The box office has the potential to fully bounce back in 2025, reaching new heights beyond anything seen in the 2020s thus far.
This is primarily due to some of the big hitters from studios like Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal.
While Marvel and DC’s presence will be greatly felt in the coming year, it’d be unfair to expect those superhero flicks to lead the way.
Even though 2024 had wonderful hits like Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Despicable Me 4, and others, 2025 has many more films with high potential.
The notion “Survive ‘Till ’25” was coined following the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WAG strikes delaying many 2024 films. While everyone made it through a down year (collectively) in 2024, this idea has only ballooned pressure and expectations for 2025’s biggest films:
Heading into 2025, there’s an obvious box office winner, and that’s none other than James Cameron’s third Avatar film: Fire and Ash.
Between only two films, the Avatar franchise has grossed over $5 billion (with the B) at the global box office. 2009’s Avatar is still the highest-grossing film ever (due to a few re-releases) and 2022’s The Way of Water followed suit with a record-smashing $2.3 billion worldwide.
While these films are super-sized successes in North America, the international markets for the Avatar franchise are ravenous, including 448.6 million in China between both films.
The expectation for Avatar: Fire and Ash should be no different, if this isn’t the highest-grossing more released in 2025, something has gone terribly wrong (or terribly right for another blockbuster).
Cha-Ching! Another Disney animated sequel is being released alongside Thanksgiving in 2025, here’s the recent track record: Moana 2 ($225.4 million 5-day opening) and Frozen II ($125 million 5-day opening).
The original Zootopia remarkably made over $1 billion with a reported $150 million budget, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2016 and the second-highest-grossing animated film of the year. Internationally, its success was driven by China, where it grossed $235.6 million, setting multiple records for an animated film.
It’s incredibly hard to bet against an established Disney franchise with a desirable sequel, especially after nine years of many young fans waiting. Zootopia 2 is one of 2025’s safest box office bets.
Here’s the thing. Despite poor reception (29% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 38 on Metacritic), Jurassic World Dominion was a booming box office success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide, coming in as the third-highest-grossing film of 2022.
This evidence proves many analysts’ hypotheses: If you put dinosaurs on the big screen, it will print money.
So if anyone is fatigued by the Jurassic series since its resurgence in 2015, get used to it. As Rebirth has reset the cast again with stars like Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, hitting another reset button just three years after Dominion‘s release.
One key market to watch with Rebirth is China, Dominion grossed $100 million less ($157.6) than 2018’s Fallen Kingdom ($261.2) in that country.
The confidence in box office success for Jurassic World 4 is based solely on the draw towards its IP at an international level, and very little about expected critical or audience reception.
After learning from their mistakes with the “Part One” of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Paramount Pictures is poised to pull on everyone’s heartstrings ahead of The Final Reckoning.
As the upgraded, marketing-enhanced, title suggests, this could be the final chapter of Tom Cruise’s journey as Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise.
No Mission Impossible film has ever made over $800 million at the worldwide box office… until now. Dead Reckoning Part One only making $570.6 globally in 2023 was a product of low-stakes marketing, an over-reliance on Top Gun: Maverick goodwill, and its release time (one week before Oppenheimer and Barbie).
With The Final Reckoning, Paramount is laser-focused on making this film an event, creating a sense of urgency for audiences to go see it Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
No comic book movie releasing in 2025 is guaranteed to be a smash hit, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps may have the highest ceiling of the pack.
Once again, Marvel Studios is using its late-July slot to bring characters it acquired from 20th Century Fox into the MCU. However, this time it’s not an established sequel, which also happened to add in Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
So, no, the expectation for The Fantastic Four should not be the same as Deadpool & Wolverine ($1.3 billion). That said, Marvel’s clear confidence behind the new film is apparent, setting up a massive marketing campaign during the first half of 2025.
The Fantastic Four is a high-pressure situation, with a loaded cast (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) the opportunity to not only bring Marvel’s first family into the MCU, but the chance to finally do justice by these characters on the big screen.
