{"id":1140668,"date":"2026-08-10T01:03:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T01:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1140668\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T01:03:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T01:03:21","slug":"this-week-in-a-galaxy-far-far-away-the-ninth-jedi-triumphs-a-d23-preview-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1140668\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away: &#8216;The Ninth Jedi&#8217; Triumphs, A D23 Preview, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Sunday, and welcome to a new edition of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/tag\/this-week-far-far-away\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">This Week, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away<\/a>\u201c. A few days ago, we had our second animated Star Wars series this year hit streaming \u2014 and today we\u2019ll be talking exactly about The Ninth Jedi. On top of that, we have just a few days until the Disney Studio Showcase panel at D23, which takes place on Friday, and where some\u00a0Star Wars reveals may happen.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But before we get to that, a reminder to check out Josh\u2019s latest Character Spotlight on the bounty hunter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/2026\/08\/deathstick-star-wars-character-spotlight.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Deathstick<\/a>, who has only appeared in a mobile game and comics so far. On Thursday, we also had a new episode of\u00a0SWNN Live!, where we mostly discussed\u00a0The Ninth Jedi, but also some other fun\u00a0Star Wars conversations. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=x2ayzMG-Qic\" data-rel=\"lightbox-video-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Check it out here<\/a>! And remember that you can sign up for our Discord server <a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/vZKD2mFg4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let us begin.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Three Things That May Have Flown Casual<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Corporate speak: Disney CEO Josh D\u2019Amaro is telling investors not to worry about\u00a0The Mandalorian and Grogu\u2018s poor box office performance, because they actually sold more toys than average because of the movie! Check out D\u2019Amaro\u2019s lame excuse, along with his new take on streaming, which involves TikTok integrations and the exploration of free, ad-supported services, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/2026\/08\/disney-ceo-josh-damaro-minimizes-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-box-office-failure-says-company-is-exploring-free-streaming-services.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Rhywbeth yn y Gymraeg: The Welsh language dub for\u00a0Star Wars: A New Hope <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/2026\/08\/welsh-language-dub-for-star-wars-a-new-hope-starring-rhys-ifans-and-matthew-rhys-officially-announced.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">was announced this week<\/a> to be coming out this Christmas, and starring Rhys Ifans and Matthew Rhys.<\/li>\n<li>Something you didn\u2019t see coming: Paul King and his\u00a0Paddington 2\u00a0writers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/2026\/08\/the-paddington-2-creative-team-was-developing-a-star-wars-movie-centered-on-a-droid.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">were once developing<\/a> a\u00a0Star Wars movie based around a new droid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brody-Paddington-2.webp\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6XE8PYFV\" data-imagelightbox=\"0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-183384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brody-Paddington-2.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"737\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What Major News To Expect From Star Wars At D23<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To those expecting big updates from D23, let me calm your expectations: I do not anticipate the announcement of a new series or feature film.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Disney Entertainment Showcase takes place on Friday, between 7 and 9 p.m. Typically, Lucasfilm gets a 15-20 minute window to present fans with some updates, and that\u2019s exactly what I expect here: updates. I think Dave Filoni will step on stage for the first time as (co-)head of Lucasfilm, and will likely bring with him Rosario Dawson to talk about\u00a0Ahsoka Season 2. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if the release date was announced, and I also think they have cut a trailer \u2014 though they might just keep it for the people in the room for now. Marketing campaigns for Disney streaming shows typically start three months out, and we know this new season is due early 2027.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After that, I think there will be a short presentation on Starfighter. Shawn Levy will likely take the stage, but whether Ryan Gosling makes it or not is up in the air for me. I think they will show off some footage, but I will be\u00a0very surprised if that was also released online.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Finally (though not necessarily in this order), I think there will be some space dedicated to animation. Whether that is another\u00a0Visions spin-off (unlikely), some talk of\u00a0Volume 4 (slightly more likely), or a preview of\u00a0Maul: Shadow Lord Season 2 (most likely), I\u2019m not sure yet.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But I will be very surprised if we learned about anything being in development we weren\u2019t already familiar with. The 2027 slate seems to be full for now, and whatever happens after that, will be discussed much more at Star Wars Celebration Los Angeles, next May.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D23_2026.