Carlyn KrankingAssistant Editor, Science and InnovationThis years stunning images vying for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Peoples Choice award offer unusual and fascinating peeks at the natural world. Stare into the eyes of a tree frog preparing to sing, admire the acrobatic dives of a territorial bird and get a front-row seat to a skirmish between a porcupine and a very determined honey badger.The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London, is considered the most esteemed competition of its kindthats why its been nicknamed the Oscars of wildlife photography. For 60 years running, its jury of experts has picked the most stunning shots to win and earn accolades.But for one prize, the honor of judging goes to the public: Until January 29, a selection of 25 images are being put to a vote for the Peoples Choice award.Opening up the judging is a way of inspiring everyone to connect with the natural world, Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum in London, says in a statement.This year, the contest began with a pool of 59,228 entries representing 117 countries and territories. The museum announced its overall winners and highly commended images in the fall. These photographs considered for the Peoples Choice award are a newly released set, featuring peaceful animal moments, awe-inspiring behaviors and urgent needs for conservation.Take a look at the finalists here, then cast your vote at the online gallery. The museum will announce the winner and the four runners-up on February 5.Until then, here are the 25 breathtaking images in contention:Annoying Neighbour by Bence Mt A European roller performs acrobatics in an attempt to drive a little owl out of its breeding territory. Bence Mate / Wildlife Photographer of the YearA brilliant blue European roller in Hungarys Kiskunsg National Park appears frozen upside-down in mid-air, performing dramatic dives and rolls true to its name. The birds mating display consists of similar airborne acrobatics.The species has only a short mating season, and the male bird intends to take advantage of ithe makes a sport of annoying other birds that stray into its breeding area, according to a statement accompanying the shot. He might ambush the other creature and chase it down at a high speed.In this case, a little owl was the unlucky target of the rollers ire. Both species have similar nesting and feeding needs, which sometimes leads them to breed near each other. But, sitting calmly on the branch, the raptor looks unaffected by the rollers aerial scare tactics.Hungarian photographer Bence Mt spent 27 days watching from a hide before capturing this shot.Curious Connection by Nora Milligan A chimpanzee climbs a tree in Gabon and stares into the camera lens, making eye contact with the photographer. Nora Milligan / Wildlife Photographer of the YearThe call of a chimp rang out through Gabons Loango National Park. While on a guided trek through the forest, American photographer Nora Milligan and her group paused, listening. A family of chimpanzees, known to researchers as the Rekambo group, emerged from the brush and started to climb the nearby trees.This particular chimp paused, his curiosity piqued, and sat still long enough to observe me in return. I knew we had made a true connection when he craned his neck forward and widened his eyes to get a better look at me, Milligan writes on Instagram. I hope my image can play some small part to inspire others to seek this same connection and care for all living beings on Earth.Edge of Night by Jess Findlay A barn owl flies from a hayloft window, looking like a ghost against the darkness. Jess Findlay / Wildlife Photographer of the YearIn Vancouver, Canada, fields surround an old barn thats frequented by a barn owl. Looking at the derelict building, Canadian photographer Jess Findlay imagined the white bird flying out of the hayloftbut it took a lot to make that visualized shot a reality.The photographer set up an invisible beam that would register when the owl flew from the barn and trigger a flash. He programmed his camera with a slow shutter speed to collect ambient glow and illuminate the clouds.As often is the case, it proved to be an exercise in patience and problem solving as issues with gear and batteries arose, albeit a very good learning experience, Findlay wrote on Instagram in 2019.With his camera at the ready, he waited ten nights for this shot, paying attention to the birds habits. On the final evening, the barn owl made its anticipated flight, appearing like a ghost in the darkness.Icy Repose by Sue Flood A tired Weddell seal lies on an ice floe. Sue Flood / Wildlife Photographer of the YearA Weddell seal reclines on an ice floe in Neko Harbor, an inlet on the Antarctic Peninsula. Photographer Sue Flood of the United Kingdom watched the mammal from a rigid inflatable boat, where she used a long lens to zoom in for this shot without causing a disruption.Its the quiet simplicity of this scene that speaks to me the most, Flood writes on Instagram. I hope this image inspires people to reflect on the beauty of these remote landscapes and the wildlife that depends on them.Weddell seals are chatty mammals with a range farther south than any other seal on the planet. They spend lots of time hunting underwater, maintaining breathing holes in the ice. But theyll climb onto ice floes to rest and breed.Snuffling Sengi by Piotr Naskrecki A four-toed sengi forages in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Piotr Naskrecki / Wildlife Photographer of the YearAt dawn and dusk, the rarely seen four-toed sengi emerges to feast on insects. The elusive species, seen here in Mozambiques Gorongosa National Park, might look like a rodentbut its actually more closely related to elephants. Its other name, the four-toed elephant shrew, refers to its trunk-like snout.Because sengis are skittish, Polish photographer Piotr Naskrecki didnt want to scare them awayso, rather than lying on the ground to capture this shot, he set up a remote camera. For this method, he had to somewhat anticipate where and when the mammals would forage.Luckily, Naskreckis experience had taught him that sengis are creatures of habit, he wrote on Instagram last March. I have been tracking and photographing them for a while and now I know not only where they are going to forage but also at exactly what time.He watched this individual for several weeks and learned it followed the same trails each day, allowing him to predict where it would appear while foraging for beetles.Wolf Pack by Arvind Ramamurthy Five wolf cubs pause amid play to look at the camera as they frolic near farms in India. Arvind Ramamurthy / Wildlife Photographer of the YearNot far from farming fields in Bhigwan, India, a pack of five wolves pauses amid play, each one staring into the camera. Indian photographer Arvind Ramamurthy captured the shot, which he calls a unique natural history moment, in a video posted to Instagram. But it also tells a larger story, he adds.As their native habitat of grasslands are depleting, more and more wolves are moving into agricultural spaces, Ramamurthy says in the video. And that brings them into direct conflict with us humans.Farmers dont often like sharing space with the animals, which might chew on irrigation pipes or smash crops while playing in the fields. When he later came back to this site to find the pack again, Ramamurthy was told that a farmer had chased the wolves away.But all hope isnt lost for the species: Indian wolves are hardy animals, per a statement. With better grassland management and protection, they could make a strong comeback.Whiteout by Michel dOultremont A white stoat in Belgium blends almost entirely into