The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards are in — and once again, Star Wars is all over the technical side of the industry… even when Star Wars itself isn’t the movie being nominated. Because when the Oscars get to categories like Visual Effects and Sound, two names keep showing up behind the scenes: In other words: Star Wars craftsmanship, still quietly carrying half of Hollywood on its back. ILM’s Presence at the Oscars Is Basically a Tradition Now Even when there isn’t a Star Wars film in the race, ILM is usually involved in multiple projects getting Academy recognition — and the 98th Oscars are no different. The Academy’s process for Visual Effects typically includes a shortlist/bake-off stage before final nominees are locked in, and ILM talent is involved across a wide range of major titles competing in the category. If you’ve ever watched a modern blockbuster and thought…
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Disney+ Has Turned May the 4th Into a Star Wars Release Tradition (Now 6 Years Running)
May the 4th used to be mostly about memes, marathons, and people posting the same Vader GIF like it was brand-new information. Now? It’s basically a release date. Because 2026 marks the 6th year in a row where Disney+ debuts a new Star Wars project on May the 4th — and at this point, it’s clearly not an accident. 6 Years of Star Wars Releases on May the 4th (Disney+) Here’s the streak: That’s six straight years where May 4th wasn’t just “Star Wars Day.” It was also content drop day. Why This Matters (Even If It Sounds Like a Fun Little Trivia Fact) This isn’t just a cute calendar coincidence. It says something pretty obvious about Disney’s current Star Wars strategy: May the 4th is now a marketing anchor Disney+ doesn’t need to explain May 4th releases anymore. The date sells itself. Animation is carrying the tradition Notice the…
MAUL – SHADOW LORD Release Schedule: Full Disney+ Episode Dates (April–May)
If you’re planning your Sundays like a proper Sith loyalist, here’s the one thing you need: ✅ The full Disney+ release schedule for MAUL – SHADOW LORD. Lucasfilm is dropping the series in double-episode batches, meaning you’re getting two episodes at a time — every week — all the way through early May. MAUL – SHADOW LORD Release Schedule (Disney+) 📅 April 6 Episodes 1 & 2 📅 April 13 Episodes 3 & 4 📅 April 20 Episodes 5 & 6 📅 April 27 Episodes 7 & 8 📅 May 4 Episodes 9 & 10 How Many Episodes Are in MAUL – SHADOW LORD? Based on the schedule, MAUL – SHADOW LORD is a 10-episode season, released over five weeks. So yes: you’ll be done by May 4. Which feels extremely intentional, because Star Wars doesn’t miss an opportunity to make May the 4th feel like a big moment. Why…
MAUL – SHADOW LORD Trailer Drops (And the Disney+ Premiere Date Is Set)
It’s official: the first trailer for MAUL – SHADOW LORD is here. Lucasfilm just released the very first look at the upcoming animated series, and it’s already clear what kind of ride this is going to be: darker tone, sharper edge, and Maul doing what Maul does best — building power through pure menace. Even better: the trailer also confirms the premiere date. ✅ MAUL – SHADOW LORD premieres on Disney+ on April 6. Trailer: The First Trailer Is Out — And It Looks Like “Dangerous Star Wars” This isn’t a cute side-story. The trailer sells MAUL – SHADOW LORD as a series that lives deep in the post-Clone Wars chaos — the era where the galaxy is reorganizing under the Empire, and the people in the shadows are making their moves. Which, let’s be honest… is where Maul always shines. April 6 Premiere Date Confirmed The big headline for…
Brad Rau Will Supervise MAUL – SHADOW LORD (And That’s Actually Huge)
If you needed one more reason to take MAUL – SHADOW LORD seriously, here it is: Brad Rau is officially the supervising director of the series. And if that name rings a bell, it’s because Rau was also the supervising director of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. That’s not just a nice trivia fact — it’s a real creative signal about what kind of show Lucasfilm Animation is building here. Brad Rau Is One of Lucasfilm Animation’s “Trust This Person” Names Brad Rau isn’t new to Star Wars. He’s been one of the steady hands behind the modern animated era, with credits across multiple Lucasfilm Animation projects — but The Bad Batch is the big one, and the one that matters most here. If you watched The Bad Batch, you know the vibe: That’s exactly the kind of storytelling DNA you’d want in a Maul-focused series. Maul’s Timing Matters (And…
From Hoth to Greenland: Why Star Wars Always Returns to Ice Worlds
