Star Wars is ripe territory for fan theories, though they don’t always last very long. The fandom has hosted some incredible armchair writers over the years, and has always pivoted with new information and revelations. Many of the most popular theories have been shot down in recent years with the release of the sequel trilogy and the Disney+ shows, but the new ones cropping up are exciting. Meanwhile, the theories with the largest scope are still on the table — and will remain so unless Lucasfilm tackles some uncharacteristically big questions about the origins of the galactic infrastructure.

Star Wars works best by appealing to a wide audience, so it rarely gets as deep into the minutiae of worldbuilding as other sci-fi franchises. If anything, that just leaves more room for fans to explore and flesh out their own ideas. Here are ten of the best Star Wars fan theories that are still viable at the time of this writing.

Shmi’s Death

One of the biggest turning points in Anakin’s path to the Dark Side came at the end of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, when he witnessed his mother’s death. Shmi Skywalker was freed from slavery but was then kidnapped by Tusken Raiders and tortured, for reasons we don’t fully understand. Fans now suggest that Shmi’s death was orchestrated by Palpatine as part of his plan to corrupt Anakin and turn him to the Dark Side.

This idea picked up a lot of traction after Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett premiered, allowing the audience to spend more time among the Tusken Raiders. They are known to attack moisture farms like the one Shmi lived on, but it’s unclear why they held her and brutalized her for so long without demanding a ransom or taking further action against her farm. It’s possible that Palpatine was exerting some mental influence on this tribe to make the treatment of Shmi worse. He may also have influenced the prophetic dreams that sent Anakin looking for her.

This all becomes extra tragic if you believe that Palpatine is the one who used the Force to conceive Anakin with Shmi. However, some fans dislike this idea because it removes Anakin’s culpability for the murders he committed here. It doesn’t need to be true, but it could be.

Clone Wars Propaganda

There are two animated series that cover wartime events between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith — Star Wars: Clone Wars, which aired from 2003 to 2005, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars which aired from 2008 to 2013. Reddit user u/onex7805 suggests that the first series was a faithful depiction of the war, while the second was in-world propaganda created by the Galactic Republic. This is a really interesting idea, and it’s consistent with what we see in other Star Wars media as well.

Stormtrooper Armor

There are two popular and interesting theories about the purpose and efficacy of stormtrooper armor. It doesn’t seem to protect its wearers very well, but many fans have suggested that this wasn’t its main point. Instead, they figure the armor was meant to project strength and intimidation while hiding any humanity that might be lurking within the helmet. It’s a way for the cloners on Kamino and the Empire to make their armies look more terrifying.

This doesn’t contradict an interesting theory by Reddit user u/stormtrooper1701 — that stormtrooper armor actually does perform very well considering what it’s up against. They point out that a direct hit from a blaster is incredibly destructive to property and the environment, so the same must be true for living beings. If it weren’t for the armor, stormtroopers might be blown to bits much more easily.

Franchise Crossovers

There are several popular fan theories online that suggest Star Wars takes place in the same universe as other movies or media, and some of them make pretty compelling cases. One of the strongest is Men in Black — the movie tells us that George Lucas is secretly an alien refugee living on Earth. It would make sense that he wrote his movies about his real experiences a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. There are other connections, as well, such as some similar character designs for aliens and a fictional language that sounds suspiciously like Huttese.

Movies about aliens visiting Earth are easy to connect to Star Wars, which is why some fans think E.T. may have come from the Galactic Empire, for example. Meanwhile, connections to Doctor Who are subtle but common. There are many canonical stories that connect Star Wars to Marvel Comics, and in fact, many fans expect Disney to start exploiting this connection soon in movies and TV shows. However, the genre-bending connections get more and more tenuous, such as this one suggesting that The Lord of the Rings‘ Middle-earth is an ancient version of Tattooine.

Grogu’s Origin

We’ve learned a lot about the origin and backstory of the Mandalorian foundling Grogu — a.k.a. The Child, a.k.a. Baby Yoda — but there are still some built-in mysteries surrounding his species and its connection to the Force. One theory that took off when The Mandalorian first premiered suggests that Grogu was born through the will of the Force — and perhaps that’s how all members of this species are born.

All the sources on the Star Wars timeline agree that Grogu was born 41 years before Star Wars: A New Hope, which is the same year that Anakin Skywalker was born. The movies tell us that Anakin was an immaculate conception and that either Darth Sidious or his master Darth Plagueis used the Dark Side of the Force to create him. This theory suggests that there was an equal and opposite reaction and that Grogu was created in the same way through the light side of the Force.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Finale Proves That Callback Connections Are the Franchise’s Achilles Heel]

What makes this theory really exciting is its potential to reveal more about Grogu and Yoda’s species in general. It could be that these beings are always born through the Force, and only when they are needed. However, all Star Wars writers have always shied away from revealing anything about Yoda’s species — even its name — so it’s hard to imagine them revealing something this big in The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Palpatine’s Return

While the details of Yoda’s species are the kind of mysteries we want to see teased out slowly, there’s a more ominous fan theory that it may be used to explain one of Star Wars’ most hasty and disliked plot points in the modern era: Palpatine’s return. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker shows us that Palpatine survived Star Wars: Return of the Jedi or was resurrected, and he lived in secret for a generation before making his play for power again. However, the particulars of this plan are left vague, and it feels extremely disconnected from the rest of the sequel trilogy’s plot.

The theory is that Grogu has been built up to become the connective tissue between this storyline and the rest of the fandom. Fans suggest that Grogu’s cells were used by Palpatine’s remaining loyalists for cloning experiments that were intended to bring the Emperor back — and perhaps to imbue him with new powers. They would have been hunting The Child to continue this work, and their failure would explain why Palpatine returned in an imperfect form in the later movie.

Skywalkers

Star Wars has not moved its timeline forward since 2019, and fans are itching to know what the next era in galactic history will look like. One popular theory connects the titles of the two most recent movies to suggest a new trend — there will be no more “Jedi” after the Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Instead, Force-users will now be referred to as Skywalkers, which is why the finale was titled The Rise of Skywalker.

This may seem like a small, semantic change, but it could actually signal a wide range of interesting developments. If Force-users were freed from the connotations of the title Jedi and all the traditions of that order, they could develop a whole range of new practices and philosophies, perhaps even splintering into groups that develop independently and eventually go on to learn from each other. The catch-all term “Skywalker” would be a neat nod to the past and would also make sense of Rey’s self-appointed name in the end. Fans have compared this to the way that “Caesar” started as one man’s name, but went on to become a title for Roman leaders.

Balance

There’s a small subgenre of fan theories that neatly explain plot holes and inconsistencies by suggesting that the Force itself seeks balance at all times. It bothers some fans that, during the prequel trilogy, the massive and powerful Jedi order was unable to sense Palpatine and stop him, while a single under-trained Jedi was able to do so just a few years later. This theory essentially suggests that the more Jedi there are, the less powerful each one will be, as the Force will seek to maintain balance between the Dark Side and the light. This means Luke was tapping into a much larger well of potential energy and Palpatine had much less influence over him.

Similarly, some fans think that Palpatine’s rise was inevitable in a time when the Jedi were so numerous and so involved in worldly affairs like politics and trade. They argue that a Jedi Order which couldn’t stop a single Sith was somehow imperfect, and it needed to be toppled to make room for something better. This could be an interesting idea to explore in the future, if it can be done without excusing any of the emperor’s crimes.

Droid Villains

Looking ahead, there’s an interesting theory out there suggesting that whenever the Star Wars timeline does move forward again, its next big arc will be a conflict between droids and organic life. This idea has been circulating for at least a few years now, but it has become even more appealing since the finale of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew revealed that the planet At Attin was under the control of one massive AI. There has also been a recent trend in Star Wars media commenting on the relatively low social and economic status of droids throughout the series, with Solo: A Star Wars Story essentially depicting them as an oppressed class.

The Force may be powerful, but it would have some trouble contending with a hive mind, or even a coordinated force of self-improving droids. Add to that the moral complexity of the droids’ plight and you could have a very interesting story on your hands — likely one with a solution more nuanced than blowing up another planet-killing space station.

Attachment

Finally, fans may have stumbled upon a practical reason for one of the Jedi Order’s more lofty, philosophical teachings — their quest to sever all worldly attachments. Of course, early on Lucas drew this from Buddhist teachings and other real-world philosophies, but it became a very central part of the story when attachment to Padme helped drive Anakin to the Dark Side in the prequel trilogy.

Reddit user u/Nofrillsoculus suggests that this was precisely why potential Jedi needed to be found and indoctrinated early. A Force user with loyalties and ties to their family, nation, or planet will almost certainly become corrupted, and the galaxy would gradually devolve into a nonstop struggle between Force-sensitive warlords, or Sith. The Jedi want to avoid this, but there’s still something sinister about the idea of them tracking down every single Force-sensitive child and pulling them away from their lives as early as possible.

The Star Wars franchise is streaming now on Disney+. The next release will be Andor Season 2, hitting Disney+ on April 22nd.

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Star Wars fans are no strangers to debate when it comes to their beloved franchise, and to be honest, some of those debates go back to the beginning, with the release of Star Wars: A New Hope back in 1977. One of those OG Star Wars debates has now resurfaced: why Jek Porkins had to die.

Jek Tono Porkins (aka “Piggy”) was a member of the Rebellion’s famous X-wing “Red Squadron,” who fought in the infamous “Battle of Yavin” against the first Death Star. Porkins was one of two pilots (the other being Darklighter) who made a strafing run shooting at the Death Star’s gun turrets. However, (as later retcons would reveal) Porkins’ X-wing hadn’t been properly cleared for battle when the Death Star ambushed the Rebel base; after being hit with some debris during his shooting run, Porkins lost flight control and radar and ended up getting obliterated by enemy fire.

Porkins had one of the most gruesome deaths in Star Wars, and like so many minor characters in the Original Trilogy, he sprung an entire cult following based on curiosity about who he was, based on the brief hints we get from his very limited screen time (see also: Boba Fett). Porkins have been of particular interest because the character was played by actor William Hootkins. Hootkins had a run of minor-but-memorable appearances in popular ’80s and ’90s movies, including playing Major Eaton in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, “Eckhardt” in Batman, and Munson in Flash Gordon. Those roles made Hootkins one of those “know I know that face” actors, and it still blows fans’ minds to know the same ill-fated X-wing pilot from Star Wars is the same man who assured Indy the Ark of the Covenant was being looked after by “Top, men,” is the same guy that Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier/Joker told to “Think about the future,” before shooting him down with that big revolver.

Now, fans are once again wondering what the in-universe reasoning was for Porkins to die in A New Hope. There have actually been new projects since the film was released that have examined more of Porkins’ life and the events leading up to his death. As stated, it was revealed (in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game) that Porkins’ X-wing didn’t pass full inspection before he had to rush into battle against the Death Star, providing tragic reason for his demise.

Porkins has also become another hot-button character in Star Wars lore, as he is a minor nexus of contradicting continuity. That includes multiple in-canon differences in Porkins’ official call sign (“Red Six” vs. “Blue Four” vs. “Gold Six”), as well as contradicting accounts of how he died (crashing on the Death Star’s surface or being shot down by turrets vs. being shot down by enemy TIE fighters). Those discrepancies in canon are just one more reason that Jek Porkins is still being debated by Star Wars fans, and since they’re not getting straightened out anytime soon (or ever), Jek’s legacy will also live on.

Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.

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Following big releases in their Marvel Legends and Transformers lineups this month, Hasbro’s first Star Wars fanstream of 2025 revealed 7 new figures in The Vintage Collection and The Black Series lines. The Black Series reveals will include Anakin Skywalker and Clone Captain Rex from Star Wars: Ahsoka. The TVC wave will add several more additions inspired by Disney+ series, with the exception of the troop-building Battle Droid 4-pack inspired by The Phantom Menace.

A full breakdown of the wave can be found below. Look for pre-orders for these figures to go live starting on January 23rd at 10am PT / 1pm ET here at Entertainment Earth unless otherwise indicated. Direct links to EE and Amazon will be added after the launch, so stay tuned for updates. The figures are expected to arrive in the spring of this year.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION MANDALORIAN SUPER COMMANDO / $16.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “Darth Maul’s loyal Mandalorians wear modified red and black armor to reflect allegiance to the Dark Lord, and some even fashion horns atop their helmets. Based on a Mandalorian super commando from the STAR WARS: AHSOKA live-action series on Disney+, this 3.75-inch-scale figure makes a great addition to any fan’s collection. Features detailed red-and-black deco and multiple points of articulation. Comes with long and short blaster accessories and a jetpack.

Calling back to the original 1970s and 1980s vintage toys, this figure features Kenner branding and package design with a unique VC number for collectability (VC #353).”

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION BAYLAN SKOLL (VC #355) / $16.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “Allied to former Magistrate of Calodan Morgan Elsbeth after the fall of the Empire, Baylan Skoll is a shrewd mercenary for hire overseeing his apprentice Shin Hati. Based on Baylan Skoll from the STAR WARS: AHSOKA live-action series on Disney+, this 3.75-inch-scale figure makes a great addition to any fan’s collection. Features detailed series-inspired deco and multiple points of articulation. Comes with a Lightsaber accessory and unlit hilt.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION SHIN HATI (VC #356) / $16.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “Shin Hati is adept at Lightsaber combat, a skill she uses as Baylan Skoll’s eager apprentice in mercenary work for Morgan Elsbeth. Based on Shin Hati from the STAR WARS: AHSOKA live-action series on Disney+, this 3.75-inch-scale figure makes a great addition to any fan’s collection. Features detailed series-inspired deco and multiple points of articulation. Comes with a Lightsaber accessory and unlit hilt.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION CLONE TROOPER (501ST LEGION) (VC #240) / $16.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “Based on a clone trooper from the STAR WARS: OBI-WAN KENOBI live-action series on Disney+, this 3.75-inch-scale figure makes a great addition to any fan’s collection. Features detailed series-inspired deco and multiple points of articulation. Comes with long and short blaster accessories.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION BATTLE DROID 4-PACK / $54.99 – Hasbro Pulse Exclusive: “The soulless ranks of Separatist armies are dominated by tall, thin B1 battle droids built as mechanical imitations of their Geonosian designers. Based on battle droids from STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE, this 3.75-inch-scale figure makes a great addition to any fan’s collection. Features movie-accurate deco and multiple points of articulation. This troop-building pack comes with removable backpacks, droid antennas, and blaster rifles for each figure.”

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES ANAKIN SKYWALKER / $24.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “In the World Between Worlds, Anakin Skywalker appears to his former Padawan Ahsoka Tano to teach her one last, crucial lesson. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES includes 6-inch action figures, vehicles, and roleplay items from the 40-plus-year legacy of the STAR WARS Galaxy, letting fans create galactic scenes with a faithfulness to STAR WARS comic books, movies, and series. This STAR WARS action figure is detailed to look like Anakin Skywalker from the STAR WARS: AHSOKA live-action series on Disney+. Comes with a Lightsaber accessory.”

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES CLONE CAPTAIN REX / $24.99 – See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: “Rex served the Republic on the front lines during the Clone Wars, taking orders from Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano first as a captain and later a commander. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES includes 6-inch action figures, vehicles, and roleplay items from the 40-plus-year legacy of the STAR WARS Galaxy, letting fans create galactic scenes with a faithfulness to STAR WARS comic books, movies, and series. This STAR WARS action figure is detailed to look like Clone Captain Rex from the STAR WARS: AHSOKA live-action series on Disney+. Comes with 2 blaster accessories and a helmet accessory.”

The post Hasbro’s First 2025 Star Wars Stream Pays Off On January 23rd appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars has changed a lot since Disney took ownership of the franchise. The old Expanded Universe was de-canonized and is now known as Star Wars Legends. This move angered a lot of Star Wars fans, as “Legends” was a beloved part of the Star Wars experience for several decades. Many fans loved the characters they were introduced to in the books, comics, video games, and TTRPGs that told the story of the Expanded Universe.

There are many Star Wars characters that fans want to see in live-action, and some of them come from Legends. However, many fans don’t want their Legends favorites to be brought into canon. There are a variety of reasons (legality), but one of the biggest is the simplest – these characters are just too good for the current canon. Legends introduced some amazing characters, and some of them are better than anything that Disney’s canon has introduced.

Mara Jade-Skywalker

Mara Jade was introduced in the novel Star Wars: Heir to the Empire. This book kicked off author Timothy Zahn’s trilogy of bestselling books that introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to Star Wars fans. Jade was the other major character introduced, and she quickly became a favorite. The former Emperor Hand – a Force-sensitive assassin trained by Palpatine – had quite an arc, making peace with her Imperial past and her hatred Luke Skywalker, training as a Jedi, and eventually marrying Luke. The two had a son, and she became his second-in-command before she was killed by Jacen Solo, Leia and Han’s son who was on the path of the Sith.

Many fans wanted Mara Jade in canon, but at this point, there’s no way Disney would be able to do her justice. Mara’s growth as a character, which is why many fans love her so much, came from her relationship with Luke, Leia, and Han. While there is a lot about the post-Battle of Endor continuity that fans don’t know, Mara doesn’t really fit into this world. There would be no way to make her character arc work, which would just make any adaptation of her into a pale imitation. That’s been a big problem with adapting Zahn’s character – Thrawn in canon is nowhere near as great as the original unless he’s being written by Zahn. Disney hasn’t shown that it can handle a character as complex as Mara, so she can stay in Legends.

Talon Karrde

Talon Karrde is another character introduced in Heir to the Empire. The best way to describe Karrde is that he is what Han Solo could have been if Solo was actually successful and more self-centered. Karrde was a brilliant smuggler and betrayed his mentor Jorj Car’das, in order to steal Car’das’s smuggling empire. Karrde also did his best to stay neutral like Han did, working both sides of the war between the New Republic and the Empire. He soon threw in with the heroes, realizing the Empire wasn’t going to allow him any freedom, helping the New Republic in their wars in the decades to come.

Star Wars is full of scoundrels, but the Disney canon hasn’t really done a good job of making them work, with the only one actually working being Jod Na Nawood in Skeleton Crew. Karrde is a character that needs a certain balance; he’s a criminal at heart, even when he’s legit. This is hard to do and Disney hasn’t been able to pull it off yet. Karrde is also a very shrewd character, and Disney really hasn’t done smart characters very well at all. This is the biggest problem with another smart Zahn character that was brought into canon, Thrawn. Karrde and Thrawn are characters who are constantly outsmarting the people around them, and a dumbed-down Karrde wouldn’t really work, so it’s best that he never joins this new canon.

Jacen Solo

Jacen Solo was introduced in Star Wars: The Last Command, the last part of Timothy Zahn’s trilogy of books. Fans got to watch Jacen grow up, and he co-starred in the Young Jedi Knights series of books, written by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, with his twin sister Jaina. Jacen would come into his own as a character in the 19-book series The New Jedi Order, The Dark Nest trilogy, and the nine-book series Legacy of the Force. Jacen was set up as the next great hero, but his study of the Force and high power level led him to the dark side. Jacen was able to take over the galaxy as a Sith Lord for a short time before Jaina stopped his reign.

Related: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Jod May Be A Game-Changing Character for the Franchise

Jacen is one of the most fully realized characters in Legends. Disney did try to do their own version of Jacen – Kylo Ren – and failed miserably. Jacen’s rise and fall was a delicate balancing act. His fall to darkness was born of his life of conflict and his pacifistic ways being challenged by the bloody realities of life. It’s done with subtlety, and Disney has shown that it’s as subtle as a shotgun blast. Kylo Ren is something of a failure as a character and is much, much simpler than Jacen. If Disney couldn’t get him right, then there is no way they could have gotten Jacen right.

Darth Bane

Darth Bane first appeared in the short story “Bane of the Sith” from the magazine Star Wars Gamer, which focused on the Star Wars TTRPG. Bane’s story would be fleshed out in the comic series Jedi vs. Sith and he would later star in his own trilogy of novels by Drew Karpshyn, who was one of the architects of the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Bane was trained by the Sith Brotherhood but concluded that the dark side shouldn’t be shared among so many. He began to study the ancient Sith and used powerful Sith sorcery to destroy both the Sith Brotherhood and the Jedi Army of Light on the planet Ruusan. Bane would go on to create the Rule of Two, changing the Sith forever and leading to the Empire a millennium later.

Technically, Bane is canon, but the canon version has no history so far other than being the founder of the Rule of Two. Bane’s story in Legends is one of the best and Disney simply hasn’t shown that they can pull that kind of quality off. Much of that comes from author Drew Karpshyn. Karpshyn has proven himself as one of the best Star Wars creators out there. His Bane trilogy went into detail on the character, creating the best parts. While Lucasfilm has employed some great writers, so far they haven’t really shown that they’d be able to make Bane work as well as Legends did.

Kyp Durron

Kyp Durron first appeared in Jedi Search, the beginning of the Jedi Academy trilogy from author Kevin J. Anderson. Kyp was a prisoner on Kessel who helped Han and Chewbacca escape. Luke discovered that he was a powerful Force-sensitive, and brought him to his Jedi praxeum on Yavin IV, where he ran afoul of the ancient Sith spirit Exar Kun. Kyp fell to the dark side, stole a sun-destroying superweapon, committed genocide, and was eventually redeemed. He became a Jedi Master and agitated against Luke during the Yuuzhan Vong War from The New Jedi Order series. However, Kyp would grow up during the war and join the Jedi Council, becoming one of Luke’s most trusted Jedi.

Kyp’s arc took years to come to fruition. He grew from a broken kid to a powerful Jedi Master who had come to terms with the pain that drove him to evil for a short time. He was also superlatively powerful, with Force potential that even outpaced that of Luke himself. Disney has introduced many powerful Star Wars characters, so Kyp’s power level isn’t a problem. However, good story arcs are actually pretty few and far between. A character arc like Kyp’s is beyond the current canon.

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Marvel is relaunching its Star Wars ongoing series by pivoting it to the time period during the New Republic, right after the events of Return of the Jedi. Recognizable characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and Han Solo will continue to star in the title written by Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner and bestselling author Alex Segura with art by Phil Noto. Segura and Noto are no strangers to the world of Star Wars, with Segura having written a novel focusing on Poe Dameron and the Battle of Jakku limited series of comics, and Noto providing covers for various Star Wars projects.

