A mixed-Asian family stands in an entry way, from the film "Presence."

Five Asian and Asian American films to watch in 2025

Horror, action, sci-fi, romance, and more romance

From left, Callina Liang, Chris Sullivan, Eddy Maday, Lucy Liu, and Julia Fox in Presence.

Peter Andrews

Last year was excellent for cinema—American films included—and the next 12 months look just as promising. There are big blockbusters on the horizon, including a third Avatar and the likely final Mission: Impossible, and with the year's festival slate beginning to take shape, the possibilities are endlessly exciting. However, these five films in particular are especially worth keeping an eye on for anyone hungry for Asian American voices, stars, and artistic perspectives.

Presence (Jan. 24)

A year after its Sundance premiere, Steven Soderbergh's inventive horror drama Presence is being released by NEON. The latest from the Ocean's 11 and Magic Mike filmmaker sees the camera take on a spectral presence, embodying a mysterious spirit in his mischievous haunted house movie. As a mixed race family moves in—father Chris (Chris Sullivan), mother Rebekah (Lucy Liu), daughter Chloe (Callina Liang) and son Tyler (Eddy Maday)—things start going bump in the night in wildly inventive ways, as Soderbergh takes us on an energetic, melancholy thrill ride. (Full review)

Love Hurts (Feb. 7)

The "regular suburbanite has a secret past" subgenre runs deep, encompassing action movies from Mr. and Mrs. Smith to Mission: Impossible III, though its most recent success is arguably the John Wick series. Love Hurts is the directorial debut of Jonathan Eusebio, who coordinated the fights and stunts on the first three Wick films, and it stars the wonderful Ke Huy Quan in his first post-Oscar film role, in which he plays unassuming realtor Marvin Gable, a man trying to leave his violent past—and his crime boss brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu)—behind. Quan's comeback in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once was delightful for several reasons, not the least of which was his impeccable stunt work, which appears to be on full display once more.

Mickey 17 (March 7)

Set to premiere at the 75th Berlin Film Festival next month, Bong Joon-ho's long-awaited Parasite followup finally sees the light of day after countless delays. The South Korean maestro has always had a penchant for sci-fi (see also: Okja and Snowpiercer), and his next Hollywood production leans further into the genre, as an adaptation of Edward Ashton's bleakley comedic novel Mickey7. Set on a frigid off-world colony, the zany genre comedy Mickey 17 stars Robert Pattinson as an employee considered so disposable that each time he dies at work, he's usurped by his own clone. The film also features several prominent Korean American stars; it reunites Bong with his Okja actor Steven Yeun, and is his first collaboration with comedian and Fargo and Asteroid City actor Steve Park.

A Nice Indian Boy (April 4)

Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff kneel ina temple with their hands clasped together in prayer.

From left, Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff in "A Nice Indian Boy."

Still frame from "A Nice Indian Boy"

South Asian diaspora culture clash movies are a dime a dozen, but Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy—which premiered at SXSW last year—approaches the genre with a twist. Written by Eric Randall Madhuri Shekar (from Shekar's play of the same name), it tells the story of a reclusive, gay Indian doctor (Karan Soni) who brings home a white Indian adoptee (Jonathan Groff) to his suspicious parents. The unique rom com provides surprising reflections on culture, family, and belonging by filtering its story, in self-aware fashion, through the tropes of Bollywood romance. It's among the funniest films of its kind, and also the most moving. (Full review)

Materialists (summer/fall 2025)

An Asian woman with short hair, in a black top, against a dark gray backdrop.

Director Celine Song.

Matthew Dunivan

Little is known about the plot of A24's Materialists—which wrapped filming back in June—but it happens to be Celine Song's highly anticipated follow up to Past Lives, her Oscar-nominated Korean American spellbinder. With her new film set to follow "a professional matchmaker who gets involved with a wealthy man but still harbors feelings for the broke actor-waiter she left behind," we're likely in for another complicated love triangle, this time starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. Song's deft dramatic hand, and her gentle approach to rigorous emotional dilemmas, makes her one of American indie cinema's most exciting new voices, so expect a major festival bow for her sophomore effort.

Published on January 21, 2025

Words by Siddhant Adlakha

Siddhant Adlakha is a critic and filmmaker from Mumbai, though he now lives in New York City. They're more similar than you'd think. Find him at @SiddhantAdlakha on Twitter