In 2024, the surge in generative AI (genAI) pilot projects sparked concerns over high experimentation costs and uncertain benefits. That prompted companies to then shift their focus to delivering business outcomes, enhancing data quality, and developing talent.In 2025, enterprises are expected to prioritize strategy, add business-IT partnerships to assist with genAI projects and move from large language model (LLM) pilots to production instances. And small language models will also likely come into their own, addressing specific tasks without overburdening data center processing and power.Organizations will also adopt new technologies and architectures to better govern data and AI, with a return to predictive AI, according to Forrester Research.Predictive AI uses historical data and techniques such as machine learning and statistics to forecast future events or behaviors, said Forrester analyst Jayesh Chaurasia. GenAI, on the other hand, creates new content such as images, text, videos, or synthetic data leveraging deep learning methods such as generative adversarial networks (GANs). Chaurasia predicts the AI pendulum will swing back to predictive AI for over 50% of use cases.LLMs are, of course, central to genAI, helping enterprises tackle complex tasks and improve operations. Forrester reported that 55% of US genAI decision-makers with a strategy use LLMs embedded in applications, while 33% purchase domain-specific genAI apps. Meanwhile, SLMs are quickly gaining attention.The rise of small and mid-sized language models should enable customers to better meet the trade-offs on accuracy, speed and costs, said Arun Chandrasekaran, a distinguished vice president analyst with Gartner Research, noting that Most organizations are still struggling to realize business value from their genAI investment.GartnerIn the coming year, SLM integration could surge by as much as 60%, according to a Forrester report.As nearly eight-in-10 IT decision makers report software costs rising over the past year, theyre looking to SLMs because theyre more cost-effective and offer better accuracy, relevance, and trustworthiness by training on specific domains. Theyre also easier to integrate and excel in specialized industries such as finance, healthcare, and legal services.By 2025, 750 million apps are expected to use LLMs, underscoring the genAI markets rapid growth. Forrester predicts the market will grow in value from $1.59 billion in 2023 to $259.8 billion by 2030,.Even with that growth, many AI experts argue that LLMs may be excessive for automating workflows and repetitive tasks, both in terms of performance and environmental impact. A Cornell University study found that training OpenAIs GPT-3 LLM consumed 500 metric tons of carbon, the equivalent of 1.1 million pounds.As enterprises face challenges meeting expectations, gen AI investments in 2025 will likely shift toward proven predictive AI applications like maintenance, personalization, supply chain optimization, and demand forecasting. Forward-thinking organizations will also recognize the synergy between predictive and generative AI, using predictions to enhance generative outputs. That approach is expected to boost the share of combined use cases from 28% today to 35%, according to Forrester.What are small language models?In the simplest of terms, an SLM is a lightweight genAI model. The small in this context refers to the size of the models neural network, the number of parameters, and the volume of data on which it is trained, according toRosemary Thomas, a senior technical researcher in the AI lab at Version 1, a management consulting and software development firm.SLMs use fewer computational resources, enabling on-premises or private cloud deployment, which natively enhances privacy and security.While some SLM implementations can require substantial compute and memory resources, several models can have more than 5 billion parameters and run on a single GPU, Thomas said.Gartner Research defines SLMs differently, as language models with 10 billion parameters or less. Compared to LLMs, they are two to three orders of magnitude (around 100-1,000x) smaller, making them significantly more cost-efficient to use or customize.SLMs includeGoogle Gemini Nano, MicrosoftsOrca-27bandOrca-213b, MetasLlama-213b,andothers, Thomas noted in arecent post, arguing that SLM growth is being driven by the need for more efficient models and the speed at which they can be trained and set up.GartnerSLMs have gained popularity due to practical considerations such as computational resources, training time, and specific application requirements, Thomas said. Over the past couple of years, SLMs have become increasingly relevant, especially in scenarios where sustainability and efficiency are crucial.SLMs enable most organizations to achieve task specialization, improving the accuracy, robustness, and reliability of genAI solutions, according to Gartner. And because deployment costs, data privacy, and risk mitigation are key challenges when using genAI, SLMs offer a cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to LLMs for most organizations, Gartner said.Three out of four (75%) of IT-decision makers believe SLMs outperform LLMs in speed, cost, accuracy and ROI, according to a Harris Poll of more than 500 users commissioned by the start-up Hyperscience.Data is the lifeblood of any AI initiative, and the success of these projects hinges on the quality of the data that feeds the models, said Andrew Joiner, CEO of Hyperscience, which develops AI-based office work automation tools. Alarmingly, three out of five decision makers report their lack of understanding of their own data inhibits their ability to utilize genAI to its maximum potential. The true potentiallies in adopting tailored SLMs, which can transform document processing and enhance operational efficiency.Gartner recommends that organizations customize SLMs to specific needs for better accuracy, robustness, and efficiency. Task specialization improves alignment, while embedding static organizational knowledge reduces costs. Dynamic information can still be provided as needed, making this hybrid approach both effective and efficient, the research firm said.In highly regulated industries, such as financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, the future of LLMs is definitely small, according to Emmanuel Walckenaer, CEO of Yseop, a vendor that offers pre-trained genAI models for the BioPharma industry.Smaller, more specialized models will reduce wasted time and energy spent on building large models that arent needed for current tasks, according to Yseop.Agentic AI holds promise, but its not yet matureIn the year ahead, there is likely to be a rise in domain-specific AI agents, although it is unclear how many of these agents can live up to the lofty expectations, according to Gartners Chandrasekaran.While Agentic AI architectures are a top emerging technology, theyre still two years away from reaching the lofty automation expected of them, according to Forrester.While companies are eager to push genAI into complex tasks through AI agents, the technology remains challenging to develop because it mostly relies on synergies between multiple models, customization through retrieval augmented generation (RAG), and specialized expertise. Aligning these components for specific outcomes is an unresolved hurdle, leaving developers frustrated, Forrester said in its report.A recent Capital One survey of 4,000 business leaders and technical practitioners across industries found that while 87% believe their data ecosystem is ready for AI at scale, 70% of technologists spend hours daily fixing data issues.Still, Capital Ones survey revealed strong optimism among business leaders about their companies AI readiness. Notably, 87% believe they have a modern data ecosystem for scaling AI solutions, 84% report having centralized tools and processes for data management, 82% are confident in their data strategy for AI adoption, and 78% feel prepared to manage the increasing volume and complexity of AI-driven data.And yet, 75% of enterprises attempting to build AI agents in-house next year are expected to fail, opting instead for consulting services or pre-integrated agents from existing software vendors. To address the mismatch between AI data preparedness and real-world complexities in 2025, 30% of enterprise CIOs will integrate Chief Data Officers (CDOs) into their IT teams as they lead AI initiatives, according to Forrester Research. CEOs will rely on CIOs to bridge the gap between technical and business expertise, recognizing that successful AI requires both solid data foundations and effective stakeholder collaboration.Forresters 2024 survey also showed that 39% of senior data leaders report to CIOs, with a similar 37% reporting to CEOs and that trend is growing. To drive AI success, CIOs and CEOs must elevate CDOs beyond being mere liaisons, positioning them as key leaders in AI strategy, change management, and delivering ROI.A growing interest in multi-modality and upskillingEmerging use cases for multi-modality, particularly image and speech as modalities in both genAI inputs and outputs, will also see more adoption in 2025.Multimodal learning, a subfield of AI, enhances machine learning by training models on diverse data types, including text, images, videos, and audio. The approach enables models to identify patterns and correlations between text and associated sensory data.By integrating multiple data types, multimodal AI expands the capabilities of intelligent systems. These models can process various input types and generate diverse outputs. For example, GPT-4, the foundation of ChatGPT, accepts both text and image inputs to produce text outputs, while OpenAIs Sora model generates videos from text.Other examples include medical imaging, patient history, and lab results that can be integrated to enhance pateitn diagnosis and treatment. In financial services, multimodal AI can analyze customer phone queries to assist contact center employees in resolving issues. And in the automotive industry inputs from cameras, GPS, and LiDAR can be integrated by AI to enhance autonomous driving, emergency response, and navigation for companies, such as Tesla, Waymo and Li Auto.AI leaders have also realized they need to prioritize business outcomes, clean their data houses, and start building AI talent. The latter is especially important given the growing gap between enterprise genAI needs and the workers with skills to meet those needs.In the year ahead, youll need to put your nose to the grindstone to develop an effective AI strategy and implementation plan, Forrester said in its report. In 2025, organizational success will depend on strong leadership, strategic refinement, and recalibration of enterprise data and AI initiatives commensurate with AI aspirations.

