Yet another Prime Day has arrived, and with it come lots of sales on Lego sets, which makes it a good — not great — time to stock up. Sadly, some of the bigger sets, like the Star Wars UCS or the full-size F1 sets, aren't on sale, which will disappoint many AFOLs.

However, a lot of the less-expensive sets are discounted somewhat, so if you're planning ahead for a kid's birthday or some other event, now is a good time to look around. The Lego Speed Champions Ferrari SF-24 F1 set, which is now just $21 on Amazon, is a great example.

I'm still combing through all of the Lego deals, so this is a list of 15 I like so far; I'm partial to a lot of Lego cars, which is why you'll see a lot of those deals in this roundup, as well as Star Wars-themed sets. But, we have a neat little deal finder at the bottom of the page, which scours the web for all the best Lego deals — and saves you the trouble of having to go to Amazon.

Cars

Star Wars

Technics

Whether inspired by “The Mandalorian and Grogu” or something else, my Instagram feed has recently been filled with videos of people making their own lightsabers out of nothing but parts they bought at their local hardware store.

As someone who loves both Star Wars and hardware stores, this proved too irresistible not to try myself. So, like the Millennium Falcon being pulled in by the Death Star’s tractor beam, I beelined to my local Lowe’s to find the parts I needed to make my own laser sword.

The great thing about making your own hardware store lightsaber is that you’re only limited by your imagination and budget. I drew inspiration from the Insta reels I saw, as well as the weapons featured in the Star Wars films.

There are three aisles you’ll want to visit: Plumbing, electrical, and the nuts and bolts aisle. To paraphrase Luke in “The Rise of Skywalker,” it has everything you need.

Settling on a size

The first thing you’ll want to determine is how big you want your lightsaber to be. To start, you’ll need to pick up a threaded rod; I chose one that’s 12 inches long, though you may want to go shorter if you’re making one for a kid or baby Yoda.

Next, you’ll need to pick the parts that are going to make the bulk of the handle. I’ve seen people use metal conduit connectors (like this one which costs $1.48 at Lowes), but I wanted something with a larger diameter (and something that looked more like the traditional Graflex flash).

Assembling the saber

So, I went with a 6-inch, 1-1/4-in diameter chrome-plated slip joint ($17.28), which was a little pricey, but gave me the look I wanted.

Atop that, I alternated between 12mm and 10mm black washers ($0.47 and $0.32, respectively) as an homage to Obi-Wan’s lightsaber.

I then added a SharkBite 3/4-in PEX x 3/4-in Female Brass Sweat Adapter ($3.78; who says Sharkbite isn’t good for anything) and then a surprisingly expensive 1/2-in Copper Female Adapter ($10.81), the second-priciest item on the list.

I was getting close to the end, so I capped things off with five 1/2-inch washers; not knowing how many I’d need, I paid $3.96 for two packages of four, but you could get the five washers for a total of $1.75.

I also needed three 3/8-in x 1-1/2-in Stainless steel Fender Washers (one at the very bottom, and two at the top) which cost a total of $2.04. Here again, I overbought and purchased a pack of 25. At least I’ll have some for my next project.

I also purchased three 1-1/4 in rubber washers ($3.98 each), thinking that they’d make for good accent pieces on the handle. However, I found that they were too bulky for that purpose, but I did add one to the top, which gave it a flare like Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber. The rubber washer also helped lock in the nuts I added to the top and bottom, so that they wouldn’t loosen as easily.

The Force is strong with this one

In all, assembling the lightsaber took about 10 minutes; there was a bit of trial and error when figuring out how many washers I’d need (I ended up with a lot of spares). The other tricky part is making sure that everything is centered; if you can, find washers with the same inner diameter as the center rod, so there’s less room for them to move around.

Yes, there are plenty of lightsabers for around $100 on Amazon that look more like the real thing and have light-up blades. I think for my next attempt, I’ll see if I can add a piece of PVC pipe to the end, to make it a true dueling saber. But, this was a fun project — it’s a great rainy-day activity if you have a kid — and, if your pipes ever start leaking, you’ll have the parts to fix them.

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Even with 'The Mandalorian & Grogu' hitting theaters, there’s another member of the mysterious little green species grabbing some online attention: the original Jedi Master himself. I got an exclusive hands-on look at the new Yoda Puppetronic by RealFX from WOW! Stuff, and it’s about time our backwards-speaking sensei got this kind of treatment.

The 17.3-inch animatronic puppet features more than 120 sounds and movements designed to recreate Yoda’s signature expressions and mannerisms. The skin has a rubbery, realistic finish that somehow manages to capture every wrinkle you’d expect from someone who’s been around for 900 years, give or take.

Now I’m no puppeteer, but with the joystick-style controller concealed underneath Yoda’s Jedi robes made the movement points simple enough to navigate.

The eyes especially stood out, complete with that slow, wise Yoda blink fans instantly recognize.The ears shift up and down, the forehead subtly bulges during certain reactions, and there’s even a trigger that lifts Yoda’s left arm so he can “use the Force” while his right hand stays planted on his cane.

Of course, the core to puppets is a moving mouth. Yoda cycles through a mix of iconic lines and surprisingly funny quips. You’ll hear classics like “Do or do not, there is no try,” alongside more playful dialogue including, “Strong am I with the Force … but not that strong,” and “Yoda! You seek Yoda!”

This is the first Star Wars Puppetronic from the same company responsible for the viral Toothless dragon and Stitch animatronics. And while Grogu has absolutely dominated the cute side of Star Wars lately, there’s something satisfying about seeing some attention return to OG Yoda.

The version I tested was a prototype on temporary loan, but pre-orders are already live ahead of its October release. It’s expected to cost $90, positioning it squarely as one of those holiday gifts that’s either going to delight Star Wars fans or mildly terrify house guests depending on where you display it.

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"The Mandalorian and Grogu" just wrapped up its first weekend at the box office, but you might already be wondering when you can watch it at home. After all, a night out at the movies is expensive, and the reviews for this movie ... well, let's just say the force might not be strong with this one.

Currently, the feature-length chapter of "The Mandalorian" has a 63% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I didn't rate it particularly highly either, giving it just a 2.5 out of 5 stars rating in my official "The Mandalorian and Grogu" review. It's worth noting, though, that audiences rate it highly, giving it an 88% fresh rating on the review aggregator.

But regardless of whether you're not sold on seeing one of the biggest movies of the summer in theaters, you don't have the time to go out, or you'd prefer to watch at home, don't worry; I've got you covered. Here's when I predict "The Mandalorian and Grogu" is coming to streaming, and where you'll be able to stream it.

Where will you be able to stream 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'?

The good news is I don't have to guess which of the best streaming services you'll be able to watch this movie on at home.

First, it will get a digital release on premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms like Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home. Then, you'll eventually be able to stream "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+.

When could 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' arrive on streaming?

Guessing when you'll be able to stream this movie at home is a little tricky. There hasn't been a new Star Wars movie since "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019, and everything is different today, nearly seven years later.

But Star Wars is produced by Lucasfilm, and that's owned by Disney, just like Pixar and Marvel. So I'm going to use two recent Disney movies as a reference point to make my prediction.

"Zootopia 2" is the most recent example of a Disney blockbuster coming to Disney+. It came out in theaters on Nov. 26, 2025, then hit PVOD on Jan. 27, 2026, before finally arriving on Disney+ on March 11. That means it took 62 days from theatrical debut until you could buy or rent at home, and then a further 43 days for it to stream on Disney+.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" was another major Disney movie from last year, and Marvel and Lucasfilm share a lot of fans. So it could make sense for Disney to copy the model it used in the most recent MCU movie. It debuted in theaters on July 25, 2025, then came to PVOD 61 days later on Sept. 23. Then, 43 days later, it arrived on Disney+. That's essentially the same pattern as "Zootopia 2."

So with that information, I can predict with decent accuracy when you'll be able to watch "The Mandalorian and Grogu" at home:

You should be able to buy or rent "The Mandalorian and Grogu" digital release on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, though it could come a week earlier on July 21.

You should then be able to stream "The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+ on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, though again, it could come a week earlier on Sept. 2 2.

While you're waiting, make sure to check out my interview with Jonny Coyne, who plays the villain in this latest "Star Wars" movie. We talk about his character's backstory, what it's like working with Grogu and more.

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Seven years. That’s how long it’s been since Star Wars last released a movie in theaters. Seven long years since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” and I still don’t know how to erase that misfire from my brain. The franchise flew too close to the sun after “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One.” “The Last Jedi” was profitable but polarizing, “Solo” was dead on arrival, and “The Rise of Skywalker” quite literally forced Disney to pause future movies and go back to the drawing board.

Instead of movies, Lucasfilm pivoted to television, and their most successful effort was “The Mandalorian.” Jon Favreau’s space Western follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), the titular Mandalorian working as a bounty hunter after the fall of the Empire. In the first episode, the bounty that Din retrieves is a tiny green creature named Grogu, or “Baby Yoda,” depending on what you prefer. The two form an unlikely bond as Din becomes a father figure to Grogu as they embark on riveting adventures throughout the galaxy.

With Lucasfilm in desperate need of a “Star Wars” movie, the powers that be decided its most popular television property should move to the big screen. The result is “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which opened May 22. Am I happy “Star Wars” is back in theaters? Yes. Would I have liked another story to take center stage instead of a TV show? Absolutely.

My excitement for “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is lukewarm at best. I’m already looking past Mando and preparing for May 2027, when Mr. “Project Hail Mary” himself, Ryan Gosling, enters the galaxy far, far away in “Star Wars: Starfighter.”

I like, but do not love, ‘The Mandalorian’

The first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” recaptured the magic and wonder of “Star Wars.” The show perfectly balanced the “adventure of the week” model with the show’s overarching mission to reunite Grogu with his family. That model is television at its finest. Anyone can hop into a random episode and still enjoy the journeys of a cool bounty hunter and his cute sidekick. If you didn’t get emotional for Din and Grogu in the season 2 finale, then you don’t have a heart.

I’m a firm believer in the idea that too much of a good thing can be bad. Lucasfilm got over its skis by launching the spinoff “The Book of Boba Fett." Instead of making an awesome show about Boba Fett, Disney shoehorned their cash cows — Mando and Grogu — into the final three episodes. For better or worse, “The Book of Boba Fett” became “The Mandalorian” season 2.5.

There were still enjoyable moments in “The Mandalorian” season 3. However, the third season became more about connecting to the other characters and stories within the Star Wars universe instead of embracing its standalone roots from the first two seasons.

The ironic part is that “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has been cited as a standalone adventure, which doesn’t excite me. The initial reviews have been mixed. On the positive, it’s a perfect summer movie with entertaining characters and an easy-to-digest story. On the negative side, the movie does not feel special. Rather, it plays like a few episodes of “The Mandalorian” squashed together.

I like “The Mandalorian” franchise, but I don’t love it anymore. Star Wars movies should create extraordinary theatrical experiences. A movie as a stand-in for “The Mandalorian” season 4 feels like a letdown and a missed opportunity.

Bring on ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’

I cherish going to the theaters to experience something new. That’s why we cinephiles lace ‘em up, or for this analogy, that’s why we buy our tickets. I’ve seen countless adventures featuring the Skywalkers, Darth Vader, and Palpatine. I know for a fact that I’m not the only Star Wars fan who wants something different.

The answer to my prayers will (hopefully) come in the form of "Star Wars: Starfighter.” The upcoming space opera hails from Shawn Levy, who will direct from a script by Jonathan Tropper. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Levy is one of the five most bankable directors in Hollywood. His three “Night at the Museum” movies grossed a combined $1.3 billion. “Free Guy,” an action comedy released during the early days of post-pandemic box office in the summer of 2021, earned an impressive $331 million. Levy’s crown jewel is “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the highest-grossing rated-R film ever at $1.3 billion.

I respect what Levy does. It’s a skill to make a crowd-pleasing blockbuster that will generate hundreds of millions for a studio. Levy delivers films on time and doesn’t go over budget, so I could see why Disney. I haven’t even mentioned Netflix, where Levy helped guide “Stranger Things” to become its most important show and “The Adam Project” to No. 5 on the list of its most popular English-language films.

My mileage definitely varies on Levy’s movies. He injects a surprising amount of emotion into all of his movies, which serves as a welcome reprieve from an endless supply of action scenes. I can only take so much of the humor designed for teenage boys — I get it, Deadpool curses a lot. This comedy is not my cup of tea, but I understand why he does it. At the very least, I’m entertained.

My interest in “Starfighter” can be attributed to Gosling, one of my favorite actors working in Hollywood. Gosling is in his blockbuster era, as he headlines popular movies for four-quadrant audiences. After the disappointment of “The Gray Man," Gosling pivoted strongly with “Barbie,” “The Fall Guy” and “Project Hail Mary.” All three movies utilize the best of what Gosling has to offer: innate charisma, impeccable comedic timing, and dashing looks. He is a capital-M movie star.

In typical Lucasfilm fashion, the plot details for “Star Wars: Starfighter” are scarce. It supposedly takes place five years after “The Rise of Skywalker.” Gosling is the lead and star opposite Flynn Gray. Levy has said there will be a father-son dynamic between Gosling and Gray. Matt Smith and Mia Goth will appear in villainous roles, while Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams also star.

Nothing about a father-son story is unique. However, a “Star Wars” father-son tale between two characters outside of the Skywalker universe feels brand-new. I’m taking Levy for his word when he describes “Starfighter” as “an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure.” Try saying that five times fast.

“Star Wars” needs something fresh. “Starfighter” might be the hero I need.

“Star Wars: Starfighter” opens in theaters on May 28, 2027.

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"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is undeniably one of the biggest movies of the summer. As the first "Star Wars" movie since 2019, it's undeniably one of the biggest movies of the year. So chances are that even with early reviews coming in mixed — Rotten Tomatoes has it a 60% fresh on the Tomatometer with over 130 reviews, and I gave it a 2.5 out of 5 stars in our official "The Mandalorian and Grogu" review — you're still going to go see it in theaters. Even if you don't, you'll almost certainly see it once it's eventually on Disney+.

Naturally, you might want to know something about the movie before seeing it. There are no Skywalkers in this saga (well, not in this chapter), and there are plenty of new faces in the trailers we've seen so far. If you have never watched the three seasons of "The Mandalorian," chances are you don't know anyone in this movie besides Grogu, because how could you not know Baby Yoda?

Luckily for you, I recently had a chance to sit down with someone who knows Baby Yoda intimately. Jonny Coyne, who some of you might know from any number of TV or movie roles (for me, it's as Allfather D'Aronique from the AMC comic book adaptation "Preacher"), is starring in "The Mandalorian and Grogu" as the mysterious Lord Janu, and he's now the latest villain in the Star Wars galaxy. As you can see in the image at the top of this article, he's got Grogu in a cage, so there's no mistaking him for a hero. But beyond that, little is known about this Imperial remnant, whom we only saw briefly in holographic form in "The Mandalorian" season 3 as part of Moff Gideon's (Giancarlo Esposito) Shadow Council.

So without further ado, let's dive into my conversation with Jonny Coyne, as we discuss what to expect from Lord Janu in this latest Star Wars film, and what it's like to work alongside the famous Grogu.

Who is Lord Janu?

As I mentioned before, you'll only know Janu from "The Mandalorian" season 3, when he didn't even have a name. In the episode, "Chapter 23: The Spies," he appears in the Imperial Shadow Council as a hologram, briefly clashing with Captain Gilad Pellaeon (Xander Berkeley) over how to handle the galaxy now that the Empire has fallen. So I had to ask if writer/director Jon Favreau had expanded the character beyond being just a nameless face, now that Janu is the newest Imperial villain.

"It's definitely been fleshed out, and they've had a rethink," Coyne explained. "I don't know if it's a rethink or whether they were heading there anyway, but there's a much more — I don't know the term I want to use, it may not be the correct term — but he's a much more human factor in the whole situation."

As for whether or not we'll get more of the Shadow Council, Coyne was keeping things as tight-lipped as an Imperial intelligence officer.

"I can't say, and I honestly don't know," he admitted. "At Disney, you were lucky to get a script to look at. So, you know, I got it piecemeal. Jon Favreau was very complimentary about my line learning, given that, you know, we were getting it [the script] that morning and had to sort of learn lots of lines. So, it's a job to try and figure out what you've got to do."

Grogu, unsurprisingly, steals every scene

Of course, being Star Wars' newest villain is all well and good, but people are coming to this movie for one thing: Baby Yoda. And unsurprisingly, even Coyne will readily admit Grogu is the star of the show.

"Grogu is real and is as real as they come.," Coyne declared. "And he's as every bit as a scene stealer as Lassie is. And every bit as a scene stealer as Shirley Temple. You know full well that when the camera's on you, the audience are going, 'Just get off him. Get off him. We want the camera on Grogu.'"

Plus, it's important to remember, this isn't acting with a tennis ball on a stick. Grogu is a fully functioning puppet, and that makes it feel to everyone like they're working with talent as real as the humans on set. "If you're just in between shots and you just go up to Grogu and give him a little peck," Coyne continued, "he [Grogu] responds, and he's alive all the time. It's a joy to watch, really, and terrifying for an actor to be part of because you know you're not getting any love."

But Grogu wasn't the only joy to work with in "The Mandalorian and Grogu." It used to be the worst-kept secret in Hollywood, but it's now common knowledge that, quite often, it's not Pedro Pascal in the Mandalorian armor. Instead, body doubles Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder serve as the physical stand-in for the bounty hunter in most scenes, and it was Wayne in particular that Coyne was quick to heap praise upon.

"He's [Wayne] an old hand," Coyne explained. "He's been around a long time on the show ["The Mandalorian"], and he guided me through a lot of the stuff. It was great working with him, and he's on it — completely on it. The walk, the creation, the stance — everything that you see is very much Brendan."

Check out extended clips from my interview with Jonny Coyne on the Tom's Guide Entertainment TikTok starting today (Fri., May 22) at 6 p.m. ET

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"The Mandalorian and Grogu" was always going to be set up to fail. This movie was added to the Disney theatrical slate only after Lucasfilm decided to pivot from an already written season 4 of "The Mandalorian" on Disney+. Having now watched it, I don't know that they ever changed the story; I think they merely threw stuff out to cut down on runtime.

The result is a poorly written buddy cop movie where Mando, aka Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian and his adopted son go on missions to hunt down Imperial Warlords on behalf of the New Republic.

Now, if that had been the story Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni (who makes an egregious fan service cameo) and Noah Kloor had stuck with, maybe there would have been some potential here. Hunting down remnants of the Empire would have tied in nicely with "The Mandalorian" season 3, the upcoming "Ahsoka" season 2 and the entire Grand Admiral Thrawn storyline that the Filoni-led 'Star Wars' universe seemed to be on.

But unfortunately, the movie abandons that story halfway through, seemingly committing the same errors of other 'Star Wars' properties in recent years. Whether it's 'Solo,' 'The Acolyte' or 'The Rise of Skywalker,' this franchise has been afraid in recent years to commit to an interesting storyline that has a risk of falling flat. Instead, 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' opts for boring, watered-down or less consequential stories that leave fans disappointed time and time again.

The one thing that this movie hasmthat those other three properties didn't is Grogu, which is this film's saving grace. Despite flashes of potential from Jonny Coyne's Lord Janu and an intriguing backstory for the swole Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White), Grogu is the only character that shines over the more than two-hour film. It's enough to entertain you, but not enough to make this movie good. At best, it's just enough to save it; at worst, it proves that Lucasfilm has no idea what to do with 'Star Wars.'

This 'Star Wars' movie is a series of baffling choices

The premise of this movie is for The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal/Brendan Wayne/Lateef Crowder) and Grogu (an adorable puppet) to hunt down the enemies of the New Republic. The trailer portrays this as meaning primarily former Imperial warlords, but as we see, it also includes a pair of Hutts known as the Twins.

Unfortunately, it's the Twins that end up being the main focus of the storyline. Not only does this saddle us with less interesting characters, but it turns the film's plot from a straight line into a circle, ultimately dropping us off right back where we started after 132 minutes.

But this is far from the only baffling choice the movie makes with its primary antagonists. If you saw "The Book of Boba Fett," you've met these Hutts before. They arrive on Tatooine to take over Jabba's empire. In this movie, they're still fixated on that quest, hoping to obtain their illustrious, infamous sibling's criminal enterprise through his son, Rotta.

In their first appearance, the Twins are imposing, just like Jabba had been in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy. A large part of this comes down to their deep vocal register and their use of the language Huttese. It creates an ominous tone, especially since not everyone in a given scene can necessarily understand what they're saying.

In "The Mandalorian and Grogu," though, the Hutts only occasionally speak Huttese. Instead, they frequently opt for Basic (the equivalent of English). In the case of Rotta, there's some story justification for this choice, but in the case of the Twins, it diminishes their presence and aids in reducing them to almost cartoonish villains by the end of the film.

The charitable take is that this decision is to make the film more accessible, which it's clear "The Mandalorian and Grogu" tries to be. This movie struggles to decide if it's a kids' movie or a movie for older audiences throughout, sometimes delivering fun moments with Grogu and his buddies, the diminutive Anzellans, other times showing Mando torching people, stabbing them and even dropping crates on them to squish them to death.

These missteps are far from the only negative mark on the film. There are no quality exchanges of dialogue to speak of; a character is literally named after the actor who plays them. Most stunning of all, Ludwig Göransson's incredible score from the Disney+ series is back, but it's polluted with synth on several occasions. I'm not exaggerating that if you simply removed the synth from where he inserted it, the score would become exponentially better.

Verdict: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' should be watched on Disney+, where it belongs

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" can't decide if it's for kids or for adults. It can't decide if it's a movie or a condensed season of a show. Its story feels lazy and inconsequential, failing to move the narrative of its characters forward while simultaneously treading water rather than advancing the general storyline of 'Star Wars' established in past seasons of "The Mandalorian" and other shows that preceded this movie.

And yet, you'll probably have a good time.

Despite all its flaws, there's no denying that Grogu is an incredible character that can't help but make you feel good. It's really a masterstroke of character creation that has to be applauded. And the action sequences in this film are largely enjoyable, even occasionally downright satisfying.

