Here's what's happening today in pop culture:
• Get ready for more "Star Wars" movies. A Disney executive confirms that standalone movies based on the origin stories of some beloved "Star Wars" characters are in development. [The Huffington Post]
• This year's Kennedy Center honorees are actress Shirley MacLaine, opera singer Martina Arroyo,and musicians Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel, and Carlos Santana. [Vulture]
• Pioneering sound engineer Ray Dolby, who forever changed and improved the way we hear movies, has died at the age of 80. [The Hollywood Reporter]