Star Wars Celebration Anaheim came to a close at the Anaheim Convention Center on Sunday May 29, going out in epic flair with even more exclusive updates and reveals! Lucasfilm animation led the way, bringing a look back at the exciting conclusion of The Clone Wars series, as well as a sneak peek at season two of The Bad Batch.
After the aftermath of the destruction of Kamino and the havoc caused by the Empire, The Bad Batch left plenty of questions for fans leading into the new season.
The panel “Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2” featured Brad Rau (executive producer/supervising director), Jennifer Corbett (executive producer/head writer), Matt Michnovetz (story editor), Bradley Dee Baker (voice actor behind the Bad Batch), and Michelle Ang (voice of Omega) discussing their favorite past scenes and their enthusiasm for the upcoming ones. Baker and Ang acted out a scene from the show for rapt audience members, and a new look for the Batch was debuted
In perfect Dave Filoni fashion, The Clone Wars once again graced the Celebration Stage, giving everyone another look at the truly spectacular finale of the Clone Wars, The Siege of Mandalore arc.
Fans watched the first major screening of the series finale, which was joined with a special Q/A with Lucasfilm animation and Dave Filoni. Filoni spoke on the core of what makes Star Wars what it was, and how important it was to get it right, not only for these final episodes, but the continuing dedication to improve and do better since the very beginning of the series.
“You have this young woman in a crisis situation that’s involving all of her friends. She’s determined not to hurt them. She’s determined not to be violent. She’s determined to do the right thing…it’s important that you see her kindness. It’s not easy. That’s what George is trying to tell us!”
Filoni also focused on how judgement is quickly passed on content, making it a challenge for creatives to improve and that it’s a process that thrives with patience and less quick judgement on what’s to come, admitting he may not have been given the same opportunity to let Clone Wars and his subsequent work with Lucasfilm thrive if the original Clone Wars film is was released in today’s venue.
Fans embraced the comments as a perfect send off for the festivities, and a reminder to us all of what Star Wars means and how special it all is.
To wrap things up, Celebration host David Collins once again welcomed fans to reminisce about the week’s excitement, as well as give a tease about what comes next.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Star, Rupert Friend came to announce Celebration will be traveling back overseas to London April 2022. The circle is now complete as London last hosted Celebration in 2016, right after having the torch passed from Anaheim in 2015.
Star Wars Celebration 2023
We will see you at Star Wars Celebration! We look forward to sharing more details about what’s to come to our favorite galaxy far, far away and will see you later this year at the D23 Expo. Until next time!
Whether you prefer the clumsy or random fire of a blaster, or the elegance and vibrant accuracy of a lightsaber, there was plenty of exciting details for all at Star Wars Celebration. Day 3 was no exception, with so many epic reveals. Let’s take a closer look at what news came to this corner of the galaxy as day three comes to a close!
This is the day, or the way, or whatever you want to call it, as The Mandalorian took center stage, showcasing a showstopper panel featuring show creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. As expected, fans got a first look at season 3, coming in 2023. Grogu also made his Celebration debut, coming on stage and charming the crowd with adorable cuteness!
The fun didn’t stop there though, as Rosario Dawson made a surprise visit to the stage, giving them their first look at a trailer for her upcoming series, Ahsoka. As it would turn out, Ahsoka would dominate Celebration in other fantastic ways!
After a quick look at the casts and creatives of The Mandalorian, guests got a look at some of the hard work that supports the look and reality of the series in “Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian & The Book of Boba Fett.”
In this fascinating technical presentation, filmmakers from the two shows spoke on the amazing work done to create a convincing universe for the characters to inhabit, from pioneering technology such as ILM StageCraft which allows for seamless use of virtual backgrounds…
…and Lola VFX face replacement…
…to classic production elements like Grogu’s practical puppetry.
Moving into another era of Star Wars, fans got their first glimpse into a mysterious new series, Tales of the Jedi. When the series title was revealed a few weeks ago, speculation exploded faster than the reactor on Death Star II, prompting many to hope the series would be a callback to the legends story arc of the same title.
Dave Filoni returned to the stage, revealing the series will consist of animated shorts. “I wanted to explore some characters and set some things down on them and based them ideas I had during Clone Wars”. One of the shorts focuses around crowd favorite, Ahsoka Tano.
Ahsoka’s arc will take us across various stages of her life, starting with her birth and discovery of her Jedi powers. As seen from above, Baby Ahsoka stole all our hearts, as a first reveal of the new series at Celebration.
Count Dooku’s backstory will also be explored in the series. In contrast to Ahsoka’s, his arc will focus on his time as a member of the Jedi Order and his fall to the Dark Side.
A young Qui-Gon will be explored during this arc, giving more layers to the relationship between master and apprentice and building on the lore of the prequel character’s legacy.
When discussing Qui-Gon, Filoni stated “He’s trying to get to the selfless truth of things…He does not possessively love” Qui-Gon will be brought to the screen with the voice talents of Liam Neeson and his son, carting the legacy of the character forward.
The series will be six shorts, exploring their very different Jedi paths, coming Fall 2022 to Disney+.
“Exciting is hardly the word we would choose,” and in honor of that quote, we have to take a look at a panel that no Star Wars Celebration would be complete without. Thank the maker, because Anthony Daniels, C3P0 himself, took to the stage to share some of his favorite Star Wars memories, classic behind-the-scenes droid tales, as well as some well-needed laughter.
