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Warning: This post contains Spoilers for What If...? season 3For all the success of the MCU era, there have been some dark days in Marvel's comic book movie past, and one of them just took an even darker turn thanks to the last major superhero release of 2024. Prior to the MCU, there were several attempts to adapt Marvel Comics, from the early age of serials, with 1940s adaptations for both Captain Marvel and Captain America through to the weirdness of the late 1970s Spider-Man and Captain America movies.

But it wasn't until the 1980s that studios started throwing real money behind Marvel rights, well before Sam Raimi's Spider-Man and the original X-Men movies changed everything. It's something of a forgotten period for Marvel, but in 1986, George Lucas threatened to ruin the good name of Marvel with a movie so terrible that it belongs in a museum. I never thought I'd be writing this,...

Quick Links 'Return to Oz' Is a Bizarrely Delightful Dark Fantasy 'Return to Oz' Becomes an '80 Cult Classic Hollywood Can't Get Enough of the Timeless Tale

As moviegoers all across the world celebrate the highly-buzzed about premiere of the dazzling musical Wicked, many are still riding high on the excitement surrounding the star-studded adaptation. For those who want to keep the fun and magic going, there is no shortage of previous Hollywood adaptations to binge-watch and enjoy in either preparation or as a follow-up to the show-stopping picture.

In 1985, one of cinema's more misunderstood reimaginings of the classic L. Frank Baum novels hit the big screen, with Fairuza Balk tackling the iconic role of Dorothy Gale in Return to Oz. The dark fantasy focuses on the young insomniac Dorothy as she once again returns to the Land of Oz to try and save both her...

Warning: This article discusses topics of sexual assault, racism, and violence.

There are plenty of amazing 80s sci-fi movies, but some havent aged well. The 1980s is a brilliant decade for cinema, and titles from this time are generally some of the best movies of all time. Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, and Friday the 13th are just a few of the greatest franchises from the era, and each of them has changed the film industry forever. Science fiction is a particularly prominent genre from the 80s, a time full of hope and potential for the future.

However, some movies arent up to standard. Although they are a product of their time, some of these films have aged awfully and are now criticized for things like inappropriate storylines, offensive stereotypes, and poor special effects. Even a selection of the best 1980s sci-fi movies, while timeless classics, aged badly in certain ways.

The Star Wars franchise has come a long way from just being another fantasy world filled with fictional characters set in fictional lands. It is a world of fiction yet one that has deep emotional themes of friendship, love, hope, courage, and more. A fictional world yet deeply rooted in reality, there are several memorable events that fans have come to deeply resonate with.

The Star Wars franchise. | PC: StarWars.com.

While most such scenes can be attributed to the writers or directors, some scenes came to life thanks to the artistic creativity and emotional understanding of the actors. One scene, in particular, involving Tom Rose’s Admiral Ackbar in The Return of the Jedi happened because the actor refused to have the director have his way, which led to Richard Marquand losing his cool.

When Tim Rose Refused to Film One Star Wars Scene

Actor Tim Rose [PC: nm5640306 autoGage Skidmore...

Quick Links Who Is Howard The Duck, and When Did He First Appear? Howard the Duck's Quirkiness Made Him Offbeat and More Appealing Did George Lucas Regret Not Being Involved in More Marvel Experiences?

Fans of fantasy and sci-fi the world over almost lost out on the legend that George Lucas became as the creator of Star Wars and all the success he went on to have as a filmmaker. That's because he almost became a professional race car driver until a serious accident caused him to go into filmmaking instead. Thankfully, it all worked out, and he became an icon for sci-fi geeks everywhere. By the '80s, Lucas had already established himself with the enormous success of the first two Star Wars films and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Those three films alone instantly propelled him to iconic status and made him one of the most famous filmmakers in the world.

Stars: Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, Matt Clark, Michael Sundin, Tim Rose, Mak Wilson, Stephen Norrington, Justin Case, John Alexander, Deep Roy, Emma Ridley | Written by Walter Murch, Gill Dennis, L. Frank Baum | Directed by Walter Murch

According to Roger Ebert, Walter Murch is “the most respected film editor and sound designer in the modern cinema.” Across a career spanning over 50-years, including multiple Academy Award wins from nine nominations, he has only two directorial credits to his name. The second is a fourth-season episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which was preceded over 25 years before by the only feature he directed; Return to Oz.