Need ideas or motivation to help you build a spreadsheet in Google Sheets? You can browse through the templates that are included in this office app and select one to customize. But a more intriguing option is to use the tool in Sheets called Help Me Organize. Powered by Googles generative AI technology, Gemini, you can use it to generate a template thats more tailored for you.Based on a brief description that you write (referred to as a prompt), Help Me Organize generates a table with headings, placeholder text, and possible formulas in its cells that you can then adjust to your needs. Its mainly designed to create templates for project management. But you can tease it to make templates that include some formulas and tables that can be used to create charts.This guide explains how to use Help Me Organize and provides tips for getting best results.Who can use Gemini AI in Google SheetsIf you have a Google Workspace account, the Gemini AI tools that include Help Me Organize are available as an add-on called Gemini for Google Workspace for an extra subscription charge. If you have a regular Google personal account, you can pay for a Google One AI Premium subscription to have access to these tools. Or, for no cost, you can sign up for access to Workspace Labs with your Google account to be permitted to try out Help Me Organize.How to access Help Me Organize in Google SheetsYou access the Help Me Organize tool from a right side panel that you open while in a spreadsheet in Google Sheets. The spreadsheet can have existing data on it. But for generating templates, its best to use Help Me Organize on a new, blank spreadsheet or on a new sheet in an existing spreadsheet. You can add a new sheet to a spreadsheet by clicking the + sign thats toward the lower-left corner of the opened spreadsheet.To launch the Help me organize panel, click Insert and select Help me organize at the very bottom of the menu that opens.In the Help me organize panel that opens to the right of the page, a large text entry box invites you to write a prompt inside it. Some example prompts that are meant to show you how you can write your own cycle through this box.When you open the Help me organize panel, its entry box shows example prompts.Howard Wen / IDGHow to use Help Me OrganizeClick inside the entry box on the Help me organize panel, type a description of the kind of template you want Gemini to generate, and click Create.Type a prompt into the box on the Help me organize panel and click Create.Howard Wen / IDGDepending on the complexity of your prompt, it may take several seconds for the AI to generate a template but it may not be able to generate anything. If its unable to, try entering your description again but use fewer words.Gemini may think for a while as it generates a template.Howard Wen / IDGHow to insert a template generated by GeminiIf Gemini produces a result, the template will appear over your spreadsheet. Itll start from the upper-leftmost cell, with the templates columns and rows spreading out from here.Review the template Gemini generated, then insert it in your spreadsheet or start over.Howard Wen / IDGYou can scroll through the template to see what you think of it. Keep in mind that you should always consider what Gemini generates as a rough draft that youll need to modify to make it more suitable for your use (such as replacing placeholder text and scrutinizing and modifying any formulas). It is a template, after all.Scroll to the bottom of the template youll find a small toolbar attached to it. If you like this template, click Insert. Itll then be inserted into your spreadsheet.If you dont, click the X. The template will be removed from your spreadsheet. You can try writing another prompt in the Help me organize panel. Note that if you create a new template, you cant go back to the previous version.Optionally, you can rate if you like this template or not by clicking the thumbs up or thumbs down icon. Your feedback is used to help train Gemini to produce results in the future that may be more preferable.Once youve inserted a template in your spreadsheet, you can tweak it however you like: change heading names, add rows or columns, adjust formulas, enter real data, and so on. See How to use Google Sheets for project management for details on working with templates in Sheets.How to write a prompt in Help Me OrganizeUnsure about how to write a prompt? Need inspiration? Here are some general tips that can elicit useful templates from Gemini:1. First, describe a specific project that you want to track.Examples:budget breakdownbusiness travel itinerarypayroll schedule2. Describe or specifically name headings that youd like to see in the template.budget breakdown that includes in the following order: revenue, rent, utilities, internet, expensesbusiness travel itinerary with sections for travel to airport, airline, flight number, hotel, and so onpayroll schedule for employees named Mike, Pedro, Shawna, and TashaIncluding specifics in a prompt will help Gemini generate a better template.Howard Wen / IDG3. Use numbers and math formulas.a table depicting 12 months with 3 categories per monthpayroll schedule thats monthly across one yeara table that calculates compound interest at 3.5% over 3 yearsGemini can create a template that includes formulas.Howard Wen / IDG4. Describe dropdowns, lists, task lists, or to-dos.a dropdown with selections that include Greek, Japanese, Italian for a business luncheona project tracker with task lists assigned to peoplea to-do list for onboarding a new employeeA generated to-do list with status dropdowns.Howard Wen / IDGFor more on working with dropdowns, see Google Sheets power tips: How to use dropdown lists.5. Describe a chart.Gemini cant generate charts directly, but you can prompt it to create a template (table) that you can then derive a chart from. Examples:a bar chart with 9 labelsa line chart with 4 categoriesa pie chart depicting 3 categoriesDescribe a chart youd like to create.Howard Wen / IDGInsert the generated template in your spreadsheet.Next, select the template by clicking its top-leftmost cell.Then, on the menu bar over your spreadsheet, click Insert > Chart. By default, a pie chart will be generated. The Chart editor panel will also open along the right of the page, so you can change the pie chart to another type or make other adjustments to it.A pie chart based on a template that Gemini generated from a prompt.Howard Wen / IDGIts worth noting that in this pie chart example, Gemini went beyond what was asked for, breaking each of the three categories into three sections with different colors. Thus, the resulting pie chart has nine sections instead of three. Thats unlikely to be what most people would be looking for from the original prompt a good illustration of why you always need to check and adjust Geminis output, or simply discard it and start over.6. Dont be afraid to describe something complicated.a budget for at least 12 departments in my office for one year and assign supervision to employeesa project manager for 8 salespersons who have to sell seashells to the 10 biggest cities in the US Midwest with an April deadlinea weekly restaurant employee work schedule for 10 back-of-house kitchen employees and 6 front-of-house employees over 4 weeksGemini can often handle complicated prompts.Howard Wen / IDGRemember that the best way to use Help Me Organize (or any generative AI tool) is to experiment and play around with the wording of your prompts. You never know Gemini may surprise you with a result thats better or more useful than what you originally envisioned.In summaryKeep these tips in mind to write prompts that will trigger Gemini to give you the best (or at least most interesting) results in Help Me Organize:Define exactly what you want to use the template for. How would you describe it in three words?Use headings or numbers (such as dates or math formulas). These can imply columns and rows in the template.If you want the template to have a dropdown or other list type, describe it.Use Gemini to generate a table that you can then derive a chart from.Dont be afraid to experiment even if your request sounds complicated.As with all AI-generated content, the templates created with Help Me Organize should never be seen as final but they can give you a big head start for all sorts of spreadsheet-related tasks, from setting up complex schedules to creating charts to performing time-oriented calculations.This article was originally published in February 2024 and updated in December 2024.

