News

Rumors continue to heat up for the first Star Wars film released in theaters in over five years. The Mandalorian and Grogu movie is set to premiere in the summer of 2026. One rumor and question are whether Katee Sackoff will reprise her role of Bo-Katan Kryze in the film.

The actress has portrayed the character in both live action and voiced her on various series for the franchise. She has been a hit with the fanbase and starred alongside Pedro Pascal in Season 3 of The Mandalorian series.

The actress thus far has not given much out in terms of whether or not she will appear in the upcoming movie. When asked at an Indiana Comic Panel about a possible return, Collider shared Sackoff's response.

"I have not been in the armor in 2025," said the actress. Though, it was reported that she had a big grin on her face when she made the statement.

The White Lotus Season 3 had another shocking moment in Episode 4: Jason Isaac's character (indecently) exposed himself in a scene. When pressed for answers, Isaacs explained why he didn't want to describe that on-screen nudity in detail.

During an interview with CBS Mornings, Jason Isaacs was asked if he wore a prosthetic for his nude scene in The White Lotus Season 3. His character Timothy Ratliff unwittingly exposed himself (while under the influence) in Episode 4, "Hide or Seek." The moment left nothing to the imagination, and Isaacs joked that it caused online debate. Isaacs sidestepped requests to describe the experience in detail, however. "It is a dodge, because I don't think that people really wanna know how the sausage is made," he said.

Isaacs explained his stance when pressed for a response. "Well, I'll tell you why. Because the Best Actress this year was Mikey Madison at the Oscars,...

Star Trek and Star Wars are two of the most popular sci-fi franchises. While the former was the first to appear on small screens with The Original Series, the latter made the genre popular with its groundbreaking special effects and blockbuster storytelling. The popularity of Star Wars even led Star Trek to be revived and several other spinoffs were developed.

Although there have been several films, Star Trek is usually considered to be best made for TV or in the long-form format. Star Wars too has branched out to streaming with its Disney+ offerings, with shows like The Mandalorian and Andor gaining success. With both franchises spanning wide, naturally there will be some actors crossing over.

1. George Takei Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek | Credits: Paramount Network

George Takei is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series. Sulu was the helmsman of the USS...

As a prequel trilogy kid, I adore Star Wars stories that portray the Jedi as flawed individuals while breaking down the systemic issues of how and why the Order fell. However, I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea. After all, Star Wars is a mythology. As a modern myth, these kinds of stories are built on lessons of redemption, hope, and love overcoming great evils.

Recent Star Wars series like Andor and Star Wars Resistance might have few to no Force users. The Acolyte explores flawed Jedi individuals and the beginning of the Jedi Order's downfall in the prequel trilogy. Where are the stories where the Jedi are heroes? Where is the Order itself a force of good?

Here are 10 places in Star Wars (both canon and some fun extras thrown in) where the Jedi are heroes and the Order is good.

1. The Original Trilogy "Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill...

One of the most fascinating things about Star Wars: Visions to me is that none of the studios collaborate with each other. And yet despite this, over the course of two seasons, there are certain themes that rise up among the different shorts. For example, in season one, all the shorts were from Japanese studios. With Star Wars heavily influenced by Akira Kurosawa films, it wasn’t a surprise that many of the shorts focused on the lightsaber and its importance.

Star Wars: Visions season two is no exception, as many different themes bubbled to the surface. One in particular that stood out to me was the bond of family. Found family is always prominent in Star Wars throughout the entire franchise. But when it comes to these shorts, there is a focus on blood relations and the community around them, which isn’t as common.

“In the Stars” was the first of these,...

With season two of Star Wars: Visions coming in 2023, I wanted to look back at each short from season one and celebrate why they’re great. This is Visions Remembered.

Lop and Ochō from Geno Studio is the one episode that reminds me the most of the Star Wars animation we’re used to. Maybe because the story and setting scream both Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars Resistance in different ways. The story and characters are very Rebels while the settings have the same breathtaking, stylized beauty of Resistance as its saturated with gorgeous colors. It feels so familiar to my animation-loving heart that it does make me wonder if the creators of this short were fans of those shows too.

Lop is also a bit of a first. Outside of the Forces of Destiny web series on YouTube, this is the first time we’ve really had a Lepi on screen.

With season two of Star Wars: Visions coming in 2023, I wanted to look back at each short from season one and celebrate why they’re great. This is Visions Remembered.

Astro Boy is considered one of Japan’s most iconic anime series. It’s often considered the first successful anime in the United States to help the rise of the medium in Western cultures. So it’s no surprise that one of the Star Wars: Visions shorts would pay homage to the series with To-B1. And of course, there are plenty of nods to Mega Man too in there too!

