Star Wars R2-D2 from Gentle Giant at SDCC

It's San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) this week and Gentle Giant is bringing an exclusive R2-D2 (Droid Factory) jumbo action figure along!

Read the official description:

"It's R2-D2 as you remember him! For the first time, Gentle Giant LTD is releasing R2-D2 as you saw him in the 1979 Droid Factory set. Measuring approximately 7 inches tall, R2 comes with a removable third leg, so he can cruise around Mos Eisley like he owns the place! This exclusive figure comes packaged in a full-color box. Playset not included."

Kenner's vintage R2-D2 action figure was the first Star Wars toy I owned 45 years ago. There's an homage to the fan-favourite toy in Star Wars live-action spin-off series Ahsoka on Disney+.

Will you be getting Gentle Giant's exclusive R2-D2 if you're at SDCC? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars: Droids exclusive to Target

Hasbro has announced Star Wars: Droids action figures as part of Lucasfilm’s 50th anniversary celebration.



The Target exclusive features Boba Fett, C-3PO and R2-D2 in Kenner-branded vintage collection packaging. Each 3.75-inch figure includes a coin just like the original toy line, which briefly appeared on store shelves in 1985.





There's also a solitary premium 6-inch Black Series Boba Fett in animated series deco. However, Hasbro's missed a Star Wars Holiday Special trick here.



The Star Wars: Droids animated series was an afterschool favourite and spawned a range of colourful action figures and accessories from Kenner. Alas, by the time of its release in the mid-eighties, I'd outgrown 'childish things' and didn't collect any of them.

The Target exclusive is available on Hasbro Pulse outside of the US. I've already pre-ordered mine for toy photography on Instagram.

Star Wars: Droids is available to stream as part of the Star Wars Vintage Collection on Disney+.

Are these the Star Wars: Droids action figures you’re looking for? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars: Droids coming to Disney+

The Star Wars Vintage Collection launched in April on Disney+ with the Ewoks television movies and animated spin-offs as part of Lucasfilm’s 50th anniversary celebration.

According to the latest Disney+ newsletter, Star Wars: Droids, which was announced for later this year, will be added on 18th June.

I remember watching Star Wars: Droids on Children's BBC around the launch of the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS. All 13 episodes (including the special) of the fan-favourite animated spin-off series, following the adventures of C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 retroactively between Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: A New Hope, will be available to stream.

In related news. Star Wars: A Droid Story is currently in production for Disney+.

Are you looking forward to seeing Star Wars: Droids on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO R2-D2 for May the Fourth

This is the droid building set LEGO Star Wars fans are looking for.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm, LEGO is introducing a new large-scale R2-D2 for May the Fourth AKA Star Wars Day.

Commenting on the new set, Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, creative lead of LEGO Star Wars at the LEGO Group, said: “We have had the pleasure of creating hundreds of Star Wars-inspired models over the past two decades since we first launched LEGO Star Wars sets.

“As Lucasfilm celebrates its 50th anniversary, it seemed fitting to challenge ourselves and push the limits of what is possible with LEGO bricks by recreating a fan-favourite Star Wars character in great detail like we have never achieved before. We are delighted with the result and hope our fans get as much joy out of building the sets as we did designing it.”

R2-D2 is available exclusively from LEGO AU, UK and US (affiliate links) on 1st May. Fans purchasing orders over £85 will receive a free Tattoine Homestead Micro Build.

Will you be adding LEGO R2-D2 to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Luke Skywalker returns in The Mandalorian

Having waited almost a month in the hopes of not spoiling surprises for fellow Star Wars fans, I wanted to share my reaction to Luke Skywalker's return in the second season finale of The Mandalorian on Disney+.

After a torrid year spent self-isolating due to being at high risk from coronavirus, seeing a childhood hero at the peak of their powers during the holiday season was 'emosh', as I originally tweeted without giving anything away to my followers on Twitter.

