/Film Holiday Gift Guide 2025: Best Hollywood Books For Movie & TV Lovers

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If you're reading this at /Film, we know you love movies and TV shows. But sometimes, it can be nice to take a break from soaking up the latest stories on the big screen and flickering box. Of course, since we're so passionate about movies and TV shows, taking a break doesn't mean leaving them behind entirely. 

Even if the screens are off, maybe it's just nice to curl up with a book that dives into Hollywood history or details the making of our favorite cinematic adventures. From the behind the scenes drama to the fascinating anecdotes that led to our favorite characters, scenes, or quotes, there's so much to learn about how movies and TV shows are made, not to mention their enduring legacy and the way people interpret these stories years, even decades after release.

That's why this installment of the 2025 /Film Holiday Gift Guide (with more on the way) focuses in on new books tied to your favorite franchises and classic films, not to mention memoirs from beloved stars. 

Here are the best Hollywood books for movie & TV lovers

James Gunn's "Superman" was one of the biggest and best blockbusters of 2025, and now you can get a closer look at the making of the movie with James Field's new book "Superman: The Art and Making of the Film."

"Superman: The Art and Making of the Film" is available starting November 18.

John Candy received plenty of love this year in the form of the spectacular documentary "John Candy: I Like Me," available to stream on Prime Video. But if you want to know even more about the legendary actor with the heart of gold who carved out a legacy across the likes of Toronto's Second City and "SCTV" and films like "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles" and "The Great Outdoors," then you should grab "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" by biographer Paul Myers, featuring a foreword by Dan Aykroyd.

The book was published in October 2025, and it's available to order now.

Over the past couple years, Titan Books has been re-releasing the artbooks from the films of Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga, starting with "Iron Man" and going through almost all of the films from the interconnected story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each book shows off incredible concept art and hones in on the making of these massive blockbuster movies.

Titan Books

This year saw the release of eight titles in the collection that will total 22 books, though they don't include "The Incredible Hulk" or "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Endgame." The latter two aren't quite old enough to warrant a re-release — at least, not just yet.

Titan Books

You can traverse the universe with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and hang out with them even more for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," assemble Earth's Mightiest Heroes with "Avengers: Age of Ultron," get small with the first adventure for "Ant-Man," dig into the shocking feud of "Captain America: Civil War," dive into the mirror universe in "Doctor Strange," and swing across the city in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Finally, just in time for Christmas, meet Thor's vengeful sister Hela with "Thor: Ragnarok."

Check out the entire Infinity Saga roster right here.

Last year, author John Jackson Miller took us back into the world of Tim Burton's "Batman" with a sequel book called "Batman: Resurrection." Taking place after the events of the 1989 movie, the book planted seeds that would blossom in "Batman Returns" and answers questions that fans have long wondered, like whatever happened to Vicki Vale.

Now, Miller continues the story with "Batman: Revolution," a story that brings The Riddler into play and promises to deliver more of Tim Burton's Dark Knight universe, including dark secrets from Gotham City's past.

"Batman: Revolution" is available for purchase now.

At the time of writing, "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has not yet hit theaters, but James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster sequel promises to be one of the most dazzling big screen experiences of the year. Since the miraculous making of these movies and the ever-expanding, lush world of Pandora have such drawing power, fans will undoubtedly want to take a closer look with these two books.

First, author Joe Fordham is releasing "The Making of Avatar", a book that digs into the making of all three movies in the "Avatar" franchise so far, featuring "stunning, behind-the-scenes visuals from all three Avatar movies, exclusive interviews with top creators, and a host of insights by crew and cast members."

DK

Meanwhile, for those who want to explore the fictional world of Pandora with even more depth, there's "Avatar: Fire and Ash: The Visual Dictionary," which features "exploration of the characters, clans, technology and new and exciting locations" from the sequel.

Both books release on December 19, 2025 when the movie hits theaters.

Michael J. Fox has already written several memoirs about his career in Hollywood and personal life. This year, for the 40th anniversary of "Back to the Future," he goes back in time with author Nelle Fortenberry to recount the exhausting story of how he made both "Back to the Future" and his hit sitcom "Family Ties" at the same time. 

"Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum" is a new memoir featuring insight from Fox along with new interviews with key members of the cast and crew to paint a vivid portrait of a turning point in the actor's career. 

"Future Boy" is available to purchase right now.

As "Stranger Things" comes to an end on Netflix, fans can look back at every episode in the series in a whole new way with the recently released collection of books that contain each script from every episode of the season. 

The books containing the "Stranger Things" scripts for season 1 and season 2 are available on shelves now, but season 3 and season 4 won't be released until December 9. As for season 5, we're presuming it's coming sometime down the road, but with the fifth season not wrapping up until the end of 2025, we might be waiting a little while. 

