Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Megalith

Star Wars: Episode VII - Just a Little Higher

Star Wars: Episode VII - It's Alright, I Can See A Lot Better

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Guydowood

I wonder if Harrison Ford will be able to recapture the scoundrel flamboyance of Han Solo since he hasn't played that character in 31 yrs.

Honestly, I wouldn't want him to. People change. I wouldn't expect Han Solo 30 years later to be the same guy he was back then. Are YOU the same person today that you were 20 or 30 years ago (if you're that old)? He's no longer an independent smuggler. He would now be a long time military general who's (presumably) married to Leia and has a family. If anything he's probably on the cusp of retirement. Would you really want to see Han on the big screen as the "70 year old who refuses to grow up?" I know I wouldn't.

[Shanderson88]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

Honestly, I wouldn't want him to. People change. I wouldn't expect Han Solo 30 years later to be the same guy he was back then. Are YOU the same person today that you were 20 or 30 years ago (if you're that old)? He's no longer an independent smuggler. He would now be a long time military general who's (presumably) married to Leia and has a family. If anything he's probably on the cusp of retirement. Would you really want to see Han on the big screen as the "70 year old who refuses to grow up?" I know I wouldn't.

Couldn't agree more. Well said.

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

Personally, I couldn't care less about any anal OCD arguments over whether it's Sci-Fi, Speculative Fiction or Fantasy. But one point you raised - the issue of different languages is one that I think just about every film involving aliens glosses over and never explains. Films like Star Trek have humans meeting certain alien races for the first time, yet they can understand them via their "universal translators". Although it's impossible to conceive how advanced computers will become even 100 years from now, never mind 300 to 500 years from now, I always felt that the concept of a "universal translator" was a cop-out.

And even though here on planet earth, humans eventually found a way to communicate with each other despite language differences, like when Europeans first met Native Americans, I can't even conceive of how difficult that must have been. I always felt that a brave SciFi film would be one in which two races have absolutely no idea what the other race is trying to communicate.

With Trek, they at least tried to show with Enterprise that it is someone who is good with languages and then they later program the computer to learn how. On Earth it is a little easier since a lot of languages have common roots so if you can figure out one, you can stumble into the rest but I have to admit it would be hard with an alien language which is something they have acknowledged in some episodes. With Star Wars though, I always found it funny because person A would talk with person B and they are both talking in thier own language but both understand each other. Why wouldn't you choose one language to talk in? Obviously they both understand the other language so there is no reason to use both. It would be like 2 world leaders meeting today and talking through a translator when they both speak English. Even stranger is you people understand R2 when it is purely electronic. Perhaps they have a universal translator as well but there is no mention of it. It is one of the bad things people overlook with Star Wars - it might create a mood but it makes no sense at all.

My 2 bits into the Han growing old debate - that is actually one of the reasons why I would have been okay with none of the original cast, or just Hamill, appearing in the new films. How do you handle these characters? People are all excited because we get to see Han Solo again but like everyone said, do you want him still running around like he did 30 years ago? At least with Luke, there was a noticable change from Star Wars to Jedi so having him come back as an older, mature Jedi wouldn't have caught anyone offguard.

I suppose this should go elsewhere but I will throw it out here since we are talking about the characters aging - is there any reason why Han couldn't still be doing the smuggler thing? We are all thinking of what happened in the novels that have come out since Jedi but they have said that they are pretty much rebooting all that (JJ and rebooting are starting to become common). How do we know he is a general? How do we know he got married? For all we know, he took off after Jedi. We could be in for some big surprises with this film.

[The Fallen Deity]

Star Wars Episode VII: The Revenge Of Porkins

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

Personally, I couldn't care less about any anal OCD arguments over whether it's Sci-Fi, Speculative Fiction or Fantasy. But one point you raised - the issue of different languages is one that I think just about every film involving aliens glosses over and never explains. Films like Star Trek have humans meeting certain alien races for the first time, yet they can understand them via their "universal translators". Although it's impossible to conceive how advanced computers will become even 100 years from now, never mind 300 to 500 years from now, I always felt that the concept of a "universal translator" was a cop-out.

And even though here on planet earth, humans eventually found a way to communicate with each other despite language differences, like when Europeans first met Native Americans, I can't even conceive of how difficult that must have been. I always felt that a brave SciFi film would be one in which two races have absolutely no idea what the other race is trying to communicate.

