Marvel's "Star Wars" comic book series by Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, and Laura Martin was one of the biggest comics of the year when it launched at the beginning of 2015. Set between the first two films in the original trilogy, "Star Wars" follows the main cast of Luke, Han, and Leia as they continue to bring the fight to the Empire after the destruction of the Empire. 

And it just dropped a huge bombshell about Han Solo's past. 

Huge, huge spoilers for this week's "Star Wars" #6 below. 

Han has a wife, and her name is Sana Solo. 

Here's why this is such a big deal: When Disney took the reins of the "Star Wars" franchise, they wiped the slate clean—the only "official" story was the one that took place over six films and the "Clone Wars" animated series.

It was a drastic move shifting decades of beloved novels, video games, and comics from the realm of "could conceivably be an extension of the movies" to "definitely not an extension of the movies." While most of those stories aren't going away, it was upsetting to some fans to see a ton of great, ongoing Expanded Universe stories summarily swept away. 

What they did next was even more drastic: As of April 24, 2014, every new "Star Wars" story was an official part of the canon — that includes the "Rebels" animated series, the Marvel "Star Wars" comics that launched in 2015, and several novels — a contribution to the wider tapestry of the "Star Wars" universe. Everything counted. 

So yes, as far as Lucasfilm, Disney, and Marvel are all concerned, this is Han Solo's official backstory now. He has a wife named Sana Solo, following the events of Episode IV, and she is very, very mad at him. 

There is one caveat to this, though—since comic books are probably the most serial narratives in popular fiction, they thrive off misdirection and cliffhangers. It's possible that there is some explanation to this that'll downplay the legitimacy of this marriage, in order to keep the romance between Han and Leia intact. For now though, Leia is also mad at Han Solo, but she more or less can't stand him until the end of Episode V anyway. 

But maybe the people in charge really are serious about this new change, and want to put Han through the wringer a bit before sending him off to Hoth and all that "The Empire Strikes Back" entails. Whatever happens next, it'll be interesting.  

SEE ALSO: Why Mark Hamil felt forced to return for 'The Force Awakens'

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NOW WATCH: Disney just released a new 'Star Wars: Episode VII' trailer and it's incredible

George Lucas always knew that merch would be the big moneymaker for his "Star Wars" saga, which prompted him to take a $500,000 pay cut for the first "Star Wars" movie in order to retain the merchandising rights.

But even Lucas likely didn’t foresee the invention of a R2-D2 fridge that would deliver a beer to you on the couch.

Gizmodo reported that Haier Asia’s AQUA is developing a remote control fridge modeled after the iconic droid sidekick, and it's scheduled to debut in 2016.

The R2-D2 fridge has all the flashing lights and sounds fans will remember from the films, and can roll all around the house toting up to 12 cans inside its shell while you control it from the comfort of your favorite chair.

But if you simply can’t wait until 2016 to get your "Star Wars" chilled beverage fix, you can always buy a mini fridge modeled after Han Solo frozen in Carbonite. This fridge, while not as mobile as R2-D2, can hold up to 18 cans of soda and you can pick one up over at ThinkGeek for $150.

With the next film in the series, "Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens," set to be released on December 18th, don't be surprised if you see even more "Star Wars" merchandise in the near future.

SEE ALSO: George Lucas was scared to shoot this epic scene

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NOW WATCH: The original design of the Millennium Falcon in 'Star Wars' was completely different

Rumors that director Josh Trank's time might be over in that galaxy far, far away came to the surface when he was a shocking no-show at the "Star Wars Celebration" in April.

Pegged to direct a spinoff of the saga, his absence at the fan convention started whispers that he might get booted off the project. That was then confirmed two weeks after "Celebration" when Lucasfilm announced that Trank was no longer the director of their anthology film.

Trade papers The Hollywood Reporter and Variety made it sound like Trank — who is the director of the upcoming "Fantastic Four” reboot — was fired due to “erratic” behavior on the set of “Four” and that the director had a rift with its co-writer/producer Simon Kinder, who is also a producer on the “Star Wars” spinoff. However Trank, in his first interview addressing the matter, told the L.A. Times that he wasn't fired.

Trank said he walked away from the "Star Wars" universe because of the criticism he's taken from the “Fantastic Four” fan community.

“I want to do something original after this because I’ve been living under public scrutiny, as you’ve seen, for the last four years of my life,” Tank told the L.A. Times, referring to his time making "Fantastic Four.” “And it’s not healthy for me right now in my life. I want to do something that’s below the radar.”

Part of that “public scrutiny” was the decision to change the race of the The Human Torch, which will be played by Michael B. Jordan (“Fruitvale Station”). 

Trank also denies the allegations that he was erratic on the set of “Fantastic Four.”

Kinberg came to Trank's defense in the Times story: “This, I would say, is particularly cruel. I haven’t really seen this level of vehemence against a filmmaker. And it’s surreal and unfair."

Trank had spent a year developing the “Star Wars” spinoff, Lucasfilm is currently looking for his replacement as it continues to develop the project.

