With Star Wars Day just around the corner (an early May the 4th be with you to all SWU readers), there are lots of fun, virtual events being planned to coincide with the big day (which already includes the series finale of The Clone Wars, the first episode of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, and The Rise of Skywalker hitting Disney+). But if you just can't wait until the fourth and want to get started on the fun a day early, The Rebel Legion has got you covered.
Rey and Kylo Ren actors, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver have both teamed up with Omaze to launch charity raffles for fans to win trips to The Rise of Skywalker premiere in Los Angeles this December, while also supporting some great causes. Ridley is raising money to support The GEANCO Foundation, which helps fight for "the health and education of those in Nigeria", while Drive is raising money for Arts in the Armed Forces, which "brings high-quality arts programming to active-duty service members, veterans, military support staff and their families".
In a Galaxy far, far away they play two of the biggest and baddest villains to ever grace the silver screen. But in this universe, Hayden Christensen and Ian McDiarmid are real life heroes.
McDiarmid and Christensen, who are best know for portraying Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, attended FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention in Utah this week. On Thursday while in the area the two actors paid a surprise visit to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. The Sith Lord duo took time to visit with patients and their families, signing autographs, taking photos, and help create unforgettable memories.
With May the 4th (aka Star Wars Day) coming up tomorrow, Lucasfilm has launched a new charitable initiative called #RoarForChange. The challenge is for fans to upload a video of themselves doing their best Wookiee impression to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and Disney will donate $1 for every video uploaded, as well as for every share and like on those videos (up to $1 million). The money raised will go to support UNICEF and their efforts to improve and save the lives of children all around the world.
With Solo: A Star Wars Story opening in theaters next month, the restaurant chain Denny's has partnered with Lucasfilm to raise money for the No Kid Hungry charity through the sale of Solo trading cards and a Solo-inspired menu. To promote the Solo/Dennys partnership, Dennys released a new commercial set in a Star Wars cantina featuring two kids, dressed as Han and Lando, playing Sabaac. You can see it for yourself below,
JJ Abrams, director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars Episode IX, made an appearance tonight during HBO's Night Of Too Many Stars benefit supporting NEXT for AUTISM Abrams appeared on stage with host Jon Stewart and announced that he would auction off spoilers for Episode IX to an audience member to benefit NEXT for AUTISM. Abrams would later be joined by comedians Rob Corddry and Gilbert Gottfried, who offered to sweeten the pot with spoilers for Hot Tub Time Machine 3 and Sharknado 5. Check out the hilarious video below (warning: it contains adult language and subject matter, viewer discretion is advised),
The team at Apsis Motion Pictures have released a new fan film titled Star Wars: Shadows and Ice. The film is set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, and was produced in cooperation with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. According to the film's description on YouTube,
In late 2016, we were asked to help make a Star Wars Fan Film for a make-a-wish grantee, Gavin. He was involved in the whole process, a script was written based on his ideas, worked and reworked based on discussions around how to produce it. He was present on all the principle shoot days, and signed off on the edit before visual effects were done. Then, months later, he got to see the finished film at a premiere event.
