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  • SWCA: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ Takes Place in the Same Year as ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi

    SWCA: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ Takes Place in the Same Year as ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi

    Star Wars Celebration has given us a lot of teases of what’s to come for the franchise in television and books. Now, we also got a first look at Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The title has been teased for some time, as it leaked earlier in May, but we even got a trailer that confirms a 2023 release for the new entry. While we don’t get a good look at the game’s updated gameplay, a tease of whatever the hell the story is going to be, the official press release offers more insight.

    Turns out, the game takes place five years after the original, which places it in the year 9BBY. The reason that is significant is that it’s the exact same year that the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place. Not only does it open the floodgates on Cal Kestus showing up in the series, but also confirms that the teased villain is very likely now who we think it is. Respawn’s Stig Asmussen also offers some insight into how they approached the story and why it got the subtitle Survivor.

    That’s the purpose in the tone of it, is to leave the player with a lot of questions but they’re very intrigued. The game is all about survival. That’s why it’s called Jedi: Survivor. They are in dark times, and Cal and the crew are doing whatever it takes to stay alive. That might mean that they are making connections with people that, in other times, might be considered unsavory. Some of that is portrayed in the trailer, and again, I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s definitely a sense of… I don’t want to spoil anything, sorry! [Laughs.]Stig Asmussen

    Speaking of how the timeline confirms the absence of a character. We see a member of the alien race known as Pau’an. Most might remember the character due to the character’s appearance in the animated series in the form of the Grand Inquisitor. He also just recently appeared in the live-action Obi-Wan Kenobi series where he is played by Rupert Friend. As it takes place around the same time, that means the one we meet in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is likely a new Pau’an, as he also lacks the iconic markings.

    The trailer is quite promising, especially how it gives us a tease of a story that seems quite disconnected from the events of the first. Most of the supporting cast is oddly absent in the trailer, but with that title, it makes sense they want to keep us guessing on what exactly is heading our way.

    Source: Star Wars, Business Wire

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ VFX Team Worked on a 40-Second Scene for Over a Year

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ VFX Team Worked on a 40-Second Scene for Over a Year

    There are always highly discussed takes on how Marvel Studios handles its VFX and CG work on their films. While some point out aspects that seemingly stick out for some, there’s a lot of work that goes into these projects over the many years of production. In an interview with Variety, VFX artist Alexis Wajsbrot (Framestore VFX) offered some insight into just how long they worked on the various sequences of the film.

    He worked on the iconic 40-second travel through the multiverse, which even included Doctor Strange and America Chavez turning into paint. Wajsbrot started working on the moment back in September of 2020. As such, he worked on the sequence for almost an entire year and a half before it released in theaters.

    Fellow VFX artists Olivier Dumont and Michael Perdew from Luma Pictures worked for several months on the film’s iconic Gargantos sequence. The MCU’s version of Shuma-Gorath was quite a special challenge to tackle as his unique anatomy adds a equally unique challenge.

    When you animate a human and you have two legs, it’s easy. But, when you have eight legs to animate, it’s a challenge. And then you have to animate that in the middle of a street that is very busy with a lot of things that it’s going to interact with. So it’s like, how far do you go in terms of work.

    Olivier Dumont

    They worked on this sequence for six to eight months to bring the creature to life. Perdew highlights that “time is the single most important thing” alongside “having. really clean and clear path.” It looks like they certainly got a lot of time to work on aspects of these sequences, and they also highlight how they had a say in what they would include, as well as received some active feedback and ideas from Kevin Feige.

    Source: Variety

  • SWCA: ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume Was First Used on 2018’s ‘Solo’

    SWCA: ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume Was First Used on 2018’s ‘Solo’

    The Mandalorian was a landmark project that pushed the technology known as The Volume. Instead of using a green screen, they create digital assets put on actual LED screens surrounding the actors and their performance. Since its first use, the technology has evolved quite a bit and even became a staple for big-budget films like The Batman and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. Yet, it turns out that the initial version of the technology has its origin back in 2018, as it was used in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

    Our very own Hunter Radesi has shared some insights from a press conference with Ron Howard during the Star Wars Celebration event. There, the director revealed that the technology that would eventually become one of The Mandalorian‘s hallmarks was briefly used in that film. The only difference was that they didn’T use it for a 360° shot but rather just in the Millenium Falcon’s cockpit.