Adorned in his typical gold attire, Daniels was his usual energetic self, zipping around on stage and off, taking questions, doing scenes, and trading barbs with everyone: “I’ve been wearing a mask for 45 years! Suck it up!”
More Star Wars Celebration Info Coming Soon
We cannot wait to see what the final day of Celebration has in store and will share the full scoop right here. Stay tuned and may the Force be with you!
Punch It Chewie! We are making the jump to lightspeed to bring you all the latest updates from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim. Going into Day 2, we have plenty of fun to look back on, including legendary Star Wars milestones, a sneak peek at the future of must have Star Wars merchandise, as well as a chance to take part in the intergalactic fun of Star Wars Nite at the Disneyland Resort.
We first return to a time of unrest in the Galactic Senate. Several thousand solar systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic. This Separatist movement, under the leadership of the mysterious Count Dooku, has made it difficult for the limited number of Jedi Knights to maintain peace and order in the galaxy.
The year is 2002, a year where Tobey Maguire would suit up and swing across the New York skyline in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man for the first time. It would also be the year that Star Wars fans across the galaxy would get their first glimpse of Hayden Christensen Anakin Skywalker. That funny little boy on Tatooine has grown, and along with him, a forbidden love that could spell certain doom for the entire galaxy.
Attack of the Clones is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, and in perfect Celebration fashion, fans convened to pay respects to the second installment of George Lucas’ prequel trilogy.
Clone Wars alum and Ahsoka voice actress, Ashley Eckstein led the panel, sharing stories with Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, and Anthony Daniels. Creative minds Matthew Wood, Doug Chiang, and John Knoll joined in, detailing the iconic work completed for the world’s first fully digital film production.
Plenty of laughs came, as well as many other unexpected moments between Logan and Morrison. It was truly something to behold, with a bond that is still just as strong today!
The biggest surprise came right at the end of the panel, where Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen joined the discussion, telling a few stories connected to Daniel Logan’s memorable reaction to seeing Obi-Wan, which turns out came to be from Ewan’s direction. The performance came from advice to Logan, having him imagine Ewan had just passed a very atrocious fart. Jokes aside, Hayden also discussed his saber training and his bond with Ewan as they traveled on location to complete filming.
Coming back to present day and beyond, fans also had the chance to discover brand new merchandise coming soon to our galaxy. Disney and Lucasfilm took the stage, giving a first look at some of the exciting new items coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Parks, as well as ShopDisney.
Lawrence Kasdan virtually joined Ron Howard on the Celebration Stage, giving fans a first look at the new Disney+ documentary series, Light and Magic. The panel featured some of ILM’s legendary veterans Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Joe Johnston and Rose Duignan, and Lucasfilm’s executive vice president and general manager, Lynwen Brennan.
This creative powerhouse gave fans an insiders scope on some of the most remarkable and memorable technological accomplishments in modern cinema and their impact on the movie going experience. As Dennis Muren stated, the series isn’t just a “how we did it” type show, instead diving into the inner depths of what makes ILM and its creative team so special.
Fans got a chance to look at some exclusive behind the scenes clips from the series, stories that went into the biggest moments of American Graffiti, Willow, and beyond. The new series, debuting on Disney+ “Insert date here” will be something any hard core film nerd will need to see.
ILM wasn’t finished for the day, however, as they took the stage later that afternoon for the presentation “Go Beyond the Spires in Virtual Reality: Making of ILMxLAB’s Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.”In this one, panelists Matthew Wood (Mubo), Jose Perez III (Director), Alyssa Finley (Producer), Ross Beeley (Writer), and Marissa Martinez-Hoadley (Manager of Quality Assurance) joined Host Holly Frey to talk about the creative process behind the virtual reality experience that takes you from Black Spire Outpost to Seezelslak’s Cantina, to the wilds of Batuu: Star Wars: Tales from The Galaxy’s Edge.
Their goal? To take this story that starts in the parks and make it bigger. How do we fit in? Where is the ship parked? How does it connect to everything we do in the parks? The experience allows you to see Blackspire but go way beyond the expanses of the park. They worked with WDI to determine that ship is parked where it would fit or could be. Al the angles and views are true as if it was really real because it is.
Go Beyond the Spires in Virtual Reality: Making of ILMxLAB’s Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
Park fans were not left out of this Celebration either, as the panel “From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You” took them on a chronological journey through all the Star Wars experiences available to guests in all the Disney parks around the world.
From the initial collaborations with Lucasfilm resulting in Captain EO and Star Tours, to the recently opened Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser and the Star Wars: Hyperspace lounge, Imagineers Scott Trowbridge, Asa Kalama, Ann Morrow Johnson, Matt Martin from Lucasfilm, and the Disney Legend Tony Baxter gave us insights and anecdotes on creating immersive attractions in the Star Wars universe.
From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You
Make sure to stay tuned for all the latest and greatest from this side of the galaxy to the other as we continue our coverage of Star Wars Celebration Anaheim! Trust in the Force!
With Star Wars Celebration kicking off, we wanted a moment to share some of the exclusive merchandise items you can find during your visit to Star Wars Celebration Anaheim!
From exclusive Attack of the Clones 20th Anniversary merchandise commemorating Anakin’s hatred of sand, to an inflatable land speeder, there was plenty for any fan to love.
Please note that all celebration attendees will have the opportunity to get a Lightspeed Lane selection each morning to visit the store, or wait in a standby queue. As there is a heavy demand, please plan accordingly, as the store had a two hour wait mid afternoon. To add, exclusive items are subject to availability and may be limited in restock during the event.
