Do you think you’re one of the biggest Star Wars fans in the world? You might rethink that when you see Rancho Obi-Wan, in Petaluma, California, which has over 300,000 Star Wars themed artifacts. This is officially the largest Star Wars collection known to exist on the planet. And it’s no surprise really that something this big and amazing would exist- the Star Wars franchise has inspired a lot of fans who spend most of their lives collecting memorabilia and more. Cnet.com tells us about it: Guinness granted official world-record status to Rancho Obi-Wan, longtime Lucasfilm employee Steve Sansweet’s Petaluma, Calif., collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia: The super fan who is currently able to lay claim to that title is Steve Sansweet, a journalist and author, and president of Rancho Obi-Wan, a non-profit museum in Petaluma, northern California that houses his collection of an estimated 300,000 unique “Star Wars” items….
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Petco’s Star Wars Pet Fans Collection Released September 1st
PetCo and Star Wars fans will be extremely happy to see the Star Wars Pet Collection. Over the past week at select PetCo locations, they had several events to help celebrate this cool new pet collection.
Movie Defense Force Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Escapist Magazine has something fun for fans of Star Wars: Episode 1. Star Wars week happened to fall on a week in which Movie Defense Force was not scheduled. May God have mercy on Jim Sterling’s soul, for Star Wars fans have none to spare. For even more Jim check out Jimquisition. Follow Jim on twitter for a chance to win Twitter updates from Jim: @JimSterling Don’t forget to get to watch Jim with Yahtzee in their Rhymedown Spectacular. New episodes of Movie Defense Force appear every other Thursday only on The Escapist. Do you remember the first time you saw Star Wars: Episode? Where were you? Did you like it? How many times have you seen it? Was it different each time? The Escapist : Movie Defense Force : Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Drew Karpyshyn’s Revan as a Fan Film – Kickstarter Campaign
Project Revan is the combined efforts of a group of serious and talented young adults, creating the (unofficial) Star Wars independent film based off the book, Star Wars – The Old Republic: Revan by Drew Karpyshyn.
We have a really exciting Kickstarter campaign to share with you. Project Revan is a fan film based on the science fiction novel, Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan by Drew Karpyshyn. This is produced by diehard fans of Revan. It’s a live adaptation and you can help make it happen and even be a part of it if you wish to donate to their campaign. You can see videos and full details on the campaign itself of the project and also how you can be involved.
The Wall Street Journal Spotlights the Star Wars Expanded Universe
We are seeing Star Wars making mainstream news and conversations more often here lately. Even President Obama had something to say about how awesome Star Wars is. So while we were not surprised, we were happy to see The Wall Street Journal handle the topic as well. In the Arena section of Friday’s Wall Street Journal, writer Alexandra Alter reported on the literary universe surrounding the Star Wars films and also addressed the fans who enjoy it and the culture that often critiques it. Alter interviewed author Troy Denning as well as some other key names to Star Wars. Hardcore fans will not be surprised by most of the piece but it was very well researched. TheForce.net tells us a bit more about the article: Nothing in the article will surprise serious Star Wars fans. It mentions Leland Chee’s Holocron, with the obligatory reference to both the database’s scope and level of detail — including “the…
Does Obama Love Star Wars?
