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BREAKING: Josh Trank To Direct Stand-Alone Film

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By: Lillian Skye

The Star Wars stand-alone films are in the works!

The most recent addition to the Star Wars crew is Josh Trank, who is currently working on The Fantastic Four for 20th Century Fox and has been hired to direct one of the Star Wars spin off films. Trank directed the 2012 film Chronicle, and directed a short TV series in 2007 called The Kill Point.

"He is such an incredible talent and has a great imagination and sense of innovation," said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. "That makes him perfectly suited to Star Wars, and for this new slate of movies that reach beyond the core characters and storylines of Episodes I through IX."

Trank himself is a Star Wars fan, and is excited to be on board: "The magic of the Star Wars Universe defined my entire childhood," says the director. "The opportunity to expand on that experience for future generations is the most incredible dream of all time."

Sources: StarWars.com


New 'Star Wars Rebels' Footage Revealed

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By: Benjamin Hart

Today the Disney Parks YouTube channel released two new videos from Star Wars Weekends, going on now at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The videos, focused on Kanan Jarrus and Chopper from the upcoming animated series Star Wars Rebels, feature both live action footage filmed at Star Wars Weekends and clips from the series at the end of each video. You can watch them both below:





Our sources say that there has been an extensive amount of filming for these videos, so more footage could be on the way. Keep it here and we will give an update if more videos appear.

Disney Promises Princess Leia Merchandise Coming to Disney Stores

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By: Dominic Jones

Following Disney's announcement that they would be selling exclusive Star Wars merchandise at their Disney Stores, there was an outcry from fans at the lack of Princess Leia merchandise (including the hashtag, #WeWantLeia) .  Many fans felt that the lack of Leia merchandise meant that Disney was not reaching out to the large female fan base and indicated that they didn't care about female fans.  Well, Disney is trying to make things right.  Disney spokesperson Margita Thompson spoke with TIME magazine today and revealed that Princess Leia products were on the way.

According to TIME,

“The current assortment of Star Wars products at the Disney Store launched earlier this year, and is just the beginning of what is to come,” Disney spokeswoman Margita Thompson told TIME. “We’re excited to be rolling out new products in the coming months, including several items that will feature Princess Leia, one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars galaxy.”

I must say this is good news, though Leia should have been included from the beginning.  It seems Disney may not have fully appreciated the size of the female fan base.  This has resulted in a difficult transition period where Disney is making the same mistake over and over by not equally representing the genders.  I hope that these experiences will teach Disney the lesson that Star Wars fans come in all types.  

Source: TIME

You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25


Mark Hamill Talks Episode VII

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By: Dominic Jones

In advance of his appearance at Disney Star Wars Weekends at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill spoke with the Orlando Sentinel.  Hamill discussed his status on Episode VII, saying, 

"I’ve altered my diet. I’ve started working out. There’s that.  But on the film itself: I toured the departments, I’ve looked at wardrobe, and I saw the creature shop. I went around and met all the cast people, saw the technicians working on some new things."

He also discussed how the attitude about Star Wars spoilers has changed over the years,
"This is a whole different world … The first one, no one cared. The second one there was a lot of interest, but it was before the Internet. … I tell people we’re not trying to annoy you or tease you or play some massive game. Basically what the goal is to keep the surprises for the movie instead of spoiling them on the Internet."

As for reuniting with his co-stars, Hamill described the experience,
"I hadn’t seen Tony Daniels or Carrie [Fisher] or Harrison [Ford] or Peter Mayhew in ages. … I was wonderful to see them again, because I didn’t expect to. Again, this is all so unexpected. It’s like getting out that pair of pants you haven’t worn in five years and finding a 20-dollar bill in the pocket. Oh, this is nice."

It sounds to me that Mark, like Carrie Fisher, hasn't started on the film yet.  However, you can bet that not long after his appearance at Star Wars Weekends this year, he'll be hopping on a plane to Pinewood to begin shooting on Episode VII.   It will also be interesting to see if Episode VII is brought up much during his appearance at SWW.  I wouldn't hold my breath for anything but, given the Lucasfilm's attitude of giving as much to the fans as possible without spoiling much, you never know what tidbits might be dropped....