Filmmakers having to deal with passionate fans is nothing new, but since the advent of the Internet, and particularly social media, they have become susceptible to the positive and negative feedback on a more intimate level.

Following the release of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Joss Whedon shut down his Twitter account. Whedon told BuzzFeed it was because he was going to start writing a new project, but the death threats were probably a motivation to stop looking at his feed as well. 

And this quote from George Lucas — perhaps one of the longest sufferers of fan backlash — following the sale of Lucasfilm showed up in Vanity Fair’s May cover story on “The Force Awakens” and mirrors Trank's attitude:

“It was fine before the Internet… But now . . . it’s gotten very vicious and very personal. You just say, ‘Why do I need to do this?’”

SEE ALSO: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" nearly broke Joss Whedon

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NOW WATCH: There's a new trailer out for 'Fantastic Four,' and it has us excited about the reboot

It turns out the answer to a question that has puzzled "Star Wars" fans for decades was hidden in a Canadian library.

According to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), while trying to digitize the University of New Brunswick Library's science fiction collection, librarian Kristian Brown stumbled upon an early draft of the "Star Wars" script.

The script, which is marked as a "fourth draft," is dated March 15, 1976, well ahead of the film's eventual 1977 release. 

The most striking revelation centers around one of the most famous scenes in the film. 

While at the Cantina Bar, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is confronted by Jabba the Hutt's henchman Greedo, who demands Han finally pay Jabba the money he owes him. The two of them come to blows, and Han Solo emerges as victorious. While that isn't disputed, the real debate lies in whether Han or Gredo shot first. 

This is the famous duel:

It is difficult to tell whether Han or Greedo got the first shot in, and several updated versions of the film haven't helped to settle the debate once and for all. For instance, in the 1997 version, the scene was slightly altered to make it look as if Han was acting in self-defense. 

"I'll tell you one thing, right now," Brown told CBC, "Based on the script, I can tell you 100 per cent, Han shot first."

Among the small differences in this draft, Luke Skywalker was originally named Luke Skykiller. Meanwhile, it was also called "Saga I." It would eventually go on to be called "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope."

"No matter how many new things are made, it all basically came from this first thing. And it's just good to look back at the origins of the entire thing and not forget, you know, what came first," Brown said to CBC.

Watch the famous scene below:

SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars' spinoff writer tweeted 'Star Trek' fan Neil deGrasse Tyson for help on the movie

AND: Why the costumes in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' will be much different than in the original trilogy

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NOW WATCH: This is the only thing George R.R. Martin asked HBO before saying yes to 'Game of Thrones'

Reddit is the online forum where diehard fans of everything from "Goodfellas"to Katy Perry's dancing Super Bowl sharks congregate. 

So it makes sense that one of the most popular Ask Reddit threads this week had users divulging their favorite unauthorized and unofficial conspiracy theories behind popular TV shows, movies and books. 

"What 'fan theories' have blown your mind with their devastating logic?"user Exdee1 asked. Redditors were happy to deliver their answers — a special kind of fanfic lite where back stories are invented by avid readers and watchers of franchises like "Star Wars,""Harry Potter," and even "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

Fan theories are part of a larger trend on Reddit; there's one whole section of the site called /r/fantheories, and the fan theory question has been posed on Ask Reddit before.

Twenty-four hours in, this most recent thread had accumulated 10,000 comments and counting. Here are some of the best theories we found. (Just keep in mind — these are unofficial and all in good fun. What they show more than anything is just how obsessive certain online fan groups can be.)

"Scooby Doo" is more political than you thought

"The original Scooby Doo series is set after a horrible economic depression,"user King_of_Swag postulates. "Everything is abandoned and falling apart, and all of the villains are people who would normally be really respected (professors, museum curators, celebrities) who have fallen into hard times just like everyone else. How many times have the gang helped someone NOT go out of business?"

"I'm personally partial to the theory that they're draft dodgers during the Vietnam War,"says liljakeyplzandthnx, while linking to another subreddit that enumerates that particular theory. "The show takes place in 1969, a big year for protesters. Fred's a draft-dodger on the run, Daphne's his fiancée, Shaggy's a nomadic hippy, and Velma's a campus activist."

There's a reason "Inspector Gadget" has a soft spot for Penny

"Inspector Gadget is actually an android who's been programmed to believe he's really Penny's uncle,"yakusokuN8 writes. "Her real uncle was in a terrible accident, and left horribly disfigured, so that his voice is raspy, and his face is terribly mangled and never wants anyone to see it. That man is actually... Dr. Claw. Dr. Claw has been driven mad having lost everything and vows to destroy Inspector Gadget at every turn. This explains why Dr. Claw never hurts Penny, why a bumbling fool barely manages to function like a human adult, and why Dr. Claw is so hellbent on exacting revenge every episode."

"Aladdin" wasn't really set in the past

One redditor posted this meme, which postulates that the Genie in "Aladdin" was actually trapped in his lamp for 10,000 years, and that the world of "Aladdin" is actually post-apocalyptic. "How else could the genie do impressions of long-dead celebrities like Groucho Marx, Jack Nicholson, etc.?" it reads.

