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The Peacock streaming service has given a straight-to-series order for The Burbs, a contemporary series adaptation of the 1989 movie of the same name (which starred Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher). A few months ago, it was announced that Keke Palmer (Nope) is set to star in and executive produce the series – and now, Deadline has revealed that Palmer is being joined in the cast by Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Julia Duffy (Newhart), Paula Pell (Girls5eva), Mark Proksch (What We Do In The Shadows), and Kapil Talwalkar (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist).

Celeste Hughey is writing and executive producing the series. Set in present-day suburbia, The ‘Burbs follows a young couple, with Palmer playing the wife, returning to the husband’s (Whitehall) childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbors move in next door, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.

Mark Proksch (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Julia Duffy (“Newhart”), Paula Pell (“Saturday Night Live”), and Kapil Talwalkar (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”) have joined “The ‘Burbs” as series regulars.

Keke Palmer (Nope) will star in and executive produce the Peacock series based on Joe Dante‘s 1989 dark comedy film.

Palmer and Whitehall play a young couple who have reluctantly relocated to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when a new neighbor moves in across the street bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.

Nzingha Stewart will direct the first episode, written by showrunner Celeste Hughey (“Dead to Me”). Both are on board to executive produce as well.

“Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane and veteran producer Brian Grazer are also among the executive producers, while original The ‘Burbs writer Dana Olsen serves as a co-executive producer.

Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Julia Duffy (Palm Royale), Paula Pell (Girls5eva), Mark Proksch (What We Do In The Shadows), and Kapil Talwalkar (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) have joined Peacock’s upcoming mystery comedy series The ‘Burbs as series regulars.

They join previously announced Keke Palmer who stars and executive produces in this new series adaptation of the 1989 film of the same name starring Tom Hanks.

Set in present-day suburbia, The ‘Burbs follows a young couple — with Palmer playing the wife returning to the husband’s (Whitehall) childhood home. Their world is upended when new neighbors move in next door, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood.

Celeste Hughey writes and executive produces alongside executive producers Brian Grazer, Kristen Zolner, and Natalie Berkus for Imagine Entertainment, Seth MacFarlane (Ted), Erica Huggins,...

Some say that Hollywood is a small town, and it definitely feels like that when titbits like this surface. George Lucas is a well-known name in the industry and it turns out he was rooming with another industry legend in his younger days.

George Lucas | Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.

Randal Kleiser, who gave Hollywood some of its most seminal hits like Grease and Blue Lagoon, was George Lucas’ roommate. It’s a wonder that the house did not explode with the talent inside it, given how instrumental these auteurs would be in modern Hollywood.

Randal Klieser and George Lucas were part of each other’s first films Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in Grease || Paramount Pictures

The two filmmakers were in the same house and were actually instrumental in getting the other’s films off the ground. George Lucas and Randal Klieser made use of each other’s connections as well,...

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Clark Gregg, even if he lives to be 100 and works until his final day as an actor, will forever be known best as Agent Coulson. The actor helped kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe during Phase 1 as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., culminating in a pivotal role in 2012's "The Avengers," one of the biggest and most important movies ever made. He even survived his death to headline seven seasons of Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." More than a decade before all of that, though, he wrote one of the biggest hits of 2000.

"What Lies Beneath" was directed by "Back to the Future" legend Robert Zemeckis, with Harrison Ford starring in the lead role alongside Michelle Pfeiffer ("Batman Returns"). It may seem unlikely, but the man behind Agent Coulson did indeed pen a horror/thriller for one...

Sydney Sweeney will have what Meg Ryan is having.

Ryan and her fellow “When Harry Met Sally” titular co-star Billy Crystal have reunited to re-create the iconic fake orgasm scene from their 1989 rom-com. And they got Sydney Sweeney (“Euphoria”) to speak the “I’ll have what she’s having” button line originally (and perfectly) delivered by the film’s director Rob Reiner’s mom. Sounds cool, right? Well, it is until you find out this dream scene came together for a Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Super Bowl ad.

To be fair, in the context of how mayo definitely improves a turkey sandwich, the idea works. To bring you back to reality, it’s a TV-commercial cash grab, titled “When Sally Met Hellmann’s.”

The setup of the scene in the movie is that women can convincingly fake orgasms. Harry (Crystal) doesn’t buy it, so Sally (Ryan) demonstrates it, loudly, in...

Why in the name of all that’s funny do American producers try to adapt British sitcoms for U.S. audiences? The easy answer: Sometimes, it works. Norman Lear’s All in the Family and Sanford and Son were huge hits based on U.K. comedies, while the American version of The Office is arguably the most successful (or at least the most imitated) sitcom of the century.