But just because you'll have a good time doesn't mean the movie is good. When I was in my screening, people were laughing on several occasions. They clapped at the end of the film. Yet, as I walked through the crowd, I overheard people say that the movie was "fine," "entertaining" and "decent." I didn't hear anyone say it was good, great or that they couldn't wait to see it again.

Simply put, "fine" isn't enough of a reason to go out for a night at an IMAX theater for something that feels made for Disney+. Instead, you should wait for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" to hit the streaming service, where it belongs.

This is the way.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu" is in theaters now

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The summer movie season is almost upon us, and 2026’s slate of blockbusters is pretty darn impressive. We'll see Marvel and DC once again doing battle, the first Star Wars movie on the big screen in seven years, the return of everybody’s favorite talking toys and Steven Spielberg dipping back into the sci-fi genre. There are plenty of movies on the horizon that look worth forking out for a movie theater ticket (and maybe even some overpriced popcorn as well).

The Tom’s Guide team has pored over the summer movies 2026 slate to give you a full guide to the biggest movies hitting the multiplex over the next few months. The summer months are typically when studios drop their biggest releases of the year, and 2026 is shaping up to be no exception. So, if you want to beat the seasonal heat by escaping to an air-conditioned theater, here are all the movies you’ll want to see this summer.

May 22

‘Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’

After three seasons of adventures over on Disney+, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable pal Baby Yoda Grogu are headlining Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first new Star Wars movie since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker” — and it sure seems like it’s going to kick off the summer movie season in style. The film takes place after the fall of the Empire, when Imperial warlords still threaten parts of the galaxy far, far away, and sees our titular bounty hunter and his apprentice being recruited by the New Republic for what’s been described as “their most thrilling mission yet.” Show me The Way ... to the cinema! — Martin Shore

• ‘I Love Boosters’
• ‘Corporate Retreat’

May 29

‘Backrooms’

Kane Parsons was 16 years old when he uploaded "The Backrooms (Found Footage)" in January 2022. The video quickly became a viral sensation on YouTube, helping fuel the internet’s obsession with liminal spaces. Now, he’s directing the upcoming “Backrooms” feature film in collaboration with A24. The story follows a therapist named Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), who is forced to venture into the unsettling, yellow-walled dimension of the Backrooms after one of her patients, Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), disappears into a strange doorway found in the basement of his furniture showroom. Even from the trailers alone, the film radiates an existential sense of unease. — Alix Blackburn

• ‘The Breadwinner’
• ‘Pressure’

June 4

‘The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act’

This Australian adult-animated web series has a big following. Maybe that’s why its final episodes are getting the theatrical release treatment. The series follows a group of humans — Pomni, Jax, Ragatha, Gangle, Kinger, and Zooble — who are trapped inside a madness-inducing, circus-themed virtual reality simulation, overseen by a ringmaster AI named Caine. Eventually, you’ll be able to watch episodes 8 and 9 (the final episode) on YouTube, but if you need to see them on the big screen, you’ll be able to starting on June 4. — Malcolm McMillan

June 5

‘Masters of the Universe’

Travis Knight’s live-action “Masters of the Universe” is poised to bring the He-Man universe back to our screens. Here, Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) has been stuck on Earth and separated from the Sword of Power for well over a decade. When he finally tracks it down, it brings him back to his home planet of Eternia, which he discovers is under the rule of the nefarious Skeletor (Jared Leto). Thus, he bands together with some of his closest allies, like Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba) and Teela (Camila Mendes), and embraces his destiny as the most powerful man in the universe, using his power to save his family and his world. — Martin Shore

‘Scary Movie’

The “Scary Movie" franchise returns this summer to spoof modern (and classic) horror and poke fun at the tropes of the genre. Though for a series that revels in lampooning genre cliches, it’s followed the current trend of removing the number from its name, “Scary Movie 6” is simply called “Scary Movie.” This sixth installment sees the original series helmers, the Wayans, return to the fold, alongside fan-favorite stars Anna Faris and Regina Hall. Movies already confirmed to be spoofed in this latest “Scary Movie” include “Get Out,” “Sinners,” “Weapons,” “The Substance,” “Smile, “Heart Eyes,” and, of course, the “Scream” series. — Rory Mellon

• ‘Power Ballad’
• ‘Carolina Caroline’

June 12

‘Disclosure Day’

We’ve already had one fantastic movie about not being alone in the universe this year, and we could be set for another one. Yes, Steven Spielberg is making a new sci-fi movie with David Koepp, the guy who also penned the script for “Jurassic Park,” and frankly, that alone convinces me that I have to see “Disclosure Day.” Add in the fact that this is a story about humanity not being alone in the universe, and the fact that Spielberg has assembled an all-star cast including Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo. Throw in all those intriguing trailers, and I can’t shake the feeling that “Disclosure Day” might be another must-see summer release. — Martin Shore

• ‘The Furious’

June 19

‘Toy Story 5’

After releasing their zany sci-fi adventure “Hoppers” earlier in the year, Pixar is bringing Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the “Toy Story” gang back to our screens for another adventure that will surely be the family movie of the summer. While they’ve already weathered plenty of challenges over the years — jealousy, a toy collector trying to steal away one of their friends, and almost being destroyed, to name but a few — here, the toys just might face their biggest trial to date. In “Toy Story 5,” it’s toys vs. tech, as they grapple with 8-year-old Bonnie’s new obsession: a fancy frog-themed tablet called Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee). — Martin Shore

• ‘The Death of Robin Hood’

June 26

‘Supergirl’

If we learned anything from “John Wick,” it’s that you should never harm someone’s dog, and judging by the “Supergirl” trailer, I’m betting characters from the DC Universe are about to learn this same lesson. After her brief appearance at the end of “Superman” last summer, Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) is stepping into the spotlight for her own adventure. Directed by Craig Gillespie, “Supergirl” will see the titular hero embarking on “an epic, interstellar journey of vengeance and justice” (as Warner Bros. puts it) after crossing paths with an unexpected enemy that strikes a little too close to home and harms her faithful pooch pal, Krypto. — Martin Shore

‘Jackass: Best and Last’

Johnny Knoxville and his gang of loveable burnouts return for one last “Jackass” movie. And it’s a good thing, too. Knoxville has been open about the fact that any more serious injuries and it could be lights out. So, it’s for the best that the “Jackass” crew quit while they’re ahead. Alongside Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Preston Lacy, Dave England, and Danger Ehren all return, with the ranks bolstered by new faces introduced in “Jackass Forever.” It’s also been noted that this fifth entry will mix newly filmed stunts with previously unseen archive footage from the prior “Jackass” projects (some includes Bam Margera). It’s set to be a real farewell celebration of this entertainingly stupid stunt-comedy franchise. — Rory Mellon

• ‘Couture’

July 1

‘Minions & Monsters’

This summer, we’re getting the third installment in the “Minions” prequel movie series, which has become a franchise almost as big as the mainline “Despicable Me” films. In this one, we’re going back even further in time than the first “Minions” movie; specifically, back to 1920s Hollywood, where the Minions have decided to try to make a monster movie. If you’re looking for a fun time at the movies, this animated feature will surely do the trick. — Malcolm McMillan

July 3

‘Young Washington’

I probably don’t need to explain who George Washington was. The first President of the U.S. is a notable figure, even to those outside of America. But his younger years, before leading the Continental Army, are perhaps less well-known. In “Young Washington,” William Franklyn-Miller stars as the young Virginian soldier fighting in the British Army during the French and Indian War, where he made a name for himself as a military leader. — Malcolm McMillan

July 10

‘Moana’

Disney’s remakes continue this summer with “Moana” being converted from animation to live-action. The musical-adventure isn’t even a decade old, but with “Moana 2” grossing more than a billion dollars, and the original an ever-present in the Disney+ charts, it’s no surprise that Disney has opted to remake the 2016 family favorite next. The movie will retell the same story as Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) embarks on an ocean voyage to restore prosperity to her people. Along the way, she meets demigod Maui, played by Dwayne Johnson, who voiced the character in the original. Soundtracked to toe-tapping tunes, including “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome,” 2026’s Moana is sure to make a splash this summer — Rory Mellon

‘Evil Dead Burn’

As a horror fan, my hype levels are through the roof for “Evil Dead Burn,” the upcoming sixth instalment in the franchise and the third standalone entry following the 2013 reboot and 2023’s “Evil Dead Rise.” This new film is directed and co-written by Sébastien Vaniček, who has stated in interviews that he intends to bring a “French twist” to the franchise, emphasizing high-tension, visceral horror. Moving away from the city setting, “Evil Dead Burn” returns to a more secluded environment. It centers around a family gathering in a remote house following the death of a mother’s son. But this mourning period quickly descends into a family reunion from hell as the Necronomicon (the Book of the Dead) is unleashed, and family members are gradually transformed into Deadites. — Alix Blackburn

July 17

‘The Odyssey’

Christopher Nolan’s movies are as hotly anticipated as Taylor Swift’s albums — and often just as divisive (and ultra successful). “The Odyssey” has already sparked internet warfare over everything from the modern dialogue (“daddy”) to the aggressively greige aesthetic, but that hasn’t stopped the hype machine from going full steam ahead. Based on Homer’s epic poem, the film follows Matt Damon’s Odysseus on his monster-filled trek home after the Trojan War, with Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron along for the ride. Whether it ends up a masterpiece or a glorified IMAX mood board, I'll be one of the millions who will eagerly take in the fate of Odysseus. — Kelly Woo

July 24

‘Her Private Hell’

It might be a stretch to call “Her Private Hell” one of the biggest movies of the summer, but in terms of my personal anticipation levels, the first feature film from “Drive” director Nicolas Winding Refn in a decade is right up near the top. Per NWR tradition, expect a horror-thriller that favors stunning style over narrative substance, but I’m confident that few movies this year will cram in as many gorgeous visuals. Sophie Thatcher plays a troubled woman searching for her father in a mist-engulfed futuristic metropolis. Along the way, she encounters an American GI (Charles Melton) trying to rescue his daughter from Hell itself. I'm so seated! — Rory Mellon

• ‘Motor City’

July 31

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe might be well beyond its heyday (unless December’s “Avengers: Doomsday” can right the ship), but Marvel fatigue has certainly not spread to Spider-Man. The webhead remains very popular, and “Brand New Day” is expected to see Tom Holland’s Peter Parker star in a more grounded Spidey story. Following the events of “No Way Home,” the world has forgotten Parker’s existence, freeing him up to be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man we know and love. But with new threats on the horizon, “Brand New Day” will see Parker web-launched into an epic adventure to save New York City. — Rory Mellon

• ‘I Want Your Sex’

August 7

‘One Night Only’

Every media outlet under the sun has already dubbed this rom-com “The Purge but for sex.” (For whoever came up with the title, “The Urge” was right there.) Basically, there is only one night a year when premarital sex is legal, and Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner are two single New Yorkers who crave more than a mere hook-up. Yes, the premise raises approximately 500 logistical questions, but director Will Gluck seems less interested in explaining the rules than in throwing two absurdly attractive people into a wild, yearning-filled odyssey across Manhattan. And in a summer overflowing with sequels, spinoffs and other IP extensions, a fun, lighthearted rom-com could be a refreshing change of pace. — Kelly Woo

‘Fall 2’

When I first heard that survival thriller “Fall” was getting a sequel, I thought it was a joke. So did much of the internet. Many film fans pondered if the protagonist of the first movie would somehow get stuck in a life-or-death situation again. Fortunately, “Fall 2” is seemingly more of a standalone follow-up, with only a loose connection to the original (one of the sequel's lead characters is related to Hunter from the first “Fall”). The precarious position this time around is a plank walk on Taipei’s Mount Kwan-in. This daredevil excursion becomes even more anxiety-inducing when two friends are stranded 2,000 feet in the air after a rockslide. — Rory Mellon

• ‘Ice Cream Man’
• ‘Super Troopers 3’

August 14

‘The End of Oak Street’

“The End of Oak Street" is a sci-fi survival thriller whose plot was kept hidden for nearly two years until its first teaser. I’m one of those people who believes this is a secret “Cloverfield” movie, given how secretive the studio has been, and there are so many signs you can’t ignore. But even if it’s not connected to that iconic universe, I’m still very excited for what “The End of Oak Street” has in store this summer. After a mysterious cosmic event, the entire street — including the houses and the people — is physically uprooted from reality and transported to a prehistoric world. A family, played by Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, must navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings with their children while being hunted by dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. — Alix Blackburn

• ‘The Brink of War’

August 21

‘Insidious: Out of the Further’

“Insidious” is one of my favorite horror franchises, so you can imagine my excitement when the new film got its first trailer. But this isn’t like the other movies because “Insidious: Out of the Further” has a more “bleeding” aesthetic, with a narrative focused on the idea of the Further physically manifesting in our world, rather than remaining a separate dark dimension. A woman (Amelia Eve), able to cross into The Further, begins bringing back entities that should remain trapped. When one particularly powerful presence escapes into the real world, she teams up with others connected to the phenomenon to track it down before it spreads further and destabilises both realms. — Alix Blackburn

• ‘Mutiny’
• ‘Spa Weekend’

August 28

‘The Dog Stars’

Based on a 2012 novel of the same name, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie is set up to be one of the biggest movies of the summer. It stars Jacob Elordi as Hig, a civilian pilot living with his dog in a world that was ravaged by a flu pandemic. One of the last remaining people on Earth, he’s living alongside Bangley (Josh Brolin), a former Marine, as the two try to survive the harsh new world that exists following the collapse of civilization. Directed by Ridley Scott, “The Dog Stars” also stars Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong and Guy Pearce. It’s a loaded call sheet with an incredible director, so hopefully that’s a recipe for success. — Malcolm McMillan

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Happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate! I briefly considered baking you an Ewok cupcake or mailing you an awesome Lego set in honor of the big day, but it just didn't seem practical. So instead, I've made you not one, but two "Star Wars"-themed quizzes, celebrating this incredible cinematic universe.

So whether you remember seeing the groundbreaking original 1977 movie in theaters, discovered its magic on VHS like me, or were introduced to the universe through the modern Disney titles, you're very welcome here. First up, hit play on this fun multiple choice quiz — no Jedi mind tricks needed, but can you score 10/10?

Level up: name all the Star Wars movies and shows

If you'd like a tougher challenge, can you name all of the "Star Wars" movies and shows? Hit the 'Play Now' button to start the clock, and type in the titles of as many movies and shows as you can remember. You'll score double points if you can remember the movie and show that share the same name!

There's no need to add the years; just type in the name of the movie, and correct answers will be added to the list automatically. They don't have to be in chronological order either – though kudos to you if they are.

If you get stuck, click the 'Hint' button and it will reveal the next answer for you, a letter at a time. And if you have enough before the 10 minutes is up, click 'Give Up' to reveal all of the correct answers.

Don't forget to register on our quizzes, games and polls platform, Kwizly, to save your score, reveal hints, and secure your spot on the competitive Tom's Guide leaderboard, and see the results of all our polls in real-time.

How did you do this time?

If you enjoyed this quiz, then please bookmark our Quiz section and visit our Polls page to have your say on all manner of topics, from garden pests to the latest Apple releases (don't worry, if you hold no strong opinions about slugs then you can filter by the topics that interest you).

Star Wars Lego

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While I may not cosplay as my favorite Jedi or make the annual trek to Star Wars Celebration, I’m still very much a fan of George Lucas’ “galaxy far, far away.”

I’ve watched the prequels, the original trilogy and the modern films, with A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One standing out as my favorites. I’ve ridden the Star Wars attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, randomly break out my Yoda impression at the worst possible moments and spent an embarrassing number of hours playing The Force Unleashed games.

So, to celebrate May the 4th, I decided to run a fun little AI test. I gave ChatGPT a simple prompt: “Ask me questions to determine which Star Wars character I am. Then explain your reasoning.”

After asking me a series of surprisingly thoughtful questions and reviewing my answers, ChatGPT landed on a character I didn’t expect — but the reasoning actually made sense.

Figuring out my place in the galaxy

ChatGPT took my prompt and came back with 10 questions that were obviously meant to dive into my personality and get to the bottom of which Star Wars character I am:

• In a group, are you usually the leader, strategist, comic relief, wildcard, or quiet observer?
• What motivates you more? Justice, freedom, recognition, curiosity, survival, or loyalty to the people you care about?
• Pick the flaw that sounds most like you: impatience, overthinking, arrogance, avoiding emotions, trusting the wrong people, or refusing to quit.
• Which environment feels most natural? A busy city, deep space/travel, somewhere peaceful and isolated, competitive chaos, or anywhere with close friends?
• When conflict happens, what’s your instinct? Confront it immediately, defuse it with humor, calculate before acting, avoid it unless necessary, or protect others first?
• What kind of reputation would you secretly want? Respected, feared, admired, unforgettable, dependable, or wise?
• Pick a Star Wars role: Jedi, smuggler, bounty hunter, pilot, rebel, Sith, or droid.
• What usually gets you into trouble? Speaking too honestly, acting too fast, getting bored, caring too much, challenging authority, or disappearing into your own head?
• Which quote feels closest to your personality? “I know,” “Do or do not. There is no try,” “This is the way,” “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” or “Good soldiers follow orders”?
• When people first meet you, what do they usually get wrong about you?

As far as my answers go, here are the ones I chose:

• In a group, I'm usually the comic relief.
• Loyalty to the people I care about motivates me more.
• I tend to overthink.
• A busy city is the type of environment that feels more natural to me.
• When conflict happens, my first instinct is to calculate before acting.
• The kind of reputation I secretly want is to be unforgettable.
• The Star Wars role I chose is Jedi.
• Caring too much gets me into trouble.
• This quote feels closest to my personality: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
• When people first meet me, the one thing they usually get wrong about me is that I'm a boring nerd who's an introvert.

Learning my true fate

After waiting with bated breath, the moment of truth finally arrived.

ChatGPT dignified me with the honor of saying I match up with the great Obi-Wan Kenobi the most. What was even more surprising about that chatbot’s conclusion about which Star Wars character I am was how it also noted that I have a little bit of Han Solo energy underneath my heroic Jedi exterior.

Here are the reasons the chatbot brought up to explain how it arrived at its answer to my burning question:

• Comic relief + overthinking is classic Obi-Wan territory. He’s witty, dry, observant, and constantly thinking three moves ahead — even while chaos is unfolding around him.
• Your motivation, being loyal to people you care about, points strongly toward characters who form deep emotional bonds, even if they don’t always show it openly.
• Choosing Jedi instead of smuggler/rebel/Sith suggests you value principles, discipline, and meaning more than pure freedom or power.
• The “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” answer is important because it reflects caution, intuition, and self-awareness rather than recklessness.
• Wanting to be unforgettable hints at someone who secretly wants impact and presence, not necessarily fame. That’s less “look at me” and more “I want my life to matter.”
• “People think I’m a boring introvert,” but you’re actually the comic relief, which suggests you probably surprise people once they get comfortable around you. That’s very Obi-Wan: calm exterior, unexpectedly funny once the mask slips.

The Han-Solo portion of my personality was explained as coming from my big city energy, my humor, my caring too much, my emotional loyalty and me not actually being as detached as I may appear.

As a whole, ChatGPT fully described me as the kind of Star Wars character who acts thoughtfully, is composed on the surface but is emotionally invested in everyone around me and comes as quietly funner that most people expect.

Final thoughts

Welp, there you have it!

ChatGPT recognized the most important aspects of my character and noted how badly I want to wield a “Lightsaber” in real life to discover how much my personality resembles one of Luke Skywalker’s legendary Jedi masters. Also being told that I have a hint of Han Solo in my DNA also made me chuckle while standing tall and proud as a member of the “Rebel Alliance.”

I had a ton of fun with this little AI-powered survey and I encourage anyone reading this to do the same to see who ChatGPT thinks you are within the vast reaches of Star Wars’ vast universe.

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Burger King just launched a galaxy-inspired meal collab in time for Star Wars Day, also known by fans as May the Fourth. And after trying the full "The Mandalorian and Grogu" menu ahead of time, I can tell you what’s worth ordering starting May 4, 2026.

I can also confirm there’s one item the internet will be talking about almost as much as the food: the Beskard. To celebrate the movie’s anticipated release later in May, Burger King has introduced a limited-edition collectible card inspired by Mandalorian Beskar steel. Cleverly dubbed the “Beskard,” it’s only available through a special one-day giveaway on May 4.

Winners receive the physical collectible card plus a digital version in the BK App that unlocks deals on the themed menu items through the end of the month.

Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake

As fun as the Beskard promotion is, Grogu’s Blue Cookie Shake stole the show for me. If you’re like me, you wouldn’t typically think of getting a dessert at Burger King, but when I tell you I can’t stop thinking about this milkshake…

Made with vanilla soft serve, blue sugar cookie syrup, and topped with blue cookies, it tastes like birthday cake collided with nostalgic blue monster ice cream. Needless to say, I’d order it again immediately. In fact, you’ll catch me at Burger King on May 4 ordering it if nothing else.

Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries

Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fries come in a carton with pop-out ears, which is cute enough on its own. But the parmesan garlic flavoring and dipping sauce make these way better than a novelty side.

If you’re already a fan of the Burger King Chicken Fries, I have no doubt you’ll like the version on this Star Wars menu. I personally would pick up some additional dips and sauces next time, but that’s just the type of chicken nugget/tender/fry eater I am.

BBQ Bounty Whopper

The BBQ Bounty Whopper comes in a helmet-shaped carton and Beskar-inspired wrapper that’s enough to impress me, but the burger itself holds up too.

I do happen to think the Whopper was already the best classic fast food burger, but the addition of barbecue sauce and crispy pickles to all the usual Whopper fixings make this feel like something I’d find at one of NYC’s many overpriced bougie burger joints.

Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots

Finally, food-wise, we have the Imperial Cheddar Ranch Tots. It was actually my first time trying Burger King’s cheesy tots, and I suppose I understand the appeal.

