Some movies look like they have sequel potential before they are even released, and 2025 could see the rise of several new huge franchises. Only a few movies are built with the potential of turning into a franchise. These movies usually need big stars, a premise that can sustain sequels and spinoffs, and broad box office appeal. With all three of these elements, a movie can smell like a hit months in advance.
There are plenty of exciting franchises returning in 2025, but the year could also kickstart some new ones. As the release calendar for 2025 continues to fill out, there are slashers, children’s animations, murder mysteries and more which all seem like they could be the start of something big. Of course, it’s hard to predict exactly which movies will be popular enough to warrant a sequel before they are even released, but there are some clues which can help with guessing.
10
The Thursday Murder Club
The Novel Already Has Three Sequels
Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club was an instant success when it was published in 2020, and it seemed like a movie adaptation was the natural next step. It has taken a while for this idea to materialize, and Osman has written three sequels in the meantime. The Thursday Murder Club could be a brilliant mystery franchise like Knives Out or Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot series.
The Thursday Murder Club could be a brilliant mystery franchise like Knives Out or Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot series.
The cast of The Thursday Murder Club features Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan and Celia Imrie, which suggests that the movie could well be worth the long wait that fans have faced. Home Alone and Harry Potter director Chris Columbus will be hoping for a positive response so that he can adapt the next book in the series, titled The Man Who Died Twice. Osman has already confirmed that he’s working on the fifth book.
9
Back In Action
Cameron Diaz’s Return To Acting Promises Thrilling Action And Crowdpleasing Comedy
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The aptly titled Back in Action is Cameron Diaz’s first movie since 2014’s Annie. Just like in Annie, she will star alongside Jamie Foxx, but Back in Action is a spy thriller. Diaz and Foxx play a married couple who are dragged back into their old lives as spies. If the Netflix movie is a hit, it’s easy to see how it could turn into an action franchise. It has two popular leads and plenty of broad appeal.
The audience response to Back in Action could indicate how Cameron Diaz’s acting hiatus has affected her appeal. She also has Shrek 5 and the Jonah Hill-directed comedy Outcome on the way as her career gets back up and running, but Back in Action could kickstart her new chapter in the best way possible by spawning a sequel. The trailer shows a lot of humor and some explosive stunts, so it could be crowdpleaser.
8
Heart Eyes
Heart Eyes Is A Slasher With A Unique Hook
There are tons of horror movies about Halloween, a few about Christmas, and even some about Thanksgiving. In February 2025, Valentine’s Day gets the slasher treatment with Heart Eyes, which seems to focus on a killer who targets couples. It’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting horror movies of 2025, even though it’s an original concept and the plot details are still unclear.
As Thanksgiving got a sequel and the Terrifier franchise has gone from strength to strength, slasher movies seem to be in vogue at the moment. Heart Eyes could be the next to benefit from this trend, and it’s easy to see how the movie could become a Valentine’s Day tradition. If horror fans like Heart Eyes, and it sells enough tickets, it could get a sequel in February 2026 or 2027.
7
The Legend Of Ochi
The Legend Of Ochi Has A Fascinating Setting Waiting To Be Explored
A24 doesn’t produce many sequels, so a full franchise seems unlikely, but there are a few things which make The Legend of Ochi a different prospect. The fantasy adventure takes place in a world teeming with unusual creatures and strange mythology which could be explored more in sequels. Also, it seems more family-friendly than many A24 movies, so it could be a box office hit that turns into a children’s franchise.
The trailer for The Legend of Ochi promises a fascinating world with quirks in every corner. It would be a shame to waste such a gorgeous setting. The relationship between the main character and the young creature she takes care of is reminiscent of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. If this turns out to be accurate, then The Legend of Ochi could be a big success, and talk of a sequel would soon follow.
6
Elio
Pixar’s Sci-Fi Adventure Could Be Their Next Big Thing
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Pixar has been stepping up their sequel game recently as part of a plan to provide some guaranteed hits alongside new original ideas. This means that the studio is probably receptive to new movies which prove that they have franchise potential. Everything that’s been revealed about Elio so far suggests that it could be a strong candidate, but there is still no full trailer ahead of its Summer 2025 release.
