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…
Star Wars movies
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
Exclusive Mandalorian and Grogu IMAX Footage Is Reportedly Playing in the UK, and It Sounds Like Lucasfilm Is Leaning Hard Into the Big-Screen Upgrade
One of the easiest ways to tell Lucasfilm knows The Mandalorian and Grogu needs to feel like a real movie is this: it apparently is not just pushing trailers anymore. According to Bespin Bulletin, an exclusive behind-the-scenes-style featurette has been playing at Odeon IMAX screenings in the UK over the last few days, giving audiences a little extra look at the film before its May 22, 2026 release. That alone is enough to make Star Wars fans perk up, because once studios start attaching exclusive footage to premium screens, they are not just selling a title — they are selling the idea that this thing belongs in theaters. The Reported Footage Sounds More Cinematic Than Routine Promo Filler Bespin Bulletin says the IMAX-exclusive material includes Din Djarin walking down a dark urban street at night, Din unmasked in a cave with water up to his neck, more shots of the…
The Mandalorian and Grogu May Be 2 Hours and 20 Minutes Long — But Treat That Runtime Carefully for Now
A possible runtime for The Mandalorian and Grogu is now floating around online, and for once it is not coming from some random account with a blurry screenshot and too much confidence. Odeon Cinemas is currently listing the movie at 2h 20m on its film page, which is obviously the sort of detail Star Wars fans will latch onto immediately. Because the second a runtime appears, the entire conversation becomes: is that good, is that too long, is that secretly perfect, and what exactly is Jon Favreau doing with all that time? Odeon Has It Listed at 2 Hours and 20 Minutes As of now, Odeon’s listing for The Mandalorian & Grogu shows a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes alongside the film’s May 22, 2026 release date. If that number holds, the movie would land in a very normal modern Star Wars feature range, which makes sense for…
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…
Ludwig Göransson Says The Mandalorian and Grogu Is Going Bigger Than the Series — and Honestly, That Matters
One of the reasons The Mandalorian worked so well from the start is that it never sounded like safe, familiar Star Wars wallpaper. Ludwig Göransson gave Din Djarin a score that felt lonely, strange, dusty, metallic, and just a little mythic. It was not trying to be John Williams cosplay. It was doing its own thing. And now, heading into The Mandalorian and Grogu, Göransson is making it very clear that the movie is not just reusing the TV formula on a larger screen. Musically, at least, this thing is going much bigger. The big headline from Empire’s new coverage is the scale. In the Readly preview of Empire’s “Settling the score” feature, Göransson says the film uses a 105-piece orchestra, up from the 70-piece orchestra used for the series, and adds a 64-piece choir on top of that. He also says he had more time to work on the…
Kathleen Kennedy Confirms Grogu Still Won’t Speak in The Mandalorian & Grogu — and Says Filoni’s Lucasfilm Transition Was a 10-Year Plan
Kathleen Kennedy just dropped two very clean, very quotable Star Wars updates in a Variety interview — one about Grogu, and one about Lucasfilm’s leadership shift. And both are the kind of details that quietly tell you what era of Star Wars we’re walking into next. Grogu is going big-screen… and still won’t say a word Asked what it was like the first time she “heard Grogu speak,” Kennedy flipped the premise and used Grogu as the perfect example of a character that has to emote without dialogue. Her answer is blunt: audiences are going to fall even deeper in love with him on the big screen, and he never speaks a word. She also explicitly confirms Grogu won’t suddenly gain speech in The Mandalorian & Grogu — despite Yoda’s famous broken-English cadence. In other words: no “Grogu talks now” twist. No “cute sidekick monologue.” The character is staying in…
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: 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….
THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Is Bringing Star Wars Back to Theaters — and Filoni Calls It a “Different Era” Than The Force Awakens
It’s been seven years since Star Wars last hit the big screen. The franchise closed the Skywalker Saga in 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker — and since then, the galaxy has lived on streaming. Now, Star Wars is officially pivoting back to cinemas with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Empire’s new cover story frames it as a very different kind of theatrical comeback. Dave Filoni’s core point: this isn’t another “Episode VII moment.” It’s a film built around characters the audience already knows — and loves. “We’re in a completely different era of Star Wars now.” Filoni compares the theatrical return to The Force Awakens — but says the situation isn’t the same Filoni directly compares the scale of returning to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu to the cultural impact of The Force Awakens, while also stressing that Episode VII carried a unique weight: it was the start…
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…
Disney Insiders Concerned About The Mandalorian & Grogu Buzz — But Ryan Gosling’s “Starfighter” Is Getting Strong Early Praise
There’s growing chatter inside Disney about the future of Star Wars on the big screen — and not all of it is centered on The Mandalorian & Grogu. According to new reporting, some Disney staffers are concerned that the film’s unconventional Super Bowl marketing push didn’t generate the level of excitement the studio had hoped for. At the same time, early buzz around Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter is reportedly much more optimistic, with insiders praising Ryan Gosling’s performance and the film’s tone. Let’s break down what’s happening behind the scenes. Disney Reportedly Concerned About Super Bowl Reaction Disney used the Super Bowl to spotlight The Mandalorian & Grogu, the first Star Wars movie headed to theaters in years. Instead of a traditional trailer, the studio opted for a short, nostalgic-style commercial that leaned into humor and parody. While the creative approach stood out, it may not have delivered…
