Latest news with #Andor
Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
West End Games' Classic ‘Star Wars' RPG Is Still Setting the Blueprint for Its Universe
In the years since Lucasfilm overhauled Star Wars continuity—reclassifying years of Expanded Universe material as 'Legends' before wiping a clean slate of continuity it has developed over the last decade-plus—much of what has been rebuilt has been done so off of the back of re-canonizing elements of that old material. In some ways re-imagined, in others just lifted wholesale, the journey of modern Star Wars is as much about adding new stories as it is weaving the old ones back into them. There are perhaps two pillars that define the reconstructive effort above all. The story of Star Wars' future, as in that in the wake of the events of Return of the Jedi, has somehow inexplicably turned to 1994's The Courtship of Princess Leia as its guiding light. But the story of Star Wars' recent past, the trajectory of the rise of the Imperial machine that has been a richly delved period of exploration in everything from Andor to Bad Batch, from games, comics, and books, to movies like Rogue One and Solo? That's been West End Games' Star Wars RPG. First published in 1987, Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game spent over a decade filling out the background of the world before and after the original Star Wars trilogy across multiple editions and a plethora of sourcebooks. Without much to go on beyond the material Marvel's ongoing Star Wars comic series had developed at the time (itself coming to an end the year West End Games' Star Wars story began), the RPG would become an early groundwork for what would become the beginning of the Star Wars Expanded Universe as we would come to know it in the early 1990s. From species names to Rebel Alliance command structures, from events that still resonate now like the Ghorman Massacre depicted in Andor, Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game was the right combination of coming along at the perfect time and its creatives being given the exact level of free reign to create a perfect sandbox of Star Wars creation. And create WEG did, with dozens of intricate sourcebooks that didn't just cover the broad strokes of what it would mean to have a roleplaying game experience in Star Wars' galaxy, but the nittiest, grittiest details, many of which didn't just go on to shape the Expanded Universe when it began in earnest, but expand even further with the addition of the material created there, delving further and further into Star Wars' past with supplements based on the Tales of the Jedi comics, or Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy (itself shaped by the early writings of the RPG, given to Zahn as a guideline). It wasn't just raw informational data that WEG's books provided to shape the EU (and in turn modern continuity), but style and tone. This is most keenly felt in Greg Gorden's Imperial Sourcebook, which does a deep dive into details about different facets of the Empire's structure, from intelligence to military, and also explores things like COMPNOR—the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, essentially the political superstructure of Imperial power—to elucidate the specific fascistic character of the Empire's oppressive tactics. But beyond the actual material itself, one major thing that still remains influential in visions of contemporary Star Wars, is how West End Games taught its writers to write Star Wars. West End Games' Star Wars style guide had a bit of a viral moment a decade ago when it re-emerged on the internet (at places like this very website!), to compare and contrast how its dos and don't matched up with what was then the nascent status of modern Star Wars in the wake of the reboot of canon and the release of The Force Awakens. But while the gift of hindsight can be enjoyable, WEG's advise on what made good Star Wars can still be felt throughout the very best of the material that we're getting today. The style guide pushed writers to be expansive and additive to Star Wars' world, rather than to simply play in what was already in the toybox. Familiar characters were to be few and far between, moral storytelling to be less clear-cut, with villains (new villains!) that had motivation beyond evil for evil's sake. Again, its approach to stories of the Empire were some of its most fascinating, pushing writers to remember that the Empire was made up of genuinely awful people, but also a galaxy of citizenry who had little choice than to conform to the grip of Empire, and who became its willing tool was different to just a regular person with their own wants and