Check Out What’s New for Celebration V This Week

from StarWars.com:

Only 4 Weeks Left Until Star Wars Celebration V!

Travel Discount Deadline Last Chance to Receive Exclusive Rates — July 21
LAST CHANCE to book discounted travel for Celebration V is July 21. Book your stay in Orlando this August through our official Travel Desk, powered by OnPeak and save! With rooms starting as low as just $65/night, getting to Celebration has never been more affordable. Don’t wait — book today! Reminder: OnPeak is the only official housing partner associated with Star Wars Celebration V. While other companies may contact you offering housing, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with Star Wars Celebration V.

Mark Hamill and Gary Kurtz at Celebration V!
Actor Mark Hamill, whose portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars Saga has captured the imagination of generations of fans, will make his first United States Star Wars Celebration appearance this August 12-15 in Orlando, Florida. Hamill, whose acting career has encompassed scores of appearances in movies and television shows as well as critically acclaimed appearances on Broadway, will help mark the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back along with scores of fans at the huge four-day festival at the Orange County Convention Center. Fans can meet Hamill in person in the Celebration Autograph Hall, run by Official Pix, where he is scheduled to sign autographs Friday and Saturday, with the possibility of extending to additional days. The actor is also scheduled for a rare appearance on the Celebration Stage. And in more guest news, producer Gary Kurtz will make a first-time appearance in the Celebration Autograph Hall at Star Wars Celebration V! Kurtz, who began his career with writer/director George Lucas as a co-producer on American Graffiti, produced A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. In addition to his production duties on Empire, Kurtz shouldered some of the second-unit directing duties of the film. He produced and directed the animated fantasy movie The Dark Crystal, working with Muppet creator Jim Henson and with the creator and voice of Yoda, Frank Oz. Recently Kurtz produced the British television series Friends and Heroes. Visit the Guests page, for more information. Don’t miss Mark Hamill and Gary Kurtz at Star Wars Celebration V!

Program Grid
Star Wars Celebration is four days of a galaxy far, far away dropped smack dab in the middle of Orlando. But what does that mean, really? It means non-stop presentations, workshops, contests, screenings, and special events in over a dozen stages, panel rooms, and screening rooms. Want to know when Empire Strikes Back is playing? Want to know when to check out the R2 Builders? Or maybe you want to know about everything else? Then check out the CV Event Schedule online now!

Get Your Exclusive Celebration V Gear — Only Available Online Until July 25
Don’t wait — this week marks your final opportunity to pre-order exclusive Celebration V t-shirts in advance of the event to ensure they don’t sell out before you get yours! Onsite quantities will be limited. Check out the website for details on mailing/pick up.

Star Wars Insider Announces Comic-Con and Celebration Plans
To mark the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, Titan is releasing a special tribute issue of Star Wars Insider with an exclusive Han Solo in Carbonite cover, available at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International and at Star Wars Celebration V. This 100-page commemorative issue includes interviews with the cast and crew of The Empire Strikes Back, including: George Lucas, (story and executive producer), Irvin Kershner (Director), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett). The magazine also features interviews with the team behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars looking back on The Empire Strikes Back, 50 amazing facts about Empire, and an Empire merchandise guide. Plus, much more must-have material for all Star Wars fans. A special Empire cover, which features Han Solo in Carbonite, is available to purchase at the Titan booth at Comic-Con (stand #5537) and Celebration V (booth #521, part of the Gentle Giant booth). Visitors to the Star Wars Insider booth at Comic-Con and Celebration V will receive a FREE exclusive Star Wars Insider bookmark. Readers can keep up to date with more news and announcements from Star Wars Insider at the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/StarWarsInsider. For more information, visit: titanmagazines.com.

Breaking News!
For more information about Star Wars Celebration V, visit the official site at starwarscelebration.com and be sure to check back next week for breaking news you won’t want to miss!

RiffTrax: Cole Stratton and Janet Varney Suck the Life Out of the Lost Boys!

from RiffTrax:

Let’s get one thing straight: Vampires don’t sparkle in the sun; they burst into flame. Yes, they sleep all day, party all night, wear dangly earrings, ride motorbikes on the boardwalk and enjoy concerts by long-haired shirtless greasy saxophone players, but they JUST. DO. NOT. SPARKLE.

