Skytalkers Inside the New Revenge of the Sith Deluxe Edition with Editorial Director Tom Hoeler
Dec 11, 2025
Tom Hoeler, Editorial Director at Random House Worlds who led the deluxe Revenge of the Sith annotated edition, recounts his path from finance to publishing. He talks about convincing Matthew Stover to annotate his own novelization, the collaborative annotation process, mining fan questions, and the design choices and fine details that made the deluxe edition feel mythic and collectible.
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From Finance To Star Wars Publishing
- Tom left a finance/accounting career because he wanted to help tell stories and become an editor.
- He manifested working on Star Wars books, interned with the Star Wars team, and then joined full-time as an editorial assistant.
Why Star Wars Thrives In Publishing
- Star Wars works on the page because its world is flexible and supports many story types.
- Publishing became the primary place to expand Star Wars when films paused, making books central to fandom growth.
The Deluxe Edition Idea Took Years
- Tom had an idea for an annotated Revenge of the Sith deluxe edition for years and began planning it around the film's anniversary.
- He approached Matthew Stover to annotate and convinced him by framing it as both fan service and a teaching opportunity.
