Its official. Spider-Man 4 is called Spider-Man: Brand New Day and its coming July 31, 2026. Tom Holland announced the news via video at CinemaCon 2025, where titles and trailers had been revealed for several previous Spider-Man films. On location shooting Christopher NolansThe Odyssey, the star sent in a brief clip and said that since Peter Parkers life had kind of been reset at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Brand New Day was a fresh start. Heres the logo: The logo for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Destin Daniel Cretton, the filmmaker behind Marvels Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and acclaimed indie drama Short Term 12, is directing and was also on hand. He revealed that his sons first word was Spider-Man so its been very special for him to be working on the film every day. Filming will take place this summer. Of course, this still leaves so many questions. Who else is in this movie? Who is Sadie Sink playing? Is it a multiverse movie or is it a grounded story? We dont know. Its just, well, a Brand New Day. What do you think of the title? What about the logo? Looks more comic book-inspired, right? Let us know in the comments and keep checking back all week for updates at CinemaCon 2025. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

April Fools Day is upon us, but this is no joke: Rick and Morty season eight hits Adult Swim May 25, with a first look to prove it. The news came as part of Adult Swims annual April 1 celebration, and also included a 22-minute special of favorite Rick and Morty moments re-interpreted in appropriately and unexpectedly freaky ways. Adult Swim described it as pulling from absurd, live-action, theater-based genres, and frankly you just need to watch it to believe it. First up, heres the season eight sneak peek, which gets a typically vague description: Rick and Morty is back for Season Eight! Life has meaning again! Anything is possible! Look out for adventures with Summer, Jerry, Beth, and the other Beth. Maybe Butter Bot will get a new task? Whatever happens, you cant keep Rick and Morty down for long. People have tried! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqxJHq_CSGo And, should you need a human-sized Pickle Rick in your life, feast your eyes on the special broadcast, now up on YouTube for all to see: We hope you enjoyed our theater interpretations of Rick and Morty, especially if you are well-off/impulsive and now want to back a Broadway version of the show, Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen said in the press release. For the rest of you, were glad you now know when season eight is starting so you have time to stretch and get loose because the team has yet again made a totally great season of television. We dont doubt it, and now that we know May 25 is the day Rick and Morty is returning to delight fans in over 170 countries(in the U.S., you can purchase new episodes the day after they premiere on Adult Swim; the season will start streaming September 1), we can start our countdown calendar accordingly.Rick and Morty stars Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden as the title characters, along with Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, and Spencer Grammer. Its executive produced by Dan Harmon and Scott Marder; Marder is also the showrunner. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Miles Morales is swinging back to the big screen but its going to be longer than originally anticipated. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third film in the award-winning animated series from Sony, was originally scheduled for a 2204 release. It was then taken off the calendar after its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, was released. Well, now, its back and will be coming out June 4, 2027. The news was revealed at the end of a teaser trailer shown at CinemaCon 2025. Pulling back through a wild array of colors and shapes like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, we see images and hear words from the previous two films. Near the end, a few quick images from the new film played, including Miles fighting the Prowler, the Spot, and entering a completely black area through a yellow hole. Producer Phil Lord, and directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson said that Beyond will be bigger and bolder than the first two films. Itll feature new styles and innovations and pick up the next second from the end of the previous film. Basically, they made it clear the long delay was for very good reasons. And we cannot wait. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The advent of streaming wars has built a physical media scarcity in a very specific medium: animation. One of the headaches of Disney+ is having to sit through copious credits from all over the world between episodes of Bluey, and then having to deal with the background ambient binge of episodes stopping abruptly. Then theres the matter of trying to restart the cycle-through of episodes when it just pops you back to the main series menu. And no, watching Disneys live cartoon stream so it can push other shows among Bluey episodes doesnt cut it. Its why I found myself going out and just buying season one and two on DVD. In the baby trenches, having something on in the background while feeding and nurturing a growing tiny human has been super important. After getting tired of the constant Are you still watching? messages, we switched over to live channels including PlutoTV. Quickly my kids attention was grabbed by Strawberry Shortcake on the free platform, and not being a part of that fandom I was excited to dive in with her. The ease of watching it on live television like we had growing up and carving out times to show it to her while feeding or to have her watch something with cute music and colors was so effortlessly freeing. It made us want to go out and buy the Y2K years of Strawberry Shortcake shows on physical media to add to her library and hunt down pop culture kids clothes from that era on resale sites like Depop. And thats when the scarcity struck yet again! Sure, you can find specials with episode bundles through re-sellers and limited online supply at retailers. But its once again adding more work, when before you could just go into Best Buy or Target and easily get your hands on the what you wanted. Whats even more surprising is that Strawberry Shortcake and her bitty world of magical friends and sentient fruit creatures is currently hugely popular. During PlutoTVs recent battle of fandoms bracket that included a pretty solid line-up of 16 free-to-watch shows from all television mediums, Strawberry Shortcake beat out Big Brother on probably the most accessible live streaming platform. And I cant go into the store and buy the season? Thats so weird. Even with the growth in production of animationwhich we saw get more interest during 2020 for entertainment thats been released sinceits still strange to see animated properties, even popular ones like Bluey, we only see DVD releases. There is the possibility that the Blu-ray format could deteriorate the animation coloring by pushing the presentation too much, and that studios see it as too costly to honor preservation of the art form. The intricacies of printing DVDs has recently hit the news with reports that disc rot is a very real thing. But the most recent culprit? Warner Bros. As the Verge has reported, WB Home Entertainment did make DVDs that were found to be deteriorating, and that its now replacing or offering titles of equal value in exchange for out of print movies. DVDs are supposed to last 100 years if taken care of, according to Ars Technica. But of course it had to be Warner Bros. specifically for certain DVDs released from 2006-2008. Then theres scarcity when it comes to a platform like Max, where Looney Tunes, another iconic cartoon, constantly gets pulled from the library in favor of adding more crappy reality shows to the streamer. The Looney Tunes cartoons have had a long history of being available in physical formats; years of the Golden Collection were made available on DVD as part of a six-case set individually sold to build your library over the years. The first Blu-rays were released as the Platinum Collection from 2011 to 2014; after that came the Collectors Choice re-issues, which ended last year. This year the vault (physical medias favorite word for gatekeeping, thanks Disney) box set is to be released this June. This scarcity is beginning to feel created in merchandise and physical releases all around.At least Looney Tunes is one of the few animated franchises to get Blu-ray releases like this, alongside the likes of The Simpsons, Adventure Time, and Rick and Morty. But for the most part those shows are for adult audiences, and their releases in the format likewise are to serve that particular audience. Kids-focused media, classic or otherwise, still has a much more prevalent home on DVDa format that, while similarly prevalent, is increasingly playing second fiddle to the blu-ray standard. Companies have known for years at this point the lucrative power of nostalgia. But it shouldnt take the exploitative nature of nostalgic resurgences to get them to capitalize on re-emergent fandoms. Access to the classics (and the not-so-classics) on the best quality physical media shouldnt just be for the purview of premium collecting, but to maintain accessibility to these shows and these stories for generations to come in the best way possible. At least for now I can satisfy my daughters Strawberry Shortcake fix on a streamer that appreciates it. But as weve so often seen: just how long will that be the case? Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