"The Magic School Bus" has a touch of "Doctor Who"

Reddit user psykulor postulates that fictional third-grade teacher Miss Frizzle, who owns a magic school bus that she uses to take her kids on field trips to caves, prehistoric times, and outer space, is a "time lord," borrowed from the "Doctor Who" franchise.

The evidence, according to psykulor:

1. She's cheerfully blasé about the most perilous situations - clearly a trait of the species.
2. She's in casual contact with aliens and parahumans.
3. Most notably, she has a device which allows her to travel through time and relative dimensions in space (though she clearly prefers shrinking to time travel).

"The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" opening credits hid a dark secret

"Will was murdered on the basketball court in West Philly,"user Naweezy posted. "The taxi driver is God (that's why we felt that the cab was different or "rare") [...]  God takes him heaven where he lives in a mansion with his wealthy aunt and uncle and slowly works out his issues and hardships."

In "Star Wars," the Emperor wasn't even focused on fighting the rebel forces

One user, BlackClaw24, dug deep into the archives of Reddit and located an exhaustive post from a similar thread started three years ago. It explains how the Emperor in "Star Wars" was not antagonizing Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, et al. Instead, he was preparing for extra-galactic invasion.

The thread goes on and on, and is a must-read for anyone who likes diving deep into the politics of "Star Wars."

Crossover theories

Of course, redditors don't stop at theories that explain the backstories of just one franchise at a time. They also put a considerable amount of thought into whether the fictional worlds of distinct movies and shows overlap.

Kevin from "Home Alone" becomes the twisted villain from the "Saw" movies

"I'm a big fan of the theory that Kevin from Home Alone grows up to be Jigsaw,"writes DTRmageddon, linking to a Grantland story by Jason Concepcion diving deep on that particular hypothesis.

George Weasley from "Harry Potter" becomes Willy Wonka

"George Weasley goes on to become Willy Wonka,"user PM_Me_Your_Asian_Self writes. "The scene where Willy has half of everything in his office kinda hints that he lost his better half, that is his brother who died."

This one seems like it could have legs — until you remember that the source material for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" was written by Roald Dahl 33 years before the first "Harry Potter" book was published.

Plus, as user TomatoSlayer puts it, "I doubt even with magic could he make the snozzberries taste like snozzberries."

There's a link between "Sons of Anarchy,""Cops,""The X-Files," and more

"Sons of Anarchy shares a universe with Raising Hope, My Name is Earl, Cops and X-files,"lokigodofchaos writes. "So in an episode of Raising Hope, Jimmy is going door to door for some reason. One of the doors he knocks on is answered by Filthy Phil wearing his Sons of Anarchy vest. On the first episode of Raising Hope, it me[n]tions a New Jersey man finally finished his karma list, a reference to My Name Is Earl. In an episode of Earl, they appear on Cops. The X-Files also had a Cops crossover."

Read farther down on that thread, and you'll see some redditors have pushed this even further to include "30 Rock" and "Arrested Development."

All of Quentin Tarantino's movies are connected — not just "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs"

Tarantino himself has admitted to the overlap between the worlds of two of his earliest films, "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction." Redditors have taken this even further, striving to link every one of Tarantino's films — even the World War II film "Inglourious Basterds." One redditor says the character called the Bear Jew is the father of a character in Tarantino's other film, "True Romance."

Click here to read dozens of redditors' extensive Tarantino theories.

"Fight Club" and "Ferris Bueller" share one specific plot element

Redditor pbbtttb links to SlashFilm's theory that in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Ferris doesn't exist. Instead, he's a manifestation of the more introverted Cameron's id — just like Tyler Durden, Brad Pitt's character in "Fight Club."

Click here to read even more insane fan theories.

SEE ALSO: A librarian found the original "Star Wars" script in a library and it settles one of the biggest fan debates of the film

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NOW WATCH: Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' just turned 40 — watch the original 1975 trailer

Legendary British actor Christopher Lee passed away at the age of 93 Thursday morning. Starring in over 250 films, he's best known for playing Dracula on numerous occasions from the 1950s-1970s in cult horror films made by British production company, Hammer.

In the last ten years his large 6'5" frame made him perfect for playing intimidating roles in Hollywood blockbusters like "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" films as the evil Saruman, as well as Count Dooku in the "Star Wars" prequels.

Lee is part of one of the most exciting moments from the first three episodes of the "Star Wars" saga with his fight against Yoda in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones." Pulling off the fight sequence was a nerve-racking experience not only for George Lucas and his team, but for Lee as well, who was 79 at the time of shooting.

Here's a look back on how it was pulled off.  

10 years later in the saga, "Attack of the Clones" finds Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and is reunited with Senator Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) following an assassination attempt on her. Skywalker is assigned to protect Senator Amidala while Kenobi investigates the attempted assassination. Skywalker and Amidala soon fall in love, while Kenobi learns of the Republic’s clone army and the Separatists’ battle droids led by renegade Jedi master, Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). This leads to the beginning of the Clone Wars. 