After her adventures in the Land of Oz, Dorothy Gale (Fairuza Balk) remains obsessed with the locale that she previously visited. Out of a fear that their niece is experiencing delusions, Dorothy’s aunt and uncle take her away to a sanitorium.

You know the laugh. You know the beady little eyes and floppy ears. The little Kowakian monkey-lizard Salacious B. Crumb may have been on the wrong side of things in 1983's "Star Wars: Episode IV — Return of the Jedi," but somehow Jabba the Hutt's tiny jester has become a fan favorite over the years. To be fair, he always was. The diminutive cackler was the talk of the playground when I was little, and rightly so.

In case you have somehow managed to exist in the world without seeing this film (and I know there are some of you out there), Salacious B. Crumb is perched at Jabba's side in the film as the crime lord baits a mostly blind Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and captures Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), chaining her to his side. Crumb helps with the mockery by repeating things Jabba says, and his laugh is ... well,...

40 years ago, "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" hit theaters, bringing the original trilogy to a conclusion and putting a bookend on one of the most significant events in pop culture history. Yes, we got plenty of Luke, Han, Leia, and Darth Vader in the movie, but we also got plenty of new characters for fans to obsess over. Jabba the Hutt, Mon Mothma, Wicket the Ewok, Nien Nunb, and even Jabba's weird little right-hand alien companion Salacious Crumb, to an extent. Arguably, however, the greatest of the new characters introduced in "Episode VI" was none other than Admiral Ackabar, the Rebellion leader who helped take down the second Death Star, putting an end to Palpatine's reign.

For so many of us, Ackbar's name carries some weight. Even those who aren't all that into "Star Wars" will undoubtedly connect him with the infamous line immortally uttered by the brown-skinned amphibious alien: "It's a trap!

Jabba the Hutt defines "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi." A massive alien creature puppet made by staff who cut their teeth on "The Dark Crystal," he took "four tons of clay" to produce (per J.W. Rinzler's "The Making of Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi") and was barely finished in time for the film. Puppeteer Toby Philpott called him "probably the most expensive puppet that's ever been made" in the Jabba-centric documentary "Slimy Piece of Worm-Ridden Filth." His Tatooine palace set saw the "Star Wars" production staff aiming to outdo the famous Cantina scene in "A New Hope." So garish was his environs that the production staff paid to obtain rare frogs for the set, so that Jabba could pretend to eat plastic versions of them. 

To some, Jabba was an inconvenience. To others, he was an inspiration. But perhaps nobody else on set had a relationship...

In this edition of Star Wars Bits:

Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023."Star Wars: The Bad Batch" reviews and breakdowns."Star Wars Galaxy of Creatures" is back!Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023

Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 announced more guests attending the convention, which will be held April 7-10, 2023, at ExCeL London. Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca), and Ming-Na Wen (Fennec Shand) will be in attendance. Joining them are Aidan Cook (Doctor Quadpaw), Silas Carson (Ki-Adi-Mundi and Nute Gunray), and Matthew Wood (General Grievous). 

Also, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," you can expect many cast members from the film to be in attendance, including Michael Carter (Bib Fortuna), Sean Crawford (Yak Face), Tim Dry (J'Quille), Femi Taylor (Oola), Mike Edmonds (Logray), Mike Quinn (Nien Nunb), Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar), and Caroline Blakiston (Mon Mothma).

Previously...

On this date, 35 years ago, the world was changed forever.

Howard The Duck, the first feature film to be adapted from a Marvel comic was unleashed upon the world on August 1st, 1986, leading to decades of beloved blockbusters that would —

Oh wait, just kidding. It took a few more decades, and some much better movies, until the MCU engulfed the industry.

One of the craziest non-blockbusters ever produced, Howard The Duck was optioned and developed with mega-franchise aspirations. Howard The Duck is a film so uncomfortably weird that, even now, it must be seen to be believed, though I’ll do my best to discuss its relative non-charms here.

