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In this edition of Rogue One Bits: An interview with with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story co-production designer Doug Chiang. That time Anthony Daniels cussed out Alan Tudyk. Pablo Hidalgo answers a few pressing Rogue One questions. Everything you need to know from the Rogue One novelization. The cool story behind one of Rogue […]

The post Rogue One Bits: Anthony Daniels Cussed Out Alan Tudyk, Novelization Details, and a Look Back at ‘Shadows of the Empire’ appeared first on /Film.

Exactly one week ago, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hit theaters, and fans just can't get enough of it. This Star Wars spin-off has already earned $221.9 million domestic and $419.8 million worldwide from a $200 million budget, and over the past week, a number of new details about this project have started to be revealed. Today, more details have been revealed through a new Star Wars book, offering fresh insight into the popular character Chirrut Imwe, played by Donnie Yen.

ComicBook.com got a hold of the book Star Wars Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide, which is available in stores now, and reveals that Chirrut Imwe actually has a kyber crystal, the same substance used to fuel lightsabers and the powerful weapon inside the Death Star. LucasFilm's Pablo Hidalgo reveals in this book that Chirrut's "Crystal containment lamp" doesn't hold a full kyber crystal, but rather "a kyber sliver.

We finally got to see where Darth Vader hangs his cape and calls home in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. This was a really cool scene in which we are shown the dark and sinister castle on the hot and fiery planet of Mustafar.

Vader was ordered to live there by The Emperor as a constant reminder of his anger at Obi-Wan Kenobi and what he did to him. Remember, that's the place where Obi-Wan sliced all his limbs off with his lightsaber and left him being burned to a crisp.

The information comes from Pablo Hidalgo's Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide (via /Film), which offers the following info on Vader's castle:

“Dark Monolith: Vader’s personal abode is an obsidian tower on an inhospitable world. It is the Emperor’s design that Vader lives in such an unforgiving environment. Vader’s attendant,...

There was a lot of excitement, but perhaps just as much uncertainty heading into this weekend with the release of Star Wars: Rogue One. For one, it was the first live-action Star Wars standalone movie (if you don't count the two Ewok TV movies) and it also underwent extensive reshoots several months prior to the release. Even with those reshoots, it looks like the ending of the movie never actually changed.

Warning, this article will contain major spoilers for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story from here on out. Lucasfilm creative executive Pablo Hidalgo is one of the people tasked with making sure the continuity of Star Wars stays consistent between the novels, comics, TV shows and movies, so he is definitely on the inside track. Over the weekend, a fan asked him if he would ever reveal the original ending for Rogue One. He responded on Twitter,...

One of the many reasons fans flock to the “Star Wars” franchise is the galactic world-building each movie provides. And when “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” — the first of the “Star Wars” standalone films — arrives this week, it will offer an even deeper dive into the universe. Here are three in-depth books that will best prepare you for the December 16 release.

“Catalyst (Star Wars): A Rogue One Novel” by James Luceno

Penned by bestselling “Star Wars” author James Luceno, this novel sets the stage for the events of “Rogue One” by detailing the galaxy war between the Republic and Separatists.

$17.39 @ Amazon

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” by Alexander Freed

Go beyond the film with this novel, which provides new, more detailed scenes and expanded material about Jyn Erso’s search for vengeance.

$20.94 @ Amazon

“Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide” by Pablo Hidalgo...

I don't know about you, but I already have my ticket for opening night of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. They went on sale last night. I know you're all already sold on the film, and you may want to keep certain elements of the film a surprise, but this latest TV spot teases the return of an old Star Wars villain, and it's kinda cool to see. I won't say who it is right here, but below the trailer I'll talk about it.

We also have a new poster for the film displaying the tagline, "A Rebellion is Build on Hope." It's also being reported that the movie will be two hours and thirteen minutes long. That news comes from Lucasfilm creative executive Pablo Hidalgo on Twitter.

So, if you watched it, you may have noticed at the 5-second mark that shot of Grand Moff Tarkin looking...

