Disney: Star Wars toys for girls are coming

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You may have missed the #WeWantLeia protest that cropped up in response to the lack of (and seeming disinterest in providing) Star Wars toys for girls. Disney, however, did not miss it. In an exclusive to Time, Disney promises that toys for the non-boy demographic are coming.

Disney told TIME on Wednesday that it would add Princess Leia toys to its existing Star Wars merchandise line soon, following recent criticism from parents and bloggers about the lack of products for girls.

“The current assortment of Star Warsproducts at the Disney Store launched earlier this year, and is just the beginning of what is to come,” Disney spokeswoman Margita Thompson told TIME. “We’re excited to be rolling out new products in the coming months, including several items that will feature Princess Leia, one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars galaxy.”

Now it’s worth pointing out that toys for girls and Princess Leia shouldn’t be synonymous and there should be more than that in the pipeline, but for now this is a good start. This, folks, is why it’s important to bang the drum for diversity.

Josh Trank to direct another Star Wars standalone film

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Over on the official site, Lucasfilm has announced that Josh Trank will helm another Star Wars spinoff film.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Josh into the family,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “He is such an incredible talent and has a great imagination and sense of innovation. That makes him perfectly suited to Star Wars, and for this new slate of movies that reach beyond the core characters and storylines of Episodes I through IX.”

Trank states, “The magic of the Star Wars Universe defined my entire childhood. The opportunity to expand on that experience for future generations is the most incredible dream of all time.”

Trank captured imaginations worldwide with his critically lauded directorial debut Chronicle, a fresh and engaging take on the superhero genre. Trank is currently at work on The Fantastic Four for 20th Century Fox.

While his resume is somewhat limited at this point, Chronicle was a surprisingly well done film. I generally don’t enjoy “lost footage” movies, but that particular film was a thoroughly enjoyable one for me. Suffice to say, I dig Lucasfilm bringing him on board to direct one of the standalones. 

Edit: Apparently back in 2008, Trank made a bit of a Star Wars fan film

Tosche Station Radio #86: We’re baaaack… Again

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It’s Star Wars Weekends and big Episode VII casting news on this episode of Tosche Station Radio!

Kicking off the show, the hosts highlight what’s New on the Blog. Listener Frank Rich sent in a video of the Star Wars panel from AwesomeCon, moderated by our very own Bria. Our good friend Nut provided a tutorial on how to make your own interactive Artoo Mickey ears. Bria reviewed Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #1, The Star Wars #8, Legacy #15, Rebel Heist #2. Finally, Emily reviewed Serenity #5.

Fixer’s Flash is full of Star Wars Weekends sights and sounds from weekends 1-3 and a look ahead to Mark Hamill’s appearance during the fourth weekend. What else have the hosts been up to? Well, there may have been a wedding. But not a red one.

In Biggs’ Bull#*$&, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley have been on the set of Episode VII. If you’re not watching Boyega’s Instagram videos, you are missing out. Peter Mayhew has reportedly arrived in London. Meanwhile, Mark Hamill should be arriving soon after his Star Wars Weekends appearance.

Camie’s Concerns is being replaced this week for an extra-long installment of Deak’s Dirt. We kick things off with a boatload of new products at Star Wars Weekends. They’re now available to order on the Her Universe website. Nanci bought the vintage print dress, the Rebel skirt, the Rebel top, and the Artoo hair clip. Simon Kinberg says the first season of Rebels will consist of 16 episodes, and apparently Lando is in one of them. There are rumors that Obi-Wan will appear, thanks to toy spoilers. Enter to win a chance to appear in Episode VII, see the first alien chicken vendor in the GFFA. Gareth Edwards to direct and Gary Whitta to write the first Star Wars standalone film. And here’s the big one: Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie are set to join the Episode VII cast.

Tosche Station Radio is the official podcast of Tosche-Station.net and a part of Majestic Giraffe Productions. If you like what you hear, please leave a review on the iTunes Music Store and Stitcher. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Nanci and Brian are the co-founders and writers of Tosche-Station.net. You can find Nanci on Twitter with the handle @Nancipants and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.

