Following the surprise box office success of the 2025 original comedy movieOne of Them Days, the Issa Rae production will be officially getting a sequel. Keke Palmer and SZA, who lead thecast ofOne of Them Daysalongside Katt Williams, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, and Maude Apatow, are set to reprise their leading roles as best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa. Set in a vibrant Los Angeles landscape,One of Them Daysis written by Syreeta Singleton, directed by Lawrence Lamont, and is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
With the slate of summer 2025 blockbusters set to ramp up in June 2025,there have only been a handful of financially successful non-franchise movies so far. Bong Joon-ho’sMickey 17, an adaptation of the novelMickey 7, pulled in roughly $132 million worldwide following its March release (viaBox Office Mojo).Disney’sThe Amateur, a remake of a forgotten 1981 espionage film, also amassed just under $96 million. Perhaps the biggest box office success story for an original concept is Ryan Coogler’sSinners, which currently stands as the seventh highest-grossing movie of the year with a worldwide total of $351.5 million.
One Of Them Days Was 2025’s First Success Story
It Did So Well, It’s Getting A Sequel
One of Them Dayswas the first truly unexpected box office hit of 2025. Following its theatrical release date of June 22, 2025,One of Them Daysearned a worldwide box office total of roughly$51.9 million against a reported production budget of $14 million.
One of Them Dayswas also one of the first critically acclaimed movies of 2025, earning a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 94% paired with a Verified Hot 90% audience score.
One of Them Dayswas also one of the first critically acclaimed movies of 2025, earning a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 94% paired with a Verified Hot 90% audience score. It remains one of the few 2025 films that received both Certified Fresh and Verified Hot ratings,joining the likes ofSinners,Warfare, andMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
OnceOne of Them Dayshit Netflix in April 2025, it quickly became a streaming hit, which – combined with its critical acclaim and box office performance – likely contributed to it getting a sequel. According toVariety, “Palmer and SZA are expected to return for the new movie, along with the film’s original creative team, but plot details are still being kept under wraps.” While a $50 million box office may not seem like anything groundbreaking, it is an undeniable achievement considering its January release, low budget, and R-rating.
One Of Them Days Is A Win For Original Stories And Straightforward Comedies
Both Are Movies Hollywood Tends To Ignore
Given that nearly every major theatrical release in the top 20 highest-grossing movies of 2025 on the domestic box office chart is some kind of established IP,One of Them Daysarrives as a breath of fresh air. With Hollywood studios trending towards relying heavily on their franchise expansions in the form of various sequels and prequels,One of Them Daysproves that there is still a large appetite for original content, especially those that are created by proven auteurs. Issa Rae was heavily involved in the production ofOne of Them Days, known best for her celebrated Emmy-winning HBO seriesInsecure.
Hollywood Needs To Pay Attention To 2025’s Original Stories
In A Year Heavy With Franchises, Originality Stands Out
Based on the demonstrated success of original 2025 films likeOne of Them DaysandSinners,it would be nice if Hollywood started to invest in these kinds of fresh and unique movies more frequently. While the Marvel train will likely never stop chugging, these formulaic blockbusters are quite financially safe for studios to bank on. Still, franchises like Disney’s live-action remakes have been quite hit-or-miss despite their conservative approach pulling from their own vault.
Establishing a new and original film franchise is incredibly challenging, especially in the current Hollywood landscape. BothOne of Them DaysandSinnersare alike in that they are now expected to produce sequels after becoming surprise box-office hits. Hopefully, this will revive the Hollywood trend to invest in more financially risky projects and support visionary filmmakers. Other 2025 original movies, such as Ari Aster’sEddington, Josh Safdie’sMarty Supreme, and Ben Safdie’sThe Smashing Machine, will continue this streak started byOne of Them Days.
