Demonstration plan illustrating the future urbanization area. Image credit: NCCProposals are being accepted for the 2025 Urban Design Challenge; a competition that invites students from across the country to come up with design concepts for sites in the National Capital Region (NCR).For this challenge, students are encouraged to unleash their creativity and share their visionary ideas for the Bronson Channel Lands, located 1.2 km from Parliament Hill in the western downtown core of Ottawa.This is your chance to propose innovative planning and design ideas for the Bronson Channel Lands and inspire the landscape of the emerging LeBreton neighbourhood, reads the National Capital Commisions (NCC) website. Your ideas to connect the national institutions, monuments, parks and waterfronts within the study area will inspire the future of this downtown core area district.The competition is open to students enrolled in an accredited post-secondary educational institution in Canada, who are studying planning, architecture, environmental design, urban design or landscape architecture. The NCC also encourages students to form interdisciplinary teams to consider all aspects of urban planning and urban design.The Bronson Channel Lands are located on the western edge of the downtown core, in the heart of the National Capital Region. The site is at the convergence of many planned and ongoing projects that are bringing energy to the Capital and livening up the waterfront. These include the LeBreton Flats redevelopment, the City of Ottawas Pimisi LRT station, the redevelopment of Chaudires and Albert islands, the Indigenous peoples gathering place on Victoria Island (Kabenishinn Minitig), and the construction of a new central library (diske).Context. Image credit: NCCThe National Capital Commission (NCC) is seeking ideas to enhance and animate the four public space edges in the study area. These include the Holocaust Monument, the Ottawa River waterfront and its small stormwater subsidiary arm along the Capital Pathway, the War Museum, and the forthcoming National Monument to Canadas Mission in Afghanistan.Area under study for the Urban Design Challenge. Image credit: NCCThe currently vacant site presents an opportunity to transform the space into a place that connects the islands and the mainland and increases the publics access to the waterways. The NCC is interested in exploring opportunities to activate the frontages along the streets and public pathways surrounding the site, and providing new mixed-use housing opportunities.As a result, proposals should re-knit the urban fabric with courtyard-form buildings between Wellington Street and Booth Street, and provide strategies for ground-floor animation along the Bronson Channel, Booth Street, Wellington Street and the Holocaust Monument, while respecting the symbolic setting of the site and propose an appropriate range of uses that can animate the area while being sensitive to adjacent uses.Additionally, they should determine a location for underground parking access, at the most unobtrusive location in relation to desired/anticipated pedestrian flow, retain the design intent of the National Holocaust Monument and consider the site context of the National Monument to Canadas Mission in Afghanistan while providing a fully urban interface between the monuments and the rest of the Bronson Channel Lands, position the built form volumes to create and frame street and path edges first, and views second and define the appropriate architectural expression for the built form in terms of building height and architectural style.They should also enhance public access to, and enjoyment of, the waterfront through landscaping, programming and animation, and consider opportunities for engagement in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion practices.The winning project team will receive the first-place award of$750and a trip to Ottawa. The second-place team will receive$500. The winning team will also receive a free student membership to the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada (SSAC) and free registration to the 2025 SSAC conference.While the jury may determine honourable mention awards, there are no monetary prizes associated with these awards.The winning team will be invited to present their ideas at a special session of the NCCs Urbanism Lab on May 29, 2025.There isno registration feeto participate in the Urban Design Challenge. However, participants are required to register to receive a team number that ensures anonymity of the submissions throughout the evaluation process. One registration is required per project submitted.Registration is open until Thursday, January 23, 2025, and submissions are due March 27, 2025.For more information, click here.The post Last chance to register for 2025 Urban Design Challenge appeared first on Canadian Architect.