Star Wars Megathread

[Syt]

Those are photos of Ryan Gosling alright.

They remaking rebels with Kanan as the main character?

Bah, they could just get Freddie Prinze jr (who voiced him on the show) for that, though I guess they'd have to dye his hair now.

[HVC]

Yeah, but gosling can do smouldering, Prinze can just muster up simultaneously annoyed and perplexed at best how you gonna capture the teeny bopper demographic with that

[Syt]

I find it funnier that in two publicity shots for the movie STARFIGHTER the vehicles they've shown are a landspeeder and what looks like a crappy water thing, but not a STARFIGHTER. (And Gosling with weird hair)

[Sophie Scholl]

Why do those two Starfighter shots look like they're from Waterworld more than anything Star Wars? 

[HVC]

Why do those two Starfighter shots look like they're from Waterworld more than anything Star Wars? 

I was thinking they same for the second photo along with what type of fish he's gaming for with that reel.

[Syt]

I just noticed that Star Wars Visions S3 is out (this time back to shorts from Japanese studios).

It made me realize I never finished S2. 

Watched Journey to the Dark Head just now, but Studio Mir (Legend of Korra, X-Men '97 and others).

Kinda made me wish there was a full Avatar-style series set 1000s years before the movies during the Jedi-Sith War.

[Syt]

I've found the discussions of these two PolSci professors from UConn about Andor interesting.

https://youtu.be/ExUkCpfLeZw

Question to native speakers - what accent does the prof in the checkered shirt have? I can't quite place it, and his CV only says that he has British citizenship.

They have a video up about the first two episodes of Pluribus, and he's wearing a Newcastle United jersey. I'll assume he speaks Josq.

[Syt]

Trailer for Mandalorian & Grogu has dropped:

Looks like some pulp fun.

Also, trailer for Maul - Shadow Lord which goes for a different tone.

[Syt]

Chris Kempshaw, the guy who wrote "Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire" (an in-universe history of the Empire), has a new book coming up:

https://chriskempshall.com/portfolio-items/star-wars-star-pilots/

'I have never wanted to suggest that my wartime experiences were any more important or heroic than any other pilot. But so many of them are gone now and I am still here. Their words deserve to be heard' – Wedge Antilles

Star Wars: Star Pilots releases in October 2026 with DK Books.

This in-universe work features the voices, words, & experiences of familiar and brand new starfighter pilots from both the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire.

Most importantly it is produced by probably the greatest star pilot in history: Wedge Antilles. He gives us an unrivalled level of insight and expertise.

It explores the full depth and breadth of what it meant to pilot starfighters in combat in the galaxy far, far away.

I believe that when you have seen the conflict through the eyes of the pilots who participated in it you will never look at the Galactic Civil War in the same way ever again.

More details – including the final cover – for 'Star Wars: Star Pilots' will appear in due course.

He previously published:
- Star Wars - Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy
- British, French and American Relations on the Western Front, 1914–1918
- The First World War in Computer Games

Nobody told me in the 80s/90s that becoming a Star Wars/WW1/Video Games historian was a career option, and I feel betrayed.

List of his publications/articles: https://chriskempshall.com/portfolio-items/

[Sophie Scholl]

Oooo! That's so darn awesome! I believe garbon got to go to a talk he gave. 

[garbon]

Nobody told me in the 80s/90s that becoming a Star Wars/WW1/Video Games historian was a career option, and I feel betrayed.

Yes, I did and from what I recall, his career is in part because academia rejected him. UK universities weren't all that interested in history professors focused on pop culture/computer games.

[Syt]

Which seems weird because e.g. how periods or conflicts (like WW1 which seems to be his original field of expertise) are portrayed in literature or movies is a pretty common field of study, so not sure why video games (or tabletop wargames for that matter) should be excluded from it. Seems like pure snobbery at this point.

[garbon]

Which seems weird because e.g. how periods or conflicts (like WW1 which seems to be his original field of expertise) are portrayed in literature or movies is a pretty common field of study, so not sure why video games (or tabletop wargames for that matter) should be excluded from it. Seems like pure snobbery at this point.

Yes, though I also guess it is not a great time to be a UK academic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6zqe1l7g5o

Students and staff are trying to save the University of Nottingham's music and modern languages courses after their suspension was announced.

https://www.iop.org/about/news/quarter-university-physics-departments-risk-closure

Quarter of UK university physics departments risk closure as funding crisis bites

https://thetab.com/2025/05/27/all-the-uk-unis-that-are-resorting-to-scrapping-courses-and-whole-departments-in-2025

Last year, Aberdeen announced they would stop offering single degrees in French, Gaelic, German or Spanish.

Bournemouth announced they would stop recruiting new students for the BA in politics and the BA in English.

Cardiff was initially going to cut loads of subjects, including nursing, modern languages and music. After much backlash, the university has scaled back its plans. But the uni still plans to scrap the religious studies and theology department, and the ancient history courses.

The University of Kent has actually axed six courses. Last year, the uni announced plans to "phase out" anthropology, art history, health and social care, journalism, music and audio technology, and philosophy and religious studies.

Kingston announced it would stop recruiting new students for several subjects: Criminal justice, criminology, English, international relations, modern European philosophy, and philosophy and contemporary critical theory. Kingston University is also contemplating cutting the foundation course in humanities, and the Kingston Language Scheme.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a drama school that spawned celebs including Olivia Colman, Theo James and Patrick Stewart. The University of the West of England (UWE) accredits it. In January, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School announced it was closing the undergrad degree programmes.

https://qmucu.org/qmul-transformation/uk-he-shrinking/

Last link highlights all the staff reductions made over the last few years with 100 different university listings.

[Syt]

The plight of the humanities everywhere, I guess.

[celedhring]

Chris Kempshaw, the guy who wrote "Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire" (an in-universe history of the Empire), has a new book coming up:

https://chriskempshall.com/portfolio-items/star-wars-star-pilots/

'I have never wanted to suggest that my wartime experiences were any more important or heroic than any other pilot. But so many of them are gone now and I am still here. Their words deserve to be heard' – Wedge Antilles

Star Wars: Star Pilots releases in October 2026 with DK Books.

This in-universe work features the voices, words, & experiences of familiar and brand new starfighter pilots from both the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire.

Most importantly it is produced by probably the greatest star pilot in history: Wedge Antilles. He gives us an unrivalled level of insight and expertise.

It explores the full depth and breadth of what it meant to pilot starfighters in combat in the galaxy far, far away.

I believe that when you have seen the conflict through the eyes of the pilots who participated in it you will never look at the Galactic Civil War in the same way ever again.

More details – including the final cover – for 'Star Wars: Star Pilots' will appear in due course.

He previously published:
- Star Wars - Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy
- British, French and American Relations on the Western Front, 1914–1918
- The First World War in Computer Games

Nobody told me in the 80s/90s that becoming a Star Wars/WW1/Video Games historian was a career option, and I feel betrayed.

List of his publications/articles: https://chriskempshall.com/portfolio-items/

Heh, this touches so many of my nerd kinks that I think I'll get it. Is the Empire history book any good?