Category Archives: Star Wars Dispatches

OBI-WAN KENOBI’s Mythological Blueprint

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The OBI-WAN KENOBI limited series saw the titular character go on a rescue mission that brought him face-to-face with the reality of a shattered life left behind. On the way, he regained his faith in The Force and emerged stronger than ever. Our “Jedi Yogi” John Marcoux stops by this week to give us the lowdown on the many myth-based influences behind Obi-Wan’s journey, from Joseph Campbell to the ancient Samurai and beyond. We review the new documentary “Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return” with highlights featuring Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson, we look forward to D23 and anticipate ANDOR.

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Ahsoka Disney+: New Ezra Bridger Casting

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Ezra Bridger Has Been Cast

According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Eman Esfandi has been cast as Ezra Bridger in the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney+. Esfandi is known for his role in King Richard and he stars in an upcoming film titled The Inspection.

The actor will join Rosario Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo, who will be playing Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren, respectively….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Mon Mothma’s Story BEFORE Andor

Here is everything you need to know about the leader of the Rebel Alliance, Mon Mothma. From the movies, deleted scenes, reference materials, books, and more, this will fully prepare you for her most significant live action role to date!

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Rumor: Eman Esfandi To Play Ezra In ‘Ahsoka’

A new report by Cinelinx is saying Eman Esfandi, from King Richard and an upcoming film The Inspection, will be playing Ezra Bridger in live-action, in the upcoming Ahsoka series. Filming has been going on since May 9 and will continue for a couple more months in the Volume at Manhattan Beach Studios as well as the trainyard at El Segundo, in Los Angeles.

The search for Ezra has been one of the most discussed Star Wars-related topics of the past couple of years, both on- and off-screen. After Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian set up the Ahsoka spin-off show, when Rosario Dawson’s version of the character name-dropped Grand Admiral Thrawn, it became clear the storyline would follow up on the events of the Star Wars: Rebels finale. During Star Wars Celebration this year, Dave Filoni strongly hinted that the Ghost crew would be reuniting in the series, but there hasn’t been a lot of news regarding Ezra and Thrawn….

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Disney’s Next Star Wars Movie Gets Delayed

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Disney+ has allowed the Star Wars galaxy to expand more rapidly than ever, even through the struggles of the pandemic. Between more stories with fan-favorite characters, new forms of storytelling, and a whole new era of the franchise, Star Wars has grown on Disney+, but what happened to the theatrical blockbusters?

Although Star Wars currently has movies in the works from Taika Waititi, Kevin Feige, Rian Johnson, and more legendary creatives, progress has proven slow. Only Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron has been formally revealed for a December 2023 release, with comments indicating Waititi’s movie might arrive first.

Amid the mess of Star Wars’ theatrical future, a new report surfaced that may reveal things have gotten even worse as the wait continues for the franchise’s first movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Rumor: No New Movie Before 2024 At D23

The Star Wars film hiatus after The Rise of Skywalker is set to continue for at least one year longer than initially anticipated.

After the underperformance of Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lucasfilm hit the pause button on Star Wars films ahead of the ninth Skywalker Saga episode to reassess the situation. Some projects have remained in limbo, such as a potential trilogy of films written and directed by The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson (who has opted instead to focus on making sequels to his whodunit mystery film Knives Out), and a Rogue Squadron adaptation by Patty Jenkins (who has seemingly put the project on pause in favor of working on a third Wonder Woman film, which is expected to be her last). Other projects have been reworked into television series, with planned spin-offs for Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Temuera Morrison’s Boba Fett being turned into limited series with potential for more. There have been a number of films that have been placed into the pipeline with no word on whether or not they’ll move forward, such as Taika Waititi’s film (which may film as soon as early next year), and with Damon Lindelof speculated to be writing a Star Wars movie script right now.

