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Already nominated for three Television Critics Awards, Andor has quickly become a favorite among Star Wars fans. Now, you can get a peek behind the scenes and see the artwork that drove the show's direction. Publisher Abrams Books has officially opened up pre-orders for The Art of Star Wars: Andor (The Complete Series), which will begin shipping May 19, 2026.

Authored by Phil Szostak, the book showcases the artwork from both seasons, all 24 episodes. At 272 pages, the hardcover contains 500 full-color illustrations. Also included are interviews with the show's creator, Tony Gilroy, as well as star Diego Luna (Cassian) and production designer Luke Hall, among others.

Pre-order your copy of @ABRAMSbooks’ The Art of Star Wars: Andor (The Complete Series) today! Featuring artwork from all 24 episodes, plus extensive interviews with creator Tony Gilroy, star Diego Luna, production designer Luke Hull, and many more!https://t.co/uYIZv29oXA pic.twitter.com/WkHlzkwLy3

— Phil...

Star Wars Celebration is an exciting event for fans of a galaxy far, far away. Whether engaging in the festivities in Japan or from the much cheaper comfort of your own home, the various reveals, updates, and memorable moments are all beginning to flow.

Today's panels started off strong with two Lucasfilm Publishing events to highlight the books, comics, and more beloved by readers, seasoned and fresh alike. In the first panel, Manga Mania!, several new Star Wars manga releases -- plus a first look at the previously announced Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber.

Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber, a new manga written and illustrated by Kenny Ruiz. Image Credit: StarWars.com | starwars.com

And in the second panel, Stories from a Galaxy Far, Far Away...., a look at a few new future releases -- including a book celebrating Industrial Light & Magic's 50th anniversary -- was the highlight of the hour.

Star Wars Celebration has officially begun, and in keeping with the theme from previous years, there’s more to be excited about beyond movies and TV shows. The biggest Star Wars event of the year will bring together people from around the globe from one of the most passionate corners of the fanbase, the novels. Collider’s own Maggie Lovitt moderated the panel, Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away…., at the event in Japan, which introduced 10 new books for Star Wars fans to get excited about. Many of these books will go on sale later this year, but a few will be available in the coming days, with one also going up for purchase earlier this week. You can find the full information on the books and comics below.

'Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III — The Battle of Eriadu' Image via Dark Horse Publishing

This book, which...

The Obi-Wan Kenobi show unveiled Leia's connection to Obi-Wan himself, shedding light on her lightsaber design in The Rise of Skywalker. Leia's lightsaber design pays homage to Obi-Wan Kenobi, hinting at a deeper, unexplored relationship between the two characters. The Obi-Wan Kenobi show finally explains Leia's strong bond with Obi-Wan, revealing his influence on her identity and allegiance to the Rebellion.

Star Wars' Disney+ TV show Obi-Wan Kenobi subtly addressed one Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lightsaber mystery. Although originally billed as a show about Obi-Wan Kenobi watching over young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine as one of few Jedi who survived Order 66, the show surprised audiences by being mainly about Obi-Wan going on a mission to rescue young Leia and reconnecting with the Force. The show also focused on the Imperial Inquisitors hunting down the remaining Jedi, Vader's determination to kill Obi-Wan, and the Rebels fighting back against the Empire,...

The highly-praised and emotional finale of The Mandalorian season 2 changed Din Djarin's helmet rule, but season 3 takes a different turn. Season 3 regresses Din's helmet story, abandoning his important arc and not showing his face at all. Pedro Pascal's busy schedule and physical limitations in the role contribute to the abandonment of Din's arc, but it's possible that future seasons may revisit it.

Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin had an important character arc that felt somewhat abandoned in The Mandalorian season 3, and one of the Star Wars live-action TV show's creators has seemingly confirmed its jarring redirection. The highly-praised and emotional finale of The Mandalorian season 2 makes one thing very clear: Din's helmet rule will never be the same. Mando breaks the helmet rule of his Mandalorian Creed in the penultimate episode of The Mandalorian season 2 in favor of saving Grogu, and after removing it again in the finale for Grogu to see his face,...

The helmet rule in The Mandalorian serves as a metaphor for the Mandalorians hiding within the galaxy due to the Great Purge, explaining their absence in the original Star Wars trilogy. Keeping Din Djarin's helmet on at all times evokes the same mysterious energy as Boba Fett, allowing viewers to imagine whoever they want underneath and embodying the action figure-like quality of Star Wars. Mando will never fully abandon his helmet rule, as creator Jon Favreau intends to stick to the reasons he established it from the beginning, maintaining the character's iconic silhouette and preserving the mystery surrounding his identity.

