Summer 2025 Movie Preview: 25 Films to Watch

It’s been almost two years since the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon brought summer movies back in a big way—and the box office has yet to reach those same heights. But that could change in the summer of 2025, when multiplexes will be filled with crowd-pleasing wannabe blockbusters that promise new takes on old properties (and maybe some movies that will land on our “best movies of 2025” list too). We’re going to see James Gunn step up to the plate with a reimagined Superman; Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn suit up for a new, hopefully more successful take on the Fantastic Four; and Tom Cruise take his final (?) bow as Ethan Hunt. There’s even a chance we see an eventual Oscar contender emerge from the dog days, between Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby and Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing. Grab some popcorn, then peruse this list of the 25 summer movies—that is, releases between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend—we’re most excited to see.

Mission: Impossible—The Final ReckoningPremiere date: May 23
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Noteworthy cast: Tom Cruise, Hannah Waddingham, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Angela Bassett

Is this the end of Ethan Hunt? Tom Cruise returns for potentially one final go as his lead agent for the Impossible Mission Force, the secret espionage team tasked with saving the world again and again in his beloved Mission: Impossible franchise. Shot back-to-back with Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One, The Final Reckoning will reportedly pick up where the seventh film left off and find Cruise’s Ethan Hunt attempting to battle his biggest foe of all: artificial intelligence. He’ll be joined by Mission: Impossible regulars like Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, and Vanessa Kirby, as well as newcomer Hannah Waddingham in an undisclosed role. Will Cruise finally live his dream and get to outer space? And if this is really Cruise’s final mission, who, if anyone, can take over the franchise? —Chris Murphy

Fountain of YouthPremiere date: May 23
Director: Guy Ritchie
Noteworthy cast: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Domhnall Gleeson, Eiza González

John Krasinski and Natalie Portman aren’t playing love interests in Guy Ritchie’s latest adventure. Instead, they’re cast as siblings searching for the fabled spring whose waters can turn back time. His name is Luke and hers is Charlotte, presumably because calling either of them “Ponce” would feel a little off. The trailer promises National Treasure–esque hijinks that will bring our heroes to a variety of global destinations, from Vienna to Bangkok to Egypt and beyond. And the film was apparently shot on location, which should give it a bit more texture than the average big-budget movie that goes straight to streaming. —Hillary Busis

Bring Her BackPremiere date: May 30
Director: Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou
Noteworthy cast: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Sally-Anne Upton

“A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.” It doesn’t get more A24 horror than that logline. This is the Philippou twins’ follow-up to their 2022 sleeper hit, Talk to Me, which still ranks as the distributor’s highest-grossing scary movie. Like that film, this one is an original story filmed in Australia. Will Bring Her Back do for Hawkins what Hereditary did for Toni Collette? One can only hope. —H.B.

The Phoenician SchemePremiere date: May 30
Director: Wes Anderson
Noteworthy cast: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright

How have we gotten this far into the 21st century without seeing Michael Cera do a German accent in a Wes Anderson movie? The Phoenician Scheme rights that historic wrong in a fancifully Andersonian way, with a sprawling cast that includes a variety of best- and supporting-actor Oscar winners (Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks), best-actor Oscar nominees (Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston), and children of Oscar winners (Mia Threapleton, whose mother is Kate Winslet). The director’s signature style is on full display in the trailer, which teases the tale of a rich man, his estranged daughter, and an entire chorus of European weirdos. —H.B.

The Life of ChuckPremiere date: June 6
Director: Mike Flanagan
Noteworthy cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill

VF’s own Anthony Breznican described this film as a “feel-good Stephen King apocalypse movie,” a pithy description for the Fall of the House of Usher filmmaker’s first feature since 2019’s Doctor Sleep. Spending too much time on plot description would risk spoiling Flanagan’s ambitious project—winner of the People’s Choice Award at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival—so let’s just leave you with Tom Hiddleston’s summation of King’s original novella and Mike Flanagan’s adaptation: “Well, he’s written something very tender and very wise. I think there is a great wisdom in the soul of the story, which is that it takes courage to hold on to what is good in a world that feels like it’s falling apart.” —H.B.

