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The 2024 festive season has come and gone, but it wasn't completely devoid of entertainment-based news. Indeed, the holidays didn't stop the world's biggest studios from releasing trailers for new movies and TV shows, or making other notable announcements ahead of New Year's Day.

We covered a couple of those reveals over the break, with Creature Commandos confirmed to be returning for a second season and Apple TV Plus being free to watch this weekend (January 4 and 5) chief among them. There were plenty more we didn't get to, though, so here are six other big entertainment news stories you may have missed during the so-called most wonderful time of the year.

Marvel comes out swinging with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's first trailer

After a largely successful 2024, Marvel will be hoping for another stellar year in 2025. The comic giant endured a torrid time throughout 2023, so the Disney subsidiary will have been delighted with last year's various success stories, such as the multi-billion dollar-making Deadpool and Wolverine.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will be going all-out to replicate those wins this year, too, starting with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (YFNSM). An animated Marvel Phase 5 series that'll debut on Disney Plus on January 29, it reimagines the iconic webslinger's origins story, subsequent superhero adventures, and how he marries the latter with his high-school studies. With its modern take on Peter Parker and his wallcrawling alias, plus its comic-like, cel-shaded animation, YFNSM will aim to get 2025 off to a *ahem* spectacular start for Marvel.

The Batman Part 2 has been delayed – again

"What do you mean my next film has been delayed again, Selina!?" (Image credit: Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.)

The first of two big DC Comics new stories that broke over the festive season, Batman fans were left disappointed by the revelation that The Batman Part 2's launch date had been pushed back once more.

Per Deadline, the highly-anticipated sequel, which was originally delayed from October 2025 to October 2026 just 10 months ago, has seen its release postponed by another year. It'll now land in theaters on October 1, 2027. Defending the delay, DC Studios co-chief James Gunn said (via Threads) that co-writer and director Matt Reeves wasn't happy with the movie's script, hence the decision to move its launch again.

Jason Momoa joins the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow cast as Lobo

A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies)

A photo posted by on

If that Batman news was a source of disappointment, this Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow announcement wasn't. Before 2024 ended, Deadline claimed Jason Momoa had been cast as Lobo in the forthcoming DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) film, with Gunn and Momoa later confirming Deadline's report was true on social media.

An immortal mercenary who's also the sole survivor of an alien race known as the Czarnian, Lobo will be the second DC character that Momoa has played. He previously played Aquaman in the now defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU), portraying the Atlantean superhero in two solo movies and the DCEU's Justice League flick. He'll star opposite House of the Dragon alumnus Millie Alcock, who'll play the titular Kryptonian in the DCU Chapter One project and Supergirl's first big-screen adventure for over 40 years.

The Night Agent season 2 gets an explosive first trailer ahead of its January 23 premiere

The Night Agent season 2 is not only one of Netflix's first big releases of the year, but also one of our most anticipated TV shows of 2025. The debuting of its thrilling first trailer over the 2024 holiday season, then, has only added to our excitement ahead of its January 23 release.

Released publicly during Netflix's NFL on Christmas event, one of the best Netflix shows' latest teasers puts Gabriel Basso's Peter Sutherland at the heart of another conspiracy-laced plot. With The Night Agent's first season raking in millions of views, we'd be amazed if its sophomore chapter doesn't do likewise.

Netflix confirms Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 will arrive in mid-February

It's almost time for the dojo doors to close for the last time. The third and final part of Cobra Kai season 6, which is the hit series' final installment, will arrive on Netflix on February 13. Part 3 will comprise the last five episodes of not only this season, but also the action comedy-drama as a whole.

Still, while this'll mark the end of The Karate Kid's pseudo-TV sequel, it isn't the end for everyone involved in the show. Ralph Macchio is set to reprise his role as Danny LaRusso in the Karate Kid: Legends film, which arrives in theaters this May. Cobra Kai's showrunners also have ideas for potential spin-offs of the popular show, too. Hey, the saying 'Cobra Kai Never Dies!' isn't just for show, you know.