Steven Soderbergh and Adam Driver “Frustrated” After Disney Scraps The Hunt for Ben Solo
A surprising new chapter in the ongoing Star Wars saga behind the scenes has come to light, and it involves a project many fans didn’t even know existed: The Hunt for Ben Solo. According to recent interviews with director Steven Soderbergh, the unmade film spent years in development before Disney ultimately decided to pull the plug — leaving the creative team disappointed and fans wondering what could have been. Two and a Half Years of Work — For Nothing Speaking during a Brooklyn film series interview, Soderbergh revealed that he, Adam Driver, and writer Rebecca Blunt spent years developing the project, only to see it quietly cancelled. “That was two and a half years of free work for me and Adam and Rebecca Blunt…The stated reason [from Disney] was, ‘We don’t think Ben Solo could be alive.’ And that was all we were told. And so there’s nothing to do…
Martin Scorsese Officially Joins Star Wars — As an Ardennian in The Mandalorian & Grogu
In a twist nobody saw coming (but everyone secretly loves), legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese is officially stepping into the Star Wars galaxy. The iconic director will voice an Ardennian alien in the upcoming film The Mandalorian & Grogu, marking his first-ever appearance in a Star Wars project — even if it’s behind the mic. Yes, that Martin Scorsese. Taxi Driver. Goodfellas. The man who once famously critiqued superhero movies… now part of a galaxy far, far away. And honestly? This is kind of amazing. From Film Legend to Star Wars Cameo According to reports, Scorsese will lend his voice to an Ardennian — the same multi-armed alien species as Rio Durant from Solo: A Star Wars Story. The role is expected to be a voice cameo, but the significance is huge. Bringing in one of cinema’s most respected directors adds another layer of prestige (and fun crossover energy) to The…
The Mandalorian & Grogu Trailer Arrives Tomorrow — And It Already Looks Cinematic as Hell
Star Wars fans, clear your schedules. The first full trailer for The Mandalorian & Grogu officially drops tomorrow, and if the early footage is anything to go by, this might be one of the most cinematic Star Wars projects we’ve seen in years. After dominating Disney+ with three seasons of The Mandalorian, Din Djarin and everyone’s favorite tiny Force user are heading to the big screen. And based on the preview clips floating around online, Jon Favreau and company are aiming big — very big. A True Big-Screen Star Wars Experience The early visuals from the upcoming trailer tease something that feels much closer to a full theatrical Star Wars film than a streaming spinoff. Wide landscape shots, detailed ship interiors, and large-scale action sequences all point toward a production designed specifically for cinema. We’re seeing sweeping planetary environments, cinematic lighting, and detailed close-ups that go well beyond the usual…
The Art of The Mandalorian & Grogu Cover May Confirm a Visit to Nal Hutta
The swamp looks familiar. The newly revealed cover for The Art of The Mandalorian & Grogu appears to feature what looks very much like Nal Hutta — the homeworld of the Hutt species. If that’s accurate, it could quietly confirm that part of The Mandalorian & Grogu takes place on one of the galaxy’s most infamous crime-ridden planets. And that would be a big deal. That Landscape Looks… Hutt-Like The right side of the cover features: That aesthetic lines up almost perfectly with how Nal Hutta has been depicted in previous canon and Legends material. Nal Hutta isn’t just any world. It’s the political and criminal heart of the Hutt Cartel. Why Nal Hutta Would Make Sense If Din Djarin and Grogu are stepping into theatrical territory, upping the scale makes sense. And Nal Hutta offers: It fits Din’s roots as a bounty hunter far more than polished Core World…
Jon Favreau Says Directing The Mandalorian & Grogu Is Like Playing With Star Wars Toys
Jon Favreau isn’t just a director — he’s a storyteller who learned his craft the same way many fans did: by playing with toys. In a new interview, Favreau explained his approach to directing The Mandalorian & Grogu by comparing it to those early imaginative play sessions many of us had with action figures. “That’s how I learned how to tell stories. You take these characters. You’re talking with your friends, and you’re acting things out [with the toys]. My job is not that different from that.” That one sentence says a lot about how Favreau views his work — with creativity rooted in play, imagination, and character interaction. From Toy Box to Director’s Chair Favreau’s comparison isn’t just cute nostalgia — it reveals a storytelling philosophy. Growing up with toys, you didn’t have scripts. You had: It’s the same bones of narrative structure directors use today — only with…
Jon Favreau Calls The Mandalorian & Grogu a “Culmination” of His Star Wars Work
Seven years in the making. In a new interview, Jon Favreau described The Mandalorian & Grogu as a personal milestone — calling it a “culmination” of his time working in the Star Wars galaxy. “I’ve been working on Star Wars now for seven years and to be able to step up to doing it as a film feels like a culmination of what I’m working on.” That’s not casual phrasing. From Streaming Gamble to Theatrical Event When The Mandalorian launched in 2019, it wasn’t just a new Star Wars show — it was the flagship title for Disney+. It introduced: Now, Favreau is taking those characters to the big screen. Calling it a “culmination” suggests this isn’t just a spinoff movie.It’s the payoff of an entire creative era. Seven Years of World-Building Favreau has helped shape: Moving from streaming to theatrical format feels symbolic. It’s the franchise saying:This era matters….