Star Wars: Starfighter is still keeping most of its secrets locked down, but Ryan Gosling just gave away a very telling little detail about the movie’s creature work. Speaking in a recent interview, Gosling said he visited the creature shop early during production so he could see what was being built and figure out ways to interact with those creations in the film. According to him, he ended up spotting one “very special” creature that had originally been meant as a background character, asked if he could have a scene with it, and that moment turned into “one of the most fun scenes” he has ever done. He also said the team later gave him a model of the creature as his wrap gift, and that it is now sitting in his house. A Small Quote That Says a Lot That is not a plot reveal, but it is exactly…
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Hayden Christensen Says His Daughter Still Hasn’t Watched His Star Wars Movies
Hayden Christensen says his daughter still has not really watched his Star Wars movies, and the reason is honestly kind of perfect. Speaking at GalaxyCon, Christensen said she knows he plays “a significant character,” but has still not properly seen the films. According to him, the issue seems to be pretty simple: she knows he becomes Darth Vader, she knows Darth Vader is a bad guy, and she does not want to watch her dad as the villain. A Very Star Wars Parenting Problem It is one of those stories that only really works in Star Wars. For most actors, telling your kid you played an important movie character probably sounds pretty straightforward. For Hayden Christensen, it apparently comes with the added complication that the character eventually becomes one of the most famous villains in film history. That makes this less about franchise legacy and more about a kid understandably…
Kelly Marie Tran Reflects on The Last Jedi Backlash Nearly 10 Years Later
Nearly a decade after Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Kelly Marie Tran is reflecting on the backlash she faced after joining the sequel trilogy — and the biggest change now is how she sees it. Speaking recently about that period, Tran said the hardest part at the time was believing the abuse meant she did not belong. Looking back now, she says the thing she did not understand then was simple: it was not her fault. She also said that after ten years of therapy, support groups, and personal work, she believes she would experience it very differently now. A Star Wars Wound That Never Really Left the Conversation Tran joined The Last Jedi in 2017 as Rose Tico, becoming the first Asian American woman in a leading role in a Star Wars film. In the aftermath, she became the target of racist and sexist harassment online, a response that…
Ryan Gosling Says Star Wars: Starfighter Will Use Practical Puppets
Ryan Gosling has confirmed that Star Wars: Starfighter will feature practical puppets, dropping one of the most reassuringly Star Wars details fans could have hoped to hear this early in the film’s rollout. The comment came during press for Project Hail Mary, when Gosling was asked whether the upcoming Lucasfilm movie would include practical puppets. His answer was brief, slightly cautious, and very on-brand: “Yes… I think I can say that.” That may sound like a tiny production note, but in Star Wars terms, it is not. Puppets, animatronics, suits, and tactile creature work are part of the series’ visual DNA, from the Mos Eisley cantina to Yoda, Jabba, the porgs, Neel in Skeleton Crew, and just about every weird little alien that makes the galaxy feel lived-in. Star Wars has a long history of blending practical creature effects with digital work, and Lucasfilm has continued highlighting that mix in…
J.J. Abrams Says He Wishes General Hux Had a Bigger Role in the Sequel Trilogy
General Hux may be one of the sequel trilogy’s clearest missed opportunities. That conversation is back after J.J. Abrams praised Domhnall Gleeson at the Oscar Wilde Awards and said, “I wish he had a larger role in what we did.” Abrams presented Gleeson at the 20th Oscar Wilde Awards in Hollywood this week. A Quote Star Wars Fans Will Immediately Understand It is a small quote, but it says a lot. Hux was introduced in The Force Awakens as a major First Order figure, with clear tension opposite Kylo Ren and enough presence to feel like a long-term villain. But by the time The Rise of Skywalker arrived, the character’s arc had narrowed sharply. Why Hux Still Gets Talked About Part of the reason fans still bring up Hux is simple: the setup was stronger than the payoff. Back in 2020, Domhnall Gleeson said he wished General Hux had “stuck…
