Star Wars: Ahsoka has released some new character posters, which you can check out below!

In addition to Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, the new character posters for Star Wars' latest Disney+ series include heroic allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), as well as the more questionable and/or villainous characters in the series, like former Jedi turned mercenary, Baylan Skoll (the late Ray Stevenson), his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and Grand Admiral Thrawn's ally Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto).

Ahsoka is a highly-anticipated new entry in the Star Wars franchise - especially for diehard fans of the Star Wars Animation Universe. Ahsoka will serve as a sequel to the events of the Star Wars Rebels series, which featured Hera, Sabine, and their "Spectre" Rebel cell working with Ahsoka against the Empire while helping shape the Rebel Alliance.

In addition to being a sequel to Rebels, Ahsoka will re-introduce the Spectres' archnemesis, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), and set up Star Wars writer/director/producer Dave Filoni's upcoming crossover movie event, which will bring together the characters of the New Republic Era - a time period that includes Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorians, Boba Fett's syndicate, and all the New Republic officers, bounty hunters, and Imperial remnants that stand in-between.

Rosario Dawson has already let it be known that if the opportunity for Ahsoka Season 2 or some other crossover appearance for her version of the character, she's already more than game for it:

"If more comes next, I'd be really excited and grateful," Dawson told EW. "I feel like every time I get to step into her shoes, I learn more. I experience what I could never experience otherwise, and I feel like I keep getting better."

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering August 23rd on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Star Wars: Ahsoka premieres its first two episodes on Disney+ starting on August 23rd.

Star Wars: Ahsoka is heading to Disney+ this month, and it will see Rosario Dawson playing the titular character after first playing her in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. The Mandalorian has already been renewed for a fourth season, but the status of The Book of Boba Fett remains unclear. Recently, it was announced that Ahsoka showrunner Dave Filoni will be directing his own Star Wars film, and many are assuming it will serve as the climax to The Mandalorian in addition to Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Bett. That leaves some fans wondering if there will be another season of Ahsoka before the film. Before the SAG strike, Dawson spoke with Entertainment Weekly and teased a second season.

"If more comes next, I'd be really excited and grateful," Dawson shared. "I feel like every time I get to step into her shoes, I learn more. I experience what I could never experience otherwise, and I feel like I keep getting better."

Will Ahsoka Be In Dave Filoni's Star Wars Movie?

ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Rosario Dawson before the SAG strike while she was promoting her new film, Haunted Mansion, and we asked if she knew anything about Filoni's film and whether or not she will be in it.

"No. I'm just so happy he got it," Dawson shared when asked if she knew about the project. "Honestly, my uncle is a comic book artist. That is not the average transition coming from animation and going into directing, and especially a film. For all the nerds, I think for the cons and stuff, this is just like, 'Ah!' kind of status. So, I'm just super stoked for him because it really could not happen to a better person. He's so talented and remarkable and awesome, and I love him. And I think what he learned in doing in animation, he's blowing out of the water in directing and live action. So, I'm, as a fan, excited to watch that movie, whether I'm in it or not."

She added, "And I hope I'm invited to set, regardless." You can watch Dawson talk about Filoni's project in the video above.

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering August 23rd on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Ayo Edebiri is currently blowing up in Hollywood. Not only is the actor one of the stars of the hit series, The Bear, but fans can also currently catch her on the big screen in two movies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Theater Camp. Her next film, Bottoms, is also being released in theaters this month, and she will soon be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Thunderbolts. Before she was a star, Edebiri was a writer who was big on Twitter and Letterboxd. In fact, she currently has over 60,000 followers on the movie review site, which is quite a lot by their standards. Edebiri is known for writing funny reviews, and her post about Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back from earlier this year is going viral on Twitter.

"This movie is great but I was really shocked by how ugly Yoda was sorry if that pisses anybody off but I had only seen baby Yoda and adult Yoda is f*cking busted," Edebiri wrote back in February. Despite disliking Yoda, she gave the movie 4.5 stars, so it's safe to say she enjoyed the Star Wars classic. You can check out a screenshot of the review that has since gone viral below:

i'm crying pic.twitter.com/7saWamamSH

-- bethany (@fiImgal) August 5, 2023

Recently, Edebiri said that she might plan to scale back on her funny Letterboxd reviews now that she's focusing more on acting than writing. "I saw this interview where [Willem Dafoe] was like, 'The reason I keep working is that nobody knows my taste,'" Edebiri shared with Backstage. "Because comedy is my bedrock, expressing my opinions is something I'm so used to in my career," she explains. "Even as a writer, saying your opinions can be beneficial. As an actor...maybe mystery behooves me a little bit."

Ayo Edebiri On Joining Marvel:

Reports have indicated that Edebiri was cast in a mystery role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Thunderbolts movie, although that casting has yet to be confirmed by Marvel Studios.

"I don't know," Edebiri said in an interview with ComicBook.com, which you can check out above. "As a big X Men kid, I feel like if there's... I don't know. I don't think I'm cool enough to play Storm."

"If there's anybody in that arena I get, you know, some powers," Edebiri continued. "I could do things that make sense with my hands. I'd throw down. Yeah, I'm down."

Stay tuned for more updates about Ayo Edebiri's upcoming projects.

Ahsoka Tano was first introduced in Star Wars: Clone Wars and became a staple in Star Wars Rebels before joining the world of live-action in Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Fans of the franchise have seen many stages of Ahsoka's life and they're about to see her in her very own show, Star Wars: Ahsoka, which is heading to Disney+ later this month. The character was originally voiced by Ashley Eckstein and is now played by Rosario Dawson, who recently talked about portraying the older version of the character. In fact, she recently compared Ahsoka's newest chapter to Gandlaf from The Lord of the Rings.

"In the animation, you saw her go to the white, but what I loved is the idea that there was even another level to her," Dawson explained to Entertainment Weekly. "Dave [FIloni] and I talked a lot about Gandalf the Gray and Gandalf the White - talking about that transition and how she's someone very capable and excellent and looked up to as a leader, but she still has levels of development to go."

Will Ahsoka Be In Dave Filoni's Star Wars Movie?

Recently, it was announced that Ahsoka showrunner Dave Filoni will be directing his own Star Wars film, and many are assuming it will serve as the climax to The Mandalorian in addition to Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Bett. Before the SAG strike, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Rosario Dawson while she was promoting her new film, Haunted Mansion, and we asked if she knew anything about Filoni's film and whether or not she will be in it.

"No. I'm just so happy he got it," Dawson shared when asked if she knew about the project. "Honestly, my uncle is a comic book artist. That is not the average transition coming from animation and going into directing, and especially a film. For all the nerds, I think for the cons and stuff, this is just like, 'Ah!' kind of status. So, I'm just super stoked for him because it really could not happen to a better person. He's so talented and remarkable and awesome, and I love him. And I think what he learned in doing in animation, he's blowing out of the water in directing and live action. So, I'm, as a fan, excited to watch that movie, whether I'm in it or not."

She added, "And I hope I'm invited to set, regardless." You can watch Dawson talk about Filoni's project in the video above.

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering August 23rd on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

The ComicBook Nation Crew breaks down the Loki Season 2 trailer, talks about that Fantastic Four casting rumor and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman 3 announcement, then we look at Sony's Spider-Man Universe release date changes, review the new TMNT movie, and discuss the Barbie Movie in full spoilers! PLUS: Futurama is BACK, and we talk new TV shows worth watching, including Special Ops: Lioness, and Harley Quinn Season 4!

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Star Wars: Ahsoka star Mary Elizabeth Winstead addressed how she adapted Hera Syndulla from Star Wars Rebels. The actress spoke to EW as part of a big cover story about the Disney+ series. It's become clear that the TV Star Wars shows have a big role to play in Dave Filoni's corner of the franchise. Winstead explained how difficult it can be to get across some of the nuances with Hera in live-action. The title character of the show, Ahsoka Tano, has some similar growing pains in her appearances in The Mandalorian and other properties. But, fans really

"After five seasons of watching 'Rebels', those characters are real already. It becomes a different challenge of stepping into some shoes that have already been filled one way and bringing them into literally a different dimension."

"What I love about her is that she's such a strong leader and fighter, and she's also so maternal and nurturing," Winstead added. "We don't often see that depicted on screen. We see army generals being these very masculine, hard figures. And Hera has that, but she also has this softness to her. She really wants her crew to be loved and looked after, and at the same time, she's pushing them to be better."

Star Wars Rebels Lays The Groundwork

Before Rosario Dawson played Ahsoka, Ashley Eckstein voiced the beloved former Jedi. She talked to CinemaBlend about her love for the animated Star Wars programs. The actress would like everyone to go revisit those shows in order to have the foundation to really lean into everything Star Wars: Ahsoka has to offer.

"I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Because if you don't, you're going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting," Eckstein told the outlet.

Star Wars Rebels Fans Having Their Big Moment

The entire Star Wars: Ahsoka rollout has been one big victory lap for Star Wars Rebels fans. They've been waiting on this moment for a while now. It's their time. However, the brain trust responsible for creating these shows know that excitement comes with grand expectations. In the same breath, they're ready to blow everyone away. Filoni told Empire Magazine that fans will be pleased.

"It's thrilling, I gotta tell you," Dave Filoni said of his burgeoning Lucasfilm output. "It's something you imagine doing for a long time. And then it's kind of startling when you're sitting there, and now you have to do it... I thought of this adventure for Ahsoka for a long time, and it's interesting to see how it's evolved. Years ago, I never would have imagined that it was sprung from a branch of a tree that had anything to do with a guy [like] Din Djarin, or a child that looks like Yoda. It's a great lesson for me on how, when you have other creatives like Jon Favreau, they can help lend such dimension and depth to what you're doing."

How Does Ahsoka End Up With Her Friends Again?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Are you looking forward to all the Rebels love? Let us know down in the comments!

Star Wars may finally be answering a long-lingering question in the story of Kylo Ren: namely, how he ended up with Darth Vader's helmet in his possession!

The new anthology book Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - From A Certain Point of View tells a variety of short stories from around the time period when the events of Return of the Jedi took place (5 ABY). One of those short stories, "The Steadfast Soldier" by Adam Christopher, seems to be exploring a key moment during the Battle of Endor and The Rebel Alliance's attack on the Death Star II. As one excerpt describes:

This was not glory. And it most certainly was not victory. They had... lost.

Pryde felt his heart kick into high gear as he remembered, the shock suddenly bringing him out of his daze, as effectively as a job from a bantha prod.

They had lost, and the lights in the sky, visible despite the dawn, were not fireworks or meteor storm. They were the last burning remnants of the greatest fleet the Empire had ever assembled, the blasted debris raining down across the entire Endor System.

Star Wars fans are now taking some big leaps, based on this simple description. It's clear the story is about an Imperial soldier named "Pryde" stationed on a planet in the Endor System (where the Empire hid the shield-generating base for the Death Star II); what is less clear, however, is what relevance this story will have in the larger Star Wars Saga.

The setting of the Endor System during the destruction of the Death Star II and Imperial Fleet would obviously yield one potentially-important artifact: Darth Vader's helmet.

Why Kylo Ren's Darth Vader Helmet Is A Star Wars Mystery

Kylo Ren having Darth Vader's severely damaged helmet in Star Wars: The Force Awakens never really made sense within the canon. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo never set foot onto the Death Star until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and wasn't even born when the Battle of Endor was fought (he would be six months later). Vader took off his helmet in his last moments of life after Luke Skywalker's battle with Emperor Palpatine, but Luke Skywalker returned it to his head before placing his father's body on a funeral pyre at the end of the film.

Could "The Steadfast Soldier" reveal a scene where Imperial soldier "Pryde" stumbles upon Vader's remains and retrieves the helmet? If that's the case, it could explain how Vader's helmet made it off of Endor and into Kylo Ren's possession years later.

In fact, "The Steadfast Soldier" could connect back to another Star Wars short story: "The Perfect Weapon" by Delilah S. Dawson, which was included in the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens short-story anthology. That New Republic-era story followed mercenary Bazine Netal (the woman who led The First Order to Maz Katna's castle in Force Awakens) on a suspicious mission: recovering a mystery package from the corpse of a former Imperial Stormtrooper captain named Jor Tribulus. Netal delivered the case to a mysterious client and established a direct line to the leadership of the First Order as one of their spies.

It's long been theorized that Tribulus was keeping Vader's helmet in that case and that Bazine Netal got it back for Kylo Ren. "The Steadfast Soldier" could concievably be the preceding piece of that story, which shows how Imperial remnants around Endor first stole the helmet, and how it ended up in Tribulus' hands, as commander.

Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi - From A Certain Point of View will be released on August 29th.

We're only weeks away from the debut of Star Wars: Ahsoka, the TV series that Star Wars: The Clone Wars fans have been waiting years to see, with a new TV spot for the upcoming series building even more excitement for the series. Over the last few months, we've been given various trailers, teasers, and photos from the new series, so while a number of major live-action sequences have already been hinted at in those promos, this TV spot still manages to deliver new looks at both the heroes and villains of the series in action. Check out the TV spot below before Star Wars: Ahsoka premieres on August 23rd.

Audiences are understandably excited to see the live-action debuts of characters like Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla, given that they were such beloved fixtures in the Star Wars Rebels series, but arguably the most exciting live-action debut would be Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn. While Thrawn was a major threat in Rebels, his intimidating legacy dates back to the '90s and various Star Wars Legends novels.

Mikkelsen had already voiced the character for Rebels, though we can still expect some slight changes with his approach to embodying the figure in live-action.

"I'm not losing the voice, but I am tweaking it into live-action," Mikkelsen shared with Empire Magazine earlier this year. "When you do an animated character, there's a whole melodious approach. When you're there as a real person, that would be just slightly too much."

He added, "I love the way he rises through the Empire, and the way he carries himself in that environment to become somebody. And then of course, how can you not like a very clever villain? Thrawn takes the time to understand his opponent's culture, and what they're about. It's lovely to be playing that."

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

Star Wars: Ahsoka is headlined by Rosario Dawson, and Dave Filoni just revealed the piece of advice he used to cast her. EW published a big feature about the Disney+ show and they asked the Star Wars TV architect about the early days. It seems like he identified her interest on social media. From there, Filoni would ask Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy for some advice. The right person would manifest, he just had to wait for the universe to bring the actress to him. With Dawson's apparent love for the franchise and boundless energy, she was a natural choice.

