Table of ContentsTable of ContentsJuror #2 (2024)Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)Eurotrip (2004)When Harry Met Sally (1989)Interstellar (2014)Memento (2001)Wonka (2023)A Knights Tale (2001)Midnight in Paris (2011)Four Rooms (1995)New Years Eve is about more than just fireworks and champagne, although its a good bet that there will be plenty of both if you wind up at a party. But if youre staying home this New Years Eve, then why not watch some great films to pass the time as we count down to 2025?Our selections for the 10 best movies to watch on New Years Eve include films that are on several different streaming services. There are even a handful below that you can watch for free, if youre so inclined. Not all of the following movies are directly related to New Years Eve, but there are good reasons why we chose them. And some of them wont be sticking around in the new year, so start watching those early if you can.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides forthe best new movies to stream, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Netflix, and the best movies on Disney+.RelatedClaire Folger / Warner Bros.In what may be his final film, director Clint Eastwoods Juror #2 throws his main character into a moral dilemma. Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) has been named to a jury that will decide whether James Michael Sythe (Gabriel Basso) murdered his girlfriend, Kendall Carter (Francesca Eastwood). The problem is that Kemp was there the night of the incident, and he may have been the one who accidentally killed Carter.Kemp cant let an innocent man go to prison, but he also doesnt want to be imprisoned himself. That gives him the incentive to try to convince the rest of the jury to vote not guilty, even though theres pushback and at least one member of the panel who is willing to perform his own investigation. Kemps future is relying on his ability to get his desired outcome, but it may not be possible to save both Sythe and himself.Watch Juror #2 on Max.Parisa Taghizadeh / Warner Bros. PicturesWednesdays Jenna Ortega takes center stage in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel that only took 36 years to materialize. Ortega plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). Astrid and her mom arent exactly on very good terms when they go back to Lydias childhood home to bury her father. Its been decades since Lydia encountered Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), and shed like to keep him in her rearview window.But when Astrid gets in trouble on the other side of the afterlife, Lydia has no choice but to turn to Beetlejuice for help. He could use some help of his own because Beetlejuices vengeful ex-wife, Delores LaFerve (Monica Bellucci), has escaped her imprisonment. And she knows how to kill a ghost.Watch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on Max.EuroTrip (2004) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic TrailersThere arent lot of raunchy teen comedies like EuroTrip these days,and since this movie is leaving Netflix when the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve, this might be your last chance to watch it for a while. Scott Thomas (Scott Mechlowicz) finds out the hard way that his girlfriend, Fiona (Kristin Kreuk), has been cheating on him in a hilarious scene that sets the tone for the rest of the movie.To heal his broken heart, Scott goes on an impromptu road trip across Europe with his friends, Cooper (Jacob Pitts), Jenny (Michelle Trachtenberg), and Jamie (Travis Wester). Along the way, they manage to get in some very funny situations, especially in the Vatican. And Scott may even get a chance for a rebound relationship if he can catch up with his pen pal, Mieke Schmidt (Jessica Boehrs).Watch EuroTrip on Netflix.ColumbiaWhen Harry Met Sally is an appropriate choice for New Years Eve since one of the most pivotal parts of the film takes place on that night. But it earns its place on this list because its an all-time great romantic comedy, with well-matched stars in Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.Harry Burns (Crystal) and Sally Albright (Ryan) come into and out of each others lives, often while dating other people. And although their best friends, Marie (Carrie Fisher) and Jess (Bruno Kirby), fall for each other, Harry and Sally have trouble quantifying their own relationship. Harry suggests that men and women cant be friends because of the sexual attraction between them, and his comments hang over his head for years as he and Sally sort out their feelings.Watch When Harry Met Sally on Pluto TV.Paramount PicturesThis year marked the 10th anniversary of Interstellar, one of Christopher Nolans most ambitious films. On January 1, Interstellar will be bowing on Netflix, but Paramount+ is the only place you can catch it on New Years Eve. Its a tale of renewal in the face of humanitys impending extinction. Joseph Coop Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is tasked with the most important mission of his life: venturing