Star Wars – Reel News Daily

Will You Find the Force? – Star Wars launches Force Friday II

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

http://www.starwars.com/findtheforce

Following the global phenomenon of Force Friday in 2015, Disney and Lucasfilm today announced Find the Force, a global augmented reality (AR) event rolling out on Force Friday II (September 1) to commemorate the worldwide launch of new products inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The pop-up AR treasure hunt aims to unite fans around the world in the battle against the dark side in a unique three-day event at over 20,000 retail locations across 30 countries. As fans turn up to take home new The Last Jedi products, they will have the opportunity to activate a unique augmented reality experience featuring Star Wars characters, including fan-favorites and new surprise additions from the film.

“Force Friday II is a major milestone in the countdown to Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Star Wars has always championed new technology, and we are excited that augmented reality will allow fans to experience the universe in a whole new way,” says Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm.

From September 1-3, retailers around the world will invite fans to Find the Force by taking part in an AR treasure hunt.

To celebrate Force Friday II, fans can reveal new and favorite characters from Star Wars: The Last Jedi in augmented reality, and help the Resistance find information about key personnel:

Download the Star Wars app (for iPhone® and Android™) and launch the “Find The Force” feature.
Starting September 1, look for Star Wars graphics with the “Find The Force” logo at participating retail locations and websites. Click here for full list.
Scan these graphics using the “Find The Force” feature to reveal AR character experiences.
A data chip will be unlocked each time a new AR character experience is revealed. Unlock digital rewards as you collect more data chips!
Each graphic reveals a different AR character experience every day from September 1-3.

Try it now! Download the Star Wars app, launch “Find The Force” and scan the image below to unlock an AR character early:

(15 in total across the program’s three-day run). Click here for more information:www.starwars.com/findtheforce.

“Force Friday II puts fans right at the center of the action using augmented reality to bring our characters to life like never before. The technology theme continues in the Star Wars: The Last Jediproduct line, which is our most innovative yet – we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store.” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.

Fans can download the latest version of the Star Wars App (v. 2.3 or higher) beginning Aug. 24 for an early look at the new Porg characters in AR before the AR treasure hunt goes live at retail.

By sharing photos or videos featuring the in-store AR characters on Twitter or Instagram using #FindtheForce and #Sweepstakes throughout Force Friday II weekend, fans in select global markets can participate in a sweepstakes for the chance to win the ultimate fan experience: tickets to the Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiere in December.

No Purchase Necessary. Enter sweepstakes between August 31, 2017 at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”)/3:00 p.m. British Summer Time (“BST”) and September 4, 2017 at 2:59 a.m. PT/10:59 a.m. BST. Open to legal residents in 50 U.S. + D.C., Canada (excluding Quebec), Australia, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, France, South Korea and Chile who are 18+ or the age of majority in their place of residence, whichever is older. Limit 15 entries per person. There is 1 Grand Prize available to be won (ARV: US $4,500). Grand Prize winner must travel to Los Angeles, California USA on or about December 12, 2017. Visit starwars.com/findtheforce. for Official Rules including details on how to enter, additional eligibility requirements, prize descriptions and limitations. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty. Limited, Level 5, Chapel Street, South Yarra, Victoria 3141, Australia.

More information about Find the Force and a how-to video is available atwww.starwars.com/findtheforce.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in U.S. theaters on December 15, 2017.

The amazing trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ has debuted!

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

The first official teaser trailer and teaser poster from STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI just debuted at Star Wars Celebration Orlando and we have it for you!

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is in theaters December 15, 2017!

Review: ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Michael Petrelli — 1 Comment ↓

The expansion of the Star Wars universe is off to an outstanding start at Disney and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story just changed the entire game. The first stand-alone film in the planned anthology series, director Gareth Edwards’ war story centering around the legend of the rebel team that stole the plans to the Death Star is a tale many Star Wars fans have clamored to see and the director has delivered a unique, entertaining and satisfying film that will win over hardcore fans and novice alike.

Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) has been on the run since she was a young child. Her father, research scientist Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), was forced to return to the Empire to complete the design of the Death Star by Imperial Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) which, in turn, sent Jyn into hiding with the help of her father’s friend Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). Fifteen years has passed and the memory of her father still haunts young Jyn. An imperial pilot named Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) has defected and smuggle a message to the Rebel Alliance with information crucial to their cause. The rebel forces have located Jyn with the hopes of recruiting her to help find her father and discover the secrets of the monstrous weapon. Rebel Officer Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and his droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) accompany Jyn on a mission to retrieve the message from Bodhi Rook on the planet Jedha.

