Each Star Wars story aims to push elements of the franchise to new heights, and with the upcoming live-action series Star Wars: The Acolyte, star Dafne Keen claims the show could set the bar for what is possible with lightsaber combat, even surpassing the accomplishments of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. With that film's finale featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn taking on Darth Maul in an intense and highly acrobatic conflict, many audiences consider that duel to be the most impressive in the whole franchise, but that conflict will seemingly pale in comparison to what The Acolyte unleashes. Star Wars: The Acolyte is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 4th.

"Yeah, that was a very frequent conversation we had," Keen shared with Entertainment Weekly about the showdown in The Phantom Menace. "It was very much: We want to top the Darth Maul fight -- the most iconic fight, I think, in the Star Wars cinematic universe. It's such an amazing fight and we were all so excited about the saber fights. There's such a skill and a craft to it that it feels so OG Star Wars and feels so impressive when you see it as a viewer."

In regards to the excitement of getting to wield a lightsaber, Keen continued, "It was my favorite part of filming. I loved the whole training process of it. Everyone was very excited about it, which then made it much more fun. Our incredible stunt team created this kind of fusion of different martial arts and we were really trained in how to use the sabers. I feel very comfortable with a sword now, and I know that Charlie [Barnett] does too, and I know that [Lee Jung-jae] does too. We were all in there for hours a day training, and it was really fun to kind of explore also a different side to the characters within the fighting."

When it comes to the more action-packed elements of the Star Wars franchise, all corners of the galaxy far, far away have offered opportunities to explore intense aerial combat, but with The Acolyte unfolding during the era of The High Republic, Keen's comments imply an emphasis on intimate showdowns as opposed to bombastic battles.

In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems....

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

When Star Wars Outlaws releases this summer, the game will feature several iconic characters like Jabba the Hutt. We've known for almost a year now that players will be able to take on jobs for the intergalactic gangster, but the game's official website has revealed that the option won't be available to all players. It seems that "Jabba's Gambit" will be an "exclusive mission available at launch" for those that buy the game's Gold Edition or the Ultimate Edition. Those versions cost $109.99 and $129.99 respectively, versus the Standard Edition price of $69.99.

We don't know if Jabba's Gambit will be fully exclusive for those buyers, or if it's a timed exclusive that will be available for purchase separately in the future. One of the coolest things about Star Wars Outlaws is the fact that its setting allows players to interact with fan favorite characters like Jabba and Qi'ra. Locking some of the content related to one of those characters behind a paywall is sure to frustrate some Star Wars fans! Over the last few years, there's been a lot of controversy surrounding $70 games, with many consumers feeling like the price is unjustified. Making people spend even more on top of that price is not going to win over anyone on the fence, and there are already some warning signs about the game.

Star Wars Outlaws Frustrations

News about the exclusive Jabba content is just the latest frustration associated with Star Wars Outlaws. Last week, it was revealed that physical copies of the game will require an internet connection to install. Fans blasted the decision by Ubisoft not to include a playable build on the physical disc, as not everyone has reliable internet or unlimited data. Some also pointed to recent comments from Ubisoft's Philippe Tremblay, who told GamesIndustry.biz in February that people need to get "comfortable with not owning" their games.

Star Wars Outlaws Release Date and Platforms

Star Wars Outlaws is slated to release August 30th on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, but those who purchase the Gold and Ultimate Editions will get access three days early. It will be interesting to see if these issues will hurt the game's sales, or if the final product will be able to win fans over. It's possible the game could end up being enjoyable in spite of these issues, but at the very least it could convince some people to wait for the kind of price drops that a lot of Ubisoft games get shortly after launch. The reality is, Star Wars fans have no shortage of media to consume in the meantime. Anyone hungry for material that takes place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi can always read the current Marvel Star Wars comics instead.

Are you planning to pick up Star Wars Outlaws this summer? How do you feel about this locked content? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]

Star Wars Day aka May the 4th 2024 can't be contained to a single day, so Disney is getting a head start. They've already released apparel for the event, and now they're about to unveil The Sands of Tatooine collection which includes an ear headband, mini backpack from Loungefly, a Spirit Jersey, and one of their coveted Starbucks tumblers.

All of the items in the collection feature a matching Tatooine design that evokes the scorching heat dual suns beating down on Luke Skywalker's desert home. You will be able to get your orders in starting on April 15th at 8am PT / 11am ET right here on the Disney Store Star Was page. UPDATE: The collection is live! Direct links are available below. We suggest going after that Starbucks tumbler first. Disney's Starbucks tumblers are highly collectible and tend to leave a lot of angry fans in their wake after they sell out. Keep in mind that shipping is free at the Disney Store on orders $75+ using the code SHIPMAGIC at checkout.

• Star Wars Sands of Tatooine Stainless Steel Starbucks Water Bottle - $34.99: See at the Disney Store
• Star Wars Sands of Tatooine Loungefly Mini Backpack - $89: See at the Disney Store
• Star Wars Sands of Tatooine Loungefly Ear Headband for Adults - $39.99: See at the Disney Store
• Star Wars Sands of Tatooine Spirit Jersey for Adults - $74.99: See at the Disney Store

The Disney Store has a secret Order 54 page that teases the other items that will be available for the Star Wars day festivities. Look for the Darth Maul Legacy Lightsaber set, The Phantom Menace 25th anniversary collection, Galaxy's Edge items, and more.

Of course, fans can expect a lot more Star Wars products to be unveiled over the next several weeks. Stay tuned to ComicBook's Gear section for updates.

Things have been especially exciting for Star Wars fans lately with details about The Acolyte and Tales of the Empire series that are coming to Disney+, the huge Imperial March event, Wondercon 2024 releases, LEGO x Star Wars 25th anniversary releases, and the Star Wars: Outlaws video game. We suspect that Disney and Lucasfilm are just getting started for the year.

Star Wars Day is coming up next month, and Epic Games is planning to celebrate in a big way with Fortnite. This morning, the game's official Twitter account released a brief teaser video revealing that new content is on the way to Fortnite, LEGO Fortnite, and Fortnite Festival. Nothing specific has been revealed at this time, but the content will arrive one day ahead of Star Wars Day, releasing on May 3rd. According to reliable Fortnite leaker Hypex, the new content will include the previously leaked Chewbacca's Bowcaster, and we could see skins for Chewie as well as "Rebel Leia." Force abilities and Lightsabers are both expected to return as part of the celebration.

What to Expect in Fortnite Festival

Hypex also claims that Fortnite Festival will be getting the "Cantina Band" track from A New Hope. In-universe, that track was performed by Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, but players will be able to jam out to the familiar tune for themselves. Hypex does not list any other Star Wars song possibilities, so it will be interesting to see if that's the only track that gets added. There's no shortage of iconic songs that could be brought over, including favorites like Duel of the Fates. Hopefully we'll see a few tracks make the cut, and hopefully we'll see guitar controller support added in time for the Star Wars Day celebration.

As with any leaks, readers should take all of this with a grain of salt. Hypex is one of the most reliable Fortnite leakers out there, but plans for the game are constantly changing, and fans might want to hold off on getting too excited until we hear something concrete from Epic Games. With Star Wars Day just a few weeks away, we should learn a lot more details in the near future!

Fortnite and Star Wars

At this time, we don't know if this year's Star Wars Day celebration will be bringing back any previously released skins based on the franchise. Over the years, Fortnite has seen a lot of content based on Star Wars, including skins based on Luke, Han, Leia, Din Djarin, and more. Star Wars Day would be the perfect opportunity to bring that content back and make it available to anyone that might have missed out previously.

While Fortnite has a long history with the Star Wars franchise, it seems like a safe bet we'll see a lot more content in the future. Earlier this year, Disney revealed that it purchased a stake in Epic Games for $1.5 billion. That will assuredly lead to a lot more content based on Disney properties, most notably Star Wars and Marvel. Unfortunately, details are very slim about the plans Disney and Epic Games have in store.

Are you excited about the new Star Wars content coming to Fortnite? What are you hoping to see added? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Star Wars Outlaws was just awarded a "Teen" rating from the ESRB, a rating that shouldn't be surprising at all based on what's been shown so far. These ESRB ratings usually precede the release of games and will on occasion reveal early descriptions of events that justified whatever rating the game got and, at best, may tease players with some spicy details about the game. The rating for Star Wars Outlaws, however, actually gave us some useful information this time by confirming suspicions that players will indeed be able to play the card game Sabacc while wagering their in-game money.

Sabacc was confirmed in the ESRB rating thanks to the gambling component of the card game with the rating summary saying that "players can wager in-game currency on Sabacc, a blackjack-like card game with detailed rules." The fact that Sabacc is in the game shouldn't come as a huge surprise given Kay Vess' smuggler profession and the fact that we could see her playing Sabacc in the cinematic trailer that first announced the game close to a year ago, but the question of whether or not players could actually play Sabacc or if it'd just be a prop is one that's popped up time and time again. People were asking about it even as recently as this week since the new story trailer just dropped, but it seems we now have our answer.

And while the ESRB description does suggest that Sabacc will have some detailed rules to follow, the fact that it's been compared to blackjack should be a good sign for those who prefer mini card games like this to be on the lighter side in games. If it truly is like blackjack, it doesn't sound like players will have to worry about collecting cards and building a deck since you should, based on this description, be able to just sit down and play to earn some quick money if you win.

Sabacc was previously seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story as well as in Star Wars Rebels, so fact that it's in Star Wars Outlaws, too, makes sense given the game's themes. A fun bit of trivia outlined on the official Star Wars page that talks about Sabacc confirms that it was through this card game that Han Solo won the Millennium Falcon off of Lando Calrissian.

"Perhaps the galaxy's oldest and most popular card game, sabacc is played in a bewildering number of variations," the Star Wars site's description of Sabacc reads. "All place a premium on betting and bluffing, and many include an element of chance that can turn a good hand into a bad one - or vice versa. The Millennium Falcon changed hands in a famous sabacc game between Han Solo and Lando Calrissian."

Sabacc is also mentioned in the fancier versions of the game that have drawn so much criticism since they were revealed. In version of the game like the Star Wars Outlaws Ultimate Edition, players get the "Sabacc Shark bundle" which comes with cosmetics for Kay and her companion, Nix.

Star Wars Outlaws got a release date and a new story trailer this week. In the process, the new Ubisoft game generated some hype, but it also generated some reservations and some backlash. The former about the game itself, including its art direction and characters, while the latter has been about the prices of some of the game's special editions. There has also been some backlash over a restriction that has been put in place on physical copies of the game.

Whether you buy a retail copy on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, you will need an Internet connection to install the game. This is not an issue for most looking forward to the game, but it will be an issue for some. In fact, it will prevent some from playing the game full stop. Meanwhile, even those who doesn't impact are calling it out as a bad practice.

"It unfortunately seems that Ubisoft has started putting that 'comfortable not owning your games' into effect. There's no good reason why a single player game can't have a fully playable build on the disc, it's an artificial block just like the Avatar game to make sure you can't play without the patch, just purely out of malice," writes one Reddit user of the news.

"As someone who buys exclusively digital, this is ridiculous that a physical disc requires an online connection to install," reads another comment. "Not everyone has reliable internet or unlimited data to work with."

For what it is worth, it is estimated that about 10 percent of new games have this requirement. And this number is only growing. As for why publishers are opting for the requirement, there are a few reasons. The chief reason is to ensure the game can't be played without a day one patch, which will this will most likely end up having, as it is increasingly common with major video game releases.

At the moment of publishing, Ubisoft has not commented on any of this backlash. We don't expect this to change for a handful of reasons, but if it does, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for the latest coverage on the game, click here.

On Thursday afternoon, Disney hosted the final presentation of 2024's CinemaCon event in Las Vegas. The studio has a packed slate of films over the next couple of years, with a number of titles previewed for exhibitors and press during the event. Marvel Studios, Fox, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and more studio banners were plastered onto the screens outside of the Colosseum in Caesar's Palace ahead of the event.

The presentation kicked off with Deadpool & Wolverine walking through a tunnel. "So, I heard Secret Wars is finally gonna introduce...." Deadpool says. A phone starts ringing. Wolverine pushes him out of the way and looks into the camera. "Hey, bub! You're in a movie theater, turn off you're f-cking phone!" Wolverine declares, followed by more obscenities and f-words. Deadpool jumps back into the frame to say hearing him talk that way make his d-ck vibrate. "Nice fourth wall break, didn't think ya had it in ya!"

This leads to a sizzle of upcoming films. Captain Ameirca: Brave New World with Harrison Ford in the footage, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Deadpool & Wolverine, Snow White, Mufasa, Inside Out 2, Moana 2, and more are featured. The presentation emphasized wanting movies to feel like events with Disney noting biggest franchises, Avatar, Avengers, Star Wars, Toy Story, and Frozen have new installments coming.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes CinemaCon Footage

The footage starts very peacefully, following a bird high above a very green world. Apes are running free, swinging on the overgrown remains of what was once a metal building but this city is now all trees and rivers. A trio come upon a nest of bird eggs and the older ape instills the law and lessons upon them, reminding them they have to leave one egg behind and can't take all of them as it is the law.

"We will raise them together like we were raised," one of the apes says.

They come to a gap between the structures and Noa, the apparent leader of the bunch, uses a piece of metal to lunge ahead and lock into the other structure. Climbing to the top, he finds four more eggs in a nest perched above the structure. As he reaches for it, a bird comes flying in and strikes him with its talons. Noa falls down and the concrete crumbles, he continues to fall and is unable to get a grip on anything. He eventually slides off the edge and grabs a piece of the hanging structure. His friends are terrified until relief consumes them when they find he survived.

