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

Ron Howard, Jon Kasdan, Joonas Suotamo, and Rob Bredow all say they'd be onboard if someone were to #MakeSolo2Happen. But can the campaign spearheaded by Star Wars News Net actually get a sequel off the ground? Today, I'm examining the possibilities... 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 Kessel Run was going to be very different before Ron Howard joined the Solo: A Star Wars Story team. That and more from the post-production phase of Rob Bredow "ILM Presents" making-of book, including some very heartfelt personal stories. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

You can read between the lines of the production phase of Rob Bredow's "making of" book for Solo: A Star Wars Story to guess at the places where Lord and Miller's work and Ron Howard's work overlapped. But it's not the book's place or purpose to do that, and ultimately it becomes a testament to the dedication and talent of everyone involved, including and especially Ron Howard's stewardship under very difficult conditions. On today's show, highlights of the some of the most remarkable aspect of the production phase. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

There are many remarkable things about ILM Chief Rob Bredow's book Making Solo: A Star Wars Story. Today, in the first of three episodes covering the book, we're looking at the pre-production phase - from building a digital mountain range to real world situations that necessitated script changes, 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.***

Rob Bredow's official titles are SVP, Executive Creative Director and Head of ILM. In addition to that, he was also the Visual Effects Supervisor and Co-Producer of Solo: A Star Wars Story. And on top of that, he's also the author of the recently released ILM Presents: Making Solo: A Star Wars Story. And he was kind enough to take a couple minutes out of his time at Star Wars Celebration Chicago to answer the one-question interview... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We're coming up on the last of the interviews from Star Wars Celebration Chicago! This was actually the last one I recorded, and it's with Tony Fleecs, who's an artist on the Star Wars Adventures comics for IDW Publishing. And it's also, I think, the only interview where I asked a follow-up question based on his response to the initial question. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Steve Kirk is the founder of the San Diego Sabers Lightsaber Combat Group, and also happens to be a Patron Emeritus of Star Wars 7x7! I caught up with him during a live broadcast event at Celebration Chicago and posed the one-question interview question to him after he finished his broadcast... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We're coming into the home stretch on interviews from Star Wars Celebration Chicago, and today, I'm not only sharing one with Zoraida Cordova (author of the Galaxy's Edge tie-in novel A Crash of Fate), I'm also sharing a story about the one interview that "got away," so to speak. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Illustrators Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas are responsible for the visuals in the Haynes Manual for the YT-1300 Modified Corellian Freighter (that's the Millennium Falcon, in other words), and on today's episode, I'm sharing the story of how I wound up interviewing them at Star Wars Celebration Chicago - as well as the interviews themselves. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

ABC News correspondent Clayton Sandell doesn't primarily cover the big doings about Star Wars - but he does have a particular way of describing that part of his job. You'll get to hear that, and well as the story he told me about how he got his start covering the Star Wars beat when it started heating up again, in today's one-question interview episode from 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.***

Last month, Star Wars pop-up book engineer extraordinaire Matthew Reinhart was at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, showing off a prototype version of a spread from the forthcoming Star Wars: The Ultimate Pop-Up Galaxy. Now that the official spread has been revealed everywhere, I can share this interview with you... 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 have a particular affinity for people who commit to a daily level of craziness, and so I was rather thrilled to interview Amy Richau at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. Amy is the creator of 365StarWars.com, home to the 365 Days of Star Wars Women project - which has gone well past the 365 and is still going strong. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Just a couple final thoughts on the deeper Force bond between Rey and Kylo, the origins of the First Order, and a side note about Werner Herzog's role in The Mandalorian and why he took it on. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

