A "Star Wars" Link-o-Rama 2024 by Negromancer - UPDATE #24

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

NEWS AND RUMORS:

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NEW TRILOGY - From Deadline:  Lucasfilm has hired writer-producer-director Simon Kinberg to develop a new "Star Wars" trilogy - Episodes 10, 11, and 12.

From THR:  Related to the Simon Kinberg news, the new trilogy will supposedly focus on the the sequel trilogy star, "Rey Skywalker."

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel will publish a "Star Wars" one-shot comic book, "Star Wars: A New Legacy," in 2025.  It will set up the relaunch of Marvel's ongoing "Star Wars" flagship comic book and also celebrate the tenth anniversary of Marvel regaining the license to publish "Star Wars" titles from Dark Horse Comics. Since then, however, Dark Horse gained a new license to publish "Star Wars" comics for juvenile readers.

AHSOKA - From THR:  In an article, "Is Disney Bad at Star Wars? An Analysis," we learn that a second season of "Star Wars: Ahsoka" is in development.

OBITUARY - From StarWars:  The "Star Wars" website remembers the voice of "Darth Vader," Emmy and Tony-winning actor, James Earl Jones, who passed away yesterday (Mon., Sept. 9th). The release also includes a statement from "Star Wars" creator, George Lucas.

THE ACOLYTE - From Deadline:  There will not be a second season of "The Acolyte," per information obtained by "Deadline."

PUBLISHING - From ComicsBeat:  Multiple publishers gather at the San Diego Comic-Con panel, "Star Wars: Stories from a Galaxy Far, Far Away," to discuss publishing plans for 2024-25.

THE ACOLYTE - From Deadline: As the debut of the Lucasfilm Disney+ series, "Star Wars: The Acolyte" arrives, Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy says that "storytelling needs to be representative of all people." That means she ain't here for your whining about "woke."

GEORGE LUCAS - From Deadline:  Star Wars creator George Lucas was fêted with an Honorary Palme d’Or at this evening’s closing ceremony of the 2024 / 77th Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony.  Lucas' longtime friend, collaborator, and mentor, Francis Ford Coppola, joined him on stage. This article includes video footage of the rapturous applause Lucas received.

From CBR:  At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, George Lucas explained in an interview why he sold Lucasfilm and Star Wars to the Walt Disney Company.

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Oscar-nominated actress Sigourney Weaver is in talks to join the "Star Wars" film, "The Mandalorian & Grogu." It will be the first Star Wars movie to go into production since "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

EPISODE I - From Space:  "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" has returned to movie theaters in celebration of the 25th anniversary of its original theatrical release.  During the first weekend of its return to theaters, the film took in 8.1 million dollars in 2,700 domestic theaters, including 150 premium screens and 130 specialty motion D-Box/4D auditoriums.  The movie includes an exclusive look at the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series, "The Acolyte."

DAWN OF THE JEDI - From THR:  Oscar and Emmy-nominated writer Beau Willimon ("House of Cards") will write the screenplay for the "Star Wars" film, "Dawn of the Jedi," which is scheduled to be directed by James Mangold. 

OBIT - From Deadline:  Dianne Crittenden, the casting director for the original "Star Wars," has died at the age of 82, Tuesday, March 19th, 2024.  Over her 40 year career, Crittenden was the casting director on three of Terrence Malick's films, including his first, "Badlands."  Her works includes such films as "On Golden Pond," "Witness," and "Spider-Man 2."

THE ACOLYTE - From Deadline:  The new Lucasfilm "Star Wars" series, "Star Wars: The Acolyte," is set to debut on Disney+ June 4th.  The series, which is led by Amandla Stenberg, is set in the final days of the "High Republic" era.

LANDO - From Deadline:  What would it take for Billy Dee Williams to return to "Star Wars?"  "Pay me a lot of money," he says.

OBIT - From Variety:  Voice actor Mark Dodson has died at the age of 64, Saturday, March 2, 2024.  Dodson performed a voice role in three "Star Wars" productions.  Dodson voiced "Salacious Crumb" in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" (1983).  He performed "voice characterizations" in the ABC television film, "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" (1985).  He voiced "Niima Scavenger" in "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens" (2015).  Dodson also provided vocal effects for some of the "Mogwai" in "Gremlins" (1984) and "Gremlins 2: The Next Batch" (1990).

THE ACOLYTE - From Collider:  "The Acolyte" is a Disney+ series set 100 years before "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" during the "High Republic" era.  "Collider" is reporting that the series will hit Disney+ Summer 2024.

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Gina Carano used her social media posts to be fired from her role as "Cara Dune" from the Lucasfilm/Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  Now, she is suing Disney for discrimination and wrongful termination and Elon Musk and Twitter/X is helping to fund the lawsuit.  One of the remedies of her lawsuit is that Disney be forced to recast her in "The Mandalorian."

OBIT - From StarWars:  There has been a death in the Lucasfilm family.  Emmy Award-nominee, Carl Weathers, died at the age of 76, Thursday, February 1, 2024.  With the launch of The Mandalorian on Disney+, Weathers joined the "Star Wars" family as Greef Karga — an expeditor for the Bounty Hunter Guild who rises to become Magistrate of Nevarro, and ally to the Mandalorian and Grogu.  Weathers would receive an Emmy Award nomination for his performance. In addition, Weathers directed the critically-acclaimed episodes, “Chapter 12: The Siege” and "Chapter 20: The Foundling."

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Darth Maul will be the star of a four-issue comic book miniseries from Marvel Comics, entitled "Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red." The fun starts April 25th, 2024.

From BleedingCool:  Comic book writer Charles Soule says he has big plans for Marvel's current "Star Wars" comic book, culminating in a big reveal in "Star Wars #50."

AHSOKA - From Variety:  Lucasfilm has confirmed that series creator, Dave Filoni, is working on a second season of the Disney+ series, "Ahsoka," starring Rosario Dawson.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Deadline:  Lucasfilm announced the news of a new Star Wars film, "The Mandalorian & Grogu," which will be directed and produced by "The Mandalorian" creator, Jon Favreau.  Details as to the film's plot are being kept secret, but production will begin sometime this year. In addition to Favreau, producers of the project include Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni.