The character arc of Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin in The Mandalorian season 2 seemed to be headed towards him leaving his helmet rule behind, but season 3 changed that - and the creator of the live-action Star Wars TV show has revealed the real reason as to why. One of the...

The Star Wars universe has always been diverse, featuring a variety of alien species and even unique music genres. A short story in the anthology book "From A Certain Point of View: Return Of The Jedi" refers to jatz music instead of jizz music. Contrary to fan backlash, jatz music has been mentioned in Star Wars for the past 30 years, demonstrating that Disney is not trying to erase jizz from the franchise.

Star Wars fans can relax, Return of the Jedi's beloved jizz music hasn't just been retconned. George Lucas' Star Wars galaxy has always been delightfully diverse. Both the first Star Wars movie and Return of the Jedi featured a stunning number of different alien species, notably in the Mos Eisley Cantina and Jabba's Palace. The latter even featured a swinging jazz soundtrack, although - of course - the in-universe name had to be switched up a little.

Concept art for the original Star Wars reveals George Lucas' ever-changing vision and the influence of Ralph McQuarrie's designs. Lucas's mistake of not showing Alderaan's surface before its destruction hampers emotional connection with the planet and Leia's pain. The Earth-like design of Alderaan creates a subconscious link with the audience, making its destruction a tragic moment despite being underutilized in the franchise.

A piece of concept art for the original Star Wars has recently been brought to light which shows an amalgamation of three iconic planets in the franchise, proving Lucas' ever-changing vision. In the early days of the conception of the original Star Wars, much of the art was illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie. Much of McQuarrie's art has been the basis of the entire visual style of Star Wars, with plenty of his designs continuing to be used even into Disney's tenure helming the franchise.

As with every concept artist,...

George Lucas' long-forgotten plans for the Star Wars sequel trilogy would have included Sith Force ghosts, a concept that is actually part of the franchise's canon. Before Disney solidified the studios' acquisition of Lucasfilm, Lucas had outlined plans for a sequel trilogy of Star Wars films. While some of these concepts were included in what became Disney's three-movie sequel story, it is safe to say Lucas' plans for a continuation of Star Wars after Return of the Jedi would have been very different.

One way George Lucas' Star Wars sequel trilogy plans would have been different is through Sith Force ghosts, something mentioned in The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi written by Phil Szostak. The book included concept art from Lucas' original plans, pre-dating Disney's work on the Star Wars sequels, showcasing an elderly Luke Skywalker in exile, flanked by a Sith Force ghost. The concept art is...

This post contains spoilers for "The Empire Strikes Back."

In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" had already screened in about a hundred theaters when executive producer and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas decided that the ending was confusing and needed some last-minute changes. According to StarWars.com, before the movie expanded its theatrical rollout any further, Lucas had the team at Industrial Light & Magic add shots to give clarity to the geography of the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the droids C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stand looking out the window.

It wouldn't be the last time Lucas tinkered with "The Empire Strikes Back," as the version that's now streaming on Disney+ incorporates further changes he made for its 1997 Special Edition re-release. In 2022, Hamill revealed that the medical frigate scene was itself a late...

In this edition of Star Wars Bits:

"Andor" Breakdowns & ReviewsMarvel's Upcoming "Star Wars" ComicsThe "Star Wars" Podcast Round-UpHot Toys Cobb Vanth Sixth Scale FigureAnd More!Andor Breakdowns & reviews

First up, Nerdist's Dan Casey breaks down everything you might have missed in this week's episode of "Andor."

Next, Alex at Star Wars Explained shares his thoughts on the latest episode.

Ralph and James at Live Action Star Wars review the fourth episode of "Andor" above.

And finally, EckhartsLadder has a video discussing something hinted at in the latest episode of "Andor" — the Ghorman Massacre.

Marvel's Upcoming Star Wars Comics

In "Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca" #6, Marc Guggenheim and illustrated by David Messina and Paul Fry, with a cover by Phil Noto, Han Solo is presumed dead and Chewbacca is stuck in jail. Check out StarWars.com for an exclusive preview of the comic, which is available now at your local comic shop or on ComiXology.

These stunning new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ending concept art pieces will leave you breathless.