Separating AI reality from hyped-up fiction isnt always easy. Thats why weve created the AI Hype Indexa simple, at-a-glance summary of everything you need to know about the state of the industry.More than 70 countries went to the polls in 2024. The good news is that this year of global elections turned out to be largely free from any major deepfake campaigns or AI manipulation. Instead we saw lots of AI slop: buff Trump, Elon as ultra-Chad, California as catastrophic wasteland. While some worry that development of large language models is slowing down, you wouldnt know it from the steady drumbeat of new products, features, and services rolling out from itty-bitty startups and massive incumbents alike. So whats for real and whats just a lot of hallucinatory nonsense?

By the time this crowd gathered on New Year's Eve, 1938, the Times Square ball drop had been an annual rite for decades Bettman / Getty ImagesOne Times Square, the billboard-covered building at the intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, is the definitive place where one year passes into the next.Each year, thousands of people pack around the building to watch the Times Square ball slowly descend a pole marking the New Yeara beloved tradition that began on this day in 1907. Viewers, including almost a billion watching on television, witness a glittering spectacle, sponsored by companies angling to cash in on New Years resolutions.The fanfare in Times Square began 120 years ago. Adolph Simon Ochs, the publisher and owner of the New York Times, wanted to increase publicity for his papers new headquarters at One Times Square. So, as 1904 passed into 1905, workers launched a pyrotechnic show from the building.From base to dome, the Times wrote, the giant structure was alighta torch to usher in the new born, a funeral pyre for the old which pierced the very heavens.The fireworks only lasted two more years. In 1907, Ochs hired sign maker and advertiser Artkraft Strauss to build an iron and wood ball weighing 700 pounds, five feet in diameter and covered in 100 lightbulbs.The first Times Square ball drop was a rousing, if messy, success. Crowds began pouring out of the subway station the night of December 31, the Times wrote, reporting, perhaps with exaggeration, that its roars were heard as far north as Yonkers, more than ten miles up the Hudson River.Hurrah for 1908, the crowd cheered when the ball dropped down the pole at midnight. As the Times went to press later that early morning, broken horns, demolished and cast-aside rattlers, soiled confetti, forlorn ticklers and dented and deserted derby hats littered Times Square.The history of time balls dates to 1818, when future Royal Navy admiral Robert Wauchope developed a visible signal to help ships crews reliably tell time while at sea. At first he tried flags, but settled on a ball that descended a pole at a given time of day. In 1833, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich installed a time ball on its roof so ships on the Thames could coordinate their times. Every day since then, the ball raises halfway up the mast at 12:55 p.m., reaches the top at 12:58 p.m. and falls back down exactly at 1:00 p.m., delighting visitors even today.Ochs may have found inspiration for the Times Tower in a ball atop the Western Union Building in Manhattans Financial District that dropped every day at noon, synchronizing with the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. via telegraph to ensure militaristic accuracy.Since 1907, the ceremony at One Times Square has taken place every year except 1942 and 1943, when wartime dimouts prohibited excessive light and pomp. During those dark midnights, recordings of bells followed a moment of silence.The Times left its flagship building in 1961 after selling the structure to an advertising firm. Allied Chemical bought it in 1963 and stripped Ochs ornate building into a modernist glass skyscraper. Through countless negotiations and purchases since then, the Times Square ball evolved, varying in weight, size and illumination. In the 1980s, it became a red apple with a green stem to support a New York tourism campaign.After more than a century, the ball is at its most opulent today. According to its official website, the Big Ball is covered in 32,256 LEDs. Its 12 feet in diameter, weighs nearly six tons and sparkles all year long.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: New Year's Day, New York City, On This Day in History, Rituals and Traditions

Sumo Group CEO Carl Cavers receives OBE in New Year's Honours listFor services to the video games industry News by Christopher Dring Head of Games B2B Published on Dec. 31, 2024 The co-founder and CEO of Sumo Group Carl Cavers has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the King's New Year's Honours List.He receives the OBE for services to the video games industry.Cavers has spent 30 years in video games, including senior roles at Gremlin and Infogrammes before setting up Sumo in 2003 alongside Paul Porter, Darren Mills and James North-Hearn.Sumo is best known as a work-for-hire studio, and has created high profile games including Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed, LittleBigPlanet 3, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Crackdown 3. It's also supported the development of titles including Forza Horizon 2, Hogwarts Legacy and Call of Duty Vanguard, and is increasingly developing and publishing its own projects, such as Snake Pass and Still Wakes The Deep.Sumo is a frequent winner of the GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards, particularly around its work with education and young people. In 2021, it was acquired by Tencent in a $1.27 billion deal, and despite some recent restructuring, it remains one of the largest development groups in the UK.Outside of Sumo, Cavers is a supporter of the wider games business. He is actively involved in mentorship and networking groups in the North of England and is a vice president of games industry charity SpecialEffect."I'm humbled to have been recognised in the Kings New Year Honours list with an OBE," Cavers told GamesIndustry.biz."2025 marks my 30th year in the video games industry and 22 years since co-founding Sumo Digital alongside Paul, Darren and James. The sector has changed a lot over the last three decades but the passion, enthusiasm and creativity it exudes has not waned and despite some challenging times it continues to mature into a global phenomenon. There are lots people I want to thank, too many to list here, however it is the people in our industry who make it great and to stand alongside them and be recognised for making a contribution really is an honour in itself.

