Rebel Force Radio: Star Wars Podcast

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY hits theaters in six weeks! With the reveal of the second trailer and merch hitting the shelves, we focus hard to the next standalone film to come from the Star Wars galaxy. We talk all-things-Solo, including the cast, the characters, ships, environments and everything that we are excited to see in the film. Paul offers up a huge helping of his amazing insight based on his experience as a British film industry veteran and massive fan of the saga. Plus, we dig deep into the history of Han Solo including the Original Trilogy, the classic Marvel Comics, Star Wars Holiday Special and even his clothes, especially his iconic vest. Get yourself pumped for SOLO with RFR!

The second trailer for SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY was revealed on ABC during American Idol last Sunday. Immediately following the trailer debut, we fired up our microphones to give you our initial raw reactions. We go through the trailer shot-by-shot to analyze the visuals and dialog. From the look of the characters, to the actors behind the roles, the music, special effects and overall look of the film, we discuss it all. And with our SOLO in OHIO live podcast coming up next month, we couldn't be more pumped up for this next Star Wars standalone film!

Should They Recast Leia in STAR WARS: EPISODE IX? With rumors flying around, we discuss this hot topic and the possibility of it happening . We look forward to SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY as merch starts to hit and Denny's launches a special SOLO inspired menu. Also, we have the latest updates on our big live event SOLO in OHIO in Cleveland coming May 25. Tickets are on sale now! By popular demand, Jimmy Mac's mom joins us to give her review of THE LAST JEDI. You might be surprised with some of her observations! In headline news, we continue to feature Mark Hamill audio highlights as he continues to shoot straight from the hip on the interview circuit. Simon Pegg reveals interesting insight into J.J. Abrams return to Star Wars and compelling information about Rey's parents. And, filmmaker Tony Gilroy speaks candidly for the first time ever about his involvement bailing out ROGUE ONE.

Can Luke Skywalker return from the dead in STAR WARS EPISODE IX? Not as a ghost, but as a corporeal being? We look at George Lucas's early concepts for Obi-Wan to return in the flesh via the rough draft for RETURN OF THE JEDI and we wonder if such an idea can be used to bring back Luke. Speaking of Luke, Mark Hamill continues to his interview tour and we have some select highlights to inform and entertain you. We continue to dissect the novelization for THE LAST JEDI, we get intimate with THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK director Irwin Kershner, and we mourn the loss of Toys 'R Us. Plus, listener voice mail, the worst jobs in the STAR WARS galaxy, a SOLO IN OHIO update, and we announce the winner of our big Star Wars Top Trumps giveaway! Are you hiring? Right now, RFR listeners can try ZipRecruiter for FREE. Just click HERE to get started! ZipRecruiter...The smartest way to hire.

The novelization for STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI gets our review with highlights from the audiobook featuring some shocking moments not featured in the final film. Speaking of the film itself, we have more to say about THE LAST JEDI home video release. Listener voice mail sparks a new debate over the Anakin/Vader transformation. In news, we follow Mark Hamill from SWSX in Austin all the way to Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Mark never fails when it comes to sharing his Star Wars insights and opinions! The maestro John Williams talks about his future in STAR WARS and his thoughts on Rey's parents on KUSC radio, and we have the best quotes. RFR is proud to present SOLO in OHIO, happening May 25th in downtown Cleveland. We have the latest details! We look back at the history of Star Wars home video releases and share our memories from VHS to Blu Ray. Plus, some Ziro The Hutt memories, and we're giving away a huge STAR WARS TOP TRUMPS prize to a lucky RFR listener...Find out how you can win!

The home video release of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI hit earlier this week and, along with the movie, tons of bonus features including the full-length documentary "The Director and The Jedi". We review this new and through behind-the-scenes account of Episode VIII with analysis and audio highlights. We also dive into Rian Johnson's audio commentary track and discuss some of the broader themes and events of THE LAST JEDI, especially the death of Luke Skywalker. And speaking of Luke, Mark Hamill was in Hollywood last week for the unveiling of his star on the Walk of Fame and the RFR microphones were there. Hear from Hamill himself along with a couple of his friends: George Lucas and Harrison Ford. Plus, more details on our big SOLO IN OHIO event coming this May, some Star Wars Lego conversation, and more.

