A Shistavanen Makes a Long Awaited Return to Live-Action Star Wars!
Brace yourselves, Star Wars fans! The galaxy is about to get a little more wild (and hairy!). Get ready for Skeleton Crew, a new Star Wars series for Disney+ that's already making headlines for bringing back a long-forgotten alien race – the Shistavanen! These werewolf-esque creatures first appeared (then got cut!) in the Mos Eisley Cantina in A New Hope. Remember that funky scene full of crazy creatures in a dive bar? It was George Lucas' first vision of a galaxy far, far away.
The Shistavanens had a super short run. After they got canned in the Special Edition re-release of A New Hope, they’ve basically only existed in books and comics, like The High Republic. The appearance of this wolfy alien in Skeleton Crew marks a major comeback, 47 years after their original debut!
Skeletons and Shistavanen in the Cantina
If you're wondering, what’s Skeleton Crew all about, here's the scoop. It's kinda like The Goonies but set in Star Wars. Think young kids, space adventures, and those Easter eggs you only get if you really know your Star Wars history, all in one package. Skeleton Crew takes place in the same timeframe as The Mandalorian, which is super cool because the Shistavanen, if you remember, came before the Jedi, The Force, and basically every cool bit of lore we’ve known. So the inclusion of the Shistavanen feels kinda retro, as if we’ve stepped back in time to the first generation of Star Wars characters and stories.
The writers of this new series, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, are making a point of weaving in those little nods to classic Star Wars. It seems a Shistavanen fits in perfectly! After all, those alien creatures are basically the stuff of nightmares (especially with that furry face) which could make for some awesome sci-fi scenes.
Dave Filoni's Wolfy Obsession?
One person who’s always digging deep into Star Wars lore is Dave Filoni! He’s actually involved in Skeleton Crew, acting as a producer. It's his talent to uncover all these amazing, almost forgotten bits of Star Wars that he re-introduced to us. Take a look at Star Wars Rebels and you’ll see that Dave really digs the furry stuff. That Lasat race? He dreamt them up. And those Loth-wolves? Another creation by him, totally wild, totally furry! And let’s not forget the Clone Wars character, Wolffe, a super-serious dude who was actually part of the Bad Batch in that storyline!
Now we have all of that wolfy magic in Skeleton Crew, where you've got those Shistavanen, that reminds everyone that, hey, this isn’t a reboot or just a retread. They're digging up forgotten treasure and reminding everyone of what makes Star Wars cool. These little nuggets of detail really make Star Wars feel larger-than-life and even a little bit wilder than the last few Star Wars stories, which is something we can definitely appreciate.
Skeleton Crew: A New Adventure and a Fresh Vibe
The Shistavanen coming back, after all these years, kind of screams out " Skeleton Crew" is different. They're pushing the boundaries, having fun with it, and letting a whole lot of bizarre Alien Races (imagine how many others Lucas had tucked away, you know?) creep into the new generation of Star Wars movies.
The show promises some wild and imaginative worlds that are super unique and give us a little glimpse at a much broader scope of this Star Wars universe, as opposed to those straight-up re-releases. And the appearance of a creature that's a little weird, and possibly a bit terrifying for some? It feels refreshing, an exciting nod to the past with a clear commitment to building something really cool.
When and Where can You Catch Skeleton Crew?
You're going to want to catch Skeleton Crew on Disney+, but no official release date yet. And keep your eyes peeled because it looks like Disney will be teasing Skeleton Crew at the D23 convention, so look out for those trailers.
And, if we're going to get some real sci-fi chills with some funky space-werewolves and a brand new story, this will be a big one for fans! Remember those big alien crowds from the Cantina? Imagine getting a new crop of Star Wars aliens, but with some of those details and creature design of the OG movies!
