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Tag: Star Wars

  • Star Wars’ Next ‘The Mandalorian’ Spinoff ‘Ahsoka’ Has Started Production

    Star Wars’ Next ‘The Mandalorian’ Spinoff ‘Ahsoka’ Has Started Production

    All eyes have been busy on Marvel’s various ventures and films, it’s finally time for Star Wars to take the limelight once again. Disney+ has just shared a new image that confirms that The Mandalorian spinoff series Ahsoka has finally started production. Sadly, the image doesn’t really give anything away or a look at the production, it’s a confirmation that they’ve finally started work on it. It’s the second spinoff series to come out of the Star Wars series that started Disney+’s hold on the streaming market after The Book of Boba Fett was released back in December.

    It’ll be interesting to see if the series follows some similar elements that we saw in The Book of Boba Fett, where the story suddenly turned into a continuation of The Mandalorian. While it does create a very unique yearly release model as everyone’s story intertwines with each other, it does go against usual TV mentalities as it creates confusion for those watching The Book of Boba Fett or Ahsoka as its own project.

    We’ll see what the future may hold for the Star Wars series, especially as they expand with some new projects. Obi-Wan Kenobi is confirmed as a limited series, but it may still possibly also set up more series moving forward. While Marvel has been moving forward with their new projects, it seems that Lucasfilm, who actually kicked off the streaming service initially, still in a preparation stage for their projects.

    Source: Twitter

  • Star Wars Celebration Newsletter Confirms ‘Tales of the Jedi’ Animated Anthology Series

    Star Wars Celebration Newsletter Confirms ‘Tales of the Jedi’ Animated Anthology Series

    It looks like the Star Wars celebration newsletter may have accidentally leaked the long-rumored Tales of the Jedi series. It’s been long rumored that they were working on an animated project, especially as the animation studio behind Monsters at Work hinted at a collaboration with Lucasfilm. Then there was a gift to Lucasfilm employees which included the logo for Tales of the Jedi. It was rumored we might get a confirmation at this year’s Star Wars Celebration event, but it seems their newsletter accidentally confirmed it, as shared by @SteeleWars on Twitter.

    There has been quite the hunt on what exactly this series is going to end up being, as there’s also one that takes place during the High Republic that’s been strongly rumored and may even start production soon. Still, it seems that we might have a lot more heading our way during the upcoming Star Wars Celebration, as it might offer a few more teases of what the future has in store.

    There was a noticeable absence of coverage for the franchise, as while Marvel Studios is promoting two Disney+ series and two films at the same tie, we are barely trying to keep up with Obi-Wan Kenobi and have no idea when we can expect something on Andor or any other project from the franchise. Here’s hopping that may change soon with the event by the end of May.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Deborah Chow Debunks Darth Maul Rumors

    Some time ago, a rumor hit the internet that Obi-Wan Kenobi was originally going to feature the return of Darth Maul. Yet, as production got ready, they seemingly have removed away from that concept to feature Darth Vader as its main antagonist alongside the connections to the animated series with the live-action debut of the Grand Inquisitor. Yet, showrunner Deborah Chow revealed in an interview with Total Film that this wasn’t the case since she’s been involved with the project.

    As long as I’ve been involved, we’ve never had Darth Maul in any of it. Dave [Filoni] did a beautiful job of telling that story already.

    Deborah Chow

    There could always be a potential discussion if these ideas were very early in the concept stage of the project. Lucasfilm has probably planned on exploring this era for quite some time, and a very early draft may have included Maul before Filoni used that concept in Star Wars: Rebels. They may still have plans for the character moving forward, especially after the tease of his return in Solo, but it’s unclear how exactly they are mapping out their projects.

    Lucasfilm hasn’t been very consistent with promoting their projects and we know very little about their future plans with the franchise. They are expanding with new TV series but we know very little about their theatrical release plans. We also have been seeing a strong focus on the post-Return of the Jedi era. Obi-Wan Kenobi will be the first live-action project to focus on an earlier point of the timeline with Andor following. There’s also the long-rumored High Republic series that may be completely disconnected form the rest.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    In just a few more weeks we’ll get the next Star Wars series on Disney+. While we take a break from The Mandalorian Universe, we take a look back at the pre-A New Hope era in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor returns to the iconic role, as he also will get one more time to face off against Hayden Christensen‘s Anakin Skywalker. This time around, however, he will return as the fully formed Darth Vader.

    In an interview with Total Film, the actor revealed just how surprising it was to face off against Darth Vader. It seems that it left quite an impression on him, especially because he never got to meet the character in the Prequel trilogy. He goes on to say:

    I’ve never met Darth Vader. I had rehearsed the scene with Vader, but not with the helmet on or anything like that. When we came to do the scene, when they shouted ‘action’, he had to come from behind me. I turned around, and fucking Darth Vader was coming at me. It was like I was six again. I’d never acted into Vader’s helmet. I’d never looked him in the eye.

