What a year for cinema. We saw the return of favourite characters and epic sagas, along with some truly original stories that caught everyone by surprise. It was a year defined by cinematic events that brought people together and smaller, character-driven films that sparked endless conversation. With so many great movies hitting our screens, figuring out what was truly the best can feel like a huge task, but it’s a challenge we were happy to accept.
To help you find your next memorable film, we’ve put together a list of this year’s top movies. Our ranking is based on global box office success and popular releases, not only in 2025 but also in the previous years, showing which films had the most impact with viewers around the world. For each movie, we’ll give you the essential details and show you exactly where you can start streaming the best movies of 2025 in Australia.
What are the best movies of 2025?
When putting together our list of the year’s best films, we wanted to give you the clearest picture possible. Our primary ranking system is based on each film’s global box office revenue, overall popularity, enduring appeal, and those that have been proven to be all-time favourites, providing an objective measure of worldwide appeal and commercial success. This helped us highlight the movies that truly had an impact with audiences around the globe.
We’ve also included essential details for each entry. You’ll find information on the film’s genre, the director who brought it to life, and where it’s currently available on streaming services. We also offer an accurate synopsis, cast details, and trailer. This complete rundown ensures you’re well-informed on 2025’s top cinematic achievements.
The Amateur
Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure
Overview
After his life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder takes matters into his own hands when his supervisors refuse to take action.
Director
James Hawes
Duration
123 minutes
Sinners
Drama •Horror •Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure •Music •Musical
Overview
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Director
Ryan Coogler
Duration
131 minutes
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Fantasy •Family •Kids •Action •Adventure
Overview
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle’s house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he’s a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school’s kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents’ deaths—and about the villain who’s to blame.
Director
Chris Columbus
Cast
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Tom Felton
Duration
152 minutes
The Critic
Crime •Drama •Mystery •Thriller
Duration
101 minutes
Jurassic World Dominion
Adventure •Action •Sci-fi •Mystery •Thriller
Overview
Four years after Isla Nublar was destroyed, dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators ona planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.
Director
Colin Trevorrow
Cast
Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill
Duration
147 minutes
Nobody
Action •Thriller •Crime •Drama •Mystery •Adventure
Overview
Hutch Mansell, a suburban dad, overlooked husband, nothing neighbor — a “nobody.” When two thieves break into his home one night, Hutch’s unknown long-simmering rage is ignited and propels him on a brutal path that will uncover dark secrets he fought to leave behind.
Director
Ilya Naishuller
Cast
Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Aleksey Serebryakov, RZA
Duration
93 minutes
Gladiator II
Action •Adventure •Drama
Overview
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Director
Ridley Scott
Cast
Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn
Duration
148 minutes
Heads of State
Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure •Comedy
Overview
The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries’ alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they’re forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Director
Ilya Naishuller
Duration
113 minutes
Knock Knock
Thriller •Mystery •Crime •Horror
Overview
When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Director
Eli Roth
Cast
Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns, Colleen Camp
Duration
99 minutes
Arcadian
Sci-fi •Thriller •Horror •Mystery •Action •Adventure •Drama
Overview
In the near future, on a decimated Earth, Paul and his twin sons face terror at night when ferocious creatures awaken. When Paul is nearly killed, the boys come up with a plan for survival, using everything their father taught them to keep him alive.
Director
Benjamin Brewer
Cast
Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, Sadie Soverall, Samantha Coughlan
Duration
92 minutes
Jurassic Park
Adventure •Action •Sci-fi •Thriller •Mystery
Overview
A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.
Director
Steven Spielberg
Cast
Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck
Duration
126 minutes
City of Lies
Crime •Mystery •Drama •Thriller
Overview
Los Angeles Police Department detective Russell Poole has spent years trying to solve his biggest case — the murders of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur — but after two decades, the investigation remains open. Jack Jackson, a reporter desperate to save his reputation and career, is determined to find out why. In search of the truth, the two team up and unravel a growing web of institutional corruption and lies.
Director
Brad Furman
Cast
Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Toby Huss, Dayton Callie, Neil Brown Jr.
Duration
111 minutes
A Minecraft Movie
Fantasy •Action •Adventure •Comedy •Family •Kids •Animation
Overview
Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.