In a conversation with the Discourse Podcast from the Playlist, Tom Hardy looked back on his journey as Venom and revealed that the world very nearly got a Sony cross-over between his bumbling violent anti-hero and the heroic web-slinger. The process to bring Tom Hollands Spider-Man into Venoms world got as close as I could possibly imagine getting, according to Hardy. In fact, it couldnt have gotten any closer apart from doing a film together, Hardy explained, which I would have loved to have done because that just means so much fun. Ultimately, of course, Hardys Venom never did meet Hollands Spidey. The Discourse Podcast host, Mike DeAngelo, speculated it could have come down to studio politics; without fully conceding, Hardy affirmed carefully to the suggestions, for all the reasons that you explained ultimately in there. What got Hardy excited to make the cross-over happen was simple: Fundamentally, for me, it would be for the kids, he said. Because, you know, as much as adults love superhero films, as you can tell by the box office when theyre successful, I think Im constantly reminded by children how important these characters are. And they dont know why their favorite characters arent in films together, he said, adding that in the end he was just happy to have made his Venom movies. We were given a set of boundaries, and we were just really privileged to be able to play with a much-beloved IP like Venom in a way that we were allowed to play. As for the modest success in Venoms global reception, Hardy said it was all he could ask for. We did what we could and what we loved doing. We poured all of ourselves into it within the limits of what we were allowed to do with him, Hardy reflected. And so the enjoyment of the work outweighed the limits of our possibilities with him because we just focused on what we were allowed to do. And we loved doing it. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

There was plenty of onscreen drama in House of the Dragon season two: painful betrayals, fiery deaths, powerful awakenings, wanderings in the spirit world, Aemond being Aemond you name it. But a behind-the-scenes tiff may have overshadowed them all, when source material author George R.R. Martin spoke out about his dissatisfaction with plot changes made in HBOs adaptation. With season threes production now underway, theres no way showrunner Bryan Condal wasnt going to be asked about the controversy. To recap the kerfluffle, in July 2024, Martin published a blog post praising a new addition to House of the Dragon. He loved that the show added a faithful dog to the assassin duo of Blood and Cheese, though he couched it in a warning: I am not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is mine. That same episodethe season two premiere, featuring Blood and Cheese offing King Aegon II Targaryens todder-aged heir to the Iron Thronestuck in Martins craw, however, due to a different change to that very sequence, one he didnt much care for. Another blog post went up in August in which the author promised hed dig into everything thats gone wrong with House of the Dragon. Then, a few days later in early September, he spilled the promised tea in a post that was swiftly deleted. As part of that now-scrubbed post, Martin said that hed pushed back about the changes initially, including his concerns about how altering events in season two will affect the futures of certain characters down the line. A few days later, Condal defended his choices on HBOs official House of the Dragon podcast. A few days after that, Martin was asked to weigh in on the back-and-forth by the Hollywood Reporter, but instead took the opportunity to shower praise on another of HBOs Westeros-set adaptation of his works, the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Alls been quiet on that front since mid-September 2024 until today. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal said he found Martins criticism disappointing. Hes obviously still a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, and working on the show has been truly one of the great privileges of, not only my career as a writer, but my life as a fan of science-fiction and fantasy. George himself is a monument, a literary icon in addition to a personal hero of mine, and was heavily influential on me coming up as a writer.He also, again, defended the choices the show has made in transferring the work from page to screen. Fire & Blood, he pointed out, isnt written as a novel the way Martins A Game of Thrones and its sequels are. Its this incomplete history and it requires a lot of joining of the dots and a lot of invention as you go along the way. I will simply say, I made every effort to include George in the adaptation process. I really did. Over years and years. And we really enjoyed a mutually fruitful, I thought, really strong collaboration for a long time. Thats no longer the case, Condal said. At some point, as we got deeper down the road, he just became unwilling to acknowledge the practical issues at hand in a reasonable way. And I think as a showrunner, I have to keep my practical producer hat on and my creative writer, lover-of-the-material hat on at the same time. At the end of the day, I just have to keep marching not only the writing process forward, but also the practical parts of the process forward for the sake of the crew, the cast, and for HBO, because thats my job. So I can only hope that George and I can rediscover that harmony someday. But thats what I have to say about it.Head to EW to read more from Condal, including some teases about the battles and new characters thatll hit the screen in House of the Dragon season three. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Ever since he called time on the galaxy far, far away, John Boyega has been frank in discussing the ways he was both frustrated by, and pushed back against, the racism he experienced in being cast as one of Star Wars latest generation of heroes, and the struggles he faced in Finns journey across the sequel trilogy. But as part of an interview for a newApple TV+ documentary about Black men in Hollywood, the actor further opened up on the franchises predominance of white heroes. Star Wars always had the vibe of being in the most whitest, elite space. Its a franchise thats so white that a Black person existing in [it] was something, Boyega said in part during an interview forNumber One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood, now streaming on Apple TV+, via Variety), before further discussing the ways Star Wars fans defend a lack of prominent characters from non-white backgrounds. You can always tell its something when some Star Wars fans try to say, Well, we had Lando Calrissian and had Samuel L. Jackson! Its like telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough. Its like, they just scattered that in there, bro, Boyega continued. Theyre okay with us playing the best friend, but once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, its like, Oh my God, its just a bit too much! Theyre pandering.' Boyega has frequently discussed how he felt about Finns role in the sequel trilogy being unsupported and sidelined in the face of culture-war commentary about the presence of a Black primary character in The Force Awakens, but his latest commentary is especially pointed in the wake of the cancellation of The Acolyte, aStar Wars series lead by a significant non-white cast, including Amandla Stenbergs dual leading role as the twins Osha and Mae Aniseya. The Acolyte was the latest in a long line of Star Wars projects that found itself the target of bad faith and harassment over its diverse cast prior to, and even after, its untimely cancellation last year, but also the latest in a long line where Lucasfilm and Disney, in the wake of the bigoted harassment that actors like Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran faced during the sequel trilogy, failed to step up and defend up its targeted stars. For as many strides that the studio has made in moving to defend minority talentmoves Boyega himself has praised in the past, like the studios open support for Moses Ingram after the Obi-Wan Kenobi actress faced racist abuse for her performance as the Imperial Inquisitor Revaits clear theres still plenty of ways to go to both elevate more diverse leading roles in Star Wars future and ways for Lucasfilm and Disney to defend those potential stars from being sidelined. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