Unfortunately, it seems like we’ll have to wait a bit longer to get news on the theatrical front. A recent report from the Puck News newsletter (run by former THR editor Matt Belloni) talked about what to expect at Disney D23 ahead of the opening Friday, and the picture painted says that Lucasfilm want to keep their cards to their vest until they’re completely confident in where to take the franchise next on a theatrical front. In short, don’t expect a new Star Wars movie to come out until 2024 or later. Check out a screencap of the newsletter below…

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Star Wars Responds To Toxic Lord Of The Rings Fans

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Disney and Lucasfilm have added a couple of exciting new wrinkles to the Star Wars legacy on Disney+ this year, with more on the way thanks to next month’s Andor. However, as has been the case for the past few years, Star Wars has also had to deal with a slew of toxic criticism from various sects of the fanbase, especially more recently.

Finn actor John Boyega lamented Lucasfilm’s efforts with diversity in the franchise, even comparing its efforts to Marvel Studios with the MCU succeeding so well in that department. And even as recently as Star Wars’ last release, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the franchise dealt with unfortunate commentary as Reva star Moses Ingram dealt with a wave of racist comments following her performance in the Disney+ series.

While Star Wars has been in the spotlight more than most franchises for this type of toxicity, another widely popular series has, unfortunately, had to deal with the same thing in recent weeks – Lord of the Rings.

This franchise recently came back into the spotlight with The Rings of Power on Prime Video, and while the series earned record-breaking viewing numbers, its stars have faced a number of prejudiced comments similar to those that Star Wars handled throughout 2022.

Now, as a sign of respect, the galaxy far, far away offered its support for J.R.R. Tolkien’s world in Middle-Earth….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Why Andor Looks GREAT

In an interview with Empire Magazine, Tony Gilroy said the new series Andor is not using StageCraft technology, also known as the Volume. It got me thinking about its use in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and why it works great in some situations, but not in others.

https://www.empireonline.com/tv/news/…

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Bad Batch S2 Gets New Release Date?

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2’s release frame is in a state of flummox. Lucasfilm originally announced the sophomore run to the hit animated series would debuted this fall during Celebration, with all indicators pointing a September 28 premiere. But the plan has seemingly changed, as the series was omitted from the September lineup of Disney+ releases.

Nearly every Star Wars streaming title not named The Mandalorian has had a scheduling reshuffle, and The Bad Batch appears to be no exception. With Andor being pushed back to a three-episode premiere on September 21, many have speculated that Lucasfilm is holding Bad Batch back a bit to create more separation between the year’s final shows.

But that delay could far more significant than anyone expected. A new rumor suggests that The Bad Batch‘s second season may not be happening in 2022 at all, but rather on the flip side of the new year….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

‘The Acolyte’ Casts ‘Squid Game’s Lee Jung-Jae

Deadline is reporting that the upcoming live-action Star Wars series The Acolyte has cast Lee Jung-Jae as its male lead. The series’ lead role will be played by Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Hunger Games), with Jodie Turner-Smith in negotiations to join as well.

The outlet also points out that Leslye Headland is the series’ director, writer, executive producer, and showrunner. We knew about the former two, and assumed she would also take writing credits for some episodes, but it was unclear if she would also direct for the series. Deadline‘s wording seems to imply that she will be the only director on the series, though we don’t know for certain yet. According to the report, Headland and Kathleen Kennedy have been carefully putting together an A-list cast for the series that also happens to be diverse.

Lee Jung-Jae broke into fame last year after the global success of Netflix’s Squid Game. He has earned awards for his performance, and is now the frontrunner to take the Best Actor Emmy in the upcoming ceremony. Details about his character in The Acolyte are currently unknown….

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Rian Johnson Reveals The 1 Thing He Doesn’t Regret

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is easily one of the most controversial movies to hit pop culture in a long time. Not only was it a long-awaited sequel, it brought back Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker for the first time since the original movies—but when it finally hit theaters, many had a long list of problems with it.

Among the many problems, audiences felt the movie had include how Luke Skywalker’s characterization felt off, the unsatisfying death of Snoke, Holdo’s frustrating communication, Rey’s nobody-heritage, and much more.