Not anywhere near as much of a cop out as so many alien races that miraculously speak English (or "basic" to use the Star Wars term). That annoys me far worse than using a translator, especially from the prequels. Why did the Trade Federation speak english? Why did the Gungans? Why did Watto? Why did Dexter Jetster? Why did the Kaminoans? Why did Kit Fisto? Or Plo Koon (from the Clone Wars series)? It's understandable that the select few major alien characters with tons of dialogue do it like Yoda. But it seemed like almost every alien character spoke English and it got very annoying to me. At least using a translator makes LOGICAL sense.

[avilab]

Originally Posted by Spirit Zero

Probably seen this but I'll just throw this in here, need more of it.

Star Wars Tie Fighter Animation (WIP) by otaking77077 with sounds SFX! - YouTube

For the love of all things Galactic, please turn this into a series, Disney!! But only if you want to make money and fans super happy.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by Guydowood

According to film.com Ancient Fear is the working title.

I love that title. Love Star Wars, just hope they don't mess it up. Very concerned about Disney taking over this franchise.

[Jar Jar Stinks]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

I love that title. Love Star Wars, just hope they don't mess it up. Very concerned about Disney taking over this franchise.

They couldn't do worse than the last four films.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

Star Wars Episode VII: The Revenge Of Porkins

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

I love that title. Love Star Wars, just hope they don't mess it up. Very concerned about Disney taking over this franchise.

People need to understand that Lucasfilm is making the movie, not Disney. They've left marvel alone, this won't be any different.

[Delta09]

Originally Posted by Groge511

Star Wars VII Title?

Source:AICN

I like it.

Originally Posted by aiman04

Bob Iger Talks Star Wars During Earnings Conference Call

During today's earnings conference call (still on-going as we write this up) Bob Iger said new Marvel films will launch during first weekend of May in 2015, Avengers Age of Ultron, and also in May 2016 with Captain America 3, he continued with this statement to Star Wars...

"and we made some other news last week when we announced the cast of Star Wars Episode VII which includes some very familiar faces as well as some exciting new talent and the reaction has been tremendous. I was at Pinewood Studios with JJ Abrams a couple of weeks ago and left more confident than ever that Episode VII will be the extraordinary movie Star Wars fans have been waiting for".

More news as we get it - they're currently taking questions...

UPDATE 22:29 GMT: Here's some answers from Bob...

Three spin off films being targeted for Star Wars before the end of the decade, nothing more to say on these at present.
Episodes VII, VIII and IX will be released every other year [assume 2015, 2017 and 2019].
We are amazed at the passion for Star Wars since the acquisition.

UPDATE 22:55 GMT: Call ended with no further direct mention of Star Wars.


Source: The Walt Disney Company

http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=16707

Sweet!

[Ernest Rister]

People still believe AICN when it comes to Star Wars reporting?

No one remembers "The Creeping Fear"? Christopher Walken as Darth Bane? Leo as Anakin? N-Sync as Jedi knights? Episode 1 footage unusable because someone put the wrong lens on the camera for 40% of the shoot?

Love you, guys...but there comes a point when you have to take AICN rumors with a boulder of salt.

[oscarmerkx]

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

People need to understand that Lucasfilm is making the movie, not Disney. They've left marvel alone, this won't be any different.

+1 agree

[The Edge]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

People still believe AICN when it comes to Star Wars reporting?

No one remembers "The Creeping Fear"? Christopher Walken as Darth Bane? Leo as Anakin? N-Sync as Jedi knights? Episode 1 footage unusable because someone put the wrong lens on the camera for 40% of the shoot?

Love you, guys...but there comes a point when you have to take AICN rumors with a boulder of salt.

2 days after the recent casting announcement was made, Lance Bass was on Entertainment Tonight discussing it, and he even said N'Sync were cast as Jedi in the film [Episode I].

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by Forever Knight

The Ancient Fear?

I would have called it Rise of the Jedi.

"Rise of the Jedi" would have been an appropriate title for a movie that took place long before Episode I not decades after Episode VI.

Besides, how can anyone (not associated with the film) pick a title if they don't know the plot?

But I think you've got it wrong anyway. I hear the film is about Luke revisiting the Cantina to retrieve some secret of the Sith. So the film's title is actually, "Star Wars: The Ancient Beer".

But if that rumor is not correct and this new film has a bunch of new Jedi, then the title should be "Return of the Jedis" or "Jedi - The New Bunch".

If the plot line is going to be too similar to what we've seen before, it should be "One More Time in the Galaxy".

If there's a new Sith who comes from a long generation of Sith's, "The Sixth Sith" (say it six times fast)

If there's a new Sith and there's another bratty kid in the movie, "I'm Sith Years Old"

If it's about a Sith who is really rich and mysterious, it should be called, "The Great Sithsby"

If it's about a really big Sith who comes from an Asian country and wrecks havoc, it should be called "Sithzilla".

