IMDb names most popular movies, shows and stars of 2025
IMDb says Superman ruled 2025. The internet has opinions
IMDb has crowned James Gunn’s Superman the most popular movie of 2025. Not “highest-grossing.” Not “best reviewed.” Just the title audiences apparently could not stop clicking on.
IMDb says the ranking comes from 250 million monthly users whose page views and searches feed into its popularity charts.
The full top ten skews heavily toward Warner Bros. The studio locked down the first four spots with Superman, Weapons, Sinners and One Battle After Another. It also released A Minecraft Movie, the year’s biggest domestic box-office hit, although that one didn’t make IMDb’s list. Netflix shows up twice.
Apple lands one slot. Marvel squeezes in with Thunderbolts, which IMDb’s metrics say sparked more curiosity than The Fantastic Four: First Steps, even though the latter made far more money.
There is a wrinkle. IMDb says the list reflects what people could not “stop watching, Googling and talking about.” Google disagrees.
Its own ranking of 2025’s top trending films looks completely different. Its number one title, KPop Demon Hunters, does not appear anywhere on IMDb’s chart. Families with children, especially young girls, may find that baffling.
IMDb also dropped its most-popular TV shows. The White Lotus took the top spot, followed by The Last of Us, Severance, Wednesday, Squid Game, Dexter: Resurrection, Monster, Dept. Q, Andor and Black Mirror.
And it named its most-popular star. The winner was Superman actor Isabela Merced. Runners-up included Aimee Lou Wood, Matthew Goode, Tom Cruise, Sydney Sweeney, Britt Lower, Sydney Chandler, Walton Goggins, David Corenswet and Vanessa Kirby.
Different platforms. Different definitions of popularity. Same takeaway. Everyone wants to know what the internet is watching, even if the internet can’t quite agree.
The recap
- IMDb publishes 2025 popularity rankings for films, TV series and stars.
- Superman and The White Lotus lead movie and show lists, respectively.
- Isabela Merced tops overall star rankings; Aimee Lou Wood leads breakout.
