May 4 Be With You

Hayden Christensen was on the phone at home when he heard the front door open and footsteps head upstairs. He was expecting a friend, so he figured there was no reason to hang up. The Star Wars actor recalled at L.A. Comic Con on October 30 that by the time he went to check, someone …

When Emperor Palpatine sends Darth Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn to investigate a disturbance in the Force, the assignment sounds simple enough. Then Palpatine names their destination: Batuu. Thrawn admits he’s heard of the planet, while Vader says nothing. There’s a good reason the Emperor is paying attention to both of them. Thrawn Knew Anakin …

Natalie Portman had already made several movies when she took on the role of Padmé Amidala. But The Phantom Menace was the first new chapter in the main Star Wars saga since Return of the Jedi, and its 1999 release drew a level of attention she’d never experienced before. In an October 26 interview, Portman …

The last time we saw Rey on the big screen, she had just taken the Skywalker name. In 2023, Daisy Ridley walked onto the Star Wars Celebration stage to announce she was coming back. A new round of reports raises a question about that return: Which movie will actually pick up her story? Rey Reportedly …

The 10 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked In one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, the most frightening thing in space is a computer speaking in a perfectly calm voice. In another, the fate of the future depends on two teenagers kissing at a school dance. For this ranking, I gave the …

The last time we see Sebulba in The Phantom Menace, he’s sitting in the wreckage of his podracer while Anakin takes the victory. For a driver who built his reputation on pushing everyone else off the track, it’s a fitting exit. But Anakin leaves Tatooine, and the movies leave Sebulba behind with him. His racing …

Maul came at Palpatine with another Sith warrior at his side. Dooku knew the secret that could have exposed him to the Jedi. Vader went as far as gathering enough power to challenge him directly. All three had a real opening at some point, and it’s worth looking at what Palpatine did the moment he …

Before Darth Vader stepped through the smoke in Star Wars, George Lucas gave him a very different first scene. It was May 1974, and the screenplay was still called The Star Wars. The name Darth Vader was already there, but reading his scenes in order gives you a strange feeling. You keep recognizing him in …

A lightsaber is more than a glowing prop for a Star Wars fan. It can become a centerpiece in a collection, an exciting addition to a cosplay setup, or a memorable gift for someone who has always wanted to wield a blade inspired by their favorite character. With Cyber Monday approaching, it is a good …

At sixteen, Leia Organa nearly exposed her biggest secret without knowing it herself. She visited an Imperial official to ask for better treatment for local miners, but he became more interested in her birth parents. The encounter, from Claudia Gray’s Leia, Princess of Alderaan, almost gave Palpatine a lead straight to Anakin Skywalker’s daughter. Padmé’s …

The Empire was melting down Separatist droids, even though its own Emperor had secretly controlled their side of the war. On the surface, that sounds like Palpatine throwing away a perfectly usable army. But “Decommissioned” shows how quickly those discarded machines could become a problem for his new regime. The droids had helped him win …