out into space to find a new home for Earths survivors.If you want an example of Nolans eye for talent, Mackenzie Foy and Timothe Chalamet were cast as Coops children, Murph and Tom, before he has to leave them behind. As relative time bends for Coop and Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) in space, an older Murph (Jessica Chastain) has to come up with a way to get all of humanity off of their dying world or else the mission will have been for nothing.Watch Interstellar on Paramount+.Summit EntertainmentIf were watching one Christopher Nolan movie on New Years Eve, then why not watch two? Memento is the film that put Nolan on the map with its twisty narrative and nonlinear storytelling. The Brutalists Guy Pearce stars as Leonard Shelby, a man who is stuck in his own personal tale of revenge. Leonard has anterograde amnesia, which essentially resets his short-term memory every few minutes. All Leonard knows is that hes looking for the man who murdered his wife and gave him the wound that led to his memory loss.Once people learn about Leonards condition, theyre all too willing to mock him or use him for their own ends. Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Teddy Gammell (Joe Pantoliano) are both guilty of those crimes. But just because Leonards mind is fractured doesnt mean he cant get payback.Watch Memento on Prime Video.Warner Bros.Last year at this time, Wonka was the musical that cleaned up at the box office, much like Wicked is doing now. But unlike Wicked, you can watch Wonka for free on Tubi. In this prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka (Timothe Chalamet) hasnt yet become a trickster. Instead, hes a poor man with a dream in his soul and a song in his heart.Willys talent for making candy is apparent from the start, and theres real magic in his confections. Hes too good, and thats why Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph) and his Chocolate Cartel are out to destroy him. Willy may be nave, but hes no pushover. Once Willy gets his bearings and makes a few friends, it will be time to turn the tables and build his own candy empire.Watch Wonka on Tubi.Columbia PicturesThe late Heath Ledgers star power was on full display in A Knights Tale, a very modern reworking of Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales. Lets just say that there were no pop songs in the original telling. Ledger plays William Thatcher, a squire to a knight who dies suddenly. Rather than miss the opportunity of a lifetime, William takes his late mentors armor and wins a tournament in his name.Chaucer (Paul Bettany) becomes Williams hype man and helps him enter tournaments restricted to those of noble birth. William quickly proves that he belongs, and he even woos Lady Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon). He also makes an an enemy out of Count Adhemar of Anjou (Rufus Sewell), who wants Jocelyn for himself.Watch A Knights Tale on YouTube.Sony Pictures ClassicsMidnight in Paris is leaving Prime Video when 2025 begins, but its another good choice for New Years Eve because it brings together nostalgia for the past with hope for the future. Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a struggling writer on vacation in Paris with his fiance, Inez (Rachel McAdams), although their relationship is increasingly strained.Inexplicably, Gil finds a way to travel back and forth from the present to 1920, where he gets to hang around with literary heavyweights like F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll). Gil is also quite taken with Adriana (Marion Cotillard), Picassos mistress. But a man can only live in one time, and Gil has to choose where he really belongs, and who he wants to be with.Watch Midnight in Paris on Prime Video.Four Rooms (1995) Official Trailer - Sammi Davis, Amanda De Cadenet Movie HDFour Rooms is essentially four films in one, with Tim Roths bellhop Ted as the common element in each of them. On New Years Eve at a high-end hotel, Ted is called upon for some unusual requests. The best of the four segments is directed by Quentin Tarantino, who co-stars as Chester Rush, a man who entices Ted to take part in a very violent bet with his friend, Norman (Paul Caldern).Robert Rodriguezs segment finds Ted roped into taking care of the unruly children of a husband (Antonio Banderas) and wife (Tamlyn Tomita), while Alexandre Rockwells story puts him in the middle of a strange fantasy situation between Siegfried (David Proval) and his wife, Angela (Jennifer Beals). The first segment with the witches was helmed by Allison Anders, and its probably best just to skip past that one.Watch Four Rooms on Hoopla.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsConclave (2024)Before Sunset (2004)Hustle (2022)Good Will Hunting (1997)The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)What a year its been for movies. 