“New visions of the ending of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker have finally been revealed. Concept art has become a huge part of the Star Wars conversation during the sequel trilogy thanks in large part to the gorgeous books by Phil Szostak.”

Read more at Gizmodo.

From the Caterpillar Club to The Sons of Lee Marvin, here are some unusual clubs that exist (for some reason).

“Did you know there’s a club for people who have been ejected out of a plane, and an organization for people who are just … happy? Read on to find out about those clubs and more in this list adapted from The List Show on YouTube.”

Read more at Mental Floss.

Marvel has confirmed that Star-Lord is bisexual and polyamorous in its newest issue of Guardians of the Galaxy,...

We have a new look at the ships of Star Wars for The High Republic. The upcoming publishing initiative is set to explore an era roughly 200 years before the prequels. It's vastly unexplored territory for the franchise, when the Jedi were at the height of their power. These ships give us a sense of the aesthetic of the era.

It was announced during Disney's big investor call that Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland is bringing the first live-action TV show set at the tail end of The High Republic to Disney+ in the near future. The new series is called The Acolyte, and revolves around a female protagonist. As we've seen with The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars TV show, Lucasfilm likes to bring ships and vehicles to life from various Star Wars media, so the same will probably happen here, with everything being introduced in the books and...

The Mandalorian Season 2 has triggered a debate that has yet to subside. Baby Yoda gobbling down Frog Lady's eggs, specified as the last of her bloodline, which the alien was desperate to get to safety. There are fans who find the scenes endearing while some are still taken aback by the fact that it is expected to be funny. Well, Star Wars favorite Rey, a.k.a. Daisy Ridley, belongs in the first category and while she is happy with her character's "perfect ending" she is sure that The Mandalorian is going places. 

While many are busy discussing that Baby Yoda munching on the eggs was a sure sign that he will be turning to the Dark Side in the future, Ridley doesn't find anything abhorrently evil about the scenes and recognizes them for what they are, just an extra dose of The Child being adorable. 

"Look, Mando's gotta eat,...

Baby Yoda’s swift fall from grace so soon after The Mandalorian‘s return has been a marvel to behold, to say the least.

For those who aren’t quite up to speed on why the show’s adorable green-skinned alien has lost a legion of followers, the controversy stems from season 2’s second episode, “The Passenger.” During a mission to reunite Frog Lady and her unfertilized eggs with her husband, The Child, cold, hungry and stranded, takes to chowing down on several of the passenger’s children-to-be before being reprimanded by his guardian.

The scene, which many critics labelled as offensive for a number of reasons, has subsequently been defended by fans as well as members of Lucasfilm, including Phil Szostak, who attempted to defuse the situation by likening the act to that of a human eating chicken eggs. Fortunately, last week’s episode, “The Heiress,” managed to reestablish...

Intended to be used for humorous effect it may have been, but one particular scene in the latest episode of The Mandalorian has caused quite a stir among audiences of the hit Star Wars show.

The controversial content, for those not in the know, revolves around a recurring gag from last week’s season 2 episode, “The Passenger,” in which Baby Yoda, previously considered to be the epitome of cuteness and innocent youth, repeatedly attempts to chow down on some forbidden food, so to speak. An alien – currently only known simply as Frog Lady – being ferried across the galaxy by Mando cradles a canister of eggs intended to be fertilized by her significant other upon reaching their destination.

The Child, on the other hand, despite being reprimanded by his carer numerous times, manages to scoff several of the eggs – an act that many fans believe is not only deeply unfunny, but offensive.

One of the major reasons Disney's The Mandalorian is a massive success is the overwhelming adorableness of Baby Yoda i.e., the Child. Even places where the script for the Star Wars TV series faltered, it was his cuteness that saved the story. But recently, it has been his endearing personality that has been the centre of a controversy. Baby Yoda happily munching on the eggs of an alien Frog Lady in The Mandalorian Season 2's latest chapter has caused an online uproar.

Last Friday's episode titled "The Passenger" saw Mando (Pedro Pascal) providing passage to Frog Lady, an amphibian alien who is trying to safely reach her husband along with her unfertilized eggs. She explains that the eggs are the last of her bloodline and that they need to be fertilized before the equinox. The safety of her eggs is so important to her that she is ready to...

