Stargazing as Quadrantids meteor showers peak, at Pigeon Point Light Station in Pescadero, California, on January 4, 2024. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesShareJanuary 3Quadrantids Meteor Shower Predicted PeakJanuary 10Planet Parade BeginsJanuary 13Full Wolf MoonJanuary 16Mars at OppositionA new year means its time for a new cosmic calendar! While the lack of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere can really suck out all of our energy, more darkness means opportunities to look at the night sky and wonder. The bitter cold air in the winter is also less hazy than it is during the summer, so stars and planets like Mars can be easier to spotas long as there isnt a ton of cloud cover. Here are some cosmic events to look for as we ring in 2025. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.January 3 Quadrantids Meteor Shower Predicted PeakTechnically the first meteor shower of the year, the Quadrantids typically begins in the middle of November of the preceding year. This year, it is predicted to peak in the early morning hours on January 3 and will wrap up by the end of the month. According to Earth Sky, it is one of four annual meteor showers with a sharp peek.The Quadrantids can produce over 100 meteors per hour under a dark sky without a bright moon. It is also known for producing the occasional fireball. According to NASA, fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak. This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of material. Fireballs are also brighter, with magnitudes brighter than -3.On January 3, looking for shooting stars just before dawn local time wherever you are will be the best bet for stargazing. The moon is not expected to interfere with this years Quadrantids, but cloud cover still could get in the way.January 10 Planet Parade Begins2025 opens with the chance to spot upwards of six planets together in the night sky. According to the Farmers Almanac, starting around January, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn will form an arc in the evening sky. By the end of February, Mercury will replace Saturn.Skygazers can look south and scan the sky from left to right (or east to west) for a look at each planet. According to Hunter Miller, an astronomy educator with the Adler Planetarium, the optimal time to try and spot all of the planets at once will be between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time.The optimal timing and location of the planets in the sky will vary slightly throughout the month, so I recommend utilizing a sky observing app like Stellarium to know exactly where to look from your location at any given time, Miller told NBC Chicago.The planet parade will continue through February. For the best days to see which plants, consult the Farmers Almanac. If you are really keen to spot these planets in all their glory, a backyard telescope will also really help.January 13 Full Wolf MoonThis years first full moon will reach its peak illumination on January 13 at 5:27 p.m. EST. If peak illumination occurs during daylight hours where you are located, the moon will still be bright and visible in the northeastern horizon after sunset.This moon is called the Wolf Moon, which is believed to have Celtic and Old English roots. It references the hungry packs of wolves that prowl during the winter months in some countries. Additional names for Januarys full moon include the Great Spirit Moon or Gichimanidoo-giizis in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe), the Winter Moon or Ukiuq in Inupiat, and Someones Ears are Freezing Moon or Teyakohuhtyaks in Oneida.January 16 Mars at OppositionOn January 16, the red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. Since its face will be fully illuminated by the sun, Mars will be brighter than it will be at any other time this year. According to SeaSky, this is the best time to view and photograph Mars. Additionally, a medium-sized telescope will also help skygazers see some of the dark details on the Mars orange surface. To spot it, look towards the eastern sky later in the evening.The same general skygazing rules are key this month: Go to a dark spot away from the bright lights of a city or town and let your eyes adjust to the darkness for about a half an hour.

The 2025 stargazing guide includes Venus at it brightest, a sunrise solar eclipse and three supermoons. Here are all the dates you need to know.

Find out exactly when to see the full moons of 2025, including dates for two total lunar eclipses and three supermoons.

Think having a mobile phone limits you in terms of the FPS games you can play? Think again! Here are the best first person shooter games that you can only plan on mobile devices.

The new year has begun and though the final season of My Hero Academia is ten months away, there is another story to be told, one whose anime adaptation fans have expected for a while now. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a prequel series about - as the title suggests - vigilantes operating outside the system and its director alone is cause for excitement.

After a wait that felt like forever, Ghost of Tsushima's sequel, Ghost of Yotei, has finally been revealed and is closer now than it has ever been before. 2025 is already a massive year for gaming, with big titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Avowed, and Monster Hunter Wilds launching, but now that Ghost of Yotei has been confirmed to be released sometime this year, it's an even greater time to be alive.

The board game industry has a tough challenge on its hands. The slate of 2024 releases was incredibly strong, and its difficult to imagine this years upcoming games being able to meet that established bar. There is always hope, and each year I am continually stunned with at least a couple of high-concept games that deliver a unique and visceral encounter.Its impossible to predict how the year will shape up before its even begun, but that wont stop me from laying out several titles that are hotly anticipated. These nine games caught my eye, promising a variety of compelling experiences. With any luck, a portion of my expectations will be met and we will be talking about these titles again at years end.Here are the key board games to keep an eye on heading into 2025.Cyberpunk 2077: The Board GameDesigner: ukasz WoniakSlip into the body of an Edgerunner and fight your way through Night City by rolling fistfuls of dice and carrying out actions in real time. Thats the hard sell, and it sounds wonderful. This narrative adventure game is app-driven, with your phone or tablet handling enemy actions as well as unexpected events and twists. You must act quickly, rolling dice on your turn and then spending those dice to move about the board and deal out pain to your foes.The real-time format has been successful before, and it could perfectly fit the frenetic action of the video game. Cyberpunk 2077: The Board Game hopes to capture this spirit and offer a unique tabletop design that provides drama and cinematics. There is enough going on here that Im concerned it could all bust apart at the seams, but thats part of the joy of finding out.Dont Starve: The Board GameDesigner: Rafa PieczyskiVideo game adaptations have recently been highly successful in the board game hobby. Just in 2024, Slay the Spire: The Board Game and Dead Cells: The Board Game proved compelling translations from digital to tabletop. Dont Starve: The Board Game will now get its shot, coming from the board game publisher that brought to life the fantastic adaptation Frostpunk: The Board Game.Dont Starve has up to four players exploring and surviving in a nightmarish procedurally generated world. You can experiment with both magic and science, interweaving the two together in your bid for survival against both the elements and terrifying creatures that populate the realm. Part horror and part survival game, this should shape up to be a gripping experienceon the tabletop.IliadDesigner: Reiner KniziaProlific designer Reiner Knizia has designed hundreds of games over five decades. Publisher Bitewing Games has published several of his recent releases and just announced that it will be publishing three more in 2025. The most enticing of the trio is Iliad, a two-player, 30-minute tile-laying game set in the epic backdrop of Homers poem about the Trojan war.This has the look shared by Knizias classic work, boasting a minimalist ruleset with strong emergent nuance. The goal is to place your soldier tiles in specific rows or columns so that you have the most strength and can earn tokens representing the gods favor. It promises a tense affair with painful trade-offs and hand management. How deep the decision-making goes remains to be seen, but Im eager to experience the struggle firsthand.MaledictionDesigners: Leo Cunha, Nicole Lobo, and Daniel Pettersen de LucenaMalediction asks the question: What if the creatures you summoned in Magic: The Gathering actually appeared on a battlefield and could be manipulated? This upcoming card game combines elements of miniatures skirmish gaming with two-player card battlers. Both genres are woven together with a brooding and evocative setting full of detail.The concept is ambitious. Each asymmetric faction is packaged separately and contains everything you need to play, including a full set of character standees for all of your monsters and warriors. However, those with the necessary hardware and initiative may 3D print detailed miniatures for their warband, as each boxed set includes access to official STL files for the faction. Malediciton is set to debut on Gamefound soon with a relatively quick turnaround time, as the game is expected to be fully available in the