Is Star Wars in critical condition?

Is it just me or does Lucasfilm seem to be going through directors almost as fast as the Empire goes through Death Stars? It was confirmed yesterday via starwars.com that the production company had parted ways with Colin Trevorrow, the director of Star Wars episode IX.

According to the statement:

"Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon."

This however is not the first time this has happened.  Earlier this year Chris Miller and Phil Lord were also replaced on the set of the super-secret Han Solo prequel film.  At the time a similar statement was released which stated:

"Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it's become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we've decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon"

And within a matter of days Lucasfilm did indeed announce that Ron Howard would take over as director of that film.

Rumors have already begun to circulate with names like Rian Johnson & J.J. Abrams being suggested as Trevorrow's replacement.  However the real question here is whither or not the Star Wars franchise is in critical condition?  Could it be that with plans to release a film every year for the foreseeable future that Disney has over extended their own creative vision?  Have they set the bar so high that no one director or team or directors could hope to live up-to that vision?

Only time will tell, but it gives fans something to consider as we prepare for the release of The Last Jedi on December the fifteenth.

Five Games To Revisit As We Celebrate Forty Years Of Star Wars!

When Star Wars episode IV: A New Hope released in 1977 it's doubtful that even the Emperor himself could have foreseen what would come next - the birth of a fandom that has now endured 40 years.

From movies, books and comics to t-shirts, jewelry and toys there's something out there for every fan, regardless of their age.   And lets not forget about the video games which have given us the ability to travel to a galaxy far, far away and fight as or alongside our favorite heroes. 

Over the years I've played many different Star Wars inspired games,  some really good and some not so great, and today I'm going to share with you five of my favorite titles.

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 

Anytime I'm talking video games this one always makes my list!

Originally released in September of 2008 on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, this game bridges the gap in time between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

You play as Starkiller, once the child of a Jedi whom Vader murdered, you are now the dark lords secret apprentice - a weapon he intends to use in an attempt to overthrow the emperor and take control of the empire for himself.  As you carry out the missions that Vader sends you on, you will begin to regain your humanity and will ultimately light the fire that sparks the birth of a rebellion.  

This game was released four years prior to Disney's purchase of the Star Wars IP and as such is no longer cannon, but you can only imagine where this story might have taken us as fans had things played out differently.

2. Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

The only thing better then living out the Star Wars story of someone else is creating your own!

Developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts, Knights Of The Old Republic was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows based machines in 2003, and it still holds as one of the greatest role-playing experiences to this day.

Set almost 4000 years before the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Sith lord known as Darth Malak has unleashed his armada on the republic.  Players assume the role of a Jedi who has been charged with destroying Malak's military resources.

Players are able to customize their character and  choose between three classes as the game begins, and through turn based combat, character interactions, and plot based decisions the games allignment system will determine your affinity towards the light or dark side of the force.

3. Star Wars Battlefront II

Like so many people I know I was excited for the release of Star Wars: Battlefront in 2015, and although the game was visually stunning it was also sadly underwhelming - with Star Wars the story is everything.

Fortunately we always have Star Wars Battlefront II to fall back on.  Unlike the new Battlefront offering which was published by Electronic Arts, the original Battlefront was developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox and Microsoft Windows machines.

Players assume the role of a veteran stormtrooper as he recounts his experiences in service of both the Republic and the Galactic Empire, experiences which are intertwined within the core Star Wars Story. And with game modes including hero assault and objective based space battles Star Wars Battlefront II was far superior to its more recent counterpart.

4. Lego Star Wars:

When you take one of my favorite childhood toys and combine it with one of my favorite fandoms it spells nothing but trouble for me - I've owned every Lego Star Wars game.

I couldn't hope to pick just one Lego Star Wars game, each of them has brought something new to the table and holds a special place in my heart.  For example it was Lego Star Wars II on the PlayStation 2 that first sparked my eldest son's love of Star Wars.

Where other games have had a level of violence that slightly alienated them from the younger gamer audience, Travelers Tales games has done an exceptional job of capturing the feelings involved by a Star Wars game while creating an environment were parents don't have to fear for the content their children are being exposed too.

I love my Lego Star Wars games.

5. The Empire Strikes Back (Atari 2600)

Published by Parker Brothers in 1982, The Empire Strikes Back found players in control of Luke Skywalker's snowspeeder during the battle of Hoth.  With a total of five snowspeeders (lives) it was the players objective to hold off the advance of the Imperial Walkers least they reach the rebel base and destroy the power generator

Although the game included several difficulty levels such as the speed of the walkers advancement, if the walkers were solid, and if the walkers were equipped with "Smart bombs", it was at its core a grind to see how long you could hold out before the walkers finally completed their objective.

These are the five Star Wars games that I think are worth revisiting as we celebrate the forty year anniversary of A New Hope,  Do you agree with this list, what games would you recommend?  Let us know and remember to follow us at cangeek.com 

Glow Swords Unite Generations

"If Dad likes it than it can't be chill!"

As a father of two I sometimes find it a challenge to develop common ground with my boys.

I'm not old, not by any stretch,  but even if I was in my sixties what is age?  It's merely a number used by society to define the time you've put in and experience you've gained.

One such place that I've attempted to achieve a measure of common ground with my kids is in our shared love of Star Wars!  So when I was introduced to Glow Sword Battle Toronto last year (formerly the Toronto Lightsaber Battle) it truly felt like the will of the force!

Administrated by Newmindspace this is a free all-ages event were the only costs you are responsible for are your personal lightsabers. 

My eldest son who was twelve at the time was not an easy sell, he couldn't imagine a group of people with Lightsabers battling it out in the dark representing any measure of fun, so he stayed home.  My youngest son was nine at the time and he was all over this, so together we went into the darkness armed only with our glowing swords and when we emerged into the light we had become a little closer and had a fantastic evening of fun!

Over the past twelve months my older son has come to realize just what he missed out on last October so together this year we will all converge on Glow Sword Battle Toronto 2016 ready to defeat our foes!

That is after all the magic of fandom,  Finding shared interests with others in order to develop not only common ground but also friendships and memories that endure the test of time.

Should you be interested in learning more about this event check out the Event Page and as always remember to follow us on our CanGeek Community Page.

Thanks for reading!