In the week leading up to Star Wars Celebration Orlando last month, Lucasfilm announced the latest Force for Change contest, where fans could buy entries into a draw to win spectacular prizes with all the money raised going to support UNICEF and Starlight Children's Foundation. Today Lucasfilm announced the winner in a new video released on the official Star Wars YouTube channel, revealing which lucky fan had won a visit to Skywalker Ranch, a trip to the premiere in The Last Jedi, and a walk on role in the upcoming Han Solo movie. In the video, the lucky winner receives a call from The Star Wars Show host Andi Gutierrez and another (unnamed) Force for Change representative to get the good news. Check it out below,
Following in the footsteps of his The Last Jedi co-star John Boyega, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill has taken to pranking Star Wars fans to get the word out about the current "Force for Change" initiative. "Force for Change" is Lucasfilm's charitable initiatives encouraging Star Wars fans to support great charities like UNICEF and the Starlight Children's Foundation. To support the current initiative, Lucasfilm has released a new video featuring Mark Hamill surprising unsuspecting Star Wars by reenacting classic scenes with them. Check out the video below,
Lucasfilm and Omaze have released a new video promoting the latest Star Wars: Force for Change initiative, where fans can win exciting experiences (like a trips to Skywalker Ranch, the set of the upcoming Han Solo film, and the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi). In the video, fans at the recent Star Wars Celebration were asked to take part in a mock red carpet photoshoot, only to have John Boyega (Finn in The Force Awakens) photobomb them. Check out the video below,
While we were treated to a ton of amazing reveals at Star Wars Celebration Orlando, including first looks at The Last Jedi and Star Wars Battlefront II, one upcoming project was curiously passed over. The still untitled Han Solo film is slated to hit theaters next year, and thankfully the official Star Wars YouTube channel has provided us with a sneak peek at its production.
A cooperative effort between Lucasfilm, the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Google, and Niagara Cares is launching a new program for hospitalized children across the United States.
The campaign is a virtual reality initiative, intended to entertain, educate, and inspire the imagination of thousands of hospitalized patients across the country. According to the official press release, Star Wars: Force for Change is the Founding Sponsor of the program, with additional funding from Niagara Cares. Google will be providing the VR technology. It is expected to launch in late 2017.
“We’re excited to announce the launch of Starlight VR which we believe will be a game-changer in the pediatric health care space,” said Chris Helfrich, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation. “We’re excited to have Lucasfilm and Disney, Google and Niagara Cares alongside us as we harness the power of virtual reality to bring more smiles to hospitalized kids when and where they need it most.”
According to the press release, the program will be distributed to Starlight’s network of children’s hospitals and other health care facilities. Lucasfilm is partnering by allowing children to harness the VR technology and transport them from the hospital room to a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Lucasfilm’s hope is that the Star Wars name can be used on this platform to “empower and improve the lives of children around the world,” according to the press release.
Star Wars: Force for Change, through its parent company Disney, will be providing a grant to Starlight that funds the placement of 270 VR headsets and equipment in hospitals across the US. According to the press release, the new collaboration officially launches today, April 12, 2017, and will have a special event at the Florida Hospital For Children in Orlando.
“At Lucasfilm and ILMxLAB, we strive to make the impossible, possible and to deliver stories that inspire and entertain,” said Vicki Dobbs Beck, Executive in Charge of ILMxLAb. “We are honored to use our immersive storytelling to spark children’s imaginations during the hospital stay,” Another addition made by Lucasfilm and Force For Change includes the "Brave Gown" initiative:
A significant grant from Niagara Cares will fund research and development for Starlight VR, as well as impact reporting to inform future program enhancements and usage recommendations.
Starlight VR will be a physical program geared toward entertainment and distraction purposes for use with children, according to the press release. In addition to the exclusive Star Wars VR content, the program will incorporate many of Google’s VR technologies, including: Google Expeditions, virtual field trips to the world’s most amazing places for children over the age of 7, as well as Daydream, Google Earth VR, and more.
“We’re thrilled to support this Starlight program and use our virtual reality technology for good in hospitals around the United States,” said Amit Singh, Google’s Vice President of Virtual Reality.
Picturing a child forced to stay in a hospital for days, weeks, or even months, this partnership strives to bring a smile to a child’s face thanks to the technology present today. It may not be a game of Sabacc or a functioning astromech, but it should still make a galaxy of difference in young people’s lives.
The model who became the face of the Expanded Universe's most popular character needs help, and Star Wars fans are rallying to her cause.
Shannon McRandle, who became known to fans as the official image of Mara Jade in the 1990s, has been fighting
cancer since 2013. Being diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Stage
3 Anal Caner. Having already gone through AS treatment with little
effect. With chemo and radiation therapy having damaged her white and
red blood cells giving her Osteoporosis. It has not been pleasant for
her. And now her insurance does not cover the next phase of her
treatment and needs help to cover medical fees to fight this awful
disease.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has publicised his support of shirt fundraiser of a UK-based soccer team, Airdrieonians FC.
