MCM London Comic Con has landed a genuinely strong Star Wars animation lineup for its May 2026 show, with a full group of The Clone Wars voice actors now confirmed for the weekend. The event will run from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24 at ExCeL London, and all three days will feature Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor, Nika Futterman, Catherine Taber, Dee Bradley Baker, and Ashley Eckstein. That is not just one nice guest announcement. That is basically MCM looking at Clone Wars fans and saying, “Yeah, this one’s for you.” This Is a Proper Clone Wars Reunion, Not Just a Random Guest Add-On That lineup covers a lot of the core emotional wiring of The Clone Wars. You have Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker as the clone army and Captain Rex, Nika Futterman…
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ILM’s Award-Winning “Lama” Tech Is the Kind of Star Wars-Adjacent Magic Most Fans Never See
Not every big Star Wars story is a trailer, a casting reveal, or somebody saying one vague sentence in Empire and sending the fandom into orbit for three days. Sometimes the interesting stuff is deeper in the machine. That is the case with Industrial Light & Magic’s layered shading system Lama, which has now picked up one of the Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards. ILM says 2026 marks its 39th Sci-Tech Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and this one goes specifically to the team behind Lama — a production-ready layered materials system that has become a key part of how ILM builds believable digital surfaces. This Is Not a Movie Award in the Usual Sense To be clear, this is not “ILM won an Oscar for one specific Star Wars project.” This is one of the Academy’s Scientific and Technical Awards, which recognize the tools…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Walmart Collector Con Is Bringing Clone Wars Obi-Wan, an Airborne Trooper, and Two Mini Helmets Star Wars Fans Will Absolutely Pretend They Don’t Need
If you collect Star Wars figures for more than about five minutes, you eventually develop a very specific kind of delusion. It usually sounds like this: “I’m just going to look.” Then Walmart Collector Con happens, a Clone Wars-era Obi-Wan shows up with a 212th Airborne Trooper, and suddenly you are doing release-time math like your morning depends on it. That is pretty much the situation now, because Walmart Collector Con kicks off on March 19 at 10:00 AM ET, and Hasbro’s Star Wars lineup is exactly the kind of thing built to destroy even the flimsiest collector self-control. The Main Event Is the Obi-Wan and Airborne Trooper 2-Pack The biggest draw here is the Walmart exclusive Vintage Collection Obi-Wan Kenobi & Airborne Clone Trooper 2-pack, which goes up for preorder on March 19 at 10:00 AM ET for $32.80. Hasbro’s published details say the set includes a 3.75-inch Obi-Wan…
The Vintage Collection Finally Gets Baze Malbus, and Rogue One Fans Have Every Right to Be Happy About It
Hasbro has officially opened pre-orders for a deluxe Vintage Collection Baze Malbus, and honestly, it is about time. For a character who spent Rogue One stomping around with a cannon the size of a small grievance and delivering some of the movie’s coolest non-Jedi energy, Baze has felt weirdly overdue in this format. Now he is finally here as VC397, priced at $27.99, and yes, this absolutely feels like one of those releases collector shelves have been waiting on for longer than they probably want to admit. This Is Very Clearly a Rogue One Anniversary Play Hasbro is framing the figure as part of the 10-year celebration of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which makes perfect sense. If you are going to start mining that movie again for collector goodwill, Baze is a strong place to do it. He is not background filler, not a blink-and-you-miss-him alien, and not…
New Mandalorian and Grogu TV Spot Keeps the Plot Murky — But the Movie’s Vibe Is Getting Much Clearer
Star Wars marketing loves doing this thing where it gives you just enough new footage to make you lean forward, and then immediately refuses to explain anything useful. That is pretty much where we are now with The Mandalorian and Grogu. A new US TV spot has surfaced, Empire’s new cover story is feeding the hype machine, and while Lucasfilm still is not exactly laying the whole plot out on the holotable, the tone of the movie is starting to come into focus. The New TV Spot Is Small, But It Does Its Job The fresh TV spot is short and pretty cagey, so this is not one of those “suddenly we know the entire third act” situations. But it does add a little new footage and keeps hammering home the same basic idea: this is still very much a Din-and-Grogu movie first, even if the scale is clearly bigger…
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…
Kathleen Kennedy Is Picking Up Another Major Industry Honor — and Whatever You Think of Modern Star Wars, That Part Is Not Debatable