Zero Day's first trailer puts Robert de Niro's ex-US President at the center of a political conspiracy thriller

Netflix went all-out in the marketing stakes over the Christmas period. Indeed, as evidenced by the first trailer for upcoming TV original Zero Day, its pre-2025 announcements weren't reserved for hugely successful shows that we can't wait to return to our screens.

So, what's Zero Day about? For one, it'll star legendary actor Robert de Niro, who makes the leap to the small screen for the very first time. He'll play an ex-US president who's tasked with unraveling a mass conspiracy in the wake of a devastating cyber attack that threatens the heart of American democracy and sociopolitics. With a behind-the-scenes crew comprising veterans from hit series including Homeland and Narcos among others, Zero Day could be another early 2025 hit for the world's best streaming service when it's released on February 20.

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• US DoJ issues final rule on Executive Order Executive Order 14117
• Large transactions of US citizen data to hostile nations will be banned
• Ban will protect US national security by prevent US citizens from being targeted en mass in cyber espionage and foreign influence

The US Department of Justice has issued a final rule on Executive Order 14117, which President Joe Biden signed in February 2024, preventing the movement of US citizens’ data to a number of “countries of concern”.

The list of countries consists of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela, all of which the DoJ says have “engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of U.S. persons.”

It added these nations could, “access and exploit Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and certain U.S. Government-related data.”

No US data for hostile nations

The final rule will come into effect in 90 days, with Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division stating, “This powerful new national-security program is designed to ensure that Americans' personal data is no longer permitted to be sold to hostile foreign powers, whether through outright purchase or other means of commercial access.”

The Executive Order is aimed at preventing countries generally hostile to the US from using the data of US citizens in cyber espionage and influence campaigns, as well as building profiles of US citizens to be used in social engineering, phishing, blackmail, and identity theft campaigns.

The final rule sets out the threshold for transactions of data that carry an unacceptable level of risk, alongside the different classes of transactions that are prohibited, restricted or exempt. Companies that violate the order will face civil and criminal penalties. The types of prohibited data are:

1. Certain covered personal identifiers (e.g., names linked to device identifiers, social security numbers, driver’s license, or other government identification numbers)
2. Precise geolocation data (e.g., GPS coordinates)
3. Biometric identifiers (e.g., facial images, voice prints and patterns, and retina scans)
4. Human genomic data and three other types of human ‘omic data (epigenomic, proteomic, or transcriptomic)
5. Personal health data (e.g., height, weight, vital signs, symptoms, test results, diagnosis, digital dental records, and psychological diagnostics)
6. Personal financial data (e.g., information related to an individual’s credit, debit cards, bank accounts, and financial liabilities, including payment history)

The DoJ also outlined the final rule does not apply to “medical, health, or science research or the development and marketing of new drugs” and “also does not broadly prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in commercial transactions, including exchanging financial and other data as part of the sale of commercial goods and services with countries of concern or covered persons, or impose measures aimed at a broader decoupling of the substantial consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries.”

Via The Hacker News

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• LG's next generation of OLED panels could reach 3,700 nits
• Coming to G-series TVs but not LG's more affordable models
• Samsung's also working on brighter QD-OLED displays

As much as we love the best OLED TVs, there's one area where there's still room for improvement: brightness. Even the elite models are a little dark compared to mini-LED, and that's something LG in particular has been working on. The LG G4 was significantly brighter than the G3, and that in turn was significantly brighter than its predecessor. And now it seems that the 2025 LG OLED TVs will be brighter still.

A new report says that LG will be bringing a new four-layer OLED TV panel to market this year, and that this will be significantly brighter than the three-layer panel in its current flagship TVs.

What to expect from LG's latest OLEDs

According to display industry analyst Ross Young, as reported by FlatpanelsHD, LG has been developing a four-layer OLED TV panel with an additional light-emitting layer of pixels; that panel tech is expected to reach the market this year "with a peak brightness of 3,700 nits". That's exceptionally bright for an OLED, though bear in mind that LG Display (which makes the panels) claimed last year that its latest-gen panel (as used in the LG G4) could hit 3,000 nits, and the TV was never close to hitting that (nor did it promise to).

