Star Wars Day has come and gone, and as we look ahead at what's to come from the franchise on the 2026 Movie schedule and beyond, one thing is clear. The sequel trilogy didn't get the same love as other films and shows that day, unless you're me, who made a point to fire it up and rewatch with a Disney+ subscription.

I loved two-thirds of the sequel trilogy back when it came out, and revisiting it years later, I agree with the opinion that it should never be retconned. I will say, however, that one thing has aged really poorly, and the millennial-coded attempts at humor have aged poorly and feel super dated.

There's A Lot Of Millennial-Coded Dialogue That's Aged Terribly

Say what you will about the Emperor's return, the fact that Disney used Fortnite to add a key story detail of the movie, or Rian Johnson's vision, nothing in this trilogy is as bad as the millennial-era attempts at humor. For those who don't know what that means, it'd be all the moments from Episodes 7-9 in which it feels like Star Wars is trying to be The Office.

I'm a millennial, and listen, that style of humor wouldn't be iconic if shows like The Office didn't connect with audiences. That said, there's a time and a place, and when those moments happen in Star Wars, it doesn't feel like I'm in a "Galaxy Far Far Away." It feels like I'm in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and I want to crawl out of my skin watching moments like this:

To be clear, I cringed at that scene when I first watched it back in 2017. It felt dated then, and while I still love Star Wars: The Last Jedi, man, it's really painful to watch now.

It's not the only instance, either. There's the "who talks first" part between Poe and Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens, and the general bullying of C-3PO all throughout The Rise of Skywalker. Then again, 3PO gets roasted across all nine movies, so I can't act like that was so off-brand. It's more like the trend of slowly looking at him like he's some kind of idiot, again, a trope of millennial humor that has aged poorly. There's no punchline; it's just mean.

Hopefully Future Star Wars Movies Are More Timeless

The first thing I'll say is that Star Wars, as a franchise, is not known for its humor. I also find it painfully unfunny when Jar Jar steps in feces and says, "Ooh, icky, icky poo."

Even so, that's more of a timeless physical gag. It's not the most mature joke, but there's never an era in which stepping in animal poop won't appeal to at least someone sitting in a theater. Even if that person is a seven-year-old child, they're gonna laugh every time.

The biggest issue with the millennial humor is that it is very much of the era, and as such, heavily dates Star Wars Episodes VII-IX in a way the other Skywalker Movies weren't. I liken it to watching Saturday Night Live in the mid-70s, and seeing all the surrealist humor. I get that it's supposed to be funny, but it just doesn't appeal to people these days.

As such, I wasn't surprised the films weren't on the top ten list of most-streamed Star Wars stuff on May 4th, and I won't be surprised if that continues to be the case going forward. There are things to like about the movies, but the dialogue and dated humor are pretty hard to get past.

There are major film franchises and then there's Star Wars. Generations grew up on the galaxy far, far away, which continues to expand with both movies and live-action TV shows that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Those who have watched the Star Wars movies in order know that plenty of moments have gone viral over the years, including Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron telling everyone that "somehow Palpatine has returned" in The Rise of Skywalker. And now the actor has shared the original of that line, which has been turned into countless memes over the years.

Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker resulted in some eye rolls, as he somehow became the Big Bad of the entire Skywalker Saga despite being absent for the first two entires in the sequel trilogy. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Isaac revealed how that infamous line of dialogue came together, saying:

There you have it. It turns out that line about Palpatine was a last-minute addition to The Rise of Skywalker that came together in reshoots. And while Oscar Isaac couldn't have predicted it going so viral, it sounds like he was using his real-life sense of exasperation to bring Poe's reaction to life. After re-watching the scene ahead of writing this story, I have to tip my hat to the actor for convincingly delivering the cringeworthy dialogue.

Despite its criticism, The Rise of Skywalker performed well at the box office. And even though things like Palpatine angered fans, there were some great moments in the blockbuster. And it should be fascinating to see how upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows continue with the narrative, especially in Daisy Ridley's developing Rey movie.

Star Wars took a few years away from theaters, but it'll return when The Mandalorian and Grogu is released May 22nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll have to wait and see if Oscar Isaac ever returns as Poe Dameron.

The Star Wars sequel trilogy occupies a strange space in modern film discourse. The movies were all, by the primary metric of performance, box office receipts, incredibly successful. Yet, opinions regarding whether or not the films are actually, you know, good, vary wildly. There’s a decent chance that if you’ve seen all three, you really dislike at least one of them, and many seem to have been disappointed by all of them.

Other people really love the sequels, or at least parts of them. People feel all sorts of different ways about the sequel trilogy; however, the one constant among them all is that they tend to feel very strongly about whatever opinion they hold. Brian Herring, one of the actors and puppeteers behind BB-8, the droid most seemed to like, recently told GameReactor that, while the sequels are certainly polarizing, it’s nothing we haven’t seen in Star Wars before. He explained…

Please give me a moment to pause and recover from the realization that it’s been more than 20 years since the release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and thus it is actually true that there are adults in this world who were not alive when the prequels came out. I'm too old.

To be fair, the internet did exist when the prequel trilogy came out, though it certainly wasn’t as widely used as it is today, and that was where the initial backlash to the prequel trilogy happened. That trilogy did have a very similar experience, as all three movies were massively successful, but so many fans seemed to hate them. The backlash was so bad that it really hurt some people. Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best admitted a few years ago that he contemplated suicide due to the hate he received.

But a funny thing happened as time passed. The prequel trilogy has since been reevaluated by critics and fans alike. And while nobody is necessarily arguing that the prequels are masterpieces, there does seem to be a general feeling that the movies are, at the very least, fine. Herring seems sure that ultimately the same thing will happen to the sequel trilogy. He said…

While we’ll have to wait 10 years to know for sure, there’s a pretty decent chance that Brian Herring is correct and the sequel trilogy will get its own reevaluation. The people who tended to be against the prequels are the people who grew up with the original trilogy, and it’s the group that grew up with the prequels that has grown up defending them. It’s a safe bet the same will happen with the sequel trilogy. And by then, there will likely be a whole new batch of Star Wars movies for everybody to focus their opinions on.

Almost 10 years ago exactly, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released in theaters to kick off the Sequel Trilogy and, as we later learned, herald the beginning of the end of the Skywalker Saga. Adam Driver’s Ben Solo, a.k.a. Kylo Ren, served as the main antagonist of this trilogy, although, just like his paternal grandfather, he ultimately redeemed himself before dying. And yet, there have been a few loose ends concerning the character, although thankfully, Star Wars has fixed one particular issue with him that I’ve had since The Rise of Skywalker.

Considering what a big deal it was when Kylo Ren destroyed his mask in The Last Jedi after Snoke mocked him for it, I found it a little strange that he went to the effort of reforging it in The Rise of Skywalker, even if was a nice nod to Japanese culture. Well, the 11th issue of the Marvel Comics series Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Luke Ross, helps reframe that decision in a way that makes more sense, as well as provided more context for when Kylo talked about continuing Darth Vader’s mission in The Force Awakens. It all stems from how Kylo Ren is nearly turned into a Vader replacement… literally!

Taking place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, Legacy of Vader has shown Kylo Ren meeting Vanée, Darth Vader’s manservant (as seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), and learning about his grandfather’s origins. But Vanée is also still obsessed with Vader decades after his death and has been enacting a plan to transform Kylo into a new version of the Sith Lord, to the point he submerges him in the lava of Mustafar and put a Vader helmet on him. This comes to a head in the latest issue (via Comicbook), where, unsurprisingly, Kylo resists Vanée’s efforts and proclaims that he’s finally his own man, telling him, “I am already everything I need to be.”

There’s still one issue left to go in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, but what went down in Issue #11 at least effectively lays the groundwork for Kylo Ren re-donning his mask in The Rise of Skywalker. He’s no longer desperate to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps, but he’s also going to let Snoke’s lingering influence inform his actions either, as if that hadn’t already been made clear when he killed his master. He’s in a comfortable enough place that he can truly embrace charting his own path as Kylo Ren, and repairing his mask demonstrates that.

Of course, we know that Kylo Ren doesn’t entirety escape Darth Vader’s shadow, as he enters into an alliance with the still-alive Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker. But, as mentioned earlier, Ben Solo died after finally rejecting the dark side, and you’re welcome revisit that scene and other big moments of his by streaming Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy with your Disney+ subscription. While you’re at it, maybe cross your fingers that Lucasfilm will change its mind about making the post-Rise of Skywalker-set movie The Hunt for Ben Solo.

“Somehow Palpatine returned.” Those words from Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may live in infamy online, but the fact of the matter is it was impressive that the former leader of the Galactic Empire survived that fall in Return of the Jedi. Palpatine resurfaced in the final Skywalker Saga movie as the puppet master behind the events of the Sequel Trilogy, although he was looking worse for wear. The Rise of Skywalker never explicitly stated why Palpatine was in such a weakened state, but now that answer has finally been revealed, and Darth Vader factors into it.

In the six years since The Rise of Skywalker was released in theaters, fans have learned from hints in the movie and information shared in the novelization and some other Star Wars books, that Palpatine transferred his consciousness to a new body when Darth Vader tossed him into that chasm in the second Death Star. However, the new body failed to be a suitable replacement, and he spent the next three decades overseeing cloning experiments to try and create a better one. But on top of that, the new book Star Wars: Master of Evil (via SFFGazette) has indicated that Vader’s absence also negatively affected Palpatine, per this excerpt:

For those who haven’t heard of Star Wars: Master of Evil until now, this book, written by Shadow of the Sith’s Adam Christopher, follows Darth Vader shortly after Revenge of the Sith as he embarks on a journey to understand a Force vision he witnesses while forging his red lightsaber. Meaning, the events of this book take place well over 50 years before The Rise of Skywalker. So obviously the above excerpt isn’t directly referencing what will happen to Palpatine post-Original Trilogy.

That said, this new piece of lore would suggest that because Vader wasn’t around when Palpatine put himself in that new body, the Emperor wasn’t able to feed off his apprentice’s power to increase his own. The Rule of Two kept the Sith alive and hidden from the Jedi Order for a millennia, but once that was fractured by Vader rebelling against Palpatine to save Luke Skywalker, Palpatine was stuck as a shell of his former self and forced to create Snoke as his proxy for The First Order. At least when Maul and Dooku died, the man we also know as Darth Sidious had replacements immediately lined up, allowing him to retain his stronger connection to the Dark Side.

Ironically, Palpatine’s attempts to clone a perfect clone body ended up being his downfall. One of those clones went on to become Rey’s father, and Palpatine initially intended to transfer his consciousness into his granddaughter’s body. Then when he sensed the dyad between her and Ben Solo, he started to absorb their life force to rejuvenate his own body. Fortunately, Rey finally destroyed her grandfather when she successfully deflected the Force lightning he attacked her with right back at him, and hopefully he’ll stay dead this time.

You can see what else Star Wars: Master of Evil has to offer by grabbing a copy wherever you purchase books. Otherwise, remember that you can stream the Star Wars movies and TV shows with a Disney+ subscription, and the franchise is finally returning to theaters with the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu on the 2026 movies schedule next May.

The Star Wars universe is vast, but few things spark more fan outrage than the Sequel Trilogy—though honestly, I think Rey catches way too much heat. Still, the criticism hasn’t just come from the outside. John Boyega, who played Finn, has been open about sharing many of those frustrations, while still always wearing his love for the Jedi epic proudly.

After hearing him lay out what his version of the sequels would’ve looked like, it’s even more clear he’s not just an actor who showed up for a paycheck—he’s a fan who actually gets it, and has his own ideas for how the third trilogy should have gone, highlighting something I think is missing in many big blockbusters these days: creatives who listen to fans, and are longtime fans themselves.

How John Boyega Would Have Handled The Sequel Trilogy

John Boyega is a Star Wars fan—and that matters, especially now, as franchise storytelling continues to split between creators who honor legacy and those more focused on subverting it. If you’ve ever felt let down watching iconic characters get sidelined for the sake of a twist, you’re not alone—and the Force Awakens performer clearly gets it. At Florida Supercon 2025 (via Popverse), the Attack the Block star laid out his vision for the franchise, and honestly, it sounds a lot like what fans have been asking for all along. As he told the crowd:

But the franchise veterans’ take highlights a refreshing counterpoint: honoring expectations isn’t lazy—it’s powerful when done right. He then shifted focus to the newer generation of characters:

The Pacific Rim actor is hitting on a lot of fan complaints with the newer entries in the franchise, and how a lot of characters feel like they know how to do everything automatically. But, the star doesn't seem to be against new characters—he’s more against shortcuts.

So what kind of story would he tell, if given the keys to the galaxy? The former Stormtrooper-turned-Resistance hero says he’d dive deep into the lore—specifically, the kind pulled from classic video games that longtime fans know and love.

Boyega Would Have Pulled From Fan-Favorite Video Game Lore

This is where Boyega sets himself apart from the “just-here-for-the-gig” crowd—by name-dropping Knights of the Old Republic, a fan-favorite video game series set thousands of years before the Skywalker saga (streaming with a Disney+ subscription). As he put it:

A KotOR movie has been rumored for years, but nothing’s come of it, and as a lifelong fan of the sci-fi juggernaut series, I can’t help but wish more filmmakers were like John Boyega. He takes a not-so-subtle jab at Rian Johnson’s take on Luke, but not out of spite—because he actually cares.

I don't think the British actor is trying to shock for shock’s sake, but wants to tell stories that respect the lore and reward the fans who’ve stuck with it. It’s time to start giving more power to the fans who grew up loving these worlds and now have the perspective and passion to honor them. We’ll see what the future of upcoming Star Wars movies holds, especially with Daisy Ridley’s return—but honestly? They should just hand Boyega the keys and let the man cook.

Next up in the galaxy far, far away: the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu, blasting onto the 2026 movie schedule and theaters May 22, 2026.

Mark Hamill is easily one of the most recognizable actors of all time, and he has more than a few notable film and TV credits to his name. Obviously, Hamill is revered for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, and he’s a prolific voice actor with countless credits under his belt. The 73-year-old actor continues to find success in the entertainment industry today but, as it turns out, he nearly retired from acting following The Rise of Skywalker. That changed, however, and fans have Mike Flanagan to thank.

CinemaBlend was fortunate enough to be present at the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the upcoming horror film The Long Walk, which is set to hit the 2025 movie schedule later this year. During the panel, Mark Hamill spoke to fans – alongside the rest of the cast and crew – about what they could expect from the dystopian flick. It was during the discussion that he also talked about why he initially decided to step away from live-action acting once the Star Wars sequel trilogy came to a close in 2019:

Honestly, it would’ve been somewhat poetic for Mark Hamill to bid farewell to acting after saying goodbye to Luke Skywalker. After all, it was Hamill’s turn as the farm boy-turned-rebel-turned-jedi that made him into a household name. Plus, as the DCAU alum stated, he would’ve continued to do some voice-over gigs. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t have been a shame not to have seen Hamill do any more on-camera work. Hamill’s career has changed, though, when he was cast in Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher:

As part of that small-screen take on Edgar Allen Poe’s famous short story (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription), Mark Hamill plays the role of family fixer and lawyer Arthur Gordon Pym, and he plays it to perfection. That isn’t the only time that Hamill would participate in a Flanagan-helmed production either. Later, Hamill and Flanagan teamed up again for the latter’s film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck, for which Hamill also received praise.

The Joker voice actor has been more than a little busy over the past several years, as he’s taken on both live-action roles and voice-over work. Of course, he’s even since reprised Luke Skywalker in a way, as his likeness and voice were used to recreate a younger version of the character on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Hamill is now playing the Major in The Long Walk, which is a Stephen King adaptation directed by Francis Lawrence. The character serves as an antagonist and, by all accounts, he’s quite brutal.

Not only do I love that Mark Hamill is still doing on-camera work, but I also appreciate the gratitude he has for Mike Flanagan. This seems like a situation in which “game recognizes game,” and I love seeing that. I’ll also have to see Hamill in The Long Walk, which opens in theaters on September 12. Those who’d like to catch up on Hamill’s Star Wars work in the meantime can stream the films and shows on Disney+.

Every Star Wars trilogy needs its own romance. The Original Trilogy had Han Solo and Leia Organa (let’s just continue pretending like the Leia and Luke kiss never happened), the Prequel Trilogy had Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, and the Sequel Trilogy had Rey and Kylo Ren… or rather, snuck it in at the last minute. Reylo fans finally got what they wanted when Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver’s characters kissed towards the end of The Rise of Skywalker. However, John Boyega is definitely not a fan of this ship and gave an amazing explanation for why he doesn’t like the pairing.

This topic came up when Boyega was speaking with Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz at C2E2 and he was asked during the audience Q&A if Finn and Poe Dameron would have accepted the relationship between Rey and Ben Solo had the latter lived. The Finn actor started off by saying:

I mean… he’s not wrong. Kylo Ren started off his “relationship” with Rey in The Force Awakens by kidnapping and mentally torturing her, and by the end of the movie, they’d lightsaber dueled and Rey had given him the scar on his eye. Their relationship became complicated in The Last Jedi when Rey and Kylo kept trying to sway the other to join their side, and then The Rise of Skywalker revealed that the two shared a Force dyad with each other. But the point still stands that for the majority of time they knew each other, Rey and Kylo were in conflict, so Boyega’s not wrong for being leery about them getting romantic with each other.

Ultimately Ben Solo turned his back on his Kylo Ren identity in The Rise of Skywalker and raced to Exegol to help Rey fight Palpatine and the Sith Eternal. So Rey was right about there still being good in him, which John Boyega acknowledged in the following comment, though he thinks Finn would have tried to put the kibosh on her and Ben’s smooch time had he been near them on Exegol:

Rey died after reflecting her grandaddy Palpatine’s Force lightning back at him to kill him for good (fingers crossed), but Ben Solo then used the Force to revive her at the cost of his own life. So their time together as love interests was short-lived, and if Boyega had his way, it wouldn’t have happened at all. It’s fine if you disagree with him about this, although I’m sure there are plenty of Star Wars fans who agree with the actor that Rey and Finn should have been paired together instead.

Feel free to use your Disney+ subscription to revisit The Rise of Skywalker or any of the other Star Wars movies. Otherwise, get ready for the franchise set in a galaxy far, far away to return to the big screen when The Mandalorian & Grogu opens on May 22, 2026.

Although Ian McDiarmid played a younger version of Sheev Palpatine, a.k.a. Darth Sidious, in Star Wars’ Prequel Trilogy, chronologically speaking, the character was understandably thought to have perished in Return of the Jedi prior to 2019. Then The Rise of Skywalker came along and revealed that the Sith Lord has transferred his consciousness into a new body and was the real mastermind behind The First Order. The decision to bring back Emperor Palpatine was met with backlash from segments of the Star Wars fanbase, and while McDiarmid has now addressed those complaints, I’m more interested in how his role reprisal for Episode IX ended up being “even better” than what he envisioned.

How Ian McDiarmid Feels About The Backlash Towards Emperor Palpatine’s Return

McDiarmid discussed his time on The Rise of Skywalker while being interviewed by Variety on behalf of the 20th anniversary of Revenge of the Sith, which is currently playing in theaters again and also available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. When the actor was asked how he felt about Palatine’s inclusion in Episode IX not being warmly received, he answered:

Palpatine was indeed a planner, and given how he’d become obsessed with cheating death after being apprenticed by Darth Plagueis. So honestly, it’s not that much of a stretch that he would have found a way to live on after being tossed into a chasm in the second Death Star. But throw in how Palpatine ended up being Rey’s grandfather, his puppeteering of Snoke and his plan to establish The Final Order with a fleet of planet-destroying Star Destroyers, and I could understand why some would find this all convoluted.

But by the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it seemed like Palpatine had finally died for good after Rey deflected his own Force lightning back at him. Hopefully Ian McDiarmid’s correct that this will stick. While I don’t mind revisiting Palpatine in stories set during the Prequel or Original Trilogy eras, there’s no reason he should still be around in the post-Episode IX upcoming Star Wars movies.

Why Ian McDiarmid’s Rise Of Skywalker Experience Was Better Than He Expected

Although Palpatine lived on after Return of the Jedi, the clone body his consciousness transferred to was so physically impaired that it required him to sit in a chair packed with machinery to sustain his life. But Palatine’s restrictive mobility provided extra fun for Ian McDiarmid, as he had a blast being maneuvered around in that chair while acting opposite Daisy Ridley. As he recalled:

Had Palpatine’s plan succeeded, he would have transferred his consciousness into Rey’s body once she killed him in anger. Then when Ben Solo arrived to help her, he started absorbing their life energy to rejuvenate his own body. But just like at the end of the Original Trilogy, good triumphed over evil, and ideally the galaxy far, far away will never have to think about Palpatine outside of a historical context ever again. As far as McDiarmid is concerned, I’m glad he had all that fun in the chair! I would have been down to try sitting in it, too.

Next up on the Star Wars film slate is The Mandalorian & Grogu, which opens in theaters on May 22, 2026. Then the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter follows on May 28, 2027. If Palpatine resurfaces on the big or small screens again, we’ll let you know here at CinemaBlend.

I am a sucker for a good movie plot twist, especially because of how rare they tend to be. For every masterful movie ending (or even a scene in the middle) that almost completely changes the nature of, or enhances, the story, there are even more that pretty much ruin the story by not making much sense or just being unnecessary, unoriginal, or just plain offensive. The following are some notable plot twists (or plot reveals) that did not blow my mind but certainly numbed it.

Trevor Slattery Is Not The Real Mandarin (Iron Man 3)

One of the reasons Marvel fans have issues with Iron Man 3 is the reveal that the 2013 superhero flick's main villain, The Mandarin, is actually an actor named Trevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley). The disappointment in seeing Tony Stark's archenemy resorted to a cheap joke was acknowledged and, somewhat, corrected in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which introduced the true Mandarin, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung Chiu-wai).

