Darth Vader's lightsaber sells for millions

Darth Vader's legendary lightsaber sets a new auction record for Star Wars.

The iconic character’s screen-matched primary duelling lightsaber that was used in the films Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi sold for $3,654,000 when it hit the block from Propstore in Los Angeles on Thursday, becoming the highest-valued piece from the Star Wars franchise ever up for auction. The winning bid came in at a franchise record of $2,900,000 and reached the final total with the additional buyer’s premium that is paid to the auction house.

Brandon Alinger, the COO of the auction house Propstore, which hosted the sale, remarked, "Darth Vader, of course, arguably the most memorable villain of all time. And this is his weapon, the weapon of cinema's most infamous, recognizable, unforgettable villain."

This is said to be the only hero lightsaber from the original Star Wars trilogy to ever hit an auction. The Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction coincides with this year, marking the 45th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

For the fortunate Star Wars fan who claimed Darth Vader's lightsaber, may the Force be with you.

James Earl Jones, voice of Darth Vader, dies

“If you only knew the power of the dark side…” James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars and so much more, has passed away aged 93.

“James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit,” says George Lucas, creator of Star Wars. “For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us...friends and fans alike.”

It's impossible to imagine anyone else as the voice of Darth Vader - the biggest bad of them all. However, Jones was always humble about the role that immortalised him in popular culture.

“The rumor is that he thought of Orson Welles,” recalled Jones. “And then probably thought that Orson might be too recognizable, so what he ends up picking is a voice that was born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, and was a stutterer. And, that happened to be my voice.”

Upon Star Wars' original release in 1977, David Prowse was credited as Darth Vader and Jones' involvement was uncredited to preserve the mystique surrounding the evil Lord of the Sith. This was changed in time for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The combination of Prowse's physicality and Jones' baritone was Force lightning in a bottle.

Personally, listening to Jones' velvet tones helped with speech therapy during rehabilitation following a life-changing head injury in primary school in 1977. Along with the late Richard Burton (Where Eagles Dare), he would be instrumental in inspiring a lifelong love of oration. Culminating in an English GSCE Oral Grade 1 in school.

Like many Star Wars fans, I will be forever thankful for Jones' contribution to my life.

What are your memories of James Earl Jones? Let me know in the comments below.

Imperial March celebrates the Dark Side

Celebrate Imperial March and the march to May the 4th with Star Wars products inspired by the galaxy's most infamous villains!

Our friends at Hasbro have sent over the latest reveals for Star Wars: The Black Series and Star Wars: The Vintage Collection!

These reveals are part of Lucasfilm’s month-long product unveiling celebration kicking off today which will reveal new action figures, toys, collectables, apparel, accessories and more with a spotlight on the villains of the Star Wars galaxy.

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER 3-PACK

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $74.99 / Available: Spring 2024)

STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER 3-pack, inspired by the characters’ appearances in the STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER video game. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order tells the story of Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, one of the last Jedi, who must do whatever it takes to survive. The characters included in the pack include Cal Kestis (Inquisitor Vision), Second Sister Inquisitor and Purge Trooper. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 3 figures and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including the Second Sister Inquisitor’s Lightsaber, Cal Kestis’ double-bladed Lightsaber and the Purge Trooper’s electrohammer.

Available for pre-order 3/14 at 1pm ET exclusively at Amazon (affiliate link).

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION CAPTAIN ENOCH & THRAWN’S NIGHT TROOPERS

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $54.99 / Available: Summer 2024)

Set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka follows former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION CAPTAIN ENOCH & THRAWN’S NIGHT TROOPERS figure pack inspired by the characters’ appearances in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. These figures feature premium detail, entertainment-inspired collector grade deco (including unique helmet and suit deco on all 4 figures) and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line. Includes 4 figures and 4 entertainment-inspired accessories including blasters.

Available for pre-order 3/14 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon (affiliate link) and additional fan channel retailers. Also available at DisneyStore.com at a later date.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION DARTH VADER

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99 / Available: Summer 2024)

During the Galactic Civil War, Darth Vader set out to find the Rebel Alliance’s secret location and retrieve the schematics of the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION DARTH VADER figure (VC #334) inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and 4 entertainment-inspired accessories including 2 alternate hands and his signature red-bladed Lightsaber.

Available for pre-order 3/14 at 1pm ET at Amazon (affiliate link), Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth, and other major retailers.

