Superheroes, sci-fi, it was an exciting year for some of our favorite fandoms, filled with awesome shows and movies. Let's take a look at some of this year's popular releases and the significance they had for fans.
Andor Season 2 Kept Star Wars Momentum Going
The Star Wars fandom has been in an odd place the past few years. After a new sequel trilogy fell flat for many fans, Disney has been keeping the Star Wars name alive with countless series on Disney+. One of which has been Andor, a spinoff of Disney's standalone Star Wars movie, Rogue One. Season 2 was the only tentpole Star Wars title released this year, so there were a lot of expectations to keep Star Wars fans interested. Considering the series had one of the most expensive television budgets ever, it's clear Disney had a lot riding on its success.
In season 2, we picked up on Cassian Andor's mission to establish the Rebel Alliance, as seen in the original Star Wars trilogy, all while remaining under cover from the Empire. What makes the series unique is its departure from the grand, adventurous formula of typical Star Wars movies. Instead, it relies heavily on dialogue and espionage to tell its story. The series is a slow build but the payoff is always *chef's kiss.*
Daredevil Returned in Brand New Series Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again may be based on the popular Daredevil comic arc of the same name, but the series was quite literally...born again. After the beloved Netflix series was canceled after three seasons, fans launched a passionate campaign to get it renewed, and with a stroke of luck, it was picked up again by Disney+ under a new name.
While technically the fourth season, Daredevil: Born Again does a good job of bridging the lore from the original three seasons by bringing back much of the original cast, while setting up its own stories and a new set of characters. Fans were elated to see their favorite vigilante back on the screen.
Marvel Studios Finally Releases A Fantastic Four Movie
The Fantastic Four is often dubbed "Marvel's first family," but it took 17 years before they were introduced into the MCU. A large-scale merger with Fox had to take place before it could happen, but now, several years later, we are finally reaping the benefits. It was a long wait, but wow was it worth it!
Fantastic Four: First Steps felt like nothing the MCU has ever tackled before, diverting from the franchise's sometimes formulaic look and feel. Set in the 1960s, the movie oozes with retro-futurism and classic sci-fi tropes. You could really get a sense of the world they set out to build.
Stranger Things Comes to an End with Season 5
After almost ten years, Stranger Things is coming to an end. Tapping into '80s nostalgia and the right amount of horror, the series had a formula that made it a pop culture powerhouse. It even had its own float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as a show on Broadway, if that doesn't cement itself in pop culture history, I don't know what will. It'll be sad to say goodbye to our friends in Hawkins, but at least we have shows like
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 to keep the stories coming. As of right now, we're still in the middle of Season 5’s release schedule, and things are already starting to heat up (no spoilers here). We have a feeling the finale is going to get people TALKING.
Superman Kicked Off the Brand New DCU
Superman (2025) had fans buzzing with excitement. Superman is one of the most iconic superheroes of all time, if not THE most iconic. This particular Superman movie had some high stakes, though.
This was the first movie set to kick off the brand-new DCU, a fresh DC cinematic universe helmed by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who also served as director. Needless to say, the movie was in good hands. Already, there is a night-and-day difference between this new universe and the previous DCEU, aka the Snyderverse, due to director Zach Snyder's involvement.
Whereas the Snyderverse treated these DC characters almost as gods. Gunn's approach in Superman was much more grounded and character-driven. The movie's main theme, "Kindness is punk rock," really resonated in a world that's growing increasingly cutthroat. Setting the stage with an overtly optimistic message only makes us more excited to see what comes next in the next DC movies to follow.
Which moment of 2025 was your favorite? Let us know your Fan of View below or by sending us a message on social media @fandomdaily_.
Virgil Abloh’s Off-White is a streetwear-inspired collection that
continues to break away from the conventions of mainstream fashion. Made in
Italy, these black and brown Odsy-1000 low-top sneakers.
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