Marvel is not Star Wars – and vice versa

Vader vs. Captain AmericaSo the spate of summer cons where Lucasfilm might announce news related to Episode VII has come and gone, and we’ve gotten some announcements, but nothing mind-blowing. As Dunc said earlier this week, let’s not lose our heads over it. Is it frustrating that Celebration Europe’s big reveal was John Williams, and nothing much came from D23 Expo? Perhaps. Especially when compared to the glut of Marvel movie news that came out at Comic-Con and appearances made at D23. But as film franchises go, Marvel is not Star Wars. And Star Wars is not Marvel.

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Video: Best of Star Wars Celebration Europe

Here’s some of my favorite videos from Star Wars Celebration Europe. Up above, Warwick Davis and Ian McDiarmid re-create the Yoda/Sidious battle from Revenge of the Sith. (Trigger warning: Ewoks are stomped upon.) Davis would try to do a bit with each cast member in a segment called “Stage Wars” and below, we have Davis and Carrie Fisher returning to the first encounter between Wicket and Leia. And there’s even more below…CelebrationStageCrew_LowRes Continue reading “Video: Best of Star Wars Celebration Europe”

Video: Warwick Davis and the Five Fetts

Sunday at Celebration Europe was the Fett-tastic Four panel, which quickly turned into a quintet with the surprise arrival of Temuera Morrison to join Jeremy Bulloch, Daniel Logan, John Morton (who filled in as Boba Fett for a few days in The Empire Strikes Back), and Dickey Beer (Boba Fett stunts in Return of the Jedi). The stage show was quite a bit of fun, with Bulloch making his appearance in his 501st Legion Boba Fett costume, and Warwick hosting a series of games to see which of the four Boba Fetts was the best: in shooting Nerf guns at Ewoks, and emoting after Jango’s beheading (aka Four Fetts and a Funeral). Here, Warwick Davis chats with the Fett family about the enduring popularity of Boba Fett.

James picks his favorite Celebration Europe moments

Go home, Greedo, you're drunk!

Here’s some of the highlights of Star Wars Celebration Europe for me. I worked the convention as part of the crew at the Celebration stage in the Grugahalle, which was a giant concert hall next door to the main convention halls, so most of my memories involve being at the Celebration stage, but really it’s all about the people that one encounters at a Star Wars convention – we’re all here because of one thing: we love Star Wars!

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Celebration Europe: Exploring the con floor

Before the show opening on Sunday, I took a tour of the main convention floor of Star Wars Celebration Europe in Essen, Germany. Check out all the cool ship models and other dioramas from the Belgian 501st Legion, as well as a peek inside the Rancho Obi-Wan Experience and LEGO displays from Halles 11 and 12 of Messe Essen.

And below, a video of the Fan Hall booths in Halle 5, including the R2 Builders Club, Rebel Legion and 501st Legion and other fan organization booths.