    It seems that they wanted the actors to experience what it was like going into hyperspace while sitting in the cockpit, which was the first use of the Volume within the Star Wars franchise. It definitely is an interesting surprise and it’s crazy to think just how far the technology has come since those days. It’ll also be interesting to see what the future has in store for it as it continues to evolve and potentially become an essential tool for modern filmmaking.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ VFX Artist Confirms Savage Land Easter Egg

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ VFX Artist Confirms Savage Land Easter Egg

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness kept its word by exploring the multiverse, surprisingly, it held back quite a bit. The main story mainly focused on two dimensions, but we still got a short little romp through the multiverse after Strange catches up with America Chavez. we got a lot of teases of dimensions that we can only speculate on what exactly they mean. Luckily, VFX artist Alexis Wajsbrot of Framestore VFX offered an insight.

    In the interview with Variety, he not only confirms that Kevin Feige actively supported the VFX teams in creating the different dimensions, which they were given complete freedom to explore whatever they could think of. As they pitched their ideas, it turn out that the Marvel Studios CEO was the one that had the idea to include the Savage Lands, the brief second when we see the dinosaur in the multiverse travel.

    One was an Incan statue world, which ended up in the movie because Kevin Feige thought, ‘Well, that could be a great world to put the Living Tribunal in.’ So that world became the Living Tribunal world. We proposed a jungle and Kevin Feige said, ‘Well, it could be cool if it was Savage World.’ It’s a world that exists in the Marvel Universe, so we had to add dinosaurs.  We had to model and texture and render and animate dinosaurs for two seconds, which is extremely not cost-efficient.

    Alexis Wajsbrot

    It definitely was something that comic fans were excited to see, especially as many were wondering when we might actually see it get added at some point to the MCU. It’s been quite the experience to see the many Easter eggs that were included and who knows if we may get a chance to revisit them in a future entry.

    Source: Variety

  • Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Gets Tentative Release Date

    Taika Waititi’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Gets Tentative Release Date

    As the Star Wars franchise has focused very heavily on the side of streaming with a slew of shows for Disney+, questions have been raised about what’s in store for future theatrical releases for the franchise. Some were under the impression that news about this would be revealed during the Star Wars Celebration panel, but the focus remained solely on upcoming shows. However, fans now have some indication for what Lucasfilm has planned for Star Wars films. 

    In an interview with Total Film, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed that the upcoming Taika Waititi-directed film is currently slated to be the next theatrical release for the Star Wars franchise. Lucasfilm is aiming to have the film released in late 2023, but Kennedy made note that nothing was officially locked in during the interview. This marks a change in plans for the Star Wars film slate as the Patty Jenkins-directed Rogue Squadron film was originally slated to release for December 22, 2023. However, the film has been moved to the back burner for some time as the script continues to be written. With all this in mind, fans should still bookmark that date as the potential release for the Waititi film as it moves up the release order slate.

    Taika Waititi currently has Thor: Love and Thunder with Marvel Studios slated to release on July 8, 2023. Beyond that, the popular director should have ample time in 2022 to focus on a potential production for this developing film. There will be many exciting questions to be answered about the nature of this film that will hopefully be revealed in the coming months as we move towards a return of Star Wars to the big screen.

    Source: Total Film

  • The Morning After Huddle: May 27, 2022

    The Morning After Huddle: May 27, 2022

    Welcome to the Friday edition of your favorite source for NFL news, The Morning After Huddle. The Lamar Jackson mystery continues and if the Ravens were a meme right now, they would be the one where the dog is sitting in a house on fire saying ”this is fine.”

    Here’s what you need to know:

    • Lamar Jackson’s long-term status with the Ravens remains a mystery. He won’t engage the team on a contract, even though they are ready to give him a major new deal. He insists that he doesn’t want to leave, but he’s not acting like he wants to stay. Yesterday, the team signed former Colts backup QB Brett Hundley as Jackson has been notably absent from OTA’s.
    • The “Forgotten Four” of Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny Washington and Bill Willis, a quartet of Black football players broke down the race barrier in professional football, have been selected to share the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Ralph Hay Pioneer Award during enshrinement week.
    • Key Signings Roundup: The Falcons signed former Titans RB Jeremy McNichols. The fourth-year veteran’s a player who coach Arthur Smith knows well from their time working together in Tennessee.

