Star Wars Weekly: The Star Wars Guy (02/06/25 to 08/06/25)
Lucasfilm succession planning, Mia Goth joins Starfighter, and more...
The question of Lucasfilm’s presidential succession plan was back in the headlines this week when The Hollywood Reporter included a tidbit about who the frontrunner is to replace Kathleen Kennedy when she retires from the company in the next few years.
According to THR’s Peter Keifer,
“Despite speculation about outside candidates, including former 20th Century head Emma Watts, insiders say the company seems most likely to promote from within. The current thinking is a scenario where chief creative officer Dave Filoni and production head Carrie Beck — both Lucasfilm vets — take co-head roles. Even as an arm of Disney, Lucasfilm remains, in many ways, a family business, and as a George Lucas protégé Filoni long has been considered a golden boy. But the knock against him is that he might be too steeped in Star Wars lore and risks steering a show into dense mythology that loses a broader audience. “He’s not the Andor guy, he’s the Ahsoka guy,” says one Disney insider. Beck, who joined the company in 2012, knows the ins and outs, but neither she nor Filoni has much film experience, which could be mitigated by Kennedy’s continued presence as a producer on certain Star Wars projects, ensuring quality control in the short term.”
The idea of Filoni as a front runner is nothing new, nor is the idea that Lucasfilm might be considering a “two-headed monster” scenario of Filoni-plus someone else. Carrie Beck, being the other head, makes a lot of sense. She and Filoni have worked closely for over a decade, starting with Rebels, continuing onto season seven of The Clone Wars, and then into live action with The Mandalorian, and now Ahsoka. Clearly, they work well together and have had a lot of success making shows that are popular, critically acclaimed, and have shown great staying power in the fan community.
The one tidbit that does stand out as new, however, is the comment about “the Ahsoka guy” vs “the Andor guy.” From the sound of things, there’s a contingent of Disney power-brokers who have seen how Andor resonated and brought acclaim and attention from outside the die-hard fanbase and want to recapture that. And they don’t view Filoni’s vision for the franchise as on par with that.
Now, before anyone floats the idea of Tony Gilroy taking over Lucasfilm after Kathleen Kennedy leaves, let me say that that feels like a non-starter. Gilroy has shown little interest in even making another Star Wars show or movie after Andor, and has used the promotional tour for season two to promote his next project. Running a studio doesn’t seem to be on his radar, either. If he’s ready to move on, he should.
But I completely understand the appeal of wanting a “Gilroy-type” to come in a run the company going forward. His lack of nostalgia for the material meant he wasn’t blinded by what came before and showed how a different approach to George Lucas’ galaxy could yield great results. The “Wow” moments in Andor came from the story and characters, not a surprise appearance by a familiar character. His stories always stood on their own two feet in generating emotional responses from the audience.
I am, and always have been, a huge fan of Dave Filoni and his Star Wars projects. His time spent working directly with George Lucas on The Clone Wars gives him a unique and extremely valuable perspective on Star Wars. He is a voice that should be in the room, and his elevation to chief creative officer at Lucasfilm is something I celebrate. However, without Lucas there to guide him, Filoni has shown a tendency to rely on “surprise” reveals and nostalgia to elicit responses from the audience.
Ahsoka, for as much as it did challenge its audience in intriguing ways with its new approach to the Force, seemed to be built on these sorts of moments. Both of the Ezra reunions, the entire flashback sequence with Anakin/Vader, and Thrawn’s debut all relied heavily on the audience understanding—and having nostalgia for—the backstory from Rebels, The Clone Wars, the prequels, and/or the expanded universe to deliver the “Wow” moment.
Should stories build off past material? Absolutely. But a series needs to build up its characters and stories on its own, too. For instance, is the story Darth Vader’s redemption in the original trilogy enhanced by the prequels? Definitely. Is it strictly necessary? No, the original trilogy worked fine on its own for thirty years. Ahsoka needed to do the same thing, where viewers’ appreciation and knowledge of Rebels/The Clone Wars/the books/etc. enhanced the experience, but new fans could jump on board easily. This is by no means an easy feat to accomplish, but, for my money, it failed to do so.
I will clarify, however, I don’t think this is a “lore” problem, as the THR article suggested. Gilroy took a pretty obscure piece of Star Wars history, the Ghorman massacre, and turned it into one of the most devastating—and acclaimed—moments in Star Wars history. Lore is not the problem; over-reliance on nostalgia is.
