Entertainment
The New Star Wars Boss Already Has Three Strikes Against Him
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Even amongst the true faithful of the Star Wars fandom, the verdict on The Mandalorian and Grogu seems to be “good, but not great.” True to its pedigree as an adaptation of a TV show, it feels less like a feature film than a handful of episodes stapled together. Sure, it provides plenty of action and cool moments with its titular characters, but that’s not enough. Audiences agree, which is why this movie had the lowest opening weekend ever recorded for a Star Wars live-action film. It’s still earning far more than the lowest earner in the franchise: The Clone Wars movie, which preceded the acclaimed TV show of the same name.
Those movies are very distinct. They feature different characters, different plots, and are made for two entirely different mediums (live-action and animation). But they do have one major thing in common: they were each written by Dave Filoni, who has recently replaced Kathleen Kennedy and became President and Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm. Many cynical fans were all too happy to see Kennedy go, but it’s far too early to celebrate. Considering that Filoni was also a writer and executive producer for the much-maligned series The Book of Boba Fett, the failure of The Mandalorian and Grogu means the new Star Wars boss already has three strikes against him!
Space Cowboy
Even before this latest Star Wars movie, Dave Filoni was becoming a controversial figure within the fandom. He gained early praise as showrunner for The Clone Wars, which is rightfully considered some of the best Star Wars media ever made. He then created Rebels, another fan-favorite cartoon in a galaxy far, far away. But as Filoni got more creative control within the franchise, his work became increasingly self-referential. He ensured that shows like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett included callbacks to his own characters and turned Ahsoka into a live-action Rebels sequel. While this thrilled Filoni’s fans, it worried critics who thought he had lost the ability to truly innovate.
Still, Filoni has more hits than misses, so he was recently promoted to President and Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm. This seemed like a good idea on paper because Filoni has a strong history of creating beloved TV shows, which have been the primary form of Star Wars content for many years. However, Disney now wants to pivot Star Wars back to the big screen, and The Mandalorian and Grogu was their first new movie in the franchise since 2019. However, this Filoni-written film fizzled. It has a relatively low 62 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and is well on its way to earning the lowest box office of any Star Wars film.
His Failure Is Now Complete
That would be the worst box office failure for the franchise since Star Wars: The Clone Wars hit theaters in 2008. That movie (replete with Hutt fart jokes, no less) was also written and even directed by Dave Filoni. It has an abysmal 18 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and earned only $68.5 million at the box office. By comparison, The Mandalorian and Grogu is going to earn far more money, but its earnings will still fall short of every live-action film before it. Two films is a pattern, and the simple truth is that Dave Filoni’s involvement is officially the kiss of death for Star Wars movies.
That’s bad news considering that he’s the new Star Wars boss and there are new franchise films (like the very buzzy Starfighter) in development. At this point, Filoni’s fans will point out that he’s still got the golden touch when it comes to TV shows in a galaxy far, far away. It’s true that Filoni still mostly has the goods in this arena (Ahsoka was solid, and Maul–Shadow Lord is downright brilliant), but he was also extensively involved in The Book of Boba Fett, a terrible series that wasted one of the franchise’s most beloved villains.
When you factor in the failure of both this show and the Clone Wars movie, it’s easy to see that The Mandalorian and Grogu is the third strike for Filoni. Unfortunately, he hasn’t struck out. Instead, he’s now got more power over the Star Wars universe than anyone since George Lucas. Will he lead the franchise into a new golden age or deliver something even fouler than baby Rotta? Only time will tell, but after the disappointment of The Mandalorian and Grogu, a growing number of fans are all saying the same thing: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
Entertainment
I tested the best MacBook alternatives and found 7 worthy rivals
The 2025 Acer Aspire 16 AI is a stellar pick for casual users with limited budgets and simple workloads, particularly those who like a larger screen. (Younger students would make great use of it.) It’s portable for its size and long-lasting, so big ups if you frequently work on the go. We can’t say that it’s better than the Neo, but we can say it’s the best MacBook Neo alternative right now.
The Aspire 16 AI is my reigning favorite cheap Windows laptop. It offers great multi-core performance for the money, a healthy amount of RAM and storage, plus a smooth display and all the ports you could need. You mainly feel its “budget-ness” in its build quality.
Performance: The Aspire 16 AI’s Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip is about 40 percent slower than the Neo’s A18 Pro chip in single-core scenarios, so it doesn’t feel as responsive when you’re surfing the web or working in Word docs. That said, it’s just as good as running multi-core tasks like light video editing. (Our benchmarking showed that it’s 12 percent faster than the Neo in that regard. It’s a trivial bump, but it’s something.) At the time of writing, the Aspire 16 AI was the fastest sub-$900 laptop we’ve tested for multi-core workloads.
Note that the Snapdragon X CPU is a Windows on ARM chip, so it’s not compatible with as many games or specialty apps as Intel or AMD chips (which have x86 architecture — see above, in the Zenbook A14’s section). But a budget laptop isn’t really made for that kind of usage, anyway, so that’s not a huge concern here. I’d be more worried about it not working with an older scanner or printer.
Battery life: The Aspire 16 AI plowed past the Neo in our battery life benchmark, a video rundown test, lasting 17 hours and 22 minutes to Apple’s 14 hours and 50 minutes. Stamina-wise, it’s more on par with the M5 MacBook Air, which lasted 17 hours and 40 minutes. You can easily squeeze two full workdays out of this thing without needing to charge it in between.