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION STORMTROOPER

(HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99 / Available: Summer 2024)

Donning sleek white armor, stormtroopers are elite shock troopers fanatically loyal to the Empire and impossible to sway from the Imperial cause. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION STORMTROOPER figure (VC #231) inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. This figure features premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes figure and entertainment-inspired blaster accessory.

Available for pre-order 3/14 at 1pm ET at Amazon (affiliate link), Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth, and other major retailers.

LEGO Executor Super Star Destroyer

LEGO Star Wars micro-scale builds are ideal for mindful moments. And fan-favourite Executor Super Star Destroyer is going to be an excellent addition to any desk or bookshelf display on Star Wars Day!

Darth Vader's flagship Super Star Destroyer first appeared in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. This new LEGO Star Wars building set commemorates the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and is much more affordable and occupies far less space than the UCS Super Star Destroyer.

LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer is available from LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

Using VIP Points, I'll be ordering LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer on May the 4th. Will you be adding it to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

James Earl Jones retires from Star Wars

According to Vanity Fair, James Earl Jones is retiring as the voice of Darth Vader.

The legendary actor, aged 91, has voiced one of pop culture's greatest villains since the original Star Wars in 1977.

Jones' unmistakable baritone will continue to be heard in the Star Wars franchise. He's given Lucasfilm express permission to use his voice via Respeecher.

The Ukrainian-based company's technology was used in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and most recently in the Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off series.

Listening to Jones' iconic voice helped with my speech therapy following a life-changing head injury 45 years ago, and I will be eternally grateful.

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.

Hayden Christensen talks Darth Vader

"I am not your failure, Obi-Wan! You didn't kill Anakin Skywalker... I did." Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi concluded on Wednesday with a haunting finale filled with nostalgic Force feels on Disney+.

Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader) appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to discuss his original casting in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and return as Darth Vader in the special event series directed by Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian).



Overall, I thought Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi was the perfect, mythological, farewell to a fan-favourite character played brilliantly by Ewan McGregor. The spin-off series may have redeemed the prequels for some fans, as it was a genuine thrill to see Kenobi training Anakin Skywalker in flashback before Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Their tragic tale reaches its zenith in an unforgettable duel between Kenobi and Darth Vader that nightmarishly meshed Christensen's and James Earl Jones' (purportedly via Respeecher) voices.

However, there's more to Darth Vader's story. And we'll see Christensen next in Star Wars: Ahsoka in 2023 on Disney+.

Did you enjoy Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi? Would you like to see a Darth Vader spin-off series? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer on Star Wars Day

"May the 4th be with you!" Lucasfilm has dropped an official trailer for Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Star Wars Day, teasing a rematch between the titular Jedi Master and his fallen apprentice, Darth Vader.



Read the official synopsis:

"The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader."

The upcoming 6-part Star Wars special event series, directed by Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian), sees Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from George Lucas' prequel trilogy. The Book of Boba Fett utilised flashbacks and how cool would it be to see Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in their prime alongside Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) during The Clone Wars?

As with previous Star Wars merchandising events Force Friday and Bring Home the Bounty, Lucasfilm has announced "Obi-Wan Wednesdays". New products from Hasbro, LEGO, Mattel and more will be announced each week starting 25th May through 29th June.

“Star Wars fans are gearing up for a fresh look at the roots of the iconic battle between the light side and dark side with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and these new products will give them a chance to revisit favorite characters, as well as celebrate new moments as this epic story continues,” said Paul Southern, senior vice president, Franchise & Licensing, Lucasfilm, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing.

In related news. Apple has released a film to celebrate Star Wars Day. Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound. Showing fans (myself included) how the talented artists at Skywalker Sound use Mac to bring to life sounds from the Star Wars universe and beyond.



Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres with two episodes exclusively on Disney+ on 27th May.

What did you think of the official Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars in Total Film

With only a few weeks to go until Star Wars Celebration and Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+, Total Film magazine has released exclusive images from the latest live-action spin-off series set in a galaxy far, far away...

Much was made of the Grand Inquisitor's (Rupert Friend) appearance in the teaser trailer for Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Frankly, the fan-favourite big bad from Star Wars Rebels looks ready to hunt down and destroy all remaining Jedi.