Crispy outside, fluffy inside, with melty cheddar and ranch seasoning throughout, if you go for that sort of thing. That said, these are the one thing I’d probably skip, mostly because they’d take away precious room in my stomach from my beloved Blue Cookie Shake.

Also, Imperial branding on tots is very funny and somehow works, coming from a certified fan of the Dark Side.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Collectibles & King Jr. Meal

When you purchase the Bounty Bundle featuring everything above, BBQ Bounty Whopper Combo or a 12-piece Grogu’s Garlic Chicken Fry Combo, you get to take home a souvenir cup featuring familiar designs from the world of The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The other collectible product from this collaboration are 8 different figurines inspired by the film’s characters, including one of my favorite characters from the entire Star Wars universe, Zeb Orrelios. You can find these in the The Mandalorian and Grogu King Jr. Meal.

Final verdict

Burger King might’ve been lucky to secure The Mandalorian and Grogu's fast food partnership, but it has done the franchise justice with a delicious menu, detailed packaging and collectibles that us fans get jazzed to score. I’d consider the assignment understood.

As for the Beskard card, it gives diners something rare to chase beyond the menu itself, so may the force be with you to get one. But even if you miss the card, don’t miss the Blue Cookie Shake, because that’s the real bounty of this limited-time collaboration.

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Stormtroopers, Jedi mind tricks, cute Ewoks and the ultimate plot twist were just some of the things that had me enraptured when I first watched the original "Star Wars" trilogy on VHS. The universe has of course expanded considerably in more recent years, and Star Wars fans were treated this week to the release of brand new animated series "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" on Disney+, bringing the current total to 27 movies and shows.

To celebrate the new show's arrival, and in anticipation of the next movie "The Mandalorian and Grogu" coming to theaters next month, I'm challenging you to recall all of the other movies and shows. There's no need to add the years; just type in the name of the movie or show, and correct answers will be added to the list automatically. They don't have to be in chronological order either – though Brownie points to you if they are!

Don't forget to register on our quizzes, games and polls platform, Kwizly, to save your score, reveal hints, and secure your spot on the competitive Tom's Guide leaderboard, and see the results of all our polls in real-time.

How did you do this time? Did you remember the movie and show with the same name, and score double points?

And if you enjoyed this quiz, then please bookmark our Quiz of the Day section, where a new quiz or puzzle appears every weekday. And visit our Polls page to have your say on all manner of topics, from garden pests to the RAM crisis (don't worry, if you hold no strong opinions about slugs then you can filter by the topics that interest you).

In the meantime, I'll leave you with the trailer for the new show, starring one of the Dark side's most intriguing characters — and streaming now.

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"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" is now streaming on Disney+, and the new show's off to an impressive start. I'm a newcomer to the world of "Star Wars" animation, but in my "Maul - Shadow Lord" two-episode premiere review, I gave the show a 3.5/5 rating. With its impressive visuals and atmosphere, and Witwer's performance of the titular character, it's safe to say I'll be tuning in for the rest of the season.

You don't just need to take my word for it, either, as "Maul - Shadow Lord" has been well-received. The show's earned a perfect 100% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes(and has an audience score not much lower, too).

With all that said, I'm sure fellow newcomers and long-time Star Wars animation fans have the new show on their watchlist, and if you're looking to learn when the series will continue, you're in the right place. Below, you can find out when you can stream new episodes of "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" on Disney+.

'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' next episodes: release date and time

"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" had it's two-episode premiere on Monday, April 6, and the Disney+ series will be following a similar release pattern for the rest of its run, dropping two new episodes each Monday through May 4.

"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episodes 3 and 4 will premiere on Monday, April 13 at 12 a.m. PT/ 3 a.m. ET, exclusively on Disney+.

'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' full episode release schedule

If you're planning your streaming for the next few weeks, here's the full "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" season 1 episode release schedule:

• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 1: — April 6
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 2: "The Dark Revenge" — April 6
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 3: "Sinister Schemes" — April 13
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 4: "Whispers in the Unknown" — April 13
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 5: "Pride and Vengeance" — April 20
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 6: "Night of the Hunted" — April 20
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 7: "Call to the Oblivion" — April 27
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 8: "The Creeping Fear" — April 27
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 9: "Strange Allies" — May 4
• "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" episode 10: "Finale" — May 4

How to stream 'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' on Disney+

If you're hoping to stream "Maul - Shadow Lord," you'll have to have access to Disney+.

Is 'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' season 2 happening?

If you're hoping to see more of Maul, you're in luck: "Maul - Shadow Lord" won't be a one-and-done show. Before the first season even premiered, Lucasfilm confirmed on StarWars.com that he'd be continuing his journey in "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" season 2.

If you're hoping for any other info about what that second season will look like, as Lucasfilm hasn't shared any story details. "Ahead of the series premiere, creator and executive producer Dave Filoni has announced the continuation of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord with confirmation of Season 2 in the works from Lucasfilm Animation. Season 1 debuts on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere on Monday," was all the announcement said.

With that in mind, we'll just have to see where "Maul - Shadow Lord" takes the former Sith Lord by tuning into the rest of season 1.

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Before "Star Wars" heads back to the big screen for the first time in seven years with "The Mandalorian & Grogu" next month, Disney+ has taken us back to a galaxy far, far away for a new chapter in one of the dark side's most iconic faces: "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord."

Full disclosure: The animated "Star Wars" shows have always been something I meant to get around to streaming, but I've just never found the time amongst keeping up with everything else I need to stream each week, so my "Star Wars" experience to date has been limited to live-action and an occasional comic or book.

That said, since the trailer looked cool, and voice actor Sam Witwer promised over on X that you didn't need to do any "Star Wars" homework to enjoy this new release, and seeing as I always thought Maul was an intriguing figure, I decided this would be the time I'd finally take the plunge.

Having had the opportunity to stream the first two episodes ahead of the show's two-part premiere on Disney+, I'm pleased that I finally did — you can read my "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" review below to find out why.

What is 'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' about?

"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" is set after the events of "The Clone Wars" and sees the former Sith Lord (voiced by Sam Witwer) touching down on a planet untouched by the Empire, bent on rebuilding his criminal syndicate (and searching for a new apprentice). There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan, who could well be the perfect person to help aid him in his relentless pursuit of revenge...

In addition to Sam Witwer, the "Maul - Shadow Lord" voice cast also features Richard Ayoade, Gideon Adlon, Wagner Moura, Vanessa Marshall, and Dennis Haysbert, among others.

'Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord' has me hooked already — here's why

When I finished watching the second episode, the first thought I had was simply that I must have been missing out by not checking out the animated "Star Wars" stories, as this two-episode premiere was engrossing stuff.

These first two chapters seemingly have two primary functions: set the story in motion, and dole out some eye-catching action — and the show does both well. The breezy half-hour episodes pack in a decent amount of story and action, and despite not being up to speed on "The Clone Wars," I think I've been fed enough about Maul's machinations to know for sure that I want to see what's coming next.

It helps that the show looks as nice in motion as it does, too; even if things had gotten off to a slower start, I'd still be recommending the show on the strength of its atmosphere and visuals. The team has succeeded in placing us within a seedier-feeling corner of the galaxy, one that's dramatically lit, dominated often by striking, Sith-red imagery, and boasts a brooding, droning score to match. It looks great in motion, too, especially in the bursts of blaster fire and lightsaber swinging.

Beyond the show's presentation, though, the single biggest thing I want to point out is how I've become an instant fan of Witwer's performance. Given my experience of Maul is basically limited to thinking the character was damn cool when I saw that "The Phantom Menace" brawl as a kid or being surprised to see him during that "Solo" cameo, I wasn't sure how much I'd be interested in him as a lead character — but I couldn't have been more wrong.

Witwer's Maul makes a very strong impression from the jump, matching the character's grandiose presentation with a performance that feels confident, grandiose, and menacing. That "Solo" appearance aside, this is the first time I've spent any time with his performance, and I couldn't not praise it.

All in all, then, I'd definitely recommend checking the first two episodes of "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" out now that the show's available to stream on Disney+. Even lacking the context of "The Clone Wars" storyline, I found it involving purely on the strength of Maul's personality alone.

"Maul - Shadow Lord" seems to be off to a strong start; whether you're at all curious about the former Sith Lord, or you're just in the mood for some more action from the galaxy far, far away, I think you might enjoy Disney+'s new "Star Wars" story.

"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes premiere weekly on Mondays through May 4.

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With "The Mandalorian and Grogu" movie heading to theaters on May 22, 2026, a whole new wave of Star Wars merch is about to land, and the first reveals are already here. Jada Toys is helping kick things off, and I can exclusively share that the collectibles company has created two remote-controlled walkers that feel just as ready for display as they are for traversing your floor.

This two-part R/C release features the Star Wars AT-AT Walker and Star Wars Imperial Remnant AT-RT Walker. The four-legged AT-AT is one of the most recognizable images from "The Empire Strikes Back" (the best installment of the Star Wars original trilogy, I’ll die on that hill) while the two-legged AT-RT famously supported the Republic’s efforts in "The Clone Wars" before transitioning to the Empire’s artillery.

Although I haven’t yet had the chance to see these walkers up-close for myself, the renders suggest both are highly detailed and likely to reflect the versions we’ll see in the Disney+ series-turned-film. The AT-RT even comes with a 6-inch figurine of The Mandalorian and companion Grogu to scale taking a ride.

Since these are R/C toys, they have lights and sound effects to encourage interactive play. Considering the AT-AT and AT-RT are $69.99 and $49.99 respectively, it’s not out of the question to collect a couple and act out epic scenes from the films. I mean, I totally want to recreate the battle on Hoth — the one where Luke uses his harpoons to trip up the lethal AT-AT (which then inspired a certain Spider-Man stunt in "Captain America: Civil War," but I digress.)

I also like how, with each of these Jada Toys’ walkers, a compartment to store the remote has been built into the body. Not only can this conceal the remote for display purposes, but it seems like it should mitigate issues with remotes gone missing. This is coming from someone who lost the remote to the BB unit she built at the Galaxy’s Edge Droid Depot in Disney World three years ago and has yet to recover its coordinates.

As far as upcoming licensed "The Mandalorian and Grogu" products go, I hope more launches manage to strike the same balance of respecting the established Star Wars brand and embracing its expansion into fresh stories as these walkers do.

You’ll be able to pick them up starting March 22, with the AT-RT launching as a Walmart Exclusive.

At the end of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer visualizes how his creation of the atomic bomb could one day destroy the world. Oppenheimer stares into the abyss, paralyzed by the fear of his decision and torn by the guilt of his actions.

I can’t prove it, but I imagine that in the last few years, George Lucas has stood at the edge of a pond, contemplating his decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney. “I’ve spent my life creating Star Wars — 40 years — and giving it up was very, very painful,” Lucas said in the book “The Star Wars Archives: Episodes I-III 1999-2005.” Unlike Oppenheimer, Lucas made some money — a casual $4.05 billion — off of his pivotal decision, which probably makes it a little easier to sleep at night.

This month marks 10 years since “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,” the first film under Disney’s leadership. From the 10,000-foot view, “The Force Awakens” was a home run for Disney. Coming off the dark and gritty third prequel "The Revenge of the Sith," the first movie of the sequel trilogy was a much-needed change of pace — a lively, adventure-filled ride with the perfect balance of fresh blood and nostalgia. It also shattered box office records on its way to a worldwide gross of $2.068 billion.

The irony is that 10 years later, “Star Wars” feels more lost than Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To. Disney CEO Bob Iger once said he wanted to make a “Star Wars” movie every year, a decision he later regretted. No “Star Wars” movie has been released in theaters since 2019, and the next one, 2026’s “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” is a continuation of a Disney Plus show. “The Force Awakens” is arguably the best and worst thing to happen to the Star Wars franchise in the last 10 years.

‘The Force Awakens’ plays the hits

My negative feelings about the prequels — “Phantom Menace” is bad, "Attack of the Clones" is terrible, and "Revenge of the Sith" is legitimately good — might have influenced my high praise for "The Force Awakens." The bar for an enjoyable Star Wars movie was low after the prequels. Enough time has passed that I know my initial reaction to “The Force Awakens” — Star Wars is fun again! — was correct.

Lucasfilm recruited J.J. Abrams to direct “The Force Awakens” and pen the script with “Star Wars” legend Lawrence Kasdan and Oscar winner Michael Arndt. Abrams essentially made his version of Star Wars with 2009’s “Star Trek,” so his transition to a galaxy far, far away was seamless.

Set 30 years after “Return of the Jedi,” “The Force Awakens” introduces the battle between the First Order and the Resistance, which are stand-ins for the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has self-exiled himself and gone into hiding. Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), a leader in the Resistance, knows her brother holds the key to defeating the First Order.

This time around, a trio of new heroes — Rey (Daisy Ridley), a Force-sensitive scavenger; Finn (John Boyega), a former Stormtrooper who defected from the First Order; and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), a talented Resistance pilot — team up with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca to find Luke before Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a First Order warlord, can get to him.

If the above synopsis sounds like the plot to “A New Hope,” then your instincts are correct. The similarities between the two movies are striking: An unlikely protagonist from a desert planet becomes a hero. A droid carries critical information in a war against oppression. A conflicted warrior from the Dark Side is hiding a major secret. Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon.

Frankly, I’m not bothered by the resemblance to "A New Hope." After the darker prequels, “The Force Awakens” is an upbeat breath of fresh air. The new characters are likable and memorable — the audience wants to root for the heroes, not ridicule their appearance and voice (cc: Jar Jar Binks). The action sequences — including Finn and Rey’s escape from Jakku and their lightsaber duel with Kylo — are engaging thrill rides. How can you not get emotional watching the highly anticipated meeting between Han Solo and Kylo?

“The Force Awakens” set the franchise up for success. It laid the blueprint for a trilogy that could rival the original. The following year, “Rogue One” proved that the franchise was ripe with spinoff stories that could take “Star Wars” in new directions. To quote Andy Bernard, “I wish there was a way to know you're in 'the good old days' before you've actually left them.”

There was a plan? What plan?

2017 represented the fork-in-the-road moment. I'm talking about the most divisive topic in “Star Wars” fandom: “The Last Jedi.” After “The Force Awakens,” Abrams passed the trilogy to Rian Johnson, a creative filmmaker then best known for directing “Looper” and episodes of “Breaking Bad.” Financially, Johnson delivered another billion-dollar hit for Lucasfilm. Many critics shared positive reviews, but the fan response told a much different story.

I’ll keep my “Last Jedi” thoughts brief. On one side of the scale, some believe “The Last Jedi” is a masterpiece. Others feel it’s the worst “Star Wars” movie ever made. I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, and it’s not my favorite, but the positives outweigh the negatives.

My biggest problem with “The Last Jedi” is with Lucasfilm, not the actual movie. Johnson has previously talked about the creative freedom given to him on "The Last Jedi." Abrams reportedly wrote drafts for the entire trilogy, only for Johnson to take the movie in another direction. Clearly, there was a disconnect between Johnson and the duo of Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Lucasfilm clearly believed in Johnson as a Star Wars filmmaker; they hired him to write a new trilogy (which will never see the light of day).

However, “Star Wars” brass didn’t like Johnson’s decision-making for this trilogy. Abrams replaced Trevorrow on the third movie to retcon several key elements from “The Last Jedi” in “The Rise of Skywalker.” From Rey’s parents and treatment of lightsabers to sidelining Rose Tico and Snoke’s origins, “The Rise of Skywalker” is a fan-service exercise more than a satisfying conclusion. I mean, Palpatine returned! If that doesn’t scream “We’re sorry for the last movie,” then I don’t know what does.

Squeezed in the middle of the second and third movies was “Solo,” a Han Solo origin story starring Alden Ehrenreich as the fast-talking smuggler. Lucasfilm must have been pretty upset with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller to fire them months into shooting. Ron Howard replaced Lord and Miller and reshot roughly 85% of the movie. While “Solo” has some fun chase sequences, it bombed at the box office. That movie was never going to succeed with that much turnover.

Like most problems at Lucasfilm, it comes back to leadership. Someone needs to define the creative vision and establish parameters for each movie. It's been downhill since "Solo." Kennedy is reportedly on the way out. Is Dave Filoni, who understands Star Wars like the back of his hand, the right architect for the franchise's future? I’m not sure. Filoni should concentrate on his movies and TV shows. Someone else should oversee the entire film division.

The person to fix Star Wars should have been Kevin Feige. The Marvel mastermind was scheduled to produce a “Star Wars” movie, but those plans have been abandoned. After the success of “Avengers: Endgame,” Lucasfilm should have given Feige control of the Death Star … I mean, the entire company. At least with Feige, he has experience mapping out interconnected stories that build to epic conclusions.

Throwing darts at the wall looks like the strategy going forward

While this conversation focuses on movies, I must mention that “Star Wars” television, aka the live-action Disney Plus shows, has been the more reliable medium since 2019. “The Mandalorian” is currently the most important property in the “Star Wars” universe, so much so that Disney put season 4 on hold to make a movie, “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” that arrives on May 22, 2026.

Aside from “The Mandalorian,” the Star Wars show that has garnered the most critical acclaim is “Andor,” which wrapped up its two-season run in May 2025. Aside from those two properties, the other Disney Plus shows have failed to make significant cultural impacts. There are some nice moments, especially “Skeleton Crew," but nothing of substantial impact. After “Ahsoka” season 2, it’s unknown what the next Star Wars Disney Plus show will be.

Meanwhile, the Star Wars movies are relying on this strategy: Throw darts at the wall and see what sticks. After “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” the next movie is “Star Wars: Starfighter,” a new adventure from director Shawn Levy starring Ryan Gosling. Set five years after the events of “The Rise of Skywalker,” “Starfighter” is an original story that hits theaters in May 2027.

After “Starfighter,” there are numerous movies in development: a Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed film involving Daisy Ridley’s Rey, a James Mangold-led project set during the Dawn of the Jedi, a Dave Filoni-directed adventure that involves the Disney Plus shows, a Lando solo outing with Donald Glover, a Taika Waititi story, and a trilogy from Simon Kinberg.

If Han Solo pointed a blaster at your head, which movie gets made after “Starfighter?” My pick would be the Rey Skywalker movie, but I’m not confident. That’s the issue. Making a handful of projects with different filmmakers is a gamble, not a plan. If "The Mandalorian & Grogu" and "Starfighter" disappoint, then what happens? Lucasfilm is not ready for that conversation.

Rebellions were built on hope. Can the same principle apply to a franchise’s cinematic future?

Stream "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" on Disney+

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Hollywood worships the music biopic. Whether they're made for Oscar glory (“Ray”), financial profits (“Elvis”), or both (“Walk the Line”), biopics will continue to be greenlit as long as the music industry keeps producing stars.

This fall, Jeremy Allen White trades in his knives for a guitar to play “The Boss” in “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.” It focuses on the recording of 1982’s “Nebraska,” Springsteen’s haunting album that many consider his masterpiece. Instead of focusing on Springsteen’s rise with “Born to Run” or his superstardom in “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Deliver Me from Nowhere” elects to explore a darker, more personal time in the singer’s life.

“Deliver Me from Nowhere” depicts an unfamiliar time in the Boss’s life. If you’re looking for even more originality in a biopic, “Love & Mercy” is an unconventional biopic about Brian Wilson, one of the founding members of the Beach Boys. “Love & Mercy” embodies the spirit of its unique protagonist and presents a bold and out-of-the-ordinary drama about a musical genius.

The coolest Star Wars collectible of the year is probably not what you’d expect. It’s neither a fancy replica lightsaber nor that record-breaking LEGO UCS Death Star. It’s a train set. Specifically, Lionel’s Star Wars RS-3 LionChief freight sets, available in both Empire and Rebel versions retailing for $575 (though they’re currently marked down to $499.) And yes, it makes the ultimate gift for any Star Wars fan this season.

Lionel’s LionChief line is designed for modern collectors who want plug-and-play simplicity without sacrificing old-school charm. In the case of the Star Wars RS-3 sets, it’s also perfect for those who have zero model train experience but will splurge for pretty much anything from their favorite fandom … myself included.

The sets revolved around an O-gauge RS-3 diesel locomotive, which is big, weighty and full of detail. The locomotive has working lights, an illuminated cab and a throaty diesel hum, laying the backdrop for the rest of the Star Wars-inspired sound effects. The actual sounds and livery depend on whether you choose to comply with the Empire or join the Rebellion, each treatment nodding to its side of the saga.

In addition to the locomotive, you get a lineup of themed freight cars (including a tank car) and enough FasTrack pieces to build a full O36 oval. You also get a wall-pack power supply and Lionel’s LionChief handheld remote, AAA batteries not included.

Once I got my Empire RS-3 set unpacked, the setup took just a few minutes. FasTrack pieces snapped together with a satisfying click, and once the oval was locked in, I dropped the locomotive onto the rails, connected power and switched on the remote.

The engine instantly woke up with lights on, sounds rumbling the whole thing ready to roll. Again, as someone who hasn’t really tinkered with model trains before, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get started.

I stepped it up by pairing my set to the LionChief app over Bluetooth 5.0 to enable the voice commands, but there’s something satisfying about using the physical remote to adjust the speed, trigger the sound effects and basically play Emperor over my Dark Side transport.

The showstopper for me is the Mustafar-inspired magma tank car. It’s a liquid-filled tank car featuring molten-lava styling and the unmistakable “Take the High Ground” tagline, a cheeky nod to "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith." Watching that car glide around the track, glowing and sloshing, makes the entire set feel like it’s carrying volatile cargo straight from the edge of a volcanic Star Wars battle.

Calling this the best Star Wars collector’s gift of 2025 doesn’t feel like a stretch. It’s substantial, nostalgic, tech-enabled, tastefully over-the-top and somehow does both brands justice. Whether you’re team Empire or team Rebel, the joy is the same: it’s Star Wars with weight, light, sound, and motion brought to life on a track you can set up in virtually no time at all.

But perhaps the best part? You can grow your train tracks and vehicles, with additional Star Wars SKUs available at Lionel now.

