Given thatthree Netflix originals broke records in 2024, it will be interesting to see which of the films arriving on the platform this year will pique viewers' interest the most, reaching the streamer’s Top 10 of all time. From what has already been announced to come out this year,there are the most buzz-worthy Netflix movies you won’t want to miss in 2025, ranked by just how much anticipation they have behind them.
Directed by Gareth Evans
Action enthusiasts are already looking forward toTom Hardy’s next gritty project. Known for playing criminals and villains, the actor will now be on the right side of the law inHavoc. The Netflix film will have Hardy play a bruised detective determined to rescue a politician’s estranged son from the criminal underworld after a drug deal goes south. While on this mission, the protagonist begins to see through the corrupt system driving the city.
Gangs of LondondirectorGareth Evanswill helm this thrilling action flick, which will come out sometime this year.Havochas been a long time in the making, withfilming dating back to 2021. When the film’s first look images were released, they came as a sign that the production was still on the table despite the multiple setbacks that it faced. Aside from Hardy, names likeJessie Mei Li,Timothy Olyphant, andForest Whitakerwill also be part of the project’s ensemble.
9’The Life List'
Directed by Adam Brooks
Sofia Carsonhas become a Netflix regular, having starred in four movies for the streaming platform so far, the latest beingthe hugely successfulCarry-On. The partnership between the actress and Netflix is far from over, with her leading the book-to-screen adaptation ofThe Life ListbyLori Nelson Spielman. She is expected to star as Alex Rose, a young woman seeking to cross off all the items from her childhood bucket list. Encouraged by her mother to go on this life-altering quest, the main character uncovers family secrets and falls in love.
Written and directed byAdam Brooks, this anticipated romantic comedy has yet to get an official release date. However, its stacked cast is enough of a reason to keep this title on your 2025 to-watch list. Carson will act oppositeKyle Allen,Sebastian de Souza, andConnie Brittonin a project that will likelydrive viewers to laugh and cry in equal measure.
8’Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl'
Directed by Merlin Crossingham and Nick Park
The lead characters have proven their loyalty to one another throughout the many entries in the franchise, and their partnership is what leads viewers to also remain faithful to the inventor and his pooch over time. Wallace and Gromit’s first onscreen appearance was in 1989’sA Grand Day Out, which was nominated for an Oscar. Since then, they’ve resurfaced for six other films before the recently released Netflix movie. Having them back more than 20 years later is a welcome surprise andthe perfect way to kick off the streaming service’s lengthy 2025 release list.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
7’The Thursday Murder Club'
Directed by Chris Columbus
Staying at a retirement home has never been so filled with twists and turns as inthe upcoming Netflix original,The Thursday Murder Club. Based on the best-selling whodunnit novel of the same name, the film will follow a group of seniors who solve murder mysteries for fun until they are warped up into a real case. The talented thespians at the core of this adaptation are ex-spy Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), ex-union activist Ron (Pierce Brosnan), and ex-nurse Joyce (Celia Imrie).
The Thursday Murder Club
6’Fear Street: Prom Queen'
Directed by Matt Palmer
After the overwhelming success of theFear Streettrilogy, we will be invited back to Shadyside for another bone-chilling venture. After each installment that came out in 2021 dove deeper into the town’s bloody history,Fear Street: Prom Queenwill continuethe story by focusing on a 1988 high school dance that takes a horrifying turn. Based onR.L. Stine’s 1992 novel, the upcoming film will look into the ruthless dispute for the crown at the local senior prom, which results in a brutal murder.
Given the popularity of the franchise’s previous entries, with each one receiving more than 80% approval on Rotten Tomatoes,the excitement for this new horror flick is undeniable. Adding a killer twist to the school dance tradition—a classic setting for multiple of the all-time best slashers—Prom Queenis bound to bethe go-to pick for this Halloween season.