Is President Obama a big Star Wars fan? It would certainly seem so based on recent news events this month of Obama recognizing Star Wars as a cultural event and even reminiscing a bit about it: “I remember when I first saw ‘Star Wars,’ ” Obama said during his opening remarks as he presented the 2012 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal to Lucas and other recipients. “There’s a whole generation that thinks special effects always looked like they do today. But it used to be you’d see, like, the string on the little model spaceships.” At the event, Obama awarded a dozen National Medals of Arts as well as another dozen National Humanities Medals. These “extraordinary men and women” have used their talents “to open up minds and nourish souls and help us understand what it means to be human and what it means to be an American,” Obama…
Star Wars Shakespeare: A New Hope Gets a New Format
If you love Star Wars but are reluctant to dive into the works of Shakespeare, Ian Doescher has just the book to ease you in to the verses of the Bard. Dolscher’s takes Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope back in time to the 1600s. Apparently, the project is George Lucas sanctioned, according to Get The Big Picture. The Star Wars creator has reportedly told Doescher he should take the project as far as possible. Perhaps this means we will see the other five episodes given the Hamlettreatment. Along with references to the Elithabethan author, the book also features period style images, including one with Luke holding a storm trooper’s helmet like a skull. “The allusions to Shakespeare’s works are references I carry around in my head, so most often the allusions to plays flowed naturally with a particular character’s dialogue. Other times, the references were more carefully planned,” Doescher told Quirk. “”For instance, I knew…
Al Pacino In ‘Star Wars’ As Han Solo? It Almost Happened
Al Pacino In ‘Star Wars’ As Han Solo? Well, that sure would have made for an interesting movie, no? Before you get all excited, it’s not happening but Al Pacino says it almost did. According to Al, Al Pacino almost played Han Solo in “Star Wars.” “”It was mine for the taking but I didn’t understand the script,” Pacino said in London over the weekend during an event called “An Evening With Al Pacino.” Harrison Ford apparently did understand the script; he, of course, played Solo in three “Star Wars” films and is expected to reprise his role in the 2015 sequel directed by J.J. Abrams. And apparently he’s not the only one who was offered the role but has turned it down before Harrison Ford was picked up. And there were other women in line to play Princess Leia back then too. Sissy Spacek, Jodie Foster, Cindy Williams and Amy Irving…
Slave Leia Day- 20 Girls Celebrate 30th Anniv. of Return of The Jedi
Now here is something for the gentlemen. Leia’s metal bikini, as featured during her all-too-brief enslavement to Jabba The Hutt, is perhaps the ultimate sci-fi fan service costume. Jamin Fite has been making the famous costume for several years now through his website LeiasMetalBikini.com. To celebrate three decades of Return of the Jedi he gathered twenty of his lady friends and hit the town, inviting CraveOnline to come along and film. They took their party bus to Gentle Giant studios to visit their full-size Jabba The Hutt, as well as stopping by Legacy Effects to see some creature and mech creations from such films as Iron Man, Avatar, and Jurassic Park. Join us on a party-bus tour of LA with 20 beautiful ladies rocking their metal bikinis as they visit Jabba The Hutt, Gentle Giant Studios, and the creatures of Legacy Effects in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars:…
Want a 10-foot-tall painting of ‘Star Wars’ Action Figures?
Artist Rob Burden is itching to create epic oil paintings of vintage Star Wars action figures. How about a 10-foot Hoth scene in your living room? It would make a great addition to a personalized man-cave or maybe to your home theater room. But if you’re looking at getting this type of one-of-a-kind art for yourself, you better have deep pockets.
National Star Wars Day… May the Fourth Be With You
Happy Star Wars Day! May the fourth be with you. It’s here, guys- the greatest day of the year- National Star Wars day. May 4 is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years). There are 241 days remaining in the year. It’s a great day for celebrating all things Star Wars. Whether you spend it playing your favorite Star Wars games or dressing up like your fave characters from the movies, we want you to do something extra special on this great day. Wookiepedia gives us some tips on how some fans celebrate this special day: Typical festivities consist of inviting fellow Star Wars-obsessed friends to stay over, and then watching the series in succession. Lots of snacks, bring lightsabers and Star Wars-themed toys. Lightsaber fights in the early morning hours optional. In the spirit of National Star Wars Day, Mashable brings us 10 Life Lessons from Star Wars. Let’s look at how…
Star Wars Rumor: Mark Hamill on Spinoff Movies and Returning to Star Wars
Mark Hamill’s movie “Sushi Girl” just went to DVD and Blu-ray this week and ET Online did an interview and talked to him about this release as well as his involvement in the upcoming Star Wars films. Specifically, they asked him what he thinks about those proposed spinoff movies. “It’s all very, very exciting and so unexpected,” says Hamill. “I think that’s the quality I like about it most – it’s like getting a pair of pants out of the closet you haven’t worn in three years and finding a $20 bill in the pocket. It’s just so unexpected.” They go on to ask him questions about whether or not he will appear in Star Wars Episode VII and he says “They’re talking to us” and that “George [Lucas] wanted to know whether we’d be interested. He did say that if we didn’t want to do it, they wouldn’t cast…
Harrison Ford will Return to Star Wars in Episode VII
A new update in the Star Wars Episode VII scene is that Harrison Ford will be returning as Han Solo. We’ve told you about all the spin-off movie rumors, many featuring a young Han Solo and while though do sound interesting, for Episode VII, many fans are excited to hear that Ford himself will be back to play Solo. USA Today gives us the original source: Latino Review reporter Umberto “El Mayimbe” Gonzalez appeared on Fox News Latino today to break the news that Harrison Ford will definitely be back to reprise the role in Star Wars VII, slated for 2015. Rumors have been swirling since November, but Gonzalez is the first to claim he has confirmation. “I found out yesterday. I did my due diligence, like I do with everything. Triple checked. Legitimate sources…His deal is done,” Gonzalez said. Late last year when the news of Episode VII was first released, Ford did…
Disney confirms “Star Wars” spinoffs
Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed some major “Star Wars” news that has long been speculated: spinoff films are on the way. Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg actually are working on movies that sit outside of the planned “Star Wars: Episodes VII,” “VII” and “IX,” and are based on characters that already exist in the “Star Wars” universe. “There has been speculation about some stand-alone films that have been in development, and I can confirm to you today that in fact we are working on a few stand-alone films,” Iger said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo.” “Larry Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are both working on films derived from great ‘Star Wars’ characters that are not part of the overall saga. We still plan to make ‘Star Wars 7,’ ’8′ and ’9′ roughly over a six-year period of time starting in 2015, but there are going to be a…
George Lucas Engaged- Congratulations and May the Force Be With You!