The Fox logo takes the screen and scenes start to play out more quickly. Noa's father is waiting for him at the village. "There are dangers beyond our village," one ape says. A king declares, "What a wonderful day," before his followers. Chaos begins as Noa's village seems to be torches with apes on horseback raiding it. Noa tries to reach his father to save him but an enemy, a much bigger ape, has gotten there first. Noa fights the gorilla but it unsuccessful and falls away from his father to the fiery ground, waking to the ash in a sunny, gray scene. Noa stumbles through the rubble and finds a vulture picking at the area, only to move closer and discover his fallen father. A tremendously performed and animated facial expression captures the weight of the moment as Noa shrinks into a ball beside the corpse. Moments later, he has buried his father.

"Father, I will find them, I will bring them home," he says to the grave. A bird chirps to him and flies, guiding him. He rides out on horseback, taking one last look at his destroyed village before leaving, spear in hand. A vast, overgrown skyline concludes the footage.

Young Woman and the Sea was the next title, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer introducing it. Daisy Ridley plays a swimmer wanting to get across a 21 mile journey with the world watching and largely doubting her while also trying to hold her down.

Next up is Inside Out 2, with Amy Pohler taking the stage to talk about it. "Inside Out is such an incredible story told by the brilliant filmmakers at Pixar," she said. "There was not even a millisecond of pause when they asked me to return for Inside Out 2." She notes that this movie captures all of the emotions we experience on a daily basis. She introduced the first 35 minutes of the movie.

Kevin Feige takes the stage and goes with no teleprompter. "We make movies for movie theaters," he said. "I love when a popcorn bucket can capture the zeitgeist and go viral."

Florence Pugh sent a video while eating macaroni and cheese on the set of Thunderbolts*, referencing her character enjoying it in Hawkeye.

Feige notices theater owners want more types of movies across the calendar. The first movie he talks in-depth about is Captain America: Brave New World, due out in February 2025.

"10 years ago, we release a movie called Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In the 10 years that has gone by...it really has stayed with the fans, with the audience...One [reason] is the genre. It is a fast-paced political thriller...The other thing is it introduced the world to Sam Wilson played by the great Anthony Mackie. That is what we're doing...it is a relatively grounded action thriller...Sam Wilson has taken on the mantle of Captain America."

Captain America: Brave New World CinemaCon Footage

Anthony Mackie takes the stage to inroduce footage. Harrison Ford is President Ross, greeting Sam Wilson in the White House.

"I have to admit, I'm still not used to the new look," Sam says.

"Me either, they said lose the mustache or lose the election." Ross admits he is no fan of heroes but won't deny the good Sam has done. "I want Captain America to help me rebuild the Avengers," he said. Sam questions what happens if they don't agree on how to handle a situation.

Later, elsewhere, Ross explains to an audience that Joaquin Torres and Captain America successfully completed a mission to grant the world their safety again. "What we do next with this discovery, will determine how history..." Music starts playing, prompting the President to stop talking. Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is in the audience and the music activates him as though he were part of the Winter Soldier program. He takes a security guard's gun and shoots him, then blasts through glass with it. He grabs Sam by the neck and launches him. Another man is moving as though possessed, as well. The President is evacuated. Gun shots ring out. World leaders are shot at. Sam helps save them. The White House is in chaos. Bradley launches a table at people before jumping out of a window. "Next year...." the screen says. Sam Wilson is explaining the inner circle has been compromised. He is attached by men with electric batons, blocking them, kneeled down with his shield over his head.

"You're not Steve Rogers," Ross tells him.

"You're right, I'm not," he responds.

Deadpool & Wolverine CinemaCon Footage

Kevin Feige turns to Deadpool & Wolverine. "It's f-cking awesome," he declares, before bringing director Shawn Levy to the stage.

"If you're a director and you get to play in the most audacious sandbox there is which is the phenomenal Deadpool franchise... to get to be there everyday, seeing this team up that all of us as fans and audience members have waited 15 years for...to get to see Hugh and Ryan in their most iconic roles, bringing their A+ of A-games everyday was remarkable," Levy said. "Maybe the most sweet part of this is imagining the team of medical professionals that are monitoring the entire Disney executive staff...We're about to release the first R-rated movie in the MCU."

Levy thanks the audience for the "endless stream of rumors." He says theres "so many spoilers" and he lives in fear or Ryan trying to assassinate him. A "spoiler-ish free 9 minutes" are being played.

Wade Wilson gears up to sell cars and in the car, riding in the back between two kids, he curses about the car while describing it and jokes that he doesn't "have a lot of vaginal sex." Peter is back, seeing Wade back at their lockers, and suggests he go back to super hero-ing. Wade says, "I'm done and I'm fine with being done." He does admit, "is this the life I always imagined for myself? F-ck no."

Elsewhere in New York, Peter and Wade ride bikes. "We're Deadpool," Peter tells him, which Wade disputes. Someone across the street is taking photos of them and Wade notices, denying that today being his birthday is throwing him of. In his apartment, a surprise part is waiting for him. "This was fiveyears ago, you'd all be dead," he jokes. Shatterstar is there, not entertained by Dopinder's stories. Blind Al asks Wade about his sales and is getting impatient about waiting for money from him.

"I pray everyday that fire finds your body and finishes the job that God didn't have the nuts to do," she tells him.

Colossus has been watching Great British Bakeoff. Negasonic and Yuko are still together. Blind Al wants to do cocaine and Wade says, "Cocaine is the one thing Feige said is off limits!" Wade catches up with Vanessa, who is seeing a guy named Dermot. Wade is left sad before talking to the group. "It's been a challenging few years," he says. "But I'm happy and that's because of each and every one of you and this is about how proud I am, how grateful I am, to be standing in a room with every single person I love. I'm the luckiest man alive.." He makes a wish and blows out the candle. Someone knocks on the door. It's the TVA.

Wade thinks they're strippers and that their pruning sticks are for pegging. A portal opens and Wade is pulled through it. He wakes up to Paradox sitting across from him.

"We're in charge of defending what's known as The Sacred Timeline," Paradox said.

"That's a shit ton of exposition for a threequel. Is this because I used Cable's time device?" Wade says

The TVA is aware of the "abuse" of the timeline but this has nothing to do with that. Instead, Paraodox claims Wade can save the entire timeline .

"I suppose I'm going to marvel at how cinematic it is? Indiscriminate cameos?" Wade asks. Paradox tees up footage of Captain America on the screens and Wade salutes them. A clip of Thor hovering over Loki dying in Thor 2 sees Deadpool replacing Loki and Wade is terribly concerned and confused. Paradox believes he is ready to leave his timeline and join the world he has always wanted to.

"I smell what you're stepping in," Wade says. "I am a messiah. I am Marvel Jesus." Wade runs to the camera, pulls the mic in to frame. He headbutts the lens and it shatters. He gets a whole new suit in another room from a man with a stylish beard and some extra booty spanks. He now has adamantium katanas.

"Yes, your underwear is getting tighter," Wade declares.

The footage cuts to another scene. Wolverine and Deadpool are riding together and Deadpool mocks his suit. "The X-Men make you wear that?" he asks. "Friends don't let friends leave the house looking like they play for the Los Angeles Rams."

Alien: Romulus CinemaCon Footage

In a pre-recorded message from Ridley Scott, the director has high praise for Alien: Romulus; "It's f-cking great."

Two young girls discover a body. Another man is looking around the ship, glowing with red lights. Samples encased are starting to move. A piece of technology shows that there is a light which can see through body parts, showing ligaments and bones. The man who was looking around had a button in his neck pushed, prompting him to freeze and stare up at the cieling with his eyes rolled back as he reboots. Meanwhile, facehuggers are hatching in front of him and dropping into the water at his feet. The rest of the crew notices something swimming by but are unaware... until one of them gets knocked over. It jumps out and hugs his face but gets launched into the glass. Another jumps off of the frozen Andy onto another's face, jabbing its legs into his mouth and eyes. The crew tries to close doors behind them and escape but one of the aliens gets through, prompting them to swat it back into glass which cracks and let's them all in.

In a clip from later, Navarro is not feeling well and grips their chest. The device to see through the body is used, showing the alien trying to break out of their ribs. Navarro collapses, foams at the mouth, convulses, accidently kicks the ship into motion, and the alien bursts out of their chest in a a bloody, visceral moment. The ship continues floating until it eventually crashes into a bigger one and a teaser trailer with chaos, full grown Xenomorphs, and terror ensues.

Mufasa: The Lion King CinemaCon Footage

Mufasa: The Lion King promises "new songs" in the movie but can't say who from, director Barry Jenkins described the movie as an "epic story." Scar and Mufasa go on a journey to discover the circle of life. "This is a massive f-cking film and my job was to fill it with massive heart," he said. He worked with the same team form Moonlight to achieve that.

The footage starts "on the other side of the light."

"A lion was born without a drop of nobility in his blood," the narrator says. Mufasa is a child, ultimately being shown as a cub, trotting across the backs of hippos and growing into a bigger lion that can be a predator in the wild. Many animals flash across the screen and younger versions of familiar characters, like Timon and Pumba and Rafiki. The classic Lion King musical numbers accompany it.

Moana 2 CinemaCon Footage

Moana 2 closed the presentation. Dwayne Johnson took the stage with a Polynesian performance. He thanks the performers who were with him and then theater owners for their support.

"Playing the character of Maui has been one of the most lifechanging experiences for me," he said. "It's my culture...but also the character of Maui was inspired by my grandfather the High Chief Peter Maivia." He promises an "unforgettable new adventure" and all new songs with it. NATO emerges to grant Johnson with their "Spirit of the Industry" award.

In the footage from Moana 2, Moana is singing, "Finally we are back to who I'm meant to be," as she sails to the village. The village is also singing while building and expanding. Moana is the subject of the song, dubbed a "livng legend and she's besties with a demigod!" Photos etched into cloth are shownto kids. Moana's dad greets her at sea and races her to shore.

The LEGO Star Wars AT-AT (75288) set includes 1267 pieces, which is not quite as big as the supermassive UCS AT-AT set ($849.99), but it's certainly no slouch. It's also a lot more affordable, especially since Amazon is running a Lightning Deal on it, bringing the price down to $170.68, or 28% off. That's an all-time low price that will disappear once the deal is 100% claimed. So jump on it while you can. Also keep in mind that this set was retired by LEGO, so it might be your last chance.

Note that the set is being sold through Amazon Global Store UK, but shipping to the US is free. It just might take a little longer to arrive than a typical Amazon order.

The Star Wars AT-At (75288) set comes with 6 minifigures - Luke Skywalker, General Veers, 2 AT-AT Drivers and 2 Snowtroopers. There's room for 3 minifigures in the cockpit, and it features foldout panels, spring-loaded shooters, a speeder bike, winch, bottom hatch for Luke's thermal detonator, and more. When complete, it will measure 13" (34cm) high, 14.5" (38cm) long and 5.5" (15cm) wide.

In other Star Wars LEGO news, the first update to the Star Wars Visual Dictionary since 2019 is here, and it includes new information about the sets released over the years along with an exclusive Darth Maul minifigure. If you want it add it to your collection, the book is currently available to order here on Amazon for $21.17, which is 16% off the list price. From the official description:

"Tour the LEGO Star Wars galaxy in this fully updated edition, which comes with an exclusive LEGO Star Wars minifigure! Discover every detail of best-loved sets and vehicles, including the Mos Eisley Cantina and the Millennium Falcon. Find out about your favorite LEGO Star Wars minifigures-from Rey and C-3PO to Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Meet the LEGO Star Wars team and uncover exclusive behind-the-scenes facts! Find out everything you need to know about LEGO Star Wars in this must-have guide for fans of all ages."

When Star Wars Outlaws releases later this year, the game will feature a mix of new and returning characters. Ubisoft previously revealed that the game will include Jabba the Hutt, and now we know another familiar face that will appear: Qi'ra from Solo: A Star Wars Story! Qi'ra was portrayed by Emilia Clarke in the movie, and the game's latest trailer has revealed that her likeness at the very least will be seen. While fans had been hoping for a sequel to Solo, plot threads from the movie have been picked up in various Star Wars media over the last few years.

Qi'ra can be seen in the trailer below at the 00:08 mark.

What's Qi'ra Been Up to Since Solo?

Star Wars Outlaws takes place between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. That's actually the same point that's being covered in Marvel's current Star Wars comics, where Qi'ra has played a major role as the head of Crimson Dawn. At the end of Solo, Qi'ra was revealed to be working with the criminal organization, which was then led by Darth Maul. That movie takes place prior to Maul's death at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Rebels.

During Qi'ra's reign as the head of Crimson Dawn, she waged a war against the Empire, building a coalition of allies that included the Knights of Ren. Crimson Dawn's time came to an end during last year's Hidden Empire storyline, in which Palpatine and Vader were able to quash Qi'ra's rebellion. While she managed to survive and go into hiding, Crimson Dawn was destroyed. This happened prior to the events in Return of the Jedi, but at the end of the story, Qi'ra is shown in a flash forward sequence alone watching the second Death Star's destruction.

At this time, we don't know how much of Star Wars Outlaws will tie into Qi'ra's story from the comics. In the newly released story trailer, Qi'ra is referred to as the head of Crimson Dawn, so it appears the game takes place prior to the events in Hidden Empire. Given the timeline and the nature of the game, it's possible Kay Vess will be able to take jobs from Crimson Dawn ahead of their destruction at Palpatine's hands, but there's no way of knowing for sure.