Season two of Ahsoka is shooting now and stands as Filoni and Beck’s best chance to show the world they have what it takes to be in charge of Star Wars. A successful season, with both fans and critics, would go a long way to silencing their doubters. It needs to be a statement that Star Wars will be in good hands going forward if they take the reins.
And, whether intentional or not, Tony Gilroy has left them a pretty good roadmap to do just that. Ahsoka shouldn’t try to be Andor, but they can learn from the success of the other show.
Two things we know going into season two are that Admiral Ackbar will appear and that the mystery surrounding the Mortis gods will factor into the story.
One of Andor’s great successes was with Mon Mothma, a character from Return of the Jedi who had appeared here and there in other stories but had never really been explored. Andor turned her into a complex hero, whose struggles and sacrifices were central to the series. Ackbar is also a character from Return of the Jedi who had appeared here and there in other stories but had never really been explored. Ahsoka needs to give him an equally resonant arc as Mon got in Andor to justify making him a central character in season two. It can’t and shouldn’t be the same as Mon’s story, but he needs to feel relevant to the story and themes and not like he’s just there because he said “it’s a trap” once and that got turned into a meme.
As for the Mortis gods, they need to become Ahsoka’s Ghorman. Not literally, of course, it doesn’t need to be a tragedy the way Ghorman was, but their impact needs to be felt by the entire audience. As I said before, knowing about their roles in The Clone Wars and Rebels should enhance the viewing experience, but not necessary to understand what’s going on. Like knowing the Ghorman massacre is what made Mon Mothma leave the Senate. If they are as central to the story as we believe, then their role must have the same level of impact as the Ghorman massacre on Andor. It needs to be the thing that everyone is talking about, and the conversation can’t be “if you don’t understand it, go watch the other show and then you’ll get it.”
The best thing Andor did was open up Star Wars to people who weren’t already hardcore fans. It did this with great character work and great stories. It was reverent of the lore and the galaxy without relying on nostalgia to power emotional responses. All Star Wars stories should strive to do the same, regardless of genre or demographic targets.
Whoever is running Star Wars needs to show an understanding of this and a capability to do just that. Filoni and Beck have shown they can do this before, with their success on Rebels. Now they need to do it in live action, with everyone watching.
Ultimately, the hope is that whoever takes over isn’t “the Andor guy” or “the Ahsoka guy,” they’re just “the Star Wars guy.”
A quick note from me: I apologize for not posting a Star Wars editorial on Friday. I’m about 80% done writing my review of Tales of the Underworld, but was unable to finish it in time. My hope is to post it either Tuesday or Wednesday, in advance of the return of The Clone Wars Strikes Back this Friday. But we’ll see how this week goes. Now, onto the news!
Top Story
Mia Goth Cast In Starfighter
Shawn Levy’s 2027 Star Wars movie has found its co-lead to star opposite Ryan Gosling.
The InSneider revealed this week that Mia Goth (The X series) has been cast as an antagonist in Star Wars: Starfighter. The Hollywood Reporter then added to the story with, “Details on the project are scant, but it does involve Gosling playing a character that must protect a young charge against evil pursuers. Goth will play one of the pursuers.”
I have to be honest, I’ve never seen anything Mia Goth has done before; she mainly comes from the world of horror, and that just isn’t my genre. But I’m intrigued to see what she brings to Star Wars, especially as a villain. Plus, with every cast member added to the project, it makes it more and more likely that this film will actually get made and not wind up “shelved” like so many others.
Two other details from the THR story that are intriguing, however. The first being that the story of Starfighter revolves around Gosling’s character protecting “a young charge against evil pursuers.” Obviously, this is an extremely vague description, but it does bring to mind several other Star Wars stories that have come out recently. We’ve seen iterations of this “older character protects a young charge” plot in Obi-Wan Kenobi with Obi-Wan and Leia, The Bad Batch with Hunter and Omega, and, of course, The Mandalorian with Din Djarin and Grogu (whose story will continue on the big screen in 2026, one year before Starfighter).