This podcast has been brought to you in part by Her Universe and Audible.com.

Her Universe - Flaunt Your World - www.heruniverseshop.com Listen to a bestseller for $7.49 at audible.com!

Episode VII Ups the Diversity: Christie and Nyong’o Join Cast

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Now this is how you address concerns about diversity.

Lucasfilm announced just moments ago on the official site that Game of Thrones’ Gwendoline Christie and Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o will be joining the cast of Episode VII.

Lupita Nyong’o joins the recently announced cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. This year, her breakthrough performance in 12 Years a Slave earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Gwendoline Christie, currently starring in the hit television series Game of Thrones as Brienne of Tarth, has also been cast in the production. She can next be seen in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

“I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “It’s thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape.”

Yes, be excited. Be very excited. This is fantastic news.

Review: Serenity #5

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serenity 5Action!  Action action action action action!  For all the set-up in Serenity #4, Serenity #5 is all action, and yes, you will need to go back and read the previous issue to catch up and understand exactly what is happening in this issue, because there is so much action switching between enough perspectives that it takes a read or two to figure things out.

Basically, though, this is where the excrement meets the cooling machinery.  The crew (plus the Operative) has gone to rescue the other River-like girls, only to discover that they’ve been completely brainwashed, leaving River to fight them.  And everything goes nuts here, until the end, when there’s a horrible realization that what’s left of the Browncoat resistance are those left on Serenity–because the Alliance has used all of this as a trap.

But Malcolm Reynolds has one thing he has left to do–and that’s to save Zoe.  And he’s going to do whatever it takes.

Art – cue my normal complaints and my normal WOW about the cover.  Writing – not up to its usual standards here, but that’s because this is action action OMG all the action.  Still, comic writers are responsible, in part, for laying out the pages and the panels and what’s happening in them, and this was the first time I really wasn’t all that impressed.  Still, overall, it’s a good story, and I’m not sure how all the ends are going to get tied up in one issue next month.

Review: Star Wars: Rebel Heist #2

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It’s a very Star Wars week as Rebel Heist #2 by Matt Kindt and Marco Castiello is released in comic store everywhere today.  How does this second issue stand up against the first?

While Han Solo has managed to land himself in prison, Princess Leia is halfway across the galaxy.  And oh boy is she handling her mission much more competently and professionally than he was.  That doesn’t mean it won’t be tough to get the Alliance’s agent off of Feddasyr.

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Review: Star Wars: Legacy #15

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It’s another crazy day in the life of Ania Solo as Legacy #15 by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman hits comic store shelves today.  Will Ania survive the glass rain and the most inhospitable planet this side of Mustafar?  Will Ramid’s sacrifice be in vain?  Will something about this quest to track down the Sith ever go right?  (Okay, so maybe only some of these questions will get answered in Issue #15.)

Stuck out in the middle of a glass rainstorm, things continue to look bleak for Ania Solo even though her friends have finally tracked her down.  Thankfully, none of them are about to let this strange bounty hunter take their friend without a fight. But how do you stop a bounty hunter with a light whip who seems hell bent on finding and capturing Ania Solo?

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Review: The Star Wars #8

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All good things must come to an end and thus so does The Star Wars this week.  Issue #8 hits comic store shelves today as J.W. Rinzler and Mike Mayhew bring this excellent alternative universe to its close.

It’s a race against the Empire as Annikin Starkiller infiltrates the Space Fortress to rescue Queen Leia.  Meanwhile, General Luke Skywalker is leading an army of newly trained wookiees in an aerial starfighter against the deadly battle-station.  Annikin, never one for stealth, has already been spotted by Darth Vader and Prince Valorum who are more than happy to deal with the Jedi…

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Gareth Edwards and Gary Whitta sign on for Star Wars standalone

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The Star Wars powers that be certainly aren’t letting us want for news lately.  Star Wars.com has just given us our first piece of confirmed information about one of the standalone films.

From the Official Site:

In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.

Edwards is known for directing the recently released Godzilla while Whitta’s writing credits include The Book of Eli and Telltale Games’ adaptation of The Walking Dead.

No word yet on what the film will be about but release date is December 16, 2016.