Star Wars isn’t just space wizards and laser swords. It’s also… snow. A lot of snow. Some of the saga’s most iconic moments don’t happen on shiny Coruscant skylines or desert dunes — they happen in the kind of cold that makes your face hurt just thinking about it. Hoth. Starkiller Base. Frozen hangars, whiteouts, survival gear, and the kind of silence where you know something terrible is about to happen. And weirdly enough, in 2026, Star Wars ice worlds feel more culturally relevant than ever — because real-world headlines are suddenly full of Arctic tension, Greenland debates, and “strategic territory” conversations. So why does Star Wars keep returning to ice? And why do those icy planets always feel like the place where empires show up with bad intentions? Let’s dig into it. Hoth: the planet that made Star Wars feel real Hoth is where the galaxy far, far away…
Kathleen Kennedy Says Casting Han Solo Was “An Impossible Situation” for Alden Ehrenreich
Kathleen Kennedy has spent years defending Lucasfilm’s big swings — and to be fair, Star Wars requires big swings. But in her latest Deadline exit interview, the outgoing Lucasfilm president offered a rare moment of direct, personal reflection on one of the most debated choices of the Disney era: asking Alden Ehrenreich to replace Harrison Ford as Han Solo. And Kennedy doesn’t sugarcoat it. Why this matters now With Kennedy stepping away from Lucasfilm leadership, these interviews aren’t just PR. They’re the closest thing we’ll get to an official post-mortem on modern Star Wars decision-making. And Solo: A Star Wars Story has always been one of the most interesting case studies: So Kennedy acknowledging regret here isn’t small. It’s a signal that Lucasfilm knows exactly what went wrong conceptually, even if the movie itself has aged better for many viewers. What Kathleen Kennedy said Kennedy praised Ehrenreich directly, but admitted…
Kathleen Kennedy Looks Back on The Last Jedi Nine Years Later: “One of the Best Star Wars Movies”
Nine years after The Last Jedi hit theaters and permanently split the Star Wars fandom into factions, Kathleen Kennedy isn’t backing away from it. In a new Deadline exit interview, the outgoing Lucasfilm president not only praises Rian Johnson’s film — she calls it one of the best Star Wars movies — but also suggests the online backlash left a lasting impact on Johnson’s future in the franchise. Why this matters now This isn’t just “old Star Wars drama” being rehashed. Kennedy is stepping away from Lucasfilm leadership, and these interviews are essentially her final on-the-record reflections on the modern Star Wars era — including the moments that shaped it, and the projects that changed the studio’s relationship with fans. And no movie defines that tension more than The Last Jedi. What Kathleen Kennedy said about The Last Jedi Kennedy didn’t hedge her opinion. She directly praised Rian Johnson’s work:…
Why Star Wars Fans Argue About Canon More Than Any Other Fandom
There are plenty of passionate fandoms. Marvel fans debate power levels.DC fans argue about the “best Batman.”Harry Potter fans fight about the author and the legacy. But Star Wars fans? Star Wars fans argue about something else entirely: Canon. Not just what’s good. Not just what’s authentic. But what counts. What’s “real.” What officially happened—and what should be ignored, overwritten, or erased. And somehow, the arguments never end. The interesting part is this: it’s not because Star Wars fans are uniquely angry. It’s because Star Wars is uniquely built for canon conflict. Star Wars Isn’t Just a Story — It’s a Timeline People Live Inside Most franchises are a collection of stories. Star Wars is a timeline. It has eras, centuries, wars, governments, religious philosophies, family dynasties, and a sense of historical weight that feels almost… academic. Like you’re not just watching fiction—you’re watching a civilization evolve. That changes the…
A Small Droid, a Quiet Tribute — and a Thoughtful Nod to Carl Weathers
Sometimes Star Wars honors its legacy in loud ways. Other times, it does so with restraint. This one falls firmly in the second category. Lucasfilm has confirmed that the copper assistant droid seen alongside Greef Karga in The Mandalorian carries the designation CW-24 — a deliberate tribute to the late Carl Weathers, who portrayed Karga across the series’ run. It’s subtle. Easy to miss. And exactly the kind of gesture that fits both the character and the man behind him. What Lucasfilm Has Done — and Why It Matters Now The naming choice comes as Star Wars continues to reflect on Weathers’ impact following his passing in early 2024. Beyond his on-screen presence, Weathers also directed several standout episodes of The Mandalorian, shaping the show’s visual language in its formative seasons. Rather than a title card or a public dedication, Lucasfilm opted for something woven directly into the universe. CW-24…