Star Wars Outlaws Release Date and Platforms

Star Wars Outlaws will release August 30th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. In addition to the standard edition, Ubisoft will be offering a Gold Edition and an Ultimate Edition, both of which will have some extras. Readers can find out more about these versions right here.

Are you excited to see Qi'ra's appearance in Star Wars Outlaws? Have you been following her story in the comics from Marvel? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Ubisoft has revealed the bonus items that will be coming with the Gold Edition and Ultimate Edition of Star Wars Outlaws when it arrives later this summer. Like virtually all other games from Ubisoft, the publisher will be releasing three iterations of Outlaws that will all retail for different prices. Depending on what version you look to buy, you might have to shell out a bit more money, but those higher-priced editions will come with some additional perks that might make the increased cost worth it.

The most notable inclusion that comes with the Gold Edition and Ultimate Edition of Star Wars Outlaws is the game's Season Pass. For the time being, Ubisoft hasn't detailed what the post-launch content for Outlaws will look like, but this Season Pass will ensure that you'll be able to get all future add-ons that are released. Other than this, both versions grant three days of early access if pre-ordered ahead of time, with the UItimate Edition also granting some extra cosmetics that can be donned for the main protagonist Kay Vess and her companion Nix.

You can get a look at everything that will be included with the Gold and Ultimate Editions of Star Wars Outlaws right here:

Gold Edition

• Base game
• Season Pass (Includes 2 DLCs, the "Jabba's Gambit" exclusive mission at launch, and the "Kessel Runner Character Pack" cosmetic pack)
• Up to 3 days early access

Ultimate Edition

• Base game
• Season Pass (Includes 2 DLCs, the "Jabba's Gambit" exclusive mission at launch, and the "Kessel Runner Character Pack" cosmetic pack)
• Sabacc Shark Bundle: includes cosmetics for Kay, her blaster, Nix, Kay's Speeder and the "Trailblazer" spaceship
• Rogue Infiltrator Bundle: includes cosmetics for Kay, Nix, Kay's speeder and the "Trailblazer"
• Digital art book: A selection of the game's concept art and visuals, including unique cinematic storyboards
• Up to 3 days early access

When it comes to the pricing structure for all of this, the standard version of Star Wars Outlaws will retail for $69.99 while the Gold Edition will come in at $109.99. The Ultimate Edition is then the most costly of the bunch and will be valued at $129.99. If you'd prefer to not buy the game outright, Ubisoft will also be adding Outlaws to its Ubisoft+ service ($17.99 per month) on the first day that it becomes available.

Speaking of the release date for Star Wars Outlaws, it's planned to arrive a little more than halfway into 2024 on August 30. The game will only be available on current-gen platforms which includes PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Those who pre-order either the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition will then be able to play starting on August 27.

Ubisoft has revealed the release date for Star Wars Outlaws in a new story trailer for the open-world game. All the way back in 2021, Ubisoft announced that its studio Massive Entertainment had begun developing a Star Wars project in tandem with Lucasfilm Games. It wasn't until this past summer, though, that Ubisoft opted to finally lift the veil on this game, which was titled Star Wars Outlaws. Now, after nearly a year of silence, Star Wars Outlaws has re-emerged and will actually be launching quite soon.

Clocking in at roughly three minutes, the newest trailer for Star Wars Outlaws was let loose by Ubisoft and focuses on the game's narrative and characters. Front and center throughout the trailer is Kay Vess, who is the main protagonist of Outlaws alongside her pet-like friend Nix. Vess and Nix have been predominantly highlighted in past trailers for Outlaws, but it's the villains that take center stage in this new video. One such antagonist is that of Sliro, who is the leader of a crime organization dubbed the Zerek Besh. Outside of Sliro, this trailer also features Jabba the Hutt and the Crimson Dawn, both of which should be familiar to longtime Star Wars fans. A number of references and Easter eggs tied to the mainline Star Wars films also happen to show up as well.

You can watch the full trailer for yourself right here:

"In search of true freedom, the resourceful Kay and Nix will journey through the underworld and across the Outer Rim, taking on jobs from syndicates, facing off against intimidating foes, avoiding oppressive Imperial rule and recruiting a skilled outlaw crew in order to pull off one of the greatest heists the galaxy has ever seen," said creative director Julian Gerighty of the game's premise in an accompanying press release.

"Star Wars Outlaws invites fans to experience a side of the galaxy that has a treasure trove yet to be explored, the exploits of the scoundrels taking advantage of the golden age of the underworld. We've been inspired by Massive Entertainment's dedication to bringing this aspect of Star Wars to life, including both iconic and new things for fans to explore in an open world," added Lucasfilm Games VP Douglas Reilly.

As for the launch date of Star Wars Outlaws, it happened to be revealed at the conclusion of this new trailer. The game is set to release at the end of this summer on August 30, 2024, and will be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Ubisoft Connect. Those who opt to purchase either the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition of Outlaws will then be granted early access three days ahead of time on August 27.

Hiroyuki Sanada is one of his generation's best actors. The Japanese star began working in the industry as a child, and over the decades, Sanada has become a global talent. From The Last Samurai to Bullet Train and Westworld, Sanada has an impressive filmography that recently expanded with Shogun. And now, it seems like the actor is ready to take a bite out of Star Wars.

Recently, Variety spoke with Sanada during a press event for Disney+ in Los Angeles. It was there the actor touched upon their love of Star Wars, and Sanada said he would love to join the universe.

"I'm a big fan, the world itself is amazing," he shared. Of course, this confession has left fans pleading for more. Sanada has proven his skill on screen, and given his top-tier martial arts work, netizens are rallying for Star Wars to bring The Ronin to life.

If you are not familiar with The Ronin, don't feel too left out. After all, The Ronin was introduced in September 2021 courtesy of Star Wars: Visions. The breathtaking animated series pulled together some of Japan's top studios to make shorts, and Kamikaze Douga didn't hold back with its entry. "The Duel" turned The Ronin into a fandom fave, and Sanada is the perfect person to bring the Sith slayer to life.

After all, The Ronin is a talented fighter, and their former alliance with the Sith spurred them to seek vengeance on the group. Once known as the Dark Lord of the Sith, The Ronin became disillusioned by the group amid the Sith rebellion, and they took up their new name after disavowing the Sith. Together with his droid B5-56, The Ronin repents for his time with the Sith by living in exile and only entering society to help extinguish the Sith. He does this scabbarded lightsabers resembling katanas, so The Ronin brings the samurai aesthetic to Star Wars.

Given Sanada's work, there is no doubt the actor could bring this fan-fave Star Wars character to life. With comics and novels to their name, The Ronin is quickly becoming one of the IP's modern legends. So if Disney wants to expand its reach with Star Wars, it will want to pitch The Ronin to Sanada ASAP.

What do you think about this Star Wars pitch? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

It has been several years since the debut of 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but Daisy Ridley is already set to make her return as Rey. A new live-action film starring Ridley was announced at last year's Star Wars Celebration, which is helmed by Ms. Marvel director Sharmeed Obaid-Chinoy and expected to follow Rey training new Jedi years after the events of the Sequel Trilogy. In a recent interview with Esquire, Ridley expressed her excitement towards returning to the role, revealing that she is "coming in a bit more eyes wide open" to the new project.

"I suppose I feel more like I'm owning it," Ridley revealed. "I suppose I owned it the first time. Basically, I'm an adult now. I certainly did not feel like an adult at the time. Obviously, personally, things have changed, and professionally, I've had lots of other experiences, and so I definitely feel like it's a different thing this time... There's just a lot of joy with me and these films. Honestly, if I wasn't excited, I wouldn't have done it. It feels like a great thing to be a part of."

"It wasn't a difficult decision," Ridley said of returning. "I didn't say yes right away, Kathy [Kennedy] was like, 'Take as long as you need.' ...Why wouldn't I [do it]? Yes, they have been divisive, but also they bring a lot of love and joy to a lot of people. It feels pretty amazing to be able to continue a character - like, can I even remember how to play her? It's an interesting challenge as an actor to come back to something and try to figure out what's changed for me and what's changed for her."

What Is Rey's Star Wars Movie About?

Last year, it was revealed that Damon Lindelof and Britt-Gibson had both departed the project, with Peaky Blinders' Stephen Knight brought on to rewrite the script. Lindelof and Britt-Gibson's version of the film would have reportedly been set sixty years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and followed a much older version of Rey.

"I will just say, that for reasons that I can't get into on this Sunday morning, on this day, the degree of difficulty is extremely, extremely, extremely high. If it can't be great, it shouldn't exist," Lindelof recently admitted to /Film about his project. "That's all I'll say, because I have the same association with it as you do, which is, it's the first movie I saw sitting in my dad's lap, four years old, May of '77. I think it's possible that sometimes when you hold something in such high reverence and esteem, you start to get in the kitchen and you just go, 'Maybe I shouldn't be cooking. Maybe I should just be eating.' We'll just leave it at that point."

Are you excited for Daisy Ridley to return to the Star Wars universe? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

A new PlayStation Store sale discounts a trio of EA games to just $1.99 for PS4 and PS5 users. All three offers are for PS4 games, but all three PS4 games are playable on PS5 via backward compatibility. Meanwhile, each game is only available at this promotional price point until April 25. After April 25, each game will revert back to its normal price on the PlayStation Store.

The first of the three games is Star Wars: Squadrons, a 2020 release from Motive Studio. Upon release, the Star Wars game set after the events of Return of the Jedi garnered a 79 on Metacritic. It normally costs $39.99 to purchase and play on PS4.

The second game is Burnout Paradise Remastered, which normally sets PS4 users back $19.99. Developed by Criterion Games, it is a 2018 remaster of 2008's Burnout Paradise, a game that garnered an 88 on Metacritic back in the day.

The third and final game is 2017's Need for Speed Payback, which also usually costs $19.99 on the PlayStation Store. It, at release, garnered a 61 on Metacritic, an underwhelming return for developer Ghost Games.

Below, you can read more about each PS4 game and check out a trailer for each PS4 game:

Star Wars Squadrons:

About: "Master the art of starfighter combat in the authentic piloting experience Star Wars: Squadrons.Buckle up and feel the adrenaline of first-person multiplayer space dogfights alongside your squadron. Take control of starfighters from both the New Republic and Imperial fleets such as the X-wing and TIE fighter. Customize loadouts and cosmetics, divert power between weapons, shields, and engines, while immersing yourself in the cockpit. In addition, players will have the option to play the entirety of the game in virtual reality on PlayStation VR!"

Burnout Paradise Remastered

About: "Welcome back to Paradise City! Make action your middle name as you rule the streets in Burnout(TM) Paradise Remastered. Tear up the town from hectic downtown avenues to wild mountain roads. Relive the high-octane stunts and wanton destruction of one of the greatest arcade-driving games ever!"

Need for Speed Payback

About: "Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, you and your crew were divided by betrayal and reunited by revenge to take down The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city's casinos, criminals and cops. In this corrupt gambler's paradise, the stakes are high and The House always wins. Play a varied and challenging world of events as Tyler the Racer, Mac the Showman and Jess the Wheelman. Each driver must take on races, missions and challenges to earn the respect of the Valley's underground and compete in the ultimate race to finally take down The House."

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has been a mobile exclusive game for nearly 9 years now, but that's going to change later this year. Electronic Arts has announced that the game will be coming to PC "soon." A closed beta for the PC version has also been confirmed, and pre-registration has begun. Players on PC can look forward to several improvements over the current version, including "higher resolutions, an improved frame rate, and antialiasing." The game will also support cross-saves with the current mobile versions, so players can jump back and forth, should they so choose. Last but not least, the game will be adding keyboard and mouse support.

The original announcement trailer for the mobile game can be found below. Readers interested in pre-registering for the open beta can do so right here.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes Details

The concept of Galaxy of Heroes centers around holotable battles taking place inside of a cantina. That setup gives the developers a lot of leeway with the established Star Wars canon, meaning players can collect heroes and villains spanning the entirety of the franchise. Over the years, the game has added a lot of favorites, including Din Djarin, Yoda, and Ahsoka Tano; there's even an option to play as IG-12 with Grogu! In addition to Star Wars characters, the game also features ship combat, and various scenarios from the franchise.

While Galaxy of Heroes has now been confirmed for PC, there's no indication whether a version for consoles might be in the works as well. Given the disastrous release of Star Wars Battlefront: Classic Collection, fans on console might be eager for a Star Wars multiplayer experience spanning the different sagas. If there's enough demand for it, it's possible we could see Galaxy of Heroes make the jump, but for now, fans will have to settle for the mobile and PC versions.

Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace Raid

Next month marks the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and there are a number of celebrations taking place across various media. Funko just debuted a new line of Pops based on the movie and Marvel has an anniversary one-shot set to release on May 1st; next month will even see The Phantom Menace headed back to theaters! Galaxy of Heroes is also getting in on the action, as there are plans to feature a Battle for Naboo Raid. The Raid is planned to arrive this summer, though a specific release date has not been announced. As in the film, the battle will feature players going against swarms of Battle Droids. At this time, it's unclear whether this content will be released in time for the PC version of Galaxy of Heroes, but it does sound like something exciting for players to look forward to!