“It’s a huge honor — and massive responsibility — to steer the Star Wars flagship, and I couldn’t ask for a better collaborator than Phil Noto, who is just a masterful artist, and a Star Wars visionary,” Segura told StarWars.com.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Cavan Scott Reveals What Scares the Jedi in The High Republic Phase III Finale]

“I’ve been a giant Star Wars fan since A New Hope and have been lucky enough in the past decade to realize my childhood dream of drawing Star Wars as a job,” Noto added.

“Alex is an amazing writer and has come up with some great storylines and new characters for this series and I’m thrilled for the opportunity to bring them to life on the page! It’s also been exciting to draw the classic characters in the post-Return of the Jedi era because there’s no existing film or TV versions of them,” Noto said. “I get to create new looks for them while also having reference of the actors from the 80s to help sell the look of this timeline.”

The next iteration of Star Wars publishing fills the gaps between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, told across three intertwined limited series all tied to the Battle of Jakku:  Insurgency Rising, Republic Under Siege, and Last Stand. 

“Now that we’ve put the period at the end of the Galactic Civil War with the Battle of Jakku, we can speed ahead into a new, uncharted era, with some new galactic threats, foes, and mysteries for our beloved heroes to grapple with, blending the familiar with the new and shocking,” added Segura. “These stories will be packed with action and the character moments Star Wars fans have come to expect, featuring twists on the galaxy and landscape we know, with an eye toward making sure people can jump in easily and with any issue. We can’t wait.”

Star Wars #1

• Written by Alex Segura
• Art by Phil Noto
• Cover by Phil Noto
• Variant Cover by Leinil Francis Yu
• AN EPIC NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS FOR LUKE, LEIA AND HAN IN THE WAKE OF RETURN OF THE JEDI!
• New York Times best-selling author ALEX SEGURA launches the bold next era of STAR WARS.
• LUKE SKYWALKER must defend the NEW REPUBLIC from a bloodthirsty gang of mercenaries!
• HAN SOLO investigates a deadly underworld mystery — and saves a surprising ally!
• LEIA ORGANA must grapple with a new alliance opposed to the goals of the New Republic!

Star Wars #1 goes on sale May 7, just in time for Star Wars Day.

The post Star Wars Announces New Republic Era Series Starring Luke, Leia, and Han appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ryan Gosling could be joining the galaxy far, far away, as the actor is in talks to headline director Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gosling is “in negotiations” for the lead role, but details about the character he would play are being kept under wraps. Story details are also unknown, though The Hollywood Reporter notes it is a “standalone movie” that is not part of the Skywalker Saga. If Gosling officially signs on, the expectation is his casting will help fast-track Levy’s Star Wars movie. It could be ready to begin production by early as this fall, assuming everything stays on track.

Levy entered talks to helm a Star Wars film back in 2022, however, the project was never added to Disney’s official release schedule. Over the past couple of years, it was unknown how far along in development the movie was. In fact, Levy had been working on a different movie; following the $1 billion success of Deadpool & Wolverine, the director was planning to collaborate with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman on the comedy Boy Band, which Reynolds is currently writing. Gosling joining the Star Wars movie means it becomes the top priority for Levy moving forward.

Back in December, Levy provided a brief update on his Star Wars movie, sharing that he was working with screenwriter Jonathan Topper. In the past, the filmmaker has expressed his desire for any Star Wars project he makes to be standalone. One of his goals is to make sure he doesn’t have to “serve another movie” or make a Star Wars film “that is redundant to others.”

[RELATED – Skeleton Crew Further Proves Star Wars Is Better Under Disney]

Signing on for a Star Wars movie would mark a change of pace for Gosling. While he’s done his fair share of genre fare (most notably sci-fi sequel Blade Runner 2049), he hasn’t dipped into any of the typical Hollywood franchises yet — despite frequently being rumored for a variety of high-profile roles. That doesn’t stem from a lack of interest on Gosling’s part; he has expressed a desire to play Marvel’s Ghost Rider.

Snagging Gosling, a three-time Oscar nominee, would be a major boon for Lucasfilm. In the time since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the studio has struggled mightily to put together a new film slate. Several reported projects have stalled in various stages of development, including the Rey/New Jedi Order movie, which lost writer Steven Knight in October 2024. Having an A-lister like Gosling onboard would help generate enthusiasm for Star Wars’ movie future, which is very cloudy after 2026’s The Mandalorian & Grogu. He is a beloved talent with the range to play a number of classic Star Wars archetypes.

Levy’s film gaining traction could provide a clue as to the direction Lucasfilm will go regarding Star Wars movie development. It’s been said the studio is considering “several movies” centered around Rey, which would essentially be some kind of continuation of the Skywalker Saga. Of course, one of those projects could still come to fruition, but that’s proven to be a hurdle difficult to clear. Perhaps Lucasfilm has decided the better course of action would be to pursue standalone works, which could be more appealing to in-demand talent like Gosling. It will be interesting to see how Levy’s movie and the future of Star Wars shapes up from here. If Levy’s film starts filming soon, more news is surely right around the corner.

The post Ryan Gosling in Talks for New Star Wars Movie (And Filming Could Start Soon!) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After Ahsoka Season 1 featured Hayden Christensen reprising his role of Anakin Skywalker, the Star Wars show’s second season is rumored to mark the comeback of another prominent prequel trilogy character. According to Kristian Harloff, Natalie Portman could be returning the franchise to play Padmé again. “I got word that [Ahsoka showrunner Dave] Filoni is really trying hard to get this one character back,” Harloff said on an episode of his podcast. “It looks like it’s close … I don’t think it’s a signed deal yet, but it’s close, and it looks like, in Ahsoka, returning could be one Natalie Portman.”

Harloff theorized Portman’s potential casting could set the stage for what would most likely be a “World Between Worlds type thing.” He added that would “[make] sense with the Ewan McGregor of it all and young Ahsoka, they’d probably do a World Between Worlds thing, and it makes sense that [Filoni] would want her,” alluding to previous Ahsoka rumors purporting that McGregor and Ariana Greenblatt would be reprising Obi-Wan Kenobi and young Ahsoka, respectively, for Season 2. However, Star Wars News Net has heard that Portman “is not in negotiations to return.”

Portman portrayed Padmé Amidala in all three installments of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but she hasn’t played the character since 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Despite being absent from the galaxy far, far away for two decades now, the actress would be open to a return if an opportunity presented itself. Back in 2023, she mentioned that “no one has asked her” about coming back. She did, however, humorously have to remind her Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi that she played Padmé when he asked her if she wanted to be in the Star Wars movie he’s developing.

[RELATED – Star Wars: Ahsoka Featurette Brings the Legacy of Huyang to Life (Exclusive)]

Ahsoka Season 2 does not have an official release date as of this writing. Reportedly, the plan is for it to begin filming at some point in April. Recently, Game of Thrones actor Rory McCann joined the cast; he will portray Baylan Skoll, replacing the late Ray Stevenson.

Ahsoka has already delved into the World Between Worlds, a mystical plane in the Force that connects all of time and space. The Season 1 episode “Part Five: Shadow Warrior” sees Ahsoka undergo a series of trials in the realm, which, in part, involves her reexperiencing battles from the Clone Wars. Considering how well-received that episode was, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ahsoka Season 2 featured more of the World Between Worlds, allowing Filoni and his team to depict additional Clone War-era flashbacks to Ahsoka’s youth. On the animated series, Ahsoka is good friends with both Obi-Wan and Padmé, and it would be fun for fans to see her interact with them in live-action. Similar to Season 1’s use of the World Between Worlds, this could be an intriguing way to dive deep into Ahsoka’s psyche while also fleshing out her dynamic with some of her closest companions.

Of course, the trick would be making a Padmé return feel organic so it’s more than just a nostalgic callback for prequel trilogy fans. Star Wars has been guilty of using fan service as a crutch before, and it would be a shame if Portman’s long-awaited comeback rang hollow. What made “Part Five: Shadow Warrior” work so well wasn’t just the bits of live-action Clone Wars; it was an integral moment for Ahsoka within the context of the show’s arc, and having Anakin be the one to teach her a most important lesson was logical. If Filoni is “really trying hard” to get Portman onboard, the implication is he has something in mind that requires Padmé’s presence. Should this rumor come to pass (and fans should take it with a grain of salt for now), it will be interesting to see how she fits into Ahsoka Season 2.

The post Will a Major Star Wars Prequels Character Return in Ahsoka Season 2? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew was something of anachronism for modern Star Wars projects. Instead of being full of callbacks and Easter eggs, the show went in different directions, showing a bit of suburban life in the Star Wars universe while also taking a walk on the wild side. The show has a Goonies feel to it, delivering an amazing Star Wars experience for long-time Star Wars fans. Skeleton Crew revolved around mysteries, each episode revealing secrets to the viewer that led to even bigger ones.

Skeleton Crew paid these mysteries off brilliantly, but that doesn’t mean that it revealed all of its secrets. There are several major unanswered questions about Skeleton Crew, and they are ones that could make perfect fodder for a possible Skeleton Crew Season 2.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Season 1

Why Didn’t the Empire Imprison Jod Na Nawood?

Jod Na Nawood’s origin was one of Skeleton Crew‘s biggest mystery. Jod was introduced using the Force to help free Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern, and as the show went on, fans were given more clues as to who he really was. The final episode of the season finally gave everyone the answers they wanted, revealing Jod was found by an on-the-run Jedi, who began his training in the Force. However, Imperial forces found Jod and his master, and killed her.

Here’s the thing about that, though — why wasn’t Jod immediately imprisoned by the Empire? He said that they forced him to watch the death of his master. They had him in their clutches, so why didn’t they bring him to the Inquisitors and make him join? Did Jod escape? Did they not know what they had on their hands? This is a major question that will hopefully get answered one day.

What Happened to Tak Rennod?

The question of the identity of At Attin’s Supervisor was a major mystery of Skeleton Crew, and for a while, it seemed like pirate captain Tak Rennod might have taken up the mantle. Rennod had built up quite a reputation over the years and eventually found at least two of the Jewels of the Old Republic — At Achrann and At Attin. Thanks to the droid SM-33, we found out that he guarded the coordinates of At Attin murderously, and that he definitely made it to At Attin. However, that’s all we know.

The Onyx Cinder got to the surface of At Attin, but after that, we have no idea what happened to Rennod. Did he try what Jod did and was discovered by the Supervisor and the droids? Did he land the ship in the forest where the kids found it and go into hiding? Maybe he’s dead, maybe he’s retired, but either way there seems to be more of a story there to be told.

How Did Tak Rennod Get the Onyx Cinder?

The Onyx Cinder was one of the first big mysteries of Skeleton Crew. Wim found the ship while he tried to take a shortcut to school with his hoverbike and its discovery allowed the kids to leave At Attin and go on their adventure. Eventually, it was revealed that the Onyx Cinder was a special ship used by Republic Emissaries so they could get past the Barriers of the Jewels of the Old Republic and land on the planet. Tak Rennod flew it to At Attin, but how did he get it?

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Proves the Franchise Can Tell Better Stories Without Major Callback Connections]

An Emissary ship wouldn’t have been just sitting on one of the Jewels, so there has to be some interesting story behind Rennod getting it. Did he get his hands on it without knowing what it was or did he hunt one down so he could go on his quest to find the last remaining Jewels of the Old Republic? Rennod’s quest to find the Jewels is an intriguing one and getting his hands on the Onyx Cinder is a huge part of it.

Were All the Jewels of the Old Republic Mints?

The legends surrounding the Jewels of the Old Republic said that they were worlds of infinite treasure, and this caused beings the galaxy over to try and find them. Eight of the nine Jewels were destroyed over the years, and Skeleton Crew revealed that At Attin was a Republic Mint, making dataries for the citizens of the galaxy. The Republic was vast — it was said to encompass a thousand thousand worlds — but did it really need nine mints? A planet whose entire population is devoted to minting credits should be more than enough.

Many would say that question is already answered, because the Jewels were rumored to be treasure planets. However, treasure can be many different things other than piles of credits. Maybe each Jewel of the Old Republic had a different “Great Work,” all working to supply the government with something indispensable. We only got to see At Achrann, and it was destroyed, so the mysteries of the rest of the Jewels of the Old Republic have yet to be revealed.

When in the Timeline Does Skeleton Crew Take Place?

The history of the Star Wars universe is an important part of each story. Fans need to know when a story takes place, because each era is basically a different setting. A story set in the Imperial era is going to be very different from the High Republic era, which would be different from the New Republic era. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew definitely takes place in the New Republic era, but the show never establishes exactly when it takes place.

The New Republic’s pirate problem — which has been going on in the background of shows like The Mandalorian, Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, and Star Wars: Ahsoka – lets us know that the show takes place around the same time as those shows. However, we don’t know if Skeleton Crew takes place before The Mandalorian started, in the middle of the established timeline of those shows, or after The Mandalorian Season 3 and Ahsoka Season 1. This may seem like a minor thing to some, but knowing when a Star Wars story takes place is very important in the grand scheme of things.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming in its entirety on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: 5 Major Questions That Need Explaining After Skeleton Crew appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: A New Hope is said by many to be one of the best films ever. Throw in an arid wasteland, a boy hero, some laser guns and robots, and a crazy villain capable of killing you without touching you, and you’ve got yourself a good time. Well, we know that to be fact, and so does Funko! In a moment of appreciation for the movie that started it all, Funko has released 4 all-new Funko Pops from the original Star Wars film. With an emphasis on Luke Skywalker, the drop includes him in his Red 5 flight suit, Jedi lightsaber training on the Millennium Falcon, and staring off towards the two suns on Tattooine. R2-D2 is also included in the drop, with a Deluxe offering that’s based on scene in the film where he delivers Leia’s message, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

For those Star Wars fans who can’t get enough of the OG series, you can pre-order these new Funko Pops starting today, January 20th after 12pm ET here Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon. They’re expected to arrive in April. You can check out more of this week’s biggest Funko Pop releases right here.

Is There Any Hope For Skeleton Crew Season 2?

At this point, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has not been renewed for a second season. However, creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have ideas in mind if they get the greenlight, and the fact that the show was well received works in their favor. However, if the show were to only get one season, the decision to not end on a cliffhanger will certainly be a good one. Speaking to Collider, Ford notes:

“We wanted it to have an ending and not be just another cliffhanger because we knew we were messing with people with so many cliffhangers. We were inspired by those old pirate serials and stuff, or even Flash Gordon, and being like, “No, really, we’re going to end on a ‘What?!’ moment.” But, yeah, we wanted the kids to get home and have this story have it’s beginning, middle, and end.”

Still, there are plenty of questions left to be answered with the series, so a second season would undoubtedly dive into them. When word about the show’s fate does come down from the top brass at Disney / Lucasfilm, you’ll find the news right here at Comicbook.

The post New Star Wars: A New Hope Funko Pops Drop Today appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew may not have the highest viewing hours of some of Disney+’s other Star Wars shows, but it still managed to impress those who did watch it. Skeleton Crew‘s final episode stuck the landing, delivering on its Goonies meets Star Wars adventure movie feel. However, there were some aspects of the show’s ending that many fans didn’t like – the callbacks to other Star Wars media.

Skeleton Crew showed that major callbacks aren’t integral to good Star Wars, which is why the finale’s callbacks – Jod’s origin and the New Republic’s arrival on At Attin – felt so incongruous. In fact, moments like these weaken Star Wars as a whole. Nostalgia can be poison, and modern day Star Wars is proving that.

Callbacks Stifle Creativity

The original trilogy introduced moviegoers to the galaxy far, far away nearly fifty years ago, making Star Wars a part of the cultural lexicon. Those three movies established several things which would become shorthand for Star Wars in the minds of audiences – lightsabers, Jedi, desert planets, X-Wings, stormtroopers, and Death Stars. The prequel trilogy would add the Sith and clone troopers to the list while deploying many of the tropes set up by the Original Trilogy. Nearly every piece of Star Wars media out there included some of these elements.

Callbacks are hard to get past in Star Wars, because these tropes have become the ones that set the franchise apart from other pieces of science fiction. However, these aspects aren’t the only thing that define the series. One of the great things about Star Wars is that it’s been going on for so long, it has become its own setting. There are thousands of years of history and multiple eras, all of which have their own unique feel, and a Star Wars story can easily be told without ever showing a lightsaber or familiar starfighter.

There’s a difference between a callback and the setting, which is something many people working on Star Wars have forgotten. For example, setting something in the era of the Empire isn’t a callback, but throwing in stormtroopers just for the sake of having stormtroopers is a problem. Constantly reminding people of things that came before in order to keep them watching has become a hallmark of Star Wars that many people have gotten tired of.

Related: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Creators Explain Why Finale Has No Cliffhanger (And They’re Right)

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew started having callbacks early into its run. Jod Na Nawood’s Jedi origins were hinted at when he was introduced to Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern, and fans got to see X-Wing fighters in action as early as the third episode. However, it also did its best to be its own story, taking fans to new worlds and on different kinds of adventures. The best parts of the show were the characters, the plot, the feel of it, and not the obvious callbacks to the Jedi. If anything, those callbacks were groan-inducing moments.

Now, obviously, it could have been worse. Jod’s origin – that he was trained by a Jedi on the run from the Empire – was better than the cliche “he escaped Order 66 and has been in hiding ever since,” but it could have been more interesting if his Force talents were self-taught, something he learned to survive on his own. There was never any need for him to find a lightsaber. Introducing that the New Republic could come and save the day was fine, but it would have been more impactful if the kids led the people of At Attin to save themselves. At the very least, there could have been a new fighter or ship introduced, ones that weren’t callbacks to the ships of the original trilogy.

These callbacks were safe choices that actively hurt the story. They were “‘member berries,” meant to remind everyone that this is Star Wars. The audience doesn’t need to be beaten over the head with that fact – we know this is Star Wars because it’s in the title. Skeleton Crew was going in unique directions and all the callbacks did was make it seem like Lucasfilm didn’t trust that it would be good enough.

Star Wars Needs Innovation

When George Lucas created Star Wars, he took inspiration from many different things – Flash Gordon and the various movie serials of his youth, Kurosawa samurai movies, Joesph Campbell’s heroic myths – all of which are a part of Star Wars’s DNA. However, the reason why Star Wars worked so well was because the films were able to take those familiar things and create something entirely new from them. Star Wars innovated and that’s why it became such a huge part of pop culture.

Star Wars doesn’t innovate anymore because it gets to bogged down by callbacks. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew used the Star Wars universe to tell a story that the franchise hasn’t told very much – a group of sheltered children find themselves led through dangers they never imagined by a shady “guardian” – and there was the potential to tell its story without any of the common callbacks. Of course, that’s not what happened.

Look at the most panned pieces of Star Wars media since the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm. What do they all have in common? Nostalgia driven callbacks. If Star Wars is ever going to grow, it needs to leave the past behind. Star Wars has always been an amalgamation of influences, but if it just uses itself for influence, it will never be able to reach the heights of success it once did.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming in its entirety on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Finale Proves That Callback Connections Are the Franchise’s Achilles Heel appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars fans have many ideas about the epic space opera universe, and some have even suggested that certain movies in the franchise could do with some retitling. Star Wars has taken audiences to a galaxy far, far away on cinema screens since the debut of A New Hope in 1977, with the original, prequel, and sequel trilogies comprising the nine-film Skywalker Saga. However, Star Wars fans themselves have often been among the most critical of the Star Wars franchise.

Whether it’s midichlorians, Jar-Jar Binks, or whether Han Solo or Greedo shot first, Star Wars fans put the franchise under the microscope more than anyone. That also includes in the titling of the Skywalker Saga itself. As it turns out, some Star Wars fans are of the opinion that switching titles among certain Star Wars movies might be a smart move.

Why Some Star Wars Fans Are Swapping Titles In The Franchise

On the unofficial Star Wars Reddit fan page, the idea of trading out Star Wars movie titles was introduced a few years ago by user brady160, who proposed the idea of trading the titles of Episodes 1 and 9 to Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Rise of Skywalker and Star Wars: Episode 9 – The Phantom Menace. Per the suggestion of brady160, the title switch would then make the two movie’s titles more reflective of their plots, with the retitled Episode 1 being focused on, in brady160’s words, “Two Jedi discover a slave boy powerful in the force who was the product of a virgin birth, being the FIRST in a FAMILY who will bring balance to the force.”, and Episode 9 being telling the story of “A powerful enemy who was thought to be DEAD is brought back to THREATEN the galaxy once more.”

[RELATED: What’s Next for Star Wars After the Skeleton Crew Finale]

The user’s proposition gained a fair amount of traction with other fans on the Star Wars Reddit. One user (whose profile has since been deleted) even went as far as to retitle the entire nine film Skywalker Saga, with the franchise retitled as follows: “Episode I: A New Hope, Episode II: Rise of Skywalker, Episode III: Attack of the Clones, Episode IV: The Force Awakens, Episode V: Revenge of the Sith, Episode VI: The Last Jedi, Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back, Episode VIII: Return of the Jedi, Episode IX: The Phantom Menace.” Fans engaging with Star Wars or any other IP in such a direct manner is commonplace in the age of the internet and social media, but would such hypothetical re-titling reshape Star Wars in a larger sense?

Title-Swapping Is A Fun Exercise, But Wouldn’t Fundamentally Change The Star Wars Franchise

With fans raising the idea of shifting the titles of various Star Wars movies around, it does it does raise the question of how much, if at all, such title reworking would change the actual Star Wars universe and perception of the franchise. In all likelihood, the answer is little to none. Whatever one’s feelings on any given Star Wars movie (or indeed, any movie at all) might be, a title can be as reflective or non-reflective of the actual story, characters, or world of a given film as one can imagine, but in the end, the movie itself is still the movie it has always been.

To be fair, the suggestions of brady160 and other Star Wars fans on Reddit isn’t a poorly thought out one. With the plot summaries of Episode 1 and Episode 9 brady160 outlines, an argument can certainly be made that The Rise of Skywalker and The Phantom Menace, in hindsight, would have been more fitting if each had been applied to the opposite movie. Nonetheless, even with George Lucas‘ well-known (and much-derided, among Star Wars fans) penchant for retroactively editing and tweaking the Star Wars movies, there’s little, if any, chance of two already made and released Star Wars movies having their titles actually switched, let alone the whole franchise.

