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Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 16, 2015 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim has kicked off in a big way: with J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy premiering the new teaser trailer for The Force Awakens. This new teaser still doesn’t give much away, but does give you a better look at the leads and the villains they’ll be up against. Of course, there’s also a shot of two certain characters from the original trilogy too. You can probably guess who! I won’t spoil anything else, just watch the teaser below! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 14, 2015 in Cinema, Star Wars
After watching the Star Wars prequels, I think everyone agrees that the new Star Wars trilogy is safer in any hands but those of George Lucas. And yet, if things had happened differently, we could now be anticipating/dreading Lucas’s version of Star Wars Episode VII (now Star Wars: The Force Awakens). Lucas confirmed he had begun planning the next three Star Wars films, but that he only planned to direct the first one. Episode VII would have been released in May 2015, then he would have sold Lucasfilm, perhaps so he wouldn’t feel tempted to direct. But Lucas realized this trilogy would be another ten-year commitment, which is admittedly a ton of work. Disney entered the picture at the right time, and Lucas realized it would be better for him not to develop the new trilogy at all, leaving it completely to others. Of course, Lucas remains a consultant on the movie, but maybe that’s how it should be: offering some new ideas or reference that the actual creative team can choose to use or ignore as they please. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Episode VII, George Lucas, Star Wars
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 21, 2014 in Star Wars 
JJ Abrams recently released a video sending his thanks out to all the fans who donated to UNICEF as part of the Force for Change event, which would give fans a chance to be in the movie. The last two videos gave brief looks at alien puppets and the X-wing design in the film, and this time around we’re seeing Chewbacca and R2-D2 show up! As you might expect, R2 looks like R2. Chewie doesn’t have a single grey hair! I know Wookies live a long time, though, so who knows when those start coming in. Make Wookie noises below the jump. Read more…
Tags: Chewbacca, Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 15, 2014 in Star Wars 
Chalk this up to more evidence that JJ Abrams is indeed living up to his promise of more practical effects: the rolling ball droid, BB-8, featured briefly in The Force Awakens teaser, isn’t CGI. In a recent interview, Mark Hamill mentioned the droid, saying, “[…] it’s not CGI, that’s a live prop — I was just amazed.” They also let him drive it around: “I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight.” It’s really great to see how excited Hamill is about being part of Star Wars again. “And not having thought that I’d ever go back there, to go back into that world, is just – I get the chills. It’s just so much fun.” How about you: did you think BB-8 was CGI at first? Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 13, 2014 in Star Wars 
If you watched the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer and wanted just a tiny bit more… I have good news for you. JJ Abrams and Disney have given Entertainment Weekly the names of several characters that show up in the teaser trailer — on trading cards! In a cute reference to yesteryear (JJ apologizes: “I’m only sorry we couldn’t give everyone a stick of gum.”), they decided to reveal the names on red and blue card line-ups. Most important, John Boyega’s character is named Finn, Daisy Ridley is named Rey, Oscar Isaac is Poe Dameron, the ball-droid is BB-8, and the shadowy villain is called Kylo Ren. Check out all the cards below! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 30, 2014 in Fandom, Star Wars 
Yes, the internet works fast. In under 24 hours, YouTube user Snooperking has put together a fun little video re-making the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser in LEGO form. It’s not as stunning as some of the other LEGO videos out there, but Snooperking gets majors props for creativity and speed. The new lightsaber with a cross guard is in there too, of course, and the villain maybe reveals why he’s finally in the forest waving his sword at nothing… Check out the full video below, and then dig your old LEGOs out of storage and start making your own! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, Lego, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 28, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Here it is, folks: the teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. There’s not much footage there, but what is there looks pretty great. You’ll get some classic trilogy vibes from this, trust me. There’s still plenty of new stuff — it’s not all old references and I’m honestly liking a lot of the elements they’re showing here. Plus, we finally get a good look at our two leads. I won’t spoil anything for you, aside from that yes, it ends with a fade to black and a lightsaber ignition sound, just like we all expected. Now get below the jump and watch it. You know you want to! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 24, 2014 in Star Wars 
Get ready, Star Wars fans: SlashFilm is reporting that they have heard from very good sources that the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens will debut this week, around Thanksgiving. They’re saying that it will indeed be shown in theaters. Right around the same time, a Reddit post on /r/StarWars claimed the same thing, also stating that it will be in front of “most if not all films in select theaters.” Interesting! John Williams recently recorded a short piece of music, presumed to be the teaser music, and we also heard reports of a 60 to 90 second teaser. Thanksgiving could be extra exciting this year!