Are you excited about Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes coming to PC? Have you checked out the game on mobile? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The ComicBook Nation Crew says goodbye to big boss Jim Viscardi as he sets out on a new adventure at Image Comics! But we also have plenty of geek news to dive into - including the new MCU Silver Surfer casting for Marvel's Fantastic Four; DC's Supergirl movie getting a new director, and a new Matrix movie!

There's also TV Recaps for the Invincible Season 2 Finale, X-Men 97, and Shogun, as well as discussion of the Star Wars: Tale of the Empire trailer!

PLUS: WWE WRESTLEMANIA 40 takes center stage as The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes head for their inevitable clash! Be sure to check out our BONUS EPs recapping each night of WrestleMania 2024!

WRESTLEMANIA 40 RECAPS: Winners & Best Moments

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Star Wars is setting Ahsoka Tano up for a showdown with one of her biggest rivals.

That much seems clear after seeing the recent Star Wars: Tales of the Empire trailer. The anthology series followup to Tales of the Jedi will instead explore two dark side characters: Nightsisters member Morgan Elsbeth, and fallen padawan (and Ahsoka's former bestie) Barriss Offee. The reveal that we will get three animated segments dedicated to Barriss was truly surprising; Morgan Elsbeth plays a major role in the current New Republic era of Star Wars content (Ahsoka, The Mandalorian), so getting more backstory and development makes a lot of sense. Barriss Offee hasn't been seen in Star Wars since the Season 5 finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2013, when Anakin Skywalker arrested her for bombing the Jedi Temple and framing Ahsoka.

The question hanging over Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is why is Barriss Offee is being brought back now, of all times. Keeping in step with Tales of the Jedi: Ahsoka was featured in that series just before her series launched; it stands to reason that Barriss Offee will have a larger role to play in Star Wars going forward - or perhaps, Tales of the Jedi could reveal that Ahsoka and Barriss already came to blows in a major fight - we just didn't know it at the time.

The trailer for Tales of the Empire has a lot of clues about Barriss's storyline in the series. We see that she gets freed from a Republic prison by red-colored Coruscant Guard Shock Troopers, who are loyal to Palpatine/Darth Sidious. Barriss then ends up in the Inquisitor Program, gaining the attention of the Grand Inquisitor himself. She's trained with a class of Inquisitors that include some of the more mysterious (read: unexplained) members of the Jedi-hunting group, like Marrok from the Ahsoka series, or the unnamed Inquisitor that Ahsoka fought before joining the Rebellion (as seen in Tales of the Jedi).

There are two ways that Barriss Offee's journey in Tales of the Empire can go:

1. Barriss finds the Inquisitors, their Sith masters, and the Empire to be as corrupted as the Jedi Order and Republic, and so she breaks away, either being killed in the process or escaping to a fate unknown. That could set Offee up to re-appear in Ahsoka Season 2 as a major rival/antagonist for Ahsoka, which would be thrilling, as both women seek out a new path to serving the Force.
2. Barriss finds her place and true self in the dark side and the Inquisitors, and Star Wars fans get a major retcon that helps tie off Barriss Offee's story for good.

Is Barriss Offee Seventh Sister?

Barriss Offee is a green-skinned Mirialan female. There also happens to have been an Inquisitor character who was also a green-skinned Mirialan female: Seventh Sister. Coincidence? It's starting to look like maybe not...

Seventh Sister was featured in Star Wars Rebels Season 2, as she ambitiously sought to replace the Grand Inquisitor after his death. She was dispatched to hunt down the Spectre group of Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, Hera, and Zeb, battling them on several occasions. Seventh Sister and her partner Fifth Brother also attracted the attention of Ahsoka Tano, when they began abducting Force-sensitive children on Palpatine's orders. She dueled Kanan and Ezra several times and lost, eventually attracting Darth Vader's attention for her failure.

When Ahsoka and the Spectres allied with Darth Maul on a mission to retrieve a Sith holocron from a temple on Malachor, Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother continued their pursuit of the group. The two Inquisitors partnered with another, Eighth Brother, and battled the Spectres, Ahsoka and Maul. All three Inquisitors were killed, and Vader came himself, facing Ahsoka in the now-classic duel "Twilight of the Apprentice."

Since that Rebels story arc, there have been many fan theories that Seventh Sister was Barriss Offee, with her mind and spirit having been broken by the Sith. Tales of the Empire seems to be making that theory look more and more credible; however, when Ahsoka and Seventh Sister battled on Malachor, there was absolutely no recognition between them, and no resolution to their deep arc together.

Star Wars may settle for the dramatic irony of having the audience know the connection, even if Ahsoka didn't; or, perhaps Tales of the Empire will include a callback that hints that everything was worked out between them before Malachor.

There's also an interesting fan theory from Ahsoka that could tie in: That Eighth Brother was resurrected by Nightsisters magic after the Battle of Malachor, and became Morgan Elsbeth's henchman, Marrok. Tales of the Empire has teased the idea that Morgan and Barriss's arcs will converge in some way: maybe we get the twofer of Barriss being revealed as Seventh Sister, and having the character resurrected for a later appearance in Ahsoka

However it all plays out, it seems Ahsoka Tano has a significant showdown headed her way.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire will stream on Disney+ on May 4th.

It has been nearly a year since Lucasfilm announced its plans for the future of Star Wars movies, unveiling a number of blockbuster projects at their Star Wars Celebration convention. One of the most intriguing movies on that list has been tied to Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold, which is expected to chronicle the very early days of the Force and the Jedi. Updates on the movie, which is reportedly operating under a working title of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, have been scarce -- until now. On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that House of Cards creator Beau Willimon is expected to co-write the script for Dawn of the Jedi with Mangold. Willimon is no stranger to the Star Wars universe, having worked on three episodes of the first season of the Star Wars: Andor Disney+ series, which ultimately earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

Although Dawn of the Jedi does not have a release date, the report indicates that Mangold is "expected" to focus on the film after he completes work on his Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown. Mangold is also attached to write and direct a live-action Swamp Thing movie for James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios.

What Is James Mangold's Star Wars Movie About?

Plot specifics surrounding Dawn of the Jedi currently remain under wraps, outside of the fact that the film will be set 25,000 years before any of the events covered by the Star Wars franchise thus far. Mangold has teased that his aspirations for the film are to tell a story that can stand on its own from the established canon.

"When I talk to some of the Star Wars clerics who keep track of all these timelines, I was like, 'So when would this have happened?' and they were like, '25,000 years before Episode I.' And I was like, 'Oh, I was looking for some distance, but that's distance,'" Mangold joked in an interview last year. "The reality, for me, was that feeling of space, pun not intended but apropos, was something that I felt was really important. Not to get away from -- again, fan service or the intricacies of what George [Lucas] has set up and dreamed of, but to just have the space to tell a story and not be instantly encumbered by the bases you have to hit. Which, honestly, there's no way to explain it to folks other than to say it's like that game we played as kids, Twister, that at a certain point, you're in a tangle because you just are trying to find a way to tell a story with so many constraints that you can't."

What Is the Next Star Wars Movie?

Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy, The Mandalorian and Grogu will follow the ongoing adventures of Din Djarin / The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his pint-sized ward, Grogu. The film is confirmed to have a release date of May 22, 2026.

"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," Favreau shared in a statement. "The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

"Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, added.

What do you think of the latest update surrounding James Mangold's Star Wars movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

It's been quite awhile since Star Wars fans have seen Star Wars Outlaws in the news in an official capacity, but that'll change soon now that a premiere date for the next Star Wars Outlaws trailer has been announced. Ubisoft said today that the next trailer for the game will be shown off on April 9th at 9 a.m. PST. According to Ubisoft's teaser, this new trailer will be focused on the game's story which should prove helpful for Star Wars fans seeing how Star Wars Outlaws features a new cast of protagonists that we're not too familiar with.

Ahead of the April 9th premiere of the new trailer, a placeholder for the video has already been set up on YouTube. Ubisoft shared along with this a new poster for Star Wars Outlaws which features the main character Kay Vess, her companion Nix, and others who make up this new group. It's got some familiar faces like Jabba the Hutt, too, who we previously learned will be someone you can actually work for in the game given that Kay Vess is a smuggler more in line with someone like Han Solo than a Jedi.

Star Wars Outlaws Trailer Coming Soon

We've seen gameplay from Star Wars Outlaws already, though it's unclear if this next trailer will incorporate much of that given that it's supposed to be centered on the game's story. We know so far that the game will be open-world -- the first of its kind for the Star Wars series, Ubisoft has pointed out -- and will see Kay Vess and her companions pulling off "one of the greatest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen."

The Star Wars universe is vast, too, with many different stories scattered throughout its timeline, but we also know from previous announcements when exactly this game will take place. Though many of the characters are original and new to this game, Star Wars games love their cameos, so keep the timeline in mind when considering what other established characters we may see in Star Wars Outlaws beyond Jabba the Hutt.

"Set between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws takes place in a time when the Galactic Empire relentlessly pursues the final defeat of the Rebel Alliance, and the criminal underworld is thriving," an overview of the timeline explained. "Kay will take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy's crime syndicates as she seeks the means to start a new life."

The new Star Wars Outlaws trailer will premiere on April 9th. The game does not yet have a release date, but considering how it's supposed to be out this year, we may get one from this next trailer. If nothing else, Ubisoft has a new Ubisoft Forward event coming up in June, so Star Wars fans can safely bet on Star Wars Outlaws making an appearance there.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu movie has an official release date!

The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026. That date serves as a lead-in to Memorial Day weekend, positioning The Mandalorian & Grogu to potentially walk away with a hefty box office bounty.

We previously heard that this May 2026 release date for The Mandalorian & Grogu, but now Disney has officially confirmed it. The news comes along with Disney's latest revised slate for its releases, which includes new official release dates for Toy Story 5, Moana 2, TRON Ares, and the conspicuously-titled "Nightbitch" starring Amy Adams.

What Is The Mandalorian & Grogu About?

Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu will be a feature-length spinoff of The Mandalorian TV series, starring the principal characters of Din Djarin (aka The Mandalorian) and his young ward Grogu (aka "Baby Yoda"). The exact plot details of the film are unknown, but there are a lot of surrounding details in the Star Wars universe that provide hints.

The Ahsoka TV series set up Grand Admiral Thrawn's return to the Star Wars galaxy, while also establishing his alliance with the Nightsisters, the clan of witches that combine magic and Force use. There are also Imperial remnants still lurking; a whole new culture of Mandalorians re-settling on Mandalore, and mysteries about both Din Djarin and Grogu's pasts that still need answering. The Mandalorian & Grogu movie could mine any of that for its story.

While The Mandalorian co-creator Jon Favreau will direct this film (and executive produce), his partner Dave Filoni will be directing the big 'Mando Verse' crossover movie that brings together all the Star Wars characters of the New Republic era in one event film. The connection between that film and this Mandalorian & Grogu film remains to be seen, but they both could be feeding into one another in any number of ways. There are also the big 'bookend' films in development: The Dawn of the Jedi movie that James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones 5) is directing, and the New Jedi Order movie featuring the return of Daisy Ridley's Rey. Star Wars loves creating backdoor launches for its new projects (i.e., using one project to set up another), so Mandalorian & Grogu could have unexpected ties to those films, as well.

Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has described The Mandalorian & Grogu as a "new story" that is "a perfect fit for the big screen." That's pretty much been the company line for this project, with Favreau adding that "I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

The Mandalorian & Grogu will be in theaters on May 22, 2026

Source: Deadline

Disney and Lucasfilm continue their Star Wars onslaught today with a huge wave of Funko Pops that celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which hit theaters in May 1999. The collection includes a Darth Maul Pop ride, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padme, Jar Jar Binks with his Booma Balls, a collection of exclusive Retro Pops, and more Here's the breakdown:

Commons:

• Funko Pop Rides Deluxe: Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Darth Maul on Bloodfin Speeder - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Queen Amidala (Deluxe) - See on Amazon / Entertainment Earth
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Anakin Skywalker with Helmet - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop!Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - ObI-Wan Kenobi (Young) - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Jar Jar Binks with Booma Balls - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Watto - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Padme Amidala - See on Amazon
• Funko Pop Star Wars: The Phamtom Menace - Battle Droid - See on Amazon / Entertainment Earth
• These Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Funko Pops are also available to pre-order here at Entertainment Earth (free US shipping on orders $79+).

Exclusives:

• Retro Obi-Wan Kenobi Figure - Target Exclusive
• Retro Jar Jar Binks Figure - Target Exclusive
• Retro Queen Amidala Figure - Target Exclusive
• Retro Darth Maul Figure - Target Exclusive

The aforementioned Star Wars onslaught over the last several weeks includes news on The Acolyte and Tales of the Empire series that are coming to Disney+, the huge Imperial March event, Wondercon 2024 releases, LEGO x Star Wars 25th anniversary releases, and ramping up for the Star Wars Day 2024 aka May the Fourth festivities. We suspect that Disney and Lucasfilm are just getting started for the year.

The Acolyte Synopsis and Release Date

Here's how Lucasfilm describes the series: "In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The Acolyte comes from creator and showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), who also serves as executive producer alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrat? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers; Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim, and Rob Bredow are producing.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres its first two episodes on Disney+ on June 4th.

Star Wars: Ahsoka's Sabine Wren is now walking around Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge. In what has now become a tradition around Avengers: Campus and Galaxy's Edge, the latest release from a Disney+ show has been introduced around Disneyland Resort. Guests can now take pictures with Sabine along with Chopper, BB-8, Kylo Red, Chewbacca and more in the Star Wars-themed section of the park. There will probably be some updated programming that will unfold as people walk around the area as well. Check out what the Star Wars account had to say about the Ahsoka star's arrival and how her live-action actress captures the character.

