Modern Darth Vader: Best and Worst | RFR LIVE

This week's Rebel Force Radio is coming to you LIVE and the Star Wars topics are YOURS. It's an open-phones edition of RFR, so whatever's on your mind in the galaxy far, far away, we wanted to hear it. The latest Star Wars news, a hot take, a deep-cut question or a debate you've been dying to settle, we discuss it all on RFR Live. We review Darth Vader moments from the Disney-era including live-action and animation. Which of the Dark Lord's appearances in the Disney era resonated the most with us and which did we feel came up a bit short?  Plus, just in time for Halloween, we look back at vintage Star Wars Ben Cooper costumes, Kid Blake checks in with some solid speculation for Star Wars: Starfighter, Ahsoka Season 2, and Episode X, we discuss the potential of adapting the Star Wars Expanded Universe via animation and more.  

Todd Stashwick is an actor, writer, gamer, and Star Wars superfan. And now, Todd can be seen in VisionQuest as the bounty hunter Paladin, who was modeled after Boba Fett. Todd joins us In The Cantina to discuss the character and share stories about his experiences on the set. Plus, plenty of Wars and Trek talk too!  In news headlines, we receive what may be the final update on Taika Waititi's long-gestating Star Wars film, we breakdown audio highlights from recent interviews with Kathleen Kennedy, Ben Affleck, and Jeff Garlin, who talked about his time on the set of The Rise of Skywalker, and more!

Was the name (or nickname) for the antagonist in Star Wars: Starfighter revealed at NYCC 2026? Who is The Rock Pirate of Kaneen? We review the announcements from Lucasfilm Publishing's panel at the con and all the upcoming Starfighter books and comics, along with the general Star Wars news breaking last weekend. Scrib Doon! Have you noticed that saying floating around social media lately? Well, you can thank the new videogame Star Wars: Galactic Racer and a breakout character named Biddy Blas, who we get to know. As the anticipation for Ahsoka season 2 continues to build, we look at news about an upcoming prequel comic book coming from Marvel - Ahsoka: Escape From Thrawn, along with other hints and clues about the next season. Joining us In The Cantina is a legitimate Star Wars Original Trilogy legacy member - ILM's Rose Duignan. Rose shares stories from the early days of the saga working with George Lucas and the legends of special effects.  

We're prepping for Ahsoka season two by looking at information about the plot as revealed through interviews, articles, and other teases from the past couple of years, including Dave Filoni comments from the latest Star Wars spread in Empire magazine. We discuss the quest of Baylon Skoll, the Mortis gods, Grand Admiral Thrawn v. Admiral Ackbar, and we speculate about where the story may go. Kathleen Kennedy is talking about life after Lucasfilm and we review highlights. Does she throw George Lucas under the bus? Hear what we think! Plus, a tight review of the newest Star Wars novel - Edge of the Abyss, listener feedback has us thinking about what to call the next trilogy, bilingual See-Threepio returns and more.

We react to reports saying Skeleton Crew's Jon Watts will direct Star Wars Episode X. Is he the right man for the job? We discuss. Is a "Darth Vader" movie being developed for Hayden Christensen? Hayden recently reacted to these rumors and we hear what he had to say, and share our ideas of what we'd like to see in a Darth Vader movie or series. The man who built the Razor Crest - ILM veteran John Goodson - joins us In The Cantina to discuss his decades-long career working on Star Wars special effects, including his work on The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Lucas Museum and more. Plus, we celebrate Oktoberfest with bilingual See-Threepio and more.

Legendary Sci-Fi writer Alan Dean Foster joins us In The Cantina to discuss his work with George Lucas as ghostwriter of the original Star Wars film novelization along with recollections about the making of the first Expanded Universe novel - Splinter of the Minds Eye - and behind-the-scenes stories going back to before the first Star Wars film was even released. Alan also shares his thoughts on the sequel trilogy and more. This is a Star Wars history lesson you do not want to miss. Plus, we have interview highlights from George Lucas at the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and, with Star Wars being a story about fathers and sons, we pay tribute to Dad.

We go In The Cantina for a pair of individual interviews with the guys who bring The Mandalorian to life, Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder. While Pedro Pascal supplies the voice of Din Djarin, Brendan handles the physical acting in the Beskar armor while Lateef provides the martial arts and stunt work. We speak to both Mandos and ask them similar questions to compare their answers. What can be done in future Star Wars stories to make the sequel trilogy resonate the same way The Clone Wars benefitted the prequel trilogy? We discuss. More fans and their kids are discovering The Mandalorian and Grogu now that it's available to watch via Disney+ and we hear about it during Listener Feedback as we chat about the importance of sharing Star Wars with the younger generation. We have more interview highlights from Dave Filoni at D23, and Ewan McGregor talking about his desire to continue telling stories as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Plus, we pay tribute to the Spanish voice of See-Threepio and more.

We kick off our twenty-first year of Star Wars podcasting by looking ahead to Star Wars: Starfighter via interview highlights with writer Jonathan Tropper and director Shawn Levy, who reveals his story will be set in a galaxy far, far away without a governing body. We interpret all of the clues about Starfighter and predict what a lawless Star Wars galaxy will look like. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has finally opened in LA. We react to some of the early coverage and the statues on display, like "Huttslayer Leia". Plus, Swank is having a hard time revisiting the sequels, we discuss Solo: A Star Wars Story, an old friend checks in and more.

From the birth of The ForceCast on September 1st in 2006, to the launch of Rebel Force Radio, we've spent two decades exploring the galaxy far, far away together. Along the way, we've shared news, opinions, event coverage, interviews, unforgettable moments and a lot of laughs with an amazing community of Star Wars fans from around the world. We are grateful to celebrate this milestone with YOU. The RFR Switchboard was open as we took your calls to hear about the episodes, moments, guests, cons, or inside jokes that have stayed with you over the years. Or that burning question you've always wanted answered. Whether you've been listening since the ForceCast days, joined us when we started Rebel Force Radio, or discovered us more recently, this show is for you.

We go In The Cantina to get caught up with author and screenwriter Ernest Cline. In this awesome conversation, Ernie shares behind-the-scenes stories about his first film Fanboys, many we've never heard before, along with tales from the Fanboys reunion earlier this month in Texas. We present Ernie with every Star Wars reference from his groundbreaking novel Ready Player One to get his first-blush reactions and inspirations, and Ernie shares stories about working with Steven Spielberg. Plus, Ernie sticks around to break down the Star Wars: Starfighter teaser trailer screened only once earlier this month at D23, and more!