There are some Star Wars games that feel important because they were polished masterpieces. Then there are some that feel important because they captured a moment — a very specific, very chaotic, very exciting moment in Star Wars history. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire belongs firmly in that second category. Released for Nintendo 64 in 1996 and later for Windows in 1997, Shadows of the Empire was much more than just another licensed action game. It arrived as part of the larger Shadows of the Empire multimedia project, a massive Lucasfilm push that included a bestselling novel, comic books, toys, trading cards, a soundtrack by Joel McNeely, and the game itself. StarWars.com later described 1996’s Shadows of the Empire rollout as a “multimedia assault” that gave fans “everything but a film,” which is still probably the cleanest way to explain why this project felt so huge at the time….
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Star Wars: Galactic Racer’s Internal Codename Appears to Have Been Project Griffin
A small but interesting detail has surfaced around Star Wars: Galactic Racer — and it looks like the game’s internal codename may have been Project Griffin. The clearest clue comes from the game’s public Epic Games Store listing. While the store page now uses the final title Star Wars: Galactic Racer, several of the page’s image assets are still labeled with filenames that include “Project Griffin”, such as Project Griffin-1qqie and Project Griffin-1fa8k. That is usually the kind of leftover internal naming you see when marketing materials move from development to storefront rollout. A Small Leak Hiding in Plain Sight This is not a dramatic Lucasfilm reveal, obviously. It is more the kind of tiny development detail that slips through because no one bothered to rename every backend asset before the page went live. But that is also what makes it useful. This is not rumor stacked on rumor. It…
Ryan Gosling Says One Star Wars: Starfighter Scene Was “One of the Most Fun” He’s Ever Done
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…
Epic Hosting Star Wars Toolset Office Hours for Fortnite Creators
Epic Games is continuing to expand the Star Wars presence inside Fortnite, this time with a community-focused developer session aimed at creators using the Star Wars toolset. According to an announcement from Epic’s Fortnite Creative team, developers will host Office Hours on March 27 at 1 PM ET inside the official UEFN Discord, where Epic staff will answer questions about the Star Wars creation tools available to map makers. Direct Access to Epic Developers These Office Hours are essentially an open Q&A session where creators can ask about workflows, limitations, and possibilities within the Star Wars asset ecosystem available in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). Events like this usually signal Epic wants to push more creator-driven Star Wars experiences inside Fortnite rather than just relying on official limited-time events. A Small Bonus for Attendees Epic is also offering a limited-time Discord role for participants who join during the event. While…
A Live Concert at the Lars Homestead Will Mark 50 Years of the Binary Sunset
One of the most iconic moments in Star Wars history is about to get a very unusual anniversary tribute — and honestly, it is hard to imagine a better location for it. A free public live concert is set to take place at the Lars Homestead in Tunisia on March 29, 2026 at 6:00 PM CET, celebrating 50 years of the Binary Sunset scene. The event is being hosted by Galaxy Tours, with pianist Micah Anderson performing at the site made famous by Luke Skywalker’s defining look toward Tatooine’s twin suns. A Very Star Wars Way to Mark an Anniversary That is a pretty strong hook on its own. The Binary Sunset is not just another nice-looking shot from A New Hope. It is one of the images that came to define Star Wars itself — the moment where longing, scale, music, and myth all clicked into place at once….
John Boyega Says He’s Had Talks With Dave Filoni About Returning as Finn
John Boyega has just given Star Wars fans a small but very real reason to start paying attention to Finn again. During an appearance at MegaCon Orlando, an audience member reportedly shouted, “Get Dave on the phone,” referring to new Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni. Boyega’s answer was simple: “I actually have, actually.” Multiple entertainment outlets have since picked up the moment as confirmation that he has at least spoken with Filoni about a possible Star Wars return. A Small Quote With Big Finn Energy This is not a casting announcement. It is not Lucasfilm confirming a new movie, series, or Finn-led project. But it is still notable. Boyega has had a complicated relationship with Star Wars in the years since the sequel trilogy, openly discussing disappointment with how Finn’s arc was handled. That is why this quote lands harder than a throwaway convention soundbite normally would….
