Entertainment
Did The Creator Of The Best Star Wars Show Secretly Call Out The Franchise’s New Boss?
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
For Star Wars fans, the opening crawl to A New Hope has more or less come true: it is a period of civil war. In the fandom, there are still plenty of diehards who binge and defend every new show on Disney+ and buy their tickets to films like The Mandalorian and Grogu months in advance. But there is a growing number of fans who have grown cynical of the franchise after major failures like The Rise of Skywalker and The Acolyte, and those fans are worried that the franchise they’ve been in love with their entire life has finally run out of ideas.
That’s why it was relatively controversial when Dave Filoni became the new president of Lucasfilm. Filoni was once an absolute icon to fans because he was the showrunner for The Clone Wars cartoon, one of the coolest things in all of Star Wars. However, Filoni’s creative output has grown so self-referential that it sometimes seems like he is hellbent on remaking this galaxy far, far away in his own image. However, before Filoni held the reins of the entire franchise in his fannish hands, he got a secret warning from the most unexpected source of all: Andor creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy!
Star Wars Rides Again
Andor’s success honestly speaks for itself. It’s not just the best Star Wars show ever made; it’s one of the best TV shows ever made, one that would be just as compelling even if it weren’t part of this famous franchise. The show is a spinoff of the film Rogue One, in which doomed protagonist Jyn Erso opines that “rebellions are built on hope.” Now, Andor has created hope amid fans burnt out by high-profile failures like The Book of Boba Fett and The Acolyte. Whenever people claim that there are no good Star Wars stories left to tell, these faithful fans point to Andor, the labor of love from showrunner Tony Gilroy.
What was his secret to making a killer Star Wars show? Last year, he told Backstory Magazine about the advice that he gave to Andor’s writers and anyone else creating stories in this galaxy far, far away. “A lot of times when you’re working on IP storytelling, your impulse is to open the toy box and start playing with all the toys,” Gilroy said. “You should try to resist that, and what you should do is leave more toys in the toy box than were there when you got there and resisting the impulse to be a child and instead think more like a storyteller who’s adding to the world rather than taking from it.”
The New Star Wars Boss Got Secretly Called Out
Obviously, Gilroy didn’t specifically call out any Star Wars creators in this quote, but it sure sounds like he was taking a swipe at Dave Filoni. While Clone Wars was an undisputed masterpiece, Filoni has spent his entire subsequent career making every Star Wars project he works on a callback to his earlier work. For example, he was the showrunner for Rebels, in which Clone Wars’ Ahsoka became a major character. When he gave Ahsoka her own entire show, he turned the whole thing into a Rebels sequel. He also ensured that both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett included the live-action debut of Clone Wars characters like Bo-Katan and Cad Bane.
In other words, once Filoni opened the toybox, he never stopped trying to play with all the toys, often at the expense of good storytelling. Like, The Book of Boba Fett was already pretty bad, but the hammy, nonsensical cameo from Cad Bane just made things worse. Ahsoka is a relatively solid show, but Sabine is so different (wait, she’s got Jedi abilities now?) that she might as well be a different character altogether. Katee Sackhoff is crazy good in The Mandalorian, but bringing her character into live-action is going to be a complete waste if we never get a fourth season of that hit Star Wars show.
Don’t Let Your Sons Grow Up To Be Space Cowboys
Arguably, almost every Star Wars project Dave Filoni has worked on would be better if he focused more on telling good stories than jamming in cameos from his favorite creations. Tony Gilroy innately understood this, which is why Andor has (outside of Mon Mothma) so few prominent cameos from or references to prominent franchise characters. He tried to warn Filoni, but the warning didn’t stick, which is why the worst thing about the Filoni-written Mandalorian and Grogu is the return of Rotta, the Hutt we last saw farting his way through Filoni’s Clone Wars movie.
If this is the kind of toy the new Lucasfilm president can’t stop playing with, is it any wonder that Star Wars just keeps stinking?
Entertainment
The big question LGBTQ daters are asking, according to Hinge
It’s Pride Month, and although LGBTQ daters are queer all year, the spotlight is on them this June. As such, Hinge just published its annual D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report to lay out what dating is currently like for today’s queer singles.
The title of this year’s report is “Clarity Builds Chemistry,” and it discusses the uncertainty young LGBTQ daters feel. (Not surprising, considering the amount of uncertainty in the world at large right now, that it’d distill into individuals’ personal lives.)
In its Jan. 2026 survey of over 31,000 global respondents, Hinge found that more LGBTQ daters feel a lot or great uncertainty about the world than heterosexual daters (76 to 52 percent, respectively), but they can also find uncertainty helpful. Seventy-four percent of LGBTQ daters say uncertainty helps them understand what they’re looking for in relationships. Uncertainty contributes to these daters identifying dealbreakers, clarifying their preferences, and identifying what feels right vs. wrong.
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Community also helps LGBTQ daters. Hinge found that queer daters are asking, “Would I bring this persona around my friends?” rather than, “What are we?” This might be because of the importance of chosen family for young LGBTQ people.
As such, queer daters are 33 percent more likely than straight daters to say it matters that their friends like the person they’re dating (this rises to 37 percent for trans daters). They’re also 20 percent more likely to want to check whether a potential partner fits with their friend circle. In a world of uncertainty, having a solid support system is crucial.
