Star Wars: Good News and Bad News

 by Ray Keating

News and Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 9, 2024

 

Well, there certainly has been a good deal of news flowing around Star Wars in recent days – both good news and bad news.

Since I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy, let’s start with the good news.

 

Disney announced today that the Mandalorian and Grogu will be featured in a movie to be directed by Jon Favreau. The Mandalorian & Grogu will go into production this year. Favreau was quoted: “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created. The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”

 

Favreau. Star Wars. The big screen. That’s good news.

 

Unfortunately, one does have to wonder about the timing of this announcement given the firestorm Disney has faced with revelations about the views of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who is slated to direct the next Star Wars movie focused on the Rey character. 

 

Chinoy is a Pakistani-Canadian journalist and two-time Oscar-winning documentarian. And from what I can tell, she has confronted how women are mistreated in various Muslim nations. Good for her. She also directed a couple of episodes of the lightly-watched Disney+ Ms. Marvel series. That’s not so good. Without rehashing the full controversy here, comments that Chinoy made at a conference several years ago and recently on CNN (get more information here) point to her to being long on feminist ideology and activism, and rather short on discernment and balance. Her resume also appears quite brief and peculiar to be handed a major sci-fi/fantasy film in the massive and troubled Star Wars franchise. Unfortunately for her and for Disney, it’s hard to not see her Star Wars hiring as being based on ideology and/or a quota, as opposed to a track record that indicated she would be ideal for a Star Wars movie. As this controversy emerged, questions come to mind about Disney perhaps not doing their homework on this hire. Naturally, leftist commentators are trying to paint criticisms of Chinoy as being misogynistic, but these responses seem to amount to little more than ad hominem attacks.

 

Listen, I get it. These debates tend to degrade into ugliness, and often-questionable motivations are at work. But from a straight business standpoint, does it make sense to hand a major Star Wars film to a director who lacks experience, and seems to have a tough time keeping her views in check? It’s safe to say that I probably disagree with 90 percent of the political views espoused in Hollywood, but that doesn’t stop me from recognizing and appreciating good storytelling from people with whom I disagree. And if the Chinoy Star Wars film goes forward, I hope she makes a film that can be enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, many of her statements make me wonder if she can overcome her politics in order to make such a movie.

 

As a fan, I recognize that much of Star Wars is about hope. So, here’s hoping for the best. As a stockholder, however, I would appreciate serious decision-making about storytelling and customers that provide a more solid foundation for such hope.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Support the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating Podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1724143. Subscribe at the $8 or $10 level, and get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. Remain a supporter and you'll get a FREE BOOK by Ray Keating every six months going forward. Thanks!

 

The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement and fun for Disney fans, including those who love Mickey, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pixar, princesses and more.

 

Consider other books by Ray Keating, including…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 18 books in the series now.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are are at www.raykeatingbooksandmore.com.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Have the Prayers of Star Wars Fans Been Answered?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis/Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

November 21, 2023

 

Star Wars fans haven’t exactly been pleased with the results since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. Is that about to change?

 

The three sequel films – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) – were particularly bad for so many reasons. And then there was the incredibly disappointing Disney+ live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), along with the muddled The Book of Boba Fett (2021).

There, of course, have been middling-to-pretty-good efforts, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in theaters – although I’ll get some debate on those points in Star Wars circles.

 

And on Disney+, The Mandalorian (2019), Andor (2022), and Ahsoka (2023) have been excellent.

 

Overall, Disney’s Star Wars record has been terribly disappointing. But now comes news via Vanity Fair that Dave Filoni has been promoted. 

 

According to the report, Filoni said, “Now I’m what’s called chief creative officer of Lucasfilm.” This “places him into the development process much earlier and in a much more expansive capacity than his previous advisory duties. ‘In the past, in a lot of projects I would be brought into it, I would see it after it had already developed a good ways.’ Filoni will now work more directly with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and alongside Carrie Beck, a veteran producer turned head of development, to originate and shepherd the next generation of Star Wars shows and movies.”

