'SOLO': BAD HAIR DAY!

Image: Jon Kasdan/Twitter.

Going deeper into the mysterious Kessel maw/maelstrom, an electrical storm subtly hits the Falcon, giving its occupants some new hairstyles, in particular Chewie! A humorous moment that was filmed but ultimately cut from Solo: A Star Wars Story, though it made it into both Mur Lafferty's novelisation of the film and Joel Schrieber's junior novel.

Concept art for the scene.

EPISODE VIII: HOPE - IN THE NICK OF TIME!

Luke Skywalker has made his incredible reappearance to the Resistance as the Battle of Crait enters its most desperate phase, said an emotional goodbye to his sister, and now confronts a soon gobsmacked First Order. But the greatest challenge for our hero is yet to come, in a memorably epic sequence from The Last Jedi that also proves to be the ultimate bluff to both re-trigger 'hope' and buy survival time for his friends escape.

Mark Hamill talks about what was the 'end' of Luke Skywalker, and the road to his 2017 sequel return:
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/06/26/mark-hamill-on-the-weirdly-tragic-trajectory-of-luke-skywalker

Archival EPISODE IX related snippet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoFKUz1TaWA

EPISODE IX: COMING TO UK HOME ENTERTAINMENT IN APRIL!

Arriving on all UK Home Entertainment formats from April 20th, 2020, the final epic chapter of the Skywalker saga that is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, from Lucasfilm/Disney, will surely further smash sales records in the territory, following on from its earlier March 20th US release...

Disc details:

Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams join forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

BONUS FEATURES all in 1.78:1 Aspect ratio

• The Skywalker Legacy
• Pasaana Pursuit: Creating The Speeder Chase
• Aliens In The Desert
• D-O: Key To The Past
• Warwick & Son
• Cast Of Creatures

Release trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bkMcpz_1M

'THE CLONE WARS - THE FINAL SEASON' - NOW AIRING ON DISNEY+ US

At last, with the proper closure the series deserved now realised- welcome back, and a big thumbs-up to Dave Filoni and Lucasfilm!

Trailers and clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLW2jkd6E7g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4_x5W-mvk0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2mIW8s94W8&feature=emb_logo

Official site:

https://www.starwars.com/series/star-wars-the-clone-wars

ROGUE ONE: UNDER A DIFFERENT SPOTLIGHT!

The lovable Wookiee/Wampa hybrid creature Moroff, from the Neal Scanlan workshop, and sadly all too underutilized in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, goes before a different set of cameras as seen here, scanned in all angles and ways for potential CGI use and for the eventual detailed toy range fot which his character will be a part of continued SW merchandising history.

CLASSIC ART: SCARY DOMINION!

The idea of Darth Vader's own personal fortress home/'castle' may have been lost from the later Lawrence Kasdan script for The Empire Strikes Back, but its powerful and doom laden artistic legacy lives on, especially via Joe Johnson and Ralph McQuarrie's conceptual work during late 1977/early 78, in this great early ideas work for The Force Awakens, at a location we presume to be Mustafar, from artist Brett Northcutt - an image where the TIE Interceptors emerge like bats flying out from a haunted realm. By the time of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Vader's personal domain would be chillingly realized.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE CULT OF VADER!

No matter how long or short his on-screen appearance was to be, everybody was eagerly awaiting the return of Darth Vader to close out the Prequel Trilogy with EPISODE III, of which his death skull visage was a firm part of the film's advance publicity, as seen here with this very cool cover to the US Rollling Stone magazine back in 2005, featuring related articles that explored all aspects of the Dark Lord's return and enduring popularity.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FAST TARGET!

Once more proving himself an excellent shot with a bowcaster, Chewbacca efficiently disposes of an escaping Speeder Bike pilot during a very cool moment from Return of the Jedi, when we finally get to see the wookiee use the weapon onscreen properly (having barely seen him shoot a Mynock previously, during The Empire Strikes Back).

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

CLASSIC ART: OF DUTY AND LOVE!

Her return to Coruscant to vote on the critical issue of the creation of a Grand Army is just the start of a galaxy-spanning adventure of love, intrigue and action for Senator Padme Amidala and her young Jedi protector in Anakin Skywalker, as the epic scale and doomed romance of the pair during the events of EPISODE II is beautifully rendered by Tsuneo Sanda.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: COLOURS IN DARKNESS!

The momentous Fortieth Anniversary celebrations for The Empire Strikes Back will surely kick off soon across all the official Star Wars platforms, hopefully showcasing old and new gems linked to our favourite, much-beloved sequel movie, likes this great poster concept art by acclaimed Japanese artist Noriyoshi Ohrai.

BEHIND THE SCENES: A BOY'S FASCINATION...

Ever fascinated with the worlds of film-making and Star Wars, young Jake Lloyd clearly had a blast working on EPISODE I, seen here in the desert of Tunisia with a background street prop worker droid during filming of the Mos Espa scenes during mid-1997.

In recent years, Jake has been through some tough personal life/health struggles, for which we at Star Wars Aficionado send our best wishes and support to him and his family for better times ahead...

http://www.jedinews.co.uk/film-music-tv/articles/jake-lloyd-update-and-statement-from-family/

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE LONELY WALK...

His mentor Obi-Wan is seemingly dead, and Han and Chewie are departing the crazy rebels with their reward loot. Luke's new family seems to have broken up around him as he and his droids make a lonely walk towards his new fighter within the immense Yavin IV base, in this rare B/W image from the original Star Wars. Note the cardboard cutout of the X-wing fighter in the background and the partial scale Y-wing fighter prop.