What the hell is going on with Kylo Ren’s pants?

Here’s one of those sentences no one ever dreamed of typing: The Wall Street Journal is covering Kylo Ren’s high-waisted pants, complete with one of their classic stipple portraits. (And an official still from Lucasfilm. No more need for fuzzy pirated screenshots!)

It’s mostly about the #KyloRenChallenge meme, but we do get word from from the film’s costume designer:

“The world of Star Wars is not our world,” Michael Kaplan, costume designer for “The Last Jedi,” wrote in an email. “Kylo Ren is not some hipster in hip-hugging jeans. Think Errol Flynn swashbuckling coolness as a point of departure. Hide that navel!”

We get something of the history of high-waisted pants, and a Bruce Lee shoutout as well. I guess Kylo finally gets one up on grandpa Anakin in at least one area: His waistband.

Behind The Last Jedi: Story, effects, costumes, and more

And now that we’ve all had a chance to take the movie in, the behind-the-scenes stuff has started flowing in… There are several Rian Johnson interviews out and about, with the best perhaps being at the Los Angeles Times. There he talks about introducing new Force powers, Rey and Kylo, and the whole purpose of the shirtless scene. Also: Business Insider, a Variety podcast and The Director’s Cut podcast.

Continue reading “Behind The Last Jedi: Story, effects, costumes, and more”

Today in The Force Awakens: Costume concepts, books and more

tfa-concept-poehelmetOver at IGN, an interview with costume designer Michael Kaplan, and how the looks evolved for characters both old and new.

→ Our own James interviews Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens author Landry Q. Walker at StarWars.com, while comic writer Charles Soule talks to ComicBook.com about Poe Dameron #1. Soule also did a guest post for StarWars.com.

→ We all heard about Force for Daniel, but Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams showed the movie to dozens of terminally ill fans.

Vulture takes a look at who’ll buy physical copies of The Force Awakens. I’m guessing… A lot of people? They also look back at the box office.

→ A look at how Rey’s isolation is framed in the film.

→ StarWars.com also presents their list of the ten best The Force Awakens moments.

Today in The Force Awakens: The review embargo is in

tfa-kylo-finn-reyWe’ll be seeing the first The Force Awakens reviews on Wednesday, December 16th at 12:01am PST. Plan accordingly. In Hollywood, things are shaping up for the Monday premiere, which will have “Academy Award levels” of security and crowd control.

The Force Awakens will be featured on CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday, and in the preview video we get to hear some of John Williams’ new score.

→ Today’s best bet: Samuel L. Jackson and Gwendoline Christie chat for Interview magazine.

→ J.J. Abrams has more praise for coffee enthusiast Pablo Hidalgo from in the Toronto Sun. Elsewhere, he talks about The Raid stars with /Film.

→ Costume designer Michael Kaplan on Kylo Ren’s helmet for Time.

Vice News did a half-hour piece on Adam Driver’s Arts in the Armed Forces organization. (Guess what made the headlines?)

→ Also: Phasma and Rey action figures flying off the shelves, Lupita Nyong’o was on GMA this morning, and Anthony Breznican on Bobbajo.

Today in The Force Awakens: Googlification, interviews with Fisher and Kaplan

google-tfaEven Google is getting in on the action, debuting Google.com/starwars. Also coming on December 2 is a Google Cardboard Virtual Reality “experience” that will be available through the official Star Wars app.

→ In a new interview with Time, Carrie Fisher talks about coming back as Leia.

→ Costume designer Michael Kaplan talks to Elle, mostly about Daisy Ridley’s Rey costume.

→ There a new still of Captain Phasma over at Empire.

→ Brent Simon chatted with J.J. Abrams yesterday, and while he’s under embargo, he did say he saw an extended scene and that an additional 30 minutes of John Williams score that’s not in the film will be released.

Today in The Force Awakens: New Noto, interviews with Kasdan and Kaplan

tfa-noto-30dTo celebrate the 30 day marker, Phil Noto cooked up a new The Force Awakens piece.

→ Wired has an interview with Lawrence Kasdan and, in the U.K. version for some reason, costume designer Michael Kaplan with a straight from the set armor gallery.

→ George Lucas tells Vanity Fair why he’s done directing mainstream movies.

Daisy Ridley and Lupita Nyong’o aren’t the only new cast members fashion magazining it up: Domhnall Gleeson is chilling with model Gigi Hadid in Portugal for Vogue.

The Force Awakens: Costumes, Pip Andersen and bōjutsu

tfa-teaser2-firstorderToday, Vanity Fair has an interview with The Force Awakens costume designer Michael Kaplan, which actually feels surprising revealing for this point in the process. Namely, the stormtrooper uniforms are sturdier and Empire and Rebels First Order and Resistance are more color-coded. On that note, a new photo of Oscar Isaac in his base jumpsuit has emerged.

Pip Andersen talked a little bit about his role.

A few more tidbits from the Japanese interviews: Kathleen Kennedy said Daisy Ridley was trained in the bōjutsu fighting style, which means she’ll actually be fighting with the staff we’ve seen the trailers.

→ Hasbro has announced a Star Wars panel for SDCC. Maybe they’ll finally show some stuff for The Force Awakens?

→ Rumor corner, take 1: There’s something floating around a third trailer for TFA may be on Pixar’s Inside Out, and that it’s already been shown at a “Disney blogging conference.” However, another attendee has denied it.

→ Rumor corner, take 2: A Youtube video that supposedly shows an effects scene being filmed has popped up.