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6XE8PYFV\" data-imagelightbox=\"1\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-183372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D23_2026.jpg\" alt=\"Banner for Disney's D23 event\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Ninth Jedi Thoughts<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I am honestly surprised how much I enjoyed\u00a0The Ninth Jedi. If you want a full review, please check out Josh\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/2026\/08\/the-ninth-jedi-spoiler-free-review-a-fun-twist-on-star-wars-while-still-relying-on-franchise-staples.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">here<\/a>. Today, I just wanted to dedicate some paragraphs to explain why I feel this way. I will try not to spoil major plot points.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The most important thing that the new anime series, a spin-off from\u00a0Star Wars: Visions, got right was its pace. The eight-episode series immediately embarks on a crescendo that culminates at the end of the fourth episode, while still making it clear that it has only covered half of the story it wanted to tell. There is an ongoing mystery throughout the series, or rather an incomplete puzzle, that is slowly but surely resolved as the episodes advance.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It is immediately clear that anime has inspired a lot of great Star Wars, the same way that\u00a0Star Wars has inspired great anime in the form of this series. The show covers familiar ground for the franchise, via its themes of found family and the weapons it utilizes, and it also manages to expand on the visual language of the live-action stories. Some fights, specifically one in Episode 7, had me in awe.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TheNinthJedi_2-scaled.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6XE8PYFV\" data-imagelightbox=\"2\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-183338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TheNinthJedi_2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Nawaam and Kara fight in Star Wars Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1077\"  \/><\/a>(L-R) Nawaam and Lah Kara ( in a scene from Star Wars: Visions Presents \u2013 The Ninth Jedi, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. \u00a9 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Then there were other aspects of the series that also forced me to think a bit more deeply about some stuff that seems all too well established in canon. For instance, we know that the Death Star is powered up by Kyber Crystals, which effectively makes it a giant lightsaber. In a way, though, this escalation is not too different to that which we see in our world with our own weapons. A lightsaber can be used for protection or to inflict damage, the same way that a pistol is used. A lightsaber is to a gun as a Death Star is to a nuclear bomb. And who invented that artifact?<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, I should add, this also doesn\u2019t speak very highly of The Ninth Jedi, which, as Josh pointed out, often reduces itself to a more explicit, and less open-to-interpretation version of the Star Wars we know. It doesn\u2019t push the boundaries of the creativity in this universe as much as we maybe would have wanted (a giant Kyber Crystal or Sith robots are pretty much all we get new), and its take on the color of the lightsabers is a lot more simplistic than the one in our current canon \u2014 something that works as a storytelling device, but also comes across as slightly on-the-nose.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of that, I very much enjoyed the show, and I hope you did too. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TheNinthJedi_4-scaled.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6XE8PYFV\" data-imagelightbox=\"3\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-183340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/TheNinthJedi_4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1075\"  \/><\/a>(L-R) 99-99 and Ethan in a scene from Star Wars: Visions Presents \u2013 The Ninth Jedi, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm. \u00a9 2026 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What did you think of the latest edition of \u201cThis Week, In a Galaxy Far Far Away\u201d? Let me know below your predictions for D23, your thoughts on\u00a0The Ninth Jedi, and why you think we deserved a\u00a0Paddington 2-style\u00a0Star Wars movie following an uknown droid.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Have a good week!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\t\t                <a class=\"m-a-box-avatar-url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.starwarsnewsnet.com\/author\/miguel-fernandez\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786323801_112_c8b7db87ca52dc40371a6c078432cb95bc01ad91e3798025c2f7def8a5929b50.jpeg\"  class=\"avatar avatar-150 photo\" height=\"150\" width=\"150\" itemprop=\"image\"\/>                <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Miguel Fern\u00e1ndez is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings,\u00a0but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as movies from Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Happy Sunday, and welcome to a new edition of \u201cThis Week, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away\u201c. A&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1140669,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3935],"tags":[133766,77,3943,4242,292176,124926,16,15],"class_list":["post-1140668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-d23","tag-entertainment","tag-movies","tag-star-wars","tag-the-ninth-jedi","tag-this-week-far-far-away","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1140668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1140668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1140668\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1140669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1140668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1140668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1140668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}