Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures Cartoon Shorts Series Trailer (Updated)

Disney has announced a new cartoon series of shorts called "Galaxy of Adventures" that will start on Friday on the Star Wars Kids YouTube Channel. The new channel exists to help parents indoctrinate their very young children into the Star Wars universe by presenting major moments from the original trilogy in cartoon form. Seems like some weird line is being crossed but whatever. Disney is just thinking the younger they are, they more money they will get over their lifetime.


Update: The six episodes are available now:

Luke Skywalker - The Journey Begins
Darth Vader - Power of the Dark Side
Luke vs. the Wampa - Cavern Escape
R2-D2 - A Loyal Droid
Chewbacca - The Trusty Co-Pilot
Darth Vader - Might of the Empire

The Mandalorian Casts Its Lead

Pedro Pascal (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) has been cast as the lead in next years Star Wars: The Mandalorian TV series. The only real detail we have is the series takes place after Return of the Jedi, probably doesn't include Boba Fett, and will air on Disney+ streaming service. No details on the character he will be playing was provided. Here is the official synopsis for the show.

After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

A Second Star Wars TV Show Coming

Thursday Disney provided a few details on their upcoming streaming service called Disney+ that will condense all Disney owned things including Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and 20th Century Fox (once that deal goes through) to their portal and away from Netflix and the like. Called Disney+, the goal is a late 2019 launch with a slew of movie and TV shows from Disney's past and present. Part of the plan includes new TV shows that are exclusive to the streaming service from those all those various properties. On the Star Wars side The Mandalorian was already announced. Now add to that a Rogue One prequel.

Yep the prequel movie is getting its own prequel. It doesn't have a name but it will star Diego Luna who will reprise his character of Cassian Andor. The TV show will go into production next year and will cover his "formative years of the Rebellion and prior to the events of Rogue One."

“Going back to the Star Wars universe is very special for me,” Luna told StarWars.com in a story tied to Iger’s announcement. “I have so many memories of the great work we did together and the relationships I made throughout the journey. We have a fantastic adventure ahead of us, and this new exciting format will give us the chance to explore this character more deeply.”

Boba Fett Film Officially Dead

While this may seem obvious after reports of a Star Wars "slowdown" and work on The Mandalorian TV series, it has now been made official. The Boba Fett movie that had been in an on and off status for the last 3 plus years is now "100% dead". The movie was actually supposed to be released after Rogue One but director problems delayed it, moving the Solo film up to the slot. However that film didn't make the expected $1 billion box office causing Disney to over correct by essentially cancelling all movies that were not part of the core trilogy. Once the TV show was announced it was pretty clear that whatever pre-production work done on Boba Fett was re-used for the show (which I wouldn't be surprised includes Fett) making a movie redundant. As of now the known current plans for Star Wars is the Resistence cartoon series currently airing on Disney XD, next Chrismas' release of Episode IX, and The Mandalorian TV show for late 2019 on Disney's future streaming service. Nothing else official has really been revealed beyond rumors and possibilities.

First Image from The Mandalorian

Production for The Mandalorian has already begun as revealed yesterday with the first official image from the TV show. Along with the image, Disney revealed that the show will be 10 episodes long with different directors for each episode. Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels) will direct the first episode with other episode directors including Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard (Solemates), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).

The show is set at some point after The Return of the Jedi but before the rise of The First Order. In general, Mandalorians are a warrior culture that comes from the planet Mandalore that the Empire had conquered. Fan favorite Boba Fett was from Mandalore and generally most members of the culture tend to be bounty hunters, security and so forth so safe to assume with the armor look and design being an important part of the culture. Considering Dave Filoni used Rebels to expand the Mandorian background more then any other Star Wars creator, it makes sense for him to set up the character and his world for future episode director's to build on.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian Coming To TV Next Year

In a post on Instagram, Jon Favreau (director of Iron Man) revealed the title of the live action Star Wars series he has been working on for Disney's upcoming streaming service (maybe 2019 but more likely coming in 2020). As the image shows, the upcoming series will be set early in the 30 year span between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens with what sounds like a very western theme. Its earlier enough in the timeline the title could refer to Boba Fett and have him tell the story of how he survived being eaten in Jedi. Or not. There is so little canon story in the post-Jedi era that the only real limit is the show's budget.

