This tradition is becoming somewhat of an annual practice.

It’s time to remind everyone just how old you really are, at least one way or the other. In order to do that, let’s review 10 movies that will turn 20 in 2025.

Each of these movies released in 2005 and, in my opinion, left an impact on pop culture in a significant way. They could also just be a fun run down memory lane.

So buckle up, take your pain meds, and let’s take a quick zoom down Nostalgia Road.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

The Star Wars Prequels have had an interesting history as these once-hated movies have found a resurgence in recent years. That said, Revenge of the Sith has always had the better reputation ahead of its predecessors as it wrapped up the Prequel Trilogy and moved seamlessly into the original films. 

What makes it such an interesting watch is Anakin Skywalker’s heel turn becomes obvious and the emotion that follows makes this film stand out. Plus, it includes one of the most iconic lightsaber fights in the franchise as Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi duke it out over a river of lava. 

Star Wars continued past this movie with the likes of Clone Wars but it largely marked the end of an era for the franchise.

Batman Begins

Superhero movies were gaining steam in 2005 as there were quite a few adaptations that ranged in tone and subject matter. By the mid-2000s, fans were seeking a darker tone and Batman Begins provided that.

It started off an iconic trilogy from director Christopher Nolan and introduced fans to Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader. What always stood out to me was the more grounded in reality approach. Batman was a superhero but it felt less comical and more realistic.

That would continue into 2008’s The Dark Knight but Batman Begins served as the perfect starting point for this approach. I do believe it is often overlooked for the other two films but, in my opinion, it is the second-best in the trilogy.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In a lot of ways, Goblet of Fire marked change in the Harry Potter franchise. While this film felt like it didn’t know what tone it wanted to be, it did end in a much darker place, a shift that would be felt in future films.

Many remember this film for how so many of the characters had long hair, jokingly referring to it as Harry Potter and the One Where Everyone Needed a Haircut. While the jokes are funny, it did seem to fit the almost comical tone that permeated throughout most of the movie.

The series went darker under director David Yates but Mike Newell’s direction in the fourth movie did help set that stage. Still, many consider this one of the weaker films and highlighted the challenge the movies faced in trying to condense the stories of the longer books for film goers.

V for Vendetta

As previously mentioned, 2005 was a solid year for comic books but not in the way the Marvel Cinematic Universe would later do. V for Vendetta was an adaptation of a Alan Moore’s graphic novel of the same that DC Comics originally published. It later fell under DC’s more adult-oriented imprint Vertigo in the U.S.

DC’s parent company Warner Bros. eventually adapted the film but it did so without Moore’s endorsement. The film stood out during a time when U.S. President George W. Bush was becoming increasingly unpopular. 

This was one of the complaints Moore had with the film, saying creators were too timid to craft their own political satire about their own country. Still, the film connected with audiences, leaving an impact on pop culture with the iconic Guy Fawkes mask as a political statement.

Sin City

Unlike V for Vendetta, Sin City had a lot of involvement from its creator. Frank Miller, wrote and drew the Dark Horse Comics series, worked as co-director of the film alongside Robert Rodriguez.

Sin City is unique because it’s an anthology film with six smaller parts. Each of these stories drew inspiration from various sections of Miller’s comics. The film also used a monochromatic art style of the comics with certain items being in color.

This film was artistic and it really stood out as a comic adaptation, showing there was more than superheroes in those pages. Furthermore, it’s neo-noir tone helped fit the theme of darker and grittier comic book movies, leading many to forget that it even was based on a graphic novel. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

For many of a certain age, Gene Wilder and Peter Ostrum were who came to mind when thinking about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Wilder starred as Wonka and Ostrum portrayed Charlie Bucket in the iconic 1971 film, portrayals that remained untouched until 2005.

Johnny Depp, fresh off the success of 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean, donned the purple suit to portray the iconic chocolatier with a performance many thought drew inspiration from Michael Jackson. Depp said that was not his intent, but he did intend to play it starkly different than Wilder.

Tim Burton directed the film and it is obvious he did so as his unique style is all over the movie. Many Burton staples such as Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are in the film. Furthermore, the Roald Dahl estate was more involved as the author originally opposed the 1971 movie.

The result was a weird and wacky version that seemed to resonate with audiences.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

There are few book franchises as iconic as The Chronicles of Narnia so it was only natural that a film adaptation would happen. This was the first film version of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe though it did have TV and theater versions.

What came out was an epic film that seemed to land with critics and fans alike. What’s more is it made its way to Saturday Night Live as part of Andy Samberg’s “Lazy Sunday” sketch/rap. A big reason for the success was Liam Neeson as Aslan and Tilda Swinton as the White Witch.

This film kicked off a brief run of film adaptations as Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) later released. Each film did increasingly worse but The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe still served as the best of the franchise, inviting a new generation to venture to Narnia and learn of this series.

Fantastic Four

Not all 2005 comic book movies connected with audiences. This version of Fantastic Four fell into many of the traps of campy comic book films, marking a start of a decades long struggle for the characters.

On the plus side, it did give us Chris Evans in a Marvel role prior to becoming Captain America in 2011, a point that would be turned into a joke in Deadpool and Wolverine (2024). Evans portrayed Johnny Storm alongside Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. 

The film was uneven and represented a lot of what was wrong with superhero films at the time. With a new version of Fantastic Four coming, it’s always fun to go back and see how the film adaptations started. Just don’t go into this one expecting much, especially as this one really bucked the comic book trends of the year.

Corpse Bride

Tim Burton had quite the year in 2005. Corpse Bride was a return to form for him as it employed the stop-motion animation he used in A Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. Furthermore, it included the likes of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter as the two main roles.

What stands out the most with this film is the animation. In a world of Pixar and Dreamworks, Burton’s choice to go with stop-motion seemed odd. Still, it worked and the final project was gorgeous.

Furthermore, the story was unique and drew inspiration from a 17th Century Jewish folktale. It is an underrated gem from Burton that often gets overlooked for his ‘90s films, but it’s well worth the time to see.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

This movie is definitely one of the more unique entries on this list. It is a film adaptation of a British radio sitcom of the same name. It has had many adaptations including into a novel series. 

This science-fiction comedy is really clever but it can confound many people with its comedy. It hits you with an array of jokes and gags at breathtaking speed that it’s easy to not get all of it. Many critics commented as much in reviewing the film. Still, it found an audience and largely garnered a large amount of praise. 

Whatever you are expecting with this one, it will deliver something different. It is definitely memorable and one that may take a few viewings to fully appreciate its humor. The original author died before it was released but he was a large part about getting it made, making it a pretty faithful adaptation.

And there you have it, 10 movies turning 20 in 2025. What were your favorite movies from 2005? Can you believe they turn 20 this year? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm (via IFC Center)

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