This is the Way

23/09/2025

The first "teaser" trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu movie was released on StarWars.com on September 22nd, 2025. Some of the footage had been previously seen at Star Wars Celebration - Japan earlier in the year. Lucasfilm and Disney lean heavily on the popularity of "baby Yoda" in the 1 minute 35 second trailer and we see our first footage of Sigourney Weaver as a New Republic general. A new Razor Crest appears, there are post-Empire Stormtroopers, alien races seen on screen for the first time since Return of the Jedi, a Hutt, AT-ATs, explosions, aerial combat, and Grogu seems to have gathered some Anzellans as pals.

The movie releases in May 2026 and more trailers will follow in the future, but this will be the next live action project release for Star Wars, after the end of Andor's second season earlier this year.

Despite being a special episode of This is the Way Podcast, you can still join in the discussion by sending a comment to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. Including a good subject line will help set you apart from spam. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' () or on Facebook, Spotify or on YouTube, but we also have a Discord channel. May the Force be with us!

The first "teaser" trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu movie was released on StarWars.com on September 22nd, 2025. Some of the footage had been previously ...

22/09/2025

https://youtu.be/_pa1KLXuW0Y?si=VZ5CnZ6n0GSQZN70

A new adventure awaits.

Experience The Mandalorian and Grogu only in theaters May 22, 2026.

01/09/2025

August has come and gone, and Star Wars news was scarce for most of that time. Leave it to the last few days of the eighth month for a few notable updates to casts and crews to pop up.

Voting for the Academy Awards has finished, but Andor made a push on YouTube with clips and character reels up to the last moment. LEGO revealed a trailer for new episodes of the Rebuild the Galaxy series coming next month, but there's also the possibility you'll be able to put real blocks together to remake the Death Star. ILM pats itself on the back with an article about VR gaming. Oga's Cantina goes standby in California and Smuggler's Run will be getting new routes.

Feel free to take part in contributing ideas and commenting on our podcasts here on Facebook, on YouTube, on Spotify, through Amazon's podcast portal, or even on Discord. May the Force be with us!

It's August, and Star Wars news has been scarce for most of the month. Leave it to the last few days for a few notable updates to casts and crews to pop up.V...

07/08/2025

My 11 years old daughter had her first middle school “Meet the Teacher” today.

I think she’s in good hands.

01/08/2025

Once upon a time, San Diego Comic Con would have been a major source of Star Wars news. Now, with Celebration and other comic cons spread across the world, SDCC's booth and hall prices have left it like the Dune Sea.

Andor is up for awards this September and Ahsoka is filming. We're still living in a "post-Andor" world, but there's still news for collectors, gamers, and Disney park fans. Collectors should definitely check out HasbroPulse's website and there's a new one for a new museum coming next year. It's Lucasfilm's Museum of Narrative Art coming to Los Angeles and there's a link mentioned inside the podcast you might want to peruse.

We know...it's YouTube and we're expecting you just to listen. You can watch the visualization, but we know not everyone likes to do it that way. Feel free to take part in contributing ideas and commenting on our podcasts, here on Facebook, on YouTube, on Spotify, Amazon's podcast portal, or even Discord. May the Force be with us!

Once upon a time, San Diego Comic Con would have been a major source of Star Wars news. Now, with Celebration and other comic cons spread across the world, S...

02/07/2025

Ever since Andor finished streaming, there isn't much urgency for Star Wars news because the next projects won't be available until next year. Live action movies and shows will eventually start promotional campaigns, but we're still living in a "post-Andor" world and the show is advertising itself for awards.

There's still news for collectors, gamers, and Disney park fans, but there's certainly a summer lull, especially since we just had a Star Wars Celebration in April and comic cons won't have much news to reveal, unless it concerns the animated series, comics, novels, or collectibles and maybe, just maybe, new video games.

Andor is done, but maybe shouldn't be, Ahsoka is shooting, but a long time coming, and there's finally a map to help you "astrogate" the galaxy. Listen or watch the audio visualization if you want to find out how to contact the podcast to tell us how great we are or how much you like to hate listen/watch. Feel free to take part in contributing ideas and commenting on our podcasts, here on Facebook, on YouTube, on Spotify, onAmazon's podcast portal, or even Discord. May the Force be with us!

Ever since Andor finished streaming, there isn't much urgency for Star Wars news because the next projects won't be available until next year. Live action mo...

29/06/2025

The finale of Andor streamed more than a month before this podcast. Why? Well, it's not because this episode was too confusing or too long. "Jedha, Kyber, Erso" is a fitting season and series finale and doesn't botch the landing. It starts off with the action that was promised at the end of episode 11 and finishes with a surprise in a field of gold.

Kleya is not welcomed with open arms on Yavin, but she should be. Her name hasn't been thrown about as a hero of the rebellion, maybe only because she seemed to outlive many of the ones who knew her true contributions. A model spy, was she. Cassian and Melshi (and K-2SO, of course) saved her in the nick of time, not just for her safety, but the freedom of the galaxy. It's nice to see so many Imperials frustrated instead of reframing them as misunderstood. They're the villains. We understand they're evil.

