The Star Wars galaxy is headed into some interesting territory in the next few years, with a slate of movies and Disney+ exclusive shows on the horizon. Among these is a new movie set to be directed and co-written by James Mangold, which will explore the very early days of the Jedi in the Star Wars franchise. While there is a lot that remains unknown about Mangold's take on the franchise, there's a chance that a new interview just revealed the film's subtitle. In new comments to SFX Magazine (via r/StarWarsLeaks), producer Simon Emanuel, who worked with Mangold on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, referred to the upcoming Star Wars movie as Jedi Prime. It remains to be seen if this, or the previously-said subtitle of Dawn of the Jedi, will end up being the movie's final title.

"James Mangold's Jedi Prime is set thousands and thousands of years before [the original trilogy], and I'm really excited to see what happens there," Emanuel revealed.

What Is James Mangold's Star Wars Movie About?

Plot details surrounding Mangold's movie currently remain under wraps, outside of the fact that the film will be set 25,000 years before any of the events covered by the Star Wars franchise thus far. Mangold has teased that his aspirations for the film are to tell a story that can stand on its own from the established canon.

"When I talk to some of the Star Wars clerics who keep track of all these timelines, I was like, 'So when would this have happened?' and they were like, '25,000 years before Episode I.' And I was like, 'Oh, I was looking for some distance, but that's distance,'" Mangold joked in an interview last year. "The reality, for me, was that feeling of space, pun not intended but apropos, was something that I felt was really important. Not to get away from -- again, fan service or the intricacies of what George [Lucas] has set up and dreamed of, but to just have the space to tell a story and not be instantly encumbered by the bases you have to hit. Which, honestly, there's no way to explain it to folks other than to say it's like that game we played as kids, Twister, that at a certain point, you're in a tangle because you just are trying to find a way to tell a story with so many constraints that you can't."

What Is the Next Star Wars Movie?

Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy, The Mandalorian and Grogu will follow the ongoing adventures of Din Djarin / The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his pint-sized ward, Grogu. The film is confirmed to have a release date of May 22, 2026.

"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," Favreau shared in a statement. "The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

"Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, added.

The ComicBook Nation crew breaks down the X-Men '97 Season 1 Finale and discusses all the reveals about the Season 2 storyline. We also review the new movie IF (2024).

PLUS: Geek News includes some big renewal news for some of streaming's hottest shows; a breakdown of Amazon's The Rings of Power Season 2 Trailer, and the Spider-Verse expands with Nic Cage's Spider-Man Noir TV show - even as Amazon's Silk: Spider Society series dies in development.

IF (2024) Review

ComicBook critic Jamie Jirak's IF movie review gives the film 3.5 out of 5 stars:

The film does a good job of reminding its audience that there's a kid in all of us, and that time can never truly take away your imagination. It's been a while since I looked around in a theater and saw multiple grown men shedding a tear. Krasinski knows how to appeal to parents, especially dads. While IF may not be a perfectly pieced-together movie, there's enough heart embedded in its core to make it a worthy trip to the cinema for families. The cast is delightful, the IFs are magical, and the warmth is undeniable.

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Young Woman and the Sea had its premiere last night, and the new film sees Daisy Ridley playing accomplished swimmer, Gertrude Ederle. Naturally, Ridley couldn't walk the red carpet without getting some questions about her upcoming return to Star Wars. It was announced last year that she would be getting her own solo film as Rey, the character she first played in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ridley was asked if she'd like to reunite with her Star Wars sequels co-star, John Boyega, who played Finn.

"Absolutely, of course," Ridley said when asked if she'd like Boyega to be a part of her upcoming Star Wars project. "It feels like we should, yeah."

Earlier this year, Ridley addressed other sequel stars popping up in the Rey movie during an interview with Variety.

"No, because I don't know what is what or who is who [in the new movie]," Ridley explained when asked if it will be weird to make a Star Wars without Boyega, Adam Driver (Ben Solo/Kylo Ren), or Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron). "So much has happened for me [since the Skywalker saga]. I feel like a grown-up now. When I first started, I was, like, 20. I was the youngest on set. It took me the first two Star Wars films to feel worthy of being there. Now I'm in my 30s. The whole thing feels quite different. I've been able to work with other filmmakers, and hopefully, I've got better as a performer."

What Is Young Woman and the Sea About?

You can read a descirption of the film here: "Young Woman and the Sea tells the story of Gertrude Ederle, the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement - a 21-mile trek from France to England."

"Young Woman and the Sea is directed by Joachim R?nning, with a script from Jeff Nathanson. The film is produced by Top Gun producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who acquired the rights to Stout's book back in 2015. In addition to Ridley, the cast of Young Woman and the Sea includes Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, and Glenn Fleshler."

Young Woman and the Sea will receive a limited theatrical release by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures starting May 31st.

There's supposedly another new Star Wars game in development, though it's a Star Wars game that's probably far from what anyone would've ever expected. The latest Star Wars rumor suggests that Sega's Creative Assembly developer is working on a Star Wars-themed Total War game which would be a big departure for the series which usually roots itself in historical military forces and cultures. Creative Assembly naturally hasn't announced anything of the sort yet, though the same suite of rumors about this game suggest that it's one of three different Total War games Creative Assembly is working on now.

Insider Gaming and DualShockers both reported this week on the supposed Total War Star Wars game that Creative Assembly might be working on now. The latter's report is more recent and cited unnamed sources with the info while the Insider Gaming report from Tom Henderson said talks of a futuristic Total War game were heard about for years now. Given the recent DualShockers report combined with these separate insights into a Star Wars Total War game, the prospect of it actually happening is now seeming much more likely.

Creative Assembly's current lineup of Total War games clearly favors historical battles as opposed to contemporary or futuristic experiences with the most recent game being Total War: Pharoah and Total War: Rome Remastered prior to that. Total War has dabbled in the fantasy realm to a degree in the past with Total War: Warhammer and two sequels released, but that's about as far as it's gone.

Star Wars then would easily be the furthest the series has gone beyond its roots and may entice others who might not have played Total War games to try it out. The Total War series consists of turn-based, real-time strategy games which move a bit slower compared to the usual Star Wars games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Battlefront 2.

Creative Assembly and Sega being able to work on this kind of game at all, assuming it's real, is made possible by the fact that Electronic Arts lost the exclusive rights to making Star Wars games years ago which is why we're getting a Star Wars Outlaws game from Ubisoft. While again different from the usual Total War games, this Star Wars Total War game and the other two supposedly in the works would be a return to form for Creative Assembly after the studio's last project, Hyenas, never came to fruition. Sega canceled the game last year and suggested that Creative Assembly would return to working on what it was best known for in the Total War series.

Star Wars fans are set to head into The High Republic for the first live-action adventure set in that time period with Star Wars: The Acolyte, and while it's unclear how audiences will react to this ambitious experience, producer Rayne Roberts is hinting that a Season 2 could be in the works. Unlike some other stories set in a galaxy far, far away, the minds behind this debut season wanted to make sure to offer a fulfilling ending as opposed to leaving things open-ended, but if the characters prove to be a hit with audiences, it sounds as though fans could spend more time with them. Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 10th.

"We've got to get back into the writers' room for Season 2 to see where we're at," Roberts shared with SFX Magazine, per Screen Rant. "We have some initial thoughts about what we want to do, but in terms of where the story will ultimately wrap up, that hasn't been quite nailed down yet."

The timing of this first season meant that the series had to compensate for some challenges, as last year's writers' and actors' strikes saw the project suffer through extensive delays. These remarks about bringing a writers' room back together would imply there has been little, if any, development of what a sophomore season would explore.

"We want to make sure this season has an ending -- some catharsis -- but you always want to leave the door open. We've talked about where the story could go, and [showrunner] Leslye [Headland] has so many ideas -- and like anything, if something's successful, you can bet you'll find other stories within it."

The current timeline of the live-action franchise spans from the time of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and through Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which spans roughly 60 years. The High Republic is roughly 150 years before Phantom Menace, and while The Acolyte will be the first live-action exploration of the era, there are a number of novels and comic books that take place in this time containing many compelling characters and events to explore.

Set during The High Republic, Star Wars: The Acolyte delivers an investigation into a mysterious string of crimes, which pits a Jedi master against his former apprentice in a race to uncover the events. The more that the pair learn about the situation, the darker their journey becomes, as they confront things that darker than either of them could have imagined.

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Hasbro has two Star Wars The Black Series reissues in store for collectors today - Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Fox, which were first revealed in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Currently, these figures are selling for around $70 to $100 on sites like eBay, but here's another chance to get them at the regular price. Odds are the window will be brief. Note that US shipping is free on orders $79+ at Entertainment Earth.

• Star Wars The Black Series Captain Rex / $24.99 - See at Entertainment Earth: Inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this figure includes a removable helmet and blaster accessory.
• Star Wars The Black Series Clone Commander Fox / $24.99 - See at Entertainment Earth: Inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this figure includes blaster accessories.

If you missed out on all of the new releases for Star Wars Day 2024, we have you covered right here. This includes several new figures in Hasbro's Black Series, The Vintage Collection and Retro Collection lineups.

Star Wars: The Acolyte Honors All Eras Of Star Wars

With Star Wars: The Acolyte taking place in The High Republic, the canvas is a lot more open for the creative team to spread their wings. Such an idea makes Leslie Headland very excited. She told Total Film that her approach to the Disney+ series was to include as much Star Wars as possible. So, expect elements from all across the franchise to pop-up in unexpected and delightful ways when The Acolyte streams on Disney+. This has remained a fun element of the current era of Star Wars. Creators can sift through untold tomes of ideas to make their own shows or movies. While paying respect to, and rewarding longterm fans for their investment.

Headland told the site, "It's a show packed with everything I wanted to explore: I wanted EU [Expanded Universe] stuff in there, references to the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace, the Disney sequels... it's absolutely packed. Because you never know, you may not get the chance again."

"[Cinematographer] Chris [Teague] and I talked a lot about honoring George Lucas' camera moves," the showruner continued. "I would say the original trilogy became our touchpoint for how to craft the world, while the Episode I-ness of the show is a bit more thematic."

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

The Star Wars franchise has gotten a massive number of video games over the years, and many of them have been re-released on modern platforms. There are still some notable exceptions, but it seems a 2002 Star Wars game will be coming back soon on PS4 and PS5. A now removed PlayStation Store listing for Star Wars: The Clone Wars was recently uncovered by the website PS Deals, and will apparently be arriving on June 11th. According to the listing, the game will feature some modern improvements, including rewind, quick save, up-rendering, and custom video filters.

A New PlayStation Plus Option?

Gematsu is speculating that The Clone Wars will be offered as part of the Classic Catalog for PlayStation Plus, but nothing has been confirmed at this time. For those unfamiliar with The Clone Wars, it was one of multiple games released following the theatrical debut of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. That same year also saw Star Wars: Bounty Hunter released, which is a game featuring Jango Fett. Bounty Hunter has been available on the PlayStation Store for a while now, but this would mark the first time that Star Wars: The Clone Wars has ever been made available for a second time.

As the game's name implies, Star Wars: The Clone Wars acts as something of a sequel to Attack of the Clones. The war between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists is now in full swing, and the missions mostly take place through vehicular combat. However, the game also features some third-person action, putting players in the role of three different Jedi heroes: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Mace Windu.

Bringing Back the Prequel Era

Unfortunately, it seems that the PS4 and PS5 versions of The Clone Wars will only support two-player local multiplayer, as opposed to the four-player that was offered through the multi-tap for the original PS2 version. That's bound to be a bit of a bummer, as the game offers multiplayer modes such as deathmatch, king-of-the-hill, and more.

For fans of the Star Wars prequel era, this should be a fun addition to the PlayStation library! The game was mostly well-received when it first came out, and while it remains to be seen how well it actually holds up, it can be fun to revisit some of these older Star Wars games. The prequel era also hasn't gotten much focus in recent games, with titles like Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Outlaws focusing on the original trilogy instead. For fans of that era in particular, Star Wars: The Clone Wars might be worth checking out when (or if) it does arrive on PlayStation!

Did you play this Star Wars game on PS2? Do you plan on checking it out next month? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

In the world of Star Wars, it's up to a Force-wielder whether they want to pursue a life that takes them towards the light side or the dark side, but in a new collaboration between the franchise and OREO, fans won't get to make that decision, as each limited-edition package will feature either a blue- or red-colored creme that seals their fate. All of the cookies will be emblazoned with corresponding heroes or villains from across the franchise, with the creme also being infused with "kyber" sugar crystals. Fans will be able to order the limited-edition Star Wars Cookie Packs starting on May 30th through OREO's official website before they begin launching in stores on June 10th.

"Pairing two tremendously loved communities to launch the Star Wars OREO Cookie Packs has been an amazing experience," Nicole Fischer, Senior Brand Manager, OREO, US, shared in a statement. "We are continuing to make strides to cement our brand's cultural relevance via strategic collaborations. We hope fans see how much we loved bringing their favorite stories to life, and that they have fun discovering the details we've included at every touchpoint."

Per press release, "Today, the OREO brand, in collaboration with Lucasfilm, announced the release of Special Edition Star Wars OREO Cookies. The two iterations of the Star Wars OREO Cookie Packs are wrapped in identical exterior packaging, but each pack contains a single color creme that symbolizes either the dark side or light side of the Force. Even better? A playful twist: fans won't know what side they're on until they open it!"

