by the fans for the fans

Star Wars: Han Solo & Boba Fett Spinoff Films Revealed

screenrant.com/star-wars-han-solo-boba-fett-movies/

The movie universe has broken wide open since the announcement that Disney purchased LucasFilm and plans to release new Star Wars movies – beginning with Star Wars Episode VII in 2015. Just yesterday came the news from top executives that standalone spinoff films were in the works as well, to fill the years in between each numbered chapter of the unfolding new saga.

A Yoda movie was the first rumored prospect for spinoff; following in the trend of revisiting old characters from the original trilogy, today we get word that Han Solo and Boba Fett might also get their own, respective, feature films.

EW is dropping the exclusive, claiming to have it from sources that Solo and Fett are indeed the characters we will see in spinoff films. It makes perfect sense for Disney/Lucas to take a two-pronged approach to the franchise; on the one hand offering fans the nostalgic thrill of new adventures with old, beloved (lucrative) characters – meanwhile expanding the brand with the new Episodes and their characters.

Word is the Han Solo film would take place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, chronicling how a young rapscallion bacome the legendary lovable roughneck smuggler. Of course (as will be detailed in our upcoming editorial) there must be a “How Han Met Chewie” element to this film for it to be all it can be.

If you couldn’t tell by the parameters being set, Han Solo would have to be played by a younger actor – though like The Hobbit, an aged Harrison Ford could still be utilized to frame the piece. Ford himself said he’s open to returning to the franchise.

The Boba Fett movie is more vague in shape, but basically the idea is to set it between either Episodes IV & V, or V & VI, with the gist of it being Boba tangling with a collection of fellow intergalactic Bounty Hunters and scumbags to obtain (or protect) some quarry. With a loose frame like that, we could very well end up seeing Han Solo’s carbonite slab bounced around the screen for an hour an a half while Boba tries to get it back. Add in cameos by unscrupulous types like Darth Vader, and this anti-hero Star Wars flick could be something refreshingly new.

Captain America director Joe Johnston told us personally he wants to make a Boba Fett movie – we’d still like to see that happen! Star Wars meets Dredd meets Catch Me if You Can? Why not.

The current game plan is for Episodes VII – IX to be released every three years between 2015 – 2021, with additional films (like these solo spinoffs) in the gaps between Episodes chapters. Given the resources of Disney/LF, there very well could be two Star Wars films out a year, keeping with the Marvel blueprint.

No word on casting, writers or directors yet – and given the state flux we are living in regarding Star Wars as a whole, anything could end up happening. Don’t count Yoda, Republic Commandos, Shadow of the Empire or anything else out.

NOT TO LONG AGO, IN A CITY NEARBY
WAS A MATTER OF TIME....


[UPDATED X2] Disney Closes LucasArts, Cancels Star Wars 1313

www.technobuffalo.com/2013/04/03/disney-...cels-star-wars-1313/

Updated (2:45pm EST): This should be our final update (I write knowing that I’ll probably eat my words). We specifically asked our contact at LucasFilm if Star Wars 1313 was officially canceled.

Their response is brief.

“All internal projects have been halted.”

That’s a hard stop. While our contact would neither confirm or deny the cancelation of Star Wars 1313, the internal work on the game has been stopped.

They might, however, be able to ship the license to another publisher. If that happens, we’ll absolutely bring you the story.

Updated (2:27pm EST): As promised, we are updating this story now that we have an official quote from Disney. This is the full statement from the LucasFilm team in regards to today’s events.

“After evaluating our position in the games market, we’ve decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company’s risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games. As a result of this change, we’ve had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles.”

We have reached out again for them to clarify, explicitly, if Star Wars 1313 has been canceled. If and when they do, we’ll update this post once more.

Original Story: Disney, the new owners of all things George Lucas, has officially delivered a killing blow to the LucasArts arm of the company. LucasArts is one of the most storied and successful game creation companies in the business, and now the developer has been shut down.

Kotaku has the news coming from an exclusive source. Staff were told this morning that LucasArts is officially no more, and they’ve all been let go.

This all comes as part of Disney’s acquisition of the Lucas properties. They’re doing promising work with the film side of the Star Wars equation, but the gaming side has officially taken a massive hit.

Speaking as a fan of the franchise and a gaming writer who sees a lot of previews on a yearly basis, Star Wars 1313 was one of the most promising games this series has ever seen. It looked like a brilliant mash-up of Uncharted and Star Wars, and I was set on loving the crap out of it.

You can read my preview of the game from last year’s E3.

For now? LucasArts is done, and one of the best developers in the history of gaming is no more. This is sad.

We’ve reached out to Disney for comment and will update this story if and when they respond.
Source Kotaku

John Williams Returning to Score ‘Star Wars: Episode 7′

screenrant.com/star-wars-episode-7-john-williams-returning/

The initial report that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and were going to launch a new Star Wars trilogy shocked the world, as did the report that J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) would be directing the film. News on Star Wars: Episode VII has been relatively quiet as of late, with the big exception being the rumors (extreme emphasis on the “rumor” part) that Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling have auditioned.

