From ‘Avatar: Fire And Ash’ To ‘Mickey 17,’ Here Are The Ten Best Live-Action Films Of 2025
2025 saw some of the most dramatic film budget cuts by major studios, resulting in a general reduction of live-action blockbusters. However, it eventually gave birth to an animated revolution, as films like Zootopia 2, Ne Zha 2, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants ruled the theaters.
Still, not to be outdone, the human touch proved an essential aspect of cinema as live-action hits like Minecraft, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Frankenstein dominated theatrical and streaming platforms.
Despite grossing lower than the biggest hits from previous years, the best live-action films of 2025 had to feature top-notch investment in both creative storytelling and punchy visuals to even compete. Success eventually came from exploiting traditional and quirky angles of storytelling that modern filmmakers just don’t do anymore.
From explosive action hits and rib-cracking comedy to bone-chilling horror masterpieces, here is a look at the ten best live-action films some of us watched in 2025.
1. ‘One Battle After Another’
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another has the best reflection of the performance of live-action films in 2025. The film failed to impress in theaters, grossing just $205.1 million against a reported $130 million budget. However, it was a huge critical success, retaining an outstanding Metacritic score of 95% and winning multiple awards.
It features Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob Fergusson, a former revolutionary fighter for a left-wing group who is drawn out of retirement when demons of his past, and his wartime archnemesis, resurface.
For what it is, it’s an authentic action thriller that packs everything that touches the nerves, from heart-stopping gunfire to high-octane car chases and contemporary issues that feel both uncomfortable and all the rage right now.
2. ‘Sentimental Value’
It may not have won the Palme d’Or, but Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value was definitely one of the most emotionally resonant films in the history of the Cannes Film Festival. It is a nuanced approach to exploring generational trauma, depression, and loss that still deploys a punchy storyline, keeping everything subtly funny, yet still extremely relevant.
The film is about the fractured Borg family, whose absentee patriarch Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) faces extreme resentment from his daughters when he tries to turn the family’s tragedy into a film. It features the authentic style of storytelling that modern films just don’t do anymore.
3. ‘Frankenstein’
Guillermo del Toro became the hero of the push against AI in filmmaking, adamantly refusing to use the technology as he created a masterpiece of adaptation. Frankenstein is Del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s book, but exploring the monster’s side of the story.
The best thing about the film is that it doesn’t lose the soul of the source material, as it keeps all classes of audiences entertained. In the breathtaking gothic film, Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant biologist, has to deal with the deadly consequences of his creation, which seems to have no place in the world.
Del Toro managed to play around with the original story to create his own version of Frankenstein that is deep enough to entertain and packs just the right amount of action, comedy, and horror to keep fans glued.
4. ‘Superman’
James Gunn’s long-awaited debut film of the rebooted DC Universe lived up to the franchise’s expectations as David Corenswet delivered one of the best performances of The Man of Steel ever.
Superman follows Clark Kent, now in his 30s and established in his superhero career, who blindly takes on a global conspiracy only to fall into a trap set by his long-time archnemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), forcing a team of superheroes to join the fight.
The return of Superman to the superhero’s original traits, with a touch of hope and humor, proved positive as fans embraced Gunn’s ambition for the franchise (at least initially.
5. ’28 Years Later’
28 Years Later fired another dead franchise back to life, riding on the nostalgia of the two original films, but not without adding its own share of disturbing, touching twists.
Despite not featuring Cillian Murphy, whose performance was key to the success of the flagship film, the new cast, led by Alfie Williams and Jodie Comer, gave passionate performances that lifted the film well beyond modern horror tropes.
Set 28 years (obvs) after the outbreak of the Rage Virus, 28 Years Later follows Spike (Williams), a 12-year-old survivor, alongside his ailing mother, Isla (Comer), on a treacherous journey through the heavily infected territory as they look for help from the mainland.
Besides deeply digging into contemporary issues such as Brexit and Nationalism, the film is an emotional feast that allows viewers to do a lot of judging.
6. ‘Sinners’
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners brought back the joy of the films studios just don’t make anymore, proving that original concepts can still be big hits when enough creativity is invested.
Set in 1932, the film follows identical twin brothers Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore (both Michael B. Jordan), whose mission of opening a juke joint in their local town attracts unknown ancient evils that nearly consume everything.
Sinners reenergized the vampire mythos by exploring Black American history from a whole new angle, with an unprecedented level of depth to the storyline. The film was an instant hit in theaters and doesn’t have a shortage of critical acclaim either. Viewers worldwide embraced its layered blend of intense action with emotional complexity.
7. ‘Weapons’
RELATED: From ‘Companion’ To ‘Together’ — The Most Underrated Horror Movies Of 2025 (So Far)
Weapons was another surprise original hit whose combination of horror and humor proved universally addictive to audiences. It was another original title about the fallout in a small town; this time, Maybrook, Pennsylvania, after a whole class of third graders mysteriously disappears overnight. In the wake of this tragedy, a wave of fear and distrust has affected everyone.
The highlight of the film is an electric performance by Amy Madigan, who steals the stage playing Gladys, the film’s surprisingly scary, clown-like villain. It also resurrected and offered a nuanced perspective of the pre-Romero zombie genre, where the lines between the villain and the heroes become blurry, turning every character into a vital piece of the unending mystery.
8. ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
James Cameron’s return to Pandora shook the film industry once again with another $1 billion box office blockbuster, despite not having as big an opening as its predecessors. Avatar: Fire and Ash retained the stunning visuals and deep storyline that have kept the franchise going, not to mention the welcome return of the core members of the cast, including Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, and Sigourney Weaver as Kiri.
The film follows Jake Sully and his family, who – after welcoming Spider (Jack Champion) into the family – are now forced into another fierce battle against Miles Quaritch and the RDA, who see another opportunity to make more profit by devastating Pandora’s wildlife. Its consistency with the rest of the franchise made it a seamless continuation that fans just couldn’t resist.
9. ‘Mickey 17’
Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 was the year’s surprise standout dark comedy that took a subtle jab at corporate greed and featured one of Robert Pattinson’s liveliest performances in a dual role. Having struggled through production as a result of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and being bounced around before release, it was forced to give way to other Warner Bros. projects, including Sinners.
Upon release, it proved to be one of the most unique sci-fi projects ever created, moulded into a humorous plot that feels like it was always built for Robert Pattinson. The film follows Pattinson’s character Mickey Barnes, whose clones become the center of a fierce scandal after signing up for a scientific experiment aimed at colonizing an alien planet.
1. ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’
The nostalgic return of Tony Todd in this film became one of the scenes that defined cinema in 2025, but that is not all that made Final Destination Bloodlines memorable. The film perfectly recreated the franchise’s signature kills with a seamless combination of CGI and practical effects.
Every death scene was a spectacle, and the scariest scenes became sources of twisted humor rather than just horror. It also builds on the franchise’s nostalgia, going back to the very beginning when Death started stalking the characters.
At the center of the film is Stefani Reyes (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), Iris Campbell’s granddaughter, who rallies the family in a seemingly futile mission to stop Death, before it’s too late.
NEXT: From ‘Superman & Lois’ To ‘Daredevil’, Here Are The 7 Best Superhero TV Show Finales Of All Time
