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Tag: Star Wars

  • Upcoming ‘The Mandalorian’ Funko Pop Vinyls Include Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, Dark Troopers, and More

    Upcoming ‘The Mandalorian’ Funko Pop Vinyls Include Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, Dark Troopers, and More

    Since the early days of Star Wars, it’s been all about the merchandise. It seemed like they were out of stock most of the time, as fans tried to get their hands on the latest toys. Star Wars continued to expand with sequels and spin-offs. The latest entry, The Mandalorian, followed the trend closely. Upon the show’s premiere, people were instantly smitten by the introduction of the fan-dubbed Baby Yoda, whose name would turn out to be  His Pop Vinyl figure became the highest-selling of all time. The show’s second season led to even more memorable characters getting added. It looks like we’ll finally get our hands on them.

    The latest wave of Pops in from The Mandalorian line includes Grogu eating a blue cookie, a Dark Trooper, Boba Fett, Bo Katan, and Ahsoka Tano. There is also one paying tribute to the iconic scene of Din Djarin holding Grogu for the last time before he sends him on his way with Luke Skywalker. The upcoming wave currently has no release date and is unknown if the line includes any figures exclusive to certain retailers.

     

    The Mandalorian has become a staple in the Star Wars franchise and these figures will surely find a home in some diehard fans’ collection. The adventures of Din Djarin will continue in the show’s upcoming third season, and sure to provide more characters and moments to be immortalized for fans around the world, even if Grogu may just sit this one out.

    Source: Comic Book, Instagram 

  • ‘Andor’ Set Photos Reveal First Look at Diego Luna and Shore Troopers

    ‘Andor’ Set Photos Reveal First Look at Diego Luna and Shore Troopers

    It looks like it is a big day for Disney+ set photos to find their way online. A few hours ago, we got our first look at Ethan Hawke on the set of Moon Knight. Now, it looks like a Star Wars series is getting the spotlight as set photos for Andor have found their way online. A few weeks ago, we had our first look at a few Imperial officers from the set. Now, we finally get a closer look at some Shore Troopers alongside Diego Luna. The YouTube channel streetrogue photography offered a closer look at various actors gearing up as the Rogue One Shore Troopers with Cassian Andor alongside them. He may be trying to sneak his way past them or even working undercover. He was an agent for the rebellion and wasn’t a stranger to making some tough decisions.

     

    We still know very little about the series and how it might tie into Rogue One. We do know that K-2SO will sadly not have a role in the series, as confirmed by Alan Tudyk. So, we might be following Cassian’s early years even before he joined the Rebellion. We could follow his story as a rogue on the streets, barely scraping by before finding a purpose. There is also the question of how it may tie into the various Disney+ shows that are kin development. Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place directly after the events of Order 66. The Mandalorian has various shows that will follow the galaxy after the Empire fell. So, we might see various seeds that build up throughout the generations and lead to a conflict unlike any other.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Episode Count Revealed

    ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Episode Count Revealed

    While Marvel Studios takes a short hiatus until June, we have the next Disney+ Original keeping us busy in the meantime. To celebrate May 4th, Star Wars: The Bad Batch will start off a brand new story exploring the aftermath of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Up until its release, we were uncertain how many episodes we can expect and it seems we finally got our answer. In an interview with Cnet, the series writer Jennifer Corbett and supervising director Brad Rau offered some insight on the upcoming project.

    Rau revealed that the first season will consist of 16 episodes. Interesting enough is that he does call it “season 1,” which may hint at a future addition that may already be in the cards. He certainly shared his enthusiasm to explore these characters further and continue the stories of this spin-off.

    The episode count is quite interesting, as it is longer than the previous two seasons of The Clone Wars. while it isn’t the usual 22 that we commonly see in the animation, it seems they may have prioritized the story and adjusted the episode count accordingly. Unlike its prequel series, this series also focuses on a specific group of characters rather than jumping between different stories. So, they most likely can streamline their approach. It’ll be interesting to see how this show stands out from its predecessors and if some of the set-ups here might even find their way into live-action, as Ashoka Tano did in the last season of The Mandalorian.

    Source: Cnet.com

  • ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: A Spiritual Successor to ‘The Clone Wars’

    ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: A Spiritual Successor to ‘The Clone Wars’

    Ever since The Clone Wars was initially canceled back in 2013, Star Wars managed to keep its animated side alive and well both with Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars Resistance. But the legacy and appeal behind the series idealized by George Lucas was strong enough to grant it a final season that aired last year, with a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. But even then Lucasfilm was looking towards the future, by introducing The Bad Batch on a four-episode arc, which is what lead the team to their own show that is about to premiere.

    By sustaining such strong connective tissue to its predecessor, it’s no surprise that it felt so important to also maintain the sense of visual continuity between both series.

