Andor is set to go down in history as the greatest Star Wars story ever. This complex, politically charged, and character-driven thriller blasts past the prequel and sequel trilogies, leaves every other Disney Plus Star Wars show in the dust, and, in many ways, is even superior to George Lucas’ iconic original trilogy. k5c3b

With the final episodes landing yesterday, praise is at fever pitch on social media, with many demanding that Lucasfilm hand showrunner Tony Gilroy the keys to the kingdom and let him chart the franchise’s future:

This is how Star Wars should be. Tony Gilroy truly understands that. Give this man more future Star Wars projects and return the franchise to be true Star Wars. #Andor #AndorS2 #AndorSeason2 pic.twitter.com/6MBlQZiHyW

— CΛMSPIRΞ ♪ (@CamsTranceVibes) April 24, 2025

Unfortunately for all of us, Gilroy has indicated that his time in a galaxy far, far away is over. Speaking to Collider in Mar. 2025, he was asked if he would be back for more and said:

“It’s not really part of my plan. I’ve been peripherally involved for 10 years and intensely involved for six years, so that’s a pretty big chunk of my life. There are other things to do.”

But Disney and Lucasfilm would be fools to let him walk away now and we expect executives will do their best to tempt him back for more. And there’s one project he’d be ideal for that no other person should be trusted with.

A New New Hope? 3u3e1n

This will be blasphemy to many, but with A New Hope approaching its 50th anniversary in 2027, it may finally be time for a remake. After all, while George Lucas’ 1977 original will always be a cinematic classic, it’s looking increasingly creaky to younger viewers, so a fresh perspective and retelling of this incredible story would be an ideal way to reinvigorate the franchise.

There are only a handful of people who could pull off this feat, but after Andor, Gilroy has to be top of the pile. After all, Andor ends right as 2016’s Rogue One begins, which itself leads directly into the opening minutes of A New Hope. Gilroy being given the reins would let him effectively continue his story, folding the winning Andor formula into one continuous and truly epic saga.

Some of the surviving Andor characters could go on to play new roles in this reworked original trilogy, cementing the links between them. And, as a bonus, this would also clear the decks of the increasingly tangled and crowded Star Wars canon. From Disney’s point of view, a remake of A New Hope would be a guaranteed box office smash, fit in perfectly with their current strategy of remaking their classic animated movies in live action, and lay obvious groundwork for future remakes of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

This “new” original trilogy then leaves acres of fertile storytelling ground beyond it that could be occupied by an entirely original sequel trilogy that’s actually planned out in advance and doesn’t end on a massive anticlimax.

Any announcement along these lines would be met by an aggressive backlash by fans understandably attached to Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and the rest, but what better way to honor Star Wars than to give us an entirely original take on Luke Skywalker’s adventures that tesselates perfectly with the storylines and themes we just saw in Andor?

The Star Wars prequels have spent years slowly rehabilitating their image. On release, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith were box office smashes but critical duds, with much mockery of their wooden acting, questionable dialogue, and some odd plot decisions.

But in 2025, the generation of millennials who watched these movies as children has fierce nostalgia for them, even with their flaws. Hayden Christensen’s return as Anakin Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka was much praised, and Revenge of the Sith has been an unlikely hit on its 20th anniversary theatrical re-release.

Now all that is in tatters thanks to a certain moon-faced Pope-killing Vice President. In response to a post by Jack Posobiec in which he bashed the prequels and made the bizarre claim that George Lucas “only had a small role in the original series”, Vance responded that the “prequels were underrated”.

Prequels were underrated!

— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 5, 2025

And just like that, with a clatter of Vance’s keyboard, the years of work bolstering the prequels’ reputation were undone. After all, if Vance likes them, they must be bad – that’s just simply inarguable logic. Star Wars fans are now in agony:

Years of prequel revisionism undone by JD Vance. People are in the streets throwing the DVDs into the gutter. An incredible sight to see.

— F♯A♯∞, fka (@coopercooperco) May 5, 2025

jd vance being a prequel defender is the worst thing to ever happen to me

— woop (@woop54) May 5, 2025

Prequel revisionism has reached its end game guys pack it in you’ve been doing it for almost 10 years

Now you got JD Vance tweeting that they were underrated pic.twitter.com/9oI5y58www

— Robert (@JRAMNOTTHAGOAT) May 5, 2025

Hundreds of my mutuals have been building up a prequels reclamation project brick by brick against strong odds over 2 decades and JD Vance just gave it the kiss of death inside of 5 seconds…it’s impressive, really.

— serge daney mcbride (@abs_sweetmarie) May 5, 2025

The prequels are now irrevocably tainted by Vance, all of which means we can finally once again hold our heads up high and say at least three quarters of The Phantom Menace is bad, damn near everything in Attack of the Clones is embarrassing, and while Revenge of the Sith has its moments, they’re few and far between.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the prequels exist as they’ve proved to be a fine setting for many other Star Wars stories and introduced some great characters – but as an actual movie-going experience they’re ugly, boring and bad. Disagree with me? Then line right up alongside JD Vance.

Two years ago, the Star Wars Celebration announced with enormous fanfare that Daisy Ridley was returning as Rey Skywalker for a new film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. The rumored title was New Jedi Order; it’d be set after The Rise of Skywalker, and would have shown Rey teaching the Force to a new generation of Jedi Knights.