The Aliens' Weakness Is Water (Signs)

I am a firm believer that there are some great M. Night Shyalaman movie twists, in addition to 1999's The Sixth Sense, but I do not think the ending of 2002's Signs is one of them. Making the creatures in this alien invasion movie allergic to water is an already weak deus ex machina that is also far too similar to the ending of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, in which Martians die from the common cold.

The Final Battle Was All A Dream (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2)

I am not a big fan of dream sequence fake-outs, and I personally believe that the final installment of the Twilight movies has one of the more egregious examples. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 culminates in an epic battle between the Cullens and Volturi that, soon after, is revealed to have been Alice's (Ashley Greene) vision, which convinces Aro (Michael Sheen) to recede before any violence can take place.

Rey Is Palpatine's Granddaughter (Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker)

You know, 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is not as low on my personal Star Wars movie ranking as it is for many other fans, but I do agree it has one of the most nonsensical plot twists in any franchise. The reveal that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is the grandfather of Rey (Daisy Ridley) is a very weak justification for resurrecting a character who really had no business coming back from the dead in the first place, if you ask me.

The Crystal Skull Belongs To An Alien (Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull)

I would honestly love to say that I enjoyed the fourth installment of my all-time favorite movie franchise. Unfortunately, I could not get behind the reveal in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that the titular artifact comes from an extra-terrestrial carcass.

Mary Is Also A Powerful Immortal (Hancock)

Hancock starts off as an inventive take on superhero lore by focusing on a homeless amnesiac and alcoholic with superpowers (played by Will Smith) seeking redemption. Unfortunately, the 2008 non-comic-book-based superhero movie makes things unnecessarily complicated by revealing that Mary (Charlize Theron) is not only a member of the same mystical race but is Hancock's former wife. To make matters worse, the twist was revealed in the marketing.

Agent Rhodes Is The Fifth Horseman (Now You See Me)

Now You See Me, a crime thriller about a group of talented magicians who use their skills in illusion to rob banks, tries to go for a Usual Suspects-esque twist in the 2013 thriller's final resolution. It is revealed that Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo), an FBI agent who has been obsessively chasing the Four Horsemen, is actually one of them. Yeah, great cover.

Marie Was The Killer The Whole Time (High Tension)

Writer and director Alexandre Aja's French-language breakout feature, 2003's High Tension, proves he is a master of high-wire suspense and inventively brutal kill scenes, but not in crafting compelling twist endings. The reveal that the murderous kidnapper (Philippe Nahon) whom Marie (Cécile de France) has been trying to catch is her own dissociative identity completely contradicts the entire story.

A General Thade Sculpture Replaces The Lincoln Memorial (Planet Of The Apes)

The original sci-fi movie classic, 1968's Planet of the Apes, boasts one of the most ingenious twist endings of all time, while Tim Burton's 2001 remake boasts one of the more confusing and unintentionally comical. Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) returns to what he assumes is his home planet, where he finds a sculpture of General Thade (Tim Roth) where the Lincoln Memorial should be, begging the question, "What?"

Michael Myers Is Laurie Strode's Brother (Halloween II)

John Carpenter's original vision for Michael Myers – the protagonist of his 1978 horror movie classic, Halloween – as an indiscriminate force of evil is tragically undercut by a twist from the 1981 sequel that the filmmaker came up with while inebriated. I personally prefer to ignore the reveal that Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is the estranged sister of the masked murderer, and I am glad the 2018 requel did, too.

Plants Are Killing Humans (The Happening)

M. Night Shyamalan's 2008 thriller, The Happening, is considered one of Hollywood's most uproarious so-bad-its-good movies for a multitude of reasons, especially when the source of its main situation is revealed. I honestly admire Shyamalan for attempting an environmentalist statement with one of his films, but I don't know if a story about plants vengefully releasing pheromones with deadly consequences for the human race was the way to do it.

Dill's World Is A Video Game (Serenity)

At first, 2019's Serenity – in which fishing boat captain Baker Dill (Matthew McConaughey) is asked by his ex-wife (Anne Hathaway) to kill her new husband, Frank (Jason Clarke) – starts off as a pretty compelling noir until the random twist reveal brings things to a screeching halt. We discover the entire movie up to that point has taken place in a computer game created by a teenager as a way to cope with the death of his father, who inspired the character of Dill, and the abuse of his stepfather, who inspired Frank.

Aliens Save The Children (Knowing)

In 2008's Knowing, Nicolas Cage plays an astrophysicist who discovers a list of numbers predicting an inevitable doomsday. However, his son, Caleb, and a girl named Abby are among those chosen by an alien race to avoid Earth's destruction and are taken to another planet that resembles the Garden of Eden. If you ask me, this just feels like a jarring way for the story to indulge in its doomsday element and still have a hopeful conclusion, and, if it were me, I would have chosen one or the other.

Bond And Blofeld Are Adoptive Siblings (Spectre)

Remember in Austin Powers in Goldmember when it is revealed that the titular spy and his archenemy, Dr. Evil (both played by Mike Myers), are long-lost brothers? Years later, the 2015's Spectre did a similar thing by making James Bond's (Daniel Craig) nemesis, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), his adopted brother and expected audiences to take it seriously.

Lomax's Devilish Encounter Was A Fantasy (The Devil's Advocate)

The otherwise fun legal drama The Devil's Advocate spoils its own intriguing supernatural plot by revealing that Florida attorney Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) dreamt up his toxic mentorship with Satan in human form (Al Pacino). Then, the film tries to pile on another twist by showing an eager reporter transform into Pacino right before the credits roll.

Walter Wrote The Book (The Number 23)

Widely considered to be one of Jim Carrey's worst movies is 2007's The Number 23, in which his character, Walter, is gifted a disturbing book by his wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), that he becomes dangerously obsessed with. It turns out to be a memoir that Walter himself wrote during his stay at a mental institution before becoming struck with amnesia. Why would his wife decide to give him a book that could potentially resurface these terrible memories in the first place?

Gale Framed Himself (The Life Of David Gale)

Kevin Spacey stars in the title role of 2003's The Life of David Gale as an anti-execution activist who is put on death row after he is accused of murder. The ending reveals that he framed himself for the crime as an elaborate protest of the death penalty. I believe there are more effective and less deadly ways to make his point, though.

Jo Is The Ghost Of Alex's Wife (Safe Haven)

Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, 2013's Safe Haven stars Julianne Hough as Katie – a woman on the run from an abusive relationship who finds love again with widowed father Alex (played by Josh Duhamel). Along the way, she meets a friend named Jo (played by How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders), whom she later discovers is the spirit of Alex's late wife. Was there really any need to suddenly make this romantic thriller a ghost story at the very end?

Teddy Was A Patient The Whole Time (Shutter Island)

To preface, I think 2010's Shutter Island – starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a US Marshal investigating a disappearance at a mental health facility – is one of the actor's best collaborations with director Martin Scorsese. However, the reveal that DiCaprio's "Teddy" is an alternate personality of Andrew Laeddis, who became a patient at the island after murdering his wife, is disappointingly too familiar.

The Final Explosion Was Cris' Vision (Next)

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, 2007's Next stars Nicolas Cage as a psychic named Cris Johnson, who is enlisted to help prevent a nuclear explosion. The film ends with the bomb going off before cutting to Cris in a motel bed with Jessica Biel's Liz, revealing that the events of the entire day were all a prediction in his head. I suppose this makes for a happy ending, but a frustrating way to get to it, if you ask me.

All The Characters Exist In A Homicidal DID Patient's Head (Identity)

James Mangold's Identity is not your typical whodunit, as it turns out the entire plot, involving a group of strangers fighting for their lives against an unseen killer at a rundown motel, is all an elaborate fantasy inside the head of a convict with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Admittedly, this ending has actually grown on me over the years, but when I first saw it, I thought it was a cheap cop-out made worse by the final reveal that the murderer was the 10-year-old identity the whole time.

John And Jack Have Been Protecting The Bad Guy (A Good Day To Die Hard)

There are many reasons why 2013's A Good Day to Die Hard is the least liked of Bruce Willis' adventures as John McClane, including its cheap plot twist. The veteran cop and his CIA operative son, Jack (Jai Courtney), discover that the government whistleblower they have been tasked with protecting (played by Sebastian Koch) is actually the mastermind behind an elaborate scheme involving selling uranium on the black market.

David Is His Daughter's Imaginary Friend (Hide And Seek)

It seems like Fight Club's wild twist ending begat plenty of copycats for a while, such as 2005's Hide and Seek. The thriller stars Robert De Niro as a widowed psychologist who discovers that the murderous imaginary friend whom his daughter (played by Dakota Fanning) calls "Charlie" is actually a dissociative identity living in his mind.

The Whole Story Was Ophelia's Premonition (Savages)

Oliver Stone's 2012 adaptation of Don Winslow's novel, Savages, sees pot growers Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch) take action when a cartel kidnaps their shared girlfriend, Ophelia (Blake Lively). It all results in the tragic death of all three... or so we think. The deadly sequence turns out to have happened in Ophelia's head, leaving critics and audiences to wonder why the story would waste their time with a fantasy like that.

Kate's Organ Donor Is Tom (Last Christmas)

In Paul Feig's Last Christmas, Emilia Clarke's Kate discovers that her love interest, Tom (Henry Golding), is actually the ghost of the man whose heart now beats in her chest a year after a life-saving transplant. I mean, it's kind of a sweet reveal, but it also feels like a forced way to connect the 2019 rom-com to Wham's 1984 hit of the same name ("Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...").

Tom Is The Killer (The Girl On The Train)

Emily Blunt's Rachel spends much of The Girl on the Train fearing she may have killed her former nanny, Megan (Haley Bennett), in a drunken stupor. However, new information helps her realize that her ex-husband, Tom (Justin Theroux), has been feeding her false information for years and discovers that he killed Megan, who was also his mistress. I was honestly pretty turned off by this 2016 psychological thriller from the get-go, but this twist ripped off from a Dateline special really put the nail in the coffin for me.

Benson Is "Ben's Son" (I Still Know What You Did Last Summer)

The reveal in I Know What You Did Last Summer that the guilty teens were stalked by Ben, a man they were convinced they accidentally killed a year earlier, was certainly improbable but accepted by slasher fans who had seen worse. However, the reveal in the 1998 sequel that Will Benson (Matthew Settle) is not only the villain but also the original killer's son especially stretched the limits of believability.

It Was All An Alien Experiment (The Forgotten)

In 2004's The Forgotten, Telly Peretta (Julianne Moore) discovers that people suddenly have no memory of her deceased son because of an extra-terrestrial experiment to test if a parent's bond with their child can be broken. The twist is interesting in concept, but absolutely laughable in execution, especially in scenes when people are literally sucked up into the sky by the invaders.

Freddy Krueger Was Guilty After All (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street is certainly not a movie that needed a reboot, but the 2010 remake almost justified its existence by introducing the possibility that its villain might not have deserved to be killed by a mob of angry parents. Unfortunately, the film would ultimately waste its potential by revealing that the dream-haunting Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley) was, indeed, a child predator.

Ray Is A Figment Of Rachel's Imagination (Sweet Girl)

Netflix's 2021 action film Sweet Girl stars Jason Momoa as Ray, whose search for the truth behind the pharmaceutical company that could have saved his wife's life puts him and his daughter, Rachel (Isabela Merced), in danger. As it turns out, Ray has been dead for two years, and young, petite teen Rachel, suffering from both PTSD and DID, managed to take out her enemies all on her own.

Rooster Is The Killer (Righteous Kill)

The best movies starring both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are the ones that keep them largely estranged, unlike 2008's Righteous Kill. However, this crime thriller really suffers from its twist, revealing that Rooster (Pacino) is the killer that he and Turk (De Niro) have been trying to find the whole time.

Tyler Dies On 9/11 (Remember Me)

In Remember Me, Robert Pattinson and Emilia de Ravin play Tyler and Ally, whose lives begin to turn around after meeting in the summer of 2001. However, their relationship reaches an upsetting fate when Tyler (Pattinson) is revealed to have been at the World Trade Center at the time of the terrorist attacks on September 11. Critics and audiences were rightfully perturbed by the way this already sappy romantic drama turned a real-life tragedy occurring less than a decade earlier into heartstring-tugging bait.

It is a sign of the clever writer to be able to back yourself into a corner, and find an ingenious way out. However, some scribes have taken some leaps that are both unique and utterly mind-boggling. Keeping that in mind, please enjoy this list of movie retcons so bonkers, we were left confused as a result.

Rey Is A Palpatine? - Star Wars: The RIse of Skywalker

If you listen very carefully when watching Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, you can hear the echoes of people becoming frustrated by this very twist. After two movies of uncertainty surrounding the parentage of Rey (Daisy Ridley), the ninth Star Wars movie in order tells us that she’s actually pretty important…and she’s the descendant of a clone from none other than Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).

Sandman Really Killed Uncle Ben - Spider-Man 3

For such a pivotal moment in the history of Peter Parker, Spider-Man 3 does seem to have a loose memory of the past. The infamous three-quel’s version of events saw poor Uncle Ben taken out by Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), a tragic villain who accidentally helped inspire Spider-Man. As opposed to a random thug Peter let go in a fit of pettiness, which in turn formed his moral code. Oops.

John Connor Is Dead - Terminator: Dark Fate

The Terminator franchise has tried to innovate the best sci-fi movies into a long-term saga, and not even creator James Cameron has had much luck past T2. Cameron himself helped develop the story for Terminator: Dark Fate, which decided to kill off John Connor (Edward Furlong) in the cold open. For anyone who was wondering whether Terminator: Genisys’ controversial decision to turn the savior of humanity into a killing machine would ever be outdone, you’ve got your answer.

Han Lives - Fast 9

For years the decision to have Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) kill off Han (Sung Kang) in the Fast and Furious timeline was something that had fans pushing for #JusticeForHan. Apparently that “justice” involved the first huge twist shown off in F9, which retconned Han’s death into a big DSS smoke screen - with Deckard being the “trigger man.” Which, in theory, renders Furious 7 nearly useless.

Wolverine’s Big Timeline Merge - X-Men: Days Of Future Past

There are a lot of questions that arise out of the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past. Quite possibly the largest concern stems from the fact that by the time we see Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) reuniting with Professor X at the end of the time-jumping adventure, a practically utopian future exists. If it wasn’t for most of the original X-Men movie cast being present, we might not be scratching our heads as much as we were in that film’s successors.

Rocky Balboa Is Totally OK To Fight - Rocky Balboa

Rocky V set up Sylvester Stallone’s legendary boxer for retirement, thanks to medical necessity. By the time Rocky Balboa played the same “one last fight” card, the disgraced sequel felt wiped off of the franchise’s record. On the plus side, people seem to really like that sixth entry in the series, and it technically means that those financial troubles never happened.

Wait, The Firefly Family Survived?! - 3 From Hell

If there was a fitting way for the Firefly Family (Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, and Sheri Moon Zombie) to go out, it’s in a hail of gunfire set to “Freebird.” That’s exactly what The Devil’s Rejects convinced us had happened, at least until 13 years after the fact. 3 From Hell resurrected this trio of torment and terror, for one last ride, and depending on who you talk to it was either a welcomed return, or a decision that helped the flick live up to its title.

Jamie Lloyd Isn’t Pure Evil - Halloween V: The Revenge Of Michael Myers

Apologies, as the Halloween movies in order have been anything but easy to reconcile. In fact, that’s part of why the 2018 legacy-quel made the decision to overwrite the entirety of the sequel canon. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers is one of those reasons, as it squandered the ending of Halloween 4. Instead of building on the notion that Michael’s niece Jamie (Danielle Harris) was possessed by the evil that turned her uncle evil, that bold choice is discarded with barely a reference.

Harry Hart’s Medical Miracle - Kingsman: The Golden Circle

No one wanted to see Kingsman agent Harry Hart (Colin Firth) die before his time. That being said, the explanation that Kingsman: The Golden Circle gives for his resurrection is just a bit too far. Using some special medical technology that only spies have access to, Harry’s fatal run-in with The Secret Service’s diabolical villain was undone - with a bit of amnesia and a lost eye as a side effect.

Jason Voorhees Becomes A Zombie - Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Iif Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter’s big cliffhanger had been honored, young Tommy Jarvis could have been the new hockey-masked slasher. Sadly, that never happened. After an ingenious copycat story in A New Beginning, Part VI: Jason Lives brought the man himself back from the grave - thanks to some conveniently placed lightning.

Greedo Shot First - Star Wars: A New Hope

This one’s straight out of the Greatest Hits collection of confusing retcons and Star Wars lore. Depending on which Special Edition you’re watching, either Greedo shoots Han (Harrison Ford) first, or at the same time as the Corellian smuggler. It’ll never be as cool as the original version, in which George Lucas gave us an anti-hero to root for, who knew to take out his enemies before they got the drop on him.

What Suicide Squad? - The Suicide Squad

Despite Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) being one of the surviving Suicide Squad members present to play in The Suicide Squad’s sandbox, the continuity of DC’s much-maligned 2016 offering was never really settled. If you need an explanation, it’s probably something similar to how Dame Judi Dench was still M in Casino Royale. But if you don’t need a reason, it’s ok…James Gunn’s DC Films reboot has already zapped this pair off the map.

David’s Creation Of The Xenomorphs - Prometheus

It kind of doesn’t help that Sir Ridley Scott was stopped short in his ambitions to bridge Prometheus to the later portion of the Alien movie timeline. But even with the initial framework of android David (Michael Fassbender) being the actual creator of the Xenomorphs, fans have still been questioning why this twist itself was created.

Wolverine Loses His Memories To An Adamantium Bullet - X-Men Origins: Wolverine

What happens when an Adamantium bullet hits an Adamantium-enhanced skull? Well if you’re going by the scientific expertise of X-Men: Origins - Wolverine, it leads to Hugh Jackman’s titular superhero forgetting a pretty huge chapter of his life. That explains why Sabretooth and Wade Wilson are vastly varied based on appearance.

Robert Neville Never Died - I Am Legend

2007 saw the powers that be thinking that Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) would be at his most heroic by sacrificing himself for humanity. Years down the line, a potential legacy-quel came a’callin, reinstating the I Am Legend ending even the studio preferred. While we’re no closer to a cure for the Krippen Virus, it does fit better with Smith’s character and his overall story.

Marcus Brody Is Actually An Idiot - Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade

Whether you’re on board with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’s brand of adventure or not, there is a rather upsetting development that sticks out from time to time. The previously sage and wise Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot) turned into a bit of a klutz in 1989’s attempted franchise closer, which still upsets Raiders of the Lost Ark fans.

Billy And Stu Were Puppets - Scream 3

Soap opera twists go with slasher movies like chocolate goes with peanut butter. Even with that in mind, Scream 3’s twist that Roman Bridger (Scott Foley) was the mastermind behind Billy and Stu’s killer rampage in the original Scream is a bad move. It’s totally understandable if you ignore this chapter’s plot twists, and continue to think of those Woodsboro youths as criminal masterminds.

The Yautja Visited Earth Way Earlier Than Expected - Prey

Throughout the entirety of Predator, the existence of the Yautja species was unknown to humanity, setting up one of the best action movies as quite the harrowing first contact scenario. Decades later, the amazing action of Prey saw that ugly monster fighter visit our planet in 1719 - and somehow without leaving much of a trace in North American history.

Dr. Gordon Was An Apprentice All Along - Saw: The Final Chapter

While Saw: The Final Chapter used the return of Cary Elwes' Dr. Gordon as the ultimate twist, it did kind of come at a cost. And that cost was sanity, as fans were probably pumping their fists right before scratching their heads when realizing that Saw's survivor had been hiding in the shadows for so long. It would also not be the "final chapter," which saw things only get more confusing with Jigsaw's addition to the canon.

Bail Organa Doesn't Erase R2-D2's Memory - Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith

Somehow, Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) thought merely wiping the memories of C-3PO would be enough protection to hide Luke and Leia after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. To be fair, it’s not like Darth Vader used his technical know-how much once he turned to the Dark Side. Though if he had, the Galactic Empire might have crushed the Rebel Alliance pretty decisively.

Laurie Strode And Michael Myers Are Related - Halloween II

Admittedly, Halloween II’s major plot twist has been nullified by the 2018 legacy-quel starting a new series of continuity. But even if that hadn’t taken care of things, creator John Carpenter’s anecdote about writing this sequel sees the horror legend siding with his fans. It also has him admitting that the influence of beer and a deadline fueled that choice, so do with that knowledge what you may.

Scott Calvin’s Naughty Telephone Prank Is Deleted - The Santa Clause

Tim Allen’s Scott Calvin had a line cut from all versions past the VHS release. According to Snopes, the story is indeed true, and it’s thanks to a young child calling a very naughty number dropped by the soon-to-be Santa in a very on-brand joke.

Agent Monica Fuentes Returns For A Ghost Story - Fast Five

With just a post-credits teaser appearance in Fast Five that saw Agent Monica Fuentes tease the fact that Letty is still alive, people’s hopes for her full return were given flight…and then dashed through all subsequent films. On the plus side, Mendes did retire on her own terms, so it’s not like she’s been snubbed in any sort of feud.

The Shaws Are Good Actually - The Fate Of The Furious

Fast and Furious 6 opened up a new frontier of big bads known as the Shaw family. As Owen (Luke Evans) and Deckard (Jason Statham) represented a brewing threat to the Toretto crime family, that plot quickly fizzled. What’s more frustrating than Deckard Shaw being forgiven for the death of Han Liu? Try Owen being forgiven for no discernable reason, other than he helped rescue Dom’s kid.

The Highlanders Are An Alien Race - Highlander 2: The Quickening

There can only be one…reaction to the fact that the Highlanders are not merely singular immortals. In a sequel that has gone on to represent some of the worst tendencies of would-be franchises, Highlander II: The Quickening saw Connor Macleod (Christopher Lambert) helping us learn that Highlanders are actually aliens.

A Ton Of Important Mutants Get The Axe - X-Men: Days Of Future Past

X-Men: First Class had an ending so thrilling that you kind of forgot that Professor X would eventually be wheelchair ridden by the end. Days of Future Past wasn’t so lucky when it debuted, as the fan-beloved Marvel midquel saw a ton of characters set up for a battle of mutant good and evil quickly dispatched through a disturbingly convenient file full of mutant autopsy photos. People definitely noticed.