Like The Twins and The Elder both from Studio Trigger, I like watching To-B1 back to back with a later entry in this series being Akakiri. That’s because they’re both from studio Science Saru. It shows the range of the studio by showcasing the more cute side of...

With season two of Star Wars: Visions coming in 2023, I wanted to look back at each short from season one and celebrate why they’re great. This is Visions Remembered.

The Duel is the perfect opener for Star Wars: Visions. Not just for the fans of anime, but it’s really made everyone else who never dipped their toe into the medium. When everyday people think of Japan or anime, I’m sure one of the first things that come to their mind are samurai. Opening Star Wars: Visions with a Star Wars version of a classic Ronin story eases an everyday audience into what to expect from anime before it veers into different kinds of anime genres. Maybe The Village Bride or The Elder could have been successful as first entries too, but The Duel does a fantastic job capturing what an average audience probably expects out of something from Japan short of Godzilla,...

Star Wars: Visions is back later this year for Season 3, and we got our first look at one of the shorts.

Revealed on the Annecy Film Festival website, via ScreenRant and Catsuka, the short titled "Black" will be directed by One Piece and Studio Ghibli legend Shinya Ohira. The summary for the short says it's "A psychedelic battle between the past and the present, light and darkness, life and death, rages in the tormented psyche of an imperial soldier close to defeat."

We also got the first look at "Black," shared on Catsuka's Twitter account.

Legendary japanese animator Shinya Ohira is directing an animated short called "Black" for the next season of "Star Wars: Visions", and here is the first image. https://t.co/2ydKatOt71 pic.twitter.com/Z9Cu5zOKMU

— Catsuka (@catsuka) March 17, 2025

Visions is my favorite piece of Star Wars ever made, and I am stoked to see...

Katee Sackhoff has portrayed Bo-Katan Kryze in both live-action and animated projects for nearly 10 years, and she’s finally pulling back the curtain on the challenges of doing so. Sackhoff first stepped into the role of the Mandalorian warrior in Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 4, Episode 14 “A Friend in Need,” and she has since put on the helmet in Star Wars: Rebels and in the second and third seasons of The Mandalorian. It remains unclear if she will show up in The Mandalorian & Grogu next year, but during a recent panel at Indiana Comic Con where Collider’s Maggie Lovitt was in the audience, Sackhoff spoke about some challenges of playing a character in live-action after previously only voicing them from inside a booth:...

I've been thoroughly enjoying going through Season 1 of Star Wars Resistance with my young daughter Brooklyn. We recently just finished the 16th episode "The New Trooper," and she had some opinions to share.

Brooklyn has caught onto several things as she continues to watch the show. When we were watching "Secret and Holograms," she laughed when Torra's pet Buggles did anything funny. She also was very hopeful that Kaz would be able to spy properly, telling him to hide under the desk.

She also became very interested in the character Synara San, who is currently working under cover for the pirates. Brooklyn has shared in the past and continues to hope that she hopes Synrara will become good throughout the episodes we have watched. She also thinks Kazuda "Kaz" Xiono has a crush on Synara.

Towards the end of Synara's first arc on the show, Brooklyn thinks that the pirate...

Andor Season 2 premieres in just a few weeks, and creator Tony Gilroy is a busy man with multiple appearances as promotion ramps up.

During a Star Wars official questions and answers session with fans on YouTube, Gilroy admitted feeling pressure to deliver in Season 2, as he believes Andor has set the bar quite high.

Via ScreenRant, Gilroy said, "Holy crap, we put the bar down here, and we're gonna get crushed if we don't deliver," while discussing possible fan backlash should Season 2 disappoint. Taking it a bit further, Gilroy added, "You see all the other shows, you see other shows where people had trouble sticking the landing, and you're like, 'Oh, my god, we have to,' like, so there's a new pressure."

The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and The Magistrate (Diana Lee Inosanto) in Lucasfilm's The Mandalorian, season two, exclusively on Disney+. © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

The ScreenRant...

Andor Season 2 is due to return on Disney+ in April 2025. The first season revealed the history of Cassian Andor, the Rebel Alliance spy who worked with Jyn Erso to steal the Death Star plans in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Season 2 is set to continue Cassian's story, following him right up to the events of Rogue One and revealing how he rises through the ranks of the Rebellion. The first season introduced Cassian as a thief, living with his adoptive mother on Ferrix, until he met Luthen Rael. After buying a stolen Imperial Starpath Unit from Cassian, Luthen recruited him for his first rebel mission.

