Author Archives: Matt

Nick Nolte Joins ‘The Mandalorian’

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Hollywoodreporter.com got the exclusive scoop:

Veteran actor Nick Nolte has joined the cast of The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars series that will launch on Disney’s streaming Service, Disney+.

The known cast includes Pedro Pascal and Gina Carano. The series, which is already in production, is heavy on visual effects, costumes and makeup, which will allow actors to come and go as well as, in some cases, be cast later in the production process than usual.

Jon Favreau wrote the series and is executive producing along with Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson and Dave Filoni. Filoni will also direct episodes, as will with Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow.

Click here for the full story at Hollywoodreporter.com

5 TIPS FOR JOINING OBI-WAN KENOBI IN STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II‘S BATTLE OF GEONOSIS

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Via StarWars.com:

Even on the frontlines of the Battle of Geonosis, the first major Clone Wars conflict between the clone troopers of the Galactic Republic and the Separatist droid army, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is a composed, precise fighter and leader. Striding across the dusty battleground that’s the center of the new Star Wars Battlefront II update, it’s clear that the legendary warrior’s style makes him a master of defense and a worthy addition to the fan-favorite game.

General Grievous in Star Wars Battlefront II.

Now you can follow Obi-Wan into battle, join the 212th Attack Battalion, and take on General Grievous himself while dominating the legendary battleground,  get behind the controls of a massive six-legged AT-TE battle tank or gain a tactical advantage to disarm one. StarWars.com spoke with Battlefront II assistant producer Michael Dailey to help you master the Jedi’s abilities, traverse the harsh terrain, and emerge victorious to begin the Clone Wars.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL 5 AT STARWARS.COM

Gloria Katz Dies at 76

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Via USAToday.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Hollywood writer and director has announced the death of his wife and longtime collaborator, Gloria Katz, who co-wrote “American Graffiti” and helped give Princess Leia her power in “Star Wars.” She was 76.

Willard Huyck told the Hollywood Reporter that Katz died on Sunday, their 49th wedding anniversary, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after battling ovarian cancer.

The couple shared an Oscar nomination with director George Lucas for “American Graffiti” and secretly doctored his script for “Star Wars.” The Reporter quoted Katz as saying they shaped Carrie Fisher’s Leia into someone who “can take command,” not “just a beautiful woman that schlepped along to be saved.”

Star Wars Park Will Have Original music from John Williams

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Via TheVerge.com:

When Disney’s Star Wars land Galaxy’s Edge opens next year, it’ll come with a familiar soundtrack — Entertainment Weekly reports that John Williams will provide the score, and has a preview of what to expect, along with looks at two of the park’s big experiences.

The first of EW’s videos shows off a new behind-the-scenes look at the park’s construction, revealing an extensive array of buildings and landscapes, set to a music that is the “overarching theme” for Galaxy’s Edge. EW also previews a pair of videos that highlight the main rides for the parks — Smuggler’s Run, set aboard the Millennium Falcon, and Rise of the Resistance, set onboard a First Order ship.

The construction video shows off a sprawling world called Batuu — which we’ve seen a bit of already in Timothy Zahn’s recent novel Thrawn: Alliances — and in particular, a village called Black Spire, described as a “remote trading outpost” in the midst of a forest of petrified trees. The score is epic and sweeping, and it certainly feels like it belongs to the Star Wars universe. Hopefully, Disney will release a companion soundtrack for those of us unable to visit in person.

The two additional videos show off detailed and immersive experiences. For “Smugglers Run”, visitors will board the Millennium Falcon, and will pilot the ship away from Batuu, taking on one of three roles to ensure “the mission is a success.” The video for “Rise of the Resistance” shows off the finished interior of a First Order spaceship, complete with Stormtroopers and droids as a Resistance fleet drops out of hyperspace just outside. EWsays that the experience will show off “what it’s like to be caught in the crossfire of a deep-space battle between the First Order and the X-Wing dogfighters” and that visitors will be able to fight against Kylo Ren.

Marvel Reveals The Hidden Secret of Darth Vader’s Castle

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Via CBR.com:

Marvel’s Star Wars comics have been peeling the curtain back on so many aspects of Darth Vader, you’d never think this was the same character we saw on-screen in the ’70s and ’80s. We’re now seeing so much depth to him, forcing us to empathize with his selfish reasons for wanting to harness the Dark Side of the Force.

Come Darth Vader #22, Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli continue to unpack the backstory of his famous obsidian castle on Mustafar. However, after the last issue hinted Vader wanted to use this castle to increase his powers, we now discover an even bigger hidden secret regarding its existence…

Click here for the full story at CBR.com, the article contains major spoilers for Darth Vader #22 by Charles Soule, Daniele Orlandini, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Terry Pallot, David Curiel and VC’s Joe Caramagna, on sale now

Gary Kurtz Passes Away

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Via Floor8.com:

A prominent man in the Star Wars universe, Gary Kurtz, passed away on Sept. 23 following a year-long battle with cancer. He was 78.

Kurtz produced ​A New Hope (1977), and ​The Empire Strikes Back (1980), both major fan-favorites in the franchise. Besides his work in a galaxy far, far away, Kurtz also produced cult film The Dark Crystal (1982), and co-produced George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973).

The producer’s death was confirmed today in a Facebook post.

Darth Maul’s Robot Legs Revealed

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Via Forbes.com:

With a $392 million worldwide gross, Solo: A Star Wars Story might have been a hit, had it not cost $275 million to make, with a mid-stream change in directors responsible for more cost overruns than most Star Wars features. However, the switch from Chris Miller and Phil Lord to Ron Howard did lead to at least one fan-favorite moment onscreen: the return of Ray Park’s Maul (no longer a “Darth,” per the animated series continuity) in a surprise cameo that may or may not set up future films. “I found out last June/July when we were in Guatemala,” he tells me, a time which, unbeknownst to him, coincided with Howard stepping into the director’s chair. “I got the phone call from Lynne Hale from Lucasfilm. And it was really nice of her, because she said to me ‘Ray, we’re just calling to see if you would like to do it.’ And I went [inhales slowly] ‘Yeah. Do you want me on the plane now?’” He ended up filming in October, towards the end of production.

Click here for the full story! 

 

New Vader Comic Offers Connections to Prequels

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Via ComicBook.com:

The current run of the Darth Vader comic has mostly featured the Sith Lord carrying out the brutal orders given to him by Emperor Palpatine, with the series leaning more into action than Vader’s emotional depths. In Darth Vader #20, Vader is given a present that clearly offers him a tragically emotional connection to his past and events that fans saw in the prequel films, with the character showing the slightest amount of sadness.

Click here or below for the full story at ComicBook.com (Spolier Warning Applies)

New Live-action Star Wars may cost upwards of $100 million!

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Via TheVerge.com:

Details on Disney’s forthcoming streaming platform are thin. We know it’ll have Star Wars and Marvel films and shows (although it appears that the original films won’t be exclusive to the service), it’s expected to launch in 2019, and it’ll be “substantially cheaper” than Netflix. A New York Times profile of the executive in charge of the platform sheds a bit more light, hinting that the company will put some incredible resources into its productions.

Former film marketing chief Ricky Strauss will lead the service as its president of content and marketing. He has long overseen Disney’s larger marketing efforts, promoting movies like Black Panther and The Force Awakens.

The profile also highlights the upcoming live-action Star Wars television show as an example. Written by Jon Favreau, who directed Iron Man and appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Times says that the show is expected to cost around $100 million for 10 episodes. Favreau says that the “new streaming service affords a wonderful opportunity to tell stories that stretch out over multiple chapters.”