A week before Christmas, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and the fine folks at Lucasfilm had left this lifelong fan (as well as many others) in tatters and shaking - such was its raw emotional power. Overwhelmingly so.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had answered Grogu's AKA Baby Yoda's summons from an ancient Jedi temple, destroyed Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) Dark Trooper army with aggression worthy of his late father Anakin Skywalker AKA Darth Vader, and would train the tyke in the ways of the Force if he wished to leave Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal).

Grogu decides to follow Luke and the goodbye between the pair evoked the finale of E.T. - the Extra-Terrestrial. As Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) warned, Grogu has formed an attachment to Din and we all know the consequences for a Jedi coupled with what happens to Luke's academy before The Force Awakens.

If that wasn't enough. R2-D2, Luke's faithful droid companion and my first Star Wars action figure, appears. All too much for this fan - at least I spared social media the ugly mess of my live reaction. Triggered by composer Ludwig Göransson effortlessly segueing from an eclectic fusion of Brad Fiedel and Ennio Morricone to John Williams' lush leitmotivs with goosebump-inducing aplomb as a familiar X-wing flies into view.

Looking to the future of The Mandalorian and the live-action spin-offs already announced. It's increasingly clear showrunner Jon Favreau's endgame is to introduce Grand Admiral Thrawn for a live-action Heir to the Empire trilogy adaptation on Disney+.

Author Timothy Zahn's sequel to the original trilogy was released 30 years ago and ushered in a new era for the franchise created by George Lucas.

If so, then we'll see more of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. He's the hero we deserve as hope leads us out of these dark times...

R2-D2 is the droid you're looking for at the V&A

R2-D2, the beloved diminutive droid from the Star Wars saga, is on loan to V&A Dundee from franchise creator George Lucas. The droid is part of the upcoming Hello, Robot exhibition.

Museum curator Kirsty Hassard brought the highly-anticipated exhibition to Dundee: “As part of the Scottish Design Galleries there was a Queen Amidala costume (from Episode II — Attack of the Clones) and I got to courier that back from Skywalker Ranch which was a massive privilege to get to see their stores and to be able to tour around that as well.

“This is the only time it will come to the UK, which is really exciting.

“Since the moment people knew R2-D2 was going to be part of it, there’s been a massive thrill of ‘he’s in the building but he’s still in his crate’ so to have him uncrated has been really exciting.

“A lot of people definitely seem to have quite a lot of affection for him as a character and that’s been really lovely to see.

“I’m sure when he goes upstairs that will be even more exciting.

“We’re expecting big visitor numbers.”

R2-D2 will be appearing alongside his onscreen counterpart, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in cinemas this December.

Barbie in a galaxy far, far away...

In the run-up to the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mattel and Disney have joined forces for a new Star Wars-inspired Barbie collection based on Darth Vader, R2-D2 and, my personal favourite and childhood crush, Princess Leia.

Star Wars x Barbie is an homage to Star Wars: A New Hope. This eponymous collection, inspired by the film’s original concept art, re-imagines iconic characters through a distinctive Barbie high-fashion filter. Darth Vader Barbie reminds me of a female Kylo Ren cosplayer I saw at Star Wars Celebration Europe, which is very cool.

Barbie is no stranger to sci-fi. Kirk, Spock and Uhura dolls were released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek.

The new Star Wars x Barbie figures retail for $100 dollars and are available for pre-order from Amazon.com (affiliate link) and Amazon.co.uk (affiliate link). No doubt these will prove to be very popular with Barbie and Star Wars collectors alike.

Which is your favourite Barbie from the collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Sphero R2-D2's rival R2-Q5 at New York Comic Con

Following the launch of R2-D2 and BB-9E on Force Friday. Sphero has brought R2-Q5 to New York Comic Con (NYCC) this week. The latest app-enabled droid is the dark side version of fan favourite R2-D2.

