From highly anticipated franchise sequels to virtual production milestones, here is your definitive guide to the newest and upcoming Malayalam movies.
, starring Mohanlal and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, slated for a 2025 release. Wikipedia +4 Show more Recent and Trending Hits Lokah - Chapter 1 : A 2025 superhero film that has quickly climbed the charts, currently ranking as a top-grossing and highly-rated must-watch. Thudarum : Another major 2025 release currently holding a top rank in Kerala's box office. Vaazha 2 : Following the success of the first film, this sequel is generating significant buzz and positive audience reactions. Dhurandhar 2 : An action-packed mass entertainer that recently hit theaters, noted for its "larger-than-life" cinematic sequences. Wikipedia +3 Show more Critical Successes and OTT Trends 11 sites List of highest-grossing Malayalam films - Wikipedia Table_title: Kerala Table_content: header: | Rank | Title | Year | row: | Rank: 1 | Title: Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra | Year: 2025 | Wikipedia New Upcoming Malayalam Movies - IMDb New Upcoming Malayalam Movies * Bilal. After their adoptive mom's murder, her 4 children seek the killer, unraveling hidden family... IMDb 𝗢𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 (@onestheatre) • Instagram photos and videos Apr 4, 2026 — movie new malayalam
This paper dissects the anatomy of this New Wave, addressing its stylistic signatures, narrative preoccupations, and industrial conditions. It asks: What constitutes the "newness" of New Malayalam cinema, and how does it challenge the hegemony of mainstream Indian film industries? Thudarum : Another major 2025 release currently holding
The first half of the year witnessed historic theatre footprints, driven by experimental filmmaking and core crowd-pleasers. Director: Savin S.A. Key Cast: Hashir, Alan Bin Siraj, Ajin Joy, Vinayak Wikipedia +3 Show more Critical Successes and OTT
Some notable new Malayalam movies that have garnered attention in recent years include:
Over the last decade and a half, Malayalam cinema—colloquially referred to by global audiences via search queries like "movie new malayalam"—has undergone a radical paradigmatic shift. Moving beyond the melodramatic tropes and star-driven vehicles of the late 1990s and 2000s, the contemporary industry has birthed a "New Wave" characterized by hyper-realism, procedural storytelling, and middle-class existentialism. This paper argues that the New Malayalam cinema is defined by three primary vectors: the democratization of filmmaking via digital technology, a literary turn in screenplay writing, and a subversion of the traditional "star-as-hero" archetype. By analyzing seminal films such as Kumbalangi Nights (2019), Joji (2021), and Aattam (2023), this paper posits that the industry has shifted from entertainment to observation , producing a cinema of moral ambiguity that resonates with global art-house sensibilities while remaining deeply rooted in Kerala’s socio-political specificity.