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

It's true - Saw Gerrera planned an attack with his Partisans that nearly killed Princess Leia at 16 years of age. Oh, not intentionally of course! But still. I'm digging into this in today's podcast, as well as talking about Saw's intended target, and the uncomfortable observations he was making about Leia prior to his assassination. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

It's a good bet that Leia is going to wind up on or near Crait during the events of The Last Jedi. But it won't be her first time there. In fact, her first time there would have happened 37 years before the events of The Last Jedi, considering what we learn from the new novel Leia: Princess of Alderaan. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

"Watch Monday Night Football on Monday October 9th- for no reason in particular." That's the tweet that launched a thousand blog posts about the possibility that Mark Hamill was telling the truth - we're going to get the final trailer for The Last Jedi on 10/9. He's since deleted it, saying "I have no idea. Disney will announce when they are ready. #WaitForVIIITrailer." But can that genie go back into the bottle? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

As I mentioned in yesterday's podcast, the novel Leia: Princess of Alderaan is thick with connections to other media, and meaningful encounters. Today, I'm talking about one of each. Leia conducts her first humanitarian mission, which happens to be to Wobani, the prison planet on which we see the adult Jyn Erso for the first time in Rogue One. We also get to witness the veiled threats in the first meeting of Leia and Grand Moff Tarkin. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Admit it - based on the two images you've seen of Laura Dern as Resistance Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, you've constructed an idea about her character in your mind. She's gotta be tough as nails to work in an organization with Leia and get up to that rank, right? Well, when she's introduced in Leia: Princess of Alderaan, she'll absolutely shatter your expectations. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

15 character descriptions were revealed via the "Find the Force" app inside the official Star Wars smartphone app during the Force Friday II weekend. In many cases, the information in those descriptions was the same as what was posted to the StarWars.com Databank in August. But in some cases - like with Maz Kanata, Chewie, Leia, and others - we got new information. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Today on the podcast: Star Wars news bites! These are brief Star Wars news stories that weren't big enough to warrant a whole episode dedicated to them. Up today: news related to actor Paul Bettany, director John Landis, and Renaissance man Jon Hamm. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

John Boyega, a few months ago, said something in an interview that someday will be referred to as him famously saying, "Star Wars will always be the star of Star Wars." And its that insight that ties in so well to the apparent problems behind the scenes with Colin Trevorrow. No, Boyega wasn't speaking about Trevorrow when he said it. It just happens to line up very well with comments from two anonymous industry insiders being quoted about the whole Trevorrow dust-up. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Surprise! GQ magazine has landed moments with not one, but two iconic Star Wars actors. For the American edition, Harrison Ford is the cover story feature. Among the topics discussed, a question of whether Han Solo is, indeed, dead. For the British folks, Mark Hamill was named "Icon of the Year," and in addition to celebrating him and other honorees, they also recorded a video with some of his career reflections - including musings on Canto Bight and a pointed avoidance of a certain lightsaber question. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Not only was the cover of the Canto Bight novella collection revealed on Wednesday (featuring two new Star Wars vehicles), the descriptions of the four novellas were also revealed. Is it more like "Before the Awakening" or "Tales From a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens Volume 1? I'll dig into that, as well as which character from the four novellas we have the best chance of seeing and noticing on the big screen. Also, there's been yet another shift in the production schedule for Episode IX, and I've got the details. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

From hating the First Order at a young age to a "tragic past," we're learning more about Kelly Marie Tran's character Rose Tico from The Last Jedi in the new fun reference book, "Star Wars Made easy." Also on the show today: gorilla walkers, Canto Bight, "space horses," and much more. Plus, a further update on the news of J.J. Abrams taking over the mantle of Episode IX. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Lucasfilm made the safe choice by re-hiring Force Awakens director/co-writer J.J. Abrams to be the new director/co-writer for Episode IX. As opposed to Larry Kasdan, the newly announced co-writer with Abrams will be Chris Terrio, who won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Argo, and who also has his name attached to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Star Wars Made Easy, from DK Publishing, came out on September 1 as part of the "Journey to the Last Jedi" Force Friday II publishing initiative. Clear, concise, and filled with information that entertains without overwhelming, it also contains a few gems about The Force Awakens - and The Last Jedi, too. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