needs. Star Wars is a broad sandbox, but West End Games pitched an enduring vision of it that strove for maturity and intelligence, that took the base framework and world of the original movies and genuinely pushed them into new and compelling territories in order to give players a rich and thriving universe to play in. There's an argument to be made, of course, that not all Star Wars should adhere to this tone or particular frame of interest: WEG's vision of Star Wars leaned more into the military sci-fi of its view of the Imperial/Rebel conflict, and not necessarily too far into Star Wars' space fantasy roots, an equally important aspect of the universe. But it's remarkable to see how what has become some of the very best of Star Wars in the modern day—across books, television, comics, games, and movies—carry so much of Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game's heritage, not just in reference to the worlds, names, places, and events it first explored, but in the tonal vision it had for the galaxy far, far away. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Geek Tyrant
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
ANDOR Fans Say the Show Reframes a Major Cassian and Jyn Moment in ROGUE ONE — GeekTyrant
'Andor has truly increased the depth and meaning of anything it touches.' That's how Star Wars fans are describing the emotional ripple effect Andor has had across the galaxy, especially when it comes to one key moment in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . Rewatching the film after Andor Season 2 has been a revelation for many, casting old scenes in a new, much heavier light. Specifically, fans are pointing to the moment when Jyn Erso confronts Cassian Andor aboard the stolen Imperial ship after escaping Eadu. It's the heat of the moment, her father Galen has just died in her arms, and she's furious to learn Cassian was sent to assassinate him. But now, through the lens of Andor, this clash hits differently. One fan posted on Reddit: 'Rewatching Rogue One for the first time since finishing Andor S2. The scene where they escape Eadu in the stolen Imperial ship and Jyn confronts Cassian about her father's death reads so differently to me with the context of the show. Before I thought Cassian was in the wrong, and his indignation at Jyn's accusations further proved that. 'But now it feels like Jyn is naive, and Cassian has just gone through the most intense few days of his years as a rebel, and he's had it. Both of them partially right and both of them a bit wrong. But Cassian in particular has sacrificed too much at this point to be lectured, not when the stakes are this big and so close. Anyway, I love that it feels like Andor has truly increased the depth and meaning of anything it touches.' That shift in perspective seems to be widely shared. Another fan chimed in: 'I had a similar reaction rewatching Rogue One after Andor. His speech helped me see how our experiences shape the way we feel moments. 'That's what made Cassian so mysterious at first watch I'm thinking —what had he lost, what weight was he carrying? At first, it seemed like Jyn had the darkest past, but Andor shows that the Empire takes from everyone.' That's been one of the coolest things about Andor , its ability to shade in the corners of the rebellion and give emotional weight to the political. The same Reddit thread also points out how both Jyn and Cassian share similar trajectories, despite coming from different worlds. 'Jyn basically goes through a condensed character arc that's the same as Cassian—aka wanting to avoid the rebellion before realizing they have no choice but to fight.' Another agreed: 'This right here is one of my favorite parts of RO and Andor. That Jyn and Cassian have been through a similar journey. It makes RO even better for me.' Andor hasn't just deepened Cassian's story, it's retroactively elevated Rogue One. The choices, the trauma, the urgency, all of it carries a sharper edge now that fans know what came before. All episodes of Andor Season 2 are now streaming on Disney+. So if you haven't already… it might be time for a Rogue One rewatch. Just don't be surprised if it hits you a little harder this time.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The messier, the better': How ‘Andor' created the epic, heart-shattering Ghorman Massacre
