It’s no secret that the lack of Star Wars news to come from either Celebration or the D23 Expo has been a major disappointment. The franchise’s television future on Disney+ is relatively clear for the next few years, though the theatrical waters remain murky. Any anticipation for film announcements has been met with Lucasfilm’s trademark secrecy.
Such a tight-lipped approach at Star Wars Celebration was particularly perplexing, given the nature of the event and the lack of positive motion picture developments in recent years. Much of the studio’s main presentation was spent discussing the Willow series and Indiana Jones 5 – a bonus for fans of those properties, but an irritation for people in Jedi cosplay who payed top dollar to attend.
While a more general presentation at D23 is acceptable and unsurprising, the Star Wars segment of Lucasfilm’s time on stage only provided updates for shows that could be done in tweets. The roof was far from blown off the building, and the Star Wars faithful expected nothing less. As head of the company, Kathleen Kennedy naturally draws the most ire for these lackluster episodes… but it may not entirely be her fault…
Just because one is strong with the Force, does it mean they should be trained as a Jedi? In Star Wars Insider #214, hitting newsstands and digital this week, writer Richard Dinnick tries to answer this question in his thought-provoking piece, “To Train or Not to Train?” Check out an exclusive excerpt of the feature below, in which Dinnick recounts perhaps the most famous case of a Jedi gone wrong…
Andor has been quite a surprise for audiences around the world. Cassian Andor, who wasn’t even the lead character of Rogue One, somehow not only has scored his own show but has some fans hailing it as some of the best Star Wars content to date. Yes, even above projects such as The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Viewers are nothing short of enthralled.
Somehow, the series is already over halfway through its 12-episode first season. Time sure does fly by whilst watching engaging political maneuvering and tension-filled heists.
But what might these last few installments have in store for fans? Well, a new trailer seems to potentially reveal a massive betrayal that may happen before the show’s freshman run is complete…..
Earlier this year, fans were treated with the first glimpse at Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts’ Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order followup, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The sequel to 2019’s Star Wars epic has fans itching to get back into control of protagonist Cal Cestis as is “challenged in ways that we haven’t seen” before.
Survivor debuted with a teaser trailer back at Star Wars Celebration in May and instantly had fans diving into a flurry of questions. Who was in the bacta tank? Why is Cal bearded? Was that the Grand Inquisitor?
But the biggest question of all was when is this next-gen game coming? No official release date has been announced for the title, but rumors (and internal EA documents) have pointed to it hitting store shelves sometime before March 2023. However, the radio silence surrounding the project has gamers around the world worried that the Star Wars epic could be the victim of a delay, something insiders are saying seems unlikely….
To us, she’ll always be royalty. StarWars.com Team
Leia Organa isn’t your typical princess.
The adopted daughter of the Royal House of Alderaan was born of the Skywalker dynasty, earned a seat in the Galactic Senate by the age of 19, and proved her mettle as a freedom fighter with the Rebel Alliance, pushing forward to victory even in the face of tremendous loss. But even scoundrels and Jedi can relate to the character originated by the late Carrie Fisher, who would have turned 66 today.
To celebrate Fisher’s iconic role and the many people she’s inspired, including Vivien Lyra Blair who most recently brought young Leia to the screen in Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+, StarWars.com pays tribute to the people’s princess with a new quiz that asks: What percent Leia are you? Braid your hair, prepare to take the fight to the Empire, and find out how much you have in common with Leia!…
Britell talks with StarWars.com about his Andor score — and his old hip-hop band. Dan Brooks
Andor is a decidedly new take on Star Wars, and the same can be said of its music. Nicholas Britell, an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning composer whose previous work includes the TV series Succession (2018-present), Moonlight (2016), and the The Big Short (2015), has created a score that’s less space-swashbuckling, more space-spy, for the story of Cassian Andor. Strings drone for stretches, low-volume beats remind us of ever-constant tension, and even when something good happens, dissonant tones seem to bring us back to earth. To mark today’s release of the Andor: Vol. 1 soundtrack, StarWars.com spoke with Britell about the music of the series, discussing his approach to a darker vibe, using non-traditional instrumentation, and his college hip-hop band….