The film concludes with Kenobi and Skywalker facing off against Dooku. Once Dooku fights them both off, Yoda enters the battle for a sequence most “Star Wars” fans never thought was possible.

Showing how far the computer graphic wizards at Industrial Light and Magic have come, we watch Yoda have a dazzling lightsaber battle with Dooku.

This goose-bump inducing scene took years to pull off and many sleepless nights for George Lucas.

“To be very honest with you, I was scared to death of this sequence and how we were going to pull this off,” Lucas said on the commentary of the Blu-ray of “Attack of the Clones.” “This was the biggest risk in the whole movie. Could I make this realistic enough to make it believable, or would it be this ludicrous joke.”

It was far from that. Let’s break it down.

Yoda enters the fray by facing off with Dooku using their powers of the Force.

First Dooku tried to throw the rocky ceiling on Yoda.

Dooku then tried to uses his electric power on him, but Yoda sends it right back at him.

When neither finds an advantage they turn to their lightsabers. Yoda uses the Force to unhinge his lightsaber from his holster to his hand and then prepares for battle.

Yoda and Dooku fight throughout the hanger.

Dooku finally ends the duel and escapes by using to Force to land a large generator on top of Kenobi and Skywalker. 

But Yoda uses his powers of the Force to protect them.

There was a lot of tweaking that went on with this sequence before we all finally saw the finished product.

The original script had Yoda entering the Dooku fight right when he appears in the hanger. But some of the senior members of ILM, including visual effects supervisor John Knoll and animation director Rob Coleman were able to convince Lucas to draw the sequence out a bit and include the exchanging of Force powers before Yoda and Dooku turn to lightsabers.

“[We] talked to George month after month about how we could make this real and believable,” Coleman said on the “Clones” Blu-ray commentary. “We felt if we got into the fight too quickly the audience would not be able to travel that distance from Yoda being an 800-year-old character to be able to go around with such speed and be nimble. So we talked to George about, what we called, ‘The Wizards' Battle’ and we added this into the sequence because I think it really helps us as an audience to travel with Yoda to find the inner strength and energy to fight this evil Jedi master, this Sith lord.”

And another decision made before production began was to have a “digital double” of Christopher Lee. Though Lee boasts he holds the record for most sword fights in front of the camera than any other actor, the legend was 79 at the time of shooting, so a majority of his shots in the sequence were done by a stunt double.

Then when the double's face could be revealed on camera, it was replaced digitally by Lee's face. And in regards to knowing where Yoda would be when they filmed the actors for the scene, a small Yoda doll was used on set as a reference point for the actors.

Lucas even had fun with Lee by placing a pair of fangs on the Yoda doll to tease Lee of his legendary performances as Dracula in the 1960s.

The part that brought the most anxiety was making Yoda digital. 

In the theatrical release of “Episode I,” Yoda was still a puppet (a digital version replaced the puppet in the 2011 Blu-ray release of the film), so this was the first time an audience saw the 800-year-old Jedi Master sans Frank Oz (who not only did Yoda's voice but operated the puppet).

One of the biggest challenges for the animators was keeping that puppet feel.

Coleman and his team poured over footage of Yoda from “The Empire Strikes Back” to give their digital version authentic mouth movements and even have Yoda’s ears bounce slightly as the puppet version did.

But for the fight with Dooku, they had to create the believability of Yoda moving quickly. Lucas and Coleman spent months painstakingly going over the sequence that the animators created. They had to make a lot of decisions where Yoda was concerned: Will Yoda have a robe or won't he while fighting? They also had to make sure Yoda wasn't moving too fast in the battle, but enough to prove he was still a master of his craft. 

Lucas said he knew the sequence would work when he saw Yoda's incredible entrance.

"I was worried right up to the point where the animators showed me the shot where he walks in and looks tough," he said. "Suddenly, Yoda in his acting, I believe this was a tough character you had to look out for… This is what we've been waiting for."

Watch the Yoda/Dooku fight below (beginning at the 2:30 mark).

SEE ALSO: How a simple wooden plank helped create the greatest fight in "Star Wars: Episode I"

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If you’re a fan of “Star Wars” you might know the legend of the lost 25-minute short film that accompanied the theatrical release of “Empire Strikes Back” in 1980.

Directed by “Empire” art director Roger Christian, “Black Angel” is a stunning short film set in medieval times that follows a knight who battles a ghost-like warrior for the soul of a young girl.

Shot on a budget of £25,000 in Scotland with a nine person crew, four actors, and two trained horses, “Black Angel” only played during the theatrical run of “Empire” overseas, including 400 theaters in the UK. But word quickly got to the States of the amazing work by Christian.

Lucas, who fully supported the short, told people that the slow-motion lightsaber battle dream sequence between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in "Empire" was inspired by a slo-mo fight sequence in “Black Angel.”

And a year later, when the Hollywood epic “Excalibur” opened, word spread that director John Boorman (“Deliverance”) encouraged everyone on set to watch “Black Angel.”

