2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for movie sequels. From long-awaited follow-ups and surprise continuations, to standalone sequels, audiences are gearing up for a year of cinematic nostalgia. The movie lineup cuts across several genres, with something for everyone to watch.
While several of these movie sequels promise to expand on beloved narratives, audiences will bid goodbye to a few film series with their final installments. If anything, the award season for 2025 may just be the most competitive yet. Notable mentions that did not make the list include Ballerina (a John Wick spin-off), Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. In the order of their release, these are the top 20 anticipated movie sequels in 2025.
1. Paddington In Peru
Release Date: February 14, 2025
Paddington In Peru is the third installment in the Paddington film series. English director Dougal Wilson makes his feature directorial debut as director of the film. Paddington In Peru premiered in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2024, but is scheduled to make its theatrical release in the United States on Valentine’s Day in the United States. In this sequel, Paddington embarks on an adventurous journey to his homeland of Peru.
Accompanied by the Brown family, Paddington sets out to find his missing Aunt Lucy, who has mysteriously disappeared from the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. Top returning cast members include Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, and Imelda Staunton. Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, and Emily Mortimer join the cast. Ben Whishaw reprises his role as the voice of Paddington Brown.
2. The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Easter Friday will see the return of the much-awaited The Passion of the Christ sequel, The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection. As the name indicates, the plot will reportedly focus on the events that transpired in the three days between Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection. Mel Gibson returns as director, with Jim Caviezel and Maia Morgenstern reprising their roles as Jesus and His mother, Mary. Also, Francesco De Vito will reprise his role as Peter.
3. The Accountant 2
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Nine years after the Box Office hit, the sequel returns the weekend after Easter. Like its predecessor, The Accountant 2 continues to follow Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), a highly skilled accountant with autism who has a history of working for dangerous criminal organizations. In The Accountant 2, Wolff gets involved in another investigation that’ll put his life and those he cares for at risk as he’s faced with some of the world’s most ruthless killers. The Accountant 2 sees the return of supporting cast members, including Jon Bernthal (as Brax), J. K. Simmons (as Ray King), and Cynthia Addai-Robinson (as Marybeth Medina). Daniella Pineda, Robert Morgan, Grant Harvey, and Allison Robertson join the cast.
4. Final Destination: Bloodlines
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Final Destination: Bloodlines is the sixth installment in the supernatural horror franchise Final Destination. Its theatrical release is scheduled for May 16, 2025, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the original film. This is a big win for fans of this franchise, as the last time a movie was released was 14 years ago, in 2011. Final Destination: Bloodlines, while introducing a new storyline, aims to deliver the franchise’s signature suspense and incentive fatal scenarios. Audiences will again watch Death’s relentless pursuit of its chosen victims.
5. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a direct sequel to the 2023 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. The movie is the eighth installment in the acclaimed action spy series. With Dead Reckoning Part One and The Final Reckoning shot back-to-back, Christopher McQuarrie returns as director of the famed sequel. Tom Cruise will again lead the cast, comprising Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, and Vanessa Kirby. Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Angela Bassett, and Henry Czerny are also returning. The newly confirmed cast members joining the franchise include Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, and Janet McTeer.
6. 28 Years Later
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Another decade-long awaited sequel is the Danny Boyle-directed post-apocalyptic horror 28 Years Later. This sequel, the third installment in the series, sees the return of director Boyle, Alex Garland (screenwriter), and Anthony Dod Mantle (cinematographer). The last time the three worked together in the series was in the first installment, 28 Days Later (2002). 28 Years Later is set 28 years after the initial Rage Virus outbreak. The storyline centers on a group of survivors residing on a quarantined island. 28 Years Later main cast includes Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell.
7. M3GAN 2.0
Release Date: June 27, 2025
M3GAN 2.0 continues the story of Gemma (Allison Williams), a roboticist, and her niece Cady, who previously encountered the AI doll M3GAN. Gerard Johnstone and Akela Cooper return as the director and screenwriter. Jason Blum and James Wan also returned, and Allison Williams joined as a co-producer. The super-talented young actress Violet McGraw will reprise her role as Cady.
8. Jurassic World Rebirth
Release Date: July 2, 2025
The decades-long franchise returns with another installment, Jurassic World Rebirth, in 2025. It is created as a standalone sequel to the 2022 Colin Trevorrow-directed Jurassic World Dominion. Although the seventh installment in the overall Jurassic Park film series, Jurassic World Rebirth will be the fourth installment in the Jurassic World series. It packs a star-studded ensemble cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Ed Skrein. Jurassic World Rebirth is set five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion.
9. Freakier Friday
Release Date: August 8, 2025
The long-running Freaky Friday franchise released its first film in 1976. Since then, several other films have been added to the series. The 2025 Freakier Friday is the seventh installment in the franchise. However, it is a direct sequel to the 2003 Freaky Friday. The film will follow the franchise’s classic body-swap trope, diving deeper into chaos, misunderstandings, and unexpected growth. Freakier Friday features returning cast members reprising their roles. These include Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Harold Gould, and Ryan Malgarini.