the snowy landscape behind it. Michel dOultremont / Wildlife Photographer of the YearJust barely visible against the white backdrop of snow, a stoat sits up on its hind legs and observes its territory. Having seen stoats before in Switzerland, Belgian photographer Michel d'Oultremont wanted to capture an image of one in his own country. And importantly, he wanted to highlight how the erminesrelatives of ferrets and weaselscan blend into the snow.Like the stoat, the photographer, too, was camouflagedhe took this shot from beneath a white camo net, with only the cameras lens sticking out.Earth and Sky by Francisco Negroni An active volcano in Chile emits lava beneath flat clouds, creating an otherworldly composition. Francisco Negroni / Wildlife Photographer of the YearVillarrica, one of Chiles most active volcanoes, last erupted in 2015. But it still emits puffs of smoke and lava. Here, Chilean photographer Francisco Negroni captured the peak with a lava-red glow.The volcanos light illuminates a double lenticular cloud, or a UFO-like cloud formation created when a mountain disturbs air flow and creates standing waves above it. To get this shot, Negroni spent ten nights near the volcano.Visiting the site is quite an adventurenever knowing what the volcano might surprise you with, Negroni says in a statement.Spiked by David Northall A honey badger, stuck with quills, stands resolutely behind a porcupine it has been hunting before attacking again. David Northall / Wildlife Photographer of the YearHoney badgers are known for being bold and fearless hunters, pursuing prey thats many times their size. But sometimes, this gutsiness can get them into sticky situationslike with this embattled badger that tried to take on a porcupine.Photographer David Northall of the United Kingdom watched as the intrepid hunter grabbed the cape porcupines back right leg. But this earned the honey badger a face full of quills as the porcupine backed into the predator in defense. Undeterred, the badger returned a short time later, still stuck with quills but determined to get its meal.In the end, the honey badgers efforts were rewarded, and it came out the victor.Slap Shot by Savannah Rose A beaver slaps its tail to warn its kin of a potential intruder. Savannah Rose / Wildlife Photographer of the YearUpon spotting an unknown newcomer in its habitat, a North American beaver will lift its tail and bring it cracking down onto the surface of a pond, emitting a dull slapping noise that warns its family of the possible danger nearby. Photographer Savannah Rose of the United States spent years trying to document this behavior, which spans only a fraction of a second. But to capture every component of this shotthe beavers head elevated, tail poised for a strike, water droplets suspended in the airtakes a lot of patience and dedication.The tail-slapping beaver, photographed in Jackson, Wyoming, was one of my favorite subjects Ive ever encountered, Rose writes on Instagram.Though the slap is an alarm call, beavers usually relax quickly after realizing that the newcomer doesnt pose a threat, according to a statement.Togetherness by Ivan Ivanek A pair ofred-shanked douc langur monkeys mate in a Vietnam forest. Ivan Ivanek / Wildlife Photographer of the YearOn Vietnams Sn Tr peninsula, photographer Ivan Ivanek of the Czech Republic found these two red-shanked douc langurs mating in the forest. The act was unexpectedly gradual and graceful, compared to other monkey species in his experience, per a statement.Red-shanked douc langurs are critically endangered and found only in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade have diminished their numbers in the wild. It took Ivanek days of searching for signs of the species before he came across a small group, including this pictured pair.Fallen from the Sky by Carlo DAurizio Dead insects float in a stream in Italy, creating a somber mosaic of color and stilled wings. Carlo DAurizio / Wildlife Photographer of the YearWhen Italian photographer Carlo D'Aurizio came upon this stream in Italys Majella National Park, he expected to see butterflies and dragonflies fluttering around the water. Instead, he found insect bodies floating, with no explanation as to what had happened to them.It was a summer morning, but the weather hadnt been hot enough to cause a mass die-off. The reason for this sad collage remains a mystery, but it created a still life trapped in the waters surface tension.A Good Scratch by Mark Williams A beluga whale scratches its back on the bottom of a shallow river in the Canadian Arctic. Mark Williams / Wildlife Photographer of the YearIn shallow waters, a beluga whale curls up to exfoliate its skin against the bottom of a river in the Northwest Passage of the Canadian Arctic. Making eye contact with the elusive and marvelous beluga is a moment I will not forget in a while, photographer Mark Williams of the U.K. and Canada wrote on Instagram last year.Known for being chatty, beluga whales have earned the nickname canaries of the sea. The pale-colored, social mammals move in pods and emit chirps, whistles, clicks and squeals that Williams thought were otherworldly.However, like many Arctic species, belugas are threatened by climate change. Their environment is changing quicker than evolutionary adaptation takes place, the photographer added on Instagram. Killer whales cant break through sea ice to create breathing holes, so belugas, seals and other creatures use icy areas as safe havens where they can avoid orca predators. But as temperatures rise, melting sea ice is allowing orcas to access new regions that would have been off-limits before, adding more stress to prey species.Forest of Dreams by Samuel Bloch A northern giant petrel rests amid a forest in New Zealand. Samuel Bloch / Wildlife Photographer of the YearAs it sits quietly in a verdant green forest, this northern giant petrel is still and serenethe only hint to its predatory ways is its massive, hooked beak. By featuring the bird with this composition, French photographer Samuel Bloch subverts the typical expectation of how the species spends its time.Giant petrels are known as sinister predators and scavengers, they are usually pictured prowling around a penguin colony, trying to snatch chicks away from their parents, Bloch writes on Instagram. Here, the petrel is peacefully sitting on the edge of a lush rt forest, framed by stunted growth born in the harsh, windy climate of the Subantarctic Islands.Bloch captured the image quickly, then left the area to avoid disturbing the animal. Like many of New Zealands native birds, giant petrels face several threats. The introduction of non-native predators to the islands, such as rodents, cats and pigs, has decimated countless avian populations.However, on Enderby Island, where Bloch sighted this petrel, invasive creatures were wiped out by 1994, transforming the island back into the exuberant haven it should be, he writes on Instagram. Other islands, the photographer hopes, will soon be restored next.Unsold by Jose Fragozo A rescue operation in eastern Africa retrieved this cheetah cub from the illegal wildlife trade. Jose Fragozo / Wildlife Photographer of the YearCheetahs get roped into the illegal wildlife trade in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, often when farmers capture and sell them, claiming the animals had been a threat to their business, according to a statement. Not all cubs sell, however, and some are killed, since their parts, especially bones, are valuable in Asian markets, such as for bone soup.Photographer Jose Fragozo of Portugal captured this shot during a rescue operation, which began after authorities got an anonymous tip. This cheetah cub had been