You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25
 

DARTH DADDY's CUSTOMIZING CORNER: JediStyle

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by: Darth Daddy


Erik Chavez aka JediStyle not only has one of the coolest monikers in the Star Wars customizing community, as an artist, he has the creativity and skill wothy of the name. This Southern California customizer was one of the first artists that really caught my eye when I first started making my own figures and posting them the Yakface.com forums. I have long admiredJediStyle's creative character creations, and his ability to apply paint with such beautiful contrasts and colors that REALLY make his action figures pop.  JediStylehas a great eye for color and he's one of the best painters in the Star Wars custom action figure community. I just love this customizer's imagination and his creations are a testament to how far reaching it is. There is so much to appreciate in every unique piece.  

JediStyle took some time off from the hobby about two years ago. Fortunately, he's back now and still has the ability to unhinge jaws. We talked by text last night and he just informed me that he has over 20 new customs that he hasn't posted anywhere yet due to a broken camera.  I'd love to figure out how to get a collection going so we can get this guy a camera and have him up and running again.




































To see more Star Wars custom action figures created by JediStyle go to: 




'Goodnight Darth Vader' Book Trailer

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By: Dominic Jones

Chronicle Books has released a special book trailer for Jeffery Brown's (Darth Vader and Son, Vader's Little Princess) upcoming Star Wars book Goodnight Darth Vader.  The trailer for the book, which is a parody of the popular children's book Goodnight Moon, features many of you favorite Star Wars characters having fallen asleep, including Darth Vader who has dozed off while reading a bedtime story to his children Luke and Leia.  The trailer is quick and good for a laugh.  Check it out below,

Goodnight Darth Vader hits shelves in Fall 2014.



You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25
 

Jedi-Looking Mark Hamill Appears At Star Wars Weekends

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By: Benjamin Hart

There's something familiar about this...

Star Wars Weekends is going on now at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! One of the celebrity guests this weekend is none other than Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. Mark is said to begin filming on Star Wars Episode VII very soon back in London. Today Disney revealed a promo image for the Weekend featuring Mark alongside Jedi Mickey. Now aside from the fact that he looks fantastic, it's also worth noting that he is now sporting a short beard, and of course, armed with a Lightsaber.


He certainly looks ready for his return to the Saga already! I don't know about you, but I can't wait for December 18th, 2015!

Source: Disney


Report: Hot Wheels Unveils First Star Wars Car in 'Insider'

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By Chris Seekell

The latest edition of Star Wars Insider magazine has revealed Mattel's first Star Wars model car. Pictured above, the 1:64 scale Darth Vader car will be the first in a continuing line of Star Wars merchandise from Hot Wheels. According to Insider, the Vader car will be first sold at San Diego Comic Con this summer, and will come in a special lightsaber display case. Mattel also will display a life size, drive-able version of the car at the convention.

Mattel's Jean Gomez told Insider, "We're going to launch a full line of Star Wars cars in the fall. All cars are cool and fast-looking, but we make sure the type of vehicle matches the character. So, for example, in the Hot Wheels world, Yoda is a mini car and Chewbacca is a big, powerful hauler."

You can read the article in Star Wars Insider #150 for further details.


The SWU Podcast LIVE | 06/06/14

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On this Episode Chris, Ben, and Dominic break down all the latest breaking news!  From new cast members to leaked photos and everything in between.  What do they think of Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendoline Christie?  What about Josh Trank?  What are their thoughts on the leaked set pics, and do they define as a spoiler?  Plus, the latest Star Wars Rebels news, Hot Wheels, and Mark Hamill looking very Jedi-esque.  All this and much more!
Right click here and select save link as to Download MP3.   
Website:  www.starwarsunderworld.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/swunderworld
Twitter: @TheSWU
Subscribe and Review on iTunes
Email: swunderworld@gmail.com
Voicemail: 1-410-989-1138
Listen live Thursdays at 9pm EST on Channel 1138  

Tony To Hired as Head of Production and Development at Lucasfilm

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By: Dominic Jones

Lucasfilm has announced the hiring of Tony To as the Head of Production and Development.  To, who has previously worked as executive VP of production at Walt Disney Studios, will oversee all Lucasfilm productions, both live action and animated.  

“This is such an exciting and creative time at Lucasfilm and I’m overjoyed to have Tony on board,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said. “He has unmatched production expertise and a tremendous passion for storytelling. He is a wonderful addition to the fantastic creative team we have in place to develop new content.” 

According to Variety,
To will now oversee all live-action and animation production as Lucasfilm has six new films and several TV projects in various stages of development on its slate. J.J. Abrams is currently directing “Star Wars: Episode VII,” while the “Star Wars Rebels” series will soon air on Disney XD. 

First off, on behalf of the entire SWU organization, I would like to welcome Tony to the Star Wars family.  