Joel “Can we please stop talking about how I put nipples on the Batsuit?” Schumacher’s 1987 teen vamp flick The Lost Boys is everything Twilight wishes it could be and then some. SWOON over pretty boy Michael (Jason Patric) and his vamp nemesis David (Kiefer Sutherland, peroxided beyond recognition)! LAUGH at those wacky comic-book collecting vamp hunters The Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman, who probably doesn’t remember making this movie, and Jamison Newlander, who probably doesn’t get remembered for making this movie)! SCREAM at Corey Haim’s horribly dated wardrobe! And SIGH wondering why Dianne Wiest and Edward Herrmann signed on to be in this thing. Oh… and… something about Jami Gertz.

Get it here.

Factory Entertainment: Comic-Con Exclusives, Golden Gun LE Direct Store Bonus and more!

from Factory Entertainment:

It’s that time of year again! In this week’s newsletter we have a ton of announcements regarding all of our San Diego Comic-Con plans, including exciting convention exclusives! Booth #4044 is going to be “the place” to be and we can’t wait for you to stop by! We’re also very pleased to announce a special and limited exclusive to those of you who have already ordered or are about to order the James Bond Golden Gun Limited Edition from our online store. If you haven’t ordered from us yet, there are now MULTIPLE reasons that you should. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this opportunity… Here we go!

Factory Entertainment — Booth #4044 — July 22-25 — Exclusives

James Bond Golden Gun Limited Edition ‘Q-Branch’ Blue Print
• 11” x 14” Size
• Giclee Print on high quality 140lb archival stock
• Hand Numbered — Limited to just 500 pieces
Just $15 each at the Factory Entertainment booth #4044 while supplies last. Each purchase also includes a special discount coupon, good for a $10 discount on any single item priced over $50 at factoryent.com!

The Prisoner Miniseries 5 Card Prop Set
• Each card features a piece of an original prop used in the filming of the miniseries.
• Limited to 200 sets
• Price $30 each

The Prisoner Miniseries Convention Exclusive Factory Set
• 72 Card Miniseries Base set
• Every set includes 2 exclusive Prisoner Miniseries Promo Cards:
No 1 : Ian McKellen miniseries Hand-Signed Autograph Card
No 2 : Patrick McGoohan Gold Foil Classic TV Series Facsimile Signature Card
• Each set also includes 1 random hand-drawn Sketch Card by one of the following artists: Clayton McCormack, Stacey G, Don Pedicini Jr, David Desbois, Bill Pulkovski, MO, Thanh Bui
• Limited to 400 sets
• Price $35 each

The Green Hornet Black Beauty Limited Edition ‘Green’ Print
• 11” x 14” Size
• Giclee Print on high quality 140lb archival stock
• Hand Numbered — Limited to just 500 pieces
Just $15 each at the Factory Entertainment booth #4044 while supplies last. Each purchase also includes a special discount coupon, good for a $10 discount on any single item priced over $50 at factoryent.com!

On Display
Besides the many exclusives available to purchase at our booth, we’ll also have many items on display for the first time ever, including upcoming releases as well as sneak previews of future products. You will be able to see items from great licenses like:
The Green Hornet
The Princess Bride
The Beatles
Universal Monsters
…and more!

…which leads us to our next HUGE announcement for Comic-Con…

James Bond 007 Original Props On Display
We’re incredibly excited and honored to announce that we will have a number of original ‘screen used’ props from different classic James Bond movies on display in our booth. The props are graciously on loan from the EON Productions archives and make a rare public appearance. Don’t miss them, booth #4044.

Golden Gun Limited Edition — Factory Direct Exclusive
Some great news for every customer who has already placed an order or is about to place an order for the LE Golden Gun directly from our online store, factoryentstore.com. Included at no extra charge will be a set of 5 exclusive golden bullet replicas available nowhere else! That’s right, they are absolutely free and are our way of saying thank you for buying ‘Factory Direct.’ Hurry, this offer is only while supplies last. (If you’ve already placed a pre-order for the LE Golden Gun, you don’t have to do anything. The exclusive bullet set has already been added to your order.)

