Key dates in Star Wars: December

December

1 December

Riz Ahmed is born (1982)
Riz Ahmed was born today in 1982 in Wembley, UK. A talented actor, Riz has won an Emmy Award and has received nominations for a Golden Globe and three British Independent Film Awards. In 2016 he played Bodhi Rook Rogue One.

2 December

Keith Szarabajka is born (1962)
Today in 1962, in Oak Park, Illinois, US, Keith Szarabajka was born. Keith is an actor, having played Mickey Kostmayer in 1980s tv show The Equalizer. Keith is also a successful voice actor. From 2014-18 he played Cikatro Vizago in Rebels.

3 December

Basil Tomlin is born (1937)
In Hendon, London, today in 1937, Frances Alfred Basil Tomlin was born. In 1977 he played the uncredited part of BoShek, a pilot in the Mos Eisley cantina who declines transport for Obi-Wan Kenobi and directs him toward Chewbacca in Star Wars.

4 December

Jedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple 5 published (2019)
Today in 2019 the final part of the Marvel Comics Jedi: Fallen Order - Dark Temple was published. Part 5: The Collapse of all Things concludes the story of Jedi Master Eno Cordova & Padawan Cere Junda, tying into the video game Jedi: Fallen Order.

5 December

Age of Republic - Qui-Gon Jinn 1 published (2018)
Today in 2018, Age of Republic - Qui-Gon Jinn 1, the first issue of the comic book anthology series Star Wars: Age of Republic, was published. Set before The Phantom Menace, the comic follows Qui-Gon Jinn as he questions his role as a Jedi Master.

6 December

Declan Mulholland is born (1932)
On this day in 1932 Declan Mulholland was born in Belfast, NI. Declan was originally cast as Jabba the Hutt in Star Wars in 1977. George wanted an alien for the character but technology could not deliver and the footage ended up being cut.

Other events on this day...
Clone Wars Cartoon Season 3 DVD release (2005)

7 December

Kenneth Colley is born (1937)
Today in 1937 Kenneth Colley was born in Manchester, UK. A successful actor who was in a number of film and TV shows, including being Jesus in the Life of Brian, Kenneth played Admiral Firmus Piett in The Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi.

8 December

Rick Baker is born (1950)
In 1950, today in Binghamton, New York, Rick Baker was born. Rick is a special make-up effects creator known for his creature effects & designs. He worked on A New Hope & was creature supervisor for the cantina sequence in The Holiday Special.

9 December

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia published (2008)
Today in 2008, The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia was published. It was the second edition of the Star Wars Encyclopedia to be published and was written by Steve Sansweet and Pablo Hidalgo.

10 December

Scott Capurro is born (1962)
Scott Capurro was born today in 1962 in San Francisco, California. Scott is a comedian, writer and actor, who provided the voice for Beed, the green head of the podrace announcer in The Phantom Menace and the video game Star Wars: Episode I Racer.

11 December

The prop for Luke Skywalker's lightsabre was auctioned off for $240,000 (2008)
The auction house, Profiles in History, held an auction today in 2008 in Los Angeles. Amongst the movie memorabilia auctioned was a prop lightsabre used by Mark Hamill in Star Wars (A New Hope) and The Empire Strikes Back, which sold for $240,000.

12 December

Leslie Schofield is born (1938)
Today in 1938, in Oldham, Lancashire, UK, Leslie Schofield was born. Perhaps most famous in the UK for his role as Jeff Healy in the popular soap opera 'EastEnders' from 1997 to 2000, Leslie portrayed Chief Moradmin Bast in A New Hope in 1977.

13 December

Star Wars: The Old Republic first day of early access (2011)
Today in 2011 Star Wars: The Old Republic had its 1st day of early access. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), produced and released by BioWare, SWTOR took over 5 years to develop by BioWare & LucasArts costing over $200m.

14 December

UK release of The Last Jedi (2017)
Today in 2017, Episode VIII of the Skywalker Saga was released in the UK. The Last Jedi was written & directed by Rian Johnson and divided the fandom on its release: some fans rated it the best Star Wars movie and others claimed its the worst.

15 December

UK release of Rogue One (2016)
In 2016, on this day, the first of the standalone Star Wars movies (the anthology movies) was released in the UK. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of how the plans were obtained ahead of the Rebel attack on the first Death Star.