One of the side articles related to the main Vanity Fair feature story about The Rise of Skywalker claims that C-3PO is going to do something that surprises everyone, but also isn't entirely out of character. What does that mean? Well, let's talk about what Threepio is capable of... 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 one-year-between-The-Last-Jedi-and-The-Rise-of-Skywalker thing has been repeated in the Vanity Fair article, and you would think, since this one was written in closer connection with official sources, that if it was ever going to be accurate, now would be the time for it to be. But I still have my doubts... Also, let's talk about Carrie Fisher's integration into The Rise of Skywalker. 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's here! Well, digitally, at least... the print edition of Vanity Fair's Rise of Skywalker cover story hits newsstands in LA and NY on 5/30 and the rest of the country by 6/4, but the feature article and bevy of side articles have already been released on their website. Today, how the big reveals add depth to what we saw in The Rise of Skywalker teaser trailer. 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 was actually the second interview I conducted during Star Wars Celebration Chicago, and also the second time I've interviewed Rancho Obi-Wan President and CEO Steve Sansweet on the show. And his answer to the one-question interview is a rather beautiful one. 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 author of Taschen's The Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983, Paul Duncan, stopped on his way to a book signing to answer this year's one-question interview. And thankfully, he had help on the way to the signing, as you'll hear in the pre-interview section when I share how the interview came about. 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 odd thing is, I was going to run this interview about two weeks ago, but when I re-watched the video version of it, I was caught more than a little off guard. I explain why that happened in the podcast today, and finally share the one-question interview with Tom Spina of Regal Robot. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Cole Horton has written multiple Star Wars books and appeared multiple times on Star Wars 7x7; Liz Heinecke has also written multiple books, and Star Wars Maker Lab was her first Star Wars book, and it's also her first time on the show. Crazy how things work out! Hear their answers to the one-question interview from Celebration Chicago 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 addition to writing the Jupiter Pirates series of novels, Jason Fry is a prolific author in the Star Wars realm. I caught up with him at Celebration Chicago to ask him what he knows for sure about Star Wars, as well as another question I have a history of discussing with him. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Nearly 300 episodes ago, I provided a guide to the big media moments that would happen in the run-up to The Rise of Skywalker's release on December 20, 2019. Today, I'm resetting that calendar and adding new information that's since come to light. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Bob Iger outlined the big idea of what Star Wars live action TV series on Disney+ will have to do with Star Wars movies, and used the Marvel model as an example. What this means for future Disney+ series, and what Benioff and Weiss are (or aren't) doing with Rian Johnson... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Bob Iger made it official yesterday - the 2022 Star Wars movie is in the hands of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the Game of Thrones showrunners. Plus, Iger revealed something more about live action Star Wars on Disney+, and I address the latest Rian Johnson rumors. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

On the momentous occasion of George Lucas' 75th birthday, an extended episode in which I'm charting his involvement in the Star Wars franchise after the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney. Turns out, it isn't just that he can't leave it behind - it's that he's trying to guide the next generation of filmmakers in their efforts to tell new stories in the galaxy far, far away. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Two rather big names in Star Wars publishing and podcasting join me for interviews at Star Wars Celebration Chicago! On today's episode, Coffee With Kenobi's Dan Zehr and Fantha Tracks' Mark Newbold share what they know for sure when it comes to Star Wars. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Tim McMahon and Dennis Keithly have supported me and Star Wars 7x7 since the early days of the show, as friends, podcasters, and Patrons. I got to see them both at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, and put them both through the one-question interview ringer. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

As far as legends go, Lorne Peterson is right up there. He was a founding member of Industrial Light and Magic, won an Academy Award for visual effects, was deeply involved in the model making for the Original and Prequel Trilogies ... and was so kind and generous with his time at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. Today, his answer to the one-question interview. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Where could that lightsaber have come from? And what's with the asymmetrical stormtrooper helmet? The cover art for the upcoming YA novel "Force Collector" is perhaps the most mysterious of all the elements revealed about the Journey to The Rise of Skywalker publishing initiative. I'll examine those mysteries and more today... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Disney CEO Bob Iger held court during Disney's "Q2 FY19 Earnings Results Webcast" yesterday, and I listened to it so you wouldn't have to! On today's episode, here's everything Star-Wars-related that you need to know - plus a lesser-known bit of news from last August that ties into the new stuff we learned. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Back in December (episode #1,615, to be precise), I looked at how things were unfolding and predicted that it wouldn't be until 2022 that we'd see the next Star Wars movie after the end of the Skywalker Saga. Yesterday, The Walt Disney Company announced their latest film release schedule and the next Star Wars movie comes out in ... 2022. Then 2024 and 2026, and I'll examine the release schedule implications for these movies and who may, in fact, be creating them. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

On May the 4th, Lucasfilm revealed its plans for the Journey to The Rise of Skywalker publishing initiative - and surprisingly, many of the significant stories won't be dropping until well after the Triple Force Friday event on October 4th. Today, those major stories and more, including a tentative timeline for how some of them unfold between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Getting back to the conversations we were having about Star Wars audio dramas last week, I'm sharing my one-question interviews from Star Wars Celebration Chicago today with Nick Martorelli (producer, Penguin Random House Audio) and Marc Thompson (voice actor and audiobook narrator). Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Happy Revenge of the Fifth! Today, I'm sharing my interview on CTV News in Canada, during which I got to thank Canada for hosting the first organized Star Wars Day event. We also talk about Star Wars Day in California, Galaxy's Edge, The Mandalorian, and The Rise of Skywalker. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

