CLASSIC ART: PROTECTING THE SUPREME CHANCELLOR!

The surprise attack on the heart of the Republic is ongoing, and brutal Separatist droid leader General Grievous has already launched his fiendish plan to kidnap the Supreme Chancellor from Coruscant, audaciously partaking in the scheme himself, now planet side and armed with the lightsabers of dead foes as he takes on Palpatine's current steadfast Jedi bodyguards in this truly dark time.

Super Expanded Universe art linked to the opening of EPISODE III from the ever-reliable Chris Trevas. 

EPISODE IX: TRAINING... AND MORE TRAINING!

Since the galactic takeover by the First Order, Rey's skills and latent abilities as a Jedi are needed now more than ever as her training, under the tutelage of former Jedi General Leia Organa, continues within the expansive forests of Ajan Kloss. Making sure that her opponent remotes are not in safe mode, Rey proves confident, yet she is so far unable to contact any of the Jedi who have passed into the nether world of the Force...

A great scene from The Rise of Skywalker filmed in Black Park, Buckinghamshire, nearby to Pinewood Studios, and used in many classic blockbuster films (including previous Star Wars films) and sci-fi/horror TV series.

'SOLO': MAKING PLANS...

 

Out on the cold, snowy frontier of Vandor, its time for the likeable criminal rogue Tobias Beckett to reveal his risky but necessary heist plan against an Imperial Cargo Train, not just to his beloved and comrade Val, but also to a new recruit in the world of shady entrepreneur-dom: soon-to-be space pilot Han Solo, in a scene shot on location in Italy for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

EPISODE VIII: KICKING UP A (SALT) STORM!

They're outgunned, outmatched and almost out of resources, nonetheless, the spirited Resistance forces, now manning their ski speeders towards a mass of First Order Walkers, will fight to the end as they desperately await help from other heroes from across the galaxy. 

A striking (and colourful!) sequence of action and drama from The Last Jedi. 

AN 'EMPIRE' IN TRIBUTE. CELEBRATING THE ICONIC LAUNCH POSTER ART OF ROGER KASTEL...

In tribute to the superb movie poster art talent Roger Kastel, who sadly passed away on November 8th, 2023, we celebrate his greatest work for the Original Trilogy's The Empire Strikes Back with this special look at the many effective and memorable variations of his stellar piece, and the first worldwide released poster art for the film. A 'romance' poster, deliberately conceived by George Lucas in the 'Gone With the Wind' style, likely to potentially lure in more female/generic audiences, that would be loved and admired for decades to come...  

Roger Kastel with an Empire art variation and the classic Jaws image motif.

Roger Kastel, ‘Jaws’ Poster Artist, Dies at 92 - The New York Times

RogerKastel.com - The Official Website of Artist Roger Kastel - JAWS Movie Poster Artist

Sketch print idea.

Concept idea.

Concept idea.

Artist's 'practice sketch'.

Presumed Kastel art. Another variation piece heavy on character and incident elements.

Early art that would be revised. Lando, Boba Fett, Rebel weapons turret and Cloud City buildings would be removed from the first poster art released after numerous Lucasfilm meetings. Note Han's different costume in image.

Key release art used in selected magazine advertising, like Starlog magazine, in 1980. Cloud City is missing from this early poster, replaced by X-wing fighter images.

Spanish/Latin America variation poster. with Yoda added, presumably from 1981?

Revised horizontal version.

UK quad poster variation, with additional elements originally removed in concept planning then returned, including Cloud City.

Revised and rare UK quad movie poster, with the droids and Chewbacca's position altered and enhanced, that appeared on London Underground stations in May 1980 before being replaced with later poster art by Tom Jung.

Bannerless revised UK variation. Image via Matthew Shaw Collection.

Limited publicity New York Subway theatre listings poster release - May 1980.

Unknown publicity release or concept idea, possibly for planned subway advertising? 