Arthur Fleck Isn’t The Joker - Joker Folie á Deux

2019’s Joker acted as a lo-fi origin story that followed Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) on his journey into madness, becoming a variant of DC’s iconic Batman villain. So what did Joker: Folie á Deux do for an encore? It brought Fleck back from the edge of madness, and turned him back into a manipulated sad sack that isn’t the clown prince of crime…through the power of song!

Professor X And Magneto Get Their Powers Back - X-Men: The Last Stand

X-Men: The Last Stand is a baffling movie on so many fronts, with plenty of questionable decisions. None of which will ever beat the decision to kill off Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and to “cure” Magneto (Ian McKellan) of his mutant powers…only to undo both of those choices in a pre-MCU example of endings and post-credits scenes meant to keep the door open past that “last stand.”

Danny Ocean’s Finest Are So Easy To Catch - Ocean’s Twelve

Ocean’s Eleven taught the world a lesson in cool, competent thievery that still shines brightly to this day. Ocean’s Twelve, on the other hand, is a pretty hot or cold entry when it comes to Steven Soderbergh’s heist comedy trilogy. It’s a fair reaction, as the whole picture is built on the crew we saw slickly stealing $165 million (plus interest) being absurdly easy to find and blackmail into a new crime.

A Major League Joke Swaps Movies - Major League

Cutting your original ending doesn’t count as a retcon, unless the studio decides to side with the original finale to create sequel potential. However, there is a joke between Tom Beringer and Charlie Sheen seen in the trailer for 1989’s Major League that was cut from the first installment, only to wind up in 1994’s Major League II. Someone must have really liked that joke.

The Guns And Walkie Talkies Debate - E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial

Stretching the adage of how works of art are never completed but merely released, Steven Spielberg’s attitude towards E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial’s presence of firearms saw an interesting revolving door of changes. For the 2002 anniversary of the classic blockbuster, the director had scenes altered to replace weapons with walkie-talkies. But in the years that followed, Spielberg admitted the swap was a mistake.

Jigsaw’s First Apprentice - Jigsaw

Who was the first apprentice to Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), and why? There’s several different answers, and 2017’s Jigsaw had the final say on the matter, revealing potential victim Logan Nelson (Matt Passmore) as the winner. While the Saw series continuity feels like a messy plate of spaghetti, even on a good day, this retcon takes the cake.

Alright, *cracks knuckles*, let's get into this.

The Star Wars universe is vast in a galaxy far, far away, but you want to know what people love to hate? Rey, for some ungodly reason, and I'm kind of tired of it because people are way too hard on her – especially after I just rewatched the Star Wars sequels for the first time in a while.

Let me preface this by saying that I do not claim to be someone who grew up loving Star Wars. When I was five, my older brother and father were going to a Star Wars premiere, and I was at home playing with my American Girl dolls. I was not interested in this world until very late, probably when I began high school in 2012.

However, as someone who has been a part of the fandom for 12 years now, I have some connection to this world. I am allowed to have an opinion, and it's that everyone is way too hard on both Rey and Daisy Ridley. I really have to talk about it because it's driving me crazy.

Rey's Story Is Diminished By The Flaws Of The Sequels Around Her

Before you come at me with your pitchforks, hear me out. Rey isn't a bad character – the sequels are bad stories.

The first three Star Wars films have a rock-solid story, but then the prequels came along, and they earned a fair amount of criticism. Now, years later, people are looking at the Star Wars prequels with an air of respect, and Hayden Christensen is getting the flowers he deserves and vindication on his work– which is excellent! Ewan McGregor even got a whole series dedicated to his version of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

But I genuinely don't think the same is going to happen to Rey because the sequels' flaws diminish her story in general. There are so many moments in these movies where I genuinely scratch my head at what happened because it just doesn't make sense, and then Rey is right in the middle of it, somehow going along with what is happening.

I think the first of the sequels – The Force Awakens – set up a really good premise. We had this nobody girl who didn't have a family, didn't have a name and didn't really care for one, who was trying to survive on Jakku, and the Force called her into this crazy galactic war. It's basically the recipe for success. Heck, Luke basically started as nobody as well – it was only later that he discovered his true origin.

But as the films go on, the plot gets messier and messier, and it falls apart, taking Rey along with it.

She Didn't Have The Core Trio That Luke Had –– At Least, Not As Strong Of One

I stand by the fact that a core trio always surrounds every good movie or TV series that has a substantial freaking fandom.. The Harry Potter series had Harry, Ron and Hermione. The new Spider-Man films have Peter, Ned and M.J. One of the best anime ever, Attack on Titan, has Eren, Mikasa and Armin. It's just a staple, and the original Star Wars movies had that too with Luke, Leia and Han.

And Rey… didn't have that. She didn't have that support system.

Sure, there was Finn and Poe, but both of them felt so disconnected from Rey. Both felt like they were going on their own adventures when, most of the time, in any of these other scenarios, the trio was constantly helping each other out. I didn't feel that camaraderie with them at all.

That's a shame. I really like both Finn and Poe, as well as their actors, and I would have loved to see more friendship moments between the three of them as we saw with Luke, Leia and Han. But nope, that didn't happen.

The Movies Themselves Tried To Do Something Different, And People Hated It, But If You Do The Same Thing, People Also Hate It

At the beginning of the Sequel Trilogy, Rey was pretty much a carbon copy of Luke. Obviously, she did not have the same background, but she was a person who had nothing to do with the fight happening and was brought into it thanks to external circumstances beyond her control. The Force Awakens—which is my favorite—relied too much on the original films.

I sometimes think that's fine. If it's not broken, don't fix it, right? But Star Wars fans of all ages wanted something different, something new, a twist of some kind. You're never going to get a better plot twist than Luke finding out Darth Vader is his father, but you can try.

The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker attempted to do that with their stories, trying something new and testing out new lore—but it just fell flat, and fans hated that more. Rey didn't have that same solid storyline that protected Luke during her three movies because things kept changing so constantly. It's no wonder people found her hard to follow.

And When Has Star Wars Lore Ever Been Clean-Cut?

Star Wars lore is messy and dirty. And yet, people will blame Rey's character for her questionable family relations.

When, on God's green Earth, have we ever had a clear vision of what the entire lore of the Star Wars universe is? The only time was during the Original Trilogy, but other than that, things have been changed, redone, retconned and so much more. Now we're getting upset over something about Rey's parentage? Or Palpatine being back? Or whatever the heck it is now?

At this point, I've learned to let go. If I let go of all this lore in the back of my head and focus on the story at hand, I would enjoy the movies a lot more. Sure, it's there for information, but when there are thousands of things that are conflicting and fighting in your brain, it's time to chill.

That's how I'm able to enjoy Rey a lot more. Oh, did they change that up? Strange, but okay. Everyone is entitled to their opinion; that's the beauty of being human. But don't blame Disney for messing up the lore of this series with Rey and everything else when it's been messy for years.

I'm Nervous For Her In These Reported New Movies

Rey is not the person we need to be harping on. As someone who waited years to see a young, badass female live-action Jedi on screen (that wasn't Ahsoka Tano from The Clone Wars and Rebels), Rey was a good answer, and Daisy Ridley was a good choice.

But her character was harped down by poor story choices, poor characters around her, and sometimes lore that doesn't make sense, even if you can separate parts of it. I don't know how they're going to use her in a new series of movies.

I'm nervous for Ridley and for the character, and I hope that they deliver something great. There have been some great Star Wars projects over the last year, from The Mandalorian to Ahsoka to Andor, but will this creative team be able to bring that same amount of magic to a new franchise and make Rey the star she is supposed to be?

I don't know…but I suppose we'll have to wait and find out. I think until then, I'll rewatch the Star Wars films once more when I have the chance, and be excited for all the upcoming Star Wars movies.

As one makes their way through the Star Wars movies in order and the accompanying TV shows, it’s easy to lose track of all the ways in which lead characters like Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Din Djarin and Ahsoka Tano, to name just a few, shine. But what about the side characters? What about the supporting players who get opportunities to step up big in a galaxy far, far away? Well, we’re here to go over a handful of such examples, although one important note, this list will only be covering the live-action Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Shmi Skywalker Allowed Anakin To Go With Qui-Gon

Shmi Skywalker could have refused Qui-Gon Jinn’s request to take Anakin away from Tatooine and be trained as a Jedi. However, she knew her son was destined for a life better being a slave, so she made the heartbreaking choice of letting him go. It’s just unfortunate that this decision led to the rise of the Empire and the destruction of the Jedi Order.

Carson Teva And Trapper Wolf Saved Din Djarin And Grogu

Din Djarin, Grogu and the Frog Lady would have been eaten by the spiders on that ice planet had New Republic pilots Carson Teva and Trapper Wolf not intervened. The two used the blaster rifles they carried aboard their X-Wings to kill the creatures. However, they weren’t feeling generous enough to help Djarin fix up the Razor Crest, as they’d already decided to drop the arrest warrant placed on him.

Clone Trooper Destroyed The Crab Droid

Unlike every other entry on this list, here we have a nameless character, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve recognition. During the Battle of Utapau, this clone trooper managed to get up close and kill one of the Separatist’s crab droids, which is hard enough for multiple clones to accomplish on a normal day. Then mere seconds later, this clone managed to destroy another one from afar.

Kino Loy Ignited Narkina 5 The Prison Uprising

After realizing that none of the prisoners on Narkina 5 would ever be freed, Kino Loy agreed to help Cassian Andor with instigating a breakout. After them and their allies made their way to the facility’s intercom system, Kino inspired the rest of the prisoners to rise up and escape. It was an inspiring moment tinged with tragedy since Kino couldn’t escape with everyone else since he couldn’t swim.

R2-D2 Smuggled The Death Star Plans Off The Tantive IV

When it became clear that Princess Leia wouldn’t be able to deliver the plans to the first Death Star to the Rebel Alliance, she entrusted R2-D2 with the plans, as well as a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi, so that Darth Vader wouldn’t obtain them. It paid off, as the astromech droid and C-3PO were able to flee from the captured Tantive IV on an escape pod, landed on Tatooine and eventually found Obi-Wan.

C-3PO Bailed Out Hera Syndulla On Behalf Of Leia

Hera Syndulla disobeyed orders when she traveled to Seatos with a squad of New Republic fighters to help out Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren. As a result, she was in danger of being court-martialed, but C-3PO arrived to bail her out of this situation to pass along “evidence” from Leia Organa that Hera was following her orders. The golden protocol droid’s timing could have used a little work, but better late than never.

Jar Jar Binks Advocated For The Chancellor Emergency Powers

Ok yeah, in hindsight this move spelled the beginning of the end for the Republic. However, if Jar Jar Binks hadn’t given that speech in favor of giving Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers, then the clone army would never have been into action and the Republic would have been overwhelmed by the Separatists. So in the short term, this was arguably a good move.

Migs Mayfeld Killed Valin Hess

Granted, this wasn’t the most strategically sound move considering that Migs Mayfield and Din Djarin were undercover at the Imperial facility on Morak to learn where Moff Gideo’s ship was. However, when Hess started bragging about the thousands that were killed during Operation Cinder, Migs had enough and shot his former superior. This action showed us how traumatized that conflicts left him.

Lando Calrissian Rescued Leia, Chewbacca And C-3PO

Although Lando Calrissian’s betrayal of Han Solo came from a place of wanting to protect his operation on Bespin, his lingering guilt coupled with Darth Vader continuing to change the conditions of their deal made him realize he’d made a mistake. So with the help of his security force, Lando rescued Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO from the Imperials, though they were unfortunately too late to stop Boba Fett from taking the carbonite-frozen Han away.

Boba Fett Jumped Into Action On Tython

Before he took the lead in The Book of Boba Fett, Boba was a supporting character in The Mandalorian Season 2, and one of his best moments in the entire franchise came when he retrieved his armor from the Razor Crest on Tython. Mere moments after suiting back up for the first time in years, Boba wiped the floor with the stormtroopers in his vicinity.

Arvel Crynyd Flew Into The Super Star Destroyer

You may not know his name, but if you’ve seen Return of the Jedi, then you’re familiar with the Rebel pilot who brought down a Super Star Destroyer at the cost of his own life. After the Executor’s bridge deflector shield was destroyed, Arvel Crynyd steered his critically injured A-wing into a kamikaze run into the bridge, resulting in the ship colliding with the second Death Star.

Maarva Andor Inspires Rebellion With Her Posthumous Message

Maarva Andor spent her last days opposing the Imperial occupation on Ferrix, but even in death, she was able to inspire the masses. During her funeral ceremony, a hologram recording was played where she urged the people of Ferrix to rise up against the Empire. So what started out as an event to honor Maarva ended as a riot against this tyrannical force.

Paige Tico Opened The Bomb Hatch

During the evacuation of D’Qar, Poe Dameron organized an assault on a First Order Dreadnought that led to many Resistance casualties. This might have been a complete failure had Paige Tico not opened the hatch to drop her ship’s proton bombs onto the enemy vessel. Sadly, with the rest of her crew dead and their bomber badly damaged, there was no way for Paige to escape getting caught in the fire that engulfed the Dreadnought.

Bo-Katan Kryze Saved Din Djarin

Din Djarin was overwhelmed by some Alamites when he was exploring Mandalore to see if it was inhabitable. Luckily for him, Grogu was able to escape and make his way back to Kalevala, who was able to infer from the little guy that something was wrong. She went back to Mandalore and saved Din from his captors, which inadvertently paved the way for her getting the Darksaber again.

Wedge And Janson Took Down The AT-AT

Once Rogue Squadron learned that the AT-ATs’ armor was too strong for the snow speeders’ blasters during the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker ordered his fellow pilots to use their harpoons and tow cables to bring these walkers down. The only duo that manages to accomplish this (at least onscreen) is Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson, who also fortunately both survive the conflict.

Tala Sacrifices Herself To Save The Path Refugees

When Darth Vader, Reva and their stormtrooper squad arrived at the Hidden Path facility on Jabiim, it didn’t take long for bodies to stop dropping. However, a lot more of these dissidents would have died had Tala Durith not sacrificed herself by detonating a thermal detonator as the Empire’s soldiers surrounded her. This explosive distraction allowed many of her allies to successfully flee the planet.

Sabé Served As Queen Amidala’s Decoy

For a decent chunk of The Phantom Menace, the Queen Amidala presented before the audience and characters like Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi isn’t the real deal, but rather the handmaiden known as Sabé (a role Keira Knightley can’t remember playing). She put her life on the line to keep Naboo’s ruler free from harm at key moments in Episode I, and her decoy act paid off one last time when it fooled Nute Gunray, allowing Padmé to take him captive.

IG-11 Self-Destructed To Save The Group

IG-11 started out wanting to kill the being known then as just The Child, but by the end of The Mandalorian Season 1, the droid sacrificed himself to save the little guy and those in his orbit. Grogu, Din, Cara Dune and Greef Karga were nearly ambushed by stormtroopers ready to open fire on the lava ferry they were aboard, but IG-11 went ahead and self-destructed himself to remove those adversaries from their path.

Galen Erso Hid A Weakness In The First Death Star

Galen Erso was one of the key architects in the construction of the first Death Star, but he also proved to be the catalyst of its destruction. Galen was the one who hid the exhaust port weakness inside the space station. If he hadn’t committed this act of secret defiance, one which ultimately cost him his life, then the Empire would have later wiped out Yavin IV and, with time, the entirety of the Rebellion.

Paz Vizsla Bought Time For His Fellow Mandalorians

Paz Vizsla spent most of his screen time clashing with Din Djarin, painting him in a somewhat antagonistic light. But as The Mandalorian Season 3 was wrapping up, the warrior died in a very sympathetic light, as he stayed behind to buy some time for his fellow Mandalorians by fighting off Moff Gideon’s Praetorians Guards on his own.

Yoda Rescued Obi-Wan Kenobi And Anakin Skywalker

In Attack of the Clones, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker weren’t strong enough to defeat Count Dooku on Geonosis. Fortunately, Yoda showed up moments later and he dueled his former apprentice (which made for one of the franchise’s best lightsaber battles) and probably would have won if given more time. The only reason Dooku managed to escape was because he tried to crush Anakin and Obi-Wan with some rubble, prompting Yoda to focus on saving them.

Kelleran Beq Saved Grogu

Up until The Mandalorian episode “The Founding,” we had no idea who Grogu, who’s approximately 50 years old, was able to escape the Jedi Purge. That episode finally provided the answer, as Kelleran Beq, the same character whom Ahmed Best played in Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge, got him out of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during Order 66 and arranged for him to be taken off planet by members of Naboo’s Armed Forces.

Amilyn Holdo Made A Suicide Attack

Amilyn Hold ordered that the Resistance abandon their larger ships on smaller transport vessels when the First Order was pursuing them in The Last Jedi. However, because DJ learned about this plan and tipped off General Hux, each transport was picked off one by one. The only reason they all weren’t destroyed was because Holdo rammed her ship at hyperspace speed into Snoke’s flagship, a move that would come to be called the Holdo Maneuver.

Fennec Shand Killed The Sarlacc

After Boba Fett and Fennec Shand stole back the Slave I from what was once Jabba the Hutt’s palace, they embarked to the Sarlacc Pit to see if they could retrieve Boba’s armor. Well, needless to say that the creature did not like its personal space being invaded by the ship, but Fennec was able to save their lives by just barely triggering a seismic charge to drop in its mouth.

K-2SO Saved Jyn Erso And Cassian Andor

K-2SO was originally an Imperial enforcer droid, so it's fittingly ironic that he was destroyed while helping carry out one of the Rebellion's most important missions. The reprogrammed droid fought off stormtroopers and sacrificed himself so that Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor would have extra time to find the Death Star plans.

Jacen Syndulla Helped Rescue Ahsoka Tano

Like his father, Kanan Jarrus, before him, Jacen Syndulla is pretty Force sensitive. This was demonstrated when he was able to not only sense that Ahsoka Tano was still alive on Seatos, but direct the rescue party to her location once she was out of the World Between Worlds. Without him, it’s likely Hera and the others wouldn’t have been able to find her.

BB-8 Saved Finn And Rose Tico

After Snoke’s flagship was destroyed by Amilyn Holdo, chaos was rampant in the area where Finn, Rose and the other survivors were located. The Resistance protagonists tried to make a run for it, but they were soon cornered by Phasma and her remaining stormtroopers. Luckily, BB-8 commandeered a nearby walker and provided them with some cover fire.

Cobb Vanth Refused To Help Cad Bane

When Cad Bane showed up in Freetown to demand that the town remain neutral in Boba Fett’s upcoming war with the Pyke Syndicate, Cobb Vanth could have easily caved to his demand. However, with Boba being one of his allies, Cobb refused to bend and was gunned down in a standoff with a blue-skinned bounty hunter. Fortunately, he was later shown being healed in Boba’s bacta tank.

Chirrut Îmwe Activated The Communications Switch

During the mission to secure the Death Star plans from Scarif, the blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe pulled off a feat that few with eyesight would likely have been able to accomplish. Despite blaster bolts flying at him from every which way, Chirrut was able to find his way to a nearby console and activate the master switch that established communication with the Rebel fleet. Unfortunately, he was killed moments later.

Jecki Lon Engaged The Stranger Alone

As a Padawan, there was really no way that Jecki Lon was going to win in her lightsaber duel against The Stranger, a.k.a. Qimir, during The Acolyte. Still, the fact that she stayed alive as long as she did, held her own and even managed to damage his helmet before being sliced down was incredible.

General Hux Saved Finn, Poe And Chewbacca

Sometimes hate can forge unlikely alliances. Jealous and bitter at how he was being treated by Kylo Ren and Allegiant General Pryde, General Hux became a spy for the Resistance has part of an effort to undermine Ren and become the new Supreme Leader. Eventually he blew his cover to help Finn, Poe and Chewbacca escape the Star Destroyer they were on, and while Hux later tried to tell a cover story to preserve his position in The First Order, Pryde saw through the lie and shot him.

The Armorer Compromises To Unite All Mandalorians

As the leader of the Mandalorian sect known as The Children of the Watch, The Armorer promotes the ancient ways of Mandalore, particularly not removing their helmets in front of others, which mainstream Mandalorian culture has long since abandoned. However, in order to reunite all surviving Mandalorians under Bo-Katan Kryze, who’d inherited the Darksaber, The Armorer was willing to ally herself with those who didn’t fully align with her group’s beliefs, as evidenced when she interacted Bo-Katan to take her helmet off.

Until the release of Daisy Ridley’s Rey movie at a yet-to-be-determined date, The Rise of Skywalker remains the last stop when one is going through the Star Wars movies in order. Set one year after the events of The Last Jedi, Episode IX showed Kylo Ren still leading The First Order after killing Supreme Leader Snoke, but we don’t see much of him actually commanding the military movement. Well, a comic book series is on the way to explore this chapter of Kylo’s life, and the announcement of this project brings some welcome news for those who romantically paired him and Rey in their heads, a.k.a. Reylo shippers.

Marvel Is Publishing Star Wars: Legacy Of Vader

Marvel Comics announced today that writer Charles Soule is teaming with illustrator Luke Ross for Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, a limited comic book series following Kylo Ren in the year between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. The series will explore Kylo’s “enduring connection” to Darth Vader, a.k.a. his maternal grandfather, and how the actions of the man previously known as Anakin Skywalker guide Kylo’s choices at a time when he’s long since eschewed his Ben Solo identity. This will include Kylo traveling to Vader’s castle on Mustafar and visiting Tatooine, where his grandaddy and uncle Luke both grew up.

Soule, whose many Star Wars writing credits include Marvel’s 2017 Darth Vader series and Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, which depicted Ben’s fall to the Dark Side, had this to say about Legacy of Vader’s premise:

You’ll notice Charles Soule mentioning Kylo Ren’s “deep connection” with Rey. On the surface, that could just be referring to how their lives intersected in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, from that duel on Starkiller Base to when they fought Snoke’s Praetorian Guard. But additional information supplied about Legacy of Vader reveals it goes even deeper than that.