UPDATE: and then, Regal Cinema jumped the gun and posted their theater list early, here. Looks like it’s happening! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 7, 2014 in Star Wars 
We finally have gotten a title for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. So… what’s your opinion? It seems to follow the same rhythm and titling that previous Star Wars films featured, and it’s also the first time the Force is mentioned in a Star Wars film name. I’m going to assume this has to do with the Force slowly coming back into play after the defeat of the Sith in episode VI. A lot of folks also think that the reason we’re hearing the title now is because a teaser trailer will be out before the end of the year. I hope that’s true, even if it’s just a tiny teaser. Come on Disney, show us what you’ve got! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, The Force Awakens
Posted by Ben Huber on Nov 3, 2014 in Star Wars 
It appears that aside from a few minor shots in the next few days, Star Wars Episode VII has officially wrapped. J.J. Abrams recently sent out thank-you cards to the cast and crew, thanking them for their hard work on the film. Then, of course, came the wrap party. I’m not interested in antics of who went to the party or who didn’t (it seemed like a packed event, though!), but I will include John Boyega’s delightful Instagram from the party, featuring himself and his cast-mates singing along to Stevie Wonder’s Superstitious. Also, R2-D2 was there. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 13, 2014 in Star Wars 
Here’s a tip for you: movies don’t start out with music in them. Shocking, I know! Auralnauts decided to remove the music from Star Wars’ classic throne room scene, in which Luke, Han, and Chewie receive medals for their bravery… in total silence. It gets a little awkward, to say the least. This was seen via Rian Johnson’s Twitter feed, in which Craig Mazin linked this with the warning: “When those first dailies come in, don’t freak out.” This is of course referencing Johnson’s upcoming stint as director of Episode VIII and the dailies in which directors pour over the initial shots made for the film. They might be a bit like this, embedded below. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, Rian Johnson
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 12, 2014 in Star Wars 
Funny: we don’t even know the name of Daisy Ridley’s character yet, but we’re now seeing some leaks of her costume. Above is a leaker’s sketch of her outfit in Star Wars Episode VII, featuring a flip-down visor, a lightsaber, various tools and gadgets, and a blue scarf. Hmm, blue scarves seem to be all the rage these days, eh? I kind of want one, now. Anyway, it’s hard to gather too much from this rough illustration, but it’s nice to see the grungy look is sticking. In other news, Mark Ruffalo recently sent an email to Episode VIII director Rian Johnson, asking him to let him have a part in the film. Then a series of hilarious tweets occurred, embedded below. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 3, 2014 in Star Wars 
That is one of the best headlines I’ve ever written. Yes, Miltos Yerolemou, an expert swordsman and the man who played Syrio Forel (Arya’s swordplay mentor) in Game of Thrones, has been cast in Star Wars: Episode VII. It seems he’ll be playing a small part, but you don’t hire an actor who also happens to be a master swordsman, and then not give him a sword (or least least some long, pointy weapon)! We don’t know how recently he was cast, so it’s hard to tell what his (small-ish) part will be, but I’m sure he’ll be great nonetheless. So, is JJ Abrams a bigger fan of Game of Thrones than previously though? Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, Game of Thrones
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 16, 2014 in Star Wars 
JJ Abrams can’t put a cap on everything, and little things about Star Wars: Episode VII are leaking out here and there. The most solid leak recently was concept art, and then a photo, of the new Stormtrooper helmet design. These definitely look a bit more modern, but given that this is set 30 years after the last films, that makes a bit more sense. The other, less verifiable rumor, is about the villains of Episode VII: according to the Latino Review, the Inquisitors are indeed the villains, and have been around for a long time. The biggest spoiler of all I’ll include below the break. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Ben Huber on Jul 21, 2014 in Star Wars 
Tread lightly, spoiler-avoiders! You may want to avoid this story. Badass Digest and Devin Farci recently posted a set of rumors about the plot setup for Star Wars Episode VII… and it sounds pretty solid. Farci doesn’t stick his neck out for anything other than the most reliable tidbits, so I’m inclined to believe this over other leaks. The basic gist? John Boyega and Daisy Ridley, the two main characters, discover a severed hand clutching a lightsaber. They realize it’s a “Jedi relic” and decide to return it. They then encounter Han Solo, Chewbacca, and others on their journey to return the saber, during which they discover a shocking fact: this is Luke’s lightsaber. So begins the hunt for Skywalker! Farci goes into extra detail there, so check it out if you want more. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Ben Huber on Jul 18, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Episode VII’s cast continues to grow, even as they are filming! Christina Chong, whom you may have caught in 24: Live Another Day most recently, will be joining the cast of the next Star Wars film. Latino Review broke the news. Hopefully we’ll get official confirmation soon. Score another for a diverse cast! Since the initial casting announcement, almost every new character announced for Star Wars has been female. It’s great to see an increase in women in space, and I hope we’ll also see this continue with other films in the future. I wonder what kind of part she’ll be playing? Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 30, 2014 in Star Wars 
Everyone wants tidbits about the biggest (probably) upcoming film, Episode VII. So what do you do? Wring every detail you can out of the cast members! Recently in a interview with Sci-Fi Now, Andy Serkis spoke a bit about his role in the new Star Wars film, saying that his company (The Imaginarium) would be doing the mo-cap work and, “I myself am playing a character in it.” Of course, everyone is interpreting this different ways: some think he’s only doing mo-cap work, others think he’s playing a live-action character too. Suffice to say, there’s no way you’d hire Andy Serkis without using his mo-cap expertise in some way… but that isn’t the end of his abilities. I could definitely see him playing a non-CGI character. That’s the juicy bit, but check out of the rest of the interview here.