NEW JEDI ORDER - From ScreenRant:  Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy teases "Star Wars: New Jedi Order." Production could begin soon with Daisy Ridley confirmed to return as "Rey Skywalker" in a story set 15 years after the events of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.  Obaid-Chinoy says, “I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special. And we’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.”

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STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:   "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Review: "INDIANA JONES and the Dial of Destiny" is a Wonderful Final Adventure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 of 2023 (No. 1918) by Leroy Douresseaux

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (1989)

Running time:  154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking

DIRECTOR:  James Mangold

WRITERS:  Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp & James Mangold (based on characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman)

PRODUCERS:  Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Simon Emanuel

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Phedon Papamichael (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker, and Dick Westervelt

COMPOSER:  John Williams

ADVENTURE/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonino Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, Nasser Memarzia, Karen Allen, and John Rhys-Davies, 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a 2023 action-adventure film directed by James Mangold.  It is the fifth entry in the “Indiana Jones” film franchise that began with the 1981 film, Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Dial of Destiny finds Indiana Jones racing to retrieve a legendary artifact from a Nazi who wants change the course of history.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in 1944, deep inside Europe during the Allied liberation of World War II.  Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford) and his colleague and fellow archaeologist, Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), are both captured by Nazis while attempting to retrieve “the Lance of Longinus.”  This relic is also known as the “Spear of Destiny,” the lance that is alleged to have pierced the side of Jesus Christ.  Adolf Hitler believes it can save him and his dying Third Reich.

However, Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) believes that he has found part of the relic that can save the Nazis, the “Antikythera”or “Archimedes's Dial,” a device created by the ancient Greek mathematician, Archimedes,  Voller believes that if he can make the device whole it is capable of locating fissures in time.  As usual, Indiana Jones foils the Nazis.

A quarter-century later, in August 1969, Jones is retiring from his position as a professor and instructor at Hunter College.  He is approached by Helena “Wombat” Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Jones' goddaughter and Basil Shaw's daughter.  She has come looking for the Dial, but she isn't the only one.  A Nazi ghost from Indiana Jones' past also wants to retrieve the Dial and to find its missing half.  Can Indiana Jones, now an old man, find the will for one more adventure to save the world from Nazi machinations?  Can he really trust his own goddaughter's motivations?

In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I recently watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in its entirety for the first time in over two decades.  I have seen the first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, countless times, and I re-watched its follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), in November of last year (2022).  I have watched the fourth film in the series, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), many times since its release.

I am happy to report that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the best Indiana Jones since Temple of Doom.  It is a bit long and drags in the middle, but when it is time to deliver the old-fashioned Indiana Jones thrills, this film brings it with renewed freshness.  The two street chases, one in New York and one in Tangier, Morocco, kept me on the edge of my seat.  Indiana Jones on a horse tearing through the streets and subways of NYC is every bit as good as it could be.

Dial of Destiny is also blessed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw.  The script presents a very well conceived and executed character, and Bridge turns her into a character that can match Indiana Jones step for step.  Hers is not the only high-quality supporting character, but this film could not work without Waller-Bridge playing Shaw the way she does.

The best Indiana Jones villains are the Nazis, and Mads Mikkelsen as Voller and Boyd Holbrook as Klaber, Voller's crazy and homicidal lackey, gives us Nazis worthy of not only being punched, but also of being killed.  It's good to see that the Indiana Jones franchise makes Nazis plainly and clearly evil.  There isn't any “good people on both sides here” double talk in this movie.

No, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas do not return for Dial of Destiny, being listed in the credits as “executive producers.”  James Mangold has replaced Spielberg as director, and he does a much better job with this film than I expected.  Lucas has co-written the story for the previous films doesn't for this one, but the spirit of adventure and mystery he first imagined decades ago is strong in Dial of Destiny.

I understand that some viewers may be put off by the age of Dial of Destiny's star and title character.  I like that Dial of Destiny does not hesitate to grapple with Indiana Jones' age and about the grief and regret that have become a big part of his life.  It is nice to see returning supporting characters, Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) and Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), although it is a bit off-putting not seeing them so much older.  Still, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, with its themes of time and tide, of change, of new eras, of aging, of a hero in the sunset of his life, offers a perfect good-bye to a beloved hero.  It says that there is still a story to tell, but the story we followed for so long … well, that's over.

7 of 10

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, June 30, 2023

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site or blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 14th to 20th, 2023 - Update #23

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CANNES - From THR:  Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford received an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

From Variety:  Variety's Zach Sharf describes the audience's reaction to seeing to a screening of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" as "a muted standing ovation."

SPORTS/STREAMING - From Deadline:  National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell says that the league's deal with YouTube to carry the "NFL Sunday Ticket" is just the beginning of strengthening ties between the NFL and YouTube.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  Hulu's revival of the former Fox animated series, "Futurama," will debut Monday, 24th.  The 20 episodes will constitute Season 11 of the series.

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From Variety:  Apple/Paramount have released the first trailer for director Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.  The film is due in theaters Oct. 18th.

From KOSU:  "People Need to Know the History" - Osage citizens are excited and nervous as "Killers of the Flower Moon" hits the big screen.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  In an exclusive Q&A, director Rob Marshall talks about turning an animated classic into the live-action "The Little Mermaid."

MOVIES/TRAILERS - From THR: The new trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One reveals more of what Tom Cruise has in store when he returns to the IMF agent role of "Ethan Hunt" he originated in 1996's "Mission: Impossible."

MOVIES - From THR:  In this wide-ranging Q&A, Hollywood legend and icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about the end of his involvement with "The Terminator" franchise and about the "Conan" movie he is struggling to get made, among other things.

LGBTQ+ - From CNN:  Oscar and Tony Award-winning actress, Marcia Gay Harden, says that all three of her adult children identify as "Queer."  Harden is an advocate for the LGBTQ community.

DISNEY - From Lucasfilm:  All "Indiana Jones" is coming to Disney+ on May 31st. That includes the four films and, as they titled it, "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" (ABC, The Family Channel, 1992-96). So the streamer will likely have the reworked and not the original TV series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (ABC, 1992-96).

