Year-End Box Office

The entire year, 2025, movie business, to be looked back, was a shuffle.  Who could have imagined, the titles such as "One Battle After Another, or "The Sinners" could remain as the best picture contenders.

And most of all the shocks of the box office, the top 10 grossing films are won by kids basically, no. 1 revenue maker must be "Nhe Zha 2", that's world-wide, and US domestically, "The Minecraft Movie".

These two have slight edge over, "Lilo & Stitch", beating out the heavy-set "Superman", "Jurassic World: Rebirth", isn't it surprising "How to Train Your Dragon" earned a lot more than "Captain America" !?

Tragic Ending

And of a shock, still movie fans are reeling off.  Of all the happy endings he provided us...  Rob Reiner was a son of Carl Reiner, a comedian, and a film director himself, Rob was once married to Penny Marshall, equally a successful director.

Much like himself.  Rob Reiner's most popular, if it's not his best, "When Harry Met Sally (1989)", and most dramtic, perhaps, "Stand By Me(1986)", "A Few Good Men(1992)", all nominated for Oscar's Best Pictures.

And the most memorable, could well be "The Princess Bride(1987)", recently of "The Bucket List (2007)", as Rob Reiner started out as a sit-com actor, "All in the Family(1971-1979)", he delighted us both on-screen and off, the entertainment world would utterly miss him.

Teasing Trailers

Even before the new year, the Holiday season movies, and the trailers are much more hyped, for the coming year new release date setting.  Exactly before one year to open, November 20, 2026, there was a record breaker.

That is "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" trailer debut, the record number of hits were made on Nov. 20 trailer debut, which made the news, and broke out the headline; Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson both reprise the characters to appear.

And as much anticipated, for "Supergirl" July 26th, 2026 premiere teaser first look at Milly Alcock's Kara Zor-El, following the ending of James Gunn's "Superman".  The sneak peak reveals her big-bad side... ?

Streaming Studio

As the news broke this year-end '25, a streaming service is purchasing a major studio's one distribution side, though still in the same production business.  The question/the answer, remain; streaming must be more profitable ?

For the future of movie business, or is it already proven, the streamers have contributed for the best of motion pictures well enough ?  As the early front-runner for the nomination leader, or mostly dominant each year.

For the 2026 awards selection, appropriately "Jay Kelly" depicts coming to terms with the reality of film business, "Frankenstein" is poised to collect many criteria statuettes, also "A House of Dynamite" seems to have claimed the contention.

Thanksgiving For Good

2025 Thanksgiving Box Office, or could be said these days 'Black Friday' movie week-end, could be won, by children !  As was the case last year's "Moana 2", on top spot, "Zootopia 2", animated sequel.

With the opulent climax on "Wicked: For Good", and joyous review, coming in second in close, collectively  grossing the festive season cinemas as expected.  As for No. 1 "Zootopia" is doing better than the estimate, in near record territory.

And that's world-wide release, overwhelming the domestic, both family entertainment sequel are doing outstanding business, and audiences alike, critics are giving glowing, steller satisfaction, even before nomination season.

Oscar Finally/Already

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rewarded lifetime achievement honorary Oscar to Tom Cruise at 16th annual Governors' Awards, celebrating his 45 years career contribution.

That ignited the Oscar talk of the year, 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O'Brien again, would take place on March 15 (Sun.), 2026, though no dominant contestant on prediction list yet.

And indeed not, after Awards circuit season 2025 commenced, current standing with "Frankenstein" surging over "Hamnet" ?  And strong candidacy in directing and performance category from "One Battle After Another", "Sinners" ?

Live On Screen

Slated to summer 2026 opening, June to be exact, Antoine Fuqua's biopic "Michael" may split into parts, due to lengthy run time, is the news.  It could follow the footstep of musical life stories of music icons.

If it's not exactly live concerts, but on largest of screen release, could overwhelm, with success of Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl",  which is a cross-over for music followers and movie followers, and the revenues from both.

And this holiday season, from December 10th,  the largest of screens is showcasing the 1st ever feature length concert film, "Rolling Stones - At the Max", reviving its 1991 issue into enhanced cinema sound.  Now into theater crowd.

A For Anniversary

And for the review grade.  These two 'A' list classic titles are set to come back over large screen re-release for anniversary run.  "V For Vendetta(2006)"'s nation wide theatrical  return begins Nov. 1, 2026.

The mask 'V' with Natalie Portman' Evey, fight through political action thriller is still iconic, since it's against dystopian, futuristic, totalitarian world.  Within this year 2025, another icon of horror masterpiece is remastered with laser version.

Come celebrate the 45th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining(1980)", considered to be the ultimate, of a magisterial chiller, over this horror genre cinema history.  From December 12, new remaster on largest of screen is a must-see.