MaterialistsPremiere date: June 13
Director: Celine Song
Noteworthy cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal

A Celine Song love-triangle drama? Don’t mind if we do! The Past Lives writer-director returns to that fruitful premise for her next feature, starring Dakota Johnson as a matchmaker and a pair of certified internet boyfriends as the men vying for her heart. If Song’s husband, Challengers writer Justin Kuritzkes, convinced her to include a scene in which Pedro Pascal eats a churro, TikTok may actually explode. —H.B.

Echo ValleyPremiere date: June 13
Director: Michael Pearce
Noteworthy cast: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney

Two of our greatest emoters unite in this mother-daughter tale, written by Mare of Easttown’s Brad Ingelsby and directed by Michael Pearce. Sydney Sweeney plays Claire, an addict who has taken advantage of her mother, Kate, in the past; Julianne Moore plays Kate, who would do anything to protect Claire. To prepare, Sweeney, as she told Rebecca Ford, watched videos of addicts who had been interviewed on Los Angeles’s Skid Row. “I mean, there’s a manipulation underneath a lot of it,” she said. “But when there was love in the air in the room, you truly still felt it. The person that they are at the core, as buried as they might be, is still there.” —H.B.

28 Years LaterPremiere date: June 20
Director: Danny Boyle
Noteworthy cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes

The 28 franchise is returning in 2025. After 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, director Danny Boyle is back with a third installment, featuring The Fall Guy’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The Bikeriders’ Jodie Comer, and Conclave’s Ralph Fiennes as they try to live amidst the infected decades after the release of the rage virus. A sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, was shot back-to-back with 28 Years Later and directed by Candyman’s Nia DaCosta, so whatever happens to the survivors, the story will continue. —C.M.

ElioPremiere date: June 20
Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Noteworthy cast: Zoe Saldaña, Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, Yonas Kibreab

Pixar’s last release was Inside Out 2, a highly anticipated sequel to a beloved, Oscar-winning classic. It was also a smash hit, at one point reigning as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. The studio’s next release seems a bit smaller, despite its galactically huge premise: Its title character (newcomer Yonas Kibreab) is an 11-year-old kid who is earmarked as the most important person on earth by a crew of confused aliens. One of its codirectors is Turning Red’s Domee Shi, so hopefully this potentially broad story will have some of that 2022 film’s personal touch. —H.B.

M3GAN 2.0Premiere date: June 27
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Noteworthy cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez

Your favorite bow-wearing murderous doll is back for more. M3GAN 2.0 will creepily dance its way into theaters this June, with Allison Williams reprising her role as tightly wound roboticist Gemma. Also set to return are Violet McGraw as her niece, Cady, and English Teacher’s Brian Jordan Alvarez as engineer Cole—who actually did not die in the first film. The plot of M3GAN 2.0 is under wraps, but the sequel’s story is being cowritten by M3GAN screenwriter Akela Cooper, so you can expect more of the first film’s campy thriller vibe—and perhaps even another viral dance or two. —C.M.

F1Premiere date: June 27
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Noteworthy cast: Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Simone Ashley

Formula 1 racing fans have spotted Brad Pitt and company filming at the 2023 British Grand Prix and 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix for an upcoming movie set in the sports world. We now know that Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a new mentor to a member of the fictional APXGP team, which boasts Javier Bardem as an owner. Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski directs a cast that also includes The Crown’s Tobias Menzies, Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley, Snowfall’s Damson Idris, and The Banshees of Inisherin’s Kerry Condon. Adding to the movie’s F1 bona fides is the fact that record-breaking driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won seven Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship titles, serves as a producer. —Savannah Walsh

Sorry, BabyPremiere date: June 27
Director: Eva Victor
Noteworthy cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch

Mark your calendars for this one: Richard Lawson called it the “most promising debut at Sundance” this winter. Eva Victor, who wrote, directed, and stars in the film, is a viral-video creator turned auspicious new filmmaking talent; in her first feature, wrote Lawson, she “maintains the oddball humor that first endeared her to her followers, but she also incorporates whole other, previously unseen facets of her considerable talent. Sorry, Baby is funny, sad, thoughtful, and specific, a keenly observed portrait of a woman blown off course by a traumatic incident.” —H.B.

