Roundup: Is Billy Dee back for Episode VII?

Through yonder Lando breaks. Ali Arikan say Billy Dee Williams is indeed on board for Episode VII. (Detailing on his last report.) Meanwhile, Fans Share (via) says Williams has been “insinuating” that he’s doing work on Rebels as well. Though a lot of that seems awfully familiar, so it may just be regurgitated rumor-mongering.

Business. The Hollywood Reporter has some details of what’s going on with ILM in London as the company beefs up in preparation for more Star Wars and Marvel (among others) work. They’re also expanding in Vancouver.

Expanded Universe. The Star Wars Books Facebook page had a chat with author Joe Schreiber today on Maul: Lockdown. You can read it directly or through the recap at Suvudu.

Roundup: Spin-off release date rumors, Phil Tippett and a closer look at the Rebels LEGOs

SPINOFF RUMORS: Take seriously at your own risk.Buzz. Could the first spinoff film be pushed back to 2017? That’s what Ali Arikan is claiming on Twitter today. Considering we know next to nothing about it, I find it hard to get too worked up if this proves true. And if it does mean more time between actual Episodes (like the traditional three years,) I’m all for it.

Alumni. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, effects guru Phil Tippett doesn’t totally write off the idea of coming back to Star Wars. Meanwhile, Billy Dee tells Blastr he still hasn’t heard anything about returning.

Rebels. Jedi News has some nice pictures of the LEGO minifigures that have been causing such a fuss.

Roundup: StarWars.com adds Episode VII section

Episode VII on StarWars.comStarWars.com. A year and change after the announcement, the official site has added a section for Episode VII. (via)

Actors. It’s not that really a big surprise that J.J. Abrams wouldn’t be talking to Samuel L. Jackson or Ewan MacGregor regarding Episode VII, but Mark Hamill? So said Jackson in a recent David Letterman appearance, anyway.

Billy Dee and Rebels? Maybe not so fast on that rumor that Billy Dee Williams will be doing a voice on Rebels. Lightsaber Rattling quotes the full conversation.

Horrors. I originally clicked in this expecting to think ‘I’ve seen worse,’ but io9 may be right: This might really be be the ugliest Star Wars shirt ever.

Roundup: Revenge of the Holiday Special and more fun with random selection

Star Wars Episode VII Title GeneratorFun stuff. Start your own silly title rumor with Empire’s Episode VII title generator, even if it does seem heavily weighed towards Gundarks and the Holiday Special.

People. Billy Dee Williams defends Harrison Ford, while it seems that Ender’s Game star Asa Butterfield wouldn’t mind working with Ford again.

Travel plans. Want to visit Mos Espa? Better hurry – a large sand dune is covering the set, reports CNN.

History. A financial memo unearthed by The Hollywood Reporter details George Lucas’ payday for THX 1138: $2,500. In installments. Proof that everyone starts somewhere!

Episode VII: Spartacus actor auditions for a Jedi role, more castings and #BringBackLando!

Why hello there, Liam McIntyreCasting rumor du jour, part 2. RebelForce Radio tells Jedi News that their DragonCon correspondent, Riley of The Star Wars Report, had a conversation with actor Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) who told him that he’s auditioned for a Jedi role in Episode VII. They’ll reveal more on tomorrow’s episode.

Casting calls. Meanwhile it seems there’s more casting going in New York. Only three roles, but they sound similar to several from the earlier slate. Could they already have folks (or finalists?) for the other parts?

Returning faces? Billy Dee Williams was also at DragonCon, and his manager said that Ford, Fisher and Hamill still aren’t signed. They’re urging folks to show their support for bringing back Billy Dee – who wants Lando to have “a beautiful daughter who’s a Jedi” – by using the hashtag #BringBackLando.

Course of the Force kicks off in the Bay Area

Course of the Force, the lightsaber relay from San Francisco to San Diego raising funds for Make-A-Wish, kicked off on Tuesday with a special celebrity run at Skywalker Ranch, then proceeded on Wednesday around San Francisco, ending with a concert and conival. Ashley Eckstein, one of the co-hosts of Course of the Force, was at Skywalker Ranch to help start the relay and covered it for the Official Star Wars Blog.