latter half of 2025.Molly HouseDesigners: Jo Kelly and Cole WehrleMolly House is an unusual game that touches on a unique portion of history. Players take on the roles of gender-defying mollies in 18th-century England, attending social events while avoiding moralistic constables. These activities are represented through a hand of vice cards representing encounters and desires frowned upon by the Society for the Reformation of Manners. Players work together to host parties, but they must be careful. An informant could have infiltrated the group, threatening the entire community.Part of the appeal of this game from first-time designer Jo Kelly is that it was a finalist for the 2021 Zenobia Award. Another feather in its cap is that its being produced by Drew and Cole Wehrle. Cole of course has designed hits such as Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right and Arcs: Conflict & Collapse in the Reach, but the Wehrle brothers together produced second editions of Pax Pamir and John Company, two modern classics that are among the best historical board gaming has to offer. Molly House looks to be this publishers next big hit.Purple HazeDesigner: Bernard GrzybowskiThis is one we wont have to wait long for, as Purple Haze is currently being fulfilled to crowdfunding supporters and is set to hit retail soon after. On the surface this is a squad-based wargame where players control a United States Marine unit that embarks on missions into the terrifying Vietnam jungle. It has an eye beyond irregular combat, however, seeking to support a rich emergent narrative with scripted story passages. Theres a spirit here that harkens back to the classic Avalon Hill 1983 title Ambush!, where paragraphs of text are referenced at key points in the mission. This flourish adds life to the environment and seeks to achieve something more meaningful by stringing together a larger coherent story.This game appears experimental for the wargame genre, but its actually indicative of current narrative gaming trends from the hobby at large. The potential is enormous for a crossover hit, and fans of films such as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket will find a tone and demeanor that greatly appeals.RevenantDesigner: Allan KirkebyRevenant leads with visuals and story. An ancient cosmic threat has awakened, and players are tasked with carrying out humanitys last hope. They must maintain and escort the Revenant, a retrofitted imperial flagship holding the secrets of their civilization. Allegiances may shift at any moment and the remnant of society is fragile.This is a direct sequel to Voidfall, a sprawling 4X board game originally published in 2023. It continues the story from that previous release, allowing a group to play out the last days of a forsaken people. Mechanically, this is a sophisticated game of competitive worker placement where the various ships in the fleet are utilized to fight the voidborn and collect resources. It appears a fascinating and complex strategic affair, one certainly worth diving into.Shadow Moon SyndicatesDesigner: Jarrod CarmichaelShadow Moon Syndicates is a gorgeous card game. Players take on the roles of various criminal syndicate crime bosses, each vying for control of the mining colony Shadow Moon. Cards are used each round to influence regions of the colony, carry out high-stakes operations, and assemble teams of specialists. Managing your hand of cards is central to the games strategy.With such a rad and stylized setting, this game looks lively and evocative on the tabletop. It features a gripping concept and pits players against each other while performing nefarious deeds and underhanded black ops. Shadow Moon Syndicates seems to exhale cool, and its another game where Im eager to see how it lands.VantageDesigner: Jamey StegmaierVantage is the most mysterious entry on this list, for details are still scarce. What we do know is that the publisher of Wingspan is putting out an open-world cooperative adventure game in 2025, and its likely to be something entirely unique.Up to six players are scattered across the world and must explore their environs. There are nearly 800 interconnected locations on 400 cards, with over 900 other discoverable cards waiting to be encountered. These numbers are dizzying, but its difficult to know what this looks like in reality. Vantage is predicated on freedom, allowing each player full authority to interact and explore their own location from a first-person perspective. The more information discovered about this game the more unusual it sounds. Without a doubt, its going to be one of the most talked-about releases of 2025.

2024 was a weird year for video games, if not entertainment in general. While there certainly were major AAA releases, like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, it was smaller and indie titles that more or less stole the show. Games like Balatro, Tactical Breach Wizards, and Animal Well dominated best-of-the-year discussions, while Team Asobi and Sony Interactive Entertainments Astro Bot unexpectedly won the hearts of gamers yearning for a challenging, personality-driven platformer.By all accounts, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for the video game industry in recent memory. The upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 and the impending announcement of the successor to the Nintendo Switch alone would clinch that distinction, but there are even more releases to look forward to on the horizon. From AAA behemoths like Borderlands 4, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Ghost of Ytei to ambitious new titles like 2XKO, Arc Raiders, and Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, theres almost too many exciting new releases to keep track of.Not to worry, though; weve compiled a list of the 50 games to look forward to this year, organized by their expected release date or release window.Donkey Kong Country Returns HDRelease date:Jan. 16Where to play:Nintendo SwitchWhen Donkey Kong Country Returns first came out in 2010, it was the first DK Country game not to involve developer Rare, and it came as some relief to fans that Retro Studios installment of the classic platformer series felt fresh and fun. It may not be the Wii game you were expecting to get an HD Nintendo Switch version, but its still worth checking out, especially if you never had the chance to play it back in 2010. Maddy MyersSynduality Echo of AdaRelease date:Jan. 23Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XDo you like sci-fi? What about mechs? If so, this extraction shooter is one to watch. Youll explore the world of Amasia alongside your AI partner in search of rare resources, taking on strange creatures and other players in the process. Saira MuellerSniper Elite: ResistanceRelease date: Jan. 30Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XMeaning no disrespect to the older Sniper Elite games, its pretty impressive the way this series has just kept getting better with every entry. The latest, Sniper Elite: Resistance, will bring the series trademark stealth and sniping gameplay to Nazi-occupied France, where players will join the resistance. Austen GoslinCivilization 7Release date: Feb. 11Where to play: Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XThe latest installment in the popular strategy franchise, Civilization 7 makes some bold changes to the familiar gameplay including the introduction of three Ages to represent different eras of civilization. Changes aside, itll likely still have you up until all hours taking just one more turn. Saira MuellerKingdom Come: Deliverance 2Release date: Feb. 4Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XWith Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, developer Warhorse Studios plans to deliver on the fantasy of role-playing a 15th-century Bohemian warrior with the reality of a life simulation. Players dont just engage in first-person medieval warfare; they need to sleep, eat, and train for visceral sword-based combat. The original Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a fan-favorite smash hit, and the sequel looks to go even bigger. Michael McWhertorAssassins Creed ShadowsRelease date: Feb. 14Where to play: Mac, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XPretty much for the entire run of the series, Assassins Creed fans have had one request: a game set in feudal Japan. That game, Assassins Creed Shadows, is finally out in 2025, bringing literal years of clamoring to a close. Youll play as two protagonists, swapping between the fictional assassin Naoe and the nonfictional samurai Yasuke, with stealth- or combat-focused gameplay respectively. Though Shadows was initially planned for a late 2024 release, Ubisoft delayed it, citing the need for additional polish. All told, Shadows could be the biggest Assassins Creed in years or the biggest flop. Either way, one to watch! Ari NotisAvowed Release date: Feb. 18Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XThe role-playing game experts at Obsidian Entertainment return to the fantasy world of Eora from the Pillars of Eternity series for a brand-new, first-person adventure. Avowed looks like fantasy RPG comfort food, with swords and spells (and guns!) at the heart of combat, and choices and consequences driving its wizards-and-warriors narrative. Adventure and danger await in what appears to be a classic fantasy tale on the diverse and mysterious Living Lands. Michael McWhertorLost Records: Bloom & RageRelease date:Feb. 18Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XDont Nods Lost Records: Bloom & Rage seems to have a lot of what made Life Is Strange and Life Is Strange 2 special: a heartfelt, complex story about teenagers. This time, the studio is taking on a mid-90s group of friends in a band and adding a supernatural mystery to the mix. It looks like itll blend both the past and the present to create a woven narrative. Nicole CarpenterLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in HawaiiRelease date:Feb. 21Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XLike a Dragon: Infinite Wealthwas my favorite game of 2024, a colossal open-world RPG that doubled as a conclusion of sorts and starting point for the long-running franchise. Its story felt like meeting eclectic weirdos on a flight to Hawaii and then deciding to spend your entire vacation hanging out with your new best friends. One hitch: the game features turn-based combat, which isnt everyones cup of rum.