Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
Among today’s batch of
The standard edition of Queen’s Shadow was released earlier this month, but Master & Apprentice won’t be out until April 16 – meaning fans who pick it up at Celebration (April 11-15) will get it at most few days early.
We’re also starting to see the author panels on the schedule
Hayden Christensen is the latest guest addition. He last appeared at Celebration Orlando in 2017 to a standing ovation, 15 years after his debut at Celebration II ahead of Attack of the Clones.
→ And finally, the full schedule is out. StarWars.com has the majors, and the complete one is here. Don’t forget about… Whatever this queue thing is.
→ And, of course, even more exclusives.
After the lines at Celebration Orlando proved more than a little traumatic, Reed has introduced a whole new system for getting into panels: A reservation and virtual queue called Lightspeed. It includes an advance lottery for the big panels that will be on the three big stages, with fans assigned to seating sections. It all sounds totally simple and I’m sure no one will be confused at all! The first lotteries open next Thursday, March 28… If you have your badge. (Apparently, they’re in the mail?)
But seriously, the line for the prayer circle for the livestream’s return starts here.
In other Celebration news… The Mandalorian panel with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will be Sunday, and there are merchandise exclusives.
The Episode IX panel at Celebration Chicago is set for Friday, April 12. Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams are our only confirmed panelists, but previous Celebrations generally featured a good chunk of the main cast. Also, could that picture, from today’s ReedPOP email, above be our third from IX, or it is a TFA pic that’s only now coming to light? Mystery!
Today also featured more new guests, headlined by Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera), Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka) and Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan).
And just like that, Galaxy’s Edge now has a pair of opening dates: May 31 at Disneyland in California, and August 29 at Hollywood Studios in Florida. Disneyland’s will open with only the Millennium Falcon attraction running, and will require a reservation that’s free with park admission; The second attraction, Rise of the Resistance, will open for “phase two,” whenever that ends up being.
Three Star Wars animation panels will be held a Celebration Chicago: Rebels on Saturday, The Clone Wars on Sunday and Resistance on Monday. The Clone Wars will preview their new Disney+ episodes, while Resistance – which will finish off their first season on two weeks -will preview season 2. (The Rebels panel will not feature any new series announcements, LFL publicist Tracy Cannobbio says.)
→ Three more guests have been added: Solo’s Paul Bettany (Dryden Vos), Rogue One’s Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook) and The Last Jedi’s Hermione Corfield (Tallissan Lintra).
The Celebration Art Show offerings are live and up for preorder! Above is Brian Miller’s “A Galaxy Far, Far Away,” which is both my favorite and a perfect fit for our header space, but there’s something for everyone.
→ The latest batch of guests
→ Looks like a bunch of game reveals are coming to the con. Y’all have fun with that.
Two Star Wars TV live-action shows have already been announced for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service: The Mandalorian (which apparently wrapped S1 filming around the same time as IX!) and a yet-untitled Cassian Andor show that will serve as a prequel to Rogue One. Today, Fantha Tracks reports evidence of a third show, which will film in the U.K. – unlike The Mandalorian, which filmed in southern California.
They say the show might be announced at April’s Celebration Chicago. That’s also about the time we expect our first look at The Mandalorian, given reports that Disney will be sharing a first look at Disney+ original content with investors on April 11 – which also happens to be the first day of the con, though panels aren’t expected to begin until the next day.
A twentieth-anniversary panel for The Phantom Menace has been announced for the final day of Celebration which is – coincidentally, I’m sure – the only day that passes are still available for.
Meanwhile, on StarWars.com, the guest list is still growing. Today’s additions are headlined by Billy Dee Williams and Alan Tudyk. Joining them are Rebels’ Freddie Prinze Jr. and Taylor Gray (Kanan and Ezra), our old pal John “DAK!” Morton, ANH stormtrooper Anthony Forrest, Julian Glover (General Veers) and Michael Culver (Captain Needa).
Star Wars Celebration is being held from April 11-15, 2019, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. This will be the ninth domestic version of the con; the very first Celebration was held in Denver ahead of The Phantom Menace’s release in 1999.
Star Wars Celebration has added more guests, including Ian McDiarmid, sequel trilogy puppeteer Brian Herring, and voice actor Mark Dodson. You can check out the full guest list on the con’s official site.
We also lean that autograph tickets will go on sale Wednesday, February 13, at noon PST.