Why Reylo Shippers Should Be Excited About This

A segment of the Star Wars fanbase were shipping Rey and Kylo Ren together stretching back to when The Force Awakens kicked off the Sequel Trilogy in 2015, but it was the two of them sharing a kiss before Kylo died in The Rise of Skywalker that really sent them into high gear. Granted, there were other fans who didn’t like the kiss, though director J.J. Abrams hit back against the idea that Rey and Kylo purely had a brother-sister dynamic. Thanks to the announcement of Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, we know for a fact that, at least where Kylo was concerned, he definitely had romantic feelings for Rey.

Mark Panicccia, a senior editor at Marvel Comics whose workload includes Star Wars titles, went on X (formerly known as Twitter) to share a spoiler-free snippet of the Legacy of Vader #1 script detailing the events of Kylo Ren’s recent past when the comic book series begins. That includes:

Considering that Marvel’s Star Wars comics are part of the official canon, then we can officially scrap this brother-sister idea for good. Kylo definitely has a romantic interest in Rey. Admittedly, it still remains to be officially clarified if Rey truly felt the same way when Kylo died, because in the Rise of Skywalker novelization, that smooch was described as a kiss of “gratitude, acknowledgement of their connection, celebration they’d found each other at last.” However, that same book also shared their touching last words, so a stronger argument could be made for her having a romantic interest too.

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 comes out on February 5, 2025 online and at your local comic book store. Keep yourself entertained in the meantime by streaming all sorts of Star Wars content with your Disney+ subscription and looking through our guide of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

At present, there are a lot of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows on the way from Lucasfilm. However, perhaps the most exciting of them all is the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey in her spinoff film, which is currently in active development. As Ridley gets ready to tell a new story in the beloved universe, she recently reflected on dealing with "overwhelming" fame when The Force Awakens launched the prequel trilogy nearly a decade ago.

While the release of Episode VII was just another walk around the block for actors like Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher at the time, it was Daisy Ridley’s first time leading a movie ever. She recalled some of her earliest experiences with the fanfare, and they truly drove home how her life was changing:

Daisy Ridley shared these memories when she spoke to French film magazine Premiere about her upcoming return to the galaxy far, far away. It's definitely fair to say that the Star Wars movies bolstered her celebrity status. Back in 2015, she became one of the most highly covered stars in Hollywood, in what seemed to be just the blink of an eye. She continued to explain those early lessons in fame and how she feels she'll handle the Rey-related buzz this time around:

Amid the interview, the Young Woman and the Sea star also clarified that she “wasn’t forced to come back” and certainly could have turned down Lucasfilm offer to do a another movie. However, when she was pitched the idea, she ultimately liked the concept. Not only that, but she also recalled how she “had a great time” working on the sequel trilogy, which made her decision to return to the fold that much easier.

Daisy Ridley also remembered that in the same week she was approached by Lucasfilm, two people had serendipitously pointed out it would be interesting to see what her Star Wars character was doing now. She previously said that she wanted to return as Rey, because the franchise brings a “lot of love and joy” to people. Of course, there’s been some sexism in Star Wars, but the actress also previously said that element of the fandom has been “blown out of proportion.”

Eventually, audiences will get to catch up with Rey in a movie that will take place 15 years after the release of Rise of Skywalker. The movie will see Rey reforming the Jedi Order, which means she'll possibly be serving as a mentor to a new generation of Force-wielders. Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has said that Rey will be the “heart” of the movie, and that definitely makes sense.

Filming has yet to kick off on the new film, but the chances are the production will get started sometime next year. Overall, it sounds Daisy Ridley is more than ready to jump back in and get to work. I'm glad that she now has perspective on the fame she experienced so many years ago and wish her well as she prepares to experience a new wave of buzz with this upcoming feature.

While you wait for the new film to open on May 20, 2026, stream the Star Wars movies in order using a Disney+ subscription.

It's no secret that the Star Wars fandom can sometimes be toxic. For an unfortunate example, following the cancelation of The Acolyte, there was a ton of horrific trolling towards the series and its cast. Naomi Ackie, known for her role as Jannah in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, recently opened up about her experience with racism and the intense pressure of social media after joining one of the most iconic franchises in cinema history.

The rising young star shared candid details about how the fear of facing racism influenced her decision to delete her social media accounts. As a Black actress in the Star Wars universe, she was aware of the racist backlash that previous actors of color, like John Boyega, had faced. Wanting to protect her mental health, Ackie chose to stay off social media when her role was announced, hoping to avoid a similar experience.

In a recent interview with THR, she explained that she didn’t want to give toxic fans any opportunity to attack her, stating:

Despite her initial decision to avoid social media, Ackie eventually found herself drawn back by the pressure to maintain an online presence, especially with the release of such a massive project as The Rise of Skywalker. She returned to social media at the urging of Disney, who facilitated her verification and quickly boosted her follower count.

Initially, it seemed manageable, especially since she seemingly didn't face the same kind of intense backlash as others in the franchise. However, some of the negative aspects of social media soon began to surface anyway. She continued:

Fortunately, the backlash Naomi Ackie feared never materialized. However, had it occurred, it wouldn’t have been unique, considering the experiences of other POC actors in the Star Wars franchise. Kelly Marie Tran, who starred in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, faced relentless online bullying from some of the more toxic fanbase members, ultimately leading her to leave social media. Although her respective director and co-star, Rian Johnson and Mark Hamill, defended her publicly, the harm had already been done. To make matters worse, Tran’s character, Rose Tico, was significantly sidelined in the sequel, further highlighting the impact of the backlash.

While Ackie did not experience the same overt racism, the looming threat was always there, and the further pressure to maintain an online presence and the constant comparisons to others took a toll on her mental health. For a young actress thrust into the spotlight with a major franchise role, prioritizing her well-being became essential. Her decision to step away from social media reflects a growing trend among celebrities, including many of her Star Wars co-stars, who are choosing to prioritize their mental health over public engagement.

As discussions about diversity and inclusion in Hollywood continue, Ackie's experience offers a more positive example compared to the treatment of some of her peers. However, it also underscores the need for more conversations about the effects of social media, including its potential to distort self-image and foster a toxic relationship with body image.

Naomi Ackie’s recent work, Blink Twice, recently landed on the 2024 movie schedule and is playing in a nearby cinema. Fans can revisit all the Star Wars Saga entries in order as they can stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Daisy Ridley is getting ready to return to a galaxy far, far away! If you can believe it, it’s already been almost five years since Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker capped off the sequel trilogy. Now, the sprawling franchise is moving forward with a number of upcoming Star Wars projects, with one being a movie centered around the character of Rey. Ridley has shared (non-spoilery) details about her return to the role of the Jedi and, while discussing it during a recent chat, she revealed the "mourning" period she experienced after finishing her first three films.

The actress spoke to one of the hosts of our own ReelBlend Podcast, Jake Hamilton (for his YouTube channel Jake’s Takes), as she promotes her latest film, Young Woman and the Sea. When Jake asked her about how her current mindset regarding Rey compares to what it was when she left the character several years ago, the star said the following:

One can definitely understand why she'd feel those emotions after finishing up her initial tenure as Rey, who took on the surname Skywalker at the end of the 2019 movie. Not only was Daisy Ridley saying goodbye to the role, but she was also bidding farewell to a steady job she'd had for several years. So how does she feel now that a few years have passed? Well, she told Jake the following:

As of late, the British actress has not only been starring in more projects outside the Star Wars universe, she’s been producing a lot more as well. In the past few years, she has starred and produced Sometimes I Think About Dying and Magpie. Some of her other upcoming movies include an action flick called Cleaner and a survival thriller titled We Bury The Dead. More immediately, Young Woman And The Sea sees her portray Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. All in all, the sports biopic provides the actress with yet another opportunity to stretch her wings as a performer.

Of course, there's still plenty of excitement surrounding her return to the George Lucas-birthed franchise. At Star Wars Celebration 2023, it was announced that Daisy Ridley would be back in a Rey movie of her own. Since, she has teased the movie by sharing that she's awaiting a script and considering the challenges of stepping back into her iconic role. The movie, which is being directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is said to take place 15 years from the events of The Rise of Skywalker and during a time at which the Jedi are in “disarray.” Apparently, Rey will also try to “rebuild the Jedi Order” as she promised Luke. 

Daisy Ridley may have mourned the end of the first stage of her journey in the sci-fi franchise, but it sounds like she needed that time away from it all. Here's hoping everything goes well as she prepares to don her lightsaber once more. The film is set to be released in 2026 but, in the meantime, check out Young Woman And The Sea, which hits theaters on May 31 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. The next Star Wars series, The Acolyte, premieres on Disney+ on June 4 as well!

Ever since the first few moments of the original Star Wars: A New Hope, when a small shuttle was chased down by a massive Star Destroyer, fans have dreamed about flying through the stars in a galaxy, far, far, away. The various spacecraft of the Star Wars films and TV shows have some of the greatest variety in any franchise, which means everybody has their favorite.

So what are the best ships in all of the Star Wars franchise? From the Rebels to the Empire and from A New Hope to The Acolyte there are so many cool and interesting ships to choose from. Here are some of our favorites. 

9.  Lambda Class Imperial Shuttle 

The Imperial Shuttle introduced in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi doesn’t do a lot. It’s a personnel shuttle, so it’s only designed to carry people around. It doesn’t appear to have much in the way of weapons, but it does have an incredibly fun design that requires two of its three wings to fold up whenever it lands. 

Why did they build it like this? Nobody knows. Is it super cool? Absolutely. The design became so iconic for shuttles that the folding wing look would continue to be used, with The First Order having similar designs for Kylo Ren's shuttle.

8.  Razor Crest

When it debuted in the first of the Star Wars Disney+ shows, The Mandalorian’s Razor Crest wasn’t a particularly sexy ship, but that’s part of why it was so great. It was likely preferred by Mando because it was so functional. He wasn't looking for the fastest or the coolest ship in space. He had a job to do and needed a ship that would get the job done. The Razor Crest was that.

If he needed to chase down a bounty, the Razor Crest could do it, but the ship was also his home. It had everything he needed to live since he was always moving. And it had plenty of storage space for his carbonite-frozen visitors.  

7. Naboo Royal Starship 

Everything from the Prequel era is a bit sexier and a bit shinier than the Original Trilogy. If you watch the Star Wars movies in order, it's even clearer that the suffering under the Empire affects everything, even the spacecraft. The Naboo Royal Starship is a perfect symbol of everything that existed before the Empire that was lost.

If you're a queen, you get to travel in style. Queen Amidala's Royal Starship is so sleek it looks like it's traveling through hyperspace when it's standing still. The thing is so shiny it might blind you if the sun reflects off it in the wrong way, but nobody is ever going to claim it's not a memorable ship. 

6.  First Order TIE Echelon 

Not every awesome Star Wars spaceship is actually in a movie. In fact, one of the coolest ships can only be found in a Star Wars theme park. The First Order’s TIE Echelon is a ship that was designed for Colin Trevorrow’s abandoned version of Star Wars: Episode IX. However, as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World were in development around the same time, the ship design was used there, where it still remains today.

The ship was designed to be an armed troop transport, and it's easy to see the inspiration of other Star Wars ships, including some other ships on this list, in the new creation. While we never saw this ship in the films, it's an incredible set piece at Galaxy's Edge. 

5.  Imperial Star Destroyer 

From the opening shot of Star Wars: A New Hope, we knew everything that we would ever need to know about the Galactic Empire. The Star Destroyer fills the screen showing us the power that the Empire has and how small the Rebel Alliance is by comparison. The Star Destroyer is basically a flying city full of evil. 

Future Star Wars movies would make bigger ships, but they'd never quite match the menace of the original. At a certain point, the scale gets lost. The Rebels never had anything to match even the standard Star Destroyer, so anything bigger was just showing off.  

4.  X-Wing 

When you think of space battles, you probably think of the X-Wing fighter. It’s a simple design that looks formidable in a fight, while at the same time showing that the Rebel Alliance is a rag-tag group of fighters because all X-Wings look like they might fly apart at any moment. Whether flown by Luke Skywalker or Poe Dameron, the X-Wing is no less iconic.

Dogfights with the X-Wing are as exciting as anything we've seen in a Top Gun movie. It's why so many were excited by the idea of Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron movie. An entire film about X-Wings and all the action that suggests is too much fun to ignore.

3.  Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter 

The standard TIE Fighter flowed by the Galactic Empire is fine. It’s functional and it looks as scary and menacing as it needs to look, but Darth Vader’s personal TIE Fighter was something else. The first Star Wars movie needed to do something to make sure the audience knew which ship Darth Vader was in, and the minor and simple modifications to the general TIE design were perfect, making the ship look as menacing as the man flying it. 

Vader's ship isn't just shaped differently, it's also smaller. It makes his ship harder to see and hit, while also making it more maneuverable. We would learn later just how good a pilot Anakin Skywalker was, but this ship hinted early at his skill.

2.  Slave I 

We finally got to spend some real time inside Slave I, Boba Fett’s iconic and unusual spaceship, as part of The Mandalorian but it’s been an iconic Star Wars set piece since its brief appearance in one of the best Star Wars movies, The Empire Strikes Back. The ship has a design unlike any other in Star Wars, one that embraces the fact that in space concepts like “up” and “front” are all relative.

These differences may have been part of the reason that Boba Fett, despite his brief time in the original trilogy, became one of the Star Wars characters fans embraced. From his ship design to his full body armor, we had so many questions that eventually the franchise would need to give us answers. 

1.  Millennium Falcon 

What is there to say about the most important ship in all of Star Wars that hasn’t already been said? The Millennium Falcon has been through a lot. Originally owned by Lando Calrissian before being won by Han Solo, lost, and then returned to the smuggler, the Millennium Falcon has been through it all. The Falcon was unlike anything we’d seen in sci-fi movies before, but that’s what made it so memorable. 

While these may be the best, there are so many great ships in Star Wars it's honestly difficult to narrow it down to a small list. And with so many great upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, including Skeleton Crew and The Mandalorian and Grogu, we're sure to see some amazing new designs that may eventually join this list. 

For almost a half century Star Wars movies and TV series have given us a world that is a constant battle between the light side and the dark side. However, while there are heroes that are the pure embodiment of good, and others that are the definition of evil, Star Wars, like life, is rarely that simple.

Some of our favorite Star Wars characters have a little bit of mercenary in them but are ultimately heroes. And on the other side, even some of the most evil characters in the galaxy far, far away are completely without redeeming features. And others are just damn cool, whichever side they're on. Here's a look at our favorite characters in Star Wars, good and bad.

The Emperor

It’s not hard to put Emperor Palpatine on the extreme end of this list. Beyond the fact that he apparently had a child, which means somebody must have loved him, however, briefly, there are no redeeming qualities about the man. He played both sides in a galactic war that killed countless people to ensure his control. His only goal is domination of the galaxy, a goal that even exists beyond his death. 

Darth Maul 

Of all of Palpatine’s apprentices, one was clearly his best match. Darth Maul also survived his own death, only to use his second chance to focus on power and revenge. A truly vicious monster of a man with no light in his heart.  

General Hux 

General Hux is the worst. The man is clearly a true believer in the cause of the First Order. That alone makes him terrible. While he does technically turn on the First Order in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, giving information to the Resistance, he only does it because he hates Kylo Ren and wants to see him fail. He never wanted to do good, being a traitor was only a different form of his evil. Hux ultimately dies, but not as a hero.

Kylo Ren/Ben Solo 

While Kylo Ren does ultimately renounce the Dark Side and join Rey in her battle against the Emperor, he only does that after he has become Supreme Leader of the First Order. And he got that job by murdering his boss. He didn’t do it to save somebody’s life, he did it to gain power.  

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader 

Darth Vader is often the symbol of the Dark Side when it comes to Star Wars, and yet, we know very well that there was more to him than that. He wasn’t always bad, and in the end, he chose his son over the Dark Side, but in between he never questioned his choices. There is real hate here. The tragedy of his story doesn't excuse it.

Lando Calrissian

There is pure evil, and then there’s simply choosing the most self-serving option, no matter how many people it hurts. Lando eventually joins the Rebel Alliance, but only after he forms a brief alliance with Darth Vader to sell out his friends on Cloud City. He did what he thought was best for his people, but a lot of people who make bad choices justify it to themselves that way. 

 Han Solo 

Han is a scoundrel with a heart of gold, but he is a scoundrel. Before joining up with Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia he worked for Jabba the Hutt transporting who knows what. He probably didn’t ask a lot of questions, and as long as the money showed up, that was fine with him.  

Jyn Erso 

Jyn Erso is a criminal who has broken a lot of laws, but those are the laws of the Empire, so if anything, it makes her more good. Still, it’s clear that during most of her life, Jyn has done whatever it took to survive, and she doesn’t have a problem if that means doing bad things. Her moral compass goes where it needs to.

 Poe Dameron 

Poe Dameron attempted a mutiny, which makes it clear that he has a dark streak in him. If he leaned a bit more toward being good he never would have considered what he did in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and he certainly couldn’t have acted on it. Still, he thought he was making the right call, and he was dedicated to the cause of freedom. 

Din Djardin 

Din Djardin belongs right in the middle of a list of good and bad characters in Star Wars because, for the most part, questions of good and evil don’t concern The Mandalorian. The first hero of the Disney+ Star Wars shows has no connection to the light side or the dark side. He’s a bounty hunter doing a job, nothing more, nothing less.

Luke Skywalker 

Luke Skywalker may be the main hero of the original Star Wars trilogy, but that doesn't mean he’s entirely pure of heart. Darth Vader and the Emperor attempt to turn him to the Dark Side, and what’s clear is that there is something in him that is attracted to that idea. He ultimately fights against it because he is good, but it’s a fight that continues for the rest of his life. He’s still battling it when trying to decide what to do about his nephew, Ben Solo, years later.

 Rey 

Like her mentor, Rey isn’t a purely good heroine. She’s lived most of her life alone, likely having to do what it takes to survive. She shows some curiosity about the Dark Side of the Force. She’s not afraid of it and ultimately uses some Dark Side powers to stop the First Order, and she nearly kills a friend in the process. That incident does seem to scare her straight.

Yoda 

Yoda is one of the all-time great Jedi masters. He is strong in the Force and he is dedicated to the light, fighting against the Dark Side. there’s no indication that he ever considered the power that comes with the Dark Side. but he does lie to Luke and manipulate him to get him to do what he thinks is right, so Yoda is perhaps not without his flaws and he's not pure of heart.  

Obi-Wan Kenobi 

Like Yoda, Obi-Wan intentionally avoids telling Luke the truth about Darth Vader. Not something a purely good person would do. But Obi-Wan Kenobi does dedicate his life to protecting the children of Anakin Skywalker, and he ultimately sacrifices himself to save his friends, a truly noble act. 

Ahsoka Tano 

Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan learned well from her master, and it seems she only learned the good he had to teach her. Ahsoka’s intentions seem to be as pure as her white lightsabers. While she chooses to leave the Jedi order, it’s not because she doesn’t believe in their ideals anymore. In fact, it’s because she believes in what the Jedi stand for so much, that she can’t be part of it when she feels the order is failing to live up to that standard.  

Chewbacca 

Anybody who hangs out with Han Solo and calls him a friend can’t be entirely pure of heart. Having said that, Chewbacca never does anything in the Star Wars movies to show us he is anything other than good. He’s clearly the major positive influence in Han’s life that pushes him to turn his life around. 

Qui-Gon Jinn 

If you watch the Star Wars movies in order, you'll meet one of the franchise's greatest heroes first. Nobody is more committed to the ideas of the Jedi order than Qui-Gon Jinn. He teaches Obi-Wan Kenobi how to be a Jedi with nobility and honor. His death in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is especially tragic because, had he lived, it’s possible Anakin Skywalker would never have turned. 

Finn 

Finn may have grown up a Stormtrooper, but he was brainwashed and conditioned to be one. From the moment that he can make his own choices, he chooses to be better and to stand against the First Order. He values his friends and will do anything to protect them, including sacrificing his own life, which, luckily for his friends, he doesn’t have to do. 

 Princess Leia 

Maybe it was something genetic in being the daughter of Padme. Maybe it was in the way her parents on Alderaan raised her, but Leia Organa is purely dedicated to freedom and justice from the beginning of Star Wars: A New Hope until her death in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. She inspires so many to fight with her because she is so good. 

 Padme Amidala 

Padme Amidala isn’t a perfect person. Her greatest fault is that she refuses to accept Anakin’s descent into darkness until it is too late. But that fault comes from a woman who can’t see the evil because she is so purely good. Whether fighting injustice in the Senate, or with a blaster, Padme knows what is right, and she never sacrifices that belief to take the easy way out. She is the best of them all in Star Wars.

With many new upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, there will certainly be many new characters for us to consider, and many more if we made this a longer list. Where would you put the cast of The Acolyte or Skeleton Crew? Will Daisy Ridley's return as Rey change her standing after the next film?

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker gets flak for a lot of reasons, but mainly because the final chapter of the Sequel Trilogy opened the door to a lot of questions the franchise still has yet to answer. Fortunately, there's a chance that upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows address that, and there's no shortage of podcasts that try and squeeze information out of stars in the meantime. In fact, someone did just that with Billy Dee Williams recently and tried to get some answers on the popular Lando Calrissian daughter theory. 

As a guest on the Dagobah Dispatch, Billy Dee Williams was asked about the unresolved plotline where Lando talked about the First Order taking his daughter, and the theory Star Wars fans had that Naomi Ackie's Jannah was his child. The actor couldn't say one way or the other, but he did remark that the people behind the scenes on The Rise Of Skywalker were debating on the actual plotline:

Reading between the lines of Billy Dee Williams' answer, it doesn't seem like anyone who worked on Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker had a final verdict on how to resolve that plotline either. There's a mild implication that Jannah could be Lando's daughter in the movie, but according to the actor, that's not confirmed.

