Ryan Coogler will return to direct Black Panther 3 which comes to theaters December 15, 2028. David Johnson will be stepping into the title role but will be playing T’Challa’s son.
Along with those two announcements an image has been released giving us a good look at Doctor Doom who returns on December 18, 2026 for Avengers: Doomsday.
Even though I didn’t quite live up to my personal goal of writing a full length film review every week, 2025 was a really fun year for me at the cinema. If I had to sum up my viewing in one word, it would be “auteurs”. Seriously, let talented filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Guillermo Del Toro, and Paul Thomas Anderson cook and have massive budgets, and they will make art that won’t just be discussed on opening weekend, but by posterity. (I’m definitely including/referencing Sinners in my popular music library instruction.)
Here are my 10 favorite movies of 2025. I didn’t watch everything that came out this year, but I loved most of what I saw. (Sorry, Captain America: Brave New World.)
10. The Naked Gun (Akiva Schaffer)
Conservatives claim that comedy is dead, but they just haven’t watched The Naked Gun yet. Liam Neeson is oblivious, deadpan perfection as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., and he and Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) have silly chemistry that addsa dollop of romance to the spoof flick. To sweeten the deal, The Naked Gun is under 90 minutes and the most joke-dense film I’ve seen in the cinema in some time. It also roasts the hell out of tech bros and has the most hilarious end credits.
9. Lurker (Alex Russell)
Lurkeris a frighteningly intimate look at the relationship between artist and fan as retail clerk Matthew (Theodore Pellerin) grows closer to British R&B star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Alex Russell does an excellent job progressively showing Matthew cannibalizing Oliver’s clout while simultaneously ending up becoming the inspiration he needs. A lo-fi score from Kenny Beats and grainy, intrusive cinematography from Pat Scola makes Lurker even more voyeuristic and uncomfortable.
8. Pavements (Alex Ross Perry)
Alex Ross Perry’s Pavements is a five layer movie burrito of documentary, biopic, musical theater, performance art, and tribute all centered around seminal, fiercely anti-commercial 90s rock band Pavement, who has recently reunited and gone on tour. (I was able to see them in 2024 at Riot Fest.) The film hits the right balance between irony and earnestness, and my favorite bits were seeing footage of the Pavement jukebox musical as well as Joe Keery’s quirky performance as the band’s frontman Stephen Malkmus during the biopic segments. As a band, Pavement didn’t care about appealing to the masses and/or Lollapalooza/Alternative Nation, and neither does this film, which makes it great in an era of estate-massaging ego trips disguised as art.
7. Marty Supreme (Josh Safdie)
Marty Supreme is another stressful, entertaining movie from a singular Safdie Brother about a table tennis protege named Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet), who must gather enough money to go to the World Championships in Japan with the help of an evil businessman (A perfectly cast Kevin O’Leary), a silver screen star in decline (Gwyneth Paltrow still has her fastball.), and his pregnant childhood friend/situationship (A breakout performance from Odessa D’Azion). The film is set in the 1950s, but is chock-full with 1980s New Wave needle drops that give it that sports movie sheen although Mauser is the epitome of narcissism. However, Chalamet gives his all in the role, and you can’t help but root for him in the end and then shudder about the college boys watching this movie on winter break and seeing him as an aspirational figure. (I want one of those orange ping pong balls though.)
6. The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho)
The Secret Agentis a tense sociopolitical thriller set at carnival in Recife, Brazil during the height of the country’s military dictatorship. However, it’s also a film about constructing identities, misinformation, and maybe even the research process. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova tap into 1970s sleaze in creating the film’s visual palette with plenty of yellow evoking the classic Brazilian football kit. This, of course, turns to red when shit hits the fan. The main takeaway from the film is the magnetic, yet earnest Wagner Moura as ex-professor/wanted man Armando, who really deserves a Best Actor nomination.
