If you’ve been keeping a close eye on The Last Jedi‘s production cycle, you’ll know that September 1st (AKA Force Friday II) saw the floodgates open.
In what will no doubt go down as one of the biggest merchandise launches of 2017, major toy manufacturers such as Disney, Hasbro, and LEGO showcased their wares, all of which were inspired by the bustling Star Wars universe. Buoyed by the meteoric success of The Force Awakens and Rogue One – $2.04 billion and $1.05 billion worldwide, respectively – this past weekend signaled a massive push from Disney and Lucasfilm, while both parties also updated the fabled Star Wars databank to include new entries on Snoke’s Mega Star Destroyer and much, much more.
That command post, one which spans a full 60 kilometers in length, is said to be big enough to store standard Star Destroyers. On the other side of the Force, the Resistance will be mounting their rebellion aboard the Raddus, but more on that later.
First spotted by Screen Rant, the SW databank now includes an updated entry on Crait, the arid salt planet on which the Resistance Ski-Speeders are seen racing toward the distant AT-M6 walkers. Word is that our heroes will occupy an old outpost that was once used by the Rebel Alliance during their war against the Empire. It’s part of the connective tissue that exists between The Last Jedi and the original trilogy, essentially, though the real question is whether this battle will be reserved for the sequel’s climax.
As for the aforementioned Raddus, it’s described as a “heavy cruiser,” one that will surely become an indispensable cornerstone of the Resistance and its rebellion against the First Order. And make no mistake, the modernized version of the Empire will be bringing their own formidable weapons to the table.
The Raddus is a heavy cruiser, retired from being used as part of the home fleet for the New Republic. The ship was then designed to be less crew intensive, eliminating unnecessary system and computerization, making it an important resource for the Resistance’s cause.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been penciled in for December 15th. Meanwhile, Ron Howard’s Han Solo pic (May 2018) and the as-yet-untitled Episode IX (May 2019) are each making steady progress toward their own respective release dates.
