luke

Some would consider Disney's announcement of acquiring Lucasfilm (and the "Star Wars" franchise) for a little over $4 billion epic enough as is. Disney stunned sci-fi fans further with the additional announcement that Star Wars: Episode VII would arrive in 2015, causing many to wonder who would direct the movie, and more importantly, who would star in it.

It might take awhile to find out who the actors in "Episode VII" will be, but at least we know that the most cantankerous of the bunch, Harrison Ford, is onboard with participating in the highly anticipated follow-up to "Return of the Jedi," according to Entertainment Weekly. … Read more

Angry Birds fans anxiously awaiting the new Star Wars version can grab a quick look at the action in a new 57-second trailer.

The first half of the trailer teases you with scenes of Angry Bird Luke trying to impress Angry Bird Leia with his light saber skills. But after Leia yawns in boredom, the galactic action finally revs up.

We're first taken to Luke's home world of Tatooine where he attacks the Empire's evil pigges with his light sabre. Next we travel to the ice world of Hoth where Leia takes down one of the giant … Read more

There are some places where it's not appropriate to wear a Wampa skin "Star Wars" dress covered in fake blood, but you still want to express your fandom through fashion. That's when you whip out your surprisingly subtle Darth Vader glasses.

Japanese company Aigan has introduced a collection of officially licensed "Star Wars" eyeglasses. Choose the Force with Luke Skywalker or R2-D2 styles. Go for the Dark Side with Darth Vader or Stormtrooper models. Can't decide which side you're on? No problem. There's a Boba Fett pair, too.… Read more

Following up on last year's popular launch of official "Star Wars" currency, the New Zealand Mint revealed a new set of coins featuring Queen Amidala, Yoda, Darth Maul, and Anakin from the epic sci-fi prequel trilogy.

The colorful 1.6-inch diameter coins work as $2 legal tender on the tiny South Pacific island country of Niue and individually contain one ounce of .999 silver. A ripple in the Force indicates that few people would probably actually spend these collectors' items, and if they do, they may get clubbed over the head by Yoda's cane. … Read more

For some people, the real-world locales featured in "Star Wars" stand as historical sites that deserve preservation and restoration. One of the most inspirational tales in the "Star Wars" universe exists outside of the official canon: a group of superfans tapped a fanbase to fund the restoration of the original Lars homestead shooting location in Chott el Gharsa, Tunisia.

This tale doesn't have a simple beginning. According to the official project Web site, the idea materialized in May of 2010 after a group of "Star Wars" fans led by Mark Dermul visited Luke's home and observed its disappointing condition -- blasphemy for any sci-fi fan. … Read more

Fans may never forget the numerous sandy scenes of the "Star Wars" saga, which George Lucas and crew mostly filmed in the North African country of Tunisia.

A recent glance by RocketNews24 at famous "Star Wars" locations such as Mos Espa (where Anakin grew up) and the Lars Homestead (where Luke grew up) paints a much different picture of the movie sets beloved by countless geeks around the world. … Read more

Yes, artist Luke Jerram's most widely known piece may perhaps be "Play Me, I'm Yours" -- an artwork that temporarily distributes actual full-size pianos on the streets of major cities for anyone to play. After all, it's been featured in hugely populated towns like New York City and Los Angeles. But his body of work displays a particular fascination with science and technology.

One sculpture, for instance, is based on the seismogram generated by the 2011 Japan earthquake. Others draw from data visualization as well: charts of the ups and downs of the Dow Jones … Read more

What kind of single dad would the Dark Lord of the Sith make?

When "Darth Vader and Son" comes out next week, we'll finally get an idea. The new illustrated book imagines Lord Vader raising Luke Skywalker, and helps answer the long-burning question: what's the Dark Lord like at home?

Like any father, Domesticated Darth wants his son's approval ("Do you like the eggs I made?"). But he also knows he has to be an authority figure first. (Trick-or-treating is fine, but Jar Jar Binks dolls are simply not allowed in the Vader household.)

If films have taught me one lesson, it's that if you have an emotionally distant father you're going to grow up to be an alcoholic unable to maintain healthy relationships. If only fathers in films actually watched films about fathers, fictional sons would stand a much better chance in life.

"Darth Vader and Son" imagines a world in which Anakin Skywalker got this message and decided to raise a young Luke right. … Read more

Love is in the air this week. You can tell by the smell of overpriced roses, highly inflated balloons, and restaurant servers who are in the gym early, training to turn tables over four times in a night.

How touching, then, that Luke DuBois, a digital-media professor at NYU-Poly, has used his vast and loving skills to try to bring together those who seek true love on Craigslist's "Missed Connections."

At LukeDubois.com/missed, you are offered hope if you failed to get the phone number or other personal details of someone who stared a little too long at you in your local library or hookah lounge.

DuBois told The Brooklyn Paper that his site uses an algorithm that attempts to find similar words used in different Missed Connections posts in the very same city.

It does sound so much more ingenious than the methods of that slightly wordy lady on "The Millionaire Matchmaker."… Read more