Here are the this week's latest pre-orders and new arrivals from our sponsors at BigBadToyStore.com! Pre-orders include Batman, Final Fantasy, and the latest import exclusives. Click through for the full listing!

StarWars.com officially announces the cast of Star Wars Episode VII. Most notably and not surprisingly, the original cast of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker are finally confirmed. The highlights of new cast members include veteran actor Max Von Sydow (Darth Ming?), Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings), and Adam Driver (Girls).

New in Q&A this week: Boba Fett Helmet toys! Did you miss it? Well, it's going to cost you now. And New Black Series Cases - where is Chewie? He's still coming. Also, let's have a tidy rant about the supposed "loss" of the Expanded Universe - we've been through this before, and those stories from the past still mean something because it just happened to work out that way! Read on!

Another costume licensor! C2E2 allowed Anovos to debut its Star Wars wares after it put out some top-notch gear from Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. Previously Windlass Studios put out some top-notch costumes for Padme, Anakin, and others. Anovos has shown Luke Skywalker's Bespin togs from The Empire Strikes Back, some high-end Revenge of the Sith Clone Trooper armor, Han Solo's holster from the original Star Wars, and the prototype for their first Darth Vader costume.

While the Expanded Universe - not even called such until 1998 - has long been a way to get fans to buy paper much like Hasbro has found a way to get us to buy plastic, it hasn't been all that unusual for a bit of slate-cleaning now and again.  Today, StarWars.com confirms it's basically wiping the slate as clean as can be.

Here's the latest announcement from our sponsors at BigBadToyStore.com. Be sure to shop their Spring Cleaning Sale and save on tons of items! Click through for the full listings of new pre-orders and latest arrivals!

Earlier in the week, a few Disney and Star Wars bloggers were whisked away by the House of Mouse to check out a number of upcoming toys in development for sale in The Disney Store retail outlets. An example of something taught in schools as "vertical integration," we now have a company absorbing numerous parts of a business - not only do they make the movie, own the rights, hire the actors, own the characters, and sell the product, but they're going to design and manufacture it in house, too. This article looks at the die-cast vehicle segment, which brings back metal in a meaty way with $10-$20 ships. Each of the 12 new vehicles has moving parts, is due later this year, and will likely remind the very older and infirmed of us of Kenner's lovely and memorable offerings from 1978-1981-ish.

Read on for more! Or don't.

The Clone Wars gets it second end with Sacrifice. Yoda's story continues as he journeys to the Sith world Moraband (nee Korriban) as spirits of evil tempt and attempt to frighten the Jedi master. Mark Hamill does a voice, the Priestesses are back, and if nothing else it's an impressive new installment of Star Wars lore. Read on!

I'm back from talking to some wonderful people, fellow fans, and Disney people to talk about how The Disney Store will be deploying Star Wars.  Some details are being held for tomorrow, but I do have some dirt to share with all you fine people right now, after the jump.  (Long post, lots of information, no pics yet.  Hey man, it's late, what do you expect?)

The Disney Store has summoned a group of fans, collectors, and media people to Glendale, CA to see a bunch of cool stuff - I'll be writing some of it up later, but I was handed a USB stick with some photos of new Disney Store exclusive product - some of which is in stores now - and some of which is plastic.  Check some of it out after the jump.

The future of Star Wars is coming sooner than you think - but for now, Q&A! Let's talk Kubrick figures. It won't take long. And how about Squid Lake figures? Well... that won't take long. And how about toy hunting in the present? It's a lot different than it was 15 years ago. Also, send in your questions for the mailbag!

Riddles, mystery, and abstract characterizations are your Destiny this time. Having quickly dispatched the trials of Qui-Gon Jinn on Dagobah, Yoda leaves the world of 21st century science fiction and enters a series of prog rock album covers while dabbling in themes that aren't standard kid show fare. Five priestesses guide the Jedi master through the journey, effectively acting as the sequel to the storyline featuring the Son a few years ago. Read on!

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