BONUS - Star Wars Celebration Japan - Day 1 and 2 Report from Rachel Pearson

You may remember I mentioned on a previous episode that my friend Rachel Pearson has traveled to Tokyo for Stars Celebration, and she said, how about I do some reports for you? Or actually she asked me the question, who'd you think would like Is there anybody out there, any sites, any podcasts you know of that would like me to do a report from Tokyo? And I said, well, listen, what about mine? So as promised, he is the first report from Rachel in Tokyo from Styles Celebration about some of the news on the first two days there and her experience quite a funny one seeing her on the big screen. You'll find out about that in a moment.

But thanks to Rachel, here she is in Tokyo. Well, it's been quite a couple of days at celebration here in Tokyo. I was in front line at the live stage on the first day to sing Happy Birthday to hating Christians and see a surprise visit from Pedro Pascal, which was an absolute dream come true. He came to talk a little bit about the Mando and Grogu movie. I don't know about you, but season three was a bit of a down enough for me Jack Black and Lizzo cameoing.

Just really felt Unstar Wars and the story didn't feel as satisfying, But the movie will feature someone I love deeply who also made a surprise appearance, Sigourney Weaver. My moment in the spotlight was being filmed, balling my eyes out at seeing an all time hero of mine and it being broadcast live to the Internet and on the live stage screens in front of two thousand plus people. If you check out the live stream. Videos on YouTube, you'll be able to see my tear soap face. She was wonderful as always and shared that the Man Mando and Grogu film is going to be action packed, adventurous and adorable and honestly, there was so much love for Sigourney Weaver in the room, and she's joining a brand new fandom.

There were a lot of people who seemed to be alien fans there. When the host mentioned the Nostromo, there was lots of cheers and that felt really special. That was great. She's, like I. Said, an all time hero of mine up there with Carrie Fisher and Laura Dunn, who was also rumored to just be hanging around.

I was hanging out of the press tent this morning and someone who looked very much like Laura den came out, and a few other people around me were saying, Oh, it's Laura Dunn. It's Laura Dunn. So I might have seen my third most most hugest hero of all time. But we'll see. I've been doing some digging around and I can't find any confirmation.

Of that, so just a rumor, mirage hallucination. The other huge news from day one was that Ryan Gosly we'll be starring in a Sean Levy directed Star Wars film called Starfighter, and that's due on Memorial Day in twenty twenty eight. Now, the thing with announcements of new films at celebrations is that a lot of them seem to just get pushed under the rug and never actually really happen, or they're in development and they very rapidly go out of development. We've seen that time and time again. But Gosling and Levy did specifically say that this was past, way past the development stage and into pre production, so we are getting this film.

But like I mentioned about my Jack Black feelings, I'm not sure how I personally feel about Barbie's Ken being in a Star War but I'm going to remain open minded, as I do with anything to do with Star Wars. And I know Ryan Gosling's a phenomenal actor. Jude Law has just been in the Skeleton Crew and I think he was really great in that. He's a very well known actor, so I'm. Reserving judgment on it.

As always, the beauty of Star Wars is that there is something for everybody. So in other big news, there is a new Darth Maul series coming which is called Shadow Lord. I'm a huge fan of Sam Whitwaer, who's the more voice actor. He's been trained up by Lucas and Felony and he's really deeply protective and knowledge about Star Wars Law. He's really really passionate about it.

He can have a look at some of his videos knocking around on YouTube about him talking about what he's learned from Feloni, and I think he's a really good guy for protecting the integrity of that world. And I'm a really big big Mall fan too, so I'm always happy to get more of his character. I think one of the most emotional moments in the Star Wars universe for me is a spoiler alert. When Obi Wan Kenobi finally takes him out in an episode of Rebels called Twin Suns, it's really beautiful. And Sam Whitwer described that scene in a panel today really beautifully, saying that Obi Wan decides to replicate the styles of his master in order to trick Maul into trying to fight him like he did his master.

And obviously Maul took out Qui gon Jin in the Phantom Menace, so that was how he was able to defeat Mare in that episode finally, and it was just a very beautiful and interesting way of looking at that. And there was today this morning the and Or panel for the second season of and Or, which the first episode of the second season was streamed after that panel. I wasn't able to be in it, unfortunately, but had a couple of people on the inside, and apparently it was met with a lot of positivety and excitement. And I think we know that and Or is one of the biggest Star Wars wins in recent years in terms of TV streaming. And I know your panel, Jamie with the creators of and Or was really an amazing moment at Celebration Europe.

So we want to see lots more of that quality in season two, and by the sounds of it, we will be getting that. Many of the actors in the season have said that it will really change how we view Rogue one, and we'll see it in a whole completely new light. To a couple of the different actors and different interviews across the last two days have said pretty. Much the same thing. So it may well have been brief to say that, but yes, the series runs right up to that moment when Rogue one kicks off.