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiioffers an alternative for folks who want the Hawaiian adventure, but prefer to spend time mashing buttons as they pulverize baddies. Same beautiful setting. Same charming storytelling. But now you get a sword and naval combat! Chris PlanteMonster Hunter WildsRelease date:Feb. 28Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XCapcoms Monster Hunter franchise somehow manages to get both deeper and more approachable with each entry. Monster Hunter Wilds is the franchises most ambitious adventure yet, with a sprawling ecosystem that will feature new monsters to battle, a new mount to further speed up travel, and even greater depth for the series trademark combat. Dynamically changing environments and multiple weapon loadouts will help keep things fresh, even for Monster Hunter veterans. Michael McWhertorFragPunkRelease date: March 6Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XThis fast-paced, colorful shooter is set for release in March. Traditional hero shooter mechanics are bolstered by power-up cards, which grant wild bonuses like a teeny-tiny noggin thats tough to headshot, or an upside-down world. This free-to-play game has super short rounds and rewards aggressive play, quick reflexes, and clever use of hero powers and shard cards. Cass MarshallTales of the ShireRelease date:March 25Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XAlthough Frodo and his pals ended up getting pulled into some very un-hobbit-like adventures, we all know that most hobbits cant abide that sort of thing at all. Tales of the Shire embraces the core activities of the hobbit lifestyle farming, eating, and socializing already a trifecta in the cozy life sim genre. So if you wished Frodo had never left the Shire, and indeed that you yourself could make a home for yourself there, this is the game for you; heres a glowing preview of the game from Polygons own Lord of the Rings expert Susana Polo if you need more details. Maddy MyersAtomfallRelease date: March 27Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XInspired by Fallout: New Vegas, this upcoming game from Sniper Elite developer Rebellion Developments is set in an alt-history 1960s version of England in the wake of the Windscale nuclear disaster. In the world of Atomfall, the disaster has transformed northern England into a radioactive quarantine zone; the single-player, first-person survival game features everything youd hope to see in a New Vegas-inspired experience. That means scavenging, crafting, bartering with and/or fighting NPCs, and exploring and uncovering the mysteries of this ravaged world. Maddy MyersInZoiRelease date: March 28 (early access)Where to play: Windows PCThe first thing youll notice about InZoi is how extraordinarily realistic it looks, especially compared to The Sims, its stylized and cartoonish competitor. Kraftons upcoming life sim game slated to be released in early access on March 28 capitalizes on the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5, and it shows. What remains to be seen is how fun the rest of the game is beyond the hyperrealism of its character creator. When Jordon Oloman previewed the game for Polygon at Gamescom 2024, he described InZoi as a technical marvel, a mind-boggling, genre-eating life simulator that Im keen to dig deeper into. Maddy MyersFootball Manager 25Release date: March 2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XThe story of Football Manager 25 has been one of delays. While it initially released its new entries in the fall, Sports Interactive announced in October 2024 that this years game wont come out until March (when many of the globes major leagues will be wrapping up their seasons), in order to deliver the best possible experience for the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation. Among the many intriguing new features better animations, a completely overhauled match day experience, an improved UI the most exciting is the long-overdue addition of womens soccer to the mega popular simulator franchise. Pete VolkGrand Theft Auto 6Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XDo we even have to remind you that Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently slated for 2025? Though theres no announced release date, publisher Take-Two Interactive has the game set for fall 2025. GTA 6 is easily the most anticipated game expected out in the next year, bringing the franchise back to Vice City, the franchises fictional version of Miami. While those games were set in the 1980s, GTA 6 brings Vice City to the present, following a Bonnie and Clyde-esque duo. Nicole Carpenter2XKORelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XAfter dominating the world of MOBAs, tactical shooters, and animated entertainment, Riot Games is now setting its sights on fighting games. 2XKO is set in the League of Legends universe and employs a few of its characters in a unique fighting game thats designed from the ground up for 2v2 combat. Austen GoslinBorderlands 4Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5,Windows PC, Xbox Series XBorderlands 4, criminally not titled 4derlands, doesnt need to be anything beyond more Borderlands to work. But the next entry in Gearboxs loot-shooter series introduces a number of new features, including a grappling hook (scientifically proven to improve every game its a part of) and an allegedly seamless map. Bring on the 87 gajillion guns! Ari NotisDeath Stranding 2: On the BeachRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5The next installment of the baffling and beautiful Kojima Productions game Death Stranding (2019) doesnt yet have a release date, but what we do know is that it will be just as incomprehensible as its predecessor. We know that much from multiple lengthy trailers that have been released for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, featuring such bizarre new additions as Dollman, a living puppet animated in stop-motion style. I dont know why theres a living puppet in this game, but Im also not sure I can explain anything that happened in the first game, either. Bring it on, Kojima. Maddy MyersDemonschoolRelease date: 2025Where to play: Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XWith a light horror narrative, this turn-based RPG will see you fighting big bads while attending school on a mysterious island. Aside from fighting monsters with your friends, youll plan your school schedule in order to build skills. Saira MuellerDoom: The Dark AgesRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5,Windows PC, Xbox Series XGet ready to rip and tear with a CHAINSAW SHIELD in this medieval prequel to the Doom series. Doom: The Dark Ages may be set in the past, but that doesnt mean the gunplay will be any less contemporary. The setting simply gives the Doom Slayer a reason to smash demons with a spiked flail, ride on the back of a dragon, and pilot a giant mech that looks like an armored medieval knight. Its quite possibly 2025s most badass game. Michael McWhertorDune: AwakeningRelease date:TBAWhere to play: PlayStation 5,Windows PC, Xbox Series XPlayed from a third-person perspective, Funcoms Dune: Awakening will allow players to customize their own characters and align themselves with the various factions vying for control of Arrakis. Combat is dictated through an interesting mix of melee and ranged abilities, including firearms, which is a significant departure from the established canon. Youll also have the opportunity to build bases and drive vehicles that borrow much of the design language used in the more recent Villeneuve Dune saga through an open-world sandbox, pun intended.The small amounts of gameplay weve been shown thus far look like a blend of Subnautica or No Mans Sky with more live-service trappings thrown in, such as colored loot, guilds, and character progression systems. Alice JovaneGhost of YteiRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5Not quite Ghost of Tsushima 2, Ghost of Ytei is a new story from the developers at Sucker Punch, set in the early 1600s in the regions surrounding Mount Yotei. In that time period, the region was called Ezo, and was a separatist republic led by samurai. We dont know much about the games new protagonist, named Atsu, except that she wields two katanas and shes out for revenge. Maddy MyersKilling Floor 3Release date: 2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XNearly a decade after the release of Killing Floor 2, the FPS franchise is back with a sequel that should open up plenty of room for more co-op zombie killing. The game already looks a whole lot prettier than its predecessor, and it seems to have even more unlocks and upgrades to go along with its improved visuals. AGElden Ring NightreignRelease date: 2025Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XWe dont know much about this upcoming multiplayer, co-op Elden Ring spinoff game, but we know enough to be intrigued; the project brings roguelike and battle royale elements to the punishing world of the Lands Between, as well as randomized loot and preset characters from which to select (rather than a player-created protagonist, as FromSofts games typically have). It all sounds very different from Elden Ring, and yet it will probably have some ineffable Elden Ring-ness to it when it arrives sometime in 2025 (following a network test early in the year). Maddy MyersProfessor Layton and the New World of SteamRelease date:2025Where to play: Nintendo SwitchLevel-5 announced Professor Layton and the New World of Steam during a Nintendo Direct in 2023, but hasnt shared much about the game, aside from a few brief trailers that hinted at a new antagonist in a technologically evolving world. The last mainline Professor Layton game was released in 2017, so fans of the franchise are eager to learn more about the game as its 2025 release approaches. Nicole Carpenter33 ImmortalsRelease date:2025 (early access)Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XWould it even be an action roguelike if you didnt fight through the underworld? 