Your Favorite Droids Retelling The Saga, LEGO Style.

Lego and Star Wars have a rich history of entertaining fans through their combined awesomeness. The first licensed Lego sets featured the Star Wars theme, Lego Star Wars video games marked the beginning of a Lego gaming renaissance, and we now know that a Lego Star Wars special started the collaboration that eventually led to The Lego Movie.
Now a new animated series for Disney XD will reimagine all six original Star Wars movies in Lego form. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales will hit the same plot points as the Star Wars movies, but every episode will be told from the perspective of R2-D2 and C-3PO.

It will be set after the Rebel Alliance victory on Endor seen at the end of Return of the Jedi, the droids are amusing the assembly with their adventures that led them to their present situation. An accidental kidnapping leads to a new adventure that progresses to the retelling of the saga in chronological order, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

Air-times will be given at a later date.  Will premiere later this year.

Post your LEGO collections on our group.

My favorite set.  See all SW LEGO Sets Here.

Fire Across The Galaxy Trailer. Rebels Season Finale.

Farewell, Spock. A Tribute to Leonard Nimoy.

We are very saddened to bring you this news.

CNN reports:

"Leonard Nimoy, whose portrayal of "Star Trek's" logic-driven, half-human science officer Spock made him an iconic figure to generations, died Friday. He was 83.

The Los Angeles Times and New York Times confirmed his death with his wife, Susan Bay Nimoy.

The cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she told the New York Times."

Read his full Wiki here.  Post your tributes on our group.

Darth Vader to Return for "Rebels" Season Finale

Be careful with your lack of faith next month, because I'd hate to hear about some unfortunate choking incident. Lord Vader will be paying us another visit on March 2nd for the season finale of Star Wars Rebels...and this time he's no hologram.

Troopers, please try not to upset him too much. You know he's got that breathing issue, plus he's got a lot on his mind right now.

If you've been watching Rebels then make sure to give us updates on our group.

This is quickly becoming my favorite ship :)  See all the Rebel LEGO Sets Here

Minecraft Xbox Edition is Going to a Galaxy Far, Far Away! Well, Sort of...

According to Xbox Wire, Minecraft for Xbox 360 and Xbox One has launched an XBox exclusive Star Wars Rebels skin pack for $2.99 that contains 23 new character skins, including the Rebels themselves, from the animated show.

Here is the full list of characters.

Kanan Jarrus

Ezra Bridger
Hera Syndulla
Zeb Orrelios
Sabine Wren
Chopper
Inquisitor
Agent Kallus
AT-DP Pilot
Stormtrooper Commander
Stormtrooper Tagged
Cikatro Vizago
IGRM Droid Variant 1
IGRM Droid Variant 2
Lothal Farmer
Gotal
Minister Maketh Tua
Tseebo
RX-24
Ezra Bridger Imperial Cadet
Commandant Aresko
Azmorigan
Senator Gall Trayvis

Rare Star Wars Figures Bring In Thousands!

Check your mom's attic...  See if you have any of these stashed away.

The Guardian reports:

Craig Stevens, 45, former chairman of the Star Wars UK fan club, made headlines last month when a collector paid £18,000 at auction for his pristine Boba Fett figure in its perfect, unpunched packaging. He has now sold a further 15 rare figures for £24,650.

A figure of the IG-88 droid that had its original £1.40 price sticker on the box sold for £4,200. A Han Solo figure in Bespin outfit from The Empire Strikes Back film fetched £2,000.

 Stevens, who is married and lives in Croydon, south London, said: “That was a great result from the auction – £24,000 was the hammer price, which was a great return on my original investment of a few pounds in the 1990s.”

Read the full article here.  See all the pictures here.

Send in pictures of your collections to our group.

Exclusive #ForceStrong Magnetic Calendar

I'm giving 5 of these magnetic calendars away through St. Patrick's Day.  To have your name entered in the drawing you must sign up for email updates from the page.  Top right of the homepage. Winner will receive a #ForceStrong Prize Pack including this calendar and a ForceStrong wrist band!

