Kick off the new year with a casual night in the galaxy's favorite hangout!
In this episode of our Cantina Banter sub-series, host Josh is joined by Blake and Darian for a chill, wide-ranging discussion on all things Star Wars as we head into 2026.
In this episode, we dive into:
- A New Era of Cinema: Looking ahead to 2026, the year that finally brings Star Wars back to the big screen after a long theatrical hiatus.
- Retro Gaming Deep Dive: We take a nostalgic trip back to the "janky" but beloved era of 2000s gaming, discussing the Bounty Hunter relaunch, the rushed brilliance of KOTOR 2, and the latest rumors surrounding the Knights of the Old Republic remake.
- The State of the Fandom: From the bittersweet end of physical Star Wars Insider magazines to Warwick Davis's honorary knighthood, we cover the latest headlines affecting the community.
- Film & Theory: A deep dive into filmmaking styles, featuring a spirited debate on Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi and speculation on the future of the franchise-including the Dawn of the Jedi project and the mysterious Shadow Lord Maul storyline.

Recent Recaps: We touch on our Andor Season 2 After Show, the Al experiment Star Wars Launchpad, and merchandise highlights from Orbit Key. دی
Whether you're here for the technical talk on first-person vs. third-person shooters or just want to hear some "daily bread" Star Wars conversation, grab a drink and join the banter.

Check out the Star Wars Archives link in our description for a database of all 400+ episodes!

Orbitkey Disney Collection
Add a sprinkle of Disney magic to your everyday carry.
The Disney x Orbitkey Collection features fun, functional accessories inspired by Disney characters, designed to make staying organised feel like magic.
https://www.orbitkey.com/pages/disney?srsltid=AfmBOorl0UJrj6Skr7fWecL5ZzpxJ6tt757WShCMY3XcCGsLaXPwzBUw

Kirk is on YouTube: @kirkmihelakos https://www.youtube.com/designedbykirk Darian is on YouTube: @TheManDarian https://www.youtube.com/@TheManDarian

————————————————————————
Star Wars Escape Pod

🖥️ Website: https://starwarspodcast.ca
🐦 X: https://twitter.com/SWEscapePodcast
🦋 B.Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/swescapepodcast.bsky.social
📲 Swell: https://www.swellcast.com/swescapepodcast
📧 Email us or voice messages to: swescapepodcast@gmail.com
🗃️ Podcast Archives: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRiF_icUbgNiufSItYBMLCdXc2dPtlQPHrNeDcEHmHS6z0yFduND-BLC_3czuY-YY6kpNtRM1uMppts/pubhtml

Have you checked out our flashcast called Star Wars Launch Pad?
https://www.youtube.com/@SWLaunchPad

https://open.spotify.com/show/1v0naAAJZMW0nig3OkFToJ?si=8014aef1647f4da5

Found on any platform in the galaxy!