With legacy franchises retooling and streamers constantly rebalancing budgets and expectations, the entertainment landscape has never felt more in flux. But despite the chaos, there’s still a lot on the horizon worth watching. These seven upcoming film and television projects, each tapping into iconic properties, stand out in a sea of uncertainty — not just for what they promise to deliver, but for how they could shape the next era of storytelling.
1. Jurassic World: Rebirth (July 2, 2025)
Universal is ready to revive the Jurassic franchise — again. Jurassic World: Rebirth will reportedly introduce an entirely new cast, setting, and direction. Written by David Koepp (who penned the original Jurassic Park) and directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, The Creator), this rebooted entry is said to be more intimate and horror-driven, returning to the franchise’s roots as a survival thriller. With no ties to the previous trilogy and a focus on practical effects and suspense over spectacle, Rebirth might be what the dino-saga needs to feel fresh again.
2. The Sandman (July 3, 2025)
Netflix’s adaptation ofThe Sandman turned out better than many expected. Visually rich, narratively faithful, and filled with powerful performances, Season 1 laid strong foundations. With Season 2 arriving this week, expectations are high. The sprawling source material offers dozens of new stories and mythologies to explore, and with the Endless now firmly introduced, the next chapters promise even stranger, sadder, and more imaginative turns.
3. Superman (July 11, 2025)
James Gunn’s Superman will be the first major film in DC Studios’ new cinematic universe. Titled simply Superman, the film stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, with Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Gunn has promised a sincere, hopeful tone — a marked departure from the deconstructed Superman narratives of the past decade. After a generation of darker, grimmer interpretations of the Man of Steel, a return to optimism might be exactly what the genre needs.
4. Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25, 2025)
Marvel’s first family is finally getting the modern treatment they deserve. After years of false starts and underwhelming adaptations, Fantastic Four: First Steps will be directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision). It stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Positioned to turn the page on a bold new chapter for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film leans into retro sci-fi aesthetics and cosmic-scale weirdness, which could inject fresh energy into a franchise in need of reinvention. It’s not just about casting or fan service anymore, it’s about setting tone, and Fantastic Four seems poised to offer something distinct.
5. Outlander: Blood of My Blood (August 8, 2025)
As Outlander nears its conclusion, STARZ is expanding the universe with Blood of My Blood, a prequel centered on the parents of Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall. The series promises a romantic, historical drama rooted in the same emotional storytelling that defined the flagship show, while exploring new eras of Scottish and British history. For longtime fans, it's a chance to see how legacies were forged. For newcomers, it might be a compelling entry point into a world of love, war, and time travel.
Each of these projects carries the weight of expectation and the potential to deliver something memorable. Whether they succeed will depend not just on IP recognition or casting, but on storytelling that takes risks and respects its audience. If even half of them stick the landing, 2025 could be a standout year for genre entertainment.
6. Alien: Earth (August 12, 2025)
Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) is bringing the Alien franchise to TV with Alien: Earth, a new FX series set before Ellen Ripley fought a Xenomorph in the first Alien movie, but after the events of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Set on Earth for the first time in the franchise’s history, the series will explore corporate greed, AI power, and biological terror — all core themes of the Alien universe — with Hawley’s signature cerebral style. For fans hungry for a more philosophical take on sci-fi horror, Alien: Earth could be the most interesting Alien project in years.
7. 28 Years Later
This movie already came out, but I'm grandfathering it in.
Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to the series they helped pioneer with 28 Years Later, a sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. With the cast led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer, the story jumps forward another generation to explore a world still scarred by the Rage virus. With Last of Us-style prestige horror now in vogue and Boyle behind the camera again, 28 Years Later could not only close a trilogy but reestablish this series as a modern horror touchstone.
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