Check out the full gallery below and stay tuned for more exciting Celebration updates in the days to come!
Stay on target because Star Wars Celebration is finally here, kicking off what will end up being a weekend long remembered. Fans from all corners of the galaxy converged on the Anaheim Convention Center, being some of the first to learn about some of the Star Wars universe’s best kept secrets, exciting updates, and more unforgettable moments than you can shake a gaffi stick at! Though the day was a bit wild, which included a building wide evacuation, it was a perfect way to kick off the fun at Celebration!
The fun began with the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase, bringing the latest scoop on Star Wars content yet to come across all platforms big screen and small. Let’s take a closer look into all the exciting reveals and exclusive details shared below!
Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen kicked off the festivities with a surprise visit, welcomed by a full chorus of “Duel of the Fates”, sharing with fans that they will be the first to see the new six part series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a special advanced screening after the con ends.
Shortly after, fans were treated to a visit from Diego Luna to discuss the new series, Andor. It was revealed the series will take place a few years before the events of Rogue One and will be split into a two-part series, with the first 12 episodes debuting with a two-episode premiere this August. Diego Luna will star in the series as Cassian Andor, the ruthless rebel operative who first appeared in Rogue One.
Curiously, Cassian is barely in the trailer for the show that shares his name. But there’s a real sense of paranoia and danger as the Empire expands. There are also fleeting glimpses of the show’s supporting cast, including Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, and Kyle Soller. Filming will begin for the second half of the series Fall Of 2022
Ahsoka was also teased, with creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni revealing that the show will release in 2023, with a surprise video message from Ahsoka herself, Rosario Dawson. Along with the third season of the hit show, The Mandalorian, 2023 is full of exciting new Star Wars content. The Mandalorian will bring back veteran cast members including Pedro Pascal, Carl Rivers, and Clone Wars alum, Katee Sackhoff.
A new series was teased as well, coming from the creative mind of MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts’. Skeleton Crew, as the series was dubbed, will take place in the same time frame as The Mandalorian. While the primary story will follow young children in the Star Wars universe, a big-name actor has already signed on to headline the show: Jude Law. More details are bound to come later.
Yet, Star Wars wasn’t the only thing talked about at Celebration today, as new details were revealed for the follow up series, Willow, starring Warwick Davis.
Erin Kellyman also stars in the series as Jade, with Ellie Bamber as Dove, Ruby Cruz as Kit, and Amer Chadha-Patel as Boorman. Together, they are are on journey to rescue Kit’s brother from the forces of evil. Willow will premiere on Disney+ on November 30.
If you think Celebration is done with the exclusive reveals, you have another thing coming, as fans came together to celebrate the 90th birthday of legendary composer, John Williams. The Maestro himself paid a visit, playing hit songs from the Star Wars catalogue, as well as a fun surprise, The “Raiders March” from Indiana Jones.
To fans surprise, Harrison Ford arrived at the scene and dropped the release details for the highly anticipated, Indiana Jones 5. Teary eyed and proud, Harrison was met with cheers and thunderous applause.
David Collins leads fans down the musical journey of Attack of the Clones, showcasing some of the instrumental genius behind John Williams’ iconic score.
Venturing into the outer rim of the convention hall, we had the chance to visit some of Celebration’s other panels, including a special behind-the-scenes look at the iconic music from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The film celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022, making it the perfect time to revisit the musical majesty of the maestro himself, John Williams. Lucasfilm veteran, David Collins, led the discussion and shared some little known secrets behind Williams’ creative stylings. The panel also acts as a follow up to the Collins’ panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019, in which fans got a fun look at the music of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Royalty made an appearance as well, when Ian McDiarmid took the stage for some Q&A about his portrayal of the infamous Emperor Palpatine. While he did not give any hopes for the Emperor returning in the flesh to screens any time soon (“don’t get your hopes up,”) he did pass on some insights he’s garnered from his years with Darth Sidious:
Ian McDiarmid: An Audience with The Emperor
His ultimate goal? “Absolute power. He wants to subjugate everyone…and you can still find people like that around today.”
Did Palpatine feign weakness in his fight with Mace Windu? “Yes. He wanted to compromise Anakin in another way and end Windu.”
Does Palpatine eat dessert? “No. He eats Ewoks.”
Make sure to stay tuned, as we will be bringing you all the latest and greatest Star Wars news as we continue our Star Wars Celebration coverage throughout the coming days. May the Force be with you!
Disney+ unveiled the teaser trailer for Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment’s “Willow” an all-new live-action fantasy adventure series based on the classic 1988 feature film, at the Lucasfilm studio showcase panel at Star WarsCelebration in Anaheim.
“Willow” will premiere November 30, 2022, exclusively on Disney+.
An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty, “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers.
The story began with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.
Disney+ is pleased to share the trailer and key art from its upcoming series “Andor” that was featured at Star Wars Celebration. The new, original series from Lucasfilm takes place prior to the events of “Rogue One” and launches exclusively on Disney+ August 31, with the first two episodes.
About Disney+ “Andor”
The “Andor” series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor and is joined by cast members Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough and Kyle Soller. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna and Michelle Rejwan. Tony Gilroy is the creator and showrunner.
On June 17, 2022, Disney and Pixar’s 26th feature film Lightyear will hit theaters to relate the in-universe cinematic origins of Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear.