Advertising/media poster of some kind, most likely for the UK, with revised art that strengthen Vader's background presence, May 1980.

American release listing.

American release listing using softened variation art.

US newspaper advert/ release listing info.

The image as used as part of the official fan club merchandising in 1980.

Another bannerless, lengthened variation.

International poster including Boba Fett, Lando and a Rebel turret.

French variation poster.

Reversed image for unknown magazine.

1980 Hong Kong poster, now with added AT-AT Walker firepower!

Yoda is added to the poster, with Lando, Boba and Rebel gun turret disappeared. Presumably a US re-release poster from 1981?

Yoda added to poster, as seen with banners.

ROGUE ONE: UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF THE ORIGINAL GARETH EDWARDS VISION!

Darth Vader (likely Spencer Wilding) monitors a planet (presumably Scarif) in a deleted scene set on the Death Star, from the original version of Rogue One. A special image released by Hal Hickel/ ILM.

Like a mystery wrapped in an enigma, the original filmed version of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, directed by Brit talent Gareth Edwards, will surely never be released as a historical separate cut in any kind of format, nor is it likely that we ever see any of its many, many deleted/alternate scenes (as was the case with the later revamped film's 2017 home media release and its frustrating lack of major special features content). At least not with the franchise under the ownership of Disney for the foreseeable future. And very little about the first cut, post 2017, has been talked about by cast and crew, either- most likely afraid of breaching Disney's strict, harsh-action-will-be-taken-if-leaked Non Disclosure Agreement contracts.

Thankfully, over the years, lots of information and photos from this intriguing original version of Rogue have filtered through magazines, merchandise and online, however, and Star Wars Aficionado has managed to piece together as much as we can on about that intriguing work and footage originally filmed for the hugely popular first 'Anthology' movie that has now disappeared into Star Wars behind the scenes lore and consigned to posthumous 'What if? thoughts by excited fans. Deleted but abandoned moments of scene-setting, action and character (plus further referencing to the original Star Wars of 1977) that look just as exciting and memorable as any seen with the final version of the movie, as well as any subsequent modern film in the saga under Disney's ownership and creative control... 

Tony Gilroy Won't Do a Rogue One Snyder Cut: 'The Best Possible Version' - IGN

Enjoy this building collection of links, and welcome to the first, original vision that was Rogue One: A Star Wars Story...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: FIGHTING DIRTY!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: THE UNSEEN FOOTAGE

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: THE REBELS OF YAVIN IV - ALTERNATE/DELETED SCENES

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: JYN's SOLACE

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: INTO THE UNKNOWN...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: THE TRUTH ABOUT 'LIANA HALLIK'!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: ON LONG PATROL!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: ON THE PILGRIM TRAIL...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: A FIRE GONE FROM THE UNIVERSE...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: PRISONERS OF WAR!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: BLIND SPIRIT!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: HUMAN/DROID RELATIONS!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: IN THE DOMAIN OF SAW GERRERA! (DELETED SCENES) 

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: REVOLUTION'S END?

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: DARTH VADER'S LOST SCENES...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: ON THE TRAIL OF A PRINCESS?

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: THE MAN WITH THE PLANS!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: KRENNIC'S LOST SCENES...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: CONCERNING THE DEATH STAR...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: A RESURRECTION OF EVIL!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: ENEMY FRIENDLIES?

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: THE RETURN OF BAIL ORGANA!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: AERIAL CAMERAWORK!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: STORMIN' STORMTROOPERS!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: TROPICAL SEARCH PROCEDURES!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: WATCHERS ON THE WATER!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: ENTERING THE VAULT - THE UNUSED FOOTAGE

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: INTO THE VAULT!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: DECIPHERING THE ORIGINAL SCARIF LAND BATTLE...

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: UP CLOSE AND BRUTAL!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: OUT FROM THE WRECKAGE!