Unfortunately, it has taken roughly 35 years for the film to finally be shown again.

“Black Angel” was considered lost forever when Christian believed the only negative in existence was destroyed when the UK's Rank Laboratories, where the film was stored, went out of business in 1995.

As the Internet came along fans, of "Black Angel," and those just curious to see it, would not let the spirit of the film die as it gradually built a cult following, with stories written about it and forum discussions dedicated to it spreading over the years.

Then around 2011, Christian got word that original elements of the film were discovered at Universal Studios.

Christian began to get the word out.

The film was shown at a few film festivals last year. Then last month it was uploaded onto YouTube.

Now that the short is available, it’s the perfect time for Christian to go forward with what he originally wanted to do — make the story into a feature length film.

He currently has Rutger Hauer (“Blade Runner”) and John Rhys-Davies (“The Lord of the Rings”) to star in the feature version and has started a Indiegogo campaign to raise $100,000. 

Watch "Black Angel" below.

SEE ALSO: A librarian found the original "Star Wars" script, and it settles one of the fan debates of the film

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When it comes to building franchises, Hollywood tries desperately to stay consistent. If the first movie is a hit, studios will try their hardest to keep the same directors and actors on board as long as possible.

But there are instances in which change is necessary. Sometimes for the betterment of a movie, but sometimes they leave viewers scratching their heads.

From "Batman" to The National Lampoon "Vacation" franchise, check out the most notable recastings in movie history.

In 1980's "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" we see the Emperor for the first time as he speaks to Darth Vader via holograph. The Emperor was actually played by Elaine Baker, then wife of special makeup effects legend Rick Baker. The voice was done by New Zealand actor Clive Revill.

For the next film in the saga, "Return of the Jedi," George Lucas recast the role with Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid, who not only went on to play the Emperor in the prequels, but was placed into the "Empire" scene when Lucas updated the films in the early 2000s.

Though Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance as Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs" (and would play the part two more times), he wasn't the first to star as the good doctor.

When it comes to building franchises, Hollywood tries desperately to stay consistent. If the first movie is a hit, studios will try their hardest to keep the same directors and actors on board as long as possible.

But there are instances in which change is necessary. Sometimes for the betterment of a movie, but sometimes they leave viewers scratching their heads.

From "Batman" to The National Lampoon "Vacation" franchise, check out the most notable recastings in movie history.

In 1980's "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" we see the Emperor for the first time as he speaks to Darth Vader via holograph. The Emperor was actually played by Elaine Baker, then wife of special makeup effects legend Rick Baker. The voice was done by New Zealand actor Clive Revill.

For the next film in the saga, "Return of the Jedi," George Lucas recast the role with Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid, who not only went on to play the Emperor in the prequels, but was placed into the "Empire" scene when Lucas updated the films in the early 2000s.

Though Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance as Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs" (and would play the part two more times), he wasn't the first to star as the good doctor.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne keeps lightsabers worth more than £140 ($217) in the Treasury, the Daily Mail reports.

The replica weapons from the "Star Wars" films were given to the chancellor by Lucasfilm in 2013, before the studio announced that the seventh instalment of Star Wars would be filmed in the UK.

Because of their price tag, the lightsabers are held by the Treasury, instead of the minister, the Mail said.

"Replica lightsabers, these toys are," a Treasury spokesman confirmed, after the nugget of information was revealed in a freedom of information request, The Times said.

The Treasury would not say which colours the lightsabers are, though the standard blade colours are blue or green for the heroic Jedi and red used by the villainous Sith.

The gift is fitting for Osborne, who is a huge "Star Wars" fan. In May, he announced that the eighth episode of "Star Wars" would become the fourth instalment to be filmed in the UK.

Production of "Star Wars Episode VIII" will be based at Pinewood Studios with a release date scheduled for 2017.

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NOW WATCH: These ants have a unique defense that's like something right out of 'Star Wars'

Rejoice, China! 

For the first time ever the original “Star Wars” trilogy — “A New Hope,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi” — will screen in mainland China.

The films are currently being shown during the Shanghai Film Festival, however, Yahoo Movies reports Disney has no plans of showing the films outside of the festival venue.

“Episode IV: A New Hope” opened in the US in 1977 and though it also played all over the world, it didn’t make it to China as the country was in the wake of their Cultural Revolution, in which Chairman Mao Zedong banned the import of foreign culture. 

Hollywood films began making its way into the country in 1986, meaning Chinese citizens had the opportunity to see the “Star Wars” prequels — “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones,” and “Revenge of the Sith” — during their original theatrical releases in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

The prequels are also screening at the Shanghai Film Festival.

However, it's likely many in China have seen bootlegs of the saga over the decades. The six-DVD box set currently sells around $12 in the Chinese commercial city.

But this is still a clever move by Disney.

As China is the largest film market outside of the US, it’s good to give the country an opportunity to get properly caught up on the complete saga before the latest “Star Wars” chapter, “The Force Awakens,” opens December 18.