Lightyear shows us the origin story of Buzz Lightyear (the toy) in the form of the science-fiction adventure film featuring Buzz Lightyear (the human character) that captured Andy’s imagination and spawned a huge toy franchise.
For an early look at the making and development of Lightyear, Socalthrills.com was given the chance to hear from several of the creative forces behind the film including Angus MacLane(Director/Screenwriter,) Galyn Susman(Producer,) Greg Peltz(Sets Art Director,) Fran Kalal(Tailoring and Simulation Supervisor,) Jane Yen(Visual Effects Supervisor,) and Jeremy Lasky(Director of Photography.) Previously, we had heard from MacLane and Susman on the story development of Lightyear, as well as the voice cast and music–here, we learned more about the art direction and technical design that creates the distinct Lightyear look.
The Design Language of Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear
MacLane: First and foremost, I wanted Lightyear to feel like a movie. So, we decided to focus on two specific aesthetics to achieve this look. I wanted the design of the world to be cinematic, and I wanted it to be chunky.
Now, what does that mean? Cinematic…I envisioned this graphic image that would utilize high-contrast atmosphere inspired by the look of 1970s film…We have bold lighting, emphasizing the graphic and letting the detail fall away, drawing the viewer into a rich world of a tangible alien landscape. So I wanted the film to be cinematic, which could be a challenge when you’re making a film on computer, which tends to look flimsy.
“As I said, the other quality I wanted the film to have was chunk. Now, I wanted there to be a thickness to things, an obvious construction. The original Buzz has a lot of chunk inspired by a healthy dose of NASA and Japanese anime. But we didn’t want this new Buzz to look like a toy–I wanted the technology in the world to be a pushbutton world of inefficiency. A celebration of the early 1970s and 1980s vision of the future. We tried a variety of shapes and textures to explore the design possibilities of this neo-retro future, and these early exploration sketches inspired us to settle on a clear design ethos: Rugged military aerospace design combined with the 1980s consumer electronics aesthetic. This design language informed everything in the film, from vehicles to spaceships and the sets. They were all given the same treatment. Lightyear is a film where flimsy industrial design has been eliminated and only the chunk survived.”
Peltz: “So the design language of Lightyear is one that’s inspired by the era, the movies, and the technology of our childhoods. As Angus already said, we envisioned the pushbutton world that was kinda thick and geometric and analog. A basic rule of thumb on our movie: There are no touch screens or cloud sharing in the world of Lightyear. It’s all Zip disks and 20-pound CRTs. In addition to looking cool, there’s kind of a toy-like appeal to the shapes, deco over style, that fits really well with the subject matter. It’s big. It’s chunky. It takes all these styling cues from ’70s aerospace design. The cockpit still has the analog control surfaces, exposed wires, buttons, knobs, levers…All sorts of neat stuff that Buzz can interact with to make for cool action on screen. In addition to looking cool, this stuff also serves a story purpose: Real cockpits have all sorts of details that shake and rattle, lights that blink, buzzers that scream while the whole vehicle shakes like crazy. Basically, space launches are a violent, chaotic event, and we wanted the designs of our ships to highlight that sense of danger so that audiences can experience that excitement for themselves while they’re watching.”
“But probably the single-most exciting thing I got to personally work on was Zurg. He’s a key character in the Buzz Lightyear mythos, and I can’t really talk about the mechanical design of our film without taking a look at our villain.
“Adapting Zurg for our film was a tall order. The original design from Toy Story 2 is iconic, and we wanted to draw from that source material as much as possible. At the same time, our movie has a look that is more mature and detailed than the original toy version of the character, so we needed our Zurg to fit within that new aesthetic that we’ve developed for a sci-fi world. But above all, Zurg, needs to be a threat. His design had to be intimidating so that he could carry the menace and the presence that our story demanded. So taking all of those goals together, reimagining the character as a giant robot was sort of a natural fit for the character and the world that he occupies. Zurg’s design was of course influenced by our existing style, but he also needed to be visually distinct. So in addition to our other sci-fi inspirations, Zurg also takes a couple of cues from super robots and mecha in Japanese anime, of which I am personally a massive fan. It was so much fun reimagining this character into a form that exudes power and presence. Zurg is a force to be reckoned with in our movie, and he has a crazy array of awesome features that you’ll get to see him use in the film. But most importantly, Zurg’s new mechanical form doesn’t mean he’s a mindless automaton. He’s still a fully rounded character just like the rest of our cast.”
Jeremy Lasky is photographed on March 7, 2022 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Lasky: “We tried to quantify or qualify what Angus’s goals were for the look of the film for us, and we decided on three main areas: Cohesive, clear, and cinematic. Lightyear is a
complex film, but the storytelling always needs to be clear. An audience watching the movie is constantly being bombarded with information, whether through sound or visuals. It’s vital, therefore, to construct images that guide the audience through the film so they’re never confused about what’s happening on screen and taken out of the movie.
“Through the emphasis of graphic shapes over form, our shots maintain a visual clarity that help direct the audience’s attention. So in this image, although there’s a lot of information going on, it’s been organized in such a way that your eyes focus right on the most important thing, which is Buzz. We can see, if we convert that image to black and white, it really brings out those-those graphic shapes. Production designer Tim Evatt did this beautiful set of paintings during pre-production that was so inspiring to me when I came on the show–they’re great examples of compositions that clearly show the viewer what’s important in the frame by guiding the eye.”
