The Batman: Part II is now set for an October 1, 2027 release, following multiple delays that pushed the sequel well beyond its original 2025 window. The extended timeline reflects a longer development cycle for director Matt Reeves’ follow-up, with the script only recently completed and production now expected to begin in spring 2026.
The sequel continues Reeves’ grounded take on Gotham, which began with The Batman in 2022. That film earned over $770 million globally and established a more detective-driven version of Bruce Wayne, set within what Reeves has described as an “epic crime saga.” Part II is expected to build directly on that foundation, exploring the aftermath of Gotham’s collapse and Bruce’s evolving role within it.
The delays have been tied to both industry-wide disruptions and Reeves’ deliberate approach to the script. DC Studios co-head James Gunn has confirmed that a completed draft is now in place, allowing the project to move forward after a prolonged development phase. With production finally on the horizon, the sequel is shifting from uncertainty to execution.
Robert Pattinson will return as Bruce Wayne/Batman and there are details with regards to the other cast as well. In a recent interview to French reality show C à vous, Pattinson shared that “The new script is so, so good, I’m very excited about it.” However, that is not all there is to update about this much-talked about film and thus, here is a complete rumor roundup.
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When is The Batman Part II releasing?
Warner Bros. Pictures
The Batman: Part II has seen several release date changes. The Batman Part II was initially supposed to premiere on October 3, 2025. Unfortunately, nothing is guaranteed in the world of filmmaking.
Yes, the world will have to wait even longer to see Pattinson suit up again, marking a five-year span between the original film and the sequel. The delays stem from a combination of factors. The writers’ and actors’ strikes slowed development across Hollywood, while Reeves took additional time to finalize the script. Given the scale and expectations surrounding the sequel, the extended timeline appears to be a deliberate choice rather than a production setback.
The result is a five-year gap between the first film and its sequel — longer than typical superhero franchise timelines, but not unusual for director-driven projects of this scope.
What’s the plot of The Batman Part II?
Warner Bros. Pictures
Plot details remain tightly under wraps, but the sequel is expected to continue directly from the events of The Batman.
The first film ended with Gotham flooded and its institutions exposed as deeply corrupt. Bruce Wayne, having begun his transformation from a symbol of vengeance into a figure of hope, now faces a city in deeper chaos. Crime is likely to rise in the power vacuum left behind, setting the stage for a more complex and unstable Gotham.
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My money is on Batman facing Thomas Elliot, a.k.a. Hush. Once a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, this villain is famous for teaming up with the Riddler in the comics, as well as recruiting multiple other villains to battle and torment Batman with his knowledge of the hero’s true identity. At one point, Batman was even forced to fight a brainwashed Superman because of Hush.
The Batman did have the Riddler reveal that Bruce’s father inadvertently caused the death of a reporter named Edward Elliot. Given his surname, Edward may very well be Hush’s father. Combined with online rumors, it seems likely that the sequelwill feature Hush as the main villain, seeking vengeance against Bruce for his father’s role in Edward’s murder.
Reeves also revealed that Bruce Wayne is going to have trouble being the hero Gotham needs.
“This was a time of great turmoil in the city, it’s literally the week after what happened,” he explained to Digital Spy. “Much of the city is in desperation, so police can’t get everywhere, there’s crime everywhere, it’s a very, very dangerous time. [Batman’s] out there trying to grapple with the aftermath of everything that happened, which to some degree he blames himself for.”
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Even in the recent interactions, Reeves has indicated that the sequel will explore that instability, focusing on how both Batman and Bruce Wayne evolve in response to the city’s changing conditions.
Who is in the cast of The Batman Part II?
Warner Bros. Pictures
When Warner Bros. announced The Batman Part II in April 2022, only Pattinson was confirmed to return as Bruce Wayne/Batman. This seemed pretty obvious, given he plays the franchise’s lead character. Regardless, we’re almost 100% sure these core cast members will return: Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon and Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth.
Reeves confirmed to SFX magazine that Colin Farrell’s character, Oz Cobb/The Penguin, will be part of the movie. Farrell also starred in HBO Max’s spinoff series, The Penguin, which chronicled Cobb’s rise to the top of Gotham’s criminal underworld.
Farrell already shared his expectations for the sequel and what his contract with the franchise entails. “I signed up for three Batman films, but I didn’t know if I’d be in the second film,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Matt Reeves is a brilliant writer and an extraordinary filmmaker, and what I’m most excited-slash-nervous about in the second film is not what Oz does – or what predicaments he finds himself in, or what moments of success he gets to experience – but what his voice is.”
