Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!) - Page 137 - Blu-ray Forum

Walts Ghost · 01-26-2013, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgomike

I think no matter the choice, fault would be found with it. Just be glad it's not Lucas himself. In J.J we trust!

Well said.

Falaskan · 01-26-2013, 02:42 AM

OMG I HOPE THERE'S NOT LENS FLARE EVERYWHERE!!

Beating a dead horse... bringing up/asking something that has been discussed a thousand times before

MediaMalable · 01-26-2013, 04:21 AM

Come one guys, as a huge fan of Star Wars since I was 9 years old, our beloved franchise has been thrown in the dirt and kicked in the face for a long, long time. Having someone of JJ's caliber on this film is the best thing that could possibly happen to this franchise. Personally I feel that we'll see Star Wars finally come alive again.

Here's why.

1. The best Star Wars movie (certainly a great movie, even if you don't agree it was the best) was written by Lawrence Kasden, and directed by Irvin Kershner. A writer with a great handle on characters first and foremost, and a strong director. Here with Michael Arndt and JJ we have the same thing. I love Star Trek 09, the few problems I had with it were script problems, and I blame Orci/Kurtzman for their often cliche ridden approach to character (they wrote transformers). They won't be involved in this film, thank god (a lot of people hate on Damon Lindelof, but I think the fact he has a writing credit on the next Star Trek bodes well for the film, as Orci/Kurtzman aren't of his caliber).

2. J.J. won't make a green screen movie. He just doesn't shoot that way. The way he blends effects, stunts, and reality, is fantastic. Proof? The pilot episode of LOST is full of incredible things happening, and yet you never feel aware of digital effects, and the focus is totally on the characters. And he did that on a TV budget. This will definitely be his biggest budget yet.

3. Kathleen Kennedy is running Lucasfilm, and as a producer she's spent her whole career with Steven Spielberg. This says to me that this film won't suffer from (as much as any movie of this size can avoid) the studio whitewashing the forces the artist's hand. She's spent her whole career trusting artists to do what they do best.

4. This choice reveals that they don't just want to make a film for children or teenagers. Imagine the kind of directors they could so easily have a made a totally saleable/commercial movie with, one totally created to sell toys, not tell a story. Whatever you think of JJ, you can't accuse him of having that approach.

5. The man loves Star Wars. Passionately. It seems like Lucas by the time he was making the prequels really kind of despised his own creation. It'll be fantastic to have someone as thrilled to be working in this world as Lucas was when he made the original Star Wars.

6. J.J. is not a Michael Bay style slickster. He likes complex sets, real stunts, and a sense of reality in his films. He takes genre movies as seriously as he possibly can, which in my opinion is the approach that made Empire so great.

7. His lens flare phase is over. There are no lens flares in the Into Darkness trailer.

aiman04 · 01-26-2013, 04:25 AM

http://starwars.com/news/star-wars-i...isode-vii.html

STAR WARS IS BEING KICK-STARTED WITH DYNAMITE J.J. ABRAMS TO DIRECT STAR WARS: EPISODE VII

January 25, 2013

After a bevy of emails and phone calls, the formalities have been wrapped up, and at long last everyone can exhale and properly share the word with an excited Internet. Yes, J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.

"It's very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture."

George Lucas went on to say "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller." He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands."

"To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor," J.J. Abrams said. "I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid."

J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney | Lucasfilm banner."

Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm's preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe.

Past Star Wars veterans, dating back to the classic trilogy, offered words of praise from their direct experience with Abrams:

Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren, ASC, whose credits include the original Star Wars trilogy as well as landmark films such as E.T. and Jurassic Park, also worked with Abrams on Super 8. "He puts everything he has into his work," said Muren. "He totally immerses himself. He's got such a visual eye, which is so important to the Star Wars films. It seems that a lot of the same things that were in George when he made the first Star Wars films are also in J.J. I think he's going to fit into the other movies perfectly, with the energy that J.J. has. We're kick-starting Star Wars again with dynamite. It will knock people out, including the people who get to work on it. I think it's a great choice."

