2025 in film
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2025: a year in film, a panorama of cinematic triumphs and milestones. We'll explore award ceremonies, vibrant festivals, and a comprehensive look at films released across the globe, categorized by country and genre. And we'll also remember those we've lost.
This year marks significant anniversaries for industry giants: Shochiku and Gaumont, both celebrating a remarkable 130 years. 20th Century Studios and Republic Pictures toast their 90th. And the beloved Studio Ghibli reaches its 40th milestone. A piece of cinematic history also enters the public domain: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's groundbreaking musical, The Broadway Melody from 1929, the first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
But the real story of 2025 is the unprecedented box office records shattered.
Hold onto your seats, because the highest-grossing films of the year have rewritten the rulebook. "Ne Zha 2" didn't just surpass "The Battle at Lake Changjin"; it became the highest-grossing non-English language film ever. It's the 57th film, and the 14th animated feature, to cross the billion-dollar mark, and the seventh to break through the two-billion barrier. This animated titan now stands as the highest-grossing animated film of all time and the 5th highest-grossing film overall.
In a stunning shift, "Ne Zha 2" dethroned "Inside Out 2" as the highest-grossing animated film, ending Disney's 14-year reign in that category. Enlight Pictures, with this monumental achievement, becomes the first non-Hollywood studio to claim this distinction. Furthermore, "Ne Zha 2" is the first non-English language film to achieve both one and two billion dollars worldwide. It also set a new benchmark for the highest-grossing film in a single market, surpassing even "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and was the first to earn one and two billion dollars within that same market. On March 2nd, a mere 33 days after its release, "Ne Zha 2" soared past two billion dollars, an unprecedented feat for an animated film, and the seventh film overall to reach this historic milestone. Remarkably, only less than three percent of its massive gross, just $60 million, came from outside China.
Meanwhile, "Lilo & Stitch" became the 58th film overall and the first MPA film of 2025 to achieve a billion dollars worldwide. It also secured the second-best first-day ticket pre-sale for a Disney live-action remake, trailing only the 2019 "The Lion King." This live-action animated marvel also set a record for the biggest opening weekend for its genre, eclipsing "Detective Pikachu." It now stands as the highest-grossing live-action animated film, surpassing "The Smurfs" from 2011, and is the first in its category to globally gross at least one billion dollars. The "Lilo & Stitch" film series, with the live-action remake, has now surpassed $1.3 billion, with the remake contributing a staggering 79% of that total.
From Japan, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" roared to over $558 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, outperforming "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train." Globally, it's the highest-grossing Japanese and anime film ever. In Japan itself, it delivered the biggest opening weekend in history with ¥5.52 billion in just three days, and reached ¥10 billion in eight days, making it the fastest-grossing film ever there. In the US, it debuted with a massive $70 million opening weekend, the biggest for an international film, an R-rated animated film, a September animated release, and any animated film in 2025. By its second weekend, it had already grossed $104 million in the US, becoming the highest-grossing anime film, highest-grossing Japanese film, highest-grossing 2025 animated film, and the first animated film of the year to pass $100 million.
The "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise also soared, with its live-action remake pushing the series' total gross past $2.2 billion. Apple Studios saw its highest-grossing opening weekend ever with "F1" at $144 million worldwide, and the film went on to surpass "Napoleon" as the studio's highest-grossing film globally.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continued its dominance, becoming the first film franchise to gross an astounding $32 billion with the releases of "Captain America: Brave New World," "Thunderbolts*," and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." And in the realm of scares, "The Conjuring: Last Rites" delivered a terrifying $194 million opening weekend worldwide, shattering the record for the largest opening weekend for a horror film, previously held by "It" at $190 million.
The year's cinematic landscape was also shaped by pivotal events:
Scheduled award ceremonies will culminate in the prestigious recognition of cinematic excellence.
Film festivals across the globe will continue to be vibrant hubs for discovery and innovation.
And the accolades were bestowed upon the year's finest:
The 75th Berlin International Film Festival's Golden Bear was awarded to "Dreams (Sex Love)," directed by Dag Johan Haugerud from Norway.
At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d'Or honored "It Was Just an Accident," directed by Jafar Panahi of Iran.
The 82nd Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion went to "Father Mother Sister Brother," directed by Jim Jarmusch from the United States.
And the People's Choice Award at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival was presented to "Hamnet," directed by Chloé Zhao, a collaboration between the United Kingdom and the United States.
The year 2025 also saw a diverse array of films released, with comprehensive lists available for:
American films, Argentine films, Australian films, Bangladeshi films, British films, Canadian films, Chinese films, French films, German films, Hong Kong films, Indian films, Italian films, Japanese films, Mexican films, Pakistani films, Philippine films, Portuguese films, South Korean films, and Spanish films.
Across genres and mediums, the cinematic spectrum was wide:
Animated feature films, comedy films, drama films, horror films, LGBTQ-related films, science fiction films, and thriller films.
We also remember those who have left us, marking the notable deaths in the film industry.
The year also saw exciting film debuts from: Ice Spice, Angel Reese, Gabby Barrett, Tom Francis, Maia Kealoha, Nadia Melliti, Kevin O'Leary, Louisa Jacobson, Melani García, Chase Infiniti, SZA, Isaiah Hill, Charity Kase, Miles Caton, Dujonna Gift, George Salazar, and E. R. Fightmaster.