Now we have the announcement from Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy that legendary composer John Williams will be providing the score for Episode VII, just as he has for the six previous Star Wars films. The news arrived today from Star Wars Celebration Europe, the huge fan convention currently underway in Germany.

StarWars.com has also released a new interview with Williams, in which he discusses his enthusiasm for returning to this universe… and whether or not he has read the new story (spoiler alert: he hasn’t).

It’s a brief but enjoyable look at Williams, who is a warm and personable man, and the insight into his process as a composer (he prefers to experience the film as an audience would, rather than read the script ahead of time, for instance) is fascinating. You can watch the interview above.


John Williams is, of course, one of the most famous and honored composers working today. He has won five Academy Awards, has scored countless classics (Jaws, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, and The Raiders of the Lost Ark, to name a few) and his style has come to define what we expect to hear in Hollywood epics. His landmark score for the original Star Wars trilogy is one of the greatest things about them, so while the news that he’s returning for Episode VII may not come as a huge surprise, it’s certain to please fans.

Abrams might have been expected to bring on his Star Trek Into Darkness composer Michael Giacchino, who also worked on Lost and Fringe, in order to put his own stamp on the franchise while most likely retaining the main themes from John Williams’ original scores. With Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher all reprising their roles from the original trilogy, it’s clear that Disney and Lucasfilm know perfectly well that pleasing their core fan base – of which there are still legions – is essential to launching the franchise once more.

While the actual storyline for Episode VII is still a complete mystery, the new installment in the series is already expected to make $1.2 billion worldwide. Given the widespread excitement over a continuing series of Star Wars films, it’s probably an accurate prediction.

‘Star Trek’ director J.J. Abrams leaving ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’? (update)

www.hypable.com/2013/07/22/star-trek-dir...ar-wars-episode-vii/

Rumors are swirling that Star Trek Into Darkness director, J.J. Abrams, may be dropping out of Star Wars: Episode VII due to some disagreements with the studio.

Update: TheForce.net has reportedly received an official response concerning this rumor from Lucasfilm© and they have stated that the rumor is unfounded.

The official response from Lucasfilm: “There is no truth to the rumor. JJ is having a great time working on the script and is looking forward to going into production next year.”

Despite rumors continuing to crop up about J.J. Abrams and his involvement with Star Wars: Episode VII, as for now, it seems he is still officially attached to the film. The new writers who are now attached to Star Trek 3 are indeed true, so feel free to read through the article below.

Director J.J. Abrams is hotter than hot right now, nearing Joss Whedon status (almost), but he may be leaving his job as director of the next Star Wars film due to filming locations.

According to reports, Abrams doesn’t want to be away from his family for such a long period of time, as the studio wants to shoot Star Wars: Episode VII in England.

Badass Digest reports that multiple sources confirm Abrams is quite close to quitting altogether the highly publicized Star Wars film. Studio insiders at Comic-Con reportedly supported earlier claims.

After Disney acquired Lucasfilm from Star Wars creator, George Lucas, for a cool $4 billion, they decided to move quickly and hired J.J. Abrams for the first Star Wars film produced by its new studio.

Digest has also revealed that the script for Star Trek 3 will be written by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz. The duo wrote the first Thor film for Marvel and they also have writing credits which include X-Men: First Class.

We’re glad to hear that some new blood is being brought into the franchise, as some fans felt Star Trek Into Darkness felt a bit too familiar, despite it being a critical and financial success.

Despite Abrams concern about filming in England, the studio is reportedly bucking at moving the film’s location to the U.S., which is apparently a deal breaker for Abrams.

Collider reports that these rumors may become more solid if Abrams were to be missing from Germany’s Star Wars celebration, which takes place very soon, between July 26 – 28.

Fans may be curious as to whether Abrams leaving Star Wars: Episode VII could mean he’ll be coming back for Star Trek 3, but it definitely isn’t a certainty, since Abrams is Hollywood’s new wonderboy. If he becomes free of Disney’s new Star Wars film, he’ll have offers rolling in that could tie him up for years.

We’re definitely interested to find out how true these rumors are, as we think Abrams could do a great job with Star Wars, but we think it’d be much better if he stuck to Star Trek 3.

He’s done a great job with the Star Trek franchise so far, and the best outcome would be if he chose to do both films. But, there are some big question marks in both of the franchises right now, so we look forward to hearing what Abrams has to say about these rumors.

Disney Denies Rumors of J.J. Abrams Considering ‘Star Wars’ Exit

variety.com/2013/biz/news/disney-denies-...ars-exit-1200567061/

Star Wars Episode VII To Shoot This August, Production Alias Revealed

www.bleedingcool.com/2013/07/31/star-war...tion-alias-revealed/

As with Return of the Jedi and the prequels, Lucasfilm will be using a production alias for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII. The regularly dependable Jedi News would seem to have scooped that the code name this time will be Foodles.