"It goes back to a quote that [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy gave me when I was really going over the casting of Ahsoka," Filoni told the outlet "I said, 'How do you know when it's the right person?' And she just looked at me and said, 'Dave, you just know.' And she was right. I just knew when it was Rosario, and that kind of brought Ahsoka together for me, and off we ran."

"I was very fortunate," Filoni said back at Star Wars Celebration. "The whole thing kind of came together for me with Rosario when we talked with her and when she put on the costume and became Ahsoka. I was like, 'You know, this is going to work.' It really was as simple as that."

Ahsoka's Animated Foundation Heading Into The Series

Star Wars TV czar Dave Filoni has been very open about the importance of Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars in his work. In a recent sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, Ahsoka's biggest star agreed with him. So, you might want to go brush-up on some Rebels before diving into the new Disney+ show later this month. Dawson argued her point about watching the animated output, "Oh my goodness, yes. Natasha [Liu Bordizzo] said something to that effect, and there was some fanfare about it. But it's important."

"With Star Wars fans, there's folks who really just watch the films, but now and especially with The Mandalorian, more [and more] people are watching the live-action shows. And then there are people who watch the animated shows," she added. "There's even a tier beyond that with all the books and fan fiction. So there's different levels to the Star Wars family, and it's always been very highly considered to make sure [everyone can watch it]."

Ahsoka Made Dawson Do The Hardest Lightsaber Training Ever

Getting those lightsaber skills together was kind of hard for Dawson. She told EW's Dagobah Dispatch podcast the the training was intense. Every movement was critiqued. But, there were moments of true euphoria on-set for the actress.

"She's so fierce from the very beginning," Dawson said when describing her character. "It was never a question about whether she capable. She meets every single match just so head-on. There's no hesitancy from her whatsoever, and that's really different from someone who's learning martial arts in their 40s who's trying to protect their face."

"There was definitely a moment a few months into the training where I just felt it land in my body in a way," she added. "I remember when it clicked in where I really felt grounded in her and some of the stuff started feeling more familiar and seamless. That's when I really felt like I locked into Ahsoka."

Dawson would also mention, "I was grateful for the team of people that we have ... And to have someone like [stunt coordinator] Ming [Qui], who actually started nodding and going, 'Okay, this can work.' When she said, 'This one did not make my eyes hurt,' that was the first compliment that I got, and I think I cried. It took a lot of effort on our part to make look easy, and that felt really remarkable because of that discerning eye."

Does Star Wars: Ahsoka Pick-Up From Where Rebels Ended?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Do you enjoy Dawson as Ahsoka? Let us know down in the comments!

Star Wars: Ahsoka is approaching rapidly and Thrawn will be the big villain for the series. Lars Mikkelsen will take up the role of the blue baddie when Disney+ launches Ahsoka. He talked to Entertainment Weekly about Thrawn's approach this time around. Some time has passed since the events of Star Wars Rebels. While the Empire has taken a bit of a different shape, the threat remains. Mikkelsen is excited to see his stern tactician dropped into the live-action Star Wars universe. Here's what he had to say about Thrawn's machinations in Ahsoka.

"He's brutal to a certain point, but he's not stupid," Mikkelsen replied when asked about Thrawn. "He utilizes the creativity around him, and I like that. He doesn't just kill people off for the fun of it. He's sort of seven pages ahead of everybody else."

Lars Mikkelsen Returns As Thrawn

Star Wars TV czar Dave Filoni is very fond of Grand Admiral Thrawn. This year, he told Empire Magazine that the villain was the biggest threat in The New Republic era. In his own words, "Definitely, in my eyes. When Timothy Zahn wrote Heir to the Empire, Thrawn became this very iconic villain, because he was different than anything we'd seen before." Filoni would add. "He wasn't another helmet-wearing, lightsaber-wielding bad guy, you know? There's a lot of pull to make characters that are like Vader, because it is so iconic."

"But the boldness that Tim had was to make somebody that wasn't like that, that didn't have those abilities, but could fight in a different way. In the words 'Star Wars,' the 'war' part of it -- him being a Grand Admiral, a leader, a military strategist, a Moriarty archetype, someone that will out-think you, out-strategize you -- that really resonated," the creative mused. "He's a critical player in this time period. We're fortunate to have that character, and fortunate to have Lars [Mikkelsen] playing him."

What's Different About Thrawn This Time?

During the trailer at Star Wars Celebration, some fans noticed that Mikkelsen's voice sounded a little different. The Thrawn actor says that there's no reason for concern. In his own interview with Empire Magazine, the star explained that there's some nuance between live-action and animated performances.

"I'm not losing the voice, but I am tweaking it into live-action," Mikkelsen explained. "When you do an animated character, there's a whole melodious approach. When you're there as a real person, that would be just slightly too much."

He continued, "I love the way he rises through the Empire, and the way he carries himself in that environment to become somebody. And then of course, how can you not like a very clever villain? Thrawn takes the time to understand his opponent's culture, and what they're about. It's lovely to be playing that."

What's Coming In Star Wars: Ahsoka?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Are you excited to have Thrawn back in the fold? Let us know down in the comments!

DC Studios has been hard at work developing their upcoming slate, and it will include a bunch of characters that fans have been dying to see return to live-action. Among those projects are some pretty interesting series like Booster Gold, Paradise Lost, and even Lanterns, which will be a True Detective-esque series with our favorite space cops, Hal Jordan and John Stewart. With Gunn already casting one major Green Lantern in Superman: Legacy, fans were wondering who could play one of the lead characters in the series. One artist seems to think that Solo: A Star Wars Story's Alden Ehrenreich would be a good choice as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern in the DCU.

An artist on Instagram who goes by the handle @Jaxsonderr created a new design that shows how Ehrenreich could look as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern. In the fan art, the Solo: A Star Wars Story star gets the character's classic look with some modern tweaks, and it actually looks fantastic. While we haven't the slightest idea how far into the development process Lanterns is, this fan art is definitely a great concept for the series, and Ehrenreich would be a great choice. You can check out the fan art below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jaxson Derr (@jaxsonderr)

What Will Happen in Lanterns?

James Gunn and Peter Safran's Green Lantern series is actually very important to the overall story that they will be telling in their DC Studios Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate. When Lanterns was announced, the duo made sure that everyone knew how important the story was, and it seems that our favorite heroes will unravel a mystery that will affect the entire DC Universe.

Lanterns "leads into the overall story that we're telling throughout the different movies and television shows," Gunn said earlier this year. "We find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically super-cops on 'Precinct Earth.'"

To which Safran emphasized how important Lanterns is to their overarching story, "The story is going to weave back and forth between the films and the television shows. Peacemaker is a good example of how that works, and that's what we're going to do with this big overarching story that we're telling."

Safran continued to reveal that Lanterns is actually "a very important show for us" and it definitely looks like it as one Green Lantern will show up in Superman: Legacy. Lanterns a series that is part of the slate that includes five live-action feature films (Superman: Legacy, The Authority, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing), and five HBO Max series (Creature Commandos, Waller, Booster Gold, and Paradise Lost). Although, Creature Commandos and Waller will hit the service first, Gunn and Safran have stated on multiple occasions that Superman: Legacy will mark the official beginning of their rebooted DC Universe when it arrives on July 11th, 2025.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on Lanterns and the future of DC Studios as we learn it!

What do you think about the Green Lantern fan art? Would you like to see Alden Ehrenreich as Hal Jordan in Lanterns? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

Inquisitors were first introduced in Star Wars in the animated shows, and the Jedi hunters eventually appeared in live-action in Obi-Wan Kenobi last year. Star Wars: Ahsoka is heading to Disney+ later this month, and might also include the villains, which is no surprise considering how many characters from Star Wars Rebels are expected to appear in the show. A new inquisitor was seen in the trailer for Ahsoka, and the official Star Wars website has since shared some information about the character, Marrok. Turns out, Marrok is a former Jedi hunter, and it's currently unclear what the villain's motives will be in the new series.

"Once an Inquisitor hunting Jedi for the Empire, the mysterious Marrok now works as a mercenary hired by Morgan Elsbeth to carry out dark deeds. Fully encased in battered battle armor, the warrior still carries a red double-bladed saber with a circular hilt," StarWars.com explains.

Ashley Eckstein Encourages Fans To Watch Animated Shows Ahead of Ahsoka:

Rosario Dawson has taken over the part of Ahsoka Tano in live-action, but the role was originally voiced by Ashley Eckstein in Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and more animated projects. Previously, Dawson said Eckstein gave her her "blessing" when she took over the role, and the two actors met last year for the first time. During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Eckstein revealed she's excited about the series, but she hopes fans will watch the animated shows first.

"I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Because if you don't, you're going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting," Eckstein shared.

She added, "We're gonna get so many new and incredible stories, but without that backstory, and full understanding of who Ahsoka is and even who the other characters are, you're not going to have as rich or in-depth of an understanding and appreciation of what's going to happen in the series without the backstory, so I'm very grateful that Clone Wars and Rebels and Tales the Jedi are on Disney+. Any chance I get, I tell fans, 'Go and watch it and binge it before you watch the Ahsoka series. It's really gonna matter.'"

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Throughout its history, the Star Wars saga has delivered audiences plenty of adventure, fantasy, and sci-fi themes, with one genre it typically overlooks being horror. Even though Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are monstrous villains, they are balanced out by heroic figures, but with the all-new comic miniseries Star Wars: Dark Droids, writer Charles Soule detailed that the book will explore the darker corners of the galaxy far, far away for a more unsettling experience. While speaking with StarWars.com, Soule revealed the inspirations he had for his work, which include films like Evil Dead, The Thing, and Alien. Star Wars: Dark Droids #1 is on sale now.

"Dark Droids draws inspiration from horror masterpieces like Frankenstein, The Thing, and the Evil Dead series, among many more," Soule detailed to the outlet. "I often put reference images into my scripts. Usually, they're things like, 'Here's the specific model of stormtrooper I'd like to use' or 'This is what Burryaga's lightsaber hilt looks like.' For Dark Droids, though, the reference images were key shots from horror films designed to evoke mood or moments -- something from Alien, and even things like the music video for Herbie Hancock's 'Rockit.'"

He added, "I am a big fan of horror across all mediums, and getting a chance to import that into Star Wars has been a fantastic opportunity. Series artist Luke Ross has been doing a spectacular job of bringing the scares to the book -- Dark Droids doesn't look like anything else out there, within Star Wars or without."

The new series is described, "In Dark Droids, a mysterious new threat called the Scourge corrupts droids, cyborgs, and everything in-between, spreading chaos throughout the galaxy. Ajax Sigma, who first appeared in last year's Star Wars: Revelations #1, will play a role in the saga -- though his true intentions remain unknown."

Even though horror might not be the first genre audiences think of in connection to Star Wars, this isn't the galaxy far, far away's first foray into the realm. In recent years, various incarnations of Vader's Castle stories from IDW Comics have told anthological tales of terror that allow for more overtly unsettling subject matter to be delivered, which even led to the development of the LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales, a Disney+ special that similarly used Vader's Castle as a jumping-off point.

Rather than just straightforward horror, Soule teased other sci-fi elements he aimed to explore with the new series.

"Dark Droids doesn't shy away from examining the way droids exist in Star Wars, which for me, as a writer of science fiction, is really exciting," the writer explained. "We're reckoning with a moment in the real world where 'droid intelligence,' a.k.a. AI, is something we're being forced to stare at with open eyes. If created sentience can exist, what will we think about it once it arrives? More importantly -- and this is the central question of the series -- what will it think of us?"

He continued, "By the end, the story touches many parts of the Star Wars universe and draws in all your favorite characters from the era. I'm really glad I got to write something like this as part of my work in the galaxy and can't wait for the reader to see what I, Luke Ross, and the rest of the team have built."

Star Wars: Dark Droids #1 is on sale now.

What do you think of the story? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

When it comes to the Star Wars universe, there are a lot of characters who are truly beloved. The prequel trilogy of films, in particular, have spawned some fan-favorite heroes and villains -- and it looks like the lore of one will soon be expanded upon. Star Wars Books recently released a teaser for From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, the upcoming anthology book based on the events of the film. The teaser reveals a snippet for one story, Adam Lance Garcia's "The Veteran" -- which, as it turns out, will revolve around Dexter Jettster.

Yes, you read that right. The memorable diner owner from the prequel films is still around during the events of Return of the Jedi -- and it sounds like he will be grappling with his own role in the franchise's intergalactic battles. This is Dexter's second return in a Star Wars book in as many years, after he factored into last year's Star Wars: Brotherhood.

Help me Dexter Jettster, you're my only hope. #FromaCertainPOVReturns@AdamLanceGarcia pic.twitter.com/cE2toMmKFd

-- Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) August 1, 2023

What Is From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi About?

According to Star Wars' official website, these new stories will include Olivie Blake giving us a chilling glimpse into the mind of Emperor Palpatine, Saladin Ahmed recounting the tragic history of the rancor keeper, Charlie Jane Anders exploring the life and times of the Sarlacc, Fran Wilde revealing Mon Mothma's secret mission to save the Rebel Alliance, Mary Kenney chronicleing Wicket the Ewok's quest for one quiet day on the forest moon of Endor, and Anakin Skywalker becoming one with the Force in a gripping tale by Mike Chen.

Additional stories will be from Tom Angleberger, Kristin Baver, Akemi Dawn Bowman, Emma Mieko Candon, Olivia Chadha, Gloria Chao, Adam Christopher, Paul Crilley, Amal El-Mohtar, M. K. England, Jason Fry, Adam Lance Garcia, Lamar Giles, Max Gladstone, Thea Guanzon, Ali Hazelwood, Patricia A. Jackson, Alex Jennings, Jarrett Krosoczka, Sarah Kuhn, Danny Lore, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Kwame Mbalia, Marieke Nijkamp, Danielle Paige, Laura Pohl, K. Arsenault Rivera, Dana Schwartz, Tara Sim, Phil Szostak, Suzanne Walker, Hannah Whitten, Sean Williams, and Alyssa Wong.