Alan Tuddock from Road one Rogue one, who played the droid k Tesso, is returning in the season as well. So he was in Rogue one, he's now in the series, so I'm looking forward to seeing how he's incorporated and that Alan Tuddock is an amazing guy. I saw him on the live stage this afternoon. Very funny, very smart. I've been a fan of him since he was in Firefly and who's in some episodes of Arrested Development.

He's incredibly funny. But interestingly, there are also some rumors, unconfirmed rumors going around that Mad's Michelson may feature as Galeen Erso in this season. So Galen Urso, the designer of the Faulty Death Star to be really interesting to see if he actually does make an appearance in that. We'd love to see that. Mad's Michelson again.

He was in the Stars of Star Wars panel this afternoon. Super super fascinating guy. It's really nice to kind of keep a lot of the Star Wars in their family. With his brother Lars playing Thorn in the Ahsoka series. Lars wasn't at celebration this time round, but I know he's a very popular person.

I've seen and heard lots of people talking about him. He's a very popular Star Wars actor now playing a very iconic character for many. Speaking of iconic, there was a huge amount of love for Mannyjesinto, who played Kimer or the stranger from the Acolyte, and I promise you all of that loved wasn't just from me. I did get a photo up with him, and he was the most gentle and sweet guy for those twenty seven seconds. He was in a lot of the Stars of Star Wars panels.

He was there for quite a long time being interviewed, and people could not stop cheering for him, and he was very visibly moved which was really lovely. Obviously, there is a dark side to the Star Wars fandom, and the Acolyte was canceled. He didn't hint or mention that there was any sort of chance of it potentially coming back, but I could tell that he was very moved by a lot of the love in the room. And again, I promise you it wasn't just me screaming. At him because of his lovely arms.

Promise promise. I do hope one way or the other his character can return, as I think his performance was really outstanding and a very interesting character with lots of layers. Yeah, you know, he also has a lethal face card, and I do like the focus on the female gaze that the Acolyte took. It was risky and it didn't pay off. Yet, but I liked it.

Apparently so did a lot of people. There's not too much to report about any Yahsoka news, but Dave Filoni's promised fans that there's going to be more Chopper, the droid Chopper featured as apparently he was saying that the fans. Were being very demanding about. Seeing more Chopper, and again, personally, I'm very excited about that. I do like Chopper as a droid.

He's he's somehow very beloved by many Star Wars fans from Rebels and the TV show Rebels and now in live action, and so David Feloni is delivering yet again. And we got to hear from the crew behind Like and Magic the second season about ILM, where many of your friends and guests come from. And many have said that this season is super emotional. I think that you've started to watch it, haven't you, Jomie, But I haven't watched it. Yet, but I really can't wait.

So many talented, passionate people, and honestly, it all comes across so genuine. They had a panel specifically for Light and Magic with just the most incredible people on there and sharing a few exclusive clips from the season, and I think that that's going to be a real special one. I am really really excited by and happy that people like them and also people like you are documenting all of this important cinematic history and all of this advancements in technology, but also like paying and remembering the ways that it was done. You know, things were done before and how it's developed. It's all super fascinating.

It's all super part of our cinematic history and it's really important to document. So I'm really glad that they're making series like this and that you're making filmumentaries as well. So far, Yeah, it's day two of celebration. It's the last day tomorrow. It's a slightly shorter day.

I don't think there are too many big panels tomorrow. But we do get the news. About where the next Star Wars celebration will be. There's been rumors of Anaheim again, maybe Orlando, but also a very unsubstantiated rumor from someone who works at a rainforest cafe that it could be Spain, which would be excellent for me just to hop across the water basically, So maybe you we'll be having Star Wars celebration Madrid or Barcelona or another lovely place in Spain. That would be really great.

So once I find out about that at the closing ceremony tomorrow, I will bring you that news as it happens. And I just want to say it's been a real, real pleasure being here among my own kind. We all traveled from far and wide because we love this Star Wars universe so much, and that really does bind us together. There's community and understanding support and a lot of love there. It's been hard being away from home and my boys, but I couldn't be in better hands here.

I'm also really in awe of all of the incredible cosplay I've seen. It's been a wonderful way to get to know people by taking myself off to focus on photographizing as many of them as possible. So I'll share some of those pictures with you when I touch back down on homeland. But yes, it's been a really really wonderful, very very tiring. A couple of days so far here in total, but generally the organization of the event has been great.

I think there's been a couple of hiccups with Hayden Christiansen's photo ops being canceled or over booked, a couple of awkward things like that, but generally the organization has been has been really really great, and there has been such a warm welcoming to everyone, from the Japanese people in the area and the Japanese people who are coming to celebration as well. And honestly, the cosplay is like next level. I can't wait to show you the pictures. So yeah, it's been wonderful, But I will check back in with you tomorrow at the end of the day and let you know where the next Star Wars celebration is going to be. And let's make sure I m get you another panel or lucasfilm.

What Isn't He? So yeah, I will catch up with you tomorrow, Sayonara.