Even with Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi rapidly approaching, it’s hard not to look forward to Episode IX, which we expect will bookend the third trilogy in the epic space opera series. Currently scheduled for release in May 2019, the finale should wrap up the stories of Finn, Rey, Kylo Ren, and the rest of the lead characters introduced in 2015’s Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
It looks as if things are not going quite as swimmingly behind the scenes as we might have hoped, though. On Tuesday, Lucasfilm dropped a bombshell announcement via the official Star Wars website: Colin Trevorrow, who signed on in 2015 as director for Episode IX, has dropped out due to irreconcilable disagreements over creative control.
Trevorrow, recipient of critical acclaim for quirky 2012 indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed, apparently did not share the same “vision” as Lucasfilm for the blockbuster film. After Jurassic World released in 2015 to mixed reviews, Trevorrow next directed The Book of Henry, which was widely panned.
It is unclear what direction Lucasfilm will decide to go regarding a replacement, but the departure could certainly spell anxiety for fans of the series; this is the third Star Wars movie that has recently seen major changes made due to directorial issues. Rogue One underwent significant reshoots in 2015 after Disney and Lucasfilm brass disagreed with Gareth Edwards’ tonal direction, and the team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller was pulled from the forthcoming Han Solo origin story before being replaced with veteran filmmaker Ron Howard.
A trend seems to be emerging; one of Disney hiring up-and-coming directors before deciding they are not a good fit and subsequently snatching creative control. We doubt there is any shortage of auteurs lining up to get a crack at a Star Wars film, but for those hoping to see their favorite directors put their own spin on the franchise, well … don’t hold your breath.
We don’t know much of anything about the story of Episode IX — we still barely know any concrete details about Episode VIII. We do know that Carrie Fisher’s Leia will appear in the film, despite the actress’ death in 2016.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.