Whether you're a casual film fan or a Letterboxd devotee, everyone loves a good drama that brings you to tears and makes you think differently about life's big questions. A handful of movies made their festival premieres and filled cinemas to be in the running for this year's best—and may very well dominate next year's awards season conversation. And looking ahead, there are even more exciting projects on the way.
From the returns of acclaimed directors like Lynne Ramsay and Paul Thomas Anderson to epic sports biopics to genre-bending musicals, several can't-miss drama movies have come out this year. Below, find the best drama movies of 2025. (For more recommendations of what to watch, check out our list of the best drama movies of 2024, as well as our round-ups of the best comedy, romance, horror, and thriller movies of the year.)
'Hard Truths'
Release date: January 10
Starring: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Michele Austin, and David Webber
Why it’s worth watching: This acclaimed film from auteur director Mike Leigh had critics raving over Marianne Jean-Baptiste's caustic lead performance. She and Michele Austin star as a pair of middle-aged sisters who are facing the fifth anniversary of their mother's death.
'Unstoppable'
Release date: January 16 on Prime Video
Starring: Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Anthony Robles, Don Cheadle, and Jennifer Lopez
Why it’s worth watching: Everyone loves an underdog, and this sports story follows one of the most impressive careers in collegiate wrestling. It's based on the true story of Anthony Robles, who became an NCAA Division 1 Champion wrestler despite being born without a right leg.
'I Love You Forever'
Release date: February 7
Starring: Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ray Nicholson, and Cazzie David
Why it’s worth watching: David makes her directorial debut with this "anti-rom-com," inspired by her and her friend Elisa Kalani's experiences with emotional abuse. Law student Mackenzie (Black-D'Elia) and TV news anchor Finn's (Ray Nicholson) relationship "goes south when his initial charisma proves to be manipulative and eventually insidious."
'On Becoming a Guinea Fowl'
Release date: March 7
Starring: Susan Chardy, Elizabeth Chisela, and Henry B.J. Phiri
Why it’s worth watching: Critics were very impressed by this dark, genre-less indie film when it made its way through last year's festival circuit. After Shula (Susan Chardy) finds her uncle's dead body, she and her cousins have to reckon with the "buried secrets" of their family and "the lies we tell ourselves."
'Sinners'
Release date: April 18
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, Miles Caton, Lin Jun Li, Lola Kirke, and Delroy Lindo
Why it’s worth watching: Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan are among the best director-actor pairings. Anything they release is a must-watch, especially this original horror-drama about twin brothers (both played by Jordan) facing an unknown evil when they return to their hometown.
'The Legend of Ochi'
Release date: April 18
Starring: Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe
Why it’s worth watching: An A24-produced fantasy tale featuring adorable mystery critters (not made by AI) and Willem Dafoe? Sold. We can't help but root for Yuri (Helena Zengel) as she helps her new friend, a baby ochi, find its way back to its woodland home.
'The Phoenician Scheme'
Release date: April 18
Starring: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, F. Murray Abraham, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, and Bill Murray
Why it’s worth watching: We'll watch anything Wes Anderson releases, and he came back this year with a new ensemble drama. When wealthy businessman Anatole "Zsa-zsa" Korda (Benicio del Toro) seeks his daughter to become his heir, young nun Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton) has to reconcile her beliefs with a new world of luxury.
'The Life of Chuck'
Release date: June 6
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay, and Nick Offerman
Why it’s worth watching: Last September, Mike Flanagan's latest Stephen King adaptation—based on the 2020 novella of the same name—won the Audience Award at TIFF. The "feel-good apocalypse movie" finally arrived in theaters this year, starring Tom Hiddleston as an ordinary man dancing through doomsday.
'Materialists'
Release date: June 13
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Marin Ireland, Louisa Jacobson, Sawyer Spielberg, and Zoë Winters
Why it’s worth watching: New Celine Song. That's it; that's the selling point. Even if you somehow skipped her dreamy debut Past Lives, this romance starring Dakota Johnson as a matchmaker torn between her broke ex (Chris Evans) and a rich suitor (Pedro Pascal) is an unmissable film that gives a layered look at romance.
