Since it is the appropriate season for an action sequence, Santa Maul heartily endorses this video.
Czech Republic home to more than 15,000 ‘Jedi’
15,070 Czechs listed their religion as ‘Jedi’ in the latest census. AFP reports:
“Fifteen thousand adherents, which is the size of a small town, is not a negligible social phenomenon,” Stanislav Drapal, deputy head of the statistical office, told reporters.
In Prague, statisticians registered 3,977 Jedi knights, or 0.31 percent of the capital’s population.
I’m sure the Czech atheists are just thrilled. Yeah, it’s funny and gives us dumb stuff to blog about, but I’m not a fan of people treating their census like it’s a silly meme. Save it for Facebook.
Jedi wannabe terrorizes Oregon Toys R Us
A 33-year-old man was arrested Wednesday night for assaulting people with a lightsaber at an Oregon Toys R Us. Apparently he was not without some skill:
Officers tried to arrest the man, but he kept swinging the light saber at them, Simpson said. One tried to use his Taser on the suspect but the device didn’t work.
Another officer used his Taser and made contact, but the man knocked one of the wires away with the light saber.
The man was arrested and taken to the hospital for a “mental evaluation.” None of his victims required medial attention, but the ‘Jedi’ faces criminal charges. (via)
‘Chewie’ screenwriters talk Mayhew, inspiration
Evan Susser and Van Robichaux, whose satirical look behind-the-scenes of Star Wars landed a top spot on this year’s Black List, talk to Entertainment Weekly about ‘Chewie,’ Peter Mayhew, and issues with getting the film actually made.
Out this week: Agent of the Empire #1
Wednesday brings the debut issue of John Ostrander’s Agent of the Empire, featuring the James Bondesque Imperial agent Jahan Cross. The series spans a few years before A New Hope, or so I hear.
Also gracing the comic shelves will be a pair of digest reprint collections: Episode I Adventures collects some TPM side adventures, while Episode I: The Phantom Menace is the official movie adaption.
You might also want to be on the lookout for the latest issue of the Star Wars Insider, #130, for the new short story by Matthew Stover, ‘The Tenebrous Way,’ though in some places I’m seeing it dated for the 21st.
Lucas still hunting for Indy V MacGuffin
New York Magazine’s Vulture blog caught up with George Lucas at The Adventures of Tintin premiere and learned that despite earlier comments by Steven Spielberg about the movie concept being done, Lucas is still seeking a key plot point for a fifth Indiana Jones film. Lucas said: “but I really haven’t found the MacGuffin yet. I mean, I know what it’s about, but I just have to find a MacGuffin that fits into the arena we’re working in.”
Meanwhile, Spielberg reported to MTV that making a fifth Indy film wouldn’t be made just to prove something to the audience (when compared to general fan reaction that felt that the most recent film, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was a letdown compared to other Indy outings).
Zahn: 20th anniversary edition of Dark Force Rising not likely with current Heir sales numbers
Timothy Zahn has addressed the issue of further Thrawn trilogy anniversary editions on his Facebook page… And it’s not looking good.
It is now probable that next year will *not* see a special edition of DFR. However, she [Shelly Shapiro] does leave open the possibility that if there’s a groundswell of sales on the Heir 20th, it’s *possible* that the Higher-Ups at Del Rey will reverse that decision.
I’m certainly not trying to push anyone here (an author pushing people to buy books? Inconceivable!), but merely passing on information.
I bet the new Heir to the Empire makes a grand holiday gift for your more casual Star Wars fan friends!
I also wonder if perhaps a cheaper version is in order… Maybe a large trade paperback edition (hardcover sized) containing the entire Thrawn trilogy with annotations? Granted, it might be on my mind since I just reread the first couple Pern books that way (sans annotations,) but given the sheer amount of Star Wars books there are these days, collected editions make a lot of sense – for far more than just this trilogy.
Video: A little LEGO joy for Christmas
Sometimes Santa brings exactly what you’re looking for.
The 2011 Black List includes a Star Wars spoof
The Black List is an annual vote that picks the best unproduced scripts circulating around Hollywood. Among the top vote-getters this year is Evan Susser and Van Robichaux’s ‘Chewie,’ which Movieline describes as “A satirical behind the scenes look at the making of Star Wars through the eyes of Peter Mayhew.”
Previous Black List selections that went on to be filmed include Diablo Cody’s Juno and Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Network.