🧠 What’s Going on in Hollywood — And What It Means

It’s a strange time in Hollywood. The box office is swinging like it's 2015 again, streamers are quietly cleaning house, and AI has tiptoed into more rooms than most executives are willing to admit. Between big franchise sequels (Jurassic World: Rebirth, Smile 2, Superman), undercurrents of industry fatigue, and some genuine emotional goodbyes, the TV and movie world in 2025 feels like it’s trying to figure out what it wants to be next.

So let’s unpack it — not just the headlines, but the emotional current underneath them. Whether you’re a casual Netflix browser or a movie obsessive with Letterboxd Premium, this one's for you.

🦖 The Blockbuster Boom (With a Few Complications)

Jurassic World: Rebirth and the Age of Echoes

Franchises are still king, and none louder this month than Jurassic World: Rebirth, which stomped into theaters with a staggering global opening of $318.3 million. Scarlett Johansson, stepping into an unexpected lead role, has now passed RDJ and Samuel L. Jackson as the highest-grossing lead actor of all time — which is honestly kind of poetic in this IP-driven age .musicmundial.com

👉 Read my review: Jurassic World: Rebirth – Nostalgia vs. Modern Missteps

But for all the spectacle, it begs the question: are we excited about new stories, or just seeing how far old ones can stretch?

Superman, F1, and Other Speeding Trains

James Gunn’s Superman reboot (launching a new DC Universe) is projected to open between $154 million and $175 million — potentially making it the year’s biggest debut . Meanwhile, F1: The Movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, is off to a rocket start internationally, becoming Apple Studios’ highest-grossing film ever with massive global returns in just ten days .theweek.in

But no matter how much money they make… will they leave the same kind of mark as a Dark Knight, a Titanic, or a Parasite? That’s where the real challenge lies.

😱 Sequels, Sci-Fi, and a Spaceballs Surprise

Theaters aren’t slowing down when it comes to sequels and genre revivals:

• Smile 2 hits theaters on October 18, 2024 — just in time to haunt your Halloween plans .

• Spaceballs 2 is in the works, with Mel Brooks returning (yes, at 98!) and Josh Gad starring. It could be a glorious return or a cursed nostalgia trap. Either way: we’ll watch .

• Will Smith is headlining Resistor, a high-concept sci-fi thriller based on Daniel Suarez’s novel Influx. After I Am Legend and Enemy of the State, Will in tech-paranoia mode is always a good bet .

• The Hunger Games is coming back in 2026 with Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel focusing on a young Haymitch. If we’re rebooting everything, this is one prequel I’m actually curious about .economictimes.indiatimes.compeople.com

📺 TV Is Getting... Quieter (But Not Boring)

While movies are busy yelling, TV feels like it’s whispering — but not without impact.

• Netflix’s The Sandman is wrapping after Season 2. Its quiet cult following will mourn it, even if its general visibility never matched its source material’s prestige .

• The Monster of Florence, a Netflix true-crime drama premiering on October 22, 2025, could be the next Mindhunter. At the very least, it’s something not made by Ryan Murphy .

• Ironheart wrapped its first season with Mephisto-sized implications for the MCU, but Disney hasn’t greenlit a second season yet. Riri deserves better .

• Love Island USA made headlines for the wrong reasons, removing a contestant for racist posts. Between controversy fatigue and predictable pairings, the show’s formula may finally be wearing thin .indiatimes.comthe-sun.com

👉 Squid Game Season Reflection: Morality & Reality Parallels

🧑‍🎤 The People Behind the Screens

One of the most important threads in 2025 is still the aftermath of the writers’ strike. WGA and SAG-AFTRA fought (and won) better compensation and protections — but the rise of AI hasn’t stopped. Some writers now find themselves collaborating with AI “assistants,” and voice actors are beginning to fear digital replicas as the next wave of job loss.

Actors like Michael Douglas are stepping away from the industry entirely. Others, like Jason Isaacs, are stepping up — challenging bigotry and pushing for broader representation in casting. Meanwhile, we’ve lost legends like Mark Snow, Julian McMahon, and Michael Madsen. The industry is evolving, but we’re also feeling its generational loss more than ever.

🌌 And Still… No New Star Wars Film?

Let’s be real: it hurts that there’s no Star Wars movie on the near horizon. Not even a hint of an opening crawl. But, hey…

Rebellions were built on hope.

So here’s hoping the galaxy far, far away hasn’t faded completely into the twin suns.

📚 Related Posts on Griffin Now Blog

• Jurassic World: Rebirth Review – Nostalgia vs. Modern Missteps

• Squid Game Season Reflection: Morality & Reality Parallels