Sneak Peek at Star Wars Resistance

Disney has released the below sneak peek at the new cartoon series Star Wars: Resistance that will premiere on Sunday, October 7 at 10pm ET/PT. The series is set during before Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a focus on the pilots that are fighting the First Order.

Disney Finally Confirms Star Wars "Slowdown"

Back in June after the commercial failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the rumor started that Disney was putting the spin-off films on hold and re-evaluating its yearly Star Wars release schedule. For some inexplicable reason, the company tried to spin the rumors using Episode IX as cover. Any case, Disney CEO Bob Iger finally more or less admitted the hold to The Hollywood Reporter.

“I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made — I take the blame — was a little too much, too fast. You can expect some slowdown, but that doesn’t mean we’re not gonna make films. J.J. [Abrams] is busy making [Episode] IX. We have creative entities, including [Game of Thrones creators David] Benioff and [D.B.] Weiss, who are developing sagas of their own, which we haven’t been specific about. And we are just at the point where we’re gonna start making decisions about what comes next after J.J.’s. But I think we’re gonna be a little bit more careful about volume and timing. And the buck stops here on that.”

The end result is the rumored Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett films are officially dead and probably Star Wars will move to an every other year schedule. Now personally I think its an over reaction on Disney's fault. One strike and your out for such a huge franchise is short-sighted and reeks of executive cowardice. They took a risk moving the film to an early Summer release schedule which was already thick with competition including their own Avengers: Infinity War film. They also "should" have known that not all the "Star Wars Story" films would be mega hits and been ok with anything at break even or above along as long as it didn't become a habit. Especially when considering the usually reliable Chinese box office has minimal interest in Star Wars. At the very least, another at bat was more then earned by Star Wars and an Episode number doesn't count towards that.

The yearly release IS sustainable, as long as its in the Christmas holiday release period. If anything I would argue that what Lucasfilm needs is its own equivalent of Marvel's Kevin Feige. Someone who is a huge fan of the source material, knows the source material inside and out, enjoys learning more about the source material and can collaborate with others to design a strong story and business reason for each movie while being flexible enough to let the stars and directors do what they need to do to tell a story.

The story of Kennedy is the definition of very very safe bets who takes as few chances as she can. She also has always come across as a CEO whose a fan of the business but not of the product it produces. Creative bets requires a mix of creativity AND business acumen. She has the business skill but never really demonstrated the other. I think people forget her entire career was working with various directors at the height of their power so her role wasn't to mold, say no to them, guide them, etc. but simply to take the necessary business steps and clear the necessary obstacles so they could execute their visions. They were the creatives, she was the business. With the promotion to Lucasfilm her role really for the first time became both and so she fell back on what she knew - safe bets every time. Shoot the few times she didn't take the safe bet on directors, she ended up firing them and going back to the safe bets whose depth of experience allowed her to return to the role she was most comfortable in - the business side. In my opinion, it would be in the best interest to replace Kathleen Kennedy, let her keep the business role she excels in and find someone else to handle the more creative side of the Star Wars universe that she doesn't seem to get or have an interest in.

First Trailer, Premiere Date for Star Wars: Resistance

Here is the first trailer for Star Wars: Resistance, the new cartoon series that will premiere Sunday, October 7 at 10pm ET/PT on the Disney Channel. The series will be set before Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Here is a synopsis of the first episode:

Poe and BB-8 assign newly-appointed spy Kaz to the Colossus, a massive aircraft re-fueling platform on an outer rim water planet, home to colorful new aliens, droids and creatures. While undercover, Kaz works as a mechanic and lives with Poe’s old friend Yeager, a veteran pilot who operates a starship repair shop run by his crew: Tam, Neeku and their old battered astromech droid, Bucket. Kaz soon finds himself in over his head with his new friend BB-8 as he’ll have to compete in dangerous sky races, keep his mission a secret from his newfound family, and avoid the danger of the First Order.

Fisher, Hamill Round Out Episode IX Cast

Wednesday begins principle photography of Star Wars: Episode IX to conclude the current trilogy of stories. Ahead of that Disney announced the cast of the film. The key surprise castings is Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa). The former didn't survive the end of the movie while the latter tragically died unexpectedly. While probable Luke will appear as a force ghost, the return of Leia is less obvious.