What Is the Next Star Wars Movie?

The next Star Wars blockbuster is expected to be the currently-untitled movie from Ms. Marvel director Sharmeed Obaid-Chinoy, which will see the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. Earlier this year, it was revealed that co-writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson have both departed the project, with Peaky Blinders' Stephen Knight brought on to rewrite the script. In a recent interview with Yahoo! UK, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy provided an update on that film, and revealed that it will still be some time before a new version of the script is ready.

"We've been working on that [film] for a few years and all of that feeds in to our overall storytelling," Kennedy explained in a recent interview. "So we've just got to a point now where we've got a wonderful writer in Steven Knight, he's come on board and we're going to see a script probably in the next month and a half that we've been working on for quite a while. So we're getting close."

"There's never a time where something is just instantly suggested," Kennedy added. "It's such an evolution of conversations that we have all the time and we knew coming off of The Rise of Skywalker that we needed to take that further. We just didn't know how far out; we didn't know exactly what the story might be - but now we have a much better idea."

What do you think of Dexter Jettser returning to the Star Wars saga? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

After a massive slate of LEGO launches for August 2023 that included numerous Star Wars sets, LEGO has unveiled a new version of the Clone Wars Coruscant Guard Gunship that follows the UCS Gunship that was released in 2021. It clocks in at 1083-pieces and will be available to purchase starting at August 31st / September 1st at 9pm PT / 12am ET here at the LEGO website for $139.99. Additional details about the new set can be found below followed by information on the rest of the Star Wars LEGO lineup that's set to launch alongside the Gunship.

75354 Coruscant Guard Gunship ($139.99) - See at LEGO.com: Features include 2 pilot cockpits, 2 stud shooters, 2 adjustable cannons, a handle for flying and 5 LEGO minifigures: Commander Fox, Chancellor Palpatine and Padm? Amidala, and 2 Coruscant Guards.

Ahsoka Tano's T-6 Jedi Shuttle (75362) - $79.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: This set features an opening LEGO minifigure cockpit, retractable landing gear, two stud shooters, and two storage compartments for tools and weapons. Minfigures include Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, Professor Huyang and Marrok.

New Republic E-Wing vs. Shin Hati's Starfighter (75364)- $109.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: This set features two buildable starships from Star Wars: Ahsoka, an opening minifigure cockpit, two stud shooters, retractable landing gear, and space to store weapons. The Minifigure lineup includes Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, Morgan Elsbeth, and Captain Porter along with a New Republic Astromech Droid.

Chewbacca (75371) - $199.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: The Chewbacca set celebrates the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with a 2319-piece figure that stands over 18-inches tall. Includes a Chewbacca LEGO minifigure with a stud-shooting bowcaster.

75357 Ghost & Phantom II ($159.99) - Pre-order here on Amazon and here at LEGO.com: Features of the set include 2 lever-activated spring-loaded shooters, a dual LEGO minifigure cockpit with removable front section, a cabin with 2 opening hatches, and a detachable turret with a cannon (non-shooting) and space for a LEGO minifigure. The Phantom II shuttle also has an opening minifigure cockpit and a storage compartment.

75366 LEGO Star Wars 2023 Advent Calendar ($44.99) See at LEGO.com: Includes Emperor Palpatine, an Ewok and a Pit Droid in holiday outfits, a Gonk Droid dressed as a reindeer, Omega with a sled, a 212th Clone Trooper, B-1 Battle Droid and Princess Leia. Mini builds include The Justifier, The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter, a turbo tank, STAP speeder, AAT, Imperial Shuttle, AT-ST, speeder bike, Imperial Star Destroyer, Ewok glider, Clone Command Center, Ewok village, Endor bunker, Endor shield protector and Emperor's throne.

You can check out more of the latest LEGO Star Wars sets here at the LEGO Shop. Again, the LEGO sets listed above will go on sale beginning at 9pm PT / 12am ET August 31st / September 1st. If you want to dive right in, you can find all of the upcoming releases here in the "Coming Soon" section. After the launch, they will shift here in the "Available Now" section. You can take advantage of LEGO VIP offers by signing up for a free account right here.

What Is Ahsoka About?

In other Star Wars news, fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering August 23rd on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

The current timeline of Star Wars comics at Marvel has adventures unfolding between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Back in 2021, fans were thrilled by the kickoff of the "War of the Bounty Hunters" crossover event, as it confirmed that Qi'ra from Solo: A Star Wars Story was not only still alive, but was leading the Crimson Dawn organization. Despite the thrilling potential of this reveal, "War of the Bounty Hunters" and the subsequent crossovers "Crimson Reign" and "Hidden Empire" all failed to match the excitement of that Qi'ra reveal. In other words, times have been tough for fans of Star Wars comics when it comes to crossover events, and while the kickoff to the latest crossover, Star Wars: Dark Droids #1, doesn't deliver anything as exciting as Qi'ra's return, it does plant the seed for some uncharted territory in a galaxy far, far away.

Under the command of the Galactic Empire, a lowly KX-series security droid (think K-2SO from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) comes across a medallion containing the identity of a self-aware droid, which latches onto the security droid. When it returns to its Star Destroyer, it quickly spreads throughout the rest of the droids on the ship, igniting a revolt, with this organic eradication igniting interest from a sect of other self-aware droids in another part of the galaxy. Given the destructive nature of this entity, these self-aware droids know the danger it possesses, while the prevalence of droids throughout the galaxy could spell doom for the seeming owners of such droids.

Throughout the original trilogy of Star Wars films, droids were seen as bumbling and hapless figures who mainly existed to help move the story forward by offering up the exact services required of any character at any time. Whether it be the prequel trilogy displaying the weaponization of such droids or Rogue One showing that these figures could have their own motivations that didn't align with human owners, the perception of droids has changed over the years, though they are still often depicted as one-dimensional figures. As soon as the name "Dark Droids" was announced as a crossover event, fans were immediately skeptical that it would be a silly and superficial outing, and while those apprehensions could still be warranted, this debut issue teases the potential of much more existential themes being explored.

While it largely felt like it was played for laughs, Solo: A Star Wars Story delivered the droid L3-37, who not only had a seemingly emotional and physical relationship with Lando Calrissian, but also fought for droid rights. The character was so effective, in fact, that when L3-37's operating system was transferred into the Millennium Falcon, many audiences claimed that this was a fate worse than death. With Star Wars: Dark Droids #1, writer Charles Soule looks to be mining that vein of storytelling with a destination that's entirely unknown at this point.

The power and dangers of A.I. in our world has become a hot topic, not only with demonstrations of what these operating systems are capable of, but also in all of the ways they fail to replicate human insight. Dark Droids doesn't feel like it was an attempt to cash in on the topical trend, more serving as an eerie and prescient reminder of an eventuality. Throughout much of the Star Wars saga and all of its mediums, droids are often defined by human characters, regardless of whether those droids exist in support of or in opposition to those human characters' objectives. Dark Droids looks to uncover what these figures would pursue in a world devoid of humans.

This debut issue is a bit of a messy blend of thematic threads, as it delivers a somewhat absurd sect of droids that have had something akin to a religious awakening, while also delivering a mechanical massacre. We're being given both computational carnage and philosophical functioning, along with the tease of beloved characters being overtaken by nefarious motivations. These themes shouldn't really work together in concept, but Soule's storytelling and integration of the two narrative threads work in harmony with one another, allowing readers to avoid scoffing at the absurdity of the premise. The issue's intro does also attempt to retroactively add significance to the events of Star Wars: Hidden Empire, claiming it was a plan from Qi'ra that led to this dark entity being unleashed, though this seems more like an attempt to justify the events of that crossover and a bit superfluous to what unfolds in this debut issue.

Similarly helping elevate the inherent limitations of the material is the art from illustrator Luke Ross and colorist Alex Sinclair. Some of the most iconic elements of Star Wars have been the scenes in which droids, namely R2-D2, have been able to tap into the computer systems of the Galactic Empire, with Dark Droids #1 finding a way to visualize how this data mining could look to the droid in way that authentically honors the retro spirit of the series. Much like Soule, Ross is a proven talent in the galaxy far, far away, so while it's no surprise that his more literal depictions of characters in the book or compelling, it's the ways in which the book highlights a droid's perspective and visualizes algorithmic computations that are the standout components.

Where this Dark Droids story, or the whole crossover event, goes from here is yet to be seen and it's entirely possible that the concept could devolve back into superficial silliness or high-concept nonsense, but this debut issue provides more gravitas to the initiative than expected. The creative team on this title are all-star collaborators in the galaxy far, far away, so we can hope that this core Dark Droids title maintains some consistency and fares better than previous title-spanning storylines, though we also can't yet predict how fulfilling tie-ins will be. Despite inherent challenges, Star Wars: Dark Droids #1 proves that the most ambitious creatives in the game can find unconventional approaches to the most challenging and complex concepts and deliver something that is both superficially entertaining while also sparking existential themes of identity.

Published by Marvel Comics

On August 2, 2023

Written by Charles Soule

Art by Luke Ross

Colors by Alex Sinclair

Letters by Travis Lanham

Cover by Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr.

The Star Wars galaxy is headed back onto the big screen soon, with three new movies announced earlier this year at the Star Wars Celebration convention. Among these is a movie that will be helmed by Dave Filoni, which is expected to continue much of the canon established on the franchise's recent Disney+ shows, including Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka. The film is sure to see the return of a number of characters already introduced on Star Wars shows, and given his role on The Mandalorian and Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, it stands to reason that Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant) might be among them. In a recent appearance on The Playlist's Bingeworthy podcast, Olyphant was asked if he has had talks with Filoni about him returning, prompting him to respond, "If I had [talks with Filoni], I wouldn't tell you."

"Honestly, I can tell you that I've been very, very lucky with those guys," Olyphant explained. "I've only done two episodes and to have only done those two episodes and feel like you're part of a world and they created such a memorable character. I mean, you know, I'm getting away with something here. I did two episodes and I've got like four toys out there. It's ridiculous, and I know it because all of a sudden there's people at the airport with toys. That's new. But, it was a ball working on those things and those guys know if they call me I'd show up. I don't care if it's a big giant thing or just to show up for an afternoon. It's a fun gig."

What Is Dave Filoni's Star Wars Movie About?

While details on Filoni's Star Wars movie are still relatively slim -- including the movie's release date -- we do know that it will be set during the New Republic era, and will have an epic event quality to it.

"Jon [Favreau] and I have our own little theater that we've been playing in, but Star Wars is a big galaxy. I think there's a lot of possibilities, but we do things our own way," Filoni told ComicBook.com earlier this year. "I think of, you know, A New Hope is an important moment in the timeline. The Death Star blows up. That changes everything ... A cinematic moment for this time period has to be a moment that's changing things and we understand it as the audience and then it can ripple down if we have other shows going on underneath that. So if there was a show taking place in the New Hope time period that you were watching as a kid, you would understand that things have changed in the show because the Death Star blew up. But they didn't necessarily need to be there. So there's a ton of possibilities for how to tell these stories in a unique way for Star Wars as well."

Do you want to see Timothy Olyphant return as Cobb Vanth in Dave Filoni's Star Wars movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Star Wars' Billy Dee Williams has revealed his new memoir, and now fans know what he was teasing on social media last month. Titled "What Have We Here?" Penguin Random House gives the beloved actor the chance to share his story on his own terms. Williams actually revealed the cover for the memoir in PEOPLE Magazine today. While some fans probably believed his big reveal had something to do with the reported Star Wars: Lando series that made waves in the news last week, that is decidedly not the case. It makes sense that the Star Wars actor would be teasing something big for himself instead of a series that is probably years away at this point. Check out what his editor had to say about the book down below.

"Billy Dee Williams has had a fascinating life and career," Victoria Wilson, the editor, told PEOPLE. "The book he writes is fun and, like Billy, hard to resist and draws you in."

"I saw how absurd my life has been at times. And how fortunate it's been," Williams said. "I had fun reliving those memories. I hope it brings back memories for readers, too... So many people over the years have let me into their life. Now it's my turn to let people into [mine.]"

Here's Penguin Random House's description of the memoir: "A film legend recalls his remarkable life of nearly eight decades--a heralded actor who's played the roles he wanted, from Brian's Song to Lando in the Star Wars universe--unchecked by the racism and typecasting so rife in the mostly all-white industry in which he triumphed."

Williams Previously Teased A Big Announcement

That big moment on Twitter sent people absolutely scrambling to figure out what such a nebulous tease could mean. The fact that it came just a short time after the Lando series announcing their writing team seemed to be an interesting omen. However, as we now know, its just Williams looking to share some more about himself with the scores of fans out there who want to hear some good stories.

"I am thrilled to share that something truly magnificent is coming soon," Williams told fans on Twitter. "This is a dream come true for me, on all that has sustained and carried me through a lifetime of dreams and adventure, it is my honor to share with you. Make sure to enable notifications for stories and posts to stay in the loop, you don't want to miss this... May the Force be with you all."

Lando Finally Has A Writing Team After All This Time

Lando will be written by Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover. Before the duo stepped in, Justin Simien was tabbed to pen the treatment around Lando Calrissian. Now, with that added jolt of eyeballs, the direction of such a show would be anyone's guess. With Glover in the writing chair, it would make sense to assume he would also star. But, nothing is in stone at the moment.

"I would love to play Lando again. It's a fun time to be him. It just has to be the right, it just needs to be the right way to do it," Glover told GQ previously, when asked about putting on the costume again. "Time is precious. I think everybody's in the past couple of years, this pandemic sh-t, had people experience time in a way where they're like...People kind of realize their time is valuable, you only get so much. So like, I'm not interested in doing anything that's just gonna be like a waste of my time or just a paycheck. I'd much rather like spend time with people that I l enjoy. So it just has to be the right thing, which I think it could be. I mean like Lando is definitely somebody I'd like to hang out with. I mean we're talking about it. That's as much as I can say, you know, without Kathleen Kennedy like, hunting me down."

Are you surprised by the memoir news? Let us know down in the comments!