In addition to Cassian himself, the first season of Andor explored the stories of several characters with important roles to play in the early Rebellion. Luthen Rael was one of the most notable, but he was joined by some more familiar faces. The...

The Star Wars franchise is known for giving some actors their most famous roles, making them synonymous with their onscreen counterparts. As a result, these actors often find it hard to continue their acting careers outside the franchise, with some even opting to step away from the profession. However, for Freddie Prinze Jr, it was a different role that led him to quit acting.

Freddie Prinze Jr voiced Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels (Credit: Lucasfilm).

During an interview, Prinze Jr discussed working with 24 star Kiefer Sutherland. However, the Star Wars Rebels actor admitted to not having a pleasant experience with the latter, citing it as one of the primary reasons he has had very few mainstream acting credits in the past decade. Here is why Freddie Prinze Jr decided to quit acting after working with Kiefer Sutherland.

Star Wars Rebels actor Freddie Prinze Jr admitted to quitting acting after...

March is Women's History Month, and it's a time to celebrate the female characters of the franchise. Star Wars is huge, and there are so many characters to choose from. From the mythical figures like Princess Leia and Ahsoka Tano to those based on real-world politics like Mon Mothma to the hundreds of characters in the books and comics, it's wonderful to see the franchise has come so far from just saving a single princess on the Death Star.

As it has always been my favorite medium, I wanted to focus on women of animation. Again, someone like Ahsoka could be an article on her own. All the main characters of any of the animated series, from Star Wars Rebels to The Bad Batch, would all be worthy of this list as they are considered some of the best of the best. But what about the underrated women? Characters that...

The character of Mon Mothma is essential not only to Andor, but also to Star Warsas a whole, and the journey she has taken is nothing short of transformative - especially for actor Genevieve O'Reilly. O'Reilly was first cast in the role of Mon Mothma in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, although all her scenes were sadly cut from the movie. Still, those Revenge of the Sith deleted scenes revealed how pivotal a character Mon really is, and it's something that has continued to manifest in her later Star Wars stories.

Speaking on an Andor livestream hosted by Star Wars, O'Reilly discussed how Mon Mothma has changed ever since she first stepped into the role. Having now portrayed Mon in projects such as Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and, of course, Andor, O'Reilly has not only brought Mon's journey to life through the years,...

For nine seasons spread across the course of almost a decade, 24 has ruled the screens and fans’ hearts with some of the most epic plotlines ever, with Kiefer Sutherland at the center of it as the leading protagonist Jack Bauer. Throughout its run, it picked up a lot of other actors and characters too, and Freddie Prinze Jr. was yet another one of them.

24. | Credits: Fox.

Playing a character among the lead cast, Prinze Jr. was a part of the smash-hit saga for one whole season—except that it all didn’t really pan out all too well for him: He openly confessed to hating working with Sutherland all the while trash-talking about his experience on the series. In fact, he hated it so much that he even claimed Vince McMahon was a better partner than Sutherland!

Freddie Prinze Jr. hated working on 24 with Kiefer Sutherland Sutherland and Prinze Jr.

Giancarlo Esposito is known universally as a bad guy - not that the actor himself is a bad person, though he’s got quite the acting repertoire of "bad guy" roles; Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, Stan Edgar in The Boys, Major Tom Neville in the too-short-lived Revolution and, recently, he played Sidewinder in Captain America: Brave New World.

For plenty of roles, he’s unlikely to come back, mostly due to character deaths. For one role in particular, Moff Gideon in the Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian, Esposito feels he should return to finish his character's journey, which Esposito feels isn’t quite over. Speaking to Empire, Esposito re-affirmed that his character could have survived what many would presume to be a certain death.

Introducing Moff Gideon as The Mandalorian's Main Villain

Moff Gideon was the big bad of the Star Wars spinoff, which had its first season...

“There’s always a little bit of truth in legends,” Ahsoka once said on “Star Wars: Rebels.”

That line was a little Easter Egg to fans to assuage them about how the pre-Disney takeover “Star Wars” stories — told in decades-worth of novels, comics, and video games — might still live on in the official canon. It also applies a bit to the show “Star Wars: Underworld,” George Lucas’s ambitious, but ultimately scrapped live-action TV series he was developing in the years after “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith” hit theaters in 2005.

Little bits of information have leaked about the show over the years. One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals. But now Rick McCallum, the producer best associated with the “Star Wars” prequels, who...

Quick LinksThe Bad Batch Perfectly Sets Up a Captain Rex SpinoffHow a Captain Rex Spinoff Would Connect to the Skywalker SagaWhy Isn't Lucasfilm Making a Captain Rex Spinoff?