"When fans open their packs, and discover their destiny, they'll be greeted with either dark side or light side Star Wars OREO Cookies with red or blue creme, respectively, that's infused with 'kyber' sugar crystals inspired by the crystals found in a lightsaber. On each cookie, fans will find embossments of corresponding dark side and light side characters such as Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and a stormtrooper for the dark side pack, or Luke Skywalker, Yoda, and Princess Leia for the light side pack, with 10 characters each across the two varieties of the Special Edition Star Wars OREO Cookie Packs -- 20 characters total.

"The Star Wars and OREO Cookie lore goes even deeper if you take a closer look at the packaging art. As an homage to the franchise, the Star Wars OREO Cookie Packs feature original character artwork beautifully hand-painted by the legendary illustrator Greg Hildebrandt, an iconic Star Wars poster artist since 1977.

"The new Star Wars OREO Cookie Packs will be available for presale starting May 30th at OREO.com/StarWars and will begin rolling out at retailers nationwide starting June 10th. The packs will be available only for a limited time, while supplies last."

Stay tuned for updates about the Star Wars franchise.

Will you be checking out the limited-edition cookie packs? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace has managed to score one wild Disney+ record. With May 4th in the rear-view mirror, the opener of the Prequel Trilogy is now the most-streamed Star Wars movie on the entire platform. Variety reported this fact in a restrospective about The Phantom Menace. It's really wild to consider, but not completely unsurprising. For one, that May 4th week saw the Prequel favorite re-enter theaters to surprising performance. With that headwind, a lot of fans young and old decided to visit this period of Star Wars history. Maybe the most interesting facet of this entire situation is that a lot of these other movies have had dedicated pushes since their release on the platform.

One person that knows about the initial response to The Phantom Menace is actor Ahmed Best. He played Jar Jar Binks in the formerly divisive film. Time has mellowed the fandom out quite a bit, in some ways, and allowed for Best to become a fan-favorite. ComicBook got the chance to talk with him about the re-release. He feels like it's the kind of event that theaters were going to need in this day and age.

"I think something needs to bring people back to these theaters, and for that big screen experience," Best explained. "And Phantom Menace was made for a big screen experience ... George [Lucas] always looked at movies in a 'real estate.' So things are put on the screen for a reason. When he built Phantom Menace, he built it for the dimensions that this screen was supposedly going to take up ... It's about the experience, and he's very specific about that ... He's not only just a wonderful cinephile, but as somebody who is able to craft screen art, he's incredibly detailed and incredibly specific, and he means everything he puts on a screen, every frame has a meaning. And the size of the screen matters just as much as what's on the screen."

What's Next For Star Wars?

The next entry in the long-running franchise is Star Wars: The Acolyte on Disney+. This story actually occurs before The Phantom Menace in the chronology. As big of a surprise as it was to see Darth Maul on-screen back in the prequels, that how surprised these Jedi are to encounter an evil Force user in this new series. Showruner Leslie Headland told Entertainment Weekly about building a story around the bad guys and taking what came before to power this current narrative.

"I really wanted to tell a story about the Sith," Headland said of her upcoming show. "That was kind of my dream Star Wars idea. But it felt like the time period to do that in would be something pre-Phantom Menace. That seemed to be the most interesting trajectory for the Sith: How did the Sith go from the Rule of Two and being quote-unquote 'extinct' to Palpatine coming into power without the Jedi knowing about it?"

Are you surprised to see The Phantom Menace top the charts? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

The next Star Wars movie may have just landed an Oscar-nominated actress. On Friday, reports confirmed that Sigourney Weaver is in talks to appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu. The prolific actress is known for her work in the Alien and Avatar franchises, as well as projects like Ghostbusters and Marvel's Defenders.

This would make Weaver the first new cast member to join The Mandalorian and Grogu, in addition to franchise star Pedro Pascal. The film will reportedly begin production later this year, for an already-confirmed 2026 release date.

What Is The Mandalorian and Grogu About?

Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy, The Mandalorian and Grogu will follow the ongoing adventures of Din Djarin / The Mandalorian (Pascal) and his pint-sized ward, Grogu.

"I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created," Favreau shared in a statement. "The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

"Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, added.

Will The Mandalorian Get a Season 4?

In addition to The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, there has been a lot of speculation about whether or not the flagship The Mandalorian Disney+ series will be returning for another season. Filoni has hinted at both projects being in the works concurrently.

"There's so much spinning in the galaxy right now. You know me better than to commit to any one thing, no mind trick works on me," Filoni shared with Entertainment Tonight when asked about Season 4 of The Mandalorian. "I'm excited about what we're doing right now, but the movie, I think, is gonna be great. With Jon at the helm, it's gonna be fantastic, and he's so well-studied in Star Wars now, so he's got a great shorthand and I love collaborating with him. Just excited to share the future of what we're doing."

What Are the Next Star Wars Movies?

In addition to The Mandalorian and Grogu, upcoming Star Wars movies will include a New Jedi Order movie directed by Ms. Marvel's Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will see Daisy Ridley return to her Sequel Trilogy role of Rey. There will also be a New Republic movie written and directed by Filoni, and a Dawn of the Jedi movie directed by Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny's James Mangold.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is scheduled to be released on May 22, 2026.

h/t: Jeff Sneider

The Star Wars universe is expected to grow even further later this year, with the launch of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. The live-action Disney+ series has been described as a distinct coming-of-age story set in the galaxy far, far away, and now we know some of the work that is going into it. While speaking to Collider, Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts highlighted that the show will be using some old-school artistry, including stop-motion animation from legendary animator Phil Tippett.

"I got to use all the cool stuff on my most recent Star Wars show," Watts revealed. "We had pre-viz, MOCAP, we shot on The Volume, we did everything. But the most fun part was we also used all the old school techniques as well. We got Phil Tippett to do stop-motion. We did matte paintings, like real old-fashioned matte paintings. We got an ILM painter out of retirement to come out and do that. So to me, all that stuff is fun, but it's just another tool, and it depends on how you use it." For Watts, it's all about using the right tool for the right job.

What Is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew About?

Skeleton Crew follows four children who end up on an adventure to make their way home after being lost in the galaxy following a discovery they make on their home planet. It will star Jude Law, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Robert Timothy Smith, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon, and Jaleel White.

"Jon Watts came to me, very much wanting to do a sort of Goonies in Star Wars," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy exclusively told ComicBook.com at Star Wars Celebration last year. "Needless to say, I'm going to say yes. And so it's just evolved out of that kind of enthusiasm in wanting to tell stories in this space."

Will Skeleton Crew Characters Appear on The Mandalorian?

Despite fan theories suggesting that it has already happened, reports from earlier this year indicate that the characters from Skeleton Crew did not appear in the third season of Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Still, these shows -- as well as Star Wars: Ahsoka -- could ultimately have a domino effect leading towards some sort of crossover event.

"To have this young, Amblin-feeling movie with young people, who grew up in the Star Wars world and are exposed to adventure," Favreau shared of Skeleton Crew during a previous conversation for Entertainment Weekly. "The puppets, the costumes, the visuals, the world that's being expanded upon. And now I get to write the next season of Mandalorian with all these new characters and new locations and new creatures ... There's this cohesive group of stories that are being told thanks to all these filmmakers that are contributing."

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is expected to premiere on Disney+ later this year. If you haven't checked out Disney+ yet and you want to give it a go, you can do that here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but if you purchase one of the awesome products featured above, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

The Simpsons celebrated Star Wars in an unorthodox way, which makes sense considered the misadventures that the Simpson clan have had over the decades. The new Disney+ special, The Simpsons: May The 12th Be With You, doesn't just see countless Star Wars characters meet the beloved animated family, but brings in another popular animated family. The Griffins from Family Guy arrive in Springfield for an unexpected crossover that many viewers didn't see coming.

For fans of both Springfield and Quahog, animation viewers know that this special isn't the first time that the two animated families have met. As a part of the thirteenth season of Family Guy, the episode titled "The Simpsons Guy" saw Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie cross paths with Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Brian, and Stewie. Despite the two families looking quite different, they both arrived for the crossover retaining their original aesthetics, which often wasn't the case when it came to past Springfield crossovers. In the sixth season of The Simpsons, the episode, "A Star is Burns" saw Jay Sherman, aka The Critic, arriving in Springfield and taking on the same animation style as the Simpsons clan for example.

The Simpsons x Family Guy: Back Again

Despite the fact that The Simpsons: May The 12th Be With You is under five minutes, the animated special goes a long way into jam packing the crossover with plenty of animated characters. On top of Star Wars and Family Guy, the short also features quite a few famous moms from the Disney library, painting a wild picture for its story as the many mothers attempt to celebrate Mother's Day to an unexpected effect.

why is he animated so well lmao pic.twitter.com/9QerRDVDyZ

-- Crash (@CrashFan03) May 10, 2024

The new crossover short is currently available to stream on Disney+. Here's how the streaming service describes the animated special that not only sees Spingfield's most popular family come face to face with Quahog's finest, but quite a few Disney characters to boot, "It's Mother's Day and Marge Simpson joins the moms of Disney+ on a special holiday outing that turns into an epic galactic adventure filled with heroes, villains and a surprising old friend."

Want to know if The Simpsons are crossing over with any other animated families? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest updates on Springfield and Quahog and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Ahmed Best is known for playing Jar Jar Binks and Kelleran Beq in the Star Wars universe, but that's not the only franchise the actor is involved in. Best also lent his voice to some popular video games, including The Last of Us Part II and Fallout 76. Both The Last of Us and Fallout have made the successful transition to television. The Last of Us is currently in production on its second season for HBO, and Fallout was recently renewed for a second season by Amazon's Prime Video. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Best at the grand opening of Bricks and Minifigs in Pasadena, California. In addition to talking about Star Wars, we also brought up Best's connection to the games, and wondered if he was interested in being a part of those shows.

"Nobody called me," Best revealed when asked about potentially making a cameo on either series. "I mean, I'll play anything. Last of Us II and Fallout were both very, very fun. And the people who do those games are just wonderful and build universes that are just fantastic. So I mean, I just wanted to make a cameo in either one of those 'cause I'm in the game. But I don't know, whatever they have out there in the world in either of those universes, I'm down."

What Is Popup Con?

We spoke to Best at Popup Con, a cool event he started a few years ago, and he explained how it came to be.

"So Popup Con actually started before the pandemic," Best shared. "I always wanted to do something primarily to look at small niche businesses. When it came to entertainment stuff, I grew up in comic book stores all my life. I grew up in toy stores all my life ... And I always loved the cultures that were around it. Every time I would go to a comic book store when I was a kid, it'd be all the same people ... You'd have all of these people who were so passionate, not just about what was in the store, but the store itself. It's something that I always really loved. And when big box stores came in, that kind of disappeared."

"The big conventions are cool, but sometimes it gets a little much," Best explained. "Sometimes it's very difficult to have the stamina to do all of them, and sometimes it gets kind of transactional, more transactional than I like. I kind of like the fact that you get to talk to people. I like the fact that you get to know people and you get a little bit of time. So I was like, 'Well, what if there was a con that would just pop up in these very niche mom-and-pop stores?' Especially things like comic book stores or video stores or Lego stores or toy stores, and it would be the people affiliated with the store, but you can also spend a little bit more time with people coming through, and that's when Popup Con comes."

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Wars, The Last of Us, Fallout, and more...

Sailor Moon and Star Wars are two franchises that have become pillars in their respective mediums. While the former doesn't have any new anime projects confirmed on the horizon, the latter continues to create television projects and movies that further flesh out the universe of the Jedi and the Sith. Now, one cosplayer has taken the opportunity to imagine what the leader of the Sailor Scouts would look like if she were to become a part of the Jedi Order.

While the future is up in the air for Usagi in the anime world, Daisy Ridley is set to return to the galaxy far, far away as Disney had previously announced that her character Rey will return with a new movie in the future. During a recent interview, Ridley discussed whether the next chapter in Rey's life will begin filming this year, "I think it could be this year. It could be, but I'm not sure. I think to be honest, the writers' strike has obviously delayed quite a lot of things. So the intention was later this year. Hopefully, it will be. Otherwise, top of next, I would imagine." As of the writing of this article, director Sharmeen Obaid-Shinoy will be creating the film that might see Rey resurrecting the Jedi Order.

By The Power of the Moon, Rey Will Punish You

While Sailor Moon has never had an official crossover with Star Wars, Disney has been venturing into the anime world as of late. Star Wars: Visions was the first project that saw anime studios take on the beloved franchise, creating a cavalcade of stories that took place in the past, present, and future of the series.

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If you want to watch the original anime that started it all, Sailor Moon's first anime series is available on Hulu. Here's how Viz Media describes the series that remains a major player in the anime world to this day, "Sailor Moon and her Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation."

Which pop culture worlds would you like to see have a crossover with anime franchises? Do you think Sailor Moon will return to the anime world in the near future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest anime crossover updates and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Sailor Scouts.