Putting people first practical tips for mental health and wellbeing support | HR Summit VideoHayley Blundy of Futurlab offers a series of practical advice on supporting employees during the global mental health crisis News by Christopher Dring Head of Games B2B Published on Dec. 31, 2024 As the year comes to a close, GamesIndustry.biz has been running our videos from September's HR Summit in London.You can watch seven of the sessions on our YouTube channel right now. And the last one to go live is this great talk from Hayley Blundy of Futurlab, who hosted a talk titled: Putting people first practical tips for mental health and wellbeing support.The talk was entirely focused on a series of practical advice on supporting employees during the global mental health crisis.The HR Summit took place at the Royal Institution in London back in September, and preceded the Best Places To Work Awards 2024. To watch all the talks from the event, simply click here.Watch on YouTube

LG has announced additions to its ultra-light Gram and Gram Pro laptop lineup, adding cloud-based and on-device AI-powered features that go beyond its current Gram laptops.The 16-inch Gram Pro will also be the first Copilot Plus PC in the LG Gram lineup and is further distinguished as the only model using the Intel Lunar Lake Core Ultra V-Series processors. The 17-inch Gram Pro and 16-inch 2-in-1 use Intels Arrow Lake Core Ultra H-Series processors.The three LG Gram Pro laptops, including the 2-in-1. Image: LGThe LG Gram Pro will be available in 17-inch and 16-inch models featuring 2,560 x 1,600 displays, up to 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, and up to 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSDs. The 16-inch Gram Pro and the 16-inch LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 will have Intel Arc GPUs, while the 17-inch Gram Pro will instead feature an Nvidia GeForce RTX4050 graphics card.Gram Chat On-Device, which uses a small language model derived from LG AI Researchs EXAONE large language model, powers offline features, including Time Travel, which lets users quickly revisit web pages, documents, videos and audio files theyve recently accessed. LGs software is adding tools similar to Microsofts Copilot Plus suite and Apple Intelligence, but given the trouble Microsoft has had with Recall, well have to wait and see how it all measures up. It also might make those features available on more PCs, but LG hasnt specified which AI features will be available on which laptops in the new Gram lineup.Gram Chat Cloud is powered by OpenAIs GPT-4o and responds to inquiries using vast web-based datasets for detailed and comprehensive responses while integrating with calendar and email services. It requires an active internet connection and will only be free for the first year.All of the new Gram laptops also support LGs Gram Link 2.0, which streamlines document and file sharing with other PCs and iOS or Android-based smartphones. It also allows incoming phone calls to be answered through the Gram laptops, so you dont have to swap headsets or Bluetooth headphones to another device temporarily.LG will also introduce its entry-level Gram Book to the US market next year. Powered by an Intel Core i5 processor,it features a 15.6-inch 60Hz full HD display, a 720p webcam, and configurations of up to 1TB of SSD storage and 16GB of DDR4 memory.

Vision Transformers (ViTs) have become a cornerstone in computer vision, offering strong performance and adaptability. However, their large size and computational demands create challenges, particularly for deployment on devices with limited resources. Models like FLUX Vision Transformers, with billions of parameters, require substantial storage and memory, making them impractical for many use cases. These limitations restrict the real-world application of advanced generative models. Addressing these challenges calls for innovative methods to reduce the computational burden without compromising performance.Researchers from ByteDance Introduce 1.58-bit FLUXResearchers from ByteDance have introduced the 1.58-bit FLUX model, a quantized version of the FLUX Vision Transformer. This model reduces 99.5% of its parameters (11.9 billion in total) to 1.58 bits, significantly lowering computational and storage requirements. The process is unique in that it does not rely on image data, instead using a self-supervised approach based on the FLUX.1-dev model. By incorporating a custom kernel optimized for 1.58-bit operations, the researchers achieved a 7.7 reduction in storage and a 5.1 reduction in inference memory usage, making deployment in resource-constrained environments more feasible.Technical Details and BenefitsThe core of the 1.58-bit FLUX lies in its quantization technique, which restricts model weights to three values: +1, -1, or 0. This approach compresses parameters from 16-bit precision to 1.58 bits. Unlike traditional methods, this data-free quantization relies solely on a calibration dataset of text prompts, removing the need for image data. To handle the complexities of low-bit operations, a custom kernel was developed to optimize computations. These advances lead to substantial reductions in storage and memory requirements while maintaining the ability to generate high-resolution images of 1024 1024 pixels.Results and InsightsExtensive evaluations of the 1.58-bit FLUX model on benchmarks such as GenEval and T2I CompBench demonstrated its efficacy. The model delivered performance on par with its full-precision counterpart, with minor deviations observed in specific tasks. In terms of efficiency, the model achieved a 7.7 reduction in storage and a 5.1 reduction in memory usage across various GPUs. Deployment-friendly GPUs, such as the L20 and A10, further highlighted the models practicality with notable latency improvements. These results indicate that 1.58-bit FLUX effectively balances efficiency and performance, making it suitable for a range of applications.ConclusionThe development of 1.58-bit FLUX addresses critical challenges in deploying large-scale Vision Transformers. Its ability to significantly reduce storage and memory requirements without sacrificing performance represents a step forward in efficient AI model design. While there is room for improvement, such as enhancing activation quantization and fine-detail rendering, this work sets a solid foundation for future advancements. As research continues, the prospect of deploying high-quality generative models on everyday devices becomes increasingly realistic, broadening access to powerful AI capabilities.Check out the Paper. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our60k+ ML SubReddit. Sana Hassan+ postsSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions. [Download] Evaluation of Large Language Model Vulnerabilities Report (Promoted)

Should old acquaintances be forgot and never brought to mind? Frankly, were not certain of that any more than we are about the rest of the Auld Lang Syne lyrics. But as fun as it is to dwell on the year that was in cinema during this seasonwith awards voting at a full roar and everyones best-of lists flooding the internet (including ours!)its also good to look ahead.2024 indeed marked an odd time for movies with delays caused by last years strikes turning the Hollywood spigot down to a trickle. But things promise to be running full steam ahead in 2025, which will see both new highly anticipated franchise filmsSuperman! The Fantastic Four!! Tom Cruises (maybe) last Mission: Impossible?!?as well as new passion projects from filmmakers as varied as Guillermo del Toro, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Yorgos Lanthimos. So without further ado, here are some of the most exciting movies to look forward to in 2025.Wolf ManJanuary 17Leigh Whannell has not missed since taking the directors chair with Upgrade in 2018 and The Invisible Man in 2020. A co-creator of the Saw and Insidious franchises as well, alongside fellow Aussie James Wan, Whannell has the horror bonafides needed to take on a revered Universal Monsters franchise with the New Years promisingWolf Man.Whannell is also bringing along a solid cast, with Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner as a married couple who get stranded in a cabin with their young daughter (Matilda Firth). The tight confines and isolated setting will help Whannell ratchet up the tension with one of cinemas oldest monsters. More body horror transformation story than Gothic monster mash, its a fresh take on a classic. Joe GeorgePresenceJanuary 14Since his unretirement in 2016, Steven Soderbergh has emphasized his experimental side with the iPhone-shot Unsane and the satire The Laundromat taking precedence over crowd-pleasers like Logan Lucky.From the outset, the ghost story Presence appears to continue that trend, especially since it will follow the lead of Nickel Boys and work entirely in first-person perspective. But Soderberghs more genre-adjacent work comes with him teaming up again alongside blockbuster screenwriter David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man), who scripted the fairly underrated cult horror classic, Stir of Echoes. Presence also has Lucy Liu in the lead, and has a theatrical release scheduled, eschewing the streaming-only model Soderbergh has preferred for the past decade. JGYoure Cordially InvitedJanuary 30As a quick glance at this list shows, studios arent exactly cranking out comedies like they used to. For that reason alone, the Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon vehicle Youre Cordially Invited merits attention, even if its going straight to streaming on Amazon Prime Video.Ferrell plays a father who goes on the offensive when he discovers that the wedding planner (Witherspoon) has double-booked the dream wedding venue for his daughter (Geraldine Viswanathan). Veteran comedy director Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors) helms the movie, promising plenty of much-needed chaos.