Williams' answer tracks with past attempts to pull this answer out of others, as actress Naomi Ackie noted ahead of the movie's release that Lando likely had children all over the galaxy. If someone had the answer to the question, it doesn't sound like they informed either of the actors involved. 

Jannah was presented as a strong warrior in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, and she was also taken by the First Order and raised to be a stormtrooper. The framework is there to make her Lando's daughter if that's what a future project wishes to do, and I think there's precedent to ultimately make that happen. 

While I've occasionally doted on it as a crutch, the Star Wars universe always seems to be a really small world for an infinitely large galaxy. Characters are brought together despite insurmountable distances between them, though that can be justified through the Force working to bring people together. Ultimately, we can only speculate, and with the upcoming Lando movie being focused on a younger version of the character, it feels unlikely we'll get the answers on his daughter there. Who knows when the true story of what happened to Lando's daughter will be told, if at all?

One thing we do know is that those with a Disney+ subscription can stream Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker right now. It's worth a rewatch for those who haven't seen it since it was in theaters, especially with the franchise finally pushing forward into what all happened after Episode IX. 

Anakin Skywalker appeared once again in the Star Wars universe via a cameo in Ahsoka, but there's still a lot of debate surrounding what it actually was. The complicated nature of the "World Between Worlds" opened the door to a lot of possibilities regarding the character's status going forward, though I think the past movies explain his appearance rather easily. 

Following the release of "Part 5: Shadow Warrior" and lots of speculation about Anakin Skywalker, I'm throwing my hat in the ring into what I think went on in this episode. Granted, I am as in the dark as everyone else as to what the true intentions and meaning of the episode were, but I think there's evidence from the movies that could make it clearer. 

There Are Many Theories About Anakin's Appearance

Anakin Skywalker is confirmed to be a Force Ghost in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, so I wouldn't be surprised if the gut instinct of many is to assume he was a ghost in Ahsoka. One wrench in the theory is that Anakin is not blue like most Force Ghosts we've seen, and he does much more than we've seen Force Ghosts do. Others, like The Nerdist have theorized he's something beyond that, which is basically just calling him a Force Ghost with more powers.

Star Wars Rebels fans will point out that Ezra Bridger saved Ahsoka from dying in her battle with Vader during the series by ripping her through the portal before the temple collapsed. In fairness, if that happened then time travel rules would say that Ahsoka never actually died because Ezra did that the first time we saw it happen. Plus, when Ahsoka was pulled through she didn't magically get mystical powers. I doubt Anakin somehow found his way to the World Between Worlds while alive, and I highly doubt he is back from the dead like some do. 

How The Star Wars Movies Could Explain Anakin's Presence

The Ahsoka scene reminded me of when Luke Skywalker entered the cave attuned to the Dark Side in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. When Luke asked Yoda what was in that cave, he said, "Only what you take with you." Luke then went on to face what he believed was Darth Vader, only to kill him and see his own face behind the mask. 

A moment similar to the cave scene happened again in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker when Rey battled a darker version of herself amidst the wreckage of the Death Star. Ultimately, Dark Rey was not real, and just like with Luke, Rey was struggling internally with herself and what her place was in the universe.  

I believe that both of these scenes speak to what happened to Ahsoka and that the Jedi manifested a vision of Anakin that tied to specific points in her life. Like the cave on Dagobah or the wreckage of the Death Star, the World Between Worlds is a place where The Force has a significant presence and one that is capable of manifesting challenges for those in its presence. 

With Sabine back in her life, Ahsoka is clearly thinking back to her own unfinished Jedi training with Anakin. It's no surprise that he would manifest in a vision and help her come to terms with the conflict in her mind about feelings regarding him. Perhaps Ahsoka felt that in abandoning Sabine's training, she was no better than Anakin? 

Obviously, I'm just out here theorizing with the rest of the world, but I think there's a good enough track record to suggest that Anakin Skywalker was never physically actually in Ahsoka in any form.  However, there's still enough show left for me to be proven wrong. So we'll see how the rest of this series plays out. In the meantime, perhaps I should binge Star Wars Rebels all over again with my Disney+ subscription. 

Ahsoka premieres new episodes on Disney+ on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET per the 2023 TV schedule. Tune in for the eventual reveal of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger, and stick around for whatever excitement comes next. 

There are major movie franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. Generations grew up with the galaxy far, far away, so there’s a large and extremely dedicated fanbase. Said fanbase often likes to rank the various movies of the space opera, especially the main Skywalker Saga. And that practice can sometimes extend to the cast too. Case in point: Finn actor John Boyega recently ranked the sequel trilogy from best to worst. 

Boyega spent years playing Finn in the sequel trilogy. But following the release of The Rise of Skywalker, he’s been able to get some space away from the franchise. And as such, he was all too happy to rank the sequel trilogy while appearing on the popular web series Hot Ones. He responded eagerly, saying:

Well, there you have. John Boyega didn’t mince his words when comparing the quality of his three Star Wars movies. And he seemingly thinks that The Last Jedi is the worst, while The Force Awakens was the best. As for The Rise of Skywalker, that’s somewhere in the middle. And this take is sure to turn the collective head of the fandom.

Boyega got real about his Star Wars trilogy while promoting his new movie They Cloned Tyrone, which will be available with a Netflix subscription. Eventually the conversation turned to George Lucas’ beloved franchise, as his interviews often do. Rather than eating more spicy wings to avoid the question, he quickly ranked the movies without hesitation.

While he didn’t talk badly about the movies, it seems clear where John Boyega stands in the long-running debate about The Last Jedi’s quality. Director Rian Johnson subverted expectations with Episode VIII, which some fans took umbrage with. But after The Rise of Skywalker arrived, opinions seem to have softened on the Abrams movie… even if folks can’t get over Leia floating through space.

Boyega has been keeping busy with projects like They Cloned Tyrone and The Woman King, but some fans are hoping to see him return to Star Wars as ex Stormtrooper Finn. Specifically, they’re hoping he appears in Daisy Ridley’s developing Rey movie, possibly as a Jedi training in her new Order. 

It’s unclear when Star Wars will return to theaters, but there are new live-action shows coming to Disney+ including Ahsoka. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

There are popular movie franchise, and then there’s Star Wars. Generations of moviegoers have grown up with galaxy far, far away, resulting in a ton of super passionate fans. And while the property continues to expand thanks to live-action shows on Disney+, it’s unclear when the franchise might return to theaters. And Jon Favreau recently teased how the sequel trilogy will influence future movie projects.

Jon Favreau is the man behind The Mandalorian, which was the first and is by far the most popular live-action Star Wars show on Disney+. We’re currently in the midst of Season 3, but fans are eager for information as to what’s coming next on the big screen. Favreau recently spoke to Moovy TV, and talked about how the sequel trilogy can still be mined for new stories. In his words:

Some points were made here. While Star Wars fans watched how the sequel trilogy ended the Skywalker Saga forever, there are plenty of more stories than surround that specific time in the timeline. After all, the galaxy presumably wasn’t in neverending piece after Palpatine and his forces were killed for good.

Jon Favreau’s comments came as he was promoting Season 3 of The Mandalorian. That beloved show is set around five years after Return of the Jedi, and helps to bridge the gap between trilogies. Although he believes there’s a ton to explore following the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Indeed, fans definitely have qustions about theories about what happened next.

Unfortunately, it’s still unclear as to exactly when production will begin on the next Star Wars movie, let alone when it’ll actually be released in theaters. Lucasfilm has announced a number of projects, some of which are seemingly trapped in development hell. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron was originally going to be the first movie in theaters, but it’s been put on indefinite hold. Then there’s Taika Waititi’s movie, although it’s unclear if he’s actually developing the blockbuster or not.

Give just how wildly successful The Mandalorian has been, there are plenty of Star Wars fans out there who want to see Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni to collaborate on a big screen project for the franchise. It’s unclear if that’ll ever happen, but they clearly have an idea of what works in the franchise, and what the audience wants to see.

The Mandalorian is airing new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

There are few movie franchises quite as beloved as Star Wars. Generations of moviegoers grew up with the galaxy far, far away, so it has a special place in the hearts of many. While getting a role in the space opera is a dream job for actors, it also comes with a certain amount of pressure. Newlywed Daisy Ridley knows this all too well, as she became a household name while playing Rey in three different movies. And Ridley recently opened up about feeling imposter syndrome while filming the sequel films. 

Daisy Ridley’s Rey was the protagonist of Star Wars’ sequel trilogy, which wrapped up the nine-film Skywalker Saga as we know it. She had tons of emotional and physical work to do during that time, in addition to long press tours promoting the films. And while her performances have been widely acclaimed it turns out that she struggled with feeling like an imposter, especially while working on The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Ridley recently shared her experience with THR, saying: 

There you have it. Considering just how dropped in her performances seem throughout all three Star Wars movies, it might be surprising to hear that Daisy Ridley struggled in this way throughout the first two installments. But she did ultimately overcome, and was able to feel much more present while working on J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker. 

Since The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters back in 2019, Daisy Ridley has presumably had the time to reflect on her time playing the new hope of the Jedi. She’s been keeping busy with much smaller projects, which likely is refreshing after her years of Star Wars related fame. Although some fans are hoping she’ll return to her role someday.

Later in that same interview, Daisy Ridley shared more about why she felt so different when working on The Rise of Skywalker compared to her previous two Star Wars flicks. It seems like it’s largely about having the same cast and crew working on the trilogy, and therefore feeling like she was in a safe space. In Ridley’s words:

As previously mentioned, there are already fans hoping to see sequel actors like Daisy Ridley and her co-stars John Boyega and Oscar Isaac return to their signature roles in the Star Wars universe. This is partly because there have been no Star Wars movies in theaters since the Skywalker Saga ended. And while a few projects have been announced, it’s unclear exactly when this might change.

With Star Wars expanding on both the big screen (eventually) and via shows in Disney+, it feels like just about anything is possible. So if the right project comes around, perhaps it’ll inspire the likes of Daisy Ridley and company to return to the galaxy far, far away. Fingers (and lightsabers) crossed.

The entire Star Wars franchise as it stands is currently streaming on Disney+. Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie is expected to be the first to hit theaters, but that could change as the timeline is unclear. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

During The Force Awakens, the origins of Daisy Ridley’s Rey were shrouded in mystery, as the young woman had no idea where her family had gone to or why she’d been left on Jakku. In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren informed her that her parents were “filthy junk traders” who’d sold her off for drinking money, and that they were long dead. Then The Rise of Skywalker came along, revealing that Rey was actually the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine, as her father, Dathan, was one of the Sith Lord’s failed clones. A little over three years after the release of the Skywalker Saga’s final chapter, Ridley has shared her thoughts on the Rey/Palpatine twist.

While chatting with Rolling Stone at the Sundance Film Festival about her new movie Sometimes I Think About Dying, Daisy Ridley was asked by the news outlet how she felt about how Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ended, with the interviewer saying that Episode IX “retconned almost all of what transpired in The Last Jedi” in regards to the middle entry of the Sequel Trilogy passing along the message that “anyone can be extraordinary.” The actress answered:

So Daisy Ridley has never been so much concerned with where Rey comes from, i.e. her parents being nobodies vs. being the latest in the Palpatine bloodline, but more about what the heroine chooses to do with her life. On that front, Rey did quite well for herself by the time the Sequel Trilogy was over, as she chose not to follow in the footsteps of her malevolent grandfather, despite seeing a vision of herself having turned to the Dark Side. Maybe Ridley might have taken Rey down a different narrative path had she been part of that “pay grade,”but it sounds like she’s pleased with the final destination where her character ended up.

The Rise of Skywalker was one of the more polarizing Star Wars movies, with one of the common complaints being that it retconned much of what The Last Jedi set up, though there’s also a segment of the fanbase that feels these two movies work really well together. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, The Rise of Skywalker marked the end of the long-running Skywalker Saga that kicked off in 1977 with A New Hope. Whether or not Daisy Ridley ever reprises Rey remains to be seen, as contrary to popular belief, her Lucasfilm social media post from last December was not a tease that she was returning to the franchise set in a galaxy far, far away.

Break out your Disney+ subscription if you’d like to revisit The Rise of Skywalker while streaming the Star Wars movies in order. Sometimes I Think About Dying doesn’t have a wide release date set yet, but it’s one of four movies Daisy Ridley has coming out this year, the other three being The Inventor, The Marsh King’s Daughter and Young Woman and the Sea.

John Boyega’s tenure in the Star Wars universe may have ended with 2019’s Rise of Skywalker, but the major experience continues to affect the British actor’s career going forward, including his decision to work more behind the scenes. In recent years, Boyega has become a producer on a number of his projects. As he recalled, his time on Star Wars led to that decision, and he specifically remembered a moment involving an argument about lightsaber colors. 

The Star Wars actor first earned the name of producer on Pacific Rim: Uprising before also executive producing the based-on-a-true story drama Breaking and the upcoming Attack The Block sequel. In a conversation with Black Panther’s Letitia Wright (per Variety) regarding how he got into producing, John Boyega said this: 

While starring in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, now available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, he noticed he was interested in having a producer’s job, which on the set of the blockbuster films would allow him to make major creative decisions. It’s one thing to show up and read your lines, but Boyega wants to be part of the deeper conversations filmmakers make about movies that really matter past his own decisions for his particular character. 

John Boyega has been open in the past about his bigger wishes for the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, such as a stormtrooper rebellion, which he believes the movies should have had, along with Luke’s character being fleshed out before his death. Fans are also understandably mad regarding Finn’s story in the trilogy since he was sidelined as the movies went on. Boyega was not necessarily satisfied either, and shared that he had “honest” conversations with Disney after the fact to perhaps help the next round of people. 

John Boyega’s most recent project to come out was being part of The Woman King cast, where he played King Ghezo alongside the likes of Viola Davis and Lashana Lynch. Next up, he’ll star in a science-fiction comedy called They Cloned Tyrone with Jamie Foxx, Kiefer Sutherland and Teyonah Parris, as well a sci-fi thriller called The Test.

Despite Star Wars falling short in terms of bringing to life John Boyega’s Finn in a way fans and the actor would have liked, the actor gained a lot from the role. He became a household name and learned that he’d like to work behind the scenes, in addition to being an actor. No wonder so many actors are getting into producing these days; it allows them more ownership over their projects!

There are beloved movie franchises, and then there's Star Wars. Generations of moviegoers were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, so the fandom is large, powerful, and (above else) vocal. And those fans recently freaked out about the idea of Daisy Ridley returning as Rey, thanks to the actress' posts from Lucasfilm. And the chatter got so loud that she had to respond, thanks to accidenally breaking the internet.

Daisy Ridley went viral among Star Wars fans thanks to recent posts on her Instagram Story. The 30 year-old recently went to Lucasfilm, offering a glimpse at her experience with a statue of Yoda. This quickly got fans into a frenzy, as folks theorized whether she might be back as Rey in a movie, TV show, or even video game. Check out the post below:

This simple image got Star Wars fans very excited, many of whom sounded off online. Rumors about how Daisy Ridley might reprise her signature role began rolling around, as folks are eager to see Rey back on the screen. Luckily for us, those who visit Disney parks are treated to additional content in the form of Galaxy's Edge attractions like Rise of the Resistance. Still, some fans are already eager to see the sequel trilogy characters return in one way or another. 

Eventually Daisy Ridley seemingly was alerted to the fan reaction that she accidentally inspired online. And as such, she eventually set the record straight, revealing that she was merely visiting Lucasfilm for lunch. She used a throwback with the cast of The Rise of Skywalker, while offering her explanation. Check it out below,

Well, there you have it. While some Star Wars fans were getting hyped about seeing Rey back on the screen, there doesn't seem to actually be any plans for this. Daisy Ridley promises nothing "saucy" was happening at her recent visit to Lucasfilm, despite any online chatter. Do you hear that sound? It's various fans letting out a sigh of disappointment.

The above post from Daisy Ridley's Instagram Story helped to set the record straight on her rumored return as Rey in the Star Wars universe. The Rise of Skywalker only hit theaters back in 2019, so that would have been a surprisingly quick return for the Murder on the Orient Express actress. But despite this, folks starting sharing excitement online. Case in point, the following Twitter post:

While there are plenty of fans who want to see more from the sequel trilogy characters, it's unclear if/when we'll ever seen the likes of Rey, Finn, and Poe. The trio of actors made it seem like they needed a break after the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which is understandable considering the quick pace of their three movies. It's also unclear when the franchise will return to theaters, as a number of projects have been announced but no major steps forward have taken place. And as such, actors like Daisy Ridley might be getting that much-needed break for the foreseeable future.

While it's a mystery as to when another Star Wars movie is hitting theaters, the franchise continues to expand with live-action shows on Disney+. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year. Unfortunately there's no titles from the galaxy far, far away.

When Disney first concluded its sequel trilogy with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, there seemed to be a growing consensus amongst the fandom. Episodes VII through IX had their highs and lows, and regardless of what any one individual considered those highs and lows (Star Wars' original editor did not like the Sequel Trilogy at all), everyone seemed to agree it was best to take a step back from that era for a bit. Evidently Lucasfilm concurred, as each successive project it announced seemed to focus on other eras in the saga. Now there are rumors the franchise is ready to revisit that era with Damon Lindelof’s upcoming Star Wars movie, and if that’s true, there’s one easy way to boost its relevance. 

Star Wars has landed on Disney+ in a big way with a number of shows that fans have tuned into and many more on the way. I believe that if the franchise knows what’s good for it, it'll work toward ensuring that a couple, if not many of the characters from those shows make some appearance in this Lindelof project, assuming it's actually a follow-up to the Sequel Trilogy. There’s obviously some sound logic to talk out on why this is a good idea, so let’s get into it and hope the powers-that-be are already two steps ahead on this idea. 

Fan Opinion On Star Wars Television Is More Universal Than The Movies

I wouldn’t say that every Star Wars television project is beloved, but I’d argue the approval rating of most of them is far higher than the movies as of late. Additionally, fan opinions on the shows are more universal compared to the Sequel Trilogy. This is completely understandable in some regard considering that the sequel movies had less time to win audiences over than some of the shows, and this trilogy really split the fandom when it went in decidedly different directions between The Last Jedi and The Rise Of Skywalker. 

To be fair to both of those movies, they dealt with higher stakes and were forced to take bigger swings than ones that The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the other shows have had to take thus far. Those decisions wouldn’t be effective if they weren’t divisive with the fandom on some level, especially with a fandom as broad and diverse for a franchise like Star Wars. Even so, I think one key to The Mandalorian's specific approval rating is that it’s telling a lower-stakes Star Wars story, and because it’s a television series, audiences are accepting and completely on board with that. 

The main point, however, is that people love The Mandalorian, so it seems like an easy choice to put a character like Grogu into this rumored movie in some way. There are, of course, more people than “The Child” that can be thrown into the mix from the shows, though admittedly, quite a few that are off the table. Then again, if Emperor Palpatine can survive being thrown from an upper ledge on the Death Star that later exploded, surely we can make a case for Cassian Andor surviving the destruction of that Scarif base!

Marvel Showed That Marrying Television And Film Is The Right Call

The Marvel Cinematic Universe certainly has its differences from Star Wars, but considering it’s another franchise that is mindful of its content to ensure it all stays in line with the canon of the shared universe, Star Wars could take some notes for how the MCU treats its latest batch of shows. Specifically, Star Wars should look at how the stories Marvel is telling on television is actively impacting its film universe and adds relevance to both mediums. 

Think back to how hyped people were when Daredevil first appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home? They were thrilled to learn Matt Murdock is back in the MCU, and later on, it was announced he was getting his own television show. Almost a year later, people are loving She-Hulk and wondering if and when she’ll pop up in a movie. Oh, and when we’re going to learn the story of where Hulk was at and why he has a son. 

So far, Star Wars treats most of its television shows as supplemental to the films. Sure, occasionally a movie will feature a brief reference to a character from an animated series, but beyond that, everything made so far hasn’t notably impacted or changed the universe on a scale the movies have to address it. In fairness, that’s partially because there are no plans to remake or further change the Prequel and Original Trilogies, but that can change with this rumored plan to build on the Sequel Trilogy. 

The Mandalorian seems like the most obvious series for Lucasfilm to incorporate into any successor to the Sequel Trilogy, mainly because Grogu has a long lifespan. With that said, there are plenty of human characters who could appear in that type of project as well from Ahsoka, though they’d be much older. Even so, Luke, Han and Leia were still able to aid the Rebels even in their advanced age, so there’s no reason to think Ezra and others couldn’t as well. 

Whether they’re from The Mandalorian, Star Wars Rebels or one of the other shows, there’s no shortage of beloved characters of the franchise who could help increase interest in an upcoming movie. Like Marvel, Star Wars can and should use that to help set up what it has on the way on television, and then use that TV content to pave the way for movies. It’s worked well for Marvel so far, so why not Star Wars?

Star Wars Loves Connecting Things

If there’s one thing the Star Wars franchise loves, it’s making its massive universe feel really small by connecting all the characters within it. Seriously, this galaxy is absolutely massive with tons of planets and people, and yet all the relevant people in movies and shows always seem to know each other? This trend has been a part of Star Wars for a while, so I’ve come to embrace it. As such, the franchise should also embrace it by connecting its original characters to prominent movie characters. 

There’s already a playbook to make this happen, of course, as many characters in the Sequel Trilogy knew the OG characters in Star Wars, who are linked to the many of the characters featured in Star Wars shows thus far. Assuming some of these characters are still around in the timeline of the Sequel Trilogy, all they’d have to do is name drop Luke Skywalker, and boom, connection made. Perhaps the strongest argument for adding TV characters to the movies is the fact that it wouldn’t be weird at all given how the franchise connects its universe elsewhere. So hopefully that’s in the works, and each of our favorite characters we keep our Disney+ subscription for will turn up in a future Star Wars movie before too long. 

It will likely be a while before we get confirmation or firm details on a Sequel Trilogy follow-up in the Star Wars universe, but there’s plenty of content available to stream on Disney+ in the meantime. I’d recommend checking out Tales of the Jedi, which has already impressed some folks with its stories about beloved Star Wars characters. 