“I was told I have five or six scenes. I don’t have any hopes or any expectations. I’m really an open book, and that’s the way I get excited by shit or not,” he continued. “I think sometimes actors, if they have a career that has a certain length of time, they sometimes get to make too many decisions. Which isn’t to say I won’t push back or argue or fight in Oz’s corner – I do believe I know him better than anyone now.”
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Zoë Kravitz could return as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, but it’s also possible that Reeves will hold off on her return to give Bruce a new love interest.
Barry Keoghan had a brief cameo as The Joker in The Batman, hinting at an alliance with Paul Dano’s Riddler. While it isn’t official yet, Keoghan neither confirmed nor denied that his Clown Prince of Crime will appear, implying there is still more to come from him.
Harvey Dent/Two-Face was rumored to be the main antagonist of The Batman Part II, with actor Boyd Holbrook (Logan) hired to portray the iconic villain. However, James Gunn has since debunked those rumors on Threads. This seems to be for the best, as DC already featured a top-tier Two-Face as a core villain in 2008’s The Dark Knight.
Filming and production timeline
After an extended development period, Reeves confirmed in mid-2025 that the script for The Batman: Part II was complete. DC Studios has since indicated that filming will begin in spring 2026, giving the production a full year for shooting and post-production ahead of its 2027 release.
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This timeline aligns with the film’s scale and the technical demands of Reeves’ grounded but visually detailed approach to Gotham.
Is there a trailer for The Batman Part II?
Warner Bros., 2022 / Warner Bros. Pictures
No. In fact, now that the film has been delayed to late 2027, audiences likely won’t see a trailer until mid-2026. The first trailer for 2025’s Superman was released seven months before its premiere. If The Batman Part II follows a similar marketing schedule, the world may not get a glimpse of the film until around March 2027.
How The Penguin connects to Part II
HBO
HBO’s The Penguin series serves as a direct continuation of The Batman, taking place shortly after the events of the film.
The series follows Oz Cobb’s rise within Gotham’s criminal hierarchy, filling the power vacuum left behind after the Riddler’s attack. That progression is expected to feed directly into The Batman: Part II, positioning Penguin as a more significant force within the city.
Reeves has emphasized that while the series adds context, the sequel will still function as a standalone story.
What’s the status of The Batman Part II’s script?
After years of waiting, Reeves finally revealed on Instagram that the script for The Batman Part II was complete on June 27, 2025. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has also revealed that he had received a finished draft of the script. “It’s great,” he said, without offering any additional detail on the film or who would be in it.
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When is The Batman II going into production?
In a letter to shareholders, Warner Bros. confirmed that The Batman II would start filming in spring 2026. This aligns with the October 2027 release date and would give the movie more than a year for post-production and visual effects. Just don’t be surprised if there are more delays.
Matt Reeves was planning an entire trilogy
Warner Bros.
A lot has changed at DC since The Batman debuted in theaters. But back in 2024, Reeves was pretty insistent that he would make an entire trilogy.
“Yes, that is still the plan,” Reeves told Collider about making The Batman trilogy. “I mean, it’s sticking very closely to the path we envisioned.”
“Things kind of shifted. So, when we came up with the idea to do The Penguin, that was something where I had always intended to continue Penguin’s story and wanted to tell this story of his beginning of rise to power,” Reeves continued. “Because we know that he’s introduced in The Batman as a kind of mid-level, sort of overlooked, mocked figure, who’s not yet in anyone’s eyes the kingpin we come to know him as in the lore.”
Will there be more TV spinoffs from The Batman?
Reeves has previously mentioned two other spinoffs from The Batman: one centered on the Gotham City Police Department and the other on Arkham Asylum. Although no other shows are currently lined up, Reeves told Collider: “We are talking about doing more — I think it would be really fun.”
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What villains are rumored to be in The Batman Part II?
DC Comics / DC Comics
When talking to SFX magazine, Reeves shot down fans’ hopes of the supervillain Gentleman Ghost appearing in the sequel, stating that the character wouldn’t fit the franchise’s world.
“What was important to me was to find a way to take these pop icons, these mythical characters that everybody knows, and translate it so that Gotham feels like a place in our world. We might push to the edge of the fantastical, but we would never go into full fantastical. It’s meant to feel quite grounded,” Reeves said.