The Cute Thing
MacLane: What is the cute thing? Well, you know, the cute thing. The protagonist’s loyal sidekick. The thing that makes you go, ‘OHH.’ Cute thing is not new. It’s been around throughout the history of cinema. For Lightyear, the cute thing is, of course, Socks the cat. He’s Buzz’s robotic companion animal designed to be a constant during Buzz’s journey through time.
Where did he come from? Well, you should know I’m a cat person, but the idea really came from my love of limited animation. As an animator, I’d always enjoyed animating
limited characters like Wally in WALL-E, Ken in Toy Story 3, and most of the toys in the Toy Story shorts. It’s the movement limitations that provide much of the charm and comedy of these characters and I wanted something like that for Lightyear. So for Socks, I wanted a robot character with the limitations and the charm of simple, animatronic puppets.
“But Socks would be this true contrast to all the other elements in the film, both in design and motion, making him stick out in a good way. Although he has limited movements, Socks is by no means helpless. He has been designed with loads of features. Here are a few of the things that Socks can do in the film–he’s got a welding laser. He’s got long-range scanners. He’s got holo-projectors. He’s got short-range sensors. He’s got a name tag. He’s got an empathy chip. He’s got quadruped locomotion. He’s got magnet feet. He’s got a self-writing mechanism. He’s got a tail. He’s got a data port in the tail. He’s got the ability to speak. He’s got a ton of features, and this isn’t even half of them.”
Susman on the same-sex kiss: “Alicia, Buzz’s best friend, Buzz’s commander, also is the heart of act one. She represents everything that Buzz doesn’t have–everything that Buzz gives up in his singular pursuit of fixing his mistake. So it was really important for us that we showed a life, a full life well-lived and the kiss is a poignant moment within a whole montage showing all that Buzz didn’t have by being so singularly focused. We think it’s really beautiful and hope that everybody enjoys it.”
Why “time dilation?”
MacLane: It’s just a way to tell a time travel story, a plausible time travel story that’s mostly the negative aspects of time travel. About missing stuff and jumping forward and stuff. The whole reason why there’s a time jump of four years is because that’s how long it generally takes us to make a movie. It was born from the idea of the challenges of production, of making an animated film, and that’s where the idea of the time jumps came from, was making movies.
“There have been time dilation in other sci-fi properties and stories, but it’s like how would that relate?Why would that exist?Why would we need that?How could we engineer a story using that concept? Because that idea of missing your life or jumping forward in time seems so tragic and poignant and interesting.”
Susman: “I know that, for me, I was very attracted to this notion that one makes choices, decisions, sometimes mistakes that can shadow large chunks of your life, and you can wake up a decade later and go, why was I so obsessed with… fill in the blank. Right? That resonates with me very much, and I was very excited to try to tell that story in particular, especially with an aspirational character like Buzz. Because it helps keep you on the positive side of that discussion in the end, right? Because in the end, he’s gonna do the right thing. He’s our hero. He’s gonna take the next step. He’s gonna move forward and appreciate what he has in the present.”
The Belcher Family is taking on their biggest challenge ever: The Box Office. The Bob’s Burgers Movie is bringing in the heat and taking on Hollywood with a zany adventure filled with all the classic Bob’s Burgers elements you’d come to expect from the popular series, as well as a few surprises.
Check out The Bob’s Burgers Movie official trailer:
Fans of the popular series will feel right at home, as the movie stays in its lane narratively, delivering a story that fits right in with the show’s tone, wit, and pacing. While it takes advantage of the big screen pizazz and flash, it doesn’t forget what has made the show so popular and longstanding, giving hardcore fans a fun and entertaining ride that is filling and has all the fixings of a classic Bob’s Burgers adventure.
It all ties back to WonderCon earlier this year, when the cast and crew previewed the film and shared some of the secret ingredients that made Bob’s Burgers so successful. Unlike most sitcoms and ongoing series where the timeline moves forward in a more traditional structure, Bob and the inhabitants of his little world are timeless and focus forever on the here and now.
With the timeline set, time can pass in the real world, while the series can retain a timeless feel that opens the door to focus on more individualized stories and arcs. This is something that gives The Bob’s Burgers Movie an advantage, as it can draw in new fans or casual moviegoers with a standalone story, while also delivering the meat of what hardcore fans would expect in a way that is delicious and worthy of an encore.
No previous context or knowledge is required to enjoy this movie, and considering the movie going experience, makes it a lot easier compared to other tent pole franchises that depend on an established intimacy with the IP to be enjoyed. At the same time, The Bob’s Burgers Movie delivers a love letter to the series loyal fans, and a lot of that comes from the devotion and hard work of the cast and crew throughout this production.
The film was produced during the height of the pandemic, and during the same time the show was being produced for Fox. The entire cast worked in isolation for the majority of the project, creating limits and walls that could have detracted from the end quality that one would expect from a big budget project.
Rather than let that discourage them, the entire cast and crew worked towards not only meeting expectations, but surpassing them in ways that are obvious when watching the final product. One of the biggest examples being the surprising musical elements of the film. Yes, The Bob’s Burgers Movie is a musical, filled with ensemble numbers and catchy tunes that are perfectly blended in a way that no pandemic can bring a stop to.
Big props go to Kristen Schaal, as Louise, who carries the story and is the heart of this movie. Fans get a chance to grow closer to Louise’s insecurities and discover more about her strengths and bravery, pushing the character to new heights and Schaal’s performance really showcases the range that she has to keep you laughing, crying, and singing along throughout it all. Schaal wasn’t in this alone though as the entire ensemble of H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, John Roberts, and Eugene Mirman brings down the house with their hilarious mix of off the wall antics and memorable one liners.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
If you are looking for a fun and delicious adventure, make sure to get your buns to theaters and order up. The Bob’s Burgers Movie delivers. It’s Flippin’ Fantastic, serving up all the laughs and is the musical event of the summer!