With 256 days left before the premiere of the as-yet-untitled Han Solo movie, Ron Howard is posting photos of a rougher part of the galaxy - bar fights and all. Plus, I've got a theory about someone who could be making a cameo appearance in the movie, based on some recent social media activity. Don't worry, it's not a spoiler-y kind of thing... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

The description of the Elite Praetorian Guard in the StarWars.com Databank includes a curious choice of verb tense as it relates to Supreme Leader Snoke. That's the first topic I'm covering on today's podcast, in which I'm rounding out the coverage of the Force Friday II toy reveals, and also talking about (with fair warning to avoid it if necessary) what "DJ" might stand for, according to the Auerbesh plaque on the hat of his Funko Pop vinyl figure. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted by the departure of Colin Trevorrow from Star Wars Episode IX? Ahh, yes, we were looking at the new entries in the StarWars.com Databank together - specifically, new entries related to The Last Jedi. Let's get back to that, shall we? On tap today: much ado about Crait. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

You can understand - sort of - why you'd see stories questioning whether Lucasfilm is in trouble. With all the directorial upheavals happening, and with a voracious entertainment news cycle built on clickbait and anxiety, it's almost a given. But there are many, many reasons to relax and repeat after me: "In Kathleen Kennedy I trust." Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Only two names are being bandied about by "inside sources" to replace Star Wars Episode IX director/co-writer Colin Trevorrow. However, there are a lot of other websites posting claims about who else would/could/should be considered as a replacement director. I'm digging onto all of that here, as well as opining on why it's high time to get a woman on board to direct a Lucasfilm project. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

With a short and sweet statement on StarWars.com, Lucasfilm again rocked the Star Wars fandom with the announcement that they were parting ways with Colin Trevorrow, the director and co-writer of Star Wars Episode IX. This one came as a surprise - there'd been no inside sources claiming anything was wrong prior to the announcement. (The foofaraw over Trevorrow's flop with "The Book of Henry" was essentially muck-raking - people trying to start trouble where no trouble had been reported.) Today, I'm talking about what the Hollywood trades are saying about the move, and what's going to happen next. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

The action figures for Luke Skywalker are decidedly unaccessorized - he comes with nothing but his clothes and his robot hand. Not even a glove for it! But there's something about his belt that should make you oooh and aaah for a moment. Would Hasbro ever do a mail-in campaign for people to get his lightsaber after the fact? Seems like a lot to do for a tiny play piece, but I wonder... And also today, I'm digging into the updates to the StarWars.com Databank, starting with Luke, Rose, and the First Order Stormtrooper Executioner. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

In the Sphero app (for controlling the BB-8, R2-D2, and BB-9E droids), there's a whole series of datascreens that reveal information about Supreme Leader Snoke's flagship, "Supremacy." I'm digging into those reveals today, and connecting them to what's depicted on the BB-8 mega-playset that opens up to reveal a First Order facility. (There's a throne room for Supreme Leader Snoke, more locations within the space, and depicted appearances by Rose, Finn, and Rey.) Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

In an interview with CTV News (think of it as the CNN of Canada), I talked with host Todd van der Heyden about the business of Force Friday and the hopes of Star Wars fandom for The Last Jedi. Plus, a couple of ships and their names have been revealed, from an official and unlikely source. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

When Force Friday arrived, I didn't have to go it alone this year. I reached out to Bryan Fontaine of Jedi Scavenger (a collecting-focused podcast), which is also part of the Brick City Blockade podcast network. He happened to be coming to the same Toys R Us at which I'd been going for the past two years... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

What's it like to attend a midnight opening at Toys 'R Us for #ForceFriday? I'll give you the vibe, share what I've learned about the Crait battle, and give you a preview of the reveals coming down the pike over the next few days. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Turns out the similarities in the promotional timeframes from Rogue One weren't as easy to apply as a template to The Last Jedi. With yet another Force Friday promo partner announced yesterday, all the momentum is clearly on driving awareness for the event, and not for the movie directly - which is what a trailer would be for. So, what's different this time around? And what can we expect for the rest of the year? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

