Hopefully you like movies that keep you on the edge of your seat because, in 2025, there will be many of them. A handful of exciting thriller movies are on the way, from whodunits that will keep you guessing until the end to espionage dramas to book-to-movie adaptations of popular mystery-thriller books. So chances are, whatever keeps your adrenaline high while at the multiplex or curling up on the couch, there's something for you on the way.
Below, we're rounding up the best thrillers of 2025 so far, including what's headed to theaters soon. (For more recommendations of movies to watch right now, check out our round-up of the best thrillers of 2024.)
'Inheritance'
Release date: January 24
Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Rhys Ifans, Ciara Baxendale, and Kersti Bryan
Why it’s worth seeing: After seeing Phoebe Dynevor lead the erotic/workplace thriller Fair Play, we’re looking forward to seeing the Bridgerton alum in an espionage movie. She leads this thriller as a young woman drawn into an international conspiracy when she learns that her father used to be a spy.
'Presence'
Release date: January 24
Starring: Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Lucas Papaelias, West Mulholland, and Eddy Maday
Why it’s worth seeing: You’ve never seen a haunted house movie like this. Steven Soderbergh, known for his innovative filmmaking tactics like shooting on an iPhone, is toying with the genre by making this movie told entirely through the ghost’s (or presence’s) perspective. Through their POV, we’ll see a family become frightened upon moving into a new house.
'Companion'
Release date: January 31
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, and Harvey Guillén
Why it’s worth seeing: If you liked the 2022 hit horror movie Barbarian, check out Companion; it comes from the same production team, and twists abound. The wickedly funny and surprising thriller, written and directed by Drew Hancock, centers around a twisted love story between a young man and his AI bot girlfriend on a weekend away gone very wrong.
'Armand'
Release date: February 7
Starring: Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Endre Hellestveit, Thea Lambrechts Vaulen, Øystein Røger, and Vera Veljovic
Why it’s worth seeing: If you loved Renate Reinsve’s breakout performance in The Worst Person in the World, check out Armand, in which she’s showing a completely different role. In the Norweigan thriller, she plays the mother of a boy named Armand who gets in trouble for an incident involving himself and another boy at school. Amid public scrutiny and concern that the incident might mean something more, she begins to unravel.
'Bring Them Down'
Release date: February 7
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Christopher Abbott, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready, Aaron Heffernan, Conor McNeill, Susan Lynch, and Colm Meaney
Why it’s worth seeing: With Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott leading this indie thriller and Toronto International Film Festival favorite, you can bet there will be incredible performances here. They go toe-to-toe in this Ireland-set drama about two farming families with a dark, melodramatic history, which all comes to a head when the son of one farmer (Keoghan) claims the other family’s prize rams were found dead on their property.
'The Gorge'
Release date: February 14 on Apple TV+
Starring: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver, Sope Dirisu, and William Houston
Why it’s worth seeing: After her incredible turn as a bonafide action star in Furiosa, we’ll watch Anya Taylor-Joy lead any action-thriller movie. She and Miles Teller play guards holding posts on the opposite sides of a mysterious gorge, which houses a secret evil. Though they don’t know what they’re protecting, they work together when it comes under threat. The screenplay for The Gorge ended up on the 2020 Black List, or the list of the best-unproduced scripts, so you can bet it’ll be gripping.
'Last Breath'
Release date: February 28
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis, and Djimon Hounsou
Why it’s worth seeing: Filmmaker Alex Parkinson adapts his 2019 documentary of the same name into a feature. A survivalist thriller, it tells the harrowing yet inspiring true story of a group of deepsea divers’ race against the clock to rescue one of their teammates stuck without heat or light hundreds of feet under the sea.
'Black Bag'
Release date: March 14
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Burke
Why it’s worth seeing: Steven Soderbergh released not one but two acclaimed thrillers in 2025. Black Bag is an espionage thriller with a stacked cast led by Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as a loving married couple and spy duo who start to face off when she’s suspected of treason. Though it's a mystery, this one is ultimately more about the lengths we go to protect the ones we love—meaning, it's sexy as hell.
'The Amateur'
Release Date: April 11
Starring: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne
Why it’s worth seeing: Is 2025 the year of spy movies? It might be! This adaptation of Robert Littell’s novel of the same name stars Rami Malek as a CIA cryptographer on a one-man vengeance mission. He sets out to get to the bottom of a terrorist attack in London, which resulted in his wife’s death, when his bosses won’t act.
