Movie lovers get ready! Summer 2025 is shaping up to be a blockbuster season and we've got the inside scoop on what everyone is excited to see. Fandango just dropped their list of the most anticipated summer releases and the top pick might just surprise you. Hint: it involves dinosaurs!
Roaring to the Top: 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Crowned Most Anticipated Summer Movie of 2025 Beating Superheroes!
Yep you heard it right. According to Fandango's survey moviegoers are most hyped for Universal's Jurassic World Rebirth. Dinosaurs are still king folks! This seventh movie in the Jurassic saga is generating major buzz. It even beat out some seriously heavy hitters in the superhero world.
But which other movies made the top 10 most anticipated list? Let's dive in and see what's coming to theaters this summer that everyone is talking about:
- Jurassic World Rebirth
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- Superman
- Thunderbolts
- From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
- 28 Years Later
- How to Train Your Dragon (Live-Action Remake)
- Lilo & Stitch (Live-Action Remake)
- Freakier Friday
That's quite a lineup huh? From dinosaurs to superheroes to action spies and even some family fun there is a lot to look forward to. Noticeably horror fans have something to cheer about too with 28 Years Later making the cut.
Superhero Showdown: Fantastic Four 'First Steps' Edges Out 'Superman' in Anticipation Race - But the Race is Tight!
Superhero movies are still a massive draw no surprise there. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is sitting pretty high at number two on the list which is great news for Marvel fans. Interestingly it is just ahead of DC's big hope Superman which lands at number four. Looks like the Fantastic Four might have a slight edge in the early hype battle but remember things can change fast in Hollywood.
Marvel's Thunderbolts also snags a spot in the top five showing superhero fatigue might not be a thing for everyone especially when it comes to ensemble team-up movies. It's going to be a superhero packed summer for sure!
Beyond Dinosaurs and Capes: Action Sequels Animated Remakes and Genre Variety Light Up Summer 2025 Slate
It's not all about dinosaurs and superheroes though. The most anticipated list shows a nice mix of genres. Action junkies can get hyped for the latest Mission: Impossible flick and the John Wick spin-off Ballerina. Plus Danny Boyle is bringing us more zombie scares with 28 Years Later a sequel to the horror classic 28 Days Later.
Family audiences have some animated remakes to look forward to with live-action versions of How to Train Your Dragon and Lilo & Stitch both making the list. And for a bit of comedy fun Freakier Friday a sequel to Freaky Friday rounds out the top 10. Looks like studios are trying to offer something for everyone this summer which is always a good thing.
What's Driving Moviegoers? Fandango Survey Unpacks Summer Movie Trends and Fan Preferences
Fandango's survey wasn't just about ranking movies it also dug into what gets people excited about going to the theater. They surveyed over 5000 moviegoers to get a sense of current trends and moviegoing habits.
Here are a few key takeaways from the survey:
- Summer is Still King: Summer remains the most popular season for hitting the cinemas.
- PLF is Popular: Premium Large Format screens are a big draw with 77% of moviegoers having attended a PLF screening in the past year. People want that big screen experience!
- Social Media Rules: Social media is the top way people discover new movies followed by TV ads and then good old movie theater trailers.
- Video Content Wins: Trailers clips and behind-the-scenes footage are still the best ways to build hype.
- Loyal Fans are Key: "Loyal Moviegoers" (those seeing 5+ movies a year) are mostly Millennials and Gen X males often with kids. "Casual Moviegoers" (4 or fewer movies) tend to be Gen Z women.
These insights are valuable for the movie industry as they try to navigate the ever-changing entertainment landscape and bring audiences back to theaters in a big way.
Box Office Battles and Shifting Tides: Will Anticipation Translate to Ticket Sales?
It's important to remember that most anticipated lists are not always a guarantee of box office success. As Fandango themselves pointed out even though Deadpool & Wolverine topped their summer movie preview last year Inside Out 2 actually made more money. And some movies that ranked high on anticipation polls in the past like The Fall Guy and Borderlands didn't end up being box office hits.
Ultimately marketing trailers and word-of-mouth will play a huge role in determining which movies truly dominate the summer box office. New trailers and buzz coming out of events like CinemaCon could definitely shake things up and shift audience perception. So while Jurassic World Rebirth is in the lead right now the race for summer movie champion is definitely still on!