The "Find the Force" character scavenger hunt app within the official Star Wars app promises to let you unlock (and do photo/video AR stuff with) 15 characters from The Last Jedi. We've been promised new characters, and they've fulfilled it by having the Porgs as their early unlock preview. (Yes, I know - not exactly a "character," from a certain point of view.) And Admiral Ackbar has also been confirmed. Who else will we meet, and what might we learn about them? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Whereas the original Star Wars had 31 wipe transitions, Empire had 42, and The Force Awakens only had 14, The Last Jedi is bringing up the rear with 12 wipe transitions, according to writer/director Rian Johnson. What does that mean for the structure of the movie? What could that tell us about the opening sequences? And does it mean that we won't see Luke and Rey at the very beginning of The Last Jedi? I've got the answers to those questions right here. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

In the latest excerpt from the upcoming Phasma novel, we get the name of her home planet and details about how deprived they've been. We also learn about her clan, get verification of her real name, see the scene of her first meeting with Commandant Brendol Hux and the First Order, and maybe even get a glimpse of the Emperor's former pleasure yacht. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Reshoots are already happening on the Han Solo movie, as revealed by Michael K. Williams in two separate interview about how he was unfortunately (and with no ill will on either side) cut from the Han Solo movie due to scheduling conflicts. More about that, about the character he would have played, and a name for Emilia Clarke's character - is it the real name, or a code word (again)? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Look, Snoke is Snoke. So let's start there. We've been given an idea of where he comes from, and who in the known Star Wars galaxy seems to have discovered his existence first. Beyond that, the whole existence of the First Order and its origins suggests a couple of options about Snoke's own origins, and how he hooked up with the First Order. Which I'll be exploring in today's podcast. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Yesterday, I talked with you about the First Order's AT-M6 "gorilla" walker revealed on the Star Wars Show, and today I'm going over the details of the Dreadnought - that's the giant 7.7 kilometer/4.5 mile long First Order ship packing two massive orbital auto cannons. Lucasfilm design supervisor Kevin Jenkins reveals that it was designed for a particular sequence, and I've got some thoughts about what that might be... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

On the Star Wars Show on Wednesday, two new vehicles from The Last Jedi were revealed! I'm talking about one of them today, the AT-M6 - that would be the All Terrain MegaCaliber Six for those of you interested in such things. The reveal, and the related interview with Lucasfilm design supervisor Kevin Jenkins, has implications for everything from ways to combat it in specific, to design decisions for the Sequel Trilogy in general, and more. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Star Wars 7x7 Patron Bobby Gordon caught up with Star Wars Rebels' Taylor Gray, who was performing in his new play "Sold in the Name of Sex" at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. (Which he wrote, produced, and directed as well.) They talked about the play and its inspiration, Taylor's favorite Star Wars memory, what's in store for Ezra Bridger in Rebels Season 4, and what Taylor's plans are beyond Rebels. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

It was a marathon podcast call-in show! I hung out with Steele Saunders for about two hours, as his guest on the Steele Wars call-in show. The Obi-Wan Kenobi movie was a hot topic, of course, and in this excerpt from the show, Steele begins by suggesting Star Wars could look to another franchise in terms of figuring out where their next great success could lie. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

When I've been doing single-question interviews in 2017, the one question I've been asking folks is, "What's your favorite Star Wars memory?" I had the good fortune to hang out with Steele Saunders last Friday, and he graciously contributed a lovely story that harkens back to a special viewing party for The Force Awakens in Australia. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

The synopsis for the novel "Phasma" by Delilah S. Dawson has been released, as well as three posters depicting mysterious characters from the novel. Well, not so mysterious anymore, perhaps, since the synopsis seems to make it rather clear who at least two of the three characters are. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Some Star Wars new sources, I trust whatever they're reporting about. Other sources, I only trust for certain things. I was reminded starkly of this by the reporting on the Obi-Wan Kenobi movie rumors. Some o those semi-trusted sources used the words "official," "confirmed," or other forms of those words when they shouldn't have - since neither Lucasfilm nor Disney have even *responded* to the reports. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

