With just over two months left in 2024, a few big releases are still on the way, but it’s already clear that Hollywood is bracing for a significant downturn compared to 2023, which was already not a banner year. Looking at just U.S. box office returns, the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak hit film production hard, and the industry is still struggling to recover. In 2023, total box office sales hit $8.9 billion—lower than any pre-COVID total since 2005, even though tickets were much cheaper back then. Although the 2023 results look better compared to this year’s expected $8 billion cap, miracles could still happen—especially if Wicked turns out to be the hit many are anticipating.
But most miracles will likely have to wait until 2025, when the comic book movie wave is expected to restart, bringing with it some long-awaited blockbuster sequels. Some high-profile films we had hoped to see this year are also coming out then. We’ve put together the ten most promising films, listed in order of their planned release dates. Let’s dive in!
1. Snow White – Planned Release: March 2025
Before you close this tab—yes, we know about the controversies surrounding Disney’s new live-action Snow White, from the casting choices to the CGI dwarves. But let’s remember that The Little Mermaid faced similar backlash in 2023 yet earned $570 million, with the target audience giving it an A CinemaScore. We’re hopeful that Disney has learned from the feedback surrounding both films, especially given that the release was delayed by a year, possibly for some additional polishing. While Rachel Zegler will remain the lead, she’s sure to deliver the classic and new songs with her usual finesse, and the visuals will likely be as fairy-tale-like as promised. We predict it’ll make around $700 million worldwide.
2. Thunderbolts* – Planned Release: May 2025
Marvel Studios essentially took 2024 off, not to regroup but to finish previously announced projects. Among them is Thunderbolts, Marvel’s answer to Suicide Squad, which brings together a cast of familiar or less prominent antiheroes for a joint mission. The trailer suggests the team-up isn’t exactly voluntary, hinting that it might resemble The Usual Suspects as much as DC’s film that propelled Margot Robbie to fame. Eventually, we’ll also find out what the asterisk in the title means. Rumor has it they’re actually the “Dark Avengers,” but another guess is that it could symbolize the six team members: Yelena (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and... Bob (Lewis Pullman), who might just turn out to be Sentry. With a May release, we’re giving it a $500 million worldwide estimate, recycled characters and all.
3. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2 – Planned Release: May 2025
The seventh Mission: Impossible struggled both in production and box office reception. Filming was fragmented by COVID, inflating its budget to nearly $300 million, while its release shortly before Barbenheimer stole the spotlight. Luckily, this didn’t stop Paramount from producing the next installment, which will likely be the last Mission: Impossible film—despite Tom Cruise’s insistence that he’ll play Ethan Hunt until he’s 80. The film has even shed its original title, but it will continue the Dead Reckoning story as Hunt and his team pursue an unusual nemesis across England, Malta, Norway, South Africa, and even aboard an aircraft carrier. With a release delay, the budget should be lower, and viewers may be more interested in seeing the final chapter of Ethan Hunt’s 30-year cinematic journey. We estimate it’ll bring in around $800 million globally.
4. Elio – Planned Release: June 2025
A year ago, it was unlikely anyone would predict that Inside Out 2 would be the year’s biggest success, out-earning even the Despicable Me franchise’s latest entry. But audiences flocked to the movie, giving Pixar a well-needed boost after a few rough years at the box office. Elio, originally planned for this year, will now premiere in Pixar’s favorite release month, June, in time for summer break, where it should perform well. The story follows an 11-year-old boy accidentally mistaken as Earth’s ambassador to a galactic alliance and taken off-planet for an intergalactic conference. With a mix of humor, adventure, and stunning visuals, Elio is expected to draw a bigger crowd than Lightyear. We’re predicting $600 million globally.
5. F1 – Planned Release: May 2025
Brad Pitt’s F1 could be the dark horse of the summer—or even the year. Apple reportedly spent $300 million on the film, which will still see a theatrical release, unlike Killers of the Flower Moon. Why could F1 surprise us? Directed by Joseph Kosinski, who struck gold with Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, the film aims for extreme realism with specially developed cameras and scenes where Pitt himself sits behind the wheel. The story has a Maverick-like feel, too, with Pitt playing a retired F1 driver asked by a friend to return and mentor a young racer. The visuals promise an intense experience, though with current race coverage, audiences may expect more than the usual thrills. We’re estimating $300 million, though it could potentially double.