But alongside those successes are a series of miserable failures that got lost in translation. Here are five examples of failed American versions of classic British sitcoms…

1 Fawlty Towers

In 2000, the British Film Institute ranked Fawlty Towers first on its list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, and Channel 4 had Basil Fawlty number two on its list of the 100 Greatest Television Characters. With its simple premise — an uptight dolt runs a dysfunctional hotel — Fawlty Towers was an obvious choice for an American update.

Natalie Portman’s depiction of Padmé in Star Wars awed the audience on more than one occasion. Her most notable performance, though, possibly was during her last time bringing the character to life on screen in the Revenge of the Sith.

Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala in Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace | Credits: Lucasfilm

The movie delved deep into Anakin Skywalker’s mind and portrayed his journey of becoming Darth Vader in gruesome detail. Interestingly, there have been reports of the movie initially expected to go on an even darker path than what made the final cuts.

As a concept artist from the movie revealed, there were ideas floating around of the final confrontation of Anakin and Padmé taking on a very Game of Thrones-ish tone for the climax. Natalie Portman, too, once commented on the same, but her statement seems to have left fans even more confused than before.

Star Wars enthusiasts were thrilled when Hayden Christensen returned as Anakin Skywalker in the first season of the prequel series Ahsoka in 2023. Now, the buzz in Tinseltown suggests that Natalie Portman might reprise her role as Padmé Amidala in the show’s second season on Disney+.

Naturally, fans can’t get enough of the idea, taking to social media to share their thoughts. Podcast host Kristian Harloff disclosed that the May December actress, 43, might soon come back to the far, far away galaxy, suggesting that Portman is nearing an agreement with the studio.

'Star Wars' Fans Go Wild Over Speculation That Natalie Portman Could Reprise Her Role As Padmé Amidala

He said, as reported by Cbr, "It'd probably be a world between worlds type thing which, if you think about it, makes sense with the Ewan McGregor of it all and the young Ahsoka." McGregor, 53, as Harloff noted, played Obi-Wan...

Ryan Gosling is headed to the great galaxy far, far away.

The three-time Oscar nominee is in negotiations to topline the Star Wars feature project that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy.

Details on any Star Wars project are harder to acquire than plans for an orbital planet killer, and this one is no exception. Levy has been developing his Star Wars feature since 2022 and Jonathan Tropper, who collaborated with Levy on films such as This Is Where I Leave You and The Adam Project, has been working on a script for over a year. Levy is also producing the feature via his 21 Laps banner, joining Star Wars stewards Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm.

It is unclear when Levy’s project is set. Star Wars stories have run the gamut of hundreds of years, detailing the goings-on of a galactic republic-turned-dictatorship-turned-rebellion. It’s also unclear if it concerns Jedis and their enemies,...

Director Rian Johnson helmed the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which was universally polarizing and remains the most disliked entry in the epic space opera franchise. Johnson’s The Last Jedi was a followup to the J.J. Abrams-directed The Force Awakens, which did much of the heavy lifting to relaunch the Skywalker saga for a new generation of audience.

Rian Johnson directed 2017’s The Last Jedi (Credit: BFI | YouTube).

However, to make his much-anticipated follow-up work, Johnson had to ask Abrams for a huge favor. Johnson requested Abrams make one very important change to the first installment so that he could have all the characters in the right place for his story to pick up. In hindsight, the change proved to be essential for Johnson’s film which would’ve otherwise been very different.

Rian Johnson requested J.J. Abrams make one change to The Force Awakens

J.

Coming in hot with the hot takes! Controversy ahead!

The commonly accepted wisdom among "Star Wars" fans is that Irvin Kershner's 1980 film "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back" is the best film in the "Star Wars" canon. Many appreciate its relatively dour tone and po-faced sense of panic. "Empire" carried over the characters from "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope" and took them more seriously. In George Lucas' original 1977 film, the characters played out as broad archetypes. In "Empire," they were depicted as depressed, struggling, injured, panicked, or standing on the cusp of wisdom. They became deeper and more human.

Also, "Empire" expanded the role of fan-favorite character Darth Vader from a threatening lieutenant into the right-hand man of the Emperor (who was played by Elaine Baker and voiced by Clive Revill in the original version of "Empire" before Ian McDiarmid replaced them both...

Parker Posey had a memorable role in Scream 3, and despite her character's apparent exit from the franchise, the actress has an idea about how she could return. The third film in the slasher Scream franchise, Scream 3 is set one year after the events of Scream 2 and follows Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who has isolated herself after the murders that have haunted her. In Hollywood, the Stab franchise film-within-a-film is going strong, but when the cast of Stab 3 begins to get killed off, Sidney returns to help uncover who the new Ghostface is.