The legendary Star Wars actor wrote 'Go Force Yourself' and signed his name on the shirt too.
The 65-year-old has joined a campaign, alongside renowned comedian Ricky Gervais, of auctioning shirt online to aid the soccer team's quest to finance a sensory room for children with conditions such as autism. The hope is that the children will then be able to attend soccer matches.
Shirts contain the face of the club's "superfan" and philanthropist Mark Allison who sadly died of cancer in June last year.
Allison helped raise close to $100,000 for cancer charities before passing away at the age of 49. Bids for the shirt's strips stand at $748.
Lucasfilm announced today that they are partnering with the online gaming service Steam to release a new Star Wars "Humble Bundle" of video games with proceeds going to UNICEF Kid Power as part of their "Force for Change" charitable initiative. UNICEF Kid Power is an initiative that encourages active lifestyles in children. The way "Humble Bundles" work is that fans can choose what they pay and they will receive a selection of video games depending on how much they give. The different payment tiers for the current Star Wars "Humble Bundle" are (via StarWars.com),
Lucasfilm recently launched a new "Force for Change" charitable initiative, selling Rogue One: A Star Wars Story inspired t-shirts designed by members of the film's cast and crew as well as other celebrities. Lucasfilm just released a new video featuring director Gareth Edwards discussing the initiative. You can check out the video below,
The charity ASSERT, which benefits children living with Angelman Syndrome, released a new video today featuring Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards talking about his niece, who has Angelman Syndrome. It's very touching to hear Edwards talk about his niece and it was great to see her so excited to be on a Star Wars set. You can check out the video below, and if you watch carefully you might spot a couple of familiar rebels from the original trilogy in the video,
Duracell seems to be making it an annual tradition to release fantastic Star Wars commercials. Last year they released a fun one for The Force Awakens, and today their Rogue One: A Star Wars Story commercial was released. This year's commercial even outdoes last year's, as they have partnered with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to help give children in the hospital a Happy Holidays. The commercial, like last year's, features a mix of children playing with (battery powered) Star Wars toys and amazing visual effects that look like they're right out of a Star Wars movie. Check out the commercial below,
Many of the actors and actresses behind the characters of Star Wars have not only brought their amazing talent to the saga, but have also been great ambassadors for the franchise. One of best and most recent examples of this is none other than Finn himself, John Boyega. He became a household name upon being cast in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and since then has used his fame as a force for good. A few months back Boyega visited the Royal London Hospital in character as Finn.
Now, on Monday the London native paid a visit to Demelza Hospice Care for Children in Keycol, Kent, England. The facility is home to many children up to the age of 19 who are suffering from serious illnesses. While Boyega has remained busy working on Star Wars: Episode VIII and preparing for his upcoming role in the Pacific Rim sequel, he graciously took time out to interact with the staff and patients of Demelza Hospice. A video showing Boyega's visit to the hospice was shared on YouTube, which you can check out below:
Hats off once again to John for being an incredibly kind and generous member of the Star Wars community!
Lucasfilm has released a new video in advance May the 4th, Star Wars Day featuring Rey actress Daisy Ridley on the set of Star Wars Episode VIII, in conjunction with Lucasfilm's charitable initiative Force For Change. The video features Ridley on what appears to be a Resistance Base set with lots of alien extras (and BB-8) in the background, as she receives a Star Wars Day gift from her co-star John Boyega, who plays Finn. His gift is, as Ridley puts it, so him. Check out the video below,
There's still time to support the four charities that Force for Change is raising money for. So far $2,069,286 have been raised to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Unicef, the American Red Cross, and Boys and Girls Club of America. If you make a donation you'll be entered into contests to win a trip to Celebration London this July where you'll get to meet Mark Hamill, or a trip to Skellig Michael in Ireland where the final scene in The Force Awakens was shot.
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