A new year means new takes. In this special After the Frame episode, we kick off 2026 by looking ahead, locking in our boldest predictions for the movies, franchises, and industry trends that will define the year.

We start in full 2026 Preview mode, running through Over/Under predictions on everything from billion-dollar movies and superhero critical scores to streaming shakeups and sequel performance. From there, we each plant a Prediction Lock we’re not allowed to walk back, debate which franchises we’re buying or fading, and call our early Oscar long shots.

We then hit our 2026 categories: the most anticipated movies of the year, box office winners and flops, underdogs, breakout actors, directors with the most at stake, potential franchise revivals (or final nails in the coffin), and the movies we’re irrationally excited, or weirdly skeptical, about. We close the preview with final bold predictions and New Year’s resolutions, including the takes we fully expect to get cooked for online.

To wrap things up, we pivot to a quick review of Primate, an early-year horror release that leans hard into absurdity and gore. Even if it’s not everyone’s lane, it sparks a conversation about niche appeal, January releases, and why committing fully to a wild premise can still make for an entertaining watch.

It’s a forward-looking episode packed with confident takes, questionable bets, and at least one movie destined to age poorly.

It’s time to close the book on 2025. In this special year-in-review episode of After the Frame, we break down the biggest movies, boldest swings, and messiest misfires the year had to offer, no safe takes allowed.

We kick things off with a cold open featuring the entertainment headlines that defined the year, then dive headfirst into a full 2025 round-up packed with games and debates: Tenable, Recast It, Fix One Thing, Blind Rankings, Trailer Lies, Aged Like Milk vs. Aged Like Wine, One Scene Saves It, and Big Swing, Missed. If it sparked an argument in 2025, it’s probably here.

From there, we hit the categories, unpopular opinions, critic darlings that didn’t work for us, movies critics trashed that we defended, shocks of the year, disappointments, franchise fatigue moments, standout directors, and the films that should’ve been series instead.

Finally, we count down our Top 10 Worst Movies of 2025 (with dishonorable mentions) before flipping the script and revealing our Top 10 Best Movies of the Year, complete with debates, surprises, and the one movie that grew on us the most.

Whether you agreed with the consensus or spent all year yelling at it, this episode is our definitive look back at the movies that defined 2025, for better or worse.

This week on After the Frame, we head back to the vibrant city of Zootopia — breaking down why Zootopia 2 works as a thoughtful, funny, and visually stunning sequel that respects the original while confidently expanding its world. From the gorgeous animation to the heartwarming story and smart restraint with nostalgia, there’s a lot Disney gets right this time around.

Along the way, we take a brief detour into Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 — a sequel that takes the opposite approach, doubling down on fan service and lore at the expense of accessibility and storytelling. It’s a quick comparison that highlights how different franchises handle sequels, audiences, and expectations.

Join us as we unpack a sequel done right, a sequel gone off the rails, and what both say about how studios choose to serve their audiences.