Star Wars Fandom Is Among The Most Engaged & Polarized In The World

While it might be surprising to see some Star Wars fans suggest the idea of trading movie titles within the series, it really shouldn’t be. Few fandoms of major sci-fi, fantasy, horror, or superhero intellectual properties are as deeply engaged and invested in a fictional universe as are Star Wars fans. In many ways, Star Wars is one of the first examples of a passionate collection of nerds coalescing into an engaged fandom devoted to a IP. At the same time, Star Wars fandom is nothing if not a divided one.

Despite the original Star Wars trilogy standing the test of time as the most iconic space opera ever made, subsequent Star Wars movies and TV shows have often left Star Wars fans split right down the middle into love it or hate it wings. The backlash to the Star Wars prequels is the stuff of legend, but their more positive reputation among newer generations of Star Wars fans have also raised their stock considerably. Additionally, Disney+’s Star Wars shows have seen an even more polarized discourse, save for the generally positive reception to The Mandalorian. The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars is another generally well-regarded Star Wars property, but 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi is also well-known arguably the most divisive Star Wars movie ever made.

Star Wars fans proposing the idea of switching titles around in the series is ultimately reflective of how passionate yet also divided Star Wars fandom is. In the end, the idea itself is one of the more fun ones of Star Wars fans making the own retcons and head canon alterations to the franchise they love. Just don’t expect the change to actually be one that LucasFilm eventually applies to the Star Wars universe.

All Star Wars movies can be streamed on Disney+.

The post Star Wars Fans Think Swapping Every Movie Title Would Fix the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2005 was a famously challenging year for the domestic box office, but that doesn’t mean this year didn’t produce some blockbuster movies that are still leaving a profound mark on the film industry. On the contrary, 2005 was home to a slew of costly titles that have developed passionate fanbases still going strong well into the 2020s. Part of that is due to nostalgia from current adults who grew up on these 2005 movies. Part of it, though, is simply that these titles have qualities that made them profoundly latch onto people.

After all, if all it took was nostalgia for a 2005 blockbuster to become beloved or inspire academic essays in 2025, then the likes of Stealth and The Island would’ve already inspired a legacy sequel or two. These seven 2005 blockbusters, in particular, have garnered esteemed reputations over the years that are well worth appreciating now that they’re all turning 20 years old. All of us are getting older, but these enduringly popular 2005 blockbusters aren’t going anywhere.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

2005’s biggest movie by a considerable margin, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith capped off the Star Wars prequel trilogy with darker storytelling material and narrative beats distinctly connecting these titles with the original three Star Wars installments. Though decently reviewed at the time of its release, Revenge of the Sith has become an outright masterpiece for viewers of a certain age. Phrases like “pathway to many abilities” or “I have the high ground” forever belong to this feature to many moviegoers. Plus, elements of Sith’s story, namely Order 66, keep getting referenced in all kinds of modern Star Wars media.

King Kong

At the time of its release, King Kong made a pretty penny at the box office, but its initial reception was intertwined with criticisms over its lengthy run time and comparisons to director Peter Jackson’s earlier The Lord of the Rings movies. Two decades later, King Kong has garnered a loyal following thanks to its critical contributions to the history of motion-capture animation. Andy Serkis delivering such excellent Planet of the Apes performances doesn’t happen without the technological breakthroughs of King Kong. Also, those divisive The Hobbit movies have made people extra appreciate what Jackson did get right with King Kong.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The general public was clearly more eager for a proper Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe adaptation than anyone could’ve expected. This inaugural live-action blockbuster Narnia movie was the second-biggest movie of 2005 domestically. Since its debut, it’s garnered a cozy reputation as by far the best Narnia feature ever brought to the screen. James McAvoy’s Mr. Tumnus character, meanwhile, proved quite formative for an entire generation of audiences. Tumblr is still awash with fan-fiction and loving art of this Wardrobe character.

[RELATED: 10 Years Ago, Marvel Teased A Very Different Kind of Ant-Man Movie (Watch)]

War of the Worlds

Initially, critics were largely cold on War of the Worlds. The movie was perceived as falling prey to generic thrills and sentimental urges while maintaining the ending of the original H.G. Wells novel inspired divisive responses. Today, that perception has radically changed. Like many early 2000s Steven Spielberg features, War of the Worlds is now praised for a tone evoking a world directly existing in the shadow of 9/11. Its bleaker aesthetic, not to mention having Tom Cruise inhabit a more vulnerable character, has been more appreciated with time.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Out of all the movies on this list, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is the most that resembles a time capsule of a bygone era. We’re still making Batman and Star Wars movies. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, though, was a star-driven original concept banking on the public’s ceaseless love for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. These two stars are now divorced and movie stars no longer sell features in a cinematic landscape dominated by pre-existing franchises. Even Mr. and Mrs. Smith has become a Prime Video show in the 2020s. 20 years later, the original Mr. and Mrs. Smith may as well be a movie from another planet.

Constantine

Gripes about how Constantine doesn’t really evoke its comic book source material undeniably and understandably endure today. However, Constantine has amassed its own unique fanbase two decades after its release. They’re more interested in Tilda Swinton’s gender-challenging performance or Rachel Weisz’s captivating turn rather than fidelity to the comics. Keanu Reeves getting such a late-career resurgence certainly hasn’t hurt Constantine’s reputation.

Batman Begins

After two smaller-scale movies, director Christopher Nolan blew up his profile with the 2005 reboot Batman Begins. A stark new take on Batman and superhero movies in general, blockbuster movies would never be the same after Batman Begins. Gritty reboots were now all the rage in Hollywood. Nolan had a specific style of filmmaking that other directors would begin aping immediately. Warner Bros., meanwhile, saw a path forward for DC characters on the big screen in the 21st century that it’s been chasing ever since. Out of all of 2005’s blockbusters, Batman Begins is the one that most overhauled the pop culture zeitgeist.

The post 7 Classic Blockbusters Turning 20 Years Old in 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew came to a close this week, but one of the most exciting revelations came from behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram. Actress Yasmine Al Massri posted a few shots of her time on set dressed as a Jedi character that was ultimately cut from the final story. She would have played the Jedi Master who trained Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) in a single scene — presumably a flashback. While it didn’t make the final cut, Massri wrote that she was proud to have portrayed the first Arab female Jedi, and that she had fun on the set as well.

“This was the shortest acting job I have done but the most meaningful to the child in me,” Massri wrote. “I gave a speech when the crew wrapped me on set saying: you just created the first Arab female Jedi.. thank you.. the scene unfortunately Didn’t make it to the finale cut bc these things happen.. but I can not not share my experience and feelings..”

As of now, Jod’s backstory is still a bit of a mystery, and we can’t necessarily consider Massri’s character to be canon since they were ultimately cut from the show. In the season finale, Jod did explain some of his past, but he’s proven himself to be an unreliable narrator and we can’t be positive that he was telling the truth either.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Creators Explain Why Finale Has No Cliffhanger (And They’re Right)]

There’s another behind-the-scenes hint of dubious canonicality — Entertainment Weekly‘s interview with showrunners Christopher Ford and Jon Watts. They said that they eliminated flashbacks and explanations of Jod’s backstory because they felt it was more true to the perspective of children, who were the real main characters.

“The challenge though was, as fascinating as Jod is, we always wanted to keep it from the kids’ perspective,” Ford said. “The kids are like, ‘I don’t understand this guy.’ They’ve never been out in the galaxy and met someone as damaged as him. So I don’t think we could have done a flashback in this season.”

Still, if Skeleton Crew is renewed Watts hinted that they might delve deeper into Jod’s life in future episodes. So far, there has been no official announcement of a renewal or cancellation, but the show has been very well-received so most fans are expecting more to come.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming now on Disney+ along with the rest of the franchise titles. The next release on the schedule is Andor Season 2, coming to Disney+ on April 22nd, 2025.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Scrapped Jedi Character Revealed in BTS Photos appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fair warning — there are spoilers ahead! Now that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has wrapped up its season, we can say for sure that there were no cameos from other franchise characters, or crossovers with other shows or movies. This breaks a trend for Star Wars Disney+ streaming shows, and it surprised many fans since we got confirmation that Skeleton Crew is set in the same time period as The Mandalorian and other shows of that era. In a new interview with Screen Rant, series co-creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford explained that they simply never felt like a crossover would have enhanced their story in any way.

Ford said that they were “open to” the idea of crossovers and cameos in the early stages of planning Skeleton Crew, and fans may be pleased to hear that Disney and Lucasfilm did not try to force any synergy on the showrunners. Watts explained, “It’s not like anyone at Lucasfilm was like, ‘You can’t do that.’ If anything, they were like, ‘Yeah, if any opportunities come up, we’re totally open to that,’ but we were focused on making our stories work. It was kind of a scenario where we got to the end of writing the first season, and we made it through without needing any cameos.”

“And then when we’d look back and be like, ‘Could we stick one in?’ It would mess it up, so we didn’t,” Ford added. “We built this little thing.” Of course, Star Wars has become a very intricately connected franchise, and Watts said that they are excited to see if and how their new characters might slot into the galaxy somewhere down the line.

[RELATED: Did Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Stick the Landing (Or Does the Franchise Have a Finale Problem)?]

“I’m much more interested in the idea of getting people to like these characters without using cameos as a crutch,” he said. “And then potentially in the future, seeing our characters as they grow up, [we’d see] how they would fit into the larger galaxy. I think there’s a lot of possibilities there.”

It’s nice to hear that crossovers were not required for this show after previous Star Wars titles have been criticized for cameos that felt forced. In particular, the Mandalorian interlude in The Book of Boba Fett was condemned by many fans for feeling like a complete diversion from the plot — and for complicating the process of watching The Mandalorian itself. Fans who opted to skip Boba Fett would have missed some important parts of Din Djarin’s story.

Skeleton Crew is now streaming in its entirety on Disney+, and so far the studio hasn’t announced whether or not this show will be renewed for another season. The next Star Wars title on the way is Andor Season 2, premiering on April 22nd, 2025 on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: The Smart Reason Why Skeleton Crew Didn’t Have MandoVerse Cameos appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Cal Kestis could be returning once again sooner than we expect. Respawn Entertainment and EA’s Star Wars action-adventure series, which has spanned across two titles, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, has provided players with the thrill of becoming a Jedi within the franchises’ universe. While the Star Wars Jedi series has been confirmed to have a third game concluding the Cal Kestis’ story, there hasn’t been much talk surrounding when we would hear from EA and Respawn. However, a new rumor suggests that a trailer for the next chapter of this intergalactic story will be publicly announced at a celebration event in the upcoming months.

In a social media post by X user Timur222, he states, “I got some details (regarding the upcoming Respawn Star Wars RTS game ).There will be a public announcement and trailer released during Star Wars Celebration in Japan (April 18-20). Aimed Platforms are Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Epic Store. The true lineup is TBD.”

The user himself isn’t one to leak information often, but Timur222 is a Wikipedia editor for gaming historical content. It should be noted that this user has a pretty large reputation given his status in the industry, considering his connections to current and former gaming industry contacts. Of course, these sort of rumors should be taken with a grain of salt (or sand).

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Sequel Rumored to Make an Appearance at the Star Wars Celebration in April

[RELATED: Star Wars Jedi 3 Confirmed to Be the Final Game in the Series]

As noted in the tweet, the public announcement is rumored to appear at the Star Wars Celebration in Japan in April, which would make sense considering Star Wars Jedi: Survivor trailer was revealed in May 2022. Seeing how the game franchise hasn’t had a title launch since 2023, an announcement is sure to make its way to the forefront this year. In later years, Celebration has brought some of the latest news regarding the future of the franchise, with 2023’s event confirming Daisy Ridley’s Rey returning for a new film, James Mangold directing an original Star Wars film, and a trailer for the Disney+ series Ahsoka, which has been confirmed to begin production on its second season this year.

The Star Wars Jedi titles begin in 2019 with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which was met with favorable reviews from critics praising its world design, combat, and performances, led by Gotham‘s Cameron Monaghan as Cal Kestis and Wolfenstein‘s Debra Wilson as Cere Junda. The sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor released in 2023, received positive reviews from fans and critics, deeming it a significant improvement over its original title. In September 2023, a third installment was announced by Monaghan during an event at Ocala Comic Con.

Respawn and EA’s Star Wars series has provided fans with the exploration and combat that was desperately needed in the gaming industry, with only a few games ever providing the feeling of being a Jedi. While we aren’t sure what the timeline is for when the third installment will come out, we can only hope that players can get a glimpse of what’s to come from the action-adventure series soon in a galaxy not so far away.

The post New Star Wars Game From Respawn Entertainment Reportedly Being Revealed Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have explained their decision to not include a cliffhanger in the show’s finale. Following the premiere of the last episode, “The Real Good Guys,” the duo sat down with Collider to discuss the series. Among the topics covered was the season’s story having a definitive end, which was an intentional choice on the creative team’s part. “We wanted it to have an ending and not be just another cliffhanger because we knew we were messing with people with so many cliffhangers,” Ford send, alluding to how some Skeleton Crew episodes ended with an intriguing tease (like Jod Na Nawood taking the lightsaber from Tak Rennod’s vault).

“We were inspired by those old pirate serials and stuff, or even Flash Gordon, and being like, ‘No, really, we’re going to end on a ‘What?!’ moment,'” Ford continued. “But, yeah, we wanted the kids to get home and have this story have it’s beginning, middle, and end.” Despite ensuring the Skeleton Crew narrative had proper closure, Ford acknowledges that there are still lingering threads, such as Jod’s fate.

Inspired by 1980s Amblin Entertainment productions like The Goonies and E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial, Skeleton Crew follows a group of four young friends — Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB — who accidentally get lost in the Star Wars galaxy and have to find their way back home. On their journey, they cross paths with the mysterious Jod Na Nawood, a pirate pursuing the mythical treasure of At Attin, the children’s home planet. “The Real Good Guys” sees the kids team up with their parents to save At Attin from Jod’s pirate crew, successfully thwarting the invasion with an assist from the New Republic. Like all of the Skeleton Crew episodes before it, “The Real Good Guys” does not have a post-credits scene to hint at what comes next.

[RELATED – Did Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Stick the Landing (Or Does the Franchise Have a Finale Problem)?]

As of this writing, Skeleton Crew has not been renewed for a second season. However, Watts and Ford have ideas for a continuation in mind, though they haven’t had any formal discussions with Lucasfilm yet. If Skeleton Crew returns for a Season 2, the plan would call for a sizable time jump to account for the show’s child stars aging.

Even with the hindsight of Skeleton Crew‘s positive reviews, Watts and Ford were smart to give the show a clear ending. At the time the series was being developed, there was no guarantee that it would be successful, and it would have been a shame if Skeleton Crew spent time teasing future story threads only to be cancelled. That’s exactly what happened with The Acolyte, which made waves by including cameos from Darth Plagueis and Yoda in its finale to set up future seasons. Unfortunately, The Acolyte was cancelled after a single season, leaving its cliffhangers unresolved. If Skeleton Crew doesn’t return, it at least told a complete story audiences can enjoy whenever they want.

Since Skeleton Crew takes place in the same New Republic era as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it would have been easy (and tempting) to force some kind of connection to the franchise’s other projects. A cliffhanger ending could have tied the narrative into the ongoing arcs of the MandoVerse, setting the stage for what’s to come for Wim and his friends. However, that would have made Skeleton Crew lose some of its charm. One of the show’s many highlights is the fact its story stands alone, occupying its own corner of the Star Wars universe. There’s no shortage of angles Watts and Ford can explore in another season, and if Skeleton Crew comes back, hopefully they take the same approach and craft a tale that has a definitive beginning, middle, and end.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Creators Explain Why Finale Has No Cliffhanger (And They’re Right) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Atha Prime, a Star Wars villain who was supposed to be a key part of a cancelled action figure line, is set to officially become part of the franchise canon. In a press release, Disney and Lucasfilm announced the character will appear in the comic book series Star Wars: Jedi Knights from Marc Guggenheim and Madibek Musabekov. Releasing on March 5th, the series is set prior to The Phantom Menace, with each issue depicting various Jedi embarking on missions across the galaxy. Atha Prime is described as “a mysterious plant’s tyrannical ruler who boldly opposes the Republic and the Jedi Order.”

Mark Paniccia, a senior editor at Marvel Comics, discussed how Atha Prime became part of the project. “While developing the series, Marc discovered this deep cut—the antagonist from Kenner’s unrealized The Epic Continues toy line,” he said. “We saw the original design and were immediately sold. What a cool character to bring into canon and what a perfect book to do it in!” Alongside the press release, the character’s design sheet and two variant covers were shared. One of the covers is modeled after Kenner’s classic Star Wars action figure packaging. Check out images in the space below:

In the 1980s, Kenner’s The Epic Continues initiative was conceived to give the Star Wars franchise a narrative structure following the conclusion of the original trilogy. Atha Prime was positioned to be the next main villain, filling the void left by the fallen Emperor Palpatine. A key part of Atha Prime’s backstory was that he was the mastermind behind the Clone Wars, using his knowledge of genetics to engineer an army of clone warriors. Ultimately, none of the action figures planned for the line were made, as Lucasfilm turned down Kenner’s proposal. Following this, there were attempts to introduce Atha Prime in the Expanded Universe, but nothing came to fruition.

[RELATED – Skeleton Crew Further Proves Star Wars Is Better Under Disney]

Star Wars: Jedi Knights was announced back in October 2024. In addition to introducing new characters, the series will feature familiar faces including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, and Mace Windu. The idea is to explore how the Jedi Order operated in the years prior to the Clone Wars. While each issue spotlights a different pair of Jedi, everything ties together via an “overarching threat.”

It will be interesting to see how Atha Prime is portrayed in canon. There will most likely be some significant changes when compared to Kenner’s original idea. In all likelihood, this version of Atha Prime won’t have anything to do with the Clone War, which was orchestrated by Palpatine as part of his plan to take over the galaxy. Still, the initial Atha Prime concept could provide a solid foundation to build upon. Billing the villain as a “tyrannical ruler” vehemently against the Jedi suggests Atha Prime will be on a mission to eliminate the Order in pursuit of galactic conquest, similar to how his Kenner counterpart waged war against the Rebel Alliance heroes.

Seeing that Atha Prime hasn’t been mentioned in canon before this comic, it’s plausible that he will be defeated by the time the series reaches his end. It would be jarring if it was established that Atha Prime was still around as Palpatine rose to power. However, that doesn’t mean that the character couldn’t have a future outside of Star Wars: Jedi Knights. In Kenner’s outline, Atha Prime was exiled prior to the events of the original trilogy and only re-emerged after Palpatine’s death. Perhaps Atha Prime’s canon version will follow a similar arc, leaving the door open for a possible return. If the character resonates with readers, Lucasfilm would probably be interested in bringing him back for another comic or even an on-screen project.

The post A Scrapped Star Wars Villain Is About To Become Canon in a Surprising Way appeared first on ComicBook.com.

All good things must come to an end, and that rings true for Star Wars as well. The High Republic introduced Star Wars fans to new tales in a galaxy far, far away that took place centuries before the Skywalker Saga, during the golden age of the Jedi Order. Marvel has explored The High Republic across three different phases, with Phase III set to conclude in Star Wars: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi. New York Times Bestselling author Cavan Scott, one of the architects behind previous High Republic projects, returns to pen Fear of the Jedi and wrap up the story of Jedi Master Keeve Trennis.

ComicBook spoke to Cavan Scott about Star Wars: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi and about concluding Phase III of The High Republic. We checked in to find out Scott’s highlights about Phase III, the meaning behind the Fear of the Jedi title, the appearance of The Acolyte‘s Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca, and bringing Keeve Trennis’ story arc to an end. We can also exclusively reveal the first look at interior pages for Star Wars: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi #1 by artist Marika Cresta (Doctor Aphra).

[RELATED: Star Wars: The Acolyte Finale Includes Massive Franchise Cameo]

ComicBook: You’ve been involved with The High Republic storytelling for some time, and now you’re back to wrap up Phase III with Fear of the Jedi. What have you enjoyed the most about the Phase III era of Star Wars storytelling?

Cavan Scott: It’s been so much fun bringing everything together, including elements from Phase II (especially the character of Tey Sirrek who first appeared in the second phase and has lived quite a life since.) It’s been such a joy to see all of my fellow High Republic creators nail the landing in their respective stories, playing out events we started planning seven years ago! The High Republic has been a huge part of my life since the first day we all sat around a table at Skywalker Ranch and such an incredible experience. And we’re now — finally — in the end game!

Fear of the Jedi is an ominous title when you consider how Jedi are trained to overcome fear because it leads to the dark side of the Force. What can you tell us about the title’s meaning and if it foreshadows dark times ahead?

At the end of our first week of planning what would become The High Republic back in 2018, I asked a question: ‘What scares the Jedi?’ It became a question for the initiative as a whole, and, in this series, I attempt to answer it, focusing on the fears on one particular Jedi: Keeve Trennis, who has been largely our hero throughout Marvel’s High Republic run. Keeve has been through a lot, and has never been afraid to question herself. Now, after recent events, she has started to question the Jedi Order in total. As we know from the 2019 audio drama, Dooku: Jedi Lost, Keeve goes on to become one of the Lost, Jedi Masters who leave the Order. This last series will reveal why.

Kelnacca, the Wookiee Jedi Master from The Acolyte, is a guest star in Fear of the Jedi. How did knowing Kelnacca’s fate in The Acolyte shape how you fleshed out the Wookiee’s backstory?

His fate didn’t factor in so much, but I jumped straight to scripting Fear of the Jedi from writing last year’s Kelnacca one-shot to tie into The Acolyte, so was happy to also be able to bring back his Padawan Yarzion Vell. I love how all these stories come together in Star Wars, and stoic — often brusque — Kelnacca is such fun to write.

Keeve Trennis has been a focus of your previous High Republic stories and is the main character here. What are your thoughts on her character arc, and has it progressed how you envisioned it in those opening chapters?