"As we turbocharge Disney Experiences over the next 10 years, we're investing aggressively and thoughtfully to give you more of what you love. There has never been a more exciting time at Disney Experiences. I'm looking forward to having you on this journey with us," Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences previously said in a Disney Parks announcement.

We're ready. Sabine Wren is now appearing for a limited time in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park.

Stream episodes of #Ahsoka streaming on @Disneyplus. pic.twitter.com/9uUiJbax5S

-- Star Wars (@starwars) April 5, 2024

Ahsoka Is Coming To Star Tours

Disneyland and Walt Disney World are getting more Ahsoka love this spring. Star Tours is adding The Mandalorian and Andor updates to the popular attraction this month too! Disney Parks Blog gave fans a sneak peek at all the big Disney+ show content heading to Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Last year, during Star Wars Celebration, the company touted some new content headed to Star Tours and now that day is finally here. There are over 250 different scenarios that you can encounter during your visit. So, expect a lot of Star Wars fans to check out what's going on with the new additions.

"Since it debuted at Disneyland in 1987 as the first Star Wars attraction in a Disney park, Star Tours has traveled to new places as this galaxy of stories expanded," Walt Disney Imagineering's Scott Trowbridge explained during the announcement. "We're looking forward to continuing that tradition next year with all new adventures ... but I can't reveal just where we're going yet - or those we may meet along the way - because ... well ... some surprises are best experienced as part of the upcoming Star Wars content also announced this weekend. Here's hoping C-3PO's piloting skills have improved!"

Will There Be Ahsoka Season 2?

Sabine Wren's live-action actress is hoping for a Season 2 on Disney+. The Star Wars: Ahsoka star talked to Vanity Fair about her hopes for another trip to a Galaxy Far, Far Away and using the force during the series. While the series was a hit with Star Wars Rebels fans and anyone that followed Ahsoka's journey so far, there's way more room to explore Sabine and her rivalry with Shin Hati!

"The Force, and Sabine trying to achieve use of the Force, was such a metaphor for me of trying to achieve that groundedness in real life. It just made me laugh," Bordizzo toldVanity Fair when asked about her character replicating her own experiences. "A lot of the time I would read the episodes and be like, 'I can relate to that.' Obviously, I'm not trying to achieve the Force, but it's all related."

She continued, "Hopefully that can evolve ... It didn't have enough time to evolve that much in Season 1, because as you're learning about these characters, they're also going through crazy upheaval and war and problems. So we'll see where that goes."

Are you hitting up Disneyland for Season of the Force? Let us know in the comments below!

As you will see in the cover image below, the Darth Maul minifigure included in the LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Updated Edition is a bit mysterious, but all will be revealed soon as the figure arrives on doorsteps. If you want it add it to your collection, the book is currently available to pre-order here on Amazon for $22.49, which is 10% off the list price. From the official description:

"Tour the LEGO Star Wars galaxy in this fully updated edition, which comes with an exclusive LEGO Star Wars minifigure! Discover every detail of best-loved sets and vehicles, including the Mos Eisley Cantina and the Millennium Falcon. Find out about your favorite LEGO Star Wars minifigures-from Rey and C-3PO to Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Meet the LEGO Star Wars team and uncover exclusive behind-the-scenes facts! Find out everything you need to know about LEGO Star Wars in this must-have guide for fans of all ages."

A Mandalorian & Grogu Movie Is On The Way

Disney and Lucasfilm recently announced The Mandalorian & Grogu, a new Star Wars movie bringing Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and his Mandalorian apprentice to the big screen with director Jon Favreau. The Mando movie will begin production this year and is further along than Dave Filoni's untitled New Republic movie and James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi movie announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023. A Rey Skywalker movie is also in the works, that is being touted as having "a different direction":

"So I thought about it for a little bit and once I knew what the story was and everything, I knew it was something I really wanted to do," Ridley revealed to AlloCin?. "I think it's a really fantastic exploration of the Star Wars world. It's a really cool way of taking the story on in a bit of a different direction."

"That was actually quite last minute. I was actually making my own film last year and Kathy Kennedy said she wanted to have breakfast," Ridley detailed. "And I thought we were just having breakfast, so I was literally eating my breakfast, and she said, 'Oh, we might do another one.' I was like, '...Okay

Star Wars: The Acolyte sparked a lot of debate with its first trailer, which brought the era of The High Republic into mainstream live-action for the very first time, and teased a dark cloud of evil growing over it.

The biggest standout of The Acolyte trailer was no doubt seeing The Matrix and Marvel's Jessica Jones star Carrie-Anne Moss making her Star Wars debut as Jedi Master Indara. The trailer showed Indara hanging out in a cantina where she is tracked down and ambushed by a mysterious assassin clothed in the garb of a religious cult that is hunting Jedi. Footage of Master Indara battling the assassin instantly gave fans nostalgic vibes of seeing Moss as Trinity in The Matrix movies; well, now The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland is confirming that it's no coincidence: Indara is her Star Wars version of Trinity:

"She [Master Indara] is very much inspired by Trinity," Headland told Empire. "I personally wanted to see someone who had the highest status you could imagine in a Force-fu fight - somebody that would come in and you immediately would be like, 'Oh, that's the most powerful Jedi in the room.' And that's Trinity,"

The stunt casting has worked: seeing Moss in that "Force-fu" fight scene instantly separated The Acolyte from virtually every other Star Wars content that came before it. Fans quickly understood that this would be a martial-arts-style Star Wars show with a mystery-investigation bend to it. That's a wild combination of flavors for Headland and co. to be cooking with, but Carrie-Anne Moss sounds pretty confident that the vibe she got from Headland is that of someone who truly knows what she's building:

"I felt that a few times in my career with some of the big things I've done - Memento, The Matrix - where you're talking to the filmmaker and you just go, 'Oh, they totally get it,'" Moss also told Empire, saying she also loved the role itself:

"Within my soul and my spirit, to get to play this Jedi Master and train for the fight was [an] amazing experience," Moss said. "A part of me forgot how much I love action. I love it. It's hard. But I was just really thrilled that I could do it, and I wanted to do it well. 'Gimme another take! Gimme another take!'"

Star Wars: The Acolyte will stream its episodes on Disney+ starting on June 4th.

Star Wars: The Acolyte's showrunner is teasing the big mystery at the heart of this Disney+ series. Empire Magazine has a brand-new glossy cover story on The Acolyte and the show's central mystery. Someone's going around hunting Jedi and the remaining Force-users need to get to the bottom of it. Leslye Headland compared her current work with Star Wars to her previous work with Russian Doll. It's a bit of a mystery how things got to the point they were in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The Acolyte is positioned during The High Republic, and that means the only way for things to go for the Jedi is down.

"I was very interested in, how did the Jedi get to where they are in Phantom Menace?" Headland explained to the magazine. "You're definitely getting a sense that, with the Jedi, the writing may be on the wall."

The showrunner would also mention the more contracted nature of this conflict. The Acolyte is playing with Star Wars, sure, but it's also exploring a very personal story. "The quote-unquote 'war' of this Star Wars is a much smaller, more personal one," Headland shared. "The war between people, the war between characters."

"It's one story with several reveals, and new clues and new information each episode," she mused. "It's not just a mystery that you have to find out. It's not unlike Russian Doll. It's almost like a spiral -- it digs deeper and deeper and deeper."

Some New Jedi Faces

Since the moment the series was announced, Star Wars: The Acolyte has been surrounded with curiosity. Dafne Keen's Padawan Jecki is right at the heart of this mystery investigating the disturbances. Sith are not exactly common in The High Republic. So, their presence would spook even established Jedi. Jecki and her mentor Master Sol have to be ready for the coming threat.

"Well, I'm very excited that we know her name now, because it was secret for so long. And I'm very happy that I get to say that she's an alien and that she's a Padawan and that she's a Jedi," Keen told EW of her character. "She's a mixed species -- part Theelin, part human. She's very cool and I have some very cool fights I do with the lightsaber. I really love her. She's a great character and was really fun to play. I'm very excited that the trailer came out. I was buzzing for days."

She added, "I'd say she is a very dedicated Padawan. She's definitely in awe of [Lee Jung-jae's Jedi Master Sol] in a very kind of sweet way. She thinks the absolute world of him in a way that I think they have a very sweet relationship, but she's much more aware of the authority difference than, for example, Obi-Wan and Anakin. She's very much like, 'No, he's the master and I'm the Padawan and he's perfect. And everything he says, I have to follow to the T.'"

Are you excited about Star Wars: The Acolyte? Let us know in the comments down below!

As always, tons of new Star Wars offerings are expected for May the 4th festivities this year, but you can start getting into the spirit right now with the official collection of Star Wars Day 2024 apparel from Disney. The main logo design features a retro-style R2-D2 and C-3PO on the run from the Empire, with a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, pin, hat, and MagicBand up for grabs. There's also a stainless steel tumbler that features the duo hiding from Boba Fett.

You can order the entire Star Wars Day / May the 4th 2024 apparel lineup right here at the Disney Store now, with prices ranging from $19.99 to $64.99. Note that US shipping is free on orders $79+ using the code SHIPMAGIC. Also note that the commemorative pin and MagicBand releases are limited editions, so collectors should jump on those right away.

If you missed the Star Wars launches for their Imperial March event, a breakdown of the biggest pre-orders can be found in the following list:

• Star Wars: The Acolyte figures, Moff Gideon helmet, and more
• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 3-Pack, Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Captain Enoch and Thrawn's Night Troopers pack, and more
• Star Wars Cal Kestis and Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber hilt replicas
• Black Series The Last Command 4-pack, Clone Trooper & Battle Droid Pack, and more

The Acolyte Synopsis and Release Date

We would expect that a good portion of the Star Wars Day 2024 festivities will center around the upcoming The Acolyte series for Disney+. Here's how Lucasfilm describes the series: "In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The Acolyte comes from creator and showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), who also serves as executive producer alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrat? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers; Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim, and Rob Bredow are producing.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres its first two episodes on Disney+ on June 4th.

Star Wars has released the trailer for Tales of the Empire, the new character-focused anthology series that will follow two key characters from the Star Wars franchise, across six episodes coming on May the 4th. The characters of focus will be Nightsisters Witch and Thrawn ally Morgan Elsbeth (from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka), and former Jedi padawan Barriss Offee who fell to the dark side and framed Ahsoka Tano for the Jedi Temple bombing (in the Clone Wars animated series).

Tales of the Empire is Star Wars' companion piece to Tales of the Jedi, which released a first installment the fall of 2022. Tales of the Jedi also consisted of six episodes, divided between two characters, Ahoska Tano and Count Dooku. The series was largely praised for filling in key backstory for Tano and Dooku, which also tied up or touched upon so many other characters and stories from the Star Wars Saga. With its strategic selection of characters, Tales of the Empire is looking to do much the same.

The Nightsisters are becoming a bigger and bigger focus in Star Wars lore, with Clone Wars and Ahsoka featuring the mystical clan of Force users heavily. Barriss Offee has been a standout as a sort of dark counterpart to Ahsoka Tano, and seeing her brought back into the limelight is certainly interesting.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire Story & Cast Info

"Star Wars: Tales of the Empire" is the new series, which is the second installment of the "Tales" series, stylistically follows 2022's critically acclaimed "Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi."

"Star Wars: Tales of the Empire" is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The talented voice cast includes Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous).

How to Watch Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

"Tales of the Empire" launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4, with all six episodes.

Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

Star Wars creator George Lucas has been named the richest celebrity in 2024.

In a new list released by Forbes ranking the 14 wealthiest celebrity billionaires of today, George Lucas scored the no. 1 spot with an estimated net worth of $5.5 Billion. Right behind Lucas was his longtime buddy and Indiana Jones collaborator Steven Speilberg, with $4.8B.

The blurb about Lucas explains that "the Star Wars director, who debuted as a billionaire in 1997, is the richest celebrity thanks in large part to his production company LucasFilm, which he sold to Disney in 2012 for more than $4 billion in cash and stock."

It's a somewhat ironic result to have Lucas and Spielberg topping this list: the pair started out as 'avant-grade' rebels of cinema, making their own style of genre films and/or dramatic prestige pictures. Lucas had a breakthrough hit with Star Wars, while he and Spielberg partnered to make Indiana Jones one of the biggest franchise characters in movies, and suddenly the two rebels were two of the biggest big-money power-players in Hollywood. Lucas will forever be the poster child for the indie-filmmaker-turned-mogul path, while much of Spielberg's wealth comes from being a director to takes big swings and always bets on his results, rather than relying on standard upfront payment ("I'm a gambler, I haven't taken a salary for almost a decade now," he previously told Forbes).

Furthermore, it's funny to see Lucas and Spielberg at the top of the list, still managing to cash in on modern Hollywood. It was a decade ago now that the two filmmakers were the most openly vocal in their analysis that the movie business was going to undergo the radical change of theaters becoming venues for massive blockbuster franchise films, while mid-budget films and indies would primarily live on home viewing platforms like streaming. That stark prediction didn't prevent the pair from still having lucrative careers in the biz.

