Cantina Talk: Boba Fett Is Dead (Again)
Normally this time of year, fans are eagerly awaiting the December release of a new Star Wars movie. But with Episode IX not hitting theaters until the end of 2019, things are relatively quiet in the galaxy far, far away. But at least the news that is coming out is good: Composer John Williams is recovering from the illness that caused him to be hospitalized without warning a few weeks ago. What happened is still unknown, but he's doing better, and is expected to return to Los Angeles shortly. What else is happening out there? Glad you asked.
Boba Fett Is Dead (Again)
The Source: Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, via reports
Probability of Accuracy: It appears to be entirely genuine, sadly.
The Real Deal: As first revealed on Twitter, and then confirmed by multiple outlets, the Boba Fett movie that was being developed by Logan director James Mangold is no more, with Lucasfilm focusing on director Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian, instead. What that means for the canon broadly is a little unclear, but it does suggest there could be a Boba Fett appearance in Favreau's streaming show at some point. As this story was being reported out, Entertainment Weekly had an unexpected tidbit of information: The first attempt at a solo Boba Fett movie, which would have been directed by Josh Trank, got as far as having a teaser trailer made for it before it was scrapped. Release it online, Lucasfilm! It's what everyone wants!
Someone Has Stolen From The Mandalorian
The Source: Online reports
Probability of Accuracy: Given that the authorities have confirmed that an investigation is underway, let's consider this one 100 percent accurate.
The Real Deal: Sure, we might be used to photos being taken from movie and TV sets, but what happened recently on the set of The Mandalorian is something else entirely: Someone stole some of the crew's camera equipment, including, possibly, a memory card "containing sensitive information." (Well, I guess if you’re going to take high quality photos, you might as well take the equipment with the very highest quality photos…) Both Lucasfilm and Manhattan Beach Police Department are currently investigating the theft, but in the meantime, look out for some particularly crisp-looking leaks online.
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Don't Ask About the Cause of Death
The Source: Mark Hamill, sharing an unexpected theory on Twitter
Probability of Accuracy: Can theories have accuracies, per se? For the good of Luke Skywalker's legacy, let’s just say that this theory is probably going to remain unproven.
The Real Deal: What killed Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi? There's been much speculation as to what actually happened to Luke at the end of the 2017 movie, with many ultimately believing his death was the result of the strain of such intense Force Projection. But Luke himself, Mark Hamill, shared a slightly different take on social media:
Whether or not this is solely Hamill's take is unclear, especially considering he’s also confirmed that he will be returning for Episode IX in some capacity. Whether or not he has some inside knowledge on what will be revealed about Luke's demise—and, presumably, afterlife—in the new movie will, we can hope, be revealed in time. Otherwise, this is an especially dark take on what was already a somewhat dark installment in the series.
Could Episode IX's Title Focus on Its Villain's Private Army?
The Source: Online rumormongering and speculation
Probability of Accuracy: It's unlikely anything will be definite for another 13 months or so.
The Real Deal: The title of Star Wars: The Last Jedi remained under wraps until 11 months before the movie opened, which means that we've likely got some time to wait until finding out what Star Wars: Episode IX is actually called. But while we're waiting, a contender was unveiled online and it's … a curious choice, to say the least. According to an unnamed source, J.J. Abrams, director of the new movie, is circling around the title Star Wars: Order of Ren. That potential title may or may not connect to earlier rumors that rehearsals have included Adam Driver—aka Kylo Ren—undergoing battle training alongside six to eight new actors, and/or script leaks claiming that Kylo Ren will have formed his own order of Force Sensitive soldiers to assassinate anyone he deems a threat. Could the final movie in the current trilogy really center around Kylo Ren's new power base as the good guys push back one final time? We’ll find out in December 2019, if we can wait that long.
Many Bothans Are Confused About Bothans
The Source: Lucasfilm Story Group executive Matt Martin
Probability of Accuracy: There is no accuracy. There is only confusion about something fans believed they understood clearly.
The Real Deal: All Star Wars fans know about Bothans; they're the ones who died in order to get information about the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. But here's the thing; no one has ever actually seen a Bothan … or have they? Matt Martin, who's part of Lucasfilm's Story Group, blew some fans' minds on Twitter recently by suggesting, "Maybe Bothans aren't even a species" when asked why they didn't show up in a recent book release, Star Wars: Alien Archive. In a later tweet, he suggested that it might refer to a particular planet, and in another he posited that perhaps it's a nationality, while also arguing that he's simply making "very clearly hypothetical" statements. So, what is a Bothan? It’s entirely up in the air, but surely we're not the only ones now wondering if Bothans is actually a Star Wars franchise word for "spies," right?