2024 has one of the most eclectic selections of films in recent memory, especially those with award aspirations. Its the end of December, and there is no clear-cut Best Picture frontrunner. Anora, Emilia Prez, and The BrutalistOne genre that always has a strong showing every year is drama. These films tend to win Best Picture, but its not guaranteed. While our recommendations below are not all Oscar winners or contenders, they will provide cinephiles with enough drama to ring in the new year. Our picks include a papal thriller, a romantic drama, and an underdog sports story.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedFocus FeaturesWho would have thought one of the most thrilling dramas of 2024 would involve the Catholic Church? In Conclave, the College of Cardinals gathers to elect the popes successor after his sudden passing. Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is the leader of the conclave, which is the election to pick a new pope.Several candidates emerge as the frontrunners, including Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), and Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto). Each of the Cardinals has their flaws, but one of them holds a secret that could tarnish the Catholic Church. A hundred and twenty minutes of guys talking in a room has never been so campy and invigorating.Stream Conclave on Peacock.Warner Independent PicturesIn Richard Linklaters Before Sunrise, viewers watch Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) walk, talk, and fall in love over one night in Vienna. Nine years later, Jesse and Celine meet again in Before Sunset. Jesse is a successful novelist on a promo tour in Paris, reading chapters from the book based on his experiences with Celine. Celine comes strolling into the bookstore, where Jesse is doing a reading.With time to kill before his flight, Jesse spends his remaining hours with Celine, walking and talking for the second time. Is the love still present? To find out, stay until the end to witness one of the most memorable endings of the 21st century.Stream Before Sunset on Netflix.Scott Yamano / NetflixAdam Sandler is famous for showing up to random courts and playing some basketball. Sandler channeled his love for basketball in Hustle, Jeremiah Zagars excellent drama set in the world of international hoops. Stanley Sugerman (Sandler) is an aging scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. After years of grinding, Stanley finally gets his shot to be an assistant coach. However, the owner who hired him suddenly dies, and his spoiled son (Ben Foster) renounces the deal and reassigns him to scouting overseas.On a random walk in Spain, Stanley spots Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangmez), a talented player with serious potential. Stanley looks at Bo as his winning lottery ticket. If he can turn Bo into an NBA player, Stanley believes he will finally get his chance at coaching.Stream Hustle on Netflix.Miramax FilmsHow do you like them apples? Good Will Huntingis now streaming. Before they were Hollywood royalty, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were two Boston kids trying to succeed in the film industry. Damon and Affleck wrote the screenplay for Good Will Hunting, which won an Oscar and catapulted the duo to stardom.Will Hunting (Damon) is nothing short of a genius. The South Boston 20-year-old spends his days solving math problems at MIT while working as a janitor. Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgrd) discovers Wills brilliance and takes him under his wing. To keep Will out of jail, Lambeau sends him to therapy with his college roommate Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). What starts as a joke for Will becomes a breakthrough as he works through his deep-seated emotional issues.Stream Good Will Hunting on Paramount+.SonyAccording to its tagline, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is The Feel Bad Movie of Christmas. It was a stroke of marketing genius for a mysterious, sometimes disturbing, drama released around the holidays. David Fincher directs this adaptation of Stieg Larssons bestselling 2005 novel, which had already been adapted into a Swedish-language movie in 2009.After a libel suit destroys his career, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is given a chance to restore his reputation by accepting a job from Swedish businessman Henrik Vanger. Henrik wants Mikael to investigate the alleged murder of his grandniece, who disappeared 40 years prior. While working on the case, Mikael receives help from an unlikely source: Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a brilliant hacker fighting her own demons as a survivor of abuse.Stream The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on Max.Editors Recommendations

Timothe Chalamet becomes Bob Dylan, Nosferatu is resurrected, Pedro Almodvar makes his first English-language feature, a documentary reveals recent discoveries in Notre-Dame, and much, much more.

A documentary on CNN about Luther Vandross sensitively examines the talents and tribulations and of the R&B crooner.

Based on a Harlan Coben novel, this series follows a police detective who comes across an online profile of her fianc 11 years after he disappeared.