LG has already shown off this new OLED tech: it displayed a small prototype at the IMID conference in South Korea back in August, telling reporters that the tech would not only boost brightness by 25%, but would deliver a longer lifespan and better energy efficiency too.

LG Display didn't say when the panels would come to market. But the 2025 LG G5 already leaked with a 165Hz screen, and has been listed in Hong Kong's electronics certification system with reported energy figures that suggest the new panel tech is inside: its consumption is listed as 132W for the 55-inch model and 164W for the 65-inch version, which is around 20% lower than the 161W and 209W for the equivalent G4 models.

That suggests that the new panel is about to launch, although LG Display is not listed as one of the firms appearing at CES 2025 – though LG overall is, and we expect the company to announce its new TVs there.

But when this screen is announced, don't expect it in LG's more affordable 2025 panels: the energy consumption listed in the database for the C5 is barely different to that of the C4, which suggests that this will be high-end only.

LG isn't the only big name working on better panels. Samsung is doing it too. The same industry analyst, Ross Young, says that the 2025/26 QD-OLED panels will boost brightness even further to 3,600 nits or more, and possibly as much as 4,000 nits. The OLED TV arms race continues…

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• RansomHub claims intrusion into what appears to be MetLife’s Latin-American division
• Group leaks MetLife documents to corroborate the claim
• However MetLife says the intrusion pertains to a company owned by a subsidiary

Infamous ransomware group RansomHub claims it breached the Latin-American division of insurance giant MetLife on New Year’s Eve, but the company itself is denying any incident.

RansomHub did provide receipts on its homepage in the form of company documents written in Spanish, but a MetLife spokesperson claimed in a statement to Cybernews that “there is no incident that we’re aware of impacting MetLife’s Latin American division.”

The same representative did acknowledge an incident pertaining to Fondo Genesis, a financial services firm operating only in Ecuador and owned by a MetLife subsidiary.

MetLife and RansomHub

“Fondo Genesis operates separately from MetLife’s enterprise systems. Therefore, the impact of this incident is limited only to Fondo Genesis,” they said.

If you’re curious, the leaked confidential files, per Cybernews, comprise of ‘crisis’ and Treasury committee minutes, lists of company IP addresses, and executive paperwork dated as far back as to last July.

RansomHub is a fairly new name in ransomware, with its first known victim dating back to February 2024, but last year became the top outfit for sheer number of ransomware victims claimed, with a fifth of all known attacks attributed to them.

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• The Samsung Galaxy S25 series could come with crash detection
• Other rumors point to a free year of Gemini Advanced
• Official information about the S25 lineup is expected this month

It’s 2025, and as such the Samsung Galaxy S25 series feels closer than ever – we’re expecting to hear official news of the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra within the next few weeks.

We’ve already seen and reported on the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 specs rumors, camera rumors, and rumored colors for each of the models, but a new crop of leaks point to Samsung taking some inspiration from the Google Pixel 9 Pro when it comes to software.

One of these rumored new features is crash detection, which both the Google Pixel 9 series and iPhone 16 lineup support already. As Android Authority found when digging through Samsung code, references to crash detection were found in leaked files from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

However, as Android Headlines notes, a dedicated app for crash detection has existed within OneUI since version 5.1.1, though Samsung has never enabled it.

It’s likely that crash detection on Galaxy would work in a similar manner to the iPhone and Pixel’s implementation of the feature, using sensor readings and potentially AI to detect a car crash and subsequently allowing the user to call emergency services with one tap or swipe.

Speaking of AI, the Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup could come with a free 12-month trial year of Google Gemini Advanced, according to another rumor reported by Android Authority.

Though we wouldn’t expect any AI used in crash detection to be paywalled whatsoever, some AI features in Google’s suite are held behind the Google One AI Premium plan, which normally costs $19.99 / £18.99 / AU$30 per month.