After an encounter with imperial troops, the trio are aided by warrior Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen) and mercenary Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang) who join the cause to help Jyn retrieve her father. Quickly the mission becomes more about the preservation of the galaxy and the team set their sights on stealing the plans to the Death Star at the high-security base on the planet Scarif. The time is now for the rebels to take their stand, to secure the safety of the galaxy and destroy the most valuable weapon in the Empire’s arsenal, the Death Star.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a near perfect cinematic experience. Director Gareth Edwards and cinematographer Greig Fraser elected for a raw, gritty feel to the film and the tone plays to the subject matter perfectly. The script by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is smart and engaging and doesn’t over complicate the objective of telling this war story. Each frame of the film was envisioned with excitement and respect for the Star Wars franchise and the filmmakers have created an outstanding compliment film to the original trilogy. Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed and Wen Jiang, the members of the Rogue One team, were perfectly cast in their respective roles. The voice of Alan Tudyk for K-2SO added just enough comedic relief necessary in the right places. Mads Mikkelsen, in his limited screen time, helped enrich the emotional journey for Jones’ Jyn and provide the redemption factor we all come to know in the Star Wars universe. The stand out star in the film to me was Ben Mendelsohn. His menacing performance as the main protagonist never fell into cliche’s and provided a satisfying character arc.

Overall, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is an exceptional movie to be enjoyed on the biggest screen you can find. The journey never wearies and it will enrich your love for the franchise a little bit more. Next up…Episode VIII!!

4 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

Trailer:

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ Lucasfilm, along with Gallery 1988 and HP Inc., proudly presents “Art Awakens”

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

There are so many pieces that I want on my wall! Here are some of my favorites. You can see the entire album on Facebook here.

This one is undeniably my favorite. It’s my new phone background.

In celebration of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm, along with Gallery 1988 and HP Inc., proudly presents “Art Awakens.”

From November 13-15, Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles hosted a Star Wars art exhibit featuring top professional and emerging contemporary artists. New and original pieces from the exhibit are now being auctioned off in the name of Star Wars: Force for Change to support UNICEF Kid Power. All original pieces featured in the gallery are now up for auction through eBay for Charity, along with select prints for sale.

Artists showcased include new and original works from: Joshua Keyes, Alex Pardee, ScottC., Lorraine Loots, Eric Tan, Brandi Milne, Rich Kelly, Kris Lewis, Travis Louie, Naoto Hattori and Dan Mumford, among many others.

Original pieces by the professional artists will be up for auction on eBay from 11/13 – 11/23.

Prints of select originals by the professional artists will be available for purchase on eBay from 11/13 – 12/12.

Additionally, the five amateur winners of the 2-month long Art Awakens Fan Art Competition, which kicked off on August 11, had their art showcased in the professional gallery exhibit. The winners were chosen by a judging committee that included members from Disney, Lucasfilm and the legendary visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic, and others. The five fan-art winners were flown to Los Angeles to attend the VIP opening night gallery reception at Gallery 1988 on November 13^th. One winner was awarded with the HP Technology Award for their innovative use of technology to create their artwork and received a Star Wars^TM Special Edition Notebook.

Sales will support UNICEF Kid Power, the world’s first Wearable-for-Good™, which gives kids the power to save lives. By getting active with the UNICEF Kid Power Band, kids go on missions to learn about new cultures and earn points. Points unlock funding from partners, parents and fans; and funds are used by UNICEF to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world. Two exclusive Star Wars: Force For Change UNICEF Kid Power bands will go on sale November 29, 2015.

Records & Red Lipstick: Covergirl ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Limited Edition Collection

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

Star Wars Makeup. Seriously.

I’m a child of the 80’s and always loved the Star Wars movies. I watched them on VHS tapes, mimicked Darth Vader in box fans, and had a pretty good impression of a Tauntaun walk. I was disappointed, along with the rest of the world, in the three prequel movies in the 2000’s, but I have high hopes for the newest movies. Being a lover of all things makeup, I obviously was excited to see that CoverGirl was coming out with a Limited Edition collection for The Force Awakens.