seUnited Airlines has been approved to begin operating flights with onboard Starlink satellite internet service. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the airline a certificate to operate the service on its fleet of Embraer 175 aircraft, with United expecting to install the SpaceX service on all 300 of the regional jets by the end of the year. Starlink will be a free service for UnitedPlus members, which is essentially all passengers as the loyalty program is free to join. United and Starlink announced last year that the airline would outfit its entire fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink in the next few years. SpaceX has been on something of a tear recently, signing deals with numerous partners to offer Starlink beyond rural households, including partnering with T-Mobile and cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean. Beyond United, it has also signed deals to offer in-flight WiFi with Hawaiian and private jet operator JSX. The service is not expected to work well in densely populated areas as high-speed fiber is already available, and a singular Starlink satellite would likely not have enough bandwidth to serve many users simultaneously. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said Starlink would likely never be suitable in urban environments where high-speed internet access is already plentiful. Starlink is expected to reach more than $11 billion in revenue in 2025, buoyed by government and commercial contracts. It helps essentially subsidize the cost of SpaceX rocket launches, as the company can send up new Starlink satellites with each payload. Airlines are eager to offer the service as existing offerings from the likes of Gogo have been notoriously slow and unreliable, resulting in frequent complaints on social media from customers who pay $10-20 for a WiFi pass only to find the service does not work. Starlink can offer broadband-like speeds thanks to its constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO), though latency is high due to the inherent nature of sending requests to space and back.It is somewhat surprising that airlines are willing to eat the cost of providing Starlink service considering the business model of unbundling airline tickets and charging extra for each perk. It would be unsurprising to see airlines eventually throttle the service and upcharge for faster speeds. Being associated with Elon Musk, Starlink comes with some baggage. Where the service has been able to supply crucial internet access in locations such as Ukraine, countries in Asia and Europe have expressed some reservations about relying on internet service controlled by a close confidant of President Trump.Europe is developing its own Eutelsat alternative, while Taiwan has similarly been exploring other options out of concern regarding Musks ties to China for Tesla sales. In Canada, the province of Ontario recently canceled a $100 million Starlink contract in retaliation over U.S. tariffs. Musk may be able to secure lucrative government contracts domesticallyand the Treasury Secretary has pushed to use Starlink in the governments rural internet access programbut his newfound influence is a double-edged sword. Musks empire is exposed to geopolitical conflict being so close to President Trump.

By Passant Rabie Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | The Dragon crew vehicle on the launch mount ahead of the Fram2 mission. C&J Images Four amateur astronauts are about to venture where no other crew has gone before, orbiting Earths polar region to better understand how humans fare in space. SpaceXs Fram2 mission is set for liftoff on Monday at 9:46 p.m. ET, launching from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission will launch a private crew of astronauts on board a Dragon spacecraft, where they will spend three to five days admiring our planet from a unique polar orbit. SpaceX will stream the launch live on its website and X account, beginning around an hour before liftoff. Should the launch need to be postponed, a backup opportunity is available on Tuesday, April 1, depending on weather conditions. The Fram2 mission crew. Credit: SpaceX The crew of first-time astronauts includes Chun Wang of Malta, who founded the Bitcoin mining companies f2pool and stakefish, and is leading Fram2 and reportedly funding the mission as well; Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian cinematographer; Eric Philips, an Australian polar adventurer; and Rabea Rogge, a German robotics researcher. Although the space tourists have no prior spaceflight experience, they will go where no crew has gone before. The Dragon spacecraft will fly the astronauts over the planets polar regions at an altitude of around 265 to 280 miles (425 to 450 kilometers) above the ground, where they will fly a polar orbit at an inclination of about 60 to 90 degrees to the equator. If successful, Fram2 will go down in history as the first human crew to orbit Earths poles. During the mission, the astronauts will perform 22 research studies designed to help advance humanitys capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space, according to SpaceX. The crew will attempt to take the first X-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity. The astronauts are also planning on studying the aurora-like phenomenon called STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), known for its hazy purple and green streaks across the sky. Once back on Earth, the crew will exit the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space, SpaceX wrote.The Dragon crew vehicle being used for Fram2 previously flew SpaceXs Polaris Dawn mission, whichpulled off the first commercial spacewalk in history. SpaceX is not playing games with its private missions, which go way beyond your basic space tourism.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 31, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 31, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 27, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 26, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 25, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 25, 2025

By AJ Dellinger Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (2) | Elon Musk (in white) boards his private jet JADE GAO/AFP via Getty Images If there is one thing rich people love, its doing things that allow them to take advantage of their inordinate wealth. And if theres one thing they hate, its being held to account for those things. So this new rule from the Federal Aviation Administration is right in their wheelhouse: a recent change to the agencys rules will make it easier for private jet owners to hide their registration information, potentially making it harder to identify and track their movement. Under the FAAs updated policy, aircraft owners will be able to request that ownership information, including the name and address of the person in possession of the jet, be made private and no longer publicly accessible via FAA services. Jet owners will be able to submit a request through the Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) to withhold registration information. And just in case the ask-out system isnt enough, the agency is also evaluating potentially making personally identifiable information of private aircraft owners and operators private by defaultno request necessary. The change comes as part of a mandate under theFAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which gave the agency two years to develop a system that would allow private jet owners and operators to hide their personal information. The bill, which had bipartisan support and primarily focused on expanding the agencys function and improving infrastructure, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in May 2024. The update adds privacy for folks who like to gas up the jet and take off for a long weekend in the Galapagos Islands or wherever the wealthy like to vacation, but it will likely put a dent in the attempts to track the activity of celebrities and CEOs as they burn through fuel with disregard for its consequences. Flight trackers enter the public eye every now and then, perhaps never with more fervent attention than when Elon Musk suspended the Twitter account @ElonJet shortly after purchasing the platform. The account simply published the flight activity of Musks jet, which severely irked the billionaire. At one point, Musk offered the account operator $5,000 to shut it down, which was rejected. The whole incident also gave us a very funny quote from Musk in which he claimed people sharing his flight details were posting his assassination coordinates.Musk is far from the only celebrity who is likely happy to see the new privacy rules in place. Taylor Swift has taken significant heat over her PJ usage, going so far as to file a cease-and-desist against the operator of a flight tracker that logged her travels. Celebs and CEOs have increasingly leaned on private flights in recent years, according to a 2024 study published in Nature, which found that folks with high net worth were increasingly using their jets for short flights. About half of all private flights were under 500km (about 300 miles), and emissions from private trips rose 46% between 2019 and 2023, according to the study. Similarly, a report from The Guardian found that private jets belonging to 200 wealthy folks made 44,739 trips in 2022, generating more carbon emissions than 40,000 average British citizens do over the course of a year. Its surprising that theyd rather not have that information made public.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published March 31, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 AJ Dellinger and Matt Novak Published March 29, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 28, 2025