Mercedes Varnado Says Koska Reeves Wasn’t Originally in The Mandalorian Script
Some Star Wars characters arrive with years of canon behind them. Koska Reeves did not. According to a recently resurfaced behind-the-scenes comment from Mercedes Varnado, her The Mandalorian character was not originally in the script. She said Jon Favreau did not initially have a role for her, but later found a way to create one. Koska Reeves Was Created for the Series That detail makes Koska Reeves more interesting than ever, because she was not pulled from older Star Wars canon. When she debuted in Chapter 11, “The Heiress,” she was introduced as a brand-new Mandalorian character made for The Mandalorian, not an existing figure from The Clone Wars or Rebels. Why the Character Worked So Well What makes this reveal stand out is how natural Koska felt on screen. She showed up as part of Bo-Katan’s crew and immediately looked like she belonged in that world. There was no…
Ryan Gosling Says Star Wars: Starfighter Has Its Own Great Story — and That Is Exactly What Fans Need to Hear
There is a very specific kind of Star Wars quote that instantly makes people nervous. It usually sounds like someone involved in a new project saying, “Trust us, it’s special,” which is Hollywood code for “we are not telling you anything useful yet.” Ryan Gosling’s new comments about Star Wars: Starfighter land a little better than that, mostly because they hit the exact concern a lot of fans already have. Speaking to Collider, Gosling said the film has “such a great story on its own,” that the characters are amazing, and that Shawn Levy has the tone locked in. That may not be a plot reveal, but it is a smart reassurance for a movie that really does need to prove it can stand on its own two feet. The “On Its Own” Part Is the Real Headline That is the phrase that matters most here. Not just that Gosling…
Sigourney Weaver Says Colonel Ward Goes Way Back With Leia — and That Suddenly Makes The Mandalorian and Grogu More Interesting
For a while, Colonel Ward felt like one of those Star Wars movie characters who exists mostly as a name, a uniform, and a lot of fan speculation. Sigourney Weaver was in, the trailers showed her looking important, and everyone more or less assumed she would be the serious New Republic authority figure who sends Din Djarin off to deal with a mess. Which, to be fair, still sounds true. But Empire’s new coverage adds one much better detail: Ward apparently has history with Princess Leia. And just like that, she stops feeling like generic “new character in a control room” material and starts feeling like someone with real roots in this era of Star Wars. Colonel Ward Is Not Just Some Random New Republic Officer According to the new Empire details relayed by Jedi News, Weaver says Colonel Ward and Leia “go way back.” That is the kind of…
Empire’s Mandalorian and Grogu Coverage Just Made the Movie Feel a Lot More Real
For a while, The Mandalorian and Grogu has had that slightly weird Star Wars-project energy where everyone knows it exists, everyone knows it is important, but it still somehow feels a little abstract. Not anymore. Empire’s May 2026 issue is a full-on world-exclusive preview, built around new imagery and interviews with Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, and it is very clearly the point where this thing stops feeling like “that Mando movie coming at some point” and starts feeling like an actual event. Empire’s issue went on sale March 12, and Lucasfilm’s official film page still has the release date locked for May 22, 2026. Pedro Pascal Apparently Found Out About the Movie the Same Way We Did The funniest detail to come out of the new coverage might be that Pedro Pascal was not sitting on some giant secret master plan all…
Katee Sackhoff Won’t Confirm Bo-Katan for The Mandalorian and Grogu — But She Says Fans Haven’t Seen the Last of Her
