Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's non-canon, but come on; Darth Vader wielding the gleaming Infinity Gauntlet is just an excellent visual. This nerd-baiting image comes to us via the main cover of Marvel Comics' upcoming "Star Wars / Marvel: Hope Assembles #1."

"Star Wars" celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, as does the first "Star Wars #1" comic, and to kick the intergalactic party off early, Marvel will publish the debut issue of this 6-issue miniseries from writer Kevin Smith ("Clerks," "Chasing Amy") and talented artist David Marquez on Jan. 13, 2027.

It's the first-ever crossover between the "Star Wars" and Marvel Universe, and we’ve got a sweet four-page preview recreating the memorable opening scene of the original "Star Wars," where the Rebel Blockade Runner is ensnared in a Star Destroyer tractor beam and boarded by Lord Vader and a squad of stormtroopers. But this time, it's got Marvel superheroes added!

We get to see all those iconic scenes, including Darth Vader’s terrifying entrance, Princess Leia’s bold defiance, and C-3PO and R2-D2’s desperate escape in an entirely new light, as Marvel heroes like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America rush to the rebellion's defense.

This historic event series will showcase multiple themed variant covers from acclaimed artists such as Alex Ross, David Marquez, Kaare Andrews, Cory Smith, Rafael Albuquerque, Dan Jurgens, Matteo Lolli, and many more.

Check out the four-page preview below:

"One of the most exciting things about this series is seeing familiar moments through an entirely new lens," Editor Mark Paniccia said.

"Kevin Smith and David Marquez understand exactly what makes these characters so enduring, and they find surprising, emotional, and often exhilarating ways to bring them together. Every issue has moments that will leave fans smiling, cheering, and eager to see what happens next."

"Star Wars / Marvel: Hope Assembles #1" lands on Jan. 13, 2027, and is available as both a physical copy from your local comic book shop and as a Kindle e-book download.

Few names in the science fiction literary world carry as much weight and respect as author Alan Dean Foster. His award-winning 55-year career as a grandmaster of the genre continues with his latest novel from Blackstone Publishing, "Lost on Paradise," and we have an exclusive excerpt to share with our readers ahead of its release this week.

Foster famously ghost-wrote the first "Star Wars" novelization for George Lucas in 1976 and "Splinter of the Mind’s Eye" in 1978, which was intended to be a low-budget "Star Wars" sequel should the space opera not become a hit. He’s been a mainstay for go-to fantastic adventures featuring engaging characters, dynamic plotlines, and imaginative worlds for six decades.

In addition to crafting the screen story for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," Foster also wrote the novelizations for the first three "Alien" films, Disney's "The Black Hole," John Carpenter's "The Thing," "The Last Starfighter," "Star Trek," "Transformers," "Terminator: Salvation", and many more.

The near-future, off-world escapades of "Lost On Paradise" are the latest addition to Foster’s acclaimed bounty of bestselling standalone novels and series, including the popular "Spellsinger" series.

"Earth is crowded, polluted, and dismal," states the novel's synopsis. "Like millions of others, Jonos and Liina scrape by on her poorly paying job and what little money he gets selling items scavenged from rich people’s trash. Like millions of others, Jonos and Liina dream of Paradise.

"Paradise: a beautiful, clean, verdant world where three races live in harmony—at least, according to the videos sent back to Earth. There are the Eiquan, masters of astonishing technology; the Lusanata, hunters and farmers; and humans, who may be restricted to a few scattered settlements, but still live a life ten times better than those on Earth.

"On the run after a criminal act, Jonos and Liina finally escape to Paradise. It's everything they hoped for. Until tragedy strikes."

The genesis of Foster's "Lost on Paradise" is something that’s been percolating in his fertile mind for many years.

"I had this notion of a planet called Paradise where everything is perfect, and everything on Earth is seriously messed up," Foster tells Space. "There’s this couple who have problems; they’re poor like everybody else.

"And you have a unique male protagonist because he recognizes that his female partner is smarter than him, so she’s the brains of the outfit, and he supplies the muscle. Although he's not stupid. Too often you get a big, hulking guy with no brains. But she has a potentially fatal disease, and they’re trying to get away like a lot of poor people in the world today. So here's a place called Paradise. How do you get there? It’s expensive and difficult. And what happens if they do? Maybe Paradise isn’t always Paradise."

In crafting a deteriorating New York some 150 years or so down the calendar, it was important to stay sharp regarding developments that pop up in the news to avoid any internal logic conflicts.

"You just don’t want to get caught out by a scientific development that you postulate is near future when it's actually contemporary," explains Foster. "So I was very careful with that. But as you’re building out an alien environment and one that’s supposed to be perfect and beautiful, and then there’s maybe some things about it that aren’t, what do you introduce to show that?

"You don’t want to contradict yourself when you’re worldbuilding. That's a large problem that’s unfortunately common in science fiction," notes Foster. "Where somebody is breathing air, and suddenly they’re breathing methane, and it just doesn’t work. There’s a lot of different variables that come together that prove that Paradise is Paradise in some ways and not in others. A good example would be when the first Europeans reached Tahiti. The problem was that the people who entered this Paradise brought venereal disease and smallpox, to which the Polynesians had no resistance. So it's Paradise until you get there, and then maybe you mess it up."

Now enjoy our exclusive chapter excerpt from Alan Dean Foster’s "Lost On Paradise." Published by Blackstone Publishing.

Why shouldn’t a man and a woman in his and Liina’s position try to get to Paradise? Jonos mused as he treaded his way homeward. Though morning continued its ascent, the sun did not. Or so it seemed, when the omnipresent pollution often rendered day as dark as night. The gloom was useful for masking scavenging activities and for concealing one’s identity. It was less suitable for more plebian activities such as breathing and eating. Or living. Life on Earth sucked.

But on Paradise…

To emigrant humans it went without saying that Paradise was aptly named. Everyone had heard the stories. On Paradise a person could breathe freely. Without a mask, without fear of needing lung implants, without having to worry about inhaling a soupçon of strychnine or similar industrial pollutants. On Paradise food was plentiful and fresh, water devoid of contaminants. There was work, too, for anyone willing to adapt to entirely new surroundings, for those willing to acknowledge the much-talked-about overlordship of the dominant species. For arrivals willing to submit to the experimental, ever-evolving social structure, and to the limitations that were placed on newcomers, the technologically superior Eiquans professed an indifference that amounted to a willing welcome.

Or so the compendium of hugely diverse anecdotes insisted. That’s all they were, Jonos knew. Stories and speculation, rumors and conjecture. Ignoring the spotty rain that had begun to fall, he turned a corner and nearly ran over a couple who scrambled to get out of his way. The man he had accidentally jostled started to say something, quickly realized the size of the individual he was about to chastise, and mumbled on his way, dragging a woman—likely his wife—with him. Jonos paid them no mind. Half of him was engaged in navigating his way home, the other half in dreaming of what Paradise might actually be like.

In truth, he had never met anyone who had actually been to Paradise. He had never met anyone who knew anyone who had been to Paradise. That did not make the distant world any less real. The media periodically released vits and images of the place. These showed an Earth-like planet swathed in an atmosphere perfectly suitable for humans. The indigenous wildlife was fascinating, the few but thriving, improvised communities intriguing, and the rarely seen Eiquans themselves tall, gracile, and sophisticated. So what if they weren’t humanoid? They were bisymmetrical, anyway, highly intelligent, and by all accounts no worse than indifferent to the interests of other species. So beautiful and graceful was their slender physicality, so mellifluous their speech, that even though they were quite alien the idea of living among them held no fear for Jonos.

Anything, he knew, would be a step up from Earth.

Taschen, purveyors of fine art and design special-edition books, have teamed up with George Lucas and his newly opened Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles to present a masterful two-volume catalog of the museum’s illuminating offerings.

Housed in a sturdy slipcase, readers will discover a pair of lavishly illustrated volumes spanning 832 pages and tipping the scales at nearly 14 pounds. At $200 for the pair, it's not cheap, but look on the bright side; hoisting these illustrated tomes will save you a subscription to your local gym!

This immersive collection documents in great detail the astounding scope of rare items on display in Lucas’s treasury of paintings, murals, photographs, sculptures, posters, comic strips, illustrations, costumes, and magazine covers that have spurred humankind’s imagination.

We'd absolutely recommend checking out the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in person if you can.

Our own Chelsea Gohd visited the Los Angeles-based museum ahead of its opening in September 2026 and adored it. But if you're not a California local, getting lost in this collection's glossy pages is the next best thing to roaming the museum exhibitions on a rainy afternoon.

Far beyond a mere companion to the marvels inside the fantastic spaceship-shaped building poised near the University of Southern California campus — the same institution where Lucas attended film school in the late 1960s — these bold editions are an adventure in their own right.

Waiting to be absorbed is an impressive assortment of storytelling expression that showcases beautiful works by everyone from Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, and Norman Rockwell to Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby, and Ralph McQuarrie. Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, curated the museum’s contents that represent decades of collecting narrative art in all of its forms.

Our friends at Taschen were gracious enough to send us one of these Lucas Museum of Narrative Art special editions, and in unboxing this magnificent pair of books, one can feel the quality in the deluxe binding and thick covers. Inside you’ll find an eye-popping array of full-color photography and sharp descriptions for hundreds of artworks, all hand-picked by Lucas and Hobson.

Lucas himself delivers the preface, which is titled "The Art of Story," where he professes his love of art, myth, anthropology, illustrators, and cinema. He recalls when he came to meet his mentor, Professor Joseph Campbell, and how he amassed 40,000 pieces of art beginning when he was a student at USC.

The great director Guillermo del Toro provides a heartfelt foreword praising the importance of the museum and these prestigious companion volumes depicting a multitude of visual wonders.

Between the duo of volumes, sections are divided into chapters dealing with topics such as history, children's stories, the American West, everyday life, romance and adventure, photography, science fiction and fantasy, and, of course, Star Wars in Motion.

They take you on an overwhelming journey through the gallery’s incredibly diverse holdings, not least of which are archival items and concept art chronicling Lucas's involvement in the galaxy far, far away.

This remarkable "Star Wars" section will be of particular interest to sci-fi aficionados, as it contains 100 pages of original props, paintings, concept artwork, costumes, models, and digital renderings created by some of Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic’s best and brightest talents.

Taken with the rest of the 832 combined pages of Taschen's ambitious release that fully captures the dizzying breadth of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, it's a brilliant keepsake to spark your soul and imagination.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art two-book collection is available now via Taschen's website and Amazon.

Are you stuck for an outfit this spooky season? We've got you covered with our round-up of the best space themed Halloween costumes. Let's face it, even if there aren't any haunted spaceships out there, the vastness of the void is enough to give us the chills.

From Aliens to Star Wars, these costumes are sure to make you stand out, get the conversation flowing and maybe even raise a chuckle or two. And if you're a regular convention-goer, many of these costumes can double as cosplay outfits.

If you're still struggling for inspiration, or want to put your own costume together from scratch, you can always check out the best lightsabers, best streaming services or the best Lego Star Wars and Lego Marvel sets for ideas.

The quick list

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The best space and sci-fi themed Halloween costumes we recommend in 2026

The best overall

As sci-fi horror goes, it doesn't get more disturbing than Alien's infamous chestburster scene and now you can cosplay as one of the Nostromo's unfortunate crewmembers, complete with an alien emerging from your torso.

Admittedly, no one in the movie actually wore beige pants, so there's an inaccuracy there, which is odd given this is an officially licensed Alien costume. But the 3D chestburster, a wonderfully gruesome latex model attached to the outfit's t-shirt, more than makes up for that.

In fact, if you're in a hurry, you can forget about the rest of the costume and just slip on the t-shirt; between the creature on your chest and the Nostromo badge on your shoulder, there'll be no mistaking your outfit. And if you're looking for a couples costume, you can snag this Ellen Ripley jumpsuit.

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The best for Star Wars fans

This outfit may not bear the official Star Wars name but any fan of the saga will recognize it as the iconic robes of a Jedi, as worn by Obi-Wan Kenobi and virtually every light side wielder of the Force.

This cotton costume has plenty of detail and comes with a set of faux leather pouches, and they're unisex, so you can cosplay as whichever pre-Order 66 Jedi you want. Just add one of the best lightsabers.

But what's especially cool about this outfit is that it can be worn in a variety of ways. The tunic, trousers and cloak are all separate pieces, so you can leap into battle or slip the cloak over your head and lurk in a corner, looking all mysterious.

Those who've purchased this outfit praise its quality, in particular the thickness of the fabric. And if you lean more towards the Dark Side, there's a black Sith version as well.

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The best for nostalgia

I used to love watching the Original Series with my Grandad on a weekend. I have no idea how old I was but I have fond memories of those times and the many hours spent trying to learn how to do the Vulcan salute. If you're a fan of the Original Series like me, or just the original of anything Sci-Fi, this might be the Halloween costume for you.

Captain Kirk's shirt is a super simple and fuss-free Halloween costume. People will instantly recognize the striking color and design as being that of Captain Kirk. Combining it with a pair of dark pants will really set this costume off.

One great thing about this item is that it's not only a great Halloween costume choice but also an officially licensed product, meaning it's trademarked and authentic — ideal for true Star Trek fans as an item they can keep and wear again and again. Plus, there is the option of creating the full crew with family or friends, with the women's Starfleet dresses also being available.

It's important to note that the product listing advises customers to look at the sizing chart, rather than ordering based on your known sizes. Some people found the fit to be right, while others had to return it and order another size. To avoid this, it's best to consult the size chart. Reviewers also mentioned that the embroidery can be hit and miss, especially around the emblem.

Regardless of this, I think, for the money, this is a decent Halloween costume that will spark memories for those who grew up with the Original Series.

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The best for women

This Princess Leia costume is a great option for any Halloween parties you might be attending this year. Whether you're a Star Wars fan or not, this outfit is a classic and allows you to feel like a powerful princess while you're wearing it. You can purchase it with and without the wig — if you buy the wig, there will be no mistaking who you are. It's a simple outfit yet one that everyone will recognize. The attention to detail is good, with it mimicking the outfit worn in the films pretty accurately. So, even if you don't purchase the wig, most people will probably guess who you are dressed up as.

Made from cloth and synthetic leather, this costume can be worn by vegans too, so there are no exclusions there. It comes with the belt and, apparently, true-to-size sizing. However, there are no customer reviews for us to be sure whether this is the case or not. It may be a good idea to use the measurements provided to get the right size for you.

The best thing about dressing up as Princess Leia on Halloween? You have a fancy dress outfit ready for other parties, too. Plus, if you're into cosplay, you have your next outfit sorted. And, while some fancy dress outfits are a pain to clean, this costume is machine washable so there's no faff with hand washing. The only thing to be aware of is that it's not suitable for the tumble dryer.

Overall, this is a recognizable and classic choice for Halloween this year. However, if this doesn't feel like the right costume choice for you, you could consider other options in this guide.

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The best comedy

This inflatable spaceship costume takes the famously cheesy fake leg outfit and updates it to the space age. Put it on, let it inflate and everyone will think you're literally flying around the room!

Okay, maybe they won't be entirely convinced, but this ridiculous costume, with its dangling inflatable 'legs', will get you plenty of laughs and attention. Why not combine it with the kid-friendly rocket costume to create a family costume?

It inflates and stays inflated via the use of a battery pack, though some purchasers report you can also use a power bank. Its Amazon reviews are mostly positive, with the only real gripe being that you may need help to put it on.

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The best villain

Another recognisable costume that needs no introduction. What child doesn't love dressing up as the bad guy? And you can't get more iconic than Darth Vader.

This Darth Vader outfit comes with the helmet, cape, boots and gloves, so there's no need for further shopping with your little one to complete their outfit. Should they find the helmet uncomfortable to wear, for example, an added benefit is that the helmet, gloves and cape are detachable should your child decide they prefer to wear it without.

The reviews note it's good quality and durable, with many children enjoying wearing this costume. Durability is definitely something you need for little ones so this gets a thumbs up. One review noted that, although the material was good quality, it was thin, so this might be something to bear in mind if you live in a colder climate. Some reviews stated that the costume was large in places, such as the gloves and cape, whereas others say the sizing was spot on, or even on the smaller side. This may be down to personal preference but it seems getting the right size might prove difficult.

While being a pretty cool Halloween choice for kids, it's also an officially licensed product from Marvel. There's some jealousy that this isn't available in adult sizes...

Altogether, this is a great kid's costume for Halloween that's beyond reasonably priced. You can't go wrong.

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The best for young kids

This rocket costume will light up your child's Halloween. Whether you've got a girl or a boy, this costume is unisex in sizing and design, so it can be enjoyed by any little one. It's super simple to get your little one ready for Halloween — the rocket slides over their clothes. That's it. However, something to note is that it doesn't come with the silver shirt, so you would need to source this yourself if you want to match the rocket. That's the same for the bottoms — you would need to source orange bottoms to match the flames, if that's what you wanted to do.

Users note the material is good quality and that it's lightweight, meaning it doesn't interrupt playtime. One reviewer noted that it arrived crinkled after being in the packaging and advised removing it and letting it hang for a while before wearing. Another reviewer noted they bought it for their older child but the sizing was tight. Therefore, it seems this is a costume best suited to younger children, probably toddlers or up to five or six years old.

One of the benefits of buying a space-themed Halloween costume is that it's not only relevant at Halloween. Your child can enjoy this costume throughout the year or even use it during playtime with friends. There are multiple uses for it and that somewhat counteracts the slightly higher price for effectively an incomplete outfit (as you have to source the top and trousers yourself).

Overall, this is a quirky and cute alternative to Halloween for your little ones to enjoy, especially if they are interested in space.

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While Star Wars might be known for laser swords and space wizards, it's always been about weird little dudes doing even weirder things. Whether it's Jabba the Hutt's pet Salacious Crumb or alien Jizz (yes, that's a fictional musical genre) Band Figrin D'an, Star Wars has long revelled in the bizarre. It's long felt like the sci-fi series' extended universe should be embracing that weirdness, rather than trying to replicate the dramatic Skywalker Saga.

Amidst the explosions and high-flying speeders of Galactic Racer, one snouted jerk of an alien named Biddi Blas decided he'd crown himself my rival, and between races he hurled insults at me, daring me to take a bet on beating him each race. Of course, I took him up on his offer and continued to absolutely smoke the little freak for multiple races in a row. To sum it up, Galactic Racer absolutely gets what Star Wars is about.

I've long thought that more pieces of Star Wars media desperately need to branch off of the main saga, the titular wars, and those big storylines. This is one of the richest universes we've ever seen in media, and there's so much room to thrive by exploring the weird and wonderful corners of it. That's exactly what made the first season of The Mandalorian feel so special, and Galactic Racer hits that same stride by exploring a galactic underground racing ring, where a bunch of daredevils hurtle across planets while blowing each other up.