Green Hornet Contest Winners!
Congratulations to Rick from Kentucky and Tim from Michigan on winning an autographed copy of the amazingly detailed book, The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics, and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson. Interested in ordering a copy for yourself? Click here to purchase.

Follow us on Twitter, we proudly add to the mostly inane babble but we also throw in more than the occasional gem!

VIZ Media Announces Special New Promotion for “InuYasha” Feature Films and TV Episodes Available from iTunes, Hulu and VIZAnime.com

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media announces a new promotion for InuYasha episodes and feature films (all rated “T” for Teens) available now from the iTunes Store in the U.S. and Canada (iTunes.com), as well as the streaming content provider Hulu (Hulu.com) and VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime.

iTunes will offer the first three InuYasha feature films (dubbed) — InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time, InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass, and InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler, for a special Download-To-Own (DTO) sale price of $4.99 (U.S.) each until August 3rd. Additionally, InuYasha TV episode 1 is available to download for FREE, and episodes 2-167, covering Seasons 1-7, will be 50% off and available for iTunes users to download for only $0.99 each.

Hulu will stream InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time (subtitled) for free until August 11th; it will also be available during the same period on VIZAnime.com, the free-to-use interactive web destination that is the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series.

InuYasha is a hit TV anime series is based on a massively popular manga (also published by VIZ Media, rated “T+” for Older Teens) by famed creator Rumiko Takahashi, who won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award for the series in 2002. Many of Takahashi’s titles have been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. The InuYasha anime series ran for 167 episodes in total and has also spawned an exciting finale series, InuYasha: The Final Act (also available on VIZAnime.com), as well as several successful feature films.

InuYasha
When an enchanted well draws her into the past, Kagome, an ordinary modern schoolgirl, finds her destiny tied to the doglike half-demon InuYasha and a mythical gem called the Shikon Jewel, or “Jewel of Four Souls,” of which the smallest shard can grant the user unimaginable power. Throughout their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, InuYasha and Kagome have never faced an enemy more deadly or more cunning than the demon mastermind Naraku. With the Shikon Jewel nearly whole and in Naraku’s hands, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies and a battle of epic proportions is brewing on the horizon…

InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time
200 years ago, InuYasha’s father sealed away a powerful demon from a foreign land named Hyoga. A Shikon Jewel shard awakens Hyoga’s son, Menomaru, inspiring him to absorb the remains of his father’s power to take control of the world! It’s now up to InuYasha and his friends to stop this nearly invincible foe!

InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
With their greatest foe seemingly defeated, InuYasha and his friends return to their lives. But their short period of peace is once again shattered as a new enemy begins to emerge. Kaguya, the self-proclaimed Princess from the Moon of legend, begins a plan to plunge the world into a perpetual night of the full moon. InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo must once again unite to face a new threat.

InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler
Many years ago, the Great Dog Demon wielded the Three Swords of the Fang. Upon his death, he bequeathed a sword to each of his sons, InuYasha and Sesshomaru, leaving the third sword, the wrath-filled Sounga, locked away forever. Now that the Sounga’s power has been awakened, these two battling brothers must put away their sibling rivalry and face off against the force that spells doom for all mankind.

To learn more about the InuYasha anime and manga series, please visit VIZAnime.com or ShonenSunday.com.

RiffTrax Live: Reefer Madness! In Theatres Nationwide August 19th!

from RiffTrax:

The stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 take on the legendary cult classic Reefer Madness for an evening of hilarious riffing! Let RiffTrax’s own Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett bring you to a higher state of consciousness with their signature brand of rapid fire comedy! This event will be broadcast live to movie theaters nationwide on Thursday, August 19 at 8:00pmET / 7:00pmCT / 6:00pmMT and 8:00pmPT (tape delay). Audiences will also be treated to the world premiere of three new shorts!

View the announcement here.

Check Out What’s New for Celebration V This Week

from StarWars.com:

Only 5 Weeks Left Until Star Wars Celebration V!