5. Superman (James Gunn)
Like both the epic poems and comic books of yore, James Gunn’s Supermanskips the origin story and plunges into the Man of Steel’s career in media res as he tries to mediate a conflict between Jarhanpur and Boravia, uncover a conspiracy connected to tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), dog sit, and maybe even get the girl. In the best way, Superman feels like picking up a random trade paperback with Gunn crafting an entertaining supporting cast that doesn’t take the spotlight away from its titular protagonist’s arc. Above all, Superman is a sincere film, and that starts with David Corenswet’s performance as the Big Blue Boy Scout, who can say “Kindness is the real punk rock” and mean every word. It’s a near-perfect tone setter for James Gunn and company’s vision of the DC Universe.
4. Queens of the Dead (Tina Romero)
Tina Romero queers the horror comedy in the hilarious instant cult classic Queens of the Dead. This film has an elevator pitch to die for, namely, Brooklyn drag queens, queer folks, and one homophobic plumber fight zombies and try to find safety. However, Queens of the Dead isn’t just jokes, gore, and fabulous fits, and Romero and co-writer Erin Judge and actor Jacquel Spivey give anxiety-ridden drag queen Sam a beautiful heroic journey as they try to express themselves artistically in a late capitalist hellscape. And speaking of hellscape, Tina Romero brings plenty of pointed satire to the film that would make her father smile. We should really be on our phones less.
3. Sinners (Ryan Coogler)
Sinnersis an exciting vampire thriller meets blues musical that explores the concept of race and whiteness in the United States. The main juke joint sequence is worth the price of admission alone as director Ryan Coogler and star Miles Caton demonstrate that the history of popular music in the United States is the history of Black music. Caton’s triple threat performance is bolstered by Michael B. Jordan playing a dual role as Stack and Smoke. He has charming chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld, his bi-racial ex-girlfriend. Sinners has real heat to it, and you can smell the sweat and sex of the juke joint as carnal, supernatural, and spiritual unite, and Remmick’s (Jack O’Connell) Irish vampires try to break off a piece of it just like real life artists like Elvis Presley would in the near future. Finally, Sinners might have the best post-credits sequence of all time. (I feel like Buddy Guy playing himself slightly edges out Samuel L. Jackson’s debut as Nick Fury in Iron Man.)
2. One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) juggles fatherhood and rekindling the ashes of revolutionary spirit in Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic film One Battle After Another. Just like the works of the author that inspired it (Thomas Pynchon), OBAA is more encyclopedia than film with the most exciting car chase scene, the most tender father/daughter moments, and the funniest supporting performance as Benicio Del Toro has the time of his life as the beer-guzzling “Sensei” Sergei. One Battle After Another doesn’t have any clear answers about being a good parent or fighting a cause while still trying to have a life and family, but that makes it all the more compelling and a lovely use of Warner Brothers’ $130 million.
1. Frankenstein (Guillermo Del Toro)
My favorite film of 2025 was Guillermo Del Toro’s none more Goth adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankensteinthat I was thankfully able to see in theatrically courtesy of my local independent theater, The Belcourt. Frankenstein is truly the loveliest film of 2025 with Del Toro and cinematographer Dan Lautsen conjuring frames that look like English Romantic oil paintings, Gustave Dore woodcuts, and Berni Wrightson’s pencil and ink illustrations depending on the mood. This attention to visual detail extends to the exquisite costuming and set design, especially anything Mia Goth’s Lady Elizabeth/Baroness Frankenstein wears. (Yes, this film is quite Freudian.) Frankenstein isn’t a plot beat by plot beat adaptation of the novel, but Del Toro captures the overarching themes about the destructive nature of technology (*cough* Generative AI) and the hubris of humanity. To top it all off, Jacob Elordi gives a truly tragic performance as The Creature, especially in one poignant scene where the Blind Man (David Bradley) teaches him to read and engage with art. (John Milton’s Paradise Lost, of course.)
Honorable Mentions: The Ballad of Wallis Island (James Griffiths), The Bad Guys 2 (Pierre Perifel), Hamnet (Chloe Zhao)
Marvel Television‘s Ironheart has a new trailer out giving us a better look at the live action series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ironheart debuts June 24 at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET with 3 episodes on Disney+.
Universal Pictures has landed the rights to A Vicious Circle, the genre-defining graphic storytelling event from legendary artist Lee Bermejo and acclaimed writer Mattson Tomlin, with Proximity Media and BOOM! Studios producing.