I tried finding the collection at a few midtown NYC Duane Reade’s but had no luck (does anyone ever find collections in NYC drugstores? I never have luck. Only me?). Thankfully, most of the collection is available on Walgreens.com, so I placed an order (which, I might add was delivered within 36 hours, so that was crazy).The collection includes:

Super Sizer Waterproof Mascara – The Light Side (1 shade)
Super Sizer Mascara – The Dark Side (1 shade)
Outlast Nail Polish (6 shades)
Colorlicious Lipstick (6 shades)

Unfortunately, when I ordered from Walgreens, the nail polish wasn’t available, so I didn’t get any of those. I’m not a huge fan of waterproof, so I just picked up The Dark Side mascara. It is not my cup of tea. Though the color is nice and dark, it doesn’t give a lot of volume. I’ll likely use it for simple day looks or to use on my lower lashes.

I also picked up three of the lipsticks (R-L):

Silver is more of an icy pink. It goes on fairly sheer, but it builds up. I actually liked how it looked when I had only one layer on. It was sheer enough to see my natural lip color through, but it still gave a cool frosty silver glimmer. It took about four layers to get to where I thought was totally opaque.

Red is a deep burgundy with gold shimmer and Purple is deep and wearable with a touch of frost. Both of these were super pigmented and opaque on one swipe. Overall, I like the colors a lot. There are a couple of things about these lipsticks however, that will keep me from wearing these lipsticks often. First, these feel almost gritty. I can feel the texture on these and that drives me crazy. The other is the smell/taste of the lipsticks. It is very strong, chemically smell and taste. I had to take it off immediately. It has been a long time since I bought a CoverGirl lipstick, do they all smell like this? It’s a shame because I do like the colors of these.

Here are swatches of the three I own.

L-R: Red 30, Silver 10, Purple 50

Currently Wearing:
Bite Beauty Luminous Créme Lipstick in Pomegranate

Currently Listening to:

Follow me:

Instagram: RecordsAndRedLipstick
Twitter: @RecordsRedLips
Pinterest: Records & Red Lipstick

Disclaimer: This post contains my own opinion. I have not been sent these items for consideration and/or review.

h/t: Records & Red Lipstick

Star Wars Force Friday – Toys! Toys! Toys! & watch the Unboxing Events!

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

More than 3,000 retail locations in the U.S. open at midnight to celebrate new ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ products Read More →

D23 Coverage: Star Wars-Themed Lands Coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Yesterday at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions. Along with the thrilling battle experience, another attraction puts guests behind the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, as they take on a customized secret mission.

Iger also shared concept images of the Star Wars-themed lands, giving fans a glimpse at what is to come for Disney parks.

The partnership between Disney and Lucasfilm dates back to 1987, when the successful Star Tours attraction, inspired by George Lucas’s legendary Star Wars film series, opened at Disneyland. The attraction was then redesigned, emerging as “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” in 2011 and featuring more than 50 different story outcomes and the possibility to visit five different planets.

For 60 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been delighting millions of people with fantastic storytelling, exceptional entertainment and extraordinary experiences, creating places where guests can make life-long memories with their friends and families. This announcement marks an unprecedented time of growth with exciting developments happening around the world – from Disneyland Resort’s Diamond Celebration to the anticipated opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in China.

D23 Coverage: ‘Jurassic World’ director Colin Trevorrow to direct ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ for release in 2019

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

Today at D23, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn announced that writer-director Colin Trevorrow will direct Star Wars: Episode IX, which is set for release in 2019.

While production won’t begin for a few years, Trevorrow is heading to Lucasfilm this year to begin working with artists and his fellow Star Wars directors. “Colin is someone I’ve been interested in working with ever since I saw ‘Safety Not Guaranteed,’” says Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. “The power of that film paired with the enormous success of ‘Jurassic World’ speaks volumes about his abilities both as a storyteller and skilled filmmaker. We are thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.”

Trevorrow states, “This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, artists and craftspeople. We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had—a mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.”

Star Wars: Episode IX will conclude the third trilogy of Star Wars movies that begins with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18, 2015.

D23 Coverage: ‘Rogue One’ the first standalone film in the Star Wars series, begins principal photography

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

Lucasfilm announced today that their first film in the new standalone Star Wars stories series, “Rogue One,” has begun principal photography. Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla,” “Monsters”) is directing “Rogue One,” which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and is slated for a December 16, 2016 release.

