Box Office

Our Summer 2025 Box Office Predictions

Anthony and I are back with another round of box office predictions for this summer.

Our Summer 2025 Box Office Predictions
Image created using ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025).
Alex: Hello, esteemed readers of Behemoth Comics Film Club! Anthony and I are back with another round of box office predictions for this summer. Summer of 2024 was so-so. I correctly guessed 8/10 movies that would land in the top ten and Anthony guessed 6/10. Trying to guess the exact placement in the top ten was a different story. We only had a single correct guess between the two of us. Anthony correctly predicted that Deadpool & Wolverine would take second place, but the rest of our predictions were off by one 🙁. Inside Out 2 ultimately took the top spot.

Anthony: In 2023 I was able to win the crown, but after last summer I recognize you as an admirable adversary. Now choose your champions.

These predictions are our individual picks for the top ten movies we think will have the highest box office gross worldwide (International + Domestic). We consider the “summer 2025” movie season to be anything released from May through August.
Biggest Box Office Bomb:
Ballerina
Karate Kid: Legends
Alex: I don’t expect Ballerina to draw enough John Wick fans in any meaningful numbers. The promotional teasers have made sure to include Keanu’s appearance, but I suspect he only appears for five minutes or so.

Anthony: I don’t think Karate Kid has the nostalgia pull to take families away from Lilo and Stitch, especially when How To Train Your Dragon is right around the corner. But it’s good to see Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio together for one of these.

#10
The Bad Guys 2
Ballerina
Alex: The first Bad Guys movie overperformed and I expect this one to slither into the top ten.

Anthony: John Wick is no stranger to making money at the box office. Ballerina has a new lead in Ana de Armas and the marketing hasn’t been shy about including Keanu Reeves who reprises his role for this movie.

Alex: I’m curious to see how many minutes Keanu really has in this movie

#9
Bring Her Back
Final Destination: Bloodlines
Anthony: I honestly loved this movie. It was the most fun I’ve had in the theater and I think that the slasher elements will make it the “horror” movie of the summer.

Alex: I enjoyed Talk To Me, the first feature film from Australian twin filmmakers Michael Philippou and Danny Philippou. I watched it in a mostly empty movie theater and it was creeeeepy. I think their sophomore effort will do well and end up being the only horror film that cracks the top ten.

Anthony: While I don’t doubt Bring Her Back will be a great horror movie, I think it’s too niche to be on this list. Bring Her Back and 28 Years Later are too serious to break into serious box office numbers.
#8
Karate Kid: Legends
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Alex: I don’t have strong nostalgia for the original Karate Kid movies and never watched the revival show Cobra Kai, but it seems there is a loyal following for this franchise. I think number 8 is a sensible spot for this.

Anthony: Tom Cruise risking his life for the glory of cinema will always bring in a crowd. Combine that with the supposed “Final Reckoning” aspect and Mission Impossible is sure to make the top ten. What keeps it lower on this list is that it won’t have the legs of a Top Gun: Maverick in a crowded 2025 summer.

#7
How to Train Your Dragon
F1

Anthony: Brad Pitt is coming for a box office top ten seat with this one. The rise in popularity in F1 along with Joseph Kosinski in the driver’s seat and a talented supporting cast rounds this one out.

Alex: With How to Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks attempts to replicate Disney’s success with live-action remakes. I enjoyed the original animated film, but this one has gone under the radar for me. At first glance, the set, costumes and creature design look so familiar to the animated film that it makes me wonder: what was the point? “What’s the point of this live-action remake” is probably a common thought for many moviegoers, but I think live-action remakes can introduce something new, given that enough time has passed and the casting is done right. I will skip this one, but I still expect this family friendly movie with dragons to land at number 7.

Anthony: While I agree with Alex on the sentiment behind How to Train your Dragon, a family friendly live-action remake of a beloved animated movie is not to be underestimated.

#6
Superman
Thunderbolts
Alex: I’m not as optimistic as Anthony about Superman’s ranking. The first trailer looked pretty good to me, but subsequent trailers make me think there’s too much in this and that the script may be weak. Introducing so many characters could go one of two ways; making the movie feel lived in, or overly stuffed. I think it will be overly stuffed.

Anthony: I believe in Harvey Dent James Gunn. Which is why I have Superman higher on my list. What I think will take 6th place is the Thunderbolts, which (at the time of writing this) is doing pretty well in the box office. Thunderbolts is the stepping stone to Fantastic Four which we will see higher on this list.

#5
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
How to Train Your Dragon
Alex: I kind of cheated on this one. Anthony saw this recently and his “meh” reaction led me to drop it all the way from number 2 to number 5.