The ForceStrong Network Drinking Game

I think we all Love Star Wars, and most of us like drinking so...  Seemed like a great fit.  I put this together a few weeks ago.  Share with your friends and play here on our group.  Just for fun!

More Big Names Added to Star Wars Celebration 2015

We've got J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and Carrie Fisher confirmed attending. Well, now you can add Mark Hamill, Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in ESB & ROTJ), Peter Mayhew (Our favorite Wookiee), Ray Park (Darth Maul) and Amy Allen (Ayala Secura) to the list of special guests.

This is going to be EPIC!

New Edition of the LEGO Star Wars Character Encylopedia Will Include an Exclusive Fett Minifigure

According to Comicbook.com, DK Publishing has announced a new edition of their Star Wars LEGO reference book, titled "LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded" which is due out this April. This edition will include an additional 72 pages of material covering new characters added to the LEGO Star Wars line since the last published edition.

As a bonus, the book will also include an exclusive LEGO Prototype Armor Boba Fett minifig.

UPDATE: 04/05/2015 - Target is now taking pre-orders at 29% off the retail price! CLICK HERE to reserve your copy!

Check out additional photos below and let us know what you think on our Facebook page.

COLD COLD COLD - Get your Tauntauns out!

Wow, it's cold outside.  Here in WV it's supposed to get down to -10 and that's not even with the wind chill!  Sound off on your temperature.

J.J. Abrams Pushing for a Summer Release for Ep. 7

If J.J. Abrams has his way, we'll all get to scream like little girls at a (insert your choice of boy band name here) concert earlier than we think.

The secretive director is trying to curb leaks for his largest movie project yet, by trying to convince Disney to opt for a Summer release instead of December. I don't blame him. With all that has already been revealed outside of what he's allowed, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to keep a lid on information about the movie.

Its a tough call for Disney though, as they've already got 2 tentpoles poised to take the box office this summer. Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1st) and Ant Man (July 17th).

A summer release would no doubt be awesome, but with movies of this caliber, Disney would most likely have to factor in that each of these films will be raking in some serious profits well past their opening weekends. If any of the previous Marvel movies are an indication, Age of Ultron and Ant Man will each be box office leaders for at least 3 weekends in a row before tapering off.

That means Age of Ultron will be dominating all of May, and Ant Man will do the same in July. The word is that J.J. is pushing Disney for an early to mid June release. IF Disney decides to go with this, they will effectively own the summer box office revenue.

Sound off about your thoughts on our Facebook page.

This is my shirt for tomorrow.  Get one here.

"Grunny's" Friendship with J.J. Abrams Pays Off in a BIG Way!

Ok, so you may already know that Greg Grunberg, who is affectionately known as "Grunny" by his friends, announced back in September of 2014 that he scored a small cameo role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"...but did you know that he and J.J. Abrams go way back?

They were best friends growing up and have remained as such throughout the years, so Greg jumps at any chance to work with Abrams. He's also a HUGE Star Wars fan. Well, it looks as though both those aspects of his life have paid off big time.

While the details of his role are hush-hush, in line with J.J.'s requirement for secrecy, I can say this. According to a recent interview with ET Online, Greg revealed that he had a 6 week shoot on location in London and at Former Royal Air Force Base Greenham Common.

Normally, cameo shoots only take 2 or 3 days as they are very short and often have only one or two lines (if any), but the fact that he was there working for 6 weeks suggests that his role has been significantly altered to more than just an on screen cameo.

Check out the whole interview HERE

Will he be a Rebel? An Imperial? Perhaps an alien? I personally think he'd make an awesome cantina owner. Let us know what you think below or on our Facebook page.

Comment and Share Here

Toy Fair NY Leaves Attendees With More Questions Than Answers About Episode 7 Toys

If you had the opportunity to attend the Toy Fair NY over the weekend, you undoubtedly noticed plenty of Star Wars action figures and toys on display. However they were all toys that are currently on store shelves or from earlier toy lines....Where were the Episode 7 themed toy lines?