Star Wars: The Bad Batchcontinues the story of the Skywalker Saga in a post-Clone Wars galaxy as the Empire asserts its control over countless innocent worlds. For three seasons, the animated series followed Clone Force 99, a.k.a. "The Bad Batch," as they fought to maintain solidarity against the Empire. The series acts as an intriguing exploration of a post-war galaxy, including the many political, militaristic, and diplomatic ploys that Emperor Palpatine used to assert his domination over the galaxy. Thereby, The Bad Batch maintains the Star Wars franchise's tradition of using animation to plug the gaps between film installments.

In the ending of The Bad Batch, most of Clone Force 99 retires on a peaceful planet away from the action, presumably sitting...

It's been over 10 years since the premiere of the Star Wars Rebels animated series, which general audiences first saw on October 3, 2014. To celebrate a decade of nonstop love for the show, three of its voice actors have launched a rewatch podcast, Pod of Rebellion, from iHeart Radio. The podcast's first episode premiered earlier this week.

Featuring Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), and moderated by actor Jon Lee Brody, the podcast recaps and deep dives into one episode at a time each week. The former castmates discuss behind-the-scenes stories, favorite moments, and more while answering Brody's guiding questions along the way.

The first episode, covering the first installment of "Spark of Rebellion," included a few stories about the show's cast first meeting one another and the very early days of the project. This will be Gray's first time seeing most of the completed episodes.

Quick LinksHondo Ohnaka Is A Classic Character From The Clone WarsHondo's Presence In The Mando-verse Makes SenseHis Presence In The Film Would Be More Than Just Fan-service

With the buildup of Din Djarin and Grogu's great quest coming to its most dramatic point in Dave Filoni's upcoming film The Mandalorian & Grogu, the fandom is ridden with speculation about what the story will be and who will make an appearance. It's already been well-established through three seasons of The Mandalorian that it's only a matter of time before Din and Grogu run into yet another big name in the Star Wars canon.

With Din being an accomplished bounty hunter whose word is his bond, likely, one of the big names that appears to help, hinder, or do a bit of both is likely to be someone from the galaxy's most lovably despicable crime lords. From wily Jawa scrappers, Gamorrean pit fighters,...

Jon Favreau unveiled the upcoming Star Wars attraction at Galaxy's Edge during "The Future of World-Building" panel at SXSW, and it's none other than a Mandalorian and Grogu adventure as part of the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Disney Parks (@disneyparks)

Cloud City is one of the most stunning locations from the original trilogy, and seeing it again will be no less than a treat for fans of all ages. While this doesn't confirm Bespin's return, there has to be a connection to the movie's plot, or it wouldn't have been featured in Smuggler's Run. Other concept art includes the ruins of the second Death Star and Tatooine. Tatooine is an oft-visited planet in The Mandalorian, but the second Death Star will be a new and intriguing addition to the movie, should it appear.

View this...

What's the deal with "Star Wars"? I mean really, what's going on over there? It's now been over half a decade since the franchise last hit cinemas with a new movie, and even the recent Disney+ shows have been struggling. Despite reportedly solid ratings for series like "The Acolyte" and "Skeleton Crew," combined with some significant critical praise in the case of the latter, it seems that the money just hasn't been lining up. Part of that is due to the ever-tumultuous nature of the streaming business, but part of it also has to do with a lack of unified direction when it comes to "Star Wars." Thankfully, I have a plan to fix it. A little backseat billion-dollar franchise management never hurts, right?

First things first: Effective immediately (by which I mean the moment "Andor" Season 2 is finished), we are blacking out anything set during the prequel trilogy, the original trilogy,...

Actor Sam Witwer has a longstanding association with the Star Wars franchise. He first provided his voice and likeness for a series of video games before portraying fan-favorite prequel trilogy villain Darth Maul in several animated projects, including Star Wars Rebels, where the character eventually met his demise.

Sam Witwer on the Inside of You podcast (Credit: YouTube).

During an interview, Witwer reflected on his run as the now-iconic villain. In the process, Witwer also talked about his dynamic with Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the actor highlighting a fatal error the Jedi Knight made during Rebels season 3. Here is what Witwer had to say about Maul and Kenobi’s fight that changed the galaxy far, far away.

Sam Witwer on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul’s fate duel in Star Wars: Rebels season 3

Darth Maul was first introduced in 1999’s The Phantom Menace and quickly became popular with the Star Wars fanbase.