Few filmmakers immediately grab attention like Quentin Tarantino, and a new book provides extensive insight into his filmmaking process by shining a light on the production of "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," which Tarantino regards as his favorite movie from his filmography. 

"The Making of Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" by Jay Glennie is actually the first book in an entire series that will dig into all of Tarantino's films. The new collection kicks off with a bang by offering unprecedented access to the film's cast and crew, including Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and many more. You'll also see tons of never-before-seen images from behind the scenes and discover all new stories about the making of the movie.

This hefty tome is available to purchase now, and we can't wait for the rest of the books.

Over the past few years, Frank Herbert's classic novel "Dune" has been adapted into a graphic novel separated into three parts. "Book 1: Dune" and "Book 2: Muad'Dib" were released in 2021 and 2022, and now the third and final installment, "Book 3: The Prophet," has arrived to complete the story.

The graphic novel adaptation comes from authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, who have tried to retain the integrity of the original novel, combined with Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín's magnificent illustrations and cover art by award winner Bill Sienkiewicz. If the proper "Dune" book feels too daunting, this sounds like a worthy substitute while we wait for "Dune 3."

Turn on the grill and get ready to cook, because "The Art of Bob's Burgers" is being served up by series creator Loren Bouchard and supervising director Bernard Derriman. 

The book just released in fall of 2025 "takes you behind the scenes, revealing the inner workings of the animation process for 'Bob's Burgers,' from its earliest designs all the way to the modern day." Inside, you'll find never-before-seen designs, art from Loren Bouchard's personal archives, and artwork from the show's history of collaborations over the years. 

Cameron Crowe is the man behind films like "Say Anything," "Jerry Maguire," and "Almost Famous." But even before he was a filmmaker, his life was remarkable, having spent his teenage years contributing to Rolling Stone, interviewing the likes of Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, and more. Yes, "Almost Famous" was inspired by Crowe's real life.

Now, you can hear about all that and more in "The Uncool," a new memoir that follows Crowe's path from a kid, to a teenage journalist, to an Oscar-winning filmmaker.

If you're a fan of "Nightmare Before Christmas" or you know one, we probably don't need to tell you that this book is a must-have. Here's the synopsis:

Go behind the scenes of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas with this fun and interactive visual history of one of the most beloved films of all time. Packed with frightening facts, eerie images, and real inserts—like production stills and storyboards—from the making of the film. This movie magic book takes readers on journey through stop-motion animation and shows readers what goes into making these incredible puppets come to life on the big screen.

Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" is available to stream on Netflix now, and if you're transfixed by the tragedy and beauty of this stunning adaptation of the classic novel, you may want to check out this book.

Now, a new "Frankenstein" book not only has the film's entire script but also has stunning concept art, film stills, and behind-the-scenes photography. Insight Editions has the beautiful book available in a regular edition, as well as a limited Portfolio Edition, and an even more rare Artifact Edition (seen above) limited to 750 copies and signed by Guillermo del Toro himself, which also comes with other cool goodies. 

Outside of George Lucas, artist and designer Doug Chiang is one of the key talents responsible for bringing "Star Wars" to life, beginning with "The Phantom Menace." 

Since the prequel era began, Chiang supervised and created the visual looks for all the "Star Wars" movies, as well as "The Mandalorian." As the book's synopsis notes, "From the Naboo N-1 Starfighter to the iconic podracers and innumerable ships, droids, and creatures in between, no one person has had a greater hand in guiding the look and feel of Star Wars since Ralph McQuarrie."

Now, you can take a look back at his contributions to "Star Wars" in this incredible deluxe book set, which also includes a volume about Chiang's contributions to "Back to the Future Part II," "Alien 3," "T2: Judgment Day," "Death Becomes Her," "Spawn," "The Mask," and "Jumanji."

The book set will be released on December 2, 2025, and it's available for pre-order now.

If Larry David is your guide to navigating a supremely frustrating world, look no further than this book about the making of his acclaimed, hilarious series "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

"No Lessons Learned: The Making of Curb Your Enthusiasm as Told by Larry David and the Cast and Crew" finds the "Seinfeld" producer delving into the story of the HBO series that spanned 12 seasons, 24 years, and 120 episodes.

Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove, Cheryl Hines, Ted Danson, the late Richard Lewis, and Bob Einstein all helped contribute to the book, along with special guest stars from the show's run. Anyone who loves "Curb Your Enthusiasm" would do well to snag this book.

This holiday season, you can see Cynthia Erivo belt out the beautiful songs of "Wicked: For Good," and when the movie is over, you can find out how she became one of the biggest stars on the planet.

Erivo has written a memoir titled "Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They're Too Much," in which she "reflects on the ways she has grown as an actor and human and the practices she's learned over years of performing and reminds us all we are capable of so much more than we think."

The book is available from November 18, 2025.