A Month of Star Wars Mornings Is Coming to Los Angeles — And the Timing Matters
There’s a quiet, deliberate kind of magic in watching Star Wars on the big screen before the year really gets going. No hype cycles. No spoilers. Just a darkened theater, a familiar score, and a story you already know—but somehow still want to revisit. That’s exactly what’s happening in Los Angeles this winter. Starting Saturday, January 3, 2026, the Ted Mann Theater on Wilshire Boulevard is hosting a steady run of Star Wars theatrical screenings—one film per week, all beginning at 11:00am. It’s a simple idea, executed well, and it lands at a very specific moment in the franchise’s timeline. What’s Screening, and When The program opens with The Empire Strikes Back on Saturday, January 3, followed by Return of the Jedi on January 10. From there, the schedule moves backward and forward across the saga: Every screening starts at 11:00am. No evening rush. No marathon fatigue. Just a consistent…
Dave Filoni Honored With Lucasfilm Service Award After 20 Years of Shaping Star Wars
Some milestones don’t need hype. They speak for themselves. Dave Filoni has received a Lucasfilm Service Award, recognizing 20 years with the company and a body of work that has quietly, steadily reshaped how Star Wars tells its stories. It’s a moment that feels overdue—and entirely fitting. Why this matters now Star Wars has changed dramatically over the last two decades. Formats shifted. Audiences broadened. Expectations hardened. Through all of that, Filoni became a constant. Not because he chased trends, but because he understood the connective tissue of the galaxy far, far away—its themes, its rhythms, and its emotional logic. The Service Award isn’t about a single show or character. It’s about continuity. Stewardship. Trust. What the award recognizes The Lucasfilm Service Award is an internal honor, given to individuals whose long-term contributions helped define the company’s creative identity. In Filoni’s case, that contribution spans animation, live-action television, character creation,…
This Year’s Lucasfilm Christmas Card Continues a Festive Star Wars Tradition
The holidays have always brought something special from Lucasfilm, but this year’s Christmas card captures the season with a distinctly Star Wars twist. Lucasfilm has revealed its 2025 holiday card artwork, featuring Andor characters K-2SO and B2-EMO hauling in a Christmas tree, set against a wintry backdrop that feels both festive and fitting for a galaxy far, far away. The piece was illustrated by Logan Crist of Industrial Light & Magic, keeping alive a tradition that stretches back decades. Why this matters now Star Wars holiday cards aren’t just seasonal niceties. They’re part of Lucasfilm’s long-running tradition of celebrating the franchise’s creative community while giving fans a collectible piece of art that reflects the tone of a given year. At a moment when Star Wars continues to expand across film, television, games, and immersive experiences, a lighthearted artwork like this offers a shared cultural touchpoint — a reminder that the…
A Sweet Slice of the Galaxy: New Star Wars Minis Holiday Short Arrives
This Christmas season, Star Wars isn’t just about big blockbusters and sprawling sagas — it’s also about playful creativity and holiday cheer. Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic have quietly released a stylized short as part of the Star Wars Minis series, offering fans a whimsical twist on a classic scene from the original saga. Why This Matters Now The holidays are a time for traditions, nostalgia, and rediscovery — and this Star Wars short taps into all three. Rather than launching another high-stakes story or trailer, Lucasfilm has delivered something lighter: a festive reinterpretation of the iconic Death Star trench run, rebuilt entirely out of gingerbread cookies and holiday spirit. It’s a reminder that Star Wars can connect with audiences of all ages in creative, unexpected ways — not just through sprawling epics, but through bite-sized, joyful moments that celebrate the franchise’s place in pop culture. What Was Released…
How Industrial Light & Magic Shaped The Force Awakens — Ten Years Later
