'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: THE VADER FACTOR!

One of Lucasfilm's most ambitious and effective marketing campaigns yet for the Star Wars Prequels, designed to bring in fans old and new to movie theatres, featuring the iconic Darth Vader, whose emergence in Episode III proves crucial in bridging the two George Lucas created trilogies together. Indeed, Vader is the key marketing image for movie posters and selected advertising/merchandise worldwide during May 2005, as well as subsequent later tie-ins...

EPISODE VIII: MYTHIC MARVELS!

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of Rian Johnson's unique vision for The Last Jedi, here are the lovely pieces of publicity/merchandise portrait art by Steve Anderson celebrating most of the saga's then key characters. Some of the images also ended up being used on TOPPS Cards of the time.

TOPPS exclusive card.

Another TOPPS rarity.

'SPECIAL EDITION' CLASSIC IMAGE: BACK WHERE THEY BELONG!

This week sees the 25th Anniversary of the now controversial Star Wars Trilogy Special Editions, which were enjoyed by fans upon original release, kickstarting the saga anew on the big screen to delighted audiences old and new worldwide, and they made a helluva lot of money (more than anyone expected for a then twenty-year old film), much of the tie-in profits going towards the production costs of the then eagerly-awaited, upcoming Prequels.

Here's one of the above American newspaper ads heralding the saga's return to cinemas in 1997 - poster art by the legendary Drew Struzan.

ROGUE ONE: COMETH THE EMISSARY!

Great promotional and merchandising art showcasing the ultimate saga villain, Darth Vader, for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, by Joe Corroney. In the originally filmed version of the movie, before the reshoots, Vader's role in the story was a deliberately minimalist one- an ominous. shadowy figure for several sequences, having been sent as an emissary by the Emperor to oversee the final stages of the Death Star's completion originally above Scarif (when it was a construction base rather than a communications/vault facility - a task that the Dark Lord assumed but was not interested in, considering the space station's destructive abilities insignificant compared to the true power of the Force (a belief he also shared in A New Hope), and despite the tyrannical ambitions and boasting of a power-demonstrative Orson Krennic, a brief moment of their conversation of which would be seen in an early movie trailer in 2016. In this deleted Death Star sequence, Vader would be physically portrayed by actor/muscle man Spencer Wilding, with vocal recording being done, also unused, featuring James Earl Jones.

https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.com/2017/03/rogue-one-darth-vaders-lost-scenes.html

EPISODE VIII: REY THE JEDI?

Whether or not these have already fully appeared online I don't know, but here's two great costume reference/marketing shots nonetheless of the new look Rey, as played by Daisy Ridley, looking cooler and more Jedi-like than ever in the face of her ongoing encounter with the mysterious and emotionally haunted Luke Skywalker, for the upcoming The Last Jedi.

Recent links to Entertainment Weekly's exclusive magazine coverage of EPISODE VIII:

http://www.jedinews.co.uk/film-music-tv/articles/ew-last-jedi-coverage-wraps-kylo-ren-phasma-chewbacca-maz-kanata/

http://ew.com/movies/2017/08/11/star-wars-last-jedi-kylo-ren-dark-side/ 

THE CLONE WARS: BATTLE ROYALE!

A maelstrom of heroes and villains assemble for this fun third season promotional poster for THE CLONE WARS animated series. Gone but definitely not forgotten, there may still be some further material incoming this year for fans to enjoy animatic and story-wise, if the online rumours prove correct.

THE 'SITH' AT TEN: ON THE PRECIPICE!

As the galaxy goes amok, so too does the once friendship and trust between Jedi Master and former pupil- the fires of Mustafar the perfect setting for a battleground of hatred shown by Anakin Skywalker towards Obi-Wan Kenobi during the closing section of EPISODE III, as represented in this great promotional artwork (which I personally hadn't previously seen) for the Playstation 2005 video game.