Obi-Wan Kenobi sees Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from George Lucas' prequel trilogy. Disney+ is the perfect platform to fully explore the tragedy of Obi-Wan Kenobi's greatest failure: losing Anakin Skywalker to the dark side and the rise of an evil Empire.

"It was nice to come back and to bridge that gap between me and Alec Guinness. I got as much, or more, out of playing him this time than I did in the first three movies put together," McGregor told Total Film magazine. "That’s to do with the writing, and the people we were making the series with, and the technology, and how different everything is."

In an interview with Total Film, director Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) debunked an appearance from Darth Maul and explained the rationale behind bringing back Darth Vader.

“For anybody trying to tell a story in the middle of these two trilogies, there were only certain elements that made sense in where [Obi-Wan] is,” Chow said. “With a lot of the legacy aspects, the decision to bring Vader into it was not made lightly. We’re 10 years after Revenge of the Sith. Where is Obi-Wan’s starting place? What has been important to him in his life? Anakin and Vader are a huge and very profound part of his life. We ended up feeling that he made sense in telling this story. And Vader casts such a dark shadow in this, that to have Maul as well, it might be a little bit much.”

Christensen will appear next in the Star Wars: Ahsoka spin-off series.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres with two episodes exclusively on Disney+ on 27th May.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars Day, the return of Star Wars Celebration and seeing Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan Kenobi at Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi will now premiere on Disney+ during Star Wars Celebration.

Today's announcement was made by the titular Jedi Master himself, Ewan McGregor.



Read the official synopsis:

"The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader."

Obi-Wan Kenobi sees Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from George Lucas' prequel trilogy. Disney+ is the perfect platform to fully explore the tragedy of Obi-Wan Kenobi's greatest failure: losing Anakin Skywalker to the dark side and the rise of an evil Empire.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres with two episodes exclusively on Disney+ on 27th May.

Are you looking forward to seeing Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ and the return of Star Wars Celebration? Let me know in the comments below.

Enter Darth Vader

This week's Star Wars news has provided some much-needed hope.

Star Wars Celebration returns in May and Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, starring Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi Master, is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly (EW).

Culminating in a Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi teaser trailer and the first look at Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen), which evokes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

When EW asked whether Hayden Christensen might be making an appearance in the Star Wars special event series unmasked, the prequel trilogy star teased, “I wish I could tell you. I’m sworn to secrecy.”

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 25th May.

Are you excited to see Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader duel once more? Let me know in the comments below.

Return of a Jedi in Obi-Wan Kenobi

On Wednesday, Lucasfilm dropped a teaser trailer for Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+. Nothing prepared me for this.



Read the official synopsis:

"The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader."

Obi-Wan Kenobi sees Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from George Lucas' prequel trilogy.

With the combination of Industrial Light & Magic's (ILM) StageCraft and director Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) at the helm of the six-part special event series, there's an opportunity to fully explore the tragedy of Obi-Wan Kenobi's greatest failure and the rise of an evil Empire in the wake of Order 66.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 25th May.

From John Williams' iconic Duel of the Fates to the Inquisitors from Star Wars Rebels. I'm ready. Are you? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan Kenobi in Entertainment Weekly

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi is the cover story for Entertainment Weekly (EW). This coincides with the launch of an official Twitter account and rumours of a teaser trailer dropping later today.

Speaking exclusively to EW, Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) says, "We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken, and faithless, and beaten, somewhat given up."

Very little is known about the six-part special event series set a decade after the cataclysmic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. However, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen will reprise the roles of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader respectively.

Disney+ is the perfect platform to fully explore the tragedy of Obi-Wan Kenobi's greatest failure: losing Anakin Skywalker to the dark side and the rise of an evil Empire.



Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 25th May.

Are you looking forward to seeing Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader clash on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan Kenobi duels Darth Vader

LRM Online exclusively reports Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) will clash twice in the upcoming Star Wars spin-off on Disney+!

The site goes on to suggest battles between the former friends will rival the very best lightsaber duels from the franchise's storied history. With the combination of Industrial Light & Magic's (ILM) StageCraft and director Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) at the helm of the six-part special event series, there's no reason to be in any doubt.

Understandably, some fans are confused as to why these titans of sci-fi clashed, again, before the original Star Wars trilogy? However, in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader suggests to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) that his former friend and mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had tried to turn him back from the dark side of the Force.

Therefore, there's plenty of storytelling scope during the intervening years between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope. This is an opportunity to fully explore the tragedy of Obi-Wan Kenobi's greatest failure and the rise of an evil Empire.

