EPISODE IX: THE NEW 'BUCKET HEAD'!

Clearly a formidable opponent and lethal in close-quarters combat (note those handy thigh-strapped double blades she's ready to use), welcome to the Star Wars universe, Keri Russell's Zorri Bliss, as mysteriously revealed on the planet Kijimi, in the EPISODE IX coverage for the latest issue of Vanity Fair. Image by Annie Leibovitz.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/star-wars-keri-russell-is-the-roguish-zorri-bliss

EPISODE IX: DEADLY REUNION!

Image: Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair magazine.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS! Amidst hurricane-like weather conditions on an unknown world, atop the hull of a now near water drenched (or possibly even submerged) Millennium Falcon, a deadly confrontation takes place between Kylo Ren and Rey, in this stunning image from EPISODE IX captured by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair. Presumably, the exciting sequence reuniting the opposite sides of the Force was filmed at the infamous water tank area of Pinewood Studios during 2018.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/the-truth-about-kylo-ren-and-reys-connection

EPISODE IX: THE NEW ISSUE OF 'VANITY FAIR'

The striking opening magazine coverage for IX goes to Vanity Fair, featuring an enjoyable phenomenon overview article for the most part, and surely Annie Leibovitz's best modern Star Wars film related photo shoot work. A gorgeous collectible issue, guaranteed.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/star-wars-cover-story?verso=true

https://www.starwars.com/news/vanity-fair-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker

CLASSIC ART: AN 'EMPIRE' OF GREATNESS!

The adapted Roger Kastel poster for Empire soon used in UK publicity on London's Underground network and in newspapers during 1980, incorporating the important characters of Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett. Image: via Matthew Shaw Collection.

'George (Lucas) had been given enormous license by the success of Star Wars. So when he started talking to me about The Empire Strikes Back script that didn't exist, he knew what had to happen in the story, and it was very dark stuff. I was delighted that it was not going to be a rehash of Star Wars, and that after having set the whole thing up, and gotten that rousing start, you launch into the second act where everything goes straight to hell. And that's usually the best act in a play.'

Lawrence Kasdan - 'Empire of Dreams' documentary, 2004

HAPPY THIRTY-NINTH BIRTHDAY TO 'THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK'!

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY TO 'EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE'!

'This one (the new Trilogy) deals basically with the issues of evil and the issues of how a good person turns bad. It's a tragedy. I'm not sure how commercial it's going to be. but I've got myself into the position where I can do whatever I want. So I can take risks with the films I make; I can tell stories that may not pan out to be popular but are the stories I want to tell. I worked pretty hard to get into this position and now I can take advantage of it.'

George Lucas - BBC Interview (1998)

EPISODE I - global box office (so far): $1.27 billion.

HAPPY TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY - 'EPISODE I'!

Release trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD7bpG-zDJQ

STAR WARS CELEBRATION 2019 honours EPISODE I:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhBGb8J9vsI

CLASSIC IMAGE: A TIME OF CONFLICT!

'The third film is very, very dark. It's not a happy film by any stretch of the imagination. It's a tragedy. People think of the Star Wars movies as happy movies. What they're going to do about a tragedy, I don't know. It will probably be the least successful of all the Star Wars movies - but I know that.'

George Lucas - Empire magazine - September 1999

'I'm proud of the second three moves. People may not like them, but I'm proud of them. I never in a  million years thought I could finish the whole story. In its course, I've done a lot of things I wanted to do, taking themes and stringing them in different tones through different times - recurring elements twisted in different ways. And I've managed to do something that I've always been fascinated with - doing something over twelve hours instead of two. What it really comes down to is, I am a happy man. What else can I tell you?'

George Lucas - Time magazine - May 9th, 2005

EPISODE III - global box office (so far): $848 million.

HAPPY FOURTEENTH ANNIVERSARY TO 'EPISODE III'!

EPISODE IX: NEW PALS ON THE BLOCK!

It takes all sorts to fight the tyranny of the First Order, of which the Rebellion's finest BB unit, super-cute and super-resourceful BB-8, joins forces with a new friend in the equally charming D-0 to aid the cause of light. A lovely little visual moment from the teaser trailer to EPISODE IX. The environment around them looks like some kind of scrap or salvage area, perhaps similar to Watto's junkyard from EPISODE I?

CLASSIC IMAGE: A TIME OF LOVE AND WAR!

'Begun, the Clone War has...'

'The next film (EPISODE II) is a love story, and I don't know how that is going to be taken by fans. They think of Star Wars as one kind of movie. And it's drifting a little more - by the nature of it being a love story, it's less of a kids' movie because they don't like to sit through all that yucky stuff. But it's still aimed at the same age level, so it's going to be a real challenge for me to get through that part.'

George Lucas - Empire magazine - September 1999

'The whole aspect of (EPISODE II) which is 'the mystery' is based upon a 1940's film noir, Maltese Falcon - all the great mystery movies of the '30's and '40's. That's the influence here. I wanted it to have the quality of those great Raymond Chandler mysteries. You have to remember that this whole series of films is based on a '30's genre. the acting style is very much from the '30's. Conceptually, it's using the inspiration of the '30's films as its basis, the most central being the '30's matinee serial.'

George Lucas - EPISODE II DVD commentary - 2002

EPISODE II - global box office (so far): $649.4 million

HAPPY SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY TO 'EPISODE II'!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE LUCAS! (2019)

The two key beloved minds and destiny-shaping individuals of the Star Wars Universe, in front of and behind the camera: Master Yoda and George Lucas, come together for a memorable Japanese marketing campaign of the mid-nineties. we assume linked to Panasonic video tech.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO website sends its warmest birthday greetings out to George Lucas!

CLASSIC IMAGE: MAKING PLANS!

The presence of General Grievous on Utapau has been confirmed, and now Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the aid of his current droid, make plans for the upcoming attack on the enemy stronghold located at the upper levels within Tipocca City. Another memorable image from EPISODE III.