Secondly, I want to point out that Variety clearly sates that there are multiple Star Wars TV projects in development.  We know that Star Wars Rebels will hit the small screen this fall on Disney XD, but what else might be in store.  ABC (owned by Disney) has said they're interested in a Star Wars series, and there have been rumors that Netflix may be getting an exclusive Star Wars series.  Hopefully the addition of Mr. To at Lucasfilm will help speed things along so that there is more Star Wars hitting the small screen, sooner rather than later.


You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25
 

Mark Hamill Confirms Luke Will Have a Beard in Episode VII

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By: Dominic Jones

Straight from Disney's Star Wars Weekends 'A Conversation With Mark Hamill', Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill has confirmed that the beard he's been growing IS for Episode VII. 
So Luke will have a beard in Episode VII.  Interesting....


You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25

Rumor: Female Villain, No New Republic, and Mandalorians in Episode VII

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By: Dominic Jones

The folks over at Latino Review are hearing some interesting rumors about the plot of Episode VII.  There's nothing too spoiler-y (we don't even know if it's true or not!), but if you're trying to stay spoiler free stop reading here (and, as my friend Ben says, get yourself a cave for the next year and a half!)

So, if you're still reading, here's what they're hearing,
  • There will be a female villain. Over 50% sure she's a Sith. I'll follow up on this in later weeks.
  • Despite having 30 Years after Jedi to set one up, there is NO New Republic at the start of Episode VII.
  • Boba-Fett-similar armor is around. Probably not for the man himself. Mandalorians? Clone drama? Still unclear on a plot/character connection.
  • John Boyega isn’t a Jedi or a Padawan at the beginning of the movie, he’s the one that has the story arc that brings him into Star Wars’ greater universe. It has echoes of Luke’s arc in A New Hope.
The female villain idea has been bandied about for some time.  Latino Review themselves even reported that Lupita Nyong'o would be playing a Sith a few months back.  It's also interesting that, assuming this is true, they are going in the complete opposite direction from the Legends storyline by having no new government 30 years after the death of the Emperor.  The Boba Fett/Mandalorian rumor is also intriguing, especially since there have been no prior rumors about Boba or any Mandos appearing in the sequels.  As for the John Boyega rumor, that does make sense.  From everything we've been hearing, Boyega is playing the lead so it's not too much of a stretch for his character arc to involve him discovering his Force powers.

As always this is just a rumor until confirmed or denied by Lucasfilm or Disney.


You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25
 

Billy Dee Williams Confirms His Involvement In 'Star Wars Rebels'

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By: Benjamin Hart

Will Lando Calrissian appear in the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series? It certainly appears that way now that Lando himself, Billy Dee Williams, has confirmed that he is working on Rebels! This news comes from Disney's Star Wars Weekends which Billy Dee attended. Apparently, during an interview with Weekends host James Arnold Taylor, he spilled the beans on his involvement with the show. The WolfPack Podcast reports:

"Billy Dee Williams confirms involvement in Stars Wars Rebels!... he said he was enjoying working on SW: Rebels which [James Arnold Taylor] then confirmed."

Last year at Rhode Island Comic Con Billy Dee made some comments that suggested he was working on the series. It's good to hear him finally confirm it. Now, Rebels takes place approximately five years prior to Episode IV: A New Hope. Will he be voicing a young Lando, possibly still in possession of the Millennium Falcon, or a completely new character? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below on Facebook& Twitter.

Source: The WolfPack Podcast
Via: Star Wars Rebels(Facebook)


In Case You Missed It: May 31st - June 7th, 2014

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By: Benjamin Hart

Here at the Star Wars Underworld work hard to bring you all the latest Star Wars news. But we know that it's sometimes hard to keep up with the massive amount of information that surfaces each week.  That is why we are introducing a brand new feature here on StarWarsUnderworld.com. In Case You Missed It will be your weekly guide to all the recent Star Wars news, as well as other awesomeness from across the web.


Star Wars Episode VII

Lupita Nyong'o & Gwendoline Christie Join The Cast
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o of 12 Years A Slave and Gwendoline Christie of Games Of Thrones have officially been cast in Episode VII. Read more...

Set Pictures Leaked
TMZ dropped a ton of photos from the set of Episode VII, featuring extras on the Abu Dhabi set surrounded by props, buildings and a strange pig-creature. Also check out the full scale models of the Millennium Falcon and an upgraded X-Wing. See them here and here.