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” director J.J. Abrams said in announcing the news on StarWars.com. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie [Lourd], we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

The use of previous footage was also approved by her brother Todd with Hamill tweeting "It’s bittersweet facing my final chapter without her-She is simply irreplaceable. I’m finding solace in the fact that she won’t BE replaced & would love the worldwide outpouring of affection from those who loved her when they heard the news."

Joining the pair will be returning cast members Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Issac (Poe Dameron), Lupita Nyong'o (Maz Kanata), Domhall Gleeson (General Hux), Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO). New cast members (so far) are Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Naomi Ackie (role unknown), and Richard E Grant (role unknown).

Solo Home Video Release Date Set

Disney has announced the release date of Solo: A Star Wars Story for digital and Blu-ray along with the below trailer. The digital release is set for September 14 for around $20 or wait another two weeks for the Blu-ray and DVD release on September 25 and get a physical and digital copy for about the same price.

The special features are the usual behind the scenes/sales pitch with director, cast interviews, deleted scenes, and more but sadly no commentary track. Below is the details on the special features with the movie.

DIGITAL AND BLU-RAY BONUS MATERIAL (may vary by retailer):

Solo: The Director & Cast Roundtable – Sit down with director Ron Howard and the stars for an intimate and entertaining discussion of the film’s making.

Team Chewie – See what it takes to bring your favorite Wookiee to life in this lighthearted look behind the scenes.

Kasdan on Kasdan – Iconic Star Wars screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and son Jonathan share what it was like to write the movie’s script together.

Remaking the Millennium Falcon – Track the transformation of the most famous ship in the galaxy, from Lando’s swank and impeccable pride and joy to Han’s stripped-down hot-rod freighter with “special modifications.”

Escape from Corellia – Get behind the wheel for the making of this high-octane chase through the streets of Corellia.
solo-bluray

The Train Heist – Explore the challenges and thrills of creating this action-packed sequence, including its remote location and spectacular effects.

Becoming a Droid: L3-37 – Meet the newest droid—and the talented actor who helps bring her to life.

Scoundrels, Droids, Creatures and Cards: Welcome to Fort Ypso – Take an in-depth tour of the rough-and-tumble bar where strangers mix and gamblers risk all in the legendary card game, Sabaac.

Into the Maelstrom: The Kessel Run – Join Han and Chewie at the controls of the Millennium Falcon to see how this legendary moment in Star Wars history unfolds.

Deleted Scenes
Proxima’s Den
Corellian Foot Chase
Han Solo: Imperial Cadet
The Battle of Mimban: Extended
Han Versus Chewie: Extended
Snowball Fight!
Meet Dryden: Extended
Coaxium Double-Cross

The Millenium Falcon: From Page to Park – An exclusive look at the history of the most famous ship in the galaxy, its origin and development, and how it will translate in one of the most anticipated expansions in Disneyland’s history.

Original Lando Returns to Star Wars

We might have had a new Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story but the original isn't done with the character. Billy Dee Williams has signed on for Episode IX to reprise the role of Lando Calrissian. He is essentially the last original trilogy human character standing. Details on the role or really anything about Episode XI remains on lock down. We know the movie will exist for a December 20, 2019 release date and that's about it.

Disney Spins Star War Films Hold

A recent report indicated that the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story was leading Disney to decide to put a hold on future spin-off films (with possible exception of the Boba Fett film). In source was an unnamed insider which has now been countered by other unnamed insiders saying this isn't true but really the comments seem to actually back up Collider's reporting rather then deny it.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

"They haven’t slowed down development," says a source with knowledge of Lucasfilm’s thinking, "but they are licking their wounds."

"It doesn’t mean those spinoffs don't happen," says another insider of Solo's underperformance globally. "It just means they’re trying to figure out how to make, and market, them differently."

But there's a catch with Boba Fett. Sources say that after the underperformance of Solo, the project could now be reconfigured. The thinking is that if Han Solo, one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars universe, couldn’t sustain a big-budget origin feature, then any Fett movie would have to be scaled down, since though the character is popular, he’s certainly less well-known to most moviegoers than the Corellian smuggler.

The status of the Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff is even less clear. Stephen Daldry had been in negotiations to direct, but both the studio and his agency, CAA, had no comment on the current state of the project.