Reality Bites

Fictional, but realistic, therefore thrilling, gripping, even cautionary, Kathryn Bigelow's long  anticipated come-back work, "A House of Dynamite" opening in selected theaters, is about nuclear missile threat.

A likely nuclear object against situation room duty officer (Rebecca Ferguson), Bigelow brings back her point of view direction, we feel 'trilogy' following "Hurt Locker", "Zero Dark Thirty" of behind war time.

As much as Paul Thomas Anderson brought the action back into "One Battle After Another", as Leonardo DiCaprio's revolutionary character fights against authoritarian nationalistic view of the society.  Are these the world we're living now ?

Don't go alone

So we are told this Halloween film season 2025, therefore, we won't.  We can't, if the box office seems to have this much chilling tension.  As "Shelby Oaks" debuting October 24, may bring a fresh streak into the horror genre.

It's a simple mystery, a group of online investigators onto a missing person, searching through clues left on paranormal activity video footage.  Fitting, for this season of YouTube generation movie-goers.

A caricature of this year's Halloween films, "Black Phone 2" let us dive into Freddie Kruger territory, a masked serial killer, 'The Grabber' is coming back, four years after his death, in intense super-natural effects & action.  Happy Halloween.

London Derby

To describe the least, how competitive annual 69th London Film Festival, from Oct. 6 to 19, 2025, from the world premieres, to the most anticipated of the year, the line-up seems more like the best pictures voted already.

Each gala presentations could re-examine which titles could go all the way down to the wire, throughout the award season.  '25 Cannes Grand-Prix winner, Joachim Trier's Bergmanesque family drama "Sentimental Value" would gather crowd as the "A" title.

Equally Chloe Zhao's "Hamnet" has a showcase as the London Mayors' gala, an imagined story about how Shakespeare wrote "Hamlet", could move on top of the year, through Tokyo International Film Festival also, from Oct. 27.

Review/Preview

Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1980's hit titles are getting the re-boot, series resurrection, this fall 2025.  With reasons.  Original "The Running Man" was a 1987 blockbuster, still reviewed as a first rate dystopia action pack.

Before the new version release, we could catch up the last 35th anniversary 2023 issue 4K UHD with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision.  A futuristic totalitarian police's hunt for one man begins.  Based on Stephen King's novella.

Now it is an established franchise, as much as "ALIEN"s, either series' continuation, or derivatives, "Predator" is coming back again in 'Badlands'.  And the first, directed by John McTiernan, commandos against extra-terrestrial warrior, is also in 4K Ulta HD + Blue-ray. 

Tricks & Treats 2025

Traditionally, October is full of Halloween treats films lined up for the season, and the box office does traditionally respond well, this year's most typical..., October 17 release, "Black Phone 2" is harrowing.

Coming back from 2022 original, 15 years old is still receiving stalking calls in her dreams...  As menacing as any of this season's franchises ever.   But there's this classic title, with a new life, given by Guillemo del Toro.

Already screened at Venice Film Festival, "Frankenstein" is revived in del Toro world, 1818 original story, is a must, be re-created in a new vision.  Also in theaters from October 17, as a wild card hit of the season.

New Hope

Its first teaser trailer has been revealed in September 2025, for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" May 22, 2026 release, the newest STAR WARS franchise, 'only theaters' is that anticipated.

The legendary Mandalorian, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice 'Grogu' would help the 'New Republic' from the empire.  And the galaxy for the fans, seems not too far, far away.

The next series premiere is from December 3, "Skelton Crew" start streaming, Jude Law plays the enigmatic Jod Na Nawood, in search of mysterious discovery, into the danger of the galaxy.  It sounds like a forthcoming new series to the fans.

The Natural

...is only a title of one film he starred.  If Robert Redford's carrier being described briefly, which could be "The Classic".  And his contribution to the movie history, it must not be brief.  It's a major part of itself.

Not only he has won the Academy Awards as the best director, he has created a film festival of his own, 'Sundance', named after his character from "Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid (1969)".

And his most popular ever, could be "The Way We Were(1970)", with Barbara Streisand, also his teaming with the director, Sydney Pollack, "Out of Africa(1985)", the best picture Oscar title.  It's indescribable, when this large star has fallen.

Endless Summer

We all wish that the summer blockbusters keep on coming, and this genre has been almost prerequisite each year !  That is not all fun, but frighteners.  Especially this series appeared endless, we all thought.

Is it finale ?  September 5th opening "Conjuring: Last Rites", Ed & Lorraine Warren could have their final case here, but what's most horrific about this franchise is, based on true 'Demonologists'.  Could they have a conclusion ?

The name, Jordan Peele, could be labeled as a horror genre director ?  But the film fans are simply impressed as such, his latest "Him" is a sports psychological horror, proclaims 'In this game, violence is rewarded'.

Family Values

Which may have been necessary for movie industry now, after all this '25 summer's blockbusters with super heroes and dinosaurs..., movie goers choice of tickets this September...

