Force Material: A Star Wars Podcast (Force Material: A Star Wars Podcast)

Discover the real-life story behind Luke Skywalker's island home in the first episode of the Force Material podcast!

Welcome to our weekly deep dive into the secrets and source material of Star Wars, with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister.

We'll be delving into the influences and inspirations behind the Star Wars saga, from films and folklore to history, politics and geography. These are the stories behind the prequels, the sequels, and everything in between!

In our first episode, we explore Skellig Michael, the filming location for Luke Skywalker's place of exile in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

What was life really like for the Gaelic Christian monks that built a monastery on this desolate rock in the 6th century, and which creatures might they have encountered?

Was George Bernard Shaw the first location scout for Lucasfilm?

And what does it even mean to be religious in a galaxy where magical space wizards are actually, objectively, real?

All this and more, in the first episode of Force Material! 

In the coming weeks, we'll break down the movies that make up Rian Johnson's Star Wars Film Camp, and begin to explore the creative building blocks of the Saga we all love so much.

If you love samurai, space ships and saloons, you've come to the right place. 

Who knows? You might even end up finding something new that you'll love just as much as Star Wars.

Well... almost as much, anyway.

Grab your s'mores, because we're off to Rian Johnson's film camp in the second episode of the Force Material podcast!

Our weekly deep dive into the influences and inspirations behind the Star Wars saga continues with an examination of director Hideo Gosha's pulpy 1964 classic, Three Outlaw Samurai.

This was one of a number of films that director Rian Johnson required the cast and crew of The Last Jedi to watch as part of his 'film camp' before production began.  

In the lead-up to December, we'll be discussing each of these films, breaking down what makes them special, and taking a few educated guesses at how they might influence The Last Jedi. 

This episode, we're taking a look at the cultural influences that have made Star Wars 'big in Japan'; how the swordplay of Three Outlaw Samurai could inspire all-in brawls with the Knights of Ren and the Praetorian Guard in The Last Jedi; why Obi-Wan's duel with Darth Vader in A New Hope is actually awesome; and whether or not the cynicism of Three Outlaw Samurai is compatible with Star Wars.  

Three Outlaw Samurai is available as part of the Criterion Collection here (but please note that, if you live outside North America, you'll need a multi-region Blu-Ray player to watch the film). 

In this emergency episode of the Force Material podcast, we're breaking down the enigma that is the Last Jedi trailer!

Join us as we attempt to answer all the questions the trailer raises, including but not limited to:

Is Rian Johnson the master of misdirection, or is the real misdirection that there is no misdirection?

Should Luke train Rey?

Is Kylo Ren a great pilot or not, and what would be truer to his character?

Will Kylo kill another one of his parents?

Why doesn't Kylo wear his mask anymore?

Can Kylo be redeemed?

Was Darth Vader ever really redeemed?

 Is Poe Dameron the son Leia never had?

Is Leia an underrated Force user?

Are Porgs the most adorable creature in the history of the franchise?

Does the Jedi Order that established itself on Ahch-To bear any resemblance to the Jedi Order that established itself on Coruscant?

Will Phasma finally live up to the hype?

Is Kylo pulling Rey to the dark, is Rey pulling Kylo to the light, or are they teaming up to fight an even bigger bad?

Is Rian Johnson trying to send us a meta-message?

Where are Holdo, Rose and DJ?

And will any of this footage actually end up in the film, anyway?

We're talking Porgs, Porgs and more Porgs on this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

Ever since they made their debut in the behind-the-scenes reel for The Last Jedi that was shown at D23 in July, Porgs — the cutest inhabitants of Ahch-To, if not the entire Star Wars galaxy — have taken their rightful place at the centre of the saga. 

The old, tired questions about Rey's parentage, Snoke's identity and Leia's fate have simply ceased to matter in the wake of the arrival of the Porgs, who are experiencing a level of popularity even BB-8 can't hope to compete with.

In this week's episode of the show, we're rounding up everything we know so far about the Porgs, as well as the adorable real-life seabirds — the puffins of Skellig Michael — who inspired their design!

We also delve into the history of cute Star Wars creatures to discuss why the much-maligned Ewoks are actually the purest expression of the franchise's most important theme, and why Hoojibs — the telepathic bunnies from the '80s Marvel Star Wars comic — are ripe for a comeback. 

All this and more, in this week's episode of the Force Material porgcast! 

Cary Grant, Grace Kelly and the French Riviera star in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast.

The Last Jedi will see the introduction of the casino planet Canto Bight, which director Rian Johnson calls "a Star Wars Monte Carlo-type environment, a little James Bond-ish, a little To Catch A Thief."

Johnson has also called To Catch A Thief "a great film to rewatch" before The Last Jedi, "for the romantic scale and grandeur".

So on this week's episode of Force Material, Baz McAlister and I are sitting down to watch this classic Hitchcock confection.

We're exploring the ways that Hitchcock's cat thief caper might influence the next chapter in the Star Wars saga, as well as the connections between To Catch A Thief and another beloved franchise. 

This week on the Force Material podcast, we're celebrating the fifth anniversary of Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm!

It was five years ago today that George Lucas shocked the entertainment world by selling his company — and the rights to make more Star Wars films — to The Walt Disney Company. 

In that time, we've heard plenty from disgruntled fans about the 'Disneyfication' of Star Wars, but in this week's podcast, Baz McCalister and I explore the connections between George Lucas and Disney that go back much, much further than 2012. 

We also explain how it was Indiana Jones, not Star Wars, that made the Disney sale possible, and we rate the smartest decisions and worst missteps of the Disney era's first five years.

Finally, we share our Force visions for where we think the franchise will be five years from now! 

We're exploring the origins and influences of the galaxy's most toxic fanboy, Kylo Ren, in this week's Force Material podcast!

The spotlight falls on Han Solo and Leia Organa's wayward son in this episode, as we drill down into the cultural and artistic inspirations for this fascinating (and often misunderstood) villain.  

We discuss how Kylo sets the sequel trilogy apart from the original films, as he reflects contemporary fears about radicalised and isolated young men. 

We break down the parallels between Kylo Ren and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, school shooters and toxic keyboard warriors, and explain how Kylo Ren and Rey represent different types of Star Wars fans.

We also dig into the design choices that made Kylo instantly iconic, and the Shakespearean and Arthurian influences on his complex character arc. 

Finally, we lay out our thoughts on where we see Kylo Ren going in The Last Jedi and beyond. Can he be redeemed, or are some sins just too terrible to be forgiven?

On this week's Force Material podcast, we're going back to Rian Johnson's film camp to break down how Twelve O'Clock High could influence The Last Jedi!

The 1949 film, directed by Henry King, tells the story of a US Bomber unit stationed in England during the darkest days of World War II.

Gregory Peck, as Brigadier General Frank Savage, is tasked with getting "maximum effort" out of the unit's pilots, and leads them on increasingly daring raids — at no small cost to his own health.

Twelve O'Clock High was one of six films that director Rian Johnson required the cast and crew of The Last Jedi to watch as part of his 'film camp' before production began. 

Johnson told Empire that Twelve O'Clock High was "a big touchstone" for The Last Jedi, "for the feel and look of the aerial combat, as well as the dynamic between the pilots".

This week, as we count down to the release of The Last Jedi, Baz and I watch Twelve O'Clock High to dissect how its pioneering depiction of post-traumatic stress disorder could influence what happens next to Poe Dameron, Paige Tico and the rest of Black Squadron!

Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is out on DVD and Blu-Ray this week, so we're exploring the film's connections to Star Wars on this week's Force Material podcast!

Much has been made of the debt that Star Wars supposedly owes to writer Pierre Christin and artist Jean-Claude Mézières' Valerian and Laureline, which ran in French comics magazine Pilote from 1967 to 2010.

Christin and Mézières have both been vocal about the influence they believe their work had on George Lucas' saga, as has director Luc Besson, who brought the long-running sci-fi strip to the silver screen earlier this year.

George Lucas, on the other hand, has never acknowledged Valerian as an inspiration for Star Wars.

This week on the Force Material podcast, we attempt to weigh up the evidence and determine what impact Valerian really had on Star Wars! 

We also share our thoughts on Besson's film, and grapple with the question nobody can answer — why does Hollywood keep trying to make Dane DeHaan happen? 

For a visual comparison between the Valerian comics and the Star Wars films, check out Six ways Valerian (might have) influenced Star Wars. 

This week’s Force Material podcast is all about two-fisted tomfoolery and problematic poetry, as we break down why 1939’s Gunga Din is actually part of the Star Wars universe!

This week’s Force Material podcast is all about two-fisted tomfoolery and problematic poetry, as we break down why 1939’s Gunga Din is actually part of the Star Wars universe!