"R2-Q5™ is an Imperial astromech droid from a galaxy far, far away.... Control it with your smart device or keep this nefarious Droid in top shape with augmented reality training. R2-Q5’s signature front and rear LED lights are fully functional, and an integrated speaker means all sounds come right from the droid itself. Watch R2-Q5 interact with other Star Wars™ App-enabled Droids by Sphero, and view films from the Star Wars saga with R2-Q5 reacting by your side. This special droid has been brought to life thanks to Sphero technology."

The limited edition droid is on sale at NYCC. The Sphero R2-Q5 will be available for pre-order from 10th October, and is available in the UK exclusively at John Lewis from 27th October for £199.99.

Will you be bringing R2-Q5 home for the holidays? Let me know in the comments below.

Sphero introduces R2-D2 for Force Friday II

Sphero BB-8 was introduced on Force Friday in 2015 and the app-enabled droid quickly became a must-have for the holiday season. So much so, I ordered mine from the Disney Store on day-one as it quickly sold out.

Now, Sphero is adding BB-9E from The Last Jedi and, best of all, R2-D2 for Force Friday II. Like BB-8, the latest droids will be able to watch Star Wars movies and television series (via a future update) with fans. R2-D2 includes an integrated speaker. So, the diminutive droid can vocally respond to actions, himself. R2-D2 will retail for £179.99 and is available from Amazon.

The extended app-enabled droid line can interact with each other for added play value. How will BB-8 react to his evil twin, BB-9E, when they come face-to-face on my desktop?



"Since Star Wars became a cultural phenomenon 40 years ago, consumer products have been a critical part of the fan experience, helping to introduce new audiences to the franchise’s rich stories and characters,” said Disney executive Jimmy Pitaro. “Technology-powered storytelling is at the core of the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ product line, and will immerse fans in the Star Wars universe like never before.”

Chris Pirillo, fellow gadget geek and Star Wars fan, has launched a new YouTube channel. Star Wars Radar. It's filled with awesome unboxings from Disney, Sphero, Hasbro and more.



6-year-old me wanted to own an R2-D2 like this in 1978. Almost 40 years later I can.

Will you be attending a midnight store opening? Let me know in the comments below.

Renault rolls out R2-D2 at Monaco GP

George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, appeared with the Renault team during last weekend's Monaco GP.

Lucas was joined by R2-D2, Stormtrooper, TIE Fighter Pilot, and Renault teammates Nico Hulkenberg and Jolyon Palmer to mark the space opera's 40th anniversary, which coincides with Renault's first appearance at the British GP in 1977.

The Force wasn't with Renault.

Duracell Star Wars commercial spreads holiday cheer!

R2-D2 was the first Star Wars action figure gifted to me after being discharged from children's hospital in the winter of 1977. Duracell's latest tie-in with the Star Wars franchise evokes cherished childhood memories with its premise to help raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, in the US, this holiday season.



"We wanted to continue our partnership with Star Wars this year and continue celebrating the power that imaginative play has on kids," Duracell marketing director Ramon Velutini told Adweek. "We came across the most incredible insight: Kids at hospitals continue to act as kids even during tough circumstances, and imaginative play plays a big role in their ability to cope during their healing process."

He adds: "We got the use of a newly opened hospital wing that had yet to be put to use. The exteriors were shot outside of a disused train factory, and all of the Star Wars costumes and gear were flown in separately by Lucasfilm."

The commercial suggests R2-D2 may cameo in the upcoming standalone Star Wars movie.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theatres 16th December.

The Force Awakens soars with Star Wars magic of old

This is the Star Wars movie fans are looking for. Over the summer Jurassic World took an ageing franchise and reinvigorated it into box office gold. Now, the granddaddy of them all enjoys a yuletide homecoming without equal following a ten year absence.

Time enough for the prequels to fade, a change of ownership and fans to focus on events following Return of the Jedi over thirty years ago. Marvel Comics couldn't satiate my yearning to see beloved heroes in new adventures on the big screen. What happened to Luke Skywalker and friends after the defeat of Darth Vader and his Emperor?



Director JJ Abrams had already captured the magic of Steven Spielberg in Super 8 and now George Lucas' saga sees him graduate into the top flight of Hollywood directors.