After floating along in development hell for the better part of three years, Lucasfilm's Lando series is back in development--and the actor originally behind the role may be teasing his involvement. Following up on an Instagram post he made earlier this month, Billie Dee Williams shared another similar tease on Monday. Though the actor was playing coy, he teased a "major" announcement involving himself would happen soon.

"I am thrilled to share that something truly magnificent is coming soon," Williams shared on Twitter. "This is a dream come true for me, on all that has sustained and carried me through a lifetime of dreams and adventure, it is my honor to share with you. Make sure to enable notifications for stories and posts to stay in the loop, you don't want to miss this... May the Force be with you all."

pic.twitter.com/P2yw5IJt3y

-- Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) August 1, 2023

Does this mean Billie Dee Williams is going to be in the new Lando series?

Though it's always possible Williams could be cameoing in the series, it's unlikely the actor will have a major on-screen role given the series will both star and be written by Donald Glover. Glover has been attached to return to the role ever since the series was first announced back in 2020 and only recently, it was revealed he'll also be writing the series after it was presumed dead on arrival.

"I would love to play Lando again. It's a fun time to be him. It just has to be the right, it just needs to be the right way to do it," Glover said in an interview with Deadline earlier this year. "Time is precious. I think everybody's in the past couple of years, this pandemic sh-t, had people experience time in a way where they're like...People kind of realize their time is valuable, you only get so much. So like, I'm not interested in doing anything that's just gonna be like a waste of my time or just a paycheck. I'd much rather like spend time with people that I l enjoy. So it just has to be the right thing, which I think it could be. I mean like Lando is definitely somebody I'd like to hang out with. I mean we're talking about it. That's as much as I can say, you know, without Kathleen Kennedy like, hunting me down."

He added, "He also feels pulpy. The rest of those the whole Skywalker family. You can't really f--k with the cannon. You can have a pulpy, kind of like, sh--ty, Lando novel that feels like outside of the Star Wars universe, but still in it. And I think that's why people like him. He's the most elastic of the characters because you don't know where he is from or who he is or whatever. There's only really those like three little books. So yeah, it was dope to play him. It was really fun."

That said, it's possible Williams could serve as the show's narrator or provide help in a similar way.

Lando has yet to set a release date. The latest series in the Star Wars saga, Ahsoka, is set for release on August 23rd.

You ever wonder where characters and planets in Star Wars get their names? They come from all sorts of places, depending on who came up with the idea and what was on their mind that day, but one of the most pivotal names in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actually came from a mistake at a coffee shop. A barista serving director Gareth Edwards coffee didn't hear his name correctly and accidentally named the final planet in the film.

Scarif, the planet that housed the plans for the Death Star, was home to most of the third act of Rogue One. Edwards was tasked with coming up with the planet's name before going out to get a coffee. In an interview with Edwards that was recently posted to social media by Industrial Light & Magic, the filmmaker said that the barista misunderstood his name and wrote "Scarif" on his cup. You can check out the clip from the interview below!

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A post shared by Industrial Light & Magic (@ilmvfx)

"When you're a kid and you dream about making a Star Wars film, one of the amazing things that could happen if you got lucky enough to do that would be to name characters or name something in the movie," Edwards said in the interview. "Gary Whitta was writing the draft of the movie. He was really excited about it but after a while, after naming like the 50th thing and trying to come up with a unique name, he was getting a little bit bored and wanted to share this problem, and he was like. 'Gareth you got to start naming some stuff.' And he's like, 'Okay, you've got to name the end planet.' And I was like, 'Okay this is a big deal.'

"I came out and I went and got a coffee. You know, they write your name on the coffee and everything and I must have said when they asked my name, 'It's Gareth.' And what they heard was 'Scarif.' And so I just looked at the coffee cup and it said, 'Scarif.' And I just came back in to Gary and I put it on the table and I went, 'It's called Scarif.' And I feel like the Barista doesn't realize the influence they've had in a galaxy far, far away."

The Creator: Gareth Evans' New Movie

Edwards is returning to the big screen later this year with The Creator, his first film since Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. John David Washington stars in The Creator as an ex-special forces agent named Joshua, who is grieving the disappearance of his wife. In the middle of a war between humans and artificial intelligence, Joshua is hired to hunt down and killed a being known as the Creator, the architect of the AI who has the power to end the war, as well as mankind itself.

In addition to Washington, the film stars Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and Allison Janney. Edwards wrote the script with Chris Weitz and produced the film alongside Kiri Hart, Jim Spencer, and Arnon Milchan. The executive producers are Yariv Milchan, Michael Schaefer, Natalie Lehmann, Nick Meyer, and Zev Foreman.

The Creator is set to arrive in theaters on September 29th.

During Star Wars Day this past May 4th, Disney launched a 7,500-piece limited edition Cal Kestis lightsaber hilt inspired by EA / Respawn Entertainment's 2019 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game and the new sequel Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and it sold out in the blink of an eye. Now fans have the chance to pick up this new Cal Kestis lightsaber set that features sound effects and the ability to change the color of the blade between blue, green, purple, yellow, white or red. If you're like most players, white will be your color of choice.

The Cal Kestis Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Color-Changing Legacy Lightsaber Set is a shopDisney exclusive that you can order here for $249.99 while it lasts. A full breakdown of the features and how they're activated can be found below.

• Set includes Cal Kestis (Jedi Survivor) Legacy Lightsaber Hilt, Lightsaber Blade, Display Stand, and Lightsaber Belt Clip
• Hilt includes color-changing feature
• When holding down the hidden button on backside of saber hilt for five seconds, the Lightsaber blades will change in sequence to the following colors: blue, red, green, purple, yellow, white (for a total of six different color options)
• Unique Lightsaber Start Up WAV file plays when slide switch is turned from OFF to ON position
• Constant Lightsaber HUM sound plays when the Lightsaber is on the ON position
• Unique impact sound effects activated when Lightsaber comes into contact with another item
• Unique motion sound effects activated when moving around the Lightsaber in the air without impacting another item
• Battery case in handle
• Includes case with hinged lid with magnetic closure
• Case features graphic detailing, Jedi crest and protective foam interior

"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a strong sequel that improves on nearly every core element seen in Fallen Order," reads a snippet of our review of the game. "Even in spite of some pacing troubles with its story, Cal Kestis is an even more compelling protagonist this time around and continues to be one of the best new Star Wars characters that has come about in the Disney era. With a little more polish and some trimmed fat, Jedi: Survivor could have been a home run, but Respawn still has a bit more room for growth in a third installment for this potential trilogy." Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available worldwide, at a price point of $69.99, via PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. You can keep up with the latest news about the game right here.

Star Wars is shining a whole new kind of light on its droid characters - and it is a dark light indeed!

Star Wars: Dark Droids is the new Star Wars comic book series Marvel Comics is going to be releasing in August, and the preview pages reveal how this new story is being built out of the recent events in the larger Star Wars comics universe, which include writer Charles Soule's "Qi'ra Trilogy" story arc, which included War of the Bounty Hunters, Crimson Reign, and Hidden Empire.

(MILD SPOILERS) Lady Qi'ra returned to the galaxy during the Galactic Civil War (following events of The Empire Strikes Back). Qi'ra brought back a refitted version of Darth Maul's criminal organization Crimson Dawn, which became a secret army of spies, infiltrators and influencers, embedded in every organization in the galaxy. Qi'ra sowed conflict and disruption with one main goal: defeating the Sith Lords that she had learned were controlling the galaxy through the Empire. Part of her plan used an ancient piece of AI tech called the Spark Eternal, that an ancient race (the Ascendant cult) used to fight the Sith Order. In the aftermath of Qi'ra's failed uprising, the Spark Enternal escaped into a disc of tech even the Sith had banned from use, gaining new machine sentience as "The Scourge"

Well, the Star Wars Universe will see its droids become a nightmare army, when the Scourge finally takes control.

What Is Star Wars: Dark Droids About?

As per Marvel Comics' description:

STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS will unfold in a main series by writer Charles Soule and artist Luke Ross, the team behind other STAR WARS comic crossover epics like WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS as well as a spinoff limited series, STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS - D-SQUAD, and tie into the four ongoing series that are currently bridging the gap between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi: STAR WARS, STAR WARS: DARTH VADER, STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA, and STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS.

The horror-fueled story promises to be unlike any told in Star Wars history, as droids of all allegiances and roles become highjacked by the new entity created by the merging of two technologies introduced in both DOCTOR APHRA (The Spark Eternal) and STAR WARS: HIDDEN EMPIRE. This terrifying threat was first teased in STAR WARS: REVELATIONS, which debuted Ajax Sigma, a warrior droid with free will whose attempt at a droid revolution was brutally crushed by the Jedi during the High Republic era.

Star Wars: Dark Droids #1 Preview

Star Wars: Dark Droids #1

A STAR WARS EPIC LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!

"SCOURGE OF THE DROIDS!" A STAR WARS EPIC LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE! Who or what is THE SCOURGE, and why is no droid safe? As a corruption spreads from one droid to the next THE REBELLION and THE EMPIRE face chaos! What role does AJAX SIGMA play in all of this? And whose side is he on? Find out when horror comes to a galaxy far, far away! Charles Soule continues his legendary run on STAR WARS with the most ambitious event in STAR WARS comics history! Joined by his WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS collaborator Luke Ross, the superstar team carves a new path for the future!

Written by: Charles Soule
Art by: Luke Ross, Alex Sinclair
Cover by: Leinil Francis Yu, Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Page Count: 36 Pages
Release Date: August 2, 2023

We'll start with the most recent debuts from San Diego Comic-Con 2023, where LEGO unveiled three new sets that are available to pre-order for a September 1st launch. What's more, two of the sets are inspired by the upcoming live-action Star Wars: Ahsoka series that will debut on Disney+ on August 23rd. Details about each of these sets can be found below along with pre-order links.

Ahsoka Tano's T-6 Jedi Shuttle (75362) - $79.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: This set features an opening LEGO minifigure cockpit, retractable landing gear, two stud shooters, and two storage compartments for tools and weapons. Minfigures include Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, Professor Huyang and Marrok.

New Republic E-Wing vs. Shin Hati's Starfighter (75364)- $109.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: This set features two buildable starships from Star Wars: Ahsoka, an opening minifigure cockpit, two stud shooters, retractable landing gear, and space to store weapons. The Minifigure lineup includes Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, Morgan Elsbeth, and Captain Porter along with a New Republic Astromech Droid.

Chewbacca (75371) - $199.99 / Pre-order at LEGO.com / Amazon: The Chewbacca set celebrates the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with a 2319-piece figure that stands over 18-inches tall. Includes a Chewbacca LEGO minifigure with a stud-shooting bowcaster.

The SDCC 2023 LEGO sets follow hot on the heels fo the 75357 Ghost & Phantom II set, which is also inspired by the upcoming live-action Star Wars: Ahsoka series. It recreates the starships with 1394 pieces, and includes minifigures of General Hera Syndulla, Lt. Beyta, Jacen Syndulla and First Officer Hawkins, plus a Chopper (C1-10P) LEGO droid figure.

Features of the set include 2 lever-activated spring-loaded shooters, a dual LEGO minifigure cockpit with removable front section, a cabin with 2 opening hatches, and a detachable turret with a cannon (non-shooting) and space for a LEGO minifigure. The Phantom II shuttle also has an opening minifigure cockpit and a storage compartment. Pre-orders are available here on Amazon and here at LEGO.com for $159.99 with a release date set for September 1st.

Additional Star Wars LEGO sets with August 1st and September 1st release dates can be found below These sets include the Yavin 4 Rebel Base, 332nd Ahsoka's Clone Trooper Battle Pack, Yoda's Jedi Starfighter, and the Star Wars Advent Calendar for the upcoming holiday season. Details about each of these new sets can be found below.

75365 Yavin 4 Rebel Base / $169.99 / Launches August 1st here at LEGO.com / Amazon: This 1066-piece set features a brick-built model of Yavin 4 Rebel Base and a Y-wing starfighter from Star Wars: A New Hope complete with loads of fun details. The collection of 10 minifigures includes Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, General Dodonna, Jon Vander, Garven Dreis, Rebel Fleet Trooper and Rebel Crew, along with R2-D2 and R2-BHD LEGO droid figures.

75360 Yoda's Jedi Starfighter / $34.99 / Launches August 1st here at LEGO.com / Amazon: This 253-piece set is inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars and features an opening cockpit for the Master Yoda LEGO minifigure, space for the R2-D2 LEGO droid figure, 2 spring-loaded shooters and adjustable wings for flight and landing.

332nd Ahsoka's Clone Trooper Battle Pack / $19.99 / Launches August 1st here at LEGO.com / Amazon: This 108-piece set is inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars and features a Clone Infantry Support Speeder vehicle with 2 stud shooters, seats for 2 LEGO minifigures, a stud-shooting laser cannon, and 4 minifigures - Clone Captain Vaughn with a special helmet and three 332nd Clone Troopers.

LEGO Star Wars Mechs - Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and Stormtrooper / $15.99 each / Launches August 1st here at LEGO.com / Amazon: Vader / Fett / Stormtrooper: "Introduce youngsters to the dark side of the LEGO(R) Star Wars universe with this brick-built Darth Vader Mech (75368) for play and display. The posable mech has an opening cockpit for the Darth Vader LEGO minifigure, a clip for his lightsaber and gripping hands to hold a huge red lightsaber."

75366 LEGO Star Wars 2023 Advent Calendar / $44.99 / Launches September 1st here at LEGO.com: Includes Emperor Palpatine, an Ewok and a Pit Droid in holiday outfits, a Gonk Droid dressed as a reindeer, Omega with a sled, a 212th Clone Trooper, B-1 Battle Droid and Princess Leia. Mini builds include The Justifier, The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter, a turbo tank, STAP speeder, AAT, Imperial Shuttle, AT-ST, speeder bike, Imperial Star Destroyer, Ewok glider, Clone Command Center, Ewok village, Endor bunker, Endor shield protector and Emperor's throne.

You can check out more of the latest LEGO Star Wars sets here at the LEGO Shop. Again, the LEGO sets listed above will go on sale beginning at 9pm PT / 12am ET July 31st / August 1st unless otherwise indicated, but there is more where that came from. If you want to dive right in, you can find all of the upcoming releases here in the "Coming Soon" section. After the launch, they will shift here in the "Available Now" section. You can take advantage of LEGO VIP offers by signing up for a free account right here. You can check out out top LEGO picks for August here.

