7 Black Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Movies You Don’t Want to Miss in 2025
The 2025 movie season is here, and it’s bringing a wave of Black excellence to the big screen! This year, we’re seeing an incredible lineup of films that are Black-led, feature predominantly Black casts, or are directed by Black creators. As a blerd, this lineup is a dream come true, spanning sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. So, without further ado, here are 7 Black sci-fi, fantasy, and horror movies you absolutely can’t miss this year!
Both Eyes Open: A Must-See Horror Movie
When I say , MELANIN, this is what I mean! This director definitely took a page from Ryan Coogler on casting—that’s for sure. Both Eyes Open is a horror movie coming from Ariel Julia Hairston. This will be her third movie as a director, and the premise seems intense. The main character, Ally, has escaped an abusive relationship but starts having horrific hallucinations of her ex. It’s definitely giving Invisible Man from 2020. I love the vibe. Starting off the year with a movie from Taye Diggs and Gail Bean sounds like one for the books. And it’s the first of our movies to hit theaters, coming out January 17th. Check it out because it sounds like one you don’t want to miss.
Captain America: Brave New World – A Highlight of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy
You already KNOW I had to include this one. This deserves all the hype. Coming off the comic book–accurate passing of the torch from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson, Captain America: Brave New World will toss Sam right into the biggest dangers coming from some of Captain America’s greatest enemies in the comics. Falcon and the Winter Soldier spent a lot of time having Sam prove to himself that he was worthy of the shield that Steve had passed to him. He denied it for most of the show. However, being a good man—as Steve always knew he was—he finally came to terms with the fact that THIS is what he is meant to do. He now only needs to prove to the world that Steve’s decision was right. I can already smell the twists and turns. It’s going to be good. If you see NOTHING ELSE, you MUST see this. You do not want to miss this movie. And of course, it drops right in the middle of Black History Month on February 14th.
Opus: A Stunning Entry in Black Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Movies
Pulling up into March, we have a film called Opus. This is Black-directed by Mark Anthony Green and Black-led by Ayo Edebiri. Double slay. It’s about a young writer who goes to the remote home of a legendary pop star who disappeared 30 years prior. It sounds like they’re taking a little inspiration from Blink Twice, which I’m not mad at. The cast seems amazing, and Ayo Edebiri is truly a treasure! This is also Mark’s directorial debut, so we definitely have to show some love for this movie. I wouldn’t want to miss this. It’s hitting theaters March 14th, so make sure you’re in there!
Ash: Black Horror Movies at Their Best
Shudder hasn’t failed me yet! Okay, so this movie is Black-directed by Flying Lotus. Flying Lotus was an executive producer for Yasuke while also working on To Pimp a Butterfly with Kendrick Lamar. He wrote and directed the Ozzy’s Dungeon segment of V/H/S/99, so if you’ve seen any of those or listened to the album, you’re familiar with both sides of his work. But this being a feature sci-fi thriller is what drew me to it. A young woman wakes up in a spaceship and finds that her entire crew has been killed, and she has to determine if she can trust the man who has come to rescue her. It’s already SUSPICIOUS! I get a sense of Pandorum (2009) but BETTER! Coming to Shudder on March 21st, I wouldn’t want to miss this. Those independent films tend to have no limits and do what they truly want with the story, which makes it more raw. I’m ready for this, and you should be too!
The Woman in the Yard: A Unique Take in Black Horror Movies
Have you ever been unnerved by people just standing around anywhere? You know how creepy stalkers stand across the street and stare at you, then disappear when a bus passes by? And then you just see people randomly, and they just stand and stare. That’s essentially what this is. It’s about a mysterious woman who just appears on this family’s lawn, issues a weird creepy warning, and just STANDS THERE! MENACINGLY! I don’t know about anyone else, but I already don’t like people just being at my house anyway. But now you’re just standing in my yard and not leaving? Oh no. The way this already has me unnerved is CRAZY! This movie stars Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili, and Russell Hornsby, which is already a great cast. You may remember Danielle from The Harder They Fall; she played Cuffee. Okwui was in Agatha All Along as Vertigo from the Salem Seven, and Russell is very well-known, but related to something like this, I’d pin him from Grimm for most people. My guess is Okwui is going to be our mystery woman since she has some experience there. This one seems very exciting, and the producer Stephanie Allain has produced some gems, like Biker Boyz and Hustle & Flow. This is one you don’t want to miss, and it hits theaters March 28th!
Sinners: An Unforgettable Tale in Black Fantasy, and Horror Movies
Oh yeah. This is the one. I’ve been waiting to get to this one on the list. We all know Ryan Coogler can do no wrong. And when he and Michael B. Jordan team up, it’s going to be not good, not great but absolutely PHENOMENAL. Sinners, which I’m putting in the fantasy/horror category, is about two twin brothers (Jordan) in the Jim Crow South. And they are dealing with much more than racism—they are dealing with vampires! The thing is, I really and truly believe that the brother who seems to be the most aggressive is the leader of these vampires! If you haven’t seen the trailer, give it a look. One brother leaves, and the other one is left with a group of people at what looks to be one of those off-road jazz clubs, and they end up getting surrounded and attacked by vampires. Now only one brother is present there at the time, which leaves a lot of questions to be asked! This is going to be one for the books—I just know. The sheer mystery behind what is going on and the fact that in the trailer you’re not seeing too much of anything makes this worth it all. It hits theaters April 18th, so DO NOT miss this one. It is definitely going to be hell.
Him: A Fresh Perspective in Black Horror Movies
Well hello PRODUCER Jordan Peele! I knew it wasn’t going to be long before we saw him again, and he has attached his name to this new movie. Coming from the director of Kicks and a couple episodes of The Chi, Justin Tipping is bringing us a SPORTS horror movie. Now listen, we haven’t seen too many good ones where they have mixed sports and horror. And it almost is always with just cheerleaders, so I’m extremely interested in seeing where this takes us. It stars Marlon Wayans, so there’s bound to be some funny moments, as well as Tyriq Withers and Tierra Whack. The cast is definitely unusual, but it seems like it’s going to be right up the alley of things Jordan Peele usually either does on his own or adds his name to. It is coming around the spooky season, hitting theaters September 19th. So it is definitely something to look forward to.
Conclusion
From psychological horror to space thrillers and superhero action, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Black-led movies. These 7 Black sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films highlight the creativity, passion, and talent of Black directors, writers, and actors. As blerds, it’s our job to support and celebrate these stories. Mark your calendars, grab your tickets, and let’s make 2025 a year to remember!
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