If someone asks me about the best Star Wars collectibles, I always point them toward Hasbro's Black Series range. No matter whether it's absurdly detailed action figures, or lightsaber replicas, I've got no problem with singing their praises. However, I think the Black Series helmets are some of the best merch from a galaxy far, far away - period.

Besides looking like the spitting image of their on-screen counterpart, these props are incredibly well made. Actually, they look as though they've been stolen from a movie set or the Lucasfilm archive. These Star Wars collectibles don't have a collector's edition price, though... especially not with Prime Day throwing around discounts like blaster fire.

The sales event has slashed the cost of many Star Wars Black Series helmets, and while not all of the savings are worthwhile, plenty took me aback. That's why I've gathered up the best and most eye-catching offers here.

In the mood for more sci-fi? A terrifying campaign version of our favorite horror board game got fully funded in just 54 seconds.

• See all of today's Black Series helmet deals at Amazon

Thought the Blade Runner timeline was as simple as two movies and an anime TV series? Think again! The world that started in Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and was adapted to the screen by Ridley Scott in 1982's Blade Runner, has expanded to include a whole lot more than just that. For starters, there are comics, games, live-action shorts, and the upcoming Amazon series Blade Runner 2099. Then there are non-canon books, VR adventures, and even a tabletop role-playing game.

Before we unspool the Blade Runner timeline below, it’s worth noting a few things. First, we will focus primarily on the franchise's on-screen outings, along with the major comic-book stories released by Titan Comics and Alcon Publishing (Alcon Entertainment being the franchise's proprietors).

We've decided to leave out the Alcon-licensed video game from 1997 (it has multiple endings; characters can be both human and replicants), two of the minor VR games, as well as the tabletop game and original book sequels – written by K.W. Jeter and released in the '90s and '00s, as these no longer fit with modern canon. They are moments lost in time. Like tears in the rain…

Blade Runner Timeline: Release Date Order

• Blade Runner (Film) – 1982
• 2036: Nexus Dawn (Live-Action Short) – 2017
• 2048: Nowhere to Run (Live-Action Short) – 2017
• Blade Runner Black Out 2022 (Anime Short) – 2017
• Blade Runner 2049 (Film) – 2017
• Blade Runner: Revelations (Daydream VR Game) – 2018
• Blade Runner 2019 (Comic) – 2019-20
• Blade Runner 2029 (Comic) – 2020-22
• Blade Runner Origins (Comic) – 2021-22
• Blade Runner: Black Lotus (Anime Series) – 2021-22
• Blade Runner 2039 (Comic) – 2022-24
• Blade Runner: Black Lotus: Leaving L.A. & Las Vegas (Comic) – 2022-26
• Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus (Comic) – 2024-ongoing
• Blade Runner 2099 (TV Show) – 2026

Blade Runner Timeline: Chronological Order

2009 – Blade Runner Origins (Comic)

Release date: 2021-22

As the title implies, Blade Runner: Origins tells the story of the very first Blade Runner, AKA the guys who hunt down rogue replicants – replicants being bioengineered humans, indistinguishable from normal people except they can be extremely strong and intelligent.

Cal Moreaux is an LAPD detective tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of Lydia Kine, a scientist working for the Tyrell Corporation, the company best known for selling the enhanced humanoid slaves known as replicants.

Across Origins' 12-issue run, Cal becomes caught up in an emerging replicant uprising and discovers an unsettling link between his investigation and his own sister, Nia. It's a surprising, twisty story that ultimately leads to the formation of the Blade Runner division, with Cal as its first member. Cal also later appears in Blade Runner 2039.

2015 – Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus (Comic)

Release date: 2024-ongoing

The first Blade Runner story set in Asia, Tokyo Nexus focuses primarily on the human Mead and her best friend, the replicant Stix, two survivors of a doomed off-world military mission. Back on Earth and now working as unlicensed private detectives, they juggle a missing persons case with searching for the person who betrayed their squad. Their investigation soon sees the duo embroiled in a patent war between multiple Yakuza clans, the Tyrell Corporation, and Cheshire, a company developing bootleg replicants.

Two volumes of Tokyo Nexus have been released so far – Die in Peace and To Lose is to Win – with a third, Die With Honor, starting November 4, 2026.

2019 – Blade Runner (Film)

Release date: 1982

One of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, Ridley Scott's movie set the tone for everything that followed in the Blade Runner universe. It centers on Rick Deckard (famously played by Harrison Ford), a Blade Runner tasked with hunting down four advanced replicants, led by Roy Batty, who have illegally returned to Earth hoping to extend their deliberately short four-year lifespans by forcing Eldon Tyrell – founder of the pesky Tyrell Corporation – to help them.

During the investigation, Deckard's replicant-hunting skills are tested by Tyrell, who makes Deckard do a Voight-Kampff empathy test on Rachael, a replicant who believes she's human. But, twist! They end up falling in love. Meanwhile, Batty eventually gets to Tyrell, who cannot help Batty, leading to the replicant crushing Tyrell's head. With his life reaching its inevitable end, Batty delivers the famous "tears in the rain" monologue.

For anyone revisiting this classic, make sure to watch the Final Cut, as its ending is Scott's preferred one and leaves us with the eternal question: is Deckard actually a replicant?

Bonus! The 1997 point-and-click adventure, also titled Blade Runner, takes place concurrently with the movie and tells the story of Ray McCoy, an officer charged with hunting down a group of replicants who murder animals. This is a huge crime, as nearly all animals are extinct in the world of Blade Runner.

McCoy interacts with a couple of characters from the movie, including cameos from Sean Young's Rachael and Joe Turkel's Dr. Eldon Tyrell, voiced by the original cast. Deckard also makes an appearance, though he's seen and not heard. There are 13 different endings, depending on actions in the game, with McCoy potentially being either a replicant or human.

2019 – Blade Runner 2019 (Comic)

Release date: 2019-20

Blade Runner 2019 is the first instalment in a trilogy of comics focusing on Aahna 'Ash' Ashina, the first female Blade Runner. She's hired by wealthy industrialist Alexander Selwyn to find his missing wife, Isobel, and young daughter, Cleo, with the investigation eventually taking Ash from the streets of Los Angeles to the off-world colonies.

Things become complicated when Ash discovers Isobel is actually a replicant copy of Cleo's mother. The case forces Ash to question her attitude towards replicants, beginning a story that continues ten years later in Blade Runner 2029 and concludes with Blade Runner 2039.

2022 – Blade Runner Black Out 2022 (Anime Short)

Release date: 2017

Released shortly before Blade Runner 2049 as a way to tee up the long-awaited sequel, Black Out 2022 is a 15-minute anime directed by Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichirō Watanabe. Replicants no longer have four-year lifespans, which, in turn, leads to growing anti-replicant sentiment and the creation of a database identifying every replicant on Earth.

Two replicants, Iggy Cygnus and Trixie, along with human sympathiser Ren Dus, decide to destroy that database by detonating a nuclear warhead above Los Angeles, creating an electromagnetic pulse capable of wiping out all electronic records across the West Coast. Their plan succeeds (though Trixie dies), and the resulting blackout becomes one of the defining events in Blade Runner history: replicant production becomes prohibited, huge amounts of data are lost, and the Tyrell Corporation collapses, its assets eventually bought by the Wallace Corporation, who we'll be hearing a lot more from…

2023 – Blade Runner: Revelations (Daydream VR Game)

Release date: 2018

There are, in fact, three VR games set in the Blade Runner universe, but the other two are relatively inconsequential tie-ins to Blade Runner 2049; Revelations is a little more substantial. It follows Harper, a veteran Blade Runner investigating the increasingly violent conflict between humans and replicants. The Replicant Underground – a group fighting for replicant rights – has gone on the offensive, while Blade Runners have been ordered to hunt down its members and allies. This is also when the new law is proposed, banning the manufacture of replicants altogether.

Harper's investigation leads him to Night Owl, a secret viral pathogen developed by Eldon Tyrell, designed as a failsafe that could wipe out all replicants, should they take over. The story branches depending on the player's decisions, eventually allowing Harper to either side with the authorities or help the Replicant Underground. Even with multiple endings, though, the VR game explores a lot of seriously important lore – it wouldn't be a surprise if the replicant-killing Night Owl reappeared at some point in the future.

2029 – Blade Runner 2029 (Comic)

Release date: 2020-22

The second part of Ash's trilogy finds the Blade Runner no longer exclusively hunting replicants but secretly helping them escape captivity, too. Things get complicated when Ash encounters Yotun, an older replicant version who survived far beyond his intended four-year lifespan by taking blood transfusions from other replicants. He seeks to extend his life further by discovering the secret to longer life that he – like Roy Batty – believes Eldon Tyrell was hiding. Yotun is also gathering other replicants around him and launches an uprising against their human oppressors.

Eventually, Ash's double life as Blade Runner and replicant-sympathiser is discovered, while Yotun learns that Tyrell’s supposed secret is not the answer to immortality he hoped for. The story also features Freysa, Ash's replicant lover and leader of the Replicant Underground, a group demanding replicants get equal rights. An older Freysa, who has one eye, is played by Hiam Abbass in Blade Runner 2049.

2032 – Blade Runner: Black Lotus (Anime Series)

Release date: 2021–22

This Crunchyroll/Adult Swim collaboration follows Elle, an amnesiac woman with deadly fighting skills, a black lotus tattoo, and a desire to remember who she was. She soon discovers that she's actually a replicant previously hunted for sport by humans, and sets out to get revenge on those who wronged her.

Elle finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy involving the Wallace Corporation, the replicant-creating successor to the Tyrell Corporation. Turns out, she was actually created by Niander Wallace Jr. (later played by Jared Leto on screen) to assassinate his father, Niander Wallace Sr., after plans are put in motion to sell the company's replicant-making facilities, as these have become redundant following the replicant production ban. Wallace Jr. can't let that happen; he wants to create a new generation of replicants that can one day replace humanity. Elle eventually kills Wallace Sr., and later blinds Wallace Jr.

2032 – Blade Runner: Black Lotus: Leaving L.A. & Las Vegas (Comic)

Release dates: 2022-26

Elle's story continues in two comic-book sequels to Black Lotus. Leaving L.A. picks up immediately after the anime, with Elle fleeing Los Angeles on a homemade Spinner-bike as she's still wanted for murder by the LAPD. Her journey takes her to a remote industrial community, where she becomes caught up in a conflict between rival factions.

Las Vegas continues Elle's story as she travels to the irradiated ruins of Sin City, which was abandoned following the detonation of a dirty bomb. There, she discovers communities of former casino replicants who have created their own strange society based around ancient Egyptian and Roman royalty. Unfortunately for Elle, Niander Wallace Jr. is out for revenge and sends a squad of mercenaries after her. Elle ultimately escapes and ventures beneath Las Vegas, where she discovers an underground community of replicants who welcome her into their ranks.

Bonus! The game Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth was set one year after the events of Black Lotus, and would have dealt with the fallout of the blackout. Annapurna Interactive was developing the game, and a trailer was released in 2023. However, it has been canceled.

2036 – 2036: Nexus Dawn (Live-Action Short)

Release date: 2017

For a six-minute short (directed by Luke Scott, son of Ridley), 2036: Nexus Dawn packs a lot in. A blinded Niander Wallace Jr. (Jared Leto) attempts to overturn the prohibition on replicant production. Appearing before a group of lawmakers, Wallace argues that humanity needs replicant labour to survive and expand beyond Earth, and introduces his latest creation: the next evolution of the replicant, designed to obey humans completely. Wallace demonstrates this by ordering one to choose between Wallace's life and its own; the replicant cuts its own throat. The demonstration helps pave the way for the return of legal replicant production.

