As the Toronto International Film Festival hits the half-century mark, the 2025 slate is proving that North America’s largest cinematic marketplace hasn’t lost its knack for king-making. With the industry still recalibrating its theatrical expectations, this year’s lineup serves as a litmus test for both streaming giants and legacy studios looking to anchor their Q4 awards campaigns.

From Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited monster opus to the return of Benoit Blanc, here are 10 titles igniting early heat at the King Street hubs.

The Heavyweight World Premieres

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’
Rian Johnson returning to Toronto is a homecoming that carries significant box-office expectations. After Glass Onion set the Princess of Wales Theatre on fire in 2022, Benoit Blanc’s third outing arrives with a gothic, ecclesiastical makeover. Featuring a buzzy ensemble including Josh O’Connor and Cailee Spaeny, the industry is watching to see if Johnson can maintain the franchise’s “must-see” theatrical energy.

‘Frankenstein’
Guillermo del Toro has long teased his vision of Mary Shelley’s masterwork, and the world finally gets a look in Toronto. Starring Jacob Elordi as the Creature and Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, the production is rumored to be a tactile, practical-effects marvel. It’s a high-stakes bid for below-the-line dominance come March.

‘Good Fortune’
Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut has been one of the most talked-about scripts on the circuit. A high-concept comedy featuring Keanu Reeves as a literal guardian angel and Seth Rogen as a billionaire, it serves as the quintessential star-powered Gala.

The Performance Powerhouses

‘The Smashing Machine’
The noise surrounding Dwayne Johnson’s physical and dramatic metamorphosis is impossible to ignore. Directed by Benny Safdie, this biopic of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr is a gritty, unvarnished departure for the global superstar. A24 is clearly positioning this as a major acting play, hoping for a career-defining “Sandler-esque” pivot.

‘Hamnet’
Chloé Zhao is back in the Oscar conversation with an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s haunting bestseller. Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film focuses on the grief of Agnes Shakespeare. It’s exactly the kind of “emotional wallop” that has historically landed the Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award.

‘The Christophers’
Steven Soderbergh shakes up the Special Presentations slate with a razor-sharp dramatic satire set in the British art world. Starring Ian McKellen as a renowned painter facing his twilight years and Michaela Coel as his formidable assistant, the film is rumored to be as visually inventive as it is narratively ruthless. After a series of smaller digital experiments, the industry is eager to see Soderbergh back in “prestige” form.

Global Auteurs & Dark Horses

‘No Other Choice’
South Korean master Park Chan-wook is bringing his latest darkly comic thriller to North American shores. A story of a desperate man who begins eliminating his job rivals, it’s looks to be classic Park – stylized, violent, and biting.

‘Hedda’
Nia DaCosta teams up with Tessa Thompson for a mid-century noir reimagining of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. Thompson tackling a complex, self-destructive lead is, on paper, a perfect match for the festival’s “Visions” program.

‘Roofman’
Derek Cianfrance directs Channing Tatum in the bizarre true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a thief who lived inside a Toys “R” Us. Tatum has a proven track record with soulful outlaws, and this could be the festival’s most significant emotional sleeper hit.

‘John Candy: I Like Me’
Opening the Toronto International Film Festival, Colin Hanks’ documentary on the quintessential Canadian icon is a savvy bit of programming. Produced by Ryan Reynolds, the film promises an intimate look at the man behind the laughs—a perfect love letter for the 50th anniversary.