This year’s Star Wars Celebration is currently underway in Japan, with the headlines dominated by new details on The Mandalorian & Grogu and Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling’s Star Wars: Starfighter. With renewed focus on Star Wars on the big screen, we expected an update on the Rey movie. But… *crickets*.

Yup, there was not a single mention whatsoever of any movie starring Rey. Plus, with The Mandalorian & Grogu out in 2026 and Starfighter in 2027, that means the next two years’ movies have already been decided. So, what’s going on?

First up, the Rey movie has seen major script issues. Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson were initially attached, but departed in Mar. 2023, reportedly due to Lucasfilm hating with their script. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight took over and promptly exited in Oct. 2024, leaving the project without a writer. The Bourne Ultimatum writer George Nolfi was next in line, but doesn’t seem to have produced a script either.

Oh no. The movie nobody asked for is getting delayed.

— David Norris (@cdavidnorris) October 25, 2024

This was once speculated to target a Dec. 2026 slot reserved for a Star Wars movie, but Disney has now replaced that with Ice Age 6. While this 2026 release date was never explicitly confirmed as the Rey movie, it was the likely candidate, given its advanced development stage compared to other projects. Lucasfilm now positioning The Mandalorian & Grogu for May 2026 further suggests the Rey film has been, at best, deprioritized.

Disney has removed a “Star Wars” film previously scheduled for Dec. 18, 2026 from its release calendar. “Ice Age 6” will move into its spot.https://t.co/rL2ghu1eyb

— Variety (@Variety) November 15, 2024

And, of course, this wouldn’t be the first time a major project was announced only for it to quickly sputter out. See Rian Johnson’s never-made trilogy, or Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron, or Taika Waititi’s movie, or Kevin Feige’s movie or… Well, you get the picture.

It seems that Disney and Lucasfilm have a serious problem with announcing movies that are mere concepts rather than fleshed-out ideas. Presumably, the plan was to confirm they were making a Rey movie, then figure out what that would actually look like. As nobody came up with an idea worth making, development fizzled, creative talent moved on to other things, and the film quietly died on the vine.

Maybe one day there will be a new Star Wars movie featuring Daisy Ridley as Rey, but they’re going to have to start development from scratch. So, for now, best to just forget about this. The best we can hope for is that some of the rejected scripts are leaked, if only so we can see what it was about them that LucasFilm hated so much.

The Star Wars Celebration 2025 is in full swing in Japan, taking place in the Makuhari Messe Convention Center near Tokyo as we speak. There was no 2024 event, so Lucasfilm and Disney have a lot to unveil: new movies, new TV shows, updates on projects in development, and other announcements across other media.

So, let’s get down to exactly what’s been confirmed.

The Mandalorian and Grogu comes to theaters May 22, 2026. #StarWarsCelebration pic.twitter.com/Z7DRuvkG7M

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025

Everyone’s favorite terse helmeted bounty hunter and his adorable green kid are coming to the big screen on May 22, 2026. Series mastermind Jon Favreau will direct and it appears there’s a chance this will effectively function as a feature-length fourth season of the TV show, potentially wrapping up the story (for now).

Exclusive footage shows Pedro Pascal as a maskless Mando and Grogu wielding the Force, together with confirmation that Sigourney Weaver will appear in a mysterious role and The Bear star Jeremy Strong will play Rotta, the buff gladiator son of Jabba the Hutt. Sure, sign me up.

New movie ‘Star Wars: Starfighter‘ 2n5xl

Shawn Levy. Ryan Gosling. A new standalone story coming from a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Starfighter is coming to theaters Memorial Day 2027. pic.twitter.com/uiTLfRA0fz

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025

We’d known Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling were teaming up for a Star Wars film for some time. Now we know what it is: Star Wars: Starfighter will be the first movie set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker and is billed as an “entirely new adventure” with “all-new characters”.

Gosling appeared on stage and said:

“Being here and seeing all of you [makes it] more inspiring to do it. There’s so much creativity and imagination in this room and there’s so much love. It’s such a great reminder of how much movies can mean to us, specifically how much these movies mean to us. ‘The force is a mysterious thing, but, as I’m here, the force is the fans. All we can hope for is, ‘May the fans be with us.’”

Other specifics are unknown, though it was underlined that this isn’t a sequel to The Rise of Skywalker but its own thing. Given the title Starfighter, we can probably assume a focus on space dogfights, but who knows? The movie will begin shooting in early 2026 for a May 28, 2027 release.

Maul: Shadow Lord announcement 1i711u

The fandom for the Shadow Lord has already begun. Maul – Shadow Lord, a new animated series is coming to @disneyplus in 2026. pic.twitter.com/rxzk0E53jH

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025

Coming in the final moments of the Lucasfilm Animation showcase, this animated Disney Plus show focuses on The Phantom Menace villain Darth Maul and will show him training an apprentice. Star Wars animation mastermind Dave Filoni is behind the show, with longtime Maul voice actor Sam Witwer reprising the role. Further details are unknown, though it will premiere in 2026.