You can always count on Star Wars red carpet interviews to give you the most carefully engineered non-answer in the galaxy. That is exactly what happened when Katee Sackhoff was asked about Bo-Katan Kryze and whether she shows up in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Sackhoff did not confirm it. She did not deny it either. Instead, she pulled the classic “can’t confirm or deny” move — which, in Star Wars terms, is basically the franchise equivalent of waving a beskar key in front of the fandom and then sprinting away. But here is the part that actually matters: she also said fans have not seen the last of Bo-Katan. And honestly? That is the real story here. Bo-Katan Is Not Exactly a Side Character Anymore At this point, Bo-Katan is way past being some deep-cut Clone Wars favorite that only animation nerds argued about online. She is one of the…
Jon Favreau Says Rotta the Hutt Is Basically the Adonis Creed of The Mandalorian and Grogu
There are a lot of ways to describe Jabba the Hutt’s kid. Slimy heir. Underworld legacy act. The galaxy’s weirdest case of nepotism. But Jon Favreau just reached for a much more unexpected comparison. In a new Empire spotlight on The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau compared Rotta the Hutt to Adonis “Donnie” Creed, the Creed franchise boxer who has to build his own identity while carrying the weight of a famous family name. Favreau’s quote gets right to the point: what does it do to a character when he is trying to establish himself while being known first and foremost as Jabba the Hutt’s son? That is actually a pretty smart angle. Rotta Is Not Just Back — He Is Apparently in “Top Form” Favreau’s comments suggest Rotta is not returning as some throwaway easter egg for people who remember The Clone Wars. According to the new details pulled from…
Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon Gets a Behind-the-Scenes Spotlight From Mike Chen and the Game’s Own Voice Cast
Not every Star Wars tie-in gets to feel this connected to the thing it is spinning out from. Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon was already an interesting release because it digs into the past of Jaylen Vrax and ND-5, two characters who left a real impression in Star Wars Outlaws. Now the book is getting a fresh round of attention thanks to a new feature spotlighting author Mike Chen along with Jay Rincon and Eric Johnson, the voices behind ND-5 and Jaylen in the game itself. That alone makes this more than just another “expanded universe” side story. It makes it feel like a proper extension of the Outlaws world. Why Low Red Moon Feels Different There is no shortage of Star Wars books, comics, and side stories floating around the galaxy, but Low Red Moon has something a little more specific going for it. Instead of circling the…
Werner Herzog Says Jon Favreau Personally Invited Him to Play The Client in The Mandalorian
Werner Herzog showing up in The Mandalorian as “The Client” is still one of those wonderfully weird Star Wars casting choices that somehow works perfectly. Now, Herzog has explained how it happened—and it turns out he didn’t audition, compete, or chase the role at all. He was simply invited. “I Never Competed for That Part” In a recent chat (via CinemaBlend), Herzog said Jon Favreau personally asked him to join the series—because Favreau is a genuine fan of Herzog’s films and wanted more people to recognize him on sight: “Well, I never competed for that part. I was invited by Jon Favreau… because he loves my films, and he said people have to see what this man looks like.” That’s such a Favreau move: “I love your work, please come be an Imperial bureaucrat with terrifying vibes.” Herzog Was Also Blown Away by the Tech Herzog also praised how The…
Star Wars: Starfighter Actor Daniel Ings Teases a “Punk” Vibe — and a “Tremendous” Ending
If you’re worried Star Wars: Starfighter is going to be another overly polished, committee-built space opera, actor Daniel Ings just dropped a description that suggests the opposite. In an interview highlighted by ScreenRant, Ings says the upcoming 2027 Star Wars movie has a “punk feel” and that the ending is “tremendous.” That’s… a pretty spicy choice of words for a franchise that usually lives somewhere between mythic fairytale and military sci-fi. What does “punk Star Wars” even mean? “Ings calling it punk” can be read a few ways (and yes, fans are already doing the “define punk” discourse speedrun): And honestly? That vibe would make sense for Starfighter if the movie is truly trying to stand on its own without leaning on legacy characters as a crutch. The “tremendous” ending tease lands in… interesting timing The reason Ings’ comment is turning heads isn’t just the hype — it’s the context….