Director
Jared Hess
Duration
105 minutes
The Man with the Iron Heart
Action •Thriller •War •Mystery •Adventure •History
Overview
With the Third Reich at its peak in 1942, the Czech resistance in London plans the most ambitious military operation of WWII – Anthropoid. Two young recruits are sent to Prague to assassinate the most ruthless Nazi leader – Reinhard Heydrich, head of the Reich Security Main Office, the Gestapo and the architect of the Final Solution.
Director
Cédric Jimenez
Cast
Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Jack O’Connell, Jack Reynor, Mia Wasikowska
Duration
115 minutes
Bastille Day
Action •Thriller •Crime •Drama •Adventure •Mystery
Overview
A rogue CIA agent forms an unlikely partnership with a pickpocket to stop a terrorist conspiracy in Paris.
Director
James Watkins
Cast
Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Charlotte Le Bon, Kelly Reilly, José Garcia
Duration
88 minutes
Unbroken
Drama •War •Sport
Overview
A chronicle of the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by Japanese forces during World War II.
Director
Angelina Jolie
Cast
Jack O’Connell, Alex Russell, Domhnall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, Miyavi
Duration
132 minutes
How to Train Your Dragon
Animation •Kids •Fantasy •Adventure •Action •Family
Overview
A young Viking with aspirations of becoming a dragon hunter befriends a young dragon, and learns more about the creatures than he ever assumed.
Director
Chris Sanders
Cast
Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill
Duration
94 minutes
Mickey 17
Sci-fi •Comedy •Fantasy •Action •Adventure
Overview
Unlikely hero Mickey Barnes finds himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.
Director
Bong Joon Ho
Cast
Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo
Duration
137 minutes
The Iceman
Thriller •Drama •Crime •Mystery
Overview
The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man.
Director
Ariel Vromen
Cast
Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer
Duration
105 minutes
Babygirl
Thriller •Drama •Romance •Mystery •Crime
Overview
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.
Director
Halina Reijn
Cast
Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde, Esther-Rose McGregor
Duration
115 minutes
Frequently asked questions
We’ve focused on films that really stood out in 2024 and 2025, using global box office revenue as our main guide to gauge their worldwide popularity. This helps us highlight movies that not only connected with critics but also genuinely captivated a huge number of viewers. You’ll find a mix of big blockbusters and fan favourites, all chosen to give you a comprehensive look at the year’s top cinema.
You’ll definitely discover a great mix! While box office success often leans towards action and big-budget films, our list also celebrates fan favourites from various genres. We’ve included everything from compelling dramas and laugh-out-loud comedies to thrilling adventures, ensuring there’s something to suit every taste. Our goal is to showcase the diverse cinematic landscape of 2025.
We’ve made sure to include details on where you can stream each movie mentioned on the list. Many of these films, after their cinema run, quickly become available on various streaming platforms. While some might require a subscription, others could be available for rent or purchase. We’ve done the legwork to point you in the right direction for each title.
It’s completely understandable if your personal favourite didn’t make our top 20! Our list is primarily based on global box office revenue, which reflects widespread commercial success. Many incredible films might not hit those huge numbers but are still fantastic. We encourage you to explore widely, as the world of cinema is vast and full of hidden gems beyond any single list.
This list is as current as can be for movies released throughout 2024 and 2025. We continuously monitor new releases and their box office performance to ensure our rankings reflect the most up-to-date information available. If a film had a significant impact by the end of the year and met our criteria, you can bet it’s considered for inclusion, offering you the freshest insights.
The IMDb rating is a widely recognised indicator of a film’s public reception, derived from millions of user votes. While it provides a good general sense of a movie’s popularity and critical standing among viewers, remember that it’s a collective opinion. It’s a handy guide, but your own enjoyment might differ, as personal taste plays a huge part in how you experience a film.
We chose global box office revenue as the main ranking factor because it’s a clear, quantifiable measure of a film’s widespread appeal and commercial impact around the world. It shows which movies truly captured the attention of the largest audiences. While not the only measure of quality, it provides a strong, objective basis for identifying the biggest cinematic hits of the year.
Our rankings were determined by box office performance rather than awards won. While award statistics often highlight different aspects of cinematic achievement, this particular list aims to capture the year’s biggest hits on a commercial level. Still, you’ll find details of the awards each movie has won in our list. But to answer your question, Anora won the most awards in 2024.
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