Good Morning Youtinians. Last week, we asked about your choice of era for the next Star Wars film. The High Republic era is the hands-down favorite, with 54% of the vote. The New Jedi Order comes in second with 19%.

— JG Carse, Emmi Conner, and Doc B

Music By John Williams Documentary Trailer Released!

Lucasfilm has announced an upcoming documentary titled Music By John Williams that will give us a glimpse into Williams's life and career as he created some of the most iconic movie scores in film history.

The Basics: This new documentary is set to release on Disney+ on November 1st and will have a limited theater run starting in late October. From Jaws to Indiana Jones to Star Wars and so many more, this documentary shows the true genius behind John Williams’s mastery of movie music.

The new Music By John Williams trailer features some of Hollywood’s biggest movie makers — including George Lucas — explaining their own awe at Williams’ abilities and how his scores have greatly impacted their stories.

Why We’re Excited: Even if you are not a huge music fan, we highly encourage you to check out the trailer as Steven Spielberg makes an incredible point at the very beginning: “The greatest way to demonstrate how much music affects movies, play it absolutely with no music at all.”

Watching Jaws, E.T., Star Wars, Jurassic Park, or any of the incredible films Williams has composed for will show anyone just how important his scores are to setting the correct mood in an audience. This documentary promises to put Williams’ incredible talent on full display, and we are very excited to celebrate it!

We're all fine here now — how are you? Obviously, we are pretty hyped for this upcoming documentary, especially as it seems to feature so many incredible movies that Williams has worked on over his decades-long career.

In the Name of the Galactic Senate, Read My Book!

Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss is available for pre-order and will be released on October 15, 2024. This highly anticipated novel deals with Mace Windu and his actions following the shocking death of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and the possible, yet unfathomable, existence of the Sith. Mace’s character is “out of balance” due mainly to Qui-Gon's final request for him, “a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.”

What the Author Says: Author Steven Barnes spoke with StarWars.com about his upcoming book. Writing a Star Wars novel is not a small undertaking, and Barnes explains how thrilled he was to return to the galaxy we all love.

Barnes says he started the process with the key question: what kind of person would Mace Windu be? Samuel L. Jackson's performance created many possibilities for creatives to explore, and we at Youtini cannot wait to see where Barnes takes the Force in this new book!

A Sneak Peak: StarWars.com also provided a tantalizing excerpt from the book (including an audio version). Here's what we learned:

• New Xaxxis is the capital city of Metagos, a planet in the Outer Rim Territories. The city is known for its crystal caverns, referred to as the “Glass Abyss” due to massive crystal obelisks that tower from the ground and drop menacingly from the ceiling. 

•  A Rim-Runner: Mace arrives in the capital and encounters three guards whom he greets in disguise. The guards seize his blaster but ignore a long wooden staff; could it be concealing his famous purple blade?

• Vin-Vin: We meet the bartender of Vin-Vin’s Wheelhouse, Vin-Vin Sunfall, a reptilian native to Metagos. He is wary of the new stranger that enters his establishment, and his fears are realized when the guards who Mace met earlier re-appear through the doors and confront Mace.

• Holodroids: If memory serves me, Galactic Advisor Everi Chalis used holodriods to present her doomed plan for Operation Ringbreaker. Well, they return in the forms of Maya-12, Maya-8, and Maya-14, three acrobatic dancers that entertain the Wheelhouse’s clientele. 

• Chulok and Ssssybil: Vin-Vin explains to Mace that Xaxxis is “a sssnake with two headsss… anyone who kissessss one gets bit by the other”. Chulok and Sybil are the big players in the city. Mace seeks employment as a “problem solver” to gather key intel.

If this isn’t enough to draw you in, I find your lack of excitement disturbing! 

We’re all fine here now - how are you? If you want to chat, speculate, and theorize more about Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss, jump into our Youtini Discord channel #glass-abyss! If what you say is true, then you will have gained our trust!

Remembering Robert Watts (1938-2024)

The Lucasfilm family recently lost another member: Robert Watts, who passed away on September 30th at 86. He began his filmmaking career in the UK in 1960. 

Early Career: Watts began as a runner and became a production manager and location manager, working on films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and You Only Live Twice, a James Bond film. 

Lucasfilm Work: His work with George Lucas began in 1977. His credits include:

• Production manager, A New Hope.

• Associate producer, The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

• Co-producer, Return of the Jedi.

• Producer, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. 

We're all fine here now — how are you? Watts had an uncredited cameo as an AT-ST driver in Return of the Jedi. His more impactful contributions to the Star Wars franchise included scouting iconic filming locations in North Africa, Norway, and northern California. He arranged roles for his half-brother, Jeremy Bulloch, and his neighbor, Julian Glover. 

From Tatooine to Endor and Bobba Fett to General Veers, we owe much of the Star Wars universe as we know it to Robert Watts.

🛰️ In the Youtiniverse

• The Cosmic Force crew jumps into a new era of Star Wars comics with their first look at Alex Segura’s The Battle of Jakku maxiseries. 

• On the heels of Star Wars Outlaws, writer Sam Ponke offers a guide to the underworld of the Star Wars universe.

• Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Star Wars Rebels with Youtini’s retrospective, including comments from some of our team members.

🚀 Ready for Dispatch

• News recently broke that John Boyega will be at New York Comic Con on Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20. This marks his first major convention appearance in six years!

• Organizers have released cosplay guidance for Star Wars Celebration 2025. The policies include special considerations for Japanese etiquette.

• Blitzway has announced statues of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as they appear in Revenge of the Sith. Preorders for the 23-inch/58cm statues are live, with delivery expected later in 2025.

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