SEE ALSO: "Star Wars" spinoff writer tweeted "Star Trek" fan Neil deGrasse Tyson for help on the movie

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NOW WATCH: The original design of the Millennium Falcon in 'Star Wars' was completely different

Malloy Aeronautics designed a hoverbike prototype and is working with the US Department of Defense to develop more for the military. 

Video courtesy of Malloy Aeronautics

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A former child actor who most notably played a young Anakin Skywalker in 1999's "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace," was arrested in South Carolina after leading police on a high-speed chase.

Actor Jake Lloyd, whose real name is Jake Broadbent, was charged last week with resisting arrest and failing to stop for a police car's blue flashing light, Colleton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Monday.

Broadbent, 26, is being held on a $10,700 bail at the Colleton County Detention Center, about an hour away from Charleston.

The high-speed chase occurred after officers attempted to pull over Broadbent but he instead sped up and started passing cars and "driving in a reckless manner ... and endangering the safety of the motoring public," according to the statement. 

The former actor drove his car off the road, through a fence and into a wooded area where he came to a stop after crashing into some small trees, police said.

In addition to "The Phantom Menace," Broadbent also starred in 1996's "Jingle All the Way," opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. His last role, according to movie database IMDB.com, was in 2005's "Madison."

(Reporting by Robert Mezan for Reuters TV, Writing by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by David Gregorio)

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Morgan Stanley is out with a note on Disney wondering about what kind of numbers the new "Star Wars" movie will do at the box office.

The firm puts its "base case" on what "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will bring in at $1.95 billion, up from $1.6 billion previously.

But this estimate might be too low; and the firm knows it.

In a note to clients on Wednesday titled "Are We Bullish Enough on Star Wars?" Morgan Stanley's Benjamin Swinburne raises the firm's outlook for what the seventh "Star Wars" installment will bring in at the box office.

Morgan Stanley's "base case" breakdown assumes $650 million at the US box office and $1.3 billion internationally.

This would make the new "Star Wars" the third-highest-grossing title of all time. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is set for release on December 18.

And while part of what factors into the firm's outlook for "Star Wars" is the increased international box-office receipts from mega-hits like "Furious 7," the unbelievable performance of "Jurassic World" in the past few weeks sort of makes you think the firm may not, in fact, be bullish enough on "Star Wars."

When we threw out this number on Twitter, folks including CNBC's Carl Quintanilla and RW Baird's Michael Antonelli were quick to jump on this idea.

And what's more, back at the end of 2014, we highlighted what moviegoers saw as the most anticipated films of 2015.

The new "Star Wars" was No. 1, while "Jurassic World"— the $1 billion box-office powerhouse — was just No. 5.

Morgan Stanley does, however, see a scenario in which "Star Wars" brings in $2.25 billion, with $750 million coming in domestically and $1.5 billion coming from international theaters. This would make it the second-biggest box-office hit of all time behind "Avatar," which brought in $2.79 billion.

Overall, Morgan Stanley maintains an "Equal-Weight" outlook on Disney shares as the stock is now at a six-year premium to its peers (meaning shares are more expensive relative to other media companies' than they have been since 2009), and the company continues to see pressure in advertising revenue from its ESPN segment.

Even so, Morgan Stanley thinks the new "Star Wars" will be a "wildly profitable" film for the company.

SEE ALSO:  Disney just released a new 'Star Wars: Episode VII' trailer and it's incredible

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More than 500 Star Wars collectibles, in fact, which will be auctioned by Duke’s Auctions in Dorchester, UK, on Thursday, July 2.

The sole collector hopes to net about £50,000 ($102,000) from the sale, which represents his work pulling it together over the past 15 years.

The vendor told local media it’s “as complete a collection as has ever been amassed”.

“I have endeavoured to find examples in as near to mint condition as possible, and I have always sought original packaging and good condition in all the items I have purchased.”

Highlights include a Jawa with original vinyl cape and Boba Fett with “rare rocket launcher attachment”, but there’s plenty of Millennium Falcons, R2-D2s, land speeders and TIE Fighters up for grabs.

Some, such as the Kenner sets based on the original trilogy, are expected to go for up to £800 apiece. Up to £450 is expected for a collection of 16 characters and their variants, including “Han Solo with small and big head” and “Lando Calrissian with white and uncoloured teeth”.

Others – namely, items from The Phantom Menace – might be lucky to sell at all.