Disney Plus show updates 362ok

Dave Filoni confirms that he “is still working with” Mortis and the World Between Worlds in AHSOKA pic.twitter.com/podcR8ePCw

— Star Wars Holocron @ SWCJ (@sw_holocron) April 18, 2025

Andor season 2 arrives on Disney Plus next week, with creator Tony Gilroy and star Diego Luna showing a sneak peek of some key events and how the show will tie into Rogue One. We also got some information on Ahsoka season 2, which will begin filming later this year. Star Wars Visions‘ third season is also on the way, with nine new shorts from various animated studios. The first episode of animated show Tales from the Underworld was also shown, focusing on Asajj Ventress.

Books s522y

The new Darth Vader novel MASTER OF EVIL is set very shortly after the events of REVENGE OF THE SITH.

“This period is covered very well in Charles Soule’s Marvel comic…except there are gaps in the comics. And there is a particular gap in the comic that I don’t think Charles or… pic.twitter.com/dx9z4i8Acn

— Star Wars Holocron @ SWCJ (@sw_holocron) April 18, 2025

The Lucasfilm Publishing: Manga Mania! , revealed new manga adaptations and The High Republic stories. Notable releases include Star Wars: Master of Evil, a Darth Vader novel by Adam Christopher (Nov. 2025), and an updated Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy featuring characters like Avar Kriss (April 2025). A deluxe Doug Chiang art collection was also announced for December 2025.

The Celebration runs over the weekend, so if there’s anything else unveiled we’ll be sure to let you know.

1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is never going to be considered a cinematic classic on par with the original trilogy, but its reputation is steadily improving as the years tick by. That’s partly because those who loved it as little kids are now nostalgia-hungry adults, and partly because in comparison to some of the dreadful Disney-era dreck it may as well be Citizen Kane.

But maybe it’s worth a rewatch, as it seems we may soon be living out its plot. The opening crawl begins “Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The taxation of trade routes to outline star systems is in dispute”. For years, this was mocked as an extremely boring way to begin a movie about laser swords and space battles, but let’s face it, after Trump’s “Liberation Day” and subsequent global chaos as his tariffs kick in, it’s starting to sound worryingly familiar.

"Phantom menace has a bad plot" chuds looking real stupid right now. You're living it buddy https://t.co/4BUbIQivAr

— Herbert West (@prairie_madness) April 3, 2025

In this comparison, Trump and the White House would be the Galactic Republic raising taxes on trade, the angry Trade Federation are the rest of the world economy, so the blockade on Naboo would be the equivalent of the EU putting a ring of ships around Hawaii and trying to force Hawaiian Senator Mazie Hirono to take action against Donald Trump.

Okay, maybe it’s not a one-to-one comparison. I don’t know where Jar Jar Binks and the gungans would fit into this, though I can just about imagine Trump and JD Vance as Palpatine and Darth Maul.

However, it’s perhaps worth pointing out that in Star Wars the tariffs that kicked off all the drama were engineered by Palpatine specifically to cause conflict in which he could play both sides off one another and seize power. Trump’s no Palpatine, but many already theorize that the economic downturn caused by the tariffs will allow the far right to consolidate their grip on a desperate electorate. Either way, many insist that George Lucas predicted all this and deserves an apology:

Everyone watching The Phantom Menace in 1999:

“Why does this matter? Tarrifs and blockades of trade routes in outer space?”

George Lucas in 2025: pic.twitter.com/6AmPl5TDop

— David Leavitt #PaxEast (@David_Leavitt) March 20, 2025

We owe George Lucas an apology for insulting the trade war plot thread begun in Phantom Menace. pic.twitter.com/gySEoJ3yKi

— Jerry Williams! (@GreaterSapien) April 1, 2025

pic.twitter.com/1xdXiGqoDG

— kb (@kristianbob) April 3, 2025

If The Phantom Menace really has spookily predicted our present situation, maybe we can look to the other movies for a hint at what comes next. Hm.. Let’s see. Rise of galactic fascism… evil space emperor seizes permanent power… the death of pretty much all the heroes… giant planet destroying space laser. Oh well! At least we’ll have amusing robots to laugh at!

A galaxy far, far away has been around for a long, long time. In just a few years, Star Wars will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, currently encoming 12 movies and many live-action and animated television shows.

Over that time the franchise has amassed a glittering array of stars who’ve walked the Tatooine sands, swung a lightsaber, or piloted an X-Wing. Sadly, the steady age of time means many of them are no longer with us. So, here are the prominent Star Wars actors who have died.

James Earl Jones (Darth Vader) 586r2e

Darth Vader is the most iconic character in Star Wars, and James Earl Jones’ vocal performance is responsible for most of that fame. From the moment Vader strides onto the screen in A New Hope his deep bass voice defines him as a terrifying and intimidating figure.

Jones periodically returned to the franchise to voice Vader across movies, TV shows, and video games. He gave his final performance as Vader in the 2022 Disney Plus show Obi-Wan Kenobi, albeit with a boost from AI.

But, of course, Jones wasn’t just Darth Vader. His credits include Mufasa in The Lion King (both the animated and live action versions), Field of Dreams, The Hunt for Red October, Coming to America, and Doctor Strangelove. He also had a glittering career on stage, was a Korean War veteran, and used his fame to fight for social justice.

