice—and the rumors that this might connect in some way to Alien: Romulus only adds to the intrigue. If they’re building something bigger here, I’m all in.

THE RUNNING MAN

November 7, 2025

Directed and Written by Edgar Wright
Co-Written by Michael Bacall
Starring Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin
Paramount Pictures

Official Synopsis: A man joins a game show where contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by “hunters” hired to kill them.

Pairing one of my favorite directors, Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver), with my all-time favorite author, Stephen King, feels like a match made in genre heaven. The original adaptation of The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger always struck me as more campy than faithful—it never quite captured the darker, more grounded tone of the novel. But just from the trailer alone, it’s clear that Wright’s vision is far more in line with King’s original intent. Glen Powell looks like a strong choice for the lead, and seeing Michael Cera in the mix is a fun surprise. Knowing Wright, I’m expecting a killer score, tightly choreographed action, and a sharp visual style. Fingers crossed it sticks closer to the novel’s twists and tone—this could be something really special.

Sentimental Value

November 7, 2025

Directed and Written by Joachim Trier
Co-Written by Eskil Vogt
Starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning, Cory Michael Smith and Anders Danielsen Lie
NEON

Official Synopsis: An intimate exploration of family, memories, and the reconciliatory power of art.

A win at Cannes always puts a film on my radar, but what’s funny this year is that the Palme d’Or winner, It Was Just an Accident, actually sits lower on my must-watch list than the runner-up, Sentimental Value. While I didn’t completely fall for Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World the way so many others did, I still found it a compelling watch—and a big part of that was Renate Reinsve’s performance. The two teaming up again definitely has my attention. Sentimental Value seems like one of those quietly powerful stories that sneaks up on you emotionally, and I have a feeling it’s going to strike a deeper chord.

KEEPER

November 14, 2025

Directed by Osgood Perkins
Written by Nick Lepard
Starring Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland
NEON

Official Synopsis: Liz and Malcolm travel to a secluded cabin for a romantic anniversary getaway. However, Malcolm unexpectedly returns to the city, leaving Liz alone in the cabin, where she soon confronts a sinister presence and the cabin’s chilling past.

I’m a big fan of what Osgood Perkins is doing with the horror genre—Longlegs was such a bold, unsettling piece of work—and I’m thrilled to see him teaming up with NEON again for another horror project this year: Keeper. There’s still not much known about the film, which honestly makes it even more intriguing. Between the brief teaser that played after The Monkey and a small snippet online, they’re keeping the mystery intact—and I kind of hope it stays that way. The film stars Tatiana Maslany, who also appeared in The Monkey, so I’m really curious to see what kind of dynamic she and Perkins bring to this one. It’s shaping up to be another fascinating entry in what’s turning out to be a banner year for horror.

WICKED: FOR GOOD

November 21, 2025

Directed by Jon M. Chu
Written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox
Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum
Universal Pictures

Official Synopsis: Follows Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.

How could you not be looking forward to Wicked: For Good after the thrill of last year’s Wicked? Sure, most of the musical’s iconic songs were in the first half, but I’m really curious to see how they make this second installment stand out on its own. The cast did such a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, and it’ll be exciting to see them return—especially now that the stakes are so much higher. There’s something really satisfying about watching the emotional arc come full circle, and I’m hoping this chapter delivers both the spectacle and the heart.

THE HOUSEMAID

December 25, 2025

Directed by Paul Feig
Written by Rebecca Sonnenshine
Starring Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone
Lionsgate

Official Synopsis: Follows a struggling woman who is happy to start over as a housemaid for an affluent, elite couple.

You had me at Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried starring in a psychological thriller. Brandon Sklenar has also been on a roll lately, which makes the cast even more intriguing. With Paul Feig directing, I’m curious if we’ll see some subtle comedic touches—after all, his work on A Simple Favor balanced suspense and humor quite well. I’m definitely interested to see how he handles this one.

MARTY SUPREME

December 25, 2025

Directed and Written by Josh Safdie
Co-Written by Ronald Bronstein
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Fran Drescher, Sandra Bernhard, Tyler the Creator, and Penn Jillette
A24

Official Synopsis: Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.

These days, whenever Timothée Chalamet stars in a film—especially one set for a Christmas release—Oscar buzz seems to follow almost instantly, often before anyone’s even seen a frame. For me, adding A24 and Josh Safdie into the mix takes that anticipation to another level. A24 has been a major player at the Oscars lately, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this ends up being the studio’s flagship film for awards season.