Whenever Yorgos Lanthimos unveils a new project, it almost guarantees a banner year for speculative cinema. The visionary behind Poor Things and The Lobster possesses a singular gift for taking surrealist premises and grounding them in the most visceral, agonizingly human realities. His latest triumph, Bugonia, has claimed the top spot as our favorite sci-fi/fantasy experience of 2025—though the competition was formidable.
<p>While the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2025-marvel-cinematic-universe-box-office/" target="_blank">Marvel machine struggled</a> to find its footing, the newly minted DC Universe flourished with <a href="https://www.polygon.com/review/611560/superman-james-gunn-dcu-reboot-review/" target="_blank"><em>Superman</em></a>, providing an earnest, sun-drenched antidote to the genre’s prevailing cynicism. James Cameron once again invited us <a href="https://www.polygon.com/avatar-fire-ash-review/" target="_blank">back to Pandora</a> for an emotionally charged spectacle. We were also treated to a double dose of Predator action from Dan Trachtenberg, and the animated sensation <a href="https://www.polygon.com/kpop-demon-hunters-golden-history/" target="_blank"><em>KPop Demon Hunters</em></a> became such a juggernaut it fundamentally altered the theatrical distribution landscape.</p>
<p>It was a landmark year for the fantastical, fueled by creators who utilized alternate worlds to hold a mirror to our own. These are the top 10 SFF films of 2025. Spoilers: the top prize stays with <em>Bugonia</em>, but the journey to get there is just as essential.</p>
<h2 id="arco"><span class="item-num">10 </span> Arco</h2>
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<p>Illustrator Ugo Bienvenu presents a stunning 2D vision of two contrasting futures in his directorial debut. In the vibrant utopia of 2932, young Arco borrows his family’s experimental flight cape and inadvertently hurdles back to the year 2075. In this era, humanity possesses advanced robotics and luxury terrariums but remains profoundly isolated amidst a slow-motion ecological collapse. He befriends Iris, a girl yearning for escape from a world defined by holo-calls and looming wildfires. While the narrative echoes the soul of Miyazaki or *E.T.*, Bienvenu’s fluid animation elevates the familiar into something breathtakingly urgent and deeply felt.</p>
<h2 id="predator-badlands"><span class="item-num">9 </span> Predator: Badlands</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: 20th Century Studios</figcaption>
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<p><a href="https://www.polygon.com/predator-badlands-disney-review/" target="_blank"><em>Predator: Badlands</em></a> proves that Dan Trachtenberg’s <em>Prey</em> was the start of a renaissance rather than a one-off success. <em>Badlands</em> dares to position the Yautja hunter, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), as a protagonist worth rooting for. The film thrives on its world-building, introducing an eclectic "found family" that includes the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/predator-badlands-alien-crossover-synths-weyland-yutani/" target="_blank">Weyland-Yutani synthetic Thia</a> (Elle Fanning). Aside from a slightly murky opening skirmish, the action is high-octane, showcasing a deadly alien ecosystem that feels as dangerous as the Predator itself.</p>
<h2 id="the-fantastic-four-first-steps"><span class="item-num">8 </span> The Fantastic Four: First Steps</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: Marvel Studios / 20th Century Studios</figcaption>
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<p>After a period of aimless multiversal hopping, Marvel Studios finally struck gold with <em>Fantastic Four: First Steps</em>. This isn't just another origin story; it's a stylistic triumph set in a retrofuturistic 1960s that feels wonderfully distinct from the rest of the MCU. The film introduces the cosmic threat of Galactus and his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), with a refreshing narrative clarity. Anchored by the charming chemistry of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn, it recaptures the simple, heroic joy that made Marvel a powerhouse in the first place.</p>
<h2 id="frankenstein"><span class="item-num">7 </span> Frankenstein</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Photo: Ken Woroner/Netflix</figcaption>
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<p>Guillermo del Toro’s long-gestating passion project finally arrived, and it is every bit as haunting as expected. This adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic leans heavily into the cycle of intergenerational trauma. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) is portrayed not just as a mad scientist, but as a negligent, abusive father figure to his creation (Jacob Elordi). As the Creature evolves into a tragic, deeply sentient being, Victor’s own humanity begins to fray. It’s a gorgeous, melancholic addition to del Toro’s celebrated "monster-romance" canon.</p>
