Hollywood loves a sequel, and while we’ve already seen some big ones come out in 2025, there are many more still to come in the final two months. The popularity of sequels can be seen with a quick look at the box office, as China’s animated sequel Ne Zha 2 sits atop the yearly standing with a $2+ billion worldwide gross.
While there’s even more IP-focused films if we include spinoffs, reboots, or remakes, audiences have already seen sequels in franchises like Captain America, Jurᴀssic World, Mission: Impossible, Demon Slayer, The Conjuring, and Final Destination.
If those movies weren’t enough, 2025 still has huge blockbuster franchises returning like Wicked and Avatar, as well as some under-the-radar sequels to streaming hits. In any case, here’s every sequel still releasing this year.
Predator: Badlands
Predator: Badlands is a sequel set in the Predator franchise – and in the Alien franchise, technically. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (Prey), its set after every previous entry in either series and makes a young Yautja named Dek the protagnoist, as he teams up with a Weyland-Yutani synth, Thia.
While Dek and Thia aren’t from a previous film in the Predator or Alien franchise, this is still very much a sequel to the larger Predator series. It advances the timeline and has some connections to what’s come before.
Trachtenberg has been overseeing the universe’s expansion over the last few years, and after bringing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, Danny Glover’s Harrigan, and Amber Midthunder’s Naru back in Predator: Killer of Killers, any number of surprise franchise connections could come here.
Predator: Badlands debuts exclusively in theaters on November 7.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is the third entry in Lionsgate’s magic-heist franchise. It returns original cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson, and Morgan Freeman, while adding in new, younger magicians played by Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt.
The movie arrives nine years after the last entry, Now You See Me 2. Ruben Fleischer has taken control of the series as the director, and Lionsgate already has faith in this one, with Now Your See Me 4 confirmed to be in the works.
This isn’t a franchise that is going away anytime soon it appears. That’s so long as Now You See Me: Now You Don’t does well when it debuts exclusively in theaters on November 14.
Wicked: For Good
Audiences will return to Oz once more on November 21 when Wicked: For Good releases in theaters. The movie serves as the sequel to last year’s cultural phenomenon that is Wicked.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande headline the returning cast list as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. The relationship between their characters will remain central to the story, which will also include loads of new, catchy songs — including two original ones made directly for the big screen.
Of all the sequels still to come out this year, Wicked: For Good has the chance to be one of the biggest. The concluding nature of this emotional chapter should really resonate with viewers and propel it to success.
The Family Plan 2
Mark Wahlberg has another movie set for release this year, as he turns an Apple TV movie into a franchise. The Family Plan 2 returns him as Dan Morgan, a retired ᴀssᴀssin and current family man who is brought back into a life of danger.
The movie serves as a sequel to Wahlberg’s 2023 action comedy that became Apple’s most watched movie of all time upon its release. Its record was later broken, leaving The Family Plan 2 with a chance to reclaim the franchise’s achievement if interest remains high.
This sequel will only be released on streaming, as Apple makes it available on Apple TV on November 21. With the movie’s Christmas setting, it could make for a great watch with the entire family over the end-of-year holidays.
Zootopia 2
Disney has what is expected to be a huge animated sequel on its hands with Zootopia 2. The movie brings back Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin as Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps for another adventure in the animal utopia setting.
The original Zootopia came out nine years ago, but it was a $1 billion hit for the studio then. After taking so much time to make another, it will be interesting to see how much audiences really want to come back to this world and revisit these characters.
Luckily, Disney animated movies are fairly strong bets to be well-received by families and children. That gives Zootopia 2 a chance to be America’s first hit animated movie of the year at the box office when it comes out on November 26.
Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig returns as Detective Benoit Blanc to solve another murder later this year with Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Like the other whodunnits in Rian Johnson’s franchise, this one features a stacked cast and is sure to subvert audience expectations.
The plot revolves around Blanc solving the death of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), leading to an investigation of those in his congregation and close to him. Johnson recruited everyone from Glenn Close, Josh O’Connor, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church to participate.
This Knives Out entry comes to Netflix three years after Glᴀss Onion, but some can see it in theaters too. It will play in select theaters starting on November 26 before its streaming debut on Netflix on December 12.
Troll 2
Netflix is releasing another sequel that could be even bigger than Wake Up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Man, thanks to the arrival of Troll 2 on December 1. The movie is the follow-up to 2022’s Norwegian monster movie from director Roar Uthaug.
The original movie remains Netflix’s most-watched non-English language movie, as it amᴀssed 103 million views in its first 91 days of release. Troll 2 comes out exactly three years later and will hope to land as triumphantly for everyone involved.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Blumhouse has done its fair share of sequels in 2025 already, but the studio has saved arguably its biggest for last in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. The first film came out in 2022 simultaneously in theaters and on streaming and did well in both areas.
The second installment is set to expand the mythology and bring in more animatronics who gamers will recognize, like Mangle and The Puppet. Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, and Matthew Lillard headline the group of returning cast members.
While the sequel won’t carry an R-rating like many wanted, the filmmakers have promised they’ve listened to criticisms of the first film, which could make the new one much scarier. We’ll find out for sure when Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 releases in theaters exclusively on December 5.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
Paramount and Nickelodeon are bringing SpongeBob SquarePants back to the big screen at the end of the year with The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. The film follows the beloved sponge as he searches for the Flying Dutchman to prove how brave he is.
This marks the fourth theatrically-released movie in the SpongeBob franchise, with the last one coming in 2020. The IP’s most iconic characters — SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Squidward, Sandy Cheeks, Mr. Krabs, and Plankton — are all set to return, with Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpᴀss, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, and Mr. Lawrence voicing them as usual.
Several other stars will lend their voices to the animated movie, including Regina Hall, Ice Spice, and George Lopez. But, Mark Hamill has also taken on the role of The Flying Dutchman, replacing Brian Doyle-Murray.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants comes out in theaters on December 19 — but its not the only sequel arriving that day.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Anyone can return to Pandora with the Na’vi this year when Avatar: Fire and Ash debuts exclusively in theaters on December 19. James Cameron is once again at the helm of the CGI-fueled blockbuster series known for breathtaking visuals and unfathomable box office success.
This time, the world of the Na’vi on Pandora expands further with the introduction of the villainous Varang and her Ash Clan. They’ll come into conflict with Jake Sully, Neytiri, their family, and the Water Clan, setting the stage of a Na’vi war like we’ve never seen before.
The marketing has been on point for Avatar: Fire and Ash so far, shaping it up as the cinematic event of 2025. If you’ve loved the previous two films, this one appears to be another can’t miss experience, especially in IMAX.