From Deadline:  Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kenney says the full "Indiana Jones" catalog will land on Disney+ before the new film, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" arrives in theaters June 30th.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Because of the writer's strike, ABC has released a contingent 2023-24 television schedule.  It leans heavily on unscripted series, such as "Dancing with the Stars" and "Bachelor in Paradise."

From Deadline:  The Fox broadcast network revealed its 2023-24 television schedule at it "upfront" in NYC on Monday (May 15th).

ANIMATION - From Variety:  Cable network FXX's long-running animated series, "Archer," will end after its upcoming 14th season, which debuts August 30th.

DISNEY/STREAMING - From Variety:  "Avatar: The Way of Water" will begin streaming on both Disney+ and Max (formerly HBO Max) on June 7th.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 5/12 to 5/14/2023 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" with an estimated total of 60.5 million dollars.

From Here:  My review of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The winners of the 2023 BAFTA TV Awards have been announced.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Millennium Media is going to Cannes to shop around "Infernus," an action thriller that Idris Elba will produce, direct, and star in.

From Deadline:  Mel Gibson's first directorial effort since the Oscar-nominated "Hacksaw Ridge" is "Flight Fisk" a thriller starring Mark Wahlberg. Lionsgate will be selling the film at the Cannes Film Festival.

CELEBRITY - From EW:  65-year-old action movie legend, Dolph Lundgren ("Universal Soldier," "The Expendables" franchises) has revealed that he has been privately engaged in an 8-year battle with cancer.

OBITS:

From AP:  Social activist, actor, and former professional football player, Jim Brown, has died at the age of 87, Thursday, May 18, 2023.  One of the greatest players in football, he is best remembered as the running back for the Cleveland Browns (1957-65).  He was a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player (1957, 1958, and 1965) and "Rookie of the Year" (1957).  He was a member of the Brown's 1964 NFL Champions.  In addition to being one of the greatest football players of all time, Brown is also considered to be one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.  He was also a prolific film and television actor, appearing in such films as "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "100 Rifles" (1969), and "Three the Hard Way" (1974), to name a few.  As an activist, Brown organized black professional athletes in the fight for civil rights and against the Vietnam War. He later to curb gang violence in Los Angeles.

From Deadline:  American film editor, John Refoua, has died at the age of 58, Sunday, May 14, 2023.  He was best known for his work editing "Avatar" (for which he shared an Oscar nomination) and "Avatar: The Way of Water."  He also worked on "The Equalizer" (2014), "The Magnificent Seven" (2016), and "Geostorm" (2017), to name a few.

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WRITERS STRIKE:

From Deadline:   President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline:  Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline:  Retaliation!  Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike.  Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline:  The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline:  Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline:  The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline:  What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline:  The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

A "Star Wars" Link-o-Rama 2020 by Negromancer - Update #94

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy Doureseaux on Patreon.

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The official trailer for "The Mandalorian" Season Two.
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NOVELS - From IndieWire:  Beloved "Star Wars" novelist, Alan Dean Foster, talks about being asked to remove a budding romance between Finn and Rey that he was setting up in his novelization of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

BOBA FETT - From StarWars:  There is more news on the recently announced Disney+ series, "The Book of Boba Fett," which will be executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Robert Rodriguez.

From Deadline:  Previously unannounced, "The Book of Boba Fett" will be a new Disney+ "Star Wars" series.  A spinoff of "The Mandalorian," the series is set to debut December 2021.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: The High Republic #1" has sold out three weeks before its release date.  Marvel has reportedly ordered a second printing.

OBIT - From CinemaBlend:  The English actor Jeremy Bulloch has died at the age of 75, Thursday, December 17, 2020.  Bulloch played the bounty hunter, "Boba Fett," in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, appearing in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of Jedi."  While Bulloch wore Boba's costume, the late American actor, Jason Wingreen ("All in the Family," "Archie Bunker's Place") provided Boba's voice.

GEORGE LUCAS - From IndieWire:  Legendary film director, Francis Ford Coppola ("The Godfather"), says that he feels sad that "Star Wars" dominated George Lucas' career.

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:   Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader in the developing Disney+ series, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

ROGUE SQUADRON - From Deadline:   Patty Jenkins, the director of the "Wonder Woman" film franchise, will direct a new "Star Wars" film, "Rogue Squadron."  This will be the first "Star Wars" feature directed by a female director.

OBIT - From StarWars:   David Prowse, the actor who gave the physical performance of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, died this weekend. He was 85.

REVENGE OF THE SITH - From IGN:   Star Wars Stunt Co-Ordinator Selling Lightsabers From Revenge of the Sith

HIGH REPUBLIC - From WeGotThisCovered:   A preview of pages from Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: The High Republic" reveals a look at a younger Yoda.

JOHN BOYEGA - From Deadline:   John Boyega Had A “Transparent, Honest” Phone Call With Kathleen Kennedy After "Star Wars" Race Comments

HIGH REPUBLIC - From Previews:   In its first contribution to Lucasfilm’s "Star Wars: The High Republic" publishing campaign spanning comics and prose, IDW announced the February 3rd, 2021 launch of "Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures," an ongoing comic book series set 200 years before the live action film continuity.

PREQUEL TRILOGY - From IndieWire:  An upcoming book, "Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005," reveals stunning new details of George Lucas' plans for the sequel trilogy (Episodes 7 to 9).  This includes resurrected Darth Maul and making him the "godfather of crime" in the universe.

FUTURE - From IndieWire:  Leslye Headland, creator of Netflix's "Russian Doll," says that her Disney+ TV series will be set in a part of the "Star Wars" timeline that fans "don't know much about."

JOHN BOYEGA - From THR:  This wide-ranging article features interviews with actors John Boyega and Letitia Wright, and Oscar-winning filmmaker, Steve McQueen.  In the interview, Boyega says that he met with a high-ranking Disney executive (that he did not name) about his criticisms of the way "people of color" were treated in the recent "Star Wars" trilogy.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Deadline:  SPOILER - Actor Temuera Morrison makes a cameo appearance in Episode 1 of "The Mandalorian" Season Two.  Morrison played Jango Fett, Boba Fett's father, in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones."  Rumor says he will play Boba in "The Mandalorian."

