New year, new movies and TV series. Many of us have been waiting all of 2024 for the second part of our favorite movie to come out, or the final season of the show we’ve been waiting for. Nothing is worse than being left on a cliffhanger of a movie or TV show and having to wait forever for the next part to come out. 2025 is the year of new releases for many anticipated shows and sequel releases. Here are a few shows to look out for this year as well as many news ones you may not know, but should be excited for.
Lilo & Stitch
Almost everyone watched the Super Bowl this year, where the new movie Lilo & Stitch was teased. Hitting theatres May 23rd, Lilo & Stitch is a fun, family friendly movie, to be looking forward to this year. This is a live action remake of the 2002 iconic film, where an adorable blue, fuzzy alien meets a young and lonely Hawaiian girl living through some family issues. The film adapts friendship, love, and laughs throughout the film.
Happy Gilmore 2
Happy Gilmore was a film that nobody will forget, but Happy Gilmore 2 is set to release on July 25th. With the majority of the movie being filmed in New Jersey, everyone should be excited to see parts of our state incorporated in the film. The film includes characters from the previous film; however it also includes some special guest stars such as Travis Kelce, Margaret Qualley, Nick Swardson, and Kid Cudi. Although the main plot hasn’t been released yet, the teaser contains Happy Gilmore back on the golf course, enduring new challenges and experiences.
Freakier Friday
For all those Freaky Friday fans (and Lindsay Lohan fans), Freakier Friday is expected to release August 8th. This time, years later, Anna now has a daughter of her own as well as a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As the families are attempting to come together, Tess and Anna once again deal with a challenge they had in the past.
The Black Phone 2
The Black Phone became a very popular Horror Film back in 2021. Now, this October 17th, fans can continue the madness. Original cast members will return to the screen, such as Mason Thames, Ethan Hawke, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies. Although the film has wrapped, the main plot hasn’t been released. However, the director mentions a time jump, calling the movie a high school coming-of-age film, similar to the first movie being a middle school coming-of-age film. Fans are a bit upset with the release date since they wrapped recently and the original release date was sometime late June, however the release being in October is due to the popularity of horror movies for Halloween. Despite the long wait, The Black Phone 2 is something to look forward to for all the horror movie lovers.
The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3
For those who have been keeping up with the series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, the wait to see the turnout of Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah is over. Author of the original books, Jenny Han, has been teasing the release of the third season to be sometime this summer. Han posted a video to social media, where she shows a Christmas-themed set. She says, “Can’t wait to spend Christmas with you guys this summer.”
The show has been a huge hit, targeting a teenage audience. The love story of Belly and Conrad as well as Belly and Jeremiah is a can’t miss. Season 3 is expected to be full of excitement, suspense, and especially romance. Leanna Nahkle, a JCHS junior, shares why she is excited for the new season and why people should watch it, “I’m excited because I hope Belly and Conrad get their happy ending. The Summer I Turned Pretty is definitely a show to watch for people who love romance and teenage drama.”
Stranger Things, Season 5
America’s favorite TV show is officially back this year. 2025 is the year the final season of Stranger Things comes out. With the show starting in 2016, the wait for the new seasons have always been very long, especially with COVID. However, the final season is almost ready for you to watch and it’s a can’t miss series. Fans were starting to think they would never get season 5, with how long it’s been taking, and although the exact date wasn’t released, Netflix confirmed it will be coming this year.
Wednesday, Season 2
The first season was a hit, and it’s expected the second season will follow in its footsteps. Jenna Ortega will be returning as Wednesday, studying at Nevermore Academy, followed by other iconic Addams Family characters. The season is expected to go more into depth on the family’s history, as the first season only briefly touched upon that. Episodes will be even more thrilling and complex than before, which makes this new season something to look forward to.