Written, directed and produced by the creative team behind the much-better American Graffiti (1974), Howard The Duck landed with a thud at the domestic box office in the summer of 1986. Critics weren’t much kinder. The film currently sits at a 14% “Tomatometer...

Luke Skywalker wasn’t the only one who perished during the throes of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, you know; another key member of the Resistance fell at the hands of the First Order.

His name? Admiral ‘it’s a trap!’ Ackbar, though it’s fair to say that a number of Star Wars fans felt Ackbar was given short shrift, and was ultimately brushed aside without much care and consideration. Turns out they’re not alone, as Tim Rose himself felt somewhat disappointed by his send-off from The Last Jedi, recalling the moment when he was actually in tears following his final scene in the Ackbar suit, only to be undermined by Rian Johnson.

In a candid chat with Jamie Stangroom (h/t EpicStream), Rose shared the following:

We finished all of our bits and they asked me to come down to camera. And I thought, ‘Oh well, maybe...

When we think of the stars of Star Wars, we think of the obvious ones whose faces we have seen through the films and through the years. But there are so many behind the scenes and inside the costumes who don’t always get their fair due. In a recent video interview online, YouTuber Jamie Stangroom sat down with Tim Rose, the actor and puppeteer that brought us Admiral Ackbar as well as the pet of Jabba the Hutt, Salacious Crumb.

In the interview, Rose told the story about working on Return of the Jedi, on the day they shot the scene where Leia frees Han Solo from the carbonite on Tattooine. When Solo was freed, Leia kissed him, and the curtains were pulled back to reveal Jabba the Hutt and his followers, who were instructed to yell and chant, “We saw you kissing!” This was upsetting to Harrison Ford,...

Admiral Ackbar actor Tim Rose is revealing some of his Star Wars secrets. Rose acted and did puppeteer work on the original trilogy, along with The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Apparently, he and Harrison Ford had a bit of a misunderstanding on the Return of the Jedi set, which nearly got him fired. Rose also broke his silence on the death of Admiral Ackbar and how he feels about the whole situation.

While working in Return of the Jedi, Tim Rose also played Salacious Crumb, Jabba the Hutt's little Kowakian monkey sidekick with the mischievous laugh. They were shooting the scene where Leia breaks in and saves Han Solo from his carbonite prison. After he's out, the two characters kiss, which caused Jabba and his audience to shout, "We saw you kissing!" over and over again. This apparently was not a good thing for Harrison Ford. Rose explains.

Recent Star Wars movies have seen plenty of fan favorites bite the dust as several beloved characters from the original films have been killed off in heartbreaking ways. While many may consider the shocking murder of Han Solo or the unexpected death of Luke Skywalker to be the most tragic in the series, Tim Rose sounds like he disagrees.

The Admiral Ackbar puppeteer expressed his thoughts on the veteran commander’s death in Star Wars: The Last Jedi in a recent interview, saying:

“After The Force Awakens — for whatever reason, length of picture, whatever — it all got cut out. So after waiting 30 years to reprise Ackbar I was a little disappointed with Ackbar’s role in that picture. So in The Last Jedi, I was quite looking forward to maybe them giving him something more juicy. We were only given the script on the day when we were shooting that piece of script,...

We've known from the get-go that Admiral Ackbar would be returning in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Now we have our first official look at his new costume as he prepares to take on the First Order yet again. This latest image arrives with a massive stack of photos featuring new and returning Star Wars favorites. The promotional art comes from the Star Wars Topps Card Trader app, as well as Fathead and Advanced Graphics. Wdwnt gathered them all up in one easy to peruse place, and you can now check them all out below.

Tim Rose, who plays Admiral Ackbar, was confirmed to be returning in Star Wars: The Last Jedi in February of 2016, as guest appearances at certain Comic Book events were canceled due to his shooting. Tim Rose will be back behind the animatronic mask, and doing the body acting for Ackbar. He had a small role in The Force Awakens.

Yesterday, Hasbro held their own New York Comic-Con panel where the company unveiled their new toys from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. One of these toys was of particular interest to many fans, since it gave us another look at the new Mon Calimari character, who we now know is named Admiral Raddus. While there still isn't too much we know about this character, a few new details did surface.