Tags: Andy Serkis, Episode VII
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 24, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
It sounds like Harrison Ford’s recent injury may be worse than initially reported. The man who plays Han Solo was injured by a hydraulic door over a week ago while shooting Star Wars Episode VII. While initial reports stated it was a sprained ankle, it turns out that his leg was broken. That’s bad news, considering the actor is rumored to be the main lead in Episode VII, or at least to play a major part. Now rumors are swirling at Pinewood Studios of an emergency meeting to discuss what to do with a film that is due for release on December 18, 2015. Reportedly, the options being considered are rewriting Ford’s scenes, rewriting the whole script to reduce his role, or delaying the film. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Episode VII, Han Solo, Harrison Ford, Star Wars
Posted by Ben Huber on Jun 21, 2014 in Star Wars 
It’s everyone’s favorite time of the week: Star Wars Episode VII rumor time! Latino Review did some digging on the recent Making Star Wars post, and found a few things weren’t quite on. But they were close! The bad guys are indeed a group of mercenaries hunting down Jedi, and Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong’o and the two mains in that crew. Black and chrome will indeed be their color scheme as well, including some Storm Trooper underlings. It seems that many designs in the film are being taken or based on old Ralph McQuarrie designs that went unused in the original trilogy. I am definitely okay with that, as it appeals to my nostalgic side. They also go into some speculation based on their sources, but you can read that all here. Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 5, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Someone has managed to sort all of Star Wars alphabetically. No, it’s not a wiki or database of some kind, and we’re talking about Star Wars the first movie, not Star Wars the franchise. This guy has alphabetically sorted every word spoken in the film and cut a video of the words in order. The original film is 121 minutes, while this edit runs for a mere 43 minutes. The most common word is naturally “the,” but interestingly enough, the word “lightsaber” is only uttered once in the entire film. Strange, huh? Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, Star Wars
Posted by Bob Muir on May 22, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
One of the best parts of the original Star Wars trilogy were all the practical effects, mixed with worn elements to give the impression of a realistic, lived-in world. One of the biggest failings of the prequel trilogy was tossing that out the window in favor of clean cities and cartoon aliens, all rendered in fake-tacular CGI. Director J.J. Abrams has previously expressed his plan to use practical effects in Star Wars Episode VII (as well as shoot on film). In a video today, we got our first peak at a new alien — and he’s a puppet! Read more…
Tags: Disney, Episode VII, J.J. Abrams, Puppets, Star Wars
Posted by Ben Huber on May 17, 2014 in Star Wars 
It looks like it’s not all secrets and smoke on the set of Episode VII. Bad Robot tweeted out two pictures today from the first day of filming for the new Star Wars film. One is of the clapboard and the other is of the outside of Pinewood Studios, which features a large sign that says “VII Now Filming.” Yes, it’s finally happening. Now let’s hope they do a good job. I also hope that this is a sign that J.J. Abrams, Bad Robot, and Disney will be a tad more open about the whole process of filming. If you share photos, people are less likely to go hunting for leaks. At least, I am! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, J.J. Abrams
Posted by Ben Huber on May 10, 2014 in Star Wars 
Rumors keep swirling about Star Wars Episode VII, and it looks like nothing is going to stop them. One of the more reliable tales to come out of the production (from Entertainment Weekly) is that Harrison Ford will be a “co-lead” in the film, probably leading the trio of main characters on their adventures. Obviously, Luke, Leia, and Han will all have significant roles, but it seems that Han’s is a bit bigger. EW also confirmed that there are several important roles yet to cast, including a lead female role. That’s good to hear, especially as some of the criticism of the cast was that there was only one new woman in the cast. Also, I’ve included below Conan’s recent bit on the possible titles for Episode VII. Check it out! Read more…
Tags: Episode VII
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 30, 2014 in Cinema, Star Wars 
After much speculation, we now know the stars who will be warring in Star Wars Episode VII. As expected, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) all return. The newcomers are John Boyega (Moses, Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (an unknown), Adam Driver (Adam Sackler, Girls), Oscar Isaac (Llewyn Davis, Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (Gollum, The Lord of the Rings), Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), and Max von Sydow (who’s been in tons of stuff). Read more…
Tags: Disney, Episode VII, J.J. Abrams, Star Wars
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