On the other hand, if the film is mostly about Luke and he's injured in battle, it should be called, "Help! I'm Old and I Can't Get Up".

But if it's primarily about both Luke and Han, it should be called "Grumpy Old Men".

If it's about either Luke or Han's relationship with their grandkids, it should be called "Bad Grandpa".

Or, if C3PO takes a vacation, but he needs some repairs, they can call it "Spring Break".

And what's this I hear about a scene in a cave where they see some old hieroglyphics of Mickey Mouse?

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

People still believe AICN when it comes to Star Wars reporting?

No one remembers "The Creeping Fear"? Christopher Walken as Darth Bane? Leo as Anakin? N-Sync as Jedi knights? Episode 1 footage unusable because someone put the wrong lens on the camera for 40% of the shoot?

Love you, guys...but there comes a point when you have to take AICN rumors with a boulder of salt.

We're not taking it seriously, we know how this works. It's just part of the fun.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by aiman04

We're not taking it seriously, we know how this works. It's just part of the fun.

Thank the Maker.

[aiman04]

Star Wars filming to start on May 13 in Abu Dhabi desert

Things seem to be picking up pace around the Star Wars sets in the Abu Dhabi desert, with shooting expected to start on Tuesday and last until at least the end of the month.

Curious day-trippers are likely to be disappointed, however, as our sources report that police and army are checking all vehicles in the area and making sure that anyone who isn’t supposed to be there is sent quickly on their way.

Our sources also report that the sets are getting closer to completion, with a “whole world” having been built on an otherworldly salt lake at one location, a “shuttle-like” spacecraft, a large tower, a “big, centuries-old-looking market”, something the crew are reportedly referring to as the “alien house” and 10 to 15 “really fast buggies” powered by jet engines (landspeeders of Tatooine fame from the previous films, perhaps?)

We have also been told that two lorries of explosives have been brought to one of the sites under high security and that a blast crater has been created. So, it looks like the action in Abu Dhabi could be set to feature a major battle or spacecraft crash of some description.

We also learnt that a group of technicians from the United Kingdom and Los Angeles are currently on site applying the finishing touches before the shoot begins and that some, unnamed, members of the cast are already here and have been out in the dunes practising driving the vehicles they’ll be using when filming begins.

With some of the crew already here (a source told us they checked into an Abu Dhabi hotel on Tuesday) and the main shoot expected to last until at least the end of the month (almost three weeks – and possibly longer depending on hitches such as sandstorms delaying shooting), it certainly looks as if Abu Dhabi is set to play a major role in the new movie. Disney’s chairman Alan Horn’s recent remarks that “We did some second-unit work in Abu Dhabi” may have been a slight understatement.

Star Wars: Episode VII, which is rumoured to have the working title The Ancient Fear, stars famous names – old and new – with the lead trio from the original Star Wars trilogy, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hammill lining up alongside newcomers to the franchise such as Adam Driver and Max von Sydow, rumoured to be playing the new film’s lead villains. The film is due in cinemas in December 2015.

http://www.thenational.ae/arts-cultu...u-dhabi-desert

[Steelmaker]

Han Solo considered a "Co-Lead" in Episode VII

Han Solo Considered a Co-Lead in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII

We already know that Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill are all officially back to reprise their roles as Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode VII. What we don't know is how big their roles will be. In the recent issue of Entertainment Weekly (via: Jedi News) we learn a little bit about that, and they confirm some previous rumors as well.

The report says that Hamill, Fisher, and Ford will all have "significant" roles, but make a point of saying that Han Solo is considered a co-lead in the film alongside three of the younger actors. So it seems that his role will be larger than Hamill's and Fisher's, which makes sense. After all, everyone loves Han Solo!

Then we have the following details and confirmations that EW provided "from sources with direct information about the project who spoke on condition of anonymity."

- Casting began in earnest in January.
- At press time, several roles have yet to be filled, including a major female lead.
- Michael Arndt's initial script has been significantly overhauled by [J.J.] Abrams and [Lawrence] Kasdan, which led to a delay in casting.
- Hamill, Fisher, and Ford had been secured to return for Episode VII before the Disney sale in 2012.

All of those things have been rumored, but this confirms it all. The coolest part about this, other than Solo having a big part in the movie, is that the three original stars were all set and ready to make this happen before Disney owned the franchise. The fact that we are going to see more Star Wars movies in the near future makes me so damn happy.