Kathleen Kennedy's Star Wars Leftovers

When Kathleen Kennedy left her position as president of Lucasfilm last week, she left behind a ton of Star Wars projects in various states of production. From James Mangold's "Dawn of the Jedi" and Dave Filoni's Mandoverse epic, to potential films from Simon Kinberg, Taika Waititi, Steven Soderberg, Donald Glover and more, we look closely at that long list and try to determine which films may still actually happen under the supervision of Lucasfilm's new regime. Plus, listener feedback, Star Wars in Pop Culture and more.

BREAKING NEWS: Kathleen Kennedy's control of Lucasfilm and Star Wars has come to an end. We review some telling highlights from Kathy's exit interview and discuss her Star Wars legacy. With Dave Filoni taking charge of Lucasfilm, does this mean George Lucas will return to the fold? We share our thoughts. Disney revealed a facelift is coming to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland as Original Trilogy characters and situations will be incorporated into the theme park this April. We review all the information about the changes and offer our opinions. Star Wars: Starfighter will feature lightsaber duels and none other than Tom Cruise stopped by the set to jump behind the camera to shoot a sequence. We look at a fresh interview with director Shawn Levy and speculate which characters will be involved in the duel and why. Mark Hamill recently discussed The Force Awakens and the lack of a reunion between Han, Luke and Leia. Find out why such a get together never materialized. Plus, we got interview highlights from Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac and more!

We review the latest rumors which indicate the time has come for Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy to step down from her leadership role to concentrate on producing films and Dave Filoni will be stepping up to have full creative control of the Star Wars franchise. We look at the pros and cons. We share memories of when Genndy Tartakovsky's Clone Wars microseries premiered as a series of shorts on Cartoon Network back in 2003. A new still photo from The Mandalorian and Grogu was released this week and we look at the budget for the film and speculate on potential box office success. Plus, we dig deep into some Jon Favreau interview quotes for clues, revisit the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Star Wars in Pop Culture features Stranger Things and more!

We're wrapping up a great year for Star Wars and Rebel Force Radio as we celebrate the season with friends and family. Noted and acclaimed Star Wars author/illustrator Christopher J. Sorrentino aka "Baby Belushi" ("Nerdy, Dirty, and Tasteless Star Wars Jokes IV") joins us for the whole show as we look back at the Star Wars year that was. We break down everything of importance that happened in Star Wars and RFR throughout 2025. From Skeleton Crew to Andor to The Hunt for Ben Solo and all stops in between, we review it all.  Keeping within the family theme of the holidays, Dylan McInerney joins us In The Cantina. RFR interviewed Dylan Mac 15 years ago after he watched The Original Trilogy for the first time when he was just 7 years old. Now, Dylan returns to RFR to answer the same questions we originally asked him back in 2010. How have his answers and opinions changed over the years and how have they stayed the same? Join us to find out!  Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from your Star Wars pals at Rebel Force Radio! See you in 2026! 

RFR is back! We have some top secret information from our Bothan Spies regarding the upcoming 50th anniversary 4K upgrade rerelease of the original 1977 version of STAR WARS. Beyond the film itself, we can expect some surprises. We break down all the info from our sources who have actually seen some of the restored footage themselves. Where has RFR been the last month? Why the sudden disappearance? Were Jason and Jimmy fighting? Or were there bigger issues undermining the production of the show? We'll pull back the curtain and explain everything that went down, with a little help from Master Qui Jon. Plus, we have a ton of great interview highlights from director Shawn Levy and actor Matt Smith about the upcoming STAR WARS: STARFIGHTER, and a little bit of info about next year's THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU. Plus, listener feedback and more!

As is our tradition, we dedicate ample time to listener feedback on the final RFR before Thanksgiving. It's our way of turning the spotlight onto our audience to say "thanks" for being so loyal and supportive. From your comments about new releases like Star Wars Visions to thoughts on The Original Trilogy, we love hearing from you. Is Obi-Wan the greatest Jedi ever? When did fans first learn The Empire Strikes Back was not "Star Wars II" but instead "Episode V"? What about the '90s when Star Wars was only being represented by The Expanded Universe and PC games like Dark Forces. These are just some of the questions our audience of superfans are throwing at us. Plus, we take a brief look back at the history of the Baby Yoda balloon at The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, updates on the potential official release and 4K upgrade of the original 1977 version of Star Wars, the Yoda statue controversy in Jonesborough, Tennessee and more.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the long-running Star Wars Insider magazine will be releasing its final issue in early 2026. We look back at it's legacy and impact with founder Dan Madsen, who joins us In The Cantina to share behind-the-scenes stories about the early days of the magazine, his favorite memories of interviewing George Lucas, and his feelings about the magazine he started over 30 years ago finally coming to an end. Star Wars: Starfighter is gearing up for a 2027 release and we review interview comments from actor Matt Smith and director Shawn Levy who gets us caught up on the latest production updates. Plus, Daniel Craig looks back on his experience as a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens, new Lucas Museum news, and harmless lightsaber stabs to the midsection.

As Star Wars was being developed back in the mid-70s, the maverick special effects crew at ILM were pioneering new filmmaking technologies in often unconventional ways. In the early days, machinist Stuart Ziff found himself thrust into the action on day one. In the years that followed, Stuart used his skills in a variety of ways at ILM including working on Return of the Jedi creature costumes like Admiral Ackbar, Nein Nunb and Ree Yees, and on many projects from Dragonslayer to Ghostbusters to Jurassic Park. This week on RFR, Stuart joins us In The Cantina to share fascinating stories about working on the Star Wars Original Trilogy and beyond. Plus, our review of Star Wars Visions season 3 and Jimmy Mac had the opportunity to see a Star Wars Holiday Special legend perform live in Chicago. Listen to find out who it was!

More info has emerged regarding Adam Driver's rejected script for "The Hunt for Ben Solo" and we take a look at all the newest details, including more fan reaction. With The Mandalorian and Grogu hitting theaters next year, we review the latest production updates along with interview highlights from stars Jeremy Allen White and Sigourney Weaver. Plus, be sure to stick around to the end of the show as we reveal some hot rumors regarding the animated series Darth Maul: Shadow Lord, Ahsoka season two, the resurrection of Rogue Squadron, and behind-the-scenes info about James Mangold's involvement in the franchise. In the wake of massive increases to the MSRP for new Hasbro Star Wars action figures, we put the state of collecting under the microscope and review all of the price hikes throughout the history of the hobby. Is it mere inflation, or is it blatant price gouging? Our research may surprise you.  

In an interview this week, Oscar-nominated actor Adam Driver revealed that he, along with Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh developed a script for a new Star Wars movie called "The Hunt For Ben Solo", which was ultimately rejected by Disney's top brass. So what gives? We look at every angle of this story to break it all down, along with listener  reactions and fired-up opinions. We pay tribute to legendary artist Drew Struzan with Erik Sharkey, director of the documentary "Drew: The Man Behind The Poster" and discuss some of his iconic Star Wars movie posters. Will we see the original 1977 version of Star Wars back in theaters for its upcoming 50th anniversary? We analyze some leaked info and imagery that may suggest the answer is yes. Plus, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson recently were interviewed about the soon-to-open Lucas Museum in LA. We review the highlights along with some comments from George about life after Star Wars.