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Left Angle has released Autograph 2025.1, the latest version of its content creation and compositing tool for motion design and visual effects.The update overhauls Autographs interface, adds new 3D features including text and shape extrusion, and adds a live link plugin for DaVinci Resolve and an After Effects project importer.In addition, Left Angle has introduced a new free Starter edition of the software that can be used on commercial projects, and reduced the prices of paid licenses.An alternative to After Effects for motion graphics and VFX workReleased in 2023, Autograph is pitched as a next-gen tool for motion design and VFX.Like After Effects, it uses a layer-based compositing model, with its timeline featuring a standard layer stack and dope sheet, but combines it with a 3D mode for manipulating 3D assets.3D workflow is based around Universal Scene Description, and the software has its own integrated real-time physically based renderer, Filament.Autograph sells itself on ease of use, with its system of Generators pitched as a simpler alternative to a node graph, and Modifiers as a simpler alternative to expressions.Autograph 2025: revamped UI and workflowAutograph 2025.1 overhauls the softwares user interface and workflow, with a new Inspector panel replacing the old Properties panel for inspecting and editing parameters.Viewers now have their own individual timelines, making it possible to play back separate compositions simultaneously: for example, to compare an intro and an outro sequence. New 3D features including text and shape extrusionThere are also a number of new 3D features, including the option to extrude Text or Shape layers, the latter making it possible to import vector logos and transform them into 3D objects.New Material and Mesh layer types make it possible to create 3D primitives and edit animated materials directly in the timeline.It is also now possible to select 3D layers in the viewport by clicking or marquee-selecting.Experimental OFX live link plugin for DaVinci ResolveHowever, perhaps a more significant change is better interoperability with other key tools in video production and motion graphics pipelines.The software now ships with Autograph Live Link, a new plugin that makes it possible to use Autograph projects and templates within OpenFX-compatible apps like DaVinci Resolve. Edits made in Autograph are transferred to DaVinci Resolve in real time, and composition parameters are exposed on import, so it is also possible to animate directly inside Resolve.The plugin is currently in beta, and is only supported on Windows and macOS.New automated converter for After Effects projectsIn addition, After Effects users can now import projects in .aep format into Autograph and have the softwares new After Effects Importer convert them automatically.The documentation only lists features that can be converted, not those that cant, but layer animation, layer styles, text animation, shapes and several effects should come across.Conversion requires After Effects to be installed on your local machine, and for you to have an active license, so it isnt enough simply to be sent an .aep file by a collaborator.New free edition, including for use on commercial projectsIn addition, Left Angle has introduced Autograph Starter, a new free edition of the software that functions as both a trial and an entry-level version.It can be used on up to two projects concurrently, including for commercial work.However, its value on commercial jobs is limited, since compositions are limited to 1080p resolution, and five key Modifiers are watermarked, including Vector Blur and Film Grain.Projects created using other versions of the software are watermarked on import, and cannot be saved.Other restrictions include lack of support for OpenFX plugins: you can find a full list in the FAQs. Lower prices for commercial licensesLeft Angle has also reduced the prices of commercial editions of the software.Autograph Creator, which used to be restricted to users with annual revenue under $1 million/year, cost $945 for a perpetual license; rental cost $35/month or $315/year.Left Angle has now lifted the revenue restrictions, and reduced the standard price of a perpetual license to 299 ($299). Rental now costs $25/month or 199/year ($199/year).Autograph Studio, aimed at larger companies, used to cost $1,795; rental cost $59/month or $599/year.Studio now comes with two bundled render licenses, and perpetual licenses have a standard price of 599 ($599). Rental now costs $39/month or 375/year ($375/year).Price and system requirementsAutograph 2025.1 is compatible with Windows 10+, Ubuntu 22.04+ and RHEL/Rocky Linux 8+, and macOS 11.0+. You can find details of the new pricing in the story above.Read a full list of new features in Autograph 2025.1 in the online release notesHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.

Carmen Sandiego is back! Only this time, shes the one catching the bad guys. Discover how developer Gameloft brought the iconic character to life like never before using UE5s powerful rendering capabilities.

