Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World in Orland are still going on (till June 16th, so not much longer!), so pay attention if you’d like to see yourself frozen in carbonite. They’re set up a great attraction where they photograph your face, and then make a model out of it, so you can have your own action figure of you in the famous frozen Han Solo pose. The catch? It’s only for Star Wars Weekends, you have to make a reservation, and it’s $100 per figure (8 inches tall). Is it worth it? Depends how big of a Star Wars fan you are, but this seems like a very cool event to me. Read more…
With the recent release of Blizzard’s latest cash cow, Diablo 3, BioWare hopes to rekindle gamers’ interest in their Star Wars MMORPG, The Old Republic by announcing another free pass weekend. The move is designed to bolster their subscriptions, following a sharp decline in users from 1.7 million to 1.3 in the last two months alone. Needless to say, that news alone doesn’t bode too well for the fledgling title. That said, EA has suggested in the past that the game could remain profitable with as low as 500,000 subscribers, and seem convinced that the recent declines consist primarily of casual gamers, and not their hardcore MMO base. I’m not as easily convinced — but then again, I don’t play MMORPGs either, so I’m not sure I can offer an informed opinion on the matter. That said, the numbers alone don’t lie. If you want to try The Old Republic for free this weekend, I’ve included details after the jump.
If Vader’s trip to Bespin has taught us anything, it’s that not every station in the galaxy comes designed with Stormtroopers in mind. In response to recent increase in low-hanging-corridor-related concussions, the Imperial Safety Administration has launched a new campaign in an effort to improve occupational safety amongst its troops! Featuring a design by R-evolution GFX, this awesome shirt is currently available on TeeFury for the rest of the evening for just $10 plus shipping. If by chance you miss out but still want it at a later date, or, if you just want to browse some of R-Evolution GFX’s other designs, you can find more of their shirts available via Red Bubble.
When Darth Maul made his debut in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, I had high hopes for the character. He certainly seemed menacing enough for a Sith, and wielding a dual-bladed lightsaber made him slightly more endearing, at least as far as a villain could go. But, those hopes were dashed the moment he met his maker at the hands of Obi-wan having only uttered five lines, at most, during the course of the film. That being the case, I found him incredibly one-dimensional — his one saving grace being his fantastic look. Hence why every collectible statue I’ve seen so far has looked amazing, and Sideshow Collectibles’ latest offering is no exception.
With Star Wars Celebration VI around the corner, you’ll want to start the celebration right! With that in mind, ThinkGeek has stocked a new line of Star Wars-themed ice cube molds. The designs include Darth Vader’s mask, Millennium Falcon, and a X-Wing starfighter. Unfortunately, none of them beat Han Solo frozen in carbonite, but I don’t think anyone would object to some iced Vader with their tea or vodka. Of course, you can also use the molds for other means, such as chocolate, or Jello. Millennium Falcon Jello shots? Yes, please. The molds are also incredibly affordable at just ~$10 a piece.
I’ve always wanted to take a trip to Disneyworld, but given my close proximity to Anaheim’s Disneyland resorts and inability to schedule a proper vacation, I’ve had to settle for the California equivalent over the years. Of course, it’s not really equivalent in any way shape or form, but I digress. Those of you planning on attending the California theme park this summer will want to stop by Downtown Disney — a shopping arcade located outside of the park itself — and admire some of the new Star Wars-inspired art now on display. Read more…
Finally a reason to go to Canada! I’m kidding, I’m sure there’s plenty of reasons — maple syrup, for instance — but Star Wars fans have something to add to that list. Star Wars Identities attempts to bring you into the Star Wars universe as you’ve never experienced it before. With over 200 props, costumes, models and works of art from the series, the exhibition offers a unique look at the Star Wars Galaxy as we’ve come to know it.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Apr 30, 2012 in Star Wars
There’s a very cool project on Kickstater which aims to send a Captain Picard and a Captain Kirk action figure into outer space via weather balloon. While I’d prefer an overpowered Estes rocket the idea of a weather balloon is a tad more legal if not less fun. In addition to Kickstarter you cans how your love for the project on this Facebook page as well. Read more…
Just the other week, I mentioned the unabridged 20th anniversary recording of Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire — the novel often heralded for having launched Star Wars’ expanded universe. It was first novel in its trilogy, set five years after Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Although was LucasBooks was nice enough to publish the 20th anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire late last year, there are currently no plans to do the same for either of its sequels Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. Thankfully, not all is lost! Read more…
This is really impressive: to help promote The Phantom Menace’s 3D re-release in Germany, LEGO model creators Rene Hoffmeister and Lorenz Lnggrtnr made something amazing. An enormous diorama featuring 4 Star Wars settings (Hoth, Tatooine, Naboo, and the Death Star) and then hooked it up to a keyboard. The highest bricks rotate around the barrel and bump little sensors that then hit the correct key on the keyboard, thus playing the Main Theme of Star Wars. Watch the video above to see it in action! Read more…
Back in September, we wrote about the special 20th Anniversary Edition of Timothy Zhan’s Star Wars: Heir to the Empire. Often cited as the father of the extended Star Wars universe, Heir to the Empire is the first entry of a series many fans consider to be the closest we’ll ever come to a proper sequel trilogy for the Star Wars saga. It’s introduced so many memorable characters like Grand Admiral Thrawn, and enigmatic Mara Jade, who’ve appeared in subsequent works, and even influenced Lucas to include elements from the novels in his recent prequels. Although we’ll likely never see a film adaptation of what has now become known as “The Thrawn Trilogy,” a full unabridged audio performance has finally become available for the first time since the book was initially published in 1991. Read more…
While watching this trailer for Kinect Star Wars, a few choice words came to mind, but if I had to choose one, I think I’d just ask why. Of course, I think it’s pretty obvious why LucasArts and Microsoft have done this. They’ve said it themselves — they’re appealing to the lowest common denominator. Well, congratulations, mission accomplished. More embarrassing footage after the jump. Read more…
If you’ve been curious about Star Wars: The Old Republic, but don’t want to commit to purchasing a subscription right away, starting today and throughout the rest of the weekend, the MMORPG will be free to play. In order to access the free weekend pass, you’ll have to live in a territory in which the game has been officially released. In addition, only users who have never had an active Star Wars: The Old Republic account will be eligible. Read more…
I’m not sure how many of you have been keeping up with Ridley Scott’s Prophets of Science Fiction — not every cable provider carries the network it airs on — but it’s been a pretty good season so far. The season’s coming to an end, but what better way than to feature the man behind the force itself, George Lucas. The season finale airs tonight at 10 PM Eastern on Science.