One of the lowest-rated movies in the Scream series, Scream 3 marked a noticeable shift into comedy, emphasizing humor over violence and horror. Along with the usual cast of the Scream movies, Scream 3 features some notable newcomers, including Emily Mortimer, Kelly Rutherford, Patrick Dempsey, Carrie Fisher, and Parker Posey. Parker Posey was coming off...

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew just set up Star Wars' new Princess Leia Organa replacement in the funniest way. Princess Leia is easily one of Star Wars' best characters, winning over audiences from the very beginning with her fierceness, compassion, and, of course, her sarcastic and witty personality. The character's future in Star Wars' movies and TV shows has been uncertain for years, though, following the tragic real-life death of iconic Leia actress Carrie Fisher.

There's been plenty of speculation that Star Wars may either recast the role or find a character to be Leia's stand-in—and now that stand-in may have come. Fern's role throughout Skeleton Crew had already suggested that she is Star Wars' new Leia replacement, but one adorable and unexpected moment in the Skeleton Crew ending confirmed that Star Wars has perfectly positioned Fern to take on the Leia Organa role in the franchise moving forward.

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"The Big Bang Theory" is one giant ode to nerddom, so it makes sense that over the years the show featured guest stars from the biggest geeky franchises in movies and television. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star Wil Wheaton even ended up playing a villainous version of himself for a number of episodes, and plenty of other actors also joined in on the fun. No, seriously, there are a ton of "Star Trek" actors that have guest starred on "The Big Bang Theory." But in season 7, it was time for the stars of another big sci-fi franchise to shine when superfan Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) tried to create his own Comic-Con.

In "The Convention Conundrum," Sheldon manages to find the voice of Darth Vader himself: the late, great James Earl Jones, playing himself, as he dines in a local sushi restaurant.

The day people learned about Carrie Fisher’s death was perhaps the saddest day in the life of a Star Wars fan. She passed away in December 2016 just a few months after they completed The Last Jedi. Still, the actress appeared in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.

Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Last Jedi / Credits: Lucasfilm

The Star Wars team went through a rigorous process to make this happen, and since her story needed a conclusion, they had to make sure she’s there in the final installment of the sequel trilogy even though she could no longer be.

How J.J. Abrams resurrected Carrie Fisher for The Rise of Skywalker

It was a tricky decision to bring back Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia after her death, but director J.J. Abrams would not let go of the fact that she needed to be part of the story. They could...

Brandon Sklenar gained a lot of attention for his role as Spencer Dutton in 1923. Known for his impressive acting and natural screen presence, many fans have begun comparing him to Harrison Ford, especially in relation to the Indiana Jones franchise. While it may seem like a bold comparison, his performance and his own personal connection to the legacy of Indiana Jones reveal some strong reasons why he could one day take up the iconic role.

Brandon Sklenar in a still from 1923 | Credits: Paramount Network

With 1923, it’s clear that Sklenar is carving out his own space in Hollywood, and there’s a growing sense that he could one day take up the mantle of Ford’s Indiana Jones.

Is Brandon Sklenar the future of the Indiana Jones franchise?

Brandon Sklenar, who plays Spencer Dutton in 1923, has caught people’s attention not just for his acting, but also because of his...

Before the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, franchise films used to be made in a far more improvised fashion. Nowadays, we're used to studios and filmmakers having a several-year plan in place for an interlocking series of films and their respective franchises, and while this system can create some very rewarding emotional and narrative payoffs, it doesn't allow for the freedom of spontaneity as much. With this freedom, filmmakers were able to follow their muse to places they previously had never thought of going to, and it's not just characters or moments that were thought up on the fly; in some cases, an entire film came into existence based on a chance encounter.

That's exactly what happened to Kevin Smith during his primary years making films set in his View Askewniverse, named after the View Askew production company he created when he began making movies. Initially, these films were...

Pulp-influenced, space-faring comic book heroes from Flash Gordon to Star-Lord can tip their hat to Buck Rogers, who debuted on the funny pages in 1929 and paved the way for the medium's future sci-fi protagonists. Though Legendary and Skydance have been developing their dueling "Buck Rogers" projects in recent years, the character's pop culture prevalence isn't quite what it used to be. Back in the day, however, Rogers received more than his share of attention. The character soon leaped from the page to a long-running radio series, a 1939 movie starring Buster Crabbe -- who, funnily enough, was also the go-to Flash Gordon actor of the era -- and a short-lived 1950 TV show.

