Movies Turning 20 In 2025

2025, new year, fresh start. Yet, as we are long into the second month of 2025, it has come to this writer’s attention that more of my childhood is now being classified as vintage. And I am definitely not okay with it. Come cry with me over things that are turning 20 this year. This will be the first installment of three.

Sky High

• Released: July 29th, 2005

• Teenagers get superpowers and go to their high school in the sky. This movie was its own moment, and I was anxiously waiting for my powers to kick in so I could meet Ron Wilson, the bus driver. I would categorize this movie as obscure because whenever I bring this up, no one knows what I’m talking about. Now, I’m giving it the recognition it deserves.

Batman Begins

• Released: June 15th, 2005

• This is the first movie of one of the best superhero trilogies ever released. I know I put lots of pressure on it, but when a movie has Christopher Nolan behind the wheel, it can’t flop. Also, with big actors like Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy, and, of course, Christian Bale, this movie was one of the best before the Avengers showed up. It made an estimated $372M worldwide.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

• Released: November 18, 2005

• It’s the 4th movie in the Harry Potter universe. The Dark Lord returns. RIP Cedric Diggory/Edward Cullen. Also, Baddie Hermione enters the chat and makes a stunning debut while walking down the stairs to dance with Viktor Krum. This was the highest-grossing film in 2005, earning an estimated $896M worldwide.

Madagascar

• Released: May 27, 2005

• Oh, King Julian! This animated comedy shaped my childhood and helped me solidify that I desperately want to live in New York. This movie made an estimated $542M, the lowest of the sequels that followed in later years. This franchise will always be here to stay, mainly because I hear at least one sound of Mort on TikTok daily.

star wars episode 3: revenge of the sith

• Released: May 19, 2005

• The last of the prequel trilogy stars the handsome Hayden Christensen and the elegant Ewan McGregor. This was the second movie that year to break $800M worldwide, earning an estimated $850M. Christensen received lots of hate during the prequels’ release, but ask the girlies now, and they are all for young Anakin Skywalker, even knowing that this movie was the peak of his villain era. And if anyone disagrees with this verdict, well, may the Force be with you.

robots

• Released: March 11, 2005

• If you wanna talk about obscure movies, I give you my classic film Robots. The 20th Century and Blue Sky project that I owned on DVD for many years before I scratched it so badly that it stopped working. With Ewan McGregor, Amanda Bynes, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, Stanley Tucci, and Halle Berry, I love this movie wholeheartedly. The massive pop culture references and the inspiring story about helping others in need inspired me to become a person who cares for others. Also, it had no business being that funny. I see parts of it now and I still laugh for like five minutes straight.

Are we there yet?

• Released: January 21, 2005

• If you have no clue what this movie is, then allow me to summarize it with a single sentence. Ice Cube in a kids movie. I can vividly picture several scenes from this movie- like the juice box exploding in a plastic-covered Cadillac – as this was yet another DVD I scratched out. Ice Cube is trying to impress a single mom by taking her kids on the longest road trip known to man. It’s funny; there’s a talking bobblehead, and Ice Cube teaches kids how to make a mean face.

because of winn-dixie

• Released: February 1, 2005

• Elle Fanning and her mischievous dog in a small town, otherwise known as that one book you had to read in fourth grade, and if everyone did well on the quiz, y’all watched the movie and had a pizza party. Oops. Too specific? Well, for me, that’s the biggest memory that comes to mind with this movie. Whenever I think of this movie, I also think of The Secret Life of Bees; both are amazing books and movies.

the adventures of Sharkboy and lavagirl

• Released: February 1, 2005

• BABY TAYLOR LAUTNER. Sorry. I got a little too excited there. But come on, I was a Sharkboy girlie through and through. I would say this movie is also pretty quotable, and it’s definitely memorable. Watts Up! (Sorry, I had to add the stupid pun that continues to live rent-free in my head. Let’s go on to the next movie before I add another pun.)

fantastic four

• Released: July 25, 2005

• This will always be the best Fantastic Four movie ever made. I say this even knowing the new one with Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn is being released later this summer on the same date as the original movie 20 years later. (I see what you did there, Marvel.) Chris Evans will forever be Captain America, but when I first saw him on the silver screen, he was Johnny Storm. Playboy that could turn into a supernova. Flame on! Fun fact: I actually quote this movie more than I really think about it.

Chicken little

• Released: October 30, 2005

• The sky is falling, and we are the champions! Last year alone, I saw many costumes for this movie, and I am in desperate need of more. The animation style was not quite as Disney-esque as we all know, but I still love this movie all the same.

pride and prejudice

• Released: November 11, 2005

• This movie has bewitched me, body and soul, ever since I first saw it. Kiera Knightly (Elizabeth Bennet) and Matthew MacFayden (Mr. Darcy) debuted in the most popular rendition of the Jane Austen novel. This movie is the epitome of girlhood and helped me learn how to romanticize life. Mr. Darcy is iconic and entrancing. My affection for this film will forever remain unchanged.

Now, as much as I would love to ramble on about all of the films released in 2005, I’m severely going over my word count. So instead, here are the honorable mentions of the other movies turning 20 this year.

honorable mentions

• Kronk’s New Groove

• Lilo & Stitch 2

• Mulan 2

• Tarzan 2

• Kim Possible: The Movie

• Barbie: Fairytopia

• Barbie: Magic of the Pegasus

• Ice Princess

• Twitches

• Herbie (That one Lindsay Lohan movie)

• Hitch

• Mr. & Mrs. Smith

• Million Dollar Baby

• Elektra (Jennifer Garner as a Superhero)

• The Longest Yard

• Kicking and Screaming

• Miss Congeniality 2

• Racing Stripes

• V for Vendetta

• Coach Carter

• The Legend of Zorro

• The Pacifier (Vin Diesel as a nanny)

• Memoirs of a Geisha

• Hoodwinked

• Bewitched

• Nanny McPhee

• Corpse Bride

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