33 Immortals continues the trend with a game starring a damned soul who battles their way through hell, purgatory, and heaven but heres the really strange part. The game supports up to 33 players working in tandem, making this a massive cooperative experience. Killing god will probably take some teamwork, after all. Maddy MyersAnno 117: Pax RomanaRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XThe Anno franchise is really drilling down into the true sickos in its fan base now. The city-building simulation series is dropping its oldest edition yet, taking players all the way back to the days of ancient Rome where you can try your hand at running a little piece of the empire. Austen GoslinArc RaidersRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XA multiplayer extraction adventure where the player must loot a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of deadly robots. Those brave enough to raid the above world must build relationships with traders, survive dangerous conditions, and upgrade their underground base. Cass MarshallFableRelease date:2025Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XThe first installment in the long-running series since 2012, this upcoming game is called simply Fable and, for several years since its announcement in 2020, details about it have been scant. Former entries in the action role-playing series were all about player choice, and the gameplay trailer that finally debuted in 2024 emphasized that as well, with a description that reads, What does it mean to be a Hero? Well, in the fairytale land of Albion, that is entirely up to you. This game is nominally coming out in 2025, so heres hoping well hear more about what those choices might be. Maddy MyersFBC: FirebreakRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XSet in the universe of 2019s Control, Remedy Entertainments cooperative first-person shooter follows a team of agents trapped inside the depths of the Oldest House, the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control. Isolated from the outside world, players must work together to fight against the extradimensional enemies trapped alongside them, utilizing a variety of tools, weapons, and equipment cobbled together from whatever they can find on hand. Desperate times call for desperate measures! Toussaint EganMarvel 1943: Rise of HydraRelease date:2025Where to play:PlayStation 5,Windows PC,Xbox Series XMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, former Uncharted director Amy Hennigs new project at her new studio, Skydance New Media, is based on a 2010 Marvel Comics series about Steve Rogers and TChallas grandpa teaming up to fight Nazis. The game has a four-character ensemble, so beyond those two more famous characters, theres also Gabriel Jones (a member of the Howling Commandos, an elite special forces unit formed by Nick Fury) and Nanali (described as the leader of the Wakandan Spy Network and in the comics, a former queen of Wakanda as well). No release date yet, but expect to be punching out those Nazis in 2025. Maddy MyersMetroid Prime 4: BeyondRelease date:2025Where to play: Nintendo SwitchAnnounced in 2017 and then followed by lots of radio silence and a total reboot, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been a long time coming. It came as a great surprise and relief, therefore, to see a full-length trailer for the game in 2024 that promised a 2025 release date. A more specific release date has yet to be clarified for Samus Arans next first-person adventure, but rumor has it that it might accompany the Switch 2 also slated for 2025, natch. (For those who have no idea why longtime Metroid fans are frothing at the mouth, pick up the remastered version of the first Metroid Prime on the Switch and get a taste of whats to come.) Maddy MyersPokemon Legends: Z-ARelease date:2025Where to play: Nintendo SwitchPokmon Legends: Z-A is the next installment in a series of Pokmon spinoffs that started with Pokmon Legends: Arceus. Im particularly eager for this release because it takes players to the urban setting of Lumiose City and the Pokmon X and Y generation. Ana DiazThe Sinking City 2Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5,Windows PC,Xbox Series XNearly six years removed from the release of the first game, Ukrainian developer Frogwares is returning with a follow-up to its 2019 survival horror game The Sinking City. Inspired by the works of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, The Sinking City 2 takes place in the fictional city of Arkham, Massachusetts, which has recently been afflicted by a supernatural flood. Though its a stand-alone story from The Sinking City, the sequel will likely boast a few references to the events of the previous game. Toussaint EganSkateRelease date:2025 (early access)Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XCall it Skate 4. Call it skate. However you refer to Electronic Arts revival of its beloved and long-dormant skateboarding franchise, you have to put some respect on its name due to the long, battle-tested, community-powered development period that (we hope) ensures developer Full Circle will deliver on a bazillion requests for a new Skate game. Next years free-to-play Skate promises to be a living, growing game, with something different to do every day, week, or season. Michael McWhertorSlay the Spire 2Release date:2025Where to play: Mac, Windows PCSlay the Spire is the perfect just one more game deck-building roguelike, providing variety through its four classes and massive assortment of cards and artifacts. Slay the Spire 2 doesnt look like it will change the formula too much, at least from what we saw in the gameplay trailer shown at The Game Awards, and thats a good thing. While some of the concepts and characters look the same, there are enough tweaks (including a new character called the Necrobinder) to make me excited to play hundreds of hours of a sequel. Chelsea StarkSplitgate 2Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series XThe original Splitgate was one of the most fun and exciting surprises of the last several years, a snappy FPS with Portal-esque pathways that gave players the freedom to turn every map into an M.C. Escher firefight. As for how the sequel will improve the gameplay, well just have to wait and see. Austen GoslinSouth of MidnightRelease date:2025Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XCompulsion Games, the developer of 2018s We Happy Few, is set to return in 2025 with a new third person action-adventure set in a Southern Gothic fantasy world inspired by the American South. South of Midnight follows the story of Hazel, a young woman whose hometown of Prospero is ravaged by a supernatural hurricane. Set adrift in a world that blurs the line between folklore and reality, Hazel must use her powers as a weaver to restore balance and find a new home. Toussaint EganSubnautica 2Release date:2025 (early access)Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XSubnautica 2 is the sequel to the underwater survival game Subnautica. I loved the original game because you can explore breathtaking coral reefs and dark ocean depths. Im excited because developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment announced multiplayer for the sequel, so Ill have another survival game I can play with friends.Ana DiazThe AltersRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XIf you, like me, are looking forward to Bong Joon-hos sci-fi drama Mickey 17, you should definitely keep your eye out for this weird and wild survival adventure. Set on an inhospitable planet, The Alters puts players in the role of Jan Dolski, a space miner who must navigate a gigantic circular space station to stay out of the reach of the planets deadly sunlight. With no one else to aid him, Jan must rely on the Alters cloned versions of himself from alternate timelines to help him conquer the planets resources and devise a way to return home. Toussaint EganClair Obscur:Expedition 33Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5,Windows PC,Xbox Series XEven after a year of extraordinary RPGs in 2024, were still ready for what could be another banger or at least something stunning to look upon in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a turn-based single-player fantasy RPG thats also the first-ever project from developer Sandfall Interactive. The French studios game takes inspiration from Final Fantasy and Persona, and its slightly realistic, slightly stylized character designs (courtesy of Unreal Engine 5) pair with a distinctive Belle poque-meets-dark-fantasy setting. Maddy