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Ahmed Best first joined Star Wars in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as Jar Jar Binks, a character that ended up being hated by many. Over the years, Best has opened up about the emotional toll the fan backlash had on him, so fans were incredibly happy to see him playing Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the most recent season of Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Recently, Best spoke with The Guardian about his Star Wars history and his recent appearance on the new podcast, The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks.

Best has spoken before about contemplating suicide, and during his recent interview, he recalled the moment he stood on the Brooklyn Bridge as he thought about taking his own life. "I'll show all of you. I'll show you what you're doing to me. And when I'm gone, then you'll feel exactly what I went through," the actor remembered thinking. "It was terrible," Best explained. "It was the lowest I've been in my life," he added, saying he struggled to leave his home at the time.

"Jar Jar Binks isn't this rare story from 24 years ago. There are Jar Jars today, who it's socially acceptable to make jokes about online," Dylan Marron, host of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks, explained. "I want people to hear what it's like to survive this abuse."

Best added of getting to save Grogu in The Mandalorian, "It really felt good ... As an artist, I lost my confidence for so many years, but The Mandalorian gave me that affirmation of 'You were always doing the right thing ... It wasn't you.'"

"Telling this story is never easy," Best wrote in an Instagram post this week. "I've held on to it for so long and sometimes sharing it brings me back to those challenging emotional times. The biggest reason I persist on sharing is because I realized I'm not alone. You are not alone Thank you @guardian and @dylanmarron for allowing me to share my story with you all." You can view his post below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ahmed Best (@bestahmed)

Will Ahmed Best Ever Play Jar Jar Binks Again?

Despite the Jar Jar Binks backlash, Best has said he'd be open to playing the Gungan again. "I would return as #jarjarbinks but it really depends on the story," the actor tweeted when a fan asked about a possible return back in 2020. Some fans thought he might pop up in Obi-Wan Kenobi last year, but it did not end up happening.

"Not as far as I know, no. I haven't been asked," Best shared with Jamie Stangroom's YouTube channel about being involved in the Ewan McGregor-led series. "I just don't know. To be completely honest I think Jar Jar is something Lucasfilm are trying to move away from, I'm not going to hold my breath for a Jar Jar cameo in Obi-Wan but you know, who knows."

The final episode of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks will be available to stream for free on August 2nd.

Temuera Morrison has been a major part of the Star Wars universe ever since he played Jango Fett in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones back in 2002. Jango Fett may have died in the film, but with countless characters sharing his face, Morrison has been able to show up in other projects. Not only did he play more clones in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith in 2005, but he recently starred as Boba Fett in The Book of Boba Fett, and even made a cameo appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi as a discarded clone. In the new book, Star Wars: Dawn of the Republic: Visual Guide, more details have emerged about the clone seen in the Obi-Wan series (via The Direct).

In Obi-Wan Kenobi, Morrison's cameo was credited as "Veteran Clone Trooper," but the visual guide says his character is named Nax. You can read the guide's description of Nax here: "Downtrodden in the streets of Daiyu is the clone trooper Nax, a veteran of many battlefields, including Teth, Cristophsis, and Umbara, he was removed from the frontlines after extensive injuries. Rapidly declining from age acceleration and neglect, Nax asks passers-by for credits."

"That was the best part of the whole Obi-Wan Kenobi show!" Morrison previously joked when talking to Total Film (via SFF Gazette). "I'm joking. I really enjoyed that. Playing around in their storyline and their timezone - things are changing. I'm representing all that clone army that are no longer around anymore."

"It was a wonderful opportunity to pop in there and see what they're doing across the room from where we were," he added. "That came in handy, it worked out quite good to make a little cameo. I enjoyed working with Ewan again, going back to Attack of the Clones. We did all that [puts on clone character's voice], 'Hey, you! You came to see me and this army,' and all that stuff. It was a wonderful time."

When Will Temuera Morrison Return To Star Wars?

It's still unclear if Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett is getting a second season or when the fan-favorite bounty hunter will make another appearance, The actor recently claimed that there have been some "cutbacks" happening behind the scenes at The Walt Disney Company that could be impacting Boba Fett's future. The actor was last seen in the franchise making a brief cameo in Season 3 of The Mandalorian as a former clone trooper.

"I think there is a few changes going on. We also come under the big umbrella known as 'Disney' now, too," Morrison shared at the SUPANOVA Comic Con & Gaming convention in Melbourne, Australia, per MSN. "So it's one of the last few conversations we had in L.A. The conversation started like, 'Oh, look we're having a few changes. We're having a few cutbacks.' And when you hear that at the other end of the line, it's no good trying to negotiate any more money that's for sure. So we'll see what happens."

Stay tuned fore more updates about Star Wars.

Star Wars: Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson says that watching Star Wars Rebels before the Disney+ series might be a good idea. Before The Haunted Mansion premiered, The Hollywood Reporter spoke to the Lucasfilm actress about the show. Dave Filoni's comments about watching Rebels before beginning Ahsoka are still ringing in people's ears. While you might not be absolutely lost without the animated series as a foundation, brushing up on those details sounds like it will enhance the experience. Dawson said, "Oh my goodness, yes. Natasha [Liu Bordizzo] said something to that effect, and there was some fanfare about it. But it's important."

"With Star Wars fans, there's folks who really just watch the films, but now and especially with The Mandalorian, more [and more] people are watching the live-action shows. And then there are people who watch the animated shows," she continued. "There's even a tier beyond that with all the books and fan fiction. So there's different levels to the Star Wars family, and it's always been very highly considered to make sure [everyone can watch it]."

A Plea to Watch Animated Star Wars Shows

Ahsoka voice actress Ashley Eckstein thinks you should go ahead and watch all the animated stuff before the Disney+ show. Luckily it's all on the streaming platform right next to Star Wars: Ahsoka. During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, she talked about her excitement for the live-action show.

"I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Because if you don't, you're going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting," Eckstein shared.

She added, "We're gonna get so many new and incredible stories, but without that backstory, and full understanding of who Ahsoka is and even who the other characters are, you're not going to have as rich or in-depth of an understanding and appreciation of what's going to happen in the series without the backstory, so I'm very grateful that Clone Wars and Rebels and Tales the Jedi are on Disney+. Any chance I get, I tell fans, 'Go and watch it and binge it before you watch the Ahsoka series. It's really gonna matter.'"

What To Expect From Ahsoka?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Will you go back and watch Rebels? Let us know down in the comments!

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a major hit for Lucasfilm, with the film itself not only being an acclaimed and profitable experience, but also planting the seed for the TV series Star Wars: Andor, the project that has been lauded by critics and earned prestigious awards nominations. Despite the successes of Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards has largely been absent from the galaxy far, far away, which includes him admitting that he hasn't caught up with Andor. The reason, though, is because he's been so busy with his latest film The Creator that he hasn't watched much of anything while developing it. Production on Season 2 of Star Wars: Andor is currently on hold due to the writers' and actors' strikes.

"Okay, full disclosure, we finished [The Creator] on Friday. I have not seen [Andor]," Edwards revealed to Screen Rant. "I have not seen any TV. I've not seen any of the Disney+ anything. The only thing that I've seen is the ILM documentary, the Light & Magic, which is a phenomenal documentary, but I haven't had a chance. I'm sure I'll get back to you about it, but I saw the trailer when it came out, we were shooting at Pinewood at the time, and it looked fantastic. It's in, obviously, very great hands, and I'm excited for everybody that's involved."

Writer of Rogue One Tony Gilroy serves as the showrunner of Andor, with his impact on the big-screen Star Wars prequel being a point of debate among fans. Various reports about the making of Rogue One, including reactions from Gilroy himself, claim that he oversaw the directing of reshoots that drastically changed the overall effectiveness of the completed film. With multiple trailers for the movie including shots that were absent from the theatrical release, a number of elements were clearly reimagined to get to what we saw in the finished adventure.

Even though audiences have confirmed their interest in seeing alternate versions of movies released, Gilroy previously cast doubt on ever seeing an alternate version of the movie.

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter about an alternate cut of the film being released earlier this year, Gilroy confirmed, "Uh, no. That was the absolute best possible version you could ever have. Oh, my God. No. No."

Stay tuned for updates on Season 2 of Star Wars: Andor. The Creator is slated to hit theaters on September 29th.

What do you think of the filmmaker's remarks? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

Actor Billy Dee Williams returned to Star Wars for the first time since 1983's Star Wars: Return of the Jedi for 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with the actor recently taking to social media to tease that "something exciting" was on the way. While there are any number of things that this tease could be alluding to, the fact that Williams rarely makes posts on social media and that most of them are related to Star Wars would make a tease about the galaxy far, far away seem likely. Additionally, this week saw an exciting report about the Star Wars: Lando TV series which could be hinting that Williams will be involved in the project.

Williams shared a tweet featuring an image that reads, "Something exciting coming soon." The image appears to be smoky and with a bronze-colored font, offering no obvious clues about what the update could be relating to. Prior to today's tweet, Williams' last post was on May the 4th, and the post before that was from February about his involvement at Star Wars Celebration.

pic.twitter.com/89uiyDQMfW

-- Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) July 28, 2023

Following Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm, the studio began expanding on the world in exciting ways, which included developing the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, an experience that explored the earlier years of Han Solo. While that movie had a relatively underwhelming performance at the box office, the breakout component that nearly all audiences supported was Donald Glover's portrayal of Williams' younger Lando Calrissian.

Support for Glover's Lando was so strong, in fact, that Disney announced in 2020 that the Star Wars: Lando miniseries was being developed, with the implication being that it would see Glover reprise the role for the project. Nearly three years later, no updates were given about the project, which was announced as coming from filmmaker Justin Simien.

With Simien currently promoting his Haunted Mansion movie, he was recently cited as saying he hasn't heard any updates about the project in quite some time. However, Variety confirmed a report that Donald Glover and his brother Stephen Glover had taken over the project from Simien, who had actually been removed from Lando last year.

We can speculate that the TV series could embrace the formula of the Legends stories The Lando Calrissian Adventures. With Solo featuring a scene in which Lando recalled his adventures, dubbing them the "Calrissian Chronicles," we could see Williams playing an older Lando in the series remembering exploits from his younger years, which would then incorporate Glover as Lando.

While the timing of this tease in relation to Lando updates is exciting, Williams could also be teasing something entirely unrelated to Star Wars.

Stay tuned for updates on Star Wars: Lando.

What do you think the tease could be? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

A Star Wars game from the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation is soon going to be free to download and keep, but, of course, there are some catches. The first catch is that this offer has been extended via Prime Gaming, which means you need an Amazon Prime subscription to qualify. No Amazon Prime subscription, no Star Wars game for you. The second catch is that because this is via Prime Gaming, it's limited to digital PC codes. If you don't have a PC that can run the game, you're out of luck. The third and final catch is that this offer is only available is only available for a limited time, or, more specifically, starting on August 17 and until the following month.

All of that said, what is the mystery Star Wars game in question? Well, as you may know, Star Wars fans were not treated to numerous compelling Star Wars games like they are in the present day. It was a darker time for fans of Star Wars. However, what Star Wars fans did get is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the latter of which is the mystery game.

Developed and published by LucasArts, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II was released in 2010 to a mixed reception. It was not received as well as its predecessor, but it was still quite popular. However, its follow-up got lost in the Disney acquisition of Star Wars, and thus the series was never concluded.

"The Star Wars Saga continues with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the highly anticipated sequel to the fastest-selling Star Wars game ever created," reads an official blurb about the game. "In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, the world was introduced to Darth Vader's now fugitive apprentice, Starkiller-the unlikely hero who would ignite the flames of rebellion in a galaxy so desperately in need of a champion."

The game's official pitch continues: "In the sequel, Starkiller returns with over-the-top Force powers and embarks on a journey to discover his own identity and to reunite with his one true love, Juno Eclipse. In Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Starkiller is once again the pawn of Darth Vader-but instead of training his prot?g? as a ruthless assassin, the dark lord is attempting to clone his former apprentice in an attempt to create the Ultimate Sith warrior. The chase is on - Starkiller is in pursuit of Juno and Darth Vader is hunting for Starkiller."

For more coverage on all things gaming -- including not just the latest official news as it happens, but the latest unofficial rumors, speculation, and leaks as they happen as well -- click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to let us know what you think with a comment. Do you remember playing this Star Wars game?

Disney+'s long-gestating Lando series might be becoming a reality. On Thursday, a report from Above the Line revealed that Donald Glover, who portrayed a younger version of the fan-favorite smuggler in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, is now set to write the Lando series alongside his brother Stephen Glover. The Lando series, which was announced during Lucasfilm's massive presentation at Disney+ Day 2020, was believed by fans to have been shelved or scrapped, as updates had been basically nonexistent ever since. Justin Simien, who directs Disney's new take on The Haunted Mansion, was previously attached to write the show, and Above the Line claims that he left the project in the summer of 2022. While no other details are revealed, the report indicates that Lucasfilm executives are "eager to move forward" and "excited" by the Glover brothers' pitch.

"I certainly poured my heart and spent a lot of time working with them to put together a really great show. It feels like everybody loves it," Simien said in a recent interview with The Direct. "And, you know, I was told we had to put a pause on it because of scheduling, and the next update I got [was in 2020], some years ago. So I don't know, I have no idea what's going on with it."

What Would the Lando Disney+ Series Be About?

A lot of details have remained a mystery about the Lando series, to the point where fans weren't sure if the show would star Glover or original actor Billy Dee Williams. In 2022, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy indicated that the series' further development depended on Glover's schedule.

"You need to ask Donald. He's the one that holds all the cards here. But there's no movement," Kennedy told CinemaBlend of the spinoff at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim. "I will say that honestly. But it's not for lack of trying. It's just that he's a very busy guy. ... He's got another series, and I think one other thing, and then he'll come our way."

Will There Be Less Star Wars Disney+ Series?