However, if you were to name a definitive live-action take on Buck Rogers, it's hard to beat "Battlestar Galactica" creator Glen A. Larson's "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." The show got its start in 1979 with a frankly...

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford’s relationship is one of the most controversial off-screen tales from the Star Wars universe. The two shared an undeniable connection as Princess Leia and Han Solo, which kept the fans hooked for decades.

Carrie Fisher in Star Wars | Lucasfilms

But the real-life dynamics between the two were far more complex and less ideal. So, let’s explore the alleged affair between Fisher and Ford, and its lasting impact on the former’s life and relationships.

The relationship between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in Star Wars (The Original Trilogy) | Lucasfilm

In Fisher’s candid memoir, The Princess Diarist, she wrote extensively about her affair with Harrison Ford that occurred during the filming of Star Wars: A New Hope. Fisher was only 19 at the time, and the Han Solo actor was 14 years older than her (via The Guardian). There was a lot of controversy,...

Few actors have aged as well as Harrison Ford has. Still in his prime, he has just begun his journey with Marvel Studios and is still just as active in the film industry as he was a few decades ago. This has been more than a little impressive for the world, as the actor has hit eighty and does not seem to quit leaving the world stunned.

Harrison Ford in 1923 | Credits: Paramount+

With how good of a shape he is in, one cannot help but wonder how he achieves such a livelihood. During an interview, he revealed exactly this.

Harrison Ford was called ‘hot’ during a press conference

Harrison Ford first played the role of Indiana Jones when he was almost forty years old. A lot has changed for the actor since then, having starred in some of the most successful franchises of all time. Ranging from Star Wars to Blade Runner,...

Everyone knows Harrison Ford has a bit of a reputation in Hollywood, and no, we aren’t talking about his exceptional skills as an actor. Watching him in interviews, some might come to the conclusion that the veteran actor is shy and reserved when it comes to promoting his films and that he might have a bit of social anxiety. Harrison Ford would beg to differ, but more on that later. For now, let’s focus on how much of a badass the man is.

Harrison Ford in 1923 | Credits: Paramount Network

Harrison Ford joined the Yellowstone universe as Jacob Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family in 1923. In order to get accustomed to the world of the West, Harrison Ford had to go through something called a Cowboy Camp where they cleansed themselves from the city’s ways. Co-star Brandon Sklenar recalled how the 80-year-old actor came in like a...

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford first met on the set of Star Wars in the mid-1970s and had an instant connection. Their on-screen chemistry as Han Solo and Princess Leia was a treat for the viewers. They were both ambitious actors working on a game-changing franchise that would redefine Hollywood.

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Lucasfilms

Fisher was only 19 at the time and Ford was 33, and their affair remained a secret for a long time. But one statement suggests that the former possibly felt some guilt, particularly concerning Ford’s wife at the time.

Carrie Fisher hints at feeling guilty for Harrison Ford’s wife Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in Star Wars franchise | Lucasfilms

In her memoir, The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher puts forth a raw and honest account of their affair. “It wasn’t just my secret to keep,” her words...

The devastating wildfires, currently ravaging parts of Los Angeles, has prompted a mandatory evacuation, affecting thousands of lives, including those of Hollywood stars like Mark Hamill and Jamie Lee Curtis. The actors are among the many who have been forced to evacuate their homes as the flames rage.

Mark Hamill | Credit: Gage Skidmore/Cc By-sa 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

Both stars took to their social media to share their “personal” encounters and updates about escaping the wildfires while expressing their hopes for the safety and well-being of everyone affected.

Mark Hamill shares his harrowing experience of the Los Angeles wildfires

The Los Angeles wildfires have forced thousands of people to lose their homes in areas such as the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Santa Monica. As the fire continues to break out across Los Angeles, it has caused many, including Hollywood elites such as Mark Hamill.

Recounting his “personal update” on the disastrous fire,...

As James Mangold makes his mark on a galaxy far, far away with his upcoming Star Wars installment, he’s emphasizing the “long time ago” part of the setting.

The 2x Oscar nominee, who is set to co-write and direct Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, recently teased that his prequel will aim to “find a way on the page to say something original” about the origin of The Force without relying too much on the franchise’s established lore.

“To me, the really important aspects are the freedom to make something new. [Screenwriter Beau Willimon] and I, in relation to Star Wars, have been working on a script, and we’ll see what happens,” he told MovieWeb.

“The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies take place,” added Mangold. “It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I...