In an interview with Den of Geek. Hamill himself admitted some discontent without how things went down, including how “it was a big mistake that [Luke, Leia, and Han] were never [going to] reunite in any way” thanks to both Han and Luke being dead by the end of The Last Jedi.

Despite everything, Johnson has recently noted how he’s “even more proud of it five years [later],” even despite the “actively hostile and toxic” online culture that gravitated towards his movie—which he made clear is not necessarily from actual “Star Wars fans who didn’t like the movie.” 

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Respawn’s First Person Shooter Will Use UE5

Respawn’s next Star Wars title will not use their parent company’s in-house Frostbite Engine to create the worlds of its first-person shooter Star Wars game, but Unreal Engine 5.

Electronic Arts games usually make use of the company’s in-house coding program, the Frostbite Engine, which is typically best-served for FPS titles (barring a notable exception with Battlefield 2042). However, it’s been learned (hat tip Gameranx) that Respawn Entertainment has opted not to use Frostbite for any of their games, and they are continuing their tradition by choosing to use Unreal Engine 5, which is made by EA competitor Epic Games, to bring one of their next Star Wars games to life.

Melissa Janowicz, Respawn’s Lead Combat AI Designer, recently revealed a pair of jobs listings for the upcoming untitled Star Wars FPS:…

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Ahsoka Receives ‘Amazing’ Update From Lead Star

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

When asked about the directors and crew she gets to work with, Dawson admitted that she couldn’t say much, but confirmed that everybody is “really excited” about everything happening. She noted how everything’s running like “a well-oiled machine” thanks to everything set up by The Mandalorian, praising the team for the “dedication and heart” that’s going into the story:

“Again like, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say any of that stuff. But I do have to say, it feels really really special. Like everyone is really excited about it. Dave [Filoni] has been wanting to tell the story for a while. And everyone’s just really showing up and out. Like a lot of blood, sweat, and tears going into this and it feels like… You know what’s interesting is that, because of Mando, everyone’s really great at making Star Wars, you know? Like… it’s a well-oiled machine in a different kind of way, you know? And there’s a familiarity between all the different departments, which is super interesting, because I’ve only experienced that again on like a Spike Lee joint, or you know a View Askewniverse project, because there’s just such a family kind of element to it. And that’s what it feels like on set, so that’s special. Because, you know, it’s hard what we’re doing and… it’s really coming together really beautifully. There’s a lot of dedication and heart going into it and we know the expectations, so we’re loving it so far. So I can just say we’re enjoying ourselves.”…

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

The Imperial Senate is More Powerful Than You Think

We’ve been hearing about the Imperial Senate since 1977, but we have yet to actually see it in action, and never in live action. That is, until Andor! Here is why the Empire was actually afraid of the power held by the Imperial Senators, and hopefully what we’ll see when Andor debuts.

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‘Ahsoka’ Will Finish Filming This Fall

While promoting Kevin Smith’s Clerks III, Rosario Dawson revealed the upcoming Disney Plus series Ahsoka will complete filming in the next couple of months, and it sounds like we can expect a lot more fight out of the Togruta Jedi in the upcoming series.

In an exclusive with Screen Rant, Dawson was asked for an update on Ahsoka:

“Yes, we’re still filming it right now. We just have a couple months left. It’s going great. It’s really amazing learning martial arts in my 40s. [Laughs] It’s super amazing, and I don’t use that word very lightly. My grandmother used to say, ‘Amazing is two blue horses,’ if you ever said something was amazing. Because it’d be like, ‘No, amazing is two blue horses. That pizza slice probably isn’t amazing.’”…

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

How Rey Defined a New Star Wars Generation

Please enjoy this recorded panel from Star Wars Celebration Anaeheim 2022! The Star Wars sequel trilogy introduced a timeless character in Rey. She guided a new generation of Star Wars fans into a brand new universe they can feel a part of. Celebrate her character with a panel discussing her best moments, legendary battles, and how she means so much to so many.