OBI-WAN - From MensHealth:   Ewan McGregor Wore His Obi-Wan Robes on the Set of The Mandalorian

MANGA - From ScreenRant:  Yen Press has released a preview of its upcoming manga-graphic novel, "Leia: Princess of Alderaan."

HIGH REPUBLIC - From BleedingCool:  A "High Republic" story written by author Charles Soule will be serialized in "Star Wars Insider," likely beginning in December 2020.

ROGUE ONE SPINOFF - From Deadline:  Director Toby Haynes ("Black Mirror") has replaced Tony Gilroy as director of the first three episodes of the Disney+ "Rogue One" spinoff.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  IDW will adapt author Greg Rucka's 2015 Star Wars junior novel, "Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure," as a comic book miniseries.

MERCHANDISE - From People:  Shoe maker and Adidas and "Star Wars" launch a fur-covered "Chewbacca" themed sneaker which you can buy at Adidas.com

OBI-WAN - From ET:  In an "Entertainment Tonight," actor Ewan McGregor talks about his "Long Way Down" and "Long Way Up" series.  Concerning what we really want to know about, the Disney+ "Obi-Wan," he says they will start filming spring of next year and that there plans are for one standalone season only.

JOHN BOYEGA - From GQUK:  Here is the John Boyega feature/interview that has caused quite a stir.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Esquire:  George Lucas cradles Baby Yoda - with social media reactions.

ROGUE ONE - From Deadline:  Actress Adria Arjona will join star Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) in the Disney+ "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" prequel series.

LEIA - From io9:  An upcoming book, "Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection" (Oct. 20th), will have details about Leia's lightsaber from "The Rise of Skywalker."

GEORGE LUCAS - From Deadline:  Tom Pollock was a studio executive and an entertainment lawyer.  He died at the age of 77, Sat., Aug. 1st.  He pulled off what is likely Hollywood's all-time greatest deal - the one that got George Lucas sequel and merchandising rights to "Star Wars."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:    Disney+/Lucasfilm's hit series, "The Mandalorian," received 15 nominations at the 2020 / 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama Series."

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From THR:  The new "Star Wars" publishing initiative, "The High Republic," will connect to existing "Star Wars canon."

BAD BATCH - From Variety:  Disney+ has made a series order for the animated series, "Star Wars: Bad Batch."  It is a spinoff of the long-running animated series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and will follow an elite and experimental unit of clone troops.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From Variety:  For the first time since 1997, "The Empire Strikes Back" is back on top of the weekend box office.  Back in 1997, the film was re-released under the "Special Edition" banner and included new scenes and changes to the film.  Reissued again, this time as "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," the film is estimated to gross between $400,000 and $500,000 in this post-COVID-19 theatrical box office.

THE MANDALORIAN - From StarWars:  StarWars.com reveals an extensive publishing program of books and titles for all ages based on the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  This will include comic books from both Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From IGN:  Read the First Chapter of "Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi" by Charles Soule.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From YahooEntertainment:  New Star Wars book reveals why The High Republic fell – and kicks off a new era of stories

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From YahooEntertainment:  "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" will get a "4K" restoration re-release in the United Kingdom in celebration of the film's 40th anniversary.

From Collider:  See graphic designer Matt Ferguson's poster designs for "The Empire Strikes Back" 4K re-release.

TIMELINE - From YahooEntertainment:  Here is a detailed (and interesting) Star Wars timeline.

JOHN BOYEGA - From IndieWire:  Star Wars' very on "Finn," actor John Boyega, gave an impassioned speech in support of Black Lives Matter in London on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From StarWars:  In an interview done to commemorate the 40th anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back," George Lucas says that he doesn't know why "Star Wars" is so popular.

REVENGE OF THE SITH - From YahooMovieUK:  There is a fan petition demanding that Disney release an alleged four-hour cut of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."

JAR JAR BINKS - From YahooEntertainment:  The voice actor behind prequel trilogy star, "Jar Jar Binks," Ahmed Best, will be the host of the upcoming game show, "Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge," on YouTube's "Star Wars Kids" channel.

STAR WARS OBIT - From Variety:  "Boom operator" (sound department) veteran Ken Nightingall has died at the age of 92, Tuesday, May 19, 2020.  He worked on over 47 films, including the original 1977 film, "Star Wars."  In recent years, he became a cult figure when a photo of him emerged in which he was shirtless and wearing pink shorts while his arms were hoisting a boom microphone over Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, CP30, and R2D2 during a scene shot in Tunisia.  To fans, Nightingall was the "pink shorts boom guy."

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From YahooEntertainment:  George Lucas apparently changed the ending of "The Empire Strikes Back," slightly, early in original release.

THE MANDALORIAN - From SlashFilm:  Katee Sackhoff will appear in Season 2 of "The Mandalorian" in which she will play in live-action the character "Bo-Katan Kryze," that she has given voice to in the animated TV series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Actor Temuera Morrison, who played "Jango Fett" in "Attack of the Clones," will reportedly play "Boba Fett" in Season Two of Disney+'s "The Mandalorian."

REBELS - From WeGotThisCovered:  Rumors say that Lucasfilm is developing a spinoff of the animated series "Star Wars Rebels."  The alleged live-action spinoff would focuse on the character, "Kanan Jarrus."

FRANCHISE - From TheWrap:  34 Celebrities You Probably Didn’t Know Were in ‘Star Wars’ Movies (with photos)

WAITITI - From StarWars:  Oscar-winner Taika Waititi will co-write and direct a new "Star Wars" film.

ROGUE ONE - From BritishGQ:  In an interview, actor Riz Ahmed, who appeared as "Bohdi Rook" in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," says that two of his family members have died of COVID-19.

ROGUE ONE SPIN-OFF - From THR:   The Disney+ "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" spinoff has a new showrunner, Tony Gilroy.  Gilroy came in to co-write (or script doctor) "Rogue One," and may have directed new scenes for the film.  Gilroy replaces original showrunner, Stephen Schiff.  The series also added actresses, Genevieve O'Reilly and Denise Gough.

FUTURE - From Variety:  Leslye Headland, the creator of Netflix's "Russian Doll," is developing a "Star Wars" series for Disney+.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Variety:  While the second season of Disney+/Lucasfilm's "The Mandalorian" is not due until Oct. 2nd of this year, the third season is already being written and conceptualized artistically.