A number of new Star Wars-related Disney+ shows are arriving in the next couple of years, including Star Wars: Ahsoka, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and Star Wars: The Acolyte. But as some Star Wars and Marvel shows have debuted on the platform to lower viewership and less-positive ratings, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted that the company might be scaling back on these original streaming projects.

"There have been some disappointments we would have liked some of our more recent releases to perform better," Iger explained in an interview with CNBC. "It's reflective not as a problem from a personnel perspective, but I think in our in our zeal to basically grow our content significantly to serve mostly our streaming offerings, we ended up taxing our people way beyond -- in terms of their time and their focus -- way beyond where they had been... To try and make Disney+ worthwhile, we made decisions that hurt other parts of the business. That's likely true at least in part, but it's also something that isn't unique to Disney. With blockbuster box office hauls depressed across the board, it's hard not to imagine that part of the problem is that the studios are so eager for a return to "normal" that they haven't figured out a way to monetize the shorter exclusivity windows and higher overall volume of content creation that have been hallmarks of the streaming era."

"Marvel's a great example of that," Iger continued. "They had not been in the TV business at any significant level. Not only did they increase their movie output, but they ended up making a number of television series, and frankly, it diluted focus and attention. That is, I think, more of the cause than anything."

What do you think of the latest update surrounding Disney+'s potential Lando series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The Star Wars comic series Star Wars: Darth Vader - Black White & Red has revealed a story that sees the dreaded Sith Lord return to an iconic place in the Star Wars Saga: the Rebel Alliance base on Planet Hoth.

Darth Vader - Black White & Red #4 has a story called "Return to Hoth" that follows Darth Vader as he takes on a mysterious alert on Hoth: an imperial droid left there after the Battle of Hoth (seen in The Empire Strikes Back) has been destroyed. Vader goes to check if the Rebels (or Luke Skywalker and co.) are sneaking back into the base - only to find more than he ever bargained for.

Star Wars fans know the iconic story of how Luke Skywalker went out into the tundra of Hoth and ended getting beat up and captured by the Yeti-like Wampa beast. Well, Luke's father doesn't fare much better: as soon as Vader steps onto the icy planes of Hoth he finds himself getting ambushed by an entire pack of Wampas. Like Luke, Vader gets a good blow in by severing one beast's arm; however, he's critically injured when the animals gang up on him, breaking the chest plate that regulates Vader's breathing. The Sith Lord has to go on the run, finding refuge in an abandoned AT-AT Walker leftover from the Battle of Hoth.

The Wampas won't let their prey go, and start ripping into the AT-AT cabin where Vader is hiding, so the dark lord ends up having to make a stand. It's a brutal, bloody, fight for Vader to kill the entire pack of Wampas - but only moments before his air runs out and he passes out cold in the snow. When Vader wakes up, he's been saved by Imperial forces, led by the General who didn't want him to take on the mission alone. But gloating about being right proves to be fatal validation: Vader snaps the general's neck with a Force choke, rather than be humiliated for a second.

Seeing Vader have to experience the horrors of Hoth was a nice little adventure for longtime Star Wars fans. Writer Frank Tieri and artist Danny Earls use the "black, white, and red" format of the book to perfection for this nice succinct story of survival - one that paints Vader in the rare light of being vulnerable and in real danger.

Star Wars: Darth Vader - Black White & Red is on sale at Marvel Comics.

One of the most critically and publicly lauded Star Wars films that has been released since Disney purchased Lucasfilm has to be Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. While there are a ton of behind-the-scenes rumors that involve reshoots and quietly replacing director Gareth Edwards, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is one of the best Star Wars films in recent years. It was recently revealed that Edwards was the one who shot one of the most popular moments in the film, which shows Darth Vader viciously killing some Rebels with his laser sword, and now the director is talking about shooting that moment. While speaking with ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis during San Diego Comic-Con, Edwards revealed that he didn't know that the Darth Vader scene would be that huge due to the legendary director Peter Jackson's (The Lord of the Rings) surprise visit to the set the day they shot the iconic Star Wars moment.

"Yeah, I think the thing that everyone always brings up the most is the Darth Vader scene at the end of [Rogue] One. And I genuinely, I know it sounds silly but genuinely did not expect anyone to care about that. Like, it was something we wanted to do but didn't expect it to be a big moment and you even shot it. And I was saying this earlier on in whole is like, I was very lucky in that, Peter Jackson, when I started out, in my first film invited us to go sort of hang out on the set of The Hobbit and I got to sit and watch him work and learn loads from him. It was pretty, like, pinch yourself stuff and I was like, I can never repay him, you know, I mean, what can you possibly do? And so the whole time I was trying to think of ideas. Like, what would he care about? Nothing," Edwards told us. "Like he's got everything and then when I was making Star Wars, I was like, oh, wait a minute, like I could just invite him to come and do anything in Star Wars. But he's really busy. I couldn't get a hold of him and like, no matter how many emails I sent, I just couldn't get a reply. And then finally on the very last day, I was like about to film Darth Vader, just letting you know in case you wanted to come along and I got an email straight back going like I'll be there in 30 minutes."

Edwards continued, "I was more like when I went home that night 'I was like Peter Jackson was on set'. Do you know what I mean? Like I wasn't like 'oh I shot'... I was like, it was Peter Jackson, like Peter Jackson was there, we were filming and Peter Jackson was there. Like that, that impressed me more. And so that's probably why it didn't get on my radar."

Lucasfilm describes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as follows, "As the famed opening crawl of Episode IV A New Hope describes, 'Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.' These lines from the first Star Wars adventure serve as impetus for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. A story set apart from the classic installments of the Star Wars saga, Rogue One brings a unique perspective to the galaxy far, far away. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film tells of Rebel soldier Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and her band of fighters who attempt to discover a secret to the Death Star's destruction."

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was directed by Edwards and featured a cast that's led by Jones. The film also stars Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, Alan Tudyk as K2-SO, Donnie Yen as Chirrut ?mwe, Wen Jiang as Baze Malbus, Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic, Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera, Riz Ahmed as Bisho Rook, Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa Alistair Petrie General Draven, Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma and Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso.

You can buy Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Blu Ray and DVD. It is also exclusively streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for all future updates on the Star Wars franchise as we learn it.

What do you think about Gareth Edwards' comments on Peter Jackson's set visit? Are you excited to see The Creator? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

Editor's note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG actors' strike.

Star Wars fans are looking forward to the upcoming Star Wars: Ahsoka not only because we'll get to see an entire storyline devoted to Rosario Dawson's take on the beloved titular character, but also because the new series will mark the live-action debut of Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels. While Ahsoka was a fixture of both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels, Sabine's adventures have been isolated to Rebels, where the character was voiced by Tiya Sircar. With Natasha Liu Bordizzo bringing the character to life in the new series, she recalled where she looked to inspire the performance. Star Wars: Ahsoka premieres on Disney+ on August 23rd.

"I loved Tiya Sircar's Sabine!" Bordizzo shared with SFX Magazine, per The Direct. "I loved the energy, the sarcasm, and playfulness that really made Sabine Sabine, but obviously, it's a delicate balance because I never want to try to copy someone. I want to be inspired by the energy they put into the character and then make the role my own."

She did note that Rebels was a major touchstone for her performance, as she pointed out, "And of course, I watched everything... including the original films, The Mandalorian and, of course, Rebels. But I didn't watch anything after we started filming because otherwise, it gets too much. You want to have space, take all the experiences and memories and inspirations from everything you've watched, and then let the live action you're creating find its own truth, its own journey."

Another reason fans are so excited for the series is that it comes from Dave Filoni, who created both Ahsoka and Sabine for his The Clone Wars and Rebels. Bordizzo went on to note how he provided so much insight into the characters while filming the series.

"Just to have the creator around every day is a luxury," Bordizzo detailed. "He's like this bottomless pit of knowledge and the guardian of the story and the characters. Also, he really just trusted us -- while we'd go to him for guidance, he'd also say, 'You are Sabine, so whatever you instinctually feel is right is right.'"

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

Are you looking forward to seeing Sabine's live-action debut? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

As part of Star Wars Celebration 2022, Hasbro revealed an animatronic edition of the L0-LA59 (LOLA) droid that appears as young princess Leia's companion in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+. It includes all kinds of fancy features which lead to an $89.99 price tag at launch, but you can get it today here on Amazon for only $19.93, which is whopping 78% off the list price an an all-time low. Clearly, there's quite a bit of Lola overstock out there, but this elaborate toy costs less than a single Black Series figure at this point, which makes it a crazy deal.

While you're at it, make sure to check out the Star Wars Black Series and Vintage Collection figures that Hasbro released during San Diego Comic-Con 2023. There were also several Star Wars drops during Funko's SDCC event.

STAR WARS L0-LA59 (LOLA) ANIMATRONIC EDITION: "The STAR WARS L0-LA59 (LOLA) ANIMATRONIC EDITION lets kids and fans alike bring home a beloved droid companion. This toy features design and deco inspired by the OBI-WAN KENOBI live-action series on Disney+. Touch the censor on L0-LA59's head to activate more than 45 different light, sound, and movement combinations through 3 modes of play. Unlock Companion Mode by attaching L0-LA59's legs, Hover Mode by attaching her stand, or On the Go Mode by removing her from either base. She even responds to background noises with a series of lights, sounds, and movements. Kids ages 4 and up will love this adorable animatronic droid, which makes the perfect addition to any fan's Star Wars collection. Includes figure and 2 stands. X4 1.5V AA LR6 ALKALINE BATTERIES Required (not included)."

Will There Be An Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2 on Disney+?

"I always hesitate to say no to more Obi-Wan Kenobi," Kennedy said of the Jedi Master on EW's Dagobah Dispatch podcast. "Maybe we end up doing something that gets incorporated into some of the other stories that we're doing, or eventually into a movie, but who knows? But right now, it's still our standard stand-alone limited series."

She added: "We have no plans for expansion right now."

Series director and executive producer Deborah Chow, who helmed all six episodes, recently said that the story was "conceived as a limited series" and "is closed." Still, Chow added: "There's 10 more years before New Hope, so never say never."

All episodes of Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi are now streaming on Disney+.

• SDCC 2023 Marvel Legends Reveals and Pre-Orders
  
• SDCC 2023 Star Wars The Black Series and Vintage Collection Reveals and Pre-Orders
• Preview: Star Wars Black Series Holiday 2023 Figures, Mandalorian R2-D2 Revealed (Exclusive)
• SDCC 2023 Transformers Reveals and Pre-Orders
• SDCC 2023 G.I. Joe Classified Series Pre-Orders
• The Black Ranger Joins Power Rangers Lighting Collection Remastered Figure Line at SDCC
• SDCC 2023 Walmart Collector Con Pre-Orders
  
• Hasbro drops are currently slated for August 1st, 3rd, and 10th via the Entertainment Earth Drop Zone page (subject to change), so stay tuned for more right here.

Hasbro San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Panel Schedule:

Thursday, July 20

• Secrets of D&D Dungeon Mastering Panel: Thursday, July 20 at 12:30PM - 1:30PM | Room: 29CD - Chris Perkins (Principal Game Design Architect, Dungeons & Dragons), Dungeon Master extraordinaire is here to answer, "How do you do THAT?!" and give you advice on how to level up your Dungeon Master game! All are welcome, from DM-curious to experts!
• Hasbro TRANSFORMERS Generations Toy Panel: Thursday, July 20 at 1:30PM - 2:30PM | Room: 29CD - LET THEM COME! Screenwriter, game designer and novelist Flint Dille joins the TRANSFORMERS team as Ben (Hasbro Marketing) Delaney (Hasbro Marketing) and Evan (Hasbro Design) take attendees through some ALL-NEW TRANSFORMERS Action Figures - Studio Series: Rise of the Beasts, the FIRST Studio Series Commander, and Generations Exclusive toy reveals! The team will also hold a Q&A to discuss all things CYBERTRONIAN! So, get ready for a panel that's...More Than Meets The Eye.
• It's Morphin Time with BOOM! Studios; Thursday July 20 at 2:00PM - 3:00PM | Room: 25ABC - BOOM! Studios and Hasbro celebrate 30 years of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers storytelling in comics! Join Melissa Flores (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Meghan Camarena (Power Rangers HyperForce), and series editors Allyson Gronowitz and Dafna Pleban for a roundtable discussion on the history of the series, an exciting look at what's next, and some special surprises
• Magic: The Gathering Goes to Universes Beyond Panel: Thursday, July 20 at 7:00PM - 8:00PM | Room: 7AB - Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond lineup is bringing the game to exciting new places, crossing over with your favorite books, games, and shows! From The Lord of the Rings to Doctor Who, Gavin Verhey (principal game designer, Magic: The Gathering) will share the secrets behind bringing these sets to life, and some sneak peeks of the future!
• All A-Bot Transformers: EarthSpark Panel: Thursday, July 20 at 5:30PM - 6:30PM | Room: 24ABC - Prepare for more Autobots, more Decepticons, and more Terrans! From Paramount+, Hasbro's Entertainment One, and Nickelodeon, Transformers: EarthSpark is an original animated series based on the iconic global franchise. Catch this exclusive panel and screening of never-before-seen content. Attendees will also be treated to a sneak peek of behind-the-scenes visuals from upcoming new episodes, including the special one-hour season finale slated to debut exclusively on Paramount+ later this summer. Plus don't miss the chance to participate in a Transformers-themed trivia contest- study up and come prepared to win awesome franchise swag.

Friday, July 21

• Hasbro Toys Panel for Marvel: Friday, July 21 at 12:30PM - 1:30PM | Room: 5AB - Dwight, Ryan and Dan (Hasbro) plus Jesse (Marvel) share exciting news for Hasbro's popular Marvel Legends product line. They will give a sneak peek of upcoming, never-before-seen items and hold a Q&A session for attendees.
• Hasbro Star Wars Panel: Friday, July 21 at 2:00PM - 3:00PM | Room: 7AB - Join Patrick and Jing from Hasbro Marketing and Chris and Eric from Hasbro Design as they discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars line, including the Black Series and The Vintage Collection. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro's latest action figure and premium roleplay offerings from throughout the saga. Word on the Holonet is there may also be a few surprises.

