Club Jade

So Mark Hamill tells Buzzfeed, talking about his hopes to get a movie version of The Black Pearl shot before Star Wars production starts. He also talks about his stint on the Criminal Minds season finale, which he live-tweeted last night.

This is from last week, but it’s not like anyone actually watches Leno. Mark’s episode of Criminal Minds, the two-parter season finale, airs tonight.

He takes audience suggestions… Including some from folks you’ll certainly recognize.

First part of the interview is below the cut.

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The president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, will be heading to Germany for her first Celebration in July, Reed revealed today.

“When I joined Lucasfilm, I immediately saw the true passion shared by Star Wars fans around the world,” Kennedy says. “I’m thrilled to attend my first Star Wars Celebration and see in person that energy that makes the Star Wars experience so special.”

Kennedy is executive producing Episode VII, so there’s a chance we might actually get some movie information…

J.J. Abrams stopped by The Daily Show to chat Star Trek and Star Wars with master geek (and future Jedi?) Jon Stewart. The extended version of the interview begins above, with part 2 below the cut

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It’s Friday, so please take this video of Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. It really is kind of cute.

Meanwhile, if you want the actual thing instead of just jokes about it, Star Trek: The Exhibition will be making the rounds to San Diego, Los Angeles, and Arizona this year.

Who’s an appropriate choice to be Her Universe’s Fangirl of the Day on May 4th? Lucasfilm’s Mary Franklin is not only Club Jade’s favorite bartending visionary, but she’s been responsible for almost every single Celebration and the Bantha Tracks newsletter. (Which, granted, may be the more impressive feat overall, but hey: We love our bar.)

You’ll want to check out Mary’s blog entries on the StarWars.com blog, particularly her series going behind the scenes at Celebration, which even features a few other Jaders here and there.

And of course you’ve been keeping up with the Fangirls of the Day, right?

Carrie Fisher appeared at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this weekend, where she talked about kissing Harrison Ford, killing Jabba the Hutt and, of course, Episode VII. The Calgary Herald reports:

“I like being bought by Disney, because they never wanted to buy me before,” she said. “I’m glad they are doing a new movie because they are sending a trainer to my house so I can get in really good shape. So I’m really eating a lot of sugar in advance, as you can see. By the time I really get down to it I will have eaten everything.”

Yes, the writing is on the wall and if we don’t get an official announcement this week I’ll be very surprised, but tales of Fisher, Hamill and Ford signing on are still, alas, unconfirmed. Barely, I’ll grant you.

J.J. Abrams gave his most revealing Star Wars interview so far (which isn’t really saying much) to Playboy? Well. If you want to hear about Star Trek you can head on over there, but Star Wars fans, read on.

Okay, okay, he does say that doing a third Star Trek isn’t out of the question.

As for Star Wars, he wouldn’t comment on still-unofficial of returning cast members, or if the new trilogy will be ‘distinct.’ He’s “not going to give my opinion on the original movies or characters.”

When asked about broad ideas and the reaction to The Phantom Menace:

I try to approach a project from what it’s asking. What does it need to be? What is it demanding? With Star Wars, one has to take into account what has preceded it, what worked, what didn’t. There are cautionary tales for anything you take on that has a legacy—things you look at and think, I want to avoid this or that, or I want to do more of something. But even that feels like an outside-in approach, and it’s not how I work. For me, the key is when you have a script; it’s telling you what it wants to be.

On the pressure of taking on the franchise:

I meant if I viewed this from a fan’s point of view—and no one’s a bigger Star Wars fan than I am—or from a legacy standpoint, it would scare the hell out of me. But instead of trying to climb this mountain in one giant leap, I’m just enjoying the opportunity and looking to the people I’m working with. I’ve known Kathy for years. I’ve worked with the screenwriter, Michael Arndt, for a long time. I’ve known George for a number of years and he’s now a friend. Even if this wasn’t Star Wars, I’d be enormously fortunate to work with them.

And of course:

For me to talk to you about what the big themes or ideas are before they exist is disingenuous, but naturally I have a big say in how this gets put together. When I get involved with something, I own it and carry the responsibility of the job.

Well, Playboy, you tried.

It’s a big interview, so he also talks about his TV shows, growing up in Hollywood, Tom Cruise and more.

And in the happy news department… George Lucas and fiance Mellody Hobson will tie the knot in June, The Hollywood Reporter says. They’ll marry in her hometown of Chicago, with former Senator Bill Bradley giving away the bride.

The couple’s engagement was announced in January. It will be the second marriage for Lucas and first for Hobson.