Everything I’ve written for Keeve has been leading up to this point. I wrote a draft of her final scene on the same day as I submitted issue one five years ago, so I’ve always known where she was headed. It was an emotional day when I finally got around to including it in the script for the final issue. Some of the details needed to be tweaked, because characters and situations evolve over time, but the scene is largely the same as it was back in 2020 when I saved it in a folder titled, rather ominously, ‘The End!’

Keeve means a lot to me, as does her Jedi master, Sskeer. It’s a weird feeling. I feel as if I’ve watched her grow up on the page, and now she’s exactly where I knew she would be. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved with the initiative as a whole, and the Marvel run in particular. Over 40 issues of storytelling? That’s no small achievement, and it’s all thanks to the readers who have supported us every step of the way.

To wrap up, what are you most excited for Star Wars fans to see and experience in Fear of the Jedi, and what can you say (if anything) about what lies beyond Phase III?

Aside from Keeve’s fate, there is trauma to come for Tey and conflict for Lourna Dee, who I will miss writing! Fear of the Jedi is everything I love in Star Wars. Adventure, space battles, giant monsters and wonderful character moments that will break your heart one minute and warm it the next. As for life beyond, Phase III, well, this is the end of the story that we’ve been planning since 2018, but not for the High Republic as a whole. There are always more stories to tell….

The post Star Wars: Cavan Scott Reveals What Scares the Jedi in The High Republic Phase III Finale appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have confirmed the show has a connection to the franchise’s High Republic era. The “Great Work” the citizens of At Attin frequently reference over the course of the series is meant to tie into Chancellor Lina Soh’s own series of Great Works mentioned in several High Republic books. Following the premiere of the Skeleton Crew finale, “The Real Good Guys,” Watts and Ford spoke with Collider and were asked about the connection. “Yeah, I mean I didn’t want to have to like fully step into that part of the universe and [have the] people working on it be like ‘It is that!’ But it’s supposed to feel connected,” Watts said. “So if it’s not literally connected it’s still an idea that existed in the galaxy at a certain time of like ‘We can do better. We can do great things.’”

Watts added that the people of At Attin and Soh “were coming from the same place if they’re not directly related.” Elaborating on this, Ford said, “The idea of — because they’re secluded — what it originally meant, could have evolved over time.”

Readers of the High Republic published materials are very familiar with Soh’s Great Works, a series of projects overseen by the Chancellor to help push galactic affairs forward. Perhaps the most notable of these was the construction of the Starlight Beacon, a space station that aided in navigating through the Outer Rim and contained a Jedi temple. Among the other Great Works were the Republic Fair, the Quarren/Mon Calamari treaty, and the establishment of communications relays. Despite their prominence during this era, the Great Works are not referenced on The Acolyte, the first on-screen project set during the High Republic.

[RELATED – What’s Next for Star Wars After the Skeleton Crew Finale]

On Skeleton Crew, the Great Work is ultimately revealed to be the manufacturing of Old Republic credits. At the beginning of the show, At Attin is shown to be isolated from the rest of the Star Wars galaxy, protected by the Barrier. The planet’s citizens are unaware of events such as the Galactic Civil War; in one episode, Wim and his friends don’t know that Alderaan has been destroyed. The implication is that At Attin has operated in its bubble for an extended period of time, making currency for a government that fell long ago.

Skeleton Crew was noteworthy for limiting connections to the larger Star Wars franchise. Its story stood on its own, never tying into other series like The Mandalorian or Ahsoka. This marked a refreshing change of pace for a property that’s arguably been too reliant on callbacks, but given Star Wars’ enduring history, some Easter eggs were to be expected. What makes this High Republic reference great is that it’s subtle enough to not be distracting for viewers hoping to just enjoy Skeleton Crew‘s narrative, but those who have read the High Republic books will take delight in being able to connect the dots. This was a way for Skeleton Crew to pay homage to Star Wars history without calling too much attention to itself.

Based on Watts’ comments, it sounds like that even if the Great Work was not a direct continuation of Chancellor Soh’s initiative, it took inspiration from what Soh was trying to accomplish. The people of At Attin were committed to contributing to a greater society, and it will be interesting to see if the planet’s history is explored at some point. At Attin is one of the more unique locations in the Star Wars franchise, and there’s a lot of untapped potential there. While a potential Skeleton Crew Season 2 would most likely look forward and examine the repercussions of the Barrier being lifted, perhaps At Attin’s past and connections to the High Republic could be the subject of a novel or comic series.

The post Skeleton Crew Creators Confirm Star Wars Series’ High Republic Connection appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warning: Spoilers for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have shared why the show doesn’t dive too deep into Jod Na Nawood’s tragic backstory, while also teasing their plans for a possible second season. Following the premiere of the finale, “The Real Good Guys,” Watts and Ford sat down with Entertainment Weekly for a wide-ranging discussion about Skeleton Crew. Regarding the series’ future, Watts said that they have “ideas” for Season 2, but they “haven’t gotten deep into those conversations,” citing the wildfires in Los Angeles, where most of their colleagues live. He hopes to have talks about what’s next for Skeleton Crew soon.

As for Jod, Ford explained the reasoning behind their approach for detailing Jod’s history. “The challenge though was, as fascinating as Jod is, we always wanted to keep it from the kids’ perspective,” he said. “The kids are like, ‘I don’t understand this guy.’ They’ve never been out in the galaxy and met someone as damaged as him. So I don’t think we could have done a flashback in this season.” Both he and Watts agreed there is an opportunity to explore more of Jod’s troubled past down the line.

“The Real Good Guys” confirms that Jod was a Jedi prior to turning to a life of piracy. When he was a child, Jod crossed paths with a Jedi who took him under her wing, sensing his potential. Sadly, their time together was cut short, as the Jedi was hunted down and killed in front of Jod — an incident that shaped his jaded perspective of the galaxy. The episode does not reveal specifics such as who Jod’s master was or who killed her.

[RELATED – Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Proves the Franchise Can Tell Better Stories Without Major Callback Connections]

Watts and Ford have discussed the possibility of Skeleton Crew Season 2 before, planning to incorporate a time jump to account for the child stars maturing. While Skeleton Crew earned positive reviews, a second season has not been green lit as of this writing. However, there are rumors that Skeleton Crew characters will appear in Dave Filoni’s upcoming New Republic movie, which is set to serve as a culmination of storylines introduced in other Star Wars shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

Considering how well-received Skeleton Crew was, it wouldn’t be surprising if Lucasfilm was interested in some kind of continuation. On the heels of The Acolyte being cancelled after just one season, Skeleton Crew gave the Star Wars franchise a much-needed win, earning praise for its strong performances and adventurous tone reminiscent of classic Amblin productions. Characters like Neel and Jod quickly became fan-favorites, and there are plenty of compelling story threads to explore in a Season 2. Not only would the main group of kids be older, dealing with a fresh set of personal problems, there’s also the fact At Attin is no longer isolated from the rest of the galaxy. It would be fascinating to see how things have changed on the planet following the events of “The Real Good Guys.”

Jod’s backstory is something else that deserves to be explored further. It’s understandable why Watts and Ford decided against an extended flashback during Season 1, but it would be a missed opportunity if Jod’s past isn’t revisited at some point. Even if the full story is told in a different medium (like a novel or comic book), many would be interested to learn who (briefly) taught Jod the ways of the Force and who ultimately tracked them down. Over the course of Skeleton Crew, Jod was established as one of the more pivotal characters in Star Wars lore. Whether he returns on-screen or in published materials, he’s a figure who should be fleshed out.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Creators Weigh in on Season 2 Plans (And Exploring Jod’s Backstory) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew had an uphill battle in front of it. When the teaser trailer first dropped, the diehard Star Wars “fans” decried it because it had lawns and suburbia and those weren’t Star Wars. These are the same people who complained about the bricks in Andor, though, so most Star Wars fans knew to ignore them. However, that doesn’t change the reticence towards Skeleton Crew. If anyone had asked fans which show was going to be better last year, most people probably would have picked Star Wars: The Acolyte, the show that dealt with the High Republic Jedi battling the Sith years before the prequels.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s viewers’ hours weren’t as high as The Acolyte, but the fans that gave the show a chance loved it. There are many reasons why — great characters, that Goonies feel, incredible mystery box storytelling — but one very important thing is that Disney allowed Star Wars: Skeleton Crew to be unique. The show didn’t bank on nostalgia, and that paid dividends.

Skeleton Crew Felt Like Star Wars Without Being Slavishly Devoted to Star Wars

Disney paid four billion dollars for Lucasfilm. That’s an obscene amount of money and they wanted a return on their investment as quickly as possible. This led to the sequel trilogy, whose first installment, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was an exercise in nostalgia. The movie took ideas and scenes from the original trilogy, putting them on screen with new characters in familiar spots, and called it a day. Disney knew that the best way to make their money back as quickly as possible was to use the power of nostalgia.

Ever since then, Disney’s Star Wars output has been obsessed with callbacks. Take a look at all the Star Wars projects of the last thirteen years — the sequels (well, except Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but we all know how that turned out, unfortunately), The Mandalorian, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Ahsoka, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, even Star Wars: Andor to an extent. All of those films and shows were filled with callbacks to the original trilogy and the prequels. However, Skeleton Crew went a different way.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Most Impressive Alien Monster Wasn’t Made With CGI]

Sure, Jod Na Nawood uses the Force and gets a lightsaber. But what other callbacks were there? The show did reference how the New Republic was fighting with the pirates, something that has been happening in the background of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, but is that really a callback? The show owed more to kids movie classics of the 1980s than Star Wars. However, the show also always felt like Star Wars. Port Borgo felt like the Mos Eisley Cantina mixed with Jabba’s Palace mixed with every hive of scum and villainy from Legends. The technology, the characters, and the locales all felt like Star Wars without copying something from a previous project.

There were no galaxy-shaking battles between good and evil. Jod wasn’t a Padawan veteran of the Clone Wars. There were no stormtroopers or desert planets. What there was is what made Star Wars popular in the first place: a familiar story, a group of cloistered children having an adventure in the greater world, interesting characters, and intriguing mysteries. It unfolds in an organic way, never feeling like it’s ticking off boxes on a list titled “Star Wars Things”. It just told a great story. What a concept.

Skeleton Crew Is up There With Andor as Peak Star Wars

Andor worked so well because it took Star Wars in new directions, albeit ones that were always there. Andor is about the effects of fascism on society, and Star Wars, at its core, has always been a fight against fascism. Andor did have some callbacks, but it still felt unique. Skeleton Crew does much the same thing. The show digs into the seedy side of things that have always been a part of Star Wars, but does so in such a way that feels completely fresh. It’s Star Wars that doesn’t need to throw Star Wars in your face.

Skeleton Crew shows that Star Wars is more than Sith and Jedi or Rebels and Imperials. Over the last 48 years, Star Wars has created a universe where anything can happen. The best parts of Star Wars — be they Legends or canon — have always dug into this universe and showed off new corners of it. Star Wars doesn’t need a checklist. It just needs great characters, jaw-dropping action, and smart storytelling. That’s it. A lot of people didn’t watch Skeleton Crew, but they need to. It’s everything that Star Wars should be without being everything that Star Wars has been.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming in its entirety on Disney+.

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A Nintendo Switch 2 Star Wars game has potentially been leaked ahead of the reveal of the new Nintendo console. According to a plethora of rumors and reports — from credible and dubious sources alike — the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be formally and officially announced on January 16. Before this, another Nintendo Switch 2 game has been outed ahead of its own official announcement, and this time the leaked Nintendo Switch 2 game is going to be of interest to Star Wars fans.

The newly leaked Nintendo Switch 2 game is unfortunately not a brand new Star Wars game in development for Nintendo Switch 2. There could be a new Star Wars game in development for the Nintendo console, however, this is not what is presented in the latest leak.

The new, and unofficial, intel comes the way of Daniel Camilo, a GamesIndustry writer, as well as publishing and gaming consultant in the industry. According to Camilo, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is in the works for the Nintendo Switch 2. Whether it will be a launch game, a release window game, or a launch year game, Camilo does not specify. To this end, it is possible the port could be 2026 or beyond, but this seems unlikely.

For those unfamiliar with the game, it came out back in 2023 via the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It never came to Nintendo Switch, but it did oddly enough come to PS4 and Xbox One last year. And now it’s reportedly being lined up for the Nintendo Switch 2. It is possible it could be coming to both generation of Nintendo consoles, but Camilo only mentions the Nintendo Switch 2.

Of course, take this information with a grain of salt. While this is not an anonymous 4chan leak or from Chinese forum boards, this information does come from a source with little to no track record of leaks to back up the claim. This doesn’t rule it out, but it’s worth taking into consideration.

RELATED: 3 Major Star Wars Questions That Still Need to Be Answered

Developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by EA, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the sequel to 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Upon release, it garnered an 85 on Metacritic and sold appreciably. Further, it is set to get its own follow up, though this third game in Star Wars Jedi trilogy has yet to be formally announced.

Speaking of EA, it has not commented on this rumor in any capacity, nor has Nintendo. We do not suspect this will change, but if it does, we will update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for more coverage on the Nintendo Switch 2 — including the latest Nintendo Switch 2 news, the latest Nintendo Switch 2 rumors and leaks, and the latest Nintendo Switch 2 speculation — click here.

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew isn’t the typical Star Wars show, which could have been a problem. Its focus on a group of children and the seedier side of the Star Wars Universe had a lot of potential, but the franchise is coming off the debacle that was the reaction to The Acolyte. Skeleton Crew needed to be a success and with the airing of its final episode, it can be judged as a complete picture.

Luckily, that complete picture is pretty good! Disney took a chance with Star Wars, and it paid off. The show was able to build to a satisfying finale, taking everything that the show has heretofore done well, and putting it on display. While it wasn’t exactly perfect, the final episode stuck the landing, ending the story in the best possible way.

Spoilers Ahead!

Skeleton Crew‘s Finale Paid Off Everything It Set Up

So, going into the final episode: Skeleton Crew had some big mysteries to solve, all while giving viewers a rousing finale. The mystery of who the Supervisor is was the main puzzle, and the show paid it off very well. Clues had been set out that the Supervisor could have been legendary pirate Tak Rennod, but the reveal that the planet is run by a huge droid makes perfect sense. The show had already established that At Attin was a Republic Mint, so putting beings in charge of it who are completely without greed and will follow the rules to the letter is the smartest thing that the Republic could have done. Plus, basing the Supervisor’s appearance on an astromech unit – like a giant R2-D2 – was such a great visual.

The next big mystery was whether Jod Na Nawood was a Jedi or not. Instead of going with him being a lost Padawan who survived Order 66, something that has been repeated several times in recent years, they established that a Jedi in hiding found him as a child and trained him in the ways of the Force. Unfortunately, the Jedi was arrested before Jod’s training could be completed, and he was forced to watch as the Imperials killed her. While there are some holes in this – for example, why wasn’t he taken and trained as an Inquisitor – it’s still thematically sound and different than what many fans expected.

Related: What’s Next for Star Wars After the Skeleton Crew Finale?

Getting the mysteries right was important, but would have been moot if the rest of the episode wasn’t entertaining. However, Skeleton Crew delivered an exciting, fulfilling ending. The early stages of the episode – with Jod quietly menacing the children with their parents’ lives hanging in the balance – builds up the suspense, and then pays it off with exciting action scenes, as the kids and their parents do their best to stop the pirates from taking over At Attin.

However, what really made these action sequences work so well is that they represented the end of character arcs for Wim, Neel, KB, and Fern. Wim was able to be the hero he wanted to be, doing everything he could to foil Jod’s plans, and seeing his father in an all-new light. Neel took the initiative and manned the turbo laser to attack the pirate frigate, putting himself in danger despite his fears. KB showed what she was capable of, piloting the Ebon Cinder out of the Barrier to call Kh’ymm and ask for the help of the Republic. Fern worked with her mother instead of fighting her, building a new foundation of respect. The finale even shows that Jod regretted the violence he was visiting At Attin. His unclear ending says something about him as a character and creates the potential of him returning for a second adventure with the kids – or getting a spinoff adventure of his own.

Skeleton Crew Shows that Star Wars Doesn’t Have a Finale Problem

There have been some fans who say that Star Wars TV series have been having a finale problem, lately. Many recent Star Wars projects have had less-than-stellar endings, and many fans were afraid the Skeleton Crew‘s finale would follow suit. However, that wasn’t the case at all, proving Star Wars doesn’t really have a “finale problem.” The problem with the disappointing endings to Star Wars media, since Disney took over, is more of a general writing problem. Too many times, Star Wars projects have built fan anticipation to such levels that any finale would be disappointing. However, Skeleton Crew sidestepped this.

Skeleton Crew set out with a clear goal in mind – doing a Stand by Me/Goonies-style story set in the Star Wars universe – and it nailed that. The show was able to capture the sense of adventure and wonder that those classic kids’ movies had, and set up interesting mysteries that all led into the next one, getting bigger and bigger. While its character arcs are standard for this type of story, they’re all well done. The show even ends with the potential for sequels; Wim, Neel, Fern, KB, their droid SM-33, and Jod are all compelling enough characters that fans would love to see them again. Skeleton Crew wasn’t interested in changing the lore of the universe, just telling an amazing story, and that’s why the show’s finale worked so well.

All episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are available to stream on Disney+.

The post Did Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Stick the Landing (Or Does the Franchise Have a Finale Problem)? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s finale episode finally revealed whether Jude Law’s rascally character, Jod Na Nawood, was a Jedi or not. And the answer is: sort of. In an emotionally charged confrontation with fantasy-fixated protagonist Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Jod tries to shatter the young boy’s whimsical sense of the Jedi by revealing what the “real” Jedi experience is like. That involved Jod talking about his own painful backstory: being an impoverished youngling living on the streets in the Imperial era, who was discovered by a surviving Jedi Master and inspired to become a padawan. However, the Empire soon hunted his master down and killed her, leaving Jod’s fantastical dreams forever replaced with a pirate’s cynicism and hunger for selfish gains.

Jod Na Nawood was always positioned to be a dark mirror reflection of Wim’s character, and Skeleton Crew‘s finale landed the plane on that subplot, impeccably. Jod killed Wim’s imagined luster of roaming the galaxy facing evildoers, and the lonely boy’s bonds with family, friends, and his community. However, before Skeleton Crew reached its conclusion I wrote a piece about why Jod is major pivotal character for the Star Wars franchise – especially if he turned out to have no real connection to the Jedi. Even though that Jedi connection was ultimately established, it doesn’t change the fact that Jod being a breakout character is major milestone victory for Star Wars.

More Fantasy, Fewer Callbacks

The entire thematic point of Rian Johnson’s divisive film Star Wars: The Last Jedi is that the wonder of Star Wars shouldn’t be relegated to just a few “chosen one” characters like the Skywalkers. Johnson liked the everyman appeal of that original Star Wars: A New Hope movie (with its depiction of Luke Skywalker as an archetypal hero) and sought to return that to the franchise, widening the scope of Force-user characters we could explore to include literally anyone in a galaxy far, far, away, while also questioning the black-and-white notions of good (Jedi) and evil (Sith) Force users. However, thanks to the immediate retcons of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker the franchise re-established that iconic and legacy Force-user characters (somehow, Palpatine returned) and factions (Jedi, Sith) would remain the go-to staples of the franchise.

Since Star Wars has moved into its TV phase via all those Disney+ series, the franchise has still been gunshy about putting a spotlight on Force-user characters that aren’t Jedi, Stih or legacy characters connected them in some way. That’s changed with the arc of Jod Na Nawood, who is a one-man proof of concept that Star Wars can tell great stories within the fantastical framework of its universe (as opposed to a show like Andor, which avoids that fantasy element entirely), without leaning into staples that have been throughouhly exhausted by now (the Jedi, the Sith, the Skywalkers). A Force-user pirate adventurer with complicated ethics and questionable morality is not only a fun addition to an ensemble show like Skeleton Crew – it’s the kind of character more viewers would love to follow into future projects, and see more examples of throughout the franchise: All the fantastical fun of Star Wars, without any of the heavy lore burdens. The franchise would do well to learn from Jod’s example.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is now streaming on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew – Why Jod’s Jedi Reveal Is Still a Pivotal Moment for the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew finale, “The Real Good Guys,” touches on Ja Na Nawood’s backstory, confirming a surprising detail about the character. During a tense scene in which Jod is threatening Wim’s father Wendle, the pirate reveals that he actually did receive some Jedi training during his youth. In an effort to disprove Wim’s belief that “the good guys” are coming to save At Attin from the pirate crew, Jod shares a story about a Jedi finding him when he was “living in a hole in the ground.” “She may have been desperate, and ragged like me but she told me I had potential,” Jod says.

Unfortunately, Jod’s partnership with the Jedi wasn’t meant to last. His training had only just begun before they were tracked down by unknown assailants. “They made me watch whilst they killed her,” Jod says in conclusion, illustrating his viewpoint that the galaxy is a cruel place with only slivers of light to grasp onto.

While promoting Skeleton Crew prior to its premiere, Lucasfilm billed Jod Na Nawood as a Force-sensitive being, but the character’s true nature was a mystery that ran throughout the season. As the episodes went on, there seemed to be mounting evidence that Jod was not a Jedi. His inability to properly wield a lightsaber appeared to be a giveaway, and the fact that he seemingly used the Force on only metal objects (which can be controlled by magnets) made viewers believe Jod was using some tricks of the trade to pretend to be a powerful Force user to gain an advantage.

[RELATED – What’s Next for Star Wars After the Skeleton Crew Finale]

The revelations in “The Real Good Guys” provide an explanation for why Jod is so inexperienced in the Jedi arts. Based on his story, he did not receive any formal training at the Jedi Temple; any lessons he learned were most likely on the run while he was paired up with the unnamed Jedi. Given the circumstances, she probably only had time to go over the basics. If their time together wasn’t tragically cut short, then perhaps Jod would have eventually learned how to skillfully use a lightsaber and further develop his Force abilities. As it stands, he’s trying to make the most of his limited training.

During the episode, Jod provides only a brief recap of the events, skirting over details like who killed his Jedi companion. Given Jod’s description of her as “desperate, and ragged,” it’s plausible that this occurred in the aftermath of Order 66. Jod’s master was most likely a fugitive hiding from the Empire, doing whatever she had to do to stay alive. Of course, during that time, Darth Vader and the Inquisitors were hunting down any Jedi who survived the Great Jedi Purge, so it’s reasonable to assume that Inquisitors tracked Jod and his master down.