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The Acolyte, Gets Casting & Filming Update

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

For the first time in Lucasfilm’s run on Disney+, the Star Wars franchise is set to take a journey back longer ago than fans have ever seen. This will come with next year’s The Acolyte, which will take the story back a century prior to the events of 1999’s Episode I: The Phantom Menace, focusing on the Dark Side’s mysterious and hidden rise to power.

Not too much is known about the plot for this show, although Lucasfilm is bringing some of the top industry professionals on board to bring the story to life. Leading the way in this effort is director Kate Herron, who held the same position with Marvel Studios on Loki Season 1 and delivered excellent results for fans and critics alike….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Why Didn’t Palpatine Care About Catching Kenobi

Why did Palpatine seem fine with letting Obi-Wan Kenobi escape? Why didn’t Obi-Wan consider Leia to be a last hope like Luke in The Empire Strikes Back? These questions and more answered in this week’s Q&A!

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Ohnaka Actor Teases Live-Action Crossover

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

Recent Star Wars projects, such as The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, have drawn from past projects more than any before it. In fact, they’re the first live-action properties to actually try to integrate animated shows such as The Clone Wars and Rebels. Characters such as Ahsoka Tano , Cad Bane, and Bo-Katan Kryze have now transitioned over from the world of animation for the first time. But who might be next?

With Ahsoka right around the corner, fans know that Sabine Wren and Hera will be making the jump, with Ezra and Thrawn likely right behind them. But there’s another character whose involvement is long overdue: Hondo Ohnaka.

The space pirate was first introduced as a villain in The Clone Wars but then became somewhat of a mentor to Ezra Bridger in Rebels. The character has even transcended those shows and become a prominent part of some rides at both Disneyland and Disneyworld, not to mention leading his own spin-off book.

So when exactly will he make the jump to live action, if ever?…

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

Hamill Pokes Fun At Disney Trilogy’s Missing Reunion

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

While the Star Wars sequel trilogy had its moments of greatness, Disney’s additions to the Skywalker Saga left many disappointed with how the 42-year story came to an end. Amongst the biggest complaints were those about Mark Hamill in his return as Luke Skywalker, which left some fans with a sour taste in their mouths as the franchise’s original hero met his unfortunate end.

Even though the trilogy ushered in a new era of stars like Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron and John Boyega as Finn, Hamill was relatively disconnected from his Star Wars pals, only getting one scene with the late Carrie Fisher’s Leia Organa.

Multiple cast members from the sequel trilogy have shared their disappointment with these missed opportunities, even though Luke has made his presence felt in a more meaningful way through Star Wars’ efforts on Disney+. Now, Hamill himself has offered some new thoughts on the matter, lamenting that Luke didn’t get one reunion that so many were hoping to see in the 21st century….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

The Valorum Political Dynasty

Finis Valorum was the Supreme Chancellor before Palpatine took control. And he was the last in a long and powerful political dynasty. Or was he? Here is the history of House Valorum and my argument for why a NEW Valorum would be a great inclusion for the Andor series.

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‘Fett’ Wins Outstanding SFX at Emmys

The Book of Boba Fett took home some gold during last night’s Creative Arts Emmys Awards. Out of its four nominations, the show took home Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie. Also up for the award in this category were Stranger Things, The Witcher, Lost in Space, and Foundation.

Congratulations to #TheBookOfBobaFett VFX Team on their #Emmy Award win for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or Movie. pic.twitter.com/cFmS9BTUgJ

— The Book of Boba Fett (@bobafett) September 5, 2022

Among those specifically recognized for the award include: visual effects supervisor Richard Bluff, visual effects producer Abbigail Keller, animation supervisor Paul Kavanagh, associate visual effects supervisor Cameron Neilson, special effects supervisor Scott Fisher, Legacy Effects supervisor John Rosengrant, ILM visual effects supervisor Enrico Damm, Image Engine visual effects supervisor Robin Hackl, and virtual production visualization supervisor Landis Fields….