Oh, sure, it may not get Pablo Hidalgo’s official tick of approval - but we’re pretty sure Gunga Din is canon, and we explain why on this week’s episode!

Our breakdown of the 1939 RKO classic marks the fourth entry in our series on director Rian Johnson’s ‘film camp’, the range of classic films Johnson required his cast and crew to watch before they began filming The Last Jedi.

We discuss why the film could never be made today, its deep ties to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Lucasfilm lore, and the hints that it offers us about the events of The Last Jedi!

The film also gives us an opportunity to dig into the origins of the Gungans, and the connection that Jar Jar Binks has with our very own hometown of Brisbane!

We also give our takes on the recent announcements of an all-new trilogy of Star Wars films and a live-action Star Wars TV series!

The Force Material podcast - come for the Star Wars analysis; stay for the surprisingly moving dramatic readings of 19th-century colonialist poetry.

If you liked this episode, check out our earlier entries in the Film Camp series on Three Outlaw Samurai, To Catch A Thief and Twelve O’Clock High!

The episode of DorkLair with the sweet Snoke theory that we reference in this week’s show can be found here.

Join Rohan, Baz and Humphrey Bogart on a perilous journey through the Libyan desert in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

There's only a few days left to speculate about The Last Jedi before the first real spoilers will start hitting the web, so we're starting off today's show by breaking down all the revelations from Rolling Stone's Last Jedi cover story. 

What does Daisy Ridley's departure after Episode IX mean for the future of the franchise? How will Carrie Fisher's passing be handled on-screen? Why is Adam Driver being cagey about Kylo Ren's age? When will we find out who Rey's parents are? And is there really a master plan behind the new canon, or are they just making it all up as they go along?

Then, in our feature presentation, we're going back to director Rian Johnson's film camp to examine another film that Johnson required the cast and crew of The Last Jedi to watch before they began production. 

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Sahara (1943) tells the unforgettable story of the American tank Lulu Belle, and the man who loved her as if she were a woman.

It's about 10 men, lost in the desert; men with parched tongues and tortured minds, searching frantically for life-giving water, surrounded by a hostile army, and fighting treachery from within. 

We think it'll have a big influence on the scenes set on Crait in The Last Jedi, as The Resistance makes its valiant last stand...

Madness! Madness! We're revisiting one of the all-time great war films for clues about The Last Jedi and making our final predictions in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

This episode will be our last before The Last Jedi premieres and renders all of our idle speculation moot, so first up this week, we're putting it all on the table and making our final Episode VIII predictions. 

Who are Rey's parents? Is she just a random, or is the Force strong with her family?

Is Snoke just a bloke, or is he actually a classic character back from the dead? 

How will it all end? What will the state of the galaxy look like heading into Episode IX? 

Bookmark this episode so you can see just how wrong all our guesses turn out to be when the film opens next week! 

Then, in our feature presentation, we're going back to director Rian Johnson's film camp to watch another of the films he made his cast and crew watch before they began shooting The Last Jedi. 

Directed by David Lean, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) tells the story of a British officer and POW, Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson (played by Old Ben Kenobi himself, Sir Alec Guinness), who forms an unlikely working relationship with his Japanese captor, Colonel Saito (played by the utterly fascinating Sessue Hayakwawa).

We're breaking down how Kwai relates to the other films in Johnson's program, and which recurring themes and scenarios pop up again here.

And, mostly, we're just marveling at how bloody brilliant this 60-year-old film continues to be - especially that electrifying finale. 

For our last episode before the release of The Last Jedi, we're taking a look at the last entry in Rian Johnson's film camp!

Yes, The Last Jedi has begun screening at premiere events around the world, but there'll be no spoilers in this episode. Instead, we'll be talking about a Soviet survival drama from 1960. 

Letter Never Sent tells the intense story of three men and a woman as they head deep into a Siberian forest on the hunt for precious diamonds.

The group has its tensions, but the real ‘enemy’ is nature — they almost starve to death in the forest, before finding a stash of diamonds; and before they can bring the diamonds home, they're trapped in a forest fire. And that's just the beginning of their problems...

This was one of six films that director Rian Johnson required the cast and crew of The Last Jedi to watch before they began production of Episode VIII, so naturally, we're taking this classic of Soviet cinema and boiling it down to the only question that really matters - how will it affect Star Wars? 

We'll be back later this week straight after a midnight screening of The Last Jedi with our reaction pod, so stay tuned for updates!

Finally! No more theories and speculation — The Last Jedi is here, and we're here at 3am to talk about it!

Recorded straight after the midnight screening, here's our frantic and feverish review of the film we've all been waiting for. 

We're talking about EVERYTHING, so there will be MAJOR SPOILERS — proceed at your own peril!

Find out why Jon Bon Jovi owes his career to C-3PO in this very festive edition of the Force Material podcast!

Did you know that without Star Wars, there would have been no Slippery When Wet? We’d never have heard of Tommy and Gina’s hardscrabble lives in Livin’ On a Prayer? One of the world’s most legendary recording studios would never have existed? And the musicals Nine and Titanic would never have made it to Broadway?

If you are in desperate need of respite from the raging social media wars being waged over the reception of The Last Jedi, we can offer you an (almost) safe space. Pour yourself an egg nog and join us by the fireside this week on a festive Force Material podcast and we’ll spin you the almost-unbelievable tale of Christmas in the Stars.

It’s the story of two plucky risk-taking record executives, a frustrated Broadway wannabe playwright, a fame-seeking actor confined to an uncomfortable golden suit — and an ambitious young man with a broom in his hand who gazed up at the stars, knowing he was destined for something greater. His name was Jon Bon Jovi. You may have heard of him.

Come with us on a journey back to 1980s Manhattan and discover how a schmaltzy, kitschy Star Wars-themed concept album about C-3PO and R2-D2 running Santa’s workshop got made – just two years after George Lucas swore he’d never attempt to make any connection between his galaxy far, far away and Christmas, EVER again.

For more on Christmas in the Stars, check out CBC Music's oral history of the album and Forbes' interview with Bon Jovi himself.

We're digging deeper into three key themes of The Last Jedi on this week's Force Material podcast.

We've given you our instant, post-midnight screening reaction to The Last Jedi, but now that we've had time to let it marinate, we wanted to break down some of the key themes of the movie that we didn't get into the first time around.

Since teachers and lessons are so prominent in The Last Jedi, and George Lucas always intended the Star Wars films to teach life lessons, we decided to take a leaf out of Luke Skywalker's book this week and examine three lessons of The Last Jedi.

Listen on to find out what Finn and Rose's adventure, Rey's origin and Luke Skywalker's failure can teach us about apathy, birthrights and meeting your heroes!

We're saying farewell to Rian Johnson's Film Camp with a wrap-up of how each film actually influenced The Last Jedi!

In the lead-up to the release of The Last Jedi, we watched (and podcasted about) seven films recommended by director Rian Johnson — Three Outlaw Samurai, To Catch A Thief, Gunga Din, Twelve O'Clock High, Sahara, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Letter Never Sent.

Of course, we speculated wildly about how each film would influence The Last Jedi — but now that Rian Johnson's film is out there in the wild, we don't need to guess anymore. 

The man himself has finally explained the influence of each film in an interview with Mike Ryan at Uproxx and in the pages of Phil Szostak's fantastic book, The Art of the Last Jedi, and we're breaking down his comments in this week's show!

This week on the Force Material podcast, we're breaking down an Akira Kurosawa classic that's all about the truth... from a certain point of view.

The first Japanese film to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Rashomon (1950) introduced the world to Japanese cinema at the perfect time, just as director Akira Kurosawa was coming into his own as a force to be reckoned with.

One of the most influential films of all time, it tells the tale of a shocking murder and rape from the very different perspectives of four unreliable narrators. 

This week, we look at what makes Rashomon an enduring classic, and explain how it influenced The Last Jedi!   

This week, we're explaining how Broadway smash Hamilton left its mark on the Star Wars universe. Godspeed, revolutionaries!

Since its debut on Broadway in 2015, smash hit musical Hamilton — based on the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton — has been one of the few cultural events that could stand toe-to-toe with the return of Star Wars. 

On this week's show, we discuss how Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda came to be involved with The Force Awakens!

Naturally, we're also talking Shaggy, Toto, Figrin D'an, Max Rebo, Rick Rubin, NSYNC, Joseph Campbell, Ben Solo fan theories, intergalactic linguistics and much, much more!

Hey, don't everybody thank us at once... but the first Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer has arrived, and we've got your emergency reaction pod right here!

By now, you've probably watched the trailer more than once  — and why wouldn't you? Just look at those chase scenes! The Corellian Graffiti hot rod landspeeders! The (probable) Kessel Run! Pimpin' Childish Landino! Double-sided Snowpiercer! So much cool stuff! 