Jod’s backstory would be a compelling thread for Lucasfilm to explore down the line, but it remains to be seen if that will happen. As of this writing, Skeleton Crew has not been renewed for a second season, though there are rumors characters from the show will appear in Dave Filoni’s New Republic era movie. Considering Skeleton Crew‘s positive reviews and Jude Law’s terrific performance as Jod, it would be a missed opportunity if the studio never revisited the character and fleshed him out further. Even if Jod isn’t seen on-screen again, his abbreviated Jedi training could be the subject of a canon novel or comic book series, taking advantage of Star Wars’ cross-medium nature.

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Lucasfilm’s latest Star Wars series has officially wrapped on Disney+ and the ending of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has fans wondering about one major question: Is Skeleton Crew getting a season 2? It’s a logical one to ponder for sure, not only because it’s no guarantee that a Star Wars TV series returns for more episodes, but anything is possible in that galaxy far, far away. Up until this point there’s been no official confirmation about more episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, but ahead of the show’s premiere on Disney+, the future for this corner of the galaxy started to look brighter.

Before the first episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew even aired, the rumor mill and assumptions lead many fans to think that the series would be a limited one, wrapping up as a one-and-done show on Disney+. At first this seemed like the right move to fans, considering the heartbreak of cancellations like The Acolyte, but the creators appeared to be open to the idea of telling more stories with the characters as premiere time loomed. In an interview last year, series co-creator Jon Watts noted that a season two of Skeleton Crew would have to avoid a major problem of another hit series in order to work.

RELATED: What’s Next for Star Wars After the Skeleton Crew Finale

“It would be something like [a three to four-year time jump] to make sense,” Watts told Collider. “But we wouldn’t do like a Stranger Things thing where we’re like ‘It’s the next day,’ because it won’t be.” Watts’ co-creator Christopher Ford added another wrinkle, noting: “It’s built into it that it would be a bigger time jump forward because it does take so long to get things moving. There are so many repercussions. It’s like, you kind of want to catch up later.”

As noted above however, there has still been no movement one way or the other one if Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will be renewed for season two. Of note however is that even if Skeleton Crew doesn’t get renewed, a new rumor has teased that the characters may be showing up down the line anyway.

A report earlier this month revealed that plans may be in motion for characters from the series to appear on the big screen, showing up in Dave Filoni’s planned “crossover” movie. Since that film is set to merge storylines from The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and other critical Star Wars moments from Disney+ into one, it would make a lot of sense for some familiar Skeleton Crew faces to appear. Until then we’ll have to wait and see, but right now Skeleton Crew season two has not been confirmed, nor has it even been hinted at.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Season 2: Will the Disney+ Series Return? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Star Wars timeline has not advanced for over five years now, with the franchise instead exploring the nooks and crannies of its existing stories. This has been pretty successful, deepening some characters and answering some longstanding mysteries in the process in shows like Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi and movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. If this trend is to continue, there are some more questions the franchise should definitely tackle.

The Skywalker Saga is about 70 years long, and so far all of the movies and most of the TV shows are set during this period. Outside of the episodic Skywalker Saga, Rogue One really set the template for standalone movies. It answered fans’ longstanding curiosity about how the Rebels got the blueprints for the Death Star, building on the dramatic implications from Star Wars: A New Hope.

If the franchise is going to continue fleshing out its timeline rather than deciding what comes next, it will need to explore more cul de sacs in the story like this one. Fortunately, there are plenty of those to choose from. Read on for three of our top choices.

Luke’s Lightsaber

There are a lot of mysteries about Luke Skywalker’s behavior in the sequel trilogy, but there’s one in particular that seems like it would make for a satisfying movie or TV show: the fate of Luke’s first lightsaber. Luke lost the weapon at the end of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and we didn’t see it again until Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it ended up in the possession of the “pirate queen” Maz Kanata. There’s surely a story about how it got there, and the lives it touched along the way.

Keep in mind that this wasn’t just Luke’s lightsaber — it originally belonged to Anakin. In fact, Anakin was still using this lightsaber when he first turned to the dark side, earning it some grim nicknames from fans online. In Empire, it fell into the depths of Cloud City along with Luke’s severed hand, and he escaped without it on the Millennium Falcon. The next time we see it, Maz is offering it to Finn and Rey.

[RELATED: Skeleton Crew Further Proves Star Wars Is Better Under Disney]

There is one other canonical off-screen mention of the lightsaber — a 2020 comic book shows Luke returning to Bespin shortly after his duel with Darth Vader, searching for his lightsaber in Cloud City below. Ultimately, he is called away by other responsibilities before he can find it, and he eventually determines that it’s not worth it to go hunting after the past. Cloud City remained under imperial control of Cloud City for several more years after that, so it would be interesting to see who found this lightsaber and how it got into friendlier hands.

The Mysteries of Yoda’s Species

Fans would love more details on Yoda’s mysterious species at any point in the timeline, but with the popularity of The Mandalorian and Grogu, it seems likely that we’ll learn more within the setting we’re most familiar with. Yoda’s homeworld and species have been left intentionally vague from the beginning, though it is becoming clearer that they are all naturally Force-sensitive. So far, we’ve only met three members of this race: Master Yoda, Master Yaddle, and Grogu.

We know for sure that this species is very ancient and rare, and that its members have a naturally long lifespan of at least several centuries. It’s also hinted that they are born with a naturally high Midi-chlorian count, giving them a natural affinity for the Force. We don’t know where this species comes from, but it seems likely that we’ll learn more about Grogu’s past, at least, in the upcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu, which hits theaters on May 22, 2026. The question is whether that will include more general tidbits about his species or not.

Palpatine’s Return

Finally, Star Wars will have to address the mystery of Palpatine’s return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker eventually. The Sith lord was defeated in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi — thrown from the Death Star by his own apprentice — and he himself confirmed that he died in this incident. We see that he returned from the dead with some help from cloning technology, but we don’t learn anything else about how.

Rise of Skywalker was infuriatingly vague about this plot point. At times, it almost seemed uninterested in this question and dismissive of fans’ curiosity, like with Poe Dameron’s hasty line, “Somehow, Palpatine has returned.” When asked how he did it, Palpatine himself simply reiterated a line from an earlier movie verbatim, “The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many powers some consider to be unnatural.”

There are plenty of explanations for this comeback that could be consistent and satisfying — perhaps Palpatine had prepared a cloning apparatus in advance to trigger if he died. Perhaps he had other agents as loyal as Darth Vader who helped him get to Exegol. Palpatine already mentioned that his own master, Darth Plagueis, had developed a means of overcoming death through the Force, so it makes sense that he’d be trying to advance that project himself. However he did it, seeing how Palpatine returned from the dead would go a long way in redeeming Rise of Skywalker for many fans.

You can stream all 11 Star Wars movies now on Disney+, along with most of the TV shows and specials as well. The latest title in the franchise is Skeleton Crew, which airs its season finale on Tuesday, January 14th on Disney+.

The post 3 Major Star Wars Questions That Still Need to Be Answered appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has been a real adventure. The coming-of-age story from series creators Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home) and Christopher Ford (Chaos Walking) — which sees the enigmatic Force user Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) chaperone lost kids Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) on a spacefaring adventure seeking home and pirate’s treasure — finishes its eight-episode first season Tuesday on Disney+. Now fans are asking: Is Skeleton Crew renewed for season 2?

To quote Yoda: “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.”

The Dec. 2 two-episode series premiere failed to enter the Nielsen top 10 — a first for a live-action Star Wars series — despite strong reviews. (At 95 percent approval from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Skeleton Crew was better critically received than every live-action Star Wars show except for Andor.) To compare, the June series premiere of The Acolyte charted on Nielsen with 488 million minutes viewed from its two-episode premiere, only for that series to be canceled in August 2024.

RELATED: Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie, From The Mandalorian & Grogu to Star Wars Episode X

Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman told Vulture on Dec. 19 that Acolyte‘s performance “wasn’t where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title,” which went over budget at a reported cost of $230 million. Meanwhile, Disney+ has “seen some growth” on Skeleton Crew and “the reviews have been excellent,” Bergman said, “so we’ll have to see how that all plays out as it moves forward.”

As Lucasfilm readies its return to theaters with the Jon Favreau-directed The Mandalorian & Grogu film in 2026 — the first Star Wars feature since The Rise of Skywalker capped off the nine-movie Skywalker Saga in 2019 — the studio will also continue to expand the Star Wars galaxy on Disney+. The second and final season of Andor, the prequel leading up to the events of Rogue One, arrives in April, and Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni is penning Ahsoka season 2 ahead of his forthcoming New Republic film set during the post-Return of the Jedi timeline of The Mandalorian.

Filoni’s as-yet-untitled film, which will close out the interconnected stories told in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew, was one of three new Star Wars movies announced at Star Wars Celebration in 2023. James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) is directing a film set at the dawn of the Jedi, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel, Saving Face) is helming a film set after the events of the Star Wars sequel trilogy that follows Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley) as she builds a new Jedi Order.

So far, only The Mandalorian movie has a theatrical release date: May 22, 2026. A fourth season of the flagship Star Wars series about helmeted bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and the Force-trained Mandalorian Grogu is in development at Disney+, although Lucasfilm has yet to announce anything beyond Andor season 2 and Ahsoka season 2.

“We have Andor season two, which we’re really excited about. It is excellent. I’ve watched all the episodes, and it is a fantastic season. And then we have Ahsoka season two, which Dave Filoni is leading,” Bergman told Vulture. “And then we’re looking at a number of additional series that are in development. We’ll see what we decide to do.”

“They have to be great, and when we’re in the position where we think we have what we want, we’re going to move forward,” he continued. “In terms of the films, at this point we have Mandalorian, which is coming out Memorial Day of ‘26, and we’ve got a number of films that we are developing. When we’re ready, we’ll be making announcements as to what those are.”

Bergman went on to say that Disney is looking to make some streaming titles “as economical as possible” but that “the whole goal, in whatever we do, is quality.”

“It’s the most important thing, and we won’t do anything that we don’t think is quality,” he said. “So I think what you’re going to see is a mix of those series that have more visual effects and will certainly be more expensive. And then you’re going to see some titles that are less expensive because they have less visual effects. But what they’ll both have are great stories.”

The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew finale premieres Jan. 14 on Disney+.

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While many Star Wars fans are familiar with bounty hunters like Boba Fett and Cad Bane, Embo remains a relatively obscure character despite being one of the most formidable hunters during the Clone Wars era. That might soon change, as recent rumors suggest that Dave Filoni’s fan-favorite bounty hunter from Star Wars: The Clone Wars might make his live-action debut as the main antagonist in The Mandalorian & Grogu. His potential inclusion in the upcoming movie could introduce this fascinating character to a broader audience while adding an exciting new threat to Din Djarin and Grogu’s adventures.

Embo is a male Kyuzo from the planet Phatrong who gained notoriety during the Clone Wars for his exceptional combat abilities and unique approach to bounty hunting. Standing at an impressive height of 1.99 meters, Embo’s most distinctive feature is his large-rimmed circular hat, which he uses both as a defensive shield and a deadly projectile weapon. Unlike many of his peers who rely heavily on advanced technology, Embo prefers a more traditional approach to hunting, wielding a bowcaster as his primary weapon, and depending on his physical prowess and tracking skills.

[RELATED: Star Wars: The Mandalorian’s Grogu Gets Anime-Style Short Series Ahead of New Movie (And It’s the Cutest)]

Throughout his appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Embo demonstrated his versatility by working with prominent bounty-hunting crews, including those led by Sugi, Cad Bane, and a young Boba Fett. However, his only true loyalty lies with his faithful companion Marrok, an anooba who assists him during his missions. This dedication to his pet reveals a more complex side to the otherwise stoic hunter.

Embo’s Rumored Role in The Mandalorian & Grogu

As The Mandalorian & Grogu enters post-production, the rumor mill has been running non-stop, with multiple sources trying to get leaks of the movie’s mysterious plot. One of these reports claims Embo might serve as the primary antagonist in The Mandalorian & Grogu, with Filoni – who originally voiced the character in The Clone Wars – expected to reprise his role. The rumors suggest that the plot revolves around a rescue mission to save Rotta the Hutt, who is allegedly being held hostage by Embo. This scenario would be particularly interesting given that Rotta, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, is now a fully grown crime lord, quite different from the infant Hutt that Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano once rescued.

If these rumors prove true, Embo’s inclusion could create an intriguing dynamic with Din Djarin, as both characters follow strict codes of honor despite their dangerous professions. Additionally, Embo’s presence might tie into the larger threat posed by the Shadow Council, especially considering that Imperial Warlord (played by Jonny Coyne) has been confirmed to appear in the film. Finally, Embo’s rumored involvement with Rotta the Hutt could explore the complex power dynamics in the post-Empire galaxy, especially concerning the criminal underworld’s relationship with both the New Republic and Imperial remnants.

The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to hit theaters on May 22, 2026. While we await official confirmation about Embo’s role in the film, fans can watch his original appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, currently streaming on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: Who Is the Bounty Hunter Embo? And Is He in The Mandalorian and Grogu? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s been just over 12 years since Disney acquired the rights to the Star Wars license from George Lucas. These 12 years have had some high points and low points, but it has become increasingly obvious that the franchise is in the best place it’s been since the original trilogy ended in 1983. While the quality of the sequel trilogy continues to inspire debate among the fandom, Disney has managed to right the ship over the last few years, expanding the idea of what Star Wars can be. From TV shows, to video games, to comics, and theme park attractions, Star Wars is delivering experiences that are superior to anything we’ve gotten since Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

The greatest case for the superiority of Disney Star Wars comes from Disney+. Over the last five years, the streaming service has been an absolute gift to Star Wars fans. Things started with The Mandalorian, a series that has not only brought in new fans, but has given us characters that are as popular and well-regarded as the biggest in the franchise. While Boba Fett’s popularity in the original trilogy hinged on the fact that he simply looked cool, Mando is beloved by fans in large part thanks to the depth of his character. Din Djarin has gained a well-earned reputation as the galaxy’s greatest dad, and his relationship with Grogu is unlike anything we had previously seen in the Star Wars canon. As a result, Din and Grogu are everywhere now, from action figures to holiday light displays. The two characters caught on in a way we never saw with Jar Jar Binks, Mace Windu, or any of the other prequel-era faces.

Not only are the Star Wars shows giving us new favorites to root for, they’re also expanding on the themes that George Lucas explored, while outdoing the creator’s works. In the prequel era, George Lucas set out to tell a tale about the growth of fascism, using the rise of Palpatine as a metaphor for the Iraq War. Subtlety has never been Lucas’s strong suit, though, and while the messaging of those movies has aged well, the films are brought down by their cheesier elements. In its debut season, Andor has given us a startlingly dark take on the war between the Rebellion and Empire. While the show still feels grounded in the Star Wars universe, it’s telling a grittier story, and it’s one that manages to feel frighteningly believable. Lucas also tried to push the idea of the Jedi being more flawed than we were led to believe by the original trilogy, but The Acolyte gave viewers a greater appreciation for the Jedi Council’s failures. Rather than highlight the bureaucratic redtape the Jedi found themselves trying to navigate, we actually got to see their mistakes and the failures that left an opening for Palpatine’s rise.

It’s a little too early to tell whether Skeleton Crew will have the same lasting appeal as Andor and The Mandalorian, but the show’s existence proves that Disney is willing to expand what creators can do with the Star Wars universe. There are still droids, lightsabers, and space battles, but the story channels ’80s movies like The Goonies, as opposed to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. One of the most common complaints about Star Wars is that the franchise has leaned too heavily on characters connected to the original trilogy. Skeleton Crew abandons all of our previous favorite characters for a brand-new cast. The largely warm reception to the series proves that strange and interesting things can be done with the franchise, and that’s been a common thread during Disney’s ownership of the brand. While Skeleton Crew is the most recent example, Star Wars: Visions has also given creators more liberty with the themes and concepts of Star Wars.

The superiority of Disney Star Wars isn’t just limited to TV shows. Video games are another perfect example of how things have improved in recent years. While the brand inspired lots of great games over the decades, when Disney acquired the license, it had been years since there had been a truly beloved Star Wars game. In the last five years, fans have been treated to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor. There’s still one entry left to go in the trilogy, but fans have become invested in the adventures of Cal Kestis in a big way. Disney hasn’t been afraid to take big swings in gaming, either. While reception to Star Wars: Outlaws was mixed, the game was fairly ambitious, and the same can be said for Quantic Dream’s Star Wars: Eclipse.

[RELATED: Star Wars Game Announced Three Years Ago Is Still MIA]

For many fans, Star Wars and Disney have been entwined since Star Tours first debuted in Disney Parks. While the ride was a fantastic take on the Star Wars universe at the time of its creation, Disney has far outdone its Imagineers with the creation of Galaxy’s Edge. The theme park section blows Star Tours out of the water, and a large part of that is due to Rise of the Resistance. Rise of the Resistance isn’t just better than the theme park ride many of us grew up with, it might be one of the best attractions ever in a Disney Park.

While the Star Wars TV shows have given creators greater room to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, the comics have also done just that. One of the biggest problems in the later days of George Lucas’ ownership of the brand is that the Expanded Universe had become bloated and overly dense. The Star Wars comics under Marvel have been a huge improvement, with clearly defined eras that are far less difficult to get into. Comics like Greg Pak’s Star Wars: Darth Vader run have given us a much deeper look at the motivations of the Dark Lord of the Sith, while Charles Soule’s Star Wars ongoing helped to flesh out the relationship between Lando and Lobot.

The Star Wars franchise is in a renaissance period right now. Fans might not realize just how good things are at the moment, but that’s par for the course when it comes to this franchise. Star Wars fans rarely realize how good they have it, which is the reason we’re now seeing a lot of revisionist history surrounding the prequels; many of the same people that were tormenting George Lucas and Ahmed Best 25 years ago are now waxing nostalgic about those same films. While many Star Wars fans are jaded about how things have played out under Disney, there’s a general quality that has extended to all aspects of the franchise. Some shows and products have been better than others, but it’s hard to ignore just how good it is to be a Star Wars fan right now.

Have you been enjoying the last few years of Star Wars content? What’s been your favorite thing to come out of the Disney era? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post Skeleton Crew Further Proves Star Wars Is Better Under Disney appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In an era dominated by digital effects, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s terrifying Mama Crab emerged from a distinctly old-school approach. The massive creature, which towers 30 feet tall compared to the show’s young protagonists, was brought to life through stop-motion animation at Tippett Studio, continuing the practical effects legacy of the original Star Wars trilogy. The project holds special significance as it was created under the guidance of Phil Tippett, the legendary animator behind The Empire Strikes Back‘s AT-ATs and tauntauns, marking a full-circle moment for the franchise’s practical effects tradition.

According to StarWars.com, the creature, nicknamed “Tet’niss” by its creators, became the heaviest stop-motion puppet ever produced by the studio. Visual effects supervisor Chris “CMo” Morley and art director Mark Dubeau collaborated with production designer Doug Chiang to craft a creature that balanced menace with accessibility.

“The original concept didn’t have much of a face,” Morley explains. “It was essentially a giant meatball with legs on it and a bunch of stuff sticking out of the back.” The team refined the design to include a snapping beak while maintaining what Dubeau describes as “a little bit of a Muppet quality,” ensuring the creature wouldn’t terrify younger viewers.

[RELATED – Star Wars’ Coolest New Alien Is Voiced by an Arrested Development Favorite]

The final puppet weighs approximately 15 pounds and features roughly 70 joints for animation. To support this unprecedented weight, the team developed a special harness system, one that required a little extra support.

“It’s definitely the heaviest stop motion puppet we’ve ever worked on,” Morley notes. “So heavy, in fact, that we had to build suspenders for it.”

Eagle-eyed fans might spot several Easter eggs hidden within the creature’s trash-covered shell. Dubeau reveals that miniature versions of familiar droids like R2-D2, K-2SO, and C-3PO are concealed among the debris, alongside fragments of the Millennium Falcon and Imperial walkers. However, Chiang insisted these references remain subtle, ensuring they didn’t distract from the overall design.

The creature also shares DNA with the original trilogy’s practical effects. Its gleaming eyestalks feature ball bearings treated with Sharpie marker, the same technique Tippett used for the rancor’s eyes in Return of the Jedi. The team even added digital slime effects to the creature’s mouth during roars to enhance its organic feel.

“It’s a dance because the intention of the animator can get lost in the reality of the puppet. The puppet will only want to do certain things, and as the animator, you have to lean into that,” stop-motion animation supervisor Tom “Gibby” Gibbons said.

The creation now stands proudly displayed at Tippett Studio, complete with a scientific name plate reading “Megapagurus detritiphorus” – essentially Latin for “big hermit crab carrying trash,” serving as both a tribute to practical effects craftsmanship and a continuation of Star Wars’ legendary practical effects tradition.

Skeleton Crew is now streaming on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Most Impressive Alien Monster Wasn’t Made With CGI appeared first on ComicBook.com.

You read the title correctly – The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace really is one of Lucasfilm’s best movies. How is it that, in a filmography that includes the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies, a “making of” documentary ranks among the best titles put out by the legendary studio? Even more shocking is that it’s available to watch for free on the official Star Wars YouTube channel; why Lucasfilm had no problem releasing a documentary that chronicles the making of one of the more hated films in the Star Wars franchise is beyond anyone’s guess, but it certainly was brave of them to do so.

While Episode I is hardly regarded as a classic today (though many fans would still rank it higher than the more recent sequel trilogy), the documentary is a fascinating look at the film that audiences had been waiting for since 1983’s Return of the Jedi. The movie has plenty of fascinating behind-the-scenes footage that’s sure to please cinéastes, and it gives audiences an in-depth look at George Lucas’ creative process; throughout the film, he makes it quite clear that he doesn’t always fully know what he’s doing, with many key members of the crew expressing their doubts with his decisions. Was Lucas ahead of the curve when it came to exploring new filmmaking techniques? Was he in over his head? It’s a little of both, as The Beginning reveals with unflinching – and often humorous – honesty.