A bittersweet moment on RFR as we celebrate the end of an era, while mourning it's passing. After four seasons, STAR WARS REBELS concludes as our remaining rebels attempt to liberate Lothal with the Emperor taking an interest in Ezra. In this, the final episode of Declassified, we discuss the amazing series finale "Family Reunion and Farewell" as well as the three episodes that proceeded it, "Wolves and a Door", "A World Between Worlds", and "Fool's Hope", with our A-Team: Paul Bateman and Kyle Newman.

MORTIS REVISITED: The Gods of Mortis returned to Star Wars animation to play a role in the recent STAR WARS REBELS episode "A World Between Worlds". We look back at the original Mortis arc from 2011 and listen to vintage RFR audio highlights with the cast and crew of THE CLONE WARS. Hear from cast members Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor and Ashley Eckstein along with Supervising Director Dave Filoni and Head Writer Christian Taylor.

The stakes have risen and the risks are higher than ever before as STAR WARS REBELS gets closer to the series finale. "Jedi Night" pushes our heroes to the limit, with one of them making the ultimate sacrifice. "Dume" confronts the fallout and puts the surviving members of The Ghost crew in a fight for their lives. We deal with the emotional outcome of these two episodes in this, the penultimate episode of DECLASSIFIED. Joining us for this in-memoriam roundtable are Star Wars collecting expert Dan Curto and RFR brother Billy Mac.

We review some of the big STAR WARS reveals at the 2018 NY Toy Fair that have fans buzzing. Collecting expert Dan Curto joins us to break down all the news, including new merchandise from SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY and the ambitious Jabba's Sail Barge from Hasbro's new crowd-sourcing initiative, Haslab. We also talk critically about Star Wars collectibles on the retail level, what works, and what doesn't. That familiar scream you hear on TV and in movies, The Wilhelm Scream, was an originally inside joke from 1977's STAR WARS that has since spread like wildfire. Now comes word that it has been "retired" by Skywalker Sound, thus we will not be hearing it in STAR WARS again. We investigate this news and look back at the history of The WIlhelm Scream via vintage RFR highlights featuring STAR WARS sound masters Matthew Wood and Ben Burtt. Plus, J.J. gives an Episode IX update, we look forward to the home video release of THE LAST JEDI, Lando Calrissian pickup lines from Billy Mac and more!

New SOLO merch revealed this week and we review the action figures, explore the new-look Millennium Falcon and more. We prepare for the final return of STAR WARS REBELS as the series winds down starting next week. Our review of "The Secret History of Star Wars" audiobook continues and we take a look back at Genndy Tartakovski's CLONE WARS micro series.

New SOLO images and character details were revealed this week in the wake of the first teaser trailer for the film. Plus, surprise announcements about a new series of STAR WARS movies headed by the duo behind HBO's "Game of Thrones". And new STAR WARS television series are in development for the upcoming Disney direct-to-consumer app. We have highlights and excerpts from Bob Iger's announcements and Entertainment Weekly's SOLO cover story. F.J. DeSanto sits in on the show this week to help us figure it all out, and of course, F.J. provides us with his "Prophet or Loser" predictions for SOLO. Also joining us is Corey Helton, founder of Youtini, a new STAR WARS book subscription service. From the old Expanded Universe to the current day Legends, we talk about it all with Corey! It's a big week for STAR WARS news...Big enough for two episodes of RFR! Be sure to check out our SOLO Trailer review show from earlier this week if you haven't already.

Our first glimpses of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY came earlier this week as a new TV spot debuted on Super Bowl Sunday, and a full teaser trailer dropped the following day. Join us for our initial reactions to Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Danny Glover as Lando, and a factory-fresh Millennium Falcon. Paul Bateman joins us to go thru the Super Bowl commercial and teaser trailer scene-by-scene and speculate about the plot, characters and more.

The trailer for SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is MIA! When will we finally see it? Signs point to early next week. Will it happen during the Superbowl? Will it stick to the May release date? We look at the evidence out there and discuss about some of the planets we may see in the film. Rian Johnson continues to reveal information about STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. We listen to his latest comments about not only the film itself, but some of the harsh criticism he's received. Also missing-in-action, George Lucas's beard! The Notorious G.L. was spotted at the "Black Panther" premiere with mere stubble. We take a fun look back at the history of the maker's beard with a story from his old collaborator Walter Murch. Speaking of Lucas, we review an amazing impression of the famed filmmaker via actor Josh Robert Thompson. Plus, Errol Flynn, Kylo Ren's pants, and a lack of love for Phasma.

