The Best Movies in Theaters Right Now
There’s never been a better time to be a movie fan, especially if you love checking out your local movie theaters. From re-releases of classic titles to exciting big-budget spectacles, it seems as if there’s always something new to enjoy while munching on a bucket of popcorn. However, with the popularity of streaming and the arrival of a huge influx of titles in the coming days, how are you supposed to know what the best movies in theaters are?
Thankfully, we’re here to address those concerns. We’ve taken the time to highlight a number of prominent releases that are currently playing in theaters. From terrific dramas to heart-pounding action films, there’s certainly no shortage of things to see whenever you head down to your local cinema. Don’t believe us? Here are just a handful of the best movies currently playing in theaters.
Zootopia 2
Release Date: November 26
Zootopia 2 sees Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) on another case, this time investigating Zootopia’s secret reptile population in a mystery that uncovers some dark secrets about the history of the city. Despite having saved the city once before, Judy and Nick’s partnership is put to the test to see if they can truly be on the same page and merge their different approaches. Joining the cast includes Ke Huy Quan, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Fortune Feimster, Patrick Warburton, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, Danny Trejo, and Quinta Brunson.
A Must-See Film for the Whole Family During the Holidays
Zootopia was one of the best films in what is now called Disney’s Revival era (2009 to 2019). The sequel not only aims to expand on the lore and details of Zootopia’s rich world by bringing reptiles into the story, but also to double down on the visual gags and animal-themed puns that made the original as funny as it was thoughtful. Where other Disney sequels might have had a difficult time crafting a story to justify a new adventure, Zootopia’s riff on buddy cop films like 48 Hrs. and Lethal Weapon naturally lends itself to the sequel set-up. The last major animated film was The Bad Guys 2 back in August, so Zootopia 2 is a much-needed film for the whole family this holiday season.
Eternity
Release Date: November 26
Eternity follows Joan (Elizabeth Olsen), who, after she dies, must choose who she wants to spend her afterlife with. In one corner is Luke (Callum Turner), her first husband, who died during the war and was her first passionate love. The other option is Larry (Miles Teller), Joan’s second husband, with whom she built a life. Eternity also stars Academy Award-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early as two afterlife coordinators helping Joan make her decision.
A Refreshing Rom-Com
Eternity aims to give the audience a feature-length explanation of the popular fan theory about the end of Titanic, in which Rose meets Jack in the afterlife rather than the father of her children. Yet the premise promises some thoughtful, emotional exploration about how a person can have many loves in one life, with none being more important than another. Much like this year’s Materialists, Eternity is putting a new spin on the romantic triangle dynamic, this time with a supernatural twist that makes for a great spiritual follow-up to a series like The Good Place, which also questioned what a “soul mate” actually means.
Hamnet
Release Date: November 26
Hamnet follows William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley) before and after the death of their son Hamnet. Shakespeare turns his grief into art, writing one of the greatest plays of all time: Hamlet. Yet the creation of the play only highlights the loss of their son, driving a wedge between William and Agnes as they cope with the grief and see if they can move on past such a tragic death.
A Must-See Oscar Front-Runner
Hamnet is the latest film from Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao, and her first film since Marvel Studios’ Eternals. Hamnet has earned rave reviews since it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival. Shortly after, it won the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award, which in the past has gone to many films that eventually went on to be nominated (and sometimes win) for the Best Picture Academy Award. Critics have singled out Buckley’s performance in particular as one of the best of the year, and she has become a front-runner for Best Actress. Hamnet begins its limited release rollout on Nov. 26, 2025, and will expand nationwide closer to Christmas.
Wicked: For Good
Release Date: November 21
Wicked: For Good is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2024’s smash hit and Best Picture nominee Wicked. Adapting the second half of the iconic stage play, Wicked: For Good sees Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) in her quest to break Oz free from control of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), all while her former friend Glinda (Ariana Grande) is torn on which side to take. Wicked: For Good will also have the fun twist of acting as a loose Wizard of Oz remake, with the film’s events unfolding simultaneously with the classic story and the identities of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion revealed.
Can ‘Wicked: For Good’ Defy High Expectations?
Expectations are high for Wicked: For Good, as the sequel arrives one year after the first film became a global sensation. Even though Act II of Wicked is often regarded as the weaker entry, the film includes iconic songs like “No Good Deed” and “For Good,” which certainly will match any of the non-“Defying Gravity” moments from the first film. Wicked: For Good is a film fans have been waiting years for, and it is likely going to be one of the biggest movies of 2025 at the box office.
Sisu: Road to Revenge
Release Date: November 21
Sisu: Road to Revenge follows Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) as he is pursued relentlessly by Soviet Red Army officer Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang). Korpi, a former Finnish commando, is looking to rebuild his life after World War II and the death of his family, and now has the chance to exact revenge on the man who killed his family, the same person who happens to be chasing him. Sisu: Road to Revenge is a sequel to the 2022 critically acclaimed action film Sisu.
