Star Wars returns to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and analysts do not expect it to be a big success. Forecasts suggest it could have an initial box office of 80 million dollars in its first four days, a very good figure, but absolutely disastrous for a Star Wars franchise film. Especially considering that no franchise release has dropped below 100 million dollars, even those considered failures. A franchise that operates on different levels. The least successful case for Star Wars so far has been that of Han Solo: a […]
Star Wars returns to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and analysts do not expect it to be a big success. Forecasts suggest it could have an initial gross of 80 million dollars in its first four days, a very good figure, but absolutely disastrous for a Star Wars franchise film. Especially considering that no franchise release has dropped below 100 million dollars, even those considered failures.
A franchise that operates on other levels
The least successful case for Star Wars so far has been that of Han Solo: a Star Wars story, which made 103 million dollars in its first four days. Although it made an acceptable box office of almost 400 million dollars worldwide, a production filled with problems and virtually no enthusiasm from fans led to it being an unmitigated failure for Disney.
In contrast, the last movie released on these same dates, the live-action film of Lilo & Stitch, was an absolute success. Making 182 million dollars over the same four-day holiday weekend, this is the figure they would aim to achieve with Star Wars, given the popularity of The Mandalorian over the years, which has turned both the titular character and Grogu, the wrongly named Baby Yoda, into some of the most popular characters in the franchise.
At Disney, they are confident that they can reverse these numbers before the upcoming May 22, the official worldwide release date of the movie. But perhaps both the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda, after all these years, have simply lost the appeal they once had with the audience.
Although it is not usually remembered with much affection, the second Star Wars trilogy has many valuable and memorable things. The Phantom Menace has many remarkable elements that have aged notably well. The pod races, the Jedi battles, and of course, an antagonist that no one understood at the time why he was killed off when he was introduced: the incredibly charismatic Darth Maul. Since his introduction in The Phantom Menace, Star Wars has been returning again and again to the figure of this mysterious Sith who, despite his evident evilness and connection to the […]
Although it is not usually remembered fondly, the second Star Wars trilogy has many valuable and memorable things. The Phantom Menace has many remarkable elements that have aged notably well. The pod races, the Jedi battles, and of course, an antagonist that no one understood why he was killed at the moment of his introduction: the incredibly charismatic Darth Maul.
Since his introduction in The Phantom Menace, Star Wars has repeatedly returned to the figure of this mysterious Sith who, despite his evident evilness and connection to the underworld, has continued to fascinate a significant portion of the audience. A significant part of movies, animated series, and video games, at Disney have decided that it is time to give him the main focus. And they have done so with a miniseries that, although still airing, seems to have captured exactly what people like about the character: he hasn’t come here to make friends.
A director with a knack for animation
Maul: Lord of Shadows, premiered on April 6 on Disney+ and, at the time of publication of this article, two episodes have been aired. Created by Dave Filoni, the series is everything fans expected not only from the character but also from its creator.
What did you expect? Well, considering that Filoni is known for being the director of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as the creator of Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and Star Wars: Tales, a series that pays great attention to animation. With a clear inspiration from anime, where heroes are not white and pure, nor villains lack reasons for their actions, and where the action is spectacular, interesting, and tremendously visceral. Exactly everything that Maul: Lord of Shadows offers us.
Because for this journey, he is not coming alone. He has decided to enlist Matt Michnovetz, who has honed his skills in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch, creating a perfect tandem to tackle the most beloved character by fans. The most charismatic bad boy in the history of Star Wars.
Darth Maul is evil, and that’s the point
The premise of the series is based on the fact that Darth Maul is anything but an angel. After the Clone Wars and having been betrayed by those he thought were his allies, he begins to rebuild his crime syndicate and seeks, on the planet Janix, a Force user who can be his disciple. He discovers one in Devon Izara, a padawan of the Twi’lek species, who has serious conflicts not only with her future as a Jedi but also with the concepts of good and evil.
With the police chasing him, the series has a simple premise. Darth Maul may be a bad person, but those who oppose him are, in this case, worse. And the whole series will revolve around that. Finding himself in conflict with the police, other crime syndicates, and everything points to much more powerful forces that will want to hunt him down, the series knows how to walk that sweet spot where the protagonist doesn’t do the right thing, but it’s interesting to see him pursue his ambitions. Even if it’s evident that it will lead him down a path where he will increasingly commit more ignoble acts.
The animation is, as expected, excellent, and the music by Kevin, Sean, and Deana Kiner complements the almost hardboiled storytelling style of Maul: Son of the Shadows. Something that makes it unsurprising that it is exciting not only among the audience but also among critics: with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71 on Metacritic, it has received an extremely positive rating so far.