J.J. Abrams Responds To Leaked Photos
Director J.J. Abrams found a clever way to respond to the recently leaked set photos from Episode VII, while at the same time confirming a certain bucket of bolts will appear in the film. Read more...

Filming Finished In Abu Dhabi
Various social media posts from cast and crew suggests that filming in Abu Dhabi has finished and they are back in London. Read more...

Healer Twins Discuss Their Time on Set
The duo, who are Abu Dhabi locals, discuss there time on the Episode VII set. Read more...

Mark Hamill Talks Episode VII
Luke Skywalker himself spoke with the Orlando Sentinel about how he has been preparing for his returning to a Galaxy far, far away, as well as his experiences on set and his thoughts on spoilers. Read more...

Mark Hamill At Star Wars Weekends
The Jedi returns at Disney World in Orlando, Florida wielding a Lightsaber and showing off a new beard, which he confirms is for Episode VII. Read more here and here.

Rumor: Female Villain, No New Republic, and Mandalorians in Episode VII
A collection of interesting rumors surfaced this week. Are they real? That's for you to decide. Read more...


Spin-Off Films

Josh Trank To Direct Stand-Alone Film
The director behind 2012's Chronicle and 2015's Fantastic Four has signed on to direct a yet unnamed Star Wars stand-alone/spin-off film. Read more...


Star Wars Rebels

Report: 'Star Wars Rebels' To Premiere In October
A BookCon attendee confirmed that Star Wars Rebels will premiere in October. Read more...

New Footage Revealed
Videos released by the Disney Parks YouTube channel show off some on cool footage of the cast and fans at Disney's Star Wars Weekends, as well as some brand new clips from the series. Read more...

Billy Dee Williams Confirms His Involvement
Lando Calrissian himself let it be know at Star Wars Weekends that he is enjoying is time working on Rebels. Read more...


Literature

Star Wars Insider Fiction Part of Official Canon
Star Wars Insider confirmed that fiction stories in their magazines will be part of the new official canon. Read more...

'The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight' Book Trailer
The trailer for the upcoming children's picture book "The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, written by Toni DiTerlizzi and featuring the art of Ralph McQuarrie, was released. Read more...

'Heir to the Jedi' Excerpt
The Star Wars Books Facebook page released an excerpt from the upcoming novel Heir To The Jedi written by Kevin Hearne, which is due for release in January of next year. Read more...

'Goodnight Darth Vader' Book Trailer
Jeffery Brown, who previously brought us Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess, is releasing a brand new book courtesy of Chronicle Books. Check out the trailer here.


Collecting

First Star Wars Hot Wheels Car Revealed
Star Wars Insider gives us our first look at first of many Hot Wheels cars based on characters and ships in a Galaxy far, far away. Read more...

Disney Promises Leia Merchandise Is Coming Soon
Some very vocal fans brought attention to the absence of Princess Leia collectibles in the Disney store. Disney swiftly responded. Read more...

Tony To Joins Lucasfilm as Head of Production and Development
The former executive VP of production at Walt Disney Studios has now moved to Lucasfilm, and appears to have several Star Wars television productions on his hands, along with the six new films. Read more...


Tidbits:

  • Someone with obviously with too much time on their hands took every word in A New Hope and placed it alphabetized them in a 43 minute video. The result is something pointlessly fascinating to watch. 


Also Check out:




TMZ Asks George Lucas About Episode VII Leaks

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By: Dominic Jones

It seems TMZ has caught the Star Wars bug!  After releasing two sets of leaked pictures from the set of Episode VII, they've know caught up with Star Wars creator George Lucas.  A TMZ reporter approached Lucas the other day and asked him about the leaked set pics. Lucas' response? "I'm retired!"



Sounds like George isn't too worried about set leaks now that he's not directly involved in the film making process.  I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't even aware of the leaks.  Regardless, it's nice to see George out and about enjoying his retirement.  It will be very interesting to hear his opinions of the new films when they're released.


You can follow Dominic on Twitter: @DominicJ25


Photo: John Boyega gets ready for make-up on Episode VII set

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By Chris Seekell

Star Wars Episode VII actor John Boyega has just posted the following photo on Instagram, presumably from the set of the film. Included was the caption: "And here we go !"