COTF-2013-AlexisDenisof-SkywalkerRanchOne of the celebrity runners at Skywalker Ranch was Alexis Denisof (Angel, Much Ado About Nothing), who blogged about his experience running in a spandex Threepio suit, while being cheered by his wife Alyson Hannigan and kids. Other VIP runners included Kyle Newman, Chris Colfer, Todd Roy & Adrienne Curry, and Jared Eng. Check out the official Course of the Force Day 1 Recap by Nerdist’s Dan Casey, as well as a plethora of photos of celebrities and members of the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion up at the Ranch.

Day 2 started off in San Francisco’s South Beach neighborhood, and the relay continued along the bayfront, ending with a crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge, with 38 relay participants scheduled for the morning race. The Conival at San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza featured a concert by Journey Unauthorized, and had booths ranging from Otter Pops to Qualcomm and State Farm. Chris Hardwick joined co-hosts Carrie Keagan and Ashley Eckstein for the end of day dueling. My favorite costumes: a family dressed as the Avengers!

Today, the Course of the Force takes a little breather as the lightsaber flies to Los Angeles before picking up for the Southern California segments of the relay from Friday to Tuesday as it travels from LA to San Diego and Comic-Con. Check out the daily schedule of relay segments and conivals. And if you’re on the lookout for Team Hondo, you’ll find the three members of Team Hondo in motion on Monday, July 15 in the morning in the Oceanside and Carlsbad segments – I’ll give out exact details on twitter at @jamesjawa. (And there’s still time if you still want to donate to Team Hondo’s fundraising efforts for Make-A-Wish Foundation chapters in California! I’m currently aiming for $1,250 and I am closing in on it.)

And to put you into an even weirder Course of the Force mood, join Billy Dee Williams, Patton Oswalt and Chris Hardwick for some Star Wars Cantina Karaoke:

Interview: Michael Price on LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles

Yoda-Chronicles-Yoda-Mace

With the first episode of LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles debuting later this month, I was able to chat with the show’s writer, Michael Price, about the upcoming episode ‘The Phantom Clone’ and see what sorts of fun adventures await us and Master Yoda. In addition to writing the previous two standalone LEGO Star Wars specials, Michael Price has been a long time writer and executive producer on The Simpsons, having won several Emmys for his work on the show.

Yoda-Chronicles-Logo‘The Phantom Clone’ is the first of three specials that comprise The Yoda Chronicles, and will premiere on Cartoon Network on May 29th at 8 PM (ET/PT). Price takes us behind the scenes of the show in this exclusive interview:
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Billy Dee Williams “would absolutely love” to return as Lando, has not been contacted by Lucasfilm

LandoOn Facebook, Billy Dee Williams posts about the Star Wars sequels and asks fans to get the word out about their desire to see Lando again.

Everyone is still asking about the new Star Wars movie…. the best way to ensure that Billy Dee Williams will be in the new film is to FB, TWITTER, BLOG and tell Disney and Lucasfilm that you want to see LANDO again! Hopefully JJ will read the wishes and write in LANDO! UNTIL then…. here is all that is known: “I am in the dark with the actual plans that Disney and Lucasfilm have for the future of the “Star Wars” universe. I have heard the same rumors that the fans heard, that a new trilogy is being made, that spin-offs may be made, that we all [Mark, Carrie, Harrison and myself] are going to be reprising our roles in these projects. At this point in time, nothing has been confirmed about my participation and I have signed no contracts. I assure you that I would absolutely love to reprise my role of Lando Calrissian. He’s a character that I took great pride in creating on screen and have continued to be a part of when providing his voice for video games, the new “Star Wars Detours” cartoon and for various episodes of “Robot Chicken”, among other projects. It’s a lot of fun to keep Lando alive and I am eager to do it again, on film, when I get the call. I thank all the fans out there for their continued support and I hope to get the call from Disney and Lucasfilm real soon, until then, may the force be with us all!”

He’s said that he’d like to come back before, but leaves little doubt as to his situation with Lucasfilm at present. Do you want to see Lando return – if only as a cameo?

Rumor: Billy Dee Williams asked to return as Lando for Episode VII?

Lando CalrissianIt seems that that Billy Dee Williams has been asked to return for Episode VII, according to a report by Film Buff, but he hasn’t made a decison yet.

There’s a pretty good chance that Solo and/or Skywalker kids will be a part of the new trilogy: Does this mean we could be seeing a young Calrissian as well? We don’t know if they’ll use anything from the novels (and it’s by no means a sure thing that they will) but Lando does have a son, Chance Calrissian.