Sith Virus Attacks G4!
This August, the Star Wars universe merges with our own when Star Wars Celebration V comes to Orlando, Florida. The ultimate Star Wars party, from August 12-15, it’s a festival for fans of the Star Wars movies, television series, toys, games, and more. Of course, while the Star Wars universe spilling into our own means an influx of Jedi, it also means an invasion of Sith Lords, Smugglers, and Bounty Hunters. In fact, this invasion’s already started to take hold of the internet and a Sith Virus is starting to spread, causing glitches across G4TV.com, StarWars.com, and StarWarsCelebration.com. We need your help to track it down! There are twelve pages spread across G4TV.com, StarWars.com, and StarWarsCelebration.com that have been infected with this Sith Virus, and if you can decipher the clues, find the pages, and locate the glitches, you’ll have helped us save the internet. And you’ll have a chance to win a few prizes, too! One First Prize Winner takes home two pairs of 4-Day tickets to CV, two pairs of tickets to Last Tour to Endor at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a Gentle Giant Statue, and a new Xbox 360 Slim from G4! Additional winners take home 4-Day tickets to CV, along with other cool prizing. Want to enlist? Visit G4TV.com/glitch to get started and help us track this virus down!

Last Chance to Order Tickets with Delivery to your Door!
Don’t miss the convenience of having your Star Wars Celebration V tickets mailed to your door. Be ready at the opening bell, and enjoy all the excitement this huge event has to offer, by ordering your tickets online by this Sunday! Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 PM EST is the absolute last moment you can order your tickets and have them mailed to your door. There’s no additional cost for standard postage when you order online. Once you have your ticket you’ll be able to walk right into Celebration without stopping at the registration desks. If you wait until July 12, you’ll still be able to buy your ticket — you’ll just have to wait in line! Avoid those long lines on the first day of the show, and order your tickets now! *Please note: International tickets will not mail and must be picked up onsite.

New “I Love You/I Know” Couples T-Shirts Added for Pre-Order Today!
Check out our newest Celebration V t-shirt, complete with the famous taglines, “I Love You/I Know”, available now for you and your significant other to wear together at Celebration V! BUY TODAY! Note: The deadline to order these shirts is July 25th. They will not be mailed to you, but can be purchased on-site at Celebration V. Therefore, you must have a valid Celebration V event badge to purchase these shirts.

Warwick Davis at Celebration V!
Film and television actor, and seasoned Celebration host, Warwick Davis will attend Celebration V, signing autographs and meeting fans in the Celebration Autograph Hall! Davis, who has frequently hosted at the Celebrations, will be able to spend more time with fans at the show in Orlando. Always a favorite with audiences, Davis will also appear on stage to share stories about his fascinating career, and entertain questions from the audience. Davis has been well known to Star Wars fans since his career-starting performance as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and in the television films Ewoks: Battle for Endor and Caravan of Courage. Warwick returned to the galaxy far, far away in 1997 with several roles in The Phantom Menace.

Weta: Sir Ian McKellen and new District 9 gun

from Weta:

Listen to Ian McKellen on the Weta Cast
Gandalf himself, Sir Ian McKellen, made a stop at Weta Workshop during his stay in Wellington last week. Sir Ian was in town with Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, which is currently touring after a successful run in London. We met in the Weta Cave and had a few words with the always gracious Sir Ian. Daniel has also interviewed French sculptor Pierre Matter. He was at Weta last year — this interview has been “in the can” for a while, but that has not made it any less interesting. Regardless whether you are or aren’t familiar with Pierre’s work, you should tune in and visit his website so you get the visual stimulants along with the interview. Pierre’s work is awe inspiring. Get Episode XVI of the Weta Cast here!

NEW! Arc Generator Miniature
Joining the Assault Rifle in Weta’s range of miniature alien weapons from District 9 is the familiar Arc Generator. Familiar because its full-size counterpart is just about to be delivered to the lucky ones who pre-ordered. Order Your Arc Generator Miniature Here! This is an incredible miniature model of the full size gun, cast in metal it carries significant weight. Dave Tremont has done a fantastic job with Greg Broadmore’s iconic design.

Download and print our Comic-Con Specials!

Doctor Who Helmet Extravaganza!
Does your alien 1/4 scale helmet collection need a boost? For a week, we’re offering these helmets at US$20 OFF! That’s US$39 | GBP25 for the Cyberman Leader Helmet and for Lord President Borusa’s Headdress and US$29 | GBP19.20 for each of the other four. Gorgeous, incredibly detailed pieces of metal, each on its own stand and weighing in around 2 lbs, these helmets represent some of the creepiest aliens ever seen on the small screen, lovingly modelled by David Tremont, Weta’s resident Wholigan. And thanks to some international currency fluctuations we’re able to offer these at a fantastic price.