Fans got their first look at this character during a sizzle reel that debuted at Star Wars Celebration back in July. It wasn't known what the character's name was at the time, but it was clear that this creature was a Mon Calimari, the same species as the beloved Admiral Ackbar. Then in August, StarWars.com posted an article that listed a few things fans may not know about the Mon Calimari, with Star Wars Story Group's Pablo Hidalgo offering some new details,...

Exclusive: Agatha Christie is finally headed back to the big screen. Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Stefanie Martini, Terence Stamp and Honor Kneafsey are joining Max Irons and Glenn Close to star in an upcoming adaptation of Christie's whodunit Crooked House, which has started shooting in and around London. Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Sarah's Key) will direct the ensemble cast from a script written by Downton Abbey and Gosford Park writer Julian Fellowes, Tim Rose…...

The next two live-action Star Wars movies are currently shooting and are at various points in the production process, but that being the case, we are getting a steady stream of details from all kinds of varied sources. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is currently undergoing reshoots, prepping for the December release, and Rian Johnson is getting near wrapping principal photography on Episode VIII. As such, there is a lot of new merchandise in the works, and as we know, Star Wars merch can be very revealing.

A new listing on Entertainment Earth has revealed a couple of new Hot Wheels two packs, which feature two different Star Wars ships in each package. At least one of the packages appears to be including a new vehicle called the "Starship Raven," but it is the more familiar vehicles that may be more interesting and revealing. One of the packages is...

Erik Bauersfeld, the voice of iconic "Star Wars" character Admiral Ackbar, has passed away at the age of 93. The actor and accomplished radio dramatist died Sunday morning at his home in Berkeley.

Tim Rose physically played the character in both "Return of the Jedi" and the recent "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," but Bauersfeld provided the voice in both movies along with the voice of the character Bib Fortuna in "Return of the Jedi".

His career also included other films such as the voice of Gardener in Steven Spielberg's "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" and several unspecified voices for Guillermo del Toro's "Crimson Peak".

Source: THR...

The Star Wars franchise lost a beloved figure over the weekend, with actor Erik Bauersfeld, who voiced Admiral Ackbar, passing away at the age of 93. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed through Derek Maki, Erik Bauersfeld's manager, that the actor died Sunday morning at his home in Berkeley, California. While he was also an accomplished radio dramatist, he will be most remembered for voicing the Mon Calimari Rebel commander Admiral Ackbar, and his iconic line "It's a trap!"

Tim Rose Physically played Admiral Ackbar in both Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi and the current blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which has taken in over $2 billion at the box office. But the character's voice was provided by Erik Bauersfeld in both movies. He also voiced Bib Fortuna, one of Jabba the Hut's employees in Return of the Jedi, while voicing Admiral Ackbar in the 1993 flight simulator video game Star Wars: X-Wing.

Erik Bauersfeld, best known for giving voice to Admiral Ackbar’s iconic line in “Return of the Jedi” — “It’s a trap!” — died Sunday. He was 93. The actor’s manager, Derek Maki, told TheWrap that Bauersfeld died of natural causes at his home in Berkeley, California. Bauersfeld played the voice of Admiral Ackbar — who was physically performed by puppeteer Tim Rose — three times, in the films “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens,” as well as the “Star Wars” video game “X-Wing.” Also Read: Margaret 'Maggie' Blye, 'Italian Job' Actress, Dies at 73 He also has vocal credits in “Crimson Peak” and “A.

X-Wing pilot Nein Nunb has not run his last mission yet. The popular side character is expected to return in Star Wars: Episode VIII after having helped blow up the Starkiller Base in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The actor behind Nein Nunb, Mike Quinn, has had to cancel a con appearance so he can be on set this February.

We announced earlier this week that both Tim Rose, who plays Admiral Ackbar, and Peter Mayhew, who plays the legendary wookie Chewbacca, had to pull out of PensaCon to shoot a secret project, which is undoubtably Star Wars: Episode VIII. Now comes word that Mike Quinn is also needed back on set. This is the official statement from PensaCon.

"So, more bad news this morning. Mike Quinn has to cancel his appearance as well. A certain movie is calling..."