2020 has been a year that many of us would love to put in the rearview mirror and forget about as quickly as possible, but just when you thought things couldn’t get any more bizarre, The Mandalorian‘s Baby Yoda has been coming under fire. Unbelievably, there’s been a wave of online backlash against the show’s tiny green breakout star following his behavior during last week’s episode, “The Passenger.”

Ant-Man‘s Peyton Reed directed the self-contained story that saw Mando and Baby Yoda attempt to transport a character known as the Frog Lady across the galaxy with her unborn spawn so that she could be reunited with her husband. However, The Child got more than a little peckish during the trip, and had to be stopped several times from chowing down on the dynamic duo’s cargo.

Despite being played almost entirely for laughs, complete with slurping sound effects and whimsical music,...

The Mandalorian's second episode of season two should definitely come with a warning: do not watch if you're afraid of bugs! A big portion of the adventure involves the Mandalorian, Baby Yoda, and their temporary passengers fleeing from a swarm of incredibly creepy spider-like creatures. Although these monsters are new to Star Wars, they're visually inspired by art dating back to the era of the original trilogy.

Initially, eagle-eyed fans may have thought these spiders were Krykna, an alien species first seen in concept art for The Empire Strikes Back and later shown on the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak, however, debunked that theory on Twitter. In answer to a fan asking for clarity on whether the spiders on The Mandalorian were Krykna or something else, Szostak tweeted, "They are new! Both inspired by the same design."

That "same design," we assume, is...

This December, fans of the Star Wars series The Mandalorian will be able to get their hands on some of the incredible concept art from the making of the first season. Lucasfilm and Abrams Books are releasing The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak, and he’s just revealed […]

The post Get a Sneak Peek at ‘The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian’ Book’s Stunning Concept Art appeared first on /Film.

Strange rumors are nothing new in the Star Wars world, but if the internet has you wondering if Pedro Pascal left The Mandalorian, we can set you at ease. The so-called leak ahead of season two has had fans in a tizzy, but a closer look at it seems to pretty well debunk the idea that Pascal has left Din Djarin's armor behind.

Unsurprisingly, the rumor started with - you guessed it - social media. YouTuber Grace Randolph, who's posted inaccurate "leaks" before (mostly about DC Extended Universe projects), claimed in a reaction video to the season two trailer that Pascal had quit halfway through filming because he was upset about never getting to show his face. She claimed that Pascal wanted to have more scenes with Din Djarin's helmet off, was told no, and "became difficult" to the point of trying to get the Lucasfilm higher-ups to intervene on his behalf.

While we wait for The Mandalorian season 2, Disney and Lucasfilm have offered something to tide us all over. The Mandalorian publishing program has been announced, which will see new books and comics taking place in the same universe as the Disney+ series hitting shelves starting this fall. So get ready for more Mando and Baby Yoda. Releases will continue through winter and spring.

While many of these Star Wars titles remain mysterious for now, save for a few titles, Lucasfilm has revealed the cover for The Art of The Mandalorian season 1. The cover art was done by Doug Chiang. Here is a full list of titles that were revealed by Lucasfilm for now, which includes an original novel by Adam Christopher, as well as a junior novelization by Joe Schreiber.

The Mandalorian Book"/>

The Mandalorian Publishing Program Lineup&#8226&#160The Art of The Mandalorian (Season One) by Phil Szostak; cover by...

“Exegol does not appear on any star chart. But legend describes it as the hidden world of the Sith.”

Nor did it appear on any of our radars, as before Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker launched into theaters, Exegol was an unknown entity – a total mystery located in the dark recesses of space.

It later became the hiding place of Darth Sidious (“the dead speak!”), as J.J. Abrams and Co. sought about resurrecting the franchise’s big bad and his so-called Final Order. This grandiose plan to destabilize the Jedi emerged from the shadows of Exegol, but had things panned out differently, Emperor Palpatine would’ve been stationed on the forgotten, ash-covered world of Coruscant when Episode IX kicked off.

That’s according to author Phil Szostak, who penned The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (h/t ScreenRant), who traced Kylo’s journey to find Palpatine...

An axed subplot from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been revealed. One of the major plot points in the movie's finale sees Daisy Ridley's Rey revealing her new lightsaber. A yellow one, which is notable as it is a color we hadn't seen on screen in the franchise up to this point. While it came as something of a surprise at the end, there was originally going to be a plotline that would have helped to set this up.

The lightsaber was going to be in more than just one shot at the end. There was going to be a subplot throughout the film showing Rey working on it at her bench, using the Jedi texts as a guide.

— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) May 16, 2020

The tidbit was revealed by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak. A fan was expressing frustration with the reveal of the lightsaber at the end of the movie,...

“The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” the new book written by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak, was released March 31 and is jam packed with concept art and plot points that reveal many of the axed storylines from the final installment of the Skywalker trilogy, directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Abrams and Chris Terrio. Abrams’ co-writer says in the book, “I’ve never written a film as much as this one. It’s like the tide. There’s a new script every morning,” which tells “Star Wars” fans everything they need to know about how many ideas were drafted and then scrapped. Polygon rounded up many of the canceled storylines as described by Szostak in the coffee-table tome.

The book confirms that early versions of the story gave Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) far more to do than just follow Rey (Daisy Ridley...

The Rise of Skywalker concept art has officially been teased online. We have an alternate look at Billy Dee Williams' Lando Calrissian, which is quite different from the final design. Additionally, we have a look at the ferocious space wolves that J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio originally wanted to include. As it turns out, there are a few similarities in the concept art to what Colin Trevorrow had planned for his version of the story.

The Art of Star Wars comes to us from Abrams Books and Lucasfilm takes readers behind-the-scenes. Phil Szostak wrote The Rise of Skywalker edition and it is comprised of interviews he conducted with J.J. Abrams, along with the cast and crew. Part of the book goes into the first time Star Wars fans got to see Lando Calrissian on the big screen since 1983. The design is quite different from the Pasaana look we saw in the movie.

Megan Crouse Dec 27, 2019

The Mandalorian episode 8 is full of easter eggs and references to the Empire, Mandalorian culture, and much more. Here's what we've found!

This Star Wars article contains spoilers for The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian episode 8 answers some major questions about how connected this show is to the Mandalorian lore we’ve seen elsewhere. Connections to The Clone Wars abound, as does some form of closure for Mando and Baby Yoda. All that plus a wrap-up and more reveals about characters like Moff Giden, Cara Dune, and the Armorer make for a packed episode when it comes to easter eggs and Star Wars tie-ins.

Here are all the easter eggs and references we found in the episode:

Moff Gideon and the Empire

-The stormtroopers chatting in the very beginning of the episode miss the piece of junk they’re shooting at when they fire their blasters out of boredom.

Megan Crouse Dec 18, 2019

A return to the Death Star has been in the works since the concept stage of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The trailers for The Rise of Skywalker reveal a lot and nothing at all. The central conflict is still a mystery, although we know Jedi trainee Rey will to go-to-toe with the evil Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, ending her story as it began: among the wreckage of the previous generation’s wars. As revealed in the movie's very first trailer, Rey, Finn, and Poe have to return to the ruins of the Death Star, which now floats over icy blue water on an undisclosed planet.

"It felt like going into the haunted house, the place that you have to go to," director J.J. Abrams told EW regarding the return of the Death Star. “This is a story of people having to grapple with the burden the...

Chris Cummins Dec 2, 2019

We've got a rundown of this year's must-have movie gifts!

It bears repeating: the death of physical media has been greatly exaggerated. Obviously streaming is the hotness these days, but with ever-changing rights issues meaning that your favorite show or film may be here today/gone tomorrow on Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Apple+, and the myraid other services that have somehow banded together to reinvent cable television, there's comfort to be found in owning what you want to watch in a tangible way. The major studios are still supporting the Blu-ray and DVD formats which is great in terms of gift giving. These are still the perfect stocking stuffers, but don't sleep on other great movie merch for gift ideas -- from books to home theater accessories and beyond. Here's what movie-related ideas will make you a gift-giving superstar this year!

Star Wars: The Art of the Rise...

At long last, Lucasfilm finally pulled back the curtain a bit and treated us to a full-length, Star Wars 9 final trailer. While a great many questions remain (many of which were raised by the trailer itself) it gave fans a whole lot to chew on. Like one sequence, in particular, which glimpses Palpatine's grand, ominous new throne. But as it turns out, this throne traces its roots back nearly 40 years to Return of the Jedi, and comes from one of the greatest minds in the history of the franchise.

The shot in question from The Rise of Skywalker appears in the trailer at around the 53-second mark, right when we hear Palpatine's voice saying, "Long have I waited." We then see the massive throne, which has sharp, black spires sticking out in all directions. As it turns out, according to Lucasfilm creative art manager and author Phil Szostak, this is...