Bonus! Blade Runner: The Roleplaying Game, the tabletop game, takes place in 2037 and begins shortly after Wallace's new replicant models have gone public, giving players the choice of being either human or replicant Blade Runners. There are a few story-based case files, which center mainly around the Wallace Corporation's replicant-making antics.

2039 – Blade Runner 2039 (Comic)

Release date: 2022-24

The final part of Ash's trilogy. Cleo Selwyn returns to Los Angeles in search of the replicant copy of her dead mother, Isobel. Cleo turns to an ageing Ash for help, but their search puts them in the sights of Niander Wallace, who believes Cleo's family may hold the key to replicant fertility.

Wallace sends the advanced replicant Luv (later played by Sylvia Hoeks in Blade Runner 2049) after Cleo. Ash eventually gets her hands on the research conducted by Cleo’s father, Alexander Selwyn, into replicant reproduction and makes a deal with Wallace: he gets the research if he leaves Cleo and Isobel alone. He agrees: Cleo and Isobel escape off-world, while a terminally ill Ash decides to spend the rest of her days with her partner, Freysa.

2048 – 2048: Nowhere to Run (Live-Action Short)

Release date: 2017

The second live-action prequel short to Blade Runner 2049, again directed by Luke Scott, Nowhere to Run focuses on Sapper Morton, played by Dave Bautista. He makes a living selling the leeches he farms and befriends a young girl named Ella while on a trip to town.

Things go wrong when Sapper saves Ella and her mother from a group of thugs, brutally killing several of them and, in the process, revealing his superhuman strength – and that he's a replicant. As he leaves, Sapper accidentally drops papers containing his address. These are reported to the LAPD, directly setting up Blade Runner 2049's opening sequence.

2049 – Blade Runner 2049 (Film)

Release date: 2017

The long-awaited sequel. Denis Villeneuve's modern masterpiece follows K (Ryan Gosling), an advanced replicant, working as a Blade Runner, hunting down older, non-obedient replicants. While retiring Bautista's Sapper, K discovers the remains of a female replicant who died giving birth – something previously thought impossible. That replicant turns out to be Rachael, who had a child with Rick Deckard after the events of the original movie.

K is ordered to find and kill the child, yet Niander Wallace Jr. wants the child for very different reasons; his replicant creations are still unable to reproduce, and he believes discovering how Rachael became pregnant could allow him to manufacture replicants on the scale needed to expand humanity throughout the stars.

The investigation leads K to Harrison Ford's ageing Deckard, who has spent decades in hiding. Eventually, Deckard's child is found: Dr. Ana Stelline, a memory designer whose own childhood memories were implanted into K. After killing Wallace's replicant enforcer Luv, a mortally wounded K reunites Deckard with his daughter.

2099 – Blade Runner 2099 (TV Show)

Release date: November 25, 2026

Amazon's upcoming limited series takes us 50 years into the future – a period so far completely unexplored. In those intervening years, replicants have usurped humans after some sort of war, the story picking up with Hunter Schafer's Cora, a human pretending to be a replicant. She teams up with Michelle Yeoh's Olwen, a replicant Blade Runner coming to the end of her life, to hunt down a group of rogue replicants.

That's about all we know about the series, created by Silka Luisa, the showrunner behind Apple's Shining Girls. All eight episodes are releasing in one batch, so expect the Blade Runner timeline to be rocked come November.

Find out more about Blade Runner 2099 during the New York Comic Con panel on Saturday, October 10 at 6:45pm ET (3.45pm PT and 11:45pm BST).

We've also got a guide to all the upcoming TV shows you need to know about.

Death Stranding movie director Michael Sarnoski has revealed he has started location scouting for the upcoming A24 adaptation.

On Instagram, Sarnoski – draped in a Death Stranding t-shirt – posted a selfie of his current setting: the rocky landscape of Iceland.

In another video, saved for posterity and posted on Twitter, you can see how perfect the location is – perfectly resembling the harsh terrain and stunning vistas Sam Porter Bridges had to overcome across two Death Stranding games.

Sarnoski's global travels would indicate he has now finished writing the script. As of this past June, he told IGN, "I'm writing the script right now and hopefully almost done with that and really excited to dive into it."

The director, best known for helming Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, added, "We're working on some revisions together, and they all seem super excited and happy with it. Kojima has been really generous in letting me play in his world but letting me tell a story with my own characters and my own sort of corner of this world, but keeping it honest to the game and doing something that fans will really like."

The Death Stranding movie, as revealed at Kojima Productions' 10th Anniversary Stream, will focus on an original story in the universe.

The first two Death Stranding games focused first on Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) and his attempts to reconnect America after an apocalyptic event and, then, traversing the plains of Australia on a group mission to open a new 'Plate Gate.'

Creator Hideo Kojima himself stated he wouldn't be too involved in the creative process. Besides, he's likely busy – with two games, O.D. and Physint, currently in development.

No casting or release date has yet been announced for the Death Stranding movie.

For more, discover the other upcoming video game movies currently in the works.

Kathleen Kennedy has reflected on stepping down as Lucasfilm president early this year after 14 years in the role, saying that she felt a lot of relief not having to live up to Star Wars creator George Lucas' legacy anymore.

When asked if she felt "bittersweet" about leaving Lucasfilm during Bloomberg’s annual Screentime event (H/T THR), Kennedy said no. "I suppose there's a bit of relief. These jobs are not easy and stepping into something like that that George [Lucas] had created was an incredible challenge."

Kennedy took over Lucasfilm in 2012, just before Disney bought the company for $4.05 billion, which added a lot of pressure to deliver the goods. Though Kennedy's tenure saw a lot of wins with movies like the sequel trilogy and series Ahsoka, the franchise also saw fans react negatively to some projects like The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew.

But Kennedy says this is the "challenge" that comes with taking over such a beloved franchise with die-hard fans. "You've got people where this means a lot to them. But at the same time, the challenge is to try to create something new, something original. So finding that balance is really the toughest thing." Kennedy said her proudest accomplishments were relaunching the film franchise starting with 2015's The Force Awakens and rolling out Andor and The Mandalorian.

Before leading the Star Wars franchise, Kennedy was a longtime collaborator of Steven Spielberg's, working as a producer on his projects such as Jurassic Park and Lincoln, and other classics like Back to the Future and Gremlins. But when she took over as Lucasfilm president, Kennedy recalls asking Lucas if he had any advice for her on direction on storytelling. "He said, 'No, no, it's all here,'" Kennedy explained, pointing to her head. "I said, 'Okay, well that's going to be interesting to try and mine that.'"

Longtime Star Wars filmmaker Dave Filoni took over as president of Lucasfilm earlier this year. But Kennedy is still involved with the Star Wars world and is producing Shawn Levy's upcoming movie Star Wars: Starfighter, which releases on May 28, 2027

For more, check out our guides to the Star Wars timeline and how to watch Star Wars in order, and keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows on the way.

A Star Wars fan has come up with a pretty interesting theory about Star Wars: Starfighter – and it says Ryan Gosling is actually playing Luke Skywalker's son.

Gosling is playing a character named Kade Auberon in the upcoming Starfighter, and fans of the old Legends continuity might notice a similarity with one Cade Skywalker.

"Wouldn't shock me if Starfighter turns out to be a soft launch for the new trilogy and Ryan Gosling is playing Cade Skywalker from Legends, now retrofitted to be Luke's son," predicts the fan.

Cade Skywalker is a descendant of Luke's in Legends – existing in continuity around 100 years later – and he's a bounty hunter and former Jedi Padawan. Gosling's Kade, meanwhile, is still a pretty mysterious character, though footage revealed at D23 shows him in possession of the fastest starfighter in the galaxy, which is a decommissioned Imperial model.

A new Star Wars trilogy is indeed in the works, with the first film to be helmed by Spider-Man director and Skeleton Crew co-creator Jon Watts. It's set to feature Rey "in some capacity," according to The Hollywood Reporter, and it also looks set to continue the Skywalker Saga.

While it does seem very unlikely that Gosling's character is actually Luke Skywalker's son – after all, nothing we've seen of Luke since Return of the Jedi suggests he has a secret family – it wouldn't be a stretch to think Starfighter might set up the new trilogy in some way. We'll just have to wait and see.

Starfighter arrives on May 28, 2027. In the meantime, keep up to date with everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Oppenheimer actor Casey Affleck has revealed he contacted Christopher Nolan for help settling a debate about the director's twisty sci-fi film Tenet.

Affleck played Col. Boris Pash in Oppenheimer, in a very brief but memorable role that saw him share a scene with Cillian Murphy. He also appeared in Interstellar as the adult Tom Cooper.

"I was driving back from school with my son. We were talking about Tenet and disagreeing. I said: 'Let's settle that,'" Affleck shared onstage at the Zurich Film Festival (via Variety).

"We got him on the phone and asked him something that we could have easily looked up on Reddit," he added. "Once he said it, it sounded so obvious I felt embarrassed. That was it. I haven't called him again, and he hasn't called me."

While Affleck didn't elaborate on what, exactly, he needed Nolan to weigh in on, we're not surprised Tenet was the film to spark a debate. After all, it's a fairly difficult movie to wrap your head around. Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Elizabeth Debicki, and Kenneth Branagh star.

Oppenheimer, of course, won Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards, and Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, looks like one of the strongest contenders to take home the gold this year. Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Pattinson, and more make up the star-studded cast.

The Odyssey is still in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies to plan your theater trips for the rest of the year.

Godzilla Minus One has made history as the first-ever Godzilla movie to earn an R-rating. But according to director Takashi Yamazaki, this couldn't be helped, as the movie's violent and bloody scenes are essential to the story.

"You want as many people from the general public to be able to see your film. So, an R-rating might seem like a barrier to entry," said Yamazaki to Variety. "In spite of that, though, there were certain scenes that, for me as a director, were so essential to the film. Censoring it or cutting it was just not an option for me."

The MPA R-rating means that moviegoers under the age of 17 won't be able to see the movie without a parent or guardian present. In the past, movies of this nature have tried to avoid this rating to bring in a wider audience. However, over the past few years, we have seen many movies break records despite limiting ratings, such as 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine and this year's The Odyssey, which earned $1.72 billion.

The Godzilla franchise is the longest-running monster film franchise ever, boasting 38 films. But despite focusing on a terrifying, city-destroying monster, the saga has managed to keep things pretty PG. However, in this case it seems that the R-rating couldn't be avoided. Godzilla Minus One was rated R for "some violent content/bloody images."

Set in 1949, Godzilla Minus Zero picks up just years after Godzilla Minus One, following the effects of the war and the monster's wrath. The new movie follows the Shikishima family confronts a fresh catastrophe just as their lives were finally returning to normal.

Godzilla Minus Zero has debuted to rave reviews, standing at a near-perfect 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In our 4.5 out of 5 stars Godzilla Minus Zero review reads, "With devastating human drama and earth-shaking kaiju action, Godzilla Minus Zero ups the ante in every way from its predecessor – and is easily one of the best films of the year."

Godzilla Minus Zero hits US and UK theaters on November 6. For more, check out our guide to the best monster movies, and keep up with upcoming movies on the way.

Godzilla Minus Zero has been screened for critics, and it has debuted to incredibly strong reactions.

The film is a direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One, picking up two years after the events of that movie. As revealed by the final trailer, this time around, King Ghidorah has entered the fray, too.

After premiering at New York Film Festival, early reviews are in, and they're overwhelmingly positive. The film currently sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes from 22 reviews, which, while a near-perfect score, is slightly below the first film's 99%. If the score holds as more reviews drop in the run up to the film's November release, it would be the second most critically acclaimed Godzilla movie on Rotten Tomatoes, below Minus One and above the 1954 Godzilla.

