Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
Composer Alexandre Desplat (who just won an Oscar for The Grand Budapest Hotel) revealed during an interview that he will be scoring Rogue One, according to Film Music Reporter. He’ll be only the second composer to work on Star Wars live-action, after John Williams.
Desplat also scored Rogue One director Gareth Edward’s Godzilla.
Scoring isn’t something I tend to have strong opinions on, but I do think it’s a smart move for them to go off the beaten path for the spin-off films.
Marvel keeps the new stuff coming as Wednesday brings us Princess Leia #2, only two weeks after #1. CBR has a preview of the new issue.
And to think I said we were busy last time… Well, last week brought us a new movie title, the lowdown on publishing plans leading up to The Force Awakens and, well, isn’t that enough? Thankfully, it was. Onward!
We finally got name – and a hint at the content of – our first standalone Star Wars film this week: Rogue One. We still don’t know all that much about it, but there are a few hints out there, both official and speculative.
/Film has a description of the concept art that was shown to Disney shareholders for Rogue One that is supposedly reminiscent of video games, particularly Halo. No X-wings, but why would they go for a name that recalls Rogue Squadron, then? I don’t know, but I hope as we learn more things will become clear.
Mike Stackpole is, as you might expect, all for Rogues in a movie. At Barnes & Noble, Andrew Liptak looks at the Rogue Squadron books and comics – which, it should be noted, contained a fair amount of on-the-ground missions.
StarWars.com gives us our first look at Marvel’s first The Force Awakens tie-in, Shattered Empire #1. PHIL NOTO!
The series will start in September, and I’m certain that none of us are having trouble figuring out the time period.
Jedi Bibliothek was first to stop that the Random House online catalog ha slipped an author name onto Del Rey’s Aftermath – the very prolific Chuck Wendig, who expressed an interest in Star Wars last year on Twitter.
Jedi Bibliothek (in English) also spotted some blurbs for the YA components of Journey on Amazon.
Claudia Gray’s Lost Stars:
This thrilling Young Adult novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two childhood friends-Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell-who have grown up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot. Now on opposite sides of the war, will these two star-crossed lovers reunite, or will duty tear them-and the galaxy-apart?
The Weapon of a Jedi by Jason Fry:
Set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, the story finds Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2 stranded on a mysterious planet, and explores Luke’s first-ever duel with a lightsaber.
Cecil Castellucci’s Moving Target:
Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the story follows the warrior princess as she leads a ragtag group of rebels on a dangerous mission against the evil Galactic Empire.
Greg Rucka’s Smuggler’s Run:
Set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, the story follows everyone’s favorite pair of smugglers as they fly the Millennium Falcon on a top-secret mission for the Rebellion.
All four promise “all-new post-Return of the Jedi content, as well as hints and clues” about The Force Awakens.
UPDATE: Our book release schedule has been updated!
‘Special guests’ will be at J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy’s Thursday panel. I suspect they will be The Force Awakens folk of the younger generation. (Or, pretty much anyone who’s not Harrison Ford.)
Also added to the Celebration guest list today are Billy Dee Williams, Ashley Eckstein and more. The exhibitor list is live as well.
This is Madness 2015 begins. The annual March Madness rip-off has begin, and you can vote for play-ins for the next couple days, before it starts in earnest.
StarWars.com confirms that the first standlone film will be called Rogue One.
Starring Felicity Jones, directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz, the story is based on an idea from John Knoll, who’s one of the executive producers. The film will shoot in London this summer and is due out December 16, 2016.
They’ve also (finally!) confirmed that Rian Johnson is writing and directing Episode VIII, which is set for May 26, 2017. A RETURN TO MAY!
Much of the personnel here we’ve already heard about, but the title Rogue One is our first detail that really points to what kind of film this will be. A female X-wing pilot? Bring it on.
UPDATE: It’s not the Star Wars Insider going on hiatus, it’s sister publication Star Wars Magazine, which used to be a Clone Wars-based publication, Jedi News corrects. So basically, nevermind. (And that explains why I didn’t get the hiatus email!)
Per their website, Star Wars Magazine hasn’t put out an issue since October.
The Star Wars Insider, which has been published by various companies over the years, traces back to Bantha Tracks, the original official Star Wars Fan Club newsletter. The current numbering began when it was called The Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine; It was renamed to Star Wars Insider in the early ’90s.
The current publisher of both is Titan Magazines, which handles a number of franchise publications.
Star Wars Insider #156 is in stores now.