    Ewan McGregor

    It’s great to see just how much of an impression the suit and design left with the actor. Reminds many of the first time they were faced with the imposing force that is Darth Vader and how scary he was for many of us when we saw the force of nature. He even highlighted that it was his first time working off a Stormtrooper as the Clone Troopers were CG at the time.

    It scared the shit out of me. I’m not joking. It gave me a proper jolt of absolute fear. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s not acting. That’s real. I’m really, truly frightened right now.’ And the same thing would happen with the Stormtroopers. I’d worked with Clone troopers before, but so many of them were CGI. I never worked with Stormtroopers, and, again, I was like seven years old again. Because when you’re actually faced with a Stormtrooper, with a blaster, it’s like: ‘Fucking hell.’

    Ewan McGregor

    It shows how much has also changed in the productions, as while CG still remains an important part of modern filmmaking, more practical elements are being integrated into the projects. his excitement and “fear” to face off against Darth Vader may hopefully even find their way into the production, as it’ll be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes what happened to his former Padawan.

    Source: Total Film

  • Disney+’s ‘Andor’ Was Originally Going to Run for 5 Seasons

    Disney+’s ‘Andor’ Was Originally Going to Run for 5 Seasons

    Here’s an interesting revelation, but it looks like the upcoming Star Wars Disney+ series Andor was already mapped out ahead of production on its first. While we still have no release date, the Director of Photography, Adrian Goldman, revealed in an interview with TVCultura that the series was originally mapped out with five seasons in mind. Now, it seems that they have decided to go with three instead. It’s uncertain why exactly the change was made, as he doesn’t elaborate on it. The full quote, as translated by Bespin Bulletin, is as follows:

    The series I worked on was supposed to be five seasons long, but I think it’s not happening. It will now have three maybe.

    Adrian Goldman

    Bespin also adds that they’ve heard that multiple seasons were planned and the timing of it taking place five years ahead of Rogue One was quite deliberate. They may have noticed it is difficult to fill out a story for each year and adapted it depending on what stories they wanted to tell. They also are seemingly focusing on filming the seasons back-to-back so they will get these out at a decent pace over the coming years. It’s certainly exciting to know that many more Star Wars series are heading our way and Disney+ is also continuing to offer a balance between long-running shows and mini-series.

    Source: Twitter via Bespin Bulletin

  • Natalie Holt to Become First Woman Composer for Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ Project

    Natalie Holt to Become First Woman Composer for Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ Project

    Natalie Holt is headed to a galaxy far, far away.

    Holt, who is coming off the first season of Marvel Studios’ Loki, is set to become the first woman to score a live-action Star Wars project thanks to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The news was revealed courtesy of Vanity Fair, with the outlet revealing Holt teamed with Star Wars icon, John Williams, on the score with William crafting a new theme for Ewan McGregor’s character. This is yet another huge title for Holt, who is also set to score Batgirlfor DC and Warner Bros. 

    On getting to work with Williams with Obi-Wan, Holt noted her excitement. “Obviously, I’m just thrilled to be mentioned in the same breath as John Williams,” she said. “It’s been exciting and overwhelming at times, because I’m such a fan. I want to pay respect to the history of it, and do it justice as well.”

    So, how did Holt come to work with Williams on the project? The story of Williams’ involvement is a fun one as it turns out Williams approached Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy about the series. Per Holt, Williams wanted to write a theme for Obi-Wan because it is the “only legacy character that he hadn’t done.” 

    Holt makes it clear, however, that while Williams does craft the theme for Obi-Wan, she still brings her voice to the series. “There are elements to the show that are new and fresh, and I’ve been able to have my own interpretation with elements – that I can’t reveal. So, it’s been glorious, working with my hero and also bringing my own voice to the show.”

    Obi-Wan Kenobi debuts on Disney+ on May 27th. The series stars Ewan McGregor as the titular character and sees Deborah Chow serve as the showrunner. The six-episode series will premiere with two episodes in May, before going on to release an episode a week leading to the finale.

    Source: Vanity Fair.

  • Skydance New Media Working on an Action-Adventure ‘Star Wars’ Game

    Skydance New Media Working on an Action-Adventure ‘Star Wars’ Game

    It looks like Skydance is going to be quite busy, as the studio that was founded in 2019 by Amy Hennig, one of the masterminds behind the Uncharted series, is now seemingly also working on a new Star Wars project. It’s not the first time she was involved with a game from that franchise, such as Visceral Games’ sadly canceled project some time ago. Now, she’s involved with a “richly cinematic action-adventure game” with a promising original story. Hennig gave the following statement on working on a game that takes place in a franchise she grew up with.

    I’ve often described how seeing Star Wars in 1977 essentially rewired my 12-year-old brain, shaping my creative life and future indelibly. I’m elated to be working with Lucasfilm Games again to tell interactive stories in this galaxy that I love.