With eight episodes left, it seems that Maul: Lord of Shadows has everything to become one of the must-watch series of the year for Star Wars fans. Not to mention the fans of Darth Maul. So all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Lucasfilm Games has confirmed its plans for the development of a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, which promises to incorporate content cut from the original version. This news comes from court documents revealed in the context of a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and Aspyr, who previously collaborated on a remaster of the game released on Nintendo Switch in 2022. A high-profile remake KOTOR 2 fans have often criticized the game’s ending for being rushed, a perception stemming from cuts made by Obsidian Entertainment due to time constraints. With the remake, there are […]
Lucasfilm Games has confirmed its plans for the development of a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, which promises to incorporate content that was removed from the original version. This news comes from court documents revealed in the context of a lawsuit against Lucasfilm and Aspyr, who previously collaborated on a remaster of the game released on Nintendo Switch in 2022.
A high-profile remake
KOTOR 2 fans have often criticized the game’s ending for being rushed, a perception stemming from cuts made by Obsidian Entertainment due to time constraints. With the remake, there are hopes that the removed content will be included, which some community members have already restored through a mod. Douglas Reilly, vice president of Lucasfilm Games, has indicated that they will make significant improvements in terms of art and gameplay while maintaining the narrative essence of the original game.
However, the news of the remake has been overshadowed by the cancellation of a DLC called “Restored Content Mod,” which had generated expectations among players. This led to community discontent and a legal action that revealed the complications surrounding the intellectual property rights related to the mod. Lawyers from Disney and Lucasfilm expressed their concerns, which affects the possibility of fan-created content being officially included in the new project.
Despite the setbacks, Reilly has assured that the remake remains viable within Lucasfilm Games’ roadmap, although its release is not imminent. Additionally, there are rumors that significant announcements about KOTOR could be made during the 2025 Game Awards, which fuels expectations among Star Wars saga fans. The community will remain attentive to how these events unfold in the future.
The Star Wars franchise is preparing to make an unprecedented time jump with the new film directed by Shawn Levy, titled Starfighter. Set after The Rise of Skywalker, this new project promises to explore plots beyond the traditional narratives of the saga. Starring Ryan Gosling as a pilot who takes on the responsibility of caring for a young ward, the story moves away from previous events and allows creators to present new narratives without direct ties to the already known saga. An important detail that may go unnoticed Recently, it was reported that the talented […]
The Star Wars franchise is preparing to make an unprecedented time jump with the new film directed by Shawn Levy, titled Starfighter. Set after The Rise of Skywalker, this new project promises to explore plots beyond the traditional narratives of the saga. Starring Ryan Gosling as a pilot who takes on the responsibility of caring for a young ward, the story moves away from previous events and allows creators to present new narratives without direct ties to the already known saga.
An important detail that may go unnoticed
Recently, it was reported that the talented actress Amy Adams joined the cast of Starfighter. Rumors have begun to circulate among fans, suggesting that she could portray Mara Jade, a beloved character who was removed from the canon after the timeline restructuring in 2014. In the Legends books, Mara Jade is introduced as an assassin of Emperor Palpatine who becomes the wife of Luke Skywalker and the mother of his son, Ben.
The possible role of Adams has sparked great interest, especially because he shares physical characteristics with Mara Jade, highlighting his red hair. Additionally, a known leaker, John Rocha, has hinted that Adams’ character might also be Force-sensitive. However, the inclusion of Mara Jade in a new canon poses narrative challenges, such as the age disparity between Adams and Mark Hamill, who plays Luke, as well as the need to avoid entanglements in an already complex continuity.
Despite these obstacles, the possibility of seeing Mara Jade resurface has sparked debate among fans. Some suggest that, instead of faithfully reintroducing her, they could create a character inspired by her, allowing fans to enjoy nods to Legends without compromising the current canon. Anticipation grows as the Star Wars universe continues to expand into new horizons.
During the Florida Supercon 2025 convention, which took place in Miami Beach, actor John Boyega did not hold back in criticizing the handling of his character and the narrative of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Boyega, known for his portrayal of Finn, a former Stormtrooper, in the films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, shared his thoughts on his experience in the saga. Too many stories to take advantage of Boyega expressed that, in his view, the trilogy missed a valuable opportunity to explore Finn’s story more deeply. “There were moments when […]
During the Florida Supercon 2025 convention, which took place in Miami Beach, actor John Boyega did not hold back in criticizing the handling of his character and the narrative of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Boyega, known for his portrayal of Finn, a former Stormtrooper, in the films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, shared his thoughts on his experience in the saga.
