Out-of-the-Box Office

March 26, 2025

Big-budget blockbusters may still dominate the box office, but beyond the formulaic narratives and shiny lights, independent films, often called indies, are making a cinematic comeback. The independent scene took a dive during the pandemic, but in 2023 the top ten indies brought in $1.6 billion, a 30 percent increase from the previous year. In 2024, the Nicolas Cage-led horror movie Longlegs became the highest-grossing indie film of the year, topping $125 million in box-office sales on a production budget of less than $10 million—and it wasn’t the only indie to rake in millions.

Alternative financing, including in some cases crowdfunding, continues to democratize filmmaking and empower risk-taking. While mainstream movies often try to reach the broadest possible audience, independent cinema expands beyond the confines of the establishment to connect with niche audiences. Known for telling untold stories and featuring unrecognized names, these lesser-known productions are tackling nuanced themes in fresh, sometimes outrageous ways, resonating with viewers and critics, and earning praise and awards. Crowdfunded flicks have even won Academy Awards in recent years. Below, a few new and notable picks.

The Beast

Based on a Henry James novella, this futuristic thriller and romantic drama explores a world where emotions become a threat to survival.

All of Us Strangers

A romantic fantasy about a lonely screenwriter who mysteriously heals past wounds through a deepening intimacy with his neighbor. 

Didi

When a 13-year-old Taiwanese boy growing up in America ditches his lifelong friends to hang out with the cool kids, hilarity and hard learning ensues.

I Saw The TV Glow

A coming-of-age psychological drama-horror film that illuminates how distorted the relationship to self can become in the reflection of on-screen depictions of humanity.

Kneecap

This fictionalized biopic tells the story of how a rebellious Northern Irish rap group, played by the actual musicians, is keeping their native language alive.

The Outrun

In this exploration of local folklore, a Scottish woman struggling with addiction takes a job recording the calls of an endangered native bird.