Following the ending of the Skywalker Saga on the big screen and The Mandalorian‘s tremendous success on Disney+, Lucasfilm is getting ready for one of its biggest years yet. Boba Fett’s return in The Book of Boba Fett will premier later this year and it will go well into 2022. As for Din Djarin, he will also be back in season 3 of The Mandalorian. But it seems to be the return of fan-favorite characters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor, last seen on the big screen, that keeps getting the biggest amount of attention.
Both characters will lead their own Disney+ show, with Andor, a 12-episode series, set to debut earlier in the year. Lead actor Diego Luna, making his return to the Star Wars universe following 2016’s Rogue One, when addressing the show doesn’t shy away from just how excited he is to bring the character back, and the possibilities that might come with it. The interconnectivity we often witness in Star Wars, as previsouly reported, will most likely allow for several familiar faces to show up either in brief cameos or slighty bigger roles. Luna, while speaking to Deadline, seems to confirm just that saying, “you’ll definitely see familiar faces.”
Andor doesn’t yet have an official realease date for its Disney+ premiere, but with filming done we should expect it to debut in the first half of 2022, after The Book of Boba Fett airs.
Production has wrapped on the Disney+ Star Wars series, Andor.
The news was confirmed by actor Diego Luna in a recent interview with Deadline. “I had the chance to work with a team that I couldn’t be more proud of and admire more,” Luna said. “It’s a hard-core moment to be out there shooting, and we were really lucky. We’re done with the shooting now and getting it ready for audiences to see it.”
Like many Hollywood productions, the coronavirus impacted production on the Star Wars series. Andorwas initially set to kick off filming in 2019, then it was delayed to June 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic. Filming finally kicked off in November 2020 and wrapped in August 2021.
“I can tell you about this project like no other because I can’t spoil the ending if you’ve seen Stars Wars: Rogue One already”, he teased. “No matter what I say, I can’t ruin the ending.”
The 12-episode series, which Luna also executive produced, is expected to hit Disney+ in 2022.
The anime anthology series ‘Star Wars: Visions’ premiered earlier this week to generally favorable reviews (you can read ours here). With seven studios developing nine shorts between them, audiences were due for lots of variety in what concerns to tone, animation style, and overall feel for each of the episodes. Even the two repeating studios (Studio Trigger and Science SARU) managed to deliver immensely different projects, making this first batch of Visions (hopefully) feel fresh with every page turn.
With each short being its own thing some clearly stand out, and even though ranking art of any sort sometimes feels a bit wrong, here is a ranking of our most enjoyable episodes:
8 – 9
With Star Wars being all about family, both the one you are born into and the one you find along the way, both The Village Bride and Lop & Ochō offer us different perspectives on such matters. Ultimately doing right by what you believe in, and not complacently accepting the ground rules you are presented with. Even if that means fighting your family or meddling in issues not your own. What both these episodes seem to lack is a sense of wonder, which makes you want to know more about the characters and locations we are shown.
7
The mystery ambiance is quick to grab the attention of the viewer, as we are left to wonder what sort of evil might be around the corner for the Jedi protagonists. The action set pieces aren’t all that inspired and thematically we left with the exploration of what the Prequels expanded upon, the smugness and lack of vision the Jedi demonstrated, something that allowed for a long-lost evil to resurface. It’s a pretty straightforward episode, one that doesn’t seem to lead anywhere, past its ending.
6
Feeling like a snapshot taken from a crazy Dragon Ball Z episode, The Twins gives us God-like force powers in Karre and Am (the Twins), where one can split an entire Star Destroyer using just a lightsaber. The entire episode is focused on their battle and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. Sadly, a lot of the emotional heft gets lost in the crazy spectacle which makes this episode feel a bit less special than the rest.
5
What’s not to like about a Jedi that decides to go into hiding only to try and turn himself into the biggest rockstar the galaxy has ever seen? Keeping in mind the tradition that all anime series should come with a kickass opening track, we are presented to a musical act hardly ever seen in the Star Wars universe. With special appearances by both Jabba The Hut and Boba Fett, we realize that music can ultimately save the galaxy. It may not be the best episode of the season but inarguably is the best representation of what Visions could be, unique perspectives and all.