From ABC News:

Lucasfilm sources on Thursday characterized as "inaccurate" a report that future "Star Wars" movies falling outside of the regular trilogy storyline (Episodes I to IX) have been put on hold in the wake of the box office under-performance of "Solo: A Star Wars Story."

Instead, Lucasfilm told ABC News there are still "multiple" Star Wars films currently in development that have not been officially announced. Those projects are moving forward separate from an already-announced "Star Wars" trilogy being overseen by "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson and another series of movies from "Game of Thrones" producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

So basically Collider was accurate. One spin-off film (Boba Fett) may move forward and no movement on any other spin-offs. I suspect Disney's plan is to do a cheaper budgeted Boba Fett film, see how it does and then decide if they will do other spin-off films based on how it does combined with how far in development they are on the Rian Johnson's trilogy and the Benioff/Weiss film. A reasonable plan, not entirely sure why they just state that.

Disney Putting Star Wars Anthology Films on Hold?

It seems the relatively lackluster performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story might be making Disney gun shy about continuing to release a Star Wars film every year. Collider is reporting that unnamed sources within Disney owned Lucasfilm are " put plans for more A Star Wars Story spinoff movies on hold, instead opting to focus their attention on Star Wars: Episode IX and what the next trilogy of Star Wars films will be after that film." Disney has not confirmed this report.

If true, its a bit of a sudden turnaround considering they just hired James Mangold (Logan) to write and direct a Boba Fett film. Or alternatively that film is the last hurrah to maintain a "trilogy" feel for the spin off films. The possible decision is in light of Solo's weak $343.4M world wide box office result which means the film might break even at best. However, Disney is really comparing it to over $1 billion the previous 3 films have made.

If true, its seems like an over reaction. Solo didn't do well because it was an average film that came out during a highly competitive box office window against Disney's own Avengers: Infinity War, Rampage, A Quiet Place, Deadpool 2 and a host of others. Its a level of competition that the three previous films avoided with their holiday release dates that have the fraction of of tent pool releases and the rest are mostly Oscar bait releases that are not remotely competitive for box office dollars compared to Star Wars. In short, Disney can afford to verify if Solo was an outlier which is what the Boba Fett film, if moves forward, could do.

In the meantime, the Star Wars fun will definitely continue. Star Wars Episode IX is still on track for a December 2019 release. Rian Johnson remains in charge of the potential next trilogy of films that will follow for the 2020's and Jon Favreau is working on a live-action TV show. Later this year the next cartoon series Star Wars Resistence is expected to premiere.

Boba Fett Movie Officially In Works

Fett: A Story Wars Story (or whatever the title becomes) will be the next non-"Episode" film in the Star Wars saga according to THR. Logan director James Mangold direct and co-write the film with Simon Kinberg (The Martian). Boba Fett was a minor bounty hunter accidentally killed by a blind Han Solo in Return of the Jedi.

However, thanks mostly to the now jettisoned Extended Universe, he survived the experience and enjoyed a long and storied character history in the franchise via books, comics, and video games that turned him into one of the most popular Star Wars characters. Popular enough that he was written into Attack of the Clones and revealed to be a clone of bounty hunter Jango Fett, just like all the clones used by the Empire to seize power and execute "Order 66" that destroyed the Jedi. The only "difference" between Boba and those clones is he was allowed to age naturally.

As a result of all this, the setting of the film can go anywhere between the end of Attack of the Clones to around The Force Awakens. I suspect that like Solo and Rogue One, they will probably set it before A New Hope to show Fett earning his bounty hunter reputation with and end showing him accepting the contract to capture Han Solo for Jabba the Hutt. No release date or other details revealed but a writer and director means they are likely aiming for December 2020 to stay on their every other year schedule for these standalone films.

Reviews for Solo: A Star Wars Story Positive

The reviews for Solo: A Star Wars Story are starting to come in ahead of its May 25 release date. Overall they are positive with a current 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. The general consensus is it is safe, Star Wars-ish movie that entertains with strong performances by all the actors involved with many noting Alden Ehrenreich's performance (Han Solo). The main complaint seems to be the lack of an engaging story that instead relies on Star Wars things, mentions and the characters themselves. Below are a few highlights.

