A New Star Wars Chapter Begins at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge

Beginning as we speak at Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, Star Wars followers will have the ability to meet Grasp Luke Skywalker in Batuu. His arrival is the most recent evolution within the theme park’s canon, which had as soon as restricted itself to the time interval between Star Wars: The Final Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The change to that unique timeline got here step by step these previous couple of years as figures from Disney+ Lucasfilm exhibits have popped up in Batuu, incuding Ahsoka, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Sabine Wren, and Hera. And naturally the Mandalorian and Grogu have had an enormous presence on the parks due to fan demand for characters exterior of the sequel trilogy.

io9 attended as we speak’s opening of Season of the Power 2025—Disneyland’s annual Star Wars celebration, working now by way of Might 11—and talked to Matt Martin from Lucasfilm and Michael Serna of Disney Dwell Leisure to debate how the story of the Black Spire Outpost will evolve from right here.

“We take a look at all of our lands and expertise as an evolution,” Serna shared. “Some issues come and go, exhibits open, points of interest come and go. So in fact Galaxy’s Edge goes by way of the identical journey; [it] evolves, and once we constructed Galaxy’s Edge, we didn’t even know that a few of these tales could be instructed. In order time has grown on, we realized, who doesn’t love the Mandalorian story, who doesn’t love varied completely different tales? So this is a chance for us to type of lean into these tales we all know our followers love and admire, whereas not pulling away from something we’ve carried out earlier than. Typically you’ll see one thing you’re keen on and generally you gained’t. Our aim is to succeed in as lots of our followers as doable and ship all these superb characters and experiences that individuals anticipate from our parks.”

That shift will turn into extra outlined this yr, and all of it begins with the lore weaver Tohan Lege—a personality created for the Galaxy’s Edge fireworks present final yr. Initially a disembodied voice narrating tales of the heroes and villains which can be actual throughout the land, this yr he joins his trusty R1-series astromech droid Bard in illuminating the spires with projections of their historical past in “Shadows of Reminiscence: A Skywalker Saga,” a present exploring the tragedy and triumphs of the household that connects all of them.

Lucasfilm created him in collaboration with the parks to seem as a telling-stories-around-the-fire type of determine. “Now we’ve obtained him because the centerpiece of ‘Shadows of Reminiscence.’ And so it’s so good to have any individual to inform the legendary saga of the Skywalker story, as a result of Star Wars is itself type of a contemporary fantasy,” Martin stated. “Having an in-universe character to do this storytelling is simply type of an ideal bridge for each of these exhibits that we now have right here. And hopefully we get to proceed utilizing that character as a storyteller for years to return each within the park and in different Star Wars tales.”

That is key in opening up the tales instructed throughout the land and the characters who might pop up sooner or later from throughout the Star Wars canon, Serna confirmed. “Star Wars has so many tales to inform. Matt and I had a number of discussions about how will we type of introduce issues, like Hearth of Reminiscence [in] the fireworks present. We had this concept {that a} storyteller is the common factor that’s occurred in the beginning of [humankind]. It’s our life-style. We collect round a hearth and inform a narrative. That’s how we’ve handed on histories and mythologies. So why would the galaxy of Star Wars be any completely different? There could be folks that will need to acquire these tales and inform them to future generations.”

We are able to’t wait to see what different tales make their approach to the parks—along with Grasp Luke Skywalker, who we obtained to witness making his first grand entrance this afternoon.

As for any changes coming to the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run experience to coincide with subsequent yr’s big-screen launch of The Mandalorian and Grogu—nicely, Disney remains to be very a lot retaining that beneath wraps. “I imply, we will’t discuss an excessive amount of about that,” Serna teased. “We don’t have a lot to inform but. As a result of apart from what you realized at South by Southwest, we will’t actually speak about it.”

Martin added, “What I’ll say is that will probably be one other genuine Mandalorian story, and clearly we can be within the Millennium Falcon. So we’re going to get to find out how we find yourself within the Millennium Falcon in a time the place Han Solo owns that ship. In order that ought to be fairly enjoyable. However in any other case, I believe you’ll have to attend and see.”

We additionally requested if any of the standout attracts from Florida’s now-shuttered Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser may be coming to Batuu, such because the lightsaber experiences or our beloved Gaya’s dinner present.

Serna stated, “I’d say we’re at all times persevering with to develop and do new issues. You by no means know.”

We requested if we ought to be optimistic, and Martin added, “We realized loads from that, you already know, from a storytelling viewpoint. So I believe the teachings that we’ve realized will at all times inform the long run.”

Season of the Power is now underway at Disneyland. Study extra here.

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