Gemini Advanced gives users access to the Pro model of Gemini, which the company says is better at logical reasoning, as well as the latest experimental model that's better suited to coding and mathematics.

As well as Gemini, Samsung equips its phones with its own Galaxy AI suite of tools – we may see some new additions to our list of the best AI phones once the S25 series is released.

Over in Cupertino, Apple is suspected to be taking inspiration from the Google also, with rumors suggesting the iPhone 17 could come fitted with a Pixel-style camera bar instead of the usual square housing.

For the latest updates on the Galaxy S25 lineup as we hear them, be sure to check out our Samsung Galaxy phones coverage.

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There's nothing quite like a warm slice of homemade bread topped with a slather of butter – absolute heaven. Making your own bread, however, isn't always as heavenly.

Fortunately, there are some great gadgets and apps available to help raise your bread-baking game, and I've tried a lot of them. So, if your New Year resolution is to master the art of making perfect loaves – without a bread maker – you're in the right place.

These gadgets and apps won't make you a bread master overnight. It can take some time and practice to perfect the art of bread making, and in the meantime, you may end up with some sunburnt tiger loaves, squishy bloomers, and baguettes dense enough to take onto the battlefield.

They will, however, do some of the work for you by proofing, kneading, and slicing your homemade bread – as well as give you some inspiration for what to whip up next. So get your apron on, it's time to bake...

1. App inspiration

Rise Above (left) and Kneady (right) are both great companion apps, whether you want to make sourdough or ciabattas. (Image credit: Rise / Kneady)

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? You want to start making bread but need recipes to try or inspiration. There are lots of cooking websites and apps out there, but there are a few that really stand out when it comes to baking and bread.

3 quick break-making tips

1. Proofing perfection
When using the proofer for a basic white bloomer, I set the minimum to 30 and the max to 30.1, then put my dough (in a bowl covered with cling film) in for at least two hours. Once your dough is twice the size, take it out and you can fold the proofer away easily into a cupboard. Alternatively, you can put the risen dough in the fridge overnight which will enhance the flavor!

2. Kneading your dough
When kneading a white bloomer dough in the Aucma, I turn it on for about five minutes at setting two.

3. Don't weigh the bowl!
Make sure you pop your bowl (or whatever you're weighing the ingredients into) onto the scale first, then zero it, so the weight of the bowl isn't factored in alongside your ingredients.

First up, there's Rise, an app that's perfect for those wanting to learn how to make sourdough bread. While some recipes are available for free, the main features of this app are locked behind a pretty reasonable subscription: $3.99 /£3.99 / AU$5.99 a month, $14.99 / £14.99 /AU$29.99 a year, or a one-time payment of $19.99/£19.99/AU$22.99.

Not only does this app include lots of recipes for sourdoughs and other breads, but the paid version lets you schedule reminders to feed your sourdough starter, access recipes from other users, and estimate how long your dough needs to rise based on factors like hydration, salt, and temperature. If you're only starting out, though, there are free resources for creating a sourdough starter and how to fold and shape dough.

If you're less fussed about sourdough, check out Kneady. This is also a subscription service, but 50 recipes are available for free, including ones for boules, ciabattas, baguettes, and more.

Kneady Pro's subscription costs are a bit confusing, but the current offer is £1 (roughly $1.27 / AU$1.98) a week for three months, £1.61 (roughly $2.05 / AU$3.18) a week for one month, or £0.58 ($0.74 / AU$1.15) a week for a year. This unlocks over 500 professional recipes, a bunch of baking guides, and even the ability to ask the author of a recipe any questions you may have.

2. Accurate kitchen scales

(Image credit: AccuWeight)

You've got your recipe, and now you need to measure everything out. This may seem very basic, but a good set of kitchen scales is critical in my opinion – with bread baking and anything else you cook.

While traditional kitchen scales can do the job, electronic ones are often more accurate and you don't need to keep resetting them. If you've got slightly wonky electronic kitchen scales, it's worth considering a replacement or checking the batteries.