Though this is the very ending of the Crawley family's series drama, "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale", the time has come, an elegant bittersweet farewell to their each family members.

This reimagining of 1989 film, "The War of the Roses" with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, has its modern twist of spousal warfare, "The Roses", with Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Jay Roach directing.

Secret Weapons

Labor Day week-end box office has been the test-stone, turning into September, last quarter of a fiscal year, the end of summer movie season..., and surprise, not only from traditional film fans...,

...but the business news consensus-wise, on top of the revenue leader is "Weapons", a super-natural horror film, about a classroom of children lured into nightly activity.  But what's more surprising ?

50 years old movie re-release came in second.  On this 2025 labor Day week-end movie theaters are yet again jostled by "JAWES" 50th Anniversary re-issue, after half a century mark, we must conclude: Ageless.

Modern Twist

...and shout, perhaps, for "Kiss of the Spider Woman"'s case, it's a musical, directed by Bill Condon, featuring Jennifer Lopez, as the diva 'spider woman', re-creation of the Tony winning Broadway show.

And a reprisal of 1985 film, won best supporting Oscar with William Hurt, an adaptation of a 1976 Argentinian novel by Manuel Puig, about two prisoners.  Opening October 10 only in theaters.

And screams would be heard..., over Guillermo del Toro bringing a new life into "Frankenstein", debuting August 30 at Venice Film Festival, since already labeled as chilling, horror film, Oscar Isaac as 'Victor Frankenstein'.

Returning Men

Who are these men ?  "The Running Man" is a re-make of 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger dystopian sci-fi thriller, based on 1982 Stephen King story, almost 4 decades later, it's revived again.

 

Its new life given by Glen Powell, directed by Edger Wright, a reality TV show follows a 'runner' escape from killers.  Focusing on a motive, circumstance, one man facing ?

John Rambo is coming back also, as Noah Centineo was cast, the lone man army, seemed to be rebooted, or the tentative tile could go "Rambo:Origin" ?  The shooting would start 2026, after 44 years of the original release in 1982. 

Jack Lemmon Centennial

If he were living..., this year our movie world is celebrating Jack Lemmon's hundredth birthday.  But his presence, performance still live on for sure, and still could entertain us.

It's even easy, to pick his best works, since these are the best also, of among all the greatest film classics, on top, no doubt, "Some Like It Hot (1959)", 4K UHD Blue-ray version has 2 discs, feature interviews with him & Tony Curtis.

No argument in second, same Billy Wilder directed "The Apartment (1960)", the Blue-ray special documentary has 13 minutes length "Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon".

Into Film Fest.

Celebrating its half century mark, 50th anniversary edition of Toronto International Film Festival kicks off 2025 film festival season, from September 4 to 14th, its gala honors Guillermo del Toro and Jodie Foster.

As TIFF Tribute Awards recepients, del Toro premieres "Frankenstein", Foster presents "Private Life", a French psychological  mystery debuted in Cannes already.

Ahead of August 27 opening, 82nd Venice Film Festival announced its competitive, expansive line-ups, include, George Clooney's return in "Jay Kelly", Julia Roberts' "After The Hunt", Kathryn Bigelow's feature direction, "A House of Dynamite".

Comic Con '25

It must be the hottest peak of summer movie business, it's definitely not just comics, the annual San Diego Comic Covention is an absolute entertainment fan fest covers films to games.

From July 24, this year, the showcase kicked off with the "ALIEN: Earth" premiere, new trailers and footages introduced for "Predator: Badlands" & "TRON: Ares", and it's just Day 2.

Plus, the news of more release dates for "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" from Dec. 5, 2025, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" from Dec. 10 debut, and "The Toxic Avengers" reboot unveiled an Aug. 29 wide release.

Later, Larger (?)

Or, as large as this July mega blockbuster success over the largest of screen size, and their scores on hit chart..., revenues, 'Jurassic' scale and 'Super' presence on summer box office.

As we watch the trailer debut of "Tron: Ares" October 10 premiere exclusively in theaters may well be the next best thing, a decade after the previous "Tron: Legacy", with Jared Leto on the lead, it must perform well.

Furthermore, the competition is elevated also, it is following "Fantastic Four", flanked by "Predator: Badlands", and finally, the next big thing, "Avatar: Fire and Ashe" official release on December 19.

Franchise Test

Either looking up, or down..., this 2025 summer movie bonanza is a showcase, that long running classic titles are having reboot, and rebirth, successfully through world-wide box office.

Frankly James Gunn doesn't NEED to reboot, neither remake the "Superman", especially not repeat, we, the long time film fans, must see his own unique arrangement, and as of opening week-end, pros & cons are...

Gareth Edwards' take on "Jurassic" series are reviewed already as Spielberg twist, part JAWS, Indy Jones' action, adventurous over Skull Island, but carried on 1993 original dinosaur DNA !