Star Wars 7x7: A Daily Bite-Sized Dose of Star Wars Joy

When we were talking about the possibility of a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story the other day, there was one other rumor I failed to mention. It actually dates back to September of 2019, and involves another rumored Star Wars project that had the rug pulled out from under it. Because things with Solo didn't go as planned? Maybe so, maybe no, but the fate of another rumored Star Wars project that's actually coming to fruition may point to a way forward.

I'm going to use that as the jumping-off point to talk about the future of Star Wars live action storytelling, and ask YOU a question. As we get into this gap of time where we're waiting for the next announcements about movies and live action series, where do you draw the line as far as rumors, leaks, and spoilers go?

For myself, as the years have gone by, I've drawn the line at plot points. I don't mind hearing about casting and character rumors, for example, and I don't mind hearing about settings or timeframes. But let's say - to give a 138% completely invented and hypothetical example - there had been a rumored published saying that there Baby Yoda was successfully cloned, and that we'd see dozens of him in season 2 of The Mandalorian. That's the kind of rumor that A) I'd never want to know in advance of the actual episode where they appear, and B) I'd never want to discuss that on the podcast until they had appeared in the actual episode.

So that's where my head is at on these sorts of things. As a listener, where's your head at? Where do you draw the line? Let me know in the comments... Punch it!

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You know what we haven't talked about for a while? The Cassian Andor series, that's what! So let's check in on what's been happening there, shall we?

On today's episode, we'll talk about the casting announcements we know so far - including a Star Wars connection for two of the actors whose specific roles we don't yet know - and rumors about two actors that have yet to be confirmed. We'll also talk a bit about Cassian's character backstory, the time in which the story is supposed to be set, and the directors and writers currently involved with the show. Punch it!

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So let's be clear: Up until a few days ago, the notion of a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story was nothing more than a boisterous fan campaign. The most visible one since the movement to get a season 7 for The Clone Wars, it should be noted. But most recently, back in March, co-writer Jon Kasdan said on Twitter:

Don't think anyone's pursuing a Solo sequel at the moment ... I think a feature, at this point, would be a tough sell & the D+ Star Wars slate is really...pretty packed, all shows I'm lookin forward to.

But then Alden Ehrenreich is featured in an Esquire cover story a few days ago, and when pressed about it, says:

I've heard soooome stuff, but nothing concrete.

WAIT A MINUTE!!! What's this "soooome stuff" he's talking about???

The Esquire article doesn't press further, so on today's show, I'll be double-checking the rumor mills to see whether there are any other hints about a potential Solo sequel out there. And there are two - from a certain point of view, of course, and one of them doesn't seem very likely. We'll also talk about two big obstacles to a Solo sequel, and whether Disney+ can handle them - if they even need to. Punch it!

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It's been a tumultuous year since the announcement of the Kenobi series at the D23 Expo in August 2019. One thing that has never wavered was, and continues to be, Ewan McGregor's enthusiasm for the series, which is awesome. One wonders if, among other reasons, it was also because he knew something we didn't. Something about one of his co-stars, for example...

It didn't storm the social media airwaves yesterday, but Latino Review Media dropped a rumor report that Hayden Christensen - Anakin Skywalker himself - has signed onto the Kenobi series. They also claim that it's not for a cameo appearance, but for a major role in the series.

I received a bit of outreach from my own source-of-a-source on this, and I'll tell you what I heard on today's episode. I'll also put this in context with the news and rumors that have come before about the series, and what this new rumor - if it's true - suggests for the direction of the series. Punch it!

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Resuming our "What to Watch Now" series from Monday, after we were so rudely interrupted by that Bad Batch series news, lol...

Until now, the only place you could stream Solo: A Star Wars Story (if you didn't already buy it, that is) was on Netflix. But no more! The contract has run out, and the movie is now on Disney+. That makes it complete - every Star Wars movie is now on the service!

But with the advent of Solo on Disney+ comes a set of "Extras" - 11 of them, to be precise. Today, we'll talk about what's there and what's worth your time. Punch it!

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We've been saying we were due for an announcement about Star Wars animation, and it finally arrived yesterday: The Bad Batch is getting their own series.

If you watched the final season of The Clone Wars on Disney+, you finally met Clone Force 99 - or, as they call themselves, The Bad Batch. The StarWars.com Databank says:

The motley crew that makes up Clone Force 99 boasts an astounding 100 percent success rate and skills unseen in any other clone troopers. Adept at working together, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair use their unique talents and specialized physiology to execute extraordinary solutions on the battlefield. And after rescuing the clone trooper Echo from Separatist captivity, they welcome the cybernetic soldier into their fold.

On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about what we learned from the announcement, and take a closer look at the creative team - including their past experience, and how that may bode for the series. Punch it!

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Well, the Disney Gallery series on The Mandalorian is complete. Season 2 of The Mandalorian doesn't come out until October. The Cassian Andor series is still in pre-production, as is the Kenobi series, and if something new is coming later this year from the animation side of the house, we don't know about it yet. Also, the next movie won't arrive until 2022 at the earliest.

So ... what, as a Star Wars fan, could you watch now to keep yourself entertained and immersed until the next story arrives on your screen? Today, let's talk about one option: "The Force of Sound," a very cool mini documentary from ABC News. Punch it!

And here's where you can watch the full documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM0-8v4Ppb4

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Kae and Jeremiah from The Fanitarium were kind enough to invite me on their show to talk about my TEDx talk, Star Wars Celebration, The Mandalorian, how podcasting has changed these last few years, and much more. On my show, I'm sharing an excerpt where we talk about Baby Yoda and what they may or may not do with his character in season 2 of the hit Disney+ series... Punch it!

And as mentioned on my show, here's where you can check out the full discussion on their show:

https://youtu.be/WMogPnzhd5g

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"Connections" is the final episode of the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian, and a significant amount of time is spent discussing the concept of fan service in the series. Not only that, but it has so many visual examples of scenes, characters, species, and creatures from across the range of Star Wars stories and how they're brought in to the story of The Mandalorian - and on today's show, you'll hear about how Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni addressed the notion of fan service in the series.

You'll also get to hear how George Lucas summarily and succinctly disavow any connection to one of those bits of fan service... Punch it!

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We've talked about Dave Filoni being the heir apparent to George Lucas this week, but Lucas was running the business of Lucasfilm for a good long while. So, since that's Kathleen Kennedy's job now, will it eventually be Filoni's? after all, Kennedy's contract ends in 2021, and despite years upon years of (unfounded) rumors, there's been nothing to suggest that she's going to cut her contract short.

Meanwhile, as we've discussed this week, Dave Filoni has been groomed for a certain level of prominence within Lucasfilm. From learning directly from Lucas with storytelling, to learning about live-action direction with The Mandalorian, and so much in between, Filoni's skill set is increasing and aligning more with the skill set Lucas has. But does that mean he's in line for Kennedy's position when her contract ends?

I'll give you my thoughts today, and I look forward to hearing yours as well. Punch it!

***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***