Star Wars: Lethal Alliance (2006): The Handheld Mission That Slipped Between the Films
Not every Star Wars game arrives with the same kind of cultural blast radius as Knights of the Old Republic, Battlefront, or Empire at War. Some games land in a quieter lane, tied to a specific platform, a specific moment, and a fanbase that only really discovers later that something interesting was hiding there all along. Star Wars: Lethal Alliance is one of those games. Released in late 2006 for PSP and Nintendo DS, Lethal Alliance came from Ubisoft during a period when Star Wars games were branching into all kinds of directions. On one end of the spectrum, the franchise had blockbuster strategy and shooter titles. On the other, it had handheld experiments like this one: an original story, a new lead character, and a mission set in the volatile gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Ubisoft positioned it as the first original Star Wars…
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…
Marvel’s New Galaxy’s Edge Comic Brings Luke, Leia, and Chewie to Batuu
tar Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is getting a new Marvel comic, and this one is aiming a lot higher than background park lore. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Echoes of the Empire #1 arrives on April 22, 2026, with Ethan Sacks writing and Jethro Morales and Roi Mercado on art, plus a cover by Phil Noto. Marvel says the story sends Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca to Batuu in search of vital intel, where they uncover a dangerous relic that puts them on a collision course with the Empire. A Bigger Batuu Hook That setup matters because it gives Batuu something it has not always had in enough quantity: instantly recognizable Original Trilogy weight. For a lot of Star Wars fans, Galaxy’s Edge has always looked great but felt slightly disconnected from the most iconic parts of the saga. Putting Luke, Leia, and Chewie at the center of a Batuu…
Star Wars: A New Hope Began Filming 50 Years Ago Today
Fifty years ago today, Star Wars stopped being an idea and started becoming a movie. On March 22, 1976, principal photography began on what was then called The Star Wars, with cameras rolling in Tunisia on the edge of the Sahara. Lucasfilm is marking the date today, framing it as the moment one of the most important films in modern pop culture officially went into production. The Day the Galaxy Really Started Moving That date matters because it was the point where George Lucas’ risky space fantasy became something real. By then, Lucas had already pushed through years of development, multiple screenplay drafts, studio skepticism, and the early build-out of the creative machine that would eventually become part of Star Wars legend, including Industrial Light & Magic and Ben Burtt’s sound work. But March 22, 1976 was when the project finally moved from concept art, scripts, and headaches into actual…
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…
Star Wars Outlaws and Jedi: Survivor Both Get a PS5 Pro Graphics Boost
Two recent Star Wars games just got a quiet visual lift on PS5 Pro, thanks to Sony’s latest system software update. Star Wars Outlaws and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are both benefiting from Sony’s upgraded version of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, better known as PSSR. Sony says the updated tech improves image stability, fine-detail clarity, and overall consistency across supported PS5 Pro games. Both Star Wars titles were already using PSSR on PS5 Pro, which is why they now appear to be getting a boost from the newer version. This Is More Sony Update Than Game Patch That distinction matters. This is not really a case of Ubisoft and Respawn suddenly dropping big new content patches for their games. The bigger change is happening at the system level through Sony’s PS5 Pro update, which rolls out broader support for the upgraded PSSR and lets compatible games benefit from the newer…
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…
Star Wars: Dark Forces Trilogy Author William C. Dietz Has Died
William C. Dietz, the science fiction author best known in Star Wars circles for writing the Dark Forces novella trilogy, has died at the age of 80. A memorial published this week states that Dietz passed away on March 15, 2026. For a lot of Star Wars readers, Dietz was not just another tie-in writer. He was the author who helped give Kyle Katarn a life on the page through Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire, Dark Forces: Rebel Agent, and Dark Forces: Jedi Knight—three books that adapted and expanded the story of one of the most beloved Legends-era characters. Wookieepedia’s record of his Star Wars bibliography lists those three Dark Forces books as his core contributions to the franchise. A Name Star Wars Readers Remember Dietz built a much bigger career beyond Star Wars. His official biography says he published more than sixty novels, with work translated into multiple…