BREAKING: Star Wars Battlefront E3 Trailer Revealed

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By: Benjamin Hart

For nearly a decade Star Wars gamers have been looking forward to the next installment in the Star Wars Battlefront series! Today, we just got that much closer to it with a brand new trailer for the game released at the Electronic Entertainment Expo(E3). The trailer mainly focuses on the development of the game, featuring footage of the developers visiting the Lucasfilm archives and the actual filming locations, such as Norway(Hoth) and the California Redwood forests(Endor) to "Not just capture the environments, but the emotions they invoke as well," as the narrator explains. But what small amount of gameplay footage that is in the trailer is absolutely breathtaking. Check it out below:



Although the trailer itself states "See more: Spring 2015, according to IGN, developers did not reveal a specific release date for the game, explaining that they will do so when they are "comfortable".

Source: Electronic Arts France
Via: Star Wars 7 News

Update:A non-subtitled version of the trailer has been released on the new EA Star Wars YouTube channel.

Opinion: Star Wars Fans: LeBroning Before It Was Cool

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By: David Gremillion

On Thursday night, the air conditioning failed in a building crammed with 18,581 people.

In Texas.
In June.

As a result, one of the best basketball players on the planet suffered from debilitating leg cramps that not only kept him out of the game, but kept him from walking altogether.

The reaction from fans ranged from outrage to outright hilarity. Some of the more light-hearted posts made the rounds of social media faster than Anakin in a podrace. However, some people took time out of their busy day to belittle someone who needed help getting off a basketball court.

"Jordan played with the flu."
"Isaiah played with a bad ankle."
"Reed played with a shredded thigh."

Nostalgia is a bitter pill to swallow and Star Wars fans know this better than most. One of the reasons LeBron is so despised around the league is that so many people can't stand the idea that he might be better than "His Airness", Michael Jordan. When Jordan arrived on the scene over twenty years ago, he also received some vitriol because fans couldn't stand the idea that he might better than Magic Johnson.

Star Wars fans of all ages should know exactly what is going on. They areare apprehensive about Episode VII. Even if the movie is considered a cinematic masterpiece, it will be hit with a massive wave of nostalgia.

"The original trilogy was..."
"The prequel trilogy was..."
"Lucas never would have..."

We can't help it; this is part of humanity itself. When you grow up with something, you tend to hold it closer to your heart than what comes after. It's one reason why reboots are met with the largest eye-rolls in human history. It's one reason why we look back on bad animation, corny dialogue, or stories with mile-wide holes in them with fondness and a sense of longing.

It's also a reason why Original Trilogy fans can't understand those darn Prequel kids. How can they put Attack of the Clones ahead of Empire Strikes Back? A New Hope is clearly superior to The Phantom Menace, right?

It's going to be one of the reasons why the Prequels fans won't be able to understand the upcoming Future Trilogy fans. How can Episode VII be better than Revenge of the Sith? Nothing can surpass Duel of the Fates, right?

I don't understand Ben10, Kim Possible, or the Fairly Odd Parents. I grew up with Duck Tales, Animaniacs, and Gargoyles (among others). I may appreciate Rebels, but I don't think it will hold the same place in my soul that Gizmo Duck or the Warner Brothers will have.

And that's okay. There should be room in our hearts for all things in the past, present, and future. LeBron won't replace Jordan, Rebels won't replace The Clone Wars, and Kennedy won't replace Lucas.

Make a little room for what's coming. The new Star Wars content might have a leg cramp once in a while, but that won't take away from the overall greatness.


This article is an opinion piece and represents the views of the writer, and not the entire Star Wars Underworld organization.

Clone Wars 'Lost Missions' Released On 7 New Platforms

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By Chris Seekell

The official Star Wars: The Clone WarsFacebook page has just announced that the final season of the TV series has now been released on 7 new platforms in addition to the original Netflix release. You now can catch "The Lost Missions" on the following sites:

Apple (US & Canada)
Amazon
Google (US & Canada)
Microsoft (US & Canada)
Sony (US & Canada)
Verizon
VUDU

Lucasfilm has yet to announce any physical media releases such as DVDs or Blu-Rays.

The Clone Wars Strikes Back | Episode 14

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On this episode, Dominic and Ciaran are joined by Jeff from the Get Your Geek on Team to discuss the Mandalore trilogy from season 2!  What do they think of of the Death Watch?  What is Sidious' role in all this?  What qualities do Obi-Wan and Satine share with Anakan and Padme (as well as Han and Leia!)  Plus, what implications could these episodes have on the new continuity, Darth Vader foreshadowing, and Ciaran has the greatest quote of all time!  All this and much more!
Right click here and select save link as to Download MP3.    
Subscribe and Review on iTunes
Facebook: www.facebook.com/clonewarsstrikesback
Twitter: @TCWStrikesBack
Email: clonewarsstrikesback@gmail.com   

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