With
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker fast approaching, you'd best believe that plenty of
Star Wars news is coming our way thick and fast.
A big part of the reason for that is the movie's marketing campaign ramping up in a major way ahead of its release, and we have some extremely revealing interview excerpts with director J.J. Abrams and writer Chris Terrio in which they address everything from "Reylo" fan theories, Emperor Palpatine's shocking return, and whether there's actually been any test screenings.
We also have intel on
The Rise of Skywalker's review embargo, the
Star Wars hotel coming to Disney World, and a game show based on a Galaxy Far, Far Away coming to Disney+ next year.
So, for your fix of new Star Wars news, all you guys have to do is click the "View List" button!
No Romance For Finn And Poe Dameron
There are a lot of
Star Wars fans out there who would love to see Finn and Poe embark on a romantic relationship, but it's now been confirmed that it's not happening.
The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams revealed that things don't head in that direction in
Episode IX while talking to
Variety and one person who is extremely disappointed by that is star Oscar Isaac.
"Personally, I kind of hoped and wished that maybe that would’ve been taken further in the other films, but I don’t have control," the actor admitted.
"It seemed like a natural progression, but sadly enough it’s a time when people are too afraid, I think, of…I don’t know what." He added that there's some ambiguity but noted
"if they would’ve been boyfriends, that would have been fun."
John Boyega, meanwhile, didn't quite commit to the idea, but agreed that it's something he would have been open to exploring.
"They’ve always had a quite loving and open relationship in which it wouldn’t be too weird if it went beyond it. But at the same time, they are just platonic at the moment." That's the end of that, but many people will be disappointed.
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker's Review Embargo
According to Disney and Lucasfilm's PR department, the review embargo for
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lifts on Wednesday, December 18th at 3.01am EST/12.01am PST.
That's obviously very close to the release date, but it's to be expected when it's such a secretive film. We'll obviously have our own review - and a roundup of others - then.
Chris Terrio Addresses The Emperor's Return
By far the biggest shocker in the first trailer for
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was that iconic cackle from Emperor Palpatine. Now, writer Chris Terrio has addressed the villain's unexpected return.
"We decided pretty early on that we wanted to really think of this as the Skywalker Saga," he explains.
"And from the beginning, the chess game has been between Palpatine/Sideous and the Jedi. Specifically, the Jedi as represented by Anakin and the Skywalkers. So, we were convinced someway or another Palpatine had to be a presence in this film."
Terrio went on to say that The Rise of Skywalker is still respectful of Return of the Jedi and the sacrifice Darth Vader made to stop The Emperor, but noted that there's precedent for him to back.
"We had to be careful about that, but if you look at some of the lore of Palpatine and the Sith and the way that George has embedded ideas about the Sith into the mythology of Star Wars, there are ways the presence of that character can still cast its shadow in the future. I guess I’ll leave it at that."
We're Going To Learn More About Finn's Backstory
We don't really know much about Finn's past beyond the fact that he was taken by The First Order at a young age and trained to become a Stormtrooper. However,
The Rise of Skywalker will shed a little more like on that, and the histories of characters like Rey and Poe Dameron will also be touched on.
"It is part of the story of this one. And it was alluded to in Episode VII, but there's a bit more light shed on that in this one," Abrams tells
Vanity Fair.
"I'm not saying we get full, exhaustive downloads on all of their childhoods. But there are a lot of questions about Finn's past, about Poe's past, obviously Rey and Kylo, and then some of the new characters we meet."
With Jannah reportedly another character who was taken by The First Order as a child, chances are it will be through his interactions with her that Finn reveals more about his background.
There Have Been No Test Screenings For The Rise Of Skywalker
Recently, there have been claims that test screenings for
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker went horribly wrong and that people actually ended up storming out before the credits even rolled.
Well, J.J. Abrams has now confirmed that no such screenings took place.
"Of course I’ve shown it at a friends and family screening," he told
Esquire,
"but we’ve never done like a test screening."
John Boyega Confesses That He Lost The Rise Of Skywalker's Script
A couple of weeks ago, we heard from Abrams that one of
The Rise of Skywalker's cast members ended up leaving the film's script under their bed and a cleaner later found it and put it on eBay.
Luckily, it was pulled before it could leak online but John Boyega has now confessed his guilt during a recent chat with
TMZ.
"Yeah, it was me. It was an accident. He's [Abrams] definitely upset." As for what he things Abrams should do, he joked:
"Get over it. What I thought would be good, is if people get to read the film before they see it. It's a whole new creative thing I've got going on."
Something tells us the actor will be a little more careful with his scripts moving forward, though!
An Amazing New Poster For The Rise Of Skywalker
There are a lot of posters doing the rounds for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but this one promoting its release in Australia might be among the best yet. As you can see, it celebrates the entire "Skywalker Saga" and is a piece which would definitely look great on the wall of any Star Wars fan.
A "Reylo" Fan Theory Debunked By J.J. Abrams
Different theories about the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren have persisted for years. Are they brother and sister or destined to be lovers? One claims that the story arc of the two characters may be based on the legend of the "Red Thread of Fate," an East Asian tale which claimed that two people destined to be lovers were connected by via an invisible red line pulling them together.
An early trailer showed a red ribbon wrapped around Rey's hand, and some fans are now convinced that "Reylo" are destined to be together. Abrams, however, now says otherwise.
"No. That is not something that we incorporated," he told
Vanity Fair, possibly making it clear once and for all that we can forget about there being any sort of romantic element here.
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge Coming To Disney+
Disney has issued the following:
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge, an exciting new Disney+ game show set in a galaxy far, far away, will test young contestants’ abilities in the core Jedi principles of strength, knowledge, and bravery as they face thrilling and fun obstacles in an attempt to achieve the rank of Jedi Knight! From lightsabers to hyperspace, the Force, and the dark side,
Jedi Temple Challenge transports viewers and contestants into the Star Wars galaxy like never before.
The show is hosted by Ahmed Best, who will play a Jedi Master and mentor to the contestants. Known to many fans as Jar Jar Binks from the Star Wars prequels, Best’s unique set of skills as an actor, dancer, martial arts expert, STOMP musician, and Star Wars fan make him the perfect choice as the show’s host and mentor. Best is joined by a hilarious humanoid droid companion, voiced by Mary Holland (Veep, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre).
"This is definitely a kids game show like no other," says Lucasfilm’s senior director of Online Content & Programming, Mickey Capoferri. "The various challenges will test a Padawan’s connection to the Force in three locations — a forest planet, on board a Jedi star cruiser, and inside a Jedi temple — immersing them and the audience in a fun, humorous, and exciting competition."
"Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge brings together the best of Star Wars — competitive spirit, harrowing obstacles and a hero’s triumph over challenges — in a totally new format for the franchise," said Dan Silver, vice president, Originals — Unscripted Content, Disney+. "A game show set in the Star Wars galaxy is a perfect fit for Disney+."
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge is developed by Lucasfilm’s Scott Bromley and Steve Blank with Mickey Capoferri and Christine Beebe serving as executive producers. The series is produced by Lucasfilm and Endeavor Content’s non-scripted group with executive producers Dean Houser, David Chamberlin, and Mike Antinoro.
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2020.
New Details On Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Revealed
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is a new hotel coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2021 and it will include a two-night, cruise-style itinerary where visitors can become the hero of their own adventure in an experience that surrounds you 24/7 in Star Wars storytelling.
Now, concept art has been released showing both where you arrive and how you're transported to this Galaxy Far, Far Away. It looks like an incredible time but expect it to be extremely expensive!