Portraying the on-screen lovers in the iconic galactic saga Star Wars, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher also got involved in a brief affair. The actors kept their romance out of the limelight, but the late actress opened up about their relationship in detail in her 2016 memoir, The Princess Diarist.

Han Solo and Princess Leia | Credit: Lucasfilm

Among the details about their affair and obsessively falling in love with her co-star on the set of the 1977 film, Fisher also reflected on her relationship with Ford at the time, revealing that the actor remained unresponsive to her even after she reached out to him shortly before her passing in 2016.

Carrie Fisher’s heartbreaking recollection of Harrison Ford shortly before her death

Known for portraying the fiery Rebel Princess Leia in the Star Wars saga, Carrie Fisher opened up about her brief relationship with co-star Harrison Ford in her 2016 memoir, The Princess Diarist.

These stars died before their latest projects were releasedMEGAAdam WestAdam West was set to release his animated Batman film before he died.Mega

On June 9, 2017, Batman star Adam West died at the age of 88 following a short battle with leukemia. Four months later, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released his post-humous animated film Batman vs. Two-Face, in which he voiced Bruce Wayne/Batman's character.

Alan RickmanRickman is best known for playing Professor Severus Snape in the 'Harry Potter' franchise.Mega

Alan Rickman marked his final performance in the 2016 film Alice Through the Looking Glass. The famed Harry Potter actor, who portrayed Professor Severus Snape in the film franchise, died on January 14, 2016, after suffering from cancer. He was 69.

Anton YelchinAnton Yelchin died following a freak car accident.Mega

Anton Yelchin died on June 19, 2016. The then-27-year-old actor, who starred in Star Trek Beyond, was killed in a freak car accident in Studio...

Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady's 2007 sitcom "The Big Ban Theory" was hotly contested when it was on the air. In the early 2000s, certain kinds of "geek" interests moved from the cultural fringe directly into the mainstream, and previously derided niche interests like "Dungeons & Dragons," comic books, long-form video games, astronomy, trivia, and fantasy in general all became widely accepted as a new entertainment zeitgeist. New kinds of kid-acceptable pop artists came to be canonized. The geek ecosystem was widespread and easily available to any curious takers.

"The Big Bang Theory," however, was lambasted by some viewers for its inaccurate portrayals of modern-day geeks. The characters on "Big Bang" were all scientists or intellectuals, and they all loved "Star Wars," comic books, and RPGs, but they didn't talk the way geeks talked, nor did they organically celebrate geek culture. "The Big Bang Theory" relied too heavily on outdated...

The Golden Globes stage was alive with energy, and Nikki Glaser was firing off jokes like a pro. But then came a certain weed gag, and all eyes darted to Harrison Ford. His reaction? Let’s just say it sent a chill through the room, a silent but powerful vibe that only someone like Ford could pull off.

Harrison Ford in 1923 | Credits: Paramount Network

The audience felt the shift, the kind of moment that makes even the most confident hosts think twice. While Glaser aimed for laughs, Ford effortlessly stole the spotlight with nothing more than just his presence.

Harrison Ford’s unimpressed glare at Nikki Glaser’s Golden Globes joke stole the show Nikki Glaser | Credits: Instagram/@nikkiglaser

The 2025 Golden Globes gave us that moment. Nikki Glaser, stepping up as a first-time host, cracked a weed joke aimed squarely at Harrison Ford. But Ford (known for being grumpy and...

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may very well be the single most controversial addition to Star Wars' movies and TV shows, but Star Wars has made improvements to the movie in the 5 years since it was released. Although the sequel trilogy in general proved unpopular, with many still viewing them as some of Star Wars' worst movies, The Rise of Skywalker was easily the most heavily criticized. This was due in large part to the movie's many plot twists, most notably the reveal that Emperor Palpatine had "somehow" returned.

There were a host of other complaints lobbed at The Rise of Skywalker, including about Rey choosing the last name Skywalker, the death of Leia Organa (which was sadly necessitated by the real-life passing of Carrie Fisher), and the at times nonsensical nature of the plot on Exegol. While there were problems with the sequel trilogy, the movies are not irreparable.

The iconic Star Wars trilogy not only captivated audiences but also became the backdrop for complex relationships among the cast. Mark Hamill, who starred as the heroic Luke Skywalker, once revealed how he remained blissfully unaware of a hidden drama, aka the secret affair, unfolding behind the screen involving Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.

The iconic trio in the original Star Wars trilogy | Credit: Lucasfilm

The surprising revelation would appear less surprising after getting to know the raunchy real-life romantic encounter between Hamill and Fisher. And these shocking details are such that it will make any Star Wars fanatic revolt.

