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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
7 Must-Watch Netflix Movies of 2025 So Far, Ranked: ‘Havoc,' ‘Back in Action' and More
Thus far in 2025, Netflix's original movies haven't quite hit the same heights that the streamer has previously reached. That may be because the Oscar-bait films are being held back until the latter part of the year. If that's the case, the list of Netflix's best original movies will look very different at the end of 2025. In the meantime, Watch With Us has selected the seven best Netflix movies of 2025 so far. Admittedly, this list is action-heavy, but it's the genre that Netflix does best. There are also some comedy and romance options, as well as two standout animated selections. 25 Must-Watch Movies on Netflix (July 2025): 'Happy Gilmore 2,' 'Brick' and More 7. 'Back in Action' (2025) After extended absences for different reasons, and Cameron Diaz got their respective comebacks in Back in Action. The duo play Matt and Emily, a pair of CIA agents who faked their own deaths after someone tipped off their enemies during their final mission. In the present, Emily and Matt are married and the parents of Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). The kids don't know anything about who their parents used to be, but they get a crash course when Emily and Matt's cover identities are blown and the entire family is targeted by an old adversary. Back in Action is streaming on Netflix. 6. 'La Dolce Villa' (2025) Scott Foley fully embraces his rom-com phase in La Dolce Villa, but the only reason Eric (Foley) has come to Italy is because his daughter, Olivia (Maia Reficco), is seriously considering a permanent move there after investing her inheritance in an abandoned property. 10 Must-Watch Rom-Com Movies on Netflix Right Now (June 2025) Eric is so concerned with keeping Olivia from making a mistake that he almost doesn't realize that Italy has a great deal of appeal for him as well. And once Eric meets the town's mayor, Francesca (Violante Placido), the romantic sparks inevitably fly between them. It's a charming love story, even though it's pretty predictable. La Dolce Villa is streaming on Netflix. 5. 'KPop Demon Hunters' (2025) KPop Demon Hunters is perhaps Netflix's most surprising smash hit of the year. Despite the title, this isn't a production from South Korea, although it does lampoon the way that KPop groups and Korean television shows have become a global phenomenon. The story revolves around a popular KPop act, Huntr/x, whose members double as demon hunters when they aren't on stage. However, the lead singer, Rumi (Arden Cho), is secretly part demon herself, and she's scared to reveal the truth to her bandmates. Meanwhile, the demons figure out that they can front their own KPop group, The Saja Boys, and steal the devotion of Huntr/x's fans as well as their souls. This is one of the most visually imaginative animated movies in recent memory, and it probably could have played very well in theaters. KPop Demon Hunters is streaming on Netflix. 9 Must-Watch Action Movies on Netflix Right Now (July 2025) 4. 'Exterritorial' (2025) Keep an eye out for Jeanne Goursaud after her performance in the German action thriller Extraterritorial. Goursaud showed off some real action chops while playing former soldier Sara Wulf, the widowed mother of a young boy named Josh (Rickson Guy da Silva). During a routine visit to the American Consulate in Germany, Josh goes missing. More alarmingly, the security footage has been altered to make it appear that Josh never accompanied Sara to the consulate. Since the German police are helpless to find her son, Sara takes matters into her own hands and goes deeper into the consulate to look for Josh. Dougray Scott has a dark turn as Erik Kynch, one of the consulate's primary security officials. It's his job to make sure that Sara's search comes to a permanent end. Extraterritorial is streaming on Netflix. 3. 'Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl' (2025) In the age of CGI animation, it's refreshing that a very old-school title like Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl still stands out as one of the best of the year. This full-length animated film revisits the eccentric inventor named Wallace (Ben Whitehead) and his loyal dog, Gromit. 5 Great Netflix Animated Movies to Watch Right Now (May 2025) For their latest misadventure, Wallace has invented a robotic gnome, Norbot (Reece Shearsmith), to take over the household chores. Gromit's fears about Norbit are proven to be correct when their old adversary, Feathers McGraw, reprograms Norbot and the other gnomes in a scheme for revenge and world domination. It's as silly as it sounds, and we love it. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is streaming on Netflix. 2. 'Bullet Train Explosion' (2025) If you've never seen the 1975 Japanese action thriller The Bullet Train, don't worry. Bullet Train Explosion is more of a thematic sequel, although it does reference its now 50-year-old predecessor. Think of it as Speed on a train, as a mad bomber forces the Hayabusa 60 to maintain an unsafe speed or else everyone on board will be killed. The bomber also demands a large ransom for their lives from everyone in Japan. While Detective Yoshiharu Kawagoe (Kenji Iwaya) attempts to find the bomber outside of the train, head manager Kazuya Takaichi (Kazuya Takaichi) tries to save everyone on Hayabusa 60 after the passengers discover what's happening. This is an unusually smart thriller that lets its heroic characters make good choices instead of leading them down the wrong path for the sake of contrivance. Bullet Train Explosion is streaming on Netflix. 13 Must-Watch Thrillers on Netflix Right Now (July 2025) 1. 'Havoc' (2025) The Raid director Gareth Evans delivered another great action thriller in Havoc. Tom Hardy stars as Patrick Walker, a homicide detective who is estranged from his fellow cops and on the payroll for a local businessman, Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker). There's a gang war brewing among the Chinese Triad, and Beaumont's son, Charlie (Justin Cornwell), is unintentionally at the center of it. Charlie and his girlfriend, Mia (Quelin Sepulveda), were framed for murdering a Triad leader, and now there's a price on their heads. Beaumont wants Walker to find and protect Charlie at all costs, but he doesn't realize that he's become a target as well. Havoc is streaming on Netflix.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott and Great Point Studios Founder Robert Halmi Reunite to Elevate Family-Friendly Entertainment
