Avatar: Fire and Ash art teases epic battle

New concept art for Avatar: Fire and Ash, shared by Empire Magazine, showcases a massive battle across air and sea. The image features the RDA’s Factory Ship, described by production designer Ben Procter as “a moving oil platform designed for industrial-scale tulkun hunting,” surrounded by aircraft.

Procter teased that the battle will surpass the finale of Avatar: The Way of Water, making it look like “nothing but a skirmish.”

Directed by James Cameron, who co-wrote the script with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, the film brings back Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet and more. Cameron previously hinted that Fire and Ash will introduce the “Ash People,” showing a darker side of the Na’vi and exploring new worlds.

Xbox’s AI game preservation plan faces backlash

Xbox has announced plans to use its generative AI model, Muse, for video game preservation, aiming to optimise classic games for modern devices. Fatima Kardar, Microsoft’s VP for gaming AI, stated that this could revolutionise access to older games.

However, fans have strongly criticised the idea, arguing that emulation already preserves classic games without AI’s ethical and financial concerns. Many also point out that licensing issues — not hardware limitations — prevent older games from returning.

Some fear AI remasters could dilute original designs, with users calling it a potential downgrade rather than true preservation. Microsoft has yet to address these concerns or demonstrate a compelling application for Muse.

Lilo & Stitch live-action Super Bowl ad debuts

The Super Bowl ad for Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch has been released, teasing the film’s upcoming May 2025 premiere.

A reimagining of the 2002 animated classic, the movie follows a lonely Hawaiian girl and a fugitive alien who helps mend her broken family. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On), the film stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong as Nani and features Chris Sanders reprising his role as the voice of Stitch.

Lilo & Stitch hits the US theatres on May 23, 2025. The original films are streaming on Disney+.

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 15th, 2025