The Force will awaken in only 123 days, but Star Wars fans didn't learn anything new about the film at Disney's D23 convention in California at the weekend. Audiences at the biannual fan gathering did find out that Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow will be behind the camera for Star Wars: Episode IX, due out in 2019, and got a glimpse of the newly unveiled cast of Gareth Edwards' standalone spin-off film Star Wars: Rogue One, which will be released in December next year. But Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi and will be released on December 17, remains cloaked in secrecy. Director J J Abrams and stars Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, Lupita Nyong'o and John Boyega appeared in front of screaming fans at the event, but no new footage or information about the film was given. However, the first poster for the film was revealed at the event and on social media. It shows new characters Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), who is holding a lightsaber, along with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), his trusty blaster in hand, while the villainous Kylo Ren (Oscar Isaac) looms in the background. Joining the previously announced Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) in the cast of Rogue One, the first Star Wars standalone film, will be Diego Luna (Killing Them Softly), Danish actor Mads Mikkelson (from TV's Hannibal), Forest Whitaker (The Butler), Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline), Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen and genre fan favourite Alan Tudyk (from TV's Firefly). They will play a group rebels tasked with stealing the plans for the first Death Star, which are hidden inside R2-D2 at the start of the original Star Wars movie. – AP, The National Staff
Star Wars theme park plans unveiled
Also at D23, it was confirmed that Star Wars will be getting its own theme parks as part of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California. "We are creating a jaw-dropping new world," said Disney chief executive Bob Iger. The 14-acre attractions represent the largest single themed land expansion ever. Iger said Star Wars land will be "every bit as thrilling as the films", and will include attractions and entertainment in an area populated by aliens and droids. There will be a spaceport-style Cantina and one of the signature attractions will give visitors the chance to take control of the Millennium Falcon. One adventure also promises to put guests "in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance". Since 1987, Disney parks have had a Star Tours ride, which will get a facelift to reflect the new characters and worlds from The Force Awakens. Disney will also add an interactive Star Wars Launch Bay and introduce a seasonal event, Season of the Force, which will update Space Mountain to become Hyperspace Mountain, where guests will participate in an X-Wing battle. Disney also announced a new Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios, while filmmakers James Cameron and Jon Landau previewed the under-construction World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. – AP
Upcoming slate of Disney films
Disney also previewed upcoming live-action films Beauty and the Beast, a musical starring Emma Watson; the Uganda-set The Queen of Katwe, starring Lupita Nyong'o, and Alice Through the Looking Glass, a sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland. Fans also learned that Orlando Bloom will reprise his role as Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales alongside Johnny Depp. Fans also got a glimpse of the live-action/CGI film version of The Jungle Book, directed by Iron Man's Jon Favreau, which Disney executive Sean Bailey described as "the most technologically advanced movie ever". – AP
Ronaldo’s sister asks fans for help to realise Eurovision dream
Cristiano Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, has launched a Twitter campaign asking fans to back her bid to represent Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest. The 38-year-old began her musical career in 2005 under the stage name Ronalda, but became better known in Portugal after taking part in the Survivors TV series in 2014. She now wants to sing in next year's edition of the international music contest, which will be hosted by Sweden in May. "Eurofans, I would like you to back me to represent Portugal – A dream!" she wrote on Twitter. Her brother, the youngest of four children from Funchal, Madeira, plays for Real Madrid, captains Portugal's national soccer team and has won FIFA World Player of the Year three times. –AP