Science fiction has long had a fascination with what "futuristic" racing might look like; it's a natural extension of our inherent draw to sports and competition as humans. Virtually any sci-fi setting out there has some shape or form of racing; The Expanse has an entire high-speed racing league that helps set the backdrop for the franchise, and even the likes of Speed Racer skew heavily toward the fantastical. But nothing is quite as iconic as Star Wars' podracing, easily the standout segment of The Phantom Menace.

Galactic Racer integrates the tone and intensity of podracing, while fusing that with the highly technical gameplay and wacky rivals of Nintendo's F-Zero franchise – in fact, this is probably the closest we've gotten to a new F-Zero game in decades. If you've played any racer, you know the basics here: you speed through tracks while trying to avoid crashing, and use everything at your disposal to overcome your opponents. But Galactic Racer layers on some clever elements to help accentuate its distinct style.

There are three kinds of vehicles to choose from: landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skim speeders. Each of these vehicles has a distinct style, strengths, and weaknesses. Landspeeders take corners well but often have average speed; bikes have great top speed but take a momentary speed loss when cornering, and Skim speeders are more about managing your momentum and maintaining top speed, but are hard to navigate around corners.

On top of these styles, you can equip four different skills on your racer, things like an autopilot that takes control for ten seconds, a landmine you can lay behind you, a turbo burst that instantly puts you at your top speed, and more.

You have a boost gauge as well, but — by far — the most interesting mechanic is the Ramjet, an extra boost gauge that gives you an afterburner for a massive boost, at the risk of blowing yourself up. You need to be careful with this mode, as the gauge builds up; it's separated into two parts, with the upper part being the "redline." This redline section can give you even bigger momentary boosts, but if you push your racer too hard, you will literally explode. It's a very cool risk-reward system that encourages you to be gutsy, but I also genuinely love the physical act of activating it.

To use the Ramjet, you press R3 (right stick) and then hold down X to continuously use it. Although it might sound weird, every time I used the Ramjet, it reminded me of seeing racers in movies, like Phantom Menace, hitting that stick or button to shoot ahead. It's an incredibly satisfying tactile experience when you click that stick in, and the controller starts to rumble violently. It's such a smart little piece of immersive design that puts you right into the experience.

That's the core idea of what makes Galactic Racer so good: how effortlessly it puts you into that racing experience, and that's equally translated through a fascinating campaign mode. You play as an enigmatic masked racer named Shade, who's shown up to dominate the Galactic Racing League. Across a roguelike series of races, you learn more about Shade and the other racers, including what motivates all of them – including that annoying Biddi Blas.

The roguelike design is what's so fascinating here, as it gives a lot of variance in how each "tour" can play out, giving you multiple options to choose from: basic races, elimination matches, testing prototype machines, and more.

In between each race, you get a little moment where a rival will talk to you, often in an antagonistic way. You also get a little zone to wander around where you can hear random conversations, purchase upgrades for your machine with credits, and more. There's so much personality packed into these sequences, offering fantastic world-building that helps flesh out this particular underbelly of the Star Wars universe. As you do better in races, you can even get offers from crime lords to sponsor you, fulfilling their particular asks for greater rewards.

But my favorite detail is the return of the expert podracer Sebulba from The Phantom Menace. At a certain point in the story, you have to beat the legendary racer in a one-on-one race, but after that he becomes a sort of begrudging mentor to you. As you progress through the story, Sebulba will regale you with tales of the "good old days" of podracing, and how all these modern racers have lost their edge. But the really neat trick is that these flashback stories are actually playable Podracing segments, adding a wonderful bit of contextual variety to the campaign.

There are so many little smart embellishments and details across Galactic Racer that really make it shine, both as a futuristic racer and as a Star Wars game, like the unique little details applied to each planet.

Racing on Crait kicks up those vibrant red dust clouds, which obscure the view of other racers and can even slow them down. The icy planet Ando Prime freezes your machine, which can literally inhibit your turning as the joints are filled with ice, but it means your Afterburner doesn't run as hot. The toxic wasteland of Sentinel 1 reduces your vehicle's durability and can stop your Ramjet from working in acid pools. Each planet has its own little traits that affect how races can play out, once again playing into that idea of futuristic racing across a galaxy.

Of course, all of the elements of these races shine the most when you're playing against other humans in multiplayer, resulting in frenetic matches where the tides can turn in an instant. But the single-player offering in Galactic Racer also wonderfully fleshes out one of the more unpainted corners of the Star Wars universe; a corner I didn't know I needed until now. I'd legitimately watch an entire show about these weirdo racers and the hijinks they get up to, like a modern version of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Wacky Racers.

Like most Star Wars fans these days, my relationship with the franchise has been complex in recent years, mostly due to the topsy-turvy quality of the films and TV shows. I still find that the best pieces of media from the series have me saying "Star Wars is so cool." The word cool is simple and derivative, sure, but there's a kind of purehearted thrill that this series can evoke, which is part of why it's proven so enduring across generations.

Galactic Racer, equally, is a game that's just simply… cool. The idea of blisteringly fast futuristic racing is also simply cool – a fascinating thought that so much sci-fi media has been endlessly fascinated with. By embracing the "cool factor" of both its source material and concept, Galactic Racer ends up shining.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer will be released on October 6th for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X|S.

LOS ANGELES – The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a stellar adventure through art and storytelling for both Star Wars superfans and their friends and family who couldn't care less about the force.

For years, I have driven by this museum under construction, catching glimpses of a developing structure that looked more like a spaceship than anything else. With a grassy roof that peeks above the freeway, the building's signature white, curved exterior exudes an otherworldly aura. Recently, I had the opportunity to see what the hype was all about and actually step inside the Lucas Museum, co-founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson. And if you want to see the museum for yourself, it opens to the public today (Sept. 22).

Many will be initially drawn to this museum for its Star Wars collection, which features props, costumes and more from across the franchise. But while I will dive into some details about the amazing Star Wars aspects, this museum is so much more than I could have anticipated and I think that even if you don't like Star Wars at all, you could find yourself having an amazing day here. And with a free public garden and free admission for local residents, this museum is now also an accessible new landmark in the city.

The museum itself

In my first moments walking up to the museum, it was already clear that this was going to be an adventure. While there is much that I will share about the actual exhibits and artifacts in the museum, the building itself is a spectacle worth visiting. As I approached, I found myself standing underneath the central "eye" of the structure which looks up to the sky as you walk up to the futuristic, glass-fronted entrance.

Once inside, at the center of the building's lobby sits an unexpected delight, glass-fronted elevators that look equal parts Willy Wonka and Star Wars. And because I had to be sure, I double-checked to see if the view from the elevator would be amazing. It is.) And, of course, the lobby is home to a sizable theater for film screenings.

I could wax poetic all day about the building's unique and inviting design, but let's get into the exhibits. And, of course, we have to start with Star Wars.

Star Wars

Unsurprisingly, the Star Wars exhibit at the Lucas Museum was jaw-droppingly perfect. While I love Star Wars, I wouldn't consider myself an all-knowing die-hard fan. But I can confidently say that even if you have a passing interest in "Star Wars," you would think it's pretty cool.

Walking around the winding, curved corridors of the museum, you first get a glimpse into the exhibit through a window in the hallway. And walking by, it stopped me and a few folks nearby in our tracks. Through the window was Darth Vader's original costume, standing menacingly as if Lord Vader himself was taking a stroll through the museum. And so I quickly hurried around the corner to see it up-close.

When you enter the exhibit hall, you are first greeted by the droids C3PO and R2-D2, paired together against a painted backdrop. As I looked around the room it clicked that they aren't just displaying Star Wars props, costumes, and artifacts   — they are placing those items into scenes from the films.

So when I looked to my right, instead of seeing Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi's costumes on plain mannequins next to an airspeeder, I saw two incredibly realistic life-sized figures of the characters in their costumes riding side-by-side in the airspeeder which was sitting on an angle propped up in mid-air so it looked mid-flight. This style of display continued throughout the exhibit, as just around the corner, a lifelike Luke Skywalker stood next to his landspeeder on a mock Tatooine while a Jawa hid nearby.

From prequel icons Darth Maul and Mace Windu to the beloved characters from the original trilogy, the exhibit covers it all. And beyond the life-sized costumes and vehicles, you'll also see the many miniatures that appeared larger-than-life on screen as well as the concept art that helped to bring the films to life.

And while the Star Wars exhibit itself isn't massive, you could find yourself going back through and really soaking in the details of each scene. And outside of the exhibit, you'll find Star Wars artifacts and nods to the franchise throughout the museum, including an X-wing starfighter hanging in the lobby of one of the museum's wings, complete with R2-D2 riding in the passenger seat.

A unique art collection

While many will flock to this museum for its Star Wars gems, beyond the force, the Lucas Museum is a unique and in-depth art museum. The Star Wars pieces are really just the cherry on top of an experience that takes you through a surprising variety of iconic artwork.

Starting on the first floor, veering just to the left of the elevators is a walk through ancient art history and humanity's relationship with myth and storytelling. From real artifacts like an Aztec Sun Stone to digital representations of iconic works of art like a projection of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, this introduction to the museum will immerse you into the world of narrative art and inspire you to explore further.

With one quick trip up the glass elevator, the doors opened and a bronze Norman Rockwell statue sat in the corner, painting and inviting me in. I began my exploration with an exhibit dedicated to Rockwell's art, featuring some of the iconic artist's most classic works depicting mid-century commentary on American culture, politics and family.

I worked my way around the curved corridors of the museum – you really feel the unique curvature of the building as you make your way through. An exhibit dedicated to the history of cartoons had early Mickey Mouse drawings and comic strips from series you will find yourself quickly remembering. Exhibits feature art you might not find at other art museums, like both popular and relatively unknown pulls from anime and manga and a room dedicated to art inspired by family and motherhood.

From iconic photographs like the Beatles crossing Abbey Road to obscure science fiction illustrations, the museum offers both beloved, popular moments from narrative art history as well as art that you might not even know to expect. There's even a Banksy original.

One particular piece still stands out in my memory. In the "Children's Stories" exhibit, which has incredible gems like illustrations from Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, a clear plastic case standing nearly 6 feet tall stopped me in my tracks. In the case stood the cowardly lion's costume from the original film The Wizard of Oz from 1938. This piece of film history was both surprising and incredible to see up-close, as I inspected the stitches and animal skins that made the costume look bizarre in person, but come alive on screen.

I won't spoil all of the surprises that the museum has inside, but just trust me when I say that there is something for everyone within those curved walls.

Supporting the community

Making my way around the museum, I stumbled across a beautiful observation deck that (again) really felt like a design ripped right off the screen of a sci-fi blockbuster. A wide window stretched across the building's edge, revealing a beautiful garden down below. At its center? A bronze statue of Princess Leia fighting Jabba the Hutt. Perfection.

This outdoor space is perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the museum. This beautiful green space speckled with bronze sci-fi and pop culture statues is part of the museum grounds but it is open to the public entirely for free. What was once a concrete parking garage is now a stunning public park for the community surrounding the museum.

What's more is that the museum has decided to make admission entirely free for residents that share the local zip code. It's great to see such a fun museum be completed and opened to the public. But what's better is seeing that the museum actually supports the surrounding community.

Unless you’ve been living in a galaxy far, far away, you probably already know that 2027 marks the 50th anniversary of "Star Wars", as George Lucas’s sprawling space opera first struck theaters back on May 25, 1977.

To celebrate this milestone occasion, Disney and Lucasfilm are bringing the original Star Wars theatrical release to IMAX screens for the first time.

Depending on the IMAX setups available, audiences can see the legendary space opera at official IMAX locations in either digital or physical film for its triumphant re-release on Feb. 19, 2027.

This newly restored "Star Wars" print — apparently being shown without its “A New Hope” subtitle, Special Edition clutter, or CGI enhancements — will also screen at a limited number of IMAX 70mm sites.

You know what that means, right? Han will once again fire his blaster at Greedo first!

"Star Wars: Starfighter" — the upcoming Star Wars movie starring Ryan Gosling — will also be getting an IMAX release around the same time, as it launches on May 28, 2027.

As a stellar follow-up, "Star Wars: Starfighter" will blast off over the 50th anniversary weekend on May 28, 2027. It’s a standalone sci-fi adventure from director and producer Shawn Levy ("Real Steel," "Deadpool & Wolverine," "Stranger Things") headlined by Ryan Gosling ("Drive," "Blade Runner 2049," "Project Hail Mary").

Here, the omnipresent superstar portrays Kade Auberon, a cynical rogue confronted by his mysterious past. The eclectic cast also includes Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, Flynn Gray, and Amy Adams.

"Star Wars: Starfighter" was filmed for IMAX and shot with certified IMAX-approved digital cameras framed for IMAX screen ratios before being converted to IMAX 70mm film prints for screening in an exclusive number of IMAX venues in the U.S.

IMAX spots for "Star Wars" and "Star Wars: Starfighter" can be found online HERE.

The "Star Wars" IMAX re-release is coming Feb. 19, 2027. "Star Wars: Starfighter" hits theaters on May 28, 2027.

Star Wars' starships are almost as memorable the saga's character and thanks to Lego's Star Wars range, you can build your own replicas of these iconic craft. We've rounded up the very best, from a palm-sized version of Darth Vader's Tie Fighter to a massive, table-hogging Star Wars Clone Wars-era Venator Star Destroyer.

While several of these sets are display pieces, we've included some play-friendly models, such as this mid-sized Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon that can be swooshed around your living room and this Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer which, with seven mini-figures and removable roof, will delight younger Star Wars fans.

Read on and build the largest fleet the galaxy has ever known.

Famed author Thomas Wolfe coined the phrase "You Can’t Go Home Again" with the title of his classic 1940 novel, and while that actually might be true in some cases, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" gets its homecoming as it arrives on Disney+ for fans today, Sept. 2, 2026.

Honestly, this is probably where the $166 million "The Mandalorian" spinoff movie should have premiered in the first place, but Disney decided to test the big screen waters with its charismatic clansman and Baby Yoda. Sadly, it came up a bit short when all the tickets were tallied, but everyone loves second chances, and we're pretty psyched to see the space fantasy back where it belongs: in the vast streaming universe.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" was directed by Jon Favreau from a script co-written by Lucasfilm President and CCO Dave Filoni and Noah Floor ("The Book of Boba Fett"). It stars Pedro Pascal as bounty hunter Din Djarin, Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, Jeremy Allen White voicing Jabba the Hutt's beefy son, Rotta, and Grogu as… Grogu.

"The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy," states the official synopsis. "As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.”

The adventurous sci-fi spinoff also launched on Home Video on Aug. 25 in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, packed with exclusive bonus content, featurettes, and audio commentary. A Beskar Collector's Edition SteelBook release includes special deluxe packaging and collectible metal posters.

As Labor Day Weekend approaches and with current theatrical offerings this time of year pretty slim, there’s a certain sense of optimism in the galaxy far, far away that "The Mandalorian and Grogu" will perform well and attract fresh audiences that might have been sitting on the sidelines until now.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" lands on Disney+ starting Sept. 2, 2026 (AKA right now).

Across the decades, Star Wars' secret sauce has always been a feeling – an intoxicating mixture of whimsy and adventure that’s nearly impossible to replicate. That’s especially true with the original film trilogy and the prequel film trilogy, even if the two have distinctly different flavors.

The series forays into video games have seen a lot of success, but Zero Company does something I’ve never seen a Star Wars game do before: it seamlessly combines the two different eras of the original and prequel film trilogies into something that not only recaptures the magic of those stories, but entirely stands on its own.

By taking the strategic XCOM formula and splicing it together with the whimsy of Star Wars, Zero Company becomes one of the best adventures you can find in a galaxy far, far away.

Zero Company takes place in the midst of the Clone Wars of the prequel trilogy, following an ex-Republic officer named Hawks who left their military post after losing an entire unit. The game picks up long after this event, with Hawks now running the titular “Zero Company,” a mercenary group that takes on odd — and often off-the-books — jobs across the war-torn galaxy. But on an ordinary mission, Hawks discovers a bizarre magic plague, a secret plan hatched by the Separatist army, and a contract with Republic intelligence to take on jobs the army can’t do.

The story of Zero Company is firmly set within the Clone Wars, and along with that comes the era's distinctive visual style and aesthetic. Fascinatingly, though, this narrative feels remarkably like a Rebel one, more in line with the original trilogy.

Zero Company’s secretive missions are a perfect vessel to explore the fringes of Galactic Society, the underworld, and the harsh reality common people face in a Republic dangerously veering toward authoritarianism. Zero Company meaningfully explores these themes, using a ragtag band of outcasts as a filter to view them. For all intents and purposes, this story could slot into the original trilogy just as easily, making it a fascinating mish-mash that Star Wars has seldom seen before.

And that all starts with Hawks themselves, a wonderfully charismatic hero who’s nearly impossible to dislike. I played the game as the male Hawks, but you can choose a female Hawks as well. The best way I can think to describe Hawks is as if Han Solo was played by Mathew McConaughey; a hero with a biting sense of humor punctuated by a thick Southern drawl, backed up by some genuinely hilarious writing.

Hawks is the grounding force of Zero Company, the down-to-Earth scoundrel that keeps everyone humble. It's a common trope in Star Wars, but it works well here because Hawks has some real weirdos to bounce off of, including a clone named Trick who has nightmares of losing his helmet before battle, an alien named Kabb who’s obsessed with opera and had a Yoda-like stilt to his speech, and a lost Jedi Padawan, who’s not quite sure how to be a Jedi.

Zero Company relishes the quiet moments where your characters get to bond, translating those bonds directly into gameplay enhancements and skills in battle. Again, this inevitably ends up giving the game more of a Rebellion-era feel, as each of your operatives holds some kind of dark secret or goal that has led them to Zero Company.

There’s a selection of defined characters to build your squad out with, on top of the ability to recruit generic operatives. And you’re going to need the numbers because in Zero Company, literally anyone can die.

This is an XCOM-style game through and through, meaning complex turn-based combat where each and every one of your characters can fall in battle. But it’s not instant death, luckily, as every character can take two injuries (downs), and the third one means permanent death.

It provides some flexibility to the game’s combat, also tying into the heavy focus on teamwork and operating the squad as a whole. You can take up to four characters into each battle, though you are occasionally joined by some kind of guest character or have to rescue a hostage, thus gaining another character midway through battle.

Zero Company is, essentially, split into three parts: The hideout, Operations, and Tactical Missions. In the hideout, you can talk to characters, conduct research to improve weapons or facilities, and then prepare for missions. On the mission board, you can use intel (gained from Tactical Missions) to conduct quick little text-based expeditions called Operations that grant various rewards, boost your influence in that specific zone, and unlock new Tactical Missions. These add some flavour without actually engaging you in combat. For that, you'll want the Tactical Missions.