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreMaking its debut in Aspen, X Games will leverage AI technology from Google Cloud to enhance objectivity in subjectively judged sports.The aim is to deepen fan engagement, and provide valuable insights that resonate with both fans and athletes, said Jeremy Bloom, CEO of X Games and a veteran of the sports business, in an interview with GamesBeat.X Games will debut a new experimental AI technology developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, during the Superpipe competition at X Games Aspen 2025,with a goal of bringing new insights and a deeper level of engagement to fans. The event from January 23 to January 25 is sold out and will see tens of thousand of people, with billions of impressions across social, web sites and linear partners. The tech will debut at an event on Thursday at the X Games in Aspen. One of the human leaders among the X Games judges was part of the team to implement it. The first thing it will do is watch practice and well ask it to predict who the top three will be among the snowboarders, Bloom said. Its also going to take over everything for free riders, and it will commentate the entire run and draw back on the history of the athlete.X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom.Bloom said the sport has a global fan base and it will share the commentary in multiple languages like Japanese. After that, it will judge the athletes based on a score. The x Games medals wont be given out based on that AI score in this particular X Games in part because the tech is so new and it isnt necessarily perfect yet, Bloom said. But you will be able to see how the AI judge compares to the human judges. Were excited to show it and preview it and show the power of the things that it does, Bloom said. I think its the future of sports.Its built on Googles Vortex large language model. Bloom said it is good at doing the things you ask it to do and you can train it on footage of events, like what a good landing looks like versus on excellent landing. Bloom said the aim isnt to replace human judges but to bring more accuracy, fairness and transparency to what has to date been a purely human subjective process. Its like the use of instant replay by basketball referees, but in the case of snow sports, no such technology is used. Its all based on what a human judge sees in the moment of the competition. X Games Aspen will have AI judges alongside human judges.You have to make sure it knows every trick in snowboarding, Bloom said. Understanding economy of motion looks like is a difficult problem.The AI technology aims to explore the potential for enhancing objectivity in judged sports, increasing fan engagement, and providing athletes with additional insights into their performances.It will analyze the mens and womens Superpipe competition event. The men compete on Thursday and Saturday. As X Games celebrates its 30th anniversary, the introduction of this technology represents a step toward exploring how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence might complement human judges and offer fans a more detailed understanding of the competition.It will watch qualifying rounds and make a judgement that will be shown to the crowd and the live event after a certain time delay. The crowd will see the results from human judges. The event has snowboarding and skiing for both men and women, with a total of 18 different events. Ive had this idea in my head for decades, Bloom said. With the technology that we have at our disposal, mistakes (in judging) should never happen. It was shaped by my two decades as a professional athlete.Bloom said the tech is cutting edge and it will bring a lot of transparency and fairness to judging. uI dont think this would have been possible last year, he said. Its showing up in ways that surprise me. Athletes say its like having a coach in a pocket.How It WorksX Games 2025 will use AI judging for snowboarding Superpipe competitions.X Games AI uses Google Clouds tools, including Vertex AI and advanced large language models, to analyze video footage and capture data on metrics such as airtime, trick difficulty, and execution. The system is designed to provide deeper analysis of each run, offering fans additional layers of understanding. The tech was developed with input from X Games judges, athletes, and analysts to ensure alignment with the competitions needs.This is just the beginning, said Bloom. AI is still in its early development when applied to action sports, but Im blown away by what our model can already do. Aspen will allow us to test its capabilities and explore how it might enhance transparency, fairness, and engagement for fans and athletes alike.Part of Broader ChangesX Games has a deal with Google Cloud.The introduction of X Games AI aligns with X Games ongoing efforts to evolve its competitions. In 2026, the Action Sports Games League (XGL) will launch a new team-based format, where athletes can compete for both individual and team recognition. The league will also include interactive features such as fantasy sports, betting, real-time analytics, and expanded opportunities for fan engagement.While X Games AI is an early experiment, it reflects our commitment to exploring ways to improve competition and fan experiences, added Bloom. We look forward to gathering feedback from its debut in Aspen and refining the technology based on those insights.X Games Aspen 2025 will provide an opportunity to evaluate the tools performance and gather input from stakeholders. Further updates on X Games AI and its potential applications are expected in the coming months.Jeff Moorad, CEO of MSP Sports Capital, said in a statement, When we acquiredXGames, our goal was to reimagine unique fan experiences and increase access to the worlds premiere athletes. TheXGamespartnership withGoogleis a great example of how we intend to use technology to enhance that experience.Daily insights on business use cases with VB DailyIf you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI.Read our Privacy PolicyThanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here.An error occured.