There are other rumors that the villains Clayface, Professor Pyg, and Scarecrow will show up in the sequel, along with Batman’s young ward, Dick Grayson/Robin. Despite these claims, Gunn took to Threads to deny the rumor that Pyg and Scarecrow will join Hush, Clayface, and Robin in Part 2. However, this statement implies the latter three characters will make their debut in the franchise.
Will Barry Keoghan be back as the Joker?
Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures
Keoghan’s cameo as the Joker was one of the most-talked-about moments of The Batman. But since Keoghan’s face was obscured in the film, it wouldn’t be hard for Reeves to recast the role if he wanted to. Keoghan was recently asked about coming back during a feature with Variety, and his answer was elusive at best.
“I can’t say much,” Keoghan said. “The camera is looking right at me. We’ll see where that goes. Again, it was an incredible experience … and yeah, I can’t say.”
Andy Serkis shares filming update on The Batman Part II
Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures
In an interview with Popverse, Serkis said he hasn’t seen a script for The Batman Part II. However, Serkis believes the sequel’s screenplay will be “brilliant” because of his affinity for Reeves. Serkis then predicted The Batman Part II’s start date for filming and when fans can expect it in theaters.
“Basically, I know nothing about the movie other than that I’ve just found out that we’re probably likely to be starting filming early next year,” Serkis said. “Therefore, if you do the math, it’ll be a year and a half after that.”
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What to expect from the sequel?
While specific story details remain under wraps, The Batman: Part II is expected to deepen the tone established in the first film.
The sequel will likely place greater emphasis on Bruce Wayne’s personal evolution while continuing to explore Gotham as a city shaped by corruption, power struggles, and shifting alliances. Rather than expanding outward, the story is expected to become more focused, building on the grounded approach that defined Reeves’ first film.
Will the sequel connect to James Gunn’s DC Universe?
No. The Batman: Part II exists separately from the main DC Universe being developed by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Reeves originally revealed to Entertainment Weekly that The Batman, its sequels, and its spinoffs will exist in a separate universe called “The Batman Epic Crime Saga.” That means Robert Pattinson’s Batman is not expected to intersect with the broader franchise, which includes its own version of the character.
This separation dates back to before Gunn and Safran took over DC Studios, when The Batman was developed as a standalone project. Reeves has since reiterated that his films and related spinoffs are designed to exist within their own self-contained universe.
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That said, Gunn has acknowledged that the idea of bringing Pattinson’s Batman into the wider DCU has been considered, even if no plans are currently in place. For now, The Batman: Part II remains firmly positioned outside the shared universe.
What about that other Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold?
Warner Bros. Animation
The recent delay of The Batman Part II to 2027 coincided with the delay of director Andy Muschietti’s Batman film, The Brave and the Bold, which is set in the DCU. This may lead one to wonder if Gunn will integrate The Batman Part II into the DCU after all. Gunn himself admitted on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he floated the idea but still wishes to keep both franchises separate.
“I’ve contemplated it, yeah. I contemplate everything,” Gunn said. “I talk about everything… I’d be an idiot not to think of how can this go or how can this go, but I’m committed to both telling stories in the DCU and telling Elseworlds stories.”
Hey, DC, if Marvel could make two Spider-Man franchises at the same time, DC could do the same with two different Batmen.
The Hollywood Reporter has questioned whether the movie even exists or whether there’s someone actively working on it. Muschietti confirmed in October 2025 that the movie was still happening, but he couldn’t discuss it further for at least another two months.
There is no doubt that Apple needs to diversify its processor supply chain, but Samsung and Intel are weak alternatives next to TSMC. Apple may try anyway.
Rumors have come and gone about Apple buying Intel for its US foundries, but something about that idea stuck. More recent rumors suggested Apple could start relying on Intel for Apple Silicon production as soon as 2027 or 2028.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple has been considering Intel and Samsung to build “main device chips” for some time. While the recent chip and memory shortage has added some pressure, Apple had allegedly been making these considerations well before the current situation.
Samsung makes sense as an option because it is the distant number two chip fabricator to TSMC. It has the capabilities of meeting Apple’s strict quality demands, though it would be vastly limited on capacity.
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Intel has been repeatedly mentioned in many rumors for various reasons. There was a time when it seemed Intel would dissolve, but it was revived thanks to a controversial 10% stake purchased from the US government under Trump.
The company even approached Apple for a direct investment, though it appears that nothing ever came from that.