There’s a ton of variability in how you build your forces; alongside the class system, which decides a character's skills, each can equip one of four weapons, along with utility items like medpacks or grenades.

Classes and skills lean into different styles of play; Astromech droids are entirely support-focused, generating AP (action points) and buffing the party, while the Assault is focused on heavy damage and drawing aggro. Zero Company smartly leans into the Star Wars universe, making classes and characters feel like distinct pieces of said universe. Tel-Rea, the Jedi character, is almost entirely melee-focused, but comes with her own entirely distinct skills and combat abilities, essentially requiring you to build your party around her.

But by far the most interesting element of building your squad is the relationship system. As characters battle alongside each other, their relationship levels will rise, and each level lets you pick a perk that applies to both operators. You might be able to permanently increase ranged damage, or critical chance, or the range of movement on first turn. This provides a ton of flexibility for progression, and feels extremely rewarding for painting units together – and directly ties into that narrative sense of camaraderie that builds as well.

Zero Company has a lot of different systems and stats to keep track of, and it can be overwhelming at first, but eventually everything clicks together in a superbly satisfying way, like finding that section of a puzzle that just effortlessly comes together.

I’m not hesitant to say that outside of XCOM itself, this is one of the best squad-based strategy games I’ve ever played. And that’s largely because of how well the game leans into the uniqueness of the Star Wars universe, using its source material in nearly every narrative beat and gameplay mechanic.

But the beating heart at the center of everything is the convincing way the game builds your tight-knit squad, the little family that quickly starts to develop. It’s in the little moments in your base, where your janitor says he’s gonna find that space mouse…. and eat it, much to the chagrin of Hawks. It’s in those little moments in battle, where a skill you’ve invested in lets your party member execute a follow-up attack at the perfect time, taking out a Sniper Droid that might have dropped your own squadmate next turn.

And I think the initial smaller scope of Zero Company’s narrative really helps nail that Star Wars feel. There are bigger stakes that eventually develop, but for the first half of the game you’re simply living out life as a band of mercenaries, getting to know your squaddies, and trying to juggle the various systems and injuries your crew gets.

Zero Company uses the epic backdrop of the prequels and the Clone Wars to tell an original trilogy-style story about a band of heroes that simply come together in the right place at the right time. Star Wars is no stranger to good video games, and Zero Company quite handily blasts its way into the conversation as one of the best.

Despite our love for little "Baby Yoda", "The Mandalorian and Grogu" wasn't the thrilling "Star Wars" feature film to drag fans back to theaters when it dropped back in May. It wasn't bad, but it felt more like a TV special than a cinematic event.

But now the $166 million space opera — recruited from the Disney+ series that ran for three seasons from 2019-2023 — is now about to enter Earth orbit and finally land in the streaming sphere when it hits Disney+ starting Sept. 2, 2026. Will this be the way?

Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Pedro Pascal as the laconic bounty hunter clad in his stylish Beskar armor and also featuring that pint-sized alien dynamo formally known as Baby Yoda, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" was the first big-screen "Star Wars" movie in seven years since 2019's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

Could the underperforming spinoff film become a surprise hit with general streaming audiences since that's where the characters were born, or has the dynamic duo's time come and gone?

"The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy," states the official synopsis. "As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu."

While some fans would have potentially welcomed a fourth season of "The Mandalorian" — which is where this cobbled-together feature was derived from — the majority of disgruntled "Star Wars" acolytes were still wincing from the series' lackluster third outing (yes, we're staring at you, Jack Black and Lizzo!).

As they say, time heals all wounds, and despite disappointing reviews and fan reactions, the movie did manage to scrape together $345 million worldwide. Now that it's coming back to its streaming home, perhaps all will be forgiven? We're certainly willing to give it another shot or a fair first screening. How about you?

Also starring Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" steers its way back onto Disney+ beginning on Sept. 2, 2026.

After a solid but often unfocused debut in 2023, Ahsoka season 2 has finally kicked off its marketing campaign with a stellar first trailer that promises higher stakes and a much bigger scale when it premieres on Disney Plus early next year.

As part of the D23 2026 celebrations, Disney and Lucasfilm shared a first look at the long-in-the-works second season of the live-action show – set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens – on August 15. Moreover, we now have a premiere date: January 20, 2027.

"Are you a Jedi... or not?" asks Anakin Skywalker, a prominent figure in the action-packed teaser trailer, after briefly appearing in Season 1 with a subtler role.

It's clear Lucasfilm and fans of the prequels wanted to see more of Hayden Christensen as the Chosen One, and series creator, director, and writer Dave Filoni — now also president and CCO at the studio — plans on delivering exactly that through both flashbacks (Who is that Jedi with a new saber design?!) and Force ghost moments.

But that's only the tip of the iceberg, as the first look at Ahsoka season 2 also has huge space battles worthy of the big screen, Imperial villain Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) threatening the New Republic – which he refuses to acknowledge as more than Rebels – Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) taking the fight to Dathomir, and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) trying to find a way back to the main galaxy.

Meanwhile, the fallen Jedi Baylan Skoll (Rory McCann) wants to uncover a lost power that could change everything. If you know, you know. Alongside the first trailer, Disney and Lucasfilm also shared a first poster with a striking visual style:

Of course, almost none of this will make sense if you haven't watched The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels — some of the best Star Wars TV shows around — but it's a trip we recommend embarking on if you enjoy the franchise's more mystical side and have lots of free time.

Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi may not be the Star Wars TV show you were looking for, but after having watched its entire first season, I can confidently say it's something the franchise desperately needed.

With several new Star Wars movies on the horizon without a cohesive plan in sight and a surprising lack of new live-action Disney+ series beyond Ahsoka Season 2, it seems like the galaxy far, far away's future looks brighter in animation.

Shows like The Bad Batch and Maul – Shadow Lord have proven there's room for more tonal experiments and expansions of the canon canvas, yet it's the Legends-like Star Wars: Visions formula that's produced the most striking tales starring Jedi, Sith, Rebels, and whatnot in years.

After a second short released as part of last year's Star Wars: Visions Vol. 3, Production I.G's The Ninth Jedi has evolved into an eight-episode anime series that's far outside what we've come to expect from the canon Star Wars timeline.

And yet, the traditional nature of its story and setting showcases what an icon Star Wars could be for younger generations if it looked forward more often than backward.

A well-calculated evolution

Back in 2021, The Ninth Jedi became a fan-favorite what-if Star Wars scenario with a first short (which you can watch for free on YouTube right now) set generations after the disappearance of the Jedi Order. It's a familiar setup, but crucially, one that doesn't invoke the Skywalker family name, the Republic, or the Empire.

At the same time, the show's approach to the Force, the Jedi, and the Sith doesn't collide with what we've already seen. It almost feels like a canon Star Wars story that's just set centuries into the galaxy's future. Even the visuals, which evoke an old-fashioned style as possible — despite some jarring bits of CG imagery — use the same language Lucasfilm veterans like Doug Chiang have developed over the decades.

The Ninth Jedi sticks to the few rules established by the two previous shorts, but also dreams slightly bigger to paint a richer canvas that doesn't always feel like a genuine part of George Lucas' original universe, which is almost necessary at this point to avoid stagnation.

There will no doubt be back-and-forth conversation about its place within the franchise, but such chatter is less interesting than dissecting what it means for how Disney and Lucasfilm approach the property moving forward.

Honoring the recent past

Interestingly, The Ninth Jedi borrows quite a lot from modern Star Wars entries the loud online types called unmitigated disasters: namely The Last Jedi and The Acolyte.

Lah Kara feels like the direct result of Rey's impact on a new generation of creatives and fans, and Lah Zhima – Kara's father – quickly goes from a missing sabersmith to a far more complex Jedi figure that lands close to Luke Skywalker's divisive role in Episode VIII. General Nawaam — the main villain — also makes for a memorable character that has more Kylo Ren (or The Stranger) than Darth Vader in them.

The nature of lightsaber-wielding warriors like the Jedi and Sith — both ancient concepts to the galaxy's common people — is also questioned. These are religions that, at least in their original shape, have gone extinct for a good reason.

While Kara and Jedi Knights like Margrave Juro — essentially the Obi-Wan Kenobi of this story — and Ethan fight to bring back the Order from the brink of extinction (again), it becomes evident there's no path forward for the guardians of peace and justice without some introspection. These shades of grey only deepen when lightsabers start to change colors, and unlikely heroes rise.

Over the course of this eight-episode season (with more teased but not confirmed), the Production I.G anime veterans Shunsuke Tada (director), Mitsuyasu Sakai (writer), and Kenji Kamiyama (supervising director) make a strong effort to bridge Star Wars' past and present, even if there was no real need to respect what had come before. The Ninth Jedi is its own thing, but not really.

It may be limiting for the Visions experiment — as many fans favor bolder swings as stylish and disruptive as The Duel — but ironically, that makes it a valuable endeavor for Lucasfilm as they navigate an uncertain future trying to conquer the big screen once again. How much classical Star Wars do we need in future projects? This show gives a very reasonable answer.

Star Wars for a new generation, even if the bones are old

Veteran Star Wars fans need to remember newcomers don't care about canon outside of stories meant to be connected. Instead, they're looking for captivating tales starring new characters who are fun to spend time with, and on that front, the first of the Star Wars: Visions shows (more are rumored to be in the works) is a resounding success.

On a surface level, there are enough new planets, spaceships, alien species, and factions in The Ninth Jedi to fuel an entire trilogy of movies, yet it's all put to good use over the course of eight breezy episodes which tell a complete story, just in case Season 2 isn't a possibility.

Thematically, it's also among the richest explorations of the Force, the Jedi, and a cycle of conflicts sparked by the need for more Star Wars forever and ever. Even if corporate needs are the main reason why creatives are still getting to tell stories set in a galaxy far, far away, the meta conversation found in these tales might help refresh and save Star Wars. Beyond that, it shows that Rian Johnson and Leslye Headland had the right idea, even if they didn't nail the execution.

Those who have been around for decades will spot and appreciate the tradition holding this all together, but even with a Death Star-like threat and reheated plot beats peppered throughout the journey, The Ninth Jedi has the pulse and patience to build new legends that deserve a moment in the spotlight.

The galaxy Kara is fighting for might look a little different from the one we know, but this is the most Star Wars-feeling Star Wars entry in quite some time.

Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi (full season) is now available to stream on Disney+ following its premiere on Aug. 5, 2026.

Disney+’s imaginative anime anthology series, "Star Wars: Visions", is getting a standalone expansion next month with "Star Wars: Visions Presents –The Ninth Jedi".

This 8-episode limited series is a continuation of the saga of Lah Kara, Margrave Juro, and their ragtag crew in the search for her kidnapped father. "Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi" debuts on Disney+ on Aug. 5, 2026.

Fans were first introduced to the intriguing story in "Star Wars: Visions" Volume 1’s chapter titled "The Ninth Jedi", and now writer/director Kenji Kamiyama and his animation studio Production IG will revisit Kara’s world to elaborate more on the mythology behind lightsabers of different hues.

In the original 2021 episode, viewers met a bright Force-sensitive girl named Kara and her sabersmith father, Zhima, as they harvest Kyber Crystals to forge new lightsabers for Margrave Juro, the leader of an outer rim planet called Hy Izlan.

Juro is collecting worthy Jedi to help repopulate the Jedi Order, but evil Sith mercenaries are hiding within his candidates’ ranks. Kamiyama’s short initially presented the cool notion of lightsabers changing colors to reflect their users’ true links to the Force.

A direct sequel to Kamiyama's episode, "The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope," was delivered by anime master Naoyoshi Shiotani and premiered on Oct. 29, 2025, for "Star Wars: Visions" Volume 3. Lucasfilm's new show takes place shortly after the events seen in the two "Star Wars: Visions" shorts as Kara advances her training and searches for her father.

"Every time we finished one of the anthologies, the first conversation would be, 'God, I’d love to expand that story,'" James Waugh, Lucasfilm Senior V.P. and "Star Wars: Visions" executive producer, told TechRadar last year after the project was announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan.

"We love the shorts, but Kathy [Kennedy] heard that, and there was a moment to say, 'Let’s see what could happen if we expanded this.' That’s really where 'Visions Presents' comes from. If we could give a bigger canvas to paint on, what would we get? We’ve been so impressed with what Kamiyama and his Production IG team has delivered so far."

Directed by Shunsuke Tada and with Kenji Kamiyama acting as supervising director, "Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi" arrives Aug. 5 on Disney+ and Hulu.

"Star Wars" and Casio G-Shock have teamed up to create a beautiful pair of "The Mandalorian and Grogu" themed wristwatches. This time-telling duo is a perfect match, presenting two stylish, unbreakable watches that symbolize the timeless bond between Big Mando and Baby Yoda.

The Mando-themed watch is called the GM2100-1ASW G-STEEL and costs $220. It has a stainless-steel casing designed to resemble the bounty hunter's iconic Beskar armor. The Grogu model is called the BA110YK-3ASW BABY-G and costs $130. Terrible watch naming conventions aside, it's a striking neon green to pay homage to Grogu, with the full resin casing keeping the price down.

Casio was kind enough to send us this pair of Star Wars timepieces to check out, so let's take a look

The Mandalorian model gleams like the notorious bounty hunter’s legendary Beskar steel armor and is crafted using a tough forged metal bezel and finished in a rugged texture. It's obviously shock resistant and can stand up to the most dangerous of missions on planet Earth. This is a handsome industrial-looking watch you can wear every day, yet it’s flashy enough for dress-up occasions.

Not to be outshined, Casio G-Shock’s Grogu model branded as the Baby-G comes in a distinctive bright neon-green hue in honor of Din Djarin’s little Force-wielding apprentice. It's a bit smaller and more playful than The Mandalorian release, but still features the same powerful shock-shielded quality and carries a brighter casual attitude that comes across as a far less formal accessory.

A special thank you to Casio for providing samples of these stunning "Star Wars" timepieces that are available for purchase now!

"Built to withstand the toughest conditions, from the Outer Rim to everyday adventures, G-SHOCK selected two pre-existing models for the campaign, the GM2100 and the BA100, that reflect the main characters," states the description.

"Each model comes equipped with a highly collectible officially licensed Bounty Hunter ID Card Watch Stand. Designed for fans and collectors, this innovative accessory folds completely flat to display a character-specific Bounty Hunter ID. Through integrated magnets, the card seamlessly transforms into a rigid, 3D watch stand, providing the perfect way to present and hold the timepiece when it is not being worn.”

Both the GM2100-1ASW G-STEEL and BA110YK-3ASW BABY-G watches are available to buy now from the Casio website for $220 and $130, respectively. You can watch The Mandalorian and Grogu in theaters now.

In December 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney live-streamed a much-talked-about "Investor Day" presentation. Along with her Marvel Studios counterpart Kevin Feige, then-Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced a slew of new projects to join Disney+ hit "The Mandalorian" (then nearing the end of its second season) in an impressive slate of "Star Wars" projects.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi", "Andor", "The Acolyte", "Ahsoka", "The Bad Batch" and "Star Wars: Visions" have all since made it to the screen (to varying degrees of success), while "Rangers of the New Republic", "Lando" and "Rogue Squadron" were either abandoned completely or cast into the Sarlacc pit better known as development hell.

But arguably the most intriguing project remained nameless and was little more than an aside. This "climactic story event" would be a theatrical release directed by Dave Filoni (who's since become president of Lucasfilm), and would wrap up storylines established in "The Mandalorian", " The Book of Boba Fett" and "Ahsoka".

This "Avengers"-style team-up, we believed, would be where the Imperial Remnant would get its backside kicked, before running off to hide in the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. Yes, we also knew they'd eventually go on to form the dastardly First Order, but that was a problem for another day.

THE PATH AHEAD CONTAINS "THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU" SPOILERS. CHOOSE WISELY IF YOU'RE YET TO SEE THE FILM.

Five-and-a-half years have now passed since Kennedy teased "Star Wars: The Climactic Event", and it's not even a dot on the horizon. "The Mandalorian and Grogu", now in theaters, was ideally placed to progress the story, but — despite a few Imperial entanglements early on — it's definitively not that movie. And in such an intriguing era of "Star Wars"' in-universe history, that feels like a hell of a waste.

It wouldn't have been proper to interrupt the Ewoks' party with a reality check, but — whisper it — the Empire was never going to go quietly after Emperor Palpatine's (temporary) demise in the bowels of the Death Star. Even the old, no-longer-canon Expanded Universe novels (now branded "Star Wars Legends") told stories of Grand Admiral Thrawn and other Imperial hangers-on making themselves a nuisance for Luke, Han, Leia, and co. So it was no surprise when history repeated itself in Lucasfilm's official "Star Wars" timeline. The Mandalorian was crossing paths with "Imps" from day one.

But these Imperial Remnants exist as a very different entity to the authoritarian regime that developed a penchant for blowing up entire planets or — perhaps even worse — crushing its enemies via the medium of relentless bureaucracy in "Andor". With the New Republic now in control, it's the Imperials who are the insurgents, a ragtag collection of warlords in need of leadership — a dark echo of the Rebel Alliance's early years.

A meeting of the Shadow Council in "The Mandalorian" season 3 episode "The Spies" (featuring the father of a certain General Hux) showed that the late Moff Gideon was just the tip of a very dodgy iceberg, while "Ahsoka"'s first season spent eight whole episodes bringing Thrawn back from exile to take his place as the Emperor's heir apparent.

In an interview with SFX magazine, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" writer/director Jon Favreau said that a fourth season of "The Mandalorian" — which he wrote scripts for, before it was abandoned in favor of the new film — "was teeing up what was happening moving into [the second season of] 'Ahsoka'. It was about Grand Admiral Thrawn and following the larger storyline [of this era of the Star Wars timeline]".

But if you've seen the movie, you'll know that Thrawn is conspicuous by his absence, sidelined in favor of a more standalone story. That said, "The Mandalorian and Grogu"'s opening act does see Din Djarin and his little green friend working for the New Republic, hunting down rogue Imperials to order on behalf of Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver).

Two members of the aforementioned Shadow Council are soon apprehended — one brought in warm, the other brought in cold — in what turns out to be the best segment of the movie.

Djarin is a bounty hunter at the top of his game, making full use of his Mandalorian box of tricks. Grogu, meanwhile, turns out to be a surprisingly effective foil. There are TIE Fighters, Stormtroopers with appalling aim, and at least two models of Imperial Walker, as the film riffs on some of the franchise's greatest hits, while continuing (all-too-briefly) the hunt for the Emperor's disciples. It's fun, fast-paced, and transports you to wretched hives of scum and villainy as only "Star Wars" can.

But as soon as Mando apprehends Imperial bad guy Lord Janu (Jonny Coyne), "The Mandalorian and Grogu" decides that the Empire aren't the main threat after all. Instead, its attentions shift to Jabba the Hutt's twin cousins, who unleash their bounty hunting muscle, Embo, after Mando double-crosses them to free Jabba's cage-fighting son, Rotta.