In 1983, several actresses filmed scenes as star pilots in the Battle of Endor for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. However, they did not make it into the final cut of the film or dubbed over as men. Since then, though, there have been many female star pilots in both the Star Wars films and series.

In 1999, George Lucas rectified the omission 16 years later in The Phantom Menace. British actress Celia Imrie portrayed Naboo starfighter Dinee Ellberger. The character assisted the Jedi and Naboo's liberation of the planet against the Trade Federation.

With the exception of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the four other films released under Disney have featured female star pilots. In The Force Awakens, Jessica Henwick portrayed X-Wing pilot Jessika Pava. Henwick was a finalist for the role of Rey and won over director J.J. Abrams to give her a role in the film.

March 5th is Rebels Remembered Day, and this year was no disappointment as members of the Star Wars Rebels cast released a special announcement.

Starting on March 11, Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), and Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger) will launch Pod of Rebellion, a Star Wars Rebels rewatch podcast. Their fourth host will be filmmaker and writer Jon Lee Brody. According to their Apple Podcast description, "Together they will rewatch and break down every episode of Star Wars Rebels and also have visitors from various people in the Star Wars universe and fandom."

Marshall has confirmed on her Bluesky that they have special guests planned for the podcast. Personally, I would love to see the return of Rebels Recon hosts Andi Gutierrez and Pablo Hidalgo. Rebels Recon was the aftershow following each episode of Rebels. Gutierrez would interview the cast and crew, breaking down the episodes, so it...

Quick LinksThe Ghorman Massacre Ignites Star Wars' Rebel AllianceThe Star Wars Legends Version of the Ghorman MassacreHow Andor Season Two Will Connect To Star Wars Rebels

The Disney+ Star Wars series have been hit-and-miss, but Andor has been a major bright spot for the franchise with its critical praise and awards recognition. The show's success is as surprising as its existence since it's a spin-off from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a character who wasn't nearly as popular as others in the franchise. Andor's second season will be its last and feature four-story arcs that will lead up to the start of Rogue One.

Rogue One successfully told the story of how the rebels stole the Death Star plans, and now Andor season two is set to embark on another important turning point in Star Wars history. Based on the footage Lucasfilm has released for Andor season two so far,...

48 days. Just under seven weeks. After two and a half years of waiting, that's all that stands between us and the release of Andor Season 2 now. And as showrunner Tony Gilroy prepares to take his Star Wars spin-off series all the way up to the three days before Rogue One, Disney+ are ramping up the promotion for their critically acclaimed space drama. Following that first trailer drop just last week (Steve Earle’s ‘The Revolution Starts Now’ is still ringing in our ears), today we've been treated to a new behind-the-scenes look at the season ahead — one that teases the imminent rebel revolution and hints at a seismic event in the history of the Empire's fascist regime. Brace yourselves, and watch it below;

If you thought the first season of Andor was intense, then this new look at Season 2 is here to say "hold my Revnog!" From Diego Luna's...

Andor Season 1 won widespread critical acclaim, leaving fans eager for more. Andor's second season will take place over the course of the four years that bridge the gap between the first season and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the movie that introduced Diego Luna's Cassian Andor. While Season 1 established Cassian's origins, as well as introducing a couple of Rogue One's minor characters, it only teased Cassian's entry to the Rebellion. Season 2 will see him becoming the established Rebel spy audiences first met in Rogue One.

Andor Season 2 is set to conclude with Cassian setting out on his fateful mission to the Ring of Kafrene, kicking off the events of Rogue One. However, there is still much about Cassian's journey to reach that point that is yet to be revealed. Andor has introduced new characters like Luthen Rael, Dedra Meero and Syril Karn, who do not appear...

It's official: Shawn Levy's untitled Star Wars feature will be the franchise's next movie to enter production. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy shared the exciting update while clarifying a recent report claiming she was exiting the company at the end of the year.

Speaking with Deadline, Kennedy confirmed that she is currently producing The Mandalorian & Grogu and "Shawn Levy’s movie, which is after that." The Lucasfilm president also shared some story details for the untitled movie, confirming that it is set "in the future. It’s all post-[the first] nine. Shawn’s is a standalone Star Wars story that’ll take place post-nine, maybe five or six years out." Kennedy added that while Levy's movie is expected to feature "pretty much new characters," some characters from the sequel trilogy may be brought back. "We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters,...

Star Wars is gearing up to return to the big screen in a big way. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recently opened up about the company's upcoming movie slate, which includes a new trilogy from Star Wars Rebels co-creator Simon Kinberg.