Why The Beginning Is One of Lucasfilm’s Best Movies

Early in the documentary, we see signs that George Lucas’ reach may be exceeding his grasp when, five months before production begins, he’s marking up a series of storyboards with two different colors, one used to note which on-screen elements are real and the other to note what will be added later with CGI. The crew behind him grow increasingly nervous as Lucas points out the massive number of elements that will need to be built, both practically and by computer. While looking at some other storyboards, Lucas makes a bold declaration that will soon age terribly: “Jar Jar is the key to all of this.” Lucas’ naive enthusiasm is both charming and sad, as at this point in the film’s production, he has no idea how much the character would become a lightning rod for controversy among fans for decades to come.

In between Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace, you’d think Lucas would’ve used that large amount of time to hone his craft as a screenwriter. But, as The Beginning amusingly depicts, this doesn’t seem to have been the case. We see the iconic filmmaker take a pretty cavalier attitude towards his script for the film, and little in the way of writing expertise. For example, early in the documentary, as he explains how elements from The Phantom Menace mirror moments from A New Hope, he pauses before awkwardly uttering, “Hopefully it works.” Later on, when the principal cast is about to start the first table read, Lucas tells everyone, “And after this reading, I’ll finish writing the script.” Considering how much of the cheesy dialogue that was rehearsed during the table read ended up in the final product, one wonders if Lucas went back to the screenplay and changed so much as a word.

[RELATED: Wicked Director Reveals Surprising Phone Call From Star Wars Creator George Lucas]

One of the most hilarious and portentous scenes in the documentary is when Lucas and key members of the production team watch a rough cut of The Phantom Menace – and not a single person is impressed by it. “It’s a little disjointed. It’s bold in terms of jerking people around,” Lucas says before leading into a quiet pause. “But … I may have gone a little too far in a few places.” Following the screening, Lucas gets into an argument with producer Rick McCallum and sound/film editor Ben Burtt, in which he admits that he overdid the film more than he has previously, but still believes it’s possible to tone it down for general audiences. Considering how much of – well, everything – The Phantom Menace has in its current form, we’re only left to wonder how much crazier that rough cut was.

George Lucas, A Flawed Genius

The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace opens with George Lucas sitting down for a 60 Minutes interview wherein he makes a revealing statement: “The auteur theory of film is very true if you know directors, because they are very much like their movies.” While the auteur theory – a theory that posits that the director is the “author” of their film, or its main creative force – will always be debated in academic film circles, it applies to Lucas and The Phantom Menace quite well; both the director and the film contain flashes of brilliance and genuine innovation, and both are too obsessed with pushing technology forward for its own sake to achieve true greatness.

Still, what makes this documentary so wonderful is that it neither lionizes nor demonizes Lucas and his attempt to reach for the stars, letting the audience decide for themselves how many of his creative risks paid off. The Beginning gives us a brutally honest view of a flawed visionary who may not always be honored for the execution of his grand ideas, but will always be honored for trying. Whether you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan, an aspiring filmmaker, or you just want to see the often uproarious making of a pop culture cornerstone, The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace is worth a watch.

The post This Star Wars Making of Documentary Is One of Lucasfilm’s Best Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is winding down and, so far, it’s done a pretty great job of giving fans a Star Wars tale that they never expected. One of the key aspects of the show has been its mysteries. Star Wars has made some rather large mistakes with mystery box storytelling — the sequel trilogy revolved around this approach and this infuriated fans when the answers weren’t as great as they were expecting. However, Skeleton Crew has been able to sidestep this sort of thing, partly because its mysteries aren’t related to the most beloved aspects of Star Wars and partly because they’re answering them in intriguing ways.

Each mystery leads into another one, which is the best way to do mystery-box storytelling. As the show reaches its ending, the newest mystery is one that has been building since the beginning and is related to the show’s others questions: who is the Supervisor of At Attin? Viewers have gotten some clues about who leads the planet the show’s titular kids crew comes from, and there are two major theories out there.

At-Attin’s Supervisor Is Either a Pirate King or a Computerized Entity

The first theory, and the one that has the most circumstantial evidence behind it, is that the pirate Tak Rennod is the Supervisor. Fans were introduced to Tak Rennod in the second half of the season, after the children and Jod Na Nawood — the scoundrel who helped them escape the pirates at Port Borgo — found the planet At-Achrann, which was related to their homeworld of At-Attin. They learned that their ship, the Onyx Cinder, was formerly Rennod’s ship and eventually made their way to his lair on Lapuna, where they found the coordinates to his homeworld.

When they got to his home, they learned that the Cinder was actually related to their planet. At-Attin is one of the Jewels of the Old Republic, which have been revealed to be worlds that contained Old Republic mints. The planets are surrounded by a powerful defensive system called the Barrier, which destroys any ship that enters them. Only special ships can get through without being targeted, and Rennod was able to get his hands on one, namely the Onyx Cinder.

This means that Rennod at least got to At-Attin. Fans who subscribe to this theory believe that Rennod pretended to be an Old Republic official, tricked the Supervisor somehow, and took their place. It’s a pretty good theory, but the latest episode of the show has thrown all of that into doubt.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Jod May Be a Game-Changing Character for the Franchise]

The question of who the Supervisor is came from earlier in the season, when the kids’ parents ask for an audience with the Supervisor and are refused by droids, which are ubiquitous on At-Attin. While the planet is staffed by many organic beings, the only authority that viewers actually see, the real power on the planet, are droids. The droids pilot the public transportation, deal with truant children, staff the school, and seem to be the security forces of At-Attin. When the ship lands and the children are bought into the Republic Mint, these droids are everywhere.

Also while the ship is landing, a voice tells everyone on the planet that a Republic official is incoming. Now, this could be the voice of Tak Rennod, but it actually seems more likely that it’s a computerized voice, and the droids are the tools of this computer. The Supervisor could easily be a computer and, honestly, that makes a lot of sense.

The Republic set up nine worlds as mints and went through a lot to keep them hidden. The Republic wasn’t known for using droids for a lot of things, so it makes sense that they would staff the planet with many organics to do a lot of the planet’s “Great Work.” However, greed is something that is very hard for organics to overcome and the Republic wouldn’t want to lose their mints to greed. The Republic putting an A.I. network in control, one that has an army of droids at its disposal, would sidestep that eventuality. The droids would follow the rules no matter what and they would stop anyone who tried to rob the mint.

The Mystery of the Supervisor Is About to be Revealed

These two theories are the most likely for the identity of the Supervisor. While the show has focused a lot on Tak Rennod, it honestly seems like Rennod being the Supervisor is a bit of a red herring. Rennod certainly got to At Attin. Using the ship, which he probably got his hands on by going to one of the other Jewels, allowed him access to the mint. However, it doesn’t seem that the droids would have let him get away. It’s looking more likely that they killed him and buried the Cinder, which would also explain why the safety droids were patrolling that area earlier in the show.

At Attin being run by a powerful A.I. has been subtly hinted at since the beginning. Droids are everywhere on the planet, and while this isn’t strange in Star Wars in some ways, it is weird in others. For example, the Republic never used anything like safety droids in any other Star Wars media, and rarely showed them in positions of authority. The only way this makes sense is if the Republic set up an A.I. network to run the mint.

It’s looking like Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is going to have one last twist, and it’ll be that the planet is run by A.I. The show’s creators have fooled everyone, leading them to believe that Tak Rennod had taken the Supervisor’s place, all while waving the answer in viewers’ faces the whole time.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s final episode debuts on Disney+ on Tuesday, January 14th at 9 p.m. ET.

The post Who Is the Supervisor in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew? We Have Theories appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A groundbreaking fan documentary aims to unravel one of Star Wars‘ most ambitious and controversial storytelling experiments: the 19-book New Jedi Order series that forever changed the franchise’s literary landscape. Crafting An Epic: The Making of the New Jedi Order, a seven-part documentary series released on YouTube, delves deep into the massive undertaking that spanned from 1999 to 2004. Using over 120 interviews gathered across 25 years, including previously unreleased material, the documentary chronicles the series’ creation and impact through the words of those who brought it to life.

The project, which began releasing episodes on January 8th, examines how this unprecedented publishing venture reshaped Star Wars storytelling. The New Jedi Order (NJO) series represented a radical departure from previous Star Wars novels, introducing a devastating alien invasion that would claim beloved characters and transform the galaxy far, far away.

The series emerged from ambitious planning sessions at Skywalker Ranch in 1997 and 1998, where representatives from Del Rey, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Dark Horse Comics mapped out what would become the franchise’s longest continuous storyline. Twelve authors contributed to the series, which covered four years of galactic history and chronicled the invasion of religious zealots known as the Yuuzhan Vong.

Each of the series’ 19 novels made the New York Times Best Seller List, with more than 4 million books sold worldwide by 2005. Despite its commercial success, the series remained controversial for its darker themes and significant character deaths, though many now view these elements as having paved the way for more complex storytelling in the Star Wars universe.

The documentary’s first installment, “Creation,” explores the series’ conception through seven segments, including “Birth of a Universe,” “Dreaming of an Epic,” and “Creating the Yuuzhan Vong.” Future episodes will examine individual books in detail through discussions with their authors.

[RELATED – Ahsoka Could Be Setting up the Debut of Some Major Star War Expanded Universe Villains]

The NJO’s legacy remains complex. While initially polarizing for its darker tone and high-stakes storytelling that saw the death of major characters, time has softened many fans’ views. The series is now often praised for its ambitious scope and willingness to take risks with established characters. The documentary promises to shed new light on controversial decisions, including the death of Chewbacca in the first novel – a choice that earned author R.A. Salvatore death threats but was actually mandated by George Lucas himself. As Salvatore noted at the 2015 Salt Lake Comic Con, most reader response was ultimately positive despite initial backlash.

Through interviews with the creative team, the documentary explores how the series balanced multiple authors while maintaining narrative coherence. Author Troy Denning reflected on the collaborative process in a March 2014 interview, noting, “As many pages as we wrote in manuscript, we probably wrote that many pages again in emails” to ensure consistency between books.

With new episodes releasing weekly, the documentary offers both longtime fans and newcomers an unprecedented look behind the scenes of this pivotal moment in Star Wars publishing history, examining how this ambitious project has impacted the blockbuster franchise’s storytelling.

The post Star Wars Fan Documentary Revisits the Franchise’s Most Divisive Saga (and It’s Not the Sequels) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Once upon a time, TV Shows typically ran for as long as networks could squeeze the last drop of money out of them. Nowadays, extremely brief runs on streamers and networks are extremely common for a multitude of reasons. Shows just don’t get to five or more seasons very often anymore. Star Wars: Andor is no exception. This Star Wars TV program’s first season was an unequivocal hit by all measures. After Andor Season 2 drops in 2025, that’ll be the end for this Cassian Andor spinoff series. Andor will only last two seasons (24 episodes total), full stop.

This lines up with not just the norm for modern big-budget streaming shows, but also many of the Disney+ Star Wars programs. The Book of Boba Fett and The Acolyte only ran for a single season each, while The Mandalorian currently only has three seasons to its name. Even so, there are some very specific reasons why Andor Season 2 is the Final Season. Despite Star Wars fans loving this corner of the galaxy far, far away, it’s simply not practical to make even more seasons of this particular show.

It’s hard to remember now, but Andor was one of the very first Star Wars Disney+ shows put into development, first being revealed to the public back in November 2018. A showrunner was set for the program by the end of that year – indicating that Andor was really getting up and running. It’s easy to imagine a timeline where this show debuted as early as the first few months of 2021. Instead, COVID-19 hit and Rogue One‘s uncredited director Tony Gilroy took over the reins of Andor, delaying the production severely.

The Changing Plans For Andor’s Length

The program would not begin airing until August 2022, nearly four years after it was first announced! A few months before those debut episodes dropped, cinematographer Adriano Goldman divulged that, initially, Andor had been set to run for five seasons. At the time, Goldman speculated that ambitions were to do the show in just three seasons. The lengthy delay behind Andor’s first season and all the energy it took to get those first 12 episodes off the ground had clearly impacted long-term commitments to the show. In a later breakdown of the show’s origins, Diego Luna would reveal he too signed onto Andor under the perception that it would be a five-season show.

Gilroy would explain a month later specifically why those lengthy plans had been so drastically altered. The grand scope of Andor took so long to realize and bring to life that, while shooting the first season, Gilroy realized bringing five Andor seasons to life was going to be impossible. After all, Luna would naturally age over the years it took to make just a single season of 12 episodes. Eventually, trying to pass off Andor as a prequel to the 2016 movie Rogue One while starring an older Luna would be lunacy; condensing it down into two seasons was the best solution for everyone’s sanity.

[Related: Rogue One Star Still Has “Unfinished Business” With Star Wars, But Will They Return in Andor? ]

What Will Andor Season 2 Entail?

Andor’s second season will now compress all the years between Andor season one and Rogue One into 12 episodes. Gilroy even revealed while promoting Andor’s inaugural season that the program’s final scene would lead right into Cassian Andor’s first burst of screentime in Rogue One. There’s a lot of material to cover in this season, but it sounds like Gilroy, Luna, and company are all dedicated to giving Andor a grand finale.

Gilroy’s flexibility with condensing Andor will understandably frustrate some Star Wars fans who would gobble up as many Cassian Andor yarns as these writers could conjure up. Certainly if this show existed in the 1990s, Andor would just keep running and running until the ratings dropped through the basement. However, Gilroy’s comments over the last three years have made it definitively clear that Andor has a finite lifespan of two seasons. Given that the second season directly leads into Rogue One, there’s no chance for a reprieve here.

Limiting a TV program to just two seasons would’ve sounded like madness back in the day. Then again, most TV shows of past decades didn’t have budgets and grand scopes as expansive as Andor’s! At least Star Wars fans can now gird themselves for Andor: A Star Wars Story’s inevitable conclusion and pray this final season is half as good as the show’s first.

Andor is now streaming on Disney+.

The post Andor: Why Star Wars Is Ending the Hit Show After Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Game of Thrones actor Rory McCann, who played The Hound on the hit fantasy series, has joined the cast of Ahsoka Season 2. Per The Insneider (later confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter), McCann is set to portray Baylan Skoll, replacing the late Ray Stevenson, who passed away in May 2023. Baylan, a former Jedi turned mercenary, is one of the primary antagonists of Ahsoka Season 1, working alongside Morgan Elsbeth and the Nightsisters in their search to find Grand Admiral Thrawn.

The Hollywood Reporter‘s report notes that no directors or production start date for Ahsoka Season 2 have been set. However, it was previously indicated cameras would begin rolling on the Star Wars show at some point in April. It’s unknown if that’s still the case, but McCann’s casting would indicate the creative team is gearing up to start filming in the near future.

Months after Stevenson’s death, Ahsoka showrunner and Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni addressed Baylan Skoll’s future, admitting at the time the studio was in a “wait-and-see pattern.” Season 1 left the character’s story open-ended, as Baylan parted ways with his apprentice Shin Hati to follow his own path on the planet Peridea. The finale sees him come across statues depicting the Gods of Mortis, powerful Force-users who famously appeared on animated series The Clone Wars.

[Related: Star Wars’ Latest Retcon Makes Ahsoka’s Continuity Even More Complicated]

Over the course of Season 1, Baylan became one of the more fascinating characters in Star Wars lore. After seeing the Jedi Order he was once a part of be destroyed during the Clone Wars, he desires to break the destructive cycle of light vs. dark that’s permeated throughout galactic history. Ahsoka Season 2 plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but McCann’s involvement all but confirms the show will continue Baylan’s arc, delving more into his plan. Shin, Ahsoka, Sabine, and Huyang are also on Peridea as Season 1 closes, so it’s possible Baylan will cross paths with them again.

Lucasfilm could have opted to resolve Baylan’s story in a different medium, but recasting the role was arguably the most logical option. Baylan is such an integral part of Season 1 that it would have been jarring if Season 2 dropped this thread completely. The character’s last scene in the finale is designed to tease what’s next; it was likely crafted with future appearances for Baylan in mind. And since audiences responded very well to the character, there was interest in seeing more of him on-screen. It’ll be exciting to see how Ahsoka Season 2 handles Baylan’s connection to the Mortis Gods.

Of course, Stevenson’s performance was a main reason why Baylan resonated with audiences. The actor was able to craft a compelling figure different from what audiences have seen before, and it’s unfortunate fans won’t be able to see Stevenson add more to Baylan’s legacy. McCann has large shoes to fill as he inherits the role, but he’s a talented actor in his own right, and he’ll surely do the part justice. Everyone involved with Ahsoka Season 2 understands the magnitude of recasting Baylan and will ensure they get it “right,” honoring Stevenson’s turn while paving a new path forward.

The post Game of Thrones Star Set to Replace Late Ray Stevenson in Ahsoka Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: The Acolyte contained visions of a future that would never come to pass. The eight-episode Disney+ series introduced twin sisters Osha and Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) — one a former Padawan of the Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), and the other a Sith apprentice of the masked Stranger (Manny Jacinto) — the result of a vergence in the Force capable of creating life. The daughters of the Force-wielding witch Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), killed by Sol 16 years earlier on Brendok, converged on their home planet in “The Acolyte” episode, which ended with the sisters switching places as Osha accepted a role as the Stranger’s acolyte.

Master Vernestra (Rebecca Henderson) covered up the truth with a lie told to the Senate tribunal, then went to the mind-wiped Mae to help her track down her pupil who turned to the dark side. Osha took her sister’s place at the Stranger’s side, suggesting the story was to continue in another chapter of the High Republic era.

But in August 2024, just a month after that season 2-teasing finale, Disney canceled The Acolyte after one season. Nevertheless, the show’s characters continue to appear in the ever-expanding Star Wars galaxy: fan-favorite Jedi Knight Yord and Padawan learner Jecki are starring in a new YA prequel novel after Marvel Comics featured the Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca in a one-shot comic book last summer.

And now Osha, Mae, and Mother Aniseya will feature on a series of Marvel Black History Month variant covers in February (see them below). The covers — which will adorn issues of Marvel’s Star Wars: The Legacy of Vader and Star Wars: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi — will also spotlight Vail from the Star Wars: Outlaws video game and original Star Wars trilogy and sequel trilogy hero Lando Calrissian.

The artists are Mateus Manhanini (Marvel’s Storm), Karen S. Darboe (Bloodline: Daughter of Blade), Ernanda Souza (Black Panther), and Ken Lashley (Venom War: Wolverine).

“We were happy with our performance, but it wasn’t where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and make a season 2,” Disney Entertainment Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman later explained of the decision not to renew The Acolyte. “So that’s the reason why we didn’t do that.”

The series proved divisive among fans: on Rotten Tomatoes, The Acolyte‘s audience rating is just 19 percent compared to critics’ 72 percent.

“Of course I’m very sad about the show being canceled, and I’m sad about us not being able to give people invested in it more,” Stenberg shared on social media, “[but] I still just feel a lot of levity and joy around the fact that I got to experience it and that people loved it and that people were so responsive.”

STAR WARS: THE LEGACY OF VADER #1 Black History Month Variant Cover by Karen S. Darboe

On sale: Feb. 5

STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC – FEAR OF THE JEDI #1 Black History Month Variant Cover by Mateus Manhanini

On sale: Feb. 19

STAR WARS: AHSOKA #8 Black History Month Variant Cover by Ernanda Souza

On sale: Feb. 19

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER ADAPTATION #1 Black History Month Variant Cover by Ken Lashley

On sale: Feb. 26

The post Star Wars Spotlights The Acolyte Characters After Disney+ Series Cancellation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew seems to be winning over the fans who have checked it out – and a lot of the show’s charm comes from having Jude Law in the lead role of Jod Na Nawood, an unscrupulous pirate who’s fallen on hard times. There are still many questions surrounding Jod (like if that’s even his real name), but one of the biggest mysteries has been the nature of his special powers. Jod impersonated a Jedi at first – a lie he sold to the young protagonists of the show by demonstrating Force-use abilities like telekinesis as evidence of his Jedi training.

The penultimate episode of Skeleton Crew made it pretty clear that Jod hasn’t even had the most basic Jedi training needed to handle a lightsaber properly. However, if Jod Na Nawood is indeed a non-Jedi Force user, then he’s (low-key) a game-changer for the Star Wars franchise.

Jod Is Everything OT

Assuming that Jod Na Nawood is indeed a Force-user who never received Jedi training, he represents the union of the two male character archetypes from the Original Trilogy: Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Untapped Force potential; roguish charmer and ne’er do well who may turn out to have a heart – it’s all there. With Jude Law’s charisma helping sell the character to mainstream viewers, Jod is already cementing himself among Star Wars’ best breakout characters.

…And that is a major hurdle for the Star Wars franchise to get over.

[RELATED: Skeleton Crew Just Honored A Star Wars Franchise Tradition]

Since Star Wars: The Last Jedi ended on the divisive note that anyone (not just a Skywalker) can be a potential Force-user hero – and the fandom has been debating that point, ever since. However, a different kind of Force user being at the center of a popular Star Wars TV series is proof of concept that the franchise can do a wider variety of things with that fantastical concept, without overpowering the other fun, adventurous, or at times scary elements of the galaxy far, far, away.

If you aren’t watching it (yet), Star Wars: Skeleton Crew follows “four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.”

The series features the main (young) characters of Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and new fan-favorite Neel (Robert Timothy Smith). Jude Law plays Jod Na Nawood, a “charismatic Force-user with a mysterious past.”

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming on Disney+.

The post Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Jod May Be A Game-Changing Character for the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Disney+ is one of the more popular streaming services currently on the market, boasting a lineup of big-name franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar, along with offerings from ESPN and Hulu. It’s hard to argue that you don’t get a lot of content for your Disney+ subscription. However, many users may not realize you get even more bang for your buck with freebies. Sure, you’re already paying for Disney+, but there are added benefits you don’t even know about since they’re not heavily promoted. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’re even more inclined to learn about these secrets lying inside your Disney+ subscription.

We’ve pinpointed seven of the secret benefits that come free with your Disney+ subscription. Along with enjoying your favorite TV shows and movies, there are extras you probably aren’t aware of inside your Disney+ account. We’re talking deleted scenes, special commentary, IMAX versions, and so much more. Star Wars fans, in particular, will want to pay close attention since many of the extras come from the intergalactic franchise.