taken from the wild and transported via camel to the northern coast of Somaliland. Though the young cat began chirping for its mother, the rescue was ultimately successful, acquiring this cub and bringing it to a safe place.An important part of Wildlife Photographer of the Year is highlighting powerful and sometimes challenging stories about the natural world, as well as the effects of human impact on the planet, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year account writes on Instagram. We hope that by creating more awareness of the challenges faced by wildlife globally, we can inspire change and create advocates for our natural world.Scanning the Realm by Aaron Baggenstos A puma stands in front of rocky, mountainous terrain in Chile. Aaron Baggenstos / Wildlife Photographer of the YearStanding on an outcrop, a puma looks out over Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. A local conservation movement created that park, as more people are rallying for the protection of pumas.The wild cats have come into conflict with sheep farmers, or gauchos, who sometimes shoot the pumas to protect their sheep. But a recent program introduced sheepdogs, which guard the flocks from the predators and direct the cats to hunt their natural prey, reducing interactions with the gauchos.Likewise, the creation of the national park has brought more tourists to the area for its natural landscapes and wildlife. Now, the gauchos see pumas in a more positive light, because they help bring in more income through tourism.Theres a revolution happening on how humans relate to and think about the animal puma, American photographer Aaron Baggenstos says in a video on Instagram. And theres some very heroic Chilean people who are leading this path to sustainable ecotourism.The Brave Gecko by Willie Burger van Schalkwyk A goshawk swoops in for a meal, eyeing a gecko on the ground that faces the predator on its hind legs. Willie Burger van Schalkwyk / Wildlife Photographer of the YearA giant ground gecko squares up in an unevenly matched fight against a southern pale chanting goshawk in South Africas Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.South African photographer Willie Burger van Schalkwyk watched the battle, which showcases a common hunting technique of the hawk: walking or running on the ground to chase down its prey.Against the massive bird, the reptiles odds of survival were essentially zero. But the photographer was impressed by the geckos bravery, per a statementthe doomed creature stood and faced the goshawk rather than just trying to run away.No Access by Ian Wood A badger wanders at night in front of a wall with badger graffiti. Ian Wood / Wildlife Photographer of the YearIn St Leonards-on-Sea, England, residents were leaving food scraps outside for the neighborhood foxes. This badger, likely also drawn in by the promise of a snack, was on the prowl.Photographer Ian Wood of the United Kingdom noticed the Eurasian badger aptly walking in front of a wall with badger graffiti. Envisioning the image that the pairing could create, he set up a small hide and waited with his camera for the badger to return.As the creature ambled past, he snapped the shot, showing the badger seemingly looking at its own image on the wall.The Arrival by Brad Leue As floodwaters advance across a desert in South Australia, a sand storm and rainclouds add even more tumult to the land. Brad Leue / Wildlife Photographer of the YearFloodwaters from northern Queensland had traveled across the landscape for months, covering more than 1,000 miles on their march toward South Australia. From a helicopter, Australian photographer Brad Leue watched the waters surge toward Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, the nations largest inland lake and among the biggest salt lakes in the world.It is quite a surreal experience hearing the dry earth crack and pop as water brings life back to the parched land, Leue writes on Instagram. A passing sand storm and rain dump made the scene dramatic and added further detail to an already impressive display.As the waters come into the desert, they bring new life to the native animals and plants.Aspen Shadows by Devon Pradhuman Gray wolves amble through Yellowstone National Park in the snow, framed behind a group of aspen trees. Devon Pradhuman / Wildlife Photographer of the YearFour grey wolves walk single file through a snowy Yellowstone National Park, dotting a nearly barren landscape. In this composition, the mammals are joined only by a grouping of aspen trees, leafless against the winter ground.American photographer Devon Pradhuman watched from a distance as the wolves approached the trees, followed the rest of the tree line and disappeared over a hillside on the hunt for their next meal.Evening Song by Christian Brinkmann A Eurasian blackbird sings in front of the blue and purple lights of a popular fair in Germany. Christian Brinkmann / Wildlife Photographer of the YearEurasian blackbirds are a common sight, but German photographer Christian Brinkmann wanted to capture one in an artistic, unusual way.In Mnster, a popular fair called the Send had colored lights and party music playing near a castle. This bird perched nearby, singing with its companions. Brinkmann lined up the silhouette of the blackbird with the fairs illumination, composing a unique look at the species.Sneak Attack by Erlend Haarberg A polar bear cub tries to ambush a northern fulmar in Norway's Svalbard archipelago. Erlend Haarberg / Wildlife Photographer of the YearNorwegian photographer Erlend Haarberg spotted a playful polar bear cub on the Svalbard archipelago. Its mother had brought her two cubs to a walrus carcass on the shore, but this young bear had other ideas: Straying a bit from its family, the cub dove into the water, playing with seaweed and kelp.After catching and eating a sculpin, the polar bear tried hunting northern fulmarsseabirds that look like gullsthat had been sitting on the surface of the water. The youngster would approach from below, submerged, then pop up and try to catch them by surprise. Despite a great show of effort, the cub missed every attempt.Even if there was no successful catch this time, it was certainly a good lesson on the day he must stand on his own feet to survive, writes the photographer on Instagram.Meeting in the Marsh by Michael Forsberg To prevent young whooping cranes from imprinting on humans, biologists wear disguises when they approach the birds. Michael Forsberg / Wildlife Photographer of the YearStill the rarest cranes on Earth, whooping cranes had almost disappeared from the face of the planet in the 1940s, when just 20 individual birds were left. A massive human effort to restore their habitat, breed individuals in captivity and teach the birds how to migrate using ultralight aircraft to guide them has rebuilt the battered populationnow, roughly 600 whooping cranes fly in the wild.In this scene captured by American photographer Michael Forsberg, a biologistdisguised as one of the tall birdsslowly approaches a whooping crane. Quickly, the scientist checked the creatures health and switched out a broken tracker. This population of cranes in Louisiana is non-migratory and was reintroduced in the states Bayou Country in 2011.Today, whooping cranes are a story of hope with more than 800 birds in wild and captive populations, thanks to generations of dedicated conservationists, innovative science and the resiliency of the birds themselves, the photographer writes on Instagram. Now, their future rests squarely in our hands.Drifting Dinnerby Noam Kortler Adorned with small animals called hydroids, a decorator crab stands at the ready to catch plankton. Noam Kortler / Wildlife