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: ROGUE ONE: WHEN A MURDERER'S WORK IS NEVER DONE...

Rogue One deleted scene details: EW's complete rundown | EW.com

Should any potential contributors have any further information/stills on deleted/alternate scenes for this movie, please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you!

CLASSIC ART: WELCOME TO STARKILLER BASE!

It's an arrival on the harsh environment locale of the enemy Starkiller Base world that Han Solo and his Resistance comrades will never forget, as they depart the crash-landed Millennium Falcon in search of a safe and hopefully unnoticed entrance to the immense facility so as to rescue the recently captured Rey.

A great piece of conceptual art for The Force Awakens by the ever-inspiring Doug Chiang.

LIFE DAY CELEBRANTS! 'THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL' HITS 45

The weird, wild and nostalgic universe of the original cinematic Star Wars translated to the videotape realms of 1978 US TV remains unforgettable in this great fan poster art for the infamous, crazy but uniquely beloved The Star Wars Holiday Special, celebrating its 45th Anniversary.

Mark Hamill Thought The Star Wars Holiday Special Was Going To Be A Big Mistake

A brilliant, frank and funny tribute to, and celebration of the never-to-be-forgotten Holiday Special like no other, and easily one of the best Star Wars related fan-made documentaries. Well worth catching...

EPISODE III: THE GREAT TREE OF KASHYYYK LIFE!

The symbiotic relationship between the Wookiee culture and the jungle environment around them is never better showcased than in this great conceptual art, from Ryan Church, showing an important part of the Kashyyyk civilisation. EPISODE III's all too brief visit to that now iconic world that is home to the legendary Chewbacca and his species.

'JEDI' AT 40: INTRODUCING SY SNOOTLES...

The most popular and acclaimed alien singer on the star circuit, it can only be the memorable big-lipped Sy Snootles, belting out the popular 'Lapti Nek' hit track to the delight of her audience within Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine.

Created by the ILM Creature Shop, Sy Snootles would become a popular monster by the time she reached the Elstree Studios set in early 1982, with extended red lips deliberately inspired by the iconic singer Mick Jagger. It's frame was operated by thin piano wire and rods from under the floor by puppeteers, whilst it's unique lips would sing to the microphone via a thin piece of piano wire that could pull them forward.

Maquette polaroid image by Phil Tippett.

Early under panel tests at ILM by Phil Tippett.

The fully conceived creature operated in more test filming by Tim Rose, presumably at ILM.

Some kind of test/rehearsal material. Close-up shots of Sy singing would also be performed by a puppeteer above set.

'JEDI' AT 40: PARTY TIME WITH MAX REBO AND THE BAND!

Slightly different outtake to the standard publicity released image.

Every night is party night at Jabba the Hutt's palace, and what better way to celebrate his ongoing criminal activities and continuous profit-making than a performance from Max Rebo and his music trio, performing the sensational and irreplaceable number 'Lapti Nek' to the great worm ridden filth of a gangster, alongside a special dancing performance to her master from his number one Twi'lek slave girl, Oola.

Created by the ILM team in California across Summer to Winter 1981, Rebo, horn/saxophone player Droopy McCool and singer Sy Snootles would be shipped to England for filming at Elstree for mid to late January 1982 onwards.

Original Max Rebo maquette.

Maquette with his electronic organ equipment.

The creature costume under construction at ILM.

Getting a paint job from Phil Tippett.

The costume and prop organ now arrived at the UK.

Positioned ion set for filming within Jabba's Palace.

Phil Tippett at Elstree supervises the puppet.

Filming the band on the Throne Room set at Elstree in January/February 1982.

Close-up filming.

With a drunk Bib Fortuna in a deleted scene moment conceived by David Tomblin with a second unit.

Richard Marquand gives on-set instructions.

Droopy McCool (Deep Roy) and Max Rebo (Simon Williamson) on the Throne Room set between takes.

Droopy McCool- a true musical talent!