ROGUE ONE SPINOFF - From Variety:  Actors Stellan Skarsgard and Kyle Soller join the Disney+ "Rogue One" spinoff.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From BleedingCool:  The first inter-company crossover between publishers of "High Republic" fiction will involve two comic book publishers, Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing.  However, the crossover will not be a comic book, but a novel.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From StarWars:  StarWars.com reveals the Jedi Knights and Jedi Masters that are presumably the main protagonists in the upcoming multi-platform, "Star Wars: The High Republic."  The first publications are set to arrive in August 2020, with the "Light of the Jedi" novel due August 25, 2020.

OBI-WAN - From Variety:  Joby Harold has been named the new head writer of the planned Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series.

OBITUARY - From YahooEntertainment:  Dialect coach and "Star Wars" actor, Andrew Jack, has died at the age of 76, Tuesday, March 31, 2020.  He died as a result of COVID-19.  Jack played the character Caluan Ematt in "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi," as well as providing the voice for a character in "Solo: A Star Wars Story."  Since the early 1980s, Jack was the dialect coach for over 200 actors, including stars such as Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Hemsworth.  He was the supervising dialect coach on "The Lord of the Rings" and created the "Middle-earth" accents.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From YahooEntertainment:  A look at the concept art for "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" reveals Lando's original look for the film and also the "space wolves."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Actor Michael Beihn, best known for his roles in James Cameron's "The Terminator" (1984) and "Aliens" (1986), has reportedly been cast in Season 2 of "The Mandalorian."

THE MANDALORIAN - From Variety:  Actress Rosario Dawson will portray the "Star Wars" character, Ahsoka Tano," in Season Two of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  This will be the first live-action version of the character which appeared in the long-running animated series, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

TOYS - From Newsarama:  Long time principal "Star Wars" toy designer, Mark Boudreax, is retiring after 43 years of designing for first, Kenner, and then, Hasbro.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Deadline:  Disney drops "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" on digital early, Dec. 13th, instead of the planned Dec. 17th digital release date.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Empire:  Some of the scenes deleted from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" will appear in Marvel's comic book adaptation of the film.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC - From Newsarama:  Formerly known as "Project Luminous," "Star Wars: The High Republic will bridge multiple publishers and platforms.  "The High Republic" is set 200 years before the events depicted in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." The first publications are set to arrive in August 2020.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From ScaryMommy:  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first theatrical release of "The Empire Strikes Back," and Hasbro is celebrating with the upcoming release of a "Retro Collection" of action figures from the move.  According to reports the figures are "highly detailed" and "life-like."

FUTURE - From THR:  Director J.D. Willard ("Sleight") and writer Matt Owens ("Luke Cage") are developing a "Star Wars" project for Lucasfilm.  No other details are known.

From Deadline:  Willard and Owens "Star Wars" project will take place on the Sith planet, "Exegol," which debuted in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics will adapt "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" into a five-issue miniseries, with new material.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From GamesRadar:  The novelization of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" confirms a deleted scene from the film in which Kylo Ren meets "The Oracle."

FRANCHISE - From Variety:  The future of "Star Wars" is television says Disney CEO Bob Iger.

KATHLEEN KENNEDY - From CNN:  Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, attended the 2020 BAFTA Film Awards ceremony in London on Sun., Feb. 2nd.  There, she received the coveted "BAFTA Fellowship" trophy, their version of a lifetime achievement award.  She also talked about changing the future of "Star Wars."

OBITUARY - From FanthaTracks:  The British "Star Wars" actor, Alan Harris, died at the age of 81, Saturday, January 25, 2020.  He was best known for portraying the bounty hunter, "Bossk," in "The Empire Strikes Back."  Harris also played several bit parts and was also a body double in the original trilogy films.  He wore costumes for tests and also appeared as Terrence Stamp's body double in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."

UNDERWORLD - From Newsarama:  Making the Internet rounds is what is purported to be test footage from "Star Wars: Underworld," the planned "Star Wars" TV series that George Lucas scrapped.

FUTURE - From Esquire:  Could the "High Republic" and "Project Luminous" be the future of Star Wars?

EPISODE IX - From GamesRadar:  Director Colin Trevorrow, fired from directing "Star Wars 9," confirmed as "real" the recent script leak and concept art for what would have been his Episode 9 film, "Star Wars: Duel of the Fates."

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:  The Disney+/Lucasfilm "Obi-Wan" series has been put on hold.

EPISODE IX - From YahooLifestyle:   More concept art, allegedly from Colin Trevorrow's aborted version of "Star Wars Episode IX," has been leaked.  Trevorrow, who was hot off "Jurassic World," was fired and replaced by J.J. Abrams.

THE CLONE WARS - From GamesRadar:  Season 7 of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" has a release date (Feb. 21st on Disney+) and a new trailer (which can see in the article I've linked to).

JOHN BOYEGA - From YahooNews:  John Boyega, "Finn" in the sequel trilogy (in case you didn't know), bought his parents a house.  They were speechless and there were lots of tears...

FUTURE - From TheWrap:   Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Taika Waititi, is being eyed to develop a "Star Wars" film of some type.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Variety:  "The Rise of Skywalker" crosses the one billion dollar mark in global box office, $1.001 billion.

EPISODE IX - From YahooEntertainment:  Before J.J. Abrams came back to direct what would become "The Rise of Skywalker," Colin Trevorrow was going to co-write and direct Episode IX.  Now, comes a leak of what is alleged to be Trevorrow and writing partner's Derek Connolly's Episode IX script, "Star Wars: Duel of the Fates."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From Space:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" earned two Oscar nominations as the 2020 / 92nd Academy Awards: "Music (Original Score)" and "Sound Editing and Visual Effects."

THE MANDALORIAN - From TheWrap:  Meet the actor who punched the "Baby Yoda" puppet that cost five million dollars to make.

PRINCESS LEIA - From YahooEntertainment:  Apparently, Billie Lourd played her mother, Carrie Fisher's character, Princess Leia, in "The Rise of Skywalker," for "a few seconds" with the help of VFX magic.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From GamesRader:  Apparenly, classic Star Wars character, Nien Nunb (Return of the Jedi), dies in "The Rise of Skywalker."