I always have difficulty writing about the passing of artists and visionaries who inspired so many over the years. It’s as if nothing I could write or say could even begin to express the loss the industry faces each time it happens. Nevertheless, it’s only appropriate that we honor them for their contributions. This time it’s Ralph McQuarrie, the conceptual artist whose work dictated the visual direction for films and series such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Battlestar Galactica, and even Raiders of the Lost Ark, but is best known for his work on Star Wars. Read more…
YouTube voice-over extraordinaire Brock Baker recently uploaded his abridged dub for Star Wars: Episode IV. It’s mostly silly, but hilarious at times and definitely not safe for work. While I chuckled here and there throughout, nothing really beats his Chewbacca. I’m not sure why it’s so good, and I’m not even sure you’ll love it too, but I can promise it’s not what you’d expect. Still, he must be doing something right because after 8,200 people “liked” the video, he only managed to rack up 150 “dislikes.” Most impressive, considering the material. If you dig it, check out his YouTube Channel for more.
I saw this video on Topless Robot earlier and simply had to share: one guy at Belated Media shares his way of fixing Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. He makes a fair amount of tweaks to the story – some minor and silly, others incredibly astute. But he shares the opinion of the Clone Wars creators that Darth Maul should’ve lived, something I strongly agree with. Check out the full video below the break! Read more…
Remember how we heard a while back Darth Maul would be making a return to the Star Wars universe in the CGI animated Clone Wars series? Well it’s happening, and just in time to help promote Episode I in theaters. Oh, Lucasfilm, you clever bunch, you. Given that Darth Maul was pretty cleanly separated from the lower half of his body, one might wonder how exactly you obtain a fresh pair of mechanical legs while, you know, not dying. But those are not the questions you should be asking, yells the marketing director. “Look how cool he is!” Trailer after the break. Read more…
Prepare to be floored. CGI artist, and Star Wars fan, Francisco Prieto pieced together this amazing stop-motion CGI short. The video shows the brick by brick construction of Lego’s Star Wars Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon set. Each piece was rendered using 3ds max and V-ray software, taking him over three years to complete. I don’t think anyone could expect him to make the perfect video, but the results are impressive and the video really speaks for itself. The set can still be found through online retailers, although it can be pretty expensive — the set is considered a collectors item after all. I hope Francisco decides to do more of these videos, and hopefully we won’t have to wait another three years for the next one.
Just a friendly reminder, yesterday saw the release of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi #1. Dark Horse’s latest Star Wars series focuses on the era of the first Jedi, before the force was divided between light and dark. During this time, Jedi exist as an order of warrior monks who strive to maintain peace and balance. The initial arc surrounds the coming of a stranger said to bring an end to the balance by heralding a new era of conquest and exploration. Read more…
George Lucas has been jumping about promoting Star Wars Episode I in 3D, and recently did an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The interviewer, I assume, wanted to give George one last chance to repent (or something) but instead he just went further into the deep end. When asked about the ‘ruckus’ over Han or Greedo shooting first, George said something plain silly. Read more…
What happens when a Korean cell phone company needs to advertise their new WARP feature? They use Darth Vader, of course! And a perfect allegory for data flowing through the intertubes is… Stormtroopers waiting in line for the restroom. Ok, we’ll go with it. Sure, maybe Vader should have his own personal restroom, but then we wouldn’t get to see his little “I need to use the bathroom” dance. Which is, frankly, the only reason you’re watching this anyway, am I right? Read more…
It’s been nearly two years since I first wrote about Star Wars Uncut, the full-length feature consisting entirely of 15 second homemade clips in an attempt to recreate Episode IV: A New Hope as it was meant to be told, complete with campy acting and low-budget special effects. Personally I found the film to be equally hilarious, and painful to watch, but the very concept remains brilliant. Recently, director Casey Pugh made a special directors cut available to stream online in its entirety. Funny, you’d think a film touting itself as being “uncut,” would, by definition, be the directors cut — I wonder how that works. You can watch it here, but for more information on the project, check out their official site here. Read more…
Volkswagon uploaded a teaser for their 2012 Game Day commercial entitled “The Bark Side.” The short features a group of adorable pups barking out John Williams’ “Imperial March,” with complete with some ATAT-cosplay at the end. The whole commercial is beyond adorable, and while I’m not sure what it has to do with selling cars, there’s no denying how awesome it is. In the span of a few short hours, the clip has attracted 50,000 views. To learn more, check out Volkswagon’s official game day invite page here. Read more…