Star Wars Deleted Scenes

Have you ever wanted to see what Star Wars scenes made it on the cutting room floor? If so, then Disney+ is the streamer for you. Disney+ has deleted scenes from the Star Wars original trilogy, prequel trilogy, and sequel trilogy all in one place. The streamer groups the Star Wars timeline in chronological order, meaning you can start with tales from the High Republic in Star Wars: The Acolyte and then move on to the most recent movies like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

[RELATED: Three of the Most Popular Movies on Disney+ Are Rated R]

These deleted scenes are found under the “Extras” section of each Star Wars movie page on Disney+. Though they usually run under one minute long, they offer a look at scenes shot for the feature films but were left out for one reason or another. Sometimes it can come down to run time, and other instances sees these scenes changing a story that no longer warrants the scene in question.

IMAX-Enhanced Marvel Movies

The Marvel Cinematic Universe looks better than ever on Disney+ thanks to the magic of IMAX. Marvel Studios has gone back and added IMAX-enhanced versions of solo movies like Iron Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, as well as team-up movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Normally viewers would only be able to watch something in IMAX by going to their local movie theater. But now this can happen just by opening the Disney+ app at home.

IMAX-Enhanced features IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio for some or all scenes as they originally looked on the big screen. That means instead of having the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, some scenes have the expanded aspect ratio so they take up the entire screen.

Commentary From Directors and Actors

One of the best ways to watch a movie is through the bonus commentary, where the creators and actors behind the films sit down and discuss it while the movie plays out. The viewer gets to see the movie and hear the commentary voices as they provide behind-the-scenes details you can’t find anywhere else. Many of the Star Wars and Marvel movies come with this type of commentary as an option under the “Extras” section.

Listen to filmmakers Rian Johnson, Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely as they talk over some of the biggest and most successful movies made in the modern era.

Sing Along With Your Favorite Disney Movies

Disney is known for the catchy musical tunes and songs that are littered throughout its movies. From Frozen to Encanto to The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, Disney+ subscribers can now sing right beside these animated and hybrid hits. The musical versions of these films dropped in 2022, with newer entries being added as they make their way to Disney+

These “Sing-Along” editions are separate entities inside Disney+, alongside the original versions of the films. Disney+ encourages subscribers to follow the on-screen lyrics and sing along to their favorite songs.

Score-Only Version of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Another musically inclined option on Disney+ is to stream Star Wars: The Last Jedi. But instead of running its commentary track or deleted scenes, viewers can tune in and watch a version of the Rian Johnson-directed film but only with the musical score playing. That means no dialogue or sound effects to be found. This is even more unique than the Sing-Alongs we mentioned earlier, since there won’t be the familiar lightsaber or blaster sound effects we’ve all grown accustomed to over decades of Star Wars storytelling.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson came up with the idea of the Score-Only version. He wanted a way to celebrate composer John Williams’s masterful work on the Star Wars movies. There’s also over 70 minutes of unreleased music found in the edition.

Making-of Documentaries for The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker

It’s Star Wars again with another intimate angle for two of its most recent movies. The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker both have special feature-length documentaries to wrap up the Skywalker Saga. Rian Johnson helmed the middle chapter, The Last Jedi, with J.J. Abrams coming back to complete the trilogy he started with The Force Awakens.

The Director and The Jedi is the title of The Last Jedi‘s documentary as Rian Johnson goes into the process of joining the Star Wars franchise. The Skywalker Legacy goes behind the scenes on the making of The Rise of Skywalker.

Specials Filmed Inside Disney Parks

Disney is known for its parks and attractions that thousands of fans flock to each year. There are specials and documentaries filmed inside those Disney Parks, from Disneyland Resorts, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and more. It’s another unique look at how some of your favorite Disney locations bring that magic to visitors.

Examples of these series and specials include Epcot Becoming: Inside the Transformation, The Imagineering Story, Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Behind the Attraction. So the next time you’re aimlessly scrolling Disney+, you can’t use the excuse that you can’t find anything entertaining to watch. Disney+ is full of interesting nuggets just waiting to be explored.

The post 7 Secrets Your Disney+ Subscription Includes for Free appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew waited until Episode 7 to participate in the franchise’s longest running gag. This week, we heard Nooma (Geneva Carr) deliver the classic line: “I have a bad feeling about this,” as many other Star Wars greats have before her. Read on for more but fair warning: there are spoilers ahead!

Fans across the galaxy will need to update their supercuts this week. Nooma, Neel’s mother, gave them a fresh take on the classic “I have a bad feeling about this” catchphrase, as she was interrupted and unable to finish the line. It still counts in the annals of Star Wars history, which go back nearly half a century now. For those unaware, “I have a bad feeling about this” has become memetic within the fandom since the release of A New Hope in 1977.

You may recall the first delivery of this line — as the Millennium Falcon approached the Death Star, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) muttered: “I have a bad feeling about this.” A few scenes later as the walls of the trash compactor began to close in, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) was a bit more fatalistic as he said: “I got a bad feeling about this.” Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) got to take the line for a spin in The Empire Strikes Back when the Falcon landed inside the belly of a space slug, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) rephrased it again in Return of the Jedi as he and R2D2 walked into Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

[RELATED: New Star Wars Rumor Reveals Surprising Characters Could Join Dave Filoni’s Movie]

All the utterances of this line have been tallied up by fans in various places online. It’s present in all nine films in the Skywalker Saga, as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One. It’s repeated many times in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels and once in Star Wars Resistance. On Disney+, the line has been included in Ahsoka, The Acolyte and now Skeleton Crew. Meanwhile, its use in books, comics and video games is extensive, especially when counting the Legends timeline and all of its content.

It’s hard to say how and when exactly the phrase became self-referential. Lucas wrote the screenplay for A New Hope himself, but handed those duties over to Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan for the rest of the original trilogy. He wrote the prequel trilogy, though shared co-writing duties with Jonathan Hales on Attack of the Clones. The sequel trilogy is much more scattered, with Kasdan notably credited on The Force Awakens.

It’s easy to imagine that many writers in the franchise were paying homage to Lucas, though some fans online also mock him, calling this line trite and predictable. For most, it’s the kind of harmless Easter egg that provides a little casual continuity as this franchise morphs and grows through different technology, corporate owners and creative hands.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming now on Disney+. The final episode of the season premieres there on Tuesday, January 18th.

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 7 has debunked the idea that pirate captain Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) was ever a Jedi. The mystery of the Jedi connection has been one of the running subplots of Skeleton Crew since Jod first showed up onscreen, but the show has also been dropping breadcrumbs of doubt on Jod’s story. In Episode 7, longtime Star Wars fans got visual confirmation that Jod was a conman.

Jod Is No Jedi

In Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 7 “We’re Gonna Be in So Much Trouble” Jod and his pirate cohorts chase the main cast of kids – Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) – back to their hidden homeworld of At Attin. After piercing the planet’s protective barrier and reaching the surface, Jod finally makes his double-crossing moves, killing would-be pirate king Brutus (Fred Tatasciore) and coercing the kids into pretending he’s a Republic emissary so he can steal At Attin’s mythical treasure: thousands of secured vaults full of Republic credits.

In the scene where Jod turns full villain on Wim and Co., he finally pulls out the lightsaber he found in legendary pirate Rennod’s vault. However, any fan who has ever watched an actual Jedi in a Star Wars project could immediately see that Jod didn’t know how to handle the energy sword at even a padawan level. In fact, Jude Law should be commended for nailing the physical acting of a man pretending to be an experienced lightsaber-wielder, when he has no idea what he’s doing. It spoke volumes without making any heavy-handed “reveal” about Jod’s lie – which isn’t necessary, given how the entire episode is dedicated to having the proverbial mask slip off and Jod’s true nefarious face being revealed. But for the Star Wars fans who pay attention to all that lightsaber choreography, seeing Jod handle the sword was as telling as any confession.

[RELATED: How Skeleton Crew May Connect to a Major New Star Wars Movie]

What Are Jod’s Powers, Then?

Jod has shown multiple times that he can affect objects through what is seemingly Force use – but could viewers’ eyes deceive them, just like the kids’ did?

The Skeleton Crew character synopses list Jod as a “Force-user,” which could very well be the case: we know Star Wars (at least The Last Jedi) has been toying with the idea of the galaxy having more Force-users who never became Jedi. That said, the franchise also has a long-established history of characters – usually ne’er do well characters – who use technological devices that simulate Force abilities or replicate their effect.

The most famous example in the franchise is Doctor Chelli Aphra, the artifact-heisting genius who is the breakout star of modern Star Wars comics. Aphra’s body is laced with cybernetics for splicing and other defensive/offensive abilities, and many of her storylines involve running into other characters who are also either coveting or using ancient tech artifacts meant to either combat Force users like Jedi and Sith or provide artificial access to Force abilities. So that tech does exist in the Star Wars franchise – but the explanation of Jod’s trickery doesn’t need to be that complicated.

If we’re going over the details with a fine-toothed comb, all of Jod’s supposed examples of “Force abilities” have been cases where he used them to affect metallic objects (such as a set of jail keys or handcuffs). It suggests that Jod may have some cybernetic implant or is carrying some device that allows him some measure of magnetic manipulation. It’s the kind of cheap trick and sleight-of-hand that would fit the character of an unscrupulous pirate: a means of making a small man seem larger-than-life, or a weak man seem like he has greater power than he ever will.

The question now is how Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will use this subplot of ‘Fake-Jedi-Jod’ to affect the characters in the show – or Jod himself. Will faking Force abilities and mishandling a lightsaber long enough make Jod reconsider his moral failings? Or are the Jedi going to become a metaphor for childhood naivete about heroic or benevolent powers in the world that can save us – before we grow up and learn we must be active participants in “saving” ourselves?

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming on Disney+.

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After concluding the saga of Indiana Jones, and bringing the enigma known as Bob Dlyan to the big screen, director James Mangold will be turning his attention to a galaxy far, far away. He’ll also be turning back the clock on that galaxy thousands of years. Mangold has been tapped to direct a new Star Wars movie that will take place in the era known as the Dawn of the Jedi, exploring the origins of the Force and the people who wield it.

This may seem like a surprising place to set a new Star Wars film, especially when so much of the franchise is currently focused on the years surrounding the New Republic, but that change appears to be the biggest reason Mangold was drawn to the story. While speaking with MovieWeb, Mangold opened up about the excitement that comes with a Star Wars playground largely untouched by the rest of the franchise lore.

“To me the two aspects that are really important are the freedom to make something new, which Beau [Willimon] and I, in relation to Star Wars, are working on a script and we’ll see what happens,” Mangold explained. “It’s just a matter of do we find a way on the page to say something original. Part of the reason the Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies take place. It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I was inspired by as a teenager. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it’s almost immovable, and you can’t please anybody.”

[RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful Star Wars Characters Ranked]

His words about exploring Star Wars came as part of a larger conversation regarding Mangold’s career, which has constantly jumped between all sorts of different genres. The filmmaker said that he enjoys being able to challenge himself by jumping into different playgrounds with his various films.

“My entire career, I really enjoy changing what I’m doing,” he said. “I don’t think I’m changing myself… but I like to throw myself into things that people don’t expect, or that I don’t expect, more importantly, in terms of surprising myself or challenging myself. It’s honestly partly about luck. I’ve been afforded the chance. I can work in different genres because people will finance it.”

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi doesn’t have a release date at this time, but it is in active development over at Lucasfilm. We don’t know yet whether that will be Mangold’s next movie, or if he’ll first jump over to DC Studios for his Swamp Thing adaptation.

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This week’s episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew featured a reference to one of the most horrifying moments in the prequel trilogy. Seeing a lightsaber drawn against younglings at the Jedi temple was bad enough, but in Skeleton Crew, the children are the main characters and protagonists. Read on for more but fair warning: there are spoilers ahead!

Skeleton Crew has put its four main characters in a lot of danger so far — sometimes fun and whimsical escapades, sometimes truly harrowing scenarios. Along the way, it has kept us guessing about the motives of their guide, Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), but now his malice seems to be confirmed. The episode ended with Jod approaching the children and their parents, igniting his lightsaber in the process. It didn’t take long to fans to compare this to the moment when Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) ignited his lightsaber before a group of younglings in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.

This moment has become a meme among star wars fans in the last two decades. It comes shortly after Anakin pledges himself to Darth Sidious and the dark side. His turn towards evil happens pretty quickly, as the scene implies that he personally murders a room full of children without actually showing the violence. We don’t know any of these younglings, but the killings still feel hauntingly personal as one of the kids gets a line of dialogue. Assuming that Anakin will defend them from the invading clone troopers, he says: “Master Skywalker, there are too many of them! What are we doing to do?”

[RELATED: This Theory About Skeleton Crew’s Mysterious Supervisor Makes So Much Sense]

Incidentally, this young Jedi initiate does have a canonical name — Sors Bandeam, an anagram of the name of the child actor who played him, Ross Bandeam. The character’s sparse backstory was first shared in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, and Bandeam himself later wrote about his experience in a Q&A session with fans on Reddit.

Still, the threat hits harder for characters we’ve followed closely like those in Skeleton Crew. We’ve been warned since Episode 3 that Jod was not a heroic figure, but it’s a new low to see him wield one of the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy against the kids he has been guiding and protecting. However, with one more episode to go, it’s easy to imagine that we’ll change our minds about Jod at least one more time by the end of the season.

Revenge of the Sith and Skeleton Crew are streaming now on Disney+. The season finale of Skeleton Crew premieres on Tuesday, January 14th.

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Over the course of the nearly 50-year history of Star Wars, fans have earned exciting insight about the birth of the galaxy far, far away. In the age of the Internet and streaming, fans have more access than ever before to the iconic development of the franchise, with Lucasfilm being so aware of the interest in pulling back the curtain on the process that each season of a new TV series will also get a behind-the-scenes deep dive on Disney+. Not only that, but social media means that members of the cast and crew can share unique anecdotes at a moment’s notice, allowing fans to appreciate the saga in an entirely new light.

Still, no matter how much information about the making of the movies can be gleaned from falling into internet wormholes, there have been a wealth of fascinating documentaries that run the gamut of chronicling the entire galaxy far, far away to focusing on one significant (or notorious) corner of the series. Whether you’re a relative newcomer to the franchise or you’ve been with it since the start, below you’ll find a handful of documentaries that are sure to offer new perspectives on one of the greatest franchises in sci-fi history.

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy

Originally released in a box set of the original trilogy on DVD in 2004, Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy explores the creation of the original trilogy of films and features insight from all of the key members of all three films. Given the subject matter and the timing of the documentary’s development, Empire of Dreams is arguably the definitive documentary chronicling every monumental step in the journey of the first three films, from George Lucas conceiving of the narrative to the filming to the cultural impact of all three entries, serving as the most engaging opportunity to learn about the movies.

In addition to Empire of Dreams documenting key moment’s in the trilogy’s history, the movie itself is an impressive piece of filmmaking, as it manages to make audiences question whether or not Lucas’s gambles would pay off for him, even though we already know the impact of the saga and its tremendous success.

A Disturbance in the Force

While Empire of Dreams chronicles how the saga was created out of nowhere and became a cultural legacy, A Disturbance in the Force is almost the exact opposite.

In 1978, CBS wanted to get in on the Star Wars game and got Lucas to agree to let them develop a variety show, which would become the infamous The Star Wars Holiday Special. The event brought back all of the key figures in the franchise, including Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, but also injected comedic sketches, musical numbers, and the fictional celebration of “Life Day,” a holiday celebrated by Wookiees.

The Star Wars Holiday Special only aired once and had an infamous reputation for decades, given that it never earned an official home video release, forcing fans to track down bootleg copies of the debacle. A Disturbance in the Force feature interviews not only with individuals who helped make the special, but also a number of hilarious Star Wars fans who all try to make sense of the affair. Given that the special itself will never be released, no matter how many times filmmakers turn elements of it into official canon, watching this documentary is the next best thing.

I Am Your Father

Villains don’t come any bigger than Darth Vader, thanks to the nefarious schemes he enacted, the vocal performance of James Earl Jones, and the towering stature of actor David Prowse. It was a team effort to make the Sith Lord so unsettling, and while everyone involved in the project knows it was a collaboration, Prowse’s efforts have largely been overlooked in the decades since Vader was unleashed.

I Am Your Father serves as a documentary honoring Prowse’s career before, during, and after his work in Star Wars, but also comes with some emotional significance. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi famously ends with Luke Skywalker unmasking Vader, and while Prowse was led to believe he would film this scene, actor Sebastian Shaw instead conveyed the character’s dying moments. In addition to the documentary exploring Prowse’s melancholy about the situation, the filmmakers also allowed Prowse himself to film his own version of the scene to close the frustrating chapter of his life.

Elstree 1976

Many of the documentaries on this list feature interviews with the most important players in the franchise, but Elstree 1976 takes an entirely different approach. Rather than focusing on the main cast and crew, the documentary instead focuses on the people who existed in the margins of the movie, whether they be extras who had small parts or had smaller, though still pivotal, roles behind the scenes.

Named after the studio where Star Wars (before it had the A New Hope subtitle) was filmed, the movie highlights how even being a tangential part of the seminal project changed the lives of participants, while others carried on with their careers unimpeded. Similarly, the documentary serves as a reminder of how, while the major players in the franchise have deservedly earned acclaim, it was truly a team effort to bring the ambitious adventure to life.

The Director and the Jedi

In 2015, J.J. Abrams delivered audiences Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and while the movie earned positive reviews and broke countless box-office records, some fans derided the experience for being a bit too familiar and a bit too safe. Filmmaker Rian Johnson aimed to push the series into uncharted territory with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, effectively dividing the Star Wars fandom forever.

While some fans loved seeing Johnson’s storytelling in the galaxy far, far away, detractors claimed that Johnson knew nothing about the sci-fi saga and aimed to “ruin” elements of not just the sequel, but also the franchise as a whole. Watching the behind-the-scenes documentary The Director and the Jedi likely won’t cause any audiences to change their minds on liking The Last Jedi, but it does showcase how much passion, excitement, and love Johnson brought to his story, regardless of what online trolls have to say. The documentary even includes the moment in which Mark Hamill, who was vocal about his disagreement with Johnson’s direction for Luke Skywalker, learns that the title of the film represents Luke and viewers can see the emotional impact such a reveal takes on the performer.

Honorable Mention: The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace

George Lucas is understandably considered the be-all, end-all storyteller for the Star Wars saga, and rightfully so. 16 years after delivering audiences Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, one of the most monumental events in sci-fi cinema was his return to the series for a prequel trilogy.

There’s a lot to like about Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but fans of all ages can largely agree that the prequel trilogy doesn’t live up to the original movies. While The Director and the Jedi showcases how much thought went into all of Johnson’s decisions, The Beginning serves almost as a counterpoint, as fans can watch Lucas make a number of decisions about the first prequel that would ultimately be elements that earned the most criticism.

Most notably, the documentary features Lucas reacting to the first cut of the movie, as he expressed things like, “It’s a little disjointed … it’s bold, in terms of jerking people around. I may have gone too far in a few places.” Of course, this is just his reaction to the initial pass, but with the divisive nature of both The Last Jedi and The Phantom Menace, this documentary reminds you that even the creator of the saga isn’t infallible.

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Star Wars has never seemed interested in fleshing out the rules and limitations of the Force, but at the center of nerd culture, it hasn’t always had a choice. Over the years, some characters have clearly risen to the top, making power-scaling for this franchise surprisingly straightforward. Star Wars characters’ abilities definitely grow on a narrative basis when the story demands it, and the movies are generally pretty good about making these leaps believable. The TV shows are usually the same, and even the novels and comic books are pretty consistent, though the video games can skew the balance quite a bit. What’s perhaps even more important is how Star Wars maintains perspective.

Even when characters pull off something unprecedented, we’re left to believe that there is still infinite unrealized potential in this vast galaxy. That’s really the strength of a “soft magic system” like the Force, and it’s why this franchise has room for the 10 heavy hitters below. Read on for the top 10 strongest characters we’ve met so far.

#10 – Kylo Ren

Kylo Ren naturally lands on this list as a grandson of Anakin — meaning he is only two generations removed from an immaculate birth. Although he fights for the dark side for most of the sequel trilogy, he displays impressive control of his emotions as his actions clearly leave him with conflicting feelings. That helps make him an interesting character, but it also helps make him extremely powerful.

[RELATED: This Is the Best New Star Wars Character Since Baby Yoda (And It’s Not Even Close)]

Kylo — or Ben Solo — has some impressive Force feats to his name including helping to kill both Snoke and Palpatine as part of a Force dyad with Rey. He is still the only character we’ve seen use the Force to catch a blaster bolt in the air, which raises some unanswered questions about what blasters are and how the Force can be used directly on light and energy. On the other hand, he loses some fights that were clearly in his favor and his dalliance with the dark side clearly occludes his skills of perception, which is why he’s at the lowest position on this list.

#9 – Rey Skywalker

The other half of Kylo’s dyad, Rey Skywalker is a skilled Force user and a fast learner. She balances the heroic part of a Jedi’s role with the trickster aspect quite nicely, often relying on her enemies to underestimate her. However, by the end of the sequel trilogy, she displays some powers that rival anything we’ve ever seen before — all with minimal training or even studying.

Rey may even rise on this list in the years to come if she returns in new Star Wars movies, as planned. Last we saw her, she had helped finish off the First Order and was planning to begin building something new. If she can contribute to lasting peace in the galaxy, she might be more powerful than anyone else on this list.

#8 – Bendu

Bendu was a megalithic being introduced in Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow, and he appeared in four more episodes after that. Although not a Jedi himself, Bendu met with Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus and his Padawan Ezra Bridger and counseled the two of them from a place of authority. His wisdom hinted at his attunement with the Force, and at first, he refused to participate in any violence. Outside of combat, Bendu displayed some of the clearest precognition we’ve ever seen in a Force user, along with powerful empathic abilities that extended to both the light and dark sides.

When Bendu was finally pushed to defend himself, his Force abilities coupled with his immense physiology made him an absolute tank. He was able to weather direct blasts from AT-ATs and rifles. When it came time to strike back, Bendu changed form into a massive storm that stopped Grand Admiral Thrawn and his forces in their tracks. In the end, he vanished into thin air — perhaps changing his form once again or perhaps using some kind of local teleportation we’ve never seen anywhere else.