Good news for Star Wars creator, George Lucas. His firm announced this week that he is official engaged to long-time girlfriend, investment firm president Mellody Hobson. This is great news for the “Star Wars” and “Indian Jones” creator who has been dating Hobson for more than six years and it seems he may finally be in a position where he can commit to marriage. Known as a man who has been married to his work, it will be nice to see him have time to fully settle down with someone special. Hobson serves as chairwoman of DreamWorks Animation and is a financial contributor to ABC’s “Good Morning America” so she is no stranger to the film industry either. We wish the both of them the best in their upcoming nuptials and for a long and happy life together! Congratulations Lucas and Hobson! “”Star Wars” creator George Lucas will marry his longtime…
Star Wars EP7 Rumor Round Up
We have not had a Star Wars E7 rumor round up in awhile and it’s time to give you all the lowdown. Remember this is gossip and heresay as there is not a lot in terms in So here are some recent rumors! A recent Reuters story, Guatemala, their Mayan temples, and Star Wars says: Yavin 4 and the rebel base return to the Star Wars plot in the forthcoming Episode VII, announced in October by the Walt Disney Co, in which Skywalker comes back to the planet to build a Jedi Knight academy. However, fans said that Disney will likely film those scenes in a studio rather than return to Tikal. Yavin 4 does reappear as the site of the Jedi Academy in the Expanded Universe but there is no official source or inside information to lead us to believe it could be in the movie. Then again, there is no…
Star Wars Figures Inducted into Toy Hall of Fame
Sure you love your Star Wars toys but did you know that you’re not alone? Star Wars action figures, along with the classic game Dominoes, were inducted to the National Toy Hall of Fame last week. They joined the ranks of famous toys such as Barbie, Mr. Potato Head, marbles and the Teddy Bear so future generations will forever know the importance and significance of these great toys. Democrat and Chronicle tell us more: “Star Wars” action figures were introduced by Kenner in the 1970s. The success of those toys spurred the industry to create more toys linked to movies, television series and comic books. The toys also were finalists in 2011. “Every kid knows these toys,” said Hall of Fame Curator Patricia Hogan. “They are a force to be reckoned with.” We couldn’t agree more. I remember playing with them as did my parents and now, even my children. They are…
Tosche Station Radio #35: Buyout
Brian and Nanci from Tosche Station + Dunc from clubjade.net discuss the Disney buyout and episode 7 What led Brian and Nanci to call an emergency episode of Tosche Station Radio? Well, none other than the big Disney buyout of Lucasfilm. It’s not surprising really, since everyone is talking about this buyout and how it seemed to come out of left field and completely unexpected. What is interesting, however, is what they talked about. Lots of great points brought up in this emergency episode of Tosche Station Radio! What’s it all about? The notes are brief, because we’re only talking about one thing: Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm and the announcement of new Star Wars films (our post/Club Jade’s post). Hosts Nanci and Brian are joined by Dunc from Club Jade to try and make sense of the big news and offer insight as to what this might mean for the future of the Galaxy Far, Far…
Interview with Voice Actor Marc Thompson Narrator of Star Wars Audio Books
Voice actor Marc Thompson who is the narrator of the Star Wars audio books was at the Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando Florida for their annual get together. This event took place on August 25th 2012. He was gracious enough to give an interview and he spoke about how exciting it was for him to be the “voice” of the Star Wars audio books since he is such a huge fan of the series. He also explained his technique for coming up with the different voices and the processes that take place to make each character an individual. It is very interesting to learn that he actually looks at illustrations of characters and takes their race into account when choosing the right voice or tonal quality for a character. As a bonus, he even offers a couple of character voices and explains the difference between doing a cartoon voice…
Star Wars prequels 3D reissues set for back-to-back releases in Fall 2013
Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox are taking a page out of the successful 1997 re-release of the original “Star Wars” trilogy as they prepare for a 3-D launch of two more movies from the space saga next year. “”Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” and “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,” the fifth and sixth movies — but the second and third chronologically — will be released in 3-D on Sept. 20, 2013 and Oct. 11, 2013, respectively. Lucasfilm announced the news on its Facebook page Monday. Putting the two movies three weeks apart mirrors Fox and Lucasfilm’s strategy 15 years ago when the original “Star Wars,” “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi” were re-released in three-week increments over the winter. The approach can help create the feeling of a major fan event lasting a month or more. It will also save marketing dollars, as Fox (which handles distribution and…
Star Wars fans gather force for Celebration VI in Orlando
The biggest “Star Wars” party this side of the galaxy continues this weekend in a city not far, far away from Brevard. “Star Wars” fans young and old are in for a real treat as Star Wars Celebration VI returns to the Orlando Convention Center. Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Seth Green, Dave Filoni and Kevin Smith are among the guests, along with the many fans emulating C-3PO, storm troopers, Darth Vader, Princess Leia and Han Solo. For David White of Titusville, a member of the Mandalorian Mercs, which celebrates the subculture of “Star Wars” bounty hunter Boba Fett, the celebration means a chance to don his costume for a good cause. His group will host a jail and bail event in which the Mercs arrest or release folks, with proceeds going to charity. “The last celebration, we only ran it for six or seven hours on one day, and we…
The LEGO SWTOR Sets are Now Available in the US
If you’re a fan of LEGO or Star Wars collectibles, you might already know about the Star Wars LEGO sets. We have several in our home and now, LEGO has released their newest two LEGO SWTOR and summer series sets. While Toys R Us is also carrying them, Amazon is the clear choice of where to get them because they have all the set in stock for retail price, no tax to most states and free shipping on orders above $25. My kids are huge LEGO fans and Star Wars fans so I’m thinking we’ll have to save up for sets for them and for us. These will make a fantastic collector’s piece. LEGO Star Wars 9500 Sith Fury-class Interceptor LEGO Star Wars 9497 Republic Striker-class Starfighter Amazon has both building sets and planet sets as follows in their summer collections. Building Sets: Desert Skiff (reg.$24.99) Saesee Tinn’s Starfighter (reg.$29.99) Republic…
Course of the Force with Video ‘Nerdist’s Journey’
Lucasfilm Ltd., Nerdist Industries and Octagon have teamed up to present Course of the Force, an Olympic torch style relay run with lightsabers, where participants will make a journey from Santa Monica to San Diego while benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Here’s a fun event for a very good cause. In the days leading up to San Diego Comic Con, the official Course of the Force will take place. On July 7, Course of the Force will kick off with an event at the Santa Monica Pier at 10:00 a.m. The relay will start later in the day and end at Redondo Beach. As the Course makes its stops along the iconic California coast, Star Wars™-themed parties, contests and live Nerdist shows will cap off each day for fans to enjoy. There will also be ways for fans to take part in this history relay event with special sponsor promotions. July 7, 8 and…
The Official SW.com Blog Returns
It’s baaaaccck! The Official Star Wars blog tells us: “It’s been just about two months since we put this blog on hiatus to update its design and develop a new approach to content. It took a bit longer than we had hoped, but we’re glad to say that starting today, we’re back… with a few exciting changes.” I know a lot of fans have been waiting a long time to hear this. So what kind of changes can you expect to encounter now that it’s back? Here are some changes: Supervising Director Dave Filoni will be sharing insights and stories from behind-the-scenes of The Clone Wars, along with other cast and crew. We’re going to open up the Lucasfilm archives, with J.W. Rinzler and others sharing never-before-seen images, videos and stories from the making of the films. Resident Star Wars experts Pablo Hidalgo and Leland Chee will be sharing details about…