Not every story thread gets answered. Not every character gets a happy ending. The show has done more for Star Wars than I think Lucasfilm and Disney would care to admit, since it didn't fall prey to any of the agenda as Tony Gilroy steered his own series almost completely without critique. I don't consider this a model to follow, unless you have a mind like Gilroy who can assemble the right team.

The show is over and so is the coverage, but you can always send in a comment to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. A good subject line will help set you apart from spam. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' ( is the Way Podcast) or on Spotify, YouTube, or Facebook, but we also have a Discord channel. May Disney and Lucasfilm see the light and figure out a way to bring us more stories with Kleya, Vel, Wil, and the growing gang of rebels, and of course, May the Force be with us!

The finale of Andor streamed more than a month before this podcast. Why/ Well, it's not because this episode was too confusing or too long. "Jedha, Kyber, Er...

06/06/2025

There's not much Andor left for our podcast to review and "Who Else Knows?" fits snugly in the middle of the final story arc before we get to Rogue One. Episode 10 had emotion, flashbacks, and the death of Luthen Rael. Episode 11 is all ticking clock and pulse codes.

Kleya has become a favorite character and seeing her at risk made every moment feel more stressful. Meero's reaching the end of her rope. Heert seems ineffectual, but who else do you get to do the job? Krennic is on the verge of panic. Partagaz is already there. The adminstration on Yavin wants to prevent a mission for safety's sake, but completing the mission quickly might be the only thing that KEEPS them safe. Not much happens, if you think about it, but since three episodes dropped at once, the episode works well as a bridge to the finale.

It might not be memorable, but after finishing episode 11 of season two, we STILL weren't sure Kleya would make it. Oh, we knew Andor, Melshi, and K-2SO were going to be fine, but killing Luthen meant Kleya was VERY MUCH at risk. Having Rogue One just an episode of streaming television away felt like watching a magic trick get explained after you've already seen the prestige. Actually, that's a good description: we've seen the pledge and know the prestige, so the turn is coming.

There's still a chance to send in a comment to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. A good subject line helps us know what episode you're referencing. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' is the Way Podcast or on Spotify, YouTube, or Facebook, but we also added a Discord channel recently! May the Force be with us!

There's not much Andor left to review and "Who Else Knows?" fits snugly in the middle of the final story arc before we get to Rogue One. Episode 10 had emoti...

01/06/2025

Andor is some of the best television Disney Plus has produced and is almost assuredly the best Star Wars product on the platform. Ahsoka is up next, but is easily a year away. Jake Tropper is probably hard at work on the Star Wars: Starfighter movie now that Your Friends & Neighbors has concluded a first season on Apple TV Plus. Rian Johnson said he wants to revisit Star Wars (Nooooo!). Popcorn buckets came to Florida's Disney Parks. Collectibles are still being announced almost a month after Star Wars Day. Fortnite has one more week of content from a galaxy far, far away, and there's a new VR game coming...eventually.

May sometimes has a bit more in store for our news updates, but every now and then all the big news comes out in April, as it seemed to do this year. If you want to take part in contributing ideas and commenting on our podcasts, you can do so here on Facebook, YouTube, on Spotify, or Amazon's podcast portal, and you can listen to this podcast for our This is the Way Podcast HQ email address. May the Force be with us!

Andor is some of the best television Disney Plus has produced and is almost assuredly the best Star Wars product on the platform. Ahsoka is up next, but is e...

26/05/2025

It's a milestone for any podcast to reach 100 episodes. This is the Way Podcast now has 200. Getting one podcast isn't that difficult in the grand scheme. It's when life comes at you and this isn't for your livelihood that the real tests come.

Watching "Make It Stop" with my father in the hospital, just after lung surgery and about to undergo heart catheterization, well, you'll forgive me for admitting this was a hard episode to get through. Emotionally. As far as fictional entertainment goes, sign me up for the Tom Bissell Fan Club newsletters.

Flashbacks including a visit to Naboo? Check. Learning how Kleya came to be in Luthen's service? Check. Resolution for Dedra AND Luthen tying back into some of the very first episodes of the series? Check and check. Feels like Star Wars? Check. Feels brand new at the same time? CHECK.

I hesitate calling this show one of the best ever, but it's certainly the best made Star Wars show on Disney Plus. I LOVE The Mandalorian. I'm just saying that I might have felt differently if THIS was the first show to debut on Disney Plus and The Mandalorian took 2-5 years to come out. I'm glad I don't have to find out.

Kleya might be one of the best characters in Star Wars. I don't mean "female" characters. I mean character...period. She's definitely my favorite of the show and more than any other character, I find it uplifting that she made it and heartbroken that she had to do for her father figure what he'd have done for anyone else...kill. Rest in peace, Luthen Lear. You've served the galaxy well.