Mark Hamil and Carrie Fisher once made out during their Star Wars days! Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Credits: Lucasfilm

The late Carrie Fisher, in her memoir, revealed some shocking details about her early life, including her affair with Harrison Ford, who was at...

Sometimes, the magic of the movies hides a lot more than we think. We’ve all heard the saying, “What happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors”, but in the case of Star Wars, some doors remained shut long after the camera stopped rolling.

Credits: Carrie Fisher in Star Wars | Credit: Lucasfilm

Carrie Fisher’s portrayal of Princess Leia made her a pop culture legend, capturing hearts worldwide as one of the galaxy’s most memorable heroes. Alongside her were two other stars, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo), forming one of the most beloved trios in cinematic history. However, there was a little something that the cameras never captured—a secret that slipped past even the keenest observers, including Hamill himself.

Hamill admitted that he was “blissfully unaware” of the affair between his co-stars Fisher and Ford during the filming of Star Wars.

Mark Hamill...

George Lucas created the Star Wars franchise which is today a global phenomenon. The filmmaker helmed the 1977 film while supervising the rest of the original trilogy movies. He later returned to direct the prequel trilogy before selling the franchise and Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012. The studio produced the ill-fated sequel trilogy, which received mixed reactions.

George Lucas planned on making Star Wars sequels (Credit: HBO).

Before Lucas sold off the franchise, the filmmaker contemplated making a sequel trilogy himself. According to his initial plans for the proposed sequels, Lucas wanted to introduce one unique alien species with a special connection to the Force unlike anything seen before in the franchise. Here is what Lucas had to say about his plans for the sequels and the alien species.

George Lucas wanted to introduce the Whills in his Star Wars sequel trilogy

Filmmaker George Lucas rose to prominence by directing the 1977 sci-fi film Star Wars,...

'Sex and the City' had hilarious guest appearances throughout its six seasons.MEGAAndy CohenMEGA

Andy Cohen appeared in Sex and the City Season 6 episode, "Let There Be Light," as an unnamed shoe salesman who assisted his real-life Bff Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie.

Bradley CooperMEGA

In his first acting credit, Bradley Cooper played Jake in the Satc Season 2 episode "They Shoot Single People, Don't They?"

He met Parker's character and immediately hit it off with her, but things fizzled between them after seeing her infamous "Single and Fabulous?" magazine cover.

Carrie FisherMEGA

Carrie Fisher portrayed a fictionalized version of herself during a Season 3 episode. After discovering Vince Vaughn's character, Keith Travers, in bed with Carrie, she revealed his real identity as her house-sitter and assistant.

Chandra WilsonMEGA

Grey's Anatomy actress Chandra Wilson appeared as an unnamed officer in "Anchor's Away," confronting Kim Cattrall's Samantha while...

From Alan Rickman to Chadwick Boseman, these celebrated actors tragically passed away before the release of what would become their final films.MEGAAdam WestMEGA

On June 9, 2017, Batman star Adam West died at the age of 88 following a short battle with leukemia. Four months later, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released his post-humous animated film Batman vs. Two-Face, in which he voiced Bruce Wayne/Batman's character.

Alan RickmanMEGA

Alan Rickman marked his final performance in the 2016 film Alice Through the Looking Glass. The famed Harry Potter actor, who portrayed Professor Severus Snape in the film franchise, died on January 14, 2016, after suffering from cancer. He was 69.

Anton YelchinMEGA

Anton Yelchin died on June 19, 2016. The then-27-year-old actor, who starred in Star Trek Beyond, was killed in a freak car accident in Studio City while he was on his way to meet his friends, his publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed at the time.

"It appears...

When you're making a movie, you can only control so much. You can meticulously plan your shots; you can account for every dollar of your budget in advance; you can hire all the best people to make sure each department completes its mission at the highest caliber. The world is random and full of tragedy, however, and sometimes, film productions have to deal with shocking, unexpected loss. When an actor dies while still in production on a movie, that can send a production reeling.

It's happened many times in the past. For example, James Dean had just finished shooting "Giant" when he died in a car crash, only 24 years old. Because his part still required a significant amount of Adr, his "Rebel Without a Cause" co-star Nick Adams dubbed over many of his lines.

Sometimes, movies don't recover. However, these days — especially thanks to the advent of CGI and other...

The 2007-2011 "Family Guy" trilogy parodying the original "Star Wars" trilogy was audacious enough to work. The show's humor is built on cutaway gags, often ripe with movie parodies, so recreating the "Star Wars" movies wholesale took that to another level. At the time, both "Star Wars" and "Family Guy" fit under the Fox corporate umbrella, and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas is a "Family Guy" fan who was eager to lend support.