New Star Wars: Bad Batch Season 2 Poster Shows Off 5 Main Characters
Even though Andor‘s 12-episode first season has passed its halfway point, Lucasfilm has more Empire-period storytelling waiting in the wings. Premiering on Disney+ on January 4, 2023, is Season 2 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch which is expected to continue exploring the state of the galaxy post-Order 66.
Apart from it being animated, The Bad Batch stands apart from both Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi in that its cast is made up of clones. While Season 1 focused on how an experimental squad of clones dealt with the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith and the young, female clone, Omega, the trailer for Season 2 not only teased Emperor Palpatine and Commander Cody but a new design for Clone Force 99.
Now, just a few months out from The Bad Batch‘s sophomore season, a new poster is offering a better look at the cast’s new threads….
Some of the greatest Star Wars stories are those from behind the scenes. In Saga Chronicles, Lucasfilm’s Lucas Seastrom tells those tales.
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones was the first major blockbuster movie shot entirely in a digital format. Over five years in active development, Lucasfilm partnered with Sony and Panavision to create a prototype digital cinema camera that bypassed the use of traditional celluloid film. For Lucasfilm, it was the continuation of a decades-long series of innovations to improve the craft of filmmaking and allow storytellers like George Lucas to realize their full vision onscreen.
Now 20 years after the release of Attack of the Clones, productions across the film and television industries use digital cameras of all kinds as others continue to use celluloid film. Mike Blanchard is Lucasfilm’s vice president of post-production and worked as post-supervisor and technical supervisor on all three of the Star Wars prequel films. Intimately involved in the development of Clones’ digital camera system and related workflow, he reflects on the momentous experience and discusses how Episode II helped change filmmaking.
Note: This interview originally appeared in the Star Wars Celebration 2022 Commemorative Guide.…
Lucasfilm has released a substantial amount of Star Wars series exclusively on Disney+ since The Mandalorian began streaming in 2019. In that time, shows such as The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi have seen a massive amount of success on the streaming platform.
In the coming years, the Disney+ release schedule will be even more packed, as nearly a dozen series are confirmed to be released. However, many fans have had complaints about the film side of the franchise, which has been completely bare since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
Disney and Lucasfilm have had plans to keep the galaxy far, far away on the big screen, but that journey has been rocky up to this point.
The first movie to follow the end of the Skywalker Saga was supposed to be Rogue Squadron, which was going to be directed by Patty Jenkins and would’ve released in December 2023. The film was announced all the way back in 2020 but never seemed to have any real developments until it was scrapped from Disney’s release schedule in September.
With the future of Star Wars films still up in the air, a Lucasfilm Senior Executive, Michelle Rejwan, has recently stepped down from her position, adding to the uncertainty that lies ahead….
When an Andor series was first announced, many fans were confused. What could a show about Cassian Andor from Rogue One be about? After all, he wasn’t even the lead character of that film.
To everyone’s surprise, the series has already been a hit with critics, with many already hailing it as some of the best content from the franchise on Disney+.
Yet, Cassian’s story is still missing one fan-favorite aspect: K2SO. The droid was first introduced in Rogue One and was voiced by Alan Tudyk—however, he has yet to show up. This isn’t too surprising since it was previously confirmed by the actor himself that he wouldn’t be in the series’ first season.
With that said, it hasn’t stopped the most recent episode from blatantly teasing the droid’s eventual involvement….
They might be clones, but each member of the Bad Batch has their own unique look that makes them instantly recognizable. You know team leader Hunter right away by his distinctive black face paint and red headband. (And his timeless hairstyle. We can’t forget that that.)