First announced way back in February 2023, Hasbro has taken their sweet time in releasing the Star Wars The Black Series Ki-Adi-Mundi figure, which is finally up for pre-order now here at Entertainment Earth as a Fan Channel exclusive. It's priced at $24.99, and will hit your doorstep this June. Note that US shipping is free at Entertainment Earth on orders $79+.

The Star Wars The Black Series Ki-Adi-Mundi figure is inspired by the alien Jedi that appeared in the prequels, complete with an elongated head that makes him look like he comes from the same planet as the Coneheads. The figure includes a lightsaber accessory.

If you missed out on all of the new releases for Star Wars Day 2024, we have you covered right here. This includes several new figures in Hasbro's Black Series, The Vintage Collection and Retro Collection lineups.

Star Wars: The Acolyte Honors All Eras Of Star Wars

With Star Wars: The Acolyte taking place in The High Republic, the canvas is a lot more open for the creative team to spread their wings. Such an idea makes Leslie Headland very excited. She told Total Film that her approach to the Disney+ series was to include as much Star Wars as possible. So, expect elements from all across the franchise to pop-up in unexpected and delightful ways when The Acolyte streams on Disney+. This has remained a fun element of the current era of Star Wars. Creators can sift through untold tomes of ideas to make their own shows or movies. While paying respect to, and rewarding longterm fans for their investment.

Headland told the site, "It's a show packed with everything I wanted to explore: I wanted EU [Expanded Universe] stuff in there, references to the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace, the Disney sequels... it's absolutely packed. Because you never know, you may not get the chance again."

"[Cinematographer] Chris [Teague] and I talked a lot about honoring George Lucas' camera moves," the showruner continued. "I would say the original trilogy became our touchpoint for how to craft the world, while the Episode I-ness of the show is a bit more thematic."

Disney+ has a new description for the live-action series: "In "Star Wars: The Acolyte," an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

Star Wars: The Acolyte launches on June 4, exclusively on Disney+.

Ahmed Best first played Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which was re-released in theaters over the weekend for its 25th anniversary. It was announced this weekend Best is returning to the role of Jar Jar with a twist in LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, but it's not the only character Best is hoping to revisit. He also played Jedi Kelleran Beq in Jedi Temple Challenge and Star Wars: The Mandalorian. ComicBook recently got to chat with Best in honor of May 4th, and we asked where he'd like to see Kelleran pop up next.

"I keep putting this out there. I want to do a Jedi John Wick as Kelleran Beq," Best shared. And I don't even need to say any words. I just want to do two hours of lightsabers and people in the way. I really want to do something like that because the fight that I did for Mandalorian is 1/10th of 1% of what I could do. And there's so much more."

"I was just talking about this, the style that influences Kelleran Beq is from Filipino martial arts, and nobody really knows very much how deep those arts are," he continued. "Most of the Jedi are Japanese Samurai influenced, but the Filipinos beat the Samurai and they beat the Spanish. The way they move, the style that they move, and the weapons that they use are revolutionary. It's so much so that a lot of what Bruce Lee does in Jeet Kune Do is influenced by Filipino martial arts. So I really want that to be highlighted through some kind of Jedi story."

What Is Popup Con?

We spoke to Best at Popup Con, a cool event he started a few years ago, during the grand opening of Bricks and Minifigs in Pasadena, California.

"So Popup Con actually started before the pandemic," Best shared. "I always wanted to do something primarily to look at small niche businesses. When it came to entertainment stuff, I grew up in comic book stores all my life. I grew up in toy stores all my life ... And I always loved the cultures that were around it. Every time I would go to a comic book store when I was a kid, it'd be all the same people ... You'd have all of these people who were so passionate, not just about what was in the store, but the store itself. It's something that I always really loved. And when big box stores came in, that kind of disappeared."

"The big conventions are cool, but sometimes it gets a little much," Best explained. "Sometimes it's very difficult to have the stamina to do all of them, and sometimes it gets kind of transactional, more transactional than I like. I kind of like the fact that you get to talk to people. I like the fact that you get to know people and you get a little bit of time. So I was like, 'Well, what if there was a con that would just pop up in these very niche mom-and-pop stores?' Especially things like comic book stores or video stores or Lego stores or toy stores, and it would be the people affiliated with the store, but you can also spend a little bit more time with people coming through, and that's when Popup Con comes."

Stay tuned for more from our interview with Best.

Star Wars has finally revealed the origin story of Ahsoka and The Mandalorian villain Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), in the second installment of its character-focused "Tales" animated anthology series, Star Wars: Tales of the Empire.

Star Wars: Morgan Elsbeth's Origin Explained

Tales of the Empire's three segments about Morgan Elsbeth ("The Path of Fear", "The Path of Anger", and "The Path of Hate") reveal how and why this pivotal character is both a powerful Force witch and a feared Imperial commander, who is cultishly devoted to Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).

Morgan's story began on Dathomir, the home planet of the Nightsisters ( whose ranks include Mother Talzin and Asajj Ventress), and the Dathomirain race of men that includes Darth Maul and his brother, Savage Opress. During the Clone Wars, Morgan's fate was forever changed when Ventress betrayed her Sith master Count Dooku; when Ventress defected from the Sith and rejoined Mother Talzin's coven, Dooku retaliated by sending General Grievous and his droid army to Dathomir, to slaughter the Nightsisters. Morgan fought alongside her mother in the "Nightsisters Massacre" on Dathomir, but Grievous slew her mom in a duel.

Morgan survived by being knocked unconscious and left for dead; she was found and cared for by a local Mountain clan, but dark feelings of fear led to rage, and Morgan's thirst for revenge ultimately caused the droids to attack the Mountain clan, causing further tragedy. Morgan was banished, and, without a coven as her family, or a home on Dathomir, she became a scientist/engineer, eventually working in service of The Empire as the magistrate of Planet Corvus, whose industrialist people were promised the boon of producing a new line of TIE Defender ships.

Morgan's brilliant designs are rejected by the Empire, but manage to get Thrawn's attention; the admiral sends his lackey Captain Gilad Pellaeon to interview her and see where her loyalties lie. At first, Morgan plays it like a loyal servant of the empire, but Thrawn isn't fooled; he sends his personal assassin Rukh to infiltrate Morgan's compound and test her a different way: through combat. Morgan passes and gets to speak with Thrawn himself; her desire to be powerful (never powerless again) is enough for her loyalties to be swayed, and Morgan agrees to serve Thrawn in exchange for having her ideas funded and furthered.

The final segment shows how, after the fall of the Empire, Morgan experienced visions of the future which motivated her to stay loyal to Thrawn for years after his disappearance. When the New Republic sends a former citizen of Corvus as an envoy to bring the planet into the New Republic, Morgan refuses. The envoy and her guards are all slaughtered, and Morgan burns all the forests around her compound - but not before a distress call goes out to Bo-Katan Kryze, starting the chain of events that would lead into Din Djarin and Ahsoka Tano both confronting Morgan Elsbeth in The Mandalorian Season 2.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is now streaming on Disney+.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is the second installment in the series of animated shorts that detail the deeper backstories of certain Star Wars characters. Obviously, the title of the second installment implies that the characters in question venture into darker paths than those seen in Tales of the Jedi - but that's not entirely true.

One of the characters that Tales of the Empire focuses on is Barriss Offee, one of the most controversial characters introduced in the Star Wars: The Cone Wars animated series. A Jedi padawan who turned terrorist and bombed the Jedi Temple, Barriss offered a dark vision of what her best friend Ahsoka Tano could've become. However, Clone Wars gave Barriss a somewhat ambiguous fate: she was locked up for her crimes by the Republic, and never heard from again -- until now.

Star Wars: What Happened to Barriss Offee? Explained

Tales of the Empire's three segments about Barriss Offee reveal that she was in jail on Coruscant the night of Order 66, and was freed from her cell by Lyn Rakish, the Jedi who fell to the dark side and became the Inquisitor known as Fourth Sister. Barriss was put through the Inquisitors' horrific training, ultimately slaying her former Jedi colleague Dante in the audition.

As an Inquisitor, Barriss was partnered with Rakish on a mission to hunt down a Jedi. However, when Barriss tried to sway the young Jedi into becoming an Inquisitor, Rakish simply slaughtered them, claiming that was the true role of Inquisitor. Barriss could reconcile herself with that idea, and defected from the Inquisitors by turning on Rakish and Force-pushing her off a cliff.

As it turns out, Barriss Offee returned to the light side, giving up her lightsaber(s) in exchange for using her Force abilities as "The Healer," living on a remote icy planet, aided by a few loyal disciples. When two parents come to her to "heal" their child, Barriss recognizes the Force potential of the child and senses that a familiar presence is hunting it: Lyn Rakish. Barriss distracts Lyn by luring her into a cave, where the Force is especially strong. Inside, Rakish lost her way (literally and figuratively), while Offee tried to talk her friend into renouncing her dark allegiances. In the end, Lyn was redeemed when she accidentally impaled Barriss in a rage. Barriss was barely clinging to life when last seen being carried out of the cave by Lyn.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire has offered more development on Barriss Offee than any other Star Wars content. That said, the series did leave us in the same place: wondering if Barriss Offee is even still alive - and if so, what happened to her after the Empire fell.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is now streaming on Disney+.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron was announced in December of 2020 and, with its intended release date having come and gone, many fans have assumed the project was scrapped entirely. Filmmaker Patty Jenkins, on the other hand, recently claimed that she owes Lucasfilm a draft of the script and pointed out that one reason there hasn't been significant progress on the project is due to last year's writers' strike. Lucasfilm has a habit of announcing projects long before they have been developed in substantial ways, resulting in those projects being shelved indefinitely, so fans might be surprised to learn that the Star Wars spinoff could be revived at some point.

"When I left Star Wars to do Wonder Woman 3, and I started working on that, we talked about, 'Well, maybe I'll come back to Star Wars after Wonder Woman 3, so we started a deal for that to happen," Jenkins confessed to HBO's Talking Pictures podcast. "When Wonder Woman 3 then went away, Lucasfilm and I were like, 'Oh, we've got to finish this deal.' We finished the deal right as the strike was beginning, so I now owe a draft of Star Wars. So we will see what happens there. Who knows?"

Just over a year ago at Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm announced three new movies it was developing for the franchise, which joined the ever-growing list of movies that were supposedly being developed yet haven't earned promising updates since the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. With Disney having secured a number of release dates for unnamed Star Wars movies, Jenkins expressed her empathy over the challenges the studio currently faces.

"They have a hard job in front of them of, 'What's the first movie they're going to do?'" Jenkins expressed about the situation. "They have other directors who have been working, but I am now back on doing Rogue Squadron. We'll see what happens. We need to get it to where we're both super happy with it."

Even though Rogue Squadron earned an announcement video in which Jenkins expressed wanting to make the greatest fighter-pilot movie of all time, the project isn't officially greenlit. The filmmaker went on to express her passion for the franchise and desire to make the movie happen.

"The emotion of Star Wars and what it stands for is something so beautiful in this world," Jenkins confirmed. "If I can do something beautiful and do something that serves that audience, I would love to do it."

Stay tuned for updates on Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

Are you hoping the movie gets made? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The ComicBook Nation crew reviews The Fall Guy, new horror film Tarot and Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut with Netflix's Unfrosted. We also say farewell to Star Wars: The Bad Batch after its Series Finale, and get into part 1 of X-Men '97's finale arc.

PLUS: Breakdowns of the new trailers for Mufasa: The Lion King, the Batman: Arkham Shadow game - and a preview of WWE's Backlash event!

The Fall Guy Review

Critic Patrick Cavanaugh gave The Fall Guy 3 out of 5 stars, writing that:

The Fall Guy is perfectly palatable summer fare featuring attractive movie stars being charming, with the romance occasionally being broken up by more thrilling scenes. For better or worse, the scope and scale of both the storyline and the stunts themselves feel more like an extended episode of the source material as opposed to an opportunity to take a core premise and elevate to new heights. Given the more humble origins of the Mission: Impossible franchise and the ways Brian De Palma tapped into the core components of the TV series and revived them in unexpected and exciting ways and just how bombastic that franchise has since become, we can't rule out The Fall Guy becoming a franchise that can more fully push the effective elements to further heights in subsequent installments, especially after this entry lays a solid foundation of talent involved in the overall experience. Leitch is no De Palma, however, so while all of the core pieces come to life relatively cohesively, there isn't much to elevate The Fall Guy to be anything more than the sum of its parts.

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This past weekend saw Star Wars fans around the world celebrating "Star Wars Day" on May the 4th, which brought with it an all-new trailer for the upcoming live-action series Star Wars: The Acolyte, but the fun isn't stopping there, as an all-new trailer for the upcoming animated series LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy was released today. Even though LEGO Star Wars projects aren't official parts of Star Wars canon, they are still delightful and engaging in their own right, with this new "four-piece" series even giving us a glimpse at the fan-favorite concept of "Darth Jar Jar." You can check out the teaser for LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy below before it premieres on Disney+ on September 13th.

