If you’ve been Googling “America’s Next Top Model Season 25 release date” every few months, you’re not alone. The long-running modeling contest wrapped its 24th cycle back on April 10 2018, and ever since, the fan base has been itching for fresh runway drama and Tyra Banks’ legendary one-liners.
The current state of play
Despite years of hopeful chatter, there is still no official renewal. Entertainment Weekly reported in early 2024 that Tyra Banks “has no current plans to bring the reality competition series back,” noting that she is focused on building her ice-cream company, SMiZE & DREAM. That statement remains the last concrete update from anyone attached to the production.
Where the rumors started
Back in 2018, during press for Cycle 24, Banks floated the idea of a “full-circle” 25th cycle being a possible swan song. From that single hint, speculation exploded on Reddit threads, blogs, and the ANTM Fandom wiki, which still lists Cycle 25 as an “upcoming” season while admitting that no premiere date has been set.
Because the show has never been formally canceled—The CW dropped it in 2015, VH1 revived it in 2016, and the series simply went quiet after 2018—fans keep treating a comeback as a matter of when, not if. But the gap has now stretched to seven years, and television economics have changed dramatically in the streaming era.
Why hasn’t it returned yet?
1. Tyra’s plate is full. The supermodel is juggling businesses (ice cream, production deals, partnerships) and has openly said that reviving a weekly reality show is low on her priority list at the moment.
2. Re-tooling costs money. Any revival would need fresh judges, updated challenges, and a social-media-first production style to satisfy Gen Z viewers. Those upgrades require a willing network—or streamer—to foot the bill.
3. Legacy baggage. Former contestants have spoken out about editing practices, mental-health pressures, and controversial photo shoots. As recently as May 2025, Cycle 8 alum Micheline Pitt told Entertainment Weekly that reality TV “brought no positive outcomes” for her, calling the genre exploitative. Re-launching ANTM means addressing that criticism head-on, likely with mental-health guidelines and duty-of-care policies that didn’t exist when the show debuted in 2003.
Could Season 25 still happen?
Absolutely—but several puzzle pieces must lock into place:
- Network or streamer commitment. The franchise needs a distribution partner. With niche reality fare thriving on platforms such as Netflix, an exclusive streaming deal is plausible, but nothing has been announced.
- Creative shake-up. A modernized format—think shorter seasons, influencer judges, behind-the-scenes live streams—would help the show feel fresh instead of nostalgic.
- Tyra’s role. Whether she returns as host, hands the reins to a new face, or slides into an executive-producer chair will dictate both budget and marketing.
- Timing. Even if a green-light arrived tomorrow, casting, filming, and post-production would push any premiere into late 2026 at the earliest. Reality competitions require months of editing because eliminations are locked long before episodes air.
What fans can do while they wait
- Re-watch old cycles. Cycles 1–24 rotate between Hulu, Amazon Prime Video (purchase), and occasional marathons on cable. Check your regional catalog.
- Follow your favorite alumni. Winners such as Danielle Evans (Cycle 6) and Keith Carlos (Cycle 21) share modeling gigs on Instagram, while breakout stars like Winnie Harlow have carved out high-fashion careers. Their feeds offer the behind-the-curtain content the series pioneered.
- Listen to recap podcasts. Shows like Pod Le Dom and Becoming a Top Model dissect makeovers, challenges, and vintage reality tropes, keeping the fandom lively.
Bottom line
As of June 2025, America’s Next Top Model remains on indefinite hiatus. No network has ordered Cycle 25, no casting calls are circulating, and the creative team is publicly non-committal. All concrete evidence—from Entertainment Weekly’s reporting to the ever-empty “TBA” slots on fan wikis—points to the same conclusion: there is no release date yet.
That may sound discouraging, but the franchise has surprised viewers before—it survived a network switch, a host swap, and a format overhaul. Until an official announcement drops, assume Season 25 is still a possibility rather than a lock. Keep an eye on Tyra’s social channels and trade-paper headlines, stay kind in the comment sections, and channel your inner contestant: patience, poise, and the perfect smize could still land us back in the judging room someday.