'Drop'
Release date: April 11
Starring: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Jeffery Self, Gabrielle Ryan Spring, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Ed Weeks, Travis Nelson, and Reed Diamond
Why it’s worth seeing: We’ve all had our fair share of bad dates, but few may compare to what happens to Meghann Fahy’s character, Violet, in this thriller. The latest from Christopher Landon (known for helming horror hits like the Paranormal Activity and Happy Death Day movies) follows a young widowed mother trying to get back in the dating game, whose night with a pleasantly sweet charmer named Henry (Brandon Skienar) turns into a nightmare. Throughout the evening, she receives concerning texts with a series of commands, threatening to hurt her and her family if she doesn’t listen.
'I Don't Understand You'
Release date: June 6
Starring: Nick Kroll, Andrew Rannells, Morgan Spector, Eleonora Romandini, and Amanda Seyfried
Why it’s worth seeing: I Don’t Understand You is the latest entry in the vacation-gone-wrong subgenre. Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells star as a couple on the brink of adoption who travel to Italy to celebrate their 10th anniversary before the newborn arrives. With a language barrier between them and the locals of the remote town they visit, and one mishap after enough, their dream vacay turns into a nightmare.
'Deep Cover'
Release date: June 12 on Prime Video
Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Ian McShane, Paddy Considine, Sean Bean, and Sonoya Mizuno
Why it’s worth seeing: If you’re always up for saying, “Yes, and…” when it comes to improv, tune into Deep Cover. The crime-comedy centers around a group of improv actors hired by the London police to go undercover in a sting operation.
'Echo Valley'
Release date: June 13
Starring: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, Kyle MacLachlan, Fiona Shaw, Edmund Donovan, and Rebecca Creskoff
Why it’s worth seeing: Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney are two heavyweights of their respective generations, bringing an emotional potency to this crime drama. The two play mother and daughter, with Moore’s Kate doing anything to reach Sweeney’s Kate as she struggles with a drug addiction. When Kate finds herself in trouble—arriving on her mom’s doorstep one night, covered in blood that’s not her own—the two do what they can to protect each other.
'M3GAN 2.0'
Release date: June 27
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Ivanna Sakhno, Timm Sharp, Aristotle Athari, and Jemaine Clement
Why it’s worth seeing: Everyone’s favorite, killer robot queen returned to the big screen this year. After the Blumhouse tech horror film became a surprise box-office smash in 2022, a sequel was greenlit, offering a redemption arc for the evil doll. Here, she faces off against a new rogue robot named AMELIA, culminating in a bonkers action-comedy with notes of '80s sequels. Don't worry: More deranged dances are in store.
'I Know What You Did Last Summer'
Release date: July 18
Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr., Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Haur-King, Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols, and Gabbriette
Why it’s worth seeing: It looks like what ‘90s movie classic I Know What You Did Last Summer was for Gen X stars, the reboot will be for Gen Z/millennial cusp favorites. The franchise about a group of friends being stalked by a killer after a tragic accident is the latest horror series to come back. It has the same premise, but you can get excited because it is an in-franchise sequel and a handful of original cast members are returning (including Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar in cameo appearances).
'Eden'
Release date: August 22
Starring: Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, Daniel Brühl, Felix Kammerer, Toby Wallace, and Richard Roxburgh
Why it’s worth seeing: Ron Howard’s latest is based on a stranger-than-fiction true crime story, which has come to be known as “the Galápagos Affair.” Set in 1929, it follows several wealthy Europeans as they attempt to colonize the isle of Floreana in the Galápagos and the bizarre events that unfold when they set up camp and others start to arrive.
'Americana'
Release date: August 22
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, and Simon Rex
Why it’s worth seeing: Americana is a crime drama about how various residents of a small South Dakota town intertwine when a rare artifact goes on the black market. Consider us intrigued (especially to see what Western-wear inspiration we get from Sydney Sweeney and Halsey’s characters).
'Honey Don't!'
Release date: August 22
Starring: Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Charlie Day, and Talia Ryder
Why it’s worth seeing: Ethan Cohen and Tricia Cooke launched their "lesbian B-movie trilogy" in 2024 with Drive-Away Dolls, and they’re continuing it this year with Honey Don’t!. Margaret Qualley also stars in this one as private investigator Honey O'Donahue, who is on the case of a young woman’s death, which she believes is connected to a religious cult. Expect neo-noir vibes, an A-list cast, and a lot of laughs throughout.