Ben Burtt, responsible for such iconic Star Wars sounds as Darth Vader's breathing, R2-D2's beeps and the classic lightsaber, has worked with Abrams as sound designer and sound editor on Star Trek and Super 8. "J.J represents the next generation of filmmakers from those that were making Star Wars when I started," said Ben Burtt. "When he was a teen, he was a fan of Star Wars, and a great deal of his love for movies came out of his reaction of that first Star Wars film. You feel that he's already invested so many years in it, and he's going to propel it forward in a new way. In other words, you're having a fan who has grown up and developed tremendous directorial skills finding himself at the steering wheel to take the franchise into the next stage. I feel like I'm there watching history turn over from one era to another."

Matthew Wood, who served as supervising sound editor on Super 8, similarly grew up as a Star Wars fan before working on the films through the prequels. "Working with him, it was so obvious to me that J.J. and I have the same nostalgic love of that era. Now we have someone from that generation who is going to be at the helm of the Star Wars franchise that I've known and worked on, so it's a great circle. Just seeing what he did with Super 8 and capturing those moments, and knowing what was so special about that era, it's going to speak to a new generation of audience as well."

VaporX94 · 01-26-2013, 04:34 AM

I'm excited about the news of J.J. taking on Episode VII.

Walts Ghost · 01-26-2013, 04:36 AM

I'm so glad it's now official.

aiman04 · 01-26-2013, 04:43 AM

I was hoping that this was more of a director-for-hire thing. I just hope they don't put the Bad Robot logo at the beginning. Bad Robot and Bryan Burk being involved just means that it is part of Abrams' condition to agree to direct.

Walts Ghost · 01-26-2013, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiman04

I was hoping that this was more of a director-for-hire thing. I just hope they don't put the Bad Robot logo at the beginning. Bad Robot and Bryan Burk being involved just means that it is part of Abrams' condition to agree to direct.

Bad Robot is producing. Their logo will be in the front with Disney and Lucasfilm's. I think it's a safe bet that Abrams is going to be highly involved in 'Star Wars' from here on it.

Aragorn the Elfstone · 01-26-2013, 04:58 AM

So the man who brought me Lost and Fringe is now directing the new Star Wars?

006 · 01-26-2013, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aragorn84

So the man who brought me Lost and Fringe is now directing the new Star Wars?

I agree.

This is great news. Just imagine how stressed he was when he signed that contract. If he screws up he will be receiving hate mail for the rest of his days. He has a good filmography and his worst stuff is still decent.

I can't wait to see the details start to roll in!

Walts Ghost · 01-26-2013, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 006

I agree.

This is great news. Just imagine how stressed he was when he signed that contract. If he screws up he will be receiving hate mail for the rest of his days. He has a good filmography and his worst stuff is still decent.

I can't wait to see the details start to roll in!

It also helps he already knows what that's like because of 'Star Trek (09)'. I think that will help. He knows the way to make fans and audiences happy, and I think he's the perfect fit for this. I'm honestly the most excited I've been for any project in quite some time for this. It's funny, because the only other two movies in the past few years that have gotten me this pumped were 'Star Trek Into Darkness' and 'Super 8'. 'Into Darkness' because I loved the first, and the secrecy around the project is electrifying, and 'Super 8' for the same reason about the secrecy. This one is going to be crazy with secrecy!

The Edge · 01-26-2013, 06:49 AM

I know thousands of people will bash the movie before they see it IN FULL... because its the popular thing to do.... but I won't.

Spicoli · 01-26-2013, 06:58 AM

I had no doubt that a great choice was to be made as far as director. I have full faith in Mr. Abrams.

What concerns me the most is who is writing the screenplay? The story has to be solid, fancy lens flare and "in-your-face" moments wont matter without a great story.

Walts Ghost · 01-26-2013, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicoli

I had no doubt that a great choice was to be made as far as director. I have full faith in Mr. Abrams.

What concerns me the most is who is writing the screenplay? The story has to be solid, fancy lens flare and "in-your-face" moments wont matter without a great story.

