Page 66 - Star Wars Insider #195

STAR WARS KIDS

acts as the beating heart of Star between young fans and the sequel moments. Waugh notes that the
Wars storytelling and bottle it in trilogy—the adventures of Rey, series takes great pains to treat
bite-sized installments that can be Finn, Poe, and BB-8, fi ghting for even the most iconic scene without
easily understood and absorbed by justice against Kylo Ren and the spoilers, giving young viewers
viewers 12 and under. First Order—with a new run of 18 a chance to discover the twists
And although the Skywalker individual shorts set in the age and reveals for themselves when

saga is now complete on fi lm, with of the Resistance. “We’re going they watch the films later. And
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the epic conclusion in Star Wars: to celebrate the friendship of Poe there’s a companion series, Galaxy
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The Rise of Skywalker in theaters and Finn. We’re going to celebrate of Adventures Fun Facts, which
now, for many young fans the Leia Organa and the fact that she takes an even deeper dive into
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journey is only beginning. has been a mentor to so many of lightsabers, droids, aliens and other
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the heroes,” Waugh says. And, of topics new fans will surely have lots
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A Whole Galaxy of course, there will be no shortage of of questions about, a crash course
Adventures bad guys, he adds, promising “lots in the imaginative creations that
The first 24 installments of of Kylo Ren.” makes Star Wars so unique.

Galaxy of Adventures focused Three of the shorts will be
on introducing classic characters focused on a planet children and Rolling Out Imagination
and essential information to little their families can visit on Earth Star Wars Kids offers children and
ones who had never seen a Star —Batuu, the home of Black Spire parents alike the chance to embrace
Wars movie. Opening with a short Outpost inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s new ways of making Star Wars their r r r r r
introducing Luke Skywalker, the Edge at Disneyland and Walt own. Waugh says the platform
moisture farmer who embraced his Disney World resorts. The themed has given creators the liberty to
destiny and his heritage to become land exists at the same point in try new things that the standard
a Jedi Master, the series went on to constraints of in-world storytelling
establish other essential original just can’t provide, with the benefi t
trilogy characters like R2-D2, “te lA fO m of real-time feedback online. “The
Princess Leia, Darth Vader, and gA e s hE freedom to experiment,” he says,
Boba Fett. But much more than an “seeing what’s working and what’s
animated character encyclopedia, fR eD m o aY not. And then integrating that into
the shorts introduced important our thought process as far as what’s
moments like the Rebellion’s lE ’S tR N w next for us.”
successful X-wing attack on the fi rst sTlE O In Star Wars Roll Out, stylistic
Death Star, enduring relationships animated versions of Rey,
like the unbreakable bond between STr aR .” Chewbacca, BB-8, and other
Chewbacca and Han Solo, and beloved characters looking very
even tackled generation-spanning similar in shape to Poe Dameron’s

conflicts like the struggle between the Star Wars timeline, nestled on one-of-a-kind orange and white
the Jedi and the Sith, an essential an Outer Rim planet that’s home droid take viewers on all-new
piece of lore for new fans seeking to smugglers and rogues peddling adventures. “I think we’re always
to understand the allure of the their wares and has only recently looking from a certain perspective:
saga. “It is a unique style and begun to see activity from the through the lens of kids,” Waugh

expression of Star Wars,” Waugh Resistance and the First Order. says. “This is definitely a younger
says, focused more on the emotions The shorts will explore the fi ction expression of Star Wars.”
the story evokes than authentically behind the park’s two attractions, The end result is pure visual
capturing an animated version of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance storytelling grounded by universal

what plays out on film. “Luke gets and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers themes, a way to ensure that
his lightsaber, turns it on, wind Run, Waugh says, from a different these shorts can reach the global
blows through his hair. It’s exciting. perspective. And the spectacle of audience that embraces the Star
Overblown. That’s not the way that Batuu itself will be introduced from Wars galaxy without being bogged
scene happened in the film. But the the special point of view of a pint- down by expansive explanation

style of the animation creates a sort sized visitor just arriving on the and dialogue.
of handshake with the viewer who planet, hoping to capture some of “The platform gave us the
accepts that it’s an exaggeration, the excitement of a child seeing the freedom to say let’s try new styles
that it’s okay it is different because park in real life for the fi rst time. of Star Wars. Let’s have fun with it
it’s about the authenticity of the Plus, with the 40th anniversary in a way that our mythic, canonical
feeling, and it’s absolutely true of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes storytelling couldn’t,” Waugh says
to the kid perspective.” Back on the horizon, there will be of the shorts. “Star Wars Kids
When the series returns in at least a few new shorts centered allowed for the opportunity for

2020, it will help bridge the gap on the film’s characters and key experimentation.”
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