Of course, I will reserve judgment until we learn more (and actually see the movie), but this does sound like Lucasfilm is repeating a plot structure. It’s one they’ve had great success with, but how long before audiences start craving a different type of story from Star Wars? I’d argue the success of Andor already suggests that people are ready for something different.
The other detail is that Goth’s part is the same one that Anora’s Mikey Madison was in talks for. THR confirms that “her deal blew up like a Death Star — over money matters.”
Back when the news of her passing on the role broke, there was some speculation that it may have been a sign that being in Star Wars didn’t have the same cache that it once did. While there may still be some truth to that, it seems that the pressures of being in Star Wars weren’t the deciding factor for Madison. As a recent Oscar winner for Best Actress, she presumably felt she was owed a bigger payday for her involvement in the massive franchise than they were willing to give her. And so the two sides parted ways, opening up the door for Goth to step in.
Starfighter begins filming this fall in the UK and will hit theatres on May 28th, 2027.
Headlines
Revenge of the Sith Soundtrack to get 20th Anniversary Vinyl Re-Release
The celebration of the final prequel’s 20th anniversary continues this year, as the film’s soundtrack will receive a special vinyl re-release later this year. John Williams’ iconic score for Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is available now for pre-order as a special two-LP vinyl. A limited edition with lava coloured vinyls has already sold out, but a standard edition with black LPs is still available.
The track listing is as follows:
Disc One:
Side A: 1. Star Wars and the Revenge of the Sith (7:29) 2. Anakin’s Dream (4:44) 3. Battle of the Heroes (3:42) 4. Anakin’s BetrayalOpens in a new tab (4:05) Side B: 1. General Grievous (4:05) 2. Palpatine’s Teachings (5:25) 3. Grievous and the Droids (3:27) 4. Padm’s Ruminations (3:18)
Disc Two
Side A: 1. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan (3:56) 2. Anakin’s Dark Deeds (4:04) 3. Enter Lord Vader (4:13) 4. The Immolation Scene (2:39) Side B: 1. Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious (2:48) 2. The Birth of the Twins and Padm’s Destiny (3:39) 3. A New Hope and End Credits (13:05)
This is just the second time the soundtrack has been released on Vinyl and the first physical media re-release of the soundtrack since its original release in 2005 (when I got it on CD for my 11th birthday).
Mark Hamill Says Carrie Fisher Told Him To “Embrace” His Star Wars Legacy
Mark Hamill appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air this week to promote his role in The Life of Chuck, and during the conversation, he told a story about how Carrie Fisher told him to get over himself and embrace the fact that he will always be known for Luke Skywalker.
“She came to see a Broadway show of mine. And in the playbill, in my bio, I listed all my theatre credits and at the end it said, ‘He’s also known for a series of popular space movies,’” Hamill recalled. “And she goes, ‘What’s the deal? How come you don’t mention Star Wars?’ And I said, ‘Well, I want to show that I have a resume that includes extensive theatre credits.’ And she said, ‘Hey, get over yourself. You’re Luke Skywalker. I’m Princess Leia. Embrace it.’”
In the years since, Hamill has been much more willing to embrace his Star Wars legacy. Not only has he come back to Star Wars several times, but he also spent many years going to conventions where he met and signed autographs for fans. Though he’s pulled back from doing much of that lately, he is always willing to engage with Star Wars questions in interviews, like this one and his recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Another Andor Interview Roundup
The cast and crew of Andor are still making the interview rounds to celebrate the show’s success and encourage entertainment awards voters to cast their ballots in its favour.
Here are some of the places you can see and hear from the makers of Andor:
The Paley Center hosted a Q&A with showrunner Tony Gilroy, producer Sanne Wohlenberg, and stars Diego Luna, Genevieve O'Reilly, Adria Arjona, and Ben Mendelsohn. The event was moderated by Patton Oswalt.
Gilroy also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to reflect on making the series and how you don’t need to know Star Wars to enjoy Andor.
Wohlenberg was on the Angle on Producers podcast to discuss why Andor is different from anything else she’s done.
O’Reilly was on NBC California Live to look back on playing Mon Mothma over the years.
Composer Brandon Roberts spoke with Fanboy Nation about creating the series soundtrack.
And Costume designer Michael Wilkinson was on with Costume CO to discuss what went into creating the wardrobe of Andor. He also shared fun looks like these at the costumes on Instagram,
The excitement around Andor continues to sustain itself almost a month after the series ended. Part of that is the awards season hype, no doubt, but it also speaks to the quality and engagement the series created during its run. It’s truly a remarkable feat!
