Like all nice movie, 2025 tells a narrative that incorporates multitudes, each a mirrored image of outdoor forces worming their method into the {industry} and a basis for the strikes that can affect Hollywood for years to come back. It is simple to resort to hyperbolic doomsaying when taking a look at a few of the greatest tales of the 12 months and what they imply for the way forward for the movie enterprise. And, to be truthful, it is not all roses.
Regardless of that, although, Hollywood is an {industry} that perseveres. 2025 started with nice tragedy, one which impressed a neighborhood to unite within the face of nice loss to assist these impacted. The 12 months was bookended by an industry-changing deal, the consequences of which might not be felt for years to come back. In between all of it, there have been true triumphs, riveting comeback tales, and epic swan songs. One of the best movies of the 12 months mirrored this, the silver display screen serving as a mirror for our greatest anxieties and our wildest hopes and desires.
However, as a lot as these movies replicate the present second, the tales offered under are ones that can affect the {industry} and the storytelling therein for years to come back. As a lot a sign of every thing the {industry} has been via within the final quarter-century as it’s a reflection of the adjustments which were percolating underneath the floor, the individuals and strikes under dominated the dialog in 2025. They cowl every thing from the deeply private to the nitty-gritty of the enterprise aspect of Hollywood. As chosen by ScreenRant’s editors, these are the largest tales of the 12 months.
Taylor Swift’s Ring and Sydney Sweeney’s Denims – A Tie
Sydney Sweeney has turn out to be a polarizing determine in Hollywood and never simply due to her work in entrance of the digicam. This 12 months noticed Sweeney star in 4 main movies, with Ron Howard’s survival thriller Eden, Apple TV authentic Echo Valley, awards play Christy, and the juicy adaptation of The Housemaid preserving Sweeney within the highlight. After all, it ended up being her Fall 2025 American Eagle denims marketing campaign that eclipsed her work, as many decried the advert for its racially coded language with its slogan, “Sydney Sweeney has nice denims.”
Sweeney tried to dodge the controversy, however she wasn’t capable of keep away from questions on it, taking part in coy in an interview with GQ earlier than lastly addressing the state of affairs in a assertion to Folks earlier in December. Sweeney stated, “I used to be actually stunned by the response. I did it as a result of I really like the denims and love the model. I don’t assist the views some individuals selected to connect with the marketing campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that simply aren’t true.”
Sweeney continued: “Anybody who is aware of me is aware of that I’m all the time making an attempt to carry individuals collectively. I’m in opposition to hate and divisiveness. Up to now my stance has been to by no means reply to detrimental or constructive press however just lately I’ve come to comprehend that my silence concerning this challenge has solely widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new 12 months brings extra concentrate on what connects us as an alternative of what divides us.” And even with this, Sweeney is not going wherever quickly — she’s going to return as Cassie in HBO’s third season of Euphoria, an always-controversial present that can reportedly see Sweeney’s character turn out to be an OnlyFans mannequin.
One other blonde girl additionally dominated the information cycle in 2025. After winding down her record-setting Eras Tour, Taylor Swift launched her newest studio album, The Lifetime of a Showgirl in October. However, earlier than that, she introduced that her and Travis Kelce have been engaged in August. The pair met in 2023 within the midst of Swift’s final tour and their relationship has dominated headlines within the music {industry} and the NFL as Swift attended quite a few Chiefs video games.
Swift’s songwriting has all the time targeted on love — previous romantic entanglements, present companions, and her personal idealized model of what love actually means. Now it seems to be like Swift will get her personal fairytale ending. “Your English trainer and your health club trainer are getting married,” Swift wrote on the time. The marriage, which is certain to be a significant story all by itself, is at present scheduled for June 13, 2026. – Graeme Guttmann
Stranger Issues Ends A Streaming Period
After practically a decade, Netflix’s seminal sci-fi sequence Stranger Issues formally wraps up its epic story on December 31, 2025. The Duffer Brothers-created TV present launched on Netflix in 2016 as a smaller, nostalgic style sequence boasting Winona Ryder (who was popping out of an almost decade-long profession droop) as the largest title in its forged.
