Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
Jun 2, 2025
Table of Contents
Hollywood Insider – What Are Moviegoers Craving Right Now?
Studios are banking on sequels and nostalgia, but shifting audience behavior shows moviegoers want more comfort, comedy, and innovation in 2025.
The Top Genres Driving Success 2025
The top three current hits for moviegoers—Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts*‘ the original horror-thriller ‘Sinners‘, and Disney’s live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch‘ remake—what’s working with audiences right now. A major new superhero ensemble, an original genre film, and a nostalgic, family-friendly reboot. It’s an assorted lineup—but is it random?
Not at all. These three successes highlight a deeper shift in what audiences want in 2025. The playbook Hollywood has relied on for years—familiar IP, sequels, and cinematic universes—is still in motion, but it’s being reshaped by a changing cultural landscape that blends passed-down nostalgia with a surprising hunger for both comfort and innovation.
The best directors and filmmakers know when to keep going—and when to stop. Whether it’s a movie, saga, or series, they have to make the right call to let the magic in the story preserve itself.
Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ remake had its skeptics—especially after the backlash against recent live-action films like ‘Snow White‘, criticized for straying too far from its roots and grossing only $205 million worldwide on a $250 million budget (Box Office Mojo).
That’s the issue: audiences want to love these remakes. They show up hoping to reconnect with childhood favorites, but when a film changes the tone, message, or heart too much, the magic slips away.
When movies miss the mark time after time, it’s hard to hold onto hope—even when new trailers drop. But just as remakes seemed to be falling off, some are finally making waves again, bringing back the excitement we so desperately crave from these stories.
‘Lilo & Stitch’, which just hit theaters this May, retained its heartfelt and original storytelling while updating its visuals. By keeping the original score, preserving that bubbly-warm feel, and casting sisters who looked almost identical to the animated characters, it became a prime example of how to bring the magic back—not take it away.
This is what audiences want: an updated version of their childhood favorite films. The only “real” difference between the original (2002) and the live-action version is that the characters are real people and the props are real. Everything else… largely the same.
That emotional pull matters. Audiences crave emotional safety—characters who feel like family, soundtracks that lift them out of reality, and stories that let them finally breathe.
Isn’t that why we love movies? Being drawn into a life we dream of—or at least escaping reality for two and a half hours. This is why studios are doubling down on legacy IP. But the ones that hit feel curated, not corporate. The same reason ‘Lilo & Stitch’ resonated is fueling buzz around upcoming releases like the sequel to ‘How to Train Your Dragon‘ (June 13, 2025), expected to stay true to the original spirit.
Following this trend, ‘Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning‘ starring Tom Cruise—who continues to perform his own daring stunts—recently hit theaters in late May and is already hitting major milestones at the box office. It earned the highest domestic debut in the franchise’s history with $64 million, currently sitting at No. 2 behind ‘Lilo & Stitch’, according to Box Office Mojo.
The Rise of Original Genre: ‘Sinners’ and the Art of Timing
This year’s biggest box office shock came in the form of ‘Sinners’, an R-rated psychological horror-thriller with no franchise, inspired by ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’, another Vampire focused film directed by Robert Rodriguez (‘Spy Kids’ and ‘The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl’)
Directed by Ryan Coogler, known for the ‘Black Panther‘ films, ‘Sinners’ quickly captured national attention with its daring subject matter.
In many ways, ‘Sinners’ is a spiritual descendant of films like ‘Hereditary’ and ‘Barbarian‘—bold, high-concept genre movies that act as both entertainment and cultural critique. You can even relate it somewhat to Robert Eggers make of ‘Dracula’ in ‘Nosferatu‘
Starring Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld, the film hit at the perfect time. As moviegoers head into summer, they’re eager for the big hits they’ve been waiting for—and with theaters still recovering from a streak of mixed reviews, this was the ideal moment to release a film that wins over everyone.
Audiences are craving something bold and exciting. Not just in plot, but in voice.
Without giving too much away, you don’t know what’s going to happen the majority of the plot, and that’s exactly the point.
And in 2025, unpredictability is part of the appeal. After years of trailers that spoiled everything, and Cinematic universes that mapped out every crossover for the next decade, moviegoers are chasing the thrill of being caught off guard again.
‘Thunderbolts*’ Climbs to the Near Top of the Box Office
Then there’s ‘Thunderbolts*‘ Marvel’s much-hyped antihero team-up marking a fresh tonal shift for the MCU.