If anyone knows who the artist is, please get in touch.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Their love may ultimately have been symbiotically joined with death and destruction on a galactic scale, but the young heroes of the Prequel Trilogy-Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala- did at least get to share the occasional romantic smooch in between clashes of light and darkness.

To all STAR WARS AFICIONADO readers young and old, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

ROTJ AT 30: SMUGGLER'S RETURN!

Older but not wiser, Han Solo's return to the STAR WARS universe was much welcome in RETURN OF THE JEDI, even if Harrison Ford was ultimately unhappy that his character wasn't going to be killed off, and that his final (so far) battle against the Empire saw him teamed up with some cuddly teddy bears! It seems even lucky smugglers can't have it all...

ROTJ AT 30: FUR-BALL HERO!

Peter Mayhew poses for a reference image of the lovable and iconic Chewbacca during the London filming of RETURN OF THE JEDI in early 1982. There's been a few onscreen Wookiees since Peter's 1977 debut, but none have bettered him.

Many Happy Returns to Peter on his birthday today!

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE GERMAN 'PHANTOM'

Queen Amidala makes a distinguished impression with German STAR WARS Prequel fans as EPISODE I makes its TV debut circa 2001, in this interesting poster composition.

CLASSIC IMAGE: LOOK INTO MY EYES!

Those early distinctive red eyes of Darth Vader glare through with evil intent on the cover of this great Japanese STARLOG magazine cover number one, circa 1978/9. I adore those strikingly designed Japanese sci-fi magazines- there's a true love and devotion to the genre, full of rare imagery and artwork.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A SENATOR AND A WARRIOR!

She's not one of the lightsaber wielding boys obviously, but Padme Amidala can use a blaster with the best of them in one of the key teaser character posters for EPISODE II from 2002.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A THIRST TO KILL...

Ray Park as Darth Maul delivers a sinister stance with his ready for action double lightsaber, in this promotional image for EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

HAPPY LIFE DAY!

Mighty Wookiee warrior Tarfful sends his compliments on the happy day to Star Warriors everywhere, on behalf of the rest of the Kashyyyk populace!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARRIE FISHER!

Pistol packing Princess Leia makes a fiery point to all those Imperial scum out to get her in this fun promotional/pin-up image from 1977. Meanwhile, today, Carrie Fisher turns 56. Happy Birthday to our favourite STAR WARS actress, novelist and all round humorist.

CLASSIC IMAGE: 'THE NEGOTIATORS'

Secretly dispatched by a frustrated Chancellor Valorum to try and end the Trade Federation blockade around the small but important world of Naboo, legendary Jedi Knight QuI-Gon Jinn, a controversial figure amongst the order, and his young Padawan Learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi, soon find themselves fighting for their lives, and rescuing a beautiful young Queen, during the opening soon-to shake-the-universe events of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

AOTC AT TEN: GATHERING STORM...

The scheming Count Dooku and job well paid Bounty Hunters Jango Fett and Zam Wesell make an intimidating and highly dangerous force facing our Jedi heroes in EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. But an even greater danger awaits, as behind the trio in this grand game of cosmic manipulation comes deadly Sith guardian Darth Sidious!

CLASSIC ART: LEGENDS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS...

The iconic and moody clash of swords between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK would soon become the classic dramatic lynchpin iconography of the entire Classic Trilogy-the duel between good and evil, between father and son, as recognised in this very cool poster campaign art (with Luke's lightsaber given a green coloured JEDI makeover) for the SPECIAL EDITION releases on VHS and laserdisc back in the late nineties.

CLASSIC ART: WHEN VHS RULED THE WORLD!

Here's a great VHS promotion from the eighties for EMPIRE and JEDI, back in the day when clunky tapes and grainy, fleck and drop out filled pan and scan images of the original films were all we had-y'know, before our favourite and iconic saga was heavily mucked about with to the point where they can probably no longer be saved for any (also no doubt unlikely) future restoration!

Image via: The Star Wars Trilogy | "It's Solo, and he's shooting first! That's not fair!"