How Hollywood is Betting On Blockbusters to Save Cinemas

Going to the movies is still the best way to support the titles you like and the kinds of movies you want to see made. But in the last few years, cinemas all over have struggled. COVID absolutely kicked everyone's butt when it came to ticket sales and recovery has been slow, thanks to the lack of movies made during that period, the double strikes, and just pure bad luck. The motto was 'survive til 25,' and now we're here. 2025 has a lot riding on it for Hollywood and for cinema owners. It feels like the first year since 2020 that is normal. And we need the box office to reflect that normalcy, or even reflect a giant amount of ticket sales so that the theater owners who lasted can make a profit, the studios can do well, and jobs for all of us follow. The magic number feels like anything over $10 billion for the year. It would be great to hit $11 billion or more -- make it feel like the box office before COVID. In order to ensure this is a good year, Hollywood is betting on blockbusters. What Blockbusters Come Out in 2025? This year, we're getting all of these titles: Avatar: Fire and Ash: The next installment in James Cameron's epic saga is likely to be one of the biggest films of the year, continuing the visually stunning world of Pandora.Sinners: Definitely one of the most anticipated films of 2025. This supernatural horror film, written and directed by Ryan Coogler (known for Black Panther and Creed), stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers.Captain America: Brave New World: This Marvel film will see Sam Wilson taking on the mantle of Captain America in a new adventure, and it's sure to be a major event. Jurassic World Rebirth: The Jurassic Park franchise roars back to life with this new installment, promising more thrilling dinosaur action. Snow White: Disney continues its trend of live-action remakes with this adaptation of the classic fairy tale, starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning: Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for what could be the final chapter in this action-packed spy series. Expect breathtaking stunts and thrilling plot twists.Superman: A new era for the Man of Steel begins with this highly anticipated film, promising a fresh take on the iconic superhero.The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Marvel's First Family finally gets a proper introduction to the MCU, and anticipation is high for this one.Thunderbolts: This Marvel film features a team of antiheroes on a dangerous mission, with a cast of intriguing characters.Zootopia 2: The sequel to the beloved animated classic is sure to be a massive hit, bringing audiences back to the vibrant world of Zootopia.28 Years Later: The long-awaited sequel to the groundbreaking zombie film 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle, is generating a lot of buzz.How to Train Your Dragon: This live-action adaptation of the popular animated franchise will bring the magical world of dragons to life.Lilo & Stitch: Another live-action remake of a Disney classic, this film is sure to capture the hearts of audiences with its heartwarming story.Ballerina: This action thriller starring Ana de Armas is set in the world of John Wick and promises to be a stylish and exciting ride.F1: Starring Brad Pitt, this IMAX movie with Apple captures the intensity of Formula 1 Racing. These movies all have big budgets and carry many of the hopes and dreams of everyone in the industry. Of course, when you go all-in on huge movies, there's a lot of tension as well. What if these movies underperform or even bomb? They were all hugely expensive and could change the fates of the studios who made them. If you are a place like Disney, which has a few titles on this list, you're hoping they all do well, so you can justify all the spending.Each Avatar has crossed $2 billion on its own! But if you're someone like Universal, you're betting it all on the dinosaurs. That could be a good bet; all the other Jurassic World movies have crossed the billion-dollar mark. I'm fascinated to see how the prestige movies fit into this array as well. We aren't sure about the Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson and if it comes out this year or Mickey 17, which was on the shelf for a while and finally coming soon. I am genuinely excited to go to the movie this year and hoping for the best outcome for all these movies, so we can get back to normal and get people working. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Feb 20, 2025 - 01:08

How Hollywood is Betting On Blockbusters to Save Cinemas

Going to the movies is still the best way to support the titles you like and the kinds of movies you want to see made. But in the last few years, cinemas all over have struggled.

COVID absolutely kicked everyone's butt when it came to ticket sales and recovery has been slow, thanks to the lack of movies made during that period, the double strikes, and just pure bad luck.

The motto was 'survive til 25,' and now we're here.

2025 has a lot riding on it for Hollywood and for cinema owners. It feels like the first year since 2020 that is normal.

And we need the box office to reflect that normalcy, or even reflect a giant amount of ticket sales so that the theater owners who lasted can make a profit, the studios can do well, and jobs for all of us follow.

The magic number feels like anything over $10 billion for the year. It would be great to hit $11 billion or more -- make it feel like the box office before COVID.

In order to ensure this is a good year, Hollywood is betting on blockbusters.

What Blockbusters Come Out in 2025?

This year, we're getting all of these titles:

Avatar: Fire and Ash: The next installment in James Cameron's epic saga is likely to be one of the biggest films of the year, continuing the visually stunning world of Pandora.
Sinners: Definitely one of the most anticipated films of 2025. This supernatural horror film, written and directed by Ryan Coogler (known for Black Panther and Creed), stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as twin brothers.
Captain America: Brave New World: This Marvel film will see Sam Wilson taking on the mantle of Captain America in a new adventure, and it's sure to be a major event.
Jurassic World Rebirth: The Jurassic Park franchise roars back to life with this new installment, promising more thrilling dinosaur action.
Snow White: Disney continues its trend of live-action remakes with this adaptation of the classic fairy tale, starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning: Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for what could be the final chapter in this action-packed spy series. Expect breathtaking stunts and thrilling plot twists.
Superman: A new era for the Man of Steel begins with this highly anticipated film, promising a fresh take on the iconic superhero.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Marvel's First Family finally gets a proper introduction to the MCU, and anticipation is high for this one.
Thunderbolts: This Marvel film features a team of antiheroes on a dangerous mission, with a cast of intriguing characters.
Zootopia 2: The sequel to the beloved animated classic is sure to be a massive hit, bringing audiences back to the vibrant world of Zootopia.
28 Years Later: The long-awaited sequel to the groundbreaking zombie film 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle, is generating a lot of buzz.
How to Train Your Dragon: This live-action adaptation of the popular animated franchise will bring the magical world of dragons to life.
Lilo & Stitch: Another live-action remake of a Disney classic, this film is sure to capture the hearts of audiences with its heartwarming story.
Ballerina: This action thriller starring Ana de Armas is set in the world of John Wick and promises to be a stylish and exciting ride.
F1: Starring Brad Pitt, this IMAX movie with Apple captures the intensity of Formula 1 Racing.

These movies all have big budgets and carry many of the hopes and dreams of everyone in the industry.

Of course, when you go all-in on huge movies, there's a lot of tension as well.

What if these movies underperform or even bomb? They were all hugely expensive and could change the fates of the studios who made them.

If you are a place like Disney, which has a few titles on this list, you're hoping they all do well, so you can justify all the spending.

Each Avatar has crossed $2 billion on its own!

But if you're someone like Universal, you're betting it all on the dinosaurs. That could be a good bet; all the other Jurassic World movies have crossed the billion-dollar mark.

I'm fascinated to see how the prestige movies fit into this array as well. We aren't sure about the Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson and if it comes out this year or Mickey 17, which was on the shelf for a while and finally coming soon.

I am genuinely excited to go to the movie this year and hoping for the best outcome for all these movies, so we can get back to normal and get people working. Let me know what you think in the comments.