Disney and Lucasfilm have introduced a brand new story for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This put up shares particulars, idea artwork, and all the pieces we all know in regards to the change–plus our tried and true commentary about why Star Wars land wants to interrupt the principles.
This information was introduced through the “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase” or Parks Panel presentation through the 2024 D23 Expo on the Honda Heart in Anaheim, California. Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro supplied a sneak peek at idea artwork for the long run as well as and teased what was to return in a number of years.
This was simply one in every of a number of blockbuster bulletins for Parks & Resorts at Horizons, throughout which D’Amaro revealed a number of ‘shovel to soil’ initiatives that may come on-line within the subsequent 5 years, together with over a half-dozen additions that may debut earlier than the tip of 2025. He and head Imagineer Bruce Vaughn adopted via on their promise to ship concrete particulars and never simply tease extra ‘Blue Sky’ potentialities.
This announcement weirdly got here throughout a Fortnite portion of the presentation, when nearly nobody was paying consideration. Effectively, apart from the 1 million youngsters who had been watching the livestream from inside Fortnite. However so far as the adults within the room go, not an entire lot of curiosity.
In any case, Star Wars artistic govt Dave Filoni joined a bunch of different Fortnite people onstage to debate the upcoming addition to the attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at each Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. As Dave defined, the Lucasfilm crew makes use of Epic’s Unreal Engine to create a few of the digital units for “The Mandalorian.”
Now, with the expanded partnership between Disney and Epic Video games, Epic’s Unreal Engine will assist deliver to life the most recent journey in a galaxy far, far-off. When the upcoming “The Mandalorian and Grogu” film blasts off in theaters in 2026, it can additionally contact down at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. A brand-new story that includes Mando and his youngling is coming to Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
“The intersection of storytelling and innovation has at all times been central to Lucasfilm and we’re excited to see the place this collaboration will take us subsequent,” Dave advised the group. “Simply think about it: you’ll be capable of fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and harmful, missions.”
Anticipate to see this new mission bounce to lightspeed when “The Mandalorian and Grogu” hits the large display screen in 2026. That is the way in which.
Turning to commentary, I really feel like I “get” to pat myself on the again somewhat right here, particularly after the debacle the place I guess in opposition to the Monsters, Inc. Doorways Coaster, which can now be added (close by?) in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On this case, I first stated that Disney ought to have a look at buying a online game studio, because it was a significant blind spot for the corporate. Then they acquired a stake in Fortnite, after which I steered that Disney ought to use the partnership to replace sights and higher ‘gameify’ future ones. Then this occurred.
Extra importantly, I’ve persistently and repeatedly been advocating for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to have a mushy reboot. I’m not going to rehash all of that right here, however the backside line is that I’d prefer to see Batuu break the sacred timeline and use the setting of the land as a leaping off level for brand new adventures. (See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Must Break the Guidelines for my tackle all of that.)
A mushy reboot of the Star Wars land could be a chance to introduce beloved characters, use the catwalks within the land for mini-shows, and make the land extra lived-in because of droids and extra performers. They may additionally doing a take a look at run of a dinner present in Starcruiser at Walt Disney World for a future purpose-built venue within the land. All of this may breathe new life into the land and assist it lastly notice its full potential.
As issues presently stand, Millennium Falcon is arguably the third place Star Wars trip. Rise of the Resistance is the clear #1. And each time I do Star Excursions, I’m reminded of how good it’s. I’ve actually loved all the additions through the years, which maintain it related and recent.
I like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and suppose it’s a greater total expertise from begin to end, however the trip portion of Star Excursions blows it away. Think about how nice Smugglers Run might be if it mixed the settings of Star Excursions with the interactivity and full bundle of the Millennium Falcon?!
As an alternative, Smugglers Run is the Star Wars equal of working for UPS. (For many who take pleasure in deliveryman simulators, may I counsel Demise Stranding?) Heck, the asteroid area delay scene is best than the precise core gameplay of Smugglers Run! Level being, this attraction has a lot unrealized potential, and a extra compelling mission might be a whole gamechanger–elevating Galaxy’s Edge as an entire together with it.
To be completely trustworthy, I believed a brand new mission for Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run was a little bit of an unrealistic dream. Despite the fact that it could transfer the needle greater than anything on that record, I assume it could be the most costly factor to perform, and could be cost-prohibitive till the trip had been not less than a decade previous. I’m more than happy to see it’ll get a brand new mission sooner, and that includes fan-favorite characters Mandalorian and Child Yoda.
This reassures me that the opposite entries on that record even have a practical likelihood of adjusting throughout the subsequent 2 years (it was a jam-packed presentation, so it’s no shock extra granular particulars may’ve been omitted). It’s additionally reassuring that possibly Disney is listening to visitor suggestions about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and performing accordingly. To be clear, that is not me taking a victory lap or credit score for the change. Proper under the ‘mushy reboot’ for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on my D23 Expo wishlist was ‘extra Muppets’ and, nicely, that doesn’t seem like going so nicely.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you excited to see the Mandalorian and Child Yoda in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run? Do you hope the brand new mission is definitely thrilling? Do you suppose Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ought to break its personal guidelines or persist with the mounted timeline and story? What about Darth Vader and different authentic trilogy characters? Assume Galaxy’s Edge ought to give attention to enjoyable, canon, or a mixture of each? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
