A Year Ago / A Year Away

It's hard to be believe that this time last year it was the final day of Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017.

If you were lucky enough to be there or if, like me, you attended via the Star Wars Show's live stream, it was an incredible weekend that celebrated 40 years of this incredible saga, looking back at what had come before, paying tribute to those we've lost, and looking towards the future.

Celebration Orlando gave us our first look at Battlefront II, the announcement that season 4 of Rebels would be the last and, of course, that iconic teaser for The Last Jedi with Luke proclaiming that it's time for the Jedi to end.

Now, Battlefront II is out, the journey of our Rebels heroes is over (at least for now), and we know that Luke will not be The Last Jedi.

If you're like me, then you're like Luke, "still looking to the horizon".  Looking forward to what comes next.  Next, obviously, is Solo.  I must admit, this was the one I was most sceptical about but the trailers are definitely selling it to me.  It looks great!  But this blog isn't about Solo, it's about Celebration.  And it's there, looming just beyond the horizon.

Celebration 2019, wherever it's held, promises to be the biggest Celebration yet.  Just think about this;

• This is the Episode IX Celebration - the end of the trilogy of trilogies and the Skywalker Saga
• 2019 is the launch year of the Disney streaming service and the live action Star Wars series, it's perfectly possible that the pilot may premiere at Celebration
• 2019 is the 20th anniversary of both the Prequel Trilogy and Star Wars Celebration itself

And that's without considering the next animated series (if it debuts later this year then season 2 will very likely premiere at Celebration, just like Rebels seasons 2-4 did), the long rumoured Kenobi stand alone movie and any updates on Rian Johnson's new trilogy and David Benioff and D B Weiss' new series of movies.  That's one heck of a Future Film Makers panel right there!

Since I like to write a bit, I figured why not do a blog!  So this is it.  Everything I know and have learned about Star Wars Celebration is going to go here over the next year as the clock counts down to Celebration 2019.  I wish I could say I was a Celebration veteran but I'm not.  I did one day at the first Celebration London back in 2007 (we had 3 day tickets but sadly it clashed with a friend's wedding) and the full weekend in 2016.  I've live streamed Anaheim 2015 and Orlando 2017 and I'm determined that 2019 will be my first US 4 day Celebration and I can't wait!

Celebration Europe 2016 really was a game changer for me.  I've been a Star Wars fan since the special editions and I've been to comic cons since around the same time, but I've never felt that a sense of community and belonging like I did in London at Celebration.  Celebration shows Star Wars fans at their best and I'm so looking forward to experiencing it again next year.