Mattson Tomlin is set to adapt the screenplay. Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler will produce through their Proximity Media. Rebecca Cho will executive produce and oversee the project for Proximity Media along with Zetra Evans for Proximity.
Stephen Christy serves as producer for BOOM! Studios, with Adam Yoelin as executive producer and Mette Norkjaer as co-producer. Senior Vice President of Production Development Ryan Jones will oversee the project for the studio.
Shawn Thacker is a trained assassin who seeks revenge on the only other man who shares his unique affliction—each life they take forces them both to travel through time between vastly different past and future eras. Spanning from 22nd century Tokyo to 1950s New Orleans to the Cretaceous period and beyond, these two mortal rivals find themselves locked in a battle of wills that spans millions of years, all to alter the course of history…
This announcement comes ahead of the publication of A Vicious Circle #3, the final part of the series, on-sale August 7, 2024.
From the sound of Mayan spoken in a Marvel movie, to the beauty of wearing a mask to breathe, Ryan Coogler’s new Black Panther movie, Wakanda Forever has a lot to say.
PS there is an audio glitch when Elana is explaining Riri Williams. Elana is trying to say that in the comics the character Riri Williams was specifically designed to be a superhero.
Bitter Root has found its director in Regina King. The film is based on the comic series created by David F. Walker, Sanford Greene, and Chuck Brown. Published by Image Comics, the film is being released by Legendary.
King will produce along with Reina King via their Royal Ties banner, along with Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian. Walker, Greene, Brown, and Drapetomedia’s Sean Owolo will executive produce.
The film’s draft is currently being rewritten by Bryan Edward Hill.
Set in 1924 during the vibrant Harlem Renaissance, the story focuses on a fracture family of once-great monster hunters. They face an evil that has decended upon New York City. The family must overcome the wounds of their past if they hope to stop an invasion.
The series is well praised receiving nominations for a 2019 Eisner Award for “Best New Series” and 2019 Ringo award for “Best Series”.
Ryan Coogler will expand his vision for Black Panther and the World of Wakanda taking it from big screen to television screen. The Black Panther director and co-writer has signed a five-year exclusive television deal between his Proximity Media and Disney. Coogler runs Proximity Media with principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, and Peter Nicks. Coogler is in the process of working on the sequel to Black Panther and is developing his first series which will spin out of the film series. The television series will be a drama based in the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney+.
In the announcement, Coogler said:
It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true. As avid consumers of television, we couldn’t be happier to be launching our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the amazing studios under the Disney umbrella. We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios where we will be working closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney+. We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share,” stated Ryan Coogler on behalf of Proximity Media.
Coogler first came on the radar with Fruitvale Station which he then reunited with that film’s star Michael B Jordan on Creed. Creed, spun out of Rocky, has spun out its own franchise. Black Panther grossed over $1.3 billion globally and was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Star Chadwick Boseman died last year, and Coogler and Disney are moving forward with a sequel Coogler has written that will not recast that role.
At D23, it was revealed that Black Panther 2 has a debut date. The film will come to theaters on May 6, 2022. It was also revealed that Ryan Coogler will return to direct the film.
It’s too early for the title of the film to be revealed though so keep speculating and spinning those rumors.
Just announced at #D23Expo: Ryan Coogler returns to direct Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER 2, in theaters May 6, 2022. pic.twitter.com/mpNB5NfKQV
This Sunday the Critics’ Choice Awards were held and both Black Panther and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse walked away winners.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versewon “Best Animated Feature” repeating its Golden Globe win in the same category. The film has momentum going into the Oscars. It beat The Grinch, Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Mirai, and Ralph Breaks the Internet to walk away with the latest win.
Ruth Carter won for “Best Costume Design” for Black Panther besting Alexandra Byrne for Mary Queen of Scots, Julian Day for Bohemian Rhapsody, and Sandy Powell for The Favourite and Mary Poppins Returns.
Black Panther also walked away a winner for “Best Visual Effects” besting Avengers: Infinity War, First Man, Mary Poppins Returns, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and Ready Player One.
But it wasn’t all celebrations. Black Panther walked away empty handed in numerous categories as well.