"With devastating human drama and earth-shaking kaiju action, Godzilla Minus Zero ups the ante in every way from its predecessor – and is easily one of the best films of the year," reads our own 4.5-star Godzilla Minus Zero review.

"Godzilla Minus Zero doesn’t disappoint in the slightest on the kaiju front, but does lack the same level of emotional resonance that its predecessor held," says IGN in a 7/10 review.

"Minus Zero aims higher, dreams bigger, and branches out even wider than "Minus One" ever did — but such ambitions come at a cost," reads Slashfilm's 7.5/10 review.

"While the follow-up might be missing some of the filmmaking ingenuity that made the last entry so special (nothing quite matches that Jaws-inspired boat chase), it more than makes up for it with a grander spectacle and more heart-wrenching drama," says Polygon.

"Godzilla Minus Zero cross-breeds its fight-to-the-death grappling with disaster-movie scope and horror-movie teeth. Yet it also doesn't go in for the overkill; like its predecessor, the movie favors quality of visual effects over quantity," reads The Guardian's 4-star review.

Godzilla Minus Zero arrives in the US and UK this November 6. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies for everything else worth keeping on your radar.

Following a years-long break between movies, Star Wars is officially back in its cinematic flow. Following The Mandalorian and Grogu hitting screens this year, and with Shawn Levvy's Star Wars: Starfighter on the way, LucasFilm is moving forward with yet another feature, and it has already found its director.

Jon Watts has been tapped to direct the first movie out of a new trilogy that will next chapter of the Skywalker Saga. The mystery trilogy is penned by Simon Kinberg, who has been working on the three films since late 2024. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has not yet been greenlit by Disney. However, the feature is the furthest along the development track after Starfighter.

Watt is already part of the Star Wars family due to co-creating, writing, and directing a fair chunk of the 2024 Disney Plus show Skeleton Crew. The filmmaker also has a lot of experience with big franchises like Marvel, directing the first three MCU Spider-Man movies starring Tom Holland, successfully relaunching the web-slinging hero

Though details are being kept tightly under wraps, the project will seemingly act as Episode 10, continuing the Skywalker Saga, which runs from Episode 1: The Phantom Menace right up to Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker. The trilogy will also welcome back Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker in some capacity. However, Ridley's involvement has us wondering if Watts' Episode 10 is set to replace the previously revealed Rey movie.

Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, the Rey movie was said to be set after Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, following Rey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order. But if Watts' project follows on from Episode 9 and features Rey, will there be any need for the Rey movie after that? The Rey movie has suffered a series of delays, lost several writers, and has failed to leave early developmental hell. We haven't heard any promising updates on the project in a while, so we wonder if this is really the end.

Next up for Star Wars, though, is the Ryan Gosling starrer Starfighter, which is set to tell a new story away from the Skywalker Saga, taking place five years after The Rise of Skywalker. Star Wars: Starfighter releases on May 28, 2027

For more, check out our guides to the Star Wars timeline and how to watch Star Wars in order, and keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows on the way.

Godzilla is back. Three years after Godzilla Minus One rampaged onto screens and blew the world away, writer/director Takashi Yamazaki returns with a follow-up that's bigger, bolder, and more ambitious than its predecessor.

Minus Zero picks up two years after the events of the first film, in a Tokyo that is now plagued by a new threat: Ghidorah. This monster is even scarier than Godzilla, thanks to its ability to assimilate other creatures' DNA, its sizzling lightning-breath, and – most terrifying of all – its powers of flight. The Disaster Response Bureau has a far more perilous battle on its hands this time around.

Unlike Legendary's Monster-verse, though, this is no popcorn flick. Instead of leaning into gonzo action, Yamazaki has once again crafted a devastating, hard-hitting story that grapples with post-war trauma and the very human cost of going toe-to-claw with monsters.

King of the Monsters

Despite the title, Godzilla Minus Zero is more of a Ghidorah movie than a Godzilla movie. The titular kaiju begins the movie dormant after Kōichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) took him down at the end of Minus One, and instead, it's Ghidorah who claims the spotlight. The first half of the movie revolves around the struggle against this new kaiju and the mechanics of battling it, including a fascinating new element: a meteorological plan spearheaded by "forecasting prodigy" Makoto Aoyama (Masami Nagasawa), overseen by Minus One's Naval weapons engineer Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka).

A returning Kōichi is also involved in the plan, though, after the events of Minus One, his priorities are now firmly his wife Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and their adopted daughter Akiko (Sae Nagatani) – even if a sense of duty draws him back into the cockpit.

While Ghidorah is a fearsome, compelling foe, it's impossible not to miss Godzilla a little bit, especially considering all the emotional weight tied to that creature in particular when it comes to Kōichi. Widening the scope to Ghidorah also means the film is less streamlined than its predecessor, which works both to its benefit and detriment. The human story now encompasses a larger cast, rather than focusing mainly on Kōichi's own struggles, allowing for a deeper exploration of post-war trauma but putting us at slightly more of a distance from the Shikishima family – and losing the poignant intimacy of focusing on one protagonist's state of mind. Kuranosuke Sasaki's boat captain Seiji Akitsu and crewman Yuki Yamada's Shirō Mizushima, two standouts from the first film, also only appear very briefly.

That's not to say the Shikishima family is not still a huge part of the story, though. Much of the tale does revolve around them and their attempts to live a normal life as monsters roam the Earth. They also become a much bigger part of the narrative when Godzilla finally, inevitably returns midway through the film – and, with this kaiju's comeback, Minus Zero kicks into even higher gear, as the stakes double and the threat feels personal once again.

Just like in Minus One, it's impossible not to root for the Shikishima family, especially when Nagatani's youngster Akiko is so heartbreakingly innocent. All she wants is her parents, even as both Kōichi and Noriko are drawn deeper into the fight against Ghidorah and Godzilla. Their story focuses on this conflict between love and duty, in a mirror image of Kōichi's journey in Minus One; as much as he would like his war to be over this time, it's clear that peace is not yet within reach.

The wider scope gives more prominence to Noda, too, who is grappling with his own tremendous guilt for his role in the war. Newcomer Kanji Murakami (Min Tanaka), a biologist on Noda's team, is also given a leading role. His story, and the way it factors into the fight against Ghidorah and Godzilla, is absolutely devastating, and it forms the thrust of the film's human conflict.

The human cost

Indeed, just like Minus One, Minus Zero isn't interested in spectacle that doesn't foreground the catastrophic human cost of such destruction. This is the first Godzilla film to earn an R-rating, and that's thanks to graphic, harrowing scenes set in hospitals or on the obliterated streets of Japan featuring maimed and brutalized victims. The desolation left by World War 2 is also foregrounded in the narrative in a way we won't spoil here, but is truly gutting, and builds to a seriously emotional catharsis.

And, of course, when the kaiju action does come, the VFX is spectacular. The Best Visual Effects Academy Award is surely locked in once again: Ghidorah and Godzilla both seem utterly real, without a hint of artifice, in a way that puts other blockbusters to shame. The action is awesome in the literal sense, especially at the climax: a ground-shaking, visceral battle.

Godzilla Minus Zero, then, is bigger than the first film in every way. While something is lost from the wider scope, much is also gained, resulting in a film that might be even more powerfully emotionally affecting than Minus One. Yamazaki's winning combination of shattering human drama and breath-taking kaiju action doesn't just propel the film into the upper echelon of Godzilla movies, but also of this year's best films.

And, even though the trailer teased the end of the story, there is certainly a hint that Godzilla might return again. With two of the best Godzilla movies ever made under his belt, here's hoping Takashi Yamazaki finds inspiration for a third.

Godzilla Minus Zero is in US theaters and UK cinemas from November 6. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about.

George Lucas says he went back and edited the original Star Wars trilogy (with minor tweaks to the prequels) because they simply "weren't finished."

"Most movies aren't finished; they're simply yanked out of your hands and put in the theaters," Lucas said via IGN. "So you're always saying 'oh, I wish I could have just finished that one piece of thing.' But it's not that way. You have a deadline; you've got to make the deadline."

"But then I went back, after Star Wars, and redid all the movies, in terms of finishing them," the filmmaker continued. "So that they're actually finished. And of course, a lot of people got upset about that, because they said, 'you're not allowed to do that.' I said, 'Fans are doing that. They're making alternate versions and all kinds of stuff.'"

As a fan, the two changes from Star Wars: A New Hope that frequently keep me up at night are 'Han shot first' and 'Maclunkey!' In the original 1977 cut, Greedo threatens to kill Han Solo, and Han promptly shoots him in response, his gun having already been drawn and ready underneath the table. In the 1997 Special Edition, Lucas added a scene that shows Greedo firing first at Han, making the subsequent murder a justified one. Did we need this? Nope. Not everyone in the Star Wars universe who isn't a Sith needs to be a good guy (and Andor does a great job at showcasing this).

However, this scene was further edited in 2012, though it didn't hit Disney Plus until 2019, to include Greedo yelling out something nonsensical before being shot and killed. That nonsensical phrase has been roughly translated as "Maclunkey!" and was pulled from the film's archive of unused audio. Lucas has never outwardly explained the reason behind the addition, save for specifying that the phrase is "Huttese."

Star Wars: A New Hope will return in all of its unedited glory in February 2027. Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which arrives on Disney Plus on January 20. Until then, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else that's in the works.

Godzilla Minus Zero is breaking new ground for the kaiju franchise. The film, a sequel to smash hit Godzilla Minus One, is the first ever Godzilla movie ever to earn an R-rating.

Per Film Ratings, the movie is "rated R for some violent content/bloody images." That might not come as a huge surprise, considering the film will no doubt see Godzilla rampaging through the civilian population. Still, it does mean we're probably in for some pretty gnarly visuals from writer/director Takashi Yamazaki, who also handles the film's VFX.

The latest trailer for the film revealed a second kaiju is in the mix: King Ghidorah. How that plays out remains to be seen, but expect carnage – especially as the trailer also seems to be teasing gravity-defying action.

The new film is set two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One and sees the return of the Shikishima family, with Ryunosuke Kamiki back as Koichi and Minami Hamabe back as Noriko. Their story was widely praised in the first film, so here's hoping they make it through the sequel.

"In this new film, an even deeper despair will descend upon Japan and the Shikishima family," Yamazaki said at CinemaCon (via The Hollywood Reporter). "When faced with an overwhelming and inescapable force, how do people fight back? The journey from Minus to Zero will not be an easy one."

Godzilla Minus Zero arrives on November 6 in the US, UK, and Ireland, and November 3 in Japan. While you wait, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies.

One Star Wars fan might have figured out a way the Emperor's return in The Rise of Skywalker actually makes total sense with Return of the Jedi – though, not everyone seems convinced.

"Do you think Palpatine was on the Death Star ready to 'die' since he was sure he could be brought back on Exegol? He wanted Luke to kill him and turn to the dark side?" they question on Reddit.

"Ok so, do you think Palpatine wasn't really worried about dying? Because he had clones on Exegol. Means when he's wanted Luke to kill him, he means it? Even if Vader didn't stop Luke, Palpatine makes no effort to move or dodge. Making me think he really did want to turn Luke to the dark. It also puts Vader's action in a new light. Instead of protecting Palaptine, he's saving his son from falling to the dark…"

In The Rise of Skywalker, it's revealed that Palpatine had a backup plan in the case of his death, involving returning in a clone of himself. So, it would make total sense for him to be okay with the idea of dying in Return of the Jedi.