4
One of the darker Star Wars: Visions shorts, Akakiri takes inspiration from Kurosawa‘s The Hidden Fortress, something Lucas also did in the late 70s when developing the first chapter of the Skywalker Saga. The ominous (but brilliant) soundtrack and animation style help to present the viewer an epic tragedy that echoes Anakin Skywalker’s fall from grace, with a likewise heartbreaking end.
3
In terms of visuals alone, this was the most intense episode, with its charcoal drawing look, that managed to bring to life the franchise’s Kurosawa DNA in an extraordinary way. This combined with the hints of brights lights and the dynamics of lightsaber fighting made for what is surely the poster child of the entire project. The story behind the main character only referred to as Ronin, can be further explored this October in its own novel written by Emma Mieko Candon.
2
Star Wars isn’t just the cool lightsaber fights, the technology, and aliens. While most of this is present in T0-B1, the feeling of pure happiness, the sense of wonder, hopefulness, and discovery, all distinctive Star Wars features, is what makes this particular episode stand out. Astro Boy and Le Petit Prince are both very much present in the exploration of the Star Wars universe we are taken on, personified in the title character.
1
Turning lightsabers into mood rings has never seemed like a better idea. Sure, it’s not exactly how we’ve learned lightsabers to work but the way it allows for a wonderful narrative to develop is not something to sneeze at. One of the biggest tells this was my favorite episode is that it’s, of all 9 of them, the one I wished could be continued in some shape or form.
Canon can be intimidating at times and a 40-year old franchise like Star Wars definitely fits that bill. With dozens of canonical comics published a year, multiple shows, and games within the canon in production, it’s no wonder the non-canon Star Wars: Visions feels like a nice reprieve.
I spoke with Lucasfilm VP for Franchise Story James Waugh on whether the company has an interest in producing more non-canon content like Visions to which he said:
It’s something we are interested in. The reason we approached Visions as it was is we wanted to empower specific creators within their process and medium. So much of the stuff you see in Visions… the specificity of anime as a medium justifies a lot of the storytelling. So do I think we could do more none-timeline storytelling? I think under the Visions framework, absolutely. There is a certain joy in having celebratory content that is removed from the gravitas of the canon. We’ll have to see what the fandom wants.
Judging from the critical and fan response, the verdict for Star Wars: Visions overall has been immensely positive. One of the best things about the show is its accessibility. You need only to have seen A New Hope to get the gist of what the show is all about. Here’s to hoping we get more shows like it.
We’re still anxiously waiting for any update on the upcoming The Mandalorian spinoff, The Book of Boba Fett. We haven’t seen any footage and it’s still set to premiere in December. We’ll likely get our first look next month or the latest during Disney+ Day, as they’re teasing a special on the popular bounty hunter. To tie us over until then, Film Music Reporter has unveiled that LudwigGöransson will continue his work in the Star Wars universe, as he’ll also compose the upcoming spinoff series.
They also report that scoring sessions have already started in recent weeks, which hopefully means we get a tease in the upcoming trailer. Göransson did offer our first glimpse into the music for the spinoff series when it got revealed during the second season’s post-credit sequence. So, he’ll likely also continue the musical composition he’s built around the world of The Mandalorian, as he also worked on the same season the character made its grand return.
Star Wars: Visions is a celebration of all the Star Wars stories that came before. The season showcases a tapestry of diversified Star Wars stories from the best anime studios in Japan. To promote the show’s release, I got to speak with producers James Waugh and Kanako Shirasaki on what it was like to produce such an incredible project.
Shirasaki shed some light on the studio selection process and how they landed on the six animation studios.
We wanted to showcase different Japanese anime styles. So we went to different studios with different histories and backgrounds to show the diversity of anime. We reached out and asked them to submit a pitch. I think they sent a brief idea of their episode. Some studios sent multiple ideas.