Even if the Intel and TSMC’s joint venture results in some Apple chip production in the United States, it would be a paltry amount that barely put a dent in TSMC’s monopoly. However, it would surely score some brownie points with the US administration.
The report suggests that no decision has been made and Apple may not move forward with any new partners. TSMC continues to be the producer of Apple Silicon with over 60% of that made in Taiwan.
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Apple is stuck between a rock and a hard place, as is the rest of the world. TSMC has been one of the few companies the world can rely on for advanced silicon, and if China decides to invade, it could devastate the global economy.
At this point, it seems Apple’s only options are strengthening its rival Samsung or embracing the flailing Intel. This situation could be among the defining aspects of John Ternus’ tenure as CEO, though some are apparently more worried about retiring executives.
The administration isn’t exactly winning here. The GOP has been opposed to a clean reauthorization since its first brush with warrantless surveillance back during the Biden administration. GOP members weren’t upset that the FBI routinely abused the NSA’s Section 702 collections to access US persons’ communications… unless those communications happened to be theirs.
Despite their mostly-performative opposition, Section 702 was again given a clean reauthorization. This time around, the GOP seems even more reluctant to give these powers a pass, despite it being clear President Trump would like this to happen.
Trump’s interest is more selfish than most. While he too has been performatively critical of the surveillance that swept up some of his MAGA buddies during Biden’s term in office, he’d definitely like for his FBI and DOJ to be able to warrantlessly surveil Americans he doesn’t like. Since both entities are nothing more than willing enablers of Trump’s vindictive whims, allowing the FBI to warrantlessly access US persons’ communications probably sounds wonderful. And since it appears he doesn’t believe there will ever be a regime change, he has no qualms about extending these spy powers in perpetuity with zero modifications, including those ordered by FISA court judges.
Somehow, even his party loyalists are reluctant to appease him. Section 702 has been on the verge of expiration multiple times, with only the periodic placement on temporary life support keeping these powers from being relegated to history.
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With the powers set to expire at the end of April, the GOP offered up something halfway between a Hail Mary and deliberate sabotage, as Politico reports. While the House did manage to pass a three-year extension of Section 702, GOP House members added a rider that ensures this particular version wouldn’t be greenlit by the Senate.
The Senate is unlikely to clear the House-passed extension, which will be sent over with an unrelated, permanent ban on the Federal Reserve’s ability to issue a digital currency attached.
That provision was included at the behest of ultraconservatives, but it is so divisive across the Capitol that it has stalled a major affordable housing package for months. Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier this week warned that the digital currency ban was “not happening” as part of spy law renewal.
Whether this clause was meant to keep the government from competing with Trump’s private sector offerings or just there to deter the Fed from paying closer attention to cryptocurrency market hardly matters. When John Thune is giving it a preemptive thumbs down, it’s a non-starter.
The Senate, however, received this GOP-spiked can and has only managed to kick it a bit further down the road. While some cynicism is warranted, it also buys time for surveillance reform advocates to gather the information they need to push back against yet another clean re-authorization.
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The Senate approved the punt by a voice vote Thursday afternoon before the House passed it under fast-track procedures on a 261-111 vote.
As part of a deal Senate leaders cut with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to speed up the extension’s passage ahead of the midnight deadline, Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, will send a letter telling the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the Justice Department to declassify an annual 702 court opinion within 15 days so it can be used as part of the negotiations.
This is not an unreasonable ask. The public has a right to know what the government thinks it can get away with under this surveillance power. What has always been pitched as a foreign-facing collection has been shown, for years, to be routinely accessed by Intelligence Community agencies for the sole purpose of accessing US persons’ communications without a warrant or even direct FISA court approval.
That an aggrieved Republican party may actually result in Section 702 reform is something that was never on anyone’s bingo card, especially since it’s usually been the same handful of Democratic party senators who have pushed back against these spy powers — something they have consistently done even when their own party has occupied the Oval Office.
Will reform actually happen this time? If history is any indication, a majority of Congressional reps will find some way to talk themselves out of their objections just in time to make it a problem for the next administration to solve. But there seems to be enough bipartisan opposition to a clean re-up to give reform a fighting chance.
