Latino Review came out in the middle of the night to add a new wrinkle to Sith-based rumor packet: That Palpatine will be back, but he won’t be the same, i.e. played by Ian McDiarmid. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard something like this, though previous rumors (including one from Latino Review themselves) mostly pointed towards McDiarmid and a Force Ghost situation.
Cue another round of tedious Dark Empire analogies and angst, but personally I’m just going to give this go the full batshit: Palpatine is Time Lord. He regenerates. Pass it on.
→ Some rumor-based speculation on the Empire in Episode VII from Making Star Wars.
→ The always controversial Devin Faraci on how what he’s heard about Episode VII has made him stop worrying and love Star Wars again. He also had some fairly sound things to say on the EU issue yesterday on Twitter.
→ And finally, Harrison Ford was spotted on a “2,500 foot mega-slide” in Wyoming this week, while actor Brendan Gleeson admitted he didn’t originally get the hype when son Domhnall was cast.
We’ve already seen J.J. Abrams and Mary Franklin (first at the Yoda fountain!) do the challenge, but what’s really interesting here is that it’s pretty much the first official Lucasfilm recognition (Star Wars uploaded the video) that Rian Johnson is on board. No one really doubts it at this point: Johnson’s rep has confirmed, he’s clearly had permission to be out there talking like it’s a done deal, but the lack of an official announcement has been puzzling.
Celebrities are doing the ice bucket challenge to raise money to fight Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
→ J.J. Abrams, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley were at a dinner party (?) with director Edgar Wright. There was some jumping on this as a ‘sign’ of Wright being involved with Star Wars, but I think maybe Slashfilm has the best idea – that J.J. may just want to geek out with someone who can actually keep a damn secret. Or maybe they’re just buds and/or they’re all trolling us again. Who knows! (Random trivia I was unaware of before today: Wright produced Attack the Block, Boyega’s feature debut.)
→ Meanwhile, Adam Driver is officially out of hiding as GQ’s latest cover story. He doesn’t talk much about Star Wars, but it’s got some decent (if very ::sideeye:: guy mag) stuff on his background.
→ Slate has a new Star Wars Rumor Generator. This one does posters!
→ There’s a whole mess of new rumors over at Making Star Wars today, which has an altered timeline for Luke (and the Ewoks,) a very direct connection to a prequel character, more concept art and ‘George Lucas’ vision.’
→ A new set pic from Pinewood at Cinelinx. It’s the outdoor set we’ve seen before, but from a different angle. (And don’t forget we also have something about a new forest location.)
→ And finally, to link back to the Friday rumordump, Billy Donnelly at This Is Infamous debunks a lot of it. I have no idea who this guy or his source is, but hell, you can say the same about most everyone (or their sources) on Friday as well, so. Full of Sith also discussed last week on the new Full of Sith, but note that apparently Pablo only ruled out flashbacks for Rebels at SDCC. Also weighing in on Friday and the other rumors thus far is Hitfix’s Drew McWeeny.
One of the new Episode VII actors we haven’t heard much from – in the vague way we’re hearing things from actors – is Adam Driver. In the new issue of Entertainment Weekly we do learn that he’s splitting his time between London and New York City, for his Girls gig. Luckily, they put a bit more than that online, though obviously he’s not really dropping any news bombs.
Driver is promoting next month’s This is Where I leave You, with Tina Fey, Jason Bateman and Jane Fonda, so expect a few more soundbites… If anyone can get anything out of him.
Was it really necessary for everyone to unload every Star Wars ‘scoop’ they have today? We were bored out of our skulls most of the week, and then it all comes through at once. Can’t we have some pity? It’s Friday! In any case, since we’re already touched on the villains and Han Solo’s clothes, here’s what else came up:
→ Making Star Wars has some description of what Daisy Ridley’s character will be wearing. I’m happy to see this because a) unlike Han, we haven’t the faintest clue and b) to remind us that some women do actually exist in this movie. More lady character-centric rumors that don’t involve fancasting Lupita Nyong’o as various aliens, please.
→ Latino Review’s Dave Gonzales has finished A New Dawn and speculates about how it (and Rebels as a whole) and the new rumors seem to fit into the new tapestry of Star Wars. Possible spoilers for some of the book, naturally.
→ Jedi News claims there will be a Mon Calamari/Mon Cal character ala Admiral Ackbar, “not just in a background role.” And, you guessed it, Making Star Wars has more context, including what the connection may be to Skellig Michael shoot. You know exactly who’ll get pinpointed in this role, don’t you?
→ Episode VIII director Rian Johnson talks about visiting the Episode VII set.
Latino Review is shedding more light on the villain rumors, drawing in all these reports we’ve had of Inquisitors, their link to the Sith, Darth Vader and even Carrie Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd. It’s, uh, something – and possibly very big spoilers. Or it could be something pieced together from previous rumors, few of which we can be 100% sure about anyway. Take it all as you will!
UPDATE: Because it’s feast time for rumors, apparently, Badass Digest is now pitching in, with details on the #1 villain, and one of the planets mentioned in their big scoop from a few weeks back. But wait! That’s not all: Indie Revolver has the ‘concept art’ of said villain.
So now Indie Revolverhas some supposed Han Solo costume ‘concept art’ for Episode VII. Granted, this is something that’s even easier to fake than stormtrooper helmets.
Fans have eagerly pointed out Han’s rank insignia in this new art, however… And Badass Digest says this points to what ship he and Chewie are piloting.
Latino Review came out in the middle of the night to add a new wrinkle to Sith-based rumor packet: That Palpatine will be back, but he won’t be the same, i.e. played by Ian McDiarmid. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard something like this, though previous rumors (including one from Latino Review themselves) mostly pointed towards McDiarmid and a Force Ghost situation.
→ Some rumor-based speculation on the Empire in Episode VII from 
→ There’s a whole mess of new rumors over at 
→ 
So now