Blinking may do more than just keep our eyes healthygaiamoments/Getty ImagesBlinking serves a crucial physiological function, by clearing debris from our eyes and keeping them lubricated. But now, scientists have found it may also have a cognitive role.In 1945, Arthur Hall at the University of Sheffield in the UK reported on the frequency of blinking as people read aloud, finding that it mostly coincided with gaps in the print. He suggested that blinking may help people take pauses as they read.To expand on

Ancient human remains are rare and dont necessarily contain DNAShutterstock/MicrogenIt was an otherwise ordinary day in 2015 when Viviane Slon had her eureka moment. As she worked at her computer, the results revealed the sample she was examining contained human DNA. There was nothing so unusual about that in itself: at the time, the ancient DNA (aDNA) revolution was in full swing, and surprising new insights about our ancestors were being gradually unveiled. But Slons sample wasnt from human remains it was just dirt from a cave floor. That immediately told her she was onto something big.Many archaeological sites yield tools and artefacts that tell us about human occupation, but few have provided the bones or teeth that could still harbour human aDNA. Even when such remains are present, the chances that genetic material survives within them is slim because DNA is damaged by heat, moisture and acidity. So finding another source of aDNA the soil itself was a game changer. That opens up hundreds of prehistoric sites that we couldnt work on before, says Slon.Besides, humble dirt can reveal a lot about our distant past. Whereas fossils provide snapshots of prehistory, sediment gives a DNA source that can, in theory, generate an unbroken narrative. Researchers can study hominins predating the practice of burial. They can work out which groups created particular tools and other artefacts, learning more about their cognitive and artistic

Viral Herms Birkin dupes are selling out at retailers like Walmart.Actual counterfeits, unlike the Walmart bag, have been infiltrating secondhand luxury.These are the most commonly knocked-off styles to look out for, and some easy tells.An Herms lookalike handbag available to buy from Walmart has gone viral.People have been calling the bag a dupe, a term used to describe an item that's similar in appearance to a more expensive product. It does not claim to be from Herms and is not branded with the fashion house's name. But the bag, which looks a little like the iconic Birkin bag yet costs less than 1% of the price of a real one, is selling out as people seek the style of one of the world's most coveted handbags for under $100.A real Birkin has a starting price of $10,000 and can run into the six figures. Buying one directly from Herms requires establishing a relationship of purchases with the French fashion house and time spent on a waitlist, too.For those who want an authentic Birkin or any other luxury bag the secondhand market has become pivotal, with its value rising to $50 billion last year, according to Bain & Company. With a limited supply of the most in-demand bags, some turn to resale to avoid the wait. Aspirational customers are also taking advantage of better prices as a gateway to luxury.But the sheer volume of actual counterfeits demonstrates the dangers of buying on the secondhand market, which has been infiltrated by "dupe culture."Business Insider spoke to Hunter Thompson, the director of authentication and brand compliance at secondhand luxury retailer The RealReal, earlier this year about the proliferation of increasingly convincing fakes."In 2024, if it can be faked, it's faked," Thompson said. "Someone wears something one day, and in a few weeks, it's been counterfeited."Each month, The RealReal prevents about 5,000 fraudulent items from hitting the market and has kept more than 250,000 out of circulation since its inception in 2011. Some are sold by unwitting owners who have been misled, while others are part of a larger network of counterfeit suppliers seeking to make a buck from knock-offs."The level of sophistication there has definitely only increased," Thompson said, adding that wannabe sellers are even faking receipts, hoping that proof of purchase will sway someone to accept a rip-off.Hardware like the feet of a Birkin, zippers, and pulls can indicate that something is off, as can discrepancies in logos and spacing. For less obvious inconsistencies, the company deploys a microscopic camera that compares the bag with thousands of others, looking at everything from the grain of the leather to the edges of a brand stamp.Here are the bags that Thompson said are most commonly faked and some tell-tale red flags to look out for."It changes and stays the same. There are always those bags that are going to be counterfeit," he said. "Anything that's popular is totally game for being counterfeited."

Ahead of the Switch 2 reveal, you may be surprised to know that the best console for hardcore and lapsed gamers alike is already here and the Steam Deck is a fantastic purchaseTech16:37, 31 Dec 2024I love the Steam Deck OLED for its convenience and huge library(Image: Lloyd Coombes/Daily Star )Its been almost eight years since the Nintendo Switch launched, and the system that let us take a home console on the go has been nothing short of a roaring success.No longer splitting its time between a handheld and home system, Nintendo has been able to deliver incredible games you can play anywhere, and the market has responded with huge sales.Thats sparked interest from rivals, too, with Xbox considering a handheld, while Sony is poised to re-enter the market according to reports. With Switch 2 on the horizon, Im here to tell you that the best handheld console for you might just be the one thats already out the Steam Deck OLED.It's a beauty(Image: Lloyd Coombes/Daily Star )If youre new to the idea of a Steam Deck, let me summarise. A Steam Deck is, in essence, a small PC with console-like controllers. It runs Linux, an operating system less common than Windows or macOS, but packed with flexible features.It comes from Valve, a company that made its name developing some of the most incredible games in history with Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and DOTA 2, which has since established a huge digital storefront called Steam.Steam is the premiere place to by PC games, packing thousands of titles and often at a fantastic discount. Pairing that with a handheld device that, while too small to fit in your pocket but can still be thrown in a bag before a long flight, means you can nab a huge library of PC games and take them anywhere.The Steam store is packed with games, and they're often discounted(Image: Lloyd Coombes/Daily Star )Steam has been around for so long you can buy classics like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and more for the price of your morning coffee, making it a great way to catch up on huge games you may have missed.Its a library even the Xbox Series X, with its multi-generational backward compatibility would be envious of, with games like 2004s Half-Life 2 (widely regarded as one of the best games of all time) just a couple of quid in the Steam Winter Sale at the time of writing.If youve balked at paying 50 and up for a new game, the Steam Deck might be for you. And, if youre wondering about the power, have no fear.Not only is the console an ideal place to play indie titles, its got enough grunt for AAA games, too. If someone told you in 2020 that Cyberpunk 2077 would be playable on a handheld, youd have probably suggested they were mad, but CD Projekts adventure is a great experience on Steam Deck.Elden Ring, one of the best games of the last decade, was developed with Steam Deck optimization in mind, meaning its every bit as playable as it is on other platforms, and even former PS4 and PS5 exclusives like God of War or Horizon: Forbidden West are great.If you happen to have a powerful gaming PC too, you can always use Steams cloud saves to pick up where you left off when you get home, but its not all about whats on Steam.That Linux base means you can install Epic Games Store and Battle.net with a few minutes of work, but it also means you can run a whole host of emulators for classic games of bygone eras.The OLED model is even better than the prior one(Image: Lloyd Coombes/Daily Star )None of this is really new information, I admit, but Ive found myself reaching for my Steam Deck more often than my PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch recently to catch up on titles I missed from this year.This years breakout hits, Balatro and Animal Well, are perfect for quick bursts of fun and the latter feels much more suited to the OLED Steam Deck than the LCD version.In fact, my wife has the LCD version and, between us, weve racked up a whole host of time on the platform once our son is asleep. While she works through her Disney Dreamlight Valley to-do list, Ive been slaying all manner of nasties in Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4 while we watch TV.Ive been able to put time into my favourite games of the year like Tactical Breach Wizards and the PC version of Front Mission 2 Remake that I simply wouldnt have been able to do had I been restricted to waiting until the TV was free, or sitting in my dark, dingy office.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED

The past two weeks, we here at io9 have looked back at the movies, shows, and games of 2024, and given our own individual takeaways on certain trends that took place this year. Now its time to think about whats nextand more specifically, what were looking forward to in 2025. Feel free to let us know what youreexcited for (and hope hits the mark) in the comments below. Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX Sunrise/Khara After the conclusion ofThe Witch From Mercuryin 2023,Gundam set itself a high bar for whatever show might come nextand its not just a surprise to see another coming so soon, but one that has the potential to set that high bar rocketing past the atmosphere into the stars itself. GQuuuuuuXs wildly stacked array of creative talentfrom Kharas Hideaki Anno, Yoji Enokido, Kazuya Tsurumaki, and Ikuto Yamashita on writing, direction, and mechanical design, respectively? Pokmons Take on character design? A story that, if the leaks are to be believed, plays with the very foundational conflict ofGundam itself? Were in for something with the potential to be one of the franchises very best works, let alone one of the best series of 2025. James Whitbrook M3GAN 2.0 If Supermans too wholesome an option, consider another contender for hero of the summer: a kid-sized AI robot with killer dance moves, killer fashion sense, killer instincts, and (presumably) a killer revenge drive in her sequel.M3GAN 2.0 is once again directed by Gerald Johnstone and written by Akeela Cooper, and brings back Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw), plus therell be a whole new crop of characters too. We have every reason to believe our besties return will be just as campy, gory, and shriek-inducing as everand were counting down the days to June 27, 2025. Cheryl Eddy Wicked: For Good The firstWickedblew movie audiences away, proving the movie musical works if you just come right out and say its a musical. The sequel, which will expand the second act of the play, is rumored to include more new original music and the events of L. Frank Baums Wizard of Oz. Were interested to see how Dorothys journey will be incorporated alongside Elphaba and Glindas. Also, were holding space for more memes. Sabina Graves Avatar: Fire and Ash After two movies, I think we can safely stop joking