MyersMafia: The Old CountryRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XIts been nearly 10 years since the last game in the Mafia franchise, but developer Hangar 13, which previously made Mafia 3, is back for another tale of organized crime. This time around the open-world crime series is taking players to turn-of-the-century Sicily for some old-school action. Austen GoslinJudasRelease date:TBAWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series XGhost Story Games (formerly Irrational Games) is back with its first release in over a decade. Set aboard a disintegrating spaceship, Judas is a first-person shooter centered on the eponymous protagonist, a pariah of this far-future society, who must fight to survive while weighing the future of the surviving remnants of humanity. The game will prominently feature procedurally generated scenarios inspired by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordors Nemesis System. Toussaint EganThe Outer Worlds 2Release date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XObsidian Entertainment announced itll release The Outer Worlds 2, its cheeky science fiction role-playing game, in 2025 with a new trailer at The Game Awards in December. As the trailer narrator put it, The Outer Worlds 2 will have everything that should have been in the first game more action, more weapons, and more graphics, naturally. Again, theres no specific release date for this one, but the first gameplay trailer looks quite exciting. Nicole CarpenterGears of War: E-DayRelease date:TBAWhere to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series XGears 5 ended on a hell of a cliffhanger half a decade ago, so its intensely gratifying that, in 2025, the series picks up with Wait. A prequel?! Yes, Gears of War: E-Day is about as much of a prequel as a Gears of War game can be, going back to the start of the Locust horde invasion. Dangling narrative threads aside, mowing down hordes of squelchy underground abominations never gets old. Plus, playing once again as series mainstays Marcus and Dom is nostalgia in a bottle. Ari NotisMarathonRelease date:2025Where to play: Playstation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XA new game from Bungie would always be cause for celebration, but a new extraction shooter building on the bones of the developers first franchise is particularly interesting. This seems like Bungie taking a dive into the deepest end of the hardcore multiplayer FPS pool, and given the studios track record, its hard to think of anything more exciting in 2025 than that. Austen GoslinTerminator: SurvivorsRelease date:2025Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XLike other open-world survival games, Terminator: Survivors will task players either alone or in co-op multiplayer to scavenge for resources, build a base, and fight to survive against other players. But theres another wrinkle: In a post-Judgment Day world, players will also have to survive against hunter-killer robots, namely the Terminator T-800 and the other terrors in Skynets mechanized army, which aims to wipe out humanity for good. Michael McWhertorDeadlockRelease date:TBAWhere to play: Windows PCValves team-based multiplayer shooter, which also has a sprinkling of MOBA-inspired elements, didnt have an ordinary launch. Deadlock entered into secret early playtesting on Steam, with players sharing keys with one another through word of mouth and agreeing to a cone of silence about the games existence upon logging in. The game finally got a Steam page in August 2024, but its still not even technically in early access although you can play it, if you know a guy who knows a guy, etc. We figure Deadlock will get an actual release date in 2025, and having played it a bit ourselves, we can tell you its got a lot of potential and (despite the weird rollout) is worth keeping an eye on when its fully live. Maddy MyersMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake EaterRelease date:TBAWhere to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series XAt a preview for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami producer Noriaki Okamura told Polygon that the team definitely didnt want to alter any of the story or world but didnt address the elephant in the room (the departures of former Metal Gear creatives from Konami, like Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa). Given the immense respect for the source material seen in Konamis Silent Hill 2 remake (developed by Bloober Team), despite the immense skepticism about it on the part of Silent Hill fans, it does seem possible that Metal Gear Solid Delta might similarly win over the skeptical superfans out there. Thats clearly what the team is hoping for and they seemingly have some more time to polish, since the game doesnt yet have a release date beyond 2025. Maddy Myers

2024s movie calendar may have closed a little bit softly, but 2025 opens with a bang and just keeps rolling. To get you ready for a year full of excellent releases, weve put together a list of 50 movies that should already have a spot reserved on your watch list. The upcoming movie slate this year includes an myriad of superhero sequels and reboots from Superman to Fantastic Four: First Steps, along with some creative-looking horror movies, the long-awaited return of Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, a mysterious Kendrick Lamar musical, and Wicked: For Good. And if none of that were enough, theres also a third Avatar movie to cap off the whole thing. Heres all thoses movies and everything else you should be keeping an eye out for in 2025.Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most FowlRelease date: On Netflix Jan. 3Directors: Nick Park, Merlin CrossinghamCast: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Reece ShearsmithDrawing the eponymous doofus-and-dog team Wallace and Gromit into the era of strict IP continuity, the first Wallace & Gromit story since 2008 (and only the second full-length feature) brings back silent penguin antagonist Feathers McGraw for more hijinks around Wallaces awkward inventions. This is the first movie with Ben Whitehead as Wallace; hes been Wallaces voice in marketing and video games since 2008, and is reprising the role in the movies as well following the 2017 death of original Wallace voice Peter Sallis. Expect cheese jokes, stop-motion slapstick, and periodic long-suffering eyerolls from Gromit as Wallace deals with his latest invention, a helpful robotic garden gnome that runs amok. Tasha RobinsonDen of Thieves 2: PanteraRelease date: In theaters Jan. 10Director: Christian GudegastCast: Gerard Butler, OShea Jackson Jr.The first Den of Thieves has been lovingly called (by myself and others) Dirtbag Heat, and, judging by the explosive trailer, the sequel is poised to continue down that route by seemingly teaming up Gerard Butlers aggro cop Big Nick with OShea Jackson Jr.s smooth criminal Donnie Wilson. If you ever wanted to see Al Pacino and Robert De Niros characters from Heat team up in Europe, this is as close as youre going to get. And if its anywhere near as good as the first movie, youre in for an all-time January classic. Pete VolkPaddington in PeruRelease date: In theaters Jan. 17Director: Dougal WilsonCast: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie WaltersThe weirdly critically beloved Paddington movie series continues the story of the hapless fish-out-of-water CG bear adopted by humans, inspired by Michael Bonds classic kids books. This third installment in the series has the little bear (Ben Whishaw) returning to his homeland of Peru to visit his aunt, and getting involved in an Amazonian mystery-adventure. This movie has already been out for a while in some countries, and critical word has been a pretty universal Its OK, but not as good as the first two. So temper your sky-high Paddington expectations accordingly. TRWolf ManRelease date: In theaters Jan. 17Director: Leigh WhannellCast: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda FirthDirector Leigh Whannells 2020 version of The Invisible Man was a terrific yet sadly overlooked update of the classic monster-movie story. It expertly pulled the story into modern times by letting it prey on 21st-century anxieties about technology, power, and human connection. Hopefully his new update of The Wolf Man is just as successful and even more widely recognized. Austen GoslinThe Color WithinRelease date: In theaters Jan. 24Director: Naoko YamadaCast: Akari Takaishi, Sayu Suzukawa, Taisei KidoAnimator-director Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird) is back with an all-new feature film, this time produced by Science Saru, the acclaimed studio behind Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! and Inu-Oh. The Colors Within centers on the story of Totsuko, a high school student with synesthesia, who is inadvertently recruited to play in a band alongside her classmates Kimi and Rui. Together, the trios friendship grows alongside their love of music, while each of them confronts their own struggles in coming of age. Toussaint EganPresenceRelease date: In theaters Jan. 24Director: Steven SoderberghCast: Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris SullivanThe latest in Steven Soderberghs endless experiments with the cinematic form is an unconventional ghost story, seen from the POV of the presence of the title an invisible figure watching the struggles of a mother and father (Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan) dealing with family stresses in a new house. It got a strongly positive response in festival screenings, which emphasized that it isnt a blood-and-guts-and-jump-scares horror movie, just a melancholy, haunting