Saturday, July 22

• Hasbro G.I. JOE Classified Series Panel: Saturday, July 22 at 12:00PM - 1:00PM | Room: 9 - Joes and Cobras don't agree on much, but even they can see that G.I. JOE'S Classified Series toy line is an absolute hit. Join Emily, John, Lenny, and Tony from the development team to learn never-before shared behind-the-scenes info, get a sneak peek into the future of Classified Series, and learn more about the most recent HasLab project. Make sure to attend because knowing is half the battle!
• You Got Your Pop Culture in My D&D! Panel: Saturday, July 22 at 3:30PM - 4:30PM | Room: 29CD - Chris Perkins (Principal Game Design Architect, Dungeons & Dragons) and Josh Herman (Principal Art Director, Dungeons & Dragons) talk pop culture's invasion of Dungeons and Dragons! Learn how the folks who make D&D are teaming up to bring some of your favorite media sensations to your gaming table!
• Magic The Gathering Panel, Blogatog Live: Saturday, July 22 at 6:30PM - 7:30PM | Room: 24ABC - Magic head designer Mark Rosewater presents this one-man program in which he re-creates his daily blog, answering the audience's questions about the making of the popular trading card game.

You can keep up with all of the best reveals, news, and exclusives from SDCC 2023 right here.

The ComicBook Nation Crew Goes DEEP on "Barbieheimer" weekend, with reviews of both Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie! PLUS, we recap what's going down at Comic-Con 2023, breakdown The Marvels Trailer and Secret Invasion Episode 5, and discuss this week's comics!

Barbie Review

In her official review of Barbie, ComicBook.com's Nicole Drum had the following to say:

Even for these tiny things, Barbie is quite possibly Gerwig's best film to date. It is insightful, hilarious, and packed with thoughtful commentary as well as an incredible amount of Easter eggs and one-liners that will reward audiences of every age and opinion on Barbie, not just on the first watch, but on multiple rewatches. Barbie pulls off the near-impossible task of taking what could have been merely a capitalist IP-driven cash grab and turned it into a celebration of and commentary on culture that gives the audience permission and encouragement to challenge not only everything they think Barbie represents but what the world asks of us mere humans as well so that we never go back into the box again.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Oppenheimer Review

Critic Patrick Cavanaugh had this to say in his official Oppenheimer review:

After a long string of crowd-pleasers that also manage to inject ambitious philosophical and existential components, Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan's most intellectual and internal experience in years. It showcases the universality of humanistic struggles without hingeing upon them entirely, while also subtly yet exponentially layering in explicit critiques of global war machines. Despite chronicling events that unfolded 70 years ago, exploring an arms race or being given conflicting information by government authorities and being expected to honor ever-changing ideologies feels immensely contemporary. With Oppenheimer, Nolan orchestrates a talented symphony of performers at the top of their game to explore an overlooked corner of history, treating it with nuance and respect while lesser hands would lean into melodrama. The movie is a tribute not only to the true-life figures who pushed the limits of science forward, but also to those who suffered the consequences of those forward-thinkers' quest for fire.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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In true outlaw fashion, Ubisoft's upcoming open-world game Star Wars Outlaws will allow players to work for the notorious gangster Jabba the Hutt. Following its big reveal a little over a month ago, Ubisoft and developer Massive Entertainment have slowly been sharing new details about Outlaws and what it will entail. And while there's still a lot about the game that is being hidden, it's now known that one major character and planet seen frequently in Star Wars media will be present.

Shared during a recent panel at San Diego Comic-Con dedicated to Star Wars Outlaws, the development team unveiled that the planet of Tatooine will be found in the game. Specifically, players will be able to traverse the region of Mos Eisley, which is seen often in various Star Wars films and TV shows. While in this area, Star Wars Outlaws will allow players to interact with Jabba the Hutt. Much like Han Solo, the main character of Outlaws, Kay Vess, will be able to take on assignments from Jabba or also choose to betray him. It's not known just how large of a role Jabba the Hutt will play in Outlaws, but his involvement makes a ton of sense given that he's at the center of the criminal underworld that the game will focus on.

Outside of announcing Jabba's inclusion in Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft has also recently been sharing new info on just how vast the game will be. Since Outlaws is the first-ever open-world Star Wars video game, some fans have been wondering just how expansive its universe will be. Although specifics still aren't known, those at Ubisoft have said that the various planets seen in Outlaws will be roughly twice the size of certain regions in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. As such, there's clearly going to be a done to do in this game once it arrives.

Currently, Ubisoft hasn't provided a specific launch date for Star Wars Outlaws and has only broadly committed to releasing the game at some point in 2024. Regardless of when it does arrive, though, it's known to be in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

How do you feel about Star Wars Outlaws once again taking fans to the planet of Tatooine? And are you planning to play this game for yourself when it releases next year? Let me know either down in the comments or hit me up on Twitter at @MooreMan12.

[H/T IGN]

Hasbro Star Wars reveals for Day 1 of San Diego Comic-Con 2023 included items in the Mission Fleet and Droidables lines, but collectors will be happy to hear that there was a Black Series release as well. Pre Vizsla from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series is next up for the Black Series, and pre-orders are expected to go live today, July 22nd at 2pm PT / 5pm ET as part of a wave of Hasbro drops from SDCC that will launch at that time. UPDATE: The full lineup of Hasbro Star Wars pre-orders from SDCC has been revealed.

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES PRE VIZSLA ($24.99): "Pre Vizsla was governor of Concordia, a moon of Mandalore, during the Clone Wars. Behind closed doors, he led Death Watch, a secret group of commandos seeking control of Mandalore." The Black Series figure includes Darksaber, blaster, helmet, and jetpack accesssories. Pre-orders are expected to be available here at Entertainment Earth after 5pm ET on the 22nd. Note that US shipping is free on orders $59+ using the code FREESHIP59 at checkout. Details about Hasbro's SDCC Star Wars Mission Fleet and Droidables reveals can be found below.

STAR WARS MISSION FLEET T-6 JEDI SHUTTLE SHOWDOWN ($44.99/Available: Fall 2023): "Imagine taking on the galaxy with the Star Wars Mission Fleet T-6 Jedi Shuttle Showdown action figure set. This Star Wars toy includes a 2.5-inch-scale Ahsoka Tano figure with fully poseable arms, legs, and head, as well as design and detail inspired by the Ahsoka live-action series on Disney+. This Star Wars set comes with Ahsoka's T-6 Jedi Shuttle ship, featuring series-inspired design, projectile launchers, an opening cockpit and repositionable wings. Place the Ahsoka action figure in the cockpit of her T-6 Jedi Shuttle and imagine embarking on exciting missions!

Hasbro's line of Mission Fleet toys includes kid-friendly Star Wars action figures inspired by fan-favorite characters, making them great Star Wars gifts for kids! (Additional products each sold separately. Subject to availability). Includes figure, vehicle, 2 Lightsaber accessories, 2 projectile launchers, and 2 projectiles. Available to purchase Summer 2023 at most major retailers."

STAR WARS DROIDABLES BB-8 ($19.99/Available: Summer 2023): Meet the STAR WARS DROIDABLES BB-8, your expressive, de-stressive sidekick! This 4-inch portable pal is packed with 20+ lights and sound effects inspired by BB-8 from the Star Wars galaxy. Rock his head forward, backward, side to side, and even in a circular motion to discover more than 20 different reactions - happy, sad, excited, and maybe even some hidden surprises. This interactive BB-8 figure includes batteries, so kids can start rocking BB-8's head and unlocking his sound effects right away. Collect all the characters in the Droidables line including R2-D2 and Chopper!

sold separately. Subject to availability).

STAR WARS DROIDABLES CHOPPER (C1-10P)

(HASBRO/Age 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99/Available: Summer 2023)

Meet the STAR WARS DROIDABLES CHOPPER, your expressive, de-stressive sidekick! This 4-inch portable pal is packed with 20+ lights and sound effects inspired by Chopper from the Star Wars Galaxy. Rock his head forward, backward, side to side, and even in a circular motion to discover more than 20 different reactions - happy, sad, excited, and maybe even some hidden surprises. This interactive Chopper figure includes batteries, so kids can start rocking Chopper's head and unlocking his sound effects right away. Collect all the characters in the Droidables line including R2-D2 and BB-8! (Additional products each sold separately. Subject to availability).

Production on many films and TV shows has completely stopped in the wake of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, but Star Wars: Andor season 2 is still going. According to Deadline, the Disney+ series is still filming new episodes and is working around the absence of cast members that are part of SAG-AFTRA. Star Wars: Andor is able to keep going since its production is set up in the UK, with many of its British cast members working under a different agreement and being represented by British acting union Equity instead of SAG. Series star Diego Luna is likely among its SAG-AFTRA members, meaning Star Wars: Andor is likely without its title character.

The trade reports that despite speculation that Star Wars: Andor had shut down production, cameras are still rolling. In addition, cast members covered by Equity have reportedly been told that if they walkout on production in solidarity with striking co-stars that they "risk being sued for breach of contract." It's unclear if there's even a threat of that happening. Front of camera cast aren't the only ones that are striking as Star Wars: Andor creator Tony Gilroy, a member of the Writer's Guild of America, is also striking. Filming on the series will however eventually pause according to Deadline.

Gilroy has not been quiet about his support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, though he continues to perform non-writing duties on set of the Star Wars: Andor series. In a separate interview with the outlet, Gilroy said: "I think SAG and the Writers Guild are trying to preserve our industry. In such a strange way, we've become the creators and the interpreters, the creative community are becoming the protectors of this industry, this huge industry that people love. And the caretakers on the other side, I think they're being recklessly careless. I think in the end this time the guilds will prevail. They have to."

Star Wars: Andor at the Emmys

Despite not everyone being on set for what amounts to the last episodes of Star Wars: Andor, the series still racked up a lot of love at the Television Academy's Emmy Awards. When the nominations were announced it was confirmed that Andor had been nominated for eight Emmy Awards including: Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour), plus Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) and Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.

Star Wars: Ahsoka is debuting on Disney+ next month, and it will feature the return of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano. Of course, Dawson is not the first actor to play the former Jedi. Ahsoka was first introduced in Star Wars: Clone Wars, and was voiced by Ashley Eckstein. The character has become a fan favorite over the years, but she wasn't initially well-received by fans, and it's no secret that Star Wars fan can be pretty intense. Eckstein recently spoke at a panel during the 2023 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (via CBR), and reflected on how difficult things were for her in the beginning.

"It's been quite the journey," Eckstein shared. "It really has. From the very beginning where [Ahsoka] was hated. And one thing to note, we were always a season ahead of what you all saw. We were well into Season 2 by the time you all saw the [Clone Wars movie], so I knew how far she had come. When it came out, so many people hated Ahsoka. First, I sobbed into my cheesecake. But then I took a day to have a pity party. Then, I was like, 'No -- this character is amazing. And everyone else is going to see what I see if they just give her time.'"

"And so, I asked fans for their patience," Eckstein continued. "I said 'Look, no character is perfect in the beginning, and if they were, then they'd be really boring. So please go on this journey with her.'"

Ashley Eckstein Urges Fans To Watch Animated Shows Ahead of Ahsoka:

During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Eckstein revealed she's excited about the live-action Ahsoka series, but she hopes fans will watch the animated shows first.

"I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Because if you don't, you're going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting," Eckstein shared.

She added, "We're gonna get so many new and incredible stories, but without that backstory, and full understanding of who Ahsoka is and even who the other characters are, you're not going to have as rich or in-depth of an understanding and appreciation of what's going to happen in the series without the backstory, so I'm very grateful that Clone Wars and Rebels and Tales the Jedi are on Disney+. Any chance I get, I tell fans, 'Go and watch it and binge it before you watch the Ahsoka series. It's really gonna matter.'"

Eckstein continued, "And then Clone Wars and Rebels and even Tales the Jedi in general... You know, at some point, most Star Wars fans go back and watch the movies. They watch Episodes IV, V, and VI, and I, II, and III. Well now, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, they're a part of that timeline. It's part of the story. It's part of the overall trajectory and journey of these characters, so without watching those series, you're kind of missing out. They're all connected. I highly recommend that fans watch them."

Star Wars: Ahsoka is debuting on Disney+ on August 23rd.

Star Wars: Ahsoka is debuting on Disney+ next month, and it will feature the return of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano. Dawson first played the role in the second season of The Mandalorian, but before the former Jedi was brought into live-action, she was voiced by Ashley Eckstein in Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and more animated projects. Previously, Dawson said Eckstein gave her her "blessing" when she took over the role, and the two actors met last year for the first time. During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Eckstein revealed she's excited about the series, but she hopes fans will watch the animated shows first.

"I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Because if you don't, you're going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting," Eckstein shared.

She added, "We're gonna get so many new and incredible stories, but without that backstory, and full understanding of who Ahsoka is and even who the other characters are, you're not going to have as rich or in-depth of an understanding and appreciation of what's going to happen in the series without the backstory, so I'm very grateful that Clone Wars and Rebels and Tales the Jedi are on Disney+. Any chance I get, I tell fans, 'Go and watch it and binge it before you watch the Ahsoka series. It's really gonna matter.'"

Eckstein continued, "And then Clone Wars and Rebels and even Tales the Jedi in general... You know, at some point, most Star Wars fans go back and watch the movies. They watch Episodes IV, V, and VI, and I, II, and III. Well now, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, they're a part of that timeline. It's part of the story. It's part of the overall trajectory and journey of these characters, so without watching those series, you're kind of missing out. They're all connected. I highly recommend that fans watch them."

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

It's that time of the year again! San Diego Comic-Con 2023 won't feature many of our favorite actors and studio projects this year given the dual actor and writer union strikes, but the Funko Pop show goes on. In fact, Funkoville is pretty packed this year. As always, you don't have to physically attend the show to get your hands on the exclusive Funko Pops, and you don't need to hunt around because we've done the work for you. Everything you need to know about SDCC 2023 Funko Pop exclusives and where to pre-order them can be found right here.

Let's start with timing. You'll be able to pre-order many of the SDCC 2023 shared exclusive Funko Pops at the Funko Shop and from retail partners starting today July 20th at 6am PT / 9am ET with some dropping as late as 12pm ET. Of course, there are always some stragglers that will release their exclusive Pops at random times, but we will keep you updated. The Fundays Box of Fun will go live on July 21st at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET. A breakdown of the SDCC 2023 shared retail exclusive Funko Pops can be found below. Existing early pre-order links might not be active until after the launch. Links will be added and updated as needed.