Collider grade: C

This fear or unwillingness to branch out of these archetypes and try new things renders Solo oddly joyless. It’s a movie that throws a ton of special effects at the screen, but no one really seems to be enjoying themselves or taking stock of their situation. It’s to Howard’s discredit that he could make a movie firmly in the mold of an action-adventure and it rarely feels adventurous. ...For Howard’s part, his greatest concern seems to being making sure everyone hits their mark and says their lines. It’s the bare minimum of direction as the score does the heavy lifting rather than injecting an actual personality into this movie.

USA Today grade: 3/4 stars

Ehrenreich does the character justice, mainly because he’s a different Han than previously seen. This guy’s all wide-eyed gumption and smirking confidence — not the cynic who gets a crash course in the Force later in life. Lawrence Kasdan penned the screenplays for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi back in the day, so his co-writing Solo with son Jonathan — and having a masterful handle on Han’s voice — is half the battle.

AV Club grade: B

the action sequences, including a sci-fi train robbery and a smash-and-grab infiltration, unfold with the efficient professionalism often associated with director Ron Howard. ...Ehrenreich makes a fine, if not exactly revelatory, young Han. His best moments are comic, imitating some Harrison Ford mannerisms (the stance, the pointing) with a cocksure goofiness; he might have been a more distinctly funny take on the character for other filmmakers. ...This is a fannish, sometimes overstuffed undertaking, but it’s so full of Star Wars-y details, like the alien head floating in a jar singing backup at a villain-packed club, that it’s hard to begrudge it a certain inconsequentiality.

Entertainment Weekly grade: B

...Speaking of Glover, it’s no spoiler to say that the Atlanta star is easily the best thing in this good-not-great movie. More than any big action set piece or narrative double cross (and there are plenty of them thanks to a smooth crime boss played by Paul Bettany), it’s Glover’s mack-daddy, Colt 45 swagger as the rakish gambler formerly played by Billy Dee Williams that will be the thing you’ll be buzzing about after the lights come up. ...It’s all fun and rollicking enough until you walk out of the theater into the daylight and realize just how trivial and insignificant it all really is. What you’re really left with, apart from a yearning for the young Ford at his most cavalier, is a slightly fuller and more rounded understanding of who Han Solo is – where he came from, what makes him tick, and how he’d much prefer to shower alone than with a Wookiee. In other words, it’s pure fan service. And if that’s what you’re after, then you’ll be more than satisfied.

io9.com

Filled with excellent action and a lot of emotion, Solo: A Star Wars Story is going to surprise a lot of people. Despite its troubled production, it’s ended up being incredibly fun and funny, with great characters, performances, and a huge range of Star Wars references to delight fans and non-fans alike. ...The whole film hinges on Ehrenreich’s portrayal of a younger, still-developing version of the legendary character, and I’m happy to report he nails it. Solo has flaws. But those flaws pale in comparison to the rest of it. This may not be your favorite Star Wars movie, and it definitely won’t change what you think Star Wars can be. It will, however, remind you of everything you love about it and, hopefully, have you grinning like Han the first time he jumps to hyperspace.

Harrison Ford and Two More TV Spots for Solo

Harrison Ford shows up for an interview along with two more TV spots for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Solo: New Posters, TV Spot and Clips

The advertising for Solo: A Star Wars Story continues as it nears its May 25 release date. Here is the new poster, tv spot and clips.

Two TV Spots and Clip from Solo

Here are two new TV spots and a clip for Solo: A Star Wars Story which hits theaters on May 25th.

Star Wars' Arrested Development Treatment and Falcon Tour

Few new videos to promote the May 25 release of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The first is Ron Howard doing his voice over magic on an Arrested Development style montage of A New Hope. The second video is a quick tour of the Millennium Falcon while the last is a new TV spot.

New Solo Featurette and TV Spot

Solo: A Star Wars Story is now less then a month away from release on May 25. Below is a new featurette called "Becoming Solo" and TV spot for the film.

New Star Wars Cartoon Series Announced

The next cartoon series of the Star Wars saga has been revealed today by Disney. It is called "Star Wars Resistance" and looks like it will take place before Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The animated series will focus on "Kazuda Xiono, a young pilot recruited by the Resistance whose mission is to spy on the growing threat of the First Order" with Oscar Issac (Poe Dameron) and Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma) voicing their characters. BB-8 and other new character will be part of the series.