Here's a breakdown of the rest of Forbes' list of celebrity billionaires:

Forbes' Biggest Celebrity Billionaires List (2024)

1. Geroge Lucas - $5.5B
2. Steven Spielberg - $4.8B
3. Michael Jordan - $3.2 B
4. Oprah Winfrey - $2.8B
5. Jay-Z - $2.5B
6. Kim Kardashian - $1.7B
7. Peter Jackson - $1.5 B
8. Tyler Perry - $1.4 B
9. Rihanna - $1.4B
10. Tiger Woods - $1.3B
11. LeBron James - $1.2B
12. Magic Johnson $1.2B
13. Dick Wolf - $1.2B
14. Taylor Swift - $1.1B

Note that Hasbro will be launching additional Wondercon 2024 products throughout the week. The Marvel Legends lineup launches on April 2nd, G.I. Joe Classified on April 4th, and Transformers on April 4th. All of these releases will be available at the same 1pm ET time slot on their respective launch days.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION KANAN JARRUS / $16.99 - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Once known by the name Caleb Dume, Kanan Jarrus survived the Emperor's purge, going underground for years. Leading up to the Galactic Civil War, he was a leader among the Ghost crew. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION KANAN JARRUS figure (VC #318) inspired by the character's appearance in the beloved animated series STAR WARS: REBELS. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including Kanan's Lightsaber."

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION EZRA BRIDGER (HERO OF LOTHAL) / $16.99 - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "One of the few Jedi trained after the fall of the Empire and an early member of the emerging Rebel movement, Ezra Bridger vanished in the battle to liberate Lothal, disappearing into deep space. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION EZRA BRIDGER (HERO OF LOTHAL) figure (VC #319) inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including Lightsaber and blaster."

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION GARAZEB "ZEB" ORRELIOS / $24.99 - See at Entertainment Earth "The muscle of the Ghost team, Zeb was a cunning Lasat Honor Guard who adopted the cause of the rebellion against the Empire. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION GARAZEB "ZEB" ORRELIOS figure inspired by the character's appearance in the beloved animated series STAR WARS: REBELS. This deluxe figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. This figure comes with 4 entertainment-inspired accessories, including his signature Bo-Riffle and 2 electricity FX accessories."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES MOMAW NADON / $33.99 - See at Entertainment Earth "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES MOMAW NADON figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. An exile from Ithor, Momaw Nadon was a rebel sympathizer who cultivated a hidden garden in the mountains south of Mos Eisley. For the first time in THE BLACK SERIES, fans and collectors can bring home and display Momaw Nadon in their collection! This fully articulated figure features premium detail and multiple points of articulation. Includes figure and 4 entertainment-inspired accessories including a blaster and 3 drinking cups."

If you missed the launches for Imperial March, a breakdown of the biggest pre-orders can be found in the following list:

• Star Wars: The Acolyte figures, Moff Gideon helmet, and more
• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 3-Pack, Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Captain Enoch and Thrawn's Night Troopers pack, and more
• Star Wars Cal Kestis and Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber hilt replicas
• Black Series The Last Command 4-pack, Clone Trooper & Battle Droid Pack, and more

It's a very safe bet that LEGO will have a major new Star Wars set or two up for grabs as part of the May 4th / Star Wars Day celebrations, especially since 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of their partnership with Lucasfilm. A little appetizer for that event has debuted that includes two new sets - Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator (75383) and BARC Speeder Escape (75378).

We'll star with the Sith Infiltrator set, which is currently available to pre-order here at the LEGO Shop priced at $69.99. It includes 640 pieces, along with minifigures of Darth Maul, Anakin Skywalker Qui-Gon Jinn, and an exclusive LEGO Star Wars 25th anniversary Saw Gerrera minifigure with a display stand. Inspired by Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the starship features foldout wings, retractable landing gear, 2 spring-loaded shooters and a trigger-operated hatch that will allow you to release the 3 DRK-1 Probe Droids from the front compartment.

The BARC Speeder Escape set is listed here at the LEGO Shop, and will be priced at $29.99 when it launches at 9pm PT / 12am ET on April 30th / May 1st. It includes 221 pieces along with minifigs of Kelleran Beq, two 501st Clone Troopers, and a LEGO figure of Grogu. Inspired by Star Wars: The Mandalorian, the set features a minifigure cockpit, 2 stud shooters and a buildable hoverpram for Grogu that can be clipped to a detachable sidecar.

We're especially happy to see a Kelleran Beq minifigure in this set, who was played by Ahmed Best in Season 3 of the Mandalorian. As fans likely know, Best also played Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequels, and suffered greatly because of it.

Speaking of minifigures, the first update to the Star Wars Visual Dictionary since 2019 is on the way, and it will include new information about the sets released over the years along with an exclusive minifigure that was shrouded in mystery until recently.

As you can see in the updated cover, the LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Updated Edition will come with an exclusive Darth Maul minifigure. Technically, the Darth Maul figure is still shrouded in mystery since his back is to us in the photo, but it's clear that he'll be hooded. If you want it add it to your collection, the book is currently available to pre-order here on Amazon for $22.49, which is 10% off the list price. It is set to arrive on April 2nd. From the official description:

"Tour the LEGO Star Wars galaxy in this fully updated edition, which comes with an exclusive LEGO Star Wars minifigure! Discover every detail of best-loved sets and vehicles, including the Mos Eisley Cantina and the Millennium Falcon. Find out about your favorite LEGO Star Wars minifigures-from Rey and C-3PO to Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Meet the LEGO Star Wars team and uncover exclusive behind-the-scenes facts! Find out everything you need to know about LEGO Star Wars in this must-have guide for fans of all ages."

You can find more upcoming LEGO releases here in the "Coming Soon" section. After the launch, they will shift here in the "Available Now" section.

It's been nearly three years since the remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was first announced for PlayStation 5, and things have been rocky to say the least. The game was originally in development at Aspyr, a company owned by Embracer Group, but ended up switching hands to Saber Interactive. Saber was owned by Embracer up until very recently, when several studios were sold off to Beacon Interactive, where Saber co-founder Matthew Karch is the director. Speaking to IGN, Karch confirmed that the KOTOR remake is still in development at Saber following the move.

"It's clear and it's obvious that we're working on this," Karch tells IGN. "It's been in the press numerous times. What I will say is that the game is alive and well, and we're dedicated to making sure we exceed consumer expectations."

High Expectations and a Difficult Task

Exceeding expectations isn't going to be easy. Originally released as an Xbox exclusive in 2003, KOTOR is widely considered one of the greatest video games of all-time; Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has even referred to it as "my favorite Star Wars thing out of all Star Wars games, movies, TV shows, toys, and comics." That's a very high bar to clear, especially given the concerns fans have had over the last three years.

The remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was first announced during a PlayStation Showcase, as a timed-exclusive for PS5. While the brief teaser trailer caused a lot of excitement, there was also a lot of concern over the game's developer, Aspyr. While Aspyr had a lot of experience with past Star Wars games, the studio was known for working on remasters of existing titles, as opposed to a AAA remake. Saber Interactive being at the helm makes a lot more sense, but it remains to be seen whether they can deliver an experience that lives up to the original game.

When is the KOTOR Remake Actually Coming Out?

Unfortunately, Karch's comments don't give us any idea how far along the KOTOR remake might be, or when players can expect to see anything beyond the initial trailer. Almost everything we've learned about the remake has come from secondary sources, as opposed to the studio. There have been a number of rumors about the game, and changes that will be made over the original version, but nothing has been confirmed at this time. At this point, it's probably for the best that Saber waits to provide any significant updates until the company is ready to do so. For now, fans are just going to have to keep waiting patiently!

Are you happy to hear that the Knights of the Old Republic remake is still getting made? Do you think it has a chance of living up to the original game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The first trailer for Star Wars: The Acolyte was released last month, offering audiences their first glimpses at the exciting new chapter in the galaxy far, far away, while today sees Entertainment Weekly unleashing fresh looks at Dafne Keen's character Jecki Lon. In addition to showing off new looks at the character, Keen herself addressed her character's place in the upcoming story, hinting at the ways the series will reimagine what viewers might be expecting from a familiar tale of Jedi against adversaries. You can check out the new photos of Jecki Lon below before Star Wars: The Acolyte lands on Disney+ on June 4th.

"Well, I'm very excited that we know her name now, because it was secret for so long. And I'm very happy that I get to say that she's an alien and that she's a Padawan and that she's a Jedi," Keen detailed of her character to the outlet. "She's a mixed species -- part Theelin, part human. She's very cool and I have some very cool fights I do with the lightsaber. I really love her. She's a great character and was really fun to play. I'm very excited that the trailer came out. I was buzzing for days."

She continued, "I'd say she is a very dedicated Padawan. She's definitely in awe of [Lee Jung-jae's Jedi Master Sol] in a very kind of sweet way. She thinks the absolute world of him in a way that I think they have a very sweet relationship, but she's much more aware of the authority difference than, for example, Obi-Wan and Anakin. She's very much like, 'No, he's the master and I'm the Padawan and he's perfect. And everything he says, I have to follow to the T.'"

In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems....

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Star Wars: The Acolyte lands on Disney+ on June 4th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

It's been 25 years since 1999, one of the biggest movie years in the history of cinema, and so it's probably fair to expect a number of anniversary celebrations for some of the year's biggest hits. There is no hit bigger than Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and Marvel Comics got out ahead of things with a new one-shot that celebrates a quarter-century of the prequel trilogy. Part of that special is a new look at Anakin Skywalker, as he would have appeared in the years between The Phantom Menace and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

The image itself is from a premonitory dream by a young Anakin, who is also seen in the preview pages with his mother, Jar Jar, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. At least the Jar Jar and Obi-Wan pages look like they take place shortly after the end of the movie's climactic battle, with Anakin mourning Qui-Gon.

"I was eight when A New Hope came out, so for my formative years, Star Wars was synonymous with the original trilogy," writer Greg Pak told StarWars.com, where the pages premiered. "But I delved deep into the prequels when I came on board as the writer of Marvel's Darth Vader comics, watching and rewatching all of them. And I found myself dazzled by the long game George Lucas was playing in laying out the tragedy of Darth Vader. It's been an absolute thrill to contribute to that legacy by revisiting The Phantom Menace with new scenes from the point of view of young Anakin."

You can see a look at the "dream Jedi" version of Anakin below.

Here's the solicitation text for the one-shot, via the Star Wars website:

STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE 25TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1

Written by GREG PAK

Art by WILL SLINEY

Cover by PHIL NOTO

CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHANTOM MENACE WITH AN ALL-NEW STORY!

Explore the earliest days of ANAKIN SKYWALKER with never-before-seen, revelatory moments set before, after, and between the scenes of the classic movie! Featuring the dream of a JEDI, the gift of a TUSKEN, the heart of a GUNGAN, the ache of a mother and the horror of a hero!

The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special #1 arrives in May 1, 2024 and is available for pre-order online and at your local comic shop.

Games of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are back in the spotlight thanks to Netflix's 3 Body Problem, their latest book-to-TV adaptation. However, before Benioff and Weiss landed at Netflix, their career path was set to run through Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise.

As revealed earlier this year, Benioff and Weiss were trying to do a Star Wars movie called The First Jedi, which would chronicle "basically how the Jedi Order came to be, why it came to be, the first lightsaber," Benioff explained to Variety. He further added that "[Lucasfilm] ended up not wanting to do a First Jedi story. We had a very specific story idea in mind, and ultimately they decided they didn't want to do that. And we totally get it. It's their company and their IP, but we weren't the droids they were looking for."

During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Benioff and Weiss further elaborated about how far into development they were on The First Jedi before Lucasfilm pulled the plug:

"I think we got relatively far, storywise, with the first one," Weiss explained to host Josh Horowitz. "We like had a basic roadmap to the other two, and it was a shame. The truth is our Hollywood ratio, or batting average of things conceived to things actually finished has never been tremendously high, and there's always going to be ones that get away for various reasons, you know. The ones that were never meant to be. And it was sad that was one of them for us. But as time goes on, you just kind of need to let go of those kinds of things, because if you don't you'll drive yourself completely crazy."

The conversation ventured into the awkward waters of how Lucasfilm has since gone ahead with a Dawn of the Jedi film, which is in active development with Logan and Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold at the helm.

Weiss got things diplomatic, saying "I love Jim, he's a great dude. So... all the best of luck to him." Needless to say, the body language in the video hints that both Weiss and Beinoff have more thoughts on that subject...

At Star Wars Celebration 2023, Mangold talked about his own vision for the beginnings of the Jedi, and has since teased that words like "Jedi" or "Force" may not be featured prominently in his film:

"It just came from me thinking about if I were doing one, it seemed to me that most of what they were thinking about doing with movies were either in the present of Star Wars or the future, and what attracted me most was the distant past and how this galaxy formed and how, more specifically, the Force was discovered."

"It will be before Jedi, meaning you might be experiencing something that might become Jedi," Mangold replied to the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "Despite the fact that other people make movies other ways, I don't tend to think people brand themselves before they've actually found themselves. So you don't come up with a name for your organization ... 'Let's put this big thing on our chests.' I think that the branding tends to happen later."

Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi is in production. 3 Body Problem is streaming on Netflix.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi was initially announced as a limited series, bracing audiences for the fact that it might not be an ongoing project, but various programs have started their lives as series conceived as contained adventures and then get expanded into ongoing projects, yet fans haven't been given any promising updates about the series' return. Star Ewan McGregor recently addressed his future with the franchise and, while a second season might not move forward, he doesn't think he's quite done with the galaxy far, far away. At this point, Star Wars: Andor is the only project that is taking place around a similar timeline to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and while that project might not organically lend itself to a Kenobi cameo, it's possible he could appear in another project at some point.

