As a huge movie fan, I was really excited to see that James Gunn’s Superman is already number one on IMDb’s list of most popular movies coming out in 2025! It’s cool that the ranking isn’t just guesses – it’s based on what real people are actually looking at and searching for on IMDb, with over 250 million visitors a month, so it gives a pretty accurate idea of which movies everyone is hyped about.
Although Superman earned over $600 million globally after its summer release, its biggest achievement was establishing a strong foundation for the new DC Universe. More notably, a comparison of DC’s success with Marvel’s upcoming 2025 movie lineup revealed a significant difference. Despite both The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Captain America: Brave New World earning hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, they weren’t among the top 10 most anticipated movies, highlighting a potential gap in audience excitement for those particular Marvel releases.
Only one Marvel Studios movie made the charts this year: Thunderbolts, which came in at number 8. Interestingly, while Thunderbolts didn’t do well in theaters – it was actually Marvel’s lowest-grossing film of 2025 – it seems to be the most popular with audiences. This highlights the difficulties Marvel has been having. Adding to these issues, Fantastic Four: First Steps performed poorly on streaming platforms.
2025 Films That Outperformed Marvel Studios’ Releases
Superman
David Corenswet’s debut as Superman in James Gunn’s new film was a huge success, exceeding expectations and quickly becoming the year’s most popular movie, according to IMDB. The film, which kicks off the new DC Universe, has been praised by both critics and audiences for its hopeful message and its portrayal of Superman as a genuinely human character – a refreshing change from previous movies.
As a huge movie fan, I was thrilled to see this film come out in July and absolutely crush at the box office – it made over $616 million worldwide! It really showed that reimagining such a classic hero with a more optimistic take could be a massive hit, not just in theaters but everywhere. People were talking about it from the very first trailer, and even months later when it hit streaming, the buzz just didn’t stop. It felt like a real cultural moment.
Weapons
Zach Cregger, known for directing the hit horror film Barbarian, has followed up with another successful original horror-mystery, Weapons. Released in August, Weapons quickly gained popularity through word-of-mouth, thrilling viewers with its unexpected plot twists and disturbing, mature content.
The movie earned over $268 million worldwide, despite having a relatively small budget. This huge success proved that audiences are eager for original, non-sequel horror films.
The movie’s popularity is due to all the online buzz, fan speculation, and lively discussions about its complicated story that happened over the past few months.
Sinners
Ryan Coogler’s haunting and atmospheric film, Sinners, has become both a popular success and an awards contender. Featuring a powerful performance by Michael B. Jordan, who plays twin brothers facing a terrifying supernatural threat, the movie has been widely praised for its thoughtful look at race relations, Black religious beliefs, and the unique culture of the American South. It was recognized as one of the year’s best films by the American Film Institute, earning a place on their Top 10 list.
The film has earned around $367 million worldwide, proving its continued success is due to its thought-provoking story and skillful filmmaking.
One Battle After Another
Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, One Battle After Another, is a powerful and politically relevant epic that’s already being hailed as a major cinematic achievement. The nearly three-hour movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio in what many are calling the best performance of his career, and it quickly became a must-see for film lovers and dedicated moviegoers.
The film’s success shows how much impact well-made, prestigious movies can have on conversations. This is particularly clear among dedicated film fans, who are actively searching for information about its intricate story, accurate historical details, and its likely performance throughout the upcoming awards season and into early 2026.
Jurassic World Rebirth
The latest installment in the Jurassic series, Jurassic World Rebirth, showed that the franchise is still a major box office draw. The film, which follows a team collecting dinosaur DNA from around the world, was a massive summer hit, earning over $868 million worldwide.
The movie’s high ranking on IMDb proves how well-known and popular it is worldwide. This popularity has made it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s visually stunning and gothic take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was a rare Netflix film to also play in movie theaters. Del Toro’s signature style, use of real effects rather than CGI, and a talented cast created a lot of buzz around the movie.
The project’s success in gaining popularity demonstrates the director’s strong connection with audiences and how captivating his personal projects are. It shows that a well-known story can become incredibly popular online when made by a director people love.
Happy Gilmore 2
The sequel to the beloved 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore, starring Adam Sandler reprising his famous role, quickly became one of 2025’s biggest hits thanks to overwhelming fan excitement. Despite receiving generally poor reviews from critics when it was released in July, the film broke Netflix records for first-weekend views, becoming Sandler’s most popular movie premiere on the platform thanks to its strong nostalgic appeal.
The movie proved how successful legacy sequels can be, actually generating more online buzz than most Marvel films – a surprising result considering how large and active the Marvel online fan base is. This raises the question of whether Marvel’s previously unchallenged popularity is starting to fade, but it’s too early to say for sure.
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2025-12-16 23:36