Top 10 Highest Grossing Movies to Watch for in 2025

The countdown begins as we analyze box office ticket sales for 2025, predicting this year’s top ten highest-grossing films. This marks my third consecutive year of forecasting box office hits, enriched by a line-up of highly anticipated releases. Major franchises known for their box office potency, such as Jurassic World and Avatar, are re-entering the scene this year, driving expectations higher.

Our previous predictions have yielded varying degrees of accuracy. Notably, the projections for 2024 have been our most successful yet, with seven out of ten films accurately guessed. This was particularly impressive considering our prediction for Dune: Part Two came within $1 million. Conversely, predictions for 2023 fell short, with only four films emerging as box office leaders due largely to underperformance amid the Barbenheimer phenomenon. However, the projection for 2025 suggests a flourishing box office landscape for many films.

10 Captain America: Brave New World

Predicted Box Office: $650 Million

Set to premiere on February 14, 2025, Captain America: Brave New World has strong potential to secure a significant spot among the year’s top earners. This film features Anthony Mackie in his inaugural role as Captain America, contributing to its box office allure. With past installments averaging an impressive $746 million, expectations remain optimistic. Harrison Ford’s role as Red Hulk is also anticipated to attract attention, especially with the imminent Avengers: Doomsday.

Despite some fluctuations in the MCU’s Phase 5 box office returns, Captain America: Brave New World is expected to thrive due to its established characters and the long-awaited introduction of a new villain. As this film serves as a soft reboot, it’s unlikely to surpass its predecessors but could still tally as much as $650 million globally, maintaining a slight dip in line with the franchise’s and Phase 5’s averages.

9 The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Predicted Box Office: $680 Million

2025 marks an exciting milestone with the official integration of the Fantastic Four into the MCU, spurring high marketplace hopes. Despite their iconic status among comic enthusiasts, the quartet has struggled to achieve substantial box office success, averaging just $267 million across their previous films—significantly lower than the MCU average of $916 million.

MCU Phase 5 Movie	Box Office
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)	$476,071,180
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)	$845,555,777
The Marvels (2023)	$206,136,557
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)	$1,338,071,348

Marvel Studios is expected to leverage their full arsenal to ensure The Fantastic Four: First Steps breaks past previous financial barriers. With confirmed appearances in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, this film plays a pivotal role in ushering in Phase 6, potentially driving higher audience anticipation. I project a solid performance of $680 million for this installment.

8 Michael

Predicted Box Office: $700 Million

In 2025, audiences will witness a biopic of the legendary pop superstar, Michael Jackson. Generating substantial buzz, this film promises to draw significant interest, drawing parallels with successful music biopics like Elvis ($288 million) and Straight Outta Compton ($201 million). The standout performance came from Bohemian Rhapsody, which amassed an impressive $910 million.

With a strong backing from Jackson’s family and featuring his nephew as the lead, director Antoine Fuqua—known for his work on Straight Outta Compton—is charged with navigating the film’s portrayal of the iconic artist. With access to Jackson’s music catalog and an October release date with low competition, I forecast a box office total of around $700 million for Michael.

7 Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Predicted Box Office: $710 Million

Excitement builds for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, as it may mark Tom Cruise’s culmination as Ethan Hunt. Historically, this franchise has enjoyed steady box office success, despite Dead Reckoning underperforming. Paramount’s marketing has touted this installment as the “finale,” creating an incentive for audiences to flock to theaters.

Mission: Impossible Movie	Box Office
Mission: Impossible (1996)	$457,696,391
Mission: Impossible II (2000)	$546,388,108
Mission: Impossible III (2006)	$398,479,497
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)	$694,713,380
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)	$682,716,636
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)	$791,657,398
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)	$570,635,383

If Top Gun: Maverick successfully reignited support for Cruise, The Final Reckoning stands poised to capture the audience’s interest even further. With its standalone rather than “Part One” billing, I estimate that this seventh installment will reel in approximately $710 million, potentially becoming the franchise’s second-highest grosser.