'F1'
Release date: June 27
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Javier Bardem, Sarah Niles, Lewis Hamilton, Kim Bodnia, and Samson Kayo
Why it’s worth watching: Hollywood has been part of the driving force behind Formula 1's popularity in the U.S. (thanks to the docuseries Drive to Survive), and now the sport is ready for the blockbuster treatment. This fictional action-drama follows a tale as old as time, with a former star driver (Brad Pitt) coming out of retirement to coach a promising rookie (Damson Idris).
'Sorry, Baby'
Release date: June 27
Starring: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, and Lucas Hedges
Why it’s worth watching: Eva Victor wrote, directed, and stars in this Sundance hit that's become their breakout debut. It tells the nonlinear story of Agnes as she lives in a college town and "navigates the long and often surreal aftermath of a traumatic event that is never shown onscreen."
'Superman'
Release date: July 11
Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Skyler Gisondo
Why it’s worth watching: David Corenswet's first round as the Man of Steel is an exciting, earnest update to the canon of superhero flicks, one that signals great things for James Gunn's tenure as the head of D.C. The blockbuster action film is a return to form for the world's most famous hero, touching on current events through a much-needed lens of hope.
'Eddington'
Release date: July 18
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Pedro Pascal, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, Micheal Ward, and Clifton Collins Jr.
Why it’s worth watching: For his latest film, horror auteur Ari Aster taps into the terror of the current political moment. This New Mexico-set Western is a "wild adventure" about "a small-town New Mexico sheriff with higher aspirations" during political unrest amid the 2020 pandemic.
'Him'
Release date: September 19
Starring: Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Guapdad 4000, and Tierra Whack
Why it’s worth seeing: Director Justin Tipping and producer Jordan Peele are behind this psychological horror-drama described as "a sports movie translated through a classic spaghetti Western lens," in which a young football player (Tyriq Withers) finds a mentor in a legendary quarterback (Marlon Wayans).
'One Battle After Another'
Release date: September 26
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Alana Haim, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, and Benicio del Toro
Why it’s worth watching: All we film fans needed to hear was "new Paul Thomas Anderson" for this movie to skyrocket on our most-anticipated lists. The crime drama follows "a group of radical revolutionaries known as the French 75 (no, not the classic brunch cocktail) who disbanded more than a decade ago but are brought back into action once a former nemesis reappears."
'The Smashing Machine'
Release date: October 3
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader
Why it’s worth watching: Over five years after what Uncut Gems did for Adam Sandler, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has his own thespian moment in this sports biopic from Benny Safdie. Johnson plays the legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr in a film following his eventful personal drama in 2000.
'After the Hunt'
Release date: October 10
Starring: Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny
Why it’s worth watching: After Luca Guadagnino treated us to the one-two punch of Challengers and Queer last year, he returned in 2025 with After the Hunt. His latest, with a screenplay by Nora Garrett, has notes of classic '90s thrillers, as it tackles a prestigious liberal arts college wrestling with allegations that a beloved professor (Andrew Garfield) sexually assaulted a student (Ayo Edebiri).
'If I Had Legs I’d Kick You'
Release date: October 10
Starring: Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Lark White, Ivy Wolk, Daniel Zolghadri, Delaney Quinn, and A$AP Rocky
Why it’s worth watching: This indie film was snatched up by A24 before its world premiere at Sundance, so the hype is high for Rose Byrne's performance heading into awards season. She plays a Long Island woman whose life "comes crashing down around her."
'The Kiss of the Spider Woman'
Release Date: October 10
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh Elizarraraz
Why it's worth watching: Based on a stage show and novel by Argentinian author Manuel Puig, two men in prison bond while one (Tonatiuh Elizarraraz) recounts his days working for a glamorous, Old Hollywood icon (Jennifer Lopez).