Too many stories to take advantage of
Boyega expressed that, in his view, the trilogy missed a valuable opportunity to explore Finn’s story more deeply. “There were moments when I wished they had delved deeper into the character, his background, and his evolution. In some parts, I felt there were too many stories and not enough justice was done to each of them,” he commented during the event, reflecting the frustration of many fans who saw the character’s potential without it being fully realized.
Since his debut in The Force Awakens, Finn was introduced as a character with a unique and complex background, which sparked great interest among the saga’s followers. However, many believe that the development of his story was limited compared to other central characters, which led Boyega to question the creative decisions made in the films. “I think the narrative could have been handled differently, with more nuance,” the actor stated.
His speech resonates with the general discontent of some fans who feel that the trilogy did not adequately capture the essence of the Star Wars universe. With a desire for depth and character development, Boyega’s statements incite a debate in the community about the direction the saga took and the decisions that influenced its overall narrative.
Matt Smith, recognized by many as one of the best incarnations of Doctor Who, has joined the cast of the new movie ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’, directed by Shawn Levy. This announcement has generated great anticipation, not only because of the popularity of the British actor but also due to the quality of the project, which features a high-profile cast including Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth. As a fish in water within science fiction, Smith is no stranger to the ‘Star Wars’ universe. Previously, he had been selected to play a role in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’, although […]
Matt Smith, recognized by many as one of the best incarnations of Doctor Who, has joined the cast of the new movie ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’, directed by Shawn Levy. This announcement has generated great anticipation, not only due to the popularity of the British actor but also because of the quality of the project, which features a high-profile cast including Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth.
Like a fish in water within science fiction
Smith is no stranger to the ‘Star Wars’ universe. Previously, he had been selected to play a role in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’, although his participation did not materialize. But now he is finally going to join this universe.
The choice of a director like Shawn Levy, known for his work on ‘Free Guy’ and ‘Stranger Things’, suggests that ‘Starfighter’ could present a fresh and dynamic approach, focusing on the themes that have characterized the franchise, such as the struggle between good and evil, but with a contemporary twist.
In addition to the exciting addition of Smith, the participation of renowned actors like Gosling and Goth only heightens the expectations surrounding this new installment of ‘Star Wars’. With release dates still not defined, fans are eager to learn more details about the plot and the development of the characters that these talented actors will portray.
‘Star Wars’ fans and moviegoers in general can expect a project that will surely influence the franchise and serve as a boost to its actors. With the talent involved and the legacy of ‘Star Wars’, ‘Starfighter’ promises to be a title to watch closely in the coming years.
Liam Neeson, who played Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, has expressed his discontent with the way his character died. In a recent interview with GQ, Neeson referred to his death as “a bit silly” for a Jedi Master of his status. “I fell into that, ‘Oh, I’m going for your face, no, I’m going for your stomach. Oh, you got me,’ please! Hardly a Jedi Master,” the actor commented, hinting at some disappointment about how his character was portrayed in one of the franchise’s most memorable sequences. A […]
Liam Neeson, who played Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the way his character died. In a recent interview with GQ, Neeson referred to his death as “a bit silly” for a Jedi Master of his status. “I fell into that, ‘Oh, I’m going for your face, no, I’m going for your stomach. Oh, you got me,’ please! Hardly a Jedi Master,” the actor commented, hinting at some disappointment about how his character was portrayed in one of the franchise’s most memorable sequences.
A bit of a clumsy Jedi master
Despite his reservations, Neeson fondly recalled his brief return as Qui-Gon in the Disney Plus series Obi-Wan Kenobi, where he had the opportunity to share the scene again with Ewan McGregor, who played his padawan. “It was nice to recreate that and be with Ewan after 18 or 20 years,” he added. However, Neeson also admitted that he has “lost track” of the franchise, raising doubts about whether he will appear as Qui-Gon in future projects.
Regarding the future of the saga, several upcoming releases in the Star Wars universe have been announced, such as The Mandalorian & Grogu, which will premiere on May 22, 2026, and a movie starring Ryan Gosling, scheduled for 2027. Additionally, Daisy Ridley is expected to return as Rey in another film that is also in development. For Star Wars fans, these announcements are a reason to be excited, although the evolution of the story and Neeson’s involvement as Qui-Gon remains uncertain.
Let’s take a look at the 6 most absurd licensed products in the history of & Star Wars. Warning: galactic curves are coming.
