Solo: A Star Wars Story channels Firefly in new trailer

Lucasfilm has released the official trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story ahead of the forthcoming film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Director Ron Howard's standalone Star Wars movie evokes Joss Whedon's short-lived Firefly sci-fi series, which spawned a movie spin-off, and that's a good thing, a very good thing.



The Star Wars spin-off stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo and Paul Bettany.

I've got a (really) good feeling about this and its appeal maybe broader than Rian Johnson's divisive The Last Jedi now available for the home market. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is in cinemas 25th May.

Doctor Who's farewell to Rose voted best sci-fi scene

SFX Magazine readers have voted David Tennant and Billie Piper's goodbye in Doctor Who episode Journey's End the greatest scene in sci-fi history. It's difficult to disagree.

“It all came together so perfectly in this scene that people still talk to me about it with misty eyes all these years later,” said Tennant on the triumph.

“I suspect they always will. Whatever else I do and wherever else I end up, this will be a moment I will be forever proud to look back on.”

SFX added that the winning moment struck a chord with viewers. “We’ve all had to bid farewell to someone we care about, even if it wasn’t forced upon us by the threat of universal destruction, and this eye-moistening moment perfectly encapsulates the agony of break-up,” the magazine said.

Top 5 greatest sci-fi scenes according to the SFX poll are:

1). Doctor Who - The Doctor and Rose say farewell.
2). Avengers Assemble - The Hulk beats up Loki.
3). Alien - the alien bursts from John Hurt's chest.
4). Firefly - a bad guy gets kicked into an engine intake.
5). The Empire Strikes Back - Luke Skywalker learns that Darth Vader is his father.

I'm amazed Spock's death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan didn't make the top five!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Nathan Fillion to cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy

Director James Gunn confirmed the Firefly star has a brief cameo in the upcoming movie, as a favour to Gunn, via Twitter.

Guardians of the Galaxy is released on July 31 in the UK and August 1 in the US.

Are you excited for Nathan Fillion's cameo? Let me know in the comments below.

Super Glau

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is to be renewed!

The Sarah Connor Chronicles mines the rich seams of Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (eschewing Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which is notable for its brave Planet of the Apes ending).

Although the series, currently airing on Virgin 1 in the UK, has yet to truly capitivate me in the manner of Lost or The Big Bang Theory. The ever-enigmatic Summer Glau (best known as River from Firefly/Serenity) is a revelation as a Terminator! Her otherworldy performance, as Cameron, is pitch perfect and scene stealing! The fight scenes are more than a match for the franchises big screen origins!

The intrinsic potential is there, but in the absence of James Cameron and Linda Hamilton...

Giving You Up

Kylie's next single reminds me of Madonna's Can't Stop (taken from the Who's That Girl soundtrack). And that's no bad thing in my considered opinion. The video is excellent and the online making of documentary features a prominently placed Apple PowerBook. Subliminal advertising doesn't get much better than this.

The XBOX replacement cord arrived in time to play Dead or Alive Ultimate, which is now part of the pantheon of seminal fighters. Ultimate includes DOA, but DOA2 is draped in the finery of DOA3 and, in many ways, outshines the second sequel. When Team Ninja turns its attention to DOA4 (XBOX 2?) Sega's Virtua Fighter better be prepared!

Now that the Skywalker family saga ends (theatrically) in May and Star Trek *YAWN* has been retired, what Sci-Fi franchise(s) will take their place? According to press speculation eyes are now firmly fixed on Joss Whedon's Serenity movie: the first part of a proposed trilogy!

Serenity is based on characters and situations from Firefly (2002). The short-lived television series took its toll on Whedon (arguably diluting both Buffy and Angel) and most likely contributed to the termination of his lucrative development deal with Fox. Having only watched a couple of episodes of Firefly, I decided to purchase the DVD box set (along with Roswell S1) in Exeter's Virgin Megastore. At £14.99 I didn't consider it an expensive outlay and it's nice to have Whedon's canon available for reference.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Last evening's party, in Cornwall, was a resounding success. The only fly in the ointment was continuously interrupted sleep! Last year I was awoken by the sound of the hotel fire alarm (a hoax) and this year it was the turn of a too loud TV left on all night! The dulcet tones of Sarah McLachlan - Afterglow Live - eased my chagrin. The season of goodwill indeed!

ScummVM was updated to 0.7.0 just in time for the holiday. And Atari fans can indulge in some XL/XE/XEGS nostalgia. There was a time, long ago, when I drooled at the prospect of playing Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus! on Atari 8-bit. You too can take on the insidious Jaggies once again.



Tonight, as Mariah Carey emotes festive feelings, I'm adding the finishing touches to an end of year backup image. This will be burnt to DVD before the New Year.

White Flag

Angel ended last night without closure! Whilst some have regarded this as a controversial editorial decision. IMHO it works. Fangs for the memories and lets hope that future movies are a possibility. Joss Whedon's Firefly is the first of his franchises (since the original Buffy) to return to the big screen.