For the heart-shattering episode of Andor titled 'Who Are You?,' which brings to screen the Rebellion-galvanizing Ghorman Massacre, editor Yan Miles' mantra was: 'The messier, the better.' What begins as a peaceful protest among the people of Ghorman turns into a slaughter incited by the Empire. Screams pierce through as flares, smoke, and death consume every chaotic, yet controlled frame. As roughly 350 extras fight for their freedom and lives, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) attempts to assassinate Imperial officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough). 'The whole thing unravels in front of him,' Miles tells Gold Derby. 'He's not there to protest. He knows these people, he knows what happened before — but now he becomes the witness. He becomes us. The plaza is a circle. You could call it a clock face. People go around, people go in and out of buildings. Cadets come out. People sing. It was always moving, but Cassian stayed centered.' More from GoldDerby 'Hope for the best, prepare for the worst': 'Overcompensating' breakout Wally Baram on making her acting debut, defiling prop toilet The case of Leslie Abramson vs. Marcia Clark: Ari Graynor and Sarah Paulson on 'defending' their characters In Pixar's 'Elio,' Easter eggs are literally written in the stars - will you be able to spot them all? Lucasfilm In the chaos, Miles creates both emotional and visual clarity — often in a matter of seconds. 'There's a nice example of it where it's less messy,' the editor said. 'There's a [shot of a] group of Ghormans coming through with the flares, going underneath the colony now; we're sort of with them. And then we cut to the guy in the café, the waiter, seeing people walking past behind the glass, all moving in the same direction. Then a profile shot of an oblivious stormtrooper, turning his head and watching the Ghormans go by. It's three shots.' Lucasfilm Another impactful sequence concludes Imperial lackey Syril Karn's (Kyle Soller) arc — all without any lines of dialogue. Amid the mayhem, Miles shifts to slow-motion, an out-of-the-ordinary but fitting stylistic flourish in the otherwise grounded Tony Gilroy-created series. 'He's witnessing it — it's gone beyond the beyond,' Miles said. 'Lasers going past, people being shot, but he's just standing there like he's bulletproof. He's lost in it all. He doesn't care anymore. Everything's just gone.' Then the question becomes for Syril: 'Who are you?' It's posed during his hand-to-hand brawl with Cassian, the man he's spent years chasing. 'In the scene with 'who are you?,' there was a lot of debate on set,' Miles shared. 'Tony wrote it, 'Who are you?' Tony, [director] Janus Metz, Diego, and the people around asked, 'Are there any other versions where Cassian does remember Syril?' We did a cut where he does remember and says, 'It's you,' and then Syril lowers the gun.' Lucasfilm That debate was quickly resolved in post-production. 'I told Tony I have the other version,' Miles said. 'He went, 'No, no, no, no, it is, 'Who are you?' Andor doesn't know this guy. This guy's a nobody. It's the worst thing that could happen to any of us, isn't it? You could be doing something for years and years and one day you wake up and you're like, 'Who the hell am I? What am I doing?' That's life itself. Tony's words were, 'Who are you?'' Gilroy joked to Miles that if he didn't use that line, then he couldn't keep the slow-motion shot of Syril. 'Tony's genius is, if you're going to do something bold — like a slow spin shot or a poetic line — you have to earn it,' Miles added. 'Otherwise, it doesn't belong in this universe.' After Syril's death, his former partner, Dedra, displays startling vulnerability. She is alone and out of control — perhaps her greatest fear. 'Denise did lots of different stuff in that scene, which I was going to show all in one shot,' Miles explained. 'But then I gravitated toward three or four shots. It starts when she raises her head — just the vulnerability to it. In the next shot, she's focused on her neck — which is Syril, what he did to her earlier, the grappling. Then I jumped to where she goes to the wall and does that thing with her hand — there's fear in it, and then she stops it. She controls it. Then I hard cut to her straightening her jacket — imperial, composed. It's the beginning of her demise.' Lucasfilm Miles continued to tell the story of 'Who Are You?' even as the credits rolled. When the Ghorman anthem is first sung, it's like angels singing in the quiet before the storm. But in the aftermath, a lone voice remains. 'We were finishing the episode,' the editor recounted, 'and I had this solo recording from one of the assistants. She sang the anthem right there in the cutting room, on a USB mic. The most amazing voice. I thought, 'Why not put her voice over the credits [as temp music]?' A year later, I watched the episode on Disney+ and there it was. I'd forgotten I'd even left it in. Gave me goosebumps.' Best of GoldDerby Adam Brody, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actor interviews Kristen Bell, Tina Fey, Bridget Everett, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actress interviews 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') Click here to read the full article.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones to star in new BBC series
