Kelly Marie Tran speaking out for the first time since she deleted all her posts on Instagram earlier this year, in an essay for The New York Times. The move was widely believed to be about the harassment she’s received, something she confirms here, but it’s also part of a larger picture, part of growing up “as a person of color in a white-dominated world.”
Harassment is never okay. Harassing someone over their race, their gender, or because you don’t find them attractive is not the exception. Saying mean things about someone because you didn’t like a movie isn’t either. I don’t know why people seem to need a reminder that just because you can be an ass on the internet doesn’t mean you should. And just because you haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened to someone else.
Here’s a quick lesson in how to properly pronounce her real name, Loan:
Vietnamese lesson #1 – Kelly Marie Tran’s real name is Loan. Loan is pronounced “low on” but said really fast with emphasis on the “on” part. Just a friendly FYI since I know you’re all out there saying Loan like car loan.
The older Star Wars movies aren’t coming to Disney’s streaming service, Bob Iger said during the company’s earning call Tuesday. “The marketing will make clear that it’s not going to be on there,” said Iger. “But ‘Star Wars’ movies that come out in 2019 and later, you’ll find them there.” Guess Turner wanted too much after all? The TBS/TNT deal runs through 2024.
The service will likely cost less than Netflix, though. And it won’t be totally void of Star Wars – in addition to Episode IX, there’s Jon Favreau’s live-action series, and given they’re getting new The Clone Wars episodes, we can expect the rest of the series as well – plus Star Wars Rebels, which has yet to stream at any non-Disney outlets.
Jason at Making Star Wars says that he’s heard a few things that are circulating about Jon Favreau’s live action Star Wars television series… Mainly, that it’s about Mandalore.
Disney is trying to buy back the broadcast rights to Star Wars from Turner Broadcasting, which currently has them through 2024, says Bloomberg. They apparently want them for their own streaming service.
I admit that I am a bit doubtful, since it seems like streaming and broadcast rights for older titles ought to be separate? But I’m hardly an expert on this sort of minutiae, and Disney might want the exclusivity for their own service regardless of what the TBS/TNT deal allows.
TNT started showing the first two trilogies in September 2016, and got The Force Awakens this year. Rogue One is due in 2019 – if Disney doesn’t find the magic number to get them back, that is. The TNT deal was reportedly worth “at least $250 million” – Bloomberg pegs it as $275 million, and says TNT wants “programming to replace the lost films” as well.
J.J. Abrams posted his first tweet to his personal account to mark the first day of shooting on Episode IX. “Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go.” he tweeted. “Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX”
The clapperboard photo (#dayone) was tweeted by @bad_robot on May 16, 2014, while an official video for Omaze/Force for Change featuring director J.J. Abrams and the creature we now know as BobbaJo arrived on May 21.
Jason Ward at Making Star Wars weighs in with some fresh rumors on a possible place IX will go for location shooting. Jordan was a possibility for Jakku in The Force Awakens, and was used in Rogue One for Jedha. Could a revisit to one of those places be in order?
J.J. Abrams’ Episode IX will begin filming on August 1 at London’s Pinewood Studios, StarWars.com has announced, confirming that Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher (via unused The Force Awakens footage) will be returning.
Interestingly, the release calls IX “the final installment of the Skywalker saga.”
As expected, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, and Billie Lourd are also returning. They’re being joined by new (to Star Wars) faces, Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant.
The role of Leia Organa will once again be played by Carrie Fisher, using previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” says Abrams. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”
Composer John Williams and Director of Photography Dan Mindel are also returning.