"The truth is I've talked about having to cover for doing the Obi-Wan season for years, I had to lie about that and I'm not lying about this now," McGregor confessed to LADbible. "I don't know. There's been no phone call to me from Lucasfilm, or Disney saying, 'Let's do another one.' Obi-Wan was made as a limited series and it's out and people like it, which I'm very, very pleased about. I love doing it. I hope we get a chance to do another one and I'm sure we will. I'm pretty sure, you know, I've got a few years yet before I'm the same age as Alec Guinness was in [Star Wars:] A New Hope. So there's time to tell more stories in there."

As McGregor mentioned, he knew about getting the chance to return for quite some time before it was officially announced, which helps reflect the complicated journey this series took to come together.

Reports of McGregor returning to the franchise go back years, with those rumors largely gaining steam when Solo: A Star Wars Story landed in theaters. When that project fell a bit flat with audiences, McGregor's return was delayed indefinitely before ultimately being reimagined as a Disney+ series. Even once the project was officially announced, there were some creative shakeups behind the scenes in the transition from turning the movie concept into a TV series, with director Deborah Chow ultimately bringing the concept to fruition.

Whenever McGregor or Chow discuss a potential second season, their reaction is that they could see the program returning if they found a story worth telling. While there haven't been substantial updates about such a notion since the show's 2022 debut, it's possible Kenobi could appear as an ancillary character in a future project.

Stay tuned for updates on McGregor's possible Star Wars return.

What do you think about the actor's remarks? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

A new PSN leak has revealed that a Star Wars game on the PS1, from 1995, is returning next month on April 16 via the PS4 and PS5. The game, a PS1 console exclusive at the time, is going to be included for free via PS Plus Premium when it releases. That said, those without an active subscription to the most expensive tier of PS Plus will still be able to enjoy the game on PS4 or PS5 or both when it releases, they will just need to buy it like any other game. A price point for the re-release has not leaked, but it will presumably be $9.99 like many previous PS Plus Premium classic games.

The mystery Star Wars game in question is Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire, which was made by LucasArts and Factor 5 as the sequel to 1993's Star Wars: Rebel Assault. Set in the Star Wars Expanded universe, Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire, was contentious when it was released. It earned many middling reviews in addition to a few outliers that rated the game quite negatively as well as quite positively. At the time, the game's visuals and use of cutscenes was praised, but many found it difficult to play due to the control scheme.

"The story opens in the vicinity of the Dreighton Nebula, where Rookie One is part of a Rebel scouting patrol," reads an official blurb about the game. "He's investigating disappearances of Rebel spacecraft near Dreighton, a region rich with mythology about vanishing spacecraft. Legends of the region go back to the days when early hyperspace travelers lost their bearings and disappeared in the currents, eddies, and storms of the nebula. During the Clone Wars, two opposing combat fleets, at the height of battle, were swallowed up by the Dreighton Nebula, leaving it as the battle's only true victor."

An official description of the game continues: "Featuring original, live-action Star Wars footage, Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire hosts a multitude of ground-breaking improvements, including intuitive and challenging arcade game play; fifteen land, sky and space missions; an original Star Wars story; full-Screen high-quality video; four skill levels from easy to hard; a digital John Williams Star Wars soundtrack; and authentic sound effects by Skywalker Sound."

As for how we know know the game is coming to PS4 and PS5, it is because it has been scrapped from PSN. That said, at the moment of publishing, none of the implicated parties have commented on the leak. In the meantime, take this leak like any other, which is to say, with a grain of salt.

Star Wars has made the surprising reveal that a fan-favorite villain from the Clone Wars era is not dead, but is in fact still alive and operating during the Imperial Era!

(WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3 Episode 9 "The Harbinger" sees Clone Force 99 still waiting for the payoff from their brief alliance with Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen). The Bad Batch needed Fennec to provide intel on why the Empire is hunting their ward Omega (Michelle Ang), and what "M Counts" are all about. Fennec didn't know anything solid, but promised to send an operative the Bad Batch's way who would be able to help.

In "The Harbinger" Clone Force 99 (and the Star Wars Fandom) learn that Fennec's secret contact is none other than Asajj Ventress! The early marketing and press for Bad Batch Season 3 teased Ventress returning - but how is the seemingly dead Force warrior even back?

Who Is Star Wars' Asajj Ventress?

Asajj Ventress is a Dathomarian warrior who has had one of the most dynamic arcs in Star Wars. She was born to the Nightsisters, as part of the coven run by Mother Talzin on Dathomir. As a youngling, Ventress was given up as an offering to criminal (Hal'Sted) and enslaved for years, until her master was killed by pirates. A Jedi master named Ky Narec, rescued Ventress and trained her in the Force as his padawan; however, she started to turn to the dark side when Narec was also killed, using the dark side's power to conquer the pirate lords and rule them. One warlord tricked Ventress and once again being enslaved as a gladiator, where she was discovered by Count Dooku (aka Darth Tyrannus) and trained to be a Sith assassin.

Ventress became a breakout character in the Clone Wars animated series, as we followed her journey of hounding Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and Obi-Wan Kenobi during the years the Clone Wars. However, Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious sensed Ventress's growing power with the dark side and saw it (combined with Dooku) as a threat to his position as a Sith Lord, and ordered Dooku to kill her, which he nearly did. Ventress was healed by Mother Talzin and the Nightsisters; she sought revenge against the Sith through Darth Maul's brother Savage Opress, but ultimately failed and was nearly killed again. She gave up her feud and rejoined the Nightsisters, but a wrathful Dooku sent General Grievous and the Droid Army to wipe Ventress and the Nightsisters out. Once again Ventress managed to survive; without a home or a clan, she took up bounty hunting as a trade near the end of the Clone Wars.

In the now-famous Star Wars (2015) novel Dark Disciple, Ventress partnered with (and fell in love with) Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, who had been assigned with assassinating Count Dooku. By the end of that mission, Vos had been captured by Dooku and turned to the dark side, making Ventress once again ally with her former master. However, when Dooku couldn't turn Ventress back to the dark side, a conflict ensued and Ventress took a Force Lighting blast from Dooku to protect Vos. It seemed as though Ventress died from that attack; her "death" pulled Vos back to the light side, and she received honorary praise from the Jedi Council for her sacrifice. Ventress's body was taken back to Dathomir and laid in the waters by her village.

Star Wars: Asajj Ventress' Return Explained

The ending of Dark Disciple may have set the story of Asajj Ventress's return in motion. After Quinlan Vos and Obi-Wan Kenobi put Ventress into a murky pool close her Nightsisters village, there was a reaction from the water, as it turned green, and the spirits of the Nightsisters welcomed the fallen Ventress back home.

In the years since Dark Disciple, Star Wars has done a lot of work building out the mythos of the Nightsisters and their magical wielding of the Force. Resurrection and/or re-animation is well-established to be within the powers of the Nightsisters - while the Ahsoka TV series raised big new questions about the Nightsisters' history and connection to the Mortis gods that embodied the Force.

That's all to say: Asajj Ventres being alive isn't as much of a stretch as it would've once been. And as one of the most knowledgeable people about Force Use and the true connection between the Sith and the Empire, she's once again one of the most pivotal characters in Star Wars.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch is now streaming on Disney+.

Atomic Mass Games has revealed the roadmap of upcoming products for both Star Wars: Shatterpoint and Star Wars: Legion. Today at Adepticon, the Asmodee subsidiary revealed its plans for both of its Star Wars games, which focus on small-scale conflicts and army-sized battles respectively. Star Wars: Shatterpoint's releases include characters from all aspect of Star Wars media (including video games and television shows), while Star Wars: Legion continues to build out new units that fit within each of its five main armies.

Thirteen new products were announced for Star Wars: Shatterpoint, adding a mix of already announced and new characters. Iden Versio from Star Wars: Battlefront 2 will appear in the "Today - The Rebellion Dies" pack, while Han Solo and Chewbacca will appear in the "Real Quiet Like" Squad Pack. Both will be released in June 2024. In July, Star Wars: Rebels will be the focus, with Kannan and Zeb appearing in the "Stronger Than Fear" Squad Pack and Hera, Sabine and Chopper appearing in the "Make the Impossible" Squad Pack. The Ghost crew's longtime nemesis Thrawn will make his first Star Wars miniature appearance in "Not Accepting Surrenders" pack being released in August.

Later in the year, Crosshair from The Bad Batch will lead a Squad in the "Good Soldiers Follow Orders" Squad Pack, while Mandalorians like the Armorer and Paz Viszla will appear in the "This Is The Way" Squad Pack. A new kind of product - Unit Packs - will make their debut later in the year with the "We Don't Need Their Scum" Unit Pack, which adds four bounty hunters from Empire Strikes Back (Boba Fett, IG-11, Bossk, and Dengar) as Secondary Units. Closing out the year are more characters from The Empire Strikes Back, including a Lando and Cloud City-themed "What Have We Here" Squad Pack and a General Veer-focused "Maximum Firepower" pack both coming out for Q4 2024. Notably, General Veer will have an ability that aims bombardments from AT-ATs at other players. Both Kit Fisto and Ki-Adi-Mundi will both make their debut in the game in early 2025 in other character packs.

Upcoming releases for Star Wars Legion includes Range Troopers and Clone Republic Commandos, along with a specialized unit expansion for the Bad Batch (which can be placed into the Rebel Alliance army as mercenaries). Also coming to the game are Rebel Sleeper Cell Units and Imperial Riot Control Squads (both inspired by Andor), Crab Droids, Aqua Droids, and ARF Trooper Units. ARF Troopers will also receive a Jedi Attachment. Also showcased were new hard plastic resculpts of Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous. While Star Wars: Legion's releases were slightly less than Star Wars: Shatterpoint, Atomic Mass Games noted that 2025 would be a big year for Star Wars: Legion.

Star Wars Celebration is returning in 2025, and this time the beloved convention is taking place in Japan. A new poster was shared for the event this week in addition to a promo teaser. There are lots of things to celebrate next year including the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and the 10th anniversary of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Not to mention all of the exciting upcoming projects from Lucasfilm.

"Star Wars Celebration will come to Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan on April 18-20, 2025. Star Wars Celebration is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience where memories are made, families are brought together, old friends are reunited, and new friendships forged - all in the setting of the ever-evolving Star Wars galaxy. Tickets for the event will go on sale Thursday, May 2 at 7:00 PM EDT (US Time) / Friday, May 3 at 8:00 AM JST (Japan Time)," the official account for Star Wars shared on YouTube this week. You can check out the teaser below:

The Skywalker Saga Is Coming To Theaters:

May 4th is the day to honor all things Star Wars and fans of the franchise will have an extra special way to celebrate this year. It was previously announced that Star Wars: The Phantom Menace would be heading back to theaters in honor of its upcoming 25th anniversary, but you will also have the chance to catch the rest of the Skywalker Saga on the big screen this May. The first prequel film is returning to theaters on May 3rd with a special sneak peek at the upcoming series, Star Wars: The Acolyte. StarWars.com also revealed this week that fans can watch The Phantom Menace on the big screen with the rest of the Skywalker Saga on May 4th.

"Lucasfilm announced today that in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, fans will have the chance to experience the entire Skywalker Saga in theaters this May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day," StarWars.com shared. "This includes all nine episodic films in chronological order: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

"In addition, an exclusive look at The Acolyte, the upcoming Disney+ series set during the High Republic era, will be part of The Phantom Menace screenings," the site added. "Finally, those attending will receive a special limited edition poster. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, March 22, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET."

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Wars.

The ComicBook Nation Crew takes on nostalgia overload with reviews of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Road House remake, and Marvel's X-Men '97 premiere!

2024 is looking NICE with Beetlejuice 2, Star Wars: The Acolyte, Alien: Romulus, House of the Dragon, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga all dropping new trailers!

PLUS: Peak Geek TV coverage continues with exciting new episodes of Shogun and Invincible and the game-changing Season 2 Finale of Halo!

TRAILER PARK

The next chapter in The Batman saga from Matt Reeves. Academy Award Nominee Colin Farrell is #ThePenguin in the new Max Original Series coming this fall to Max.

Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton's award-winning Beetlejuice.

Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O'Hara (Schitt$ Creek, The Nightmare Before Christmas) as Delia Deetz, with new cast members Justin Theroux (Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (Spectre, The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia's daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, At Eternity's Gate).

Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful "Alien" franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny ("Priscilla"), David Jonsson ("Agatha Christie's Murder is Easy"), Archie Renaux ("Shadow and Bone"), Isabela Merced ("The Last of Us"), Spike Fearn ("Aftersun"), Aileen Wu. Fede Alvarez ("Evil Dead," "Don't Breathe") directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues ("Don't Breathe 2") based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. "Alien: Romulus" is produced by Ridley Scott ("Napoleon"), who directed the original "Alien" and produced and directed the series' entries "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant," Michael Pruss ("Boston Strangler"), and Walter Hill ("Alien"), with Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon ("Charlie's Angels"), Brent O'Connor ("Bullet Train"), and Tom Moran ("Unstoppable") serving as executive producers.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra - In the chaos of war, worlds collide. Skydance New Media and Marvel Games share an original story where an ensemble of four heroes must overcome their differences and form an uneasy alliance to confront their common enemy. #GDC #Marvel1943

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After delivering fans the massively successful Game of Thrones adaptation for HBO, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were tapped by Lucasfilm to develop Star Wars movies, but now that those plans have fizzled, the pair confirm they are no longer interested in telling stories in such established franchises. Their remarks aren't specific to the galaxy far, far away, as they claimed this sentiment applied to things like James Bond as well. Instead, the pair have recently developed the Netflix series 3 Body Problem, and while this series is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by author Liu Cixin, it doesn't have the same legacy as some decades-spanning franchises.