Disney has released a new poster for the highly-anticipated Star Wars spin-off Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and if you're in Los Angeles, you can actually bring this one-sheet home. We reported a few days ago that tickets will go on sale tomorrow, Monday, November 28, and the first 1,000 people to purchase their tickets in person at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood will receive this poster. This exclusive shows a rebellion built on hope, and featured the main team of Rebels

The poster debuted courtesy of The Los Angeles Times. In related news, LucasFilm's Pablo Hidalgo, who is part of the studio's story group that crafts all of the Star Wars stories, was asked on Twitter if the run time of two hours and 13 minutes (133 minutes) that was reported in France is correct. The executive responded by saying, "That sounds about right."

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story...

I'm saddened to report today that Star Wars actor Kenny Baker, best known for playing R2-D2, has passed away. The Guardian reported the actor "has died at the age of 81 after a long illness." [Update: The Guardian previously stated he was 83] Baker, who also played Paploo the Ewok in the Star Wars franchise, also had roles in Labyrinth, Time Bandits, and Flash Gordon. His niece Abigail Shield told the Guardian, “It was expected, but it’s sad nonetheless. He had a very long and fulfilled life. He brought lots of happiness to people and we’ll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world. We’re all very proud of what he achieved in his lifetime.” Baker's wife Eileen passed away in 1993, they had two children. R2-D2 was created by George Lucas, designed by Ralph McQuarrie, co-developed by John Stears, built by Tony Dyson, and had vocal effects from Ben Burtt. Baker was...

A nearly 600-page biography of a French filmmaker would not make every summer reading list, but any discerning cinephile will consider Éric Rohmer: A Biography. It’s one of several stunning recent releases, along with a weighty oral history of Star Trek, an intimate remembrance of Stanley Kubrick, and a fascinating breakdown of the great Suspiria. Now that’s an eclectic roster of beach reads.

The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek: Volume One: The First 25 Years by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman (Thomas Dunne Books)

Even minor Star Trek fans will be spellbound by The Fifty-Year Mission, a stunning oral history from Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. The first in a two-volume set — Volume Two, covering the last 25 years, will be released in late-August — is impressively comprehensive, and full of unforgettable stories. These include the original series rivalry between William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy,...

Last week's Star Wars Celebration video for Rogue One revealed some new aliens coming to the upcoming Star Wars Story, but this week brings about new details on the characters, while Sdcc reveals an entirely new character we haven't seen before. Come inside to check it all out!

With Rogue One: A Star Wars Story only a few months away from release, information on the upcoming film are starting to come in, especially with the double-whammy of Celebration and Sdcc back-to-back. While we know quite a bit now about the human characters in the film, one of the coolest things (I think anyway) about Rogue One, is the amount of aliens who will be joining the cast. While there's no telling how big a role they will play, director Gareth Edwards has said in the past they had to develop new masks/prostethics for their aliens because they do more...

Over the weekend at Star Wars Celebration we learned that screenwriter David Goyer (The Dark Knight Trilogy) is working on developing a Darth Vader project with Industrial Light & Magic’s ILMxLAB. It was initially described as being a story-based experience that will revolve around the legendary Sith Lord. Goyer explained:

“When we looked at all the characters, places, and worlds in the Star Wars universe available to us, we asked ourselves, ‘What haven’t we seen before? Who are we curious about?’ Darth Vader is the perfect ambassador to usher us into theStar Wars Vr universe.”

Thanks to /Film, we now have more details on this project. According to Lucasfilm writer Pablo Hidalgo, this Darth Vader Vr is going to be an emotional experience. So much so that it will apparently make you cry. Hidalgo says:

"What we’re working on right now, is a way to get in your...

Yesterday marked the end of Star Wars Celebration Europe, with the weekend closingoout on a huge surprise surprise. Alden Ehrenreich was introduced to fans for the first time as Han Solo, the new star of the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story at the Future Filmmaker Panel. The panel featured Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy (Producer) and Kiri Hart (Senior Vice President of Development), who were joined by director Rian Johnson (Star Wars: Episode VIII) and directing duo Chris Miller and Phil Lord (the untitled Han Solo Star Wars story). Hosted by Lucasfilm Story Group's Pablo Hidalgo, the filmmakers were joined by surprise guests John Boyega (Finn), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa) from Star Wars: Episode VIII.

Han Solo directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller revealed they just moved to London two days ago to work on the movie, but we don't know any other cast...

