The Bearded Trio

NEWLY RELEASED HIGHLIGHTS FROM SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON  Star Wars™: The Experience, an epic journey through the legacy of Star Wars™, will make its world premiere at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on February 13, 2027, as part of the global celebration of the 50th anniversary of Star Wars. The first exhibit renderings, official key art and new details were unveiled today at San Diego Comic-Con.     Developed by The Franklin Institute in collaboration with Lucasfilm, Disney Consumer Products and MDSX, Star Wars: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy is the official exhibition of the landmark anniversary year, taking fans of all ages inside the galaxy’s creation and celebrating the art, innovation and fandom that have made Star Wars a global phenomenon.    “Debuting the world premiere of Star Wars™: The Experience in Philadelphia is a tremendous honor for The Franklin Institute and for our city,” said Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Frank...

A look back at the Welsh filmmaker whose work on Return of the Jedi deserves far more recognition. Every now and then I like to shine a light on the filmmakers who helped shape the movies that meant so much to us growing up. Today I’m revisiting one of them: Richard Marquand, the Welsh director of Return of the Jedi . I’m sharing a video tribute I made to him more than ten years ago. The quality is a little rough because it was created long before modern editing tools were easily available, but the heart behind it is still very much there. Marquand is one of those names that often slips through the cracks when people talk about Star Wars. Ask many fans who directed Jedi and you’ll hear the same line repeated again and again: “George Lucas basically took over.” It’s a comment that has been repeated so often it has become part of the mythology. But if you’ve ever read The Making of Return of the Jedi , you’ll know that Marquand’s involvement was far deeper and far more hands‑on than he’...

Brian Johnson, the Oscar‑winning special effects maestro behind some of the greatest sci‑fi films and TV shows ever made, has sadly passed away. His work helped define the look and feel of modern science fiction. From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Alien , from Thunderbirds and Space: 1999 to The Empire Strikes Back , Brian’s craftsmanship shaped entire generations of storytelling. His Oscar for The Empire Strikes Back remains one of the most deserved honours in the history of the Special Achievement category. I was fortunate enough to interview Brian back in 2016 at Showmasters’ Cardiff Film & Comic Con. He was warm, funny, and wonderfully candid, the kind of person who could talk about groundbreaking visual effects with the same ease as sharing a quiet memory from a frozen location shoot. One story that always stayed with me was his time filming The Empire Strikes Back in Norway. While most of us imagine the epic Hoth battle, Brian remembered something far less glamorous: the tiny...

Thank you for creating a galaxy for us to play in — and for changing cinema in ways most people don’t even realise. Lucas didn’t just give us Star Wars. He reshaped the entire filmmaking landscape behind the camera: Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) — founded because the effects Lucas needed simply didn’t exist. ILM went on to pioneer motion control photography, digital compositing, CGI characters, and the modern VFX pipeline. Almost every blockbuster today owes something to ILM’s breakthroughs. THX — created to standardise and improve cinema sound. Lucas wanted audiences to hear films the way filmmakers intended, so he built a system that revolutionised audio quality in theatres worldwide. Non‑linear editing — Lucas pushed for digital editing long before it was mainstream. His work with EditDroid paved the way for Avid and the entire digital editing revolution. Digital cinematography — The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones were key stepping stones in moving Hollywood from film...

The Documentary That Led To The Bearded Trio The documentary The Beginning: The Making of Star Wars Episode I is more than just a behind‑the‑scenes look at The Phantom Menace — it’s the reason this page and our website exist at all. I’ve been a fan of Spielberg, Lucas and Williams since the 70s. Their films, their music, and especially the behind‑the‑scenes magic have always grabbed me. This documentary is one of the best windows into filmmaking I’ve ever seen. No commentary, no narration — just the feeling that you’re standing in the room with the incredible people who brought the film to life. I first watched it around the time The Phantom Menace came out, but when I revisited it in 2009 something clicked. It sparked the urge to create a place that celebrated the work of these three legends. A way to say thank you for the decades of movie magic they’ve given us. That spark became The Bearded Trio. So yes — this documentary is partly responsible for everything we’ve built here togethe...