The Star Wars universe is infinite, as one can easily tell from the countless movies and TV shows dedicated to offering the saga’s complete story. There is a lot to catch up on when you’re not learning about the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, whether you watch these projects on physical media, digitally or stream them with a Disney+ subscription. But how do they follow the timeline?

Well, you could either enjoy all of the Star Wars movies and TV shows in order by their original release date, or you could trace the entire Skywalker Saga (as it has come to be referred to) in chronological order. In our opinion, however you choose to experience this enduringly popular, action-packed and inspiring story should mainly depend on your familiarity with it.

If You Have Not Seen The Star Wars Movies And TV Shows Before

If you happen to be among the Younglings who still have much (or all there is, more accurately) to learn about Star Wars, don’t worry. We won’t judge you. However, we do believe that the best way to finally become a fan of the saga is to experience it the same way most diehard fans have: watching the films and TV shows in the order they were released.

If You Have Seen The Star Wars Movies And TV Shows Already

For those who have received the proper training to almost be called a Jedi Master (translation: “already watched all of the Star Wars movies and TV shows released so far”), perhaps it is time, if you have not already, to experience the saga in its “proper” form. Try reliving all of the most exciting key moments of the long-running franchise in chronological order. This will certainly help you become a master of following the continuity, which can be tricky unless you look through our guide below.

Star Wars Movies And TV Shows In Order By Release Date

Allow us to explain the proper order of all the older and latest Star Wars movies and TV shows confirmed as canon, so far, as clearly as possible for you, here. First, however, we will list all titles in the order of their release, for those who may prefer to experience the full saga that way.

• Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
• Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
• Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
• Star Wars Rebels (2014)
• Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
• Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)
• Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
• The Mandalorian (2019-Present)
• Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-Present)
• Star Wars: Visions (2021-present)
• The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
• Andor (2022-present)
• Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi (2022)
• Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023-present)
• Ahsoka (2023-present)
• Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (2024)
• The Acolyte (2024)
• Skeleton Crew (2023-present)

Star Wars Movies And TV Shows In Chronological Order

SPOILER WARNING: Do you have a bad feeling about this article – particularly that we will give away crucial details about the entire Star Wars franchise on screen? You would be correct in trusting that instinct, as we will be getting into spoilers beyond this point. If you are not caught up on all the movies and TV shows in the timeline, proceed with caution and may the Force be with you.

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023-present)

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures’ placement in the canon is debatable since this is a show geared towards preschoolers. However, assuming everything that happens within it can be officially placed on the timeline, then this is the earliest entry yet when it comes to Star Wars movies and TV shows. Young Jedi Adventures is set during the High Republic era, i.e. hundreds of years before the main Star Wars movies, and focuses on Yoda training a group of younglings in the ways of the Force. Two seasons of the show have aired so far, first being released on Disney+, then airing on Disney Junior.

The Acolyte (2024)

The Acolyte takes place at the tail end of the High Republic era, roughly 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, making it the earliest live-action entry on the franchise’s timeline released so far. The Disney+ series follows twin sisters Osha and Mae, who are revealed to have been born through a "vergence" in the Force that could create life, and essentially the same person. While the rest of The Acolyte's main cast is also comprised of new characters, it does feature the first appearance of Darth Plagueis and a silent Yoda cameo. The show was cancelled after just one season.

Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi (2022)(Count Dooku's Story)

Both Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire are outliers in the Star Wars saga because as anthology series, they not only follow multiple characters, but also explore numerous time periods. As such, these shows don't have one dedicated spot on the Star Wars timeline, so it’s best to break them down by each character’s story.

For the most part, Count Dooku’s Tales of the Jedi story (which raises a big question about Yoda) in Season 1 is set prior to The Phantom Menace, with Star Wars fans following along with the character as a younger man in his Jedi Knight days and eventually taking on Qui-Gon Jinn as his apprentice, and eventually learning how he became disillusioned with the Jedi Order. That being said, the story does chronicle events that happened after the first Prequel Trilogy installment, with Dooku learning about Qui-Gon’s death and cementing his status as Darth Sidious' apprentice.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

The origins of George Lucas’ Skywalker Saga (before it was even collectively referred to by that name) were revealed in its “first” episode. Set years before the events of the 1977 original, The Phantom Menace, the first chapter of the Star Wars movies’ prequel trilogy (which has its good moments), depicts a more peaceful time in a galaxy far, far away, but not for long.

After Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi narrowly escape the hostility of an evil trade federation, they must then aid the planet of Naboo by protecting their queen, which takes them to Tatooine, where they meet a boy named Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi take him under their wing, believing him to be destined to bring balance to the Force. They will one day be proven right, but not in the sense they anticipated.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones (2002)

Ten years after defeating Darth Maul to avenge the slain Qui-Gon Jinn at the conclusion of The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan Kenobi is now a Jedi Knight training a grown, sand-hating Anakin Skywalker as his Padawan in the second chapter of the Star Wars movies prequel trilogy. Following a failed assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan investigates the matter and discovers a secret army of clones modeled after Jango Fett, a bounty hunter with a son named Boba.

Meanwhile, Anakin finds himself falling in love with Padmé, despite the Jedi’s forbiddance of romance. The pair visit Anakin’s home planet to find his mother dead, igniting a murderous hunger for vengeance against the Tuscan Raiders who killed her. Fortunately, the story concludes with Anakin and Padmé returning to aid Obi-Wan and Mace Windu in a civil war within the Galactic Republic. After seemingly defeating the manipulative forces of the Sith once again, Anakin and Padmé wed – the only witnesses being their trusted droids C-3PO and R2-D2.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)

The continuation of a theatrical film that expands the history of the Clone Wars, this acclaimed animated Star Wars TV show takes place between the events of Episode II and Episode III. Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and his new apprentice Ahsoka Tano are among the many Jedi battling against the Separatist droid army.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars also marks the unexpected return of Darth Maul, who is now a partially mechanical being after his natural bottom half was claimed by Obi-Wan in Episode I. The series also includes other established characters from previous Star Wars movies and TV shows, and paves a clearer path between the Prequel Trilogy and the original films by deeply exploring the much-referenced Clone Wars. It also introduces several now fan-favorite characters, like the ruthless bounty hunter Cad Bane.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

Three years into the Clone Wars, Jedi Knight and soon-to-be father Anakin Skywalker’s commitment to the Light Side hangs by a thread as Palpatine slowly and insidiously lures him to the Dark Side. He shows his allegiance to the Sith by helping Palpatine (revealed to be Darth Sidious) wipe out the Jedi – even the younglings – under his new title: Darth Vader.

Obi-Wan reluctantly defeats Vader (making for arguably the best lightsaber duel), leaving him burned by lava and losing all but one of his extremities, but fails to foil the Sith’s overtaking of the Galactic Republic, now reformed into the Empire. Vader is given a mechanical suit that helps him breathe and walk, but immediately after, he learns that his wife Padmé has died. Before that though, she gave birth to twins, Luke and Leia. Leia is adopted by Bail Organa on Alderaan, and Luke sent to live with his aunt and uncle on Tatooine, where Obi-Wan promises to keep close watch over the boy.

Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi (2022)(Ahsoka Tano's Story)

It’s not possible to put Ahsoka Tano’s Tales of the Jedi story in a solidified spot on this list. We go from seeing her being born, to her Force abilities awakening as an infant, to being put through a rigorous training exercise by Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars, to hiding from the Empire in the aftermath of Order 66 and being forced to battle an Inquisitor.

So because Ahsoka’s story stretches as far as immediately after Revenge of the Sith, that’s the safest place to put it on here. Just know that you’ll really be following along with her across the entire span of the Prequel Trilogy and a little into the Empire’s early reign.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-2024)

Set during the aftermath of the Clone Wars, this Disney+ original animated series follows a group of genetically engineered clone troopers, all of whom are played by prolific voice actor Dee Bradley Baker. Struggling to understand why they, unlike everyone else of their kind, sided with the Jedi, they embark on a quest to learn the truth.

The show a unique and exciting follow-up to the acclaimed Star Wars: The Clone Wars series featuring appearances by a few fan favorite characters, such as Fennec Shand, Cad Bane and even Asajj Ventress, as well as explored why the Empire stopped using the clone troopers, and revealing that Omega wasn’t the only female Jango Fett clone. The series ended in May 2024 after three seasons.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Set a decade or so into the First Galactic Empire’s rule, Solo: A Star Wars Story follows young aspiring pilot Han, whose dream to leave his home planet takes him on a journey involving tours with the Imperial infantry, smuggling an energy source called coaxium for crime syndicate Crimson Dawn, and making the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs.

We also learn how Han was given his last name, how his ability to speak Wookiee earned him the respect of the pit beast who almost killed him named Chewbacca, that his former girlfriend Qi’ra turned out to be an employee of Darth Maul, and managed to claim the Millennium Falcon by beating Lando Calrissian in a card game. So essentially, everything you may or may not have needed to know (or already did know from previous Star Wars movies) about Han Solo is revealed.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Set a decade or so after the Galactic Empire’s rise, Obi-Wan Kenobi now goes by “Ben” on Tatooine – where he still keeps a close eye on young Luke Skywalker, much to the chagrin of his protective uncle Owen and aunt Beru. Despite having little hope for or interest in the growing resistance, he is forced to rediscover his warrior ways when Bail Organa informs him that his adoptive daughter, Leia, has been kidnapped.

However, the kidnapping is a trap set by the ruthless inquisitor Reva in hopes to earn the respect of Darth Vader, whom she is secretly seeking vengeance against for murdering younglings like her years earlier. Struggling to ensure Leia’s safety and that of the resistance fighters he received help from along the way, Kenobi realizes he must face Vader himself in a shocking, deeply sorrowful duel. Reva also rediscovers her own goodness by sparing the life of her enemy’s young biological son, Luke, whom Kenobi also gets to officially meet for the first time before being reunited with the Force Ghost of his slain master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Tales Of The Empire (2024) (Barriss Offee's Story)

In the final episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 5, Barriss Offee, Luminara Undula’s former apprentice and close friend to Ahsoka Tano, carried out a series of bombings in Coruscant after becoming disillusioned with the Jedi Order. She was eventually arrested for her crimes, and Tales of the Empire showed her being freed from prison after Order 66 in order to become one of the Empire’s Inquisitors. It’s unclear how much of a time jump occurred between the second and third episodes, but given what happens with Fourth Sister, it’s best to put this after Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)

Yet another animated Star Wars TV show to bridge the gap between subsequent films of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars Rebels sees the Galactic Empire at the peak of its rule. As it increases its efforts to hunt and eliminate the last of the Jedi Knights in hiding, a rebellion begins to take form.

This Emmy-nominated series follows a crew previously unfamiliar to the Star Wars universe who take it upon themselves to stand up against the Empire. This ensues much death-defying conflict against a few of the saga’s most iconic figures, including Darth Maul. Some of Rebels' important characters also go on to appear in Disney+'s live-action Star Wars shows, including The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

Andor (2022-present)

Beginning 15 years after the rise of the Empire, Andor points the spotlight on Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, who goes on to play an important role in Rogue One. While we know how Cassian’s story ends, Andor winds the clock back to show how the former thief became involved with the Rebel Alliance. This series also features Mon Mothma, one of the Rebellion's key leaders, in a prominent role, but the majority of the series’ characters are brand-new to a galaxy far, far away. This includes Adria Arjona's Bix Caleen, Stellan Skarsgård's Luthen Raeland even Andy Serkis returning to the franchise as Kino Loy following his time in the Sequel Trilogy as Snoke.

Andor was created by Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One with Chris Weitz. Season 1 finished in November 2022 and it will return for a second and final season. Among the things we know about Andor Season 2 is that it will cover the entire four years leading directly into Rogue One, and it's set to premiere on April 22.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

In this prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy disguised as a spinoff, Jyn Erso has been on her own since childhood after her scientist father was forced to abandon his family to assist the Galactic Empire. Years later, she reluctantly joins a ragtag group of rebels at an especially pressing time for its cause.

After Jyn discovers that her father had intentionally designed a moon-sized weapon for the Empire with a debilitating flaw, her newfound sense of hope inspires her to pass the information to the resistance, which sets in motion the rebellion’s most important mission yet: steal the plans to the weapon, known as the Death Star. Rather than getting a happy ending, Jyn and her crew, spontaneously dubbed “Rogue One,” all lose their lives in honor of the mission, but not before successfully intercepting and transmitting the Death Star plans to the Rebellion’s ally, Princess Leia Organa.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Picking up immediately after the events of Rogue One, Star Wars: Episode IV sees Darth Vader and the Empire threatened by “a new hope” as droids C-3PO and R2-D2 escape to Tatooine to deliver a message from Princess Leia to Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi. They cross paths with an aged Ben through their new owner, Luke Skywalker, who then discovers he is a Jedi with abilities passed down from his father, Anakin Skywalker.

They then enlist Millennium Falcon pilot Han Solo and his Wookiee companion, Chewbacca, to rescue Leia and bring her to the safe hands of the Rebel Alliance. Despite losing Obi-Wan to a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader, the crew succeeds and joins the Rebel Alliance in a battle that results in the destruction of the Death Star. Luke, Han, Chewie, C-3PO, and R2-D2 are rewarded by Leia for their efforts in defiance of the Empire.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Rebel Alliance suffers the Empire’s vengeful attack at their headquarters on the ice planet of Hoth in the set up for the Star Wars movies’ first sequel that continues to chronicle the war for peace across the galaxy. Luke Skywalker flees with R2-D2 to Dagobah to seek Jedi training from Master Yoda while Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO seek refuge at Cloud City – governed by Han’s old acquaintance Lando Calrissian.

Unfortunately, the rebels are thwarted by the Empire, who freeze Han in carbonite, before Darth Vader confronts Luke to reveal that he is truly his father in an attempt to lure him to the Dark Side. Luke escapes and reunites with Leia and the surviving rebels, pondering an uncertain future to their cause.

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

After successfully rescuing Han Solo from crime lord Jabba the Hutt, Luke Skywalker completes his training at Dagobah as the Rebel Alliance prepares an attack on the almost rebuilt Death Star and the Empire awaits the arrival of the Emperor. Han and the others travel to Endor, where they befriend the native Ewoks, in hopes to disengage the Death Star’s shield generator. While there, Luke reveals to Leia that they are siblings and the biological children of Darth Vader before leaving to confront the Sith lord in hopes to bring him back to the Light Side.

The Emperor taunts Luke, weighed down by the threat looming over his friends, but his attempt to lure him to the Dark Side is stopped by a sudden change of heart in Darth Vader, who kills the Emperor, leading to his own death. Luke escapes the Death Star before the Rebels successfully destroy it, securing the end of the Empire’s rule and inciting a celebration on Endor where Luke sees that his father’s Force spirit lives on beside Yoda and Obi-Wan.

Tales Of The Empire (2024) (Morgan Elsbeth's Story)

As with Ahsoka’s story in Tales of the Jedi, there’s no way to place Morgan Elsbeth’s story in Tales of the Empire in a firm spot on this timeline. First we see her surviving General Grievous’ assault on the Nightsisters of Dathomir, which occurred during the Clone Wars Season 4 episode “Massacre.” Then it jumps forward to her meeting Thrawn sometime in the middle of her Imperial career, and then we see her as Corvus’ magistrate shortly before the events of The Mandalorian. So to be safe, stick this before the series following Din Djarin and Grogu if you’re watching in chronological order.

The Mandalorian (2019-Present)

Set between the fall of the Empire and the rise of the First Order, creator Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian follows a bounty hunter, named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal). After rescuing an infant with great, forgotten power (who later comes to be known as Grogu), he takes an oath to make sure that he stays out of harm's way. The series has done a lot over its run, from spotlighting Mandalorian culture to bringing back characters like Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker and even Zeb from Star Wars Rebels.

In January 2024, The Mandalorian & Grogu was announced, and Jon Favreau will direct it. The movie comes out on May 22, 2026, and will bring in people like Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, Jonny Coyne reprising his Imperial Warlord character and Sigourney Weaver in an undisclosed role. However, now it’s unclear if The Mandalorian Season 4 is also still happening.

The Book Of Boba Fett (2021-2022)

More a continuation of The Mandalorian's second season than a spinoff, Disney+'s The Book of Boba Fett sees Temuera Morrison reprising the role, now as the central character... for the most part. The series reveals how the former bounty hunter survived the Sarlacc pit, became acquainted with his companion, Fennec Shand, and adopted a somewhat more peaceful philosophy after establishing kin with Tusken Raiders.

As a crime lord, he struggles to make a difference in the town of Mos Espa on Tatooine, which eventually leads him to enlist Mando's help against a crime syndicate associated with his former mentor, Cad Bane. In the process of defeating the syndicate, Mando is also reunited with Grogu after the youngling chooses to be with his surrogate father instead of continuing his Jedi training with Luke Skywalker.

Ahsoka (2023-present)

Ahsoka takes place after the title character's appearance in The Mandalorian Season 2. This is evidenced by Morgan Elsbeth, whom Ahsoka Tano captured in the aforementioned show, being broken out of custody in Ahsoka's first episode. Without going into spoilers, this show also definitely takes place after The Book of Boba Fett given where we leave off with the character in the finale.

For those who watched Star Wars Rebels and are keen to see how this live-action show picks up the plot threads it left behind, the series' opening episodes overlap with the epilogue in the animated show's finale, with Ahsoka Tano returning to Lothal to recruit Sabine Wren to help her find Ezra Bridger. Along the way, they clash with new foes, like Force users Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, as well as cross paths once again with Grand Admiral Thrawn, reprised by Lars Mikkelsen. Lucasfilm confirmed in January 2024 that Ahsoka Season 2 is happening, but we’re a long ways off from learning specifics about the next episodes.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2023-present)

Star War: Skeleton Crew is arguably the most self-contained of the Disney+ Star Wars shows so far, as it follows four children from the planet At-Attin being accidentally taken away from their home and trying to make their way back with a pirate who seemingly knows how to use the Force. However, we can place the show during the New Republic era, specifically after The Mandalorian Season 3 given the presence of the pirate Vane, who previously worked for Gorian Shard. Whether or not Skeleton Crew Season 1 takes place before or after Ahsoka is less certain, so we'll just go with the latter option for now.

Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020)

The now (mostly) peaceful galaxy is hanging by a thread when a new threat emerges. The First Order seeks to reclaim rule of the Republic in the name of the fallen Empire. Disney Channel's animated Star Wars TV show follows a young resistance pilot tasked with investigating the First Order in hopes to defend the galaxy before once again succumbing to the authority of the Dark Side. Like The Clone Wars and Rebels, Resistance is a Star Wars show that both kids and adults can enjoy.

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)

Years after the First Order has assumed dominance, resistance pilot Poe Dameron leaves a map leading to an exiled Luke Skywalker with trusted droid BB-8 before he is captured by Kylo Ren. A stormtrooper helps Poe escape and earns the nickname Finn, but crash lands on Jakku, where BB-8 has befriended abandoned scavenger Rey. They flee Jakku using the Millennium Falcon, whose previous owners, Han Solo and Chewbacca, find them and accompany them to the planet Takodana, where Rey is kidnapped by the First Order.

Luckily, the others are rescued by Poe and taken to a resistance base led by General Leia Organa, who sends Han and Finn to the Starkiller Base to rescue Rey. For the first time since he turned to the Dark Side and became Kylo Ren, Ben Solo sees his father, Han, and kills him in an effort to prove his worth to the First Order. After the resistance destroys the Starkiller Base, Rey travels to find Luke in hopes to begin her Jedi training and enlist his help in defeating the First Order.

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)

Rey receives Jedi training from the reluctant Luke Skywalker, whose failure to save Kylo Ren from the Dark Side has, essentially, rendered him hopeless. Meanwhile, as the First Order tracks the Rebellion by hyperspeed, Finn teams up with mechanic Rose Tico in a search for a codebreaker who may be of great help.

After learning that Luke tried to kill Ben Solo due to his dark tendencies, Rey flees and is captured by Ren, where the unlikely duo combine efforts against Supreme Leader Snoke, only to depart when Ren admits he was hoping to rule the First Order with her. The Rebel Alliance takes refuge at Crait, where Luke’s force projection faces off against Ren. The battle weakens the Jedi Master to death, but helps Rey escape Crait with the resistance, who now face an uncertain future.

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

In the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, we learn the First Order has been secretly run the whole time by Palpatine. Not only that, but the revived emperor also turns out to be the grandfather of Rey, who has worked to complete her training with Leia Organa. Unfortunately, Leia later succumbs to illness while Rey is dueling with Kylo Ren in the remnants of the second Death Star.

In the end, Rey is able to defeat Palpatine and destroy the First Order with the help of a reformed Ben Solo, who also dies after using the Force to resurrect Rey after she initially succumbs to her own exhausted power in battle. The surviving rebels, including Lando Calrissian, celebrate their victory as Rey returns to Tatooine where she buries Luke and Leia's lightsabers and assumes Luke’s last name as her own – hence the title, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. But while this story marks the end of the Skywalker Saga, Rey will return in her own movie being directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

Star Wars: Visions (2021-present)

The reason Disney+’s Star Wars: Visions is at the bottom of the list is because most, if not all of the stories told within this animated anthology series aren’t canon. Visions provides an opportunity for animators around the world to leave their distinct stamp on the franchise without needing to worry about continuity. The first season was comprised of all anime short films, while Season 2 delivered offerings in different animation styles from various other countries. So there's no need to worry about slotting Visions into the timeline; these shorts can be watched whenever you feel like it.

So there you have it: the entire timeline of the main saga set in a galaxy far, far away as told through the many Star Wars canon movies (which we’ve ranked) and TV shows in their proper order. However, keep in mind, this story is far from over, so keep visiting CinemaBlend for the latest and greatest news on the franchise.

There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. George Lucas’ colorful space opera changed the film world forever, and countless moviegoers were raised on the galaxy far, far away. And while we’ve been treated to plenty of new content thanks to live-action shows on Disney+, the franchise is on a break from movies. But could Jurassic World’s Colin Trevorrow return to the Star Wars franchise? Here’s his honest take.