It feels like a strange decision — imagine an alternative cut of "Return of the Jedi" that rushes through all that annoying business about Darth Vader's redemption and the Death Star (y'know, the stuff with galactic implications), so we can all get back to having fun in Jabba's Palace. There's monsters galore, a chance to catch up with those cute Anzellans, and too much time watching Grogu slowly (but endearingly) nurse his surrogate dad back to health. All the while, you can't help feeling that the more exciting, big-screen worthy stories are happening in another corner of the galaxy.

There are a couple of important caveats we should mention here. Firstly, the writer and actor strikes of 2023 delayed productions throughout Hollywood, ultimately prompting Mando and Grogu's transfer to the big screen. Favreau has also said that he wanted "The Mandalorian and Grogu" to work as a standalone, to keep the movie accessible to newcomers.

That's an admirable aim — not everybody who goes to the theater has access to Disney+ — but surely it's safe to assume that, if you're going to watch a film about Baby Yoda and his armor-wearing chum, you're going to know that the Empire is/was bad news — especially as the state of play is explained via a title card at the start of the film. Indeed, all of these elements are undoubtedly better known than the movie's nominal villains. The Hutt twins' only previous appearances came in two episodes of "The Book of Boba Fett", which debuted more than four years ago.

That's the other problem with "The Mandalorian and Grogu"'s reluctance to face that Empire-shaped bantha in the room. By the time "Ahsoka" season 2 picks up, Grand Admiral Thrawn's story in 2027, more time will have passed since that show's first outing than elapsed between the "I am your father" revelation in "The Empire Strikes Back" and its resolution in "Return of the Jedi". This arc is advancing slower than a glacier on Hoth, and Mando apprehending a couple of mid-level Imps on the big screen doesn't really fill the gap.

If the story of the Imperial Remnant is as important as Disney and Lucasfilm have made out — and a big enough deal to tantalize all those investors back in 2020 — it surely deserves a conclusion in the not-too-distant future. "Avengers: Endgame" delivered on the promise of a decade of movies, but crucially, it rarely lost momentum en route to that final showdown with Thanos.

If "Star Wars" doesn't resolve its Imperial Remnant issues soon, inertia and apathy might just unravel this intriguing period in the "Star Wars" timeline.

'The Mandalorian and Grogu' is in theaters now. All three seasons of "The Mandalorian" are on Disney+.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is exactly what you expect from it: Baby Yoda melting hearts through his cutesy interactions with the feisty (and funny) Anzellans, Mando doing a lot of brooding, and some space stuff happening in between.

The film doesn't really move the needle for Grogu and Din Djarin's narrative in any meaningful way, but it at least offers an intriguing origin story for one interesting character — Rotta the Hutt (played by Jeremy Allen White).

Spoilers for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" lie ahead.

Appearance-wise, Rotta is impossible to miss. Unlike the other lousy lumps in his family, he stands out for his shredded and beefy physique. Of course, the internet reacted in the way you would imagine when pictures of him first surfaced, as The Cut asked the real question, "Is Jabba the Hutt's son hot now?" We're not here to judge anyone's taste in oversized, muscular slugs and meat slapping…

Rotta isn't an entirely new character in a galaxy far, far away. He was introduced as a baby in the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", where he was affectionately referred to as Stinky. Judging by the general living conditions in this universe, it's probably an accurate nickname for him, too.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" picks up in the post-Empire future, where the jacked Rotta works as a gladiator and fights in an arena. He isn't bashing other alien creatures for the praise and giggles, though; he's trying to earn his freedom from the despicable Janu (Jonny Coyne). The way in which Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu figure in his arc is that they're working for the New Republic, which strikes a dodgy deal with the Hutt Twins. The agreement is simple: Mando rescues and brings back Rotta to the Hutts, and they'll provide the details of who the pesky Imperial warlord they're looking for is.

It's a bit of a non-story, really, as it's fairly obvious who the warlord is, so why there's a need to cut a deal is anybody's guess here. Regardless, when Mando and Grogu speak to Rotta, they discover he's not like his father, Jabba, at all. He's kind to Grogu, offering the tiny and fluffy creature something he values more than the teachings of the Jedi: food. Rotta also doesn't want to live a life of crime, nor does he want to associate himself with the Twins, who are two-faced and end up double-crossing the New Republic. What a shocker…

Several convoluted plot threads later, and it all culminates in Rotta and Mando joining forces to take down the Twins and save the day. In the end, Rotta pledges his allegiance to the New Republic, deciding that instead of running from fate, he'll rewrite his own destiny as a hero for the forces of good. Cue the upbeat score and raise your lightsaber to the sky.

Rotta marks a departure from how a Hutt is traditionally portrayed in the "Star Wars" Universe. Normally, they're showcased as greedy and untrustworthy antagonists who'll do whatever they can to gain and maintain power, including smuggling and slavery. Here, though, Rotta demonstrates that he doesn't have to walk – or slither – down the same path as his father or the Twins. He chooses good when it would be much easier to fall into the same trappings he grew up around.

His story oddly mirrors Luke Skywalker's, actually. Both of them discover their fathers are capable of great evil (don't give us that "Darth Vader is misunderstood" nonsense; he was part of Order 66 and killed the Younglings). However, the true test of their mettle is the temptation of unadulterated power. It would be much easier for them to give in and join the family business and repeat the cycle, but they reject it.

Where Rotta has it tougher, though, is that he's completely alone. Luke has his sister, Leia, and a solid support system to help him see reason, while Rotta is isolated, save for the other Hutts, who are all lowlifes and thieves. Add everyone else's preconceptions of him, based on how the rest of his kin act, and we can see what a tough and lonely road Rotta had to slither down. It showcases his character, which is built from tremendous integrity, incredible willpower, and empathy.

At the same time, it's clear that there's a deep sadness in him when he sees Mando with Grogu. More than a few times, he commends their relationship, reminding Grogu that he has a good dad and needs to appreciate him. Again, this highlights how "Star Wars" is literally all about daddy issues, and everything that goes wrong is because of it.

Rotta's story is far more interesting than anything Din Djarin and Grogu get up to in this movie. In an age in which every character needs to have some edginess or shadow of darkness in them, this Hutt is the contrary. He's kind, honourable, and heroic — like a slug version of Captain America. He's a breath of fresh air in a universe that hasn't done such an excellent job of introducing likable protagonists in recent times.

Leaving "The Mandalorian and Grogu", you can't help but be curious about Rotta's future. His story is far from finished, and he has the opportunity to rewrite the Hutt history in "Star Wars". Sure, his brethren didn't do themselves any favours with their questionable behaviour, but Rotta could be the one to prove that no one is defined by their past. This franchise has always been about second chances, so it's time for him to grasp his and become a symbol of optimism. A new hope, if you will.

Alternatively, maybe everybody just wants to see the jacked Rotta knock around a few Stormtroopers. Who needs a lightsaber when you have those guns on your arms?! Give us a trilogy of Rotta-led movies, you cowards!

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is out now on the big screen, while "The Mandalorian" is available to watch on Disney+.

The Mandalorian & Grogu kicks off Star Wars' return to cinemas on May 22, and it'll likely have casual moviegoers wondering who that metal hat-wearing bounty hunter is that's pursuing Din Djarin and the little fella we still love to call Baby Yoda. His name is Embo, and he's already got quite the history in the Star Wars universe.

While The Mandalorian & Grogu isn't the beginning of a new Star Wars era, it marks the first big-screen project exploring the long 30-year gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. And sure, a bunch of Star Wars TV shows — as well as books, comics, and games — have expanded on the period. Still, there are more stories to be told in that space, and Jon Favreau's theatrical follow-up to The Mandalorian Season 3 is aiming to tell an old-fashioned Star Wars adventure.

As our Mandalorian protagonist and his little green sidekick take on more Imperial warlords, now as freelancers working for the New Republic, it seems the baddies will be annoyed enough to enlist Embo's help. You might not know him, but he's been an iconic 'Glup Shitto' for over 15 years, so here's everything you need to know about The Mandalorian & Grogu's main villain.

Embo's homeworld, species, skills, and equipment explained

Embo is a Kyuzo male bounty hunter. The Kyuzo are a humanoid species native to the planet of Phatrong, located in the Outer Rim of the galaxy. They're known for their fast reflexes and resilience, which makes them notable fighters with a strong sense of honor.

Based on his previous appearances, Embo is a stoic figure who rarely loses track of his prey. When he speaks, he does so in his native language. He's tall, intimidating, and remarkably focused on the job, yet he's shown remorse at times. When it comes to his most defining skills, his acrobatics and overall agility come to mind. Even unarmed, he was a formidable opponent who even gave Jedi Knights trouble during the Clone Wars.

Another defining aspect of Embo is his preference for traditional weaponry over blasters and other weapons. His primary weapon – at least in past appearances – is a wide bowcaster.

More surprising is his metallic hat, which can be used as a shield and like a (deadly) frisbee (much like Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat). He also had a pet anooba (a canine-like mammal) named Marrok, but the companion we've seen in The Mandalorian & Grogu's trailers is likely a different one (unless Marrok's passing before the Battle of Jakku – as revealed in the Aftermath: Empire's End novel – is retconned).

Embo's history during the Clone Wars and the Imperial era

Embo's on-screen presence is (so far) limited to the second Clone Wars animated show, with his debut happening in Season 2 Episode 17 'Bounty Hunters', which happened on the colorful world of Felucia. There, he and other bounty hunters – alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano – protected a village from a gang of pirates. During the ensuing battle, Embo was heavily wounded.

His freelancing days during the Clone Wars also included brief scuffles with clone troopers, clone commandos – including Clone Force 99 (aka The Bad Batch) – and other bounty hunters.

Working for various crime syndicates, corporations, and even Count Dooku, he often crossed paths with the Jedi and Naboo senator Padmé Amidala. On Scipio, he managed to fight off even Anakin Skywalker himself, walked away, and informed Darth Sidious of the success of his mission to scare Baron Rush Clovis into leaving the InterGalactic Banking Clan's vault world.

Near the end of the Clone Wars, Embo also worked with Boba Fett's team. At some point, the former Sith assassin Asajj Ventress hired them to help with the rescue of Quinlan Vos, the Jedi Master she fell in love with. The mission was a failure, but the team survived an encounter with Count Dooku (aka Darth Tyranus), an impressive feat by all accounts.

Embo's activities during the Imperial era are mostly unknown. He reappeared after the Battle of Endor to collect a bounty on Lando Calrissian, but the resourceful New Republic general managed to capture him.

Somehow, he regained his freedom and traveled to Jakku, during the big final showdown between the Empire and the New Republic, to capture Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari, who'd been working for the Republic for some time. Embo and the rest of the team eventually turned against Mercurial Swift, the bounty hunter who recruited them, in exchange for full pardons from the New Republic.

Embo after the Battle of Jakku

As promised, Embo and the rest of Jas Emari's crew were pardoned with the help of Sinjir Rath Velus, Jas' good friend and an ex-Imperial who became Chancellor Mon Mothma's adviser. For a few more years, Embo worked for the New Republic along with Emari and her team, likely targeting the Imperial remnants as the new galactic government was firmly established.

By 9 ABY (after the Battle of Yavin), however, Embo ran out of New Republic funding and retired from bounty hunting, at least for a while, settling on Felucia as a farmer. By the time The Mandalorian & Grogu begins, it seems he's returned to the old profession, hired by Imperial warlords or the Hutts to take care of Din Djarin and Grogu.

Will that be his final mistake? We're about to find out...

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is coming to our galaxy on Friday, May 22, in time for Memorial Day Weekend, and one of the coolest callbacks to this spinoff of Disney+'s "The Mandalorian" is seeing Mando's Razor Crest gunship appearing again in trailers. But how has Mando's iconic ship been resurrected from the dead?

Fans will recall that Din Djarin’s bulky silver machine, the survivor of many daring missions, was destroyed in "The Mandalorian" season 2 when Gideon unleashed a lethal turbo laser blast from his command cruiser. There was a reason why that chapter was called "The Tragedy."

Now we’ve got the rest of the story with the release of this new clip that shows Sigourney Weaver's Colonel Ward offering Mando a souped-up new spaceship that bears a striking resemblance to his old ST-70 Razor Crest in exchange for accepting a bounty card mission to hunt down a mysterious Imperial renegade named Commander Coin.

The original Razor Crest set was actually used for the filming; it simply was given a makeover and repurposed with a different backstory as belonging to someone working for the Empire who just happened to have the same ST-70 model as Din Djarin’s former star-hopping home.

"It's a different vehicle,' director Jon Favreau told Adam Savage in a recent Tested video. "This is a perfectly restored one that was part of a collection of an Imperial that they caught. They confiscated. We went through it and made it like it was a stock restoration. So if you look, especially in the cargo area and the paint job, you’ll see it’s different. But it looks like he does the hotrod version, which is like rip everything out to make it lighter. That's George’s [Lucas] thing, too. So much of this is hotrod culture. Make it go faster."

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" blasts into theaters on May 22, 2026. You can catch Mando's previous adventures on Disney+.

Poor Maul, the Dathomirian Zabrak formerly known as Darth Maul. All those promises to reap the benefits of the dark side didn't materialise as planned, eh? Yet, his lust for absolute power and control only masked what was really happening beneath the surface.

"Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" picks up after the Clone Wars as the Galactic Empire puts a chokehold on the galaxy. Order 66 has been executed, and life looks about as miserable as any average day in 2026. Maul (voiced by Sam Witwer) operates in the shadows, rebuilding his criminal empire and taking revenge against his enemies after renouncing his Sith title. Despite building up a formidable crew of thugs, he still seeks an apprentice – in this case, it's the Jedi Padawan Devon Izara (Gideon Adlon).

The burning problem is, why is Maul even bothering with an apprentice since he said sayonara to the dark side? Surely, the Rule of Two should no longer be a concern for him. You could argue that he requires someone as powerful as he is at his side to take down Darth Sidious, aka Sheev Palpatine, and the Galactic Empire, but the truth is there's something deeper at play: daddy issues.

It's important to take a step back and understand Maul's backstory here. While the different "Star Wars" media tweaks elements here and there, this is what's known about the character. Maul is the product of a union between a Nightbrother and a Nightsister. As per tradition, the father is executed after their child's birth, so Maul never had a chance to play catch or go to a ball game with his dad. To make matters worse, Sidious took Maul under his wing as his apprentice at a very young age (how young depends on the story being told), teaching him all about the dark side of the Force and how to become a fascist in 10 easy steps.

The malevolent Sidious put Maul through the wringer, torturing and manipulating him on his path to becoming a fearsome Sith Lord. Even so, Sidious is the only father figure that Maul has ever known in his life, so it's understandable that his values and worldviews may be skewed. It's like being raised by Hannibal Lecter; chances are, you won't be a vegan.

In Maul's mind, the natural order would have involved him growing from apprentice to master, then taking on his own protégé to corrupt and mold. This mirrors the journey of life... maybe without all the deceit and backstabbing, though some families may disagree. Instead of throwing a ball around in the backyard, Sidious taught Maul how to decapitate his enemies. The father passes down the knowledge to the son, then the son to the next generation, and so forth.

Maul's biggest mistake, though, was viewing Sidious as Mufasa when he's actually Scar. Maul was always expendable, being played like a violin by the Sith for their own sinister purposes.

After Obi-Wan Kenobi sliced the Zabrak in half in "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace", Maul spent years trying to rebuild himself – figuratively and literally. What hurt deeper than this pain and loss to the Jedi was knowing that Sidious had replaced him immediately. Sidious didn't miss a beat in finding a new apprentice, while Maul was still alive and maybe hoping his master would look for and help him.

The disappointment hit Maul hard, but he bounced back. He received a few upgrades on his body, his memories returned, and he reunited with his brother, Savage Opress, to embark on a new, lucrative life of crime. Maul took Savage as an apprentice, but this was more than just a big brother taking care of his younger sibling. This translated into a replacement father dynamic, where Maul taught Savage the ways of the Sith, much like Sidious had done for him years before. Despite them being family, there was a firm hierarchy in place, as Maul remained above Savage in the pecking order, and both brothers accepted it.

This all went to hell in a handbasket after Sidious killed Savage and defeated Maul in combat. It wasn't only the death of his brother that Maul needed to contend with, but also the soul-crushing betrayal of his "father", Sidious. He needed to come to terms with the fact that his idol, his role model, was a scumbag who never cared about him. This wasn't just a case of a father saying he's going out for smokes and milk and never coming back; this was the father telling the son he's worthless and means nothing to him. Ouch.

Now, with Devon in "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord", Maul hopes to repeat the master-apprentice dynamic with her as he did with Savage. He believes they can take down the Empire together, and he can lead her to a better future. However, this can only happen with him as her master, not Jedi Master Eeko-Dio-Daki (Dennis Haysbert), who is training Devon.

This isn't a spoiler, since "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" takes place canonically before the events of "Star Wars Rebels", but Maul tries this approach again with Ezra Bridger. It demonstrates that all he has ever wanted is someone by his side as his apprentice. His own Mini-Me to do double-bladed lightsaber tricks with. Considering Maul's final fate in this universe, psychologists would have a field day analysing his compulsive behaviour and desire for an apprentice.

Maul possesses serious attachment issues, with most of them stemming from a deep-rooted feeling that he isn't good enough – partially because he never had a father, but also due to how Sidious poisoned his mind during his formative years. Initially, Maul views himself as having failed Sidious, hence his master moving on without him.

Over time, though, this grows into resentment and hatred because of his abandonment. Regardless of whatever's happening inside that horned head, it's clear that he isn't addressing his problems in a healthy manner by thinking an apprentice will solve all his woes. But hey, at least Maul didn't turn to the Manosphere for answers, right?

The reality is, Maul never needed an apprentice; he needed a good therapist. It goes to show that even in space, daddy issues are still a problem.

"Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" is out now on Disney+.

Remember "Meet Joe Black", Brad Pitt's remake of '30s drama "Death Takes a Holiday"? What about Bruce Willis's military drama "The Siege"? Or even Adam Sandler's American football comedy "The Waterboy"? They're rarely talked about now, but for a brief period in fall 1998, these three movies — along with Pixar's "A Bug's Life" — came to unexpected prominence in the lives of "Star Wars" fans.

With anticipation for "The Phantom Menace", George Lucas's first big-screen excursion to the Star Wars galaxy in 16 years, comfortably exceeding fever pitch, these films provided an unlikely route back to a galaxy far, far away. Knowing that the first "Episode I" teaser was attached to prints across the States, many "Star Wars" fans bought tickets to these Earth-bound movies, watched a certain red-hot trailer, and then walked out before the feature presentation had even begun.