The handheld is powered by a Unisoc Tiger T618 octa-core CPU alongside a Mali G52 GPU ticking along at 850MHz. The combo is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of eMCP storage, and supports expansion via TF card slot. WiFi 5 comes standard, as does Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and… Read Entire Article Source link
Project LEDO founder Fidel Ferrer, second from left, working with Lego robotics students in his program. (Project LEDO Photo)
Through Lego robotics and a STEM curriculum, Project LEDO serves as both an inspiration and a safety net for low-income kids and students of color in Portland, Ore., and surrounding areas.
“In a climate where school funds no longer cover vital STEM enrichment, Project LEDO serves as a consistent and reliable pillar,” said Cynthia Kieffer, principal of Portland’s Lent Elementary, adds that the program develops teamwork, perseverance and leadership in kids.
Others who work with the program echo that sentiment.
“We have seen our students become more engaged when they are able to explore STEM in a supportive, welcoming and encouraging environment,” said Eman Abbas of the Iraqi Arabic School in Lake Oswego.
Project LEDO founder Fidel Ferrer “sparks curiosity, fuels innovation and reminds our KairosPDX leaders that they belong in the world of science, technology, engineering and math,” said Tiffany Dempsey, a director at KairosPDX, which provides teacher training and elementary education.
Since Ferrer launched Project LEDO’s first robotics camp with 25 students in 2021, the nonprofit has served 1,500 kids and expanded to provide school supplies, laptops and food for families in need.
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For his STEM and community leadership, Ferrer is being honored at the GeekWire Awards as STEM Educator of the Year, alongside Tracy Drinkwater, founder of Seattle Universal Math Museum (SUMM). First Tech is sponsoring the award. Both will be recognized at the GeekWire Awards event May 7 at Seattle’s Showbox SoDo.
Project LEDO founder Fidel Ferrer. (Project LEDO Photo)
Ferrer was inspired to create Project LEDO by his own experience feeling like an outsider in science and tech. He immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba with a dentistry degree, then enrolled at Portland State University in 2012, earning a bachelor’s in biochemistry and molecular biology. After working in a lab, he shifted to technology and joined Apple.
Particularly in college, he said, “I didn’t feel a lot of folks that look like me in that field. It was really isolated.”
That changed when Ferrer began volunteering at a Portland school with a large Black and Hispanic student population. Energized by the experience, he wanted to expand his reach and registered as a nonprofit while still working at Apple in Global Operations & Strategy.
Project LEDO takes its name from “La Edad de Oro,” a book that Ferrer’s mother read to him as a child, which translates to “the golden age.” The organization serves kids from kindergarten through eighth grade, with a focus on sixth and seventh graders competing in Lego robotics competitions.
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Programming includes summer camps and in-school and after-school sessions during the academic year. The organization is also exploring international education partnerships in Cuba, Bolivia and Nigeria.
Project LEDO has seven employees and contract instructors across multiple sites, along with volunteers who handle the essential — if unglamorous — task of sorting Lego pieces after each robotics season. Most funding comes from individual donors, foundations and corporate support.
In recent years, Ferrer has also been tapped as a STEM education voice for state and global leaders, including as an advisor for Oregon’s STEM Investment Council.
But what excites him most is watching students transform. At a December Lego robotics contest, Ferrer saw kids who had once shown little interest in STEM show up confident, polished and even cheering on their competitors.
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“It was such an inspiration to me,” Ferrer said. “They were so, so incredibly good.”
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought 1-Across and 1-Down were pretty tough today. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
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The Trump administration’s war on science has been a furious one. Be it deep cuts to scientific research, policies that ignore scientific research, or the appointment of deeply unscientific people to lead scientific cabinet positions, it seems that Trump thinks that knowledge is the enemy.
You will recall how RFK Jr. fired every single member of the CDC’s ACIP vaccination panel last summer. It became obvious in the aftermath why he did so, after installing a cadre of anti-vaxxers to replace them and moving to shift immunization policy away from vaccines at the federal level. Trump appears to have taken a page from Kennedy’s playbook, as he recently terminated the entire board of the National Science Foundation days ago.
All 22 members of the National Science Board were terminated by the Trump administration via a terse email on Friday. The administration has provided no explanation for purging the board, which helps steer the National Science Foundation and acts as an independent advisory body for the president and Congress on scientific and engineering issues, providing reports throughout the year. The ousters represent another severe blow to the NSF and the overall scientific enterprise in America.
Members received a two-sentence email saying that, “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump,” their positions were “terminated, effective immediately.”