Jessica Henwick Says Losing Rey Was “For the Best” — And Explains Why She Wouldn’t Have Survived the Instant Fame
Jessica Henwick has opened up again about one of Star Wars’ biggest “almost” casting stories: her audition for Rey in The Force Awakens. In a new interview tied to her upcoming projects (Vladimir and How to Make a Killing), Henwick reflects on the experience with a lot more calm than she had at the time — and says she now believes not landing the role was ultimately the right outcome for her. “I much prefer the slow burn” Henwick confirms she auditioned for Rey before the role went to Daisy Ridley, and admits it hit hard in the moment — but says the hindsight is very different. She explains that she doesn’t think she’s the kind of person who could have handled “that level of exposure that fast,” adding that she prefers building a career more gradually. For Star Wars fans, it’s a fascinating “alternate timeline” moment — especially because…
Temuera Morrison Thought The Book of Boba Fett Would Run for Four Seasons
When The Book of Boba Fett premiered on Disney+ in 2021, it looked like Lucasfilm was building a long-term story around one of the most iconic bounty hunters in the Star Wars galaxy. According to star Temuera Morrison, that was exactly what he expected as well. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that while filming the series he assumed the story would continue for multiple seasons — possibly as many as four. Morrison Expected a Long Run for the Series Speaking about his experience working on the show with co-star Ming-Na Wen, Morrison admitted that he thought the series was just getting started. “When you do a series like Boba Fett and work with Ming-Na [Wen], I started to think, ‘Man, this is it. I’m away. Season 2, 3, 4.’” Instead, The Book of Boba Fett ended after a single seven-episode season, leaving many fans wondering whether the story…
Ryan Gosling Says Star Wars: Starfighter Is a “Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity”
Ryan Gosling is opening up about what convinced him to step into the Star Wars universe — and it wasn’t just the franchise name. The award-nominated actor, known for roles in Barbie, Blade Runner 2049, and Project Hail Mary, revealed that he had avoided major franchise films for much of his career. That changed when Star Wars: Starfighter came along. In a recent interview, he described the project as something that finally felt right — a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” What Made This Star Wars Role Different Speaking with io9, Gosling said that what ultimately drew him to Starfighter was not simply joining a blockbuster franchise, but the vision, enthusiasm, and script presented by director Shawn Levy. “It was Shawn’s enthusiasm and his vision and the script… and it is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Gosling explained. He also admitted he had intentionally steered clear of long-running franchise fare before, because nothing had…
The Acolyte Showrunner Clarifies Sith Canon, Ki-Adi-Mundi & Script Approval
New insight has emerged from the creative team behind Star Wars: The Acolyte, and showrunner Leslye Headland just dispelled a few of the biggest questions fans have had about the series’ place in Star Wars canon. In a recent interview with The George Lucas Talk Show, Headland addressed everything from the nature of Qimir’s Force identity to the controversial appearance of Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, offering reassurance that the series is fully aligned with Star Wars lore as defined by Lucasfilm. (Source: JediNews, The HoloFiles) Here’s what we learned. Qimir Was “Not a True Sith” One of the biggest points of confusion after The Acolyte’s first season was the true nature of the mysterious antagonist Qimir. Despite early speculation that she was a Sith — potentially the last of an ancient Sith lineage — Headland confirmed she was not a true Sith in the strict canonical sense. This distinction matters in…
39 Finished Star Wars Episodes Were Never Released — And Probably Never Will Be
One of the strangest lost chapters in Star Wars history just resurfaced. More than 39 fully completed episodes of the animated series Star Wars: Detours were finished years ago — but never released. And according to creator Seth Green, fans shouldn’t expect them to appear anytime soon. Yes, an entire Star Wars show exists.Fully produced.Ready to go.And still locked away. A Complete Star Wars Series That Never Aired Before Disney reset the direction of Star Wars in the early 2010s, Lucasfilm was working on a very different animated project. Star Wars: Detours was a comedic series created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich (Robot Chicken) and developed alongside George Lucas. It was designed as a lighthearted, parody-style look at the galaxy far, far away. But this wasn’t just a concept that never got off the ground. According to Green, over 39 episodes were fully completed before the show was shelved….
