I recently finished reading F1 Insider by Ted Kravitz, and he shared something his grandfather once said: “You always have to have something to look forward to.” 

It’s a very simple idea, but for whatever reason it really stuck with me. Over the past few weeks, my wife and I have been planning out the year ahead, filling our weekends with trips, plans, and things to look forward to. It’s made me realise just how lucky we are to be able to do the things we have planned. 

At the same time, I found myself getting excited about other things too. The smaller, everyday things. Moments that don’t always make it into the calendar, but still add a lot of colour to the year. Seeing new Formula 1 liveries, counting down to the start of a new season, or simply knowing there’s something enjoyable on the horizon after a long week. 

That naturally led me to start thinking about the films, games, music, and books I’m looking forward to this year. I began making a list, without any real plan, and before I knew it, it had turned into something that genuinely made me excited about what’s ahead. 

I think Ted’s grandfather was spot on. While it’s not a groundbreaking statement, it’s easy to forget how important it is to have things to look forward to — especially the smaller ones. So this felt like the right time to write it all down and share some of the things I have to look forward to this year.

Films 

The Mandalorian and Grogu 

This one almost goes without saying. Given how often Star Wars appears across my previous posts, it’s probably pretty obvious that I’m a huge fan, and I’m always excited for new content. Even as I write this, I’m usually surrounded by something Star Wars–related — whether that’s LEGO on a shelf or, more often than not, a pair of Mandalorian socks on my feet. 

Outside of Andor and the Jedi: Survivor games, The Mandalorian has easily been some of the strongest Star Wars content Disney has produced. I’ve always loved the Mandalorian culture and mythology, something that’s been quietly built up over the years through The Clone Wars and Rebels. Season 3 left things in a really interesting place, with the Mandalorians resettling on Mandalore after their final confrontation with Moff Gideon. 

At the same time, it teased two huge story threads. The first was the reveal that the Mythosaur is still alive in the Living Waters. The second was the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, something that was later confirmed through the Ahsoka series. Both feel like massive pieces of a much bigger story that’s been slowly coming together. 

The first trailer for the film looks fantastic. We see returning characters like Zeb, who previously appeared briefly in Season 3 and was a major part of Rebels, and there are plenty of moments clearly aimed at long-time fans. We also get a glimpse of a new Razor Crest–style ship, which immediately stood out — especially as the original ship remains one of my favourite designs, and one I’m very lucky to own in LEGO UCS form. 

This is easily one of my most anticipated films of the year, and it’s absolutely one I’ll be treating myself to in IMAX. 

The Odyssey 

I first saw the trailer for The Odyssey while I was at the cinema watching Avatar: Fire and Ash, and it was the trailer that stuck with me most. Somehow, it managed to leave a bigger impression than the film I’d actually gone to see, which doesn’t happen very often. 

The cast alone is enough to grab attention, but the director is what really sold it for me. I’ve always loved Greek mythology, so this was already on my watchlist, but the tone of the trailer made it feel far more intense and cinematic than I was expecting. It looks like it’s leaning fully into the scale and brutality of the story, rather than softening it. 

Knowing that it’s being filmed specifically for IMAX only adds to the excitement. This feels like the kind of film that genuinely benefits from the largest screen possible, and watching it in a standard aspect ratio would feel like a bit of a disservice. I’ve made a conscious effort to avoid plot leaks so nothing gets spoiled, but if I had to pick one film I’m most excited to see this year, this would be it. 

Spider-Man: Brand New Day 

I’ve always been a Spider-Man fan, and I still think Tom Holland is a fantastic Peter Parker. No Way Home left the character in a really interesting place — alone in a small apartment, grieving the loss of Aunt May, and having had his friends’ memories wiped completely. 

It feels like a genuine reset for the character, and the introduction of a more comic-accurate suit at the end of the film only reinforced that idea. While I’ve never read the Spider-Man comics myself, I’ve always enjoyed watching how the MCU suits have evolved over the years, and this feels like another deliberate step in that progression. 

