TL;DR: The 2025 Movie Highlights
If you spent most of last year dodging rogue popcorn kernels in a theater or scrolling through Disney+ trying to find something that wouldn’t make you want to scroll on your phone the whole time, you aren’t alone. 2025 was a massive year for sequels and adaptations.
Here are the heavy hitters you probably saw (or are about to stream):
- The Big Winner: Zootopia 2 managed to be just as smart as the first one.
- The "Is This Actually Happening?" Entry: A Minecraft Movie was... an experience. Kids loved the blocks; parents had questions about Jack Black’s wardrobe.
- The Wholesome Choice: Paddington in Peru remains the gold standard for movies that won't give your kids "brain rot."
- The Graphic Novel Jump: Dog Man finally hit the big screen and, honestly, it was better than it had any right to be.
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Last year, Hollywood leaned hard into things we already knew. Between live-action remakes of Snow White and Lilo & Stitch, and sequels like The Bad Guys 2, original stories were a bit harder to find.
For intentional parents, this is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you know what you’re getting. On the other, it can feel like we’re just feeding our kids a steady diet of corporate IP instead of fresh storytelling. But within that "roadmap," there were some genuine gems and some total duds.
Ages 6+ This was the movie every kid in the pickup line was talking about for six months. It’s live-action mixed with CGI, which felt a little "uncanny valley" for the adults, but for kids who spend four hours a week in Minecraft, seeing a Pink Sheep in HD was basically their Super Bowl. The Verdict: It’s loud, it’s silly, and it’s essentially a 90-minute toy commercial. It’s not "prestige cinema," but it’s safe, colorful, and won’t require a deep debrief afterward.
Ages 7+ Disney finally brought back Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, and they didn’t mess it up. Like the first one, it deals with some surprisingly complex social themes—this time focusing on new "reptilian" residents in the city. The Verdict: This is the one you actually want to watch with them. It’s witty enough for adults and has enough layers to spark a real conversation at dinner.
Ages 6-11 If your kid has a shelf full of Dav Pilkey books, you were probably at the premiere. The animation style stayed true to the "hand-drawn" look of the books, which was a refreshing break from the hyper-polished 3D look of most Dreamworks or Pixar films. The Verdict: It’s full of potty humor (it’s Dog Man, what did you expect?), but it captures the chaotic, creative energy of the books perfectly.
All Ages Paddington leaves London to visit Aunt Lucy, and everything remains right with the world. This movie is the ultimate palate cleanser for a digital world that feels too fast and too loud. The Verdict: 10/10. No notes. If you haven't seen it yet, make it your next family movie night. It’s the definition of "gentle media."
Ages 6+ Pixar’s big 2025 original followed a kid who accidentally becomes the ambassador for Earth in a galaxy-wide organization. It felt a bit like Men in Black meets Coco. The Verdict: Visually stunning, but it didn't quite hit the emotional highs of Inside Out. Still, it's a solid choice if you're tired of sequels.
2025 brought some movies that pushed the boundaries of the "PG" rating.
- Avatar: Fire and Ash: This came out in December 2025. While it’s visually incredible, it’s long (very long) and features some intense "Ash People" who are a bit more menacing than the Na'vi we've seen before. Probably best for the 11+ crowd.
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants: Standard SpongeBob chaos. If they can handle the show, they can handle the movie. Just be prepared for the theme song to be stuck in your head for three days.
Check out our guide on how to manage movie-induced nightmares
We talk a lot about "brain rot" at Screenwise—that specific type of high-stimulation, low-substance content that leaves kids acting like zombies.
In 2026, most theatrical releases avoided this, but the streaming-only movies were a different story. If you’re browsing Netflix or YouTube, be wary of the "fast-cut" animated features that seem to have no plot other than loud noises and bright colors.
How to spot a "Brain Rot" movie:
- The 10-Second Rule: If the camera angle changes more than 10 times in 60 seconds, it’s designed to hijack your kid's dopamine, not tell a story.
- No Character Growth: If the characters start the movie as jerks and end the movie as jerks who just happen to have won a race/battle, skip it.
- The "Ohio" Factor: If the movie is trying too hard to use Gen Alpha slang (skibidi, rizz, etc.) to seem "cool," it’s usually a sign that the writing is lazy.
Movies are one of the easiest ways to check in on your kid's digital and emotional health. Instead of asking "Did you like it?" (which usually gets a "Yeah" or "It was mid"), try these:
- For Zootopia 2: "Why do you think the other animals were afraid of the reptiles? Does that ever happen at school with new kids?"
- For A Minecraft Movie: "If you could build one thing from that movie in your own world, what would it be? Do you think the movie got the 'vibe' of the game right?"
- For Elio: "If you were the ambassador for Earth, what’s the one thing about humans you’d want to tell the aliens?"
Learn more about using media to build emotional intelligence
2025 was a year of comfort food in the cinema. We saw the return of beloved characters and the expansion of worlds our kids already spend time in via Roblox or Minecraft.
While it’s easy to be cynical about the "sequel-itis" in Hollywood, these movies provide a shared language for our kids. When they all see Dog Man, they have something to bond over at recess that isn't just a viral TikTok dance.
Next Steps:
- Check the Ratings: Before you head to the theater, check the Screenwise media page for a deep dive on specific triggers or concerns.
- Balance the Diet: If you saw a "loud" movie like The Bad Guys 2 last weekend, try something quieter like The Wild Robot (which is likely streaming by now!) this weekend.
- Audit the Apps: If your kid is obsessed with a movie, they'll likely want the tie-in game. Check our guide on in-app purchases before you hand over the iPad.
For more info on the 2025 slate, you can check out the full roadmap over at marcustheatres.com.