So join us as we nervously wait for the trailer to drop while talking about the 30 second teaser, watch the full trailer live, and then segue into wild speculation about the chequered past of everyone's favourite smuggler. 

Was the Solo trailer all you were hoping for? Let us know at forcematerial@gmail.com!

In a week where the internet is aflame with debate about whether Alden Ehrenreich could possibly play Han Solo, let’s take a moment and remember that he’s not the first ‘other guy’ to muscle in on the role made famous by Harrison Ford.

Way back in the 1980s, actor Perry King stepped into Ford’s knee-high boots in a cracking and successful series of radio dramas based on the film series. And he was amazing!

Join us as we explore the surprising history of the project, which started life as a whim of a college theatre director looking for a scandal. We’ll tell you how they scored the rights for the princely sum of $1, how US President Ronald Reagan derailed the project, and more crazy tales from the origin story of NPR’s Star Wars audio dramas!

We also tried to track down the mysterious identity of the other other guy who played Han Solo in a half-hour spinoff audio drama called Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell – the cast list of which has been lost for decades. We made contact with a key figure in the making of that LP – listen in to find out what he had to share.

But perhaps most of all, this podcast is about the late Star Wars scribe Brian Daley – the writer of all these audio dramas, and perhaps the man who knew Han Solo best in the early days as author of the novels Han Solo at Star’s End, Han Solo’s Revenge and Han Solo and the Lost Legacy.

Brian died of pancreatic cancer 22 years ago this week, never getting to hear the last words he wrote committed to tape by his audio drama cast.

This episode of Force Material is dedicated to his memory.

Our Daley Double wraps up with a fond look back at some of the greatest Star Wars novels ever written, The Han Solo Adventures!

It's been 22 years this month since legendary author Brian Daley passed away. Last week, on the anniversary of his death, we paid tribute to his classic Star Wars audio dramas, and this week, we're remembering his beloved trilogy of Han Solo novels.

When Brian Daley pitched a trilogy of Han Solo and Chewbacca novels to Del Rey Books in the 1970s, he was just casually looking to make some fast cash. How very Han Solo of him.

But once Brian started out on this journey, the galaxy opened up to him. Not allowed to use The Force, Vader, the Empire, TIE fighters, the Rebellion, or any established characters save Han and Chewie, he used his ingenuity instead in a trilogy of books that saw Han and Chewie face gunslingers, slavers, corrupt bureaucrats and murderous droids in a colourful backwater of space.

Join us this week as we explore how these books helped shape Han Solo’s character in the early days of the Expanded Universe, and helped shape the childhoods of many a Star Wars fan.

We also discuss the lost art of the movie novelisation; the single worst line in Raiders of the Lost Ark; the surprising ways in which Woody Allen, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope inspired Han Solo; and loads more!  

This week's episode refers frequently to an interview Brian Daley gave Alex Newborn at Star Wars Collector in 1995, which can be read in full here. 

Where were you in '62? This week on the Force Material podcast, we're celebrating the film that first brought together Ron Howard and Lucasfilm!

When George Lucas was challenged by his mentor Francis Ford Coppola and wife Marcia Lucas to make something more warm and commercial after the failure of THX-1138, he delivered in spades with American Graffiti — his most human, and perhaps most atypical, film. 

On this week's episode, we discuss George Lucas' fast and furious teenage years; Ron Howard's initiation into the Lucasfilm family; the unsung heroes who helped make American Graffiti great; and the connections between American Graffiti and Lucas' even bigger hit, Star Wars.  

We also explain how a film released in 1973 and set in 1962 sparked a full-blown 1950s revival, and why American Graffiti isn't just a 'nostalgia' film!

We'll be back next week with More American Graffiti!

This week, we're looking back at George Lucas' first (and least successful) sequel, More American Graffiti! 

Today, the Star Wars franchise is an unstoppable juggernaut, setting new box office records and creating new fans with virtually every new entry in the series. 

But times weren't always so good for Lucasfilm. 

George Lucas' first attempt at a sequel, 1979's More American Graffiti, was a major disappointment — the critics savaged it, and in the words of Lucas himself, "it made 10 cents". 

On this week's show, we take a look at what went wrong with More American Graffiti, and how its failure affected George Lucas' approach to the Star Wars sequels and left him fearing for the future of his company.  

We also discuss how an American Graffiti sequel could have succeeded — in the hands of another young writer-director.

We'll be back next week with our Rebels recap extravaganza! 

Four years after Rebels first ushered in the Disney era of Star Wars, it's time to say goodbye to the Ghost crew.

On this week's spoiler-heavy show, we break down the epic Star Wars Rebels finale, and all the lingering questions it left us with. 

We look back at the highs and lows of the show over the last four years — from lightsaber helicopters to space whales, and everything in between. 

Of course, we also weigh in on the Star Wars news of the week, including that major Jon Favreau announcement! 

We'll be back next week for the start of our Solo film camp series, kicking off with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven!

Solo: A Star Wars Story is set to take inspiration from one of the greatest films of all-time — Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.

Screenwriters Lawrence and Jon Kasdan say Eastwood's 1992 revisionist Western is one of five films that served as a major influence on their Solo script. 

Over the next five weeks, we'll be breaking down these five films, starting with this stone-cold classic — the high point of Eastwood's career, and perhaps of the entire Western genre. 

We discuss what sets Unforgiven apart from Eastwood's previous films; why Gene Hackman's Little Bill is one of the all-time great movie villains; and, of course, how we think Unforgiven's influence will actually be felt in Solo! 

Discover the origins of Paul Bettany's mysterious Solo: A Star Wars Story character in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

This week, we're going back to the year 2000 to watch the bloody and violent British crime drama Gangster No. 1, and break down how its influence might be felt in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story. 

We pull together everything we know so far about Dryden Vos, Paul Bettany's character in Solo, and how he was inspired by Bettany's breakout role in Gangster No. 1. 

Gangster No. 1 is one of five films named as an influence on Solo by screenwriters Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. Last week, we looked at Unforgiven, and we'll be talking about the other three films — Heat, Treasure Island and The Big Lebowski — in the lead-up to Solo's release! 

The Last Jedi has finally come home, and we're discussing all the special features in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

We open this week's show with a look at the latest Star Wars news, including a Solo status update and some 'fake news' being peddled by Vulture. 

Then it's onto our look at the long-awaited home release of The Last Jedi, starting with the epic documentary, The Director and the Jedi!

We offer up our commentary on Rian Johnson's commentary, and we break down which of the deleted scenes should actually have been deleted. 

Along the way, we talk about which actors really got a raw deal feel in The Last Jedi (it's not Mark Hamill); Baz points out a whole new plot hole for fanboys to kvetch about; and I share my insane theory for making the Canto Bight sequence more popular by... making it longer? 

All this and loads more, on this week's episode of the Force Material podcast! 

It looks good! A little rough around the edges, but good.

Lucasfilm saw fit to bless us with a new Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer today, so you know we're breaking that down.

From Wookiee romance to the secret identity of the mysterious villain, Enfys Nest (potential spoiler warning ahoy!), we pull out all the highlights of the trailer and figure out what it all means. Well, we try to, anyway.

But the Solo trailer isn't the biggest news in our world this week — it's time to welcome Gulliver McAlister to the world! Baz tells us all about his bouncing baby boy and the lengths he went to in order to make sure he shared a birthday with a Star Wars legend. 

We also discuss screenwriter Tony Gilroy's candid revelations about his work on the Rogue One reshoots; Solo's upcoming Cannes premiere; and the latest twist in the behind-the-scenes saga of Rey's parentage. 

All this and more, on this week's episode of the Force Material podcast! 

The relationship between Han Solo and Tobias Beckett in Solo: A Star Wars Story will take inspiration from Michael Mann's 1995 heist saga.

Heat is one of five films named as an influence on Solo by screenwriters Lawrence and Jon Kasdan. 

"We talked about the relationship between Val Kilmer and Robert De Niro in Heat," Lawrence Kasdan told Entertainment Weekly, "where there’s a sort of older, wiser criminal, and then someone who’s learning the ropes from them. We wanted this movie to have that flavor and that swagger."

This week, Baz and I revisit Heat to find out what makes it such an enduring crime classic, from the historic showdown between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino to the amazing real-life story that inspired the film. 

Baz also gets way too hung up on the size of televisions in 1995. It's a whole thing. 

Also this week, we talk about the excitement surrounding Force Friday (or the complete lack thereof); Mark Hamill's latest comments on his role in the franchise; and Solo's chances at the box office against Infinity War!   

X marks the pod as we explore how Treasure Island has influenced Solo: A Star Wars Story!

Screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan say Treasure Island is a major influence on Solo: A Star Wars Story, so on this week's episode, we're breaking down how Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale could influence Ron Howard's film. 

