Filmmakers Anticipate the Future, 2025

      Continuing the annual tradition we initiated last year, we solicited insights from 12 filmmakers hailing from diverse backgrounds and levels of experience, including Guillermo del Toro, Richard Linklater, Nia DaCosta, Hikari, and others, to share their visions regarding the future of cinema and life in general.

      Among their forecasts and aspirations were: a revival of independent films, an enhanced emphasis on storytelling, and greater appreciation for human experiences that cannot be replicated by AI.

      We also requested that they concentrate their predictions on events they expect to occur during their lifetimes. Here is what they shared with us.—M.M.

      CELIA ANISKOVICH

      Aniskovich is a documentary filmmaker based in New York and the founder and editor-in-chief of Switchboard Magazine, a digital outlet that crafts rich, character-focused long-form nonfiction narratives and acquires short films. These works collectively form a varied range of original content aimed at serving as intellectual property for adaptation into television and film projects.

      Film Predictions: I envision a more democratized future for filmmaking, where artists regain control over their creations and the value they generate. At Switchboard, we’ve established a 50–50 profit-share system to demonstrate that empowering creators is both feasible and crucial. I foresee filmmaking shifting from top-down studio control to collaborative, community-based teams sharing stories that resonate with them. The tone of these narratives will evolve as well. At Switchboard, we've observed that hopeful, joyous, and resilient stories significantly outperform darker tales—people crave connection and positivity.

      Life Predictions: Recent years have revealed that certainty is tenuous. However, I believe that in my lifetime, our yearning for connection through story will persist—and possibly even deepen. While technology will continue to develop and change our consumption and communication habits, the necessity to find meaning within chaos and to relate to each other through narratives will only grow stronger. I suspect life ahead will feature increased fragmentation in how we live, yet also greater interconnection through the sharing of experiences. Ideally, this can alleviate feelings of isolation and affirm that endurance, resilience, and hope are grounded in real-life stories.

      JESUS BELTRAN

      Beltran is a Stanford-educated mechanical engineer with over 20 years of experience in technology, including more than a decade at Apple, and holds over 15 design patents. Concurrently, he has cultivated a filmmaking career with shorts like “The Grass Grows Green” and “Motos,” which have screened at Sundance, SXSW, Indy Shorts, and Cinequest. He is currently working on his debut feature, There’s No Place, a character-driven road trip film exploring family, ambition, and identity, set in Silicon Valley.

      Film Predictions: AI will not be halted, but viewers will demand transparency regarding its use in films, leading to the development of a classification system for AI application in cinema. At one end will be completely AI-generated films (agentic content) tailored to a viewer’s prior preferences, while the other end will consist of what we recognize as auteur cinema. In between will lie hybrid content where human filmmakers incorporate AI into traditional roles. This will result in an increase of films, potentially a rise in mediocrity, and greater storytelling diversity, alongside a heightened appreciation for films devoid of AI. Truly human-driven cinema will become scarce, with the creators of such films gaining notable reverence.

      Life Predictions: Three significant global challenges are intertwining to create both chaos and opportunities: the climate crisis, the ascent of artificial intelligence, and a shift towards authoritarianism. The monopolization of energy and data is currently controlled by an elite few under corporate guises. The ensuing overreach will be confronted by independent journalists, artists, engineers, scientists, and hackers employing decentralized strategies for the production and distribution of essential goods, information, and stories. It promises to be intriguing. My recommendations: read more, support and engage in constructive debate, and cultivate relationships with your neighbors.

      NIA DACOSTA

      DaCosta is the writer-director of films including Little Woods, Candyman, The Marvels, and the upcoming Hedda. Her latest project, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is set for release in January. Her body of work also includes the short “The Black Girl Dies Last,” and TV episodes for Top Boy.

      Film Predictions: I envision a return to mid-budget dramas in cinemas someday. I hope that movie stars will make a comeback. Robert Redford, whom I met through my involvement with the Sundance Institute, was an extraordinary individual and an iconic movie star. That uniqueness is valuable.

      Life Predictions: I genuinely believe that James Cameron will produce two additional Avatar films. Ultimately, I think we will navigate through these challenging times. While the moral trajectory of the universe may seem chaotic, history has shown that we can emerge from dire challenges, and I believe we will again.

      GUILLERMO DEL TORO

      Del Toro, whose most significant prediction is featured in our new cover story, is the director