Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 11

Benedict Cumberbatch Lobbying for Episode VII Role

     This week in Star Wars news, there were no official statements on anything Episode VII related, but, as always, there were many rumors. The first one is more of a tongue in cheek statement: Tina Fey and Amy reportedly said that they were cast as Darth Vader's mothers. This is not serious of course, but they did describe what is was like in further detail to Entertainment. 

     The second rumor, more seriously started in early December, but has persisted for the past several weeks. According to Jedi News, James Blunt, a British popular musician, let slip that Carrie Fisher was going to be involved in Episode VII. Apparently, Blunt is a prankster but his story "seems legit". Well, it's almost guaranteed that the original cast is returning. Or is it?

     In an interview mid-November on the David Letterman Show, Samuel Jackson, who played Mace Windu in the prequels, said that he had asked J.J. Abrams about being in Episode VII, but didn't get a solid yes or no. Jackson then went on to say that he contacted Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan in the prequels if he'd been contacted by J.J. Abrams, and got a no. But then Samuel Jackson contacted Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, only to learn that he hadn't been contacted either. This could either mean

A) Samuel Jackson is lying

2) J.J. Abrams is hoping to make some grand reveal in casting choice, or

VII) Mark Hamill isn't going to be in Star Wars.

     

     I would go for Option 2, because while I have no problem leaving McGregor and Jackson out of the new trilogy, I think most fans would agree that Hamill has to return. It's inconceivable that he wouldn't be.

     The next rumor involves Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel. Disney has announced plans to make new Star Wars movies every year, switching from episodic installments to standalone films, and Latinos Post pointed out that that sound fishily similar to a certain Marvel franchise cash grab, I mean investment I personally don't think that Star Wars should make films EVERY YEAR. That is crazy. Those movies would be incredibly rushed. I think that there shouldn't be any standalone films, maybe a TV series or something, but not a standalone film. Disney should be focused on making the episodic installments good, not rushed, and three years apart like every single other Star Wars move. Yes, not even the prequels were that crazy.

     The final piece of news comes from Benedict Cumberbatch himself. When asked in an interview with Conan O'Brian if he wanted to be in the new Star Wars film, Cumberbatch said, 

     "Yeah. It started with me with sort of…I just sort of would leave casual messages on his phone as a lightsaber. I thought he thought he was getting bad cell reception or something. Then, I even went on a chat show and auditioned for Chewbacca. I sat next to Harrison Ford and did my audition."

     The fact that he says J.J. Abrams is not responding tells us that

A) Benedict Cumberbatch is lying

2) Samuel Jackson is lying

III) J.J. Abrams is not interested in Cumberbatch being in Episode VII

   

     I choose Option III, though, Cumberbatch also denied that he would play Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness. So, believe what you will, someone will pull it all together.

    Hopefully.

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 10

The Return of R2-D2

     The past three weeks have yielded a lot of Star Wars news, and there has been official confirmation as well. First, it was reported that the movie Warcraft was pushing back its release date three months to March because it can't go against Episode VII. Also on the release date, J.J. Abrams commented on it. He said,      "I will say that it is an infinitely better situation now than when they were saying that they wanted it in the summer [of 2015] ... I understand why they'd want that, but it didn't necessarily have anything to do with the reality of where anything was creatively... a release date is great, but you have to release something great. To me, the new release date is a huge improvement."

     Amen.

     Open casting has spread from London to Bristol, then across the Atlantic to Memphis, Troy, Austin, and Chicago. The casting call is apparently looking for a Matt Damon-type character, aka a "forty-something military man" the casting call reports.

     In other news, Star Wars has now created an Instagram page, with the first photo posted being this:

     

     This has sparked a rumor that Disney is hinting a Darth Vader return to Episode VII. But, Star Wars, being Star Wars, Darth Vader was bound to show up on an Instagram page, regardless of his appearance in Episode VII.

     Another rumor started was that a full scale Millenium Falcon was created for production, inside and out. However, this was by an anonymous source with no credentials. And, even if it were true, Disney could just as easily build miniatures or use CGI for the Millenium Falcon in Episode VII. If this rumor is true, the Falcon probably wasn't built for Star Wars. It was probably built for one of its many theme parks for tourists to explore. Who knows?