Disneyland Is Quietly Erasing Another Galactic Starcruiser Detail From Galaxy’s Edge
Disneyland has quietly removed a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser reference from Oga’s Cantina, and it looks like more than a simple background update. Reports say a Halcyon-related message on the cantina’s notice board has been replaced as part of the venue’s recent refresh. A Tiny Change With Bigger Timing On its own, this is the kind of detail most guests would never notice. But the timing makes it much more interesting. Disney has already confirmed that starting April 29, 2026, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland will expand beyond its old narrow timeline and start featuring characters from more eras of the saga, including Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Darth Vader. That means this Oga’s Cantina change lands right in the middle of a much bigger creative reset for Batuu. What Was Actually Removed The removed notice reportedly referenced Captain Keevan of the Halcyon and called for a…
New MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains Screenshots Show Off Teams, Boards, and Galactic Locations
MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is starting to look a lot more interesting now that fresh gameplay screenshots are making the rounds. The new images give a clearer look at how Ubisoft and Behaviour Interactive are building this one as more than a simple Star Wars skin on classic Monopoly. Ubisoft’s official description says the game uses a custom Monopoly board featuring iconic locations from across Star Wars, along with competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, character abilities, and new match-changing twists. It is still set to launch on June 11, 2026. The Hero vs. Villain Setup Looks Like a Core Part of the Game One of the clearest screenshots shows the overall roster setup, with heroes like Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker facing off against villains including Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and Boba Fett. That lines up with Ubisoft’s official pitch that players choose favorite heroes or…
From Lightsaber Duels to Podrace Maps: What Fortnite Creators Could Actually Build With Star Wars Tools
Star Wars is about to become a lot more playable inside Fortnite — and not just through another crossover event. Epic has already confirmed that official Star Wars features, templates, and assets are coming to Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), while Fortnite’s official creator account has now started teasing that the toolset is landing this week. That means creators may soon be able to build their own Star Wars islands, modes, and mini-games inside Fortnite using official materials instead of fan-made workarounds. This Is Bigger Than a Normal Star Wars Crossover That is the key point. Fortnite has done plenty of Star Wars tie-ins before, but this is different. Epic’s State of Unreal 2025 presentation said creators will be able to “take players to a galaxy far, far away” with official Star Wars tools inside UEFN, which puts this closer to a long-term creative sandbox than a limited-time promotion. A…
Bob Iger Steps Down as Disney CEO Tomorrow — and Lucasfilm Became One of His Biggest Franchise Bets
Bob Iger is set to step down as Disney CEO in March 2026, with Disney naming Josh D’Amaro as his successor. Reuters reported that D’Amaro will take over in March, while Iger will remain a senior adviser through the end of the year. For Star Wars fans, that makes this more than just a Disney boardroom story. Iger was the CEO who pushed Disney to acquire Lucasfilm in 2012 for about $4.05 billion, a deal Disney announced officially at the time as a major long-term franchise play. Lucasfilm Was One of the Defining Iger Moves When people look back at the Iger era, Lucasfilm is going to be one of the first things they mention. Under Iger, Disney did not just buy Star Wars. It turned Lucasfilm into one of the company’s most important franchise engines across films, streaming, merchandise, and theme-park strategy. Disney’s 2024 proxy-fight materials, as reported by…
MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains Gets a Release Date, Trailer, and April Reveal Event
Lucasfilm Games has officially kicked off the rollout for MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, and yes, this is exactly what it sounds like: a Star Wars-flavored, team-based spin on Monopoly with heroes, villains, and a full reveal still on the way. The first teaser confirms that the game launches on June 11, with the full reveal scheduled for April 29 during a May the 4th event push. Ubisoft has now published the game’s store page and a news post confirming the release window and broader platform plans. This Is Not Just Standard Monopoly With a Star Wars Skin That is the part that makes this a little more interesting. According to Ubisoft’s official description, MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is being pitched as a dynamic team-based twist on the classic board game, with reimagined gameplay, cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements designed to keep matches from playing…