6 How To Train Your Dragon

Predicted Box Office: $760 Million

DreamWorks aims to replicate Disney’s success with live-action adaptations by unveiling How To Train Your Dragon in a live-action format this upcoming year. The animated originals garnered an average of $545 million, with the second installment peaking at $621 million. DreamWorks and Universal are optimistic to revamp this classic story for a fresh audience.

The film is positioned for a prime summer release, plausibly drawing larger crowds and setting the stage for a franchise-record performance. I forecast a $760 million box office performance for this adaptation—a figure that aligns closely with Disney’s Maleficent, with potential to soar over that mark and near the $1 billion level as seen in several Disney remakes.

5 Wicked: For Good

Predicted Box Office: $840 Million

The initial success of Wicked, grossing approximately $650 million, solidifies the anticipation surrounding its sequel, Wicked: For Good. With the film already shot and in post-production ahead of its November 2025 debut, excitement continues to build based on audience affinity for the characters portrayed.

Historically, it is common for sequels to outperform their predecessors. The removal of the “Part Two”tag creates a new allure, suggesting that Wicked: For Good could generate around $840 million, reflecting a 25 percent rise over its predecessor’s total. Should Wicked achieve Oscar recognition, it may further elevate the upcoming installment.

4 Superman

Predicted Box Office: $920 Million

The stakes are exceptionally high for Superman on its 2025 release. This film is pivotal for James Gunn’s DC Universe, hinging on David Corenswet’s portrayal of the iconic hero amidst past difficulties facing the franchise. The average gross for prior Superman films hovers around $366 million—markedly problematic for this reboot.

Nevertheless, James Gunn’s track record with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, which averaged $827 million, boosts expectations for this project. The extensive viewership on trailers suggests a receptive audience. I anticipate Superman will earn around $920 million, potentially unlocking new financial milestones for the superhero genre—ensuring the DC Universe’s continuation.

3 Jurassic World Rebirth

Predicted Box Office: $1.1 Billion

The Jurassic franchise is set to return in 2025, generating substantial excitement. Written by David Koepp and directed by Gareth Edwards, with Scarlett Johansson headlining a fresh ensemble, Jurassic World Rebirth capitalizes on a robust legacy. The franchise has historically commanded audiences, averaging $1 billion per film, while the Jurassic World trilogy alone boasts a staggering $1.3 billion average.

Despite a downward trend in box office numbers for each successive film in the recent trilogy, it is reasonable to anticipate a total of $1.1 billion for this new installment, especially with a superstar like Johansson attached. Although not likely to surpass its predecessor’s peak of $1.6 billion, its summer release provides an opportunity to dominate the box office landscape, potentially overshadowing competition like Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

2 Zootopia 2

Predicted Box Office: $1.2 Billion

2016’s Zootopia remains a staggering success for Disney, grossing over $1 billion. With a nine-year gap before the release of the sequel, more hopes are resting on the Mouse House’s shoulders. Given recent challenges, it may be tempting to temper expectations; however, I remain optimistic about Zootopia 2‘s prospects.

Disney has recently proven its ability to turn sequels into box office triumphs, evidenced by Moana 2 approaching the $1 billion mark. Scheduling Zootopia 2 during the Thanksgiving week is strategic, and with the directors of Encanto attached, I predict the sequel could net about $1.2 billion—positioning it as the highest-grossing animated film of 2025 and building on the original’s legacy.

1 Avatar: Fire and Ash

Predicted Box Office: $2 Billion

As always, when a new installment in the Avatar franchise is on the horizon, it’s only fitting to project it as the year’s highest-grosser. The original Avatar remains the all-time box office champion, while Avatar: The Way of Water grossed over $2.3 billion—consistently outpacing every film since its release. James Cameron’s legacy, including the monumental Titanic, further solidifies expectations for Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Avatar Movie	Box Office
Avatar (2009)	$2,923,706,026
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)	$2,320,250,281

Considering the franchise’s trajectory, even a drop akin to the previous sequel’s could yield significant returns. While $1.7 billion remains a conservative target, I’m inclined to believe Avatar: Fire and Ash will surpass $2 billion, rounding out 2025 with a robust box office performance.

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