What to expect from Hollywood in 2025, including James Bond casting, James Gunn’s Superman

The film industry has been – whisper this quietly for fear of jinxing it – making a steady recovery since the SAG-AFTRA strikes that saw Hollywood grind to a halt, and two years on from the end of a pandemic that shut cinemas worldwide.

True, there were surprise flops like Mad Max prequel Furiosa, but animations such as Despicable Me 4, Moana 2 and last year’s biggest hit, Inside Out 2, bolstered the global box office. And even in a quiet year for Marvel, Deadpool & Wolverine kept the brand afloat.

How will cinema fare in 2025, though? Here are nine things to expect in the year ahead.

1. Box office rebounds

Disney’s Inside Out 2 was a resounding box office success. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Industry analysts Gower Street Analytics recently forecast that the 2025 global box office will reach a healthy US$33 billion, 8 per cent up on 2024.

The United States alone is predicted to bring in US$9.7 billion, while China is expected to contribute US$6.6 billion.

After the pandemic, strikes and streaming platforms that all cut into profits, this has to be good news for beleaguered Hollywood studios, even if the industry is still reliant on a tried and tested formula of sequels, reboots and remakes.

2. Sure-fire franchises return

It may not be original, but Hollywood knows that its bread and butter now comes from exploiting established intellectual property, and 2025 will be no different.

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