As one of the Resistance pilots who didn't die during the raid on the Starkiller Base,...

While we know that most of the new cast from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is returning for Star Wars: Episode VIII, we haven't heard about some of the more iconic secondary characters from the original trilogy who returned for this new sequel. We now have word that Admiral Ackbar is most likely going to be making his third appearance in a Star Wars live-action movie.

A number of Resistance&#160actors from Star Wars: The Force Awakens were scheduled to appear at the upcoming Pensacon. But two of these actors have had to pull out at the last minute. One of them was expected. As we saw at the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Chewbacca and R2-D2 accompanied Rey to Luke Skywalker's secluded retreat, where the action will pick back up in Star Wars: Episode VIII. So it makes sense that Chewbacca will be a big part of this story.

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In the Special Editions, the Rebo Band were big victims of George Lucas' digital wand. Here's how CGI changed them - seemingly forever...

In 1997, Star Wars began its ineluctable turn to the digital side. A New Hope, re-released in January that year, marked the first of George Lucas’s Special Edition revamps of his blockbuster saga; then 20 years old, the original 70s print was decaying. Effects shots were damaged. Darth Vader’s once imposing black mask and cloak had faded to a wan shade of pale blue.

To combat the ravages of time, Lucas embarked on an expensive and lavish restoration of the movies, improving the quality of the sound, re-balancing and correcting the colours and placing them back where they belonged: on the big screen. While fans were delighted at the prospect of seeing Star Wars in theatres again, Lucas’ reissues didn’t stop at...

Happy Halloween, dear readers! Whether you’ll be out trick-or-treating, at home giving out candy, going to parties, or something else entirely, I hope you enjoy the holiday. Now, let’s take a look at the official trailer for the biggest movie of the rest of the year, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

Premise: The Force Awakens is set approximately thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983), and features new leads Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) alongside characters returning from the previous Star Wars films.

My take: I love Star Wars, I’m excited for this, let’s get into it.

0:08-0:16: Rey (Daisy Ridley) exploring what is presumably the wrecked Star Destroyer we saw in the second teaser. Her protective gear is reminiscent of both the Tusken Raiders/Sand People and Leia’s bounty hunter...

The Force will be strong in Los Angeles when it hosts the world premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The City of Angels will be transformed into a galaxy far, far away on December 14 as Jj Abrams and his cast attend a special screening, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

New Star Wars Bb-8 toy from Hasbro reveals surprising Force Awakens dark side

If your starship is stationed across the pond, remain calm. A London premiere and other events around the world will take place after the La event.

Lucasfilm and Disney's decision to debut the film in Los Angeles is a bit of a trade-off for Us Star Wars fans, since the movie will officially open first in France on December 16 and the UK on December 17.

It's a trap! Original actor Tim Rose confirms Admiral Ackbar's return in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Those in the Us...

Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Belle," "Beyond the Lights") has reportedly joined the casting mix for Rian Johnson's upcoming "Star Wars Episode VIII".

Latino Review broke the story which says that she's actually already auditioned for the film, and joins a shortlist that includes Tatiana Maslany ("Orphan Black"), Gina Rodriguez ("Jane the Virgin") and Olivia Cooke ("Ouija").

There's a twist though. The site says these actresses are all being considered for not one but two major roles in the film, meaning maybe two of those names might be scoring one hell of a new screen credit in the near future.

This follows on from a report earlier this week that Mbatha-Raw's name recently made the shortlist for the female lead in "Robin Hood: Origins" starring Taron Egerton.

Some filming on "Star Wars: Episode VIII" has already taken place, but the majority of the shoot is expected to happen early next year ahead of a May 2017 release.

Admiral Ackbar, who was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, has become one of the more popular side characters over the years despite only one movie appearance to date. He helped win the raid on the second Death Star. And he's notorious for saying 'It's a trap!' A line of dialogue that has been uttered by others in the franchise, but never with such gusto. It's no secret that director J.J. Abrams is bringing the character back in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But what many may not know yet is that the same actor will be reprising this high ranking Mon Calamari rebel. And certain aspects of the production just don't sit right with the longtime puppeteer.