Dinner and Tall Tales with Dr. Grordbort’s Venusian Hunting Party!
Join Dr. Grordbort and his team for tales of Venusian rustics and ray guns in an ‘out of this world’ dining experience. The hunting party will meet at the Weta Cave and be escorted to Cafe Polo for a sumptuous four course dinner in an exclusively themed setting. More information and how to book!

Weta Cave museum change-out — tell us what you think should be in the cabinets!
Once a year, the Weta Cave gets a make-over. The mini museum has some of its displays replaced with new and exciting props, costumes, weapons, dummies and all sorts of objects from Weta’s recent as well as distant past. Go to the forum on the Shadow and Flame and tell us which are your favourite Weta props and make a case for why they should be on display.

We’re also having a book launch at the Weta Cave 14 August. Read more about this event on Facebook.

Follow Weta Online! Twitter | Facebook

“Star Wars” Celebration V: Last Chance to Get Your Tickets by Mail

from StarWars.com:

IMPORTANT ALERT FROM STAR WARS CELEBRATION V
Celebration V Ticket Mailing Deadline — THIS Sunday, July 11!*

Don’t miss the convenience of having your Star Wars Celebration V tickets mailed to your door. Be ready at the opening bell, and enjoy all the excitement this huge event has to offer, by ordering your tickets online by this Sunday!

Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 PM EST is the absolute last moment you can order your tickets and have them mailed to your door. There’s no additional cost for standard postage when you order online. Once you have your ticket you’ll be able to walk right into Celebration without stopping at the registration desks. If you wait until July 12, you’ll still be able to buy your ticket onsite, but you will need to stop and purchase to get your physical badge.

We will move the onsite purchase lines at Celebration V just as quickly as we possibly can, but demand will be high. Would you rather spend that first part of your first morning purchasing your ticket, or would you rather spend it on the show floor; in a laser tag battle with Stormtroopers; checking out acclaimed Star Wars artists in the Celebration Art Show; or meeting Ben Burtt, Ray Park, and Carrie Fisher? You don’t need a Jedi Mind Trick to help you figure out the right answer!

Step it up! Order your Star Wars Celebration tickets before 11:59 PM EST on July 11 to get them mailed to your door!

*Please note: International tickets will not mail and must be picked up onsite.

New Fiction and Other Fun Offerings from Tor.Com

from Tor.com:

It’s No Small Offering
But it is “Small Offerings,” a short story by Nebula and LOCUS Award-winning writer Paolo Bacigalupi. Originally published in Pump Six and Other Stories, and like many of the stories in that collection, “Small Offerings” takes us to a near future where… well… I really don’t want to spoil Paolo’s beautifully-timed reveals. Suffice it to say I’m glad it’s not the future yet.

Baby, Don’t Hurt Me
Whether you’re a terminally clumsy teenager with a thing for a terminally moody vampire or just an average couple living on Mockingbird Lane, Scott Brundage says that love is love.

WANTED!
Ross McDonald, for the crime of being totally awesome. An artist and letterpress enthusiast, Ross makes paper props for movies, most recently the wanted poster for Jonah Hex, featuring Josh Brolin’s scarred-up mug. He takes us through his process and his discussions with the studio as well as some history on wanted posters.

As Long As Mark Wahlberg Doesn’t Cover It…
Jason Heller has been finding us a lot of lesser-known science fictional musical gems, and this week, it’s Jermaine Jackson’s “Escape from the Planet of the Ant Men.” Overshadowed by “Thriller” and sadly lacking a cool music video — perhaps one could be mixed from Star Trek and Them! — the song is an unabashed tribute to classic science fiction, and only one example of this Jackson’s attempts to fuse SF and pop music.

AHH!
The frogs have taken over Dan Goldman’s Red Light Properties!

Rewatch Central
This week on Torie Atkinson and Eugne Myers’ Star Trek rewatch, the Enterprise crew faces  “The Ultimate Computer.” (And then Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was like, “Nuh uh.”)