"It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since the ground-breaking collaboration between Lucasfilm and The LEGO Group began," executive producer James Waugh shared in a statement. "In that time, LEGO Star Wars has given our fans the unique power to unlock their imaginations and play with the galaxy's elements in any way they can conceive... and build. It's with that playful spirit in mind that we set out to 'Rebuild the Galaxy' like never before. Tapping into the comedic genius of Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit, two of the most talented comedy writers I've had the fortune of working with, we've mixed and matched LEGO sets to snap together Imperial X-fighters, Rebel TIE-wings, and yes, even Darth Jar Jar. This four-piece special is a celebration of all things Star Wars, LEGO, and the incredible explorations that can only happen when these two amazing brands come together."

Showrunners and executive producers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit added, "The opportunity to work with LEGO and Lucasfilm to rebuild the galaxy has been a dream come true. We've been collecting LEGO Star Wars sets for 25 years, and we have approached this project with a fan's enthusiasm, crafting this story quite literally brick by brick. For new fans, this will be an exciting place to enter the world of LEGO Star Wars, and for lifelong fans, you're going to see some things that you never thought possible."

Per press release, "In LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, the entire Star Wars Galaxy gets completely mixed up when an ordinary nerf-herder, Sig Greebling (Gaten Matarazzo), unearths a powerful artifact from a hidden Jedi temple. He finds himself thrust into adventure in a new, wondrously wild, and twisted version of the galaxy where good guys are bad, bad guys are good, and the fate of all depends on Sig becoming the hero who can put all the pieces back together."

The talented voice cast features Gaten Matarazzo (Sig Greebling), Tony Revolori (Dev Greebling), Bobby Moynihan (Jedi Bob), Marsai Martin (Yesi Scala), Michael Cusack (Servo), Ahmed Best (Darth Jar Jar), and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker). Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, Josh Rimes, Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, and Keith Malone are the executive producers. Chris Buckley directs with Daniel Cavey & Dan Langlois producing.

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy premieres on Disney+ on September 13th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

The dust hasn't even settled on LEGO's Star Wars Day 2024 releases, but they're back with another set in celebration of 25th anniversary of the LEGO x Lucasfilm partnership. This time it's a new Imperial Star Destroyer (75394) set that comes with 7 LEGO Star Wars minifigures: Darth Vader, Commander Praji, an Imperial Gunner, Imperial Navy Trooper, a Stormtrooper and a LEGO Star Wars 25th anniversary minifigure of Cal Kestis.

The LEGO Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer set clocks in a 1555 pieces and features a foldout carry handle for flying, 2 spring-loaded shooters, and lift-off top panel and foldout side panels to view interior details like the bridge, command room, break room, armory, control panels and cargo box with thermal detonator elements. The set won't arrive until August 1st, but you can get your pre-order in here at the LEGO Shop priced at $159.99. The set is also available to pre-order here on Amazon. If you missed out, a full breakdown of Star Wars Day LEGO releases can be found below.

LEGO Star Wars Day 2024 Sets

• LEGO Star Wars TIE Interceptor building set ($229.99 / 1931 pieces) - See at LEGO:
• LEGO Star Wars Mos Espa Podrace Diorama building set ($79.99 / 718 pieces) - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator building set ($69.99 / 640 pieces) - See at LEGO (Pre-order early)
• LEGO Star Wars Droideka building set ($64.99 / 583 pieces) - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars BARC Speeder Escape building set ($29.99 / 221 pieces) - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz Clone Commander Cody building set (5 pack) ($9.99 / 147 pieces) - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz The Phantom Menace building set ($54.99 / 732 pieces) - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force of Creativity Coffee Table Book ($149.99) - See at LEGO
• You can check out a ton of additional Star Wars Day new releases right here.

Star Wars has revealed how one key villain's origin story is connected to a pivotal battle from The Clone Wars.

In Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, we get to see the origin story of Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), and she has a dark beginning, indeed. The first episode of Tales of the Empire, "The Path of Fear", looks back at the pivotal "Battle of Dathomir," which changed the fate of the Nightsisters forever.

What Is Star Wars' Battle of Dathomir?

The Battle of Dathomir also goes by the more tragic title of the "Nightsisters Massacre". It occurred when Count Dooku's former Sith apprentice, Asajj Ventress, failed to assassinate her master and fled home to Dathomir. Ventress left her Sith allegiances behind and rejoined the Nightsisters coven led by Mother Talzin. However, Dooku had a target on her back and sent Count Dooku and his droid army to Dathomir to eradicate the Nightsisters. That battle ended with the death of Mother Talzin's coven (and the witch herself), while Morgan Elsbeth's mother was killed in a duel with Grievous.

Morgan barely survived the Battle of Dathomir, and was taken in by the local Mountain Clan. However, Morgan's thirst for vengeance ultimately poisons the village; she convinces the clan matron's daughter to accompany her on a mission to get Nightsisters weaponry to fight against the droids, and the errand goes tragically wrong. Battle droids discover the would-be thieves and the Matron's daughter is killed in the fight. The Matron's Force abilities defeat the droids, proving to Morgan that her dark and violent methods aren't the only ways to be strong. Morgan is cast out of the village, to follow her own path.

The Nightsisters are becoming bigger players in Star Wars lore, these days. They got major focus in the Ahsoka live-action series, which ended with several direct ties to the Nightsisters' origins on the distant galaxy world of Peridea, and implications about their future, as one coven returned to Dathomir in the company of Morgan's Imperial master, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Tale of the Empire's three-part segment about Morgan Elsbeth makes it clear why she is such a pivotal character in the series, with her multi-faceted role as a powerful Force-using witch; a uniquely brilliant Imperial scientist, and brutal warlord and leader.

Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Bad Batch brought back another pivotal Nightsisters character: Asajj Ventress, setting up a potential showdown on Dathomir we'd love to see!

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is now streaming on Disney+.

Star Wars Day aka May the 4th 2024 coincided with the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, so it's no surprise that Disney has some special Phantom Menace-themed releases slated for the event. In fact, they launched an entire collection inspired by the film, and it was headlined by the limited edition Darth Maul ligthtsaber hilt and the stunning 11-inch Queen Amidala Doll pictured above.

The doll is based on the character portrayed Natalie Portman as she appeared in her throne room gown. Disney notes that "the extravagant gown featured sein jewels that illuminated from within and was accessorized with an elaborate headdress. Her traditional royal makeup included a white base, red dots on both cheeks, and a red stripe painted on her lower lip to represent the suffering endured by the Naboo people before the Great Time of Peace."

Those details have been incorporated into the Queen Amidala Doll design, which will be a super limited edition of only 3,100 units. UPDATE: Amazingly, it was still available to pre-order at the time of this update right here at the Disney Store priced at $129.99. It's only a matter of time before it sells out and ends up on eBay at 2x3 times the price.

Queen Amidala Limited Edition Doll Details:

• Limited Edition of 3,100
• Certificate of Authenticity
• Queen Amidala dressed in her silken throne room gown with embroidered stripes
• Tabard features golden embroidered detailing
• Gown is trimmed in faux fur
• Decorative jewel accents around hem
• Molded golden headdress features Jewel of Zenda
• Rooted, braided hair
• Makeup includes Scar of Remembrance on lip
• Molded boots
• Gown features satin lining
• Fully poseable
• Presented in window display packaging
• -nspired by Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Part of the Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection

As for the rest of the The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection, look for the aforementioned Darth Maul lightsaber along with items like a hoodie, ear headband, t-shirt and more. You can find them all right here at the Disney Store's Star Wars page now. Direct links are available below.

• Darth Maul Ligthsaber Hilt - ($400 / Limited to 7000 units) - See at the Disney Store
• Darth Maul Zip Hoodie for Adults ($69.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Darth Maul Tie-Dye T-Shirt ($32.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Padme Amidala Ear Headband for Adults ($49.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Jar Jar Binks Baseball Hat ($29,99) - See at the Disney Store

Celebrations for Star Wars Day 2024 aka May the 4th took place over the weekend, and it included a ton of new product reveals. One of the biggest releases was the The Sith Apprentice: Darth Maul Legacy Lightsaber Set that headlined their Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection. Only 7000 will be produced, but it was still available here at the Disney Store priced at $400 at the time of this update. It must be getting close to a sellout at this point, so grab one while you still have the chance. Note that Disney relaunched Star Wars lightsaber hilt replicas in the week leading up to the Darth Maul drop.

"'Fear is my ally,'' proclaims the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Maul, whose other ally is this Legacy Lightsaber Set. This special limited edition set was created in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The finely detailed reproduction of the Dathomirian's legendary double hilt features sound effects and illuminates red when you attach two of our Lightsaber Blades, sold separately. Presented in a spectacular wooden box with Darth Maul graphics, the interior lights up red and plays Duel of the Fates when you slide open the lid."

As for the rest of the The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection, look for the aforementioned Darth Maul lightsaber along with items like a hoodie, ear headband, t-shirt and more. You'll be able to find them all right here at the Disney Store's Star Wars page and direct links are available below.

• Darth Maul Ligthsaber Hilt ($400 / Limited to 7000 units) - See at the Disney Store
• Queen Amidala Doll ($129.99 / Limited to 3100 units) - See at the Disney Store
  
• Darth Maul Zip Hoodie for Adults ($69.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Darth Maul Tie-Dye T-Shirt ($32.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Padme Amidala Ear Headband for Adults ($49.99) - See at the Disney Store
• Jar Jar Binks Baseball Hat ($29,99) - See at the Disney Store

Star Wars Day aka May the 4th 2024 was jam-packed with new product reveals, but this new Star Wars Death Star wall panel light is awesome enough to warrant special attention. In addition to the Death Star aesthetic, the light can change from white to red with a remote control. It even features a setting that dynamically responds to music and other sounds. It measures roughly 49-inches tall.

Naturally, this Star Wars wall light would be ideal for a home theater, game room, collection room, Halloween decor, and so on. However, you could probably get away with incorporating it into a general living space. The average person might not pick up on the fact that it has a Star Wars theme, though we have no doubt that it will be noticed by pretty much everyone that sees it.

You can pre-order Star Wars Death Star Wall Panel Light from Paladone here at Entertainment Earth for $149.99 with free US shipping. Note that the light was developed in collaboration with Entertainment Earth, and it's eligible for their Star Wars Day discount. Star Wars orders over $100 are eligible for discounts of $10 - $50 through today, May 6th. Also, keep in mind that a USB cable is included for operation.

"Experience the thrill of the Death Star in your own home. Equipped with color-changing capabilities and innovative music-reactive modes, this light dynamically responds to sound and music, immersing you in the intense drama of Star Wars. Whether you're setting the mood for a movie night, adding a cosmic touch to your Halloween decor, or elevating your everyday home ambiance, this light is an essential for fans and interior design enthusiasts alike.

Featuring a convenient remote control for effortless operation, this piece allows you to navigate the galaxy with the touch of a button. Let your friends and fellow Star Wars aficionados marvel at its unique design and interactive features, making it a conversation starter and a standout in any collection. Setup is a breeze too, thanks to the included USB cable."

As you might have expected, a ridiculous amount of new products and deals launched for Star Wars Day / May the 4th 2024, and that included a big wave of new figures from Hasbro. On May the 4th they launched the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection X-Wing Pilot 4-Pack, Star Wars: The Black Series Darth Sidious, Super Battle Droid, Yoda & Clone Commander Gree, The Phantom Menace 3-Pack, and Retro Collection Episode II & Episode III Multipack. Today, May 6th, they added to that list with two Amazon Black Series exclusives - the Jedi: Survivor 3-Pack and Emperor Palpatine & Throne. A complete breakdown of Hasbro's Star Wars Day 2024 lineup can be found below.

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR 3-PACK ($69.99) - Amazon Exclusive: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS JEDI: SURVIVOR 3-pack, inspired by the appearances of the MagnaGuard, Super Battle Droid and Battle Droid characters in the iconic STAR WARS video game. In his fight to protect the galaxy, Cal Kestis must face a number of enemies - including reprogrammed MagnaGuards, advanced Super Battle Droids, and variant B1 Droids. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 3 figures and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including a spear with lightning FX for the MagnaGuard, blast FX for the Super Battle Droid, and an axe accessory for the Battle Droid."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES EMPEROR PALPATINE & THRONE ($44.99) - Amazon Exclusive: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES EMPEROR PALPATINE & THONE pack, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI. Emperor Palpatine manipulated the Galactic Republic's political system until he was named Supreme Chancellor and eventually Emperor, ruling the galaxy through fear and tyranny. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail, photoreal design and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 5 entertainment-inspired accessories including his throne, two alternate portrait heads and a set of alternate hands."

As for the May the 4th Hasbro drops, you'll find details on those in the list below. Keep in mind that Entertainment Earth is offering $10 - $50 discounts on Star Wars purchases over $100 with free shipping through 5/6. Eligible items can be found here. Walmart is also running a special Star Wars Day promotion that will offer a free limited edition Star Wars pin when you upload your receipt for any Hasbro Star Wars item pre-ordered through Walmart.com between 3/21/24-5/13/24. That said, the upcoming Black Series Captain Enoch and Night Trooper 2-pack will be a Walmart exclusive. Odds are it will go up for pre-order here at Walmart along with other pin-eligible Star Wars items. Specific instructions on how to get the pin are as follows:

• Shop: Purchase qualifying items(s) between 3/21/24-5/13/21 in one transaction, and star/check items(s) and the date on your receipt. These exclusive pins are available for a limited time only on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Snap: Snap a clear photo of the entire receipt with your phone.
• Send: Head to www.preorderforapin.com and click "Get Started" to submit your receipt.
• Register: After your photo is submitted, you will receive an automated confirmation and request to complete a registration form.