Black Panther was nominated for “Best Picture” which it lost to Roma. in “Best Acting Ensemble” this film lost to The Favourite. Michael B. Jordan was nominating for “Best Supporting Actor” for his role as Killmonger in Black Panther. He lost to Mahershala Ali for his role in Green Book. Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole were nominated for “Best Adapted Screenplay” for Black Panther. They lost to Barry Jenkins and If Beale Street Could Talk. Rachel Morrison was nominated for “Best Cinematography” for Black Panther and lost to Alfonso Cuarón and Roma. Black Panther was also nominated for “Best Hair and Makeup” losing to Vice.
Numerous comic films lost in “Best Action Movie” to Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, and Deadpool 2 were all nominated as well as Ready Player One and Widows.
In “Best Comedy,” Deadpool 2 and The Death of Stalin lost to Crazy Rich Asians. The Favourite, Game Night, and Sorry to Bother You were nominated as well.
Ryan Reynolds lost in “Best Actor in a Comedy” to Christian Bale for his role in Vice. Reynolds starred in the title role in Deadpool 2.
When it comes to music Black Panther came up empty handed as well. “All the Stars” lost to A Star is Born‘s “Shallow” in “Best Song” and and in “Best Score” Ludwig Göransson lost to Justin Hurwitz for First Man.
Comic adaptations were absent from television awards at the show.
Lets get this out of the way, Marvel films are rather formulaic. We get the origin of the hero in the first third of the film, the second third is the set up where they are beaten down, then the last third turns into a fist fight. This is generally what we can expect and as more films are released, that formula grows a bit old. So, the question is, with each new release, can Marvel Studios deliver enough “new” to keep the audience engaged and interested. Black Panther delivers a lot new and then some, though suffers in that last third due to the formula.
The story is a bit James Bond as Black Panther must bring to justice a man who stole the country’s precious Vibranium decades earlier. Cool gadgets are plenty as illegal deals are attempted to be broken up all as we learn more about these cast of characters.
While we know some of Black Panther and the Dora Milaje (his elite bodyguards/warriors) from Captain America: Civil War where they debuted, the world of Wakanda is mainly unknown and this film is far more than the few that debuted in what seems forever ago. In a sense, this is an origin story like so many other Marvel Studios releases as T’Challa takes up the mantle of King as well as Black Panther. But, where Black Panther stands heads and above what’s come before is how it does that origin story and it’s focus on not just one man.
Played by Chadwick Boseman, T’Challa is conservative in many ways. There’s not as much ego or brashness, instead Boseman plays the character as the leader of a nation but also one who is clearly learning. He doesn’t go it alone or “have to learn,” he seeks council and relies on those around him. This is a very different superhero and the movie does an excellent job of recognizing that. Where it really stands out from those before is the supporting cast which is large and in charge. Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Letitia Wright as Shuri, it’s the women (especially the Dora Milaje) who steal the show. Wonder Woman showed us kick-ass women, this film takes it to the next level in so many ways. And, while they definitely kicked ass, their presences was a statement too. The Dora Milaje are not one size fits all. While all members are athletic, the heights, build, and skin tone differ for each. While I expected a general uniform look (something more like the Amazons in Wonder Woman), I was surprised at the vast differences. In one scene in particular one rather tall member is next to a shorter member and I can only think this was done on purpose to emphasize this. Wright especially stands out for her enthusiasm and Q like character. She delivers the tech that makes Black Panther (and Wakanda) function. As T’Challa’s sister, there’s also a healthy relationship that feels fresh and like it’s been missing from movie screens.
But, it’s not just the young brilliant and kick-ass women who add to the film. Angela Bassett as Ramonda and Forest Whitaker as Zuri add a gravitas in a way and feel like they’re passing the baton to a new generation of Black actors.
But, what is a Marvel film without its villains? Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger step into those roles in what may be the best Marvel villains to date. We’ve seen Serkis’ briefly in a previous Marvel film, but here he’s able to amp up the sleaze to the next level both having fun with it all and making the audience feel dirty. But, it’s Jordan’s Killmonger that delivers a character that’s complicated at at times sympathetic. It’s difficult to truly dissect everything without spoilers but he’s an American whose goal is to take over the throne of Wakanda. His Western Imperialism embodied but one whose past and history makes him sympathetic.