We review fresh Rian Johnson interview highlights and analyze the latest comments about THE LAST JEDI from the director himself, including insight into Luke Skywalker, the humor in the film, and more. Melody Deel from The Unofficial RFR Facebook Group fills us in on what fans are talking about online and reviews some of the hot topics in STAR WARS news this week. We discuss new info about the upcoming novelization for THE LAST JEDI and deleted scenes, why Luke was in exile on Ach-To, speculation on when the SOLO trailer will drop, Snoke's slippers, and could there be a place for Padme Amidala in Episode IX? Plus, listener voice mail, STAR WARS at the Oscars and more.

"The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is the topic of conversation in this episode of Influences. We page through the new book while Paul Bateman offers his expert commentary on the amazing art design of Episode VIII. We discuss the film sets like Snoke's Throne Room, props like Rose's Resistance ring, ships like the Resistance Bomber, wardrobe, creatures, aliens and more. Paul applies his years of knowledge and experience in each item we analyze. If you loved the look of THE LAST JEDI, this is not a show you want to miss!

The fallout from THE LAST JEDI continues! We review highlights from a recent Rian Johnson interview featuring his insight into some of the most talked about scenes from the film. Our TLJ breakdown continues with a visit from author/entrepreneur John Marcoux ("Poised to Pummell") who presents us with his "Mythological Blueprint for Luke Skywalker in 'The Last Jedi'". John digs deep into mythology, history, and religion and discovers amazing parallels with Luke's story in Episode VIII. Some of the info he reveals will blow your mind. Plus, a new official synopsis of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, Listener Voice Mail, and STAR WARS IN POP CULTURE spotlights the popular NBC drama THIS IS US. For our review of the new midseason trailer for the Star Wars Rebels: Season Four, check out RFR Rush Hour #23, an exclusive show for the RFR Patreon Community

Celebrating THE LAST JEDI: ONE MONTH LATER with our first audio commentary track. Join us as we watch THE LAST JEDI for our first time together since opening night, while providing commentary fueled by our month-long deep dive into this new extension of the STAR WARS mythology. With multiple previous viewings under our belts, and reference guides at the ready, we decipher everything that makes Episode VIII work. Take us with you to the movie theater, watch with the upcoming home video release, or simply listen to our conversation as a podcast, and let us take you back to the experience of THE LAST JEDI.

Paul Bateman joins us for a deep, down-and-dirty breakdown of THE LAST JEDI to wrap up another great year for STAR WARS and RFR. Paul always provides an educated and passionate analysis, and his review of Episode VIII is no exception! We discuss and debate everything Paul liked and disliked about the film, we talk about the polarizing effect it's had on the STAR WARS fanbase, and we dig deep underneath the surface of what this latest chapter of the saga has to offer. Plus, interview highlights of Rian Johnson talking about some specific details of THE LAST JEDI, Instructions for how to blow up The Death Star at midnight on New Year's Eve, Jeremy Meadows from Nissan talks about his experience at THE LAST JEDI red carpet premiere, and our final giveaway of the year, courtesy of the Stance Star Wars Collection.

STAR WARS prop and alien expert Tom Spina from Regal Robot joins us to give his review of THE LAST JEDI, including his assessment of the patrons of Canto Bight, Luke Skywalker's character arc, the return of Yoda, the reveal of Rey's parents and lack of reveal about Snoke's origins. Plus, learn how you can win a Mandalorian Skull mini-sculpture from Regal Robot. And, we listen to your TLJ reviews on the RFR listener voicemail hotline, we give away more socks from the Stance Star Wars collection and a pair of headphones from Sudio Sweden, and report on an Outrageous Unthinkable moment on The Last Jedi's opening night at a theater in Burbank.

Kyle Newman and F.J. DeSanto join us as we continue to review STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. Kyle offers his perspective as a lifelong Star Wars fan, director ("Fanboys") and film industry insider, while helping us look at the film through a very critical lens. His analysis is eye-opening and revealing. Famous for his predictions, producer F.J. DeSanto ("Transformers: Titans Return") reviews the film and we determine if he was a "Prophet Or Loser". You've heard our thoughts on THE LAST JEDI and we heard yours…Now hear from our friends! "This is not going to go the way you think!"

