The past couple years, sequels and adaptations have become more and more popular in the film industry, to the point where all of the highest grossing films of 2024 were sequels and adaptations. It seems the top ten most anticipated films of 2025 are set to follow this same trend. So, here is a list of ten original films coming out this year to break out of the sequel cycle.
This psychological thriller follows Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her friends while they stay at a billionaire’s (Jack Quaid) lakeside estate. After the billionaire is found dead, things start unravelling as Iris finds out secrets about herself. The movie is set to be released on Jan. 31.
In this fantasy adventure film, a girl (Helena Zengel) is raised to fear the creatures who live in the forest, known as the ochi. However, when a baby ochi is abandoned, she goes on an adventure to reunite it with its family. The film will premiere at Sundance with a wide release slated for Feb. 28.
While this science fiction adventure film is an adaptation of Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel “Mickey7,” I believe it is one of the most original film concepts of the year, so I felt I had to include it on this list. The film is produced, written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, who directed the acclaimed 2019 film “Parasite.” It follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), who signs up to be an “expendable” in space, where a new version of him is regenerated each time he dies. However, after one of his iterations, Mickey 17, survives an expedition, he must go head-to-head with his new iteration, Mickey 18. The film is set to be released on March 7 in the U.S.
This dark comedy drama film follows Shula (Susan Chardy) after she finds the dead body of her uncle. Amidst funeral proceedings, Shula and her cousins unravel the deep buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family. The film first premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and is now set for a US theatrical release March 7.
“Opus”
This horror musical film, which is Mark Anthony Green’s feature directorial debut, is about a young writer (Ayo Edebiri) who is invited to the remote home of a famous pop star 30 years after her mysterious disappearance. Joined by the singer’s fans and intoxicated journalists, the writer is caught up in a depraved and mysterious plan. The movie is set to premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27, with a theatrical release planned for March 14.
“Sinners”
Ryan Coogler’s newest film is a supernatural horror set in the 1930s South follows twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) who return to their hometown, searching for a fresh start from their troubled lives, only to find that a greater evil awaits them. While not much else is known about the film, early reports have claimed that it is a vampire movie. The film is scheduled to be released April 18.
“Elio”
Pixar’s newest science fiction animated adventure film follows a kid named Elio (Yonas Kibreab) who gets willingly abducted by aliens. He accidentally convinces the aliens that he is the intergalactic “Ambassador of Earth” and must navigate making relations and avoiding crises that would affect entire galaxies. The film is set to be released June 13.
This Colombian film directed by Gala del Sol is a futuristic punk twist on “Dante’s Inferno.” In the film, a group of outcasts meets at Babel, which is purgatory in the form of a dive bar. Within Babel, the city’s Grim Reaper, La Flaca (Saray Rebolledo), challenges souls to gamble years of their lives to outwit Death. The film will have its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27, with a wide release not yet announced.
This mystery thriller follows a married musician couple (Dev Patel and Rosy McEwen) who move to a remote cottage in Wales to finish their new album. After accidentally recording an otherworldly sound, they get pulled farther and farther from reality. The film will premiere at Sundance later this month with a wide release not yet determined.
The dark comedy film about a father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) who accidentally run over a unicorn only for a billionaire (Richard E. Grant) to then exploit the dead unicorn’s abilities takes a dark and distinctive twist on the well-known fairytale creatures. The movie will be distributed by A24 with no release date set yet.