However, other fans aren't really convinced. "No, I think they didn't think this through when they brought him back. Whether it's Canon or Legends," says one. "That scream he lets out when he falls to his death doesn't sound like the scream of someone where everything goes as planned."

"No. He wanted a new apprentice and was working to turn Luke to the dark side to replace Vader," says someone else.

"I don't believe he thought he was going to die. I think Luke's line to him is the reality here. 'Your overconfidence is your weakness,'" says another person. "Palpatine thought he had already won, that Luke was going to turn, he could finally replace Vader, and the Rebellion was going to be crushed. In his mind, his victory was a foregone conclusion. Sure, he had his backup plans like Exegol, but I think he was just being a cocky bastard here."

"No. He just wanted to pit father against son and take the victor as his apprentice," agrees another fan.

Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which arrives on Disney Plus on January 20. Until then, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else that's in the works.

George Lucas has talked about his decision to retire to work on his recently opened museum.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has freshly opened its doors in California, showcasing a seriously impressive collection that, naturally, includes plenty of Star Wars memorabilia.

As Lucas has explained in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, though, when he made the decision to step away from moviemaking to concentrate on the museum, he still had a lot on his plate.

"Well, I'm 82, so there is a limit," he shared. "When I did this, I decided to retire from making movies, which was a big deal because I had three more Star Wars to make. But, I realized that I was running out of time, and I did want to make this museum. And I'd spent a lot of time developing digital technology for the movie business. You know, all art depends on technology."

Lucas had plans for a sequel trilogy of his own that would have involved Darth Maul as a crime syndicate boss. But, he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, and Disney's sequel trilogy – 2015's The Force Awakens, 2017's The Last Jedi, and 2019's The Rise of Skywalker – went down a different path.

Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which arrives on Disney Plus on January 20. "It was so surprising when George [Lucas] created these archetype god characters," Dave Filoni said recently of the Mortis gods, which will be part of season 2. "What were we examining there in Clone Wars? What was the metaphor? A lot of it is about power, and what you do with power, and how you wield power. For a Jedi, I think it's a natural story path to get into these questions."

You can check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

Whispers of a Darth Vader movie don't seem to be going away anytime soon, but Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen is keen for us to know that, for now, there's nothing concrete in the works.

When pressed by E News on talk of a Darth Vader movie, Christensen replied, "I think those are just rumors."

He added, "I would be thrilled to get to do that. But right now, those are just rumors."

With that answer, the Force grip a prospective standalone Vader movie has on our hearts and minds has grown a little weaker, but that doesn't mean Christensen is distancing himself from all things in a galaxy far, far away – far from it, in fact.

That's because Christensen is set to reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker alongside his old protege 'Snips', AKA Ahsoka Tano, in Ahsoka season 2. The series hits Disney Plus on January 20, 2027.

On his recent experience with Lucasfilm, Christensen had nothing but praise for new co-president Dave Filoni.

"Dave Filoni, I think, understands this character in some ways even better than I do," Christensen told IMDb. "And so when I read the scripts, I'm just elated with what I get to do and say. That said, he's still very collaborative, and if I have an idea, I'll share it, and if it works, then we'll do it. And so, we're not too precious about things and we get to explore a little bit. But I try to honor the words that he's written, and I don't need to deviate much."

Alongside Ahsoka season 2, Star Wars: Starfighter – starring Ryan Gosling – is also releasing next year.

For more, check out the upcoming Star Wars movies currently in the works.

Paramount's previously announced World War Z movie is officially moving ahead with Brad Pitt to return as hero Gerry Lane.

According to Deadline, All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave director Edward Berger is set to helm the pic. British playwright Dennis Kelley will pen the script. Paramount announced the sequel in 2025, citing it as a top priority for the studio.

The 2013 sci-fi action thriller, based on the bestselling Max Brooks novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, sees a deadly virus break out across the globe and turn humankind into zombies. It's up to former United Nations investigator Gerry (Pitt) to search for a cure. Marc Forster directs from a screenplay penned by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof. The cast includes Peter Capaldi, Ruth Negga, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale, and Matthew Fox.

The movie grossed $540 million against a budget of $269 million, making it Pitt's highest-grossing movie as a lead next to the Oscar-winning F1.

David Fincher was previously attached to direct the sequel, and planned to focus on the origin of the virus in a way that he compared to HBO's The Last of Us. "Well, it was a little like The Last of Us," Fincher told GQ. "In our title sequence, we were going to use the little parasite… they used it in their title sequence, and in that wonderful opening with the Dick Cavett, David Frost-style talk show."

World War Z 2 does not yet have a release date. For more upcoming movies, check out our list of movie release dates.

Tom Hiddleston is just about one of the most charming talents in Hollywood, even when it comes to being thrown a curveball on the red carpet that quickly caught him off guard. In a recent interview, the man who has given us Loki for over a decade was asked how the other mega sci-fi franchise, Star Wars, has inspired who he is today. Pausing for thought, the newly appointed God of Stories gave a brilliant answer that sums up precisely what the franchise from far, far away is all about.

"I love those films," he told Nick Busters. "I loved them as a child. I suppose if I’m honest, it’s a very early introduction to moral clarity and the balance of goodness and love in the universe. I guess that's what the force is all about."

With such an interesting and well-thought-out response about Star Wars and its impact, it's a wonder why Hiddleston has never made the jump to hyperspace and taken up a role somewhere in the franchise. The new era brought everyone from Oscar Isaac to Max von Sydow, and even made time for Tom Hardy and Daniel Craig to wear Stormtrooper suits.

Could Hiddleston take on a role in the franchise if he were offered a gig somewhere in the world of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and company? It's a hypothetical that has been thrown at the star before, and he had nothing but excitement about the idea.

"Goodness, I hadn’t thought of that. I mean, yeah, sure," Hiddleston told Digital Spy back in 2017. "I’m a huge fan, especially of the first three, because I grew up watching Star Wars: A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. So, absolutely, yeah. It would depend on the story and the character and things."

As it stands, Star Wars: Starfighter, from director Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, is the only big project from that world on the way, and we haven't seen any sign of Hiddleston turning up in it. For now, we’ll just have to settle for him making an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday, where he'll be potentially facing off against Doctors of Doom as opposed to Dark Lords of the Sith. For more info on Star Wars, check out our guide to every upcoming Star Wars movie and television show on the way.

21 years after the release of Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars fans have spotted an emotional parallel with Return of the Jedi.

One viewer took to Reddit to point out a similarity between Padmé Amidala and her son Luke Skywalker, specifically in conversations Obi-Wan Kenobi has with both characters.

"I just know this whole exchange must have strongly reminded Obi-Wan of Padmé and Luke's resemblance to her," the fan wrote.

In the first conversation with Padmé, Obi-Wan is trying to find Anakin Skywalker's whereabouts after he has turned to the dark side. Padmé, knowing Obi-Wan will kill her husband, can't bring herself to tell him. In the conversation in Return of the Jedi, Luke says he can't kill his own father, and insists there is "still good in him" – unknowingly echoing Padmé at the end of Revenge of the Sith.

"Interesting symmetry, I hadn't realized this one," says one fan. "Alec Guinness was such a good actor that he was calling back to things that hadn't happened yet," says someone else.

"I've always thought that Luke was far more like Padme than he was like his father. He was a strong Jedi, true, but he was much more in tune with his emotions than Anakin was, and had an unwavering conviction in his ideals, like Padme did," is another person's analysis. "Both Padme and Luke appealed to Anakin's heart the same way; reminding him of the good he was capable of and pulling him back from the darkness. Leia on the other hand was much more like Anakin, despite being a politician like her mother. She was often headstrong and stubborn, finding unconventional solutions in a wartime environment, like Anakin as a general in the Clone Wars"

"For me, it's more sad that Obi-Wan just completely gave up on Anakin, just accepted that he was evil and that was it," is another fan's take. "I understand it, of course, but it's just sad considering he basically raised him"

"There is a reason it is Luke that Obi-Wan was holding as Padme told him 'there is good in him,' because Luke is the one who keeps his mother’s belief that Anakin can be saved. George [Lucas] knew what he was doing," says another fan.

"And both of them [Luke and Padme] were ultimately right. Not that Obi-Wan could have actually drawn Anakin from the darkness however, so it wasn’t really an option for him sadly," says someone else.

Hayden Christensen's Anakin will soon return in Ahsoka season 2, which arrives on Disney Plus next January 30.

In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else that's on the way.

Having made it out of the Backrooms to booming success (and a seal of approval from Hideo Kojima), Kane Parsons continues to play with fans' emotions in the best way possible after paying the Valve offices yet another visit, pushing speculation about a Portal movie to new heights.

The director posted an Instagram story showing him watching a beautiful sunset from Valve HQ and probably taking a moment to appreciate how cool it was that he was even doing so. This would mark his most recent visit (that we know about), which he shared with fans after snapping a photo back in June.

If there's one thing he's made more public than this, it's his adoration for the game franchise, citing Portal 2 as the biggest inspiration that led him to venture into the Backrooms. "It's like the strongest influence over, like, everything I've done in my entire life. It's a two-game series," he explained to Letterboxd. "So, if anything, I would say Portal 2 is the bigger inspiration for me... It's inherently comedic and absurd, and that’s what I like about it. So many bleak creative choices come from an inherent humor."

It really seems like a no-brainer to put Parsons to work on a project like this, not simply because of his success with Backrooms, but because of Hollywood's growing hunger for adapting video game titles that are actually paying off. That couldn't be more evident following the immense critical praise for Resident Evil, which is out this week. Perhaps the next time Parsons posts on Instagram, it'll be declaring that a Portal movie is finally happening, maybe even with a nice slice of cake to celebrate.

Look ahead with our list of the most exciting upcoming movies, or scare yourself silly with our ranking of the best horror movies ever.

Alden Ehrenreich doesn't seem too interested in reprising his iconic Star Wars role. The actor played Han Solo in the prequel movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, which didn't have the best reactions from fans of the galaxy far, far away.

While critics agreed it was a fun story, the general consensus was that it was pretty forgettable. Currently ranked at 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, it didn't set the fandom alight. As a result, there have been no follow-up movies, even though star Ehrenreich was contracted for a trilogy.

In a new interview with IndieWire, his future in the role was brought up by the interviewer. When they told him "In your life, you will play Han Solo again," Ehrenreich simply replied: "No idea."

The journalist went on to compare his trajectory to Andrew Garfield returning as Spider-Man in No Way Home. The actor continued: "Oh, interesting. We'll see." We've got to admit, he didn't sound particularly enthusiastic about the possibility of returning to the role.

The only current project that he could slip into is the Lando Calrissian movie, which was due to star Donald Glover in a spin-off. However, development on that has seemingly stalled with no recent updates.

In fact only one Star Wars movie is definitely happening at the moment: Star Wars: Starfighter. Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, filming has wrapped on the project with a trailer shown behind closed doors.

Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2. For more adventures across the galaxy, check out our guide to upcoming Star Wars movies and shows in development.

The next trailer for Godzilla Minus Zero is here, and it's seriously epic.

In the clip, which you can watch above, mankind gears up for a second battle with the fearsome kaiju. This time, though, the trailer teases that "everything ends here" and that there will not be a third fight, meaning this is likely the last film we can expect in the series.

The trailer is filled with all the kaiju action you could want, too, including a mysterious, gravity-defying scene with Godzilla's blue atomic powers seeming to lift up some houses.

Most mysteriously of all, though, is the sound of a roar that very much sounds like King Ghidorah, before we see Godzilla falling. Looks like Godzilla might have met his match...

Godzilla Minus Zero sees the return of Ryunosuke Kamiki as Koichi and Minami Hamabe as Noriko. The first film was widely praised for its human story, so we can expect another emotional tale for this young couple and their adopted daughter in the sequel, as suggested by Noriko saying she doesn't have much time left.