Fear Street: Prom Queen
5’The Electric State'
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo
BeforeMillie Bobby Brownbids farewell to Eleven inStranger ThingsSeason 5, the actress will embark on a robot-filled alternate reality in the Russo Brothers' latest directorial effort. In this reimagining of the ’90s, robotic artificial intelligence takes over the world, posing a threat to humanity. Years later, after peace is established between man and machine, a young woman accompanied by a toy robot and a smuggler uncovers a mechanical conspiracy affecting the nation.
This retro-futuristic productionis inspired bySimon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name. It similarly focuses on a young girl and a mysterious robot who go on a cross-country trip through a high-tech wasteland in search of her younger brother. With Brown andChris Prattas the leads, this dystopian epic coming to Netflix in March willpique the interest of sci-fi and fantasy fans.
The Electric State
4’Back in Action'
Directed by Seth Gordon
Cameron Diaz has been out of the spotlight for over ten years, so her comeback to the screen is nothing short of eventful. The actress will reunite with Oscar winnerJamie FoxxinBack in Action, with the duo playing seemingly normal parents who hide a big secret. In reality, the couple used to work as spies but had let go of their double life to start a family. When their cover is blown, the duo are forced to reenter the CIA for another risky mission.
Diaz has starred in several action-packed productions throughout her career,her most notorious beingCharlie’s Angels. Her return to the genre as a secret agent, literally kicking ass alongside her formerAnnieco-star, should not go unnoticed when the film comes out on January 17.Back in Actionhasthe potential to be Netflix’s first hit of 2025, and audiences will surely stream the heck out of it in a little under a week.
Back in Action
3’Happy Gilmore 2'
Directed by Kyle Newacheck
In this day and age, you can never say never to a sequel, even if the first installment was released 30 years ago.Happy Gilmore 2serves as proof that it is never too late to revisit characters from a nostalgic title and see where they ended up since we last saw them.Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore won the Tour Championship in 1996, and now viewers get to catch up with the protagonist as he continues to reach new heights on the golf course.
The long-awaited follow-up to the ’90s comedy will arrive on Netflix in 2025, featuring original starsJulie BowenandChristopher McDonaldas Virginia Venit and Shooter McGavin. In addition to the characters we already know and love,Happy Gilmore 2will welcome new faces, including NFL playerTravis Kelce,Bad Bunny, andMargaret Qualley.
Directed by Rian Johnson
Two films in and theKnives Outfranchise has already gained must-see status. After all, with every installment comes an elaborate murder mystery and a wide array of suspects to consider. As Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) uses his investigative expertise to close a case, audiences are encouraged to keep an eye out for any possible clues as to who the killer might be. Although the premise forWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mysteryhas yet to be disclosed, the first two installments of the whodunnit film series already proved thataudiences can trust Rian Johnson’s masterful direction and storytelling prowess.
Soon after the sequel was announced,the casting updates just kept on coming, resulting in an impressive ensemble. The main cast will featureGlenn Close,Josh O’Connor,Josh Brolin,Mila Kunis,Jeremy Renner,Kerry Washington,Andrew Scott,Cailee Spaeny,Daryl McCormack, andThomas Haden Church. These hand-picked stars are all playing characters we have yet to learn more about, which only contributes to the excitement of watching the film upon release.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
1’Frankenstein'
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Out of all the Netflix productions featured in the 2025 film slate,Frankensteinhas got to be the most anticipated one. After all, it’s directed by Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro and aims to breathe new life intoMary Shelley’s classic tale. According to the director in aninterview with Collider’s ownChristina Radish, this film was a decade in the making, meaning that a lot of thought went into every creative decision that he made.
From the script to the cast, the filmmaker had a keen eye for detail, and, given his track record, he will present an elaborate look at Victor Frankenstein’s (Oscar Isaac) monstrous creature (Jacob Elordi) unlike anything that we’ve seen before. Del Toro andMaggie Gyllenhaalare both presenting their takes on the gothic novel through their respective films, one focusing on sticking to the source material and the other adapting the 1935 filmBride of Frankenstein. Given that the two movies will come out in 2025, horror fans have a lot to look forward to.