Make Hunter’s style, as seen on Star Wars: The Bad Batch, all your own with an easy-to-make red headband! No matter your sewing skill, you can put this Bad Batch headband together for Halloween, Disneybounding, or, if you’re truly gutsy, everyday wear. Here’s the how-to….
Good thing the relic hunter is carrying a lightsaber. StarWars.com Team
Doctor Aphra is a woman possessed.
In StarWars.com’s first look at Marvel’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #25, while the Spark Eternal continues to control Aphra’s body aboard the Vermillion, the real archaeologist is trapped in her own mind, peering into the memories of the Leader of the Ascendant Miril. Moving through a reconstruction of the Bar’leth sanctum, Aphra learns the chilling secret of her new simulated Sith abilities…
Doctor Aphra #25, written by Alyssa Wong and illustrated by Minkyu Jung, with a cover by W. Scott Forbes, arrives October 26 and is available for pre-order now on ComiXology and at your local comic shop…
The upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka will carry forth the story of the Togruta ex-Jedi, presumably as she continues her search for Ezra Bridger.
Along for the ride is none other than Sabine Wren, seemingly making Ahsoka as much of a Star Wars Rebels sequel as it is a standalone project. Actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo will bring the colorful Mandalorian warrior to life alongside Rosario Dawson’s take on the title character.
The show began production earlier this year with a targeted release date set for sometime in 2023, and it seems Bordizzo has very recently fulfilled her commitments to the Disney+ series….
Set the mood this scary season with these haunting compositions. Jon Waterhouse
In a world where Dark Lords, threatening creatures, and witches reside, visual storytelling calls for the right kind of goosebump-raising musical accompaniment. Star Wars soundtracks have plenty of that, a fact that inspired StarWars.com to gather some of the creepiest cuts in the catalog. The following selections prove to be perfect ear candy for a Halloween playlist……
This Halloween season, StarWars.com pays tribute to our favorite galactic monstrosities. Jade Fabello
The Star Wars galaxy is home to a vast range of creatures, many of which are very cute. But for every porg there’s an acklay. And for every tauntaun there’s a wampa.
It’s officially scary season, and there’s no better way to ring in these terrifying times than with a list of 20 creepy creatures that occupy every dark corner of the galaxy. (Before we get started, let’s give an honorable mention to Bor Gullet, who does not make the list. Truth is, we’re still not sure what exactly it is. Also, while terrifying, its name is too fun to say.)
1. Exogorth (Space Slug)
Sometimes a cave is not a cave. Popularly known as a “space slug,” the exogorth carries the rare ability to swallow starships whole. The Millennium Falcon crew mistakenly flies into an exogorth named Sy-O in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, narrowly escaping its enormous bite. Aside from the obviously scary prospects of exogorths being giant worms with teeth, their patience and ancient nature make them truly terrifying.
2. Sando Aqua Monster
Imagine if a shark could do a bench press, and that that shark was 100 times bigger than normal. That’s the sando aqua monster. Native to the lakes and oceans of Naboo, this muscle-bound aquatic creature can reach up to 200 meters in length. While the one we see in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace technically saves Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, and Obi-Wan during their deep sea dive, it’s undoubtedly a major force to be reckoned with. There’s always a bigger fish. And this is it.
3. Rokkna
When Neeku Vozo adopts a young rokkna in Star Wars Resistance, it’s anything but scary. Neeku names his new friend “Bibo,” and he’s actually very cute and cuddly. But when Bibo’s mother appears, we’re treated to a massive sea beast that rivals the size of the Colossus platform. With four eyes, six tentacles, and a lot of power — it’s probably smart to stay on this creature’s good side.
4. Wampa
Found in frigid temperatures, the wampa is a tall and powerful humanoid being, covered in white fur and sporting horns, teeth, and sharp claws. The wampa we meet in The Empire Strikes Back puts Luke Skywalker through some significant ordeals, and the young Jedi barely survives the encounter. You only have to take one look at a wampa’s imposing figure to get the idea of how scary this creature can be. And unlike Luke, most who meet one won’t have a nifty lightsaber on hand.
