10 Films We’re Excited to See at the 2025 Venice Film Festival

Lanthimos, Coppola, Guadagnino, and Jarmusch lead a stacked lineup at this year’s cinematic showdown in Venice.

If the official lineup for the 2025 Venice Film Festival is any indication, cinephiles are in for a year of boundary-pushing, auteur-driven cinema. From long-awaited dramas and politically charged documentaries to surreal comedies and unconventional biopics, the Lido is hosting a feast of cinematic voices this fall. Artistic director Alberto Barbera might be worried about cramming them all into a single schedule, but we’re simply thrilled. Here are 10 standout titles we can’t wait to see.

1. ‘Bugonia’ – Yorgos Lanthimos

After a prolific run with Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, Yorgos Lanthimos returns with another absurdist high-concept comedy. Reuniting with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, Bugonia follows two conspiracy theorists who kidnap a CEO they believe is an alien bent on Earth’s destruction. With Stavros Halkias in a supporting role, expect biting satire, deadpan dialogue, and plenty of surreal detours.

2. ‘Marc by Sofia’ – Sofia Coppola

Out of competition but high on our radar, Sofia Coppola returns with Marc by Sofia, a documentary portrait of her longtime friend and fashion collaborator Marc Jacobs. Blending personal intimacy with a stylized aesthetic, the film promises an introspective look at creativity, legacy, and the blurred lines between art and commerce.

3. ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ – Jim Jarmusch

An ensemble drama from Jim Jarmusch with a cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, Tom Waits, and Charlotte Rampling? Yes, please. This anti-action film is a meditative triptych examining strained familial relationships across the U.S., Paris, and Dublin. Expect melancholic whimsy, deadpan humor, and a soundtrack to remember.

4. ‘The Smashing Machine’ – Benny Safdie

Benny Safdie goes solo for The Smashing Machine, a gritty biopic about UFC champion Mark Kerr. Starring Dwayne Johnson in what could be his most vulnerable role yet, the film explores addiction, masculinity, and physical sacrifice. A24 and Safdie’s frenetic energy plus real-life fighters in the cast? We’re ready.

5. ‘Frankenstein’ – Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro finally unveils his long-gestating take on Frankenstein, starring Oscar Isaac as Victor, Jacob Elordi as the Monster, and Mia Goth as Elizabeth. Premiering for Netflix, the gothic tale is poised to be both horrifying and heartfelt. A monster movie with soul? Only del Toro can deliver.

6. ‘Nuestra Tierra’ – Lucrecia Martel

Documenting the real-life murder of Indigenous activist Javier Chocobar, Lucrecia Martel’s Nuestra Tierra turns a tragic moment into a broader exploration of land rights and post-colonial trauma. Blending observational filmmaking with political urgency, it could be one of the most vital entries in the festival lineup.

7. ‘No Other Choice’ – Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook adapts Donald E. Westlake’s The Ax into a psychological thriller about a laid-off executive pushed to the edge. Squid Game‘s Lee Byung-hun stars as a man whose job search spirals into violence. A genre-bending blend of horror, social critique, and black comedy, No Other Choice may be one of Park’s most political films yet.

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8. ‘After the Hunt’ – Luca Guadagnino

Fresh off its Opening Night slot at NYFF, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Huntheads to Venice with momentum. Julia Roberts stars as a college professor forced to confront her past when a colleague (Andrew Garfield) is accused of sexual assault. With a cast that includes Ayo Edebiri, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny, the film promises moral ambiguity and emotional fireworks.

9. ‘Ghost Elephants’ – Werner Herzog

Don’t call it a nature documentary. Werner Herzog’s Ghost Elephants tracks a mysterious herd in Angola, blending his philosophical narration with haunting imagery. Equal parts ecological reflection and spiritual inquiry, Herzog’s latest looks to be another bold entry in his canon of mythmaking.

10. ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ – Gus Van Sant

In Dead Man’s Wire, Gus Van Sant adapts the real-life 1970s standoff led by Tony Kiritsis (played by Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd), who wired a shotgun to his mortgage broker’s head. With a chilling premise and a period setting, the film explores desperation, media spectacle, and the American Dream turned nightmare.

Stay tuned for full reviews and red carpet coverage from Venice as The Cinema Group brings you the very best from Lido.