If you've seen Star Wars, Jurassic Park or RoboCop, then you know the work of stop-motion artist Phil Tibbett. Image source: Disney/Lucasfilm
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The Acolyte isn't the only new live-action series in the Star Wars universe launching on Disney Plus in 2024: Sometime Skeleton Crew will follow in winter 2024which, like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, takes place between episodes 6 and 7.
Jon Watts (Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) is responsible for Skeleton Crew, working with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau.
But not only that: apparently it could a true Star Wars specialist be convinced to get involved in the new TV series.
Back to Star Wars after 40 years
This means none other than Phil Tippett, who is considered a real special effects legend in the film industry. Wondering what he contributed to George Lucas' classic trilogy?
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As a stop-motion artist, Tippett has, among other things, taught the AT-ATs on Hoth to walk and brought to life the iconic chess scene with Chewie and C-3PO aboard the Millennium Falcon.
Tippett's work was also used in films like Jurassic Park and RoboCop: Thanks to them, gigantic dinosaurs and ED-209s stalked across the screen.
Fun fact: Tippett only published a particularly exciting project in 2021. The special effects artist worked on his stop-motion film Mad God for over 30 years.
Since there is no official trailer for Skeleton Crew yet, you can see Tippett's latest project for yourself with the following video.
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Mad God: Official trailer for Phil Tibbett's stop-motion film
Jon Watts personally said a few words about Tippett's role in Skeleton Crew at the CCXP in Mexico – like Collider reported:
I got to use so much cool stuff on my Star Wars series. We had pre-viz, mocap and we shot in The Volume – basically used everything there was. But the most fun was probably working with the old-school techniques. Phil Tippett took over stop motion. We worked with good, old oil paintings. A painter from ILM even came out of retirement just for this purpose. I enjoy it all, but ultimately it's a tool that you have to use properly.
It is currently not known when exactly Skeleton Crew will start on Disney Plus – isometime in winter/around Christmas 2024 it should be ready. The plot revolves around a group of children stranded in space who are picked up by a Jedi Knight (Jude Law).
More Star Wars in June
The next Star Wars series, The Acolyte, starts on Disney Plus on June 5, 2024.
In the official Star Wars timeline, this is placed around 100 years before the events of Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace and in the era of the High Republic.