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Love HurtsFebruary 7Still relatively fresh off winning an Oscar for ebullient work in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ke Huy Quan returns to the screen for his own starring vehicle in the action-comedy Love Hurts. In the martial arts throwback programmer, Quan plays a successful, mild-mannered realtor whose past as a deadly hitman comes roaring back at an inopportune time. Its basically Quans very own Nobody, but presumably with a lot more chipper humor and dazzling fight choreography since Quan is himself a former fight choreographer who knows how to dominate the screen.The film also features the winsome Ariana DeBose and Sean Astin in supporting roles. David CrowCaptain America: Brave New WorldFebruary 14Captain America will never die! Chris Evans may have hung up the red, white, and blue togs after Steve Rogers retired in Avengers: Endgame, but Anthony Mackie has now stepped comfortably behind the shield. Indeed, Sam Wilson inherited the Star-Spangled vibranium back in Endgame, but only now is he getting to fully make it his own.Directed by Julius Onah, Captain America: Brave New World is Wilsons first big-screen outing as Cap, picking up from the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Hell be facing off against Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder, Tim Blake Nelson as the Leader (reprising his role from The Incredible Hulk), and Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross aka the Red Hulk. For once we have a villain who might be more intimidating before the CGI touch ups. JGRead more Paddington in PeruFebruary 14There is nothing this side of a marmalade sandwich as comforting as a Paddington movie. The first two, in any event, are like fuzzy sweaters imported from the moors of England to keep you warm during a winter night. Perhaps it is for that reason the Yanks are getting Paddington in PeruThe first Paddington movie not directed by Paul King, or starring Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown, we admit there is some reason to be cautious about the Paddington movie which promises to introduce us to the Paddington bears South American roots. Nonetheless, the film has gotten mostly positive notices across the pond and still features Ben Whishaws voice as the bear in a hat. Emily Mortimer as Mary Brown is also not bad casting, so lets give this Peruvian adventure a shot DCThe GorgeFebruary 14Doctor Strange aside, Scott Derrickson is a horror director through and through. So while hell be scratching his horror itch in 2025 with The Black Phone 2, Derricksons veer into survival action with The Gorge, for Apple TV+ is also intriguing, especially if you know where that titular gorge leads toMiles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy play snipers who guard a great expanse which, they are warned, holds the gateway to Hell. Given that Sigourney Weaver also appears, maybe The Gorge doesnt take Derrickson away from horror after all. JGThe MonkeyFebruary 21While the reception to last summers Longlegs remains a little more divided online, there is no denying it was a bold and daring original from Osgood Perkins, one of the most interesting filmmakers working in the field of horror today. Indeed, the satanic panic movie made waves, but were personally fond of his other devilish chiller, the truly sinister The Blackcoats Daughter.So it is always good to hear when Perkins has another genre experiment coming out, and in the case of The Monkey it comes with the added benefit of being a Stephen King movie to boot. Based on a 1980 short story published early in Kings career, The Monkey follows a pair of twin brothers who discover a menacing wind-up monkey doll in the attic of their childhood home. Yet the more they play with it, the more horrifying and seemingly interlinked deaths they bear witness to. The lads smartly discard the toy shortly afterward, but when we catch up with them years later (and now played by Theo James), they discover youre never too old to forget some childhood nightmares DCMickey 17March 7Why must Warner Bros. keep teasing us with Mickey 17? Korean director Bong Joon-hos follow-up to his Academy Award-winning Parasite stars Robert Pattinson as an employee whose company clones him on a hellish ice planet every time a previous iteration of his life dies. With each cloning, the new generations memories become more and more mumbled, but maybe 17th times the charm? The only drawback is they actually thought Mickey 17 was dead when the story starts, and have thus already created Mickey 18 and there can be only one.Based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, Mickey 17 promises to feature plenty of Bongs signature blend of comedy, horror, and leftist political satire. Despite the buzz, Warner has moved the release date up and down five times before settling on March 7. Lets hope we get to see it in time for March showers. JGBlack BagMarch 14Oh, you thought Steven Soderbergh was only going to make one movie with David Koepp in 2025? You fool! Hes got two, both coming out in the spring, both theatrical releases, and both with big stars! Cate Blanchette and Michael Fassbender star as spies Kathryn and George Woodhouse, who find their marriage tested as theyre on trial for treason. Also a marriage of the espionage thriller and the heist joint, Black Bag holds the promise to be a return to Soderberghs genre sweet spot. JGNovocaineMarch 14Another action programmer that resembles something they stopped making 15 years ago, Novocaine is a high-concept throwback that we hope finds its footing. With a basic elevator pitch that even Don Simpson would approve ofquirky guy who cannot feel pain goes on a rampage to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend by inflicting damage on The Bad Guysthis movie is as simple as they come. But when Jack Quaid is the quirky guy, Preys breakout Amber Midthunder is the girlfriend, and Ray Nicholson one of the bad guys, were hoping for a good time at the movies. DCSnow WhiteMarch 21Can we finally, finally stop calling these updates to animated Disney movies live-action? Yes, flesh-and-blood actors Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot are in 2025s Snow White. But they exist in a gloopy CG world, surrounded by animated animals, and even the Seven Dwarfs are animated. Okay, that gripe aside, theres a few reasons to be faintly optimistic about Snow White. It comes from Marc Webb, who captured the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man, and Zegler remains a winning screen presence. At least we can count on the singing to be good. JGAlto KnightsMarch 21Its been a few years since director Barry Levinson has had a project that got as much attention as anything from his son Sam, but Alto Knights might turn the tide. After all, hes working from a script by Nicholas Pileggi of Goodfellas and Casino fame and with Robert De Niro in dual, and dueling, roles via mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. Even if Alto Knights doesnt quite reach the heights of Levinsons best movies, Diner and The Natural, the premise has enough grit to make for a compelling watch, even if its just to see how exactly De Niro will play two different gangsters in one movie. JGA Minecraft MovieApril 4Okay, A Minecraft Movie doesnt exactly appeal to grown-up viewers. Even those who spent significant parts of their childhood playing the rudimentary but extremely popular video game snicker at the sight of Jack Black declaring, I am Steve! But anyone who consults experts (read: I asked my seven-year-old son) gets a much different response (he shrugged his shoulders at the trailer and said, okay.). Then again, director Jared Hess has won over audiences with oddball movies like Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, so maybe A Minecraft Movie