I'd be very surprised if Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) doesn't make an appearance along with Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) as a Force ghost and Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits).

The Book of Boba Fett utilised flashbacks and how cool would it be to see Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in their prime alongside Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) during The Clone Wars?

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 25th May.

Are you looking forward to the latest live-action Star Wars spin-off series? Let me know in the comments below.

Obi-Wan on 45th anniversary of Star Wars

Hello there! On Wednesday, The Book of Boba Fett had barely closed before Lucasfilm announced when Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres on Disney+.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi won't be released on Star Wars Day as many fans (myself included) thought. Instead, it will coincide with the 45th anniversary of the North American release of the original Star Wars movie directed by George Lucas.

Very little is known about the six-part special event series set a decade after the cataclysmic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. However, Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen will reprise the roles of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader respectively.

"I always felt there was a story between Episode III where I finished playing Obi-Wan in the movies and Episode IV where Alec Guinness is Obi-Wan Kenobi," Ewan McGregor said during an interview with Forbes magazine.

Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. Edgerton and Piesse played the ill-fated Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru respectively in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres exclusively on Disney+ on 25th May.

Are you looking forward to the latest live-action Star Wars spin-off series? Let me know in the comments below.

May the Fourth be with Obi-Wan Kenobi

Marvel Comics has announced a new Star Wars: Obi-Wan 5-issue miniseries, written by Christopher Cantwell with art by Ario Anindito coming this May. I'll use a Jedi mind trick on Nick Smith for a review.

"Writing Yoda was surreal. Getting that speech pattern right isn’t as easy as it sounds. And I’ve always loved Qui-Gon. He’s my favorite part of the prequels and such a fascinating character. Anakin proved trickier, because he’s as multifaceted as a diamond." Cantwell told StarWars.com. "But it’s been a joy touching upon them all, and also playing with some beloved alien species and even creating a couple new characters that I think integrate well into the larger universe."

This coincides with Star Wars Day and it's rumoured the Disney+ live-action series, starring Ewan McGregor as the titular Jedi Master, will premiere on May the Fourth.

Very little is known about the six-part special event series directed by Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian). However, Hayden Christensen will reprise the role of Darth Vader.

Read the official synopsis for Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi:

“The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.”

Spoiler warning for The Book of Boba Fett currently streaming on Disney+.

Anticipation for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series is fever pitch. More so since the appearance of Ahsoka, Luke Skywalker, Mandalorian, Grogu and Cad Bane in The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau are weaving George Lucas' galactic tapestry together.

There's a renewed level of excitement surrounding the storied franchise comparable to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Obi-Wan Kenobi first look on Disney+ Day

"Obi-Wan once thought as you do..." During the first-ever Disney+ Day celebration, Lucasfilm has officially released a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off series after the sizzle reel leaked online yesterday.

Very little is known about the special event series directed by Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian).

“We couldn’t tell the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi without addressing Anakin or Vader,” teases the director in the exclusive preview on Disney+.

It's fair to assume the long-standing theory that Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) will duel Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) before Star Wars: A New Hope, as implied in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, will be proven correct. Also, Inquisitors?

“It’s not safe,” Chow says. “There’s Jedi hunters out there.”

Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. Edgerton and Piesse played the ill-fated Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru respectively in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

In related news. Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett documentary is now streaming on Disney+, and the sequel to Willow is currently in production with Warwick Davis reprising the titular role.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi streams exclusively on Disney+ in 2022 along with the third season of The Mandalorian. The Book of Boba Fett debuts this December on Disney+.

I'm ready to see the former friends' duel again, are you? Let me know in the comments below.

Marvel's summer of Star Wars

With only a few weeks to go until The Book of Boba Fett debuts on Disney+, Nick Smith, our US-based stellar scribe, catches up with the notorious bounty hunter in Marvel Comics.

Guest post by Nick Smith

"I will not give up my favourite decoration. I like Captain Solo where he is." – Jabba the Hutt

Recently my office has been decorated with copies of the Marvel Star Wars crossover, War of the Bounty Hunters. Nobody converges summer titles like Marvel – see Secret Wars, House of M and Civil War for evidence – and this year it’s Luke Skywalker’s turn to face his stablemates in books like Doctor Aphra, Darth Vader and IG-88.