For those who were unaware, Colin Trevorrow was originally attached to direct Episode IX, which was titled Duel of Fates in his version. This is why J.A. Bayona helmed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom instead of him. Unfortunately he didn’t see eye to eye with the studio, and eventually departed that gig, calling it “traumatic.” But Trevorrow was recently asked by ComicBook about returning to Star Wars, where he got honest by saying:

Well, there you have it. It looks like Colin Trevorrow isn’t super excited about the prospect of returning to another movie franchise. Although he did clarify that it’s not necessarily an aversion to the sci-fi property, but because he just spent so long working within beloved franchises. As such, it seems he wants to create outside of that type of work.

Colin Trevorrow’s comments come as he’s promoting the home release of Jurassic World: Dominion. The recent threequel wrapped up the current trilogy of movies, and united the new heroes with the trio of original stars from Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. Given his years working on that and the ill-fated Duel of Fates script, Trevorrow has put years of work into already existing blockbuster properties. 

While Colin Trevorrow is seemingly disinterested in giving Star Wars another try as a filmmaker after his firing, it seems like there’s never been a better time for a filmmaker to step in with a bold vision for the galaxy far, far away. The Rise of Skywalker ended the nine-film main franchise, which should allow for more standalone movies that aren’t tied to the main story. Maybe Colin Trevorrow can be convinced after some time away from franchise work.

Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins was originally going to be the first filmmaker to break ground via the Rogue Squadron movie, but it was put on hold due to creative differences. As such, Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie might get the honor, although there’s no real information about his vision. Clearly there’s been more of a focus on small screen projects like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Jurassic World: Dominion is available on DVD and Blu-ray now, which includes an extended cut. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Is it over for the Skywalker saga? Recently, it feels like Lucasfilm is starting to make an effort to launch a new era within the Star Wars timeline that doesn’t completely rely on the story (and family) that started it all. With that in mind, we have to wonder if fan-favorites from this period of the franchise will still be explored down the line, like Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron. In the past, the actor hasn’t seemed interested in the prospect of a return, but let’s talk about the latest thoughts he shared when asked about playing the pilot again. 

After wrapping up the role of Poe Dameron in 2019’s Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, Oscar Isaac said he was more inclined to make “handmade” movies than standing in front of a blue screen for major franchises like Star Wars. And he memorably joked (?) that he’d return to Dameron if he needed another house. Here’s what he says now: 

Oscar Isaac is keeping his options open, per his words to SiriusXM. While it certainly doesn’t sound like he’s running back to his orange jumpsuit in the near future, the actor isn't shutting down the idea of returning to the galaxy far, far away -- if the right project came his way. Two things seem to factor into how he’s making decisions moving forward. He has to form a connection with the story and filmmaker, and he has to have enough time to actually do the project. 

Oscar Isaac is 43 years old and has two young sons, 5-year-old Eugene and 2-year-old Mads. When he started working on the sci-fi franchise back in 2014, the actor was not yet married and wasn't a father. He may have different priorities these days and be pickier about the projects he decides to sign on for. 

I could certainly see Lucasfilm exploring Poe Dameron in the future with a Disney+ series focused on the character or even a solo film. But on the other hand, the actor and the cast of the Star Wars sequel trilogy dealt with a lot of unforeseen changes in creative direction and so forth. Isaac previously opened up about “Disney overlords” for not being ready to bring Poe and Finn’s relationship to screen after his “push” for it as well as lot of fan excitement for it to become canon. (Seriously, is there still tension there?) 

Since wrapping up his work as Poe, Oscar Isaac has beena part of some big projects like Dune, which Star Wars has roots in and Marvel’s Moon Knight, which could lead to him being one of the new MCU heroes to join the next Avengers movies. We’ll have to see how it all pans out as we follow all the upcoming Star Wars coming our way next. But you can stream his past SW appearances using a Disney+ subscription.

Movies can be expensive. Many films, like Waterworld (which is awesome, by the way) go way over budget, as that's just the nature of the beast sometimes. Hell, this isn't even factoring in advertising and publicity once the movie is actually complete. But honestly, when it comes to the most expensive movies ever made, well, some of these price tags might actually make you squeamish.   

Now, keep in mind that companies usually don’t like to admit how much money they’re spending on their productions, so I’ll leave links below to reputable sources as to the reported budgets to all of the movies mentioned. But, the question is, were the high price tags worth the cost? Well, I’ll leave that for you to decide after looking over this list (which isn't ranked), but, I'll definitely share my opinions. 

Avengers: Endgame (Budget: $365 Million) 

Formerly the highest grossing movie of all time (It had surpassed Avatar, only for Avatar to overtake it again at the box office), Avengers: Endgame was estimated to have a budget of $365 million dollars, according to IMDB, but, according to its director, Joe Russo, he said that the real cost was more like $500 (!) million dollars. He had this to say at the Sands International Film Festival of St. Andrews, via Deadline.       

Five-hundred million?! That’s a lot of moolah! But, the question is, was it all worth it? Well, I’m going to go with a HELL YES because, as mentioned earlier, Avengers: Endgame went toe-to-toe with Avatar as the highest grossing movie OF ALL TIME. Plus, these Marvel movies practically print money, and not only at the box office, either, as merchandise and theme park attractions, like Worlds of Marvel, extend the brand even further. So, yes, even though it cost beaucoup bucks to make, it was definitely worth the budget. Don’t you think?   

Avengers: Infinity War (Budget: $321 Million) 

Now, as just mentioned in the last entry, Avengers: Infinity War, according to Joe Russo, also cost somewhere around $500 million to make, even though IMDB lists it at being estimated around $321 million, and we ourselves even reported that Infinity War’s budget was in the $300 million dollar range. And, who’s to say? With tax rebates, maybe the eventual total did come to something around $321 million. Look, I’m a movie guy. Not a numbers guy.   

That said, even though Infinity War made a staggering $2 billion dollars worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, was it still worth that hefty $500 million (Or, $321 million) dollar price tag given that it wasn’t even the final movie in the Avengers saga? Well, I’m going to say yes…with an asterisk.   

While $2 billion dollars worldwide is certainly nothing to sneeze at, just look at a considerably less pricey movie like Spider-Man: No Way Home. IMDB has that movie listed at an estimated budget of $200 million, and it still came up with Avengers: Infinity War-sized numbers. That said, Sony got most of those profits, so, who’s to say how much net profit Disney actually received from that movie (Remember, Sony got the box office receipts, while Disney got the toy sales)? Either way, high price tag or not, the money for Infinity War was certainly worth it…to a certain extent, anyway.       

 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Budget: $365 Million) 

Now, Avengers: Age of Ultron has got to be the wonkiest movie when it comes to getting a read on how much this movie actually cost to make. According to IMDB, it had a budget of $250 million. But, according to other sources, like The Numbers, which tracks box office budgets, it says that the cost ballooned to upwards of $365 million. Even so, a Forbes article claims that Age of Ultron had a gargantuan budget of $495 million. A lot of this is probably because of what each major Avenger took home, namely Robert Downey Jr., who made a cool $40 million, all on his own.       

So, was Age of Ultron worth the backbreaking budget? Well, according to Box Office Mojo, it made $459 million domestically, and over a billion dollars worldwide. So, yes, over a billion bucks is pretty good, but Age of Ultron is often considered a misstep in the Marvel filmography. It received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 76% from critics, and it’s often seen as lesser than the first Avengers movie (which is better than anything Star Wars, by the way). So, it was definitely not a flop, but was it worth all that money? Well, I say yes…sort of.       

Justice League (Budget $300 Million) 

Disney/Marvel isn't the only superhero company mining in Tinseltown, you know, as Warner Bros./DC also dipped its cape into the water. The most expensive of the DC films, Justice League is an interesting case, since it really turned into two movies. You had Joss Whedon’s Justice League, which reportedly had a budget of $300 million, according to IMDB, with some of its costs being shelled out for reshoots. Then, you had Zack Snyder's Justice League for HBO Max, which added $70 million to the budget.  

But, was it worth it? Well, that depends. Think about this. The original "Joss-tice League," as some people call it, made $229 million domestically, and $657 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. That's…decent, but many would say that a movie with that many recognizable characters should have made more than a film like Black Panther, which made over a billion dollars worldwide at the box office, per Box Office Mojo.   

Though Zack Snyder's Justice League was a success on HBO Max, was it worth the extra $70 million on top of the already expensive cost? Well, I'd personally say no, and I'll tell you why in a second.      

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (Budget: $250 Million) 

Before Justice League, there was Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which IMDB notes came in at a budget of $250 million (Forbes rumors say the final tally was closer to $400 million). According to Box Office Mojo, it made $330 million domestically, and $873 million worldwide, which is actually MORE money than what Justice League made. Have you ever heard of diminishing returns? Well, that's exactly what happened to Justice League in the wake of Batman v. Superman.  

Now, would more people have rushed to see Justice League if Zack Snyder had finished directing it? Maybe, and our very own Sean O'Connell wrote a whole book about the Snyder Cut. But, for my money, it was not worth the budget, given that it had the opposite effect of not getting people to want to see its follow-up. Oh, well.       

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (Budget: $275 Million) 

If I were to rank the Star Wars movies, I would put Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at dead last. That movie is terrible! But, this list isn't about the quality of the movie. It’s more about how much it made back.    

Domestically, the third movie in the Disney trilogy made $515 million, and $1 billion dollars internationally, according to Box Office Mojo. That said, Deadline reports it cost more than The Force Awakens, and also The Last Jedi, but, it made less than both of them. So, say it with me again, children...Diminishing returns! 

That said, crossing a billion is no small feat. And, since this is another Disney property, it's very hard for it to not recoup its profits down the line with merchandise, theme park attractions, Disney+ subscriptions, etc. So, was it worth the high price tag? Well, I'd say that every Star Wars movie is worth the budget. Okay, ALMOST every Star Wars movie, which I’ll get to in a second… 

Solo: A Star Wars Story (Budget: 275 Million) 

I just made a point to say that no amount of money is too much for a Star Wars movie, but Variety reported that Solo: A Star Wars Story cost at least $275 million to make, and that's way too much for this particular Star Wars movie. The high price is mostly because of its troubled production. Lord and Miller were set to direct the movie, but Ron Howard was brought in to replace them. Thus is life.    

According to Box Office Mojo, the film made $213 million domestically, and $392 million worldwide, which, to be quite frank, isn't that great given how much work and money went into it. Considering that this side-story didn't really add much to the saga, well, I'd say that Solo: A Star Wars Story was 100% not worth that price tag.  

John Carter (Budget: $250 Million)  

I don't know if you're noticing a trend, but a majority of the movies on this list are from Disney. Unlike with Marvel or Star Wars, which are brands that will automatically get people's butts in seats, Disney took a massive risk on revitalizing an old character called John Carter, and well, the rest is history.  

According to Box Office Mojo,  John Carter made $73 million domestically (welp!), and $282 million worldwide. Usually, I would say that there are no failures for Disney, but this, and The Lone Ranger, are kind of the outliers since they didn't make a huge financial splash, nor did they have any huge cultural impact that they could bank upon later. So John Carter was clearly NOT worth the budget, and I'm sure the studio heads at Disney would agree with me.   

Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (Budget: $341 Million)  

The former most expensive movie of all time, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, was the third movie in the seafaring series starring none other than Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Box Office Mojo says the film made $309 million domestically, and $960 million internationally. That's a good amount of change. But, the Pirates movies have always fascinated me because I'm not really sure how much they help Disney's bottom line. 

Disney already has a Pirates of the Caribbean ride, as that's where the series came from in the first place, but how much did Disney make outside of the movie? Did they make a lot of money off of toys? Video games? T-shirts? I really don't know. As an outsider looking in, I would think that the Pirates films, even with that high box office tally, isn't worth that high amount, but, I could be wrong. Again, I'm a movie guy. Not a number cruncher.  

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Budget: $410 Million) 

Reportedly the current most expensive movie ever made (Forbes), the fourth movie in the Pirates franchise still made a lot of money.  

According to Box Office Mojo, it dug up $241 million domestically, and over a billion dollars internationally, which is more than its predecessor. But, shiver me timbers, is that enough to justify such a high price tag when they could have just easily green-lit another Marvel or Star Wars movie instead? In the end, I really can’t say.   

How many of these budget-busting blockbusters have you seen? For more news on the biggest movies around, make sure to swing by here often! 

For a moment in time, the then-unnamed Star Wars: Episode IX was under the creative influence of intended co-writer/director Colin Trevorrow. As a previous candidate for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it felt like a moment that was fated to happen. Of course, Trevorrow’s high profile parting of the ways made way for The Rise of Skywalker to come into existence. 

It may have been a heartbreaking experience, but it was one that ultimately served Colin Trevorrow’s return for Jurassic World Dominion rather well. Speaking with the director, along with his co-writer Emily Carmichael, on the press day for the latest Jurassic film yielded interesting stories about how Dominion ultimately came together. 

As Trevorrow spoke with CinemaBlend, the story of how his Star Wars experience influenced his return to the Jurassic World franchise unfolded. One key component working on both of these fan-favorite franchises was how to handle the balance of legacy characters alongside their newer counterparts. Colin Trevorrow laid out the importance of that factor as follows: 

Colin Trevorrow was adamant about balancing Jurassic Park’s legacy cast in the total calculus that is Jurassic World Dominion’s legacy-quel ecosystem. Sometimes that sounds easier said than done, but life found a way to make Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm just as important as Owen Grady and Claire Dearing. 

Trevorrow’s “traumatic” departure from Star Wars: Episode IX didn’t only teach him a lesson in balancing the old kids and the new; it also showed him an example of old fashioned loyalty. Colin Trevorrow further explained during our Jurassic World Dominion interview that when he made the jump between franchises, some key personnel came along for the ride. Production designer Kevin Jenkins, as well as the “entire art crew” that were part of Episode IX, migrated into Jurassic World’s big summer showstopper. 

Hindsight is 20/20, and Colin Trevorrow may have gained a massive lesson when observing the intense fan reactions to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. In a movie that included a death fake-out involving Chewbacca, a hotly debated conclusion to the story of the late Carrie Fisher’s General Leia Organa, and the alleged sidelining of Rose Tico, a learning experience was waiting to happen. 

The adventure that Alan, Ellie, and Ian set out on is just as important as Owen and Claire’s continued efforts of Jurassic preservation. Thankfully, there’s only one fake-out involving death, but it’s used at the right moment. As both Colin Trevorrow and Emily Carmichael explained towards the end of this portion of the Jurassic World: Dominion conversation, the lessons mentioned above were very much in mind when crafting this film. 

"Colin Trevorrow: So when it came to this moment, it gets back to the question of, ‘Are we gonna kill Ian Malcolm or not?’, we really wanted everyone to leave this movie feeling really good, and hopeful. We’re in a difficult time, we’re in a challenging moment when everyone’s a little scared. To be able to make a movie that assures everyone, ‘Actually, the people you love are going to be alright. The dinosaurs you love are safe. And maybe there’s a way out of this if we do it together.

Emily Carmichael: But, of course, we can’t land it if we don’t earn it. Without putting them in that danger, their safety doesn’t feel real, and it doesn’t feel earned."

Learning from both good times and bad is key in any part of life. Colin Trevorrow only further proves that lesson's importance with the effort he put into his part of the Jurassic World Dominion experience. No matter the perception on the film itself, at the very least, the work speaks for itself. Jurassic fans will get to see that work for themselves really soon, as the moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. 

Jurassic World Dominion is set to open in early showings tonight following several international debuts. Dinosaurs and humans alike will fight for survival, just as the film will fight savage Jurassic critical reactions and Top Gun: Maverick to dominate this weekend. The Force may not be with him, but let's hope that Colin Trevorrow has found a way to make this film into a prehistoric success. 

There are long-running franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. The galaxy far, far away changed the film world forever with the original trilogy, and has remained part of the pop culture landscape in the decades following. And Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy has shared a key detail on what to expect from future movies in the sci-fi property.

The nine-film Skywalker Saga ended with 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, and there haven’t been any new movies hitting theaters since then. Instead, Star Wars continued to expand thanks to live-action shows on Disney+. And during a recent conversation with Empire, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy just shared a key detail on what to expect from future Star Wars movies. Specifically where in the timeline they’ll be set, teasing:

Well, I’m interested. While a ton of recent Star Wars content has focused on the time between the prequels and A New Hope, it looks like future movies might explore what happened after the events of the sequel trilogy. And with the main story wrapped up, filmmakers could seemingly go anywhere with future Star Wars flicks.

This information from Kathleen Kennedy comes from her recent appearance at Star Wars Celebration. While the convention largely focused on upcoming TV content, there are countless questions about the franchise’s future on the big screen. After all, a number of movie projects have been announced and scrapped over the years.

The first Star Wars movie that was expected to hit theaters after The Rise of Skywalker was Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron. Unfortunately, the Wonder Woman filmmaker had creative differences, and that project was put on hold. Then there’s the announced trilogy by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, but was scrapped when they exited their deal. Both Rian Johnson and Taika Waititi are attached to their own Star Wars movies, but there’s been no concrete release date provided. 

It should be interesting to see exactly where the new Star Wars movies take the beloved sci-fi franchise whenever they’re finally released. The evil of the First Order/Empire is seemingly gone forever, which will no doubt change the galaxy forever. Perhaps Rey will start a new Jedi Order? Only time will tell.

For now, Star Wars continues to expand on the small screen with the new series Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The world of Star Wars seems to have shifted from a primarily theatrical experience to that of a universe of connected streaming shows. The countless Disney+ subscribers have seen that ever since The Mandalorian became such an intergalactic hit, and now the streamer is going hard on episodic projects in that galaxy far, far away. So much so that it turns out an Amblin-type coming-of-age adventure is in the works, with another Marvel director leading the charge.

If you were wondering why Jon Watts dropped his Fantastic Four duties, this new Star Wars announcement may be part of the reason. In a gigantic spread in Vanity Fair that lays out the future of Disney’s plans for multiple series, one such show was mentioned as being “created and executive produced” by Watts, alongside writer Chris Ford. Set at some point after the Rebellion’s victory over the Empire in Return of the Jedi, the leads will apparently be four children “around 11 to 12 years old,” getting into Amblin adventures in a Star Wars setting.

From the details above, it sounds like what we should be expecting is something that Disney+ might consider as its equivalent to Stranger Things. You can practically see how this would play out: a group of scrappy youngsters, running around in an era of great turmoil and uncertainty, just bound to run afoul of Imperial remnants and foil their evil plans. It actually sounds kind of cozy, when you really think about it. 

Not only is Jon Watts a great fit for this project, but his hiring just proves that much like when Jon Favreau defected to the Star Wars machine, MCU directors get how this sort of thing works. Even before his days directing Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man trilogy, Watts’ R-rated adventure Cop Car saw two kids messing around with the titular vehicle and a sadistic officer of the law. While darker than his more PG-13 output, you could see that the director knew how to tell a story with children at the heart, no matter the rating.

Star Wars as a franchise has been all about branching out with its recent streaming output, on top of still making theatrical films with directors like Taika Waititi and Patty Jenkins. Three pretty huge experiments in that effort will be launching throughout 2022, and the upcoming Star Wars series set to drop this year include Obi Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor as the next entry. Digging into stories of characters other than the Skywalkers, while also tying those adventures into the main line theatrical franchise’s story, there’s a potential for these new youngsters to run into some familiar faces over time.

As there’s no set timetable for production or when to expect Jon Watts’ new Star Wars project to kick off, these details are pretty sparse for a reason. There’s even a chance that this series might not immediately get off the ground, joining concepts like Rian Johnson’s mysterious  trilogy on the proverbial backburner. As exciting as this all sounds, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all pans out in the days to come.

Meanwhile, the world of Star Wars marches on for Disney+ subscribers! All of the films, as well as TV series like The Mandolorian and The Book of Boba Fett, are currently available to stream at this very moment. May 27th will see Obi Wan Kenobi join the ranks, with the two-episode premiere kicking off further weekly drops in the limited series’ run. 

The following contains minor SPOILERS for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Marvel Studios’ newest film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, made box office news before it even came out when it was revealed that the movie would not make it to theaters of some Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, following the decision to not make a requested edit to the film. The edit in question was in regards to some form of LGBTQ+ content, but Disney made the choice to not release the movie at all rather than make the edit.

This is the latest move in what has been an ongoing attempt by Disney to better represent the LGBTQ+ communities. For a company that has been making films for nearly 100 years, it has been a long road to the point that we are in. That road hasn’t exactly been an easy one, but Disney has certainly come a long way from where it started.

 The Early Years 

Needless to say it has only been in recent years that characters in Disney movies were overtly seen as queer in any way, but that doesn’t mean that Disney movies were entirely devoid of characters that could be read as queer. There’s actually a significant amount of queer coding in early Disney characters. The major problem is that it’s almost all in the villains.

Characters like Captain Hook and Shere Khan use affectations that could be read as gay. Even as late as the Disney Renaissance, you had characters like Ursula, who was specifically based on drag queen Devine, making her overtly queer. Nothing was ever said or even implied about specific sexuality, but the implication was there. It's only been in the last few years that any of this has changed at all.

Disney’s “First Gay Moment” 

It would not be until 2017 that we got anything resembling an overt reference to anything other than a straight character in a movie from Disney. Having said that, it was 2017’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and even Josh Gad, who was part of the moment, now admits that it really wasn’t the moment it should have been.

Gad’s LeFou uses queer coding like many of those Disney characters before him. However, in the film’s finale, when all our heroes are dancing together, we see him dancing with another man. It’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, but it was there.

Background Scenes 

In 2019, we saw a strange pattern emerging where movies released by Disney would “include” gay characters, but only as set dressing. In both Toy Story 4 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, we saw background characters who did not have names or any dialogue, but were clearly to be seen as gay. In the former movie, a classmate of Bonnie’s has two moms who take her to school and pick her up later. In the latter film, two women kiss in celebration following the defeat of The First Order.