    That’s it for today’s huddle! As always, grab your coffee and join us for your weekend edition of The Huddle tomorrow.

    ICYMI: Thursday – May 26, 2022 Edition

  • REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 1 & Part 2

    REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 1 & Part 2

    After a long wait, Obi-Wan Kenobi has finally arrived on Disney+. Deborah Chow takes a look back at the era that connects the events between the Prequel and Original Star Wars trilogies. Ewan McGregor returns to the role of Kenobi, who has gone into hiding keeping a close eye on Luke Skywalker and living with the regret of what transpired during Order 66. We meet a very different man than the one that heroically leaped into action all those years ago, as he’s also faced with quite a different kind of challenge as he soon finds the Inquisitor hot on his heel.

    The review will include spoilers. If you haven’t watched the episode yet, take this as a spoiler warning and only continue at your own risk.

    With the premiere of the Disney+ series, we get not one but two episodes. Obi-Wan Kenobi picks up quite a few years after Order 66, which is given a brief recap early in the episode. We see a group of younglings escape with their teacher before they are surrounded by the Clone Troopers. It’s a smart way to just showcase the regret that Kenobi lives with as we also get a few flashbacks to the previous films that highlight the inner turmoil he is going through. It was his former Padawan that unleashed the events of that night and he made it his responsibility that his children would not repeat the same mistake.

    Many of us speculated that something was going to drag the Jedi out of hiding, but I am surprised by the direction they took it. At first, I believed it was the Inquisitors lucking out in stumbling upon a Jedi in need, which forces him to come out of hiding but they swiftly get rid of that idea in the series’ first episode. We spend quite a bit of time with his daily routine and even see the conflict when another Jedi pleads for his help only for him to push him away. He’s given up on everything and you can really feel the way he’s just lost faith in the Force. A lot of the series’ conflict is carried by McGregor‘s performance which is definitely a standout so far.

    What truly caught me by surprise is that it’s not Luke that drags him back into the fold but rather Leia Organa. We get to spend some time on Alderaan, which is a novelty given its eventual fate, and actually see her life for a bit. It plays as a nice contrast to Luke’s as they both share similar traits from their parents; especially their love for what’s beyond their humble homes. It also finally fills in the blank on why Leia knew who Obi-wan was in A New Hope, as well as highlights their relationship that was mostly implied in the original. All it took for them to build a bond was one trip into the forest too many for a group of thugs to kidnap her, which turns out to be a trap by the new Inquisitor Reva (Moses Ingram).

    Speaking of, Reva is an interesting character that is swiftly hinted at having a personal vendetta against Kenobi. Perhaps something even connected to the earlier flashback to Order 66. While later hints may suggest it is more due to Darth Vader seeking him out, it makes her stand out from the rest. Sung Kang’s Fifth Brother is seemingly being built up as someone she’ll have quite a few confrontations with, but the biggest surprise came in the handling of the Grand Inquisitor.

    Rupert Friend gave a great performance but the fact he was taken care of in the second episode is rather surprising. It does feel like a “gotcha” moment for fans that may lead to some mixed reactions from those hoping to see more of the character in this season. Though, they may still keep that window open but it does feel like a way to take him out of this story to not overshadow the newly introduced Reva.

    He had his time to shine in the animated series, but it still seemed like a bit of a wasted opportunity to not show this tug of war between him and Reva. Inquisitor feeling betrayed that she was given a direct command by Vader could’ve made for some interesting drama but it still was a surprising twist that’ll keep even long-time watchers on their toes. She’s definitely turning into quite the threat though she could reduce her backflips by one or two when chasing someone down to save on time.

    Chow has made reference that the series was the Star Wars equivalent of Logan, and the second episode highlights that very direction. Most of this series will seemingly explore Obi-Wan’s relationship with Leia, as they try to flee Reva and the other Inquisitors. Her interactions with him and the distrust made for an interesting arc, as it also forced Obi-Wan to finally use the force again. While he still seems a bit lost, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him find some faith once again, which he’ll carry over to Luke when the time is right.