Unless they’re confused because of… well, Foodles, which also have links to Disney. But I expect not.

Also mentioned in their report is an August start date for the production. Early 2014 has been cited before, but I do know pre-production work has been underway for a good while, so I’m prepared to believe the report is right.

Note that Jedi News are also corroborating something we heard a while back: Disney have penciled in Pinewood bookings for the next ten years. We believe this will be for Star Wars, Marvel and various other projects, including their ongoing sequence of fairy tale adaptations.

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII News: Reworked Script Has Original Trilogy Stars in the Leads; Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving Eyed for Roles

collider.com/star-wars-episode-7-news-ha...sbender/#more-305664


Star Wars fans may want to sit down for this one. While J.J. Abrams has now been onboard to direct Star Wars: Episode VII for nearly a year, solid news with regards to the pic has been very, very hard to come by. As the film’s production start date looms closer, we all knew this was about to change, and last night we learned that Friday Night Lights actor Jesse Plemons is being eyed for a role in the pic. Now THR has dumped a huge quantity of info about the follow-up, including word that Michael Fassbender, Hugo Weaving, and Adam Driver are all being eyed for roles. More interestingly, though, the script for Episode VII has apparently changed significantly since screenwriter Michael Arndt was pushed off the project, and the lead characters for Episode VII may now be the original trilogy stars: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford.

First thing’s first: according to THR, the script for Star Wars: Episode VII has been significantly reworked since Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan took over screenwriting duties last fall. The official reason given for the screenwriter change was that the Episode VII crew was facing an impending deadline with the film’s December 2015 release date, but THR says the actual reason for the shift was a difference in opinion over which characters to emphasize.

Arndt apparently felt that the main characters of Star Wars: Episode VII should be the offspring of Luke Skywalker (Hamill), Han Solo (Ford), and Princess Leia (Fisher), with the original Star Wars actors taking supporting roles in the story. Abrams felt differently, as he was eager to focus Episode VII on Luke, Han, and Leia “so audiences could have one more chance to enjoy them before a fitting send-off.” George Lucas was also involved in the debate (Arndt wrote the treatment for Lucas before Lucasfilm was sold to Disney), but he deferred to Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy, and with Arndt now completely off the project, the lead characters of Episode VII will indeed be Luke, Han, and Leia while their offspring will take on supporting roles. The plan now is to have the younger characters take over as the leads in Episode VIII and Episode IX.

This is a significant shift from the previous iteration of the project, and some characters from Arndt’s draft no longer appear in Episode VII while new ones are being created. For example, Abrams was eyeing Tye Sheridan (Mud) for a role last year, but the actor is no longer being considered because such a young actor is no longer needed. Additionally, many of the actors that were rumored or auditioned last year have now been nixed, so there’s no telling whether Michael B. Jordan, Alex Pettyfer, or Jack O’Connell remain viable candidates.


So who is in the mix for Episode VII? THR confirms that Jesse Plemons is on a list of actors that will be speaking with Abrams this week, but he is joined on that list by a number of other names. The report notes that Michael Fassbender met with Abrams about a role in December, and Girls star Adam Driver is also being eyed for a role. Additionally, The Matrix star Hugo Weaving met with Abrams to discuss playing an Imperial commander, and producers are also searching for a 20-something female actress who is either of mixed race or black to play either the daughter or granddaughter of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Personally, I’d rather see a story that focused more on new characters and less on the aging Luke, Han, and Leia, but at the end of the day this is Abrams’ film and if he doesn’t feel comfortable with the story, then the end result will be compromised. Here’s hoping he and Kasdan have found an organic way to have the original characters lead Episode VII.

This is definitely a lot of information to take in at one time, and it’s important to keep in mind that plenty can change between now and when filming begins—just look how much change the project went through over the past few months. However, filming does have to begin by this summer, so expect to hear plenty more about the project in the coming weeks. Star Wars: Episode VII opens in 3D on December 18, 2015.

The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

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Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer

Who's watching it?

There is more Star Wars in this Star Wars than the previous 3 Star Wars combined!

What I mean by that is there is an epic story unfolding here. I will draw a real life comparison to demonstrate. World War II was only 70some years ago. There are very few people who were actually there. Already, there is a belief in modern society that the Jewish Holocaust never really happened. They either refuse to believe such a thing could occur, or they believe it to be propaganda.

Episode 7 is setting up a similar scenario. The Jedi and Sith are all but extinct, there are very few people who were there, and their modern society doesn't even believe in them. And it was not that long ago! Han's presence, as limited as it will be, serves to validate those stories, show the new protagonists that the world is not what it seems, and how little they really understand the world around them. They will have to face that reality. This is a great setting for ANY story, really.

It is actually reminiscent of Episode IV. It sets a comparable stage. It is going to be hard to mess this up.