Host James Arnold Taylor takes the stage!
Taylor says he’s always been a fan, and Star Wars changed his life.
His top moments of Celebration? Anthony Daniels bringing the trailer back, Ray Park “kicking me in the face.” Also, Ian McDiarmid read from the Star Wars Shakespeare book. “You could hear a pin drop.”
He also performed his one man show. “That was really a great honor.” He also incorporated Mark Hamill — one of his heroes.
Calls him “the biggest hero in film history, and now he’s coming back.”
Big cheers! More highlights: Smuggler’s Bounty, the Gareth Edwards chat. But his favorite moment was the Force Awakens panel. More cheers!
Jimmy Mac and Jason Swank, hosts of the Behind-the-Scenes Stage, join in!
Their favorite moment? The Rebel Women Who Fought the Clone Wars panel, featuring the women creators at Lucasfilm animation. Now, the Rebels Season Two trailer plays!
Huge cheers throughout — for Ahsoka, for Rex, for Vader.
Another big moment — Alan Dean Foster is returning to Star Wars to write the Force Awakens novelization.
Last night also featured the Star Wars Fan Film Awards, showing the talent and creativity of the fans.
This was also the first Celebration to be live-streamed!
Today featured the Tattoo Competition. Jason Swank says his favorite was a tattoo of Vader’s burnt helmet from the Force Awakens trailer.
They loved Pablo Hidalgo’s Secrets of the Mos Eisley Cantina panel — and now they’re bringing him out!
Hidalgo: “It’s an interesting year for me because I was not a stage host this year.” He’s very happy with Swank and Mac’s hosting.
He particularly enjoyed doing the Untold Clone Wars panel. “We showed unfinished animation, artwork, and all kinds of exciting stuff.”
“My favorite things are fan-made creations…the fans are part of the entertainment. They bring the show.”
Hidalgo hosted the Gareth Edwards panel — officially announcing the Anthology Series name.
Hidalgo speaks about Rogue One: “It puts the war back in Star Wars.”
“This is only the beginning.”
And now the Digital Host — and Han Solo in Smuggler’s Bounty — Dave Collins joins in.
Hidalgo says it’s now become “Host Con.”
What happened on the Digital Stage? There was the Rebels Season Two premiere, lots of panels, and a screening of the unfinished Clone Wars arc “Bad Batch.”
Star Wars Battlefront also made its big debut. “It was SO exciting,” Collins says.
Collins also spoke with Howard Kazanjian, Dennis Muren, Doug Chiang, John Knoll. Lots of great stuff. “I was overwhelmed by how many cool things were on everyone’s panels.”
Now rolling a recap video — kicked off with a thank you from Kathleen Kennedy. “I’ve seen things I just can’t get over…I just want to say it’s been great getting to know everybody…and I can’t wait until next year.”
Now showing clips from the entire show — starting with the Force Awakens panel and, of course, “Chewie…we’re home.”
Fans camping out in line…the Gareth Edwards pane…the awesome Ahsoka Lives photo…
The Rebels trailer reveal and the huge ovation…Mark Hamill telling the crowd, “You’re more than just fans, you’re family.”
And finally: Mary Franklin, who really makes Celebration happen, joins the stage! Big cheers.
“I get so sad when it’s over,” she says. Franklin worked at Lucasfilm for 14 years, and is now event director at Reed Pop.
While she’s at Reed Pop, she is NOT leaving Celebration!
“Thank you to all the hosts…They’ve all had to work really hard, and we really appreciate it.”
“Most of all, thanks to you. Celebration is by the fans, for the fans.” The fans make the show what it is.
Introducing Pete Vilmur — the new head of fan relations at Lucasfilm. Vilmur is a Lucasfilm vet and Star Wars author. This is his seventh Celebration.
It’s official: the next Celebration will be in London, July 15-17, 2016 — tickets on sale tomorrow!
And now, Celebration ends as it began — with a screening of the Force Awakens teaser!
That’s it — thanks for following along! See you in London!
We are here at the Celebration Stage — it is PACKED.