Photographer of the YearA decorator crab is true to its name, using a clever strategy for camouflage. The crustaceans seek out pieces of algae and tiny animals, then affix them to hook-like bristles on their shells.For this crab, the decorations of choice are hydroids, or small animals related to jellyfish. These creatures can sting other animals, giving the crab a protective and fierce designer jacket.Israeli photographer Noam Kortler found this underwater scene off the coast of Komodo Island, Indonesia. The decorator crab, clad in hydroids, has stepped onto a sea squirt as if it were a pedestal, its arms outstretched to grab passing plankton from the water for a meal.With the flash used by the photographer, the crab looks to be standing at center stage, in the glow of a spotlight.Concert in the Forest by Vincent Premel A Surinam golden-eyed tree frog calls for a mate, puffing out its cheeks. Vincent Premel / Wildlife Photographer of the YearWhen the first rain appears in French Guiana after a long, dry period, tree frogs emerge en massethey descend from the forest canopy and crawl out from underground. The water fills ponds, providing relief for wildlife and a prime setting for amphibian breeding. With dozens of frog species involved, it creates a spectacle so intense that its known as explosive breeding.The density of individuals is hard to imagine, according to a statement. And so is the soundjust one Surinam golden-eyed tree frog can make a call thats audible from hundreds of yards away.This individual, captured by French photographer and herpetologist Vincent Premel, is preparing to make one of those deafening calls. It puffs out its cheeks to unleash the noise and continue its search for a mate.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Africa, Animals, Australia, Bears, Birds, Canada, Cats, Chile, Conservation, Deserts, Flood, Frogs, Germany, Insects, Mammals, Monkeys, Nature, Nature Photography, New Zealand, Norway, Photographers, Photography, Primates, Reproduction, Reptiles, Seals, Snow, Trees, Volcanoes, Whales, wildlife, Wolves, Yellowstone National Park

Exient appoints Paul Topping as CCOTopping will oversee firm's first-party projects and third-party collaborationsImage credit: Exient News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 10, 2025 Developer and publisher Exient has appointed Paul Topping as CCO.Topping has over two decades of experience in games, having served in business development and advisory roles at Criterion, Codemasters, NaturalMotion and Tag Games.His most recent role was head of business development at heat management company Zircotec Group.Topping will lead Exient's business development team and oversee the developer's first-party projects and third-party work-for-hire collaborations."Paul's appointment will reinforce Exient's status as the go-to partner for IP owners in games and entertainment, building on the entire team's outstanding job of securing and delivering on the creative ambitions of our partners," said Exient CEO Julian Jones."Looking ahead to 2025 and 2026, we aim to further accelerate our engagements with larger businesses and take on more projects.Topping added: "I'm excited to find us new partners to work with who value the quality of our work and timely delivery. I'm excited to be back in games and catching up with old friends and meeting new ones."Exient is an independent games developer and publisher operating in the UK and Malta, having worked on IPs including FIFA, Angry Birds, and F1.

Infinity Nikki generates $16m in player spending on mobileInfold Games' 2024 title made $10 million in its first weekImage credit: Infold Games News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 10, 2025 Infold Games' Infinity Nikki has generated $16 million in player spending during its first month on mobile.This is according to App Magic data (via Pocket Gamer), with revenue reportedly driven by players in China who contributed $10.1 million making up 63% of global player spending.Infinity Nikki made $10 million in its first two weeks, reaching $16 million on January 3.It also saw 10 million downloads in five days after launch on December 5, 2024.This makes Infinity Nikki the most successful launch in the franchise. In comparison, 2017's Love Nikki generated $383,000 in its first month, while 2021's Shining Nikki made $46 million.

Panasonic returned to the US TV market last year, and only a matter of months later, Ive convinced myself that its latest flagship OLED is the best TV of CES 2025. Its an impressive resurgence for a brand that many home theater enthusiasts remember for producing superb plasma sets back when those represented the crme de la crme of display technology for the living room. After a long hiatus, Panasonic is back in the game and squaring off with Sony, LG, and Samsung in the very premium (and very pricey) TV category.The companys new OLED, the Z95B, will come in three sizes: 55 inches, 65 inches, and 77 inches. It uses the latest and greatest OLED panel from LG Display, which is a new four-layer tandem structure that beats out the brightness of last years LG G4 even without the micro-lens array technology that squeezed as much brightness as possible out of that TV. Last years Z95A from Panasonic also used MLA, but the new approach gets better results and is cheaper to produce.So the panel is top tier and should be a formidable alternative to the QD-OLED display used in Samsungs respective 2025 flagship, the S95F. OLED TVs just keep getting brighter, more vivid, and dazzling and consumers really cant go wrong with any of them. The Panasonic stopped me in my tracks on the show floor and looked phenomenal. I couldnt help but stare at it for several minutes. The Z95B also offers support for gaming at up to 144Hz, so its a strong contender there as well, though both LG and Samsung stepped it up to 165Hz this year.Technics (another Panasonic brand) handled the audio tuning of the Z95B.Another thing that sets the Panasonic apart is its built-in Dolby Atmos speaker array. The drivers and sound performance have been tuned by Technics, with a badge that advertises as much. I really dig the fabric sides of this TV; its a classy way of concealing the side-firing and upward-firing speakers.Yes, that audio hardware results in this being a thick set by 2025 standards especially for an OLED. Panasonic didnt hold back in making the Z95B a hulking beast of a TV. But the good news is that many people wont need to bother with a separate soundbar since this system will (likely) sound so good. As noted by the excellent Caleb Denison at Digital Trends, the company has also reworked the TVs cooling system with a new heat dissipation technique that should help keep that four-layer OLED panel in tip-top shape over the long term. The TV has a built-in woofer and revamped heat dissipation system.This is not a thin TV. But in exchange, you might be able to skip a soundbar.But there is one glaring dilemma with Panasonic TVs: they run Amazons Fire TV OS. Thats rather unfortunate. Its my least favorite TV platform among the pack, and Id argue Amazon has crossed the line when it comes to pushing ads on customers even if the most egregious examples can be disabled in settings. Fire TV has some good ideas here and there; the ambient mode widgets are something Google has taken note of. But I really hope that Panos Panay and the Fire TV team take a sledgehammer to this software and come back with something much sleeker, more intuitive, and worthy of a TV thats certain to be very expensive if the Z95A is anything to go by.Even so, I know plenty of people who mostly ignore their TVs default software and use an Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, or some