The first completely live-action Disney film (and the first Disney pirate film), Treasure Island holds a special place in the Disney canon.

It's probably also the only Disney film in which a child shoots a man in the face at close range. 

We dive into the film's visionary viral marketing campaign, child star Bobby Driscoll's sad downward spiral, Orson Welles' notorious Treasure Island film, the inspirations behind Stevenson's original story and much more!   

Also this week — our reactions to the Star Wars: Resistance announcement, and idle speculation about the future of Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo! 

The Dude abides. This week, we explore how The Big Lebowski has influenced Star Wars: A Solo Story!

Screenwriters Lawrence and Jon Kasdan say The Big Lebowski is a big influence on Solo: A Star Wars Story, so on this week's episode, we're breaking down what makes the Coen brothers' classic crime comedy tick. 

It's a deep dive into The Dude, Raymond Chandler, Robert Altman, John Milius, Leigh Brackett and more!

We also discuss this week's headlines from a galaxy far, far away, including Solo box office tracking and potential sequels, John Boyega's Episode IX update, and a pair of action figures that might just give away Solo's biggest secret.

Let's go bowling… 

Listen to two guys who usually have no chill about Star Wars try to exercise a bit of chill about Star Wars in our totally squeaky clean and SPOILER-FREE review of Solo: A Star Wars Story!

We've seen the film a whole week out from release, but couldn't wait to share our initial thoughts with you: is it any good? Is Alden Ehrenreich any good? What about that Donald Glover guy? Who is Enfys Nest? Just kidding about that last one. Did we mention this is SPOILER-FREE?

If you have a ticket to a midnight screening in your hot little hand, you can listen to this safely as we discuss in only the vaguest and most circumspect of terms what worked, what didn't and how the cast held up. Consider this a whetting of your appetite.

We've saved the big spoiler-y guns for next week's podcast, which will drop on release day and be a no-holds-barred chat for people who've seen the film. But for now — enjoy!

You might wanna buckle up, baby. Our no-holds-barred, spoiler-heavy reaction to Solo: A Star Wars Story is here!

This episode is strictly for those of you who have seen Solo: A Star Wars Story. As soon as you leave your midnight screening, cue this episode up and join us for a breakdown of our favourite (and least favourite) moments, reveals and surprises in the film! 

If you're looking for a spoiler-free review, turn back! We posted that one last week. 

If you're ready to talk Solo freely, push play.

But remember — if you come with us, you're in this life for good...

Since Lucasfilm was sold to Disney in 2012, the studio has been completely synonymous with Star Wars — but it doesn't have to be that way. This week, we make the case for Lucasfilm to expand beyond Star Wars!

As Solo underwhelms at the box office and news of a Boba Fett movie fails to set fandom on fire, we ask the question — is it time for Lucasfilm to spread its wings and prove that it's got more to offer than Star Wars?

We explain how Lucasfilm can avoid franchise fatigue and become the A24 of the Saturday matinee! 

We see how Phil Szostak's latest Star Wars art book stacks up in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

Written by Lucasfilm Creative Art Manager Phil Szostak and published by Abrams Books, The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story explores the production of Solo through a collection of sketches, concepts, production paintings and more. 

We discuss our favourite revelations from the book on this week's show, including the wild concepts and plot lines that didn't make it to the screen! 

We also discuss the connections Lawrence Kasdan weaved between Solo and The Force Awakens; the films that inspired the makers of Solo; one major change we'd like to see to the art books in future; and the last-minute change to a major character that's inadvertently revealed in The Art of Solo!

A long time ago, under a corporate structure far, far away, George Lucas had his own plans for the Star Wars sequel trilogy — and they were very different to what we've seen on screen so far!

On this week's episode of the Force Material podcast, we break down everything we know about George Lucas' ever-evolving plans for the Star Wars saga — from his earliest sequel ideas in the '70s, to his recent revelations about the microbiotic world of the Whills!

We begin the episode by discussing the status of Lucasfilm's Star Wars spin-off films (1:22) and the absurdity of the #RemakeTheLastJedi campaign (07:26).

Then we dig into George Lucas' Star Wars sequel trilogy plans (12:56) by discussing the fluid nature of Lucas' storytelling process (19:35); Lucas' ambitious plans for sequels and prequels before Return of the Jedi (24:59); the dramatic scaling back of Lucas' plans during the production of Return of the Jedi (36:58); the status of Lucas' sequel trilogy plans in the prequel era (47:11); and Lucas' decision to revisit his Star Wars sequels before the Disney sale (1:01:43).

Finally, we discuss the nature of the Whills (1:06:52); how the Whills relate to Midichlorians (1:16:03); whether or not there should be a scientific explanation for how the Force works (1:24:09); the role of free will, destiny and prophecy in Star Wars (1:39:05); why Lucas' sequel trilogy didn't get made (1:49:29); and whether we'll ever get to see it in any form (1:54:58)!

We reveal the secrets of the Force in this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

We begin this week's show by discussing the Star Wars In Concert experience (1:30), the new artwork from Star Wars: Resistance that just hit the web (3:18), and Keri Russell joining the cast of Episode IX (6:32).

Then it's on to our deep dive into the Force! We discuss how George Lucas defines the Force (10:02), the significance of the numbers '2187' to Lucas (10:46), the experimental films of Arthur Lipsett (14:44), how the Force originated in Lipsett's work (19:46), and Lucas' earliest reference to the Force (21:40).

We explain the belief system of George Lucas (22:42), the influence of Arthur Lipsett on Lucas' early experimental films (26:38), Lipsett's influence on the central theme of Star Wars (30:14), how Darth Vader became the main character of Lucas' Star Wars saga (35:57), and the story in the new Disney canon that might be the most faithful to Lucas' work (37:21).

Finally, we discuss the life of director Roman Kroitor, and provide an incredible example of how the Force binds the galaxy together (40:46).

Well, that was a lot to take in. Mysteries are explored and history is made in the latest episode of The Book of Boba Fett, and we're back to break it all down – and look ahead to next week's finale. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

It all comes to a head as we break down the final episode of The Book of Boba Fett (for now) and look ahead to what could be coming up in Season 2. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

This week, we break down how the Nazis have influenced the Empire, the First Order —and the Rebellion.

This episode is all about how Triumph of the Will — an infamous propaganda film made by Nazis, for Nazis, starring Nazis — influenced George Lucas in the creation of Star Wars, and the wider influence that Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany have had on the Star Wars films over the years.

We begin by discussing Triumph of the Will; director Leni Riefenstahl's relationship with Hitler; and the enduring power of the film as an effective piece of propaganda (02:05).

Then we move on to the impact of Triumph of the Will and the Nazis on George Lucas and his portrayal of the Empire (08:21) and the Rebellion (17:45); and their influence on The First Order (22:31). 

Finally, we look at the parallels between Emperor Palpatine and Adolf Hitler's rise to power (27:52).

This week, we're partying like it's 1999 with our feature-length commentary track for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace!

The 20th anniversary of The Phantom Menace and the upcoming reunion panel at Star Wars Celebration had us feeling nostalgic, so we decided to strap in and break down the good, the bad and the ugly of this landmark film.

We discuss our earliest memories of The Phantom Menace; how public sentiment turned against the film (and eventually turned back); the influences that shaped the film; the influence of The Phantom Menace on today's blockbusters; the great Star Wars vs The Matrix debate of 1999; and much, much more!

The Rise of Skywalker is upon us, and the speculation is on! This episode, we break the trailer down shot-by-shot and dive deep into what it might all mean for the future of our favourite franchise.

Is Rey connected to Palpatine? Will Kylo be redeemed? Is JJ's vision compatible with Rian's? And which Skywalker is rising, exactly?

From haunted helmets to Japanese arts and craft, we go all-in with the answers and share our wildest theories in this special episode of the Force Material podcast!

This week, we're taking a break from the Galaxy Far, Far Away to take a deep, spoiler-filled dive into Avengers: Endgame!

We begin this week's spoiler-heavy pod by discussing our favourite moments from the film, before we explore what life is like for the citizens of the MCU after Endgame, what the events of this film mean for the MCU going forward, and whether the MCU will ever resemble the world outside our window again.

Finally, we debate whether The Rise of Skywalker has any chance of clearing the bar set by Endgame!

Somehow, Force Material has returned. The boys are back to talk about the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi;  Star Wars Celebration FOMO; and becoming canon.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Josh Chapman (Star Wars Spelt Out) joins us to give us his report from on the ground at Star Wars Celebration, and help us break down this week's massive episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Josh shares his experiences from an unforgettable Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, before we jump into our discussion of the third episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi (from 26:42 onwards). 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Baz and Rohan catch up on the last two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi and talk Reva's revelations; the odds of surviving a gut shot in the Star Wars universe; the 40-year-old Padawan and more. 