ILMxLAB, Lucasfilm's immersive entertainment division - made two major announcements during its panel today at Star Wars Celebration Europe. At the end of the panel, it was announced that screenwriter David Goyer is now collaborating with ILMxLAB. The brand new story-based project, revealed in a short teaser, centers around a particularly iconic Star Wars character: Darth Vader. Just like Vr is a new frontier, so sounds this venture. Here's what David S. Goyer had to say in a statement.

"When we looked at all the characters, places, and worlds in the Star Wars universe available to us, we asked ourselves, 'What haven't we seen before? Who are we curious about? Darth Vader is the perfect ambassador to usher us into the Star Wars Vr universe."

StarWars.com also announced that ILMxLAB's acclaimed Vr experiment, Trials on Tatooine, to Steam Vr for free. Starting Monday, July 18, anyone with an Htc...

Today at Star Wars Celebration Europe, Alden Ehrenreich was introduced to fans for the first time as Han Solo, the new star of the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story at the Future Filmmaker Panel. The panel featured Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy (Producer) and Kiri Hart (Senior Vice President of Development), who were joined by director Rian Johnson (Star Wars: Episode VIII) and directing duo Chris Miller and Phil Lord (the untitled Han Solo Star Wars story). Hosted by Lucasfilm Story Group's Pablo Hidalgo, the filmmakers were joined by surprise guests John Boyega (Finn), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa) from Star Wars: Episode VIII.

Before Alden Ehrenreich took the stage, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller revealed that, during their arduous audition process, Alden Ehrenreich was literally the first person they met with. Phil Miller revealed they "turned over" every rock to find the actor...

London, England – July 17: Alden Ehrenreich, who will play Han Solo, attends the Star Wars Celebration 2016 at ExCel on July 17, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios)

Today at Star Wars Celebration Europe, Alden Ehrenreich was introduced to fans for the first time as Han Solo, the new star of the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story at the Future Filmmaker Panel.

The panel featured Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy (Producer) and Kiri Hart (Senior Vice President of Development), who were joined by director Rian Johnson (Star Wars: Episode VIII) and directing duo Chris Miller and Phil Lord (the untitled Han Solo Star Wars story).

Hosted by Lucasfilm Story Group’s Pablo Hidalgo, the filmmakers were joined by surprise guests John Boyega (Finn), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Carrie Fisher (General Leia Organa) from Star Wars: Episode VIII.

London, England – July 17: (L-r) Mark Hamill,...

On the final day of Star Wars Celebration, some minor details on the upcoming Han Solo movie was revealed, along with confirmation on who's playing the titular character. Come inside to learn more!

This morning at Star Wars Celebration brought about the Future Filmmaking Panel, in which the directors of upcoming Star Wars films took the stage to speak briefly about some of the upcoming films, like Episode VIII and the Han Solo standalone film. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who are directing Han Solo, were on hand to discuss the progress on the movie, and confirm something we'd all heard a while back: Alden Ehrenreich is Han Solo.

The actor himself came out on stage, while Lord and Miller talked a bit about the arduous casting process. Funny enough, even though they tested more than 3,000 actors for the role, Alden was the Very First Person they auditioned. They joked...

On this episode the crew talk about the Chewbacca origin story in Young Han Solo, Jj Abrams on the hug between Leia and Rey in Tfa, Pablo Hidalgo talking Snoke, and the details on the deleted scenes in 'The Force Awakens' Blu-Ray.

The post Collider Jedi Council: Chewbacca Origin Story Coming; Jj Talks Rey and Leia appeared first on Collider.

With Star Wars: The Force Awakens now baked into the fabric of pop culture, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story nearly a year away, the all-seeing eye of Sauron entertainment coverage turned from a galaxy far, far away. Superhero Season is ramping up, after all. Plus all those hotly anticipated shows are either back or about to kick into gear again. The world had moved on…momentarily. That was a mistake. While we were all distracted by men in rubber suits, Glenn’s fate, and Schrödinger's Jon Snow, somehow not one but Two pieces of Rogue One footage leaked online. The first footage comes from over a month ago. It was allegedly filmed at Elstree Film Studios in the U.K., according to The Mirror. There isn’t much to go on in the low-quality video. A densely wooded forest spreads out beneath the camera while Obi-Wan Kenobi narrates.