Being within the early days of Netflix’s authentic content material ventures alongside exhibits like The Crown, Home of Playing cards, Orange Is the New Black, and Narcos, there was no expectation that Stranger Issues would turn out to be a large hit when it dropped. Nevertheless, 9 years and 5 seasons later, Stranger Issues has managed to vary TV and the streaming panorama ceaselessly.
It’s the content-changing blockbuster of Netflix’s TV slate, fittingly, and even maybe paradoxically, being despatched off with the streamer releasing the sequence finale in theaters. With quite a few streaming information smashed, Emmys gained, and younger actors’ careers launched as they now enter maturity after becoming a member of the sequence as youngsters, Stranger Issues turned the golden customary of streaming TV, pushing the boundaries of what these releases could possibly be.
Regardless of persistent jabs at Netflix for the lengthy gaps between seasons, it’s exhausting to imagine Stranger Issues is definitely over this 12 months. With the world paying shut consideration to each piece of reports concerning launch dates, casting particulars, teasers, trailers, and interviews in anticipation of every quantity in Stranger Issues’ remaining season, the sequence understandably dominated the cultural dialog all through 2025 lengthy earlier than it even debuted a brand new episode. – Jordan Williams
The Dying Of Hulu
Among the many most stunning and industry-changing tales all year long was the dying of Hulu. Rising in 2008, early within the streaming wars as a contender in opposition to Netflix, the Disney-owned Hulu has lengthy been one of the vital distinguished platforms. Nevertheless, after the launch of Disney+ in 2019, the logistics of getting each streaming providers was referred to as into query, regardless of the previous being branded with extra mature content material whereas the latter could be extra family-friendly content material.
When Disney+ started rolling in additional R-rated content material onto its platform in recent times, the writing was on the wall for the corporate’s different streamer. Then, in October, Disney made it official: Hulu could be formally shutting down after practically 20 years of service. With Hulu as its personal entity dying whereas Disney integrates its platforms, an extended period within the age of streaming involves an finish.
Hulu and Disney+ changing into a unified service this 12 months additionally opens up extra conversations round the way forward for streaming consolidation given the large breadth of streaming providers and the small variety of studios and companies that personal them. With WBD and Netflix already set to merge, 2025’s prime tales discover a widespread thread within the unification of streaming houses that can considerably change the panorama of the {industry} all through the approaching years. – Jordan Williams
Trump Takes On Pop Tradition
Having gone from actual property mogul to actuality TV star on The Apprentice and a two-time President of america of America, Donald Trump has dominated headlines for the higher a part of 30 years. This 12 months, particularly, noticed the divisive determine flip his consideration to attacking the broader world of popular culture for quite a lot of causes.
Along with the late-night TV hosts, for whom he is nonetheless calling to be taken off the air, South Park has made a lot of their most up-to-date seasons in regards to the Trump administration, holding nothing again in mocking the President, from bodily jokes to creating him Saddam Hussein’s substitute for Devil within the relationship sphere. He additionally infamously referred to as for a 100% tariff on all movies produced outdoors america in an effort to carry many blockbuster productions again to the nation.
This did not cease with fiction-based popular culture, both, as Trump turned his particular model of stream-of-consciousness ideas towards quite a few information reporters at press conferences. Whereas this as soon as would have garnered assist from his voter base as a part of his “faux information” push, even Trump supporters have discovered themselves turning on the President amidst his varied media pushbacks, denoting the insensitivity and inappropriate remarks made about stated reporters. – Grant Hermanns
Taylor Sheridan Leaves Paramount After Skydance Merger
For the reason that launch of Yellowstone in 2018, Taylor Sheridan has turn out to be a bonafide tv mogul. His earlier movie work garnered Oscar nominations and important acclaim, popularizing the neo-Western for a brand new period with Sicario, Hell or Excessive Water, and Wind River. However that was only the start for the creator who has single-handedly turn out to be the individual preserving Paramount+ afloat. Yellowstone has spawned a number of Paramount+ unique spinoffs (1883 and 1923 have already accomplished their runs, telling tales in regards to the ancestors of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton, however there are no less than 4 extra in varied phases of improvement, with the upcoming Y: Marshals set to debut on CBS in 2026).