2022 is turning out to be a thrilling year for Star Wars fans across the galaxy, bringing in a plethora of highly anticipated content through new shows, the return of fan favorites Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, as well as some well needed validation for anyone who grew up a fan of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
The media buzz couldn’t be more explosive, especially since Vanity Fair’s exclusive look into the future of our favorite galaxy far far away gave us all so much to be pumped about. The shoot included a look at all the new Disney+ showrunners coming to our screens at home within a matter of days, from Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka to Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor to Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen standing side by side as Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Streaming and Star Wars are here to stay.
Ewan McGregor in the Disney+ Series, Obi-Wan Kenobi
The silver screen; however, will remain dark for a time. A huge player in that decision comes from the fan reception and acceptance of Lucasfilm’s vision going into this new era of Star Wars. In the Vanity Fair piece, writers got a chance to sit down and have an exclusive interview with none other than Lucasfilm President, Kathleen Kennedy.
Though the interview covered a lot of positive remarks and creative high ground, it’s clear that the current tone at the ranch is one of caution and careful planning. Reception and box office returns show, not everyone has been pleased with where Star Wars has been lead so far post the Lucas’ era. However, it’s also quite striking that in that discourse, one particular film was honed in on as a hard lesson for the studio, and one that has been the focus of media attention since the interview dropped last week.
Kennedy was prompted about recasting of legacy characters, a topic of contention in the fan community as more and more content has explored the gaps between already established parts of the Star Wars timeline. While some celebrate the idea, even going as far as fan casting their favorite choices for these iconic roles (Sebastian Stan taking the helm for Luke Skywalker for example), not everyone is on board.
There are plenty of fans who feel that the actors who made these roles so iconic should be the only ones to hold the reigns. Lucasfilm got a chance to experience that first hand with casting Alden Ehrenreich as a younger Han Solo in the second Star Wars Anthology film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Here is what Kathleen had to say about their experience with Solo and the idea of recasting in Star Wars:
There should be moments along the way when you learn things. That may have certainly been a learning moment. Some people have talked about how, well, maybe Solo should have been a TV show. But even doing Solo as a TV show without Harrison Ford as Han Solo…it’s the same thinking. Maybe I should have recognized this before. We would never make Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford. Having just finished the fifth movie, I can tell you, there wasn’t a day I wasn’t on set where I wasn’t like, Yes—this is Indiana Jones.
Maybe I’m closer to the DNA of Indy, and always have been, than I was when I came into Star Wars, because now it does seem so abundantly clear that we can’t do that. You get excited by these things, and you want to revisit things you want. You want to have that feeling again, and you’re trying to resurrect that. I think that’s what we do even with our new characters. With Star Wars, everybody talks about a “feeling” they have about Star Wars. That’s that intangible idea that you’re looking for.
With the success of Rogue One, Kennedy’s gamble made sense. Solo seemed like a surefire way to add to the success and create a fun new adventure to hold fans over until the next Skywalker Saga installment. It would also give Lucasfilm the ability to continue to flush out gaps in the timeline to expand the Star Wars Anthology series into its own standalone saga. Together or apart, each film could fuel the fervor and give fans something unexplored, while staying safe and playing in an established universe.
Yet, the gamble came with risk. Though Han Solo is one of the most beloved characters in the canon, part of what makes him such a draw is Harrison Ford’s unforgettable performance. Similar to his other iconic persona, Indiana Jones, Ford’s DNA is intertwined with Han Solo. It’s very hard for fans to separate the man from the character.
To add fuel to the fire, Han Solo’s backstory is also very vague; which in turn creates a mystique and gateway into a fan’s imagination to fill in those gaps with whatever stories and ideas they can conjure. With that build up, comes expectation, which as we have seen in my previous discussions of the Star Wars fandom, can lead to a dangerous mix.
Solo was a mixed bag with fans and critics alike and considering the back stage drama, delays, and change in directorial vision, it’s hard to go into a film feeling as motivated and excited as we had seen with past Star Wars releases. From the very beginning of the project there was fan backlash with the recasting news and from that backlash, the studio decided to keep the project under wraps and essentially destroyed any opportunity to market the film in a way it deserved.
The confidence in the film was low on all sides, making it hard not to wonder if the film’s poor reception could have been avoided if the studio spent more time selling the idea of Solo to fans.
The lack of trailers, the minimal marketing material, and overall lack of details leading into the summer release really hurt the film. It’s clear that Solo failed to capture the same warm reception that came with Rogue One, but things could have been very different if Lucasfilm backed it with assurance and confidence. The message taken goes beyond recasting: When you want your fan base to believe in a project, you have to believe in it too.
It’s a real shame when thinking back on the initial release of the film, because Solo: A Star Wars Story is not only a good film, but hits a lot of the right marks for a quality Star Wars flick. Alden Ehrenreich is not Harrison Ford, but he still provides a great performance that is full of charm and swagger.
Ehrenreich also adds a more fresh, less cynical approach to the character, which is perfect considering Han has not endured a lot of the scrapes and setbacks that might make him a little more callous and hardened by the time we reach Harrison’s version of the character in A New Hope. You go from “I’ve got a really good feeling about this” to “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” and that polarity alone shows character development that really adds even subtle layering into an already loved character.