In today’s jam-packed edition of Star Wars Bits: Marvel reveals a new Han Solo comic series. Peter Mayhew‘s Star Wars screenplay answers a big, big question… Pablo Hidalgo shares a very interesting style guide. A new book series will introduce new Star Wars characters. Two minor Star Wars icons have passed away. Dave Filoni discusses […]

The post Star Wars Bits: A New Han Solo Comic Series, Disney’s Star Wars Land, and What the Original Star Wars Script Says About Han Shooting First appeared first on /Film.

It's been a busy week for the old guard of "Star Wars" on Twitter. As everyone waits to dive into "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" once again when it arrives on Blu-ray next month, those who have crowed that J.J. Abrams' film nods too heavily to the past will probably find some ammunition in their arsenal thanks to Lucasfilm Creative Executive Pablo Hidalgo. Read More: Artwork And Extras Revealed For 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Blu-Ray Stumbling across an old "Star Wars" style guide from August 1994 — which is essentially the guidebook and bible for writers to follow when crafting stories for the franchise's massive canon — Hidalgo posted pages featuring some of the rules. There's a strong emphasis on not revisiting the past, and it stresses "be original." The irony here is that George Lucas would start writing the script for "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" a few months later,...

West End Games had a Star Wars tabletop RPG from 1987 to 1999, and it’s one of the many things that fans had to immerse themselves in the Star Wars universe when no movies were being made. Over those years, West End regularly released supplements and expansions.

In 1994 West End released a writer’s guide for authors who were looking to write content for the RPG. Excerpts from that guide have been released by Pablo Hidalgo, who happens to be part of Lucasfilm’s story team.

The information found in this guide is great stuff, and there are things here that not only should George Lucas have followed when making the prequel trilogy, but that Lucasfilm should take note and follow in the upcoming films they are making. You can find several great gems from the book that were tweeted by Hidalgo below. Read them over and let us know what you think in the comments.

Star Wars had been part of pop culture for over three decades by the time George Lucas gave the reigns to Disney. That’s a long time for the lore to build up. Between the novels, comics, TV specials, and spin-off movies, the Star Wars universe had bloated into a contradictory mess. I was as sad as anyone to see Thrawn and Mara Jade tossed to the side when Disney detonated the Expanded Universe, but it made sense. Star Wars had fractured and trying to stitch it back together would’ve been worse than herding cats. Better to start from scratch. But it only took one tie-in novel to set the chain reaction off all over again. When Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters last year, Starkiller Base had a lot of people scratching their heads. How did eat the sun’s energy? Wouldn’t that affect the gravity...

Force Awakens fever is still gripping the film industry two months after the release of the seventh Star Wars entry, and the world of cinema-centric books is just as Snoke-obsessed. But there’s plenty more worth snagging, including in-depth analyses of Pixar and Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, a lavish study of musicals, and a graphic stunner called Filmish.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo (Dk Publishing)

Dk’s Star Wars visual dictionaries are, quite simply, must-owns. (Even the three prequel editions are fascinating.) And the Force Awakens Visual Dictionary might be the best yet. Author Pablo Hidalgo goes deep, providing everything you wanted to know about Jakku (but were afraid to ask), offering insight on briefly seen characters like Max Von Sydow’s Lor San Tekka, and breaking down exactly why the “crossguard blades” of Kylo Ren’s lightsaber are a necessity. Plus, the film stills...

Warning: spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens are ahead! Although Luke Skywalker.s presence was felt throughout Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he wasn.t actually seen until the movie.s final minutes. After completing the map leading to his whereabouts, Rey traveled with Chewbacca and R2-D2 to a mysterious planet and found Luke on an island, where he.s been chilling all by his lonesome for many years. With the emotional moment of Rey offering Anakin Skywalker.s lightsaber back to Luke, and Luke looking like he already knew who she was, there wasn.t an opportunity to identity where they were, but now the name of this planet has finally been revealed: Ahch-To The planet.s name was listed in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens. screenplay and junior novelization, and was also confirmed by Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo. Comicbook.com also notes the ...