I’ve heard a few plot rumours floating around, and the idea that the Punisher could play a significant role is something I’m genuinely excited about. Jonathan Bernthal’s portrayal has always been one of my favourite parts of Daredevil, both in the original Netflix series and its Disney+ continuation. That said, this is a film I’m looking forward to in a more relaxed way — one I expect to enjoy without obsessing over every detail beforehand. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 

This one is very much a guilty pleasure. 

My wife introduced me to the original film a few years ago, and it quickly became one of those comfort watches that I return to at least once a year. I’ve even had the pleasure of introducing it to a few other people for the first time, which is always fun when a film lands as well as it does. 

I’m genuinely interested to see where this sequel picks up, especially following Andy’s decision to walk away from Runway and what she’d built there. I’m also very glad that Meryl Streep is returning — it simply wouldn’t feel right without her, and her presence is such a huge part of what made the original so memorable. 

This definitely feels like the perfect excuse for a relaxed dinner-and-cinema date night. 

Avengers: Doomsday 

It’s hard to overstate the cultural impact Avengers: Endgame had. Even now, it’s difficult to think of another film that dominated conversations in quite the same way. I was lucky enough to see it shortly after release, and the collective experience — the cheers, the silence, and the emotional moments — is something I’ll always remember. 

Doomsday promises another huge event, bringing together characters from across different eras of the Marvel franchise. That’s a tall order, and matching Endgame would be incredibly difficult, but the scale alone makes this one of the most anticipated films of the year. Whether it reaches those same heights or not, it feels like an important moment for the MCU. 

Games

Halo Campaign Evolved 

With how often Halo appears in my favourite games lists, it should come as no surprise that this is right at the top. Combat Evolved is the game that started it all, and I’ve replayed it countless times over the years with friends and family, across multiple generations of Xbox. 

I still own the original version as well as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, so the idea of returning once again — this time rebuilt in Unreal Engine — is incredibly exciting. What has me most curious is the promise of new campaign content. I’m really interested to see how this is handled and whether the story pulls inspiration from the novels written around the same period, or even features elements from them directly. 

It’s been a couple of years since I last replayed Combat Evolved, so the timing couldn’t be better. I’m long overdue another run through, and this feels like the perfect excuse. 

Grand Theft Auto VI 

This is the game I’m most excited for — with a healthy dose of caution. 

I’ve been a fan of Grand Theft Auto ever since first playing San Andreas (which, at one point, somehow found its way onto far too many school computers). With how impactful GTA V was, expectations for the next entry are understandably sky-high. It’s been well over a decade since that release, so I’m expecting a huge leap forward in both visuals and overall depth. 

The trailers have confirmed a return to Vice City, which is especially interesting for me as it’s a setting I never experienced in the original game. While I haven’t played Vice City itself, I’m curious to see whether we’ll spot familiar locations or subtle references for long-time fans. Visually, the game already looks incredible, and while it will almost certainly be demanding on hardware, I have no doubt it will be spectacular to look at. 

What I’d personally love to see this time around is a stronger focus on story-driven content alongside the inevitable online component. A bigger map, more interiors you can actually enter, and the return of smaller-scale activities — like store robberies — would go a long way in making the world feel even more alive. 

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

I’ve always loved the Tomb Raider games, so a remake of the original built in Unreal Engine 5 is something I’m genuinely excited for. The series has always been visually impressive, and I expect this to be no different. 

It’s been a long time since I last played the original Tomb Raider, so I’m really looking forward to diving back in and seeing how it feels today. From what’s been shown so far, the movement looks like it’s leaning back toward the more acrobatic, gymnastic style of the early games, which feels like a deliberate return to the series’ roots after the more grounded tone of the 2013 reboot. 

The original game was a third-person action-adventure platformer, and I’m curious whether this remake sticks closely to that structure or shifts toward a more open-world design like the later entries. I’m also really hoping Croft Manor makes a return — exploring it is one of my strongest memories from the early games, and it always felt like a core part of the Tomb Raider experience. 

Music 

Logic 

The thing I’m most excited about musically this year comes from Logic, and more specifically from the physical release of Paradise Records. Alongside the film, Logic announced that the physical edition would include five additional, previously unreleased albums — which immediately made this one of my most anticipated releases of the year. 