Fresh from rebooting Star Trek. Abrams' supernatural grasp of the mythology of the original trilogy delivers spectacularly in a superlative sequel brushing shoulders with The Empire Strikes Back during its bleakest moments and equalling A New Hope.

In Abrams' galactic odyssey we witness Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver) rage surpassing sulky Anakin Skywalker in the prequel trilogy and Rey's (Daisy Ridley) reluctance to fathom her mysterious past as she befriends Finn (John Boyega), a disenfranchised First Order Stormtrooper, and leaves behind life as a scavenger on the desert planet of Jakku after rescuing BB-8. The spherical droid newcomer is truly a marvel to behold and takes its rightful place alongside R2-D2 and C-3PO.



Amidst the Arthurian storytelling and beguiling vistas shot on Kodak film, John Williams' sweeping soundtrack for The Force Awakens is triumphant. More than once it prompted bittersweet feelings of nostalgia at seeing Star Wars for the first time with my late mother. A transcendental experience in the wake of childhood trauma in 1977.



Star Wars hadn't opened in the UK when I was admitted into children's hospital following a serious head injury. But, I remember the American neurosurgeon - who saved my life alongside a talented team - saying I had to promise him I'd see Star Wars and gave me a poster of R2-D2 and C-3PO as a parting gift! The promise was kept.

What of Luke Skywalker's fate? That's for fans to discover for themselves. The old and new cast shine with charisma and Daisy Ridley, beautiful and effervescent, carries the movie with an aplomb belying her freshman acting career. The sight of a squadron of X-Wings was met with whoops and cries of delight.



I laughed, cheered and cried watching my most cherished film franchise soar once more. The emotional stakes are raised in a galaxy far, far away...

Thank you for an incredible Christmas gift, JJ!

R2-KT to appear in The Force Awakens

There's a life-affirming story behind the little pink R2 unit, R2-KT, and its subsequent appearance in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and JJ Abrams' upcoming The Force Awakens.

R2-KT memorialises Albin Johnson's young daughter Katie, diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, who passed away in 2005.

At the time of diagnosis, The 501st Legion (which had been co-founded by Johnson in 1997) rallied to his cause and the R2 Builders Club set about building an R2 unit, to be painted pink at the suggestion of his daughter Allie, for Katie. Sadly, the droid wasn't finished in time, but another astromech builder, Andy Schwartz, sent his along to keep a vigil by Katie's bedside.

The completed astromech, presented to Johnson in 2006, has gone on to do great good in Katie's memory and will next be seen on the big screen.

Mary Franklin of Lucasfilm asked me to pitch the idea to Kathleen Kennedy (Lucasfilm President), and after hearing the story of our pink ambassador of hope Lucasfilm requested we ship her off to London early last year. Quick repairs were made and off she went for six months,” Johnson says in his email. While he could not disclose just when we could expect to see the pink droid, he was assured that she will definitely appear.

You can read the full story here. Star Wars fans are the best and I'm proud to be a member of the community since 1977.

Children in Need to use the force in Star Wars special

The force is strong with Pudsey! This year's Children in Need will feature a sketch starring R2-D2, C-3PO, Warwick Davis (Wicket from Return of the Jedi), Lord Sugar and more as the BBC joins forces with Disney and Lucasfilm for the annual fundraising event!

Children in Need will be shown on Friday 13th November on BBC 1 from 7:30PM.

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales coming to Disney XD

The Hollywood Reporter has the exclusive scoop on Disney XD's next foray into Star Wars.

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales will chronicle the adventures of the franchise's lovable droid duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

Here's an extract from the THR article: Set after the Rebel Alliance victory on Endor seen at the end of Return of the Jedi, the droids are regaling the assembly with their adventures that led them to their present situation. An accidental kidnapping leads to a new adventure that progresses to the retelling of the saga in chronological order, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

The five-episode mini-series will air in time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

C-3PO and R2-D2 in Star Wars Rebels

Entertainment Weekly recently interviewed Anthony Daniels and the veteran Star Wars actor talked about Episode VII and Rebels.