Over the weekend, one spin-happy Stormtrooper was declared the king of the Internet, especially when it comes to new Star Wars: The Force Awakens characters. The First Order soldier only has a minor cameo in the movie, but he is one of two central characters in a key action sequence that pits John Boyega's Awol Stormtrooper Finn against one of his old comrades who calls the former warrior out as a 'Traitor'. This Z6 baton-wielding Stormtrooper has since been dubbed Tr-8R and has become the subject of many memes. Now, we learn more about his backstory in a tie-in novel.

In Before the Awakening, a new book that is part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens novel series, we get what appears to be a backstory for everyone's favorite new Stormtrooper. In these pages written by Greg Rucka, we learn that Finn was part of a four-man fire-team.

When the title for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was initially announced, it was well-received by almost all fans of the saga. The Force Awakens had a healthy dose of mysticism mixed with subtlety and a though-provoking tone. But most of all, it definitely conveyed a message and a promise for something grander. However, there was a time when the seventh movie almost inherited a title from a book that used to be canon.

Pablo Hidalgo, Creative Executive for the Lucasfilm Story Group, told Jedi News:

"For longest time, the Tfa title was the same as an old novel. Thankfully it changed. :) With so many books, it's inevitable... it was Shadow (singular) of the Empire for a while."

The book Shadows of the Empire took place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In my personal opinion, if the new Star Wars movie had been called...

With $1 billion worldwide to its name, the number of people who haven't seen "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is growing smaller and smaller. That's all to say **there are spoilers ahead.** This post is probably one best enjoyed after you've seen the movie, so make the most of the holidays while they're still here and buy a ticket.  Read More: Box Office: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Joins $1 Billion Club In Record Time, 'Daddy's Home' Arrives Strong In Second Diving right in, on Christmas Day, Pablo Hidalgo, a Creative Executive at Lucasfilm Story Group, revealed on Twitter that the original title for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was "Star Wars: Shadow Of The Empire" (singular). It certainly would've fit the story, but the problem was, it was too similar to the name of a 1996 book by Steve Perry titled "Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire" (plural). If you're curious,...

Spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens are ahead. At this point, Star Wars fans around the world have been able to take a collective sigh of relief. After years of anticipation, excitement, and trepidation, we were delivered with the awesomeness that is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But, it turns out quite a few titles were workshopped before landing on The Force Awakens. Pablo Hidalgo, a member of the Lucasfilm story group, recently took to twitter to reveal the original title for Episode VII: @VegaArts_ @justinlasalata it was Shadow (singular) of the Empire for a while.. Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) December 25, 2015 There you go wookies and nerf herders, the title that almost was. Earlier in the twitter conversation, Pablo Hidalgo references that The Force Awakens once shared a title with one of the Star Wars novels. Luckily for us, all it took was a follow up question to find...

Back in 1996, a novel was released which filled in some of the gaps between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but the big difference with Shadows of the Empire was that it was treated like one of the movies, with merchandising and a huge amount of promotion surrounding its release. However, it turns out that Star Wars: The Force Awakens very nearly borrowed this title from the now no longer canon novel as Pablo Hidalgo (Lucasfilm's creative executive and its "in-house Star Wars geek") has revealed the following on Twitter about early plans for the movie: @justinlasalata for longest time, the Tfa title was the same as an old novel. Thankfully it changed. :) With so many books, it's inevitable — Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) December 25, 2015 @VegaArts_ @justinlasalata it was Shadow (singular) of the Empire for a while. — Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) December 25, 2015 Whether this was actually going...

The Star Wars: The Force Awakens title was announced to generally accepting adulation from fans, though there were a few detractors. Now, it has become a fixture in the franchise lexicon, and it's hard to image the 7th chapter in this longstanding sci-fi series being called anything else. But there was a time when it shared it's title with a book that is no longer considered canon. It would have been a title familiar to longtime fans, especially those who still believe in the acts portrayed in what has since become known as the Star Wars Legends series. Creative Executive for the Lucasfilm Story Group Pablo Hidalgo had this exchange with Jedi News editor Justin Lasalata.

"For the longest time, the Tfa title was the same as an old novel. Thankfully it changed. :) With so many books, it's inevitable. It was Shadow (singular) of the Empire for a while.