Ehrenreich wasn’t alone though, since the entire casting of Solo was superb, giving off a chemistry that is hard to miss. Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian was met with critical praise and has fans rooting for Donald to return to the character in future Star Wars projects. Even when looking at the Vanity Fair piece, it’s clear to see that though Glover also had big shoes to fill with Billy Dee Williams’ iconic connection to Lando, that a recast can work just fine if you are willing to give it a chance.
The smoothness and bold presence of Lando was felt, and Glover was the perfect choice to follow up on Billy Dee Williams’ portrayal. So yes, it may have been a tough pill for fans to swallow, but both carried the burden of these legacy characters well.
Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian and Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.
What is also missing from the conversation is how the revisit of these legacy characters gave us a chance to get acquainted with new characters and shining performances. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s L3-37 is by far one of my favorite on screen debuts in Star Wars. Her level of sass can rival that of Obi-Wan, falling right in line with the very familiar humor from the likes of K2S0 and C3P0.
L3 also gives Star Wars a chance to continue to build on its legacy of social commentary, giving a voice to challenge the status quo and call for equality and understanding. Though a staple part of Star Wars, droids directly reflect society’s struggle with identity, being treated very often as secondary citizens. Even when rewatching A New Hope, R2 and C3P0 are very rudely asked to wait outside of the Mos Eisley Cantina.
Flash forward to modern civil rights movements, L3 acts as a perfect reflection of our current struggles and continues to carry the torch from her predecessors at bringing attention to the very core themes that makes Star Wars such an enduring part of modern society.
L3 is joined by plenty of other star studded performances, bringing in inspiration and new understanding for Han. Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra gives us an opportunity to explore the depths of the criminal underworld of Crimson Dawn, as well as give Han his first major lesson in trust. Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett also provides a role model for young Han, drawing parallels to a young Indiana Jones vibe that fans got a chance to explore in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Beckett provides the example and romanticism of what a smuggler can be; someone Han can emulate and look up to. All the while, Beckett also gives Han a chance to see where he needs to stray in order to survive in the seedier side of this dangerous lifestyle. Both Clarke and Harrelson pair perfectly with Ehrenreich, creating a dynamic that really sells the base of who Han Solo will ultimately become, as well as remind fans that no matter how hard Han may try, that capacity for good will always define him in the moments where it matters most.
Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian and Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.
All tied in with a great classic film plot that mixes old heist and mobster movies with that of the spaghetti western area, Solo really was a movie that deserved a lot more recognition than it got. There are also so many fun little parallels, from Chewbacca’s ripping off of a guard’s limbs on Kessell (Remember, it’s not wise to upset a Wookie!) to Han’s approach of Lando at the end of the film, putting up Lando’s defenses as he rushes towards him.
You see that Lando uses the same approach to Han in The Empire Strikes Back. There are a lot of fun little moments that any Star Wars fan would appreciate. Ron Howard and company put a lot of love into this film, honoring the franchise history and little moments that build into these characters story arcs.
Thankfully, there are plenty of fans of the film out there, inspiring the trending movement #MakeSolo2Happen. Started by Star Wars News Net’s “The Resistance Broadcast” , the campaign has amassed a very loyal legion of Solo fans from across the globe, all hoping that Lucasfilm not only recognizes the demand for Solo, but gives the new tale a chance to be further explored in the Star Wars Mythos.
This demand is validated by the fact that Solo left a lot of open ended ideas at the end of the film. There are so many unexplored elements that could lead to some exciting content. If handled with care and confidence, both tales that follow Han and Lando, but also arcs tied into the criminal underworld would open the door to some very entertaining tales. From Qi’ra’s ascension to leading the syndicates to Darth Maul’s larger role in the criminal underworld, there is way too much there to simply toss aside.
Was Solo the best Star Wars film? No, but blaming the movie and the cast on its failure is dangerously ignorant and not the right approach. Whatever the case may be, Solo: A Star Wars Story still soars. Hopefully in the future the film will get the same opportunity for redemption that we are seeing for Ewan and Hayden’s work in the prequel trilogy.
Let Solo be a hard lesson not only for the Star Wars fan community, but also for Lucasfilm to be more open minded and receptive towards the type of content that may not be expected or fit within certain fan expectations.
Though Kennedy’s vision of moving beyond the Skywalker Saga is great, especially since the future of Star Wars will come down to creating new worlds, characters, and universes for us to explore, it shouldn’t come at the expense of projects that did their jobs well.
There’s plenty of room for different types of content in a galaxy larger than life itself, and if done right, maybe Star Wars can thrive in ways we can’t possibly imagine for future generations.
Leading global toy companies, the LEGO Group and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) unite for the first time to bring the iconic Transformers Autobot, Optimus Prime, to life in LEGO® form – complete with alt mode.
The new LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime set is a tribute to the heroic Autobot leader with over 1,500 detailed LEGO pieces. Once assembled, the figure features 19 points of articulation that allow fans to convert from robot to truck alt mode and back again. This is one of the first times a LEGO set has been able to convert between two models, without the need to rebuild.
The new LEGO set will transport fans back to 1984 to when Transformers first exploded into popular culture with the original toy line and animated TV series. Modeled after the G1 Optimus Prime character, the new LEGO set includes remarkable attention to detail and features such as the ion blaster, Energon axe, an Energon Cube and the Autobot Matrix of Leadership which can be stored in the chest chamber.