But it’s an extraordinary single-owner collection. Here’s the top 15 items according to their expected price:

A Steel Art production Tom Edgies ‘R2-D2’ created 10/10/10 from scrap metal, with certificate - £80 - £150

A Kenner ‘Return of the Jedi’ laser rifle carry case with original packaging - £240 - £280

 A set of six Hasbro saga ‘Toys R Us’ exclusive and non-exclusive action figures including Darth Vader, 2002 York Toy Fair and others, all in original packaging - £250 - £300

A Kenner Star Wars droid figure ‘R2-D2’, in original packaging - £350 - £450

A Kenner ‘Power of the Force’ electronic AT-AT walker, in original box, version 1 - £380 - £450

An ‘Episode One’ cast and crew jacket and hat, the black bomber jacket with an internal label “Jacket, Flyers Cold Weather Type CWU-45/P size extra large”, embroidered to the reverse “Star Wars Episode One” and to the front “Special FX Cast and Crew 1997, with matching cap  - £250 - £450

A rare Boba Fett figure with rocket launcher, rocket and gun - £350 - £450

A loose Jawa action figure with plastic cape - £300 - £500

A Kenner sonic controlled land speeder in original box - £450 - £550

A Kenner Power of the Force Tatooine skiff, boxed - £450 - £550

A Kenner Star Wars cantina adventure set in original box - £480 - £550

A Kenner Star Wars droid figure ‘Boba Fett’ in sealed AFA case, graded 75 - £550 - £650

A Palitoy Star Wars Droid Factory in rare black box - £600 - £800

A complete set of “Last Seventeen” action figures including A-Wing pilot, Brada and others - £700 - £900

A collection of 21 action figures including R2-D2, Romba and others

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We've known for a few months now what the brand new Stormtroopers would look like in J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" - both thanks to concept art and trailer footage - but a question that has remained is exactly why the classic uniform got an upgrade.

Now it seems we have an official answer, and it comes down to the fact that they are part of a newly-developing faction of the destroyed Empire that trying to get a strangle-hold on the universe.

This new bit of info comes courtesy of a reporter over at IGN, who has posted an interesting photo on his personal Twitter account. The image shows off the packaging of a brand new Stormtrooper action figure modeled after the soldiers featured in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and provides a backstory to where they came from:

Most of this description is the basic history of the Stormtrooper, from their origins in the Clone Wars to their time as the army of Emperor Palpatine, but it's the last two sentences that are really key:

Yet the tyranny of Imperial rule sparked rebellion, and the Stormtrooper legions were scattered in the aftermath of the Empire's fall. Now, the rise of the First Order ushers in the next chapter in the Stormtrooper's legacy as a new era of ruthless brutality begins.

It was during Star Wars Celebration back in April that we first learned about The First Order, but this new description both provides new details on their existence and an explanation as to why their Stormtroopers have a different look than those that served under the Empire.

As the action figure packaging notes, it makes sense that the uniforms would look slightly similar - as they have come to represent a certain amount of power in the Star Wars universe - but they're also clearly their own new thing.

This same idea is applicable to The First Order's logo - as seen in the last "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" trailer - as well:

There are still many secrets left to be unlocked about the villains of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," but all of our questions will be answered when the movie hits theaters on December 18th.

SEE ALSO: Here are two new Stormtroopers that will be in 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

AND: Why the costumes in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' will be much different than in the original trilogy

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Pinewood, the British film studio headquartered in the Buckinghamshire countryside near London, just revealed a jump in revenue and profits, and says it's being swamped by demand.

Pinewood has been around for 80 years but has experienced a boom in business in recently. Last year three huge franchises were filmed at its studios — the new Star Wars film, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the latest James Bond movie, Spectre.

Other films with links to the studio include The Theory of Everything, Cinderella and Disney's upcoming Alice Through The Looking Glass.

The company just released its full-year results, revealing a 17% rise in revenue to £75 million ($117.9 million) and an 18% rise in pre-tax profits to £5.8 million ($9.12 million).

But it could have done even better.

Chief executive Ivan Dunleavy says in today's statement: "Although we have hosted the three largest film productions of the year, being Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the 24th Bond film Spectre, we continue to be unable to meet all the demand from large films."

That's despite Pinewood being Europe's largest provider of sound and studio space. Across its three sites Pinewood has 37 stages. 

As a result Pinewood is planning a huge expansion of its operations in the UK. Plans include 1,000,000 sq ft of new facilities including 10 large stages with supporting workshops, production offices and infrastructure.

Construction has begun on the first phase of development, which Pinewood hopes will be finished by the middle of next year. Dunleavy called it an "an exciting development for the Group."

Once its done Pinewood is hoping it can lure even more blockbusters to its studios.

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Who doesn't want to take on Darth Vader's Imperial forces, carefully toppling a massive AT-AT walker as Storm Troopers scatter for their lives across the snow-covered hills of Hoth? Perhaps you're more of a Darth yourself, and the hippie dippy Rebel forces are the last distraction between you and inter-galactic dominance?

The upcoming "Star Wars Battlefront" wants to enable both of these fantasies – and many, many more. The game's developers at Electronic Arts-owned DICE in Stockholm, Sweden are going deep on fan service with "Battlefront," even taking the time to carefully capture all of the aging models of the original trilogy's most iconic components: the original Lightsaber, the Death Star, the X-Wing, and much more. 

DICE general manager Patrick Bach talked through the process of re-creation for "Star Wars: Battlefront" with Business Insider, as seen in the video above. The game arrives this November on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Here's a trailer of the game in action:

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San Diego Comic-Con is fast approaching.

The annual event, held at the San Diego Convention Center, will be held from July 9-12. 

Costumed fans will head out for a chance to see some of their favorite stars from film and TV, but also for the exclusive toys and items that can only be bought on the convention floor.