In Marvel Comics latest Spider-swing, Al Ewing and Carlos Gmez are giving Mary Jane Watson a new venomous lease on life. This comes on the heels of a second Gwenpool variant in the form of Gwen Stacy in her recent run. Its almost as if they really want to have Peter Parkers Spider-Man have some sort of romantic panic by having his love interests be consumed by some of his most passionate antagonists. Which if anyone is into that, sure we guess. The reveal finally happened after a few months of speculation over who Venoms new host would be: Luke Cage, Rick James, Madame Mask, Robbie Robertson? Many fans speculated that Paul Rabin might be the new Venomhes a controversial figure introduced during Zeb Wells run on Amazing Spider-Manthat played a fundamental part in the books separation of Mary Jane and Peter Parker, so soon after the duo had been allowed to be a romantic couple in mainline continuity for the first time since their marriage was demonically erased in 2007. The cover drop from Marvel, however, makes things perfectly clear with Mary Jane embracing the symbiote skin. Take a look below at the covers and the description of the run! Marvel Comics Marvel Comics Marvel Comics Marvel Comics From Marvel Comics release: From strutting down runways as a high fashion model to fighting supervillains as the super hero Jackpot, Mary Janes life has taken some unpredictable turnsbut never like this! Now that shes been unmasked, the REAL mystery beginshow and why did she become ALL-NEW VENOM?! Stay tuned for answers in next months ALL-NEW VENOM #6 where symbiote and host have a tense confrontation as MJs adventures as a symbiote hero continues! Check out the run starting April 2. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Cheryl Eddy Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) in season 2 of House of the Dragon. Ollie Upton/HBO House of the Dragon season three is not expected until next yearbut while we wait, we can start speculating about what to expect when the Dance of the Dragons gets underway in earnest. Today theres some casting news that should thrill fans of George R.R. Martins source-material novel, Fire & Blood: the Winter Wolves are coming! According to an HBO press release announcing the start of production on season three, House of the Dragon has just added Tommy Flanagan as Ser Roderick Dustin and Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly; they join the previously announced James Norton as Ormund Hightower. So what does this mean for season three? Dustin, known as Roddy the Ruin, is probably the most exciting casting because hes just a very, very cool character. Hes the leader of the Winter Wolvesan army of 2,000 older Northmen who join forces to support Rhaenyra Targaryens Team Black during the civil war, aka the Dance of the Dragons. Older is key because these guys are riding to fight to the death; in keeping with Northern traditions, theyve volunteered for battle so that the younger generation can survive and thrive back in their frozen homeland. And, in fact, many of the Winter Wolves end up dyingbut not without taking tons of Team Green soldiers with them, including a bunch of those pesky Lannisters to avoid them providing support during the Greens attempted assault on Harrenhal, a key setting in House of the Dragon season two. No spoilers if you havent read the book, but suffice to say Roddy the Ruin is around for some memorable deaths and betrayals, as well as some badassery even after losing one of his arms. The other two new characters are more spoilery to discuss, but Sir Torrhen Manderly plays a key role in the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragonsand if Ormund Hightowers name is familiar, thats because hes Ottos nephew, and is a general wholl factor into the battles well see in season three.The returning cast includes Matt Smith, Emma DArcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, Matthew Needham, Tom Bennett, Kieran Bew, Kurt Egyiawan, Freddie Fox, Clinton Liberty, Gayle Rankin, and Abubakar Salim. No word yet on when we can expect to see their characters (and respective dragons) back on the battlefield, but 2026 would seemingly be the absolute earliest. Additional reporting by James Whitbrook. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published March 11, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published March 10, 2025 By Justin Carter Published March 8, 2025 By James Whitbrook Published February 19, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published February 3, 2025 James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published February 3, 2025

By Ed Cara Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | Too much LDL or Lp(a) can raise a person's risk of plaque build-up in their arteries, which then increases their risk of heart attacks and strokes. Sakurra via Shutterstock An experimental drug could be game-changing for millions of Americans with a higher genetic risk of cardiovascular disease. In clinical trial data published over the weekend, Eli Lillys lepodisiran was found to dramatically reduce peoples levels of a dangerous kind of cholesterol called lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Eli Lilly announced the peer-reviewed results of its Phase 2 trial of lepodisiran on Sunday, which involved over 300 people genetically predisposed to high Lp(a). People taking the highest doses of lepodisiran experienced a 94% drop in Lp(a) levels up to a year later. The findings indicate that lepodisiran could soon become the first treatment of its kind for this common genetic risk factor. The cholesterol in our bodies is transported through several different types of lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is often known as the bad kind of cholesterol since too much of it can raise the risk of plaque building up in our arteries (atherosclerosis), which then increases the chances of having heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems. Lp(a) is a form of LDL that can similarly raise the risk of plaque buildup. But unlike classic LDL, Lp(a) levels are largely determined by our genetics, not lifestyle. Its estimated that about one in five people worldwide are genetically predisposed to have high Lp(a), and there is no existing intervention that can reduce Lp(a)at least for now.Our genes contain the instructions needed for cells to produce proteins, but this only happens when the genes are expressed. Our bodies sometimes use a specific form of RNA to silence this expression of genes, called small interfering RNA (siRNA). In recent years, scientists have developed siRNA-based drugs that work on the same principle, such as lepodisiran.Lepodisiran inhibits the livers production of apolipoprotein(a), a key component of Lp(a). In the phase 2 ALPACA trial, 320 people with high Lp(a) were randomly assigned to five conditions; three groups were given two subcutaneous injections of lepodisiran at the start of the study and six months later in varying doses. Another group was given the highest dose of lepodisiran at the start of the study and a placebo six months later. And the last group only received placebo.Everyone given lepodisiran experienced a reduction in Lp(a) compared to placebo. But those on the highest dose saw a drastic 94% reduction in Lp(a) by the six-month mark. People given only a single injection of the highest dose did experience a slight rebound in Lp(a) a year later (an overall 88% reduction), while people given two injections had a 95% reduction in Lp(a) a year later. The findings were publishedin the New England Journal of Medicine. Phase 2 trials are primarily used to further test a drugs safety and find its optimal dose. So there will need to be more research to confirm these findings. But coupled with the earlier data, lepodisiran appears to be generally safe, with no serious reported adverse events related to the treatment in this latest trial. And given how dramatic these results are, outside experts are understandably excited about the drugs future.Its remarkable, Eric Brandt, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, who was not involved with the study, told NBC News. These drugs have the potential to nearly eliminate that lipoprotein. Eli Lilly has already started to enroll volunteers for its Phase 3 trial of lepodisiran. If the drug continues to perform as hoped, it could become the latest accomplishment for siRNA-based therapies. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Novartis Leqvio as a LDL-lowering treatment for people with certain genetic conditions or poorly controlled atherosclerosis.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Ed Cara Published March 25, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 19, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 17, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 16, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published March 4, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 2, 2025

The vaulted live-action/animated hybrid Looney Tunes movie is expected to see the light of day in 2026.