For Anyone Who Doesn’t Want To See a Musical
Sisu: Road to Revenge (or SI2U as the poster says) is very much pitched as counter-programming to Wicked: For Good. It is a high-octane action blockbuster with an R-rating that promises plenty of bloodshed and over-the-top violence. Word of mouth has been incredibly positive, with the action compared favorably to the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road and John Wick: Chapter 4.
Rental Family
Release Date: November 21
Rental Family stars Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser as Phillip Vandarpleog, an American actor living alone in Tokyo. He takes a job with a Japanese family rental service, where he fills various roles in people’s lives, including father, friend, and husband. Phillip begins forming meaningful connections with the people whose lives he has temporarily joined.
The Feel-Good Movie of the Holiday Season
Directed by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hikari, Rental Family has earned positive reviews and strong buzz since its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film features a wonderful cast, including Takehiro Hira (Shōgun), Mari Yamamoto (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), and Akira Emoto (Dr. Akagi). Rental Family is a heartwarming film that plays best during the holiday season.
The Running Man
Release Date: November 14
Set in the future, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) signs up to take part in The Running Man reality show to get the funds to pay for his sick daughter’s medical bills. Richards must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to the public and each day bringing a more substantial cash reward. When Ben becomes an audience favorite, the stakes rise. His victory could destabilize the entire system, leaving the world torn between wanting him to win and wanting to see him meet his end.
Edgar Wright and Glen Powell Combo
Previously adapted into an iconic 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new Running Man is being billed as a faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s original 1982 novel. Directed by Edgar Wright, known for the Cornetto trilogy, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and Baby Driver, Wright knows how to deliver a high-octane action thriller that also works as a relatable drama. Supported by an all-star cast that includes Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Jayme Lawson, Emilia Jones, and Katy O’Brian, The Running Man is an enjoyable action film that also functions as social commentary.
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
Release Date: November 14
Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is the third entry in the Now You See Me franchise. It sees the original Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher) reunite to team up with three new illusionists (Justice Smith, Ariana Greenblatt, and Dominic Sessa) for a high-stakes heist involving the theft of the world’s largest queen diamond from a criminal syndicate leader played by Rosamund Pike. Ruben Fleischer, best known for directing Eisenberg and Harrelson in Zombieland, steps into the director’s chair. Other returning cast members include Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo.
Recapturing the Magic
It has been nine years since Now You See Me 2, and over 12 years since the first film became a surprise box-office hit. Using the title many wished the first Now You See Me sequel had used, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t looks to be another enjoyable time at the movies that can close out the original group and set the franchise up for more films featuring its new talented young cast. Ruben Fleischer is already confirmed to return for a fourth film in the franchise.
Predator: Badlands
Release Date: November 7
The latest entry in the Predator franchise, Predator: Badlands follows a young Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) as he finds himself on a hostile alien world looking to hunt the most dangerous creature to prove himself to his clan. Along the way, he meets Weyland-Yutani synthetic Thia (Elle Fanning), and the unlikely duo must team up to survive the hostile planet. This is the third Predator film directed by Dan Trachtenberg. He revived the franchise with 2022’s Prey and followed it with the underrated animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers earlier this summer.
Predator: Badlands is also the first theatrically released Predator film since 2018’s The Predator. An Action Movie Thrill Ride
Predator: Badlands breathes new life into the Predator formula, offering a T2: Judgement Day-style spin on the franchise that takes the iconic movie monster and makes it the hero. Don’t let the PG-13 rating fool you. Predator: Badlands features all the great gory kills that fans want to see from a Predator movie, but it manages to bypass the censors by having all the blood be green, purple, or milky white goo. Predator: Badlands is both an action movie spectacle and a good movie in its own right, and has been receiving positive reviews from critics, sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. A Predator movie in theaters is getting great reviews? That alone is worthy of big-screen viewing.
One Battle After Another
Release Date: September 26
Hollywood’s most elite heavyweights teamed up with famed director Paul Thomas Anderson for his gripping action thriller One Battle After Another. Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn are just a few talented stars helping bring the big-screen adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland to life. In the film, DiCaprio appears as ex-revolutionary Bob Ferguson, who sets out to rescue his 16-year-old daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) after she goes missing following the resurfacing of his sadistic nemesis Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn).
DiCaprio Is Back and Better Than Ever
One Battle After Another marks DiCaprio’s exciting return to the cinema since 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Like most of the leading man’s movies, the thriller has garnered universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, currently boasting a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score with a 98% Tomatometer. Anderson masterfully blends satirical humor, adventure, and familial conflict into an exhilarating storyline to create a captivating original hailed as one of the finest films of the year, with many praising its insightful political and social commentary.