COMIC BOOKS - From Newsarama:  The site has a first-issue preview of Marvel Comics' new Darth Vader series, "Star Wars: Darth Vader."  The preview includes seven pages of interior art and also a look at the art for two covers.

THE MANDALORIAN - From CBR:  Director Taika Watiti says that he knows "The Child" a.k.a. "Baby Yoda's" real name, but he is waiting for "The Mandalorian's" creator and executive producer, Jon Favreau to reveal it.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From IGN:   "The Rise of Skywalker" apparently has deleted scenes that explain how Palpatine is still alive.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From BleedingCool:  Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner (1984-2005) took to Twitter to criticize "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" and actress Daisy Ridley's performance in it.

THE MANDALORIAN - From MovieWeb:  Actress Gina Garano says that she fainted twice while filming the "Baby Yoda choke scene" during a recent episode of Disney+/Lucasfilm's "The Mandalorian."

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From VanityFair:   Director J.J. Abrams explained how he convinced Harrison Ford to come back and play "Han Solo" one more time in "The Rise of Skywalker."


--------------------------------

STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:   "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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Review: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Running time:  141 minutes (2 hours, 21 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action
DIRECTOR:  J.J. Abrams
WRITERS:  Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams; from a story by Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams and Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly (based on characters created by George Lucas)
PRODUCERS:  Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Michelle Rejwan
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dan Mindel
EDITORS:  Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube
COMPOSER:  John Williams

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE/DRAMA

Starring:  Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDiarmid, Naomi Ackie, Kelly Marie Tran, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Domhnall Gleeson, Billie Lourd, Dominic Monaghan, Warwick Davis, Denis Lawson, and Joonas Suotamo with Carrie Fisher (archive footage)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a 2019 science fiction, fantasy, and action film directed by J.J. Abrams.  It is the ninth movie in the Star Wars film franchise's “Skywalker Saga,” which began with the 1977 Oscar-winning film, Star Wars, created by George Lucas.  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is also a direct sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  In The Rise of Skywalker, the surviving Resistance fighters battles the First Order as the last of the Jedi faces the most powerful of the Dark Side.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker begins one year after the “Battle of Crait” (as seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi).  Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is now “Supreme Leader” of the First Order, and he is vexed by mysterious broadcasts that carry the voice of someone claiming to be “the Emperor.”  Determined to find this “phantom Emperor,” Kylo uses a Sith device called the “Wayfinder,” which leads him to a secret part of the galaxy and the planet, “Exegol.”

There, Kylo discovers a physically impaired Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Emperor of the late Galactic Empire, long thought to be dead.  Palpatine reveals that he has been manipulating things behind the scenes, including luring Kylo to the Dark Side.  He wants Kylo to find Rey (Daisy Ridley) and to bring her to him.

Meanwhile, on the world the “Resistance” calls its home, Rey continues her Jedi training under the tutelage of General Leia Organa (archive footage of the late Carrie Fisher).  Thanks to a mole/spy in the First Order, the Resistance has learned of Kylo Ren's discovery.  Now, Rey, Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), BB-8, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) leave on a mission to find a second Wayfinder, the one for which the late Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had once searched, one that will lead them to Exegol.

Rey, Finn, and Poe will need the help of old heroes, like Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), and new friends, like Jannah (Naomi Ackie), if they are going to stop the forces of the Dark Side.  Kylo and Palpatine are plotting something called “the Final Order,” which includes a secret armada of the most powerful “Star Destroyers” ever assembled.

Hopefully, I can keep this review from running on too long.  The reviews for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, both formal and commentary from social media, are decidedly mixed.  Some think The Rise of Skywalker is the worst Star Wars movie ever.  Others have called it mediocre or average.  Some don't like one half of it and like the other half.  Some think it is the best Star Wars movie (1) in the sequel trilogy, (2) since the original trilogy (3) or the best Star Wars movie ever.

I think Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the best Star Wars film since the end of the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983.  I like everything about The Rise of Skywalker.  The directing, the writing, the CGI and the science and technology, the cinematography, editing, film score, costume design, art direction and set decoration, and, of course the acting.

Co-writer-director J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio give us a satisfying resolution to the story arcs of both Rey and Kylo Ren.  Finn and Poe Dameron finally get quality screen time that allows the audience to see the best of their characters.  A number of actors who have appeared in Star Wars films over the last four decades-plus lend their voices to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.  Lando Calrissian finally returns, with Billy Dee Williams making a star turn in each of his scenes.  Their are wonderful new characters (Keri Russell's Zorri Bliss) and the delightful return of familiar characters.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker also offers the revival of old plots, and the film contains numerous references to important moments in previous films (including the execution of a feat of power displayed by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back).  Even the last shot of the movie references an important moment in the original Star Wars film.

I love Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker without reservation...  Well, maybe I think the movie is not long enough, because I could have watched another hour of it.  It is like a dark, but fantastic fairy tale, full of symbolism and magic.  So, you, dear reader, can take my sky-high recommendation with many proverbial grains of salt.  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is my favorite movie of the year.  It is a fine end to the “Skywalker Saga”... or it is a satisfying goodbye until we see Rey, Finn, Poe, and our favorite Star Wars characters next time.

10 of 10

2020  Academy Awards, USA:  3 nominations: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Score” (John Williams), “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, Dominic Tuohy, and Roger Guyett), and “Best Achievement in Sound Editing” (Matthew Wood and David Acord)

2020 BAFTA Awards 2020:  3 nominations: “Original Music” (John Williams), “Best Sound” (David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, and Matthew Wood) and “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, and Dominic Tuohy)

Friday, December 20, 2019

Edited Tuesday, March 17, 2020


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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A "Star Wars" Link-o-Rama 2019 by Negromancer - Update #79

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Posted by Leroy Doureseaux - on Patreon.

REVIEW - From Patreon:  My review of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

ROSE TICO - From BleedingCool:  Director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) wants to produce a Disney+ TV series featuring sequel trilogy character, "Rose Tico," played by Kelly Marie Tran.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Newsarama:  Jon Favreau has announced that a second season of "The Mandalorian" will debut Fall 2020.