     The latest official news from Star Wars isn't surprising, but it is comforting. Two weeks ago, this image was posted on Bad Robot:

     This was the first behind the scenes look at Episode VII, in it stand R2-D2, J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, and two other dudes. Those two dudes were from the R2-D2 Builders Club, and they were reported by Star Wars to be the ones to build R2-D2 for Episode VII. 

     This news comes as an expected, yet welcome Star Wars piece of information. R2-D2 was obviously expected to return, but this one is fan made, unlike all previous R2-D2s, which were studio made. It's nice to know that there are fans out there who make R2-D2 models as close as possible to the ones in the films. Well, that is, not the prequels, then R2-D2 would have rocket feet from Episode II. Ugh.

   

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 9

Confirmed Release Date for Episode VII

     These past two weeks of Star Wars news have been packed with many rumors and facts. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who starred in 12 Years a Slave, was rumored to have auditioned for Episode VII. He did what most actors questioned on the subject do: he threw out something vague that could be taken any way and changed the subject. But that is where the unfounded rumors end and the facts begin.

     J.J. Abrams talked to The Times on Episode VII, and said that he wanted to make the new trilogy feel like the original, taking it back to its roots. He said that at the beginning of the original trilogy, no one knew what the Empire's plan was, and moviegoers, having no previous exposure to Star Wars, were caught up in a mystery throughout the trilogy, and no one new what would happen. He also wanted to make Star Wars gritty again, a quality lost in the prequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams also said in a separate interview that the reason Michael Ardnt left was because of the rapidly advancing schedule of Episode VII. He said that Ardnt was "one of the best writers around", but also stated that working with Lawrence Kasdan on a Star Wars movie is "kind of unbeatable".

     A casting call has been released by Disney for two young adults, "beautiful and athletic", for an unspecified "Disney Film". The listed characters are:

     "RACHEL - Was quite young when she lost her parents. With no other family, she was forced to make her way in a tough, dangerous town. Now 17, she has become street smart and strong. She is able to take care of herself using humor and guts to get by."

     "THOMAS - Has grown up without a father's influence, without the model of being a man, he doesn't have the strongest sense of himself, despite this he is smart, capable and shows courage when it is needed. He can appreciate the absurdities in life and understands you can't take life too seriously."

     While this is an unspecified film, this is most likely Episode VII. However, this does raise some surprising issues. If the main characters are these two orphans, then that means the new trilogy won't follow the Skywalker line, or all of the original trilogy's main characters are dead. Fear not, Disney would never kill them off. Or would they?

     Finally, several minutes ago, Star Wars posted the official release date for Episode VII:

     December 18, 2015.

     I was RIGHT! December release!

According to Alan Horn, chairman of Disney,

     "We're very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture." Filming is scheduled for spring 2014. This, however, might mean a very rushed Star Wars. It's too bad that fans have to wait another eight months to see Star Wars, but if it makes a better movie, then they can stand to wait.

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 8

Michael Arndt Waves Goodbye

     This week, Episode VII news finally picked up the pace after a very sluggish month. First off, rumors of a trailer for Episode VII began circulating. According to Screencrush, the official Star Wars YouTube channel has been posting trailers for the entire Star Wars franchise, and that their most recent, untitled trailer is set to be released on October 30, exactly 1 year after the Lucasfilm-Disney deal and Episode VII were announced. Apparently, this means that an Episode VII trailer is imminent. Never mind that casting hasn't been announced, production hasn't even started, pre-production hasn't even finished, and the screenplay hasn't even been written. It just wouldn't fit with Disney's otherwise sealed lips approach to Episode VII, and to release a trailer when the movie is still two years away wouldn't make sense at all. But more sane Star Wars news is on the way.

     According to Moviefone, Episode VII's release date has been altered. Pamphlets distributed in London's European Brand Licensing Show show the release date for Episode VII as "Spring/Summer 2015". This is a change from the regular May showing of Star Wars movies. This would make sense, however, if Lucasfilm is behind scheduleon making the movie. This is evident, because not a single person has been cast, not even the three main actors of the original Star Wars trilogy, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, which are almost guaranteed to return. Well, maybe not Harrison Ford. Also, the script hasn't been written, or at least completed, because Michael Arndt has been replaced as the screenwriter with Lawrence Kasdan and J.J. Abrams.

