Shocking New Reveals From Sony Hack: J. Law, Pitt, Clooney, and Star Wars
More eye-opening details from the hack seen ‘round the world, from Clooney’s dig at Rupert Murdoch, J. Law and Brad Pitt’s amazing email handles, and the 'Ghostbusters' reboot drama.
In late November, an anonymous hacking group that calls themselves “Guardians of Peace” breached Sony’s servers, leaking a massive trove of documents ranging from social security numbers of stars and employees to copies of upcoming Sony films like Annie, Mr. Turner, Still Alice, and To Write Love on Her Arms.
The Daily Beast has combed through much of the hundreds of thousands of emails that have made their way online, revealing Sony's anxiety over The Interview, Jennifer's Lawrence's amazing email moniker, the studio's feud with Judd Apatow, and more.
Some believe the hack to be the work of North Korean hackers as reprisal for their comedy film The Interview, wherein James Franco and Seth Rogen play a TV host and producer who are tasked by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. While a spokesman for North Korea claimed ignorance, he added that the hack “might be a righteous deed of the supporters and sympathizers with the DPRK in response to its appeal” against The Interview, which the totalitarian country dubbed “a terrorist act.” The Guardians of Peace, meanwhile, posted a message online that read, “Stop immediately showing the movie of terrorism which can break the regional peace and cause the War.” The Interview hits theaters December 25.
But the most eye-opening reveals have emanated from leaked private email correspondences between Sony execs, producers, and talent, including their disdain over Adam Sandler’s diminishing returns and Sony exec Clint Culpepper calling one of their most prized actors, Kevin Hart, “a *****.” And much of the controversy has stemmed from fiery email exchanges between Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and über-producer Scott Rudin. The duo are being taken to task for making racially charged comments about the movie taste of President Obama, as well as the intense drama behind the making of the Aaron Sorkin-scripted Jobs, a biopic of Apple’s visionary co-founder Steve Jobs.
“Of all the things I thought might be said about me, this was the last one, and I feel awful,” Pascal told Deadline of the racism charges re: Obama. “There are people here that I work with I love, and I don’t want them to be disappointed in me. I am mostly disappointed in myself.”
Here are more scandalous discoveries:
Star Wars Details
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that Star Wars: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams’s continuation of the Star Wars story, will hit theaters late next year, and there are several other planned Star Wars films by Rian Johnson (Looper), Gareth Edwards (Godzilla), and Josh Trank (Chronicle). An email dated September 20, 2014, from Michael De Luca, President of Production for Columbia Pictures, to Amy Pascal discusses the plans for Disney’s upcoming Star wars films—and may have spilled some interesting new details.
Quote:
“Star Wars: Any studio would have lost josh trank and rian Johnson to this, it's freaking Star Wars. Your After Earth writer Gary Whitta is writing Gareth Edwards stand alone Star Wars film. Simon Kinberg is writing Josh Tranks. No one knows what they're about but Boba Fett is rumored to be the subject of one. Rian Johnson as you know is doing the main ones, episodes 8 and 9 of the Luke and Leia story lines, after JJ. Not sure anything is gained by looking at what Lucasfilm is doing except we are stalking all these people too, except Whitta whom I think blows.”
Disney CEO Confirms Release Years for ‘Star Wars Episode VIII’ and ‘IX,’ Teases More Trilogies
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens December 18 of this year. The first Star Wars standalone film opens December 16, 2016. After that, we have a good idea of what the next few years have in store for Star Wars but nothing is 100% set in stone. For example, though every single outlet in the world has confirmed Rian Johnson is directing Star Wars Episode VIII, along with the filmmaker himself, the company has yet to acknowledge it. And though we’ve heard there will be a Star Wars movie every single year, only the two dates above are confirmed.
However, the long-term future of Star Wars was recently mentioned by Disney CEO Bob Iger. In a Disney shareholders report, he talked about seeing footage from The Force Awakens, confirmed the release years for the next two films in “this” trilogy, and failed to mention the second standalone film. There’s more, too. Read the extremely loaded Star Wars sequel trilogy quote below.
Get Your Geek On (via Star Wars Underworld) got the report, which includes this statement from Iger:
Quote:
As one of the few people allowed to visit the set during filming….and one of the fewer who’s seen most of the footage…I can assure the millions of Star Wars fans who have spent the last decade hoping for a new movie this one will be worth the wait. And it’s only the beginning of a new era of exceptional Star Wars storytelling; next year we’ll release our first standalone movie based on these characters, followed by Star Wars: Episode VIII in 2017, and we’ll finish this trilogy with Episode IX in 2019.