other streaming player as their preferred entertainment interface. With Samsung and LG both being very aggressive with the AI gimmicks this year, I anticipate seeing even more of that. The LG G5 will feature an LLM-powered chatbot, has an AI button on its remote, and even ships with Microsoft Copilot built in. Its getting to be a little much, no?Panasonics using the very latest, very brightest LG Display with a four-layer tandem structure.To me, the best TV of CES comes down to what kind of home theater experience it will provide. And Panasonic is already doing an impressive job keeping pace with Sony when it comes to delivering a living room centerpiece that nails both picture and sound. I wish the Z95B (and the companys 2025 Mini LED TVs) ran, well, any other TV operating system. But I dont think Fire TV OS is bad enough to sink this high-end set. If you disagree, at least its relatively easy to just use something else most of the time.Its great to see Panasonic giving Sony, LG, and Samsung some premium TV competition.I cant wait to spend more time with the Z95B when it starts shipping later this year. More competition benefits everyone whos on the lookout for a new TV. Companies like TCL and Hisense have done a great job setting new expectations of what you can get for under $1,500. And now Panasonics return is showing us whats possible for those with the means to splurge on their next big upgrade.Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

Tesla has officially revealed the latest version of its Model Y crossover following images leaking online that teased the EVs redesign. Codenamed Juniper, the Model Y 2025 refresh is now live on Teslas website in China and other Asia-Pacific markets with deliveries expected to begin in March.Its the most significant update to the Model Y design since it first launched in 2020, which became the first EV to top global car sales last year. Notably, the new variant launching in Australia clearly shows a physical turn signal stalk, which had otherwise been replaced by capacitive buttons on recent Teslas. The refresh comes after Tesla experienced its first year-over-year drop in sales since the company started mass-producing cars in 2012 with CEO Elon Musks antagonistic behavior suspected to have contributed to the decline.Blessed be, is that a turn stalk I see inside the updated cabin? Good news for capacitive-button haters. Image: TeslaThere are two specifications of the Model Y available at launch according to the Chinese website listing. The 263,500 Chinese yuan (about $35,935) rear-wheel drive edition features an estimated range of up to 593 kilometers (about 368 miles), while the 303,500 Chinese yuan (about $41,390) long-range version can supposedly reach 719 kilometers (about 446 miles). These are estimated ranges based on Chinas CLTC driving cycle standard, however, which Electrek notes isnt as strict as the US EPA system.Both specs have a top speed of 201 kilometers per hour (about 124 mph), and peak charging speeds remain at 250kW. Tesla says that the tires, wheels, and suspension have been updated to provide a smoother, quieter ride, with 19- and 20-inch wheel options available on both models. The estimated vehicle ranges have been calculated using the smaller 19-inch wheel configurations. A performance version has yet to be announced.1/4Heres a closer look at the exterior of the Tesla Model Y 2025 refresh. Image: Tesla1/4Heres a closer look at the exterior of the Tesla Model Y 2025 refresh. Image: TeslaThe new Model Y otherwise features many of the same improvements as the 2023 Model 3 sedan update, including higher efficiency and performance, an eight-inch touchscreen display for rear passengers, and a quieter cabin with an ambient lighting strip running throughout. The back seats can be folded down electrically to expand the total storage capacity to 2,138 liters, and theres a front-view camera to provide a wider field of view when using assisted driving features.1/2Theres a new eight-inch infotainment system for rear passengers to play with... Image: Tesla1/2Theres a new eight-inch infotainment system for rear passengers to play with... Image: TeslaThe exterior design doesnt look terribly different from its predecessor, save for a few changes like switching the headlights and tail lights for slimmer light bars that stretch across the front and rear of the vehicle. The front and back ends have also been slightly reshaped, which effectively improves the vehicles endurance, performance, and service life, according to Tesla.Its unclear when we can expect the redesigned Model Y to launch in other markets like the US and Europe. Mass production of the vehicles is expected to start in Shanghai this month though, and we know that it took the Model 3 update around four months to reach the US last year.

Redmi is first to bring the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 to EuropeRedmi is first to bring the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 to Europe / Redmis Note 14 Pro Plus 5G arrives in Europe, bringing Qualcomms latest midrange chipset in tow.By Dominic Preston, a news editor with over a decades experience in journalism. He previously worked at Android Police and Tech Advisor. Jan 10, 2025, 11:00 AM UTCShare this storyThe Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus 5G launches in lavender purple, frost blue, and midnight black. Image: RedmiToday Xiaomis subsidiary Redmi brings its affordable Note 14 series to Europe, along with the Western debut of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. After launching in August 2024, the Qualcomm chip had to sit and watch while the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite came along two months later, drew more attention, and even launched in a Western phone first in the form of this weeks OnePlus 13. But the more affordable Snapdragon chip is now getting its dues.There are five phones in the Note 14 line, ranging from the 4G-only Note 14 up to the Note 14 Pro Plus 5G, the only phone in the series powered by the Snapdragon silicon. The entry-level chip in Qualcomms Snapdragon 7 series, the 7s Gen 3 is a 4nm chipset thats most notable for making the jump to Arms v9 CPU architecture, with a 2.5GHz Cortex-A720 core at the heart of the processor. The other four phones use a variety of MediaTek chipsets.The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 powers the Note 14 Pro Plus 5G. Image: RedmiStarting at 399/499.90 (about $500), the Pro Plus is positioned as a natural competitor to Googles $499 Pixel 8A, but outpaces it comfortably in most hardware specs, with improved IP68 water-resistance; up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage; and a larger, brighter OLED display protected by Cornings flagship-grade Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The big trade-off is on the software side, especially given that Google has guaranteed Android updates for the Pixel 8A until 2031.The other Note 14 phones offer a gradual drop-off in specs and connectivity. The Note 14 Pro 5G shares the Pro Plus models display, 200-megapixel camera, and IP68 rating, but drops to a cheaper MediaTek 7300-Ultra chipset and slower charging. The regular Redmi Note 14 Pro is similar, but ditches 5G for 4G connectivity and is only IP64-rated. The Note 14 and Note 14 5G have reduced specs across the board though the 4G models IP54 water-resistance still impresses for a phone that costs less than half of a Pixel 8A. The Redmi Note 14 4G is the cheapest model in the new series. Image: RedmiAll four phones launched in China and then India late last year, but today go on sale in ten European countries, including the UK and Germany. Somewhat confusingly, the European models have altered specs from their Asian counterparts the Pro Plus 5G has completely different cameras and battery, for example which isnt uncommon for Redmi.The Redmi Note 14 series already has stiff competition from within the Xiaomi family, after the similarly priced Poco X7 and X7 Pro launched globally yesterday. Those phones lean on IP68 ratings and big batteries 6,000mAh in the Pro in the effort to draw budget buyers away from Google and Samsung.Most PopularMost Popular

