Star Wars Episode VII News: Week 44

The Force Awakens to be Released in the Summer?

     Well, here we are again. When I started this in August of 2013, It was regarding this exact same topic. When I first heard about the possible winter release of The Force Awakens (then just called Episode VII) from BadAssDigest, I was skeptical. December 15, 2015? How crazy is that? All Star Wars movies have been released in May! I still don't know how they were able to get that information, or how they were able to pinpoint the correct date with surprising accuracy (December 18, not 15, is the official release date). But when it was confirmed by Disney in November, it surprised everyone. So December has been the official release date for over a year now, and it even appeared in the trailer for the film. However, according to iKwiz, J.J. Abrams himself wants it moved back to summer. During the 2015 Visual Effects Society Awards, Abrams reportedly vented his frustration, telling people that he wants Disney to move the release to the summer, so that, with less time, there would be fewer leaks, and therefore, the movie would not be ruined. Too many leaks makes the audience anticipate every move in a film, and, understandably, Abrams wants to cut back on the time in which spoilers and more photos can leak. But Disney won't move the date, right? I mean, they have everything planned out! They even put the release date on the trailer!

     But the weird part is, the article is suggesting that Disney is also worried about leaks and is listening to his request. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Disney wants to protect secrecy at all costs, attempting to purchase anti-drone equipment, disguising actors with heavy robes, making them sign confidentiality contracts, issuing subpoenas, and much more to maintain a heavy veil over the production and plot of The Force Awakens. How far will Disney go? Maybe, just maybe, they'll move the release date up (Poor post-production team!). Maybe not to May, that will probably kill the editors, but sometime in the summer. A problem is that it will be competing with so many more movies than with a December release date. But the advantage? It's freaking Star Wars. It will beat all the competition, even Age of Ultron. Just because it's Star Wars. It's going to make two billion dollars either way. But can the move be worth it?