She will be joined in the series by the likes of Richard E. Grant (Saltburn, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Loki), Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luther, The Night Manager) and Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Bridgerton). Filming for the 10-part series is already underway in Wales. What is The Other Bennet Sister about? The Other Bennet Sister is an adaptation of the Janice Hadlow novel and explores and expands on the world of Pride and Prejudice through the often-overlooked perspective of Mary Bennet. The Gardiners (played by Varma and Richard Coyle) take Mary (Ella Bruccoleri) under their wing as governess to their three children - Marianne (Roisin Bhalla), George (Reggie Absolom), and Rebecca (Jasmine Sharp). This new role introduces her to an exciting new social world that includes the likes of Mr Hayward (Dónal Finn), Mr Ryder (Laurie Davidson) and Ann Baxter (Varada Sethu). Top 10 best British TV series The Other Bennet Sister cast The cast for The Other Bennet Sister includes: Mrs Bennet - Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey) Mr Bennet - Richard E. Grant (Saltburn, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, Loki) Mary Bennet - Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Bridgerton) Mrs Gardniner - Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luther, The Night Manager) Mr Gardiner - Richard Coyle (Heads of State, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) Mr Hayward - Dónal Finn (The Wheel of Time, SAS Rogue Heroes) Mr Ryder - Laurie Davidson (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, The Girlfriend) Ann Baxter - Varada Sethu (Doctor Who, Andor) John Sparrow - Aaron Gill (Smothered, Piglets)
West Australian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Netflix starts production on series adaptation of My Brilliant Career
Netflix is adapting Miles Franklin's seminal novel into a streaming series, with production beginning in Adelaide. The series will star Philippa Northeast as Sybylla, Franklin's free-spirited heroine who chafes against expectations of a rural life with dreams of a more extraordinary life. When she leaves to live with her well-off grandmother, she meets two men, the wealthy Harry and a jackaroo named Frank. Franklin wrote the book in the 19th century when she was still a teenager and it was published in 1901 after she contacted Henry Lawson. It is considered one of the most iconic works of Australian literature. The new series will span six episodes and will also star British actor Christopher Chung, best known for his role in spy drama Slow Horses, Four Weddings and a Funeral's Anna Chancellor, Andor's Genevieve O'Reilly, Jake Dunn, Kate Mulvaney, Sherry-Lee Watson, Miah Madden, and Alexander England. The adaptation was created by Liz Doran, who worked on Please Like Me and Barons, with Alyssa McClelland and Anne Renton to direct. Jungle Entertainment is the production company. Doran said in a statement, 'It's been a privilege to work with so many incredible creatives on this reimagining of Miles Franklin's rollicking tale of a young woman's quest to determine her own life.' My Brilliant Career had previously been adapted as a 1979 movie by Gillian Armstrong and is one of the best regarded films of the Australian New Wave, a period of artistic excellence that also birthed the likes of Picnic at Hanging Rock, Mad Max, Wake in Fright and Gallipoli. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where is was in competition for a Palme d'Or, and Judy Davis won a BAFTA for her performance as Sybylla. The film also starred Sam Neill, Wendy Hughes and Robert Grubb. Last year, the Melbourne Theatre Company mounted a musical stage production of the title. Franklin was born in 1879 and grew up on a property in the Brindabella Valley in NSW. After the publication of My Brilliant Career, Franklin lived in the US and the UK, returning to Australia in 1932. She was active in literary circles and encouraged other young female writers. Her other works include All That Swagger, My Career Goes Bung, Bring the Monkey and Old Blastus of Bandicoot. She established the Miles Franklin literary prize with a bequest in her will. Since its first year in 1957, winners have included Patrick White, Thomas Kenneally, Ruth Park, David Malouf, Helen Demidenko, Peter Carey and Anna Funder.
