7 highly anticipated movies featured at TIFF 2025

Staying true to the previous instalments of the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF 2025 boasts a jam-packed schedule that features imaginative stories and bingeworthy cinema. Underway till September 14, 2025, TIFF 2025 has witnessed the coming together of established and up-and-coming voices in the filmmaking industry to showcase their passion projects and garner attention from movie goers.

The exciting schedule of TIFF 2025 is a treat for movie enthusiasts because it caters to different genres and preferences. It is like a goodie bag of selected titles and there is something for everyone. Even though it would be impossible to catch every screening, TIFF 2025 attendees will surely find enough noteworthy titles that are worth watching.

In this list, we take a look at some of the most anticipated movies featured at TIFF 2025 that have generated the most amount of buzz among movie enthusiasts and critics.

Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources.

Hedda, Rental Family and five other buzzworthy new movies featured at TIFF 2025

1) Blue Moon

The story of Blue Moon is set in 1943 (Image via Official Facebook Page)

Before TIFF 2025, Richard Linklater's biographical comedy drama premiered at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, held earlier this year. Ethan Hawke dons the role of Lorenz Hart, a skilled songwriter with addiction and mental health issues. Hart is forced to reflect on himself during the premiere of Oklahoma!, a new musical by Andrew Scott's Richard Rodgers, his former colleague.

At TIFF 2025, Blue Moon screenings were heavily attended because festival attendees wanted to catch a glimpse of Linklater's visual flair. The cast has received much praise for their acting. In fact, Scott even won the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance. Many viewers have also commented on the engaging banter between Hart and Rodgers.

When to watch: Blue Moon is slated for theatrical release on October 24, 2025.

2) Good Fortune

Ansari's original directorial debut was supposed to be Being Mortal (Image via Official Facebook Page)

This comedy premiered at TIFF 2025 on September 7, 2025. Aziz Ansari's feature directorial debut stars Keanu Reeves as an angel named Gabriel. He is looking for someone who is truly down and out. He then finds Ansari's Arj, a struggling film editor who is fired by his boss, Jeff, portrayed by Seth Rogen.

In order to teach Arj that money isn't the solution to everything, he switches his life with Jeff's. But ironically, things don't really work out the way Gabriel had pictured in his mind. He then has to struggle to make things right.

Ansari and Rogen are known for their comedic timing and so it will be interesting to see how they pair together in this interesting movie that has a comic pulse and yet seeks to throw light on actual issues faced by society today.

When to watch: Good Fortune is scheduled to release in theatres on October 17, 2025.

3) Hedda

It is based on a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (Image via Amazon MGM Studios)

Adapted from a famous play, this movie by Nia DaCosta ranks high on the must-watch list of all TIFF 2025 attendees. This is DaCosta's second collaboration with Tessa Thompson, the first being the crime drama Little Woods, which was released back in 2018.

In the new movie, Thompson plays Hedda Gabler, a complex woman who has grown to despise the monotony of married life. She throws a party and entertains herself by playing mind games with her guests. It also stars Tom Bateman, Imogen Poots, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss, among others.

Hedda explores power, desire, womanhood and more. From the trailer, it looks like the team has spared no expense in terms of production quality and detailed costumes. If the screenplay is equally impressive, it will certainly impress movie goers. At TIFF 2025, the last screening of Hedda is slated for September 12, 2025.

When to watch: Hedda will have a limited theatrical release on October 22, 2025. On October 29, it will become available on Amazon Prime Video

4) No Other Choice

Black comedy fans should add this to their 2025 watchlist (Image via Lee Byung-hun Instagram)

Featured heavily on the TIFF 2025 schedule, this movie by Park Chan-wook has five screenings in total. Based on Donald Westlake's novel called The Ax, it stars many known faces from South Korea, including Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Cha Seung-won, and more.

Byung-hun plays You Man-soo, a paper industry expert who has his life sorted out. But things take an unfortunate turn when he is fired by his longtime employer. Man-soo is unable to find a job despite his qualifications. He then plans to take out the competition in order to get the job he wants.