RFR LIVE returns for this listener call-in episode of recorded on December 15th - Opening day for STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. For almost two hours, we take your calls, uncensored and unscreened. We listen to your reviews and analysis of the latest theatrical release of the saga...From your likes and dislikes, to your emotions and feelings, favorite character moments, action sequences and more, with a little Episode IX speculation along the way. It's a full show dedicated to listener feedback and you certainly have a lot to say about THE LAST JEDI!

About an hour after our first viewing of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI on Opening Night, we gathered in the RFR studios to discuss our initial raw reactions, opinions, and analysis. We are happy to have RFR brother Billy Mac joining us for this spoiler-intense conversation. What did we love about the film? What had a huge impact on us as fans? What was weird, unpredictable, or unexpected? We talk about the big moments, reveals, and character development in this first of many shows reviewing the eighth episode of the amazing STAR WARS saga.

THE LAST JEDI hits theaters next week and the media blitz has jumped into hyperspace. And so has our excitement! We review highlights from THE LAST JEDI press conference in LA last weekend and Jimmy Kimmel Show featuring the full cast. Plus, Mark Hamill on Good Morning America and Rian Johnson in Rolling Stone. We weigh in with our final EPISODE VIII speculation and predictions including the identity of Rey's Parents and we ask the question: Does Rey already know who her parents are? To celebrate THE LAST JEDI and our audience, we are giving you the opportunity to win big from RFR. Listen to learn how you can win STAR WARS socks from Stance and amazing Bluetooth Regent headphones from Sudio Sweden.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI hits theaters in a mere two weeks and anticipation is reaching a fever pitch. With members of the cast hitting the talk show circuit, we are digging deep for any clues we can discover about the upcoming film. We have audio highlights from Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and director Rian Johnson from the latest stops on THE LAST JEDI media tour and new Rolling Stone cover story. In his latest installment of "Prophet or Loser", filmmaker/producer F.J. DeSanto (Transformers: Titans Return) returns to update many Episode VIII plot predictions that he originally made in April. Plus, Nissan reveals STAR WARS-inspired cars at the LA Auto Show, looking back at the FAMILY GUY STAR WARS parodies, and more STAR WARS socks from Stance to giveaway!

RFR Live returns as we give thanks for our community by featuring your phone calls and voice mail. With THE LAST JEDI hitting theaters in less than a month, anticipation is rising to a fever pitch. This week, Entertainment Weekly published their latest TLJ cover stories which ask many questions: "Will Luke and Leia Reunite?" "Could Rey Fall To The Dark Side?" No Lando in THE LAST JEDI? You light up our switchboard to talk about it all. But Episode VIII is not the only event happening in a galaxy far, far away as STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT 2 has finally launched. Plus, Nissan is once again collaborating with Lucasfilm, this time to celebrate the release of THE LAST JEDI. We talk to Nissan's resident STAR WARS fanatic Jeremy Meadows, who fills us in on all the great things happening including their "Master The Drive" sweepstakes, VR experiences, and more. Jeremy digs deep into his fandom as we ask him the questions from our famous Yoda Questionnaire. If that's not enough, we giveaway a pair of Star Wars socks from Stance, discover Alderaan's chief export, and Jason's Star Wars holiday gift suggestions.

With less than a month to go until THE LAST JEDI, the RFR voicemail hotline has gone into overdrive. We listen to your speculation, questions, and observations about not just Episode VIII, but other hot topics in the STAR WARS universe, like the upcoming TV show, Rian Johnson's all-new trilogy and more. We look back at the history of the live-action STAR WARS television series and listen to comments from George Lucas, Rick McCallum, and others. Mark Hamill spoke at a SalesForce conference last week in San Francisco and RFR microphones were there. Hear what Mark couldn't say about THE LAST JEDI…and what little he could say. Chewbacca actor Jonas Suotamo and General Veers Julian Glover joined Kevin Liell onstage at the Rhode Island Comic Con last weekend and we have some exclusive highlights of their conversation. Plus, STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT 2, Mark Hamill visits Star Tours, Marvel Comic's "Darth Vader" and more.