More international versions of "The Rise of Skywalker" have been released - at least, as far as releasing the name of the movie in different languages. And as with The Last Jedi, we're bound to misunderstand this one, too. A hot take on the Polish version, and consideration of whether the French and Spanish versions support or contradict it. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

A former hospital orderly, he brought to life an iconic character on the silver screen, and his influence will continue to be as legendary as the mighty Wookiee himself. Peter Mayhew passed away on April 30th, family by his side, at the age of 74. Today, statements from his family, Star Wars creators and cast members, and a personal thought or two on the occasion of his passing. ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Kudos to the production team of Dooku: Jedi Lost, who buried some audio Easter eggs in the recording, and who really took the storytelling up to a new and visceral level. There's a scene midway through the audio drama I'll be talking about today, and sharing a creepy excerpt as an example... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Before we get to the deep dive into Dooku: Jedi Lost, my one-question interview with the author of that excellent audio drama, Cavan Scott. (The reason for the change in schedule is personal - our Video Production Assistant Padme - an Australian Shepherd mix puppy - had two grand mal seizures yesterday. She's home and seemingly okay now, but that threw a spanner in the works, so to speak.)

It's here! The audio-only drama Dooku: Jedi Lost debuts today, and I've got the non-spoiler review here for you. Also - a lot of puzzles are present in the few quick shots we get of Leia and Rey in The Rise of Skywalker teaser. Let's suss 'em out. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Ranking Star Wars movies, adding non-Star-Wars movies into the mix, and a non-spoiler take on Avengers: Endgame and what it means for The Rise of Skywalker in this month's Patreon Q&A episode. 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 First Order Treadspeeder in action, the other moons of Yavin and Endor, what Poe's wounded arm means for the order of events, and much more in the second part of our look at what's been missed or misconstrued about The Rise of Skywalker teaser trailer. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

From the moment we hear Luke's voice in The Rise of Skywalker teaser, we're being misled by J.J. Abrams and company. And no one else is talking about this! On today's episode, there's a lot happening in those desert scenes that's either been missed or misconstrued by a lot of other folks posting breakdown stories and Easter egg videos and whatnot, and I'm setting the record straight. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Time Magazine is still perpetuating the claim that The Rise of Skywalker takes place one year after The Last Jedi. That, and other claims about the timeframe in between the two movies, is the subject of today's show. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

If you saw season 4 of Star Wars Rebels, you might answer "time travel." But let's take that one off the table, and consider how else the lightsaber Rey inherited from Luke could "live" to see action in The Rise of Skywalker. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Adam Driver, Lupita N'yongo, and Domhnall Gleeson weren't at Celebration Chicago for The Rise of Skywalker panel, but we know who they're playing. Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, and Matt Smith weren't there, either, and we DON'T know who they're playing. So let's dig into that where we can... 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's always a joy to chat with Todd van der Heyden about Star Wars news, and my latest opportunity happened this past weekend! Todd invited me onto CTV News' "Viewpoints" syndicated radio show, and the excerpt I'm sharing today includes topics I haven't talked a lot about on my own show in the wake of 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.***

Not long after The Rise of Skywalker panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, J.J. Abrams revealed in interviews that they met with George Lucas prior to writing the script for Episode IX. That may sound like a big deal (and it is, for reasons I'll explain), but we need to remember that he was consulted about this movie long before Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi debuted. 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 after the Episode IX panel at Star Wars Celebration, director J.J. Abrams was asked about Rey's parents, and he actually had a bit of a teaser to share about that topic. I'm breaking his response into three parts and analyzing each for what it means to The Rise of Skywalker - and The Last Jedi. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Star Wars planets are often treated as having only one climate, and we know where the only two Death Stars blew up. So we can speculate about which Death Star we're seeing a fragment of in The Rise of Skywalker trailer, and what planet it might be on. I've got two strong prequel-era candidates, which are also remarkably near to two other significant planets... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Continuing a tradition here on the show, I'm analyzing the teaser trailer for The Rise of Skywalker to determine how many planets we're seeing in the newly-released footage. One of them takes up the lion's share of the footage, and I'm making my strongest case yet for what that planet is. Plus, another milestone I've hit that goes beyond 1,750 episodes, and a fun Palpatine fact I didn't share with you on yesterday's show. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***