At this time, there are still very few plot details that we know about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And an official synopsis has yet to be released.

Could this be. a trap? J.J. Abrams brought the "Big Three" back for his Star Wars: The Force Awakens, finding room for Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. But now we are hearing of another Original Trilogy icon who.s expected to return. That.s right, Admiral Ackbar will have a role in the first Star Wars movie in years. Tim Rose originally portrayed Ackbar in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. He was speaking with The Australian about the upcoming The Force Awakens, and revealed that he will have a role in Abrams. sequel. However, when asked about details, he admitted . as you might expect . that he couldn.t say anything. and that basically pisses him off. Rose vented: I'm very frustrated by that. Out of the need to be secret, we're not actually able to get everything we need to do our jobs as well as...

Yes, it's true: Admiral Ackbar will return for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as confirmed by the original actor, Tim Rose, who will play the space crustacean once again.

Speaking to Aap Sydney, Rose has let slip his cameo, though he's not that pleased about all this secrecy malarky LucasFilm are insisting on.

"I'm very frustrated by [the secrecy on the film]," he said. "Out of the need to be secret, we're not actually able to get everything we need to do our jobs as well as we could, and as someone who has been doing it for 35 years, I find it very frustrating."

Famed for his fear-inducing catchphrase "It's a trap!", Ackbar was first seen on screen in Return of the Jedi, commanding from his Mon Calamari cruiser Home One.

That's right, the extra-terrestrial shrimp species are called the "Mon Calamari", and there's nothing you can do about it (except ask for some...

One of the funnest parts of Guardians of the Galaxy was when Howard the Duck showed up at the end for his post-credit cameo. No one was expecting it, and fans loved to see the talking space mallard return from obscurity. Ever since, there have been murmurs that Marvel might actually make a standalone Howard the Duck movie sometime in the future. Someone who absolutely agrees with that idea is producer of the original 1986 movie George Lucas.

Howard the Duck was one of the biggest bombs of the 80s. Though, it has since grown a pretty healthy cult audience. Speaking with Stephen Colbert about the calamity that was the 1986 Howard the Duck, George Lucas places all the blame on the costume, but goes onto say that he 'believes' Marvel will bring the duck back for his own solo adventure:

"You can't put a dwarf in a duck suit and make it work.

Feature James Clayton 2 May 2014 - 06:25

What could the much-anticipated May the 4th Star Wars announcement reveal? James makes a few tongue-in-cheek predictions...

Laugh it up, fuzzball! Time for a celebration, it is. Cantina Band music and Ewok dancing, there must be. Movie screenings, mock lightsaber fights and cosplay events, we shall have. Yes, hmmm, talk like Yoda we will for on Sunday it shall be May 4th so, yes hrrrrm, Intergalactic Star Wars Day it is and - dropping the annoying Yoda-speak now - it's one of the most important annual dates on the geek culture calendar.

"May the Fourth be with you!" It's a lispy homophonic pun on "May the Force be with you". I hope you see how that works and are going to have a moment celebrating the saga on Sunday. If you are, I embrace you as a fellow Star Wars fan and send an...

Started in 2008, the Star Wars Fan Fun Day is an event for Star Wars fans by Star Wars fans. Held at Burnley Football Club, the event has grown from strength to strength, with last years fun day seeing attendance rise to 2000 people (which given the size of the facilities at Burnley Fc is a heck of a lot of people) and best of all, it’s an event enjoyed by both die hard fans and families alike – plus it has raised thousands of pounds for charity.

This years guest list has been announced and includes:

Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) Kenny Baker (R2D2) Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar) Michael Carter (Bib Fortuna) Tim Dry (Whippid) Sean Crawford (Yak Face) Jerome Blake (Orn Free Taa) Lewis MacLeod (Sebulba) John Morton (Dak Ralter) Stephen Costantino (Gammorean Guard) Bonnie Piesse (Beru Whitesun) Nathalie Cox (Juno Eclipse)

Also taking placece at Swffd 2014 will be dealers...