Ten years on, Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn’t just feel like a movie that restarted a saga. It feels like a technical turning point. To mark the film’s tenth anniversary, Industrial Light & Magic has revisited its Oscar®-nominated visual effects work on the 2015 release — offering a closer look at how the galaxy was rebuilt for a new era without losing its soul. Why this matters now Anniversaries tend to focus on characters and story. This one shifts the spotlight to craft. The Force Awakens arrived with a difficult mandate: make Star Wars feel tangible again after years of increasingly digital spectacle, while still delivering modern blockbuster scale. ILM’s work was central to pulling that off — and a decade later, its influence is even clearer. What was revisited The newly released retrospective highlights ILM’s effects pipeline on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which earned an Academy Award®…
Somehow, Palpatine Returned
The line everyone remembers — and Star Wars still hasn’t escaped There are movie lines that become iconic because they’re brilliant.And then there are lines that become iconic because… well… everyone stops and stares at the screen. “Somehow, Palpatine returned” belongs firmly in the second category. It’s not dramatic.It’s not clever.It’s not even especially informative. And yet, years later, it’s still one of the most searched Star Wars quotes on the internet — a meme, a punchline, and a shorthand for an entire era of frustration. Whether you love the sequel trilogy, hate it, or have achieved the rare state of peaceful acceptance, you know this line. You don’t even need context anymore. The line is the context. So why does it still matter? And why do people keep googling it in 2025? Let’s talk about it. Where the line comes from (and why it hit so wrong) The line…
Did You Know? Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005) on PS2 Was Bigger, Bolder, and Smarter Than You Remember
There’s a reason Star Wars: Battlefront II still comes up in conversations nearly two decades later. At a time when licensed games often played it safe, this one went wide—wider maps, deeper systems, and a confidence that trusted players to handle more than just run-and-gun chaos. In 2005, that mattered. Console shooters were evolving, Star Wars games were everywhere, and expectations were high. Battlefront II didn’t just meet them. It quietly rewrote what large-scale Star Wars combat could feel like on a PlayStation 2. A True Expansion of the Original Vision The original Battlefront laid the groundwork, but Star Wars: Battlefront II treated that foundation as a starting point, not a ceiling. Galactic Conquest returned with more purpose. Instead of being a novelty mode, it became the strategic spine of the experience. Players weren’t just hopping between battles—they were moving fleets, choosing targets, and managing resources across a galactic map….
Star Wars: Obi-Wan Was Released on This Day in 2001
Before prestige TV series and open-world adventures, Star Wars experimented in all kinds of directions. On this day in 2001, one of the more unusual entries arrived: Star Wars: Obi-Wan. It wasn’t a blockbuster hit. It wasn’t a critical darling. But it was an early attempt to put players directly in the boots of a Jedi — lightsaber, Force powers, and all — at a time when that idea was still being figured out. Why this matters now With Obi-Wan Kenobi firmly re-established as a central figure in modern Star Wars storytelling, it’s easy to forget how rare solo Jedi games once were. In 2001, playing as a single Force user in a fully 3D action game was still experimental territory. Star Wars: Obi-Wan arrived before Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, before modern combat systems, and long before cinematic third-person action games became standard. This was an early step — and…
Maul – Shadow Lord Gets an Official Plot Description — and It’s Exactly as Dark as It Sounds
Darth Maul has never really fit into neat boxes. Sith apprentice, crime lord, survivor, symbol of unfinished business. Now, Star Wars is finally putting a clear frame around his next chapter — and it lands in one of the franchise’s most volatile eras. An official plot description for Maul – Shadow Lord has been revealed, and it confirms a story rooted firmly in chaos, power struggles, and the moral vacuum left behind after the fall of the Republic. What’s been revealed The new official description reads: “Maul – Shadow Lord explores Maul’s quest for power in the gritty and merciless underworld following the aftermath of The Clone Wars and Order 66.” That’s it. No character list. No timeline specifics beyond the obvious. And that restraint matters. This isn’t about spectacle or legacy cameos. It’s about positioning Maul exactly where he thrives: in the shadows, fighting for relevance in a galaxy…
James Cameron Says Star Wars Is the Reason He Became a Filmmaker