Jones died at age 93 on Sept. 9 2024 of undisclosed causes, but his voice will live on forever.

Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa) 4z4i

Carrie Fisher surely needs no introduction to Star Wars fans. Princess Leia became an instant cultural icon when A New Hope hit screens in 1977 and went on to become a pivotal character in the Original Trilogy. Fisher reprised the role three decades later for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, with Lucasfilm assembling a posthumous performance in The Rise of Skywalker from unused footage.

Outside of Star Wars, Fisher was a critically acclaimed author and script doctor. Her books Postcards from the Edge, Wishful Drinking, and The Princess Diarist are excellent reads and she was an uncredited script doctor on many major Hollywood movies, including Sister Act, The Wedding Singer, and Hook. She even worked on The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones screenplays to punch up the dialogue.

Beyond Star Wars, Fisher gave memorable performances in The Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally, Hannah and her Sisters and picked up two Emmy nominations for her guest roles on 30 Rock and Catastrophe.

On Dec. 23, 2016, Fisher suffered a medical emergency while on board a flight from London to Los Angeles. On landing, she was rushed to intensive care, though never regained consciousness and died on Dec. 27, 2016.

Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) 5i4570

Alec Guinness was famously dismissive of Star Wars and was unhappy in his later years that, after a long career, all people wanted to talk about was Obi-Wan Kenobi. He said, “Apart from the money, I regret having embarked on the film,” dismissed George Lucas’ dialogue as “lamentable,” and even claimed, “It’s not an acting job.”

Guinness had a point. Long before he ever ignited a lightsaber he was renowned for his performances in Ealing comedies Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, and The Ladykillers. In 1957 he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Bridge on the River Kwai and picked up a writing nomination in 1958 for adapting the novel The Horse’s Mouth.

Presumably to his surprise, he also acquired an Oscar nomination as Best ing Actor for A New Hope, Regardless of whether he liked it or not, Obi-Wan remains the role he’s most strongly identified with (that whirring sound you hear is him spinning furiously in his grave). Guinness died at age 86 in August 2000 after being diagnosed with prostate and liver cancer.

Christopher Lee (Count Dooku) 26ub

Christopher Lee was a screen icon long before Star Wars debuted, making a name for himself as Count Dracula in numerous Hammer Horror movies. It was likely with these in mind that Lucas chose Lee as Attack of the Clones‘ villain Count Dooku. Predictably, Lee delivered the goods, going so far as to perform the lightsaber battles himself (though a stunt double was used for some longer shots.)

Dooku was a big part of Lee’s late-career renaissance, as the movies released concurrently with his performance as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Lee would reprise the role of Dooku in Revenge of the Sith and provide his voice for the 2008 The Clone Wars movie.

Lee died at age 93 in June 2015 after being itted to hospital for respiratory problems and heart failure.

Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) 239q

Like Christopher Lee (whom he was close friends with) Peter Cushing had a memorable career in Hammer Horror long before Star Wars, notably playing Baron Frankenstein and Van Helsing in multiple movies. Cushing was George Lucas’ first choice for Grand Moff Tarkin, believing that A New Hope needed a lead villain whose face was visible (as opposed to the masked Darth Vader).

Cushing adored A New Hope, with his only regret that Tarkin being killed in the Death Star explosion meant he couldn’t return for the sequels. Cushing died in August 1994 at the age of 81, though Tarkin was (controversially) digitally resurrected for 2016’s Rogue One.

Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) 2e513t

We may have never seen Peter Mayhew’s face in any Star Wars movie, but we certainly felt his presence. Mayhew was 7’3 tall, making him the ideal actor to play Chewbacca, something George Lucas instantly recognized when he met him. Aside from playing Chewie on film, Mayhew regularly appeared as the character in hospital appearances for sick children and was a constant presence at fan events.

Mayhew reprised the role for The Force Awakens, though retired from the role for health reasons and was replaced by Joonas Suotama (Mayhew was the “Chewbacca consultant” for The Last Jedi). Mayhew died of a heart attack in April 2019 at age 74.

David Prowse (Darth Vader) 203l30

David Prowse was the man under Darth Vader’s armor throughout the original trilogy, with his imposing stature and movement key to bringing the villain to life. Prowse was famously under the impression that he’d also be voicing Vader during A New Hope, though his strong West Country accent led him to be dubbed “Darth Farmer” by the cast.

Prowse was key to bringing Vader to life in the original trilogy, though in later years had a long-running feud with Lucasfilm over residual payments. He died in November 2020 aged 85 of an unspecified illness, with George Lucas releasing a statement that he was “essential for the character.”

Kenny Baker (R2-D2) 6e5r3r

Kenny Baker began his showbiz career in 1951 when he was approached on the street by a woman inviting him to a “theatrical troupe of dwarfs and midgets.” He went on to specialize in ice skating and ice shows, as well as leading the successful comedy act the Mini-Tones.

But it was with Star Wars that he made his name as everyone’s favorite beeping trashcan R2-D2. Baker played the role in both the original and prequel trilogies, as well as playing the Ewok that steals the speeder biker in Return of the Jedi. Baker was set to reprise the role once more for The Force Awakens, but his physical health meant he ended up as a consultant.