His distinctive method to showrunning has turn out to be a speaking level in Hollywood — Sheridan usually serves as the only author on a lot of his sequence. However, in a shock transfer, it was introduced earlier this 12 months that when his contract with Paramount expires, the Texas-based multi-hyphenate will transfer store to NBC Common, the place he has established a 5-year general cope with the studio. Beneath this deal, Sheridan will start making movies for NBC Common as early as subsequent 12 months, whereas his tv contract doesn’t expire till 2028.
What which means for the Yellowstone universe and the myriad different exhibits he has created (which embody Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Landman, and Lioness) stays unclear, however one factor was apparent: Sheridan shifting his output to a different studio was a significant blow for the David Ellison-led Paramount, and it occurred mere months earlier than that studio was rejected in favor of Netflix’s bid for Warner Bros. (extra on that under). NBC Common’s struggling streamer Peacock, which principally serves as a house base for Bravo followers and has solely just lately produced breakout hits like All Her Fault, will definitely profit from serving as Sheridan’s new stomping grounds.
It will likely be a while earlier than the affect of Sheridan’s new deal is felt, nevertheless it displays a bigger development of the altering tides of streaming tv (that are lined extensively on this article). It does, nonetheless, show the form of energy Sheridan holds in Hollywood. Whereas different creators who signal general offers with studios or streamers have seen restricted output, it is exhausting to think about Sheridan will not reap the benefits of his distinctive autonomy at a brand new streaming dwelling to construct an much more prolific portfolio that might flip the tides for Peacock. – Graeme Guttmann
Late Night time Beneath Assault: Kimmel & Colbert
Late night time tv has been one of many longest-running staples of community TV, however 2025 noticed it turn out to be one of the vital talked-about for all of the improper causes, as each Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, amongst others, discovered themselves underneath assault. The previous Colbert Report host, who has been the face of CBS’ The Late Present for the previous decade, noticed his tenure come to an finish as Paramount aimed to retire the 33-year franchise that started with David Letterman. Kimmel, in the meantime, discovered himself suspended for roughly every week as conservatives criticized his obvious jokes about President Donald Trump’s response to the homicide of Charlie Kirk.
The 2 have a few of the greatest followings and well-earned histories of their discipline, and but each discovered themselves the goal of political criticisms this 12 months. Regardless of CBS’ assertion that it was a monetary resolution, most analysts agreed that Colbert’s cancellation stemmed from the Paramount Skydance merger, during which the studio aimed to appease Trump by firing the essential host. Kimmel’s preliminary suspension additionally did a quantity on Disney’s status, leading to practically 2 million Disney+ subscription cancellations. – Grant Hermanns
Rob Reiner & Michele Singer’s Tragic Dying
After practically 60 years of garnering acclaim each in entrance of and behind the digicam, December 2025 got here with the surprising information that Rob Reiner and his spouse, Michele Singer, have been discovered useless of their Los Angeles dwelling. The week that adopted got here with much more distressing details about their deaths, starting with their explanation for dying being murder, having been stabbed a number of instances, with the investigation in the end resulting in the arrest of their son, Nick, who’s at present being held with out bail on two counts of first-degree homicide.
This was actually a 12 months filled with loss on this planet of celebrities and high-profile names, however Reiner’s stands out because of the circumstances. The Oscar winner had simply made his movie return with the long-awaited Spinal Faucet II: The Finish Continues, and whereas any loss is a heartbreaking one, to have one’s life taken in such a violent method is all of the extra surprising. – Grant Hermanns
AI Makes Its Huge Hollywood Play
Synthetic Intelligence has solely gotten extra subtle through the years and people in Hollywood have lengthy been ringing the alarm bells because it slowly encroaches on the inventive world. The world’s first AI actress, Tilly Norwood, was launched, although plainly her stardom was extra a PR play than something to be taken critically. But it surely was Disney’s cope with Sora, which noticed the Mouse Home make investments $1 billion within the generative platform, that signaled a brand new degree of acceptance for AI in Hollywood.
AI has been on the middle of assorted lawsuits over plagiarism and content-scraping to teach the training programs, however that hasn’t stopped the unfold. AI is in all places, out of your mom’s Fb feed to school school rooms. Many in Hollywood nonetheless adamantly rail in opposition to AI, with notable names like Guillermo del Toro and James Cameron decrying the pervasiveness of the expertise throughout press excursions for his or her new movies.
