What we learned at Star Wars Celebration Europe: Rogue One, Thrawn, and our new (young) Han

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Another Celebration is over, and while this one felt a bit restrained, here are the big hits. Follow the links for all the details!

ro-posterRogue One
We didn’t get a Rogue One trailer – what was shown only to the live audience was mostly footage we’ve already seen with only a handful of new additions – but there was a nifty sizzle reel. And we learned a couple things about the worlds and characters of the film – plus a poster! And Gwendoline Christie is a fantastic panel host. Later, Kathleen Kennedy said they’re leaning towards not giving the film an opening crawl. Also, check out these amazing cast photos from behind the scenes at the con.

Rebels expands the GFFA
But the con’s big surprise – at least for our purposes – is Thrawn coming to Rebels. The rumor has been floating around since January 2016, but what really took it over the top was the additional news that Timothy Zahn will be writing a new novel about the character. In other book news, we learned that Alexander Freed is doing the Rogue One novelization, while James Luceno is writing the film’s tie-in, Catalyst. We also got a cover for the Ahsoka novel, as well as some hints as to what the character got up to between The Clone Wars and Rebels.

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Han Solo and the Official Casting Announcement
Alden Ehrenreich was finally confirmed as the young Han Solo, and Batman on the Millennium Falcon is totally canon. (Or not.)

Episode VIII
With the focus on Rogue One, we didn’t get much on VIII. But Mark Hamill praised Rian Johnson’s dialogue, and Johnson showed a few new behind-the-scenes pics at the Future Filmmakers panel. We didn’t get a title because it doesn’t have one yet. But remember, there’s still one more Celebration between now and the film’s release…

And finally, here’s a sweet video that was played at the Closing Ceremonies:


We’ll have a new tweet roundup in a day or so, as well as continuing wrap-up coverage, but those are the highlights!

The week in Star Wars: Slow fuse burning

Mark steals a golf cart #beardwatchWe wait (and wait and wait) for so many things: Celebration, more Rogue One stuff, more Aftermath… Here’s what we did learn this week:

→ Filming for Episode VIII ends on July 22, per golfcart-stealer Mark Hamill. Yet there’s already a distinct last-week-of-school feel to a a delightful array of social media posts from Rian Johnson and the cast.

→ With the release of Aftermath: Life Debt nearing, we got a cover for Empire’s End as well as a new excerpt. Plus official art of breakout character Mr. Bones.

The livestream is back for Celebration Europe. I’m sad I’m not going, but also happy that I’ll be able to blog the happenings in a timely fashion. So who is going? James!

→ Our Tumblr themes this week were pets, the Millennium Falcon, Legends, Leia and Finn. Get all that and the news right on your dash by following us! (Or you can always amuse/annoy me with random asks.)

→ FLASHBACK POST: James’ guide on how to photograph fans in costume is evergreen and essential.

Etc. Because there is only so much time in a week, here’s some of the stuff we didn’t get to. FRESH(ISH) CONTENT FOR YOU!

Janine K. Spendlove→ On StarWars.com, James interviewed Jader Janine K. Spendlove about her short story ‘Inbrief,’ which first appeared in the Star Wars Insider and is now available in the Battlefront: Twilight Company, paperback.

→ Here are all the places you can get in your preliminary votes the new Hasbro Fan Choice, or I guess we’re calling it the Star Wars Fan Figure Vote now. All I know is that last year covering this was exhausting, so this time I’m not going to bother with it until it’s time for the final vote.

→ Kevin J. Anderson’s Darksaber is an awful, awful book and yet also directly responsible for me meeting and bonding (saltily) with many other Club Jaders, as it was the hot new release way back in the dark ages when I first got online. I bring this up because Katharine Trendacosta reread it and then wrote about it for io9. Katharine, you are SO BRAVE. I salute you.

The week in Star Wars: Hurry up and wait (for Celebration)

Space BearThis week was a great deal quieter than the last, likely because we’re barreling towards Celebration Europe, which begins on the 15th. We got two panel announcements for the con, the ‘Future Filmmakers’ with directors Rian Johnson, Chris Miller and Phil Lord, and ‘Ahsoka’s Untold Tales’ with Dave Filoni and Ashley Eckstein. (Pablo is moderating both, of course. Because Pablo.)

#PutDrewinStarWars is gaining steam! Nearly 8000 signatures as of Friday evening!

→ Of course Star Wars’ biggest secret keeper, aka Mark Hamill, isn’t running around spoiling Episode VIII.

→ Unboxing Star Wars is now Star Wars Story Talk!

→ Our themes on Tumblr were The Force Awakens, behind the scenes, and the Skywalkers.

What we didn’t get to

→ Samuel L. Jackson thinks Mace Windu survived Revenge of the Sith, and George Lucas is okay with it, apparently.

→ DK’s Star Wars Year By Year and Star Wars: Complete Locations are getting updated versions this fall.

→ Hasbro reveals two new 6-inch convention figures at Entertainment Weekly: A helmetless Kylo Ren (with melted Vader helmet) for Celebratiopn Europe, and A New Hope Obi-Wan Kenobi (with hologram Leia) for San Diego Comic-Con.

The week in Star Wars: Rogue One, Aftermath and more

ro-ew-deathtrooperIt’s been a busy one, so let’s recap! The big news this week was Entertainment Weekly’s cover story on – the movie’s first. (The issue is in stores now.) Our most extensive coverage is still in the what we’ve learned post, which has been updated to cover both galleries. Additionally, EW covered Darth Vader and Mon Mothma‘s roles in the film. Rogue One also dominated the latest tweet roundup.

Our other big item was the second excerpt from Aftermath: Life Debt, which shows us Leia using the Force and sensing baby Ben.

Also this week: James reached the halfway point on #WearStarWarsEveryDay | Disney’s Bob Iger on the future of Indiana Jones | Here’s one thing from the live-action show we’re grateful didn’t make it to The Clone Wars | Don’t ever talk to George Lucas or his art museum ever again, Chicago.

And finally, here are a few other items we didn’t get to.

Ewan McGregor is (understandably!) sick of about being asked if he’d be in another Star Wars movie. (The answer is still yes, though.)

The Force Awakens won eight Saturn Awards, including best science fiction film and nods for Harrison Ford and Adam Driver.

Chuck Wendig on adapting The Force Awakens for Marvel.