‘Andor' and ‘Revenge of the Sith': Two Star Wars tales about rebels and dictators
Pinpointing exactly what Star Wars is about these days might be as tricky as blowing up the Death Star. Since 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' opened in 2019, there hasn't been a feature film from the franchise — even though more than a dozen have been rumored or announced. Instead, the universe has lived on in live-action and animated Disney+ shows, like 'The Acolyte,' 'The Bad Batch,' 'Visions,' 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' and 'Ahsoka,' which have offered divergent ideas about (and had mixed success in) that galaxy far, far away. At the Star Wars Celebration event in Japan last week, Lucasfilm sketched out its plans, including Star Wars movies featuring Ryan Gosling and Baby Yoda, along with yet another project about Darth Maul.
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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy Introduces BFI Screening Of Rare 1977 Star Wars Film Print
Star Wars on 35mm 1977 at the BFI Southbank NFT1 The second BFI Film on Festival kicked off last night with an on-stage appearance from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy to introduce the first of two packed-out screenings of a rare original 1977 print of Star Wars. Since creator George Lucas insistent that the 1997 special editions should be the only versions of the film that should be available, this original version, sans the many not- all-welcome additions, has never been publicly screened. As such, some had assumed that Disney would also not let it see the light of day and o BFI chief executive Ben Roberts humorously implied that Kennedy's in-person appearance at the festival intro was solely to put that notion to bed. 'I know many of you did not believe that we had permission—and we find your lack of faith disturbing!' Kennedy also emphasized how special these screenings were. 'When I came into the company, there was endless conversation about where everything was, and what was, in fact, the first print,' she said. 'And it's quite remarkable— what you are going to see is, in fact, the first print. 'I'm not even sure there's another one quite like it. To be able to experience this exactly how it was in 1977 is really special.' The Star Wars print was created for the first UK release of Star Wars in December 1977, some seven months later than its May debut in the USA. This means that while many older British fans recall having seen the film in 1977, most of them would have actually seen it for the first time in 1978. The ability to project the nearly 50-year-old print is only possible because of the durability of the Technicolor dye transfer printing technique that, thankfully, was used to create this print. As Roberts explained, had it been made with the far cheaper Kodak Eastman process, it would now be falling apart. Of course, I would be surprised if anyone in the auditorium wasn't already aware of all of this. The anticipation in the room was palpable, and, as soon as the original title card for the film appeared on screen, a loud cheer went up. Initially, the image was scratchy, shaky, and covered with image artefacts, but after a few minutes, this dissipated. This enabled me to take in the solidity of the image, revealing the details in the sets and costumes—the metal coverings of C3PO and R2D2 had never seemed so real. Unlike ageing film stock, the charm, vim, and vigor of this wonderful original film never fades, and the audience laughed and cheered, seemingly as if they had never seen it before. Undoubtedly, the biggest roar of appreciation was saved for when Han Solo shoots first, summarily dispensing with Greedo. What suffered in comparison to modern projection was the sound. The famous John Williams fanfare that blasted Star Wars onto our screens had appreciably less impact than even a standard screen would now offer, let alone IMAX and Dolby Cinema premium offerings while at some parts of the film, the sound warbled a little, before returning to normal. Of course, what we now enjoy in cinemas in terms of superior audio is very much down to George Lucas. Star Wars, thanks to the genius of sound designer Ben Burtt, was one of the first movies to make full use of Dolby Stereo and, in a bid to raise theater audio in time for the release of Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, in 1983 Lucas introduced his THX cinema program. While compared to the crispness of the modern 4K digital master, the image was technically flawed, rather than distancing us, those imperfections transported us to that original moment in time long, long ago, when audiences had never seen anything like Star Wars. As Roberts said in his festival introduction, 'Every print has a story to tell. There are memories baked into those prints every time they are screened, every scratch or imperfection adds to the story, and over the coming days, you'll be part of the further stories of those prints. Kennedy revealed that she was in the UK to prep for the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, scheduled for release in May 2027, and while it's unlikely, perhaps we can have a new hope that it gets a limited release on a film print. As Kennedy said, 'Innovation is something that we know keeps pushing cinema forward. It's all based on the past, but we're constantly trying to reinvent the future.'