Baker died in August 2016 after suffering a long lung illness.

Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett) 6f1i5m

Boba Fett may have minimal screen time in the original trilogy, but it’s easy to see why Star Wars fans latched onto this competent and ruthless masked bounty hunter. Jeremy Bulloch was the man inside the Boba Fett costume during the original trilogy, though the voice was provided by Jason Wingreen (who was himself overdubbed with Temuera Morrison in later releases).

Bulloch also appeared in two other minor roles: as the Imperial officer who grabs Leia when she tells Luke that Vader is setting a trap in The Empire Strikes Back and in Revenge of the Sith as Captain Colton, the Alderaanian pilot who flies Obi-Wan, Bail Organa, and Yoda to Coruscant.

Bulloch battled Parkinson’s disease for several years and died in hospital in December 2020, aged 75.

Sebastian Shaw (Anakin Skywalker) 2l4c6j

Sebastian Shaw’s time in Star Wars can be measured in seconds, though every one of them counts. Shaw plays the dying Anakin Skywalker in the closing scenes of Return of the Jedi, finally revealing the sad and injured old man under the imposing armor. Prior to this, Shaw had a long career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Lucas cast him on the basis of that experience.

Shaw also appeared as a Force Ghost in the final scene of the movie, though his performance was controversially erased in the 2004 release and replaced with Hayden Christensen.

Post-release, Shaw was surprised and delighted by the attention his brief performance received and was inundated with fan mail and autograph requests. Shaw died of natural causes in Dec. 1994 at the age of 89.

Ray Stevenson (Gar Saxon / Baylan Skoll) 1h47p

Ray Stevenson’s Baylan Skoll was arguably the single best thing about Disney Plus’ Ahsoka. Baylan is a mysterious fallen Jedi turned mercenary, though, over the first season, we gradually learned he had greater aspirations to end the cycle of war and peace at the heart of Star Wars. Sadly we will never get to see Stevenson complete Baylan’s story, as he died of a heart condition on May 21, 2023.

But Ahsoka wasn’t Stevenson’s first Star Wars role. In Rebels and The Clone Wars, he voiced Gar Saxon, a Mandalorian super commando who became the Imperial Viceroy of Mandalore during the reign of the Galactic Empire.

Aside from Star Wars, Stevenson was known for playing Frank Castle in The Punisher: War Zone, as the Asgardian Volstagg in the MCU’s Thor movies, and as Titus Pullo in Rome.

Carl Weathers (Greef Karga) 3xe4b

“MANDO!” Carl Weathers’ The Mandalorian hero Greef Karga was one of the most charismatic and energetic characters in the show, with an arc taking him from the leader of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild to the High Magistrate of Nevarro. Throughout he was a staunch ally to Din Djarin and Grogu, participating in most of their major battles.

Weathers adored the role, describing it as “one of the greatest things that’s happened in all of the years that I’ve been in entertainment”, and was rightly nominated for an Emmy. He went on to direct two episodes of the show, both of which can be ranked amongst its best.

And, of course, Weathers was already a full-on icon for his roles in the Rocky franchise, Predator, Toy Story and Arrested Development (amongst many more). Beyond all that, he was also an NFL linebacker, playing for the Oakland Raiders in the early 1970s. What a life.

Weathers died on Feb. 1, 2024 at the age of 76 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Other notable deaths 316xc

We must also tip our hat to some other Star Wars luminaries. Several Ewok actors in Return of the Jedi have died: Paul Grant at age 56 in March 2023, Gary Friedkin at age 70 in Dec. 2022, Jack Purvis at age 60 in Nov. 1997, and Felix Silla at age 84 in April 2021.

Two X-Wing pilots have also left us: Red Leader actor Drewe Henley died at age 75 in Feb. 2016 and Porkins’ actor William Hootkins died at age 57 in 2005. Phil Brown played Owen Lars in A New Hope and died aged 89 in Feb. 2006, with Beru Lars actor Shelagh Fraser dying aged 79 in Aug. 2000.

The original voice of Boba Fett, Jason Wingreen, died at age 95 on Dec. 25 2015. Alex McCrindle, who played General Dodonna in A New Hope died at age 78 in April 1990. John Hollis played Lobot in The Empire Strikes Back and died aged 77 in 2005. Clive Revill voiced Emperor Palpatine in the theatrical release of The Empire Strikes Back, and died at age 94 on Mar. 11, 2025.

Eddie Byrne made his final film appearance before his death as General Willard in A New Hope and died aged 70 in Aug. 1981. Larry Ward voiced Greedo in A New Hope and Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi and died at age 63 in 2007. Finally, Declan Mulholland, whose performance as a human version of Jabba the Hutt was cut from A New Hope entirely, died in June 1999 at the age of 66.

Clive Revill, a New Zealand-born actor famous for voicing Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, died on March 11, 2025. The news has only recently been relayed to the media by his daughter, Kate Revill.

Kate confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that her father had ed away due to complications from dementia. Clive lived to be 94 years old before ing in Sherman Oaks, California. Revill had a long career that included stage, screen, and voice acting, leaving a significant impact on the entertainment industry.