The "Family Guy" creative team are Gen X-ers who grew up with the original trilogy; the series' creator/lead voice actor Seth MacFarlane was born in 1973, so "Star Wars" was a part of his childhood. (Even if MacFarlane is ultimately more of a Trekkie.) However, "Laugh It Up Fuzzball" was released at the right time to get another generation's attention. Namely, young boys who (a.) were obsessed with "Star Wars" because of the prequel trilogy and (b.

Billie Lourd is paying tribute to her late mom Carrie Fisher.

The Star Wars actress passed away on December 27, 2016 at the age of 60.

On the eighth anniversary of Carrie‘s passing, Billie, 32, penned a message about living with grief.

Keep reading to find out more…“Ⓜ️...

Eight years after Carrie Fisher’s death, daughter Billie Lourd is getting candid about how her grief has made her appreciate life more.

The actress took to Instagram on the eighth anniversary of her mother’s death to share an old picture of them when she was a child and a lengthy caption about what this day means to her.

“I always dread this day,” she wrote. “I spend so much time leading up to it thinking about how awful I’m going to feel. And my dread is usually right. I woke up this morning with a dark cloud over me. But when my kids woke up the dark cloud dissipated and made way for bright glowing sunshine.”

She compared the anniversary of Fisher’s death to an “emotional tropical storm” when it rains a lot, but the light in between is more beautiful than any other day without storm clouds.

Billie Lourd is acknowledging the dark feelings of grief on the eighth anniversary of her mom Carrie Fisher’s death. On Friday, the actress remembered her late mother with an emotional tribute, describing the “dread” of mourning Fisher as an “emotional tropical storm.”

“It has been 8 years since my mom died. As my son would say ‘That’s a lot!’ I always dread this day,” Lourd wrote on Instagram. “I spend so much time leading up to it thinking about how awful I’m going to feel. And my dread is usually right.

When comedy writer Bruce Vilanch got the four-word pitch from his agent in 1978 — Star Wars Holiday Special — it seemed like a very bad idea. “But I ignored that,” he writes in his upcoming book, It Seemed Like A Bad Idea At the Time: The Worst TV Shows In History and Other Things I Wrote. “Actually, it was no worse than any other bad idea that was being floated around for a pre-Thanksgiving holiday show.”

The Star Wars Holiday Special, however, was a notoriously bad idea. Vilanch takes his fair share of the blame. After all, "it was 1978. There were a lot of chemical additives circulating.” But he also points to George Lucas as a reason the special turned out to be outrageously terrible. Lucas had written outlines for several Star Wars tales, most of which he’d planned to make into movies. A few stories were committed to other media,...

It's been five years since Star Wars ended the Skywalker saga in an interesting and somewhat controversial way with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The sequel trilogy wasn't uncontroversial before The Rise of Skywalker, though, as Star Wars: The Last Jedi was arguably more debated two years earlier. Although much has been said about the final Star Wars film, and a lot of it negative, there's still a lot to love in the last chapter of the Skywalker family's story.

As the end to cinema's most famous saga, The Rise of Skywalker surprisingly makes a lot of questionable choices. For one, it reintroduces the main villain of the prequel and original trilogies, Emperor Palpatine. This notorious decision to bring back Palpatine has stuck in many fans' minds, leading to years of debate that caused a lot of the movie's good to go overlooked. Here, we'll look at the five...

The Star Wars saga is one of the biggest cultural phenomena since the first movie came out in 1977. When George Lucas took a leap of faith to create his sci-fi space opera franchise, no one could have envisioned that one day it would lead to a sprawling universe that just keeps serving fans with tales of characters and places unimaginable to the average human.

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi | Credit: Disney+

From its iconic characters to its groundbreaking special effects and mythological storytelling, the franchise has set the standard for science fiction and space opera. Yet there have been times when projects just failed to grab the attention of fans as the original trilogy did. While the series The Acolyte was once such a Star Wars project, there have been films that have sparked heated debate among fans. And Star Wars: The Last Jedi certainly occupies the first place in that discussion.

Chicago – It’s last minute gift time! Let’s start with something perfect for a Star Wars fan. A long time ago (1978) in an America far far away, the one and only showing of the “Star Wars Holiday Special” took place on CBS-tv. The infamous show is chronicled in a new book “A Disturbance in the Force,” written by Steve Kozak.