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One of the big things that sets the Meta Quest 3 (and Quest 3S) apart from its competition among the best VR headsets I’d recommend is its library of games. Put simply, nothing comes close to it in a standalone headset — giving you an ocean of content to sink your teeth into.

And now, the $20 Star Wars: Beyond Victory brings a (frankly) incredible experience to the Quest that is worth every penny for fan of the series. Whether I was playing solo, or watching my nephew go podracing, this is a true homage to the love I’ve had for this universe for so long.

"Eat my exhausts!"

So let’s start with what’s most important in a podracing game — the racing itself. And from the very second you open Beyond Victory for the first time, you’re plunged straight into a race on a virtual table in front of you.

I’m used to fully immersive VR gaming experiences, so to see it all play out on a moving surface in front of me from an isometric perspective was a refreshing change of pace (literally).

What may have been ferociously difficult in first person is freakishly addictive from a top down view. Looking up to see the leaderboard is a nice touch, and this does definitely take some notes from the likes of Mario Kart with power ups on-track and simplistic controls that offer a surprising amount of depth too.

Before even realizing there was a story mode, I’d already sunk a good couple of hours into the Arcade mode — this would’ve been more than enough for me! But we also have an Adventure Mode, and this is where it really gets good.

"Ooh! You wanna buy pit droids eh?"

To give you some storyline context, you’re in the age of the empire — playing the part of a struggling podracer being mentored by Sebulba. This is where you really get into all the mixed reality elements gameplay-wise.

The story is told from two key perspectives. Firstly, you’re back at the AR surface that you can rotate and resize to your liking using handles. That isometric view again gives you a great sense of your bearings in the level, while also revealing certain locations and secrets you may not have seen in first person.

But most impressively to me (and to my nephew) is when the cutscenes kick in. The tracking on that AR table is strong enough that you can actively walk around it and look at the characters talking from all angles — just like during gameplay.

Does it serve much purpose compared to sitting down and playing? Not so much, but it’s still really cool that you can stand up and see things from a different perspective.

Then there’s the mini-game-esque moments of fixing your podracer or small missions in full VR, which are much more what you’re used to in the Quest 3. Immersive environments with interactable elements to move the story along. This merging of the two makes for a ton of variety in the gameplay styles and experiences you’ll have during the two-hour campaign.

A mixed reality dream for Star Wars nerds

And for those who have been gripped by Star Wars since childhood (and are still addicted in their thirties), the Playset Mode is an incredible chance to create an interactive museum.

Of course, there’s plenty for the younglings too — the small padawan loved setting up a circuit and racing a podracer around the room. But for me, it was all about creating my very own Star Wars diorama with digital action figures placed in the physical space.

It’s cozy gaming meets that love for being a collector, which brings super accurate 6 DoF tracking to create your own virtual memorialization of your favorite moments from the galaxy far, far away.

Oh, and fun note, that Playset mode was actually inspired by a tool Industrial Light & Magic actually used in a number of feature films to place objects!

No need for midichlorians

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“Star Wars” fans, the wait for a trailer is finally over. Disney has dropped the first teaser for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” giving us our first big-screen glimpse of the beloved duo in action. Even better, the movie now has a confirmed release date: May 22, 2026. Personally, I think they missed a perfect opportunity not to release it on May the 4th (aka Star Wars Day).

The beloved Disney Plus series continues on the big screen, following the duo as they embark on their most daring mission yet, enlisted by the New Republic to safeguard the legacy of the Rebellion.

Directed by Jon Favreau, who co-wrote the movie with Dave Filoni, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” looks like an epic continuation that feels like a worthy replacement for season 4 (and it seems like the duo will be sticking around on the big screen for the foreseeable future).

The first trailer clearly keeps any major plot details under wraps, but it’s packed with glimpses that fans will love. The Razor Crest is back with a new upgrade, and familiar faces like Zeb Orrelios in live-action form, while Grogu has some fun hanging out with an adorable group of Anzellans.

We also get a look at Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu embarking on a brand-new mission, complete with a moment of Grogu using a tiny telescope. The trailer teases Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, Jabba’s son, alongside Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, a “seasoned veteran pilot from the Rebellion” now serving the New Republic, who enlists the duo to help stabilize the galaxy.

Action-packed moments show our heroes also taking down AT-ATs and competing in underground gladiatorial fights, hinting at explosive adventures across the galaxy.

The teaser synopsis reads: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.”

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D23 2025 has been and gone, and the fan event brought us a ton of updates, news and announcements from Walt Disney Studios properties, including upcoming releases from Marvel, the next Star Wars movie and plenty of Pixar news.

The event took place over the weekend (Aug. 30-31), and saw guests taking in a full slate of over 25 curated presentations from across the company. While that meant we saw big reveals for Disney Parks and plenty of panels looking back at the House of Mouse's history, we're going to focus on the movie, TV show and Disney Plus news that came out of D23 2025 here (though, yes, Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen does look very cool).

Below, you can find a quick breakdown of all the major entertainment announcements from D23 2025, including newly announced releases, a brief "Avengers: Doomsday" update and more.

The Russos hyped up 'Avengers: Doomsday'

Marvel fans lucky to be at D23 2025 got to see a teaser for "Avengers: Doomsday."

Attendees were treated to a video message featuring the Russo brothers, who are currently working on the new MCU team-up movie in London, with a video message that was interrupted by an excited Paul Rudd.

The Russos, crucially, teased that "Avengers: Doomsday" is "bigger than anything we have ever done," while Rudd added: "we're surrounded by jaw-dropping sets and some truly incredible talent" (quotes as reported by The Direct).

D23 attendees got the first look at 'The Mandalorian & Grogu'

D23 attendees were lucky enough to sample what's in store for Din Djarin and his young charge, Grogu (that's Baby Yoda, to you and me).

Filming for "The Mandalorian & Grogu" only got underway "a few weeks ago," but director Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni appeared on stage to tease the new film, which is releasing in 2026.

The footage hasn't yet been released, at the time of writing, though Deadline reports that the clip featured the titular duo, plus shots of a snowy planet that could be Hoth (seeing as they saw "huge AT-ATs") and Babu Frick made an appearance, flying a ship with Grogu to boot.

Pixar drops a big 'Toy Story 5' update

Pixar put in a major appearance at Destination D23 2025. Attendees were shown the first three minutes from "Toy Story 5," and this opening scene saw a ton of hi-tech Buzz Lightyear toys waking up on a deserted island somewhere after getting lost at sea and trying to find a way to escape.

Further "Toy Story 5" news: Conan O'Brien confirmed as the voice of a new "potty training toy," Smarty Pants. "Toy Story 5" hits theaters on June 19, 2026.

Disney Animation announces all-new original movie, 'Hexed'

"Hexed" is Disney Animation Studios' next all-original movie, and it's due to premiere in November 2026.

Directed by Josie Trinidad and Jason Hand, "Hexed" revolves around an awkward teenager and his Type-A mother, and the pair just might have access to magical powers that could turn a secret world of magic on its head.

More D23 2025 movie and show announcements

• Pixar showed new clips from its upcoming sci-fi animated movie, "Hoppers," releasing in theaters on March 6, 2026.
• Pixar also discussed its upcoming slate, including new original "Gatto" (2027), about a Venetian cat, and "Incredibles 3" and "Coco 2," which are later down the line.
• "Ice Age: Boiling Point" announced as the franchise's next installment, taking the herd to "never-before-seen corners" of the treacherous Lost World. Releasing in theaters on Feb. 5, 2027.
• A new clip from "Tron: Ares" was shown at D23 2025, featuring a Light Cycle chase through our streets.
• More details about "Zootopia 2". The opening scene was shown to attendees, plus we learned about two new cast members. Patrick Warburton had joined as the voice of Zootopia's equine leader, Mayor Winddancer, while Yvette Nicole Brown was confirmed as voicing EMT Otter and Baroness Bear.
• Animated movie "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" debuts on Disney Plus on Dec. 5, 2025.
• Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks unveils trailer for new documentary "Disneyland Handcrafted," coming to Disney Plus and Disney YouTube this winter.

A comprehensive breakdown of everything shown at Destination D23 2025 (including panels, Disney Parks and archive news) can be found on The Walt Disney Company website.

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The good news keeps coming for "Star Wars" fans — after the exciting announcement that superstar Ryan Gosling would be leading the beloved franchise's upcoming standalone film, "Star Wars: Starfighter," the cast has just gotten an equally exciting, and fiery, addition: "House of the Dragon" star Matt Smith.

The British actor already knows his way around a major genre franchise, from his role as the 11th Doctor in the BBC sci-fi classic "Doctor Who" and Daemon Targaryen in HBO's fantasy drama "House of the Dragon." Now, he'll be joining the "Star Wars" universe, according to a Deadline exclusive, though details on the villain that Smith will reportedly play are scant.

It's a bit of a full-circle moment for Matt Smith, who was originally cast in 2019's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," though the part didn't make it onscreen. "Starfighter" will take place approximately five years after the events of that film.

“We were close to being in it, but it never quite happened. I think the thing they were thinking of before. Eventually, the part became obsolete, and they didn’t need it. So, I never got to be in ‘Star Wars,'” he told the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast in 2021.

Though he played coy on exactly who he was meant to play in "The Rise of Skywalker,” Smith added, “It was a really groovy part and concept. It was a big thing, a big story detail. A transformative ‘Star Wars’ story detail. But it never quite got over the line. It was a big shift in the history of the franchise.”

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Blue milk might be Star Wars canon, but for fans like me here on Earth, Coca-Cola is a little more iconic. Now, Star Wars and Coca-Cola are coming together in a new collaboration featuring 30 collectible character cans and an AR experience that turns you into a hologram — and I got an early look at it all.

In what’s being called the “Refresh Your Galaxy” campaign (the corresponding, easter egg-laden video can be watched on YouTube), Coca-Cola is releasing a limited-edition collection of cans and bottles featuring bespoke character designs from all corners of the Star Wars universe.

There are classics like Darth Vader and C-3PO, all the way through icons from Disney+ series like Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano.

Then there are some particularly charming nods across the lineup of Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero products.

My favorite is a toss up between Princess Leia (I still get emotional over the late Carrie Fisher) and K-2SO, the hilariously blunt former Imperial security droid we met in Rogue One but more recently got to see more of in Andor Season 2.

Here’s what (or should I say, who) to expect to see in full collection:

• Original Taste: Lando Calrissian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, Kylo Ren, Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul, K-2SO, Boba Fett, Poe Dameron, The Mandalorian, Cassian Andor, General Grievous and Emperor Palpatine
• Zero Sugar: Darth Vader, Yoda, Princess Leia, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Han Solo, BB-8, C-3PO, R2-D2, Finn, Rey, Grogu, and an Imperial Stormtrooper

It’s worth noting that some characters will only be available on Coca-Cola products sold at Disneyland and Disney World parks: The Mandalorian and Grogu; First Order Stormtrooper; and Chewbacca.

In other words, avid collectors may want to plan a trip to Galaxy’s Edge for sometime after July 7, which is when the collaboration will officially roll out. (And yes, a 7/7 launch date is almost definitely a nod to A New Hope’s 1977 release.)

Plus, Refresh Your Galaxy includes the new Holocreator augmented reality experience accessed by scanning a can or downloading the special campaign app. It lets you record yourself as a Star Wars-style hologram, complete with glowing blue projection lines and subtle signal interference as though you’re being projected by R2-D2.

As part of the experience you can choose a character type like Jedi, Sith or even Twi’lek, then record a short message and watch it beam into surroundings through a smartphone camera. I always knew I’d make an excellent Stormtrooper, but that didn’t make seeing my face under the helmet any less awesome.

Together, the collectible cans and AR hologram feature hit that sweet spot between nostalgia and innovation that, to me, keep fans of all ages in mind.

Whether you’re into the thrill of tracking down every character design for a collection or just want to drop a hologram version of yourself into your group chat reporting from the Black Spire Outpost, this campaign is one of the most thoughtful Star War collaborations of recent years.

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'80s action classic ‘Die Hard’ has been mimicked and imitated for almost four decades, but few movies have so shamelessly aped John McClane’s explosive escapade in Nakatomi Plaza as “Cleaner.”

In a nutshell, this 2025 action-thriller is basically ‘Die Hard’ in London, and it swaps out Bruce Willis for Daisy Ridley, most known for her role as Rey in the “Star Wars” saga.

The movie was released in theatres back in February and barely registered at the box office. With a $25m budget, it grossed a mere $1.3m, and while it did receive a more limited release, that's still a pretty poor global box office haul.

Fortunately, for those involved in the movie, "Cleaner" is washing away the bad taste of its weak box office total as it's finding a lot more success on streaming.

The action-thriller just landed on HBO Max and has quickly rocketed straight to the No. 1 spot on the streaming service's top 10 most-watched list. That's no mean feat, and suggests it's "Die Hard" energy does have some appeal.

If you’re looking for a jolt of excitement to kick off your week, and you don’t mind the sense of déjà vu that comes with a movie that copies a true classic, then “Cleaner” might just be worth adding to your watchlist. Need more details? Here’s everything you need to know about this No. 1 HBO Max movie.

What is ‘Cleaner’ about?

Set in the U.K. capital city of London, “Cleaner” sees a group of environmental activists attempt to expose an energy conglomerate's shady practices by crashing the company's swanky gala held in a towering high-rise building.

The initially peaceful plan is hijacked by an extremist in their group who wants to send a bloody message to the entire world.

At the same time this is going down, Joey Locke (Ridley) is starting her shift as a window cleaner. However, Joey isn't just skilled at washing windows; she's also a former soldier with a lethal set of combat skills.

When the activists begin taking hostages, including Joey’s younger brother, Michael (Matthew Tuck), she is forced to step in to save those trapped inside the skyscraper.

Also starring Clive Owen as the radical leader of the ecoactivist group, “Cleaner” is the latest effort from genre veteran Martin Campbell, most known for directing acclaimed Bond movies “GoldenEye” and “Casino Royale.” He also helmed 2005’s “The Legend of Zorro,” but let’s not talk about that one...

‘Cleaner’ is a shameless ‘Die Hard’ rip-off, but that’s okay

“Cleaner” wins very few points for originality, and it certainly lacks the dynamism of its hero and villain that made “Die Hard” such a juggernaut success. Daisy Ridley and Clive Owen are a solid pairing, but you just can’t top Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman. However, that doesn’t automatically mean you should dismiss this HBO Max action-thriller.

It falls into the easy watching category. It gives you exactly what you’d expect given the setup, even if it’s totally adverse to taking any risks. Right down to the subplot about Joey’s brother, each component feels predictable, but they all fit together to create an action-thriller that is always competent.

I appreciate that’s not glowing praise, but “Cleaner” isn’t really a flick that elicits strong emotions either way. It’s a perfectly serviceable movie at its core.

That was the general consensus from critics as well. At present, “Cleaner” holds a very average 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 80 reviews in total. That sees the movie fall into the “rotten” side of the site’s scale, but it’s not a terrible score, just a very middling one.

“Daisy Ridley's credible action chops and Martin Campbell's smooth direction keep Cleaner from being a mess, but this thriller borrows one too many elements from better predecessors to have a polished identity of its own,” reads Rotten Tomatoes’ ‘Critics Consensus.’

Tomris Laffly of Variety calls it a “modest popcorn caper.” While Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times notes it’s “‘Die Hard’ just with different people.” Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck was a little more positive when assessing “Cleaner.”

“Campbell clearly knows his way around this sort of material, resulting in some tense, well-staged action sequences that make Cleaner reasonably diverting for its concise running time. But the film never achieves the heights of the classic actioners,” said Scheck.

On the flip side, a more negative write-up came from John Nugent over at Empire Magazine: Cleaner has good people behind it but this British attempt at a Die Hard ends up just being a bit of a mess. Yippee-ki-nay.” I very much appreciate the pun!

Viewers warmed to “Cleaner” a little more than critics, rating it 66% on RT’s Popcornmeter, but the two scores fall broadly into the same ballpark.

In short, this action-thriller movie is well-constructed enough to keep you entertained, and Daisy Ridley has enough action hero credit to keep things ticking along nicely, but it’s not going to live long in the memory.

Perhaps its biggest advantage is that it runs a very lean 96 minutes, so there’s not really enough time for you to get annoyed at all the ideas it pinches from better action movies.

Instead, it’s a breezy watch, with enough thrills to keep you engaged, even if you’ve seen this formula done elsewhere to a higher overall standard.

Not sold? Here’s a roundup of everything new added to HBO Max in June 2025, which has plenty of alternative picks worth considering.

Watch "Cleaner" on HBO Max now

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This is the (movie) way — at least, according to a new report.

It’s been over two years since “The Mandalorian” wrapped up its third season, and with no official word on season 4 since, fans have begun to wonder if the galaxy far, far away has quietly left the show behind. Now, a new rumor suggests those suspicions may not be far off.

According to a claim by insider Daniel Richtman on his Patreon, “The Mandalorian” won’t return to Disney Plus for a fourth season. Instead, the story of Din Djarin and Grogu will remain on the big screen for the foreseeable, beginning with the upcoming movie “The Mandalorian & Grogu.”

To be clear, Disney and Lucasfilm haven’t officially confirmed any of this so take it with a grain of salt. But given the long silence, shifting priorities at Disney, and the spotlight now shining fully on the theatrical project, it’s getting harder to imagine season 4 ever materializing.

It’s a surprising shift for a show widely regarded as one of the best projects in the “Star Wars” universe. The show not only helped restore fan excitement after a divisive sequel trilogy, but it also catapulted Pedro Pascal to a new level of fame for his role as the helmeted bounty hunter.

While season 3 drew more mixed reactions, many held out hope for a proper continuation. But with shifting strategies at Disney and Lucasfilm, the future of “The Mandalorian” may now rest solely on its theatrical debut.

What to expect from ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ on the big screen

With “The Mandalorian” season 4 looking less and less likely, all attention has shifted to the upcoming feature movie set to continue the adventures of Din Djarin and his beloved foundling.

While official story details for “The Mandalorian & Grogu” remain under wraps, the movie is expected to pick up where season 3 left off, acting as a bridge between the Disney Plus series and the broader cinematic plans being crafted by Lucasfilm’s creative head, Dave Filoni.

“The Mandalorian” season 3 concluded with Din (Pascal), the adorable Grogu, and Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) leading a united Mandalorian front to finally defeat Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and his lingering Imperial forces. Their victory allowed Bo-Katan to reclaim Mandalore and begin the long process of restoring her homeworld.

In the aftermath, Din struck a deal with the New Republic to help hunt down other remnants of the shattered Empire. That mission naturally puts him on a collision course with a much larger threat teased in “Ahsoka”: the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn. With Thrawn potentially preparing a full-scale assault on the vulnerable New Republic, Din and Grogu may soon find themselves pulled into a galactic conflict.

And with Filoni’s crossover “event” movie still years away, it appears “The Mandalorian & Grogu” is set to serve as the crucial link between the beloved streaming series and the escalating war looming on the horizon.

Richtman also mentioned on his Patreon that the stakes for the movie are incredibly high. He claimed that “if the movie succeeds, a sequel will be made. However, if it flops, it will serve as the final chapter for Mando and could also put [Dave] Filoni’s movie at risk.”

Jon Favreau, creator and executive producer of the series, recently reinforced this shift in focus. At this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Japan, he told Collider that his attention is fully on the movie, not a potential fourth season.

“Right now, I'm focusing on the feature,” Favreau said. “You discover so much as you edit a film… Right now we're really locked in on the big screen story that’s coming.”

I’ve absolutely adored every step of Mando and Grogu’s journey. I’ve even built up a little collection of Grogu toys and posters as a reminder of just how much this duo means to me. So, I truly hope “The Mandalorian & Grogu” becomes a huge success, not just for fans like me, but for the future of “Star Wars” storytelling as a whole.

Season 4 hasn't been entirely ruled out yet, but since theatrical releases tend to bring in a lot more revenue, I'm fairly certain “The Mandalorian” will remain on the big screen. Looks like Din and Grogu might be trading their beskar for box office bling!

“The Mandalorian & Grogu” hits theaters on May 22, 2026.

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"Star Wars" shows have been in a rough spot lately, but "Skeleton Crew" felt like a rare bright spot when it premiered at the end of last year.

The show debuted to rave reviews. It initially scored a 94% "fresh" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. As of this writing, it still sits at an impressive 92%. Our staff liked it as well. Our own Martin Shore said it was a "refreshing spin on a beloved franchise," and our TV/AV staff writer Ryan Epps also came away impressed.

Unfortunately, though, we may have seen the last of "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew."

One of the stars of the show is Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Fern, a human girl from the planet At Attin who is integral to the show.

If there's a season 2, she'll almost certainly not be coming back. On May 15, Sarah Michelle Gellar jumped on a video call with Armstrong to reveal that she would be the star of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reboot, which was then posted to Instagram for all to see (h/t Bam Smack Pow).

Here's why there's still hope for 'Skeleton Crew'

Armstrong taking on a lead role in another series almost certainly precludes her from returning for a potential "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" season 2. It wouldn't be impossible, but it'd be an incredible feat for her to have a starring role in both shows.

However, there's not necessarily a need to bring Armstrong's character, Fern, back for a season 2. The show ends in a way that would satisfyingly wrap up Fern's arc, if needed.

Of course, the problem is that the show satisfyingly wrapped up ... well, everything.

It could stand on its own as a miniseries, and given that "Star Wars" seems to still be in the process of righting the ship, I think they'll probably leave well enough alone and leave a majority of the "Star Wars" TV shows behind.

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Did you stay up late like me to watch the final three episodes of "Andor" season 2? I get if you didn't — like my colleague Malcolm McMillan, I wasn't a fan of Andor's release schedule — but I did get to see all the pieces finally put in place for "Star Wars: Rogue One."

In some ways, the writers of "Andor" were sort of painted into a corner, as we already know what happens to some of the main characters. But "Andor's" ending is more "Breaking Bad" than it is "How I Met Your Mother."

Of course, "Andor," has to explain why we don't see some of the main characters in "Rogue One." Spoiler alert: it usually doesn't mean anything good.