For further details and comprehensive lists, refer to the notes, references, and external links, including IMDb's extensive databases for 2025 films, deaths, and births.
2025 in film is an overview of events, including award ceremonies, festivals, a list of country- and genre-specific lists of films released, and notable deaths. Shochiku and Gaumont celebrated their 130th anniversaries; 20th Century Studios and Republic Pictures celebrated their 90th anniversaries; and Studio Ghibli celebrated its 40th anniversary. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's first musical film The Broadway Melody (1929), known for being the first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, enters the public domain this year.
== Highest-grossing films ==
=== Box office records ===
Ne Zha 2 surpassed The Battle at Lake Changjin to become the highest-grossing non-English language film. It became the 57th film and 14th animated film to pass $1 billion and the seventh film to pass $2 billion. It became the highest-grossing animated film of all time as well as the 5th highest-grossing film overall.
It surpassed Inside Out 2 (2024) as the highest-grossing animated film, breaking Disney's 14-year streak with the title after regaining it with Toy Story 3 (2010). Doing so, Enlight Pictures became the first non-Hollywood studio to hold this distinction.
It became the first non-English language film to gross $1 billion and $2 billion worldwide.
It surpassed Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the highest-grossing film ever in a single market. It also became the first film to earn $1 billion and $2 billion in a single market.
On March 2, 33 days after release, Ne Zha 2 surpassed $2 billion, the first animated film in history to do so. It is the seventh film overall to achieve this milestone.
Of the total gross, $60 million (less than 3%) came from outside China.
Lilo & Stitch became the 58th overall film, and the first MPA film of 2025 to gross $1 billion worldwide.
It became the second best first-day ticket pre-seller for a Disney live-action remake, behind the 2019 photorealistic animated The Lion King.
It also set the record for the biggest opening weekend for a live-action animated film, surpassing Detective Pikachu.
It became the highest-grossing live-action animated film, surpassing The Smurfs (2011), as well as the first live-action animated film to globally gross at least $1 billion.
The Lilo & Stitch film series has grossed more than $1.3 billion with the release of the live-action remake, with the latter contributing roughly 79% of that figure.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle grossed over $558 million worldwide to become the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, surpassing Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.
Worldwide, it became the highest-grossing Japanese film and the highest-grossing anime film of all time.
In Japan, it had the biggest opening weekend of all time with ¥5.52 billion in three days. It passed ¥10 billion in eight days, becoming the fastest‑grossing film ever in Japan.
In the US, it grossed $70 million in its opening weekend, making it the biggest opening weekend for an international film, R‑rated animated film, September animated release, and 2025 animated film. It grossed $104 million by its second weekend in the US, where it became the highest-grossing anime film, highest-grossing Japanese film, highest-grossing 2025 animated film, and first 2025 animated film to pass $100 million.
The How to Train Your Dragon film franchise has grossed more than $2.2 billion with the release of the live-action remake of the same name.
F1 achieved Apple Studios's highest-grossing opening weekend at $144 million worldwide, and passed Napoleon to become the producer's highest-grossing film worldwide.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe became the first film franchise to gross $32 billion with the releases of Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Conjuring: Last Rites had a $194 million opening weekend worldwide, surpassing It's record ($190 million) for the largest opening weekend for a horror film.
== Events ==
=== Scheduled award ceremonies ===
=== Film festivals ===
== Awards ==
Golden Bear (75th Berlin International Film Festival):
Dreams (Sex Love), directed by Dag Johan Haugerud, Norway
Palme d'Or (78th Cannes Film Festival):
It Was Just an Accident, directed by Jafar Panahi, Iran
Golden Lion (82nd Venice International Film Festival):
Father Mother Sister Brother, directed by Jim Jarmusch, United States
People's Choice Award (50th Toronto International Film Festival):
Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao, United Kingdom & United States
== 2025 films ==
=== By country/region ===
List of American films of 2025
List of Argentine films of 2025
List of Australian films of 2025
List of Bangladeshi films of 2025
List of British films of 2025
List of Canadian films of 2025
List of Chinese films of 2025
List of French films of 2025
List of German films of 2025
List of Hong Kong films of 2025
List of Indian films of 2025
List of Italian films of 2025
List of Japanese films of 2025
List of Mexican films of 2025
List of Pakistani films of 2025
List of Philippine films of 2025
List of Portuguese films of 2025
List of South Korean films of 2025
List of Spanish films of 2025
=== By genre/medium ===
List of animated feature films of 2025
List of comedy films of 2025
List of drama films of 2025
List of horror films of 2025
List of LGBTQ-related films of 2025
List of science fiction films of 2025
List of thriller films of 2025
== Deaths ==
== Film debuts ==
Ice Spice – Highest 2 Lowest
Angel Reese – A House of Dynamite
Gabby Barrett – Hurry Up Tomorrow
Tom Francis – Jay Kelly
Maia Kealoha – Lilo & Stitch
Nadia Melliti – The Little Sister
Kevin O'Leary – Marty Supreme
Louisa Jacobson – Materialists
Melani García – The Mortimers
Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
SZA – One of Them Days
Isaiah Hill – One Spoon of Chocolate
Charity Kase – Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare
Miles Caton – Sinners
Dujonna Gift – Snow White
George Salazar – Snow White
E. R. Fightmaster – Sorry, Baby
== Notes ==
== References ==
== External links ==
List of 2025 films at IMDb
List of 2025 deaths at IMDb
List of 2025 births at IMDb
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