New Star Wars Games Are About to Start Appearing Inside Fortnite
Star Wars is about to get a lot weirder inside Fortnite — and potentially a lot bigger too. Epic’s official Fortnite creator channels have now teased that Star Wars tools are landing in Unreal Editor for Fortnite this week, opening the door for creators to start building their own Star Wars games and experiences inside the Fortnite ecosystem. The official Fortnite Developers account used the line “That’s no moon… it’s a toolset?!” in a teaser post, while Epic had already confirmed back at State of Unreal 2025 that official Star Wars features, templates, and assets were coming to UEFN. This Is Bigger Than Just Another Fortnite Crossover That is the key angle here. This does not sound like another limited-time skin drop or a temporary blaster event. The bigger story is that creators are about to get official Star Wars building tools inside UEFN, which means fan-made experiences can start…
Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Grogu Just Turned the Oscars Into a Star Wars Moment
The Oscars got an unexpected Star Wars detour when Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver took the stage with Grogu as part of a presentation tied to The Mandalorian & Grogu. Fantha Tracks highlighted the moment as a standout bit of crossover promotion, while The Hollywood Reporter noted that Weaver even played into her sci-fi legend status by “protecting” Grogu during the segment. Grogu Was the Real Scene-Stealer This probably will not shock anyone, but Grogu once again behaved like a tiny green celebrity with elite attention-stealing instincts. The Oscars appearance was not just Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver showing up as presenters. It was also a reminder that The Mandalorian & Grogu has one of the easiest marketing hooks in Hollywood right now: put Grogu on stage, and people will immediately pay attention. The Hollywood Reporter specifically singled out Grogu’s appearance as one of the memorable beats from the ceremony’s…
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Official Trailer Has Arrived
The official trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has landed, and Lucasfilm is clearly done playing coy. The new footage pushes Maul back into full spotlight mode, with revenge, lightsaber combat, and a much clearer sense of where this series is heading. Lucasfilm says the show begins with a two-episode premiere on Disney+ on April 6, 2026, with two episodes releasing weekly through the finale on May the 4th. The Trailer Makes the Tone Crystal Clear This is not being sold as a quiet character study. According to the official trailer coverage, Maul – Shadow Lord is a “pulpy adventure” that follows Maul as he tries to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a world untouched by the Empire. Along the way, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who could become the apprentice he has been looking for. Maul Is Back in Full Revenge Mode The…
Matthew Willig Says He’s in The Mandalorian and Grogu, and That Is a Fun Little Casting Update for Mando Fans
Sometimes a Star Wars casting update does not arrive with a glossy Lucasfilm press release or a dramatic trade headline. Sometimes it just shows up because the actor is understandably excited and decides to say, more or less, “yeah, I’m in the movie.” That is basically what happened with Matthew Willig, who posted that he will be making an appearance in The Mandalorian and Grogu and thanked Lucasfilm for helping him fulfill “a kid’s dream.” This Looks Like More Than a Rumor at This Point The reason this one feels solid is that it is not just floating around as recycled fan chatter. Willig said it himself on social media, and Jedi News followed that up with a report tied to his upcoming Rebel Scum Con III appearance, stating that he is playing an as-yet unnamed Iktotchi character in the film. That takes this from “internet speculation” to something a…
Ludwig Göransson Just Won His Third Oscar — Which Is a Pretty Nice Flex Ahead of The Mandalorian and Grogu
Ludwig Göransson has now won his third Academy Award, taking Best Original Score for Sinners at the 2026 Oscars. That is already a big headline on its own. But for Star Wars fans, the timing makes it even better: Göransson is also the composer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, which hits theaters on May 22, 2026. So yes, Lucasfilm’s next big-screen Star Wars movie is arriving with a composer who just added even more hardware to the shelf. This Was Not Just Another Nomination According to Pitchfork, the Sinners win was Göransson’s fifth Oscar nomination and third win. The Academy’s own Scientific & Technical Awards page is obviously not relevant here, but multiple awards-night reports and winner lists all line up on the same point: he won Best Original Score for Sinners at the 98th Academy Awards. That puts him in a pretty absurd tier for a composer who still…