5. Mynock
While Han Solo easily dispatches a mynock when the Millennium Falcon crew encounters them inside an exogorth, the true scariness of this creature comes from its swarming nature and parasitic face. Mynocks love to chew on power cables, and any ship that misfortunes across a swarm of these bat-like creatures face the risk of being stranded. In a dangerous galaxy, this can spell disaster for any crew. Note: The mynock/Leia jump scare is maybe the best in all of Star Wars….
Andor may feature a familiar character from a familiar Star Wars story, but Lucasfilm’s latest series for Disney+ is unlike any other fans have seen on the streamer thus far.
In addition to its 12-episode seasons with time jumps, Andor stands apart in that it’s more for adults than kids in both its content and complexity and is not a continuation of Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau’s ongoing Mando-Verse.
Instead, Andor is a product ofRogue One writer Tony Gilroy, and the first production to forgo The Volume and StageCraft for on-set locations.
But even though it differs from the likes of The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian, audience response to these differences has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, many already consider Andor one of the best Star Wars series to date.
However, while the Diego Luna-led series appears to be winning with fans and critics, it appears to be struggling in terms of audience demand.
How Andor’s Demand Compares to Other Disney+ Star Wars Series
According to Parrot Analytics’ Brandon Katz, data suggests that, despite Andor‘s success with fans and critics, audience demand for the series has been significantly lower than other Star Wars Disney+ series at relative points in their releases, including The Book of Boba Fett:
“The most disappointing trend I’ve come across recently is how audience demand for Andor is overwhelmingly lower than The Mandalorian S1-2, The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi despite the fact that it is easily the best Star Wars series BY FAR.”
Katz’s claim of how the demand for Andor is “overwhelmingly lower” than Lucasfilm’s other Star Wars series when they were airing can be seen in the graph below…
With half of the first season available to the world, Andor has quickly become one of the most pleasant Star Wars surprises. Lauded by fans for its mature approach and exceptional writing, Tony Gilroy’s series is setting the bar higher for all live-action content to come.
Part of the show’s appeal has been the breaking of new ground with the exploration of various original characters, made possible by a familiar story structure. Fans of The Clone Wars are well accustomed to the arc formula, which devoted three or four episodes to tell a larger, interconnected narrative. Andor has done so similarly, having focused the first three episodes on Ferrix and the subsequent arc on the Aldhani heist.
It’s a format that’s largely here to stay – particularly with Season 2, which will devote an arc per year in the Star Wars timeline leading directly into Rogue One. But there will be a slight shake-up before this approach becomes permanent. While discussing the remainder of the series, Gilroy indicated that the forthcoming episode will stand on its own….
Plus, get a closer look inside The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic. StarWars.com Team
Phase II of Star Wars: The High Republic is here!
Last week at New York Comic Con, we got our first look at covers and interior pages from several forthcoming books and comics in the Star Wars: The High Republic initiative. And today on a brand-new episode of Star Wars: The High Republic Show, our guest host Kristin Baver revealed even more character concept art from the series and a glimpse inside her forthcoming book, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic.
We first met her in Phase I, but today we got our first look at concept art for a younger version of Sav Malagán and an interior page from Dark Horse’s Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #1.
You know her from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, now meet Jedi Master Yaddle a few hundred years before the prequel film! The Force-user is the same species as Yoda and Grogu, and she’ll play an important role by the end of Phase II.
We got our first look at Sky Graf, the 15 year old tech genius, pilot, and member of the Graf prospecting clan, who is determined to be the first to the mysterious Planet X.
And from Marvel’s forthcoming comic The Blade, Barash Silvain, a Jedi honor-bound to fight alongside Porter Engle, was revealed.
