It’s never too early to start thinking about what 2025 will mean for Hollywood. In some cases, the writing is already on the wall, the deal has been signed (but not yet closed), and signs point toward a predictable outcome. perhaps. There are many surprises. Just think of the twists and turns that 2024 has brought to the news cycle. A major production slowdown, tensions at nearly every major studio, and box office slump. Not to mention the weirdest, wildest, most mysterious moments of the year. But below, The Hollywood Reporter makes some educated guesses, reads between the lines, and makes some predictions about what’s in store for the entertainment industry over the next year or so.
Reached the Peak Taylor Sheridan
Last year, Peak TV finally reached its peak, dropping the number of scripted shows across broadcast, cable, and streaming to 516. About half of them were produced by Taylor Sheridan. At least, it certainly felt that way. In 2025, we also predict Taylorverse production will reach its peak. The hyper-prolific chronicler of heartland heroes currently has five shows in production, with more in production and a movie or two in the pipeline. Plus, he has to run a huge ranch in Texas, and the guy has to split his time between all the strip poker and pool parties with supermodels (see Sheridan’s appearance on screen). Ego Travis Wheatley in Yellowstone these days). Sheridan may not have paid off the ranch yet, but he’s certainly getting closer to paying it off. — James Hibbard
Sundance to withdraw from Park City
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Even if the fest returns to Utah in 2027 (Boulder and Cincinnati are also reportedly still in contention), Park City will take a back seat compared to Salt Lake, which has a more hospitable atmosphere. Dew. Park City locals aren’t all that attracted to the star power (and business) that Sundance brings, having been held at the same location for 40 years, let alone the indie filmmakers the festival caters to. Even festival veterans are being priced out. — Mia Galuppo
The next James Bond…
007’s next film, Bond 26, has been a source of endless speculation. Which lucky actor will play the secret agent next, especially after Daniel Craig was hung up for good in his tuxedo in 2021’s No Time to Die? A loose consensus has formed around Kraven the Hunter star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. However, Barbara Broccoli, the producer of the Bond series, has always taken the initiative based on her instincts, without bowing to public opinion. Lest we forget, when blonde Craig was first introduced in 2005, blonde Craig was considered a very controversial figure. So 2025 will be the year the new James Bond is finally revealed, but it won’t be Taylor-Johnson. He will be a British actor at the pinnacle of superstardom, with a captivating smile, an easy one-liner, and plenty of charisma that audiences are familiar with but unfamiliar with. Josh O’Connor will be the next James Bond. – Seth Abramovich
Supreme Court takes up Art v. AI case
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At the intersection of technology and entertainment, Hollywood’s attention has focused on courts to answer one question that will reverberate across both industries: Is it legal to train AI systems on copyrighted material? I am. There are no easy answers to this novel question that pushes the boundaries of fair use and intellectual property law, at least according to the courts. And at least one judge overseeing the music publisher’s lawsuit against Amazon’s Anthropic has suggested her decision may not go the creator’s way. Ultimately, the Supreme Court will likely consider lawsuits from artists, writers, and newspaper publishers. — Winston Cho
Filmmakers promote theater construction over money
Director Jon Watts has said that his 2024 Wolfs sequel was canceled after the tech giant changed its theatrical release plans at the last minute, saying, “I can no longer trust them as a creative partner.” spoke. Filmmakers, at least those who choose their own studios, will increasingly work with partners who deliver on their theatrical commitments. Emerald Fennell and Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights film has landed at Warner Bros. rather than Netflix after the former delivered a solid release. Other companies are expected to pursue similar deals. — Mia Galuppo
Next up is a rollup of great TV channels
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NBCUniversal’s spinoff company, Spinco (also home to E!, MSNBC, CNBC, and Oxygen), will own its cable operations and AMC Networks, Paramount Cable Channel, and A&E Networks (now Disney and Hearst) in a deal. may be ripe. Sources said they expect the deal to move quickly because Spinco is a buyer rather than a seller, at least for now, and cord-cutting remains rampant. And on Dec. 12, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a corporate shakeup that could be a step toward making the TV channels independent from the studio business. — Alex Weprin
Cable News signs podcast deal
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It’s hard to ignore the influence of podcasters in the 2024 election. But the silver lining for cable news channels like Fox News and CNN is that younger consumers appear to be consuming content similar to, or at least adjacent to, their own programming. Expect outlets like Fox News to pursue deals with the hottest podcasters of the moment (see UFC CEO Dana White’s speech at Mar-a-Lago for a list), and CNN and MSNBC wants to know what other up-and-coming podcasters are out there. I might be willing to sign a contract. In some ways, this could be a throwback to the early days of cable news, when video versions of radio simulcasts were common. — Alex Weprin