Diego Luna's Cassian Andor isn't anywhere to be seen in Episode 10; rather, it's a look at Luthen Rael's (Stellan Skarsgard) backstory and how he became a revolutionary. It also reveals how he adopted a young Kleya and schooled her in the ways of rebellion.

This is the last real bit of character building in the series, as most of what happens from here on out is a lot of action — necessary perhaps, but it's not what made this series so great.

Episode 10 also starts the real endgame, as Luthen is able to finally piece together the Empire's seemingly disparate activities — strip-mining Ghorman and Kyber crystals from Jedha — and unmasking the "energy independence" plan as the cover story for the Death Star.

Luthen gets this intel from ISB spy Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), but instead of spiriting Jung (and his family) away to a safehouse, Luthen simply kills him. It's the sort of cold calculus he's employed throughout the series, and a lesson Cassian Andor will carry with him into "Rogue One."

After passing the info to Kleya, Luthen goes back to the antique shop to destroy all evidence of their activities. No sooner does he do that than he's paid a visit by Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), who's finally unmasked him as a rebel. Not one to go quietly, Luthen stabs himself with one of his antique knives. But he doesn't finish the job and is rushed off to the hospital — Dedra needs him alive to interrogate him, after all.

Kleya's even more pragmatic than Luthen, and knows that he has to be killed before the Imperials can nurse him back to health. In a sequence that's nearly as good as any "Bourne" movie, she sneaks into the hospital where he's being kept, blows up stuff to cause a distraction, shoots a bunch of Stormtroopers and breaks into Luthen's room, where she takes him off life support.

Kleya herself then needs rescuing from Coruscant, so Andor, along with K-2SO and pal Melshi, hop in their U-Wing to make the extraction. We get another pretty great action setpiece, which sees K-2SO come to the rescue for the first time, tossing aside Imperial soldiers with ease while dispensing quips highlighting its sardonic personality.

Back on Yavin, we also see the messiness of the rebellion. Even though we're less than a year out from the destruction of the Death Star, there's a lot of squabbling between Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Saw Gerrera and Andor. Organa and others aren't convinced of the intel about the Empire's super weapon, while Mothma yells at Gerrera that his overly aggressive actions are messing with the greater strategy.

It's the same argument that was leveled at Luthen earlier in the series; everyone has their own ideas of just how best to accomplish their goals.

As for the Imperials?

Dedra gets thrown in the brig and interrogated by Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn lays it on a bit thick, but whatevs), where it's revealed that not only did she rifle through some documents she wasn't supposed to have seen, but that those files were also seen by Lonni, who had stolen her security codes.

Dedra's also overstepped her bounds by raiding Luthen's shop, and, because it went so badly, she's also on the hook for that. She tries to redeem herself by giving some advice on how to capture Kleya, but it's too little, too late. She ends up in an Imperial prison, in the same garb we saw Cassian wearing in the first season, where he was making parts for the Death Star.

Her commanding officer, Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser) also sees the writing on the wall. In a conversation with one of his colleagues, he tacitly acknowledges the futility of trying to crush the rebellion. After two of his officers are killed — and Dedra in jail — he's ordered to explain himself to the Emperor. Instead, he turns his blaster on himself.

The final scenes of Andor seem to take place just days before "Rogue One." Cassian jets off again with K-2SO to look for a contact named Tivik, who will confirm Luthen's intel on the Death Star. Meanwhile, Krennic can be seen looking out on the nearly complete battle station.

The last image, though, is of Bix cradling a baby — likely Cassian's — among the fields of wheat and looking up at the sky.

It's a beautifully staged shot, and also an echo of the final scene of "Revenge of the Sith," where Aunt Beru holds baby Luke Skywalker and gazes at the twin suns of Tatooine. As both mothers smile, it conveys a message of hope. After all, that's what rebellions are built on.

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"Andor" season 2 is already over halfway done. In fact, by the time you're reading this, we will be 75% of the way through the final season of the acclaimed "Star Wars" show.

So with the three-part series finale now just a week away, it's time for us to admit something very painful: The show's release schedule is killing the show.

To be clear, I'm not saying the show is bad. While I don't think what I've seen so far has lived up to season 1, the new episodes have been "gripping" when the show is at its best and undeniably well-made at its worst.

But with three hours of TV to watch each week, the show has avoided picking a weekly release schedule or dropping the entire season as a Netflix-style binge drop.

Instead, it's somehow chosen a worse release strategy that requires you to get a babysitter, block out your calendar and come in late to work the next morning so you can consume three episodes between the hours of 9 p.m. ET and midnight. And it's making you do it four weeks in a row.

3-episode drops are worse than weekly releases or season-long binges

I've long been a proponent of the weekly release schedule for shows. It builds anticipation for the and therefore when the show ultimately reaches a satisfying climax, the intensity of that moment is so much greater.

Unfortunately, with "Andor" season 2, I'm not anticipating what's coming next. Instead, at 9 p.m. ET every Tuesday, I'm instantly three episodes behind and dreading the next batch of episodes for fear they'll put me even further behind.

If "Andor" season 2 had gone with a binge model, I could have at least broken up episodes over a few nights in a row or blocked out a weekend to watch it all.

That would have had me at least anticipating the chance to finish the story all at once, and that would have been better than what this three-episode release schedule has given me.

If the episodes were required to be released all at once for story reasons, I'd maybe be more forgiving. But while each trio of episodes takes place over a brief period, a year apart from the last, I frankly haven't seen a reason these couldn't have been doled out one at a time.

The current slate of shows is burying 'Andor'

If there was nothing else on TV or the best streaming services right now, maybe this would all be a moot point.

If I were watching nothing else, I would have seven days to watch a mere three episodes. I'd be behind diehard fans and the internet, but I could keep pace with the show before the next three episodes arrive.

The problem is that the current slate of shows is loaded.

For me, there's "MobLand" and "The Last of Us" on Sundays, "Andor" (of course) on Tuesdays, "The Studio" on Wednesdays, "Hacks" on Thursdays and "Your Friends and Neighbors" on Fridays. That's not even accounting for network TV shows or any binge drops from Netflix.

If you're watching even a few of these shows, suddenly the ability to fit "Andor" season 2 into your schedule becomes a lot harder. And you might be prioritizing those other shows instead, because they all come in a more accessible one-episode-a-week release cadence.

Unfortunately, it's too late for "Andor" season 2, which I am now concerned will ultimately be forgotten by the end of the year.

We're undeniably not talking about it more than "The Last of Us," another well-made show driven by a beloved IP on a popular streaming service, but one that opted for a weekly release schedule.

Personally, more people have talked to me about "The Studio," an original 30-minute comedy series on Apple TV Plus and "MobLand," an hour-long British gangster drama on Paramount Plus. Respectfully to those shows, a "Star Wars" show from the guy who brought you Jason Bourne should be blowing both out of the water.

I just hope Disney learns from this and never adopts this release schedule for a Disney Plus show ever again. Because it's been an unmitigated disaster and an unforced error for "Andor."

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For fans of the galaxy far, far away, today is the ultimate excuse to fire up Disney Plus, don your favorite Jedi robe, and argue (again) about the best lightsaber duel of all time.

But while others might be diving into the classic Skywalker saga or revisiting Grogu’s cutest moments, “Rogue One” is the “Star Wars” movie I always come back to on May the 4th (be with you). And that’s because it’s my favorite. No one can convince me to change my mind about this prequel.

Now that “Andor” season 2 is airing, there’s no better time to rewatch the movie that made us fall in love with Cassian in the first place. “Rogue One” is a masterclass in tension, character and moral gray areas, all of which “Andor” has doubled down on with stunning results.

So, here’s why “Rogue One” is my favorite movie in the franchise and why it deserves to be celebrated on Star Wars Day.

‘Rogue One’ is a thrilling, harrowing, and beautifully shot movie

Director Gareth Edwards crafted something truly special here. Every time I hit play on “Rogue One,” I forget just how intense it gets. There are no heroic lightsaber duels and the ending is far from comforting; instead, you get war-torn planets that represent the dark side of bureaucratic power within the Empire.

For a quick refresher, “Rogue One” follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), the daughter of the Death Star’s unwilling creator, as she joins a team of rebels on a mission to steal the superweapon’s blueprints.

From the deserts of Jedha to the tropical battlefields of Scarif, the group faces impossible odds. With time running out and no guarantee of survival, they risk everything to give the galaxy a fighting chance against the Empire.

From the moment we meet Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), it’s clear this movie is doing something different. She’s not force-sensitive or destined to become a hero. Rather, she’s angry, closed off and honestly kind of over the whole fight. But that’s what makes her journey so compelling to watch.

The same goes for Cassian (Diego Luna). “Andor” takes the time to fully flesh him out, but even in “Rogue One,” he’s a layered character. He’s done awful things in the name of the Rebellion, and you see the toll it’s taken on him.

But it’s even more interesting watching how he interacts with Jyn and slowly begins to trust her. I just wish we got to see more of their insane chemistry (like hello, that elevator scene?!).

Of course, there’s a villain in every “Star Wars” story, and in "Rogue One," it's Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). He’s the kind of villain who’s terrifying because he’s so realistic — a bureaucrat willing to commit mass murder just to impress his boss. His obsession with the Death Star makes him a perfect symbol of the Empire’s cold, self-serving machinery.

Most of all, “Rogue One” is one of the most stunning “Star Wars” movies ever made. The cinematography is something I could stare at all day, and that includes the gloom of Eadu, the black-sand beaches of Scarif or even that terrifying shot of the Death Star rising over Jedha. You can practically feel the dust in your teeth.

The ending is something I have to mention, considering it’s pretty dark for the franchise. Most movies have happy endings, but “Rogue One” is bittersweet since the characters we’ve come to love meet their unfortunate fate. It’s tragic, yes, but it’s also the most hopeful ending the saga has ever given us.

I think that’s why “Rogue One” sticks with me. It doesn’t pull punches. It shows the cracks, the compromise, the humanity. And somehow, in all that grit, it finds hope — as cheesy as that sounds.

I’m definitely streaming ‘Rogue One’ on Star Wars Day

“Rogue One” is a standalone story that deepens the entire saga. On Star Wars Day, when the whole galaxy’s on shuffle, “Rogue One” feels like the one that truly matters and has earned its place through grit, sacrifice, and a story that doesn’t flinch.

With “Andor” season 2 currently airing, there’s no better time to revisit “Rogue One” as it’s the perfect companion piece. The second season is set to lead directly into the events of the movie, which means watching the show and the movie side-by-side will add so much more weight to Cassian's journey.

Even if you're not fully aware of the vastness of the “Star Wars” universe, you can still enjoy this prequel without any prior expectations or background knowledge.

So yes, “Rogue One” is the movie I like to watch on May 4 to celebrate such an iconic franchise. It’s truly the force that keeps me coming back every year.

Stream "Rogue One" on Disney Plus now.

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Spring is in full swing now, and Disney Plus is blooming with a new lineup of great movies and shows to celebrate. There's plenty to look forward to that's new on Disney Plus this May, especially if you're a Star Wars fan.

Leading the pack is "Andor's" series finale, where we'll see the conclusion of Cassian's evolution from outsider to Rebel Alliance champion. This Emmy-nominated "Star Wars" series ramps up the tension as the galaxy edges closer to war, setting the stage for the events of "Rogue One."

Looking for even more tales from a galaxy far, far away? Two fan-favorite outlaws return in "Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld," an anthology saga that delves into the criminal underbelly of the universe.

And while there aren't any new MCU entries coming to Disney Plus this month, to get your fix of multiversal madness, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is finally swinging onto the streamer. If you haven't checked it out yet, I can't recommend it enough; it's a veritable feast for the eyes.

So without further ado, let's dive everything coming to Disney Plus in May.

Top picks

'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'

Disney Plus is getting a new Marvel project this month, but it's technically not part of the MCU. Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is the second film in the critically acclaimed and visually stunning "Spider-Verse" trilogy, which throws Shameik Moore's Miles Morales, Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen Stacy, and just about every web-slinger you can think of into a madcap multiversal adventure.

After discovering his spidey powers in the last film, Miles has been busy fighting crime and trying to find a way to reconnect with his multiverse counterparts. But a heartfelt reunion with Gwen spirals out of control when he learns of an agency of Spider-People dedicated to protecting the delicate balance of the Multiverse — and he's the only one not invited.

As the heroes converge, they grapple with competing approaches to tackle a looming threat, putting Miles at odds with his new allies and forcing him to make some tough decisions. Because, as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility.

Stream on Disney Plus starting May 1

'Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld'

Two fan-favorite Star Wars bounty hunters are back in "Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld." It's the third animated anthology from creator Dave Filoni, whose "Tales" series revisits beloved characters to explore previously untold stories in a galaxy far, far away.

Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman), the Jedi Padawan turned assassin believed to be dead after the events of the novel "Dark Disciple," is given a new chance at life, only to get stuck on the run with an unlikely ally: the infamous quick-draw Cad Bane (Corey Burton).

Forced to survive in the shadow of the Empire, the two outlaws must navigate the galaxy's dangerous underworld to chart their destinies. In the process, Bane confronts an old friend, now a marshal on the other side of the law, in what turns into a brutal blaster fight.

Stream on Disney Plus starting May 4

'Andor' series finale

After "Andor's" second and final season kicked off last month, the final batch of episodes will be delivered in two parts, with episodes 7 through 9 landing on May 6 before episodes 10, 11, and 12, the series finale, arrive on May 13.

It's hard to see what's arguably the best “Star Wars” anything in years come to a close, but it should wrap up some of our most pressing questions about the events that sparked the original "Star Wars" trilogy.

As before, each batch of episodes unfolds across one year of Cassian Andor's (Diego Luna) life, showing his evolution from miscreant to Rebel Alliance hero.

With the threat of galactic civil war looming, he teams up with a ragtag crew of rebels led by the mysterious Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) and the shrewd Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly). It all culminates in their fateful mission to steal the Death Star plans, which tips the scales for Luke, Leia, and the rest of the Rebels to secure victory in the first "Star Wars" films.

Stream on Disney Plus on May 13

Everything new on Disney Plus this month

Thursday, May 1

- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

- Rise Up, Sing Out (Season 2, 7 episodes)

Friday, May 2

- Genghis Khan: The Secret History of the Mongols (S1, 6 episodes)

Saturday May 3

- Doctor Who (Season 2, Episode 4)

Sunday, May 4

- Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld (Season 1, 6 episodes)

- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge | Disneyland Resort

- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Disneyland Resort

Tuesday, May 6

- Andor (Season 2, Episodes 7-9)

Wednesday, May 7

- Broken Karaoke (Season 3, 2 episodes)

- Firebuds (Season 2, 2 episodes)

- Hamster & Gretel (Season 2, 12 episodes)

- Big City Greens (Season 4, 1 episode)

Friday, May 9

- History's Greatest of All Time with Peyton Manning (Season 1, 8 episodes)

- The Toys That Built America (Season 3, 12 episodes)

- The UnXplained (Season 7, 6 episodes)

- WWE Rivals (Season 2, 10 episodes)

- WWE Rivals (Season 4, 6 episodes)

Saturday, May 10

- Doctor Who (Season 2 - Episode 5)

Tuesday, May 13

- Andor (Season 2 - Episodes 10-12)

Saturday, May 17

- Doctor Who (Season 2 - Episode 6)

Monday, May 19

- Tucci in Italy (2 seasons, 14 episodes)

Tuesday, May 20

- Minnie's Bow-Toons: Pet Hotel (Season 1 - 5 episodes)

Saturday, May 24

- Doctor Who (Season 2 - Episode 7)

Wednesday, May 28

- Me & Winnie the Pooh (Season 2, 6 episodes)

- Playdate with Winnie the Pooh (Season 2, 5 episodes)

Saturday, May 31

- How Not to Draw (Season 3, 4 episodes)

- Doctor Who (Season 2 - season finale at 11 a.m. PT)

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• ‘Andor’ season 2’s gripping premiere sets the stage for an epic final season

With “Andor” season 2 being our second and final season of Disney Plus’ acclaimed Star Wars series, I expected things to take off at warp speed.

The first season was fixated on the small stuff in the galaxy far, far away, but I'll admit to going into the new season excited but ever so slightly apprehensive.

Why? Because I was concerned that the need to cover the years leading up to “Rogue One” in just 12 episodes' worth of time would mean we were in for a change of pace for the daring Rebel hero.

Thankfully, after watching episodes 1-3 of “Andor” season 2, I’m pleased to report that this season has not sped headlong into the thick of anything, at least, not yet.

Instead, "Andor" season 2 begins with a three-part premiere that opts to set the stakes for this final instalment, while still managing to pack in some thrills along the way. It's a tense start for the Star Wars thriller, and I'm ready to see what's next.

You can find my full reaction to the first three episodes below, but be warned: There are spoilers ahead.

Tension builds in 'Andor' season 2's opening chapter

We open with a genuinely thrilling setpiece. Andor, now fully committed to the rebel cause, poses as a test pilot to steal a new TIE fighter from an Imperial base, in a sequence that’s both exciting and surprisingly funny.

Cassian’s mission quickly goes wrong. After getting to grips with the controls, he shakes off his pursuers. But upon delivering the stolen spacecraft, our hero gets caught in the crossfire of a splintering group of in-fighting rebel soldiers.

Meanwhile, Mon Mothma’s off being tangled up in politicking (and throwing shapes on the dance floor) at her daughter's wedding, and Bix Caleen and co. are busy trying to fly under the radar as simple farmers and mechanics on Mina-Rau while Imperial officers root out illegal migrants.

On the Imperial front, Orson Krennic and a select group of senior Imperial officials start spinning up plans to “gouge-mine” the planet Ghorman in search of a coveted mineral that will be used to “solidify Imperial authority” (i.e. presumably to power up a certain planet-cracking spaceship).

This opening salvo of episodes works not because it’s all-out action, but because it’s sharply written, deftly performed, and continues to build on the escalating tensions of what’s come before.

More than anything else, it seems interested in highlighting the colossal disparity between the strength of the Empire and the rebels’ lack thereof.

Here, at BBY 4, the Empire’s staff can lackadaisically muse over the best way to win public approval for the destruction of a planet, or are free to bicker with their mother at a dinner party (Syril and Dedra butting heads with Eedy Karn is a chapter 1 highlight for sure).

On the flipside, rebel factions — like the splintering Maya Pei Brigade whom Andor falls foul of — are disorganized and barely able to feed themselves, let alone contemplate their next move.

If you’re reading this before streaming “Andor” season 2’s first episodes, though, know that this instalment isn’t just set up. I’ll try and stay vague, but consequences are felt.

Our protagonists suffer losses both personal and political, and these challenges are sure to stoke the flames of rebellion just that little more.

It may not be stuffed with action like some of the other "Star Wars" shows on Disney Plus, but "Andor" doesn't need to be.

The original was a smart spy thriller, and even if you find "Andor's" pacing falls a little on the slow side, I'm sure you can respect the show's drive to be this distinct, engaging part of the Star Wars universe.

This opening triple bill is every bit as characterful, well-realized, and entertaining as what we've seen from Cassian Andor's prequel series so far. I'm seated, ready for next Tuesday (April 29) to roll around so I can see what lies in store on the remainder of this road to "Rogue One".

Plus, seeing as the show's received a number of glowing full-season reviews that landed in advance of the season premiere, I’m sure the Force will continue to be strong throughout "Andor" season 2.

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"Andor" may be a Star Wars" show, but it is unlike anything else in the canon. Created by Tony Gilroy as a prequel to "Rogue One," "Andor" follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) on his gradual journey from apathetic petty thief (at the start of “Andor”) to daring leader of the Rebel Alliance, committed to bringing down the Galactic Empire at any cost (in “Rogue One”).

There aren't any strange creatures or Jedi or midi-chlorians in "Andor" — just ordinary people who slowly, reluctantly become rebels in the fight against an authoritarian regime.

"Andor" season 2, which will be a bridge to the events of "Rogue One," premieres on April 22 and runs for four weeks on an unusual episode schedule. It's been two years and five months since the "Andor" season 1 finale (but who's counting?), so if you haven't had a chance to rewatch season 1, you'd be forgiven for forgetting some details about what happened.

Here are a few key plot points to jog your memory as you strap in for the final stretch of this incredible show.

Major spoilers for "Andor" season 1 follow.

1. A long-lost sister sets the events of 'Andor' in motion

"Andor" opens with Cassian Andor at a brothel on Morlana One, but he isn't there for pleasure. In asking the staff whether a woman from Kenari ever worked there, he attracts the attention of two boorish guards at the bar.

The guards follow him outside and harass him; in the course of fending them off, Cassian winds up killing them both.

We later learn that the woman he's seeking is his younger sister, from whom he was separated when they were orphans on the abandoned mining planet of Kenari.

2. The main villain isn't Darth Vader but two dogged bureaucrats

Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) is a deputy inspector for Preox-Morlana Corporation (Pre-Mor), which manages corporate security for the Galactic Empire. He's all fired up to investigate the murder of his two colleagues, but his supervisor would rather sweep the matter under the rug, since the guards were … well, drinking on duty at a brothel.

He tells Syril to drop it, but the deputy inspector is like a dog with a bone. Disobeying orders, he keeps investigating and manages to identify Cassian as the lead suspect.

Even after Syril botches the attempt to capture Cassian and gets fired, the murders draw the attention of Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), a supervisor at the Galactic Empire's Imperial Security Bureau.

Dedra is convinced that Cassian Andor is one small piece of a larger movement that's plotting to rebel against the Empire, and she undermines her colleague Blevin (Doc Brown), calls him out in a meeting with their boss, Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser), and takes over the case.

3. Luthen Rael is a key figure in the rebellion

Fleeing the scene of the murder, Cassian comes home to Ferrix, where he catches up with his adoptive mom, Maarva (Fiona Shaw), his friend Brasso (Joplin Sibtain), and his ex Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona).

He begs Bix to reach out to her "buyer" because he has something the buyer will want: an untraceable N-S9 Starpath unit, which he stole from the Imperial Naval Base in Steergard. With the money from the sale, he can secure a ship and head far away, ideally with Maarva and their adorable droid B2EMO.