Star Wars: Rogue One
L to R: Actors Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Felicity Jones, Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen
Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley
©Lucasfilm 2016

The filmmakers have assembled a stellar cast, including Felicity Jones, nominated for an Academy Award® for her leading role in “The Theory of Everything”; Diego Luna, who was featured in 2008’s Oscar®-winning “Milk” and the critically acclaimed “Killing Them Softly”; Ben Mendelsohn, recently nominated for an Emmy® for his leading role in “Bloodline” and co-starring in the upcoming “Mississippi Grind”; Donnie Yen, Hong Kong action star and martial artist who starred in “Ip Man” and “Blade II”; Jiang Wen, who co-wrote, produced , directed and starred in the award-winning “Let the Bullets Fly” and “Devils on the Doorstep”; Forest Whitaker, recently featured in the critically-acclaimed Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” and winner of an Academy Award® for his leading role in 2006’s “The Last King of Scotland; Mads Mikkelsen, who starred in “The Hunt” and was the memorable villain from 2006’s “Casino Royale”; Alan Tudyk, who plays a performance-capture character in “Rogue One,” stars in the soon-to-be-released “Con Man” series and “Trumbo,” which releases this November; and Riz Ahmed, who was recently featured in “Nightcrawler” and starred in the BAFTA-winning film “Four Lions.”

“‘Rogue One’ takes place before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope and will be a departure from the saga films but have elements that are familiar to the Star Wars universe,” says Kathleen Kennedy. “It goes into new territory, exploring the galactic struggle from a ground-war perspective while maintaining that essential Star Wars feel that fans have come to know. Gareth is such an innovative director and I’m so excited to be working with him and the extraordinary ensemble cast he’s selected for ‘Rogue One.’”

Veteran ILM visual effects supervisor John Knoll, who shares a long history with the Star Wars movies, dating back to the mid-1990s, originated the idea for the movie. Allison Shearmur (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Cinderella”), John Knoll, Simon Emanuel (“The Dark Knight Rises,” “Fast & Furious 6”) and Jason McGatlin (“Tintin,” “War of the Worlds”) are executive producers. Kiri Hart and John Swartz (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) are co-producers.

To create the lived-in, realistic feel of “Rogue One,” Edwards chose Greig Fraser (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Foxcatcher”) to be his director of photography and Neil Corbould (“Black Hawk Down,” “Gladiator,” “Saving Private Ryan”) to be his special effects supervisor. Star Wars and Lucasfilm veteran Doug Chiang (“Star Wars: Episodes I-II,” “Forrest Gump”) and Neil Lamont (supervising art director for the “Harry Potter” series, “Edge of Tomorrow”) will be the production designers. Additional crew members will include stunt coordinator Rob Inch (“World War Z,” Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger”), creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan (“Prometheus”) and co-costume designers Dave Crossman (costume supervisor for the “Harry Potter” series, “Saving Private Ryan”) and Glyn Dillon (costume concept artist for “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” “Jupiter Ascending”).

In celebration of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ Lucasfilm & HP proudly present “Art Awakens”

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

“Art Awakens” is an exciting new program for Star Wars fans old and new, across the country to revitalize creativity by “Bending the Rules” of the Force, themed around a galaxy far, far away.

“Art Awakens” kicks off August 11^th with the launch of a two-month-long nationwide fan art competition across the US. Amateur artists can submit their Star Wars: The Force Awakens inspired art on ArtAwakens.com for a chance to be showcased in an upcoming professional art exhibit later in the year.

Additionally, coming this November to Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles is a three-day Star Wars: The Force Awakens art exhibit featuring top professional and emerging contemporary artists. All new original pieces will be auctioned off in the name of Star Wars: Force for Change to benefit UNICEF Kid Power, which gives kids the power to save lives. By getting active with the UNICEF Kid Power band, kids earn points which unlock food packets for malnourished children around the world.

Five lucky winners of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Fan Art Contest, chosen by a judging committee that includes members from Disney, Lucasfilm and the legendary visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic and others, will have their art showcased in the professional gallery exhibit. The winners will also have the opportunity to be flown out to Los Angeles to attend the VIP opening night, among other prizes from HP.