Heres the deal: The PlayStation 5 Pro is now available, carrying a hefty price tag of $699.99. Thats steep on its own, but it gets pricier if you also need to grab the PS5 Disc Drive and Vertical Standboth of which are sold separately.If you are willing to shell out on the new premium console (or were lucky enough to unwrap one over the holidays), here's another quick PSA: The PS5 Disc Drive will cost you $79.99 and the vertical stand will set you back $29.99. The disc drive has already sold out multiple times across most retailers, and is only now available again at Amazon. Shipping is delayed at two to four weeks, and stock is extremely limited, so snap one up as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.Where to Buy PS5 Pro Disc DriveDisc Drive For PS5 Pro and Slim ConsolesInternet connection is required to pair Disc Drive and PS5 console upon setup.$79.99 at AmazonWhere to Buy PS5 Vertical StandIt's not an essential purchase, but if you really want to have you PS5 Pro standing up looking its best with optimal airflow, a vertical stand isn't a bad shout. Just a shame it's not packed in with the $700 console in all honesty. But, similar to the Disc Drive, these have been in and out of stock since the console launched.Vertical Stand For PS5 Consoles$29.94 at WalmartNow you've spent an extra $110 + tax on completing your purchase, congrats! Yeah I know, it's a tough sell. Plenty of fans have already expressed shock at the $700 price, and myriad IGN polls suggest as few as 15% of people plan to buy a PS5 Pro. In a questionnaire asking if the console is reasonably priced, with more than 50,000 responses, 73.9% of responders said it was way too expensive. The PS5 Pro has a GPU with 67% more compute units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory, which enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay.If you're looking for even more game deals, you've come to the right place. It's worth having a look at our roundups of the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals to see the highlights from each platform, from games to hardware to accessories. We also have an overall roundup of the best video game deals that focuses on the standout offers from each platform that are worth putting your money down on. Another place to look for the best deals of the moment is our Daily Deals roundup, where you can see everything from discounts on games to new offers on tech.PlayRobert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Disney has recast the role of fan-favorite Star Wars character Baylen Skoll in Ahsoka Season 2 following the death of actor Ray Stevenson, with Game of Thrones' The Hound actor Rory McCann taking over.As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is opting to continue Skoll's story in Ahsoka Season 2 and potentially beyond instead of bringing it to a close following the death of Stevenson in 2023.The famed actor, who also appeared in Thor, RRR, and Punisher: War Zone, suffered from a brief illness and died three months before the premiere of Ahsoka Episode 1. His portrayal of Skoll was widely considered a standout performance of the first season.Ray Stevenson (l) and Rory McCann(r). Image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney and Doug Peters/Variety via Getty Images.Disney later announced that Season 2 of the show is being developed and, alongside The Mandalorian and its incoming film sequel, its story is expected to continue into a Star Wars film from Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni.As Skoll's story was left open at the end of Ahsoka Season 1, Filoni seemingly has big plans for the character that required a recasting. McCann, who most famously played The Hound in Game of Thrones but has also appeared in Knuckles, Hot Fuzz, and more, will therefore take over beginning in Ahsoka Season 2.The first season was relatively well-received, especially perhaps for fans of Star Wars: Rebels. "Ahsoka starts off rocky before soaring into the weirdest corners of Star Wars lore," IGN said in our 8/10 review.Image Credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney and Doug Peters/Variety via Getty ImagesRyan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Sony has signalled that The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on PC requires a PSN account three months before the games release on Steam.As spotted by VGC, the Steam page for Naughty Dogs single-player adventure includes the now-standard Sony requirement for a PlayStation Network account.PC gamers had little hope that Sony would budge on the PSN requirement for its Steam releases, and so it has proved with The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. As a result, PC gamers in over 100 countries wont be able to buy the game on Steam because Sony does not operate PlayStation accounts in those markets.PSN is available in just 73 countries, leaving many out in the cold. The Baltics, including states that are part of the European Union (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), and the vast majority of countries in Africa are also excluded. For years, some players in these countries have created a PSN in a supported region to get around the restrictions, but there are concerns that Sony could ban the accounts of those who do.Sonys PC push has been controversial to say the least, with most of its games suffering negative Steam reviews as a result of the PSN requirement regardless of whether the games themselves are great or run well. In September, God of War Ragnark met with a mixed user review rating on Steam following its PC launch, with most of the complaints revolving around the PSN requirement.One disgruntled fan even created a God of War Ragnark mod that removed the requirement, but it was pulled down out of fear of reprisal from Sony. Exacerbating the backlash is that Sony has doubled down on this policy even for single-player games, such as God of War Ragnark, Until Dawn, and now The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.Sonys PSN account requirement for its PC games was thrust into the limelight with the release of Arrowheads explosive PC and PS5 co-op shooter Helldivers 2 earlier in 2024. Helldivers 2 suffered a review bomb campaign on Steam after Sony made PSN accounts mandatory for PC gamers on Valves platform (Arrowhead subsequently decided to turn the user review history graph into a cape, which is ready for launch but has yet to release).Sony eventually backed down and reversed Helldivers 2s PSN account requirement, but the game remains unavailable in the many countries that lack PSN. And indeed all Sonys games on PC now suffer from this problem.When it announced the PSN requirement for Helldivers 2, Sony said it had to do with player security. Account linking plays a critical role in protecting our players and upholding the values of safety and security provided on PlayStation and PlayStation Studios games, Sony said in a statement issued at the time. This is our main way to protect players from griefing and abuse by enabling the banning of players that engage in that type of behavior. It also allows those players that have been banned the right to appeal.Perhaps bracing itself for a backlash it knew was to come, Sony added: We understand that while this may be an inconvenience to some of you, this step will help us to continue to build a community that you are all proud to be a part of. Many thanks for your continued support of Helldivers 2!The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered likely faces a similar backlash on launch that Sonys other PC games have seen, despite the Steam warning months in advance.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