As we get older, I often wonder if nostalgia loses its effect on us, or becomes more powerful. On one hand, as we age, we gain wisdom about the people and world around us; a normal thought is “Why couldn’t I have this understanding when I was younger?” On the other hand, in the modern world it can often be a challenge to find positive things about said world. Our parents age and depart. Our political leaders fail us. Everything is worse than it was, which naturally gives rise to wishing for a time when things weren’t so bad. Hence, nostalgia. I don’t think any single thing stirs nostalgia in me quite like Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983). I am often amazed at how I look back on my life and see how significant Star Wars events coincide with inflection points within my life. Friday, May 27, 1983, my dad picked me up after completing his work week and we drove to the local theater in Farmington Hills, Michigan, not long before the 6 p.m. showing. But he had a plan, due to the lines a...

The special one-shot that sets the stage for what’s to come to the galaxy far, far away returns this December. Announced earlier this week at StarWars.com , STAR WARS: REVELATIONS, the can’t miss issue that offers readers a startling glimpse at what’s to come next year in Star Wars comics, is back with more surprises than ever this December! Last year’s Star Wars: Revelations prepared fans for a dramatic year of Star Wars sagas including putting the pieces in place for the current crossover event, Star Wars: Dark Droids. This year will be no different with a giant-sized installment packed with the first appearances of major players, and new twists and turns across all of Marvel’s STAR WARS line! Crafted by an army of current and upcoming Star Wars talent including writers Marc Guggenheim (Star Wars: Dark Droids - D-Squad), Charles Soule (Star Wars, Star Wars: Dark Droids, Star Wars: The High Republic - Shadows of Starlight), Greg Pak (Star Wars: Darth Vader), Alyssa Wong (Star Wars: Do...

Let's Go On A Movie Location Journey We are honoured to have a wonderful guest post from Justin Wilkinson from the excellent MovieLocationHunter website. Justin shares with us some of the iconic movie locations that we will be familiar with from being Lucas and Spielberg fans. Take it away, Justin! My fascination with movie locations all started when I was a young boy, awe struck by the outer-space settings of Star Wars, the time travelling in Back to the Future, the gadgets and glamour of 007 – ‘Bond, James Bond’ (Roger Moore was my childhood Bond) and the swashbuckling adventures of Indiana Jones. I never imagined as a child that these places were accessible – they were magical, mysterious all part of the alluring movie going experience. As I grew up my love of movies became stronger and my curiosity in what was involved in the process of movie making deepened. I would wait expectantly to watch the movies I had seen at the cinema again when they came out on different media – f...

These are hard times for Lucasfilm. That isn’t news. I thought about what to write for a time like this. Does Lucasfilm need new leadership? Maybe, but that’s what literally everyone is saying right now. There isn’t much I can contribute on that front. The writers’/actors’ strike has thrown studios into chaos. Future release dates are best ignored, whether you’re a fan of television or feature films. There doesn’t appear to be an end in sight for the strike. Add to that recent comments by Disney CEO Bob Iger, who said the studio intends to pull back from producing Marvel and Star Wars content. It’s worth noting those comments came all of five months after he said the complete opposite . Star Wars: Ahsoka premiers on Disney+ in less than a month. So I thought it might be a good time to review my 10 most favorite Star Wars things that have happened within the Disney era. This was a surprisingly easy list to make, even in an environment where making “top 10 most hated” lists are far mor...

Composers Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton will be joined by Respawn Entertainment Audio Director Nick Laviers on Friday, July 21 WHO: EA Games and Lucasfilm are thrilled to present “The Star Wars Musical Universe” at San Diego Comic Con 2023. Panelists include co-composers Gordy Haab & Stephen Barton and audio director at Respawn Entertainment Nick Laviers. The panel will be moderated by Chandler Poling of White Bear PR and presented with the support of ASCAP and BMI.   WHAT: There is hardly a more iconic musical landscape than what the Star Wars franchise has brought to the world. This panel will explore the creative forces that went into making the original music heard within the recent video game release of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. From the sweeping score to the infectious beats of the in-world songs, the game utilizes music on a whole new level.   WHERE: San Diego Convention Center, Room: 7AB 111 W Harbor Dr. San Diego, CA 92101   WHEN: Friday, July 21, 2023 ...