However, as vocal as they’re, the Disney-Sora deal exhibits that AI’s presence within the {industry} is being pushed by lesser-known executives with extra management than individuals like del Toro or Cameron. What as soon as appeared like a passing fad has turn out to be a harmful new instrument used to govern, trick, and in any other case destabilize a inventive neighborhood that depends on the eagerness of the artists at its middle. AI won’t ever change the human contact, however that does not matter to executives who’re extra targeted on the underside line than they’re on the creative integrity of the work being produced. – Graeme Guttmann
Los Angeles Fires Devastate The Trade
Whereas California isn’t any stranger to wildfires, this 12 months noticed one of many greatest the state has ever seen in January as 14 completely different fires hit the Los Angeles area, in the end burning over 57,000 acres and destroying over 18,000 houses and buildings. Starting within the Palisades from a reported arson incident, the fires infamously unfold because of the state’s high-speed Santa Ana winds, a standard prevalence within the winter, and different pure points.
Along with the private and enterprise damages incurred, the Los Angeles fires additionally had a large affect on the broader leisure {industry} on an emotional and manufacturing degree. Quite a few studios needed to shut down each their headquarters and manufacturing places of work, resulting in the delays of every thing from a number of NCIS titles to Fallout season 2 and Jimmy Kimmel Reside!. The individuals who labored on Los Angeles-based productions all of a sudden discovered themselves dealing with financial uncertainty as they confronted housing instability. The results have been felt far and large — awards ceremonies discovered themselves delayed or outright cancelled, with the deadline for Oscar nomination voting being prolonged to accommodate the 200,000-plus residents evacuating the area — however via all of it, a neighborhood got here collectively to assist these in want and proved that, at its coronary heart, Hollywood is a household as a lot as it’s a enterprise. – Grant Hermanns
Warner Bros. and Netflix
Warner Bros. started the 12 months ready of uncertainty. Rumors swirled that movie execs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca have been on the chopping block due to a string of high-profile and dear flops that kicked off with 2024’s Joke: Folie à deux and continued via The Alto Knights and Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi blockbuster Mickey17. However that every one modified with A Minecraft Film, the start of a record-breaking run that noticed Warner Bros. turn out to be the primary studio in historical past to launch 7 movies in a row with greater than $40 million on the field workplace.
Dangerous bets paid off: director-driven tasks like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Zach Cregger’s Weapons proved that authentic movies might thrive in a panorama dominated by IP, whereas Closing Vacation spot: Bloodlines, F1, Superman, and The Conjuring: Final Rites proved that Warner Bros. might savvily faucet into recognized properties for one thing contemporary and thrilling. This all culminated in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After One other, the consensus choose for finest movie of the 12 months and one that’s anticipated to comb awards season. It was a banner 12 months for the studio, however WB discovered itself on the middle of one other story that can mark the top of an period for the studio and the {industry}.
Netflix launched a profitable bid to amass Warner Bros., with CEO David Zaslav and the WBD board choosing the streamer over Paramount’s bid. Although it can take years earlier than the deal is finalized, when all is claimed and achieved, Netflix may have management of a few of the most worthwhile IP of all time in addition to an intensive library of basic movies that they’ll do with no matter they please. The deal contains HBO Max, too, knocking one other main streaming service off the board months after Disney’s plans to close down Hulu have been unveiled.
Netflix has gone to nice lengths to reassure the {industry} of their plans to maintain Warner Bros. intact, from their theatrical distribution arm to the manufacturing aspect of issues, which sees the studio produce and promote quite a few sequence world wide. Skeptics aren’t totally shopping for it, although. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has been vocal about his ideas on moviegoing, declaring it an outmoded methodology of consumption regardless of proof in any other case. And, even past theatrical releases, Netflix absorbing Warner Bros. and all its properties spells the top of a studio that has been round for over a century.
2025 is not the top of the Netflix-Warner Bros. story; we’ll be speaking about this one for a very long time. And it is solely the newest in a string of main acquisitions which have led to a as soon as huge {industry} shrinking, with Disney’s absorption of twentieth Century Fox and the Paramount-Skydance deal laying the inspiration for a deal like this. However, even because the story continues to take form, one factor is obvious: the Warner Bros.-Netflix deal will as soon as once more shift the panorama and result in main change in Hollywood. Whether or not that change is nice stays to be seen. – Graeme Guttmann