Jeonghee JJ Jin spent a lot of time growing the business of Pearl Abyss in the Americas, as she headed Pearl Abyss America for almost eight years.Read More

There is a new Humble Bundle of interest to game developers, specifically game artists, the Complete Concept Art Training Bundle by Learned Squared. The bundle actually contains courses on a variety of subjects beyond concept art including world building, character and outfit design, hard surface modelling and more. The bundle is organized into the following tiers:5$ TierArmada Concept ArtQuick Concepts in Unreal20$ TierGrounded Costume DesignDynamic Concept Art I3D Sequence IllustrationConcept ArchitectureCinematic Concept DesignConcepting in ZBrushIntro to Environment PaintingUI and Data Design for Film30$ TierConcept Art for Video Games3D Character ArtEnvironment Concept ArtConcept Art in Unreal Engine 5Dynamic Concept Art IIHard Surface DesignEnvironment DesignVisual StorytellingDesigning Better CharactersVehicle Concept Art2D Sequence IllustrationConcept Art HacksProduction Concept ArtWorld BuildingIntro to 3D Concept DesignFuturistic Character DesignNarrative Concept ArtYou can learn more about the Complete Concept Art Training Bundle by Learned Squared bundle in the video below. Using links on this page helps support GFS (and thanks so much if you do!) and if you have a trouble with opening the link, simply paste it into a new tab and it should work just fine.

Twin Peaks was a surprising hit when it debuted in 1990, a good decade before the generally-agreed-upon start of the Golden Age of Television. It was surprising because of how weird it was, and it still registers as deeply weird even in todays media-flooded landscape. Its also incredibly entertaining, thought provoking, scary, and an all-around masterpiece. A new 21-disc Blu-ray collection called Twin Peaks: From Z to A collects the entire run of Twin Peaks, plus over 20 hours of special features. It's out Feburary 3 and is available for preorder now (see it at Amazon).Where to Buy Twin Peaks: From Z to AOut February 3Twin Peaks: From Z to A (Blu-ray)$69.96 at AmazonWhen I say Twin Peaks: From Z to A has everything, I really mean it. It has the first two seasons, which aired in 1990 and 1991, plus David Lynchs 1992 prequel movie Fire Walk With Me, plus the third season, the 18-part Twin Peaks: The Return, which kicked off on Showtime in 2017. If youre looking for one collection that has all of Twin Peaks in one package, this is it.Twin Peaks: From Z to A Contents Main ContentTwin Peaks: The Complete Original Series (1990 - 1991) - 29 episodesTwin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) - feature film directed by David LynchTwin Peaks: A Limited Event Series (2017) - 18 episodes, all directed by David LynchSpecial FeaturesThe Missing Pieces - a compilation of deleted and extended scenes from Fire Walk with Me4K UHD versions of the Original Series Pilot and Part 8 of A Limited Event SeriesBehind The Curtain - behind-the-scenes footage from season 3Roadhouse Music Performances - full-length versions of all music performancesA Talk with Kyle MacLachlan and Sheryl LeeOn the Couch with Kimmy and HarryA slew of previously released special featuresThis set was originally released in 2020 as a limited-edition collection that came with some extra collectible stuff, but it sold out quickly. Im glad to see a more accessible bundle that packages all things Twin Peaks into one release. And if youre looking for a lovely eulogy for the late director, check out our They Dont Make em Like David Lynch Anymore piece that discusses what made the Twin Peaks co-creator such a one-of-a-kind talent. RIP.Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass January 2025 Wave 2 lineup of titles.The announcement on Xbox Wire comes ahead of Microsofts Xbox Developer Direct on January 23, where fans will get to see a number of day one Game Pass games, including Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a mystery fourth reveal.January 2025 Wave 2 kicks off today, January 21, with Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S), a day one release on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Crash over and over until you master the mountain in the snowy follow up to Lonely Mountains: Downhill, reads the official blurb. Now supporting up to eight players via cross platform multiplayer work your way down the slopes as a group sharing a small number of checkpoints, or risk it all in a breakneck race to the base!Tomorrow, January 22, sees the addition of Flock (Console) to Game Pass Standard. Flock is a multiplayer co-op game about the joy of flight and collecting adorable flying creatures with your friends. Soar through beautiful landscapes, seeking out rare and elusive creatures to add to your flock.Also on January 22, Gigantic: Rampage Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard. Gigantic: Rampage Edition is a premium and definitive release of the original 5v5 MOBA hero shooter that provides a dynamic and exciting team-based multiplayer experience for fans of both genres. Choose from a diverse roster of unique heroes, each with a set of upgradeable abilities, and team up with four other players to control objectives and take down the