Bix arranges a meeting with her buyer, Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård). As it turns out, Luthen already knows everything about Cassian, believing him to be more than just a low-level thief. Just as he's in the middle of his pitch to recruit Cassian for something bigger — "Don't you want to fight these bastards for real?" — Syril and his team arrive on Ferrix.

When the dust settles, five men are dead (four from Syril's team as well as Bix's jealous boyfriend Timm), and Cassian and Luthen have escaped to Luthen's ship.

4. Forget rebellion — Cassian just wants money

Despite his hatred for the Empire, Cassian thinks fighting the system is useless and not worth the risk. One thing he does believe in? Money. Luthen promises a hefty payday if he'll help him with something important: "I'm offering you everything you want … to put a real stick in the eye of the Empire, and get paid for it."

Luthen has a team that's planning to steal the quarterly payroll for the entire Imperial sector at Aldhani Garrison. Cassian reluctantly accepts the deal.

On Aldhani, he goes by the name "Clem," and while the team — led by Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) — is upset to be adding someone new only three days before the robbery, they come to see his value and grudgingly accept him.

5. Revolution has steep costs

Cassian trains for two days with Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Cinta (Varada Sethu), Taramyn (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr), Nemik (Alex Lawther), and Lieutenant Gorn (Sule Rimi), an Imperial officer and their man on the inside.

The plan is timed to coincide with The Eye of Aldhani, a celestial event that takes place every three years and provides cover for their getaway. And although the team successfully makes off with the payroll, they incur heavy losses as most of the team dies.

Before he went out, the idealistic Nemik left Cassian his manifesto, which plays a crucial role in radicalizing our hero.

We come to learn that Luthen organized the Aldhani heist because the network he's been building needs the money. His benefactor and collaborator, Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), has run up against increased security measures that make it difficult for her to move money from her family accounts.

Visiting Luthen at his antiques store, she's horrified to learn he was behind the Aldhani heist, and tells him people will suffer when Emperor Palpatine takes action. But Luther tells her that's the plan. "We need them to overreact."

6. Cassian leads the prisoners of Narkina 5 in a thrilling escape

Cassian has now killed two guards AND stolen 80 million credits from the government, but in the end, he's swept up into the prison system for loitering.

At the water-surrounded Narkina 5, he's put on a work squad led by Kino Loy (Andy Serkis). Cassian agitates for the men to try to escape, but all Kino wants to do is finish serving his time and go home. But some odd occurrences lead the prisoners to realize that none of them will ever leave Narkina 5.

At last, this is what gets through to Kino. When Cassian again asks how many guards are on each floor, this time Kino responds, "Never more than 12."

The inmates take advantage of a security lapse to overpower the guards, commandeer their weapons and take over the control room. Throughout, Kino delivers a stirring speech. When the prisoners start leaping into the water to find freedom, Kino reveals with a wry smile to Cassian that he can't swim.

7. Maarva's funeral sets the stage for Ferrix to revolt against the Empire

In the season 1 finale of "Andor," all the major players converge upon Ferrix for Maarva's funeral: Dedra and a massive phalanx of Imperial Army troopers, laying a trap to capture Cassian; Syril, who is similarly after Cassian but also basically stalking Dedra; Luther, Vela, and Cinta, who plan to kill Cassian for knowing too much; and Cassian, who only wants to say goodbye to his foster mother.

The funeral procession ends at the center of town, where B2EMO broadcasts a holographic message from Maarva. It's a call to arms: "The Empire is a disease that thrives in darkness. It is never more alive than when we sleep … Fight the Empire!"

Inspired by Maarva's words, the people of Ferrix riot, attacking the Imperial Army troopers. In the melee, Cassian is able to rescue Bix from the hotel, where she was being interrogated and tortured.

The finale ends with Cassian back on board Luthen's ship, but their conversation is very different from the one they had before. Cassian gets Luthen to admit that he came to Ferrix to kill him, and then stares at him with an intensity and sense of purpose he didn't have months ago.

"Kill me, or take me in," Cassian says. And Luthen smiles.

The revolution has begun and Cassian is fully on board.

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The laundry list of upcoming "Star Wars" movies and TV shows just got quite a splashy addition: Hollywood superstar Ryan Gosling will lead a new "Star Wars" standalone film titled "Star Wars: Starfighter," with Canadian filmmaker Shawn Levy ("Deadpool & Wolverine", "Free Guy") in the director's seat.

The high-profile project was announced by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni at the "Star Wars" Celebration 2025 in Tokyo on Thursday, April 17. Along with teasing intel about the new feature film, the panel offered up an official release date for the movie: May 28, 2027.

That marks the second big-screen behemoth from Disney for that month. "Starfighter" will hit theaters only three weeks after "Avengers: Secret Wars," which bows May 7, 2027.

"Star Wars: Starfighter" will not be connected to the nine films that make up the franchise's ongoing "Skywalker Saga," which has centered on Jedi knight Luke Skywalker (iconically played by Mark Hamill for four decades) and his extended family.

“This is a standalone," Levy told audiences at the conference, per The Hollywood Reporter. "It’s not a prequel, not a sequel. It’s a new adventure. It’s set in a period of time that we haven’t seen explored yet."

"Star Wars: Starfighter" will take place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

Levy also added that production starts this fall. The "Starfighter" project has been in the works since 2022, with a script from screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, who previously collaborated with Levy on films including "This Is Where I Leave You" and "The Adam Project."

As for Gosling, the A-list actor — who most recently starred in the 2023 billion-dollar blockbuster "Barbie" and the 2024 action-comedy "The Fall Guy" — cited a great script and a childhood love of "Stars Wars" as reasons why wanted to join the storied pop-culture franchise.

“The reality is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters,” said Gosling, per THR. “It’s filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn.”

During the panel, the star also shared a sweet image of his childhood bedroom decked out in "Star Wars" sheets, courtesy of his mother. “As you can see from the picture, I guess I was probably dreaming about 'Star Wars' before I even saw the film. And it’s probably framed my idea of what a movie even was.”

Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to "Star Wars: Starfighter", including casting details, plot points, teaser trailers and more.

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"Andor" season 2 is almost here. The first episodes will premiere on Disney Plus at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 22 ... meaning you'll finish streaming them around midnight.

No, that's not a mistake. "Andor" season 2 is the Star Wars show's final season, so Tony Gilroy and his team have to cover a lot of ground — four years — in just 12 episodes.

The result of this time crunch is that episodes will be released in three-episode batches. But it also means that season 2 will end in just four weeks.

Rest assured, though, that there's a method to the madness, and we'll dive into it below.

Here's the full "Andor" season 2 episode release schedule, and an explanation of why the Star Wars show is coming in three episode drops.

'Andor' season 2 episode release schedule

As mentioned already, "Andor" season 2 premieres with three episodes on Tuesday, April 22 at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Disney Plus.

The subsequent nine episodes will air on the three subsequent Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT through May 13. Each release will feature three episodes.

Check out the release info for the entire second season of "Andor" below:

• "Andor" season 2 episode 1 - April 22
• "Andor" season 2 episode 2 - April 22
• "Andor" season 2 episode 3 - April 22
• "Andor" season 2 episode 4 - April 29
• "Andor" season 2 episode 5 - April 29
• "Andor" season 2 episode 6 - April 29
• "Andor" season 2 episode 7 - May 6
• "Andor" season 2 episode 8 - May 6
• "Andor" season 2 episode 9 - May 6
• "Andor" season 2 episode 10 - May 13
• "Andor" season 2 episode 11 - May 13
• "Andor" season 2 episode 12 - May 13 (series finale)

How many episodes of 'Andor' season 2 are there?

I've been hammering it home by this point, including in the schedule above. But just a friendly reminder, "Andor" season 2 is 12 episodes long.

That makes season 2 the same length as season 1, though, as previously mentioned, each three-episode batch will be set within a different year in the show. Season 1 took place entirely within a single year.

In terms of runtime, we don't have exact episode lengths yet, but expect a little less than an hour for each episode. Last season, while one episode managed to be just under 40 minutes, six of the 12 episodes were 50 minutes or longer.

Why are 'Andor' season 2 episodes coming in threes?

While dropping episodes of "Andor" season 2 in batches of three may seem odd, there's a good reason for it.

In an interview with Empire, show creator Tony Gilroy explained why season 2 has such a unique episode release schedule.

"Look, man, I’m not trying to make a career here," Gilroy said. "If anything I’m on the downhill side of a long career. But this is an opportunity. This is 1,500 pages of the most dynamic material in these people’s lives to deal with. We got it right the first time, and you don’t want to let your foot off the gas."

Gilroy also revealed in that interview that the three-part series finale will cover "the last three days before 'Rogue One.'"

Gilroy revealed a bit more in a separate interview with Deadline, alongside Diego Luna, who plays the show's titular Cassian Andor.

"When we come back later [from season 1], it’ll be literally like a Friday, Saturday and Sunday," Gilroy explained. "And then, we’ll jump a year, and then it’ll be, like, four or five days, and then we’ll jump a year, and then there’ll be another four or five days, and then we jump a year, and be another four or five days."

So, while each three-episode batch is set in a different year, we're still only dealing with just a few days at a time — maybe close to just a day per episode.

The good news is that each three-episode batch will have the same director and writer on all three episodes.

Ariel Kleiman is directing episodes 1-6, with Gilroy writing 1-3 and season 1 veteran Beau Willimon writing episodes 4-6. For episodes 7-9, Janus Metz is directing and Gilroy's brother Dan is writing.

Then for the final three episodes, "Narcos: Mexico" veteran Alonso Ruizpalacios is directing, while video game writer Tom Bissell is writing. Feels like those final three episodes look set to be action-packed based on that creative team.

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One month ago today Disney dropped the first trailer for “Andor” season 2, teasing a very exciting return for such a beloved “Star Wars” show. Now, we’ve been treated to another full-length trailer and it’s safe to say my excitement levels are through the roof.

Get ready — because the battle is just beginning. This new trailer for “Andor” season 2 is gearing up for an explosive final chapter. "Andor" is easily one of the best “Star Wars” shows ever made (not to mention the highest-rated), and I’m excited to see it back on my screen when it debuts on Disney Plus on April 22.

This time, the story will take us right up to the events of “Rogue One.” The second season will unfold over 12 episodes, structured into four arcs spanning three episodes each, that cover the final four years leading up to the movie.

Cassian (Diego Luna) utters the words “the empire cannot win” as we see shots of returning characters like Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), who tells Cassian the plan will “burn brightly” if it goes up in flames.

The trailer also includes the return of Ben Mendelsohn as his “Rogue One” character Director Orson Callan Krennic, fan-favorite droid K-2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyk) and Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen, who seems to have some romantic scenes with Cassian this season.

There are plenty of stormtroopers running, intense sequences with TIE fighters and Cassian looking as determined as ever as he goes up against the empire. Let’s not forget about the very exciting shots of the Death Star.

The official synopsis of the new season reads: “Season two will see the characters and their relationships intensify as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound.”

Judging by the new trailer, fans can look forward to plenty of action — intense fights, explosive sequences, high-speed chases, and thrilling jumps through hyperspace. But I also anticipate some emotionally charged speeches (especially from Cassian).

The first season of “Andor” earned its praise thanks to top-tier writing, acting, and direction, and I have no doubt that Tony Gilroy and his team will wrap up this story with both depth and style.

"Andor" season 2 premieres Tuesday, April 22 on Disney Plus.

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At this point, you know Disney Plus is home to all things "Star Wars." Once upon a time, other streaming services had access to the various "Star Wars" movies, but ever since Disney Plus launched, it's where you need to go to visit the galaxy far, far away.

Despite this, I can almost guarantee you that there are some Disney Plus "Star Wars" shows and movies you haven't watched yet. No, I'm not talking about "The Rise of Skywalker" or "The Acolyte" — you only wish you hadn't seen those. I'm not even talking about "Star Wars Visions," though admittedly there's a good chance you haven't seen that anime anthology Star Wars series.

No, I'm talking about the little-known "Star Wars Vintage" section of the "Star Wars" tile in Disney Plus. This row is buried at the bottom of the page and features made-for-TV shows and movies from before Disney bought the franchise from George Lucas.

One of these, "Clone Wars," was relatively popular on Cartoon Network when it aired in 2003, even spawning "The Clone Wars" movie and TV show later on. But the other five shows and movies? Well unless you watched them on TV in the 1970s and 1980s there's a good chance you've never seen them or even knew they existed.

But I'm here to reveal to you what Disney has tried to bury in the depths of Disney Plus. Here are five hidden "Star Wars" shows and movies on Disney Plus you probably haven't seen.

'Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure' (1984)

Originally titled "The Ewok Adventure," this 1984 TV movie centers around the Towani family, who are stranded on the forest moon of Endor when their star cruiser crashes. The Towani children are found by the Ewok Deej (Daniel Frishman, voiced by Sydney Walker), who takes them to the Ewok's home where they meet Wicket (Warwick Davis, voiced by Darryl Henriques), the most notable Ewok from "Return of the Jedi."

However, the Towani parents are still missing, and the children Cindel (Aubree Miller) and Mace (Eric Walker) must team up with the Ewoks to find them. Their search ultimately leads them to the deadly Gorax, a deadly monster who could ultimately ruin this family's reunion. You'll have to watch "Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure" to see if this story has a happy ending.

Stream it now on Disney Plus

'Ewoks: The Battle for Endor' (1985)

Probably the most well-known of these five shows and movies, "Ewoks: The Battle of Endor" is set six months after the events of "Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure." The Towani family has almost rebuilt their star cruiser, but as they're about to leave the forest moon of Endor, disaster strikes. They're attacked by a Marauder group led by Terak (Carel Struycken) and his witch-like sorceress Charal (Siân Phillips). They steal the power cell from the Towani cruiser, thinking it has magic powers.

Now, Wicket (Warwick Davis) and Cindel Towani (Aubree Miller) have to find the Marauders and the stolen power cell. Along the way, they meet another gunman Noa Briqualon (Wilford Brimley), who has also been stranded on Endor. If you're only going to watch one of the Ewoks movies, make it this one, which is almost universally considered the superior of the two made-for-TV films.

Stream it now on Disney Plus

'Ewoks' (1985-1986)

If you thought we were done with the Ewoks, think again. "Ewoks" is a prequel to "Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure" and its sequel "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor," though our main Ewok character is Wicket. However, as this is an animated show there's no need for Warrick Davis to embody the character. Instead, Wicket is initially voiced by Jim Henshaw and later by Denny Delk.

"Ewoks" ran for two seasons and was initially part of "The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour" on ABC alongside its sister animated series "Droids" (more on that later). Aside from giving us more Wicket, it largely centers around the Ewok shaman Master Logray (voiced by Doug Chamberlain) and the evil Morag the Tulgah Witch (voiced by Jackie Burroughs), who has a personal feud with Logray. It's a largely forgettable show, but the series' penultimate episode "Battle for the Sunstar" is generally considered to be worth a watch.

Stream it now on Disney Plus

'Droids' (1985-1986)

The final piece of the "Ewoks" connected universe within the greater Star Wars universe, "Droids" was another 1985 animated series and ran alongside "Ewoks' on ABC for a single season. Also a prequel show, this animated adventure stars Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and an uncredited Ben Burtt as R2-D2 and is set between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope."

Of course, "Revenge of the Sith" didn't actually exist in 1985, so the show has been retconned into fitting two years after that movie in the greater Star Wars timeline. It follows the two droids as they face off against a wrecked hive of scum and villainy, including gangsters, criminals, pirates and bounty hunters after they were separated from their aster Captain Antilles.

Stream it now on Disney Plus

'The Story of the Faithful Wookie'

Sorry, "Star Wars" fans: "The Star Wars Holiday Special" isn't on this list. The rumors are that Lucas despised the 1978 TV special so much that he's done everything he can to eradicate it from existence. So you won't find it anywhere on Disney Plus, though bootleg copies exist on the internet if you're really desperate to watch the universally despised TV show.

However, there's one aspect of this holiday season special that's considered to be worth the watch, and you can stream it on Disney Plus. At one point in the show, Chewbacca's son Lumpy (yes, Lumpy) is forced to watch cartoons by Imperial officers (I swear I'm not making this up). It's here that we're introduced to the animated short "The Faithful Wookie," which shows Chewie and Boba Fett teaming up to save Luke and Han from a mysterious sleeping virus.

This short is notable for two reasons. First, it is the only "Star Wars" animated show to feature Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and Harrison Ford as Han Solo. But most importantly, it's the first-ever appearance of Boba Fett, who would go on to become an iconic character in 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back."

Stream it now on Disney Plus

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The “Star Wars” fan in me is devastated. After seven episodes, many of which only improved as the show progressed, “Skeleton Crew” is gearing up for its season (series?) finale on Disney Plus and I’m not too happy about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m chomping at the bit for this next episode. Who knew putting “Goonies” into a galaxy far, far away could be so poignant? Still, “Star Wars” is at its most dire, evidenced by the appallingly low audience metrics, and there may well be no saving it at this point.

But that's exactly what makes “Skeleton Crew” so appealing to me and why it's no sooner rocketed up to become one of my favorite TV shows out of Disney yet — not to mention its 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It's because "Skeleton Crew" isn’t out to save “Star Wars.” It’s here to have a good time.

And I want so much more of it.

The 'kid show' mentality

There’s something truly magical about the way classic 1980s Spielbergian aesthetics fit into the universe of “Star Wars.” The core concept of the show ("Stand By Me" in space) not only wills out, but it also amplifies "Skeleton Crew" with beats of nostalgia and raw emotion, all while staying true to “Star Wars.” That's no mean feat.

But many deride "Skeleton Crew" simply on the merits of it being a "kid show." It might star a group of kids in a coming-of-age, Amblin-adjacent adventure set in a galaxy far, far away, but that doesn't diminish its magic. It's actually all the better for it.

At least for me, that is. I grew up watching notable movies referenced in "Skeleton Crew," none more so than "The Goonies." There are also bits of "Treasure Island" (and Disney's "Treasure Planet") sprinkled in there, but what gnaws at my heartstrings most is the pure adventure of it all.

Literally every episode has introduced either new planets, new species, or new dimensions to a galaxy we long thought totally familiar. And with them, "Skeleton Crew" has cleverly crafted a story riddled with mysteries, main among them the setting of At Attin itself.

But it's not just the core concept that keeps dragging me back every week. There's also interesting writing and character development going on, witnessed best in the dynamic amongst its main cast.

A story full of juxtapositions

From the outset you might think the Force sensitive Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) would take center stage and, although his performance is incredible, the four trouble-making kids are just as compelling. "Skeleton Crew" draws out each of their flaws, weaving various moments of delight and adventure with greater life lessons baked into the backdrop.

Take episode six, "Zero Friends Again," which largely focused on KB (Kyriana Kratter) in the throes of potential "total system shutdown." Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) eventually comes to her rescue, leading to a lighthearted side adventure that delves deeper into KB's condition.

The tender moment masks a valuable life lesson about friendship and heroism, one many of us today could do with reminding.

Juxtaposing this scene is a not-so-lighthearted exchange between Jod and his prior band of interstellar pirates, most of whom want nothing more than to see him tossed out of the airlock. These juxtapositions pop up a lot in "Skeleton Crew," punctuating story beats and shaping each character's personality.

Plus, "Skeleton Crew" isn't afraid to make you laugh. With its adventure focusing primarily on a band of children that knows very little about the current state of the galaxy, you get away with a lot of subtle references that don't feel forced into the story. That's the prime charm in "Skeleton Crew," as it can be fiercely funny at times largely set on a "Star Wars" punchline.

And then there's the multitude of mysteries still left unanswered.

So many questions, so little time

"Skeleton Crew" offers true intrigue to fans of a franchise that has longed for a resident mystery, one that isn't shackled to its past. At every turn, the show lobs new quandaries at its audience, with many still awaiting answers, like the true identities of Tak Rennod, At Attin's Supervisor, and even Jod himself.

And where will Jod's backstory lead us? Theories abound about his past, with many speculating he was subscripted into the Jedi Order until the inevitable Order 66 changed everything. But maybe that's not the full picture?

Several minor details still leave me scratching my head, as well, like why Rennod's hologram concealed his face, or the whereabouts (and even identity) of Wim's mother. And, with all but a single episode remaining, one question plagues the mind of many a "Star Wars" fan: Is "Skeleton Crew" bound for a second season?

It's hard to say. It largely depends on how things wrap up in the finale. I could see Jod making a cameo somewhere later in the timeline perhaps, but that hinges on a theoretical redemption arc. A better question I think is would I like to see these characters again, and honestly? I absolutely would.

I, for one, was thrilled for "The Acolyte" only to be let down by its delivery. But "Skeleton Crew" has surprised me, showing me not just what good "Star Wars" can be under Disney, but what incredible storytelling and world-building truly look like. It makes me wish we could stay on this adventure with Jod and the kids forever, but alas all good things must come to an end.

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A few months back, I wrote an article explaining why I was excited about "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew".

The Disney Plus era of "Star Wars" has certainly been hit-and-miss. For me, it's always been best when things veered in a new direction or tone; yes, I'm an "Andor" fan way more than a "The Mandalorian" kind of guy.

While "Star Wars" troubles don't seem to be over just yet (the next major movie recently slipped from the 2026 slate), I'm glad that things are getting experimental again. "Skeleton Crew" had me so intrigued because it was billed as a throwback to family favorite coming-of-age/adventure tales and wants to explore a new part of the universe.

While I've been enthusiastic and subsequently burned before, based on these first two episodes that are now available, I think the "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew", team has delivered a refreshing twist on what "Star Wars" can be. It's thrilling viewing and has me keen to continue watching; here's why.

What is 'Skeleton Crew' about?

The setup for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" is fairly simple. It was pitched back in 2022 as 'a galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films'. Think "The Goonies" in space.

We're introduced to four kids — Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and KB (Kyriana Kratter) — who make a strange discovery within the safe bounds of their rather banal homeworld. A misadventure sees them leaving the safety of their home planet behind and hurtling deep into outer space.