Michael Arndt is writing it. He wrote 'Toy Story 3', the upcoming 'Oblivion', and 'Little Miss Sunshine'.

Spicoli · 01-26-2013, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

Michael Arndt is writing it. He wrote 'Toy Story 3', the upcoming 'Oblivion', and 'Little Miss Sunshine'.

I was just reading about him. He did well with Sunshine, not a long resume but solid. I haven't seen Brave yet.

Spicoli · 01-26-2013, 07:25 AM

I wonder when we will find out if someone like Michael Giacchino will be composing the music or sticking with John Williams? I can hear them "jazzing" up the original theme.

aiman04 · 01-26-2013, 07:42 AM

So my geek guess of the credit:

WALT DISNEY presents a LUCASFILM LTD production
in association with BAD ROBOT
"STAR WARS: Episode VII - BALANCE OF THE FORCE"
with MARK HAMMIL CARRIE FISHER and HARRISON FORD
music by JOHN WILLIAMS*
edited by MARYANN BRANDON and MARY JO MARKEY
production designer SCOTT CHAMBLISS
director of photography LARRY FONG, asc
executive producer KATHLEEN KENNEDY
produced by J.J. ABRAMS and BRYAN BURK
story by GEORGE LUCAS LAWRENCE KASDAN and SIMON KINBERG
screenplay by MICHAEL ARNDT directed by J.J. ABRAMS

*MICHAEL GIACCHINO should he decline.

Spicoli · 01-26-2013, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiman04

So my geek guess of the credit:

WALT DISNEY presents a LUCASFILM LTD production
in association with BAD ROBOT
"STAR WARS: Episode VII - BALANCE OF THE FORCE"
with MARK HAMMIL CARRIE FISHER and HARRISON FORD
music by JOHN WILLIAMS*
edited by MARYANN BRANDON and MARY JO MARKEY
production designer SCOTT CHAMBLISS
director of photography LARRY FONG, asc
executive producer KATHLEEN KENNEDY
produced by J.J. ABRAMS and BRYAN BURK
story by GEORGE LUCAS LAWRENCE KASDAN and SIMON KINBERG
screenplay by MICHAEL ARNDT directed by J.J. ABRAMS

*MICHAEL GIACCHINO should he decline.

The Sleeping Beauty Castle intro is going to be sick!

Bluyoda · 01-26-2013, 09:57 AM

I am psyched that J.J. Abrams is going to direct Episode VII!

He is used to working with ILM, and Skywalker Sound, and his reboot of Star Trek, almost felt like a Star Wars film anyways, and his love for Star Wars was visible in every frame!

I think we can't even imagine the times ahead of us!!!

It's going to get really crazy! This is SW we are talking about here, after all!!!

May the force be with us!

Jumpman · 01-26-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

I am psyched that J.J. Abrams is going to direct Episode VII!

He is used to working with ILM, and Skywalker Sound, and his reboot of Star Trek, almost felt like a Star Wars film anyways, and his love for Star Wars was visible in every frame!

I think we can't even imagine the times ahead of us!!!

It's going to get really crazy! This is SW we are talking about here, after all!!!

May the force be with us!

That's cause it is!