    Kumail Nanjiani has a surprising amount to do as Haja Estree, and was a stand-out in the second episode. The idea of him using magnets to fake being a Jedi was a cute idea, and while I wished he was fleshed out more, him helping Obi-Wan and Leia was a sweet moment. Especially when he pretends to be some famous Jedi only for Reva to kind of shove him to the side. It did feel like he was more of a plot device to bring these two together, but he definitely had a great time playing the character.

    Though the best supporting cast is the brief return of Joel Edgerton as Uncle Owen. I expected we’d see more of him but even with a limited time we get a very strong characterization and see just how much he cares about Luke. Even if we spend little time with him, he does a lot with just emoting and staring daggers at Obi-Wan whenever he could, which added a lot to the growing feud between them.

    We’re two episodes in and it’s already promising a fun adventure. McGregor carries the show and you can see he’s putting in all his heart to bring this character back to life. The Clone Trooper cameo alone of Temuera Morrison actually hit harder than I expected, and there’s a lot of heart that makes this limited series stand out. The ending reveals of the second episode cemented the eventual clash between Obi-Wan and Vader, which will definitely be quite the build-up and hopefully give us that same feeling it did when we first witnessed it back in Revenge of the Sith. So far, Obi-Wan Kenobi feels like the tightest written of the Star Wars Disney+ series and may offer us the most emotional-driven story yet.

  • ‘Hollywood Stargirl’ Originally Wasn’t Going to Take Place in Los Angeles

    ‘Hollywood Stargirl’ Originally Wasn’t Going to Take Place in Los Angeles

    The title might have you confused as the film is literally called Hollywood Stargirl, yet it turns out that the film wasn’t originally going to film in Los Angeles. The first entry, simply titled Stargirl, explored the valleys and deserty-location of Arizona. Yet, while the sequel ended up bringing the character to Los Angeles, director Julia Hart had other plans for the film.

    In the film’s official press event, the director talked about how they originally were going to film somewhere else but the pandemic ended up changing their plans quite dramatically. Sadly, she doesn’t reveal where the original location was going to be, but it looks like being stuck at home definitely inspired a new direction for the sequel.

    It’s funny, originally we were gonna set it somewhere else and then the pandemic happened. And my husband and co-writer, Jordan Horowitz, and I was gonna go on a trip and go to where we originally were gonna set the movie. And then the pandemic happened and so we were here.

    Julia Hart

    While plans changed, it inspired them to “write a love letter to both LA but also all of the people we missed while we were all stuck at home.” It also worked in their favor, as the sequel is not adapting the Love, Stargirl novel but took its own direction. It gave them more creative freedom on how to tackle the project and create the love letter as a result.

  • SWCA: New Plans for ‘Star Wars: The High Republic’s Next Phase Revealed

    SWCA: New Plans for ‘Star Wars: The High Republic’s Next Phase Revealed

    Star Wars Celebration has given us some interesting surprises, and as the panel has now been underway for the future of the High Republic era, we also got some news on their plans for the future. To kick-off, it looks like the next entry of the franchise will act as a prequel to the recently released books. It seems the creators want to echo George Lucas’ way of telling these stories, as he did with the original before tackling the prequels. It also gave us a new look at the updated logo for the series. This phase is set to kick off October 4th this year.

    They confirmed that the next book will be Quest of the Jedi, and showed off a bunch of new characters that offer a hint at how this new era works, such as Chancellor Greylark and Chancellor Mollo.

    They also unveiled that the Pathfinders, Jedi, and the Republic will be working together during this prequel era of the High Republic.

    They also revealed two new Jedi that work on Jedha, which include Matthea Cathley and Oliviah Zeveron.

    They are also working on a new manga and Dark Horse comic as revealed during the panel. So, it looks like those that are enjoying the High Republic will have a lot more to look forward to in this new prequel era. Here are some of the ones that were shown off during the event:

  • SWCA: New Cover Art for ‘The Art Of Star Wars: The High Republic’ Revealed

    SWCA: New Cover Art for ‘The Art Of Star Wars: The High Republic’ Revealed

    It looks like we’re getting a new The Art Of book, as during the Star Wars Celebration panel on the popular Star Wars: The High Republic book series they unveiled that they are going to release one based on the new series. While these were commonly created for films and TV series, it’s a nice addition given the beautiful visuals that were created for the franchise. It’ll also include a forward of Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy.

    Here’s the first look at the cover art as shared by our own Hunter Radesi currently attending the event