Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
May 30, 2025
So far, the year of 2025 has been slightly underwhelming for moviegoers. Sure, we’ve had some truly great films like ‘Sinners’ and ‘Mickey 17’, but the months between January and April felt like they were filled with mediocre studio films, dumped into theaters for barely a few weeks before being moved straight to VOD, or smaller scale movies like ‘Black Bag’ which received little marketing. With the critical and commercial success of ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ last weekend, it’s starting to feel like movies are back, and audiences want to return to the theaters, as long as there is something worthwhile playing. I’m not saying that most movies released this year have nothing to offer, movies will always have something to offer to someone, but most of them have been extremely forgettable, with no real discourse surrounding them as a result. The upcoming Summer will be an indicator of what the coming years will look like in the world of Cinema, especially with major franchises such as DC and Marvel releasing arguably their most important projects of the decade so far in ‘Superman’ and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’, but what other movies on the horizon are the most anticipated and worth seeing in theaters?
‘28 Years Later’ is the third entry in the 28 Days Later Film Series, starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes, marking Danny Boyle’s first directorial effort since the romantic musical-comedy ‘Yesterday’ and his third collaboration with ‘Civil War’ writer/director Alex Garland, with their most notable being the first entry in the series, ‘28 Days Later’ starring Cillian Murphy, which received a renewed appreciation and reception since the COVID-19 outbreak.
‘28 Years Later’ takes place 28 years after the Rage virus outbreak, following a small group of survivors on an island disconnected from the U.K. mainland, particularly a father-son duo who decide to venture off the island and discover the true horrors of the outside world.
Despite being shot on an Iphone, this entry will be released in theaters worldwide in premium, large formats, such as Dolby Cinema and IMAX theaters, and there is no reason to see it anywhere else if you are a fan of post-apocalyptic horror movies.
Joseph Kosinki’s first theatrical release since ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ features Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a washed up Formula One driver who peaked in the 1990s, who decides to come out of retirement to mentor young, hotshot driver Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris. Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem will appear in supporting roles, with the former being a love interest for Hayes and the latter being Hayes’ friend and team owner. Teams and drivers in Formula One will appear as themselves, including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Production took place during the 2023 British Grand Prix, with both Pitt and Idris driving actual F1 cars but not during an official racing session. It was produced in collaboration with the FIA, the governing body of the Formula One World Championship.
The budget has been said to be around $300 million, a claim that producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Kisninski have refuted multiple times.
Following the lukewarm reception to recent entries in the franchise, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ is being marketed as the beginning of a new era in the film series, starring Scarlett Johannson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey joining, along with Gareth Edwards (‘Rogue One’) at the helm as director. David Koepp, one of two writers credited on ‘Jurassic Park’, returns as the screenwriter for this entry.
The events take place five years after the events of ‘Jurassic World Dominion’, following a robust team of scientists and operatives returning to the original research facility for Jurassic Park, just off the Atlantic Ocean, where they must locate the largest creatures left, no matter the danger they find themselves in.
The tone is said to be similar to ‘Jurassic Park’, which both Steven Spielberg and Koepp pushed for, and this can be seen in the trailers that have teased a massive, mutant T-Rex-like creature on the island.
Gareth Edwards visual style paired with a proven screenwriter will make this a must see on the big screen, despite the film sadly not getting an IMAX release, for whatever reason.
With an all-star cast led by David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, the James Gunn written and directed ‘Superman’ marks the first entry of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, and the first movie he has officially overseen with Peter Safran since being announced as co-CEOs of DC studios in 2022.
Unlike ‘Man of Steel’, the film is not an origin story, instead following Clark Kent/Superman’s reconciliation with his Kryptonian heritage and upbringing through adoptive parents in Smallville.
Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) will appear as supporting characters, alongside characters who have been in the recent DC animated series, ‘Creature Commandos’.
According to Gunn, ‘Superman’ is the biggest priority for DC, which makes sense given the lackluster response to recent releases like ‘The Flash’ and ‘Black Adam’. Here’s to hoping the DCU will break through with success so we can all see our favorite superheroes in action on the big, silver screen for years to come.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (Releasing July 25, 2025)
This Summer will be the first time we see the Fantastic Four in live action in ten years, since the disastrous ‘Fantastic Four’ (2015). Matt Shakman (‘WandaVision’) is directing Marvel Studios’ third theatrical release of the year, starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ takes place on a 1960’s retro-futuristic Earth, different from the one depicted in the MCU, where the Fantastic Four must protect their world from the world-devouring being Galactus (Ralph Ineson), and his herald, The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). The style of the movie looks fresh and compelling for a genre that has relied on special effects and use of the Volume in recent years, so it will be on the top of some moviegoers most anticipated lists of the year.
Comic book movies have sort of been in a state of disarray this decade, but the recent success of ‘Thunderbolts*’ will give fans of this genre some hope for future installments.
Director Zach Cregger (‘Barbarian’) has described ‘Weapons’ as a horror epic, inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 sprawling masterpiece, ‘Magnolia’. That should be enough to get anyone hooked. The trailer was released a few weeks ago, and after watching it, I had to take a step back from what I was doing and take a seat, because it looks absolutely terrifying.
The premise, according to Warner Bros. Pictures: “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.” Creepy, huh?
Starring Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich, this is one of my most anticipated movies of the year, especially as a fan of the horror genre, and it deserves to be mentioned despite not being the traditional, $100 million dollar blockbuster we see nowadays.
By Aidan Reidy
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
Aidan Reidy is a writer who’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures screenwriting at the University of Miami. He is passionate about the entertainment industry and enjoys watching most genres. He is interested in every aspect of filmmaking ranging from technical aspects like editing and sound mixing to acting and directing styles. Hollywood Insider’s commitment to substance-filled articles rather than gossip columns attracted him to the website, creating an enjoyable environment for him to write in and aligning with his personal values, as well.
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