    Supervising director and Executive Producer Brad Rau:

    It’s very intentional. The Bad Batch is a spiritual successor to The Clone Wars. We wanted to honor the style and the legacy of that. That being said, the whole team at Lucasfilm and our partners tightened everything up. So the fidelity is tighter. The style is tighter. The rigs are tighter. The way it’s designed is still the legacy of The Clone Wars but with a little more detail. With a little bit more focus. And the work we’re doing, for me, having worked on a lot of these other shows with a lot of the same people, I think we’re doing out best work ever right now. It’s really fun.

    The animation style that The Clone Wars presented us with in 2008 has gone through a number of improvements over the years, constantly adapting to the available technology. But there’s no denying that it has become a staple of the show. So being, managing to pay tribute to it in a way that enriches a visual style that’s been evolving for over ten years without losing focus of what made it special to begin with, is certainly something we can agree with.

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on May 4, 2021, as a way to celebrate Star Wars Day, with a special 70-minute episode. The following episodes, which will have a more usual runtime of around 30 minutes, will be released on Fridays, starting with episode 2 on the 7th.

  • ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: Omega’s Relevance

    ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: Omega’s Relevance

    In the first episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch we’re introduced to Omega, a new character that, besides feeling tremendously important to the story the show set out to tell, manages to introduce a new dynamic within the Bad Batch. The team, being used to be their own sealed unit, take their time welcoming a foreign element into their group, for a good reason, and with interesting results. The voice of the Bad Batch, Dee Bradley Baker, had this to say: 

    They’re certainly not used to having anybody else along or working with anybody else. Although they did bring Echo along. But that happened after Echo kind of proved himself to them, and they came together on that. But, I mean, it’s interesting in terms of the story and the writing to have this kind of personal relationship with the younger character.

    And to see how that changes, how they accommodate that and how that works. Because it’s more of an uncle/niece or a father/child dynamic, but not entirely. Because Omega has her own interesting potential of powers. So it’s interesting to see all of that unfold. I think it connects you to the story in a personal way. So it’s not just an action story. As Star Wars never is.

    Continuing with a dynamic similar to what we’ve all seen working in The Mandalorian, between Din Djarin and Grogu, with the added elements that compose the Bad Batch, Star Wars manages to continue displaying that family and friendship is at its core. Even in the ultra-militarized world of The Bad Batch, doing the right thing by those close to you, by something going against protocol, remains as true as it has even been in the galaxy far-far away.

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on May 4, 2021, as a way to celebrate Star Wars Day, with a special 70-minute episode. The following episodes, which will have a more usual runtime of around 30 minutes, will be released on Fridays, starting with episode 2 on the 7th.

  • ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: Dave Filoni’s Influence

    ‘STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH’: Dave Filoni’s Influence

    With a new Star Wars animated show just around the corner, it’s hard not to mention Dave Filoni‘s work over the years in Star Wars animation. Having been a part of The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars Resistance, it should be pretty obvious how he would also now be a part of a show that looks to continue leading the franchise down a path he was such a big part of in creating.

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch head writer and Executive Producer Jennifer Corbett had this to say regarding Filoni’s overseeing of the show:

    I got to work with Dave on Star Wars Resistance, which was such a great experience. Getting the chance to develop the series with him, it’s kind of like a master class in writing Star Wars. And with this being a sequel series of sorts to The Clone Wars, it was kind of crucial that he’d be involved in this process very much. Because these are characters that he’s created and it’s the world that he knows.

    Supervising director and Executive Producer Brad Rau:

    He’s an awesome guy, a good friend,, I couldn’t think of a better mentor, especially for Star Wars. The stuff he tells us every day is fantastic.

    Jennifer Corbett and Brad Rau

    Following the enormous success of the final season of The Clone Wars that managed to propel The Bad Batch to their own show, as well as deliver an incredible ending to such an important chapter of the lives of characters like Ahsoka Tano, there is no reason to think The Bad Batch might disappoint. With Filoni’s oversight, and with a production team with a Star Wars animation past behind them, the show seems to be in good hands.

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on May 4, 2021, as a way to celebrate Star Wars Day, with a special 70-minute episode. The following episodes, which will have a more usual runtime of around 30 minutes, will be released on Fridays, starting with episode 2 on the 7th.

  • Matt Lanter Hints at His Return as Anakin Skywalker in Future ‘Star Wars’ Projects

    Matt Lanter Hints at His Return as Anakin Skywalker in Future ‘Star Wars’ Projects

    Hayden Christensen is returning as Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. It’s the grand return of the actor in the role since 2005. We have been following the adventures of the young Jedi before he became Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Matt Lanter voiced the character in the animated series and breathed some new life into the character with his portrayal. Well, it looks like he might also return alongside Christensen in a new project. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly for Jupiter’s Legacy, he hinted that he will return as the character in the near future.

    There’s some new Lucasfilm Animation going on. I’ve been a part of some things I can’t talk about yet. You’ll see Anakin again. I never quite put Anakin down, whether I’m doing a video game or something new for Lucasfilm Animation.