Star Wars Day 2024 Hasbro Drops:

STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION X-WING PILOT 4-PACK: $54.99 - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "A new generation of talented X-wing pilots proudly serve the New Republic, flying the venerable T-65 starfighters on both security patrols and critical missions. Fans can celebrate the legacy of STAR WARS, the action-and-adventure-packed space saga from a galaxy far, far away, with this premium 3.75-inch scale STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION X-WING PILOT 4-pack inspired by the characters' appearances in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. These figures feature premium detail and design across product and packaging inspired by the original Kenner line, as well as the entertainment-inspired collector grade deco. Includes 4 figures and 10 entertainment-inspired accessories including removable helmets, plus 3 sets of small and medium-size blasters."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH SIDIOUS: $24.99 - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH SIDIOUS figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH. The scheming Darth Sidious lived a double life as Palpatine, a Naboo Senator and phantom menace who manipulated the Galactic Republic's political system until he was named Supreme Chancellor. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including Darth Sidious' signature red-bladed Lightsaber and two alternate lightning FX hands."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES SUPER BATTLE DROID: $24.99 - See at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES SUPER BATTLE DROID figure, inspired by the character's appearance in STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. Stronger and more advanced than the standard mechanical soldier, super battle droids run tirelessly and fearlessly into battle, reducing their targets to smoldering ruins with their cannon fire. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and blast FX accessory."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES CAPTAIN ENOCH & NIGHT TROOPER: $49.99 - See exclusively at Walmart: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES CAPTAIN ENOCH & NIGHT TROOPER 2-pack, inspired by the characters' appearances in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. Captain Enoch, Grand Admiral Thrawn's captain of the guard, is an ominous sentinel who wears a modified helmet with a golden face hammered into its mask. Brought to life by the sinister majik of the Great Mothers, Night Troopers are a macabre fighting force. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 2 figures and 2 blaster accessories. "

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES YODA & CLONE COMMANDER GREE: $49.99 - See exclusively at Hasbro Pulse: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES YODA & CLONE COMMANDER GREE 2-pack, inspired by the characters' appearances in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. Small in size but wise and powerful, Jedi Master Yoda played an integral role in the Clone Wars - including briefly commanding a sub-unit of the 41st Elite Corps on Kashyyyk. Clone Commander Gree, designation 1004, assisted Yoda as second in command until Order 66 was enacted. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 2 figures and 7 entertainment-inspired accessories including for Yoda an alternate head, his signature green Lightsaber and unlit hilt, plus his council chair and walking stick. Clone Commander Gree includes 2 blaster accessories."

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3-PACK: $74.99 - See exclusively at GameStop: "STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3-pack, featuring Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi, inspired by the characters' appearances during the "Duel of Fates" scene in STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE. Darth Maul came to Naboo with a mission to destroy Queen Amidala. Instead, he was met with the formidable Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi - and a fateful battle began. Fans and collectors can display these fully articulated figures featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes 3 figures and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories including each character's signature Lightsabers.."

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION EPISODE II & EPISODE III MULTIPACK: $59.99 - See exclusively at Hasbro Pulse: "After the onset of the Clone Wars, the Jedi bring together a massive clone army to fight the Separatists in a battle that will alter the course of history for the noble Jedi Order. Inspired by the original 1970s Kenner STAR WARS action figures, this STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION EPISODE II & EPISODE III MULTIPACK features premium design and five points of articulation across all figures. These 3.75-inch-scale figures are detailed to look like the Padm? Amidala, Jango Fett, Mace Windu as they appeared in STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES, and Anakin Skywalker, a clone trooper, and General Grievous as they appeared in STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH. These figures feature classic Kenner branding, as well as packaging treated with a weathered look. Imagine the excitement of the '70s when the STAR WARS original trilogy had just begun. Includes 6 figures and 10 accessories."

Yesterday was May 4th, which means fans of Star Wars celebrated the franchise in various ways. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was rereleased in theaters, and ComicBook had the chance to chat with Jar Jar Binks actor, Ahemd Best, at the grand opening of Bricks and Minifigs in Pasadena, California. In addition to playing Jar Jar in the prequel films, Best also portrayed Kelleran Beq in Jedi Temple Challenge and Star Wars: The Mandalorian. During our chat, Best spoke about The Phantom Menace rerelease and how May 4th has become a huge day for Star Wars fans. We brought up the fact that "Star Wars Day" has only become a craze in recent years, and the actor joked that it was taking away from Cinco De Mayo.

"I was just thinking, Mexicans must be pissed, because Cinco De Mayo was the holiday and now they're just like, 'Man, these nerdy Star Wars people are just taking the whole weekend,'" Best quipped. After giving the room a good laugh, Best turned the conversation a little more serious by explaining why the political sides of Star Wars are so important.

"All of these movies have very strong political undertones," Best began when asked if he had a message for fans on May 4th. "So Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Sith were all done under the George W. Bush era. And even so much so that Anakin in Sith has a line, 'You're either with us or against us.' And that's directly from what happened during the George Bush era."

"And there is a reason why there is a light and a dark and a journey in between them," he continued. "And that is a direct reflection on who we are as human beings. And I think as we watch these movies, we have to also remember that what we are watching is not just 'a galaxy far, far away, a long time ago,' but it is a reflection of how history repeats itself. And we have the ability to create a history that we can either see as a dark side of history or a light side of history."

"So this isn't just movies that we watch that we love. This is a mythology that we can learn from," Best explained. "And as we move forward, and the more of these things that are being made, we can look at them and we can make them as a reflection of who we are, but we can also make them as a reflection of who we want to be. And if there is anything that this May the 4th day should bring to us all, it is the idea that we can actually build these universes and be these people that we want to be, and make the feeling of the Force something real, and something that could move us to be better as human beings."

Stay tuned for more from our interview with Ahmed Best.

It's been a big week for Star Wars fans as folks around the world celebrated the franchise on May 4th. In addition to the annual "Star Wars Day," Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was rereleased in theaters this weekend in honor of its 25th anniversary. Not only did the movie have a successful little haul at the box office, but some fans were surprised by an appearance from Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi). Turns out, McGregor isn't the only Phantom star who plans to glimpse the movie on the big screen. Yesterday, ComicBook had the chance to interview Ahemd Best (Jar Jar Binks) at the grand opening of Bricks and Minifigs in Pasadena, California. Best was there with Popup Con, a cool event he started a few years ago. During the chat, the actor explained the history of the con, talked about catching the Phantom Menace rerelease in theaters, and addressed the upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Japan.

"It came out yesterday, so I haven't been to theaters yet, but I'm going to go this weekend and see what it's like," Best shared. However, the actor doesn't plan to make his presence known, adding that he will "try to be incognito" to "see how the reception is." Best has had a complicated history with Jar Jar and has opened up in the past about how the backlash to his character was incredibly difficult for him. However, there has been a resurgence of love for the character in addition to the film, and Best is "excited that it's back on the big screen."

"I think something needs to bring people back to these theaters, and for that big screen experience," Best explained. "And Phantom Menace was made for a big screen experience ... George [Lucas] always looked at movies in a 'real estate.' So things are put on the screen for a reason. When he built Phantom Menace, he built it for the dimensions that this screen was supposedly going to take up ... It's about the experience, and he's very specific about that ... He's not only just a wonderful cinephile, but as somebody who is able to craft screen art, he's incredibly detailed and incredibly specific, and he means everything he puts on a screen, every frame has a meaning. And the size of the screen matters just as much as what's on the screen."

What Is Popup Con?

"So Popup Con actually started before the pandemic," Best shared. "I always wanted to do something primarily to look at small niche businesses. When it came to entertainment stuff, I grew up in comic book stores all my life. I grew up in toy stores all my life ... And I always loved the cultures that were around it. Every time I would go to a comic book store when I was a kid, it'd be all the same people ... You'd have all of these people who were so passionate, not just about what was in the store, but the store itself. It's something that I always really loved. And when big box stores came in, that kind of disappeared."

"The big conventions are cool, but sometimes it gets a little much," Best explained. "Sometimes it's very difficult to have the stamina to do all of them, and sometimes it gets kind of transactional, more transactional than I like. I kind of like the fact that you get to talk to people. I like the fact that you get to know people and you get a little bit of time. So I was like, 'Well, what if there was a con that would just pop up in these very niche mom-and-pop stores?' Especially things like comic book stores or video stores or Lego stores or toy stores, and it would be the people affiliated with the store, but you can also spend a little bit more time with people coming through, and that's when Popup Con comes."

We asked Best if his preference for smaller venues meant he wouldn't be going to Star Wars Celebration Japan in 2025, but the actor still isn't sure.

"I don't know yet," Best explained. "It's about scheduling more than anything else. I want to go to Japan. I love Japan so very much."

Stay tuned for more from our interview with Ahmed Best.

This May the 4th has certainly been an eventful one for Star Wars fans. Disney and Lucasfilm rereleased Star Wars: The Phantom Menace back into theaters for its 25th anniversary, and its return to the big screen has been wildly successful. The Phantom Menace pulled in more than $8 million at the box office over the weekend, finishing second domestically despite being more than two decades old. As it turns out, fans of the film weren't the only ones heading out to see it.

Ewan McGregor, who made his Star Wars debut as Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, made a surprise appearance at one of the film's screenings over the weekend. In the photo below, you can see McGregor in front of a crowd at a screening of The Phantom Menace, microphone in hand and addressing those in attendance. Take a look!

Ewan McGregor has attended a screening for 'THE PHANTOM MENACE' re-release.

(via: @StarWarsExplain) pic.twitter.com/JPmhFOeM0D

-- DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 5, 2024

McGregor first appeared as the younger Obi-Wan in 1999, taking over for Sir Alec Guinness who originated the role in 1977's Star Wars. The actor would go on to reprise the role in the rest of the prequel trilogy. He returned back in 2022, bridging the gap between the prequels and original trilogy for a limited series on Disney+.

Since that show's debut, Star Wars fans have wondered if they will see McGregor again, especially considering how much love he has for the role.

"The truth is I've talked about having to cover for doing the Obi-Wan season for years, I had to lie about that and I'm not lying about this now," McGregor told LADbible. "I don't know. There's been no phone call to me from Lucasfilm, or Disney saying, 'Let's do another one.' Obi-Wan was made as a limited series and it's out and people like it, which I'm very, very pleased about. I love doing it. I hope we get a chance to do another one and I'm sure we will. I'm pretty sure, you know, I've got a few years yet before I'm the same age as Alec Guinness was in [Star Wars:] A New Hope. So there's time to tell more stories in there."

The Phantom Menace continues its latest run in theaters into the week. The film is also streaming on Disney+, along with the rest of the Star Wars franchise.

A new version of the Star Wars game Dejarik is now available both at the Disney Store and at Disney theme parks. Yesterday, Disney began sales for the Galactic Archive Series version of Dejarik, the classic chess-like game first seen in Star Wars: A New Hope. While Disney had previously produced versions of Dejarik to sell at their parks, the new version comes with clear plastic pieces and a board that lights up, making the pieces look like holographic projections like in the movies. The new game set can be found on the Disney Store now.

Dejarik, in Star Wars canon, is a holographic board game that dates back before the Clone Wars. The game consists of eight pieces, four controlled by each player, with the goal being to clear the board of opponent pieces. On a turn, players could either move their piece, attack another piece, or activate a special ability. The game notably featured the pieces fighting each other in holographic form. Most infamously, Chewbacca supposedly ripped off the arms of opponents who beat him, leading to the popular Star Wars quote "Let the Wookie win." Lucasfilm created rules for Dejarik, but never publicly released them. However, Disney released a version of the game for sale in 2019, which also included a checkers board on the flip side.

Disney has also notably has released a version of Sabaac, a card game found in the Star Wars universe. That game involves trying to play a hand that adds up to 23, although the game uses cards with holopatterns that shift unpredictably. Han Solo notably won the Millennium Falcon in a game of Sabaac from Lando Calrissian, with Solo: A Star Wars Story revealing that Solo had prevented Calrissian from cheating by stealing a hidden card.

It's May 4th, better known to Star Wars fans as, well, Star Wars Day and this year, Luke Skywalker himself Mark Hamill paid a visit to the White House in what he described as a "make-believe defender of the galaxy" meeting a "real-life defender of democracy". On social media, Hamill shared a photo of himself with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Hamill also told press (via USA Today) that his visit this year, while not his first to the White House, was the first time he'd ever been to the Oval Office.

"I was honored to be asked to come to the White House to meet the President, the most legislatively successful president in my lifetime," Hamill said. He went on to say that the president had said that he could call him "Joe" but Hamill asked if he could call him "Joe-Bi-Wan-Kenobi".

"He liked that," Hamill said.

Star Wars: The Acolyte Got a New Poster, Trailer For Star Wars Day

Hamill visiting the White House wasn't the only way that Star Wars Day was celebrated by and for fans of the beloved franchise. On Saturday, Star Wars: The Acolyte got a new trailer and poster for the upcoming series to mark the day. The series is set to take place in The High Republic and, according to series creator Leslie Headland, will honor all eras of Star Wars and include elements from across the franchise so there is something truly for every Star Wars fan.