According to Lucasfilm VP of Franchise Content, James Waugh, the pitches the team got had some unexpected ideas including the episode Tattooine Rhapsody, which is the season’s most unique story yet.
We had always knew we wanted a diverse array of creators. We really worked hard on cracking Visons’ framework to allow for fun celebratory swings and unexpected things you can only get from the anime medium. We saw The Duel first and thought, “This is unbelievably beautiful.” I ended up seeing Tattooine Rhapsody and went, “Whoa. We’re doing a rock opera now?” As that slowly went into script, that turned into a wonderful story.
I asked Waugh how Tattooine Rhapsody came to be given how it felt the most connected to the Star Wars we’re all familiar with yet also felt unlike anything we’ve seen from this world. No one ever imagined Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett in a rock opera yet this episode gives us just that.
It was really their pitch. We help ground it in Star Wars because their storytelling was so appropriate for that point in the timeline and was dealing with things that were established. We knew we could ground it in known fiction because their characters were so well rendered and fresh.
One of the more striking details of Tattooine Rhapsody are the wildly different character designs. Shirasaki revealed that the studio was anxious when they got first got a look at the episode.
The initial pitch of the character design was different from what you normally see in Star Wars and that made us skeptical. But it turned out great. I think the Star Wars story about rebels fit in with the punk rock attitude of the episode.
Marvel Studios and Star Wars are expanding with anthologies this year. While the What if…? series is canon within the franchise’s new multiverse, there were still some questions surrounding Star Wars: Visions. The series is animated by different leading animation studios from Japan, which add their unique style to each episode. The question remained if it might become canon due to some stories even exploring existing characters, such as Boba Fett. Well, luckily we finally have a definite answer from producer Kanako Shirasaki. When asked if the series is canon he gave the following statement in an interview with CNet:
Not immediately, but it might influence the next generation of creators
Kanako Shirasaki
Of course, he does keep the door open slightly, but it does confirm that the stories being told directly within the anthology aren’t an official part of the Star Wars canon for now. His approach is most likely inspired by how Disney expanded the franchise, as they announced that the original Expanded Universe was no longer canon, but used characters, as well as storylines from them as inspiration. So, Shirasaki may simply be highlighting that elements could make a return in future projects.
It’s great that they aren’t restricting themselves with these stories. Each Japanese production company can have fun with the universe. They’ll stay true to the spirit of the original franchise while adding their own spin. It seemed so popular with Lucasfilm they even had a novel written inspired by the Ronin storyline. So, who knows if there’s more heading our way, but for now you can check out our review of the upcoming anthology series.
We are long awaiting the first look at The Book of Boba Fett. Not only is it the first spin-off of the popular The Mandalorian series, but it’s also the grand return of a much-beloved character in the limelight. It’s currently slated to get a December release, but there still hasn’t been any confirmation or showcase of that. When the announcement dropped that we are getting a special Disney+ Day, we expected some announcements for future installments. Seems like Star Wars might have every different special planned.
As announced by Disney, the MCU will get a special look at the past and future of the franchise. Star Wars is getting a different one, as it’ll celebrate “the origins and legacy of Star Wars’ legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett.” If we don’t get a trailer by then, this might be our first official look at the spin-off. Still, it’s curious they aren’t mentioning anything of the other series that are currently in development.
It’s exciting to see Star Wars find new life in interesting ways, 40+ years into its existence. The franchise first found new life in books when the Original Trilogy first ended and then found its way into animated shows once George Lucas did the Prequel Trilogy. Disney upped the ante by canonizing a new line of comic books, video games, and animated shows to coincide with the Sequel Trilogy. With the sequel trilogy over, the franchise now finds new life in an anthology series called Star Wars: Visions.
The idea behind Star Wars: Visions is simple: have the best animation studios in Japan create whatever stories they want in the Star Wars sandbox. Spread out over 9 tightly crafted episodes, the result is a stunning reimagining of what Star Wars fundamentally could be if divorced from complicated continuity and restrictive lore. This might be the most autonomous Star Wars has been since the Legends Novels.