will find an unexpected audience? It almost certainly will find money. JGSinnersApril 18Ryan Cooglers pure blockbuster instincts were put to great use with 2018s Black Panther, which some of us argue is still the best of the MCU movies. But as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever showed, those instincts sometimes clash with the Marvel formula. So its good to see Coogler stepping outside of the MCU again for the vampire movie Sinners. Even better, hes bringing his best collaborator Michael B. Jordan with him, who stars as twin brothers Elijah and Elias. Rounding out the cast is Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, and the legendary Delroy Lindo. Well definitely bite. JGThunderbolts*May 2While Sam Wilson gets to battle Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World, his The Falcon and the Winter Soldier co-star Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) gets his own movie via Thunderbolts*. Well, actually, Bucky is just one of the heroes with checkered pasts who band together as a sort of Dark Avengers (or, ahem, Suicide Squad), including Red Guardian (David Harbour) and White Widow (Florence Pugh). The Thunderbolts will serve at the pleasure of the MCUs current premier schemer Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Lewis Pullman as a guy named Bob, whos probably the Superman-like Sentry.A Big Bold Beautiful JourneyMay 9Do we know what the big and bold, and oh, so beautiful, journey of this films title is about? Not at all. Do we know anything about the two strangers who its logline promises will have an unbelievable journey that connects them? Not in the slightest! So why are we excited? Because those strangers are played by Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie, and in a film directed by Kogonada, the filmmaker behind the elegiac After Yang. Plus, the rest of the cast, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Hamish Linklater, Lily Rabe, and Billy Magnussen, is nothing to sneeze at. DC28 Years LaterMay 11We didnt have to wait quite 28 years for 28 Years Later, director Danny Boyles follow-up to 2002s 28 Days Later (and 2007s 28 Weeks Later from director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo). But it has been a while since Boyle turned out something as electrifying as his visceral zombie movie. The first teaser for 28 Years Later doesnt have much in the way of surprises, certainly not sudden It Guy Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead. But Boyle already provided a surprisingly rich turn for the late-in-the-game sequel T2 Trainspotting, so maybe he has something similar in store for 28 Years Later. JGFinal Destination: BloodlinesMay 16The Final Destination franchise is one of the most respected horror sagas in part because it went out on top. After the lackluster The Final Destination in 2009, 2011s Final Destination 5 righted the ship with a stealth prequel that saw Death put its victims through the most elaborate, and goriest, set-pieces in the franchise. So we look to Final Destination: Bloodlines with both excitement and trepidation. Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein of Leprechaun: Origins, raise concerns, but Final Destination: Bloodlines will star Stargirls Brec Bassinger and Tony Todd in his final outing as coroner William Bludworth. JGMission: Impossible The Final ReckoningMay 23Four years, untold COVID-related delays, and one title change later, and it finally arrives: Tom Cruises final Mission! Maybe. That apparently is a point of contention between the movie star and studio Paramount Pictures, with the reportedly studio eager to market the aptly retitled The Final Reckoning (ne Dead Reckoning Part 2) as the last Mission: Impossible movie, and Cruise seemingly happy to leave the door open to returning at least in a reduced role to the Impossible Mission Force.But whether this is the end of the road or not, we are thrilled to go out swinging with a movie Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie (helmer of the best Mission films, FalloutRogue Nation) have spent half-a-decade planning, shooting, and circumnavigating the globe many times over to make. We also find out what happens when Ethan Hunt makes it his mission to destroy an AI that threatens to take over the world, and which orchestrated the murder of Ilsa Faust. DCThe Life of ChuckMay 30Nobody does trauma horror like Mike Flanagan, as demonstrated by his series The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. Flanegan returns to movies for the first time since Doctor Sleep, once again adapting a Stephen King work.The sci-fi drama The Life of Chuck stars Tom Hiddleston as a non-descript man who may be the center of the universe. There is likely more at play than meets the eye from that setup, as indicated by this movie becoming the unlikely winner of the Toronto International Film Festivals Peoples Choice Award (usually a harbinger for Oscar glories). Flanegan als brings with him some regulars, including Rahul Kohli, Hamish Linklater, and Mark Hamill, along with new additions Nick Offerman and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Heres hoping that well get lots of monologues and maybe Jacob Tremblay, who plays young Chuck, wont die such a horrible death. JGKarate Kid: LegendsMay 30Even in a movie industry dominated by legacy sequels and IP-mining, its a bit surprising to see Karate Kid: Legends on the schedule. Sure, the Netflix series Cobra Kai, which catches up with characters from the 1980s movies, has been a hit. But does anyone remember, let alone care about, The Karate Kid from 2010, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith?Regardless, Karate Kid: Legends melds the two takes, with Chans Mr. Han and Ralph Macchios Daniel LaRusso teaming up to train newcomer Li Fong (Ben Wang). But will Hilary Swanks Julie Pierce from The Next Karate Kid also appear? JGFrom the World of John Wick: BallerinaJune 6Is there a more severe downgrade in directors than Chad Stahelski, the former stuntman who helmed or co-helmed all four John Wick films, to Underworld director Len Wiseman? As its wordy title makes clear, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina follows Ana de Armas apprentice killer as she makes her way through the byzantine system of assassins.Fun as the series lore certainly isand were thrilled to see that Ian McShanes Winston and the late Lance Reddicks Charon will appearthats not the true appeal of a John Wick movie. Were here for the stunts, never Wisemans strength. Fortunately, behind the scenes reporting indicates that Stahelski has done some reshoots for Ballerina. JGHow to Train Your DragonJune 13Look, we understand any feelings of skepticism you might have toward a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. Barring Jon Favreaus The Jungle Book from nearly a decade ago, every Disney remake of their animated classics has been a disappointment if not outright wretched. Do we really want to see DreamWorks Animation get in on the action for movies that arent even 20 years old yet?But there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic about How to Train Your Dragon, and chief among them is that Dean DeBlois is directing the remake. After co-directing the original 2010 How to Train Your Dragon, as well as helming the sequels and working on their screenplays, he is intimately familiar with what makes this world so enchanting and he has an eye for bringing it to vivid life in a film that features a fresh-faced cast. DCF1June 27Brad Pitt is starring in a Formula 1 movie. Thats interesting, but we dont blame you if you hesitate to start jumping out of your chair in anticipation. But what if we told you that Brad Pitt is starring in a Formula 1 movie directed by Joseph Kosinski fresh off of Top Gun: Maverick? Furthermore, what if we also noted Kosinski seems intent on doing for race track photography what he did for the fighter jet in Maverick, which in F1s case means strapping IMAX cameras into Formula 1 vehicles and putting audiences inside the track where they will fly but before the grace of God?Yeah, now we all are leaning forward a little bit at the possibilities, with Kosinski hopefully doing for F1 what he did before: taking a striking if mediocre Hollywood movie of the past (1986s Top Gun and John Frankenheimers Grand Prix movie from 1966) and turning it into a modern symphony of cinematic spectacle. DCM3GAN 2.0June 27Horror sequels are tricky, but if anyone can pull off the killer look it is our slaying robot queen M3GAN. This update of evil doll movies added a 21st century sheen of sophistication to the subgenre by presenting its M3GAN as an artificial intelligence determined to use her technological upgrades to replace the human element in parenting. She also could dance and sing the hell out of Bulletproof.Little is known about the sequel, but its promising Allison Williams and Violet McGraw are back