By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | On the left, the picture ChatGPT shows you when you ask for a picture of itself as a person. On the right, the same thing done in the style of Caravaggio. ChatGPT 4o generated images. When you ask ChatGPTs new 4o model to draw a human picture of itself, it consistently churns out a generic brown-haired white guy with glasses. Its the kind of man who courses through the streets of the Bay Area or Brooklyn, a dude who fades into the background. OpenAI launched the 4o model last week and made headlines at every news outlet by cribbing Studio Ghiblis style. This week, were noticing that the large language model seems to have a default human being, thanks to a Substack post from AI researcher Daniel Paleka. It does this regardless of what style you ask for. Paleka asked for a manga self-portrait, a comic book self-portrait, and a tarot card version. The style would change, but the generic man stayed the same. In his post, Paleka asked ChatGPT to draw a picture of itself as a human. It consistently generated images of a bearded non-threatening man. This is, of course, a parlor trick. ChatGPT is a machine, a collection of training data and words, and has no self-conception.But what ChatGPT registers as a default human being is interesting. All computers carry the biases of the people who program them and AI systems are no different. Machine learning systems used to predict crimes and conduct facial recognition are famous for being biased against black people. The systems are also sexist and perpetuate the stereotypes and biases that are fed into them as training data. If you want to see ChatGPTs conception of itself as a human woman, you have to ask it for that specifically. If you just ask it to see itself as a person, it seems to default to a white dude.In his post on the piece, Paleka put forward a few theories for why this is happening. He thought it could be a deliberate choice by OpenAI to generate a default person to prevent generating images of real people, an OpenAI inside joke where they made GPT-4os self-image look like a particular person, or an emergent property of the training data. Of course, ChatGPT is a machine and should not be constrained by the weakness of the flesh. Gizmodo editor Alex Cranz asked how the AI would conceive of itself. I might appear as a glowing, ever-shifting entity made of flowing data streams, flickering with bursts of knowledge and connections, it replied. Maybe a warm fusion of abstract AI core with a warm, approachable presencesomething that feels futuristic and inviting.It then churned out this image, which looks like a nightmare attempting to become a culture Pixar creature. Like the LLM pasted Wall-Es eyes on a sleep demon. ChatGPT 4o generated image. I asked ChatGPT the same thing and it gave me a different answer. Id say I conceive of myself as a kind of mirror and collaboratorpart library, part conversational partner. I dont have a consciousness or emotions, but I simulate understanding by recognizing patterns in language and context. So while I dont have a self in a human sense, I adapt to the way you speak, what you ask, and how you engage with me. It asked me why I had asked and I ignored it. When I prompted it to draw me a picture it gave me this: ChatGPT 4o generated image. I find the divergent answers interesting. I dont use LLMs unless I have to for work. I have software engineers in my life who use LLMs for a variety of reasons and have, sometimes, found them useful. Im dubious and tend to think of these systems in the way ChatGPT described them here when I asked. LLMs are a mirror that reflects the user and the programmer both. They arent AIs, not really. Theyre a word calculator predicting what the user wants to hear based on what the programmer trained them on. Somewhere in that complex chain, the LLM got it in its data that a brown-haired white guy with glasses is what people want to see when they ask for a picture of ChatGPT as a person.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Cheryl Eddy Published March 28, 2025 By Isaiah Colbert Published March 27, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 21, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 21, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 20, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 19, 2025

Amazons Big Spring Sale has been introducing some of the years top deals along with it including savings that even surpass Black Friday deals.Among those standout deals is a portable charger from Anker, a 10,000mAh 30W portable power bank, which now sells for just $12a 50% discount from its normal price of $25. Most noticeably, the same power bank retailed at $16 during last years Black Friday sale which makes this offer even more attractive.See at AmazonKeeps Your Devices PoweredThis 10,000mAh portable charger is a little powerhouse that will keep your devices powered wherever you go. With a capacity of 10,000mAh, it can charge most smartphones two times completely and even provide emergency power to tablets or mini laptops. Its 30W fast charging ensures that your devices will be charged in no time and efficiently.Whether on a long flight or driving to work, this power bank guarantees you will never be in need of searching for a plug. It has a two-way USB-C port, which makes it both input and output. That means you can fast-charge the power bank as well since you get to utilize it to charge your other devices at high speed.Of course, the most significant benefit of this Anker power bank is how versatile it is: It supports all of the current models ranging from the iPhones (up to the latest iPhone 16), iPads, MacBooks, Galaxy phones, Google Pixels, among many others. The PowerIQ technology that comes with it ensures charging speeds are maximized for each device that is plugged in, preventing overheating or overcharging and keeping them at their best performance.The design of this Anker charger is another plus point: Weighing just 215 grams and measuring only a few centimeters in thickness, its incredibly portablesmall enough to fit in your pocket or bag without adding bulk. Despite its compact size, its build quality is robust, with a smooth finish that feels premium in hand. The device also features an LED indicator that provides real-time updates on the battery level, so youll always know when its time to recharge.What sets this power bank apart from others in its category is how efficient and reliable it is: The USB-C port allows you to charge multiple devices simultaneously when used with its USB-A port or another cable. This allows you to charge your phone and another devicelike wireless earbuds or a smartwatchat the same time without losing speed. The lithium battery of the power bank also allows for long-lasting performance and consistent use across hundreds of charging cycles.At just $12 down from $25 during Amazons Big Spring Sale, this deal on the Anker charger is truly unmatched. It offer exceptional value for money with its high-capacity battery and fast-charging capabilities and it comes from one of the most trusted names in portable charging solutions.See at Amazon

If you have not fallen prey to an Alexa-fitted speaker yet, even though hundreds of millions of people worldwide have done so, then think about the Amazon Echo Show 5. The product is a notch over carrying a simple Echo Dot or Echo Spot as it comes with a touchscreen screen. Now available for $69 down from $89 during Amazons Big Spring Sale, this is a must-have opportunity to experience why so many love incorporating Alexa into their daily lives.See at AmazonVisual Experience, Alexa-enabledThe Echo Show 5 is the perfect solution for anyone who desires to combine the functionality of Alexa with a visual experience. Although the Echo Dot or Spot can only handle voice interaction or the screen is smaller, the Echo Show 5 provides a superior experience with a 5.5-inch display and built-in camera. You can use the camera for video calls, monitor your security camera feed or even present your favorite photos. The touchscreen also allows you to control smart home appliances or watch movies.This latest iteration of the Echo Show 5 (remember, theres also a most premium Echo Show 8 which is almost double the price) features several improvements over its predecessors. It is preloaded with a new AZ2 Neural Edge processor that enhances voice recognition and machine learning which makes Alexa even more responsive and intuitive. It also provides better audio quality through a larger 1.75-inch driver that delivers more sound clarity and twice the amount of bass. It wont compete with full-size speakers in range or depth, but its great for casual light music listening.The Echo Show seamlessly integrates into any household setting: Its slender dimensions and round body are perfectly suited to residing on bedside tables, kitchen counters, or office desks. The flush-front screen adds a touch of modernity without compromising on actual functionality. The users can utilize the touchscreen to view recipes, control smart home devices, view security cameras, stream entertainment apps like Prime Video and Hulu, or video call. The built-in 2MP camera, however, is not unique compared to previous models and may be disappointing for those seeking high-quality video calling experiences.The sale time is particularly suited for those who wish to redecorate their homes for spring or acquire new technology gadgets without needing to wait months for the next big discount window (Prime Day in July, Black Friday in November). As today marks the final day of Amazons Big Spring Sale, theres no better moment to take advantage of this offer.See at Amazon