Reread Corner
Leigh Butler has reached the heights! She wraps up The Path of Daggers with chapter 28 and chapters 29-31; the reread index is here.

In The Lord of the Rings reread, Kate Nepveu takes us to “The Houses of Healing.”

Fun factoid:
The epic Isner-Mahut tennis match at Wimbledon lasted longer than all three Lord of the Rings theatrical releases; by the time Isner won, after eleven hours and five minutes of play, they were just twenty minutes short of lasting as long as the special editions. That’s some serious warrior spirit.

Celebration V and Cartoon Network Present the “Star Wars” Ultimate Fan Getaway!

from StarWars.com:

Orlando is already one of the great vacation capitals of the world — but from August 12-15, it will be one of the hottest vacation destinations in the whole galaxy! Celebration V is coming to Florida, and one lucky fan is going to win a family vacation to the biggest Star Wars party EVER. Cartoon Network is proud to present the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway — a chance to travel to “a galaxy far, far away” in style, and a pad that would make Lando Calrissian jealous. Winners will receive:

  • Round trip travel for four from anywhere in the continental US
  • Transportation between the Airport and Peabody Orlando Hotel
  • Four Jedi Knight VIP tickets to Star Wars Celebration V
  • A Star Wars Dream Suite in the Peabody Orlando Hotel

The centerpiece of the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway is the Dream Suite — a two-level hotel room at the Peabody Orlando Hotel, directly across the street from Star Wars Celebration V and the Orange County Convention Center. The Suite will be fully decked out with Star Wars décor and accessories from Lucasfilm’s licensees and licensing archives — including DVDs, video games, action figures, collectibles, toys, apparel and household items, along with a treasure trove of rare, vintage collectibles from the Lucasfilm vault! And don’t worry: all the items will be packed and shipped to the winner’s home address at the conclusion of Celebration V!

Want to enter? It’s simple! Just visit cartoonnetwork.com/getaway by July 9th! Good luck and May the Force be with you!

Check Out What’s New for Celebration V This Week

from StarWars.com:

>>INTERCEPTED MESSAGE FROM THE JEDI TEMPLE
>>Begin Encrypted Communication

With summer in full swing, the Celebration V plans are heating up! Check out all of the latest updates, and take advantage of these incredible opportunities!

Star Wars Spike 4th of July Trivia Contest: Celebrate Your Freedom from the Galactic Empire!
Get ready as Spike presents the complete Star Wars Saga — all six movies — on July 3rd and 4th! Throughout the marathon, Star Wars Celebration V is presenting a series of trivia questions. If you can answer all six, you’ll have proven yourself a Jedi Master and be entered to win fabulous prizes, including tickets to the show this August! From four-day passes to the show and Last Tour to Endor event tickets, to limited-edition collectibles and DVD sets, we’re hooking you up with some serious Star Wars swag. Simply tune in this weekend, starting Saturday, July 3rd, catch the trivia questions on-screen, and click here to enter. May the lucky Force be with you!

Celebration V and Cartoon Network Present the Star Wars Ultimate Fan Getaway!
Orlando is already the vacation capital of the world, but from August 12-15th, it’ll be one of the hottest destinations in the galaxy! One lucky Star Wars fan will win a family vacation to Celebration V, the biggest Star Wars party EVER! Cartoon Network is proud to present the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway — a chance to travel to “a galaxy far, far away”, and stay in a pad that would make Lando Calrissian jealous. Winners will receive: Four Jedi Knight VIP tickets to Star Wars Celebration V, A Star Wars Dream Suite in the Peabody Orlando Hotel, Round trip travel for four from anywhere in the continental US, Transportation between the Airport and Peabody Orlando Hotel. The centerpiece of the Star Wars Ultimate Getaway is the Dream Suite — a two-level hotel room, decked out with Star Wars décor and accessories from Lucasfilm’s licensees and licensing archives! You’ll have your fill of DVDs, video games, action figures, collectibles, toys, apparel and household items, along with a treasure trove of rare, vintage collectibles from the Lucasfilm vault! And don’t worry — everything gets packed and shipped to your home address at the end of CV! Enter here by July 9th: cartoonnetwork.com/getaway. Good luck, and May the Force be with you!