The full title is “A Disturbance in the Force: How And Why the Stars Wars Holiday Special Happened” and Kozak takes a deep dive into the history and audacity of how this special came to be … which is of this date still not acknowledged as part of the canon by the Lucas/Disney confluence, even though it had most of the original cast participating and was the first story beyond “A New Hope.”

‘A Disturbance in the Force’ by Steve Kozak

Photo credit: Applause Books

On November 17th, 1978, CBS...

At the 74th Academy Awards, held to honor the films of 2001, Peter Jackson's fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" was nominated for a whopping 13 awards, including Best Picture. It ultimately won four Oscars, signaling that fantasy films were now considered major prestige fare; traditionally, the Oscars have been drawn to biographies, histories, and dramas of a personal nature. For the purposes of this article, I will remind readers that "Fellowship" lost its award for Best Original Song to "If I Didn't Have You" from "Monsters, Inc." The "Fellowship" song was a wispy, dream folk-like lullaby called "May It Be," written by Nicky Ryan, Roma Ryan, and noted dream-rock chanteuse Enya. 

The televised Oscar ceremony that year was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, and she brought the right balance of reverence and irreverence to the evening. The show was directed by Louis J. Horovitz and sported 18 credited writers,...

10 years after Daisy Ridley's first-ever Star Wars table read for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the sequel trilogy's star has revealed exactly what it was like for her, and what she feared the most. Entering the Star Wars galaxy is no small feat, especially for someone like Ridley, who was so young at the time. She was just 22 years old when she sat down alongside talent such as Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher to dip her toe into the larger story she and her co-stars would be telling, and not everything was roses straightaway.

Ridley has revealed the details about her first table read for The Force Awakens to Empire Magazine in their latest issue, where she hilariously jokes about her biggest fears and what cast and crew like J.J. Abrams must have thought about her in the moment. "I remember I was so scared. I had to go for many wees,...

The Star Wars franchise continues to expand in new and interesting ways with the space opera saga having multiple projects in the works at the same time. However, the franchise created by George Lucas arguably went through the greatest metamorphosis in 2017 with the debut of the second sequel trilogy installment The Last Jedi.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released in December 2017 (Credit: Lucasfilm).

The film recently completed seven years since its release, leading to fans taking to social media to discuss the divisive film. Following its release, the film received widely polarising reactions becoming one of the most disliked entries in the franchise. The perception is unlikely to change any time soon given what fans are saying about The Last Jedi on its seventh anniversary.

Star Wars fans remember The Last Jedi on its seventh anniversary

Star Wars entered a brand new era with the release of 2015’s The Force Awakens.

The versatile John C. Reilly has been announced as the first honoree at the 19th annual Oscar Wilde Awards.

The event, organized by the US-Ireland Alliance, is set for Feb. 27 — in its traditional evening spot three days before the Oscars — at the historic Ebell theater in Los Angeles, its original home.

The casual bash celebrates the work of those from Ireland — and some who are not — who contribute to film, television and music. It also fosters artistic collaborations, from giving young actors and singers a profile in the U.S. to encouraging the shooting of films in Ireland.

The Chicago-born Reilly, 59, speaks often of his family’s strong ties to Ireland. A frequent visitor to the country, he served as the International Guest of Honor at Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities in 2022.

“It might just seem like a goof to just appear at a parade, but to me,...

The Star Wars franchise is no stranger to big names. It introduced the world to icons such as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, after all. And it's easy to see why all of them (along with so many other Star Wars actors) have gone on to become such legends in the pop-culture sphere. This franchise can turn promising talent into stars, and it can also draw in star power too.

It's one of the few classic franchises that are still ongoing to this day. Though the Skywalker Saga has come to an end, there are more stories to be told in that galaxy so far, far away. Most of them these days take place on the Disney Plus streaming service, with the very first of them, The Mandalorian, remaining the most popular. And that is a series that helped industry veteran Pedro Pascal become a global phenomenon.

Now,...

The Worst Christmas Specials Ever: A Bah Humbug Celebration of Holiday Flops!

While most of us are busy waxing nostalgic about the Charlie Brown Christmas Special or the timeless brilliance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, let’s take a sharp detour down a frosty lane of shame. Because for every magical Christmas special, there’s a baffling, cringe-worthy disaster waiting to ruin our eggnog. These are the holiday specials so bad, so misjudged, they make a lump of coal look like a thoughtful gift.

So, hang your stockings, but don’t expect anything good inside. Let’s dive into the worst Christmas specials ever made.

1. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

When it comes to bad Christmas specials, this is the undisputed champion of cringe. Aired only once (and for good reason), The Star Wars Holiday Special is an excruciating two-hour fever dream centered on Chewbacca’s family celebrating “Life Day.