The world seems to be ending, with a new crisis constantly rearing its head and demanding immediate attention. It’s apparent that technology, the economy, and human psychology are not the best recipe for smooth sailing. The modern world has become a boring dystopia.
Naturally, the human way of solving these modern problems is to fight modern with modern. Enter fictional, muscular, and voluptuous characters, who brood in spandex and inflict violence for a good cause (most of the time). If you’re looking to be saved by these crime-fighting characters, here are a few superhero movies heading to cinemas in 2025:
1. Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date: 13th February 2025
- Movie Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Tim Blake Nelson
Captain America is now portrayed by Anthony Mackie following Chris Evan’s departure from the franchise. We also see Harrison Ford playing President Thaddeus Ross, whose election to the presidency is part of an international plot. The new Captain America will need to get to the bottom of this mystery and find his footing. Be ready to see red as the big, angry Red Hulk makes an appearance in the movie, directed by Julius Onah.
2. Thunderbolts*
- Release Date: 1st May 2025
- Movie Cast: Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, Sebastian Stan, Olga Kurylenko, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
That is not a typo; there really is an asterisk in the name. Directed by Jake Schreier, this Marvel film focuses on antiheroes who are recruited by the government to go on missions. In this upcoming movie, we see Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (Wyatt Russell), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) team up to confront their past and try to overcome the predicament of being lured into a trap by the CIA. The film also has scenes filmed in our very own Kuala Lumpur, so here’s hoping they don’t get cut.
3. Keluang Man
- Release Date: 29th May 2025
- Movie Cast: Nas-T, Remy Ishak, Rosyam Nor, Anwaar Beg Moghal
Based on the beloved Malaysian comic and animated series of the same name, Astro Shaw and Pasal Productions present a live-action film about Borhan, a psychiatric patient in Tampoi, Johor, who becomes a masked vigilante. Played by Nas-T, Borhan struggles with his newly found dual identity as a crime fighter by night and a man by day. Also starring in this local superhero movie is Remy Ishak and Rosyam Nor.
4. Superman
- Release Date: 10th July 2025
- Movie Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan
This time, David Corenswet plays the superhuman boy scout, coming to terms with his human upbringing in Smallville, Kansas. Directed by James Gunn, Superman finds himself in a world where truth and justice are pushed to the side. This movie also marks the live action debut of Superman’s dog, Krypto.
5. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date: 24th July 2025
- Movie Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Gotta love a bit of retro. The Fantastic Four are transported into an alternative universe with 1960s-inspired futurism. In this rendition, directed by Matt Shakman and starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, the team — which also includes Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) — must save their world from the planet-eating Galactus. Keep an eye out for a possible female Shalla-Ball Silver Surfer.
Gan contributed to this article.