STAR WARS - From Newsarama:  Elizabeth Howell explains the staying power of "Star Wars."

FUTURE - From THR:  "The Hollywood Reporter" has a readers' poll asking them what should be the subject of the next "Star Wars" film.  "Baby Yoda" is one of the choices.

THE CLONE WARS - From GamesRader:   How Star Wars: The Clone Wars shows what George Lucas’s prequel trilogy should have been

BABY YODA - From Newsarama:  Hasbro has revealed a new line of toys featuring "The Child" a.k.a. "Baby Yoda" from "The Mandalorian."  They are available for preorder and will arrive in March 2020.

COMICS - From StarWars:  Coming in March 2020 is a new ongoing "Star Wars" comic book series, "Star Wars: Bounty Hunters" from writer Ethan Sacks and artist Paolo Villanelli.

COMICS - From StarWars:  Writer Charles Soule and artist Will Sliney talk about their comic book miniseries, "Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren."

THE LAST JEDI - From IndieWire:  John Boyega ("Finn") did not agree with some of the choices made in "The Last Jedi."

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - From EW:  Episode V's co-screenwriter, Lawrence Kasdan, looks back on the film's most shocking moment... without a mention of Leigh Brackett, whom George Lucas once admitted was the one who suggested that Darth Vader be Luke Skywalker's father.

DISNEY+ - From StarWars:  Disney+ announces a new online TV game show, "Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge."  Star Wars actor, Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks), will host the show in which young contestants will test their abilities in "core Jedi principles."

LANDO CALRISSIAN - From YahooHuffpost:   Actor Billy Dee Williams a.k.a. "Lando Calrissian" describes himself as "gender fluid."

C-3PO - From YahooMovies:  Anthony Daniels talks about the good and the bad times playing iconic "Star Wars" droid, C-3PO, in his new book, "I Am C-3P0: The Inside Story."

THE MANDALORIAN - From MensHealth:  With the release of the third episode of Disney+'s "The Mandalorian," Deborah Chow becomes the first female director to helm a live-action "Star Wars" production - over 42 years after the release of the original "Star Wars" film.

FUTURE - From THR:  Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, reportedly already has a director lined up for a "Star Wars" film lined up for 2022.

GEORGE LUCAS - From YahooMovieUK:   Lucasfilm boss, Kathleen Kennedy says that George Lucas criticizes the current "Star Wars" films because he has a difficult time letting go.

BOBA FETT - From TheRinger:  "How Boba Fett Became a Star Wars Icon" by Jake Kring-Schreifels.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Esquire:  The twist ending of the first episode of "The Mandalorian" expands the mystery surrounding whatever alien species from which Yoda hails.

THE LAST JEDI - From IndieWire:  Director Rian Johnson, preparing for the release of his new film, "Knives Out," fires back at critics of the diverse casting in his film, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."

THE MANDALORIAN - From VanityFair:  Veteran actress, Ming-Na Wen, will play the assassin, "Fennec Shand," in The Mandalorian."

STAR WARS - From YahooHuffPost:   George Lucas told Mark Hamill that there is no underwear in space.

FUTURE - From Deadline:  David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the duo behind the Emmy-winning "Game of Thrones" have walked away from their much publicized deal to create a new "Star Wars" trilogy for Lucasfilm, which was to launch in 2022.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Writer Alyssa Wong and artist Marika Cresta will relaunch Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: Doctor Aphra" in April 2020.

CASSIAN ANDOR - From Variety:  Tony Gilroy, who wrote and directed the reshoots on "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," will write the pilot for Disney+'s "Rogue One" prequel that focuses on the character "Cassian Ando."  Gilroy will reportedly also direct multiple episodes of the series.

MOVIES - From YahooMovieUK:  Rian Johnson casts doubt on his planned original "Star Wars" trilogy.

MANGA - From Newsarama:  VIZ Media has acquired the publishing rights to "Star Wars: The Legends of Skywalker: The Manga.

COMICS-NOVELS - From SyfyWire:  At New York Comic Con 2019, new Star Wars novels (including the secret "Project Luminous") and comic books (including a new "Star Wars" series set after the events of "The Empire Strikes Back") are announced.

STAR WARS RESISTANCE - From TheWrap:  The executive producers of the Disney Channel's animated series, "Star Wars Resistance," say that the alien characters, Okra and Flix, are “absolutely a gay couple and we’re proud of that.”

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:   Debra Chow, who has directed episodes of "The Mandalorian," will be an executive producer on the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series for the Disney+ streaming service.

FUTURE - From Variety:  Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige, is reportedly developing a "Star Wars" film for Lucasfilm.

GEORGE LUCAS - From EW:  Disney CEO Bob Iger talks about "Star Wars" creator George Lucas feeling betrayed when Disney decided not to use his story ideas on "Star War: The Force Awakens."

COMICS - From AVClub:  Comic book writer Charles Soule is expecting angry reader comments over his upcoming Star Wars comic book,"The Rise of Kylo Ren."

COMICS - From StarWars:  Marvel Comics' ongoing "Star Wars" comic book will come to an end with "Star Wars #75 (November 2019) and the epilogue, "Star Wars: Empire Ascendant #1" (December 2019) .

JON FAVREAU - From Newsarama:  Jon Favreau, executive producer of "The Mandalorian," would like to do a new "Star Wars" holiday special for Disney+.  Many Star Wars fans remember the notorious "Star Wars Holiday Special" from 1978.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Deadline:  "Twilight" actress Julia Jones ("Leah Clearwater") is joining the cast of "The Mandalorian."  No other information is currently available.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YahooEntertainment:   Members of the cast of "The Mandalorian" get emotional when talking about being cast for the Disney+ "Star Wars" series.

FILM-TV - From EW:  A list of all the "Star Wars" TV shows and movies that are in the works.

THE MANDALORIAN - From Deadline:  Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian," has a trailer.

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:  It is official.  There will be an Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series on Disney+ with Ewan McGregor reprising the title role.  According to Lucasfilm boss, Kathleen Kennedy, all the scripts are written and the series will shot next year.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics' current ongoing "Star Wars" comic book series will end in November with issue #75.