it's early, EARLY days yet, but unnamed sources (perhaps inside Lucasfilm, perhaps not) are saying that director Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader) is in an early, EARLY stage of talks with Lucasfilm about directing an Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone Star Wars Story. I'm breaking down the rumors that began with The Hollywood Reporter yesterday (8/17). Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Earlier this year, I theorized that one of the biggest challenges Luke would have in The Last Jedi is coming to terms with the guilt of what happened with Ben Solo and the destruction of the fledgling Jedi Academy. In the fall 2017 Movie Preview cover story on The Last Jedi in Entertainment Weekly, Rian Johnson and Mark Hamill give interviews which suggest I was pretty on the money with this one. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Rian Johnson notes that, structurally, J.J. Abrams essentially handed Johnson a situation that already had a number of structural parallels to The Empire Strikes Back. So Johnson set about making it different. Here's a look at some of the similarities we've seen so far, along with some of the more noticeable differences. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

I'm celebrating hitting the iconic 1,138-episode mark with a look back at all the uses of that special number in the Star Wars movies. (Hint: there may be more references than you might expect.) Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Going back to some of the earlier stories released about The Last Jedi as part of Entertainment Weekly's Fall 2017 Movie Preview cover story, I'm taking a look at what new things we've learned about Leia and Poe - as well as a bit about Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo, and about the state of the Resistance and the New Republic. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Anthony Breznican and Entertainment Weekly wrapped up their eight-story coverage of The Last Jedi (as part of their Fall 2017 Movie Preview Cover Story) by giving us a few insights into some of the as-yet-uncovered characters in the movie - specifically, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, Chewbacca, and Maz Kanata. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

No spoilers in the article from Entertainment Weekly about the parents of Rey and Finn, but we do get to learn a bit about *what* we're going to learn about Rey's and Finn's parents, and a bit about how much that family lineage ultimately matters to their characters and the events of the movie. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly's cover story on The Last Jedi, we know a bit more about Benicio del toro's shady "DJ" character. On today's podcast, I'm reviewing the reveals; piecing together a theory based on those reveals and what we learned from the D23 Expo; and considering the possibility that he's a character we've met previously in the new Star Wars canon - specifically, in the Aftermath novels. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Remember how I've been saying that this is the time of year that we get the Entertainment Weekly Fall 2017 Movie Preview, and that The Last Jedi should be on the cover? Well, it all came true on Wednesday. From Snoke Praetorian Guards to the "Caretakers," from Finn piloting a speeder on Crait to the naming of the planet that's home to the casino city of Canto Bight, I'm recapping the new reveals from EW and their correspondent from the galaxy far, far away, Anthony Breznican. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

It may seem like Lucasfilm has been having a challenge with directors recently - needing Tony Gilroy to come in and tinker with Gareth Edwards' Rogue One, needing Ron Howard to take over the Han Solo movie - but there may be a more fundamental issue plaguing Lucasfilm and the smooth production of its movies, and the cause goes all the way back to the days when George Lucas was running the company. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Since being acquired by Disney in 2009, Marvel Studios - the movie production arm of Marvel - has produced more than a dozen films, none of them lower than 66% on Rotten Tomatoes (to give you a thumbnail indication of their quality). In the same time period, Lucasfilm produced four movies - two of which were Red Tails and Strange Magic, neither of which broke even at the box office. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

Will there be a trailer for The Last Jedi in August? Does there even need to be? Considering the upcoming Entertainment Weekly Fall Movie Preview and the lack of chatter on social from sources usually in the know, I'm rethinking my prediction for an August trailer after all. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!

John Boyega's and Gwendoline Christie's interviews about The Last Jedi; Ron Howard's tweets about the Han Solo movie; and the Hollywood Reporter's exclusive on a new writer being brought in for Episode IX are all up for discussion on today's podcast. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Go to http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to donate to the Star Wars 7x7 podcast, and you'll get some fabulous rewards for your pledge.*** Check out SW7x7.com for full Star Wars 7x7 show notes and links, and to comment on any of the content of this episode! If you like what you've heard, please leave me a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher, which will also help more people discover this Star Wars podcast. Don't forget to join the Star Wars 7x7 fun on Facebook at Facebook.com/SW7x7, and follow the breaking news Twitter feed at Twitter.com/SW7x7Podcast. I'm also on Pinterest and Instagram as "SW7x7" too, and I'd love to connect with you there!