"In this new film, an even deeper despair will descend upon Japan and the Shikishima family," writer/director Takashi Yamazaki said at CinemaCon (via The Hollywood Reporter). "When faced with an overwhelming and inescapable force, how do people fight back? The journey from Minus to Zero will not be an easy one."

Godzilla Minus Zero arrives on November 6 in the US, UK, and Ireland, and November 3 in Japan.

In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies.

Star Wars fans are worried that another project is being left behind at Lucasfilm. It's been three years since a new solo movie starring Daisy Ridley as Rey was announced at Star Wars Celebration.

A director and writer were initially attached, as we heard some details on what the film would follow. Due to be set some 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, it was going to see Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order.

However, since 2024, there has been very little news on the development of the project. The latest update from Ridley came in 2025 when she promised that "the wait will be worth it" as she spoke about the hurdles that films have to overcome to get made.

Despite that positive update, the Star Wars community is growing more certain that this movie won't ever make it off the page. Posting on Reddit, one wrote: "It's been over three years since Daisy Ridley was brought out at Celebration to announce the Rey movie and there isn't even a script written yet. Will this eventually come out? When can we expect to see Rey onscreen again?"

The response from other fans was pretty unanimous: this isn't a movie that's going to get made. "My rule for Star Wars content is that it doesn’t exist until there is a trailer AND release date," wrote one, while another added: "Probably never. Changing leadership can sideline projects."

They weren't alone either, with a third commenting: "Agree 100%. Daisy Ridley has been absolutely done dirty." Another simply put it: "This right here is probably the biggest issue with Star Wars. Announcements. Don't tell us you're making it, just make it."

Several Star Wars projects have been announced but not made it out of the development phase. Star Wars Rebels co-creator Simon Kinberg was due to make a Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold was announced to be making a film set thousands of years before the Jedi, and Taika Waititi has long been linked to making his own movie set in a galaxy far, far away. Who knows if any of them will one day happen.

Currently, there are only two projects on the horizon for Star Wars that are definitely happening: Ahsoka season 2 has been filmed and arrives in January 20, 2027, and Ryan Gosling's Starfighter is set for a May 28, 2027 release date.

For all the announced Star Wars movies and shows on the horizon, here's our guide to new Star Wars.

Don't miss out on The Mandalorian Lego special. The delightful animated short has arrived on Disney Plus (alongside its live-action big sibling, The Mandalorian and Grogu), and, while it might not be canon, it is a laugh-out-loud, joyful 45 minutes every Star Wars fan needs to tune in for.

The special has an adorable premise: Din Djarin's pals have thrown him a party – and it's not even his birthday! – which he begrudgingly attends with baby Grogu. While the duo are there in their party hats, a gang of their closest friends retell their story so far, all the way up to the events of the new movie.

The result is an irreverent, self-referential blast – exactly what you'd expect from a Lego special – that's also pretty much a perfect way to recap the Disney Plus show. What more could you ask for?

Getting the band back together

Probably the biggest selling point of any Lego special is just how damn hilarious they are, and The Mandalorian's is no different. The 45-minute runtime is packed with jokes that poke gentle fun at The Mandalorian and Star Wars as a whole, including Mando and Grogu's reunion taking place in a different series, IG-11's tendency to go straight for self-destruct mode, and Luke Skywalker having no luck with his Jedi students. I got to watch the special at this year's D23 in a crowd of Star Wars fans that laughed at every gag, and it only enhanced the experience.

The wacky premise doesn't just allow for laughs, too: it also gets the whole Mando gang back together again. There are cameos aplenty in the special, which means original actors return to their roles. Listen out for Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett, Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon, Amy Sedaris as Peli Motto, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan Kryze, Timothy Olyphant as Cobb Vanth, and even Bill Burr as Migs Mayfeld (he's on hand to recount the events of season 2, which, he points out, he witnessed a whole 20% of).

Of course, any Mandalorian project – Lego or not – needs to include its fair share of heartwarming Clan of Two moments. The special doesn't just recreate the tearjerking scenes you know and love from the show (the special's version of Mando and Grogu's goodbye in the season 2 finale did indeed remind me of how many tears I shed back in December 2020), but it also includes a few new moments of its own. Highlights include Mando urging Grogu to make his signature cooing sound more intimidating if he's going to be a bounty hunter, Grogu using the Force to levitate a party hat onto Mando's beskar helmeted head, and Grogu having his own miniature steering wheel in the Razor Crest. If you've been missing Din Djarin and Din Grogu since their big-screen outing earlier this year, then you can't go wrong with the Lego special.

Assembled with love

The special is also set after The Mandalorian and Grogu on the Star Wars timeline, as revealed by the Razor Crest's distinctive yellow paint – and an appearance from Zeb Orrelios to tell this part of the story, before he's interrupted. Of course, Lego releases aren't Star Wars canon, so nothing that happens in this special is actually part of the saga's ongoing story. But, it does give a nice window into the kind of life you'd like to imagine Mando and Grogu living in between missions for the New Republic. What better way to spend their downtime than a party with friends?

And, while it might not be canon, and the premise is indeed silly fun, every second of the special makes it obvious that it was made with clear, reverent love for The Mandalorian and Star Wars as a whole. The story goes beyond just a party, encompassing Mando's growth across his tale so far as he comes to accept he's no longer a loner. Yes, this Lego special gets pretty deep, in between all the fun.

At the moment, it's unclear when we'll see Din Djarin and Din Grogu again, as nothing has been confirmed about their future (either in The Mandalorian season 4 or another movie). So, while we wait to be reunited with the Clan of Two, there's no better way to pass the time than with Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian.

Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney Plus now. See what else the galaxy far, far away has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

The Mandalorian and Grogu director Jon Favreau has talked about his working relationship with Dave Filoni, and how the film and Disney Plus show reflect it.

"I think the show and the film is a reflection of our partnership," Favreau told Filoni, on the official The Mandalorian and Grogu podcast. "Like two musicians who play together. It changes the way we play, I think. And it makes me feel very comfortable when I get to tell stories with you."

Filoni was in agreement. "We come together and we do some things a little separately, then I bring you things to watch, which is always super helpful," he said. "Because that's the other thing, too, especially if we're shooting separately at times, we see what the other shot, you get those fresh eyes to look at something. And you are, in a lot of ways, the ultimate audience member. Because if you don't understand it, you'll tell me."

Filoni, who is the co-president of Lucasfilm, directed the puppet unit on The Mandalorian and Grogu, and he also directed multiple episodes of The Mandalorian TV show.

Next up for Star Wars is Filoni's Ahsoka season 2, which dropped its first trailer at this year's D23. It teased the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy, Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker back as a Force ghost to guide Ahsoka Tano, and Ezra Bridger back in action.

Ahsoka season 2 arrives on January 20, while The Mandalorian and Grogu and the official podcast are streaming on Disney Plus now.

Check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

Industrial Light & Magic animation supervisor Hal Hickel says that impossibly sweet scene in The Mandalorian and Grogu where Rotta and Grogu play together on the beach meant a lot to director Jon Favreau (and me, personally).

"That was maybe the most important scene to Jon. It's the heart of the whole movie for him," Hickel told StarWars.com.

The scene is a moment of stillness in the movie, and it comes shortly after Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) is rescued by Mando from almost being killed in a rotten deal that kept him trapped as a fighter in order to entertain the people of Shakari. Grogu and Rotta simply pass a ball back and forth, and it seems like the worst is over.

Not only that, but also, the scene represents how Rotta never really got the chance to be a playful, carefree kiddo, thanks to being related to the absolutely terrifying and terrible Hutt family. So we love a multi-layered moment that makes us cry a little.

As there likely won't be another season of The Mandalorian, it's unclear when we'll see Rotta the Hutt again. Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which hits Disney Plus in the new year.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is streaming on Disney Plus now, and you can read our guide to all the other The Mandalorian and Grogu Easter eggs through the link.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, or our The Mandalorian and Grogu review.

While Han Solo doesn't appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu, a sneaky, unintentional Easter egg referencing him does – and it involves Rotta the Hutt.

In the original trilogy, Han was in a lot of trouble with Rotta's dad, Jabba the Hutt. In one scene in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars: A New Hope, Jabba even comes to speak with Han by the Millennium Falcon while it's docked in Mos Eisely. During this chat, Han walks over Jabba's tail, which Jabba doesn't seem too pleased about.

In The Mandalorian and Grogu, Rotta fights Din Djarin in a gladatorial ring, and everything comes full circle...

"It goes by super fast, but there is actually a moment during their fight when Mando circles behind Rotta, steps on his tail to get a little height, and then knocks his arm out of the way," Industrial Light & Magic animation supervisor Hal Hickel told StarWars.com.

"We didn't put that in there as a wink to the original gag, but still – it's like poetry, it rhymes," he added.

Even though the call back wasn't on purpose, it certainly is a nice parallel between father and son – though, of course, Rotta is pretty adamant that he's nothing like his dad.

Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which lands on Disney Plus on January 20. The first trailer was finally unveiled to the public at this year's D23, and it features Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, Grand Admiral Thrawn going up against the New Republic, and Ezra Bridger back in action.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is streaming on Disney Plus now, and you can read our guide to all the other The Mandalorian and Grogu Easter eggs through the link.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, or our The Mandalorian and Grogu review.

The Mandalorian and Grogu are coming home. Four months after the Star Wars film brought the saga back to the big screen for the first time in seven years, the Razor Crest is touching down on Disney Plus this September 2.

The film arrived a lengthy three years after its (less well-received) third season and didn't quite set the box office on fire. It scored a reasonably low 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, and many have questioned the wisdom of turning a streaming show into a theatrical movie – or criticized the film for focusing on a standalone adventure story rather than weaving in the wider galaxy.

Still, despite it all, I firmly believe there was no better film to kickstart Star Wars's theatrical comeback than The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Welcome back

That might seem like a nuclear take, but I have my reasons. Personally, I simply loved the movie: an all-grown-up Rotta the Hutt became my surprise MVP; Grogu, continuing to grow into his Mandalorian and Jedi potential, was a delight; and I thought the whole thing was a good old-fashioned, fun adventure tale with cool and creepy critters, spectacular action set-pieces, and all the heartwarming Clan of Two moments you could ask for.

I'm not alone in this, either: the film was well-liked by the audiences who showed up for Din Djarin and Din Grogu, with a healthy 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- CinemaScore on opening night. The box office may have been a somewhat underwhelming $345.8 million (though, on a budget of $165 million, that's not a total disaster), but the film succeeded elsewhere. It returned us to the Mando-verse era of the Star Wars timeline just in time for Ahsoka season 2, and it also seemed to give the three seasons of the flagship show a boost: The Mandalorian was Disney Plus's third most-watched original series in the first half of 2026 with 2.4 billion minutes viewed, according to Luminate. That's particularly noteworthy considering the show hasn't released a new episode in three years.

Aside from the film deserving a much warmer reception and boosting the show's streaming fortunes, though, it was also the right choice for getting audiences used to Star Wars as a theatrical experience again. Seven long years have passed since The Rise of Skywalker, and, in that time, the franchise has released a whole host of Disney Plus shows. Like Marvel, this seems to have contributed to a certain dilution of the franchise, with every new Star Wars project no longer feeling like an unmissable event – unthinkable even 10 years ago – regardless of each show's quality. But, despite the more lukewarm reception to season 3, Mando and Grogu have remained instantly recognizable Star Wars icons, even though they originated on streaming themselves. Choosing this duo to launch Star Wars's return to theaters made total sense.

