| MENU |
Search |
Archived News-July 2014
Week 3
| Thursday July 17, 2014 | |
| Daily Video Clip #2 | |
Today's second new video clip is Star Wars Rebels: Meet the Inquisitor, the Empire's Jedi Hunter. In the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series, the Empire rules with an iron fist, spreading fear from world to world. Meanwhile, the few remaining Jedi are hunted across the galaxy -- and the cold, calculating Imperial Inquisitor is the hunter. Fully revealed in this new video, the Inquisitor recalls classic Star Wars villains but is also distinct in many ways. According to Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo, the Inquisitor is not a Sith, though he does wield a red lightsaber and taps into the dark side. "His intensity is based on the purpose of the assignment," Hidalgo says. The design of the Inquisitor evolved during early phases of production, but one specific element truly finalized both the character's threatening look and personality. "Once we put the [Pau'an] head on, it all kind of fell into place," says executive producer Dave Filoni. Indeed, the Inquisitor's face is intimidating and frightening, featuring carved lines, red markings, and jagged teeth. "Suddenly there was this black-suited, armored, creepy, evil Inquisitor. It's unmistakable." One crucial factor in bringing the Inquisitor to life, however, is his voice -- and that task falls to a veteran of villainy. Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films) plays the Jedi hunter, joking, "I've played a few unpleasant characters. Possibly, you could call them villains -- depends on your point view." Isaacs notes that the Inquisitor's job is simple -- to track down and kill all Jedi or Force users with no mercy. Chris Glenn, concept artist, notes that while the Inquisitor is not a Sith, he is more than a match for Force-wielders. "He's familiar with a lot of the Jedi ways and training tactics, and he uses that knowledge against Kanan." Kilian Plunkett, art director of Star Wars Rebels, says that while the Inquisitor visually evokes earlier villains like Darth Maul and Darth Vader, he isn't just a carbon copy. Ultimately, the Inquisitor is a major new threat for Star Wars Rebels' small band of rebels -- and that is by design. "When the Inquisitor shows up," Hidalgo says, "it means something. It's significant, and it's a definite challenge to our heroes." Star Wars Rebels is scheduled to premiere in the fall as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, and will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world. Enjoy! | |
|
| Thursday July 17, 2014 | |
| Daily Video Clip #1 | |
Today's first new video clip is Star Wars Rebels: Meet Agent Kallus, Imperial Enforcer. Agent Kallus, one of the Empire's leading enforcers in the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series, is a major threat for the Ghost crew's small band of heroes. Revealed here in this special behind-the-scenes video, Kallus is an Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) agent. According to David Oyelowo, who plays Agent Kallus, he's ruthless, unforgiving, and an example of the Empire's tyranny. "His job," says Oyelowo, "is to basically make sure everyone stays loyal. And anyone who gives a whiff of disloyalty has to be cut out. So, I guess you could safely say he's a bad guy." Lucasfilm's Carrie Beck, director of creative content strategy, thinks Oyelowo is more than convincing as Kallus. "David brings a voice that is very authoritative and very commanding and very cool," she says, "without betraying any sense of insecurity or weakness." As seen in the video's concept art and animation, Kallus wears classic gray Imperial military attire along with a threatening helmet for field missions, and has distinct angled facial hair. According to art director Kilian Plunkett, "He's pretty literally a rebel hunter. His whole task is to investigate any sort of instance of local insurgency and see if it's the beginnings of what could become a rebellion." Moreover, he's ambitious, and sees any victory over rebels as something he can use to climb the ranks of the Empire. Kallus is not in the position to command a fleet of Star Destroyers, adds executive producer Dave Filoni. Kallus is on the ground, leading stormtroopers in face-to-face battles against anti-Imperial groups -- and his combat skills are impressive, including the use of a modified version of Zeb's honor guard staff. "I don't know that Kallus would think that what he's doing is really evil," Filoni says. "He's just doing his job for the Empire, and he believes in the Empire... So, Kallus -- definitely an interesting character and one to watch out for. Especially if you're a rebel." Enjoy! | |
|
