Ewan McGregor’s current beard is only the “practice” Obi-Wan

On Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, Ewan McGregor talks about his Obi-Wan “practice beard,” reading William Shatner’s book Get A Life on a prequel set with Ahmed Best, the big Disney+ reveal, and his new movie, Doctor Sleep.

Meanwhile, Hayden Christensen was spotted at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. The official Disneyland Twitter tweeted the photos and then deleted the tweet, promoting even more speculation as to what secrets he’s keeping. However, note that @StarWars later tweeted the pics themselves.

Star Tours is heading for a key Rise of Skywalker location (and now we have a name)

The “news” here is that Star Tours is will be adding a new location from The Rise of Skywalker, but the actual news is that we get a name for where that Death Star wreckage is: “the ocean moon Kef Bir.”

The planet is new, but it’s already on Wookieepedia thanks to a mention in Ultimate Star Wars, which has another connection to someone new. Possible spoilers, if you consider really basic things spoilers.

Disney publicity onslaughts continue, but not for anything actually new (yet)

The Rise of Skywalker (D23 sizzle)

If you haven’t heard enough about Disney+ or Galaxy’s Edge, boy are you in for a treat… Anyone who didn’t sign up for the streaming service during D23 can get in on the action now. At least one commercial was aired during the Emmys last night (where Star Wars alum Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her show Fleabag took home 3 awards – comedy actress, directing, and best comedy series).

As for Galaxy’s Edge, it’s full court press time now that it’s open on both coasts (though the second ride is still months out) and it’s getting an ABC “takeover” and a two-hour primetime TV special on Freeform. (If you can stand the chipperness, there’s a sneak peek at EW.)

As for that other big event coming up in December – remember movies?!? – things are slowly progressing. A spot for The Rise of Skywalker (the new D23 footage, sans flashback intro) was shown during Sunday night’s NFL game, and there’s apparently a spot based on the first trailer in circulation as well. An Empire cover with Kylo Ren has been spotted, not to mention a ton of toy leaks I won’t even get into. With Force Friday coming on October 4 we don’t have long now… No matter how long it feels.

How Disney World will let you take a Star Wars “space cruise”

Some questions about the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser “experience” were revealed today at D23, but not the one everyone is most curious about: The prices. That’s just not very Disney magic, you know.

But Disney did reveal more about the cruise-like Halcyon. It really is being treated more like an actual cruise than your standard Disney hotel: Fans get a two day, two night stay, and everyone boards at the same time. From there, you’re in “space” – though there is a “a planet-side excursion to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu” and your visit becomes “a multi-day story that interweaves with members of the crew, other passengers, familiar Star Wars characters.” You get to visit the bridge, play with lightsabers and “discover hidden spaces deep in the mechanics of the ship.”

So as for how much it’ll cost you, we still only have those rumors. And will non-guests be allowed on-board at all? The “maybe we’ll just get dining reservations” approach seems less likely than ever…

Vi gets her orders in Black Spire excerpt

StarWars.com has an excerpt from Delilah S. Dawson’s Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire, which follows Phasma’s Vi Moradi as she attempts to set up a Resistance base on Batuu.

In addition to the excerpt, you can get a look at the Black Spire map, which will come with the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition of the book.

Black Spire will be out in hardcover and eBook on August 27, mere days before the Florida version of Galaxy’s Edge opens to the general public.

Galaxy’s Edge Resistance ride won’t open until December

The Rise of the Resistance ride at Galaxy’s Edge will open December 5 at Disney World and January 17 at Disneyland, the parks announced today.

Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland is open now with Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run as the sole ride. The Florida version, at Hollywood Studios, will open August 29.

Rise of the Resistance is supposedly the more ambitious of the two rides, which may account for the delay.