Ready to return to a galaxy far, far away?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm and Disney+, arrives later this year. This new series promises to take us to unexpected and unexplored corners of the “Star Wars” galaxy, introducing fans to brand new characters and scenarios, while maintaining the undeniable spirit. It’ll debut on the streaming service this winter, continuing the “Star Wars”-at-Christmas tradition of the sequel trilogy.
But you’re probably wondering… what is “Skeleton Crew,” exactly?
Read on to learn everything we know about the newest “Star Wars” series.
When is the release date?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” will debut on Disney+ on Dec. 3, 2024.
Who’s in the cast?
The cast of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is led by Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, a Force user, along with child actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers (as Wim), Kyriana Kratter (as KB), Robert Timothy Smith (as Neel, who is the same species as Max Rebo from “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”) and Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Fern). Tunde Adebimpe and Kerry Condon also have undisclosed roles. Also, it should be noted, that Nick Frost voices a droid named SM 33.
Who created it?
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” was created by Jon Watts, the director of the recent “Spider-Man” trilogy (the latest of which, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” grossed more than $1.9 billion worldwide), and his frequent collaborator Christopher Ford.
Who is directing it?
The most exciting aspect of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” might be the murderer’s row of filmmakers they have assembled to direct episodes of the series. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, better known as the Daniels, the Oscar-winning filmmakers behind “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” directed an episode, as did David Lowery (“The Green Knight,” “Peter Pan & Wendy”), Jake Schreier (Marvel Studios’ upcoming “Thunderbolts”), Bryce Dallas Howard (who directed episodes of “The Mandalorian”) and Lee Isaac Chung (this summer’s “Twisters”).
What is it about?
The series has been described as a coming-of-age story, inspired in part by the Amblin movies made in the 1980s (so, yes, there’s a little bit of shared DNA with “Stranger Things”). “When four kids make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, they get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy,” reads the official synopsis. “Finding their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.” Sounds fun, right?
Where does it sit in the “Star Wars” timeline?
According to pre-release materials, “Skeleton Crew” takes place after the events of “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” and alongside the events of “The Mandalorian.” Some of the pirate characters seen in “The Mandalorian” are rumored to appear in “Skeleton Crew.” Will there be other crossovers too?
Anything else we should know?
The team behind “Skeleton Crew” have made a real effort to capture the old-school flavor of earlier “Star Wars” entries. Yes, they utilized the StageCraft technology that “The Mandalorian” and other Lucasfilm series have made great use of, but there was also a stop-motion animation team led by the legendary Phil Tippett, with a matte painting component that saw one of Industrial Light & Magic’s most celebrated matte painters come out of retirement to work on the show. So it’s not just going to look like a throwback, it’s going to feel like one too.