story centered on, as the title has it, a disturbing unseen presence. TRLove HurtsRelease date: In theaters Feb. 7Director: Jonathan EusebioCast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel WuIndependent production company 87North has quickly gone from action movie upstart to one of Hollywoods major players in the genre. It started with the John Wick movies, continued with hits like Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy, and now, Ke Huy Quan gets another chance to be an action star with Love Hurts. The movie will also be the directorial debut of veteran stunt performer and action director Jonathan Eusebio, who worked as a fight coordinator on the first three John Wick movies, Doctor Strange, and The Fall Guy, and as a stunt coordinator on Black Panther and Birds of Prey. The guys got the goods. PVCaptain America: Brave New WorldRelease date: In theaters Feb. 14Director: Julius OnahCast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira HaasThe Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to theaters this year with the next installment of the Captain America franchise. Written in part by The Falcon and the Winter Soldier alums, Anthony Mackies Cap will face off against Harrison Fords Red Hulk and Giancarlo Espositos Sidewinder. Susana PoloThe GorgeRelease date: On Apple TV Plus Feb. 14Director: Scott DerricksonCast: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney WeaverThe Gorge has an incredible concept. Its an sci-fi action movie about two snipers who are each tasked with guarding one side of a massive gorge with no idea whats inside. If that werent enough, its directed by the great Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone, Sinister, Doctor Strange), and stars the always excellent Anya Taylor-Joy as well as Miles Teller. Austen GoslinThe MonkeyRelease date: In theaters Feb. 21Director: Osgood PerkinsCast: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah WoodHot off the massive success of Longlegs, writer-director Oz Perkins is back in theaters less than a year later with this new adaptation of Stephen Kings classic story about a clapping toy monkey thats far more dangerous and sinister than it appears. Longlegs expertly mixed bizarre black humor with scares, which sounds like a perfect tone for The Monkey to strike too. AGThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes MovieRelease date: In theaters Feb. 28Director: Peter BrowngardtCast: Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicolThe Looney Tunes are set to return to the big screen this year with their first original fully animated feature film! The Day the Earth Blew Up stars Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, who, after a series of hijinks at a bubblegum factory, accidentally discover a clandestine alien plot to conquer the world! The good news is that they have each other to rely on in order to save the day. The bad news is well, they have to rely on each other in order to save the day. TEThe Legend of OchiRelease date: In theaters Feb. 28Director: Isaiah SaxonCast: Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily WatsonIs elevated fantasy the next discourse-worthy film label? After arguably creating its own subgenre with Hereditary and The Witch, A24 is ready to rethink magical realism with The Legend of Ochi, the debut feature from puppets-and-practical-effects visionary Isaiah Saxon. Unlike the studios horror outings, Ochi looks more like heartfelt, all-ages fantasy, following the journey of a young girl, Yuri (Helena Zengel), and a baby ochi, a primate-ish creature from a nearby foggy forest. A spin on E.T. with the heart of Jim Henson and a Moonrise Kingdom sheen sounds like exactly the antidote to big-budget Lord of the Rings wannabes. Matt PatchesSinnersRelease date: In theaters March 7Director: Ryan CooglerCast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack OConnellRyan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan are teaming up once again, this time for an original supernatural horror film set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South. Sinners stars Jordan in the dual role of Elijah and Elias, twin brothers who return to their hometown in search of relief and a chance to start over. What they find, however, is a horror greater than anything they could imagine brewing beneath the surface. TEBlack BagRelease date: In theaters March 14Director: Steven SoderberghCast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Reg-Jean PageSteven Soderbergh never misses, which is why its so exciting that his immediate follow-up to Presence is going to be a spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as a married couple. It seems like its going to have a Mr. & Mrs. Smith-type vibe, but perhaps with a bit more political intrigue sprinkled on top. AGDisneys Snow WhiteRelease date: In theaters March 21Director: Marc WebbCast: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew BurnapThe live-action Snow White has somehow attracted the most heated discourse is it feminist for Snow White to not need a prince? Are the Dwarfs played by little people or are they magical creatures or just CGI monstrosities? Whats up with that dress? But damn it if Rachel Zegler doesnt have the voice of an angel. Were here to see her belt her heart out in a movie that probably doesnt deserve her. Petrana RadulovicA Minecraft MovieRelease date: In theaters April 4Director: Jared HessCast: Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma MyersThe highly anticipated, long-in-development Minecraft movie finally arrives in 2025, and it sure looks interesting. Director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) is taking a familiar narrative approach to the adaptation, as four misfits find themselves pulled through a mysterious portal and dropped into the blocky, creative world of Minecraft, with Steve (Jack Black) serving as their guide in this cubic universe. The unlikely heroes of A Minecraft Movie will be challenged to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative as they fight to find their way home. Michael McWhertorMickey 17Release date: In theaters April 18Director: Bong Joon-hoCast: Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, Toni ColletteBong Joon-ho follows up his Oscar-winning film Parasite with an adaptation of Edward Ashtons 2022 sci-fi novel Mickey 7. Mickey 17 centers on Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), a space colonist who agrees to become an expendable as part of his job colonizing the ice planet Niflheim. Mickey is killed multiple times during his job, only to be subsequently cloned over and over again to continue his mission. But when a terrible accident results in two of Mickeys clones existing at the same time as one another, theyll have to figure out a way to make their situation work without either of them being killed.Initially slated to be released on March 29, 2024, before being pushed back to January of this year, due in part to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Mickey 17 was once again pushed back to this April. TEThe Accountant 2Release date: In theaters April 25Director: Gavin OConnorCast: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J. K. SimmonsAfter a poor performance at the box office when it came out in 2016, Gavin OConnors (Warrior) The Accountant has become a bit of a cult hit as the kind of TNT-ass movie that would replay on cable endlessly. Its a fun action movie with a strong lead performance by Ben Affleck as an autistic accountant in deep with some very dangerous people, and the upcoming sequel returns most of the major players (including Affleck, OConnor, writer Bill Dubuque, and Afflecks co-stars J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson). As someone always down for a TNT-ass movie, I will be there. PVUntil DawnRelease date: In theaters April 25Director: David F. SandbergCast: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young YooPlayStation 4 game Until Dawn was a Choose Your Own Adventure-style slasher-horror game that built on decades of cinematic horror tropes and featured some pretty big stars (Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, Peter Stormare). Now, that interactive story is being adapted for the big screen as an R-rated love letter to the horror genre. Since its based on a branching story, itll be interesting to see what choices director David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation, Shazam!) makes in his adaptation of the 2015 game. Until Dawn, the movie, will feature a young new cast of potential slasher victims, with Stormare reprising his role from the game. MMThe Thunderbolts*Release date: In theaters May 2Director: Jake SchreierCast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David HarbourThe MCU has its Suicide Squad in the Thunderbolts, a team of villains and other shady types brought together when some force in the world sets out to kill all of them. Why does the movies title have an asterisk? Thats for them to know and us to find out. Susana PoloFinal Destination: BloodlinesRelease date: In theaters May 16Directors: Zach Lipovsky, Adam SteinCast: Brec Bassinger, Teo Briones, Tony ToddNo one in the Final Destination movies can escape death including the franchise itself. Fourteen years after Final Destination 5, the premonition-heavy horror series is back in hopes of a Scream-style relaunch.Produced by Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts, and with a script by Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Scream) and Lori Evans Taylor, the success of Bloodlines the most direct-to-video-esque title imaginable? really comes down to the hijinks of directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, who