That promo also taught Hollywood — and movie fans around the planet — that the internet could be the place to go to watch preview videos from upcoming releases. The second trailer, released in Apple's QuickTime format a few months later, would be downloaded a million times within 24 hours of its launch.

Yes, it's fair to say that the generations of moviegoers who'd queued around the block to watch the original trilogy in theaters or on VHS — as well as embracing the Special Edition theatrical re-releases in 1997 — were kind of excited about Darth Vader: The Early Years.

How Disney and Lucasfilm must be hoping they can recapture similar excitement ahead of "The Mandalorian and Grogu"'s multiplex debut this month. It may be easier said than done, however, especially with a report in Deadline suggesting that the movie is tracking for the worst opening weekend in "Star Wars" history.

It's now almost seven years since "The Rise of Skywalker" brought "Star Wars"'s most active period in theaters — five films in four years — to a disappointing close. But although the box-office returns of JJ Abrams' threequel and the previous year's "Solo: A Star Wars Story" suggested diminishing returns — then Disney boss Bob Iger famously admitted it was "a little too much, too fast" — the studio's movie strategy had paid big dividends up to that point. No film in history has made more money in the States than "The Force Awakens", while "Episode VII" and follow-up "The Last Jedi" sit at fourth and fifth, respectively, in the all-time list of the US's biggest ever opening weekends.

Related: 10 years into the Disney 'Star Wars' era: Grading the ups and downs of a galaxy far, far away

"Star Wars" was, at it always had been, a franchise totally at home on the big screen, but something changed in November 2019. Barely a month ahead of "The Rise of Skywalker"'s debut, Disney launched its own streaming platform, Disney+, and "The Mandalorian" was the headline attraction. It was something of a shot in the dark for a franchise whose TV output had previously been limited to animation — for all its highly acclaimed brilliance, even "The Clone Wars" remained the domain of kids and hardcore fans.

"We were making the show when the sequels were on the big screen," "The Mandalorian" creator and "The Mandalorian and Grogu" writer/director Jon Favreau told SFX magazine. "Nobody expected anything for us. We were small screen, shorter schedule, smaller budget, and we had to find a way to make 'Star Wars' for a new medium."

"The Mandalorian", of course, turned out to be the right show at the right time, as Din Djarin and his little green friend, then known affectionately as Baby Yoda, became instant superstars across the world — even in countries that were still (officially, at least) waiting for Disney+ to boot up.

As Disney and Lucasfilm dragged their heels over a new movie, the streamer subsequently became the place to go for new "Star Wars" "content, with "The Book of Boba Fett", "Obi-Wan Kenobi", "Andor", "Ahsoka", "The Acolyte" and "Skeleton Crew" all following in "The Mandalorian"'s footsteps, to varying degrees of success. In the last six-and-a-half years, there have been more hours of live-action "Star Wars" TV than 11 movies had generated in the previous four decades.

The problem is, the Disney+ years may have shifted perspectives so much that "Star Wars" now feels like a TV franchise. And while there are numerous examples of TV shows finding their way onto the big screen (notably "Star Trek", "The Simpsons", and "The X-Files"), they rarely make a big impression at the box office. Even "Star Trek Into Darkness", the most lucrative of the 13 big-screen final frontier adventures to date, failed to make the top 10 earners of 2013.

Disney executives will surely also be concerned by the performance of the underrated "The Marvels", which lifted two of its three leads from Marvel Cinematic Universe TV shows, and is by some distance the least lucrative MCU movie to date.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" now faces the not-insignificant task of convincing fans that a pair of characters they fell in love with on the small screen are worthy of a one-off theater ticket purchase — a challenge made even more challenging by the fact that everyone knows the movie will land on Disney+ in a few months.

And, unlike "Star Wars "'s previous big-screen comebacks in 1999 and 2015, it's not as if we've been waiting a decade or more for our next instalment. It's barely three years since Mando and Grogu settled down on Nevarro at the end of season 3, granted a happy ending that was the antithesis of "The Empire Strikes Back"'s famous cliffhanger.

A fourth season would have been gratefully received, but it's not like everyone was on tenterhooks to find out what happened to the duo next. In fact, the focus had arguably shifted to the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the escalating threat of various Imperial Remnants, stories we now know will be picked up in "Ahsoka" season 2.

Favreau has spoken of his intention to up the scale of the TV show, shooting his movie on IMAX to ensure it feels like an event. He's also added more aliens, filmed on physical sets (most of the TV show was made against digital backgrounds), and created roles for Hollywood royalty in the form of Sigourney Weaver and Martin Scorsese. But will that be a big enough draw?

On the flip side, with the Skywalker Saga over, Darth Maul headlining a brilliant TV show of his own, and the proposed Rey New Jedi Order movie seemingly trapped in development hell, the Mandalorian and Grogu may now be the biggest stars on the Star Wars docket.

Baby Yoda has a proven track record of shifting toys, while the man under the helmet, Pedro Pascal, has conveniently been elevated to the Hollywood A-list since "The Mandalorian"'s debut, largely thanks to "The Last of Us" and "The Fantastic Four: First Steps".

It's not quite Han/Luke/Leia triumvirate being brought out of franchise retirement to tempt back those original Gen X fans who'd been left disillusioned by the prequel trilogy, but who knows? Maybe they are the best way to convince younger fans weaned on the TV shows that — guess what — "Star Wars" does movies too.

Whichever way you look at it, there's a significant amount of pressure on "The Mandalorian and Grogu", especially after "The Acolyte" and "Skeleton Crew" struggled to find an audience. But if those pessimistic Hollywood predictions about a weak opening come to pass? Well, as Yoda was so fond of reminding Obi-Wan Kenobi, there is another hope.

For the 2027 release "Starfighter", Lucasfilm is taking a completely different tack. For the first time, this is a "Star Wars" movie headlined by an A-lister who's already made it big elsewhere, as "Project Hail Mary" leading man Ryan Gosling (a man with a proven track record in outer space) engages the hyperdrive to travel from Tau Ceti to a galaxy far, far away. Director Shawn Levy has also had big-screen mega-hits of his own, most notably 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine".

This feels like a "Star Wars" movie and would arguably have been a safer bet to bring the veteran franchise back to multiplexes. And you have to hope that at least one of these films is a major success because, speaking as someone who grew up repeat-viewing the original trilogy on VHS, there really is nothing quite like watching "Star Wars" on a very big screen.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is in theaters (not TV screens) from May 22. Need to catch up on the show first? Check it out on Disney+

Pedro Pascal suits up as Din Djarin, and the animatronic Grogu receives extra grease for his tiny joints one more time in "The Mandalorian and Grogu", which releases this Friday (May 22). It remains uncertain if this is the last ride for the "Star Wars" version of Adam Sandler's "Big Daddy" in space, but even if it isn't, it might very well be a case of milking a thala-siren dry here.

In this new movie, the Galactic Empire is no more. Emperor Palpatine has been sent to the great big Sith graveyard in the dumpster — until future movies retcon this plot point — and it's a better tomorrow. Despite the cause for celebration, that doesn't mean all is well in the New Republic, as there are still a few bad seeds running amok and practicing basic thuganomics. So the Mandalorian bounty hunter and his big-eared sidekick get roped into fighting the good fight.

Does the plot for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" make canonical sense and slot into the wider universe's timeline? Yes. Does it also sound like any old excuse to revisit two beloved characters from "Star Wars"? Absolutely. Should it be a theater release? Probably not. But the bigger question is, should it exist at all?

It's been three years since the third season of "The Mandalorian" concluded. The finale provides the perfect conclusion to the story, as Djarin adopts Grogu and they move into a cosy cabin on Nevarro. After all they have been through, this is the happily ever after they both deserve. But it isn't. “It only felt like the ending of a particular chapter," Pascal told Empire, while new "Star Wars" head honcho Dave Filoni touted "The Mandalorian and Grogu" as the beginning of a new era.

Perhaps it is. Perhaps it isn't. There hasn't been a "Star Wars" film in theatres since 2019's divisive "The Rise of Skywalker", and "The Mandalorian and Grogu" appeared to be a safe bet for the franchise's triumphant return to cinema. However, it doesn't seem like an overwhelming victory lap by any stretch of the imagination.

At the time of writing, the movie's main trailer has roughly 11 million views on YouTube. Compare this to other upcoming U.S. summer blockbusters like "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" (31 million), "The Odyssey (41 million), and "Supergirl" (25 million), and it's clear that "The Mandalorian and Grogu" doesn't exactly have people clicking to see what it's all about or dying to revisit a galaxy far, far away.

This is "Star Wars"; just the fact that this film belongs to this prestigious universe should have people running — not walking — to theaters. Yet this doesn't have that big event feeling. It's muted by current-day standards.

Under the trailer, a user comments, "Wow, I wish I felt anything." That's the larger issue rather than the concerning marketing statistics. Those who have seen the promotional material aren't exactly glowing in praise for Djarin and Baby Yoda's latest adventure. To be fair, it's a stale trailer, recycling the same tired jokes and cutesy interactions between the pair from before. Nothing is original here. It's a yawn crusted in CGI. Worse, it comes across as more "Star Wars" for the sake of it — a problem the franchise has faced too often in recent times.

Cycle back to season 3 for a moment. While "The Mandalorian" finale wraps up the show's storyline in a neat bow, the season isn't fondly remembered as the best. A quick glance at the Rotten Tomatoes scores and reviews demonstrates a consensus that the show ran out of steam and drifted away from what made it fresh and appealing in the first place.

Sure, there might be a temptation to right the wrongs and give it another shot, but it's often best to leave well enough alone in these circumstances. Maybe revisit the property in 10 or 15 years and tug firmly on those nostalgia strings to squeeze out whatever sentiment might still be there. Anything less is playing with fire. Yet, whether it was through the original plans for a fourth season or movie, Disney and Lucasfilm refused to be done here, which could be to their own detriment.

Another major problem, which is out of Disney and Lucasfilm's hands, is the Pedro Pascal fatigue engulfing the world at present. The actor has experienced an extraordinary rise to fame, with "The Mandalorian" playing a massive part in it. Hollywood gravitated toward him and offered up all the juicy roles on a silver platter. From "The Last of Us" to "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" and everything in between, you can't escape Pascal nowadays. He's everywhere. He's oversaturated.

And sure, he's brilliant, but it's completely natural for audiences to feel this particular way about a performer. How can you ever miss someone who's never really gone? As with any actor, Pascal requires a good break from big projects to give him and the audience some breathing space. Unfortunately, the upcoming "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and "Avengers: Doomsday" won't allow for this to happen. Instead, it'll be more eyerolls and exclamations of, "Oh, look. It's him again!"

This could all be conjecture, though. Maybe "The Mandalorian and Grogu" is a masterpiece and set to be the biggest hit of 2026. Maybe it takes the story to exciting and unexpected heights, forcing everyone to demand that Djarin and Grogu usurp the Skywalkers as the new faces of the franchise. Maybe Pedro Pascal is what's needed to bring the whole world together to heal once and for all. Maybe not.

Knowing what we do, however, it's all too easy to be cynical at this point. While the animated part of the "Star Wars" Universe continues to churn out excellence, such as the dark and fantastic "Maul – Shadow Lord", the live-action front limps along with uncertainty of where it's going. No one asked for another season of "The Mandalorian", so it seems even more bizarre to greenlight "The Mandalorian and Grogu" in retrospect. Regardless, may the Force be with it.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" flies into theatres on May 21. All three seasons of "The Mandalorian" are on Disney+.

Let’s be honest here, and no disrespect to venerable family board games, but Monopoly is kind of boring. There, we said it. Oh sure, it's iconic — the real estate-hoarding classic has been with us since 1903, when it was called "The Landlord Game" — but have you ever actually enjoyed a game of it?

Behold the potential antidote to Monopoly ennui in the form of Ubisoft's new "Star Wars"-themed spinoff release, "Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs Villains." This new twist on a time-worn game could recalibrate your thoughts on the 90-year-old land acquisition diversion when it lands on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1/2 and Xbox Series X|S on June 11, 2026.

No, this isn’t Monopoly’s first venture into the galaxy far, far away, as a basic tabletop "Star Wars" edition came out in 1996, followed by a video game adaptation in 1997. However, this latest incarnation has some sensational digital magic attached that has piqued our interest.

"Assemble your team, build your roster of iconic 'Star Wars' characters, and battle with your friends and family for control of the galaxy as you move across storied planets and locations," states the official description.

"Choose from a wide array of 'Star Wars' heroes and villains, each with their own unique abilities. Whether you're teaming up with Luke Skywalker or unleashing Darth Vader, every match is packed with team strategy, surprises, and classic 'Star Wars' moments. No two battles unfold the same way; the fate of your team is yours to shape!"

Based on the trailer and gameplay overview, the game allows teams of two or three to join forces on and offline to take control of the Monopoly board, using specific character attributes and skills found within the greater "Star Wars" canon.

Something called "Dynamic Go Events" promises to infuse an air of unpredictability into the action with fun moments that can "alter the deal” significantly. Plus, thrilling cinematic clips will help bind players to the "Star Wars" franchise while acquiring their "properties."

We know you all were really hoping for EA to deliver "Battlefront 3" or Quantic Dream to accelerate "Star Wars Eclipse" instead of a Monopoly crossover, but while you wait for those upcoming Star Wars games, this new "Star Wars Monopoly" just might be the way to address your lack of faith in that moldy old family game night favorite.

"Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs Villains" launches for PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1/2, and Xbox Series X|S on June 11, 2026.

Lucasfilm Games is hard at work coordinating with various publishers and developers to craft all sorts of new games set in the galaxy far, far away, but Star Wars: Galactic Racer’s announcement caught everyone off guard in the best possible way. There’s no Force to rely on here, only quick reflexes.

It’s a new era inside and outside the Star Wars universe, which means this spiritual successor of sorts to the previous Racer games — which were all about podracing — needed new tricks and substantial features that could set it apart from the competition. Thankfully, it seems that Fuse Games (a studio started by Burnout veterans) perfectly knew how to shake things up while retaining the speed, danger, and raw excitement of the older Star Wars racing titles. Now this is podracing!

As we march into a new era for Star Wars games defined by more genre-specific pitches and a more varied pool of creative talent, it can be a bit hard to keep track of all the games currently in development, so don’t forget to regularly take a look at our list of every upcoming Star Wars game announced and in the works.

When is Star Wars: Galactic Racer coming out?

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to launch on October 6, 2026.

How do we know this? Because some poor soul accidentally uploaded a pre-order infographic to the Steam page. Whoopsie daisy. Not long after that snafu, Secret Mode and Fuse Games confirmed the release date with an official press release.

With a late 2025 reveal during the last Game Awards ceremony, Lucasfilm Games, publisher Secret Mode, and developer Fuse Games had quickly confirmed the plan is to launch Star Wars: Galactic Racer before 2026 ends, so this all tracks with expectations too.

What platforms is Star Wars: Galactic Racer launching on?

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Windows) via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

As we approach the tail-end of this generation of consoles, big-budget game projects like this one have left last-gen machines behind. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the team behind Star Wars: Galactic Racer aims to deliver cutting-edge visuals at high speeds, and while we wouldn’t rule out a Nintendo Switch 2 port at a later date, nothing has been promised on that front yet.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer trailers

Thankfully, there wasn’t an extremely long wait between Star Wars: Galactic Racer’s big reveal trailer and a second one featuring a closer look at the gameplay and more of its racers, including a couple of podracing legends.

We also got the release date trailer on April 30, showing off some more gameplay and all the exclusive racers and skins that come with the deluxe edition.

Watch all the trailers released so far below:

What type of racing game is Star Wars: Galactic Racer?

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a highly competitive but casual-friendly arcade racer in the style of the two previous Star Wars podracing games released over 20 years ago: Episode I – Racer (1999) and Racer Revenge (2002). The key difference is that more vehicle classes — and not just podracers — are allowed in this new era of galaxy-wide racing: land speeders, the smaller speeder bikes, and even the new skim speeders all compete against the podracers from the olden days.

Players are introduced to the Galactic League — “an unsanctioned racing circuit born in the lawless Outer Rim” — through a single-player campaign with a traditional narrative that’s a main part of the package. We can also look forward to online, player-versus-player multiplayer modes that support cross-platform play across consoles and PC for up to 12 players. Ride customization is confirmed, too, but we haven’t seen the system in action yet.

The bigger twist is that Galactic Racer’s campaign follows a roguelite structure, which means it’s highly replayable and will punish failure during minor leagues as you try to climb the ranks.

If you crash too many times or can’t keep up with the competition, you’ll be sent back to try again next season. While you can’t lose all your campaign progress, each league’s races and trials must be done in one go. To help players, power-ups and upgrades are also available and will change in each run depending on their choices.

Though veteran gamers will think of Burnout (developer Fuse Games was founded by Criterion Games veterans after all) almost instantly, Galactic Racer seems to be using lots of ideas from Evolution Studios’ MotorStorm series. That is, there’s a focus on the unpredictable racing and carnage that comes from the mix of different vehicle classes and off-road racing versus well-defined circuits. Of course, “takedowns” of sorts are part of the moment-to-moment mechanics, meaning that you can just take out foes by force as you try to conquer the top of the leaderboards.

When and where does Star Wars: Galactic Racer take place?

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set in the New Republic era, right after the fall of the Empire, who had outlawed podracing and other dangerous vehicular competitions led and organized by criminal syndicates and Outer Rim governments.

With the Empire finished and the New Republic struggling to maintain order across so many inhabited star systems, “gambling, entertainment, and glory” fuel the fires of an underworld on the rise. While other Star Wars stories (such as The Mandalorian) are focused on the remaining threats to the galaxy and difficult politics, Galactic Racer is all about the lawless frontier where the people demand the return of high-speed racing.

So far, both familiar and new planets have been shown in the trailers and promotional materials: Jakku, Tatooine, Sentinel One, Lantaana, and Ando Prime headline the list, but hands-on previews have revealed more.

While Star Wars fans are familiar with the first two, the toxic volcanic planet Sentinel One and the lush Lantaana are among the worlds that were created specifically for this game. Ando Prime, meanwhile, is a returning snow world from the original Episode I – Racer. Stay tuned for more on this front, especially if the game gets substantial post-launch support.

Who are the new and returning characters in Star Wars: Galactic Racer?

Star Wars: Galactic Racer follows “lone racer” Shade as he takes on the villainous Kestar Bool, who’s currently dominating the Galactic League, “an unsanctioned racing league” created and organized by Darius Pax. When Pax fears he’s about to lose control of his creation, he convinces Shade – who has an unknown “personal grudge against the Bool family” – to take down Kestar.

The branching-path campaign includes a colorful roster of supporting characters, with the mechanic Hibi helping Shade out with new upgrades and tools. We also know the troublesome Sebulba and even fan-favorite (but unlucky) Ben Quadinaros are making triumphant returns, though it remains to be seen if they play major roles in the story or are simply part of the playable roster outside the story campaign.