The post is filled with commentary from the board members and others pointing out that this leaves America with a gaping hole of leadership from a scientific advisory standpoint. The NSB advises both the Executive and Legislative branches. Trump has also nominated Jim O’Neill, an investor, to be the next Director of NSF. There is speculation that this move was done as a way to clear the field for O’Neill to replace them with hand-picked members that will further his tech bro agenda. He also already works for the federal government as Kennedy’s Deputy Secretary of HHS.
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But maybe the explanation for the timing here is much more simple: Trump may have caught wind of a forthcoming NSB report about America falling behind in scientific research.
Multiple dismissed members believe the timing was deliberate, as the board was finalizing a report highlighting a widening U.S.–China gap in research and development spending. The report addresses areas central to Trump’s stated priorities, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and the Moon race, but underscores lagging U.S. investment. Critics suggest the administration may seek a board more aligned with short-term political goals rather than long-term, exploratory research.
Now that sounds more like the Donald Trump I’ve come to know. This is less likely to be 4D chess at work then he simply didn’t want to be embarrassed by this report. There’s a simple test for whether that was part of the impetus here. If that same report does get finalized eventually and gets released, then it wasn’t. If we never get that report, it probably was. Simple.
But wasn’t isn’t simple is going to be digging ourselves out of the scientific debt that Trump is placing upon the country. If knowledge is power, as the saying goes, then America is less powerful today than it was before this administration.
New Year’s Day is one of the easiest days to end up scrolling Netflix without actually committing to anything. The problem isn’t a lack of options, but choosing something that fits how you’re likely to watch, which usually means a show that starts quickly or keeps a steady rhythm without demanding too much attention.
Whether you’re recovering from a late night or just easing into a slower start to the year, the right show can do most of the work for you. This list narrows it down to five that are particularly effective right now, not just because they’re popular, but because they’re built for this kind of viewing. Some are structured for fast, high-retention binges, others are easier to sit with, and a couple justify a more focused watch if you’re in the mood to engage. Each one fits the kind of momentum that makes getting through a full season or a limited series feel natural, whether it’s today or any other day you want something that holds up without effort.
XO, Kitty is one of those shows that pulls you back into rom-coms without trying to overcomplicate what makes the genre work. Built as an extension of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before films, it follows Kitty as she navigates relationships, friendships, and her own impulsive decisions, which is where most of the appeal lies.
The show leans into those shifting dynamics rather than forcing high-stakes drama, which is also why it works better here than something like Nobody Wants This. That show leans more into a slightly older, messier version of romance, while XO, Kitty keeps things breezier and easier to stay with. The K-drama influence shows up in how emotional beats are handled, but the tone stays light and accessible.
It’s the kind of series you can return to easily because the pull comes from characters rather than plot. This is also the one on this list that holds up best for repeat viewing, and the one I’d most likely go back to without thinking too much about where I left off.
Best for: A mystery that rewards attention and gives you something to stay with beyond the episode
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Image used with permission by copyright holder
His & Hers stands out because of how it builds its story through shifting perspectives, which keeps you actively involved rather than just following along. The structure isn’t complicated for the sake of it, but it does expect you to stay with it, and that’s where the engagement comes from.
This is one of those shows where the experience carries beyond individual episodes. It’s the kind of mystery that keeps you thinking about it even when you’re not watching, which is also why it works as a strong pick here if you’re in the mood for something more involving.
If XO, Kitty is the one you can let run, this is the one you sit with. It’s not passive viewing, but it doesn’t feel heavy either. It just asks for a bit more attention, and rewards it.
Best for: A high-retention binge that keeps moving without effort
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With three seasons now available, including Season 3 released in February 2026, The Night Agent is no longer just a breakout hit. It’s one of the few Netflix thrillers that still delivers a clean, episode-to-episode hook without slowing down.
Each season runs at around 10 episodes, which means you’re not realistically finishing the full series in a day. What does work is committing to a single season, and Season 1 remains the strongest entry point if you’re starting fresh. It introduces the core premise quickly and maintains a steady pace without getting weighed down by subplots. Season 2 and Season 3 expand the scale, but follow the same structure, making it easy to continue if you want to stay in that rhythm.
What makes it worth watching right now is how little friction there is once you start. There’s no slow build, no complicated setup, and no need to track multiple threads. It’s built to keep moving, which is exactly what works on a day like this. If you’re looking for something that can hold attention without demanding it, this is one of the safest picks on Netflix. And If you are all done with the Night Agent and looking for similar show, then here’s another 10 similar shows for you to consider.