With the trend of trying to keep "The Force Awakens" movie facts under wraps as best as possible, so too are the toys for Episode 7. Lucasfilm doesn't want to show off the goods just yet, as they'll likely reveal character/vehicle designs & names outside of what has been shown thus far. Looks like they learned a thing or two from what happened when leaked photos of "Jurassic World" toys revealed information about the Dinos, Chris Pratt's character, and the name of his Raptor.

The only hint about upcoming Episode 7 toys was by way of a sign posted by LEGO that read: "New LEGO 'Star Wars' sets will feature iconic scenes from the latest chapter of the epic saga when 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' hits theaters December 18, 2015!"

Needless to say, LEGO's teaser sign worked. Their booth was packed with attendees all weekend.

I guess we'll have to wait until after the movie hits theaters to see what's in store for us collectors and kids alike. Hey, there's always the chance that we might get a sneak peak of some toys at Star Wars Celebration, but I could be wrong...

Give us your thoughts on our Facebook group page

New Ep. 7 Trailer, Rebels Season 2 Premiere, and Episode III in 3D at Star Wars Celebration 2015?

According to Star Wars Celebrations 2015, Revenge of the Sith will premiere in 3D as will season 2 of Star Wars Rebels!

As if that's not enough to make you giddy, according to iDigitalTimes there is a rumor that a new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer or teaser is expected on "A Day Long Remembered" at Celebration 2015 as well.

As of now it's just a rumor (albeit a highly likely one), but I'm going to be keeping a close eye on this one just in case.

Questions or comments? Let us know on our Facebook group page.

Who do you want to meet? Leia, 3PO, R2, JJ, Kathleen...

Sound off on our Facebook Group

In addition to J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy, original Star Wars cast members are expected at “Star Wars Celebration,” including Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2).
Who would you want to see the most?

An Old Work Horse Comes Back Out of Retirement

2015 is here, and with it comes the new toy lines. This year is special for one toy in particular, The LEGO TIE Fighter.

The last time we saw the backbone of the Imperial Navy's Fighter Fleet in all it's LEGO splendor was the 2012 edition. At the time, this version came with a front opening cockpit canopy (which looked a bit bulbous but cool none the less) and dual flick missiles. What I personally loved about it was the fact that it came with 4 figures. A R5-J2 Astromech Droid, a TIE Fighter Pilot, a Death Star Trooper and an Imperial Officer.

The ship measured over 9" (23cm) tall and 6" (17cm) wide. The set contained 413 pieces and retailed for $54.99 US at the time of release, with prices now exceeding the $150 mark for still sealed sets sold online.

With "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" marking the big screen return of what is arguably the most successful Sci-Fi franchise to date, the TIE Fighter marks an equally impressive return to 2015 looking bigger and badder than ever.

I give you, (drum roll please).........

The Ultimate Collector Series LEGO Star Wars TIE Fighter!

This bad boy will debut in stores and online begining in May. It comes in at double the size of it's predecessor, with measurements at a whopping 18" (46.9cm) tall & 12" (30.48cm) long and wide. The piece count comes in at 1,685, well over 4 times that of the previous version. That number includes the pieces needed for building the display stand, where you can swivel the ship around. It also includes an exclusive TIE Fighter Pilot mini figure and an information plaque that attaches to the display.

This is the latest addition to the LEGO line which saw the recent release of new detailed versions of Boba Fett's Slave 1 and Luke Skywalker's Red 5 X-Wing.

This new incarnation has some incredible detail, including a more movie accurate cockpit canopy and a top opening access hatch, both with printed patterns. You'll also notice there are A LOT more small pieces that add to the look and feel of the ship. This is where many of those 1,685 pieces come into play.

Looking closer at the panels, you'll see how the intricacies are evident here as well. Large pieces coupled with smaller pieces make it more work to put together, but the end result is a sleeker looking finish on the outside. The support structures on the wings are also more refined for a smoother look than on the 2012 version. 