in front of the camera, and director Gerard Johnstone and writer Akela Cooper behind it. Also producer Jason Blum previously promised Den of Geek, Were getting deeper into who M3GAN is, what makes her tick, and how lethal she can actually be. DCJurassic World RebirthJuly 2There is something to be said about our universal fascination with dinosaurs. Its obviously why Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton first approached the material that gave us the groundbreaking Jurassic ParkJurassic World DominionSo we dont blame you if youre skeptical about Jurassic World Rebirth. We are too. But at least this one is directed by Garaeth Edwards, who knows how to make small budgets look massive in movies like The Creator, and whose Rogue One provided us with an Empire that never seemed more immense or menacing. So count on the dinosaurs to look truly terrifying again here. And hey, the cast has got Scarlett Johanson, Mahershala Ali, and Wicked breakout Jonathan Bailey. Maybe things are looking up? DCNew Trey Parker and Matt Stone MusicalJuly 4The details remain sparse enough about this project to leave us skeptical as to whether the film will actually meet its Fourth of July release date. Even the cast remains tightly under wraps. However, we do know that Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park who also co-wrote the multi-Tony award winning Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon, and whose last cinematic offering was the now classic Team America: World Police, are finally making another movie again. And like Book of Mormon and the South Park movie, its a musical.Furthermore, this one includes Kendrick Lamar as a producer and collaborator, and a hell of a premise about a young Black man who by day reenacts enslaved peoples plight in the Antebellum South, and by night is about to discover his white girlfriends ancestors owned his. Yep, sounds about white. DCSupermanJuly 11It all starts with Superman. Okay, the first superhero isnt actually the focus of the first entry in the new DC Universe inaugurated by James Gunn and Peter Safran. That honor goes to the animated series Creature Commandos. But it is the first of Gunns feature films in the new universe, and easily the most important.Gunn debuts his personal vision of Superman, here played by David Corenswet, and throws him into a world already filled with superheroes (not to mention viewers worn down by Zack Snyders dour approach to the character). Still, the first trailer was refreshingly wholesome in its introduction to Krypto, the Superdog! And Gunn boasts a cast that includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and (most importantly) Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. Clearly, Gunns Superman aspires to once again make viewers believe a man can fly. JGThe Fantastic Four: First StepsJuly 25Never ones to be outdone, Marvel offers its own take on foundational, but often disregarded as cheesy, superheroes two weeks after Superman via The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Marvels first family has made it to screen many times before, but this is the first time Reed Richards and company have received the MCU treatment.A leaked teaser featuring the team in an alternate 1960s, complete with a pitch-perfect Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic and a rousing theme by Michael Giacchino, already set many fans hearts aflutter. A veteran of WandaVision, director Matt Shakman seems like the right choice to introduce the Fantastic Four as a family of explorers to the MCU, and steer the franchise in the right direction. Oh, it also has got Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson) going for it which is nice. JGThe Naked GunAugust 1Remakes, reboots, and reimaginings are always a roll of the dice. But in the case of The Naked Gun reboot, getting one-third of the Lonely Island in Akiva Schaffer to direct and co-write the movie is smart. After all, he recently just helmed the better-than-it-ever-needed-to-be Chip n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie. And getting Liam Neeson to take on the role of Lt. Frank Drebin? Thats just inspired.Before being synonymous for his lethal deadpan delivery in the silliest of spoof moviesAirplane!, The Naked Gun, Scary Movie 3Leslie Nielsen was a serious(ish) actor who did everything from hard sci-fi like Forbidden Planet to wholesome primetime Disney television via Swamp Fox. Liam Neeson has a similarly shall we say eclectic career catalogue? Which is perfect for a late in life turn to dour straight man says the damndest things. Pamela Anderson also stars. DCThe Battle of Baktan CrossAugust 8Leonardo DiCaprio is starring in a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. Well repeat that for you so it can fully sink in: one of the last great movie stars who came out of the 90s is working with one of our greatest modern auteurs, who also is a Gen-X success story who blew up in the Clinton Years. Not a lot else is officially known about the movie, but it also stars Regina Hall, Benicio del Toro, and recent Licorice PizzaBoogie Nights Act Three Anderson, as opposed to Licorice Pizza basking in Act One of that 70s San Fernando Valley throwback. DCNobody 2August 15Remember when former funny guy Bob Odenkirk played an absolutely credible and terrifying assassin who could beat the shit out of you? Well, hes doing it again. Coolio. DCSaw XISeptember 26Its impressive that the ultra low-budget Saw launched a series that will reach an 11th entry. Thats especially true since it killed off antagonist John Kramer (Tobin Bell) in part three, and yet found a way to keep bringing him back without resorting to zombie tactics.At this point, we dont know anything about Saw XI other than the fact that it comes from director Kevin Greutert and writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. But it will probably involve lots of stomach-churning set-pieces and more of Kramers questionable self-help psychology. JGThe Bride!September 26Wolf Man isnt the only Universal reboot (or at least Universal-inspired) were getting in 2025. The Bride! puts a modern twist on Bride of Frankenstein, considered by most to be the best of the classic monster movies.The sophomore directorial outing of actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride! stars Jessie Buckley as the Bride and Christian Bale as the Monster. Its not clear what type of tone Gyllenhaal will take, but the exclamation point in the title suggests that The Bride! will be a bit more playful than her first movie, The Lost Daughter. JGTron: AresOctober 10We stand by the assertion that Tron: Legacy is underrated. While the screenplay to that movie was a bit all over the place, director Joseph Kosinski (him again) made it a sensory overload of visual and aural wonderment. And we didnt even mention that beautiful Daft Punk score yet. Alas, it looks like we will never get a sequel following up on its intriguing cliffhanger.We are getting yet another legacy sequel quasi-reboot though in Tron: Ares, a movie from director Joachim Rnning (The Young Woman and the Sea, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) and which sees Jared Leto take over the franchise as a computer program who has been sent from the world of Tron into our real world. But is Ares friend or foe to man, the star of a good movie, or another Morbius? Well, getting Jeff Bridges back and Gillian Anderson joining the cast is hopefully a good start. DCThe Black Phone 2October 17Yes, it is yet another horror sequel, and this one from Blumhouse Productions too. But its pride of place in the heart of October suggests a level of confidence that is promising. Memories of how effective a little genre exercise the first Black PhoneSomehow, though, they were all convinced to come back, even after Hawkes the Grabber got grabbed straight to hell at the end of the last one. Their returns have us open-minded to see where they could take us next. DCMortal Kombat 2October 25Look, if youre the type of person who would watch a Mortal Kombat movie, then youre probably going to love Mortal Kombat 2. Dont believe me? How many of you have seen Mortal Kombat: Annihilation? Exactly.Honestly, director Simon McQuoid did a fine enough job with 2021s Mortal Kombat, overcoming limitations in the script (its all leading up to the tournament? Not the actual tournament?) to turn out a solid actioner. Jeremy Slater (Godzilla x Kong, Moon Knight) scripts the sequel, which will see Lewis Tans Cole Young actually participating in the Mortal Kombat tournament we hope. JGBugoniaNovember 7Sometimes you wonder if producers or executives are aware of how prescient and timely the material theyre greenlighting actually is. Thats a thought that certainly crossed our mind regarding Bugonia, a strange and devilish sounding new feature from the maestro of the strange and devilish, Yorgos Lanthimos. Reteaming with his frequent muse