Best for: A familiar, high-stakes binge that’s easy to pick up or revisit
Netflix
With Season 5 rolling out through late 2025 and its final episode landing on New Year’s Eve, Stranger Things comes back into focus at exactly the right time. Whether you’ve been following it or haven’t started yet, this is one of those rare points where the entire story is available to move through without waiting.
What makes the show work is how it balances scale with simplicity. The world expands with each season, but the story always stays anchored in its core group, which keeps it easy to follow even as the stakes get bigger. That clarity, along with its mix of nostalgia, horror, and character-driven storytelling, is what gives it that lasting cult appeal.
It’s also one of the few shows that works equally well as a rewatch. Personally, this is one that holds up every time you go back to it, whether you’re revisiting key moments or staying with it across multiple episodes without having to think too much about it.
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Avatar: The Last Airbender
Best for: A family-friendly watch that’s easy to get into and stay with
Netflix
Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is a good pick for this time of year because it gives you something structured without feeling heavy. Season 1 lays out the world clearly, so you’re not spending time figuring things out, and it’s easy to move from one episode to the next without losing track.
With Season 2 confirmed and the story continuing, it also doesn’t feel like a one-off watch. You can start it now and know there’s more to come, which adds to the appeal if you’re looking to settle into something over a few days.
What stands out is how it balances familiarity with accessibility. Whether you’ve seen the original or not, the story stays clear, the characters are easy to follow, and the progression is steady. That makes it one of the easier shows to put on with others, while still being engaging enough to keep watching on your own.
Morgan Stanley similarly doubted the potential cost savings. “On the expense side, we also think the potential opportunities would likely be minimal as physical and digital business require different cost bases, as do 3P marketplaces vs. 1P wholesalers. To add another challenge, GameStop has already undergone a series of large cost cuts,” the research note said.
Morgan Stanley analysts expressed skepticism about “how a deal would be financed given the material valuation gap.” If completed, they said it could end up as the largest leveraged buyout ever, “surpassing the recently announced $55 billion Electronic Arts transaction.”
GameStop said that eBay spent $2.4 billion on sales and marketing in fiscal 2025 but added only 1 million net active buyers, increasing the total from 134 million to 135 million. GameStop said it would cut $1.2 billion from eBay’s sales and marketing budget, arguing that the current spending “is not producing more users on a marketplace with near-universal brand recognition.”
GameStop proposed cutting another $300 million from eBay’s product development expenses and $500 million from general and administrative functions. The combined company will consolidate its finance, HR, real estate, legal, IT, and professional services after the merger to save money, GameStop said.
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GameStop touted its own financial performance under Cohen, saying that it “moved from a $381 million net loss in fiscal 2021 to $418 million of net income in fiscal 2025.” eBay meanwhile said in its press release today that its “board and leadership team are executing a focused strategy to drive sustainable growth and long-term shareholder value.”
eBay last week reported Q1 2026 revenue of $3.1 billion, up 19 percent year over year. eBay’s GAAP net income was $512 million, up 2 percent.
GameStop, which is on a different fiscal schedule, reported net sales of $1.1 billion in Q4 2026. That was down from $1.28 billion in the prior year’s fourth quarter. GameStop’s Q4 net income also fell year over year, from $131.3 million to $127.9 million.
Online collaboration is an important tool for companies, big and small. Services like Slack and Microsoft Teams are perhaps the most successful, but their scope is limited primarily to real-time chatting between colleagues, regardless of platform. Another solution is Nextcloud Hub, an open-source, self-hosted content collaboration platform.
Admittedly, I knew little about Nextcloud Hub until recently. However, as a Hostinger client, I noticed the solution was easy to install on my website and recognized it could be a perfect solution for some of our readers.
With this in mind, I tested Nextcloud Hub and here’s what I found out.
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What is Nextcloud Hub?
(Image credit: Nextcloud Hub)
Nextcloud Hub is a self-hosted open-source content collaboration platform that transforms online collaboration. The platform delivers digital collaborative benefits without introducing the privacy and security vulnerabilities that third-party cloud services commonly present. Open-source status is the main advantage of Nextcloud Hub because it gives users complete control and ownership of their data.
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The Talk solution in Nextcloud Hub goes beyond being a Slack alternative because it includes numerous additional features. Users can conduct private audio/video conferences and text chats through the Talk feature of Nextcloud Hub. The platform consists of all the necessary tools that make modern communication effective.