 

Vanity Fair also reported: “‘I’m not telling people what to do,’ Filoni says. ‘But I do feel I’m trying to help them tell the best story that they want to tell. I need to be a help across the galaxy here, like a part of a Jedi Council almost.’ He described his responsibilities as understanding the intent of the filmmakers and being a resource to them, based on his mentorship under Lucas himself, and his years spent steering The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Ahsoka.” And later: “Filoni will continue developing his film, as well as exploring a possible second season of Ahsoka, while serving in his new position.”

 

It also was noted: “As president of Lucasfilm, Kennedy will continue leading the overall company, and Beck’s role will involve recruiting other storytellers into the Star Wars fold, while Filoni weighs in on a narrative level.”

 

The inevitable question that arises from Filoni’s promotion is this: Will Filoni eventually succeed Kennedy to helm all of Lucasfilm, or perhaps co-run the Disney-owned studio with someone else more plugged in to the business side of things? That would be the answer to Star Wars fans' prayers. After all, Kennedy has taken the brunt of the criticism for the under-performance of Star Wars, and she hasn’t helped her own case over the years with some comments that were out of touch with Star Wars material and fans, along with the greenlighting of an assortment of Star Wars movies that then quietly disappeared.

 

In the end, at the very least, Filoni’s promotion is good news for those who seek storytelling that makes more sense in terms of the characters and overall Star Wars universe and themes.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Support the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating Podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1724143. Subscribe at the $8 or $10 level, and get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. Remain a supporter and you'll get a FREE BOOK by Ray Keating every six months going forward. Thanks!

 

Consider books by Ray Keating, including…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. There are 18 books in the series now.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel is at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Signed editions of Ray’s books are at www.RayKeatingOnline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Get Ready for a Caffeinated Grogu

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 1, 2023

 

Star Wars fans rejoiced on Wednesday with the first episode drop of the new season of The Mandalorian, but coffee drinkers at Disney were doubly blessed.  Joffrey’s, the official specialty coffee purveyor at Disney, released a brand new brew in honor of the March 1st occasion.  “STAR WARS The Mandalorian – Precious Cargo Blend” debuted, honoring the adorable Grogu, or Baby Yoda, whose smiling presence and upstretched arms grace the artwork on the package.

According to Joffrey’s, the new Precious Cargo Blend  “brings you the galaxy's finest quality medium-roasted Arabica beans and exclusive packaging inspired by Grogu. Part of the Star Wars Specialty Coffee Collection, you can now enjoy smooth small-batch roasted coffee with this cosmic brew.”

 

Grogu’s special blend is a medium roast with 100% Arabica Beans, sold in 11 oz. packages for $12.99 as either ground or whole bean coffee. You can pick it up at the Joffrey’s location at Disney Springs, or online at Joffreys.com, along with any of the other Disney collections.  And here’s a special tip: If you sign up for their newsletter online at Joffrey’s, you can get a 25% discount.

 

Joffrey’s currently offers 25 unique coffees for Disney, ranging from resort specific blends like the Riviera Resort blend, to theme park signature restaurant blends, such as Le Cellier’s dark blend from the Canada pavilion at EPCOT.  There are often limited time holiday blends as well, such as Mickey & Minnie’s Winter Wonderland, the Not-So-Scary Pumpkin Brew, or the current Mickey Mouse Cup O’ Gold for St. Patrick’s Day or the caramel-toned Disney Hoppity Ever After for Easter. And, if you hurry, you might catch the dark ground Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary Blend ($14.99). The 50th anniversary celebration wraps up the end of this month.

 

The Mandalorian Season 3 is now airing on Disney+.

_______________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Disney+ Trailing Netflix … in a Big Way

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

January 26, 2023

 

When it comes to streaming, we all hear that content is king. And Disney+, with the impressive studios and franchises that Disney owns, was supposed to challenge the top dog. But the Nielsen streaming rankings for 2022 show that Disney has plenty of work to do.