"I will tell you that when [director] J.J. Abrams rang me to ask about filming Episode VII, one of the first things he said after he told me how wonderful I was — and that didn’t take long — but he then said, “Would you be interested in being in the film just doing the voice?” I said, “No,” and he said, “Right!” He knew I’d say that. There’s no way I would just do the voice. I also said that it can’t be the same suit. I will tell you that the team then got together and built a new suit. They made an entirely new look-a-like with changes that you will never notice [on screen] that made my life a lot easier. I can get it on and off very quickly. [During the prequels], the only time [Threepio has] been CG was when it was very dangerous [to act in the scene in a suit] — and it wasn’t very good. In fact, I’m going to say it was awful. One of the difficulties is with a character that you know and love so well is that, as a member of the audience, you go, “Oh no, that’s not right. No, he doesn’t move like that.” With me [in the suit], he’s always going to move the same way and have the same reactions, timing, and so on. With CG, you’re working with some brilliant person on the keyboard who is trying to pretend to be me. The only time that has worked without doubt is Disney’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue [theme park ride]. There’s an element in the pre-show which is digital and I cannot tell it’s not me. It’s brilliantly done by Disney. In a cartoon series like Rebels, you accept it because it’s not trying to pretend to be reality. It’s an extension, it’s an exaggeration. On that basis, it’s utterly acceptable — providing the characterization is correct."

Daniels' candour is refreshing and his enthusiasm for both Episode VII and Rebels is infectious.

"It’s very elusive and I’ll tell you: It’s where we’re going now with Episode VII. We’re all back. And it’s great, actually, that Rebels is set before Episode IV because that film is quintessential basic, “This is Star Wars.” And you know George always used to say every time I arrived on set, I would always arrive for the first time back on set in costume, and during the prequels George would say when I arrived on set that “Star Wars has arrived” — because I was the old fashioned link. Rebels is is an old fashion link to the old fashion film, which which we all loved. And you will love Episode VII — I have electrodes strapped to my head to zap me if I say anything more about it."

Read the in-depth interview on EW.

Peter Mayhew returns as Chewbacca in Star Wars

The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively revealed Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) will be joining R2-D2 in Episode VII!

Rumours suggest the new Star Wars movie has already begun shooting. However, no further cast announcements have been made.

Perhaps JJ Abrams is going to wait until May the Fourth to confirm the rest of the returning cast members from the original trilogy?

R2-D2 announces official Star Wars Tumblr

The force is strong with Tumblr!

R2-D2 announced the official launch of Star Wars on the social media site. This is only weeks after Disney launched an official Instagram account.

A statement on the site reads: "Artoo is pleased to announce the launch of our official Tumblr!"

"We promise there won’t be any cat videos… except maybe a Nexu or two."

Star Wars Episode 7 director JJ Abrams recently spoke about the decision to delay the film’s release date back from summer 2015 to December 18, 2015.

JJ Abrams told MTV: "Before I even came on to the project they were talking about 2015," he explained.

"And they made this announcement very early on, which I understand. But it didn’t necessarily have anything to do with the reality of where anything was creatively.

Abrams added: "A release date is great, but you have to release something great. To me, the new release date is a huge improvement."

R2-D2 returns to Star Wars

Bad Robot, JJ Abrams' production company, tweeted the return of R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode VII!

The diminutive droid most recently appeared as space debris in Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness.

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2

If you’re a LEGO Star Wars fan, then this is the droid you’re looking for!

LEGO is releasing a version of R2-D2 as part of the company's Ultimate Collector’s Series. R2-D2 is made from over 2,100 individual pieces, and the attention to detail is pretty awesome.

Ultimate Collector's Series R2-D2 goes on sale in the UK in May and will cost £150GBP. If you can’t wait until then, feast your eyes on the video below for a more detailed look at the galaxy’s favourite astromech droid.