View Poll Results: Rate the movie (after you have seen it)
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01-26-2013, 04:21 AM	#2723
MediaMalable Member Member since:Feb 2012 Blu-ray collection:129	Come one guys, as a huge fan of Star Wars since I was 9 years old, our beloved franchise has been thrown in the dirt and kicked in the face for a long, long time. Having someone of JJ's caliber on this film is the best thing that could possibly happen to this franchise. Personally I feel that we'll see Star Wars finally come alive again. Here's why. 1. The best Star Wars movie (certainly a great movie, even if you don't agree it was the best) was written by Lawrence Kasden, and directed by Irvin Kershner. A writer with a great handle on characters first and foremost, and a strong director. Here with Michael Arndt and JJ we have the same thing. I love Star Trek 09, the few problems I had with it were script problems, and I blame Orci/Kurtzman for their often cliche ridden approach to character (they wrote transformers). They won't be involved in this film, thank god (a lot of people hate on Damon Lindelof, but I think the fact he has a writing credit on the next Star Trek bodes well for the film, as Orci/Kurtzman aren't of his caliber). 2. J.J. won't make a green screen movie. He just doesn't shoot that way. The way he blends effects, stunts, and reality, is fantastic. Proof? The pilot episode of LOST is full of incredible things happening, and yet you never feel aware of digital effects, and the focus is totally on the characters. And he did that on a TV budget. This will definitely be his biggest budget yet. 3. Kathleen Kennedy is running Lucasfilm, and as a producer she's spent her whole career with Steven Spielberg. This says to me that this film won't suffer from (as much as any movie of this size can avoid) the studio whitewashing the forces the artist's hand. She's spent her whole career trusting artists to do what they do best. 4. This choice reveals that they don't just want to make a film for children or teenagers. Imagine the kind of directors they could so easily have a made a totally saleable/commercial movie with, one totally created to sell toys, not tell a story. Whatever you think of JJ, you can't accuse him of having that approach. 5. The man loves Star Wars. Passionately. It seems like Lucas by the time he was making the prequels really kind of despised his own creation. It'll be fantastic to have someone as thrilled to be working in this world as Lucas was when he made the original Star Wars. 6. J.J. is not a Michael Bay style slickster. He likes complex sets, real stunts, and a sense of reality in his films. He takes genre movies as seriously as he possibly can, which in my opinion is the approach that made Empire so great. 7. His lens flare phase is over. There are no lens flares in the Into Darkness trailer. Last edited by MediaMalable; 01-26-2013 at 04:23 AM.

01-26-2013, 04:25 AM	#2724
aiman04 Blu-ray Champion Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Malaysia Home Theater Gallery:9	http://starwars.com/news/star-wars-i...isode-vii.html STAR WARS IS BEING KICK-STARTED WITH DYNAMITE J.J. ABRAMS TO DIRECT STAR WARS: EPISODE VII January 25, 2013 After a bevy of emails and phone calls, the formalities have been wrapped up, and at long last everyone can exhale and properly share the word with an excited Internet. Yes, J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay. "It's very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture." George Lucas went on to say "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller." He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands." "To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor," J.J. Abrams said. "I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid." J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney \| Lucasfilm banner." Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm's preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe. Past Star Wars veterans, dating back to the classic trilogy, offered words of praise from their direct experience with Abrams: Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren, ASC, whose credits include the original Star Wars trilogy as well as landmark films such as E.T. and Jurassic Park, also worked with Abrams on Super 8. "He puts everything he has into his work," said Muren. "He totally immerses himself. He's got such a visual eye, which is so important to the Star Wars films. It seems that a lot of the same things that were in George when he made the first Star Wars films are also in J.J. I think he's going to fit into the other movies perfectly, with the energy that J.J. has. We're kick-starting Star Wars again with dynamite. It will knock people out, including the people who get to work on it. I think it's a great choice." Ben Burtt, responsible for such iconic Star Wars sounds as Darth Vader's breathing, R2-D2's beeps and the classic lightsaber, has worked with Abrams as sound designer and sound editor on Star Trek and Super 8. "J.J represents the next generation of filmmakers from those that were making Star Wars when I started," said Ben Burtt. "When he was a teen, he was a fan of Star Wars, and a great deal of his love for movies came out of his reaction of that first Star Wars film. You feel that he's already invested so many years in it, and he's going to propel it forward in a new way. In other words, you're having a fan who has grown up and developed tremendous directorial skills finding himself at the steering wheel to take the franchise into the next stage. I feel like I'm there watching history turn over from one era to another." Matthew Wood, who served as supervising sound editor on Super 8, similarly grew up as a Star Wars fan before working on the films through the prequels. "Working with him, it was so obvious to me that J.J. and I have the same nostalgic love of that era. Now we have someone from that generation who is going to be at the helm of the Star Wars franchise that I've known and worked on, so it's a great circle. Just seeing what he did with Super 8 and capturing those moments, and knowing what was so special about that era, it's going to speak to a new generation of audience as well." Last edited by aiman04; 01-26-2013 at 04:30 AM.