 

In general, Netflix remained the king of streaming in 2022, with Disney ranking tops in streaming movies.

As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, in the overall streaming category (i.e., original series, acquired series, and movies), Netflix held 11 of the top 15 spots, with Disney holding two, and one series (Criminal Minds) crossing over three streaming services (Netflix/Hulu/Paramount+).

 

How do these ratings/rankings work? As the Reporter explained: “Nielsen’s streaming ratings cover viewing on TV sets only and don’t include minutes watched on computers or mobile devices. The ratings only measure U.S. audiences, not those in other countries.”

 

Looking at original series, which is often viewed as the streaming Holy Grail, Netflix held 13 of the top 15 spots, with Amazon Prime Video earning the other two spots. None of the Disney+ big shows – for example, Moon Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk – cracked the top 15 for 2022.

 

As for acquired series, Disney+ had two in the top 15 – the children’s cartoon show Bluey and The Simpsons. Ten went to Netflix, one for HBO Max, one for Amazon Prime Video, and then Criminal Minds across three streaming services.

 

But Disney+ was the clear leader in terms of streaming movies, holding 10 of the top 15 spots, with Netflix holding the other five. The following list offers the top streamed movies (again, based on minutes viewed) and it points to Disney benefiting from material leaning toward younger children, or families with younger children. 

 

1. Encanto (Disney+), 27.4 billion

2. Turning Red (Disney+), 11.4 billion

3. Sing 2 (Netflix), 11.3 billion

4. Moana (Disney+), 8.6 billion

5. The Adam Project (Netflix), 6.1 billion

6. Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+), 5.7 billion

7. Don’t Look Up (Netflix), 5.1 billion

7 (tie) Frozen (Disney+), 5.1 billion

9. Luca (Disney+), 5 billion

9 (tie) The Gray Man (Netflix), 5 billion

11. Zootopia (Disney+), 4.4 billion

12. Coco (Disney+), 4.3 billion

13. Eternals (Disney+), 4.24 billion

14. Frozen II (Disney+), 4.2 billion

15. Uncharted (Netflix), 4.18 billion

 

That’s not surprising, of course. After all, this is Disney. But Disney has made clear that in order for its streaming service to be a success, it needs to offer more than that. At least in 2022, its big franchises – Marvel and Star Wars – didn’t make that happen.

 

It should be noted that Season 1 of The Mandalorian – the Star Wars show on Disney+ - ranked fifth on Nielsen’s 2019 measure for original streaming series, and it ranked fifth again in 2020. Also, Marvel’s WandaVision ranked 14th in 2021. But that’s been it for Disney+ in terms of original streaming series.

 

The good news for Disney+? The Mandalorian Season 3 arrives in March of this year.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. The latest in the series is Persecution: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel. Get the signed books here, or paperbacks and Kindle editions right here.

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

Not in Anaheim? Star Wars Celebration LIVE Available on YouTube

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 27, 2022

 

If you weren’t one of the lucky ones who snapped up a seat at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, you may still be able to be part of the fandom by tuning in to the Star Wars Celebration LIVE! complete livestream of Day 1 from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.  The stream includes many of the interviews and panels from the day, interspersed with visits from creators of Star Wars merch, and a look at some new releases. 

Additional streams from the four-day gathering (May 26-29, 2022, at the Anaheim Convention Center) will also be coming, and for your convenience, some of the more popular interviews have been broken down and posted into smaller, several minute long segments by the good folks at the Star Wars website. You can also watch live on the StarWars.com homepage  or YouTube.com/StarWars beginning at 12 p.m. PT each day.

 

While you might be thinking that the stream (and the event itself) is a bit of a nerd-fest, and a five-hour-long promo for all things Disney+ (yeah, it is that, too), viewers will still walk away feeling like they found out more about their favorite shows than they previously knew. And though there are true “fanboy” and “fangirl” moments to the day, the interviewers still manage to bring a fair amount of interesting discussion to the celebrity moments. 