This story first appeared in the Dec. 18 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Not so long ago, in a galaxy far, far away from Hollywood (San Francisco's Bay Area), four men and one woman set out to crack the story for Star Wars 3.0. It was around Christmastime 2012 when Michael Arndt, Lawrence Kasdan, Simon Kinberg, Pablo Hidalgo and Kiri Hart converged for the first time in an office at Big Rock Ranch in Marin — the 1,000-acre spread George Lucas built next to his beloved Skywalker Ranch —

read more...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will hit theaters in exactly ten days! While the fans impatiently count down the seconds, J.J. Abrams continues to reveal his thoughts on the film, while avoiding any major spoilers! Over the weekend, he spoke with the Associated Press, and the director had quite a bit to say about the upcoming Star Wars film! With that said, let’s get straight to it! When asked about whether or not he stumped Lucasfilm's creative executive Pablo Hidalgo while making the film, he responded, “He was not only unstumpable but he was immediate. I would send him an email at almost any hour asking some arcane question and I'd hit send and I'd hear "ding" and he'd already have responded with an answer.” Abrams then added, “What you realize, by the way, in working on these movies is that even things that are canon, that are beloved...

The Star Wars universe is really, really big. Not only that, but fans of the films have also developed a reputation for being somewhat particular and obsessive over the minutiae that might pop up in any of the movies, comics, books, or television shows. But with George Lucas gone, how did Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ director and co-writer J.J. Abrams keep track of everyone in the galaxy far, far, away and make sure that all of the film’s details were exactly right? Well, he didn’t. He simply used Pablo Hidalgo to do all the fact checking for him. Pablo Hidalgo is a LucasFilm employee who basically knows everything about the Star Wars films, and, while talking to Howard Stern, (via HitFix), J.J. Abrams admitted that he utilised his extensive knowledge of George Lucas’ characters and worlds at every opportunity. He ...

Less than three weeks before "Star Wars: The Force Awakens'" theatrical debut, writer/director J.J. Abrams stopped by "Howard Stern" for an extensive chat on everything from the Harrison Ford hydraulic-door incident to the "black Stormtrooper" controversy to the time William Shatner called him a pig. Here are 10 major highlights from this morning's interview, with relevant soundclips embedded. 1. He gave a perfect political answer when asked why Luke Skywalker has been left out of the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" trailers. Telling Howard that it drives him "nuts" when trailers give away the entire movie, Abrams responded simply: "Here's the thing. I really want to make sure we're not ruining the movie for people." So, keep speculating, I guess. 2. He put William Shatner's "pig" dig in its proper context. "First of all, badge of honor," said Abrams of the time the original Captain Kirk called him a "pig...

It.s certainly safe to say that the fate of beloved bounty hunter, Boba Fett has always been a sore Sarlacc-strewn spot among the Star Wars fanbase over the years. While there.s always been subsequent novels and comic books showcasing a narrative of his survival, it seems that his chances of returning to the continuity are better than they.ve ever been, thanks to the current methodology of the Disney-sized Lucasfilm. This past weekend.s Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California did not disappoint in its preponderance of property previews. However, a less-heralded narrative would also come about from the event.s array of interviews; namely one from Slash Film regarding Lucasfilm.s long-term strategy with the Star Wars Expanded Universe canon. It.s something that actually holds the fate of Boba Fett directly in the balance. According to Lucasfilm.s Pablo Hidalgo, Fett.s future all depends upon...

“Boba Fett is both simultaneously alive and dead in the Sarlaac Pit until a story pulls him out.” That’s Pablo Hidalgo, one of the members of the Lucasfilm Story Group, trying to explain how and why their team makes story choices. The Story Group is a new group of Lucasfilm employees, headed up by Kiri Hart […]

The post How the Lucasfilm Story Group Figures Out the Star Wars Canon appeared first on /Film.

On the final day of the Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, one of the newest members of the Lucasfilm family — spinoff director Gareth Edwards — took the stage to talk about joining a galaxy far, far away. Josh Trank, who was also slated to appear at the panel, was not able to attend. Moderator Pablo Hidalgo said he has been "under the weather." Edwards is set to direct stand-alone film Star Wars: Rogue One, starring Felicity Jones, which is slated for release in December 2016. He was able to share more details about the film, including a logline,

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Earlier this week, LucasFilm unveiled the full schedule for Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, which runs from April 16 to April 19. We pulled out a number of the big highlights for you, but if you looked at the full schedule, you would have noticed that a number of scheduled events were left unannounced. Today it was revealed that Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and Josh Trank (Untitled Star Wars Spin-Off) will be attending the convention with a panel entitled Conversations with Gareth Edwards and Josh Trank. The panel will take place on Sunday, April 19 from 11 Am to 12 Pm at the Celebration Stage in the Anaheim Convention Center. Take a look at the official description below.

"Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart and Pablo Hidalgo will be joined by directors Gareth Edwards and Josh Trank, who will share their experiences as the newest members of the Lucasfilm creative family. Learn how the teams came...

This is interesting news for several reasons. First, I think it's fantastic that they are giving fans access to stand-alone directors Josh Trank and Gareth Edwards. Beyond the likely trailer debut for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the people behind Star Wars Celebration seem to be working to give the fans (some of whom purchased tickets Two years ago) as much access to the creators of the new mythology as possible. The second reason it's interesting? There have been online whispers that Trank was off the project so it's nice to see that he still seems to be unequivocally onboard. [caption id="attachment_424503" align="alignright" width="360"] Image via LucasFilm./caption] I doubt he'll have much to say about his stand-alone film since that project remains untitled (though that could change at the celebration). Edwards should have more material to work with, since we already know that Star Wars: Rogue One features Felicity Jones...

Anyone out there heading to Anaheim for the Star Wars Celebration during April 16-18th? Well those of you who are can look forward to a couple of new guests as the official Star Wars site announced today that Star Wars spin-off directors Gareth Edwards and Josh Trank will be joining Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart, and Pablo Hidalgo on stage for a special conversation. Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart and Pablo Hidalgo will be joined by directors Gareth Edwards and Josh Trank, who will share their...

Today in Star Wars Bits, we take a look at: Lucasfilm Story Group’s Pablo Hidalgo clarifies his Comic Con “no flashbacks” comment. Were all the recent Episode 7 rumors fake and actually passed off from the Dark Horse comic book series Star Wars: Legacy? Star Wars spin-off director Gareth Edwards accepts the Ice Bucket Challenge in the LucasFilm […]

The post Star Wars Bits: Are All of the Episode 7 Rumors Fake? Plus Gareth Edwards, Harrison Ford, and Asajj Ventress appeared first on /Film.

Jason Isaacs is joining the Star Wars universe in an exciting new role in Disney’s upcoming new animated series. He’s now been confirmed to EW.com as playing The Inquisitor, the villain charged with tracking down and killing the remaining Jedi after the Clone Wars. Part of the Pau’an race, the Inquisitor was the first character announced for the new series.

“He’s cold, he’s analytical, he doesn’t get angry,” said Lucasfilm Story Group’s Pablo Hidalgo. “We all took care to make sure our villains have real presence and our heroes just can’t walk all over him.

Disney

Star Wars: Episode VII, the beginning of a new trilogy no one was expecting, is set for release on December 18, 2015, and we know nothing about the plot. We haven’t even had a title yet and Lucasfilm/Disney refuses to confirm even the return of the Big Three Luke, Leia, and Han. However, the filmmakers, led by writer/director Jj Abrams, has a veritable bounty of possible plots to follow; he need look no further than the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

The Expanded Universe consists of books, films, and video games telling new stories taking place in the Star Wars galaxy. The comics under the Marvel brand released after 1977 and the novel Splinter of the Mind’s Eye were the predecessors of the Expanded Universe, and it has since grown into an absolutely massive library of history. When the new films were announced, a minor storm of controversy began...

For longtime Star Wars fans, there’s always been somewhat of an unspoken boundary between the properties. Essentially, everything that happened in the movies was considered canon while anything in the books, comics, video games, or television shows was pretty much its own thing. Under George Lucas’s supervision, his movies more or less stood their own. This probably proved disheartening for folks that sunk tons of time and money into things like spin-off novels, hoping the creative work of those writers would somehow be incorporated into the overall tapestry of Star Wars.

Now that LucasFilm is under new management, though, it looks like that philosophy is about to change. Leland Chee recently took to Twitter to explain how he and Pablo Hidalgo are part of brain-trust that will seek to unify all facets of Star Wars to create one cohesive canon.

@pauldunahoo@rwknopp Star Wars Canon is now determined...