Reality TV is coming back
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Reality TV, which suffered a significant slowdown in development and production during and after the 2023 strike, will see a resurgence of sorts next year as companies rely on quick and cheap standby content. With budgets remaining meager and job opportunities not returning to their pre-strike glory days, management will likely still rely on playing it safe, but with the incoming Trump administration becoming polarized, viewers would want a comfortable watch. Who better to be an inauguration chaser than The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Selling Sunset? — Katie Kilkenny
NBA adds a touch of entertainment
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When the NBA’s blockbuster new television deal kicks in next fall, the television landscape will be fundamentally reshaped. Hundreds of hours of television airtime on NBC and ABC, currently dominated by entertainment programming, will be shifted to NBA games and ancillary programming like “Inside the NBA.” As a result, the broadcast entertainment portfolio will be more cautious, perhaps less volatile, but also safer. And while ideas that could connect with NBA viewers may be moved to the forefront, riskier bets will have to fight for what’s available in a streaming landscape that is also being curtailed. It won’t. – Alex Weprin
Shoppable content (finally) goes mainstream
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Around the turn of the millennium, the pioneers of interactive television predicted that Americans would soon be watching Friends and buying Jennifer Aniston’s sweaters and other merchandise on screen with a remote control. It didn’t work out that way. However, the streaming era, increasing advertising tiers, and the use of mobile second screens have given shoppable TV new opportunities via mobile phones. NBCUniversal, Disney, and Amazon are among the companies experimenting in this space. Expect some action next year, as Disney announced a beta program with Unilever for the first streaming shoppable ad format. Want to buy a stream? — Georg Zaray
‘Family Guy’ gets new home
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All three of Fox’s traditional animated comedies (The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy) are wrapping up their two-season pickups this spring. While the first two are airing normally this fall, Family Guy is not airing and is not scheduled to air until the first quarter of 2025. After the show was moved from Sunday nights for part of last season, it seemed like a breakup might be imminent — Hulu is the logical landing spot for Family Guy, and its library has always been in the US. One of the most streamed shows – Rick Porter
Box office revenue exceeds $9 billion again
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While this is still about $2 billion below pre-pandemic levels, it is a significant improvement from the quiet year of 2024. Revenue is expected to be more than $8.5 billion this year, down from $9 billion in 2023. This is due to continued supply shortages. The percentage of products caused by strikes and post-production traffic jams left over from the pandemic. The 2025 calendar includes Jurassic World, Mission: Impossible, Wicked, and Avatar in the summer and winter, followed by The Wolfman in January and Captain America: Even more dazzling works are planned, including “A Brave New World” and “Snow White” to be released in March. Just to name a few. And analysts are already predicting sales of more than $10 billion in 2026. — Pamela McClintock
Vanity Media Billionaire Hits the Door
In 2018, biotech mogul Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong picked up the Los Angeles Times from Tronc, the local newspaper company that unfortunately bears his name, while Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took Time magazine from Meredith. It was a moment of optimism for the billionaire tech billionaire owner of Vanity Media. Those days may already be behind us. Benioff, who wrote an article for Time magazine in November touting the revolutionary potential of AI agents to change society, has reportedly held early discussions with suitors about selling the magazine. Meanwhile, although Soon-Shiong has not made it clear that he wants to sell, he has made changes to some of his editorial staff, including ousting respected news director Kevin Merida and introducing a “bias meter” that adds to articles. The conflict seems to be increasing. . It’s entirely possible that he was done with the headache of publishing a newspaper. — Eric Hayden
Trump Justice Department to withdraw live coverage of national division
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Live Nation executives say the Trump administration’s Justice Department will reduce its interventionist approach following a May 2024 lawsuit filed against live entertainment giant Live Nation for antitrust violations. He said he was “hopeful” that there would be a change in direction. Splitting up Live Nation and Ticketmaster was one of the solutions proposed in the Biden-era lawsuits. While there is bipartisan criticism of Live Nation’s practices, there is also a sense that the Justice Department may become more consolidated and less enforced on monopoly allegations. That could be very good news for ticket sales giants. — Caitlin Houston
This article first appeared in the December 13 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe to receive the magazine.
