10 Major Movie Franchises Continuing In 2025

2024 is coming to a close. With the new year about to begin, countless movie lovers have already begun looking ahead to what is in store for them in the coming year. With tons of sequels, reboots, and original movies from big-name directors on the way, 2025 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for movies. It is still far too early to know which 2025 releases will be among the best and Oscars contenders, but audiences can rest assured, knowing there will be plenty of options for all types of viewers.

In particular, 2025 is sure to be a massive year for major action franchises. Numerous popular, genre-defining franchises are set to debut new films this year, with many potential viewers already brimming with anticipation about what new stories will be told within their favorite universes. From superheroes and horror stories to murder mysteries and nail-biting action sequences, moviegoers are sure to be given plenty of what they crave. While some major movie franchises are skipping 2025, others are bound to pack theaters around the world when they make their triumphant return next year.

10

Jurassic World

Upcoming Film: Jurassic World Rebirth

Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey hiding in the grass in Jurassic World Rebirth

The idea of reintroducing dinosaurs to a modern setting has been captivating audiences since the 1990s, beginning with the release of Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking motion picture, Jurassic Park. The film was a major success, launching multiple sequels, and even being reborn as the Jurassic World franchise with a new cast in 2015. Now, in 2025, the modern series of dinosaur-filled science fiction movies will be gaining a new sequel with another all-new cast. Titled Jurassic World Rebirth, this new addition is set to be released on July 2.

Jurassic World Rebirth will feature a star-studded cast, led by two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson, and Wicked‘s Jonathan Bailey. Acting as a standalone sequel to 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion, this new adventure will focus on a brave team determined to obtain potentially life-saving genetic material from the largest dinosaurs left on Earth. The film will play out in a tropical island-based setting, and is bound to introduce plenty of breathtaking dinosaurs to the big screen.

9

Captain America

Upcoming Film: Captain America: Brave New World

Captain America Brave New World Anthony Mackie Danny Ramirez SR Exclusive Preview

In 2021, the Disney+ miniseries, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, finally put two rather underappreciated characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the spotlight. The series followed the titular heroes as they worked together to navigate a world in which Steve Rogers is no longer filling the role of the beloved patriotic superhero. In an exciting conclusion, the series ended with Sam Wilson taking the well-deserved step into his old friend’s shoes, becoming Captain America.

Split image of chris Evans' Captain America facing someone in Avengers Infinity War (2018) on the left, Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as Captain America landing on the ground in the Brave New World (2025) trailer on the right

Related

I’m Convinced 2025 Is The Biggest Test For The Avengers Future After Kevin Feige’s Casting Promise

Marvel’s 2025 films will determine the future success of the Avengers, as fans will officially get formally introduced to the idea of legacy heroes.

Posts

In 2025, audiences will be shown the first feature-length adventure with Sam Wilson as Captain America. The film will throw the hero into the middle of an international incident involving the United States government, prompting Wilson to step up and work to be the hero the nation needs. Alongside Anthony Mackie reprising his role as Sam Wilson / Captain America, Harrison Ford will appear as Thaddeus Ross, the newly elected President who soon finds himself transforming into the intimidating Red Hulk. Captain America: Brave New World will release in theaters on February 14.

8

Avatar

Upcoming Film: Avatar: Fire And Ash

Avatar: Fire And Ash concept art of new clan "Ash people" revealed at Disney D23 Expo. The Ash people have white bodies with black and red details, as well as tentacle-like appendages that come from their shoulders and head with long, pointy fingers.

James Cameron’s Avatar movies are not only among the most well-known science fiction films, but both installments so far are easily among the highest-grossing movies of all time, with each making well over two billion dollars. Because of this, one can definitely expect Avatar: Fire and Ash to make a massive splash at the box office as one of the biggest fantasy movies releasing in 2025. With Cameron returning to co-write, co-edit, co-produce, and direct, the upcoming feature is bound to match the quality of the first two installments.

Serving as a direct sequel to the four-time Oscar-nominated film, Avatar: The Way of Water, the film will continue the story of Jake Sully, Neytiri, and the rest of the beloved characters. Many cast members from the previous films are set to return, including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver. The much-anticipated new film will explore a previously-unseen side of the world of Pandora, one that is sure to be a sharp contrast from the elements of the second movie. Avatar: Fire and Ash is currently scheduled to release in theaters on December 19.

7

John Wick

Upcoming Film: From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina

Ana de Armas holding a rifle in Ballerina

Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, few names have been better known than John Wick when it comes to action movies. Starring Keanu Reeves in the titular role, the John Wick franchise follows a renowned hitman who finds himself being forced back into the criminal underworld after retiring, putting his violent skills back to work in some of the most stunning ways imaginable. The series has had four movies so far, but the upcoming 2025 addition will take the franchise in a whole new direction.

Set to be released on June 6, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (or Ballerina for short) will serve as a spin-off of the original storyline, shifting the focus to Eve Macarro, a woman who leads a double life as a ballerina and an assassin, as she prepares to seek vengeance for her father’s death. The lead role will be played by Ana de Armas, with Anjelica Huston and Norman Reedus also among the cast. Additionally, in a move that is bound to excite fans of the franchise, Reeves will be returning to portray John Wick once again.

6

Final Destination

Upcoming Film: Final Destination: Bloodlines

Final Destination Alex worried Tod dead

Custom image by Milica Djordjevic.

Fans of modern horror are likely quite familiar with the Final Destination franchise, which included five movies released from 2000-2011. The films may be rather formulaic, but they have consistently proven to be popular among those with a rather dark taste in film. Each Final Destination movie follows a group of individuals who miraculously manage to avoid their untimely demise, only to be stalked and killed by Death himself in shocking, elaborate ways. Now, after more than a decade without a new installment, fans are finally getting another glimpse into this horrifying world.