With the spice giving everyone Dune fever and Star Trek in a second renaissance, sci-fi fans have had it good these past few years. 2025 doesnt have another Dune movie in store, but it does have a new James Cameron film, and its hard to get better than that. Additionally, weve got some smaller stories coming to streaming services, a few reimagingings of classic tales, and another movie about dino DNA. What more could you want?Star Trek: Section 31 (Jan 24)Star Trek: Discovery might be done, but the world it established continues. Star Trek: Section 31, premiering straight on Paramount+, checks in on Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh), the Mirror Universe duplicate of Michael Burnhams former beloved captain. Once the cruel Empress for the Terran Empire, Georgiou now serves in Section 31, Starfleets Black Ops division.Look, its hard not to be skeptical about Section 31. The concept was used well in its initial appearances in Deep Space Nine, but it has come to represent the edginess Discovery too often infused into its stories. Still, it does have the glorious Yeoh in the lead alongside the always likable Sam Richardson and Kacey Rohl as Rachel Garrett, the doomed Captain from the Next Generation classic Yesterdays Enterprise.Mickey 17 (March 7)We really hate even typing the date next to Mickey 17 for fear that Warner Bros. will bump back the release again or cancel the thing altogether. But it seems like we might finally, FINALLY get to see Bong Joon-hos follow-up to Best Picture winner Parasite. Bongs English-language films have always been his most bonkers, whether its casting Chris Evans as a baby-eating revolutionary or letting Jake Gyllenhaal do whatever it is Jake Gyllenhaals doing in Okja. Mickey 17 promises to continue that trend with Robert Pattinson playing several clones of a man who sold himself to a corporation. Wackiness and anti-capitalism will surely ensue.The Electric State (March 14)Before making their triumphant return to the MCU with Avengers: Doomsday, Joe and Anthony Russo have another Netflix project in the works. Based on the illustrated novel by Simon Stlenhag, The Electric State takes place in an alternate version of 1994. Because this is a Netflix movie, Millie Bobby Brown takes the lead, this time as a woman who seeks the help of a robot to find her missing brother. The Russos have also recruited a number of MCU folks and MCU-adjacent folks to flesh out the cast, including Chris Pratt and Ke Huy Quan in live-action roles. Meanwhile Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, and Anthony Mackie provide voices.Read more A Minecraft Movie (April 4)Its a bad sign when even Jack Black looks tired onscreen. We can see a bit of sorrow behind the boisterous comedians eyes as he finds himself in yet another video game adaptation and yet another movie about people getting sucked into a game. The fact that hes alongside Jason Momoa coming straight from a T-Mobile commercial and recent Academy Award nominee Danielle Brooks absolutely slumming doesnt help.Then again, the video game that inspired A Minecraft Movie has always been much more than it appears on the surface. And director Jared Hess got one of Blacks strangest performances in Nacho Libre. Maybe he can craft something spectacular out of what appears to be a joyless mess.Lilo & Stitch (May 23)Okay, its easy to scoff at the upcoming remake of Lilo & Stitch, especially since people will keep calling it live-action, despite having a computer animated character at its center. Furthermore, almost all of the Disney updates to classic animated movies have been ugly cash grabs, adding nothing to the beauty and simplicity of the originals. That said, Lilo & Stitch has a few things in its favor. One, animator Chris Sanders, who co-directed the original film and helmed The Wild Robot just last year, is back on hand, if only as the voice of Stitch. Second, it is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, who made the delightful Marcel the Shell With Shoes On shorts and movie. Maybe this thing will have a heart missing from all Disney remakes that arent Petes Dragon.Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning (May 23)Youre just asking for trouble when you start using words like failure around Tom Cruise and/or Ethan Hunt, both of whomcould be called the living manifestation of destiny. But it sure looks like Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning may be the last outing for the unstoppable Hunt.Although the movie no longer bears the title Dead Reckoning Part Two, The Final Reckoning picks up where the 2023 left off, with Hunts IMF team chasing an AI called the Entity. Although Ilsa Fausts death in the previous film means well go without Rebecca Ferguson for this one, the rest of Hunts team is there, which means we get more of Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Vanessa Kirby, alongside new addition Hayley Atwell. Even better, Christopher McQuarrie is back again to direct Cruise doing a few more insane stunts.From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (June 6)When it was announced that the John Wick franchise would continue with the wonderfully titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, people kept asking if the original series director Chad Stahelski would be back after the glorious John Wick: Chapter 4. Instead journeyman Len Wiseman signed on to helm the story of newcomer (Ana de Armas) to the Ruska Roma killers.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Ballerina will add some new wrinkles to the deep killer mythology, including Norman Reedus as a mysterious benefactor and Gabriel Byrne as the chief villain. Well also get to see welcome faces again, including Ian McShane as Winston and the late Lance Reddick as Charon. But the best news comes from Stahelski himself, who said Yeah, Im thinking Im back after it was revealed he directed a few action sequences for the new movie.Elio (June 13)Pixar may have dumped Turning Red directly to streaming, but it soon found an audience and established itself as one of the studios better recent entries. Turning Red director Domee Shi teams up with Adrian Molina, co-writer and co-director of the also excellent Coco, and first-time feature director Madeline Sharafian for Elio.Elio follows a nerdy 11-year-old (Yonas Kibreab) who gets beamed into space to serve as humanitys representative at an intergalactic conference. Jameela Jamil, Brad Garrett, and Shirley Henderson voice the various aliens who, probably, teach him something about life.28 Years Later (June 20)The best part of Danny Boyle and Alex Garlands 28 Days Later came when Jim (Cillian Murphy) and his fellow survivors arrive at a military base only to find not safety from rage-infected zombies, but a thoroughly human threat. Boyle and Garland will certainly have more of that in mind for their latest collaboration 28 Years Later, which begins on an island where survivors live in peace. But eventually peace always leads back into the wasteland.Our guide into that nightmare will be played this time by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who certainly seems to be getting a lot of prime roles. Hell be joined by Ralph Fiennes and Jodie Comer, at least one of whom will certainly