Emma Stone, this remake of Jang Joon-hwans Save the Green Planet sees Stone cast as a high-powered pharmaceutical CEO. She also is the target for a conspiracy theory-obsessed recluse (Jesse Plemons), who becomes so convinced Stone is an alien that he kidnaps her to prove it.Likely more odd and perverse than its synopsis suggeststhe film is also described as a sci-fi comedythe movie leans into the satirical cynicism that informs many of Lanthimos best films, be they comedies (The Favourite), horror (Killing of a Sacred Deer), or once in a while just plain delightfulness (Poor Things). Were not sure where Bugonia will land on that spectrum, but we are eager to find out. DCPredator: BadlandsNovember 7Even three decades later, few action or sci-fi movies can match the sheer gonzo energy of 1987s Predator, not even the three sequels that followed. However, director Dan Trachtenberg brought some excitement back to the series with his excellent period piece Prey, which saw a Predator fight a Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder) in 1719.Trachtenberg will continue to redefine the franchise with Predator: Badlands, going into the future instead of the past. Elle Fanning stars in a dual role as twin sisters trying to survive a wasteland. That plot sounds similar to 2010s Predators, which is a solid film, but heres hoping Tractenberg can find a new direction. JGThe Running ManNovember 7Okay, I know that the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie The Running Man has its ardent defenders. But lets be honest, its not exactly high cinema. So even if Edgar Wrights last few films havent hit as well with audiences as anything in the Cornetto Trilogy, its still exciting to see what he can bring to the novel by Richard Bachman/Stephen King.Glen Powell steps into the Arnold role as Ben Richards, a contestant on a deadly game show in a dystopian future. Love Lies Bleeding standout Katy M. OBrian plays a fellow contestant while Karl Glusman and Lee Pace play hunters. We dont yet know which one will be Captain Freedom. JGWicked: For GoodNovember 21So did you know there was going to be a Wicked: Part Two?! Kidding aside, the ending of Jon M. Chus blockbuster adaptation of the Stephen Schwartz musical really could stand on its own as a mic drop. Its fair to say theres nothing else as showstopping in the stage show as Defying Gravity. Nonetheless, we are thrilled to see what everyone involved, including Schwartz who is writing new songs for the newly retitled For Good, come up with for the grande finale of this story.The film continues to track Cynthia Erivos thrilling performance as Elphaba, the green-skinned woman they labeled the Wicked Witch of the West, and her complex and evolving friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), the so-called Good Witch who went along with Jeff Goldblums Wizard as he vilified her friend. For Good will pick up a few years later with Glinda out of school and the face of the Emerald Citys smear campaign, and Elphaba in hiding as a fiery revolutionary. But not all may be as it seems DCZootopia 2November 26Disney overcame a not-well-considered racism metaphor to make Zootopia a gigantic hit. So its no surprise that the House of Mouse would get a sequel into production. Zootopia 2 brings back the secrets to the first movies success, Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman as unlikely friends Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Ke Huy Quan also continues his comeback tour by providing his voice to Gary, a snake that Judy and Nick are trying to find. JGAvatar: Fire and AshDecember 19We are supposed to be getting James Camerons third of five (so far) Avatar movies next Christmas. And this time the special effects are going to be all about fire. Thats pretty nifty, but will it actually be out only three years after Avatar: The Way of Water? Were sure Disneys shareholders expect so, but this is James Cameron, so DCMarty SupremeDecember 25Josh Safdie, one-half of your cineaste friends favorite new pair of brother directors, is going out on his own. And wouldnt you know it, like Uncut Gems, Marty Supreme crosses paths into the world of sports. How is not exactly clear because the plot details of this drama are completely on the DL. However, A24 is confident enough in the material to release the film on Christmas Day, which after the success of Nosferatu and A Complete Unknown this year is proven to once again be a good place for indie and prestige gambles.And this one also just so happens to star Timothe Chalamet, one of the most interesting actors of his generation. Sounds like a good bet. The pic likewise features Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, and Abel Ferrara. DCDeath of a UnicornTBAIn Death of a Unicorn, a unicorn dies. Okay, more specifically, it gets hit by a car driven by a father and daughter played by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. And theyre on their way to a retreat operated by a pharmaceutical company. Unfortunately for them, this unicorn has a mama.Death of a Unicorn is the debut of writer and director Alex Scharfman, who previously served as producer on projects such as Blow the Man Down and Selah and the Spades. But A24 is referencing Everything Everywhere All at Once in their marketing, suggesting that theyre banking on star power and a satirical tone to make this one a hit. And we got to admit, the trailer had us laughing. JGWarfareTBAAnother A24 film which has made a splash online even without a release date is Warfare, the new upcoming Iraq War movie directed by actual veteran and former U.S. Navy SEAL, Ray Mendoza, and Alex Garland of recent Civil War fame. Based on Mendozas real-life experiences, the film looks like a blistering recreation of a 2006 Navy SEALs mission into territory taken by insurgents. The film is sure to push some buttons and stars DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai as a younger version of Mendoza, Cosmo Jarvis, Will Poulter, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton. NetflixTBADaniel Craigs Benoit Blanc returns for at least one more murder mystery on Netflix, and this one is seemingly a more grim affair if its U2-inspired title is to be taken at face value. Writer-director Rian Johnson has kept the story blessedly under wraps this far out, but we know as with Knives OutGlass Onion before it, Wake Up Dead Man has a hell of a starry cast, including Glenn Close, Cailee Spaeny, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Thomas Hayden Church, and (of course) Joseph Gordon-Levitt in for his requisite cameo.If you want a few more breadcrumbs about what to expect, know this one filmed in London and features at least one character dressed as a priest. DCDeliver Me from NowhereTBAIt was only a matter of time before the Boss got his own biopic, and Deliver Me from Nowhere comes courtesy of writer-director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Black Mass). The Bears Jeremy Allen White plays an incredibly ripped Bruce Springsteen, alongside Johnny Cannizzaro as Little Steven and Jeremy Strong as his manager Jon Landau.If that sounds like the standard biopic fair, Deliver Me from Nowhere has a few things in its favor. For one, its based on the respected book by Warren Zanes. Second, it focuses on Springsteen recording Nebraska, the haunting, spare album he made before the mega-hit Born in the U.S.A. JGThe Smashing MachineTBAThanks to Good Time and Uncut Gems, brothers Josh and Benny Safdie have become cinemas top-level chroniclers of men who make terrible decisions. And like Josh on Marty Supreme, Benny may be going solo for The Smashing Machine, but hes still focusing on men on the edge.The Smashing Machine also deserves attention for its star. Dwayne Johnson takes a break from bland mainstream material to play Mark Kerr, a real-life mixed martial artist who rose to brutal fame in the 1990s and 2000s. Johnsons crowd-pleasing instincts will surely make for an interesting mix with Safdies commitment to unnerving viewers. JGFrankensteinTBAMaggie Gyllenhaal might be giving the Bride her due, but Guillermo del Toro is not forgetting about her intended mate. In fact, his upcoming Netflix adaptation of Mary Shelleys original novel realizes a lifelong dream for the Gothic horror maestro. The filmmaker behind Pans Labyrinth and The Shape of Water has indeed been chasing his Frankenstein movie since the 1990s and it finally arrives now as a fantastical vision which includes Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Monster, Mia Goth as Elizabeth Frankenstein, and intriguingly, Christoph Waltz as Dr. Pretorious, a character who has only ever appeared in Universal Pictures Bride of Frankenstein.Two Frankenstein movies in a year might be a lot, but if Robert Eggers success with Nosferatu (aka Dracula) proves anything, its that audiences never get tired of a classic if an artist can make it fresh again. DC