Believe it or not, there’s been a lot of buzz about BB-8’s gender recently. And that raises a question: Why does it matter?
Continue reading “Droids, gender, and BB-8: Why does it matter?”
Her Universe and Hot Topic launch a new Star Wars collection
Darth Vader faux leather jacket. (Available now.)
Darth Vader faux leather jacket. (Available now.)
Boba Fett bomber jacket. (Available now.)
Boba Fett bomber jacket. (Available now.)
Princess Leia dress (Coming in December.)
Darth Vader cape dress. (Available now.)
Darth Vader cape dress. (Available now.)
BB-8 bomber jacket (Available now.)
Her Universe and Hot Topic launched a new Star Wars collection today! Several of the designs are available now, with more coming next month. And, Ashley Eckstein tells The Daily Dot, there’s another in development.
The items are avaliable in extended sizes, and Hot Topic’s sister shop Torrid will carry some items as well, including a lightsaber dress based on the skirt introduced earlier this year.
Ashley is also encouraging fans to share with the hashtag #MyStarWarsStory:
Not everything from the line is for sale at the moment, but what is can be found online at Hot Topic.
Get The Force Awakens look: Rey on Jakku
Rey costumers, this one is for you: Allure talked to The Force Awakens’ makeup department head Amanda Knight and hair designer Lisa Tomblin. Sunscreen!
Rumor: We’re going to be seeing a lot less of Princess Leia’s slave bikini
Making Star Wars reports of rumblings that Lucasfilm is “retiring” the Slave Leia bikini. However, do note that piece’s only quoted source is J. Scott Campbell, an artist whose work mostly seems to consist of pinups – not exactly the most neutral of parties regarding this subject.
That said, I do feel it’s a very smart move for Lucasfilm to be more selective in how and when they use the bikini. It’s all-too-often used as the character’s default look – see Tsundo Sanda’s recent Newsweek cover, where any iconic Leia would do the trick just as well. The problem isn’t so much that slave Leia is a thing that exists in merchandising, it’s that the bikini dominates – and that’s not a fair representation of the character.
I do think a blanket ban on it is rather unlikely – I don’t have a huge problem with the Return of the Jedi poster that MSW uses an an example, for instance – but less of the bikini? Yes, please.
Carrie Fisher to Daisy Ridley: “Fight for your outfit.”
Carrie Fisher interviews Daisy Ridley in the latest issue of Interview. It’s super-charming, and Fisher passes on some important advice regarding slave outfits, “sex symbols” and fandom. The pull quote, however, is certainly going to be the slave outfit stuff:
RIDLEY: No, they always talk about how you’re a sex symbol, and how do I feel about that. [Fisher sighs] I’m not a sex symbol! [laughs]
FISHER: Listen! I am not a sex symbol, so that’s an opinion of someone. I don’t share that.
RIDLEY: I don’t think that’s the right—
FISHER: Word for it? Well, you should fight for your outfit. Don’t be a slave like I was.
RIDLEY: All right, I’ll fight.
FISHER: You keep fighting against that slave outfit.
RIDLEY: I will.
Kathleen Kennedy: “We will eventually hire a woman who directs a Star Wars movie.”
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was among those who spoke at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit today, where she addressed the number of women at Lucasfilm (particularly on the Story Group) and said that she’s confident that there will be a woman directing a Star Wars film one day.
“I have a huge number of men who call me,” she says. “And tell me how much of a Star Wars fan they are, how much they want to get involved in anything to do with Star Wars. I don’t have a lot of women who call.”
It’s a strong parallel to points made in an essay by actress Jennifer Lawrence that came out today, about getting paid less than her male co-stars.
Video: Star Wars Rebels S2 Press Conference
James was able to attend a Rebels season 2 screening and press conference last week, and here’s his video of the presser.
Among the reveals: Dave Filoni said that S2 will have two episodes that explore Hera’s backstory: One that ficuses on her piloting skills, and another having to do with her family. There’s also going to be a new trailer debuting this week that will give us a look at something new regarding Sabine. He also talks about the importance of having a wide range of roles for female characters.
There are a few minor spoilers for ‘The Lost Commanders’ in the video:
The show returns October 14th on Disney XD.
Hasbro design director on The Force Awakens, embracing female fandom
Fast Company has a profile of Hasbro Star Wars design director Steve Evans, focusing on The Force Awakens rollout. Of special interest to us, some words on the changing market:
“I’m actually very, very fond of the three-and-three-quarter inch Rey figure,” Evans says. It’s an appropriate choice, and not just for the fact that Rey is one of the main characters in the next Star Wars chapter. That figure symbolizes a radical shift in the action figure market—and the Star Wars toys market in particular.
“It’s because of what it stands for,” says Evans. “Just because of the way it’s embracing girls into the brand more. I have a son and two twin daughters and my girls are infatuated with Rey. They think she’s brilliant.”
Back in the ’70s and ’80s Star Wars action figures were thought of as something to be made just for boys. But Evans says that’s all changed now. And not only are the artificial gender action figure barriers are coming down, now they’re designed to appeal to people of all ages.
As for The Force Awakens, “as we lead up to December 18, there’s a certain amount that gets released,” says Evans. “There are certain surprises from our product line that no one knows about, that we’ll release leading up to the movie, at the movie, and beyond the movie.”
Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women
Fortune magazine is honoring Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy as one of their selections for 2015’s Most Powerful Women. (She’s #42.) They’ve published a lengthy profile, which includes the interesting factoid that “more than half of her 18-person executive team, with whom she meets weekly, is female.”
Is Felicity Jones Rogue One’s Smurfette?
Felicity Jones’ character is indeed front and center of Rogue One so far, and no one is unhappy with the racial diversity of the ensemble, but there has been some very definite pushback on yet another cast that is – at least initially – very low on women. Will we see more ladies added like we did with The Force Awakens or is this just the latest example of the Smurfette Principle in action?
→ Does Diego Luna’s mustache look familiar? From a viral @eleventhirtyate tweet to /Film in two days. And there’s more overanalysis at Rebels Report.
→ What the Rogue One picture tells us about what’s coming up. Might there even be… set visits? Gasp!
→ Spoiler corner: Set construction pics at Cardington.