<h2 id="predator-killer-of-killers"><span class="item-num">6 </span> Predator: Killer of Killers</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: 20th Century Animation</figcaption>
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<p>While <em>Badlands</em> dominated the box office conversation, the animated anthology <a href="https://www.polygon.com/movies/603376/predator-killer-of-killers-inspiration-arcane-akira/" target="_blank"><em>Killer of Killers</em></a> was arguably the more daring experiment. This Hulu original tracks the Predator's influence through history, pitting the hunter against a Viking raider, a ninja, and a WWII pilot. By utilizing animation, Trachtenberg was able to realize combat sequences and diverse historical settings that would have been cost-prohibitive in live action. Its visual style, reminiscent of <em>Blue Eye Samurai</em>, is as sharp as a wrist-blade.</p>
<h2 id="thunderbolts"><span class="item-num">5 </span> Thunderbolts*</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: Marvel Studios</figcaption>
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<p><em>Thunderbolts*</em> defied low expectations by pivoting away from world-ending stakes and focusing on a group of broken people trying to find a moral compass. Florence Pugh continues to lead with an incredible emotional depth as Yelena Belova, while David Harbour provides the comedic—and unexpectedly sentimental—heart of the team. With a refreshing reliance on practical stunt work over CGI clutter, this film feels like a gritty, character-driven standout in a crowded superhero landscape.</p>
<h2 id="kpop-demon-hunters"><span class="item-num">4 </span> KPop Demon Hunters</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: Netflix</figcaption>
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<p>A cultural phenomenon in its own right, <em>KPop Demon Hunters</em> blended high-energy musicality with supernatural action. The story of a girl group moonlighting as exorcists resonated globally, leading to <a href="https://www.polygon.com/kpop-demon-hunters-golden-2025-grammy-nominations/" target="_blank">Grammy nods</a> and a chart-topping soundtrack. Beyond the flashy aesthetics, it’s a story about the strength of community and staying true to oneself under the intense pressure of the public eye.</p>
<h2 id="avatar-fire-and-ash"><span class="item-num">3 </span> Avatar: Fire and Ash</h2>
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<p>James Cameron’s third foray into Pandora is a masterclass in elemental spectacle. <em>Fire and Ash</em> introduces a more aggressive, rogue tribe of Na’vi, complicating the struggle between the RDA and the indigenous people. While the plot beats echo the franchise’s established themes of imperialism and family, the visual fidelity remains unparalleled. It is a dense, fiery exploration of the cost of war and the dark trajectory of a human society that has forgotten its roots.</p>
<h2 id="superman"><span class="item-num">2 </span> Superman</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: Warner Bros. Pictures</figcaption>
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<p>After years of "dark and gritty" deconstructions, James Gunn restored the Man of Steel’s mythic optimism. David Corenswet embodies a Superman who isn't afraid to be a "boy scout," emphasizing that Clark Kent’s kindness is his greatest power. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor provides a formidable, intellectual foil in a film that successfully argues for the relevance of earnestness in a cynical age. It’s a triumphant restart for DC that feels both modern and timeless.</p>
<h2 id="bugonia"><span class="item-num">1 </span> Bugonia</h2>
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<figcaption class="body-img-caption">Image: Focus Features</figcaption>
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<p>The collaboration between Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos has reached its zenith with <em>Bugonia</em>, an acerbic remake of the cult Korean film <em>Save the Green Planet!</em>. Stone portrays a high-powered CEO abducted by an obsessive conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) who is convinced she is an undercover alien. The film is a masterfully claustrophobic chamber piece that skewers the absurdities of late-stage capitalism and social polarization. Its final act is a breathtaking explosion of sci-fi concepts that confirms Lanthimos as one of the most vital voices in cinema today.</p>
<p><strong>Honorable Mention: The Ice Tower</strong></p>
<p>Lucile Hadžihalilović’s <em>The Ice Tower</em> is a chilly, atmospheric marvel. While its fantasy elements may exist solely in the protagonist's mind, the film uses fairy-tale imagery to explore the manipulative relationship between a legendary actress (Marion Cotillard) and a teenage runaway. It’s a haunting, visually lush meditation on the intoxicating and often destructive power of fame and fiction.</p>Source: Polygon