Final Destination: Bloodlines will be released on May 16, 2025, being directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. After so many years away, the film will hope to find the perfect balance between offering a refreshing, modern story, while also including all the elements people have known and loved about the series for so long. Not much is known about the plot of the film, except that it will reportedly focus on a group of first responders. Whatever the story may be, one can be confident it will be full of delightfully nightmarish horrors.

5

Tron

Upcoming Film: Tron: Ares

This custom image shows Ares from TRON: ARES from the back with a glow around him.

Custom Image by Dani Kessel Odom

The Tron franchise may only have two installments (in terms of feature films) so far, but its unique story and dazzling imagery have easily put it among the most recognizable works of science fiction. The films explore the digital world known as “The Grid,” a stunning virtual reality world being experienced by the main characters. Fans of the series have had to wait quite a while between installments, with 28 years passing between the first two films, and another fifteen having passed before the upcoming addition.

Imagery-from-Jurassic-World,-Avatar-and-The-Mandalorian

Related

10 New Sci-Fi Movies To Get Excited About In 2025 And Beyond

Sci-fi is one of the most creative spaces in film, and with the movies coming to this space in 2025 and beyond, there is a lot to be excited about.

Posts

Titled Tron: Ares, the upcoming installment will be a standalone sequel to Tron: Legacy, introducing a largely new cast of characters. Among the cast are acclaimed actors Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters. Additionally, Jeff Bridges will be returning to reprise his role as Kevin Flynn once again. Based on the plot details that have been announced, Tron: Ares appears to be turning the franchise on its head, sending a digital figure from the computer world out into the real world, essentially the opposite of the narrative from the first two films.

4

Knives Out

Upcoming Film: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Front of the Wake Up Dead Man Logo

Writer/Director Rian Johnson has certainly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of mysteries within the last few years. Alongside his popular murder-of-the-week TV series, Poker Face, he is also the creative mind behind the Knives Out franchise. The franchise features two films so far, including Knives Out (2019) and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), both of which earned Johnson Academy Award nominations for his writing. Each film includes a self-contained mystery being solved by Benoit Blanc, a private detective played by Daniel Craig.

Jake Sully and Neytiri in Avatar: The Way of Water. Neytiri is positioned behind a disgruntled Sully with a worried look in his direction.

Related

10 Most Anticipated Movie Sequels Coming Out In 2025

2025’s most exciting sequels include big sci-fi blockbusters, action thrillers and a few surprising franchises making their long-awaited returns.

Posts

4

The upcoming addition to the franchise, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, will be released on Netflix sometime in 2025. Like the previous films, this new addition will include an ensemble cast of various major stars, although specific roles have not yet been revealed for many of them. Along with Craig, members of the cast include Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, and Josh Brolin, although that is far from the extent of the film’s star power. Not much has been announced regarding the plot yet, but viewers can expect plenty more twists and turns only Johnson could conceive.

3

Mission: Impossible

Upcoming Film: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025) next to a blurred poster for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning

Custom Image by Lewis Glazebrook

Since the 1990s, the Mission: Impossible franchise has been blowing audiences away with its heart-pounding stories and death-defying stunts. The films star action icon Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an Impossible Mission Force agent who gets sent on one deadly, world-saving adventure after another. Now, after nearly twenty years in action, Hunt is returning for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which will serve as the direct sequel to the 2023 film, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will be directed by Christopher McQuarrie, with a script written by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen, with both men returning to their same positions from the previous film. In addition to Cruise, several other cast members from previous Mission: Impossible films will be returning to reprise their roles, including Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames. It is also worth mentioning that this upcoming installment has an estimated budget of $400 million, much higher than that of the previous films, meaning fans can surely expect plenty of explosive entertainment.

2

Saw

Upcoming Film: Saw XI

Tobin Bell as Jigsaw gazing at a victim in Saw X

Few films have sparked quite as many sequels as the mind-boggling 2004 horror movie, Saw. Over the last two decades, ten Saw movies have been released, each one offering plenty of nightmarish traps bound to make any viewer’s skin crawl. Unfortunately, not every installment of the franchise has been particularly well-received. However, the most recent addition served as a strong rebound for the franchise, earning much higher ratings than the previous few films. Now, the masterminds behind the series will look to continue that success with Saw XI, one of the most exciting horror movies of 2025.

While details have been kept fairly quiet for the most part, there are some known elements that already have many people excited about Saw XI. For one, Tobin Bell has announced that he will return to play John Kramer yet again, continuing the role which is now over twenty years in the making. Kevin Greutert will also be returning to direct, following his success with Saw X. After being delayed, Saw XI is now scheduled to premiere on September 26, 2025.

1

The Karate Kid

Upcoming Film: Karate Kid: Legends

Actors Jackie Chan and Ben Wang as Mr. Han and Li Fong in Karate Kid: Legends.

When it comes to martial arts movies, the 1984 drama, The Karate Kid, is an all-time classic. The inspiring film launched an entire franchise, one that includes numerous movies and TV shows. Aside from the Cobra Kai Netflix series, though, the franchise has been largely dormant for quite a while. Fortunately for Karate Kid lovers everywhere, a new film is set to end this period of absence from movie theaters, being released on May 30, 2025.

Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, this upcoming revival of the franchise will be called Karate Kid: Legends. The film will feature the long-awaited return of Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, both of whom will be reprising their roles from previous films. Additionally, the film is set to star Ben Wang, who will be making his feature debut as the film’s protagonist. Karate Kid: Legends is sure to bring tons of people to the theater after fifteen years without a new film in the series.

Leave a Comment