We'll be back later this week to break down the epic finale! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

We come to terms with the end of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series and ponder whether or not we'll ever see these characters again. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Pop culture writer Alex Kane joins us to discuss the development and legacy of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic!

Alex Kane has written for Rolling Stone, Variety, Polygon, StarWars.com and more, but for his first book, he's taken a deep dive into the making of one of the most beloved Star Wars video games of all time, Knights of the Old Republic.

This episode, Alex joins us to talk about how KOTOR bridged the gap between film and tabletop role-playing games; the influence of KOTOR on contemporary Star Wars storytelling; and how the characters and settings of KOTOR could be brought to the big screen!

Alex's book, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, is available now through Boss Fight Books. 

Somehow, Force Material has returned… again. We’re back to play the Andor Review Drinking Game, and discuss whether or not the first three episodes of the long-awaited show left us feeling so fat and satisfied. 

We also talk about our favourite Easter eggs in the show with “no Easter eggs”, and share our thoughts on all the Star Wars news that’s gone down since we last got together. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Join us for a chat about the second arc of Andor, as we break down the two things this arc gave us that we haven’t seen in Star Wars before. 

From 50:15, we also throw in some bonus Rings of Power talk, because why not? 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

We discuss the greatest Star Wars monologue ever, the fate of Kino Loy, Dedra Meero's girl power gone wrong, the love life of Syril Karn and much more in our breakdown of Andor's latest arc. 

We'll see you again in two weeks for the finale!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

We take a stroll down Rix Road with Andor superfan Catherine Kneen and break down a season finale for the ages.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

In a galaxy far, far away, no one can hear you scream. This week, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott's masterpiece by explaining how Star Wars influenced Alien!

This week's episode is a special crossover event, as we're joined by Brandon Wainerdi — host of the great Talking Bay 94 podcast, and the VP of Marketing at legendary horror and cult film magazine Fangoria — to explore the connections between Star Wars and Alien.

We also break down all the other influences that make up Alien's recombinant DNA, from Dune and The Dark Star to HP Lovecraft and The Who!

Finally, we rank our favourite Alien films — and our lists might surprise you. 

Are there two Luke Skywalkers? Is the Emperor a dad? Was Obi-Wan a clone? This week, we're breaking down the best and worst Star Wars fan theories of all time!

As we build towards The Rise of Skywalker, the speculation is reaching fever pitch — so this episode, we're diving into the history of Star Wars fan theories!

We talk about our favourite and least favourite theories; the ones that came true and the ones that definitely didn't come true; and the most likely outcomes heading into The Rise of Skywalker! 

The galaxy's most mercurial Star Wars podcast is back with a new episode to break down the third season of The Mandalorian and all the news that's fit to print from Star Wars Celebration.

Join us as we discuss what we loved (and didn't love) about the third season of The Mandalorian (3:07); share some wild Ahsoka theories (1:06:48); look ahead to the new films announced at Star Wars Celebration (1:16:41); and figure out what happened to the films that weren't discussed at Star Wars Celebration (1:27:30).

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic. 

Take a trip to the 25th century with Buck Rogers, one of the pioneering heroes of science fiction!

Before Luke Skywalker, before Flash Gordon, there was Buck Rogers.

This week, we explore how Buck Rogers shaped the space opera genre and influenced Star Wars — and how Star Wars influenced Buck Rogers! 

This week, we begin exploring the most important Star Wars influence of them all — Flash Gordon!

Our deep dive into the creation and legacy of a sci-fi icon begins with an examination of the Flash Gordon newspaper strip and movie serials, and how they eventually inspired a young George Lucas to make Star Wars. 

Next time, we'll be back with a look at the history of Flash Gordon after the release of Star Wars — including the infamous 1980 film!

He'll save every one of us! Our deep dive into the history of Flash Gordon continues with the cult classic 1980 movie (and Queen soundtrack), animated adventures, and the future of the franchise!

From the troubled production of the film to Stan Lee's contributions to the Flash Gordon mythos, we break it all down.

Finally, we peer into our (faulty) crystal ball and try to guess what Taika Waititi has in store for us with his animated Flash Gordon reboot! 

Our look at the history of space opera continues with John Carter's journey from the page to the big screen.

He’s the grand-daddy of them all. The man who not only inspired Star Wars, but also Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon - and, in a roundabout way, even cleared the path for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. 

Join us as we meet the wild west hero who went to Mars, and handed Disney one of their biggest box office flops ever...

Skywalkers and Mandalorians and Kenobis, oh my! We're breaking down all the news that's fit to pod from D23!

From a shot-by-shot dissection of the new Rise of Skywalker footage to our thoughts on The Mandalorian trailer, Ewan McGregor's return as Obi-Wan Kenobi and the rest of the Disney+ slate, we're celebrating all the Star Wars announcements from Disney's wild weekend!

Take a wild ride with us back to 1969, as a young George Lucas comes of age as a filmmaker, starts a rebellion with Francis Ford Coppola, and crosses paths with the Hells Angels!

From his marriage to Marcia Lucas, to the rise and fall of American Zoetrope, to the notorious Altamont Free Concert, 1969 was a wild year in the life of George Lucas.

This week, we take a trip back in time to this formative year for the Maker — and take a detour to share our thoughts on the new film from Quentin Tarantino set in this time period, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood!

Is Boba Fett a Mandalorian? Is Jango Fett a Mandalorian? Is anyone a Mandalorian? This week, we take a deep dive into the head-scratching lore of Mandalore!

With The Mandalorian just under two months from debuting on Disney+, it's the perfect time to delve into this fascinating — but often confusing — corner of the galaxy.  

From the origins and earliest appearances of Boba Fett and Mandalore to the current status quo heading into the new series, we attempt to explain it all in under an hour!

We discuss the blockbuster Kevin Feige news and everything we learned from the Triple Force Friday reveals on this week's episode of the Force Material podcast!

We begin this week's show by discussing The Hollywood Reporter's 'Star Wars shocker' — Marvel mastermind Kevin Feige is taking his talents to a galaxy far, far away!

Then, we share our favourite announcements from the Triple Force Friday live stream event, as new toys and details were revealed for The Rise Of Skywalker, The Mandalorian and Jedi: Fallen Order. In particular, we attempt to piece together all the new information we gleaned about The Rise Of Skywalker — is Kylo Ren on a mission to turn back time and resurrect Han Solo? Maybe! (I mean, probably not, but maybe!)

Let us know what you think of the Kevin Feige news and tell us your favourite Triple Force Friday reveals by emailing forcematerial@gmail.com or hitting up @ForceMaterial on Twitter and Facebook!

Was Disney right to reject George Lucas' sequel trilogy story treatment? This week, we compare what George had planned to the films we got!

Disney CEO Bob Iger has written about George Lucas’ disappointment in The Force Awakens in his new memoir, The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. 

Of course, that's not new information — we've known George had his misgivings ever since he called Disney "white slavers" in 2015 — but we thought it was a good opportunity to pull together everything we know about the Lucas story treatment that Disney moved away from, and compare it to what ended up on screen. 

From shocking differences (like a central role for forgotten EU femme fatale Darth Talon) to fundamental elements that were present from initial conception to execution, it's a look at how the story of the sequel trilogy has evolved — and how there might be more of Lucas' DNA in the sequel trilogy than you think!

This week, we explore how Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo and Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars could influence The Mandalorian!

Leo Tolstoy once said there are really only two plots — "a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town".

Most of the Star Wars stories we've seen have been variations on the "man goes on a journey" story, but in The Mandalorian, it looks like a stranger is coming to town.

Pedro Pascal, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have said that the work of Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone is set to have a major influence on The Mandalorian.

This week, we're looking back at two of their most iconic films — Kurosawa's Yojimbo and Leone's A Fistful of Dollars — to discuss their relationship to each other; how they've influenced Star Wars; and how they might influence The Mandalorian.

Ready or not, the end of the Skywalker Saga is almost here. From the Emperor's new groove to the Reylo bait, we break down every shot in the final Rise of Skywalker trailer!

Earlier this week, tragedy/idiocy struck when I forgot to hit 'record' on our live Rise of Skywalker trailer reaction, and we talked into the void for an hour and a half without realising. 

But it's not all bad news — now we've had some time to cool off, mull the trailer over and come up with a more measured response. Think of this as our 'delayed reaction' episode, as we break down every shot in the trailer and try to figure out what it's all going to mean in December!  

YouTube sensations Galactic Empire tell us how they turn classic John Williams themes into heavy metal bangers!

Galactic Empire are bringing their fully armed and operational battle station to Australia in November, so we got frontman Dark Vader (aka Chris Kelly) on the phone to talk about the band's unique Star Wars covers and music videos; how the music of the sequel trilogy compares to the scores we grew up with; the future of Star Wars music after John Williams; and his fan expectations for The Rise of Skywalker. 

