The Best Indie Movies To Watch In 2025

Director Nia DaCosta has had a stratospheric few years, from directing the Jordan Peele-produced remake of Candyman to helming a major action franchise, Captain Marvel. She has also recently been announced as the director of the second instalment of Alex Garland’s 28 Years Later, picking up the reins from Danny Boyle, no less. But before this, DaCosta will revive Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen’s iconic play, for the big screen. With Tessa Thompson’s compelling performance at its core, Hedda is a modern interrogation of female agency and the necessary disruption of social norms. In movie theaters from October 22

Noah Baumbach projects are always a highlight in the movie calendar, and Jay Kelly is no exception. George Clooney leads a starry cast of Adam Sandler, Greta Gerwig, Laura Dern, Eve Hewson and Emily Mortimer (who has also written the screenplay, her feature-film scripting debut). The movie is a homage to Hollywood, as Kelly – a jaded movie star – and his devoted manager Ron (Sandler) embark on an unexpectedly contemplative promotional tour through Europe. Along the way, both men must come to terms with the life choices they’ve made and the legacies they’ll leave behind. In movie theaters from December 5

Amanda Seyfried gives a disarming all-singing, all-dancing performance as Ann Lee, fearless founder of the Shaker Movement, in this musical drama (Seyfried’s first since Mamma Mia!). It’s written by the much-lauded duo Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold (who also directs), the couple behind the Oscar-winning The Brutalist. The plot is under wraps, but needless to say, the awards rumors are already swirling for this bold project, which will open the Venice Film Festival in September. In movie theaters this fall

At last, Scarlett Johansson gets behind the camera for her bold directorial debut, Eleanor the Great. June Squibb (Thelma) is glorious as Eleanor, the cantankerous octogenarian who, grieving the loss of Bessie – her best friend of 70 years and a Holocaust survivor – finds herself swept up in a lie while trying to keep Bessie’s memory alive. It’s a heart-warming story of friendship, legacy and memory. In movie theaters from September 26

Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, based on the best-selling memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, is an unflinching true-life tale of trauma and rebirth. Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later), in the role of Yuknavitch, plays a young girl who escapes her abusive childhood to find salvation in swimming; a life-affirming exploration of how art has the power to transform lives. In movie theaters late 2025

Two Hollywood heartthrobs, Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, give the performance of a lifetime in this highly-anticipated period piece. Set during World War I, it follows Lionel (Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor) as they travel across the States, recording the lives and voices of everyday people for the war effort. What starts as a documentary project gradually grows into a quiet, forbidden romance between the two men. Subtle, heartbreaking and uplifting. In movie theaters late 2025

With books like Night Bitch, Matrescence and The Mother Load becoming instant bestsellers, the conversation around post-natal mental health finds itself at the forefront of both cinema and literature. This new project, based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, is a delicate portrayal of a young mother’s descent into post-partum psychosis. With Jennifer Lawrence in the lead, a screenplay by Alice Birch (Dead Ringers) and Enda Walsh (Hunger), and Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin) directing, it’s on course to be a crucial and talking-point release. In movie theaters late 2025

Wes Anderson’s latest opus dives into family espionage with all the wit, high jinks, symmetry and emotional depth the director is known for. The story follows Zsa-Zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro), a flamboyant tycoon who, after surviving six dubious plane crashes, names his only daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton) – a nun on the verge of taking her vows – as his sole heir. An arresting ensemble – Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston and Benedict Cumberbatch – joins them on the globe-trotting quest to protect the family legacy from scheming tycoons, terrorists and assassins, along with new additions to the Anderson cast, including Michael Cera and Riz Ahmed. This is vintage Anderson – stylish, sharp and bound to win hearts. In movie theaters now

The Bear’s breakout star Ayo Edebiri makes her horror debut in former GQ editor Mark Anthony Green’s first feature film, a twisted tale about a faded pop star named Moretti – played by a brilliantly sinister John Malkovich – who returns to the public eye decades after going missing. There is something of a Midsommar feel to it, as Edebiri (a Moretti superfan) is ushered away to a secluded campsite with a gaggle of fans, where a series of strange events unfolds. Available to stream now

This new movie by comedian Tim Key is a tongue-in-cheek homage to musical romance movies like Yesterday and Begin Again. When Charles, a kooky lottery winner, dreams of reuniting his favorite band for a private gig, his fantasy comes true when both the former bandmates accept. With Carey Mulligan playing a Stevie Nicks-inspired lead singer and Tom Basden (After Life) her estranged ex-bandmate, it’s a joyous comedy sure to put a smile on your face. Available to stream now

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