And that complicated nature is what also makes Black Panther stand out as one of Marvel’s best films. This is a film, that in numerous scenes, debates the isolationist policy of Wakanda. It debates how this wealthy African nation leaves other nations and specifically Black individuals to suffer. While it prospers it does not provide aid, instead pretending it too is a Third World Nation. It directly addresses the concept of Black individuals “making it” then leaving others, the debate about supporting one’s own community. While the film takes place in Wakanda, it’s a debate that’s had right here in American communities, about supporting Black owned businesses or creators. It’s that sort of layering and detail that again makes the film stand out and the films’ writers Ryan Coogler (who also directed) and Joe Robert Cole deserve accolades for that.
Coogler’s direction, while good, falls a bit short of my expectations. Coogler is known for Fruitvale Station and Creed (both starring Michael B. Jordan). When it comes to direction, both of those films surpass Black Panther. But, visually, the film is amazing delivering us something that would make Jack Kirby cry. This is Afrofuturism on screen and through all the wonders of the city, when we get to the streets it feels lived in and real. Visually the film is stunning and you do see Coogler’s touches with small looks and moments that create a story that feels natural and how individuals actually interact.
As I said, the film does stumble a bit towards the end with a typical battle that has become standard in Marvel Studio films. This one feels like a bit of escalation with the amount of individuals involved so it does shake things up in some ways. It’s not just the usual hero fighting bad guy. But, the film does stumble in typical Marvel fashion. If it had come out earlier, before the pattern of stories was clear, this wouldn’t have been as much of an issue. But, the pattern and formula is pretty clear now.
Black Panther feels fresh though. The women steal the show. The first 2/3s feels more like a James Bond film than typical superhero movie, and there’s a healthy dose of exploring real world issues. There’s an enthusiasm and enough freshness about the film to make it stand out from the pack as one of Marvel’s best. The fact that everyone on screen doesn’t look like me is a large portion of that. Hopefully the film is as much of a success as I expect it to be and we see much more of this to come.
Lets get this out of the way, Marvel films are rather formulaic. We get the origin of the hero in the first third of the film, the second third is the set up where they are beaten down, then the last third turns into a fist fight. This is generally what we can expect and as more films are released, that formula grows a bit old. So, the question is, with each new release, can Marvel Studios deliver enough “new” to keep the audience engaged and interested. Black Panther delivers a lot new and then some, though suffers in that last third due to the formula.
Played by Chadwick Boseman, T’Challa is conservative in many ways. There’s not as much ego or brashness, instead Boseman plays the character as the leader of a nation but also one who is clearly learning. He doesn’t go it alone or “have to learn,” he seeks council and relies on those around him. This is a very different superhero and the movie does an excellent job of recognizing that. Where it really stands out from those before is the supporting cast which is large and in charge. Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Letitia Wright as Shuri, it’s the women (especially the Dora Milaje) who steal the show. Wonder Woman showed us kick-ass women, this film takes it to the next level in so many ways. And, while they definitely kicked ass, their presences was a statement too. The Dora Milaje are not one size fits all. While all members are athletic, the heights, build, and skin tone differ for each. While I expected a general uniform look (something more like the Amazons in Wonder Woman), I was surprised at the vast differences. In one scene in particular one rather tall member is next to a shorter member and I can only think this was done on purpose to emphasize this. Wright especially stands out for her enthusiasm and Q like character. She delivers the tech that makes Black Panther (and Wakanda) function. As T’Challa’s sister, there’s also a healthy relationship that feels fresh and like it’s been missing from movie screens.
But, what is a Marvel film without its villains? Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger step into those roles in what may be the best Marvel villains to date. We’ve seen Serkis’ briefly in a previous Marvel film, but here he’s able to amp up the sleaze to the next level both having fun with it all and making the audience feel dirty. But, it’s Jordan’s Killmonger that delivers a character that’s complicated at at times sympathetic. It’s difficult to truly dissect everything without spoilers but he’s an American whose goal is to take over the throne of Wakanda. His Western Imperialism embodied but one whose past and history makes him sympathetic.