Galactic Empire will play the following dates in Australia:

Friday 1 November — Supanova (Adelaide)
Sunday 3 November — 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Tuesday 5 November — The Basement (Canberra)
Thursday 7 November — Factory Theatre (Sydney)
Friday 8 November — Supanova (Brisbane)
Sunday 10 November — Coolangatta Hotel (Gold Coast)

For tickets, visit tickets.destroyalllines.com.

This week, we descend into the Underworld for a look back at the unmade TV series that set the table for The Mandalorian!

Star Wars: Underworld would have explored the seedy underbelly of the Galaxy Far, Far Away, covering the early years of Sheev Palpatine, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and more in an an ambitious series from George Lucas and the writers of The Favourite, Broadchurch, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Lucas worked on the series for years, but it never came to be — although elements of the show found their way into The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Clone Wars and more.

Now, with a slew of upcoming Disney+ shows on the way that seem to share DNA with Underworld, we thought it was the perfect time to look back at what might be the best TV series never made!   

 

Two of our favourite Star Wars podcasters, Jason Gibner (Blast Points) and Brandon Wainerdi (Talking Bay 94), join us to put our predictions for The Rise of Skywalker on the record!

We’re asking and answering all of the big questions, including: 

• How will the crawl begin? 
• What’s the deal with Dark Rey? 
• Why are C3PO’s eyes red? 
• Is Matt Smith in The Rise of Skywalker? 
• Is Hayden Christensen in The Rise of Skywalker? 
• Will Kylo Ren be redeemed, and will he survive?
• Who are Rey’s parents?
• Reylo?
• And much, much more!

We’re laying it all on the line — so if you want to make fun of us for how wrong we were about everything when the movie drops in December, this is the episode to listen to now! 

For more of Jason and Brandon, listen to Blast Points and Talking Bay 94!

Warning: This episode contains minor spoilers for Resistance Reborn, the new book by Rebecca Roanhorse.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

It's time to witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station, as Disney+ launches in Australia and we've got three episodes of The Mandalorian to discuss!

Be warned — this episode is chock-full of spoilers for the first three chapters of The Mandalorian, so if you don't have access to Disney+ and you're trying to remain unsullied, skip this episode for now. It'll still be here waiting for you when you're ready!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

The Lone Wolf and Cub in space get themselves caught up in a classic Seven Samurai story, and we're here to talk about it with DorkLair host Bill Drewnowski!

Be warned — this episode is chock-full of spoilers for 'Sanctuary', the fourth chapter of The Mandalorian, so if you don't have access to Disney+ and you're trying to remain unsullied, skip this episode for now. It'll still be here waiting for you when you're ready!

For more of Bill, you can follow @DorkLair on Twitter, listen to the DorkLair podcast and subscribe to his YouTube channel!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

This week, the Mando teams up with a rookie bounty hunter — and we've got four grizzled veteran podcasters here to talk about it.

Be warned — this episode is chock-full of spoilers for 'The Gunslinger', the fifth chapter of The Mandalorian, so if you don't have access to Disney+ and you're trying to remain unsullied, skip this episode for now. It'll still be here waiting for you when you're ready!

For more of John and Ryan, listen to The Blockade Runner podcast and follow @blockaderun on Twitter!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

This week's episode of The Mandalorian is part-heist, part-horror movie, and all awesome. Acclaimed sci-fi novelist Mike Chen joins us to discuss 'The Prisoner'!

Be warned — this episode is chock-full of spoilers for 'The Prisoner', the sixth chapter of The Mandalorian, so if you don't have access to Disney+ and you're trying to remain unsullied, skip this episode for now. It'll still be here waiting for you when you're ready!

For more of Mike's work, follow @MikeChenWriter and order his books, Here and Now and Then and the upcoming A Beginning at the End, at mikechenbooks.com!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Finally! No more theories and speculation — The Rise of Skywalker is here, and we’re here at 3am to talk about it! 

Recorded straight after the midnight screening, here's our frantic and feverish discussion of the film we've all been waiting for. 

We're talking about EVERYTHING, so there will be MAJOR SPOILERS — proceed at your own peril!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

The first season of The Mandalorian has come to a close! Can we offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?

Be warned — this episode is chock-full of spoilers for 'The Reckoning' and 'Redemption', the seventh and eighth chapters of The Mandalorian. We also discuss spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker. So if you haven't seen The Mandalorian or The Rise of Skywalker and you're trying to remain unsullied, skip this episode for now. It'll still be here waiting for you when you're ready!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Somehow, Force Material has returned. This week, we delve back into The Rise of Skywalker and talk about our favourite films of 2019!

Last time we talked about The Rise of Skywalker, we had just stumbled out of a midnight screening — so now that we've had a few weeks to think about it, how have our opinions changed?

We also break down our favourite films of 2019. Will The Rise of Skywalker make the list?

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

We explore the history of Mustafar and Fortress Vader, from Ralph McQuarrie to The Rise of Skywalker.

Did you know The Rise of Skywalker’s first scene opens on the volcanic planet of Mustafar? Did you know the Sith Wayfinder was apparently found by Kylo Ren in the ruins of Darth Vader’s Castle? 

We didn’t — until we read the TROS Visual Dictionary. And that inspired us to get into the details behind Fortress Vader in this week's episode. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Journey back with us to a time before 2002, as we explore everything we thought we knew about the Clone Wars before Attack of the Clones!

It may be hard to believe now, when we’ve had 7+ years worth of animated content and ancillary material covering a three-year-long war, but for a long time, the Clone Wars were a mystery.

We know now that they were a conflict staged by Chancellor Palpatine for his gain, with the Separatists and their droid army on one side and the Republic, the Jedi Order and an army of clone troopers on the other side. 

But was that the plan when the Clone Wars were first mentioned on screen in 1977? What did people think the Clone Wars were before the truth was revealed in Episode II? This week, we’re exploring the history of the Clone Wars… before The Clone Wars.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Long before Disney bought Star Wars, it tried to make its own. This week, journey with us into the heart of 1979's The Black Hole!

To celebrate the new season of The Clone Wars, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite Star Wars clones – the films that tried their hardest to recreate the magic and cash in on the success of Star Wars, even if they didn't always succeed.

Our series begins with a controversial entry, as Baz is adamant The Black Hole is a Star Wars clone and Rohan isn't convinced – hit us up @ForceMaterial on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to let us know where you stand! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

This week, we look back at JJ Abrams' first Star Wars movie: 2009's Star Trek.

To celebrate the new season of The Clone Wars, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite Star Wars clones – the films that tried their hardest to recreate the magic and replicate the success of Star Wars, even if they didn't always succeed.

In our first 'socially distanced' episode, we explain how Abrams infused his Star Trek reboot with the style and storytelling tropes of Star Wars, and how the highs of Abrams' Star Trek and the lows of Star Trek Into Darkness should have prepared us for the trajectory of his Star Wars movies.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Journey with us back to 1980, as we revisit one of the most notorious Star Wars rip-offs of them all – Roger Corman's Battle Beyond the Stars!

To celebrate the new season of The Clone Wars, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite Star Wars clones – the films that tried their hardest to recreate the magic and replicate the success of Star Wars, even if they didn't always succeed.

A blatant attempt by B-movie mastermind Roger Corman to cash in on the success of Star Wars, 1980's Battle Beyond the Stars essentially takes Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai – which had, of course, already been remade for the West in The Magnificent Seven – and sets it in space.

This week, we discuss how this relatively obscure 'classic' helped launch some of the biggest names in film, and how the movie holds up today against Baz's starry-eyed childhood memories. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

It's the Episode IX we'll never get to see. This week, we look at Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly's unproduced script for the finale of the Skywalker Saga!

Colin Trevorrow was announced as the writer-director of Star Wars: Episode IX in August 2015, with writing partner Derek Connolly in tow. At the time, Lucasfilm was riding high on the success of The Force Awakens, and Trevorrow and Connolly had hit a home run at the box office with Jurassic World. But in September 2017, they were removed from the project, and JJ Abrams returned to direct what would become The Rise of Skywalker.   

A leaked script purporting to be an early draft of Trevorrow and Connolly's Episode IX, which would have been called Duel of the Fates, has been doing the rounds online for the last few months, but Baz and I hadn't taken the time to read it – until now.

Now, with nothing but time on our hands, we sat down to read this alternate version of Episode IX and discuss what we liked, what we didn't like, and what we would have missed the most if The Rise of Skywalker didn't exist.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Kim's Convenience star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee joins us to talk about visiting the set of The Mandalorian, holding Baby Yoda, making his own Star Wars costumes, the power of Rose Tico and much, much more!

