In the last seven days…
~ Star Wars, the film that revolutionized science fiction, Hollywood, marketing, and the toy world turned 37 years old.
And the great thing about being a Star Wars collector is that due to the enormous about of merchandise produced over the last 30 and a half decades we are always learning new things such as…
~ For the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves toy line the Battle Wagon was not only a reissue of the Ewok BattleWagon Vehicle but also included the Ewok Assault Catapult Accessory which was attached to the top of the wagon in place of the Bantha Skull. This has now been updated in our Sister Lines database.
~ Lucasfilm officially announced the director, writer and release date of the first spin-off film:
GARETH EDWARDS AND GARY WHITTA ONBOARD FOR STAR WARS STAND-ALONE FILM
In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga.
Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.Gareth Edwards blazed into the filmmaking forefront with his
acclaimed work on Monsters, a film he wrote, directed and served on as cinematographer and visual effects artist. The skill and vision readily apparent in Monsters earned him the high-profile spot directing this year’s smash hit Godzilla.
“Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life — join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited and honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm,” said Edwards.
Gary Whitta’s screenwriting credits include 2010’s The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington. He is also well known as a journalist and editor in the video game industry, as well as part of the BAFTA award-winning team on Telltale Games adaptation of The Walking Dead.
Whitta states, “From the moment I first saw the original movie as a wide-eyed kid, Star Wars has been the single most profound inspiration to my imagination and to my career as a writer. It is deeply special to me,so to be given the opportunity to contribute to its ongoing legacy, especially in collaboration with a film-maker as talented as Gareth, is literally a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself.”
~ Gold 5’s Report received visual confirmation that Wave 2 of the small Saga Legends vehicles are now landing at Toys R Us! Shockingly they are cheaper at TRU than Target where they have also begun to appear.
~ JJ Abrams released a video spotlighting our first creature/character from the set of Episode VII as a fundraiser for UNICEF called “Force for Change”. This will give one lucky fan the chance to meet the cast and actually be in the upcoming sequel.
~ And finally, Yodasnews received a “spy report” indicating that Toys R Us will be receiving a The Black Series exclusive later this year entitled “Battle on Endor”. The set, if true, will be the first exclusive of the year announced so far and will feature all repacks from various Star Wars lines.
Until next time,
