Denis Lawson doesn’t seem particularly interested in more Star Wars. The actor, who played Wedge in the original trilogy, apparently turned down a chance to return to the franchise in 2005. (A Sith cameo?) “Honestly, I made the first Star Wars film in 1976 and it doesn’t really interest me. I know it’s interesting to other people but I get really bored talking about it.” He does talk a bit about his nephew, Ewan McGregor. via
George Lucas to young filmmakers: “Don’t forget the basics.”
George Lucas to young filmmakers: “Don’t forget the basics.” Lucas spoke at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts today.
Full of Sith’s tribute to Aaron Allston
Full of Sith’s tribute to Aaron Allston. Podcast host Bryan Young is joined by Michael Stackpole, author Janine Spendlove and publisher Ron Garner to honor Aaron’s memory.
Signed book at auction for charity in Aaron Allston’s honor
The podcast Far Far Away is auctioning off a signed hardcover copy of Aaron Allston’s Fate of the Jedi: Backlash on eBay to raise funds for the American Heart Association.
Aaron signed the book at Celebration in 2010; the auction runs through March 21.
Mike Stackpole remembers Aaron Allston
I want you to know that all of you knew Aaron, the real Aaron. Those of us who were lucky enough and honored to log more hours in his company didn’t know him better, we just knew him more. Aaron was the man you meet in his books. He was the man you saw on panels. He was the man who would listen and smile, and listen more.
I fully admit that I’ve lost track of things in the midst of our server issues, but you can read more from Janine Spendlove, Eleven-Thirty Eight, and sithwitch plus an episode of Tosche Station.
Fandom, colleagues remember Aaron Allston
There’s been a huge outpouring of grief, affection and memories after last night’s horrible news.
Particularly touching is this long remembrance from Ron at Silence in the Library Publishing of Aaron as a mentor. Bryan at Big Shiny Robot, another SitL author, also remembers him in that vein.
In our own corner of fandom, he’s remembered by Brian and Nanci at Tosche Station, Tricia at Fangirl, Peter at Lightsaber Rattling, Mike at Eleven-ThirtyEight, Aaron of Star Wars Bookworms, Mark of Jedi News, Eric at TFN, Andrew Liptak, and EUCantina. There are also brief but touching writeups (and lots of comments) from the 501st and Rebel Legions.
On the professional end, we have words from Del Rey’s Shelly Shapiro, Lucasfilm’s Jen Heddle and Leland Chee and fellow authors Tim Zahn, Troy Denning, Christie Golden, Martha Wells, Helen Keier and many, many more. (You can see some of them in the Twitter list below.)
Aaron also made headlines on mainstream SF/F sites like Tor, Suvudu, Locus and SF Signal.
And finally, there’s been a ton of talk about Aaron on Twitter:
I recommend everyone watch a really horrible movie and/or make a lot of puns this weekend in Aaron’s honor.
Yub yub, Emperor: Author Aaron Allston has passed away
It is with a great deal of sadness and tears that I must report that our dear friend, author Aaron Allston, passed away Thursday.
Aaron was, as Timothy Zahn describes him, “a wonderful author, a devastating punster, an erudite teacher, and — most of all — a wonderful friend.”
For Star Wars fans, Aaron is perhaps best known for his many books in the X-Wing, New Jedi Order, Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi series. His other books include Doc Sidhe, and he had recently self-published Plotting: A Novelist’s Workout Guide. He also conducted writing seminars at conventions such as Celebration, Origins and Dragon*Con, often in tandem with fellow author Mike Stackpole.
I don’t think there’s much I need to say about his writing to this crowd: It’s a rarity, but it seems like pretty much everyone loved Aaron’s books, Star Wars and otherwise.
I meet Aaron in the JadeCon suite one year, when GenCon was still in Milwaukee – it must have been the late 90′s. I was one of only a handful of people in the suite, and I was a bit nervous, because speaking to authors, or celebs of any kind, has never been my forte. But talking to Aaron was easy. He was personable, he was hilarious, he instantly made one feel at ease. Even if you had just met him, he treated you like a friend. He would have been an instant favorite of Club Jade even if he hadn’t written books we loved.
No matter what one thinks of the Expanded Universe, Aaron was a great asset to Star Wars and the fandom. Club Jade is honored to have known him, his work, and to have had him as our first and only Emperor.
Fans and friends are leaving remembrances on Aaron’s Facebook page.
Roundup: The Rebels movie is coming this summer
Again! Yup, there’ll be a Rebels movie on the Disney Channel. And a series of shorts. So what’s new? It’s coming “this summer,” says Disney. We’ve been hearing fall, so maybe that’s for the actual series on Disney XD? A summer date sure makes a lot of sense given all those book releases in July and August.
Lucas Cultural Arts Museum. The Presidio Trust turned down George Lucas’ museum plan yesterday – as well as the two other contenders. Apparently none of them were “right for this location.” Will Lucas take his plan elsewhere? “A lot of other people have asked us to dance, and we will start calling them
back,” said spokesman David Perry. Chicago, perhaps?
Randomly. I don’t know why people think C-3PO on a magazine cover is some kind of Episode VII confirmation, given that Star Wars Identities is rather obviously namedropped (and the 7 is probably photoshopped) but whatever. Here’s C-3PO on a French magazine cover. The Identities exhibit opens in Paris later this month.
Video: Ten reasons to enter the Make-A-Wish contest
Mark Hamill has ten reasons to donate to Make-A-Wish and enter to win a chance to meet him, George Lucas and see Skywalker Ranch.
Highlights of Mark Hamill’s Reddit AMA
Mark Hamill had his Reddit Ask Me Anything this afternoon. Despite a late start and a brief troll issue, it seemed to go swimmingly.
He didn’t say much about Episode VII – sorry, no announcements! This was to promote the Make-A-Wish contest. Though of course he was asked about the Fisher report from the other day:
The only character I know for sure is returning is my friend R2-D2. He hasn’t stopped beeping about it.
And when pressed…
Haha. I’m not being coy, really. When I find something out, I’ll let everybody know. But nothing has been decided yet.
I don’t know if anyone actually believes that, but hey, it’s not like we can blame the guy for playing it cool. Below the cut, power convertors, facial hair, keeping secrets and much, much more.