Here’s the deal with Marvel: fans want every new film to be the one that reinvigorates the franchise. But, over the past few years, Marvel Studios has experienced a relative decline in critical acclaim and box office dominance compared to its earlier phases.
According to Box Office Mojo, ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘ (2023) grossed approximately $476 million worldwide, falling short of its estimated $600 million break-even point, and experienced a significant 70% drop in its second weekend—one of the steepest in MCU history.It holds a 46% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Similarly, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder‘, (2022) earned around $761 million globally, a respectable figure, yet it faced a 68% decline in its second weekend and received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, with a 63% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
More recently, ‘Captain America: Brave New World‘ (2025) has garnered approximately $415 million worldwide (Box Office Mojo).While it has surpassed the earnings of the original ‘Captain America’ film, it has not matched the heights of its predecessors like ‘The Winter Soldier’ or ‘Civil War’, and it holds a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
These trends suggest that while Marvel continues to produce financially successful films, there is a growing desire among audiences for the right kind of narratives and storytelling approaches.
‘Thunderbolts*’ might just be Marvel’s saving grace. No one wants Marvel to stumble. This film could have gone in the complete wrong direction, handing the Avengers mantle to an entirely new crew—a risky, bold move. But that risk paid off, executed well enough to get fans excited again and kicking it off extremely well in the Box Office (Box Office Mojo).
The film leans heavily into character complexity, moral ambiguity, and even psychological trauma—far from the glossier tone of earlier Marvel phases.
It isn’t interested in traditional heroism. It’s messy, emotional, and—surprisingly—intimate. It reflects what many fans have been asking for: real stakes, flawed protagonists, and a willingness to break formula.
Box office success in 2025 has proven one thing: emotion sells. Audiences aren’t just showing up for flashy IP—they’re showing up for films that feel like something.
The box office isn’t everything. Some of the most meaningful films don’t make the most money, while plenty of hits are forgotten overnight. But, in terms of numbers and stats, it’s one of the only real ways to look at trends, etc.
A recent global study from the Global Cinema Foundation, as reported by Variety, 72% of moviegoers say seeing a film in theaters is still a good value, and 64% said there are no real barriers to going to the movies—as long as there’s something worth showing up for.
So what do audiences actually want? Thrillers, comedies, and rom-coms. Even with streaming dominating that space, over half (51%) still want to see funny, heartfelt stories on the big screen.
Movies like ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy‘ and ‘One of Them Days’, featuring pop stars SZA and Keke Palmer, generated major buzz because they’re fun and full of comfort.
And 46% are craving suspense-driven films that keep them on the edge of their seat. People aren’t tired of going to the movies—they’re tired of going for movies that don’t give them a reason to care.
And here’s the kicker: 83% of moviegoers under 34 are genuinely excited for what’s coming next. That energy is there. The challenge now is meeting them with content that sparks it.
This isn’t about chasing algorithms—it’s about making stories that make people feel something. Because in a world full of noise, attention is earned, not given. And what cuts through? Emotional connection.
What Do Audiences Want?
So what are moviegoers really craving in 2025?
They’re craving comfort—but not in the form of lazy nostalgia. They’re drawn to stories that honor the past while speaking to the present. They want thrill—but not just noise. They want stories that surprise them, challenge them, maybe even disturb them. They want heroes—but flawed, layered ones. And above all, they want stories that feel worth showing up. The box office’s current hot streak is no fluke. It’s the result of studios finally listening. Hollywood’s relationship with its audience is shifting, and movies are evolving with it—for the better.
Must-Watch Movies Coming in 2025
The top summer 2025 movies coming to theaters include: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ starring Mason Thames as Hiccup and Nico Parker as Astrid, directed by Dean DeBlois; ‘Superman‘, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, directed by James Gunn; and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘, featuring a new cast with Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Julia Garner, directed by Matt Shakman.
By Emma Gladstone
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.”
Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
Emma Gladstone is an entertainment journalist dedicated to offering a fresh perspective in today’s media landscape. As a content writer for The Hollywood Insider, her goal is to serve as a break from negativity by focusing on positive, human-centered angles that uplift and inspire. Writing reviews and feature stories for The Hollywood Insider, Emma celebrates the transformative and authentic power of reporting, to promote meaningful change and substance in media. Her passion for global entertainment fuels her writing, creating stories that educate, empower, and resonate deeply with readers. Emma is truly thrilled to be writing for The Hollywood Insider, as their values align closely with hers.
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