play a human who does terrible things. Or maybe that role will go to Jim, played by a returning Murphy.M3GAN 2.0 (July 27)The delightful Chucky TV series may have met its end, but were not done with killer dolls just yet. The TikTok eras answer to Talking Tina is back in M3GAN 2.0, along with all of the same cast and creatives. Gerard Johnstone directs and Akela Cooper writes this sci-fi horror about the titular overprotective AI doll (voiced by Jenna Davis and performed by Amie Donald), who terrorizes her creator Gemma (Allison Williams) and young girl (Violet McGraw). But the most exciting part may be seeing what viral marketing ideas Blumhouse has this time around.Jurassic World Rebirth (July 2)Wait theyre rebuilding Jurassic Park again?! If only some movie existed to warn people against putting profits over good sense. Then again, given that the last entry in the franchise, Jurassic World: Dominion, decided that big bugs would be better than dinosaurs to bring the original cast back, maybe we want Universal to give it another go.Given that Gareth Edwards of Godzilla and Rogue One fame steps in, well likely have plenty of dino action in Jurassic World Rebirth. The plot involves a group of scientists led by Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Alis black ops expert, who search a dino reserve for a medical cure. This in turn will surely invite some conversation about humanitys hubris and chaos, and other ideas Universal will ignore when the box office receipts come in.Mercy (August 15)In Mercy, Chris Pratt plays a detective charged of a crime he did not commit. No, that doesnt sound terribly interesting, nor does it sound like sci-fi. But given that Mercy comes from director Timur Bekmambetov, a simple plot leaves more room for over-the-top action set-pieces. As he did in Wanted and Night Watch, Bekmambetov will surely fill the screen with eye-popping sequences. Moreover, Mercy takes place in a near-future, which means that there will be plenty of nifty gadgets and frightening surveillance equipment to add some oomph to the proceedings, as will co-stars Rebecca Ferguson and Annabelle Wallis.The Bride! (September 26)How do you improve on perfection? Thats the question facing veteran actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, who chose for her sophomore directorial effort a remake of Bride of Frankenstein. Her answer, it seems, is to veer as far as possible from the source material. Gyllenhaal sets The Bride! in 1930s Chicago where a murdered woman (Jessie Buckley) is resurrected as a mate for Frankensteins monster (Christian Bale). According to early synopses, the Bride will lead a womans movement in the Windy City, but if the stylish production photos are any indication, the movies tongue will be in its cheek enough to promise some zaniness to accompany its political relevance.Tron: Ares (October 10)Yes, its been a long time since 2010s Tron: Legacy, but not as long as it had been between that film and the original Tron from 1982. Still, Tron: Ares has been mired in production for several years now, as the movie went through several creatives before landing on director Joachim Rnning, who most recently made The Young Woman and the Sea. Throughout the process, Jared Leto has remained a consistent in the project. Leto plays Ares, a program who reverses the usual Tron plot and enters the human world on a secret mission. Although Daft Punk will not be on hand to score Aress adventure, they have an able replacement in Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails.Predator: Badlands (November 7)The original Predator was a delightful genre mash-up, one that used a sci-fi premise to inject horror into a gratuitous 80s action flick. Filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg pulled a similar trick with 2022s Prey, in which a Comanche woman fended off an alien attack in 1719. However, it remains to be seen if Trachtenberg can do it again for Predator: Badlands. Instead of directly following Prey, Badlands takes place on a wasted hunting ground where twin sisters played by Elle Fanning try to survive. Thats not the most compelling premise, but between Prey and 10 Cloverfield Lane, Trachtenberg hasnt disappointed yet.The Running Man (November 7)Edgar Wright movies are always worth keeping an eye on, and his next one is intriguingly a second adaptation of a 1982 Stephen King novel (published under the name Richard Bachman), The Running Man. While Wright wont likely be able to match the insanity of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie and its gonzo Steven E. de Souza script, its clear that he has his own unique approach to The Running Man. In Wrights version, Glen Powell plays Ben Richards, a contestant on a post-apocalyptic game show in which hes chased by murderous hunters. Love Lies Bleeding breakout Katy M. OBrian appears as a fellow contestant, and Josh Brolin portrays Dan Killian, the shows malevolent producer.Bugonia (November 7)Another year, another Yorgos Lanthimos movie. Although the idiosyncratic Greek filmmaker is reteaming with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, both of whom appeared in Kinds of Kindness, Bugonia isnt an original screenplay. Instead Lanthimos remakes the 2003 Korean comedy Save the Green Planet!, directed by Jang Joon-hwan.In Bugonia, Stone plays a powerful CEO who gets kidnapped by a conspiracy theorist (Plemons) and his brother, who believe that shes an invading alien. Jang presented that material with zany lightness, but expect Lanthimos to give it lots of unusual dialogue and awkward silences.Avatar: Fire and Ash (December 19)What is there to say about Avatar: Fire and Ash? Its made by James Cameron and James Cameron never loses. Period. The third entry in the Avatar series takes its blue heroes Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaa) away from the sea people joined in Avatar: The Way of Water. This time they meet the fire people, bringing their adopted daughter Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) and probably villain Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) with them. But you know what? It doesnt matter what the plot is because its going to look amazing and were all going to love it, and Cameron will win again.Death of a Unicorn (TBA)Even though weve got a trailer and a synopsis for Death of a Unicorn, its still hard to figure out what exactly it is. Clearly its got comedic and satirical aspects. After all, it stars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter who hit and kill a unicorn while driving to a retreat hosted by a powerful pharmaceutical CEO. That modern medicine plot gives the movie a sci-fi angle, but A24 has been calling it a horror movie as well. Is it all of those things? None of them? Who knows, but even though it comes from a first time writer/director in Alex Scharfman, A24 tends to hit more than it misses, so were going in with optimism.Frankenstein (TBA)Its kind of surprising that Guillermo del Toro hasnt already made a Frankenstein movie. A romantic, misunderstood monster story, complete with lots of weird science, seems right up his alley. Thankfully, Netflix is finally giving del Toro the chance to make that film, and hopefully will allow him to get as expressive as he was in 2023s Pinocchio.Del Toros Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, who is urged by Dr. Pretorious (Christoph Waltz) to finish work on his monster (Jacob Elordi). Modern scream queen Mia Goth plays Frankensteins beloved Elizabeth while a perfectly cast Burn Gorman plays Frankensteins assistant Fritz. It sounds like del Toros hewing pretty closely to the Universal Monsters version of the story, so lets hope we get some florid speeches from Waltz.