Agatha All Along creates chaos this Halloween

Marvel Television dropped an official trailer for Agatha All Along at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.



Read the official synopsis:

"In Marvel Studios’ “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…"

The upcoming WandaVision live-action spin-off series, starring Kathryn Hahn as the titular witch, promises spooky fun in time for Halloween.

"We’ve seen [Agatha] with all her bravado and crazy confidence," Hahn recently explained. "So much of Agatha is performance. It was exciting to get to the kernel under the sass and sarcasm and taking pleasure in other people’s pain. There’s something broken under that, big-time."

Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along premieres in the UK on 19th September, with the first two episodes, exclusively on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Agatha All Along? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars goes Goonies in Skeleton Crew

Lucasfilm dropped an official trailer for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.



The Star Wars live-action spin-off series starring Jude Law, created by Spider-Man Homecoming director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford, who also serve as the showrunners, follows along as the kids get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy and have to find their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way.

This is Star Wars goes Goonies with a Spielbergian suburban twist and I'm here for a coming-of-age series in a galaxy far, far away this holiday season.

Individual episodic directors are Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. The season was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, with two episodes by Myung Joh Wesner. The series is executive produced by Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson, along with co-executive producers Chris Buongiorno, Karen Gilchrist, Carrie Beck and producers Susan McNamara and John Bartnicki.

Law was onstage at D23 and said the series harkens back to the Amblin fantasy films of the 1980s, which many fans (myself included) grew up watching.

“I fell in love with Star Wars when I was a 10-year-old boy,” he said. “[This] series is told from the perspective of the kids.”

Skeleton Crew starts streaming with a two-episode series premiere in the UK on 4th December on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+? Did you spot the alien from Captain EO? Let me know in the comments below.

The Mandalorian at D23 Expo

On Saturday, Lucasfilm dropped a teaser trailer for the long-awaited third season of The Mandalorian during Disney's D23 Expo.



The last time Star Wars fans (myself included) saw the clan of two, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu, was in The Book of Boba Fett.

The Mandalorian is set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is building a new Jedi order before his reckless actions lead to the Knights of Ren and the rise of the First Order.

The Mandalorian returns exclusively on Disney+ in 2023.

Are you looking forward to The Mandalorian? Did you spot the cameo from The Rise of Skywalker? Let me know in the comments below.

Willow at D23 Expo

On Saturday, Lucasfilm dropped an official trailer for Willow during Disney's D23 Expo.



The Willow spin-off series, a sequel to director Ron Howard's (Apollo 13) original 1988 movie written by George Lucas (Star Wars) and starring Warwick Davis (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi) as the titular hero, will be a great addition this holiday season. The fantasy genre continues to thrive with House of the Dragon, Shadow and Bone, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Witcher and more on streaming services.

Christian Slater (Heathers) made a surprise appearance at the Willow panel and was announced as a cast member.

Willow streams exclusively on Disney+ on 30th November.

Are you looking forward to Willow on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return

On Monday, Lucasfilm released an official trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return, a new documentary that showcases the making of the 6-part Star Wars special event series on Disney+.



Obi-Wan Kenobi sees Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from George Lucas' prequel trilogy. The Deborah Chow-directed series is set between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return premieres exclusively on 8th September on Disney+.

8th September is Disney+ Day, and the House of Mouse is hyping things up with exciting announcements including Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder. The D23 Expo begins the following day.

What are you looking forward to on Disney+ Day? Are you hoping a new season of Obi-Wan Kenobi will be announced during the D23 Expo? Or would you like to see a Darth Vader spin-off next? Let me know in the comments below.

Disney+ pre-orders open in US

Disney+ arrives in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Netherlands (there's a free 2-month trial underway) this November and the House of Mouse has opened pre-orders with a free 7-day trial.

The deep discount offered to attendees of the D23 Expo is currently unavailable.

"Consumers signing up for Disney+ pre-orders will be among the first to start streaming the never-before-seen original programming being created exclusively for the service from the company’s iconic entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. In its first year, Disney+ will release more than 25 original series and ten original films, documentaries, including The Mandalorian, from executive producer and writer Jon Favreau, and Lady and the Tramp, a timeless retelling of the 1955 animated classic – both streaming on November 12. Subscribers will also enjoy unprecedented access to Disney’s vast collection of films and television shows.