X-Wings fly into action as STAR WARS REBELS wraps the first half of season four with the long-awaited siege on Lothal in "Rebel Assault". Paul Bateman sits in for the conversation about everything we observed in the episode including our speculation on the fate of Thrawn and the crew of The Ghost. Plus, more talk about Loth Wolves, Ralph McQuarrie's influence on the show, the possibility of Ahsoka's return, and more.

All-New STAR WARS trilogy announced with Rian Johnson at the helm! All-New live-action STAR WARS TV Series in development! And, an all-new RFR is here to bring you our take on this monumental breaking news! We discuss the future of STAR WARS in the wake of these huge announcements and offer tons of speculation about where and when these new projects will take place on the STAR WARS timeline. In current news, STAR WARS: FORCES OF DESTINY continues to break new ground by spotlighting the strong women of the saga. Writer Jennifer Muro joins us IN THE CANTINA. We talk about her experience creating new STAR WARS stories for these amazing animated shorts and her passion for the galaxy far, far away. The countdown to THE LAST JEDI continues and we review the latest interviews with Mark Hamill to look for clues about what to expect from Luke Skywalker in Episode VIII. Plus, listener feedback, voice mails, and STAR WARS IN POP CULTURE visits "The Goldbergs" and "Stranger Things 2".

The action stays on Lothal on this week's Rebels two-parter "Kindred" and "Crawler Commandeers". As the final season of Rebels moves along, we get introduced to Thrawn's operative Rukh, Seth Green returns to Star Wars animation to voice the trandoshan Seevor, and the relationship between Kanan and Hera heats up. Plus, more loth-wolves and TIE Defenders! Joining us this week to rip into these episodes is Star Wars artist Kevin Liell.

Steve Sansweet joins us to talk about all the cool things happening at Rancho Obi-Wan, his thoughts on THE LAST JEDI, Star Wars collecting and more. We review the news ramping up to THE LAST JEDI including interview highlights, TV spots and new clues found in theater displays, a familiar voice joins the final season of STAR WARS REBELS, and we look at some behind-the-scenes stories featuring Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill. Plus, we look at the new book "Star Wars Stormtroopers: Beyond The Armor", we lock down our viewing plans for Episode VIII opening night and our "Outrageous Unthinkable Story of the Week" comes courtesy of a Philadelphia news anchor.

The action on STAR WARS REBELS returns to Lothal, and so does our discussion. Join us as we talk about the latest arc for Ezra and the Ghost crew in "The Occupation" and "Flight of the Defender". Joining us for the conversation is Toronto musician and lead singer of F-105 ("Rebel Girl") Din.

Ashley Eckstein returns to RFR to get us caught up on all the amazing Ahsoka projects she's been involved with, both past and present, along with the latest scoops from Her Universe. Ashley sticks around for a while to discuss STAR WARS: FORCES OF DESTINY, Rebels, and her contributions to the novel "Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View". We celebrate Star Wars Halloween with creature expert Tom Spina from Regal Robot. Tom also shares his thoughts and opinions of the newest trailer for THE LAST JEDI. The guys from Sci-Fried drop by for the world premiere of their new ROGUE ONE-inspired tune "One With The Force", We discuss the official title announcement of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, and we look for clues about Benecio Del Toro's "DJ" character via his ForceLink action figure and a new THE LAST JEDI behind-the-scenes video.

We push deeper into season four of STAR WARS REBELS with the exciting two-parter "In The Name of The Rebellion". Jason Swank returns to moderate the conversation for this unpredictable episode of Declassified recorded live and featuring listener calls. With the action taking us to Yavin IV and beyond, we break down the story, the characters, and the action. Saw Guerrera's return means a shake up for both The Empire and The Rebellion, and we analyze the effect his presence has on the members of The Ghost crew and the war itself.