Class has been dismissed rather earlier than planned, following the premature cancellation of "Starfleet Academy". A second season has already wrapped shooting — and will presumably beam onto Paramount+ early next year — but "Star Trek"'s paymasters clearly decided it wasn't worth persisting any longer with the final frontier's newest show.

The teen-oriented spin-off becomes the shortest-lived live-action series in the franchise's 60-year history, and — given the extensive and largely unjustified criticism the show's faced online — many will say its demise is no surprise. But whatever your feelings on "Academy", its unfortunate fate suggests that all is not well at Starfleet Headquarters.

The only other 'active' "Trek" on the Paramount+ roster is "Strange New Worlds", whose fourth and fifth seasons are already in the can. But with the fifth already confirmed to be the last outing for Captain Christopher Pike and co, we could easily find ourselves with no new "Treks" on the horizon by the end of 2027.

It's a scenario that would have seemed implausible just three years ago when "Discovery", "Picard", "Lower Decks", "Prodigy" and "Strange New Worlds" were all on active duty. Indeed, Gene Roddenbery's space saga was in better health than it had been since the glory days of "The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager".

But this potential slowdown isn't unique to "Star Trek". With "The Mandalorian and Grogu" about to relocate (maybe temporarily?) to movie theaters, "Ahsoka" season 2 is currently the only small-screen "Star Wars" adventure waiting on the launchpad. And in the UK, "Doctor Who" is currently trapped in a kind of Time Lord limbo. We know the BBC is bringing it back for a Christmas special — maybe with Billie Piper in the lead role — but beyond that, its future is a mystery now that Disney+ has decided to end its involvement in Britain's most famous sci-fi export.

Could it be that the biggest streamers are getting cold feet about some of their biggest legacy franchises?

It's worth pointing out that the last decade has been the historical outlier, a period in which armchair sci-fi fans have never had it so good.

From the cancellation of "Enterprise" in 2005 to "Discovery"'s debut 12 years later, there was no "Star Trek" on TV. "Star Wars" had never had a live action TV show before Din Djarin met Baby Yoda in 2019. Since then, we've had more separate "Trek" shows in nine years (albeit with shorter seasons) than the franchise managed during its entire Rick Berman-marshalled 1987-2005 heyday. Disney+, meanwhile, has become our primary source of action from a galaxy far, far away, with "Star Wars" movies on hiatus since "The Rise of Skywalker".

Both franchises have been regarded as consistent earners for their respective owners, so much so that Disney famously decided to pay $4 billion for the keys to George Lucas's Empire. They've also thrown a lot at money at making sure these TV shows looked like movies, investing in production values that would have been unimaginable in the pre-streaming age. But the impending pauses suggest they might not be as bankable as they used to be. So what's gone wrong?

For starters, there is a limit to how much "content" even the most passionate fans can consume, especially in a market that's more saturated than ever. "Doctor Who" has been on air more or less continuously since Russell T Davies brought it back in 2005 — nearly as long as the show's original 26-year run — while "Star Wars" has evolved from a once-every-few-years movie factory to an always-on TV machine. Even the mighty Marvel Studios, which seemed unstoppable in the wake of the mighty "Avengers: Endgame", had to concede there wasn't an appetite for everything it was making. It subsequently reduced its output.

Also, Hollywood tends to remember its perceived failures more than its successes, and the big legacy franchises have all had a misstep somewhere along the way. In the "Star Wars" camp, "The Acolyte" and "Skeleton Crew" both failed to get second seasons, feeling the grim reaper's scythe just as "Starfleet Academy" has a year or so later. When you're spending tens of millions of dollars on a season of TV, failure is no longer an option. And in the current TV climate, there's no time to find your feet, the way that bona fide classics such as "The Office", "Parks and Recreation" and "Fringe" all did in their second seasons.

One thing those aforementioned cancelled shows have in common is the fact they tried to step away from established norms, whether it's visiting a whole new time period ("The Acolyte"), or targeting a younger audience ("Skeleton Crew", "Starfleet Academy"). But it turns out that embracing the new can be surprisingly controversial when you're dealing with a long-standing franchise. Remake "A New Hope", as JJ Abrams essentially did with "The Force Awakens", and everybody's happy; try to shake things up, as Rian Johnson did with "The Last Jedi", and risk splitting the fanbase in two as if they're Darth Maul on the wrong end of a lightsaber.

"You’ve got a very, very small percentage of the fan base that has enormous expectations and basically they want to continue to see pretty much the same thing," former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said in her "exit interview" with Deadline. "And if you’re not going to do that, then you know going in that you’re going to disappoint them. I’m not sure there’s anything you can do about that, because you can’t please everybody."

"Star Trek" overseer Alex Kurtzman (who's currently in discussions with Paramount about the franchise's TV future) admitted similar ahead of "Starfleet Academy"'s debut, telling SFX magazine: "I don't believe that it's really possible to create a one-size-fits-all 'Star Trek' show. The goal, over time, is you have to plan different shows for different people, with the assumption they're all a gateway drug in some way. We've discovered there's a whole audience of younger kids who've found 'Star Trek' through 'Lower Decks', and that's led them to the other shows and movies."

This is undeniably a noble ideal, and classic franchises need to evolve if they're going to stay relevant — the same way that Davies made "Doctor Who" feel so vibrant and fresh when the Ninth Doctor first told Rose Tyler to "Run!".

But with the eyeballs of Gen Z and Gen Alpha also trapped in the tractor beams of "Stranger Things", "Wednesday" and, er, "Friends", the likes of "Star Wars", "Star Trek" and "Doctor Who" maybe can't afford to neglect the older fans who already have the franchises in their blood — even if some are a little too resistant to change.

That would be a shame, because great TV and movies should be more than nostalgia exercises — "Andor" is up there with the best "Star Wars" ever made because it pushed the envelope of what "Star Wars" could be. The crucial difference with "Skeleton Crew" and "Starfleet Academy", perhaps, is that it did so in an adult-friendly way, taking old-school fans along for the ride.

Then again, a bit of a break could be what each of these franchises needs. Absence usually makes the heart grow fonder, and stepping off the conveyor belt could give each of these sci-fi institutions a chance to rediscover what it wants to be.

Maybe "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and next year's "Starfighter" will remind us all how much we love seeing "Star Wars" on the big screen. Perhaps a new Doctor will recapture that David Tennant era mojo, or a new Starfleet crew will win over hearts and minds like Jean-Luc Picard and the Enterprise-D gang did with "The Next Generation".

It's worth remembering, too, that the best franchises always find a way back, however long they're away. And besides, "Star Trek" has a 60th birthday coming up — and Paramount would be utterly mad to let the occasion pass without marking it in pretty spectacular fashion.

Looking like a scene out of a "Star Wars" title crawl, this photograph from the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) atop Cerro Paranal in Chile's Atacama Desert showcases some advanced techniques astronomers use to look out into the cosmos.

What is it?

This image shows the ESO's VLTI beaming four separate lasers into the sky towards the Tarantula Nebula. "It might look like we started a space war, but we didn't," the ESO wrote in a statement accompanying the image.

Far from waging galactic warfare, astronomers use these lasers to create "artificial stars" in order to measure atmospheric turbulence. First, scientists can use telescopes pointed at the cosmos to observe how points of light created by the lasers blur and disturb molecules in Earth's atmosphere. Then, they can use computer algorithms on the same images to account for and cancel out that blurring and disturbance.

The Tarantula Nebula is situated some 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.

Why is it amazing?

Aside from looking like the iconic yellow-on-black "Star Wars" title crawl or laser bolts fired by an Imperial Star Destroyer chasing down the Tantive IV, this image demonstrates the great progress astronomers have made in developing technologies and concepts to better observe the distant universe.

Using laser guide stars and adaptive optics is still very much a young, developing technique only a handful of observatories worldwide have tapped into. The VLTI, which consists of four separate telescopes that work together to form one large virtual telescope, has only been using its Four Laser Guide Star Facility system since 2016.

Happy Star Wars Day! While most enthusiasts might prepare for the unofficial geek holiday of May 4th by rewatching a "Star Wars" movie, reading a pile of "Star Wars" comics, or playing a "Star Wars" video game, YouTuber Zach King unveiled "Cardboard Wars," a spectacular "Star Wars" parody starring King alongside Randall Park, Michelle Khare, Airrack, and Bart Johnson.

But this is no ordinary tribute endeavor since King’s incredible one-hour project recreates 1977's "Star Wars: A New Hope" entirely out of cardboard, and it simply must be seen to be believed! King graciously provided some exclusive comments on how this hilarious micro-budget miracle came about.

"'Star Wars' has truly inspired so many filmmakers and reshaped how movies are made," King tells SPACE. "As a nod to how groundbreaking those films were, we asked ourselves, what if we made a version out of cardboard and shot it in just five days? That’s exactly what we ended up doing."

King first became hooked on the galaxy far, far away with the lead-up to the 1999 launch of "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," when Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox re-released the original trilogy in theaters and the rest is history, as evidenced by his masterful "Cardboard Wars" which was beautifully directed by Josh Fapp.

"One of the funnier challenges was our cardboard stormtrooper costumes," he recalls. "They were super stiff and hard to see out of, just like in the original films. That made moving around in tight shooting spaces pretty difficult. Also, shooting an entire movie in five days was a huge challenge. We made it work by filming primarily in one warehouse (aside from some desert exteriors), and running multiple cameras and scenes at the same time."

"Cardboard Wars" even mimics the pioneering digital effects technology devised by legendary ILM names like John Dykstra, Alvah J. Miller, and Jerry Jeffress for their Dykstraflex camera.

"From the beginning, we wanted to film the ships the same way George Lucas did in the original trilogy," King adds. "So we built miniature and even some 'bigature' versions of the ships and used motion control to recreate that classic look and feel."

Our sincere congratulations and admiration to King and his entire cast and crew for creating one of the funniest, cleverest, and most inspired "Star Wars" spoofs since the vintage "Hardware Wars" short film from way back in 1978.

However and wherever you celebrate, a Happy Star Wars Day to all!!

Happy Star Wars Day!

To celebrate George Lucas’s sprawling space opera that first landed on Earth in May of 1977, we’ve got a global gathering of 13 international advertising one-sheets created for "Star Wars: A New Hope," "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," and "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" that are pieces of cinematic history.

Most of these inventive interpretations for the foreign territories have never been seen in person. Film distributors and theater owners outside the U.S. would routinely commission both amateur and professional artists to conjure up promotional movie posters using symbolism and iconography specific to their particular cultures.

What eventually manifested for these important international release regions has become prized "Star Wars" collector's pieces derived beyond the official marketing materials provided by Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox. These imaginative designs often used minimalist imagery and sci-fi characters not even included in the films, yet helped establish a particular mood, tone, and emotion to entice fans into their seats.

Let’s travel around the globe, from Hungary, Japan, and Germany, to Italy, France, and Poland, to see 13 foreign "Star Wars" posters from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when the power of the Force arrived in theaters there.

Grab your passport, and away we go!

"Star Wars: A New Hope" - Italy

"Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" - Poland

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Poland

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - France

"Star Wars: A New Hope" - Japan

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Germany

"Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" - Hungary

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Poland

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Hong Kong

"Star Wars: A New Hope" - Hungary

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Turkey

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Japan

"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" - Hungary

Lego and Star Wars is a match made in sci-fi heaven and not only can you get your hands on the best Star Wars sets, May 4 aka Star Wars Day sees the launch of several new sets.

Which sets? There's a reasonably priced Razor Crest, for a start, soon to be seen in The Mandalorian and Grogu movie. Or, if you prefer to step back to the days of the Empire, you can pick up a bust of Darth Vader. And, if you're a Lego Insider (you can sign up for free) these new sets are available from May 1, if not earlier!

You can even snag some free Lego Gifts With Purchase sets if you buy through Lego's website. But since those will be available from May 1 and are liable to sell out, we recommend you hurry.

Here at Space.com, we love the night sky, rocket launches and sci-fi just as much as you do. Each month (from here on out) we want to celebrate that love by bringing you a collection of eclectic staff photos that show you a little of what we've been up to.

Expect launch photos, snaps of historic hardware destined for space, images of the night sky and, from time to time, photographic evidence of our entertainment editor Ian Stokes infiltrating Amazon's London office to sneak a peek at their May the 4th Star Wars offering … allegedly.

Don't forget! We love nothing more than seeing your discussions in the comments section under each article and, of course, featuring and enjoying your astrophotography, which you can share with us and the readers at spacephotos@space.com!

Photos from Space (.com)

We'll kick off with our spaceflight writer Josh Dinner, who took a road trip down to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to report first hand on the historic launch of the Artemis 2 mission to the far side of the moon!

"Witnessing SLS launch from the press site was more than just seeing the rocket liftoff  —  it was feeling it," Dinner told Space.com. "The shake and crackle of the solid boosters and legacy shuttle tech ripping through the sky is truly one to behold, and shooting Artemis 2 was an absolute experience. Whenever I photograph a launch, I always shoot at least a little underexposed. Accounting for the flame is important, especially when it comes to those blindingly bright solids."

"From farther away, you don't want to set your shutter too fast, but for my launchpad cameras, up close, that's where I'll plan for minimum exposure time. It makes your RAW images dark everywhere else, but that's all easily brought out in minor edits. I love getting to see the details of the flames as they explode from the rocket's engines.

"And with Artemis 2 I got extra lucky with some small water droplets that didn't quite dry off the lens as my cameras braved a rain storm the night before liftoff. They created some nice flares I think really add some uniqueness."

Managing editor Brett Tingley, meanwhile, set his sights further afield to photograph a stunning spiral galaxy shining 11.6 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major.

"On March 28, 2026, I hiked out to a dark area in the Appalachian mountains to capture some deep sky objects," explained Tingley. "Bode's Nebula (Messier 81) was positioned perfectly overhead during the evening hours, allowing for a perfect long-exposure shot. Despite its name, Messier 81 is actually a galaxy - one of the brightest in the night sky."

"This was taken with a Celestron Origin Mk II using a nebula filter, enabling me to capture its spiral shape in great detail. It's incredible to be able to set up a smart telescope and watch images like this one develop in real time, putting deep space objects out in the cosmos right at our fingertips"

Space.com astronomy editor Monisha Ravisetti was lucky enough to spend a little time with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland earlier this month, ahead of its planned September 2026 launch.

"As a space journalist, it's tremendously routine for me to write about space telescopes," said Ravisetti. "I've pored over vast cosmic landscapes imaged by the tried and true Hubble Space Telescope, but what sticks out is this instrument launched before I was born. More times than I can count, I've tried to make sense of ancient black holes or glowing nebulas that sit millions of light-years away from me, but often, I owe these sights to the James Webb Space Telescope.

"Indeed, I've only seen the JWST in photos. My iPhone lock screen used to be a Euclid image, but again, I've never seen Euclid itself. These physical observatories have therefore remained in my imagination just like the universe they observe — places I'll never be able to explore."

"The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is the first observatory headed beyond Earth that I got to see in person. It was a surprising experience. Did it look as grand as you'd expect something so pivotal to look? Not really, honestly. It was relatively compact, industrial and most importantly, comprehensible. It appeared as a piece of real, mechanical equipment.

"But while I looked on, I started to realize why it seemed profound to be this telescope's witness. It's surreal to remember a very reasonable object will eventually show us corners of our universe we haven't yet reasoned with. It's surreal to remember that these telescopes really aren't just intangible items in my imagination, and neither are those cosmic places I'll never explore."

Skywatching editor Daisy Dobrijevic captured a gorgeous view of the Triangulum Galaxy, using a smart telescope that cut through the light-polluted city sky to reveal fantastic detail on the deep sky object.

"I captured this view of the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) from my garden in Nottingham, U.K., using the Vaonis Vespera Pro," said Dobrijevic. "Despite working under Bortle 6 skies, I built up 3 hours of total exposure time across multiple nights, taking advantage of the Vespera Pro's multi-night observing mode — an invaluable feature when clouds inevitably roll in."

"I was genuinely surprised by just how much detail I could pull out in such a short amount of time, especially given the light pollution!"

Space.com editor-in-chief joined Dinner in Florida to witness the launch of Artemis 2 first hand, before heading out to Houston to report on the astronaut's progress as they broke the record for the most distant crewed spaceflight in human history, ahead of their safe return to Earth.

"I have waited my entire life to see astronauts launch to the moon," recalled Malik. "It was worth it. For just about my entire career, NASA has been trying to send astronauts back to the moon. First, it was Project Constellation and a goal of 2020. Then, maybe it was 2024. Then Constellation was cancelled and I instead watched dozens of space shuttle and rocket launches stay in low-Earth orbit. Even Artemis 1 in 2024, I missed. It was scrubbed several times (I saw them all) and when it finally did fly, I couldn't be there."

"But a month ago, Artemis 2 was something else. I've seen the largest rocket on Earth — SpaceX's Starship — launch (and explode) and that was loud. But watching four astronauts launch on NASA's most powerful rocket since the Saturn V hits different. First, it was SO LOUD. Much louder than the Starship launch because we were just 3 miles away (about 2 miles closer). You felt it in your bones and it drowned out all sound. But also because there were PEOPLE on this one. Four astronauts that I have spoken with personally at one time or another. Then they went to the moon.

And for the first time in my 49 years, more than half of that as a space reporter, I feel like a new space age is finally beginning, one in which astronauts finally reach the moon to stay, then Mars, and then who knows where else? (I vote for Titan and Venus, but that's just me.)"

Our senior producer/video wizard Steve Spaleta chose to reminisce over a collection of legendary aircraft — and the creation of a legendary photo.

"After covering the unveiling of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Unity at the Mojave Air and Space Port in February 2016, Dave Brody (Space.com’s former exec. producer) and I visited the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale. The photo here shows a retired Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a Boeing 747-100SR—one of only two ever used to ferry space shuttles.

"The outdoor aerospace museum, free to the public, also features a Lockheed JetStar used by NASA, along with several military aircraft, including a B-52 Stratofortress. Dave Brody snapped the image and joked, “add a Rick or an Alembic, and that’s an album cover.”

Harry Bennett, our e-commerce staff writer and overall photography enthusiast snapped a stunning view of Vega shining in the constellation Lyra.

"Vega shines a beautiful white-blue with four prominent diffraction spikes, giving it an angelic presence amongst a vast star field, " said Bennett. "It is the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest in the northern hemisphere. I took this shot using the enhanced vision mode on the Unistellar Odyssey Pro, which stacks four-second exposures continuously until you stop it."

"I have a soft spot for it because it is the first smart telescope I ever used and it gave me the ability to capture mind-blowing images of night sky objects even from a city center. It is fully automatic and can orient itself, find a target and start imaging all from a few presses on your smartphone. People can be swept up in smart telescopes’ ability to capture amazing detail on deep-sky objects like galaxies but forget that imaging individual stars can really make you feel magical."

