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Han Solo Star Wars Story Begins Production

February 21, 2017 – The adventure-filled past of the iconic scoundrel and everyone’s favorite Wookiee is going before cameras this month when principal photography on the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story officially began February 20th at Pinewood Studios, London.

The movie will explore the duo’s adventures before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, including their early encounters with that other card-playing rogue from a galaxy far, far away, Lando Calrissian.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directors co-piloting the movie, with a cast that includes Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Thandie Newton, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca.

“Watching such inspired people from all over the world, with such unique voices, come together for the sole purpose of making art, is nothing short of miraculous,” Lord and Miller said. “We can’t think of anything funny to say, because we just feel really moved, and really lucky.”

Written by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, it will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, Simon Emanuel and co-produced by Kiri Hart, Susan Towner and Will Allegra. Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin will executive produce.

Crewing the ship will be some of the industry’s top talent, including Academy Award nominee for his work on “Arrival,” Bradford Young (Director of Photography), Chris Dickens (Editor), Dominic Tuohy (SFX Supervisor), Rob Bredow (VFX Supervisor) and Brad Allan (Action Designer).

They will be joining returning Star Wars veteran crew members Neal Scanlan (Creature & Droid FX Creative Supervisor), Neil Lamont (Production Designer), Dave Crossman and Glyn Dillon (Co-Costume Designers), Jamie Wilkinson (Prop Master), Lisa Tomblin (Hair), Amanda Knight (Make-Up) and Nina Gold (UK Casting Director).

The untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story is slated for release on May 25, 2018.

Punch it.

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi Announced

January 23, 2017 – We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy.  In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga:  STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

THE LAST JEDI is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski.

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is scheduled for release December 15, 2017.

Nordic Games Unveils ELEX, Sci-Fi Fantasy RPG

Vienna (Austria) – July 1st, 2016: Nordic Games and Piranha Bytes, creators of the Gothic series, are moving into a totally different realm with ELEX. The game is set against the backdrop of a brand new post-apocalyptic science fantasy universe that immerses players in a vast, seamless game world full of interesting characters, mutated creatures, deep moral choices and of course, some thrilling action.

The Story

Magalan, the completely open game world of ELEX, was home to a highly developed civilisation until a catastrophic meteor strike devastated the planet, reducing it to a post-apocalyptic world. The meteor also deposited a substance that is now found in nearly everything: Elex, and each faction uses it in a different way. Every inhabitant of the world is constantly looking for Elex, whether as a substance with magical powers, to use in a weapon or as a pure stimulant.

A Game of Contrasts

ELEX is all about contrasts: science vs fantasy, magic vs laser weapons and logic vs emotions. In ELEX, Piranha Bytes combines all the game elements that RPG fans love and has placed them in an entirely new environment: a science-fantasy setting. These contrasts are also evident in the various factions.

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Use of Elex

While one faction, the Albs, consider the ingestion of Elex as part of their cult, the Clerics group ban the consumption of Elex on religious grounds, and use it to build their high-tech weapons. The Berserkers however, a people who live in harmony with nature, process Elex into mana and use it to craft magical weapons. As for the Bandits, their society has no fixed rules, but they live by the credo: “Take anything you can grab, or someone else will.”

The “Piranha Bytes” Philosophy

“We’ve been thinking about the setting for ELEX for almost 10 years, and we finally have the chance to implement our ideas. The mix of sci-fi and fantasy offers an incredible number of opportunities and cool contrasts that we can play around with. The fans of Gothic or Risen will recognise our unique game philosophy and ELEX builds on that solid basis. ELEX will be the most dynamic and realistic RPG sim ever!” Björn Pankratz, Piranha Bytes

ELEX is being developed for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 simultaneously and the game release is scheduled for Q1 2017.

Features of the Game

  • Sci-Fi Meets Fantasy: A post-apocalyptic universe that seamlessly blends science-fiction and fantasy elements.
  • Reason vs. Emotion: The player himself decides which way to go; there’s no right or wrong.
  • 100% Authentic: The game AI takes decisions that make the game action and events perfectly logical.
  • Epic Combat System: The complex combat system and total control over the characters enable you to “read” your enemies.
  • Jetpack Frenzy: Jetpack makes vertical exploration so much easier and offers a whole new dimension of fresh opportunities.
  • RPG True to its Name: The player’s decisions influence the course of the entire game.

http://elexgame.com/

Star Wars Announces Ultimate Studio Edition Line of Prop Replicas

San Francisco – June 1, 2016 – Disney and Lucasfilm today launched Star Wars Collectibles: Ultimate Studio Edition bringing an unprecedented level of authenticity to prop replica products for fans. Made to order by propmakers at Propshop in Pinewood Studios using digital data collected during filming of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the production process marries cutting edge 3D printing technology with master craftsmanship to produce replicas virtually identical to those seen on screen. Available initially in the U.S., starwarsultimatestudioedition.com is the exclusive location to purchase these products.

“We’re delighted to be able to produce such a groundbreaking line of merchandise,” said James Enright, Assets Director and CEO of Propshop. “Designed, made and finished by the hands of specialist motion picture prop makers and artists, we’ve worked extremely hard to create something that we know would make fans and filmmakers proud.”

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The initial offering from the Star Wars Collectibles line features eight prop replicas from Star Wars: The Force Awakens including Darth Vader’s melted helmet, Rey’s lightsaber hilt, FN-2187 Stormtrooper helmet and more. Each replica item is a limited production piece due to the high level of craftsmanship required to create them.

These made-to-order replicas will come with custom display pedestals, packed in branded wooden crates that are inspired by the real crates used to ship the film props. Each one is custom built to accommodate the shape of the replica inside.

“We are continually looking for new ways to extend the storytelling from movies in innovative ways,” said Josh Silverman, executive vice president of global licensing at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “We’ve worked hand in hand with the film makers and talented team at Propshop to create a unique product experience for fans and we’re excited to see their reactions to these incredible prop replicas.”

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Visit Disney’s YouTube channel to view the latest installment of their “Boxed” series to get a behind-the-scenes look at Darth Vader’s melted helmet being created; then tune in each month to see reveals of new items added to the Star Wars Collectibles: Ultimate Studio Edition line. For more information, visit starwarsultimatestudioedition.com.