If you accurately remember the public furor over Star Wars Episode I, I have two questions to ask you: first, was there a brand that wasn’t advertised with Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Jar Jar Binks? Second, isn’t it annoying to get out of your chair and have all your bones creak at once?
From Episode I we got a more or less decent movie, hundreds of merchandising products of all kinds and some that have remained for the history of embarrassment. But I wish it all stayed there! Let’s take a look at the 6 most absurd licensed products in the history of ‘Star Wars’. Warning: galactic curves are coming.
Back in 2005, if you rode Virgin Airlines and felt queasy, you could have the chance to leave an honest opinion about ‘Revenge of the Sith‘ in a bag! We don’t know who came up with the idea, but we hope you didn’t rise too high in your job title.
5-George Lucas collectible figures
No, literally: in Episode III, the director booked a cameo as Baron Papanoida (who later got his own ‘Clone Wars’ episode) and dedicated three others to his sons: Chi Eekway, Terr Taneel and Zett Jukassa. Surprisingly, the set of Lucas figures sold quite well, so there was an audience for this after all.
4-Darth Vader’s motorcycle
If Spiderman had a car, why shouldn’t Darth Vader have a motorcycle? That’s what they must have thought when at the beginning of the last decade they decided to mount the saga’s villain on a vehicle that you could propel forward. There are two possibilities: either they cut an incredible motorcycle fight in ‘Return of the Jedi’, or this toy makes no sense at all.
3-Adult diapers
We Star Wars fans are getting to be of an age, but maybe this is a bit much. If you’re not convinced, you should know that they also make Popeye, Batman and My Little Pony ones. First and foremost, variety in the third age. Will these be our future Funkos?
2-Yoda’s 8-Ball
The problem with this product isn’t, per se, that Yoda can predict your future: it’s that you have to look directly into his ass. The idea is as good as it gets, but it’s really an undignified ending for the jedi hero.
1-Jar Jar Jar’s tongue
If there’s one thing we all, haters and fans, can agree on, it’s that after watching Episode I the last thing we want to do is kiss Jar Jar Binks. However, there were those who decided “What the hell: we’ll make a toy in which to suck his tongue continuously”. For whatever reason, and to the incomprehension of its creators, it didn’t sell well at all. What a thing, isn’t it?
In November 1980, an album marked the first attempt by the galactic saga to break the confines of movies, comics and novels, trying to coherently unite Christmas and ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Christmas in the Stars’.
‘Star Wars’ has a strange relationship with Christmas. For some reason, it just can’t seem to find the key to linking a galaxy far, far away with a Christian holiday on Earth, but it’s not because they haven’t tried. First, with the infamous ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’, which, contrary to popular belief, referenced Thanksgiving in its “Holiday” (it aired on November 17, 1978). The special was so bad that not even the dolls that were to be made to celebrate it and force fans to checkout came out of the factory. But there was still one more nail in the ignonimia.
In November 1980, an album was the first attempt of the galactic saga to break the confines of movies, comics and novels, trying to join Christmas and ‘Star Wars’ in a coherent way: ‘Christmas in the Stars’. The album was narrated and partially sung by Anthony Daniels, the mythical C3PO, and R2D2 and Chewbacca also contributed their parts in songs like ‘What can you buy a wookiee for Christmas (when he already has a comb)’. I wish I had made that up.
The album told stories about a droid factory that made toys for a certain S. Claus, Santa’s son, taking for granted the existence of Santa Claus in George Lucas’ universe. Be careful, because Meco Monardo, the author of the album, who wrote nine pages to Lucas indicating why they had to make Christmas versions, received telephone instructions from the director himself to take care of the franchise. For example, no one was to kiss Chewbacca. We didn’t know about George Lucas’ Wookiephobia. Maury Yeston, who two years later would win the Tony for ‘Nine’, was in charge of the musicality of the songs.
This absolutely insane money-spinning record was recorded at The Power Station, a studio where one John Bongiovi, the owner’s cousin, was mopping the floors at the age of 17. Tony, his relative, did him a favor by letting him try to get a song out. It worked and he ended up singing a song called ‘R2-D2 We wish you a merry Christmas’. John Bongiovi would record ‘Runaway’ a year later and would finally become Bon Jovi… although he will never be able to erase that his first experience was on a ‘Star Wars’ Christmas album.
It is worth remembering that in 1980 ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ was also released and fans were like crazy to get everything related to ‘Star Wars’… And, to make sure everything was going as it should, George Lucas sent Darth Vader himself to the studio to check that Meco was doing a good job. 150,000 copies were released and there was never a second edition at the time because of the Bee Gees, a lawsuit and the closure of RSO Music. But that’s a story for another time.