Cue a fraught quest to return home, bringing them into contact with dangerous foes and unlikely allies, including a mysterious, Force-sensitive figure played by Jude Law.

Okay, so why should you stream 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew'?

In short, you should check out "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" because it's shaping up to be a really fun show.

Two episodes in, this feels perfectly pitched as a new "kids on bikes"-style series, even if it's a little too early to definitely say whether it belongs on our list of the best Disney Plus shows. Nevertheless, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed so far.

The "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" pilot does a lot of work establishing the world — think suburban America if it was transported to a galaxy far, far away — and introducing us to the show's talented young cast; I'm sure the elephantine alien youngster, Neel, is about to become a fan-favorite "Star Wars" figure.

From there, episode two gives us our first taste of what challenges our young travelers will face, wherein they take stock at a shady spaceport.

As a demonstration of the overall tone, the season premiere works. It feels bright and breezy, a straightforward mixture of funny exchanges, school troubles, and that very particular Spielbergian kind of jeopardy, one in which I'm sure viewers of all ages will find something to love.

It's also refreshing to watch something that's paced and plotted to the rhythms of a TV series, especially when it comes to the end-of-episode hooks. In both cases, the show's packed in a moment or a reveal that has me wanting to come back for more.

I'll conclude by noting that I'm not an outlier here, either: the show's earned a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, drawing praise for its young stars, the early thrills, and uncomplicated, swashbuckling feel. It's nice to see something that isn't "Andor" winning other viewers over!

If you're in the mood for a new romp to see out the year... it really feels like Disney Plus just dropped an early treat a few weeks out from the holiday season.

Episodes 1&2 of "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" are now available to stream on Disney Plus. New episodes are dropping weekly through to mid-January 2025.

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We finally have a release date for the highly anticipated “Andor” season 2 after weeks of no solid news. The next season of “Andor” will premiere on Disney Plus on April 22, 2025, meaning we still have a few more months to wait until the titular character returns to the small screen.

Along with the release date, new details have emerged about the show's timeline and how season 2 will gradually lead into the events of “Rogue One”. This season will cover a more expansive, yet varied, timeline, offering a deeper exploration of Cassian’s (Diego Luna) evolution in the years before he became a Rebel Alliance intelligence officer and met Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones).

Showrunner Tony Gilroy previously told Deadline that the second season will cover four years in Cassian’s life: "When we come back later, it’ll be literally like a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And then, we’ll jump a year, and then it’ll be, like, four or five days, and then we’ll jump a year, and then there’ll be another four or five days, and then we jump a year, and be another four or five days.”

Following this good news, I’m hopeful we’ll see a trailer by the end of the year that offers a sneak peek at the action. For now, here’s everything to expect in “Andor” season 2, including the show’s confirmed timeline and episode count.

The confirmed timeline in ‘Andor’ season 2

In “Andor” season 2, the confirmed timeline promises an ambitious narrative structure that spans four crucial years in the lead-up to “Rogue One”. With 12 episodes, season 2 will cover one year of Cassian life in each three-episode arc, effectively giving the audience a full four-year timeline by the season’s end.

At the D23 Expo held in Anaheim, California, a behind-the-scenes reel confirmed that Ben Mendelsohn would join the cast of “Andor” season 2, returning as the villainous Orson Krennic from “Rogue One”. Luna said in the clip that the “stakes are greater” in the new season and that “this second part will follow Cassian over the period of four years as he grows into the hero we see make the ultimate sacrifice in Rogue One.”

While Disney has kept plot specifics under wraps, those who attended the Star Wars Celebration in April 2023 got an exclusive glimpse of the action. Although the teaser hasn’t been released to the public, reports from the event detail Cassian’s involvement in various undercover missions as he edges closer to becoming a central figure in the rebellion.

Other familiar faces from season 1 are also set to return: Cassian is expected to reunite with Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona), while Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), even more emboldened in his hunt, is determined to bring him down. Meanwhile, Rebels Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) and Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) appear to be facing dangerous situations behind enemy lines, adding tension and stakes as the season progresses.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Luna provided some more details on the second season: “I think people watching Rogue One, after watching season 2, are going to see a different film. Everything will be signified differently knowing what had to happen for K-2 to be there. It's going to make you witness the journey of Rogue One in a different way, I think. And not just with K-2, but with many other characters. I think it'll be really cool.”

It’ll soon be time to return to a galaxy far, far away. If you need more entertainment in the meantime, check out the best movies on Disney Plus now. You can also see what’s new on the streamer this month.

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Whether you want it or not, Lucasfilm and Disney are going to make another trilogy in the mainline "Star Wars" saga. 

Deadline reports that Lucasfilm has closed a deal with writer-producer Simon Kinberg to develop a trilogy of Star Wars movies comprising episodes 10 through 12 of the overarching Skywalker Saga.

Whether or not Kinberg will continue where J.J. Abrams left off in "The Rise of Skywalker" is up for debate. Conflicting reports claim that it is either a continuation or a new saga. 

Kinberg joins a long list of writers and directors attached to "Star Wars" films or TV shows that may or may not actually see the light of day. The list includes James Mangold ("Logan," "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ("Ms. Marvel"), Taika Waititi ("Thor: Ragnarok," "What We Do in the Shadows") and Donald Glover ("Atlanta," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"). 

Kinberg is no stranger to the "Star Wars" universe having worked on the Dave Filoni-led animated series "Star Wars Rebels." He has also worked with both Glover and Mangold previously. Kinberg was a producer on the Mangold-directed "Logan" and has written and produced several other "X-Men" films including "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" and the "Deadpool" movies. 

Previously, Kinberg wrote the 2005 "Mr & Mrs. Smith" movie that paired up Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He returned to that franchise as a writer and producer for the 2024 Prime Video show of the same name which stars Glover and Maya Erskine as the titular Smiths.

As a producer, he's had his hands in several big projects including "The Martian," the wild Apple TV Plus show "Sugar" and Kenneth Branagh's strange trilogy of Agatha Christie-based films.

Before his "Star Wars" trilogy gets off the ground, Kinberg has a Paramount remake of Stephen's King's "The Running Man" in the works which is being directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, William H. Macy and Josh Brolin. He is also attached to a new "Star Trek" movie directed by Toby Haynes and written by Seth Grahame-Smith who mostly recently wrote the "Beetlejuice" sequel.

All of this to say, Kinberg's vision of "Star Wars" will probably be blockbuster-friendly, safe and full of explosions. Will it be good? Based on Disney's recent "Star Wars" track record, a Stormtrooper has better aim.

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Disney Plus is set to expand its streaming horizons with the launch of four new live channels later this year, according to Bloomberg. These "always on" channels are expected to boost subscriber retention by making the experience more lively and engaging, which can help lower churn rates.

The hope is that this feature gives Disney Plus a leg up in the busy streaming scene, setting it apart from other platforms and making it more attractive to both current and future subscribers. 

The channels will include Real Life, Hallowstream, Throwbacks, and the highly anticipated Hits and Heroes. The Hits and Heroes channel, in particular, promises to give fans a diverse selection of action-packed movies and series from Disney's extensive library, including content from the beloved Star Wars and Marvel franchises.

Available exclusively to Premium subscribers on the ad-free plan, these channels will refresh their content monthly. This move builds on Disney's recent venture into continuous live streaming, following the debut of 24/7 channels dedicated to ABC News and Disney Junior earlier this month. 

Alisa Bowe, president of Disney Plus, said that the channels are more like playlists for viewers: "Playlists are the latest example of how we’re providing the best value and experience for our subscribers every time they open Disney Plus. Whether it’s news, kids’ content, popular genres, hit TV shows or blockbuster films, there will be something for everyone in a lean-back viewing experience based on seasonality and interest."

This news also comes at the perfect time considering Disney Plus is currently offering a limited time deal. You can get the ad-supported Disney Plus basic plan for just $1.99 per month for the first three months (offer ends on September 27). If you're enjoying the streaming service and want access to the live channels in the coming months, you’ll have to switch to the Premium subscription. 

What can you watch on these Disney Plus channels?

The new Disney Plus channels will each offer different types of content. Real Life will feature documentaries and biopics, providing viewers with in-depth explorations of real stories and historical events. Hallowstream (the one I’m personally looking forward to) will focus on a curated selection of spooky and seasonal content, including classic Halloween specials and family-friendly horror movies.

Throwbacks will offer a nostalgic viewing experience, which is perfect for those looking to revisit classic Disney content. Lastly, we have Hits and Heroes that will focus on action-packed entertainment, including popular Star Wars and Marvel titles like "The Mandalorian" and "Andor." This channel aims to deliver thrilling blockbuster hits 24/7. 

What’s so great about these channels is that you can tune in at any time and find programming that fits your interests. While the channels stream content continuously, they follow a set schedule or rotation, meaning there’s always something playing. Feel like transporting to a galaxy far far away or jumping straight into some superhero action? Disney Plus has you covered. 

The Hits and Heroes channel is slated to arrive this fall on Disney Plus. 

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When I was a young boy, most of the other kids held all-too-typical aspirations for their futures, with occupations like fireman, singer, pro athlete, and the occasional engineer. Me? I wanted to be Han Solo when I grew up. Now, nearly twenty years later, I finally have the chance to live out my childhood dreams in the ever-expansive and utterly breathtaking adventure that is Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws.

It's no secret that the Star Wars IP is in shambles right now. The recent cancellation of Star Wars: Acolyte says a lot about the franchise and it clearly needs a big win to right the bucket of bolts it's floundering in. Lucky for us fans, Star Wars Outlaws delivers in spades, providing an ever-thriving ecosystem of worlds that feel truly alive set atop the backdrop of a galaxy reeling in the shadow of the Empire.

You take the reins as Kay Vess — not quite the Han Solo of my youth, but she has her own style and wit that enlivens the story with similar jolts of levity. It helps that, like her scoundrel counterpart, Kay also has an otherworldly being at her side in the cute and fearless Nix, a ferret-like creature called a Merqaal.

Stretched across the outer rim, on the run from a dangerous crime lord, Kay and Nix take on all but a small part of the galaxy, aiding the likes of the Pyke syndicate, Hutt clan, Crimson Dawn, and more among the criminal underworld in a quest for freedom. Following in the wake of The Empire Strikes Back, Outlaws sees a galaxy at the height of the Empire's reign, adding fascinating levels of complications to the story.

From its break-neck Grand Theft Auto-like heists to its space-based vehicular combat, Star Wars Outlaws is on a whole other level, delivering much and more of a promised open-world adventure in a galaxy far, far away. Despite some missteps and technical mishaps, developer Massive Entertainment's newest experience is of a mold and class that's hard to replicate — yet even after over 20 hours of playtime, I still want so much more.

Star Wars Outlaws: The Basics

• What is it? Star Wars Outlaws is a space-faring adventure where you trek across the outer rim as Kay Vess, securing your new place in the galaxy working for the likes of the Hutts, Crimson Dawn, and Pyke Syndicate.
• Who is it for? For Star Wars fans and adventure lovers. With four worlds to visit and vast swaths of space to explore, there's a ton of variety to lose oneself in and tons of awesome collectibles to find.
• What’s the price? Star Wars Outlaws is available for $69 across a wide variety of retailers, but an Ultimate Edition is also available for purchase at $129. Ubisoft also has a monthly payment plan available for $18 a month with a Ubisoft+ membership.
• What other games has the developer made? Massive Entertainment is behind top-notch games including Tom Clancy's The Division, Far Cry 3, and the more recent Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
• What games is this similar to? Star Wars Outlaws draws influence from PlayStation's Uncharted series. Given its "outlaws" nature, it also has similarities with Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption II. Parallels with EA's Jedi Survivor series also exist.

Out there, somewhere 

Star Wars Outlaws opens on a banquet feast corralling the heads of the biggest criminal organizations in the galaxy. But you're barely spared a breath before all but one is left alive and seated at the table. The enigmatic crime lord Sliro hovers in the background of the story, adding fuel to your quest to gain a major foothold in the underworld.

Outlaws excels at keeping you immersed in this storied world, one set in the original era between the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. As such, while the Empire might be at the top of its game, so too are the many factions that make up the Star Wars criminal underworld.

As the outlaw Kay Vess, it's in your best interest to keep in good standing with these organizations. Having a poor, bad, or worse reputation with the Crimson Dawn means you're barred from entering the premises of any of its territories, and the same is true for other factions. Because of that, you won't be able to land at certain ports or partake in certain side quests. This adds a nice level of variety and immersion to the game.

Following your departure from Cantobite, Vess's home planet, you find yourself stranded on Toshara, which caters mostly to the Crimson Dawn and Pyke syndicate. It's here where you'll spend the next several hours, learning speeder bike traversal, blaster gunplay, schmoozing with sleazy merchants, and completing your first few contracts.

Developer Massive Entertainment does well in shaping the perfect pace for Outlaws. The first few hours is dedicated to learning all of the fundamental basics of the game and from there you're thrust into the galaxy, which teems with a host of surprises all its own. The four planets you'll have visit a wide swath of orbital space featuring debris, space stations, asteroid fields, nebulas, and the like.

It's both peaceful and violent in the vastness of space. Random events, like one that tasks you with aiding a cargo ship in the throes of bombardment from pirates, bring this empty space to life in awesome ways. Traversal can be tedious and time-consuming, but that's relativity for you. At least there are more than a few random events to keep you preoccupied.

Outlaws also doesn't hand-hold too much in its gameplay design, which is a nice touch coming from someone who mostly plays Dark Souls. You'll find that if you really need a hint for something, often in menus or elsewhere, you'll be given the option to describe the function in greater detail, like weapon upgrades, special abilities, etc. This means you're never left in the dark on newly-acquired goodies. 

And the levels of customization, while (thankfully) not quite as sophisticated as Starfield's, mirrors other games like Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. You have the option to change Kay's outfit, the colorway of your ship and speeder, and even add some cute drip to your trusty sidekick, Nix.

Like R2 and C-3PO before them

On the topic of Nix, he's perfectly molded into the story and gameplay in clever ways. Kay can call upon Nix to perform a variety of actions, which usually manifest with an unmissable neon blue symbol of the creature's face. The type of actions can be anything from fetching an item off the ground to attacking an unsuspecting enemy.

It's a solid system that works flawlessly. Once you get a good rhythm down and know how and when best to use Nix, you'll find yourself creating some fluid sequences. It's really fun testing the limits of what Nix can do and what both of you can do together at any particular moment, especially while evading blaster bolts.

This even extends to non-combat scenarios, where (for instance) you're sharing a delicious treat with your furry little friend. These mini-games, which are effectively cutscenes with quick-time actions, display the bond between Kay and Nix in beautiful ways. While these pitstops have their benefits in the form of buffs and specialized perks, they aren't wholly necessary. Still, they add incredible depth and immersion to the game. Whenever faced with one, I'm always reluctant to skip them.

Combat comes in many forms, from space-based dogfights to ground-level blaster-filled action. One thing that could irritate some players is that you can't keep rifles on you at all times. You'll usually find weapons on fallen enemies, which can only be used in those particular areas.

Instead, you'll mostly use Kay's trusty pistol, which you can modify in a variety of ways. My favorite upgrade is the rapid-fire shot, which turns Kay's pistol into the Star Wars equivalent of a Uzi machine gun. Kay's blaster contains loads of customization options, which give you the tools necessary to survive the many combat scenarios you'll face.

I primarily played on the penultimate difficulty setting. It's not the hardest difficulty, but it's tough nonetheless. Thankfully, the game is very generous with save points, which might be off-putting for some, but works for this game. After all, you don't want to spend hours retracing your steps across planets.

Finally, I couldn't help but leave the best for last: it's score. Outlaws serenades you with fierce, pulse-pounding techno vibes, similar to the soundtracks of Blade Runner and Armored Core 6. While it still holds to that Star Wars chic, with the all-too-familiar piano rift (which is so aptly used in this as the alert sound when enemies see you), Outlaws still sports an underlying Cyberpunk soundscape that works so well with its narrative. 

Don't count your chutniks just yet

Despite being potentially one of the best games of the year, Star Wars Outlaws isn't without a host of technical complications. In over 10 hours of playtime, the game crashed a total of three times and I also had to revert to an old save following a game-breaking bug that froze all potential progress in the main story.

While not quite on the levels of Cyberpunk 2077, its technical snafus are still frustrating. Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment will (hopefully) provide a day-one patch to fix these issues.

Nevertheless, bugs aren't the only issues plaguing Outlaws, as graphical woes also persist. It's most noticeable in facial animations and random cutscenes. For example,  I went to pet an animal, only to have Kay's hand wave at empty air while the creature disappeared into the ground.

Another annoyance is how the game locked you into stealth missions. Granted, this shows how well (or not well) you handled the in-game relationship mechanic with different factions. It makes sense you'd have to sneak to avoid certain foes. I just wish there were more alternative methods, as stealth gameplay isn't for everyone.

Star Wars Outlaws: Verdict

With the IP in the gutter currently, Star Wars Outlaws arrived at a perfect time. With all due respect to EA's Star Wars Jedi series, this game gives me the satisfaction of truly exploring that familiar faraway galaxy. Though technical issues can get frustrating, they're not enough to dull my enthusiasm. Right now, this is the best Star Wars-related project out there.

Despite doing perfectly fine on Rotten Tomatoes, and one of our writers finding the show restored his faith in the Star Wars franchise, The Acolyte has been canceled, according to a new report.

As per Deadline, Lucasfilm has opted not to proceed with a second season of the Star Wars spinoff, with the decision coming a month after the series wrapped on Disney Plus. The series starred Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-Jae, Manny Jacinto and Dafne Keen.

The Acolyte started strong, with the first two episodes cultivating more than 4.8m views during its premiere on June 4 — and became the biggest series to debut on Disney Plus this year. That number climbed to 11.1m views after just five days on the platform.

That said, the show divided longtime fans of the franchise, with user reviews suggesting the show simply "should've been better", comparing it to successful Star Wars series such as The Mandalorian and Andor.

Questions left unanswered at the end of Season 1

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

In the finale of The Acolyte, viewers were left with an endless barrage of unanswered questions. And now, thanks to the news of the cancellation, we are left to forever speculate about the end of the series.

For starters, fans were treated to a cameo from a very familiar Jedi Master — Yoda. Master Yoda is alive and well during the time frame of The Acolyte, which takes place a century before the "The Phantom Menace" film. However, this small cameo of the tiny green Jedi Master has fallen short of deeper meaning now that the series has come to a rather unfortunate end.

Plus, the last episode gave an intriguing glimpse of who is speculated to be Darth Plagueis the Wise, an infamous Sith Lord. While he isn't explicitly identified, his story is told to Anakin Skywalker by Chancellor Palpatine in "Revenge of the Sith", where Darth Plagueis' tale ends when he is killed by his apprentice, who is none other than Palpatine himself. Fans have speculated that this sighting of Plagueis could mean that Qimir (Manny Jacinto) is a young Palpatine — but alas, we will never truly know.

Thankfully, Disney Plus still has several Star Wars shows on the way, including Skeleton Crew, which will debut in December, and Andor Season 2, pegged for early 2025.

In the midst of the hype surrounding the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws, a blast from the past has quietly re-entered the galaxy far, far away. Star Wars Bounty Hunter, a game that first graced our screens when Attack of the Clones was still fresh in theaters, has been remastered for modern consoles. And you know what? It might just be the Star Wars fix you didn't know you needed.

Now, I know what you're thinking. A 20-year-old game? Really? But hear me out. In an era where every new game promises to revolutionize the industry with sprawling open worlds and complex systems, there's something refreshingly straightforward about Bounty Hunter's approach to Star Wars gaming.

As a long-time Star Wars fan, I've seen my fair share of games set in this beloved universe. There's something special about Bounty Hunter, a game that dares to show us the grittier, morally ambiguous side of the Star Wars universe. It's not about saving the galaxy or becoming a Jedi master — it's about surviving in a harsh world where credits are king and your next job could be your last. 

And in today's gaming landscape, that kind of focused, unapologetic approach feels refreshingly bold.

The allure of simplicity 

Star Wars Bounty Hunter doesn't try to be the biggest or most ambitious Star Wars game. Instead, it offers something that's become increasingly rare: a focused, linear experience that knows exactly what it wants to be. You're Jango Fett, the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter, and your job is simple — track down targets, dead or alive.

This simplicity extends to the gameplay. There's no skill tree to agonize over, no crafting system to master, no sprawling map filled with repetitive side quests. It's just you, your jetpack, and an arsenal of weapons against the scum of the galaxy. And you know what? Sometimes, that's all you need.

Now, let's address the Sarlacc in the room — the original Bounty Hunter, for all its charms, had some issues. The camera, in particular, seemed to have been designed by a vengeful Sith Lord. But Aspyr's remaster has done more than just slap a new coat of paint on an old game.

The addition of a Modern camera option transforms the experience from a frustrating wrestle with controls to a smooth, enjoyable romp through the Star Wars underworld. It's a seemingly small change that makes a world of difference, allowing the game's strengths to shine through without the dated design holding it back.

A unique perspective on the galaxy

What sets Star Wars Bounty Hunter apart, even two decades later, is its perspective on the Star Wars universe. This isn't a tale of noble Jedi or daring Rebels. It's a ground-level view of the galaxy's criminal underworld, a side of Star Wars we rarely get to explore in games.

As Jango Fett, you're not saving the galaxy - you're just trying to make a living in it. This shift in focus allows the game to show us corners of the Star Wars universe that even modern titles often overlook. It's gritty, it's morally ambiguous, and it feels distinctly different from your typical Star Wars adventure.

So, why play it now? In the lead-up to Star Wars Outlaws, revisiting Bounty Hunter offers an interesting perspective. Both games promise to explore the criminal side of the Star Wars galaxy, but they do so in vastly different ways. Where Outlaws aims to give us a vast, open-world take on the concept, Bounty Hunter provides a more focused, almost arcade-like experience.

Playing Bounty Hunter now isn't just an exercise in nostalgia (though there's plenty of that for those of us who played it back in the day). It's a chance to experience a different era of both Star Wars and game design. It's a reminder that sometimes, less can be more.