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Shades of Reason Review and Analysis

Maul and Death Watch launch an attack to take control of Mandalore! But can they truly work together? This is our review for the Clone Wars episode Shades of Reason in our chronological rewatch!

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Knights of the Old Republic LIVE

Mollie is starting her first ever journey through Knights of the Old Republic! Will she go light side or dark side? Only time will tell…

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Our Response to Empire’s Article on Rian Johnson

What are our thoughts on the Rian Johnson article in the latest issue of Empire? What new characters are we most excited to see in Andor? These questions and more answered in this week’s Q&A!

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Let’s Play LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga LIVE

We’re playing through Episode IV today on our LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga stream!

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Genevieve O’Reilly Talks Mon Mothma In ‘Andor’

We’ve seen Diego Luna talk plenty about what it’s like returning to the Star Wars galaxy and what audiences can expect from his character, but now Genevieve O’Reilly has spoken at length about her return as Mon Mothma in Andor.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, O’Reilly revealed that she went back and watched Caroline Blakiston’s performance as Mothma after she landed the role in Revenge of the Sith. Whenever she returns to the role (she reprised the role in Rogue One and has also voiced the character in Star Wars Rebels), she studies Blakiston’s performance when she delivers the famous line about the Bothans….

Read the Full Article @ SWNN

Star Wars: 14 Major D23 Reveals To Expect

Here’s the latest from: The Direct – Star Wars

The future of Star Wars will be revealed in a few short weeks.

Seeds have been planted, and traces left behind in recent months. The Lucasfilm Studio Showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration wasn’t quite everything fans had hoped, only touching on imminent releases. For the Star Wars faithful, that will hopefully change at the D23 Fan Expo’s Hall D23 with a panel unveiling Disney’s upcoming slate of films and series.

As Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has made clear, the future of Star Wars is, for the time being, on television. That’s not to say the company is doing away with films – the contrary, actually. But it’s been a struggle for Kennedy to find storytellers willing to commit to several years for larger projects which, in addition to what’s now become routine creative issues, has led to delays in movie development.

Anything related to the silver screen was ignored at Celebration, with the event instead focusing on the shows. According to Kennedy, this was by design, and Star Wars’ theatrical future would be shared in a few months’ time… which is now.

With so much on the way, there will be plenty of updates to provide on previously announced titles… and also room to talk about some things that are new. Below are predictions for Star Wars projects that could be discussed at D23, both known and currently unearthed….

Read the Full Article @ The Direct – Star Wars

How Leia Remembers Padme EXPLAINED

A question fans have been wrestling with since the prequels is, “How does Leia remember Padme if she died in childbirth?” Leia claims to have vague images and feelings of her real mother in Return of the Jedi, but how is this possible? The answer is given to us in the new book, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. Leia thinks to herself of having memories of love, closeness, and things she can’t fully describe. She finds it impossible to put the feelings into words, but she knows there was an undeniable connection to her real mother. A bond made of light. I think this builds well off of what we saw in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Obi-Wan remembers flashes of his own family. And then he tells Leia what he can about both Padme and Anakin at the end. I think his words as well as some sort of mystical memory thanks to the Force is enough to answer the question for me.

#starwars #starwarslore #shorts

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ROGUE ONE Rewind with Gary Whitta

With ROGUE ONE back in theaters, co-writer Gary Whitta joins us this week In The Cantina to talk about the film with behind-the-scenes stories. Plus, learn about Gary’s ambitious multi-media launch for his new novel GUNDOG and hear his answers to “The Yoda Questionnaire”. We wrap up our review of ICONS UNEARTHED: STAR WARS with audio highlights from Marcia Lucas and a look at the prequels.

#starwars #rogueone #podcast #rebelforceradio #garywhitta #andor #gundog #marcialucas

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Official YouTube Video Home for Rebel Force Radio: Star Wars Podcast

#StarWars News, Interviews. comedy and Commentary

Catch new audio podcasts every Friday at www.rebelforceradio.com

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