opposing teams mighty Guardian, all while protecting your own.January 22 is a busy day for Game Pass, as Capcoms Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Console) launches into Game Pass Standard. A unique Japanese-inspired, single player Kagura action strategy game. It takes place on a mountain covered by defilement. During the day, purify the villages and prepare yourself for sundown. During the night, protect the Maiden against the hordes of the Seethe. Repeat the day and night cycle until you cleanse the mountain of defilement and return peace to the land.Sticking with January 22, Magical Delicacy (Console) comes to Game Pass Standard, as does Tchia (Xbox Series X|S), and The Case of the Golden Idol (Console). January 22 is rounded out by Starbound (Cloud and Console), which arrives on Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass Standard having already launched on PC Game Pass.Eternal Strands (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on January 28 as a day one launch. Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy title from Yellow Brick Games, a new independent studio founded by industry veterans from franchises including Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Watch Dogs, and Assassins Creed. Fight epic, towering creatures while blending magical abilities with an arsenal of powerful weapons to keep the world from crumbling in this third-person, action-adventure game.Also on January 28 as a day one launch, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is an action-packed, third-person shooter and trap defense game. Evolve as an orc-slaying War Mage through rogue-lite choices and obliterate, eviscerate, and incinerate massive hordes with up to four players.Moving on to January 29, Shady Part of Me (Cloud, Console, and PC) releases in Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard. Shady Part of Me sends you on an emotional and dream-like journey, with breathtaking artistic direction and the enthralling voice of Hannah Murray from Game of Thrones and Skins. As a little girl and her shadow, overcome emotional struggles through surreal dreamscapes across a touching narrative filled with twists and surprises. Both must learn, cooperate, and evolve to progress in a poetic journey.Heres a big one: Sniper Elite: Resistance (Cloud, Console, and PC) launches into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a day one release on January 30. Offering unparalleled sniping mechanics, stealth and tactical third-person combat, Sniper Elite: Resistance turns the attention of the award-winning series towards a hidden war, far from the front lines, deep within the heart of occupied France. Bring a friend the full campaign can be experienced in co-op.Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) is another day one Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass release, this time on January 31. The highly anticipated sequel to one of 2022s most acclaimed RPGs, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is a dice-driven RPG in a human and heartfelt sci-fi world. You are an escaped android, with a malfunctioning body, a price on your head and no memory of your past. Get a ship, find a crew, and take on contracts while you navigate across the Starward Belt.And finally, creeping into early February, Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard on February 4. Dive into a transformed, vibrant, post-apocalyptic Hope County, Montana, 17 years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources.Xbox Game Pass January 2025 Wave 2 lineup:Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) January 21 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassFlock (Console) January 22 Now with Game Pass StandardGigantic: Rampage Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Console) January 22 Now with Game Pass StandardMagical Delicacy (Console) January 22 Now with Game Pass StandardTchia (Xbox Series X|S) January 22 Now with Game Pass StandardThe Case of the Golden Idol (Console) January 22 Now with Game Pass StandardStarbound (Cloud and Console) January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass StandardEternal Strands (Cloud, Console, and PC) January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassOrcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassShady Part of Me (Cloud, Console, and PC) January 29 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardSniper Elite: Resistance (Cloud, Console, and PC) January 30 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) January 31 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassFar Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) February 4 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass StandardXbox Game Pass games leaving on January 31, 2025:As usual, a number of games are set to leave Game Pass as new titles flood the subscription service.Anuchard (Cloud, Console, and PC)Broforce Forever (Cloud, Console, and PC)Darkest Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC)Deaths Door (Cloud, Console, and PC)Maquette (Cloud, Console, and PC)Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem (Cloud, Console, and PC)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.