Ryan Gosling Explains Why He Finally Said Yes to Star Wars After Avoiding Big Franchises for Years
Ryan Gosling has spent most of his career doing something unusual for an A-list Hollywood star: avoiding major film franchises. No Marvel. No DC. No long-running cinematic universes. So when it was revealed he would lead a brand-new Star Wars movie, fans immediately had one question: why now? According to Gosling himself, the answer comes down to one person — and one script. “It Was Shawn’s Vision” In a new interview discussing his upcoming Star Wars film Star Wars: Starfighter, Gosling opened up about why this was the franchise that finally convinced him to step into blockbuster territory. “It was Shawn’s enthusiasm and his vision and the script,” Gosling explained. “I just avoided these things because they never felt right… and I’m glad I did because it was worth waiting for. It is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” That’s a pretty strong endorsement — especially from an actor known for being…
Sam Witwer Reveals New Insights Into Maul: Shadow Lord — Filoni’s Mandate, Maul’s Motivations, and Savage Opress’ Role
Fans of Star Wars are getting a deeper look at one of the franchise’s most complex villains. Sam Witwer, the voice and live-action performer associated with Darth Maul for years, has opened up in a new interview about the upcoming Maul: Shadow Lord series — and what makes this version of Maul so different. In an expansive interview with Star Wars: Insider, Witwer went into detail on everything from Dave Filoni’s mandate for the show to Maul’s evolving motivations, his experience filming live-action scenes, and the role his brother Savage Opress will play. Here’s what we learned. “Filoni’s Mandate Was Clear” When asked what Dave Filoni’s mandate was for Maul: Shadow Lord, Witwer didn’t hold back. “Filoni’s thing was always centering Maul in his own story but in a way that feels earned and connected to the larger mythology.” Unlike earlier appearances where Maul was a secondary antagonist or a…
Katee Sackhoff Jokes About “Job Security Forever” as Bo-Katan in Star Wars
Bo-Katan Kryze might not be going anywhere anytime soon—at least if Katee Sackhoff has anything to say about it. In a recent interview, the Star Wars actress shared a humorous but telling insight about her Mandalorian character’s future, joking that she’s confident she’ll keep returning to the role for years to come. Why? Because Bo-Katan is closely tied to Star Wars creative chief Dave Filoni in a very personal way. “I Have Job Security Forever” Speaking about her future in the galaxy far, far away, Sackhoff joked that she feels secure continuing as Bo-Katan because the character is loosely inspired by someone very important to Filoni—his wife. “So I have job security forever,” Sackhoff said with a laugh when discussing Bo-Katan’s long-term future. The comment was delivered in good humor, but it highlights just how deeply rooted the character is within modern Star Wars storytelling and Filoni’s creative world. Bo-Katan’s…
Anthony Daniels Reflects on Star Wars Legacy in Nearly 3-Hour Icons Unearthed Interview
The Nacelle Company has dropped something special for Star Wars fans who love going deep into the saga’s behind-the-scenes history: a nearly three-hour interview with C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels as part of the Icons Unearthed series. If you’ve ever wanted the long, unfiltered version of Daniels talking about life inside the golden armor, the evolution of Star Wars, and what it’s like being the galaxy’s most talkative protocol droid for nearly five decades… this is it. A Massive Deep Dive Into Anthony Daniels’ Star Wars Legacy The full-length interview runs at just under three hours and offers a rare, extended look at Daniels reflecting on his time across the entire Star Wars timeline—from the original trilogy to modern Disney-era productions. Daniels is one of the few actors to appear in every single mainline Star Wars saga film, making him a living archive of behind-the-scenes stories, production chaos, and creative evolution….
Patrick Stewart Dreams of a Star Wars and Star Trek Crossover: “I Would Get Such a Kick Out of That”
The idea of a crossover between Star Wars and Star Trek has lived in fan discussions for decades — and now even Patrick Stewart is openly admitting he’s imagined it too. In a recent interview, the legendary actor revealed that the thought of merging the two iconic sci-fi universes isn’t just something fans debate online. It’s something that’s come up behind the scenes among the Star Trek cast as well. “I will admit that, at least for us on ‘Star Trek,’ we have fantasized about a combined universe between ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Trek’ movie,” Stewart said. “There have been a lot of ideas thrown about on putting together two iconic universes and having all of these great characters coming into contact. I would personally get such a kick out of that.” A Sci-Fi Crossover Fans Have Wanted for Decades A crossover between Star Wars and Star Trek would be one…