Design: The Aspire 16 AI is pretty trim for a 16-incher. At 3.42 pounds, it’s only a little bit heavier than a 15-inch MacBook Air. (There are even slimmer, lighter 16-inch options — see the Asus Zenbook A16, below — but they’re way more expensive.) Its display is a bit dim and not as crisp as the Neo’s, but I appreciated its buttery 120Hz refresh rate and touchscreen capabilities. Its port setup is also great: While the Neo has just two USB-C ports and a headphone jack, this laptop tacks on two extra USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a microSD card slot. That’s some MacBook Pro-level connectivity.
Value: For the same price as a 512GB Neo, the Aspire 16 AI offers double the RAM, better multi-core performance, more ports, a 120Hz touchscreen, and a backlit keyboard. But it’s not as well-made as the MacBook Neo; it lacks a fingerprint login feature, and it doesn’t feel as fast in everyday productivity scenarios. It also comes in one boring color. Still, it feels very fairly priced in an era when decent, cheap Windows laptops are getting scarce.
FYI: Acer also makes a 14-inch version of this laptop (the Aspire 14 AI), which comes with an Intel processor that alleviates the Windows on ARM compatibility issues. It offers double the storage, slightly better battery life, and slightly better single-core performance for only $500 to $700, depending on the retailer. I haven’t tried it, so I can’t speak for it personally, but our friends at CNET really liked it. You probably can’t go wrong with either size.
Entertainment
Tech keeps getting more expensive. Thats why these 4 cheap laptops are so special.
The elegant and long-lasting Asus Zenbook A14 from 2025 is my favorite laptop for most people with a budget cap of $1,000. Its ultralight yet rigid build makes it especially great for frequent travelers and remote workers. I’ll also note that it’s the only laptop on this list with an OLED display, if that’s a spec high on your wishlist.
Look for the ZenBook A14 on sale at Best Buy, where it’s dipped down to as low as $550 before (a steal). It starts with 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM.
I’ve been hyping this 14-inch laptop since I first saw it at CES 2025. It’s an amazing Windows ultraportable and an awesome value.
Performance: The Zenbook A14 is a solid performer for the money. The MacBook Neo still beats it in single-core workloads (by about 31 percent), but it’s 28 percent faster in multi-core scenarios. In fact, it doesn’t have any multi-core competition among other laptops under $1,000. Compared to the $699.99 Acer Aspire 16 AI (above), which has a lesser Snapdragon X chip, this one’s Snapdragon X Plus chip offers 14 percent better single-core performance and 15 percent better multi-core performance. If you need a cheap-ish laptop that can do some heavier lifting, this one’s up to the task.
As with the Aspire 16 AI, be mindful of ARM-related software compatibility issues here if you’re buying a laptop for college or gaming.
Battery life: The Zenbook A14 ran for 21 hours and 47 minutes in our video rundown test before dying, making it the eighth-longest-lasting laptop we’ve ever reviewed. Our longest-lasting MacBook died exactly 30 minutes sooner.
Design: Picking up the Zenbook A14 for the first time usually elicits a gasp from people. Asus built its chassis out of a lightweight magnesium-aluminum alloy called “Ceraluminum” that’s scratch-, smudge- and shock-resistant. The base configuration is only 2.4 pounds, or 0.3 pounds less than the MacBook Neo, yet it doesn’t feel frail. The Ceraluminum makes it super durable without weighing it down. It’s slightly thicker than the Neo, but that’s so it can squeeze in an HDMI port and a USB-A port.
In a market saturated with boring silver laptops, I think the Zenbook A14’s modern-organic look is refreshing. It has a tan “Zabrinskie Beige” finish with a matte, almost ceramic-like texture, and it’s accented with gold reflective logos. It’s different without being too obnoxious for an office. Top that off with a bright, vivid OLED display, and this laptop is quite the looker.
Value: I’d have no qualms about paying full price for the Zenbook A14 — it’s a really solid value (but all the better if you can find it on sale). Raising your budget to the upper end of the “cheap” spectrum eliminates any build quality concerns and nets you a great blend of power and stamina for everyday productivity, even some light creative work. Plus: OLED!
Note that Asus released an updated Zenbook A14 with the Snapdragon X2 Elite chip for 2026. It has much better performance and an even longer battery life than the original model, but it starts at $1,349.99. It might go on sale for under $1,000 eventually, though it only just launched in April, so don’t hold your breath.
Entertainment
How to watch Gauff vs. Potapova online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Gauff vs. Potapova in the 2026 French Open for free on France TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2026 French Open has served up major surprises, particularly in the men’s singles. Both No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Novak Djokovic were stunned by unseeded players, which led them to leave Roland-Garros unexpectedly early.
The women’s field isn’t quite as open, as world No. 4 Coco Gauff will be keenly aware, though No. 2 Elena Rybakina has already been eliminated, so Gauff — the defending women’s French Open champion — may feel confident about claiming the title for a second consecutive year.
Before she gets to the title she’ll have to get past a third-round match against No. 28 seed Anastasia Potapova. Can the 25-year-old Austrian knock out Gauff and cause yet another upset?
If you want to watch Gauff vs. Potapova in the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to watch Gauff vs. Potapova for free
Gauff vs. Potapova in the 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on France TV.
Mashable Top Stories
France TV is geo-restricted to France, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:
-
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
-
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
-
Open up the app and connect to a server in France
-
Connect to France TV
-
Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2026 French Open before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for sport?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
-
Servers in 105 countries
-
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
-
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
-
Fast connection speeds
-
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
-
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Gauff vs. Potapova in the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.
I tested the best MacBook alternatives and found 7 worthy rivals
Phillies place RHP Aaron Nola on paternity list, option OF Otto Kemp
