As the admiral would say… It’s a spoof!
Roundup: Could Kennedy succeed Iger at Disney?
Corporate shenanigans. Jedi News spotted an interesting mention in a recent Variety story on Bob Iger and who might suceed him at Disney: “Many expect theme park and resorts chief Thomas Staggs to land the CEO role, although there are rumblings that Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy also may now be in the running.” Well, business isn’t exactly our division, but I suppose it wouldn’t be out of the question.
In other news, Kennedy and ILM have signed a “co-operation deal” with Chinese VFX company Base FX, both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have reported. Hrm.
Another name in the hat? Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) wouldn’t mind jumping ship to Episode VII, Big Shiny Robot learned in a recent interview.
Randomly… Star Wars will be the first movie to be dubbed in Dine, the official language of the Navajo, KJZZ reports.
Video: Kathleen Kennedy on Episode VII, Star Wars spin-offs
ClevverMovies talked to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy at CinemaCon (where she was named Pioneer of the Year) and got a few tidbits about Episode VII (J.J. Abrams is only signed for one) and spin-offs.
Lucasfilm is “determining what those spin-offs are going to be right now.” and she expects they’ll get some great talent” to helm them.
Big Shiny Robot, for the record, takes her evasiveness on IMAX and 3D as an indirect ‘yes.’
Giacchino: John Williams should score Episode VII
There’s been a lot of speculation that Michael Giacchino, who’s scored all of J.J. Abrams’ films, might step in to replace or collaborate with John Williams on Episode VII. But Williams said earlier this year that he’d like to return, and now Yahoo reports that Giacchino is all for it.
“One of the things that excites me most about ‘Star Wars’ coming back is chance to hear a John Williams score,” he said at a weekend Q&A in Switzerland:
“He has been a great inspiration to me over the years,” he continued. “He has been a great teacher to me and good friend and I would love nothing more than to hear more of his music from that universe.”
“If it were up to me I would say ‘John, you must do it.'”
In addition to Abrams’ films (and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue,) Giacchino has scored several films for Disney and Pixar. He was nominated for an Oscar for Ratatouille in 2008 and won in 2010 for Up. Williams, of course, has 5 Oscars, including one for the original Star War score.
As the Star Wars turns: An ever-evolving franchise
Today on Tor, Emily Asher-Perrin writes about Star Wars and the sequels and the Expanded Universe and generational differences and mostly, how the franchise is always changing along with the audience.
Those who saw it first in the theater will often remark how its title was initially just Star Wars—the “Episode IV: A New Hope” was added later, after the second film was released and one more was on its way. Children of the 90s had the Expanded Universe novels, which arrived just before the Special Edition was released. Those who were born in the 90s might have skipped the the original trilogy altogether, or watched the prequels first and then tracked back. And now that new films are coming, there is no telling how the new generation will see Star Wars, what it will mean to them, whether its history will be worth delving into.
This is a must-read and an important reminder: Star Wars is not a static thing, and it hasn’t been a static thing for decades now.
Anthony Daniels announced for Celebration Europe; “not sitting by the phone” for Episode VII call
Reed announced today that Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) will be among the stars at Celebration Europe.
He also did an interview with Digital Spy, where he sidestepped sequel talk:
“Look, it’s all very early days and I don’t want to wear anybody out by speculating or letting you waste your energy by saying ‘What do you think?’
“I’m certainly not sitting by the phone, but it’s always nice when it rings. Do you know what I mean?”
Still, he can certainly afford to be vague: C-3PO is one of the characters that few expect to be totally absent from the new movies.
Billy Dee Williams “would absolutely love” to return as Lando, has not been contacted by Lucasfilm
On 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?
No booze and only one hooker: Best #StarWars, #SWEU and #EpisodeVII tweets for March 25-April 7
Over the past couple weeks, we’ve said goodbye to a few, mocked more, and, well, went a tiny bit overboard with the dramatics. Just another week in Star Wars fandom…
Does Episode VII already have an editor?
In a press release yesterday announcing that Captain America: The Winter Soldier has begun filming, Marvel credits Mary Jo Markey with also being the editor for Episode VII. Surprise!
Markey has edited much of J.J. Abrams’ work – including both his Star Treks – so it’s by no means a stretch that she’ll work on Episode VII as well. But it’s certainly not something we expect to learn from a Marvel press release!
UPDATE: Jedi News points out that IMDB also lists another frequent Abrams editor, Maryann Brandon, but IMDB is generally not to be trusted at this point. (And this raises a question… Did Marvel get their info about Markey and EpVII from IMDB? Either way, until Lucasfilm or Bad Robot weigh in, this is questionable.)
Roundup: What is Peter Jackson doing with Episode VIII?
April Fools! Here’s one we missed: First Showing spotted what appears to be an Episode VIII script or treatment that appears very briefly in Peter Jackson’s latest Hobbit behind-the-scenes video, which was released on Monday. Of course, there are also appear to be scripts that say The Silmarillion, which I don’t believe anyone even has the film rights for, so take it as you will. I’m sure you can guess how I’m leaning. Well played, hobbitses.
Box office. The Motley Fool predicts that Episode VII will make a lot of money. Not just a a lot of money (because duh) but that it will go where only James Cameron has gone before: To make $2 billion worldwide. Well, if anyone can, it would be Star Wars… Right?
People. J.J. Abrams talks Star Wars and Star Trek with SFX, while Harrison Ford’s lips are sealed on Entertainment Tonight Oh the humanity. Or maybe he’s just tortured his publicist enough this week.
Back… To the future! Movies.com gathers some Lucas’ quotes on earlier plans for extending the saga.