Home Top

Little-known anchor becomes overnight star with rant against Obama: Angry speech about President's 'half-baked' ISIS policy goes viral - being viewed one million times... and counting
Teacher 'killed her husband and infant son' and lay with their corpses for two days until she was discovered by a realtor during open house
How to read a novel in 25 minutes... and still remember all the plot! Impossible? Not if you master a few ingenious tricks
EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump pictured in uniform as a cadet captain - before he dodged the Vietnam draft with four deferments and a 'bone spur''
Transgender reporter Zoey Tur accused of battery of reporter after 'threatening' him in Caitlyn Jenner debate
Police reveal new DNA evidence against suspect in DC mansion slayings and that CEO and his housekeeper 'were strangled to death'
Heroic mom smashes car window to rescue little girl, 2, locked inside in 100F - and is then confronted by owner 'who was more concerned about the damage to his vehicle'
FBI recovers Chattanooga gunman's 'anti-American diary' which reveals his anger at the war on terror, a growing dependence on drugs and his desire to commit suicide and become a 'martyr'
Revealed: Murderer had been exploring tunnels underneath prison for SIX MONTHS before staging 'Shawshank' escape
Rachel Dolezal the black hair stylist: Former lecturer now does weaves and braids for women in a salon after losing her job in race row
Woman, 18, 'fights off HIV without drugs': Doctors say patient who stopped treatment 12 years ago may have undiscovered form of resistance to the virus
'It made her shut up which made me happy': Diner owner under fire for yelling at crying toddler defends her actions
'Drunk' driver who killed four young women in New York birthday horror car crash told police he 'drank beer' before fatal wreck
Hollister's storied history of its 'free spirited surfer founder John M. Hollister' was completely MADE UP to make the lifestyle brand more appealing
Social media star who was caught on tape pressuring his 16-year-old girlfriend into oral sex sparks concern after threatening to 'kill himself' following online backlash
Husband of missing Virginia woman pleads for help after she disappeared during journey home from her mother's house
Dated Kate? The Duchess of Cambridge is a throwback to the 1500s, says top academic
George's 2nd birthday? A quiet tea with granny: Low key celebration with the Middletons and Prince's young friends as guests
Men linked to stray bullet killing of Massachusetts woman were both in the country illegal after being ordered for deportation years ago
Russia warns US-led military exercises may have 'explosive consequences' as 1,800 troops from 18 countries begin 'morale boosting' training drills in western Ukraine
13 Going on 30 actress Judy Greer reveals how hard it is to turn 40 for women in Hollywood with a candid personal essay
Co-founder of streaming site Grooveshark found dead at Florida home aged 28 - just months after company shut down for good
Former AC/DC drummer explodes at cameraman as he arrives home from court to find out he has been locked out of his mansion
Samsung's Galaxy S6 Plus spotted: Leaked image claims to show the clearest view yet of firm's upcoming Android smartphone

Star Wars creator George Lucas to be honored at Disney D23 fan event that could screen new The Force Awakens footage

Published: 17:45 EST, 14 July 2015 | Updated: 19:33 EST, 14 July 2015

View
comments

He's long been a legend of pop culture, but now Star Wars creator George Lucas will be officially honored by Disney at its fan conference.

The award has led to speculation that the conference will also be where Disney releases a glimpse of the highly-anticipated new film Star Wars- The Force Awakens.

Lucas will be named a Disney Legend at the biannual D23 Expo in Anaheim, California next month, the Walt Disney Company announced on Tuesday.

Scroll down for video

Mastermind: Star Wars creator George Lucas speaks onstage at the Tribeca Film Festival in April

The reboot's new director JJ Abrams skimped on actual footage from the film at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego, making many fans desperate to see a real new trailer.

Meanwhile, Disney has confirmed that exclusive new footage and game play from video games Star Wars Battlefront and Disney Infinity 3.0, which features Star Wars characters, will be shown at the D23 Expo.

Fans will get a chance to try out the new games with hands-on previews.

Fan favorites: Harrison Ford thrilled fans when he joined original Star Wars stars Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill at Lucasfilms' Star Wars - The Force Awakens panel at Comic-Con on Friday

Neither Marvel Studios or Lucasfilms showed any new Star Wars film footage at Comic-Con, leading to speculation that Disney was keeping the best content to unveil at its upcoming D23 conference.

Marvel Studios, which is owned by Disney, left many fans disappointed when it skipped Comic-Con presentations this year.

However, Lucasfilms' Comic-Con presentation thrilled fans by reuniting original Star Wars actors Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford and screening a three-minute, behind-the-scenes video on the set of Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Force Awakens. The highly-anticipated film will be released in the US on December 18, 2015.

Behind-the-scenes: Director J.J. Abrams, right, rallies the crew on set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the video screened for fans at Comic-Con

The video revealed characters getting into their costumes, interviews with the cast, sets being built, majestic scenes of the desert planet Jakku and even explosions.

Hamill, 63, who starred as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy filmed in the 1970s and 80s reflected in the video: 'Real sets, practical effects, you've been here but you don't know this story.'

Also at Comic-Con, actors including Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie talked about filming the new Star Wars movies with director J.J. Abrams, who also attended the panel.

New generation: Actors Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson and Gwendoline Christie speak to fans at Comic-Con

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - the Comic-Con 2015 reel

Star Wars: Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac attended the Lucasfilms' presentation to discuss working with JJ Abrams on the set of The Force Awakens

After the presentation, fans were sent into a frenzy when they were given light sabers and ushered to a special symphony concert featuring music by Star Wars composer John Williams.

The event sent fans into raptures.

However, there was no new footage from The Force Awakens, leading to speculation that Disney will unveil the first actual look at footage from the film next month at its own fan event, where it will also honor Lucas.

Fighting back: Storm troopers go flying on the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

First look behind the scenes: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Fiery wreckage: The new Star Wars TIE fighter is seen after crashing in the new clip

Lucas famously wrote and directed the original Star Wars movies, creating a legion of die-hard fans and altering the course of pop culture.

The writer-director sold his company Lucasfilms, which produced the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, to Disney for roughly $4 billion in 2012.

He has since largely washed his hands of the Star Wars franchise, but the Disney Legends award may be a sign he's back in the fold.

Han Solo & Chewbacca are back in action in Star Wars teaser

Honored: Lucas arrives at the TIME 100 Gala celebrating 'the world's most influential people' in New York on April 21, 2015

Disney, meanwhile, has grand plans for Star Wars beyond the upcoming new movie trilogy.

Last week, it confirmed a spin-off movie based on Harrison Ford's character, space pirate Han Solo, to be released in 2018.

Fans can also look forward to Rogue One, a stand-alone Star Wars anthology movie that will follow the adventures of rebel fighters as they steal plans for the Death Star.