For those who love Studio Ghibli movies, the legendary Hayao Miyazaki is a master of his craft. Providing insight into the filmmaker's creative process, there's a new book called "The Worlds of Hayao Miyazaki: The Influences and Inspiration Behind the Iconic Films."

Fans will be able to learn about "the rich mix of cultural, historical and artistic influences that shape Miyazaki's storytelling." Furthermore, as the synopsis notes, "From Japanese folklore and childhood memories to architecture, classic cinema, literature and political commentary, it reveals how Miyazaki's deeply personal vision creates layered worlds that somehow feel both fantastical and grounded in truth."

One of the most refreshing elements of Marvel's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" was the retro-future aesthetic that came through in the film's visual style. From the sets to the wardrobe, there was a 1960s flair that made the movie stand out from the rest of the superhero fare. 

Marvel Studios

Marvel is now providing fans a look behind the scenes of the film's development and all the artwork that informed what they saw on the big screen with a deluxe version of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps – The Art Of The Movie." The book comes in a special slipcase and includes a Future Foundation portfolio from the desk of Reed Richards. 

It's on the pricier side, but it looks like a stellar collectible releasing on November 25, 2025.

For this year's 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's classic movie "Jaws," Titan Books released an updated and revised version of "Jaws: Memories from Martha's Vineyard."

The book focuses on the use of the real-life location of the New England Island and how hundreds of locals came to be involved with the movie. The new version includes 100+ new photos, most previously unseen and many in colour, new interview material with local cast and crew, and an Afterword by Wendy Benchley, wife of "Jaws" author Peter Benchley.

Plus, there's a special version available that includes an actual piece from "Jaws" movie history.

Continuing the Titan Books series that looks back at the art and making of the classic "Star Trek" movies, this year, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" takes the spotlight.

Written by John Tenuto and Maria Jose Tenuto, "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: The Making of the Classic Film" reveals "the untold stories behind the making of one of the most pivotal films in the 'Star Trek' saga." Within the pages, you'll learn about all the creative challenges, technical innovations, and yes, the drama that unfolded during production.

Tim Curry has been working in the entertainment industry for nearly 50 years. His career spans the likes of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Clue," "It," "Spamalot," "Hair," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," "Muppet Treasure Island," and more. 

If you've ever wanted to know more about the man behind Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Pennywise, his memoir "Vagabond" will do the trick. From stage to screen and into the voice acting career that allowed him to keep working after a catastrophic stroke in 2012, this is a personal and revealing book about the legendary actor.

Let's do the time warp again by looking back at 50 years of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." The camp classic now has a retrospective book titled "Rocky Horror: Featuring Unseen Photographs and Exclusive Interviews Commemorating 50 Years of B-Movie Camp and Queer Cinema."

The book's synopsis notes, "From candid moments with Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Richard O'Brien to intimate shots of the cast between takes, every page offers a glimpse into the bold, bizarre, and beautiful world of 'Rocky Horror' as it was being brought to life."

Fans of concept art from motion pictures won't be disappointed in this book focusing on the work of Dylan Cole, an artist who has worked on everything from the "Avatar" franchise to "Pirates of the Caribbean," "TRON Legacy," Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," and more.

"Creating Worlds: The Disney and 20th Century Studios Cinematic Art of Dylan Cole" will showcase concept sketches, poster designs, and even matte paintings created by Cole, as well as never-before-seen artwork from "Alita: Battle Angel," "Oz The Great and Powerful" and plenty of other movies from his career.

The book will be available starting on November 18, 2025.

For the cinephiles who are obsessed with classic movies, and not just those we all know love that get celebrated with milestone anniversaries, there are plenty of books available to dig into Hollywood history.

Fans of Alfred Hitchcock will want to check out "Rear Window: The Making of a Hitchcock Masterpiece in the Hollywood Golden Age" and "Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock's Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train." Each book takes a deep dive into these classic titles from the Master of Suspense with plenty of fascinating details about making these movies and their enduring legacy.

Static Media

Even if you're not an expert on classic movies, you can become one with these two books laying out dozens of titles worth seeking out from decades ago: "Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood's Untamed Era, 1930-1934" and "Rewinding The '80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War," and there are plenty more TCM books where these came from.

Static Media

Meanwhile, all around the globe, there are plenty of movies from different countries that are worth seeking out. "TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema" focuses on some of the best movies in world cinema, while "Hallyuwood: The Ultimate Guide to Korean Cinema" highlights more than 100 major films from Golden Age classics to intriguing indies. 

Running Press Adult

Plus, you can throw punches and kicks after digging into "These Fists Break Bricks (Revised and Expanded Edition): How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World."

Rizzoli

Finally, "Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Words" gives the spotlight to female filmmakers like Jane Campion, Susan Seidelman, and Mira Nair with a book that provides a deep exploration into their filmmaking processes and themes.