James Cameron didn’t just watch Star Wars.He saw his own imagination projected onto a movie screen. And that realization, he says, is what pushed him toward becoming a filmmaker. A moment of recognition, not imitation In a recent interview with CBS, Cameron reflected on the first time he experienced George Lucas’ 1977 space opera—and how unsettlingly familiar it felt. As a teenager, Cameron would listen to fast electronic music on headphones, imagining elaborate space battles filled with energy weapons and complex maneuvers. Then Star Wars arrived. “I would’ve thought, ‘They took that from my brain,’” Cameron said, before laughing at the idea. His actual conclusion was far more practical—and far more important. If the images in his head matched what audiences were lining up to see in the biggest movie in the world, then maybe his imagination had value. Maybe it was something people would actually pay to experience. That…
What Lucasfilm’s Rogue One Ruling Means for the Future of Games and Digital Characters
The UK court’s recent decision to dismiss the lawsuit over Peter Cushing’s digital likeness in Rogue One isn’t just a footnote in Star Wars legal lore. It’s a marker on a crossroads where storytelling, technology, and entertainment law intersect — and one that could ripple into how video games are made for years to come. Let’s unpack what this could mean for the future of gaming, virtual reality, AI-driven narratives, and the haunting possibility of seeing deceased performers “come to life” in interactive experiences. Cinema and Games Are Crossing Paths More Than Ever Video games have long borrowed from film — storytelling techniques, motion capture, even face scans of actors. But we’re now entering a phase where the boundaries are blurring in the opposite direction. Studios are crafting immersive experiences that feel cinematic. Meanwhile, games are increasingly treating characters as performances, not just polygons. With Star Wars pioneering a legal…
Bobby Moynihan Is Bringing His Voice to Star Wars: Beyond Victory — and That’s the Point
Star Wars has no shortage of epic heroes, but right now, it’s the side characters who are doing something interesting. In a new interview with Industrial Light & Magic, Bobby Moynihan talks about his role in Star Wars: Beyond Victory, ILM Immersive’s upcoming mixed-reality experience — and why this project feels different from traditional Star Wars storytelling. Not louder. Not bigger. Just more personal. What Beyond Victory actually is Star Wars: Beyond Victory is an immersive Star Wars experience being developed by ILM Immersive, the same team behind Vader Immortal and Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge. It’s designed for mixed reality, blending the physical space around the player with Star Wars environments and characters. Rather than placing players in the middle of galaxy-spanning events, the story focuses on a more grounded corner of the universe, with podracing culture playing a central role. Moynihan voices a key character in that world…
Lucasfilm Wins Key Court Ruling Over Peter Cushing’s Likeness in Rogue One
Nearly a decade after Rogue One reignited debates about digital resurrection in Hollywood, a UK court has delivered a decisive ruling that still echoes across Star Wars — and the wider film industry. Lucasfilm has successfully had a legal challenge dismissed over its use of Peter Cushing’s likeness as Grand Moff Tarkin. The decision doesn’t just close a long-running dispute. It clarifies where the legal ground currently stands as studios navigate the ethics and legality of bringing legacy characters back to the screen. What happened A UK Court of Appeal has ruled in favor of Lucasfilm, striking out a lawsuit brought by Tyburn Film Productions over the digital recreation of Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Tyburn claimed that a 1993 agreement with Cushing — tied to an unrelated, unrealized project — gave it rights connected to the visual effects use of his likeness. On that basis,…
Harrison Ford to Receive SAG-AFTRA’s Highest Honor
Some careers don’t just age well—they become part of the culture. Harrison Ford’s is one of them. The Screen Actors Guild has officially confirmed that Ford will receive the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award, the guild’s highest honor for an actor, recognizing a body of work that helped define modern blockbuster cinema. This isn’t a legacy award handed out lightly. It’s the actors’ union tipping its hat to one of its own, and to a career that has quietly shaped generations of filmgoers. What was announced, and why it matters SAG-AFTRA has named Harrison Ford as the next recipient of its Life Achievement Award, an honor reserved for performers whose careers embody excellence, longevity, and impact within the industry. The award is decided by fellow actors, which gives it a particular weight. This isn’t about box office math or studio branding. It’s peer recognition for decades of work that still resonates….