The previous two weeks, we right here at io9 have appeared again on the movies, shows, and video games of 2024, and given our personal particular person takeaways on sure trends that took place this 12 months. Now it’s time to consider what’s subsequent—and extra particularly, what we’re trying ahead to in 2025. Be at liberty to tell us what you’re excited for (and hope hits the mark) within the feedback under.
Cellular Swimsuit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX
M3GAN 2.0
If Superman’s too healthful an choice, contemplate one other contender for hero of the summer season: a kid-sized AI robotic with killer dance moves, killer fashion sense, killer instincts, and (presumably) a killer revenge drive in her sequel. M3GAN 2.0 is as soon as once more directed by Gerald Johnstone and written by Akeela Cooper, and brings again Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw), plus there’ll be a complete new crop of characters too. We’ve got each motive to consider our bestie’s return shall be simply as campy, gory, and shriek-inducing as ever—and we’re counting down the times to June 27, 2025. – Cheryl Eddy
Depraved: For Good
The first Wicked blew film audiences away, proving the film musical works when you simply come proper out and say it’s a musical. The sequel, which can broaden the second act of the play, is rumored to incorporate extra new original music and the occasions of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz. We’re to see how Dorothy’s journey shall be integrated alongside Elphaba and Glinda’s. Additionally, we’re holding area for extra memes. – Sabina Graves
Avatar: Fireplace and Ash
After two films, I believe we are able to safely cease joking about Avatar. The primary film was good, the second movie was very good, and now we’re ready on part three, which is bound to be one of many greatest hits of the 12 months. Plus, along with additional exploring the world of Pandora, it’s all the time thrilling simply to see a brand new James Cameron film. Particularly since with every of those sequels, he continues to push the bar of know-how with dynamic, character-driven storytelling. – Germain Lussier
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
The Like a Dragon franchise went from being a zany, area of interest open-world collection of video games to a family identify thanks in important half to its prequel title, Yakuza 0, and its later entries having an English voice observe. Whereas Yakuza purists flip their noses up on the idea, accessibility is crucial, and the language barrier is not any totally different. This is the reason developer Ryu Ga Gotoku is coming off a 12 months of releasing three Yakuza video games, solely to announce a fourth on the entrance finish of 2025 led by fan-favorite character (and Yakuza 0 limelight stealer) Goro Majima—actually a Kendrick Lamar-esque sequence of occasions. What’s extra, the studio, which famously reuses tons of its extremely detailed property to make video games so continuously (we love a conscientious developer), is righting the mistaken of Ubisoft crapping out a crummy and long-delayed stay service pirate recreation in Cranium and Bones by making the pirate recreation that it promised with Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. In RGG, we belief. – Isaiah Colbert
Predator: Badlands
Prey was a delight again in 2022, and even earlier than it wrapped up, it was clear the Predator franchise was aiming for a comeback. Particulars on Predator: Badlands have been scarce, save for it’ll make the alien the star whereas Elle Fanning pulls double obligation as twin sisters. We’ll finally discover out what Badlands has beneath the helmet, and may’t wait to see what it’s bringing to theaters on November 7, 2025. And it’s not even the one Predator flick hitting subsequent 12 months! – Justin Carter
Andor Season 2
Star Wars has had a little bit of a tough time with itself currently, because the collection struggles to chart a transparent path ahead with a imaginative and prescient of what it truly needs Star Wars to be. However one of many uncommon highlights of this malaise to show a readability of objective is lastly again, after a delayed wait: Cassian will lastly discover us all in Andor’s second, final season on April 22. Expectations are by the roof after the incredible first season, and each little tidbit we’ve been teased to this point has us hoping that one other Andor excessive can maintain us lengthy sufficient to truly make it to Lucasfilm managing to get a film into theaters once more. – James Whitbrook
Synduality: Echo of Ada
As a ordinary mourner of Titanfall as a online game franchise, any inkling of a brand new sci-fi mecha recreation that has the potential to be a non secular successor whereas being anime-AF is like catnip to gamers worldwide, and Bandai Namco’s Sydnduality: Echo of Ada may fill these footwear. Its characters look fairly, its mechs much more, and its fight clips scratch that itch in each mecha fan’s mind to pilot weave their large robotic by a flurry of oncoming missiles with the help of their congested UI prompts. Let’s hope it lives as much as the hype. – Isaiah Colbert
Metroid Prime 4: Past
As we’ve seen with Mario, Zelda, and extra, Nintendo treats its OG titles with additional care. Which is why it would have taken nearly twenty years to make a mainline Metroid recreation, one which was introduced nearly a decade in the past. And sure, Metroid Dread was superior. However Prime 4 guarantees to be a lot larger and extra formidable. A real return to the world of Samus Aran in a method that avid gamers have been ready for, in some circumstances, all their lives. – Germain Lussier
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Version
The Xenoblade collection has turn out to be considered one of my all time favourite units of JRPGs, however considered one of its best entries has been locked to the Wii U for one of the best a part of a decade. That’s altering with the discharge of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition on the Swap, which implies that, in the end, extra individuals can expertise this fascinating refraction of Xenoblade that jukes the place the sci-fantasy collection normally jives, leaning rather more into the previous style to ship considered one of Nintendo’s finest open-world RPGs. A mech recreation that truly retains you away from the large robots on the duvet for the opening half of the sport, X makes up for its comparatively mild narrative beats with a really exceptional world to find, one which rewards gamers prepared to have interaction in exploration with an extremely wealthy setting. I can’t wait to have each entry in considered one of my favourite collection lastly playable in a single place. – James Whitbrook
Witch Hat Atelier
Final 12 months noticed an enormous increase in fantasy anime with exhibits like Frieren: Past Journey’s Finish and Delicious in Dungeon. To finish the trifecta of what’s been christened because the fantasy huge three is Bug Movie’s upcoming anime adaptation of Witch Hat Atelier. Whereas Frieren and Scrumptious in Dungeon flourished respectively with their character work and world-building, Witch Hat Atelier excels at each, with an ingenious magic system. Furthermore, the collection is laden with themes much like 2024 standout Look Back, which portrays the trials and tribulations of studying a brand new ability. Reasonably than tune into no matter Harry Potter slop Warner Bros is making advert nauseam, reward your self by making Witch Hat Atelier your anime to look at in 2025. – Isaiah Colbert
Sinners
After tackling Creed and Marvel, Ryan Coogler’s about to point out us his personal unique tackle horror. The prospect of Michael B. Jordan taking part in twins going up in opposition to one thing supernatural of their hometown is just too good to go up, and it grew to become much more attention-grabbing as soon as the first trailer hit. Add on an inevitably unbelievable rating by Ludwig Göransson, and hell yeah, signal us up for Sinners. – Justin Carter
Need extra io9 information? Try when to count on the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and every part you might want to learn about the way forward for Doctor Who.
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