Speaking with Deadline, where she debunked reports about her impending retirement from Lucasfilm, Kennedy offered a development update on the trilogy of Star Wars films that will be written and produced by Kinberg. "We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously. That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June," she revealed. "Simon, if you remember, he did some work with us years ago with the animated show, which was a really wonderful collaborative experience. And he then got very, very busy with X-Men and then recently became available again, and he segued into this space beautifully. We...

Here’s What Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Said About Star Wars Trilogy (Photo Credit – Wikimedia)

Since its debut in 1977, the Star Wars franchise has won over the hearts of audiences worldwide with its epic tales of heroism, adventure, and the eternal struggle between light and dark. Created by George Lucas, this space opera has expanded beyond the original films into a vast universe encompassing prequels, sequels, standalone movies, animated series, novels, and video games.

The trilogies that chronicle the Skywalker family’s saga are central to this expansive narrative. Each introduces new characters and conflicts while enriching the overarching mythos. So far, the three trilogies have focused on the stories of Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, and Rey Skywalker. As the galaxy far, far away continues to evolve, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in this legendary series.

Simon Kinberg To Helm New Star Wars Trilogy

In an exciting development for Star Wars enthusiasts,...

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has revealed some intriguing details about one of the many upcoming Star Wars movies that are now in development. This one, helmed by Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy and starring Academy Award nominee and leading man Ryan Gosling, will seemingly divert from a lot of the recent Star Wars projects, particularly the Disney sequel trilogy.

How will it divert, you ask? Well, it will not rely on nostalgia. Unlike the likes of The Force Awakens and its follow-up, Levy’s movie will act as a standalone story set “five or six years” after The Rise of Skywalker. Not only that, it will focus on pretty much “new characters.” Though there will be space to bring back some more recent faces from the sequel saga.

RelatedStar Wars' Kathleen Kennedy Reveals the Upcoming Project That Will Shape the "New Saga"

"We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously.

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has revealed details about the future of the iconic Star Wars franchise. Specifically, how the upcoming trilogy from writer and director Simon Kinberg, who is best known for his work on Fox’s X-Men franchise and the animated series Star Wars: Rebels, will shape the galaxy moving forward.

Speaking with Deadline about what’s next for Star Wars, Kennedy revealing that big things are now happening regarding what Kinberg has planned, with development on the new trilogy “rolling fast and furiously.”

“We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously. That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June. Simon, if you remember, he did some work with us years ago with the animated show, which was a really wonderful collaborative experience. And he then got very, very busy with X-Men and then recently became available again,...

Quick LinksKathleen Kennedy Successfully Relaunched Star Wars for DisneyKennedy Made Tough Calls on Films Like Rogue One and SoloKennedy Also Finally Made Live-Action Star Wars Television a Reality

Before Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise, longtime producer Kathleen Kennedy quietly joined the studio in May 2012 as co-chair with George Lucas. Little did fans know that Lucas would eventually step aside and name Kennedy as his successor to lead Lucasfilm with more Star Wars films on the way. Before Disney purchased Lucasfilm, the last Star Wars film came out in 2005, which was the last installment in the Skywalker Saga at the time. With a new owner and leadership, a continuation of the original trilogy finally became a reality, with the Episode VII announcement tied to the sale in October 2012.

The anticipation for Star Wars' relaunch was incredibly high, given the franchise's storied history. Now, a decade after the release of The Force Awakens,...

Kathleen Kennedy may not be retiring from Lucasfilm this year after all. Hours after Puck dropped a bombshell report that Kennedy intends to retire from her position as Lucasfilm President by the end of this year, CNN spoke with an anonymous source who claims otherwise.

According to the latest update from CNN, a source familiar with the situation over at Lucasfilm stated "there's nothing there right now."

The source went on to emphasize that an announcement of Kennedy's retirement will be made "public" when "actual decisions are made."

Initial rumors claimed that Kennedy had told associates that she intends to retire by the end of 2025. Multiple Hollywood trades picked up the story, suggesting there was some legitimacy to claim.

The rumor continued to gain traction with additional reports claiming that Ahsoka and Star Wars Rebels showrunner Dave Filoni is already being eyed as her successor.

But Star Wars fans displeased...

Following news that long-time Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will step down from the role and retire by the end of this year, several insiders have now revealed who they think is now up for the big job. Whoever is chosen will be in charge of steering Star Wars into its next era following the divisive Disney sequel trilogy and streaming spin-offs. Well, according to these mysterious insiders, one of the top choices is used to overseeing such a major franchise...but his recent decisions have been just as divisive as those made in a galaxy far, far away.

