November 2025 was certainly a month not to miss in Pop Culture, especially for those who consider themselves movie and series lovers. This month was one of great anticipation with fans across all genres of film and TV series, such as adventure, musical, comedy, coming-of-age, and everything in between. Fans saw themselves grabbing buckets of popcorn and meeting with their friends and family in the comfort of their living room or the nearest movie theater. Netflix, for example, has experienced incredible attention from the public with the release of the final season of Stranger Things, as well as Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Wicked: For Good, possibly the most important representation of 2025 movie culture, premiered in theaters on November 21st. Aside from TV series and movies, much focus was put on celebrities this month, primarily due to Andy Cohen’s BravoCon, which ran from November 14th – 16th. Lastly, the entertainment world was given a few surprises from artists and actors about what their plans are for 2026. Let’s dive deeper into all of these events!
One cannot talk about 2025 entertainment culture without mentioning the release of the final season of Stranger Things, written and directed by the Duffer Brothers. Volume One of the final season was released on November 26th, where four episodes introduced the long-awaited final battle between the beloved group of friends versus the “Upside Down”. The series has an incredible cast, featuring Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, and Sadie Sink. The release of the episodes gained so much attention that Netflix reportedly increased its bandwidth by 30%, according to a co-creator of the show. However, even with these precautions taken to ensure all fans could watch the episodes “problem-free”, the site did suffer a crash, just demonstrating the full extent of the show’s popularity. Taylan Abramson ‘29 stated that he enjoyed the fifth season, saying that “It was really good, I thought the cinematography and filming felt different from the previous season.” The next volume is set to release on Christmas Day, so everyone mark that on your calendars!
Aside from starring in Stranger Things, Sadie Sink has also gained much attention for joining the cast of the Avengers franchise. She is set to have a role in the new movie, Avengers: Secret Wars. Fans are wondering whether she will star alongside Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man. If so, her role in the film is still unannounced, but it will be released officially soon.
“Another movie grabbing everyone’s attention this month: Wicked for Good. The sequel, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, was released almost exactly a year after its predecessor, which gained equally as much popularity in 2024. According to research presented by Reuters.com, this year’s movie debuted with an estimated $150 million in North America during its opening weekend. The film follows Elphaba’s exile and Glinda’s glamorous life after the events that occurred in the first film, as well as the duo’s ultimate reunion.
The best way to close out a very productive month of entertainment culture is to introduce something to look forward to. To catch music lovers’ attention, nine-time Grammy award winner Billie Eilish has recently announced that she will be coming out with a 3D tour film for her highly popular album Hit Me Hard and Soft. The film is set to release on March 20, 2026. Entertainment culture did not forget about book-lovers in this cycle of announcements. This month, the official YouTube channel for the new The Hunger Games movie, Sunrise Over the Reaping, has been releasing trailer after trailer detailing the cast as well as the production of the film. Emma Llorente ‘28 shared her excitement for the upcoming franchise film and, despite not being much of a Hunger Games fan, said, “I’ve been seeing so many advertisements for the movie that I’m looking forward to seeing it.” The movie is set to release on November 20th, 2026. It might seem far, but that means that fans can reread and rewatch their favorite The Hunger Games scenes in the meantime to prepare!
Whether a fan of music, cinema, or general entertainment, November had something for everyone. It introduced great plans for the next couple of months, as well as the end of many well-loved franchises. Be sure to check your phones and TVs to see the latest on the events we covered, and stay tuned for the next pop culture recap!