reportedly staged their own deaths during a Zoom call pitch session for the movie. Thats commitment, and a hope that the sixth installment can live up to the franchises spiritual successor, the Escape Room films. The bar is high! MPLilo & StitchRelease date: In theaters May 23Director: Dean Fleischer CampCast: Chris Sanders, Maia Kealoha, Sydney AgudongAll the trailers for the Lilo & Stitch remake have focused a lot on the adorable blue alien. But the movie is supposedly going to focus a lot more on the island community, fleshing out some of the side characters in Lilo and Nanis life. The original movies promotions also focused more on Stitch and less on the human side of the story, so maybe its not that out of pocket and the movie will deliver on that front. PRMission: Impossible The Final ReckoningRelease date: In theaters May 23Director: Christopher McQuarrieCast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving RhamesIts mildly bonkers how much AI has developed and become an existential threat to all sorts of industries in the year and a half since the previous Mission: Impossible movie, Dead Reckoning Part One, set up an inimical AI as the villain. The conceit already looked quaint back in 2023. Whos to say what itll look like when Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt charges back into action against the AI in 2025? Regardless, its unclear why this movie isnt called Dead Reckoning Part Two, since its picking up at the to be continued point where the last movie left off. The big question is whether itll actually be any kind of final reckoning directorChristopher McQuarrie has already said this movie wont end the series, though rumors suggest it might be the final bow for Cruise as Ethan Hunt. TRFrom the World of John Wick: BallerinaRelease date: In theaters June 6Director: Len WisemanCast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel ByrneThis John Wick spinoff movie starring Ana de Armas has gone through a bit of a tumultuous development process, but since the latest update is that the film brought in Keanu Reeves and series director Chad Stahelski for some action punch-ups, it seems like its finally on the right track to be a proper entry in the franchise. AGHow To Train Your DragonRelease date: In theaters June 13Director: Dean DeBloisCast: Mason Thames, Gerard Butler, Nico ParkerDean DeBlois, the original director of How to Train Your Dragon, returns for the live-action remake. The first trailer showed off realistic re-creations of Berk, Hiccup, and the other Vikings, and a more photorealistic Toothless. The dragon still looks cute with the texture resolution cranked up to ultra! One things for certain: John Powells iconic score will go hard. PRPixars ElioRelease date: In theaters June 13Directors: Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian, Adrian MolinaCast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaa, Jameela JamilAfter some developmental hiccups and delays, Pixars new alien comedy is finally coming out in 2025. Originally directed by Cocos Adrian Molina, Elio is now helmed by Domee Shi (Turning Red) and Madeline Sharafian in her directorial debut. Elio follows a young boy whos passionate about aliens and accidentally gets beamed up into an interplanetary organization, where hes mistakenly identified as Earths leader. PR28 Years LaterRelease date: In theaters June 28Director: Danny BoyleCast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph FiennesWriter Alex Garland and director Danny Boyles apocalyptic 28 series might quietly be one of the best horror franchises of the 2000s, which is why its a surprise that it took them nearly 18 years to return to the series. But if the first trailer for 28 Years Later is any indication, their brand of zombie-ish horror hasnt stalled at all in the years since it last appeared. AGF1Release date: In theaters June 27Director: Joseph KosinskiCast: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry CondonTop Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski is hoping that the combination of raw speed and the popularity of Formula 1 racing oh, and the star power of Brad Pitt will lure moviegoers to theaters to see F1 in 2025. Pitt plays a retired Formula 1 driver who returns to the sport to mentor a rookie racing prodigy (Damson Idris), starring alongside Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and a host of real-world F1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri. MMM3GAN 2.0Release date: In theaters July 27Director: Gerard JohnstoneCast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna DavisEveryones favorite homicidal childrens toy robot is back in 2025 with more murder, and hopefully more dancing. While we dont know much about M3GANs next outing, we know that the stars of the original will be back, along with writer Akela Cooper and director Gerard Johnstone, which is enough to get us excited. AGJurassic World RebirthRelease date: In theaters July 2Director: Gareth EdwardsCast: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan BaileyAfter three back-to-back billion-dollar box-office hits, the Jurassic World franchise returns for a seventh outing, this time with Scarlett Johansson taking the lead. Jurassic World Rebirth follows on the events of Dominion, with Earths remaining dinos living in isolated equatorial environments. And in series tradition, someones out to make a profit, so Johansson leads a covert ops team tasked with securing dinosaur genetic material that holds the key to a drug with lifesaving benefits. Rebirth promises a sinister, shocking discovery thats been hidden from the world for decades, in case you need some intrigue to go with your big dino action. MMUntitled Matt Stone & Trey Parker MusicalRelease date: In theaters July 4Director: Trey ParkerCast: ?South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have a controversial rap sheet but a high batting average when it comes to projects outside their 26-season-deep series: South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a musical masterpiece; Team America: World Police is totally underrated; The Book of Mormon needs a rewrite, but the songs are legendary. So theres reason to think a team-up between Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and Drake-destroyer Kendrick Lamar could be the funniest damn thing well see this year. At the moment, we know nothing about it at last years CinemaCon, Paramounts CEO called the untitled film the craziest and most original scripts weve ever read and maybe were overhyping the next BASEketball. But you know what with so few comedies actually finding their ways to theaters these days, the next BASEketball might be a thrill, too. Matt PatchesSupermanRelease date: In theaters July 11Director: James GunnCast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Isabela MercedJames Gunn and Peter Safrans new DC Films universe begins properly with the Gunn-written and -directed Superman, starring David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Little is known about the movies plot, but the first teaser is big on hope and John Williams music. Susana PoloThe Fantastic Four: First StepsRelease date: In theaters July 25Director: Matt ShakmanCast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-BachrachPedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon-Moss Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn star as Marvels first superhero family, the Fantastic Four, and Marvel Studios is hoping the movie can breathe new life into a flagging MCU. Galactus menaces Earth in this period piece, with John Malkovich and Natasha Lyonne in undisclosed roles, and a presumed cameo from Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Susana PoloThe Bad Guys 2Release date: In theaters Aug. 1Director: Pierre Perifel, JP SansCast: Zazie Beetz, Sam Rockwell, AwkwafinaThe Bad Guys specials Netflix has been churning out have inevitably been a bit disappointing visibly animated for a much lower budget than the 2022 feature movie, and lacking the movies reckless, wild visual sense and big-name cast. Hopefully that will change with the theatrical feature The Bad Guys 2, which brings the not-so-villanous anthropomorphic animal villains of Aaron Blabeys popular kids books back under the direction of Pierre Perifel and reunites the original cast, including Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Zazie Beetz, and Anthony Ramos. This time around, the heels turned heroes are trying to live up to their new good-guy intentions, until they give into the biggest trope in crime movies, and an all-female crime crew pulls them back in for One Last Job. TRNobody 2Release date: In theaters Aug. 15Director: Timo TjahjantoCast: Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon StoneWhile Ive liked a good chunk of 87Norths work, I wasnt a fan of Nobody, starring Bob Odenkirk. The movie had some good fights, and Odenkirk really put in the work, but some of the story elements put me off of the movie. But there is a solid foundation for potential there, and that potential skyrockets with the addition of action gore maestro Timo Tjahjanto in the directors chair. His movies are always must-see events. PVThe Conjuring: Last RitesRelease date: In theaters Sept. 5Director: Michael ChavesCast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick WilsonWere about nine movies into the Conjuring universe at this point, which is probably bigger than most of us ever thought a movie franchise based on Ed and Lorraine Warren could be. While we dont know for sure what Last Rites will be about just yet, we do know that its set to be some kind of finale to the stories that the Conjuring series has told thus far, and we