 

In particular, I’ve long been an admirer of Dave Filoni, and enjoyed his take on creating his corner of the Star Wars world. Without a doubt, Ian McDiarmid gives one of the most note-worthy and amusing interviews of the day in his “An Audience With The Emperor” segment, fascinating not only from a fan point of view, but for those whose interests lie in the process of film creation and in film history. 

 

The day’s stream also offered moments with some of the merch and gaming creators, with a nod to what they created and why, and what new products they thought would “wow” audiences. 

 

Day #1 of  Star Wars Celebration LIVE! featured stage time with such luminaries of the Star Wars universe as Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy; as well as fan favorite actors including Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan, The Mandalorian), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano, Star Wars Rebels), and Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine).  

 

With the hype building for the release of the limited series, six episode Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series the following day (today, May 27), the room went crazy for the interview with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen (Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, but if you are reading this article, I’m pretty sure you already knew that!).  If you want to see their comments before tuning in to the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series tonight, their segment is at about the 4:04:10 mark. 

 

Also putting in appearances in the interview chairs were Jon Kasdan (among other things, Executive Producer and writer of Willow – coming to Disney+ November 30), Joanne Whalley (Sorsha, Willow), Warwick Davis (Willow Ufgood, Willow); Ruby Cruz (Kit, Willow), Ellie Bamber (Dove,Willow) and Erin Kellyman (Jade, Willow); Rupert Friend and Moses Ingram (Grand Inquisitor and Reva from Obi-Wan Kenobi); Deborah Chow (director, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Mandalorian); Taylor Gray (Ezra, Star Wars Rebels); Sanne Wohlenberg (Executive Producer, Star Wars: Andor – coming to Disney+ August 31); Diego Luna (Executive producer and Cassian Andor, Star Wars: Andor, and Star Wars: Rogue One); and Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Rogue One, and Star Wars: Andor).  

 

The Star Wars: The High Republic panel was also part of the day’s livestream coverage, offering a large group of panelists in an hour-plus long, wide-ranging discussion of behind-the-scenes storylines and decision-making.

 

Streaming continues for the additional days of the celebration, and you can catch a few of the sneak peek trailers for upcoming series on the livestream as well.

 

To quote Hayden Christensen’s interview, “This is where the fun begins!”

_______________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Baby Yoda to Join Macy’s 95th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 10, 2021

 

Move over, Pikachu! There’s a new big-eyed creature coming to town!

 

StarWars.com has announced that Baby Yoda will be joining the line-up for this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.  

Image courtesy of StarWars.com

Funko and Macy’s, in collaboration with Lucasfilm, have a giant Grogu balloon in the works for the 95th Annual parade, and he is the very first Star Wars themed balloon in the celebration.  The mischievous and adorable baby is sure to wow audiences at 41-feet high, 29-feet long, and 37-feet wide!

 

The balloon is an original Funko Pop! design by Funko art director Reis O’Brien, and there will, of course, be corresponding limited edition merch for sale that will commemorate the Grogu-inspired balloon. Some of the merchandise will be available at Funko.com, while others will be featured at Macy’s Herald Square location in New York City.

Image courtesy of StarWars.com

 

“This is the way” you can watch Grogu, as well as all the other beloved balloon characters, as they travel to Herald Square on Thanksgiving: The broadcast airs on NBC on Thursday, November 25th from 9AM to 12PM in all time zones.  

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Star Wars’ Favreau Gets Shakespeare

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #108: Star Wars’ Favreau on Shakespeare – Director Jon Favreau understands why Shakespeare rocks, and perhaps that’s why Favreau rocks.

 

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

The Depth of Storytelling Quality on "The Mandalorian"

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #37: The Client in “The Mandalorian” – You’ve done your job very well as a storyteller when a second or third level character fascinates the audience.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Star Wars Stuff on Star Wars Day

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 4, 2021

 

May the 4th! Happy Star Wars Day! Here’s an opportunity to take stock regarding what you’re most excited about in the Star Wars universe. As it turns out, there’s a heck of a lot on the way.