The first official teaser for “Star Wars Rebels” debuted this week on Disney Xd, giving us a very brief glimpse at the new CGI series expected to arrive in Fall 2014.

First announced back in May, “Star Wars Rebels” will take place between the events of Episode III and IV and will further develop the story of the Empire taking over the galaxy as they continue to hunt down all remaining Jedi Knights.

“Star Wars Rebels” is expected to hold a panel at New York Comic Con this weekend (Saturday, October 12th at 2:45), where Lucasfilm’s Pablo Hidalgo will present new artwork and info on the upcoming series.

The series is set between the events of Episode III and IV — an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. It takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last...

Update: Pablo Hidalgo, who works in story development for Lucasfilm, is stating that the below clip was created for a video game that was also called Jurassic World, but that was separate from the new movie.   This is awesome. But, before we all get too excited, we need to be abundantly clear: this is not an official trailer for Jurassic World. If you expect to see this on the big screen in 2015, you're probably going to be disappointed. That's because this is a pitch trailer; meaning it was created by someone solely with the purpose of landing a job working on Jurassic World. In this case it was created by Iain McCaig, the concept artist who designed Darth Maul for George Lucas. He showcased the video at a recent Star Wars convention in Germany, which is where...

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Now that we know when and under what title a fourth "Jurassic Park" movie will appear — "Jurassic World" opens in June 2015 — we're free to speculate about more specific issues, like what the heck the thing will actually be about.

Today, a video that some are claiming is a pitch reel for "Jurassic World" has surfaced online, causing many to speculate that the upcoming sequel will finally answer the fan questions about whether the flying creatures from the prehistoric island could fly to the main land.

Check out the reel and read more about the theories on it after the jump!

According to Oliver Thompson, the YouTube user that uploaded the camcorder recorded video, Iain McCaig showed this footage at Star Wars Celebration II, but it was his presumption that it was for a "Jurassic Park" movie sequel. "I can only presume it was part of a pitch for reigniting the Jp movie franchise,...

Disney has announced its plans for the upcoming D23 Expo, which will take place August 9 through the 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. The event will highlight both Marvel Comics and Star Wars, with a big attraction being concept art of the original trilogy’s iconic villain, Darth Vader.

Well-known properties in their own right, both Marvel Comics and Star Wars are owned by The Walt Disney Company, bought, respectively, in 2009 and 2012. Coincidentally, Marvel was the first comic publishing company to issue Star Wars comics, which ran from 1977 to 1986 and spanned 107 issues (with 3 annual specials).

The press release, originally posted on D23.com, reads as follows.

Disney Consumer Products (Dcp) will give Disney’s most loyal fans an up close look at an extensive collection of interactive experiences and merchandise that celebrate Disney, Marvel and Star Wars timeless characters during the bi-annual D23 Expo, the ultimate Disney fan event.

If you’re expecting to catch a glimpse of Star Wars at Comic-Con next week, you’re out of luck. But if you’re headed to D23, good news – Disney Consumer Products (Dcp) will give Disney’s most loyal fans an up close look at an extensive collection of interactive experiences and merchandise that celebrate the characters of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars. Touted as the ultimate Disney fan event, the bi-annual Expo will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center from Aug. 9-11, 2013.

For the first time at the D23 Expo, Star Wars fans can have access to experiences created for them by Lucasfilm and Disney. Darth Vader: The Evolution of a Villain, located in the Dcp pavilion, showcases the development of the iconic villain from early concepts to striking realization. Crash Course in the Force: Star Wars Saga 101, presented by Lucasfilm’s resident authority Pablo Hidalgo in Stage...

Art by Brian Rood

Not long after San Diego Comic-Con ends, Disney will be holding their annual D23 fan expo. Disney is expected to announce their plans for some theme park developments as well as what they are looking to do for future films and TV series. This year they'll be adding Star Wars to their repertoire. I've gone to D23 the last couple of years, and I've always had a pretty fun time.

Disney revealed some of their plans today in the following press release. The event is held at the Anaheim Convention Center from August 9th to the 11th. As the event gets closer they will reveal what panels will be held.

Disney Consumer Products (Dcp) will give Disney’s most loyal fans an up close look at an extensive collection of interactive experiences and merchandise that celebrate Disney, Marvel and Star Wars timeless characters during the bi-annual D23 Expo,...