While Star Wars fans continue to gush over the final trailer for The Rise of Skywalker that was released last night, I’ve got a cool little detail to share with you from that trailer!

There’s a cool shot of Emperor Palpatine’s throne and throne room in the trailer. Well, it looks like J.J. Abrams and the creative team took a dive into some old concept art created for George Lucas’s original Star Wars movies. The design for that throne room comes directly from a piece of 1981 concept art created by original Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie.

Check out a screenshot from the trailer along with the concept art that inspired it:

This detail was pointed out by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak on Twitter:

1981 Emperor’s throne room thumbnail sketches by Ralph McQuarrie for #ReturnoftheJedi. #StarWars #TheRiseOfSkywalker pic.twitter.com/I6insw60vJ

— Phil...

Well, it looks like George Lucas almost took Star Wars: Return of the Jedi to another level of awesomeness that fans might would have liked to see! It’s been over 35 years since the film was released, but we are still learning new things about it and what could have been.

Phil Szostak, a creative art manager for Lucasfilm, recently shared some pages from a rough draft of Return of the Jedi from 1981, which is two years before its release. Those pages reveal that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda return as Force Ghosts to help Luke Skywalker fight the Emperor! Szostak writes:

“In George Lucas’ February 1981 rough draft of #ReturnoftheJedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Yoda return from 'the netherworld' to aid Luke Skywalker in his battle with the Emperor. The Jedi, including Luke’s father Anakin, are later seen resurrected at the Ewak [sic] celebration. #StarWars.”

In George Lucas’ February 1981 rough draft of #ReturnoftheJedi,...

Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak has been addressing old Star Wars myths on Twitter all month, and when it comes to the origins of a certain little droid companion’s name, it turns out that the hearsay had it more or less right.

Szostak’s recent posts concern the rumor that George Lucas took the name “R2-D2” from a term he heard while working on the sound mixing tracks of a previous film. For his first tweet, Szostak cites the 2007 book The Making of Star Wars as his source:

“In The Making of #StarWars, Lucas recalled that, when mixing Thx 1138, someone yelled out ‘R2D2’ for ‘Reel Two, Dialogue Two’ and he jotted the name down.”

In his second tweet, Szostak references the more recent discovery that the film in question wasn’t Lucas’ 1971 feature debut Thx 1138, but was actually the director’s sophomore work:

“The...

Star Wars is arguably as popular now as it has ever been, with the mythology of the long-running franchise passed down through generations after over forty years of movies, spinoffs, television shows, holiday specials, video games, and countless billions in merchandise. It’s an impressive feat for Star Wars to remain so culturally relevant despite having existed since 1977, and with numerous movie trilogies and Disney Plus shows in development, the brand isn’t going anywhere for a long time.

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As is the case with any long-running beloved franchise, Star Wars is also surrounded by a fair share of urban legends. Recently, Phil Szostak has been taking to Twitter to confirm or debunk many of the myths about George Lucas’ original trilogy. As the Senior Content and Asset Specialist at Lucasfilm and the...

Does the cover for The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hint at Kylo Ren's redemption? Previous installments in The Art of series for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi featured covers that came from footage within the movies and this is probably no different. In addition to The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker book, it was also announced that Lucasfilm is preparing to release Rebecca Roanhorse's Resistance Reborn, which will bridge the gap between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.

Artist Phil Szostak is the one behind The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker cover and he's pretty honored Lucasfilm is using his artwork. The picture shows an image of Rey and Kylo Ren on opposite sides of each other, with Kylo below. His backdrop is blue, while Rey's is red, which is the opposite of how we normally see these characters.

It’s pretty clear by now that Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi were the products of two different visions, with Rian Johnson’s sequel taking the saga on a divisive path after J.J. Abrams’ trilogy-starter played things relatively safe. Nonetheless, the internet has a habit of going a little overboard in its narratives, and while Johnson gets a lot of flak for his surprising depiction of later-years Luke, a new Twitter thread makes the case that the filmmaker’s plan for the character wasn’t that drastic a diversion from what Abrams had in mind.

Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak opened his thread with some old concept art, dated 2013, which shows off a bearded Luke Skywalker that’s not too far removed from Mark Hamill’s appearance from The Force Awakens. Accompanying this photo is a quote from design supervisor Christian Alzmann:...