The venerable PBS series American Masters — deep-dish documentary portraits of American artists — has a tradition of healthy eclecticism, incorporating select figures from popular culture into its generally highbrow mix. In the years since the series began in 1985, its subjects have included such diverse pop giants as Woody Allen, the Doors, Clint Eastwood, Annie Leibovitz, Marvin Gaye, Jeff Bridges, and Johnny Carson. (Just last night, the series re-broadcast Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ marvelous 1998 documentary about Lou Reed.) That said, the notion of American Masters devoting an episode to Jimi Hendrix, the guitar visionary of purple blues-rock psychedelia, has an almost mischievously counterintuitive ring.

Doctor Who's Russell T. Davies and Phil Ford have a new series coming to the U.S. on the Hub Network called Wizards Vs. Aliens. It's set to debut this Saturday with a two-part episode at 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. Et. After that, new episodes will air at 7:30 p.m. Et on Saturdays.

The series "centers on a 16-year-old wizard (Scott Haran, Upstairs Downstairs) and his best friend (Percelle Ascott, Mandem on the Wall) who embark on a dark crusade to save the world against Nekross, an alien race determined to drain the world of magic. The show also stars Annette Badland (Doctor Who), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Michael Higgs (EastEnders), Jefferson Hall (Vikings), and Tim Rose (Star Wars), among others."

Sounds like a really fun show that I can watch with the kids. The series has already been going strong in the U.K., where...

British actor Ashley Charles is set to play Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richard in "All Is By My Side," which is a Jimi Hendrix biopic starring Andre 3000 (Four Brothers) and directed by John Ridley ("Barbershop"). The film is currently shooting in Dublin. Hayley Atwell (Captain America) plays Linda Keith, Keith Richards' girlfriend, who discovered Hendrix performing in a nightclub and claimed to have given Hendrix Richards' Fender Stratocaster guitar and his demo of Tim Rose singing "Hey Joe," which became Hendrix's first hit. Meanwhile, Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) has cast the role of Osama Bin Laden in her "Zero Dark Thirty" film, which recounts the killing of the Al-Qaeda leader. At one point it was rumored that Bin Laden will not be shown in the film, but now comes word that British actor Ricky Sekhon is playing him.

British actor Ashley Charles will play Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards in Darko Entertainment's All Is By My Side, the Jimi Hendrix biopic directed by John Ridley that is shooting in Dublin. Photos: Scores That Rock: 10 Musicians Who Crossed Over to Movies Newcomer Charles joins an experienced cast including Andre 3000 as Hendrix, Imogen Poots (Fright Night) and Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger). Atwell plays Linda Keith, Keith Richards' girlfriend, who discovered Hendrix performing in a nightclub and claimed to have given Hendrix Richards' Fender Stratocaster and his demo of Tim Rose singing "Hey Joe," which

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Julie Andrews, Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode and Gabriel Byrne will star in director Neil Labute's adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Crooked House," reports Variety . Julian Fellowes and Tim Rose will write the script for the film based on the novel, which is described as follows: In the sprawling, half-timbered mansion in the affluent suburb of Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides lies dead from barbiturate poisoning. An accident? Not likely. In fact, suspicion has already fallen on his luscious widow, a cunning beauty fifty years his junior, set to inherit a sizeable fortune, and rumored to be carrying on with a strapping young tutor comfortably ensconced in the family estate. But criminologist Charles Hayward is casting his own doubts on the innocence of the entire Leonides...

Fantasy worlds are colliding in a town shopping centre this weekend.

Actors from Star Wars, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Avatar and The Chronicles of Narnia will descend on The Harvey Centre in Harlow, Essex, this bank holiday for its second Comic Book and Sci-Fi Weekend.

Visitors will be able to collect a free comic and meet Stormtroopers who will be on hand to greet fans and collect for their nominated charity, the Nspcc.

Guests include Kai Owen (Rhys Williams in Torchwood), Shane Rangi (The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar, Lord of the Rings), Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok in Star Wars Return of the Jedi, Professor Flitwick in Harry Potter) and R2D2 actor Kenny Baker.

Also there are Scott Capurro (Beed in Star Wars Episode One), Colin Baker (pictured above, the 6th Doctor Who) and Tim Rose, Mike Edmonds and Nick Briggs who have supplied the voices of the Daleks and Cybermen in Doctor Who,...