01-26-2013, 02:42 AM	#2722
Falaskan Banned Top contributor Member since:Mar 2011 Location:Alaska Blu-ray collection:274 DVD collection:60 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:44	OMG I HOPE THERE'S NOT LENS FLARE EVERYWHERE!!

01-26-2013, 04:34 AM	#2725
VaporX94 Active Member Member since:Nov 2011 Location:Lajes Field, Azores Blu-ray collection:85 DVD collection:16 Blu-ray reviews: 15	I'm excited about the news of J.J. taking on Episode VII.

01-26-2013, 04:36 AM	#2726
Walts Ghost Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Jun 2010 Location:Arizona 4K collection:788 Blu-ray collection:3091 DVD collection:177 iTunes collection:34 Blu-ray reviews: 33 Trading Score:1	I'm so glad it's now official.

01-26-2013, 04:43 AM	#2727
aiman04 Blu-ray Champion Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Malaysia Home Theater Gallery:9	I was hoping that this was more of a director-for-hire thing. I just hope they don't put the Bad Robot logo at the beginning. Bad Robot and Bryan Burk being involved just means that it is part of Abrams' condition to agree to direct.

01-26-2013, 04:58 AM	#2729
Aragorn the Elfstone Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Sep 2008 Location:The Secondary World 4K collection:245 Blu-ray collection:773 DVD collection:152 Digital collection:115	So the man who brought me Lost and Fringe is now directing the new Star Wars?

01-26-2013, 06:49 AM	#2732
The Edge Power Member Member since:Oct 2012 Location:Wilmington, California 4K collection:340 Blu-ray collection:692 DVD collection:87 Blu-ray reviews: 2 Trading Score:8	I know thousands of people will bash the movie before they see it IN FULL... because its the popular thing to do.... but I won't.

01-26-2013, 06:58 AM	#2733
Spicoli Blu-ray Guru Member since:Sep 2010 Location:East of Seattle Trading Score:5	I had no doubt that a great choice was to be made as far as director. I have full faith in Mr. Abrams. What concerns me the most is who is writing the screenplay? The story has to be solid, fancy lens flare and "in-your-face" moments wont matter without a great story.

01-26-2013, 07:25 AM	#2736
Spicoli Blu-ray Guru Member since:Sep 2010 Location:East of Seattle Trading Score:5	I wonder when we will find out if someone like Michael Giacchino will be composing the music or sticking with John Williams? I can hear them "jazzing" up the original theme.

01-26-2013, 07:42 AM	#2737
aiman04 Blu-ray Champion Member since:Nov 2007 Location:Malaysia Home Theater Gallery:9	So my geek guess of the credit: WALT DISNEY presents a LUCASFILM LTD production in association with BAD ROBOT "STAR WARS: Episode VII - BALANCE OF THE FORCE" with MARK HAMMIL CARRIE FISHER and HARRISON FORD music by JOHN WILLIAMS* edited by MARYANN BRANDON and MARY JO MARKEY production designer SCOTT CHAMBLISS director of photography LARRY FONG, asc executive producer KATHLEEN KENNEDY produced by J.J. ABRAMS and BRYAN BURK story by GEORGE LUCAS LAWRENCE KASDAN and SIMON KINBERG screenplay by MICHAEL ARNDT directed by J.J. ABRAMS *MICHAEL GIACCHINO should he decline.

01-26-2013, 09:57 AM	#2739
Bluyoda Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Dagobah Home Theater Gallery:103 4K collection:160 Blu-ray collection:1383 Blu-ray reviews: 263 Trading Score:4	I am psyched that J.J. Abrams is going to direct Episode VII! He is used to working with ILM, and Skywalker Sound, and his reboot of Star Trek, almost felt like a Star Wars film anyways, and his love for Star Wars was visible in every frame! I think we can't even imagine the times ahead of us!!! It's going to get really crazy! This is SW we are talking about here, after all!!! May the force be with us!

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