Somehow, it is now late summer 2018. While the release of films like Solo: A Star Wars Story and Avengers: Infinity War seems long ago, they are represented in this latest rundown of books connected to the world cinema. But there is plenty else, including a classic from Paul Schrader, a juicy look at the Sumner Redstone empire, and a must-buy for fans of Clint Eastwood. Note that this summer also saw the release of David Lynch’s Room to Dream, a memoir co-written with journalist/critic Kristine McKenna. Nick Newman covered the insightful and surprisingly comprehensive book in June, and explains why Dream’s “enlightened restlessness” is so appropriate.

Transcendental Style in Film by Paul Schrader (University of California Press)

With First Reformed still making critical waves and Taylor Swift concert pics going viral, we are in the midst of a Paul Schrader renaissance. (A Schrenaissance!) It is an ideal time,...

There are Spoilers for Solo below, so read ahead at your own risk. Solo: A Star Wars Story may have just dropped a major clue that Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and W.B. Weiss are working on a Knights of the Old Republic trilogy of movies. In Solo, an Easter Egg has been found that refers to Exar Kun in Dryden Vos' headquarters. One of the exotic artifacts on a table has been confirmed by Lucasfilm to be from the Sith Temple of Exar Kun, which has many Star Wars fans incredibly excited because that means that Kun is now officially canon.

The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story book by Phil Szostak reveals that an extravagant table in Dryden Vos' office has a large chunk of obsidian on it with hieroglyphics engraved in it. As it turns out, that stone came from a very interesting place in Star Wars history.

Sneak Peek more footage, including a 'Renault' car commercial, plus Lucasfilm licensed comic books, novels and action figures supporting "Solo: A Star Wars Story", focusing on the early years of 'roguish space smuggler Han Solo', opening May 25, 2018:

In "Last Shot" by author Daniel Jose Older, three different eras are covered throughout the life of 'Han Solo' and 'Lando Calrissian'.

"Part of it takes place before the events of 'Solo'", said Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain, including the debut of 'Sana Starros', the wife of Han.

In "Most Wanted" by Rae Carson, the focus is on the character "Qi'ra' (Emilia Clarke) and her relationship with Han.

"This is about the younger, Han Solo," said Siglain.

"We'll see what it was like for these two kids from 'Corellia' to survive the seedy streets of this industrial world.

"They're definitely products of their environment, and this story shows that.

Our latest deep-dive into recent books on cinema is heavy on 2017 follow-ups. But there’s also a unique look at late Godard, a romp through holiday horror, and a visually inventive stroll through 101 memorable movies. Let’s march on, starting with every cinephile’s buddy, Guillermo del Toro.

Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water: Creating a Fairy Tale for Troubled Times by Gina McIntyre (Insight Editions)

Guillermo del Toro’s fairy tale romance The Shape of Water was heralded by some as one of 2017’s finest (I’m in that camp) or as 2017’s The Artist (boo). Wherever one stands in this debate, its aesthetic beauty is undeniable. In other words, Shape is more than deserving of the Insight Editions treatment. The book is a gorgeous concoction, filled with del Toro’s endearing sketches, effects tests, film stills, and, best of all, accompanying text that is smart and...

Sneak Peek footage, plus Lucasfilm licensed comic books, novels and action figures supporting "Solo: A Star Wars Story", focusing on the early years of 'roguish space smuggler Han Solo', opening May 25, 2018:

In "Last Shot" by author Daniel Jose Older, three different eras are covered throughout the life of 'Han Solo' and 'Lando Calrissian'.

"Part of it takes place before the events of 'Solo'", said Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain, including the debut of 'Sana Starros', the wife of Han.

In "Most Wanted" by Rae Carson, the focus is on the character "Qi'ra' (Emilia Clarke) and her relationship with Han.

"This is about the younger, Han Solo," said Siglain. "We'll see what it was like for these two kids from 'Corellia' to survive the seedy streets of this industrial world.

"They're definitely products of their environment, and this story shows that."

In "The Art of Solo" by Phil Szostak,...

As you know, every Star Wars movie that is made is followed by a ton of different kinds of books including novels, comics, art books, and more. Thanks to EW, we have a slew of upcoming books that will be released that revolve around Solo: A Star Wars Story. Some of them will dive into the stories of the characters involved with the film and offer lots of new details and information. These books have been created to help enhance the narrative. Below you'll find a few of several books that will be released.