If you have an episode specific comment, send it in to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. Make sure to leave a good subject line for us so we know what episode you're referencing and let us know what you'd like us to call you if we mention your message. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' or on Spotify, YouTube and Facebook! May the Force be with us!

16/05/2025

Andor's second wraps up with some emotional moments in the final three episodes that make up the BBY 1 story arc. Episode 10 ("Make It Stop") was not something a child wants to watch when their loved one is undergoing heart and lung surgeries. Seeing Luthen, a father figure, on the bed like that and hearing and seeing the breathing apparatus move until Kleya releases him from his future of pain and suffering...

Episode 11 was the response to the spy game Kleya just pulled off and the Empire wasn't far enough behind for her to get comfortable. The action wasn't as incredible as the Ghorman Massacre, but it didn't have to be. K-2SO got to be a hero for the rebellion for the first time and Melshi earned his keep as well. It's good to see some Imperials fell along the way because the ones we're seeing here had passed the point of an easy redemption.

Episode 12 bridged the gap to Rogue One and despite what was being sold for weeks, a rewatch of the movie right after finishing the show didn't enhance or recontextualize things, at least for This is the Way Podcast's sensibilities. Rogue One is still more close to A New Hope than it is Andor...and there's more characters and story shared in the show. Why does it feel that way?

There's room for another season or two or three. A lot happened while Luke, Leia, and Han were at the forefront of that story. Tony Gilroy might be the one to tell those side stories of the rebels behind the scenes setting the stage for the Force to be used in mighty ways. Could we sneak in Wilmon to the Endor assault team? Would Kleya and Vel be tasked to recruit some Bothans? Who might find out where Han was taken by Boba Fett? Would someone have to recruit more star systems to the rebellion? Does anyone discover, too late, that the Milllenium Falcon has a tracking device on it on arrival at Yavin? How about the move from Yavin to Hoth and the scouting and secrecy in constantly moving from base to base?

None of that may ever come to fruition. Tony Gilroy has said he's done. The only way I think I'd be interested in hearing those stories is if someone took the care and time he did with Andor and only if they keep Luke, Leia, and Han out of the story completely or relegated to out of focus background. You can do Chewbacca, that's it. I've gotten a hug at Disney Hollywood Studios. That works. I don't want to see fake Lukes and Leias, though. R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and our Andor characters. Want me to work on it Lucasfilm? I will. I'll put every ounce of my being into it.

The full recap and discussion episodes will come later. Life events continue to wreak havoc on the This is the Way Podcast schedule. I will not guarantee that we'll finish with Andor in May. There's nothing new coming anyway. It's just news updates, Mandalorian and Grogu movie leaks, and Ahsoka season two production notes for the foreseeable future.

If you have an episode specific comment, email it to the address we reveal in our podcasts. You've got time to interact with This is the Way Podcast via ⁠⁠⁠'X'⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or on Spotify, YouTube, or Facebook⁠⁠⁠! May the Force be with us!

Andor's second wraps up with some emotional moments in the final three episodes that make up the BBY 1 story arc. Episode 10 ("Make It Stop") was not somethi...

13/05/2025

Don't you love algorithms? Video sharing sites are run by absolute monsters. Evil humans creating new algorithms to wreak havoc on creators just because they can. We are powerless to stop them. Don't like it? Go to the other site that no one uses ever. Has your work been passing for more than four years without incident? Not today. It's almost like they WANT you to hate them.

Don't call Palpatine a monster. He hates that. The Emperor doesn't make an appearance in episode 9, but his presence is felt in every lackey and underling and the stresses that Imperial officers go through to prevent his displeasure. The ISB thinks it set up Ghorman for a fall, but they didn't realized that seeing the fall coming was the only way the rebellion could salvage a tragedy and inspire courage and hope.

Mon Mothma's path seemed set by Rebels years ago, but Tony and Dan Gilroy manage to throw some curveballs without retroactively changing continuity in such a drastic way that longtime fans revolt. Is the key just "do it better" when making those tweaks? It feels so, because K-2SO's origins are much different than they are in a comic book. Aren't we glad they didn't have to stick to something like that?

If you're not, that's okay. Your opinion is your own. You can have terrible opinions and still be a fan. Some people, for instance, don't think Andor is any good. I don't know if I'd share a meal with that kind of person, but I'm not going to argue. The show has spoken for itself. The writing and the action have been "movie quality" for weeks now and episode 9 of season 2 feels like a terrific third act of the third act.

This is the Way Podcast HQ has been under immense stress getting out new podcasts each week with personal issues weighing heavily. With just one week left, it's strange to realize that there won't be another high quality show coming to Star Wars for quite some time. There's content that CAN be covered, but there's also content that should be removed from the streaming site.

If you have an episode specific comment, send it in to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. Make sure to leave a good subject line for us so we know what episode and let us know what you'd like us to call you if we mention your message. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' or on Spotify, YouTube, and Facebook! May the Force be with us!

Don't call him a monster. He hates that. Palpatine doesn't make an appearance in episode 9, but his presence is felt in every lackey and underling and the st...