10. Nobody 2
Release Date: August 15, 2025
In 2021, audiences watched Bob Odenkirk play a seemingly ordinary suburban father with a concealed past as a lethal assassin. In August 2025, Odenkirk will again play Hutch Mansell in the sequel, Nobody 2. The sequel features returning cast members RZA, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, and Colin Salmon. Nobody 2 also welcomes new cast members, including Sharon Stone, Colin Hanks, Chris Pine, Mckenna Grace, and John Ortiz.
11. The Conjuring: Last Rites
Release Date: September 5, 2025
The Conjuring: Last Rites is the ninth and final installment of the main series in The Conjuring Universe timeline. However, it is a direct sequel of the seventh installment, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021). Unsurprisingly, Michael Chaves returns as director, making it his third project in the franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga also return, reprising their roles as husband-wife paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
12. Downton Abbey 3
Release Date: September 12, 2025
The Downton Abbey franchise is back and better with a third installment, Downton Abbey 3, premiering in mid-September 2025. The sequel continues with the dramatic saga of the Crawley family and their staff. While much hasn’t been revealed about its plot, audiences can expect to see much of Downton Abbey’s original cast return. Distributed by Focus Pictures, Downton Abbey 3 is scheduled for theatrical release on the same day in the United States and United Kingdom.
13. Saw XI
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Setting the mood for the year’s Halloween, it has been confirmed that the eleventh installment, Saw XI, in the high-grossing horror franchise Saw, is scheduled for release in September. While the storyline remains under wraps, there are hints the sequel may continue directly from Sax X. For horror fans worldwide, Saw XI is one of the most anticipated films in 2025. Director Kevin Greutert returns, making it his third film in the franchise.
14. Mortal Kombat 2
Release Date: October 24, 2025
One long-running superhero film audiences can look forward to in 2025 is Mortal Kombat 2. It is the fourth film in the Mortal Kombat series and a direct sequel to the 2021 Mortal Kombat. The story follows the aftermath of the first tournament and the threat of Shao Kahn. Joining the returning cast are Karl Urban (as Johnny Cage), Tati Gabrielle (as Jade), Adeline Rudolph (as Kitana), and Martyn Ford (as Shao Kahn). Others include Desmond Chiam, CJ Bloomfield, Damon Herriman, and Ana Thu Nguyen.
15. Predator: Badlands
Release Date: November 7, 2025
Over the years, the Predator franchise has become one of Hollywood’s most successful science fiction franchises. Predator: Badlands joins the growing line of films in the franchise and is scheduled for theatrical release in November. Elle Fanning will lead the cast of this upcoming Dan Trachtenberg film, which was reportedly produced on a $100 million budget.
16. Now You See Me 3
Release Date: November 14, 2025
Now You See Me franchise returns with its third installment Now You See Me 3 in November 2025. The group of illusionists and con artists reunite for another daring mission. It brings back its star-studded ensemble cast, comprising Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Lizzy Caplan, and Morgan Freeman. Australian actress Isla Fisher returns in this sequel, reprising her as Henley Reeves. Although the specific plot and storyline haven’t been revealed, audiences can anticipate a continuation of the series’ signature blend of magic-infused heists and complex storytelling.
17. Wicked: For Good
Release Date: November 21, 2025
Scheduled for release a year after the first part, Wicked: For Good promises to be a spectacular sequel to one of 2024’s greatest movies. The sequel continues reimagining the land of Oz through a darker and more complex lens. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will again lead its star-studded cast as the iconic Elphaba Thropp and Glinda Upland, respectively. The 2024 Wicked: Part One was a critical and commercial success, grossing $682.5 million against its $150 million budget.
18. Zootopia 2
Release Date: November 26, 2025
Zootopia 2, the anticipated sequel to Disney’s 2016 animated hit, is scheduled for release in late November. Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, with a screenplay by Bush, Zootopia 2 reunites audiences with beloved characters. The storyline revolves around a mysterious reptile, and Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) go undercover in the vibrant Marsh Market to investigate. While many of the voice cast return, Ke Huy Quan joins the cast, voicing Gary the Snake.
19. Avatar: Fire and Ash
Release Date: December 19, 2025
As the undisputed Box Office King, James Cameron returns with another sequel to his 2009 Avatar hit. Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third installment in the epic sci-fi series. With Avatar: The Way of Water’s cliffhanger, Fire and Ash is also one of the most anticipated films in 2025. Audiences will watch Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family adapt to life as part of the Metkayina clan while seeking revenge against the RDA. Avatar: Fire and Ash was reportedly produced on a $250 million budget. Audiences, fans, and industry watchers anticipate the film’s billion-dollar success at the Box Office.
20. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Release Date: Sometime in 2025
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is a thrilling sequel in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out universe. It is the third installment in the series and was created as a standalone sequel to the 2022 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Like its predecessors, Wake Up Dead Man is centered around the charismatic and sharp-witted detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig).
Other confirmed cast members include Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and Kerry Washington. Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church also join the star-studded cast. Although it’s scheduled for release on Netflix, a release date in 2025 has not been confirmed. Besides these anticipated movie sequels in 2025, check out these confirmed superhero movies in 2025.
Follow Us
