ForceCast #273: The Galaxy Is Reading

It's Star Wars Reads Day Eve here at The ForceCast. Pablo Hidalgo and Leland Chee join us from Lucasfilm to discuss their work answering Star Wars questions for a living. Then, we talk to two of the biggest names in the Expanded Universe author community, Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston. On top of all that, we cover an exciting slate of stories about Episode VII, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: 1313, and much more.

Show Notes:

The HoloNet

• Rumor: Star Wars Rebels May Be Set Eleven Years Before Episode IV
  
• Episode VII Auditions: One Confirmed, Another One Rumored
  
• New Report Says Episode VII Will Not Film In New Mexico
  
• J.J. Abrams On Star Wars 'Disneyfication' Fears: 'Disney Doesn't Want That'
  
• Lucasfilm Shows Off Technology For Real-Time Movie Post-Production
  
• Kotaku Examines What Went Wrong At LucasArts
  
• More Details About What Star Wars: 1313 Would Have Been Like
  
• Disney Book Catalog Reveals Plans For Promoting Star Wars Rebels

Discussion

• Star Wars Reads Day is tomorrow, October 5, at bookstores and libraries worldwide. To celebrate, we interview four people who know their stuff when it comes to Star Wars literature: Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo and Leland Chee and authors Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston.
  
  • Leland Chee and Pablo Hidalgo discuss their participation in the next era of Star Wars storytelling through the Lucasfilm Story Group. They also discuss how they got their start at the company, what it's like to spend your day answering Star Wars questions involve, and the educational value of science-fiction books.
    
  • Timothy Zahn talks to us about his earliest plans for The Thrawn Trilogy, his new idea for a Star Wars "Maestro Trilogy," and the changes he has seen in Star Wars publishing since he helped launch the EU with Heir to the Empire in 1991. He also discusses the possibility of an Expanded Universe reboot, including his idea for a novel that would transition fans from the current EU to a rebooted universe. Plus, we pitch him an idea for turning one of his recent novels into a spinoff movie.
    
  • Aaron Allston discusses his long history of collaborative EU projects, from The New Jedi Order to Fate of the Jedi. He also shares his thoughts on the idea of an X-wing TV series, describes his first experience watching a Star Wars film, and tells us what collectible he wants to see made based on his character Piggy the Gamorrean X-wing pilot.

Fan Focus

• Free, Limited-Run Star Wars Reads Day Patches Now Available For Volunteers
  
• Essential Guide To Warfare Author's Cut #1: Celestials
  
• TFN Interview: The Making Of Return Of The Jedi Author J.W. Rinzler
  
• 10 Interesting Things I Learned from The Making of Return of the Jedi

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Related Stories:

ForceCast #276: The Voice Of The EU
ForceCast #275: Introducing The Inquisitor
ForceCast #274: What A Tease!
ForceCast #272: Role Call
ForceCast #271: Evergreens And Origins
ForceCast #270: Dawn Of The Title Rumors

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