Jurassic World RebirthPremiere date: July 2
Director: Gareth Edwards
Noteworthy cast: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend

For those who haven’t already gazed longingly at the first-look photo of a bespectacled Jonathan Bailey, consider this your official notice that a new Jurassic film is coming. The Bridgerton and Wicked alum stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Bechir Sylvain, and more, with such cast members playing a team tasked with harvesting vital genetic material from wild dinosaurs that are somehow still roaming the earth seven movies later. Rogue One’s Gareth Edwards directs the new installment from a script by David Koepp, who cowrote the 1993 original film that spawned an expansive universe. —S.W.

The Old Guard 2Premiere date: July 2
Director: Victoria Mahoney
Noteworthy cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Uma Thurman, Chiwetel Ejiofor

The first Old Guard movie was a charming pandemic-era surprise, a propulsive action thrill ride about a group of semi-immortal beings. The sequel—written, like the original, by Greg Rucka, whose comic books serve as the series’ source material—reintroduces Charlize Theron’s Andy, a.k.a. Andromache of Scythia. Once more, she must go into battle with her (very) old friends and meet a few new faces, played by Uma Thurman and others. Side note: Between this, the latest Bridget Jones, and Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, Chiwetel Ejiofor is having quite the year. Are we sure he isn’t somehow superhuman too? —H.B.

SupermanPremiere date: July 11
Director: James Gunn
Noteworthy cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Fillion

The stakes are high for the Man of Steel. After a trail of box office flops for DC Comics characters, including The Flash and Joker: Folie à Deux, James Gunn’s take on Clark Kent marks a rebirth of the DC Universe, as shepherded by the filmmaker in collaboration with Peter Safran, his fellow chair and CEO of DC Studios. Following the caped hero’s Man of Steel era, this new phase is led by David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern. Nicholas Hoult, who lost the role of Batman to Robert Pattinson, will play the villainous Lex Luthor. —S.W.

EddingtonPremiere date: July 18
Director: Ari Aster
Noteworthy cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler

We don’t know much about Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix’s follow-up to Beau Is Afraid, except that it will have its world premiere in competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Its teaser poster features three buffalo plummeting off a cliff; its official logline describes Phoenix’s character as “a small-town sheriff” who gets into a standoff that “sparks a powder keg.” Knowing Aster’s body of work—Beau, Midsommar, Hereditary—this will presumably work out well for him. —H.B.

I Know What You Did Last SummerPremiere date: July 18
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Noteworthy cast: Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr.

In horror, everything old is new again, as recent reboots of the Scream and Halloween franchises have proven. Now it’s time for another slasher resurrection. Like the aforementioned redos, this one will star a cast of bright young things alongside a few franchise stalwarts—in this case, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., who haven’t made one of these movies since 1998. Too bad Prinze’s real-life wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, got axed in the first movie, or she could have stopped by for the reunion too. —H.B.

The Fantastic Four: First StepsPremiere date: July 25
Director: Matt Shakman
Noteworthy cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn

Perhaps no set of superheroes has faced a more treacherous path to the big screen than the Fantastic Four. Nevertheless, Marvel has persisted and will be launching a new iteration of the world-saving family in a project directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman. Pedro Pascal is the ever-stretchy Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby plays Sue Storm, or the Invisible Woman. Joseph Quinn is Sue’s high-flying brother, Johnny/Human Torch. And Ebon Moss-Bachrach rounds out the central team as Ben Grimm, a.k.a. the rocklike figure known as the Thing. They’re joined by a bevy of intriguing supporting stars, including Natasha Lyonne, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, and John Malkovich. —S.W.