When asked by the Inside Total Film podcast about if they have an interest in a return, Benioff admitted, "No, I don't think so." He continued, "I think when you've got a franchise that's already so well established, like Star Wars or James Bond or so forth, I think there's less independence when you come in to try to tell a story that you want to tell and so I think what Dan [Weiss] and I have learned is that it's more fun for us to start something afresh."

Benioff added, "Obviously, we're coming in on the shoulders of [author Liu Cixin] here, he's the one who created these novels and everything but because we're the ones adapting them, at least for the English language. We have a lot of flexibility in terms of the story we want to tell and that's a lot more fun for us than the other version."

The partnership between the filmmakers and Lucasfilm was reportedly set to encompass multiple movies, with Benioff and Weiss being only some of many collaborators who were announced as developing a movie to then part ways from the studio. Interestingly, Benioff previously explained that the pair planned to make a movie about the early days of the Jedi, which Lucasfilm reportedly wasn't interested in, only for James Mangold to be announced as developing a movie tackling that subject.

"[Lucasfilm] ended up not wanting to do a First Jedi story," Benioff confessed to Variety earlier this year. "We had a very specific story idea in mind, and ultimately they decided they didn't want to do that. And we totally get it. It's their company and their IP, but we weren't the droids they were looking for."

Stay tuned for updates on the Star Wars franchise.

What do you think of the filmmakers' remarks? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The year is moving along quickly, which means it's going to be Star Wars Day before we know it. May 4th is the day to honor all things Star Wars and fans of the franchise will have an extra special way to celebrate this year. It was previously announced that Star Wars: The Phantom Menace would be heading back to theaters in honor of its upcoming 25th anniversary, but you will also have the chance to catch the rest of the Skywalker Saga on the big screen this May. The first prequel film is returning to theaters on May 3rd with a special sneak peek at the upcoming series, Star Wars: The Acolyte. StarWars.com also revealed fans can watch The Phantom Menace on the big screen with the rest of the Skywalker Saga on May 4th.

"Lucasfilm announced today that in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, fans will have the chance to experience the entire Skywalker Saga in theaters this May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day," StarWars.com shared. "This includes all nine episodic films in chronological order: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

"In addition, an exclusive look at The Acolyte, the upcoming Disney+ series set during the High Republic era, will be part of The Phantom Menace screenings," the site added. "Finally, those attending will receive a special limited edition poster. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, March 22, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET."

The official Instagram account for Star Wars also shared a special poster for The Phantom Menace's re-release. You can check it out below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Star Wars (@starwars)

What is The Acolyte About?

Set some 150 years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace during a period in Star Wars called the High Republic, The Acolyte is set when the Jedi reigned supreme and the Sith are believed to be long extinct. The new series is described, "The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated."

"We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about," The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland explained in a previous interview. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'"

"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland added. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."

The Acolyte debuts on Disney+ on June 4th. Will you be watching the Skywalker Saga in theaters? Tell us in the comments!

A complete breakdown of the massive wave can be found below complete with retailer links. Pre-orders begin on March 21st at 10am PT / 1pm ET, and the products won't be active in those links until after that time. If you choose to go with Entertainment Earth, keep in mind that US shipping is free on orders $79+. UPDATE: Pre-orders are live via the links below, and a Black Series Darth Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and General Grievous Masters of Evil 3-Pack was added as a surprise update that you can grab here on Amazon as exclusive.

The Mandalorian / New Hope / Prequel Releases:

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES MOFF GIDEON PREMIUM ELECTRONIC HELMET ($99.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Imagine working for the Empire as Moff Gideon, donning a helmet paying tribute to the sinister Darth Maul with horn-like spikes. Clever and formidable, Moff Gideon wields the ancient Darksaber, an artifact of great importance to Mandalorians. STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the biggest battles and missions in the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium roleplay, MOFF GIDEON PREMIUM ELECTRONIC HELMET, inspired by Moff Gideon's helmet featured in STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN live-action series. This helmet features a light-up front visor and interior welcome light FX, plus a display mode. Press and hold the button for an approximately hour-long visor and interior lights display. The visor lights up solid red, and the interior lights flash".

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA ($16.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Princess Leia Organa was one of the greatest leaders of the Rebel Alliance, fearless on the battlefield and dedicated to ending the Empire's tyranny. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA figure (VC #316) inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including 2 blasters."

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION ARTOO-DETOO (R2-D2) ($16.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "A skilled starship mechanic and fighter pilot's assistant, R2-D2 formed an unlikely but enduring friendship with the fussy protocol droid C-3PO. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION ARTOO-DEETO (R2-D2) figure (VC #149) inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH MAUL ($29.99) - Target Exclusive: "Receive transmissions from the dark side and across the galaxy with THE BLACK SERIES Holocomm collection, featuring light-up holopucks. STAR WARS fans and collectors can display this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH MAUL figure, featuring premium detail, multiple points of articulation and hologram-style deco in their collections. Press the button on the puck to light up the bottom and illuminate the figure. Press and hold the button to activate a 30-minute light display! This collectible figure includes a bounty chip with an Aurebesh inscription, a holopuck and Darth Maul's signature double-bladed Lightsaber accessory! Look for more Holocomm Collection figures to build a galactic communication hub on your shelf! (Each sold separately. Subject to availability) Requires 3 AAA batteries, not included."

STAR WARS: MASTERS OF EVIL 3-PACK ($79.99) - Amazon Exclusive: This set includes action figures of Darth Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and General Grievous with a total of 7 accessories. It also features new packaging design.

STAR WARS THE BLACK SERIES HOLOCOMM COLLECTION DARTH VADER ($27.99) - Amazon Exclusive: "Receive transmissions from the dark side with The Black Series Holocomm collection, featuring light-up holopucks. his collectible figure includes 3 accessories, including the holopuck and chip."

Star Wars: The Acolyte Releases

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION MAE (ASSASSIN) ($16.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Set at the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION MAE (ASSASSIN) figure (VC #328) inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including 2 daggers and a removable mask."

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION JEDI MASTER SOL ($16.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "Set at the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION JEDI MASTER SOL figure (VC #329) inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 2 entertainment-inspired accessories including a Lightsaber and its unlit hilt."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES PADAWAN JECKI LON ($24.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES PADAWAN JECKI LON figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. At the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes - but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and Lightsaber accessory with a removable blade."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI KNIGHT YORD FANDAR ($24.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI KNIGHT YORD FANDAR figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. At the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes - but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and Lightsaber accessory with a removable blade."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI MASTER INDARA ($24.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI MASTER INDARA figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. At the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes - but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and Lightsaber accessory with a removable blade."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI MASTER SOL ($24.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES JEDI MASTER SOL figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. At the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes - but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and Lightsaber accessory with a removable blade."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES MAE (ASSASSIN) ($24.99) - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES MAE (ASSASSIN) figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE. At the end of the High Republic era, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes - but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 5 entertainment-inspired accessories including 4 knife accessories and a removable face wrap."

The Acolyte Synopsis and Release Date

Here's how Lucasfilm describes the series: "In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The Acolyte comes from creator and showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), who also serves as executive producer alongside Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrat? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers; Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim, and Rob Bredow are producing.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres its first two episodes on Disney+ on June 4th.

Every once in awhile, Disney releases a Star Wars ligthsaber hilt replica that fans can't buy fast enough, resulting in very quick sellouts. Sometimes these releases get limited restocks, sometimes they don't. The former was the case with the Asajj Ventress set last week which sold out twice despite a $400 price tag. If you missed out on that restock, another big opportunity is coming around on March 22nd at 8am PT / 11am ET when the Cal Kestis and Anakin Skywalker ligthsaber hilts are expected to be back for a limited time.

UPDATE: We were originally told that the Cal Kestis lightsaber hilt would be the limited edition version, but it appears that it it will be the a legacy version inspried by Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order pictured above. That makes a lot more sense given that only 7500 pieces were made of limited edition hilt. That said, the Cal Kestis Legacy lightsaber is expected to be back in stock here at the Disney Store after the launch time.

Disney will also be re-releasing the Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber Hilt at 11am ET on the 22nd. Details on the pricing weren't available at the time of writing, but it should be available here at the Disney Store after the launch time. Disney has informed us that they expect both lightsabers to sell out, but it's probably a good idea to go after the Cal Kestis edition first. Note that lighsaber blades for the hilts are sold separately.

ORIGINAL: Before the launch time you'll want to be ready and waiting here at the Disney Store (there might be a queue) to get your hands on the 7,500-piece limited edition Cal Kestis lightsaber hilt inspired by EA / Respawn Entertainment's 2019 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game and the sequel Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It was the star of Disney's Star Wars Day 2023 product drops, and this might be your last chance to grab one at the $400 list price.

Features of the Cal Kestis limited edition lightsaber hilt include:

• Limited Edition of 7,500
• Includes hilt and case
• Hilt includes color-changing feature
• Push switch on hilt to activate Lightsaber noises and illuminate Lightsaber blades, sold separately
• When holding down the buttons on the sides for five seconds, the Lightsaber blades will change in sequence to the following colors: blue, red, green, purple, yellow, white (for a total of six different color options)
• Battery case in hilt
• Hilt is presented in special wooden case featuring sliding lid and foam lined interior
• Jedi Order symbol on front of case
• Aurebesh text on case reads ''Trust only in the Force''
• Includes certificate with individual number in the edition of 7,500
• Coordinates with our Lightsaber Clip, Lightsaber Blades, Lightsaber Sheath and Lightsaber Hilt Stand, each sold separately
• Inspired by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland

Throughout three seasons of The Mandalorian, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) has come across his fair share of antagonists. There's been no opponent, however, more formidable than Giancarlo Esposito's Moff Gideon. Moff Gideon served as the Big Bad throughout the first three seasons of The Mandalorian before seemingly meeting his demise in the closing moments of the show's most recent batch of episodes. Even though the character is dead, Esposito is holding out hope to return to a galaxy far, far away.

"I love the Star Wars universe," the Get Down alumnus said in a recent chat with GQ. "I don't have any plans because they haven't called me. [I] love Moff Gideon because you have something I want."

Is Moff Gideon still alive?

As for how Gideon would come back given he's dead and all, Esposito has an idea--and it's one many fans have been speculation about as well. "Come on. I came back to the third season [of The Mandalorian]. I didn't have a mustache. Then you see all these clones. Put it together."

It's not the first time Esposito has addressed the theory, even tackling it head-on in a behind-the-scenes documentary created in support of The Mandalorian Season Three.

"I know the inference was that always one day Moff Gideon would probably meet his demise, and that wasn't a problem for me at all," Esposito said, "It was just 'when' and 'how,' and how tangible it is for an audience to see what may happen to him."

What is The Mandalorian movie about?

Little is known about The Mandalorian and Grogu, other than it's seemingly taking the place of The Mandalorian Season Four. Outside of the eponymous duo, it's not been confirmed which characters will appear in the picture.

"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," Favreau shared in a statement when the movie was first announced. "The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

"Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, added.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is set for release on May 22, 2026. The first three seasons of The Mandalorian are now streaming on Disney+.

What other characters would you like to see pop up in the movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Star Wars: The Acolyte has been a mystery in terms of its place in the Star Wars canon timeline, as well as what kind of pivotal story it's telling. Those are fair questions to ask: The Acolyte is set 100 years before the start of the Skywalker Saga, a time period marking the end of the High Republic Era, which started approximately 250 years before the events of The Acolyte take place. With The Acolyte clearly setup to be a bridge between The High Republic and Skywalker Saga, there's already a lot of potential for surprising new connections between the two eras to be revealed.

Star Wars' New Witch Obsession

Star Wars has a growing fascination with witches, if the last few years have been any indication. The High Republic Phase II explored events 150 years before the first High Republic stories were set, and introduced a much wider collection of Force-user groups than just the Jedi and the Sith, including the Path of the Open Hand, an extremist missionary order and cult. The head of the Path of the Open Hand, "The Mother" believed that no one should use The Force, with the Jedi Order being her biggest target. The Mother made a milestone change to Star Wars lore by discovering and unleashing The Leveler monsters - a species that consumes Force and can turn Force users like Jedi to stone and/or dust.

Star Wars has already established that the Path of the Open Hand eventually breaks down and splinters into various offshoot groups - now the question the Acolyte trailer has fans asking is whether or not this "Mother Aniseya" (played by Jodie Turner-Smith) is some kind of spiritual descendant of "The Mother" and the Path of the Open Hand.

That would be a nice twist in the story of The Acolyte, which has baited us early on with the idea that there was a Sith resurgence during the High Republic era - and all the timeline questions that would raise. However, the footage of The Acolyte trailer suggests that Mother Aniseya and her cult could be the ones secretly hunting down Jedi.

The title of "Mother" is the one used by the Nightsister we met in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the Ahsoka live-action series. The ending of Ahsoka teased that the Nightsisters' mysterious history is much more pivotal than we know - and that their alternative ways of using the Force could be a major new threat to the Jedi - a threat that maybe isn't as new as we think if there are clear connective lines made between Aniseya's coven and the coven of Mother Talzin, the unifier of the Nightsister clans who ruled during the Clone Wars era.

All that is certain right now is that Star Wars is highly invested in growing past the binary depictions of Force usage we've seen for much of the series.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.