The Last Jedi: More pictures, how the Rey/Kylo scenes were filmed, Story Group and more

Disney has posted a few new The Last Jedi things on their award site, including several new stills, an extended score, production notes and the BAFTA Q&A with Rian Johnson and the cast.

Rian Johnson talks to People about how they filmed the “Force connection” scenes between Rey and Kylo Ren. Remember those paparazzi shots of Adam Driver flying into Ireland with Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill, and all those rumors of a big fight scene with the Knights of Ren? Jokes on us. Johnson has another wide-ranging interview over at the Daily Beast. He also explains Snoke’s big scene and the Kylo shirtless scene.

The NYT takes a look at the women behind Lucasfilm’s story group, mainly Kiri Hart. It’s not just Pablo!

You’ll never guess what from the Legends EU made it into the movie. Sort of. Hey, at least it’s not something Courtship of Princess Leia this time.

On that note, there’s a ton of meta happening on Tumblr. I’m reblogging a lot of it and hope to do a roundup of the highlights here, but for the moment, an analysis of “the sacred Jedi texts.” (There’s plenty more coming – the fandom is prolific and I have a ton of backlog in the drafts folder.)

Tech corner: Neal Scanlan on how they built the film’s creatures, and again | Visual effects supervisor Ben Morris on creating Crait and the Earth equivilants | How Yoda was rebuilt | The movie’s sound design | The creation and science of that silent hyperspace scene.

Date, blurb for Kevin Hearne’s Luke Skywalker novel

Luke, Leia and HanKnights’ Archive spotted an Edelweiss listing for the audio version of Kevin Hearne’s Luke Skywalker novel. No title (Untitled Star Wars #3 and/or Untitled Ballantine #50) but it gives a release date of January 13 and a small synopsis:

In an attempt to distract the Empire from important Rebel Alliance activity, Luke Skywalker draws the attention of Imperial Security, leading him-along with Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Chewbacca-into a deadly trap right in Darth Vader’s sights!

This would be the third, and probably final, book in the informal Empire and Rebellion series.

And to chase our earlier mystery books – as pointed out by commenter Ewan, two of them have the same ISBN, so there are only 2 of them – including the one formerly labeled as the Jedi Academy Trilogy on Amazon. (Untitled Star Wars #2, aka 978-0-345-51152-2. Untitled Star Wars #1 is 978-0-553-39286-9.) It’s now Untitled Ballantine #43 there. But the ISBN given to the hardcover version of Untitled Ballantine #50 (978-0-345-54485-8) on Edelweiss doesn’t match either of our mystery books, either. So whatever they are, neither seems likely to be a version of the Hearne book.

Mystery: What are Ballantine’s ‘Untitled Star Wars’ books?

It’s been a while since we’ve had any of these, but Roqoo Depot has pointed out various directory listings: Untitled Star Wars #1, Untitled Star Wars #2 and perhaps the weirdest of all – a rerelease of Anderson’s Jedi Academy trilogy? Or a new Jedi Academy trilogy? Or are all three destined to be rereleases of the previous books? A Thrawn trilogy omnibus, perhaps? (And what would that mean for the Expanded Universe and Episode VII? All three books have fall 2014 release dates.)

The author of all three listings is simply ‘Ballantine’ – a Random House imprint like Del Rey and Bantam. And while the third listing is on the often untrustworthy Amazon, the first two are on Random House’s own catalog.

The future of Del Rey’s Star Wars contract may still be in question, but we do know they have several books left on it – particularly if Sword of the Jedi and Paul Kemp’s duology are shelved, as is increasingly likely. A division of Random House printing these may not mean anything – both Bantam and Del Rey published new Star Wars books in 1999, the last time the license changed hands.

Whatever the case, hopefully the appearance of these listings means we’re getting closer to finding out something.

You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs: Remembering Luke Skywalker’s first Jedi students

This Jedi Academy art is at least way better than the book covers. Sort of.

Remember a simpler time in Star Wars, where there were no sequels, no TV shows, when Star Wars was still kind of rare. Before the Special Editions, before the prequels, before Disney. Remember the… Jedi Academy trilogy? It’s okay, we understand if you don’t want to. Look at all the fanfic it made us write.

It was an odd time. Just kidding, it was kind of a shit show, one of many. But hey, if not for that awfulness, would we have soldiered on? The mocking let us bond, and for that, we are grateful. Mockingly.

EUbits: Would you be brave enough to revisit KJA?

Revisiting the Jedi Academy trilogy. Bryan Young is a glutton for punishment: He reread Kevin J. Anderson’s first Star Wars novel, Jedi Search, even though he knows better. Joining him is Kelly, aka Scarlett Robotica, who actually likes the series. (I suppose someone has to.) They’re debating it. I’m sure you can guess whose side I’m on. (And no: I wouldn’t. Last time I tried I couldn’t get past Luke’s speechifying.)

Details, details… Sue Rostoni updated us on a couple of minor details this weekend: There’s a hint that the Heir to the Empire anniversery edition will indeed have a new cover, and confirmation that short stories are coming back, at least in the Insider.

More on The Jedi Path. Daniel Wallace has posted a fourpart series of endnotes for the in-universe instruction manual.

Veitch talks Dark Empire on Tuesday. The comic’s writer is holding a discussion on the comic this Tuesday evening at the bookstore he co-owns in Bennington, Vermont.