Subscribers will be able to stream Disney+ on a wide selection of mobile and connected TV devices at launch, including gaming consoles, streaming media players, and smart TVs. Subscribers will enjoy high-quality and commercial-free viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads, personalized recommendations, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles, including the ability for parents to set Kids Profiles that have an easy to -navigate, child-friendly interface to access age-appropriate content.

Subscriptions are priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. They automatically renew, with the option to cancel at any time before each renewal date. All new Disney+ subscribers will be eligible for a 7-day free trial.

As previously announced, on November 12, consumers in the U.S. will have the opportunity to purchase a bundled offering of Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu (with ads) for $12.99 per month. The bundle offers an exciting value proposition with access to all of the Disney+ programming plus thousands of live sporting events, sports-themed original series and award-winning sports documentaries from ESPN+; as well as Hulu’s award-winning original content and on-demand streaming library. Consumers interested in the bundle should wait until it becomes available at launch on November 12."



Disney+ will be on the following devices at launch and supports 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos + Vision at no extra cost to subscribers:

Apple TV
Android mobile devices
Android TV
Chromecast
Desktop web browsers
iPad
iPhone
PlayStation 4 (PS4)
Roku streaming players
Roku TV
Xbox One

You can sign up for Disney+ here. UK residents will have to wait until early 2020.

Are you subscribing to Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Rey turns to the dark side in The Rise of Skywalker?

During the D23 Expo, Lucasfilm dropped a special look at Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Deftly mixing the legacy of the original trilogy with the prequels and sequels, the special culminates with Rey (Daisy Ridley) brandishing a Sith lightsaber, seemingly seduced by the dark side of the Force.



Disney+'s first live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian has piqued my interest, but may not be available until early 2020 in the UK. So, The Rise of Skywalker is my most anticipated franchise instalment for many reasons. It is the culmination of a cinematic journey that began in 1978, igniting a lifelong love of the creative arts, cherished childhood memories and friendships forged amidst the clash of lightsabers and John Williams' soaring strings.

Is Rey a clone as suggested in The Last Jedi and a puppet of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)? Let me know your theories in the comments below.

The Mandalorian at D23 Expo

The annual D23 Expo has begun and Lucasfilm has released a promotional poster for its first live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian. The lavish artwork harkens back to the original trilogy and The Force Awakens.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Jon Favreau (Iron Man) said:

“I’m trying to evoke the aesthetics of not just the original trilogy. Not just the first film, but the first act of the first film. What was it like on Tatooine? What was going on in that cantina? That has fascinated me since I was a child, and I love the idea of the darker, freakier side of Star Wars, the Mad Max aspect of Star Wars.”

Alongside the poster, a long-awaited trailer was also released. The Mandalorian evokes the grit of Firefly and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.



Favreau previously shed light on the production process powered by ILM TV, which was founded for Disney+ content including Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios' spin-offs.

“In The Mandalorian because we’re doing live-action production, we’re using the Epic game engine and using that to do real-time in-camera visual effects. So if you visited the set for The Mandalorian you would’ve seen a completely video-wall wrapped stage and we were in there filming the characters in the foreground, and oftentimes either blue screen or full digital versions of set extensions in the background with Parallax, because the positional data of the camera was informing the backgrounds, so it was like a translight that had perspective. So that allowed us to have environments—as long as we could build them digitally and put enough work into planning it, we could have the game engine be used for creating effects in a timeframe that allows us to get a TV season done.”

Here is the official synopsis for The Mandalorian:

"After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic."

The Star Wars news at D23 doesn't end there. Ewan McGregor appeared on stage alongside Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy to announce he's reprising the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for Disney+. Mic drop. And The Clone Wars returns in February 2020.

The Mandalorian is exclusive to Disney+ when it launches in the US, Canada and the Netherlands 12th November and Australia and New Zealand 19th November.

Ewan McGregor back as Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+?

This is the Disney+ Star Wars live-action series fans are looking for. If the rumours are true, Ewan McGregor is about to reprise the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

This isn't the first time the actor has been linked to a return to a galaxy far, far away... A Kenobi spin-off movie was highly-anticipated but seemingly shuttered in the wake of Solo: A Star Wars Story's dismal box office success.