Mashable Trend Report
Hinge found that consistency also puts LGBTQ daters at ease in their uncertain world: 86 percent said consistent communication from someone they’re starting to date makes them feel less anxious. Seventy-eight percent said making clear plans also makes them feel less anxious (compared to 56 percent of heterosexual daters).
PDA in an early relationship helps over half (65 percent) of LGBTQ daters feel more secure, but they’re 50 percent more likely than straight daters to hesitate to show affection on the first date because they feel unsafe in their surroundings. Hinge’s love and connection expert, Moe Ari Brown, wrote that, “You don’t have to share the same comfort level to have a great date: staying present and responsive turns a potential point of tension into a moment of real connection.”
“Asking one another what kinds of affection feel good in public — and which feel better in private — keeps PDA grounded in reassurance,” Brown continued.
And forget the timelines. More LGBTQ daters, especially bisexual daters (76 percent and 83 percent), focus on slowly building a connection with someone rather than moving on a certain timeline than straight daters (64 percent). Overall, LGBTQ daters are also more likely to say that settling down isn’t a step, but a mindset.
The findings are in contrast to Hinge’s Nov. 2025 D.A.T.E. report, which was all about communication and AI. Less than a year later, daters — especially LGBTQ ones — are more focused on clarity, whether that’s in public displays of affection, or private affirmations.
Entertainment
Netflix Just Added The Extremely R-Rated Crime Thriller Secretly Made By Film's Greatest Director
By TeeJay Small
| Published
If you’re a sucker for a good crime thriller, you’re probably already aware of the hit 1993 movie True Romance. This genre-defining film is packed to the gills with foul language, graphic violence, and some supernatural themes that make the whole thing feel like a fever dream lost in time.
Though it was considered a box office failure in its day, True Romance has since garnered a massive cult following. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, or you’ve streamed it, now is the right time. Netflix just added True Romance.
Long before True Romance was dancing across the silver screen and upsetting the prudes at the MPAA, the film was being penned by a young, up-and-coming Quentin Tarantino. This is the very first feature-length screenplay the Pulp Fiction filmmaker ever wrote. Portions of the first act and some of the pop culture-focused dialogue were lifted right out of Tarantino’s own unreleased short film, My Best Friend’s Birthday, which he made while working at a video rental store in Los Angeles.
Tarantino originally intended to direct True Romance himself, but by the time the script was gaining traction with producers, he had already moved on to a new project that would ultimately become Reservoir Dogs. So he sold the screenplay, used the money to finance his own debut, and let Top Gun director Tony Scott take the wheel.
This has become the subject of tons of debate among film nerds, as some fans believe True Romance is a shadow of what it could have been with Tarantino behind the wheel. Others, including Tarantino himself, have lauded Tony Scott for bringing the intense screenplay to life and offering a more saccharine ending than what was originally on the page.
The plot of True Romance centers on a young couple named Clarence and Alabama. They meet at a movie theater, quickly fall in love, and decide to skip town together after a whirlwind date. The only problem is, Alabama is a woman of the night, and her pimp Drexl Spivey doesn’t take kindly to the loss of revenue.
Prompted by the ghost of Elvis Presley, Clarence murders Spivey and snags a duffle bag of blow from his workplace, hoping he can sell it off to finance his new life. Predictably, the young couple’s troubles don’t end there, as they contend with gang members, police, and a world that seems to want to keep them apart.
The whole adventure feels like a very 90s take on the classic tale of Bonnie and Clyde, complete with some added racy elements. For many fans, True Romance represents the gold standard of crime thrillers.
Christian Slater gives a career-defining performance here, alongside top-tier showings from Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, and Christopher Walken. Several big-name actors appear in minor bit parts as well, including Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson, and the late James Gandolfini, of The Sopranos fame.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or you’re looking to catch it for the very first time, you can watch True Romance on Netflix today. Just prepare to hear some really outlandish stuff, especially if you’ve got any Sicilian ancestry.
TRUE ROMANCE REVIEW SCORE
Entertainment
Why wait for Prime Day? The Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are $30 off right now at Amazon.
SAVE $30: As of June 3, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are back to their lowest price yet at Amazon for $149.99. This is $30 off their full price of $179.99.
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The Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro is a pretty special pair of earbuds. Not only are they open earbuds, allowing for more awareness of your surroundings while listening, but they also have noise-canceling features. Mashable’s Bethany Allard said they’re “the answer for people who can’t decide between open and noise-canceling earbuds” in her review. If they’ve been on your radar, they’re actually on sale right now at Amazon.
As of June 3, every color of the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are discounted to $149.99 at Amazon. This saves you $30 off their full price of $179.99 and marks a return to their lowest price at the retailer so far. Ahead of Prime Day, this is a great deal to take advantage of.
Mashable Deals
Allard highlights in her review of the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro that if you’re someone who’s “interested in open earbuds, not quite ready to give up ANC buds altogether, and can’t reasonably see themselves carrying around two pairs of earbuds, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pros are the best option available.” However, she does mention that “you make some concessions: the ANC won’t be the best, and you’re locked into an ear hook design.”
Alongside its dual listening modes, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pros offer a battery life that lasts up to seven hours on a charge in Open-Ear mode or five hours in ANC mode. That’s a good amount of time to work with, and it’ll last you through a workout or a commute for the day. Of course, those times can be pushed up further with the charging case as well (up to 34 hours in Open-Ear mode or 24 hours in ANC).
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On top of all that, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds have even landed on our list of the best open earbuds. So, why not scoop them up while they’re still on sale at Amazon?
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