"It's a show packed with everything I wanted to explore: I wanted EU [Expanded Universe] stuff in there, references to the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace, the Disney sequels... it's absolutely packed. Because you never know, you may not get the chance again," Headland said previously.

"[Cinematographer] Chris [Teague] and I talked a lot about honoring George Lucas' camera moves," the showrunner continued. "I would say the original trilogy became our touchpoint for how to craft the world, while the Episode I-ness of the show is a bit more thematic."

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew's Release Window Was Also Just Revealed

On Friday, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, the next big Star Wars series to land on Disney+, was given an official release window with the series set to arrive sometime during this holiday season. Skeleton Crew will star Jude Law and Kerry Condon and will focus on a young generation of characters in a galaxy far, far away. Season 1 of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is set to consist of eight episodes.

"Jon Watts came to me, very much wanting to do a sort of Goonies in Star Wars," Kennedy told ComicBook at least year's Star Wars Celebration. "Needless to say, I'm going to say yes. And so, it's just evolved out of that kind of enthusiasm in wanting to tell stories in this space."

With the legacy that the Star Wars franchise has earned over nearly 50 years, for some actors and filmmakers, becoming an official part of the series could spoil other elements of enjoying the franchise as a fan. Actor Josh Gad has been involved with the galaxy far, far away in a number of promotional opportunities for the saga, and while he contributed a voice to Star Wars Rebels, he's yet to become a significant part of a Star Wars project. While Gad expressed that he had an experience visiting the set of The Mandalorian and how that spoiled the debut of "Baby Yoda" initially, his passion for the franchise means he would "absolutely" become an official part of the saga, even if he was relegated to playing a member of Jabba the Hutt's family.

While speaking with ComicBook.com about his recent Star Wars Day video regarding an OREO cookie fan theory, when asked about if he was interested in crossing the fandom threshold to become a part of the franchise, Gad confirmed, "Oh, yeah, absolutely. If they were to offer me Donnie the Hutt, like Jabba's nephew or something like that, I would do it in a second."

He added, "I will tell you that I have actually been on the flip side of this where I have been invited to numerous Star Wars sets, and have learned things way before the movies came out that I was actually very sad that I knew. I saw Baby Yoda about a year before anybody knew about Baby Yoda, so that was both cool, but also slightly disappointing because then I couldn't be surprised."

Interestingly enough, Gad isn't the only person to recently express their interest in being involved in Star Wars by any means necessary, as Billie Lourd, who played Lieutenant Connix in the sequel trilogy, isn't ready to put the franchise behind her entirely.

While speaking with ComicBook.com about her recent collaboration with eBay and her acting future with Star Wars, Lourd expressed, "Bring back Connix! I would love to bring back Connix. I would love to be involved in the universe in any way possible. I love being an ambassador. I wrote an essay, 'The Keeper of Leia,' and I love playing that role. I'm also obsessed, I'm a fangirl. I would do anything. I'll be a creature, I'll do whatever, run a droid and do the controls from behind the scenes. Anything I can do to be involved in this universe, I would do, because I just adore it so much."

Stay tuned for updates on Gad's possible future with Star Wars.

Would you like to see Gad join the franchise? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

During the development and the release of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, fans crafted all manner of theories about how the films connected to other corners of the galaxy far, far away, while also speculating about how clues in the films could hint at what was to come for the saga. With today being Star Wars Day, fans around the world are sharing their love of the sci-fi series, with comedian and vocal supporter of Star Wars Josh Gad taking to social media to introduce an all-new theory: that OREO cookies were hidden throughout the franchise as a way for the filmmakers to pay respects to the beloved snack.

In the video below, you can see Gad hilariously point out all the ways in which OREO has influenced the saga, and while some of his theories come across as almost believable, Gad descends into absurdity by claiming R2-D2 even had compartments specifically designed to carry the confectionary.

In honor of Star Wars Day and his new OREO theory, ComicBook.com caught up with Gad to talk his love of Star Wars, OREO cookies, and his real feelings about Baby Yoda.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Josh Gad (@joshgad)

ComicBook.com: I think you can get a sense that I'm not one to mess around, I'm not one to pull my punches, so we are going to start off on something controversial and I need to hold you accountable and figure out: are you a regular OREO fan or are you a Double Stuf OREO fan?

Josh Gad: You know what? I'm going to have to go with regular. Look, I was born in the '80s. It's what I grew up with. It's what I know. It may be traditional, but look at me. I'm traditional. I'm a traditionalist.

They each have their merits and I do appreciate you coming clean and owning up to a hot-button issue that has been out there for quite a few years. Along those lines, when it comes to beverages and OREOs, are you a dunker or are you more of a drinker?

I'm a dunker. There's something about -- and it's actually very interesting, the only time I will ever voluntarily consume milk on its own is with an OREO cookie. I have a "no milk" policy. There's something about drinking milk that just makes me feel like I'm six years old and about to be screamed at by a teacher, and so I do it covertly, but I will pour a cold glass of milk and dip my OREO in it and consume it. I like the texture as it's dunked and inserted into my mouth.

That actually is my very next question, so I appreciate you setting me up. When we're talking milk, are we doing dairy milk, are we doing almond milk, or are we doing blue milk?

If I had access to authentic blue milk, I would choose blue milk. Sadly, Whole Foods doesn't yet carry intergalactic milk products, so I'm stuck with more of a whole milk situation. I think that that's not to say it wouldn't work in almond milk, I've never tried it. I've also never tried it in goat's milk or soy milk. There's various opportunities to see different flavor profiles that I feel it could be like the new version of wine pairing. That could be exciting. I just haven't done those yet. I just pour a glass of regular old-fashioned milk from a cow's udder, and I dip my cookie made in a processing plant into my mouth.

It's hard to argue with the classics. They don't go out of style. However, when it comes to new innovations in cookie technology, especially how OREO has been pushing things to new heights and introducing lots of different varietals, outside of the traditional OREO cookie, do you have a favorite varietal? Or do you even have an idea for a varietal that doesn't exist yet?

My friend Adam Shapiro, Shappy, as I call him, has been bringing the flavor variations of OREO to my attention for quite some time now, and so I've dabbled in quite a few of them.

I would love to see a savory OREO. I don't know if that exists. I haven't tried one, but I'd love to see what would happen if we had -- think of a pretzel-infused OREO situation. It may not work, it could even be catastrophic, but again, we won't know until we've at least experimented.

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

That's right.

Plus, even if there has been a savory flavor, I feel like these varietals are on the shelf for a week before it's replaced with whatever the new innovation is.

Do you know what I've never tried that I really want to try? A fried OREO. That's something that I'd really like to try at some point. My doctor does not want me to try that. I think it would be really delicious, though.

Listen, as a temporary representative of OREO, I don't think you're necessarily endorsing that people go out and do this, but you can say, as a human being with wants and needs, let's get you some deep-fried OREOs.

I think so. I think I've earned them.

Well, we've chatted at least a fair bit about OREO--

I don't think we've chatted enough about OREO, actually.

Let's hear about this partnership, you've collaborated with OREO in honor of Star Wars. How did this OREO theory that fans will be learning about, how did this whole opportunity come about?

Well, as anyone who knows me can attest, two of my favorite things -- outside of my children -- are OREOs and Star Wars, and both of them I actually share with my children. Occasionally, I will hold back on OREOs sometimes, but I love both of those things.

It came to my attention that there's more crossover between both of these incredible, fan favorites than one may have noticed until now. When you look deeply enough, you start finding OREOs popping up in all sorts of places in the Star Wars universe. From architecture to face masks to, dare I say, even lightsaber blades. I think that if you look hard enough, you will see that there's no way that the Star Wars films could have been made without OREO cookies.

And that's not meant to be a controversial statement, it's just meant to be a statement of fact. That's just something that is, what's the word? Indisputable. It's very hard to look at the Millennium Falcon and not think to yourself, "That's a flying OREO cookie." It's not impossible, but it's unlikely that wasn't what the filmmakers were attempting.

I remember specifically ahead of the sequel trilogy coming out and things about Snoke and his origins before we learned his true origins in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but as a Star Wars fan, are you one to dive deep into Reddit theories about "does this actually mean this?" and who really was Darth Plagueis? Or are you more just thinking, "You know what, I'm going to let these filmmakers just tell me what's what,"?

If you've ever seen my videos interrogating Daisy Ridley, you'll know that I am not one to settle for just what is readily available. I like to go deep. I'm curious to hear your theory on Darth Plagueis. I think we both think Palpatine killed him, but do we have a motive? Do we have DNA?

I heard that Palpatine killed him. It was actually a dispute that Plagueis was attempting to use bantha milk to dunk some OREOs in, and Palpatine refused to allow such a thing to happen.

Well, I know that Doku was lactose intolerant, so I knew that that was very difficult for him, but I didn't know about this theory. That's interesting.

Because I guess since there's always two, according to the Sith "Rule of Two," it was that Palpatine had heard from Plagueis' doctor that his Midichlorian counts were really out of whack.

Well, you've got to do a physical once a year. You have to check your Midichlorian counts.

I apologize, by the way. I said "Doku" and I meant "Dooku," and now the entire Star Wars fan base is going to come after me with OREO lightsabers and I don't want that. I don't want that headache. I don't need that headache. I want to apologize. Switching that vowel was below me, and I'm very sorry.

I'm glad because I was about to mention that Plagueis' Doctor was actually Dr. Evazan, and then I thought, "Wait, actually, the timeline might not line up."

It might not line up.

Evazan might've been pre-med, so I'm glad that you made such a blunder to prevent me from implicating myself. When it comes to Star Wars Day, how do you and your kids and your family celebrate it? Is it just every day is Star Wars Day in your house?

May the 4th is the one day that's ... It's every other day for me that is Star Wars Day, and that becomes my Sabbath. My day of rest.

No, every year is different. Sometimes there will be a lightsaber battle in my home, other times there will not. So it's really those two variations that play out the most. I'm very excited about May the 4th.

Again, it's the rule of two. It's either there are lightsaber battles, or there are not lightsaber battles.

Or there's not, yeah. There's not much else, I wish I could tell you that my family and I use the Force on each other. We don't. We don't have that genetic attribute.

You love Star Wars, and you've even gotten to contribute to a variety of Star Wars projects over the years, and with the franchise growing, a lot of people are getting opportunities to enter the franchise in ways previously unavailable. For you, if there was the opportunity of, "Josh, we really want you to play a main character in a Star Wars thing," and therefore it would ruin the mystery of Star Wars as a fan, do you think you'd jump at the opportunity to become an official part of the franchise?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. If they were to offer me Donnie the Hutt, like Jabba's nephew or something like that, I would do it in a second.

I will tell you that I have actually been on the flip side of this where I have been invited to numerous Star Wars sets, and have learned things way before the movies came out that I was actually very sad that I knew. I saw Baby Yoda about a year before anybody knew about Baby Yoda, so that was both cool, but also slightly disappointing because then I couldn't be surprised.

And also realizing, "Oh, this is just a puppet on set," as opposed to an actual character.

Yeah, but it was a very cool puppet. I got to play with it.

Stay tuned for updates on the Star Wars franchise.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter.

Star Wars: The Acolyte decided to shake things up on Star Wars Day with a new trailer and a poster. A morning that was already buzzing with Star Wars content on social media has now morphed into fans cheering the new trailer for Star Wars: The Acolyte. All of the principal cast is there including Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. With this show occurring so early in the Star Wars timeline, viewers get to meet a lot more Jedi this time around.

However, Stenberg's villain is looking to cut those numbers down where they stand. There's also the fact of the mysterious masked Force user that arrives near the end of that trailer to do battle with Lee Jung-jae and those horrified Jedi. (For what it's worth, our money is on that being the first massive Sith rebirth that accelerates the downfall of our noble heroes in time for things to completely hit the fan in the Prequel Trilogy...) There's a lot of freshness to Star Wars: The Acolyte and that makes all of these new drops exciting to experience. Check out the poster for yourself right here!

Star Wars: The Acolyte Honors All Eras Of Star Wars

With Star Wars: The Acolyte taking place in The High Republic, the canvas is a lot more open for the creative team to spread their wings. Such an idea makes Leslie Headland very excited. She told Total Film that her approach to the Disney+ series was to include as much Star Wars as possible. So, expect elements from all across the franchise to pop-up in unexpected and delightful ways when The Acolyte streams on Disney+. This has remained a fun element of the current era of Star Wars. Creators can sift through untold tomes of ideas to make their own shows or movies. While paying respect to, and rewarding longterm fans for their investment.

Headland told the site, "It's a show packed with everything I wanted to explore: I wanted EU [Expanded Universe] stuff in there, references to the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace, the Disney sequels... it's absolutely packed. Because you never know, you may not get the chance again."

"[Cinematographer] Chris [Teague] and I talked a lot about honoring George Lucas' camera moves," the showruner continued. "I would say the original trilogy became our touchpoint for how to craft the world, while the Episode I-ness of the show is a bit more thematic."