Just like Slave 1 and Red 5, the TIE Fighter will come with a $199 US retail price tag.

Look for this beauty at your favorite toy retailers, but something tells me they're going to sell out really fast.  Check here first!

Hamill Chews The Fat On 'Schmoes Know' Podcast

Will the Jedi Master switch sides in the new trilogy?  He stopped by to talk about his appearance in the Kingsman movie.  Some hints about Episode VII seem to building...

Listen to what he said about his original thoughts on ROTJ,

"Well part of the answer to that question...Involves what I thought was the script to my final chapter. Which really surprised me. Another one for us indicated that Luke would be terribly conflicted and possibly giving in to his darker impulses to achieve short term goals. I had no question that he would redeem himself at the very end. But I thought, as dangerous as Empire was, that George would go in the direction of me betraying someone, and even letting them be sacrificed before realizing the error of my ways, Ebenezer Scrooge style. I was completely misled. I was wrong in that assumption. It took me a very long time to reconcile my opinions about the material, and how it should be dealt with, and what the reality was. It wasn't an easy journey for me."

Doesn't sound like he was happy about how George ended the original trilogy...  Then he goes on to talk about the difference between Lucas and J.J.,

"That is interesting. That is something I do recognize. That this is the first of any of the titles that will be helmed by the fan generation, Now, Lawrence Kasdan is along for the ride, but in terms of the director and the co-writer, its the first from the fan generation. I hate to caricature George as someone who is broadly not an actor's director. It's more that he is instinctive, so when he casts someone in a role, that actor or actress is so close to what he wants, that there is not a lot to talk about. I remember, I went out for American Graffiti. I never met George, I met the casting director. And, later when I saw the film, I said, 'The closest I could have come to being in that picture is Ronnie Howard's part.' Even though I would have loved to be any of the many characters in that movie. Harrison is in it. He made me laugh out loud the first time I ever saw him on screen. I realized I was just wrong. Ron Howard was just so much more authentically what he was looking for in that role. So it's unfair to paint him in the broad strokes of 'Oh, he's not an actor's director.' He wants to see you do it, and then talk about it later. You'll ask him a question, 'Is Luke getting jealous of this guy hitting on the Princess all the time? He's getting under my skin...' And he's like, 'Ah, nah...Just do it, we'll talk about it later.' Then, of course, we don't talk about it later. In contrast, J.J. Abrams is much more upbeat. He is loquacious, he is engaged. He loves the process so much. George is so much more focused and serious, and looking at it from a different perspective.

Read the full interview here.

Can't wait for Episode VII!!  How about you?

Get You Favorite Funkos Here

 

 

His Voice Will Live Forever

Lost a big voice today, Space Ghost.  Gary Owens died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, his rep said in a statement to PEOPLE. 

"Gary will be greatly missed," Goldie Hawn, who appeared on the show, told PEOPLE Friday. "His presence of optimism and joy will live on! He was a gift to us all."

The veteran announcer, whose career spanned seven decades, worked until the end; a month before his death, he had voiced TV promos.

Way too many achievements to list.  I'm really upset about this.  Lots of memories.

Check his wiki page here.  Share with your friends :(

Favorite Star Wars Game?

Sound off on our group!

Turns Out, The Mouse CAN Use The Force! In defense of the Disney ownership.

I'm enjoying the writing, art, and quality of Marvel's new Star Wars comic line.  The action, violence, and story have been shocking unlike Disney.  Which is comforting to me.  I want to make sure that they follow this model for the movies and future properties.  Right now, it looks VERY promising.  I'm happy!

Looks like I'm not the only one.  Jacob Hall from ScreenCrush writes:

Disney didn’t buy ‘Star Wars’ so it could navigate a labyrinth of pre-existing novels, comics, and video games. More specifically, Disney didn’t buy ‘Star Wars’ so it could appease the niche group of fans who have kept up with the increasingly complicated Expanded Universe. It bought ‘Star Wars’ to please the much larger audience of everyone else. 

