Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
With Episode IX due to begin filming on August 1, let’s take a look back at our first official dispatches from the set of The Force Awakens.
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.
Continue reading “Flashback: Our first official looks at The Force Awakens”
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.
A late addition to the release was Keri Russell, the only new-to-Star-Wars actor rumored for this round.
More details on the Fisher footage:
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.
Of course Mark Hamill, big geek, is apparently roaming San Diego Comic-Con “incognito.” His Twitter reveal of his Thursday “disguise” (or one of them) does show that he seems to be growing back his beard, which was noticeably absent a week ago.
Continue reading “Episode IX hair watch: Is the Hamill beard making a comeback?”
Is Greg Grunberg’s Snap Wexley coming back for Episode IX? “We better, or else my wife’s gonna kill me for growing the beard,” Grunberg said during a chat with Yahoo at SDCC. “I can’t officially say anything,” he continued. “But this is getting itchy. I’m getting itchy to go over there and do it. So yeah, we’ll see.”
Temmin “Snap” Wexley was one of the Black Squadron X-wing pilots in The Force Awakens. The character is a regular in the Poe Dameron comics, which is currently embarking on a storyline that explains what they were up to during The Last Jedi. As a teenager, the character is one of the leads in Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy.
Grunberg is a childhood pal of Episode IX director J.J. Abrams and appears in much of his work. IX is due to begin shooting very soon.
John Boyega gave use a look at his pre-IX hair style on Instagram yesterday, while Mark Hamill has… shaved his beard?!? I am confused and distressed.
Take it as you will.
Lando Calrissian is coming back – again. The Hollywood Reporter, backing up a Fantha Tracks report from last month, is now saying that Billy Dee Williams will reprise the role in Episode IX.
A younger version of Lando, played by Donald Glover, appeared in May’s Solo, but Billy Dee hasn’t been on screen since Return of the Jedi, though he did do some voice work as the character on Rebels.
IX is due to begin filming at the end of the month, so if this rumor does pan out, we’ll likely hear soon.
J.J. Abrams may be bringing a familiar face with him to Episode IX. Keri Russell is in talks for a role, Variety reports today. The role reportedly calls for “action-heavy fight scenes”, something she has experience with in her recent roles on FX’s The Americans, Mission: Impossible and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Variety also says that Abrams is looking to cast two more roles before the end of the month, when filming is due to begin.
Russell starred in Abram’s first TV show, Felicity.
Is a newish filming location for an old world set to return?
Continue reading “Could Episode IX return to a classic world?”
Are you ready for yet another set of Obi-wan standalone rumors? Today we have The Playlist, with some stuff they heard a while back (six months, so way pre-Solo). Continue reading “Star Wars spinoff rumors continue to spool, read at your own risk”