Fortunately, a good set of scales don't cost the earth, nor do they have to be super fancy. I recommend the Accuweight 201 Digital Kitchen Scales from Amazon, which RRP at $24.99 / £11.99 / AU$29.44 and will do the job nicely.

Weighing your ingredients incorrectly will have a major impact on your dough, making everything else much trickier.

3. A kitchen mixer with a dough hook attachment

(Image credit: Future)

A kitchen mixer isn't essential to bread making, but if you have a recipe that requires you to knead dough, a mixer with a dough hook attachment makes the task much easier.

I recently got this 6.5 Litre Aucma Stand Mixer from Amazon (for $169.99 / £129.99 / roughly AU$257), which has a whisk, beater, and dough hook attachment. This isn't a super fancy kitchen mixer but it does the job wonderfully, is very easy to clean, and has suction cups at the bottom to ensure it doesn't slip all over your countertop.

If you want something more professional (and expensive), I highly recommend the Kenwood Titanium Chef Baker, which is probably the only mixer you'll ever need – but it's pretty big and retails at £529.99 (roughly $672 / AU$1,046).

4. A convenient proofer

(Image credit: Future)

When I was a kid, my mum would put a towel over her bread dough and put it in the airing cupboard to rise. While this method works, it can be temperamental, so it's worth getting a proofer if you want to make doughs that require proofing/rising.

When I came to the realization I needed a proofer (because it's winter and my old Victorian house isn't the best environment for proofing), I was worried about the cost – but then I found my secret weapon.

This Versatile Dough Proofer from Molgayol is $39.99 / £39 /AU$82 on Amazon and has been my bread-making savior. Now, it doesn't look exactly like its pictures, but it works.

Essentially, it's a yellow, foldable box (a bit like a picnic cooling bag) that comes with a heating pad, thermometer, and temperature control device. Simply put the heating pad in the bottom of the box along with the thermometer, plug it in, and then set the controller to the maximum and minimum temperature you want.

5. An electric carving knife

(Image credit: Russell Hobbs)

You've made your bread, and it's cooled – so it's time to see whether your hard work paid off.

While a standard bread knife can cut bread with no bother, if, like me, you make an absolute mess with a bread knife – with everyone getting a different-sized slice – you can make your life easier with an electric carving knife.

An electric carving knife isn't essential but can be a handy kitchen gadget to have, especially at Christmas. I'm a fan of this one from Russell Hobbs that's only £18.99 (roughly $24.16 / AU$37.57). Just make sure to watch your fingers!

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• Researchers found 4.5 million fake stars on GitHub
• The platform’s ranking and recommendations lean heavily on stars
• Users are being urged to consider much more than just the number of stars

New research has revealed how widespread fake stars are across the GitHub platform, which could prove dangerous by increasing the visibility of malicious repositories associated with scam activity.

Similar to likes on social media, stars allow users to show their support for repositories. The more stars given, the more likely it is to appear in GitHub’s global ranking system and recommendations, extending its reach to more unsuspecting users.

Knowing this, threat actors have now gone on to create automated accounts to artificially star their dodgy repositories to spread malware.

GitHub star ratings helping to spread malware

The company confirms on a help page: “Many of GitHub's repository rankings depend on the number of stars a repository has. In addition, Explore GitHub shows popular repositories based on the number of stars they have.”

A new study published in December 2024 by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Socket Inc and North Carolina State University reveals that 4.5 million stars on the platform are believed to be inauthentic. They summarize the problem as a “prevalent and escalating threat happening in a platform central to modern open-source software development,” describing GitHub repositories as the “defacto distribution channels for software components.”

In total, an estimated 4.5 million stars across nearly 23,000 repositories were attributed to 1.32 million accounts, highlighting just how widespread the problem has become on the platform.

The study also noted a rise in fake star activity throughout 2024, with GitHub already taking action to counter dodgy users and repositories.