Additionally, an HP “Bend the Rules” Award will be granted to one of the five grand prize winners upon completion of a questionnaire with the highest score in the Innovative Use of Technology category. The HP “Bend the Rules” Award winner will receive an HP Notebook Computer to help them push the boundaries of art and creativity.

Official “Art Awakens” URL: ArtAwakens.com

Official Art Awakens hashtag: #ArtAwakensContest

No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited or restricted. Open to legal residents of the 50 US and DC, who are at least 18 years old at time of entry with a Tumblr account in good standing. Ends October 11, 2015 at 11:59:59 am PT. Subject to Official Rules at: ArtAwakens.com. Sponsor: ABC, Inc. d/b/a Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Burbank, CA

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Comic-Con Reel is here!

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

Fans at San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H were treated to a special look behind the scenes of Star Wars:The Force Awakens by director J.J. Abrams, producer and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and writer Lawrence Kasdan. The filmmakers were joined on stage by cast members Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford to the surprise and delight of fans.

At the end of the Hall H presentation, the entire Hall H audience of more than 6,000 fans were all invited to continue the celebration and join cast and filmmakers at a surprise Star Wars Fan Concert. The San Diego Symphony performed the classic Star Wars music from John Williams at the Embarcadero Marina Park South.

Stay connected with StarWars.com and the official Star Wars app. All Star Wars, All the Time, Anywhere.

Download Star Wars for FREE from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in theaters December 18th, 2015!

Interesting News Out of Star Wars Celebration Regarding the Upcoming Star Wars Standalone Film ‘Rogue One’

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

More information has dropped this weekend at Star Wars Celebration, this time regarding the upcoming Star Wars standalone film Rogue One. The film, it has been revealed, will follow a band of resistance fighters uniting for a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans. The film will take place between Episode III and Episode IV, but closer to “A New Hope.”

The news was revealed at a panel with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm SVP of development Kiri Hart and Rogue One director Gareth Edwards. The director of the other untitled Star Wars stand-alone project, Josh Trank, was also supposed to be in attendance to discuss his project, but the director had to cancel due to illness.

A Rogue One teaser trailer was shown and a description of the events was captured by Variety and reads as follows:

The Rogue One teaser opened with a somewhat idyllic bird’s-eye view of a lush forest planet, showing a TIE fighter soaring above the trees before the camera pulled back to reveal the Death Star in close orbit. The teaser utilized one of Alec Guinness’ lines from “A New Hope” in voiceover, as Obi-Wan Kenobi explained, “For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.”

The final moments of the teaser ended on a chilling note, as garbled distress messages from what sounded like soldiers or pilots crackled over a radio frequency, before the sound and title card fizzled out as if the signal had been abruptly cut off.

You can read more about the project on the trades page.

Star Wars: Rogue One is scheduled to be released in December 2016

The Title of The First Stand Alone Star Wars Film Has Been Revealed!

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

This morning at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, across the street from Lucasfilm, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger hosted a shareholder meeting where he announced news regarding the first Star Wars stand-alone movie as well as Star Wars: Episode VIII.

Rogue One is the title for the first film in a unique series of big-screen adventures that explores the characters and events beyond the core Star Wars saga. Rogue One will be directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla) and written by Oscar nominee Chris Weitz (Cinderella, About a Boy, Antz). The first actress cast is Felicity Jones, who garnered an Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim for her performance in The Theory of Everything. The idea for the story of Rogue One came from John Knoll, an Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor and chief creative officer at Industrial Light & Magic. He will executive produce along with Simon Emanuel (The Dark Knight Rises,Fast & Furious 6) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds). Kathleen Kennedy and Tony To (Band of Brothers, The Pacific) are on board to produce and John Swartz (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) will co-produce. The film starts shooting this summer in London and is due for release on December 16, 2016.

In addition, Iger confirmed that Rian Johnson will write and direct Star Wars: Episode VIII. The film, which continues the saga after the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is set for release on May 26, 2017 — forty years and a day after the release of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. Johnson is widely considered one of cinema’s most gifted young filmmakers, having directed the modern sci-fi classic, Looper, as well as Brick and The Brothers Bloom. He was also behind the camera for three episodes of the critically-acclaimed TV series Breaking Bad, including “Ozymandias,” which series creator Vince Gilligan named as the best installment of the show. Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman, producer of Looper, Don Jon, Brick, and The Brothers Bloom, are on board to produce.