Plus, the show debuted covers for Marvel’s Star Wars: The High Republic #5 illustrated by Yanick Paquette and the variant for The Blade #3 by Leinil Francis Yu.
And we got a glimpse inside the forthcoming Abrams title The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic, arriving next month.
Catch up with the latest episode of Star Wars: The High Republic Show below!…
Enjoy a bounty of adorable goodies with this easy recipe. Jenn Fujikawa
It’s that time of year when terrifying tricks and indulgent treats combine for a fun-filled Halloween! Not all tricks have to be frightening, in fact they can be downright adorable. Even Grogu is getting in on the Hallo’s Eve action by donning a little ghostly costume and carrying a tiny pumpkin.
These matcha cookies are draped in fondant and give the illusion of a happy, wee Grogu heading out for a spirited night of holiday fun. Perfectly paired with a glass of blue milk, these cookies are ideal for a Star Wars Halloween party table or a quick snack before an exciting night of trick or treating!…
The mission to Aldhani reaches a thrilling conclusion. Kristin Baver
The rebellion has begun! Andor is now streaming on Disney+, following the fan-favorite rebel in a tale set five years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and we’re watching. Join StarWars.com every week for Andor Analyzed, in which we list the best moments from each episode.
Spoiler warning: This article contains story details and plot points from the sixth episode of Andor, “The Eye.”
While the natural world erupts in a beautiful show of shooting stars over Aldhani, a shootout explodes deep in the Imperial vault.
In the sixth episode of Andor, forces collide in a thrilling action sequence that pits rebel infiltrators against Imperial soldiers. Traitors are revealed and in a stunning escape, the scant survivors must face a dark reality of the real cost of bringing the fight to the Empire.
Here are five highlights from the latest episode of Andor….
The executive producer tells StarWars.com why it’s important to get behind the heroes and the villains of a story. Kristin Baver
It’s hard not to root for Dedra Meero sometimes. The ISB inspector on the trail of the burgeoning rebellion is the hero of her own story, overcoming obstacles and staggering odds on the quest for a complete picture of the anarchy in store for the Empire.
And that’s exactly how Andor creator and executive producer Tony Gilroy wants you to feel. Through a motley crew of new characters and some familiar faces, the writer behind the acclaimed new Star Wars live-action series, now streaming on Disney+, purposefully explores the gray area between good and evil with deft nuance.
Even when we know the minions of the Empire are the bad guys, we still can’t help but find them a little relatable in their struggle. “I can’t imagine writing black and white. I mean, I have believed in every villain I’ve ever written, you know?” Gilroy tells StarWars.com. “You’ve really gotta believe in him. You gotta love him. You gotta know why they’re doing it. You gotta feel for it. And there has to be a reason for it. You’ve gotta get behind everybody.”…
Product designer Eric Franer talks to StarWars.com about creating two frighteningly fun new figures. Dan Brooks
Star Wars and Halloween go well together. Maybe it’s the dark side and black-clad Sith Lords. Maybe it’s the creepy creatures, like rancors, ice spiders, or brain worms that can reanimate the dead. Maybe it’s the feeling that Star Wars characters are tailor-made for Halloween costumes. Whatever the reason, it’s a combination that fans have enjoyed for decades, and toy giant Hasbro took notice.
This fall, Hasbro will celebrate the combined strength of the scary season and the galaxy far, far away with two new Halloween-themed figures: a skeleton-deco clone trooper and, for lack of better term, a Were-Wookiee, both coming to the popular 6-inch Star Wars: The Black Series line.
“There’s a lot of fantasy in both Halloween and in Star Wars,” Eric Franer, Hasbro’s product designer for Star Wars, tells StarWars.com. “A lot of the outfits just lend themselves really well to that kind of aesthetic. There’s a lot of scary looking aliens. There’s a lot of like, gnarly looking characters.”…
Andor has been packed with one of the biggest Star Wars ensemble casts ever put to screen, with characters new and old tagging along for the Rebel adventure. Sitting at the heart of it is Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, exploring his Rogue One hero years before joining the Rebel Alliance as he evades the wrath of the Empire.