Star Wars: The Acolyte Quickly Approaches

Lucasfilm and Disney+'s new live-action series is set to cause quite a stir. Here's what they have to say about it: "In "Star Wars: The Acolyte," an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

Star Wars: The Acolyte begins the journey towards the end June 4, exclusively on Disney+.

Are you digging the new poster? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

Star Wars: The Acolyte's new trailer just hit for Star Wars Day. As social media lights up with messages celebrating the Lucasfilm franchise, they decided to ring in the holiday with a new look at what the Jedi are up against this time. Star Wars: The Acolyte is a story from long before even the Prequel Trilogy. In the time of The High Republic, the Jedi are basically unopposed. However, times are changing and the end of their reign as unchallenged peacekeepers is closer to ending than any of them realize.

With all of that in mind, will a small group investigating a Force-user realize what's going on before things are too far gone. A telltale red lightsaber is a shocking sight in an era where The Sith are more legend than fact. All of the Jedi in this new trailer look genuinely horrified by the discovery. Something is hunting their friends and if they don't get a handle on the situation quickly, they're probably going to be next! Check out the new clip for yourself down below.

Star Wars: The Acolyte Turns Attention Towards The Sith

Of course, the biggest draw in the trailer so far is the Sith opposing the Jedi in an era where the noble knights have no substantive opposition. The show's creator Leslye Headland talked to Entertainment Weekly about her intentions for this Star Wars entry. In her eyes, anyone who stepped up to the Jedi would be an underdog in their own right. So, how do you make instantly recognizable villains interesting as a motivating factor? That was the question that Headland had to grapple with assembling The Acolyte. What drives someone to do a "bad thing" and are the absolutes of Jedi and Sith really that cut and dry when you get right down to it?

"I really wanted to tell a story about the Sith," Headland told the outlet earlier this year. "That was kind of my dream Star Wars idea. But it felt like the time period to do that in would be something pre-Phantom Menace. That seemed to be the most interesting trajectory for the Sith: How did the Sith go from the Rule of Two and being quote-unquote 'extinct' to Palpatine coming into power without the Jedi knowing about it?"

What's Coming In Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Disney+ has a new description for the live-action series: "In "Star Wars: The Acolyte," an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems...."

Star Wars: The Acolyte ignites on June 4, exclusively on Disney+.

What do you think of the new trailer? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

The Item Shop in Fortnite is filled with different Star Wars outfits, back blings, emotes, and much more now that the big May 4th celebrations are well underway, but not everything that you can get from this event will drain your V-Bucks in the Item Shop. While not nearly as big as some of the outfits like Lando and Chewbacca, Fortnite players can score some easy loot from Twitch by participating in a Twitch Drops campaign again, but this one looks a bit different compared to the usual ones where you just have to watch Fortnite streamers for a set amount of time.

This Twitch Drops campaign, by comparison, is a bit more interactive, but only for half of it. The first half of the new Twitch drops (and arguably the better half, too) can be acquired by just linking up your Epic Games and Twitch accounts. If you've done that in the past already for previous campaigns, you should automatically get the Growling Chewbacca emote, but if you haven't, all you have to do is pair them together to get the emote below.

If you're happy with your Twitch Drops loot after that, you can stop there, but if you want a new loading screen as well, you can take part in a virtual scavenger hunt where you have to watch Twitch streamers while they're playing Fortnite and collect items that show up on your screen.

To get started, simply head over to Twitch and find Fortnite streamers that have the "Choose Your Side" Twitch extension enabled. Most who do have it will likely have it marked in the tags for their stream or the stream's name itself, so it should be pretty easy to pick out who to watch. Once you find your streamer, just watch their stream and make sure to look for items that appear on-screen related to this Star Wars quest. If you see them, you have to click on them to add them to your collection, and once you've collected them all, you get the Galaxies Collide loading screen below.

"Be quick: you only have a limited time to click and catch the items, otherwise they'll disappear and you'll need to wait for them to show up again! You can see a list of all the items you've caught in the Collection tab of the extension," the Epic Games announcement about these Twitch Drops warned. "Once you complete your collection on Twitch, you'll be rewarded with the Galaxies Collide Loading Screen in Fortnite!"

Fortnite's new Twitch Drops for the Star Wars loot above are both live now.

With this week's Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, the galaxy far, far away is once again being expanded upon. The Disney+ miniseries offers a batch of animated episodes about two of the Empire's most surprising antiheroines, including Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger). Star Wars fans know that Barriss has had quite the unique path over the years, with her story being told throughout animation and other mediums. While speaking with ComicBook about her role in Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Salenger spoke about the biggest lessons fans can learn from Barriss' story, especially when they take her complicated history into consideration.

"Listen, I think every character is presented with choices that can define their destiny," Salenger explained in our interview, which you can check out above. "I think the show leaves you with this wonderful message that you always have a choice of how you're going to proceed in your life. Where fates take you, where your inner moral code takes you. There is something in Barriss, she has a strength and she has conviction in her beliefs and I think she follows them. I think sometimes you're forced to do you might not want to do, but I still think there is an inherent strength in Barriss that leads her to her choices."

Will Barriss Offee Reunite with Ahsoka?

In the same interview, Salenger addressed the possibility of continuing one of Barriss' most surprising narrative threads -- her dynamic with Ahsoka Tano.

"All I'm gonna say is, this was three episodes, so we don't know what happens," Salenger explained in our interview, which you can check out above. "I hope things happen, I believe she would like to have a reunion with her to hash things out and, perhaps, apologize, I don't know. That's my personal thought but it's all up to Dave [Filoni] and I would love to see Bariss chatting with Ahsoka again. I think they'd have a lot to talk about. "

What Is Star Wars: Tales of the Empire About?

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The voice cast of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire includes Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous). Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4, with all six episodes. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

Note: If you purchase one of the awesome, independently chosen products featured here, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

Citizen's Star Wars watches are the go-to timepieces for the refined geek. The designs are fun but classy, and the watches are well made and often include their Eco-Drive light-powered technology. As part of the Star Wars Day aka May the 4th festivities, Citizen is adding to their extensive collection of watches from a galaxy far away with the Darth Maul Mastermind.

"This timepiece features the Sith Lord engraved on the backside of the case and on the seconds sub-dial. His signature double-bladed red Lightsabers are represented in the hands, and an illustration on the dial and two gold-tone pushers replicate his horns evoking the powerful and daring nature of the infamous warrior." You can pick up the Darth Maul Mastermind watch here at the Citizen website starting today, May 4th. Inside that link you'll find additional Star Wars designs, many of which are heavily discounted for Star Wars Day. Some of our favorite designs include the following:

• Mando, Bounty Hunter
• Jedi Master
• Trench Run
• Rebel Pilot
• Millennium Falcon
• Boba Fett
• Luke Skywalker
• R2-D2
• Han Solo

While you're at it, make sure to check out our extensive list of all the big product drops and deals that are happening on Star Wars Day 2024. The lineup includes LEGO sets, limited edition ligthsaber replicas, apparel, hot sauce and blue milk - you name it.

The release of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is almost here, bringing to life an animated miniseries about some of the galaxy's most formidable antiheroes. This will include Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger), an Inquisitor who has appeared in a number of Star Wars stories over the years. While speaking to ComicBook about her role on Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Salenger addressed the possibility of continuing one of Barriss' most surprising narrative threads -- her dynamic with Ahsoka Tano.

"All I'm gonna say is, this was three episodes, so we don't know what happens," Salenger explained in our interview, which you can check out above. "I hope things happen, I believe she would like to have a reunion with her to hash things out and, perhaps, apologize, I don't know. That's my personal thought but it's all up to Dave [Filoni] and I would love to see Bariss chatting with Ahsoka again. I think they'd have a lot to talk about. "

Is Star Wars: Ahsoka Renewed For Season 2?

Earlier this year, with the announcement that a new movie surrounding The Mandalorian and Grogu is officially in the works, Lucasfilm also confirmed that a second season of Star Wars: Ahsoka has been greenlit. A release date for the project has yet to be set, although series creator Dave Filoni has already teased work on it.

"I'm absolutely putting it out into the universe. We're joking about it, but I'm manifesting it because I feel like I helped Dave [Filoni] manifest this role," series star Rosario Dawson previously shared with Empire Magazine about a second season. "So I'm ready. I'm excited. I'm willing. I got my ice-packs ready to go for Season 2 and beyond! I would not be mad at that."

What Is Star Wars: Tales of the Empire About?

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The voice cast of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire includes Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous). Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4, with all six episodes. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

Note: If you purchase one of the awesome, independently chosen products featured here, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is hitting Disney+ tomorrow in honor of May 4th AKA Star Wars Day, and the new show is a character-focused animated anthology series that follows Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger). Inosanto first played Morgan Elsbeth in live-action in Star Wars: The Mandalorian before playing the villain again in Star Wars: Ahoksa. Recently, ComicBook had the chance to chat with Inosanto about the new series, and she talked about playing the character in animation.

"You know, it's interesting because I was watching Pedro Pascal behind the scenes when he was doing the recordings for Mandalorian, so I go, 'Oh, that's probably gonna be what I would do.' It is. I mean, I don't know how you can arrive in a booth and not do those things to physically prep you, or at least that's my process," Inosanto explained.

"I do all the breathing. I sometimes, if I knew the fight scene was right, I will jump in place," she added with a laugh. "I'm literally in my own actress bubble, pulling creatively from my imagination and seeing in the space and time, whatever is happening in the scene. So, yeah, I don't see that much of a difference, you know, other than I'm in a recording booth."

"I love doing animation. I love it," Inosanto added.

What Is Star Wars: Tales of the Empire About?

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The voice cast of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire includes Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous). Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4th.

Star Wars may be one of the world's most popular franchises, but in a galaxy as big as Star Wars there are lots of factions -- and fandoms -- and sometimes all you really want to do is find your friends. Now, just in time for Star Wars day on Saturday, May 4th, Apple has debuted their new, Mandalorian-themed iPhone commercial that features one Mandalorian (played by real-life fan Owen Jardiniano) heading off to a local convention and using the iPhone 15's Precision Finding for Find My Friends feature to locate the rest of his Mandalorian clan. You can check out the ad for yourself in the video below.

According to StarWars.com, the ad features 172 fans as part of the production and is stuffed with Star Wars Easter eggs, including a "New Hope" street sign, and a bus stop sign that reads "The first transport is away". There are even some clever little jokes as well, such as Jardiniano's Mandalorian stopping to get a boba tea along the way ("boba", get it?)

A Mandalorian and Grogu Movie Is On The Way

If a gathering of Mandalorians in the new iPhone ad for Star Wars Day wasn't quite enough for you, there's more Mandalorian action on the way -- if you're patient. It was announced earlier this year that Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu movie will be released in theaters on May 22, 2026. The film is set to be a feature-length spinoff of The Mandalorian television series starring the principal characters of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) and his young ward Grogu. Specific plot details are unknown at this time.

Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has previously described The Mandalorian & Grogu as a "new story" that is a "perfect fit for the big screen," The Mandalorian co-creator John Favreau adding that he has "loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting."

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew's Release Window Was Just Revealed

Fortunately, however, there is plenty of non-The Mandalorian content coming well before The Mandalorian & Grogu fly their way into theaters in two years. On Friday, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, the next big Star Wars series to land on Disney+, was given an official release window with the series set to arrive sometime during this holiday season. Skeleton Crew will star Jude Law and Kerry Condon and will focus on a young generation of characters in a galaxy far, far away. Season 1 of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is set to consist of eight episodes.

"Jon Watts came to me, very much wanting to do a sort of Goonies in Star Wars," Kennedy told ComicBook at least year's Star Wars Celebration. "Needless to say, I'm going to say yes. And so, it's just evolved out of that kind of enthusiasm in wanting to tell stories in this space."

This year's May the 4th festivities are set to bring a lot by way of the Star Wars universe, including the launch of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire. The new animated series is dedicated to exploring the stories of Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and Barris Offee (Meredith Salenger), two antiheroic women who have had a unique role in the franchise thus far. Morgan Elsbeth's appearance comes after live-action roles in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka, and it sounds like we will get even more of an indication of her dark origin story. While speaking with ComicBook about her role on Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Inosanto argued that Morgan and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) represent characters who could have taken very similar paths, but instead mirror each other.

"I have, definitely, more sympathy for Morgan, now that we really have a confirmation of her history on Dathomir," Inosanto said in our interview, which you can check out above. "But I also feel she's a cautionary tale, too. She's a cautionary tale in the sense that, if you look at Ahsoka and her, these are two characters that have both have seen horrible things growing up as children. Yet, you have the Ahsoka character who would take a road of light and be a force for good. And then you have Morgan, who really, for whatever reason, it was her anger that carried her through. Her attitude of revenge, and just remembering her people, and in one way or another, she was gonna make sure that the galaxy was gonna pay back for what had happened. She was gonna keep to her vision of what will happen for her people, hopefully restoring Dathomir, which we see in Ahsoka. But I just love the prequel, and I think what's more fascinating -- and I say this over and over -- is that we get to see too, that she was capable of loving people too. I think that's very important."

Is Star Wars: Ahsoka Renewed For Season 2?

Earlier this year, with the announcement that a new movie surrounding The Mandalorian and Grogu is officially in the works, Lucasfilm also confirmed that a second season of Star Wars: Ahsoka has been greenlit. A release date for the project has yet to be set, although series creator Dave Filoni has already teased work on it.

