Friday 11 December 2020

All the Star Wars things coming to Disney+



As a lifelong Star Wars and Marvel fan, it feels like Christmas Day in the morning, with so many gifts around the tree, you don't know what to open first.

During Thursday's Disney Investor Day 2020, the Walt Disney Company announced so much Star Wars and Marvel Studios content coming to an expanded, more expensive, Disney+ that will include the new Star brand from February 2021.



Star is essentially an international version of Hulu, which will show family and adult dramas including a new Alien live-action spin-off series for FX.

“Alien will be helmed by Fargo and Legion’s’ Noah Hawley stepping into the creator/executive producer chair, and FX is in advanced negotiations with Academy Award winner, Sir Ridley Scott—director of the first Alien film and the sequel, Alien: Covenant—to join the project as an executive producer,” FX chief John Landgraf said. “Set not too far into our future, it’s the first Alien story set on Earth — and by blending both the timeless horror of the first Alien film with the non-stop action of the second, it’s going to be a scary thrill ride that will blow people back in their seats.”

The prospect of a xenomorph series set on Earth is compelling and hopefully more interesting than executive producer Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolves for HBO Max.

The Mandalorian is repeating executive producer Jon Favreau's masterstroke with Iron Man with further spin-offs Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic and Star Wars: Ahsoka starring Rosario Dawson. These series will have crossovers.

Then there's Obi-Wan Kenobi reuniting Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi Master-in-hiding and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader from the prequels.

“It was such an incredible journey playing Anakin Skywalker,” said Christensen. “Of course, Anakin and Obi-Wan weren’t on the greatest of terms when we last saw them… It will be interesting to see what an amazing director like Deborah Chow has in store for us all. I’m excited to work with Ewan again. It feels good to be back.”

Star Wars: Andor, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Lando... And a new movie, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, directed by Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman).

“It’s been a lifelong dream as a filmmaker to one day make a great fighter pilot film,” said Jenkins. “As the daughter of a great fighter pilot myself, some of the best memories of my life are of seeing my father’s squadron take off in their F4s every morning, and hearing and feeling the awe-inspiring power and grace. When he passed away in service to this country it ignited a burning desire to one day channel all of those emotions into one great film. When the perfect story arrived in combination with another true love of mine, the incomparable world of Star Wars, I knew I’d finally found my next film. I’m extremely honored and excited to take it on, and grateful to Lucasfilm, Disney, and the fans for extending that thrill to me.”

“Patty has established herself as one of the top directors working in the film industry today,” said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “She’s a visionary who knows how to strike the balance between action and heart, and I can’t wait to see what she does in the Star Wars galaxy.”

If that wasn't enough. There's also Willow and a final Indiana Jones movie starring Harrison Ford. Really wish they'd stopped at The Last Crusade.

After all these announcements, I'm going to need a nap like Grogu AKA Baby Yoda. Suffice it to say, Disney+ has a lifelong subscriber in me but I hope the studio amicably resolves its royalties conflict with author Alan Dean Foster.

What are you looking forward to most? Let me know in the comments below.

4 comments:

  1. I think the Kenobi, Andor, Lando and Ahsoka shows are all hugely exciting as well as the Rogue Squadron movie.

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    1. Very much so! Great to see Christensen returning to the role of Darth Vader.

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  2. It's very exciting to know that there will be the feeling of the force for a new generation and to satisfy us older Star Wars fans.

    Totally loving Season 2 of The Mandalorian ATM with Bob's Fett and Slave 1.

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    1. The Walt Disney Company is pivoting away from theatres in the longterm. I've argued this since the announcement of Disney+, which has over 80 million subscribers, worldwide, in its first year.

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