    There is a good chance that he’ll return n May’s release of Star Wars: The Bad Batch, but it seems like there might be some more projects in development. We could see some more The Clone War spin-offs in the future, as Star Wars continues to expand in animation. He also hints at it potentially involving a video game. It would be interesting to partake in the Clone War from a gaming perspective as a Clone Trooper working alongside the Jedi. Perhaps we even get to revisit the time in a Jedi Fallen Order sequel. His return may also open up the door for Ashley Eckstein to return in the role of Ahsoka Tano. We might get more news once The Bad Batch releases on May 4th.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • ‘PEN 15’s Maya Erskine Joins Disney+’s ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    ‘PEN 15’s Maya Erskine Joins Disney+’s ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’

    It looks like the Obi-Wan Kenobi series has added one more actress to the ever-growing cast. PEN 15‘s Maya Erskine has seemingly joined the cast and has a supporting role for three episodes. It isn’t specified who she might be playing, as the series’ plot remains under wraps. So far, we only know it takes place 10 years after Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and nine before A New Hope. It will also see the “rematch of the century” between Obi-Wan and Vader, as Hayden Christen will reprise the role of Anakin Skywalker.

    The actress has also recently appeared in Insecure and the Scoob! film. She has been nominated for multiple WGA Awards and even got an Emmy nomination for her work on Hulu’s PEN 15. Erskine is currently in the Hulu series Casual and will star in the film Sacramento alongside Michael Cera. The upcoming Disney+ series is in pre-production and slated to start production soon. The six-hour-long series will be directed by The Mandalorian director, Deborah Chow.

    Disney+ is expanding its Star Wars offerings, as Obi-Wan Kenobi will be joined by various spin-offs of the streaming service premiere show and the Rogue One spin-off, Andor. 2021 will be dominated by Marvel Studios’ series but May will see the release of The Clone Wars spin-off, The Bad Batch that will continue where the previous series left off. The end will be finished off with the first spin-off of The Mandalorian that will focus on Boba Fett before its third season sees the return of Din Djarin.

    Source: Deadline

  • RUMOR: New Details on a Possible ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’ Remake Surface

    RUMOR: New Details on a Possible ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’ Remake Surface

    More information is hitting the web hinting at the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic being in development. The original game released in 2003 and was followed by a sequel subtitled The Sith Lords. Sadly, the third entry was scrapped before The Old Republic MMORPG was released in 2011 and is still going strong. The story took place, as the name implies, 4,000 years before the Galactic Empire was formed. It has been a popular franchise that many wanted to see make a grand return even if it was via a Disney+ show. It’s looking more and more realistic.

    We got the first report on it by Cinelinx’s Jordan Maison in January, where he revealed that EA isn’t involved. He also hinted at the game integrating elements from both entries to update it for the current Star Wars canon. Now, another report by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier hinted that the game is further in development than expected. He hinted that it has been kind development since 2019 and that Aspyr Media might be working on the game. There have also been rumors that BioWare is heavily involved, as they created the original.

    Aspyr Media is no stranger to Star Wars, as they’ve been involved with various recent ports of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars Racer. The reports seem to imply this will be a remake from the ground up, or if they are simply reworking the original to update it. There is also no word if this might also include a remake of the sequel or if they will rework the story. We could see a similar adaptation to Final Fantasy VII Remake, which split up its story in multiple sequels. We’ll see if we get an official remake in the near future.

    Source: Cinelinx, MinnMax, Aspyr

  • RUMOR: ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 May Feature Chewbacca’s Wookie Race

    RUMOR: ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 May Feature Chewbacca’s Wookie Race

    The wait between the first two seasons of The Mandalorian was a long one. What didn’t help was that Disney+, at the time, barely had any high-profile content to make the year go by faster. Well, 2021 will certainly shake that up with various Marvel Studios productions and new Star Wars entries filling out the year. As such, the story of Din Djarin will be delayed by a bit as its first spin-off takes center stage, The Book of Boba Fett. News has been sparse on the upcoming Star Wars series outside of May’s Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Luckily, it seems that the Bespin Bulletin was able to get their hands on some interesting info, as they revealed that the third season will see the return of Chewbacca’s Wookie race.

     

    They point out that it is uncertain if this may be a familiar face or a brand new character for this series. There is a chance that it is just a background character. So, it is hard to say if the Wookiees will have any relevance to the series’ plot. We’ve seen various alien races in background shots and the galaxy is quite connected for them to appear. Now, there is also some production information regarding the two series, as The Book of Boba Fett was still in production as of April at the same location that The Mandalorian uses. They may still be filming at Manhattan Beach Studios. As such, it is hard to say if the third season will enter production any time soon, but they seem to be slowly wrapping up the Fett-focused spin-off. For now, it would be great to see Mando visit Kashyyyk to add some variety to his usual revisits to Tatooine.

    Source: Instagram