     This is the first new information about Star Wars: Episode VII since the beginning of September. According to DISNEY ITSELF, Lawrence Kasdan and J.J. Abrams have taken over as screenwriters for Episode VII, formerly held by Michael Arndt, who wrote the screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3. The company never actually states what happened to Arndt, only saying that he has been a "terrific job bringing us up to this point and we have a ... team already in place ready for production." This might break the hearts of Toy Story fans, but it means that Lawrence Kasdan is writing STAR WARS! The last time he wrote for Star Wars was for The Empire Strikes Back, which, as any Star Wars fan should know, is the best movie of the franchise. This is definitely a positive for the movie, and will improve the story. There really isn't much else to say. I mean, Lawrence Kasdan is writing Star Wars. How much better can it get?

Kasdan (far left) on the "Empire" set

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 7

Episode VII to be FABULOUS?!

     Late last week, Star Wars news began picking up speed. On the Graham Norton Show, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Harrison Ford were asked if they would be in Episode VII. Their responses were mostly sarcastic and mumbly. This, however, doesn't really mean much, since these two wouldn't actually let slip that they were in Star Wars, and they would control themselves until casting was officially announced. This might have occurred, however, to Anthony Daniels. According to Film Buff Online, while Daniels was speaking about Star Wars at the New York Comic-Con, he was asked by the audience about Episode VII and told them that he couldn't divulge any information, 

     “Walls have ears. And we know what they look like. They’re very big ears…”. But later, when he was talking about his career, he said, 

     “Yes, I am the only actor to be in all seven because I feel -” 

At this the audience gasped.

"Six! Whatever." Could this be an honest mistake, or maybe a Freudian slip? Who knows...

     In other Star Wars casting news, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D actress Ming-Na Wen stated that she would love a role in Episode VII, and doesn't matter which role she plays, as long as she's in it. But this isn't the big news this week: apparently, after calling J.J. Abrams a pig, William Shatner is complementing him.

     Back in March, Shatner was talking about how he hadn't been asked to be in the new Star Trek movie, and then switched the topic to the recent decision to have J.J. Abrams direct the new Star Wars movie. Shatner said that Abrams was being a pig for holding two franchises to his vest. Yet, months later, he is now saying that Abrams "is a terrific director, and he gives you a great ride." While he earlier criticized Abrams for helming both franchises, he now says, "It's going to be wonderful for both franchises. He certainly enlivened Star Trek... He's going to make a fabulous movie." Why the change in tone towards J.J. Abrams? Well, also during the March interview, he hinted that he wanted to be in Episode VII. Could this be why he's complimenting him? To butter him up? Has everything culminated in William Shatner STARRING IN STAR WARS?!

     ...

     Maybe.

     But then again, maybe not. We'll find out soon enough...

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 6

Episode VII Goes to a "New Generation"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnr18AUym-o

     Casting rumors abound this week on the Star Wars front. First off, Saoirse Ronan said that she "handled a lightsaber" during casting, and that "nobody's got a clue" about the script. Also, Ben Kingsley has denied auditioning for Episode VII, or at least apologized for sleeping through it, according to Den of Geek. According to Comicbookmovie, casting announcements for Episode VII are imminent, due to the upcoming New York Comic Con coming up. This has happened many times before, at Star Wars Celebration Europe, Star Wars Celebration Europe 2, Disney's D23 Expo, and the Los Angeles Comic Con, in which rumors that announcements on Episode VII would be made were shot down. This might be an exception, but it also might not. We'll see...

     This week, Jett Lucas, adoptive son of George Lucas spoke to YouTube channel flicksandthecity ("Flicks And The City"), and teased fans that he already knew what was going to happen in the movie, and was pleased by it. But he also revealed that his father had already been working on Episode VII prior to the Lucasfilm/Disney sale. Jett said, "We knew probably a year prior [to the sale to Disney], he had started writing and researching, starting his whole little process." He also voiced how his father had been "very torn" on the decision to sell Lucasfilm."He’s constantly talking to J.J", Jett continued. "Obviously J.J. was handpicked. [Lucas] is there to guide, whenever, he’ll help where he can. At the same time, he wants to let it go and become its new generation." This is where George Lucas' "creative consultant" status comes in. He could, however, help J.J. Abrams with Star Wars details, and keep Star Wars slightly more consistent. When Abrams rebooted Star Trek, he didn't have Gene Roddenberry to consult with, and made up a lot of details he didn't have. This could help the sequels, and it should be pursued for a new generation.