Kathleen Kennedy is adding another major industry honor to a résumé that was already ridiculous. At the 73rd Annual Golden Reel Awards on March 8, 2026, Kennedy is set to receive the MPSE Filmmaker Award, one of the honorary awards handed out by the Motion Picture Sound Editors. The event listing from MPSE names Kennedy as the Filmmaker Honoree, with sound editor Mark Mangini receiving the Career Achievement honor. That is the dry version. The more interesting version is this: whatever arguments people want to keep having about modern Star Wars, Kennedy’s status inside the film industry is still massive. Variety reported the honor back in December, noting that the MPSE Filmmaker Award goes to someone outside the sound community whose work has had a meaningful impact on the art of sound in film. That makes the award less about fandom discourse and more about the size of Kennedy’s overall…
George Lucas Is Being Honored With a Major Saturn Awards Lifetime Tribute
George Lucas is adding another big honor to his trophy shelf: he’s set to receive the Dr. Donald A. Reed Founder’s Award at the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards. The Saturn Awards (run by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films) are basically the annual “genre celebration” for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror — which makes Lucas an extremely on-brand recipient. What is the Dr. Donald A. Reed Founder’s Award? It’s one of the Saturn Awards’ special honors, named after the Academy’s founder, and typically reserved for people who’ve had an outsized impact on genre entertainment. This year, that honor goes to Lucas. When are the 53rd Saturn Awards? The 53rd Saturn Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 8, 2026, at Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles, with Joel McHale hosting, and it will livestream on the Saturn Awards’ site. Lucas isn’t the only special honoree Fantha Tracks notes Lucas…
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…
This Call of Duty Zombies Mod Is the Star Wars FPS We’re Still Not Getting
A modder just combined Call of Duty with Star Wars — and it looks like the shooter Lucasfilm will never officially greenlight. Not a concept trailer. Not a “what if.” It’s a real, playable Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Workshop map called Star wars: HOTH beta — and it’s exactly as unhinged as it sounds. When official Star Wars FPS plans go quiet, modders don’t pitch — they ship. What this actually is The project is Star wars: HOTH beta, created by MoiCestTOM and published on the Steam Workshop as a beta build of an upcoming Hoth-themed custom map. The creator says they released a beta because custom maps take a huge amount of time and real-life issues made it hard to guarantee a full release later — so they wanted players to have something playable now. They also say the plan is to expand the map with…
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…
Maul: Shadow Lord — The Complete Guide to the Upcoming Star Wars Series
For more than two decades, Darth Maul has remained one of the most intriguing characters in Star Wars. Introduced as a terrifying Sith assassin in The Phantom Menace, Maul quickly became one of the saga’s most visually iconic villains. What began as a short-lived movie appearance eventually turned into one of the franchise’s most fascinating character arcs across animation, comics, and games. Now that journey is about to enter a new chapter. Maul: Shadow Lord is an upcoming Star Wars animated series that will explore the dark and chaotic years of Maul’s life following the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire. The series promises to dive deeper into Maul’s transformation from Sith apprentice into a shadowy power broker operating within the galaxy’s criminal underworld. This guide collects everything currently known about the show, including production details, trailers, interviews, and lore connections that help place the…
Diego Luna Headed to MegaCon Orlando — Star Wars Fans Rejoice
Star Wars and pop culture fans in Florida are in for a treat this year — Diego Luna has officially been announced as a guest for MegaCon Orlando 2026. The news comes from an official reveal by the event organizers, who confirmed the Rogue One star will be attending one of the largest fan conventions in the United States later this year. This marks a major opportunity for fans to meet one of the franchise’s most beloved actors in person. A Beloved Star Returns to Fan Events Diego Luna is best known in the Star Wars universe for his role as Cassian Andor — the Rebel operative at the heart of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. His performance was widely praised for adding depth and emotion to the franchise’s cinematic canon, helping make Rogue One one of the most acclaimed films of the modern era. Luna’s continued popularity with…
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Website Gets a Fresh New Look Ahead of 2026 Opening