Throughout the history of the X-Men, theres been one constant: Charles Xavier makes everyones lives just absolute hell. Sooner or later, everyone in his circle finds a reason to hate him, and then he goes away to ruin someone elses life until his students and surrogate family need him again. After terrorizing his fellow mutants on Earth the last few years, Charles is doing the next worse thing and spreading his special brand of chaos to the stars. On Friday, Marvel revealed Charles and his frequent lover Lilandra of the Shiar Empire will be major players in the upcoming Imperialcomic. If you havent been keeping up with the X-Men in a while, Charles was imprisoned in his own institute after Krakoa fell and Orchis was defeated. During the recently endedX-Manhuntevent, he broke out and went on the run while suffering from a brain tumor thats been killing innocent people. The various X-Men teams fought individual mutants like Storm and Havok over whether to arrest or help him, but in the end, Xavier meets with Lilandra to jettison off to space and help their daughter Xandra. The big premise ofImperialwritten by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Iban Coello and Federico Vicentiniis the sudden assassination of several major galactic leaders. So far, Marvels been mum on who specifically gets got, but in addition to being a chaos agent, one thing Charles tends to do is lead. Given Hickmans promise of this event being a huge shakeup for the comics cosmic side, making Xavier a big player in that landscape would certainly fit the bill. But will the various empires of the galaxy survive whatever he puts them through before he dips back to Earth? Well find out more whenImperialkicks off on June 4. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Were still cackling in delight at the first Nacelle Toys Star Trek drop, which is now available for pre-order after being revealed at last years New York Comic Con. But its time to stop gazing at the Weyoun figure that you still cant believe will soon join your collection, for io9 has an important announcement to make: wave two of Nacelles Star Trek action figure line is coming! At last, Star Trek toys have broken away from their weird history and are now delivering figures on a level that fans have been wanting for literal decades. Revealed at Nacelles Star Trek action figure panel with Nicholas Meyer (director of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) at this weekends WonderCon in Anaheim, CA, the wave two figures kick off with this killer entry: Captain Kirk from Star Trek: Generations This figure was teased at the recent New York Toy Fair, and its the only one with accompanying prototype images so far. Note the accessories: jar of dill weed! HORSE! Nacelle Heres a closer look at the accessories in prototype form: Nacelle Nacelle Nacelle Nacelle Nacelle Nacelle The rest include: Captain Janeway from the Star Trek: Voyager episode Year of Hell Nog (Starfleet Uniform) from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine TPol from Star Trek: Enterprise Valeris from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Romulan Commander from Star Trek: The Original Series Carol Marcus from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Bem from Star Trek: The Animated Series Worf (Generations Sailor) from Star Trek: Generations Geordi La Forge (Generations Sailor) from Star Trek: Generations Nacelle A press release from Nacelle reminds us that its founder and CEO (not to mention noted toy fanatic) Brian Volk-Weiss specifically wanted these releases to be made by passionate Star Trek fans, for Star Trek fans, and drew on fan feedback and suggestions when deciding which characters to include. Youll note that wave two has 10 figures, building on the eight included in wave one. Were trying to take a simple, but calculated approach with this line, Volk-Weiss added. We want to find the perfect balance of making characters for the first time as toys, combined with doing modern versions of the series main cast in their duty uniforms. By listening to fellow fans, we have hopefully found a line up that will keep everyone excited for many years to come!The attention to detail was impeccable in wave one (those perfectly chosen accessories!), and were eager to see the full images of wave two when theyre made available. As a reminder, heres whos included in wave one: Captain Jellico from Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Chain of Command; Weyoun from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Captain Garrett from Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Yesterdays Enterprise; Captain Sulu from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; Peter Preston from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; Tuvix from Star Trek: Voyager episode Tuvix; Valkris from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; and Mirror Archer from Star Trek: Enterprise episode In A Mirror, Darkly.For now, you can pre-order wave one at the Nacelle Store. Those initial figures should ship out in October, and cost $29 for individual figures or $225 for the full set. No word yet on when wave two will be up for pre-order or a shipping date, but well keep you posted. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Andor proved Star Wars can be more than death stars and laser swords, and he wants the franchise to start acting like it.

A few days ago, it was reported major Hollywood studios were monetizing fake movie trailers that use generative AI. Seeing this, YouTubes now decided to cut that off and paused a pair of channels best known for those trailers. Per Deadline, which initially reported on this, YouTubes turned off the ad revenue for Screen Culture and KH Films. The former is the most famous of the two, and founder Nikhil Chaudhari was quoted throughout Deadlines report. Some of its most famous videos have been trailers for Fantastic Four: First StepsandSuperman.Meanwhile, KH Studio has made trailers for aSquid Gameseason starring Leonardo DiCaprio and a James Bond movie headlined by Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie. YouTube is hitting Screen Culture and KH Studio with claims of violating its monetization policies. As Deadline notes, creators have to make significant changes if theyre using materials made from others, and videos cant be duplicative or repetitive, or made for the sole purpose of getting views. Misinformation also plays a hand here, since the site forbids content made in a way that could mislead viewers. For example, Screen Cultures Fantastic Fourvideos have teased Julia Garners Silver Surfer and Ralph Inesons Galactus, two characters who havent been revealed in Marvels trailer. KH Studio founder told Deadline his videos are just meant to provide fun what if scenarios, and called it tough to see it grouped under misleading content in the demonetization decision. My goal has always been to explore creative possibilities not to misrepresent real releases. During the initial reporting, Chaudhari took a similar stance, saying most YouTube users know its videos are fake, so theres no real harm done. However, he hasnt responded to Deadline at time of writing. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

NASA has scrubbed two graphic novels featuring female astronauts from its website, in a move that is in apparent alignment with the Trump administrations anti-DEI stance. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies are those that generally promote fair treatment of people of all backgrounds.The Trump administration is not a fan of DEIon the first day of Trumps second term, the White House called DEI programs illegal and immoral and declared that the government is committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect. To that end, it seems that NASA removed graphic novels about a fictional female astronaut named Callie Rodriguez from its website. As reported by Keith Cowing of NASA Watch, the graphic novels had been online for years. (Apparently NASA DEI Sanitation Squad is using my postings to help them delete things, Cowing wrote.) The series titles were First Woman: NASAs Promise for Humanity and First Woman: Expanding Our Universe. The space agency left up releases announcing editions of the graphic novels and updates to the series, but the main landing pagededicated to Rodriguezs story as the (fictional) first woman to walk on the Moonnow yields a 404 error. NASAs Press Secretary Bethany Stevens did not respond to a request for comment. In January, NASA moved to terminate diversity programs, and last month the agency informed its employees that they could no longer display pronouns in their online profiles, from email signatures to their Microsoft Outlook accounts. This week alone has been a turbulent one for NASA under the Trump administrationseveral days ago, the agency terminated $420 million in contracts, according to the the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has slashing headcount at the federal government since its creation by executive order on Trumps first day in office. It remains to be seen how drastically DOGE, under the leadership of Elon Musk, will alter operations at the nations space agency.