Senior Designer at the LEGO Group, Joseph Patrick Kyde, says about the collaboration: “It has been an honour and joy to work together with Hasbro to develop a LEGO version of Optimus Prime! I am excited to see these two toy companies come together for the first time to celebrate the leader of the Autobots.
Optimus Prime has become a pop culture symbol of courage, selflessness, and great leadership as well as an awesome toy that embodies the problem-solving and creativity skills that both companies value so much. It’s been a wonderful and challenging task to bring him to life using LEGO bricks, especially making sure that he can shift modes without disassembly and stay true to his signature look and style.”
Casey Collins, Head of Licensed Consumer Products and Business Development at Hasbro noted: “We’re excited to bring two of the world’s greatest play and entertainment companies together to celebrate this larger-than-life, iconic character – Optimus Prime. We know fans everywhere will be thrilled by this collaboration as it enables fans and families of all ages to create memories as they work together to build the LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime.”
Once complete building this 1,508-piece model, fans can admire their build with pride by adding the display plaque to pay tribute to the iconic Transformers character.
Lego Info:
The LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime set will be available globally from LEGO.com/optimus and in LEGO stores from June 1st priced at $169.99.
National Geographic Expeditions, the leading brand offering travelers unparalleled access to global destinations through the lens of knowledgeable National Geographic Experts, announces more ways to see the world in its Signature Land category with the launch of 2023 itineraries. New to the lineup is the expansion of the Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia: Ancient Temples and Natural Wonders expedition, giving travelers an even more in-depth and off-the-beaten-path exploration through the wonders of Southeast Asia.
Venturing to Southeast Asia – A Newly Expanded Itinerary
The redeveloped itinerary, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia: Ancient Temples and Natural Wonders, adds two exciting stops to its previous collection of expedition favorites and provides even more behind-the-scenes looks at several Southeast Asian projects funded by the National Geographic Society. Travelers will embark on a 17-day, 16-night excursion across Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Hue, Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Luang Prabang and Siem Reap, with local experts joining itinerary activities.
National Geographic Highlights of the expedition:
Brand new experiences, such as a sampan tour along the peaceful canals of Tan Phong Islet followed by a cycle excursion through charming villages and a visit to Cai Rang Floating Market — the most famous market of Mekong Delta.
Tried-and-true traveler favorite visits to the Angkor Conservation Center — a site rarely open to the general public — to discover thousands of protected statues recovered from the archaeological site, and the Golden Silk Pheach Preservation Center — one of the last silk producers in the world where the silk-making process (raising silkworms to weaving) is fully integrated in one place.
An array of bold flavors, as travelers sample everything from authentic Vietnamese iced coffee and street fare to a five-course gala dinner.
Must-see sites, including a stop at UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Archeological Park, home to the magnificent Angkor Wat temple.
A journey back into history with tours of Emperor Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Tombs in Hue, as well as a visit to the Purple Forbidden City.
An in-depth look at two National Geographic Society conservation initiatives during visits to:
Save Vietnam’s Wildlife Rescue Center, where orphaned and injured wildlife are rehabilitated before being released back into the wild. There, travelers learn about initiatives spearheaded by National Geographic Explorers and other researchers to protect critically endangered pangolins.
Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Center, where travelers observe the Asiatic black bears — also known as moon bears given the distinct crescent moon shape on their chest — and hear from a conservationist about the National Geographic-funded research to protect these unique animals.
The expedition’s departure dates begin in late December 2022 and extend to March 2023.
Experiencing Meaningful Travel — Giving Back and Protecting the Wonder of our World
When traveling with National Geographic Expeditions, travelers will not only channel their inner explorer by going deeper into the storytelling of a destination, but wherever possible, they will have opportunities to witness firsthand the impact of the support they give by choosing to travel with National Geographic.
Expedition itineraries are custom-designed to grant special access to National Geographic Society-funded initiatives all around the world where travelers will participate in meaningful and enlightening experiences, such as taking part in reforestation efforts alongside researchers in Costa Rica, planting a giant clam in a marine sanctuary in Palau or joining a primatologist in search of chimpanzees in Uganda.
The ability to give back extends well beyond the trip experience, with a portion of the proceeds from every expedition supporting the global community of National Geographic Explorers. Each year, the National Geographic Society awards more than 575 grants to scientists, educators, storytellers, conservationists, technologists and many other changemakers who help define some of the critical challenges of our time, drive new knowledge, advance new solutions and inspire positive, transformative change.
Fulfilling Curiosity and Finding Inspiration — Signature Land Expeditions
Filled with endless opportunities for exploration, the more than 30 National Geographic Expeditions Signature Land trips provide premium, fully planned itineraries that give travelers rare access to places around the globe, paired with unique opportunities to experience a destination through the eyes of the storytellers behind National Geographic.
Whether face-to-face with an elephant in the Serengeti, listening to a wildlife biologist explain its every move or gazing at prehistoric cave paintings alongside a paleontologist in France, each Signature Land trip is hosted by a National Geographic Expert who provides a one-of-a-kind perspective. With specialties such as filmmaking, conservation, photography, archaeology, geography and many more, the Experts who travel on Signature Land expeditions are passionate storytellers who have a close connection to National Geographic, and their unique insights foster a travel experience that enlightens, inspires and goes in-depth like no other.
To learn more about National Geographic Expeditions, or to book a reservation, guests can visit NatGeoExpeditions.com, call 888.966.8687 or contact a travel agent.