While 2025 might be a new year, it will have plenty of familiar names. Reboots and remakes will fill the screen, with filmmakers taking a different look at properties and stories told before.That might sound dire. But before you start complaining about Hollywoods lack of ideas, just take a look at this list. Sure, there are a few obvious plays for IP dollars, but for the most part, the 2025 reboot and remake slate is full of exciting updates to Superman and the Fantastic Four, as well as compelling updates to classic Universal monsters.The names might be familiar, but for a lot of these movies, the ideas are all new.Wolf Man (Jan 17)At its heart, the werewolf myth is about the beast lurking within an otherwise civilized person. The externals might change from 1941 to now, but the concept still has weight. Thats especially true when its Aussie Leigh Whannell exploring the idea, as he does with Wolf Man.A true modern horror master, who co-created the Saw and Insidious series with James Wan and directed the excellent update The Invisible Man, Whannell strips the story down to its essentials. Wolf Man stars Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner as a parents of a young girl (Matilda Firth), who get trapped in a rustic farm house, just in time for the father to undergo a lycanthropic transformation. You can read our review of the film here.Disneys Snow White (March 21)Rachel Zegler is one of our most exciting young talents, an endlessly charismatic performer and wonderful singer. But, man, does she star in some stinkers. For every West Side Story and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songs and Snakes, theres Shazam! Fury of the Gods or Y2K.At first glance, Disneys Snow White seems to be one of the latter, in no small part due to the nightmare inducing CG Seven Dwarves. That said, the screenplay is co-written by Greta Gerwig and director Marc Webb gave us superhero movies most exciting romantic couple in The Amazing Spider-Man, so maybe theres hope yet. Even if it fails, at least we know Zegler will be charming as ever.The Wedding Banquet (April 18)Unlike most of the entries on this list, The Wedding Banquet remake comes less from a desire to cash in on name recognition and more of a desire to retell a moving story. Although director Ang Lee would go on to make hits such as The Life of Pi and Brokeback Mountain, his 1993 sophomore feature gets far less attention.Driveways and Fire Night director Andrew Ahn hopes to correct that with his update of The Wedding Banquet, co-written by Lees frequent collaborator James Schamus. Bowen Yang stars as a gay man who makes a deal with his lesbian friends (Kelly Marie Tran and Lily Gladstone) to help him masquerade as straight for the sake of his family. Hopefully, Ahn can retain some of the gentleness in Lees original, while finding its own unique voice.Lilo & Stitch (May 23)Between the two Disney remakes of established properties, Lilo & Stitch offers viewers the most hope. First of all, the original movies creative force Chris Sanders returns to voice Stitch, so at least his voice is involved in the process. Second, its directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, who made the excellent Marcel the Shell With Shoes On films.That said, Lilo & Stitch is still a big budget Disney remake, which means that it covers the exact same ground as the original film. An escaped alien lands on Hawaii, where he befriends young Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister Nani (Sydney Agudong), while avoiding mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis) and Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), as well as social worker Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance). Will Sanders and Camp find enough new approaches to justify the new Lilo & Stitch? Well find out this May.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!How to Train Your Dragon (June 13)Why should Disney have all the fun? Thats what Dreamworks was thinking when they watched millions of dollars pour into the House of Mouse for updates of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. And so, Mason Thames of The Black Phone becomes the new Hiccup, appearing alongside a more realistically rendered Toothless in the live action How to Train Your Dragon.Some positive points lurk around the production of How to Train Your Dragon. Its directed by Dean DeBlois, who made the original Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon with the aforementioned Chris Sanders. Furthermore, it has a fun cast, with Nick Frost and Peter Serafinowicz joining the cast and Gerard Butler reprising his role as Stoick the Vast. Superman (July 11)The new DCU by James Gunn and Peter Safran carries over some elements of the previous shared universe, but theyll make a notable change when it comes to the first superhero. Superman presents a bold new look on the Man of Steel, by which we mean a more traditional, optimistic, and hopeful look at a character who was a glowering grump under previous management.Written and directed by Gunn, Superman stars David Corenswet as the Man of Tomorrow, who we meet in a world already filled with superheroes and already known to Lois Lane (Rachel Brohansan) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Its