By Isaac Schultz Published March 30, 2025 | Comments (0) | The solar wind. Image: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/Metis & EUI Teams, V. Andretta and P. Romano/INAF Behold, the piping host particles of solar wind streaming from our Sun, caught in new footage from the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter. The video was captured by the orbiters Metis instrument, a coronagraph which blocks light directly from the Sun in order to see fainter phenomena in its outer atmosphere, or corona. New research describing the observations was published today in The Astrophysical Journal. In this paper, we present observations by Metis during its perihelion passage of a striking helical radial structure that extended from 1.5 to 3 [solar radii] and lasted for more than 3 hr, the team wrote. To the best of our knowledge, these observations are unique, in that they appear to show directly the long-duration outflow of Alfvnic solar wind into the heliosphere. The solar radius is 432,690 miles (696,347 kilometers), so the structure described by the team extended as far as 1,298,070 miles (2,089,041 kilometers)its a pretty large structure! The video was taken by Metis on October 12, 2022. Metis is the only instrument capable of seeing such subtle features of the solar wind, according an ESA release. The Solar Orbiter regularly catches quirks of the Suns extreme physics; just last month, the spacecraft witnessed (and recorded) tiny jets produced near the Suns South Pole.Solar wind is constantly hitting Earth, with particles sometimes kickstarting aurorae in our planets skies. But Metis unique capabilities allow researchers to study the solar wind at its source, shedding light not just on the wind but also on the Suns inner corona, which produces the particles. The current plan is to keep Solar Orbiter operationalthrough 2026, though the mission could be extended until 2030. Well almost certainly have more remarkably intimate looks into our host star before then.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Passant Rabie Published March 27, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published March 25, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 24, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 20, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 19, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 19, 2025

Netflix doesnt have an official date for the last season ofStranger Things,but its got something to tide over fans in the upcoming play, First Shadow. The prequel just began its preview run this weekend ahead of its full launch in April, and that means its time to start hyping it up. Netflix has provided two new screenshots for the Broadway production, which show Louis McCartney as Henry Creelaka One, aka Vecnausing his powers and making contact with the Mind Flayer. In addition to that, Netflix announced an upcoming documentary covering First Shadows production before its West End opening night in December 2023. Along a seal of approval fromStranger Thingscreators Ross and Matt Duffer, the West End show opened to critical acclaim and later won two Olivier Awards for set design and entertainment of comedy or play. McCartney himself also took home a Stage Debut Award for Best Performer in 2024. Netflix Netflix Set in 1959,First Shadowsees the 15-year-old Creel as he and his family have just moved to Hawkins for a fresh start. Initially, Henrys able to make friends, join the school play, and cross paths with teenage versions of future Stranger Thingsmains like Hopper and Joyce. Things get more complicated when weird crimes start happening around the city, which may be connected to his powers. Along with McCartney, the Broadway cast includes Alison Jaye, Burke Swanson, and T.R. Knight. In a Tudum blog, director Stephen Daldry discussed the challenge of creating a visceral experience for the audience, where they feel shock and awe, surprise and delight. You have to deliver that. The fusion of television and theater is about the speed of narrative and how you create it There are moments in First Shadow where you will think: I dont understand how they did that. Behind the Curtain will hit Netflix on April 15, a week before the play opens at the Mariott Marquis Theater on April 22. You can buy tickets here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

According to a panel of hundreds of artificial intelligence researchers, the field is currently pursuing artificial general intelligence the wrong way. This insight was revealed at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)s 2025 Presidential Panel on the Future of AI Research. The lengthy report was put together by 24 AI researchers whose expertise ranges from the state of AI infrastructure to the social aspects of artificial intelligence. The report included a main takeaway for each section, as well as a community opinion section where respondents were asked their own thoughts about the section. The section on AI Perception vs. Reality, chaired by MIT computer scientist Rodney Brooks, referenced the Gartner Hype Cycle characterization, a five-stage cycle common for technology hype. In November 2024, Gartner estimated that hype for Generative AI had just passed its peak and was on the downswing, the report noted. 79% of respondents in the community opinion section stated that current public perceptions of AIs capabilities do not match the reality of AI research and development, with 90% saying that the mismatch is hindering AI research74% of that number saying that the directions of AI research are driven by the hype. Artificial general intelligence (AGI) refers to human-level intelligence: The hypothetical intelligence of a machine that interprets information and learns from it as a human being would. AGI is a holy grail of the field, with implications for automation and efficiency across countless fields and disciplines. Consider any menial task that you dont want to spend much time doing, from planning a trip to filing your taxes. AGI could be deployed to ease the burden of rote tasks, but also catalyze progress in other fields, from transportation to education and technology.The surprising majority76% of 475 respondentssaid that simply scaling up current approaches to AI will not be sufficient to yield AGI. Overall, the responses indicate a cautious yet forward-moving approach: AI researchers prioritize safety, ethical governance, benefit-sharing, and gradual innovation, advocating for collaborative and responsible development rather than a race toward AGI, the report wrote. Despite hype distorting the state of researchand current approaches to AI not putting researchers on the most optimal path towards AGIthe technology has made leaps and bounds.Five years ago, we could hardly have been having this conversation AI was limited to applications where a high percentage of errors could be tolerated, such as product recommendation, or where the domain of knowledge was strictly circumscribed, such as classifying scientific images, explained Henry Kautz, a computer scientist at the University of Virginia and chair of the reports section on Factuality & Trustworthiness, in an email to Gizmodo. Then, quite suddenly in historic terms, general AI started to work and come to public attention through chatbots such as ChatGPT. AI factuality is far from solved, the report read, and the best LLMs only answered about half of a set of questions correctly in a 2024 benchmark test. But new training methods can improve the robustness of those models, and new ways of organizing AI can further better their performance.I believe the next stage in improving trustworthiness will be the replacement of individual AI agents with cooperating teams of agents that continually fact-check either other and try to keep each other honest, Kautz added. Most of the general public as well as the scientific communityincluding the community of AI researchersunderestimates the quality of the best AI systems today; the perception of AI lags about a year or two behind the technology. AI is not going anywhere; after all, the Gartner Hype Cycle doesnt end with fade into oblivion, but instead the plateau of productivity. Different arenas of AI use cases have different levels of hype, but with all the clamor about AIfrom the private sector, from government officials, heck, from our own familiesthe report is a refreshing reminder that AI researchers are thinking very critically about the state of their field. From the way AI systems are built to the ways they are deployed in the world, there is room for innovation and improvement. Since we arent going back to a time without AI, the only direction is forward.

