Just like every year that has come before it, there are a plethora of new releases that are slated for release in 2025 that I am eagerly anticipating. From last year's list, I'm still waiting on releases for Audrey Diwan's “Emmanuelle”, and Bong Joon-Ho's “Mickey 17”, so obviously these are still hugely anticipated and should be considered an extension of the below list (but I do not like including the same titles for multiple years). Besides the titles below that I am shining a spotlight on, 2025 will see a number of new and exciting films from talented directors, the likes of Steven Soderbergh (“Presence” and “Black Bag”), Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”), David Michod (“Wizards!”), Karim Aïnouz (“Rosebush Pruning ”), Luca Guadgnino (“After The Hunt”), Sebastian Lelio (“The Wave”), Osgood Perkins (“The Monkey” and “Keeper”), Agnieszka Holland (“Franz”), James Cameron (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”), Derek Cianfrance (“Roofman”), Edward Berger (“The Ballad of a Small Player ”), Edgar Wright (“The Running Man”), Trey Edward Shults (“Hurry Up Tomorrow”), Kristoffer Borgli (“The Drama”), Michel Franco (“Dreams”), Na Hong-jin (“Hope”), Jim Jarmusch (“Father Mother Sister Brother”), Ildiko Enyedi (“Silent Friend”), David Lowery (“Mother Mary”), Bi Gan (“Resurrection”), Tom Tykwer (“The Light”), Gareth Evans (“Havoc”), Richard Linklater (“Nouvelle Vague” and “Blue Moon”), Julia Ducournau (“Alpha”), Darren Aronofsky (“Caught Stealing”), Ari Aster (“Eddington”), Joachim Trier (“Sentimental Value”), Ethan Coen (“Honey Don't”), Rian Johnson (“Wake Up Dead Man”) and maybe, just maybe, we will finally see Terrence Malick's latest (“The Way of the Wind”). All of the above I am looking forward to, but the below twelve films are my most anticipated films of 2025:
DIE, MY LOVE
It is hard to believe it has been eight years since Lynne Ramsay's superior revenge thriller “You Were Never Really Here” hit cinema screens, and 2025 finally sees her return with her next feature film, “Die, My Love”. I have loved every single one of Ramsay's previous films so it is no surprise to see a new film from her make it on to my most anticipated list. What we know about the film is that it is based on a novel by Ariana Harwicz and it “follows a mother who struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis in a remote rural area.” Ramsay describes the film as being about mental health and the breakdown of a marriage, and that she also finds the film extremely funny, with the caveat that her sense of humour is very dark. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, and has been shot by the great cinematographer Seamus McGarvey. I have no doubt this will be another excellent film from the always dependable Lynne Ramsay.
THE MASTERMIND
This is actually Kelly Reichardt's latest film and it sounds unlike anything she has done beforehand which is why I have included it on this list. Just the idea of seeing a heist film directed by Reichardt is, first of all, something that I never would have dreamed of, but also because it seems so different to everything she has done previous, it is more than interesting to see what her take on the material will be. You can only imagine that it is going to be a lot different to the norm when it comes to these types of films, which is very exciting. The plot of “The Mastermind” is described like so: “A daring art theft set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.” Like I said, it appears Kelly Reichardt is tackling new ground here. Christopher Blauvelt returns to perform cinematographer duties on the film like usual, with the cast rounded out by Josh O'Connor, Gaby Hoffman, Hope Davis, and John Magaro (who was exceptional in Reichardt's 2019 film, “First Cow”). I have to say that I am really intrigued as to how this film is going to turn out.
THE SECRET AGENT
Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho returns to narrative film making with the new political thriller “The Secret Agent”, which is about: “a university professor in his 40s who is on the run. He travels from São Paulo to the seaside city of Recife during Carnival week, hoping to reunite with his son. But he soon finds out he has been tailed and spied on by neighbours in his new refuge, leaving him no possible escape from the tentacles of corruption”. Filho's previous film, “Bacurau”, which he described as his ode to John Carpenter, proved just how capable he was at filming action whilst creating suspense, so I am extremely happy to see his follow-up film be in a similar vain. While I have nothing to base this on right now, I just have a feeling that this is going to be something special. Maybe it is because we have seen a natural progression and confidence in the direction of Kleber Mendonca Filho as his filmography has grown, and with how impressive “Bacurau” was before this, it seems like the time is right for Filho to explode and get some serious recognition with “The Secret Agent”. The film stars Wagner Moura (fresh from his impressive turn in Alex Garland's “Civil War”) with Maria Fernanda Candido also in the cast in what has been referred to as the director's most ambitious work yet.