Purchase your CV tickets today, with delivery straight to your door!
When you purchase your Celebration V tickets before July 11th at 11:59 PM (EST), you’ll receive them in the mail in advance of the show. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Tickets purchased after July 11th require an on-site pick up, and who wants to spend valuable show time waiting in line? Go to starwarscelebration.com now and purchase today!

Don’t Miss Out on Discounted Hotels!
You know you’re coming, so now it’s time to secure a great hotel room for as low as $65 a night! Book now by simply going to starwarscelebration.com and follow the link to take advantage of our exclusive hotel rates. You have until July 21st to benefit from these amazing discounts, so don’t delay! Reminder: OnPeak is the only official housing partner associated with Star Wars Celebration V. While other companies may contact you offering housing, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with Star Wars Celebration V.

Sport your Celebration pride by wearing exclusive CV gear now!
Got your tickets and hotel secured? Now it’s time to pre-order exclusive Celebration V t-shirts — available online now, with direct shipment to you! The deadline is July 25th, so head to the Celebration Store today and select your gear! Note: You must already be a Celebration V ticket holder to purchase these exclusive T-shirts online. International orders will not mail, and must be picked up on-site at the Official Celebration Show Store.

Weta: Mad Max, Prawns and Saturn Awards

from Weta:

Weta to work on Mad Max: Fury Road
We’re thrilled to announce our involvement with Mad Max: Fury Road, a long-awaited continuation of the Mad Max suite, the last installment of which, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, premiered 25 years ago. Read More Here!

Christopher Johnson and son — Prawns in District 9
Exiled by fate to an alien and hostile planet where he is placed in a ghetto and forced to survive on black market pet food, Christopher Johnson is on a relentless quest to escape. With the help of his son and a few close confidants, he has managed to scrape together enough alien fuel to attempt a get-away. Beneath his ramshackle shelter hides a secret waiting to be unearthed. It’s now or never. From Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, Weta brings you a sculpture of the two hero “prawns” as they are condescendingly referred to by the humans of Johannesburg. They stand amid the rubble that is both their immediate source of nourishment and also offers a faint glimmer of hope to a people marooned. Preorder the Prawns Here!

Avatar scoops it big at Saturn Awards and District 9 Best International
The 36th Annual Saturn Awards (The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy & Horror Films) were awarded recently and not surprisingly, Avatar and James Cameron featured heavily. Weta Digital’s Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Letteri, Visual Effects Supervisor Stephen Rosenbaum and Animation Director Andrew R. Jones along with Animation Supervisor Richard Baneham of Lightstorm, were recognised with a Best Special Effects award. Huge congratulations!

Xenofi… Fenoxy… Xenodefugio Subtiltus
Trust Greg Broadmore, evil genius and creator of Dr. Grordbort’s to come up with a name like that. All we know is that this is a fantastical insect specimen, even if it is from Venus, and it would look awesome in any home. That only 50 are hand made here at Weta Workshop also makes it into a highly sought-after collectible piece of art. It joins the two previously released specimens, the Blue Sacked Pillock and the Nandy Duke which were released earlier in the year. Order yours here!

Dr. Grordbort’s Exceptional Exhibition moves to Shanghai
After Sichuan and Hong Kong, it’s time for Dr. Grordbort’s Exceptional Exhibition to travel to Shanghai. This was announced at a press conference with actor Jackie Chan, director Stanley Tong and Richard Taylor. The exhibition will open in Shanghai on 8 August, during the World Expo that’s currently taking place in Shanghai.

You are keeping up to date with the Comic-Con Updates we hope?

Minas Morgul? Doors of Durin? Rivendell? Lothlorien?
Since we announced our return to Middle-earth a year ago, we have released The Argonath (sold out), Bag End and The Prancing Pony environments from The Lord of the Rings. What should be next? Minas Tirith? Grond? Orthanc? The Green Dragon? Black Gate? Join in the discussion and vote!

Gandalf — where art thou?
There is a persistant rumour that Gandalf may have visited Weta recently to re-acquaint himself with Glamdring? You will HEAR more next week…

Last Chance for Collectors! Running Out…
Warning flags have started pinging in our stock reports — some products are getting very close to selling out. The time for hesitation is past. Now is the time for ACTION:

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