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is getting closer to reality — and now its official website is starting to reflect that momentum. With the museum scheduled to open in 2026, the team behind George Lucas’ ambitious storytelling-focused institution has rolled out a refreshed website design, giving fans and future visitors a clearer look at what’s coming. While it might sound like a small update, the new site offers a glimpse into how the museum is shaping its identity ahead of launch — and why it’s becoming one of the most anticipated Star Wars-adjacent projects in years. A Fresh Coat of Paint for a Growing Museum The updated Lucas Museum website features a cleaner layout, improved navigation, and a more modern visual style that better matches the futuristic architecture of the museum itself. Visitors can now more easily explore: The refresh makes it clear that the project is moving steadily…
The Final Issue of Star Wars Insider Is Coming — And It Marks the End of an Era
After decades of behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive interviews, and deep dives into a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Insider is officially coming to an end. The long-running official magazine will release its final issue in 2026, closing the book on one of the most important publications in Star Wars fandom history. For many fans, this isn’t just another magazine release. It’s the final chapter of a publication that helped shape Star Wars culture long before social media, YouTube breakdowns, and daily franchise news cycles existed. And fittingly, the final issue is designed as a full-circle moment for the franchise. When Does the Final Issue Release? While excitement around the final issue is already building, it’s important to note that the magazine isn’t out just yet. The final issue of Star Wars Insider — issue #237 — is currently available for preorder, but its official release is scheduled for May 2026….
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue at Disneyland Paris — What You Need to Know (and Cast Member Tips!)
Star Wars fans visiting Disneyland Paris have a thrilling intergalactic experience waiting for them: Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, a 3D motion simulator ride that takes guests on unpredictable journeys across the galaxy. Here’s everything you need to know before you board your Starspeeder 1000 — plus insider tips from Disneyland Paris cast members to make your ride even better. A Galaxy of Possibilities — Ride Overview Star Tours: The Adventures Continue is a Star Wars–themed 3D motion simulator located in Discoveryland at Disneyland Park Paris. It’s the updated version of the classic Star Tours attraction, originally opened in 1992 and replaced by the new simulator experience on March 26, 2017, as part of the park’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The attraction puts guests inside a Starspeeder 1000 vessel — piloted by familiar droids like C-3PO and R2-D2 — for a flight full of twists, turns, and unexpected planetary destinations. Unlike…
Millennium Falcon Ride Gets Mandalorian & Grogu Mission Starting May 2026
Big changes are officially coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — and this time it’s not rumor or speculation. Disney has confirmed that Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will receive a major new Mandalorian-themed mission beginning May 22, 2026, tying directly into the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu in theaters. And yes — this is a full gameplay and story expansion. Din Djarin and Grogu Take Over Smugglers Run Starting May 22, 2026, guests boarding the Millennium Falcon will join Din Djarin and Grogu on an all-new mission across the galaxy. The updated attraction will focus on tracking down elusive ex-Imperial officers, bringing riders directly into a fresh Star Wars storyline connected to the upcoming theatrical film. This marks the biggest update to Smugglers Run since Galaxy’s Edge first opened — and it firmly places The Mandalorian era front and center inside Disney’s parks. New Destinations Across the Galaxy One…
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…
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lightsaber Used by Rey Heads to Auction for Up to $100,000
A true piece of modern Star Wars history is heading to the auction block — and it’s not just any prop. The iconic lightsaber hilt used by Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now up for auction, with an estimated sale price between $50,000 and $100,000. For collectors and fans alike, this isn’t just a display item. It’s a genuine on-screen prop tied directly to one of the sequel trilogy’s most memorable moments. A Lightsaber With Major Star Wars Legacy The lightsaber hilt featured in the auction is the same weapon seen during Rey’s confrontation with Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. It’s also the saber she later returns to Luke Skywalker — making it one of the most symbolically important props in the sequel trilogy. In many ways, the weapon represents the passing of the torch between generations of Jedi. Originally wielded by Anakin Skywalker and later…