Star Wars 7x7: A Daily Bite-Sized Dose of Star Wars Joy

Palpatine died on the second Death Star. And if you had any doubts about that, Ian McDiarmid put them to rest. He told The Phantom Menace 20th Anniversary panel audience that he'd had multiple conversations with George Lucas about it over the years, and Lucas always insisted that Palpatine was dead as a doornail. So how are we to explain the laughter of that madman as heard in the teaser for The R...

It was an amazing five days of Star Wars Celebration, and though the party has left town (as you'll see in the video version of the show, and in photos on our social channels), the fun is just beginning. On today's show, I'm recapping the coverage and the biggest reveals, and announcing the names of all 25 - yes, 25! - interviewees you'll be hearing from on the show in the coming weeks. Punch it!...

Ian McDiarmid teases us about Palpatine; a haunting event gets a sequel; an intriguing new publishing initiative is hinted at; and the first episode of Star Wars Resistance Season 2 debuts! It's a solid finale to an amazing Star Wars Celebration. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

This is a full-spoiler briefing on the season 2 premiere of Star Wars Resistance! If you can't wait to learn the details, it's all here - but please, be sure not to share, comment, or reply to this episode in any way that could reveal spoilers to someone who doesn't want it to be spoiled. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus epi...

As opposed to previous days at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, Day 4 only contained two news-breaking story events: panels for The Mandalorian and for Clone Wars Season 7. And the footage they provided in both was stunning, even though they decided not to show The Mandalorian footage to anyone but the attendees at the panel. Here's the top stories update for both events... Punch it! ***I'm listener...

Dave Filoni is a man who does not disappoint, and is also a man who loves to make Ashley Eckstein cry. At the Clone Wars Season 7 (aka #CloneWarsSaved) panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, he shared clips each of the three story arcs that will comprise the final season of The Clone Wars, and unveiled a full trailer as well. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patre...

The rules said no video recording or flash photography, but if I can't do that, then at least I can tell you what was happening during the two times they blacked out the livestream of The Mandalorian panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. This was recorded in the halls of Wintrust Arena while it was fresh in my head, and sheltered from the freak snowstorm outside. Punch it! ***I'm listener suppor...

If we had to pick a winner for Day 3 of Star Wars Celebration Chicago, the panel for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order would get my vote. I've got the full scope of the reveals here, including details about the trailer, the characters, the story, and much more. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*...

The reveals from the Star Wars Galaxy's Edge panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago were all kind of at the little teaser level. As in, snippets of music, mentions of voice actors, hints at ride footage previews, and one "refreshing" revelation. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

It was Galaxy's Edge's turn in the Star Wars Celebration Stage Panel Lottery spotlight, but I think its thunder was stolen by the gangbusters trailer and additional reveals for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. And surprisingly, there were panels on books, comics, and animation where the list of new news could all be summed up neatly in one episode. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the commun...

Another bonus episode from Star Wars Celebration Chicago! In this one, I'm downloading all the reveals about Vader Immortal Episode I. Toward the end (and with ample warning), there will be a minor spoiler that comes from the gameplay itself, which i09 shared from their experience with it at the Oculus/ILMxLAB/Vader Immortal booth. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://...

In this bonus episode, I do a deep dive into all the new details we got about Star Wars books from the Lucasfilm Publishing panel during Day 2 at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

Recapping the biggest news from Day 2 of Star Wars Celebration Chicago, including the title and teaser for Episode IX, the trailer and new details for Vader Immortal Episode I, and some minor new reveals from the Lucasfilm Publishing panel. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

Even though there was no official programming for Star Wars Celebration Chicago on Thursday, Lucasfilm managed to drop multiple reveals on us, for Episode IX, Vader Immortal, The Mandalorian, Disney+, and the Cassian Andor series. Details summed up here... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*...

In an interview with Fast Company, Star Wars Episode IX director and co-writer J.J. Abrams had some juicy and mysterious things to say about the finale to the Skywalker saga, what it took to make it, and how it's shaping up in the editing room. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

I'm only a half-hour's walk away from the Star Wars Celebration festivity prep, so I took a walk yesterday and scouted out the scene. Get the details on where to see the developments happening at McCormick Place, and learn more about how I'll be covering #SWCC for you. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insi...

The time has come to reveal my one-question interview inquiry for Star Wars Celebration. Each year of Celebration, the question has been asked of authors, artists, podcasters, and Lucasfilm employees, and for the first time, I'm widely sharing the 2019 question with my listeners. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and...

I'm here! Star Wars 7x7 is coming at you from Chicago ahead of Star Wars Celebration. Today's episode, recorded outside Wintrust Arena and McCormick Place, features some of my last-minute advice for people coming to SWCC, and collections of advice from other folks, too. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other ins...

Have you ever wondered how the whole autograph and photo op situation works behind the scenes? In part 2 of my interview with Frank Rich of Star Wars Autograph News, Frank reveals how the system works, and why you see (or don't see) certain Star Wars stars in the photo ops at Star Wars Celebration. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to...

The autograph and photo op setup at Star Wars Celebration Chicago is shaping up to be the largest one ever at Celebration! But how did autographing as a business get started, and how did it become what it is today? In the first of a two-part interview, Star Wars Autograph News owner and founder Frank Rich joins me to set the scene. We'll talk about his history as a Star Wars fan and how it led him...

Want to know more about the time in between The Last Jedi and Episode IX? Pirate's Price has more answers, including how Hondo deals with Bazine Netal and her mysterious employer, and how the Falcon got to Batuu in time for the Galaxy's Edge experience. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

Similar to how three novels targeted to younger readers for "The Journey to The Force Awakens" included sequel-era prologues and epilogues, the "Flight of the Falcon" series has prologues and epilogues that are very "Journey to Episode IX" in their nature, but this time, there's a central plot and character - Bazine Netal's hunt for the Millennium Falcon. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join...

While we count down the final days until the big reveals at Celebration Chicago, I'm circling back to a title with storytelling that takes place between The Last Jedi and Episode IX. It's "Lando's Luck" by Justina Ireland, part of the "Flight of the Falcon" series. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider...

Thanks to everyone who had such nice things to say about yesterday's April Fool's Day episode! Today, I'm running down some other pranks that popped up, and looking back at the history of April Fool's Day episodes on Star Wars 7x7. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.*** 

In honor of the 20th anniversary of its debut, Disney has created a Special Edition version of The Phantom Menace for limited release next month! Here's the scoop on some of the changes Disney made, as well as the strategy behind this surprising move. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***