Most know Clive Revill as the original Palpatine in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. His iconic, though brief, role as Emperor Palpatine’s voice demonstrated a career that spanned multiple genres and caught audiences’ attention for over sixty years. His stage work shows off his skills as a performer. His contributions to acting extended well beyond Star Wars. His voice acting and stage work, especially with the Royal Shakespeare Company, are a big part of his career.

Clive Revil has died of dementia 3g4vf

Clive Revil died of dementia on March 11, 2025, at the age of 94. He is best known for his role as Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, but his career spans a lifetime of achievements.

Revill was born in New Zealand and began his journey as a celebrated actor in 1950 when he moved to London to train at the Old Vic Theatre. Just two years later, he made his Broadway debut in The Pickwick Papers, which kicked off a successful career on the American stage. His performances were highly praised, earning him Tony Award nominations for his roles as Fagin in Oliver! and Bob-Le-Hotu in Irma la Douce.

Outside of Broadway, Revill built a strong working relationship with well-known director Billy Wilder, appearing in Wilder’s movies The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes and Avanti! His work in Avanti! gained him a Golden Globe nomination for Best ing Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. His film credits also include Otto Preminger’s Bunny Lake Is Missing, where he starred alongside Laurence Olivier.

Revill’s connection to Star Wars came about unexpectedly. His earlier work with director Irvin Kershner on the 1966 film A Fine Madness led to Kershner reaching out for The Empire Strikes Back. Kershner needed a voice for Emperor Palpatine, who was only shown as a hologram. Revill recalled in a 2015 interview with The Spectrum that he delivered the lines with “no emotion whatsoever,” which he felt was the best approach. Although his contribution to the film was brief, it secured his place in cinematic history.

Although Revill’s portrayal of Emperor Palpatine was significant, it was short-lived. Ian McDiarmid re-recorded the The Empire Strikes Back lines to provide continuity for later Star Wars films. However, Revill expressed no bitterness about this decision, stating in the same 2015 interview, “I was the original Emperor, but they wanted continuity with the later movies. They made a good choice with McDiarmid.”

Revill’s varied career included much more than Star Wars. He provided the voice for Alfred in Batman: The Animated Series and appeared in movies like Zorro, The Gay Blade, Kaleidoscope, and Transformers. His extensive acting career also featured roles in television productions, with appearances in The Diary of Anne Frank and The Queen of Spain.

Decades after Natalie Portman’s Pé Amidala spoke the words, “So this is how liberty dies,” in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Americans can finally understand the horror of watching a room full of sycophants applaud its death. Even as we watch the apparent demise of liberties we hold dear, somehow everyday folks are still finding ways to put a humorous spin on the rise of the oligarchy in the U.S.

TikToker @nicotinedoll is currently running one of the best recurring series online. Leaning on Trumpian rhetoric while using key moments from the Star Wars series, the creator is brilliantly lampooning the absurd moves coming from Donald Trump’s second istration. Upping the hilarious ante, he’s mastered the intonations of Trump’s latest talking head, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, perfectly.

“For the last time, I have never heard of Order 66,” he says, channeling his inner Trumpian mouthpiece. “No one has ever heard of Order 66. The Emperor in particular has never heard of Order 66.” It’s a dark kind of humor, one that pulls from infuriating real-life talking points from Trump’s camp.

Trump recently used this tactic after calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a dictator.” Never one to roll back a claim, Trump later responded with incredulity when reporters asked him to explain himself, “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that,” he commented flippantly before moving on, never fully redacting his incorrect assertion that Zelenskyy started the conflict.

The creator lampoons Leavitt’s penchant for downplaying or over-exaggerating Trump’s rhetoric and claims. “The disdain, the impatience, it’s all perfectly accurate and therefore haunting,” one commenter perfectly summarized. The video goes on to claim that the destruction of Alderaan was “a failure of infrastructure and plumbing.”

Perhaps the best part of the 3-part series so far is the consistent comparison of Lord Vader to Elon Musk. “Lord Vader is a longtime confidant and friend and an invaluable member of this Empire,” the TikToker says, channeling Leavitt beautifully. “For the last time, Lord Vader has no istrative power in this Empire, and he was on the Death—” he fumbles before plowing onward, “—the Imperial Station, because he’s a brilliant engineer.”

The talking points mirror the Trump istration’s insistence that Elon Musk isn’t a government employee, which has caused no small amount of confusion. For weeks, the istration has flip-flopped on what exactly Musk’s position in the government is. It seems weekly that Trump’s team labels him head of the organization only to flip and say he isn’t. As of now, the story is that Amy Gleason, a former health care exec on vacation in Mexico, is in charge — though why it took the istration so long to reveal her has raised some serious eyebrows.

The short videos by themselves are good for a laugh, but it’s the comments that come in clutch for this one. Laced with some truly spectacular takeaways like “Pumpkin Spice Palpatine,” or “I thought it was Order 66, not Project 2025,” or my personal favorite, “The AP gets banned from the press room for saying Han shot first,” they make the absurd commentary shine. Now if only we could shut down the insane anxiety this istration is built on and just have a laugh.

Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, has announced that she will “step down” from her role at the head of the Disney-owned company later this year, much to the merriment of Star Wars fans.