The final season of STAR WARS REBELS kicks off in a big way with the action-packed 2 parter "Heroes of Mandalore". The animated STAR WARS universe returns to the Mandalore system for reveals about Sabine's past, her family, and the Mandalorian struggle against Imperial occupation. It's the beginning of the end for the Rebels. Jimmy Mac and Paul Bateman take a close look at the story, and speculate on the future for the Mandalorians and the crew of The Ghost

The Rebel Force Radio A-Team gathered at the roundtable to provide full analysis, theories, and speculation immediately following the debut of the full trailer for STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI during Monday Night Football. Our all-star team includes our long-time brothers in the Force and they don't disappoint! Director Kyle Newman and concept artist Paul Bateman kick off our breakdown with their amazing insights, followed by filmmaker F.J.DeSanto presenting observations with his trademark, no-nonsense style. Plus, we feature your calls on this podcast recorded live for a galaxy-wide audience. Breathe…Just breathe.

Gary Whitta joins us In The Cantina to talk about his new short story "Raymus" in "Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View". We also talk about his contributions to ROGUE ONE, STAR WARS REBELS, and his personal fandom. New STAR WARS: FORCES OF DESTINY animated shorts debuted this week on Disney XD. Melody Deel joins us to break down each story. Plus, we look forward to the next trailer for THE LAST JEDI, we listen to a few listener voice mails, and a stormtrooper holds up a donut shop in our latest Outrageous Unthinkable Story of the Week.

Paul Bateman is back to share his thoughts about the Episode IX director shakeup and the return of J.J. Abrams to STAR WARS. Ron Howard tweeted a pic of some Ralph McQuarrie-inspired hieroglyphs found on the set of the Untitled Han Solo Film. Paul tells us where the designs came from and what they could represent. On the TV front, we consider the potential of the long-talked about STAR WARS live action show in the wake of "The Orville" and "Star Trek Discovery" and we speculate on the future of Star Wars animation. Like all fans, we are wondering who Rey's parents are? Thanks to listener feedback, we consider a Kenobi connection. Would Guillermo Del Toro be a good choice to direct a Star Wars film? Who or what are the Sentinels from Star Wars Battlefront II? We attempt to answer these questions and much more.

"The Journey to The Last Jedi" is underway on bookstore shelves with several titles being released as a lead-up to the film. We preview "Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View", a collection of 40 short stories presenting a fresh perspective for the original trilogy. We discuss a few of the stories, including one featuring Yoda and Obi-Wan. Author Adam Bray joins us to talk about his upcoming releases, "Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know: Updated and Expanded" and "Stormtroopers: Beyond The Armor". We also enjoy getting Adam's take on some of the current STAR WARS hot topics and the importance of canon. Plus, we look forward to STAR WARS REBELS as we get release dates for the first half of season four and speculate what some of the episode titles might mean.

We have fresh info about THE LAST JEDI, specifically Porgs and their delectability, from DK's new book "Star Wars Made Easy". Mark Hamill saves the Disney Company the trouble by announcing the release date for the next trailer for EPISODE IX on Twitter…Then he takes it back! We dig deep to see if there is any truth behind Mark's "joke". Lucasfilm announces who will be their promotional partners for THE LAST JEDI and we discuss Disney's plan to stream their properties independently, including STAR WARS. We speculate what that will mean financially for the company and how it will affect fans. Plus, the Chewbacca snowboarder goes to court, listener voice mails, space horses, and we present a snack review for Pop Chips Star Wars Galaxy Puffs that goes horribly south.

J.J. Abrams returns to STAR WARS to direct EPISODE IX! Our pal, director Kyle Newman joins us to provide his professional insight and opinions about this latest Lucasfilm shakeup. We analyze all the information at our fingertips concerning J.J.'s return, including comments from fans to some harsh criticism for the studio from director John Landis. The One Man Star Wars Trilogy continues to thrill audiences as the long-running stage show returns to the road. Charles Ross, the man who makes it happen, joins us to talk about his almost two decades of performing his unique, fast-paced take on the original trilogy. Plus, updates from THE LAST JEDI as we feature recent interview highlights from Rian Johnson, the ever-surly Harrison Ford, and one of British GQ's 2017 Men of the Year, Mark Hamill.