While the film drew criticism for its self-contained story, going in such a standalone direction was also a wise move. There's nothing more off-putting than feeling like you need to do your homework before you head to the theater, after all. And, since the film is so self-contained, it's also primed to be a new generation's introduction to Star Wars.

Maybe most importantly for the saga at large, though, The Mandalorian and Grogu set the stage for Star Wars: Starfighter. Any film tasked with bringing Star Wars back to the big screen was going to face a great deal of scrutiny – and the pressure of high expectations – but, now that Mando has broken that barrier already, Starfighter has something of a clearer runway.

Next moves

Judging by The Mandalorian's streaming boost, it's likely that the movie will do very well on Disney Plus. In the wake of The Mandalorian and Grogu's theatrical performance, it's hard to imagine Disney and Lucasfilm won't pivot when it comes to its theatrical slate. I would bet that Dave Filoni's movie, announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023 and set to tie together the Disney Plus shows, will be reconfigured into a streaming event (most likely an Heir to the Empire-style showdown against Grand Admiral Thrawn, considering the Ahsoka season 2 trailer).

The future of Star Wars on the small screen seems less certain, with nothing live-action confirmed past Ahsoka. It's doubtful that Lucasfilm will abandon TV entirely, but I expect the days of multiple Star Wars shows a year are long behind us.

But for the saga's return to the big screen, I'm glad Lucasfilm chose The Mandalorian and Grogu. If nothing else, the film was a fun few hours at the theater this summer, and it reunited me with two of my favorite Star Wars guys. This is the way.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is streaming on Disney Plus now. See what else the galaxy far, far away has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, or check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review.

Legendary video game designer Hideo Kojima has posted his 'review' of Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars and, just like Thumper in Bambi, it seems Koj believes that 'If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all,' because he doesn't actually say a critical word about the film in question.

Writing on X, Kojima's 76-word post expounds on his history with Peter Heller's original novel (he hasn't read it), what he pictured the movie would be like ("something along the lines of Cormac McCarthy's The Road") and even his palpable disappointment that they didn't create pamphlets for The Dog Stars (souvenir brochures that are commonly for sale in Japanese theaters). But what's missing is any kind of verdict on the movie itself, which, if you've been following along with Kojima's movie reviews, almost always means he disliked the movie and is too polite to say as much. Check out the full post below

Of course, if you read between the lines, Kojima's feelings about The Dog Stars are plain as day; he didn't get on with it, perhaps because it wasn't close enough to his McCarthy-aping expectations for his liking. Typically, there's a direct correlation between tweet length and Kojima's feelings about a movie, ie., the longer the tweet, the more warmly he feels about it. This is a rare example where that theory doesn't hold. Perhaps he didn't want to disparage the work of Death Stranding star Margaret Qualley so publicly.

So far this year, Kojima has been "blown away" by creepy pasta horror Backrooms, and was one of the few who liked Supergirl (he even compared it to The Good, the Bad and The Ugly). Still, Kojima's verdict on The Dog Stars is nowhere near as damning as his Return to Silent Hill movie review, which ran just 8 words long (savage). And over a year later, we're still waiting on his Electric State review.

As for The Dog Stars, Kojima wasn't the only person who didn't respond to the post-apocalyptic action drama, as despite costing almost $80 million to produce, it made less than $8 million at the US box office on its opening weekend. The 88-year-old Scott shows no signs of slowing down, however, as he recently revealed a third Alien prequel starring Michael Fassbender's David is in the works.

The Dog Stars is currently in theaters. For more, check out our guide to all the biggest upcoming movies heading your way this year.

Ridley Scott says he made the best Alien movie... and we have to hand it to him.

"I did the best [Alien] by far. Full stop. End of the fucking story," Scott told Brut. "Then they let it die. After the fourth they killed it. So I sat there thinking: 'I'm gonna bring it back.' So I sat down with very good writers and we've caught fire… and wrote Prometheus."

Alien hit theaters in 1979 and became one of the most critically and culturally important sci-fi movies of all time, and would go on to change not only the genre but the art of cinema as a whole. James Cameron taking over for the also-excellent Aliens in 1986, with David Fincher directing 1972's also-excellent Alien 3. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) helmed Alien: Resurrection in 1997, which became the most controversial of the franchise.

Scott resurrected the Alien franchise in 2012, with Prometheus, with follow-up Alien: Covenant hitting theaters in 2017. Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez, arrived in 2024 and is regarded as one of the better installments of the franchise (and that's due in part to the stunning performance given by our new Black Panther David Jonsson).

The filmmaker previously told the LA Times that he was working on a direct follow-up to Covenant, which will see David, the evil, malfunctioning AI, "make a brand new world for himself."

Scott's latest release, The Dog Stars, is in theaters now. For more upcoming movies, check out our list of movie release dates.

One Star Wars fan artist has recreated the iconic Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi duel in Revenge of the Sith in the most incredible way.

The artist, who goes by the Tumblr username idk-i-was-bored, shared the artwork of the fiery Mustafar duel – which is actually recreated from every single line of dialogue in Revenge of the Sith, written out by hand. Check it out below.

"I decided to do something a little bit insane. I sat down and typed every word spoken in Revenge of the Sith so I could then hand write every word to create this scene redraw. I am very pleased with the final result I'm not gonna lie," the artist captioned the post.

In the comments, he also revealed a little more about the process – and it sounds like serious dedication went into the artwork. "1. My hands were fine after doing this. I spaced out how often I'd do write the words and my handwriting got looser in the end so there was less pressure. Also literally every hobby and activity I do heavily involves my wrists, so they're kind of used to this," they wrote.

"2. Yes I’m aware there are scripts online for this movie. But the ones I found weren't accurate or were of the uncut 4 hour version therefore I'd have to watch the movie again anyway to work out which parts exactly were in the movie. So I just decided to do it myself," he added.

And, as for how long it might have taken: "3. Idk how much time this actually took to make I'm not gonna lie. Procreate says there was about 12 hours of pen to canvas time spent arranging of the text, actually writing, and drawing and colouring the image. But typing up all the words in the movie took absolutely ages. And like I said. Everything was very spaced out so I didn't hurt my wrists. So I actually have no idea how many hours it was from having the idea to posting the image"

Plus, it sounds like we might be able to look forward to more artwork in a similar style. "4. I know this is mildly insane but I actually had a lot of fun doing it and I'll probably end up making more of other movies at some point," they said. In the immortal words of Sheev Palpatine: we will watch your career with great interest…

We'll soon be seeing Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker again in Ahsoka season 2, which sees him return both as a Force ghost and in Clone Wars-era flashbacks on the Star Wars timeline. As for Ewan McGregor, nothing has been confirmed, but the actor is so keen to return he pitched a comeback to Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni on the Ahsoka season 2 set (his wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, plays Hera Syndulla in the show).

The Disney Plus show arrives on January 20, 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

Ridley Scott says a follow-up to Alien: Covenant that will continue David's story is in the works.

Per the LA Times, the new installment will focus on David (Michael Fassbender) creating a "brave new world for himself.” In regards to David, a malfunctioning AI, Scott said: "AIs can go off. And if they do, it’s like a bomb."

Alien: Covenant hit theaters in 2017 and had a modest box office return of $240 million against a budget of $111 million. The film, which sees the crew of a colonizing ship land on an uncharted planet, received mixed reviews from fans and critics. As it stands, Covenant has a 65% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 55% 'rotten' audience rating.

Prometheus, which hit theaters in 2012, marked the franchise's first installment since the highly controversial and low-grossing Alien: Resurrection (the Alien vs. Predator movies aren't part of the main franchise). Covenant continued David's reign of terror against humankind. Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez, arrived in 2024 and is regarded as one of the better installments of the franchise (and that's due in part to the stunning performance given by our new Black Panther David Jonsson).

“A number of years after, I said, 'I'm going to resurrect this,' [and wrote] Prometheus from scratch – a blank sheet of paper. Damon Lindelof and I sat, then hammered out Prometheus," Scott previously told Variety, when asked about his future involvement with the franchise. "It was very present and very welcome. The audience really wanted more. I said, 'It needs to fly.' No one was coming for it, [and] I went once again [and made] Alien: Covenant, and it worked too. Where it’s going now, I think I’ve done enough, and I just hope it goes further."

Scott's latest release, The Dog Stars, is in theaters now. For more upcoming movies, check out our list of movie release dates.

25 years after Donnie Darko hit screens and instantly became a cult classic, director Richard Kelly is releasing an 800-page sequel novel set to hit shelves later this year.

As per Variety, the novel takes place around 14 months after the movie. Donnie Darko follows Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular teen who experiences strange visions that predict a disastrous event. The movie concludes with Darko dying, ultimately sacrificing himself for his family. Kelly's novel, officially titled 'The Philosophy of Time Travel,' is set to explore the aftermath of Darko's death.

The novel will be presented as a collection of found documents from Donnie’s mother and father. Kelly has been working on the book for the past ten years, but says he has been trying to figure out a Donnie Darko sequel for almost two decades. The Philosophy of Time Travel will be released in the last quarter of 2026, in line with the 25th anniversary of Donnie Darko on October 26.

However, the book is just the first step in Kelly's larger plan to revive the Donnie Darko World. The filmmaker wants his novel to be adapted into a movie that could in turn spawn more sequels. "There is much more narrative material that I’ve been developing where the time jumps 28 years into the future, and there’s a lot of really exciting stuff that happens starting around 2015/2016," added the writer.

Kelly didn't give any plot details away, but he teased that there are "a lot of surprises when you realize who the characters really are in the reality of Southern California," revealing that the characters get drawn into "the tangent universe" or a "dream that lasted for 28 days" that spurs them to form a support group that turns into a cult.

The director added that he sees a section of the on-screen sequel being presented in animation, followed by the huge time jump so that the original stars could return to their respective roles. Kelly explained, "My caveat with doing a real sequel was that I want to reunite the original cast, and I want to take it onto a gigantic scale, and that takes time, and it has a price tag, and it’s hard to pull this off because it’s multiple movies." However, Kelly admitted that he is yet to approach the Donnie Darko cast.

The Philosophy of Time Travel is available to preorder now on Amazon. For more, check out our list of the best Jake Gyllenhaal movies, and keep up with new movies on the way.

Despite positive first reactions, the reviews for Ridley Scott's new movie The Dog Stars have been less glowing. The post-apocalyptic movie starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin has debuted to a meagre 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is Scott's lowest score since Exodus: God and Kings in 2014.

Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Heller, The Dog Stars focuses on Hig, a former pilot navigating life after a flu pandemic has nearly eradicated humanity. When the prospect of a better life beckons, he teams up with former Marine Bangley to navigate the treacherous path to reach it.

The Guardian reviewer Benjamin Lee calls it a "misfire" in his two star review, writing: "In a world of seven Walking Dead shows, the beats are now far too familiar – artfully dishevelled actors grieve for the past and fear for the future as they scramble to find and protect resources – and there’s nothing new or notable here to conjure anything but deja vu."

"Four flu-pandemic survivors do the best they can in trying circumstances in Ridley Scott's low-energy latest, and the same goes for the charismatic quartet of actors muddling through it," adds Variety's Guy Lodge.

The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gives the film two stars, calling out its derivative nature. "The veteran filmmaker has made a movie that rips off 28 Days Later, Mad Max, and the video game Fallout to dull ends," she writes.

Not all of the reviews are negative. Nick Howell of the Evening Standard writes: "So not quite a return to form, but for Scott, now 88, this strange flight of apocalyptic fancy proves there’s plenty of bite in the old dog yet."

Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter calls it "pleasingly soulful" as their reviewer David Mooney writes: "Muted but never dull, The Dog Stars seems unlikely to land near the top of anyone’s Ridley Scott rankings. But it’s an appealingly mellow watch, even if that might seem antithetical to a post-apocalyptic drama positioned squarely in the shadow of death."

The Dog Stars is out now. For more upcoming movies, check out our list of movie release dates.

Anakin Skywalker star Hayden Christensen wants to work with Padmé Amidala actor Natalie Portman in Star Wars again.

The duo starred together in prequel movies Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, but despite both Christensen and Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor returning to Star Wars since, Portman has yet to reprise her role.

"I would love to get to work with her again and play these characters together," Christensen told USA Today at D23. "I think there's still opportunity to do that. I love the whole Clone Wars timeline in Star Wars and it's been a lot of fun to get to explore that a little bit in this series [Ahsoka]. So, I would love to get to do that with her at some point."

Christensen will return in Ahsoka season 2, both as a Force ghost and in Clone Wars-era flashbacks on the Star Wars timeline, as revealed by the first trailer and a display at D23 (you can read our Ahsoka season 2 trailer breakdown for all our theories).

Portman isn't the only prequel actor Christensen would like to reunite with, either. "I know that Ewan McGregor would love to do more with it," Christensen shared on the Hey Jonas podcast. "I've heard Natalie [Portman] would love to come back. Sam Jackson. So you could get the band back together."

Whether we ever do get a reunion remains to be seen, though McGregor is apparently so keen to return he pitched some ideas to Dave Filoni on the set of Ahsoka season 2, which stars his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla.

Ahsoka season 2 arrives on January 20, 2027. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

Dave Filoni has spoken about his Star Wars mission statement after becoming installed as Lucasfilm co-president.

Speaking at a D23 panel about Leslie Iwerks' new documentary Worldbuilders – which charts how major Disney franchises are integrated into park experiences – Filoni said of his task, "We have several different generations of Star Wars fans, right? There’s original trilogy fans, prequel fans, sequel trilogy fans, Clone Wars fans, expanded universe fans. They all have different interests."

"And I always look at how we’re going to serve all these different interests. And most importantly, how do we bring them all together because they have this common love of Star Wars," Filoni added. "And I think the park is a great place to do that."

While Filoni has only stepped into a major Lucasfilm leadership role recently, we have already seen his approach bear fruit: The Mandalorian and Grogu (despite box office struggles) was marketed as a family-friendly film, while also playing into the original trilogy's appetite for lone heroes.

Elsewhere, Ahsoka season 2 is undoubtedly aimed at fans of prequels and animated series The Clone Wars, while the likes of anime spin-off The Ninth Jedi, Maul – Shadow Lord, and Andor are all distinct, capturing different sections of its audience in their own inimitable style.

Next up on the big screen in a galaxy far, far away is Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy. As announced at SDCC, the pair will reunite in the MCU for 2028's Ghost Rider.

For more, check out the upcoming Star Wars movies currently in the works.

2026 has been a bumper year for new projects from big directors, from Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Next up is Alien helmer Riley Scott, whose upcoming movie The Dog Stars has opened to positive first reactions praising the director's change of pace.

"Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace for the director," says Future of the Force's Phil Roberts following The Dog Stars world premiere in London on August 20. "With its impressive cinematography, endless desolation and magnetic performances from Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it’s an impressive post-apocalyptic ride."

Similarly, YouTuber Patrick T writes, "The Dog Stars is soothing and gruelling. A western set at the end of the world with a big heart. Some intense FURY ROAD energy mixed with quiet campfires under the stars. Acoustic guitars, Josh Brolin smoking cigars, and a dog. Ridley Scott knows what we want."

The post-apocalyptic movie's emotional themes took other critics by surprise too, including Film Hounds' Gavin Spoors. "Ridley Scott has proven yet again that his finger is on the pulse when it comes to current themes. A warm, human, post-apocalyptic drama about the need for community." And film critic Liz Slade adds, "It’s quiet and contemplative, which I didn’t expect, with unexpected moments of ferocity and violence… I think Ridley Scott has created something unique."

The Dog Stars follows a young pilot named Hig (Jacob Elordi), who, alongside military survivalist Bangley (Josh Brolin), lives in an isolated homestead safe from the post-apocalyptic world outside. However, when he hears a mysterious radio transmission, Hig ventures into the unknown in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exists. The movie also stars Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong, and Guy Pearce.

The new film marks Scott's first project since his 2024 action sequel Gladiator 2. The Dog Stars is based on the best-selling book of the same name by Peter Heller, and is written by The Revenant's co-screenwriter Mark L. Smith.

The Dog Stars hits cinemas on August 26. For more, keep up with new movies on the way.

A new trailer has arrived for Dune 3... and subsequently crashed the AMC and Cineplex apps within a matter of minutes.

The brief clip, which can be viewed below, sees Florence Pugh's Princess Irulan Corrino ask what lies ahead. The answer? "The end." As Paul succumbs to the darkness, absolutely everything is at stake. And then all of that stunning drama ends with an announcement for a special ticket sale for IMAX and premium large format screenings exclusively for Dune Insiders (which is a free mailing list of sorts that you sign up for via email). You might recall that Dune IMAX screenings sold out all the way back in April for the general public. In the hours following the announcement, however, lines have wrapped around the block at various AMCs around the country, the AMC and Cineplex apps crashed, and many people have been left without tickets.

"People are currently lining up outside of the Lincoln Square AMC for Dune tickets... the line is literally wrapped around the corner and tickets don’t even go on sale for another two hours," one person wrote.

"My experience trying to get Dune 3 IMAX tickets so far: my ticket got stolen out of my cart; an early showing fully sold out in 8 minutes; multiple apps are tweaking; up to a 60+ minute queue; tried to buy an IMAX 70mm ticket on AMC and got banned from that page," one fan lamented.

Dune 3 arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. For your sake, I hope you already have your tickets.

For more, check out our guides to all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni appears to have crushed any remaining hope for the Adam Driver-led movie Hunt for Ben Solo.

During a Variety interview at D23, Filoni was asked about the scrapped Star Wars project. He responded that it wasn't happening "right now", before offering a curious gesture involving a Jedi mind trick.

Unfortunately for those clinging to the unlikely comeback story, Filoni was far more definitive in a later chat with Deadline.

“It’s not here; you won’t find it here. The Force is not with us in that regard," Filoni said. "I love the love you feel for it."

The Hunt for Ben Solo has become a white whale for Star Wars fans in a galaxy far, far away – but it seems to be dead in the water after Disney's previous rejection.

Last year, Adam Driver suddenly revealed details of the top-secret production, which would have been directed by Steven Soderbergh.

“We took it to [then-Disney CEO] Bob Iger and [Disney Entertainment chairman] Alan Bergman and they said no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that," Driver told AP News.

In a statement, Soderbergh said, "I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it."

Next up for Driver is a villainous franchise role of a very different kind – as Mister Sinister in Marvel's new X-Men movie. Driver recorded a video message for fans at D23 as the cast was unveiled.

Over on the Star Wars side, a Starfighter teaser was shown behind closed doors. Luckily for you, we were there and have an exclusive description.

For more, check out all the latest news on the upcoming Star Wars movies and upcoming Marvel movies in the works.

At D23, Star Wars: Starfighter finally revealed a first look at the Ryan Gosling-starring movie. The catch: it's not going to appear online anytime soon, and was only for people in the room. However, we were on the ground and can bring you an exclusive description.

The teaser footage starts with Flynn Gray's as-yet-unnamed young character throwing the cover off a starfighter. Gosling, whose character was confirmed as Kade Auberon, tells him not to touch, it's a decommissioned Imperial model and the fastest ever built. Kade says there's a reason Gray's character has never heard of such a vessel, despite it's capabilities. Quick flashes of action, include flying/gliding across water, turning an ignition and, of course, plenty of flying.

Starfighter, directed by Deadpool and Wolverine's Shawn Levy, stars Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and Aaron Pierre. It is the first Lucasfilm movie to take us beyond The Rise of Skywalker on the Star Wars timeline.

"In a rebuilding galaxy, a solitary pilot becomes entangled in a crucial mission as new threats emerge. Their journey may alter the future of the Force itself," reads the synopsis.

"It is different in that it is an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure," Levy has said previously of the film. "It's new characters, it's a new timeline. It inherits legacy themes, but it's really trying to give Star Wars [fans] – and just movie audiences – something fresh, something new. And with a spirit of play and big-hearted adventure with moments of real levity that, frankly, A New Hope had in a revolutionary way."

Starfighter arrives May 28, 2027. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else that's in the works.

You can keep up on more announcements and reveals with our D23 liveblog.

Marvel Studios will be appearing at D23 as part of the company's major panel today. But when exactly is it?

It feels like only yesterday that Kevin Feige headed to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 for a host of big announcements, but Marvel still has more up its sleeves. They'll appear in the Disney Entertainment Showcase, which takes place at the annual convention for the House of Mouse, D23.

This is set to be a bumper event featuring the latest from Marvel, as well as announcements from Star Wars and Lucasfilm, Pixar, and other upcoming Disney projects. Happening live from Anaheim in California, we're expecting some big news covering everything from Ahsoka season 2 to VisionQuest.

So when does it all kick off and how can you keep up with the latest news? We've compiled a guide below for everything you need to know about the D23 Marvel panel below. And if that wasn't enough, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Star Wars movies for what might be in store.

When is the D23 Marvel Panel?

The D23 Marvel Panel forms part of the Disney Entertainment Showcase. This kicks off on Friday, August 14th at 7pm PT. It runs for two hours, concluding at 9pm PT.

If you're watching on the East Coast, this means it starts at 10pm EDT. In the UK, this means you'll have to tune it on Saturday, August 15 at 3am BST.

Disney don't release the exact running order for their panel so if you're hoping to tune in for only the Marvel Studios announcements, it might be a bit tricky to navigate. They'll probably only have around 20-30 minutes of the allotted time too, which could come at any point during the timeframe.

How to watch D23

Unfortunately, the Disney Entertainment Showcase is not streamed live. This means that you won't be able to watch along as it happens. Some panels are streamed during D23, but this is not one of them.

This means that if you want to follow along with all the news and announcements, then you'll need to keep an eye on our live-blog as well as Total Film's Twitter for live updates.

What will be announced at D23?

We're not yet sure what will be announced at D23 but some early details in the convention hall have given us a bit of an idea. The Ahsoka season 2 costumes have been on display so we'd hedge our bets that a trailer might be imminent for the Star Wars show.

VisionQuest also has an installation, featuring an intriguing tease about a new character. We're yet to have a trailer from the show, despite it arriving in just a few months. D23 might be the perfect time for that.

Other potential announcements could come around the upcoming X-Men movie. The project was largely absent from Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel and there have been some casting rumors circling.

Other upcoming projects sure to get a mention include Star Wars: Starfighter and Avengers: Doomsday.

In terms of other Disney news, there are rumors that a new Pixar movie will be announced and we expect to hear some details from the upcoming Frozen 3.

Check out our guide to all the new Disney movies coming in 2026 and beyond.

At a time where Star Wars desperately needs a cinematic win, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond has heaped praise on the upcoming Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter.

"I've been on set of [Star Wars: Starfighter] and that's a throwback to the Harrison Ford kind of Star Wars," Gelfond said on The Town with Matt Belloni.

When Belloni replied that The Mandalorian and Grogu tanking doesn't help their case, Gelfond said, "I'm on a limb on this one. I'll tell you, take it to the bank… I think it's going to be good."

Right now, Star Wars is on shaky theatrical ground. We're seven years removed from The Rise of Skywalker and the bad taste it left in the mouths of audiences still lingers. The Mandalorian and Grogu was also a notable box office flop, even though Disney felt it was a success in other areas.