not clear how Gunn will make Supes standout in this stuffed story, but hes never let us down before and, if the triumphant trailer is any indication, hes not about to let us down now.Animal Farm (July 11)All Animal Farm adaptations are created equal, but some are more equal than others. The latest animated version of George Orwells famous anti-Stalinist allegory comes from Andy Serkis, the reliable stop-motion performer and sometime director. Serkis came up with a story treatment with Rupert Wyatt, director of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which led to a screenplay by journeyman comedy filmmaker Nicholas Stoller.Thats an odd bunch for a story about the animal overthrow of a farm turning into a dictatorship. Theres no word yet on the castwill Serkis be performing all of the animals?but the July 11th release date is still in place. Thats not a lot of time if Serkis wants to improve upon the 1954 and 1999 adaptations of the novella, neither of which impressed audiences.The Smurfs Movie (July 18)Do kids today even care about the Smurfs? Heck, do most parents even care about the Smurfs? Created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo, the little blue forest dwellers were regulars on the screen in the 1980s, but outside of some crass star-studded movies in the 2000s, the Smurfs havent been important parts of pop culture.Still, Nickelodeon hopes that the concept has enough inherent charm to draw eyes on their new version in The Smurfs Movie. And if that fails, theyve got big famous names to lend their voices, including Rihanna as Smurfette alongside Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Dan Levy, and more. No word yet on who is playing who, but were guessing Offerman is Papa Smurf, Levy is Vanity Smurf, and Lyonne is, uh, Raspy Smurf? Be honest, you dont know if there really is a Raspy Smurf, and neither does anyone else.The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25)Not content to let DC have all the fun, Marvel will be matching Superman with their own course-correcting revival of seminal and oft-misunderstood heroes. The Fantastic Four: First Steps brings Marvels first family to the big screen, hoping to shake-off not just the bitter taste left behind by the bland mid-2000s movies and the misguided 2015 film, but also the general disinterest in superhero movies.First Steps takes a bold approach, set in an alternate 1960s where the FF are science stars as much as they are superheroes. When the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) announces the coming of Galactus (Ralph Ineson), the Fantastic FourPedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrachtry to save their world and their family. The film has six credited screenwriters, never a good thing, but director Matt Shakman proved his chops with WandaVision, still the best Marvel TV series.The Naked Gun (August 1)A reboot of The Naked Gun has been in development for decades, and often looked like a lost project, which may have been a good thing. Its hard to imagine anyone other than Leslie Nielsen playing clueless cop Frank Drebin and anyone other than prime Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers producing. The impeccable deadpan of the original films, and the six-episode series Police Squad! that inspired it, have rarely been seen elsewhere.That said, the projects settled on a pretty solid team, with none other than Liam Neeson in the role of Frank Drebin and Paul Walter Hauser as Captain Ed Hocken. Some reports have listed Neesons character as Frank Drebin Jr. (full body condoms are only 87% effective) and the full title as The Naked Gun 4 1/4: Law of Toughness, which would make this less a reboot and more a legacy sequel. But a full on reboot means we can forget about the transphobic stuff from the third film and, you know, OJ Simpson, so maybe thats better anyway. As long as we get Rex Harrison as Abraham Lincoln, well be just fine.The Bride! (September 26)Perhaps the boldest entry on this list comes from Maggie Gyllenhaal and her Bride of Frankenstein riff The Bride!. Gyllenhaal resets the 1935 film about Dr. Frankenstein creating a mate for his monster in 1930s Chicago, with Jessie Buckley as a murdered woman who becomes the Bride and Christian Bale as the Monster.Gyllenhaal has described her movie as a musical inspired in part by Bonnie and Clyde, and has hinted at some social relevance. Thats a lot to put on a monster movie, and The Bride! is just Gyllenhaals second film behind the camera. But she has a strong cast to help her out, including Penlope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, and Annette Bening.The Running Man (November 7)The best remakes are those that improve upon bad films with good ideas or stray closer to the source material in an adaptation. We might get both with Edgar Wrights take on The Running Man, a novel that Stephen King published under the pen name Richard Bachman. The Running Man spawned a delightful Arnold Schwarzenegger movie about contestants in a glossy futuristic game show, which served as (very light) satire about the TV industry.Wright has a chance to hew closer to Kings original idea, an exploration about public participation in totalitarian regimes. Hes off to