Anthony: “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” was probably the pitch for this movie. As much as I dislike Dreamworks subscribing to the Disney “live-action remake” model of movies, I can’t deny that it will bring in money. The original animated films did really well and it only follows that this will too. That being said, when looking at films higher on this list it’s hard to find a path for How to Train Your Dragon beating those in terms of box office pull.

Alex: To add to Anthony’s point; How to Train Your Dragon may have wings, but it will not have legs to climb at the box office.
#4
Jurassic World: Rebirth
Alex: Universal Pictures waited a whopping 3 years to release another Jurassic Park (World, whatever) movie, even though that last installment was awful. It’s a pretty low bar to improve on that last film and this one looks to be sprinkling in more action. It’s hard to be optimistic about a movie that was so clearly rushed. The director was announced in February of last year and the movie began shooting that summer. My hope was that this would be a prequel or in between-quel that took us back in time to the 90s. Instead, it’s a continuation of the Jurassic World brand which has engineered the worst in the franchise.

Anthony: Regardless of the quality of the movie, people want their dinosaurs. I think this will be about on par in terms of box office haul as the last movie (which was not good). Perhaps if this doesn’t do as well as Universal expects then they will go back to risking their dinosaur IP on more original ideas with artists.

#3
Lilo and Stitch
Fantastic Four: First Steps
Anthony: Not only is it a Marvel movie, which has a floor in terms of getting people in seats, it's also the biggest Marvel movie we’ve had in a while. I would say Fantastic Four is the closest thing to a big Marvel event since Spiderman: Far From Home. Alex: I saw this in theaters recently and while it wasn’t as charming as the original, there is real heart and chemistry between the two sisters, played by Maia Kealoha and Sydney Agudong. The animation work on Stitch was well done and I expect this movie to draw legions of kiddos. With no Minions movie on the calendar this year, I think Stitch will draw that crowd. Anthony: For exactly the reasons you pointed out I think Fantastic Four won’t be able to beat it (Lilo and Stitch). That #1 spot however...
#2
F1
Lilo and Stitch
Alex: I keep getting more and more bullish on F1. I recently tried to buy tickets to see Jurassic World: Rebirth in IMAX at my favorite IMAX cinema at Universal Studios and was surprised to see that it wasn’t being shown there. Instead, the IMAX theater was being set aside for screenings of F1. Seeing a race car movie in IMAX makes sense of course, and I think the higher margins on IMAX ticket sales will also give this a minor box office edge. Ultimately, I think Brad Pitt and the director Joseph Kosinski, who directed the high grossing Top Gun: Maverick will have another crowd pleasing winner here with plenty of gas at the summer box office. I’m just trusting my gut on this one.

Anthony: While I think F1 will do well, comparing this Top Gun: Maverick is a mistake. That was a legacy sequel, with Tom Cruise and a more light-hearted tone. So far from what I’m seeing with F1, this is a more serious drama about racing. Not to say these are bad things, but not the draw to make F1 number 2 on this list. What will make tons of money? Lilo and Stitch. Not gonna expand on this one. Disney knows what they’re doing.

Alex: I think you overestimate how much appeal and success Top Gun: Maverick owed to the original movie. Nowadays nearly everything is a sequel or has some loose connection to some existing IP, but only “cinephiles” really care or even realize that. Anecdotally, I have noticed more and more US interest in F1, but it appears to be growing globally in general. A 2024 study from Nielsen Sports showed that global interest in F1 grew by more than 5 percent since 2021, in part by increased viewership among women and 16 to 24-year-olds. I think this will prove to be the perfect moment for F1 to release.
#1
Fantastic Four: First Steps
Superman
Anthony: I will admit this is more a hopeful pick than calculated choice. But the more I see about Superman, the more hopeful I get. James Gunn was able to make a critical and commercial success with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. I think he can bring that same spotlight to the man of steel.

Alex: At the number one spot, we have a classic DC vs Marvel battle. Anthony thinks Superman will do well, but I disagree. Pedro Pascal is inevitable and I think many moviegoers who watch comic book movies sparingly will be thrilled to come see one that looks more polished.

Anthony: I’m excited for Fantastic Four, but this isn’t Marvel at its peak. Fantastic Four doesn’t have the hype behind it that some of the more major Marvel movies have had. As for Pedro Pascal, I think that may backfire with actor fatigue, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Alex: Actor fatigue? From Pedro Pascal? He is like cinematic garlic, can’t have enough.


Anthony Corey is a co-founder of Behemoth Comics Film Club. His favorite films include Tremors and Spiderman 2. You can follow him on Letterboxd: @deathasaurus

Alexander S. Corey is a co-founder of Behemoth Comics Film Club. Some of his favorite films include AmĂ©lie and Hot Fuzz. You can follow him on Letterboxd: @whatapicture