Hasbro will be among those to have a few special edition items at the Con, including the company's first toy for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," out in theaters December.

The 6-inch First Order Stormtrooper will be a part of the "Star Wars: The Black Series," and will be available for $25.99 at booth #3329 at SDCC.

If you're not heading to Comic-Con, you'll also be able to order the new "Star Wars" stormtrooper through HasbroToyShop.com.

The folks over at Hasbro sent over one of the new Stormtroopers. 

Let's take a look at what you can expect!

The packaging on the box is pretty impressive.

Disney and Hasbro aren't messing around.

Here's a look at the back of the box:

A look at the side panel tells us a little more on our friend inside!

Here's the text so you don't have to squint. It provides some excellent background on how the Clone Troopers went from a symbol for peace to one that was eventually feared in the galaxy.

Shock troopers clad in white armor first appeared on the Galactic stage during the opening battles of the Clone Wars. Clone Trooper armor became iconic almost immediately: its stark white design stood for hope that peace and stability might be restored to a galaxy at war. But this dream of peace died with the republic, and the empire that rose to take its place imposed order by any means necessary. Soldiers within the grand army of the republic were given a new name: Stormtroopers. as these former protectors of galactic peace mercilessly crushed resistance across the galaxy, their white armor came to symbolize oppression and the indomitable power of the Emperor's will. Yet the tyranny of imperial rule sparked rebellion, and the Stormtrooper legions were scattered in the aftermath of the Empire's fall. Now, the rise of the First Order ushers in the next chapter in the Stormtrooper's legacy as a new era of ruthless brutality begins.

Okay. Enough of staring at the package. Let's open this up and see the actual figure.

Though the box says ages four and up, the guns are a bit tiny. I'd be wary of giving them to a four-year old.

Heading back to the box for a second, you'll find there's a booklet in the backside. Let's take her out.

As the box suggests, the booklet tells the evolution of the Stormtrooper with simple drawings and text showing how it has changed over the years of "Star Wars" mythos.

The text reads:

From its earliest appearance during the Clone Wars, the iconic white armor of the Clone Trooper symbolized galactic peace and stability. Its design reflected the stark aesthetic of its Kaminoan creators, but it also drew inspiration from the Mandalorian shock trooper armor worn by clone template Jango Fett. Although Phase I armor offered superior protection in combat, it was uncomfortable to wear, particularly while seated.

There are only four phases, so let's go through them all real quick.

The Phase II armor was "significantly more comfortable." It was also significantly cooler.

Phase 3 consists of the classic Stormtrooper look from the original trilogy —a "symbol for terror and oppression."

And here's the fourth phase, the First Order Stormtrooper. Details on the new Stormtroopers are scarce. We're not surprised. Disney has been keeping everything "Episode VII" related under lock in key until the film's release — especially when it comes to merchandising.

We're sure we'll learn more about these Stormtroopers as the film's December release draws near.Here are all the helmets lined up side by side:

All right. Now back to the toy.

I'm about to do something that's going to make some toy collectors very upset.

Yes! I took him out of the box. 

The best thing about this Black Series First Order Stormtrooper is how remarkably poseable he is. Every joint — his hands, his knees, and even his ankles move.

The detail put into the actual figurine is incredible, too. 

The gun slips right into the Stormtroopers' hand with his finger steady on the trigger.

See that spot right there?

You can pop the little blaster right in there!

Most important, you can pose him to look exactly how he does on the box.

Next stop Comic-Con!

SEE ALSO: Marvel's "Star Wars" comic made a huge change to Han Solo

AND: Why the costumes in "The Force Awakens" will be different than the original trilogy

Join the conversation about this story »

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Pinewood, the British film studio headquartered in the Buckinghamshire countryside near London, just revealed a jump in revenue and profits, and says it's being swamped by demand.

Pinewood has been around for 80 years but has experienced a boom in business in recently. Last year three huge franchises were filmed at its studios — the new Star Wars film, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the latest James Bond movie, Spectre.

Other films with links to the studio include The Theory of Everything, Cinderella and Disney's upcoming Alice Through The Looking Glass.

The company just released its full-year results, revealing a 17% rise in revenue to £75 million ($117.9 million) and an 18% rise in pre-tax profits to £5.8 million ($9.12 million).

But it could have done even better.

Chief executive Ivan Dunleavy says in today's statement: "Although we have hosted the three largest film productions of the year, being Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the 24th Bond film Spectre, we continue to be unable to meet all the demand from large films."

That's despite Pinewood being Europe's largest provider of sound and studio space. Across its three sites Pinewood has 37 stages. 

As a result Pinewood is planning a huge expansion of its operations in the UK. Plans include 1,000,000 sq ft of new facilities including 10 large stages with supporting workshops, production offices and infrastructure.

Construction has begun on the first phase of development, which Pinewood hopes will be finished by the middle of next year. Dunleavy called it an "an exciting development for the Group."

Once its done Pinewood is hoping it can lure even more blockbusters to its studios.

Join the conversation about this story »

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