    Amy Henning
    Image

    We’re still waiting for an update on their Marvel game, but there have been hints that the studio has been fully on board to rival other AAA studios. We did get the hint that Marc Bernardin is one of the writers for the Marvel game, and it’s unsure how early in development the Star Wars project might be at this point. So, we might have to wait a while before we get any update on what exactly the project entails. Still, it’s always exciting to see these projects start development, and here’s hoping that we get some hints in the near future.

    Source: Polygon

  • Bryce Dallas Howard Says ‘The Clone Wars’ Fans Will Be Rewarded in ‘Ahsoka,’ Likely Directing 

    Bryce Dallas Howard Says ‘The Clone Wars’ Fans Will Be Rewarded in ‘Ahsoka,’ Likely Directing 

    Bryce Dallas Howard continues to gush about a galaxy far, far away, and she’s got a bit of news for fans of Ahsoka Tano. The actress-turned-director spoke about the future of Star Wars during a recent interview with Romper. After the interviewer mentioned that the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars was among their favorite shows, Howard, who has spent the past few years helming acclaimed episodes of both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, had a curious response to the name drop moment:

    Without giving anything away, you are going to love the Ahsoka show that’s coming up. I cannot tell you anything, but what I can say is that you being a fan of the Clone Wars will be greatly rewarded.

    Bryce Dallas Howard

    Bryce Dallas Howard and her father, longtime Hollywood staple Ron Howard, have each spent time behind the camera for Lucasfilm. As such, it’s possible that the Jurassic World star simply knows something about Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka series through a professional association. However, it almost seems more likely that Howard could be directing an episode of the Disney+ series. Bespin Bulletin already reported that she would be returning to work on the upcoming third season of The Mandalorian, and the director’s previous outings have been hits with fans of the show. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse filmmaker Peter Ramsey is officially directing at least one episode of Ahsoka, and it’s expected the character’s creator Dave Filoni will participate as well, but that still leaves plenty of room for Howard to slip in and contribute herself.

    Ahsoka begins filming later this month, with the aforementioned Dawson, Ray Stevenson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ivanna Sakhno, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and a returning Hayden Christensen set to round out the cast.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin

  • RUMOR: ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Season 2 May Arrive Later This Year 

    RUMOR: ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Season 2 May Arrive Later This Year 

    It would appear Lucasfilm may not be done bringing anime to its galaxy far, far away. A new rumor from outlet Cinelinx claims that the animated anthology series Star Wars Visions, which was a hit with Disney+ subscribers when it debuted last year, will be returning for another season. Furthermore, the report states that the next batch of episodes will drop on the streaming service by the end of this year, much sooner than some might have expected, and could continue some of the stories established during the first season’s run.

    So, those who were hoping for more might just get their wish sooner than expected. The Disney+ series certainly left quite an impact, as many wanted to see Disney exploring more anime-inspired spinoffs of their popular franchises moving forward. Visions also left quite the impact with those that wanted to see some more contained stories that twist and turn the way we view Star Wars in creative ways.

    Plus, the potential of expanding some of the existing stories might also have those happy that fell in love with some of the characters. They even expanded with a novel titled Ronin storyline, which further explored one of the episodes more, and who knows if that might even get adapted. Whatever direction they might take, it definitely will be exciting to see what new and old stories might arrive with the anthology Disney+ series.

    Source: Cinelinx

  • Eagle-Eyed Fans Notice ‘Star Wars’ Tease in New ‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ Trailer

    Eagle-Eyed Fans Notice ‘Star Wars’ Tease in New ‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ Trailer

    After a long wait, Kingdom Hearts 4 has finally been confirmed. Not only that, but we even got a first teaser trailer that reveals Sora stuck in Quadratum. The location is strongly inspired by real-life Shibuya, which was teased in the Kingdom Hearts 3 DLC. It looks like a new direction for the franchise with a more hyper-realistic design moving forward. goofy and Donald do make an appearance, but it seems like the franchise is heading in a new direction. Yet, some eagle-eyed fans may have noticed a tiny detail that might be part of an AT-ST from the Star Wars franchise.

    As the following tweet from @dallin1016 highlights, it seems that the leg of an All Terrain Scout Transporter, better known as an AT-ST, is hiding in the background. Some believe that the location might even be part of Endor. While the trailer teases an open-world concept, perhaps we’ll see multiple worlds connected to one world. While most of us hoped to see more Square Enix representation after their absence in Kingdom Hearts 3, it does seem that Disney will still have a role of some kind.

    Influencer JSkeleton has also highlighted this connection, as many more notice this detail in the trailer. Of course, this also opens up theories that we might even see Marvel make an appearance in the upcoming fourth entry. While most of the franchises focused on Disney, and most recently Pixar franchises, it does make sense for them to expand as Marvel and Lucasfilm are Disney subsidiaries. Plus, an open world with many franchises connected could create a very unique experience for Kingdom Hearts that also unshackles them from some of the restrictions we saw in the previous entry. Here’s hoping they continue to tease it moving forward.

    Source: Twitter, YouTube