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Pixar Announces New Original Film 'Gatto'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors While Pixar is now more well-known for franchises like "Toy Story," "Cars," and most recently "Inside Out," they have often found success with new projects. More Entertainment: Pixar Reveals New 'Toy Story 5' Villain Individual films like "WALL-E," "UP," "Ratatouille," "A Bug's Life," and "Elemental" remain beloved by Disney fans of all ages. And it's looking like "Elio" may continue that success. 🚨 Tickets are on sale NOW for Disney and Pixar's #Elio! 🚨 See it in theaters & 3D June 20 🎟️: — Pixar (@Pixar) May 27, 2025 Now, DisneyPixar CCO Pete Docter has revealed a new original film from the same team that created the underrated "Luca." LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: (L-R) CCO of Pixar Pete Docter, Enrico Casarosa, Andrea Warren, and General Manager/President of Pixar Jim Morris arrive at the world premiere for LUCA, held at the El Capitan... LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: (L-R) CCO of Pixar Pete Docter, Enrico Casarosa, Andrea Warren, and General Manager/President of Pixar Jim Morris arrive at the world premiere for LUCA, held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on June 17, 2021. More Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Prior to the Annecy Animation Festival presentation of "Elio," Docter gave exclusive looks at multiple upcoming projects, including the previously announced "Toy Story 5" and "Hoppers." However, a ton of attention has been given to a new original film that is set to release in theaters in 2027: "Gatto." JUST ANNOUNCED: Coming to theaters in 2027 is Disney and Pixar's "Gatto.' 🐈⬛ From 'Luca' director Enrico Casarosa, the film returns to Italy, following a black cat named Nero. Indebted to a feline mob boss, Nero finds himself forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may… — Pixar (@Pixar) June 13, 2025 "Coming to theaters in 2027 is Disney and Pixar's 'Gatto,'" Pixar announced on social media. "From 'Luca' director Enrico Casarosa, the film returns to Italy, following a black cat named Nero. "Indebted to a feline mob boss, Nero finds himself forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose..." Specifically, Nero's friend is a street artist who seemingly adopts him against his will, per Kevin Giraud of Variety. The film is taking on a unique hand-painted look that will separate itself from other Pixar movies and will utilize Casarosa's keen ability to bring a beautiful Italian city to life. More Entertainment: Best Films to Stream in Summer 2025 on Netflix, Paramount+, Prime Video Casarosa made his directorial debut with "Luca," a heartwarming and gorgeous film that had the unfortunate timing to release during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, "Luca" became the first Pixar film to be released directly to Disney+. It became the most-viewed streaming film of 2021, garnering over 10.6 billion minutes watched. It would later have a short run in theaters and garner multiple accolades, including a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, eventually losing to fellow Disney film "Encanto." Needless to say, fans of "Luca" are ecstatic to see Casarosa bring the same kind of heart, fun, and artistry to another feature film. More Entertainment: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Canceled Best Netflix Original Films to Watch June 2025 'How To Train Your Dragon' Director Defends Live-Action Remake Changes 'A Minecraft Movie' Hits HBO Max for Free Streaming in June: What to Know For more Disney and entertainment news, head on over to Newsweek Entertainment.
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Hasbro's ‘Star Wars' SDCC Exclusive Is the Ultimate ‘Revenge of the Sith' Set
Dark side, light side, it doesn't matter. This year's Hasbro Star Wars exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con is certainly the chosen one, and we're going to take the high ground to acquire it. Celebrating 20 years of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Hasbro just revealed a six-inch Black Series set, exclusively for release at San Diego Comic-Con, of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi and their epic lightsaber duel over the lava on Mustafar. Retailing for $110, the set will first be available at Hasbro's booth (#3213) during Comic-Con, which takes place July 24-27 in San Diego, CA. From there, a limited amount will usually go on sale at But what do you get for your money? Well, Anakin and Obi-Wan of course, each with lightsabers and interchangeable hands depending on which moment of the battle you want to display. The set is divided into multiple pieces too, allowing you several options of how you want to pose the characters. Here are some images. Black Series is already the gold standard when it comes to Star Wars action figures, and seeing this massive moment in the franchise brought to life like this is incredibly exciting. Pop on John Williams' 'Battle of the Heroes,' and start acting out all your favorite lines: 'Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy.' 'If you're not with me, then you're my enemy.' 'Only a Sith deals in absolutes,' etc. On the other hand, while the playset elements are undeniably detailed and nice, and these figures are a little more deluxe than your standard Black Series figures thanks to the interchangeable elements and whatnot, $110 does feel a tiny bit steep. That won't matter to most Star Wars fans but it's still a lot to pay for two figures and a few stands. Nevertheless, Revenge of the Sith has never looked better and we fully expect Comic-Con attendees to go wild for this one. What are your thoughts?