The only near guarantee for First Steps is that it will become the highest-grossing Fantastic Four film ever, potentially earning more than all three previous films combined.
“Ohana means family.”
The Lilo & Stitch live-action remake being the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2025 is probably the hottest take on this Top 10 list.
In many ways, a lot is going against it, as Disney remakes like The Little Mermaid ($569.6 million) and the current outlook of 2025’s Snow White (outside of The Direct’s Top 10) could work as negative momentum heading into Memorial Day (going head-to-head with Mission: Impossible 8)
However, this list reflects a return to box office greatness for Disney remakes, or at least an overperformance that catches many pundits off-guard. Not only is Lilo & Stitch nostalgia bait for Millenial and older Gen Z audiences, but this is set up nicely to be an adolescent albatross to kick off the summer season.
If this was a box office potential loss based solely on North American theaters, Wicked Part Two would’ve been in the Top 5, but the lack of international success drags the Act 2 musical down a bit.
However, there’s no doubt following the explosive opening of Wicked Part One that Part Two will be another huge success for Universal, likely becoming the most successful musical-to-film adaptation ever.
James Gunn’s Superman is arguably the most important comic book movie to ever release. No pressure.
2025’s Superman marks the true reset for the greater DC Universe, which faced many more lows than highs during the unpredictable DCEU era.
The newly formed DC Studios is set to right many of the past wrongs at Warner Bros. when it comes to their highly valuable superhero characters.
While there’s no greater place to start than Superman, it also comes along with violently opposed outcomes:
The Direct’s Top 10 prediction for Superman does out it somewhere in between those two outcomes, leaning more towards global success. However, there’s no other movie on this list that has an equal chance of making $200 million as it doesn’t $1 billion.
Taking a page out of Disney’s playbook, Universal is diving into the live-action remake game with How to Train Your Dragon, a reimagining of the 2010 film.
While not as lucrative as some of Disney, Pixar, or Illumination’s greatest hits, Dreamworks’ How To Train Your Dragon animated franchise was a consistent box office success, especially overseas.
Written and directed by the original filmmaker Dean DeBlois, there’s little doubt that the live-action remake will do justice by the first film.
In addition, many are bullish on this film’s box office prospects based on when it’s released during the summer season and the natural allure of a story about Vikings and dragons being brought to life. Also, the first teaser gives excited fans their first look at the lead dragon Toothless, whose “real life” design is being widely celebrated.
Once laughed at and pushed into a corner, video game adaptations have been pretty hot lately and it’s hard to think of many more well-known gaming IPs than Minecraft.
Despite some mixed reactions to the initial trailers starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, there’s too much built-in awareness and family-friendly opportunities for A Minecraft Movie to not make the Top 10.
This film could end up being a stinker, leaving fans far less satisfied than 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but even poor reviews may not matter on its journey to half a billion dollars.
While these honorable mentions didn’t crack the Top 10, they each carry unique potential. Michael, a biographical drama about Michael Jackson, could be a game-changer if its portrayal of the pop icon resonates with audiences worldwide.
The Formula 1-themed F1 has the ingredients of a surprise hit, especially with its high-octane sports action and Brad Pitt’s star power.
If either breaks into the Top 10, it would be remarkable. On the other hand, Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World face tempered expectations.
While Thunderbolts seems to have more positive buzz, giving it a better chance to make the Top 10, Brave New World could struggle to fill the void left by Steve Rogers, potentially marking it as a rare misstep for the MCU.
While Disney may dominate the 2025 box office with its heavy hitters and sheer volume, some of its releases could fall short of expectations.
Despite its iconic source material, the live-action Snow White remake faces skepticism due to divisive casting choices and creative decisions, which could hinder its success.
Similarly, Pixar’s original film Elio may struggle to captivate audiences in a crowded animation market.
Meanwhile, TRON: Ares hopes to reignite interest in the franchise, but its niche appeal might limit its box office reach.
These films, along with other notable releases like Ballerina, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, The Smurfs Movie, The Bad Guys 2, Now You See Me 3, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, will need to overcome fierce competition and high expectations to make the Top 10.
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