Happy Gilmore 2Premiere date: July 25
Director: Kyle Newacheck
Noteworthy cast: Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller

We may never get a sequel to Billy Madison or—heaven forbid—The Waterboy, but Adam Sandler has in fact made a real movie that brings back another signature ’90s doofus: wannabe ice hockey player turned golf pro Happy Gilmore. Though Carl Weathers has passed on, original cast members Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald are back too, as is Ben Stiller (whose role in the first film was so puny that he wasn’t even credited for it). The new movie finds Happy back on the green, perhaps having become the grizzled vet who tells young golfers he eats pieces of shit like them for breakfast. All together now: “You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?” —H.B.

TogetherPremiere date: August 1
Director: Michael Shanks
Noteworthy cast: Dave Franco, Alison Brie

This body-horror fable may not exactly fill the Substance-shaped hole in your heart, but according to Sundance audiences, it’s certainly a wild ride all its own. The movie is anchored by real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco, who leaned on their actual chemistry to guide them as their characters experienced increasingly surreal and harrowing things. “Nearly every scene in this movie is dealing with heightened emotions and extreme physicality,” Franco told Rebecca Ford in January. “We knew going in that it would either end in divorce or we’d be more codependent than ever.” —H.B.

The Naked GunPremiere date: August 1
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Noteworthy cast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser

When they began filming this reboot in May of 2024, the working title was Law of Toughness. Liam Neeson feels like a smart choice to play a new iteration of the comically clueless cop whom Leslie Nielsen made legendary, considering his own history of embodying deadly serious, very angry men. —Jeff Giles

Freakier FridayPremiere date: August 8
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Noteworthy cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray

Hold on, you’re saying this is gonna be freakier than Freaky Friday? In which Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis switched bodies and learned a little bit along the way? Come on, that was pretty freaky. Lohan’s character, Anna, now has a daughter of her own, and there’s a stepdaughter in the offing as well. And Curtis, of course, now has an Oscar. —J.G.

EdenPremiere date: August 22
Director: Ron Howard
Noteworthy cast: Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney

Few period films based on true stories are as balls-to-the-wall as this Ron Howard passion project, which debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and languished without distribution until it was finally picked up by Vertical. As the semi-ironic title implies, it’s set in a place that seems like it could be paradise: Floreana Island, a remote destination in the Galapagos. A number of wannabe settlers descend on this untouched land, hoping to turn it into heaven on earth. You can probably guess how that winds up going. —H.B.

Caught StealingPremiere date: August 29
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Noteworthy cast: Austin Butler, Zoë Kraviz, Regina King, Bad Bunny

Before you make your little jokes: No, Austin Butler will not be using his Elvis voice in Darren Aronofsky’s next drama. (Dune: Part Two presumably got it out of his system for good.) He stars here as Hank Thompson, a former baseball player drawn into the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York. But don’t expect the project to be as grim as that description may imply. The director of Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan was apparently in the mood for something lighter: “I wanted to do something that was, simply put, a lot of fun,” he told the crowd at CinemaCon in March. —H.B.

The RosesPremiere date: August 29
Director: Jay Roach
Noteworthy cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman

Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman have their knives out in this divorce comedy, a new gloss on the 1989 hit The War of the Roses. The original focused on Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner as their marriage devolved into an ugly split; the new film, boasting direction by Jay Roach and a script from Favourite scribe Tony McNamara, focuses equally on the relationship itself and its untimely conclusion. “I thought, Why don’t we make a movie that’s more focused on what we do to each other while we’re married, and still sort of pay homage to the original?” McNamara told VF’s Rebecca Ford. —H.B.

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