The remaster updates just enough to make the game feel at home on modern hardware without losing the charm of the original. New lighting effects and a built-in flashlight for Jango add atmosphere to the grimy underworld locales. PS5 players even get some nifty DualSense features that add an extra layer of immersion.

A refreshing change of pace 

In an era where Star Wars games are becoming increasingly complex and cinematic, Bounty Hunter's straightforward approach feels like a breath of fresh air. Modern titles like Jedi: Fallen Order and the upcoming Outlaws offer sprawling adventures with intricate combat systems and vast worlds to explore. While these games are undoubtedly impressive, they can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Bounty Hunter, by contrast, offers a more focused experience. Its levels are linear, its objectives clear, and its combat system intuitive. This doesn't mean it's simplistic — far from it. The game challenges you to use Jango's full arsenal creatively, from his dual blasters to his jetpack to his various gadgets. It's a reminder that sometimes, less is more.

This approach also allows Bounty Hunter to maintain a breakneck pace that many modern games struggle to match. You're constantly moving from one firefight to the next, one bounty to another. There's no downtime spent traversing vast empty spaces or managing inventory. It's pure, distilled Star Wars action.

In revisiting Bounty Hunter, we're reminded that while technology and game design have advanced tremendously, there's still value in the focused, arcade-like experiences of yesteryear. Sometimes, you don't need a 100-hour epic. Sometimes, you just want to be Jango Fett for a few hours, jetpacking through the Star Wars underworld with blasters blazing. And in those moments, Star Wars Bounty Hunter delivers in spades. 

A flawed gem, but a gem nonetheless

Is Bounty Hunter perfect? Far from it. Even with the remaster, there are elements that feel dated. The level design can be repetitive, the story isn't going to win any awards, and some mechanics feel clunky by modern standards.

But in a way, these imperfections are part of its charm. They're reminders of a different era of game design, one that prioritized immediate fun over complex systems or cinematic storytelling.

At its core, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Remastered is comfort food for Star Wars fans. It's a straightforward, action-packed romp through the grittier side of the galaxy. And with Aspyr's thoughtful updates, it's more enjoyable to play now than it ever was.

So while we eagerly await the release of Star Wars Outlaws and its promises of a new, expansive take on the criminal underworld, why not take a trip back in time? For a few hours, you can be Jango Fett, the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy. And who knows? You might just find that this blast from the past is exactly the Star Wars adventure you've been looking for.

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It's safe to say that "Star Wars" as a franchise has been in a rough spot for a while now. Despite my early optimism about "The Acolyte", the Disney Plus show turned out to be just the latest of the franchise's mixed efforts.

Sure, the wuxia-style fight scenes were fun, and it managed to dish up one of the very best lightsaber duels in a long time, I'll happily admit that "The Acolyte" didn't end up becoming the killer "Star Wars" show I was hoping for: "Andor" is still the high point of the Disney years so far.

That said, I can't shake the hold that the franchise has on me; seeing my first "Star Wars" movie in theaters ("Revenge of the Sith") remains a core childhood memory, and I've continued to check out every "Star Wars" release that comes our way in the vain hope we get another all-time hit. 

Having read that big "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" update we just got from People, I have to admit: I'm ready to get my hopes up that this might end up becoming one of the best Disney Plus shows all over again. 

Why I'm excited about "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew"

Per the official season synopsis"Skeleton Crew" sees Jude Law traveling to the galaxy far, far away as new character Jod Na Nawood for a new coming-of-age tale that revolves around a group of lost youngsters who are striving to escape a 'strange and dangerous' galaxy and make their way home.

When it was announced back in 2022, the series was pitched as 'a galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-adventure films of the '80s' set post-"Return of the Jedi" (via Variety) The promise of combining this amazing universe with the sense of adventure that comes through in classics such as "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" or "The Goonies" was an immediate draw for me, and the synopsis sells it even more. 

It feels distinctive among the other "Star Wars" projects; it's a very specific mood to shoot for and one which the team seems to have achieved: Jude Law said 'joyful' was the first word that came to mind when asked to describe the series in his interview with People.

The creative team behind the project is a big draw for me, too. The series is helmed by MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts and "Spider-Man: Homecoming" writer, Christopher Ford. With "Homecoming" (and Watts' subsequent Spidey movies), the pair have demonstrated a knack for stories of heroism with a younger crew. 

They've also doubled down on that sense of fun on set; Watts recalled in the same interview that he had to keep telling the child stars to 'Stop smiling!' whilst shooting scenes on their hover bikes because they were having too much of a good time on set.

It's still early days, and we still have precious little info to work with beyond an official synopsis and a few first-look images shared on X, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to streaming "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" when it premiers this December. If it does end up being another misfire... well, we've always got "Andor" season 2 to look forward to.

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• "The Acolyte" ending explained: "Star Wars" cameos, deaths and season 2 chances

Evil is rising in a galaxy far, far away, and the ending of "The Acolyte" finale paves the way for a phantom menace. The "Star Wars" show concluded its first season with an episode packed with plot, action, deaths, cameos and allusions to future events from the films. 

"Star Wars" fans are buzzing about those cameos, in particular, and whether "The Acolyte" episode 8 sets up a potential second season. A lot of questions are swirling around the finale, and we do our best to answer them. 

Warning: Spoilers ahead. 

What happens in 'The Acolyte' finale?

Episode 7 finally revealed what went down on Brendok all those years ago. Turns out that Sol (Lee Jung-jae) killed Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) and the Jedi inadvertently wiped out the entire coven. 

In episode 8, all surviving players return to Brendok, the scene of the crime and the site of an apparent Force vergence. That includes Sol, twins Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), Qimir/the Stranger (Manny Jacinto), and Master Vernestra (Rebecca Henderson) with a team of Jedi. 

As Osha and Qimir depart, a mysterious figure emerges from a cave — seemingly, Qimir's dark side master (more on that below).

A lightsaber battle ensued between Sol and the Stranger, while the twins engaged in hand-to-hand combat until the Jedi team's ship arrived at the temple. Mae confronted Sol about her mother's death, with Osha secretly listening as he tried to explain and apologize. Enraged, Osha ends up suffocating her once-beloved master — killing him without a weapon, as the Stranger had wanted Mae to do. 

Osha and the Stranger prepare to escape the approaching Jedi, but first, he wipes out Mae's memory so she can't give up their location. 

Back on Coruscant, Vernestra covers up the entire incident by blaming Sol for the events of the past. Later, she approaches one person to discuss the matter further — a Jedi master familiar to all "Star Wars" fans. 

What is the meaning of Yoda's cameo?

At the very end of the finale, Vernestra enters the room of one of the most famous Jedi of all time. Though we only see the back of his head, it's clear that it is Yoda. 

“Sorry to disturb you, master. We need to talk," she says. 

Yoda, of course, is alive and well during this time period. In the films, he's hundreds of years old and "The Acolyte" takes place about 100 years before "The Phantom Menace."

The tiny green Jedi master's cameo creates a bridge between the events of that movie and the show. In the film, the Jedi Council is stunned to discover that the Sith are active, having believed them extinct for more than a millennium. 

Clearly, Vernestra's cover-up by blaming Sol as a rogue Jedi works. It's unclear whether she will tell Yoda the truth, as he seems just as surprised as the other council members in "Phantom Menace." Then again, he could have been acting. 

Whether Yoda is part of the cover-up or not is up in the air. Maybe we'll learn more about it if "The Acolyte" gets a second season. 

Is the shadowy figure in the cave Darth Plagueis?

Another cameo happened earlier in the finale that really set "Star Wars" fans into a whirl. When Qimir and Osha leave his home base of Bal'demnic to go to Brendok, a shadowy figure emerges from a cave. 

While he is not identified, he is most likely Darth Plagueis, an infamous Sith Lord. The figure not only resembles Plagueis, but the timing is right for him to be there. 

The story of Darth Plagueis the Wise was told by Chancellor Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker in "Revenge of the Sith." As Palpatine explained, Plagueis was obsessed with immortality and performed experiments with midi-chlorians to find a way to cheat death and also create life ... just like the coven on Brendok did with Osha and Mae. Plagueis was eventually killed by his apprentice, Darth Sidious aka Palpatine.

Plagueis' appearance in "The Acolyte" finale raises a host of questions. Is Qimir a young Palpatine? Or did Plagueis have another apprentice before Sidious. Does Qimir recruit Mae, then Osha, as his own apprentice because of the way they were created? Will they be subjected to Plagueis' experiments?  

Is 'The Acolyte' getting season 2?

Disney Plus has yet to renew "The Acolyte" for a second season. 

As I wrote above, the finale certainly set up a lot of questions and potential storylines to explore in season 2. While most of the Jedi main characters, like Sol, are dead, others can be introduced. Vernestra could become more of a key player, while we could learn whether Yoda has a role in her cover-up. Season 2 could follow Osha's apprenticeship in the dark side under Qimir and Plagueis, and the latter's experiments with midi-chlorians.  

However, the prospects for "The Acolyte" season 2 aren't very good. Viewership has been low — very low. While Disney Plus doesn't publicize viewing data, Nielsen's tracking service indicates "The Acolyte" is the second least-watched and second lowest-rated "Star Wars" series (though the bottom show is "Andor," which can boast critical acclaim and accolades). "The Acolyte" is not as beloved as "Andor" and has been watched by fewer people than "Ahsoka," yet cost more to make.

So, I wouldn't put money on "The Acolyte" season 2. 

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If you grew up when the Star Wars prequels were being released like me, you might remember Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. The game was a prequel to Attack of the Clones, putting you in the shoes of Jango Fett and the events leading up to him becoming the template for the clone army. Well that game is making a comeback.

22 years after it was first released, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is being enhanced and re-released for PC and modern consoles. Those enhancements include improved environment textures, new lighting effects and a flashlight — because the original game was pretty dark.

Players will also be able to play as Boba Fett after finishing the campaign — something the original game teased but didn’t actually offer.

The PS5 version of the game will also have unique features, thanks to the DualSense controller. That means you can make use of the adaptive triggers, listen to in-game communications through the controller’s speaker, and see your health status reflected in the controller’s LED lights.

PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch and Xbox owners will still be able to play the enhanced version of the game. But those features will not be available, even if you use a DualSense controller on your PC.

I never got to play Bounty Hunter as a kid, but desperately wanted to. Unfortunately the game was exclusive to PS2 and Gamecube and I… had an Xbox. I wasn’t able to play the game until many years later when it finally came to PS4.

Unfortunately, the camera work on that version of the game was all over the place. So to this day it’s the only non-VR game that’s ever given me motion sickness — to the point where I gave up not that long after unlocking Jango’s jetpack. 

I’m not entirely sure whether the enhanced version will fix those issues. After all it is an enhanced version of the original game rather than a full remake. So the mechanics should be more or less the same as the original 2002 version. Maybe I’ll give it a try, or maybe I’ll just go back to the PS4 port first. At least I’ve got some time to make my decision.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter launches later this year on August 1 for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X and PC — and it’ll set you back $20.

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“Star Wars” has remained relegated in a holding pattern of late, with its newest Disney Plus series “The Acolyte,” starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-Jae, embroiled in its own online hate brigade.

But its newest episode might well have finally silenced all of the raging noise with a spectacle that was as exciting as it was nail-biting. From major deaths in the midst of an incredibly well-crafted lightsaber battle to the big reveal of the series’ overarching villain, the fourth episode of “The Acolyte” finally brought the “Star Wars” that we fans have been craving.

The show hasn’t been without its faults, though. Poorly executed writing and some choice decisions in its narrative give the series an odd start, but things are now looking quite promising for those invested. 

If you haven’t yet tapped into “Star Wars: The Acolyte” and its newly released fourth episode, now’s your time as we’re definitely getting into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. 

A lightsaber duel for the ages 

On everyone’s mind following the latest "The Acolyte" entry is its excellent fight scene, which lasts a particularly long duration of the episode. It sees the masked villain going toe to toe with the entire team of Jedi on Khofar, and it’s a stellar display of what Disney can really do with this franchise. 

In its culmination, Lee's Master Sol faces off against the main villain, who is finally unmasked to be Qimir (Manny Jacinto). With his smiley-teeth lined helmet in ruins at his feet, the dark side-wielding foe reveals himself as a Sith. 

While it might not have been the most satisfactory of surprises — many saw this very twist coming — Qimir fits his role perfectly. In his new guise, the aspiring evildoer does well in selling his place within the “Star Wars” pantheon leaving a trail of Jedi bodies behind him with seemingly little effort and exuding a force to be reckoned with. 

And many more surprises are yet to come as Stenberg’s Mae is whisked off with Qimir, while Osha (also played by Stenberg) leaves Khofar with Master Sol masquerading as her twin sister. Questions still permeate about what exactly Master Sol is hiding from the two twins and what his involvement might be in the fires that destroyed their home. 

Where next “Star Wars: The Acolyte” might take us is anyone’s best guess, but one thing is for certain — Rebecca Henderson’s Vernestra Rwoh, the green-skinned Jedi, is up to no good. She also might have a part to play in all of this and could be pulling the strings from the background, but we'll just have to wait and see where the mystery leads. 

It’s no secret that the show has been met with plenty of ire, but things are seemingly now shaking up to bring to light a “Star Wars” show worth investing in. Writing and narrative woes aside, “The Acolyte” could be the next hot ticket Disney Plus item for “Star Wars” fans and we’re only a few weeks from its eight-episode climax. 

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Prime Gaming is an often overlooked Amazon Prime membership benefit, but it’s one that gamers really shouldn’t miss out on. This awesome perk gives subscribers access to a load of gaming freebies including exclusive DLC items for popular multiplayer titles, but most importantly Prime Gaming offers access to a rotating selection of entirely free full games. 

Right now, Amazon Prime subscribers can get a free copy of Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005) on PC (redeemed via GOG). This galaxy-sized freebie is set to run through July 10, and to claim your free copy of the beloved Star Wars shooter just head to the Prime Gaming hub, visit the “Games” section, select Star Wars Battlefront 2 and then follow the instructions.

Even better, there’s still time to pick up some of Prime Gaming’s previous free games including Weird West: Definitive Edition, which is a unique action RPG set in a very strange depiction of the American frontier. Plus, you can still grab Fallout 3: Game of the Year, but you’ll need to be quick on this one, as the freebie is still to expire in just 24 hours. 

Amazon Prime members can access Prime Gaming as part of their subscription. There's no additional cost. So, make sure you’re checking the platform regularly so you never miss a free game. Also be sure to grab these free games now, even if you don’t currently have time to play them. Once claimed they are yours to keep, so redeem them today and you can always circle back later on.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is a classic for a reason

To clear up any confusion, Prime Gaming is offering the 2005 version of Star Wars Battlefront 2, not the 2017 reboot released by EA under a cloud of controversy due to its numerous predatory microtransactions. So while you shouldn’t expect shiny graphics, you can look forward to enjoying arguably the best Star Wars shooter ever made. 

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is a classic video game, and I have many fond memories of playing it for hours upon end on the PlayStation 2. The game lets you relive classic battles from across the Star Wars timeline playing as a frontline Stormtrooper, Clone trooper or Droid, as well as legendary heroes and villains such as Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan and Han Solo. 

Battles are set on numerous familiar locations including the desert planet of Tatooine, the icy surface of Hoth and the fiery lava pits of Mustafar (Battlefront 2 released the same year as Revenge of the Sith so there’s a lot of tie-in content). If boots-on-the-ground gameplay isn’t enough, you can also pilot various iconic Star Wars spacecraft in aerial dogfights among the stars.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 can be enjoyed in either local co-op, or you can take the action online and face off against players from around the world. Alternatively, there’s also a full single-player mode. It lacks the cinematic thrills of the best single-player Star Wars game, but it’s a fun time filler and is a great way of getting up to speed before jumping online. 

This shooter sequel is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, but to this day, it remains one of the most enjoyable Star Wars video games ever. It lacks modern polish, but the fun factor has never waned, and it’s still a genuine treat for fans of the juggernaut sci-fi franchise. 

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"The Acolyte" has arrived on Disney Plus and, going by the two-episode premiere, I think it just might be one of the most exciting new chapters for the galaxy far, far away in some time. 

So far, Disney's Star Wars output has felt decidedly hit-and-miss: aside from "Andor" and the first season of "The Mandalorian," I wouldn't say that I've loved any of the live-action Star Wars shows that the House of Mouse has put out since Disney Plus arrived. 

"Ahsoka" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi" might have delivered some thrills, but I'm currently way more invested in seeing where "The Acolyte" takes us. Here's why I'm going to be glued to my seat every time a new episode drops.

"The Acolyte" is exciting because it feels fresh 

It may be sacrilegious, but I've felt for a long time that I'm sort of over the Skywalker saga. I have loved Star Wars since I was a kid, but I've been desperate to see fresh stories unfold or to meet more brand-new characters who aren't in one way or another tied back to Luke and Darth Vader. 

Enter "The Acolyte," a mystery series (a genre Star Wars hasn't properly explored) that charts an intriguing new tale set at the end of the High Republic era. It's a part of the timeline that hadn't appeared in live-action until now and is characterized by peace and prosperity for the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic.

Our tale takes place 100 years before the events of "The Phantom Menace." That peace is threatened when Mae (Amandla Stenberg) starts hunting Jedi. Jedi Master Sol ("Squid Game" frontman Lee Jung-jae) starts investigating these killings, bringing him into conflict with a dangerous figure from his past. 

"Andor" was a triumph because it focused intently on telling a character-driven, revolutionary, and well-written story. So far, "The Acolyte" seems to be cut from similar cloth. This a well-realized new corner of the universe, and since it's been populated with all-new characters — save for a familiar face from other High Republic media — I felt like I wanted to get to know these characters right away.

Likewise, the on-screen action in the first two episodes feels fresh. Fights thus far haven't been lightsaber duels; they've mostly been driven by Force-powered hand-to-hand combat that's executed with flair. The stakes feel high in these fights precisely because the Jedi do not seem to understand this dangerous new presence they're up against.

Since it's a mystery story, I don't really want to give much more away about the plot, but the two-episode premiere has already set up some very interesting questions. Who, or what, is driving Mae to hunt Jedi? And if Mae is the titular acolyte... who does she serve? There's also the very strong sense that we're about to learn the Jedi aren't necessarily as "good" as we're led to believe...

'The Acolyte' reviews prove that people want something new

Clearly, I'm totally on board, but it certainly looks like I'm not the show's only fan. At the time of writing, "The Acolyte" has earned an impressive 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, from a total of 90 reviews. However, it's worth noting that the audience score is 40%. 

The site's critical consensus reads: "Taking fresh risks with Star Wars lore while having infectious fun playing with the stylistic trappings of a galaxy far, far away, "The Acolyte" is a Padawan series with the potential to become a Master". 

"Andor" is still held by reviewers as the franchise's high point — and it would be untrue to say that "The Acolyte" won every critic over — but I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one happy to see Star Wars try something new.

Paste Magazine's Terry Terrones called "The Acolyte" 'so compelling and unique' and praises the talented cast and Leslye Headland for doing 'an incredible job of creating something new' with the series. 

Inverse's Dais Johnston similarly praises it as 'a standalone story that establishes a new caliber of what Star Wars TV can do', noting that discovering new things about the High Republic and discovering new things about the world and the central story alongside "The Acolyte" cast is a treat.

In another positive write-up, Manuel Betancourt of The AV Club praises the show chiefly for investigating the Jedi Order, writing: "What perhaps makes "The Acolyte" such an engaging and addictive watch (over the first four episodes screened for critics, at least), is its commitment to not treating the Jedi (or the Star Wars franchise writ large) as untouchable."

Should you stream "The Acolyte" on Disney Plus?

If you couldn't tell already, I think you 100% should make some time to stream "The Acolyte".

It takes us to a new point in the franchise timeline and looks to recount a story that doesn't require tons of Star Wars homework to comprehend (making "The Acolyte" a perfect jumping-on point for Star Wars newcomers). 

The first two episodes set up an engaging mystery that plays with familiar themes from the franchise (revenge versus justice, the relationship between light/dark, duality), but looks to take this story in a different direction or maybe to draw fresh conclusions about the franchise than past projects, without the baggage of including cameos or tying everything back to the same core cast.

The way I see it, broadening the universe's scope to tell new tales can only be a good thing. If I've convinced you to check it out, be sure to stream "The Acolyte" online ASAP.

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Disney celebrated Star Wars Day on May 4 by releasing a new trailer for “The Acolyte,” the highly anticipated upcoming Star Wars series that premieres with its first two episodes June 4 on Disney Plus. The action-packed trailer is the second preview officially released for the series created by Leslye Headland (“Russian Doll”), which is set during the High Republic era of Star Wars history, about a century before the events of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.”

The latest trailer sets up “The Acolyte” as a murder mystery, featuring “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae as Sol, a Jedi master investigating a series of killings, with Amandla Stenberg as a Padawan who may have gone rogue. Stenberg’s Mae could be responsible for the killings, and she could be the “acolyte” of the title, although that implies some kind of leader or guru she would be following.

As the Dark Side of the Force begins to rise, Mae might even be part of that eventual takeover of the Empire, or she could be battling against it. The trailer references “some sort of shift” that indicates the dark future to come in the Star Wars timeline.

The trailer features plenty of action but not a lot of plot details, which makes sense for a franchise with the kind of devoted fans who will dissect every detail looking for clues about the twists and reveals that are meant to be a surprise. In addition to the various light saber battles, the trailer offers a brief glimpse of a figure in a black helmet wielding a red light saber, who could be connected to one of Star Wars’ iconic villains. Sol asks, “What are you?,” a question fans are certainly wondering about as well.

Other than that, though, this trailer remains free of familiar Star Wars characters, indicating that “The Acolyte” could break away from the Skywalker Saga storylines that have come to dominate all Star Wars shows, even those that first appear to be largely unrelated. 

Whether “The Acolyte” will offer a new dramatic angle on Star Wars, as in the acclaimed “Andor,” or spin the wheels of a sometimes bloated franchise, can’t really be discerned from this trailer or the first. Audiences will have to wait until June 4 to get any real answers, just as they should.

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