Doctor Aphra is the weakest link, with a throwaway plot and underdeveloped characters. The saving grace is Federico Sabbatini’s art in issue 14 (‘Repeat Offenders’), echoing Cynthia Martin’s playful pencils on the original Star Wars comic.

Bounty Hunters and Darth Vader are both well-written, with stronger character development and a sense that there’s plenty of plot to unfold. Valance the hunter thinks there’s still a chance to save Han Solo, even though the smuggler is encased in carbonite and held by the Crimson Dawn syndicate.

Meanwhile, Vader apparently wants to prove himself to the Emperor before he’s usurped by Luke as Palpatine’s number one youngling killer. Ochi of Bestoon comes across as Star Wars’ answer to Deadpool, a wisecracking sidekick to the Lord of the Sith. The cast of Darth Vader all have their own agendas and shift alliances like the sand around a sarlacc.

Some of the major combatants in this war get their own one-shots, although Zuckuss and 4-LOM share an issue called ‘Zuckuss Must Die!’. We learn a lot about Zuckuss and his relationship with his droid buddy – which is not necessarily a good thing.

Like Boba Fett, part of the bounty hunters’ appeal is their mystery. They are alien, not like us with our concerns about friendship (Zuckuss), love (Dengar) or loyalty (Valance). Playing with their Kenner action figures, kids could insert these blank-slate characters into any scenario they wished. To humanize the hunters is to do them a disservice. But how else are the writers supposed to tell stories about these space-cold killers?

The flagship Star Wars comic continues to capture the feel of the original movie trilogy. Issue 15, ‘Friends and Enemies,’ revolves around a Starlight Squadron dogfight for that good old Beggar’s-Canyon-back-home feeling.

As crossovers go, there are scant new ideas and War of the Bounty Hunters feels exceptionally slow and dragged-out. The main plot doesn’t go anywhere for months at a time. The decision to centre the action around an auction in a non-linear fashion hobbles the writers, although they obviously have fun inserting their characters into a galactic bidding war for Han Solo.

Plus we know how events will turn out since editors Mark Paniccia and Tom Groneman announced that the very first issue in this series would shed, ‘new light on Boba’s journey from Cloud City to Tatooine.’

Whilst this particular war doesn’t merit dozens of issues, it does provide some great set pieces worthy of George Lucas’ classic saga. It offers a chance to see 4-LOM become a giant metal spider, reveals Boushh’s background and shows how Chewbacca feels about Lando after Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

The overall quality of the storytelling and art bodes well for the comics once they’re free from being mashed between two immutable movies.

Anakin Skywalker returns in Star Wars: Ahsoka

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) exclusively reports Hayden Christensen will reprise the role of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Ahsoka Tano was Anakin Skywalker's apprentice during Star Wars: The Clone Wars before she turned her back on the Jedi Order. Later, they would clash in Star Wars Rebels when Skywalker succumbs to the dark side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader.

Rosario Dawson (The Mandalorian) is starring as fan-favourite Ahsoka Tano in the upcoming live-action spin-off series on Disney+.

Christensen will appear first in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ in 2022.

Are you afraid of the Darth?

As part of its Hallowstream celebration, Disney+ announced in August LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales, which is in the spirit of last year's LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special.

An official trailer for the upcoming Halloween special dropped today.



Read the official synopsis:

“Poe and BB-8 must make an emergency landing on the volcanic planet Mustafar where they meet the greedy and conniving Graballa the Hutt who has purchased Darth Vader’s castle and is renovating it into the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel. While waiting for his X-Wing to be repaired, Poe, BB-8, Graballa, and Dean (a plucky and courageous young boy who works as Graballa’s mechanic) venture deep into the mysterious castle with Vader’s loyal servant, Vaneé. Along the way, Vaneé shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of Star Wars. As Vaneé spins his tales and lures our heroes deeper into the shadowy underbelly of the castle, a sinister plan emerges. With the help of Dean, Poe and BB-8 will have to face their fears, stop an ancient evil from rising, and escape to make it back to their friends.”

LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales stars Jake Green as Poe Dameron, Raphael Alejandro as Dean, Dana Snyder as Graballa the Hutt, Tony Hale as Vaneé, Christian Slater as Ren, Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as NI-L8 and Matt Sloan as Darth Vader.

Like the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales is a follow-up to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and streams exclusively on Disney+ from 1st October.

Are you looking forward to LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales this Halloween? Let me know in the comments below.