Paul is a two-time Canadian Screen Awards winner and a Toronto Theatre Critics Award winner. As well as starring as Mr Kim in the hilarious Kim's Convenience, Paul is a major Star Wars fan, and even builds his own props and costumes.

He joins us this episode to talk about his Star Wars fandom, the importance of representation, his on-screen son Simu Liu's transformation into a Marvel superhero, and what's next for Mr Kim! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Best-selling author and former Lucasfilm Executive Editor JW Rinzler joins us to talk about working with George Lucas, leaving Lucasfilm, his thoughts on the Disney era and more! 

JW Rinzler worked closely with George Lucas for 15 years, on classic behind-the-scenes books like The Making of Star Wars, The Making of Empire Strikes Back, The Making of Return of the Jedi, The Making of Revenge of the Sith, The Complete Making of Indiana Jones and more, as well as the best-selling graphic novel The Star Wars and two episodes of The Clone Wars.

Outside of George Lucas himself, Rinzler has had more of an influence on Force Material than anyone else, and he’s long been a dream guest of the podcast. We were thrilled to talk to him about a wide range of topics, including: 

• The making of The Making of Star Wars 
• The creative process of George Lucas  
• How the Disney sale changed Lucasfilm, and why he eventually left the company 
• The cancellation of The Making of The Force Awakens 
• Delving into the history of the Space Age for his upcoming debut novel, All Up 

JW Rinzler’s All Up will be released on July 14, with The Making of Aliens set to follow on September 1. For more on the man and his books, visit jwrinzler.com. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

LucasArts legend Jon Knoles joins us on Star Wars Day to share secrets from the making of Shadows of the Empire, Episode I Racer, Revenge of the Sith and more!

Today, Jon Knoles is a Design Director at Turn 10 Studios, where he works on the popular Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon games. But in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, he was the resident Star Wars guru at LucasArts. 

He worked on a huge array of classic titles, including the Super Star Wars series, Dark Forces, Rebel Assault II, X-Wing and TIE Fighter, and led the development of blockbuster games like Shadows of the Empire, Episode I Racer and Bounty Hunter.  

Knoles joins us for a very special May the 4th episode of Force Material to discuss all things LucasArts and Lucasfilm, including: 

• The creation of Dash Rendar and the origin of his infamous shoulder pads 
• The epic Darth Vader game that George Lucas rejected 
• The unlikely inspiration for the physics of podracing 
• How the Revenge of the Sith video game inspired an iconic Revenge of the Sith scene
• The original plan for Shadows of the Empire to star Boba Fett 
• Why Han Solo is a “boring video game character” 
• How Shadows of the Empire almost shipped without its signature moment 
• The dread he felt before the release of The Phantom Menace 
• Designing the worlds of Episode I Racer
• The influence of Lone Wolf & Cub on Jango & Boba Fett
• The legacy of yesterday’s LucasArts on today’s Lucasfilm
• And much more! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

The Oscar winner behind Star Wars' most iconic weapons and sets joins us to talk about making cinema history and getting his hands dirty with George Lucas.

As the Academy Award-winning Set Decorator of Star Wars, Christian helped turn George Lucas' dreams into reality, and defined the grimy 'used future' aesthetic that made the galaxy far, far away feel so authentic.

Christian went on to earn another Oscar nomination as the Art Director of Alien, before directing the second unit on Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace and carving out a career as a director in his own right. 

The industry legend joins us to talk about: 

• Making the first lightsaber 
• Building Han Solo's blaster 
• Giving Chewbacca his bowcaster 
• Bringing the Millennium Falcon's cockpit to life
• Taste-testing Blue Milk 
• Shovelling salt and supergluing props with George Lucas 
• Woodworking with Harrison Ford 
• Directing the cult classic Black Angel and the notoriously ill-fated Battlefield Earth 
• His upcoming Star Wars documentary, Galaxy Built on Hope 
• And much more! 

For more of Roger Christian's incredible life story, you can read his memoir, Cinema Alchemist. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

On the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, we look back at Leigh Brackett's wild first draft of the film!

The Empire Strikes Back was the first Star Wars film for screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, who later returned for The Force Awakens and Solo. But before Kasdan came onboard, George Lucas hired the legendary Leigh Brackett (The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo, The Long Goodbye) to write the first draft of the film, which she completed just one month before she died of cancer in 1978.

This week, we discuss Brackett's draft of the film, which differs in some major ways from the film that made it to the screen.

Are you ready for an epic adventure with Clone Lando, Class Tourist Han Solo, Luke Skywalker's Ghost Dad, psychedelic battles on the astral plane, and an awkward dinner with Darth Vader? Then strap yourself in for Leigh Brackett's The Empire Strikes Back!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Lucasfilm Creative Art Manager Phil Szostak takes us inside the creative process of The Rise of Skywalker and the sequel trilogy!

Phil Szostak is one of the few people who was involved with the development of the sequel trilogy from the beginning to the end, both in his day job as Lucasfilm's Creative Art Manager, and in his role as the author of The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and his latest book, The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. 

The man responsible for documenting the making of the sequel trilogy joins us to talk about: 

• The designs that were too secretive to be included in The Art of The Rise of Skywalker
• Why sticking to a 'roadmap' can be a dangerous thing 
• The influence of George Lucas and Dave Filoni on the sequel trilogy
• The influence of Akira Kurosawa and Studio Ghibli on the Lucasfilm visualists 
• The hardest secret he's ever had to keep at Lucasfilm 
• Defining the visual aesthetic of Star Wars 
• His favourite fan theories 
• And much more! 

The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, published by Abrams Books, is available now wherever books are sold.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Benton Jew joins us to talk about storyboarding the Duel of the Fates in The Phantom Menace,illustrating The Glove of Darth Vader,and the martial arts films that influenced George Lucas!

Dave Filoni recently made headlines when he explained why the lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace is actually one of the most important scenes in all of Star Wars – and this week, the man who storyboarded that epic sequence joins us on the podcast.

A professional illustrator, storyboard artist and comic artist who spent 13 years at ILM, Benton brought his extensive knowledge of Hong Kong martial arts movies to his work on The Phantom Menace.

This episode, we talk to Benton about the art of storyboarding; the martial arts films that influenced The Phantom Menace; the unlikely Hong Kong stars who were considered for the role of Darth Maul; and his work on The Glove of Darth Vader – the illustrated novel that hooked me on Star Wars in the first place!

To see more of Benton's incredible work – which includes storyboards for Wonder Woman, Logan, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the upcoming live-action remake of Mulan and more – visit bentonjew.com and follow him on Instagram!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Jake Lunt Davies – the concept artist behind the sequel trilogy's most iconic droids and creatures – talks creativity, inspiration and design. 

Jake Lunt Davies has worked on every Disney Star Wars film so far. This episode, we talk to Jake about: 

• The inspirations and creative processes behind all of his most iconic designs, including:
  • BB-8
  • Porgs
  • Caretakers
  • D-O
  • Rey's speeder
  • Rathtars
  • Kylo Ren's repaired helmet 
  • Constable Zuvio
  • The Aki-Aki
  • Boolio
  • The Eye of Webbish Bog
• How he came to work for Lucasfilm 
• How concepts evolve from page to screen  
• Stepping into the Snaggletooth suit for The Rise of Skywalker 
• His future in the Star Wars galaxy 
• And much more! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

We hit the beach for the Fourth of July weekend with Matt Taylor, JW Rinzler and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee to celebrate Jaws, the movie that changed everything!

Matt Taylor is a 15th generation resident of Martha's Vineyard, where Jaws was filmed, and the author of Memories from Martha's Vineyard, the definitive book about the making of Jaws.

JW Rinzler is the best-selling author of The Making of Star Wars, The Making of the Empire Strikes Back, The Making of Return of the Jedi, The Complete Making of Indiana Jones and more, as well as the upcoming All Up, a fictionalised history of the Space Age. He's also the author of The Jaws Blog, a detailed analysis of the film.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is the star of Kim's Convenience and a two-time Canadian Screen Awards winner. He's also a big-time geek who rates Jaws as his favourite film of all time.

This week, this talented trio joins the show to dive deep into Jaws, and explain how it set the standard for all the blockbusters that would follow – including Star Wars.

Matt even brings in a special guest who actually worked on the film to share his stories, and explain what it was like to be in the water with Jaws! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Creature designer and sculptor Ivan Manzella discusses the influences and creative processes behind Babu Frik, Snoke and more!

Ivan Manzella is responsible for some of the cutest – and some of the most terrifying – creatures in a galaxy far, far away. He joins us to chat about how he got his start working for Jim Henson; how he came to design memorable creatures like Babu Frik, Snoke, Bor Gullet, Bistan, Lady Proxima, Grummgar, Rothgar Deng and more; and how Steven Spielberg saved Babu Frik's life!

