The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrmas on the other hand, finds the idea of Rey being under-represented in the film’s merchandise preposterous. “I wish I had more details about merchandising and the schedule,” he said. “I’m learning things as you are. I will say that it seems preposterous and wrong that the main character of the movie is not well represented in what is clearly a huge piece of the Star Wars world in terms of merchandising. I read that she wasn’t in the Monopoly game and was quickly making phone calls about this because if it were true — and it is true, and now Hasbro, of course, has said they’re going to put Rey in — it doesn’t quite make sense why she wouldn’t be there. She’s somewhat important in the story…”
…It was reported that Star Wars: Episode VIII had already cast Gugu Mbatha-Raw, but a new report is suggesting she’s no longer in the running and is being replaced with Bel Powley (Diary of a Teenage Girl)…
…Looking ahead to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and it was named the most anticipated movie of 2016 by this list – which really doesn’t count for much. It did, however, come second in our own list of Most Anticipated Movies of 2016 behind Captain America: Civil War. We polled all of our writers to come up with that list, so it means way more obviously. You can also list to Flickering Myth TV‘s Oliver Davis talk about it on his weekly podcast below:
…And if you’re waiting for the first chance to catch a glimpse of Rogue One, then you may want to go and see Captain America: Civil War, as the trailer is apparently attached to it. Fore more information like that, check out The Week in Spandex…
…Lastly on Rogue One, and we can expect to see a load of rumours and speculation about the film now that The Force Awakens is out of the way. To that end, there was a rumour about what Felicity Day’s name is, as well as some plot details regarding Mads Mikkelsen’s character…
…Speaking of the spin-off movies, and The Force Awakens scribe Lawrence Kasdan has said that the young Han Solo movie will take place 10 years before A New Hope. “[The film] will not be, ‘Here’s where he was born and this is how he was raised,'” he said. “I think what it will be is what was he like 10 years earlier [than A New Hope]—maybe a little earlier, you’ll get a glimpse. But Kurosawa once said the heroes are the ones that are still changing and the villains are locked and petrified into what they are, and Harrison embodies in Force Awakens someone who is still not settled on who he is…”
…A trailer was released for Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens…
…And here are some pictures of pets dressed up like Star Wars characters. Because Internet…
…Big congrats to Marvel, who announced this week that Star Wars #1 was the biggest selling comic book of 2015. Not only that, but Star Wars: Vader Down #1 came 6th, Star Wars: Darth Vader #1 came 7th and Star Wars: Princess Leia #1 came 10th…
…And speaking of comics, here’s your preview for the week – Star Wars: Darth Vader #15: VADER DOWN: THE CONCLUSION! Luke Skywalker–captured by the Empire! Darth Vader–beset by enemies on all sides! The finale of the biggest Marvel Star Wars story yet!
That’s all for this week – may The Force be with you…
Luke Owen
Originally published January 10, 2016. Updated July 2, 2023.