Entertainment editor Ian Stokes went off campus to take a look at Amazon's office in London in disguise as a scout trooper. At least we think it's Ian?

"I channelled my inner Bothan and managed to infiltrate the Amazon office in London and while they didn’t have the droids I was looking for, they did have a bunch of Star Wars merch on display ahead of the May the Fourth festivities. They had a bunch of cool lightsabers, figurines, and helmets for staff and visitors to check out, including the snazzy scout trooper helmet that I’m sporting here.

"Sadly I was escorted from the premises when I tried to add myself to the cast list for the new Stargate show they’re working on."

Editor's Note: If you would like to share your photography with Space.com's staff and readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.

That Death Star's operational… and extremely clean thanks to this wild new collaboration between PowerWash Simulator 2 and Star Wars.

There's no shortage of exciting Star Wars games in the works, but we'll be honest, we didn't see this one coming, as Lucasfilm Games and FuturLab are teaming up to release PowerWash Simulator 2's Star Wars pack, coming this summer.

While no specific release date or price tag was provided in the short 'announce' trailer, we know it's coming to all platforms where the game is available. That means PC (via Steam & Epic), Xbox Series X|S, PS5 (with Pro support), and Nintendo Switch 2.

From the frozen wastes of Hoth to the Lars Homestead on Tatooine — hopefully without poor Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's charred corpses still lying around — PowerWash Simulator 2's next DLC is focusing on locales from the original Star Wars trilogy. There are even brief hints that an Imperial destroyer and a Rebel cruiser (probably a Mon Calamari one) need to have their space dust and muck washed away.

Though the galaxy far, far away could also accommodate new washing mechanics and systems with bespoke tools (or perhaps astromech helpers), most details are being kept as secret as the Death Star plans for now.

We know the cleaners this time around "take on the role of P0-W2, a Class Five cleaning droid", so a certain degree of immersion is being offered. Here's hoping we can blast stormtroopers away with pressurized water, too.

Earlier this month, PowerWash Simulator 2 received its first level pack, which was based on the animated series Adventure Time, so this might be a tradition for the offbeat 'cleaning simulation' game as it ventures into post-launch support. Much like the original, PowerWash Simulator 2 supports both solo and co-op, local or online.

The latest trailer for the next Star Wars film is an explosive return to form to the old-fashioned Saturday afternoon matinee style seen in vintage Hollywood serials featuring Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon back in the heady days of pulp science fiction, something George Lucas's original Star Wars Trilogy tried to faithfully capture and did so beautifully.

The surprisingly enjoyable final trailer for Disney/Lucasfilm's The Mandalorian and Grogu was released last week in the aftermath of CinemaCon 2026 and delivers more than enough nostalgic space opera vibes prior to its scheduled May 22, 2026 release.

At that annual Las Vegas industry convention, director John Favreau revealed the first 17 minutes of the film and wowed the attending audience with thrills and spills from a galaxy far, far away, perhaps reigniting that wonderfully pure "Star Wars" magic.

In Disney/Lucasflim's $166 million spinoff feature we find Pedro Pascal reprising his role as feared bounty hunter Din Djarin from the Disney+ TV series, "The Mandalorian." He's teaming up with the green-skinned, pint-sized Baby Yoda to track down wanted criminals for the New Republic.

This cosmic adventure is stuffed with Star Wars characters, ships and lore, including a shiny new Razor Crest spaceship, hateful Hutt twins on the moon of Nar Shaddaa, mad mercenaries, mystical moments, monster battle droids, Imperial walkers, X-wings in formation, alien serpents, airborne Anzellans, and "Star Wars Rebels" fan favorite Zeb Orellios.

Two particular items worth mentioning are the humongous stop-motion robots Mando is fighting which were created by Academy Award-winning Phil Tippett and his ace VFX crew, and the incredibly cool live-action rendering of Embo, "The Clone Wars"' brutal Kyuzo bounty hunter, and his faithful wolf-like creature Marrok. "The Mandalorian" co-creator Dave Filoni will also be providing Embo's villainous voice!

Also starring Sigourney Weaver as New Republic Colonel Ward and Jeremy Allen White as Jabba's son Rotta the Hutt, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" lands May 22, 2026.

There was a time when things ended. When the stories on our screens had a beginning, middle, and end. A time when a trilogy was the longest series of films you could hope for, and when a show aired its final season, it was actually its final season.

That time is gone. Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel, Godzilla, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, DC, Doctor Who… the list goes on and on. These franchises are no longer vehicles for structured stories, but instead sprawling universes in which stories build and collide and ramble on ad infinitum. If a successful film or show does end, the result is more of that thing, especially if it already has an established fan base.

This is hardly a new observation. We’ve all, at one time or another, discussed the fact that franchises and cinematic universes are out of control. The very fact that we now refer to these things as franchises should illuminate what they’ve become. We're not here to bemoan that again.

Instead, we want to talk about what happens to something when it’s never allowed to end; the consequences of this endless treadmill of content. What happens to us, the audience (and maybe even society) when we’re no longer allowed to finish a story?

It’s the end of the world as we know it

Expanded universes are nothing new. Among the litany of sci-fi movies turning into sprawling franchises/universes, you probably have one that’s especially important to you, and most of them have a litany of comic books, novels, and video games under their umbrella. But these were always niche and hidden away from the main canon. Now, they're multi-million dollar streaming shows and theatrical releases.

These worlds are now cultural touchpoints. They are the modern myths we tell, like Odysseus, but no one ever makes it home, because the franchise must continue. The footprint of film and television is just that much bigger than books or comics. Those previous expanded universes let beloved stories live on, but didn’t define the zeitgeist as franchises do now.

And perhaps most importantly, the internet wasn’t around for every aspect to be picked apart, and discussions of ever-expanding lore sat in friend groups, cons, or limited forums. When a series of Trek ended, that was the end of it (barring a few cameos), not the chance to spin off a closely related show or bring it back decades down the road.

By contrast, the last two live-action Star Trek shows — Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy — were both spun off from Discovery, because everything needs to be connected. And don't even get us started on the mess that is the MCU, with its infinite roster of shows and movies that only make sense if you've seen the preceding five entries.

To be clear, the end result isn’t always — or even usually — bad. Releases like Andor, Lower Decks, and even Thunderbolts have shown that exploring lesser-known corners of established universes can be a gold mine. The problem is that these franchises are now living in an eternal nostalgia loop, with fans both wanting the past and constantly asking what is next. But without a chance to say goodbye to our heroes, we're missing out on a core part of stories; their endings.

And the worst thing is, if we're looking for someone to blame for this, we need only look into a mirror. We asked for this — sometimes directly, but often by voting with our wallets — and the corporations delivered, and delivered, and delivered, so that our modern-day myths never end.

But in the end, it doesn't even matter

For many of us, watching that final poker game in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s now ironically titled “All Good Things” was a moment of profound reflection. Seeing Luke, Han, and Leia party with the Ewoks (sans digitally included Anakin Skywalker) brought the ground-breaking space opera to a culturally significant end, and watching or reading the ending(s) of The Return of the King was a tear-filled gut punch. These were stories that gave us closure.

Now Picard is zipping around the cosmos again, The Lord of the Rings is waylaid with prequels and spin-offs, and somehow, Palpatine returned. Those closures are no longer available to us. We never know when any story might be brought back, continued, redone, or retconned. There’s no end in sight, no closing lesson for us to learn, leaving everyone with ambiguity in what we’re supposed to take away from anything. On a sociological and philosophical level, we’re simply never allowed to stop caring.

That, counterintuitively, makes it all the harder to care. As our stories don’t give us the catharsis we’re psychologically built to need, we stop investing in them. We turn to those stories that did give us closure and wonder why we don’t feel the same way about the continuations. Without knowing anything will end, we’re stuck waiting for what’s next – be that prequel, sequel, or spin-off.

There’s also just too much of it. Eternal franchises require eternal, ever-expanding content. When stories ended, you could relive them over and over, experience them in different ways, and discover new things. Part of the incredible staying power of the original Star Wars movies was that they were the only Star Wars movies (apologies to the Christmas special).

That story wasn't just important to the fandom, but society as a whole, as we watched, rewatched, referenced, and relived. It is nigh impossible for anything to do that now. Instead, our cinematic universes sprawl meanderingly, and so too does a franchise's cultural impact. We’re spread too thin, needing to connect complex infrastructures of storytelling instead of engaging in-depth with a single tale.

We're reaching a point, not just as individuals but as a whole, where we can’t let go, but we can’t keep up. Our stories must end somehow. And for many, the answer has just been to give up.

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end, it’s right

This all may sound a bit dramatic for some silly sci-fi movies and TV shows, but stories are how human beings learn, reflect, and advance. They're cultural touchstones that give us hope and guidance, and help define who we are as a society. Our stories turning into never-ending content mills is no small thing, and the impact may not be understood for decades to come. This is important.

Now that we’re all thoroughly depressed (or confused), maybe there is some hope. While we may be suffering from a current inability to let anything end, it shouldn’t be said that an eternal story is always a bad thing. For a long time, Star Trek was very much a functioning never-ending story.

The answer is to embrace the new and stop clamoring for what was. It’s also for studios to experiment with new ideas instead of building everything off the old ones. Deep Space Nine worked because it was so drastically different from TNG. Godzilla’s best outing in decades was a full reimagining of his lore. Andor succeeds because it is so incredibly not a space opera, and there isn't a Jedi within 12 parsecs. It's fine to dip into the warm waters of nostalgia every now and then, but it can't be the foundation that our future is built on.

Same universe, different story, new endings. Our favorite franchises don’t need to die; they just need to be built around stories that actually end.

Maul – Shadow Lord, the latest 'Star Wars' series from Lucasfilm Animation, is finally here. As a bridge of sorts between The Clone Wars and Rebels that runs in parallel to The Bad Batch, the show tells the story of the fallen Sith Lord as he navigates the underworld and tries to make a name for himself in the shadow of the Empire.

Ahead of the show's Disney+ debut, we had the chance to chat with Star Wars veteran Sam Witwer (Darth Maul) and newcomer Gideon Adlon (Devon Izara) about the creative team behind the project, the villain's shocking psychology, the challenges (and opportunities) that come with Star Wars, and even George Lucas' original vision for the central characters and the larger galaxy.

The following interview has been editorialized and lightly cut for better flow.

Witwer is a bit of an icon in 'Star Wars'. His long stay in the galaxy far, far away began with the beloved Legends video game The Force Unleashed, in which he starred as Galen Marek (Starkiller), the secret Sith apprentice of Darth Vader. He'd later voice The Son (a manifestation of the dark side of the Force) in The Clone Wars alongside countless additional voices across various Star Wars projects — even embodying Emperor Palpatine himself — but he's best known as the voice of the horned Sith lord, Darth Maul.

At this point, most fans consider him Star Wars royalty and wonder if he has weighty creative input, and he confirmed that was the case when he got his own show: "A little bit, yeah. They invited me to have some input to keep the character consistent and authentic... It's been really fun to have discussions about this character again, and we have endless discussions now."

Of course, co-creator and head writer Matt Michnovetz is the person guiding this ship, as Lucasfilm boss and chief creative Dave Filoni tries to oversee the entire galaxy and the second season of Ahsoka. Witwer had very high praise for the veteran Star Wars scribe and supervising director Brad Rau: "He's in charge of the writing staff. He's also the architect of the track that this roller coaster speeds down, and executing Dave's vision in terms of the structure of the show... Brad Rau also is close collaboration. I mean, he's the filmmaker," explains Witwer. "Brad is the guy with the vision on how we execute these things."

The actor also mentioned Athena Portillo's – another Star Wars animation vet – key role as producer and executive producer. This is an all-star team that's been working together for a very long time, and it shows in the final result.

In Maul – Shadow Lord, we also find two Jedi on the run who cross paths with the Sith Lord and the Empire. The padawan, Devon Izara, feels different from most Jedi; she's got an edgy and reckless side from the get-go. Gideon Adlon (Pacific Rim: The Black) – a relative newcomer to Star Wars after a small role in Young Jedi Adventures – faced the enormous challenge of bringing a new, brave Jedi Padawan to life, showcasing their struggles to resist the combativeness inside her that Maul wants to exploit.

"I think the beautiful thing about voice acting is it's just as dynamic as doing something on camera," notes Adlon. "It's almost more complicated because you can't see our faces, but we're able to move. I think the movement that we can convey with our bodies really helps with the way that we're able to perform with our voices. Being fearless in the room matches Devon's fearlessness. I know a lot of Jedi are fearless, but Devon feels particularly different because she's fearless with a wild sense of curiosity that gets her into extremely dangerous situations, but it's because she's trying to figure out her path."

"Maul – Shadow Lord" has a more limited scope and resulting focus when compared to other 'Star Wars' shows. It can be seen as an examination of who the post-Order 66 Jedi are, and how Maul presents himself is a huge part of this. He acts as a more sincere, shadowy figure than his former master, and we can't help but wonder if this is his way of pushing back against Palpatine's teachings?

Witwer seems to agree: "Maul was certainly trained by Palpatine, so he shares a lot of traits with him. But yeah, absolutely. Interestingly, he's a lot more honest than his master... In this show, he has to make himself morally distinct from Palpatine. He needs to make the declaration that he's morally superior or better, whatever you'd call him."

"That decision comes with responsibility, and the responsibility is to follow through, to have some lines that he will not cross that Palpatine would cross," explains Witwer. " And where that comes from is a rebellion from Sidious because he recognizes that he's in fact the source of all his suffering... Maul has to become kind of the anti-Sidious, but if you would ask Obi-Wan, he'd be like 'those two gentlemen are very much the same.'"

Maul inevitably attempts to corrupt the young Jedi as part of his plan to take the fight to the Empire instead of going into hiding. Whether that pans out remains to be seen, but Adlon noted the strange parallels between her character's journey with Maul and her own relationship with Witwer.

"He's absolutely become my mentor," reveals Adlon. "And we record at a studio in L.A. that I grew up going to, so the whole thing has really just felt like home. But obviously, being put into the Star Wars world puts a different weight onto somebody's shoulders. I'm very new to it. I'm still learning about it."

Adlon also remarked on Maul being a surprisingly straightforward person, adding that "I find that even as Gideon... learning about Maul through our show personally, I find him weirdly honest. The more I've gotten to know Maul, it's like you feel you can't trust him, but maybe you can, and I am really enjoying figuring out what this dynamic is and where their relationship unfolds."

Both characters' arcs are meant to play out over a long period of time, and both actors clearly know where they want those journeys to lead. Adlon said she wants to explore "Why they see such similarities in each other. Why are Maul and Devon sort of kin?" Witwer, meanwhile, remained tight-lipped: "Well, yeah, there's a lot of places a story like this could go, but we'll just wait and see."

We recently talked about George Lucas' old ideas for the future of Maul — where the Sith Lord was being considered to become the big bad in the original sequel trilogy drafts — and Witwer was kind enough to elaborate on his relationship with Lucas and his vision:

"I have had an overwhelming amount of luck when it comes to participating in Star Wars, so I always feel like I'm getting greedy when I say 'I would like to have seen me do this. I want me to do that.'" explains Witwer. "You know, I don't really think of it that way. I just turn up if they say that they need me... I always want to hear what kinds of thoughts and stories George Lucas has dreamed up. When it comes to his exploration of the original Star Wars script, he wrote, I mean, how many drafts were there, and they were also wildly different from each other? But if you look at those drafts, so many of the seeds of the things that we see now come from those scripts."

We already know how Maul's story begins and ends, but we now find ourselves in a crucial part of his middle act. Even so, Witwer would love to learn more about Lucas' thoughts on the Dathomirian Zabrak: "Anything, any notion that George has concerning this character, I'd be all ears. I'd want to know what he thinks or what he's interested in."

"Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord" slashed onto Disney+ with a two-episode premiere on Monday, April 6. Two new episodes will arrive weekly. Season 2 is already in the works.

When The Bad Batch ended in 2024, two spinoff animated shows seemed likely — a Ventress spin-off and an Omega-led show — but neither came to fruition. Instead, Disney and Lucasfilm surprised fans in 2025 with the announcement of Darth Maul's own series. Less than a year later, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has arrived, and its first season highlights how far Star Wars animation has come.

The fallen Sith Lord's journey has been a fascinating one. He "returned" from the dead in the beloved Clone Wars show, and cameo'd at the end of Solo: A Star Wars Story — a movie set between the Clone Wars and Rebels timelines — before finally meeting his true end in Star Wars Rebels' 'Twin Suns' episode (2017). Despite his death, he cropped up again in the final season of the show, with flashbacks showing what happened to Maul when the galaxy was shaken by Order 66 and the creation of the Galactic Empire.

None of this will make sense if you haven't been watching the last decade of Star Wars' expanded universe. If you just watch the mainline movies, the last time you saw Maul, he was being cut in half at the end of The Phantom Menace. If that's you, and you need to catch up, the short version is that he survived that and eventually teamed up with his Dathomirian brother Savage Opress, becoming a crime lord. The duo tried to take on his former master, Darth Sidious (now Emperor Palpatine), only to get thoroughly spanked by Sheev, who killed Savage.

Following the death of his brother and the loss of most of his newfound allies, he went back into hiding and began plotting (again) how to get back at Palpatine. That's where Maul – Shadow Lord picks up the story.

It's a lot to digest if you're not a Star Wars diehard, but to its credit, Maul – Shadow Lord does a commendable job with smart recaps, well-placed short flashbacks, and fast comments to hit the ground running as it sets up the show's new story arc, which takes us to the Coruscant-like planet of Janix.

Tall buildings and dense lower areas evoke the familiar 'Star Wars metropolis' atmosphere veterans love, but this isn't the heart of the Empire; it's a world which "exists beyond the core" (of the galaxy), and thus isn't on the Empire's sights... for now.

The local law enforcement has been struggling with crime syndicates for a while, and things get messier when Maul (Sam Witwer) and his small group of allies (Mandalorian mercenaries included) show up to make some credits and reclaim their lost power.

Mau's reckless band of merry men inevitably leave a trail of bodies in their wake, leading police captain Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura) to investigate the criminal takeover of Janix. Lawson clearly hates the Empire as much as Maul and doesn't want to attract their attention, and there are some interesting parallels between the pair. Though they're on opposite sides of the law, both were betrayed by Imperial figures in different ways and have a troubled past they can't seem to escape.

Equally agitated are Jedi Padawan Devon Izara (Gideon Adlon) and her Master, Eeko-Dio-Daki (Dennis Haysbert). It's here where Matt Michnovetz's (head writer and co-creator alongside Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni) extensive experience with some of the most loaded Clone Wars episodes (such as the fan-favorite Umbara arc) and Jedi: Fallen Order's story becomes more apparent. Post-Order 66 Jedi are often just lesser versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda, skulking around in swamps and deserts, but this duo can't seem to stay away from the action.