First, it comes for the metal… Then it came for everything else. A new threat will be unleashed throughout the galaxy far, far away in STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS, the all-new Marvel Comics crossover event kicking off in August. Written by Charles Soule and drawn by Luke Ross, this dark and terrifying tale will introduce a malevolent entity known as the SCOURGE which will corrupt droids, cyborgs, and everything in between and cause chaos for the Empire and Rebellion alike. A new line of variant covers by Rachael Stott spotlights some of its’ prime targets including C-3PO, Beilert Valance, and in a shocking twist, Darth Vader! After all, there is no greater prize than the Force and since he’s more machine than man, the Scourge will seek to claim it from none other than the Dark Lord of the Sith himself! Stott’s SCOURGED VARIANT COVERS will adorn all five issues of the main event series and will also be available as virgin variant covers. Check them out now and pick up STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS ...

A new trailer for the latest Star Wars Disney+ TV series "Ahsoka" hit the Internet today.  “Ahsoka” will debut exclusively on Disney+ in August 2023.  "Ahsoka" stars Rosario Dawson in the title role. Set after the fall of the Empire, the new series follows the former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.  Disney+ is available for £7.99 per month – with no hidden costs and the ability to cancel anytime. There’s something for everyone to watch, adding new TV series, blockbuster movies and exclusive originals throughout the year from our six key brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and Star. Enjoy a pick of your Lucasfilm favourites, including the critically acclaimed “Andor”, the legendary “Star Wars” collection and animated favourite “Star Wars: The Bad Batch”. With our endless library of entertainment spanning everything from documentaries to critically acclaimed drama, and comedy to classic a...

Across Star Wars storytelling, droids have served a variety of roles ranging from loyal sidekicks to deadly enemies, but after this summer, fans will never look at them the same way again! Starting in July, STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS is an all-new Marvel Comics crossover event that kicks off when a new threat is unleashed throughout the galaxy, corrupting droids, cyborgs, and everything in-between! The saga will bring horror to the galaxy far, far away as droids of all allegiances and roles unite for a bold new purpose, causing chaos for the Rebellion and the Empire alike! The highly-anticipated epic will be told across a main event series, STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS, as well as tie-in issues of four ongoing series that are currently bridging the gap between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi: STAR WARS, STAR WARS: DARTH VADER, STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA, and STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS. Announced last week on StarWars.com, the event will also include a spinoff series, STAR WA...

A number of Hasbro Star Wars products were announced today via a fanstream but this was my favourite.  I'm still an old school kind of guy - Rob   STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES WICKET (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 / Available: Winter 2023) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES WICKET figure, inspired by the character’s appearance in STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI. Wicket was the brave young Ewok who willingly joined the Rebellion and aided in the battle against the Empire on the forest moon of Endor. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring premium detail and multiple points of articulation in their collection. Includes figure and 5 entertainment-inspired accessories including two club accessories and a bow accessory. Available for pre-order 5/4 at 1 pm ET at Hasbro Pulse, Amazon and other major retailers. The Bearded Trio - The ...

Check out all four CLASSIC TRADE DRESS VARIANT COVERS, debuting on select Star Wars titles this July! Marvel Comics and Star Wars’ decades-long history of comics storytelling will be spotlighted in a unique way this summer with a new line of CLASSIC TRADE DRESS VARIANT COVERS. This month marks 46 years since Marvel’s initial venture into a galaxy far, far away with the publication of the official comic adaptation of 1977’s Star Wars, now known as A New Hope. Hitting stands over a month before the film’s May theatrical release, the first-ever Star Wars comic series was a mega success, and Marvel continued the tradition of comics adaptations with the subsequent films, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi, artist Jerry Ordway pays tribute to legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz’s iconic covers for 1983’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi comic series with these new CLASSIC TRADE DRESS VARIANT COVERS. Teaming up with colorist Nola...