At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, Park Chan-wook's movie received a standing ovation and so it is understandable that festival goers want to see for themselves what the hype is all about. At TIFF 2025, the movie's final screening is scheduled for September 11, 2025.

When to watch: No Other Choice will release in South Korea on September 24, 2025. In the United States, the movie will enjoy a limited release on December 25, 2025.

5) Rental Family

This movie, featured at TIFF 2025, promises to deliver a heartwarming narrative (Image via Searchlight Pictures)

Rental Family by Hikari had its world premiere at TIFF 2025. The comedy drama is a co-production between the United States and Japan. It stars Brendan Fraser, Mari Yamamoto, Takehiro Hira, and many others.

Fraser plays Phillip Vandarploeug, an American actor who ends up working for a Japanese agency. He has an unconventional job playing stand-in roles in other people's lives. Even though his clients are practically strangers at first, Phillip cannot help but feel emotionally connected to them after spending time with them.

Fraser's Best Actor Oscar in 2023 was well-deserved and movie lovers are certain that the talented actor will find ways to make this character his own. At TIFF 2025, the movie will be screened on September 11, 12 and 13.

When to watch: Rental Family will be released in theatres on November 21, 2025.

6) The Christophers

The Christophers has attracted attention because of its impressive cast (Image via Ian McKellen Instagram/ Michaela Coel Instagram)

The Christophers, by Steven Soderbergh, has created much buzz among TIFF 2025 attendees because of its intriguing premise. In the movie, Michaela Coel's Lori Butler does freelance art restoration work. She receives an offer from two estranged heirs who want her to complete some long-abandoned painting done by a well-known artist, Ian McKellen's Julian Sklar, for a handsome reward.

Movie lovers at TIFF 2025 can catch the movie on September 12 and 13. Soderbergh has a distinctive filmmaking style, and that will surely come through in The Christophers. Even though the cast of the movie is not big in size, it boasts experienced names who have made it clear in the past that they are more than capable of bringing depth to their characters.

When to watch: The theatrical release date of The Christophers has not been announced yet.

7) The Lost Bus

This title will appeal to movie lovers who are fond of stories based on real events (Image via Apple TV+)

As one of the deadliest wildfires in California history, the 2018 Camp Fire made headlines back in the day. Paul Greengrass' The Lost Bus, featured at TIFF 2025, revisits this horrific disaster.

Kevin McKay (Matthew McConaughey) is an ordinary bus driver who was supposed to be living out his usual routine of transporting a bus full of children. But things change drastically when the fire breaks out. Time is running out, and he has to find a way out of the fire before any of the children are harmed.

At TIFF 2025, attendees can watch The Lost Bus on September 12 and 13. In the past, McConaughey has done well in fast-paced narratives, and so, viewers are hopeful that he will be able to do justice to the role.

When to watch: The Lost Bus will be released theatrically on September 19, 2025. It will be available on Apple TV+ from October 3, 2025 onwards.

Among all the movies screened at TIFF 2025, these particular titles created the most buzz because of their promising premise and talented cast.

About the author

Meeta is a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda who specializes in listicles. After graduating with English Honors, she began her professional journey in content with Engyne Systems and later joined Digicaptions as an English Editor. Meeta’s next career milestone was joining Eclectic Northeast, where she climbed the ranks from a Feature Writer to Assistant Editor. Her decade-long industry experience and personal interest in all things popular culture eventually helped her identify her expertise and led her to her current role at Sportskeeda.

For Meeta, her myriad industry roles have trained her in carrying out intensive research, content planning and editing. She believes her skills shine brightest when ideating entertainment and pop culture pieces that pique readers’ interests. To deliver on this, she relies on extensive research and acquires ample information on a topic before developing a story on it.

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Meeta’s favorite artist is Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, who is a master storyteller in her eyes for his ability to invite viewers to read between the lines. When not brainstorming a new piece, Meeta can be found traveling or preparing for her next trip. Meeta is deeply invested in board games as well, and has even started a board game club with her friends.

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Edited by Meeta Borah