Though Maul – Shadow Lord features notable performances across the board, it's the leading duo (Maul and Devon) that, rightfully, steal the show. Witwer is no stranger to mining the once one-dimensional Sith for gold, and with more space to maneuver in his own series, the fragmented psyche and shocking earnestness of the character provide a fantastic hook that previous animated Star Wars works didn't really have.

It's a performance that also benefits the show's dirtier tone and darker writing. Sure, previous animated shows have skewed towards older fans, there's almost nothing here – except maybe the cop droid Two-Boots (Richard Ayoade) – built with kids in mind.

Similarly, Devon isn't a retread of other plucky Jedi leads. There's an edge to her that's instantly captivating, and the sincere doubts that Adlon's voice work delivers sell plot beats that could be eyebrow-raising with a lesser performance.

Perhaps more impressive than the fresh story, though, is the gorgeous animation. There's a visual maturity to Maul's series, which is a crystal-clear evolution of past works, from the dynamic camera work to the stronger focus on close-ups that underline the more emotional and subtle character moments. Its most striking (and recognized) element, however, will be the "grungier" and painterly flourishes.

Watercolor-inspired backgrounds make Janix's cityscapes dream-like at times, and there's an edge and suddenness to lightsaber duels and action scenes that intentionally add a fitting edge to a show that must feel dangerous at all times.

To quote Luke Skywalker: "This is not going to go the way you think." Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1 might end up where we expected it to (we weren't allowed to see the last two episodes ahead of release), but the path it takes is full of twists and turns that we didn't see coming. Maul and Devon's relationship is an entertaining tug-of-war; Lawson is a caf-loving lawman best described as well-meaning, but out of his element; and the inevitable arrival of Imperial forces (including two Inquisitors) quickly threatens disaster for both sides.

Maul – Shadow Lord has more in common with Andor than with its cartoon predecessors in tone, and that's a lofty compliment. The deeper focus on internal struggles, thanks to the limited scope of the larger story, helps the overall package and the lead actors' interpretations of their complicated characters.

It's not quite at that level, though; the show's structure can feel messy and redundant at times – Lucasfilm Animation's shows typically are during their first outings – but it's a propulsive ride that ends up justifying its serial approach as opposed to the Clone Wars, Rebels, and Bad Batch's laid-back episodic storytelling.

That, alongside a nagging sensation that Maul and other Clone Wars-adjacent elements may be overstaying their welcome, makes it easy to see why some fans might choose to skip this one, but empty fan service, it isn't. The age of Maul has fangs, and the dark side of the Force is tempting.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord slashes into Disney+ with a two-episode premiere on Monday, April 6. Two new episodes will arrive weekly. Season 2 is already in the works.

Can you imagine a world without the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Creator George Lucas could, which is why he declared soon after 2005's "Revenge of the Sith" that Lucasfilm would be focusing on TV instead. But with the long-in-development Star Wars Underworld years away, many were wondering if it really was the end of seeing Star Wars on the big screen.

In a surprise move that ultimately scuppered Lucas' vision for the franchise, Disney would buy Lucasfilm in 2012, and a whole new sequel trilogy was created instead. Retrospective reactions to these are still mixed, especially "Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker" thanks to its uneven plot points, disappointing ending to the saga, and the iconically bad line, "Somehow, Palpatine returned." To say the Skywalker Saga on a disappointing note would be an understatement.

But before the House of Mouse took the reins, Lucas revealed in The Star Wars Archives that he had been working on a new sequel trilogy of his own. Some interesting plot points have leaked since this revelation, but the most surprising one was of Darth Maul being the big bad throughout these movies. Having been ‘killed’ by Obi-Wan in Star Wars: Episode I, then revived in the Clone Wars animated series as a spider, the exiled Sith has seen it all, and then some.

He’s also appearing in a new animated series airing on Disney+ in April, called "Maul: Shadow Lord". Set a year after the "Clone Wars" ending, the show will see him build up his criminal empire while trying to find and train an apprentice.

And with the benefit of hindsight, we're glad things shook out this way. The Skywalker Saga might have been disappointing, but Maul's criminal empire is a way better fate for the Sith Lord than becoming the star villain of his own trilogy.

Seeing red

Details are still scarce, but Lucas’ idea for his Sequel Trilogy would rediscover Maul as a Crime Boss, based in Coruscant, along with his apprentice, Darth Talon.

In a book called The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005, Lucas outlined his vision for how Maul would work in the movies. “VII, VIII, and IX would take ideas from what happened after the Iraq War. Stormtroopers would refuse to give up when the Republic won after VI. They want to be Stormtroopers forever, so they go to a far corner of the galaxy, start their own country, and their own rebellion.”

Lucas continues, explaining how Maul and others would take advantage of this power vacuum. “Gangsters, like the Hutts, are taking advantage of the situation, and there is chaos. The key person is Darth Maul, who had been resurrected in the animated Clone Wars series - he brings all the gangs together.”

“Darth Maul trained a girl called Darth Talon, who was in the comic books, as his apprentice. She was the new Darth Vader, and most of the action was with her. So they were the two main villains of the trilogy. Maul eventually becomes the godfather of crime in the universe because, as the Empire falls, he takes over.”

It’s an interesting concept, as Lucas’ vision potentially shows another side of the Star Wars universe that was never seen in-depth, especially with the Underworld TV Series being put on hiatus around 2009.

Lucas also disclosed that Luke would be training a new generation of Jedi, whilst Episodes VIII and IX would reveal Leia to be the Chosen One, eventually leading the New Republic as Supreme Chancellor. This part isn't a million parsecs away from where the actual sequel trilogy ended up, and while Lucas’ ideas for a trilogy would have been an interesting watch, we don't think Maul would have worked as the central villain.

A Mauling?

Maul is one of the most iconic (and coolest) villains in Star Wars history, so why are we poo-pooing the idea of him as the primary antagonist? His stint in the Clone Wars animated series, for one thing.

Don't get us wrong, his arc across the series is phenomenal. Maul’s return in Season 3 of Clone Wars in 2011, by being revived by witches called Nightsisters on Dathomir, was well-received by fans. Voiced by Sam Witwer, who has an impressive understanding of the Star Wars universe, Maul is thoroughly insane upon his revival, and this thread of madness carries through to where we last saw him, in the final episodes of Clone Wars.

He’s broken, rageful, calculating — all attributes that make sense for his arc here — but he never gives off the main villain energy required to carry three movies. Ultimately, Maul works for himself, and his attempts to take control of the galaxy with his brother Savage, blew up in his face. It felt more like a tragic soap opera than everything proceeding as foreseen. He was given new depth in the Clone Wars, but it was rooted in hate towards Obi-Wan, rather than a connection to the Skywalker legacy.

There's also the issue of homework; a lot of Star Wars fans simply have no interest in watching the animated series and other spinoffs required to keep up with Maul's character arc. To them, the last time they saw Maul was watching his bifurcated body tumbling into oblivion at the end of Episode 1.

Even with his cameo at the end of "Solo", asking audiences to accept his silver screen return, complete with his fleshy legs back in place, would have been as ridiculous as expecting them to buy Palpatine returning… somehow.

Look at the Scarlet Witch debacle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To understand 2022’s Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, you had to watch 2020’s WandaVision TV show to find out why she was crossing many universes to find her children. This spiraling interconnected web of plotlines had been the downfall of the MCU post-Endgame, and it's not a strategy Star Wars should be repeating. And yes, we say this while giving some serious side-eye to The Mandalorian and Grogu, the upcoming Star Wars movie that requires you to watch several Disney+ shows to know the plot going on.

Sustaining the attention of viewers is harder than ever in 2026. They want to sit down and watch something without feeling required to absorb other content to understand some context.

Beyond all that, though, Maul’s canon ending is perfect in the "Star Wars: Rebels" episode Twin Suns. Set five years before "Episode IV: A New Hope", the episode sees Maul finally get his showdown with an older Obi-Wan.

Maul’s story didn’t need to carry on in a Sequel Trilogy, for the sake of a narrative rhyme; it wouldn’t have worked. His place is in the shadows, an angry ex-Sith, finding his place in the world, his path winding, until it took him right back to where we first saw him, in a deadly battle against a Jedi Master.

The Disney sequel trilogy was an admittedly mixed affair, and the disappointment of Episode IX can’t be overstated, but the story of the mainline Star Wars movies is about the Skywalker family, and not the rogues' gallery they encountered along the way.

With any luck, this is what we’ll see when the show drops next month, and that’s the right move. As Maul himself once said, "Every choice you have made has led you to this moment."

We look forward to seeing the choices he made that led him to that fateful night on Tatooine when "Maul: Shadow Lord" releases on Disney+ in April.

Available for purchase on April 1, Lego is releasing a Tintin Moon Rocket set, which is the toy brick manufacturer's first-ever Tintin set. Consisting of 1,283 pieces, it will include six minifigures (including Snowy the dog), all in spacesuits and helmets, and is largely designed for display purposes rather than play. Currently it's only listed on the Lego store site, but we anticipate launching on regular retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target, too.

Naturally, we hope to get our hands on it and review it, so we can determine whether it's among the best Lego space sets out there. Standing at approximately 19.5 x 8 x 9 inches / 50 x 20 x 23 centimeters (H x L x W), it's going to stand out wherever you choose to display it and from initial looks, it looks like a fantastic nod to the iconic-looking rocket from Tintin's "Destination Moon" and "Explorers on the Moon" comics.

On release, this set will cost $159.99, which does seem quite a lot for a set containing 1,283 pieces — but this set is quite large, being designed for display, and does come with six minifigures. If this isn't quite right for you, you can always check out our other pages on the best Lego Star Wars sets, best Lego Marvel sets and best model rockets.

Naturally, we don't have much more information on the set outside of its proposed release date, key specs and a few images. However, our initial thoughts are that it would be a cool standalone model, or as part of a space collection, as Lego doesn't currently have any other Tintin sets available.

The set features the red and white paneling of the rocket from the Tintin comics, and there's more to it than meets the eye. You can remove the rocket's cone to reveal an internal control room, packed with detail, which has enough room to pose a minifigure inside.

This rocket is a nod to the Tintin comics, where Tintin, his dog, Snowy and others travel to the moon and explore the lunar surface. The six minifigures included are: Tintin, Captain Haddock, Thomson and Thompson, Professor Calculus and Snowy. And, while you can't currently preorder it, or put it in your basket, it will be available to buy from April 1 and we expect it to be popular.

We're hoping that the release of the Tintin Moon Rocket set continues a trend we like with Lego. We recently saw Lego release its first-ever Star Trek set, the U.S.S. Enterprise, and now, with its first-ever Tintin set, we hope to see more Lego firsts for franchises and titles it hasn't previously made sets for.

Following the striking first trailer in January, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is doubling down on its reworked art style and darker tone with a second trailer that harkens back to The Clone Wars' best episode arcs.

The Sam Witwer-led show was announced as a surprise at Star Wars Celebration 2025. The series will follow Darth Maul post-Siege of Mandalore, filling in the gap up until his confusing Solo: A Star Wars Story cameo.

As it turns out, he went back into the shadows and built up a crime syndicate known as Crimson Dawn, but that didn't happen overnight, and Shadow Lord aims to elaborate on that and more. At least that's what the second (and probably final) trailer promises.

Maul is a dirtier, grungier imagining of the Star Wars universe, leaning into the darker moments of shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels. The art style is messier than those shows', with an almost Claymation-meets-live-action look. Maul is seen slicing and dicing cops and criminals, and some scenes look like they came straight out of a slasher flick.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is set to debut on April 6 with a two-episode premiere, with the rest of the ten-episode season releasing weekly after that. This release leaves the May the 4th slot potentially wide open for another surprise anthology series that may or may not happen. Feast your eyes on the stunning new poster below, too:

Alongside Witwer – a Star Wars animation (and video game) legend – Gideon Adlon co-leads as the Jedi Padawan Devon Izara, who seems to be getting too close to the dark side for comfort.

Master Eeko-Dio Daki (Dennis Haysbert) is also on the run and not willing to lose her padawan to the fallen Sith. Meanwhile, Captain Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura) and his droid partner, Two-Boots (Richard Ayoade), will begin to look into Maul's criminal spree before it's too late.

This is all happening under Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader's noses as the Empire begins to grow, so don't be surprised if they show up one way or another. We haven't heard about Season 2 plans yet, but we're not expecting a 'one and done' kind of deal, especially when Star Wars' TV future seems thinner and most creative efforts are movie-oriented again.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord was co-created and developed by Dave Filoni (now co-president and creative honcho at Lucasfilm) and Matt Michnovetz, a Star Wars vet with both animation and Star Wars Jedi game experience. Brad Rau (The Bad Batch) is once again serving as supervising director.

The Hutts are back, and in a big way.

The last two times we witnessed ads for the upcoming "The Mandalorian" spinoff feature film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu," it was either a short uninspiring teaser that told us nothing about the plot, or a surreal Budweiser Super Bowl commercial narrated by Sam Elliott showing Mando and Baby Yoda being pulled through the thick Hoth snow by a team of tauntauns.

But all good things come to those who wait as Disney/Lucasfilm just released the second trailer for the latest chapter in the galaxy far, far away and it's packed with an absolute menagerie of aliens, robots, creatures, droids, and monsters, including those vile crimelord gangsters, the Hutts.

This fresh peek also delivers far more about the overarching storyline and gives us glimpses of some of the heroes and villains we’ll be joining as Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu planet-hop working bounty hunter jobs and encountering a wide range of nasty nefarious outlaws.

Scheduled for a May 22, 2026 release and directed by Jon Favreau, the $166 million space opera also stars Sigourney Weaver, Steve Blum, Hemky Madera, and Jonny Coyne. It's produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce. Ludwig Göransson, the original composer for "The Mandalorian," returns to lend a rousing old-fashioned score for the film.

Set five years after "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," the storyline finds Mando and The Child taking on lucrative mercenary gigs for the New Republic tracking down scoundrels and killers.

Here in the latest preview we're treated to sunset shots of X-wing fighters, a great look at Jabba the Hutt's son, Rotta, portrayed by "The Bear's" Jeremy Allen White, Din Djarin sans his iconic helmet, a gladiator battle with a Hutt, some sort of albino dragon serpent, and "Star Wars Rebels" fan favorite, Zeb. Finally, we're introduced to "The Clone Wars'" dome-headed bounty hunter named Embo, a clever fiend destined to be the film's formidable antagonist for our heroic pair.

It’s almost difficult to fathom that this latest "Star Wars" entry will be the first theatrical film in that storied franchise since 2019’s "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," and we all know how that one turned out. Nearly seven years is a long time for fans to have waited and there's a definite risk that the bloom is off the rose, so to speak, when it comes to attracting audiences back into theaters for what seemed like an extended episode of the Disney+ TV series.

However, perhaps time heals all and "The Mandalorian and Grogu" might be a true Lucasfilm savior after all. Is this is the way?

It's one of the most instantly recognizable scenes in cinematic history: Luke Skywalker gazes at a double sunset to the haunting melody of a mournful French horn. And while "Star Wars" may take place in a galaxy far, far away, planets orbiting binary stars actually do exist in the Milky Way. Yet mysteriously, there are not as many as scientists expect — and new research might explain why.

Of the thousands of single-star systems in our galaxy, around 10% are known to have planets. Scientists thus expected about 10% of the 3,000 known binary star systems in our galaxy to have them, too. But of the more than 6,000 confirmed exoplanets in the Milky Way, just 14 confirmed planets have been found around pairs of stars.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the American University of Beirut suggest the culprit might be Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

In most binary star systems, two stars orbit each other in elliptical paths. A planet caught in that dance feels gravitational forces from both stars, causing its orbital orientation to slowly rotate in a process known as precession. Meanwhile, the binary stars' own orbits also precess due the rules of general relativity. As time progresses, tidal forces between the stars can draw them closer, accelerating their precession and causing an orbiting planet's precession to slow.

When the precession rates align, the planet's orbit becomes highly stretched. According to lead author Mohammad Farhat of the University of California, Berkeley, this resonance can destabilize the planet's path. "Either the planet swings too close to the stars and is torn apart, or its orbit is so perturbed that it's ejected from the system," he said in a statement.

The team's models suggest that in tight binaries — those with orbital periods of a week or less — such disruptions are common. These systems also happen to be the ones most likely to be monitored by missions like NASA's Kepler and TESS, which detect planets by watching for starlight dimming as a planet passes in front of them. That could partly explain the surprisingly low number of circumbinary planets in observational data.

Ultimately, there might be hundreds or thousands of Tatooines in the Milky Way — we just aren't sure how to look for them yet.

The team's findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on December 8, 2025.

Feeling unruly? An official prequel novel to 2024's "Star Wars Outlaws" is coming next month entitled "Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon." Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft's third-person, open-world sci-fi adventure game, "Star Wars Outlaws," launched back on Aug. 30, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Gamers were introduced to the rogue scoundrel named Kay Vess and her BX-Commando droid partner as they prepared for one of the "biggest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen." The video game was set sometime between the events of "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" and "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi."

Now, an engaging backstory for "Star Wars Outlaws" named "Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon" by author Mike Chen ("Star Wars: Brotherhood") is being published by Random House Worlds Feb. 3, 2026, to fill out the darker corners of the "Star Wars" Universe. The 384-page hardcover focuses on the game's main antagonist, crime lord Jaylen Vrax, and his intimidating assassin droid ND-5.

Here's the official synopsis:

"Jaylen Barsha, heir to his family’s immense power and wealth, had his life charted out for him neatly and meticulously by his parents, even though he suspected his neglected half-brother Sliro would be a better fit for the bright corporate future his parents envisioned. Then the Empire stripped it all away on trumped-up charges of conspiracy against his family. Before he can reach Sliro for help redeeming the Barsha name, a battle droid arrives at the family compound with a mission to kill every last member of the Barsha clan. Jaylen manages to fend off the attack as the sole survivor, but realizes the droid, who he reprograms, is his only chance to stay alive. But he can no longer be Jaylen Barsha—he’ll have to live now as Jaylen Vrax.

"Former Separatist battle droid ND-5 knows he should be scrap metal, all things considered. He was a proficient contributor to the Separatist cause, but what is a soldier without a war?

"With the threat against the Barsha clan still shrouded in mystery, the pair has no choice but to leverage the chaos and disappear. They find sanctuary in the anonymity of the underworld, building their reputation among scoundrels, bounty hunters, and crime syndicates. But when their latest score gives the first real clue in years to who sent ND-5 after Jaylen’s family, their biggest opportunity presents a new kind of risk. Do they give up this chance at the wealth and power Jaylen was denied to pursue answers? Or will ambition and the weight of the past shatter their unlikely partnership?"

"Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon" arrives on Feb. 3, 2026.