Other events on this day...
US release of The Last Jedi (2017)

16 December

US release of Rogue One (2016)
A day after its UK release, today in 2016 saw the US release of the anthology movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Movie. With an estimated budget of $200m, the film managed a US box office of over $532m and a worldwide box office of over $1.056bn.

17 December

UK release of The Force Awakens (2015)
Today in 2015, Star Wars returned to British cinemas after a hiatus of 10 years with Episode VII: The Force Awakens. With an estimated budget of $245m, the JJ Abrams directed film grossed $2.068bn globally and kicked off the Sequel Trilogy.

Other events on this day...
Rian Johnson is born (1973)

18 December

US release of The Force Awakens (2015)
In 2015, a day after the UK, the Force Awakens was released in US cinemas today. The film is 7th in the Skywalker Saga returning to the galaxy 30years after Return of the Jedi. The Jedi are, again, missing from the galaxy & darkness has returned.

19 December

UK release of The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Today, 2019, saw the release of the ninth episode of the Skywalker Saga in the UK. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the third and final installment of the Sequel Trilogy and was directed by J.J. Abrams from a script by himself and Chris Terrio.

Other events on this day...
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III released (2010)

20 December

US release of The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Today, 2019, the last part of the Skywalker Saga is released in the US. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the final part of a story spanning over 40 years, which ignited imaginations worldwide, making Jedi, Sith & lightsabre household words.

Other events on this day...
The Old Republic computer game released (2011)

21 December

Samuel L. Jackson is born (1948)
On this day in 1948 in Washington, D.C. Samuel L. Jackson was born. Samuel L. Jackson is a highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 150 films. From 1999 to 2005 he portrayed the purple lightsabre wielding Jedi: Mace Windu.

22 December

Hugh Quarshie is born (1954)
Today in 1954, in Accra, Ghana, Hugh Quarshie was born. The British actor has had a long-running role as Ric Griffin in the BBC medical drama Holby City (2001-present). However, in 1999 he played Captain Quarsh Panaka in The Phantom Menace.

23 December

Sebastian Shaw died (1994)
Today in 1994, Sebastian Shaw died in Brighton, Sussex, UK. During his 65-year career, he appeared in dozens of stage shows and more than 40 film & TV productions. In 1983, he portrayed an unmasked & redeemed Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi.

24 December

Star Wars Resistance shorts "Unmotivated" and "The Need for Speed" released on YouTube (2018)
Its Christmas Eve, and today in 2018 the Star Wars Resistance shorts 'Unmotivated' and 'The Need for Speed' were released on YouTube. These were both part of the first season of Star Wars Resistance and were numbers 8 and 9 of 12 shorts in total.

25 December

Star Wars was released as La Guerra de las Galaxias in Argentina (1977)
Merry Christmas / Happy Life Day to eveyone!

On this day in 1977 the original movie 'Star Wars' was released as La Guerra de las Galaxias in Argentina

26 December

Temura Morrison is born (1960)
Today in 1960 in Rotorua, New Zealand, Temura Morrison was born. Temura began acting 1972, across TV and movies. In 2002 he portrayed Jago Fett in Attack of the Clones. As the character was the template for the clones he also depicted the clones.

27 December

Carrie Fisher died (2016)
Today in 2016, in Los Angeles, California, at the relatively young age of 60, the Princess who stole all of our hearts died.

Carrie Fisher: actress, writer, comedian and mum had lived a full life and is still sadly missed by us all.

Other events on this day...
UK release of 'Star Wars', which later became A New Hope (1977)

28 December

Stan Lee is born (1922)
Today in 1922, Stan Lee was born in Manhattan, New York. The comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer rose through the ranks to become Marvel Comics' primary creative leader. In 1976 he, finally, agreed to produce Star Wars comics.

29 December

Diego Luna is born (1979)
In 1979, today in Toluca, Mexico, Diego Luna was born. He has appeared in many films, including Y tu mamá también, Open Range, Milk, Rudo y Cursi & "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights". In 2016 he portrayed Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

30 December

Catherine Taber is born (1979)
Today in 1979, in Georgia, US, Catherine Taber was born. Catherine has been involved in Star Wars since Knights of the Old Republic in 2003 (playing Mission Vao). But, she is best known for playing Padmé Amidala in The Clone Wars cartoons.

31 December

Chris Terrio is born (1976)
On Staten Island, New York, today in 1976, Chris Terrio was born. Chris wrote the screenplay for the 2012 film Argo (got Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay). In 2017 it was announced he would co-write The Rise of Skywalker with J.J. Abrams.