Philly's 2025 Film Scene: Crime, Comebacks, and Colman Domingo

In 2025, Philadelphia's film scene was a mix of crime dramas, theater comebacks, and a local actor taking the world by storm. Crime shows like "Task" on HBO Max and "The Dope Thief" on Apple TV stole the spotlight, making it a big year for Philly-based crime dramas. Meanwhile, theaters like the AMC Fashion District stuck around, and the Riverview theater on Columbus Boulevard got a new lease on life, set to reopen in 2026. Rocky fans had a lot to look forward to, with "I Play Rocky, " a movie about the making of the original 1976 film, shooting in the city. The Philadelphia Film Society also had a busy year, opening a new mural and welcoming a record number of attendees to their festival. Colman Domingo, a Temple alum and West Philly native, was everywhere in 2025. He starred in four movies, appeared in TV shows like "The Four Seasons" and "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, " and even guest-judged on "RuPaul's Drag Race. " He's set to appear in two more films in 2026 and is working on his directorial debut, "Scandalous! "Local actors and filmmakers also shined bright. David Corenswet, a Penn alum, debuted as Superman, while Da'Vine Joy Randolph, another Temple alum, appeared in three movies and continued her role in "Only Murders in the Building. " Dan Trachtenberg, from Willow Grove, directed two films in the Predator franchise, and Quinta Brunson, from West Philadelphia, starred in "Abbott Elementary" and voiced a character in "Zootopia 2. " Independent films also had a strong year, with "Delco: The Movie" premiering in January and "Alice-Heart, " featuring a cast and crew full of Drexel and Temple alumni, winning the Filmadelphia Best Local Feature Film Award. Sports documentaries about Philadelphia athletes, like Kobe Bryant and Saquon Barkley, also aired throughout the year. The year ended with a tribute to David Lynch, who lived in Philadelphia as a young art student and was inspired by the city in his work. His death in January was commemorated with murals and showings of his movies at area theaters.