Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- installment / ɪnˈstɔl mənt / (n.) – one part of a series, especially in books, movies, or shows that continue a story
Example:Every installment of the superhero film series gets better as the action scenes become more exciting.
- plaster / ˈplæs tər / (v.) – to completely cover a surface with something, especially pictures, posters, or decorations
Example:His bedroom wall was plastered with music posters.
- prequel / ˈpri kwəl / (n.) – a movie or book made after another movie or book but showing events that happened earlier
Example:The prequel of the movie explains how the bad character turned evil, helping fans understand the previous movie.
- standalone / ˈstænd əˌloʊn / (adj.) – not being part of a series
Example:He prefers standalone movies that have a clear beginning and end.
- ominous / ˈɑː mə nəs / (adj.) – giving the feeling that something bad is going to happen
Example:They got scared after hearing an ominous noise from the basement.
Article
Read the text below.
The Force was with many Japanese, as well as visitors from abroad, at a Star Wars event where Lucasfilm announced that the next installment in the franchise will hit theaters in May 2027, starring Ryan Gosling.
Appearing on stage before a lightsaber-waving crowd at Makuhari Messe center outside Tokyo, Gosling showed a photo of his childhood bedsheets, plastered with illustrations from the space epic created by George Lucas.
“I guess I was dreaming about Star Wars even before I saw the film,” Gosling said.
Shawn Levy, who will direct the movie, told the crowd that Star Wars: Starfighter will not be a prequel or a sequel, but a new standalone adventure with new characters set several years after “Episode IX.” Filming starts later this year, he said.
Levy, who also directed the 2006 film The Pink Panther and the recent Netflix series Stranger Things, said little else, noting, “I can’t say much about it because I understand the rules.”
Only the title was shown on a giant screen, although that was enough for the crowd to burst into cheers.
The event, called Star Wars Celebration, is full of Star Wars-themed merchandise including T-shirts, toys, books, manga comics, AC chargers, cellphone covers, autographs, posters and more.
The LEGO booth featured a man wearing the ominous black mask and cloak of Darth Vader, made out of LEGO bricks. The deep-breathing villain also appeared as traditional Japanese lacquerware decorating earphones in a limited edition of ten, each selling for 990,000 yen ($7,000). Darth Vader T-shirts were more affordable at 8,000 yen ($56).
“It makes me so happy to think everyone here loves Star Wars,” said Yoshiki Takahashi, 26, who was holding a remote-controlled R2-D2 miniature robot.
“I love the directing, the sound of the gun and the lightsaber, but above all the story, with great fight scenes and, of course, human drama,” he added.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- In movie series like Star Wars, which do you usually enjoy more—the original story or the later stories, such as prequels and sequels? Why? Discuss.
- What local movie from your country do you wish had a prequel or a sequel? Why do you think it deserves one? If you could write the prequel or sequel, what would the story be about? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Yoshiki Takahashi said, “I love the directing, the sound of the gun and the lightsaber, but above all the story, with great fight scenes and, of course, human drama.” What elements do you think are essential for a movie to be considered one of the best you’ve ever seen (ex. story, action scenes)? Why? Discuss.
- Is there a movie from your country that you think could also become popular globally, just like Star Wars? What is the movie about? Why do you think international audiences would love it? Discuss.
