At least I think that’s what the tweet is saying. I think the one on the left is for South Korea, and the one on the right is for Japan, but feel free to correct.
New Rogue One posters for South Korea, Japan
Video: Pablo Hidalgo on how the Lucasfilm Story Group are more than just ‘continuity cops’
Pablo Hidalgo talks about the Lucasfilm Story Group on this week’s The Star Wars Show, and it’s a must-watch. (’96 GenCon? We knew him when.)
And here’s the extended half-hour interview:
Announced are two Rebels soundtracks and… These things. To be fair, the ILM Art Department Challenge winners are pretty neat.
TNT nabs Star Wars basic cable rights
TNT and TBS will be the new basic cable home of the Star Wars franchise, per The Wrap. TNT will begin airing the first two trilogies later this month, beginning with The Phantom Menace on Tuesday, September 20. They’ll debut one film a night and finish up with a six-movie marathon on Sunday, September 25.
The multi-year licensing agreement also includes The Force Awakens (currently running on the premium channel Starz) and Rogue One. They’ll join the lineup in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Variety’s “industry sources” estimate the deal is worth “at least $250 million” for at least 10 films, with the rights for The Force Awakens and the upcoming movies in the range of $35-$40 million each. The deal runs through “at least” 2022. USA Network – which held the Star Wars basic cable rights back in the ’90s – and FX Networks were also in contention for the deal.
Adam Driver on Star Wars directors and how the Episode VIII script has “nuance and ambiguity”
Adam Driver is the latest Star Wars star to show up at the Toronto International Film Festival. (We previously heard from Lupita Nyong’o.) He’s actually there for Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson, but of course no one can resist asking him about Star Wars.
In the Toronto Sun, Driver praises Star Wars directors J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson, citing their “very specific vision.” He went into further detail (on director technique, anyway) with Collider, and compared the VIII script to Empire… Sort of:
It’s great. It’s similar to how The Empire Strikes Back has a different tone. For that people always go “oooh, it’s dark” but I don’t know that it necessarily is. It’s just different in tone in a way that I think is great and necessary but also very clear. He trusts [that] his audience is ready for nuance and ambiguity. He’s not dumbing anything down for someone and that’s really fun to play.
He also talks about originally being overwhelmed with the scope of Star Wars, and how Abrams helped break that down. A full interview will be coming to Collider soon, and Patterson will be in theaters at the end of the year.
Video: Yet another look at Rebels S3
Disney XD has a new 30-second spot for the upcoming third season of Rebels, which debuts later this month. (via)
Lupita Nyong’o hasn’t shot for Episode VIII yet
In an interview with Collider, Lupita Nyong’o said that she hadn’t yet shot for Episode VIII, which wrapped primary photography in the summer. “That’s in my future,” she said of working with VIII director Rian Johnson.
Nyong’o was announced as part of the VIII cast when production began, and Johnson did share a picture of what appeared to be motion capture of her character, Maz Kanata – a test, perhaps? (Part of me wonders now if they swapped in Maz for another digital character who has yet to be revealed or finalized. Or maybe she’s just part of the standard demo?)
The most logical answer for when Nyong’o films for VIII would be the ubiquitous reshoots, which probably won’t happen until next year. In the meantime she has Queen of Katwe opening at the end of the month and Marvel’s Black Panther coming up for 2018.
Another veteran of The Clone Wars is coming to Rebels
Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackoff revealed that she’s reprised her role as the Mandalorian Bo-Katan for an upcoming episode of Rebels. (via)
Bo-Katan Kryze appeared in four episodes of The Clone Wars.
The Force Awakens debuts on Starz, and how I finally joined the 21st century
The Force Awakens begins its run on the premium cable channel Starz today. While currently available On Demand and in the Starz app, it will air on the actual channel at 9:00pm tonight. (There may be live-tweeting!)
Also available are the extra features from the two Blu-ray releases – several behind-the-scenes documentaries and cut scenes.
To celebrate the release, Starz contacted me (along with several other fans, I believe) and sent me a Google Chromecast and access to their app. I do have Starz through my cable package, but I’ve never ventured much beyond that. (Yes, I am fitfully behind the times in my TV-watching technology – I didn’t even have a functioning flatscreen TV until late last year.) Setup on the Chromecast was simple – it requires a power outlet, a HDMI slot and an iOS or Android device to act as the remote. I set it up, grabbed Starz from the app store for my iPhone, and was streaming the special features to my TV last night in under twenty minutes. (You will need an existing Starz subscription, but once that’s set up, you can also watch directly on the app.)
This morning, I powered it back on and, boom – The Force Awakens itself. Next up – moving the Chromecast to a currently defunct flatscreen that’s been gathering dust in a cable-less part of the house…
Video: New The Force Awakens VFX reel
ILM has posted a new VFX reel for The Force Awakens, giving us new look behind the (digital) scenes of the film.
This week in Episode VIII: Mark Hamill drops some tiny beans
Mark Hamill appeared this weekend at Salt Lake Comic Con, and while he was (naturally) tight-lipped about Episode VIII, he did drop a few things: Namely, that he’s a part of “an intense action FX sequence” that was being shot at night.
You can watch a video (via) of his appearance below, or head over to Big Shiny Robot for a recap.
→ In the realm of rumors, Making Star Wars has some possible details on some things that relate to Rey’s vision in The Force Awakens.
→ Every other ‘new’ rumor you’ve heard lately originates from Reddit. And what do we say to Reddit rumors? Not today.