For more of Ivan's art, visit krop.com/ivanmanzella.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

 

The authors of Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie join us to pay tribute to cinema’s most beloved and influential concept artist.

David Mandel is an Emmy– and Writers Guild Award–winning writer and producer who first made his mark on pop culture as a writer for Saturday Night Live (1992-95) and Seinfeld, where he wrote the all-time classic ‘Bizarro Jerry’ episode. He served as a writer and producer on Curb Your Enthusiasm, before becoming the executive producer and showrunner of HBO's Veep. He’s also a serious collector of film props, production art and original comic art.

Brandon Alinger is the author of Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy, and was a research assistant for the great JW Rinzler on The Making of Return of the Jedi. He’s also the chief operations officer of the Los Angeles branch of Prop Store, a company specialising in film props and costumes.

Wade Lageose is a graphic designer and artist whose clients have included the likes of Lucasfilm and Walt Disney. He first met Ralph McQuarrie in 1997, and enjoyed 15 years of friendship with the great man before McQuarrie passed away in 2012.

David, Brandon and Wade join us to discuss a range of topics, including: 

• The unmade film that brought George Lucas and Ralph McQuarrie together 
• McQuarrie's commitment to concepts that 'work' 
• The unused McQuarrie designs that have resurfaced in the Disney era, and the ones that haven't
• How McQuarrie felt about the fame that came with Star Wars 
• How McQuarrie's life experiences informed his work 
• Why McQuarrie walked away from Star Wars 
• What McQuarrie thought of the prequels
• The process of creating Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie  
• The most impressive McQuarrie pieces in David, Brandon and Wade's collections 

David, Brandon and Wade are the authors of Star Wars Art: Ralph McQuarrie, a two-volume set published by Abrams Books in 2016.

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Oscar-winning editor Paul Hirsch shares his memories of working on Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, the films of Brian De Palma and more!

Film editor Paul Hirsch won an Oscar for his work on Star Wars alongside Richard Chew and Marcia Lucas, and was the sole editor of The Empire Strikes Back.

Hirsch has also edited 11 Brian De Palma films – including Carrie, Phantom of the Paradise, Blow Out and Mission: Impossible – as well as classics like Footloose, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Falling Down, Ray, Source Code, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and many more over the course of a career that has spanned five decades and counting.

This week, Hirsch joins us to discuss his autobiography, A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away, in a wide-ranging conversation that covers: 

• Cutting his teeth on Brian De Palma's early films
• Working for George Lucas, a director with an editor's sensibility 
• The sequence you won't believe the studio wanted to cut from Star Wars 
• How wipe transitions became a Star Wars tradition 
• What really happened at the infamous early screening of Star Wars for Brian De Palma, Steven Spielberg and co  
• Paul's thoughts on the sequel trilogy and The Mandalorian 
• And much more!

A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away is available now through Chicago Review Press. 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Filmmaker Charles de Lauzirika joins us to talk conventions, Special Editions, the ultimate Star Wars box set and more!

If you’re the type of person who watches special features on DVDs and Blu-Rays – and if you listen to this show, you probably are that type of person – then you know Charles de Lauzirika is the maker of Making Ofs. 

He’s the award-winning filmmaker responsible for directing classic behind-the-scenes documentaries like Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner, Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien³ and Secrets From Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks. He also produced feature-packed DVD and Blu-Ray box sets for each of those franchises, and has overseen numerous restorations and new cuts that have become beloved by fans, including Blade Runner: The Final Cut and Alien³: The Assembly Cut. 

But his first love was Star Wars – and today, on what should have been the first day of Star Wars Celebration 2020, he joins us to share his memories of the very first official Star Wars convention – 1987’s Starlog Salutes Star Wars! 

In a wide-ranging episode, Charles talks about: 

• The magic moment when George Lucas met Gene Roddenberry 
• The ‘dark times’ of Star Wars fandom 
• How Star Wars sparked his love of filmmaking 
• His thoughts on the highs and lows of the Special Editions, and how they influenced his approach to Blade Runner: The Final Cut 
• What he’d want to see in the ultimate Star Wars box set 

Tune back in over the next three days for the rest of our virtual Star Wars celebration, as we drop new episodes with ILM’s Charmaine Chan on the magic of The Mandalorian; author Daniel Wallace on the art of Star Wars: Rebels; and our 100th episode spectacular with the man who introduced the world to Star Wars in 1976 – Alan Dean Foster! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

ILM's Charmaine Chan takes us behind the scenes of The Mandalorian's groundbreaking visual effects!

Charmaine Chan is the Virtual Production Technical Director on The Mandalorian. She's also worked on a string of massive feature films, TV shows, theme park rides and VR experiences in her time at Industrial Light & Magic, including The Last Jedi, Star Tours, Black Panther, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and more.

She's also the creator of Women in Visual Effects, a video series that gives voice to women working in the industry and seeks to inspire future generations of women to enter the field. 

In this episode, Charmaine discusses: 

• How the Spice Girls started her on her career path 
• How ILM's revolutionary StageCraft tech brought The Mandalorian to life
• How her experience as a gamer prepared her for working on The Mandalorian 
• The first time she saw Baby Yoda
• What being on the set of The Mandalorian has taught her about filmmaking 
• Working on Luke Skywalker's climactic duel with Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi 
• Her goals for the Women in Visual Effects project 
• The biggest challenges facing the VFX industry
• And more! 

This interview is part of our virtual Star Wars celebration, with four new episodes in four days. Don't miss our discussion with special features guru Charles de Lauzirika from yesterday, and tune back in tomorrow for our interview with author Daniel Wallace, before our 100th episode spectacular on Sunday with original Star Wars novelist Alan Dean Foster!

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

Daniel Wallace, the author of The Art of Star Wars Rebels, joins us to reminisce about the beloved animated series. 

Daniel Wallace is the author of countless Star Wars books and articles. His latest, The Art of Star Wars Rebels, is a beautiful hardcover volume showcasing concept art and process pieces from the series, along with exclusive commentary from the creative team behind the show. 

This episode, Daniel joins us to talk about: 

• The influence of Ralph McQuarrie art, Kenner toys and West End Games on Star Wars Rebels 
• Our favourite Rebels moments and episodes 
• How the show developed over the course of its four seasons, and how established Star Wars characters were incorporated into Rebels 
• The wisdom of Dave Filoni  
• How Rebels compares to Clone Wars, and how Rebels has taken on new resonance after the Clone Wars finale 
• His stance on lightsaber helicopters 
• And more! 

The Art of Star Wars Rebels, published by Dark Horse Books, is available now. 

This is Day 3 of our virtual Star Wars celebration – don’t miss our episodes from the last two days with Charles de Lauzirika and Charmaine Chan, and tune back in tomorrow for our 100th episode spectacular with original Star Wars novelist Alan Dean Foster! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

For our 100th episode, we interview the man who introduced the world to Star Wars way back in November of 1976 – the one and only Alan Dean Foster.

Alan Dean Foster ghostwrote Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, the original novelisation of Star Wars, released six months before the film and a month before the first teaser. It was Foster’s prose that introduced the world to Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, Governor Tarkin, Emperor Palpatine, the Jedi, the Sith and more. 

He went on to write the first Star Wars novel with an original storyline, 1978’s Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, before returning to the franchise for a prequel-era novel, 2002’s The Approaching Storm, and the much-hyped novelisation of The Force Awakens in 2015. 

He’s a storyteller, a world traveller and an athlete – he’s got more than 100 books to his name, as well as a world record in powerlifting, and he even studied karate with Chuck Norris! 

In this episode’s wide-ranging discussion, we talk to Alan Dean Foster about: 

• Ghostwriting the original Star Wars novelisation for George Lucas
• The one question he asked George while writing the novelisation, and George’s answer 
• The influence of Scrooge McDuck on George Lucas
• The evolution of Darth Vader and the Empire
• Building the Expanded Universe on a budget in Splinter of the Mind’s Eye 
• The intriguing differences between The Force Awakens script that he novelised and the finished film 
• His backstory for the Journal of the Whills
• His alternative take on Episode IX  
• His must-do travel recommendations 
• His rejected Batman script  
• How home video has changed the business of novelisations 
• Breaking a powerlifting world record and studying karate with Chuck Norris 
• Where he thinks Star Wars should go next 
• And much more! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.

The Mandalorian is back to save 2020, and we’re here for it. 

This episode, we dive into the trailer for The Mandalorian Season 2 and make our predictions about what we’ll see on the show this time around! 

Force Material is a podcast exploring the secrets and source material of Star Wars with hosts Rohan Williams and Baz McAlister. Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Stitcher, PlayerFM and Castro; stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and support the show by browsing our range of shirts, hoodies, kids apparel, mugs and more at TeePublic.