about Avatar. The first movie was good, the second movie was very good, and now were waiting on part three, which is sure to be one of the biggest hits of the year. Plus, in addition to further exploring the world of Pandora, its always exciting just to see a new James Cameron movie. Especially since with each of these sequels, he continues to push the bar of technology with dynamic, character-driven storytelling. Germain LussierLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii RGG/Sega The Like a Dragon franchise went from being a zany, niche open-world series of games to a household name thanks in significant part to its prequel title, Yakuza 0,and its later entries having an English voice track. While Yakuza purists turn their noses up at the concept, accessibility is essential, and the language barrier is no different. This is why developer Ryu Ga Gotoku is coming off a year of releasing three Yakuza games, only to announce a fourth at the front end of 2025 led by fan-favorite character (and Yakuza 0 limelight stealer) Goro Majimatruly a Kendrick Lamar-esque sequence of events. Whats more, the studio, which famously reuses tons of its highly detailed assets to make games so frequently (we love a conscientious developer), is righting the wrong of Ubisoft crapping out a crummy and long-delayed live service pirate game in Skull and Bonesby making the pirate game that it promised withPirate Yakuza in Hawaii. In RGG, we trust. Isaiah Colbert Predator: Badlands Prey was a delight back in 2022, and even before it wrapped up, it was clear the Predator franchise was aiming for a comeback. Details on Predator: Badlands have been scarce, save for itll make the alien the star while Elle Fanning pulls double duty as twin sisters. Well eventually find out what Badlands has under the helmet, and cant wait to see what its bringing to theaters on November 7, 2025. And its not even the only hitting next year! Justin CarterAndor Season 2 Star Warshas had a bit of a rough time with itself lately, as the series struggles to chart a clear path forward with a vision of what it actually wantsStar Warsto be. But one of the rare highlights of this malaise to display a clarity of purpose is finally back, after a delayed wait: Cassian will finally find us all inAndors second, final season on April 22. Expectations are through the roof after the incredible first season, and every little tidbit weve been teased so far has us hoping that another Andor high can sustain us long enough to actually make it to Lucasfilm managing to get a movie into theaters again. James Whitbrook Synduality: Echo of Ada As a habitual mourner ofTitanfallas a video game franchise, any inkling of a new sci-fi mecha game that has the potential to be a spiritual successorwhile being anime-AF is like catnip to players worldwide, and Bandai NamcosSydnduality: Echo of Ada could fill those shoes. Its characters look pretty, its mechs even more, and its combat clips scratch that itch in every mecha fans brain to pilot weave their giant robot through a flurry of oncoming missiles with the assistance of their congested UI prompts. Lets hope it lives up to the hype. Isaiah ColbertMetroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo As weve seen with Mario, Zelda, and more, Nintendo treats its OG titles with extra care. Which is why it will have taken almost two decades to make a mainline Metroid game, one which was announced almost a decade ago. And yes, Metroid Dread was awesome. But Prime 4 promises to be so much bigger and more ambitious. A true return to the world of Samus Aran in a way that gamers have been waiting for, in some cases, all their lives. Germain Lussier Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition TheXenoblade series has become one of my all time favorite sets of JRPGs, but one of its finest entries has been locked to the Wii U for the best part of a decade. Thats changing with the release ofXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionon the Switch, which means that, at long last, more people can experience this fascinating refraction ofXenobladethat jukes where the sci-fantasy series usually jives, leaning much more into the former genre to deliver one of Nintendos best open-world RPGs. A mech game that actually keeps youawayfrom the giant robots on the cover for the opening half of the game,X makes up for its relatively light narrative beats with a truly remarkable world to discover, one that rewards players willing to engage in exploration with an incredibly rich setting. I cant wait to have every entry in one of my favorite series finally playable in one place. James WhitbrookWitch Hat Atelier Last year saw a massive boom in fantasy anime with shows likeFrieren: Beyond Journeys EndandDelicious in Dungeon. To complete the trifecta of whats been christened as the fantasy big three is Bug Films upcoming anime adaptationof Witch Hat Atelier. WhereasFrierenandDelicious in Dungeonflourished respectively with their character work and world-building,Witch Hat Atelierexcels at both, with an inventive magic system. Moreover, the series is laden with themes similar to 2024 standoutLook Back, which portrays the trials and tribulations of learning a new skill. Rather than tune into whateverHarry Potterslop Warner Bros is making ad nauseam, reward yourself by making Witch Hat Atelier your anime to watch in 2025. Isaiah Colbert Sinners Warner Bros. After tackling Creed and Marvel, Ryan Cooglers about to show us his own original take on horror. The prospect of Michael B. Jordan playing twins going up against something supernatural in their hometown is too good to pass up, and it became even more interesting once the first trailer hit. Add on an inevitably incredible score by Ludwig Gransson, and hell yeah, sign us up for Sinners. Justin Carter Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.