An Unexpected galactic journey begins in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
One kid with a big imagination sends himself and his friends on an unbelievable adventure across the galaxy in the new Disney+ series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
Set in the New Republic era, this family fantasy series stars Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Encanto) as Wim, a young student on a peaceful planet whose head is firmly planted among the stars. His desire for adventure sends him and his friends KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) and Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) blasting through space.
Deep in a forest, the four friends discover what appears to be an abandoned Jedi temple. Quick to explore it, one wrong step sends them catapulting across the galaxy. Lost in space and trying to find their way home, the crew teams up with a mysterious, possible Jedi, Jod Na Nawood (portrayed by Jude Law). Across the eight-episode series, states the press release, “finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.”
Also starring in the new series are Kerry Condon and Tunde Adebimpe, while Nick Frost lends his voice to droid SM-33, a character that series co-creator Jon Watts described to People as “a rusty old, cranky droid that sort of reluctantly helps the kids along the way . . . The other thing about him is that he’s the first mate of a mysterious ship.”
Law also spoke to People about joining the famed franchise with Skeleton Crew, saying, “It is a fun place to be, the universe of Star Wars. There are great references to old films and recent episodes and series. There’s a lot of originality and I hope that will bring the feeling of fun to those who watch it.”
The key words “fun” and “originality” can also be used to describe a big reveal about the upcoming series. Episode director David Lowery told that the Teek, creatures only previously seen in the mostly forgotten made-for-TV Ewok movies from the mid-1980s, make a grand reappearance in the new series. “I was most excited about having hand puppets on set,” Lowery said about the practical magic behind the space critters.
“It’s the most ancient technology being used with the most cutting-edge technology, simultaneously,” he added. “That combination was absolutely magical,” Lowery shared about mixing media to make both the puppetry and the special effects come to life. About seeing it all come together, he said, “In the final episode it’s just a hand puppet in the middle of this crazy Volume set. The cognitive dissonance of seeing those two things together, live in front of you, is absolutely incredible.”
It’s no surprise that the coming-of-age series skews a bit younger than most of the films’ and other live-action spinoff series’ demographics with its troupe of students at the centre of the story, but like all sagas in the Star Wars franchise, the stakes for these kids are high. To nail the signature mix of danger and thrills that Star Wars fans of any age can appreciate, Skeleton Crew scored some exciting episode directors to bring the upcoming series to life.
The directing duo of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, known as “The Daniels,” who took home three Academy Awards for their 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once, were behind the camera for an episode of Skeleton Crew. But they didn’t land the gig by sweeping up at the Oscars that year. Watts had his finger on the pulse when he asked the pair if they would step in to direct an episode before their breakthrough film was even released, Kwan shared in a social medial post.
The Daniels’ frenetic and zany visual style of storytelling is a natural fit for a space adventure series, especially one bridging the gap between newcomers and lifelong fans. The series seemed to bring the kid out in everyone, including cast member Condon, who also worked on the series before her own big year at the Oscars with 2022’s The Banshees of Inisherin.
In an interview with Variety in April, Condon revealed: “I don’t even have kids, but I’d pay to see this. I loved it. I loved being on it. There was something about it that was so innocent and playful and lovely.” She also praised her co-stars, adding, “When children are good actors, they’re kind of out-of-this-world good. So watching some of the kids’ scenes, it was amazing.”
Skeleton Crew joins two other live-action Star Wars series with new seasons in the works: Andor: A Star Wars Story, set to return for its second and final season next April, and Ahsoka, which was renewed early this year. Meanwhile, the fourth season of The Mandalorian remains in limbo.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, streaming Tuesday, December 17, on Disney+