Category: sequel trilogy

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(Some) Bloodline questions answered; Pablo dishes on the book’s origins

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Bloodline has been out for nearly a week now, and we’ve had interviews with author Claudia Gray from Entertainment Weekly and StarWars.com (by our own James!) Questions answered include how she incorporated that one Leia meme, what part of ANH got retconed, and how you pronounce ‘Casterfo.’

On Twitter today, Pablo Hidalgo treated us to a bit of background on the origins of the book… Including where Episode VIII director Rian Johnson contributed:

And finally, here’s a selection of Bloodline reviews: Big Shiny Robot, Cinelinx, Comicbook.com, Fangirl Blog, Far Far Away Radio, GeekDad, Tor.com, Tosche Station. (Plus mine.)

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Reports: Alden Ehrenreich is the new Han Solo

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Was the blaster a sign? Because it certainly looks like Alden Ehrenreich has the role of young Han Solo all wrapped up. Page Six was first to report last night that the alleged front-runner for the role has it in the bag, followed by The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Entertainment Weekly.

We can only hope an official announcement is imminent, but these things can take a while.

The still-untitled Han Solo film, from The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller with a script by Lawrence and Jon Kasdan, will be the second standalone Star Wars film. It’s due out in 2018 and expected to begin shooting at Pinewood Studios in London after Episode VIII wraps up.

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May the 4th roundup: Blasters, severed hands and more

@chrizmillr: Can't wait to get "shooting"! #MayThe4thBeWithYou
@chrizmillr: Can’t wait to get “shooting”! #MayThe4thBeWithYou
Chris Miller, one of the directors of the upcoming Han Solo standalone, celebrated May the 4th by sharing a shot of Han’s iconic blaster. It’s not casting news, but we’ll take it. Episode VIII director Rian Johnson – who is currently shooting – opted for dry humor.

→ Remember the old Episode VII rumor about Luke’s hand floating through space? Well, in yesterday’s Sun interview, Mark Hamill confirmed that it was indeed in the script at one point. On that note, Vox’s Todd VanDerWerff takes a look back at The Force Awakens and the challenges of making a remake/revival fun. Meanwhile, io9 is looking for VIII clues in yesterday’s Daisy Ridley video.

→ Chuck Wendig shares the first line of Aftermath: Life Debt. ComicBook.com has the first look at The Force Awakens comic adaptation. It’s scripted by Wendig, but the preview features only Luke Ross’s interior art.

→ John Jackson Miller talks about writing Star Wars with Omni.

→ Room’s Jacob Tremblay is fishing… He did get a response from one future Star Wars director, so that’s promising.

→ R2-D2 and C-3PO hung out in Entertainment Weekly’s elevator.

→ The Revenge of the Sith soundtrack is getting a limited release on vinyl.

→ StarWars.com has a look at upcoming The Force Awakens Funko Pop figures, including General Leia and Luke Skywalker.

→ And finally, my favorite new product: Star Wars Tiki cups.

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May 4th is incoming: Gird for puns

sunhamillWe don’t know what, if anything, is being planned for May 4th… Well, except one thing: Mark Hamill spent the 3rd as special editor for British tabloid The Sun. (It’s for charity!) Here’s the story, and the tweets.)

Last year on May 4, we got The Force Awakens‘ Vanity Fair cover story, which gave us our first look at Kylo Ren unmasked, Maz Kanata’s name, and a whole bunch of aliens. Alas, the magazine has already announced their May cover for this year, and it’s Amy Schumer. (Ironically?) Which isn’t to say I don’t expect Rogue One! Just maybe not this early.

In any case, history has shown us that Lucasfilm likely isn’t playing hardball tomorrow. (They almost never do – I just really love those silly VF shoots.) May the 4th is really a fandom event, and the fans will be out… In force.

(I’m sorry.)

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GLAAD: Star Wars movies need gay, lesbian characters

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As part of their annual report on LGBT characters in movies, the anti-defamation group GLAAD is pushing Star Wars to introduce gay and lesbian characters into the films. Per Variety:

“As sci-fi projects have the special opportunity to create unique worlds whose advanced societies can serve as a commentary on our own, the most obvious place where Disney could include LGBT characters is in the upcoming eighth ‘Star Wars’ film,” the report reads. “2015’s ‘The Force Awakens’ has introduced a new and diverse central trio, which allows the creators opportunity to tell fresh stories as they develop their backstory. Recent official novels in the franchise featured lesbian and gay characters that could also be easily written into the stories.”

The introduction of gay and lesbian characters into the canon Star Wars novels has been controversial, but really, what isn’t?

Also at Variety, Brent Lang looks at why major blockbusters like Star Wars and Marvel have been reluctant to add LGBT characters.