So Marvel’s new line of ‘Star Wars’ comics, which are officially part of the new canon that also includes the ‘Star Wars Rebels’ animated series, are an interesting beast. After all, Marvel is another relatively recent Disney acquisition. These aren’t like the countless ‘Star Wars’ tales published by Dark Horse Comics over the past 20-plus years, which were sanctioned by Lucasfilm but generally made independently. Now Disney controls ‘Star Wars’ from top to bottom ... and the results, like the brand new ‘Darth Vader’ series, have been shockingly, surprisingly good.

I couldn't agree more.

In stark contrast to their competition across the aisle, the Marvel of recent years has embraced an eclectic mix of writers and artists, giving them access to the strangest corners of their superhero universe and publishing series that have been joyously offbeat. That sense of good taste has already extended to their new ‘Star Wars’ comics, with writer Jason Aaron and artist John Cassaday’s ‘Star Wars’ title (now two issues deep) shattering industry records and for good reason: it’s a terrific comic book. However, it’s writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca’s ‘Darth Vader’ #1 that really suggests how exciting and weird the new ‘Star Wars’ canon may be.

I really love Marvel but I have to agree here.  Too many offshoots that get in the way.

The key has been the same approach that has made Marvel comics so wonderful over the past few years: diversity. Don’t like ‘Darth Vader’? That’s okay, because Marvel is releasing a ‘Princess Leia’ miniseries from the superstar team of Mark Waid and Terry Dodson. Burnt by the prequels? Don’t fret, these new comics are OT to their core.

It’s this willingness to embrace so many different angles and accept so many different approaches to this universe that have lapsed fans all-the-more excited for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’ Maybe history will prove everyone wrong ‘The Phantom Menace’-style, but as of this moment, Disney seems to be letting creative people play in this sandbox and do as they please. If there is extensive supervision, it’s not readily apparent. After all, Gillen’s signature is all over ‘Darth Vader,’ with the writer of ‘Phonogram’ and ‘The Wicked and the Divine’ shaping the ‘Star Wars’ universe around his personal style. As someone who felt all of his enthusiasm for ‘Star Wars’ drain away after the prequels, and whose few attempts to dive into the original EU were rebuffed by impenetrable storytelling, this open-ended, artist-driven approach is a joy to witness.

Read the Full Article Here.

Let us know what you think about the new ownership.

Featured Design from TeeFury Child of Mandalore

Star Wars Day At Sea? YES, PLEASE

While a vacation to Endor or Bespin may have to wait, fans can still take a trip with their favorite Jedi, Sith Lord, bounty hunter and Wookiee on Disney Cruise Line's Star Wars Day at Sea, beginning in 2016.

The last time Star Wars characters went on a cruise, it took place on Jabba the Hutt’s sand barge, and it didn’t go so well. It’s where Boba Fett lost his mojo, and Princess Leia lost her self-respect. But now that Disney owns Star Wars, fans can embark on a real, probably more enjoyable cruise inspired by the franchise, where they likely can avoid the Sarlacc Pit, but might be convinced to don metal bikinis if supplied with enough rum. Yes, Disney Cruise Line has announced that it will introduce a “Star Wars Day at Sea” into its regular cruise packages beginning in early 2016. This aligns with Disney’s plans to add Star Wars rides to its theme parks, though with the cruise, you can fulfill your fantasy of being trapped in the middle of an ocean with Jar Jar Binks.

Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, imperial stormtroopers and other characters will greet guests as they board and roam the decks. Cosplay will be encouraged. Dress as Jar Jar Binks at your own risk.

There will be a shipboard version of the Jedi Training Academy experience. A Jedi Master will teach young Padawans how to wield a lightsaber in case there's a disturbance in the buffet. Young Jedi will face a final test against Darth Vader.

There will also be Star Wars trivia games for children and families. Lightsaber training encouraged but not required.

At night, adults will be able to visit a Mos Eisley-themed cantina and night club with Star Wars characters and movie-themed cocktails. Lightsabers might be a good idea here.

If you attend, let us know!