From The Archive
Happy Birthday Dave Filoni!
“The Ahsoka guy” celebrated his 51st birthday this past week, the only way that made sense: with the cast of Ahsoka. Ahsoka herself, Rosario Dawson, posted a picture of the cast out celebrating Dave Filoni’s birthday with the caption, “In Filoni we trust! Happy Birthday!” Featured in the picture along with Dawson and Filoni are Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger), Ivanna Sakhno (Shin Hati), and Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth).
Filoni was born on June 7th, 1974, in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He began working in television as a storyboard artist for King of the Hill before moving on to direct episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender. In 2005, George Lucas hired him to be the supervising director of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He’s been with Lucasfilm ever since, working on and overseeing in various capacities eight Star Wars TV shows, both animated and live action, including Rebels, The Mandalorian, and (of course) Ahsoka.
In 2023, it was announced that he would be directing a live-action movie that would serve as the conclusion to the story that began in The Mandalorian and continued through The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew. Later that year, he was named Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm, with many seeing him as the natural successor to the company’s president, Kathleen Kennedy, when she eventually steps down.
Happy Birthday, Dave! Thank you for the countless hours of entertainment you’ve given us over the years, and I cannot wait to see what you do next!!
In Other News
Pedro Pascal and Sam Witwer Speak Out Against ICE Raids in LA
Two Star Wars actors have both taken to social media to condemn the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles, California, this weekend. Pedro Pascal, aka Din Djarin in The Mandalorian, and Sam Witwer, voice of Darth Maul in The Clone Wars and Maul: Shadow Lord, both posted to their social media accounts to side with the protestors and condemn the Trump administration's actions.
When ICE began conducting raids looking for illegal immigrants in LA, the community took to the streets to defend the members of their community who were being targeted despite not committing any serious offence. The response from ICE against the protestors was severe, and US President Donald Trump has since called in the National Guard to respond to the demonstrations.
Pascal reposted a video calling for solidarity with the protestors defending the people being targeted by ICE, who are overwhelmingly Latino. He captioned his post, “Los Ángeles. Built by the best of U.S. #Protect our #Protectors #RESIST”
Witwer, meanwhile, has been retweeting images of law enforcement taking brutal action against the protestors, and posted a message referencing the Trump administration’s policy of deporting people to an El Salvador prison without due process.
“Illegal entry into the United States is often classified as a misdemeanor” the actor posted. “We do not generally send people to CECOT (a brutal gulag known for keeping it's prisoners for life) with no trial or due process for misdemeanors. Nor is it lawful. Crazy how that works.”
Star Wars fans have also been vocal in opposition to the raids, with some drawing comparisons between what’s happening in LA and what happened in Andor season two:
What’s happening in LA is a frightening reminder that while we celebrate heroes who resist in Star Wars, actual resistance is needed in our world to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The actions of the Trump administration are wrong and counter to everything our onscreen heroes would have stood for. The question we all must ask ourselves now is what we’re going to do about it?
Podcast Corner
I missed this week’s Star Wars Underworld Podcast due to illness, but Ben, Chris, and Hannah still had a great show. They were joined by our friend Jeff White to discuss, among other things, the succession rumours about Filoni, the idea of an R-rated Star Wars project, what’s going on with Rian Johnson’s trilogy, and more.
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch above on YouTube!
Coming Soon
Always in motion is the future, but here’s a look ahead at what we can expect in Star Wars over the next seven days:
On June 10th, Star Wars Life Size comes out from the author Dorling Kindersley. It’s a reference book for kids that reveals how big Star Wars characters, creatures, droids, and more actually are.
On June 11th, Marvel is releasing two single-issue comics: Star Wars (2025) #2 by Alex Segura (set after the events of Return of the Jedi) and The Rise of Skywalker #5 by Jody Houser.
Dark Horse Comics is also getting in on the fun on June 11th with The High Republic Adventures (2023) #19 by Daniel Jose Older. It’s the second-to-last issue in the series.
The galaxy is watching!
I really wish they'd re-release all of the Prequel soundtracks on vinyl. I'm always on the lookout for a reasonably priced copy of any of them.