the right start by casting the much less muscled Glen Powell in the lead, along with Katy OBrien as a fellow contestant, who tries to survive the game for a cash prize. Throw in Josh Brolin as the evil producer and Colman Domingo as the shows host, and Wright has all the right ingredients for a compelling update that stands on its own.Anaconda (TBA)1997s Anaconda remains a favorite of the so bad its good crowd, who celebrate the creature feature for its cheesy plot, its clunky CG, and an unhinged performance by Jon Voight. So its not much of a surprise that the reboot The Anaconda would approach the material with tongue firmly in cheek.Anaconda stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd as members of a circus troupe who get lost in the rainforest, where theyre bedeviled by a giant snake. Tom Gormican, who blessed the world with fantastic Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal memes with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, directs this remake, which means Anaconda may not descend into self-satisfied snark.Bugonia (TBA)If the name Bugonia doesnt ring any bells, thats because the story its retelling was originally called Save the Green Planet!. And if that doesnt ring any bells, its because Korean cinema wasnt quite as big in the West back in 2003, when Save the Green Planet! was released.Regardless, Bugonia is Y0rgos Lanthimoss take on the material, which means one thing. Well, it means a couple things, as hell be once again pairing with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, the former of which plays a powerful CEO kidnapped by the latter and his brother. But it also means that Bugonia will be very, very weird, perhaps even outdoing the Korean original.Frankenstein (TBA)2025s third update of a classic monster comes from the maestro himself, Guillermo del Toro, who finally gets to finish his long-in-production take on Frankenstein. Unlike Wolf Man or The Bride!, it seems like del Toros Frankensteins will play the story more or less straight, perhaps staying even more faithful to the Mary Shelley novel than the Universal film.Del Toro has cast Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Monster, and Christoph Waltz as Dr. Pretorious, Victors mentor who drives him to complete his experiments in overcoming death. Familiar as that may sound, del Toros sure to infuse the story with some of his bizarre romance, resulting in something special.

Developer_Direct returns this Thursday, January 23 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK, and will bring you a deep-dive into some of the incredible games on the way for Xbox players this year. The show will include new, extended gameplay and developer insights for DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a mystery fourth game, from inside the studios working on them.Were sure you want to know more, so here are all the details on how to tune in and what to expect.When is Developer_Direct? Thursday, January 23 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK.How do I watch Developer_Direct? Developer_Direct will be streamed live on the official channels below:The show will also be streamed simultaneously on regional Xbox and Bethesda channels around the globe, as well as on Steam. It will also air on Chinas Bilibili platform.The YouTube stream will be broadcast in 4K/60, and as with any live broadcast, there may be dips in streaming quality based on your bandwidth.Is the event available in languages other than English? Developer_Direct will be streamed live on YouTube.com/Xbox with English captions, and our other live languages will be available via regional Xbox channels.The languages we will support live on our Xbox channels are: Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Czech, French, Canadian French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Castilian Spanish, Mexican Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. There is a possibility that select languages will not be available for the live broadcast, but if this happens we will add them to the show at YouTube.com/Xbox at the earliest opportunity.The easiest way to find your preferred language is to go to your regions Xbox page, or by viewing on the official Xbox YouTube channel at YouTube.com/Xbox and clicking the gear icon in the lower right corner.Is Developer_Direct going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, American Sign Language (ASL) on Xboxs YouTube channel and the /XboxASL Twitch channel, and British Sign Language (BSL) on Xbox Ons YouTube channel at YouTube.com/XboxOn.Im not going to be able to watch, where can I find out what was announced? A full recap will go live immediately following the show (including localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish, and Japanese following later). Xbox Wire will also publish detailed articles about every game from the show with extra information.Notes for co-streamers and creators: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software wont interfere with your co-stream.For those planning to create full post-show breakdowns of Developer_Direct in the form of video-on-demand coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider.Well see you for Developer_Direct on Thursday, January 23!