Lucile Hadzihalilovic's previous film “Earwig” was one of my absolute favourites from 2022. It was such a strange film, about a young girl with teeth made of ice, impeccably designed and gorgeously shot. While it was a film that refused to give audiences easy answers, I was never in doubt that Hadzihalilovic was in total control of her film, largely due to the amazing atmosphere she creates within it. Since then, I have been waiting for a new film to be announced by Hadzihalilovic, and to be honest it arrived quicker than I was expecting, as usually many years pass in between features from this talented French director. “The Ice Tower (La Tour de glace)” is that new film and is described on imdb like so: “Jeanne, a 15-year-old orphan, witnesses the shoot for a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its star, Cristina, an actress who is just as mysterious and alluring as the Queen she is playing.” Two things really excite me about this film, the first being that it has something to do with a fairy tale, so images are already floating around in my head about what this film is going to look like, and second, Hadzihalilovic finally reunites with the gorgeous and extremely talented Marion Cotillard, who stared in her 2004 film, “Innocence”. Interestingly, when you go through the cast list for “The Ice Tower” the one name that pops out at you immediate is the enfant terrible director Gaspar Noe, who has an acting role in the film. For those of you unaware, Noe is also the husband of Lucile Hadzihalilovic. The other thing I am also excited about in regards to “The Ice Tower” is that Jonathan Ricquebourg returns to perform cinematography duties on the film whose work on “Earwig” was just stunning. With the film already shot, I am praying that this will play at this year's MIFF.
MORTE CUCINA
Finally, the band is back together! For the first time since 2006 and the film “Invisible Waves”, Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Aussie born cinematographer Christopher Doyle and Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano all join forces to create a new film entitled “Morte Cucina”. As well as the 2006 film already mentioned, this formidable team also created the cinematic genius that was “Last Life in the Universe” back in 2003; an absolutely sumptuous film that I still consider Ratanaruang's masterpiece. This new film, the director's first in eight years, is about “Sao, a talented cook, [who] accidentally meets the man who took advantage of her in the past. She sets her revenge plan in motion using her cooking skill to achieve a rather unexpected result.” There is nothing more fun than a great revenge film, and I really hope this creative trio hits gold once again. Sao is played by newcomer Bella Boonsang. This is another film I am praying makes it to MIFF later this year.
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
The following films on this most anticipated list are dominated by directors who whenever they make a new film, will almost always automatically be added to said list. “The Phoenician Scheme” is the latest film from Wes Anderson, and early word is that it is a crime thriller, although coming from Anderson you would assume it would not be a straight thriller and something more silly or comedic. The imdb describes the film as such: “[a] Dark tale of espionage following a strained father-daughter relationship within a family business. Twists revolve around betrayal and morally gray choices.” Hmmmm, a dark tale, huh? Maybe I was wrong and it wont have any comedy this time around. I do not know, but seeing Bill Murray's name in the cast makes me believe it will at least be ironic. Other members in the huge cast Wes Anderson has assembled for the film are Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Benedict Cumberbatch (who was outstanding in Anderson's “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”), Benicio Del Toro, Rupert Friend, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Michael Cera and Riz Ahmed.....phew! The biggest surprise about “The Phoenician Scheme” though is that this is the first Wes Anderson feature that has not been photographed by Robert Yeoman, with Bruno Delbonnel stepping into that role here (which is a little amusing because Delbonnel was also the cinematographer the Coen Brothers turned to the first time they couldn't use their regular guy, Roger Deakins). I must admit that I really hope that “The Phoenician Scheme” does turn out to be darker and straighter than the usual Anderson story, if just to see him try something a little different. Either way, I am not worried, because the man does not have it in him to make a bad film.
THE BATTLE OF BAKTAN CROSS
There are a lot of ifs and maybes when it comes to this film. The title of the film may be “The Battle of Baktan Cross”. It may be based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel "Vineland". It may premiere in the American summer which means it may be attempting to be a blockbuster of some sort. What we do know for sure is that this is the brand new film from Paul Thomas Anderson which, as I have said before, is always an event for me. We also know that is stars Leonardo DiCaprio and that he sports a dirty big moustache for at least some of the film. It has also been confirmed that Anderson is working with his biggest budget yet, and that Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro are also a part of the cast. Rumour has it that the film is something of a heist thriller, but frankly who cares, it is a new film from Paul Thomas Anderson; that is more than enough to make this hotly anticipated.
BUGONIA
The dream team pairing of director Yorgos Lanthimos and actress Emma Stone continues once again in “Bugonia”, which is actually a remake of one of my all time favourite South Korean films, “Save The Green Planet!”. What I love so much about the original film is that it constantly switches genres and more importantly, tones, and yet does it more successfully than any other film I have seen before. At times the film is ridiculous and goofy, than silly and comedic, before becoming serious and tragic, and yet it works and all feels part of a single whole. No doubt Lanthimos will put his own spin on the story, but if he can handle the tonal shifts as well as the original film, he should have an excellent and surprising movie. The plot of “Bugonia” is this: “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.” Once again, Jesse Plemons is also a part of the cast (re-teaming with the director after last year's “Kinds of Kindness”), as is Alicia Silverstone, with Lanthimos's regular cinematographer Robbie Ryan also returning for this new film. Even though “Bugonia” is a remake, I still suspect that Yorgos Lanthimos will make it fit his style and be a one-of-a-kind type film (like most of his films so far).