Those albums are The Ballad of Rooster Jenkins, Information Overload (Paradise Records Soundtrack), All Sinatra Everything, The Lost Tapes, and Muldoon’s (Supermarket Sequel). That’s a huge amount of music in one release, and each title feels like it’s pulling from a different era or side of his catalogue. 

While Paradise Records itself technically released last year, this will be my first real opportunity to sit down and experience the project properly, which makes it feel very much like a “this year” moment for me. I’m excited not just as a long-time Logic fan, but also because the film genuinely looks fun, and it feels like a creative project he’s clearly enjoyed making rather than something rushed out. 

The return of Morgan Freeman for The Ballad of Rooster Jenkins is a particularly nice touch, and one that was teased previously on Spotify. It feels like a full-circle moment, especially for anyone who’s followed Logic’s music for a long time. 

Getting that much new material at once — spanning soundtracks, sequels, throwback styles, and unreleased tracks — is something I’m genuinely looking forward to spending time with over the year, rather than rushing through in one go. 

Joyner Lucas 

Joyner Lucas is another artist I’m excited to hear more from this year. He’s recently announced ADHD 2: Reloaded, a re-release of ADHD 2 that includes eight additional new tracks. 

I really enjoyed the original release — enough that I actually wrote a full post about it when it first came out. If you’re interested, you can read that here: 
https://lifeofj.com/2025/07/19/album-review-joyner-lucas-adhd-2/ 

I’ll be interested to see how these new songs fit into the existing tracklist, and whether they match the quality and overall listening experience of the original album. ADHD 2 had a strong sense of flow and mood, so adding new material always comes with a bit of risk — but if it works, it could elevate the project even further. 

Other artists I’m keeping an eye on 

Alongside that, there are a few artists I’ve been listening to a lot recently who are all rumoured to be releasing new music this year. Nothing here is confirmed, but they’re names that usually end up in my rotation whenever something new does drop. 

• Post Malone 

• Imagine Dragons 

• NF 

Even if only one or two of these releases actually materialise, it feels like there’s plenty to look forward to musically this year — whether that’s full albums, singles, or just a few standout tracks that end up on repeat. 

Books

Skulduggery Pleasant: A Soul Full of Shadows 

There may only be one book I’m truly looking forward to this year, but it’s the book. 

A Soul Full of Shadows marks the final entry in the final Skulduggery Pleasant series — a world I’ve grown up with, and the series that genuinely sparked my love of reading in the first place. I can still remember the first time I encountered Skulduggery Pleasant at school. A few weeks earlier, we’d raised money for World Book Day, and as part of that, our school library had been able to buy new books. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to read, but I vividly remember noticing the distinctive neon-orange pages of the paperback sitting on a shelf. 

From the moment I was handed that book, I was hooked. I read it during lunch breaks, and I even remember trying to sneak a few pages during lessons. I wanted to take it home, but was told I had to share it so others could read it too — which felt completely unfair at the time. 

Why We Need Things to Look Forward To

Looking back over everything here, it’s clear that having things to look forward to doesn’t always mean big milestones or once-in-a-lifetime moments. Sometimes it’s knowing there’s a film you’re excited to see, a game you’re planning to lose a weekend to, an album you’ll have on repeat, or a book that’s been with you for most of your life and is finally reaching its conclusion.

That simple idea — always having something to look forward to — feels especially important as life gets busier and time feels more limited. These smaller moments have a way of grounding the year, giving it rhythm, and making the everyday feel a little more intentional.

This list isn’t meant to be definitive, and it’ll probably change as the year goes on. Some releases will get delayed, others will surprise me, and a few will inevitably disappoint. But for now, it’s a reminder that there’s plenty to be excited about, and that in itself feels like a good place to be.

If you’ve read this far, I’d love to know what you’re looking forward to this year — whether it’s a film, game, album, book, or something completely unrelated to media. Feel free to leave a comment or get in touch, and let me know what’s currently giving you something to look forward to.