At the crux of the mission to arrest Andor is Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn, a Deputy Inspector working for Preox-Morlana under the Empire. He may be the one with his heart set on hunting down Andor right now, but he isn’t the only Imperial in the picture, with Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero also trying to climb the ranks.
Between the two Empire stories, Cassian’s own travels across the galaxy, flashbacks to his youth, and the inception of the Rebel Alliance, Andor has plenty of stories working separately and simultaneously. Now, two of the series’ villainous stars have opened up about how they will all connect in the future….
Darth Vader left his mother and Tatooine behind long ago, but the person he used to be still lingers somewhere deep inside the fearsome armor.
In StarWars.com’s exclusive first look at Star Wars: Darth Vader #28, Sabé takes on her new role as advisor and together they find the answer to their question: Emperor Sheev Palpatine….
In just over two weeks, Lucasfilm Animation will return with a new Star Wars project in Tales of the Jedi. A series of six anthology shorts, Dave Filoni wrote the stories to kill time during flights to Los Angeles for the production of The Mandalorian; with the beautiful animation work being done for The Bad Batch, the Man in the Cowboy Hat had to get his hands on more of that medium himself.
Officially revealed at Star Wars Celebration in May, Tales of the Jedi will dedicate three episodes each to two figures who strayed from the Jedi path: Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. A trailer shared at the event and now available to view online features the leads alongside other Star Wars icons, like Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, and Darth Sidious.
For a generation of fans, every Saturday morning saw these heroes and villains appear on TV screens in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While the journeys of Ahsoka and Dooku in that era were largely believed complete, the anthology series will delve into more of what the characters’ lives were like before and after the war. As part of Lucasfilm Animation’s latest effort, an ensemble of voice actors are returning for their roles….
In this exclusive excerpt from the Star Wars Insider team’s deluxe collector’s edition, learn more about Ahsoka’s from animation to live-action. StarWars.com Team
Fans of Star Wars animation have long been acquainted with Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker who walked away from the Jedi Order and joined the rebellion. In the second season of The Mandalorian, the character made the leap to live-action storytelling, a hint at things to come in the forthcoming series, Ahsoka.
In an exclusive excerpt from the deluxe collector’s edition Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Guide to Season Two, learn more about the character and how creators continued her evolution as she stepped out of the mist on Corvus in the first Star Wars live-action series….
The rebellion has begun! Andor is now streaming on Disney+, following the fan-favorite rebel in a tale set five years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and we’re watching. Join StarWars.com every week for Andor Analyzed, in which we list the best moments from each episode.
Spoiler warning: This article contains story details and plot points fromthefifth episode of Andor, “The Axe Forgets.”
New beginnings are never easy.
As Andor continues with its fifth episode, “The Axe Forgets,” our principal players wrestle with their current situations — or are preparing for what’s to come. Syril Karn, the disgraced Pre-Mor deputy inspector, has returned home to his mother; Cassian tries to acclimate to his rebel group in anticipation of their heist; and Dedra Meero of the Imperial Security Bureau fights to have her voice heard. An episode of change and anticipation, “The Axe Forgets” sets the future of the series in motion. Here are five highlights….
For Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month, StarWars.com speaks with Star Wars authors Daniel José Older and Zoraida Córdova. Carlos Miranda
While promoting Andor, series star Diego Luna was asked about his accent on ABC’s Soul of a Nation. “I love my accent,” Luna said, “and my accent, no one else can bring it.” Luna’s intentional use of his native Mexican inflection — particularly when he first played the role of Cassian Andor in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — was to many a notable choice worth celebrating.“A lot of my family members speak with an accent,” Zoraida Córdova, author of the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence, tells StarWars.com, “and though we are Ecuadorian and Diego Luna is Mexican, it just felt like home in a way.”Andor’s premiere has brought Hispanic representation specifically, and diversity at large, in Star Wars into focus — something worth noting as we celebrate Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month. Not only is Luna headlining the show, with a cast that also includes Puerto Rican actress Adria Arjona, he is also an executive producer on the series.Building on the foundations laid by Jimmy Smits’ Bail Organa and Oscar Issac’s Poe Dameron, Luna’s Cassian Andor — and his accent — has helped to usher in a new era of Hispanic representation in our beloved galaxy. Since Rogue One’s premiere, Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian has become almost ubiquitous and Rosario Dawson has brought fan favorite Ahsoka Tano from animation into live action.
“I love that The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka have Latino leads. For me it says that the Latin American diaspora extends to even space, even a galaxy far, far away,” says Córdova. “Latinos are a group of people stereotyped by Hollywood into specific roles, so these Star Wars shows are refreshing.”
“The talent behind and in front of the camera, the talent on the keyboard matter — and that’s what’s really exciting about this era of Star Wars,” says Daniel José Older, author and a story architect of Star Wars: The High Republic. “We’re seeing different forms of storytelling, different rhythms of storytelling. When you bring in different cultures you get a diversity of stories, not just of faces. It’s a really exciting time.”
The Star Wars galaxy might not be an actual place but the people who love Star Wars are real. Star Wars stories reflect human experiences and struggles. George Lucas wanted to entertain and delight, but he also aimed to comment on the realities of our world; Star Wars is equally rooted in myth and make-believe as it is in fact and history. It is important that all fans see elements of themselves in the stories they love — it’s validation that one matters, that irrespective of what you look or sound like, you belong and have a role to play. For millions of fans with Hispanic heritage, or living in Latin American countries, seeing a rebel or a Force wielder who looks and sounds like them is inspirational and energizing. Representation matters.
Still, just because we have more representation now than ever before does not mean there’s not more work to do. “We just keep going, pa’lante,” Older says. “There’s more to do, there are more changes to make.”
“It has become a very beautiful thing to see the galaxy expand,” adds Córdova. “Representation makes it bigger and richer and just more interesting.”
Older and Córdova are two of the many talent people working to ensure that all fans, from all walks of life and from all corners of the world, see themselves reflected among the stars of the galaxy, far, far away.
“It’s making a table bigger,” says Córdova. “Instead of asking people to leave, you just find more seats.”
Carlos Miranda is a lifelong Star Wars fan who, sadly, failed to convince his wife of the benefits of naming their boy-girl twins Luke and Leia. Born in the US, Carlos now lives on the beautiful Isle of Skye in northwest Scotland working on the three businesses he started, drinking too much espresso, making (and eating) ramen, and obsessing over 20th century sci-fi. You can follow him on Twitter @doublemacc.
She’s no Jedi. But she’s also not the only star of her 2023 Disney+ series, Ahsoka.
When Rosario Dawson brought Ahsoka Tano into live-action in The Mandalorian, her mission was made clear: she’s on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn and likely Ezra Bridger as well.
Since it’s confirmed that Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren would be joining the Disney+ cast, it appears that Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka is shaping up to be a Star Wars: Rebels live-action reunion. But ever since Dawson’s Ahsoka namedropped Thrawn, the question has been who Lucasfilm will cast to play the iconic antagonist.
Despite the fact Ahsoka is currently filming, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni kept Thrawn’s casting under wraps throughout Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo.
Light up the night with a symbol of rebellion. Kelly Knox
Andor is lighting up our screens on Disney+, and now the burgeoning rebellion can illuminate your front porch as well this Halloween! This Andor-inspired pumpkin stencil, featuring the symbol of rebellion from the series, is super easy. And, best of all, you don’t have to worry about keeping things neat. Keep the edges of the carved symbol jagged to capture the spirit of the rough-around-the-edges rebellion.