The system includes group chats and direct messaging, screen sharing and live reactions, breakout rooms, moderation tools for webinars, end-to-end encrypted calls, and Federated chatting to connect between different Nextcloud Talk instances.
The digital workspace functionality of Nextcloud Hub emerges from integrating multiple essential components.
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Nextcloud Files is the core component that delivers self-hosted file storage with instant synchronization capabilities. The platform includes vital functions such as secure file sharing, password protection and expiration features, granular permission controls, and file versioning with commenting capabilities.
The suite Nextcloud Groupware integrates three essential productivity tools: calendar, Contacts, and Mail. The platform allows users to manage shared calendars while providing efficient scheduling tools. It also completes email administration with features for shared mailboxes and integrated task management capabilities.
Through LibreOffice power, Nextcloud Office delivers a full-featured online office suite that enables browser-based real-time collaborative document editing alongside spreadsheet and presentation creation. The platform supports major file formats, including .docx,.pptx, and .xlsx.
(Image credit: Nextcloud Hub)
Nextcloud Assistant is an integrated AI assistant that utilizes AI tools throughout Nextcloud applications. The platform uses AI to produce content while providing data-related questions, email summaries, text translation capabilities, automatic message sending, and appointment creation functionality. These AI features’ self-hosting capability guarantees your data privacy and total control over your information.
The tools in Nextcloud Hub also provide automation features and data management solutions for workflow optimization.
The automation features allow users to set triggers and actions that optimize workflows and automate repetitive tasks through a simple interface. Meanwhile, Nextcloud Tables operates as a database-like application that provides users with powerful spreadsheet functionality for structured data management. Users can create and manage data structures while Nextcloud components enable enhanced automation through seamless integration.
The complete and customizable secure environment provided by Nextcloud Hub keeps your data under control.
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What is Hostinger?
Hostinger is a major web hosting service that enables businesses and individuals to create an online presence. The company provides complete hosting solutions, including WordPress and VPS services.
Hostinger was established in 2004 to provide affordable hosting solutions backed by a 99.9% uptime guarantee and multiple management tools for website administration. The company’s hPanel control panel offers an easy-to-use interface for managing hosting accounts, websites, and associated services.
The Auto-Installer tool is Hostinger’s primary usability feature. It enables users to easily install popular web apps.
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Further, this tool eliminates the need for manual database creation and file uploads through automated technical procedures. This benefits both new users and those who want fast setup processes. Users can choose their desired app from a list before providing it.
Installing Nextcloud Hub on your Hostinger account
Installing NextCloud on Hostinger typically involves two main approaches: using Hostinger’s Auto Installer or a manual installation process, which is the more common and reliable method given NextCloud’s open-source nature. For my use, I installed NextCloud using the Auto Installer feature.
To do so:
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Log in to your Hostinger account on the company website.
Next, in the directory on the left, choose Websites.
Choose Dashboard next to the name of your account.
Once again in the directory on the left, choose Websites followed by Auto Install.
Under Other, choose Select.
In the pulldown menu, choose NextCloud.
Choose Select.
The next steps involve setting up a database for NextCloud. I would suggest that you install NextCloud on a subdirectory of your website. As such:
Add a Website title, administrator email, administrator username, and administrator password on the pop-up menu.
Select Advanced.
Type in a name for your subdirectory in the Enter Subdirectory box.
Be sure to create a new database and assign it a password.
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Once the database is installed, you can set up NextCloud by going to the main page of the NextCloud installation. This is the location at http://yourdomain)/(the subdirectory you created).
On that menu, you’ll need to add the username and password you chose above.
Final steps
After successfully installing Nextcloud Hub on your server, the immediate next steps involve completing the initial setup wizard, which guides you through creating your administrator account with a strong password, defining the data directory where Nextcloud will store user files, and configuring the database connection. The wizard may also offer to install recommended apps like Nextcloud Office or Talk, which you should generally enable for a complete experience.
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Once this initial setup is finalized, it’s crucial to move onto post-installation configurations and hardening: this includes setting up background jobs via cron for efficient task handling, implementing memory caching (like Redis or APCu) to boost performance, and, most importantly, enabling HTTPS (SSL/TLS) encryption to secure all communication. Additionally, you’ll need to review PHP settings, properly secure your `config.php` file, add all valid access domains to trusted domains, and establish regular updates to Nextcloud and your server to ensure ongoing security and stability.
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