Note that Funko's San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Funkoville festivities coincide with their Fun on the Run tour event, which wraps up on July 19th. Details on where to get the Fun on the Run box can be found right here.

Funko SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops / Buy Funko Shop Exclusives (Copies of retailer shared exclusives will also be available via this link)

• Ad Icons - Superhero Toucan - See at Funko
• Freddy Funko as Toucan - See at Funko
• Freddy Funko - Floaty Freddy - See at Funko
• Funkoville - Fun on the Run Freddy - See at Funko
• Funkoville - Freddy Bowling Trophy - See at Funko
• Funkoville - Proto with Blockbuster Card - See at Funko
• Funkoville Bitty Bop - Freddy Funko 4-Pack - See at Funko
• Ad Icons - Tony the Tiger Surfing - See at Funko
• Hunter x Hunter - Awaken Gon - See at Funko
• One Piece - Gol D. Roger Wanted Poster - See at Funko
• Captain Planet - Gaia - See at Funko
• DC - Bizarro Superman - See at Funko
• Marvel Funko 25th Anniversary - Spider-Man with Coin, Pin, and Card - See at Funko
• Thor Love and Thunder - Thor in Toga - See at Funko
• Flash - Barry Allen in Chair - See at Funko
• Scooby-Doo - Scooby-Doo in Scuba Outfit - See at Funko
• SODA: 3-Liter Star Wars - Darth Vader - See at Funko
• SODA: Cobra Kai - Daniel LaRusso - See at Funko
• SODA: Cobra Kai - Johnny Lawrence - See at Funko
• SODA: Who Framed Roger Rabbit - Jessica Rabbit - See at Funko
• GOLD: Snoop Dogg - See at Funko
• PEZ: Freddy Funko (Metallic) - See at Funko
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND: Freddy Funko In 4 Variants - See all Blockbuster Rewind Releases at Funko / Funko Rewind commons now available at Entertainment Earth
  
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND:Scooby-Doo - Shaggy
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND:Scooby-Doo - Velma
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND: Dastardly & Muttley
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND: Duck Dodgers
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND: Huckleberry Hound
• BLOCKBUSTER REWIND: Marvin the Martian
• Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Bundle With Pins, Lanyard and Keychain - See at Funko
• A Bug's Life Butterfly Heimlich Pop / Bag Bundle with Diamond Pop - See at Funko
• Toucan Cosplay Mini-Backpack - See at Funko
• Camp Fundays Box of Fun - See at Funko (launches July 21st at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET)

Hot Topic SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Hunter x Hunter - Shaiapouf - See at Hot Topic
• Batman - Talia al Ghul - See at Hot Topic
• The Lord of the Rings - Frodo with the Ring - See at Hot Topic
• SODA Ad Icons - Tony the Tiger - See at Hot Topic

BoxLunch SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Demon Slayer - Tanjiro Kamado & Sakonji Urokodaki 2-Pack - See at BoxLunch

Amazon SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Transformers Rise of the Beasts - Airazor - See on Amazon
• WWE - Johnny Knoxville - See on Amazon

Entertainment Earth SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Marvel - Lilith - See at Entertainment Earth
• Thor Love and Thunder - Gorr's Daughter - See at Entertainment Earth
• Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi - Young Leia with Lola - See at Entertainment Earth
• Bitty Pop Singles (not exclusive) - See at Entertainment Earth

GameStop SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Black Clover - Nozel Silva - See at GameStop
• Inuyasha - Sesshomaru (Glow) - See at GameStop
• Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania - M.O.D.O.K. - See at GameStop
• Marvel Midnight Suns - Ghost Rider - See at GameStop
• Indiana Jones - Short Round - See at GameStop
• Power Rangers - Rita Repulsa - See at GameStop
• Transformers - Rodimus & Galvatron 2-Pack - See at GameStop

Books-a-Million SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Shadow & Bone - Alina Starkov - See at BAM / See at Funko

Walgreens SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Justice League - Trigon - See at Walgreens (went live 2 days early - oh, Walgreens...) / Also available at Funko

Best Buy SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• The Big Lebowski - The Dude Dancing - See at Funko / See at Best Buy

Meijer SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• The Fairly OddParents - Timmy/Cosmo/Wanda 3-Pack - See at Funko

Target SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary - Hatching Raptor - See at Funko / See at Target
• The Little Mermaid (Live Action) - Ariel - See at Funko / See at Target
• Marvel - Captain Marvel - See at Funko / See at Target
• Stranger Things - 001 - See at Funko / See at Target

eBay SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops / Buy eBay Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Justice League - The Question - See at Funko

FYE SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Star Wars ROTJ - Wicket with Slingshot - See at Funko / See at FYE
• Pop Rocks - Jimi Hendrix in Purple Suit - See at Funko / See at FYE
• SODA - Rugrats - Reptar - See at Funko / See at FYE

Toy Tokyo SDCC 2022 Exclusive Funko Pops / Buy Toy Tokyo Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Looney Tunes - Tweety - See at Funko
• Looney Tunes - Bugs Bunny as Fred Flinstone - See at Funko

Show Only SDCC 2023 Exclusive Funko Pops:

• Powerpuff Girls Diamond Collection - Blossom/Bubbles/Buttercup 3-Pack
• Ad Icons - Tony the Tiger Surfing (Flocked)
• Freddy Funko - Floaty Freddy (Blackight)
• Pop Rocks- Jimi Hendrix (Blacklight)
• BITTY POP - DC Comics Blacklight 4-Pack

Lucasfilm is pretty busy working on three upcoming films in the Star Wars franchise that include a film set during the Dawn of the Jedi, one set in The Mandalorian, and one set fifteen years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that will focus on Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley) rebuilding the Jedi order. Star Wars has been taking a little bit of a hiatus on the film front since their final film in the sequel trilogy was panned both critically and by fans, and there is a faction of fans that think that Lucasfilm has lacked quality with the sequel trilogy. Fans have their rankings for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but we have never heard one of the leading actors rank those films. That is, until now. John Boyega recently appeared on Hot Ones' Truth or Dab: Rapid Fire, where he ranked the sequel trilogy. According to Boyega, The Force Awakens is the best film in the sequel trilogy, while The Rise of Skywalker comes in second and The Last Jedi is in last place.

You can check out his ranking in the video below.

What is @johnboyega's LEAST favorite Star Wars movie? In this episode of #TruthOrDabRapidFire, @johnboyega has two simple choices: tell the truth... or suffer the wrath of THE LAST DAB ? ???

**This episode was filmed before the SAG-AFTRA strike. pic.twitter.com/CwZFbEcNvv

-- First We Feast (@firstwefeast) July 19, 2023

John Boyega Open to Return In Future Star Wars Project

John Boyega has been pretty vocal in his frustrations with his time in the Star Wars franchise and has said some things that would make you think he'd never want to appear in another project as Finn again. But, now he's walking back those comments in a recent interview.

"That was a few years ago, so they were the subject of that particular project," Boyega said before revealing that he would return to the franchise. "But I'm open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached, and a terrific director. So yeah, I'm open to all opportunities."

In a previous interview from last year, Boyega spoke quite a different tune and revealed that while he doesn't like how Lucasfilm handled Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, he can finally enjoy watching their new releases as a fan again but wouldn't want to appear in another project in the franchise.

"My first interaction with Star Wars was a Darth Maul figure. I'm a '90s baby so I came during the prequels. I was like, 'Bloody hell, man.' I didn't know what it was but I knew it looked cool and there were spaceships and glowsticks that could slash your wrist off," Boyega revealed to Total Film back in 2022. "Then I went back to the old Star Wars after. OK, I'm guilty - I did say that the effects are sh-t when I was younger! I didn't know any better. Then I grew into maturity and was in love with it. I still am in love with it. I bloody love it. But it's almost nicer not having to be in it, and not having to deal with that. It's weird, you just go back to being a fan again and see yourself in the games."

Boyega is currently rumored to be in talks to appear in the Rey Skywalker movie that will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel), although there has been no official word on the actor reprising his Finn role. There is no current release date for the Rey Skywalker movie, but it is expected to be the next film to be released by Lucasfilm. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on the Star Wars franchise and John Boyega as we learn them.

What do you think about John Boyega's Star Wars ranking? Do you agree with him about the sequel trilogy? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @NateBrail up on Twitter!

The first teases of Star Wars: The Force Awakens hinted that John Boyega's Finn could be embracing his destiny as a Jedi, only for fans and even Boyega himself to be surprised that his role in the adventure took him to the margins of Rey's journey. Even though Boyega previously expressed his frustrations with Lucasfilm over the handling of his character, he admits he's still open to making a return to the franchise at some point in the future, though it would all depend on the creatives involved and the specifics of the story that was being told.

"That was a few years ago, so they were the subject of that particular project," Boyega clarified to TechRadar in regards to vocalizing his frustrations with the studio. "But I'm open to all characters and scripts that are enjoyable, have a great cast attached, and a terrific director. So yeah, I'm open to all opportunities."

When Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released in 2019, it was met with conflicting reactions from fans, critics, and even the stars of the sequel. In the years following that film's release, most actors were more interested in focusing on projects outside of the galaxy far, far away, leading many to assume it would be quite some time before any of the major figures made a return to the series, if ever. To many fans' surprise, Star Wars Celebration earlier this year saw the announcement that a new film was being developed that took place 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker and would see Daisy Ridley return as Rey.

His time away from the franchise has seen Boyega be able to appreciate the franchise in a different way, as he previously admitted how much he enjoys experiencing the saga as a fan again.

"My first interaction with Star Wars was a Darth Maul figure. I'm a '90s baby so I came during the prequels. I was like, 'Bloody hell, man.' I didn't know what it was but I knew it looked cool and there were spaceships and glowsticks that could slash your wrist off," Boyega revealed to Total Film back in 2022. "Then I went back to the old Star Wars after. OK, I'm guilty - I did say that the effects are sh-t when I was younger! I didn't know any better. Then I grew into maturity and was in love with it. I still am in love with it. I bloody love it. But it's almost nicer not having to be in it, and not having to deal with that. It's weird, you just go back to being a fan again and see yourself in the games."

Stay tuned for updates on the future of the Star Wars franchise.

Would you like to see Boyega return to Star Wars? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

All of these new Collector Con releases will be available to pre-order here at Walmart starting at 7am PT / 10am EST on July 18th and at the same time on the 19th. A breakdown of Day 1 and Day 2 pre-orders can be found below.

Walmart Collector Con Day 1 Pre-Orders:

• Marvel Legends Series Joe Fixit, 6" Scale Marvel Legends Action Figure ($38.97) - See at Walmart
• Marvel Legends Series Captain America Bucky Barnes Avengers 60th Anniversary Action Figure ($24.97) - See at Walmart
• Marvel Legends Series Spider-Man vs Morbius 2-Pack ($49.97) - See at Walmart
  
• Star Wars The Black Series Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Legend) Figure ($27.97) - See at Walmart
• Star Wars The Black Series Qui-Gon Jinn (Force Spirit) Figure ($27.97) - See at Walmart
  
• G.I. Joe Classified Series Crimson Alley Viper Figure ($24.97) - See at Walmart
• G.I. Joe Classified Series Nightforce Jodie "Shooter" Craig Figure ($24.97) - See at Walmart
• G.I. Joe Classified Series Mole Rat Figure ($24.97) - See at Walmart
• Transformers Toys Retro G1 Shrapnel Converting Action Figure ($29.97) - See at Walmart
  
• Transformers Toys Retro G1 Skywarp Converting Action Figure ($34.97) - See at Walmart
  

Walmart Collector Con Day 2 Pre-Orders:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem 4.5-inch Figures (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello) / $29.97 / See at Walmart
• WWE Action Figure Ultimate Edition Ruthless Aggression Rob Van Dam ($32.97) - See at Walmart
  
• WWE Action Figure Ultimate Edition Ruthless Aggression Brock Lesnar ($32.97) - See at Walmart
  
• Hallmark Funko Pop Star Wars and Marvel Ornaments ($16.98) - See at Walmart
• Barbie Signature 2023 Collectible Holiday Doll with Brunette Hair and Gold Gown ($45) - See at Walmart
  

Lucasfilm is developing a whopping slew of projects ranging from television to film that they announced recently at Star Wars Celebration. The studio revealed that they are working on three films set in the Star Wars universe that begin with a film focusing on Rey Skywalker and even a film that will focus on The Mandalorian universe. One project that won't have any ties to the films will be the Leslye Headland-produced The Acolyte, and the showrunner is now teasing the action in the series. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Headland stated that the action in The Acolyte will be on a different level than other series.

"I can say this pretty confidently," The Acolyte showrunner stated. "I don't think you're going to see action in other shows the way that you see it utilized in our show."

The Acolyte Showrunner on Record Breaking Number of Jedi

The Acolyte showrunner recently revealed that when the series hits Disney+ it will have a record breaking number of Jedi.

"And I just thought it was very interesting to do a show about the bad guys and to set that during that time period made the most sense," the showrunner said. "So I think that's what sets it apart. It's kind of almost flipped. We have more Jedi than you've seen in any other of the Star Wars content."

"But at the same time, I think you see more morally ambiguous characters than you've seen in other Star Wars content. And I think I can say this pretty confidently: I don't think you're going to see action in other shows the way that you see it used and utilized in our show."

Who Stars in The Acolyte?

The Acolyte will feature Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Jodie Turner-Smith (Murder Mystery 2), Dafne Keen (Logan), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Margarita Levieva (Revenge) and Charlie Barnett (You). During Star Wars Celebration, it was revealed that Joonas Suotamo (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) will be in the show, but not as Chewbacca, instead, the series will feature the actor as a new Wookiee and Jedi, Kelnacca.

The Acolyte currently doesn't have release date set but is expected to hit Disney+ sometime in 2024. Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on Star Wars: The Acolyte as we learn it.

What do you think about Leslye Headland's comments? Are you excited for The Acolyte? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @NateBrail up on Twitter!