Visually, the Japanese studios went all out. Each episode boasts its own distinct art style ranging from monochromatic Kurosawa compositions to Osamu Tezuka-inspired Astroboy aesthetics. The series is sprinkled with charming anachronisms: lightsabers resemble katanas, Stormtroopers look like Edo-period warriors, Jedis wear tengais, and settlements don’t look like they’re in a galaxy far, far away. The design liberties they take look jarring at a glance but the way everything comes together makes it a feature, not a bug.
The lightsabers fights are absolutely stunning. They’re executed with the precision and excess that animes have become synonymous with, giving battles a true sense of scale, weight, and personality. There’s never a dull fight in Visions. Every lightsaber swing feels thunderous. Even the goofier designs like the umbrella lightsaber manage to look graceful thanks to how the fights are composed.
Contrasting exuberant aesthetics, Star Wars: Visions breaks down a lot of grand Star Wars concepts into the fundamental ideas that inspired George Lucas in the first place, in particular, the Japanese feudal myths. A chunk of the season depicts Jedis as wandering ronins, looking for their next momentary calling, harkening back to the jidaigeki roots of Star Wars. And then you have the more classic Star Wars motifs such as warring families and the Campbellian monomyths that are also explored throughout the season.
These episodes are simple in nature but speak volumes through the spaces it allows its ideas to breathe. Plots aren’t complex nor are there dozens of characters. Every story is confined to its own 15-20 minute space but the thematic scope that gets explored is vast and profound.
Siblings and families tethered together by the Force is an idea that is famously explored in the Skywalker Saga. Anakin, Luke, Leia, Kylo Ren, and by proxy, Rey, all figure into this lineage of fate and tragedy that served as the franchise’s core pathos. Star Wars: Visions harnesses that idea and synthesizes it in ways that the films did not. The episode aptly titled The Twins pits two sibling Sith Lords against one another in an over-the-top lightsaber battle in space, an idea remotely reminiscent of the Solo twins in Legends lore. Lop and Ocho is a tale of two sisters who are forced into choosing sides when the Empire takes over their city; both fighting for their city’s protection.
The true star of the season might be the second episode titled Tattooine Rhapsody. As evidenced by its namesake, Tattoine Rhapsody’s story has an emphasis on music. It’s about rock musicians on the run from bounty hunters, a premise that already stands out in a series that has an emphasis on the feudal inspirations of Star Wars. Tattooine Rhapsody feels the most contemporary of all the episodes yet is the most unique. There’s a surprising weight to the episode as its themes deal with friendship and purpose in a really fun way. The J-rock music sequences add a charm to it as well.
My favorite episodes of the season happen to explore the archetypal commoner-turns-hero myth that made Luke Skywalker’s story so iconic. Visions takes that soaring feeling of watching the Twin Suns set in Tattooine as the hero faces uncertainty, and gives it new life. Whether it’s a droid fending for his home or a humble daughter of a sabersmith forced to vanquish an evil force, these stories are the ones that resonate the most.
Japanese culture has long influenced this grand world and to have Japanese visionaries take a stab at it feels like a homecoming in many ways. That Star Wars can be at its best by having simple stories that celebrate its essence is proof of its lasting legacy. Give me more of Star Wars: Visions.
I’ve got so much to tell you about that, but I’m out of time. Yeah, I can’t say anything about that, sworn to silence. I can say I’m working on it and I can tell you it’s gonna blow your mind. You saw him arrive in my episode of The Mandalorian, that was nothing. That was nothing. I can talk it up all I want because I know it’s gonna deliver, I know it’s gonna over-deliver.
Robert Rodriguez
It’s certainly promising as the action sequence was one of the second season’s highlights. Boba Fett is a curious character, as he hasn’t done much within the cinematic aspect of the universe. Still, he became an instant fan-favorite and lived on through novelizations that seemed to inspire his return in the Disney+ series. So, the moment he took on an entire Stormtrooper platoon with ease and showcased his varied arsenal. It stuck out to many viewers of the series and Rodriguez certainly is hyping up what else the bounty hunter might have in store in the upcoming spinoff.
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