Welcome to This Week in Fandom, the OTW’s roundup of things which are happening! Before we dig in, isn’t baby Yoda so cute? He’s been all over the internet since The Mandalorian introduced him and he’s just too adorable. Feel free to gush and squee in the comments!
Who’s excited for Star Wars episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker? As fans all around the world are preparing for the last film of the trilogy, several trailers have dropped to tease us with new footage: an international trailer, a TV spot hinting at a spectacular duel between Rey and Kylo Ren, and a film clip where our heroes are in a frantic chase with Stormtroopers. A nostalgic and touching featurette was also released, reminiscing about the previous trilogies and discussing how everything will come full circle with this last opus. It’s a real emotional rollercoaster spanning from 1977 to 2019. You might want to have tissues nearby while watching, especially with the footage of our favourite rebel princess and space mom Carrie Fisher.
The new posters also hint that the film will focus on the conflict between Rey and Kylo Ren, a clash of two worlds. The Rise of Skywalker comes out on December 19 in the UK, and December 20 in the US and internationally, including China.
Another new contribution to a beloved universe is the DC animated series Harley Quinn! The first episode premiered in the US on November 28th. With gritty humour and f-bombs, the first episode puts into perspective Harley’s abusive relationship with Joker, as she realises she can be free from his influence by becoming her own woman (with the help of Poison Ivy). What ensues is a graphic, funny plot full of mayhem and mischief, with DC heroes and villains alike.
Harley Quinn is voiced by Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco, and her bestie Poison Ivy is voiced by Lake Bell. Speaking in an interview before the series aired, the two women referred to the show as “very progressive” and “very feminist,” with Kaley Cuoco adding that “It’s major female empowerment, it’s badass.”
You can see the (NSFW) trailer here.
Those celebrating end-of-year holidays may be excited to get their hands on Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection. Promising exclusive extras and behind-the-scenes content, the box set has just been released.
Showrunners will no doubt be hoping that it keeps the fandom satiated until the release of House of the Dragon, the new show focusing on the Targaryen dynasty, which is in the works with 10 episodes already ordered by HBO. The series, with showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, will be based on George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood, set 300 years before Game of Thrones. In a recent blog post, GRRM commented on the process of the show’s coming together.
You cannot build a house all alone. Especially not a HOUSE OF THE DRAGON…Read my thoughts on the House of the Dragon – HBO on my Not a Blog: https://t.co/MMfGKDDuBD pic.twitter.com/7jlAMbsnFQ
— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) November 12, 2019
And before we end, have you seen His Dark Materials‘ latest episode, out on BBC iPlayer and HBO? This fifth episode saw the first appearance of a beloved character, Will Parry, who we all thought was going to be introduced at the beginning of season two! Jack Thorne has explained how he was interpreting this character on twitter (spoilers ahead). How did you react? Did you notice the foreshadowing Easter eggs? Tell us all about it in the comments!