We’re less than a year away from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" hitting theaters and reigniting one of cinema’s most enduring and beloved franchises. But before we dip into the new worlds that J.J. Abrams and co. are conjuring, now more than ever is the time to look back on the movies that got us here. And today comes a pretty nifty little treat that takes a behind-the-scenes peek at "Star Wars: Episode VI — Return Of The Jedi."
In this five-minute video (via 35MM) Kevin Pike (check out his Patreon page), credited with Location Special Effects on ‘Jedi,’ reminisces about his work on the blockbuster (which he notes was called ‘Revenge Of The Jedi’ when he first joined) over some terrific vintage footage of the various sets used for the movie. It’s pretty great stuff, with Pike not only sharing his memories but how certain effects were created. Fans will want to give this a look.
Meanwhile, turning our attention back to ‘The Force Awakens,’ here’s a couple of morsels to chew on. According to Schmoes Know, the legendary poster artist Drew Struzan, who has designed all the posters in the "Star Wars" film series to date, will be back with his artistic hands for the next film too. Shocker? Frankly, we’d be surprised if he wasn’t going to be working his unique brand of magic, so we’ll be keeping an eye out.
Lastly, while rumors floated before the end of 2014 that Aaron Paul might have a role in the Han Solo spinoff movie, he recently took to Twitter to more or less debunk it. Check out his tweet below, followed by the ‘Jedi’ video, and see you on December 18th.
Who’s starting these rumors? This one is actually making me believe I have a job in 2015. Very exciting. #StarWars
http://t.co/M06dSt4Ee5
— Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) January 3, 2015