The ‘Star Wars’ universe is expanding—and, for the first time, Lucasfilm is lifting the secrecy surrounding its master plan. In V.F.’s June cover story, Anthony Breznican welcomes you back to a galaxy far, far away. vntyfr.com/5GiOEVC
Rosario Dawson, Pedro Pascal, Ewan McGregor, and Diego Luna, photographed by Annie Liebovitz for V.F. June 2022.
Diego Luna reprises the role of his ‘Rogue One’ rebel in ‘Andor,’ an origin story that reveals how the character went from self-serving nihilist to selfless martyr.
Also returning to the franchise—though finding his character on a much different journey—is Ewan McGregor. In #ObiWanKenobi, the Jedi is in exile after losing his protégé to the dark side. vntyfr.com/5GiOEVC
Though he was once relieved to put ‘Star Wars’ behind him, McGregor’s tune changed with time, distance, and a little perspective. When, four years ago, Lucasfilm’s then-head of story asked if he was interested in returning, he found himself at a crossroads…
While #ObiWan anguishes over his past, Anakin Skywalker is a man at war with himself. Showrunner Deborah Chow tells V.F. that what intrigued her most about the series was the thread between them: “I don’t think [Obi-Wan] ever will not care about him... They loved each other.”
Elsewhere in the galaxy, another Jedi doesn’t see things in such black and white terms. Plot details about ‘Ahsoka’ are still being tightly held, but star @rosariodawson isn’t one to contain her excitement—or, maybe, those details.
If these series represent the future, ‘The Mandalorian’ was Lucasfilm’s first step forward. Kathleen Kennedy tells V.F. that, in forming this new universe, “nurturing” the stories was paramount.
“He was the first person I went to,” Kennedy says of ‘The Mandalorian’ creator Jon Favreau. His lone-gunslinger concept blended seamlessly with franchise veteran @dave_filoni’s wealth of knowledge—but, conceptually, there was one major sticking point.
It’s difficult to imagine ‘The Mandalorian’ without the Child—but his form in the series was a source of concern. “Honestly,” says Filoni, “it’s something I never would’ve done.”
‘Star Wars’ will, eventually, need new actors, new characters, and a new era to explore. Projects in development aim to do that. Think: a mystery thriller set a century before ‘The Phantom Menace,’ an Amblin-inspired coming-of-age adventure, and more.
For the June issue, V.F. dives deep into Disney’s multiyear plan—and assembles the stars who hope to do for streaming what George Lucas did for movies. Read the full cover story now: vntyfr.com/5GiOEVC
This is only the beginning. Keep an eye out for additional reporting on ‘Ahsoka,’ ‘Andor,’ ‘The Acolyte,’ and more in the days ahead. #ThisIsTheWay
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
First Look: LaKeith Stanfield stars in ‘The Book of Clarence,’ Jeymes Samuel’s upcoming epic set in the biblical era following a man who attempts to become one of the Messiah’s apostles. vntyfr.com/txYJae9
Produced by Jay-Z, ‘The Book of Clarence’ pulls in classic biblical figures like Jesus and Mary Magdalene—but all with an unexpected twist.
“Most of the stories told in the Old West didn’t include people of color. We know they existed,” he tells VF.
@SonyPictures Led by LaKeith Stanfield in a demanding performance as Clarence, ‘The Book of Clarence’ features a supporting cast that includes Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy and more.
The biggest question about Ron DeSantis’s political future is not whether he’ll secure a second term as governor, but whether he’ll challenge Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“He’s led [donors] to believe he will not run if Trump does,” reveals one Republican briefed on DeSantis’s conversations. Still, during a debate last month, DeSantis declined to promise he would serve out his full four-year term as governor. vntyfr.com/zKn89qG
“He can walk into the presidency in 2028 without pissing off Trump or Florida,” said another source. “What would you rather do?”
Thanks to 'Hot Ones,' host Sean Evans has become a master in the art of eating spicy foods—and a bit of a celebrity in his own right. vntyfr.com/JeH5OdP
What was once a scrappy web series has transformed into a go-to stop: everyone from Viola Davis to Steve Austin to Billie Eilish has stopped by to burn their mouths on spicy wings while promoting new projects.
To prepare, Evans eats a little—usually a bagel or a banana—and he has Tums at the ready, but that’s about it. It’s the post-shoot moments that he’s come to ritualize.
Dispatches archived on the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s website described almost crippling pressure to produce scientific breakthroughs—despite an acute lack of essential resources, according to State Department official and language specialist Toy Reid. vntyfr.com/wgMIMzw
In the fall of 2019, research suggests there was a dark turn. The dispatches referenced inhumane working conditions and “hidden dangers.”
Days later, write @KatherineEban and @jeffykao, an official from Beijing—Dr. Ji Changzheng, who oversees more than 100 research institutions in China—paid a visit to the lab.
A team of Senate researchers unearthed evidence of ongoing biosafety concerns at the Wuhan Institute of Virology—predating the COVID-19 pandemic. vntyfr.com/pDYSzZI
Like every scientific institute in China, the WIV is state-run and funded. As @KatherineEban and @JeffyKao note, it remains dependent on other countries for critical technology and supplies, leading to chronic procurement hurdles.
Notably, in January 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave a speech in which he described potential security problems in China’s state laboratories—leaving no doubt that he too was concerned about the issue.
Breaking: A new Senate report concludes that SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—likely resulted from “a research-related incident.” The report includes evidence of alarming biosecurity issues at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. vntyfr.com/F6VtO8r
Given advanced access to these materials, VF and @propublica cross-referenced documents published on the WIV website with patent filings, records of scientific experiments, and other sources to provide the clearest picture yet of a laboratory institute in crisis.
“The authors of the interim report do not claim to have definitively solved the mystery of COVID-19’s origin,” write @KatherineEban and @jeffykao. But the research concludes that “a lab accident was ‘most likely’ responsible for the pandemic.”