"I'm absolutely putting it out into the universe. We're joking about it, but I'm manifesting it because I feel like I helped Dave [Filoni] manifest this role," Dawson previously shared with Empire Magazine about a second season. "So I'm ready. I'm excited. I'm willing. I got my ice-packs ready to go for Season 2 and beyond! I would not be mad at that."

What Is Star Wars: Tales of the Empire About?

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.

The voice cast of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire includes Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous). Dave Filoni created the series and is the supervising director. He is also an executive producer along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes serves as co-executive producer and Alex Spotswood is the senior producer.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire launches exclusively on Disney+ on Star Wars Day, May 4, with all six episodes. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

Note: If you purchase one of the awesome, independently chosen products featured here, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

Star Wars Day 2024 / May the 4th isn't a one day celebration anymore. Announcements and promotions have been running for weeks now, and there's more to come. Some of the biggest releases include Star Wars Day drops from LEGO, the Darth Maul lightsaber hilt release from Disney, and new action figures from Hasbro, but there are a ton of things happening. Fortunately, you can keep on top of all right here.

We've put together a list of some of the best deals, new releases, and promotions that Disney has in store for Star Wars fans in the list below, and it will be updated as new items become available. So stay tuned for new additions through May 4th.

Star Wars Day 2024 Product Launches:

• Disney Store: Get a sneak peek at upcoming Star Wars Day 2024 launches via their secret Order 54 page
• The LEGO Group: Complete details regarding LEGO's Star Wars Day launches can be found here.
• Disney Store lightsaber week reissues - Details here
• Limited Edition Darth Maul lightsaber hilt release (7000 units) - Details here
• Limited Edition Queen Amidala Doll (3100 units) and Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection - Details here
  
• Hasbro Star Wars the Black Series, TVC, and Retro Collection releases - Details here
• True Moo Blue Milk - See at True Moo
• Star Wars Motocross Collection - See at BoxLunch
• DIFF Eyewear Star Wars Collection - See at Diff Eyewear
• Star Wars Phantom Menace 25th anniversary Funko Pops - Details here / Star Wars: The Mandalorian Zeb Orrelios Funko Pop Exclusive - See at Entertainment Earth
• Fisher-Price Imaginext Star Wars Darth Vader Bot - See on Amazon
• Star Wars Force N Telling Vader - Walmart Exclusive
• Her / Our Universe Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Collection - See at Her Universe
• New Star Wars Books from Insight Editions: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: A Visual Archive / Star Wars: The High Republic: The Lightsaber Collection / Star Wars Bestiary, Volume 1 / Star Wars Icons: Darth Vader
• UNIQLO Star Wars Apparel Collection (launches on May 2nd) - See at UNIQLO
• TRUFF Dark Side Hot Sauce - Details here / 10% off purchases through TRUFF.com with code DARTH10.
• Home Depot 7-foot animated Darth Vader decoration - Details here
• Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Day deals and product reveals (Includes Hot Toys figures) - See at Sideshow
• Boba Fett The Black Series electronic helmet reissue - Details here
• RSVLTS Star Wars Day apparel collection - Details here
• Star Wars Day Starbucks Tumblers - Details here
• Stormtroopers and Droids Dress - Details here
• Secretlab Jedi Edition TITAN Evo chair skin - Details here
• Star Wars Day CASETiFY iPhone / Android Collection - Details here
• Citizen Darth Maul Mastermind watch - Details here
• Star Wars Death Star Color Changing Wall Panel Light - Details here
• Hot Topic Phantom Menace Collection - See at Hot Topic

Star Wars Day 2024 Deals and Promotions:

• Amazon: Get special offers on the Amazon Deal of the Day on select Star Wars toys, apparel, and more on May 4.
• Disney Store: Get free shipping on all orders with the code FREESHIP starting on 5/4 9pm EST running through 5/5 3am EST
• Disney Store: Get a Star Wars Day 2024 collectible key with select Star Wars purchases using the code DISNEYPLUS
• Disney Store: Get 30% off select items with the code EXTRA30
• BoxLunch: Get 25% off all Star Wars products from May 4-5.
• Funko: Buy 2 Star Wars items, get 1 free from May 1-5.
• Loungefly: Take 25% off all Star Wars products from May 1-5.
• Macy's: Buy 1 Star Wars Toy get 2nd 40% off on May 4.
• Target: Get 20% off select Star Wars items from April 28 - May 4.
• Walmart: Get an exclusive limited-edition free pin with a Walmart pre-order purchase on purchases of qualifying Hasbro products, while supplies last. Offer valid now until May 13.
• Billie Lourd eBay Collectibles Auction - Details here
• Denuo Novo - Save 10% off sitewide
• Entertainment Earth Star Wars Day Sale - Get up to $50 off with free shipping on orders $100 or more
• Fifth Sun: 30% Off Sitewide at Fifth Sun with Coupon Code: EWOK. Offer Valid 05/04/24 - 05/06/24
  
• GameStop Star Wars Day Deals

Of course, Star Wars Day 2024 will be about more than just product releases. Fans can keep up with the latest news about Star Wars movies and tv shows right here.

Star Wars fans may want to set some time aside this holiday season, as Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has an official release window. The next big Star Wars series to land on Disney+ stars Jude Law and Kerry Condon, and joins the recently concluded Star Wars: The Bad Batch and the upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte. Each Star Wars series looks to make itself stand out from a packed crowd, with Skeleton Crew focusing on a young generation of characters in a galaxy far, far away. While we wait for an official trailer for Skeleton Crew, director Jon Watts has at least confirmed when the show will premiere.

According to Collider, Jon Watts said during a CCXP interview that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will land on Disney+ around Christmas. That gives it enough distance between Star Wars: The Acolyte, which debuts on June 4th. That will make at least four Star Wars shows to stream on Disney+ in 2024, including the animated Star Wars: Tales of the Empire.

How many episodes is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew?

According to a listing on the WGA website, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew's first season will consist of eight episodes.

This certainly isn't unprecedented for Star Wars television series, as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and the High Republic series The Acolyte all also have eight-episode orders.

What is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew about?

Skeleton Crew will follow a ragtag group of lost kids trying to find their way home. It will star Jude Law in a significant, but mysterious role.

"Jon Watts came to me, very much wanting to do a sort of Goonies in Star Wars," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy exclusively told ComicBook.com at Star Wars Celebration last year. "Needless to say, I'm going to say yes. And so it's just evolved out of that kind of enthusiasm in wanting to tell stories in this space."

Star Wars Day is tomorrow, and Disney+ is celebrating May 4th with a brand new miniseries: Star Wars: The Tales of the Empire. The new show is a character-focused anthology series that follows two key characters across six episodes. The characters in question will be Nightsisters Witch and Thrawn ally Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka and former Jedi padawan Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger) who fell to the dark side and framed Ahsoka Tano for the Jedi Temple bombing in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Morgan Elsbeth's weapon of choice is a Beskar spear, which is featured in The Mandalorian. During a recent chat with ComicBook.com, Inosanto revealed that she wants to know how Morgan Elsbeth originally came in possession of the iconic weapon.

"I love this question," Inosanto replied when asked if there are any gaps in Morgan Elsbeth's story that she still wants to see filled in. "Because the one thing that was never answered for me, but I'll let Dave [Filoni] and company surprise me ... I want to know how she got the Beskar spear. I really do. That's the one thing I was pondering going, 'Oh, but we haven't arrived at knowing how or where or why she has the Beskar spear.'"

"And that's a huge question," she continued. "So inquiring minds out there. I don't know. Do you want to know? It's fascinating. I can only use my imagination, but it does beg the question of how and why."

You can watch our interview with Inosanto at the top of the page.

Dave Filoni Talks Morgan Elsbeth:

Dave Filoni may not have shared with Inosanto how Morgan Elsbeth got her spear, but he has shared some love for the actor's performance as the character.

"I needed the performance from the Magistrate to challenge Ahsokaand be someone that could go toe to toe with her instantly," Dave Filoni previously said of Morgan Elsbeth (via Vanity Fair). "Diana brings such experience and knowledge about martial arts to her performance. The instant she takes up the Beskar spear you can tell that she is a lethal opponent. For me, as a director, it was a great advantage to have someone of Diana's skill and experience with fight choreography as one of the main players, especially for the final battle in the courtyard."

Star Wars: The Tales of the Empire stars Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Meredith Salenger (Barriss Offee), Rya Kihlstedt (Lyn aka Fourth Sister), Wing T. Chao (Wing), Lars Mikkelsen (Thrawn), Jason Isaacs (Grand Inquisitor) and Matthew Wood (General Grievous).

Stay tuned for more updates about Star Wars, and May the 4th be with you.

CASETiFY, makers of high-end cases and accessories for iPhone and Android, are back with a new collaboration with Lucasfilm as part of the Star Wars Day aka May the 4th festivities. This time around, they're taking their inspiration from the dark side and the Phantom Menace, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024.

The collection is headlined by a laser-engraved Death Star Aluminium Case, a Darth Vader Leather Embossed Case, and a Darth Vader power bank, though a variety of cases inspired by the Death Star, Darth Vader's helmet, storm troopers, the Empire's crest, and more are available here at the CASETiFY website priced at $38 - $112 USD. Note the collection is a limited edition, so they won't be around for long. Previous Star Wars case collections have sold out quickly.

The Star Wars designs extend to accessories made for iPhone, Samsung, Google Pixel, AirPods, AirPods Pro, Apple Watch, iPads and CASETiFY' Snappy ecosystem including wireless MagSafe chargers, Power Banks, and Card Holder Stands.

While you're at it, make sure to check out our extensive list of all the big product drops and deals that are happening on Star Wars Day 2024. The lineup includes LEGO sets, limited edition ligthsaber replicas, giant Darth Vader figures, apparel, hot sauce, blue milk, and much much more.

Disney is counting down to Star Wars Day 2024 with five secret Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lightsaber hilt launches between April 29th and May 3rd that will lead up to the big Darth Maul hilt drop on May the 4th (see below). Each day at 8am PT / 11am ET, another iconic hilt replica will be available here at the Disney Store, and so far we have seen the return of the Luke Skywalker model from Return of the Jedi, the Clone Wars Ahsoka Tano Legacy lightsaber hilt set, and the Kanan Jarrus hilt inspired by the weapon wielded by Freddie Prinze Jr.'s character from Star Wars: Rebels, and the Kylo Ren lightsaber hilt. Today, the reissues conclude with Darth Sideous.

"This Legacy Lightsaber hilt is a detailed recreation of the one wielded by Darth Sidious and comes direct from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The distinctive two-tone design features sound effects and illuminates in red when you attach one of our Lightsaber Blades, sold separately. Hilt comes in a lined display case with the Sith Eternal crest on the front." You can order one now here at the Disney Store priced at $169.99. Note that shipping is free at the Disney Store on orders $75+.

"This Lightsaber hilt is a detailed recreation of Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren's and comes direct from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The powerful weapon includes two cross blades that activate with sound effects and illuminate red when you insert them on the sides. The main Lightsaber Blade is sold separately. Hilt comes in a lined display box with Empire symbol on front." You can order one now here at the Disney Store priced at $159.99.

"Voted #1 Fan Choice Lightsaber hilt by readers of the official Disney Parks Blog, this detailed recreation of the one wielded by the Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus comes direct from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The distinctive design features sound effects and illuminates blue when you attach one of our Lightsaber Blades, sold seperately. Hilt comes in a lined display case with the Wren Phoenix symbol on the front." You can grab one here at the Disney Store now priced at $159.99.

The recreations of Ahsoka's Lightsaber hilts feature sound effects and blue and green light effects if you choose to add a ligthsaber blade.The hilts come in a lined display box with Fulcrum symbol on front. You can grab a set here at the Disney Store now priced at $249.99. Luke Skywalker's Return of the Jedi Lightsaber hilt from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland is available here at the Disney Store now priced at $159.99. Features include sound effects along with green illumination with a lightsaber blade.

A mentioned, Disney's ligthsaber promotion is counting down to the Sith Apprentice: Darth Maul Legacy Lightsaber set that will launch on May the 4th as part of their Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Collection.

A teaser for the Darth Maul hilt is available to view on Disney's secret Order 54 page, and looks as though you'll be getting a highly detailed double hilt with a fancy (most likely wooden) box with Darth Maul graphics. If you take a close look at the certificate of authenticity in the video, you'll see that it will be a limited edition of 7000 units, and we have no doubt that it will sell out in the blink of an eye. That said, be ready and waiting to grab it along with the rest of Disney's Star Wars Day 2024 drops starting at 8am PT / 11am ET here at the Disney Store's Star Wars page. UPDATE: Details regarding the Darth Maul lightsaber hilt have been confirmed. It will be priced at $400. The official description reads:

"'Fear is my ally,'' proclaims the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Maul, whose other ally is this Legacy Lightsaber Set. This special limited edition set was created in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The finely detailed reproduction of the Dathomirian's legendary double hilt features sound effects and illuminates red when you attach two of our Lightsaber Blades, sold separately. Presented in a spectacular wooden box with Darth Maul graphics, the interior lights up red and plays Duel of the Fates when you slide open the lid."