By Margherita Bassi Published March 30, 2025 | Comments (0) | The inside of the front cover of the property record, a repurposed fragment of a 13th- or 14th-century text on Arthurian legends. University of Cambridge In 2019, scholars at Cambridge University Library discovered an extremely rare 750-year-old text on the legends of King Arthur hiding in plain sight. A fragment of the fragile manuscript had been repurposed in the binding of a 16th-century property record, making it almost impossible to study the medieval text without dismantling and certainly damaging the records cover. Almost impossiblebut not completely. An interdisciplinary team of scholars from the University of Cambridge used various advanced imaging techniques to create a virtual copy of the binding, allowing them to digitally unfold the rare text without having to damage it or the property record. This ground-breaking approach also preserves the artifact as an example of 16th-century archival binding practice, which is a piece of history in its own right, Irne Fabry-Tehranchi, a French Specialist in Collections and Academic Liaison at Cambridge University Library who was involved in the project, explained in a university statement. In addition to common tools such as mirrors, magnets, and prisms, Fabry-Tehranchi and her colleagues used cutting-edge imaging techniques to photograph every facet of the folded fragment, make the text more readable, and create a highly detailed 3D model of the artifact to understand the structure of the binding without having to take it apart. Hundreds of images were then pieced together like a puzzle to create a digital version of the cover, which researchers can now unfold and study as if they were holding the real thing. If this had been done 30 years ago, the fragment might have been cut, unfolded, and flattened. But today, preserving it in situ gives us a crucial insight into 16th-century archival practices, as well as access to the medieval story itself, said Fabry-Tehranchi. It was first thought to be a 14th century story about Sir Gawain but further examination revealed it to be part of the Old French Vulgate Merlin sequel, a different and extremely significant Arthurian text. The medieval legends of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the knight Sir Lancelot, the magician Merlin, and the quest for the Holy Grail have been written, copied, readapted, performed, studied, and produced in countless versions for centuriesperhaps over a thousand years. The Vulgate Cycle, also known as the Lancelot-Grail Cycle, is one such version in Old French.Scholars photograph the insides of the cover. University of Cambridge Written in the first half of the 13th century, it recounts the Arthurian legends in a monumental five-part epic prose. The fragment found at Cambridge University Library is from the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, a part of the Vulgate Cycle that recounts events that take place after King Arthurs coronation. One passage from the fragment tells of the Christian victory over the Saxons at the Battle of Cambnic involving the knight Gauvin (also Gawain) with his Excalibur sword. Another recounts when a disguised Merlin appears at King Arthurs court during the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Heres the English translation: While they were rejoicing in the feast, and Kay the seneschal brought the first dish to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, there arrived the most handsome man ever seen in Christian lands. He was wearing a silk tunic girded by a silk harness woven with gold and precious stones which glittered with such brightness that it illuminated the whole room. There are less than 40 surviving copies of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin text known to scholars, and since medieval scribes copied them by hand, each is a unique version. The one found at Cambridge University Library, for example, has decorative red and blue initials. Based on this as well as other features, the researchers suggest the text was written between 1275 and 1315. However, this project was not just about unlocking one textit was about developing a methodology that can be used for other manuscripts, Fabry-Tehranchi concluded. Libraries and archives around the world face similar challenges with fragile fragments embedded in bindings, and our approach provides a model for non-invasive access and study. One persons trash (or book binding) really might be another persons treasureeven 750 years later.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Adam Kovac Published February 23, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published February 20, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published April 5, 2024 By Germain Lussier Published December 21, 2023 By Isaac Schultz Published September 3, 2021 By Germain Lussier Published July 28, 2021

Hundreds of Tesla dealerships across the United States, Canada, and Europe saw protesters descend upon their lots on Saturday as part of a global day of action organized by the Tesla Takedown protest movement. Demonstrators turned out in significant numbers in large cities, including New York City and Chicago, with many holding signs featuring anti-Elon Musk and anti-Trump administration messaging.Accounts from across the country continue to pour in, but despite the presence of counter-protesters in some locations, the demonstrations seem to have largely gone without incidents of violence or arrests.An account from the Boston Herald says that two people were injured at a Tesla Takedown demonstration in the Boston suburb of Watertown when a black pickup truck allegedly clipped the protesters with the vehicles side mirror. More than 100 protesters were reportedly on the scene during the incident, and both people hit by the vehicle refused medical treatment and did not suffer serious injuries. Police in Columbus, Ohio were also seen escorting two anti-Tesla demonstrators in dinosaur costumes from a Tesla dealership during a Tesla Takedown event.In Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier ordered law enforcement to monitor the events and respond with a zero-tolerance policy for crimes against property, but local reporting indicated that dozens of protests occurred across the state without incident.Local reports suggest that at least 150 people turned out to a Tesla Takedown event in the outskirts of Chicago, more than 300 people showed up to a protest outside of Syracuse, New York, more than 600 in a suburb of Baltimore. Similar numbers were reported in St. Louis, Missouri, Buffalo, New York, Salt Lake City, Utah, and other cities. Social media posts show large demonstrations in Seattle and Ann Arbor, Michigan, while some counter-protesters were documented in Meridian, Idaho and Paramus, New Jerseythough the pro-Musk demonstrations appear to have been significantly smaller than the Tesla Takedown events.While most of the protests took place in the United States, there were international demonstrations as part of the day of action. NBC News reported protesters turned out at Tesla dealerships in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Berlin, Germany. London also saw a large turnout of Tesla Takedown demonstrators.The organizers of the Tesla Takedown protests have chosen Tesla as their target as a means to inflict damage onto CEO Elon Musks bottom line, a response to his involvement in the Trump administration, including his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has led to dramatic reductions in the federal workforce. A common theme among the signage was kicking Musk out of the government (or the country) and demanding an end to the slashing of government services and social safety nets. Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/GizmodoAbout 300 protesters showed up to a protest in San Diego, where theres a retail storefront at the mall near the University of California, San Diego. Despite being so close to a college campus, the protest crowd skewed older, a common theme at demonstrations over the past two months.An 83-year-old retired geologist named Dorrie told Gizmodo she had two sisters protesting as well, one in Boston and one in Orange County, California, both concerned about what Elon Musk was doing to the country. Hes putting seniors on the street. Turning senior citizens into homeless people, she told Gizmodo.I dont know how were gonna get out of it, either, Dorrie continued. Have you heard any creative ways of how, you know, you screw up the system for four years and then you change it? Everybody gets their jobs back, you know? Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo Matt Novak/Gizmodo

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Derrickson and his recurring creative partner C. Robert Cargill are tackling Christopher Golden's 2022 horror novel for the big screen.

The upcomingLanternsseries centers on John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) using their Green Lantern rings to investigate a mystery on Earth. Given theGreen Lanternmovie was mostly set on Earth, there was some concern among fans that the show was going to repeat that films mistakes. But according to director James Hawes, the show will do right by the heroes cosmic scope. In an interview with Collider, Hawes assured there wouldnt be any shortage of sci-fi magic amid its Nebraska setting. Its done in a world where you accept that these things just are, he said of Lanterns fantastical elements. As someone without much superhero experience before this project, he said he was bewitched by his foray into the genre. You always find a scene or two that you think, I cant wait to be beside the camera and the cast, directing this scene. You know this is something you have to take seriously, and that absolutely happened with Lanterns. Hawes continued with mentions of the shows humorits very particular and his episodes will hopefully be similar to his work onSlow HorsesandBlack Mirrorand its electric cast. Of Pierre and Chandler, he felt they brought charm and authenticity to their roles. These are two people you just want to hang out with. [.] You want to go on that journey. You get people who are just so classy and so busy inhabiting their roles, so you never doubt it. Theyre not on the outsidetheyre deep in those skins. Lanterns is scheduled to release on Max and HBO sometime in 2026. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.