Spring Movie Preview 2025: The 15 Films We Can’t Wait to Watch

See the best movies coming your way, from 'Holland' to Tom Cruise's final 'Mission: Impossible'

Tim Appelo,

AARP

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Published March 14, 2025

Robert De Niro as Frank Costellois in the upcoming gangster film “The Alto Knights” from Barry Levinson. De Niro also stars as mob boss Vito Genovese.

Warner Bros. Pictures

With spring breezes comes a fresh batch of movies — from blockbusters to art films — arriving in theaters and on streaming platforms. Keep track of what’s coming and when with our critics’ guide. And we’ll see you at the movies!

Alto Knights (in theaters March 21)

Robert De Niro, 81, plays two roles: 1950s mafia boss Frank Costello and rival Vito Genovese, who loathed Costello so much he tried to have him killed. Barry Levinson, 82, directs a script by the current godfather of mob movie writers, Nicholas Pileggi, 91 (Goodfellas, Casino).

Holland (in theaters March 27)

An ordinary, meatloaf-loving wife (Nicole Kidman, 57) and her model-railroad-loving optometrist husband (Matthew Macfadyen) are living in what she calls “the best place on earth,” the Dutch-themed town of Holland, Michigan. Then she thinks she discovers his dark secret, and things get twisty in a way David Lynch fans may enjoy.

Death of a Unicorn (in theaters March 28)

A lawyer (Paul Rudd, 55) and his daughter (Jenna Ortega) hit a unicorn with their car. When his ailing billionaire pharmaceutical magnate boss (Richard E. Grant, 67) discovers its magic blood can cure his cancer, he gets greedy. Early audiences hail satiric performances by Tea Leoni, 59, and Will Poulter as the magnate’s awful wife and son, and Barry’s bald, brilliant Anthony Carrigan as their stressed-out butler.

Eric LaRue (in theaters April 4)

In the directing debut of Oscar nominee Michael Shannon, 50, after their son becomes a school shooter, a couple (Judy Greer, 49, and Alexander Skarsgård, 48) go different ways. The dad is under the sway of a religious leader (Tracy Letts, 59) and his high-strung follower (Alison Pill). The mom is dazed and haunted. It’s said to be the peak performance of Greer’s distinguished career.

G20 (on Prime Video April 10)

When terrorists attack the meeting of the Group of 20 (the globe’s most powerful nations), only one woman is smart enough to save America, world leaders and her own family: President Danielle Sutton (Emmy winner Viola Davis, 59).

Warfare (in theaters April 11)

Here’s a war film with a difference: it’s the true story of a 2006 battle in Iraq, directed by Alex Garland (Civil War) and Ray Mendoza, a Silver Star-earning SEAL team veteran of that battle who advises war movies. Each character is based on the memories of one of the actual warriors, played by D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs), Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun), Kit Connor (Rocketman), Finn Bennett (True Detective), Will Poulter, and Michael Gandolfini (son of The Sopranos star James Gandolfini).

The Ritual (in theaters April 18)

In a horror flick that claims to be inspired by a real 1928 case, a young priest struggling with his faith (Dan Stevens) and Father Theophilus Riesinger (an historical person, played by Al Pacino, 84) try to cast a demon from a young woman (Stranger Things’ Abigail Cowen).

Sinners (in theaters April 18)

Director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan, whose Creed and Black Panther flicks earned billions, try their hand at a vampire movie, with Jordan playing two roles, twins who return to their Southern hometown in the Jim Crow 1930s. Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) and Delroy Lindo, 72 (The Good Fight) costar.

The Wedding Banquet (in theaters April 18)

A Korean grandma (Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung,77) throws a party, unaware her grandson (Han Gi-chan) is marrying a woman (Kelly Marie Tran) to get a green card. He’s got a boyfriend (SNL’s Bowen Yang). When irresistible Youn isn’t stealing scenes, Joan Chen, 63, steals them as the embarrassing mother of the bride.

The Legend of Ochi (in theaters April 25)

In what sounds like it may be a movie to take grandkids to, a shy farm girl (Helena Zengl) on a remote Carpathian isle defies her father’s warnings about dangerous, gremlin-like creatures called ochi when she finds a cuddly, wounded baby one. Her dad (Willem Dafoe, 69) leads villagers to battle them, as she searches for her mom (Emily Watson, 58) and the ochi homeland.

The Accountant 2 (in theaters April 25)

Critics disliked 2016’s The Accountant, with Ben Affleck, now 52, as Christian Wolf, an affectless, neurodivergent accountant for bad guys — Owen Gleiberman called it “a Jason Bourne thriller with Rain Man at its center.” But it was a modest hit, and critics agree that the sequel is way better, violently entertaining. Affleck’s Wolf is on the hunt for the assassin of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network boss (J.K. Simmons, 70), with help from his reckless brother Braxton (The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal).

Lilo & Stitch (in theaters May 23)

After that popular Super Bowl teaser ad, hopes are high for this live-action remake of the Oscar-nominated 2002 animated smash hit about Hawaiian orphan Lilo, who adopts Stitch, a genetically engineered dog from outer space, with The Wild Robot director Chris Sanders, 62, as Stitch, and Zach Galifianakis, 55, as Lilo’s social worker.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (in theaters May 23)

Tom Cruise, 62, will likely bid farewell to the IMF force in the eighth action epic in the celebrated franchise, costarring Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, 65, Nick Offerman, 54, and Angela Bassett, 66.

Karate Kid: Legends (in theaters May 30)

How could Ralph Macchio, 63, star of the 1984 hit The Karate Kid and Netflix’s No. 1 sequel series Cobra Kai, make even more martial-arts magic? By fighting the legendary star of the 2010 Karate Kid remake (Jackie Chan, 71). Cobra Kai star Jacob Bertrand said Macchio was scared to face Hong Kong’s top star, because “Jackie Chan still moves like he's a 20-year-old.”

The Phoenician Scheme (in theaters May 30)

The new film by Wes Anderson, 55, is cowritten with Roman Coppola, 59 (Francis Ford's son), who also cowrote the hits Asteroid City and Moonrise Kingdom. Benicio del Toro, 58, stars as European plutocrat Zsa-zsa Korda, with a remarkable cast including Tom Hanks, 68, Bryan Cranston, 69, Jeffrey Wright, 59, Hope Davis, 60, Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch.

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Tim Appelo covers entertainment and is the film and TV critic for AARP. Previously, he was the entertainment editor at Amazon, video critic at Entertainment Weekly, and a critic and writer for The Hollywood Reporter, People, MTV, The Village Voice and LA Weekly.