McGregor's portrayal of a younger Kenobi was a highlight of George Lucas' prequel trilogy. The untitled Kenobi series will join Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian and a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story focussing on Cassian Andor and K-2SO on Disney+.

With The Rise of Skywalker closing the 9-part Skywalker saga, fans may see McGregor sooner as a Force ghost this holiday season. Further news regarding the Kenobi series is expected at the D23 Expo.

Disney+ launches 12th November in the US with The Mandalorian.

Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian, the first live-action Star Wars series for Disney+, doesn't air until 12th November. However, executive producer Jon Favreau (The Lion King) is already hard at work on the second season for the House of Mouse's nascent streaming service.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Favreau said:

“It’s honestly like turning over your toy chest and playing with all the Star Wars toys together. We’re having a great time. It’s all-new characters. It’s going to be on Disney+ coming up in the fall. And we’re done with the first season. I was actually writing part of the second season now.”

Favreau reiterated The Mandalorian is set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The Empire has fallen and the galaxy is in chaos. The story follows a lone Mandalorian warrior (Pedro Pascal). Other cast members include Giancarlo Esposito, Nick Nolte, Gina Carano as Cara Dune, Emily Swallow, Werner Herzog, Omid Abtahi and Carl Weathers as Greef Carga.



A sneak peek at The Mandalorian will be shown during the D23 Expo next month.

Use the Force of AR in Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

App-enabled devices are de rigueur and soon you will be able to hone your lightsaber skills with Star Wars: Jedi Challenges announced at the D23 Expo.



Star Wars: Jedi Challenges is a technological partnership between Disney and Lenovo that sees staples of the franchise utilised in a headset paired with a smartphone. For example players will be able to experience a game of holochess or wield a lightsaber.

The impressive augmented reality (AR) suite does not have a release date, but Force Friday II is 1st September to celebrate Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges surpasses Kinect Star Wars and will surely be a must-have for fans this holiday season.

Behind-the-scenes of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Lucasfilm has released a thrilling behind-the-scenes sizzle reel for director Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the D23 Expo.



Johnson was joined on stage by cast members Daisy Ridley (Rey) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).

Fans will have to wait a little longer for a new trailer. It's all about building excitement.

Star Wars Land first look at D23 Expo

A year ago I was at Star Wars Celebration Europe in sweltering heat.

From acting as an unofficial tour guide for fellow fans en route to the ExCeL London to meeting childhood heroes amidst an inclusive community from around the world. Star Wars Celebration Europe was the best convention I've attended and you can read all about it here.

Fast forward a year. D23 Expo starts today in Anaheim and Disney's given fans a sneak peek at the company's upcoming Star Wars Land announced in 2015. “This is the most ambitious land we’ve built to date,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney’s parks division at the unveiling. Fans will be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon. The Star Wars attraction opens in theme parks 2019.



Star Wars fans (myself included) are hoping there'll be official movie news at D23 Expo. Director Rian Johnson has teased on Twitter he'll be in attendance. It would be a surprise if there's no new footage from The Last Jedi. Fans are speculating there'll be an Obi-Wan movie spin-off announcement to deflect from the controversy surrounding the Han Solo movie slated for release next May.

What Star Wars news are you hoping for? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi won't be at SDCC

San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is this month and The Unofficial San Diego Comic-Con Blog reports that Star Wars: The Last Jedi won't be there.

The blog reached out to Lucasfilm who replied: “Our presence at SDCC 2017 will be focused on our booth on the convention floor, so there will be no press events or interview opportunities this year.”

Instead, the upcoming sequel to The Force Awakens is expected to be showcased a week earlier during Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim. This isn't a big surprise as Star Wars Celebration was only a few months ago and is on the back of Lord and Miller's sacking from the Han Solo spin-off, which Ron Howard is now helming.

Are you disappointed The Last Jedi isn't at SDCC? Let me know in the comments below.

First Order assembles in The Force Awakens TV Spot

The first TV Spot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiered on South Korean television and was posted to the official YouTube channel.

New footage depicts a rally of The First Order, featuring Captain Phasma and Stormtroopers, followed by a montage taken from the first two teaser trailers.



This weekend's D23 Expo, a Comic-Con for Disney aficionados, may see further footage from the highly-anticipated seventh movie in the Star Wars franchise.