Star Wars Weekly: George Lucas' one true key to making Star Wars movies

Time again for STAR WARS WEEKLY, the SYFY WIRE series that rounds up the most important news of the week from a galaxy far, far away. Think of us as your own personal Star Wars Holocron.

GEORGE LUCAS AND THE MANDALORIAN

Jon Favreau, the showrunner behind The Mandalorian and voice behind Ron Howard's Solo: A Star Wars Story's Rio Durrant, has been on the road with his film The Lion King. During one of the press interviews for that movie (with GQ East), he revealed that George Lucas had given him some advice about Star Wars.

"One thing he said to me," Favreau recalled, "was, 'Remember, Jon, the real audience for all stories and all myths is the kids that are coming of age.'"

And, if you ask me, this is some really great advice. It's easy to be drawn into the idea that we need a dark and gritty Star Wars and we can hope for it in moments ranging from Revenge of the Sith to Rogue One, but if it gets any darker than that, I find that it loses its soul. The other advice I always hope more Star Wars filmmakers would follow comes from one of Lucas's constant mantras on the set of Return of the Jedi: "Dare to be cute."

The Mandalorian seems aimed at adults, but we'll find out soon enough if kids dig it too. We can only hope.

LUKE'S ROBOTIC HAND

Researchers at the University of Utah have developed what is essentially Luke Skywalker's robotic hand, a prosthetic so sophisticated and sensitive that it allows the amputee to eat grapes, peel a banana, and even hold a golf ball. Maybe it doesn't actually belong to Luke Skywalker, but they are calling it "the Luke."

It's really wonderful to see Star Wars inspiring these sorts of innovations in the medical community and I hope we see even more of them.

JARED PADALECKI: STAR WARS NERD

Jared Padalecki of Supernatural fame is a Star Wars nerd. There's really no other way to put it after the display he put on at San Diego Comic-Con. Derek Sante, an interviewer at Review Nation, offered him one of his own superfan moments. Timothy Zahn, author of Thrawn: Treason, surprised Sam Winchester himself.

It's always fun to see things like this. Fandom is so much about passion and enthusiasm and it's great to see celebrity fans find that for themselves. You'll just have to watch the moment for yourself, especially if you're a Supernatural fan.

DISNEY+ OFFERINGS

Disney+ has been a bit of an enigma to Star Wars fans. We knew we'd be getting The Mandalorian and some new episodes of The Clone Wars. But what other offerings would we get? And when? Details were finally released and there are definitely some surprises in there.

First, The Mandalorian will be coming out on the launch of the service, but The Clone Wars is only slated as something coming in "Year One." For many Star Wars fans like myself, we stressed out about which of the two shows we'd watch first if given the opportunity and now we've had our choice made for us. The Mandalorian will go first and it's coming up fast.

At launch, we'll also be treated to all of the Star Wars movies, minus those that are currently appearing on Netflix (The Last Jedi and Ron Howard's Solo: A Star Wars Story). In addition to that, prior seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and all of Star Wars Rebels will be available.

Sadly, Star Wars Detours wasn't on the list of shows we'll be treated to with Disney+. Yet.

Disney+ debuts on November 12.

THE SCREEN TEST

Mark Hamill shared this wonderful tidbit on Twitter, and it's a large clip of his first audition for Star Wars on the day he first met Harrison Ford.

This is one of those documents of history that no one making it could have realized would be such an important moment that would lead to the changing of the world.

Until next week, May the Force Be With You!