Star Wars Episode IX is looking for a new director! In the biggest news of the week, Colin Trevorrow is OUT as director of the ninth episode of the Saga. Who will replace him? We run thru some possibilities, including the odds of George Lucas returning to the director's chair. ("Never tell me the odds!"). We have plenty of voice mail this week featuring listeners opinions and speculation about this latest shakeup, Filmmaker/actor Alden Ford joins us to talk about his new sci-fi improv podcast "Mission To Zyxx" and comedy in the Star Wars universe, and we continue to review new Star Wars merch scored on Force Friday II including more of the Force Link talking action figures

FORCE FRIDAY II is here! We share our experiences, review all THE LAST JEDI action figures released during the big event and hear the figures talk with Force Link technology! STAR WARS creature and prop expert Tom Spina joins us to talk about The Caretakers and The Porgs from THE LAST JEDI, and to fill us in on all the great Force Friday sales happening at Regal Robot. Plus, we provide a full review of the bonus features included on the recently released BluRay for STAR WARS REBELS Season Three and more.

Porgs! Force Friday preview with an early look at some of the merchandise, like the BB-8 Playset, and we listen to what a Porg toy sounds like. Plus, plenty of Porg speculation on what role they will play in THE LAST JEDI. Kenobi! Melody Deel joins us to give us her take on what the plot of an OBI-WAN KENOBI stand-alone film should contain. As always, she has some creative and interesting suggestions. We also talk about a cinematic future for several other characters like Darth Vader, Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt. Plus, more Star Wars news and discussion as we're celebrating Jason's birthday this week on RFR!

Paul Bateman checks in with his thoughts on the news that an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone film is in the early stages. Plus, we break down recent photos and info from THE LAST JEDI, YOUNG HAN SOLO, and more. Plus, the positive influence of STAR WARS and George Lucas is still offering storytelling suggestions.

Updates from THE LAST JEDI and Young HAN SOLO. We found a list online of "15 Ways 'The Last Jedi' Could Go Horribly Wrong" and we throw in our two cents. The odds of that OBI-WAN KENOBI standalone film becoming a reality keep getting better and better. George Lucas is still offering storytelling advice to Lucasfilm. We have vintage audio from Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, RFR Slow and Tell celebrates the upcoming total solar eclipse, and Chewie hits the slopes in our Outrageous Unthinkable Story of the Week. Joining us for the entire show this week to talk about the latest Star Wars headlines and "When The Galaxy Listens: The Series" is our old buddy Pete Nadel.

Entertainment Weekly dropped some images and big info about THE LAST JEDI this week. We detonate the latest "Breznican Bomb" and dive into the all reveals from the cover story. And there is a ton of TLJ speculation in this episode! From Porgs to Snoke theories to new interpretations of the Chosen One prophesy, we dig deep. Plus, Disney leaves Netflix, listener voice mail, and more.

STAR WARS EPISODE IX gets a new writer. We discuss the implications of this move and what impact it might have on the saga in the future. Would you have more confidence in the story if you knew the entire mythology was already mapped out? Does it matter to you that the sequel trilogy is being created on the fly? We talk about fan expectation and how it's evolved since the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm. We review the latest comments from John Boyega and Rian Johnson about THE LAST JEDI and we speculate about Force ghost Anakin making an appearance in the film. Plus, updates from the UNTITLED HAN SOLO FILM including an announcement about composer John Powell landing the soundtrack gig. We listen to some samples from Powell's career to try to get a feel for how he may approach the music for YOUNG HAN SOLO. Plus, Chewbacca's looks, Woody Harrelson speaks, and Clint Howard's greatest hits!

THE LAST JEDI is ramping up towards it's December release! We discuss recently leaked publicity shots of many main characters including Luke, Rey, Kylo and, for the first time in the flesh, Snoke. And, news and rumors from the YOUNG HAN SOLO film and audio highlights of Mark Hamill appearances at D23 and The Late, Late Show with James Corden. Plus, we spotlight new and "exclusive" STAR WARS collectibles, LEGO Star Wars - The Freemaker Adventures Season 2, Ron Howard's "Arrested Rebellion", and the world premiere of "Rebel Girl (On Rebel Force Radio)" from Din and F-105! Joining us this week for all the speculation, analysis and laughs is RFR brother Billy Mac.

THE LAST JEDI made a big splash at D23 with fresh behind-the-scenes footage that has us fans jumping out of our skin! We break down the "Sizzle Reel" scene-by-scene and try to connect the dots with what we already know about the plot. We also review earth-shattering news about STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE and Disney's STAR WARS Hotel with tech expert David Sparks (MacSparky.com). David attended D23 and provides us with behind-the-scenes info about the park and more. Plus, it's round two of George Lucas vs The Autograph Hounds!