"The idea for Star Wars Resistance came out of my interest in World War II aircraft and fighter pilots," [Lucasfilm Animation veteran Dave] Filoni said. "My grandfather was a pilot and my uncle flew and restored planes, so that's been a big influence on me. There's a long history of high-speed racing in Star Wars, and I think we've captured that sense of excitement in an anime-inspired style, which is something the entire team has been wanting to do for a long time."

The voice cast features Christopher Sean (Days of Our Lives), Suzie McGrath (East Enders), Scott Lawrence (Legion), Myrna Velasco (Elena of Avalor), Josh Brener (Silicon Valley), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Bobby Moynihan (DuckTales), Jim Rash (Community) and Rachel Butera (Tammy's Tiny Tea Time).

No premiere date has been set except that it will be sometime in the Fall 2018 on Disney XD.

Solo: Completes Production, New Poster

As of Monday, Solo: A Star Wars Story is officially in the can and ready to go as director Ron Howard tweeted the film has completed post-production:

“That’s a wrap on post production! #Solo @HanSoloStory #SkywalkerRanch Wow. What a movie-making adventure it’s been! Thanks to a terrific cast & extraordinary folks behind the camera as well. You’ve worked so hard to fully realize this cool story. Hope fans have a blast! #May25”

In addition, a new poster has been released while Solo writer Lawrence Kasdan describes the film as a love as story:

“It’s a love story. Obviously, they don’t automatically trust each other and become friends. But that’s all the meat of a good story. To me, this is a love story between Han and Chewie. Their relationship has always been my favorite part of the saga, and the fact that only Han understands what Chewie is saying, I find a very funny possibility for comedy … Wookiees have so many positive qualities. But what they don’t do is make it easy for you to get in.”

Solo: A Star Wars Story Risk TV Spot

New TV spot for the upcoming Solo Star Wars movie which hits theaters on May 25.

New Solo: Star Wars Story Trailer and Poster

Tonight Disney has released a new trailer and poster for Solo: A Star Wars Story that acts as more or less an origin story for Han Solo.

Honest Trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Below is the honest trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi that takes both to "greatest" and "worst" Star Wars movie perspective.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Novelization Reveals New Story Tidbits

If seen the movie and ok with spoilers, io9.com has broken down some of the additional story points from Star Wars: The Last Jedi that didn't make it into the movie. Points that are in canon too. The story beats include a look at an alternative life for Luke, Han's funeral, details on the Leia, more details on the Force, Rey and Kylo's connection and a bit more. If don't mind the spoilers you can read the details here.

The Last Jedi Solves Space Combat

Below is an interesting video that breaks apart some of the space fight sequences of Star Wars: The Last Jedi that explains and uses some of the space combat rules that was established in the previous movies that we may not have been entirely aware of.

Score Only Version of The Last Jedi Available

Right now you can buy a digital copy of Star Wars: The Last Jedi or wait until March 27 and buy the Blu-ray with Digital Copy for the same price. It turns out if you have a Movies Anywhere account and linked to whichever service you prefer (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, etc.) then it will come with a bonus feature. Via Movies Anywhere you will get access to a score only version of the movie with all the worlds and sound effects removed. A score only version of a film is really rare but welcome and worth trying if only for a few chapters. After all it is the iconic music of John Williams.

This is the full movie, but with no dialogue, fx or backgrounds... just John's score. I really wanted to put this out, it's really something to see John's music play with the movie, like a silent film.
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) March 13, 2018

BTS Of The Visual Effects of Snoke and Battle of Crait from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Here are two more videos that provide a behind the scenes look at the Oscar nominee visual effects for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The first vid is a look at the elements that created the Battle of Crait and the second is the creation of Supreme Leader Snoke. Thanks once again to Feris O. for the links.

Two Behinds the Scenes Videos of the VFX for The Last Jedi

Below are two quick videos that give you a behind the scenes peak at the Oscar nominated visual effects of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The first one virtually builds the set used for the climatic battle on The First Order's massive ship hangar while the second builds a moment from the bombing run that opened the film. Thanks to Feris O. for the links.