Elio‘s director says it has elements of horror, but the teaser trailers seem to suggest that it’s a sci-fi adventure with a lot of comedy. This is just one more interesting detail which has some people speculating that Elio could be Pixar’s best original movie in years. It looks gorgeous, and the designs of the alien characters are immediately intriguing. If Elio can reverse Pixar’s trend of box office disappointment for original movies, it could easily turn into a franchise.
5
The Electric State
The Russo Brothers Know What It Takes To Make A Franchise
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The Russo brothers’ next movie is an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s popular graphic novel, but their version of The Electric State seems to take things in a new direction. This means that it could conceivably develop sequels in the future that stray even further from Stålenhag’s work, merely using his ideas as a jumping-off point for a sci-fi action-adventure franchise with some stunning visuals.
The Russo brothers have a history of big franchise success. They directed the last two Avengers movies and two Captain America movies. What’s perhaps more relevant is that their Netflix thriller The Gray Man has plans for a sequel and a spinoff. With Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt leading a star-studded cast in The Electric State, Netflix could be tempted to offer the Russo brothers a similar deal.
4
F1
Brad Pitt’s Big-Budget Sports Movie Has An Audience Waiting For It
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F1 has already got people talking because of its enormous budget, which some rumors have estimated to be around $300 million. This figure would make it one of the most expensive movies ever made, which is rare for a standalone movie. F1 will have an audience of Formula 1 fans all over the world who want to see real-life drivers like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton on the big-screen, and the added star power of Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem means that the gamble could pay off.
F1 director Joseph Kosinski recently worked on Top Gun: Maverick. If he can bring the same level of thrilling action to F1, then it has every chance of becoming a box office success and evolving into a franchise. The one big problem is that sports movie franchises are relatively rare when compared to other genres. F1 will have to find the right angle that can make sequels feel new and interesting.
3
Love Hurts
Ke Huy Quan Could Have A New John Wick-Style Franchise
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Love Hurts director Jonathan “JoJo” Eusebio previously worked as a stunt performer and fight coordinator on high-profile action movies like The Fate of the Furious and The Avengers. He credits David Leitch as an inspiration, and the trailer for Love Hurts suggests that he has continued the work that he carried out on the John Wick franchise. He’ll be hoping to emulate some of its success.
Love Hurts stars Ke Huy Quan as a former assassin drawn back into a violent life, which sounds just like John Wick. One key difference is that Love Hurts is a comedy, with plenty of physical humor and one-liners that make use of its star’s affable charms. Quan is accompanied by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, and former NFL star Marshawn Lynch. Love Hurts comes out in February.
2
Fountain Of Youth
Guy Ritchie Could Have The Next Indiana Jones On His Hands
Guy Ritchie recently revealed images from his new project, titled Fountain of Youth. John Krasinski, Natalie Portman and Eiza González are among the names confirmed to be starring in the movie, which Ritchie has described as an action-adventure with a hint of fantasy. The story follows two estranged siblings (Krasinski and Portman) as they search for the fabled Fountain of Youth.
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As soon as the first images were released, Fountain of Youth was compared to other adventure movies like Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, The Mummy and even Tom Holland’s Uncharted. These big franchises suggest that Fountain of Youth could also develop some sequels. It has all the elements needed for a long-running franchise, and Ritchie has some experience with huge blockbusters after his Sherlock Holmes franchise and some other box-office hits.
1
A Minecraft Movie
The Video Game Adaptation Could Follow A Familiar Path
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Hollywood’s video game adaptation curse seems to have lifted in recent years, which is good news for A Minecraft Movie. It has plenty of franchise potential, with big stars like Jack Black and Jason Momoa, a hugely popular brand, and a concept that could easily sustain sequels. A Minecraft Movie will be hitting theaters in April, and its box office returns will probably dictate whether it gets a shot at a sequel or not.
As a lighthearted, colorful adventure comedy based on a popular brand for both children and adults, A Minecraft Movie is following in the footsteps of The Lego Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Since both of these have been big hits with sequels, it seems likely that A Minecraft Movie will go the same way, but this all depends on how audiences react. It has the potential to do huge numbers at the box office.