Lucas in 1988

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 5

Saoirse Ronan in Episode VII?

     This week on the Star Wars news front, there have been mainly casting rumors. These have been the actors to watch out for:

- Benedict Cumberbatch 

- Saoirse Ronan 

- Ryan Gosling 

- Alex Pettyfer 

- Michael B. Jordan 

- Rachel Hurd-Wood 

- Cillian Murphy 

- Jonathan Rhys-Meyers 

- Abigail Breslin

-Sullivan Stapleton

     Rachel Hurd-Wood and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers were mentioned in early September as possible contenders for Episode VII. No word has been out about them since. Many of the others on the list haven't said a word officially on the subject. Sullivan Stapleton, according to Latino Review, has auditioned for the movie, and has already gotten in trouble for talking about it. Benedict Cumberbatch has resurfaced yet again as a possible cast member, and while he has denied these rumors, many Star Trek fans point out that he also denied playing Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness (spoiler alert!). But one of the most important rumors this week: Saoirse Ronan has confirmed that she has auditioned for Episode VII.

     After she confirmed it to the UK's Sky News, she followed it up with, "So has everyone." When asked further about the film, she said  if she revealed any more, the studio execs would "chop off [her] head with a lightsaber".

     It might seem unlikely that Ronan would get into Star Wars when there are plenty of A-list actors who would love the job. However, J.J. Abrams might be looking for relatively unknown faces for the new movie. This would be keeping after the cast of the original trilogy. Mark Hamill was only known for TV roles, Carrie Fisher was only in one film prior to Star Wars, and Harrison Ford, well, actually, Harrison Ford was pretty popular.

If J.J. Abrams is trying to keep within the spirit of the original trilogy, then big name actors (besides the original cast, of course) would only serve to distract the audience from the movie, which is precisely why Simon Pegg flat out refused to be in Episode VII, despite loving the franchise. When it comes to Star Wars, unknown is better.

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 4

Star Wars to be filmed on IMAX?

       This week's otherwise slow "Star Wars" news trickle was punctuated with the announcement that a casting call had been announced in the UK for a 7 foot, 3 inch tall male, with broad shoulders and face. The movie that issued by casting call was officially "Untitled Studio Feature" produced by the Walt Disney Company and directed by J.J. Abrams. This doesn't leave much room for speculation as to what the movie could be. With Peter Mayhew, the original Chewbacca, apparently out of the running for the sequel with a double knee replacement surgery, the studio executives at Disney have decided to replace him with another extremely tall person. But Peter Mayhew isn't done yet. He is petitioning for the classic role even though he can barely walk. He is dedicated.

     In other news, J.J. Abrams has decided to keep the emotional tone of the next installment as real as possible. Here he is quoted as saying, 

     "It's been nice see that how important it is and to be reminded how important it is to so many people. We all know that [creator George Lucas's] dream has become almost a religion to some people. I remember reading a thing somewhere, someone wrote about just wanting [the new film] to feel real; to feel authentic. I remember I felt that way when I was 11 years old when I saw the first one. As much of a fairy tale as it was, it felt real. And to me, that is exactly right." It feels right that he wants to recapture the magic of the original Star Wars instead of going the way of a certain prequel film series. But the most important news of all: According to Metro Entertainment, part of Episode VII will be shot with IMAX cameras. 

     The CEO of IMAX, Richard Gelfond, has been in talks with J.J. Abrams about filming parts of Episode VII in IMAX. Only key scenes will be filmed in IMAX, according to some reports, due to the fact that Episode VII will be using 35 mm film, officially confirmed by Disney. IMAX uses 70 mm film, which is much larger and more cumbersome than 35 mm. But it looks AWESOME.

This rumor is based on truth, because J.J. Abrams did film key scenes of Star Trek Into Darkness on IMAX. If it is true, it would impact the movie's aesthetic feel and look, as well as make it more detailed. It would be a good decision on the part of Disney. J.J. Abrams' hope for an authentic Star Wars: Episode VII is looking more like reality. 