'Lurker'
Release date: August 22
Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic
Why it’s worth seeing: Has stan culture become a little scary? Lurker seems to think so. The indie hit sees a retail employee and aspiring photographer’s (Théodore Pellerin) dream come true when he finds himself in his favorite artist’s (Archie Madekwe) inner circle. Hiding his fandom
'The Thursday Murder Club'
Release date: August 22 on Netflix
Starring: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, and Richard E. Grant
Why it’s worth seeing: Are you a fan of cozy mysteries, a.k.a. whodunits with quirky characters and notes of Agatha Christie? Well, you’ll want to turn into The Thursday Murder Club. Based on a book by popular mystery-thriller writer Richard Osman, it follows a group of true crime fiends who meet to discuss unsolved cases—and find themselves in the center of solving one when someone from their small town is murdered.
'Caught Stealing'
Release date: August 29
Starring: Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Vincent D'Onofrio, Matt Smith, and Bad Bunny
Why it’s worth seeing: Darren Aronofsky’s latest adapts Charlie Huston’s novel of the same name (with a screenplay penned by Huston). The film will be a more intense turn for heartthrob Austin Butler, as he leads as Henry "Hank" Thompson, a former California baseball player who descends into the criminal underground in N.Y.C.’s Lower East Side. Aronofsky famously does grit well, and by the looks of the trailer, this '90s-set film will be a wild ride.
'American Sweatshop'
Release date: September 19
Starring: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Joel Fry, Christiane Paul, and Tim Plester
Why it’s worth seeing: We’re all in on Lili Reinhart’s dramatic era! The Riverdale alum leads this eerie social media thriller about a young woman whose job is to moderate content online. When she sees something violent, she takes it upon herself to try to solve the crime.
'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 seeing: A new Paul Thomas Anderson movie on the way is simply another reason worth living! As always, the iconic filmmaker (Phantom Thread, Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood) has garnered an incredible cast—featuring some of his past collaborators like Licorice Pizza star Alana Haim and some names we’re thrilled to see him working with, from Leonardo DiCaprio to Regina Hall. The plot was under wraps for a while, but it's said to follow a revolutionary group as they search for the missing daughter of one of their former members (DiCaprio).
'After the Hunt'
Release date: October 10
Starring: Ayo Edebiri, Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny
Why it’s worth seeing: After the Hunt is Luca Guadgnino’s follow-up to his big 2024, which saw the release of both Challengers and Queer. In our books, he can do no wrong. As usual, he’s garnered a stellar cast that’s sure to tackle this tense subject matter deftly. In the film, issues of morality and questionable past decisions arise for a college professor played by Julia Roberts when a student (Ayo Edebiri) comes forward with sexual misconduct allegations against another one of her teachers (Andrew Garfield).
'The Mastermind'
Release date: October 17
Starring: Josh O'Connor, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, and Bill Camp
Why it’s worth seeing: Kelly Reichardt is one of the best filmmakers working today, and her latest is a heist film that can’t be missed. Led by the inspired yet incredible pairing of Josh O’Connor and Licorice Pizza breakout Alana Haim (taking her acting outside of the PTA-verse), it follows a suburban family man who has a secret life as an art thief.
'Die, My Love'
Release date: November 7
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Sissy Spacek, and Nick Nolte
Why it’s worth seeing: We’ve been dying to see what Lynne Ramsay planned to do next after 2017’s You Were Never Really Here, and it’s safe to say that we’re guaranteed to be just as impressed. She’s tag-teaming with Jennifer Lawrence, who’s also on as a producer, to adapt a novel of the same name by Ariana Harwicz about a woman in the French countryside dealing with postpartum depression, slowly falling into psychosis.
'The Running Man'
Release date: November 7
Starring: Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin
Why it’s worth seeing: Edgar Wright and Glen Powell are teaming up to re-adapt the Stephen King novel of the same name, which was previously made in 1987 with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The dystopian film follows contestants on a reality show in which they’re chased by “Hunters” who are out for blood.
'The Housemaid'
Release date: December 25
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar
Why it’s worth seeing: Sydney Sweeney’s become a bit of a scream queen over her career, and we can’t wait to see her lead this adaptation of Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel of the same name. In it, she becomes the housemaid to a seemingly sweet, affluent couple (Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar), only to find out they have some dark secrets behind closed doors.