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  The first trailer for Jon Favreau's Star Wars TV series, "The Mandalorian," will debut at Disney's D23 Expo, Friday, Aug. 23rd.  The series is scheduled to debut Nov. 12th on the streaming service, Disney+.

THE FORCE AWAKENS - From YahooLifestyle:  See an early design of Kylo Ren that is positively scary.

RIAN JOHNSON TRILOGY - From TheObserver:  Rian Johnson talks about the freedom of creating his new "Star Wars" trilogy without saying anything else about it.

OBI-WAN - From Deadline:  Ewan McGregor is in talks to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a series for Disney's streaming service, "Disney+.

BOOKS - From ComicBook:  A new book, "Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi" will explore the history of the Jedi as told by Luke Skywalker.  The book is due Nov. 19th, 2019.

COMICS - From CBR:  At Comic-Con 2019, Lucasfilm announces a new four-issue comic book that looks into the backstory of Kylo Ren.  Entitled "Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren," it will launch in December (via Marvel Comics) and will be written by Charles Soule.  No artist has been named.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Beginning with its Star Wars Adventures #27, IDW Publishing will offer an untold story set between "Return of the Jedi" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

CASSIAN ANDOR - From Syfy:  Diego Luna, who played "Cassian Andor" in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," says that the film left a very deep mark on him.  He also talks about the character's prequel series for Disney+

THE MANDALORIAN - From IndieWire:  Executive Producer Jon Favreau announces that a second season of "The Mandalorian" is already being written - ahead of the series' November 2019 debut on Disney+.

JAR JAR BINKS - From TampaBayTimes:  Why is Jar Jar Binks, the hero/goat of "The Phantom Menace," trending on Twitter?

MARK HAMILL - From ComicBook:  Mark Hamill has been parodied by MAD Magazine over the years for playing Luke Skywalker.  MAD will no longer contain new content in just a few months, so Hamill sends his salute.

FANS - From MosEisleySpaceport:  The site names the "50 best Star Wars blogs."

ROGUE ONE - From YahooNews:  Riz Ahmed talks about how an incident of airline profiling of Muslims forced him to cancel his appearance at Star Wars Celebration.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Writer Robbie Thompson talks to "Newsarama" about the upcoming miniseries, "Star Wars: Target Vader."

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Darth Vader to appear in Marvel Comics #1000.

MARK HAMILL - From TheRinger:  A look at Mark Hamill's (Luke Skywalker) career as a voice actor.

BILLY DEE WILLIAMS - From BleedingCool:  Billy Dee Willaims (Lando, of course) shares photos he took with some old Star Wars friends at the opening of the "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" theme park.

THEME PARKS - From Newsarama:   Harrison Ford made a surprise appearance at the opening ceremony of Disneyland's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge theme park area to activate the Millennium Falcon on display in the park with a dedication to late Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew. Ford joined Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, George Lucas, and Disney CEO Bob Iger.

FUTURE - From BuzzFeed:  There is apparently development on a movie based on "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" (the video game first released in 2003).  The current screenwriter is Laeta Kalogridis ("Avatar," "Shutter Island").

FANDOM - From YahooEntertainment:  This is an interesting article from writer Ethan Alter: "The Phantom Menace" at 20: How the first episode of the 'Star Wars' saga created toxic fandom.

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FUTURE - From Variety:  “Game of Thrones” creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are working on the “Star Wars” movie that’s due out in 2022, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed.

FUTURE - From Newsarama:  Disney has announced the schedule for three new Star Wars movies starting on December 16, 2022, with new films arriving December 20, 2024, and Dcember 18, 2026.

A NEW HOPE - From YahooEntertainment:  5 crazy but true fun facts about disco 'Star Wars' — your new May the Fourth soundtrack.  Remembering Meco’s #1 smash hit on the Billboard charts, “Star Wars/Cantina Band.”

LEGACY - From YahooEntertainment:  May the Fourth: How 'Star Wars' has changed fans' lives forever

OBIT - From THR:  Peter Mayhew, the actor who originated the role of Chewbacca, died Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at the age of 74

COMICS - From Newsarama:  The five-issue Marvel Comics' title, "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge," offers a peek at the new Disney theme park.

FUTURE - From ThePlaylist:  Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy says that there is some kind of development on a project in the fan-favorite "Knights of the Old Republic" series.

THE MANDALORIAN - From CinemaBlend:  What is known so far about the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian, from writer-director-executive producer, Jon Favreau.

THE FUTURE - From EW:  Rian Johnson and "Game of Thrones" showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, are "working in tandem" on their respective "Star Wars" film projects.

LEGO - From Newsarama:  LEGO is going classic Star Wars ("A New Hope") and is giving the Alderaanian diplomatic ship, the "Tantiv IV," its own set, which will be available May 3.

THE FUTURE - From Bloomberg:  Disney CEO Bob Iger says that the Star Wars film franchise is going on "hiatus" after the upcoming "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" - Episode IX.

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - From EW:  The secrets of "Star Wars Episode IX" revealed, including a teaser trailer and a title.

DISNEY+ - From Deadline:  The full "Star Wars" film franchise will be available on Disney's new streaming service within a year of its debut, which is November 12, 2019 ($6.99 a month).

DISNEY+ - From Newsarama:  Alan Tudyk will reprise his role as "Rogue One" role as the droid K-2SO in the "Cassian Andor" prequel series.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Big changes are coming for Marvel Comics' "Star Wars" line of comics, including the flagship "Star Wars."

RIAN JOHNSON - From ScreenRant:  Rian Johnson, the writer-director of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," says that he is still working on a new trilogy of "Star Wars" films, despite rumors to the contrary.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics is reviving its original "Star Wars" comic book for one special issue.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Dark Horse Comics will publish "The Art of Star Wars Rebels," a book about the late Disney XD series, "Star Wars Rebels."  Dark Horse previously held the license to produce "Star Wars" comic books before Marvel Comics regained the license.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics is launching a comic book, "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge," based on the Disneyland Resort and Disney World Resort of the same name.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics five-issue miniseries, "Star Wars: TIE Fighter," will show the other side of the "Rebellion era" beginning in April 2019.

COMICS - From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics' "Age of Rebellion" line of Star Wars comic books will include Jabba and Moff Tarkin comic books, among others.