Once again, this fell into the “slightly better than nothing” category. Of course, in the case of Star Wars, it was still nothing in some nations, as the kiss was edited out of the movie for its release in the Middle East and Singapore, though the kiss was left in for Chinese audiences. 

The Minor Mentions   

Concurrently with these background scenes that you might not have even noticed, we saw the first direct references to gay characters in some other Disney movies. These at least had the benefit of being characters who were in the center of the frame and delivering dialogue, though they were also minor characters who viewers were likely to forget about quickly.

Marvel Studio’s “first gay character” appeared in Avengers: Endgame, and was played by one of the move's directors, Joe Russo. He mentions going on a date with a man in a support group being run by Chris Evans’ Captain America. Pixar’s Onward included a police officer who pulls over the main characters, and later in the scene makes reference to her girlfriend. Disney did not edit these moments out of these films, though in both cases, it's reported Russia changed the dialogue in dubbing to remove the references.

2021 - The Year Of Actual Gay Characters In Disney Movies 

Disney still has a long way to go when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation in its films, but 2021 was at least a significant step forward as we saw three films where significant characters who were important to the stories being told were queer. The first of these was Cruella, where the title character befriends Artie, played by John McCrea. McCrea himself is gay, and while Artie’s sexual orientation is never a topic of discussion in the film, the actor believes the character is queer. The big step here is that a character like Artie in an earlier Disney movie would have been a villain, but here, he’s one of our heroes. 

Later in 2021, we saw Disney’s Jungle Cruise. In this movie, Jack Whitehall plays one of the three main protagonists of the movie, and in one scene with Dwayne Johnson, he discusses that his attractions go in a different direction. Though, perhaps predicting the future, Whitehall doesn’t say “gay.” Finally, in Marvel’s Eternals, we saw one of the titular heroes, the character of Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry, revealed to be gay. Eternals was banned in several nations, and Jungle Cruise did eventually open in China. That would seem to indicate the gay scene was cut, as China usually does not allow such content in the movies it releases, but I have been unable to confirm that, so it's possible the scene stayed in.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness And The Future 

That leads us to the newest movie to make the news for simply having LGBTQ content, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Following in the steps of Eternals, Marvel and Disney have made the choice to simply not release the new MCU feature in Saudi Arabia after censors in the nation requested that a few seconds of the movie be cut. We've since learned that his scene shows that the MCU’s America Chavez has two mothers. 

We also know of at least one more movie that is on the way that will contain a same-sex kiss: Pixar’s Lightyear. Interestingly, the word is that the scene was originally cut from the Chris Evans-led movie before being added back in following the aftermath in the ongoing battle between Disney and Florida over the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. 

What the future holds is anybody’s guess. Disney certainly does seem committed to continuing to include LGBTQ+ representation in its films, but many feel that what the Mouse House is doing now just isn’t enough. We don't really know if the future will see continued steps forward or simply more of the same, but CinemaBlend will pass along any other notable updates on this front.

The Star Wars franchise might be stalled when it comes to the film side of things, but projects are rolling out of Lucasfilm at a clip that’s unprecedented from the past decades. The arrival of Obi-Wan Kenobi will further deepen the library of Star Wars TV shows, so then what's happening with movies set in a galaxy far, far away. Sure, there are projects in development, but one might wonder when the next great Star Wars trilogy will arrive? 

That answer to that is unclear right now, but with little news on when to expect the next Star Wars trilogy, I can’t help but think that it's not a bad thing to continue holding off. Star Wars seems to be moving away from the planned trilogy format it leaned on for The Skywalker Saga, and I absolutely believe that’s something the franchise should keep doing. 

Star Wars’ Live-Action Television Feels Like The Definitive Format For Longer Stories

I’ve held the opinion for years that Star Wars television is the preferred medium for telling big stories in this franchise, but not everyone is willing to jump in and watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels or even Star Wars: The Bad Batch (all available to binge with a Disney+ subscription). As acclaimed and well-loved as those projects are, not everyone may want to hunker down and watch an animated series, especially one that’s several seasons long. It’s nothing for any fan to be ashamed of, though I would heavily implore anyone who feels that way to reconsider. 

It seems that Star Wars’ live-action shows scratch an itch for everyone though. The Mandalorian had a dynamite two seasons (with a third one on the way), and while reception to The Book of Boba Fett was mixed, I think the point here still stands. Star Wars stories are packed with lore, lots of questions and references to other works. These are the kind of things that naturally lend themselves to storytelling on television, which can allow for a lot of content to be spaced out over the course of a season. 

It’s something that is presumably more difficult in Star Wars movies. Just to use the newest trilogy, as an example, The Rise of Skywalker had so much to conclude in its final chapter that one of the biggest plot points, the Emperor’s resurrection, happened entirely off-screen. What’s more, even the bigger questions that fans expected to be answered arrived in interviews outside of the movie, or even in the Rise of Skywalker novelizations. There isn’t enough time in a movie to answer every question the audience may have, and that can be a problem for many Star Wars fans. That’s not to say films should burden themselves to answer every single question, but when the final film in the Sequel Trilogy couldn’t answer some of the biggest questions in its allotted runtime, it’s hard to argue it’s the preferred medium over television for long-term storytelling.

Self-Contained Star Wars Movies Are Lower Risk Than Trilogies

It’s hard to deny the prospect of a Star Wars trilogy, or any trilogy for that matter, isn’t exciting. In fact, some of my fondest memories of pop culture revolve around the hype during the Prequel Trilogy, and how Star Wars dominated just about every advertising space there was. A Star Wars trilogy, in many ways, feels like a long-term holiday in which every little update is cause for celebration. 

Trilogies generate a lot of hype, but when a film comes out and doesn’t live up to expectations, it makes the response that much more intense. I’m not even joking when I say I refuse to mention Star Wars: The Last Jedi in conversation just because of how heated the conversation can still get years after the film came out. I think it’s silly for folks to off-handedly claim “It’s just a movie,” mainly because of what we discussed above. Trilogies create insane hype, to the point it feels like Christmas when a new movie is approaching. If you have a great or disappointing Christmas, people are going to hear about it. 

Standalone Star Wars movies like Rogue One and Solo still generated a fair amount of hype, but I think it’s fair to say the pressure wasn’t quite as great for those movies as it was for the Sequel Trilogy. I can’t say the lowered pressure of building a successful series of three films played entirely into that, but it does feel like it played a factor. 

I know there are people out there who want a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story, but there were others who felt like we didn’t need more adventures with Alden Ehrenreich’s Han Solo. A sequel still hasn’t happened, and whether that eventually changes or not, it feels like the better option compared to an already promised sequel that came amidst polarizing discourse or one that was canceled because of response. Standalone movies are great in that way, which might be why there are so many currently in the works for Star Wars.

Can’t We Just Take Star Wars Movies On A Case By Case Business?

Pre-meditated trilogies made sense for the Skywalker Saga (kind of), but I’m not sure if it’s something Star Wars needs to continue beyond that. Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises out there, and the money and fan interest can speak for themselves at this point. We’re also at a magical time where folks who had Star Wars most of their lives are in a position to make movies about things they like, so one would like to imagine the creative expansion of Star Wars has really only just begun. 

With that being said, now seems like as good of a time as any to let the fans decide which movies are the ones that go on to have sequel after sequel, and which ones are best left alone. Maybe Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie (which is still happening) gets two to five sequels, or maybe it’s just a one-off movie with nothing left to do beyond that. I’m at a point where I’d rather wait and see how the movie does before knowing sequels are set in stone, especially to avoid the polarizing discussions that happened during the sequel trilogy era. Plus, it only seems like it’s in Lucasfilm’s best interest to let the fans decide what they want to see more of, rather than telling them one series will get more movies than another.

All this talk about Star Wars makes me want to watch something related to the franchise today, and anyone else who feels that way can do so on Disney+. Now might be a good time to revisit some Obi-Wan adventures, especially with his new series just around the corner.

There are few movie franchises quite as popular as Star Wars. Entire generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, which has been expanding thanks to shows on Disney+. But the franchise’s future on the big screen is more unclear, as a number of projects are in the early stage of development. Both Patty Jenkins and Taika Waititi seemingly have Star Wars movies in the works, but now rumors are swirling about another.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ended the nine-film Skywalker Saga, leading Lucasfilm into a break from movie production. While there are a few projects expected to come down the line, there’s been some reports that a third movie might be in the early stage of development. Specifically the rumor claims that Watchmen and Lost’s Damon Lindelof would be the one working on this new Star Wars project. And my mind is blown.

This story about Damon Lindelof and Star Wars comes to us from Twitter of journalist Jeff Sneider who reportedly has sources close to Lucasfilm. So far the claim has been unconfirmed by the studio or anyone from Lindelof’s team. Still, his pedigree on projects like The Leftovers have proven that the celebrated screenwriter has a way of telling larger than life stories that still feel real and emotional. And that’s exactly what the Star Wars franchise needs at this time.

Following The Rise of Skywalker, a variety of Star Wars movie projects were announced to be in development. Unfortunately, there’s been some bumps in the road, and it’s unclear when the science fiction staple will return to theaters. Game of Thrones writers David Benioff and DB Weiss were attached to develop their own trilogy, but those plans were scrapped as they signed a development deal with Netflix. And that’s not the only setback that’s come to the galaxy far, far away.

As previously mentioned, Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins was going to direct her own Star Wars flick, titled Rogue Squadron. But production was put on indefinite hold, seemingly as a result of creative differences. It’s currently nuclear if that project is still happening. Then there’s Taika Waititi’s movie, but that won’t happen until after he’s finished his work on Thor: Love and Thunder. Clearly things are up in the air, which is why news about Damon Lindelof’s possible movie is so dizzying.

Damon Lindelof was able to put his own spin on the comic book genre with HBO’s Watchmen, which also told an emotional story about racism and generational trauma. It’s fascinating to think about what he might do with the Star Wars IP, especially now that future movies don’t have to be connected to the main Skywalker Saga. Hopefully this rumor is confirmed or denied sometime soon, before fans like myself get our hopes up.

In the meantime, new Star Wars content is coming out in quick succession over on Disney+. The Mandalorian became a sensation when it was released, and The Book of Boba Fett quickly followed. Fans are eager to see Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series, which will help fill in the character’s mysterious years on Tatooine. Hopefully plans for a movie come together, especially the rumored project with Damon Lindelof. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney+ May 25th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

There are few film franchises quite as popular as Star Wars movies. While the nine-film Skywalker Saga ended years ago, the galaxy far, far away continues to expand thanks to shows on Disney+ and developing film projects. Now it seems Star Wars icon Anthony Daniels is teasing his return at C-3PO, but where will he pop up?

Anthony Daniels originated the role of C-3PO back with Star Wars: A New Hope, reprising the role in all three trilogies and showing no signs of wanting to retire. He last played the role in live-action for Rise of Skywalker, while continuing to voice the droid in animated projects and theme park attractions. The 75 year-old actor recently teased another return to 3PO, as you can see below,

Well, color me intrigued. Anthony Daniels continues to be a delightful presence in the Star Wars community, and it looks like he’s once again going to be playing everyone’s favorite protocol droid. But exactly when and where his C-3PO will pop up remains a mystery for the time being.

The above image comes to us from the personal Instagram of Anthony Daniels. In it we see the Star Wars icon rocking a motion capture suit that’s often used to bring costumes and VFX characters to life. He looks thrilled to be rocking those mocap pajamas, which are no doubt much more comfortable than suiting up in C-3PO’s bulky costume. He’s been playing the fan favorite character for decades, it’s about time he does so comfortably.

The comments section for Anthony Daniels’ post on the Gram shows just how excited the generations of Star Wars fans are for his mysterious return as C-3PO. Most people are inquiring as to exactly what his role might be. But there’s also plenty of love thrown the legendary actor’s way. After all, there are multiple generations that grew up with his performances in all nine installments of the Skywalker Saga (plus Rogue One).

Of course, it’s also possible that Anthony Daniels could be playing another character in the Star Wars universe entirely. This wouldn’t be the first time, as he recently portrayed a newcomer named Tak in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Although the hashtags used by Daniels seem to hint that he is indeed playing his signature role.

Star Wars fans (myself included) are definitely intrigued to see how the franchise continues its journey on the big screen. While a number of shows on Disney+ are in the works, it’s unclear exactly when the property will return to theaters. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron was delayed indefinitely, while Taika Waititi will no doubt focus on Thor: Love and Thunder’s release before diving into his own mysterious movie.

The Star Wars franchise continues to grow thanks to new episodes of The Book of Boba Fett. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

There are few franchises quite as popular as Star Wars, with generations of moviegoers brought up on the galaxy far, far away. The nine-film Skywalker Saga ended with J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker, which featured the long-awaited return of Billy Dee Williams. It turns out that Episode IX could have given Lando Calriassian an awesome weapon, and we can see the design now.

After being noticeably absent for the first two installments of the sequel trilogy, fans were delighted to see Lando Calrissian finally appear in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with Billy Dee Williams playing his iconic role. But he could have been even more badass with a sweet wrist-crossbow. Check it out below,

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may have hit theaters years ago, but the revelations about J.J. Abrams’ blockbuster are still coming. And this concept art for Lando’s abandoned weapon has the potential to inspire some serious FOMO. Now I’m eager to know exactly how he might have acquired his own Mandalorian armor.

The above image comes to us from the Instagram of concept artist Matthew Savage. He’s worked on a number of major blockbusters, helping directors and prop departments to find their visual language. Other credits include The Batman, Rogue One, and the upcoming Halo TV series. Unfortunately, this particular design never made its way to the silver screen.

While Mandalorian culture and armor has become extremely popular thanks to shows on Disney+, Lando getting his own gauntlet would have preceded those streaming successes. But this scrapped weapon is all the more intriguing thanks to The Mandalorian, teasing the many years of Lando’s life which still remain unaccounted for. After all, we’re not sure what happened to Billy Dee Williams’ charming character after Return of the Jedi until he eventually showed up in The Rise of Skywalker.

Lando had fairly limited time in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but he definitely made an impact. After a brief meeting with the trio of heroes in the first act, Lando would once again pilot the Millennium Falcon in the final battle, bringing a cavalry of Resistance ships to take on the First Order. So perhaps we could have seen his sweet crossbow gauntlet used in his first scene on the desert planet of Pasaana. 

The ending of The Rise of Skywalker teased that Lando was about to take a new adventure alongside Naomi Ackie’s newcomer Jannah. But it’s unclear if we’ll ever actually get to see this partnership on either the small or silver screens. Additionally, some fans are still hoping that Solo 2 happens, allowing Donald Glover another opportunity to play young Lando. Fans also want to see him reprise his role in the developing Lando TV series. 

The Star Wars franchise continues to grow thanks to shows on Disney+, while fans wait for updates about the developing movies. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It’s hard enough losing a loved one, in any circumstance. But when your parent was one of the most famous actors on the planet, associated with a legendary franchise set in a galaxy far, far away, contending with your grief can be extra difficult, compounded by the fact that too many people keep asking you how you are doing, even though the reality of that answer changes by the hour. Our beloved Carrie Fisher died five years ago today, December 27, and her daughter Billie Lourd took to Instagram to express her complicated feelings about the loss, while answering the question she says she always gets from fans and followers. It makes all the sense in the world. 

As Billie Lourd points out in her tribute post to her late mother, defining “grief” is nearly impossible, because it’s something different for everyone who is going through it. And the feelings that you might be having about a lost loved one on a particular day, or in a particular hour, can change drastically with the arrival of a fresh memory, or the reminder of an experience, both happy and sad. 

Carrie Fisher was only 60 years old when she died at UCLA’s medical center after becoming unresponsive on a flight back to Los Angeles following the European leg of her book tour. Perhaps contributing to the compounded grief of her mother’s death, Billie Lourd also lost her grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, the day after Carrie passed. On December 28, a distraught Reynolds reportedly said, “I want to be with Carrie,” then suffered a stroke that led to her death in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. That’s a one-two punch of devastation that we know Billie Lourd must still be dealing with to this day. 

That’s why her description about the stages of death as an emotional meal really hit home, as she posts on social media:

Carrie Fisher’s death was deeply mourned by the Star Wars community, who looked forward to her participation in the final feature in the rejuvenated trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It was especially sweet and tender because Fisher shared the screen with Billie Lourd in the new Star Wars films, and passed the family legacy down from one generation to the next. Billie Lourd continues to act in a mixture of film and television projects, holding down roles in the American Horror Story series. Her next major project is the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise, which is coming out in 2022 and co-stars Kaitlyn Dever, Julia Roberts, and George Clooney.

2021’s been a big year for Adam Driver, as he’s starred in three movies: Annette, The Last Duel and the recently-released House of Gucci. Before these, the last time he was on the big screen was for his third and likely final outing as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. When it came to performing the lead antagonist of the Sequel Trilogy, Driver was forced to stay in character for one key reason: the character was frequently masked.

Adam Driver revealed this after being asked during a BBC Radio 1 interview how often he stays in character when the cameras aren’t rolling. The actor answered that that it’s mostly only when the need arises, and usually just depends on the scene and what it is that he’s doing. He continued:

Like Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, a.k.a. Ben Solo, wore a mask during his time affiliated with the dark side. Though in his case, it was purely to strike fear into those around him and emulate his Sith Lord grandfather, rather than its main purpose being a breathing apparatus. To be fair, Kylo destroyed his mask at the beginning of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so Adam Driver didn’t have to worry about that particular aspect of isolation in that movie. 

But as far as The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker were concerned, with all the time he spent wearing the Kylo Ren mask (much more in the former than the latter), Adam Driver was in a position where he wasn’t able to interact with his costars and the crew members that often. As a result, he felt it was necessary to stay in character even when footage wasn’t being shot of him giving an intimidating monologue or swinging around Kylo’s crossguard lightsaber. Hey, whatever it takes to deliver the best performance, right?

At least when Kylo Ren’s arc finally concluded in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, audiences got to see Adam Driver’s glorious face rather than it being kept obscured to the very end. While Kylo went to great efforts to repair his mask at the beginning of Episode IX, he ultimately followed in Anakin Skywalker’s footsteps and turned back to the light after his mother’s death. Ben Solo died a hero by giving his life force to bring Rey back to life.

Barring the possibility that Adam Driver could someday place a Force Ghost version of Ben Solo or perhaps a younger version of the character (either way, he’s not averse to it), his time in the Star Wars franchise appears to be done. Right now though, you can see Driver playing Maurizio Gucci in House of Gucci, and he’ll next appear in the sci-fi thriller 65, which is due out on April 22, 2022.

While Star Wars has long been hailed as one of the true original triumphs of the cinematic art form, the reality is that George Lucas has never been shy about discussing the key and fundamental inspirations that he had in imagining it. The Flash Gordon serials dazzled the filmmaker when he was younger, and there is clearly an influence from the work of Akira Kurosawa – most notably 1958’s The Hidden Fortress. There’s a long list of sources from which Lucas drew in the creation of his epic space opera, but inarguably one of the most significant was Frank Herbert’s beloved novel Dune.

It’s actually in part because of Star Wars that the spectacular sci-fi tome spent years being deemed unadaptable in the eyes of many, as audiences not in the know about the relationship between the works would potentially see a Dune movie as a “rip-off” of George Lucas’ vision. Thankfully, the accomplishments by director Denis Villeneuve this year have shattered that notion, with his 2021 blockbuster leaving a deep impression in pop culture – but a new story from The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that history wasn’t the only way in which the saga set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ultimately impacted the creation of the new film.

In the last few months and years, Denis Villeneuve has repeatedly talked about his extreme passion for bringing a proper adaptation of Dune to the big screen, and discussed how it has been a dream of his held since first reading the book as a kid. This in mind, it’s far from surprising to learn that he settled on his ideal location for filming the production years before he was actually hired to make the movie. He made part of his breakout 2010 feature Incendies in Jordan’s Wadi Rum desert, and during the experience he decided that it would make a phenomenal substitute for his visualization of the planet Arrakis.

Going into the making of the Dune – which filmed between March and July of 2019 – making this happen didn’t seem as though it was going to present any problems… but then Denis Villeneuve and his production designer Patrice Vermette discovered that they weren’t the only ones who had fallen in love with the miles and miles of sand and rock. During a pre-production helicopter ride over the Wadi Rum desert, the filmmakers spotted “a caravan of black SUVs,” and their instincts immediately told them that it might be another film crew.

Denis Villeneuve discovered Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker was filming in his dream location for Dune totally by accident.

As is detailed in the trade report, it turned out that this instinct was entirely correct. Once Denis Villeneuve and Patrice Vermette were on the ground, the latter contacted Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker’s supervising art director, Paul Inglis, and he confirmed that part of the Skywalker Saga finale was filming in some of the same places that Dune was targeting to shoot.

The simple idea of a desert planet is one of the many aforementioned details that George Lucas borrowed from Dune in the making of Star Wars (there are multiple connections to be made between Arrakis and Tattooine), so it isn’t particularly surprising that the two productions would end up eyeing the same stunning stretch of Earth – but that doesn’t totally subdue the feeling of irony in the circumstance. Thankfully, Wadi Rum is big enough that it was able to suit the needs of both films while specifically avoiding any significant overlap.

Patrice Vermette told THR that the discovery that Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker was “in town” led to a meeting between filmmakers from both productions in a hotel bar, and they were able to work out the logistics so that neither project would be impeded or affected by what was being done by the other. Said Vermette,

Because of the pandemic, the release dates for both Dune and Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker became further apart than anyone had originally anticipated, but one could argue that time only helped the former stand out as a new chapter in the world of blockbuster sci-fi filmmaking. We are now in the midst of the biggest gap between live-action Star Wars movies that we’ve experienced since the launch of The Force Awakens in 2015, and Dune is now properly occupying that time by unfolding its own epic cinematic adventure – which will continue with Dune: Part Two in October 2023.

While the overlaps in their existences of the sci-fi franchises are undeniable, it’s amazing that we now live in a time when Dune is getting the opportunity to truly set itself apart from Star Wars, and it’s an effort for which fans will forever be grateful, with Denis Villeneuve being at the center of the love.