know its being directed by series veteran Michael Chaves, who directed The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and The Nun II in the franchise already. AGThe BrideRelease date: In theaters Sept. 26Director: Maggie GyllenhaalCast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Penlope CruzAny fresh adaptation of Frankenstein, or Bride of Frankenstein in this case, is cause for excitement, but this version directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal is especially notable considering its incredibly stacked cast. The movie stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Penlope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Julianne Hough, and Jake Gyllenhaal, just to name a few. AGSaw XIRelease date: In theaters Sept. 26Director: Kevin Greutert2023s Saw X was a terrific return to form for the long-running horror franchise, reintroducing Tobin Bell as the enigmatic serial killer John Kramer in a story set between the events of Saw and Saw 2. The films director, Kevin Greutert, is set to return with yet another sequel later this year, with Tobin Bell presumably set to once again reprise his iconic role. TETron: AresRelease date: In theaters Oct. 10Director: Joachim RnningCast: Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-SmithDisneys Tron, amazingly, is still kicking thanks in large part to Jared Leto and a flashy Disney World roller coaster. But you know what? Whatever it takes for a premise that will always result in eye-popping visuals, even if the story cant keep up.With franchise-appropriate distance from 2010s Tron: Legacy (itself a legacy sequel to 1982s Tron), Tron: Ares finds certified Disney Director Joachim Rnning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) reviving the were-in-the-computer sci-fi aesthetic of Legacy but with a new pitch: This time, the computer programs are running amok in the real world. Jeff Bridges is back, but the real draw this time around is Past Lives star Greta Lee breaking into the blockbuster scene. And while well miss Daft Punk doing the soundtrack, hey, were getting Nine Inch Nails. Let the hype (light) cycle begin. MPThe Black Phone 2Release date: In theaters Oct. 17Director: Scott DerricksonCast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan HawkeThe existence of a sequel to The Black Phone raises a lot of questions that only The Black Phone 2 can answer. But while the original movie getting a sequel at all is a little confusing, we do know that original author Joe Hill pitched the idea for the sequel before the original was even out, and that director Scott Derrickson is back for the second iteration, along with Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Miguel Cazarez Mora, and even Ethan Hawke, who will all be reprising their roles from the original. AGMortal Kombat 2Release date: In theaters Oct. 24Director: Simon McQuoidCast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Karl Urban, Adeline RudolphThe first Mortal Kombat movie in the new reboot of the franchise was a big disappointment: Some of the casting was inspired, and the costuming looked great, but the fights were lackluster, sparse, and edited beyond recognition it was the kind of action movie where the behind-the-scenes footage looked better than the real thing. That means theres one thing on everyones mind for Mortal Kombat 2, which once again boasts a very strong cast: Will the movie actually have Mortal Kombat in it this time? PVBugoniaRelease date: In theaters Nov. 7Director: Yorgos LanthimosCast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Alicia SilverstoneThe latest from Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness) stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in a project that seems even odder than Lanthimos usual fare, if only in its origins: Its a live-action remake of the Korean comedy Save the Green Planet! about a man who kidnaps a pharmaceutical exec who he believes is an alien, paving the way for an invasion. Stone stars as the gender-swapped exec; Plemons is the kidnapper, working with his mother (Alicia Silverstone), like any good conspiracy enthusiast would. TRPredator: BadlandsRelease date: In theaters Nov. 7Director: Dan TrachtenbergCast: Elle FanningDan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) provided a jolt of energy to the Predator franchise with Prey, a very different take on the series set in 1719 that followed a young Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder). Trachtenberg returns for Predator: Badlands and takes the franchise to the future, with Elle Fanning in the leading role. Not much is known about the movie, but Trachtenberg has reportedly shot a secret Predator movie that is also slated to come out in 2025. Predator fans, we are eating good. PVNow You See Me 3Release date: In theaters Nov. 14Director: Ruben FleischerCast: Dan Radcliffe, Rosamund Pike, Morgan FreemanWho had the return of Louis Leterriers stage magicians pull off a complicated heist series Now You See Me on their bingo card for 2025? The previous movie in the series directed by Wickeds Jon M. Chu was all the way back in 2016. Given the expansive cast (Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher, Ariana Greenblatt, Mark Ruffalo, Dominic Sessa, Justice Smith, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Rosamund Pike), this franchise feels like someone in the background has Fast and Furious franchise aims, but nine years between installments and a third director (Venoms Ruben Fleischer) over three movies makes that ambition seem a little dubious unless heavy-duty Now You See Me nostalgia has set in in the interim. TRThe Running ManRelease date: In theaters Nov. 21Director: Edgar WrightCast: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Lee PaceDid the world need another adaptation of Stephen Kings comparatively minor book The Running Man, after the deeply cheesy 1987 version starring Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his kill an antagonist, make a bad pun about it era? (Re: the guy he just cut in half: Ah, he had to split.) Consider this, though: This new version comes from Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World director Edgar Wright. And the advance summaries emphasize that its set in the hideous dystopic future of 2025. Given the themes about wealth inequity and desperation in this world, poor people compete on lethal game shows for moneythis one might feel all too timely. The cast (Glen Powell in the lead, Lee Pace as the antagonist, William H. Macy and Josh Brolin in the wings) sounds pretty promising, too. TRWicked: For GoodRelease date: In theaters Nov. 21Director: Jon M. ChuCast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle YeohThere were some eyebrow raises when director Jon M. Chu announced that he was splitting Wicked into two movies, myself included among them. But after the splendor of Wicked: Part I, I fully support that decision. Its an epic story that needs time to build and breathe! And now the time skip between the two acts will hit all the harder! Wicked: For Good will likely expand on the plays second act more than the first part did with the first act, and possibly include more of the Wizard of Oz. PRZootopia 2Release date: In theaters Nov. 26Directors: Jared Bush, Byron HowardCast: Jason Bateman, Fortune Feimster, Ginnifer GoodwinDisney Animation returns to the anthropomorphic well for this sequel to 2016s Zootopia. Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return as prey-predator buddy cop pair Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, hunting Ke Huy Quans Gary, a suspicious snake. Susana PoloFive Night at Freddys 2Release date: In theaters Dec. 5Director: Emma TanmiCast: Matthew Lillard, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth LailThe tween-friendly scares of Scott Cawthons Five Nights at Freddys franchise made for a very profitable movie adaptation in 2023, so Blumhouse is quickly making a sequel. Five Nights at Freddys 2 will see Josh Hutcherson return as the security guard paid to survive his stint at an abandoned pizzeria home to killer animatronic mascots for more PG-13-rated horror. MMAvatar: Fire and AshRelease date: In theaters Dec. 19Director: James CameronCast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaa, Sigourney WeaverJames Cameron proved the skeptics wrong with Avatar: The Way of Water, which revived the dormant sci-fi property with spectacular advancements and classic epic-story rigor. Fire and Ash, the next chapter, faces a different kind of task: Can Cameron really build a franchise on the moon of Pandora? With only a few years since The Way of Water, the filmmaker is relying on years of world-building with a crack team of Hollywood screenwriters to advance the world of Avatar in a way that can go toe-to-toe with Marvel and Star Wars. The promise of Fire and Ash is pretty basic: This time there are fire Navi! Whether Cameron can deepen the stories of Jake Sully and Neytiri while concocting bigger and wilder set-pieces is the exciting unknown. MPFrankensteinRelease date: In theaters and streaming on Netflix in 2025Director: Guillermo del ToroCast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth2025 is set to be a huge year for Guillermo del Toro, as the Academy Award-winning filmmaker is set to unveil one of the biggest passion projects of his career. Del Toro has been trying to produce an adaptation of Mary Shelleys seminal horror classic Frankenstein in some form or another since as early as 2007, at one point calling the book his favorite novel in the world. Can del Toro manage to create a film that lives up to his own lofty expectations? TE

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