BITTER CHRISTMAS
I am not going to make the same mistake that I did last year and not include a Pedro Almodovar film, just because he hasn't started filming it yet. Reports are that he plans on shooting this new film in the early months of 2025, and Almodovar has stated that it will be “a small film”. From that, I get the feeling that it will be relatively easy to shoot then, and that just like last year's “The Room Next Door”, “Bitter Christmas” will probably premiere at Venice. The one line plot synopsis for the film on imdb states that the film is about: “A woman being abandoned by her partner during Christmas time.”, while Almodovar explains that the film is a “tragic comedy about gender” with there being both moments of tragedy and moments of comedy. Interestingly, Almodovar recently wrote a short story of the same name, that was included in his short-story collection “The Last Dream”, but as of yet there has been no confirmation that the film is based on that story. As per usual, I do not care what it is because I will watch anything Pedro Almodovar makes.
NO OTHER CHOICE
Way back in 2009, director Park Chan-wook announced that he planned to make a film out of Donald Westlake's novel, “The Ax”, which had previously been adapted into a movie by Costa-Gavras back in 2005. I had assumed the project had fallen by the wayside when nothing materialised after the initial announcement, but here we are sixteen years later, and the film has finally been shot, albeit with a new title. The film is about a recently fired man who, struggling to find employment again, decides to take drastic action by killing off his competitors who may be going for the same job as him, thus giving him greater odds at being successful in finally finding work again. The film is meant to be a comedic thriller, and does sound like a whole lot of fun, with Lee Byung-hun (of “A Bittersweet Life” and “I Saw The Devil” fame) in the starring role. This is the first time the director and star have collaborated since Park Chan-wook's segment, “Cut”, from “Three....Extremes”. I fully expect this to show up at MIFF this year, and cannot wait for it.
MIROIRS NO. 3
This is the brand new film from German director Christian Petzold, who is currently on an amazing streak, making brilliant film after brilliant film. He has clearly found his newest muse in Paula Beer, who returns to star in “Miroirs No. 3”, making it the fourth consecutive collaboration between the director and star. This new film has an immediately intriguing plot: “The young piano student Emily from Berlin is involved in a car accident in which her boyfriend is killed. Miraculously, Emily survives the accident unharmed and is taken in by a strange family. She spends some time with them and finds comfort and support in order to get her life back on track. But over time she notices that something is wrong with the family. Emily begins to question who these people really are and what dark secrets they are hiding.” I have said this before, but I love it when great directors attack genre films, and this screams thriller with horror/mystery elements. Just from this synopsis, it sounds fantastic, and I really cannot wait to see what Petzold has cooked up for us in “Miroirs No. 3”. I fully expect the film to show up at this year's Berlin Film Festival next month, which would almost guarantee it playing at MIFF too.
FRANKENSTEIN
For as long as I have been following Guillermo del Toro and his movies, he has been talking about how he has wanted to do a version of “Frankenstein” based on Mary Shelley's famous novel. He has said he has an interesting take on the story, which he is surprised no one else has done before. Until now, it has been a whole lot of talk, but no action, but he has finally decided that now is the time to make his “Frankenstein”. For those that do not know, James Whale's original 1931 film, is one of my all time favourite films and one that I have given a rare five stars to. It is such a beautiful Gothic horror film, and I absolutely adore the design of Boris Karloff's Monster (or Creature). For mine, Frankenstein's monster is the most perfect monster ever created for the cinema (with the Creature from the Black Lagoon a close second). I believe that del Toro is of the same opinion in regards to the look of the monster, and I think I have heard him say before that he would use the same design if he was ever to make his version. As of yet, we have not seen any photos of his monster to know if this is indeed true or not. What is true is that Guillermo del Toro has put together a hell of a cast with Oscar Isaac playing Dr. Frankenstein, Christoph Waltz playing Dr. Pretorius, Mia Goth playing Elisabeth, and Jacob Elordi as The Monster. One thing that I really hope will be a part of the movie is the inclusion of The Bride of Frankenstein, preferably with her original design again too. The only thing that I am not that thrilled about in regards to “Frankenstein” is that Guillermo del Toro is making it for Netflix which means that it's theatrical release will be very limited, and that the odds of it making it out onto blu-ray are quite small. Other than that, I couldn't be more excited about Guillermo del Toro's “Frankenstein”, and it is my most anticipated film of 2025.
Well, that is it. My enormous round up of the year that was 2024 is finally over. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and got something out of it, but how about we go back to watching some new films now?
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