According to sources, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is the man that “many insiders” believe to be “the best candidate for the job.” Feige became president of production at Marvel Studios way back in March 2007, shaping the MCU into one of the biggest franchises of all time. However, since the finale of the decade-long Infinity Saga,...

Lucasfilm is going to be in need of a new captain, as longtime President Kathleen Kennedy is expected to step away at the end of 2025. Kennedy is coming up on 72 and has earned her retirement. With that, the "Star Wars" galaxy is likely going to be guided by new hands come 2026, which is a big deal to say the least of it.

Kennedy helped oversee Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm and subsequent relaunch of "Star Wars" on the big screen, taking over for George Lucas. Kennedy's reign started off very strong with "The Force Awakens." The rest of the sequel trilogy proved to be divisive, however, culminating with 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker." Kennedy also helped launch "The Mandalorian" on Disney+, in addition to being in charge of quite a few "Star Wars" projects that never saw the light of day. It's been a mixed bag, to be certain.

So, who...

This article contains minor spoilers for "Star Wars: Reign of the Empire -- The Mask of Fear" by Alexander Freed.

Since its very beginning in 1977, "Star Wars" has always been a franchise about how we resist imperialism, colonialism, and fascism. George Lucas has talked extensively about the roots of the property as a metaphor for protest against the Vietnam War and how Richard Nixon was as much a direct inspiration for Emperor Palpatine as any of the other fascist dictators in history that he drew his stories from.

In keeping with that idea, the prequel trilogy provided a look at the fall of a democracy and how it's given away in an election to a monster who uses it to take over completely, cloaking himself in the trappings of his office and turning it into a vehicle of absolute power. But what happens to those who resist in the wake...

The drought is over. The skies have opened up and sent bountiful rain in answer to our prayers. By the skies, of course, I mean Lucasfilm and Disney, and by rain, I mean a proper, official trailer for "Andor" season 2. Today is a good day.

More a teaser than a narrative trailer, the 90-second montage features a range of action set pieces, tons of character appearances, a Wachowski-esque dance party, numerous disguises for the eponymous Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and big appearances from "Rogue One" characters like K-2So, Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), and of course, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). There are plenty of teases and a lot of explosions, suggesting that this season's 12 episodes may be even more action-packed than season 1.

In the interest of fandom and wild speculation, let's go through some of the more curious moments in the trailer and see what they may tell us about...

Star Wars fans were divided over Mace Windu's death scene in Revenge the Sith, with some asserting it's only fitting that Boba Fett is given that honor. Actor Daniel Logan revealed what George Lucas originally wanted to do with the bounty hunter.

Logan confirmed that Boba Fett was meant to appear in Revenge of the Sith, and he would have been the one who killed Mace Windu (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Per Popverse, Logan even revealed one of the film's working titles. "George Lucas held me for Revenge of the Sith, and we had 'Revenge of,' but they hadn't finished the title," he recalled. "I believe it was probably going to be Revenge of the Fett, because the storyline, which you can go and see online, there was a storyboard that was already created that Boba Fett was meant to have another arena scene with Mace Windu."

RelatedThe...

One of the least visited but most pivotal locations in Star Wars is Yavin 4, which served as a secret base of operations for the Rebel Alliance.

Home of the Massassi Temples, which the Alliance used as their command centers, Yavin 4 remained hidden until the Battle of Yavin, after which the Empire attacked the Rebel Bases there and forced the Alliance to abandon the planet. Following the Battle of Yavin, the Alliance moved their headquarters to the icy planet of Hoth, which features heavily in the.

The Battle of Yavin marked a major victory for the Rebel Alliance. However, despite its historical significance within the Star Wars Galaxy, the planet hasn't been seen again since the fall of the Empire. Yavin has been seen in A New Hope, Star Wars Rebels, and, most recently, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

With Andor Season 2's connections to Rogue One, and the show...

Mon Mothma has been a staple in the larger Star Wars story ever since her first on-screen appearance in 1983's Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. Though her role in the film was quite small, her character has expanded significantly in the decades since her debut in a galaxy far, far away.

Thus far in Star Wars canon, more of her story has been expanded in TV shows like Star Wars Rebels and Andor, as well as in books. Next week, her character will feature prominently in a new book, Star Wars Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed.

The Mask of Fear is the first book in a new trilogy chronicling the rise of the Galactic Empire and the opposing forces attempting to rise up to slowly dismantle it. In Freed's story, which begins in the weeks following the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith...

Yellowjackets star Sophie Thatcher has expressed interest in returning to the Star Wars franchise. Thatcher previously played the cyborg gang leader Drash in The Book of Boba Fett.