     

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 3

Star Wars to be Edited in L.A.?

     This week, Benedict Cumberbatch denied rumors of his casting in Star Wars, but stated he did actually want to be in it. Acccording to him, "Everyone who wants to be a part of that film, they (Disney) know." In other news. Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in four Star Wars movies, might not be able to play him in the next installment, due to both of his kneecaps being replaced. Barely getting out of bed, it seems unlikely that he'll reprise his iconic role.

     The first rumored title of Episode VII is "A New Dawn", first reported by TalkBacker, that a "potential title" has been leaked via two anonymous sources. This sounds pretty sketchy, so I'll take this one with a grain of salt. Also, According to Latino Review, the Millenium Falcon will be returning, coming from yet another anonymous source. The report states, "All of post-production a re-shoots are to work around Abrams and Actors schedules. 90% of shooting in London. Also, they are building the Millenium Falcon on at Pinewood. Interior is done." Once again, grain of salt. But this next report could actually have merit. And it involves J.J. Abrams.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bad Robot is developing a green room and sound studios in Sana Monica. This particular building already has editing studios, a screening room, which can double as a movie set, and various office spaces. It might mean that the studio is just moving the editing to L.A., but it could also mean pick ups could be shot there.This news comes after J.J. Abrams told interviewers earlier this year that his wife, kids, and himself were unhappy that production of Episode VII would be moved to Pinewood Studios in London, where all six Star Wars movies have shot at. He has shot all of his movies in Los Angeles, even personally financing part of Star Trek Into Darkness in order to keep it local. Could this new development in Bad Robot's facilities have anything to do with this? I'll let you decide.

But the answer is yes.

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 2

Episode VII to be Shot on Film

     After the last post, Star Wars news began picking up speed. After the 2015 rumor, another cropped up about Episode VII shooting to start January 21, 2014, the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This would seem to further support the claim that the movie will be released December 2015, although Disney has yet to confirm this. In casting news, five faces to be watching: According to Latino Review, Alex Pettyfer and Rachel Hurd-Wood have auditioned for roles in Episode VII. Also, Film Chronicle reported that Benedict Cumberland, who played Khan in the new Star Trek movie, would like to be in Star Wars. However, less than a day later, his representative denied these rumors were true. The last casting announcement came from Jedi News, which states that Ksenia Solo (That's a real name) is expected to play Han Solo's daughter. Also, Liam McIntyre is expected to have a role in the movie. Also, Billy Dee Williams has started a campaign to bring back Lando Calrissian in the sequel.

     But this is the most important news of all, and it has been officially confirmed by Disney and Lucasfilm: Star Wars: Episode VII will be shot on film, specifically, Kodak film stock 5219. According to J.J. Abrams, it feels more real. This is very important as the last two prequels, heavily criticized as looking too sanitized, were shot on digital cameras. This means that J.J. Abrams is trying to bring the old feel of the original trilogy back to the franchise, and this is much appreciated by fans. This could mean a Star Wars focused on story and plot rather than amazing visual effects and digital environments, because it's difficult to CGI everything if you're shooting on film. Anyways, I'd much prefer lens flares to a computer generated fake looking movie.

Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 1

Is Star Wars: Episode VII to be released in December?

   

     After the past few weeks of a disappointing lack of Star Wars news at any Disney events, a new rumor has spread that could completely change Star Wars' status as a summer blockbuster.
     According to this article, Episode VII will not be released in May, which is standard for all Star Wars movies, but it will be released on December 15. 2015. According to the article, this is a combination of giving J.J. Abrams more time for post production, and moving it out of the way of a summer filled with blockbusters.
   

     Before you pack zero-degree sleeping bags for the wait for tickets, give this some thought. While, at first glance, this seems like a logical decision, the author of the article gave no sources or any information as to where this was reported. I think this is a wide guess based on speculation, not hard evidence. This would move Star Wars out of the way of Avengers 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 5, Fantastic Four, Independence Day 2, and Smurfs 3, but I don't think that will affect the box office for Episode VII. I mean, it's Star Wars. It's going to make a billion dollars either way. Still, if it would make the movie better, would it be worth the wait?