Last Shot - by Daniel José Older

This novel is said to connect three eras in the lives of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain, talked about it saying:

“Part of it takes place before the events of Solo and focuses on Lando and L3-37. Part of it takes place...

Entertainment Weekly has capped off a busy week of Walking Dead scoops and Black Panther intel with a suitably huge blowout for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

From art books to companion novels, concept drawings to sticker collections, the gallery below is a treasure trove dedicated to the galaxy’s greatest smuggler, whose allies range from smooth-talking operators (Lando Calrissian) to a childhood friend (Qi’ra) who looks set to become the femme fatale of Ron Howard’s Solo spinoff.

Thankfully, Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain was on hand to offer some context to each companion piece, all the while identifying their ties to Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Up first, The Art of Solo, by Phil Szostak:

This is another of those really beautiful art books that shows various pieces of concept art that went into this film. You see the evolution of Solo through this book,...

Looking for a bit of inspiration about how to make a timeless action scene? Watch this stellar shot-by-shot breakdown video of the "Desert Chase" scene from Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark, made by Greek editor / filmmaker Antonios Papantoniou. Papantoniou makes many of these shot-by-shot breakdowns, but this is one of the best videos for a truly iconic action scene. The chase occurs in Raiders roughly halfway through when the Nazis try to take off with the Ark, and Indy (Harrison Ford) goes after them. This is a very intense, detailed breakdown discussing literally every last aspect - the shots, lenses, movements, everything. Dang, after this video, I just want to watch all the Indiana Jones films in a back-to-back marathon. Classics. Thanks to Phil Szostak via Twitter for the tip on this. Video direct from Vimeo. Includes details about: The Type Of Shots, The Camera Angles, The Camera Movements,...

Supreme Leader Snoke is the Star Wars equivalent of a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, nestled inside some galactic enigma. But who is he, exactly?

A good question for another time, given what transpired in The Last Jedi. But one thing we can tell you with absolute certainty is that Snoke is not a Sith Lord, as that thousand-year lineage between Darth Bane and Vader came to an end when the latter killed off his corrupted mentor, Darth Sidious – otherwise known as the great and powerful Emperor Palpatine.

That’s a piece of intel that was buried within the pages of Pablo Hidalgo’s Visual Dictionary, which released in tandem with Star Wars: The Last Jedi. In it, Hidalgo cites a prophecy that “foretold the end of the Sith,” even if evil continues to persist in the galaxy. As Snoke said in The Last Jedi: “Darkness rises…and light to meet it.

‘Tis the season for festive cheer, eggnog and hour-long debates about Star Wars. Wait, what?

On a more serious note, if you’ve been searching across the galaxy Internet to find a Christmas present for the Star Wars lover in your life, may we recommend The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi? It’s a newly-unveiled tome of concept art and design schematics that helps shed light on all those tireless artists who poured their heart and soul into Star Wars: The Last Jedi, resulting in one of 2017’s highest-grossing movies. And things are just getting started.

To give you a small sample of Phil Szostak’s companion piece, Cbm has now unearthed a truckload of never-before-seen concept art which shows alternate designs for Phasma, Snoke and the mercurial Kylo Ren. There’s one or two nods to The Last Jedi‘s deleted scenes as well, which isn’t...

Whoa! Adam Driver's Kylo Ren almost had a shockingly different look in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The dude almost ended up rocking a completely bald head! 

The concept art that you see here comes from the book, The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Phil Szostak, which features a ton of other concept art that was created for the film. Some of that included some early concept art of Geroge Lucas' vision of the Jedi Temple, which you can check out here.

I imagine that Kylo Ren might have shaved his head during one of his fits of rage. I could see him doing something like this after he smashes his helmet to pieces after he was rebuked by Snoke. One of the main themes in the film was the concept of destroying the past and starting over with a fresh clean slate. Shaving off that...

Well, this a must buy! StarWars.com has today announced plans to release The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens this December. Written by Phil Szostak, it apparently, "takes you from the earliest gathering of artists and production designers at Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco to the fever pitch of production at Pinewood Studios to the conclusion of postproduction at Industrial Light & Magic." In order to not reveal any spoilers, the book won't hit stores until December 18th, the same day the movie is released in North America. Featuring interviews with the creative team behind the movie, it promises never before seen, "works of art that include production paintings, concept sketches, storyboards, blueprints, and matte paintings." I want it, and I want it now. For now, enjoy the gorgeous cover art by the amazing Doug Chaing. ...