The 2021 Disney+ series centered around reformed bounty hunter Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) seizing control of crime boss Jabba the Hutt's territory on Tatooine with the help of his trusted associate Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen). Thatcher's character Drash and fellow cyborg Skad (Jordan Bolger) initially opposed Fett before he gained their respect and they agreed to join forces.

Sophie Thatcher Confirms Interest in a Star Wars Return

How Star Wars Rebels Brought Back the Original Boba Fett Into Canon

Star Wars Rebels was heavily inspired by the concept art of Ralph McQuarrie, taking cues from the early ideas behind characters like Boba Fett.

Thatcher looked back on her time in the Star Wars universe while speaking to Inverse, where she confirmed she...

Daisy Ridley has shed some light on the recent delays in returning to the Star Wars franchise. At Star Wars Celebration 2023, it was announced that Ridley would reprise her role as Rey in an upcoming film set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Despite Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy being announced as the film's director, the film has undergone multiple writer changes, with The Bourne Ultimatum's George Nolfi recently signed on as the latest. While the film looked to be aiming for a December 2026 release date, it has since been delayed. Ridley spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the delays centered around her upcoming Star Wars film.

"People have talked about it a lot that the release date often affects films and how quickly things go into production. So the freedom to make sure that this script is the best way to tell this story is wonderful, and I...

Quick LinksMortis Began in Star Wars AnimationStar Wars: Episode IX Nearly Featured the PlanetMortis Will Play a Key Role in the Future of Star Wars

The Force is the main concept ofStar Warsthat connects the entire galaxy. As time has gone on, our understanding of the Force continues to evolve with new abilities and ideas. The Phantom Menace notoriously introduced the controversial idea of the midichlorians adding a scientific element to the power, while The Last Jedi showed Luke Skywalker using the Force to appear in a different part of the galaxy. Even the various High Republic stories have showcased new ways Jedi can use the Force.

As more Star Wars continue to come out, filmmakers will continue to carefully add more dimensions to the concept of the Force. Since the Force is at the center of all things Star Wars, the franchise needs to do this. In 2011, one of...

The Darksaber storyline ended shockingly and disappointingly in The Mandalorian's third season, and fans continue to debate its conclusion.

While animation gave the Darksaber a certain amount of prestige, and there was always a hope that the fabled Mandalorian weapon would one day fall into the right hands, it ended up destroyed during The Mandalorian Season 3 finale. Even though some fans found this a satisfactory conclusion to a divisive weapon that corrupted anyone who used it, others believe the Darksaber deserved better.

The Darksaber was forged by the only Mandalorian Jedi in history, Tarre Vizsla, and the weapon represents that rare aspect of Mandalorian lore. Mandalorians have been seen as warriors. Their philosophy differs from Jedi, so they've been traditionally disconnected from the Force. Of course, that has changed recently. Mandalorian Sabine Wren is training to be a Jedi Knight under the guidance of Ahsoka Tano. Grogu, a Force-sensitive child...

Marvel fans can stream an underrated Punisher movie for free this month. Punisher: War Zone, starring the late Ray Stevenson, has landed on the free streaming service Tubi.

Released in 2008, Punisher: War Zone follows the titular vigilante, Frank Castle/The Punisher, as he continues his war on crime and corruption, going up against the sadistic mobster Billy "Jigsaw" Russoti (Dominic West), who is seeking vengeance after The Punisher left his face horribly mutilated.War Zone was the third feature film adaptation of The Punisher, after the self-titled 1989 movie starring Dolph Lundgren and the 2004 flick starring Thomas Jane.

RelatedAfter Daredevil: Born Again, the Kingpin Needs to Face Off Against This MCU Hero (Not Spider-Man)

Daredevil: Born Again reignites the rivalry between Kingpin and Matt Murdock, but this MCU hero should be the one to take Wilson Fisk down.

Unfortunately for distributors Lionsgate and Sony, War Zone was a box office bomb,...

The Star Wars franchise has no shortage of media about the dark times of the Galactic Empire. We've seen evidence that more Jedi survived than we originally thought, whether in Tales of the Empire or Star Wars Rebels. Skeleton Crew introduced us to Jod Na Nawood, who was trained after the fall of the Republic before his Jedi Master was murdered. Halfway between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, we saw the real threat posed to Anakin Skywalker's children in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now, Alexander Freed's The Mask of Fear is poised to shed some light on perceptions of Palpatine during the early days of his reign.

What can we expect from Star Wars Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear?

Speaking in an interview with Jeff Spry on Space.com, Freed describes why Palpatine was a popular figure from the start of the Galactic Empire, saying,...