The guest list is growing longer: Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) will join Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels and plenty of other original trilogy castmates in Orlando for the convention that celebrates the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. In the actor’s first U.S. Celebration experience, he’ll appear on the Celebration Stage and sign autographs.
Hayden Christensen sues USA Network over Royal Pains
Hayden Christensen and his brother are suing the USA Network over the comedic drama Royal Pains, saying that the channel ripped off the concept from a pitch they made in 2005.
I enjoy Royal Pains, but as someone who couldn’t even make it through a half hour of Jumper, I probably wouldn’t have tuned in if Hayden starred. (If that was even the plan.) I’m no lawyer, but seems that’s a point in the Christensen’s favor.
Star Wars in the news: Lawyers, marriage and lasers
The Star Wars kid is all grown up. Ghyslain Raza, who rose to unwilling internet fame as the subject of one of the internet’s first and most famous viral videos, hasn’t done too badly for himself. He’s pursuing a law degree (perhaps inspired by the lawsuit that he filed against the classmates who uploaded the infamous video?) and is the president of a conservation society in his hometown of Trois-Rivières.
Wedding bells. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart got hitched Tuesday! The pair made it legal in New Mexico, where Ford is shooting Cowboys and Aliens. New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, a friend of the couple, performed the wedding at the Governor’s Mansion in Santa Fe.
…And not so much. In less happy news, Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson, who also got engaged in 2009, are “taking a break.”
Don’t try this at home. No, seriously, don’t. A company in Hong Kong is selling a laser “home theater projector” that resembles a lightsaber and is strong enough to burn skin and cause “irreversable retinal damage.” It can be purchased online for a mere $200. What could go wrong?
Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens
A big celebrity shindig at the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, last night. JK Rowling herself attended.
A good chunk of the cast attended. But did they fly down on the Harry Potter plane?
Thanks, Leonard…You live long and prosper, as well
Leonard Nimoy (do I need to remind you he played Spock in Star Trek?) recently announced his retirement. The LA Times is posting video from one of his last appearances over the next few days.
Having heard him speak at Dragon*Con, I’m sure it’ll be… fascinating. (Sorry. I had to go there.)
Here’s hoping he’ll still get a kick out of going to cons….
Is Gary Kurtz coming to Celebration? (Very likely.)
An item appeared briefly on Reed’s blog yesterday saying that Gary Kurtz, producer of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, will be at Celebration V. The post was removed (though it may linger in some RSS feeds) because the contract signing had to be postponed, but it is for real..
In other CV news, Charlie Ross is bringing his One Man Star Wars Trilogy to the con
Roundup: All the Celebration V news you can shake your broken droid leg at
Guest list. Anthony Daniels is coming to the autograph hall and on stage. (WTF moment: “He was the voice of Legolas in the 1978 animation, Lord Of The Rings.” The awful one that turned me off Tolkien for decades? What what?)
Panels. And the collecting track just keeps on coming. Don’t fret, folks: I’m sure there’ll be something for the rest of us. (Right?)
Costumes. Register your fabulous duds for the Costume Pageants. If you don’t, they might send the 501st after you.
Book now! There’s no time to waste!
Guide. The folks at Reed have put together Orlando 101.
George Lucas coming to Celebration V
The Maker himself will make an appearance in Orlando – only his second ever at a Celebration event. Time and date are still to be determined, but you can expect one thing: Very long lines.
Harrison Ford speaks at the Empire 30th screening
Pablo reports from last night’s The Empire Strikes Back screening and Harrison Ford Q&A in Los Angeles.
Mark Hamill to direct Black Pearl movie
Hamill will be directing an adaption of the 1996 comic he co-wrote with Eric Johnson.
“It’s kind of daunting,” said Hamill, 58, who previously directed a straight-to-video movie but is making his first try at the big screen. “The pendulum swings from great confidence to what did I get myself into? But I want to. This is going to be really a culmination of years and years of wish fulfillment on my part.”
His previous directing effort, the straight-to-DVD Comic Book: The Movie was fairly well-received (at least as I recall) and may even have featured a CJer (or two?) They hope to begin shooting on Black Pearl next year.