Abrams: Episode IX Script Ready, Filming Begins This Summer

In an interview on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Star Wars Episode IX director JJ Abrams provided an update on the movie.

“We have a script, which is a big deal for me. It starts shooting end of July … Sometimes having the script in advance is something I haven’t always been lucky enough to have … But I’m writing this with Chris Terrio, who’s a genius, and I’m having a great time.”

The script is written with Abrams, Derek Connolly, Chris Terrio, and Colin Trevorrow while aiming for a December 20, 2019 release date.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Home Video Details

Disney has announced the details (with video below) for the home video release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. As is now the norm, the digital copy will get an "early" release on March 13th while the physical copies (with their own digital codes) will come out on March 27. The special features include writer-director commentary, around 14 deleted scenes, and lots of behind the scenes footage.

• The Director and the Jedi – Go deep behind the scenes with writer-director Rian Johnson on an intimate and personal journey through the production of the movie—and experience what it’s like to helm a global franchise and cultural phenomenon.
• Balance of the Force – Explore the mythology of the Force and why Rian Johnson chose to interpret its role in such a unique way.
• Scene Breakdowns
   - Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle – Get a close-up look at the epic space battle, from the sounds that help propel the action, through the practical and visual effects, to the characters who bring it all to life.
   - Snoke and Mirrors – Motion capture and Star Wars collide as the filmmakers take us through the detailed process of creating the movie’s malevolent master villain.
   - Showdown on Crait – Break down everything that went into creating the stunning world seen in the movie’s final confrontation, including the interplay between real-world locations and visual effects, reimagining the walkers, designing the crystal foxes, and much more.
• Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) – Writer-director Rian Johnson presents two exclusive sequences from the movie featuring Andy Serkis’ riveting, raw on-set performance before his digital makeover into Snoke.
• Deleted Scenes – With an introduction and optional commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.
• Audio Commentary – View the movie with in-depth feature audio commentary by writer-director Rian Johnson.

How Star Wars The Last Jedi Should Have Ended

Below is the latest offering from the HISHE gang that provides amusing take on the latest Star Wars offering that includes a pretty solid ending.

Game of Thrones Team To Create New Star Wars Films

The creators of Game of Thrones, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, have signed up to write and produce a new series of Star Wars film. The films are separate from Skywalker films that are expected to end with Episode XI and from the new trilogy of films that The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is expected to write and direct. No number was specified for what "series of films" means but safe to assume it starts with the number three.

“David and Dan are some of the best storytellers working today,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “Their command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push Star Wars in ways I find incredibly exciting.”

“In the summer of 1977 we traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and we’ve been dreaming of it ever since,” Benioff and Weiss said in a joint statement. “We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of Game of Thrones is complete.”

This is all that was released - that you can count on two sets of Star Wars films to come out at some point in the future from critically acclaimed creators but with no details on story, release plan, or other details. I suspect this is will replace the "A Star Wars Story" set of films while Rian's films will replace the Skywalker trilogy so that Disney can continue with a new Star Wars movie every year while not leaning on the now essentially over Skywalker sage (since spoilers, the Skywalker line is essentially dead).

First Teaser Trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story

While last night was just a brief TV spot, this is the real teaser trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story that shows off the main characters but not much else.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Super Bowl TV Spot

While the trailer is expected this morning, for now enjoy this teaser from the Super Bowl for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

16-Bit Luke Skywalker vs Kylo Ren from The Last Jedi

Significant spoiler warning for those that have not seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Below is a re-creation of the near end of the movie in Super NES graphics and it does get that portion of the movie, including dialogue, with a high degree of accuracy. If seen the movie, will likely really enjoy this "remake".

The Last Jedi Passes $1 Billion Box Office

With each movie that comes out, Disney's $4 Billion purchase of Lucasfilm is starting to look like a bargain basement deal. The fourth film of the franchise in the Disney era has crossed the $1 Billion global box office in only a few weeks, on paper paying for the cost of the deal in box office dollars alone. The movie crossed the mark with third number one weekend in a row and will easily become the top movie of 2017 by the end of next week. The current breakdown is $533M in the US and $523.3 everywhere else and will be interesting to see how that ratio is maintained by the end of its run. Nowadays the typical successful tentpole movie is more like 30% US, 70% international so this 50/50 split is a rarity.