Previously used as a measure of how good a repository is, GitHub users are now being advised to consider other factors, such as its activity, authenticity and code quality.

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• Hints of a OnePlus Watch 3 Pro have emerged
• New health features for the companion app have leaked too
• The smartwatches could launch very soon

In our OnePlus Watch 2 review we gave the wearable 4.5 stars out of 5, so we're very much looking forward to what its successor has to offer – and new information tips some potential health features, as well as the possibility of a Pro edition of the watch.

Starting with that OnePlus Watch 3 Pro rumor, it comes from the team at Android Authority: references to a more premium version of the wearable are hidden in the OHealth phone app that accompanies OnePlus and Oppo watches.

The OnePlus Watch 3 Pro apparently has the model number WWE251, and is distinct from the standard OnePlus Watch 3. For the time being though, we don't know what the differences might be in terms of features or price.

We haven't seen a Pro model in the OnePlus Watch series so far, but it makes sense that an extra option would be introduced – what with Apple having the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung having the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

New health features

How the new Health tab could look (Image credit: AssembleDebug / Android Authority)

On to the next tidbit, and once again we're indebted to Android Authority for it. The OHealth app has more to reveal besides the presence of a second OnePlus Watch 3 model apparently – specifically, some notable health upgrades.

Code currently hidden in the Android app reveals ECG (electrocardiogram) functionality, with the ability to detect conditions such as an unusually high or low heart rate, atrial fibrillation, and PVCs (premature ventricular contractions).

There's also a wrist temperature reading option, which can help in assessing your body's overall health. Other features spotted in the code include a quick '60-second checkup' tool, and a new Health tab in the app that provides deeper and longer-term insights into your health based on the readings you're getting from your watch.

It's not clear yet which watch models might get which features, but this shows that a substantial software upgrade is on the way, as well as the new hardware. Based on recent leaks, it looks as though a launch for the OnePlus Watch 3 and the OnePlus Watch 3 Pro could be imminent.

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• Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.0 arrives on January 15
• It adds a new world for players to explore
• This is in addition to two new five-star playable characters

Hoyoverse has announced some new details about the Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.0, or ‘Paean of Era Nova’, update and it seems absolutely massive.

First and foremost, it kicks off a new chapter in the main story and allows players to experience the new world of Amphoreus.

Isolated from the rest of the universe, residents of Amphoreus worship the Titans - 12 legendary beings that created the planet. After a series of tragedies that saw the world overtaken by an evil black tide, humanity is isolated in the besieged Holy City of Okhema, which is protected by the Worldbearing Titan Kephale.

Players will encounter a mysterious but adorable new companion quickly named ‘Mem’ thanks to their inability to make any other sound. Mem can be summoned in battle, gradually charging Energy. At full charge, Mem will trigger a Support effect that deals additional True DMG that can help turn a dire battle around.

You will also be free to wander around Okhema, which features distinctive landmarks like the vast Marmoreal Palace, grand baths, and more.

That’s not all, however, as there will also be the city-state of Castrum Kremnos to explore. The home of the Strife Titan, players will be able to use a unique time-travel power to transport themselves to the city in its golden age.

This is on top of a few other environments, including the world’s starting point of The Vortex of Genesis.

Image 1 of 2

The Herta (Image credit: Hoyoverse)Image 2 of 2

Aglaea (Image credit: Hoyoverse)

The update will also introduce two new powerful five-star playable characters. The first is The Herta, who players have previously only been able to encounter through her magical puppets. She is an Ice-Type Erudition character with a focus on massive area-of-effect damage, targeting up to five enemies at once. She can stack Interpretation on enemies and allies, increasing her damage output further.

The second character is Aglaea, a native of Amphoreus. She is the first limited five-star Remembrance character and can summon the Garmentmaker memosprite to fight alongside her in battle. Together they dance around the battlefield, attacking with an enchanting cadence.

Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.0 will arrive on January 15 in the US and January 16 in the UK. The free-to-play game is available now on PC, Android, iOS, and PlayStation 5.

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