#7 – Darth Revan

Many of the characters on this list come from the video game franchise Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic — and with good reason. In an age when both the Sith and Jedi were more numerous and more active, there were bound to be a few stand-out practitioners among them, including Darth Revan. The protagonist of the first game was a genius tactician, a fierce warrior, and another wielder of immense precognition.

Revan began as a Jedi who was essential to winning the Mandalorian Wars, but after the fighting was over, they disappeared. They returned later as a Sith, looking to install a new Sith Empire in power over the galaxy. Revan was then betrayed by an apprentice, proving the Jedi’s point that emotional attachment often clouds judgment.

#6 – Darth Nihilus

Introduced in Knights of the Old Republic II, Darth Nihilus was imbued with immense power when he mysteriously survived an extinction-level attack on the planet Malachor V during the Mandalorian Wars. His new power came at a cost — he would now crave Force energy, and consuming it could draw the life force right out of anyone he stood nearby. This made him formidable even for fellow Force-users, as their attempt to manipulate the Force might simply make Nihilus stronger.

Even if you’ve never played the Knights of the Old Republic games, you’ve likely seen images of Nihilus online — especially in recent years. Many fan theories suggested that he would be the main villain of Rise of Skywalker, and to this day fans hold out hope for his return in the new canon timeline.

#5 – Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious — a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine — pulled off the boldest coupe the galaxy has ever seen. His feats are all the more impressive considering the near-extinction of the Sith, and the necessity to operate in the shadows. The fact that Palpatine was able to spend so much time around the most powerful Jedi of his era without being detected is hard to believe by itself, let alone to be pulling strings in the background all along.

As for his powers on display, we got to see Palpatine throwing things around, wielding a lightsaber, and casting Force lightning plenty of times in the series, though there is nothing too unique to comment on. He narrowly survives a duel with the Jedi’s greatest swordsman of the time, Mace Windu, and he fights the next entry on our list to a standstill as well. In the sequel trilogy, we also see that Sidious came closer than anyone else to truly conquering death.

#4 – Yoda

Master Yoda oversaw the training of young Force users and the direction of the Jedi Order for centuries, including several of the other characters on this list. Many of his greatest feats are now relegated to the Legends timeline, but even his canon abilities earn him this number-four spot. Yoda is estimated to have trained about 20,000 Jedi personally in his lifetime, all while working on behalf of the order.

Loyalty to the order may have been Yoda’s greatest weakness, as he blames the complacency of the Jedi for the rise of Darth Sidious. Still, he clearly found peace in hermitage at the end of his life, as well as the ability to become one with the Force after death and manifest as a Force ghost for years to come.

#3 – Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, briefly known as Darth Vader, is immensely powerful at every point of his life. He rose from slavery to become a Jedi Knight and Republic General, and he is shown to be thoughtful and studious in his apprenticeship. After a lifetime of war and grief, it’s hard to even blame Anakin for giving into the temptation of the dark side for nearly half of his life.

Anakin was born with no father, and Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn believed he was conceived by the will of the Force itself. Anakin’s Force-enhanced reflexes made him an exceptional duelist and pilot, while his unusually strong Force sensitivity granted him even greater telekinesis than others in his order. Of course, his real exceptional power was the strength of his convictions — he wanted the power Sidious promised so badly that he forced himself to fight his best friend and mentor nearly to the death, yet when the veil was lifted by his son Luke, he used the last of his strength to take down the man who had manipulated him.

#2 – Luke Skywalker

Once again, Luke Skywalker gets extra points here for learning quickly and under pressure, without the benefit of a vast Jedi order to shelter and train him. Luke overcomes the youthful urge to dive headfirst into the war and pursue the path of the Jedi — and to great effect. He becomes an incredibly calm, level-headed presence by the end of the original trilogy with abilities that rival any of the temple-trained knights we’ve seen in prequels.

The sequel trilogy maintains this trajectory for Luke, indicating that he may have been happier in peacetimes as a Jedi scholar or philosopher. However, when pushed by Rey, he pulls off one of the most impressive stunts of the entire franchise, casting an illusion across the galaxy to fool his former apprentice. If that weren’t enough, Luke was the catalyst that finally helped turn his father away from the dark side and defeat the Empire.

#1 – Tenebrae

Finally, we need to return to Knights of the Old Republic for the strongest Star Wars character we’ve ever met — the Sith Emperor Tenebrae. This despot maintained control over the galaxy for over a millennium, in part by transferring his consciousness into new host bodies making him functionally immortal, and in part by dominating the minds of thousands of Sith for years at a time.

The games say that many of Tenebrae’s powers were lost to history — both for the Sith and the Jedi, and we’ve certainly never seen mind control or compulsion on this scale anywhere else in the franchise. However, in the end, Tenebrae was defeated thousands of years before the main story of Star Wars, and we may never see his like in the current timeline.

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Star Wars may have earned its astronomical popularity thanks to George Lucas’ original movie trilogy, however, the animated projects have kept fans interested, due largely in part to their extensive list of characters. While some of those characters have made the leap to live-action, smany have yet to do so. The successful live-action debuts of animated fan-favorites Cad Bane in the 2021 Disney+ show The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka Tano in 2023’s Ahsoka season 1 prove that transitioning characters from animation to live action is an endeavor worth pursuing for Star Wars in the future and there are plenty of characters fans would love to see make the leap. Here are several prominent figures who currently rank as the best possibilities for adapting to live action.

Asajj Ventress

Introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1 and additionally featured in seasons 3, 4, and 5, Asajj Ventress ranks among the best Star Wars animated villains. The Sith assassin was born a Nightsister on Dathomir and later became a Jedi Padawan before turning to the dark side of the Force and undergoing Count Dooku’s training. Ventress clashed with Ahsoka, Anakin, Obi-Wan and company numerous times throughout The Clone Wars, and she subsequently appeared in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, meeting her end in Season 3 in a sacrificial death. Nika Futterman voiced the character in both projects.

Ventress could debut in live action as a supporting character in Ahsoka season 2 or a different upcoming project that takes place during her arc. Her fierce nature would make her a worthy foe of any main character, or she could even lead her own prequel series. Even though she is no longer alive in Star Wars canon’s present day, plenty of projects address narrative gaps, and the return of Ventress would undoubtedly thrill Star Wars fans.

Captain Rex

Captain Rex stands as one of the most eminent Clones in Star Wars in animation or live action. The Kamino-born trooper fought in many battles during the time of the Galactic Republic, earning the undying respect of those around him, including his fellow clones, as well as their Jedi allies. He was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. The character technically already featured in live action when Temeura Morrison portrayed him in Ahsoka season 1, but the appearance was an incredibly brief cameo, so it’s hard to consider it a true debut. Such a prominent animated character deserves a bigger role in live action. Perhaps Ahsoka season 2 will grant him the opportunity to make a proper entrance.

Hondo Ohnaka

The Weequay pirate captain Hondo Ohnaka, voiced by Jim Cummings, remains a fan-favorite character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars thanks to his humorous, egotistical personality. Across his appearances in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Hondo doesn’t consistently align with the Jedi, Sith, Republic, or Separatists. Rather, his self-serving nature prompts him to always seek the best deal to benefit his own interests. The outlaw notably captured Count Dooku and attempted to obtain a ransom payment from the Republic. At one point, Hondo wan an ally to the Jedi Ezra Bridger, but later betrayed him. Given his wide variety of contacts and experiences across the galaxy, Hondo Ohnaka would be a versatile character to use in live action.

Honorable Mention: Cal Kestis

Cameron Monaghan’s Cal Kestis serves as the playable protagonist in the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor video games. A survivor of the Order 66 massacre, Cal became as Jedi Knight during the Empire’s reign, lying low as a scrapper on the planet Bracca before Inquisitors forced him out of hiding. Throughout the two games’ narratives, Cal dedicates himself to preserving the Jedi Order as he evades capture by the Sith and Empire’s forces.

As a result of much time spent with the character, gamers and Star Wars fans have grown attached to Cal and would love to see him appear in a live-action movie or TV show. There are multiple Star Wars movies in the works, many without known titles or storylines. Thus, it’s entirely possible that Lucasfilm and Disney plan to bring Cal to live action at some point in the future. The best part is that Monaghan would likely reprise his role in live action, so there’s no need to go through a lengthy casting process.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is currently airing on Disney+. Andor season 2 will premiere on the streaming service on April 22, 2025, while The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit theaters on May 22, 2026. Ahsoka season 2 is in development with no release date announced yet.

The post 3 Star Wars Characters We Really Need in Live Action appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The vast network of characters featured across Star Wars‘ nine main saga movies and five Disney+ shows provide plenty of promising candidates on which the franchise could base future TV series. Ever since the launch of Disney+ in 2019, Lucasfilm has taken the opportunity to shine a brighter spotlight on a variety of characters, both new and old. The Mandalorian‘s three seasons delved into the world of Mandalore, introducing a myriad of figures around Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and Grogu. In a different vein, Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series filled the narrative gap between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope, focusing on the titular character’s struggle as one of the last living Jedi following the takeover of Emperor Palpatine.

After appearing in Star Wars’ existing properties, several franchise characters franchise would work best as the subjects of future Disney+ shows.

Bo-Katan Kryze

After first appearing in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2012, Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze debuted in live-action and assumed a more advanced role in The Mandalorian seasons 2 and 3. Working alongside Din Djarin, Bo-Katan took possession of the Darksaber and reclaimed her homeworld of Mandalore, overcoming her fraught past and signaling the rebirth of the planet’s people.

The forthcoming 2026 movie The Mandalorian and Grogu is slated to conclude the Disney+ show’s storyline, however, a later spin-off show focusing on Bo-Katan’s rule of Mandalore following The Mandalorian Season 3 would allow Star Wars to continue exploring this fascinating realm of the franchise and to further build one of its most satisfying recent character arcs.

Darth Maul

Although Star Wars tends to center its projects on heroes rather than villains, crafting a future TV series around a fan-favorite Sith Lord would be far from a bad idea. Darth Maul’s first appearance came in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, in which he was portrayed by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz. The apprentice of Darth Sidious sought to eliminate the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo (Natalie Portman). Maul suffered critical injuries in the film’s final showdown involving the aforementioned Jedi, however, he did not die as many viewers had assumed. The skilled Dathomirian Zabrak warrior only counts one other live-action appearance, as he briefly appeared in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story as a crime lord serving as the Crimson Dawn’s leader. Sam Witwer took over the voice role of Maul in the film.

Despite his short live-action tenure, Maul was subsequently featured in the animated shows Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels; the latter saw him finally met his demise at the hands of Obi-Wan in Season 3. Accordingly, a Maul-centric Disney+ series would have to exist as a prequel. The most compelling aspect of Maul’s unaddressed story remains his rise to becoming a force-sensitive Sith Lord. This type of story, similar to Anakin Skywalker’s transformation from a Jedi to Darth Vader, promises to fascinate audiences. Star Wars has previously bestowed previously underused villains with a solo project, as Boba Fett was the primary figure in the 2021 limited series Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett. So, Darth Maul’s popularity combined with his limited involvement in live-action Star Wars properties would make him a perfect character on which to focus a villain-based Disney+ series.

Yoda

Ranking high among Star Wars’ most iconic and recognizable characters, Yoda features as a major supporting figure in both the original and prequel film trilogies, as well as in several animated shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: Forces of Destiny. The little, green man has been voiced by Frank Oz in live-action, while Tom Kane has served in the role for Yoda’s animated appearances. Yoda’s presence permeates the Star Wars franchise, yet his path to becoming the galaxy’s oldest and most powerful Jedi Master remains largely unexplored. Thus, a live-action prequel series detailing Yoda’s past would certainly intrigue fans, even though its appeal primarily relies on nostalgia.

Moreover, The Mandalorian‘s Grogu, who belongs to the same species as Yoda, has stolen the hearts of Star Wars fans. Thus, traveling back in time to explore the life of Yoda could capitalize on the existing fervor surrounding the newer character often referred to as “baby Yoda.” Instead of returning to Obi-Wan, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), or other overused personas, Star Wars would be wiser to grant Yoda a new chapter in the franchise’s wide-ranging catalog.

The new Star Wars series Skeleton Crew is currently airing on Disney+. Andor Season 2 will premiere on the streaming service on April 22nd. The Mandalorian and Grogu will open in theaters on May 22, 2026.

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Now this is a welcome update. Jake Lloyd, the former child actor who played the young Anakin Skywalker in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, told journalist Clayton Sandell he’s feeling “pretty good” nearly a year after his mother opened up about his struggles with mental illness. Lloyd, 35, provided Sandell with the update weeks after successfully competing an 18-month stay at an inpatient mental health facility in Southern California. As of January 2025, Sandell reports, Lloyd continues to receive treatment at a new rehabilitation facility where he’s free to come and go whenever he wants.

“[I’m feeling] pretty good, considering these 20 years of time that have come to an end,” Lloyd said. “I can now accept taking on continued treatment, and therapy, and my meds. Everyone’s been very supportive.”

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Lloyd was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 and suffered what his mother called a “full-blown psychotic break” in March 2023. In the update, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, told Sandell that her son has been making progress because he’s overcoming a medical condition called anosognosia. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, anosognosia can be caused by schizophrenia and makes it so that someone is unaware of their own mental health condition or unable to accurately perceive their condition.

The former actor, whose credits include episodes of ER and the 1996 film Jingle All the Way, added that “good things” have come from being admitted to mental health facilities for treatment. Hitting what he called “rock bottom” was necessary to “honestly take part in treatment, honestly take your meds, and honestly live with your diagnosis.”

“I don’t have the time for feeling volatile,” he added of taking medication. “It is very much a cushion.”

In Sandell’s 2024 interview with Lisa Lloyd, she said her son was “doing much better” and “relating to people better and becoming a little bit more social” 10 months into an 18-month stay at an inpatient program at a mental health rehabilitation facility.

She also cleared up rumors that the initial reception to The Phantom Menace contributed to her son’s mental illness and ultimately drove him to quit acting. “It would have happened anyway,” she said of Jake’s schizophrenia diagnosis. “I believe that it was genetic. And his psychiatrist also agrees that Jake was going to become schizophrenic.”

Lloyd, then 8, was unaware of any backlash to The Phantom Menace “because I didn’t let him online,” she said, revealing that her son “loves all the new Star Wars stuff,” including the Disney+ series Ahsoka. “People think Jake hates Star Wars. He loves it.”

“People say he quit [acting] because of Star Wars. Well, that’s not true. It didn’t have anything to do with Star Wars,” Lisa said of Jake, whose last acting credit was voicing Anakin Skywalker in the 2002 video game Star Wars: Racer Revenge. “It had more to do with our family. And we were going through a divorce. Things were unsettled and kind of rough. And Jake didn’t seem to be having a lot of fun auditioning anymore.”

As for Jake potentially appearing in a future Star Wars project, potentially as a cameo like his Phantom Menace co-star, Jar-Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best, Lisa said, “Jake loved filming Star Wars. He had so much fun. I would love for him to get well enough to be able to do a little bit of something, and I’m sure he would maybe like to do that. He couldn’t at this point, but you never know how much he’s going to improve. So we’ll see.”

When Sandell informed Lloyd of the online support for the Anakin Skywalker actor that followed the 2024 update, Lloyd said in the new interview, “The experience I’ve had with the fans is immediately therapeutic. Right now, it’s still therapeutic. It’s helpful for people and healthy. It isn’t something I’d shy away from.”

“I really do appreciate the time that’s been taken on us,” Lloyd added. “I’m very appreciative.”

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Star Wars: The Phantom Menace broke the internet. Like subsequent motion pictures like Prometheus or Cats, the backlash to this feature took over the interwebs and forever changed how people talked about movies, for better and worse. Today, opinions on The Phantom Menace are a lot more nuanced, with an appreciation for its storytelling ambitions and its 35mm photography being increasingly easier to find online than another rant about Jar Jar Binks. However, there’s still no denying that The Phantom Menace is one of the weaker points in Star Wars history, especially when one focuses only on theatrical motion pictures.

However, there’s also no denying that The Phantom Menace and the other two Star Wars prequels had some outstanding trailers. The franchise’s grand imagery really lends itself to striking trailers made up of out-of-context shots, as even later trailers for titles like The Rise of Skywalker can attest. The Phantom Menace’s original teaser trailer especially is a work of art that, decades later, still stands as the very best Star Wars trailer ever.

What Is The Phantom Menace Teaser?

Released back in November 1998, The Phantom Menace’s teaser trailer offered audiences their first glimpse at the Star Wars universe in a little over 15 years. This teaser begins on a grand mythic note, with on-screen text declaring things like “every generation has a legend” and “every journey has a first step.” In between these words, striking images fill the screen, like a wide shot of Padmé standing alone by a gigantic window, gazing at her Naboo home.

After the distant sound of Darth Vader’s breathing is heard, that famous Star Wars theme strikes up and the imagery immediately becomes more exciting. Suddenly, sequences like Anakin’s podrace and various lightsaber duels are the focus. Lengthy glimpses at familiar characters like Yoda and new faces like Darth Maul also dominate the second half of the trailer. There’s a grand ambiance to this whole teaser that deftly mixes the familiar with the promise of exciting new frontiers in Star Wars storytelling.

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Better yet, this visual-oriented Phantom Menace teaser sidesteps some of the film’s problems. Chiefly, the excessive expository dialogue that would become infamous in the final feature is absent here in favor of letting short bursts of dialogue and vivid action carry the day. Meanwhile, devoid of their later established personalities, brief glimpses of figures like Watto and the Gungans stimulate the imagination. In the context of this teaser, these fleetingly seen entities can be anything you want them to be. Plus, letting the teaser’s rhythm be dictated by John Williams music was an inspired choice. His compositions can make anything exciting.

The Greater Historical Feats of Phantom Menace’s Teaser

The Phantom Menace’s teaser is already a superb piece of work just on its own merits. However, delightful little flourishes associated with its debut back in November 1998 have only helped to enhance its reputation. Take, for instance, the tales about how scarce this trailer once was. Reportedly, this teaser was only shown on select theatrical screenings of movies like Meet Joe Black. In a pre-social media era dominated by dial-up, the big screen was the only place to really experience The Phantom Menace’s teaser. Folks would show up for Meet Joe Black just to watch the trailer and then leave.

Whatever movie came next, no matter how star-studded it was, was superfluous. All people really wanted was to see footage from a Star Wars movie on the big screen. Meanwhile, it’s important to consider how mind-blowing this teaser must’ve been in 1998 on many levels. Seeing characters like C-3PO and Yoda again couldn’t have been anything short of magnificent and soul-stirring. Then, there were the first glimpses of fully CG characters like Jar-Jar Binks and Sebulba strutting around live-action environments. Considering 1998 was the year Lost in Space delivered the digital abomination Blarp, the Phantom Menace teaser’s brief reveals of new CG figures must’ve been a revelation.

Most of all, though, The Phantom Menace’s teaser extracted a lot of emotional power from promising that it was the start of something new. Even though we all know how the Star Wars prequel journey went, there’s still something moving about returning to this teaser and gazing upon a trailer rife with potential. All these years later, The Phantom Menace teaser still beckons viewers to gather around and listen to its promises of exciting tales rich in origins for beloved mythic figures. The final film couldn’t live up to all that potential, but at least we’ll always have this extraordinary and surprisingly poignant teaser.

The post The Best Star Wars Trailer Is From the Worst Movie in the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As Star Wars: Skeleton Crew continues its run on Disney+, rumors suggest characters from the show could be set to appear on the big screen. In a Patreon post, insider Daniel Richtman, aka DanielRPK, notes “I hear characters from Skeleton Crew will appear in the Filoni crossover film.” The project being mentioned is presumably the upcoming New Republic era movie, which is set to be directed by Dave Filoni. Announced during Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, the film will serve as a culmination of storylines introduced in shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

Richtman’s post did not indicate which specific Skeleton Crew characters might be featured in the movie. The show follows Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB, a group of four children who get lost in the Star Wars galaxy. On their journey to get back home, the kids cross paths with Jod Na Nawood, a pirate pursuing treasure. Richtman’s claim is vague enough that it could be in reference to one of those principal players or one of the many supporting characters the crew have encountered.

No release date for Filoni’s film has been announced. Back in June, Lucasfilm’s chief creative officer offered an update on the movie’s progress, stating that he was working on writing Ahsoka Season 2, which is reportedly set to begin production in April. That would indicate Ahsoka Season 2 is a higher priority at Lucasfilm, while the studio figures out its movie slate. The Mandalorian & Grogu (which Filoni co-wrote and produced) is the next Star Wars film on tap, premiering in May 2026.

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Debuting in early December 2024, Skeleton Crew emerged as a much-needed critical hit for the Star Wars franchise. Reviews praised the show’s young cast and tone reminiscent of classic Amblin productions like The Goonies and E.T. – the Extra-Terrestrial. Despite the positive word-of-mouth, Skeleton Crew has not been renewed for a second season yet. Series co-creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have brainstormed ideas for a continuation, building in a time jump to account for the child actors aging.

Considering how popular the likes of Neel and others have become, it wouldn’t be surprising if Lucasfilm was interested in bringing back Skeleton Crew characters in future projects. And since the show takes place during the same New Republic era as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it wouldn’t be far-fetched if Filoni’s movie was where that happened. The key, of course, would be finding a way to integrate the returning faces in a way that feels organic. Star Wars has been guilty of leaning on fan service in the past, and it would be a shame if someone from Skeleton Crew appeared in a manner that wasn’t meaningful. The movie will likely have a lot on its plate to balance, and a cameo just for the sake of it could run the risk of being distracting.

Something else to consider is that Skeleton Crew has felt refreshing because of its lack of connections to the other Star Wars shows. Despite obviously being part of a larger franchise, Skeleton Crew‘s story stands alone, and folding the series into an overarching narrative could undercut what makes it so unique (which, admittedly, could happen in one of the show’s remaining episodes). As entertaining as it would be to see Neel or Jod Na Nawood interact with Din Djarin or Ahsoka Tano, perhaps Lucasfilm will decide to keep Skeleton Crew in its own corner of the galaxy and just move forward with a Season 2. With so much unknown about Filoni’s movie, it will be interesting to see how rumors like this ultimately pan out.

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