People out there, brace your wallets. The people behind Star Wars magic have done it again with another creature creation that is bound to engage viewers, charm the creative energy of fans and without a doubt, bring forth one hell of merchandise. What’s more, this may be the cutest one yet.
Initially witnessed in The Last Jedi’s in the background D23 film, the small little fuzz balls are called Porgs. They’re not only charming but also local creatures of the planet Ahch-To, the shoreline region where Rey (Daisy Ridley) found Luke (Mark Hammil) towards the end of The Force Awakens.
Lucasfilm Story Group’s Pablo Hidalgo made up for lost time with the people over at the official Star Wars site by giving some subtle details on the Porgs, alongside some recent behind-the-scenes glimpses at the design of the creature. It just took a short look at the little snuggly manikins in the D23 film to catch a lot of attention. So, here are the details.
Hidalgo stated;
“Porgs are native to Ahch-To, and can be found dwelling along the cliffs of the island where Luke and Rey are. In many ways, they’re the Star Wars version of puffins. They build nests. They can fly. Their babies are called porglets.”
Porglets. Wow, I’m dead. The Porgs are the brain-child of Rian Johnson, who concocted the name and the idea behind the creature. Furthermore, yes, they’re friendly little folks.
Hidalgo clarifies;
“Given how rarely their island has visitors, their curiosity outweighs any skittishness they may have.”
Since they’re inhabitants of Ahch-To, we can most likely anticipate that they will have some association with Luke.
In spite of the fact that the D23 film demonstrated a puppet Porg, the creatures are enlivened through a blend of techology.
Hidalgo further stated;
“The porgs are realized through a variety of effects, depending on what’s needed. Sometimes they’re puppets, with the puppeteers digitally removed from the shot. Other times, they’re entirely CG.”
Why does Hidalgo think fans have reacted so unequivocally to the Porgs in a snapshot of the film? Well, to this, he says;
“Ever since that roadside scavenger let out that belch outside Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi, the idea that there’s an entire animal kingdom living amid the drama and adventure of the Star Wars saga is a compelling one. Besides, porgs are cute. You fall into those deep, soulful eyes. I think a lot of people are going to want a porg as a pet.”