It’s been a rough decade for fans of the epic space opera series. When Disney first announced its purchase of Lucasfilm many were ecstatic, more Star Wars could only be good right? But after the trainwreck that was the sequel trilogy, and numerous bad Disney Plus shows the IP is practically on life . 

Fans are relieved to see her go 2f6q5c

All that frustration and disappointment had to be directed somewhere and most pinned the blame on the woman at the top. Kennedy earned the ire of a lot of fans for the direction in which the franchise has gone as of late. As a result, it seems most are happy to see the back of her.

Finally! She should have honestly been removed from Lucasfilm years ago

— Bryan Hultgren (@bhultgren15) February 25, 2025

During her time as head of Lucasfilm Kennedy frequently received criticism from infuriated fans and even actors from the franchise itself who accused her of ruining Star Wars in many ways. The lack of planning for the sequel trilogy is a perfect example of a terrible creative decision that upset many. The lack of pay-off for certain characters and a poorly thought out last-minute return of an iconic villain for the final movie shows that Kennedy and the others in charge had no idea what to do with the franchise.

News of Kathleen Kennedy leaving Lucasfilm/#StarWars at the end of the year. I believe the term for this news is "We are so back". pic.twitter.com/GF6tP5yPPU

— Ken Murray (@murraymaker) February 25, 2025

Once the novelty of new Star Wars wore off all kinds of criticism began pouring in, from the over-reliance on fan service and an over-saturation of content in recent years has certainly turned the whole thing sour. Many online also took issue with the new movies and shows apparently being too “woke.”

Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from being President of Lucasfilm at Disney this year and is expected to retire.

She was responsible for many of the woke Star Wars and Indiana Jones sequel movies.

2025 is really taking out the trash! pic.twitter.com/HBWoawr9XN

— Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) February 25, 2025

Although that’s not exactly valid criticism and people who complain about wokeness aren’t to be trusted.

You should be able to say Kathleen Kennedy did a bad job without being connected to the worst people on the internet pic.twitter.com/EGnG2AEE9I

— Dalibor Bagaric (@jrkisbad) February 25, 2025

Are these criticisms completely fair? r266m

Kennedy is a good producer, she knows a lot about the industry. She helped Steven Spielberg found Amblin Entertainment and produced countless classics including Goonies, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Jurassic Park. She has a good history with movies. 

But she is the one running this circus right now, she’s a producer on all projects in the franchise so the overall state of Star Wars can definitely be attributed to her. However that does mean you have to give her some credit for the good stuff we’ve had in the last 12 years too, that includes Andor, The Mandalorian, and Rogue One. We also have to spread a bit of the blame on the directors and writers who had a hand in making some of the weaker entries.

Ultimately, Star Wars fans’ hopes may have been too high. That’s not to say that Kennedy and her crew didn’t fumble one of the greatest franchises of all time, but something tells me a very vocal minority will never be happy. Whoever fills in for Kennedy next had better have some thick skin because they’re likely to end up experiencing the same fate as her.

Prior to the election, we were all warned that Donald Trump’s trade tariffs would be bad news for America, and now we’re about to witness just how devastating the president’s plans are going to be. On the bright side, the U.S. is kind of giving Star Wars vibes right now, although not in a good way.

One fan drew comparisons to a historic flop from the Star Wars film catalogue by showing the parallels between the beginning of The Phantom Menace and the reality that we are currently living. 

Look, I know some people are going to come at me for calling The Phantom Menace a flop, but can we just it that it’s far from the best one out there? I’m a staunch defender of the prequel trilogy, but if we were going to compare real life to a Star Wars movie, I’d rather compare it to one of the objectively cooler films, like The Empire Strikes Back. But hey, don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll get to that one eventually, considering the way things seem to be heading right now.

What was The Phantom Menace even about? 5i6k14

For those who don’t , the opening title crawl from The Phantom Menace alluded to a taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems. The bill was ed by the Galactic Senate and signed by Chancellor Palpatine, AKA the Emperor, AKA Darth Sidious, and it was all a part of his evil scheme. In many ways, this seemingly inconsequential detail from the earliest movie in the Star Wars timeline was actually what kickstarted the events of the later movies.

So if Trump is the Emperor, then I guess that makes Elon Musk Darth Vader?

Fans were quick to draw even more comparisons to current day America and the Galactic Senate from the prequel films. The downfall of the senate and the rise of the Empire along with Palpatine’s rise to the status of Emperor can be likened to Trump’s rise to power. One fan echoed the words of Pe from Revenge of the Sith regarding democracy.

Also the scene in revenge of the sith where pe goes “So this is how democracy dies, with thunderous applause.” Perfectly describes all the Trump ers clapping like seals to all this shit.

— Danke chains (@DANKCHAINS) February 2, 2025

Forget The Simpsons predicting the future, George Lucas is the real prophet here. How did he know way back in the nineties that this would be the state of the world in three short decades? Perhaps it’s worth going back and studying the old movies to try and learn from them, maybe we can prevent whatever is coming next.

It’s kind of mad and a little disheartening that the politically tumultuous world of Star Wars can be so easily compared to our world now – why couldn’t we get the cool stuff from the Star Wars universe like spaceships and lightsabers? It seems like we truly are stuck in the worst timeline and if we are in the first part of George Lucas’ epic space saga right now then the future is looking incredibly bleak indeed.

