Via Ew.com:

The Stars Wars movies can only cover so much; it’s up to the books to do the rest. And there is still a huge amount of unexplored space to chart.

As Comic-Con International begins, EW has an exclusive preview about this fall’s full slate of “Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi” novels and storybooks that will contain hints about the upcoming sequel while also seeking to recruit new fans.

“It’s important to explore all areas of the Star Wars universe — the known and the unknown — because all stories matter,” says Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president of Disney’s publishing and digital media. “That’s the beauty of Star Wars. There’s one shared universe, so the films connect to the games, which connect to the books, which connect to the animation, and so on. A story told through publishing enriches the larger universe.”

Some of the most ambitious titles are YA books that reveal backstories for classic characters like Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker in their younger days while also containing details and motivations that will turn up in the new film (which will become obvious only after it opens Dec. 15).

With The Force Awakens, there were three decades for books to explore between its story and the events of Return of the Jedi. But the new film picks up right where the last one left off — with Rey returning Luke’s long-lost lightsaber, so there’s less room for connective narrative tissue.

“It’s just a different journey than last time,” says Michael Siglain, creative director of Lucasfilm Publishing. “There are still some Easter eggs in a couple of pieces that will make sense after seeing the film. But this one is more thematically tied to The Last Jedi.”

There won’t be books delving deep into the history or lineage of Rey or Finn. That’s still heavy-lifting for the movies to do. But the motivations of General Leia Organa and her exiled Jedi brother Luke? That’s open space for scribes.

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