'Hedda'
Release Date: October 22
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss
Why it's worth watching: Nia DaCosta's reimagining of the classic Henrik Ibsen play brings the story to the 1950s, with Tessa Thompson starring as the now mixed-race, queer Hedda Gabler. While hosting a party with her new husband (Tom Bateman), Hedda becomes a conductor of chaos as she plots against her ex-lover, Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss).
'Deliver Me From Nowhere'
Release Date: October 24
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffmann, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz
Why it's worth watching: The Boss has gotten the prestige biopic treatment! Jeremy Allen White transformed himself into Bruce Springsteen (yes, he's actually singing) in this film about the making of his iconic album Nebraska and how he tackled his past demons, as well as the music industry, at that time.
'Sentimental Value'
Release date: November 7
Starring: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning
Why it’s worth watching: Joachim Trier's follow-up to The Worst Person in the World centers on a family home in Oslo, Norway. Sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lileaas) are shocked when their estranged father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once-lauded filmmaker, returns to ask Nora to star in his comeback film.
'Die, My Love'
Release date: November 7
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte
Why it’s worth watching: Another exciting project filled with can't-miss actors, Lynne Ramsay's latest film is a drama-thriller adaptation of Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel. Jennifer Lawrence plays a woman with "increasingly erratic behaviour," per the book's description; Robert Pattinson plays her husband, while LaKeith Stanfield portrays her lover.
'Train Dreams'
Release date: November 7
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon, and William H. Macy
Why it's worth watching: This adaptation of Denis Johnson's novella of the same name was a hit at Sundance, where it gained distribution from Netflix and is sure to be one of the streamer's big pushes, come awards season. Set in the early 1900s, it follows a railroad laborer (Joel Edgerton) who aspires to help work on a cross-country railroad, while dealing with distance from his wife (Felicity Jones) and child back home. (Prepare yourself now: Expect tragedy to ensue, and tears to flow.)
'Jay Kelly'
Release date: November 14
Starring: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Patrick Wilson, and Greta Gerwig
Why it's worth watching: Noah Baumbach's latest movie is a bittersweet bromance about the titular movie star (George Clooney) and his longtime, long-sacrificing manager (Adam Sandler). As they travel through Europe, both men examine their past and present to see what's become of their decade-long friendship.
'Rental Family'
Release date: November 14
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and Akira Emoto
Why it's worth watching: Brendan Fraser's first film following his Oscar win is a wholesome exploration of human connection from filmmaker Hikari. Fraser plays a white actor living in Japan whose life changes when he takes up a job performing as a rental companion. (Yes, that's a real thing.)
'Hamnet'
Release date: November 27
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, Jacobi Jupe, and Noah Jupe
Why it’s worth watching: After Chloé Zhao won the Best Director Oscar for Nomadland, she tried her hand at directing a Marvel film (Eternals), but now she's returning to prestige drama. This is a period piece based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel Hamnet, a fictionalized account of how William Shakespeare (played in the film by Paul Mescal) and his wife (Jessie Buckley) grieved the death of their 11-year-old son. With Zhao in the director's chair and this stacked cast, we'd expect this one to go for Oscars gold.
'Marty Supreme'
Release date: December 25
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, Tyler, the Creator, Odessa A’zion, Penn Jillette, Abel Ferrara, Kevin O’Leary, and Sandra Bernhard
Why it’s worth watching: Our Christmas Day 2025 plans are already set: spending them with Timothée Chalamet yet again. For his next big holiday release, Timmy will star in Josh Safdie's movie loosely based on the life of 1950s ping-pong champion Marty Reisman.
'The Testament of Ann Lee'
Release date: December 25
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott, Stacy Martin, and Matthew Beard
Why it’s worth watching: This musical movie from The Brutalist team Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbert is the ecstatic tale of the titular religious leader (Amanda Seyfried), who founded the Shaker movement in the mid-1700s.
'No Other Choice'
Release date: December 25
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won
Why it’s worth watching: Korean auteur Park Chan-wook's latest film is a dark comedy about the pressures of late capitalism and has been called "this year's Parasite." When paper-industry pro Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) is unceremoniously fired and faces financial trouble, he decides to ensure his livelihood by wiping out the competition.