Ahsoka fans have been left with mixed feelings after the Star Wars spinoff series confirmed a new castmate, with Rory McCann set to replace the late Ray Stevenson in the role of Baylan Skoll. 

Stevenson died in May 2023 after suffering a brief illness and was beloved by Ahsoka fans, for his resonant voice, gravitas, and complex portrayal of a conflicted Force-using villain that isn’t a lightning-spewing cackling space wizard. Stevenson was known Punisher: War Zone, Rome, Dexter and Thor, while McCann is known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Hot Fuzz and, more recently, Gladiator II. 

Stevenson and McCann were friends, with the former actor’s wife giving her blessing for McCann to inherit the role. McCann has a few months to prepare for the role, with season two of Ahsoka going into production in May. In the meantime, fans have reacted to the recasting in anticipation of McCann’s arrival in the series, with the sentiment seeming largely positive. “Oh, let’s gooo,” one fan quipped on X, with another adding that McCann “stole the show on Game of Thrones” and describing it as “fantastic casting” on the part of production company, Lucasfilm. 

“He will do great,” a third declared, while others agreed that McCann is “a solid replacement” for Stevenson and “will do the role justice.” Elsewhere, fans said that while it’ll be “tough shoes to fill,” McCann is “a fantastic actor” who is “made for these types of roles” and whose casting “was the right decision for the story.” Even beyond the simple recasting, fans reacted positively to continue on with the character of Baylan Skoll rather than writing him off, since the former Jedi is “way too interesting” and there has been “too much lore set up” within season one of Ahsoka. 

“Rory McCann will fit in the role,” another wrote, “he’s a good actor.” As far as recastings go, Stevenson’s replacement has been received far more welcomingly among fans than some other titles. In Game of Thrones, for example, the replacement of Ed Skrein with Michael Huisman in the role of Daario Naharis was met with confusion given their dissimilar appearance, while Ruby Rose’s departure in the title role of Batwoman — to make way for Javicia Leslie — likewise stirred controversy and rumors. 

But for Ahsoka recasting was the only feasible option. Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Ivanna Sakhno’s Shin Hati, were by some distance the most interesting characters in Ahsoka, though they were frustratingly absent in the season one finale, only appearing in very brief, dialogue-free scenes at the close of the episode.

We should at least be thankful that Disney and Lucasfilm chose not to embrace the dark art of digitally resurrecting Stevenson for a posthumous deepfaked performance. This route must have been discussed given that Star Wars has already used CGI tech to bring back Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher, but in this instance we think it’s a fitting tribute to Stevenson to have his friend take up the lightsaber.

You may have felt an unexplained disturbance in the force on Dec. 23, 2024, but shook it off and continued about your day. All would make sense a week later when Angus MacInnes’ family announced his death at age 77.

“Angus MacInnes, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and actor died on 23rd of December 2024. He left us peacefully, surrounded by his family and love,” his family wrote in a statement released on his fan page on Facebook. No cause of death has been revealed so far, with his family also appearing unwilling to share the same with the public for the time being.

MacInnes was best known for his role in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, which was reused in 2016’s prequel Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. He played Rebel pilot Jon “Dutch” Vander but most fans knew him simply as “Gold Leader.” His character is the first to lose his life while spearheading the assault on the Death Star.

MacInnes embraced the Star Wars fandom and was grateful to be a small part of it. “Fans of Star Wars held a special place in his heart,” his family stressed. “He loved meeting you at conventions, hearing your stories, and sharing in your ion for the saga. He was continually humbled, delighted, and honoured by the iration and ion of the fans and convention community.”

His career went beyond a galaxy, far, far away. He played corrupt cop Sergeant Leon “Fergie” Ferguson in 1985’s Witness. For this film, he reunited with former Star Wars cast member Harrison Ford. MacInnes’ death scene in this film was also iconic as his character was tricked into entering a corn silo and suffocated by the starch.

“His work touched countless lives, and he took great pride in being part of these stories that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide,” the statement continued.

He also portrayed a member of the Maersk Alabama ship crew in Captain Phillips, which was hijacked by pirates. He showed off his action movie skills as Council Judge Gerald Silver in Judge Dredd. He played another cop, Sergeant Whitman, in Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy. As Gateman #1 in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut he got to be a part of the director’s last film.

MacInnes was born on Oct. 27, 1947, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He studied acting in his home country but also did a year abroad in London at LAMDA, according to IMDb. His first film role was uncredited in the 1975 flick Rollerball, starring James Caan. He also lent his talents to the silver screen. He played Sonny Munro in River City and Tostig in Vikings. 

Beyond the glitz and glamour of showbiz, the actor’s next true love was a generous slice of pizza. In the 1980s he opened his own pizza parlor in Edinburgh, Scotland called Mamma’s. His family also wanted to point out that his life wasn’t defined solely by acting.

“Angus was more than an actor—he was a kind, thoughtful, and generous soul who brought warmth and humor into the lives of everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fellow actors but also by his fans around the world – his family thank you all.”

MacInnes leaves behind a legacy in the form of his memorable roles that will continue to maintain his magical presence in the world of cinema and through the hearts he touched in his lifetime.