Some days, you want to see what the First Order will be driving in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Other days, you just want to know what's going on in the galaxy far, far away—even if that means taking part in a Pokémon Go-esque AR event designed to sell toys. Luke Skywalker never had to search for new characters on his phone—although, really, that's a lot easier than using the Force to lift an X-wing out of a swamp, so it probably balances out in the long run. Meanwhile, what else is happening in the universe of Star Wars? Glad you asked, we are.
The Source: Anonymous sources speaking with the Hollywood Reporter
Probability of Accuracy: While unofficial until Lucasfilm says it, all signs point to this being legit.
The Real Deal: Turns out, plans are moving forward for more Star Wars Story standalone movies after all. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry is in talks to develop and direct a standalone movie focusing on Obi-Wan Kenobi. The report suggests that writing of the film would be overseen by Lucasfilm's Story Group and Daldry, but there's currently no writer attached to pen the script. Also undisclosed: Just when in the Star Wars timeline the movie will take place, but the most obvious place would likely be between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Now, who's got Ewan McGregor's phone number?
The Source: Unsourced reporting from Variety
Probability of Accuracy: This one doesn't seem to pass the smell test, but stranger things have happened.
The Real Deal: Not willing to be outdone, Variety followed up on the THR report by adding a new twist: Apparently, Lucasfilm is also developing a Jabba the Hutt movie. While the prospect of a Jabba flick seems unlikely—does anyone really care about the character enough to watch an entire film about him?—the report has convinced some fans that it's time for a Jabba-related movie that, instead, focuses on the Bounty Hunters in his employ. We all knew that IG-88's day would come eventually.
The Source: New Han Solo movie director Ron Howard
Probability of Accuracy: As a tease, this is 100 percent accurate. Everything that follows that is purely speculation, and not to be trusted.
The Real Deal: A shroud of secrecy is still covering the solo Han Solo movie, but new director Ron Howard continues to tease fans with images from the set, including this very unexpected glimpse:
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…Is that the helmet of a Death Star officer? If so, why is it in the Han Solo movie? Does part of the film take place on board the Death Star? Were those helmets used elsewhere across the Empire? And just what does a young Han Solo have to do with the Empire, anyway? Like everything else to do with this movie, chances are no one will find out know until May 2018. Well, maybe not everything else. Keep scrolling.
The Source: Direct from the victim himself
Probability of Accuracy: Sadly, utterly spot-on.
The Real Deal: Meanwhile, one character who certainly won't be appearing in the Han Solo movie is the one played by Michael K. Williams, who told Vanity Fair that his unavailability during the film's reshoot schedule has meant that he had to be cut from the movie altogether. "I would have had to be in London right now reshooting," he explained. “The only option was to cut my character from the film. But I feel very confident that I’ll be back in the galaxy, just not in the Han Solo project." Wait, does that mean that his character was someone important enough to show up in another movie? Just who was he playing, anyway? Meanwhile, Williams also revealed that Emilia Clarke's character is called Kira, a name which has shown up in Star Wars more than once before.
The Source: A Lego catalog, of all places
Probability of Accuracy: It depends how much stock you put in leaks.
The Real Deal: For those wondering when we're going to get an actual title for the Han Solo movie, how does Han Solo: A Star Wars Story sound? That's certainly what it's called in this Lego catalog, complete with a logo. There's always the possibility that the image and logo are merely placeholders ahead of an eventual reveal of a completely different title altogether, but Occam's razor would suggest we might be headed towards a remarkably plain, utilitarian title after all. If this is the case, would it kill Lucasfilm and Disney to just reveal it already? The movie is less than a year away!