Former colleagues join forces to expand U.S.-based film production with a 20+ picture, multi-year deal producing original series and films domestically at Great Point Studios. NEW YORK, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott today announced a new partnership with Robert Halmi, an Emmy® and Golden Globe Award-winning producer, and his Great Point Studios. The collaboration is focused on developing high-quality, original movies rooted in family values and created for audiences seeking inspiring and meaningful entertainment. The agreement calls for nearly two-dozen films and original series to be produced by Great American Media at Great Point Studios Buffalo over the next two years. Through this partnership, the two industry veterans are building a new foundation for stateside storytelling. The initiative will also revitalize domestic film production by creating significant employment opportunities across casting, crew, and creative roles—specifically in Western New York. Abbott and Halmi, who previously helped define the modern family film genre, bring decades of production leadership to this renewed alliance and long-term partnership. Halmi is known for founding the Hallmark Channel, where Abbott served as President & CEO for 11 years prior to launching Great American Media in 2021. "This partnership is about raising the bar," said Abbott. "We are committed to producing content that not only entertains but uplifts. We want to produce these films right here in the U.S., with people who share our passion for authentic, values-driven storytelling." "I'm thrilled to reunite with Bill Abbott and support the incredible work he's doing at Great American Media," said Robert Halmi, Founder of Great Point Studios. "This partnership reflects our shared vision, and we're proud to welcome these productions to our campuses." Halmi is a legendary, multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning producer credited with producing more than 400 films. Abbott is credited with popularizing the original Christmas movie genre, with more than 1,000 original holiday films over 15 years—the highest-rated and highest-volume output in the genre. Their shared legacy includes hundreds of acclaimed productions that have shaped family viewing habits for a generation. The first movie as part of the agreement is Great American Media's A Christmas Spark starring Mario Lopez, which completed production earlier this summer at Great Point Studios Buffalo, the company's recently opened, state-of-the-art production facility. Additional films will be announced soon. "It has been a joy to produce and star in A Christmas Spark, which is slated to premiere as part of the 5th Anniversary Edition of Great American Christmas this season," said Mario Lopez. "The talent, crew, and locations in Buffalo are top notch. A Christmas Spark is deeply personal to me—I witnessed firsthand the bravery of firefighters in my community during the recent LA wildfires. This film gave me a way to honor their heroism and tell a story that reflects their sacrifice." ABOUT GREAT AMERICAN MEDIA Great American Media is home to a family-friendly portfolio of brands including Great American Family, Great American Pure Flix, and Great American Faith & Living. As the flagship linear TV network, Great American Family features original Christmas movies, rom-coms, and classic series that celebrate faith, family, and country. Great American Pure Flix is a leading faith and family streaming service that inspires, uplifts, and entertains with content you can confidently stream with the entire family. Other platforms include Great American Faith & Living, the unscripted companion to Great American Family that celebrates faith, family, and country every day and every season; Great American Adventures; and Pure Flix TV, a FAST channel (free ad-supported streaming TV). Great American Media was established in June 2021 by Bill Abbott and a group of U.S.-based family offices. ABOUT GREAT POINT STUDIOSGreat Point Studios is a media-focused company specializing in film and television infrastructure. It was founded by Robert Halmi and Fehmi Zeko. Great Point Studios currently has locations in Yonkers, Atlanta, Buffalo, and Cardiff, Wales, with an additional location under construction in Newark, NJ. Prior to Great Point Studios, Robert Halmi was the founder of the Hallmark Channel and was President and CEO of Hallmark Entertainment. At Hallmark, Robert transformed the business from a small production company into one of the first modern studios, combining production, distribution, and broadcast under one roof. Under Halmi's leadership, Hallmark Entertainment produced over 2,000 hours of original content. He is an active member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and serves on the board of the International Emmy Committee. Media Contacts:Thomas Graham or Debbie Davismedia@ (512) 537-1414Crosswind Media & Public Relations Daniela SapkarSapkar Public 646-644-4418 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Great American Media Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