Precious little is known about Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy. A new synopsis reads, "In a rebuilding galaxy, a solitary pilot becomes entangled in a crucial mission as new threats emerge. Their journey may alter the future of the Force itself."

Thrillingly, Tom Cruise also arrived on the set of Starfighter – and even helped direct an action scene. If Mr. Movies is onboard, that already feels like a good omen.

Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and Aaron Pierre, is released in cinemas on May 28, 2027.

For more, check out the upcoming Star Wars movies currently in the works.

Ever since the first trailer for The End of Oak Street hit the internet, fans have been theorising that the movie is connected to producer J.J. Abrams' Cloverfield trilogy, but the filmmaker has now put that rumor to bed.

"The only connection to our Cloverfield movies is that Ewan’s partner is Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who was the star of 10 Cloverfield Lane, who we were very lucky to get to work with and who I adore," said Abrams to The Hollywood Reporter. "So there was that, but other than that, people are just making connections that they happen to see."

Directed by David Robert Mitchell, The End of Oak Street stars Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway as a married couple who wake up one day to find that their whole neighbourhood has been transported to prehistoric times. The Cloverfield franchise deals with alien invasion, but fans saw links between the two movies due to The End of Oak Street originally being titled Flowervale Street, and McGregor and Hathaway's characters sharing the same surname as Hud Platt from the original Cloverfield.

Plus, the third movie, The Cloverfield Paradox, includes news segments reporting that whole city blocks went missing due to tears in space and time caused by a new dangerous device. Oh, and Collider even found that the real Oak Street in Santa Monica, California, ends at Clover Park, right by where Abrams' production company Bad Robot is located. There were just too many coincidences for fans to ignore.

Alas, it sounds like the two universes are not connected after all. However, that might be a good thing, as we have had our fill of alien projects over the past few years. It is time for dinosaurs to shine, and first reactions to The End of Oak Street are already calling it the best dino movie since Jurassic Park. Abrams adds that the Jurassic theme is what pulled him in. "To have dinosaurs in our world, there was a juxtaposition that was so immediately exciting," said Abrams.

The End of Oak Street is released in cinemas on August 14. For more, keep up with new horror movies and upcoming movies on the way in 2026 and beyond.

After appearing in the trilogy of Star Wars prequels, Natalie Portman says "no director" wanted to work with her.

Quotes from a 2014 piece in New York Magazine have recently resurfaced thanks to Far Out Magazine. There, Portman recalled the fallout from playing Padme Amidala in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

"Everyone thought I was a horrible actress," Portman said. "I was in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade, and no director wanted to work with me."

The Phantom Menace grossed over $1 billion dollars upon its release, but Episode One, and the subsequent movies in the trilogy, were widely panned by critics – and used as shorthand for unnecessary prequels thanks to its melodramatic twists, middling CGI, and move away from what made the original Star Wars trilogy so popular.

A separate 2008 interview in The Independent also saw Portman recall a negative backlash to her stint in the Star Wars prequels, but had a measured approach to her performances.

"With almost every performance, I feel like I've failed on some level," Portman said at the time. "But I also think it's very human to feel that when you mess up, you get more out of it than when you succeed."

Thankfully, Portman soon turned her career around with acclaimed performances in 2003's Cold Mountain and 2004's Closer, the latter of which netted her a Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The 2010s proved more of a success for Portman, with the actor winning Best Actress for Black Swan. She even dipped back into franchise waters as Jane Foster in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, before reprising the role for a (seemingly) final time in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Portman is next appearing in Good Sex, the Lena Dunham-directed romcom, alongside Mark Ruffalo.

For more, check out the rest of 2026's biggest movie release dates.

These days, it's easy to look at a movie's box office number and declare it a success or, in the case of both live-action remake Moana and Star Wars feature The Mandalorian and Grogu, a dismal failure.

New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro clearly doesn't subscribe to such binary thinking, declaring on the company's earnings call (via Variety), "Even when our franchise films don’t meet our box office expectations, as with The Mandalorian and Grogu and the live-action Moana, our investments in these core properties fuel other parts of our company."

Disney CFO Hugh Johnston added, "Theatrical performance is important to us, of course, and we certainly aspire to deliver consistent financial results for our films. But the nature of the film industry is such that it is more of a portfolio game. The good news for us is our diversified business helps us basically cover the volatility that comes out of the film business."

As the pair of Disney leaders allude to, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Moana aren't film-only concerns. There is, of course, immense value in adding them to streaming on Disney Plus. That's without factoring in merchandise and synergy with Disney's theme park and cruise ship businesses.

Released on May 22, The Mandalorian and Grogu marked the next chapter in Din Djarin's journey in a galaxy far, far away after three seasons on Disney's streaming success.

Unfortunately, a low-stakes plot and general disinterest in the series led to disappointing takings at the box office, with the Star Wars movie only grossing $345 million – a record low for a live-action film in the franchise.

The Moana remake fared less well when stacked up against the gold rush of Disney live-action movies in recent years.

It's currently only just made more than its $250 million budget, a stark contrast to last year's Lilo and Stitch remake ($1.03 billion). It's not a disaster Disney is sweeping under the carpet, but it's certainly one the House of Mouse is taking positives from.

For more, check out the new Disney movies in the works, plus all the movie release dates we still have to look forward to in 2026.

Legendary director James Cameron is thinking about what the rest of his career looks like, which may or may not involve the next two Avatar movies.

After receiving the Canadian Governor General’s Prize, Cameron told GG Awards what's next for him. "There's been momentum in the Avatar universe for 21 years at this point because we started in 2005. It's been kind of an unbroken continuum," said Cameron. "So this is the point where I'm looking at the landscape and asking, 'What are the other stories I want to tell? How many of them do I need to direct myself versus writing and/or producing with other filmmakers?'"

It sounds like Cameron's future may not include Avatar at all, as the director shared that "over the last two weeks" he has "literally mapped out" what his last act of filmmaking looks like. "I started with, 'What will do the most good?' I put that in block letters at the top," added Cameron. "And I started looking at all the projects I'm most fond of, asking, 'How's this going to improve our condition? How's that going to make the world better for our kids?'"

This is a complete 180 from Cameron's comments just two years ago. Following reports in 2024 that Cameron might not direct the next two Avatar movies, the director told The Hollywood Reporter, "They're going to have to stop me. I've got plenty of energy, I love doing what I'm doing," adding that the only way "somebody else is going to do it" is if "I get hit by a bus and I'm in an iron lung."

However, that was before Avatar: Fire and Ash had hit screens. As we know, Avatar movies take a very long time to make, and as Hollywood studios continue to cut budgets, movies like Avatar may fade out. In May, Cameron told Empire that Avatar movies are "simply too massive, too expensive, and too time-consuming to keep making the same way." Avatar 4 officially entered production in 2022. However, despite targeting a 2029 release, the fourquel is still very much "floating," according to Cameron.

But we might not have to worry right away, as Cameron assured GG Awards, "I haven't made any decisions yet. I'm still in this liminal state of mapping out, you know, kind of the last act. And I don't know if that last act will last a year or 20 years."

For more, check out our guide to upcoming movies and keep up with 2026 movie release dates.

Given that Star Wars has been around for almost 50 years now, you’d be forgiven for being a little off in remembering certain portions of the beloved franchise. That’s the very issue one fan highlighted on Reddit, which sparked plenty more replies about revealing sequences that didn't play out like they originally imagined.

"What's one of those things that you swear you remember happening in the movies that isn't actually from the movies at all?" wrote the fan, with plenty coming back with their own rather odd encounters with the Star Wars saga.

One moment was an obvious one, given that the whole world had seemingly been hit with the Mandela Effect when it came to The Empire Strikes Back. "There isn't one I can’t think of for myself, but 'Luke, I am your father' is probably the most famous historical example of this," wrote the fan, referring to the sequel's big reveal, which is often misquoted. It's "No. I am your father."

Another fan chimed in, saying that they misremembered the outcome of Luke's test. "When I was a lad I didn't understand that Luke's face was in Vader's mask in the Dagobah vision scene. I thought that was Vader." One fan also added the double-take that had lasted decades: that C-3PO was all gold, when in fact he had a silver leg instead of a matching pair. Clearly something we overlooked, what with being near-sighted scrap piles and everything.

Admittedly, given that there are various versions of the movies up to this point, we'd understand how some scenes are a little sketchy in the old memory banks.

For our list of favorite Star Wars moments, head on over here and see which one of yours makes the cut.

Acclaimed sci-fi director Neill Blomkamp has shared his work on an AI film. The director behind District 9, Elysium, and Gran Turismo posted a 14-minute-long short film that he made entirely with artificial intelligence on YouTube, which is a mash-up between a military movie and a zombie thriller.

Entitled 'Nightbourne', it features 32 AI characters, based on real actors, and tells the story of a helicopter pilot shot down and killed in action. However, it seems the army is actually building zombies to make super soldiers. It's a cool idea in theory, but it seems no one is happy with the execution or the fact that Blomkamp has used AI software Seedance 2.0 to make it.

"Wow Neill thank you for showing us that even in the hands of an established director AI slop looks indistinguishable from everyone else's AI slop," replied one on Twitter. "Holy fuck this somehow looks even worse than you can possibly imagine lmao," another simply replied as a third wrote: "Waited 17 years for District 10, and now this? Come on, man."

Others have been pointing out some of the inconsistencies in the film. Posting on YouTube, several viewers spotted inconsistencies with things like the injury placement, seeming duplication of AI actors, and strange reactions that feel "uncanny". Not only this, but there are some pretty strange line-readings and even moving buildings in the backgrounds of shots.

It doesn't seem like any of this will be stopping Blomkamp, though, as he also announced his plans to make a fully AI feature-length film. He has also founded a studio purely for AI called Barley Studios.

Blomkamp's film isn't the only AI movie knocking around. Recently, it was announced that another studio is remaking The Odyssey too, but they already admit it won't be at the same level as Christopher Nolan's epic.

For more movies out in 2026, check out our guides to upcoming movies and movie release dates you need to know about.

Following a muted non-annoucement and an unspecified delay, the director's cut of the maligned 2008 standalone movie The X Files: I Want to Believe now has an official streaming date on Hulu and Disney Plus, and a bizarre new title along with it.

As announced by the big D (h/t Gizmodo), the "never-before-seen R-rated Chris Carter Director’s Cut" of The X Files: I Want to Believe will stream from August 14 on Hulu or Disney Plus, depending on which part of the world you live in and which bundle you may or may not have. Set to "faithfully restore the filmmaker’s original vision," the standalone X-Files movie has also been re-monikered with a strange new title: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn.

That new title – a clear reference to Victor Frankenstein in Russian – isn't totally out of left field. If you watched I Want to Believe, you may recall it doesn't involve aliens at all, but is instead about the grisly theft of organs, which are used to keep one particular character alive, Frankenstein-style. There's also some ill-advised backstory involving abusive priests. With any luck, Carter has cut that stuff.

Carter revealed the existence of the director's cut on X-Files star David Duchovny's podcast last year, with Carter explaining it was an opportunity to "make the scary movie that I always intended." The original cut was widely panned and is sitting at just 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.

As for The X-Files, after two uninspiring sequel seasons featuring Mulder and Scully, the show is currently being rebooted by Sinners director Ryan Coogler. Filming on the pilot episode recently wrapped, starring The Odyssey's Himesh Patel and Station Eleven co-star Danielle Deadwyler. There's currently no official release date.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn streams on Hulu and Disney Plus from August 14. For more, dive into our list of upcoming horror movies, or the best movies on Hulu right now.