I’m almost shocked at how much information and speculation is possible in those two long sentences. Let’s run it down.
Iger has seen most of the footage from The Force Awakens.
He believes it’s “worth the wait.”
He mentions the 2016 standalone movie.
He hints the 2016 standalone movie is about “these characters,” potentially meaning characters from the new movies.
Star Wars Episode VIII will be out in 2017.
There is no mention of a second standalone movie, directed by Josh Trank, hypothetically in 2018.
Star Wars Episode IX will be out in 2019.
He refers to that film as the end of “this trilogy.” That makes it sound like there will be more.
Now, of course we assume there will be more Star Wars after Episode IX concludes the Star Wars sequel trilogy (which Rian Johnson will also most likely direct). But to hear the head of the company hint at stories beyond that, and give us further confirmations of the years to expect those movies, is exciting.
As for the standalone movies, his tease about the 2016 film is curious, as is the omission of the second standalone movie for 2018.
Nevertheless, very cool stuff here. What do you get out of Bob Iger’s Star Wars sequel trilogy statement?
Rumor: J.J. Abrams Wanted for Star Wars Episode IX
J.J. Abrams is currently finishing up Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but his time in that faraway galaxy may just be getting started. Rumor has it Abrams is wanted back for Star Wars Episode IX, expected out in 2019. More on the Abrams Star Wars Episode IX rumor after the jump.
Latino Review reports Abrams has emerged as the frontrunner to direct Episode IX, after Disney brass saw and loved the footage he’s put together so far for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. (Abrams is also credited as an executive producer on Episode VIII, though we don’t know exactly how involved he’ll be.)
Whether Abrams wants to return is a different question. For what it’s worth, the site believes “there’s a good chance” he will be back. Abrams has been very vocal about his passion for the property, and Episode IX could be a pretty sweet gig if Episode VII goes well. Having that gap between installments could be helpful, too, since it’ll allow him to take his time and maybe go on break or pursue other work in between.
On the other hand, there have been reports of disagreements between Abrams and the studio, with Abrams losing battles to open Episode VII in 2016 and hold the first trailer until later. Abrams was already in high demand before Episode VII, and he’ll have plenty of other options if and when he decides to walk away from the franchise.
Moreover, even if Abrams is the top pick right now, there’s still time for Disney to change their minds. Episode IX isn’t due out until 2019. Plus, there’s the fact that Episode VIII writer/director Rian Johnson is also writing the treatment for Episode IX. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch for Disney to offer him the directing job on it, too.
Basically, there’s not much we know for sure about Episode IX right now, but the Abrams rumor will be an interesting one to keep in mind going forward. In the meantime, Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens December 18, followed by the Gareth Edwards-directed spinoff Star Wars: Rogue One on December 16, 2016, and then Star Wars Episode VIII in 2019.
Do you like Abrams, Johnson, or someone else for Episode IX?
I'd rather have a new director for each segment, a new stamp each time around, too much Abrams in one place can be tiresome, that's what made Star Trek and Super 8 so fresh.
I was hoping that for this trilogy, like the original trilogy, they would bring in someone new for each film. I was hoping, since he came close to directing Episode VII, that they would get Brad Bird in there to direct Episode IX. Then you would have a trilogy of films from three different directors who each have their own styles.
I was hoping that for this trilogy, like the original trilogy, they would bring in someone new for each film. I was hoping, since he came close to directing Episode VII, that they would get Brad Bird in there to direct Episode IX. Then you would have a trilogy of films from three different directors who each have their own styles.
Well if rumors are to be believed Lucas did a lot of over the shoulder or "ghost directing" of Return of the Jedi.
I am trying to understand why the didn't offer JJ all three. How did Rian Johnson come into play?
They probably did offer JJ all three, but he's said he was hesitant to do even one. From what's been reported, he didn't want to leave his family behind for that length of time but gave in once his wife told him he's be stupid not to do it.
I have no problems with JJ directing a third entry, especially with the way things are looking for The Force Awakens. That first trailer literally gave me chills. Episode VII is still my most anticipated film of the year.
It also would have been a Herculean effort for one director to get all three done in the time frame Disney has in place.
Yeah, unless they were going to take the LOTR approach and basically make all three at once. Which would have been crazy in this case. LOTR had a fairly well-regarded sixty year old road map to follow.
That's not the case here. Locking too much in place early would be a huge risk.
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