 

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

 

First, what’s the deal with the “real” lightsaber, created by Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development? Well, we might not find out the full story until Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser starts embarking on two-night journeys in 2022. 

And with or without that new lightsaber, I’m exceedingly interested in finding out how guests’ personal adventures will play out on the starcruiser, given the various descriptions that Disney has served up – including this latest one at the Disney Parks Blog – about this immersive experience. 

 

Over at StarWars.com,  there’s even more info. Ann Morrow Johnson, an architect and artist at the Disney Parks, reported, “This is the Coruscant, Canto Bight, Dryden’s yacht, Orient Express of space. The food, the dining, the overall experience is an upscale, refined version of Star Wars that guests haven’t gotten a chance to step into yet.” Orient Express of space? Yes, please. I look forward to dining at the Halcyon’s (the name of the starcruiser) Crown of Corellia dining room.

Merch from a Galaxy Far, Far Away

 

Star Wars merch always grabs my attention, and starting today at the Star Wars Galactic Outpost at Disney Springs, as well as at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, new stuff from a galaxy far, far away was made available, including apparel featuring the new Disney+ series “The Bad Batch” (more on that in a moment).

 

Oh, yes, new Star Wars desserts, including the Grogu Mini Dome Cake at Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs, sound inviting.

Star Wars Lounge at Sea

 

For good measure, might a Disney Cruise be on the agenda? Hmmm. Well, perhaps your decision will be helped by the Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge that will be on board the new Disney Wish cruise ship when it ventures onto the high seas in the summer of 2022. This lounge is being billed as “a high-end, immersive Star Wars bar for adults.”

 

From an interview at StarWars.com, Imagineer Danny Handke provides some intriguing details. Here’s a taste for what people will enjoy: “Some of the galactic destinations that fans can look forward to include Tatooine (set during The Mandalorian), Batuu (‘almost a day in the life of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge,’ featuring the Star Destroyer from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Hondo Ohnaka’s ship), and Mustafar (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story era). And Handke reveals one more locale exclusively to StarWars.com: the home of the Ewoks, Endor.”

What’s Coming Regarding Stars Wars on Screen?

 

Finally, let’s serve up a reminder of what’s coming to Disney+ and/or in theaters to enhance the Star Wars joy…

 

“The Mandalorian” – Season 3 has been approved without a release date set on Disney+.

 

“The Bad Batch” – a 16-episode series arriving on Disney+ on May 4 (today!).

 

“The Book of Boba Fett” – a spinoff from “The Mandalorian” that will debut on Disney+ in December 2021.

 

“Star Wars: Visions” – a 10-part anime series on Disney+ due to land in 2021.

 

“Andor” – a 12-episode prequel series to Rogue One due on Disney+ in 2022.

 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” – a six-part limited series with Ewan McGregor back as Obi-Wan. It’s due on Disney+ in 2022, and takes place ten years after Revenge of the Sith.

 

“Rogue Squadron” – a movie about X-wing pilots is scheduled to hit movie theaters in December 2023.

 

“Ahsoka” – another spinoff from “The Mandalorian” will star Rosario Dawson on Disney+, but it has no release date as yet.

 

“Rangers of the New Republic” – another spinoff from “The Mandalorian” is supposed to bring a group of New Republic soldiers to Disney+. (No release date.)

 

“The Acolyte” – a mystery/thriller series on Disney+ dealing with the Dark Side a century prior to The Phantom Menace. (No release date.)

 

“Lando” – a series about Lando Calrissian, which also is expected to come to Disney+. (No release date.)

 

“A Droid Story” – a Disney+ movie featuring C3PO and R2D2. (No release date.)

 

In addition, Taika Waititi is supposed to direct his own Star Wars film, and Marvel’s Kevin Feige is developing a Star Wars film. No specifics or release dates have been announced.

 

If that’s not enough Star Wars for you on Star Wars Day, no doubt, more projects will come along (with a few, by the way, likely never becoming a reality).

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!